December 2011

At about 5:38 p.m. (officially) Dec. 3 the new West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court members Queen Thea Pulido, 9, Princess Elena Kline, 11, and Princess Amanda Elder, 11, joined Marty Riemer's daughter Josie, 5, on stage to push the electronic button that lit the tree.

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West Seattleite and KMTT 103.7 FM on air personality Marty Riemer was back again as host as the crowd enjoyed hot cider, christmas carols, and lots of fun at Junction Plaza Park.

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White Center's always-in-motion Sweet Pea seemed once again to outpace the Energizer Bunny while she hosted a well-attended Toys For Tots benefit Friday night at Highway 99 Blues Club, just across Elliott Bay, at 1414 Alaskan Way. Ms. Pea held true to her aesthetic with the party's pin-up girl, Tiki, and rockabilly themes.

Party-goers also held true to the theme of gift-giving while toting new Beanie Babies, teddy bears, lunch boxes, clothes and other items they dropped into a large leaf bag held open by the checker at the club's entrance. The Toys For Tots program is a national program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

A raffle was held, and bands performed, including the Mercury 4 with Chip Doring, Natalie Parks, Jim Sadler, Marshall Scott Warner. Guitarist Doring lives in West Seattle, and drummer Warner, is moving to West Seattle shortly.

It has been almost a year since John Peck saw his nephew for the last time. Jeremy Peck, the 24-year-old man known by friends for his stellar sense of humor and Norman Rockwell-worthy smile disappeared on Christmas Eve 2010 after a night out for drinks with friends in West Seattle.

Twenty five days later Jeremy’s body washed up along the shore of Bainbridge Island, discovered by a man out for a walk on Manitou Beach.

The coroner’s office reported an undetermined cause of death, his body in no condition to decipher any additional clues after nearly a month in the Sound (although people close to the case said they were told by coroners he drowned). Police are calling it a suspicious death for now, and John calls it murder – a murder, he suspects, at the hands of a close friend: a man Jeremy and he bowled with, a man whose house he worked on, a man Jeremy spent the day drinking bloody marys and watching football with just a few weeks before he disappeared.

While this man and one other were named in a search warrant affidavit as people of interest in Jeremy’s case, no arrests have been made. Seattle Police say the investigation is still active and ongoing.

Those seeking holiday cheer have visited the Rice family's front yard Christmas display with Peanuts cartoon characters for 36 years, at 2128 47th Ave. SW, a few blocks north of Admiral Way. Don is busy once again arranging and reinforcing the 6-foot or so, quarter-inch plywood figures while arranging lights while his wife Sarah decorates the inside of their home. Nearly 9,000 lights shine when completed.

"I have received Christmas cards from people who saw our display as kids, then came back with their kids to see it again," said Don. He and Sarah are avid walkers who stroll Alki and descend and ascend Admiral Way miles a day. You might call them expert Christmas decorators as they have designed Holy Names Academy's Christmas display for their annual auction for 17 years. He has been employed there as maintenance director for six years. His daughter Nikki, attended.

When you arrive at the Starbucks headquarters before the baristas you know it's early and on Sat. Dec. 3 hundreds of volunteers led by the West Seattle Rotary club held their 38th annual West Seattle Rotary Club Children's Shopping spree.

According to the Rotary website, "The project started from very humble beginnings in the late 1960's when a few Rotarians took several young people Christmas shopping for a few clothing items."

The program pairs a child with an adult and everyone gets breakfast at the SODO Kitchen in Starbucks Center, whose workers volunteer their time.

100 children are fitted for shoes, coats and clothing during the event.

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Every year The Rotary Club of West Seattle alternates between all of the elementary schools in West Seattle.

Chief Sealth had just too much depth and experience in a 78-38 non league girls basketball win at Tyee on Monday, November 28.

