April 2009

Officers went to a home in the 600 block of Northwest 79th to investigate reports of a party in a “supposedly unoccupied residence.” They found an intoxicated 19-year-old man and several juvenile girls trying to clean up broken glass and other remnants of a party. It seems that the girls and their father had just recently moved out. But the girls and friends drove by and found around 20 young people partying there. They were trying to clean up the damage so that dad wouldn't be “angry.” The girls were released to their father.

A resident of a Crown Hill apartment was dismayed after some of her laundry was missing from the laundry room. She was told that the area had been cleaned out in preparation for an inspection and that all items had been thrown away. She filed a police report in case she wants to later go to small claims court.

Late Thursday, an Hispanic male, stocky, aged 25-30, walked into a fast-food restaurant in the 5300 block of 15th Northwest. He displayed a long-barreled handgun and demanded money. K9 units weren't able to get a track on the suspect, who remains at large.

Eric Shoner, a seventh-grader at Salmon Bay School, got a taste of state competition last Friday at the 2009 Washington Geographic Bee at Stadium High School in Tacoma.

Shoner, for whom maps have been a hobby since he was 3, was one of six contestants in his preliminary round who was perfect through the first five questions. He succumbed to the next three, however, and did not advance.

Of the 20 students in his group, only one made it to the final 10; 101 students from throughout the state qualified for the event.

The bee is promoted by the National Geographic Society and sponsored by nationally Google and the timber resources company, Plum Creek.

They live eight blocks apart, on either side of California Avenue --- the private-schooled sixth-grader and the Madison Middle School eighth-grader. When the dust had settled on the 21st annual Washington Geographic Bee at Stadium High School in Tacoma last Friday, these two West Seattle students had claimed two of the top seven places in the whole state.

Newcomer Mark Mockett placed fourth, while five-time veteran Sean Keller finished seventh.

Keller's total of five appearances in the state-level competition, beginning as a fourth-grader, is uncommon. At the earliest, his feat will not be matched again until 2011, and the most recent instance was 2003 or prior. The Bee is open only to grades four through eight.

The competition began with 101 students, separated into five groups. Alphabetically, they had come from Anacortes to Yakima, and from many places in between: from tiny Royal City, from distant Nine Mile Falls.

Coinciding with National Start! Walking Day on Wednesday, April 8, Sanislo Elementary School’s fifth graders will take a walkable field trip with Homewaters Project to explore the “tiny neighbors” in their school wetlands.

Homewaters Project, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization, provides field extensions of classroom science units. Homewaters designs investigations within walking distance of schools when possible, so that students discover the natural world in their own home place.

According to the organization, walkable field trips promote better health for students as well as for their watersheds: students engage in physical activity while discovering impacts of everyday actions on local water quality and ecosystem health.

Sanislo students and teachers are particularly excited about Wednesday’s "Tiny Neighbors" program, because this natural area is usually off-limits to students. The young scientists will observe and draw their surroundings, collect and study microorganisms up close, draw conclusions about water quality based on the types of microorganisms they find, and record and evaluate human impacts.

A new revenue forecast for the city reflects the nation’s worsening economy, projecting $29.5 million less revenue in the city’s general fund for 2009, compared to last year’s forecast, a 3.7 percent drop.

“We have anticipated that revenues would be down and this latest forecast confirms the size of the problem," said Mayor Greg Nickels in a release issued today. "As we make difficult budget cuts, I will continue to put a priority on maintaining funding for public safety and direct human services."

The latest forecast revises estimates made in November 2008, adjusting for what has become a major recession nationwide and a severe regional downturn. Led by a decline in revenue from sales taxes and business and occupation taxes, the revised forecast for 2009 represents a 3.7 percent drop, according to the mayor's office.

This month, the mayor will consult with city council members on cuts that can be implemented beginning in May to bring the 2009 budget into balance. In anticipation of the lower revenue forecast, in February the mayor directed city departments to identify potential 2009 general fund reductions of up to 3 percent.

The King County Water Taxi set a new one-day ridership record April 5 as 3,429 riders took advantage of a warm, sunny opening day to make their first trip of the season on the West Seattle-to-downtown passenger ferry.

