September 2016

In her weekly newsletter to constituents District 1 Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold said that complaints about cars drag racing on Beach Drive SW have prompted her to seek the installation of three speed bumps on the road as part of an effort to introduce street calming. The installation will come later this year depending on warm dry weather. Herbold wrote:

"I’ve been working to assist residents on Beach Drive SW to address the high incidence of drag racing (see video) and driving that is dangerous to public safety.The racing has been happening in the portion of Beach Drive SW that extends south from the lighthouse. The neighbors have requested the installation of speed bumps.

Earlier this year community members began the process of applying for funds through the Neighborhood Parks and Street Fund. I wrote a letter to SDOT requesting that they consider traffic calming measures to address the drag racing.

SDOT has agreed to install three speed bumps. Installation could take place later this year, but will depend on dry, warm weather."

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Kela runs record to 5-1

Chief Sealth graduate Keone Kela has improved his win-loss record to 5-1 as a member of the Texas Rangers' bullpen.
The second year player, who has only thrown 29 innings this season because of injury, has 39 strikeouts and a 6.52 earned run average.

Barnette lowers ERA to 2.15

Thomas Jefferson graduate Tony Barnette now has a 6-3 record as another Texas Rangers relief pitcher and has lowered his ERA to 2.15.
Barnette has 47 strikeouts over 58.2 innings of work for the American League Western Division leaders.

Ishikawa finishes at .257

Federal Way graduate Travis Ishikawa finished with a .257 batting average for the Sacramento Rivercats of the Pacific Coast League, picking up 69 hits in 268 at-bats for the Class AAA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
Ishikawa wound up with 13 doubles and 12 home runs and had 31 runs scored and 55 RBI.

Conger wraps up year at Durham

By Lindsay Peyton

A whole different type of pep rally was held in the Matt Griffin YMCA gym at noon today.

Instead of getting a student body pumped up for an upcoming game, the goal of the event was to ignite passion in the community members for a cause.

The movement is called “Graduate! Highline” – and the mission is to boost the number of students who leave the district with diplomas.

J.D. Hill, executive director of the Matt Griffin YMCA, serves as the community leader for the program.

“It’s a movement driven by the community to push highline graduate rates sky high,” he said. “I represent a team of community members, business leaders, parents, grandparents, friends and advocates, who came together a year ago to see how we can help.”

Hill posed a single question to the audience. “What if the entire community rallied around one goal?”

He outlined the mission -- to promote student success and provide guidance on a path toward graduation and careers beyond the high school years.

The Duwamish Tribe's fight for recognition by the federal government has been going on for decades and came to what looked like a conclusion in July of 2015, when the U.S Department of the Interior issue what it called a final decision. But none of the tribal members took it as final. Now a new documentary, Promised Land that looks at the issue for both the Duwamish and the Chinook tribes is out and is being presented as an official selection of Northwest Film Forum's 19th Annual Local Sightings Film Festival at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown September 27th, 6:00 p.m. (doors at 5:30 p.m.)

Promised Land is a social justice documentary that follows two tribes in the Pacific Northwest: the Duwamish and the Chinook, as they fight for the restoration of treaty rights they've long been denied. In following their story, both in our regions shared heritage and in their modern struggles for federal recognition, the film examines a larger problem in the way that the government and society still looks at tribal sovereignty.

information from South Seattle College

South Seattle College celebrated its largest incoming class of 13th Year Promise Scholarship recipients on Sept. 15 since the program’s inception in 2008. 110 student completed orientation this week and will start their higher education at South this fall with their first year of tuition paid for through the scholarship program.

The celebration came at the end of a three-day “Bridge Program” orientation, where incoming 13th Year scholars learned key skills and resources to help them navigate the transition from high school to college.

“I want to truly encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity,” South Seattle College President Gary Oertli said to the incoming class. “Be committed in your heart to say ‘I’m going to do this,’ whatever your goals may be.”

For Chief Sealth International alumni Matthew Burckhard, that goal is training to carry on a family tradition.

“I’m going into culinary or pastry because my grandfather was a baker … (and) a couple years ago he passed away and I figured I should take on his legacy and see if I can become a baker as well,” Burckhard said.

By Lindsay Peyton

A proposed temporary emergency overnight shelter became the center of a heated debate tonight at the TAF Bethaday Community Learning Space in White Center.

The facility was packed with area residents for a special presentation by the King County department of community and human services about plans for a shelter that would be located at 10821 8th Ave SW.

The crowd could barely contain their cries against the project, while the speakers outlined their plans. Calls of “don’t open the shelter; we don’t want it here” were projected – and then echoed by several members of the audience.

During the public comment session, residents said they were worried about public safety, especially for children, as well as drugs and alcohol use by shelter guests.

Some members of the audience voiced concerns about the location of the facility, specifically its proximity to schools and parks, while others spoke against using a faith-based model for the center.

Update 9/28
Renovation is underway at the Admiral Theater though some minor delays, which are inevitable it seems, have pushed the opening date back a bit. The work has started in Pier 1 (the theater to the east) while Pier 2 remains open. The ladies room is completely gutted which means one restroom, now equipped with a lock, must serve everyone. The Admiral is open and showing films but the early show has been cut to allow workers to remove the old and prepare for the new. The new seats are now stored in the lobby, in boxes, waiting for the theater spaces to be renovated and revised. No firm date on the actual completion of the work is yet available but work is proceeding.

Original Post 9/15/16
information from FarAway Entertainment

With all required city ​building permits in hand, upgrades, expansion and renovations of the Historic Admiral Theater in West Seattle will begin in earnest on Monday, ​Sept.​ 19 with completion expected in November.
 

information from Seattle Parks

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is now accepting applications for three Seattle Park District-funded programs for community activities in 2017.

Arts in Parks
- This program funds outdoor arts and cultural events in parks throughout the city.

- Funded projects include new and established festivals, events, and temporary public art that bring life to Seattle's parks, especially in underserved areas of the city.

- Individual artists, neighborhood arts councils, and local community-based groups are eligible to apply.

- Applications are available online at www.seattle.gov/arts/arts-in-parks, in multiple languages. Applications are due by October 19, 2016 at 11 p.m.
- For more information, please call Jenny Crooks at 206-684-7084 or email her at jenny.crooks@seattle.gov.

Get Moving/Recreation for All
- These programs fund culturally relevant physical and enrichment programming to under resourced communities and in neighborhoods where health and enrichment disparities are prevalent.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

High schools
Football
Highline Memorial will host a double-header Friday, with Washington at Evergreen at 5 p.m. and W.F. West at Highline at 8 p.m.
Seattle Lutheran, meanwhile, will entertain Neah Bay at 6 p.m. at West Seattle Stadium.
Four other area games start at 7 p.m. that day.
West Seattle hosts Garfield at the Southwest Athletic Complex as Chief Sealth goes on the road to Sammamish. Foster entertains White River at the same time and Mount Rainier is at Tahoma.
Kennedy Catholic waits until 7 p.m. Saturday for a home game against Kentwood at Highline Memorial.

Volleyball
Kennedy visits Graham Kapowsin for a 7 p.m. match Thursday before dropping in on Auburn Mountainview at 7:15 p.m. Monday. Mount Rainier is at Federal Way at 7:15 p.m. Monday.
West Seattle travels to Eastside Catholic and Chief Sealth to Seattle Prep at 7 p.m. Thursday, with Evergreen hosting Washington and Foster entertaining White River at the same time.
Tyee hosts Foster at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at 7 p.m. Foster is at Washington and Evergreen at Foss.