March 2016

Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice has been announced as the Keynote Speaker at the Westside Awards Breakfast presented by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce May 4.

The breakfast honors local West Seattle people and businesses for their contributions to the community.
You can register HERE for the event at Saltys on Alki.

Mayor Rice was Seattle's mayor from 1989 and was re-elected in 1993. During the technology boom of the 1990s, Rice led the rejuvenation of Seattle's downtown.[1] He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

In 1995, Rice served as a committee member for the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.

In 1996, Rice ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Washington, but lost to then-King County Executive Gary Locke.

Rice was chosen as CEO and then president of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle from 1998 to 2004.

information from King County Sheriff

A 36 year old Burien woman shot her boyfriend tonight then ran to a neighbors house and asked them to call police. The boyfriend was taken by King County Medics to Harborview with a gunshot wound to his stomach. He is expected to survive. (Case#C16013942)

Police were called to the 12800 block of Occidental Ave S just before 10pm when a woman knocked on a neighbor’s door and said she had shot her boyfriend.

When police arrived they contacted the woman who directed deputies to a nearby house where they found a man with a gunshot wound to his stomach. The man was transported to Harborview Hospital with serious injuries but was expected to survive.

Officers are interviewing the 36 year old woman to see what led up to the shooting. A booking decision will be made after the interview.

There is no information on the male that was shot at this time.

By Lindsay Peyton

Residents of White Center are weighing the pros and cons of annexation with the City of Seattle.

Kenny Pittman, the city’s senior policy advisor, addressed a crowd tonight at Dubsea Coffee, 9910 8th Ave. SW, for a meeting entitled “If White Center Were to Become a Seattle Neighborhood.”

He noted it will be the first of many discussions planned with community. “This is not a new issue,” he said. “I’ve been working on it for 12 years. “

What’s changed the equation, Pittman said, is passage of legislation that could provide an economic incentive for annexation – a potential $7.75 million a year in sales tax revenue over a six-year period.

The first step is to start engaging the community in conversations about the process, Pittman said.

“A lot of people are asking, ‘What’s going to happen to my services?’” he said.

The plan is to maintain current fire service – and eventually add more. “We’re working with the fire district so there is not a negative impact with people here,” Pittman said.

There would also be a plan to increase the number of police officers servicing the area.

David and Carol Entrikin, owners of Ballard Bookcase Company (4611 11th Ave. NW) are retiring after 40 successful years of business in Ballard.

We began in 1977 with Al's Second Hand, an antique furniture business on Historic Ballard Avenue. We could never meet the demand for bookcases and so, in 1982, began manufacturing a line of inexpensive, all wood bookcases in limited sizes. The business did well enough that we hired woodworkers, and expanded our shop. Eventually the bookcase business became the tail that wagged the dog, and in 1991 we eliminated antiques and changed our name to the Ballard Bookcase Company. In 2003 we bought our building at the corner of NW Ballard Way and 11th Ave. NW and for the last 13 years have both built our products and sold them from the same location. Ballard Bookcase has just celebrated its 25th year, and we are celebrating 40 years in business. It is time to retire.

SIFF and Elttaes Theatres LLC are delighted to announce that the renowned Majestic Bay Theatre in Ballard will host some of the best cinema from around the world during the 42nd Seattle International Film Festival, scheduled to delight audiences of all ages across the Pacific Northwest from May 19 through June 12, 2016.

SIFF 2016 will feature a wide-ranging lineup across all genres and budgets from star-studded blockbusters to fiercely independent and international fare, along with films appropriate for young and old alike. A favorite with visitors as well as locals, SIFF presents the opportunity to meet filmmaking talent and stars, attend gala screenings with parties, and participate in forums and panels during the largest and most highly-attended film festival in the United States.

There is nothing more disturbing to find out one has bed bugs. An image of a tick-like, incubus insect feeding on your own blood while you peacefully dream of sugarplums in your warm bed is too much for most to bear.

The reality is too disturbing, too intimate, and Seattleites are waking up to a real big bed bug problem.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease and Prevention have addressed a bedbug national rise that hasn’t been seen since the early 1950s, a time that hatched the phrase “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” The creepy crawler has made it to the EPA’s Lists of Pests of Significant Public Health Importance, among other critters and insects like cockroaches, ticks, lice and mosquitos.

The insect nuisance is not a new one; the bed bugs have been biting for a long, long time.

Scientists believe the bugs have been feeding on humans as primates evolved and started living in caves. A study published in “Molecular Ecology, ” in February of 2015 reports findings that bed bugs fed on bats in caves before they started feeding on humans as they moved into cave dwellings. In time the bugs evolved characteristics to match and elude their new hosts.

Courtesy article

Kennedy Catholic outscored the West Seattle Titans, 19-12, as the Washington state boys lacrosse season got underway on Kennedy's own field behind the campus Monday.

The game under windy, cold and showery conditions started off close with both teams getting of to a good start. The Lancers led off with senior Payton Williams (11:16) and freshman Sean Leaming (8:57) each scoring early.

Their goals were matched by two from Liam Allen (7:32 and 5:22) of the Titans.

Junior Dar Sleeper of the Lancers began to take over by winning face offs and got his first goal with 7:38 left in the first quarter and assisted senior Nate Brummond to finish the first with a 5-4 lead.

The Lancers started the second quarter quick with one goal from freshman Leaming (11:08).

Then Sleeper won back-to-back face offs and quickly scored on both at 10:55 and 10:22.

Defense for both teams was the story for the rest of the second until the Titans added their fifth goal by freshman Jett Centioli with 40 seconds left in the half on a fast break.

Courtesy article

Kennedy Catholic outscored the West Seattle Titans, 19-12, as the Washington state boys lacrosse season got underway on Kennedy's own field behind the campus Monday.

The game under windy, cold and showery conditions started off close with both teams getting of to a good start. The Lancers led off with senior Payton Williams (11:16) and freshman Sean Leaming (8:57) each scoring early.

Their goals were matched by two from Liam Allen (7:32 and 5:22) of the Titans.

Junior Dar Sleeper of the Lancers began to take over by winning face offs and got his first goal with 7:38 left in the first quarter and assisted senior Nate Brummond to finish the first with a 5-4 lead.

The Lancers started the second quarter quick with one goal from freshman Leaming (11:08).

Then Sleeper won back-to-back face offs and quickly scored on both at 10:55 and 10:22.

Defense for both teams was the story for the rest of the second until the Titans added their fifth goal by freshman Jett Centioli with 40 seconds left in the half on a fast break.

Burien, WA–Do you have a child who will be five years old on or before August 31? If so, now is the time to register for the start of kindergarten. If you need help completing the paperwork or need support in your language, Highline Public Schools will make it easy for you at a Kindergarten Registration event on Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the district’s Central Office, 15675 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien, WA.

Stop by the Kindergarten Registration Event to get expert help. School staff, including Spanish and Somali translators, will be there to assist families. Laptops will be available and refreshments will be served.

Students who enroll now will have access to free kindergarten readiness programs and materials. This includes our Kindergarten Readiness Kit and Guidelines for Families, PreK Play and Learn (running now and open to all enrolled kindergarten students), and Kindergarten Jump Start (August 15-19).

Students must be registered for fall kindergarten to attend these programs and events.

TUKWILA – Everyone was taught the “three R’s” in school. Starting this spring, drivers who use southbound Interstate 5 between Tukwila and Federal Way will learn a new meaning for that phrase – replace, repave and resurface.

Starting Monday, March 21, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will begin an 18-month project to rehabilitate nearly 13 miles of the interstate – replacing expansion joints and concrete panels, repaving sections and resurfacing other sections.

This $27.3 million project will require the crews to reduce southbound I-5 to two lanes for five weekends in July and August 2016. The work will also require frequent overnight lane reductions.

“This section of southbound I-5 is more than 50 years old, and it’s showing its age,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Mike Askarian. “It’s time to restore it. With several months of work, we can keep traffic moving on our region’s main highway for decades to come.”

The three R’s of freeway rehabilitation
To renew this section of the interstate, contractor crews from MidMountain Construction will: