So you own a Toyota that you may have seen in the news lately…now what?

Don’t panic just yet – we spoke with the General Manager of BTB Advertiser Burien Toyota Scion, Pat Dillon, about what Toyota owners can look for and expect with issues surrounding the recent accelerator malfunctions.

We asked:

“What exactly should I look for if I have one of the models mentioned in the recall?”

Dillon said:

“The condition is rare, but can occur when the pedal mechanism becomes worn and, in certain conditions, the accelerator pedal may become harder to depress, slower to return or, in the worst case, stuck in a partially depressed position.  Toyota is working quickly to prepare the correction remedy.”

“In the event that a driver experiences an accelerator pedal that sticks in a partial open throttle position or returns slowly to idle position, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes. The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure. The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.”  (we would like to note that this statement can also be found on Toyota’s Corporate Website).

Toyota initially only listed eight models with a potential connection to this issue and later expanded the list to include additional models with accelerators manufactured by the CTS Company which produces the part. The malfunction has caused one of the largest recalls in recent history, stirring concern and confusion among owners worldwide. There continues to be discussions around including the Prius models on the recall list as reports begin to roll in about similar issues and possibly a glitch in the cars’ software.

Models affected as of February 3rd, 2010 include:

• Avalon
• Camry
• Corolla
• Corporate
• Highlander
• Matrix
• RAV4
• Sequoia
• Toyota Tundra

“Our message to Toyota owners is this – if you experience any issues with your accelerator pedal, please contact your dealer without delay. If you are not experiencing any issues with your pedal, we are confident that your vehicle is safe to drive.” – Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc.

“We encourage owners to make an appointment or contact us to address repair questions and concerns.” said Dillon.

Should you find your car needing service, you will not be without a vehicle at Burien Toyota Scion as we have a rental car service department that can assist in placing you in a temporary vehicle until yours is repaired.

Additional information and updates on the recall can be found here.

More info on Burien Toyota available here.

Burien Toyota Scion
15025 1st Avenue South
Burien, WA 98148

Service: 888-468-0481

Between Jan. 19th and 22nd, Highline Community College’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week will feature nationally known authors and scholars discussing a variety of topics, including diversity, politics, education, sports and the legacy of Dr. King.

This year’s event includes an exhibit featuring local social activists and revolutionaries who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement in Washington state. The exhibit is on display throughout the week in the Highline Student Union.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline Community College’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Week

WHEN: Jan. 19th through Jan. 22nd at various times

WHERE: Highline Community College’s main campus. Highline’s main campus is located midway between Seattle and Tacoma at South 240th Street and Pacific Highway South (Highway 99); address: 2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines, WA 98198.

COST: Free and open to the public

SCHEDULE:

TUESDAY, JAN. 19th:

Dream Fulfilled? The legacy of Dr. King in an Obama age
A lecture by Dedrick Muhammad
9:00 – 9:50am, 10:00 – 10:50am Building 7

Dedrick Muhammad is a Senior Organizer and Research Associate for the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute of Policy Studies. His presentation will examine the current socio-economic status of African Americans, the progress that has been made since the time of Dr. King, and the prospects of African Americans under the Obama presidency

Cradle to Prison Pipeline
Celestine Lanier-McClary, Black Child Development Institute
11:00-11:50am, Highline Student Union Building 8, Mt. Constance Room

Children of color are entering the Criminal Justice at an alarming rate! In 2001, it was said that 1 out of every 3 African American preschool child has a chance of going to prison in his lifetime (CDF 2006). This workshop will explore the link between education and the criminal justice system and also examine the risk factors as it relates to people of color in the criminal justice system. During this time participants will begin to better understand this pipeline and start to create strategies for dismantling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline.

MLK Exhibit
Highline Student Union Building 8, Mt Constance Stage
Open all day/evening, Jan 19-22 Come view a display of local social activists and revolutionaries who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement in Washington State.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30th:

Why are Poor People Poor?
A workshop by Dustin Washington and John Page, American Friends Service Committee and People’s Institute Northwest
9:00 – 9:50am, Highline Student Union Building 8 – Mt. Constance Room

Explore the roots of class inequality with two community organizers and leaders in the Seattle Area. Dustin Washington and John Page are from the Community Justice Program at American Friends Service Committee and do extensive work around anti-racism and social justice advocacy.

Workshop: Environmental Justice and You!
Presented by Community Coalition to Environmental Justice (CCEJ)
10:00 – 10:50am, Building 7

We hear about the environmental movement, but what we don’t hear about much is the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement. With the EJ movement, they take into consideration how certain populations are targeted and polluted on purpose, specifically people of color and/or low income communities. In addition, environmental injustice is impacting people not just locally, but globally as well. Come to this workshop to hear more about the EJ movement, discuss the root causes of environmental injustice such as racism and profits before people, and how you can get involved and make a difference.

Music and Liberation: A panel discussion
12:10-1:10pm, Highline Student Union Building 8 – Mt. Constance Room

Join us for a panel discussion with local activists and musicians. Explore how social change, activism and music intersect. The artists will represent different genres of music that include Hip Hop, R&B, Folk, Reggae and Latin.

Music and Liberation: A Caucus Discussion
1:30-2:30pm, Highline Student Union, Building 8 – Leadership Resource Room

Join a follow up discussion of how music was, can, and is used for activism.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21st:

Inter-Minority Racisms and Cross-Racial Identifications: The Role of Hip Hop in Shaping Contemporary Asian/Black Relations in the U.S.
Lecture by Nitasha Sharma followed by Q &A session
9:00-10:30am, Building 7

In this talk, Professor Sharma will analyze the political potential of hip hop for framing Asian/Black relations in the U.S. Americans often view Asians and Blacks to be distinct minority groups with little in common; however, history and politics reveal otherwise. Drawing from her fieldwork on 24 South Asian American hip hop MCs, DJs, record label owners, and journalists, Dr. Sharma will discuss how some Asian American youth call upon hip hop to articulate their racial identities and politics. Within the context of Asian anti-Black racism and Black anti-immigrant sentiment, perhaps hip hop offers a space and form for some youth to create cross-racial connections across these divides.

Nitasha Sharma is a professor in African American Studies and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University. Her ethnographic research focuses on Asian/Black relations through hip hop culture and the multiracial experience. She is the author of “Hip Hop Desis: South Asian Americans, Blackness, and a Global Race Consciousness.” Her latest project analyzes the negotiations of mixed race Asian/Blacks in Hawaii.

Poetry Workshop
11:00-11:50am, Building 2

Engage in this workshop for new and existing poets and discover how poetry can be used as a platform for expression.

Open Mic Poetry
Laura “Piece” Kelly & Freshest Roots
7:00-9:00 pm, Highline Student Union Building 8 – Mt. Constance Room
An evening of poetry open to anyone wishing to share their poetry in a like-minded environment. Co-sponsored by Freshest Roots.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22nd:

Freedom When? Race and Labor, Then and Now
Lecture by David Roediger, followed by Q & A Session
10:00 – 11:30 am, Building 7

Dr. David Roediger has a doctorate in History from Northwestern University and teaches African American Studies at the University of Illinois. Dr. Roediger’s talk looks from periods of slavery and conquest to current workplace traditions, to suggest that keeping people apart has been a consistent key to overworking and underpaying them.

Movie Fridays: SLAM
Facilitated by Aaron Reader
12:30-2:00 pm, Building 7
Slam is a 1998 independent film starring Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn. It tells the story of a young man whose talent for poetry is hampered by his social background. It won the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. Co-sponsored by Movie Fridays.

For more information contact Natasha Burrowes at 206-878-3710 x 3256 or via email.

SPONSORS: HCC’s Center for Leadership & Service, Multicultural Services and Learning & Teaching Center

MLK Week Committee Members:

• Natasha Burrowes, Chair
• Darryl Brice
• Naiomi Etienne
• Jodi Golden-White
• Yoshiko Harden
• Heather Johnston-Robinson
• Aaron Reader
• Gayatri Sirohi
• Barbara Talkington
• Gerie Ventura

If you need accommodations due to a disability, please contact Access Services at (206)878-3710, ext.3857(voice) or (206) 870-4853 (TTY) no later than January 5, 2010.

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, online and weekend classes.

With the most diverse population of any college in Washington state, Highline takes a multicultural approach to education for the success of all its students and the prosperity of its surrounding communities. Alumni include Scott Schaefer, Publisher/Editor of this website former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, entrepreneur Junki Yoshida and Washington state poet laureate Sam Green.

Expose your business to almost 25,000 over 35,000 more than 40,000 local eyeballs every month with a “Rotating Featured Ad” in this prime spot! Just click here for details!

The Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department is seeking help for their annual “Light Up The Holidays” outreach program for needy families in the area.

Donations of food or toys are being accepted at the locations listed below through Dec. 18th.

All will go directly to needy families in the area.

Christmas Outreach Drop-off locations include:

• Burien Fire Department – 15100 8th Ave SW & 135 S Normandy Rd.
• North Highline Fire Department – 1243 SW 112th & 1606 S 128th
• Highline Medical Center – 16251 Sylvester Rd SW ∙ 12844 Military Rd S ∙ 13030 Military Rd S
• Burien Toyota – 15025 1st Ave S & 139 SW 150th
• Burien Chevrolet – 14400 1st Ave S
• Albertsons – 15840 1st Ave S & 12725 1st Ave S
• YB Tubless/Economy Wiring – 633 SW 148th
• Frenzi – 218 SW 153rd
• Boulevard Park Place Seniors Center – 2805 S 125th
• Curves – 17824 1st Ave S
• Breaktime – 635 SW 152nd
• Page 2 Books – 15706 1st Ave S
• Collins Chiropractic – 619 SW 152nd St.
• Dooley’s – 611SW 152nd St.