“There’s no better way to enjoy a sunny day in April than taking a ride on the King County Water Taxi,” said Metropolitan King County Council Chair Dow Constantine, who also serves as chair of the King County Ferry District Board. “The Water Taxi is a great transportation alternative for commuters and a lifeline for the West Seattle neighborhood when traffic on the West Seattle Bridge is slowed or halted—but it’s also a fun way to get downtown on a Sunday afternoon.”

The previous record for opening day ridership was 2,404 riders on April 29, 2007.

The Water Taxi is now known as the King County Water Taxi to reflect the fact that the King County Ferry District has taken over operation of the route. The boat also has a new look, dock signage has been improved, and the Water Taxi will accept the new ORCA fare cards in addition to other transit passes.

Biscuit is a male Pixie-Bob mix that was born on Dec. 2 and went to live with Cynthia Glenn, pictured here, and Marcella Ripich eight weeks after that.

Biscuit is cute and curious, he loves Costco boxes and pushing things off high places and watching them fall.

Cynthia said " I forget how mischievous kittens are, every time I come into the living room there is something new in the middle of the floor."

For example once she found a disposable razor from the bathroom. 'Biccie' may be a budding artist. Cynthia was painting with watercolors and stepped away for five seconds only to return and find her blue paint splashed six feet around her desk, "next time maybe I will put a canvas on the floor!" Cynthia said.

How to nominate your pet:

Want to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week? Stop by the VCA West Seattle Veterinary Hospital at 5261 California Ave. S.W. and just ask for a form. A nomination is not a guarantee of appearance and your name and photo may appear in our newspaper and online.

Don Malo may be the luckiest man in White Center. His commute takes him all of 30 seconds because he and his wife live just steps from where he works.

Don is the owner of Malo's Auto Body on 17th Southwest and has been part of the White Center community  for a long time. He's optimistic about the area and he and his manager Brad Truesdell both say that despite the economy, "Business is really good."

He supports Seattle in annexation of the area and sees the population growth as the most significant change during his time here.

Today they use an array of high tech equipment to restore cars to showroom quality. But they started far more humbly in a quonset hut on 16th Southwest. Don's father, Raymond Malo, founded Southside Automotive with some partners in 1948 and moved to the present location in 1952.

He and his dad both left the business for eight years and worked repairing busses for Metro but then came back in 1977. In 1982 it was renamed Malo's Auto Body.

The crew working there now "Are some of the best in the business," Don said, and " a lot of bigger shops are having a tough time making it but we're just the right size."  

Burien took a major step forward March 30 toward annexing the southern portion of North Highline when the King County Boundary Review Board gave preliminary approval to the proposal.

The board is expected to formally approve Burien’s request on April 16 at their meeting in the Mercer Island Community Center.

“This is a historic moment,” Burien City Manager Mike Martin declared. “We have never been this far on annexation. I think we are on our way.”

If formally approved by the boundary board, an election will be held in the proposed annexation area on Aug. 18.

If voters pass the proposal, Burien staffers will prepare for annexation and welcome the new residents in March 2010, according to Martin.

Before the vote, Burien will hold several public meetings in North Highline. The next one is scheduled April 16 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Hilltop Elementary, 12250 24th Ave. S.

Other open houses are set for May 19 from 6:30- 8 p.m. at Salmon Creek School, 614 S.W. 120th St. and June 16 from 6-7:15 p.m. at Southern Heights Elementary School, 11249 14th Ave. S.

“We’re trying to do everything we can,” Martin added. “We want a big vote.”

Dear Editor,

I loved all the editorials in the March 25 paper except one. God loves all of us. Everyone reads into the Bible as they see it.

Putting that aside I think Annie G. Tigtig has it right. The small park keeps the bad out, easy to see trouble. And cost saved. The small business people like Ron’s Cobbler Shoppe need standing up for. Soon all the people who really care about West Seattle will be gone. What happened to caring about what we want? There is a closeness you are going to lose with al this change.

And how about Mayor Greg Nickels, tunnel vision again? He didn’t see the roads were clear of snow on his way to work? Before I was old enough to vote we had a mayor that had the city workers black top all his road and yard just beyond Five Corners.

Please, there must be a person out there in West Seattle that still cares about what happens to this little and older people. Maybe even one of the Robinsons for mayor? Loved Jerry’s story. I was always afraid I would fall in that pit at the South Park dump. Sorry, it was funny. First chuckle I’ve had in a while, sure made me think back.

Kathleen Vogel
Delridge