November 2012

A full three weeks of holiday fun comes to the West Seattle Junction beginning Saturday, December 1.

Events include a community tree lighting ceremony, Shop Late Thursdays, West Seattle Art Walk, Hometown Holiday Sundays, which features a Holiday raffle from Junction merchants and special in-store events. Santa will be there to listen to children’s requests, with professional photos by Donna Ryan Photography and everyone can enjoy a traditional carriage ride down California Avenue SW pulled by beautiful Belgium Draft mules. There will also be FREE gift wrapping stations on the last 2 Saturdays before Christmas.

A full schedule of events is online at http://wsjunction.org/2000/11/10952/ with specifics and highlights below:
 
Tree Lighting
Saturday, December 1
Time: 5PM
The Junction presents our 9th Annual Tree Lighting Event. It’s a community event for family, friends and neighbors. It will be held in Junction Plaza Park at 42nd and Alaska.

Hometown Holidays Headquarters
December 2, 9, 16

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206-937-7169
Be sure to stop by our beautifully decorated holiday store and come in to discover many one of a kind treasures for your decorating and gift giving pleasure.  You're sure to find something for the hard to please on your list.  Also, all items with yellow tags are $1.00 through the end of the month and all clothing is 50% off marked price from Friday, November 23 through Sunday the 25th.  The all volunteer run, non profit American Cancer Society shop will be closed Thanksgiving day and is open Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and all other days from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Follow our blog at www.discoveryshopwestseattle.org and LIKE us on Facebook.

Continuing Education Classes
South Seattle Community College
6000 16th Ave. S.W.
Register now: 206-934-5339 or www.LearnAtSouth.org

Hall at Fauntleroy Community Thanksgiving Dinner
9131 California Ave. S.W.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Those who follow the New York Times list of best sellers are acquainted with the book Unbroken that has taken the literary world by storm. It chronicles the life of Louis Zamperini who was an Olympic track participant and WWII survivor. I became aware of the book when the author Laura Hillenbrand called to interview me about my brother Norman Bright who was Zamperini’s track friend. Zamperini and my brother roomed together after arriving in New York a week before the 1936 Olympic track trials. My brother suffered severe foot problems during that harrowing week of practice but he went on to finish the final Olympic trials while others dropped out. However, he came in fifth when only three could advance to the Olympic Games to be held in Hitler’s Germany.

Zamperini was one of those who made the Olympic track team.

With one of the two majority council members back, a proposed April election to decide on changing Burien's form of government was shelved by the City Council on Nov. 26.

Councilmember Joan McGilton, along with Deputy Mayor Rose Clark and Councilmember Gerald Robison voted Nov. 26 against Councilmember Jack Block Jr.'s motion to set an April election. Burien residents would have voted on Block's proposal to change to an elected mayor system of government.

Council members Lucy Krakowiak and Bob Edgar along with Block voted for the motion. With a 3-3 tie, the motion failed.

Krakowiak's amendment to direct the city attorney to draw up the elected mayor resolution also failed on a 3-3 vote.

The rancor between council factions that surfaced at the previous week’s meeting continued. At the Nov. 19 meeting, Deputy Mayor Clark abruptly called a recess and walked out after three lawmakers usually in the minority began pushing through legislation.

Mayor Brian Bennett was again absent Nov. 26 but Councilmember Joan McGilton returned, assuring a 3-3-tie vote on any controversial proposal.

Press release
What: Elliott Bay Seawall Project – Draft EIS Open House
Date: 12/5/2012
Time: 4:00-7:00 p.m., with a brief presentation at 5:15 and 6:15 p.m.
Location: Bell Harbor Conference Center Maritime Event Center, 2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle

Description: The Elliott Bay Seawall Project has reached a major milestone with the release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Draft EIS provides a detailed analysis of the project and the potential impacts both during and after construction. Attend the open house to learn about the Draft EIS and provide comments. If you are not able to attend, you can still read the Draft EIS and provide your feedback through the project website by December 13.

Prosecutors say two West Seattle brothers failed to take care of their elderly father in an Alki home, allegedly allowing his health to deteriorate beyond repair so they could save the money he amassed in life for themselves, instead of spending it on his medical care.

