The Seattle Times is reporting that Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council have decided to delay an annexation of the White Center area until at least 2011 because paying for services there would be so expensive.

According to the Times:

Annexing the area, part of the North Highline annexation area, could cost Seattle $12.6 million a year more than it would generate in new taxes, plus $8.7 million in one-time costs, according to a preliminary analysis by the city Budget Office. The area has about 20,000 residents.

With the city facing a $50 million shortfall in its general fund, the mayor decided to withdraw his earlier recommendation and campaign promise that residents of that area vote this fall on whether they want to join Seattle.

An analysis was presented Friday (March 19) to the council’s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee, and reports are that council members said the presentation was the first real cost estimate they had seen.

We’ll see how the City of Burien responds to this news. Keep in mind that Burien’s annexation of southern North Highline goes into effect April 1st.

Read the Times full story here.

It’s Photo Friday, so what better day to unveil pics from last Friday’s (March 12) Cove to Clover Pub Crawl?

The fun fundraiser evening brought in at least 430 participants, who paid $10 each to “crawl” amongst 13 Burien pubs (along with restaurants, a coffeeshop and food store), and get their “passports” stamped at least five times, all in the name of raising money for both the Highline Area Food Bank and Highline Schools Foundation.

According to Organizer John Nelson, over $4,300 dollars was raised in just this one night.

BTB Photographers Michael Brunk and Scott Schaefer were on the scene (purely in the name of Photojournalism of course…), and they shot a combined 179 photos.

As is always the case with photos shot by BTB Photographers, you are welcome to choose your favorites, download and print them for personal use at no charge – here’s a link to the entire set on Flickr.

Here’s our SoundSlideshow of the best shots (make sure your speakers are turned on), set to the 1940s public domain song “Hey Joe, Two Beers” by the Benny Bell & Agony Trio:

Click to Play Our SoundSlideshow

It’s Friday, which means it’s “Photo Friday” here at The B-Town Blog, and today we’re featuring Burien Photographer Rosemary Bannon Tyksinski, PhD, who goes by the Flickr name “Preconscious.”

A longtime Burien resident (36 years), Rosemary says she “loves the 3 P’s: Philosophy, Psychology, and Photography.”

She’s a Doctor of Psychology, and has been practicing in Bellevue since 1991 (more info on her practice here: www.rosemarys-office.com).

Rosemary shot the following wonderful, moody images at Seahurst Park Beach between 4:55pm – 5:30pm on Feb. 21st using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a 24-105mm lens set at 24mm at F/4 ISO 100:

Click to Play Preconscious’ Slideshow

(can also be viewed on Flickr by clicking here)

PREVIOUS PHOTO FRIDAYS:

• Michael Brunk Goes to the Woodland Park Zoo
• “Springtime In Burien” Nature Photos By Francis Zera
• SoundSlideshow Of Jason Smith’s Photos At Vino Bello
• Art Clock Sign Reflection, Cherry Blossoms & More…

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo Friday is a new weekly feature here at The B-Town Blog. Are you a local Photographer? Have some pics shot in Burien you think we should showcase? Or just some amazing photos worth sharing with our Readers? Please email us a link and explanation and we'll consider posting yours!]

Our Big Picture High School intern, Bryan Charles, has created another Flash-animated movie trailer in his ongoing “3 Frog Bros.” series.

As we mentioned before, Bryan is a budding young artist/animator, has a passion for comics, cartoons and humor, and his storytelling and Flash skills are coming along quite well.

Here’s what he has to say about this week’s “3 Frog Bros. Movie Trailer 3,” for which he does all the writing, animation and editing, in, as he says, “over 43,000 frames of animation”:

“This is the second to final trailer for my fantastic Flash movie, which has been 95% scripted and planned out.

I hope this trailer will tide my fans over…”

- Bryan Charles
Writer/Animator/Actor

To see more of Bryan’s work, click here.

Burien’s annual Strawberry Festival is coming the weekend of June 19th and 20th, but it’s going through some changes this year – namely, it’s now the “Wild Strawberry Festival,” with a green theme added for flavor, and it will also be moved to Burien’s new Town Square.

As usual, The B-Town Blog will be a sponsor, and we’ll be “blogging live” from a tent.

“This is a great community event celebrating arts and greenability,” said Gina Kallman, Cultural Arts Supervisor for Burien Parks. “We will also be moving the event to our new Town Square Park, and will be held June 19-20.”

• Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Sunday, June 20, 2010 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Burien Town Square is located at SW 152nd St & SW 5th Ave in downtown Burien.

Here’s a BTB “Whaddaya Think?” video from last year’s fest to whet your wild appetite:

As music, entertainment, food vendors and other participants are announced, you can bet we’ll be posting that info first – so check back often.

More info on the 2010 Wild Strawberry Festival, including how to be a food, craft, business or non-profit vendor is available at www.burienstrawberryfestival.org.

The City of Burien recently mailed out a letter to approximately 1,250 business entities located or working in the North Highline annexation area, in an effort to provide the newly-annexed businesses with an overview of some of the opportunities available in Burien, such as the Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program or the “pre-submittal meetings” offered by Community Development.

The letter also provided businesses with notice of some of their responsibilities, such as obtaining business licenses and updating their tax code on Department of Revenue forms.

Also, according to the city, as of April 1st, Comcast subscribers in the annexation area should be able to view Burien Channel 21 and Puget Sound Access on Channel 77 – and as we all know, nothing makes one feel more like part of a city than being able to watch live, exciting council meetings.

Here’s the text of the letter:

RE: City of Burien Annexation

Dear Business Owner,

I would like to welcome you to the City of Burien. As you probably know, on August 18, 2009, a majority of voting residents in the proposed annexation area, located in the southern portion of North Highline, chose to join the City of Burien. As a result, your business will officially be located in Burien as of April 1, 2010.

As a business new to Burien, your local opportunities and responsibilities will change on April 1. I encourage you to reach out and take advantage of some of our local resources. For example, Burien sponsors a Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program, which provides graffiti removal to commercial properties – free of charge. Another City service you can take advantage of is the “pre-submittal meetings,” where you can meet with a City planner prior to expanding or moving your business. That way, you are aware of zoning & land use issues, parking, setbacks, signage and design criteria before you lease, buy or alter a new space.

There are also several local business organizations offering networking, collaboration and public input:

• Discover Burien: Steve Gilbert 620 SW 150th St. Burien, WA 98166 (206) 433-2882 www.discoverburien.com Promotional marketing. Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month at Burien City Hall 6:30 pm.
• Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce Nancy Hinthorne 14220 Interurban Ave. S. Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 575-1333 www.swkcc.org Regional voice and business networking. Monthly meetings at various locations.
• Burien Business & Economic Development Partnership (BEDP) Dick Loman City of Burien Economic Development Manager (206) 248-5528 dickl@burienwa.gov Advisory Board to the Burien City Council. Meets 2nd Friday of each month at Burien City Hall 7:00 am.
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): I especially want to call your attention to our Small Business Development Center at Highline Community College. Experienced business professionals are available by appointment to confidentially work with you on expansion, marketing, or financial needs you may have – also free of charge. You may contact Zev Siegl at (206) 878-3710, ext. 5151 or zsiegl@highline.edu.

Burien Business License
In addition to new opportunities, there are also new responsibilities. A Burien Business License is required to do business within our City limits. Business licenses are valid August 1 – July 31. For the remainder of this business license year, from April 1 through July 31, the license fees will be waived for newly annexed businesses. However, starting August 1, 2010, owners of annexed businesses will be expected to comply with the licensing requirements. For more information, please refer to the Burien Municipal Code Chapter 5.05, available on our website at www.codepublishing.com/wa/burien, or call (206) 988-3714.

Burien Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax
The City of Burien collects a .05% business and occupation tax on gross receipts earned within the City. For example, a business with $100,000 in gross receipts would pay $50 in Burien B&O taxes. However, there is a threshold, which means that businesses with annual gross receipts of less than $100,000 are not subject to the tax. The tax is remitted quarterly and forms will be mailed to you. For more information, please refer to the Burien Municipal Code Chapter 3.11 or call (206) 988-3714.

State and Local Sales and Use Tax
The amount of state and local sales and use taxes you will be collecting and remitting through the Department of Revenue will not change, but the local reporting code will change so that Burien receives its share of the taxes. For taxes collected on or after April 1, 2010, the local code is 1734, instead of 1700. For more information, please contact the Washington Department of Revenue at www.dor.wa.gov.

Our goal is to assist and welcome our new businesses and residents during this transition. For additional information on how the annexation will affect business owners and residents, please visit our annexation section on the Burien website, www.burienwa.gov/annexation, or call the Burien Annexation Information Line at (206) 436-5555. We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,
Mike Martin
City Manager

Here’s the actual letter:

BTB Contributor Gregory Rehmke sent us this photo of Tuesday’s (Mar. 16th) impressive double rainbow that struck late in the afternoon over Lake Burien.

A nice image to just stare at and imagine the science of moisture particles being struck by sunbeams causing a wonderful prism of colors that delight the human eye, thus causing various chemicals in the brain to react, sometimes creating a sense of wonderment and oftentimes, happiness.

Or…on this St. Patrick’s Day, this’ll make you think of Leprechauns and pots o’gold in B-Town.

Did you see this yesterday?

by Jim Branson

On Monday (March 15th), David and Rene George received a harrowing call from a dog groomer near Five Corners in Burien: their beloved black lab, Charlie, had somehow escaped.

David and Rene searched and put up fliers, but they didn’t really know the best way to look for their lost dog until they contacted the Missing Pet Partnership.

My dog Kelsy and I have been volunteering for MPP for a couple of years, and we have been trained to work as a team to find missing dogs. Kelsy, a black lab who looks very much like Charlie, has learned to follow the scent trail of a dog, and my job is to read her body language and help her find the dog. Actually, my main job is to hang onto the end of the leash while Kelsy drags me along on the search.

Tuesday morning at dawn, I obtained a scent article from David and started Kelsy on the trail, beginning at the groomer. Kelsy followed the scent trail from Five Corners to the library, to Firestone, down past Albertson’s, down Ambaum to 174th, and then back up First Ave to about 163rd, where she found Charlie hiding in the bushes!

I never would have seen Charlie, even if I was looking right at him. Kelsy’s nose alerted us to his hiding place in the brambles.

Charlie didn’t want to come out, even with the lure of food. I called Rene, and she took a little time off of work to come get Charlie. When Charlie heard her voice, he came right out of the bushes to her. David and Rene are very glad to have Charlie home safe, and Kelsy has her reward of finding the missing dog. Plus some treats and a belly rub.

Some updates on recent Burien business news:

We had a chance the other day – Opening Day, as a matter of fact – to visit new Burien neighbors Donatelli’s Market.

The Donatelli family has created Burien’s newest enterprise, where you’ll find a wide variety of terrific fresh fruits, vegetables and other food items.

They are located on the west side of Ambaum Boulevard SW at SW 135th Street, in the building formerly occupied by Ike’s Burgers & Teriyaki.

B-Town Blog staffer Mark Neuman was on his way to another event with camera in hand. By chance timing, Mark became Donatelli’s first customer ever, snaring two bananas plus two perfectly ripe avocados, leaving behind Donatelli Market’s “first dollar we ever earned” (see photo at right).

They’re open seven days a week from 10:30am to 7pm. Open hours will lengthen as summer approaches.

And soon, Donatelli’s will be offering catering … Italian style!

Don’t forget to check out the north side of the nicely renovated building – it’s drive-through Espresso starting at 6:30am every morning.

Also, we’ve seen evidence of construction work on the Red Fish Grill, to be located where the former Keg Restaurant was at 180 SW 148th, across from the Transit Center in the Safeway mall:

by Scott Schaefer

Keegan Reilly, 29, finished ahead of 319 other racers in last Sunday’s Cove to Clover 5k in Burien.

No big deal really, in a 5k race of 650 finishers…right?

WRONG.

Reilly also happens to be a paraplegic, and he used a rented “arm cycle” to pedal his way to a 37:19 finish time in Sunday’s 5k, successfully making the steep climb up Snake Hill like he has so many other obstacles in his life.

If you ran or walked the course, you know how tough it was to make it up and over the hill affectionately called “The Snake.”

Now imagine using just your arms to pedal up that hill.

Reilly lost the use of his lower body after receiving a major spinal cord injury in a car crash, but he hasn’t let that stop him. According to his uncle, who also happens to be Race Organizer John Nelson, Keegan made the very first arm-powered ascent of Colorado’s Mt. Elbert, which also happens to be the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains, at 14,443 feet (32 feet higher than our own Mt. Rainier).

In addition, Reilly has also climbed Japan’s Mt. Fuji (12,388 ft.) as well as Mt. Shasta in California (14,179 ft.) using arm-climbing devices that were consulted and commissioned by his uncle, who says he did “a redesign” of one of One-Off Titanium’s unique arm powered off-road 3-wheelers.

“The result was a 4-wheeled hand-cycle designed specifically for ascending steep and rough terrain,” Nelson said.

The BBC did a story on Keegan’s ascent of Fuji (read it here), which received international attention because the police tried to stop the expedition at base camp. Nelson adds:

“We waited them out until the press arrive,” Nelson said. “After a couple days camping outside their door, they relented and grudgingly allowed the expedition to continue. Having a person be the final obstacle to overcoming Fuji just seemed downright silly.”

Reilly’s Shasta climb was with three other disabled climbers, including Pete Reike, who made the first arm-powered ascent of Mt. Rainier (read that story here).

“Each new person pushing the limits of the last,” Nelson said. “It’s like mountaineering being invented all over again.”

Most recently, Chris Waddell successfully summitted Kilimanjaro using a model of the 4-wheeler he based on Keegan’s machine (link here).

Nelson says that Reilly came all the way from Colorado just to take part in Sunday’s race.

Here are some pics of this brave and amazingly strong man (both physically and mentally) in action:

by Shawn Underwood

While working on a humorous story the other night I received a text:

Lori: “ru walking the c2c tomorrow” (In text speak=”Are you walking the Cove to Clover race tomorrow?”)

Me: “Forgot all about it. What time?” (Notice my perfect punctuation, unlike my friend’s…)

I won’t bore you with the details of the 22 text messages discussing the C2C race. Why we didn’t just call each other is beyond me, because I’m really super slow at texting. I can just imagine Lori looking at her cell phone impatiently and wondering about the ten minutes between each text.

Next order of business—my Cove to Clover race day attire. Something green, comfortable, and zany, because since I certainly won’t be fast, I may as well be fun.

Tom, my husband and our chauffeur dropped us off near the top of Snake Hill. Mr. Big and Mr. Small (sporting their green scarves) yapped and marked everything in sight and checked several ‘pee-mails’ for good measure. Neither of us wanted to fight the crowds (or walk down, then up Snake Hill) so we started walking and talking. Less than 50 feet into our walk (we’re in the enviable position of first place because the race hasn’t actually started), and I notice my hand is bleeding. I’m not kidding. Fortunately the medic truck is right in front of us. Lori watches as Mr. Big and Mr. Small take advantage of the situation and tangle their leashes. Perhaps Lori will fall over the tangled leashes and scrape her knee. She is looking rather envious of all the attention I am receiving from Mr. Handsome—the medic.

Another 50 feet puts us in front of the first drink stop. Naturally, we’re their first customers because the real runners have yet to make it up Snake Hill. At this point my dear friend is becoming rather exasperated with my slow pace, although I assure her I’m just getting into my rhythm. We’ve just reached a perfect walking synchronicity when shouts alert us to the first runner.

And then he’s gone. We barely had time to dash to the side of the road before he breezed past us. I must say his outfit was rather brief but then maybe real runners actually need to dress light in order to run faster. I wouldn’t know but I’m pretty sure my yellow and green lady bug top would hamper my running ability. And need I say—it was so hard to focus on the task at hand—walking, when there were distractions everywhere.

Young folk, old folk, stroller baby folk, big dogs, small dogs, costumed dogs, you name it, they were all there. All 950 of them, running for a charitable cause. Last year it rained costumed cats and dogs and the run was still a huge success.

Burien has come a long way in the 20 years that I’ve lived here. You can call it Beercan or B-Town. I call it home.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’d like to extend a hearty “cngrts” (Text Speak for “Congratulations”) to Shawn, who will be releasing her first book this spring, called “Mommy Are we French Yet?“

We’ll be posting more on this exciting news, but for now here’s a blurb on it:

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to live in another country for a year with your children, in Mommy, Are We French Yet? you will discover that it is not an insurmountable task.  But it’s made doubly rewarding when the day-to-day chores and challenges are approached with humor. Shawn Underwood moved her family, her husband and three kids along with her sister’s family, to the south of France to experience the joys and frustrations of living abroad first hand.

Whether running headlong into the language barrier, where faux pas are a given and the best way to communicate is with a smile or just trying to shop at the local market, keeping a sense of humor is the key to overseas success!  As she and her extended family travel in France and throughout Europe and Egypt among other countries, they learned that being a good ambassador for your country is worth its weight in gold.  Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions!

Come along with Shawn and her family as they learn to embrace the local culture, even if it means eating pig intestines or trying to cook turkey American style.  Whatever happens, the chocolate is sublime in any language!

Twenty-five years of living in Burien gives Humorist Shawn Underwood much fodder for her writings.

All of her stories are true, or at least have a grain of truth with no added embellishments.

Or something like that.

Read more of her humor at her website here.

Just down the hill from B-Town, the Tukwila Rotary Club is holding “Strike Out Hunger,” a bowling party fundraiser for the Tukwila Food Pantry on Saturday, March 27th from 9am – Noon at ACME Bowl.

Who doesn’t love a bowling party, especially when it’s for a great cause?

Here are the details:

WHAT: Tukwila Rotary’s “Strike Out Hunger” bowling fundraiser for the Tukwila Food Pantry

WHEN: Saturday, March 27th from 9am – Noon

WHERE: ACME Bowl, located at

INFO: From a poster:

Join us at ACME Bowl in Tukwila for a great event that supports the Tukwila Food Pantry!

Saturday, March 27th from 9:00 am — 12 noon.

Bowler check-in at 8:45am.

Entry fee: Minimum of $200 per team (4 bowlers) Entry deadline: March 22nd or until full. Don’t wait…register today!

