December 2012

For three periods the Chief Sealth Seahawks were in control of their cross town rivals the West Seattle Wildcats. That all changed as the game reached its closing moments.

For twenty four minutes Sealth’s go to guys, Bronte’ Corbray and Aaron Knox, controlled the Wildcats on offense and defense. That all changed in the last eight minutes of play when West Seattle’s coach, Keffery Fazio, rotated in taller guards to counter the Seahawks inside game. The new combination proved successful. The lanes that were there earlier vanished.

The lack of easy access to the hoop frustrated Sealth, and forced them to shoot from outside the paint. In the past, the Seahawks would step back and launch bombs from outside the arc, not so on this night. Their normally accurate shooting was left in the locker room and as the game clock began winding down it became apparent that the momentum had changed to favor West Seattle.

When, at the 1:09 mark. LaTey Newsome drove to the hoop for the tying points one could feel the energy change dramatically, and as regulation expired the scoreboard showed a game all knotted up at 47-47. The West Seattle faithful went berserk.

The Des Moines Theater story took another turn on Monday Dec. 17 as a result of a formal meeting request made by Mayor Dave Kaplan. The building owners, Tom Lin and Isaiah Dummer came to the offices of the City of Des Moines to talk about why they had recently put the building up for sale after previously announcing plans to restore the structure.

The crux of the meeting was aimed at resolving a communication breakdown between the City and the building owners regarding inspections and permits. The city had said the permit applications were inadequate and the owners said they had not heard anything from the city about this and were losing money as they waited.

Captain Steve Paulsen, who has been the Southwest Precinct Commander for the Seattle Police Department shared the news today that he is being transferred to the South Precinct, effective January 2. Paulsen has been in the job here since 2010.

Coming back to the precinct is the man Paulsen replaced, Captain Joe Kessler.

The West Seattle Herald covered that transition here.

Paulsen said, "On January 2nd, I will be transferring from the Southwest Precinct to the South Precinct. Captain Joe Kessler is returning back to West Seattle as your precinct captain – West Seattle is very fortunate to get Joe back!. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the both of you over the years. Thank you for everything you have done to make West Seattle a better place to live. I am going to miss my West Seattle folks a lot."

Update for Dec. 20
The King County Sheriff's Office has provided an update on a Dec. 18 drug ring busts in White Center and Burien, the culmination of an 8-month long investigation:

An 8 month investigation conducted by the King County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of narcotics, guns, money and the arrest of 8 people for trafficking narcotics.

The investigation started in April when detectives learned that about a narcotics dealer that had the reputation of selling high quality cocaine and heroin in the Burien area. Detectives learned that the suspect had been sought by investigators before for dealing narcotics but would shut down his operation when he suspected police were closing in.

Detectives spent months conducting surveillance on the suspect’s residence and other locations they learned were connected to the operation. On Wednesday the King County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants on six locations including a residence in the 1600 blk of SW116 St. in Burien and a residence in the 1200 blk of SW107th St. The other locations included a residence and storage unit in Renton, and a house in Federal Way.

Update for Dec. 20
The King County Sheriff's Office has provided an update on a Dec. 18 drug ring busts in White Center and Burien, the culmination of an 8-month long investigation:

An 8 month investigation conducted by the King County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of narcotics, guns, money and the arrest of 8 people for trafficking narcotics.

The investigation started in April when detectives learned that about a narcotics dealer that had the reputation of selling high quality cocaine and heroin in the Burien area. Detectives learned that the suspect had been sought by investigators before for dealing narcotics but would shut down his operation when he suspected police were closing in.

Detectives spent months conducting surveillance on the suspect’s residence and other locations they learned were connected to the operation. On Wednesday the King County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants on six locations including a residence in the 1600 blk of SW116 St. in Burien and a residence in the 1200 blk of SW107th St. The other locations included a residence and storage unit in Renton, and a house in Federal Way.

press release:
King County Metro Transit will be operating on holiday and reduced weekday schedules Christmas week and during the New Year’s holidays.

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, Metro will operate a reduced weekday bus service, and on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, will operate buses on a Sunday schedule. Transit also will be on reduced weekday service during the “winter holiday period” Dec. 26-28. Details are posted on Metro’s holiday and reduced service page and in route timetables.

Using a limited schedule over holiday periods from November through January is estimated to save Metro about $1 million each year. These are planned reductions for holiday periods when Metro has historically seen a reduction in the number of weekday riders – estimated to be 15 percent or more systemwide.

Sunday schedules will be in effect on the following holidays:
Tuesday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
Tuesday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day

The reduced weekday schedule will be in effect on:
Monday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve
Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 26-28 – winter holiday period
Monday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
Monday, Jan. 21 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The unthinkable occurred 3,000 miles away from West Seattle on Dec. 14, when authorities say a troubled young man entered a Newtown, Conn., elementary school and killed 26 people, including 20 children from six to seven years old, before taking his own life.

The shock has been felt across the nation, including with West Seattle school administrators taking a step back to reevaluate their safety protocols in the aftermath, should the unthinkable ever happen again.

West Seattle High School Principal Ruth Medsker announced that “starting Monday, December 17, we are limiting access. All doors except the doors in the west courtyard will remain locked. Staff, students and all visitors must enter through those doors. Any visitor must go directly to the main office and sign in. Visitors must wear a badge, and placement must be visible. Visitor policy is not new, but will continue to be enforced by all staff.”

Medsker’s assistant Karen Ross said the single door policy will be a permanent change.

At Chief Sealth International High School, Principal Chris Kinsey decided to “close” their campus from Dec. 17 to Dec. 21 (when the kids are let out for winter break).

West Seattle CoolMom, was involved in the recent Think Outside the Car event along Fauntleroy asking drivers, idling their engines in the ferry line, to turn them off. The goal is to reduced carbon monoxide emissions.

Now to celebrate that event and keep the momentum going the group will gather at C & P Coffee 5612 California Ave. SW on Tuesday, January 15 from 6:30-8:00PM
 
The event will feature their Think Outside the Car video. Children are welcome.

RSVP to Terri Glaberson, Program Manager or terri@coolmom.org; 206-280-2828

An area for children to color and create an art project will be provided. Please indicate how many children you will be bringing.

Please travel by bike, two feet, mass transit or carpool.

By Shara Wallace

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising section.

Art Exhibits

Burien Community Center---“Extraordinary Women of Highline," an exhibit that showcases the accomplishments of eleven pioneering women from the Highline area. Through Jan. 31. Hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Burien Press--Artist Scott Grigg, presents American Spring Art show a visual critique of modern American politics. 423 S.W. 152nd St.

The combination of high tides and high wind combined to blow out the chain link fence and concrete barrier blocks at the Barton Pump Station site just adjacent to the Fauntleroy Ferry dock.

According to a flier sent to neighbors in the Fauntleroy area, "The storm washed waves and driftwood through the barrier into the construction site." The site has already been repaired and in fact beefed up with an additional row of concrete blocks to prevent future potential damage according to King County.

Crews came in Sunday to prepare for the the storm.

"All on-site liquids were properly stored and materials from the jet grouting operation were cured. There was no contamination of any materials into Puget Sound.
Crews will continue to monitor site conditions through the winter storm season and will take precautionary measures as needed to protect both the site and Puget Sound."