December 2011

The West Seattle Herald, publishing here since 1923 made a significant change to our home page in December so here's a reminder.

If you look at the lower right you'll see we've added a new feature. Twitter posts, offering as close to real time updates as possible.

This means that for breaking news, you will likely see it from us, on that section first. It won't just be links to our final story on something. It will be alerts to things happening that we are on our way to cover or items for which a full story isn't necessary or which we don't have all the facts on yet.

Adding this feature is in keeping with a long standing history of innovation for Robinson Newspapers. In 1957 we were the first weekly newspaper to print with a rotary offset press. In the early 1970's were were the first to use FAX machines, and optical character recognition systems. In the early 80's we created the first all digital video and audio production facility in the world in Seattle.

The Great Depression hit Portland, Oregon in 1929 and like many other cities it had its struggles. Jobs were scarce and sometimes common sense was scarcer.

I was about nine and standing in line with my mom at the Pay n' Take-It grocery store on Lombard Street. An angry man was shouting at the clerk at the cash register. He was holding up an open can of spinach and demanding his money back because the label showed a fried egg resting on the green contents.

The customer was irate because there was no egg in the can like the label showed. The clerk was trying to explain that it was just a drawing to show what an egg would look like if the spinach was on a plate and if the man had an egg he could fry it and put it on top of the spinach and it would go well together.

The clerk apologized but would not give the man his money back.

We watched him stalk out of the store and I thought about offering him one of my eggs from my Banty hens but knew my dad planned on having those eggs for Sunday breakfast.

By Julia Patterson
King County Councilmember

I am often asked how actions in the “other Washington” influence King County residents. Sometimes, these decisions can affect our everyday lives, like the price we pay for gasoline.

Gas prices are dependent on many factors. For example, you’ve probably noticed prices increase in the summer when more people travel longer distances. The increased demand for gasoline leads to higher prices because suppliers produce only a limited quantity of gasoline. However, gas prices are also impacted by something much more esoteric: oil speculation. Oil speculation is the buying and selling of oil by private investors who have no intention of using it, but want to make a profit.

This September, I introduced a motion that was unanimously adopted by the King County Council to protect King County consumers from paying artificially high oil prices. This motion called on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal agency, to use its power to control speculative oil investment.

In this article, I will explain what oil speculation is, why it matters to everyday people, and why I introduced the motion.

If you’ve ever wondered what creatures go bump in the night -- or splash, as the case may be -- the Environmental Science Center (ESC) at Seahurst Beach is hosting public moonlight beach walks Dec. 10 and Jan. 21.

“It’s a treasure hunt each time we go out because you don’t know exactly what you’ll see or where you’ll find it, but it’s always fun,” says Barb Williams, a trained beach naturalist who leads tours and is an ESC board trustee.

“People rarely realize how much life is here on the beach. Unless you’re very observant, it’s easy to walk by and not even notice something. With the nighttime walks when you use a flashlight, it focuses your attention more,” explains Williams.

The tours coincide with low tides when more marine life and beach habitat are exposed for viewing. “There are typically a lot of different kinds of crabs, sea stars, anemones and I believe some tours have seen nudibranchs, which is a kind of sea slug,” says Caroline Bobanick, ESC’s executive director.

Highline residents have the unique opportunity of seeing two outdoor nativity scenes this Christmas season. One is sponsored by Normandy Christian Church and the other by Highline Christian Church.

For 10 minutes this Christmas season on Dec. 10 and 11, Highline families can be transported to Bethlehem while driving through the parking lot at Normandy Christian Church.

Scores of volunteers, thousands of lights, and full-size sets bring to life the Nativity Story. On display will be live scenes of angels, shepherds, a donkey, goats, guests at the inn, wisemen, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.

The drive-thru Christmas story will be open 6- 8:30 pm. on those two nights. Admission is free.

Normandy Christian Church is located at 908 S. 200th St. For directions, visit www.normandychristian.org or call 206-878-4740.

