March 2013

Tony Anderson, the SeaTac mayor for just over a year, wears many hats, but they have not inflated the head of this humble community servant. At nearly 7-feet, (when he stands up straight) he walks tall, but walks gently, too.

He earned his doctorate in education. "Yes, I'm 'Dr. Tony', but if you want a prescription, I can't help you," he quipped.

As SeaTac mayor, Anderson, with the help of State Rep. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, the SeaTac-based Genesis Project and its volunteer detectives, and others, he has pushed for stricter laws in Washington State against human traffickers, while opting to rehab the exploited girls who work as prostitutes, which are really the victims, as he sees them. He spreads the word about fighting human trafficking when he attends the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C., an influential organization that represents 200 million people.

Robert Gallagher has been named as the new Principal at Lafayette Elementary School as of July 1. He replaces Shauna Heath who has been named Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Seattle Public Schools. The announcement came from Superintendent José Banda on Friday, March, 29.

Dear Lafayette Elementary community,

I am pleased today to announce the appointment of Robert Gallagher as your new principal, effective July 1.

Mr. Gallagher comes to Lafayette from St. Anthony’s K-8 in Renton, where he has served as principal since June 2011. Mr. Gallagher is a long-time educator committed to working with both staff and families to ensure success. He will be a great fit for the Lafayette community.

2 p.m., March 22, 1st Block of NW 44 St

A couple called police after they realized their house had been burglarized. The woman said when she entered the door, she saw her things strewn about on the floor and the lights were on whereas she left them off.

The police officer noticed pry marks on the window on the east and north sides of the house. He said that the suspect got into the building through the north bedroom window by prying it open and left through the back door.

The victim said she was missing a coin collection, but could not positively identify anything else that was missing.

The police officer collected two flat surface books and a small plastic bag to send for fingerprints.

11:00 p.m., March 22, 1st block of NW 51st St

A woman called police when she discovered her house had been burglarized. She said she had left her house at 9:30 p.m. and came back at 11 p.m. When she walked into her bedroom, she had found her drawers were opened and her jewelry was stolen. As she continued to look around, she also saw money was stolen from her safe.

By Steve Shay

It has been a long and winding, and sometimes rocky, road for the always-eager "Team Tracey & Stacy" of Matrix Real Estate who were for years the first folks you'd probably see when viewing the 124-unit Burien Town Square condominiums as they greeted you with matching smiles in their ground floor loft sales office.

Stacy Phipps, a Burien resident, and Tracey O'Brien of Auburn were rotated out of that office, Phipps last November, O'Brien last month. Since the pre-sale phase from their storefront office across the street in July, 2007, the dynamic duo has sold 50 units, half of those since last September. They are still involved in the closings of those pending units sold while they were still there.

And they still work for Matrix, now selling new single family homes by Lennar Corporation, one of America's top four home builders, with communities in 18 states, including some 29 communities in the Seattle and Vancouver, WA. areas.

Seattle-base U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour ruled March 22 that the Department of Interior wrongly denied the Duwamish Tribe's petition for federal recognition Jan., 2001, signed as the Clinton administration departed, and denied the day the Bush administration came in. The judge ordered the Dept. of Interior to either consider the tribe's petition using 1994 guidelines, or explain why it declines to do so.

Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe

Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe, and Boulevard Park resident works with her daughter, Cindy Williams, Secretary/Treasurer of the Duwamish Tribal Council at the Duwamish Longhouse Museum in West Seattle.

Seattle-base U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour ruled March 22 that the Department of Interior wrongly denied the Duwamish Tribe's petition for federal recognition Jan., 2001, signed as the Clinton administration departed, and denied the day the Bush administration came in. The judge ordered the Dept. of Interior to either consider the tribe's petition using 1994 guidelines, or explain why it declines to do so.

Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe

Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe, and Boulevard Park resident works with her daughter, Cindy Williams, Secretary/Treasurer of the Duwamish Tribal Council at the Duwamish Longhouse Museum in West Seattle.

Alki Elementary School celebrated 100 years with a special celebration on Mar. 28 featuring a group alumni photo, the collection of memories on video, a timeline of significant events that wrapped around the auditorium, special student made art displays comparing 1913 to 2013, some special guests and at least two commemorative cakes.

DOWNLOAD THE GROUP SHOT AT THE LINK ABOVE

Principal Chanda Otis said, "It's amazing to feel like the Centennial Principal of such a historical school. It has been here for 100 years and we hope for 100 more. I'm proud to say I'm the Principal who is sitting her at this moment. The students are excelling at reading, writing and math. They are acting, doing musicals. We are the 2012 global reading champion. It makes it very exciting for me to come to work every day."

Two north Burien parks, about a half-mile from each other, have been identified as possible sites for an off-leash dog facility.

Steve Roemer, Burien Parks operations manager, told council members his department looked at parks owned by the city that were currently underutilized. He noted a city off-leash dog park would draw dog owners from within a 5-mile radius.

There are currently off-leash parks at Grandview in SeaTac and Westcrest in White Center.

Burien lawmakers at their March 25 study session indicated interest in a second dog park in the south end. Lakeview Park at South 160th Street and 6th Avenue Southwest was mentioned as a possible site

The two north end parks are Hazel Valley, 2.84 acres, at 251 S.W. 126th St. and Salmon Creek, 4.61 acres, at 700 S.W. 118th St. They were acquired by the Burien when the southern portion of North Highline was annexed in 2009.

By David Rosen and Patrick Robinson

Seattle Fire Department trainees took advantage of the buildings scheduled for demolition on the site of the future Murray CSO Facility site adjacent to Lowman Beach Park. The recruits performed destructive training inside the buildings including cutting into roofs, tearing down drywall, and simulated rescues of fire victims.

During the training a simulated smoke product was used, similar to stage smoke, to limit vision and create as realistic an atmosphere as possible.

Ed Nelson, Captain of Training for Seattle Fire Department said, "We're at the midpoint of our recruit training. Taking our newly hired firefighters off the training ground and out into the real world and giving them exposure to some of the buildings they may encounter in the city and teaching them the techniques and tactics we use to both extinguish fires, rescue citizens and then ultimately rescue and help themselves if they get in trouble."

The students and staff of K-5 STEM School at Boren were treated with a high profile visitor on March 28 by Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

Inslee toured the elementary school on Delridge Way S.W. in West Seattle that focuses on starting young in teaching students the basic tenants of science, technology, engineering and math.

He stopped into several classrooms to talk with students directly about their projects, and seems to have come away impressed.

“Pure exhilaration,” Inslee said of the tour, “because you saw kids that are going to cure cancer and come up with a clean energy source to beat global warming. They are in here somewhere … and they are getting ready to do it.”