1932 Highline High School Championship basketball team. Photo courtesy Highline Historical Society.

The Highline Historical Society is inviting the public to a free program celebrating memories of sports teams in the Highline area from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20th at SeaTac City Hall.

Retired Tyee varsity baseball coach Walt Edmiston will be on a special guest panel that also will include Kaija Lietuvietis (who taught PE at both Highline and Tyee High Schools and coached girls swimming at Tyee), Phyllis Mitchell (who has written extensively about church league basketball in the Highline area), and Gordie Shaw (who was involved with Highline Little League). The program will be moderated by former Highline School District Superintendent Kent Matheson.

Former players, coaches, and fans are warmly welcomed to come ask questions of the panelists, and share their own memories and memorabilia.

The program will take place Sunday, November 20, from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. at SeaTac City Hall, located at 4800 S 188th Street in SeaTac.

A short annual meeting will precede the program.

For more information on the Highline Historical Society and its activities, visit www.highlinehistory.org.

The Highline Historical Society is saluting airport pioneers by hosting a panel of people who worked at SeaTac Airport during the “Golden Age of Air Travel,” from the 1950s and later, on Sunday, Oct. 17th at 2pm.

The program, which will be held at SeaTac City Hall, is free and open to the public. Panelists include Monty Leffel, Northwest Airlines purser; Pan Am pilot Ralph Shape; Alaska Airlines Special Projects Director Danna Siverts; Phyllis Mitchell, a food service employee for United Airlines; and John Lievero, ramp agent for five different airlines.

The Historical Society is always seeking memories, personal mementos and even home movies to add to its archives of the airport. Those who contribute memories or mementos by Oct. 31st will be entered in a drawing to win dinner for two at Mick Kelley’s Irish Pub in Burien. Please contact editor@highlinehistory.org for more information.

Danna Siverts displays memorabilia from her career at Alaska Airlines. Photo courtesy Highline Historical Society.

In the meantime, all those attending the Oct. 17th meeting are encouraged to share their own recollections and comments, and bring their own memorabilia to display. SeaTac City Hall is located at 4800 S 188th Street. Parking is free.

The Highline Historical Society is a 16-year old non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history and telling the stories of Highline. The bulk of the Society’s collections are in storage pending the construction of the Highline Heritage Museum in Burien.

For more information visit the Society’s web site at http://www.highlinehistory.org.

To join the Highline Historical Society (we’re members), click here: http://www.highlinehistory.org/JoinHHS.htm.

Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, and Normandy Park Councilmember Doug Osterman were named Monday (Nov. 16th) to a 12-person panel that will recommend candidates to be considered for Dow Constantine’s seat that he’ll vacate when he takes over as King County Executive.

Constantine’s new gig starts next week, and it’s expected that the replacement will be chosen by the Council on Dec. 14th.

“The Council is acting quickly to ensure representation for the nearly 200,000 residents of District 8,” said Council Vice Chair Bob Ferguson, prime sponsor of the ordinance. “Timely appointment will also allow the new councilmember to transition into the position, hire staff and hit the ground running in the new year.”

The motion adopted today names a 12-member advisory committee of community leaders and elected officials who live or work in Council District 8, and who represent the geographic, economic, and ethnic diversity of the district.

Under the legislation, applicants for the impending Council vacancy must submit application materials to the Clerk of the Council by 4:00 p.m., November 23, including a resume, a brief written explanation of how they meet the criteria for appointment, and a statement of whether they intend to run for election as the Councilmember for District 8 in November 2010.

Burien Mayor Joan McGilton

The advisory committee will meet no later than December 3 to interview qualified applicants and recommend three to six candidates for consideration by the County Council. The committee’s recommendations will include at least one candidate who intends to run for election as Councilmember in 2010, and one who does not.

The King County Council has final authority for making the appointment, and under the legislation will take action by December 14. The appointee would serve in office until certification of the next general election in November 2010.

“I am pleased with the composition of the advisory board,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “I am confident they will forward the County Council a qualified pool of applicants for the next representative of District 8.”

Along with Mayor McGilton and Councilmember Osterman, others named to the advisory committee include:

• Co-Chair Anne Levinson, co-owner of the Seattle Storm, former Seattle Municipal Court Judge, former chair of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission
• Co-Chair Mark Okazaki, Executive Director of Neighborhood House, a human service agency with facilities in High Point and Greenbridge
• Aileen Balahadia, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association
• Steve Daschle, Executive Director of Southwest Youth and Family Services (and brother of former Sen. Tom Daschle)
• Tom Dean, Executive Director of the Vashon/Maury Island Land Trust
• David Johnson, CEO of NAVOS, a mental health care facility that provides housing
• Patti Mullen, West Seattle business owner
• Behnaz Nelson, co-chair of the King County Coalition of Unions
• Kathy Nyland, chair of the Georgetown Merchants Association and chair of the City Neighborhood Association
• Chris Porter, business owner and a nurse practitioner who is active on park and recreation issues

Normandy Park Councilmember Doug Osterman

“I have a lot of confidence in this stellar group of citizens, led by co-chairs Anne Levinson and Mark Okazaki who have made so many outstanding contributions to our community,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “They will no doubt conduct a careful vetting process and offer thoughtful recommendations about the next representative for Council District 8.”

“I support the appointment process and its expedited timeline,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson. “The longer we wait to appoint a replacement, the longer the nearly 200,000 residents in District 8 are without a representative and advocate on the King County Council.”

Under the legislation the advisory committee would use the following criteria to evaluate candidates, including:

• Knowledge of the functions of King County government
• Knowledge of the issues and challenges facing King County government
• Knowledge of the issues affecting the constituents of Council District 8
• A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget
• A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns
• Demonstrated leadership skills

The process is similar to that adopted earlier this year to fill vacancies in the offices of County Executive and County Assessor. Previously, the political party of the Council member vacating the office would submit nominees for an appointed successor, but voters last year amended the King County Charter to make most countywide offices non-partisan, including Council district seats.

King County Executive-elect Dow Constantine

Council District 8 encompasses Burien, Normandy Park, West Seattle, North Highline, Vashon/Maury Islands, SoDo, the International District/Chinatown, Pioneer Square, East Beacon Hill, and portions of the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila.

And yes, YOU too can apply to this position if you qualify – application materials can be sent by mail or electronically.

The mailing address is:

Clerk of the Council
516 Third Avenue, Room W-1039
Seattle, WA, 98104

E-mail applications can be sent to the Clerk at anne.noris@kingcounty.gov. Her phone number is 206-296-0364.

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