As a result, Ken Shaw, 57, and Keith Shaw, 54, were charged with criminal mistreatment in the second degree on Nov. 9.

Court documents in the case lay out a case of neglect from 2010, alleging the Shaw brothers let their 86-year-old father, Kyle Shaw Jr., live in excruciating pain instead of seeking medical care or placing him or his wife, Ruth, in nursing homes. When an ambulance was finally called to the home on Nov. 10, 2010 because the elder Shaw “was suffering from an altered level of consciousness,” according to one of the sons, paramedics found Kyle in bad shape.

The smell of urine and feces emanated from his room, and Kyle was found with blood-soaked socks that had grown into his feet. As the paramedic attempted to move him, a trail of blood was left by his feet and he screamed in pain as they slowly moved him out to the ambulance.

This fall, the Environmental Science Center (ESC) at Seahurst Park is making a splash in south King County schools thanks to support from The Boeing Company.

Through a new grant, ESC will engage more than 1,500 students in understanding the dynamics of their local watershed, deepening their connection to the environment and promoting positive stewardship behaviors that will aid in salmon recovery.

The highlight of the program titled, “Water Heroes for Puget Sound,” is an intensive hands-on science investigation at the Normandy Park Cove where hundreds of chum and coho salmon are returning to spawn.

“Boeing’s support of the Water Heroes program aligns with the company’s strategy to provide hands-on experiences which promote environmental stewardship and train the next generation of leaders,” said Liz Warman, director of Global Corporate Citizenship for the Northwest region.

A new race is set to happen in White Center coming up next Feb. 16.

It's the White Center 5K Walk and Run to be held at White Centery Heights Park.
Registration will start at 8:30 am and the race will run from 9:00am to Noon.

This is a benefit race with ages 55 and up paying $25 to enter and ages 10 to 55 paying $30. But kids under age 10 are FREE.

The proceeds from the race will benefit the White Center Community Development Association and the YES Foundation of White Center.

You can register online at http://whitecenter5k.brownpapertickets.com

Get more information at www.wccda.org or through the event Facebook page.

By Eric Mathison

In SeaTac where property values have plunged 3 percent the past year and lawmakers are taking $15 million out of reserves to balance the biennial budget, a local attorney thinks she knows of a great new revenue-producing market for the city.

The market is “intoxicant travelers,” according to Stefani Quane.

Quane noted at the Nov. 13 City Council meeting that with the passage of Initiative 502, recreational marijuana is legal in this state.

She predicted people will fly into Sea-Tac Airport searching for pot stores.

“SeaTac will be the new Las Vegas,” Quane declared. “The council needs to think about it.”

More immediately, Quane urged lawmakers to consider what areas it wants to zone for collective gardens to serve medical marijuana patients.

The council previously passed and then twice extended a moratorium on permits for medical marijuana dispensaries. Lawmakers said they wanted to wait until discrepancies between state law and federal law, which outlaws even medical marijuana, are worked out. They also wanted to wait to see how I-502 fared at the polls.

Seattle Christian School, a private SeaTac religious school, is set to host a benefit concert for Highline Public Schools’ the Global Connections High School Wind Ensemble group on Dec. 11 at 6 p.m.

Both groups will perform in the Seattle Christian auditorium, 18301 Military Rd. S.

Global Connections Wind Ensemble has been selected to perform at the highly anticipated Presidential Inauguration Festival on Jan. 18-21, 2013 in Washington D.C.

Seattle Christian band director, Adam Smith, is coordinating the evening benefit concert and looks forward to raising much needed funds to help neighbors in the community.

“Once the idea of a benefit concert became public,” said Smith, “the Seattle Christian community was immediately excited about this partnership opportunity. We look forward to seeing the Global Connections Wind Ensemble take advantage of the amazing trip they’ve earned.”

Smith added, “(Global Connections band director) Lyn Nelthropp and I have been friends for years and I think it’s great for Seattle Christian to be able to partner with GC students and staff and support them for this incredible experience.”