April 2014

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.

Clean Sweep & Shred Day
Burien Fire Station 900 S.W. 146th St. Sat., April 26, 8-1 p.m. Burien Clean Sweep: Volunteers gather at 8 a.m. at the fire station for coffee, juice, donuts, etc. They are then assigned to a team, given supplies and dispatched to an area of Burien to clean up trash. At Noon the crews return to the fire station for a hot dog lunch and raffle with prizes donated by area businesses. Shredding Fundraiser takes place at 611 S.W. 152nd St., 9 a.m--Noon. Last year 8.15 tons of garbage was collected - attendance 400 people.

SW King School Retirees Association Meeting

Burien Farmers Market
Burien Town Square Park
Every Thursday May 1st - Oct 30th

11am-6pm

Discover Burien will again put on the weekly event every Thursday on 5th Ave & SW 152nd St in Burien Town Square Park, from 11am to 6pm. The Farmers Market features locally grown fruits, vegetables and flowers, as well as live entertainment each week, along with some selected craft booths. This year you will also be able to purchase a boxed lunch to go. The Market Fresh lunches will be available from 12pm – 2pm and will feature offerings from Burien restaurants.

Though the date is approaching quickly, vendors, individuals, or nonprofits that wish to participate in the 2014 Farmers Market can still apply by downloading and submitting the “Farmer Market Rules and Vendor Registration” form from the Discover Burien website or by calling the event manager, Debra George at (206) 941-7199.

Quilts meant to be distributed to victims of the mudslide in Oso have been piling up at a new shop in Burien.

When shop owner Cynthia Novito-Mason of Town Square Fabric and Yarn let it be known that they were willing to be a collection point for quilts, people from around the region began bringing them it. Cynthia estimates that have collected about 50 quilts in just two weeks.

The quilts, all colorful, are various sizes. The inspiration behind the quilt collecting is "because everybody has lost everything, such as special items that can't be replaced but that might help with the healing aspect," said Christina Gilman who works in the new shop. The quilts are a token to say "You've gone through something terrible and we hope that someday you'll be whole again."

There is a network people interested in quilting who stay in touch via the internet. Some of the quilts came through that connection. Cynthia said she wants her business to be an ongoing point for collection of quilts to be distributed to those involved in catastrophes.

Burien Toyota was recently awarded Toyota Motor Sales 2013 President’s Award, one of the highest honors a Toyota dealer can receive.

Burien Toyota, a member of the Burien community since 1981, was recognized for maintaining Toyota’s highest standards of customer service throughout the entire ownership experience including initial purchase and vehicle maintenance. Recipients of the President’s Award go above and beyond each time they interact with their customers and represent the best of the Toyota brand’s attention to customer experience.

Nationally Toyota has seen increased retail activity in its dealerships this month. After launching four all-new vehicles over the past year including the 2013 RAV-4, 2014 Corolla, 2014 Tundra and 2014 Highlander, Toyota finished March strong with its best non-holiday sales weekend (March 22-23) of the year – up 12 percent from the same weekend last year.

Editor's note: The following comments were provided by the Catherine Carbone Rogers, Chief Communications Officer with the Highline School District.

The 2009 middle school study was specifically to look at ways to improve student achievement at middle school. It was unrelated to crowding at elementary. There was a lot of support for moving 6th grade to middle school, but we decided not to, precisely because we had plenty of space in elementary at that time and not enough to accommodate 6th grade in middle schools.

The state is not mandating class size reduction, but it is offering money to districts to reduce class sizes. As you stated, we do want to take advantage of that, but may be unable to do so at this time because we don’t have enough classrooms.

The statement “building codes can no longer be maintained” is not quite right. Because they were built under a different set of codes, these buildings are not up to today’s fire and earthquake safety standards.

The 2002 and 2006 bonds replaced 13 elementary schools and one high school (Mount Rainier).

Finally, the bond resolution will be introduced at the May 28 school board meeting.

The Highline Historical Society’s online auction is officially open – from now through May 3 at 7 PM, shoppers can browse through a virtual storehouse of inspired merchandise and fun experiences from the convenience of their own homes. With springtime celebrations looming on the calendar, there are many gift ideas here that would be perfect for moms, dads, and grads: hot air balloon rides, resort stays, restaurant gift certificates, a Russell Wilson autographed football and a vintage slot machine, and much more.

Proceeds from the auction will be used to defray administrative costs for the Society’s capital campaign to build a museum for Highline. To access the auction and learn more about the Highline Historical Society, go to www.highlinehistory.org and click on the blue “online auction” button.

It was Members Only again at the Discover Burien Open House held April 16 at Highline Hearing Professionals. Each month, Discover Burien hosts a networking event at a different member business in the community. If your business is not already a member, call them today to get signed up. The number is 206-433-2882. The organization is Burien's chamber of commerce. They sponsor regular events in the community, including the Thursday Farmer's Market, an Easter egg hunt and the Highline Garden Tour June 14.

Sports Roundup

Saturday, April 19
Baseball
Auburn Mountainview 5, Highline 0
Highline took a 5-0 non-league loss to Auburn Mountainview on Saturday, but had the experience of playing the game on the Seattle Mariners' home turf at Safeco Field.

Friday, April 18
Baseball
Highline 6, Tyee 1
The Pirates did win a Seamount League that counted Friday, defeating the Tyee Totems team, 6-1.
Lindbergh 13, Evergreen 3
Lindbergh dealt the Wolverines a 13-3 Seamount League defeat this past Friday.
Kentlake 9, Mt. Rainier 0
Mount Rainier was topped by the Falcons in South Puget Sound League North Division action Friday.
Fastpitch softball
Highline 11, Tyee 7
Highline outslugged the Totems in a Seamount League game on Friday.
Lindbergh 15, Evergreen 0
The Wolverines were blanked by the Eagles this last Friday.
Mt. Rainier 4, Kentwood 3
The Rams emerged victorious against the Conquerors on Friday.
Boys soccer
Evergreen 1, Hazen 1
The Wolverines battled the Highlanders to a 1-1 tie in Friday's Seamount League action.
Foster 3, Lindbergh 2
Foster won Friday's match against the Eagles at Renton Stadium.
Mt. Rainier 2, Auburn 0

With the bulk of its squad competing in California, Western Washington University won three events at the Central Washington University Spike Arlt Invitational on Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium on the CWU campus.

Taking victories for the Vikings were Jade Wilson (Fr., Deer Park) in the men’s 400-meter hurdles (55.20), Gordie Kordas (Fr., Blaine) in the men’s pole vault (14-3 1/4) and Michelle Stolz (So., Tukwila/Highline) in the women’s 400 hurdles (1:06.22).

WWU makes its only home appearance of the season on Saturday, Apr. 26, at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational which will be held at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium.

For weeks there have been signs throughout the Highline area asking that healthcare workers be treated fairly by their employers. Those signs support hundreds of people who showed up in front of Highline Medical Center April 16 when members of S.E.I.U 1199 NW began more than an hour of 'informational picketing'.

The group included nurses, secretaries, nursing assistants, dietary and housekeeping staff, lab techs, emergency department staff, family childbirth and staff from the medical and surgical floors according to Gloria Acosta, a critical care nurse and negotiator for the union and member of the executive board.

The purpose of the picketing was to draw attention to contract negotiations now underway to replace a contract that ends in June, 2015. Scott Thompson, media relations spokesperson for the Franciscan system which operates Highline Medical Center, said there are about 600 employees represented by the union on staff at the hospital. Franciscan, headquartered in Tacoma, recently took over ownership of Highline.