Beginning this Friday (Dec. 18th) and continuing through New Year’s Eve, law enforcement in King County will join other local police to conduct “X-52″ patrols around the area, including the general Burien and Normandy Park areas.
“X-52″ stands for extra patrols 52 weeks per year, and the goal of the program is to reduce speeding and DUI-related traffic fatalities and serious injuries on the roads.
Other areas where the X-52ers will be out on Dec. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 31 include:
- Des Moines
- Federal Way
- Kent
- Federal Way
- SeaTac
- Algona
- Bellevue
- Black Diamond
- Carnation-Duvall
- Clyde Hill
- Covington
- Issaquah
- Kirkland
- Maple Valley
- Mercer Island
- Newcastle
- North Bend
- Pacific
- Port of Seattle
- Redmond
- Sammamish
- Seattle
- Snoqualmie
- Woodinville
- Washington State Patrol
Officers will look for people who drive after drinking or using drugs and arrest them, so if you tend to drink and drive…DON’T!
Washington Traffic Safety Commission is releasing $450,000 worth of grants to local law enforcement agencies to help them provide additional impaired driving and speed patrols every week of the year.
These sustained enforcement patrols will specifically target speed and DUI offenders, as well as look for other traffic violations. The program is being administered statewide through a network of community traffic safety task forces.
The X-52 program also includes initiatives designed to let the public know that these extra patrols are happening in Washington every week. $450,000 is budgeted for paid radio advertising and alternative messaging. Earned media efforts will be spearheaded by community traffic safety task forces.
“Traffic crashes kill or seriously injure hundreds of people in King County each year,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “By driving sober or planning safe rides home, you can protect yourself, family and friends.”
A total of 94 people died in King County traffic crashes in 2008, and an additional 669 people were seriously injured. In a 2006 survey of Seattle drinkers, the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center found that one out of five drinkers admitted to driving after drinking too much at least once in the past month.
Officers who participated in 2008 – 2009 X-52 patrols in King County made 5,061 contacts with dangerous drivers, wrote 3,619 traffic citations or infractions, and arrested 105 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Officers also made 14 arrests for felony crimes.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission funds all X-52 DUI patrols as one strategy delineated in “Washington’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Target Zero.” The goal of “Target Zero” is zero traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington State by 2030.
We got an email Friday afternoon from Lisanna Fox, who says that her niece Tayvaunna Milam, 15, is missing, and that she “…may be in the South Park, White Center, and Burien area. Can you please post her information on your site?”
So we made some calls, checked with the Washington State Patrol, spoke with her Mother Lydia, and confirmed that this is a legit runaway case, so if you’ve seen Tayvaunna (pictured, left), you are urged to contact the Seattle Police Department at (206) 684-5582, or the WSP Missing Persons Unit at 1-800-543-5678 immediately.
Here’s the email request we received from Lisanna:
My name is Lisanna and I have a 15-yr-old niece that has been missing since the 25th of November. Her name is Tayvaunna Milam. The case has been reported to the SPD, WSP, as well as The Center For Missing And Exploited Children. We have been posting fliers throughout Seattle and the surrounding areas. There has been info relayed to us that she may be in the South Park, White Center, and Burien area. Can you please post her information on your site. The information has been approved by all of the above agencies..thank you for any help that you can offer with getting the word out!! Every little bit helps and I think that it is important that our children know that we care and will go to great lengths for them. Again thank you and Happy Holidays.
Here’s the poster from the Washington State Patrol (download a PDF here if you’d like to post it):
Some helpful links:
- Help The Children Profile Page On Tayvaunna
- PDF Poster from the Washington State Patrol
- Web page & poster from MissingKids.com
Here’s info directly from a poster:
| TAYVAUNNA SHAKAYLA LERONIQUE MILAM | |
| Case Type: Endangered Runaway | |
| DOB: Mar 15, 1994 | Sex: Female |
| Missing Date: Nov 25, 2009 | Race: Biracial |
| Age Now: 15 | Height: 5′5″ (165 cm) |
| Missing City: SEATTLE | Weight: 140 lbs (64 kg) |
| Missing State : WA | Hair Color: Black |
| Missing Country: United States | Eye Color: Brown |
| Case Number: NCMC1136240 | |
| Circumstances: Tayvaunna was last seen on November 25, 2009. She is American Indian, Black, and White. Tayvaunna’s ears are pierced. | |
The Washington State Patrol is looking for witnesses to Wednesday morning’s fatal multiple car accident on I-5 in the southbound lanes of I-5 in Tukwila near SR-518.
