February 2015

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray today issued the following statement after Councilmember Sally Clark announced that she will not run for re-election:

“Councilmember Clark is the best kind policymaker, a leader who will dig deep into issues to bring clarity to the opaque. She often plays the role of pathfinder, helping find the common ground to move legislation forward. She has a long history as an effective leader in the LGBT community and has served Seattle for years in many roles in City government. As a strong advocate for neighborhoods, she has helped create vibrant communities where families thrive. This coming year, we will implement solutions to make housing more affordable in Seattle and I know her leadership will be a key element of our success. On a personal note, I’m going to miss her sharp wit, which brings the right note of levity at the perfect moment in a long meeting.”

By Ed Feeley

The Burke-Gilman Trail is the crown jewel of our regional trail system. Every day, thousands of people walk, run, bike and inline skate this multi-use trail connecting Bothell to Golden Gardens—well, everywhere on the trail except in one notable place.

Right here in Ballard, there is a big break in the Burke-Gilman Trail, well-known as the “Missing Link,” that runs from Fred Meyer to the Chittenden Locks.

For people who walk or skate, it’s no-man’s land along NW 45th Street, Shilshole Avenue NW and NW 54th Street (which is all gravel). But for people who bike, it has been incredibly dangerous. In a recent four year period, emergency vehicles responded to 45 bicycle crashes along NW 45th Street and Shilshole Avenue NW—mostly where railroad tracks cross NW 45th Street under the Ballard Bridge.

Belligerent suspect pushes victim down stairs

On Feb. 7 officers received a report of an aggravated assault that took place at the 100 block of Northwest 85th Street. The victim told officers that she was “out at the bars” with a friend earlier that morning. Her friend became very intoxicated and started picking fights with fellow patrons. Later they went back to her friend’s boyfriend’s house. They were out on the porch when they got into an argument. Her friend slapped her across the face and shoved her down the stairs. The victim hit her head at the bottom of the stairs. She was dizzy but managed to call a friend for a ride. She declined medical attention and had no visible injuries. She could not remember the address of where the incident took place. Officers are investigating.

Thief breaks through plate glass window for cool shades

“ ‘Piano Man’ is probably one of the most difficult songs in our library, but you’re doing a pretty good job,” said Kevin McCarthy, of McCarthy Music and inventor of the Illuminating Piano.

With very minimal experience on the keys, this reporter managed to string a few notes in Billy Joel’s melody and had a mighty fine time doing it. That’s a result of McCarthy’s new machine that is changing the way people learn to play the piano by way of a dynamic system of hardware and software.

McCarthy is an inventor with a background in software development. He lives in Magnolia. McCarthy Music introduced the system at the National Association of Music Merchants last month, and since then the system has gathered attention from instructors, students and hobbyists.

“We found that technology is incredibly engaging to people. We didn’t first set out to design a hardware and software system; we wanted to find the simplest way for people to have fun learning to play the piano.”

McCarthy set out to learn the keys five years ago and right away noticed the challenges that gave him the idea for the Illuminated Piano.

By Anastasia Stepankowsky

Xavier Turner shot and dunked the Seattle Lutheran Saints to a 65-52 win over Providence Classical Christian Tuesday in 1B district playoff action.

Many of Turner’s 23 points came on slams he finished by hanging on the rim.

“It gets the crowd into it, and I get pumped up from it so, it’s one of my favorite things to do,” Turner said.

With Seattle Lutheran’s offense sputtering, Providence Classical jumped to an early lead and led at quarter, 13-7.

“I think Providence Classical Christian had a great game plan and they did a great job executing it. It kind of threw us off for a little bit,” said Seattle Lutheran head coach Brett Kapels.

Turner, the Saints’ leading scorer, kick-started a second quarter scoring frenzy with a 3-pointer and a one-handed dunk back-to-back that put the Saints in command. The Saints dropped seven 3-pointers in the quarter and led at the half, 34-21.

The second quarter decided the game, as neither team dominated in the second half and the 13-point halftime differential remained unchanged at the final buzzer.

BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

TACOMA - Nikki Miller and Ariell Garnett of Kennedy Catholic combined for nine points within the final sixty seconds of the fourth quarter to finally suppress a forceful Bonney Lake comeback in a 59-48 in a loser out game of the 3A WCD III/SWW IV girls bi-district basketball tournament.

