March 2013

Although not as nostalgic as the “Oscar Meyer Wienermobile” or as sacred as the “Popemobile,” the wastemobile provides residents with a free and environmentally safe way to dispose of hazardous household waste products. And that’s something you can’t get from a hot dog or a pontiff.

All King County and city residents can safely dispose of old car batteries, oil, paint thinner and many other household hazardous items at no cost when the Wastemobile continues its 24th year of service with a stop in Burien, March 22-24.

The Wastemobile will be in the parking lot of the Fred Meyer at 14300 1st Ave. S., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Residents can drop off household hazardous waste items including pesticides, oil-based paints, automotive products (oil, antifreeze, auto batteries, etc.), fluorescent bulbs/tubes and other items free of charge.

There is no charge to drop off unwanted household hazardous waste, because the service is paid for through garbage and sewer utility fees.

I admit I am lazy.

So lazy that I need some goading to get me to exercise. When my friendly housekeeper, Dorothy, reminded me that I had not done my 20 minutes on the "dreadmill" I tried to make up some excuse like the agony of de feet or that it is "save electricity week" and I want to do my part!

She would have none of that. She's so smart. She could see through me like plastic wrap.

I use a wheeled cart now to move about the house on my aging legs. I don't like it but I know the exercise will help me discard my wheels.

I use a mental trick to get me through the ordeal each morning. I time myself walking through town hunting for an ice cream store and ordering a triple-decker cone of vanilla.

Dorothy is a dreamer. She does not have any red slippers and the dreadmill is not exactly the yellow brick road but she has high hopes for me. If I try my best I can avoid going to the Land of Oz too soon.

Since only one of us can use the dreadmill at a time, Dorothy uses a recumbent bicycle right next to me. She has put enough miles on that bike to get as far as Spokane.

I love vegetable gardening….and trees.

Trouble is, they are incompatible.

Trying to turn over the soil just got me a shovelful of roots. And with all that shade, forget about growing big, juicy vegetables that resemble the ones on the seed packets.

I’ve been lucky to live in several homes with beautiful tree-filled lots. But I’ve always struggled mightily to produce more than puny produce from the cold, rocky ground.

In 2011, Marge and I moved to a unique cedar house surrounded by cedar trees in Burien’s Gregory Heights neighborhood. I decided I was no longer up for the challenge of starting up another garden under adverse conditions.

But then last spring I signed up for a Burien Community Garden plot on a gloriously tree-free, sunny spot next to the Burien Annex.

I was transformed into “Super Ciscoe.”

Devotees of gardening guru Ciscoe Morris will have their chance to emulate their hero when the city of Burien Parks Department opens up the co-op plots for new applicants on Monday morning, March 25. Set your speed dial to 206-988-3700.

By Shara Wallace and Steve Shay
HIGHLINE TIMES

Des Moines post office boxes pried open
The Des Moines Post Office was vandalized between Saturday night, March 9, and the following Monday morning. Nearly 30 post office boxes were pried open and contents were stolen from at least two boxes. The Des Moines Police department and U.S. Postal Inspector, Seattle Division, are currently investigating.

Guilty plea in fatal Tukwila stabbing
King County prosecutors are recommending a 16-year prison term for an 18-year-old man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a stabbing death in Tukwila. Kolby Clark, killed 17-year-old Jasmyn Tully of SeaTac a year ago in March at an apartment as she was sleeping.
Clark admitted to brutally strangling then stabbing Tully. The standard sentence range for this charge is 12 to 20 years in prison. Clark will be arraigned April 2.

Burien woman charged with two counts of assault in North Seattle shooting incident

In Ballard, it’s become hip to hate on high-rise apartments and condominiums. After all, they took the place of the neighborhood bowling Alley, Archie McPhee’s, Jacobsen’s Marine, Denny’s and a bevy of old churches. They’re bringing in a wave of strangers, increasing traffic and taking up parking. High buildings cast shadows and block views.

But there’s another type of development residents may have noticed springing up around Ballard. Townhouses and narrow single family houses built on subdivided lots. The idea is to fill up the extra space in Seattle with more houses, essentially squishing in homes where there was only property before. It’s density in a milder, more subtle form.