Christmas Outreach Sponsors include:

• Sylvester Middle School
• North Highline FD
• Highline Exchange Club
• Plush Pippin Pies
• Burien Town Square
• DSHS
• Burien/Normandy Park FD

by Marilee A. Cogswell
Manager, 
Burien Library

All King County Libraries will be Closed Thursday, Nov. 26th for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

DID YOU KNOW?

The King County Library System offers a variety of databases to help you with everything from business information and directories to homework help.  See our featured database at http://www.kcls.org/databases/

Testing & Education Reference Center:
Get ready for the big tests in your life – AP, SAT, GED, MCAT, and civil service – with practice tests, ebooks, and planning advice from #1 names in college and vocational prep, Peterson’s and ARCO.

BOOKS & READING:
Visit http://www.kcls.org/booksandreading/index.cfm for a list of books we recommend, new books, and book club resources.

PROGRAMS:

Literary Feast
LOCAL AUTHORS Cliff and Nancy Hollenbeck will be at the Burien Library Saturday, Nov. 21st  from 2pm- 4pm.

Northwest authors Cliff and Nancy Hollenbeck will visit the Burien library on Saturday Nov. 21, for a book-reading and signing event. The best-selling local authors are featured in the book, “Literary Feast, The Famous Authors Cookbook,” which is a compilation of 100 food, drink and dessert recipes from scores of well-known authors and writers.

Singing Thanksgiving at the Burien Library Wednesday, Nov. 18th at 10:30am! Presented by Harmonica Pocket
. All ages welcome.
 Celebrate the holidays with American Folk tunes including Over the River and Through the Woods, Turkey in the Straw, and This Little Light of Mine. This dynamic musical duo will have everyone singing and dancing along.

Rock! Rock! Rock! at the White Center Library Wednesday, Dec. 2nd at 6:30pm! Presented by Rowbes.
 Ages 2 and older welcome.
 This original children’s rock concert is performed by some crazy puppet musicians. 
Rowbes is better known as Dewy the Dog from Story Time with Dewey and Sketch: Season 2.

Visit http://www.kcls.org/season/ for a complete list of all upcoming library programs!

Why Can’t You Behave? Ideas for Handling Misbehavior at the Greenbridge Library Saturday, Nov. 21st at 1pm

Presented by Kathy Slattengren, M.Ed., Priceless Parenting, LLC
 – Learn ways to set effective limits, deal with adult-child control issues and use positive techniques for dealing with issues like tantrums, tattling, begging at the store and bedtime. 
Provides 2 hours STARS credit in Child Guidance.

BOOK REVIEW:
‘Wild Swans; Three Daughters of China’ by Jung Chang.

From turn of the century China through the 1980s Chang traces 3 generations of women.

Her grandmother, born in 1907, was a concubine as a young girl, her mother was a Communist party member and official, and she was a member of the Red Guards in the late 60s.

China’s evolution from a feudal society to present day told through the experiences of one family brings to life the incredible hardships and successes that have shaped the country.

Non-fiction, and definitely worth a read!

Until next time…see you in the stacks!

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

October 2009 was another record-setting traffic month for The B-Town Blog, and like we did in September (and August and July), we’d like to shout out a huge THANK YOU to all our beloved Readers and Advertisers for the following statistics:

• 39,702 Unique Visitors – an average of 1,281 per day!
• 68.369 Page Views – an average of 2,205 per day!

That translates to an overall current average of nearly 1,600 Unique Visitors and nearly 2,700 Page Views per day for the lifespan of this website (launched in Dec. 2007), along with a current average visit length of over two minutes.

Here are the most recent stats from Sitemeter, a widely-used, independent website that tracks internet traffic:

As you can see, one thing that sets The B-Town Blog apart from others is our open policy of being totally transparent with our website traffic statistics – something you will NOT see on any other competing “local” websites (we use quotation marks because ones produced in downtown Seattle aren’t truly “local” now, are they?).

“Transparent” means that, at any time, you can click on one of at least three statistics links in the footer of the website (at the bottom of any page), and see what kind of traffic we’re getting right then and there from external, independent sources.

That’s right – we have no intention of hiding any information from you, our Readers, nor from our Advertisers or potential Advertisers.

And we challenge our local all media competitors to do the same.

Click on a logo below to see our stats (keep in mind that statistics vary with each independent measuring company, something that’s not in our control):

And remember, we are here to serve our community, since we all live, work, shop, eat and drink here.

We are active members of Discover Burien as well as the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce, and you’ll see us at various events, Farmers Markets, festivals, city council meetings and much more.

If you’d like more information on our Advertising solutions, please don’t hesitate to email us!

At 2am this Sunday, Nov. 1st, bar owners and patrons throughout the area will rejoice as they’ll be the first to take advantage of the extra hour that’s given back by the ending of Daylight Savings Time, as all clocks are to be set back one hour at that time (which equals an extra hour of drinking as well as sleeping off the hangover the next morning).

This weekend is also an excellent time to replace your smoke detector batteries, as well as do something new that could save your life, or the life of a loved one – get “The Vial of L.I.F.E.” – here’s some info:

The Vial of L.I.F.E…

End of Daylight Savings Time-update your personal medical information for emergency first-responders.

When you’re changing your smoke detector batteries, take a few extra minutes that could save your life–or the life of a loved one.

WHO/WHAT: The Medic One Foundation provides a simple tool designed to help save lives in an emergency situation:

The Vial of L.I.F.E. (Lifesaving Information For Emergencies). First responders are trained to look for the containers in refrigerators upon arrival at a home.

The “Vial” of consists of a 5-inch “prescription” plastic vial containing medical forms with key information about an individual’s medical history. Over 30,000 have been distributed locally.

WHERE: New to the Vial of L.I.F.E program? To get started, pick up a new “Vial” at any Bartells for just $1 (with net proceeds benefiting the Medic One Foundation).

HOW: Update forms are available online at: www.mediconefoundation.org or www.bartelldrugs.com.

Complete the form with all current vital medical information; put the completed form (s) in the vial and place it on the top shelf inside the refrigerator door.

Follow directions for placement of refrigerator magnet and front door sticker.

It’s “Binational Health Week” and the Sea-Mar Community Health Center is holding a FREE Health Fair at the Burien Library Saturday, Oct. 10th from 11am to 4pm.

There will be clinical screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, weight, asthma, vision, HIV, dental and cholesterol, as well as a presentation by Mayor Joan McGilton, fire truck (and photo ops), kids activities, a raffle with prizes and much more…all FREE.

Here are the details:

Courtesy B-Town Blog Contributor Duane Hobbs (of Andrews/Hobbs Design Company) comes what may be the “season finale” handy-dandy interactive map of area garage, yard and estate sales, covering the region from Des Moines up through West Seattle, from Friday Sept. 25h through Sunday, Sept. 27th.

To utilize the map, simply click on any of the yellow push-pin styled icons, and a listing of that specific sale will pop up (HINT: if you feel like you’re “stuck” on one listing, just click on another icon):

View Area Sales (9/25-27) in a larger map

Courtesy B-Town Blog Contributor Duane Hobbs (of Andrews/Hobbs Design Company) comes this weekend’s handy-dandy interactive map of area garage and yard sales, covering the region from Des Moines to West Seattle, from Friday Sept. 18th through Sunday, Sept. 20th.

To utilize the map, simply click on any of the yellow push-pin styled icons, and a listing of that specific sale will pop up (HINT: if you feel like you’re “stuck” on one listing, just click on another icon):

View Area Sales (9/18-20) in a larger map

by Scott Schaefer

Recently the B-Town Blog’s business model was soundly endorsed by Seattle’s KOMO/Fisher Broadcasting, when they launched numerous “local blogs” of their own.

We, along with other community news providers (read what fellow local blog CapitolHillSeattle.com had to say about their experience with them here, or what CentralDistrictNews.com said here) enjoyed for a while KOMO’s attempts at “local journalism,” which ofentimes has consisted of the apparent copying of our stories (we know this because their IP addresses are traceable, we know they subscribe to our RSS feed, and we’ve read their nearly-identical stories, many of which were posted shortly after we posted ours) and even possibly using our graphics, then posting Burien-related news as “their own.”

But we’re not all that upset about our stories getting copied (nobody “owns” the news) – this happens all the time online, and heck, we’ve even gotten leads from other sources ourselves. All we request is simple attribution and a link, which we try to give every time we use an external news source. It’s just common courtesy, and is actually good for both parties.

No, what takes the cake regarding KOMO happened Tuesday, Sept. 15th, when we received the following email from a “Derek Smathers“:

Name: Derek Smathers

Email: kcjn101@yahoo.com

Subject: The look at B-town is b-rate!

Message: Geez-Reading your blog is like reading the yellow pages. Could you put a few more ads in there? At least all I have to do is move on, no finding it clogging my porch or having to lug it to the recycle bin.

News I need. Junk ads I don’t!

IP: 208.73.29.10
HOST: mail2.fsci.com

Seems Derek forgot one little thing – when you email a website, your IP address is recorded. A simple IP Address lookup of 208.73.29.10 revealed that good ol’ Derek actually sent this directly from within Fisher Broadcasting:

Now we won’t get into any kind of flame war with Derek, since it clearly wouldn’t be fair, but we would like to point out one thing to KOMO, as well as our Readers and Advertisers:

WE DON’T CONSIDER OUR ADVERTISERS AS “JUNK ADS”!

I’m sure that many of our Advertisers are already very familiar with KOMO’s practices – since KOMO apparently posted numerous placeholder/make-believe ads WITHOUT EVEN ASKING THE BUSINESSES USED IN THE ADS, then called them to “sell” them the very placeholder ad(s) they had already posted – not to mention calling BTB Advertisers directly and asking them to cancel their accounts with us and go with them.

Now comes this ill-advised email from within Fisher/KOMO, telling us that our website is full of “junk ads,” which insults the very businesses they want to do business with!

Does this Escher-esque irony crack anyone else up as much as it does me?

If you live in or near Three Tree Point and travel Burien’s scenic, winding road known as Maplewild Ave SW, you’ve probably seen the signs signifying that the road will be closed from 8am to 8pm on Tuesday, Aug. 18th.

Originally, the signs were placed near the top of Maplewild on the north, and on Sylvester/Marine View Drive on the south. They were then moved when residents inquired about the closure and found out the reason (according to the cityfolk):

There is a power pole located on SW 172nd (Three Tree Point) that is going to be replaced.

The power company, in an effort to warn the locals well in advance, has placed signs up on Maplewild and Sylvester that make it seem as though all these roads will be closed rather than just at the Three Tree Point area.

So fear not ye Maplewildians, you’ll probably be able to leave your homes.

However, be ready for delays due to the heavy machinery that will be used to place the new telephone pole, and be happy that this election day is a mail-in ballot.

Local non-profit New Futures is currently seeking candidates to serve as members of the Board of Directors, to do the things that board members do best – help raise funds, do marketing, publicity, planning, advising and much more.

In case you’re not familiar with New Futures, here’s some info from their website:

New Futures’ mission is to partner with families to create communities where children thrive. Our integrated, culturally relevant programs build skills, foster connectedness, and promote strengths. Within low-income apartment complexes in South King County, which have the highest rates of poverty and school failure in King County, New Futures provides educational programs and support services to families we work with.

We have four sites in South King County: Arbor Heights in White Center, The Heights at Burien (formerly Vintage Park) in Burien, Windsor Heights in SeaTac, and Woodridge Park in Boulevard Park. We impact all of the 3,500 individuals in the apartment complexes in which we are located with services that include translation, advocacy with management and schools, support with basic needs like food and clothing, community-building events, outreach, increased social cohesion, and reduced crime.

In addition to general board member responsibilities (see below) New Futures is looking for 1 – 3 people that have one or more of the following attributes:

• Resides and/or works in South King county
• Possesses fundraising ability/experience/ contacts
• Represents families we serve/ cultural competency/knowledge of community New Futures serves
• Has marketing expertise

If you would like more information about serving on the Board please contact Jenn Ramirez Robson at jenn.ramirez@yahoo.com.

If you are interested in New Futures but are unable to make the commitment required for a full board seat at this time, please consider volunteering for one of their standing committees:

• Strategic Planning
• Fundraising

Here’s the job description for New Futures’ Board Members;

The board as a whole has the responsibility for governing the entire organization, for establishing and upholding the organization’s mission and vision and for preparing for the organization’s successful future.

Planning:

• Establish the organization’s mission, vision, values, priorities (strategic plan) and keep them in focus at all times
• Plan for the organization’s future on a long-term and short-term basis
• Ensure alignment of program priorities with strategic plan
• Ensure the evaluation of programs and operations on a regular basis

Human Resources:

• Recruit, orient, train and recognize board members and provide them with opportunities to grow and develop as leaders
• Hire, orient, support and guide the Executive Director and evaluate his/her performance annually
• Develop personnel policies, including setting salary ranges, benefits and grievance procedures

Finance:

• Ensure financial accountability of the organization and ensure appropriate financial controls are in place
• Assist in the development of and approve the annual budget
• Oversee the organization’s properties and investments
• Review and approve audit and respond to any issues

Development:

• Ensure adequate resources to fulfill the organization’s mission
• Participate in fundraising activities
• Help identify, steward and thank major donors

Community Relations:

• Enhance the organization’s public standing by clearly articulating its mission, accomplishments and goals to the public
• Ensure that the programs and services appropriately address constituent needs
• Promote collaborative relationships with other organizations
• Help identify opportunities to promote the organization

Operations:

• Conduct annual board performance evaluations and establish plans to improve board accomplishments and processes
• Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability to 501(c)(3) guidelines and to each other
• Maintain an effective structure with committees appropriate to the size of the organization
• Conduct board meetings that generate and utilize the best possible thinking of its members

Individual Board Member Responsibilities:

• Learn and keep in focus the organization’s mission, vision, values, goals, policies and programs/services
• Suggest new board members
• Serve on at least one committee
• Avoid conflicts of interest
• Follow trends in the organization’s field
• Prepare for and participate in all board meetings
• Read and understand presented financial statements
• Exercise prudence regarding the expenditure of funds
• Represent the organization in the community
• Participate in board fundraising activities including the annual event
• Make a personally significant financial contribution
• Attend New Futures organized public functions
• Be open serving in a leadership capacity 5-10 hours per month, including:
  • board meeting preparation and attendance
  • committee meeting preparation and attendance
  • fundraising and special requests
• Serve a minimum of 3 years

In 1993, New Futures linked 4 apartment units together in The Heights at Burien and converted the space into classrooms, computer labs, and family meeting areas, to open our largest family center.

Located in the heart of Burien, The Heights at Burien has 543 apartments inside the complex, which makes it one of the largest complexes in the Puget Sound area. A majority of the residents here are Latino. There is also a large group of indigenous Mexican immigrants known as Purepecha, who speak a language called Tarascan, which dates back to the time of the Aztecs.

Like all of our sites, we offer English Language Learner (ELL) classes, translation services, and family advocacy services to help recent immigrant families navigate unfamiliar education and governmental systems, so they can thrive.

More information on New Futures is available at their website.

“National Night Out” is this Tuesday, Aug. 4th, and residents around the country (including Burien) will be getting together with local police officers for neighborhood gatherings, with the goal of giving crime and criminals a “going away party.”

According to the NNO website:

This annual event is intended to involve all segments of the community, building a healthier, safer community; generating support for anti-crime programs and strengthening police/community relations.

National Night Out is an occasion to celebrate past successes and discuss current challenges or issues. This is a time to re-dedicate ourselves to improving the quality of life in our community.

To find out if there’s an event in your neighborhood…ask your neighbors! These events are not publicized, as they are meant to be ‘hood/community-oriented, and are run and managed within each area.

For more information, visit the national website here.

If you’re going to attend one of these events, please take photos and email them to us!

by Stephen Lamphear

Attention North Highline Annexation Voters: your Voters Pamphlet contains a steamy, smelly pile of bovine fecal matter about annexation to Burien. Here are some of the dung piles dropped by opponent Mark Ufkes:

Pile #1 — Mr. Ufkes does not live in the voting area – he is not affected by the annexation vote. [full disclosure: I, too, do not live in the voting area, but as a Burien resident will be affected by your vote.]

Pile #2 — The Westwood Village and White Center areas are not included in the voting area, but I’m sure you can find a particular home in N. Burien that is valued lower than a particular home in Westwood. So? Truth is: the homes in unincorporated North Shorewood, Salmon Creek and Boulevard Park (neighborhoods within the voting area) are similar to their long-time N. Burien neighbors’ homes.

Pile #3 — Mr. Ufkes has been a vocal critic of the North Highline Fire Department. That despite the huge satisfaction level of residents. The city of Burien does not provide fire services. All of Burien and North Highline are served by independent Fire Districts — you elect Commissioners who set policies and standards. You will continue to be served by Fire Commissioners you elect, and control taxes for fire services.

Pile #4 — Burien has no plans to hire more police officers AT THIS TIME because it’s not necessary. Burien and North Highline share police services provided by King County. That will continue after annexation. The size of Burien’s police force will always depend on need.

Pile #5 — Burien has no budget deficit — in the state of Washington, all governments are required by law to have balanced budgets; Burien always has. What Burien doesn’t have is debt – it has operated as a cash basis city.

Pile #6 — If Burien decides to build a new community center with a new tax, the law requires voters to approve any such new tax. There is no new tax on the horizon.

Pile #7 — The is no such thing as a Burien downtown fire department tax for Town Square. Town Square is a private development. No taxes have been or will be used for this private project. There is also no massive property tax giveaway to potential Town Square residents.

Pile #8 — There is no factual evidence that property values have any relationship to your address. Property values are simply the value of your property compared to similar properties in a similar neighborhood. Fire services are also not related to your property value — a mansion gets the same fire truck, the same emergency medical team, as does a modest bungalow. Voters set the level of taxes for fire services.

An 8-year former Burien City Councilmember, I live 4 blocks from the proposed annexation area. I’m anxious to re-unite with my neighbors under one government that promotes strong single family neighborhoods rather than the rampant multifamily projects favored by King County and Seattle. Vote ‘YES’ on annexation.

Stephen Lamphear
North Shorewood

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We welcome all opinions, and publish pertinent ones at our discretion. We advise all residents in the North Highline area to read as much as they can about the upcoming Aug. 18th Annexation vote, and decide for themselves whether they want to become a part of Burien or not. As always, Readers are encouraged to either email us their thoughts, or Comment below...]

The City of Burien is hosting its final Annexation Informational Open House on Thursday, Aug. 6th at Beverly Park Baptist Church (11659 1st Ave South, Seattle), beginning at 6:30pm.

As the city so carefully words it:

“Members of the Burien City Council may be attending a community informational open house held by the City of Burien for the purpose of discussing Annexation on Thursday, August 6, 2009, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Beverly Park Baptist Church, 11659 1st Ave South, Seattle, WA 98168“

As with previous open houses, this one is intended to provide information about what annexation will mean for current Burien residents as well as for the people within the proposed annexation area.

The election date for residents of the area to vote yay or nay on being annexed is Tuesday, Aug. 18th.

by Dr. Leslie Kasper, DVM
Companion Animal Medical Center

Boy it’s hot out! Ninety-plus degree weather and no real rainfall in months; Burienites haven’t seen weather like this for some time! But I guess now they understand the real meaning of “The Dog Days of Summer.”

I mean really, you think you got it bad?! Don’t forget about us – imagine wearing a fur coat and not being able to sweat other than through the pads of your feet (unless they are hairy too) and by panting! Yuck, Dry Mouth! So just as a kindly reminder from some of your fuzzy four-legged friends, here are some tips to help make keep us cool and comfortable too!

Cars + Pets = Death!
Think I’m being dramatic? Hundreds of pets die every year from being left in cars during summer heat. Yes, I know it’s just a quick errand and you left the windows cracked or even down, but in 80+ degree heat outside, the inside of a car can easily reach over 100 degrees in about five minutes. Best course of action is to just leave me at home! Really, you will only be gone a few minutes…

Shade or Shelter
If some of your four-legged friends spend a majority of their time outside during the day, make sure they have an adequate amount of shade to protect themselves. Doghouses can be helpful, but like your house or car, if it’s in the sun all day they can hold heat and provide little comfort. If the roof is detachable try lifting it up slightly or setting it off kilter to allow for airflow and heat escape. Having a second shelter or shaded area allows for options as the day and temperatures progress. If your pet has a light skin colored nose or ears (areas with little to no hair) a bit of sunscreen may be warranted as well.

Fresh water at all times!
Inside or out, all pets need access to fresh clean water. If possible when outside keep it in the shade, then it is bearable to drink and doesn’t evaporate quite as fast. Multiple bowls may be needed as we will go through more water than usual. But even inside, with all the fans and a/c going, the air becomes dry, and a good drink would feel great on that panting tongue. And ice cubes make fun toys!

Oh, and on the subject of mouths…
Don’t be surprised if the appetite falls off a bit! Sometimes it just doesn’t sound appealing to eat in this heat. Oh, and of course, sometimes heat can cause imbalances in the intestines, so soft stools can occur also!

Emergency Situations
Okay, we all know you are great pet-parents, but sometimes it’s just too hot! If you notice any of these symptoms, please call my veterinarian right away for evaluation or advice:

• Difficulty breathing, especially in cats or dogs with short noses (like pugs, pekes, bull dogs, and others)
• Pale gums, nose, eyes, or inner ears which are normally pink.
• Vomiting, diarrhea, or lack of food/water intake
• Shaking, seizures, or unresponsiveness when stimulated.

Okay, now go out and be safe!

Sincerely,
Rover and Tiger

(Courtesy of BTB Advertiser Companion Animal Medical Center, 206-878-0405)

Previously we reported on vandalism at the new Town Square, and before that at Seahurst Park Beach’s new picnic area, and now BTB Contributor Jim Branson sent us these photos of some recent vandalism in Olde Burien, including graffiti and broken tree limbs:

Click to View Jim Branson’s Photo Slideshow

What’s the deal B-Town peeps? Why are you being so destructive this summer?

Our friend Dennis Clark, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward, sends us this unusual event – a “Happy Hour Weeding” gathering from 5-6pm on Wed., July 22nd at the Miller Creek restoration project.

Here’s what Dennis had to say:

“Because I received no advance sign-ups for Saturday’s weeding party at our restoration project on Miller Creek at S. 144th St., I’m going to cancel that event.

We will not surrender to the weeds, however!

On the premise that people want to reserve the beautiful weekends we’re enjoying this summer for fun activities, we’re going to try something a little different: a short weeding on a weekday evening.

To make it easier to squeeze volunteering for our streams into your busy summer schedules, I’m asking for just ONE HOUR OF YOUR TIME during 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22. You can stop by on your way home from work, whack some weeds, and then head off knowing you did your part to help steward the stream. It’ll be “happy hour” for us and “unhappy hour” for the weeds.

The location is on South 144th Street, two blocks west of Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien.

We have several different weeding-type tasks to get done:

• Carefully unwind the bindweed (morning glory) climbing up our two-year old trees and shrubs
• Dig up those blackberry canes coming back using the tiller-mattock hand tools – fortunately, the canes are small and weak thanks to two-year’s worth of good grubbing
• Clip grass from around the willow stakes with shears

With a dozen people, we’ll get this work done quickly and we won’t need to return to the site until the fall!

PLEASE BRING:

• Sturdy shoes
• Clothes that won’t get stained by grasses
• Gloves if you have them (I have plenty if you don’t)
• Your enthusiasm!

TIME:

• 5 – 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 22

LOCATION:

• South 144th Street, two blocks west of Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien.

Dennis also adds:

“If you wish, RSVP, although RSVPing is not necessary – simply come on by and put in a little time on our project.

During the event, you can reach me at 206-369-8339 (but please do not leave message).”

Senator Karen Keiser is holding an online town hall at 11am Monday morning, July 6th on federal health reform at the link below:

http://www.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/senators/keiser/townhall

Sen. Keiser represents the 33rd District, which includes SeaTac, Normandy Park, Des Moines, Kent and other areas.

From her website:

Sen. Keiser has been a Washington State Senator since 2001 and has earned a reputation as a tireless advocate for improving the nation’s outdated, inefficient and fragmented health care system. Before coming to the senate, she served in the state House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001.

Karen is chair of the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee, and works to improve the state’s health care delivery system. She is vice-chair of the Labor, Commerce, Research & Development Committee and a member of the senate’s powerful Ways and Means Committee. The former journalist and communications director holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in journalism from the University of California

Even though we all are all most certainly chock-full of common sense, sometimes we all need gentle reminders of what stupid decisions can do to a human being, especially on a sunny summer day where there are fireworks, reckless youths and other celebratory elements around us.

Therefore, here is our requisite 4th of July “Safe and Sane” posting, courtesy the Seattle Red Cross, the King County Sheriff’s Department and our own experiences:

“While celebrating Independence Day, burns — superficial or first degree — can result from partaking in any of these celebratory activities; so the American Red Cross offers the following tips to keep this holiday safe and fun-filled:

• Make sure that exposed skin is covered with an appropriate sun block before heading out to the parade, family picnic or other outdoor activity.
• Keep small children a safe distance from hot barbecue grills, outdoor fireplaces, and of course, fireworks.
• Plan to attend a professional fireworks display instead of creating your own. Remember that the setting off of fireworks is illegal in Burien.
• Whether received from cooking at the grill or being careless with fireworks, burns should be treated immediately. We recommend buying an aloe vera plant and having it on hand, ‘cuz nothing’s better for a burn than fresh aloe.
• Stop the burning. Put out the flames or remove the victim from the source of the burn. For example, you may have to put out flames that have caught on to clothing.
• Cool the burn. Use large amounts of water to cool the burned area. DO NOT use ice or ice water other than on small superficial burns; ice causes loss of body heat. Use whatever resources are available — tub, shower or garden hose. You can apply soaked towels, sheets or other wet cloths to a burned face or other areas that cannot be immersed. Be sure to keep cloths cool by adding more water.
• Cover the burn. Use dry, sterile dressings or a clean cloth to cover a burn. Loosely bandage them in place. Covering the burn helps keep air out and reduces pain. Covering the burn also prevents infection. If the burn covers a large area of the body, cover it with clean, dry sheets or other cloth, then get to the hospital.
• For minor burns and burns with open blisters that do not require medical care, wash the areas with soap and water. Keep it clean. Put on an antibiotic ointment (available from any drug store). Watch for signals of infection.
• Critical burns need immediate medical attention. Call 9-1-1 if a burn victim is having difficulty breathing; more than one part of the body is burned; burns are on the head, neck, hands, feet or genitals; a child or an elderly person has been burned; or chemicals, electricity or explosions have caused burns.

From the King County Sheriff’s Department:

The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public that water safety should be of paramount importance over the long, Independence Day weekend.

“The weather will be great, but the rivers of King County are still cold, fast-moving, and extremely dangerous”, said Sheriff Sue Rahr.  “The last thing we want to do this holiday is a rescue or recovery of someone who didn’t heed the warnings”.

Many of the rivers in King County are still clogged with debris and downed trees from last winter’s high water.  That makes those areas impassable to boaters, tubers and swimmers.

Also, fast-moving waters can pull unsuspecting river users under trees and logjams. They won’t come out the other side, and subsequently drown.

Many rivers have areas that are closed due to these hazards.  Recreationists must not disregard the posted closures.

Hypothermia can still be a problem, even in area lakes.  It affects everyone, no matter the age, size, or experience, and will quickly take away a person’s ability to swim or tread water.  Wear thermal protection!

Always swim in an area designated for swimming.  Learn to swim!

Always wear a Coast Guard approved lifejacket while boating.  Remember children under 12 must wear a lifejacket all the time on boats less than 19 feet. All boats must have a life jacket for everyone on board.  “Lifejackets float, you don’t!”

Alcohol does not mix with boating, floating, or swimming.  Boating Under the Influence is a crime!

