May 2007

A proposed 40-foot, $80,000 tilted sculpture envisioned as the centerpiece of Burien's Town Square is turning lawmakers, city staffers and residents into art critics.

Proponents say the sculpture recalls the city's past and will be Burien's beacon in the future.

Opponents say the proposed public artwork looks like a violent, dangerous, upside-down screw.

The Burien Arts Commission recently recommended that Burien City Council members approve placement of the sculpture in the southwest corner of Town Square.

Lawmakers discussed it at their April

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law May 7 at Des Moines Beach Park a series of legislation to protect and restore Puget Sound.

State Rep.

Sea-Tac Occupational Skills Center celebrated its 40th anniversary on May 1 by changing its name to Puget Sound Skills Center.

The new name more accurately demonstrates that the center draws students from Seattle to Fife, principal/director Sue Shields announced.

It is located in Burien, south of Sea-Tac International Airport.

The term, "occupational" does not reflect the fact that the center's programs now lead to college credits or national certification, Shields said.

At an anniversary reception catered by culinary arts students, the center's firs

Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton announced last week that an agreement in principle has been reached with their regional partners on a land deal for the State Route 509 highway extension.

The land deal will slash the project's cost by $25 million, Creighton said.

Extension of SR 509 south to Interstate 5 is one of several key regional links contained in the proposed Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) funding package slated for the fall ballot.

But it was in jeopardy because of construction-cost inflation that has hit all

Burien City Council members continued on April 30 to discuss the Lora Lake Apartments, which are due to be vacated this summer to make more land available for new development planned by the city and the Port of Seattle.

The Port, which operates Sea-Tac International Airport, owns the Lora Lake property that is located within the third runway buffer zone.

King County Housing Authority officials met on April 17 with city lawmakers to ask them not to demolish the apartments on the west side of Des Moines Memorial Drive just north of South 160th Street.

City Manage

A process that began two and a half years ago might be nearing completion after the Des Moines City Council voted unanimously on April 26 to update and make changes to their Shoreline Master Plan.

The updated plan will now go to the state for a second review.

New state guidelines and updated requirements mandated revisions to the old plan. The original Shoreline Master Plan was adopted in 1988.

A draft of the city's Shoreline Master Plan was reviewed by lawmakers in 2006 and sent to the state.

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Shop for locally grown fresh produce and flowers at Burien's Farmers Market, which opens for the season Thursday, May 10, at a new location.

Town Square construction is forcing the market to move to the parking lot of the former city hall at Fourth Avenue Southwest and Southwest 150th Street in downtown Burien.

The Farmers Market will be open every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct.

Mortimer Brewster is practically an old friend of ours.

You know him-a New York drama critic who hates watching plays? The guy whose brother thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt and is digging the Panama Canal in his basement? The one whose other brother, on the run from the police, had his face surgically altered to resemble Boris Karloff?

Yeah, you remember him.

Highline Superintendent John Welch has been named the "most effective administrator" among large school districts in Washington State by the Washington School Administrators Association (WASA) and PEMCO Insurance.

Superintendent Welch will be recognized by the Highline School Board at its regular meeting on May 9 at 6:00 p.m.

In announcing the award, WASA cited Superintendent Welch for excellence in developing a clear and shared vision, demonstrating effective leadership, encouraging high levels of teamwork, aligning curriculum and instruction with standards and assessmen