For event information, bowler registration and sponsorship opportunities visit our website www.TukwilaRotary.org.

If you have questions, or need further assistance, please contact the Tukwila Rotary at 206-674-4673 or send an e-mail to StrikeOutHunger@TukwilaRotary.org.

Story and Photos by Michael Brunk

When most people think of Goodwill, the first thing that likely comes to mind is that it is a great place to donate clothing and other items that you no longer need.

Or perhaps that it is a wonderful store to find bargains on those same household goods.

Few probably realize that both of those things are just an outgrowth of Goodwill’s primary purpose – to provide employment training and basic education to people that otherwise might not have those opportunities.

To educate the community about these programs, the Burien Goodwill Job Training & Education Center located on 128th Street held an open house on Thursday, March 11. Approximately 30 people attended representing local government, community colleges, area businesses and social outreach organizations.

The evening’s program focused on meeting students and instructors from the Goodwill training program and learning more about their classes and facility. The keynote speaker for the night was Jesus Argueta, an adult student who has taken advantage of the free classes provided by the training center. Mr. Argueta spoke at length about the needs that Goodwill meets and the benefits of his education.

The Burien training center consists of a classroom used for teaching English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) and a computer lab that offers courses in basic computer operation and software such as Microsoft Word. The facility has been in operation for just over a year and is already at full capacity, with waiting lists for space in the classes offered.

The evening ended with a Q&A session that answered questions about opportunities for the community to get involved. Beyond donations of clothes and household goods and financial contributions, there is always a need for volunteers and Goodwill welcomes partnering opportunities with local businesses. For more information on how you can help, visit seattlegoodwill.org/getinvolved.

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the event:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

During Sunday’s Cove to Clover 5k fundraiser race, we had two Photographers shooting throughout the entire race, with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer manning the starting line, Snake Hill and St. Francis, and Michael Brunk stationed at the finish line.

Overall, we shot 2,461 photos (but who’s counting?) many of which included some of the more than 1,000 runners who ran the race.

In a perfect world of internet goodness, we’d be able to email your pic to you instantly and automatically based on your registration number. This online utopia would instantly send a high-res image of YOU taken during the race, or perhaps even print it and have it waiting in a nice frame on your porch as you returned home.

But, alas, we do not yet live in this perfect online utopia now do we? So, get your worn-out feet back to the real world, and wake up to the best we can do right now – as of 9:30pm Sunday night (Mar. 14), we are currently still uploading images to this “2010 Cove to Clover 5k Run” Group Pool on Flickr (it only lets us upload 500 at a time):

http://www.flickr.com/groups/2010covetoclover5krun/pool/

Now if you’ve never used Flickr before, it’s pretty easy – click on the link above and you’ll go the the Group Pool’s page. Once there, you’ll see a bunch of images. Hundreds, if not 2,461 of ‘em, but who’s counting?

Here’s what to do:

• In the upper right of the page, you’ll see a “Slideshow” icon.
• If you click on that it’ll start a slideshow of the pics.
• You can move through the show faster using your > key.
• Go through the pics until you see yours.
• Click on your pic. The slideshow should stop.
• Now, in the upper right corner you’ll see the file name of the image. Click on that.
• Now you should be on a page that shows just that image.
• Click on “All Sizes” which is located above the pic, kind of in the middle.
• Then click on “Original Size,” and right-click on Download the Original size and “Save As” the pic to your computer.
• The “original size” image can be printed, emailed, etc.

DISCLAIMER: Hopefully we took a pic of you and posted it. If not, we apologize – it’s quite a challenge! This is our first time shooting so many people at one event, and surely we can do better. Also, note that not all images have been uploaded yet, so be sure to check back Monday, as our magic photo elves are working as fast as they can.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Unfortunately, we do not have the full race results ready to post yet – please check back for that Monday as well!

And now, here’s round #1 of our choice pics from the day:

On a day when even a 6′4″ “Snake” couldn’t stop them, over 1,000 runners ran the second annual Cove to Clover 5k fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank on Sunday afternoon, March 14.

The race started at the Normandy Park Community Club at 1pm sharp when King County Councilmember Jan Drago fired a starting pistol. Soon, the front-runners encountered Snake Hill, which separated the wheat from the chaff.

It was on Snake Hill when John Timeus, 25, of Kent, the overall winner, took control and never looked back. He crossed the finish line at Burien Town Square in an impressive 18 minutes and 55 seconds.

Second place went to 50-year Normandy Park runner Ray Prentice, who clocked in at 20:38. Not bad for a 50-year old.

The top female runner was Elsa Natal, 31, of Seattle with a 22:58 time.

Here are the overall winners as posted at the finish line:

1. John Timeus, Kent, 25/M 18:55
2. Ray Preintice, Normandy Park, 50/M 20:38
3. Paul Huynh Normandy Park, 18/M 20:49
   
4. Matt Parker, Burien 30/M 21:17
5. Nicholas Deisler, Seattle 26/M 21:56
6. Garrick Hughes Normandy Park, 26/M 22:02
   
7. Jason Ireland, Langley, 36/M 22:18
8. A.Z. Satterfield Normandy Park, 17/M 22:23
9. Mike Fosberg, Burien, 45/M 22:31
10. Joe Baisch, Seattle, 27/M 22:39

WOMEN:

1. Elsa Natal, Seattle, 31/F 22:58
2. Carmen Storer, Des Moines, 25/F 23:27
3. Cassie Marino, Des Moines , 25/F 24:44
4. Natalie D’Amico, Burien, 23/F 25:15
5. Cindy Sagmoen, Burien, 42/F 26:00
6. Dini Peneda, Seattle, 31/F 26:05
7. Robin Donocan, Seattle, 28/F 26:10
8. Donna Sullivan-Dyrdal, Burien, 54/F 26:21
9. Gina Mutter, Normandy Park, 43/F 26:34
10. Sandi Rowden, Burien, 45/F 26:34

Here’s our first batch of pics, shot by Michael Brunk at the finish line:

We’ll be posting more photos, results and stories throughout the day (and most likely over the next few days), so be sure to check back often.

Within a few days we’ll also post a link to a photo “pool” with every single pic we shot at the race – there’s a good chance you’re in there if you ran the race, and you’ll be able to download high-res, printable pics for no charge, as a gift from The B-Town Blog!

It’s Friday, which means it’s “Photo Friday” here at The B-Town Blog, and today we’re featuring Photographer Michael Brunk’s mid-week excursion to the Woodland Park Zoo, where he captured numerous exotic animals on pixels.

As some animals awakened from their mild winter hibernation, Michael was there, telephoto lens and monopod at the ready, to get these great shots:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

PREVIOUS PHOTO FRIDAYS:

• “Springtime In Burien” Nature Photos By Francis Zera
• SoundSlideshow Of Jason Smith’s Photos At Vino Bello
• Art Clock Sign Reflection, Cherry Blossoms & More…

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo Friday is a new weekly feature here at The B-Town Blog. Are you a local Photographer? Have some pics shot in Burien you think we should showcase? Or just some amazing photos worth sharing with our Readers? Please email us a link and explanation and we'll consider posting yours!]

The Kent Police Department has created a website showcasing photos of 160 recovered stolen items including electronics, wallets, purses, backpacks, stereos, baby clothes and even a wedding dress; some of which may have been originally swiped in the Burien/South King County area.

According to police, a man and woman who are suspected of breaking into more than 100 cars have been busted. Now, they want to return the stolen items to their rightful owners.

The suspects were apparently caught when they used stolen credit cards at local businesses. Police then followed their trail and recovered the stolen stuff in a storage locker as well as at local pawn shops.

According to the website:

Suspects Mode of Operation:

Type of crime: Vehicle prowls (car break ins)

Method of entry: Break window or force door lock

Types of vehicles: Different types and styles but they favored FORD F-series trucks

Property targeted: luggage, purses, laptop computers, GPS units, assorted tools, backpacks, cameras, MP3 players, I-Pods, cell phones, CD players, car stereos, jewelry, anything of value.

Estimated time range of criminal activity: Past 3-4 months

Focus area of vehicle prowl activity: Kent, Tukwila, Renton, SeaTac, Burien, South Seattle, Unincorporated areas of South King County. Collateral areas that may have been impacted as well are: Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Bellevue.

If you were the victim of a car break-in between Oct. 1, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010, your stolen items may be in police custody – check this website now and see if you recognize anything; if you do, contact Officer Bateman at (253) 856-5894 or via email: kbateman@ci.kent.wa.us.

The recovered stolen property includes (click on links below to see individual pics):

• Laptops
• Cell phones
• MP3 players
• Car Stereos
• Unusual, miscellaneous stuff like:
  • Baby clothes
  • Wedding dress
  • Ford Truck Manuals
    
  • “Pirate Stuff“
  • Swords
  • “Aiming for Barcelona” Belt Buckle

Some items have been claimed and returned, but most are still in evidence and awaiting rightful return to their owners – so check out the website here.

Burien’s Highline Medical Center is holding a children’s “Kidz Tipz for Safety” billboard contest in association with Highline Public Schools, in an effort to engage kids in childhood safety.

Each year one in three people in the U.S. visit an emergency room – 40 percent as a result of injury-related accidents and a third under the age of 21.  Highline Medical Center, which serves nearly 50,000 ER patients annually, in concert with Highline Schools, is inviting students to design their own safety billboard.

Elementary school students in the Highline School District are encouraged to design their own billboard featuring an up-to- eight-word safety tip, with three winning entries to be featured on billboards in the surrounding community. Finalists’ artwork will be also featured at the Grand Opening Celebration of Highline Medical Center’s new Emergency Room on April 10. And every child who enters will be eligible to win a party at Family Fun Center in Tukwila.

A panel of representatives from Highline Medical Center and the community will review the entries and select 20 finalists from which final winners will be chosen. Finalists will have their artwork on display at the opening of the new ER from 10 am to 3 pm on April 10.

The deadline for entries is Friday, March 19, and more information and contest rules are available by emailing commrelations@highlinemedical.org.

by Gina Bourdage

Workers demonstrated in front of the Burien Fred Meyer on Wednesday (March 10) over what they consider an “unfair wage standard” being practiced by the grocery store.

While demonstrators were not interested in formal comment or going on record with The B-Town Blog, they provided us with an official flier outlining the reason for their demonstration which we have copied below:

“Shame On Fred Meyer” for discrimination of the American Way of Life

A rat is a contractor that does not pay all of its employees on all jobs the Area Standards Wages, including wither providing or making payments for family healthcare and pension benefits.

Shame On Fred Meyer for contributing to the erosion of Area Standards for Puget Sound and area carpenter craft workers.

The Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters has a labor dispute with Marquise Drywall which is a slated to perform work for BooCo Construction Company. Marquise Drywall does not meet area labor standards, including providing or fully paying for family health care and pension for all its carpenter craft employees on all of its projects.  BooCo Construction is the General Contractor for the Fred Meyer remodel project in Lynwood, Washington.

The Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters objects to substandard wage employers like Marquise Drywall working in the community. In our opinion the community ends up paying the tab for employee health care and low wages tend to lower general community standards, thereby encouraging crime and their social ills.

The Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters believes that Fred Meyer has an obligation to the community to see that area labor standards are met for construction work performed on their projects. They should not be allowed to insulate themselves behinds “independent” contractors.

We attempted to contact William Mercer, Project Manager for Fred Meyer/Kroger, but were unable to reach him for official comment. He was encouraged to leave comments on our blog for his side of the story.

This demonstration is being organized by the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters and their Carpenters Union.

They do note that they are NOT urging any workers to refuse work or refuse to deliver goods.

The Clarion Hotel in SeaTac will be holding a special St. Patrick’s Day Spaghetti Feed & Auction fundraiser for the Des Moines Area Food Bank next Wednesday, March 17th from 5pm – 8pm at their location at 3000 South 176th Street in SeaTac.

Cost is $10 in advance for adults ($13 at door); Students & Seniors $7; or $25 for a Family Pack.

All proceeds go to the Des Moines Area Food Bank, so come on down, have some good spaghetti and help your hungry neighbors.

Here are the details:

WHAT: St. Patrick’s Day Spaghetti Feed and Auction fundraiser for the Des Moines Area Food Bank.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 17th, 5:00PM-8:00PM.

WHERE: Clarion Hotel, located at 3000 S. 176th St. in SeaTac.

COST: Adults $10 in advance, $13 at door; Students & Seniors $7; Family pack $25.

INFO: Proceeds go to the Des Moines Area Food Bank.

RSVP: Please call 206-676-3742 to RSVP, or click here for more information.

by Marilee A. Cogswell
Manager, 
Burien Library

Happy nearly-springtime to all those B-Town Bookworms out there!

DID YOU KNOW?

Voters Approve Levy Lid Lift for libraries!!

Thanks to dedicated community advocates and library supporters, voters approved Proposition 1 on the February 9 special election ballot by 52%, authorizing a one-year increase in the property tax level to fund essential library services.

With the passage of Proposition 1, voters restored the full allowable library levy rate of 50¢ per $1,000 assessed property value for 2011.

The additional revenue will sustain library operations, including hours of service, new and replacement materials, computers and software upgrades, and regular preventive maintenance.

Thank YOU VOTERS!!

KCLS WELCOMES RENTON LIBRARIES, PATRONS & STAFF:
Renton Libraries are now part of the King County Library System! Though many details involved in merging the library systems are being worked out, two key changes are now in place for Renton Library patrons:

1. Expanded library hours in downtown Renton.
2. Immediate eligibility for a Seattle Public Library Card.

Welcome!!

PROGRAMS AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES:

• TechConnect!!! Burien Library Saturday March 13th 10am -2pm: TechConnect is an interactive library open house showcasing the many ways KCLS technology connects you to reading, recreation, entertainment and lifelong learning.  Whether you’re tech-savvy, tech-challenged or somewhere in between, TechConnect will enhance your use of the library!  King County Library TechLab van will be in our parking lot demonstrating the latest in downloads available.  TechConnect stations will be set up throughout the first floor of the library demonstrating our databases, how to use the library catalog, children’s story time online, and much much more. There will also be Spanish language station ‘Biblioteca’ showing library technology for Spanish speakers.  Visit every station and enter to win the prize drawings, winners announced on the hour, must be present to win.  Sponsored by the Burien Library Guild.
• Crumac Concert: Burien Library, Sunday March 14th 5pm. This Irish trio creates traditional music on fiddle, uilleann pipes, whistles, and guitar
  Ages 5 and older.
• Get Loose with Seuss! Burien Library, Friday March 19th, 10:30am. Presented by Harmonica Pocket. Sing along with the Doctor’s ‘One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish’ and other Seussian favorites! All ages welcome Sponsored by the Burien Library Guild.
• Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! White Center Library, Friday March 19th, 3pm. Presented by Harmonica Pocket. Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with stories, songs and silliness. Sponsored by the White Center Library Guild.

BOOK REVIEW:
‘The Eight’ By Katherine Neville

Part historical fiction, part mysticism, part modern day suspense thriller – this tale follows the discovery and disappearance of the powerful Montglane Chess Service. The chess service imbues unlimited power to anyone playing. The task of hiding and protecting the chess pieces from abuse falls upon the novices of Montglane Abby in the year 1790.  In 1972, modern day computer expert Catherine Velis is hired to recover the valuable chess pieces and soon finds herself entangled in a global plot.

Excellent!

Until next time…see you in the stacks!

Marilee A. Cogswell is the Manager of the Burien Library.

Our fave namesake women’s sports team, The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG), kicked off their 2010 season opener recently to raise money for various charities, including;

• Old Dog Haven, a small nonprofit group using a network of foster parents to provide a loving safe home for abandoned senior dogs.
• The Pin Up Angels, who send care packages to our deployed servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
• The Lambert House, a center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth that encourages empowerment through the development of leadership, social and life skills.
• Fisher House, who supports military and their families while recovering from illness or injury.

The first bout of the season Jan. 31st was an exhibition bout, which was set up like a mini-tournament. Our own Bart Bryan and Mark Neuman braved the dangerous sidelines of the bout to shoot this video, which was edited by Gina Bourdage:

This was a bout RCRG played for charities, and will not count toward their regular season team standings; however, at the end of the night the standings were

1. Sockit Wenches
2. Grave Danger
3. Throttle Rockets
4. Derby Liberation Front

Here are the points:

• Period 1, 1st Players: TR 62, SW 97
• Period 1, 2nd Players: GD 88, DLF 51
• Period 2, Grudge Match: TR 97, DLF 43
• Period 2, Champs: GD 66, SW 70

On March 6th, the RCRG set new records with attendance reaching 5,158 fans, the top attendance for a modern roller derby bout, packed KeyArena to watch the first regular home bout of season 6.

The Throttle Rockets smashed the skates of Derby Liberation Front, while Grave Danger drew first blood against the Sockit Wenches. Word on the street (direct from KeyArena folks), is that Rat City Rollergirl fans drink more beer than ANY sporting event at KeyArena! For more information and tickets visit www.ratcityrollergirls.com.

Ever wonder what it takes to be a Rat City Roller Girl? It’s more than a pair of skates and some lip gloss. To even be considered you need to commit to three 2-hours practices a week, work six committee hours a month and “Have a ton of chutzpah, sweat, determination, and a nice smile” just to name a few.

Beyond the eye-catching outfits these girls take some serious hits. Don’t believe us? Just check out the Hall Of Pain section of their website (there is a reason a disclaimer is posted to this page, this is no joke).

RCRG’s next bout is Saturday, April 10th, with Derby Liberation Front vs. Grave Danger, and Sockit Wenches vs. Throttle Rockets.

by Ralph Nichols

Burien City Council members agreed on Monday night (March 8th) to consider a resolution expressing to residents of northern North Highline the city’s interest in eventually annexing this unincorporated area.

The formal resolution will include wording that declares “the Burien City Council intends to advance annexation in [north North Highline] as soon as reasonably possible after successfully completing the annexation [of south North Highline].”

This is the initial draft wording for the “Now therefore” conclusion of the proposed resolution that City Manager Mike Martin and council members agreed on during Monday night’s discussion of Burien’s possible annexation of the remaining North Highline unincorporated area.

Only Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, who also opposed the annexation of south North Highline, demurred.

