July 2008

It was a one-run ballgame early before the score got away from Pac West in an eventual 9-3 loss to Rainier in the District 7 Juniors Division All-Star Tournament championship at Rainier Playfield Thursday, July 3.

Afterward, Pac West manager John Howard explained the good things about this double-elimination tournament.

“We lost the first game of the tournament, but we showed heart and determination after that to come back and win three games,” said Howard.

Winning this championship game would have only been the first step needed by Pacwest.

WEST SEATTLE - Outstanding pitching and hitting in the familiar confines of the Bar-S Playfields were just what the West Seattle All Stars needed in a pre-Independence Day sizzling celebration on the night of Thursday, July 3.

Showing confidence against a powerful foe, unbeaten West Seattle held off a determined bid by previously once-beaten South Highline National, 6-4, to earn the District 7 Little League Majors (ages 11-12) baseball championship.

With the win, West Seattle earned a spot in the state tournament beginning on July 19 at Freedom Field in Mill Creek.
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If the weather permits, Seattle artist Susan Robb will be bringing her unique installation of "Warmth, Giant Black Toobs" to Lake Burien School Park on July 17 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In the art piece, Robb uses solar power and ambient breezes to give life to black plastic garbage bags. Polypropylene bags, 50 feet tall by 30 inches in diameter, are inflated with air by allowing the wind to fill them or by running with them.

One end is staked to the ground; the other end is free.

Washington ACORN will hold a town hall meeting and mortgage help fair on July 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Burien Community Center, 425 S.W. 144th Street.

Families facing foreclosure or having other mortgage problems will be able to sign up for the group's mortgage help program.

ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) is an advocacy group for low and moderate-income families.

Six state legislators will participate in a two-hour discussion on poverty issues.

Scheduled Highline lawmakers are Rep. Bob Hasegawa, Rep.

The first meeting of Sustainable Burien will be held at the Burien Library, 14700 6th Ave.

Water taxi passenger service from the Des Moines Marina to the Tall Ships Festival in Tacoma was a "major success," city officials reported last week.

"We provided six round trips to Tacoma over the July Fourth weekend, with a total of 490 passengers sailing from Des Moines," said city parks and recreation director Patrice Thorell.

"Four additional Tall Ships and Fireworks Cruises on Argosy boats were sold out," Thorell said.

Free music, store specials, and a sunny day drew families and people from around the area to Olde Burien on Saturday for the Olde Burien Block Party.A dunk tank, a giant chess board, beer garden and a sidewalk sale all contributed to a sunny atmosphere on a beautiful day. To see a gallery of images from the Block Party visit

http://tinyurl.com/6krl7y

A fundraising event for victims of the fatal June 29 Burien apartment fire is scheduled for July 16, beginning at 6 p.m., at Mick Kelly's Irish Pub, 435 S.W. 152nd St. in downtown Burien.

All proceeds, as well as the entire day's profits at the pub, will be donated to a special fire victims fund set up at Sterling Savings Bank.

"This is just one way to give back," said Adrian Kelly, co-owner of the pub.

In the book of Exodus, when God sent bread from heaven to feed the Israelites, it was a sweet bread they called "manna."

Manna was described as being "like the coriander seed" and tasted like wafers made with honey.

Well, God may not be raining heavenly wafers down on the Burienites, but the gods (spelled with a lower case "g") are definitely showering us with our semi-annual dose of theatrical comedy, wine, hors d'oeuvres, coriander and...chicken.

Chicken? Is the Breeders Theater now in the poultry business? Not exactly.

In a four-hour marathon meeting on July 8, SeaTac lawmakers wrestled with the details of implementing their vision for multi-family housing and increased retail in areas surrounding two light-rail stations.

The stations set to open next year are at South 154th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard and South 176th Street and International Boulevard.

The thorny issues included tax exemptions, parking bonus incentives, design standards and rezoning.

Council members approved by a 4-2 vote property tax exemptions for new multifamily housing in the two station a