This needs-based scholarship program awards three students who are pursuing a college education. Two $14,000 scholarships will be awarded toward a university/college education and one $8,000 scholarship will be awarded toward a vocational or community college education. All scholarships are distributed over a 2-year period. Priority is given to students who have not received a substantial scholarship from other entities.

The application is available on-line this year at http://www.highlineschoolsfoundation.org/scholarships/stiascholarshipapplication.html

The application deadline is Friday, March 23, 2012.

Students should seek the help of their school’s counselor with the application, or to contact the Foundation office at info@highlineschoolsfoundation.org or (206) 248-5196.

“The STIA scholarship I was fortunate enough to receive allowed me to focus more of my attention on my classes and less on worrying about paying my college costs. It was a real motivator for me.” -Christina Shull, former STIA scholarship recipient

On the agenda will be a briefing on the Four Post Plan (how the FAA funnels traffic at Sea-Tac Airport) and an update on the Greener Skies Initiative, a FAA project focusing on aircraft using satellite-based technology to reduce track miles and descend more efficiently.

The public is invited to make comments at the start of the meeting.

The Highline Forum includes the southwest King County communities of Des Moines, Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Tukwila and Federal Way, as well as the Highline School District and Port of Seattle.

Parkers are welcome in both General and Terminal Direct parking at the main terminal airport garage. Terminal Direct parking at Sea-Tac Airport offers the most convenient access to the airport terminal and quick connection to Link Light Rail. You’ll park on the 4th floor of the airport garage, an easy walk to the pedestrian bridge leading to the SeaTac/Airport station.

Parkers MUST present a Seafair $10/day parking coupon to a cashier upon exiting the airport garage. Parkers must enter the garage after 6 a.m. and leave before midnight. Parkers without a coupon will not be granted the $10 all day rate. A separate coupon will be needed for each day. Coupons can be found on the Seafair webpage as well as the Port of Seattle/Sea-Tac Airport Parking webpage.

The promotion will last during the weekend’s Seafair events August 5, 6, & 7.

Catch Link Light Rail on the Terminal Direct parking level and travel to the Othello Station, where a shuttle will transport you to the Seafair events on Lake Washington. Parking in the Airport Garage is a perfect way to make the connection to Link Light Rail and stay out of the traffic hassles on Seafair weekend.

Fans riding Link to the Seafair events can skip any post-game ticket lines by purchasing a round trip ticket ahead of time or by using an ORCA card from any ticket vending machine before boarding.

This year’s exercise consisted of two separate mock scenarios focusing on police and fire response. The first scenario centered around a flight that was ‘seized’ by a hostage taker. Police responded with appropriate tactics to practice techniques and procedures.

Volunteers were outfitted with theater makeup to represent a variety of injuries in an attempt to test medical care triage, treatment, and transport practices and procedures.

Port Police and Fire Departments lead each scenario response which included dozens of King County area mutual aid police and fire agencies. An estimated 50-75 pieces of equipment from fire engines to aid cars and up to 175 fire fighters were scheduled to participate, as well as police officers and SWAT teams. Additional first responders from the Port included Sea-Tac Airport Security, Airport Operations, Public Information and the Port Environmental team.

Following the exercise, a comprehensive report will be prepared post-exercise to identify any gaps in emergency planning and prioritize follow-up corrective actions.

Photographer Francis Zera was also on hand, and he created the following Sound Slideshow (make sure your speakers are turned on):

Click to Play Francis Zera’s Sound Slideshow

The Port of Seattle wants to make sure everyone knows that if you see smoke, or elements of what might look like an airplane accident, or hear bad groans of mock pain from hired actors emanating from Sea-Tac Airport on Friday, July 15th, don’t worry – it’s only a Tri-ennial Emergency Exercise being conducted.

The exercise will run from 6 a.m. – Noon on Runway 16R/34L on Friday, and will involve a faked full-scale emergency exercise simulating an aircraft incident as a way to test airfield disaster preparedness and response as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) every three years.

The exercise will NOT affect or delay regular air travel at Sea-Tac Airport. The westernmost runway (16R/34L) will be closed for the exercise; however, both of the other two runways will be open as normal.

This year’s exercise will consist of two separate mock scenarios focusing on police and fire response. The first scenario will center around a flight that is seized by a hostage taker. Police will respond with appropriate tactics to practice techniques and procedures.

Over 100 volunteers will pose as ‘victims’ next to a mock-up aircraft in the fire and rescue scenario. Volunteers will be outfitted with theater makeup to represent a variety of injuries that will test medical care triage, treatment, and transport practices and procedures.

Port Police and Fire Departments will lead each scenario response which will include dozens of King County area mutual aid police and fire agencies. An estimated 50 -75 pieces of equipment from fire engines to aid cars and up to 175 fire fighters are scheduled to participate, as well as police officers and SWAT teams. Additional first responders from the Port will include Sea-Tac Airport Security, Airport Operations, Public Information and the Port Environmental team.

Following the exercise, a comprehensive report will be prepared post-exercise to identify any gaps in emergency planning and prioritize follow-up corrective actions.

Again, please note that this event is only a drill!

Click to Play Francis Zera’s Slideshow

According to a Port of Seattle press release:

With international travel increasing more rapidly than domestic travel, The Port of Seattle rolled out the welcome mat to another new international airline service Thursday as Condor Airlines made its debut at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with their inaugural flight from Seattle to Frankfurt. The blue, yellow and white aircraft, a Boeing 767-300, arrived to a water turret salute with the pilots waving flags from Germany and the U.S. Shortly after the arrival and a celebration at the gate, a full plane load of passengers pulled back for the inaugural flight to Frankfurt.

