February 2012

UPDATE:

Cycle University will hold their grand opening party this Saturday, June 30 at 6pm at the new West Seattle store, 3418 Harbor Ave SW.
In a Facebook post they said:
"Stop on in for some Free beer! (Schooner Exact...to be exact.) Come on by!"
You can see some of what the new store looks like inside on their Facebook page.

The store will have some major discounts in effect for the event good through July 6 including:
30% to 40% off 2010/2011 bikes
30% off nutrition
20% off parts and accessories
15% off 2012 bikes

Not to mention door prizes and giveaways.

Original post Feb 29
Cycle U, the biking, exercise and bike repair company that has been operating for the past two years in the West Seattle Triangle is moving to a new location at 3418 Harbor Ave. s.w. They will move in some time in April pending some negotiations.

Given how much time I spend in the saddle and how many bike accident horror stories have been floating around in Seattle, the question wasn't if I would get hit someday but rather when I'd get hit.

And Monday night was the answer.

I was riding home on the beautiful green bike lane on Roosevelt Way when suddenly a car door swung open right in front of me. I tried to swerve but it was too late. Next thing I know I'm launched off my bike and crash onto the unforgiving pavement. I hit my head and think, "that's why I always wear a helmet" before the pain sets in. My knees are throbbing and my shoulder's aching. I open my eyes and see various people standing over me. I roll to my side clutching my knees and try to assess my condition while answering questions. No, I don't need an ambulance. Yes, I am sure. My head's fine.
A lady shoves her purse under my head while more people run to my aid.
The woman who opened her car door stands beside me in shock. "I didn't see you. I just didn't see you," she says.

Burien’s “Citizen of the Year” strongly encouraged residents to volunteer at local schools during ceremonies honoring him Feb. 27.

John Feeney, a volunteer at New Start High, has been named Burien’s Citizen of the Year” by the Burien City Council.

“When you watch the news everything you see is “Armageddon,” commented Feeney. ”When you volunteer and go to schools you see an uplifting, different world.” Feeney especially touted teaching reading to the students.

“If you can read, you learn anything,” Feeney declared.

In accepting the award for his volunteering work, Feeney noted, “The City Council can only do so
much—beyond that we have to do it ourselves.”

At the council’s Feb. 13 meeting, Councilman Gerald Robison praised Feeney for his low-profile
involvement in the community and his help to neighbors.

Feeney has performed volunteer work at New Start, an alternative high school in White Center. He has worked with students in identifying and getting rid of invasive species as well as installing native plants in Salmon Creek Ravine.

Beverly Mowrer, a New Start teacher, was recently honored for her conservation work with the New

Lifelong West Seattle resident and senior citizen Roberta Fowler is not paid to be an advocate for Seattle Parks Lifelong Recreation programs for seniors, but after an aerobics class made a huge difference in her life she has championed their cause and hopes to get more seniors involved.

After retiring 15 years ago, Fowler wanted to get active and signed up for a Lifelong aerobics class. Shortly thereafter she received the bad news that she had diabetes and needed to lose weight. She kept going to aerobics, “and it really helped me, I lost 60 pounds … and the people are really fun.”

“I don’t think people realize how many senior activities there are available here in West Seattle,” Fowler said.

Fowler and Mary Dalzell, Seattle Parks Recreation Specialist for senior activities in West Seattle and South Park, met with the Herald at an Alki coffee shop to explain the array of opportunities for seniors in the area. The programs are for anyone 50 years old and up.

Seattle Fire Investigators determined that the Greenwood home that caught fire this morning suffered $145,000 in damage.

Shortly after 9 a.m., multiple fire trucks were dispatched to the 401 NW 95th Street where 10 to 20-foot flames were coming from the single story home.

All four of the home's occupants were safely evacuated and firefighters began an aggressive attack. The intense flames burning in the basement forced the firefighters to retreat from the home and fight the fire from the outside.

Firefighters were able to contain the flames within an hour but hot spots continued to flare up throughout the morning.

Crews did discover two pet dogs who did not survive the fire. An Animal Control Officer took possession of the pets.

Fire Investigators are calling the cause undetermined while they continue their investigation.

