January 2013

Press release:

Highline Community College faculty member Michael Girvin, has been named as a 2013 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP).

The Microsoft MVP award is presented annually to recognize outstanding technology community leaders from around the world that share their respective expertise with Microsoft.

“Michael Girvin is a great example of the kind of talent, energy and new ideas that our faculty bring to their work,” said Jeff Wagnitz, Highline’s vice president for academic affairs. “The Microsoft MVP award recognizes his exceptional leadership and vision in creatively applying technology to the teaching and learning process. He’s extraordinarily effective both in teaching about technology and in using technology to teach.”

Girvin is nationally and internationally recognized for his over 1,200 Microsoft Excel how-to videos on YouTube. These video tutorials receive more than 15,000 views daily.

He is also the author of Slaying Excel Dragons, a book designed to give readers a comprehensive understanding of Excel and how to use it.

Here we are facing the unknown of year 2013 and knowing this is a time of changes and unrest. We wonder; will war ever go away, maybe for good? Or will money greed rule out decisions to find the world at peace? “We, the People,” living today will steer that future to reality -–the questions are where, why and by whom?

A good future start is setting common good goals for this New Year, such as getting to know and like each other better, including our self. While that won’t change the world pronto, it’s a start.

I’m right up to here in all the cruelty and bad news being made, heard and brought into life today. From now on my motto is, “ If it don’t make me smile – it don’t matter.” How about that!

As to politics and elections, what’s up with this having to belong to the “correct” political party or you’re a no account. We can object to this war while still supporting the troops.

By Shara Wallace and Steve Shay
HIGHLINE TIMES

Trailers recovered in WII thefts
SeaTac detectives said that two trailers and a box truck that were reported stolen from SeaTac on Dec. 16th and were loaded with 7,000 WII-U game consoles have been recovered empty. On Dec. 19 the box truck was located in Fife parked near a warehouse. The business logos had been removed from the truck.
On Dec. 30 one of the trailers was recovered in Auburn near 277th and D St. The logos and Vehicle Identification Number had been covered with white paint. Additionally, “S.S. Trans” was painted on the front of the trailer.
The remaining trailer was located on Jan. 2 near Carson, California. The trailer’s logo had also been covered with white paint and marked with “S.S. Trans.”
SeaTac detectives are working with the Los Angeles based “Cargo Theft Task Force” on the case. Detectives said that the reward in the case has also been increased to $10,000 thanks to donations from private businesses. If you have information about his crime please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Sports Roundup
Tuesday, Jan. 8
Boys basketball
Mt. Rainier 74, Kentlake 31
The Rams took a 15-7 lead by the end of the first quarter this past Tuesday and kept rolling from there. They dominated the second quarter 15-5 and the third quarter 25-9 before outscoring the South Puget Sound League North Division Falcons 19-10 in the final period.
Rowland finished with a team-high 14 points as Bobby Lenaburg tallied 12 and Wilson-Jones 10.
Girls basketball
Mt. Rainier 59, Kentlake 29
Brittany McPhee scored 20 points and Jordan McPhee 14 as Mount Rainier pounded Kentlake by a 30-point margin. The Rams jumped out to a 20-6 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Cascade Christian 52, SCS 44
Weber hit 16 points, Kaler 12 and Gleason 10 for the Warriors of Seattle Christian in Tuesday's loss.

Wednesday, Jan. 9
Boys basketball
Lindbergh 51, Foster 46
Horton and Suta scored 14 points apiece for Foster in Wednesday's loss.
Renton 63, Tyee 20
The Totems were held to 20 points by the Indians in Wednesday's defeat.
Hazen 63, Evergreen 59

TUKWILA - It was honor alumni night at Foster High School on Fri., Jan. 11.

Prior to the boys basketball game against Evergreen, distinguished sports alumni were honored for their contributions to Bulldog sports throughout the past years.

This event showcased multiple sport athletes, coaches and teachers who contributed to Foster High School.

Honored personages and graduating class years are Frank Sweenie (1952), Mike Keller (1964) and Jon Anderson (1965).

At this point, players from the 1966 basketball team that finished second in the state were highlighted. Members of this unit were Ed Zielkowski, Pat O'Mara, John Bloomfield, Ron Lamb and Steve Powell.

Joel Parker represented the class of 1972 while Coach Magee was cited for coaching boys basketball from 1954-1972.

Fittingly, the final honoree at the center of Coach Parker Court was Tim Parker, who has many girls basketball coaching laurels associated with his career and for whom the court was named in 2006.

TUKWILA - As the Seamount League girls basketball season hits the stretch run, the Foster Bulldogs are in strong synchronization for postseason action.

