March 2015

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESONDENT

Kennedy Catholic wrestlers Sebastian Ferraro and Alex Lesar,represented the Lancers at the 3A Washington State Mat Classic Championships at the Tacoma Dome on February 20-21.

Ferraro finished seventh place while Lesar won his first match at state, unlike Ferraro, but then lost his next two and was not a state placer (top eight).

"They did pretty good," said Lancers head wrestling coach, Perry Sampley. "They did the best they could."
For his opening match on Friday, Ferraro went against Auburn's Mark Luevano, and lost a close one, 5-3.
"I think that match could have gone either way, but it didn't go Sebastian's way," said Sampley.

Tough loss in the first place when one loses his opening match at state, which immediately eliminates him from contention of winning a state championship. Ferraro, preseason ranked No. 2 in 3A at 220 pounds, and who finished sixth in the state last year, then watched Luevano go on to win the 3A 220-pound state title, 2-1, in overtime, over Tim Smith from Meadowdale (Lynnwood).

By Alice Day, Reporter
WNPA Olympia News Bureau

OLYMPIA—Local communities could have more access to water if legislators succeed in implementing a new system of leasing surplus state-owned water rights.

A bill proposed by Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, would require state agencies to more clearly identify, hold and reassign unused water rights associated with agency-held land. Sen. Doug Erickson, R-Ferndale, is the bill’s co-sponsor.

Affected agencies include the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Natural Resources and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Honeyford says many agencies are purchasing land with water rights attached and not using the water.

“It impacts the economy of the local community and I’d like to see that water return to productive agricultural use,” he said.

Senate Bill 5016 would create a Local Economy Trust Water Rights Account within the Department of Ecology, which holds the water rights temporarily until they are transferred for commercial or economic use.

By Tim Clifford

The final SeaTac City Council meeting for the month of February was held at City Hall on Feb.24, starting off at 6:45 p.m. Meetings are held every two weeks with study sessions at 4:30 p.m. followed by council meetings at 6:30 p.m. All meetings can also be viewed live on CTV Channel 21.

For the first time in 2015 Deputy Mayor Tony Anderson was physically present and not skyped into the meeting. Signal delays and clicking noises have been a problem during his skype appearances.

Numerous special presentations were held with over 40 people in attendance. Here are the highlights:
• On Feb. 28 the City of SeaTac turned 25 years old. Mayor Mia Gregerson proclaimed Feb.28 as a day of celebration for the anniversary and gave time to each councilmember to give their praises of the city.

• A certificate of appreciation was given to Jon Ancell of the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee. Ancell was not able to attend the meeting and was given the recognition by mention only.

By Cooper Inveen
WNPA Olympia News Bureau

OLYMPIA—The Senate’s new transportation package is being hailed for its bipartisan support, while some critics find aspects of it troubling.

The proposals were revealed on Feb. 12 after 22 months of negotiations, and would mostly fund various highway projects in the state’s more congested areas. The package would raise $15 billion over a 16-year period mostly through an 11.7 cents-per-gallon gas tax implemented over the next three years.

Washington’s current 35.7 cents-per-gallon gas tax would increase by five cents in July, 4.2 cents in July 2016 and another 2.5 cents in July 2017. That would bring Washington’s combined state and federal gas tax to 67.6 cents-per-gallon, second highest in the nation behind Pennsylvania.

The proposals’ prime sponsors, Republican Sens. Curtis King of Yakima and Joe Fain of Auburn, and Democratic Sens. Steve Hobbs of Lake Stevens and Marko Liias of Mukilteo, say they are confident that they can muster the votes needed for bipartisan approval in both houses. They also admit they see plenty of negotiating left to do.

by Rob Clay 

It is fitting now to shine our spotlight on the fitness options locally as you consider the depth of your resolve to get the body you want it this year.  Will you experience a healthier you in 2015? 
With those resolutions in hand, there are local options that you should consider when making the “which gym do I join?” decision. 

We queried fitness center owners locally to try to amass a basic set of options and features for you to consider your fitness goals.  The owners had a consensus; that there is a strong movement of people who want to get fit, live healthy and they are willing to make life changes to see the results they want.

We compared many attributes of the various local fitness centers and have provided a summary of each The goal with this article is to arm readers with the information necessary to compare facilities and pick the one that makes the most sense to join and begin a fitness journey.  

LOCAL FITNESS OPTIONS:
(shown in alphabetical order)

March 1st will be a very special day, long awaited for Tom Gehl and his wife Jolene, owners of Gehl’s Flowers and Gifts located in downtown Burien.  Tom opened Gehl’s over 43 years ago and has been serving our community ever since.  From weddings, to funerals and all of life’s occasions in between, Tom has been there to offer joy, solace, and love in the way only spectacular floral arrangements can. 

Tom offered “It is a hard decision after all the years that Jolene and I have been part of the lives of so many of you”   But, now at 74 he feels it’s time to “pass the reins” off to new owner Robyn Desimone. 

Tom will commemorate his retirement with an open house and party this Sunday March 1st at his shop, located at 441 SW 152nd St.  The open house will be an opportunity to thank Tom for his years of dedicated service, as well as welcome new owner Robyn to the downtown Burien business community.

“I know I’m not the only one who values a local independent flower and gift shop” offered a local longtime customer.  “It’s great to be able to go in, pick something out and know it’s of the best quality and artistry.”

Love the Kalakala poem!

To the editor:
I love it! I love it! I love it!  What a great poem by Carole Smith, Ta, Ta, Kalakala that pays a final tribute to the once proud queen of Washington's Ferry Fleet. Thanks Carole for your amazing ability to put words together that will forever help those of us who knew her look back and reminisce about how it used to be.  I hope the people at Salty's will incorporate this poem someplace in her final resting place.

Garry Treadwel
lSeaTac, Wa  98188

By Matt Wendland

Burien church robbed of chocolate
When the pastor of Highline United Methodist Church arrived to their location in north Burien on February 25th, she called 911 and let police know that she believed someone had broken into the church. She told police that she saw someone and heard footsteps though no one, other than herself, was scheduled to be there for work at the time. When she called out to whomever might be in the building, she heard them flee the building. Police arrived at the church a short time later and found that the only thing that was taken from the church was an estimated $5 worth of chocolate from the kitchen. Police found no damage to the building and nothing else missing.

Crimes reported between 2/8/15 and 2/22/15

Home and Business Larceny/Burglary:

By Tim Clifford

At 8:20 a.m. on Feb. 24 the parking lot to the Highline United Methodist church was completely empty when Pastor Kathleen O’Connor arrived. However, as soon as she walked through the doorway she quickly realized she was not alone.

“I could hear movement behind the double doors that lead into a room we call the social hall, where we do coffee hour on Sundays. I could hear somebody moving around and pulling things out of cupboards,” she described.

Calling out names of other church members or volunteers that she thought might have an extra key O’Connor suddenly saw a shadowy figure dart across the hall and then heard them crash through a door just past her field of vision. While she assumed it was the fire exit that leads outside she could not be certain it wasn’t one of the doors to the nursery, library, or a bathroom.

“I realized the person might have locked themselves in one of those [other] rooms, and I realized I don’t know anything about this person who’s across these doors here or even if it’s just one person,” she explained.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Over the years people have risen up to demand what they considered to be their rights and to share in the good life. But even with any one group speaking out for equality at any one time, there has been the impression that the human rights movements could never serve the needs of all people. Each needy group had to wait its turn to be served. The fact is that equality means that every individual in society deserves to have his or her basic needs met. But in reality each needy group has had to stand in line for equality. First it was the early settlers who needed to escape the class divisions of old England. Then as each new ethnic group ventured to the New World they had to wait their turn for equal treatment. From the beginning of time people have tended to associate with their own kind. Those who stood out in unique ways were shunned.