February 2013

The King County Library System Board of Trustees approved the new White Center library Tuesday night, Feb. 26 by a vote of 4 to 0, and approved locating the new library at a vacant lot on the corner of SW 107th and 14th SW (the preferred site by the White Center Chamber of Commerce, the White Center CDA, several school teachers and after school program directors, and many other White Center community members).

This location is directly across the street from Mount View Elementary School, directly across the street from Coronado Springs, a King County Housing low income facility with over 300 family and elder apartments, and the site is next door to almost 400 additional apartment units to the south.

All these residents will have an easy walking distance on non arterial streets to reach the new library.

The KCLS will now negotiate with the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, the owner of the site on the development process.

It is expected that the new $5+ million library will be a redevelopment opportunity for the White Center business district and become an anchor to the south end of the White Center business district.

UPDATE 10:45pm

The Seattle Fire Department has released the cause of a fire in the 8600 block of 35th SW on Tuesday night. The triplex basement fire was "caused by overheated electrical cord. Damage estimate is $125k to structure $25k to contents."

Original Post
A "standard basement fire" drove six people from a home at 8608 35th SW on Tuesday Feb. 26 around 7:30pm. Seattle Fire Department Deputy Chief James Woodbury said, "We arrived after several reports of flames visible from the house and when we arrived we found flames and heavy smoke coming from the front side of the house from the front side of the basement. There were six people in the house and most of them self evacuated but a couple of others we assisted. There are no known injuries."

All the people were examined by EMT personnel and checked out fine. Red Cross came to assist the people.

Chief Woodbury thought it was unlikely the occupants could return to the house and the fire investigators were going to examine the scene to try and determine a cause.

From Seattle Police Department Blotter:

Police are searching Ballard for a man who robbed a bank at gunpoint Tuesday evening.

Just before 6:30 pm, the man walked into the People’s Bank on NW 56th Street and 24th Ave NW, brandished a black handgun and demanded cash.
The man was described as a white male, 5’5 with a small build, wearing a blue scarf over his face and a blue and yellow jacket.

The suspect then ran southbound on 24th Avenue.
We’ll update this post with pictures of the suspect when they’re availalble.

- See more at: http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2013/02/26/police-looking-for-ballard-ban…

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WSDOT press release
Drivers make way for safety inspections and chocolate on State Route 99 this weekend. The Washington State Department of Transportation will close the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct this Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3 for its semiannual inspection.

Sections of Aurora Avenue North and the viaduct will also be closed Sunday morning between downtown and Greenlake for the Hot Chocolate 15/5k run.

Semiannual inspection
Crews will close both directions of the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct between Denny Way and South Spokane Street from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 6 a.m. to noon Sunday. This is the first of two regularly scheduled, semiannual inspections.

During the closure, WSDOT and City of Seattle crews will inspect the structure and perform routine maintenance and preservation work. WSDOT will release preliminary inspection results on March 19.

A sweet run
The SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct and Aurora Avenue North will be closed between Bell Street and North 46th Street 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday. During the closure, 9,000 runners of all ages will take to the streets for the Hot Chocolate 15/5k.

Closure details

SDOT press release
The Seattle Department of Transportation in conjunction with King County Metro Transit will install a safety curb on Fauntleroy Way Southwest just west of California Avenue Southwest. The work will begin Thursday, Feb. 28, and is expected to take about two days to complete. In addition to improving safety, this work is a part of the city goal to improve Seattle’s walk, bike and bus transportation alternatives.

The yellow raised concrete curb will be installed between the opposing east and westbound lanes of Fauntleroy Way Southwest, adjacent to the westbound Metro bus stop, and will be approximately 40 feet long. The new curb will provide an additional indication to drivers that there is only one westbound lane on Fauntleroy Way Southwest, west of California Avenue Southwest.

Outdoor seating may be coming to Ballard Station Public House (2236 NW Market Street), which just opened this last summer, according to a Sidewalk Cafe permit that the bar just applied for on Feb. 15.