“Ballard is seeing a lot of development for two primary reasons: It has a good amount of multifamily zoned land and it is a very desirable place to live due to proximity to jobs and amenities,” said Mark Knoll, CEO of Blueprint Capitol, a development firm that has been leading the charge on developing townhomes in the Ballard area and Seattle as a whole.

Friday update from Sgt. West:

King County Sheriff’s detectives said a shooting this week in the Boulevard Park area that left two men dead, was a murder-suicide and not a running gun battle, as was initially reported.

On Wednesday deputies responded to a house in the 1000 block of S 102nd St to a report of gunshots that struck a house. When deputies arrived they found a car running in the front yard with a driver and passenger inside, both been shot in the head. The driver still had a gun in his hand.

The passenger, a 23 year old man from Seattle, was pronounced dead at the scene, the driver, also a 23 year old Seattle man, was transported to Harborview Hospital in critical condition and later died.

Deputies discovered that two other houses nearby had also been struck by gunfire during the same time period. Houses and vehicles in the 10200 block of 1 Ave S and a house in the 10200 block of 10th Ave S. Witnesses initially reported they thought they heard two vehicles in the area but police believe the other houses and vehicles were shot at by the occupants of the vehicle found at the scene.

Information from Sgt. Cindi West with the King County Sheriff's Office

UPDATE 2:40pm Friday, March 22

King County Sheriff’s detectives said a shooting this week in the Boulevard Park area that left two men dead, was a murder-suicide and not a running gun battle, as was initially reported.

On Wednesday deputies responded to a house in the 1000 block of S 102nd St to a report of gunshots that struck a house. When deputies arrived they found a car running in the front yard with a driver and passenger inside, both been shot in the head. The driver still had a gun in his hand.

The passenger, a 23 year old man from Seattle, was pronounced dead at the scene, the driver, also a 23 year old Seattle man, was transported to Harborview Hospital in critical condition and later died.

On a classic spring afternoon that was full of Washington’s liquid sunshine the Chief Sealth Seahawks stood fast against the Quakers of Franklin High School at the SWAC.

Sealth coach Ron Johnson had his players well prepared for the match. The game plan looked simple. In three words the plan was Attack, Attack, Attack, or at least that’s what it looked like from this writers prospective.
The Quakers had only a handful of shots on goal and spent most of the match defending their own goal from a relentless Seahawk attack. For a large part of the match the Quakers rarely crossed mid field.

On the other hand the Seahawks spent a significant amount of time in front of the Franklin goal. It’s a testament to the Franklin player’s determination that the score wasn’t by a larger margin. But Franklin could not hold off the Seahawks and Sealth cracked the Quakers stubbornness in the thirty first minute of the match when Sealth Midfielder Eduardo Cardoza took a pass at the ten yard line and fired a bullet just over the outstretched hands of Quaker goalie Ben Megathlin that just made it under the crossbar for a the score.

With the celebrations over and all the taps shut down the Alki Tavern whose last day was Sunday March, 17 began the process of dismantling their 38 years of history.

Greg "Kona" Haapla, took these photos of ABC Towing, that came to the tavern on Harbor Ave. SW to remove one of the signature pieces of the landmark, the anchor that has stood out front for many years.

ABC Towing said they would hang on to the anchor,"until Gill decides what he wants to do with it."

If you missed any of our coverage of the closure of the long time Alki fixture here are the links:

SLIDESHOW: The last days of the Alki Tavern were full of good beer, good food and goodbyes

SLIDESHOW: Final Taco Thursday at Alki Tavern sees record turnout

UPDATE: 10:30pm
The security breach that held up all flights and gates at SeaTac Airport has been cleared.

Original Post
Our news partner Q13Fox News is reporting that someone got through the screening process and all planes are grounded as of 8:30 pm Tuesday evening. Passengers are being told they will all have to be re-screened.

People are being kept informed in the airport via public address.

No connecting flights are being allowed to take off.

This story will be updated.