January 2014

“Zebra Crossing,” is a slang term used to describe, “a type of non-controlled crossing with pedestrian priority.”

There seems to be many of those in Seattle. In this city, the assumption is the pedestrian takes the right of way. After all, Seattle is devoted to pedestrian-minded environments envisioned in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

However, that seems to not be the case at a certain intersection in Ballard.

On Jan. 8, at 5:34 p.m. Seattle Police Department and Seattle Fire Department responded to N.W. 57th Street and 20th Avenue N.W. and found a woman lying on the ground complaining of back pain. SPD reported that she had been “bumped” by an automobile and taken to Swedish as a precaution with no life threatening injuries.

“Traffic Collision Investigators will determine fault and issue a citation to that party once the investigation is complete,” wrote SPD via email to the Ballard News Tribune.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

After the accident, neighbors began asking for a safer intersection because they say this wasn’t the first time, and they fear it will only get worse.

Matt Wendland

Burien Police investigate “$2 trillion” worth of destroyed electronics
A man from the Seahurst neighborhood of Burien called 911 on January 7th to ask Burien Police to investigate the destruction of what he believed to be some very valuable electronics. According to the man, his daughter had recklessly destroyed “$2 trillion” worth of his electronics. Police were unable to locate the invaluable vandalized items.

Robbers ram vehicle into storefront
According to paperwork filed by the King County Sheriff’s Department, robbers are believed to have rammed a vehicle into a building in the unincorporated area of North Highline on January 1st, to gain access to tools located inside of the shop. Police believe that at least one robber rammed a vehicle into a roll-up door at GTS Classic Automotive near the intersection of 1st Avenue South and 112th Street. Once the door was damaged enough, the thieves were able to steal a number of tools and other valuables located within the business. Police have yet to release information about surveillance or a description of the suspects.

Matt Wendland

A Burien man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center on Friday evening after being struck by a King County Metro bus while walking across a crosswalk at the intersection of S.W. 156th Street and 4th Avenue S.W. in Burien.

According to Cindi West of the King County Sheriff’s Department, the accident occurred at about 6:20pm on January 17th. Police believe that a 57-year-old Burien man who was dressed in dark clothing was crossing S.W. 156th Street on the crosswalk when the driver of a King County Metro bus on route 166 failed to see the man as the bus made a left hand turn from 4th Avenue to head east on 156th.

Because the bus did not contain an on board video system, the exact impact to the victim is unknown at this time. He sustained severe trauma to one arm that included multiple compound fractures. The man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center by emergency responders to check for internal injuries.

By Scott Anthony

Dr. Andrew Weil is a medical doctor who favors herbs and organic food products over pharmaceuticals and the food produced by the congloms.

To me, and I’m certain, to a lot of folks he looks a bit like Santa Claus, albeit without the red hat. His cherubic smile, holistic tendencies and professional standing make him popular with the back-to-earthers. Couple of months ago, Mrs. Anthony and I visited with her mother on the outskirts of town. ‘Ma’ is half Irish, half Russian and all beauty queen and I love visiting her. She gives me home-baked organic cookies and sews my torn up jeans. Ma is also what used to be called a ‘health nut’. She can be found at places like Marlene’s or Fred Meyer Nutrition center, stocking up on Stevia or Vitamin Q. At Ma’s house, I noticed a copy of a natural health magazine laying on a pile of newspaper. Dr. Weil’s Christmassy face was beaming from the cover. I said, “Hey Ma, what do you think of Doc Weil…pretty neat guy huh?” I expected her to agree with me, but instead, she wrinkled up her nose and nearly shouted, “OHHH..I can’t STAND his FACE!”

By Christy Wolyniak

The Nordic Heritage Museum and the Seattle International Film Festival celebrated their Fifth Annual Nordic Lights Film Festival last weekend, highlighting feature-length, short films, and documentaries never before seen on American soil.

