February 2013

By Cassandra Baker

10:30 p.m., February 13. 73rd block of Aurora Ave N

Officers walking along Aurora arrested a convicted felon during patrol. They contacted the man inside a 7-11, and while they were talking to him, they noticed the outline of a gun in his waistband. The officers grabbed the man’s hands and extracted a loaded large-caliber revolver. The suspect was arrested for firearms violations. Further investigation revealed that the gun was stolen and that the suspect was carrying almost $5000 in cash.

Police obtained a warrant and searched the man’s vehicle, where they found methamphetamine, ecstasy, unidentified pills, and drug paraphernalia. The suspect was booked into King County Jail for unlawful gun possession, possession of a stolen firearm, and felony drug possession.

8:00 p.m., February 10. NW 85th St and 3rd Ave NW

February is Black History Month and a time to celebrate diversity in bicycling. Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation's Major Taylor Project and the Rainier Riders are pleased to host a special evening with USA Cycling modern-day legend, Nelson Vails, on Friday, Feb. 22.

Vails was the youngest of 10 children growing up in the Harlem projects who triumphed over almost insurmountable odds to become the first African-American to win an Olympic medal in bicycling.

Growing up, Vails started racing in Central Park at a young age. He also worked as a New York City bicycle messenger to support his family, trained in Central Park after work, and raced locally on weekends. Nicknamed "The Cheetah", Nelson Vails rode furiously while working, training and racing.

All parts were in good working order for the No. 1 state ranked Mount Rainier girls basketball team in a home first round win against Southwest No. 3 seed Camas in the Class 4A West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament on Tues., Feb. 12.

The Rams' (21-1) powerfully punishing press pushed the Papermakers out of circulation, 61-38, to advance to a Feb. 15 match up against Bellarmine Prep of Tacoma. Camas (12-11) faced a loser-out game against E.R. Rogers of Puyallup on the same night.

"We came out with good intensity and defense and rebounded...That was the ball game," said a pleased Ram head coach Bob Bolam.

After Mount Rainier started the game with six consecutive points, Camas responded with a 5-0 run.

At that point, the Rams' breakaway began with 90 seconds of net torching that resulted in a 13-0 scoring salvo and a 19-5 lead. Superb ball movement by Mount Rainier teamed up with the intense defense. Everywhere the Papermakers went the Rams were sure to go.

Even the few wide open looks that Camas often turned into missed shots while the Papermakers were unable to set up their zone before Mount Rainier stormed down court.

Tuesday, Feb. 12
Girls basketball
Kennedy 66, Mt. Tahoma 60
Mount Tahoma of Tacoma fell to the Lancers by a 66-60 score this past Tuesday.
Tulalip Heritage 55, Ev. Luth. 30
Evergreen Lutheran High School of Des Moines was knocked into the Tri-District 1B tournament loser's bracket with Tuesday's loss.
Boys basketball
Ev. Luth. 40, Lummi 37
Evergreen Lutheran clinched a regional state tournament berth with Tuesday's close win over the Lummi team from the Bellingham area.

Wednesday, Feb. 13
Boys basketball
Federal Way 70, Mt. Rainier 60
Fifth-ranked Federal Way felled the Rams by a 10-point margin Wednesday, although Mount Rainier was much closer throughout most of the game.
Rowland led the Rams with 25 points and Wilson-Jones also reached double figures with 10 in the West Central District 4A action. Benard scored nine, Lenaburg seven, Morine six and Dolce three.
Mount Rainier went on to play a loser-out game at Curtis Friday.
Kingston 44, Foster 32
Foster lost to Kingston in a West Central District 2A game played at Foss High School in Tacoma on Wednesday.

Thursday, Feb. 14
Boys basketball

By Tim Takechi

Even in 2013, Jesus of Nazareth remains one of history’s most divisive figures. Is he a savior, or just a person from history? But what can get lost in the shuffle of this debate is this: Jesus was also a human being.

“Jesus Christ Superstar,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s controversial 1971 rock musical about Jesus’ complicated relationships with the Apostles, Mary Magdalene, the Establishment and ultimately with himself, comes to life with an all-female cast at Burien Little Theatre.

Most should be familiar with the basics of Jesus’ final weeks on Earth. But “Jesus Christ Superstar” attempts to show Jesus as a man (though played by a woman) and how his dealings with his friends and enemies shaped how we view him today.

Jesus (Sophia Federighi) is the leader of the Apostles (Anna Richardson, Jennifer O’Brien, Mindy Lee Whitfield, Rachel Jones, Mary Hould, Emily Beckley, Kris Hambrick, Eloisa Cardona and Nicole Lockett) who go around performing miracles, healing the sick, preaching messages of peace and drawing huge crowds of devoted followers.

Well known on air personality Pat Cashman and baby boomer researcher Mike Hearl are coming to Salty's on Alki with an unusual but likely entertaining program aimed at helping people of a certain age (baby boomers) with practical advice from health, housing, financial and legal experts.

The event, is set for Feb. 28 and is the first of a series of programs and will run from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.
The cost is $33 per person.

Their materials say they will "explore just what it takes to be a “Strong Finisher” and transform this phase of life into a satisfying adventure."

The price includes Salty's finger foods including: Cedar-Smoked Salmon Canapés, Thai Chicken Satays, California Sushi, Duck Confit En Croute, Aged Balsamic-Marinated Fig Bruschetta. You'll see a demo on how to prepare Vanilla Butter-Poached Prawns (one of the appetizers). Award-winning Sozo Wines will be on hand to provide wine-tastings of their winners from the LA and San Francisco wine competitions.

Reservations by phone are required: Call 206-937-1600.

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, or “Community Cares Day,” the community gave some love to Golden Gardens.

For the day, in a partnership between Carter Subaru, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Friends of Golden Gardens, volunteers removed invasive Himalayan blackberry and English ivy, and they planted native trees and shrubs.

“This project is a great example of the breadth of the Greenway. Golden Gardens Park is as much a part of the Greenway as any of the forested areas in the Cascade Mountains,” said Tor Bell, Stewardship Director for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.

Past Golden Garden Park projects have restored two wetlands, established a short loop trail, and restored the northern beach.

Community Cares Day is a part of Carter Subaru’s commitment to the Mountains to Sound Greenway through their “On the Road to Carbon Neutral” program. Test drive a Subaru and Carter will plant a tree in the Greenway. Buy a Subaru through Carter and they will plant three more. Since 2008, Carter Subaru has helped plant nearly 70,000 trees in the Greenway.

UPDATE Monday 2:22pm
WSDOT opened the I-5 on ramps from the West Seattle Bridge ahead of even their updated timing, getting the roadways open shortly after 2pm.

UPDATE Monday 9:15am
WSDOT has announced that the on ramps from the West Seattle Bridge to I-5 will reopen by 3pm today. They had orginally been set to remain closed until 5am Tuesday morning but the work was completed faster than originally anticipated.

Original post
WSDOT, working on the expansion joints in the roadway will be closing the West Seattle Bridge on-ramps to northbound and southbound I-5 from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The South Spokane Street on-ramp to southbound I-5 will remain open. Detours will be provided.

The Spokane Street Viaduct ramps to northbound and southbound I-5, and South Columbian Way will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The lower South Spokane Street ramps to northbound I-5 and South Columbian Way will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday.