August 2014

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

A sense of humor has risen to the top of the pot, as they say. I certainly can’t remember a time when people didn’t find laughter in life. Since no one has recorded the comedy quotient of the cave people we don’t know if they laughed when the burly male broke his club by mistake. But in recorded time, there have always been humorists to lighten the atmosphere. Since I began on the speaking circuit I have received more requests for humor talks than anything else. With society getting more complex and more stressful from year to year humor is more in demand.

When I was at church recently a woman approached me to ask when I was going on the comedy stage again. It turns out that she has conjured up enough nerve to actually climb up on the stage, even after turning 80 years of age. When I told her that I did comedy for the first time at age 80, it gave her courage. There is no time like the present, right? All it takes is to give oneself permission to try anything that is possible and there are no limits.

Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, will open in Burien on August 27. Franchise owner Rob Martin will hold a grand opening and free sub fundraiser from Wednesday, August 27 to Sunday, August 31 to support Discover Burien.

The new restaurant, located at 15830 First Avenue South, is circulating 10,000 coupons throughout the community offering a free regular sub for a minimum $1 contribution to Discover Burien. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible.

“One taste of a Jersey Mike’s sub and I was hooked,” said Martin. “After learning more about the brand culture and opportunity for growth in Washington, I knew Jersey Mike’s was the right fit for me.”

Martin added, “Our grand opening in Burien will focus around a five-day fundraiser for Discover Burien, a local non-profit that works closely with other charities and non-profits in the area and helps distribute funds to community programs. We’re grateful for this opportunity to bring Jersey Mike’s exceptional product and culture to Burien and we can’t wait to open our doors on August 27.”

Programs that offer free art workshops for students will be greatly enhanced by generous donations from friends and family to the Burien Arts Association in honor of Carol Selander, a Burien cultural, civic and philanthropic leader who died June 26.

The donation will also support the new Burien Arts Gallery that opened in Olde Burien last fall.

Burien Arts Association president Sybil Davis thanked Carol’s friends and family for the wonderful contributions to the association’s work.
Known around Burien as “a force to be reckoned with who got things done,” Carol helped found the Burien Arts Association in the 1960s. Burien Arts operates the gallery at 826 S.W. 152nd St., bringing exciting new art exhibits each month to Burien.

Carol passed away at her Gregory Heights/Three Tree Point home surrounded by family. She and her late husband, Ken raised their five children in the family home.

Carol help start the Burien Arts Association with the mission to engage, enrich and entertain all the communities, generations and visitors to the Burien and Greater Highline area through creative and innovative arts programming.

Burien, WA)— Global Connections High School’s new “Positive Behavior Student Advisory Council” program is the winner of Highline Schools Foundation’s first annual Impact Grant, and will receive $10,000 from the Foundation in support of this program. This announcement, made by Highline Schools Foundation Board President Scott Gifford, kicked off the Highline Public Schools’ State of our Schools event on Wednesday morning at the Museum of Flight. Also, the Foundation surprised Mount Rainier High School with an additional $2,500 for their “Improving Academic Success for Latino Students” program.

“We had 18 very high quality grant applications—all of which were based on the core pillars of the Highline Public Schools Strategic Plan. One recurring theme in many grant applications was the need to impact how students view themselves, their school, and their learning community—and the social and cultural pressures that impact their classroom performance. Funding these two programs supports direct and tangible needs on two campuses, embraces community inclusion, and gives a voice to students” Gifford said.

Two exciting female artists—Kris Vermeer and Kim Bly-- will be featured in September at the Burien Arts Gallery.

Meet Kris and Kim at the grand opening reception, Thursday, Sept. 4, 4-9 p.m.

Kris Vermeer is an internationally known artist whose work has been collected by famed British natural-history filmmaker David Attenborough and several Nobel Prize winners. Her work can be found at AT&T’s main office in Phoenix and in permanent display at the Las Vegas airport.
A self-taught artist, who has been selling professionally since 1985, Kris works in a variety of mediums, including fused glass, steel and stainless sculptures and acrylic painting.

Jean Ray Laury and Jackie Vermeer have also featured her work in books.
Kris is an artist in residence for Tacoma schools. She teaches classes for both children and adults.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Here come the Lancers!

No, not those Lancers, if one's thinking of the Kennedy High School kind. But, if one's thinking of the football variety, then, that's right, because the Puget Sound Lancers, with ages ranging from six years old to 14, are coming to a football field near you as their regular season starts Sept. 6. with its home games at Highline Memorial.

