Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-12 Tukwila ReporterOMNI Min 4. SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, 16-18 [see us online litwww.tukwilareportercom 2 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Helping the homeless find their way Reaching the goal of ending homelessness by giving people hope and a safe, affordable place to live BY SARAH KEHOE SKEHOE@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM The King County Housing Authority is on its way to ac- complish its mission of ending homelessness in the county, thanks the opening of a new apartment complex. This month, nearly 50 people went from living on the streets of Tukwila to living at Pacific Court Apartments. The community celebrated with residents at an open house Dec.8, which featured refreshments and speeches by hous- ing authority members, Sound Mental Health workers and residents. The housing authority partnered with Sound Mental Health, a private non-profit organization that provides comprehensive mental health services, and bought the 32 - unit complex for $3.5 million in 2008. The intent was to house homeless and disabled individuals. "This place gives people hope;' said Stephanie Berg, de- partment manager at Sound Mental Health. "They have a safe, affordable place to live and supportive services on site to talk to them, help them if they get lost or remind them to take their medication" Funded under the American Recovery and Reinvest- ment Act, the new complex has offices for a site manager, case managers and counselors. Kitchen facilities, an activi- ties lab and computer lab are also available for residents' use. "The housing authority strives to create vibrant hous- ing communities;' said Stephen Norman, executive direc- tor at the housing authority. "This new facility will provide the residents with access to the support they need to allow them to stabilize their lives and acquire new skills." Around five years ago, the Committee to End Home - ,74 CLt ff „APifeede Premier Dementia &Alzheimer's Community <o> The Weatherly Inn at Lake Meridian is a unique residence specially designed to help those with Alzheimer's Disease or similar dementias to live a dignified lifestyle within a supportive environment. The dssL t1we you need The The you want Tu.!' you deserve WEATHERLY INN 15101 SE 272nd St • Kent, WA 98042 253-630-7496 Suzy Stewart -James tells her story to Trish Blanchard, chief clinical officer at Sound Mental Health, Dec. 8, during the official opening of the Pacific Courts in Tukwila. Charles Cortes/Tukwila Reporter lessness made a 10 -year plan to end homelessness in King County by providing a blueprint for how the region will work together to confront the issues that cause home- lessness and create the housing and supportive services needed to end it. The plan included coming up with ways to prevent homelessness, helping people move quickly to stable housing with the necessary supportive services to maintain that housing, building the public and political will to sustain efforts and bring an end homelessness, in- creasing the efficiency of the existing systems to make the best use of our scarce resources and measuring and report- ing their outcomes. "What Sound Mental Health and the county are aiming to do is to give homeless people homes, not just temporary shelters," said David Stone, CEO for Sound Mental Health. "We want to help save lives." That's exactly what residents Suzy Stewart -James and Jermaine Combs feel a place at Pacific Courts Apartments did for them. "Living here is a haven; it's given me a reason to live be- cause it reminded me life could get better;" said Stewart - James, 41. "Having the pressure of being homeless off my shoulders has given me the ability to go back to drawing and painting again. And that's a gift:' Things started to fall apart for Stewart -James in 2004, after an injury. Stewart -James fell down the stairs to her apartment, causing a hematoma in her brain. Two surgeries required to treat the injury caused a blood clot in her right leg and doctors told Stewart -James amputation was the only way to save her. "This was all very difficult to swallow and still is;' Stew- art -James said. "I was depressed, I was broke and had no where to turn" After Stewart -James and her husband were evicted from their home, depression set in and she was sent to a mental health care facility. The couple slept on friends' couches until Stewart -James had enough and called Sound Mental Health for help. "It's a blessing to be able to work with a case manager and talk about my feelings;' Stewart -James said. "That's something I've never had before. I'm feeling stable and good now." Jackie MacLean, human services director, takes a tour of Patrick Calloway's apartment. Charles Cortes/Tukwila Reporter Combs, 38, was living in a rat -infested apartment and was facing eviction before he moved into Pacific Courts. "I was working, but not making near enough to cover the rent;' he said. "I've had an unlucky and hard life. This was just yet another desperate situation I found myself in:' Combs now has a clean apartment and can focus on goals he has for his life, including going back to school. "I am starting school this January and really want to work at a place where I can make a difference; he said. "I think everyone deserves clean, safe housing. I have a great healthy life now and I'm so thankful to be here:' King County helped fund Pacific Court with a $2 mil- lion investment and provides ongoing funding for the sup- portive services. Additional funding of the complex was provided by the Washington State Department of Com- merce. "The King County Housing Authority's work has set the stage nicely for our Tukwila Village redevelopment proj- ect, which we believe will further revitalize the area of our city; said Jim Haggerton, Tukwila mayor. The project covers 6 acres of property at South 144th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard. The city hopes to turn the area into a mixed use development that will draw upon Tukwila's strengths and include a library, a neighborhood police resource center, retail, restaurants, public meeting space, and an outdoor plaza. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 3 A life of community service and great times BY SARAH KEHOE SKEHOE@TUKWILAREPORTER. COM Joan Hernandez has a green box full of photographs capturing her 24 years serving on the Tuk- wila City Council. There's so many good memo- ries that Hernandez has a hard time picking a favorite picture. "This one where I am sworn in on the council for the first time is the best, or maybe it's the ground- breaking for Tukwila Internation- al Boulevard;" she said. "There's just so many great times:' Hernandez decided to retire from the council this year. She wants to spend more time with her family, travel and focus on her other community service projects. "I just have loved being here and enjoy every minute of it," Hernandez said. "There's always been something challenging go- ing on to keep me interested and making me want to come back." Hernandez said she fell into be- coming a City Council member because of her other volunteer and community service work in the community. She had appeared before the council as a spokesper- son for the Tukwila Homeowners Association and impressed the mayor with her innovative ideas and persistence. "I think they just wanted me on their side; Hernandez said, laughing. "I kept coming to meet- ings and speaking, so the mayor became familiar with my face and asked me to consider joining the council." Hernandez was not selected during her first time running. "There were so many great op- ponents that I lost out;" she said. After a city council member resigned, Hernandez tried again. She won against three opponents and was sworn into office Decem- ber 1987. "Serving on the council is a lot more work than anyone imag- ines," Hernandez said. "Some- times we'd be here until 11 p.m. for a meeting, then Id have to get up early and go to work the next day" Hernandez worked as an ex- ecutive assistant for the King County Housing Authority for 20 years. She also was a member of the South County Cultural Asso- ciation and the Tukwila Historical Society Hernandez said the hard work was worth it. "I take pride in the fact that I was a part of helping build our community and make important decisions on annexations and other projects;' she said. Hernandez's two proudest ac- complishments are the establish- ment of the Tukwila Equity & Diversity Commission and in- corporating multi -family design standards in the city. "When I was first elected, there were apartments being proposed [ more SERVICE page 6 ] Joan Hernandez retires from the Tukwila City Council at the end of this year after serving for 24 years. Charles Cortes/Tukwila Reporter THUNDERS/R05 HOCKEY 25.3-239-7825 seattlethunderbirds.com TUESDAY DEC. 27T VS. SILVERTIPS H @ 7:05 PM ShoWare Center ;. BUY TWO TICKETS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! FRIDAY DEC. 30T MOOSE JAW VS. WARRIORS H @ 7:35 PM ShoWare Center FREE Colin Jacobs Bobblehead lst 2,500 fans 4inity index_______ 2 3 8 athome Reaching for the goal of ending hornlessness has started in Tukwila coffeewith City Councilwoman Joan Hernandez retires after 24 years of service to the community. newlens Portrait photographer Bruce Hudson moves to Tukwila. 9 Iocalflavor Liat Shklarski shares her snowy chocolate cookies for Hanukkah. 12 fosterhigh Sportswriter Adam McFadden takes a look at the boys and girls basketball teams. tukwila reporter SOUND PUBLI SHING INC. )19426 68th Avenue South > Kent, WA 98032 >253.872.6600 > www.tukwilareporter.com 4 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Police bicycle officers to hit the street again BY STEVE HUNTER SHUNTER@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Tukwila Police bicycle officers are back in town. And more are on the way. When Mike Villa took over as police chief in June, he wanted to bring back the bicycle patrols that worked the streets in the 1990s before budget cutbacks and em- phasis on other jobs eliminated the posi- tions. "We had bicycle officers in 1995-96 and they proved to be very effective in the Tuk- wila International Boulevard corridor," Villa said. "I was one of the first two bicycle officers." Bicycle officers in October started pa- trols in the business district at and around Westfield Southcenter Mall. By next summer, two bicycle offi- cers will patrol the Tukwila In- ternational Boulevard corridor between South 154th Street and South 130th Street. "When I was assistant chief we looked to implement the pro- grams again but had other pri- orities;" Villa said. "Now as chief I wanted them again." Villa received support from Mayor Jim Haggerton as well as the Tukwila City Council. The council approved the hiring of two new bicycle officers and a narcotics detective at its Nov 21 meeting. The estimated cost of $345,000 for the three positions in 2012 will be paid for initially with $220,000 in savings from the 2011 police department budget and savings of $125,000 in 2012 from the jail budget, according to city documents. The council agreed to make the positions