March 2013

Dave Nichols, West Seattle Rotarian and volunteer, was recognized by President Obama and ShelterBox USA March 7 in San Francisco, with a Presidential Volunteer Service Award for his efforts during 2012 to provide shelter, warmth and dignity for survivors of natural and other disasters worldwide.

Disasters like Typhoon Bopha in the Philippines and the Syrian refugee crisis throughout the Middle East mean people on the ground need help. Dave Nichols knew ShelterBox, and international disaster relief organization, would be there delivering their iconic green boxes containing emergency tent shelter and other lifesaving supplies.

ShelterBox was able to respond to more than 30 disasters in 23 countries in 2012, providing families with disaster relief tents, cook stoves, water purification units, blankets, mosquito nets, children’s packs and other essential equipment.

The Knights of Eastside Catholic were one of the best boys baseball teams in the state last year. Winning the Metro League title and 3A runner up at the state level, the Knights are a formidable baseball team.

Sealth starting pitcher Merle Rowan-Kennedy pitched 3-1/2 innings and gave up eight runs. His replacement Blaine Steele didn’t fare any better in his inning and a half, allowing two more runs in the fifth.

Cold bats plagued the Seahawks the entire game. Sealth was able to generate only three hits and left three runners stranded. EC starting pitcher J. Fexy kept Seahawk batters guessing, and guessing badly with his pitching choices.

Across the diamond the Knights tallied runs in every inning, playing small ball style. The gap between second base and centerfield was a favorite hunting ground for EC. A place the ball spent a considerable amount of time once it left the bats of Knights hitters.

With the inability to get on the scoreboard in five innings of play, the mercy rule was invoked and the game ended 10-0.

March 21 Update: The principal at St. Francis school has informed parents that the 14-year-old student injured on Monday was struck by a .22 caliber bullet.

Our news partner Q-13 Fox had more details:
http://q13fox.com/2013/03/20/14-year-old-burien-girl-shot-while-walking…

March 20 Update: The 14-year-old Burien girl who was hit with a bullet or pellet while walking home from St. Francis School on Monday has been released from Harborview and is doing well at home.

Police still don't know what struck her. An x-ray is planned to try to determine whether it was a bullet or a pellet.

No suspects have been identified as yet.

Here is our previous coverage:

An 8th grade girl, 14 years old, from St. Francis of Assisi School in Burien was shot and injured in an apparent drive-by shooting near the school today, March 18. She is being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She is reported to be in stable condition.

She was hit by either a pellet or a small-caliber bullet, the King County Sheriff’s Office said.

Sustainable West Seattle, unable to just let one great local green idea win, spread the love to three causes on March 18 in announcing their Green Incubator Grant Program winners.

The winner of the big grant on the night was Delridge Grocery (with a recent name change from the Delridge Produce Co-op), recieving a $1000 grant to help bring a co-op market to North Delridge where they will sell “nothing but wholesome, affordable local food.” The funds will be used to help mobilize and coordinate their membership drive.

Chas Redmond with SWS said Delridge Grocery was the top pick based on community survey feedback and board deliberations for it's potential in "“meeting community need, meeting economic growth opportunity, being sustainable and being doable in the sense that this was a kick start that would actually help.”

The $1000 grant was made possible by the Coho Team of Windermere Agents.

The giving kept on going with SWS finding an additional $1000 in internal funding to split between two other worthwhile causes: The West Seattle Time Bank and DIY Bike Program.

The King County Water Taxi fleet just grew by one and at essentially no cost. The Spirit of Kingston, a 65 foot, 147 person catamaran that previously served the Kingston/Seattle route was acquired by the King County Ferry District in an unanimous vote on March, 18.

An agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) who originally provided grant funding to the Port of Kingston to purchase the vessel made it possible to get the vessel at no cost. The Port of Kingston discontinued ferry service last fall. That meant the King County Ferry District had an opportunity to acquire the vessel due to the FTA’s previous $2 million investment.

“This is an exciting day for transit in our region. The Spirit of Kingston will help increase reliability of our water taxi service and help to ensure that riders can get where they’re going as planned. The Spirit of Kingston will address many of the service disruptions we experience,” said Joe McDermott, Chair of the King County Ferry District.

The Spirit of Kingston will likely start sailing next month.