“We want King County residents to have a great time over the 4th”, said Sheriff Rahr.  “But use common sense and stay safe!”

Our Advice:

• Whatever you do, do NOT look down into a pipe when you’re waiting for a bottle rocket to go off. Just forget it dude.
• Stop pointing fireworks at your friends.
• Stop throwing firecrackers at girls. They don’t dig it dude.
• If you start a fire, put it out right away. Don’t run away laughing, ‘cuz karma will get you back.

The American Red Cross offers many training sessions in First Aid and CPR. For First Aid and CPR classes in King County, please call (206) 726-3534 or visit the web site at www.seattleredcross.org.”

The Department of Ecology and the Port of Seattle on Thursday (July 2nd) reached an agreement on doing a study and subsequent contamination cleanup at the unoccupied Lora Lake apartment complex in Burien.

The Port-owned property, located at 15001 Des Moines Memorial Drive, once housed a barrel-cleaning company in the 1940s and 50s and an auto-wrecking facility from roughly 1960 to 1981. A 22-building apartment complex was built in 1987, then in 2007 the remaining units were vacated before becoming a rallying point for affordable housing and the prevention of homelessness, with legislators and community activists bearing down on Burien.

The Port, which owns Sea-Tac Airport nearby, bought the property in 1998 and demolished six buildings within the airport’s Third Runway protection zone in 2007.

Environmental samples taken in preparation for that demolition showed higher than expected levels of contaminants from the pre-apartment complex activities at the site.  The legal agreement, known as an Agreed Order, lays out a process under which the Port will evaluate the nature and extent of contamination at the site and assess cleanup options.

Pollutants associated with the site’s former activities include petroleum products, dioxin, solvents and other contaminants.

The Port, meanwhile, plans to demolish the remaining 16 structures on the property because they claim that vacant buildings pose public safety hazards from arson, accidental fires and vandalism. Only above-ground portions will be demolished, and the Port will take measures – under Ecology oversight – to not disturb potentially contaminated soil.

The Department of Ecology will be hosting a public meeting about the site and the cleanup at 7pm on Thursday, July 23rd at the Highline School District’s Educational Resource and Administration Center, located at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW. The Lora Lake agreement will be available for public comment through Aug. 10th.

The Agreed Order is available for public review at:

• http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/loraLakesAps/loraLakesAps_hp.html
• Burien Public Library 400 SW 152nd St., 206-243-3490
• Dept. of Ecology’s regional office in Bellevue – by appointment, 425-649-7190 – 3190 160th Ave. SE.

For technical questions or to comment on the plan, please contact David South, Ecology Site Manager, 425-649-7200; e-mail dsou461@ecy.wa.gov.  A fact sheet on Lora Lake Apartments site is available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0909175.pdf.

Our nearest neighbor to the south, the beautiful City of Normandy Park, has posted the following schedule for what’s going on there on the 4th of July – everything from a 2.8K Fun Run to a Children’s Parade to a Social at The Cove:

“Join your neighbors and friends at the Normandy Park 4th of July Social sponsored by the Normandy Park Community Club and the City of Normandy Park from 10am until 1pm. All Normandy Park residents are encouraged to join in the fun for these morning and early afternoon festivities:

10:25am: 2.8K Fun Run. It’s free, but pre-registration is highly suggested. The course is from Marvista Elementary to Marine View Drive & Shoremont. Runners be sure to arrive at the starting area before 10:10am as number pick up will close at that time. This year’s custom designed race t-shirt can be ordered in advance by all runners for pick it up at the finish line. Non-runners may purchase any left over shirts at the end of the race. They are only $15 each. Contact the Cove office to register 206-242-3778 or visit www.npcove.org

10:30am: Children’s Parade. Everyone is welcome to join in, either from the start (be at Marvista no later than 10:15!) or from anywhere along the parade route, which ends at the Cove Building. Classic cars, floats, wagons, bicycles, strollers, horses, marching bands – - all are encouraged to participate. Paint your face, decorate your bike, get out your flags; be festive or plain. Please, however, no campaigning or political signs. The Normandy Park Arts Commission will once again offer children prizes for the best decorated bicycles. Children who participate in the Parade are encouraged to decorate their bikes in the holiday spirit and enter the Bike Decorating Contest. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Patriotic decorations

11:15am: Social at the Cove. After the parade everyone is invited for free Ice Cream at the Cove. To satisfy your lunchtime hunger, hot dogs and beverages will be offered. Festivities include Classic Car Show and, Large Blow Up Toys and Temporary Tattoos for youngsters. All of this will be accompanied by Live Patriotic Music on the lawn.

Line the streets, enjoy the parade, and attend the Community Social at the Cove!

Road Closure Information:

• Marine View Drive and Shorebrook Drive will be closed to motor vehicles during the festivites from approx. 9:30am-12:00pm. Please use caution and consider alternate routes.

If you’re considering other local fun on the 4th, here’s a link to the schedule for 3 Tree Point’s all-day block party.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound will be holding their BIG Plane Pull Tournament at Boeing Field on Saturday, July 18th.

As they like to say: “Pull a plane. Make a difference.”

So get your gloves on, start practicing tug-of-war on the third runway, and get ready for an unusual, fun fundraiser.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound BIG Plane Pull. Imagine you and your closest friends and co-workers coming together, combining your strengths for the ULTIMATE plane pulling tournament! (Truly, the only plane pulling competition in Seattle!) Be BIG! Be MIGHTY! Pull a plane!

WHEN: Saturday, July 18th

WHERE: Boeing Field, located at 7277 Perimeter Road, Seattle.

INFO: How it works: Teams consisting of five participants will compete in a single elimination tournament. Using a lottery method to establish the first round of the official bracket, match-ups will consist of two teams racing against each other to cross the finish line – all while pulling an airplane by rope. The winning team of each match-up will move on to the next round in the competition. Additional activities, including trivia, a raffle and a free BIG Bracket Challenge will supplement the main event (and add to everyone’s chances to win prizes!).

PRIZES: Each member on the team crowned as the tournament champions will win a roundtrip airline ticket, courtesy of Horizon Air! Roundtrip tickets will also be awarded to the team with the best fundraising! There is no shortage of other prizes, either. The BIG Plane Pull will honor teams with the top three winners, most spirited teams and best costumes.

WHY: Your participation makes a difference. The one-to-one mentoring model at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is simple, yet highly effective. We match a child (a Little) with a caring adult (a Big), and together we change lives. Our Littles are significantly less likely to skip school, use violence to solve problems, abuse drugs and alcohol or become involved with the juvenile justice system. Time and again, our approach has been proven by studies to be successful in both the short and the long term.

COST: All you need to do to participate is raise $250…that’s like asking 10 people for $25! Once registered, you will find online tools, such as a webpage, that simplify your fundraising efforts. And we’re always here to offer fundraising support when you need it.

REGISTER: To register yourself or your team for the BIG Plane Pull, please visit www.bbbsps.org. For more event information, please contact Jenny Pinter at jenny.pinter@bbbs.org.

We’d like to offer a “may the best person win” welcome to Ross Hunter, candidate for King County Executive, our latest Advertiser.

He stopped by our Farmers Market booth in Burien recently for a get-to-know chat.

“I’m an agent for change,” said Ross, who is in his fourth term in the Washington State House of Representatives, and worked at Microsoft for 17 years.

“I have the skills to make things happen.”

We asked Ross to talk about former Executive Ron Sims, namely the thing Sims did best while in office, and that which he did not do so well.

“You’d have to include the council in on my answer,” Ross responded. “They really work together. I’d say that they put us on the map environmentally in a positive way.

“But over the years the executive and council showed a lack of attention to financial reality.”

We asked what experience not commonly known about him would suggest he is ready to run the state’s largest county.

“Not many people know this, but I spend time now and again helping Habitat for Humanity,” he said, referring to the group that helps build houses for those who otherwise might not be able to afford one.

“I like to frame. If I can swing a big hammer, I’m happy.”

A hint of the style of a Hunter Administration?

“No,” Ross said with a laugh. “It’s just how I build homes for those who need them!”

Primary Election day is August 18th. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the General Election in November.

For more information on the Ross Hunter campaign go to: www.RossHunter.com.

[Would you like to have a "Blogvertorial" story like this for your Business, along with an Ad on every page seen by over 15,000 interested Local Readers per month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

Discover Burien President Sarah Slaughter, left, and
outgoing Executive Director Patty Sader.

Story and Photo by Janet Grella

The B-Town Blog has acquired a copy of the resignation letter that Discover Burien’s (DB) Executive Director Patty Sader read to her board at their June 2nd meeting.

We sat down with Patty and DB President Sarah Slaughter (Executive Director of BTB Advertiser El Dorado West), and DB Vice President and Prudential’s Lori Alden over lunch at 909 Coffee & Wine to discuss not only Patty’s accomplishments in this position, but the accomplishments of Discover Burien over the past two years.

We had hoped to have past DB president Linda Isernio with us, but she’s on a well deserved vacation. Before we got started, Sarah wanted to especially thank Linda for her two years of service to DB through a particularly challenging time in the groups’ history and long-time board member Kevin Fitz for his leadership. Both remain on the Discover Burien Board.

From the letter:

To The Discover Burien Board of Directors:

In June of 2007 you asked me to come aboard as your Interim Executive Director.

I came aboard at a time when the business community was somewhat fractured and indecisive about what they wanted and needed from an organization like Discover Burien. This business community was very vocal and none to (sic) happy with what they perceived as their “value to membership”.

