June 2010

Though purple paint is still wet on the walls of the Tin Theater, the outside window already sports a classic poster for "The African Queen," soon to be the first movie screened in a Burien theater in 40 years.

Dan House, owner of the Tin Room Bar and Grill, described his entry into the movie business with a kind of civic zeal.
"The city was screaming for something new," he said. "Burien needs a movie theater." Whenever he wishes to see a movie in a theater, he noted, he must drive into downtown Seattle or Southcenter.

Other residents of Burien have the same problem. "I didn't start with a business plan in mind; I just thought people wanted it."
House said that the idea of building a movie theater next to his restaurant has been in the back of his mind ever since he moved into the building, formerly home to the Hi-Line Tin Shop, in 2004.
The longest running business in Burien at the time, the tin shop featured a metal storage area that House thought would be "a great space for a theater."

West Seattle Alex's Lemonade Stand and Yard Sale will be going strong on Saturday June 12 at 49th Ave SW and Alaska Street from 9 AM-2PM This is a Multi-family yard sale, offering fresh lemonade, and baked goods.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 charity that raises money and awareness for pediatric cancer causes, primarily research into new treatments and cures.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). Read more about Alex and other heroes fighting cancer.

http://www.alexslemonade.org

The Political Empowerment Skill Building Program given by South Seattle Community College has been offering students the opportunity to interact and hear from experts and practitioners about their knowledge and experiences in politics and public services, as we reported here:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/06/03/features/political-empowerm…

On Thursday night, June 3, students heard 10-minute presentations by panelists before breaking up into groups to focus on assigned bills they would try to pass in a mock forum. The panelists then circulated and answered questions within the smaller groups. One week later, the class concluded as students who had broken up into four groups presented, and made their case for the passing of, new bills in front of members of a mock press conference.

When Ballard artist and Sev Shoon director Dionne Haroutunian was preparing for her 2009 trip to Nigeria as a U.S. State Department cultural envoy, she received warnings about abductions, carjackings, armed crime, dangerous roads, unsafe airlines, illegal roadblocks and more. She felt shaken.

"When I told people, 'I'm going to Nigeria,' the first response I got was, 'Why? It's dangerous there,'" Haroutunian said.

During the time she spent in that country teaching printmaking at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, the warnings did not match what she saw.

"All of [the warnings] may have some truth in them, but most of it happens in a given context," Haroutunian said. "And, a lot of it can be said of most countries in the world, including the U.S.A."

While the Nigerian friends she made agreed there are problems with airline security, police involvement in crime and road conditions, they had not heard of notable problems with many of the other issues she had been warned of, she said.

She said it is illegal to carry handguns in Nigeria, and she doubts armed crime is more of a problem there than here.

Des Moines is going to the dogs. If your pet is picked up Des Moines Animal Control will take it to either a kennel or one of four local veterinary hospitals the City began contracting with at the beginning of this year, instead of the Kent Animal Shelter.

When King County announced earlier this year they could no longer continue to subsidize the $3 million additional dollars a year it costs them to provide animal control, the County told cities as of July 1 if they wanted to use King County Animal Control services they would have to sign a new contract where they would pay for the actual cost of the animal control services.

This included the contracts for shelter services. Des Moines, who has been doing Animal Control in house for at 30 plus years, contracted with local veterinary hospitals and Holiday Kennels to take the animals picked up in Des Moines.

Des Moines Master Animal Control Officer Jan Magnuson said the transition away from using the Kent Animal Shelter has been a smooth one. She said there have really been no problems at all using Holiday Kennel and local veterinary hospitals.

Art

Evergreen Fine Art Gallery-Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 17700 1st Ave. S., Normandy Park.

Loren Gallery-1,200 sq.-ft. unique art gallery. Next to Marina Inn Hotel. 22300 7th Ave S., Suite B, Des Moines. Local artist will have hangings and varied art pieces. Art walk reception will be held every 3rd Saturday of month. LorenGallery.com. 253-223-7015.

Vino Bello Wine Bar-636-F S.W. 152nd St. Burien. For information, 206-244-VINO.