Official schedule is to be announced for the Nisqually Junior Football League.

Used to be four divisions in the NJFL, starting with the youngest, Pee Wees, and going to the oldest, Seniors, but, not anymore. The Lancers' four teams are labeled: first and second graders, third and fourth graders, fifth and sixth graders, and seventh and eighth graders.

"We are the official feeder program for Kennedy High School," said Leon Curenton, president of the Lancers, whose four divisions open up before the season's opener with, first, a scrimmage against the Pacific Highway Chargers at Chief Sealth High School this weekend, with different grades playing each day, Saturday and Sunday.

By Marjorie Young

‘Love is blind’…‘There are none so blind as those who will not see’…‘When you fall in love…smoke gets in your eyes.’ These oft-repeated phrases have moved into the realm of cliché. Yet, how maddeningly, even bewilderingly true they are.

The question looms…why do so many remain steadfastly oblivious to very obvious pitfalls? Romantic love is not always the cause, but if it is present, it undoubtedly complicates the situation. But what creates an unwillingness to examine facts, draw rational conclusions, and thereby save ourselves a world of trouble?
One painful instance involves a woman who was brutally assaulted as a college student. She blames herself for not following her instincts to avoid this person. Yet now, years later, she has chosen to date a man with a prison record for the very same type of crime…while finding excuse after excuse for his behavior.

UPDATE Thursday 6:10am
The suspect in the SUV Theft in what police regard as a kidnapping on Aug. 27 from a West Seattle convenience store, Estaban Lucio Sanchez, will face a hearing this morning.

UPDATE 5:30pm

Seattle Police say that the SUV theft was being treated as a kidnapping since the suspect knew there was a baby in the vehicle when it was stolen. Seattle Police Spokesperson Drew Fowler said that the father of the 10 month old shouted to the suspect as he drove away that a baby was in the vehicle. He had reportedly left the vehicle running. The suspect abandoned the vehicle at 99th and 8th Ave SW where it was spotted by an area resident. That woman thought it was strange a vehicle would left in the middle of the street and upon investigation found the baby in the back seat. She had to put her foot on the brake and set the emergency brake to prevent it from rolling. The father was taken to the scene in less than 2 minutes. The suspect was sought and finally caught around 4:18pm in a restaurant near 17th and Roxbury some blocks away. He's being booked into King County Jail on investigation for kidnapping.

Sports events worth keeping an eye on

For the week of Aug. 27-Sept. 3

By Tim Clinton, SPORTS EDITOR

High schools
The fall football season kicks off with jamborees Saturday, including the Highline School District Jamboree scheduled for 10 a.m. at Highline Memorial Stadium.
Evergreen High School of White Center will be joined by Mount Rainier of Des Moines and Highline of Burien for the action.
Mariners
Seattle will be at home at Safeco Field for a 12:40 p.m. game against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday before hosting the Washington Nationals at 7:10 p.m. Friday, 6:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:10 p.m. Sunday.
Then it's on to Oakland to play the Athletics at 1:05 p.m. Monday, 7:05 p.m. Tuesday and 12:35 p.m. Wednesday.
All of the games can be seen on ROOT Sports cable television.
Rainiers
Tacoma plays its final regular season home game at Cheney Stadium on Wednesday, hosting the Iowa Cubs at 7:05 p.m.
The Rainiers finish the Pacific Coast League season at Fresno.
They will play the Grizzlies at 7:05 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday ahead of a 6:05 p.m. game Sunday and a 1:05 p.m. game Monday.
Seahawks

By Peggy Sturdivant

Jim Bristow says his neighbors begged him to have another block party after his Flamenco-themed party on Summer Solstice. If you’re a Ballard neighbor you absolutely know him: the neighborhood party guy. If you don’t know him by name you may remember him as the Ballardite who tried to save Sunset Bowl. If you live anywhere in NW Ballard on Saturday, August 16th now you know who was having the party with amplified music.

Before the party Bristow worried about the noise potential of the bowling alleys he built on the planting strips of his east-west block. Turns out the sound of the return of “Sunset Bowl” wasn’t an issue, but the classic rock and roll of 24 hr Diesel was a bit much for those who weren’t dancing in the street. Sounds like ‘you had to be there.’

By many accounts, all of 100-120 neighbors attending the party had a great time. Bristow brought out his Sunset Bowl collection, including actual pieces of lane, pins and balls. Kids Hula Hooped. Parents re-set the pins in the plywood alleys while their children teetered with bowling balls. Folks on their way to and from other parties heard the music and stopped to dance.