The result on Mon., Feb. 16, at Franklin Pierce High School sent the Lancers into a Feb.18 loser-out, 6 p.m. game against Narrows League Central Kitsap at Washington High School.

Payton Mitchell's 3-pointer had dissipated nearly all of what had been a 17-point Lancer lead in the first half to bring the Panthers within 50-48 with 1:22 left on the game clock.

Kennedy Catholic worked the ball until Miller was clear to drain a corner 3-pointer from downtown with 56.2 seconds left.

After a Bonney Lake missed shot, the Lancers rebounded. Forced to foul with 35 second showing, the Panthers could only watch as Garnett swished home a pair of free throws. Miller's two free throws completed the games's scoring.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Sigh...
One little thing went wrong, for Kennedy Catholic, in the 10th event of the district meet, as its star swimmer, senior captain Tommy Thach, made a small mistake in the 100-yard backstroke final that disqualified him and erased much needed points for his team. The Lancers' lost, 206-203, to winner Hazen, at the 3A West Central District meet at the Hazen Pool Saturday.

"Unfortunate race," said Tommy Thach, who will go to Texas Christian University on a full-ride swimming scholarship this fall. "I had a problem staying straight in my lane and, when I flipped on the turn, going underwater, I went into another swimmer's lane, and I can't do that."

Keep in mind, Thach has been "iron man" all four years swimming in high school as a Lancer, which means he's qualified for state in all the events. Thach, also, swims outside of high school, year-round club stuff, and additionally swims in USA Swimming and has swam the 200-yard freestyle in the Olympic Trials.

Currently, he's three-tenths of a second off the 200-yard freestyle qualifying time for the trials.

BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

Work. Work. Work.

Since preseason and throughout the regular SPSL season, the Mount Rainier gymnastics team toiled and trained diligently to improve itself with the ultimate goal of reaching the state meet.

Mount Rainier's work ethic became fruitful with a sweet Valentine's Day, Saturday morning, Feb. 14, gift in the form of a third place as the final team qualifying to the state meet with a score of 165.3 at the 4A West Central District III/Greater Spokane state qualifying gymnastics meet held at Mount Rainier High School.
Mead, led by all-around champion Jenna Schlosser ( 37.3 ) won the team title at 172.35 followed by Emerald Ridge of Puyallup (166.025). Schlosser took gold on the bars with a 9.45.

Head Ram coach Ali Kestle was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the result.

BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

Out of the cauldron of competition at the 2015 West Central III/Southwest Washington IV 3A/2A bi-district state qualifying gymnastics meet held at Mount Rainier High School on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 three Highline High School students emerged as special qualifiers on individual events.

Once top four state qualifying team members are factored out, 17 additional athletes, including ties, are selected to go on to state in each individual event.

All three area representatives are Highline High School Pirates.

Leading off is Katie Gatto who was a sixth place qualifier on the balance beam and 11th place state qualification on the vault.

"I was nervous and not ready," she said. "But I worked hard during the week."

Tanjinique Ruffin and Lidya Mebrahtom will join Gatto as sq's on the beam.

Ruffin posted a 12th place sq score of 8.05.

"Coach Kevin (Tessandore)kept telling me I could do it," said Ruffin. "But my main support is always Jesus."
Lidya Mebrahtom took the 17th sq with a 7.95 rating.

Saturday, Feb. 14

Boys wrestling
Chief Sealth Regional
Four wrestlers from West Seattle High School and three from host Chief Sealth qualified for this coming weekend's state competition at the Tacoma Dome out of regional action Saturday.
Daron Camacho of Chief Sealth led the way out of the local athletes, capturing first place at 195 pounds by way of a pin of Joey Richards of O'Dea in 1 minute, 25 seconds. Teammate Anthony Chiles qualified third at 182 pounds and Nicholas Outley of West Seattle took fourth at 138. Ryan Davis of Chief Sealth finished fifth at 132 pounds, Miguel Carvantes of West Seattle fifth at 160, James Applewhite of West
Seattle sixth at 182 and Anthony Tran of West Seattle sixth at 120.

Marysville-Pilchuck Regional
Kennedy Catholic qualified two athletes for state out of the Class 3A
Marysville-Pilchuck regional Saturday.
Sebastian Ferraro captured third place at 220 pounds for the Lancers
and Bowen McConville qualified fifth at 182.

River Ridge Regional
Highline captured four state berths and Foster and Evergreen landed