part of the regular budget for future funding. Police continue to combat pros- titution and drug dealing along Tukwila International Boulevard. The addition of two bicycle offi- cers and a detective are expected to help reduce those crimes and other crimes. ilia "The idea is to have the officers in that area to problem solve," Villa said. "They will work with the com- munity, business owners and apartment managers:' Villa said bicycle officers can be more ef- Mike V fective in certain neighborhoods than of- ficers in patrol cars. "An officer on a bicycle can be a great tool to engaging more with the commu- nity than an officer who drives a car where there's not much interaction with someone walking along a sidewalk," he said. "An of- ficer on a bicycle increases the positive in- teraction with people walking to the bus, the grocery store or work." Villa said bicycle officers can also ob- serve much more as they ride along streets than officers driving by in patrol cars. Because of all of the training involved in hiring new officers, the new bicycle officers and detective won't start with the city until sometime before summer. Villa can't wait to get more bicycle offi- cers on the streets. "I'm thrilled to have the support of the mayor and council of this initiative," he said. "I think it will be pretty impactful on Tukwila International Boulevard." Man charged with the murder of Jayme Thomas REPORTER STAFF King County prosecutors charged a 29 -year-old Des Moines man Dec. 12 with second-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 5 shooting death of Jayme Thomas, 19, in the Redondo Beach area of Des Moines. Johnny Rourn also is charged with second- degree assault for wounding a 24 -year-old man, ac- cording to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Rourn is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 22 at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. He remains in custody at the county jail in Kent with bail set at $1 mil- lion. Prosecutors wrote in the charging papers "that the will- ingness of the defendant to shoot at someone for simply calling him or his friends a name and his willingness to shoot at everyone present without regard for their in- volvement in the argument, demonstrates his ex- treme risk to the community if released without significant bail" On Dec. 7, Des Moines Police with the assistance of Valley SWAT arrested Rourn at his residence without incident. Rourn was booked into the King County jail for investigation of homicide and investigation 1 rrjj J'� J � • EVERYTHING • 'YOURCHLDRED SR • • • 1 ry) COMFORT AND. Strander Blvd. • ,Suite 303 • ENJOYMENT •• .1f,l'./ SIJ 1�lr JJ.J..1 • 206-575- WWW. 410C iaL 2 .1 - J- J Jai C IoC • • • • • • • • Millions of school hours are lost each year to dental -related diseases. •Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease. Regular visits to Southcenter Children's Dentistry are the best way to combat these problems. Dr. Buda 'and his staff will make your child's visit a fun and comfortable experience from the very first visit. At Southcenter Children's Dentistry - we take your child's oral health and dental care seriously! * 6 month preventative exams * Free Orthodontic exams * Brushing for toddlers *Teething tips *White Fillings * Sports Guards * Space Maintainers *Thumb Guards * Anxiety Medicatio * General Anaesthesia Our office is fun and kid friendly. We have great games and giveaways during e year. Your child gets a prize and sticker Dr. Buda is currently accepting many different insurance plans. Over the last four years we have become a preferred provider for 7 major insurance companies including: *Aetna •Assurant *Cigna -Delta •DSHS *Great West *Guardian *Humana •Metlife •Premera •Regence •WDS *United Concordia 554551 of assault. Thomas died after being shot early in the morning Nov. 5 in the backseat of a vehicle in the 800 block of Redon- do Way South. Witnesses reported that an argument and name calling occurred between two separate groups be- fore the shooting. Two unidentified men started passing a gun around, then fired shots into a vehicle where Thomas sat, according to police. An autopsy report showed Thomas was shot twice in the back and once in the arm, according to charging papers. Thomas was a 2011 graduate of Mount Rainier High School and was studying at Highline Community College to become a nurse. As a lifeguard, she taught toddlers to swim. She was heavily involved in her youth group at Res- urrection Lutheran Church in Des Moines. Serving our Seniors in Tukwila, Burien & Des Moines! • Home health & hospice care • 24/7 skilled caregivers with awake night shift • Extensive activities program tailored to residents needs Call us today & schedule a tour! 206-992-1271 13534 Macadam Rd it Tukwila 98168 FAMILY LAW Kelly Malsam ATTORNEY AT LAW Az MALSAM LAW FIRM 15 S. Grady Way, Suite 400 Renton 425-228-3628 • Divorce • Custody • Parenting Plans • Enforcement • Visitation • Support • Modifications • Willsarusts • Power of Attorney • Health Care Directive FREE CONSULTATION REASONABLE RATES WILLS Lmr7 Rcal7 apt— - Volunteer Audrey Davis hugs Santa as he greets guests coming in for the pancake breakfast Dec. 3 at the Tukwila Community Center. CHARLES CORTES, Tukwila Reporter WISHING YOU AND YOURS A SAFE & HAPPY Holiday Season and a Joyous New Year www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 5 G ETSTARTE D! Recycle your food scraps and food -soiled paper in the yard waste cart Grass clippings & leaves Houseplants (no pots) Tree branches (under 4' long, 4" in diameter bundled) Weeds Twigs, branches & roots from pruning Holiday trees & greens (4' long & bundled) (no flocking or decorations) Meat, fish, poultry & bones 41 '�►* �qe Shredded paper (layered & no plastic) Fruit & vegetable scraps; leftovers Bread, pasta & grains Eggshells & nutshells Coffee filters & grounds Teabags & tea leaves Greasy pizza delivery boxes 411110 Food -soiled paper towels & napkins Paper grocery bags containing food scraps Paper egg cartons Paper berry cartons Uncoated paper plates & cups* Uncoated paper food wrap* Uncoated paper food bags* * Tip: Uncoated paper does not have a shiny surface. When in doubt throw it out. Recycle food. It's easy to do. To Get Started 1. Sign up for curbside yard waste service. Call Allied Waste at 206-682-9735 for fee and service information. 2. Place your yard trimmings, food scraps and food -soiled paper in your new cart. 3. We'II send you a collection schedule and you can start recycling this valuable resource on collection day. For a free compostable bag sample, visit www.recyclefood.com ALLIED WASTE SERVICES %.,:g A REPUBLIC SERVICES COMPANY 206-682-9735 Customer Service Hours: M -F 8am-5pm www.AlliedWasteNorthwest.com 554503 879 Rainier Ave N. A-100 (PS Business Park) Renton, WA 98057 Sunday Worship Service:10:00am 9:OOam -Adult&Youth Empowerment studies 425-221-1504 • smithlm55@aol.com Rev. Dr. Linda M. Smith, Pastor549201 6 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Joan Hernandez looks through her box of photographs and memorabilia from her more than two decades of service on the Tukwila City Council. Charles Cortes/Tukwila Reporter [ SERVICE from page 3] in my neighborhood and no one was happy with the design," she said. "Citizens didn't want any more multi -family housing because it already made up 60 percent of Tukwila" Instead of trying to stop the apartments, Hernandez decided to set up a set of guide- lines the city would have to abide by when building multi -family housing. "I've seen that after this was adopted, our buildings are much better looking," she said. "I think our people are happy they don't have to have any more cracker -box apartments being built here." The diversity commission is a partner- ship between the city and the Tukwila School District. The commission's goals are to help people appreciate the cultural diversity surrounding their community, to serve as a resource for the community by educating people on cultural differences and to provide recommendations to the mayor, City Council and school board on cultural programs and how to address di - green edition Now you can view our full print editions online cover to cover! Plus access a treasure trove of previous issues of the Tukwila Reporter & award winning reader features. Want extra copies of the championship senior volleyball game? Download & print the pdf. It's FREE! Visit www.tukwilareporter.com/green_editions today! lukwila aeporler �• Choosing +Futuro tip eizt TUKWILA tuk►iila reporter-. OCTOOEF 21. 2011 GALLERY SEPEWeEA E3, 2011 GALgEFV REPORTER° 19426 68th Ave S, Kent WA 98032 • (425) 255-3484 versity issues. "We are such a diverse community that I felt it was important for the city to be more involved in equity issues," she said. Hernandez will miss her place on the council. "I'm just sorry to leave behind some un- finished business;' she said. "I will greatly miss not being here to make decisions on Tukwila's future, but I have confidence in the council and know they will make great decisions:' Hernandez plans on staying involved in the community. "Although I am looking forward to being able to stay home on Monday evenings, I intend to appear at a few council meetings and speak under citizen comments when- ever there is an issue that is of personal importance to me," she said. "As a member of the South County Cultural Association and the Tukwila Historical Society, I am looking forward to working on the Military Road Civil War Sesquicentennial Project with other SoCo member cities:' SKY CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING FOSTER-TUKWILA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 14401 56th Ave S Join us for CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT SERVICE Saturday, Dec 24, 7:30 pm Sunday Schedule: 4.1 CE 9 am; Worship 10:30 am 206-243-4455 • www.ftpc.org 516040 Shift into 1 savings. Brenda K Kulju, Agent 525 Strander Blvd Tukwila, WA 98188 Bus: 206-575-1300 brenda@brendakulju.net www.brendakulju.net Se habia espaiiol Get discounts up to 40%*. Saving money is important. That's why you can count on me to get you all the discounts you deserve. GETTO A BETTER STATE'. CALL METODAY. State Farm - "Discounts vary by state. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Bloomington, IL 554526 Affordable Wills Simple Will $200.00 Trust Will for minor children $250.00 Community Prop. Agreement $150.00 Durable Power of Attorney $100.00 Directive to Physician $100.00 Mention this ad for package discount. MOGREN, GLESSNER & ROTI, P.S. Attorneys at Law 15 So. Grady Way, 100 Evergreen Building, Renton, WA 98057 (425) 255-4542 * www.mgrlaw.com • • PP >write staff regional publisher polly shepherd publisher@tukwilareporter.com publisher ellen morrison regional editor dennis box editor@tukwilareporter.com editor dean radford staff writers steve hunter > reporter tracey compton > reporter sarah kehoe > reporter adam mcfadden > sports photographer chanes comes circulation james kostoroski 253.872.6610 The Tukwila Reporter encourages reader participation in this community newspaper. Share your thoughts in a letter to the editor (400 words or less) including your full name, address and phone number. HERE'S HOW To submit a letter to the editor, EMAIL: submissions@ tukwilareporter.com FAX: 253.437.6016 MAIL: 19426 68th Ave S, Ste. A Kent, WA 98032 CALENDAR/EVENTS: calendar@ tukwilareporter.com EDITOR'SNOTE The divinity of Christmas past Christmas is right around the corner and as usual I am completely unprepared for everything. I have no idea what to buy, where to go to purchase anything and my daughter will be home for the holidays, which means life as I know it is over. It is truly a joy to know I have sent my daughter Katy to college to become smarter so I could become dumber by the day. I do enjoy cooking for Katy and my son Chris. I make them all the stuff I never eat. This Sunday I will bake cinnamon rolls. I make it with brioche which is a French butter dough that clogs your veins just looking at it. Brioche also makes the best stuffed French toast. I stuff it with a mix of cheeses for Katy and make a fruit syrup. I enjoy experimenting with food and reci- pes, which I admit can lead to certain prob- lems. There are some who seem to think I have weird eating habits, actually almost ev- eryone. I get a lot of snarky comments here at the office when I eat my homemade granola www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 7 mixed with cottage cheese and buttermilk. When I was a kid I could never understand how my grandma could drink a glass of but- termilk in the morning. Now I do it. I guess I've turned into my grandma. I can report that a scientific experiment I conducted in the office last week created a little stir. Remember scientific experi- ments that don't go quite as ex- pected are not necessarily wrong or bad. I decided I would hard boil some eggs in my microwave I have in the office. I had it all planned out perfectly, until someone called me with a hot tip and I forgot to check on the eggs. Three eggs left in a microwave covered in water for eight minutes will amazingly blow the door open on the microwave with a very loud bang, spread eggs all over the office and cause everyone to look at you and point for quite some time. One of my favorite memories of Christmas is the divinity and almond roca my grandma would make. It was the only time of year she would make them and I loved them both. Grandma would start her baking right af- ter Christmas. There were five of us kids and it took a lot to keep us happy. I remember watching her make candy with thermometers sticking up everywhere and stuff boiling and steaming. It was great. I make candy, but grandma always had the chaos under control. Admittedly, that does not always seem to be the case when I am making candy. There has been more than a few times I've created an unholy boiled black substance on the bottom of pan that couldn't be cleaned out with a blow torch. I know because I have tried. I hardly see anyone make divinity any- more. Grandma made three colors - red, green and white. She would put them on this fancy three -tiered silver dish. I can see that dish filled with divinity on her table in the living room right now. Mom and grandma would always tell me I couldn't have any sweets un- til after dinner. My job every year was to steal as much di- vinity as possible, but figure a way to fill in the holes so I wouldn't get caught. I was always very successful. The only thing I was consistently smart at as a kid was stealing divinity. I'll probably try to make some divinity for the kids this year, but it won't taste like grandma's. She used some special kind of magic, and I will never forget it. Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Higher sales tax is not the answer If you haven't started your holiday shop- ping, you might want to hold on to your wal- let. Gov. Chris Gregoire wants the state to dig deeper into your pocket to help bail-out the state budget. Gregoire's plan is two -fold: 1. Boost the sales tax by a half - cent, and 2. Have it "sunset" in three years. We have two concerns with that: 1. It's another half -cent tax on what already is nearly (.095) a 10 percent tax on just about every dollar you spend, and 2. Does anyone really expect that a tax, once in place, will ever go away? Gregoire says her new tax would bring in close to $500 million annually and be largely used to help fund education. Before you applaud, recall that this is the same person who just recently proposed cut- ting your kid's school year by four days. Apparently schools - and our kids' educa- tion - is only important if we pay more for it. Gregoire, of course, knows the fallacy in this. The state constitution says clearly that edu- cation is the paramount duty of the state. It doesn't say anything about having to raise taxes to do this. The state may or may not need an extra $500 million, but schools aren't the place you cut when money is tight. That's the same problem with her earlier plan to cut the school year by four days. Doing so would save the state $99 million in the 2012-13 school year by not having to pay teach- ers for those four days. But that also means that our kids get cheated out of four days of instruction. Does anyone really think our kids can get buy with LESS education? We understand that the state faces some tough financial questions. Legislators are due back in Olympia on Monday to deal with a $2 billion hole in the state's budget. But that doesn't mean that higher taxes are - or ought to be - the first choice for a solu- tion. After all, it's not as if taxpayers's money Craig Groshart 0 3 or 0 is burning a hole in their pockets. Quite the opposite. Consumer prices in the Seattle area have risen 3.8 percent over the past 12 months, ac- cording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, take-home pay for people around here has gone up 1.7 percent. Do the math and you'll see we're falling be- hind. Drive to work? You're even worse off. The price of gasoline in the Seattle area is up 26 percent since last year, according to the U.S. Department of La- bor. And that means energy prices are up 16.5 percent. There are more - lots more - things that cost more today than they did since October 2010. We're not saying the task facing the Legisla- ture is an easy one. Far from it. But higher taxes should only be considered as a last resort. The state isn't there yet. Craig Groshart is the regional editor of the Bellevue Reporter. 8 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com tukwilabusiness Bruce Hudson changing his business lens BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@ TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Well-known portrait photog- rapher Bruce Hudson has a new backdrop — Tukwila. Hudson during the last 30 years or so has photographed thou- sands of high school seniors and countless families on vacation and in special moments. He started in Fairwood in 1982 "We have been diversifying a lot." Bruce Hudson and moved to Benson Road in Renton in 1987. In October he moved his Hudson's Portrait De- sign to the Tukwila Commerce Center in Southcenter, where he and his son Josh are expanding their business line. The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Jan. 11. Much has changed in the pho- tography business in those 30 years. Film has given way to digi- tal photography, which has made it possible for almost anyone to record family events and then share the photos easily. The recession has forced profes- sional photographers out of busi- Bruce Hudson, left, and his son Josh stand in front of Hudson's Portrait Design, as studio mascot Posh looks on from inside. Dean Radford/Tukwila Reporter ness as their longtime customers tightened their belts. To survive, those who remain, such as Hud- son, are changing their relation- ship with the customers. "We have been diversifying a lot," he said. And he's spending more time with each customer. One of those new business lines are classes in digital photography; Hudson has been teaching pho- tography for about 20 years. Hud- son now teaches a basic digital class, but he plans to add interme- diate and advanced classes. His new studio has enough space for about 40 students. Right now, a whole new gen- eration knows about Photoshop, but not so much about photog- raphy, said Josh, who is handling the business and marketing side of the business. That's where his father comes in, with his 30 years of experience. Ultimately, the Hudsons see the classes as the first steps toward creating a photographic academy or school. Some, including Hudson, may suggest that training photogra- phers is like training his compe- tition. But, in fact, he says these students are not only learning about photography but also what he can do as a photographer. They are becoming his clients. Hudson is expanding his com- mercial photography, which the Hudsons describe as the fastest- growing part of their business. Their services include portraits FYI To learn more about Hudson's Por- trait Design online, go to www.hud- sonportraits.com. The phone number is 206-687-7283, and the address is 641 Strander Blvd., Tukwila. and assistance with marketing and websites. His photo safaris continue; he's doing an Alaska cruise photo sa- fari next year and will photograph three families in Hawaii in Febru- ary. There are the Santa photos, too, in the studio. His son-in-law, Dustin Nicholson, is his Santa. Hudson is perhaps best known for taking photos of graduating seniors, as many as 300 a year. His Renton studio had a large outdoor portrait park, where students and their families could choose mul- tiple settings. Now, he photographs about 100 seniors a year, but spends more time with each one and at more locations. About 95 percent of Hudson's photographs are taken on loca- tion. He's searching out locations; nearby are parks, the Green River and even the sides of a warehouse, which can take on a whole new meaning in the hands of the right photographer. "There is a really cool train track and train trestle that the kids are totally digging," Josh said. Have a water efficient H2Oliday! When preparing for meals and parties this holiday season, you can use much more water than your normal, everyday use. Running your tap continuously while preparing food or washing dishes wastes water. You can use more than two gallons of water every minute your tap is running. That's a lot when you're cooking a big meal for extended family members and friends! CASCADE WATER ALLIANCE 0 Here are two ways to reduce your water and energy use over the holidays: • Scrape dirty dishes instead of using water to rinse them before you put them in the dishwasher. • If you don't use a dishwasher, fill the sink with a few gallons of soapy wash water, clean your dishes, and put them aside. Then rinse them all together afterward. Either of these simple practices could save 10 gallons of water each time you wash dishes. If every American household reduced their water use by 10 gallons on just one meal this holiday season, we could save more than 1 billion gallons of water, as well as the energy and materials used to pump or treat tap water. For more water saving tips, visit the Cascade Water alliance website at wwwcascadewater.org • City of Bellevue • Covington Water District • City of