Normandy Park Mayor withdraws from City Council race

by Jack Mayne Mayor Clarke Brant has withdrawn from the race for reelection for City Council saying it is “really time to retire.” The sole candidate in the Position 2 race now is Mike Bishoff. Candidates... [Read more]

No license needed for Hanbleceya’s mental health homes in Normandy Park

by Jack Mayne Hanbleceya is operating four of five facilities in Normandy Park without licenses because there are no health care licenses for their facilities either from the State of Washington or from... [Read more]

Local attorney thinks Governor Inslee ‘going too far’ with tough new DUI law

by Jack Mayne Burien lawyer Joe Breidenbach, known widely as “DUI Joe,” believes Gov. Jay Inslee is going too far with the tough new proposed law he unveiled last week following three local... [Read more]

Hanbleceya operating legally, DSHS investigation closed

by Jack Mayne Hanbleceya’s Normandy Park treatment center is operating in compliance with Washington state law and the Washington Department of Social and Health Services investigation has been closed,... [Read more]

CARES Passes Review, Gains Majority Council Support; But Some Still Complain

by Jack Mayne The Burien animal care non-profit CARES passed its first outside review (download PDF here, p.15), drawing raves from City Manager Mike Martin and four members of the City Council – but... [Read more]

Former Burien Red Light Camera Firm Redflex Faces ‘Bribery’ Issues

by Jack Mayne Redflex Traffic Solutions, the company that once provided red light photo enforcement cameras in Burien, and currently does in SeaTac, says an internal corruption investigation has found... [Read more]

Burien Property Values Falling 35 percent Faster, Resident Tells City Council

The Burien City Council was told Monday night (March 18) that figures from the King County Assessor’s Office show that property values in Burien are falling faster than any of its South King County neighbors…

Locals React to Election of Pope Francis

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or have been hangin’ out in the catacombs), a new Pope was announced Wednesday (March 13) – Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, heretofore known... [Read more]

Highline Schools’ Super Dr. Susan Enfield Seeks Full-time Kindergartens

Highline School District superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield says she hopes to see the district have full-time paid kindergarten for all beginning students and for the Legislature to find a way…

City Questioned on Taxpayer Money Used to Clean Up Foreclosed Property

by Jack Mayne North Burien resident Dick West wants to know why Burien city government spent upwards of $15,000 to clean up debris and trash from a foreclosed home at 11416 26th Ave. South (map below)... [Read more]

‘Bigots of Normandy Park’ Website Taken Down After 8 Days

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This story originally appeared on our sister site The Normandy Park Blog:] by Jack Mayne A website aimed at discrediting the Normandy Park Cares organization – which has been opposed... [Read more]

INTERVIEW: John Urquhart Vows that he’ll ‘Do the Right Thing as the Sheriff’

by Jack Mayne New King County Sheriff John Urquhart was elected last November by what he terms “a landslide” but he isn’t worried about facing voters all over again this November for a full four-year... [Read more]

SeaTac Police Chief Jim Graddon to Retire

by Jack Mayne Jim Graddon, chief of the SeaTac Police Department and a major in the King County Sheriff’s office, plans to retire later this year. “After nine years of service to the City of SeaTac,... [Read more]

Seattle Still Wants North Highline, But Not Now

by Jack Mayne Seattle remains interested in annexing North Highline, but just not now. North Highline “Area Y” voters soundly rejected in November the proposal that the area join with Burien. Burien... [Read more]

Contrary to Report, Highline Schools Has ‘No Proposal’ to Disarm Guards

by Jack Mayne There is no plan for the Highline Public School District to disarm its security officers or police “resource officers,” contrary to a KOMO television report broadcast Monday (Jan. 7). “Basically,... [Read more]

Happy Birthday to Us – The B-Town Blog Turns Five Years Old Today!

Five years ago today (at 9:03 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007 to be exact), Burien resident Scott Schaefer founded The B-Town Blog, and we’d like to celebrate by thanking YOU – our Readers and Advertisers…

Citizens Say CARES Often Doesn’t Care, but City Manager Retains His Confidence

by Jack Mayne After a couple of months of calm, now suddenly aggrieved Burien animal lovers are again eyeing the warpath against the Community Animal Resource & Education Society – better known... [Read more]

Sheriff Steve Strachan Says Downward Spiral Over, Now Hiring More Deputies

by Jack Mayne Steve Strachan says the reason he wanted the job of sheriff is because its move into contracting with other cities and agencies is the wave of the future, both in King County and nationally. He... [Read more]

John Urquhart Says Current Appointed Sheriff ‘Not Working Out’

by Jack Mayne John Urquhart, 64, wants to trade in his sergeant’s stripes for the four stars of the elected sheriff of King County and to command the 1,000 people, including 600 sworn officers, of what... [Read more]

LETTER: Unfortunate that Forum was Marred by Unnecessary Mudslinging

Jack Mayne’s article provided a very balanced account of your Oct 2nd forum on annexation. As one of the attendees at the meeting, there were some highs and lows from my perspective. The two highs... [Read more]

Impassioned Crowd Packs White Center School for Lively Annexation Debate

by Jack Mayne with photos by Michael Brunk It depends on which side you listen to whether Burien will go broke annexing North Highline’s Area Y or whether staying unincorporated will mean that Seattle... [Read more]

LETTER: B-Town Blog Reporter Seeking Readers with ‘Bad’ CARES Experiences

Citizens of Burien, Have you had an unpleasant experience with C.A.R.E.S.? Frustrated that no one will listen to you? Well, here is your opportunity to be heard – Mr. Jack Mayne is doing research for... [Read more]

Animal Control is Not Always a Public Hot Button

by Jack Mayne There is nothing better to stir up a local controversy than to discuss how animals are controlled and treated by governments because no matter what is done, some will say it is a foul deed... [Read more]

REPORT: ‘Systemic Inequalities’ Plague South King County Residents

Equity And Social Justice Report from kcexec on Vimeo. by Jack Mayne The first-ever Equity and Social Justice report reveals King County is now nearly half populated by non-whites and those living in... [Read more]