Burien council members will consider the resolution, which will be drafted by Martin, at their March 22 meeting.

Voters of south North Highline approved in August annexation by Burien. The annexation of that area becomes effective on April 1.

In the meantime, the city of Seattle has expressed renewed interest in annexing the north North Highline unincorporated area.

The proposed resolution is a response, in part, to requests by some north North Highline residents for a display of interest by Burien in their unincorporated area, to assure residents there that they have an alternative to annexation by Seattle.

Additional details will follow.

Burien Arts (BA) has been part of the area arts scene, community activities and has “lived” in the “Little Blue House” Art Gallery in Dottie Harper Park for nearly 50 years, since the early 1960s.

Sadly, its time in that house is reaching its end, as it will be closing shop the end of March.

According to a press release:

“The model the founders developed served the community and the organization well for many years. Changes in demographics, growth / development in the city and relocation of the key facilities that have drastically reduced gallery traffic has led us to examine how Burien Arts can better serve the community.”

“Because of all the changes that have and are taking place in Burien, the BA Board of Trustees is using this as an opportunity to really reexamine our role in the community,” said John Unbehend, President of the BA Board. “The repositioning will be both a physical (meaning we’ll eventually be moving to a more visible / accessible location) and a directional one (how we bring a sustainable set of visual arts / services to Burien).”

Some of Burien Arts past activities have included:

• Burien Art Gallery
• High School Art exhibitions
• Artist United partnership
• Strawberry Festival
• Shakespeare-in-the-Park
• Numerous musical events

Its current mission statement is as follows:

The Burien Arts Association Mission is to engage, enrich and entertain all the communities, generations and visitors to the Burien / greater Highline region through creative and innovative arts programming.

The press release goes on to say:

We anticipate that one out growth of the repositioning will be expanding to include arts educational and enrichment programs that compliment those offered by the area schools and the city of Burien.

The questions we have to ask the community and answer for the organization are the fundamental ones that journalist use when they develop a story:

• Who? Who are people we are serving in the Burien / Highline area (artistic, scholastic, ethnic and age groups in our area)?
• What? What are the artistic (visual, performing, literary) activities that the community wants and will support to allow BA to be a sustainable force in our area.
• Where? Where should BA be physically located to be accessible to the greatest number of people:
  • foot traffic, drop-ins and event participants for a new gallery
  • participation in community events (festivals, farmers market, Burien Days)
  • accessibility for people with disabilities
  • Students (elementary, middle school, high school and college).
• When? When is now! With the new town center, building projects, new restaurants and relocation of the Strawberry Festival we have to get a grip on our future now.
• How? How do we find a new gallery facility that meets the community needs? How to we provide a set of products (art shows, Shakespeare, poetry / literary experiences, educational opportunities) the community will eagerly provide support – attendance, participation and financial.

The first step will be to gather as much input from the community members as we can. This will take the form of:

• Discussions with art groups and individual artist in the community to learn how they want to participate.
• The individuals that we serve in the community through our web site, email burienarts@gmail.com and public meetings.
• Working with the merchants and Discover Burien to find how we can best support one another.
• Join in close discussions with the City of Burien (parks and rec., council, city management) to make sure we’re clear on how we can support and reinforce their activities in the arts so that BA is not duplicating their fine efforts.

This data will provide the foundation for decisions on how we reposition ourselves to better serve the Burien / Highline community!

- John Unbehend for the Burien Arts Board of Trustees
3/7/10

The current show at the Burien Arts Gallery is “Page Turner: Contemporary Artist Books,” a free exhibit of handmade artists books, which continues through March 19.

Hours are Thursday-Friday Noon – 5 pm, Saturday 11 am – 5 pm and Sunday 11 am-4 pm, and the gallery is located at 421 SW 146th Street.

This could be your last chance to set foot in this historic, quaint “Little Blue House,” as we’re not yet sure of what the future holds for it.

The City of Burien will be conducting a special census of the newly-annexed southern portion of the North Highline area between March 12th and April 25th.

This area, which contains approximately 14,100 residents, officially becomes part of Burien April 1st. Residents approved annexation during the August 18, 2009 election.

As part of the annexation process, the City is required to conduct a special census of all housing units. Households in the annexation area will be visited by a census worker wearing a fluorescent vest and a City of Burien identification badge between March 12 and April 25, 2010.

The only information required in this census is the names of all individuals residing in a household. Annexation residents may also provide this census information directly, at any time after March 12th, by calling the Burien Census Hotline (available 24 hours a day) at 1-800-635-6594.

From what we understand, this work is actually being contracted through a company called Calm River, which, according to their website:

Calm River Demographics focuses on providing comprehensive census, demographic and mapping solutions for cities, counties, non-profits, universities, libraries, healthcare and human service organizations.

This company was scheduled to interview potential applicants last Friday last week (see our previous post here).

According to the city:

Any information provided will be held confidential. Cooperating with this special annexation census ensures that the City of Burien receives a full share of state funds allotted for essential public services.

This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census conducted by the federal Census Bureau later this spring in which residents will receive a 10-question census form in the mail. More information about the federal census is available at http://2010.census.gov.

Residents should be aware that neither census will require them to provide their social security numbers, credit card numbers, bank account information or pay any fees. Residents should not provide such details to anyone who claims to be a census worker and asks for this kind of information. Legitimate census workers will have identification badges with a phone number that residents can call if they would like to verify their identities.

Residents may contact the City at (206) 241-4647 with questions or concerns.

by Ralph Nichols

Sixty-four hundred miles – the distance from Sea-Tac International Airport to Santiago, Chile – is a long way. It’s a lot farther still if you’re here and have immediate family members in earthquake-ravaged Chile.

Patricio Mendoza, the owner of EC Computers in downtown Des Moines, knows this all too well.

For almost 48 hours after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Chile on Feb. 27, Mendoza could only wonder how his son Victor, his father Humbetor, his sister Cecilia, and his niece Erika Cecilia (who lives in the Seattle area, and whose initials give the computer shop its name) had survived.

Communications with the outside world are difficult with widespread power outages and many of the country’s cell phone towers knocked down. Mendoza has since been told the tremor “was so big,” and “lasted so long and was so strong.”

Despite his anxiety, he hoped and prayed for the best – and waited for their calls.

Then late Sunday and again on Monday he finally heard from his niece and his sister. Both were well – and they had word that Victor, who lives near Viña del Mar, a seaside community of almost 300,000 where Mendoza is from, was OK too.

But there was nothing like hearing his son confirm this himself when, at last, Victor called him Tuesday evening.

These reports brought welcome news because “at first I thought the worst,” Mendoza said. “This was one of the biggest earthquakes we have ever had. The destruction is total. It’s all around.”

Mendoza is still waiting for word about his 80-year-old father Humbetor, who he assumes is OK but who lives where power remains out.

In an irony of timing, Mendoza returned only a month ago from a six-week trip to his home town, which is not far from Santiago, the nation’s capital, and an extended visit with his relatives who live in that region.

He also accompanied his niece there. Cecilia, 19, had “worked for the last year to pay for her dream trip to Chile,” he told the B-Town Blog this week.

“She was supposed to get back to the states on March 1. Her flight was scheduled for Feb. 28.” But with canceled flights and possible damage to airport runways, “she’s still stuck down there.” If everything goes all right, he said, she now should return on March 9.

Cecilia sounded much calmer than she did in her first call just a couple of days after the quake, which continues to be followed by strong aftershocks, he added.

Mendoza’s first reaction after hearing about the earthquake was, “I want to get a ticket and go there. The first thing I wanted to do is help my family. But the airlines have raised the ticket price four times or more for this tragedy.

“I still plan to go when the price goes back down. I can’t afford it now. I want to see how my father is doing and how my son is doing. I want to see my father personally because he’s 80 years old and alone. I know he will say he’s OK, but I still want to know.

“It’s pretty bad to be this far away and not be able to go down and help,” he said.

And after helping his family, Mendoza also wants to do what he can – including taking clothing and other necessities – to help others there who are trying to rebuild their lives and property.

“People are hungry, people are upset. I’ve been in strong earthquakes where aftershocks continue for days. You feel so little after that. You cannot sleep in the day. You cannot sleep at night. You have no peace. It takes weeks to recover.”

Mendoza said that although he’s not there now, “at least I can bring some of the resources they need to them” if he can find a way to get there.

“A lot of people from Des Moines have called or stopped by the shop, concerned about my niece and my family,” he continued. “I thank all of you for your moral support. It has really helped.”

The days are getting longer, the sky brighter, flowers are starting to bloom, bugs are coming out and its Photo Friday – what better way to celebrate the coming days of Spring than by celebrating with a stunning “Springtime In Burien” photo slideshow by area Pro Photographer Francis Zera?

This set of amazing macro nature photos is Exhibit A in why we love Photography – through the eye of a talented artist like Francis, one can see things that you normally might not notice, and see it in a beautiful new way.

According to Francis, who shot these pics Wednesday:

Today’s brief spell of late-afternoon sunshine got me thinking about spring, and I had an opportunity to wander around a private garden on the east side of Burien.

The plants and trees were just starting to bloom, and I found some pretty interesting stuff, including this insect that was swimming around in a dewdrop that was poised on a new tulip leaf.

