August 2016

The King County Solid Waste Division is honoring 112 businesses and organizations that have reduced waste and increased recycling by naming them to the 10th-annual “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list.

Commitment to innovation, cutting waste and saving resources are common traits among a diverse group of 112 businesses – along with their inclusion to the King County Solid Waste Division’s 10th-annual “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list.

“King County businesses are doing a lot to lessen the impacts of climate change by reducing waste,” said King County Solid Waste Division Program Manager Karen May. “We want to ensure businesses get the recognition they deserve for their efforts and inspire others to take action too.”

Companies that have made the list five years in a row are recognized with an Honor Roll designation. This year, 24 businesses joined the “Best Workplaces” list for the first time, and 54 businesses received the Honor Roll designation.

information from Seattle City Council

The Seattle City Council unanimously adopted comprehensive tenant protection legislation today that was sponsored by District 1 Councilmember Lisa Herbold.

Currently it is illegal to discriminate against a prospective renter whose primary source of income is a Section 8 voucher. The legislation adopted today expands that legal protection to include people who receive alternate sources of income such as a pension, Social Security, unemployment, child support or any other governmental or non-profit subsidy. It also creates a new First- come, First-served screening process that will seek to help address discrimination in housing across all protected classes.

According to the Seattle’s Renting Crisis Report from the Washington Community Action Network, “48% of individuals who pay for rent with Social Security Disability Insurance or Social Security retirement income said that discrimination prevents them from having successful rental applications.”

A response to Wesley Homes story
Thank you for the publicity you gave Wesley Homes in the above referenced article that appeared July 29th. I appreciate that you included our plans for redevelopment in a factual way and that you shared what I told you regarding our communication with residents.

This article has created some anxiety at Wesley Homes and I’d like to provide some additional information regarding of Mr. Carmignani’s claims.

Mr. Carmignani states that he only heard about the redevelopment in November 2015, after he moved in (his move in date was in April 2015). We started providing written updates every month to residents and those considering residency in August 2014, long before the Carmignani’s became residents. Upon reading the article, his realtor, Kathy Kleber, wrote to me the following:

For about the price of a matinee movie theater ticket, you can see two brand-new plays from the creative minds of local playwrights during the Seattle Playwrights Studio Showcase in August at Burien Actors Theatre.
The Showcase offers performances from Aug. 19 through 21 of four new shows written by playwrights from the greater Seattle area.
Tickets are just $10, and each ticket includes admission to a perfomance of two plays. 
THE PLAYS
In the hush-hush world of the undocumented, a brush with police spins out of control in Undocumented, written by Margaret O’Donnell. Performed on Aug. 19 and 21.
A mother fiercely fights the painful heritage of racism to ensure a better life for her daughter, and finds how much it can divide--or unite—in Andrea, written by Mari Salinas and directed by Roi Martin-Brown. Performed on Aug. 19.
What’s a woman to do when her date picks an ex-brothel for their first meeting? Anywhere but Auschwitz, written by Bruce Firestone and directed by Geoff Little, is an often wry look at the serious side of a building’s history. Performed on Aug. 19 and 20.

Information provided by the City of Seattle

Beginning Monday, Aug. 8, Seattleites can download free local music thanks to The Seattle Public Library's new online Seattle music collection called PlayBack. Music from 50 local artists are now available at playback.spl.org, including Tomo Nakayama, Fly Moon Royalty, The Not-Its! and more. Anyone can stream the albums for free, and Library cardholders can download and keep any music in the PlayBack collection.

To celebrate the artists in this new collection, the Library will host a free launch party from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave S. There will be live music by PlayBack artists Sun Breaks and Fly Moon Royalty. Between bands, KEXP’s DJ El Toro will play music by other artists from the PlayBack collection. There will also be a cash bar. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and early arrival is encouraged. The event is for adults ages 21 and up.

by Clara McMichael
James Nichols - the candidate tapped as the new city manager for Des Moines - wrapped up a short-lived experience earlier this year in a similar position for Douglas County, Nevada.

Douglas County has marked similarities to Des Moines. It is a community of fewer than 50,000 people on the shores of Lake Tahoe - like Des Moines’ own waterfront location on Puget Sound. The county, like Des Moines, has a signifiant population over the age of 65, and the average income of both communities is approximately $58,000.

