September 2009

All three of the major candidates in the race for King County Executive that did not move forward from the August primary election – eastside legislators Fred Jarrett and Ross Hunter, and King County Council member Larry Phillips of Seattle – have announced their endorsement of Dow Constantine for the executive position.
 
Jarrett, Hunter and Phillips captured more than 35 percent of the vote in the primary contest. Constantine is running against former television anchor Susan Hutchison, who garnered more than 33 percent of the vote in the Aug. 18 primary.

“Along the campaign trail I had the opportunity to see Dow Constantine on many occasions," Jarrett said.  "I came away convinced Dow offers a rare combination of experience with a commitment to changing the way King County does business. It’s the combination our next County Executive needs.  I am proud to endorse Dow Constantine and look forward to doing what I can to get him elected."
 

Balcos Insurance presented the Ballard Boys and Girls Club with a $1,500 donation from Safeco Insurance on Sept. 3 to help support the organization.

“For the Safeco Agent Giving program, agents are able to nominate charities they think help the community, so I nominated the Boys and Girls Club,” Michelle Ferris, director of marketing for Balcos Insurance, said.

Mark Hendricks, executive director of the Ballard Boys and Girls Club, said the donation will go toward computer, technology and building upgrades.

“I love it," Hendricks said. "Balcos Insurance has done a great job of purchasing the scoreboard for us in the past and has shown a lot of work on this great opportunity to make sure the club was included."

Harry and Clare Wilson, long-time club supporters, matched the donation, doubling the $1,500 donation.

Mark and Scott Balcos, president and vice president of Balcos Insurance, said they use to come to the Ballard club when they were younger and spent a lot of time there.

Mark, a Ballard resident, said he has passed on the tradition by bringing his children to the club and involving them in its programs.

The High Point Community Center presents the Fabulous Family Fun Series this fall at 10:30 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month. The program at the center, located at 6920 34th Ave. S.W., will feature entertainment for all ages, according to a release from the Seattle Parks Department.

- Sept. 19 - Join songwriter, performer, and early childhood music educator Brian Vogan to learn about all the things that happen in the fall. Come and be a leaf with Brian and fall to the ground as we sing "We Call it Fall." For more information on Brian Vogan, please click here. Course: 48209.

- Oct. 17 - Valentine's Performing Pigs, a unique, fast-paced act featuring mini-pigs that do tricks and perform incredible athletic feats. As music plays, the peppy porkers dance, jump, play catch with the audience, play on teeter-totters, slam dunk basketballs, pop balloons, roll barrels, and roar madly across the stage on scooters and skateboards. For more information, please click here. Course: 48210.

To celebrate the last day of summer before school is back in session, the Ballard Boys and Girls Club hosted their End of Summer Carnival.

On Sept. 2, after the Birds (kindergarten and first grade), Fish (second through fifth grade) and Mammals (sixth through eighth grade) headed out to their final field trips and activities of the summer, they came back to a transformed club of fun.

The End of Summer Carnival consisted of an inflatable waterslide, karaoke room, games and good eats from Dante's Inferno Dogs.

After today's events, the Boys and Girls Club will be closed for cleaning before they re-open for the Before and After School Programs during the school year.

A new Des Moines Goodwill Store will open Sept. 17 and feature inexpensive merchandise, a drop-off for tax-deductible, gently used clothes and household goods, and provide support for Goodwill's job-training and placement programs.
A grand opening ceremony will take place that Thursday, from 8:45 to 9 a.m. at the store, 23313 Pacific Highway S., in La Plaza shopping center.
Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler along with Goodwill Board of Directors president Bob Bruback and CEO Terry A. Hayes will be on hand. After the ceremony, at 9 a.m., the store will open to the public.
"Our new Des Moines Goodwill Store provides tremendous benefits to the community," said Bruback. "A Goodwill store not only means a place where families can stretch the value of their dollars, but jobs and even tax revenue for the community."
About 35 people, from the store manager to supervisors, cashiers and production clerks and donation attendants, were hired for the store. The payroll exceeds a half-million dollars, along with health insurance and other benefits.