These vast and frigid lands set against the backdrop of any outdoorsman’s dream mystify many. Last weekend; however, Seattle had the opportunity to take a front row seat into the real Scandinavia.

Films from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and this year, Greenland, portrayed daily life rich in culture and often times, survival of extreme elements. All of the films were in the country’s original languages accompanied by English subtitles.

“The Nordic Film Festival is intimate and specific to Nordic countries. Nature often plays a big part in the movies. More than scenery a lot of times, I think that it shows life in many of the Nordic countries that are more dependent on weather or nature,” said Nordic Heritage Museum Public Programs Coordinator, Stina Cowan. Cowan helped organize the first festival in 2009 through a partnership with SIFF.

Saturday, Jan. 18
Boys basketball
West Seattle 62, Bainbridge 50
Saturday's trip to Bainbridge Island paid off in a victory for the Wildcats of West Seattle.
DeAndre Love led the way with 19 points and Nate Prior backed him up with 18.
Auburn Adv. 71, Seattle Luth. 67
Abijah Smith scored 30 points Saturday but Seattle Lutheran still came up short against Auburn Adventist.

Friday, Jan. 17
Boys basketball
Blanchet 72, Chief Sealth 53
Khaleef Griffin tallied 21 points for Chief Sealth in its road loss to Blanchet on Friday.
O'Dea 74, West Seattle 61
DeAndre Love led the Wildcats with 21 points in their loss on the road against Blanchet this past Friday.
Foster 71, Evergreen 33
Walter Hayden finished with a team-high 15 points for the Wolverines in Friday's loss.
Shorewood Chr. 64, Muckleshoot 53
Jordan King paced Shorewood Christian with 27 points in Friday's victory over Muckleshoot Tribal.

Girls basketball
Blanchet 63, Chief Sealth 21
Samantha Scroggins swished in seven for the Seahawks in this last Friday's road loss.

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.

Recovery Night
Burien Library
400 S.W. 152nd St.
Sun., Jan. 19, 6-8 p.m. Ages 13-25. Music, games, movies and prizes at Recovering Youth in Motion. Information: 206-251-9171 or www.facebook.com/B.towns.ryim

SW King School Retirees Association Meeting
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
19030 8th Ave. S.

Burien Actors Theatre announces auditions for the 5-actor comedy “End Days,” written by Deborah Zoe Laufer. Actors of all ethnicities invited to audition.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Rachel Stein is having a bad year. Her father won’t get dressed, her mother is newly born again, her Elvis impersonator neighbor has fallen for her, and Jesus has moved in with family. Plus the Apocalypse is coming Wednesday. Her only hope is Stephen Hawking will save the day.

Performances are at Burien Actors Theatre in Burien from May 9 through June 1, 2014. Rehearsals begin in Sunday, March 30.
The stage director is Jane Ryan.
$100 stipend provided.
Auditions are at Burien Actors Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and Thursday, Jan. 30 from 7 to 10 p.m. Callbacks date(s) to be announced, likely on the weekend of Feb. 1 and 2.
Auditions will consist of prepared readings from the script. Actors will be sent sides when their audition appointment time is confirmed.
Please make audition appointment: audition@burienactorstheatre.org, 206-242-5180.

Character Descriptions

Note: Actors do not need to be the ages listed, but must be able to convincingly play them.

By Tim Clifford

Tug of War
At a store on the 5200 block of California Ave SW on Jan. 12 in the middle of the day a homeless man walked into the liquor aisle and stuffed a bottle of liquor into his duffle bag and then grabbed another bottle and went to exit the store. This homeless suspect, described as a white male about of medium build in his 40’s with a “red weathered facial skin” and red puffy hands, was stopped by a clerk before he could leave.

The clerk grabbed the bottle the suspect was holding and tried stopping the suspect from leaving the store with the concealed bottle. The suspect began dropping his duffle bag over and over again on the floor to try and convince the clerk that there was no bottle in the bag. The suspect finally grabbed his bag and while leaving the store set off the alarms at the door.