Features

Chess tournament for kids coming to Schmitz Park Elementary in February

Ty Swenson — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:05:54 +0000

On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Chess Mates Foundation will hold a West Seattle Chess Tournament at Schmitz Park Elementary (5000 S.W. Spokane St.).

Here are the details:

Awards: Team (top 4), individual, and grade trophies

First Round: 10:15 a.m. Pairings are posted at 10 a.m.

Check-in: No check-in. If you are late, please call or email us as soon as possible and report to the tournament director on arrival. No byes. Players who are late for the first round will start from game 2 with a forfeit.

Format: Kindergarten, 1-4, 5-8, 5-round Swiss. NWSRS rated, state qualifier.

Entry Fee: $14/player for Chess Mates schools; $20/player general. Add $5 late fee after 2/15/2013. Scholarships available for students qualifying for free/reduces lunch, coaches apply by email.

Registration: Advanced registration only, no day of tournament registration. The tournament is limited to 200 players; Chess Mates schools have 100 priority spots. Each school has a limit of 16 players.
Register online at www.chessplayer.com/signup.php

Contact: For registration info: Georgi Orlov (206) 387-1253 / chessmates@earthlink.net or for tournament info: Jeremy Higgins (206) 933-9966 / dangerscience@gmail.com.

Concessions: 9:30 -4, offered by Schmitz Park Chess Club.

Jeremy Higgins, whose work in teaching kids how to play chess was profiled by the Herald in 2012, said the Chess Mates Foundation hopes to bring in competitors from the Highline School District as well as Seattle Schools.

Fly Fishing Film Tour lands in Seattle on Feb. 7

Ty Swenson — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:50:31 +0000

Whatever your fly fishing predilection may be, the Fly Fishing Film Tour likely has a film to stoke that passion. The tour comes to Seattle on Feb. 7 at SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave North) and tickets are available from local fly fishing retailers including The Avid Angler, Pacific Fly Fishers, and Creekside Angling Co. for $13. The online tickets are already sold out, so contact your retailers to snatch up those final stragglers.

Here's more information on the show:

FLY FISHING’S TOP LIVE EVENT HIGHLIGHT SPORT’S GREATEST ADVENTURES

Annual HD film tour supports local fly shops, inspires audiences with incredible worldwide footage

(Boulder, CO) – The most anticipated and celebrated event in the fly fishing industry, the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), begins its annual continent-wide trek January 26th. With over 40,000 attendees, 150-plus shows and more than 200 fly shop partners, the F3T has certainly cemented its position as the premier event on the fly fishing calendar. Not to be overlooked is the $350,000 in prizes and goods being distributed to fans, over $30,000 going back to support filmmakers and the 150 different local conservation groups benefitting from tour exposure and proceeds.

The F3T’s positive role in the industry is dynamic: it’s a stage for top filmmakers, a revenue generator and marketing tool for local shops and outfitters, and an educational outlet and awareness opportunity for conservation groups. But regardless of role, it’s widely accepted that the F3T is one heck of a party celebrating fly fishing and shouldn’t be missed.

“We’ve worked really hard on creating an electrifying experience for our fans,” says F3T co-owner Doug Powell. “The atmosphere we create at our premiers with HD projectors, booming soundtracks, tons of giveaways, interactive booths and cheering fans is not easily replicated and unique to the industry.”

Adventure is a focal point of the films featured in this year’s tour. “We approached this year with the attitude that ‘adventure is what you make it’. Sometimes the greatest adventures can be found in your own backyard or an urban corridor”, says F3T co-owner Chris Keig. “So that’s why in addition to our usual assortment of fascinating destinations like Thailand, Bolivia, and Georgia (the country), we’ve also got great segments from Washington D.C., the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains.”

Another central theme of this year’s F3T is diversity. “The number of different species we’ve got this year is too long to list”, Keig continues. “From Steelhead to Snakehead, Bonefish to Bass, Trout to Triggerfish, it’s an awesome assortment of fish.”

With nearly 75% of the shows selling out in advance, demand for F3T tickets is at an all-time high. “We hear from people constantly who couldn’t get tickets, or want us to bring the tour to their town”, Powell says. “As far as tickets go, we recommend our fans visit our local fly shops where they can get discounted tickets. Just make sure you go soon, we’ve had shows that sell out three months in advance.”

For a tour schedule, film trailers, tickets, photos, or info on hosting your own show visit TheF3T.com.

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is produced by Webeye Group, LLC. It is sponsored by Costa, Patagonia, Sage, Ross Reels, Yeti Coolers, Scientific Anglers, Trout Unlimited, Mountain magazine, El Pescador Lodge, The Drake magazine, Montana Fly Company, and Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures.

And for those looking for additional details, here is more on the individual shorts during the film festival:

NOTE: not all films appear at every screening

Magnetic North >> Fly Out Media

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Tordrillo Lodge, Alaska
Species: King Salmon
Blurb: Magnetic North tells the story of the draw of Alaska, told through the voices of guides and anglers who live and work there. For anyone who has spent time in the Last Frontier, you know that there is an intangible connection to the land, wildlife, water, and culture. Magnetic North focuses beyond the incredible fishing by presenting the human attraction and intrinsic connection to this truly wild place. Magnetic North gives a taste of the dream of Alaska and its alluring pull.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Filmmaker and producer Cory Luoma, is an avid fly fisherman, skier, and world traveler. He has worked as an engineer, college professor, fly fishing guide, and marketing consultant. Cory is the owner of AlaskaFlyOut.com and Fly Out Media. AlaskaFlyOut.com is an online community for Alaska fishing and adventure focusing on progressive media, unique storytelling, and responsible tourism in Alaska.
(AlaskaFlyOut.com)

Thai One On >> Cinema Digital / Travis Lowe

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Thailand
Species: Mahseer
Blurb: Deep in the pristine jungle of northern Thailand lies the Mae Ngao. Literally translated Mae Ngao means the River of Reflection. Named for its crystal clear water, the Mae Ngao is home to the legendary Mahseer. A species first prized by British anglers during the days of the Raj. Known as the aquatic tiger of the Asian subcontinent the Mahseer is revered for its phenomenal fight. Filmmaker Travis Lowe follows three anglers and a local guide as they work with hill tribe villagers to protect the entire 60km length of the River of Reflection. Hoping to protect critical habitat for the Golden Mahseer and open up the area as a world-class destination fishery. In the process, the group helps bring desperately needed money to the cash starved Karen villagers in turn protecting an endangered species - a feat that entails a witch doctor, a spirit curse and quite possibly the introduction of fish aquaculture.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Together with his partner, Jessica Samuels, Travis Lowe operates Cinema Digital, a private production company focused on documentary production. Travis has managed to combine his passion for fly fishing with his work in the film and television industry. He has produced, shot and edited an 8-part news series for CHBC in conjunction with Scientific Anglers called “The World of Fly Fishing”. His latest endeavor, the RM Angler Fly Fishing Film Festival has acted as a catalyst for a group of anglers and conservationists to form a chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada in his home of Kelowna, British Columbia.

(Vimeo.com/user10203747)

Reel: A Day on the River >> OMS Photography

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: East Coast
Species: Trout
Blurb: For many, the Upper Delaware and Catskill region is a refuge from the hectic pace of life in the working world. For anglers especially, it is an opportunity to fully immerse mind, body and spirit in the unique rhythms of the river system. The elemental act of angling enables this escape in a way nothing else can. “Reel: A Day on the River,” is an inspirational film about the tradition and culture of fly fishing in the East. It highlights the responsibility we have to protect resources like the Upper Delaware River for future generations. Set against the backdrop of the western Catskills, the film invites viewers to float the West Branch of the Upper Delaware with professional guides Joe Demalderis , Jim “Coz” Costolnick, and Ryan Furtak. These men provide their unique insight into the fishery; it’s vast array of aquatic life, and their intense respect for the landscape and local community.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
OMS Photo is a multimedia group focusing in still photography and filmmaking. Producers and lifelong fly anglers Monty Milburn and Brent Taylor met and began working together at OMS in 2004. Spending a great amount of time on location for national advertising clients, fly fishing became part of the production schedule for Milburn and Taylor. Tacking a few extra days on to each production to explore the area they were in became the routine - a camera was never far away and the move to capturing fly fishing images just seemed to be a natural progression.
(OMSPhoto.com)

Hit ‘Em Again Doc >> Brian Huskey

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Silver Creek, Idaho
Species: Trout
Blurb: Nobody intended to make a sequel to Doc of the Drakes. It was coincidence that filmmaker Bryan Huskey even ended up on the water with Pete and Doc again this past summer. But the hyper-enthusiasm and sincere nature of Silver Creek Outfitters guide Pete Wood draws attention too easily. Equally engaging is Dr. Robert Franklin, who at 85 had been on an incredible journey over the past 6 months, persuading a panel of neurosurgeons to perform a rare brain stimulation procedure to treat debilitating symptoms of his Parkinson's disease.

Just five weeks since the surgery, Doc's condition had greatly improved. High in the mountains of central Idaho, Cutthroat Trout were carelessly sipping dry flies and Doc's fluke spat of missing hook-sets on Silver Creek was a distant memory. The camera follows along as two friends enjoy the most life has to offer, one incredible fish at a time.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Filmmaker and photographer Bryan Huskey of Silver Creek Outfitters likes to tell stories. Self-taught and eager to learn, he has been scrambling along the banks of Trout and Steelhead rivers of the West his entire life. Over the last decade his passion for photography, fly fishing, and filmmaking have evolved into his career. At 35 he jokes he has retired, as outdoor media is his passion and a far cry from "work".
(BryanHuskey.Zenfolio.com)

Best Guide Never (Comedy Interstitials) >> Hank Patterson

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: On the water, hopefully wherever you aren’t
Species: The verbose suds-swilling river guide and unfortunate client
Blurb: Unofficial, unrecognized, and self-titled “F3T Spokesperson” Hank Patterson serves as instructor, educator, river jester, and oblivious fish oracle in multiple short-length segments throughout the presentation of other more “official” films. Hank’s ignorance and his client’s unfortunate selection in a guide, proves fortuitous for all who witness this folly of a fish film.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Hank Patterson considers himself the greatest fly fishing guide in the eastern and western and northern and southern hemispheres. He is a world-renowned, self-proclaimed fly fishing expert and guide. He is a high school graduate, makes a hell of a nice pot roast and owns three copies of "A River Runs Through It" on BluRay. Snap It!

(Facebook.com/HankPattersonYourFlyFishingGuide)

Turning Tail >> Gray Ghost Productions

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Maine, mainly
Species: Atlantic salmon
Blurb: Throughout the East Coast of North America, from Long Island Sound to the northern most point of Labrador if you look closely, you will find the chrome beauty known as Salmo Salar. For a fly fisherman it may be the best fresh water game fish there is, to a biologist it represents a long history of research, and to the conversationalist, in many cases it is the one to save. Turning Tail is a compilation of all that is good in North America; people hard at work for an excellent cause - the fight to hold on to a North American treasure. This journey explores the outermost reaches from the wilds of Labrador, the Gaspe Bay Peninsula and New Brunswick, to the inner workings of hatcheries and fish traps; from the rich sporting heritage to the mystery while at sea, Turning Tail will take you on an exploration of a lifetime.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Since 2007, Gray Ghost Productions has focused on a singular goal: Provide the ultimate in unique outdoor adventure films. Helmed by award-winning producer Carter Davidson, GGP seeks to document the art of the outdoorsman and the natural beauty in which they practice; perhaps most importantly though, is Davidson’s eye for the story behind the adventure.