I jumped right in with a voice of reason, allowing a venue for this business community to voice their concerns of the past and their hopes for the future.

You asked me to do a few very specific things, to bring together the business community to work together as a team, to re-build a relationship with City of Burien Staff and City Council members, to build value to membership and to create programs that were useful to the Burien Business community…

Sarah: “Patty can take credit in growth in membership.”

Patty: “No, I can’t. I believe that I attracted strong committee members to the membership committee. They should be credited. Any member of DB can apply to serve on various committees. Our membership has grown the first half of 2009 from 127 members to 160 currently. Our membership committee members are Jim Hughes, Lori Alden, Sarah Slaughter, Janel Stoneback, Merry Ann Peterson and Shandra Rose.”

Patty: “Early on I made (recently deceased long-time Burien businessman) Dick Dahlgard the ‘Master of Retention’ on this committee.”

Dick died suddenly last November, but his good work continues with other members.

Lori: “I adore Patty, consider her a great friend and thank her for getting me so involved with DB.”

Patty told us she spent countless hours in her fist two months visiting the disgruntled, the unhappy, the unsure about DB. Plus she walked right into the First Ave. reconstruction where she acted as the “ears” between the contractors, city and retail establishments on First Ave., from Burien Nissan all the way down to Fred Meyer, and all parts in-between.

Patty: “Slowly but surely the drop-outs and disillusioned are trickling back into DB.”

Other accomplishments in the past two years include the introduction of monthly networking after-hours at various venues around Burien and the recent introduction of informational seminars that have proven very valuable to BTB and others in the small-business community who have attended. The latter done in conjunction with the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) from the Highline area and Renton.

…In the two years that I have been a part of your organization we have accomplished these things and many more of which we can all be proud. I am confident that the current Board of Directors will continue on with strong leadership, with integrity, and vision for the future.

Saying these things, the time has come for me to step down as your Executive Director as you conduct a search for your next leader who will be able to lead you into the next phase of your dream…

Patty: “I’m proud given where we’ve come from, to where we are today. Both old and new members are energized.”

Sarah: “We have 1,500 licensed Burien businesses and want a substantial number involved in DB. All Burien business are invited to contact the DB office (206-433-2882) if they would like additional information or see our website for a membership application.”

Patty: “My job is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. It’s like you’re nurturing ‘this thing’ for a long time. There are still communites to be nurtured, most particularly the Hispanic community.”

There will be an immediate search for a new Executive Director.

I have been asked by the Board of Directors to remain in my role and assist them in this transition phase of which I am happy to do so.

In the meantime it will be “business as usual”…

Lori: “We’ve had 20 resumes that came in by Tuesday’s deadline. We’ve got a nice round offering of applicants. DB has seven board members on the selection committee. Each member was asked to identify their top five candidates. Interviewing has already started.”

Sarah: “Our goal is to make the transition very seamless. “There’s been a positive roadmap laid out by Patty to follow.”

Patty: “The marketing, membership and website committees are all moving forward.”

…I am looking forward to the next phase of my career and a possible relocation in the near future to sunny Arizona…

A Western Washington native, Patty’s next phase includes moving to Arizona, returning to a private-sector position in the Tel-Com industry, learning to play golf and enjoying hot weather and barbequing.

She concluded by telling BTB that “I will NOT miss working on weekends.”

Burien’s Annual Strawberry & Arts Festival is this weekend (Sat./Sun. June 20-21st) at the area around the Burien Community Center and Dottie Harper Park (be sure to look for our booth near the Skate Park), and along with two full days of music, arts, food vendors, kid’s and family activities there will also be some spectacular shows in the Burien Art Gallery as well as on the streets.

These include:

IN THE BURIEN ART GALLERY ALL WEEKEND:

• Timea Tihanyi
• Yann Novak
  
• Allison Kudla’s artworks will all be on exhibit in the Burien Art Gallery in the blue house in Dottie Harper Park

WANDERING THE STREETS:

SATURDAY, June 20:

• 10am-1pm: BELLINGHAM CIRCUS GUILD’s ZACK ARMSTRONG; Stilt walking, stunts & anything to “radically proliferate delight at every opportunity”.
• 10:30am-12:30pm: THE WHISKEY SWILLERS –  Acoustic, Americana, & Country tunes.
• 2:30pm-3pm: BLOCK PARTY B-BOYS – Highline High School’s Break Dance team.
• 4:15pm-5:15pm: BUBBLEMAN; Kids go crazy with the King of Bubbles, Gary Golighty.

SUNDAY, June 21:

• 2pm-3pm: MARIACHI FIESTA MEXICANA – The BEST live Mexican party music!

Here’s a video of MARIACHI FIESTA MEXICANA to whet your appetite:

And here are THE WHISKEY SWILLERS to busk your whistle:

Highline-area “Hams” will join with thousands of Amateur Radio operators who will be showing off their emergency capabilities over the weekend of June 27th and 28th.

Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications during unexpected emergencies in towns across America, including the California wildfires, winter storms, tornadoes and other events worldwide. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio – often called “Ham Radio” – was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled south to save lives and property.

When trouble is brewing, Amateur Radio’s people are often the first to provide rescuers with critical information and communications. On the weekend of June 27 – 28, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with the Highline area’s ham radio operators and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities.

This annual event, called “Field Day” is the climax of the week long “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country. Their slogan, “When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works” is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 30,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year’s event.

“We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather’s radio anymore,” said Allen Pitts, W1AGP, of the ARRL. “The communications that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives when other systems failed or were overloaded. And besides that – it’s fun!”

In the Highline area, the Highline Amateur Radio Club will be demonstrating Amateur Radio at Marvista Park, 4th Avenue SW and SW 200th Street in Normandy Park on June 27th and 28th. They invite the public to come and see ham radio’s capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes. The Highline area includes Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila as well as the North Highline unincorporated area.

There are over 650,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services program, ham volunteers provide emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies, all for free.

The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams. See what modern Amateur Radio can do. They can even help you get on the air!

To learn more about the Highline Amateur Radio Club, go to http://highlinearc.cfsites.org. To learn more about Amateur Radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org.

The Highline Kiwanis Club will kick off this weekend’s Strawberry & Arts Festival with their annual Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, June 20th. Cost of the breakfast is a donation of $5. Kids age five and under eat free.

The fundraising pancake feed, which includes Black Forest ham, strawberries, coffee and orange juice, is from 8am to 11am at the Burien Fire Station, located at 15100 8th Ave SW.

All proceeds will go to the Kiwanis’ Camp Schoenwald, which is maintained through their fundraisers and concession sales.

Since 1952, thousands of young people have enjoy outdoor discovery every year at Camp Schoenwald, a secluded 10-acre wooded facility owned by the Highline Kiwanis just east of Sylvester Junior High School.

The grounds include trails, a lodge for indoor activities and sleeping quarters, a big tepee with a huge fireplace, and an amphitheater that serve Boy and Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls and many other youth organizations. It is open for both day camps and overnight camping to these groups under adult supervision on a first-come, first-served basis – always free for all.

Local Kiwanis members are proud of the fact that they help young people – especially those who are disadvantaged – experience the outdoors without charging a penny. For many boys and girls who come here, this is their first experience in the outdoor world.

But while Highline Kiwanis continue to welcome young people to this camp, they are undertaking a building project with volunteer labor to replace the north caretaker’s home that was destroyed in a March 2008 fire.

The foundation has been built. Now they hope to have the cabin’s walls and roof in place before a new rainy season begins this fall. The interior of the two-bedroom building with a spacious living room, a small deck and a carport will be completed as fundraising permits, in addition to regular maintenance of the camp.

Every member of the Highline Kiwanis is taking part in building the new caretaker’s cabin. They are:

• Brad Ausen
• Tim Bovey
• John Ester
• Glenda Ester
• John Gaston, president
• Sue Her
• Pheng Her
• Ly Ho
• Jim Jennings
• Chuck Johnson
• Ken Kerr
• Jim Louvier
• Tom Munslow
• Jan Noorda
• Richard Schroeter
• Karol Stephans
• Dick Thompson
• Leif Vieweg
• Frank Weise, vice president
• Bruce Weise

To find out how you can help the Highline Kiwanis rebuild, please contact John Gaston at johngaston@highlinekiwanis.com.

by Gina Bourdage

Here are notes from Monday night’s (June 15th) Burien City Council meeting (PDF agenda here, streaming video link here):

CITY RECEIVES CIVIC AWARD:
Presented by Luis Navarro, Board President U.S. Mexico Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest Chapter, the City of Burien received a Civic Award for their efforts in reaching out to the local Hispanic community in an effort to breach intercultural gaps for all Burien residents.

FIREWORKS & FIRE DANGER UPDATE:
Fire Chief Mike Marrs reviewed the fireworks ban, fines and concerns for a busy upcoming 4th of July weekend. Due to a record dry spell in the recent months, yards, homes and other potential fire hazards are at an increased risk this year. Chief Marrs recommends residents water their yards, keep fire extinguishers close by and make sure to have emergency numbers on hand. Because the holiday lands on a Saturday, residents need to take extra precaution as all local fire districts are expected to be on full alert for their own neighborhoods as opposed to other days where nearby cities would be more readily available for emergency response. Fireworks are illegal to discharge and will receive steep fines if reported and caught, however this is the last year residents will not be fined for firework possession alone. There are two permitted firework displays in Burien, one on Three Tree Point (which we’re a sponsor of) and the other over Lake Burien. Residents are encouraged to view these shows instead of risking hazardous home displays.

