September 2013

An Autumn Bonfire at Alki Beach Park will be presented by Providence Hospice of Seattle for families who have lost a loved one and asks them to share stories and remember loved ones who have died.

The event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday Oct. 12, 2013, at Alki Beach Park in West Seattle. The group will gather at a fire pit east of the Alki Community Center, 5817 SW Stevens St., Seattle. Participants should follow signs that say "Safe Crossings Bonfire." A second bonfire will be built just for teens.

Participants are asked to bring a piece of wood or kindling to add to the fire.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Mary Jean Hermes at 206-749-7699 or maryjean.hermes@providence.org. Please call 206-749-7723 on the day of the event for inclement weather cancellation status. For more information on these events or other hospice programs visit http://www.providencehospiceofseattle.org/programs-and-services/grief-s….

Prayer for Peace for Syria, this Saturday at Holy Rosary (press release)

Holy Rosary Catholic Church in West Seattle has scheduled five hours of prayer this Saturday, September 7, in response to the call by Pope Francis for a day of prayer and fasting for peace for Syria.

All are invited to join in the Holy Rosary prayer service from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The church is at 4210 SW Genesee St.

The service will coincide with a prayer vigil being led by the pope at St. Peter's Square from 7 p.m. to midnight Vatican time. Francis has invited Catholics, other Christians, those of other faiths and non-believers to join together on Saturday to invoke the gift of peace for Syria and other areas of the world where there is conflict.

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather bulletin regarding heavy rain they expect to begin this afternoon. The area most susceptible in West Seattle is Longfellow Creek which in 2010 did over run its banks and fill the parking lot of what was then called All-Star Fitness. The service does not expect flooding in this event but suggests people stay aware in the event it does occur.

The notice extends from 12 Noon through Friday afternoon.

FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS ANTICIPATED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FROM THE OLYMPICS EASTWARD ALTHOUGH THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING COULD PRODUCE RAIN RATES OF A HALF INCH AN HOUR OR MORE. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE LOWLANDS AND UP TO 4 INCHES IN THE CASCADES BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

Information from King County

King County’s contractor has cleared three of the buildings on the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow Control Facility site and will continue working their way to the site’s northern boundary through September. During working hours, you will continue to see equipment and trucks moving in and out of the work zone and containers adjacent to the site for the completion of demolition activities. Removed materials will be transported via Lincoln Park Way Southwest. The site’s fencing will remain extended to the east curb of Beach Drive Southwest while materials are removed from the site and site stabilization activities are underway. The street’s eastern sidewalk and parking will also remain closed; pedestrians and bicyclists are strongly encouraged to use the Beach Drive Southwest’s western sidewalk for the duration of the project. Work is expected to be complete by the end of September.

Information from The Kenney

William (Bill) Lange is named as the new interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for The Kenney, effective October 1, 2013. Mr. Lange assumes this interim role at the time that Ed Mawe, current interim CEO, leaves to take a new position with another retirement organization.

Mr. Mawe is an employee of Ontrac Management Services and he was hired in July 2012 to act as an interim CEO. Mr. Lange is also an employee of Ontrac and has been working in a supportive operations role with Mr. Mawe, the Kenney board of directors, and staff over the past year.

“Bill is not a new face to the residents and staff at The Kenney,” said Moraine Byrne, President of Ontrac Management Services. She added, “His knowledge of the current operations and the strategic direction of The Kenney make for a smooth transition as Ed leaves to take his new career opportunity.” Mr. Mawe has accepted a position as Chief Operating Officer of Horizon House, a large retirement community located in Seattle.

By Clay Eals

As part of a tradition reaching back 51 years, Dietrich Schmitz, descendant of the West Seattle pioneer Schmitz family, welcomed 600 students and their parents on opening day Sept. 4, 2013, at Schmitz Park Elementary School in West Seattle.

