March 2012

The latest aircraft noise exposure maps from the Port of Seattle show that aircraft noise is decreasing in Des Moines.

The city of Des Moines may soon modify their 15-year-old building codes concerning airport noise control.

“Airplanes are getting quieter … and the third runway supports more incoming flights than take-offs,” said City Manager Tony Piasecki.

Without the noise levels, the council no longer saw a need for stringent noise reduction requirements for building in their city.

At the March 1 Des Moines City Council meeting Grant Fredricks, Planning, Building & Public Works director, presented new data from the Port of Seattle’s “Part 150” study to the council. The data shows a significant amount of reduction in air traffic noise for the southern part of Des Moines.

The “Part 150” study was developed by the Port in the ‘90s to identify areas of high-level air traffic noise in the Sea-Tac Airport’s surrounding cities and neighborhoods. The ongoing study provides communities with current sound data for the areas in their flight corridor.

So what does moving the Highline Classic Jazz Festival to the historic Landmark Event Center in Des Moines mean?

For festival goers it means more bands in two elegant auditoriums, dancing, jam sessions, and full dinner service.

“It will be more of a party atmosphere and less of a concert atmosphere,” declared festival founder and director Lance Haslund. “And it’s an absolutely fabulous bargain—11 bands for $35.”

The fourth annual jazz festival will be held Saturday, March 10 at the Landmark, 23660 Marine View Dr. S., from 3- 10 p.m. The event is a sponsored by Burien Arts.

Haslund acknowledges that there are many fine music festivals in the Puget Sound region.

“But this is the only place in the greater Seattle area that celebrates the first half-century of jazz,” he noted.

There will be New Orleans and Chicago style hot jazz, also known as Dixieland, plus Gypsy ballads, big band jazz form the 1920s, western swing and straight ahead classics.

Performers include Del Rey and Matt Weiner, Mt. Rainier High School Jazz Band, Pearl Django, Glen Crytzer and His Syncopators, Holtraband, The Jangles, Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band and the Jennifer Scott Trio.

West Seattle Little League (WSLL) is conducting a Players Clinic Sunday March 11th from 10:30-1:00 at the BarS play field, 6425 Admiral Way s.w.

The coach of State Champion Seattle Lutheran High School, Steve Meehan and players from his team will be running the clinic (Coach Pitch, Minors and Majors).

The cost to attend the clinic is $20 per player or family (if you have more than one child in WSLL) which is utilized as a fundraiser for the SL baseball program. You can pay at the snack shack, cash or check (payable to WSLL).

There's still time to join the league (if you live in the boundaries). The registration page is here.

Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson is currently one of Washington’s longest-serving lawmakers, having represented Seattle's 36th legislative district -- which includes Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Magnolia, and Queen Anne -- since 1994.

Just days after news of her retirement was leaked to the press, Dickerson took some time to look back on the successes and frustrations of her legislative career.

While she has served on and led legislative committees dealing with most of the issues that come before the House, the one thread that’s run through her career, in and out of the Legislature, is her passion for children and families.

Update 5:15 pm Mar. 7
The King County Sheriff's office released this update on the dual shooting incident the night of Tuesday, Mar. 6 in Burien.

A 32 year old bail bondsman and a 42 year old Burien man were both shot when gunfire was exchanged early Wednesday morning in front of a Burien house. The incident occurred about 11:40 PM in the 12600 block of Occidental Ave S.

The bail bondsman told police he had information that a woman with a warrant he was looking for was associated with the house. The bondsman said he had been watching the house when there was a confrontation which occurred outside between him and the residents of the house.

Witnesses said that someone in the house brought a shotgun outside and after a brief struggle over the shotgun shots were fired. The bondsman, who was wearing a bullet proof vest, was struck in the chest with birdshot. A resident of the house was struck in the leg by a bullet presumably fired by the bondsman. The woman the bondsman was looking for was not in the house and police do not believe she is actually associated with the house.

Lowen Clausen never tires of the view from his home. He can watch mist on the Ship Canal, fog rising up from Puget Sound, tug boats pushing barges, the Ballard Bridge raising and lowering and the change of seasons on the library’s green roof. Clausen lives in a penthouse that he’d prefer people didn’t know existed. He lives on top of the Ballard Building.