Issaquah • City of Kirkland • City of Redmond • Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District • Skyway Water & Sewer District • City of Tukwila Take the cookies out of the oven and let the cookies cool down for 15 minutes. The cookies can be stored in a sealed container for over a week, though prob- ably someone will eat them before. Recipe adapted from "Sweet Secrets," by Karin Goren (makes about 40-50 cookies) www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 9 A special chocolate cookie treat for Hanukkah BY TRACEY COMPTON TCOMPTON@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM December's Local Flavor recipe features the rich, sweet decadence of a Snowy Chocolate Cookies recipe as shared by Liat Shklarski in celebration of Hanukkah. The Jewish holiday began Dec. 20 and continues for seven days. Shklarski is a child and family therapist for Sound Mental Health in Tukwila and came to the United States from her home- land of Israel three years ago. Baking is her passion and she only uses recipes from Is- raeli cookbooks. She adapted this cookie recipe from the book called, "Sweet Se- crets; by Karin Goren. Baking these cookies is a tradition Shklarski started with her father, from whom she gets her baking skills, she said. "So, I try even though I'm away from my family, I keep doing the things that I re- member from home;' Shklarski said. She has noticed since moving to the U.S. that a lot of Jewish people here buy pres- ents for each other for Hanukkah. "In Israel we are not exchanging presents during Hanukkah," Shklarski said. "I think that in the U.S., Jewish people want to get some of the Christmas miracle and use Ha- nukkah for that:' She might start that custom with her in- fant daughter and husband once the child get older, she said. At Sound Mental Health, Shklarski has as her boss describes "probably the cutest caseload:' She works with young children and fam- ilies on how to deal with stress and post- traumatic stress disorder. She facilitates an art therapy program called "Chill and Spill" for her young cli- ents. "It's art with heart, so it's really good for our kids who don't know how to express their feelings; said Dennis Marceron, pro- gram manager of child and family services for Tukwila and Auburn offices. Sound Mental Health headquartered in Seattle, but has offices in Tukwila, Auburn, Bellevue, and Redmond. The Tukwila of- fice serves about 400 children and parents. The agency moved its offices from Renton to Tukwila starting in 2004 and finishing in 2005. They offer more than 40 programs in support of mental health and wellness from chemical dependency to psychiatric services, employment services, early child- hood services, therapeutic foster care and others. "I love my job, but it's stressful, so that's why I need to go home and cook," said Shklarski. She calls baking her therapy. Liat Shklarski, therapist for Sound Mental Health in Tukwila, adapted an Israeli recipe for her chocolate cookies. Tracey Compton/Tukwila Reporter Snowy chocolate cookies for Hanukkah • 12 ounces of dark chocolate • 2 ounces of butter (half a stick) • 3 eggs • half cup of sugar (4 ounces) • 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour (4.5 ounces) • 1 teaspoon of baking powder • 1 cup of ground almonds (4 ounces) • Sugar and powdered sugar for garnish Melt chocolate and but- ter in the microwave. (for 30 seconds each time until it is melted) In a separate bowl mix eggs and sugar for five min- utes. After, add the melted chocolate and butter and mix. Add flour, baking pow- der and ground almonds - mix all together. Don't worry that the mix- ture looks too liquidy. Cover the bowl with plas- tic food wrap and let it stay in the fridge for four hours. After four hours: Heat oven to 370 de- grees. Prepare two bowls, one with sugar and one with powdered sugar. Take out the mixture from the fridge, make ping pong-sized balls from the mixture and dip each in sugar and powdered sugar. Place it on a tray prefer- ably covered with parch- ment paper (baking paper). Make sure there are some gaps between the cookies. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 370 degrees. Andrews Space receives an Air Force grant REPORTER STAFF Tukwila's Andrews Space company has been awarded up to a $250 million, eight- year contract by the U.S. Air Force for ground and flight experiments and demon- strations in support of the Air Force's proposed Reusable Booster System. The company announced the contract in a Dec. 6 media release. Under the contract, An- drews will initially complete work consisting of require- ments refinement and ini- tial design of the RBS Path- finder system. Following that, Andrews will compete with other awardees for additional tasks including work to conduct flight and ground experiments and demonstrations to address key technologies, processes and system attributes as- sociated with the RBS concept. The areas of study include: aerome- chanics, configura- tion, flight perfor- mance, structures and materials, flight controls and health management, flight systems, propulsion, grounds system and opera- tions. The Air Force Research Laboratory's Air Vehicles Directorate at Wright Pat- terson Air Force Base in Ohio is studying Reusable Booster System technolo- gies and operations con- cepts to better define a future operational system. The organization is partner- ing with Space and Missile Systems Center Develop - [more GRANT page 13 ] CASCADE MEMORIAL row cost cremation & funerals $495 Simple Cremation $895 Direct Burial 425.641.6100 CascadeMemorial.com 425-572-5844 Furniture, Appliances, Clothing, Sporting Goods, Tools & More! 226 Wells Ave. So. • Renton 98057 Hours: Mon., Wed -Fri. 10-6; Sat. 10-5; Sun. 12-5; Closed Tues. RESPITE CARE at Normandy Park Senior Living is the perfect solution when your family is away. Stay in a comfortable furnished apartment and be cared for by trained staff 24 -hours a day. Enjoy quiet times to read, listen to music or experience new friends and activities. Call to schedule a visit. 16625 First Ave. South Normandy Park, WA 98148 206-241-0821 info@artegan.com www.artegan.com I► NORMANDY PARK senior living 1 0 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov MAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Allan Ekberg www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 1 1 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Joe Duffle • Joan Hernandez • Dennis Robertson Verna Seal • Kathy Hougardy • De'Sean Quinn TUKWILA CITY PAGES GET PREPARED!! Be ready for the predicted colder and wetter weather ("La Nina") by using the helpful winter preparedness checklists found on this great website: TakeWinterByStorm.org Where Good Healthy Fun gets all wet Get a head start on those New Year's resolutions with a pass to the Tukwila Pool! Ten - Punch Cards start at just $27 for Youth & Seniors or $36 for Adults. Visit us at 4414 S 144th St. Tukwila, WA 98168 to get your pass today. Looking for a fun, afford- able activity to share with the family? Come swimming at the Tukwila Pool! We offer Family Swims every day of the week. Adult admission is just $4, kids $3, and children under 4 are free. To find the times for scheduled swims, please visit our website at www.TukwilaWA.gov/recre- ation/recpool.html, or call 206- 267-2350. Tukwila Pool 4414 South 144th Street Surface Water Management Program Workshop The City's Surface Water Management Program (SWMP) is in full swing. The Public Works Department will be hosting a workshop for the purpose of updating the SWMP for 2012: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 5:00 to 6:OOPM, in Conference Room No. 1 City of Tukwila Public Works Department 6300 Southcenter Boulevard Tukwila, WA Five elements of the SWMP will be evaluated: • Public Education and Outreach • Public Involvement and Participation • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination • Controlling Runoff from New Development, Redevelopment and Construction Sites • Pollution Prevention and Operation and Maintenance for Municipal Operations If you are unable to attend the January 18 SWMP Workshop but would like to provide suggestions or ideas, please contact us by one of the methods listed below. Your input will be very valuable to the City's effort to reduce stormwater pollution and erosion. Send your SWMP com- ments to Greg Villanueva: Phone: 206-431-2442 Email: Greg.Villanueva(aTukwilaWA.gov Mail: Greg Villanueva, NPDES Coordinator Tukwila Dept. of Public Works 6300 Southcenter Blvd., Suite 100 Tukwila, WA 98188 Also included for review at the Workshop will be the City's Draft Surface Water Comprehensive Plan. Your comments or questions regarding storm drainage concerns are also welcome. Hope to see you there! Residents can recycle Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Tukwila residents can now recycle their used Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs free of charge at Tukwila City Hall. Thank you to Puget Sound Energy for providing this opportunity for free collection and recycling for CFL bulbs! Where: Bring used CFL bulbs to the Tukwila City offices at 6300 Southcenter Boulevard. A special CFL col- lection box is located adjacent to the Recycling/Environmental Information Stand in the front corridor, main floor, east side of building. CFL bulbs are also being collected at Tukwila's Community Center, located at 12424 - 42nd Ave S in Tukwila. Why: Using compact fluorescent light bulbs is a great way to save energy. CFL bulbs use up to 75% less energy and last much longer than incandescent bulbs. Although CFL bulbs are safe to use, they do contain a very small amount of mercury, a toxic substance that can affect the brain and kidneys. If CFLs are broken or disposed of improperly, mercury could be released, harming the environment and posing a health hazard. Therefore, CFLs should not be disposed of in garbage or landfills. It is important that these products are disposed of safely and responsibly. How: The best way to handle burned out Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs is to recycle them. CFL bulbs that are placed in the special collection box at Tukwila City Hall will be gathered and sent to a special facility for recycling. They will be broken down into component materials (metal, glass and mercury phosphor powder), and reused in other products. What else: Please note that linear fluorescent tubes are not accepted at Tukwila City Hall — "twisty" compact fluorescent bulbs only! For additional ways to recycle both CFLs and linear tubes, please check out: you r.KingCounty.gov/solidwaste/facilities/hazwaste.asp and www.TakeltBackNetwork.org Some recyclers may charge fees for transportation, recycling or disposal costs. MPD to form Citizens Pool Advisory Committee The Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District Board of Commissioners, established by voters in August 2011 to save the Tukwila Pool, is now accepting applications to form the Citizens Advisory Pool Committee. The Board has determined that ongoing involvement and participation from Tukwila community members and Tukwila business owners is an essential component toward achieving the goals of the District. The