May 2013

I know that Mother's Day is this Sunday so I need to write about the World's Champion Mother... my mom.

What was so great about her? Let me count the ways.

She had ten kids. With the help of my dad, of course. I was number eight. He was a traveling salesman and came home ten times.

I grew up in Portland and we lived in a dilapidated old four-bedroom house with a wood burning furnace and a leaking roof. Every time it rained we put buckets and pots on the floor. Rent was cheap if we paid it at all, sometimes needing to move in the middle of the night to a new place to avoid paying for the old place.

Dad wasn’t much of a provider because he had a drinking problem. We loved him though.

Mom was the rock. She read to the four of us in the afternoons before she took her daily nap. I still have her well thumbed copy of Anderson's Fairy Tales.

SeaTac’s Julia Patterson has been a major force in Highline and South King County as an elected official on the municipal, state and county levels for almost a quarter of a century.

King County Council vice chair Patterson announced on April 26 that she is will not seek re-election to the county council.

She was a founding member of the SeaTac City Council when the city incorporated in 1989. Patterson was then appointed to the state Legislature where she served in both the House and Senate for nearly a decade.

She left the Legislature in 2001 to join the King County Council and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.

In an interview last week, Patterson told me she is proud of her accomplishments at all three governmental levels.

But Patterson admits there is at least one area where she wishes she had been more successful.

“I am sad that we are without a dedicated, adequate long-term source for human services,” Patterson said. “I won’t see that day but I have faith that day will come.

By Shara Wallace and Steve Shay
HIGHLINE TIMES

Thieves hit Burien Elks

Thieves stole in excess of $10,000 worth of material from the Burien Elks Club at 14006 First Ave. S. . Club officials said that a P.A. system, DJ equipment, flat screen televisions, an estimated $1000 in liquor and keys to other areas of the building were taken sometime between the hours of 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday April 28. There were no signs of forced entry.
Scott Knight, Past Exalted Ruler of the Burien Elks said, "I believe somebody came in during a party for the National Guard on Saturday night, and basically crashed it. The police thought it might even be a female who dressed the part, mingled in with the group and then found somewhere to hide. Once the building was empty she called in a group. The police said it had to be two or three men at least, lifting this stuff. That DJ equipment is heavy.
"We believe they were going to come back because we found the door propped open and a lot of stuff staged in the hall by the door. They had our big screen TV off of its pedestal on the ground, waiting to go out the door as well."

by Kurt Howard

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.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

In the case of the West Seattle girls fastpitch softball team, hopefully it's alls well that begins well.

The Wildcats leapt into the Metro League tournament with a vengeance, edging Eastside Catholic, 7-6, Monday and earning the right to advance into a second round game Wednesday, May 8.

West Seattle will pay a visit to Holy Names of Seattle for a 4 p.m. game that day as it continues its quest for a berth into the upcoming Sea-King District tournament.

The game joins an already busy spring sports postseason dockett for that day.

The Metro League track and field meet opens at 4 p.m. at the Southwest Athletic Complex located by Chief Sealth High School. (It will conclude at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the same site).

Chief Sealth is still alive in boys soccer and plays a 5:30 p.m. match against Lakeside at Interbay Stadium on Wednesday, with those playoffs taking place every day through Saturday.

Both the West Seattle and Chief Sealth baseball teams are alive for a playoff double-header at Mel Olson Stadium in the Steve Cox complex in White Center on Thursday, May 9.

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."

"I think this is so exciting to see all these kids have the chance to go on a brand new airplane, and for the adults, too," said Sheriff Urquhart before boarding. "It's so cool that Boeing does this.

DRCC PRESS RELEASE:

The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group (DRCC/TAG) announces that it will partner with EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative to provide free training for local residents interested in cleanup-related jobs.

"Local residents have borne the burden of the Duwamish River Superfund Site for many years; now they have an opportunity to benefit from jobs created by cleaning it up," says BJ Cummings, Policy Advisor for DRCC/TAG. DRCC/TAG serves as EPA's Community Advisory Group for the site.

DRCC PRESS RELEASE:

The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group (DRCC/TAG) announces that it will partner with EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative to provide free training for local residents interested in cleanup-related jobs.

"Local residents have borne the burden of the Duwamish River Superfund Site for many years; now they have an opportunity to benefit from jobs created by cleaning it up," says BJ Cummings, Policy Advisor for DRCC/TAG. DRCC/TAG serves as EPA's Community Advisory Group for the site.

Update, May 15:

Sunset Hill Community Association, 3003 NW 66th Street, on Tuesday June 11th, 6:30-9:30pm.

A public potluck celebration in memory of Gene George, the beloved barber who owned Sunset Hill Barbershop, will be held on Tuesday, June 11, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Sunset Hill Community Association (3003 NW 66th St). Donna, Gene's colleague, is planning this gathering as a remembrance of Gene George’s life and a time for the community to share memories and stories.

Furthermore, Donna would appreciate volunteer assistance to coordinate and host the potluck, as she expects to be a bit tearful and emotional during Gene’s life celebration.

To help with the potluck/celebration, please contact Donna at the Sunset Hill Barbershop, 206-465-7803.

Lastly, here's a letter from Donna to the community:

From the City of Seattle:

Councilmembers Nick Licata and Sally Clark are proposing to amend the Land Use Code in response to recently enacted state laws regarding the production, processing, selling, and delivery of marijuana and marijuana products. In the course of its review of those amendments, the Council is considering the following additional amendments and invites your written comments.

An amendment to increase the proposed maximum size of indoor agricultural operations in Manufacturing and Industrial Centers to as much as 50,000 sq. ft.

An amendment to allow existing businesses to continue operation after the proposed regulations go into effect

An amendment to clarify the definition of “food processing” uses

An amendment to modify the amount of production, processing, selling, or delivery of marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or useable marijuana that can be conducted in association with any business or residence in certain residential and historic character areas such that the limits would apply per month rather than at any one time.