By the looks of it, there should be enough room for a small outcropping of seating without disrupting pedestrian flow. Other restaurants, such as La Isla, already have outdoor seating on the same block.

Still, if anyone has anything to say about it, a comment period is open until March 7, 2013. Comments should be submitted via email to annualpermits@seattle.gov or by mail to:

SDOT
Attn: Annual Permits
PO Box 34996
Seattle, WA 98124

Please be sure to include the application number, project address and your contact information with your comment.

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Dear SeaTac City Council,

My public comments Tuesday regarding the total disregard of the council (4 members) for their own advisory committees, Planning Commission, and Planning staff efforts need further expansion.

In your decision in the Study Session prior, the Council (4-3) killed the proposed rule changes (that actually were a return to previous rules) in a spate of economic naivety and especially the references (by un-elected Mayor Anderson) to non-documented testimony whereas the facts of the matters were discussed in detail over a three year period in the Committees/Commission/Planning by those who have the expertise to make these assessments/policy advisements to the council.

The vote of 4 to 3 to defeat even further discussion of these rules alone adds an additional burden to those who wish to do business within our city, sends a negative message to potential development of any kind and to the advisory committees that they will be ignored on an uneducated whim of some council members with blinders on that there is an airport within our jurisdiction.

A good number of Highline’s humans still head south for the winter as “snowbirds.”

As for our feathered friends--not so much.

So reported Andy Waters of Wild Birds Unlimited at the Burien Birdfest, held Sunday, Feb. 17 at Dottie Harper Park.

The one-day event, sponsored by Sustainable Burien, provided both indoor and outdoor education on birds for adults and children

Birdfest also coincided with the international Great Backyard Bird Count.

The bird count happened all over the world Feb. 15-Feb. 18 as citizen scientists tracked birds in order to create a data base of what is happening to the world population of birds. The citizen scientists submit their data to a lab at Cornell University. Results are reported at www.birdsource.org/gbbbc.

Highline is on the Pacific Flyway, one of the travel paths used annually by birds migrating from Alaska to the Antarctic. The area is a great place to gather information on bird travel and movement—whether from a kitchen window or a local park.

Southern Heights Elementary School and Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3) have been named “Reward Schools” by state schools superintendent Randy Dorn. HS3 is on the Evergreen High campus in White Center. Southern Heights is in north Burien.

Both Southern Heights and HS3 are “high-progress schools.” That means they are in the top 10 percent of schools based on their performance and their improvement on state assessments over three years.

In addition, they have no significant gaps in performance among subgroups of students. Subgroups include ethnicity, socio-economic status, Special Education, and English Language Learners.

“I am so proud to work with such a dedicated staff who has worked diligently over the past 3 years to increase the academic rigor for all students,” said Southern Heights Principal Deborah Holcomb.

“It is thrilling to be a part of such a successful learning community that includes teachers, support staff, students, parents and community members who are committed to making HS3 a wonderful learning environment,” said Principal Jenni MacDonald.

Highline Athletic Club and The BNI B-Town Business Builders Health & Wellness Power Team are inviting residents to the “3rd Annual Health and Wellness Fair” hosted at Highline Athletic Club Saturday, March 16th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Dona Forrester, Highline Athletic Club general manager, noted that her BNI “Health & Wellness” Power Team partners started this event two years ago to bring awareness to the community on the many different forms of health care.

Attendees will be able to talk to vendors and learn from each treatment professional what is unique about their service

The team consists of Dona Forrester, Highline Athletic Club; Bryn Karlberg, Licensed Massage Practitioner; Dr. Kyle Beffa, Beffa Dental; Dr. Luke Blackburn, Collins Chiropractic; Natalie King, Flourish Acupuncture, Jamar Booker, Advocare, Patricia Eslava Vessey, Integrity Coaching & Training Systems and Eileen Freed, Highline Hearing Professionals.

Each person attending the fair will be eligible to win prizes donated by the vendors.