April 2015

Bill Albright
Cathy Alexander
Ginny Atkinson
Don Bales
Carol Beattie
Gertrude Bellerud/Wood
Sandra Bess
Georgia Bir
Elaine Borsch
Phyllis Brown
Larry Butler
Annetta Callecod/Greer
Lucy Carmichael/Mann
Daniel Cloutier
Nancy Coleman
Kathryne/Diane Cooper/McCauslin
Cathy Cortwright
Doreen Darby/Toon
Paul Davies
Bruce Davis
Bobby Delmonico
Jim Evans
Gene Farrell
Dale Fowler
Joyce Fryer
Dan Geiger
Gail Gentili
Mary Greenslate
Patricia Grein
Arthur Halterman
Kathy Hardy
Dan Harrison
Holly Harrop
Scott Hatch
Marie Hewson
Cory Hildebrand
Sue Hinton
Terry Hinton
Pam Holt
Gary Hugill
Cheryl Johnson
Margaret Johnson/Stoddard
Paul Johnston
Sharon Johnston
Tom Kamm
Herbert Kramer
Jeanne Landon/Canfield
Patricia Ledbetter
Marilyn Lee/Orr
Joan Lewellen
Linda Lightner
George MacDonald
George Mark
Linda Mattina
Karen McAllister
Ed McClure
Linda McDermott
Linda McPhail/Brady

By Andrea Reay, Executive Director, Discover Burien

I recently had an amazing opportunity to attend a rehearsal of the new Hi-Liners DownStage Center production of Dinosaurs Before Dark. The show opens May 1stat the Renton Civic Theatre, and is directed by Artistic Director, Kathleen Edwards. The Hi-Liners organization formed in 1966 with the mission to preserve and advance the performing arts in the lives of the students in our community. They serve students in the Highline area from ages 3 to 22 with a full season of productions, classes, workshops and camps. The DownStage Center productions focus on providing a safe environment for self-discovery and talent development in school age children.

One Man’s Dream,
One Woman’s Reality

Covington Library, Saturday, May 16, 2pm
Vashon Library, Sunday, May 17, 2pm
Burien Library, Friday, May 22, 11am
Fairwood Library, Tuesday, May 26, 7pm

This is the story of a six year sailing journey halfway around the world.
Part adventure, part travel, part love story, One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s
Reality inspires readers to live their dreams, even if limited by time and budget
and challenged by unexpected obstacles. The book tells of how the couple
survived a fierce storm that nearly ended the voyage, how they managed to
escape harm during a harrowing encounter with Colombian pirates, and the most
powerful lessons they learned that they now want to share with others.
Sharon Reed-Hendricks is a poet, a writer and a business owner.
She lives in Ko‘Olina, Hawaii with her husband and best friend Steve.

The City of Burien and B-Town Beat are excited to present the Highline Public School Annual Student Art Walk

Thursday, May 7, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Businesses along 152 SW between 4th and 10th s.w.in Downtown Burien.

Fabulous visual and performing arts by middle and high school students! For more information: www.b-townbeat.com or www.burienparks.net

Larry Craig passed away April 9, 2015. Larry was born January13, 1921 in Wichita, KS. In 1942 he married his high school sweetheart, Kay. They made their first home in Colorado where Larry aided the war effort by modifying airplanes for combat. After the war, he completed his degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.

The couple moved to Seattle and eventually settled in Normandy Park. Larry worked at Boeing in the Structures Engineering organization for 35 years on 707, 727, 737 and 747 aircraft, eventually rising to Chief Engineer of all stress engineering for the Renton Programs. In his last assignment, he oversaw the effort that established inspection requirements that allowed aging commercial aircraft to operate safely beyond their initial design limits.

In retirement, Larry and Kay enjoyed traveling together, cruising on their boat, the "Lady Kay," and spending time with their grandchildren.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Until you have sat in front of a big camera and been the focus of a news story you haven’t lived. Since I believe that older people need to share their wisdom I was happy to sit in front of a local TV camera and tell my story—and a long lived story it is. I remember when in psychology class we learned about the varied lives that people live. I had difficulty focusing on just one thing that I do best because I love to do so many different things. What one finally chooses is dependent upon the guidance and support of the elders in the community. I am now aware of the influence that my teachers had over the years and a special neighbor whom I used as a sounding board when I was a teenager.

SeaTac Airport worker dials 911 from airplane cargo hold

The Pitstop Bottle Shop was once a big open space on 153rd Street. Now, it is a tap room with 18 beers on tap and 375 different bottled beers available.
It is the business venture of John Hopps, a homebrewer with 20 years experience and his wife, Joey, an accountant for 25 years.

They both like craft beers but did not want to have to drive to Federal Way to satisfy their interest. In October, 2014, after a six-month buildout, they opened at 216 S.W. 153rd in a 4,460 s.f. space.

That big space dictated a large bar area and more room for specialty beers on display in cold cases around the interior walls. They also built a walll behind the bar and created a party room.

"We cashed out everything to open," Joey said. We risked everything because we think Burien needs something like this."

John has been a homebrewer for 20 years, making his special Blacktop Ales. (He's a car guy with an interest in NASCAR). He does not sell his brew at the shop, but still likes making it at home.

By Tim Clifford

What drove 65-year-old Vien Nguyen to kidnap her grandson and daughter-in-law last Tuesday?
“That’s kind of the big question that our investigators are still trying to figure out,” said Sgt. Mike Graddon of the Des Moines Police.

This and a multitude of other questions remain unanswered in the wake of the double kidnapping that resulted in two arrests.

The events began around noon on Tues., April 14, when Nguyen and her son’s girlfriend, Alyssa M. Chang, went to visit her 2-year-old grandson Ronnie Tran and his 40-year-old mother. Nguyen and Chang used a stun gun to subdue the mother and then bound her with plastic zip ties. They then transported the mother and her child to a home in Fife where they tied the mother to the inside of a cupboard in the garage.

That night Chang called her brother, John Truong, who lives in Renton and asked him to babysit young Ronnie so she and her boyfriend could go out for the night. Despite having never met his sister’s boyfriend or seen the child before John agreed and took the boy for the night.