GGP has shot on location across the globe, from remote mountain peaks and river valleys to their native soil in New England. In short, if there is a great story to tell, they film it; and they film it with passion – passion for conservation, the lifestyle, for understanding the significance of tradition and culture, and of course, a warm respect for those who went before them in their craft.
(GGPFilms.com)

The Brothers Brown >> 3rd Year Fly Fisher, Robert Thompson

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Au Sable River, Michigan
Species: Brown Trout
Blurb: The Brothers Brown is the story of three streamer junky brothers who grew up fishing the lower Au Sable River on a stretch known as the "trophy waters." This section of river is notoriously tough. 26 to 30-inch Brown Trout are not uncommon - spending days, weeks or even years trying to catch one however, is a different story. Over the years, their experiences instilled them with the discipline and perseverance it takes to catch a trophy fish. It also served as a training ground, and natural progression, for the brothers’ current pursuit...the mighty Musky.

For the Brown brothers, the time spent together, in a drifter floating the river introduced to them by their parents left indelible impressions and memories. It takes a special place, on a special river to bring them all back together, even if for only a couple times a year, still in search of that fish of a lifetime. The Brothers Brown is about that time, the company and the search – regardless of outcome.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Robert Thompson is a Chicago based Emmy award winning producer. He started creating fly fishing content four years ago and has since brought three dvd's to market; Night of the Hex, Musky Country & Heart of the Driftless. He is currently working on his fourth, and yet untitled dvd, the subject being the famous AuSable river in Thompson's home state of Michigan. (ThirdYearFlyFisher.com)

Blackwater >> Castaway Films

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Bolivian Amazon
Species: Golden Dorado
Blurb: For producer Grant Wiswell, fly fishing has always been about exploration. A few years back he had the opportunity to travel to the Bolivian jungle to fish and film on the Pluma and Itirisma Rivers. While his trip was deemed a success and the resulting film, “Devil’s Gold”, garnered industry-wide awards and acclaim, Wiswell couldn’t shake the itch to return. The allure of the wild and beautifully reflecting Golden Dorado drew him back for a return trip. This time his guides from Untamed Angling had a new river in their sites, the Agua Negra or “Blackwater”. Once again Wiswell found himself in the midst of a legendary exploration. Blackwater is the visually stunning story of his return journey to the Bolivian Amazon in search of even more Devil’s Gold.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Grant Wiswell is the director of photography, principal author and chief of operations at Castaway Films. He has been an avid fly fisherman since he was four and to this day continues his lifelong quest of filming and photographing the world’s greatest fish and fisheries. Castaway Films is a full service film and photography studio. They focus on destination angling and promote world class lodges and cutting edge fisheries.
(CastawayFilms.com)

T-Motion >> Todd Moen, Catch Magazine

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Pacific Northwest
Species: Steelhead
Blurb:

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Todd Moen is the video editor, producer and co-founder of Catch Magazine, world renown as “The Official Journal of Fly Fishing Photography and Film”. His feature, T-Motion, highlights a new destination, fish and angler each issue. Todd’s seasoned professional experience includes more than ten years in the fly fishing film industry and traveling worldwide for ESPN, CBS and OLN. When Todd isn’t filming on location at remote waters around the globe, and when he isn’t logging the hours behind the computer at his office, he does manage to get out and find the fish in his home rivers of central Oregon.

(ToddMoenCreative.com)

Urban Lines >> TwoFisted Heart Productions / Freestone Entertainment

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Potomac River, Washington D.C.
Species: Snakehead, Striped Bass, Shad
Blurb: TwoFisted Heart Productions partnered with Freestone Entertainment to create a film on the tidal Potomac River that counters common stigmas and stereotypes of fly fishing. Four fly fishermen in Washington, D.C. demonstrate that fly fishing is more than an individual pursuit of the catch, more than once-a-year out West or once-in-a-lifetime trips to exotic locations abroad. In an unlikely setting of concrete vistas, population density and traffic nightmares, the Potomac River proves that adventure and epic fishing are available to everyone on a daily basis. D.C. fly fishermen have embraced that concept through an online community that provides a 21st century, Web 2.0 take on passionately protecting our water resources for the future and connecting with the people around us. It’s about thinking globally and fishing locally.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
The average size of a human heart is about the same size as a fist. At TwoFisted Heart Productions, we believe character and actions speak to a heart size greater than the physical. Our passionate team centers on Nick and Kami Swingle, with expertise and experience in professional design, photography and live video production. We currently partner with other key professionals to evolve our skillsets to create films that matter, inspire, and impact our spheres of influence for the better. When we’re not working, you’ll find us on the trail or on the water with fly rod and camera in hand.

(TwoFistedHeartProductions.com)

Enough is Enough >> CalTrout

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: McCloud River, California
Species: Trout
Blurb: Enough Is Enough is the story of northern California's McCloud River, its fish and its unique impact worldwide on fly fishing. The compelling story, told by three longtime locals who know the river like no others, helps remind us that as anglers, it's our job to respect our history in order to protect our future.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
California Trout’s mission is to protect and restore wild trout, salmon, and steelhead waters throughout California. Based in San Francisco, we work at the grassroots level to identify conservation goals and priorities and engage local communities and other stakeholders in a collaborative effort to develop and implement long-term solutions. California Trout has been recognized as one of the strongest and most effective state-level conservation organizations in America.
(CalTrout.org)

Expedicion Alacranes >> Beattie Outdoor Productions

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Alacranes Reef, Gulf of Mexico
Species: Tarpon, Bonefish, Billfish, Triggerfish aka “Mayan Tarpon”
Blurb: In November 2012, a group of anglers are headed on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage to one of the most remote reef systems in the world. Five atolls, known as Alacranes Reef, are located 100 km. due north of Progreso. The reef complex is 27 km (17 miles) long and 20 km (13 miles) wide with an area of some 245 square km (153 square miles). Alacrán is an emergent platform type reef that forms part of a group known as the Campeche Bank Reefs, because they are located along the outer shelf of the Campeche Bank. It is the largest reef in the entire southern Gulf of Mexico, as well as the most northerly in location. It has five vegetated islands associated with it, Isla Desterrada, Desertora, Pérez, Chica and Pájaros. There are no ferries or regularly scheduled transportation to this reef. It has been said that the trip is not for the weak of heart. There are no installations for receiving people, so visitors MUST take your own water, food, tents, etc. And once there, have to be careful to avoid injury all costs, as there are no doctors, hospitals, etc. and it takes many hours to reach the mainland.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
RA Beattie started Beattie Outdoor Productions (BOP) after graduating from the University of Puget Sound in 2005. A fly fishing guide in the mountains of Colorado throughout high school and college, Beattie has combined his passion for fly fishing and photography to create numerous short films about the fly fishing lifestyle. Over the years, BOP has been fortunate enough to shoot photography on every continent including Antarctica.
(BeattieOutdoorProductions.com)

Riding High: Science of Tarpon >> Waterline Media

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Florida Coast
Species: Tarpon
Blurb: Any migration is a story in itself. Everyday is a paragraph, every location a chapter, and in the end, the journey was the destination. On paper, this is a story about fishermen following the Tarpon migration through Florida. Riding High: The Science of Tarpon is a brief sampling showing what is in store for the science section of the full-length film. This segment puts emphasis on the ongoing Tarpon satellite tagging programs. The Tarpon satellite tagging program is a very important conservation tool that is just beginning to show its true potential for preservation of migration and spawning habitats for Tarpon not only in our local waters but worldwide.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Waterline Media is an independent, boutique production house focusing on the creation of outdoor motion pictures, commercials and television programming of the finest quality. Started by director/cinematographer Graham Morton in 2004 after years of experience in the film, video, and photography industry and was joined by Marc Page in 2008. Waterline Media prides itself on beautiful, vibrant hi-def cinematography and progressive new techniques to capture Nature while inspiring viewers.
(WaterlineMedia.tv)

The Calico Syndicate >> Tightloop Media / Fin Film Company

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Catalina Island, Santa Barbara Island, Southern California
Species: Calico Bass
Blurb: A group of five friends of diverse backgrounds are brought together by a common love of saltwater fly fishing to chase the jewel of California Sea Bass, the Calico. Fly anglers are at a disadvantage to regular “gear” fishermen because of the difference in the type of lures they use. However, the group lends their unique resourcefulness to the problem by pioneering new equipment and flies to overcome their limitations. This chronicle of the anglers’ journey is set in the picturesque backdrop of the Southern California Coast and Channel Islands as they strive toward the goal of catching and releasing the biggest Calico Bass ever caught in the U.S., on a fly rod.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
We are a group of six friends who have a passion for saltwater fly fishing and chase Calico Bass off the coast of Southern California. We aim to take salt water fly fishing and sport fishing to another level. We are passionate about fishing and will apply virtually any technical knowledge to catch more fish, in particular the Calico Bass. We are fly anglers who want more than just what you learn at the fly shop.
(Facebook.com/TheCalicoSyndicate)

BrownBro >> Strobot Studios

ABOUT THE FILM
Location: Caucasus Mountain, Tusheti, Georgia
Species: Georgian River Trout
Blurb: The region of Tusheti Georgia has had minimal fly fishing exploration and in the fall of 2012 a crew of four Americans traveled to Georgia’s rugged Caucasus Mountains to see what promises it might hold for fly fishing. While the Georgian people have been fishing these rivers for centuries, mostly with nets and bait, it was largely off the map for fly fishers. With local skepticism about their technique of targeting the elusive Georgian River Trout and lacking any solid information about where to go and what to use, the team discovered an incomparable Georgian hospitality, a chance to solve a timeless fly fishing riddle, and an opportunity to cast in a place that rarely sees outsiders—especially those carrying a fly rod.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
STROBOT STUDIOS is a visual media entity focusing on the highest quality imagery for marketing and editorial clients alike. Spearheaded by Dan Armstrong and Reid Morth, Strobot Studios has endless experience in photography and design through years of hands-on imagery development.

SLIDESHOW: High schoolers connect with third graders to improve reading skills

Ty Swenson — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:30:29 +0000

For a select crew of third grade students from White Center Heights Elementary, Jan. 14 was a pretty sweet day as they met their new reading tutors for the next 8 to 10 weeks: High school students from the Evergreen campus.

That Monday was the kickoff of a new after-school reading tutoring program at Highline School District called Club Read, modeled after the non-profit Team Read operating since 1998 in Seattle Public Schools.

White Center Heights Principal Anne Reece said the program - a partnership between the Highline School District, King County Housing Authority and the Southwest Boys & Girls Club – is in its “gestation” period.

“Our goal is to be in talks with (Team Read) to perhaps be a part of the bigger non-profit organization,” Reece said. “They have an interest in getting into Highline Schools.”

“We haven’t done this before in Highline,” Reece told the students and tutors before the program began, “so you are really on the edge of things.”

Sara Betts, a reading specialist at White Center Heights and coordinator for Club Read, spends her days working with students who are not reading at grade level and need some extra help. Betts trains the high school students who agree to volunteer a few hours after school two days a week, and they pair up one high schooler with one third grader so the two can develop a friendship while they read.

“It’s really big because they not only get to read one-on-one with a person who is a capable reader, but they also get to read with high school students, which is really motivating for them,” Betts said. “They are really excited about meeting older kids, its super cool.”

“These are kids who are not reading at grade level, so they get a chance to practice their skills with someone who is not in a teacher position, just a friendly companion,” she added.

The high school students learn how to tutor and get a little something extra to put on those college applications.

