February 2014

If you've ever seen Seattle Police on horseback you were probably impressed not only by the fact that the police use horses (and have for more than 100 years), but that the officers ride them with skill, and that the horses are so well groomed and well behaved. What you likely did not know is that they are not paid for by the City of Seattle. In fact the mounted patrol, whose stables are located near Westcrest Park, is supported by the Seattle Police Foundation. But they need help to maintain the food, care and support for these animals.

That's why Virtue Cidermaker and Beveridge Place Pub, teamed with the Mounted Patrol and Dreamland ponies to hold a fundraiser on Feb. 21.

Officers on horseback were in Morgan Junction Park, right next to the pub and "Wilson and Tinkerbelle" from Dreamland Ponies were there for photos, and to meet kids and adults. Inside the pub, Virtue Cidermaker
was offering "tasting flights" of their ciders made from combinations of various fruits.

A variety of items were also contributed by various businesses to be raffled off in support of the patrol including:

• Several $25 gift certificates from The Bridge

Wednesday, Feb. 19
Boys basketball
Auburn Adv. 76, Seattle Lutheran 59
Seattle Lutheran's season ended with Wednesday's 2B playoff loss at Auburn Adventist.
Grant Doerr led the Saints with 16 points in the loss and Cody Jones was nxext with nine.

Thursday, Feb. 20
Boys basketball
Tulalip 86, Shorewood Chr. 55
Shorewood Christian of West Seattle found itself on the brink after Thursday's Class 1B Tri-District semifinal loss to Tulalip Heritage at Mount Vernon Christian.
That dropped the Lions into a loser-out game against Lummi Nation at 4:30 p.m. this Friday, also at Mount Vernon Christian.
The Friday winner plays for the No. 3 and No. 4 berths to state at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the same site, and Friday's loser is out.

Girls basketball
Tulalip 65, Shorewood Chr. 38
The season ended for the Shorewood Christian girls with Thursday's loss at Tulalip Heritage.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 15, 2014, for the opening of a new exhibit at the Log House Museum of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

The new exhibit is the second phase of a three-phase exhibit whose overall title is "Telling Our Westside Stories." The theme of the second phase is "Work."

The first-phase exhibit, with the theme of "Land," has been up since fall 2012 and will close on Sunday, Feb. 23. (Regular open hours are noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. The museum is located at 3003 61st Ave. S.W., one block from Alki Beach.)

To take down the first-phase exhibit and install the second-phase exhibit, staff will close the museum from Thursday, Feb. 27, through Friday, March 14.

The new exhibit will open to the public at noon Saturday, March 15. It will examine various types of work done over the years by residents of the Duwamish peninsula and their attitudes toward it.

Besides artifacts, photos and printed interview excerpts, the exhibit will focus on brief videos videos that tell stories visually in the museum's main gallery.

by Tim Clifford

From a list of the different positions and titles that the new southwest precinct captain, Steve Wilske, has had during his time with the Seattle Police Department one position brings a visible change to his face.

It comes when asked about his time working on mounted patrol and it is a large grin. Wilske describes his time with this unit as “pure fun” and then mentions that the horse he rode back then currently lives on his farm. “They were kind enough when he got too old they retired him out to my farm, so actually he and I have been buddies since I rode him” say Wilske. During this story I am informed that this horse, Donovan, is the horse that Wilske was riding during the 1999 WTO protests.

Along with mounted patrol Wilske has worn many other “hats” during the 25 years he has been with the Seattle Police Department. He was a commander of a patrol watch in the west precinct from 2000-2004, was a commander for SWAT for 5 years, and in 2009 became commander for the Homicide and CSI unit.

The West Seattle Admiral District McDonald's restaurant was the local scene of a city wide series of demonstrations attempting to draw attention to an effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. The demonstrators marched, carried banners and signs, chanted, sang and spoke about the issue.

Organizer Sage Wilson of Working Washington said, "We think a city wide call to boycott poverty wage fast food outlets, McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's means people across the city saw and heard about the crisis in low wage jobs, how it's hurting workers and it's hurting our economy. It renewed the call for a $15 minimum wage for fast food and for all workers that lifts them out of poverty and boosts the economy for everyone. When workers have more money, they spend it at local businesses.