This little guy appears to be a Hypera zoilus Kaldari, aka Clover Leaf Weevil, swimming in a dewdrop. According to the Wikipedia entry, they seem to prefer dry places to wet, so I’m thinking it might have been simply unlucky enough to have been nailed by a big raindrop and subsequently trapped inside the droplet by the surface tension.

It was still alive when I photographed it, and was moving around within the confines of the droplet.

For those technically inclined, I was using a Canon 5D Mark II with a 180mm f/3.2 macro lens.

Here’s Francis’ stunning spring slideshow:

Click to View Francis Zera’s Photo Slideshow

Francis Zera is a professional architectural and commercial photographer, as well as Co-president, Seattle/Northwest chapter, American Society of Media Photographers. See his portfolio at http://www.zeraphoto.com or follow him on Twitter here: http://www.twitter.com/zeraphoto. Francis can be reached at 206-659-ZERA.

Local singers in KidSounds, YouthSounds and TeenSounds will be taking the stage at the Highline Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 19th at 7pm for “A 20th Century Celebration” concert.

These area youth are a part of Northwest Associated Arts’ commitment to providing musical education and performance opportunity for young people from grades 3 through 12 in South King County. The three choruses perform together for two mainstage concerts at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien.

The goal of KidSounds, YouthSounds & TeenSounds Northwest is to foster a love of singing by engaging a wide variety of music repertoire. Proper vocal technique, theory and artistry are emphasized with an eye towards developing well-rounded young musicians.

WHAT: KidSounds, YouthSounds & TeenSounds Spring Concert

WHEN:  Friday March 19 at 7:00 pm

WHERE: Burien’s Highline Performing Arts Center, located at 401 South 152nd Street, next to Highline High School.

TICKETS: $10-$15 (17 & under free with a paid adult ticket) are available for purchase online: www.nwassociatedarts.org or via phone: 206-246-6040

INFO: From a poster:

Overture…light the lights! An entire century of music represented in one work! This fabulous 55-minute revue, complete with an original opener by Greg Gilpin, takes us on a decade-by-decade celebration of popular music. Under the direction of Paula Hawkins, KidSounds, YouthSounds and TeenSounds Northwest will join forces with a fun-filled program designed just for families.

You’re A Grand Old Flag, Give My Regards to Broadway, Rock Around the Clock, Fame, Good Vibrations, plus many other favorites combine to make this fast-paced show a must-see for anyone who loves popular music. Narration, dancing, and solos blend together seamlessly with wonderful choral singing in this showcase of the budding talents of our youth choruses.

Families hunting for affordable entertainment will delight and parents looking for a risk-free way to introduce their children to the joys of choral music can rest easy because Northwest Associated Arts youth ticket program lets young people 17 and under in free with a paid adult ticket.

YouthSounds & TeenSounds Northwest demonstrate Northwest Associated Arts’ commitment to providing musical education and performance opportunity for young people from grades 3 through 12 in South King County. Each year the three choruses perform together for two mainstage concerts at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien. In a time of radical funding cuts to music programs in the schools, these ensembles provide an important and life-changing opportunity for students to learn through the discipline of music. Along the way, audiences are delighted with the entertaining performances of these dedicated young singers. The goal of KidSounds, YouthSounds & TeenSounds Northwest is to foster a love of singing by engaging a wide variety of music repertoire. Proper vocal technique, theory and artistry are emphasized with an eye towards developing well-rounded young musicians.

The NWAA young people’s music education program is funded, in part, by the generous support of: 4 Culture, Lucky 7 Foundation, Glaser Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, City of Burien, JR Mailing Services, Inc, and many individuals & families throughout our community.

On Thursday (Mar. 4), Highline Community College’s Center of Excellence for International Trade, Transportation and Logistics (ITTL) announced that it had received $250,000 to provide additional job training opportunities for positions in the international trade sector.

“As our economy continues to change and adjust so too must our workforce,” said U.S. Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA). “This funding will help do just that by training Washington state workers for a career in a growing sector of our local economy – international trade.”

The project — part of the final version of the 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed by President Obama on Dec. 16, 2009 — will lead to a 20 percent increase in the number of trained ITTL workers in Washington state.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Smith secured funding for the project that will also improve the image of international trade throughout Washington state and create awareness of career and training opportunities that lead to family wage jobs.

“In these tough economic times, it is more important than ever to ensure that our workers have the skills they need to compete in the 21st century economy,” Murray said.

Positions in the ITTL sector include managers, logisticians, cargo and freight agents, shipping and receiving clerks, locomotive engineers, drivers and warehouse workers. Washington state will need nearly 77,000 new employees in ITTL by 2018, according to estimates based on data from the state’s Employment Security Department.

For more information about the Center of Excellence for International Trade, Transportation and Logistics, visit www.ittlwa.com.

Located in Des Moines, Highline Community College was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County. With approximately 18,300 students and 350,000 alumni, it is one of the state’s largest institutions of higher education. The college offers a wide range of academic transfer and professional-technical education programs, with day, evening and weekend classes. Alumni include:

• Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice
• Entrepreneur Junki Yoshida
• Washington state poet laureate Sam Green
• And yes, even BTB Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer

You know Spring is almost here when we post this annual notice – Burien Parks’ Eggstravaganza, Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt is hopping into the Community Center on Saturday, April 3rd, with breakfast, Bunny Photos, various egg hunts for different ages and much more.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Burien Parks’ annual Eggstravaganza, Bunny Breakfast and Spring Egg Hunt.

WHEN: Saturday, April 3rd, with breakfast beginning at 9am.

• 9am-10:45am: Bunny Breakfast

Egg Hunt has staggered Start Times & two locations:

• Community Center Park: Ages Walkers – 7 years 425 SW 144 St
• Dottie Harper Park: Ages: 8-11 years 4th Ave SW & 146th SW

• 11am: Walkers-3 years at Peter Cotton Tails House
• 11:15am: 4-5 years
• 11:30am: 6-7 years
• 11:45am: 8-11 years

WHERE: Burien Community Center (located at 425 SW 144th Street) and Dottie Harper Park (across the street); see poster for details.

COST: Bunny Breakfast is $4/Person (children under 1 eat FREE); includes pancakes, ham, juice, & coffee; $4 FOR Bunny Photos

TICKETS: For info on how to purchase tickets in advance, call Burien Parks at (206) 988-3700, or visit their website here.

INFO: From a poster:

*NEW THIS YEAR! Save Your Spot… Get Your Tickets Now!

Limited Seating Available!

Event held at the Burien Community Center, Auditorium

by Scott Schaefer

According to The Olympian, on Tuesday (March 2), a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging that 18 Washington cities, including Burien, were charging too much for traffic violations caught by red light cameras.

This means that all Washington state cities with red light cameras will be able to continue charging their current fines, many of which are set at $101 and above.

The “order of dismissal” was issued by U.S. District Court Judge John C. Coughenour in Seattle, and this ends a lawsuit in which more than 40 drivers claimed that fines issued from red light cameras exceeded the amount intended by state law.

As we’ve previously reported, attorneys for the plaintiffs were seeking class-action status over a 2005 law that says traffic-camera fines “shall not exceed the amount of the fine issued for other parking infractions within the jurisdiction,” according to the complaint.

Burien has five red light cameras, which have been up and running since last March, and according to a city e-newsletter, were averaging “around 540 infractions per month” back in October 2009 – equaling a projected gross of over $654,000 in its first year of operation.

Burien currently sends out a $101 fine for red light infractions, with five cameras operating at these three intersections (see map below):

• 1st Avenue South at SW 148th Street
• 1st Avenue South at SW 152nd Street
• 1st Avenue South at SW 160th Street

View Red Light Cameras in Burien WA in a larger map

The camera earning the most money currently is the westbound one at SW 148th Street and 1st Ave South, which (as of Oct. 2009) generated about 35% of the total infractions, or 189 per month (just over 6 per day), equals to a monthly gross of $19,089 – or more than $229,000 annually, which on its own surpasses the original citywide $200k projection.

The cameras operate 24 hours a day and capture still photos and video of every vehicle that runs a red light at the intersection. After being processed by manufacturer RedFlex, the videos are accessed by Burien police through a website, where they are analyzed by an officer who decides whether or not to send out a ticket.

Other cities named in the lawsuit included:

• Auburn
• Bellevue
• Bonney Lake
• Bremerton
• Federal Way
• Fife
• Issaquah
• Lacey
• Lake Forest Park
• Lakewood
• Lynnwood
• Puyallup
• Renton
• SeaTac
• Seattle
• Spokane
• Tacoma

So, to all your speeders out there – don’t expect any reduction in red light camera fines.

And to the City of Burien (and all other cities with these device$) – let’s hope you put the massive revenues from this semi-automatic “cash cow” to good use during these economic times.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against 19 Cities, Including Burien, Over Red Light Camera Fines
• Burien’s Red Light Cameras On Track To Gross Over $654,000 In First Year, Nearly 3x Projected Revenue
• Burien’s Red Light Camera Citations Are “In The Mail”
• City Official Addresses Red Light Camera Concerns
• Red Light Cams Go Live Sun.;To Bring In $200k In 1st Year?
• Burien Speeders Beware: Red Light Cameras Start Mar. 1st

Every year, Members of Congress are allowed to display one piece of artwork by a high school student from their district in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Congressman Adam Smith, who represents Washington’s 9th Congressional District (which includes Burien), is holding an annual judged art competition to select which local art receives this honor, with a deadline of April 9th.

