February 2015

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Hard to equate a season as successful for a team when it finishes tied for last place in it's league with a 1-7 record and at 3-17 overall, but Mount Rainier finished its season strong.

The Rams did not win their final game of the season against Todd Beamer, the South Puget Sound League Northwest Division second-place team, but the Rams competed, losing, 61-52, to the Titans Friday.

"One thing I'm proud of is that we've fought hard every game," said Rams coach Ken Bush.

This game, the Rams played a superior team on paper, the Titans, who were with a much better record in league, 6-2, and overall 11-8, than the Rams. But, the Rams played toe to toe with the south Federal Way school, in fact being tied after the first quarter, 12-12.

Points from Rams' 6-4 sophomore forward Malcolm Cola led them in the first frame, with four, and the likes of 6-0 sophomore guard Nick Dammeier, who added a couple scores, and Austin Sharma, the team's senior leader along with Shawn Mamon .

BY GERARDO BOLONG
Contributing Writer

On a night when seniors Jessie Blake, Megan Brennan and Emily Turpin were honored in the John M. Goodwin Memorial Gymnasium at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, it was the daring young duo of freshman Alyssa Hoffman and junior Allison Hargett that spurred Lancer scoring in a second place team score of 126.6 behind Renton (132.6) and ahead of Lindbergh (122.1) on Thurs., Jan. 29, as the girl gymnasts prepared for the Feb. 6 Seamount League meet at Mt. Rainier High School.

Hoffman swung on the uneven parallel bars for second place at 6.4 and tumbled to a floor routine of 7.5 for another second place as positions in the top five of individual events to aid her AA aggregate score of 28.85 in a runner up all-around total.

"I was good in practices and tonight's competition," Hoffman said. "I was better on the floor and had a strong routine on bars. All I want to do is go as far as I can."

Included in the evening resume for Hargett's 27.6 third place AA was a third place ribbon on the floor with a 7.4, a 5.6 fourth spot on bars and a 7.9 fifth place on vault.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

The Evergreen/Highline/Tyee co-op team that swims as one team, but whose points get individually scored out for each's school, battled well. It won 10 of 12 races, but the split-points scoring hurt in a three-school loss to Renton, on senior day at the Evergreen pool in White Center Thursday.

Now the regular season is through, but the fun is just beginning, as, the Wolverines/Pirates/Totems team will swim at the Hazen pool for the Seamount League Meet on Feb. 6-7, with the finals being Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.

But, in this meet versus Renton, as points were being added up at the end of the meet, the Wolverines/Pirates/Totems' coach, Megan Reynolds, was with hope that one of the three teams -- Highline --would get a win against the Indians.

"We're crossing our fingers," said Reynolds while waiting for the tallies. "But it's tough because of the split, we have to count the points differently."

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Wasting no time, Evergreen dialed in to start its game against visiting Highline, who got hung up on the number four in the first quarter, as the Wolverines took an 11-point lead on the Pirates after one frame of play en route to a 43-27 win on Wednesday.

For the Wolverines, the postseason is almost here -- two regular season games left is all, one against Renton and the other against Kennedy. Wolverines win those two and they will finish second place in the Seamount League. The Pirates season looks to be over, depending on an outcome of Foster vs. Lindbergh that could get them in the playoffs. For districts, still a couple games away, coming after the finish of the Wolverines regular season, it is already known they will play either Sequim or Sammamish in the Wolverines' gym on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

"Great start, great execution, first half," said Wolverines coach Natasha Hicks McCray.

The Wolverines called on Marleisha Cox to begin things. The 5-10 senior guard/forward scored eight of her team's 15 first-quarter points that helped her team to a 15-4 lead after one.

Twelve-year-old Cass Huff was at home recovering from her 33rd spinal surgery when she decided to organize a fundraiser for the special education classmates she tutors. In less than two months, Huff raised enough money to buy seven iPads, shatter-proof cases, and voice recognition apps for an entire special education class at Sylvester Middle School. The seventh-grader surprised her classmates at a school-wide assembly on January 16. Cass was the first student selected at be part of the school’s new Peer Tutor program. For one period a day, she tutors special education students. Cass was so successful that the school rapidly grew the program to several periods a day. “The fact that Cass saw a need for communication devices in the class where she tutors and took it upon herself to fill the need in a few short weeks is amazing,” said Assistant Principal Robin Furlan. “Cass is one of those amazing students who inspires you to be a better person just by knowing her. She is courageous, selfless, and wise beyond her years.” Born with a rare dwarfism syndrome, Cass regularly has spine surgeries.

