March 2013

From Seattle Police Department

Additional law enforcement officers in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties will be actively patrolling the roads over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend looking for impaired drivers.

“Don’t press your luck this weekend. Make sure you and your friends get home safely,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver, ride the bus or take a cab.”

The Washington State Liquor Control Board will be visiting local bars to educate employees about the extra DUI patrols and responsible service. Officers will hand out “Click 2 Ride” cards with information about taxi services that bars can share with patrons.

“We want to get the word out so people can make safe choices for themselves and their patrons,” said Lieutenant Woodrow Perkins, Washington State Liquor Control Board.

More than 40 percent of all traffic deaths in Washington State involve an impaired driver.

At the Ballard District Council last night, three proposed Neighborhood Park Street Fund projects were selected to move forward to Seattle Department of Transportation's cost and feasibility phase.

Neighborhood Park Street Fund projects can be valued up to $90,000, are funded by approximately $1.2 million set aside in the 2013 city budget and are selected by the community themselves. In the case of Ballard, the Ballard District Council serves as the governing body to help select which projects move forward. Last night, five groups made presentations and three were selected.

The first one would improve pedestrian safety at 11th Ave NW and NW Market St. While the speaker Todd Gehman said they had no specific request, he said that they hoped for something that would increase pedestrian safety, such as signage, an overhead crosswalk signal or a half-signal. EBCA's Dawn Hemminger said that they would trust the officials at SDOT to know what would be best.

About a mile beyond the southern tip of the turbulent SeaTac runways, nestled within 16 wooded acres in Des Moines sits the South Correctional Entity, or SCORE, a misdemeanor jail serving Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, Seatac, Tukwila, and other 'contract" communities. Opened Sept. 2, 2011, the state-of-the-art facility, which includes modern medical and dental facilities, is 164,000 square feet, slightly larger than a Costco. It currently houses about 300 male and 50 female inmates.

Those cities together built SCORES for $98 million. It costs $14 million annually to operate.

Between 35 and 120 inmates a day attend "video court." They sit in a small room, like a booth, with their public defender, and interpreter if needed, and face a computer screen with the live image of a courtroom in Federal Way or other local community where they communicate with the judge.

While the uber-secure facility boasts 500 surveillance cameras and each entry point to a hallway or room has electronic locks, some might say that, at least from the outside, the building looks like a modern school or office complex.

For the past three years, it has been an extraordinary honor to be President of the White Center Chamber of Commerce. The 14 members of the Chamber Board of Directors have been fantastic, and to the person, they are passionate and excited about the future of White Center. Proudly, they are also doing much of the community building needed in any community if it is to move forward.

Many of your readers see some of our many Chamber successes every day. Our five new “Welcome” signs in 50 languages, our new VisitWhiteCenter.com website, where over 200 White Center businesses are listed for free, and our dozens of colorful murals that grace walls throughout White Center that were previously graffiti sites.

34th District legislators to hold telephone town meeting on March 20

Who: State Senator Sharon Nelson and Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon (34th Legislative District)

What: Telephone town hall

When: 6:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 20th

Why: To discuss legislative priorities with constituents, solicit their feedback and answer questions about the current legislative session.

34th Legislative District residents should receive a call from their legislators at about 6:00 PM on the 20th. To participate, simply pick up the phone and follow the prompts. Sen. Nelson and Reps. Cody and Fitzgibbon will deliver short opening thoughts and then will open up for questions. If you have a question for the lawmakers, simply press *3.

If for some reason you don’t receive a call, you can call into 1-877-229-8493 and enter 18646 to participate.

Press release:

Extra law enforcement will be on the roads looking for impaired drivers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, March 15-17.

Participating agencies in King County include the Burien, Des Moines, Port of Seattle, SeaTac and Tukwila police departments plus the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the Washington State Patrol.

“Don’t press your luck this weekend. Make sure you and your friends get home safely,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “If you plan to drink, designate a sober driver, ride the bus or take a cab.”

The Washington State Liquor Control Board also will visit local bars to educate employees about the extra DUI patrols and responsible service. Officers will hand out “Click 2 Ride” cards with information about taxi services that bars can share with patrons.

“We want to get the word out so people can make safe choices for themselves and their patrons,” said Lieutenant Woodrow Perkins, Washington State Liquor Control Board.

Press release:

King County Sheriff’s detectives said murder suspect Michael (Chadd) Boysen spent Saturday night in a Tukwila hotel room after killing his grandparents.

On Monday, King County Sheriff’s detectives learned that Boysen had used his real name to check into the Extended Stay America in the 15600 block of West Valley Highway Saturday afternoon and had spent one night before leaving.

On Tuesday morning a clerk at the West Shore Hotel in Lincoln City, Oregon alerted police that Boysen had checked into that hotel late Monday night.

Oregon officials took Boysen into custody Tuesday night after a long standoff. Boysen is currently in custody and being treated at the Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland for what appears to be self inflicted cuts. His condition has been upgraded to “serious.”

Information from Stu Hennessey with Sustainable West Seattle:

Sustainable West Seattle is changing the way they conduct their community forums. For over 5 years SWS has had monthly meetings (3rd Mondays of the month) to bring interested West Seattleites together over a variety of topics. Much has been learned and shared as well as many community alliances have been formed. Now, a new concept is being unveiled to extend the conversations as well as put action into their forums. Three month themes with a variety of workshops in between each forum will give SWS a chance to bring about lasting legacy to their forums.

Each theme also will culminate in a permanent offering to the community.

A very timely first effort will be the theme of Successful Gardening with Nature. Starting with the first forum on soil building, experts from SWS will share their secrets to the foundation of successful gardening. The forum will take place March 18th 6pm at the West Seattle Community Orchard located in the north end of South Seattle Community College.

Facing an $18 million budget shortfall for the 2013-14 school year and with State legislative funding relief uncertain, Seattle Public schools is implementing a non-critical hiring and spending freeze until further notice.

According to a press release the freeze is expected to save at least $2.5 million, which can be carried over to assist in building a balanced 2013-14 budget. The District will prioritize activities that contribute to accelerating academic progress for all students, while at the same time being responsive to the significant financial issues that both the school district and the State face.

The District is currently developing for the next school year the general operating fund budget, which will be approved by the School Board in July.

The 7th Annual Chief Sealth International High School Multicultural Night is set for March 20 from 6pm to 8pm. Featuring free food and full schedule of performances by students the event is usually well attended.

In addition to booths from student clubs, including the Black Student Union, China Exchange Club, Filipino Club, Native Club, Polynesian Club, Vietnamese Club and MECh/LA, attendees will be treated to a visit from noteworthy local food truck Lumpia World, and “Sealth pride” Italian sodas courtesy of the YMCA. All attendees will receive a set of food tickets to use at the various booths, where all snacks will be free of charge. Chief Sealth PTSA has provided financial support of this event.