The selected student will win prizes and be invited to attend the national reception for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, 2010 in Washington, DC.  two round-trip airline tickets are donated for travel to DC.  The winning entry will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Prizes also include a scholarship to the Savannah Collage of Art and Design.

If you have any questions or want to receive electronic updates about Rep. Adam Smith’s Congressional Art Contest please contact Ms. Debra Entenman   (253) 593-6600 or email: Debra.Entenman@mail.house.gov.

For contest guidelines, please download the forms from Adam’s website here.

2010 Congressional Arts Competition:

The Congressional Arts Competition allows each Member of Congress to display one piece of artwork, created by a high school student in their district, in the Capitol for one year.

Entries for the 9th Congressional District Art Contest are due by 5:00 PM on Friday April 9, 2010. All submissions should be sent to:

Congressman Adam Smith
2209 Pacific Avenue, Suite B
Tacoma, Washington 98402

Additionally, during the month of April, most entries will be on display at Tacoma Art Museum (1701 Pacific Avenue).  However, please be advised that due to space limitations it may not be possible to display all entries.

The winner of the competition will be announced at the Art Exhibition and Reception on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 1:00 pm at The Tacoma Art Museum.

The winning student will win prizes and be invited to attend the national reception for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 17, 2010 in Washington, DC.  Three round-trip airline tickets are donated for travel to DC.  The winning entry will be displayed in the Cannon tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year.

2010 Congressional Art Competition Guidelines:

The competition is open to high school students only. Exceptions will be made for schools that have 7th through 12th grades on one campus. Each Member’s office can choose whether or not to include 7th and 8th grades in the art competition if there are schools in its district that fit these criteria. Additionally, official resources are to be used only to the extent authorized by the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

In order to allow artwork to hang in the Cannon Tunnel in the U.S. Capitol, the following restrictions are enforced:

• Artwork must be two dimensional;
• Each piece can be no larger than 28”x28”x 4” (28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep) including the frame. Artwork cannot weigh more than 15 lbs;
• Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo (not the student’s own), painting, graphic, advertisement, or any other work produced by another person is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing);
• Artwork must arrive in Washington by May 24, 2010 for inclusion in the exhibition.
• Artwork will hang in the Capitol for the entire year of the exhibition and cannot be returned to the students earlier. Students should, therefore, submit artwork they will not need for other purposes.
  

  Last year's Congressional art contest winner Arunan Mukphrom with Congressman Adam Smith at his office in Washington DC. The winning artist and their family were invited to Washington, D.C. to see their artwork hung in the Capitol.

Artwork accepted mediums are as follows:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers
• Collage: must be two dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated art
• Photography

Paper Work:

A typed and securely affixed large label must be applied to the back of each piece. Also provide a typed copy of the Student Release form, signed by both the teacher and the student, must be attached to the back of the artwork to certify the originality of the piece.

The winning artist’s student release form along with the Member Approval form should be sent to DC via fax to 202.225.3012, attn: 2010 Art Competition, as soon as you have chosen a winning artwork .

Release forms and Member Approval forms must be received by May 28th. This will allow us to determine if more information is required from the student before actually receiving the artwork.

The final decision regarding the suitability of all artwork for the 2010 Congressional Art Competition exhibition in the Capitol will be made by a panel of qualified persons chaired by the Architect of the Capitol.

Artwork must adhere to the policy of the House Office Building Commission.

In accordance with this policy, exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed.

It is necessary that all artwork be reviewed by the panel chaired by the Architect of the Capitol and any portion not in consonance with the Commission’s policy will be omitted from the exhibit.

Framing Guidelines:

High School students in Washington's District 9 are eligible.

Framing guidelines apply only to the ONE winning artist/artwork that will be sent to Washington, DC.

All artwork must be framed. Frames should be kept as simple and sturdy as possible.

Metal frames are recommended. No “snap on” frames with glass are to be used.

All artwork must be protected by Plexiglas or glass. Plexiglas is preferred. If glass is used, special packing and shipping arrangements are encouraged to ensure that the work is not damaged if the glass breaks.

All works, including frame, should be no larger than 28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, to the outside of the frame, and 15 lbs. in weight. Please double check the size before sending the entry to Washington, DC. Due to wide participation of Member offices, framed work larger than the specified dimensions will be turned away.

Matting can enhance or detract from a work of art and should be carefully prepared.

Use sturdy picture hangers on the back of the frame. Two sturdy eye hooks should be attached at the top right and left sides of the back of the work for hanging in order to prevent the work from leaning forward or hanging unevenly. Do not put wire between the hooks for hanging; these will be added when the artwork is hung in the Capitol.

Do not attach labels, ribbons, etc. to the front of the piece or underneath the glass or Plexiglas.

If the artwork is abstract in design, please indicate on the backside which side is “up” with arrows.

As directed by the House Oversight and Standards of Official Conduct Committees, each district winner is responsible for framing his or her own entry. Any hardship case should be assisted at the district level; works can no longer be framed by the Architect of the Capitol.

A typed copy of the Student Information & Release Form must be securely attached to the back of the artwork.

More information on this art competition is available at Adam Smith’s website.

Two costumed “Leprechauns,” along with two Cove to Clover organizers, “crashed” Monday night’s Burien City Council meeting to chide councilmembers to register for the March 14th 5k fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank.

So far though, only one city employee has registered – councilmember Lucy Krakowiak, who was rewarded with a commemorative snake last night.

As we reported Feb. 25th, this friendly registration “challenge” is being thrown down to the City of Burien in an attempt to offset city fees that are being charged to stage the charitable, non-profit, local fundraising event that’s being organized by a 100% volunteer committee.

And now, some eight days after the challenge was first issued, there’s still only one city employee/councilmember registered.

Here are some pics taken at last night’s leprechaun crashing:

For more information on the March 14th Cove to Clover 5k fundraiser race, including how you can register, click here to visit its website.

Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer

Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 2nd) around 2pm, a potential domestic disturbance 9-1-1 call in Burien turned into the shooting death of a Pit Bull at an apartment near the intersection of 4th Ave SW and SW 155th.

According to a King County Sheriff’s officer on the scene, the Pit Bull escaped from its apartment when its owner, who was unrelated to the original disturbance call, heard some commotion. The dog then allegedly “charged” a cop, who shot it in self-defense. The officer (or possibly another officer) then had to “euthanize” the injured dog by shooting it again, possibly numerous times, according to witness accounts.

The dog’s body was covered in a yellow tarp when we arrived, as Animal Control officers and police continued to investigate the scene.

A neighbor who witnessed the attack told us that he felt the Pit Bull had endangered and scared other residents and children before.

UPDATE 3/3/10 Noon: We just received a response from Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer, who said:

There is an ongoing investigation of this case so I will need to be somewhat brief in my response.

I can tell you the officer was not bitten.

Dog attacks happen occasionally and like any life/safety issue, the Officers are trained to respond to the level of danger using necessary force.

Some of the other questions may be answered in the course of the investigation.

- Chief K

Here are photos we took on the scene shortly after it happened (WARNING: one pic includes visible dog blood):

King County’s Spring Household Hazardous Wastemobile Event is coming up from Friday, March 26th through Sunday, March 28th at the Des Moines Marina.

This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all that hazardous waste you’ve got sitting around, like dead batteries, fluorescent bulbs, oil, gas and a myriad of other stuff that can ruin the environment.

Here are the details:

WHAT: King County’s Spring Household Hazardous Wastemobile Event

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday March 26 – March 28

WHERE: Des Moines Marina, located at 22307 Dock Street in Des Moines.

What to bring:

• solvents
• batteries, (lead acid, button, rechargeable)
• oil based paint
• cleaners
• pesticides
• oil
• antifreeze
• gasoline
• mercury products
• fluorescent bulbs and tubes
• propane tanks

What NOT to bring;

• latex paint
• empty containers
• computers
• TVs
• alkaline batteries
• explosives
• asbestos
• appliances
• medicines
• solid waste
• tires, etc

The following restrictions apply at all the household hazardous Wastemobile collection events:

• gasoline – 30 gallon limit
• total waste – 50 gallons per customer per day
• container size – no larger than five gallons
• fluorescent tubes or bulbs (not accepted from businesses) – limit 10
• automotive batteries – limit 5

The Wastemobile is FREE of charge and is for King County Residents and small quantity generators only. To find out if you qualify as a King County small quantity generator, call the Business Waste Line at 206 263-8899.

Additional information can be found at www.lhwmp.org or contact the Household Hazards Line at 206 296-4692, toll free at 1 888 869-4233

The Burien Art Gallery will be hosting “Page Turner: Contemporary Artist Books,” a free exhibit of handmade artists books, beginning this Friday, March 5th at its Dottie Harper Park “Little Blue House” location at 421 SW 146th Street.

The exhibit features original work from 22 artists whose work has been shown in galleries throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Art lovers throughout the Puget Sound area are invited to visit the exhibit and also to lend support to the Burien Arts Gallery which plans to close temporarily following the show while it searches for a new location (EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll have further details on the gallery closing soon, so stay tuned).