The City of Burien's Senior Program is promoting it's first Senior Fitness & Health Fair on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 10 am -2 p.m. at the Burien Community Center, 425 S.W. 144th Street.
With everything else in recession, Burien's Senior Program wants to maintain and even boost Highline-area seniors' health, with a special focus on regaining muscle strength and physical balance.
Many freebies will be offered at the event, including fitness tote bags stuffed with elastic bands, "vials of life" and educational materials.
The Senior Program is offering new $10 discounts to any new ShapeUp! fitness class participants in addition to returning participants who'll be trying new classes.
Fitness gear, health screenings (vision, cancer, and spine), 5-minute massages, and healthy snacks will also be provided free-of-charge. Actual fitness class demonstrations and speakers on various health topics will be featured throughout the event.
The ShapeUp! Program is presented in partnership with King County Emergency Services, who coordinate many fall prevention programs for seniors.
For further information, call Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services at 206-988-3700.

What do you do after a show like Peter Pan? That was the sixty-four dollar question for The Hi-Liners and artistic director Kathleen Edwards.
"Every year our big fall MainStage show is the highlight of our season," Edwards said. "After 'flying' Peter Pan all over the Highline Performing Arts Center last year, we were not sure how we were going to top a show like that.
"'Thoroughly Modern Millie' is a 'newer' Broadway musical that we believe will challenge our kids and our organization to keep moving forward, in other words, just the show we are looking for."
Taking Broadway by storm in 2002, "Thoroughly Modern Millie" is based on the Oscar-winning film starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore.
This romantic musical is filled with tremendous dancing that captures the style and mood of the roaring twenties.
Directed by Edwards and choreographed by Taryn Darr, who was most recently seen in the 5th Avenue Theater's production of "Catch Me If You Can," this feel-good performance will have you humming "everything today is thoroughly modern" for weeks.

Mann now in AA ball
Mount Rainier High School graduate Brandon Mann is now playing Class AA ball for the Montgomery Biscuits of the Tampa Bay Rays system.
Mann has a 6-8 record to go with a 4.30 ERA and one save. He has worked 115 innings for the Biscuits, striking out 67 and walking 42.

Brewers schedule tryouts
RIPS Brewers Baseball Club is holding tryouts Sept. 12 for its 13U, 14U, 15U and 16U teams. Details: Aaron 206-941-0128 or visit www.ripsbaseball.com

Soccer signups open
Fall 2009 youth soccer registration is now open. West Highline Soccer Club serves over 900 youth (boys and girls) in the community from ages 5-18.
Register online at www.westhighlinesoccer.com and click on the registration link. Volunteers for coaching positions can also register.
Make sure to view our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) section. Also read about our club sponsored "UK Socca Summer Camp", other local soccer camps, referee clinics and coaches clinics on our website.

Goucher hosts camps

Five candidates have filed to serve on a board to oversee operation of the Mt. Rainier Pool in Des Moines.
The five will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, but all are unopposed.
They are Gene Achziger, Eric Kasnick, Bernadette Barrett, Marty Martinson and Nancy N. Kuehnoel.
Also on the ballot will be a resolution creating the Des Moines Pool Metropolitan Park District. If approved, Des Moines property owners will be taxed up to 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to generate funds for acquisition, maintenance, operation and or capital improvement/construction expenditures for the Mt. Rainier Pool. The pool is located next to Mt. Rainier High School.
The cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park and SeaTac as well as the Highline School District formed a partnership to fund the pool. However, facing large budget shortfalls, the cities and school district have announced they are unable to continue the funding.
The Des Moines Council voted to place the resolution on the ballot creating the pool district. The boundaries of the pool district correspond to Des Moines' city limits.
The fate of the pool is unclear if the resolution fails.

Gang Shooting
Police responded to a shooting at North SeaTac Park on S 128th and 20th Ave S. The victim had been shot in the foot. It was unclear what started the shooting. The victim was unwilling to assist in prosecution. The only suspect information was a license plate.
Rape Suspect Followed Women From Buses