September 2014

West Seattle Car Show
Sept. 14
10am to 4pm
West Seattle Junction
200+ classic, creative and custom cars on display plus much more
Learn more here: http://westseattlecarshow.com

Culinary Volunteers Needed
Senior Center of West Seattle
4217 S.W. Oregon St.
206-932-4044 x8
Great volunteer positions to utilize culinary talents. Friendly people and great atmosphere. Working with seniors and members of the community. Café assistants: 8:30-12:30 p.m. or 10:30-2 p.m., M-F. Kitchen Assistant: 9:30-1:30 p.m., M-F. Call Margie: 206-932-4044 x8 or email: margiew@seniorservices.org.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly
Guadalupe Church-Pastoral Care Center
7000 35th Ave. S.W.
Every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. TOPS is an encouraging weight loss support group with weigh-ins every Tuesday. For info at 206-932-2621.

Seeking Host Families for International Students

By Kyra-lin Hom

According to the National Institute of Health, Americans spend more than $50 billion a year on treating or relieving lower back pain. In fact, as far as neurological (having to do with the nervous system) health goes, only headaches are more common.

Young, old, athletic or sedentary – it seems that any and everyone are susceptible.

Not too long ago, I myself over-exercised my way into one herniation and one bulging disc (stacked one on top of the other). After extended rest only exacerbated the problem, I ended up having surgery on the herniation. That was a blinding success, but I do still have that minor bulging snag that flares up every once in a while with a nice little cold and numb howdy-do.

With the rash of violent crimes at Golden Gardens, there have been rumors of a local gang emerging in Ballard.

Victims in police reports have reported that perpetrators of violent robberies and assaults have called themselves the “85-15 gang.”

On June 21—the night of the Solstice Parade—a victim at Golden Gardens was punched in the throat and robbed by a group of young men. The group fled when the victim’s friend said he called police. Between gasps, the victim told officers that a group of four African American males had jumped him. The victim reported that the four men said they belonged to the 85 –15 gang.

Numerous violent crimes like these have occurred at Golden Gardens throughout the summer season. Most recently, in mid-August, there was a carjacking at gunpoint perpetrated, again, by four men at the scenic park.
But is the same “gang” perpetrating these crimes? Is there even a gang?

Seattle Police Department’s Detective Patrick Michaud says that they are “looking into it.”

If your group needs funds to do a neighborhood project, the city’s Neighborhood Matching Fund may be able to help. However, you’ll need to be quick because the application deadline for the Small and Simple Projects Fund is Monday, October 6 at 5:00 p.m. This fund provides matching awards of up to $25,000 to neighborhood groups and community organizations for community-building projects.

To learn about the Small and Simple Projects Fund, visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/smallandsimple.htm. This is the last opportunity in 2014 to apply to this fund.

There are two more workshops scheduled where you can get an overview of the Neighborhood Matching Fund, the qualities of a good project, and the application process and requirements. To RSVP call 206-733-9916 or go online at surveymonkey.com/s/NMFWorkshop. Childcare and interpreters can be arranged when you RSVP and request these services at least 72 hours in advance. The workshops are open to all:

Tuesday September 9 at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave E

Tuesday September 16 at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Northgate Community Center, 10510 5th Ave NE

Crotch Rocket Duo Play for Keeps - Flee After Surprised by Victim

On August 24th, officers responded to a burglary at a residence at the 1700 block of Northwest 61st Street. The victim told officers that while he was upstairs in his room, he heard someone walking up his stairs. He went to look, and on the stairs he saw a man in a white helmet with red streaks and a woman in her late teens with long blonde hair.When the suspects saw the victim, they ran out of the house. The victim said his front door was locked. He thought he heard the sound of keys, so he believes the suspect has a key to his home. Officers were unable to recover any fingerprints.

Mad Max ‘Scrappers’ Suspected of Taking Welding Machines

The West Seattle YMCA, serving the community since 1921 is looking to expand both its current building and membership. They announced on Sept. 8 that the organization is launching an $11 million capital project to expand and renovate its current facility.

The 47,000-square-foot building will be 50 percent bigger than its current facility and will include:
- Twice the space dedicated to cardio, strength and fitness
- A Healthy Living Kitchen to host new nutrition and healthy eating programs
- An Adventure Zone play space for kids to be active while parents exercise
- A room dedicated entirely to programs and activities for tweens in 3rd-7th grades
- Family changing rooms for privacy when assisting family members
- A community meeting room where adults, teens and groups can meet
- Better accessibility
- Underground car and bicycle parking with increased capacity

A branch of the YMCA of Greater Seattle, the West Seattle YMCA is expected to serve 3,500 more people annually both through the new facility and at program sites, an increase of 20 percent.

By Matt Wendland
The Hi-Liners are celebrating 20 consecutive years of their MainStage program at Burien’s Performing Arts Center (PAC) with opening of their 42nd Street musical production.

The Hi-Liners first began in 1966 as a summer program founded by Highline School District teacher William A. Moeller. For nearly 30 years the program developed, eventually becoming a year round, district-wide, performance group. When the state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center was first opened at the Highline High School campus in the early 90s, The Hi-Liners, still led by Moeller, decided to launch their MainStage program with the musical, "Hello Dolly" in 1994. 20 years later, the Hi-Liners have grown from offering one show a year to offering a full season of productions, classes, workshops and camps for students from the age of 3 to 22-years-old. The Hi-Liners’ MainStage program uses high-end production values to deliver an adapted major Broadway musical with each year with students from ages 9 to 22.

Like many of you, I took great interest in the events that unfolded last month in Ferguson, Missouri. At water coolers and kitchen tables around the country, conversations are taking place about the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

South King County is not Ferguson. However, we are not immune to the tensions, questions and issues raised by these recent events.

Please join me next Wednesday, September 10th at Tyee High School's cafeteria at 6:30 pm for a public meeting to discuss King County law enforcement's relationship with our community.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Most everyone learns about the seasons and that they only occur in temperate climates. Remember Pete Seeger singing “Turn, turn, turn, turn. There is a season for everything under heaven.” I always wondered what it would be like to live at the equator, never building snow people or feeling the fresh breezes of spring. Fortunate are we who live where temperatures rarely reach 100 degrees in the summer. I know, we complained about the long hot summer we had this year. But blackberries never ripen as well as they do during such a summer. If you are a blackberry connoisseur you have learned that there are numerous varieties, many growing wild in our area.

The Admiral Neighborhood Association will resume monthly meetings this coming Tuesday, September 9th at 7:00 pm at The Sanctuary 2656 42nd Avenue SW (at Lander).

The meeting will focus on the final design for the long awaited traffic signal and pedestrian safety improvements for 47th Ave. SW & Admiral Way intersection.

Completed ahead of schedule, Seattle Department of Transportation will be on hand to present and answer questions about the final design of the pedestrian safety improvements and new traffic signal for the intersection.

Construction is expected to begin before the end of this year and last about 12 weeks. During construction there will be pedestrian and bicycle detours, and for motor vehicles, lane reductions or partial closures on 47th Ave. SW, SW Admiral and SW Waite Street.

Organizers also offer this reminder: The quarterly Adopt-A-Street Clean Up will be next Saturday (Sept.13th), 9:00 am at Metropolitan Market. Volunteers are welcome.