The  exhibit will include original works from the following artists:

• Ken Botnick
• Diana Guerrero-Maciá
• Regin Igloria
• Chandler O’Leary
• Carrie Iverson
• Rachel Dennis
• Mandolin Brassaw
• Nicolette Ross
• Molly Brooks
• Lloyd McMullen
• Neil Clark

Several university faculty will also be featured, including:

• Jana Harper and Amy Thompson (Washington University, St. Louis)
• Inge Bruggeman (Oregon College of Art and Craft)
• Jessica Spring (Pacific Lutheran University)
• Don Olsen (Art Institute of Portland)
• Megan Sterling (Harrington College of Design)
• Valerie Wallace (Portland State University)

According to a press release:

Visitors will experience “poetry, surprise, fury and wit” in the time-honored visual form of the handmade artist book.

Artist, educator and exhibit curator Kelda Martensen also noted that the artists featured are bringing a fresh look to this time-honored visual form.

People “will be both delighted and surprised,” she said of the innovative exhibit. “Each artist book sets the viewer on a creative journey. Visitors will find themselves in the stirring position of interpreter to a powerful conversation between artist and page as images and narrative unfold.”

A complete listing of artist biographies and images of selected artist books are available at http://contemporaryartistbooks.blogspot.com/.

The exhibit will be available March 5 – March 19, and the hours are Thursday-Friday Noon – 5 pm, Saturday 11 am – 5 pm and Sunday 11 am-4 pm.

Admission is FREE.

WHAT:  “Page Turner: Contemporary Artist Books” exhibit

WHERE: Burien Arts Center, located at 421 SW 146th St, Burien WA 98166

WHEN:  Friday, March 5th through Sunday, March 21st

COST: FREE

INFO: Exhibit info at http://contemporaryartistbooks.blogspot.com/, Burien Arts: http://burienarts.org

On Monday (March 1st) we received an email from Janel Stoneback, announcing that her Emerald City Smoothie store located at the Normandy Park Towne Center had shut its doors.

This store, located at 19803 First Ave South, may have been affected by a number of elements, including recent ongoing construction on First Ave South, the economic recession, as well as a relatively troubled location where other businesses have also faltered.

According to the Normandy Park city newsletter, this ECS location opened in August of 2008.

Far as we know, Janel’s two other ECS locations – near the Burien Safeway and at Westfield Southcenter, are still open for business.

While we don’t have the exact details yet (we’re hoping to get more info from Janel soon, which we’ll publish as soon as we receive it), according to Janel’s Facebook Page:

To all my Excellent very supportive customers, friends and business associates, it is with great disappointment we have had to make a decision to close Normandy Park Emerald City Smoothie.

Story and Photos by Michael Brunk

Something a little different happened this past Friday (Feb. 26th) at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien. As the end of the school day approached, students and faculty gathered in the gymnasium.

That part isn’t so unusual for a high school.

It’s not often though, that they assemble to see a teacher get tattooed. At school. During the assembly!

The event was an outgrowth of the school’s recent “Every Lancer Against Cancer” awareness week. Part of the activities included raising money for several cancer-related funds. To spur the students on, American Government teacher Walt Kostecka issued a challenge (as we first reported here):

Raise $10,000 and he’d get inked.

The students threw themselves into the fundraising effort and Walt put himself in the hands of tattoo artist Bryan Kachel from Emerald City Tattoo & Supply – here’s a Photo Slideshow I shot at the event:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

That the students met their goal shouldn’t surprise anyone. As Principal Michael Prato noted, it’s difficult to find a family that hasn’t been touched by cancer in one way or another. Their enthusiasm for learning about cancer and its affects, and collecting donations, carried over into the assembly. As Walt sat onstage with Bryan and his buzzing tattoo needle, the students conducted a pep rally around him. Complete with the school’s band, shouting cheerleaders and plenty of spirited applause.

Asked afterward how it felt getting his first tattoo, Walt replied:

“It felt like being stuck in a blackberry bush… for an hour!”

Walt shared that the real experience was watching his students get involved and raise the $10,000. He’s already thinking about next year and kicking around the idea of sky diving. Based on the response of his family members in attendance, Walt may have a challenge himself meeting that goal!

The email transcription below was originally posted to the Three Tree Point Yahoo Group, which has seen a recent increase in residents airing concerns about possible suspicious characters in the neighborhood.

According to this specific report, a “suspect” male knocked on the glass door of a home at 5am and asked for help, as if he were stranded. The male member of the household, speaking through the locked door, asked the man to leave his property, yet the suspect didn’t. After switching his story and asking for a cigarette, the male resident displayed a handgun and requested again that the suspect leave, which he finally did.

Later the suspect was seen trying to flag cars down up the road, and that’s when the resident called police, who came to the scene, then found and questioned the suspect. Here’s the exact email thread  (names and addresses have been removed):

The messages below were forwarded from our block watch captains:

From: “Galusha, Roy”
Date: February 26, 2010 7:05:13 AM PST
Subject: RE: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knocker

Thank you for sending this on to me … It appears that several calls came in on this individual. Someone did flag down Officer Hennesy. Officers Skaar and Fitchett also responded. They made contact with the individual at SW 160 and 15 SW. I heard the detail on my way into work this morning when they were running his name. I did not talk with them, so I don’t know what story he told them. The individual lives in the South end of Des Moines. He had an Obstructing warrant out of Olympia; however, it was non-extraditable (meaning they won’t take him from King County). He was ultimately released because we had no crime or warrant that we could hold him for.

I would like to say that M did an outstanding job of paying attention to detail and forwarding that information on. Her husband did the right thing of confronting the individual from inside the house and refusing to open the door for him. He also let the individual know that he was armed. It is real common if someone is trying to get in or trying to keep you distracted, that if you come up with an answer to one question, to throw another line at you; i.e. if you don’t fall for the fact that he broke down, can you give me some cigarettes. If he needed a ride to work, why didn’t his friend he was visiting give him a ride?

This could have been a legitimate case of the person trying to get a ride to work, to him trying to get into the house to rob them. I don’t know, we probably never know, but the important thing is that the family and neighborhood is safe. We used to have a saying when I was working in the Air Force Security Forces career field.

“Today I prevented 10,000 terrorists from gaining access to the base and blowing up my planes by being ever vigilant and providing a level of force protection.”

If anyone asked how I could prove it, my answer was “Can you disprove it?”

This is the same situation, we can’t prove that he was trying to break in, but you can’t disprove that he wasn’t planning to.

Great job.

Officer Roy Galusha

============

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 6:42 AM
To: Subject: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knocker

 THANK YOU! M, for reporting this.

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Early morning knocker

This morning at 5 am we had a man knock very loudly on our front door. Our door is completely glass, so my husband was able to see him very clearly and speak to him through it without opening it. The man was African American with a shaved head, approximately 5 ‘ 10″, between the ages of 28 and 32, wearing khaki colored Carhardt-type work jacket and pants. He said he’d been stranded and needed a ride, though my husband noticed he was completely dry and it was raining outside. My husband then told him it was very early and he needed to get off of our property, the man then said he smoked and wondered if we had any smokes? My husband again asked him to leave our property. The man hesitated and then insisted that he was stranded. My husband then showed him a handgun he had grabbed on the way to the door and told him we carry weapons in the neighborhood so you need to be careful and once again firmly asked him to get off our property.

Upon leaving our driveway a Ford 250 type truck drove by and stopped, they appeared to talk though he could have just flagged him down. We then called the non-emergency police number to report the incident, the police responder said she’d received several calls from this area regarding multiple people, she described a “dirty white man and a Hispanic.” After making the report, my husband drove up the street to see what the status was. He saw the same man up the road near 160th frantically trying to flag people down in their cars. My husband then drove back home seeing a police officer on the way. He stopped and directed the officer back to the man to investigate. We believe this man was possibly with a group of men looking to rob homes and somehow got left behind or the ride was scared off. We do not question this man was potentially armed and looking to obtain a vehicle. Either way, he was quite aggressive and insistent in asking us to let him into our home, by repeatedly asking for a ride and then for a cigarette.

This is a good example of what a stranger will do to gain entry, and why you should never open your door. Thanks to everyone for communicating about your respective incidences and if anyone else had a similar experience this morning please notify the group – this block watch really helps us all to be prepared in events such as this.

Best-
XX

============

Date: February 26, 2010 6:35:59 AM PST
Subject: Suspicious person on 25th Ave SW this morning

While on my way to work at 5am this morning, I called 911 to report a suspicious person coming up out of the driveway at 25th SW.

He was a black male, I believe in his 30’s, with a shaved head, and wearing a yellow rain coat. He approached my truck, told me he was visiting a friend, and that his vehicle broke down, and needed a ride to the Burien Park & Ride so he could get to work.

When I told him no, he then asked me for money for a cab. I called 911 immediately.

We highly recommend that our Readers join a local “neighborhood email group” where residents can subscribe and get updates by email (ie: suspicious characters, crime reports, garage sales, missing pets, city issues, etc.), which we see happening down at Three Tree Point.

Here are two good resources where you can search for one near you, or create your own:

• Yahoo Groups
• Google Groups