---------------------------------

Around 20 third graders shuffled into a resource room at the Boys & Girls Club in White Center and their eyes lit up as they met their towering role models for the first time. The first order of business was to secure after-school snacks to keep those energy levels high for the upcoming hour of reading lessons. Next, the pupils and their tutors selected from a vast array of books.

After getting to know each other for a few minutes, the books were opened and the little ones listened intently as their new, tall and extra-cool friends began reading fantastic tales aloud. You could hear progress being made as tutor and student began their journey towards improved reading.

Betts said Club Read is looking for additional volunteer tutors from Highline high schools to continue expanding the program. She can be reached at 206-631-5200 or sara.highlineschools.org.

Burien's accomplished Georgette Valle to release second book, "Courageous Women"

steves — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 06:32:57 +0000

In her first book, "Always a Rebel and Never Without a Cause", Burien's iconic long-time resident, Georgette Vikingstad Valle, takes us back to the days of the Vikings, and through her political life.

"That book was about my life primarily, as a legislator, and reprinted articles that have been in the Highline Times, Seattle Times, the sort of thing," she said of her 2007 effort with her portrait on the cover.

Valle served 24 years in the State House, four years with the Burien City Council, and has been a Burien Lions Club member, most since 1996. Her husband, Odd, who passed away last April, was a Club Zone Chairman and Governor. He began his dentistry practice in Burien, and remained practicing there for 42 years. More recently they divided their time between Burien and Green Valley, Arizona, where she ran for Senate four years ago. She said she knew she'd lose as a Democrat in a Republican district, but felt it was nevertheless important to take a stand for her party's beliefs.

In her new book, "Courageous Women", Classic Day/Peanut Butter Publishing, set to be released this Thanksgiving, Valle casts a wider net as she compares modern day, accomplished, famous women to those from the Bible, both the Old Testament, containing Hebrew Scriptures, and the New Testament. For example, she links Deborah, pronounced "Dvora" in Hebrew, who appears in the Book of Judges, with former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Valle believes their brand of courage makes them kindred spirits. Deborah is the only female judge mentioned in the Bible, and was said to live about 1,100 B.C., and O'Connor was of course the first female Judge to serve on the Supreme Court.

"Deborah was a jurist, and people came to her from all over Israel and they met underneath a palm tree," said Valle. "Deborah is very interesting because she is asked to lead an army against Israel's foes, the Canaanites, and they'd been under the Canaanites' rule and were oppressed for 20 years. She said to General Barak, 'Now you understand when I help you I'm going to get the credit first before you when I win this."

Valle refers to Judges 4:1-24 that says Deborah, with an army, and God's help, defeated the commander of the Canaanite army, Sisera who had 900 chariots of iron. He ended up with a tent steak through his temple.

"The Biblical Deborah served her nation in a position that, at the time, it was unusual for women to hold, and to prove herself to be an influential and courageous leader who helped to free people from oppression," writes Valle in the book. She continues, "In many ways, Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court and a strong advocate of women's and civil rights, is a modern counterpart of Deborah."

Valle is a bit of a tease as she suggests people purchase her book to discover the other kindred spirits she compares. Included, but not in matching order, are Bathsheba, Queen Esther, Oprah Winfrey, and Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient detained for years under house arrest in Burma when her popular political party won the election.

"There wasn't very much in the Bible about some of these women," said Valle of the historic, familiar names. "There were women who had wealth of their own and traveled with Christ and gave room and board to the disciples. It wasn't easy for a woman and travel in those days.

"Outside of women having children, women were not regarded very highly, and what I am trying to say is that they did a very decent and admiral job," she said, referring to Biblical days. "People should really look at this and see how it can help us today in our lives. You need to have the minister inclusive of women (in a sermon.) Today there are so many women (in leadership roles.) Look at what Hillary is doing, what Rosalynn Carter did. As the First Lady she advised her husband and played an active role in government policy."

So which courageous Biblical female figure does Georgette Valle associate herself with?

She responded humbly, "I think it's up to somebody else to say who I might be likened to."

"J.P."

patr — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 06:24:29 +0000

Pat Cashman, well known Seattle personality, writer, comic actor and more, knew J.P. Patches as a personal friend and wanted to share his thoughts about him.

by Pat Cashman

For some of us---after we’ve shuffled off this mortal coil (Shakespeare’s eloquent substitute for the word croaked)---nice words will be spoken, eulogies given and tributes delivered: “Uncle Carl was such a nice guy. And he always gave me candy. I loved him.”

Sweet words, all right. If only Uncle Carl was around to hear them. But usually, by the time they are spoken, the Uncle Carl’s of the world are already down the road.

So imagine how great it must have been to be J.P. Patches (mortal name: Chris Wedes). This was a remarkable person who heard thousands of people tell him how loved he was countless times---day after day---and nobody waited until it was too late.

I would watch the Clown at the many appearances he would make in the last few years---decades since his enormously popular kids’ local TV show went to black---and the phenomenon was always the same. Grown men and women, buckling at the knees, in delighted reverie at the sight of their treasured childhood hero.

Much has been written and said about this remarkable being---and why he, perhaps above all of Seattle’s many broadcast performers, stands on a pedestal of his own.

I don’t think the answer is complicated.

Chris Wedes was real. That might sound odd when talking about a man that dressed in clown’s clothing and makeup. But no amount of artificial cover-up could disguise the very genuine, kind and immeasurably funny human that dwelled beneath.

Kids picked up on that. You can fool an adult, but not a kid. Kids can smell a phony from 10 kilometers. Patches was none of that. He was a good-natured smart aleck---a benign insurrectionist that kids not only found amusing, but also someone they could trust.

Here’s part of an interview I did with Patches last year during one of the many lunches we enjoyed together. At the time, he had announced that he was retiring. He wasn’t feeling all that well and thought it was time to hang up the rubber nose. This brief excerpt will give you an idea of the witty mind behind the man---a mind that never retired until his body did.

PC: There are rumors that you are retiring, but I thought I’d get the story straight from the horse’s mouth.
JP: “What are you saying: I look like a horse?”
PC: “No! Not at all. By the way, how old are you now?”
(At this point, JP rose from his chair and stomped his left foot on the floor 83 times.)
PC: “Look, J.P., to anyone who grew up around here in the 60’s and 70’s, you’re an icon.”
JP: “Thanks. That how “I conned” you into picking up lunch today.”

I wish I could pick up lunch tomorrow.

I loved that guy.

But I know I’m standing in a very, very long line with everyone else who ever met him.

If there is a Heaven, I know St. Peter is waiting for J.P. Patches eagerly.

But even as he’s swinging open the gate, Old Pete better be ready to get a pie in the face.

Pat Cashman can be reached at pat@patcashman.com

Wine in the Woods will help support Nature Consortium

patr — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 06:17:13 +0000

Nature Consortium, a West Seattle based environmental organization will not be presenting their annual Arts in Nature Festival at Camp Long this year citing the need to make that effort more sustainable long term. But they will be offering something unique and hope to use it to fund the Arts in Nature Festival in future years. Wine in the Woods a wine tasting fundraiser gives a taste of Arts in Nature Festival and is set for August 10, 2012.

The festivities will take place at Camp Long in West Seattle at 5200 35th Ave. s.w.. The event will feature wine from local Washington wineries, appetizers and desserts, performances, art installations, campfire, and a silent auction.

Proceeds from Wine in the Woods will help fund Arts in Nature Festival, a community event celebrating local and unique music, art, and performance among the woods of Seattle’s only camp ground. Nature Consortium has hosted the festival nearly every year since 1998 featuring artists like Trimpin, Hey Marseilles, Northwest Dance Syndrome, and Hollow Earth Radio.

“We have decided to take a break from the Festival in 2012 so that we can work towards producing an annual event that is both successful and sustainable on a long-term basis,” states a letter from Nancy Whitock, Executive Director of Nature Consortium and founder of the festival.

In addition to wine tasting, Wine in the Woods will feature performances and installations by previous Arts in Nature Festival artists. There will also be a silent auction to benefit the festival and other Nature Consortium programs. After the auction, follow illuminaria on a trail through the forest to a campfire and desserts.

The Arts in Nature theme embodies the spirit of Nature Consortium. Since 1998 the organization has worked to create and celebrate community through art and nature, especially in West Seattle. In addition to the Arts in Nature Festival, Nature Consortium works with community members to restore the West Duwamish Greenbelt, a large forest near the Delridge neighborhood, and provides free art classes to youth throughout Seattle.

Wine in the Woods is sponsored by Seattle Parks & Recreation, Long Provincial Vietnamese Restaurant, and Steven & Lisa Brown. Beer lovers are also encouraged to attend the Clips of Faith Beer & Film Tour on July 27 at Gas Works Park, as proceeds from that event will go to Nature Consortium as well. To purchase tickets for Wine in the Woods or to become a sponsor, visit www.naturec.org.

Wine in the Woods
A fundraiser for the Arts in Nature Festival
Friday, August 10, 2012, 7-10pm
Camp Long (5200 35th Ave SW Seattle, WA 98126)
Tickets: $45

Can 'Random acts of kindness' become a business? Bill Cullins thinks so

patr — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:53:56 +0000

Bill Cullins is the first one to tell you he's tried many careers. "My very first job was washing dishes when I was 14 years old," he said. He's mowed lawns, worked for JC Penney and then went to school to become a hairdresser at the age of 18. But the lure of big money working as a fisherman in Alaska was strong until, "I found out I didn't want to die in the sea getting King Crab so I went home and went into construction."

He became a day laborer, working in construction primarily with concrete, even working on the construction of the Bull Run Reservoir in Portland. He did a little more hair work then started a window washing business (he still has this one) and out of that a business referral business, somewhat similar to Angie's List but before the internet. He also tried a martial arts video production business for a while.

"I basically tried a lot of different jobs," Cullins said, "but my sole goal was to create an income that produced without me." That's a tall order if you are not the boss. "I'm very good at making money when I show up but I'm not good at hiring employees but I'm great at hiring private contractors."

Cullins has always been a free spirit and got married a little later in life at age 40. "After about 3 years I was having health problems which caused financial problems. This was during the time I was running the referral business AAA Home Service referral which was just exploding."

I took a sample of a drug my neighbor gave me to reduce inflammation and it caused my brain to start bleeding. My health kept going downhill and my wife just kind of disappeared. "One day she just said, 'I'm going to move out until things settle down,' and I never saw her again," Cullins said. So I just let my other business go, which was dumb, but I cut it all back to just window washing."

During this time period he found himself drinking. Way too much and way too often and by himself. His depression over his situation was severe and he realized he needed to do something to pull himself out of it.

"At night I just started making cookies," Cullins said, "and started giving them away to feel good."

These random acts of kindness had the desired effect and Cullins started feeling better but still hadn't moved any closer to his goal. "I did it basically to heal my soul." That was eight years ago.

Then on a trip to Hawaii with a friend he was staying at a hostel. He made cookies and was advised not to give them away but to sell them instead. He made some samples and put them out. "I'm laying in my bunk taking a nap half asleep thinking to myself, 'I wonder if I could make money selling cookies while I sleep,' and my friend comes in and said, 'I've got some money here. Somebody just bought some cookies from you.' I thought that was a sign, even though I had no clue about the cookie business at all."

Two years hence Cullins has gotten into a work flow at a commercial kitchen he rents, he's set up his website, and given away a lot of samples. He's also got his cookies for sale in Burien at Three Tree Wellness on 152nd. Shari, the owner there said, "they have some sugar but they are so good people keep buying them and we keep reordering them.
But retail is not his plan. He is aiming at a pure online cookie business. The cookies are made with no preservatives so are shelf stable for "about two weeks."