purpose of the Committee is to: • Plan, promote and recommend policy and standards for construc- tion, development, maintenance and operations of aquatic facilities within the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District (TMPD). • Develop and recommend programs to promote aquatic services and inform the public of aquatic facilities that are available for public use. • Encourage, recommend and aid programs related to aquatics ser- vices and enrichment. • Explore ways and methods of obtaining private, local, state, and federal funds to promote aquatics projects and programs within the community. • Promote donations to pool; set standards for such gifts. • Render any other advice and assistance related to aquatics services. The selection process will include a thorough review of applications, interviews and background checks. Appointments will occur in early February, with the first meeting of the Committee to be held in early March. Applications can be downloaded from the City's website at www.TukwilaWA.gov/mayor/boards.pdf, and will be accepted through January 17, 2012. For more detailed information, please contact Tukwila Parks and Recre- ation Director Rick Still at 206-767-2342. COUNCIL CHAT On the second Saturday of each month, from 10:00AM to 12:00PM Come join us at our new location: FOSTER GOLF LINKS CLUBHOUSE 13500 Interurban Avenue South Council Chat is an opportunity to stop by and informally talk with a Tukwila City Council member about anything on your mind regarding your community. Next Chat: Saturday, January 14 Share your winter adventure and win! Seattle Southside — the City's visitor center — wants to hear about your favorite winter adventures. Let us know how you spend your Seattle Southside winter and be entered to win an amazing prize package. Share your favorite place to play in the snow, your secret ice skating spot, the best place for hot chocolate or a funny family story. Visit www. SeattleSouthside.com/winter-adventure to enter and read other winter adventures. One winner will receive: • 2 round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines flying to/from Seattle • 4 night stay at Seattle Airport Marriott or Seattle Waterfront Marriott • $1,000 Westfield gift card • Dinner for 4, including gondola ride, at Summit Restaurant at Crystal Mountain • Family package at iFLY Indoor Skydiving for up to 5 people, includes a DVD of your flight and 10 flights Your journey must start in Seattle Southside, i.e., from a hotel, relative's house, personal residence, etc. Limit one entry per person. Sweepstakes runs through April 20, 2012. Police Department holds Food and Toy Drive at Westfield Mall On Saturday, December 3, the Tukwila Police Department, in partnership with Westfield Southcenter Mall, held a Food and Toy Drive benefitting the Tukwila Food Pantry and the Tukwila Parks and Recreation Depart- ment Holiday Giving Program. As a result of generous Tukwila residents and mall shoppers in the area, many cartloads of food and bags of toys were donated to the Tukwila Food Pantry and Tukwila Parks and Recreation Holiday Giving Program. Just as importantly, $2,600 was raised for these two groups, helping ensure a happier holiday for struggling families here in Tukwila. Tukwila's Police Department thanks everyone who supported this food and toy drive. The success of the event confirmed their belief that — even during these tough economic times — people are thoughtful and giving. Es- pecially appreciated is the generous donation of time by Tukwila Police Explorers, Foster High School students and Highline Community College students, who spent many hours waving signs by the side of the road and carrying donations from cars to the sorting tables, despite the cold! And please remember that, even if you missed the event on December 3, the community's need for your assistance will last beyond the holiday season. Diapers, baby formula and toilet paper are always needed, as well as a selection of foods that can be eaten without cooking or packed in aseptic packing/pouches, to help accommodate those who have difficulty in opening the foods or who have no means to prepare meals. January Programs at Foster Library FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Alphabet Adventure Story Times Tuesdays, January 3, 10, 17 & 24 - 7:00PM Ages 6 and younger with adult Wednesday Wiggles Story Times Wednesdays, January 4, 11, 18 and 25, 10.: 15AM Ages 1 to 3 with adult Foster Library - 206-242-1640 4060 S 144th Street, Tukwila FOR TEENS Game On Mondays, January 2 & 30 - 3:00PM Play videogames at the library! Study Zone Mondays, January 2, 9, 23 and 30, 6:00-8:00PM Homework help from trained volunteer tutors Teen Zone Wednesdays, January 4, 11, 18 and 25, 3.:00PM Study, make crafts, play games & watch movies!. Crime Prevention... after the holidays Tukwila's Crime Prevention Resource Team has some timely tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim. For more Crime Prevention Program information, contact Community Policing Coordinator Chris Partman at 206-431-2197, or email crimeprevention@TukwilaWA.gov Stop thieves from casing your gifts Most of us enjoy the fun of post -Christmas shopping, when the prices are right. Unfortunately, thieves also find this to be a great time to "shop," but for them that means at your house. Some things to think about as you unwrap and assemble your gifts: • Can that big -screen TV be easily seen by someone walking or driving by your house? If so, think about ways to make it harder for a potential thief to easily spot a desirable target, such as keeping blinds partly closed or changing the location of the TV or gaming system. • Do you put those large boxes out at the curb for recycling, or overfill the garbage can with Styrofoam packaging? This shows the bad guys exactly what they can expect as a "reward" for breaking into your house. Consider recycling only the number of boxes that will fit in your bin each week until they are gone, and do the same with bulky packaging. You can also take the packing materials over to Ikea in Renton, where they take cardboard and all that Styrofoam packaging for free and recycle it. Selling Online Safely After assembling the new Christmas goodies, it's time to decide what to do with the items you have displaced. One popular method of clearing clutter from your home is to list items for sale online with a service such as Craigslist. It's a very good way to sell unneeded items without having to pay for an ad, plus thousands of people check the listings daily. A few tips to keep you safe when selling anything to someone you don't know: • Do not have anyone come to your house, and do not tell the buyer exactly where you live. • Always meet the prospective buyer in a public place that is well -lit and has people around. • Never meet a buyer alone. • Do not advertise expensive items this way. Look for more secure ways to sell valuable electronics or jewelry. As a rule of thumb, if the sale price is more money than you'd want in your purse or pocket when going to the store, it might not be safe to sell to an anonymous buyer. • Ebay or other online auction sites are safer venues for selling these items, where you can receive and electronic payment after setting up a "Paypal" or other account to receive funds that are separate from your primary bank account. The down side: most of these sites charge sellers a fee for listing items. Meetina, endas, City pro, rams, recreation activities, publications and more... the most current information is always available at TukwilaWA. , ov! 1 2 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com • Foster girls win in OT The Foster girls basketball team beat Kennedy Catholic 69-68 in overtime Dec. 13. The Bulldogs (1-3 overall, 1-2 Seamount) went ahead by two points with 58 seconds left in regulation on two free throws from Sahara Hill, but Kennedy's (2-2, 1-1) Miyah Williams nailed a shot at the buzzer to tie the game. In overtime, Kennedy built a five - point lead before being called for a technical foul. Hill made three of four free throws, and Foster scored on the next possession to tie the game. Hill made two more free throws with 33 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs a two-point lead. Williams made one free throw with 6.6 seconds left and Hill rebounded the second one to seal the win for Foster. Kennedy tops Foster The Foster boys basketball team fell to Kennedy Catholic 82-56 on Dec. 13. The Bulldogs (3-2, 2-1) couldn't find enough offense to stick with the Lancers and trailed by 10 after the first quarter. Ablie Leigh led Foster with 13 points. Adem Suta added 10. Mitch Penner scored 28 for Ken- nedy. Contact and submissions: Dennis Box dbox@tukwilareporter.com or253-872-6600, ext. 5050 BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2011 Bulldog boys face tall task for the season BY ADAM MCFADDEN AMCFADDEN@ TUKWILAREPORTER.COM as-Lkast year, the Foster boys bas - I, ketball etball team had to rebuild after losing most of its start- ers to graduation. This year it faces another tall task, this year replacing one of its best players, TreVaunte Williams, who transferred just be- fore the season. Luckily, the Bulldogs have plenty of talent to fill the void and make an impact in the Seamount League. "There's room for im- provement," said Foster coach Mike Broom. "But we have a chance to be a really good team" Replacing Williams' 20.5 points per game won't be easy, but the Bulldogs do have four play- ers averaging double-digit points this year. It starts with senior wing Ablie Leigh, averaging 12.6 points per game. Dejounte Murray (11.8), Gabe Gutierrez (11.0) and Adem Suta (10.7) are also playing big roles on offense. All four are 6 -foot or taller and fast. "We have a lot of speed;' Broom said. "We don't have a ton of size, but we're long and fast:' Broom expects the athletes will enable the team to play a very up- tempo game, keeping the pressure on while on defense, using that to lead to offensive points. Leigh, a newcomer, is also lead- ing the team with 3.2 steals and 2.6 assists per game. Six -foot -2 senior Jordan White is leading the team with 5.7 rebounds per game, plus Gutierrez (5.4) and senior Ammar Husanovic (5.4) are teaming up to make up for the team's lack of in- terior size. Another bright spot is Murray. In addition to the 11.8 points per game, the freshman also second on the team with 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. "He's got a lot of potential;" Broom said. "He's got good skill and a real good feel for the game. He can shoot, he can pass, he can do it all." Broom is hoping junior guard Cedric Cooper will also play before too long. Cooper suffered an injury dur- ing football season and hasn't been able to hit the floor yet. Cooper averaged 5.9 points, 2.