August 2015

By Tim Clifford

On July 14 the Highline Times received a reader’s tip regarding nearly a dozen shots fired on 136th and Ambaum around 10 p.m., later that night confirmed by the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Now, according to Washington’s Most Wanted, the suspect in that shooting has been identified as Francisco “Paco” Mendez-Zendeja, who is on the run from the U.S. Marshalls Pacific N.W. Fugitive Apprehension Task Force.

On the night of July 14th a King County Sheriff’s Deputy was driving along Ambaum on patrol when he heard the sounds of men fighting from outside his window. Once he located where the sounds were coming from he saw a group of about 10 people fighting in the street. Using his loud speaker he ordered the group to break up and leave the scene.

The deputy recognized many members of the group as being gang affiliated.

Dr. Morris Chang, the medical director at Highline Sleep Center, was recognized by Seattle Magazine as one of 2015’s Top Doctors. Dr. Chang also serves as a diplomat on the American Board of Sleep Medicine.

“We are really proud of Dr. Chang,” said Ken Morris, manager of Highline Sleep Center. “He is one of the most compassionate physicians in the field of sleep medicine, not to mention one of the most knowledgeable.”

Highline Sleep Center is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary facility fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Our board-certified physicians are experts in the diagnosis and management of all sleep disorders. “At the Highline Sleep Center we see patients with all types of sleep disorders. Most of our patients have very complicated sleep problems. Thanks to Dr. Chang, we are able to help patients no matter how complex their sleep issues,” said Morris.

by Michele Smith

In the alleyway behind Grand Central Bakery off 152nd in downtown Burien, a special kind of garage has opened. Smarty Pants Garage, the 3rd restaurant/bar venture for Michelle Braasch and Tim Ptak. Burien’s new garage features an open, airy setting with high ceilings, large roll up garage doors, and an industrial feel with buffed cement floors and a collection of old motorbikes that adorn the bar.

Smarty Pants Garage seats about 60, has a large horseshoe shaped bar with comfortable leather backed chairs and big screen TV’s viewable from just about any seat in the restaurant. The outdoor patio is sunny and fun with bean bags games and motorbikes to look at and let the kids play on.

Michelle Braasch (the original “smarty pants”) and Tim Ptak opened Smarty Pants in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood in 2003, Tim’s passion for motorbikes became a familiar theme for other bikers and the bar soon became a favorite amongst riders from all over. In 2009 the pair opened Hudson which is also located in Georgetown just off 1st Ave. S.

By Andrea Reay, Executive Director, Discover Burien


July 30th was a very special day for local business owner and entrepreneur Jerrod Sessler as he celebrated the grand opening of Hot Feet Fitness in Olde Burien. The grand opening was a wonderful community celebration as members, and residents alike gathered to welcome Hot Feet Fitness and their staff. Jerrod and his wife Nikki together with their children, Gabe, Farrell and Jake have been hard at work renovating their location at 816 SW 152nd St for months and were happy to welcome everyone to their beautiful new space. The event was supremely catered by Lavish Roots Catering www.lavishroots.com who will be having their grand opening celebration in Olde Burien soon as well.

Superintendent Susan Enfield has been appointed to a steering committee charged with recommending solutions to a growing racial disparity in the regional juvenile justice system. The Juvenile Justice Equity Steering Committee announced by King County Executive Dow Constantine includes judges, law enforcement, community leaders, educators, youth, parents, and mental-health professionals. 

“We know that keeping students in school and engaged in learning is the best way to keep them out of the juvenile justice system,” said Dr. Enfield.  “Students who are suspended – even once—are more likely to drop out, and students who drop out are more likely to end up in the justice system. That is why we have a districtwide goal of eliminating out-of-school suspensions except in safety situations.”

“Ending racial disproportionality in the justice system is closely tied to ending racial disproportionality in the education system,” said Enfield.  “I look forward to working with this team to develop ways to improve outcomes for all youth.”

By Tim Clifford

Earlier this week deputies with the SeaTac police were shocked and horrified to find a duffle bag containing the remains of a human body outside of the Abbey Ridge Apartments complex in SeaTac. Today the King County Sheriff’s Office has released the identity of the deceased.

The King County medical examiner has identified the body as that of 23-year-old Jenna K. Ferguson, a young woman from Payson, Utah.

According to the Sheriff’s Office Ferguson had come to Seattle as part of a church led rehabilitation program with Gethseman Ministries Church. She was last seen with the group around July 7 or 8 at which time she walked away from the program.

News outlets in Utah have begun reporting that Ferguson had a long history with substance abuse and run-ins with the law. According to court records in Utah Ferguson had prior convictions for theft, shoplifting and possession of a controlled substance.

Ferguson’s aunt, Cody Dame, released a statement to news outlets in Utah on Friday night stating:

By Eric Mathison

Burien’s most famous resident died last week.
Granted, few readers of true-crime author Ann Rule’s 33 New York Times best-seller books were aware she lived for 20 years on Burien’s waterfront.

In fact, not many Burien residents knew Rule was their neighbor. Having moved to Normandy Park a few years ago, Rule was actually a former Burien resident when she died at Highline Medical Center on July 26.
The fuzziness about her hometown wasn’t by accident.

When you’re a woman who has written books detailing the violent crimes of dangerous sociopaths you don’t advertise where you live.

Stories about Rule stated she lived in Seattle or on Puget Sound near Seattle. When I interviewed Rule, I explained the whole justification for a community newspaper column on her was that she was a local resident. We negotiated that I could say she lived on the Highline waterfront. That covers a much larger area.

But our copy editor got the story after I checked it and changed “Highline” to “Burien” just before it went to press.

By Tim Clifford

On 16th Ave. S.W., at 9817, the signage that adorns the downstairs space is very telling of the last month for medical marijuana in King County. By the door buzzer there is a small sign stating that the space is a collective garden and medical marijuana patients only are welcome. Look to the door and you will see a “notice to public officials” posted in anticipation of a police raid, with declarations such as “You Do Not have consent to enter or search this premise” and “No person in this facility consents to questioning”.

Go around to the store’s front window and you will be greeted with a series of large banners stating “We Are Closed” and “Sorry, we are done son!” with a “frowny” face.

On July 8, King County officials held a press conference announcing that due to recent amendments to initiative 502, all collective gardens and medical marijuana dispensaries would need to shut down immediately. Owners of the 15 establishments plus their landlords were each sent notices to cease and desist at once.

According to the residents of a home in the 10200 block of 32nd Ave SW in Arbor Heights, a fan on table tipped over, causing it to short out and to subsequently catch on fire. The fire produced a large volume of smoke but the three residents were able to safely evacuate the premises before the Fire Department arrived.
They were shaken up but not hurt.

information from King County

King County contractors will begin installing a five-foot wide pipe under Beach Drive S.W. this month. The pipe will connect the new tank to the Lowman Beach Pump Station. The work will take about three months to finish.

Construction activity in the 7000 block of Beach Drive S.W. will be intense during this work. Road surface conditions will vary due to saw cutting, temporary patches and steel plates on the roadway. To ensure public safety, the following safety precautions are in effect around the work area:

· Flaggers and signs direct all traffic around the work site
· Pedestrians detoured to western Beach Dr. S.W. sidewalk
· Vehicle access will be available to local, service and emergency vehicles only
· Bicyclists will be asked to walk their bike past the work area

Wells have also been installed in Lowman Beach Park to control groundwater for this phase of the project. The wells are supported by generators and air compressors, which may increase noise from the project area.