He ships a very rich chocolate cookie and a shortbread cookie. He can also do special orders if requested. "I can make sugar cookies, to oatmeal cookies, australian cookies and even caramel corn and they cost $10.50 per dozen without shipping. His price for online orders for the chocolate or shortbread is $19.99 plus shipping for two dozen cookies.

"What I plan to do is have people get on a monthly or bi- monthly order where they are automatically shipped they would get 3 dozen cookies that would vary depending on the time of year they order."

He developed his own recipes for the cookies by first finding them online then changing them and relentlessly testing them until they are universally loved by everyone who tastes them. Pretty good method.

You can learn more about Bill's Cookie Jar by visiting his site www.billscookiejar.com or by phone at 206-384-7654.

SLIDESHOW: Seahurst Park is a great sunset venue

patr — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:14:52 +0000

The sunset on Thursday April 12 was rich and warm and was appreciated by people at Seahurst Park in Burien, one of whom Teddy Embaye was there with his 2 year old nephew and taking pictures with his iPhone.

We went down to the beach to catch the last rays of the sun as they were reflected off bands of texture in the water but Embaye had photos from earlier that were also worth seeing in the slideshow.

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE

SLIDESHOW: Occupy Movement photography show coming to Proletariat Pizza in White Center

Ty Swenson — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:02:37 +0000

(Editor’s note: the following is a preview for Greg McCorkle’s photography show that will be on display at Proletariat Pizza in White Center as part of White Center’s Art Walk. McCorkle is a freelance photographer who has covered many events – from house fires to snow storms - for the West Seattle Herald/White Center News and Highline Times over the years. Please click the image above for a slideshow preview of his show.)

The specifics
What: WE ARE: Images of the Occupation. Images from Occupy Seattle and Occupy Olympia by Greg McCorkle

When: February 18th to March 16th, 2012 at Proletariat Pizza, 9622-A 16th Ave S.W., White Center. The show officially opens at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18 (along with many more shows that open at White Center businesses on the third Saturday of each month).

Who: Greg McCorkle was very active documenting Occupy Movements in Seattle and Olympia in 2011. He will be sharing 13 images from his travels. McCorkle has degrees in fine art and graphic design and several years experience running art galleries in Pioneer Square (OK Hotel and Alias). In 2008 he left the gallery scene to go back to school. He is currently working towards a commercial photography degree at Seattle Community College along with creating a book documenting 12 Seattle craft breweries through his lens. He grew up in Everett.

McCorkle and the Occupy Movement
“As a child of the 60’s I remember the anti-war movement and (the Occupy Movement) began to remind me of how that began and how it grew into a full-on movement where it wasn’t just disenfranchised kids … it was families, the middle-aged, the elderly,” he said. “Everyone is affected by this economic meltdown that we are in the middle of and they are getting angry and they want some change.”

“The core of it is getting money out of politics – mostly corporate money … so that we actually have a voice,” he explained.

“Please come to the show and look at it and try to appreciate and think that unless you are a multi-millionaire, you are part of the 99 percent movement,” McCorkle said. “It’s cross party – it affects Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party members, Libertarians - all of them. If they are not millionaires, they have been affected: they have lost their homes, they have lost their jobs, maybe with cutbacks they have lost their health insurance … it’s not about a party it’s about people of the United States, the 300 million of us out there.”

As for choosing Proletariat Pizza, McCorkle said he was approached by the Art Walk organizers and they gave him a choice on open venues.

“I thought, well how appropriate to have an Occupy show at Proletariat Pizza, it just seemed to make sense.”

About the photographs
“I wanted a somber look and they are all a little dark,” McCorkle said. “What I ended up doing was desaturating, which is pulling almost all of the color out of them to where they are almost black and white but there are still bits of color in it. To me color is life so it’s like we all have a little life in us, but everybody is so down right now I just felt that was the feeling. And that’s why I chose a dark frame; I want to have this uneasiness, this constriction, because it is an uneasy time for everybody.”

McCorkle’s photos document protesters from a wide variety of backgrounds.

“It becomes this cross-generational gathering of people and then you can see this is affecting every aspect of American life,” he said.

Des Moines minister’s hobby jells

Ty Swenson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:28:54 +0000

By Gwen Davis

All you peanut butter sandwiches out there, fear not – there are 3,000 more jars of jelly in Des Moines these days, which means that more of you sandwiches will get that sinfully sweet condiment you deserve.
That’s thanks to Bill Asher, pastor of First Baptist Church of Des Moines who makes 3,000 jars of jelly a year.

Asher gives every jar away. Recipients include the Judson Park retirement community, the Fort Lewis Commissary and to his church. He also mails several jars to his brother.

Asher’s jellies and jams come in the full gamut of flavors: blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, mixed berry, blackberry/raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, orange marmalade, zucchini marmalade, pineapple, grape and others.

He makes batches of jelly using Splenda for people with diabetes.
Asher said that when he wants to donate large numbers of jars to a certain person or cause, he usually receives an incredulous reaction at first.

“People would think I was pulling a joke on them,” Asher said regarding incidences when he would tell people of the amount of jelly he makes.

“But then they like it.”

The recipes Asher uses come mostly from cookbooks, but many times he is able to wing it.

Strawberry jam is the most popular flavor.

Residents of Judson Park enjoy first dibs on the jams and jellies, and are appreciative of Asher’s altruistic exertions.

“Bill is a great guy who doesn’t charge a dime,” said one Judson Park resident (who requested that his name not be printed in this article). “It is very unusual. He makes these things and buys all the jars and lids and keeps records of it.”

The resident said that Asher gives some of the jars of jam to the Judson Park store, which sometimes generates a little bit of money. But the jam donations by and large are solely charity-based.

“He doesn’t mess around,” the resident said. “Bill is a generous, fine guy.”

Asher has made jams and jellies his entire life. He grew up in south New Jersey where he would spend the entire summer on a farm, picking berries and making jams with his 13 brothers and sisters. The 16-person jam-producing family instilled within Asher a love of jam making that has yet to go away.

“I have been making jelly ever since childhood,” Asher said. “My mother did a lot of canning, as all of my other siblings. That’s how I learned to do it.”

Asher makes the jams and jellies year-round. From start to finish, it takes him two hours to make 50 jars. Asher’s wife helps put the lids on the jars.

Asher pays for all of the ingredients and supplies out of pocket, including the jars, sugar, Splenda, fruit, juice, gel agents and berries. He buys the jars from the Fort Lewis Commissary for about $6 per case. The sugar costs approximately $6.50 for a 10-pound bag.

But because Asher loves making the jam and gains satisfaction from his donation efforts, he said he hardly thinks about price.

Asher also makes bread, which he said is just as much of an achievement as the jam: “I am known for my bread just as much as the jelly,” he said.

Asher formerly served in the U.S. Navy. When he retired in 1994, he moved to Des Moines where he became minister of his church and began making jellies and jams for his current clientele.

“I was doing this long before I came to Des Moines,” Asher said. “I have been making jam throughout my life, even when I was in the Navy.”

Asher especially enjoys making jam for his church and for the family fun night every Friday, where he brings several jars for all of his congregants to enjoy.

“I like making these things,” Asher said. “It’s fun.”

Library2Go mini-bookmobiles reach beyond the library walls

steves — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:11:00 +0000

While many local residents enjoy visiting the modern Burien Library, some may find a trip to the SW 152nd St. facility either inconvenient or impossible. Enormous bookmobiles are great, but for many they park too far from their homes.

The King County Public Library System's Library2Go vans fill that gap. They can park at apartment complexes, civic buildings, and daycare centers with more agility than their larger cousins. They are also designed to pull in and drive out quickly which allows for multiple stops in one day. The program began in 2010. There are four vans total, each containing about 1,000 items, including books and DVD's, and a fifth van is dedicated to computer graphic equipment.

"The advantage of the minivans is that you can take them to smaller places, and they fit in neighborhoods where the big bookmobiles don't," said Marsha Iverson, Public Relations Specialist, King County Library System. "They reach beyond the library walls. They make community stops at regular locations on a schedule every four weeks. Anyone with a library card can check out an item from a Library2Go van. Just walk up to the van. You don't need to live in the apartment complex where it is parked."

The next time you'll see the red vans in Burien will be Tuesday through Thursday, March 6 to March 8. Iverson said that you return your book four weeks later, when the van revisits you. She pointed out that in brick and mortar libraries a DVD must be returned within one week, but you keep your DVD for four weeks if you find one you like in the van. Of course, those go quickly, she warned.

Also, the vans focus on in-home daycare facilities (not open for public access) in the mornings, so there is a slant toward children's books. Here is the March schedule. Every four weeks the vans arrive on the same days of the week, while the dates fluctuate. These stops are all open to the public:

Tuesday, March 6:

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Francscan Apartments Senior Community, 15237 21st Ave., Burien. (Just across the street from St. Francis of Assisi Parish.)

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Woodridge Park Apartments, 12400 28th Ave. S. , Boulevard Park

Wednesday, March 7:

4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Veranda Green Apts. 11301 26th Ave S. , Boulevard Park

Thursday, March 8:

10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Highline Food Bank, 18300 4th Ave. S., Burien.

3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sea-Mar Community Health Center, 14434 Ambaum Blvd. SW., Burien.

4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Seola Gardens (KCHA) 10949 5th Ave. SW, White Center.

Storefront Deputy BJ Myers speaks on the reinvigoration of White Center and North Highline

Ty Swenson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:52:39 +0000

The January snow and ice storm was a telling moment for King County Deputy BJ Myers, the 30-year-old Maple Valley native who took over the recently reinstated storefront deputy position in White Center after a strong community push convinced the powers that be to find the funding.

His patrol vehicle got stuck in the snow twice during the heavy snow fall, “and both times people just came to my aid and pushed me out … except for one guy, who is a friend of mine out here now, who just stood across the street and laughed at me.”

It was a sign to Myers that his approach to relationship building in the community – be it with folks from the neighborhood, business owners along 16th Ave S.W. or the homeless population that frequent or live in the area – was starting to pay off after a handful of months on the job.

Myers joined the King County Sheriff’s Office in 2007, back when Deputy Jeff Hancock was on duty at the storefront position.

“Seeing him being effective up here was something that stuck with me and I had always thought, ‘If that job ever becomes available again, I’d love to do it.’”

He was working the Burien beat up until getting the storefront job late in 2011, and said White Center always held an interest: “It was obvious that White Center was a unique place with exceptional diversity and lots of people that are involved in this neighborhood and are trying to turn things around here and make this a place where they can raise kids and have a successful business. I just hadn’t seen a place quite like this in such a small area.”

“I had to put aside the job description they gave me,” Myers said of his reassignment from Burien to White Center. On paper, the storefront deputy is something akin to a customer service representative … like the person you encounter when you walk into a cell phone store. Myers said he knew the job would require far more interaction – a model he witnessed in Deputy Hancock and heard about in Deputy Steve Cox, the two men who held the position prior.

“I wanted to come into White Center and not impose my own view of what should happen here, and so when I first got here I just tried to listen, and I’m still trying to listen,” he said.

We will get into what he has heard in a bit, but first, how did Deputy BJ Myers find himself here?

The chance reading of a life-changing article
After graduating from High School in Maple Valley, Myers joined the Air Force National Guard and moved to Seattle. Along with getting a degree in political science, he was deployed twice – once to the Middle East and another tour in the Indian Ocean.

After college, Myers started working as a bartender. “I was a political science major in college and didn’t really have a career field in mind.”

“One day when I was setting up the bar where I was working I grabbed the Seattle Times and opened it up and there was front page story about how all these police departments are short-handed and here’s who they are looking for, here is what the job is like, here is the process,” he said. “That was the first time I had ever given (law enforcement) any consideration.”

