March 2014

information from King County

The Barton Pump Station Upgrade project is proceeding ahead of schedule. Crews anticipate project completion in late fall 2014, several months ahead of the planned spring 2015 completion date. The pump station, built in 1958, is an underground wastewater facility that moves sewage from parts of West Seattle north toward the West Point Treatment Plant in Magnolia. When complete, the pump station will house new and upgraded equipment, including an upgraded odor control system and new standby generator.

Progress Update and Upcoming Activities
The concrete structures – walls, floors, and roofs – of the pump station, odor control room, and pipe housing area (utilidor) are complete. The coming months will focus on installation of pipes, pumps, and other equipment necessary to safely pump wastewater through the station. By summer crews expect to be
working on site restoration, including retaining walls, landscaping and irrigation.

What to expect
 Underground work through the spring
 Truck traffic in and out of the site, with

Update
"This is event has been canceled. Parents, teachers, and community members are encouraged to visit the Seattle Schools website for dates and locations of public displays and vendor websites.

Original Post
press release
Over the past year, the Seattle Public School district has been engaged in a community-wide process to select a new math program for students in grades K-5. The Seattle School Board directed the Adoption Committee for Kindergarten and Grades 1-5 to select a math curriculum that will align with the Common Core Standards, meet both the state’s college readiness expectations and cultural relevance and accessibility standards.

Last month, the committee announced the four finalists which included My Math, EnVision, Math In Focus and Go Math!

Loose lock opens Pandora’s box

Mar. 12 at the 1000 block of Nickerson Street officers responded to a reported burglary. The complainant told officers that when she arrived to her place of business she noticed the door was open and that the space had been ransacked. Police determined the suspect gained entry to only the physical therapy portion of the business. Cabinets were opened and a cash box was emptied. The suspect took a safe that contained video cameras and a business licenses. The lock of the door was not damaged so the complainant believed the last person to leave the night before forgot to lock it.

Dumpster devil delivers sludge hammer through door

A bill (5887) to change medical marijuana laws died with the closing of the legislative session after being hung up by house republicans trying to divert portions of potential tax revenue from the state's new I-502 system to cities and counties.

Because the U.S. Attorney General’s office deemed the current medical laws “untenable” there is now risk that the they could step in and close the medical marijuana market.

Sen. Ann Rivers, the bill’s main sponsor and a Republican from La Center, made a statement via news release late Thursday after the session closed:

“I don’t think people realize what a blow this is to the medical-marijuana community. … I am legitimately fearful for the patients who rely on medical cannabis because the medical market remains completely unregulated, which leaves a lot of room for the federal government to intervene or even shut down the entire medical-marijuana system in our state. Without this legislation, 14 year-olds are still able to access medical marijuana authorizations without their parents’ consent.

Rivers sympathized with medical patients and said to look for the state offered stores for their medical needs.

In black, grey and the symbolic MS color, orange, participants toured Ballard Avenue for the 9th annual Multiple Sclerosis Pub Crawl Mar. 9.

Attendees paid three dollars a pint for Alaska, George Town, and Lowercase brews,and 50 percent of all beer sales were donated. Pubs included the Ballard Loft, King’s Hardware, Hattie’s Hat, Sunset Tavern and BalMar.

MS is a disease of the nervous system where the insulating lining of the nerve cells erode and make communication between the parts of the body difficult. Fatigue is a common symptom. Moreover, MS is a progressive disease with no cure. 400 thousand people in the U.S. have been diagnosed and 2.5 million worldwide.

Molly Johnston started the pub crawl nine years ago. Her father, Steve, was diagnosed with MS two years before Johnston was born. Four years ago her father passed.

“What keeps me going is that we haven’t found a cure yet, and so I have plans to keep doing at the least pub crawl until its found,” said Johnston.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

West Seattle opened its baseball season with a win and a tie over this past weekend.
The Wildcats tied Kentwood through three innings a 3-3 and jumped on Liberty for a 4-1 victory in Saturday jamboree action at Liberty High School in Issaquah.

West Seattle scored seven runs over six innings of action for the day, and five pitchers have stepped up so far this season.

The Wildcats have plenty of action on tap for this week, including a special game against Issaquah at Safeco Field on Saturday.

The action on the Seattle Mariners' home diamond will start at 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats will host Garfield for a 3:30 p.m. Tuesday game at Hiawatha and entertain Ballard for 3:30 p.m. action on Thursday.

By Matt Wendland

Neighborhood in Burien targeted in graffiti spree
According to documents filed by the King County Sheriff’s Department, one neighborhood in east Burien was the target of a multi-block graffiti spree that resulted in thousands of dollars in damages to homes and vehicles. The incident took place on the morning of March 8th, around the intersection of South 147th Street and 8th Avenue South in Burien. Residents in the area filed multiple reports with the Burien Police and the King County Sheriff’s Department after finding various tags, phrases and symbols spay painted on fences, buildings, homes and vehicles. Various curse words and the word “swag” were primarily painted in red and green while a number of symbols were painted in purple paint. Victims off the vandals have offered to cooperate with the police to ensure prosecution for these crimes. Police are looking for information about the identities of those involved in the vandalism.

High sword collector investigated by police

This fine feline was found at 15th and 64th. It' big gray cat, and obviously missing his owners! Please email errin.byrd@gmail.com

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.

PSSC Presents Annual Paradise Fashion Show

Class Act Restaurant at Puget Sound Skills Center 18010 8th Ave. S. Sun., March 30, 2:30 p.m. All are welcome. Presented by the Puget Sound Skills Center’s Fashion Design and Marketing Program. Not only is this a student-produced fashion event, but a portion of ticket sales and proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Come support our talented students and enjoy exciting fashions donated by retailer like Aeropostale, Old Navy, Deb, Zumiez, and more. For tickets and information, please call (206)462-9322.

City of Des Moines Open House & Pacific Highway S. Subarea Planning

Findings from the Community Salmon Investigation (CSI) for Highline

Also: A special presentation on stormwater runoff effects on coho salmon by Dr. Jen McIntyre of the WSU Stormwater Center

Thursday, March 20, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Normandy Park Community Club (The Cove) 1500 SW Shorebrook Drive, Normandy Park

-AND-

Stay tuned for the April date
Burien Community Center 14700 6th Avenue SW, Burien
(Light refreshments provided.)

Volunteers conducted scientific inquiries during fall 2013 to give us a better understanding of adult salmon returns to Miller and Walker Creeks, which flow through Burien, SeaTac, and Normandy Park.

Join in to find out about:
• The CSI: Highline program and the 25 volunteer citizen scientists
• Annual adult salmon returns for chum and coho salmon in two local streams
• Overview of key factors affecting salmon health in the streams
• How many coho died before spawning, and why
• Latest research on the effects of polluted runoff on salmon from WSU
• New efforts to clean up stormwater pollution and how you can contribute
• How you can become a salmon surveyor this fall

Learn more: