Burien is one of the 10 fastest growing small cities in the nation? I had to laugh a little when I read this (and we printed as sent from a San Francisco company that tracks the job market). It shows that Burien jumped in population by 16,500 in four years. Maybe you thought there is no surprise in this if you tried to go anywhere in a car during that time. And that there seemed to be a lot of newcomers in town. The real reason? Burien annexed areas where the bulk of the new people already lived, north of the previous city limits.

That left North Highline hanging in the wind. Nobody wanted it because the tax base there is low and because the people living there didn't want to be part of Burien anyway. Now, Seattle is courting the area. Residents may finally get adopted.

Roxbury Street stretches from the freeway to the bay and is the historic dividing line that marked Seattle from White Center/King County. And it was also the old line across which one might step if they wanted to gamble or visit one of the many watering holes on 16th Ave. S.W. Most of the old bars are gone now, replaced by an odd mix of businesses including an ice cream joint, a joint joint and the King County Sheriff's local post.

We don't know what the impetus is for Seattle to consider embracing North Highline after spurning the area in the past. Maybe it is because of a changing of the guard at city hall. We'll see if we can find out.

All you can eat

Meanwhile, you might want to check out the Korean/fusion chicken place, Bok a Bok (supposed to be the noise a rooster makes in Korea). It is located on 16th S.W. and 98th Avenue on the south side. Their sign is very small. The place is very small and seating is limited. But the food is good and worth a visit.

Just across the line (Roxbury) is Young's Cafe. It has been there about 30 years. It often full at lunch time with regulars because the menu is big, the service is good and the family that runs the place is very friendly. It is kind of like a "Cheers" for locals.

Not far from there, at Barton and 35th, is Pecos Pit barbecue, an enterprise of Jerry Kingen and Katherine Kingen of Salty's. They have an ad on website where you can get more information. Finally, a good barbecue place in this area…