January 2017

Ruth Lorraine Beckstrom, age 89, passed away in Burien, Washington, on December 27, 2016. Born in Page, North Dakota, she was the tenth child of eleven to parents Lewis and Julia Warner Ruth met her future husband, Victor Beckstrom shortly after World War II, and were engaged after a whirlwind romance. They married on August 4, 1946, in Fargo, North Dakota. After teaching for four years in rural North Dakota, she eventually gave up teaching to raise a family. After several moves, they settled in Burien, WA in 1955.
Dwight, her eldest child was born in Fargo, North Dakota, followed by Bruce in Santa Monica, California, and Scott and Julie, in Seattle, Washington. Ruth had many activities, including the Orthopedic Guild, Campfire Girls, and Cub Scouts. She loved to spend her free time reading. Family vacations were primarily camping in Glacier and Mount Rainer National Parks. After Victor retired, they started and ran a rhododendron nursery for over 25 years and traveled domestically and internationally, particularly enjoying Germany.

Dean “Dean-O” Parkins passed away in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday morning, January 1, 2017. He was the younger son of the late William L. and Grace Edith Parkins. Dean was born in Seattle in 1927 and grew up in West Seattle, where he was a Boy Scout, attaining the rank of Life Scout. As an honored Boy Scout, Dean was chosen to be the first one to raise the American flag ever to fly at Lincoln Park’s Colman Pool. At age 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served aboard two ships just after the end of WWII. After his service, he attended the University of Washington, where he majored in economics. After learning conversational Spanish, he hitchhiked and biked 4000 miles in Mexico. Dean was an early member of R.E.I., and he served as a Board member for the Mountaineers. He was a charter and organizing member of the Everett Mountain Rescue Council. To celebrate his 50th birthday, he organized a group, which included his daughter Amy, to climb Mt. Rainier.

On January 9, the Burien City Council voted to pass Ordinance 651 which prevents police officers and city officials or staff from asking a person their immigration status.

Councilmembers Nancy Tosta, Lauren Berkowitz, Steve Armstrong and Austin Bell supported the measure. Mayor Lucy Krakowiak, Deputy Mayor Bob Edgar and Councilmember Debi Wagner were opposed.

The discussion and vote took place after a previous meeting on December 19th when the measure was passed by a 3-2 vote. However, it was determined a few days later that this vote was illegitimate because it did not have a four-vote majority of the City Council in support of the measure, due to Krakowiak and Edgar leaving the meeting early before the vote at 10:30 p.m.

The sanctuary city status has become a hot topic after the U.S. presidential election, especially in cities like Burien. According to information on the City of Burien website, about forty percent of the Burien population is non-white, and some residents are worried about President-elect Donald Trump’s policies effecting their residency in the United States.

On January 9, the Burien City Council voted to pass Ordinance 651 which prevents police officers and city officials or staff from asking a person their immigration status.

Councilmembers Nancy Tosta, Lauren Berkowitz, Steve Armstrong and Austin Bell supported the measure. Mayor Lucy Krakowiak, Deputy Mayor Bob Edgar and Councilmember Debi Wagner were opposed.

The discussion and vote took place after a previous meeting on December 19th when the measure was passed by a 3-2 vote. However, it was determined a few days later that this vote was illegitimate because it did not have a four-vote majority of the City Council in support of the measure, due to Krakowiak and Edgar leaving the meeting early before the vote at 10:30 p.m.

The sanctuary city status has become a hot topic after the U.S. presidential election, especially in cities like Burien. According to information on the City of Burien website, about forty percent of the Burien population is non-white, and some residents are worried about President-elect Donald Trump’s policies effecting their residency in the United States.

He still cannot believe it was not a best seller.
Years ago, A longtime friend of mine had written and published a book---along with his wife---offering parenting tips intended to enlighten readers about how to do it right. The implication was, “Take advantage of our experience---and raise your kids like this.” The fact that he was the parent of his very first child---three months old---made his parenting book premature, if not outright ridiculous. (Although the chapter on colic was riveting.)
Wisdom is borne of experience, time---and reflection. But that did not stop Paris Hilton from writing a memoir at age 23; Britney Spears at 18; and Miley Cyrus and Justin Beiber at age 16. If I had written a memoir at age 16 it would have about the length of a Taco Bell menu---with more cheese.
But now perhaps I have traveled far enough along in life to offer---authoritatively--- a few musings. Is it wisdom? That’s not for me to decide. But will it fill up space here? Yep.

By Amanda Knox
 
On Tuesday evening, as I watched Obama make the final rounds with Michelle and Malia, waving at the crowd, I was flooded with dread. I was reminded of those rare occasions when I was very young, when Mom dropped Deanna and I off at a family member’s house so she could run a quick personal errand, and we cried and cried, pleading, “Please don’t goooooooo!” For the past eight years, I’ve found comfort in Obama’s patience, confidence, and compassion, in the fact that he, of all people, proved again and again to be honest, intelligent, steady, forceful, and kind in the face of both tragedy and achievement. I dreaded the void Obama was leaving behind, and how it shortly was going to be filled with someone already proven to be base, short-sighted, vindictive, and vain.
 
Indeed, when I reread the transcript of Obama’s speech the following morning, I realized how cautionary his message was. He enumerated a number of specific threats to our democracy that we need to confront with urgency and sincerity, lest we severely weaken ourselves from within. He spoke about the threat of partisanship:

The legal wrangling between the City of SeaTac and K & S Development continued on Jan. 16 as the City filed its’ appellate brief in the K&S Developments, LLC v. City of SeaTac matter at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division One.

The case pertains to the SeaTac Center which is located at South 154th Street and International Boulevard in the City’s South 154th Street Station Area. As the Highline Times reported in January of 2016 and last July the case involves alleged deception by the City over land at the SeaTac Center owned by Gerry and Kathryn Kingen who also own Salty’s Seafood Grills in Seattle, Redondo and Portland. The issues began in 2004 when they proposed to build a parking garage on land near 154th Street South in SeaTac.

If you would like to obtain some well considered financial advice, contact Sarah Cecil 206-938-6017.

Brought to you by Sarah Cecil Financial Advisor with Edwards Jones Investments.

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