Clausen’s path has taken in from a horseback riding Dane in Nebraska, to Seattle beat cop, author, business owner and to the top of Ballard. The view from the rooftop where he keeps his grill is 360°. His office is one floor below. Since he’s also owner of Ballard Health Club in the basement, one could say that he’s got the building covered, top to bottom.

Bretnie and Eric Eschenbach got their dog Neko who is "probably a border collie mix" as a rescue dog about four years ago from a "rescue place in eastern Washington that brings dogs over to a place in Auburn." They used PetFinders.com to do the initial search. They were seeking a puppy. "His brothers were more wild than he was and we thought he was the more mellow one I guess he fooled us because he's fairly wild himself," Eschenbach said.

"He's got a lot of energy and it takes a lot of long walks to get that out," she explained.

Neko, "Loves people and loves being outside and loves hiking and the snow, anywhere dogs are allowed off leash. He's a working dog and he has to carry his own food."

The couple has noticed that Neko loves the snow. So much so that when he sees it he, "goes and literally swims in it. He lays down in it and rolls his head and starts moving his paws like he's swimming."
Almost ironically, Neko does not really enjoy swimming in water. "He's not big into swimming," she offered,"He'll do it if you make him but he won't run out and swim on his own."

The next White Center Chamber of Commerce luncheon on March 13, 2012 will be hosted by LUSO Food and Wine Imports Boutique, 9988 15th Ave SW, Suite C. Tina E. Hemmons is the owner, 206-694-3542.

The chamber will be acknowledging the recent death of Art Spencer , and his family contribution to White Center through their well-respected Spencer Automotive. They have invited Rich (his son) and Sharon (his wife) to the luncheon to talk about Art and family life in White Center and the important contribution the Spencer family has made to White Center.

Also, this Sunday, March 11, the Spencer family will be hosting a memorial for Art Spencer at Glen Acres Country Club (Sunday, March 11, from 1-4 pm) Everyone is invited to attend Art's memorial.

Mayor McGinn and Seattle Police Department Chief John Diaz held a press conference this afternoon detailing an undercover operation to combat property theft in Seattle.

Titled Operation Oliver's Twist, members of the Seattle Police Department’s Major Crimes Task Force (MCTF) and Pawn Shop/Property Recovery Unit completed a year-long operation rounding up burglars, car prowlers, and other criminal suspects caught selling stolen goods to undercover detectives.

McGinn called the operation a great success as detectives recovered over 900 stolen items and removed a number of dangerous weapons from Seattle’s streets.

From Mayor McGinn's blog:

In 2010, Seattle bucked a national trend of declining property crime rates, with burglary and theft rates here increasing 3.2 percent in contrast to a 1.3 percent decrease across the country, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Crime in the United States” report.

Nationally known musician Lil Rev is coming for a community concert Mar. 16 at the West Seattle Senior Center. From Wisconsin, Lil Rev is a multi-instrumentalist playing ukelele, banjo, mandolin, guitar and harmonica all while telling stories combined with poems and history in a humorous and exciting show.

Friday, March 16th
4217 SW Oregon St. (x = California); Senior Center of West Seattle. (Lots of Free Parking close by.)
Doors open at 5:30 pm, Rev’s set begins at 6:30 pm. Food and beverages will be provided “a la carte” by the SC-WS.

RSVP/Preregister: 206 932-4044 (ext. 4)
$15-adults, $5-12 & under
(All proceeds shared by the entertainer and the Senior Center)

Lil Rev is also a teacher and will be teaching Ukulele classes at Dusty Strings Saturday, March 17th. He will be teaching; Irish Songs for the Ukulele, and Jug Band Ukulele Styles. For more information go to www.dustystrings.com - music school, workshops, ukulele.

In another nearby performance Lil Rev and his family will also be on Vashon Island. Lil’ Rev is doing a show at the Vashon Theatre from 2-4 pm Sunday, March 18th. Tickets are $ 7