October 2012

Press release:

An amazing ceramic sculpture will be installed in the windows of Burien Town Square retail on Thursday, Nov. 8th. Created by artist (and Moshier Art Center instructor) George Rodriquez, “Instrumental Divide (Mariachi)” was created in 2009. The work will be installed in the windows on 5th Avenue Southwest next to the large staircase and will be exhibited for up to six months.

Rodriques writes: This work is made up of nine larger than life figures all arranged in a line. Each figure represents a member of a Mariachi group and stand with matching uniform, decorative boots, belt, distinct mustaches, and own instrument. In the group there are three violins, two trumpets, a set of maracas, a Mexican guitar, a vihuela (5 string guitar), and a guitarron (small base). Each figure stands about seven feet tall.

Press release:

A 911 call came into to South King Fire & Rescue at 2:45 p.m. Oct. 30 for the fire department to respond and investigate a woman swimming in open water off the Redondo Pier in Des Moines.

Fire department units arrived and confirmed an adult woman about 300 feet off shore. The Tacoma Fire Boat “Destiny,” a boat from Burien Fire and a Coast Guard vessel were requested to assist in the offshore rescue.

Rescue team members and a rescue swimmer from South King Fire commandeered 2 local rowboats and, along with Des Moines Police officers, made their way to the woman. The agitated woman threatened to overturn the rowboats, so firefighters backed away and monitored the woman’s condition with their rescue swimmer ready to intervene if necessary.

The Tacoma Fire Boat arrived and quickly brought the woman on board and transported her to the Redondo boat launch for medical evaluation. She was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.

Press release:

The City of SeaTac is recruiting for volunteers to serve on the newly created Community Building Committee. Responsibilities include:

• Community best-practices research.
• Communication and relationship-building with City departments and within the community.
• Hearing and presenting feedback on projects and programs under development by the City.
• Participate in existing city, school and community meetings and events.
The committee is intended to be a diverse representation of SeaTac’s many neighborhoods, schools, cultures, religions, socio-economic and special needs groups, age ranges, and skills. To best serve the Committee’s purpose, representatives should be committed to the SeaTac community, interested in the Committee’s research, skilled in communications, and dedicated to engaging citizens.

A newly released emissions report shows significant maritime-related clean air progress for Puget Sound region Maritime-related air pollution has decreased—as much as 40 percent, depending on the type—since 2005, according to a report released today.

"The results of the 2011 Emissions Inventory are significant, with substantial pollution reductions across the board for the Port of Seattle," said Gael Tarleton, port commission President. "The Seattle Port Commission has been committed to finding answers that will inform our decisions for years to come."

From the Port of Seattle...
The report is the result of the 2011 Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory, which provided an update to the 2005 baseline inventory. The inventory estimated greenhouse gases, diesel particulate matter and a number of other pollutants, such as sulfur dioxides and volatile organic compounds. It focused on pollutants related to ships, harbor vessels, cargo-handling equipment, rail, heavy-duty trucks and other fleet vehicles associated with maritime activities.

A very famous name is taking over the real estate franchise network associated with Prudential Northwest Realty.

Investor Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway announced Tuesday, Oct. 30 it is buying the franchise network from Brookfield Asset Management. Berkshire and Brookfield will switch agents to a new brand next year.

"We are honored and proud to be entrusted with the use of the Berkshire Hathaway name as our real estate franchise brand" said Mike Gain, president and CEO of HomeServices of Washington doing business as Prudential Northwest Realty. "We will convey the strength of Berkshire Hathaway's reputation and its associated principles of honesty, integrity and financial stability in everything we do.

"They say one is judged by the company that one keeps. In business no one is more respected than Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway. I cannot think of anyone with whom I'd rather be associated in business with," Gain said. "At Prudential Northwest Realty, it just keeps getting better."

Cloud City Skate Shop, being billed as "West Seattle's core skate shop - rider owned and operated" is set to open at 3270 California Ave SW (a block south of West Seattle High School).

The opening day is set to be Saturday, November 3.

The new shop will be open from 11am to 9pm.

The store will carry brands familiar to skaters such as:

Girl Skateboards, Chocolate Skateboards, Royal Trucks, DLXSF, HeelBruise Clothing, Fourstar Clothing, Crailtap and Lakai Limited Footwear.

You can join them on Facebook here.

West Seattle Hi-Yu is still accepting scholarship applications till November 30. The application for scholarship is available at www.westseattlehiyu.com and can be downloaded at the link.

The scholarship program details from Hi-Yu follow:

Candidates benefit from our commitment to personal, professional, and academic development. The program offers individual mentoring by a successful businesswoman, cash scholarship awards, community service opportunities, and career preparation sessions in public speaking and presentation.

Tom Salle has been working his fingers to the bone. But not the kind he'd prefer. Locally famous as "Meat the Live Butcher" Salle has been enduring delays in getting his new butcher shop open at 9432 16th SW in White Center. As the the West Seattle Herald reported in June he hoped to be open by the end of summer.

But permits, construction delays and the speed at which things get purchased and installed have meant that the opening was a bit later than he would have liked.

The Grand Opening event is now set for Nov. 2 and true to his spirit and reputation it will be a community driven event. But that doesn't mean the shop itself will be entirely ready. That's going to take just a bit more time. The party is on though and set to take place at the White Center Eagles at 10452 15th SW. It will be a food drive for the White Center Food Bank with live music provided by Jim King and the Southenders at 8:30. The party gets underway at 6pm.

You are urged to bring a non perishable food item and/or cash to help in the drive.

Cathy Pringle got her Delaney six years ago from a breeder in Lynnwood, and Delaney is a pure bred Pomeranian. "Her markings are unusual," said Pringle," they usually don't like them a "Parti color" (meaning more than one color)."

She chose Delaney because her markings reminded her of a beloved Husky/Malamute mix dog named Sara who passed away. "I didn't want another big dog."

She is kind of unusual for a Pomeranian because they usually have a lot of anxiety and they're kind of yippy but she's very mellow and calm. She loves kids and and people. She's actually kind of shy and has a dog phobia but ever since I moved to this neighborhood in West Seattle she kind of overcame that because there are so many dogs. She's really worked beyond that."

Delaney eats Royal Canaan dog food and she loves Pupperoni for treats. Her preferred toy is a stuffed possom. "She's had it since she was a puppy and it stinks but she loves it. She also has a stuffed Pomeranian that's about the size of her and she loves to play with that too."

Her best friend is Conner, who lives in the condos next door.

I was planning to write this week’s column about trudging around Ballard. Between participating in Metro’s Ballard InMotion program to reduce car trips and canvassing door to door to encourage folks to mail in their ballots, I’ve been logging a lot of pedestrian hours lately, on streets that I’ve never even walked before. On Thursday, I saw a handwritten sign on the door of The Scoop at Walter’s on 32nd NW. It said, “Meet here for Salmon Bay Walking School Bus. Friday @ 7:45 a.m.”

It seemed like it would make a good photograph for the column. The plan was simple: pull on clothes, walk to The Scoop to photograph this “walking school bus” and then return home to formally start my day.

But the moment that Jay Sasnett, allegedly retired Salmon Bay Middle School teacher, appeared in his signature white hat and a glowing traffic safety officer vest, I knew my day wasn’t going to go as planned. That was even before he helped me stand on top of the Seattle Times distribution box to take a photo from a better vantage point.