The West Seattle Veteran Center, (WSVC) funded almost entirely by personal loans and donations is still in the process of remodeling the former American Legion Post at 3618 S.W. Alaska Street and is now preparing for some significant events to attract more attention and in the process, funding to complete the makeover.

As the Herald told you first last October, the American Legion Post 160 will still meet at the location but its purpose is in the process of being vastly expanded. Legion Commander, Dr. Don Michael Bradford, who got the project underway, is currently out on medical leave and in charge of the effort now is Jim Robinson. Robinson is Commander at Post #40 in Ballard which is also now a partial owner of the WSVC. "I'm the Co-Manager for now," said Robinson.

Gene Henke lives on 149th Street and 8th S.W. in a home he first occupied 28 years ago. During most of those years, he drove truck for Scarsella Brothers. You may remember name Scarsella Brothers as the company that hauled most of the dirt for the third runway. Gene Henke had the honor of hauling the first load and he has rock in his house as a memento of that event. And you may have slowed down to take a look or even stopped to talk to Mr. Henke, whose yard is decorate with many different examples of spinning things. Some are actuated by the wind, some by electricity. And some are static. But most move.

Not long after he moved into the house, he began decorating the yard. His first piece was a water wheel. It still runs today. Later, he added a windmill, a Ferris wheel, many things that spin in the wind (and sometimes get damaged in high wind) and even a little snowman waving an American flag. One mobile features a shark in the center chasing two dolphins as it spins in the wind. Mr. Henke said he did not really know how many items he had in his yard, but is in the dozens.

Dan ran into the arms of Jesus on the morning of February 8, 2014, after a brief illness. He left behind the wheelchair he used for more than 43 years.

Beloved husband, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. Dan is survived by his wife of 42 years, Gail; in-laws Carol & Dale Glidewell and Cliff & Sandy Anderson; nieces Renae, Kristin, Myshell and Tami, nephews Dean and Steve, Godson Andy, and their families. Preceded in death by his father, Fred; mother, Leola; and brother, Scott.

As a proud UW graduate, business owner, retired IRS employee and community volunteer, Dan lived a full life. In addition to his family and friends, Dan loved warm weather, Hawaii, his yellow lab Chloe, and cigars.

Celebration of Life for Dan McConnell at 1pm, Saturday February 22, Our Savior's Baptist Church, 701 S. 320 St., Federal Way WA 98003. Reception following. Purple and Gold are the colors of the day.

Those wishing to make donations are encouraged to support www.footloosedisabledsailing.org or the charity of your choice.

Burien residents are invited to attend a reception where they can meet and talk to finalists for the City of Burien City Manager position. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 28, 5:30 – 7:30 pm in the lobby at the Burien Community Center, 14900 6th Ave. SW. Participants will be asked to submit their comments about the job candidates for review by the City Council. The Council will meet in executive session on March 1 to conduct interviews of the finalists. Councilmembers hope to make a final selection at their meeting March 3. The selection will be made public after a contract is negotiated.

The City received 46 applications from around the country for the position, which became vacant in July 2013 when former City Manager Mike Martin left to accept a position in Lynden, WA. City Attorney Craig Knutson is serving as Interim City Manager.

By Matt Wendland

Four suspects were arrested on Feb. 6 after police say they witnessed a Burien man be beaten and robbed as he attempted to sell the group Seahawks merchandise just days after the after the team's victory at Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos.

19-year-old Ryan Woods, 22-year-old Jeffrey Hawthorn, 23-year-old Eric Ramirez and 24-year-old and Rosita Hernandez were charged with first degree robbery by police following the incident.

According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, police were surveilling Eric Ramirez in connection to an open fraud case when they witnessed Ramirez, Hawthorn and Woods exit a Lexus SUV driven by Rosita Hernandez and attack a man near the intersection of the S.W. 153rd Street Alley and 4th Avenue S.W. in Burien. The men are said to have beaten the victim with what appeared to be a black handgun before stealing a bag the man was carrying and fleeing to the waiting SUV.