May 2013

When the North Highline Fire District #11 was formed in the 1940’s, it was an all-volunteer unit covering nine square miles. Through annexation and incorporation from that time up to now, the district has been whittled down to 3.5 square miles of coverage.

“This district has shrunk so much in size that we are really struggling up here to continue to provide that service … there have been cuts and cuts and cuts over the years. We fund two three-person engine companies … and that’s it,” Burien and North Highline Fire Chief Mike Marrs explained at a recent North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting. Marrs has been chief at District #2 in Burien for 13 years, and took over the leadership role of #11 just over a year ago.

As mentioned in Marrs’ quote, District #11 has two fire trucks to cover the area and no aid car (ambulance). The nearest King County Medic One ambulance is in SeaTac.

Since May is Bike to School Month, the teachers at Alki Elementary chose to get involved and organize two "bike trains" of parents and students. More than 100 parents and students showed up for the event.

The first train led by Principal Chanda Oatis and Ms. Hominee, gathered at Anchor Park on Alki Ave. SW and took the pathway toward the school. The second train, led by teacher Terry Kegel and Sr. Grunewald came from Me Kwa Mooks Park on Beach Drive SW.

The event and month are designed to encourage bicycle commuting, mentor new riders and help build a love of bicycling. So this was the attention getter, but students are encouraged to ride their bikes as often as possible.

Principal Oatis said, "This is a really great idea because it's very good for our world. This is a whole month where we're trying to encourage people to bike to school and I live a little bit far so this is a day that I agreed to find a way outside of my car to get to school The kids enjoy it and I enjoy it and it's healthy." She committed to doing more bike rides to school.

By Peggy Sturdivant

It’s possible that Ralph Paulette has not been holding court at the counter of Three Girls Bakery on 15th Ave NW any more than usual in the last months, but he has been there every single time I’ve stopped in over the last six weeks. Which is not infrequent given that in our household we’ve pronounced Three Girls’ granola “the gold standard.”

It also may or may not be coincidence that Ralph has been sitting in exactly the same seat in the corner, facing out from the current exhibition on the great wall as though he is its docent. Where usually art is displayed, from jewelry through acrylics, the current display is of maps. Specifically Ralph’s maps, inasmuch as he became their curator many, many years ago after an estate sale find.

It would definitely not be a coincidence to encounter Ralph at a garage sale, or making his near-daily rounds at Goodwill and Value Village. I haven’t seen his vehicle but I suspect that when Ralph Paulette pulls up to a sale his car is already packed with treasures. When I asked him what he collects, he countered with, “What don’t I collect?”

RED Day, a community service effort, in fact one of the biggest, promoted and carried out by the real estate industry will see some local focus in Lincoln Park as the Keller Williams Seattle Metro office in West Seattle gathers its associates for some park and beach clean up on Thursday, May 9.

Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service.

The volunteers from Keller Williams will work with Seattle Parks and Recreation Department staff on beach and park clean up and shelter repairs.

“This event is an entrenched part of Keller Williams Realty’s culture and displays the extraordinary effect a company can have when individuals come together to work as a team for the greater good of everyone,” said Anne Burke, Broker with Keller Williams. “Last year, we enjoyed working on the River City Skate park project. We can’t tell you what an impact it made on each of us personally − it felt so great to give back to the community we know and love.”

Nearly 30 Highline High School students were treated to the maiden voyage of a Boeing 737 yesterday, May 6, flying one hour around Mount Rainier, on the new Alaska Airlines plane. This was the first time some students had flown. Other passengers included two Scout troops, the co-ed Venturing branch, and Chief Seattle Council. Joining them were King County Sheriff John Urquhart, Highline High School Resources Officer with the Burien Police Department Brian J. Barnes, Veronica Asence, Miss Seafair 2012-13, additional SeaFair staff and others.

The skies were clear, and the jet took off at Boeing Field and landed at Sea-Tac Airport.

"We're here because the CEO of Alaska Airlines (Bradley D. Tilden) has taken delivery of the new plane (...) and we've been invited with Sheriff Urquhart to take a flight around Mount Rainier," said Barnes. "The students are from Highline High School, and some are with the King County Sheriff's Police Athletic Program."

Seattle firefighters evacuated the Southwest Community Center at 2801 S.W. Thistle on May 7 due to a pool chemical spill consisting of 150 to 300 gallons of 13 percent sodium hypochlorite.

There were no injuries.

The call for fire aid went out at 4:53 p.m. and a lifeguard on duty at the time said a "small check valve" failed, causing the spill.

Sodium hypochlorite is similar to household bleach.

Earlier this afternoon, police arrested a woman who cut her sister on the head in Greenwood. SPD Blotter has the story:

"Officers arrested a woman after she cut her sister on the head with a knife during a domestic violence disturbance in North Seattle early this afternoon.

At approximately 1:25 p.m. officers responded to a house in the 9000 block of 7th Ave NW for the report of a domestic violence assault involving a weapon. Preliminary investigation indicates that two sisters got into a verbal argument that escalated into a physical altercation resulting in one sister cutting the other on the forehead with a steak knife. The suspect, a 21-year-old female, surrendered to responding officers upon their arrival on scene. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to the North Precinct for further investigation.

The victim, a 17-year-old female, was transported to an area hospital for treatment of her non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect was booked into the King County Jail for felony domestic violence assault.

Two 3-story high steel towers were lifted from a barge up and placed inside the southern pier of the South Park bridge on Friday, May 3. This marked the beginning of the installation of structural steel on the bridge according to King County.

These towers will support the entire southern draw span. In a press release they said, "think of the draw span as a huge teeter-totter with the over-river truss section on one end and the inside-pier counterweight on the other. The counterweight end of the draw span will be assembled piece by piece over the next couple months. The other end of the teeter-totter – the span over the river - is already assembled and waiting for its day later this summer to be lifted into place and connected to the counterweight."

By Rob Clay

It could be said that Kermit Millard Zarley Jr., former West Seattle resident and now retired professional golfer was blessed. Blessed with natural talent or an affinity for the game of golf beginning as a youngster on the rolling hills and fairways of West Seattle Golf Course.

It could also be said that natural talent for Kermit was something divine but undiscovered.

Kermit, born in Seattle in 1941, is the son of Kermit Sr. and Barbara Zarley. By the late 40‘s Kermit Sr., was the fry cook and cafe concession owner behind the counter at West Seattle golf course where Abe and Dick LaBelle used to break for lunch from running the driving range next to the course.

When Kermit Jr., turned 12, his dad opened Kermit’s Charcoal Broiler up on California Avenue next to the Granada Theatre. Kermit helped in the new venture for a few years, finding his way back to the course to practice. And practice he did like many young kids but he needed some fine tuning. Kermit was 16 before he had that first lesson from Ray Honsberger over at Rainier Golf & Country Club in Burien.

Foster girls’ softball team played host to Evergreen on Friday, May 3rd for a Seamount Conference game played at Tukwila Community Center. This was the last regular season game for both teams. Foster came into the game with a 5-win, 8-loss conference record while Evergreen was at 3 wins and 10 losses. The first time these teams met, Foster won the contest over Evergreen, 11-6.

Evergreen was up to bat first. In that inning, they sent six batters to the plate and scored two runs.

In the bottom of the first inning Evergreen’s catcher and team captain, Pulemau Savusa threw out Foster’s Veronica Sun at second base and Alexia Barlow at third base for attempting to steal.

Coach Angeles commented on Foster’s speedster Alexia Barlow being thrown out. “I think when we threw her out it kind of set the tone. I don’t think they were quite as aggressive after that.” So if one play can change a team’s momentum, then that could have been it.