Highline Christian Church is presenting its 17th Annual Outdoor Living Nativity. Bring the whole family and invite your friends to this family friendly outdoor play under the stars. Sip hot cocoa as you watch the cast and animals including real llamas, sheep, goats, donkey and calf retell the tender story of Jesus’ birth.

Press release
Seattle Christian Schools’ eighth grade U.S. History students have been chosen to design and create the ornaments for Washington state’s tree for the 2011 National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park in Washington, D.C.

The school is located in SeaTac.

“It is an honor to be selected as I take a group of students almost every year to Washington, D.C. to visit our nation’s capital,” said Karla Tripoli, eighth grade U.S. History teacher. “We discuss the National Christmas Tree ceremony and visit its location. Now we actually get to participate in this historic event by making the decorations for our state’s tree and it is such an honor. We are excited to be a part of the National Christmas Tree display because this is our opportunity to represent Washington state (the other Washington) by creating decorations that represent us.”

Press release
Tukwila School Director Mary Fertakis has been sworn in as president of the Washington State School Directors’ Association, an organization made up of the state’s 1,477 locally elected school board members.

The installation of officers took place Nov. 27 during the WSSDA Annual Conference in Bellevue.

Fertakis was elected president-elect by WSSDA members last year. Under the association's bylaws, the president-elect automatically becomes president the following year.

As WSSDA president for 2012, Fertakis serves as an advocate for school boards and their efforts to promote student achievement. The president represents the association and communicates its positions to legislators, members of Congress, the State Board of Education, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the U.S. Department of Education.

Fertakis has been a member of the Tukwila School Board for 16 years, serving as the board president, vice president and legislative representative.

Three White Center heroes were honored today at the White Center Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon and Toys For Tots drive at the Salvation Army on 16th Ave. SW. Deputy Jeff Hancock, who returned to White Center after a stint on Vashon Island and helps out at Holy Family feeding homeless, Vary Jackson, White Center Community Service Officer, and Selena Daniels, including her organization, the Community Corrections Division of the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.

"I got this award last year and felt almost embarrassed," said Frank Cantwell, Principal. Holy Family Parish School. "Jeff was the key component to all this, so this year I said, 'It has to be Jeff.'" It was Cantwell who nominated Hancock.

"I patrol White Center, I came back over here from Vashon a week ago," Hancock told the West Seattle Herald. "BJ Myers is the new storefront deputy. I am the patrol deputy, so I can (also) go up to Skyway and Federal Way."

Hancock, a Port Orchard resident and father of six, said he wanted to clarify some points regarding his award.

Press release
Attorney and community leader Frederick Mendoza has been appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire to serve on the Highline Community College Board of Trustees.

After 30 years of public and private law practice, Mendoza founded Mendoza Law Center, PLLC in 2007.

Located in Normandy Park, Mendoza Law Center represents a wide range of local, regional and national companies and organizations in all aspects of business, real estate and litigation.

Prior to entering the private law sector, Mendoza served as King County deputy prosecuting attorney in the criminal and fraud divisions. He is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law.

Mendoza is a dedicated community volunteer. His current public service positions include serving as board member and chair of The Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, vice chair of the Washington State Public Stadium Authority and member of the Board of Trustees of Highline Medical Center. He was a founding member of the board of Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence.

From King County Metro:

In the first service change since major transit reforms were enacted earlier this year, King County Metro is proposing service adjustments for June 2012 that would ease bus overcrowding, improve the performance of buses that are chronically late, and reduce inefficient bus service.

Because some areas between Burien and Kent lack enough bus service based on factors such as population, demographics and employment, Metro is proposing to extend Route 180 evening service until midnight to Sea-Tac Airport and Burien, and to invest in other underserved corridors as resources become available.

“These proposed changes move us ever closer to achieving a stronger, quality-driven transit system that delivers a bus trip that is comfortable, predictable, and brings more service to underserved communities,” said Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond.

The proposed changes are part of a broader policy the council adopted earlier this year to reinvest 100,000 hours of lower-performing bus service to serve riders more efficiently and at a lower cost.