Displaying a dominating all-court presence on Fri., Jan. 11, Foster upended visiting Evergreen, 54-19, on the Coach Parker Court to hold a solid third place at 6-2 and close within one game of second place while remaining two games out of first place. The home team's overall record is 7-7 after winning its third consecutive game.

Evergreen's posted records are 1-7, 2-11, respectively.

"Now we're a family," Bulldog head coach Datri Elliot said. "The players are really playing together as a team and I love what I see. I'm already excited about the playoffs."

Foster began besting Evergreen in the turnover battle and conversion to points results right off the bat to the tune of 11 consecutive points to open the proceedings of the night before the Wolverines scored a basket in a 13-2 first quarter that set the tone for the duration of the face off.

MONDAY, JAN 14, 2013

Basketball: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, Away vs. Skyline, Skyline High School (Rescheduled from 12-04-12)

Basketball: Boys JV Conf. Game, 5:45pm, Away vs. Skyline, at Skyline High School (Rescheduled from 12-04-12)

Basketball: Boys C Team Conf. Game, 7:00pm, vs. Mercer Island(White) at Ballard High School

TUESDAY, JAN 15, 2013

Wrestling: Varsity Conf. Match, 7:30pm, Away vs. Inglemoor, at Inglemoor High School

WEDNESDAY, JAN 16, 2013

Nothing scheduled

THURSDAY, JAN 17, 2013

Gymnastics: Girls Varsity Conf. Meet, 7:00pm vs. Skyline, at Ballard High School

Wrestling: Varsity Conf. Match, 7:30pm, Away vs. Skyline at Skyline High School

FRIDAY, JAN 18, 2013

Basketball: Boys Varsity Game, 8:00pm, vs. Issaquah at Ballard High School

Basketball: Boys JV Conf. Game 5:00pm, vs. Issaquah, at Ballard High School

Basketball: Boys C Team Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Issaquah at Issaquah High School

Basketball: Girls Varsity Game, 6:30pm, vs. Issaquah, at Ballard High School

TUKWILA - The homestanding Foster Bulldogs converted nine out of 10 free throws in the final 1:38 to hold off a spirited Wolverine comeback 52-42 and end their losing streak after five games to stay in the postseason picture on Fri., Jan. 11 at Coach Parker Court.

Foster improved to 4-4 league and 6-8 overall while Evergreen stood at 4-4 and 5-9.

"Those five games we lost were by a combined total of 20 points," said Bulldog head coach Isaac Tucker. "It was not a lack of effort, just mistakes. It took a lot of heart to lose a 12-point lead and still win. It would have been easy to to get down. After the 3-pointer No. 33 (Alex Campbell) made with the shot clock running down, it would have been easy to get down."

Trailing 41-29 early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines refused to fold their tent, assembling a huge rally set up by turnover recoveries from the Bulldogs.

Campbell's pair of free throw conversions capped a Wolverine 10-0 surge based on turnovers that resulted in open short-range jump shots or lay ups.

S.W. Precinct Captain Joseph Kessler (who recently retook command in West Seattle after a few year stint downtown) has been named to the Community Police Commission (CPC) by Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

The CPC is defined by the city as an independent forum for dialogue and input on policing practices, with the goal of ensuring that police services are delivered to the people of Seattle in a timely manner that (1) fully complies with the Constitution of the United States, (2) effectively ensures public and officer safety; and (3) promotes public confidence in SPD and its officers.

Here is the city press release naming Kessler and others to the commission:

Mayor Mike McGinn today announced his appointments to the new Community Police Commission. The Community Police Commission is a partnership between the police department, its officers, community members and public officials. The broad role of the Commission is to support the development of reforms, establishment of police priorities and mechanisms to promote community confidence in the Seattle Police Department.

Thousands of people driving through White Center on 18th SW have seen the building which housed the News for many years. It is now quite colorful but unoccupied by the current owner.

When we bought the paper from Dean Phares in 1952 the newspaper office was in a building now occupied by the Velling brothers dental clinic on Roxbury Street, next to the Salvadorean bakery.

In 1953 a Chinese restaurant, on 16th across from The Ranch Market, caught fire when the cook tried to clean an oven with gasoline. Firemen saved the shell but the innards were gutted.
We bought the tiled exterior, burned out shell and had it moved to an empty lot on 17th S.W. We had a local contractor gut it and renew the interior. Not fancy but workable.

On our grand opening we celebrated like other new businesses and found that people were coming in for hay and oats. I guess we weren't different enough from feed store next door.

It's not the building that makes a business, it is the people and we had some wonderful souls who helped us through those early years.