“The more I thought about it, it seemed like a pretty good fit,” Myers said. One of the reasons Myers decided to leave the military, he said, was that he wanted to do something locally, rather than federally, - focused.

He shrugged off a management offer from the restaurant he was working for and applied to 18 different police departments. He was interested in the King County Sheriff’s Office because of the flexibility – he could work rural or urban beats in a large department with the potential to try out different positions.

“Fortunately they were the ones who offered me a job and I took it.”

It turns out his political science background played well into his new role: “I have always been interested in politics and the constitution and I have always had an awareness of what our rights are, what our liberties are, and what we get by being part of constitutional society and what we give up. I think it’s appropriate for a police officer to have those kinds of understandings.”

Some five years later Myers finds himself in a wide-open law enforcement position where he says his superiors have given him the flexibility to define the job as he best sees fit. For White Center and the rest of Unincorporated North Highline, Myers represents a deputy fully focused on solving issues – from public nuisance to drug trafficking – and working with community leaders, business owners and everyday citizens in making the area a destination: be it a place to live or a place to visit for a good dinner and some stellar ice cream.

A typical day as the storefront deputy
When asked what a typical day in White Center consists of, Myers has a long list.

He’ll generally start out with a review of what has happened since his last shift – perusing case files, arrests made and new problems identified by deputies working the North Highline beat. Then it is on to emails and voicemails from community members (his contact information is listed at the bottom of this story, and Myers encourages any and everyone to contact him).

After that it is time to work on an ever-changing list of ongoing projects, be it investigating narcotics activity or looking into an unauthorized homeless encampment. He will occasionally head into the neighborhoods for drug house surveillance (“As much as I can in a fully marked police car”), and any information he has gathered from personal observation or citizens is often times passed on to detectives.

Additionally, Myers said he acts as a conduit for information between the graveyard and daytime shift deputies, “enabling them to do more, to have more knowledge coming into a situation.” In return, Myers said, the patrol officers help him out by taking care of most of the arrests and paperwork, freeing him up to work on broader issues.

He spends a lot of time attending meetings with a wide variety of people and organizations, from housing authority at Greenbridge to local business owners to local politicians to neighborhood and council groups.

“And then every day I spend some time walking around out here,” Myers said, gesturing to White Center’s business corridor. Generally with a fellow deputy, Myers will head out for the foot beat, going into bars, checking the alleys, and on and on.

“The more that we show our face around here, the more people will be comfortable being around us and those who are not comfortable being around us will get out of here,” he said.

Working with the homeless population
In an early meeting after taking over the storefront deputy position, Myers met with business owners and church groups to talk about the homeless population in North Highline.

“I became aware that the way that they were talking about the homeless population we have here in White Center was that they are a part of this community,” he said. “There was this realization that they may not be part of the community that we have always recognized, or always honor, but those folks see themselves as part of this neighborhood (as well).”

“And so I’ve tried to also approach what I’m doing with that same understanding.”

Myers said it is a balance of attempting to squelch public nuisance (often times public intoxication) that “has led to a tough business environment around here,” while not simply focusing on trying “to evict all the homeless from this neighborhood,” or sending them all to jail (although he said if they cross the line, jail is not out of the question).

”So part of what I’m trying to do is get to know some of these homeless folks so I can be in a position to give them help when they need it, that when I tell them they need to move along or that I’m taking them to jail that they have a relationship with me and that they are going to go along with it,” Myers said. “I want those folks to see me as part of this community also.”

Myers sees his integration into the community as critical in success at his position.

“Part of my authority in this job has to come from being someone who is willing to be part of this neighborhood,” he said. “And so if I tell some guy, ‘Hey you have to pour out your beer’ it is not just because I have a star on my chest, but it is because I’m part of this neighborhood and there are rules to this neighborhood and I am trying to make this a better place.”

Myers said the homeless population is complex (a recent Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness survey found 55 homeless living in the area, but the number could be larger.) He said there are people living on the streets, but others have cars or shacks they sleep in. Some have homes, he said, but choose to come to White Center during the day. Some drink heavily, he said, but some do not. There is a wide range of ages, substance abuse or mental health issues, and employment histories, according to Myers – from laborers to veterans to ex-professionals.

“Many have stories of real family trauma that preceded them coming out here,” Myers said. “I’ve spent many evenings just hearing stories from these guys.”

Since taking over the position, Myers said the homeless population has started to trust him, coming to him directly with problems like a friend that drank too much alcohol and needs to get to detox.

He has also been surprised by issues White Center’s homeless population discuss.

“I broke up a fight between two homeless guys the other day and once I broke through the drunken yelling to figure out what they were arguing about, I determined it was a disagreement over who they should support in the Republican primary … and they knew what they were talking about, too.”

Medical cannabis operations in North Highline
“It’s a tough one for us,” Myers said of law enforcements’ take on medical cannabis facilities in White Center and North Highline. “The Sheriff’s Office approach is to enforce what we can, but we are not going to try to get ahead of the legislature.”

“My approach has been to try to deal with them like they are any other business,” he continued. “I am not going to make any judgment … but to treat them as any other business on the block. The types of issues I deal with are when they, as a business, are affecting another business for one reason or another.”

Myers said there is a range of business practices within the medical marijuana industry, and there are those who follow best practices and those who do not.

He referenced the recently shuttered GAME Collective lounge on 16th Ave., which shut down shortly after being raided by federal law enforcement for allegedly operating outside the guidelines of Washington State law, as an example of a business not following best practices, which he defines as attempting to operate as a professional medical facility.

When asked if medical cannabis operations are a magnet for crime, Myers said, “I haven’t seen it. The folks I see coming to these establishments, for the most part, I see them coming, getting their medicine and leaving. I don’t see crowds in front of these places.”

After the Cannabis Oasis (on 1st Ave S.) was robbed last year, Myers said they bolstered security.

“I’ve been really impressed with some of the measures they have taken to ensure they are not adding to that stereotype or problem.”

Looking back on Operation Center of Attention
“There were really a lot of people clamoring for some work to be done here, asking for help,” Myers said of the ATF’s decision to zero in on gun and drug trafficking in the White Center business corridor, culminating in an Oct. 20 multi-agency raid where 53 were arrested along with the seizure of 68 firearms and over 60 pounds of drugs.

“For the same reason that I’m interested in this job, there are a lot of people who have taken ownership of this neighborhood and want their voice to be heard and that is what brought Center of Attention here,” he added.

Myers said part of the reason White Center likely became a distribution point for large scale trafficking is that, “we have a really unusual business district here with some dense urban blocks that is not like the rest of the southwest Seattle (or) Burien area. It’s probably a magnet for a lot of things … and you hope it is a magnet for good things.”

Annexation and crime in North Highline versus Burien
King County has promised the funding of Deputy Myers storefront position through 2012, with an uncertain future beyond. If Burien was to annex North Highline (if it happens, the process would likely occur in 2013), Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer said the storefront position would persist.

As for Myers take, he said, ““I hope that the state law gets worked out (the state is threatening to axe a sales tax credit for annexing unincorporated areas which Burien says is crucial in making the move financially doable)so that Burien can make a good proposal … a good offer for White Center. I would like White Center to have some good choices and not have those taken off the table before they have a chance to vote on it.”

Regarding crime between the two areas, Myers said, “White Center is different than Burien. The way that crime looks here, it doesn’t look the same in Burien. There is something about this neighborhood … being a dense commercial district here on the Highline Ridge, a lot of things are drawn here.”

He added, however, that the types of crime are found in both areas.

“I don’t think there is anything about White Center that makes crime natural here,” Myers said. “It is not that the neighborhood has a characteristic that means there is going to be crime here, so that makes me believe that there are things that will affect crime rates here. Police presence may affect that to a certain extent; businesses turning around is going to affect that; people getting to know their neighbor is going to affect that. So just like neighborhoods in Burien, if positive things are happening in the neighborhood than crime is going to go down.”

Into the future
“Invigorating the business district is what is going to turn this neighborhood around,” Myers said. “There is such a unique opportunity here… because of the diversity, the density of businesses here and because this has been a business district for a long time … that this has all the components to be a successful place to have a business.”

Myers said as new housing projects are built in the area the population density will continue to increase, and “The business district is going to be the natural place for people to come and shop.”

“Part of that is going to be the businesses and the Sheriff’s Office working together to try to reduce some of the nuisances … that make people feel uncomfortable in coming down here to spend some money.”

Myers identified the main public nuisance issues as public intoxication, loitering in front of businesses, panhandling and the large commuter population that hangs out at the 15th Ave bus stop … sometimes causing problems.

“You’ll start seeing things on that issue that we are working on,” Myers said, although he did not provide any specifics.

“One of my goals in this is to start thinking outside of business as usual for the Sheriff’s Office and how we can encourage economic development around here,” he said. “Obviously I’m not an expert on that, but I think the Sheriff’s Office here is in a unique position where we can engage some people in that conversation and if it means using public safety as the hook to get people interested in how to turn the neighborhood around and encourage businesses in the neighborhood, then that is what we will do.”

Moving into the neighborhoods of White Center and unincorporated North Highline, Myers said he has been making trips into residential areas and meeting with citizens.

“I’ve met a lot of people in this neighborhood that love it,” he said. “They know their neighbors; they call us when they see something out of the ordinary. I have really enjoyed going out and making connections with those people and they are thrilled to hear that there are police officers that work here all the time that are interested in getting to know the neighborhood …”

Next on the agenda, Myers said, is helping citizens organize and create block watches.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is holding a Public Safety Forum on Feb. 9, 7 p.m., at the North Highline Fire District Building (1243 S.W. 112th St in White Center), and Myers hopes that meeting will be an opportunity for citizens to learn more about forming block watches and speak with him directly about public safety issues. Detective Joe Gagliardi from the KCSO Gang Unit will also be in attendance.

“I hope this meeting will be an opportunity to have constructive conversation with the neighborhood about what they see as being the problems, am I missing something, and chances are they are going to have great ideas about how to confront some of these problems,” he said.

Deputy Myers can also be contacted directly at Benjamin.myers@kingcounty.gov or (206) 296-3333 (office).

“I think that movement in the neighborhood, combined with the attention that is on this neighborhood due to Center of Attention and some other news stories going on here, I think we find ourselves in a window of opportunity here to try to get something done as a neighborhood,” Myers said.

Don and Elaine are what Valentine’s Day is all about

Ty Swenson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:01:55 +0000

When I went to the SeaTac Senior Center dance, I wasn’t looking for a couple to feature for Valentine’s Day, but I sure found one.

The floor was full of couples dancing to the old tunes, but one couple stood out. It wasn’t just that they danced so well together. It was that they had this newlywed way about them. You know the look, when a couple is gobbling up every moment together and have that adoring look for one another? It’s the way that we all wished someone would look at us.

That lovely couple was Don and Elaine Burns of Burien.

Both Don Burns and Elaine Murray grew up in Alberta, Canada. By the time Don was five, he and Elaine were living within a few blocks of one another, but went to different schools, so they never met.

When the Depression hit, Elaine’s folks moved up to Porcher Island, where her father panned for gold and her mother worked as a cook. Elaine was only six.

“I used to go help the miners by tossing out the worthless rocks that were sorted from the gold. It was kinda fun,” she said.

In 1935 her pregnant mother and Elaine moved back to their home in Vancouver. Two years later her father was able to rejoin them. I thought about how hard it must have been for a young couple going through the Depression; how much gumption and determination it took to keep the family together, even if they were physically apart. It just goes to show that money woes are not the base reason for our current divorce rate.