AMBAUM BLVD. CLOSURE:
Ambaum Boulevard is currently undergoing sewage line repairs between 128th SW and 116th SW. Detours will be in place until June 26th.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTER:
Residents are encouraged to attend the ground breaking of the environmental science center at Seahurst Park on June 23rd from 3:30-5pm. For more information visit http://envsciencecenter.org

BURIEN MAY BECOME A “CASCADE AGENDA CITY”:
The council is considering becoming a member of the Cascade Agenda City. The purpose of going the group would be to aide in guiding responsible planning of the growth of local communities, with the goal of: “…creating a better future for the region.” No decision was made at this meeting.

HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS FUNDS FOR SPEAKER:
Highline School District is seeking assistance of $1,000 from the City of Burien to bring speaker Gail Evans, former executive vice president of CNN newsgroup, to speak about women in leadership. While all of the council is in support of the topic, some found that money could be better spent, due to budget restraints, by looking for alternative female leaders from the local community.

DICK DAHLGARD STATUE UPDATE:
The proposed artwork honoring Dick Dahlgard was approved 6-0. The location for the piece is still under consideration. See our previous coverage here.

2009-2010 BUDGET PASSED:
The council voted on ordinance number 513 amending the 2009-2010 budget, and passed a reduced version of the former budget 5-1, with council member Lucy Krakowiak voting against the revisions.

“… the economic outlook for Burien has changed subsequent to the councils adoption of the 2009-2010 Budget and prudent financial policy requires downward adjustment of prior appropriations.”

We’d like to welcome back to the BTB Advertiser Tami Greene, Sales Manager at Sound Mortgage!

Tami’s been in the Financial Services industry since 1978, and she has one goal with her clients:

“To Become Your Lender for Life”

Tami has always been committed to providing quality mortgage products and services, ensuring that her customers are in a loans that makes sense and meet their financial needs.

“With many solid loan programs still available, I will search for the best loan for my clients at the lowest rates possible” explains Tami.

She specializes in:

• New Home Purchases
• Refinances
• Reverse Mortgages
• Home Equity Loans

Sound Mortgage extends all the services expected from a large lender or nationwide bank. These services include all variations of Conventional loans, such as Fixed Rate Mortgages, Adjustable Rate Mortgages, FHA and VA loans with In-House underwriters that get your loan to closing on time!

Fortunately for our Highline community, as a long-time south end resident, Tami has devoted her life to volunteering.

“I continue to serve through the Burien/White Center Rotary Club and the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence. Both of these organizations offer many wonderful and much needed resources for youths, who need us now more than ever.”

Tami also stays active and fit by teaching group fitness classes at the Highline Athletic Club (BTB Advertiser) in Burien and golfing as a member of Glen Acres Golf and Country Club.

When it comes time for a mortgage, see a professional by clicking on Tami Greene’s Ad, calling her at 206-579-9767 or via email at tamig@soundmtg.com.

The annual Highline Relay For Life cancer fundraiser began at 3pm Saturday, June13th and continued all night until 8am Sunday, and we at The B-Town Blog were very proud to be sponsors.

Here’s a slideshow by Photographer Michael Brunk:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Saturday morning (June 13th) at 10am sharp, the Highline High School Pirates marching band kicked off the grand opening ceremonies by marching (and boisterously playing) down SW 152nd to the main podium at Burien’s new Town Square where numerous local and state dignitaries spoke to a crowd estimated by local police as “well over 1,000.”

Here’s a video segment we call “Whaddaya Think?” shot by your B-Town Blog video production crew of Mark Neuman and Bart Bryan:

The day’s celebration served as the culmination of over 12 years of the city’s planning for the $193 million “town square as the central focal point for the downtown core” as first approved in 1997, then developed and built beginning in 1999 until construction began in 2004 to Saturday’s festive ribbon cutting ceremony.

Temps were in the lower 70s with a slight hazy cloud cover that made for good lighting for the politicians, developers and library folk who spoke, including:

• Burien Mayor Joan McGilton
• King County Library Director Bill Ptacek
• Congressman Jim McDermott
• State Rep. (and Burien native) Dave Upthegrove
• Dan Rosenfeld of Urban Partners (another Burien son)
• King County Council Chair Dow Constantine
• City Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak
• Judge Richard Eadie

Free tours of the new Library building, Town Square condos and city hall were provided all day, and foot traffic was busy throughout. As children explored the new kids section of the library or bounced in the bouncy houses outside, parents enjoyed free refreshments and giveaways from local Burien businesses.

We’ll have more videos and photos soon, so be sure to come back to your most up-to-date local news source right here!

The Burien Shuttle is a FREE door-to-door transportation service that drives local senior citizens around to run errands, buy groceries, get to medical appointments and assorted other travel needs, and they’re looking for volunteer drivers.

Here’s the info on how you can help “change the world, one mile at a time”:

Drive the Burien Shuttle and Change the World, One Mile at a Time.
This summer, seniors in the Burien-Highline community need a little extra hope. Help Burien seniors remain independent by becoming a volunteer driver for Senior Services Shuttle Program.  The Shuttle takes seniors to run errands, buy groceries, get to medical appointments and run other local errands.  We are seeking reliable, caring individuals to drive our agency vans—no wear and tear on your own vehicle!  We offer flexible hours and free training in defensive driving and passenger assistance.

You do not need a special driver’s license and do no lifting or bearing of weight.

Interested?  Call Valerie at (206) 727-6262, email valeried@seniorservices.org, or visit www.seniorservices.org for more information.

Or, if you don’t have transportation, perhaps you could utilize the Burien Shuttle’s services:

Need to buy groceries? Run an errand? Go to the doctor?  The Burien Shuttle is a FREE door-to-door van service here in Burien! Seniors and anyone with disabilities or special needs can ride. The van is lift-equipped for people who have difficulty using stairs or use a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair or scooter.

Call (206) 727-6262 to book your ride – no forms to fill out!

Rides are provided on a first-come, first-served basis.  The Shuttle runs Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 4:00pm and serves the Burien-Highline area.

Burien Chevrolet will be holding a special “All Chevy Cruise-In” on Sunday, July 5th from 11am to 4pm at their lot at 14400 First Ave South in Burien.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Burien Chevrolet “All Chevy Cruise-In”

WHEN: Sunday, July 5th from 11am to 4pm

WHERE: Burien Chevy’s lot at 14400 First Ave South in Burien

COST: FREE, with free food, giveaways, prizes and more.

INFO: This is also a fundraiser for the Des Moines Food Bank, so please bring food donations!

by Ralph Nichols

Crime – including a high level of gang activity – is an ongoing concern in the Highline area, along with the rest of King County, especially at a time when multi-million-dollar budget deficits have forced staff reductions in the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices.

And not surprisingly, all five major candidates for King County executive told the King County Police Chief’s Association on Thursday that public safety is the primary responsibility of county government. They spoke at a forum at the Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

Former King County Executive Ron Sims, who resigned earlier this year to become President Obama’s number two man in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, sought in 2008 sharp cuts in the staffs of both the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices. The county council lessened the impact of Sims’ proposed reductions by reinstating some of the funding he wanted to eliminate. But interim Executive Kurt Triplett now wants Sheriff Sue Rahr to cut an additional $7 million from the budget for her office next year.

Although Rahr is unopposed in her bid for election to a second full term, any attempts to make additional cuts in public safety to balance the county’s 2010 budget could make the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices a key issue in the race for county executive.

The county executive candidates who spoke at the Burien forum are King County Councilman Dow Constantine, D-West Seattle, State Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, a former Microsoft project manager, Susan Hutchison, executive director of the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences and a former KIRO-TV news anchor, State Sen. Fred Jarrett, D-Mercer Island, a Boeing project manager, and King County Councilman Larry Phillips, D-Seattle.

Also on the Aug. 18 primary election ballot for King County executive, which now is a non-partisan position, but who did not take part in Thursday’s candidate forum are Stan Lippmann, Alan Lobdell, and Goodspaceguy.

Here are the highlights of what each candidate, listed alphabetically, told the police chiefs:

Dow Constantine, whose district includes Burien and North Highline, said the primary role of county government is public safety – the sheriff’s, prosecutor’s and public defender’s offices, the courts, and the jails.

“Unfortunately, the general fund is in a period of decline” and the county council has “struggled mightily” to protect public safety from severe cuts, including the sheriff’s gang unit in Burien and White Center and its community storefront office in Boulevard Park.

Detention facilities continue to be a problem for the county, which needs to be a provider of jails for the region, he added.

(Note: Constantine had to leave after making these introductory remarks to keep a previous commitment.)

State Rep. Ross Hunter noted that 70 percent of the general fund budget goes to public safety. “That’s what we do as a county.” Now, to improve efficiencies, “we need a new regionalism,” especially in the management of jails.

“The county is not an autocrat,” he said. “We need sound financial decisions, fair accounting, for county cities and for taxpayers….

“We have to get a handle on (county) labor costs. We have to have an executive who is willing to sit at the bargaining table and bargain hard.”

Susan Hutchison said the paramount “responsibility of government at every level is the protection and safety of its citizens.” And reducing crime doesn’t happen by accident. “Your hard work,” she told the police chiefs, “in collaboration with the prosecutor’s office means we are living safer.”

Describing citizens as “fed up with the county not living within its means,” she charged that “there is waste and overspending. The first think I will do is cut out waste before we cut out other spending…. People just want the services they pay for…. Citizens don’t trust government to get anything done unless it’s cutting something that’s a benefit to them, like deputies or prosecutors.”

