October 2014

Bartell Drugs has announced plans for their store at 5605 22nd Ave. NW.

After the building where the current store resides was sold last year, it was unknown if Bartell Drugs would reestablish their store following construction of a new building. Bartell announced last week they would indeed reopen a new store at the current location after construction of a new building.

Developers, Henbart LLC, have plans to construct a six-story building with 80 apartments, four townhouses, 21,000 square foot of office space and two levels of underground parking (131 spaces).

Back in December, Henbart LLC had announced they would be building the street level storefront with the capacity to accommodate Bartell Drugs.

The new store will be a 14,000 square foot space and will include free underground parking for Bartell Drugs customers.

Last March, Bartell Drugs opened their second store at 1500 NW Market Street. The new store will continue to serve Ballard customers after the Ballard Commons Park location closes in January of 2015.

By Taylor Winkel

The folks over at Rainier brewed up a little somethin’ special last Friday to celebrate “R Day,” an unofficial holiday coined by the beer company to mark the first anniversary since the iconic Rainier “R” made its way back into Seattle’s skyline. Rainier plans to make it an annual event.

“Last year we were blown away by the outpouring of support and goodwill surrounding the restoration of the Rainier R,” said Dan McHugh, chief marketing officer for Rainier Beer. McHugh wants to dedicate one day a year to a celebration of the Northwest culture Rainier encompasses.

The Old Rainier Brewery dates back to the late 1870s when it first began producing beer. But, the original Rainier R didn't show up until the 1950s. In 1999 the brewery was closed and in 2000 the R was replaced by a giant green T when the building was sold to Tully’s coffee. Now the old R lives in the Museum of History and Industry in South Lake Union.

A sinkhole formed overnight on 45th SW just north of Edmunds street west of the West Seattle Junction.

It is about 10 feet long and 7 feet wide and formed in a spot that had previously been patched with asphalt. It blocked one lane.

Seattle Public Utilities said they would use steel supports underneath the repair which was expected to be complete in the next 12 hours, ready for driving by Wednesday.

Seattle police say a home invasion by three men early Sunday morning was motivated by a hunt for drugs.

The incident began early Sunday morning in West Seattle's Roxhill neighborhood when three men, armed with a knife broke in to a home and threatened to kill a 35 year old woman if she did not cooperate.

The Seattle Police Blotter provided details:

"The woman told police someone banged on the back door of her home, in the 7500 block of 32nd Avenue Southwest, shortly after midnight. When she walked back to investigate, a man broke the glass and reached in to unlock the door. The victim headed toward the front door, but one of the suspects barged in, pointed a handgun and ordered her to stop. A second man, armed with a knife from the kitchen, pushed her to the floor and held the blade near her throat.

Ballard singer and songwriter, Kristin Chambers, performed her title track "Everything Woman" on King 5 TV's New Day Northwest last Oct. 22 to kick off a month-long fundraiser.

All music download sales from Chamber’s website, www.kristinchambers.com, are going to the Susan G. Komen Organization (SGKO).

After the performance Chambers shared her thoughts.

"The performance was fantastic. The people at New Day are so sweet and professional. I was really taken by what an amazing interviewer and host Margaret Larson is. She has an amazing ability to make people feel at home," said Chambers.

Chamber’s mother-in-law is a 21-year breast cancer survivor, and recently two of Chamber’s closest friends have finished treatment and are cancer free

"It feels really good -- the idea of turning music into awareness and healing. The outpouring of stories and sharing that has come back to me about struggles and survivors’ stories has been sort of overwhelming, and really cathartic for many. I am so happy to be involved in this awareness and hopefully a total cure for this disease that affects so many.”

Frank Sinatra fiend filches safe

All five of us Mathison kids graduated from Highline High School. My brother Phil went on to teach and coach at the school for two decades.
So, any proposed changes to Highline High are hard for me. If voters approve the school construction bond measure, 91-year-old Highline High will be rebuilt.

Fortunately, by working with Bassetti Architects, the district is demonstrating its commitment to trying to preserve the key historic aspects of the façade and structure and incorporate them into the new school. Bassetti has completed several historic school projects, including Roosevelt and Franklin high schools in Seattle and Stadium High in Tacoma.

Looking beyond outward appearances, one Highline High teacher reports, “Out front it looks pretty but inside it’s rotting.”

Architectural and engineering inspections found falling cornice joints, leaky roofs, dry rot and plumbing problems. .

A few years ago, a major leak developed in a stairwell above the library and it is still causing periodic problems.

Pumpkins won’t be the only things decorated at this year’s Night of 1000 Pumpkins on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The artists from the Burien Arts Association will be painting faces for free at the Burien Community Center and Dottie Harper Park.

Burien Arts volunteers will be dabbing on the face paint from 6-10 p.m.
The festival will also feature jack-o-lanterns, campfire songs, Day of the Dead altars, fire performers and Mariachi music.

For more information please go to www.burienwa.gov/NOTP or www.nightof1000pumpkins.com or call 206-988-3700.

With two of its largest public fundraisers, the Burien Brat Trot and the Oktoberfest Auction, recently completed, the Highline Schools Foundation is now making plans to distribute the funds the organization raised directly to schools through its two grant programs: the Highline Schools Foundation Impact Grant, and Highline Schools Foundation Excel Grants.

The Impact Grant program, now in its second year, is partially funded by Alaska Airlines. The grant is a tool in which the Foundation awards $10,000 to one school or program in the district for an opportunity that aligns with the Highline Public Schools strategic plan in a way that impacts a large number of students. This year’s Impact Grant winner, announced at the State of our Schools event today, is a grant called “Making an Impact: Building Bright Futures for Young Women in Computer Science. It was written by Royce Badley, Assistant Director of Career & College Pathways, and Julie Burr, Career Access Manager, for Highline Public Schools.

by City Council Member Jeanette Burrage
Des Moines City Council

Contrary to what some people want you to believe there is nothing in the State law that
requires cities to enact ordinances to limit tree trimming in critical areas or shorelines.
This urgency is being made up by a city agency that seems to be over-reaching its proper
governmental authority.

Other city and county councils may have been told that they needed to enact laws and did
so, but some have considered it and decided no. For example, the City of SeaTac had a
proposed tree ordinance and their council declined to pass it.

The City of Kent has a code managing trees planted for required landscaping only (KCC
15.07.070). They also have a code requiring retention of significant trees on undeveloped
land. (KCC 15.08.240). They have no code requiring a permit for tree-trimming.
In this instance I hope we follow the SeaTac and Kent councils and not rumors about
what state law requires.

Des Moines is blessed with scenic vistas of Puget Sound, the Olympics, and Mount