Years passed and the sound of the Big Band and dances like Jive, Jitter Bug and Swing made their way up from the San Francisco World’s Fair.

“Everyone was learning the new steps. The Embassy Ballroom hosted
'Musical Grab Bag.' It was a mix of local bands, very much like 'American Bandstand'," said Don.

However, in 1937, Don’s fascination for planes and flying led him off to be an Air Cadet. He was only16, but he knew what he wanted to do.

It was 1939 and Elaine had gone off to business school when the war broke out in Pearl Harbor. “In just a few weeks, all of the Japanese students were cleared out from the school and sent to Hastings Park (a camp for potential Japanese sympathizers). It was a very sad and confusing time for all of us, because those Japanese students were our friends,” she said.

Don was now in the Air Force and was serving as a B-24 Radioman. When he came home on leave, in September of 1943, he finally met Elaine. “A chum of mine was having a party. I saw him (Don) sitting at the top of the steps and I thought ‘Wow!’”

I asked Elaine if it was true, ‘what they say about a man in uniform’ and she replied, “Oh, yes” with a glint in her eye.

After walking Elaine and her friend home, Don went back into military action, but Elaine had another action in mind. “I went and told my Mom that I met someone and that if I ever married, he’d be the one.”

Don came back from the war in 1945 and headed over to the Embassy Ballroom for the weekly dance. “We danced together, but Don had his civvies on, so I didn’t even recognize him,” Elaine said.

Don piped up, “I was walking her home, when she said, ‘I know you!’ and when we got to her house, I said, ‘I’ve been here, before!,’” he laughed. They never stopped seeing each other, after that, and finally married on July 4th, 1946.

Jobs were scarce, so they moved to Seattle in 1948. “Would you believe that rent was only $12 for a one bedroom apartment, back then?” she mused.

Don was out looking for work and happened to be looking into the window of a business where the manager was someone that he knew from Vancouver. He was immediately hired and worked there until the day he retired in 1982.

I was still charmed as I watched the two of them finish each other’s sentences and tenderly smile at one another. I wondered how they remained Valentines, after sixty-six years. Don said, “Ninety-nine percent is common sense, and then two words, “Yes dear,” they both laughed.

Elaine said, “Its give and take. And a lot of times, silence is golden."

"A lot of things outside the home are upsetting, so you’ve got to have peaceful things inside your home.” Don added, “People maybe aren’t patient enough with each other. They don’t give it a chance.”

Don and Elaine still dance up to three times a week and they love to travel with family. He builds radio-controlled planes and she has her hobbies, too. They’re just one of those charming couples that are more delightful “as time goes by.”

SLIDESHOW: Burien Daddy and Daughter Valentine's Ball

Ty Swenson — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:27:55 +0000

The annual Daddy and Daughter Valentine's Ball took place on Feb. 4 at the Burien Community Center. Photographer Gordon Weeks captured these images.

PLEASE CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE.

Photo of special tree brings memories of final visit

Ty Swenson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:43:20 +0000

(Editor’s Note: Charlie Ganong offers a poignant story about a special tree in Highline, followed by Jerry Robinson’s memory of a chance meeting years ago in Boston.)

Jerry,
Thanks for sending us the picture of my mom and the "historic tree." It brought back a lot of memories, and prompted me to write the following:
That is a historic tree behind my mom. She no longer lives in Fentonwood. But that grand tree in the background will thrive there another four or five hundred years, when all of us will have long since gone to that big tree house in the sky.

Trees--and that grove in particular--hold a special meaning for me. My first job out of college was as a freshly scrubbed, wet-behind-the-ears PR flak for Weyerhaeuser, the "Tree Growing Company," a dream job for me. As a kid, I loved playing in the woods--building fir-bough camps, flying down trails, scrambling over mossy logs or scooting up tall trees. Later, I grew to love the Northwest's sheltering, fragrant forests even more as a hiker and camper. The dark, cool woods always called to me, soothing my restless spirit and offering sweet solace in a world bereft of fresh air, peace and quiet.

Anyway, a veteran forester named Howard Millan befriended me at Weyerhaeuser, taking me under his sturdy wing and teaching me the ways of the corporate woods. He gladly supplied me with three dozen seedlings from the Big W to plant on the hillside behind my parents' home, where the furrowed corpses of fallen cedars felled by bandy-legged loggers of long ago lay mute and slowly rotting beneath a mad tangle of blackberries, unruly salal and scraggly hazelnut. My goal was to jump-start my own "tree farm," returning this little half acre of paradise-lost to its former sylvan splendor.

So, sometime in the early 1980s, I patiently planted each of those 36 seedlings on the hillside. But, to my great disappointment, most of them never made it out of the starting gate, nibbled to death by the gully's elusive "mountain beavers," trampled underfoot by unwary siblings or smothered by relentless waves of ivy, stickers and underbrush.

But a half-dozen or so defied the odds and survived their adolescent trauma, rising above the thick understory to become sturdy, stalwart citizens. The result, 30 years later, is the "historic" fir tree in the background of this photo, serenaded by a trio of graceful hemlocks below it, to the right, just in view down the hill.

But there's more to this story than just trees. . . . Flash forward 30 years from the 22-year-old wannabe woodsman to December 2001, a late-autumn Seattle day like any other. I was on my way from someplace to somewhere, absorbed in the routine busy-ness of life, stopped at the intersection of S.W. 116th and 28th S.W., near Shorewood School. Then came the familiar dilemma: to turn left or right. To stop and visit the folks--a commitment of, at minimum, an hour, probably more--or to turn the other way and proceed with all the critical pursuits of everyday life: bank, post office, gym, hardware store, leaf-raking, e-mail checking, blah-blahing.

I had a lot to do that day; maybe I'd stop by and visit the folks tomorrow. I hesitated at the intersection a beat longer, listening, perhaps, to the echoes of my own youthful footsteps skipping toward schoolyards of long ago. I decided to turn right, not sure, in the words of Jackson Browne, if it was the past or the future that was calling. But something--or someone--definitely was.

My mom and dad were home when I stopped in. My dad hadn't been too well lately; but until I actually saw him that day, I didn't realize how pale and weak he had grown. I think my folks had been keeping his condition from us, not wanting to worry "the children."

I visited with my dad awhile as he lay in bed. He was tired, so I didn't stay long. As I was leaving, he propped himself up on a wobbly elbow and said, "I'm gonna get back up," gazing skyward through the sturdy branches of the once-fragile seedling grown into a lofty giant. "I'm gonna get back up." His vow to regain his health--but, as it turned out, the last words I would ever hear him say.

He died the next morning. Linda delivered the news as I awoke from a sound and restful sleep. I wasn't sad. I didn't grieve or mourn. I had already done enough of that when my father had suffered through a car accident thirteen years earlier, miraculously survived and was given a new lease on life. No, the last thirteen years had all been "bonus time, for him, each day a gift unto itself.

Came winter, then spring. One day a nest appeared in the hemlock next to the "historic tree." Shortly afterwards a Great Blue Heron emerged from the nest, cradled in the boughs of a tree I had planted with my own hands years before. Soon the great bird left its home and joined its brethren patrolling the shores of Puget Sound. And every once in awhile, when I am mowing the lawn, fishing or just scanning the gray horizon along Three Tree Point, I see that heron rise shakily from its perch on a raft or a buoy and take flight above the waves, seeking calmer seas and bluer skies.

My dad's been gone ten years now. His ashes are interred at the Veteran's Cemetery in Kent, beneath a stone engraved with the words, Look Homeward, Angel, the title of a book by Thomas Wolfe, one of his favorite authors. I will visit the place one day, although I know that his spirit has long since been liberated from his failing body, as all of ours will be, by and by.

Some say that the central quest in life is the "search for the father." If so--or, if not--I'm glad I found you that day, Dad. Had I turned left, instead of right, I might be searching still.

Charlie Ganong, the Burien writer who wrote about his mother’s Highline Fir tree story was my neighbor boy who lived next door in Gregory Heights.

He was at Harvard when I was in Boston on a trip and decided to take a subway to nearby Harvard Yard.

I had no idea where Harvard Yard was but figured it was a bunch of brick buildings surrounded by a fence with some shrubs, a swing or two and maybe a dog.

I emerged from the subway at an intersection and the light was green so I crossed the busy street and was standing there without a clue on where to go and a voice said, "Aren't you Jerry Robinson?"

I was delightfully stunned. What are the odds on his being 3,000 miles from Seattle? On the same corner at the same street corner?

We found a lunchroom and he gave a small tour of his Yard. Never saw a swing or a bulldog.

Charlie is today one of the guys who brings you many of the teevee sports events you watch.

He was an honor grad and captain of the Evergreen football team in White Center during the Jack Thompson quarterback years.

Jerry Robinson, Publisher

Not famous, but Ed Witzke has lived a noble 100 years

Ty Swenson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:53:34 +0000

When most of us think of someone living to be 100, we might imagine a pale figure staring at the ceiling, waiting for the Lord to finally come.

This does not describe Ed Witzke. In fact, he’s in such good health, they just did hip surgery on him and he’s already up and walking! He also has fewer wrinkles than most 70 year olds. If his genes are ever up for auction, I’m first in line!

I would never have known about Ed, except for the love and dedication of his good friend, Sue Love, who comes and plays cribbage with him, most every day. Her husband was his paperboy, years ago, so they just kind of became family.

About their cribbage games, Ed grinned and said, “I usually win. She’s an unlucky girl”, but he also mentioned that she claims that he cheats.
Edward Julius Witzke was born on Jan. 21, 1912 near the little German town of Bashaw in Alberta, Canada.

He lived on a farm and was the youngest of six kids, so he led a pretty charmed life –- especially as the baby of the family. However, that changed at the age of three, when he and his slightly older brother were out walking near the slough.

It was winter and all of the ponds were frozen over – or so they thought. “I guess some muskrats had created an opening in the ice. I fell through and plunk - right to the bottom.”

His eyes widened; “My brother had to run up to the house, find our mother, then she had to find the farmhands and we figure I was under water for a good twenty minutes”.

“The coldness of the water must have just rushed right to my heart and preserved me. One of the farmhands, Cap Reed, pumped on my chest long after they said that I was a goner.”

Just a few years ago, Ed went up to Bashaw and they were still talking about “that little boy that came back to life.”

I commented, ‘In a hundred years, you’ve seen a lot of changes, haven’t you? How are things different’, “Well, we were pretty poor. I remember when my brother turned nine he got an apple for his birthday. That was a big deal. Apples were mighty rare up in Canada. He shared it with me.”

Ed went on, “We all moved down to San Diego, because my older brothers told us about how the fruit was just hangin’ on the trees. Dad couldn’t find work, though, so we moved to Seattle in 1922.”

I asked Ed how Seattle had changed. He said, “Well, for one thing, it was just a big town, back then. The Smith Tower wasn’t even up, yet. The biggest thrill was the automobiles. Back in Bashaw, we only had one truck and the rest of us all used horses to get around.”

I found out that Ed took lessons at the Fred Astaire School of Dance, which is where he met Patsy, his wife. He was so shy that she had to ask him! They married on July 4th, 1937 and Ed said, “It was the best thing that ever happened to me. We got along so well. It was a dream thing.” Patsy is now gone, but she still shines in his eyes.

I asked Ed the best advice he could give to anyone and he popped right back with an answer, “The first thing is that you don’t do the wrong thing, even if it’s small. It’ll wear on you the rest of your life. The church teaches you the rights from the wrongs. Keep busy with honest things and hang out with the right people –- good people”.

