December 2012

The Argosy Cruises Christmas ships paid their first visit to West Seattle waters on Friday Dec. 7 as hundreds of people lined the waters edge at the Don Armeni Boat launch to hear the Dickens Carolers, enjoy a bonfire and sing along as the colorful boats celebrated the Christmas spirit.

On Saturday, December 8, the Christmas Ship will be earlier, coming at 4:35 till 4:44 at Lowman Beach Park and from 5:25-5:45 Alki Beach Park, near the Alki Bathhouse.

From the Argosy Cruises website:

The Argosy Christmas Ship™ festival is a holiday celebration that has been a Northwest tradition since 1949. Its main purpose is to bring communities together to celebrate the holiday season. From our flotilla of ships to the crowds of people who gather onshore, this celebration is one of the gems of the holiday season.
From November 24th through December 23rd, 2012 the Argosy Christmas Ship™ sails to different Puget Sound waterfront communities, over 45 in total. Choirs onboard sing 20-minute performances to these communities, all broadcast via state-of-the-art speaker system.

RRainier Beach came to West Seattle and played their way… a fast and powerful team, they made road kill out of the Wildcats. West Seattle was simply outmatched by a team that was as tall as they were quick.

Rainier Beach should be named Rainier Forest.

With 6’10” Center Willford Middlebrooks in the post and Forwards Shaqquan Aaron and Djuan Piper at 6’6” and 6’7”, Beach was just simply too tall for the Wildcats to handle.

On the Wildcats first possession Will Dorsey and Elijah Foster of Beach forced West Seattle into a shot clock violation and on the ensuing turnover scored on a shot from outside the arc by Viking Point Guard Marquis Davis.

All of this in the first few seconds of the game. The Vikings went up 3-0 and never looked back.

By the end of the first period Rainier Beach was up 22-11.

That trend continued through the rest of the first half. The Viking defense; quick, agile, and… tall, kept the Wildcats from mounting any kind of challenge. When the buzzer sounded signifying the end of the half the score was 35-21 Rainier Beach.

Monday, Dec. 3
Boys basketball
Lakes 51, Evergreen 43
The Wolverines of Evergreen High School in White Center took a non-league loss to the Lakes Lancers last Monday.

Girls basketball
Lakes 43, Evergreen 25
Evergreen also came up short on the girls side Monday.
Garfield 61, West Seattle 49
Garfield -- a perennial power on the court -- outlasted the Wildcats in Metro League action Monday.

Tuesday, Dec. 4
Wrestling
Nathan Hale 46, Chief Sealth 36
The Seahawks were pinned with a 10-point loss by Nathan Hale last Tuesday.
Boys basketball
Lakeside 74, West Seattle 43
West Seattle's Wildcats lost decisively to Lakeside this past Tuesday.
Girls basketball
Shorewood Chr. 43, NW Yeshiva 32
Shorewood Christian of White Center on Roxbury scored a victory over Northwest Yeshiva last Tuesday.
Taylor Livermore led the Class B team with 11 points and Darby Turner tossed in 10. Nicole Jones added eight.

Wednesday, Dec. 5
Boys basketball
Evergreen 57, Hazen 47

UPDATE 8:00pm
The Seattle Police Department provided details on their apprehension of four alleged "Package Thieves" on Friday Dec. 7 in a Seattle Police Blotter post by Detective Jeff Kappel.

"A group of roving Christmas package thieves were apprehended today in West Seattle thanks to an eagle-eyed patrol officer. At approximately 11:43 a.m. a victim called 911 to report a male suspect who had just stolen a UPS package from the front porch of her house in the 10000 block of 30th Avenue SW. The suspect got into a white Toyota van occupied by additional suspects and fled the scene. Another package theft from a residence in the 1700 block of Sunset Avenue SW was reported at approximately 3:30 p.m. In that incident a female suspect was seen stealing the package and getting into the same white van.
Minutes after the second incident took place an officer on patrol spotted the suspect vehicle near 16th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street and conducted a traffic stop.

press release:
A new bachelor’s degree in Professional Technical Teacher Education will be offered by South Seattle Community College in the fall of 2013. The new “Teach Tech” degree was approved December 6 by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Associate-degree holders who work in professional-technical fields – such welding or construction – will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential in workforce education, and then teach their trade at a community or technical college or corporation.

