June 2013

Unlike the last two years, the weather for last weekend’s Wild Strawberry Festival in Buiren was sunny and warm.

The summer weather brought festival-goers out in droves to the Father’s Day car show, chili cook-off, carnival, Band-a-Palooza, Strawberry shortcake booth manned by Burien Arts volunteers and all the other festival activities.

Our photographer, Greg McCorkle, wandered all around and snapped a bunch of great images.

The Burien Public Works crew has installed 24 bike racks in the public right-of-way. The racks can now be found along Southwest 152nd Street, as well as other areas scattered throughout the city.

The other 17 racks, of the 41 total, will be installed at selected private property locations (commercial shopping centers) once arrangements have been made with all of the property owners. The sponsorship plaques will be installed after all agreements have been completed and the plaques have been produced.

On June 29 at 11 a.m., WABI Burien and the city of Burien will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the project and the availability of these new racks in the community. The ceremony will be held in front of Bumbershoot Books, 639 S.W. 152nd St.

The downtown Burien bike rack project has been a focus project of WABI Burien for almost 2 years, and has involved WABI board members, the city of Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department, Burien Public Works Department, the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board and community bike rack sponsors.

The Port of Seattle has selected a developer for the Des Moines Creek Business Park project.

Panattoni Development Company, Inc., a privately-held real estate development firm, headquartered in Newport Beach, California, was chosen from a field of four proposers to develop approximately 87 acres of property south of Sea-Tac Airport with a combination of airport-related commercial and light industrial uses. 


“We’re working with the city of Des Moines to create jobs and support economic vitality in the community,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro. “This project is part of our Century Agenda vision to grow the economic benefits of Sea-Tac by tripling the volume of air cargo and expand opportunities for local businesses.”

The business park development is located south of Sea-Tac Airport, bounded by South 208th Street on the north, 24th Avenue South on the east, South 216th Street on the south, and on the west by a portion of Des Moines Creek Park. 


The Des Moines Area Food Bank will provide free breakfast, lunch, and snacks to children during the summer through the Simplified Summer Food Program (SSFP).

Highline Public Schools previously announced its summer meal program:
http://www.westseattleherald.com/2013/06/13/news/highline-public-school…

Meals will be free to children 18 years old and younger. A child does not need to be a Highline Public School student to participate.

Registration is not required. There are no forms to fill out and no names are written down. Food cannot be taken off the premises.

The Des Moines Food Bank will offer free meals at Abbey Ridge Apartments, Angle Lake Park, Des Moines Beach Park, Des Moines Field House Park, Evergreen Aquatic Center, Gateway to Success, Gregory Heights Elementary, Matt Griffin YMCA and McMicken Heights Park.

Other food bank sites are Midway Park, Para Los Ninos, Parkside Elementary, Pine Ridge Apartments, Seahurst Park, The Heights at Burien, Tyee High, Willow Lake Apartments, Windsor Heights and Woodridge Park.

A brand new art show is set for the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse June 20 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The ArtShow at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse at 9131 California Ave. SW will show paintings and more from West Seattle artists Linda McClamrock, June Olson, Gail Ann, Pamela Coffey and others.

For more information call 425-445-4064

On June 19 a fundraiser for Ola Salon, which was victimized in a $25,000 burglary recently, will be held at Salty's on Alki. An auction will be part of the event which runs from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

“All auction proceeds and a portion of all ticket sales will go to the salon. We need our West Seattle neighbors to know that we’ve got their back.” says Nick Nordby, VP of Business Development for Salty’s Restaurants, “We all need to look out for each other because you never know who might be next.”

All proceeds from the auction and a large portion of the ticket sales will go towards the salon. Owners Gerry & Kathy Kingen said, “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the news…they’re just down the street from us. My heart just sunk.”

Auction items will include everything from helicopter tours, to Salty’s World famous brunch packages, to signed Seahawks jerseys. The event is open to the public. Glitzy, sparkly cocktail attire is encouraged, but not required.

The West Seattle Dodgers Little League Minor team took on the American Angels in the single elimination game to determine the champion in the 8-10 year old class. Both teams battled through a grueling schedule of games to arrive at this final game match up.

The Dodgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and by the third their lead had increased to 4-1, but the Angels battled back and tied the game at 5-5 in the fourth. The score would change hands several times over the next two innings but was tied up at the end of regulation play at 8-8. In extra play the Angels exploded for six runs and held off a Dodgers rally to win the game 14-8.

The game was so exciting that even the coaches of both teams couldn’t recall the score once the game ended.

One coach remarked “Isn’t this fun! I’m so happy for the kids. What a baseball game”!

Even though some of the young Dodgers players were on the edge of tears after striking out it was all smiles after the game when they held their trophies, and isn’t that what it’s all about. Play the game, do your best, and above all… Have fun.

The team won 19 games in a row and ended their season with a 20-2 record.

Sixteen days after a man tried to abduct a three year old from a home on 10400 block of 3rd Ave. S.W. in unincorporated North Highline, another incident on the same block may be linked to the same suspect, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.

On June 18, police said a man tried to enter the bedroom window where a one-year-old child was sleeping just after 10 p.m. The child’s mother had stepped out momentarily, but returned and saw man trying to push the window screen in. She screamed, and the suspect fled.

While several news organizations reported this incident as another abduction attempt, the Sheriff’s Office made it clear the evidence only pointed to what they could characterize as a burglary as no specific attempt to grab the child was made. There were, however, similarities in that the suspect targeted a room with a small child and may have been waiting for the mother to leave the room. He was also described as “tall and skinny,” just like the man in the June 2 attempt.

From Ballard Historical Society

Come see seven vintage Ballard residences of unique character and modern livability on Sunday, June 23, anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This Ballard Historical Society-produced tour occurs only every three years and we're following up on 2010's great successes. Our docents and homeowners are preparing to share their homes with you. Which home will be your favorite? To find out, buy a ticket and plan to attend! (We also need volunteers; in exchange for a three-hour shift the day of the tour, you get a free ticket to view all the homes. See contact info below.)

Two ways to buy tickets:

1. Online at http://ballardclassichometour.bpt.me

2. Stop in to these local businesses to purchase tickets for $20 (cash or check only): REStore, Secret Garden Bookshop, Johnson & Johnson Antiques and Sunset Hill Green Market. Please note all ticket holders must exchange tickets for the tour booklet on June 23 beginning at 9:30 a.m. at our Tour Headquarters at Sunset Hill Community Clubhouse, 3003 N.W. 66th Street. See you soon!

Tour basics:

Rev. Judith Laxer

The solar peak of the year arrives at the approqching Summer Solstice. When the days are this long, gardeners gladly give more time to the green and growing. It’s a watchful time, a hopeful and beautiful time when the lushness of Summer is here at last. We’d be wise to keep this awareness ever present because Summer will seem to be over just as suddenly as June seemed to have arrived. How is it possible that half the year has already hastily departed?

Seeds that have sprouted are growing their second sets of leaves, sending out tendrils to cling to trellises, flowering so they can fruit. Green denizens are establishing themselves, holding earth, taking up space. They are hungry for light and thirsty for rain. They want to fulfill their purpose and promise. I do too.