Ed kept his own advice, because he was living at home, mowing his own lawn and caring for multiple fruit tree and a garden when he was in his 90s.

As I was checking over my notes, this soft-spoken, humble gentleman wondered if there was really anything interesting enough about him to write about. For myself, I can say that it’s pure pleasure to just be in the presence of someone so genuine, transparent and wholesome.

He isn’t a national award-winner or famous for some great feat, but he’s exactly the type of person who makes up the many noble seniors that built this nation. And he spent 100 years doing it, too! Happy 100th Birthday Ed!

Life was sweet in house at a very cool location

Ty Swenson — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:14:12 +0000

Our family home in the heart of Seattle was fine and dandy decades ago with plenty of room for five kids, as well as visiting friends and neighbors. It was near Denny Way and walking distance to Pike Place Market.

Describing that same property as it is today would likely bring a response of, “Cool, Very Cool.” To our family it was just home. Much later it became a significant place and few, if any, know this personal history -– until now.

Our house sure wasn’t fancy, although it was very friendly. We five kids had fun and school friends who regularly stopped at our house on the way home from school. Mom wasn’t much for baking cookies, yet a pot of good old baked beans and biscuits were usually in sight for hungry kids. The butter was in a cooler icebox built into a kitchen window.

Mom was a lady born before her time and was often found fixing the engine of her car or doing a good deed for someone, frequently for people we hardly knew. I think most folks from that time period gave from their heart to help others in need and without thought of recompense.

Watching the happiness Mom’s help brought to other people by giving them food, clothing and money, if she had any, was a lesson in living, even though sometimes she gave money we needed.

Mom quoted Scripture, “Give and it shall be given to you.” Somehow we did squeeze by. I don’t know if I believed that then, yet it has become a lesson not forgotten. Today, individuals access help from food banks and other organizations.

The Great Depression left revealing, indelible, footprint of authenticity by demonstrating how human nature draws people together in common tough times. In war and tragedies people generously share help.

While all that is true, I want to share a little of my personal growing up and family time. I am a native Washingtonian, born in Seattle, and long time Des Moines resident –- and getting older daily.

My life journey began when I was born in a little Ballard beach house, 12 minutes after my twin brother got out of the way -- so I could get out too. (That’s suppose to bring a smile) Dad said, “The Stock Market crashed and Mom gave birth to twins, what a day!” It was also the day the light company almost turned the electricity off at the house. Times were tough.

My twin brother, Earl, and I were the youngest with one brother 12 years older, one sister 8 years older and another sister nearly 4 years older. Our home with five kids guaranteed a myriad of lively living activity.

Childhood was at a rental home owned by the Bartell family (Bartell Drug Stores) on Queen Anne Hill at 1st Ave. North and Upper Valley Street. Later we bought a house at 17 Lower Valley Street, near the steep “counterbalance.”

When we later moved closer to the Memorial Stadium you could find me on any ballgame day, looking under the fence watching the game. My sister and twin brother would climb over the barbwire fence but not me. At about six years old I was belly-down on the pavement and saw the game fine. A position that was easy then and impossible if I tried now.

However, it was when we bought a house next to Grandma’s at 1st Avenue North near Denny Way that things got interesting.

Today, if you looked at what is now built on, or near, that last family home you would see the spectacular Space Needle in its place. Small wonder that’s “Cool, very cool”

It’s remarkable to feel part of that history knowing the magnificent Space Needle is recognized worldwide as the city of Seattle’s architectural identity.

So, life is sweet. Toss in lots of kids, lots of friends and smiles and that house brings Space Needle memories. The beautiful city of Des Moines has been, and is, my home of many years. How lucky can one gal be? Two terrific cities and I’m still here to see them! Amen.

Today’s Thought: One of the deepest secrets of life is, all that is really worth doing is what we do for others. (Lewis Carroll)

Despite own obstacles, Sahaya helps others

Ty Swenson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:59:00 +0000

By Christina Kale

At age 22, Sahaya Corkern is deceptively small. But, even born with spina bifida, she doesn’t see herself as confined to a wheelchair. “I do almost everything for myself,” she says.

Alone, she rides the bus from her home in Des Moines to volunteer at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

“I work with kids who are really sick which made me think about donating my hair to Locks of Love,” Sahaya noted.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children with medical hair loss.

Last week, while stylists Amy and Monica of Illusions Hair Design in West Seattle, cut her hair for Locks of Love, Sahaya shared details of her life journey.

Born in India and left at an orphanage run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, Sahaya believes her birth family just couldn’t handle the expense of her disability. “I was only a year old when I was taken to the orphanage,” she explains. As an older child, she was transferred to another Indian orphanage in hopes that she would find an adoptive family.

That family turned out to be Des Moines residents Sean and Laura Corkern.

An electrician and teacher, respectively, the Corkerns have sixteen children—fifteen who were adopted from the United States, India, Liberia, Ethiopia and Thailand.

Sahaya doesn’t mind the constant influx of siblings. “We’re a family,” she says. With that, nearly a foot of her long dark hair falls to the ground in a single snip, “It looks like a mop!” she laughs, holding it up in one hand.

As the second adopted child, Sahaya came into the Corkern’s life unexpectedly. “Sean and I were actually at the World Association for Children and Parents agency adopting a different child,” says Laura,

“When we flipped through a book of available children in the waiting room, there was a picture of seven-year old Sahaya sitting on the floor of an orphanage. We saw she had spina bifida, turned and looked at each other.”

Two members of the Corkern family had spina bifida at the time “so we weren’t scared of it one bit,” Laura says. “In fact, I think the caseworker was hoping we would see Sahaya’s picture.”

One year later, the Corkerns brought Sahaya home to the United States.

As she leans back for a shampoo, she talks about life in Des Moines. “I went to elementary school here but was bullied so I started homeschooling instead.” Softly she explains, “Once, a girl pushed me out of my wheelchair at recess and I laid there on the ground all day.”

“But, I did go to a kids summer camp for people like me four or five times, “ she smiles, “We played wheelchair basketball, soccer and volleyball.” When asked which was her favorite, she blushes and says, “Basketball. I was pretty good at that.”

Now pursuing her GED, she is in her second year at Highline Community College. “I started late because I was recently in the hospital for almost a year,” she says. “I used that time to try to find my birth family.” She pauses, “I haven’t had much success. Someday I may travel to India to look—I won’t go visit the orphanage though,” she smiles, “I’ve had enough of that.”

After a few scissor snips, Sahaya turns and politely asks for “enough to have a ponytail for swimming” since twice a week during the summer she takes the bus to a pool for physical therapy.

“I don’t know how she does it,” says Laura, “she’ll sit there and buses will go right by because they don’t want to take time to stop but she never gives up.”

“Sometimes the Metro Access people forget to pick me up at the hospital after I’m done volunteering,” Sahaya smirks, “but they eventually remember—even if it’s two hours late.”

Sahaya focuses on fine needlework and quilting during her few moments of free time. “I also like reading biographies,” she says. When asked her favorite, she looks amused, “Mother Teresa. Of course.”

The finished style is a smooth, dark, shining wave of hair falling softly just below her shoulders. She turns her head side to side as she runs her fingers through it. “Wow,” she says softly, “I really do look different.”

After thanking everyone, Sahaya heads toward the door. “I’d love to stay,” she says with a polite smile, “but I have homework to do.”

SLIDESHOW: Controversies continued in 2011

Ty Swenson — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:45:39 +0000

Controversies continued in 2011.

Most of them were left over from years past or flared up one again such as Burien annexation and the SeaTac Elected Mayor Proposition.

PLEASE CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE

Here is a month-by-month look back at what made the news in Highline this past year:

January
The Des Moines Police Guild demanded the resignation of Mayor Bob Sheckler because of statements he made shortly after a Des Moines police officer shot and killed Rosie, a Newfoundland dog, in November. Sheckler called the demand “absurd.”
Des Moines interim police chief John O’Leary said there would be no formal disciplinary action against the officers involved in the shooting.

Former Highline Times publisher Al Sneed and ex- White Center librarian Gertrude Finney both died in January.

Controversial activist Bill Ayers spoke at Highline Community College in Des Moines during Martin Luther King Jr. Week.

February
Accolades rolled in for SeaTac’s Cedarbrook Lodge and its restaurant, Copperleaf. The lodge was rated the no. 1 hotel in the United States and No. 17 in the world in the Trip Advisor 2011 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Gayot recognized Copperleaf as a Top 10 New Restaurant in the U.S.

Hope was expressed that a sometimes-rancorous relationship between city staffers and developers would ease with the appointment of Cindy Baker as the director of SeaTac’s new community and economic development department. The department was a consolidation of five departments and divisions.

After six years, a new shoreline management plan was approved for Des Moines. It requires a 115-foot setback for new homes built in the shoreline residential area.

The Highline Public Schools four-year $188 million programs levy passed easily. Des Moines voters approved a special taxing district to keep open the Mt. Rainier Pool while Normandy Park voters very narrowly OK’d a special taxing district to operate local parks.

At an initial hearing on the civil complaint lodged against two Des Moines police officers by Chuck and Deirdre Wright over the shooting of their dog, Rosie, Des Moines Municipal Court Judge Veronica Alicea-Galvan recused herself. In turn, the King County District Court presiding judge sent the case on to the Pierce County District Court, saying all members of the court bench were disqualified.

March
With spring about to spring, outdoor activities began, including the Cove to Clover charity 5K run, featuring the 500-foot ‘Snake Hill.”

The 2010 federal Census confirmed that Highline has become a much more diverse place. Minority residents in SeaTac and Tukwila are a majority of the population with the New York Times naming Tukwila the most diverse school district in the country.

Because modern jets are quieter, the designated noise contours for Sea-Tac Airport will shrink, even with the new third runway, the Port of Seattle’s Stan Shepherd told SeaTac lawmakers.

Evergreen High track coach and janitor Tyrone Curry donated $40,000 to build a new track at his school. Curry won $3.4 million in the state’s Quinto lottery in June 2006.

John Welch announced he was resigning as Highline Public Schools superintendent to become superintendent of the Puget Sound Educational Service District. Alan Spicciati was named interim superintendent.

April
Former astronaut Bonnie Dunbar led efforts to get a retired space shuttle for Tukwila’s Museum of Flight.

Seattle council members “punted” on annexing White Center and the remaining unincorporated North Highline area. Burien City Manager Mike Martin said there would be “no sudden moves” on annexation by Burien lawmakers.

A nonprofit group, C.A.R.E.S., headed by Discover Burien events coordinator Debra George was awarded the contract to handle animal control services for Burien.

Burien began holding community forums on its visioning statement for the future of the city.

Burglary rates in Burien and SeaTac have soared since December, nearly 100 residents were told at a crime prevention meeting.

SeaTac council members approved a $10,000 donation for Fourth of July fireworks over Angle Lake but indicated private efforts would have to fund the display in the future.

Budget cuts claimed 22 jobs at Highline Community College in Des Moines.

May
Snohomish County District Court agreed to hear the Rosie the dog civil complaint against two Des Moines police officers.

The state Department of Ecology approved Burien’s Shoreline Management Plan with changes. The DOE said Burien must impose a 65-foot setback for new development on marine shorelines. Also, the state agency said if public access is allowed on Lake Burien, boats may not be banned. Burien council members rejected the changes.

The Highline School Board upheld a decision not to allow 25-year volunteer Dr. Jim Rice to continue coaching Highline athletic teams. He was not accused of wrongdoing but clashed with administrators over new athletic policies.

The world’s oldest active Fuller Brush Man, Burien resident Arthur Pearson died at age 93.

