November 2013

Seahurst Park will remain closed through April 2014 for a major construction project that involves removal of the seawall in the northern section of the park, restoration of the natural beach and construction of a new fish ladder.

The closure comes following approval by the state Legislature of the state budget which includes $5.7 million for the Seahurst seawall removal. In addition, $3.9 million in funding is being made available through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A total of $9.6 million has now been secured from state and federal sources for the project and construction.

The Hi-Liners Gala Annual Fundraising Dinner Cabaret and Auction is Nov. 16. for more information, go to info@hi-liners.org

By Matt Wendland

Results won’t be certified by King County Elections until November 26th, but if current trends hold, Burien voters have elected four new members to the Burien City Council, rejecting three longtime Burien lawmaker’s bids for another term.

As of the weekend following the election, projected winner leads were holding strong. Lauren Berkowitz overcame Council Member Jack Block, Jr.’s reelection efforts with support from over 52% of the more than 8,000 voters who returned their ballots. Rose Clark, who had served in City Council Position #5 since 1999, was defeated by Planning Commissioner Nancy Tosta who finished with over 57% of the votes. Three time former Mayor Joan McGilton has seated in City Council Position #3 for 12 years. In January McGilton will be replaced by Debi Wagner who was elected with 53% of the votes.

The fourth seat up for grabs was that of current Burien Mayor Brian Bennett who after serving one four year term, decided not to run for reelection. With Bennett’s absence in the race, Burien Planning Commissioner Joey Martinez and Steve Armstrong both campaigned for the position with Armstrong finishing in the lead with 61%.

By Matt Wendland

Early this year, Kellie Bassen and a number of other participants in Burien’s B-Town Dog Owners Group (B-Town DOG) entered the Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest with hopes of winning a $500,000 prize to be used in completing their ongoing effort to establish an off-leash dog park in Burien. Out of 1010 accepted applicants from across the America, Kellie Bassen’s submission moved on to be one of the 14 finalists in the running for the prize.

The Beneful Dream Dog Park Contest is an annual competition where dog owners can submit an application to win a makeover for their existing dog park that could cost up to half a million dollars. While the first phase of the contest was a simple application explaining the contestants dog park dream, the second phase requires voting on videos produced by finalists.

By Scott Anthony

It was a typical groggy morning as I shuffled into the kitchen to grind the coffee and pour the water into the machine. I hit the ‘on’ switch, then went to the front door and groped around in the half-dark to look for the newspaper on the porch. Back in the kitchen, I sat down and waited for the tell-tale hiss that lets me know the appliance is done brewing my joe.

No noise. Not a good sign. I got up and looked at it and found that the switch was lit up, but no black water was in the carafe. Inside the lid the water sat dumbly tepid. ‘Dagnabit’, I thought to myself (or I may have said it out loud…I was pretty groggy), ‘the infernal machine has died’.

When Mrs. Anthony came downstairs she saw me carrying the carcass of the defunct appliance out to the garage. She said, ‘WHAT…not again!’ Still not awake, it had not dawned on me until I put the thing on the workbench that there was already two other machines there on the bench awaiting repair.

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: calendar@robinsonnews.com

Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising section.

November 20th Highline Forum

On November 20th from 2:30 to 4:30 PM, members of the Highline Forum will meet at the Tukwila Community Center, Meeting Room A, 12424 42nd Avenue S, Tukwila. The public is invited to make comments at the start of the meeting. The City of Tukwila is hosting the meeting and the Port of Seattle will provide an update.

The Highline Forum membership includes the southwest King County communities of Des Moines, Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Tukwila and Federal Way and Highline Public Schools, Highline Community College and the Port of Seattle.

Free Community Dinner
Grace Lutheran Church
22975 24th Ave. S.
Every 2nd Tuesday of month, 5-6:30 p.m. Bring your family and friends. All are welcome.

This coming Saturday, Nov. 16, the Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters) will be hosting a community forum for parents and families in the Highline, Burien community. The forum will be held at the Burien Community Center from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, featuring lunch and childcare.

Exploring the question of what does a dream public school look like, the forum will feature discussions with the individuals and groups who have expressed interest in opening a public charter school for the community, including WA Charter fellow Maggie O’Sullivan and Summit Public Schools.

A longtime local public school leader who most recently was the principal of Mirror Lake Elementary School in Federal Way, Maggie hopes to open Rainier Prep a small, rigorous college preparatory public middle and high school. Summit, one of the highest-performing public school organizations in the country, hopes to open a local school based on their proven model that has sent 96 percent of students to four year universities.

Maggie O’Sullivan

Sleeping with Siri, the digital gorge and detox documentary produced by West Seattle’s Michael A. Stusser and Marty Riemer has won yet another honor, the Audience Choice Award at the Seattle Shorts Film Festival Nov. 9.

The film follows Stusser through an experiment in which he first gorges on all things digital, a process that he demonstrates has negative effects on his health, followed by a detox period that puts him in a decidedly more reflective frame of mind.

He and Riemer were inspired by the digital detox efforts at Chief Sealth High School originally, which led to a long story by Stusser in the Seattle Weekly and subsequently the film.

Sleeping with Siri has won other honors since its release last spring including best overall winner at the Big Easy International film Festival in New Orleans, Audience Award at the American Documentary Film Festival, and Best short Documentary at the Rainier Film Festival

City Council Chambers
21630 11th Avenue South, Des Moines
November 14, 2013 – 7:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
CORRESPONDENCE
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS/COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS
PRESIDING OFFICER’S REPORT
ADMINISTRATION REPORT

KING COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER JULIA PATTERSON

CONSENT CALENDAR

Item 1: APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS
Motion is to approve for payment vouchers and payroll transfers included in the
attached list and further described as follows:
Claim Checks: $1,794,527.92
Payroll Fund Transfers: $420,885.87
Total Certified Wire Transfers, Voids, A/P and Payroll Vouchers: $2,215,413.79

Item 2: ECOLOGY FY 2014 STORMWATER GRANT AGREEMENT
Motion is to approve the 2013-2015 Municipal Stormwater Capacity Grant
Agreement between the State of Washington Department of Ecology and the City
of Des Moines, and further to authorize the City Manager to sign said Agreement
substantially in the form as submitted.

Item 3: RESOLUTION FOR CITY OF DES MOINES PARTICIPATION IN THE
ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON CITIES EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TRUST

Sports Roundup

Tuesday, Nov. 5
Girls soccer
Peninsula 2, Kennedy 1
Kennedy Catholic was eliminated by Peninsula from West Central District Class 3A action with Tuesday's close loss at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.

Thursday, Nov. 7
Football
Foster 28, Sequim 13
The Bulldogs beat the Wolves -- who came all the way from the northern Olympic Peninsula -- in crossover action at Foster High School on Thursday.
It was the last game of the season for both teams.
Spanaway Lake 38, Mt. Rainier 6
Mount Rainier's season ended with Thursday's non-playoff loss to Spanaway Lake at Highline Memorial Stadium.