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game last season. Broom said his defense will be the key this season. He hopes his players can use their length to deny opposing teams' posts the ball, which will cover up the Bulldogs' lack of size inside. Foster started the season with go- ing 1-1 in non-league action, beat- ing Klahowya and falling to Ingra- ham. Then the team began league play with convincing wins against Tyee and Highline, before taking an 82-56 loss to Kennedy Catholic Dec. 13. Foster played Evergreen Dec. 16, then returns to league play Jan. 4 at Hazen. Foster's Jimaun Horton puts up two over Ingraham's Oliver Gibb, right and Gat Bol, on Dec. 2. CHARLES CORTES, Tukwila Reporter Foster girls set high goals BY ADAM MCFADDEN AMCFADDEN@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Senior Sahara Hill has filled many roles in her time at Foster. This year she is taking on one of the few she hasn't: teacher. "This year the focus is still kind of on me; she said. "But now it's more of me helping my team out. I have a responsibility to work with each individual to help improve their skills. I'll do anything I can to help them." Hill made the all-Seamount first team last sea- son after finishing third in the league with 18.8 points per game. She led the league in rebound- ing (14.1 per game), finished fifth in blocks (1.3), fourth in steals (5.0) and second in free throws attempted (209). She finished with two triple - doubles and 16 double -doubles. It's safe to say she was one of the league's best players. But this season she has her work cut out for her with a young group, featuring just three seniors. "It can be tedious and frustrat- ing; Hill said. "But I know how coaches feel now. And it helps because I can figure out what I really know and what I've learned and how to turn that around to help them." The Bulldogs' other seniors are guards Bianca Benavides and Chris Balansang. Benavides was third on the team in scoring last season at 7.4 points per game. She earned all-Seamount honorable mention. Her 3.2 assists per game led the team. Balansang averaged 4.5 points per game last year. Foster stumbled out of the gate to an 0-3 start while key players missed games. Benevides missed the first two games, something which hampered the team's development in the pres- ent, though it did provide a backup point guard Janaya Williams some valuable time on the floor. "It's tough when you don't have your point guard," coach Datri Elliott said. "But it's kind of cool that Janaya is getting actual game time and repetitions. She's just a freshman so she has a lot of time to grow." Elliot said having Benavides back will make all the difference for this team. "Once our three seniors jive and get the jitters 1 Wince our three seniors jive and get the jitters ou , we'll be fine" b Datri Elliot! Foster girls coach out, we'll be fine;' Elliot said of Benavides. "That's like our miss- ing link to everything. She's our captain on the court. Without her we were struggling." Elliot said she would rather have the team suffer a slow start, instead of going through a similar rough patch during the more cru- cial parts of the season later on. Beyond the three seniors, key players are juniors Kirsten Goins and Priscilla Donkor. Goins has improved greatly since last season and has Elliot expecting big things. "She'll be a force to be reckoned with," she said. Goins, 5 -foot -10, picked up 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 points per game in limited action last year. Donkor stands at 5 -foot -11 and is entering just her second year of playing basketball. The team's biggest lost from last year's state - tournament team is junior Shantell Jackson. Jackson, who transferred, was second on the team with 16.1 points and 10.5 points per game. She provided a valuable second scoring option to Hill, who defenses often focus on. Without Jackson, Elliot expects Goins and Benavides to [more GIRLS page 14 ] EQUAL HOUSING a OPPORTUNITY N Singing of Christmas in the Northwest Boychoir BY SARAH KEHOE SKEHOE@TUKWILAREPORTER. COM Singing in the Northwest Boy - choir for 10 years has shaped Chris Fertakis' life in many ways. The choir allowed Fertakis, 16, to experience things at a young age most adults haven't done. Since Fertakis was 6 years old he has recorded music, been taught by professional voice teachers, traveled to many places and sang with the Seattle Symphony Or- chestra. The Northwest Boychoir has 70 boys ages 9 to18, representing 44 public and private schools in the greater Seattle area of Wash- ington state. The choir provides a year-round program that includes regular twice -weekly rehearsals, a residential summer camp, a rigor- ous concert schedule and a bian- nual international tour program. "Being in the choir has influ- enced the kind of music I like and the way I listen to music;' Fertakis said. "The way I listen to music is different from how my peers at school listen to music because others just hear sounds, but I hear each individual tone and how they blend together." Fertakis and the rest of the Northwest Boychoir are celebrat- ing 33 years of a Festival of Les- sons & Carols Christmas event. The classical performance fea- tured nine holiday readings, each followed by a traditional carol performed by the choir and an- other carol sound by the choir and audience members. "I love Christmas time, so I am really exited about this concert series;' Fertakis said. "I really like the repertoire we have, there are lots of really great songs that are fun to sing." A Festival of Lessons & Carols concerts ran Dec. 9-21 at vari- ous venues throughout the Puget Sound Region. "We've had other children in the choir and have always loved watching the Christmas perfor- mance;" said Mary Fertakis, his mother. "The thing I enjoy the most about watching Chris per- form is seeing him transform into an incredible professional and produce music at that kind of level. Reach Sarah Kehoe at skehoer@ tukwilareporter.com or 253-872- 6600, ext. 5056. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 13 Chris Fertakis, 16, has been singing with the Northwest Boychoir tor 10 years since he was 6 years old. Courtesy Photo [ GRANT from page 9] opment Planning Directorate to demon- strate the feasibility of the Reusable Booster System concept. The RBS Pathfinder is a sub -scale vehicle that will be used to demonstrate key opera- tional attributes of the rocket -back maneu- ver as well as explore the flight envelope of an operational RBS vehicle. As part of this award, Andrews has been selected to con- duct RBS Pathfinder concept design matu- ration, an effort valued at just less than $2 million. "We are honored that the USAF has se- lected Andrews for this important effort," said Jason Andrews, president and CEO of Andrews Space, in the media release. "Andrews has been supporting the US Air Force and the RBS program through vari- ous system design and hardware develop- ment efforts and we look forward to lever- aging those achievements." The results of this study will help the Air Force refine its operational RBS archi- tecture and define demonstration require- ments for future RBS test vehicles. Current booster systems are entirely ex- pendable and require long Lead times prior to launch, an RBS equipped with boost - back capability could facilitate launch -site turnaround of a vehicle in less than 48 hours and vehicle launch prep in less than eight hours, according to the Wright Pat- terson Air Force Base website. Andrews Space, Inc. was founded in 1999 to be a catalyst in the commercializa- tion and development of space. The com- pany is an affordable integrator of aero- space systems and developer of advanced space technologies. The company is at 3415 S. 116th St. To learn more, visit: www.andrews- space.com. HUD Save Thousands of $$$$ H m es Please call toda 206-653-0085 S 305TH PL & 38TH AVE S $151,000 4 BD, 2 BA, 1016 SF AUBURN S 301ST PL & 32ND AVE S $135,000 3 BD, 2.5 BA, 1425 SF 4THPLSE&TSTSE $121,500 3 BD, 2 BA, 1250 SF DES MOINES 15TH AVE S & S 250TH ST $90,000 3 BD, 1 BA, 968 SF 16TH PL SW & SW 320TH PL $115,000 3 BD, 2 BA, 1396 SF FEDERAL WAY 17,711 •' S 284TH LN & 18TH AVE S $59,200 1 BD, 1 BA, 717 SF KENT SE 276TH WAY & 125TH AVE SE $147,000 3 BD,1 BA, 1260 SF SE 289TH WAY & 207TH AVE SE $176,400 4 BD, 2.50 BA, 1875 SF Attend a FREE webinar to (earn the ins -and -outs of buying a HUD home .. . Dec 20 or Dec 27 or Jan 3 or Jan 10 • 6:00 — 7:00 pm. Register at www.TheseHomesSaveThousands.com SE 256TH ST & 135TH AVE SE $52,200 2 BD, 1.5 BA, 945 SF KENT SE 271ST ST & 110TH AVE SE $200,000 4 BD, 2.50 BA, 1906 SF SE 287TH ST & 231ST AVE SE $120,000 3 BD, 1 BA, 960 SF GRANT AVE S & S 18TH ST $80,500 3 BD, 2.50 BA, 1336 SF SEATTLE 2ND AVE S & S 128TH ST $135,000 3 BD, 2 BA, 1464 SF 42ND AVE S&S 216TH ST $115,000 2 BD, 2 BA, 1001 SF 62ND AVE S & S 153RD ST $72,000 2BD,1.5BA,1196SF TUKWILA 57TH AVE S & S 144TH ST $95,000 2 BD, 1 BA, 924 SF Find your HUD home and get your FREE photo list at www.WAFreePhotoList.com K KNOWLES TEAM REAL ESTATE Keller Williams Realty Greater Seattle www.goKteam.com 206-653-0085 BuyHUD@go2sk.com 14 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Teen video contest offered by state library A teen video contest is under way to help promote reading and libraries. The Washington State Li- brary is offering teens that enjoy making videos the chance to put their skills toward a good cause. The "2012 Teen Video Challenge" is a national video competition. Its goal is for more teens to get in- volved with reading and their public library's sum- mer reading program. The contest ends March 9. The Washington State Library is partnering with the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) to promote the video contest. "Thanks to computers, it's easy to make videos, and teens love to make them;" said Rand Simmons, state librarian. "We hope they'll put that talent and creativ- ity to good use here by join- ing this contest and creating videos that highlight how reading and libraries can be a fun and important part of summertime for teens:' Teens across the country are invited to create a 30 to 90 -second public service announcement video with their unique interpreta- tion of the 2012 teen slogan "Own the Night" in com- bination with reading and libraries. The video produced by a Washington student or group of students that best encourages use of their lo- cal public libraries and pro- motes reading all summer long will take the state con- test prize. The top video will be fea- tured throughout 2012 as the official PSA for Wash- ington's Summer Reading Program. The CSLP will award $275 to each State Teen Video Challenge Winner. Each winner's public library or member affiliate will re- ceive $100 from CSLP and $50 from Upstart. The winning video from each participating state will be named one of the CSLP 2012 Teen Videos to promote summer reading nationwide. At the con- clusion of the competition, all winning videos will be made available to view on the CSLP website. In addition, the Wash- ington State Library and Office of Secretary of State will post the top 10 Wash- ington applicant videos on the Secretary of State's web- site. Here is how to take part in the contest: • Go to "Own the Night" Teen Video Challenge 2012. • Create a 30 to 90 -second video that encourages teens to read and use libraries this summer. Include your interpretation of the 2012 CSLP teen slogan "Own the Night." • Explore the "Resource for video creation" page for additional ideas and infor- mation. • Entitle your video: "2012 TVC-WA-Unique Name." Please choose a unique name that does not include your real name (ex- ample: 2012 TVC-WA-J. Smith-Krpton123) • Upload your video to YouTube.com or Vimeo. com • Fill out Model Release form and Entry form • Mail completed forms by March 9 to: 2012 Teen Video Chal- lenge Washington State Li- brary 6880 Capital Blvd. S. PO Box 42460 Olympia, WA, 98504. Winners will be an- nounced by CSLP in spring 2012. The Washington State Library's Summer Read- ing program can be found at www.sos.wa.gov/li- brary/libraries/projects/ summerreading/. To learn more, visit the Teen Video Challenge homepage at www.sos. wa.gov/library/libraries/ proj ects/summerreading/. The Teen Video chal- lenge began early this year when CSLP encouraged teens to create videos tell- ing their friends and fellow teens across the U.S. about libraries and summertime reading for fun. To view last year's winning videos, visit the CSLP "2011 Win- ners Page" at cslpreads. org/winners.html. The CSLP is a grass- roots consortium of 50 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa and the Mariana Islands work- ing together to provide children, teens and fami- lies with summer reading program and promotional materials for public librar- ies. For full details about the CSLP "2012 Teen Video Challenge" and to find out how to enter your state's competition, please visit www.cslpreads.org. Puget Sound Energy LED bulb instant rebates Puget Sound Energy has recently intro- duced a new instant rebate for up to $10 off energy-efficient light emitting diode (LED) bulbs for residential electric customers looking for efficient lighting options. The rebate is PSE's first LED bulb rebate for residential electric customers, accord- ing to a PSE media release. "LED bulbs are the most efficient bulbs you can buy," said Cal Shirley, vice presi- dent of Energy Efficiency Services at PSE. "We're excited to offer this new rebate to our customers, providing our customers even more choices when it comes to ener- gy-efficient lighting for their home:' PSE customers can receive an instant rebate of up to $10 off a variety of Energy Star -qualified LED bulbs. Depending on the type of bulb, the after -rebate price to customers ranges between $15 and $50. Customers can purchase rebated Energy Star -qualified LED bulbs at participating retailers including Costco, Lowe's and The Home Depot. After purchasing LED bulbs custom- ers can take an online survey at PSE.com/ LEDsurvey to be entered in a drawing for one of five $100 pre -paid gift cards. Energy Star -qualified LED bulbs use up to 85 percent less energy than incan- descent bulbs and last up to 22 times lon- ger. In 2010, PSE was among 14 utili- ties and energy efficiency organizations to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy's Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition to field test energy-efficient LED bulbs to replace the standard 60 -watt incandescent bulb. The L Prize competition was designed to en- courage lighting manufactures to make energy-efficient LED bulbs that provide the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs and use less energy. In August, the DOE announced Philips Lighting North America as the L Prize winner of the 60 -watt replacement bulb category. Philips' winning LED bulb was [ GIRLS from page 12] pick up the scoring slack behind Hill. For now, the biggest work is on build- ing the team's chemistry and bringing the younger players up to speed with the veteran group. "There's a lot of patience involved;' Bal- ansang said. "There's a lot on us to carry the time, and it's a pretty big challenge' Foster gave a glimpse of what the team can do when it's running at full steam Dec. 13 when it beat Kennedy Catholic 69-68 in overtime. The Lancers have been to state every year since 2001 and won the 3A state title in 2009. The Bulldogs faced Evergreen Dec. 16, then get back to Seamount competition Jan. 4. "My goal is still to go to state' Hill said. "Even if I have to carry them on my back."We'll get it together by midseason." the first entry to successfully meet all competition requirements including ex- tensive field and laboratory assessment, stress testing, and a required lifetime of more than 25,000 hours. The winning LED bulb is expected to arrive in stores as soon as early 2012. For more information about LED bulbs or to find a retailer who carries PSE rebated LED bulbs visit PSE.com/LED or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562- 1482, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. To learn more about en- ergy -efficiency rebates and incentives to Re -Energize your home, visit PSE.com/ Rebates or call an Energy Advisor. 25%OFF Lunch or Dinner Entree* -Enjoy Christmas With Us - 3 Courses for $29.95 Choose from Delicious Entrees Starters and Holiday Desserts Served from 12pm-9pm Christmas Day 12/25 basil's KITCHEN *Offer expires 1/15/12. Must be presented at time of service. Not valid with any other offer. Offer valid any day of the week. 554533 Basil's Kitchen and Bar is located at the Embassy Suites 15920 West Valley Highway, Tukwila, WA 98188 (425) 227-9406 TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE CUISINE NOW IN TUKWILA! o1'w! , DINE -IN SPECIAL 20% OFF ENTIRE PURCHASE Must present coupon. Expires 12/31/11. 1 TAKE OUT SPECIAL 15%OFF ALL TAKEOUT ORDERS 1 Must present coupon. Expires 12/31/11. 1 1. Full Bar with Specialty Martinis Full Menu online at www.basilvietnamese.com www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 1 f Local Cuisine MEX;CAN RESTAURANTS 17555 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila, WA 98188 (206) 575-0990 HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY FROM 3 - 7 PM TT U© 02 OFF LUNCH OL3 @ .D 0 ' DINNER WITH THE PURCHASE OF TWO (2) ENTREES & TWO (2) BEVERAGES (One (1) coupon per table. Valid Monday through 1 Friday. Can not be used on any Happy Hour, Party 1 Platters, or limited time offers.) 1 17555 Southcenter Parkway 1 Tukwila, WA 98188 I (206) 575-0990 I 2 549324 17308 Southcenter Parkway • Tukwila M-Sa 11:OOam-10:OOpm • Su 11:30am-9:OOpm 206-575-7677 • www.basilvietnamese.com Leaded Wide Tukwila Trading Company $100 off a Holiday Drink 206.246.2233 Serving a "Cue cf Love" to each, custeoter! NOW ROASTING.. / THE VASHON ISLAND (COFFEE ROASTERIE YOUR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS? ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS THE tukwila reporter 4* Delve every third Wednesday of the month. nline 24/7 at eporter.corr To advertise please contact a sales representative at 253-872-6600 IHOD ' THE HOLIDAYS CAN KEEP YOUR STRENGTH SIRLOIN TIPS DINNER E S a u R g H r - w— BE EXHAU511NG UP STEAK . - . —.4 saxl nur - • i r7.. - Make it an ;Hop day. Please call us about our nightly dinner specials! SEATAC 20402 International Blvd 206-592-5928 s Yum. NOW OPEN 24 HOURS 16 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Tukwila School District #406 December 2011 Foster Library events and activities for students Check out the following helpful and fun things to do at the Foster Library & online at kcls.org Need a little extra help with that math homework? Want someone to critique that AP English paper? Foster Library's Study Zone is the perfect place to get free assis- tance with any homework. Tutors are available on Mondays from 6-8pm for all grade levels. KCLS is now offering a new online tutoring service. Online tutors are available 7 days a week from 1 pm until 10pm to assist students with the MSP, HSPE and SAT. Select your test and grade level and set your own pace with expert tutors pro- vided by Brainfuse. The new Washington State testing for students in grades 3-8 is the MSP ( Measurement of Stu- dent Progress) and the HSPE ( High School Pro- ficiency Exam) for high school students. Both of these replace the WASL. Game On! Test your gaming skills at our weekly open play video game program. We've got tons of games for Wii, xBox 360, PS3 and more. No need to sign up, just stop by and prepare yourself for victory. School Early Release and Holidays, 3pm. Live Homework Help® Students in grades K-12, entry level college and adult learners can receive specialized one-on-one tutoring help in the areas of math, science, Eng- lish and social studies. This service is also avail- able in Spanish. Professional tutors are available online from 2pm-Midnight, 7 days a week. Live Tutor - GED Preparation Connect with an online tutor for one-on-one as- sistance preparing for the GED test in math, sci- ence, social studies and English. This service is also available in Spanish. Professional tutors are available online from 2pm-Midnight, 7 days a week. Immunizations Are Required For School Attendance School Exclusion To Occur Currently, there are 112 Tukwila School District students who are out of compliance because they do not have the required im- munizations. There were 418 students out of compliance during the last school year. In our effort to meet Immunization Compli- ance, as required in RCW 210.0890, the Tuk- wila School District continues to implement an Immunization Compliance action plan. In the beginning of October of this year, par- ents should have received letters as part of the four step Compliance Notification process; letters were only sent to students who were in need of immunizations. Step 1: Notice of Incomplete Immunization letter: 10/1 1 /1 1. Step 2: Pre -Exclusion letter: 1 1 /4/1 1. Step 3: Notification of School Exclusion letter: Certified Mail December 13, 201 1 . Step 4: School Exclusion will occur upon the return from Winter Break - January 3, 2012. Within each letter, parents will find informa- tion regarding the specific immunizations needed and local immunization clinics provid- ing immunizations. If parents have any ques- tions and/or concerns, contact information is included in the letter as well. school connection is presented by the Tukwila School District Board of Directors: Mark Wahlstrom, President, 206.243.9855 Steve Mullet, Vice -President, 206.244.7553 Mary Fertakis, 206.767.6053 Dave Larson, 206.244.2313 Alicia Waterton, 206.248.4302 Superintendent: Ethelda Burke, 206.901.8006 Assistant Superintendent: Dr. Mellody Matthes, 206.901.8010 Tukwila School District #406 www.tukwila.wednet.edu • 206.901.8000 4640 South 144th Street, Tukwila, Washington 98168 College Board places Tukwila School District on Honor Roll On behalf of the College Board®, I am pleased to congratulate Tukwila School District 406 as one of fewer than 400 public school districts in the nation honored by the College Board® with a place on the 2nd Annual AP® Honor Roll List, for opening AP® classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earn- ing scores of 3 or higher. This letter serves as authorization for your district to include the credential of being named a 201 1- 2012 AP® Honor Roll in your web and print district profiles and other materials that highlight recognitions, honors, and distinc- tions earned by your district. You can do this starting as early as November 1st, when the official announcement will be made. Improvement in AP® results typically takes sustained effort; the District Honor Roll is based on examination of