December 2011

Seattle Fire Department reports that an overnight fire that damaged two homes in the block of 43th and 5th Avenue NW was determined accidental.

Seattle Fire investigators discovered that the fire started when combustibles piled too close to an operating power generator caught fire inside the house.

The 911 call came in just after 9:30 p.m. on December 16. When firefighters arrived on scene smoke and flames were pouring from the fully involved house and spreading to the house next door.

Firefighters made an initial entry into the burning home but the flames were too intense. At the same time, additional fire crews worked on protecting the houses in close proximity. Firefighters continued to attack the fire from the exterior.

The occupants, home at the time of the fire, got out safely and there were no injuries.

Damage to the two homes and their contents is estimated at $300,000.

As the temperatures drop, citizens are reminded that gas powered generators are never to be used indoors.

A follow-up to 2009’s WE ARE THE JUNCTION West Seattle holiday album, TINSELITIS: A WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS ALBUM continues in the tradition of bringing together West Side musicians.

A family-friendly collection of original holiday songs, TINSELITIS: A WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS ALBUM, is being given away. Just visit the link and click under each artist listing, and download the song in MP3 format.

Here is the Tinselitis link to access the songs.

Helping to put the album together were Ben Jenkins, The Bend, Jay Cates, Hondo II, The Pleasure Elite, Gunn and the Damage Done, Chloroformula, The Black Bangs, Groggy Bikini, Gary Corrington, The Navins, Kill Room Studios, Elliott Bay Recording Studio, Ron Nine Studios, Brian Nelson, Tim Jones, and Stumbletown Steve Adams.

According to the West Settle-based counseling and consulting organization, Personal Safety Nets, we are pressured by our culture to feel cheerful each holiday season, fueled in part by perky TV commercials, colorful Christmas-lit streets, and songs of gaiety piped into shops, cues for us all to be happy, happy, happy.

Co-founders Judy Pigott, a well-known West Seattle advocate, and Dr. John W. Gibson, with Managing Director, Ben Kaufman, understand that many feel especially isolated this time of year and they offer constructive ways to cope both internally and externally with pressure of smiling our way from Thanksgiving through New Years Day and perhaps gifting ourselves a smile while doing so.

Personal Safety Nets offers four programs, adjusted to fit each group that signs up. They are, guest speaking, classes, consultation/keynotes, and education and workplace training, offered at no charge through June.

The Ballard basketball teams hosted the Woodinville Falcons on Friday evening.

The Lady Beavers were up first and despite a last quarter effort, couldn't catch up to the Lady Falcons.
Woodinville earned themselves an eight-point-lead in the first quarter and expanded on it throughout the game. It was a low-scoring game for Ballard, scoring no more than five points per quarter until their fourth quarter comeback attempt when they scored 12 points.

The final score was 25 for Ballard and 42 for Woodinville.

Imani Bender led the Beavers in scoring with eight points. Nancy MacGeorge was also a strong asset for her team with four rebounds, six blocks, and one assist. She also scored four points.

The Boys basketball game was a nail bitter.

The Falcons were strong in the first half, gaining a ten-point-lead over the Beavers. But Ballard came back strong after halftime, scoring 11 points in the third quarter while only allowing the Falcons three points. The game wasn't decided until the final second of the game. Beavers were ahead 40 to 39 and the Falcons gained the ball. They shot and missed and Beavers won the game.

Thursday evening radio controlled and pre-programed robots took over the sound lab at the Burien Public Library. The Highline High Tekerz Robotics Team, known as FIRST #3574, was there to show off their completion robot and learn project management from their adult mentor team made up of current and former Boeing engineers.

The Tekerz, in their first year of competing, earned the title of 2011 Rookie All Stars at the FIRST Seattle regionals comprised of fifty teams from around the state. Their robot is a three foot by four foot behemoth standing almost five feet tall, made of components we can all associate with robots.

An extruded aluminum frame work with electric motors, actuators, compressors, computers, and a large grappling arm capable of grasping a target object and delivering it to a designated elevated goal. The robot is controlled remotely via joystick by the “team driver” through a sophisticated laptop. The robots are designed to perform a specific task during completion. Each team can approach the task in any fashion consequently no two robots look alike.

