November 2016

By Lindsay Peyton

A group of students and their families from Highline Public Schools stood on a street corner in Burien on Monday, Oct. 24 waiving signs that read “Vote Yes!”

Yet their support of the school’s proposed budget has not come without challenges.

Among those supporters of the upcoming bond, which is up for a vote on Election Day, was 17-year old Benji Box, a senior at Highline High.

Even though Box is graduating next year, he wants the next group of students to enjoy the benefits of the improvements that would take place if the bond is approved.

“I think we need a better school for future students, so they can be ready to go to the next level and be prepared to do whatever they want after they graduate,” he said.

Box does not believe that the existing campus will stand the test of time. “It’s just an old building and it doesn’t have the infrastructure it needs,” he said.

The $299 million bond would address a number of similar needs throughout the district,
Highline spokeswoman Catharine Carbone Rogers said.

Tables were filled Thursday night October 27 at Frankie's B Town Bistro in Burien. The overflow crowd was there for a special Hightower Cellars wine tasting put on by northwest wine expert, and Burien resident Michele Smith, formerly of Vino Bello wine bar. 

Featured wines were paired with special menu Lamb dishes, pasta and an out of this world Swordfish with orso and pine nuts. 

Tim and Kelly Hightower crush and blend their Red Mountain grapes in Benton City, Washington, about 12 miles northwest of Richland. Their tasting room is in Woodinville. 

Rob Clay

http://www.frankiesbtownbistro.com/

by Brian DeRoy

A potentially new generation of Port of Seattle Police and Fire Department members got to learn up close what it takes to be part of the Port’s first-responder team.

The Port welcomed around 100 students from several Highline School District high schools for the “Careers in Public Safety” day. The program’s goal is to help stimulate learning by having students speaking directly with industry professionals about the rewards of a career in public safety.

“The Port of Seattle is its own city and we are responsible for two major assets: Sea-Tac Airport and the seaport in downtown Seattle,” said Randy Hansen, Port of Seattle’s senior manager for Emergency Preparedness. “Our crews handle anything and everything; it’s not much of a stretch to say they put their lives on the line daily. It is a tough job but a great one; we truly are blessed to have such great teams here at The Port.”

It is hard to believe that decision day is at hand. There are an abundance of conflicting issues to sort through---and it’s no longer OK to be uncommitted, undecided. The time is now to make a choice.
I am of course referring to Halloween, 2016.

For adults the debate is unceasing: Should kids be allowed to trick-or-treat for candy---or is Halloween tantamount to consorting with Satan? (Here is a made-up statistic: 57% of dentists say that Satan is the cause of tooth decay.)

Halloween goes back to the ancient Druids. As it turns out, most Druids are ancient---even though there are always efforts to start Young Druid clubs in local high schools.

The ancient Druids believed that on Halloween the Lord of the Dead called forth the hosts of evil spirits. I caught up with the Lord of the Dead by phone last week---who despite the name seemed like a pretty nice guy.

“Those evil spirits went door to door in search of candy,” said the Lord of the Dead.

By Amanda Knox
 
It all started when I watched Prescription for Change, a new documentary about the opioid epidemic hosted by Macklemore. Thinking to write a column about it, I sat down in front of my computer with a cup of coffee and a notebook. A few minutes in, I gasped. There was my cousin, Justin! Sitting right next to Macklemore in Recovery Café, a Seattle treatment facility where recovering addicts come together to share stories, solidarity, and support. My cousin Justin, a recovering addict.
 
When I came home from prison in October 2011, I quickly realized that I had missed out on even more than I imagined (which was a lot), especially in the lives of my sisters and cousins. Deanna had matured from a headstrong high school socialite into a career-driven medical-science nerd. Ashley and Delaney had transformed from little, doodle-drawing, gymnast prodigies into complex young women—bright, ambitious, stricken with anxiety and anger. My cousin Justin…well, he had a problem and no one really talked about it.
 

The Land Use Application to allow the construction of Upton Flats consisting of two, 4-story structures, one containing 61 apartments above 5,604 sq. ft. of retail and one containing 41 apartments above 4,346 sq. ft. of retail and 2 live-work units. Parking for 110 vehicles would be provided in a below grade garage (108 spaces) and unenclosed surface parking stalls (2 spaces).

The project is owned by Shelter Holdings. It is project 3020272.

Designed by SMR Architects the project proposal and early design guidance package #2 from September of 2015
calls for 102 residential units, two live/work units, 10,159 square feet of commercial space, 111 parking spaces, and 41 bike parking stalls. The commercial space, which will likely be occupied by the Seattle Housing Authority, is along 35th Avenue SW.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Saturday, Oct. 30
Girls swimming
2A South Puget Sound League meet
Highline won four events at the 2A South Puget Sound League girls swimming meet.
The Pirates started off by winning the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 2 minutes, 1.10 seconds. The team consisted of Naomi Williams, Emily Zacharias, Stella Fosberg and Araceli Felix.
Zacharias then won the 200 individual medley in 2:19.73.
Highline also took first in the 200 free relay in 1:49.66 with Felix, Hanna Lai, Fosberg and Zacharias.
Zacharias also won the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.12.

4A West Central District
Mount Rainier placed seventh as a team in Saturday's meet with 159 points, just ahead of the 137 score of Kennedy Catholic.
Neither team had any individual winners.

Girls cross country
1A West Central District
Seattle Christian qualified three individual athletes into this coming Saturday's state meet to be held at the Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.