Highline Public schools adopted a new logo, which went on to win a national award. Meanwhile, Superintendent Welch recommended $2 million in cuts to the district budget, including merging assistant

Superintendent Geri Fain’s position with another administrative position after Fain retired in June.

A Highline School District security guard was charged with choking a Chinook Middle School student.

June
With the advent of summer, Burien held its annual Wild Strawberry Festival and SeaTac hosted its International Festival.

After a half-century each of teaching, Highline High’s David Craig and Highline College’s Jim Glennon retired.

Burien council members signaled that if conditions were right, they would favor incorporating North Highline.

Patrons of the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries began a petition drive aimed at convincing the King County Library System board to not close the two libraries and build a new one near Southwest 128th Street. The board delayed its decision.

July
Highline cities celebrated summer with Fourth of July festivities along with music, movies and plays in the parks.

A man and woman were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Walstrand. She was found brutally stabbed and beaten in her Des Moines apartment.

Former Highline athletic assistant and stadium manager Jayson Boehm was sentenced to 13 months in prison. He was sentenced for conducting physicals on students without a license and first-degree theft.

Ground was broken for the Artmis Hotel on Pacific Highway South. With Chinese financing the facility will be Des Moines’ largest hotel.

The Sound Transit Board approved the accelerated construction of the South 200th Street light-rail station in SeaTac. Sound Transit officials are looking to the parking facility at the new station to relieve parking congestion at the Tukwila station.

Elsbeth Robinson, wife of Robinson Newspapers publisher Gerald Robinson, passed away. She worked side by side with her husband for 43 years as associate publisher and community supporter.

August
The Burien Town Square condos were scheduled to go back on the market at about 35 percent off their original prices.

BERK consultants released a study saying that annexation of North Highline would be financially feasible with a state sales tax credit of $5 million per year for ten years.

The iFly indoor skydiving facility opened in Tukwila near Interstate 405.

Anti-annexation activist Bob Edgar, who had attempted to withdraw from the race, garnered more votes than long-time incumbent Gordon Shaw in the primary election for a Burien City Council seat. Joey Martinez was eliminated from the three-way race.

Raisbeck Aviation High School broke ground on a site across from Tukwila’s Museum of Flight. The school is administered by the Highline School District and is the first new Highline high school building built since SeaTac’s Tyee High School.

The five-story, 500-stall Burien Park-and-Ride Garage was dedicated.

September
Highline School District students started their classroom labors before Labor Day as the new school year began on Sept. 1.

Summer fun continued into fall with the Burien Arts-A-Glow lantern festival, procession and gala show.

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced new programs to combat gang violence in South King County. The move came after a shooting at a strip mall bordering Des Moines.

Jim Hughes announced he was retiring and closing Sal’s deli in downtown Burien. Meanwhile, Scott Law opened his model train store along the city’s main street. Law said lease rates had become too expensive in West Seattle.

Officials announced that the new jail in Des Moines, called SCORE, was ready for inmates. It will house short-term prisoners from Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila.

The gloves came off in SeaTac as two factions traded charges at a SeaTac council meeting. Othman Heibe, who lost his bid for a council seat in the August primary, accused Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher of using city resources to send an email to City Councilwoman Mia Gregerson and King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson accusing them of using Heibe as a “pawn.” In a startling development, Aileen Fisher, the deputy mayor’s wife, said she had sent the emails. She then read emails between Gregerson and Human Services director Colleen Brandt-Schulter that denigrated fellow council members. The emails also contained contact information about human services clients that may have been used to campaign against an elected mayor proposition in 2009.

October
The Burien City Council voted to declare the city’s intent to annex North Highline. A state Boundary Review Board will hold public hearings on Jan. 9 and 10 on the proposal. The board is expected to make its decision in February.

Runners and walkers participated in the 5k Brat Trot and German-style Oktoberfest in Olde Burien.

November
It was a tough general election for incumbents as annexation critic Bob Edgar defeated long-time Burien City Councilman Gordon Shaw and Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher was beat by ex-Councilman Barry Ladenburg. Stacia Jenkins defeated former Normandy Park mayor Charlie Harris.

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler had to hang on until a mandatory machine recount determined he squeaked by with a victory over Rebecca King.
Evergreen track coach and state lotto winner Tyrone Curry defeated Highline School Board president Sili Savusa for a board position.

SeaTac’s elected mayor proposition failed for a fourth time. Proposition proponents complained that a hospitality workers union and others had spent more than $100,000 to defeat the proposition and Fisher as well as re-elect Councilwoman Mia Gregerson who had been involved in an email scandal.

The King County Library System board again gave the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries a reprieve from closure. The board voted to hold off on their consolidation plan until the boundary review board rules on annexation.

Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed to cut by 10 percent the state sales tax credit that cities have been receiving for annexing urban unincorporated areas such as Boulevard Park. She would eliminate altogether a credit for annexing new areas such as White Center. Burien officials have said the city cannot afford to annex White Center without the credit.

December
Two West Seattle developers announced big plans for the Des Moines Theater and surrounding buildings.

SeaTac Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher left the SeaTac council with a blast at the hospitality workers union, the firefighters union, King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson and Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna. Fisher said his election opponents had lied about him and damaged his reputation during the election. He accused McKenna, the state attorney general, of refusing to prosecute those who broke laws in the campaign against him.

As Highline School Board president Sili Savusa left the board to regional accolades, vice president Angelica Alvarez was elected the new president.

Highline Medical Center merged its Tukwila Specialty Campus emergency room with its new ER in Burien. An urgent care facility will replace the Tukwila ER.

Merry Christmas from everyone at Robinson Communications

patr — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:21:39 +0000

2011 has been a remarkable year and this community has seen some amazing events we will bring you next week in a year end review. But for now, whether you are home with family, enjoying some time off, sampling holiday goodies or just enjoying the season we want to wish you the Merriest of Christmas days from everyone at Robinson Communications.

West Seattle Herald/White Center News -
Ballard News Tribune -
Highline Times/Des Moines News
WestSeattleHerald.com -
BallardNewstribune.com -
HighlineTimes.com

Pearl Harbor more than history lesson for SeaTac’s Joe Dixon

Ty Swenson — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:32:01 +0000

A couple of weeks ago on Dec. 7, the United States commemorated the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

For most people, Pearl Harbor is now a history lesson found in textbooks. However, 88-year-old SeaTac resident Joe Dixon was in the U.S. Navy and stationed nearby when the attack happened. His memories are a reminder that the lives lost remain far more than a historical footnote.

“I was stationed at the submarine base about six miles away (on Oahu, Hawaii). The first wave (of Japanese bombers) flew right over us. When the second wave came in, we were standing on the dock, helpless, just trying to see what was going on. We didn’t even have a pistol or anything to shoot,” recalls Dixon.

Dixon, a submarine electrician, was stationed far enough away that it was hours before he and his workmates learned the details of the attack. It was eventually determined that approximately 2,400 Americans were killed on the day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt said would “live in infamy.” The event catapulted the U.S. into World War II.

“There were so many ships on the bottom and so many bodies. It was such a loss,” says Dixon.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor suffered extensive damage, especially to the battleships. The U.S.S. Arizona was sunk and remains underwater today. The site is now a memorial museum.

After the attack, Dixon was one of many tasked with salvaging and repairing ships. Dixon was assigned to the battleship U.S.S. California, which had suffered torpedo damage and extensive flooding.

“It certainly was overwhelming because the California was right side up, but it had sunk and there were bodies that had risen to the ceiling,” says Dixon. “In one compartment, I was trying to rig temporary lighting and there was a body that fell down and hit me. It was my first inclination of the reality of death.”

During the remainder of his service, Dixon, who enlisted in 1940 and was discharged in 1946, continued to find himself in the middle of the action. Following Pearl Harbor, he was part of a submarine repair unit that served during the Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific War. He was also involved in numerous Japanese battles including the bombardment of Iwo Jima and the aircraft carrier raids of Okinawa and Tokyo.

“I never got a scratch even though I saw a lot of action. I look at the people involved in the landings in France and say, ‘Now there are the people who really took it hard’,” says Dixon.

Dixon was discharged from the Navy as a Chief Electrician’s Mate in 1946. He subsequently attended and graduated from the University of Washington and has lived in the Northwest ever since.

He understands that as time passes, the living history of Pearl Harbor becomes more distant. “I understand that two-thirds of the people in the U.S. weren’t even born during WWII, so I can’t expect them to have lived the lessons themselves,” says Dixon. In past years, Dixon has shared his firsthand experiences with Highline School District students. He hopes it inspires the next generation to respect and give thought to what happened.

“It was an interesting life during those war years and I’m proud that I served, but I would never want to have to do it again,” he says.

SLIDESHOW: Robots take over the Burien Library

patr — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:32:42 +0000

Thursday evening radio controlled and pre-programed robots took over the sound lab at the Burien Public Library. The Highline High Tekerz Robotics Team, known as FIRST #3574, was there to show off their completion robot and learn project management from their adult mentor team made up of current and former Boeing engineers.

The Tekerz, in their first year of competing, earned the title of 2011 Rookie All Stars at the FIRST Seattle regionals comprised of fifty teams from around the state. Their robot is a three foot by four foot behemoth standing almost five feet tall, made of components we can all associate with robots.

An extruded aluminum frame work with electric motors, actuators, compressors, computers, and a large grappling arm capable of grasping a target object and delivering it to a designated elevated goal. The robot is controlled remotely via joystick by the “team driver” through a sophisticated laptop. The robots are designed to perform a specific task during completion. Each team can approach the task in any fashion consequently no two robots look alike.

FIRST, which stands for “For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”, was founded in 1992 by Segway creator Dean Kamen with the vision to "Transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated." The FIRST mission is to "engage and excite students about engineering, science, and technology as well as inspire them to pursue careers in these fields."

While the Tekerz are high school age there is a category for elementary students too. The FIRST LEGO League- Shorewood Elementary students also shone in their inaugural year by finishing second in their division overall with the highest average score in competition. Other points are awarded by judges for design, innovation, and execution. They lost by only three points.

LEGO League robots are built using… you guessed it, Legos. In this category the students must build and pre-program a robot designed to navigate a pre-determined course and retrieve an object or objects. The ingenuity shown by these elementary school children is amazing.

Team #3574 has just started to build their website. Here is the demo location to get a feel of what Team #3574 is about. www.first3574.org/demo/home.html

Here is the Website about FIRST: www.usfirst.org

Also, the state of Washington is affiliated with FIRST. You can find info about it here: www.firstwa.org
FRC- FIRST Robotics Competition video and information www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc
With over $14M in college scholarships available to students today this is one Program that should not be look overlooked by parents who want their kids to go to college. You can learn more about the program at the websites above and also witness what its about at the various activities planned in the next few weeks and the coming months.

7 Jan 2012 07:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST – Kick-off for all Teams involved, to learn what the FRC Robot Challenge will be for the Regionals at Auburn Senior High School Performing Arts Center, Auburn Senior High School 800 4th ST NE Auburn, WA 98002

14 Jan 2012 – Washington State FIRST Lego League Championship – I will email the time and location when it is announced. This is the Championship for the 4x8 sheet table you saw at the library.

17 or 20 Feb 2012 Highline High School – FRC Robot introduction to Robotics Program. Show financial sponsors and team member parents the robot the Team built for competition.

22-24 March 2012 – at Century Link (Qwest) Event Center 8:00-5:00 – FRC Washington State double Regional. Over 100 Teams will be competing on 2 fields. Teams from all over the US and Mexico and 3 Teams from the Country of Turkey will be here to compete.

All of the events listed above are free to the public.