President Barack Obama released a statement Oct. 21 that the the Iraqi war will conclude Dec. 31. In it he wrote, "...So today, I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year. After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over (...) The last American soldier[s] will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success, and knowing that the American people stand united in our support for our troops. That is how America’s military efforts in Iraq will end."

While Carrie Thomas, mother of murder victim Jayme Thomas, and I were talking on the telephone Dec. 14, a neighbor came to her door and told her that Jayme’s little cat had just been run over by a car.

Jayme told me about her little cat the day we visited in the park.

Her mother, Carrie was already suffering from grief with loss of her daughter and now Jayme’s cat was killed on a road near their house.

As Carrie tried to continue a conversation with me I struggled to know how to respond, given all the pain I could imagine she was in feeling.

I listened on the telephone as she struggled to tell me about the loss, saying how precious that cat was to Jayme and how the cat had shown signs of grief from missing Jayme.

“It was just yesterday that for the first time since Jayme’s death that the cat was willing to sit on my lap,” Carrie said.

As I listened all I could think of to say was “Maybe, Jayme wanted the company of her cat in Heaven."

“Maybe so," Carrie said, "Maybe so, I didn’t think of that.”

What unbelievable pain for one family to bear.

Tuesday, Dec. 13
Boys basketball
Mt. Rainier 68, TJ 55
Mount Rainier came through in South Puget Sound League North Division action against Thomas Jefferson High School of Federal Way last Tuesday.
Malik Rogers poured in 30 points for the Rams in their victory.

Lindbergh 69, Highline 47
Lindbergh flew past the Pirates in a 69-47 Seamount League game last Tuesday.

Gymnastics
Highline-Evergreen-Tyee
Highline scored 144.85 points to top the field in a meet involving three Highline area schools this past Tuesday.
Tyee was next with 97.85 points and Evergreen came in third with 73.15.

Boys swimming
Hazen 109, Highline 54
The Pirates were plundered by the Highlanders in Seamount League action Tuesday.

Highline won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:39.25 and the 200 medley relay in 1:52.56.

Williams won the 200 individual medley for the Pirates in 2:09.98 and Graybill won the 100 free in 47.41 and the 100 backstroke in an even 1:00.00.

Wednesday, Dec. 14
Boys basketball
Evergreen 64, Hazen 53
Evergreen scored a victory over the Highlanders this past Wednesday.

Renton 62, Tyee 36

Patience and ball movement powered Seattle Lutheran to a 39-22 SeaTac 2B League girls' basketball victory at Evergreen Lutheran in Des Moines on Tuesday, Dec. 12 in the first half of a girls' and boys' doubleheader.

Seattle Lutheran improved to 1-1 league and 2-2 overall while Evergreen Lutheran stands at 0-1 league and 0-5 overall.

"We had to overcome poor shooting," Saints head coach Bruce Carlson stated. "We were more patient moving the ball in the second half and the shots started dropping. "Defense is our key. Keeping the press going and working it better is important to get more easy baskets. We also need to shoot the ball better."

These factors are also what ignite Seattle Lutheran's long-range goals.

"Our goal is to get back into the top four and into the district playoffs," continued Carlson. "Our most likely spot to reach is somewhere between two and four. We'll know more after playing Crosspoint. To get there we rely on our three seniors. Our point guard is Ali Bigliardi while Jillian Smith plays good defense. Amy Jacobs can be a good outside shooter. We want to get better and work harder in each game."

Seattle Lutheran capitalized on Evergreen Lutheran mistakes in the fourth quarter to forge a riveting 64-55 SeaTac 2B League boys' basketball victory at the Eagles' campus in Des Moines on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

With the win, the Saints moved to 1-0 league and 3-1 overall. Evergreen Lutheran stands at 0-1 and 1-1 respectively. The Eagles also played in a tournament in Minnesota which included a close 65-64 loss to Illinois Lutheran plus losses to powerhouses Arizona Lutheran and Nebraska Lutheran.

"It was a matter of executing our offense," said Saints head coach Brett Kapels. "We calmed down and got into our sets. We need good looks at the hoop and we need to box out to finish plays. In the fourth quarter, we attacked them and did our game, owning the boards and not turning the ball over."