Friday, March 15
Baseball
Tyee 12, Renton 1
Tyee trounced Renton, 12-1, in a Seamount League baseball game played Friday, March 15.
Kyle Howell hit 3-for-3 with two runs, one RBI and two doubles for the Totems and Anthony Summers hit 3-for-3 with three runs, one RBI, one triple and one stolen bases. Jordan Owen hit 2-for-2 with two runs, three RBI and one double.
Hazen 32, Evergreen 2
Heavy-hitting Hazen hammered Evergreen, 32-2, in Seamount League action Friday.
Lindbergh 9, Foster 1
Foster was finished off by the Eagles on Friday.
Eatonville 8, SCS 2
Seattle Christian took a loss on its new home field at Russell Road Park in Kent this past Friday.
Boys soccer
Tyee 5, Renton 0
The Totems blanked the Indians, 5-0, in a Friday match.
Hazen 2, Evergreen 0
Evergreen was shut down by Hazen on Friday.
SCS 2, Vashon 0
The Warriors of the Class 1A Nisqually League won by a 2-0 score last Friday.
Mt. Rainier 1, Kent-Meridian 0
Mount Rainier blanked Kent-Meridian in South Puget Sound League North Division action Friday.
Fastpitch
Kennedy 7, Blanchet 5
The Lancers won in a non-league game against Blanchet of Seattle's Metro League.

T-Birds to host hockey playoffs

The T-Birds will host Games 3 and 4 of a first round playoff series against either the Portland Winterhawks or Kelowna Rockets.

Game 3 will be Tuesday, March 26, at 7:05pm at ShoWare Center. The T-Birds will continue the popular 2-for-Tuesday promotion for Game 3. This means all tickets will be two-for-one and all beer, soda, popcorn and hot dogs will be $2. The 2-for-Tuesday group ticket special will also apply for Game 3. Fans that buy 20 tickets will get 20 tickets FREEfor a total of 40 tickets.

Purchase Single Game Tickets for Game 3 Now

Game 4 will be Wednesday, March 27, at 7:05pm at ShoWare Center. The T-Birds have a ticket special for Game 4. Fans that purchase eight premium seats will get two free tickets for total of 10 tickets to Game 4.

Purchase Single Game Tickets for Game 4 Now

Contact the T-Birds at 253-239-PUCK (7825) or stbirds@seattlethunderbirds.com to purchase Game 3 2-for-Tuesday group playoff tickets or the Game 4 get 10 tickets for the price of 8 special.

A 1-1 tie would make many teams upset, especially if a 1-0 lead got away in the second half.

But not Highline High School head coach Tim Crawley, whose team finished in a 1-1 knot against the Kennedy Catholic Lancers this past Friday.

"Going in we were hoping we could at least tie," said Crawley after the action on the Starfire pitch in Tukwila. "Kennedy has more talent, but we tied them, which is good."

Crawley was especially happy considering the fact his team was missing some key players.

"We had three ineligible for grades and hopefully we'll have them back in the next couple weeks," Crawley said.

The Pirates bolted out to the early lead and held off a fiece Kennedy barrage in the second half except for the one tying goal.

Junior forward Joseph Ramirez moved up close to the goal and drilled the ball over the Lancers' goalie and under the crossbar into the back of the net.

The score came with 18 minutes, 15 seconds left on the first half clock, and the lead held until 23:50 to go in the second half.

Highline School District held their high school track and field jamboree meet on Thursday, March 14th at Highline Memorial Stadium. The participating schools were 2A Evergreen and Tyee, 3A Highline and 4A Mt Rainier. The track was dry -- yes dry -- and the temperature was a cool 53 degrees with a slight breeze. Spirits were high as it was a good day to be outside.

Team scores were not kept, it was a warmup to prepare for the regular Seamount League season that starts Thursday, March 21 with Kennedy, Evergreen and Tyee visiting Highline for a 3:30 p.m. meet. Foster is at Renton at the same time.

Mount Rainier entertains Tahoma at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 in South Puget Sound League North Division action.

For complete results from this meet please go to: http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/MeetResults.aspx?Meet=182589#429

Press release:

I am a resident of NE Burien, who was opposed to being annexed into Burien. I did not feel that the City of Burien would be able to represent me. My fears have been confirmed by the recent proposal of the current four member majority of the Burien City Council, to take away my democratic rights through dividing the City Council into wards. Their rationale for breaking apart our city is that there is a lack of geographic diversity and minority representation on the current council. It is really a blatant attempt by the current four member majority of the council to divide our city so they can maintain power.