August 2014

Editors Note: We are pleased to announce with some pride and definite excitement that Pat Cashman has joined us as a contributing writer. Cashman's well known stints with KING TV's Almost Live, as the commercial face for Taco Time Northwest, and others, his time on local radio and now with his latest television venture "The 206" keep him very busy. We're happy to have his comic and thoughtful writing on our pages.

By Pat Cashman

No one knows for sure when singing was invented.

Maybe it happened during caveman days, when Trog said to Ogg: “Remember yesterday when you were discovering fire and you burned your hand and started screaming real high? Well I must tell you ya---it sounded real good! In fact, all the women in our tribe want to know if you can do it again---except this time, put words to it.”

Since then, the theme of saying “goodbye,” has been a constant in music, poetry, literature and movies. It is generally regarded as the hardest task in life, except for doing your own taxes---and changing a newborn.
However, getting far less attention is the difficulty of saying…“hello.” Especially when you have to say it more than once.

Sportswatch

Week of Aug. 13-20
High schools
Tryouts for high school football will open across the state on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
Contact the respective schools for more information.
Tryouts for all other fall sports begin Monday, Aug. 25.

Junior football
Practices are continuing for area junior football teams this week.
They begin at 5 p.m. each weeknight at Hiawatha for the West Seattle Wildcats and at 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest Athletic Complex for the SWAC Cougars.
The Burien Bearcats begin at 5:30 p.m. at the old Glacier High School field and the Pacific Highway Chargers start at 6 p.m. each night at Chinook Middle School.

Sounders
Tukwila will host a professional sports event Wednesday as the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer entertain Chicago in a 7:30 p.m. match at the Starfire complex. The Sounders train regularly at the site but usually play their matches at CenturyLink Field.
Seattle drops in on Salt Lake for an 11:30 a.m. match Saturday that can be seen on NBC Sports and hosts San Jose next Wednesday at CenturyLink on JOEtv.

Mariners

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Since we are learning every day, our concept of what makes life worth living is always broadening with new experiences. Recently I opened my e-mail and found a forwarded article which likened each new being to a pumpkin scooped out, taking out all the venom and bad things and carving in a big smile. I thought to myself that it isn’t that simple. Then as I began thinking about life and where each new being really comes from I visualized being a baby passenger of a space ship landing on the earth. The baby does not ask to come to earth and has no way of going back to the place of origin. A new baby cannot pick its own parents. How many children who are upset have remarked in anger, “I didn’t ask to be born.”

Although you can’t choose your own parents, a human being has choices. You learn, however, that you have no control over the aging process and that people eventually die. You learn that to offer love and trust can be a risk sometimes.

But you can learn to construct beliefs that help to ease the pain and uncertainty of making life choices.

Editors Note: We are pleased to announce with some pride and definite excitement that Pat Cashman has joined us as a contributing writer. Cashman's well known stints with KING TV's Almost Live, as the commercial face for Taco Time Northwest, and others, his time on local radio and now with his latest television venture "The 206" keep him very busy. We're happy to have his comic and thoughtful writing on our pages.

By Pat Cashman

No one knows for sure when singing was invented.
Maybe it happened during caveman days, when Trog said to Ogg: “Remember yesterday when you were discovering fire and you burned your hand and started screaming real high? Well I must tell you ya---it sounded real good! In fact, all the women in our tribe want to know if you can do it again---except this time, put words to it.”

Since then, the theme of saying “goodbye,” has been a constant in music, poetry, literature and movies. It is generally regarded as the hardest task in life, except for doing your own taxes---and changing a newborn.

By Tim Clifford

​After a hearing on Aug. 8 the King County Superior Court today denied a “writ of mandamus” petition from Triangle Properties Development filed against the Mayor and city of Seattle in the Barton family eviction case.

​The petition alleged that the mayor and the chief of police were obligated to remove and arrest the Barton family after they successfully reentered their home following an eviction attempt by the King County Sheriff’s office last month.
​According to court’s documents concerning their rejection of the petition “the mayor and chief of police have discretion to decide whether to arrest or remove a trespasser” and that “the mayor does not have authority to make arrests and the Chief of Police and the officers under her control have discretion whether or not to arrest the Bartons”.

On August 7, Band of Brothers Northwest, rallying Ballard restaurants to provide aid to families affected by the wildfires in Eastern Washington.

The Matador (Ballard, West Seattle, Redmond, Tacoma), Ballard Annex Oyster House and Kickin’ Boot Whiskey Kitchen donated all sales made on that day to families in need.

One hundred percent of donations received are going directly to wildfire victims through gift cards. The main goal is to help families buy essentials like food, water, and medical supplies. Depending on funds, BBNW would also like to help victim rebuild their homes.

The massive fires in the Methow Valley and large swathes of Eastern Washington have burned more than 200,000 acres and homes in Pateros, Brewster, Alta Lake have been turned to ash. Relief efforts by over 2,000 firefighters and 1,000 National Guard troops are working to restore some semblance of what was in Eastern Washington communities.

Mayor Ed Murray today provided an update on the City of Seattle’s efforts to promote affordability by increasing enrollment in the Utility Discount Program.

“It’s extremely important that Seattle remain inclusive and affordable for people all across the income spectrum,” said Murray. “Increasing enrollment in the Utility Discount Program is another critical step we are taking on the road to making Seattle affordable for everyone who wants to live here.”

Recently approved by the City Council, the Seattle City Light (SCL) and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) strategic business plans address affordability by setting stable rate increases, thereby controlling costs for customers. SCL’s rate increases have averaged almost 7 percent over the past 5 years and will now be held to 4.4 percent per year. SPU’s rate increases, which have averaged almost 7 percent annually over the past 10 years, will now be held at 4.6 percent per year. Find graphs of these changes here.

Both strategic plans also include the goal of doubling enrollment of the city’s Utility Discount Program by 2018, a goal announced by Murray in January.

Seattle Parks and Recreation will begin work this week on Seaview Place NW/ Golden Gardens Drive NW in Golden Gardens Park. The project will repair landslide damage and install drainage in the hillside. Construction work is expected to be completed by September 30, 2014.

The contractor, Goodfellow Brothers Construction, will work during daylight hours and traffic will be limited to one lane at times. Goodfellow Brothers will have flaggers and construction signage above the dog park and below/south of the railroad tracks to help with the traffic flow and alert drivers.

information from SDOT

SDOT crews arecat work along Harbor Avenue Southwest between Southwest Spokane Street and Southwest Florida Street. These Seattle Department of Transportation landscape crews began working on the street median yesterday, weeding and cutting back plant material.

They will continue the work through tomorrow, keeping one lane open in each direction by shifting traffic into the parking lanes. The northbound lane is closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closure of the southbound lane is delayed until 9 a.m. to allow for morning commuter traffic.

Seattle: On July 29th deputies responded to the burglary of an occupied home in SeaTac. Two suspects entered the house where a female and child were inside. The woman called 9-1-1 and two deputies arrived within minutes.

The two suspects were now outside the house and when deputies attempted to stop them, there was a confrontation. One suspect was tased but it had no effect. Another deputy then shot this suspect. The second suspect fled the scene on foot and a K-9 unit and our helicopter were used to search for him but he escaped.

The at large suspect has been identified as 19 year old Wilson Laray Smith and there is probable cause to arrest him for burglary. Smith is a convicted felon, and he is likely to be aware that detectives are looking for him. Smith is described as a black male, 5’09”, 150 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information on Smith’s whereabouts is urged to call the King County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at (206) 296.3311. If anyone sees Smith they are asked to call 9-1-1.