In August 2014, Nichols came from a position as assistant city manager in Midland, Texas, and began working for Douglas County under a three-year contract. But after only sixteen months of employment, Nichols left the County on January 29th of this year.

According to the Record-Courier - a newspaper in Douglas County - a point of contention upon Nichol’s hiring by the county was his salary. In Midland, Nichols received approximately $174,000 per year. In Douglas County, he requested $180,000. Nichols and the County settled on $172,000.

Information provided by Seattle Police Department

Two suspects are in custody because an alert employee contacted police after watching an armed robbery occur at his workplace. The employee, who was at home at the time, watched the robbery take place via the store’s security camera system.

On Sunday night, at approximately 10:20 pm, officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in progress at a marijuana dispensary in the 300 block of NW 85th Street. The report indicated that masked suspects were inside the business, armed with handguns, and tying up employees.

Officers arrived quickly and set up containment around the business. A few minutes later, two suspects walked out the front entrance carrying large duffle bags. Officers immediately gave verbal commands to stop. The suspects dropped the bags and were taken into custody. A handgun was recovered at the scene and later placed into evidence.

After a break for Seafair weekend, the #SouthKingSlowdown resumes the weekend of Aug. 12-15 with bridge expansion joint replacement and drainage repair on Interstate 5 near Tukwila. This is the first of two big weekends of work in South King County.

The second weekend is planned for Aug. 19-22 construction on southbound I-5 in Tukwila and southbound State Route 167 in Algona/Pacific. The Washington State Department of Transportation encourages drivers to stay alert, plan ahead and know their alternate routes and transit options.
Aug. 12-15 weekend work information
This weekend, a variety of work will occur on southbound I-5 in Tukwila.
· Replacement of four bridge expansion joints on the right side of the southbound I-5 Duwamish River Bridge.
· Concrete panel repair between the Duwamish River Bridge and Klickitat Drive.
· Drainage repairs near the State Route 518 on-ramp to southbound I-5.
· Removal of hazardous trees near the State Route 518 on-ramp to southbound I-5.
· Grinding concrete panels on southbound I-5 near the I-405 interchange.

Aug. 12-15 lane and ramp closure information
Lane closures:

The Highline Medical Center Foundation’s 20th Annual Gala & Auction will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Seattle Airport Hilton. The theme of this year’s event is “Navigating Health Care” with proceeds from this year’s event benefitting our nurses, patients and their families with state-of-the-art programs and technology.

“Medical treatments and technology are improving our lives every day. Our community deserves the very latest in technology and equipment,” says Brooks Powell, Highline Medical Center Foundation board chair. “Our continued investment in Highline Medical Center will benefit everyone in our community.”

The evening begins with a silent auction at 6 p.m. that includes a wine grab and golden ticket raffle. Dinner will be served promptly at 7:30 p.m. with a live auction and dessert dash.

Dick Fain from KJR Radio, KING5 and the Seattle Storm will serve as the event host. Brad Goode, KOMO-TV morning anchor will serve as the auctioneer. To register for the Gala you can call 206-901-8502 go online at www.supporthighline.org.

Dear Editor,

The rain’s coming down in sheets. I’m sitting just barely out of it under the closed entrance of a Subway, covered in a black trash bag, feet sticking out, my big toe breaking through the sole of my left shoe. Nowhere to go, nowhere to walk to without getting my feet wet.

I had never thought of it as an addiction until lately, from this rain, from this recurring dream I’ve been having of eight bit polyphonic anthems and two-dimensional conquests of cutely named mythical creatures.

Kanto, the gym leaders, the elite four; I suppose that’s how it all began. With those blue cards strewn over of an eight-year-old’s floor, my Game Boy out of batteries from playing too much, the red game cartridge sitting on my desk summoning me. It was fun then; winter breaks, spring breaks, summer breaks. Lazy days, pizza rolls, parents at work, comfy couches. Gotta Catch ém All!

It feels similar, sure, even the obsession with Mew. But back then it was easier. I just had to clean my room. I had to go to school. I had to do the dishes, mow the lawn. I had parents, real world obligations.