"We did well for what we had," stated Totem head coach Wayne Severson. "They played hard. Three of our players had never played varsity before. They just haven't had the experience at the varsity level.."
Academic ineligibility has the Tyee roster at seven players until the first Wednesday in December. Sealth suited up 12 players for this game.

"We're looking to finish near the middle of the pack (in the Seamount League)," concluded Severson.
Seamount first team All-Star Areneasha Smith scored 31 points but Emily Maiyo and Kimberly Holguin were the only other point scorers for Tyee. Maiyo had six points and 11 rebounds.

Monica Ouk, Khalyn Guy, Madison Kelly and Savannah Sheriff rounded out the hard fighting, but thin in numbers player roster for the Totems.

Smith's six points had Tyee within 10-6 before the Seahawks led 14-6 after one quarter. Chief Sealth gradually enlarged its margin to lead 28-14 at the half.

Junction area restaurants were packed on Friday Dec. 2 but that's all the more surprising because the Husky Deli was holding it's annual holiday open house and it was wall to wall people all lined up to taste the chocolates, pasta, chicken, meatballs (two kinds!) crackers, spreads, dips, oils, veggies, chocolate mousse cake from Bakery Noveau, and of course Italian wines.

This was also the 79th year anniversary party for the business.

Jack Miller,owner was at his station again, slicing amazing slices of ham for everyone as people all jostled for position to hear Tim, Judy and Janet of We Three Carolers sing familiar Christmas carols and songs.

Elaiana Schaffer of Fandango Olive Oil was there all the way from Paso Roble Calfornia sharing samples too.

In an informal gathering at the White Center Field house at Steve Cox Park, the namesake of the park Steve Cox was remembered by more than 60 members of law enforcement and fire departments from King County, Burien, SeaTac and elsewhere. His mother, brother, wife Maria and son Bronson were present today.

Cox was killed in White Center in the line of duty in 2006. The park was subsequently named in his honor.

Major Graddon said that the impact Cox had on the community was due to the way he did his job, often going well beyond the call of duty.

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Seattle Christian defensive stops preserved a 47-45 non-league boys basketball opener against visiting Steilacoom on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

With SCS trailing 45-44, Richard Jensen's pump fake beyond the three-point arc drew a shooting foul against the Sentinels with 42.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Jensen dropped in the first two of three free throw attempts to give Seattle Christian a 46-45 lead.

The Sentinels attempted to retaliate on an inside drive, but the presence of the Warriors' 6 feet, 4 inch Chaise DeVries forced the player to alter his shot, resulting in a truly poor attempt. Eleven seconds later, Shawn Abe drained the front end of a one-and-one for a 47-45 advantage.

With 15.4 seconds left, Steilacoom rebounded its own missed shot and called time out in its back court to set up a winning or tieing situation. When the Sentinels crossed center court, Kyle Pierotti pilfered the ball and SCS called time out with 2.2 seconds remaining.

Abe passed the ball into the court and the game ended with the desperate Steilacoom defenders unable to steal and score in one fell swoop.

By Christina Gramling
Special to the Times/News

The 2012 budget for the city of Des Moines was approved by the City Council Dec. 1 by a 4-3 vote.

Council members Dave Kaplan, Dan Sherman and Scott Thomasson voted against the budget. Sherman and Thomasson did not run for re-election so they will be off the council in January.

“As much as I want to, I can’t support the budget. It’s the process. It’s the same process year after year, after year,” said Kaplan.

Despite a vote in favor of the budget, Councilman Matt Pina agreed that changes needed to be made to the “process” and said, “I know it’s [2012 budget] not perfect.” But, he added, the council needed to move forward.

Other members were concerned with using the city’s “one-time” funds to balance the budget.

With new expenditures such as a full-time economic development manager costing the city $120,000 per year and the marina’s lease rising from just $16,000 to $102,000 per year, new income will need to be devised.

Sherman proposed charging the “wildly successful” waterfront farmer’s market a lease as a source for potential income for the city.