The home suffered extensive damage and estimates are $100,000 to the structure and $45,000 to the contents.

Press release:
Burien Little Theatre is introducing a new ticket deal for the electrifying rock opera The Who’s Tommy: Any audience member who wears green on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, gets $3 off the price of his/her admission to that performance

The green apparel must be visible (underwear doesn’t count) and the discount is available at the door only. This deal can be used in conjunction with other discounts except the Dinner and Show Package, Fabulous Four-Packs or season tickets.

Written by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, The Who’s Tommy will rock Burien Little Theatre through March 25 with such legendary hits as Pinball Wizard and See Me, Feel Me. The show features a live rock band backing singing and dancing actors, video and a set painted to look like the inside of the Tommy pinball machine.

The Who’s Tommy explores rebellion, finding yourself, and the perils of celebrity. Childhood trauma renders Tommy Walker deaf, mute and blind. He finds solace through his uncanny pinball prowess, becoming a pinball superstar and messianic hero.

Press release:

Alaska Air Group, based in SeaTac, paid annual bonuses totaling $53.8 million today to nearly all of its 12,800 employees for exceeding the company’s 2011 operational and financial goals.

The bonus of about 6.7 percent of annual pay, or more than three weeks pay for most workers, is in addition to $1,000 in bonuses, on average, that each employee earned last year for achieving monthly on-time and customer satisfaction targets. The combined monthly and annual bonuses amounted to nearly $72 million.

“We received several top honors during the past year, including being named the most on-time major airline in North America for the second year in a row and winning our fourth straight J.D. Power award for customer service,” said Brad Tilden, Alaska Air Group’s CEO-elect and president of Alaska Airlines. “We earned these awards because of the hard work and dedication of our people. I want to thank them for their focus on running a safe and on-time operation, and for their commitment to our customers.”

By Amy Hargrove, Soil Safety Program Coordinator

Press release:

Earlier this month, Burien Parks & Recreation put up signs like this one at Dottie Harper Park. Signs will be posted at other parks in the coming months. We’ve heard some questions and concerns about the signs, so I’d like to provide a little bit more information…
Contamination has been in the soil for decades--why put signs up now?
In the summer of 2010, with new funding from a settlement with Asarco, we were able to include parks in the Soil Safety Program. Until then, we only had funding to work with schools and childcare play areas.

We spent the next year doing soil sampling for arsenic and lead at park play areas throughout the Soil Safety Program service area. Once we got the results, we began working with park districts to plan cleanup work. The results also helped us figure out where parks should post signs.

Point Defiance Park in Tacoma already has signs, and several other park districts are now getting ready to post their own.
What is the risk from playing in contaminated soils?

Kari Presley got her dog Susie Q, a Boston Terrier six years ago and ever since Susie was in City Dog magazine (or maybe before) she has known she is cute.

She came from a breeder in St. Helens Oregon.

Presley is a long time fan of the breed and has had them all her life. "I had one when I was growing up and then when I was old enough and got my own place I got my own girl."

Her personality is, "It's all about me," said Presley, "She goes to work with me, she's very lucky and she thinks she's the star of everything. We have two other Bostons at work. They get along fine but Susie is a little stinky so she gets pushed out of an office every once in awhile. But other than that she's a really good worker. She greets everybody. She watches out. She's a real good girl."

She snores and is, "more human than a dog," explained Presley. "Everybody says hi to her and she kind of smiles."

Susie Q loves her Kongs, a rubber toy with feet but she can't have anything stuffed because she will tear it apart.

press release:
The Lafayette Elementary School PTA will host an auction to help support its ongoing fundraising efforts. The event, “Raisin’ the Green”, will take place at The Hall at Fauntleroy on March 17, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. It will feature dinner, cocktails, silent and live auctions, dessert dash, live music, and prize drawings.

Lafayette Elementary families and local community members are invited to attend this exciting event! Tickets are available now for $60 per person. Ticket price includes dinner, bid number, and a complimentary beverage. Purchase tickets online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/223113, or by following the link on the school web site at http://mylafayette.org.

For more information about the “Raisin’ the Green” auction, visit the auction website: http://auction.cosmodavis.com/roundup.aspx.