The fatality was a 43-year old Seattleite who was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser without a seatbelt. A passenger in a Toyota Camry was treated for minor injuries at the scene, while others involved were not injured.
Most of southbound I-5 was closed during the morning rush hour while police and detectives investigated the scene.
If you saw the accident, you are urged to call 425-401-7719 as soon as possible.
Highline Community College administrators announced Friday their decision on how to deal with the college’s $2.1 million financial hit necessitated by Gov. Chris Gregoire new budget cuts:
- Closing their Federal Way branch campus (map below)
- Closing the Early Childhood Learning Center, the college’s childcare center for students
These closures, along with reductions within individual program areas, will mean the elimination of 44 full-time positions.
These cuts go into effect July 1st.
“The downturn in the economy has hit home, and the college must make difficult choices to address the shortfall in the state’s budget,” said Highline President Dr. Jack Bermingham. “We are committed to preserving core functions, yet will significantly scale back selected services and offerings. Our number one goal with these cuts is to protect instructional capacity, maintain core student services and sustain the essential administrative infrastructure of the Highline.”
Highline’s Federal Way campus offers basic skills and non-credit business courses. It is also home to the Puget Sound Early College (PSEC), a dual-enrollment credit cohort program for high school juniors and seniors.
“We are committed to serving the Federal Way community,” said Bermingham. “In conversations with Federal Way city officials, we are working together to find ways to continue to provide services in Federal Way.
In the future, as the economy recovers and the College receives additional resources, we hope to find another facility more centrally located, and better served by public transportation. ”
College officials will hold two community forums on the Federal Way campus. For PSEC students and parents, the forum is scheduled for Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. A second forum for the community is scheduled for Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.
While the Governor reduced budgets, she did not decrease Highline’s full-time equivalent student target. This means Highline must serve the same number of students with considerably less funding. As a result, students will encounter larger classes, fewer course choices and less convenient class locations.
“There is a growing demand for our services,” said Jeff Wagnitz, vice president of Instruction. “The economic downturn and resulting layoffs mean more people are looking to us for retraining. Highline has had record enrollments, but the college has struggled to meet this demand. Fewer resources next year will exacerbate student access. ”
Since the first signs of the economic downturn last year, hiring at the college has been carefully scrutinized. Of the 44 positions eliminated, seven were vacant. In making these decisions, Highline officials say they have tried to make cuts that would minimize impact on students.
“Highline is a strong institution,” said Bermingham, “and we are hopeful for a turnaround in the state’s economy. These measures will ensure that we continue to prepare our state’s workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow to restore stability and prosperity. Highline Community College will remain a key resource for the state’s economic recovery and is clearly essential in providing higher education and training for our community.”
Highline Community College was founded in 1961 as the first community college in King County. With approximately 10,000 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 former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, entrepreneur Junki Yoshida and Washington state poet laureate Sam Green.
More information at their website.
The Washington State Patrol is seeking help from the public in finding the driver of a white Toyota RAV4 who struck and killed Robert Windom, 54, of Burien early on Jan. 1st.
Windom was hit just before 3:30am on New Year’s Day on northbound I-5 near Boeing Field. The suspect driver fled, but a driver’s side rear-view mirror broke off, which has been matched to the RAV4, most likely made between 2005 and 2008.
It’s reported that Windom was a passenger in a car when he got out because he was feeling sick; he apparently wandered into the northbound lanes, where he was fatally struck by several vehicles.
So, if you know anyone driving a RAV4 or similar vehicle with damage to its left side, including the rear-view mirror and possibly headlight, fender, hood and windshield, please call WSP detectives at (425) 649-1530 immediately.