“This new airline service will generate local jobs, provide more choices for travelers from Seattle to Europe, and provides capacity for air cargo between Seattle and Europe,” said Mike Ehl, Director of Operations at Sea-Tac Airport. “We welcome Condor Airlines as part of our growth in international traffic.”

Through April of this year, international passenger traffic through Sea-Tac has increased 6.7% over the same period in 2010. This summer Sea-Tac expects to see 23% more seats to Europe overall, compared to the same period last summer (July-September). It amounts to almost 2,000 seats per week during the summer months.

Condor Airlines will provide two flights a week, departing on Mondays at 7:20 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:05 p.m. arriving in Frankfurt, respectively, at 2:50 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. local time. Condor will fly Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with three classes of service including Comfort Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy.

Condor will provide easy U.S. domestic connections with Alaska Airlines.

The Port of Seattle Fire Department honored the inaugural arrival and departure of Condor’s flights with a traditional water salute from the ARFF vehicles.

Condor’s announcement adds to previously announced expansions to international service for 2011 at Sea-Tac.

Seven new international services have been added at Sea-Tac since 2007: Air France (2007 to Paris), Lufthansa (2008 to Frankfurt), Hainan (2008 to Beijing), Icelandair (2009 to Reykjavik), Delta (2010 to Osaka and Beijing) and Condor (2011 to Frankfurt). In addition, this year Delta added a second daily flight to Amsterdam in June and Icelandair added a sixth weekly flight to Reykjavik in May.

The Port of Seattle will be presenting “recommended options” to its ‘Part 150′ Noise Study at two public events in late June – in Federal Way on Tuesday, June 28th and at Sea-Tac Airport on Wednesday, June 29th.

Port staff and their consultant team will “present the draft recommended options for reducing aircraft noise in the newly proposed noise remedy area around the airport.” This work is being done as part of Sea-Tac Airport’s Part 150 Noise Study. Presentations will take place at the following two upcoming public events in late June.

• June 28 -Port of Seattle Commission Presentation at 1 p.m. -  City of Federal Way Council Chambers.  This is a regular Port Commission meeting.
• June 29 – Highline Forum Presentation at 2:30 p.m. -  Sea-Tac Airport Conference Center’s Beijing Conference Room.

Here’s more from the Port’s press release:

Preliminary recommended options that will be discussed at the two events include, but are not limited to, residential sound insulation programs, an aircraft engine testing facility designed to suppress noise and an updated noise monitoring system.

Later in the summer, the public will be able to provide input on the proposed recommendations at a public hearing and during a 45 day public comment period. Feedback gathered at the public events and during the public comment period will be taken into consideration before a final set of recommendations is sent to the Port of Seattle Commission for approval.

Please visit the dedicated Part 150 Study website for all documentation and reports connected to the study including the comprehensive summary from the April 9th public open house.

Craig Kenworthy, the Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clear Air Agency, will be presenting.

A Part 150 Noise Study update is also part of the agenda.

The public is invited to make comments at the start of the meeting.

The Highline Forum includes the southwest King County communities of Des Moines, Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Tukwila and Federal Way and the Highline School District and Port of Seattle.

Sea-Tac Airport broke a rainfall record for Sunday (May 15), with .81 of an inch falling before 6 p.m., beating the .56 record from 2001.

For the first half of May, the total rainfall amount at the airport is 1.79 – already higher than normal rainfall totals for the entire month of 1.78 – and we still have half a month left!

Olympia is just .03 inches shy of their record, and a few places have already eclipsed their normal rainfall amounts for the entire month of May.

Did someone say that we’re actually in Spring right now?

But UW Meteorologist Cliff Mass says on his blog:

But want some good news?

Most of the models are now indicating a major improvement towards the end of next week and next weekend….we are talking warm and getting into the 70s! Dry. Suitable for raking out the moss in your grass.

Here’s the forecast for the rest of this week from the National Weather Service (things are looking better starting around Thursday):

Tonight: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 48. South southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southwest wind between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southwest wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming west northwest between 4 and 7 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. North northeast wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 66.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 61.

The Port of Seattle announced this week that Sea-Tac Airport is expanding its half-price parking offer to include all weekend Mariner, Seahawk, Sounder and Husky game days to connect with Link Light Rail.

Here’s the rest from a press release:

The 50 percent discount applies to parking in Terminal Direct on Friday, Saturday and Sunday games at Qwest and Safeco Fields, and it begins with this weekend’s home opening series for the Seattle Mariners.

Terminal Direct parking at Sea-Tac Airport offers the most convenient access to the airport terminal and quick connection to Link Light Rail. You’ll park on the fourth floor of the airport garage, an easy walk to the pedestrian bridge leading to the SeaTac/Airport Station.

During 2011-12 Mariner, Seahawk, Sounder and University of Washington Husky football home games, customers parking in Terminal Direct will enjoy a $2 per hour rate, 50 percent off the regular rate. The discount period begins three hours before game time and is a way to avoid traffic congestion and the hassle of downtown parking.  Discounted parking is available for up to eight hours and will automatically be credited at the special rate when you exit the airport parking garage. A minimum stay of three hours is required and you must park in Terminal Direct.

Catch Link Light Rail on the Terminal Direct parking level and travel to the Stadium or International District Stations, where you’re an easy walk to Qwest or Safeco Fields.  The airport’s Terminal Direct parking is a perfect way to make the connection to Link Light Rail.

Again, the special parking rate is valid for all Mariner, Seahawk, Sounder and UW Husky football home games. The discount will apply if you arrive to park at Terminal Direct within three hours before game time and stay a minimum of three hours, up to a maximum of eight hours.

Fans riding Link to the game can skip any post-game ticket lines by purchasing a round-trip ticket ahead of time or by using an ORCA card from any ticket vending machine before boarding. The round- trip fare from SeaTac/Airport station on Link Light Rail to the Stadium Station is $5.