She would impose a hiring freeze on all county agencies, and attempt to negotiate county employee benefits down to national averages. “That’s what people in this county are demanding.”

Fred Jarrett said King County “needs to come into the 21st century” in its management of government operations and finance. The county’s primary responsibilities are public safety, criminal justice and civil justice, and these can be addressed more effectively if the county executive becomes a partner in justice system.

Sustaining the criminal justice system “has to be a budget priority,” he said, describing not prosecuting property crimes below $5,000 as “not a good idea….

“Total King County spending is up by three times the rate of inflation,” he noted. “We have to get our costs under control as a county.”

Larry Phillips noted that he was instrumental in moving major county programs, including parks and social services, out of the general fund “so they would not compete with public safety.”

Citing a “good working relationship” with Rahr, he added, “It is important that the executive and the sheriff get along.” Phillips said he worked with her to restore from Sim’s cuts in the sheriff’s budget funding for “all 10 of her top priorities.”

Moving forward, public safety will be maintained as the top priority by finding efficiencies and new revenue sources. “We may have to go the public … for some sort of approval (to increase taxes) in the future.” He blamed Tim Eyman initiatives that imposed tax limits on local government as part of the current budget problem.

Problems with county jail space can be reduced by providing non-custodial programs for the mentally ill and the drug dependant under strict guidelines and enforcement, he said.

It’s going to be a busy Town Square grand opening weekend in B-Town, and here are this weekend’s haps from our Free Weekly Event Newsletter (sign up today):

To see our entire Events Calendar listings in an interactive calendar, click here:

www.b-townblog.com/events/

FRIDAY, JUNE 12th:

ELMER’S PUB, 15027 Ambaum Blvd SW, 439-1007
9:30pm+: Live Music! NO COVER! ROCK! BEER! FOOD! DANCING! DARTS! POOL! FUN!

MICK KELLY’S IRISH PUB, 435 SW 152nd, Burien, 246-2473
10pm+: Live DJ, 80s night, dancing, NO COVER! Irish accents + Guinness on tap! More info here: http://mickkellysirishpub.com/

SATURDAY, JUNE 13th:

GRAND OPENING OF TOWN SQUARE/LIBRARY/TRANSIT CENTER
10am: The brand spankin’ new Burien Town Square, King County Library and Transit Center will all celebrate their grand openings Saturday. Ribbon-cutting, speeches from local and state dignitaries, live music, storytimes and much more!

MASTER GARDENER CLINIC, HERR BACKYARD GARDEN CENTER, FIVE CORNERS
10am-4pm: BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center is holding weekly “Master Gardener Clinics” every Saturday from 10am-4pm at their location at 107 SW 160th.

HIGHLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY GARDEN TOUR
10am-5pm: Highline Historical Society will be holding a Garden Tour where people can visit gardens in Normandy Park, SeaTac and Burien. Some of Highline’s best gardeners are preparing their homes and gardens for this Garden Tour. Large or small, traditional or eclectic, there is something in each of this year’s featured gardens that the visitor will find of interest.

HIGHLINE RELAY FOR LIFE, HIGHLINE STADIUM
Sat. 3pm-8am Sunday: The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million
people across the country each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much. Come to Highline Memorial Stadium starting at 3pm Saturday for an all-night fundraising to help fight cancer! 3pm: Opening Ceremonies and Survivor Lap; 10pm: Luminaria Ceremony; Sun. 8am: Closing Ceremonies.

SUMMER POETRY PUB CRAWL, MICK KELLY’S + MORE
6:45pm+: A “Summer Poetry Pub Crawl” will rhyme its way through various Burien pubs on Saturday starting at Mick Kelly’s at 6:45pm. It’s a “Singles Meetup” event, and according to their website: “Poets, Performance Artists, Friends and many others will bring poetry to the streets of B-Town as they eat and drink, read poetry and then drink some more!”

“COLORAMA” BOWLING, HI-LINE LANES, BURIEN
7-10pm: “Colorama” bowling, a fun, active and funky thang to do, and it beats Wii Bowling anyday! (206) 244-2272

LIVE MUSIC, 909 COFFEE & WINE, OLDE BURIEN
8pm: Live Music, NO COVER CHARGE! 909 is located at 909 SW 152nd Street in Olde Burien;Call for details: (206) 243-7909

MICK KELLY’S IRISH PUB, 435 SW 152nd, Burien, 246-2473
9pm+: Irish accents + Guinness on tap! More info here: http://mickkellysirishpub.com/

BARREL TAVERN, 11501 First Ave South, Burien, 244-7390
9pm+: Live Band! NO COVER! Read our review: http://is.gd/lRKO

ELMER’S PUB, 15027 Ambaum Blvd SW, 439-1007
9:30pm+: Live Music! NO COVER! ROCK! BEER! FOOD! DANCING! DARTS! POOL! FUN!

SUNDAY, JUNE 14th:

SUSTAINABLE BURIEN MEETING, NP CONG. CHURCH
2pm-4pm: Sustainable Burien is having its next meeting at their temporary new location – the Normandy Park Congregational Church, located at 19247 First Avenue South.

To see the entire weekend lineup in an easy-to-use interactive calendar, click here for our Events Page, then click on a date and all our events listed for that day will appear.

by Janet Grella

Discover Burien, a local non-profit organized seven years ago to address all things about Burien businesses, has a monthly board meeting the second Wednesday of every month. It is in these meetings that Board members, comprised of individuals from local businesses address the issues of, well, Burien businesses.

From my seat in what I’ve long referred to as “the peanut gallery” (any resident or business in Burien are not only invited to attend, but comment from the gallery) I announced the B-Town’s Blog intention to report things big and small from this meeting.

Last night’s meeting was especially rewarding to this reporter as I got my first view from the new meeting room high above Burien on the third floor of the new city hall. I also learned that all the systems in city hall are run by computer, except for the meeting room, which has a few light switches. Good thing too, as the meeting went into twilight and then night as we all hashed-out challenges and opportunities in our fair city.

As a long-time member of the “peanut gallery” (and yes, I am still a card carrying-member of the Howdy Doody Club), I’ve always looked forward to the City Manager’s report. Last night it was issued by Dick Lohman, Burien’s own Economic Development Director. Here’s a few things he reported:

• Effective July 1 the Burien Parks Dept. will take over management of the former Library. It will be remodeled to contain a new Senior Center as well as housing Parks Department. Both are currently housed at the Community Center on 4th Ave.
• The Burien City Council has passed a Special Events Ordinance which will create a uniformed procedure for all special events. Burien’s city attorney studied 10 cities to understand what their ordinances contain. The city is beginning to work on special events applications which should be availabe in the next 90 days, or so.
• Speaking of special events, noting the number of medical and alternative medical businesses in Burien, the city will be hosting a Wellness fair on 5th Ave. in Town Square Park on September 19th. The city is in the process of inviting over 50 medical related businesses to the fair.
• Our new city hall’s big move went without a hitch.
• And finally, with all the events planned on Saturday June 13th, the long-awaited “Water Feature” at Town Square Plaza will not be operational as they are still waiting fo essential parts to make it work.

Patty Sader, Executive Director of Discover Burien, reported a few things BTB readers should know:

• Discover Burien is still seeking volunteers for the big event this weekend at Town Square’s grand opening. If you can help, call Patty at 433-2882.
• The next business seminar “Identifying Customers You Want” will be held at Cox Financial on June 24th. These valuable and highly attended seminars have been invaluable to businesses who attend. Seating is limited. To secure you seat, click here.
• The Art in Empty Storefronts has their first empty storefront in Jordstads Jewelry on 152nd. The purpose is to dress up the empty storefronts throughout Burien with local artist’s offerings. The first artist posted will be Mark Eaton who has been displaying his artwork at Vino Bello.

Event-wise, Debra George, Discover Burien’s Event Manager had a few announcements:

• Town Square Plaza, City Hall and Library Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening this Saturday: The first 600 people to visit the Discover Burien tent will receive a “sling” bag stuffed with water (courtesty of Prudential Northwest Realty) and a coupon book chock full of Burien deals from 42 businesses.
• Burien Farmer’s Market is moving to Town Square Plaza on July 2nd (it’s still on 10th Ave in front of BTB world headquarters). Currently there’s 40 vendors and there’s room for 10-15 more stalls on 5th Ave. BTB will be stationed near the entertainment where we’ll share the electricity.
• Father’s Day Car Show:  To date there’s 53 cars registered and four chili cook-off entrants. If you have a great chili recipe and want to win $250, a ‘traveling trophy’ and serve your chili up to at least 500 people, call Debra at (206) 941-7199. The Highline Boosters will also be having their “Hold ‘em for Highline” Texas Hold’em fundraiser event. For more information stop by BTB booth at the Farmers Market this afternoon to register or watch ‘em play.

The Burien Strawberry & Arts Festival happens next weekend (Sat./Sun. June 20th & 21st), in the area around the Burien Community Center and Dottie Harper Park, and it’s going to be fun for all ages especially those who love music and Jazz:

SATURDAY, JUNE 21st: Jazz Afternoon Gets Everyone Swinging:

• 3-4pm: PEARL DJANGO, Gypsy Jazz at its best.
• 4:30-6pm: THE TEMPOs, Highline area’s beloved & longtime orchestra playing everyone’s favorite standards.
• 4:30pm-6pm: SWING-AMAJIG, incredible lindy-hop & social dance performance team.
• 4:30-6pm: AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL SWING DANCERS

Here’s a video of Pearl Django to whet your appetite:

The full schedule of events and performers can be found by clicking here.