Farmers Markets

Burien-Thursdays. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Burien Town Square, Fifth Avenue Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street. 206-433-2882 or www.discoverburien.com.

Des Moines Waterfront-Saturdays. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. South 277th Des Moines Marina, Street and Dock Street. www.dmfm.org.

Festivals

June 12
Rose Care & Culture--Plant Selection and watering class at North SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave S, from 10-11 a.m. Hands on experience in the Seattle Rose Society's Celebration Rose Garden, weather permitting. Classes are $5 for members and $10 for non-members. For info 206-391-4003.

June 16
Garden Club Open House- The Southgate Garden Club will present an open house in honor of its 60th birthday from 7-9p.m. at the Tukwila Community Center (12424 42nd Ave. S).

June 17
Rose Care & Culture--Deadheading and Summer care class at North SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave S, from 10-11 a.m. Hands on experience in the Seattle Rose Society's Celebration Rose Garden, weather permitting. Classes are $5 for members and $10 for non-members. For info 206-391-4003.

June 19
Arbor Day Celebration--The City of SeaTac will be hosting an Arbor Day Celebration at Sunset Park, 13659 18th Ave. S. 9-10:30 p.m. Two trees will be planted in honor of Arbor Day. Light refreshments will be served.,

June 28

By Mike Wayte

The June 4 issue of the Herald published an invitation to a TOWN HALL meeting on the King County Water Taxi and King County Ferry District. I was mildly interested until I read the Special to the Seattle Times on meeting day (“County should rethink water-taxi takeover”, June 9). Looked like another case of an expensive neat idea at a time when the county is short of money.

I downloaded the KING COUNTY FERRY DISTRICT 2010 Annual Operating and Capital Budget Summary and took a look.
REVENUE: $7,353,000; TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $15,710,000.

So the county is going to operate at a loss of $8.357 Million for 2010. But wait, there’s more!
A look at the REVENUE shows that Fares and Advertising bring in $1.132 Million, with the rest of the Revenue made up of: Property Tax - $1.183 Million; State Forest Timber Sales - $128 Thousand; Interest Income - $210 Thousand; Federal Grants - $3 Million; State Grants - $1.7 Million. Can you spell taxpayer subsidies?

A look at the EXPENSES reveals Marketing, Management/Support and District Management costs slightly over $1.7 Million, more than the combined income from fares and advertising.

Fatal Car Accident

A 23 year-old Des Moines man died this morning when his car left the roadway and struck a tree. He died shortly after he was taken to Harborview Medical Center. The incident happening this morning (June 10th) about 1:15 AM. Witnesses reported seeing the man leave the Mt. View Elementary parking lot at a high rate of speed. The school is located in White Center at SW 108th and 12th Ave SW.

When the vehicle got to the 800 block of SW 108th it crossed over into the westbound land of travel then struck a raised curb and a large tree. The collision caused massive damage to the left front of the car, a 1995 Ford Explorer. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

Detectives believe alcohol was a contributing factor.

Candidate for County Prosecutor arrested at SeaTac

David Russell Fox, a lawyer running for Clallam County prosecutor, has been arrested for investigation of DUI and three drug charges. Fox was booked into King County Jail after he allegedly brandished a knife at a ticket agent at SeaTac Airport. Bail was set at $3,000.

The Evergreen High athletic program has been marred by another damaging incident after a sex offender was discovered working as a football team volunteer.
LaShawn Jamar Ferguson, a level three sex offender, was immediately escorted off campus by Evergreen principals Paula Montgomery and Vic Anderson after female team managers reported he had made inappropriate comments to them on Monday, June 7.

King County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Beets, Evergreen's school resource officer, determined Ferguson was convicted of a sex offense in 1998. He is now in police custody for failing to register as a sex offender.
District officials emphasize that Ferguson had been on campus only twice before June 7-- once for a team meeting and one Saturday working in the equipment shed.

The principals determined that a background check on Ferguson had not been completed. Evergreen is split into three autonomous small schools, each with its own principal.