By Tim Clifford

On Jan. 27 the SeaTac City Council held its last meeting for the month of January. A higher attendance was counted with nearly 30 people present. Deputy Mayor Tony Anderson continues to be skyped into the meeting with a computer screen placed in front of his seat. Here are the highlights of the discussion:
• The council was presented with numerous complaints from citizens concerning parking on 33rd and 34th. The local residents are losing parking space and having their garbage pick-ups delayed by the employees from the airport who are using the residential street for free parking. Other problems included littering, speeding down the street, loud noise, an influx of rats and constant arguing between residents and the employees.

These residents were assured that the council will be meeting to figure out a solution to this problem.
• Lawrence Pitre was awarded a certificate after being appointed as an alternate to the Human Services Advisory Committee.

Burien Arts Gallery is seeking to host several shows focusing on the topical and timeless fine art of the print. 
Submit four (4) images of works created in the past two years.

All works that include some type of fine art printmaking are welcome, including all forms of intaglio, relief, archival digital print, lithography.

All images must be in JPEG format (.jpg)

Included in the file should be artist’s name, email, phone number and list of images corresponding to jpeg files, including title, image size, media and price (date optional)

The non-profit community gallery exhibits monthly shows of all disciplines with opening receptions the 1st Friday of every month.

The website ( HYPERLINK "http://www.burienarts.org/"www.burienarts.org) has submissions instructions; go to “apply” on the gallery page.

The Call to Printmakers is ongoing and there is no submission fee.

Spontaneous round of Russian roulette goes bad in Roxbury Lanes parking lot
Deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the death of a man who shot himself in the parking lot of Roxbury Lanes in the unincorporated area of North Highline near the intersection of Southwest Roxbury Street and 28th Avenue Southwest. The shooting took place just after midnight on Thursday, January 22nd. The man who called in the shooting told police that a friend had been bragging about new additions to his gun collection and wanted to show them off at his car in the parking lot. He then took his friend out to his vehicle and revealed his new revolver. The man then began to talk about Russian roulette because of the revolver’s spinning chamber and decided to give it a try. He loaded one bullet into the revolver and gave the chamber a spin before putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger and killing himself. Police have yet to release any further details into the death investigation and no charges have been filed.

Police search for driver of stolen vehicle in Tukwila

hooting at Southcenter Mall One man injured in hand, four subjects arrested and then shortly released. At 5:02 p.m. on Jan. 26 a fight inside the Westfield Southcenter Mall in Tukwila ended with a single gunshot being fired. The incident occurred at the north entrance of the mall between the Kid’s Foot Locker and Southcenter Shoe Repair. According to the Tukwila Police Department the incident began near or possibly inside the Apple Store in Southcenter when a group of young men began arguing and then fighting. This brawl escalated to a gun being drawn and a single shot being fired inside the mall. One man received superficial wounds to his hand from the gunshot and was treated at the scene for his injuries. When officers arrived they detained four men for questioning, including the one with the injured hand, and retrieved the handgun that was used during the incident after sweeping the parking lot. The four men who were detained were released hours later after questioning. According to Commander Eric Drever, the subjects told officers that there was another group of men involved who they did not know and who had gotten away.

On Feb. 7 two annual events provide a wonderland and haven for young geeks when the free Popsicle Bridge Building Contest and the Engineer Fair return to the Museum.
 
Popsicle Bridge Contest
Passions run high on Saturday morning, Feb. 7, as teams of high school students from around Puget Sound compete to have their dreams shattered in front of a large audience of parents and peers. It is all engineered for good fun at the annual Popsicle Bridge Building Contest, sponsored by the Younger Member Forum of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Competitors must design and build small bridges that are strong and aesthetically pleasing while using only Popsicle sticks and white glue. The bridges are judged for creativity, and then subjected to the pressures of a hydraulic press until they snap. The longest-lasting and most original structures win. Event runs 8 a.m. to noon, free.
 
Puget Sound Engineering Council Engineering Fair