Introduced by Gerrit Kischner, school principal, Dietrich covered several ways in which life was different when his great-grandparents Ferdinand and Emma Schmitz arrived 120 years ago in West Seattle, but the reference that got the attention and laughter of the students and their parents was, "There weren't even iPods or iPads." He charged the students with changing and improving the future.

Unveiled at the opening ceremony was a new plaque, attached to the school's flagpole. The text of the plaque is as follows:

September 4, 2013

In honor of Alan F. Schmitz, a new flag is presented to Schmitz Park School by the Schmitz family.

Alan F. Schmitz (1934 - 2012) attended the opening day/flag raising ceremony at Schmitz Park School for over 30 years, representing the Schmitz Family who donated the land for this school.

In late August the King County Prosecutor’s Office proclaimed “For the first time in decades, King County is experiencing a surplus in jail beds,” with an estimated daily population of 1700 inmates in 2013, down from an average of 2900 in 2000.

The prosecutor’s office cited two sources contributing to the drop at the King County Correctional Facility: the 2011 opening of SCORE in South King County (a misdemeanor jail serving Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila and other contract communities), and “a decline in the number of people held in custody while awaiting trial …”

That second reason piqued our curiosity at the Herald, as one of the greatest public safety frustrations voiced by West Seattleites is the proliferation of property crime (burglaries, car prowls and auto thefts primarily), often times committed by thieves who are arrested one week only to be back out on the street and re-offending the next.

KCPO Deputy Chief of Staff Ian Goodhew was a good sport in answering our questions on that topic and more in an email.

Richard Neal lost 242 pounds in 18 months, and won the $100,000 Beachbody Challenge. Come hear his amazing story this month. Learn how he and thousands of other people have turned their lives around from the health issues and mental hardship of obesity to being happy, healthy and fit! He has been featured on ABC's 20/20, Good Morning America and People Magazine.

Richard Neal’s story is so inspiring that I wanted to share his incredible journey with you. I invited him to come to Washington to speak LIVE to you in person.

ABC's 20/20 video here: http://www.healthitude.com/Events.html

When and where:

1. September 25th 6-7PM in Burien

Seahurst Chiropractic and Wellness Center
15811 Ambaum Blvd.SW Suite 110,
Burien WA.
This event is free!
Click here for Facebook Event Page - http://healthitudepresents.eventbrite.com/

2. September 26 Everett YMCA, 6:30-7:30PM

E-mail for tickets - jessclaybrook@gmail.com
Tell them you were sent by Coach Karla, Kat or Paul Reese. This event is free!
2720 Rockefeller Ave.
Everett, WA – Conference Room

3. Do NOT MISS! Saturday, September 28th 12PM

This Beautiful German Shepard was found wandering on 8th Ave S. at 136th St yesterday morning. She is now being held at CARES.

This Chow was found wandering yeserday morning at the 128th exit of 509 in Burien. If this is your dog or you have owner info please contact Burien CARES

If you know either of these dogs or you have owner information please contact CARES:

Burien CARES
909 SW 151st St
Burien, Wa 98166
206.812.2737

After lots of talking, scouting, planning, designing, more talking, debate, some controversy and a summer's worth of construction, the NW 58th St Ballard Greenway will have it's grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Jennifer Litowski of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways writes, "I hope you’ve noticed the improvements to NW 58th St. over the last couple of months, as its “greenway makeover” proceeds! We’ve watched the speedbumps, sharrows, and signs appear and the street and sidewalks are much smoother now. The improved crossings at 24th Ave NW and 15th Ave NW are scheduled to go in soon too."

At 1 p.m., Kidical Mass will meet at the Ballard Library and host a 2.5 mile family-friendly bike ride on the greenway. Mayor Mike McGinn will cut the ribbon to officially mark its opening. And Ballard Bikes -- a neighborhood multi-school collaboration -- will host a kids bike rodeo from 2-4 p.m. (Your guess is as good as ours, but it sounds fun.)

And there's more. You can try out the Dutch Bike conference bike, the sidewalk walk-on piano and a moothie made by a bike-powered blender.