June 2014

By Peggy Sturdivant

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it,” 2014 Rampathon recipient Thomas Hamilton told Dan Bower, crew chief of Jackson Remodeling at the end of an eleven-and-a-half hour day of volunteer labor. He was referring to one post supporting the new 29’ foot ramp built for his home as part of the Master Builders Care Foundation 21st year of Rampathon on May 17. The Hamiltons had applied and been selected as one of 18 recipients this year in which ramps are built at no cost to the homeowner, with all materials and labor donated by local companies.

Leif and Eric Jackson are the brother owners of Jackson Remodeling in Ballard. Their company had done Rampathon in the past; they and their employees wanted to do it again. This year the annual event was on the same day their mother Mari-Ann Kind Jackson was an Honorary Grand Marshal of the Syttende Mai Parade, all of their children were in the parade and their company was a sponsor of an after-parade dinner at Anthony’s at Shilshole.

information from King County

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that the newly constructed South Park Bridge will open June 30. The previous drawbridge, built in 1931, was closed and dismantled in mid-2010 due to safety concerns.

"I made a promise five years ago that we would build a new, safer bridge to connect our industrial heartland to the rest of King County -- and we're ready to deliver," said Executive Constantine. "Not only will this help local manufacturers and family-owned businesses, it will reunite working communities in the Lower Duwamish area."

The new bridge is expected to carry 20,000 vehicles and nearly 3,000 heavy-duty trucks each day. It will also carry an estimated 10 million tons of freight each year, including aerospace parts to local Boeing facilities.

The opening ceremony and celebration will begin at 3 p.m on June 29. The bridge will open the following day.

Seniors living at the new El Dorado West assisted living center in Burien were visited May 28th by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and Robin Dale from the Washington Healthcare Association.

Both men were present to talk about how seniors are impacted by cuts in Medicaid and to listen to their concerns about transportation issues. Dale said rates are 10 years old and fall short by $10 a resident day.

A study has shown that every other sector of home and community-based care has seen an increase in rates while assisted living Medicaid rates have been reduced by more than 16 percent since 2009.

The pair also discussed the "Complete Streets" program. Complete Streets is a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation. Complete Streets allow for safe travel by those walking, bicycling, driving automobiles, riding public transportation, or delivering goods.

Tracy Willis, El Dorado West Director of Corporate Development calls the

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.

Join the Highline Relay for Life
Highline Memorial Stadium
430 S. 156th St.
Sat. & Sun., June 7 & 8, starts at 4 p.m. Sat. & ends at 8 a.m. Sun. Join the American Cancer Society in this community fight for the cause. www.HighlineRelay.org or email curtis.thomas@cancer.org

Please Give Blood
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Fellowship Hall
19030 8th Ave. S.
Mon., June 9, 12:30-6:30 p.m. (closed 2:30-3:30 p.m.) For more information call Courtney & Nancy Steinke at (206) 878-4219. This is a walk-in blood drive, no appointment necessary. Bring a friend. Whose life will you save today?

Please join us for Normandy Park's 1st annual In-Home Business Open House!

By Matt Wendland

Stolen vehicle rams utility pole in chase
According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, a standard late-night traffic stop by police resulted in a head-on collision with a utility poll for a car thief. The incident occurred just before midnight on Monday, May 19, when an officer pulled over a driver, near the intersection of South 116th Avenue and Military Road on the boarder between Burien and SeaTac, to inform them of a mechanical failure on their vehicle. Once the officer had left their police cruiser to approach the stopped vehicle, the driver attempted to speed away. The officer pursued the fleeing driver but the chase was short lived as the driver drove directly into a utility pole. The driver was arrested and police discovered that the vehicle had been stolen.

Driver runs car into Burien storefront

By Scott Anthony

Driving through traffic a few days ago I was stopped by a school bus unloading children.

The kids came out in twos and threes and some gathered at the crosswalk waiting for the light. When the light changed, the bus took off and as it did a noticable cloud of black diesel smoke wafted out behind it and into my open car window. I saw a kid use a three ring binder to fan it away from his face and off we all went on our way.

I gag at the smell of diesel fumes, and I wondered how these kids handle it. Back home I looked it up on the computer and learned that inhaling diesel fumes is not good for anybody and there are some school districts around the nation that are working on replacing older, smokier busses with newer more fuel efficient models.

Graffiti removal, gardening, mural painting and litter and trash pickup are all part of what the White Center Spring Clean will accomplish on June 7.

This is the third Spring Clean this year sponsored by the WCCDA.

Gather at the TAF/Bethaday Center beginning at 8:30am located at 605 SW 108th St Seattle, WA 98146.

Volunteers for the event will each receive a light breakfast and a T-Shirt for their help.

· How to register: online! at http://bit.ly/1nl9Vy8

What time can folks register? Registration is still open and doesn't technically close but with Spring Clean on Saturday, they will take the final list of volunteers on Friday afternoon

This Spring Clean has the largest number of projects, some of the projects they have lined up include gardening at White Center Heights Elementary, various White Center Food Bank garden sites; They also have an outdoor lighting installation project with White Center Chamber of Commerce to bring better lighting to downtown White Center; another project in tandem with King County Parks/the Log Cabin; and finally prepping some walls for more murals coming into White Center on 16th

By Patrick Robinson

A life is measured in breaths.

Some are deep, and sweet like after a rainstorm. Some are quick and sharp when you see something amazing. But you only get so many. When you breathe the last one, you are gone… so I want you to pay attention.

I work as a journalist. It’s demanding work. It means I’m on call all the time. I don’t really take days off. If a siren sounds I’m on the road running toward the danger. Fires, crimes, and a lot of hard things to see. It’s tough, emotionally draining and because things happen quickly it can even be physically demanding.

So it requires a certain amount of stamina, and yes breath.

Recently, after covering a fire during which I spent some time in some very acrid smoke, I noticed that my lungs and chest hurt. It held on for about a week, then seemed to get a little better but I was still short of breath.

Running up a hill to catch a photo of a rainbow (yes, I actually do that), I really noticed that I was not doing very well.

But I put it in the back of my mind.

The West Seattle Outdoor Movies are back for another season of cinematic fun. Here's the complete list of dates, pre-show entertainment and sponsors for each event. The movies are presented in the courtyard at 4410 California Ave SW between Hotwire Coffee and Dr. Wolff. Bring blankets, chairs family & friends to this summertime West Seattle charity event.

Gates open at 6:30 and the film shows at dusk.

Saturday, July 19th
Gravity (2013) PG-13
Sponsored by: Pagliacci Pizza
Pre-Show Entertainment: Jeremy Sewer – Singer
Non-Profit: West Seattle Food Bank & White Center Food Bank (bring a food donation)

Saturday, July 26th
Spice World (1997) PG
Sponsored by: Feedback Lounge, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse
Pre-Show Entertainment: Swimsuit Fashion Show Bonsoir Bella Swimwear and Apparel AND free community photo booth
Non-Profit: AARF (Animal Aid and Rescue Foundation) & F3 (Furry Faces Foundation)

Saturday, August 2nd

By Kathryn Hilger Kingen

If I were to consider all the foods we have to choose from and make one of them my very best food friend, it would have to be Salmon. By far it is the most interesting, fun, versatile, hard-working and good-for-us food out there. Of course we all know that Salmon is delicious and its versatility allows us to prepare it in so many ways (be sure to check out Chef Jeremy's Salmon Barbecue Tips and Recipes™ for you this month). It's always fun when our wild Salmon friend comes around; every dinner out, party or barbecue is all the better when it attends.