March 2016

The KCLS Foster Library's teen Tukwila Library Council is working with the Bezos Family Foundation's Students Rebuild Challenge, an international humanitarian project to help displaced Syrian students. Tukwila teens have pledged to make 2000 paper pinwheels to raise $4,000 for education and support through the Foundation and the International Rescue Committee. 

Some teen council members are refugees themselves: approximately 75% percent of students at Foster High School are immigrants or refugees. The Tukwila/Foster/SeaTac area is one of the most diverse in the county, and KCLS libraries play an important role as a gathering center for learning and positive activities. 

All the teen council members know refugees in their community: Tukwila and SeaTac are refugee resettlement areas.

Through this project, the students are learning how to get involved and take action to make a difference on the personal and international scale. Their efforts will also encourage and assist young Syrian refugees who will grow up in camps far from home. 


By Dina Hrisko
 
The Normandy Park Art Gallery's Champagne Reception & Book Signing by Georgette Valle was held last Thursday, Feb 25, at the Normandy Park Senior Living & Memory Village.

If going to a Gallery isn't interesting enough, this Gallery is located in the common areas of the Normandy Park Senior Living & Memory Village (NPSL). 

The Reception and Book signing of Georgette Valle's third Book, "Hi Diddle Diddle, Read a Bird Riddle, was in conjunction with the Artist United's (AU) Bi-Monthly art showing at NPSL. Georgette Vikingstad Valle is not only a local author, she was our State Representative serving the 31st District for 12 years and after a redistricting, she served the 34th district for another 12 years.  After leaving the State, she served on Burien's City Council for 4 years. Her first two (2) books were an autobiography, Always a Rebel and Never Without a Cause and Courageous Women, which "compares modern day, accomplished, famous women to those from the Bible, both the Old Testament, containing Hebrew Scriptures, and the New Testament.." http://www.westseattleherald.com/2012/10/26/features/former-political-p…

by Michele Smith

In 2011, West Seattle resident Jennifer Black was working in real estate when her first son was born with Zellweger Syndrome; a rare peroxisome biogenesis disorder with a life expectancy of less than 1 year. She left her real estate career and became full-time caregiver to her son until he passed away at 18 months. Pregnant with twins, Jennifer began searching for career opportunities with a flexible schedule. She chose Caring Transitions.

Caring Transitions is a company that supports every aspect of later life home transition, such as moving to a senior living community, relocating across the country or downsizing a home to age in place. Jennifer provides a range of services: space planning, packing, move management, unpacking, estate sale services, on-line auction services and clean-out and donation services. All consultations are free. “We are able to offer liquidation services via our on-line auction format when a traditional estate sale does not make sense for the client. We are one of the only companies that can offer that to their clients along with move and clean-out services.” She tells us.

I helped a friend and his wife load their stuff into a big U-Haul yesterday. It was like loading mackerel into a sardine can, but we managed.

The friends were moving to southern California. Some people think a move from this part of the world to that part is sort of like trading a gentle scalp massage for a whack on the head with a garden rake. But it is not that bad. A small shovel maybe.

The good news is that the loading of the furniture, appliances, clothing etc. went really well. Nothing was broken, scuffed, soiled, defaced, warped, squashed or wrinkled. Nobody either. The move went as smooth as shuffleboard. Mostly.

Sure, there may be a world of horrors awaiting that couple when they finally roll up that U-Haul door a thousand miles from now. But by then, I am not responsible. Like they say in the TV transmission business: “Everything looked fine when it left this end.” They also say that in the meat grinding business.

I helped a friend and his wife load their stuff into a big U-Haul yesterday. It was like loading mackerel into a sardine can, but we managed.

The friends were moving to southern California. Some people think a move from this part of the world to that part is sort of like trading a gentle scalp massage for a whack on the head with a garden rake. But it is not that bad. A small shovel maybe.

The good news is that the loading of the furniture, appliances, clothing etc. went really well. Nothing was broken, scuffed, soiled, defaced, warped, squashed or wrinkled. Nobody either. The move went as smooth as shuffleboard. Mostly.

Sure, there may be a world of horrors awaiting that couple when they finally roll up that U-Haul door a thousand miles from now. But by then, I am not responsible. Like they say in the TV transmission business: “Everything looked fine when it left this end.” They also say that in the meat grinding business.

By Amanda Knox

I was twelve years old, still a kid, still being driven around by my mom to soccer practice. She had picked me up from the field that was thirty minutes away from our house, which meant a whole hour of her day was devoted just to ferrying me around. This was usual. Between Deanna and I and the three sports we each played—soccer, softball, and gymnastics—there was at least one practice or game to be ferried to every evening, more often two.

I sat in the front seat and both my mom and I were casually, comfortably quiet. I had kicked off my mud-caked cleats and rested my smelly soccer socks on the dash against the heater vents blasting hot air to thaw my half-frozen toes. I gazed out the window and was happy. Soccer meant a lot to me. Soccer made me part of a community, added a tangible dimension to my identity, offered me challenging but attainable goals and a healthy outlet for my energy.

After campaigning to the city for a crosswalk at the intersection of 35th SW and SW Kenyon Street, the businesses at the "Kenyon Junction" are getting their wish.

SDOT's Jim Curtin confirmed that it will be in place this summer.

"We are in the process of designing a new crossing at 35th and Kenyon. New crosswalks, which typically include curb ramps, pavement markings, signage, and in this case, flashing beacons cost less than $50k to design and install.

We’ve had requests to mark this crossing since the old marked crosswalk was removed in 2007 or 2008. With all the new and successful businesses at Kenyon, the requests have become much more frequent. We have thoroughly assessed the location and confirmed that a crosswalk is indeed warranted. Design is underway and we hope to install the new crossing this spring/summer."

This comes at the same time as changes are coming to the E.C.Hughes building that was vacated by Westside School last year as they moved to their new home in Arbor Heights.

Tom Redman with Seattle Public Schools confirmed the building is being prepared for occupancy.

The National Weather service has issued a wind advisory for this afternoon. They are predicting winds that could cause power outages.

SEATTLE AND VICINITY-BREMERTON AND VICINITY- 341 AM PST TUE MAR 1 2016

...WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE PUGET SOUND REGION
FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM PST THIS EVENING...

* WIND...BECOMING SOUTHERLY AND INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 45 MPH THIS AFTERNOON.

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...SEATTLE...TACOMA...EVERETT...BELLEVUE...AND BREMERTON.

* TIMING...THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY OCCUR LATE IN THE DAY.

* IMPACTS...WINDS THIS STRONG CAN SNAP SMALL TREE BRANCHES...TOPPLE SMALL OR SHALLOW ROOTED TREES...AND CAUSE LOCAL POWER OUTAGES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH AND/OR GUSTS OF 45 TO 57 MPH ARE LIKELY OR OCCURRING. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.