It requires years of hands-on experience and expertise to teach professional-technical programs at a community or technical college. The new four-year degree at South Seattle will boost a candidate’s qualifications and increase the quality of instruction for students.

The residents of North Highline declined Burien’s annexation offer by a two-thirds majority in the November election, cementing their foreseeable future as an unincorporated area policed by the King County Sheriff’s Office.

On the law enforcement front, there was positive news for the community shared by Capt. Patrick Butschli of the sheriff’s office at a North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting on Dec. 6: while the area won’t see more deputies in the foreseeable future, the numbers will not decline, and that incoming Sheriff John Urquhart “has a warm place in his heart” for Highline and Burien.

By Shakira Ericksen

With an air of finality the 2013 Des Moines City budget was passed unanimously by the City Council at their Dec. 6 meeting.

The general fund, including street and police funds, is $33.9 million. Total funds are $55.7 million.

“It is what it is,” said Councilmember Melissa Musser. “It’s been very eye-opening this fiscal season.”

“I think this is the best we’re going to get,” said Mayor Pro Tem Matt Pina. “It’s no fun cutting your own organization.”

“We’re missing a lot of things in the budget,” said Councilmember Jeanette Burrage.

A considerable amount of money intending for replacement of equipment and computers has been deferred, she said

Mayor Dave Kaplan voiced concerns over how much of the city budget was funded by one-time money.

One-time money comes from reserves and other sources not expected to be available year after year.

“I was leaning in favor of going against the budget, but I’ll support it,” Mayor Kaplan said. “At some point in time we’re going to have to make some tough decisions. We’ve managed to muddle through; you can only do that for so long.”

Three Seattle Lutheran High School cheerleaders will be hopping the pond to the United Kingdom later this month to perform in London's New Year Parade with others from across the U.S.

Here are the details from Jeanne Flohr with Seattle Lutheran:

Three cheerleaders from Seattle Lutheran High School were selected to join cheerleaders from around the nation for the New Year Parade through London.

The cheerleaders, Angel Cucio ’15, Kayla Searle ’14 and Tiffany Tran ’14, will join about 300 others from around the US for this event in London. They have been practicing the cheer routine for several weeks and will practice with the entire group once they are all assembled in London. The students were selected for this opportunity while at a UCA Cheerleader cheer camp this past summer.

Seattle Lutheran High School offers a college preparatory education in the Lutheran tradition and has served students since 1978. We offer a personal and supportive school atmosphere where high academic standards and spiritual growth lead to confidence, hope, integrity, and passion.

By Cassandra Baker

11:40 a.m., December 4. 80th block of Greenwood Ave N

A robbery suspect was arrested after being tracked by police on the morning of December 4. The victim said that the suspect approached her at the dance studio on NW 80th St and Greenwood Ave NW and asked to speak with someone. She said that she went to find the person and came back to find the suspect digging through her purse. She said that the suspect looked at her and said, “I don’t want to have to hurt you” and gestured to his pocket as though he had a gun.

The victim was holding her wallet at the time, and she said that she held it out to him because she feared for her safety. The suspect took the wallet and ran out of the studio. The victim said that she thought about chasing him but then stopped because she didn’t know what she would do if she caught him.

It's holiday season and sometimes people don't have the time to do their gift shopping during the day.

Luckily, a growing number of Ballard merchants are staying open late, at least, on thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during December. See above for participating shops and closing times.

Follow Ballard News-Tribune on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ballardnewstrib

And Twitter at http://twitter.com/ballardnewstrib