three years of AP® data: 2009, 2010, and 2011 data from all students who took AP® Examinations in May of those years. Within the three year analysis, inclusion on the list is based on the following criteria: 1. Examination of three years of AP® data, from 2009 to 201 1; 2. Increase in participation in/access to AP® by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts and at least 11 percent in small districts; 3. A steady or increasing percentage of exams taken by African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students; and 4. Performance levels maintained or improved when comparing the percentage of students in 201 1 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2009, or the school has already attained a perfor- mance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP® stu- dents are scoring a 3 or higher. These nation-wide measurable achievements in AP® classes are noteworthy and newsworthy. From the overall Honor Roll List, four school districts in the nation will be honored with 201 1 AP® District of the Year awards. Three represent large, me- dium and small districts that have achieved the most significant improvements in the nation in access to college -level AP® cours- es and student performance on the end -of -course AP® Exam. One district will receive The Beacon Award for its profound achieve- ment in using AP® to create a culture focused on college readi- ness. The Tukwila School District is grateful for this recognition from the College Board. This encourages us to continue to strive to give our students a better chance and equal opportunities year after year. Walking School Bus Continues to be a Success Walk to School Week (November 13-19, 201 1) at Thorndyke Elementary School culminated with "Walking School Buses" in which students walked to school from three different locations with parents and teaching staff. Par- ents and students who participated received treats of fruit and granola bars when they arrived at school. Approximately thirty-six students, eight parents, and six teachers/staff participated in the walk! The number of students walk- ing to school increased steadily over the week with the highest number of walkers on Friday when over 25% of the students walked. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 i 17 Tukwila School District #406 December 2011 Tu kwi la's Fertakis installed as president of state school boards association Tukwila School Director Mary Fertakis has been sworn in as presi- dent of the Washington State School Directors' Association, an orga- nization made up of the state's 1,477 locally elected school board members. The installa- tion of officers took place November 27 during the WSSDA Annual Confer- ence in Bellevue. Fertakis was elected president-elect by WSSDA members last year. Under the associa- tion's bylaws, the president-elect au- tomatically becomes president the follow- ing year. As WSSDA president for 2012, Fertakis serves as an advocate for school boards and their efforts to promote student achievement. The president represents the association and communicates its positions to legisla- tors, members of Congress, the State Board of Education, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the U.S. De- partment of Education. Fertakis has been a member of the Tuk- wila School Board for 16 years, serving as the board president, vice president and legislative representative. She has been active in the association through service on the WSSDA Board of Direc- tors, Legislative Committee, Urban Issues Committee, Federal Relations Network, the Achievement Gap Task Force and D -MAT. She is a 2006 gradu- ate of the association's Leadership WSSDA training program. The last Tukwila school director to be president of WSSDA was Herman An- derson, in 1941. Anderson was one of the people who helped to establish WSSDA. The Tukwila School District administration building was named after him as part of the 2008 Tukwila Centennial. CARE (Clothes Are Really Expensive) Night Reports Cascade View: 620 people attended the Cascade View (CV) CARE Night: an all-time record! Many, many pounds of donated clothing were distributed including shoes and coats for the whole family. 85 bicycle helmets were fitted and distributed by the fire department. Many thanks to all the CV staff and the students at Foster High School who volunteered their time to make it possible. And to the many community organizations who collabo- rated by attending the resource fair and donating clothing, including the Fire Department, King County Public Health, Airport Jobs, New Hope Community Health Clinic, Starfire Sports, ReWA, King County Public Library, City of Tukwila Parks and Rec, City of Tukwila Human Services, and many more. Thorndyke: The first CARE Night of the school year was held on Thursday, October 27th. It was the most highly attended CARE Night Thorndyke has ever held! A to- tal of 384 kids and families were able to shop for 15 items each. Sadly, we quickly ran out of coats. However, our families who are battling homelessness were able to shop before other families, so we feel thankful that they were able to receive coats. As a special surprise, all participants were able to take home a "Sounders FC Camps" tee shirt. We will continue to collect donations for winter clothing in the hopes that we can help to meet the needs of all of our families. Special thanks to the Foster High School students who helped to make this event a success! Showalter and Foster: Showalter Middle School was proud to host the first CARE Night in our district for secondary aged students and their parents on Tuesday October 25th. Sec- ondary level CARE nights were difficult to plan in years' past, as donations of teen and young adult clothing tend to be harder to come by. However, the Showalter and Foster staff hosted cloth- ing drives that brought in an amazing amount of clothing, including 66 pair of jeans donated by Plato's Closet. 1 36 students and their parents were able to take home large bags full of clothing that will hopefully outfit them for the cold weather ahead. Over all of the CARE Nights, approxi- mately 1450 people were able to walk away with clothing to hopefully get them through the winter. What an amazing ef- fort! However, we know that needs will continue to arise as situations change and new folks arrive. If you know of a child who needs to visit the clothing bank, please e-mail Katrina Dohn at dohnk@tukwila.wednet.edu. If you'd like to donate clothing, shoes, jackets, or other items, such as school supplies, please contact any of the schools. Girls on the Run King 5 will feature the Tukwila Elementa- ry School "Girls on the Run" program on Evening Magazine in December or Janu- ary. The Tukwila School District program is facilitated by Brenda Schenck, a para educator at Tukwila Elementary School. Girls on the Run is so much more than a 5K run; it is a program that gives girls in nur rnmmunity tnnic to nvarrnma tha negative stereotypes that can lead to low self-esteem and destructive behaviors. Through a combination of exhilarating running games, life lessons and focused discussions, Girls on the Run builds self- esteem and encourages positive social, emotional and physical well-being. www.girlsrun.org The Girls on the Run program is facili- tated by Brenda Schenck, a para educator at Tukwila Elementary. About WSSDA Founded in 1922, the Washington State School Directors' Association is comprised of all 1,477 school board members from Washington's 295 school districts. The districts they lead serve more than one million students, have a combined annual budget of $6 billion, and employ nearly 100,000 people. WSSDA's core mission is focused on ensuring that school board members have the knowledge, tools and services they need to effectively govern their dis- tricts and improve student learning. For Additional Information, Contact: David Brine, WSSDA Communications Director Office: 360.252.3013, Mobile: 360.280.9898, d.brine@wssda.org 2nd Annual SUENOS Conference SUENOS Mission: The Foster High School eStudiantes Utilizando Edu- cacion por un maNana de Oportunidades y exitoS (SUENOS) Conference empowers Latino/a students to make a positive impact on their homes, school, and community. About SUENOS: Foster High School's (FHS) 2nd Annual SUENOS Confer- ence is targeting the Latino/a students and parents at Foster High School. SUENOS provides workshops in English & Spanish on various topics such as academic success, striving for goals, healthy relationships, and giving back to your community. Students will leave this conference with a plan of action on how they can make a positive impact in their home, school and community. Parents will leave with the knowledge of on how to success- fully support their children through the high school years and beyond by utilizing education. Origins of SUENOS: Between 2005 and 2010 Latino students from FHS attended events and conferences focused on the Latino/a community, in- cluding LEAP and CASHE. After each conference students return to cam- pus energized to make changes in their school and community. Drawing from this inspiration, staff and students wanted to further personalize and extend similar opportunities of growth and empowerment to all Latino stu- dents at FHS. Thus, SUENOS was born. As the Latino/a population at FHS continues to grow (24%), we know that as a community we can make fun- damental changes in the attitudes, academic achievement, and community involvement of our young people. The end goal is to support all of our students to pursue their education, cease opportunities, and fulfill their DREAMS. This year's SUENOS conference was a huge success. Keynote Speaker David Estrada of the Seattle Sounders kicked off the event with an inspiring per- sonal story for the 125 students, teachers, and community members who attended the morning session. Students then participated in their choice of breakout sessions, which included such topics as leadership, college, resume writing, building good relationships, culture and heritage, and dis- cussions with a panel of former Foster students who are currently attending college. A number of local restaurants and community members donated food for breakfast and lunch. Sessions for both students and parents were held during the afternoon. The event culminated with students sharing reflections and insights about what they learned during the conference. Thanks to all the community members and organizations who contributed to the success of the conference. For more information about SUENOS or to find out how you can be involved in the next conference, please contact Andrea Gamboa or Jorge Torres at Foster High School, 206.901.7900. 18 ( DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Tukwila School District #406 December 2011 isHave more for your student success. 5iiFree Tax Preparation United Way 0 United Way of King County A free service for households making less than $50,000 Secure all the credits you're eligible for... • Child Tax Credit • Education Credits • Afterschool Care Credits • Earned Income Tax Credit Have more money for your child's success in school... • School Supplies • Books • Technology • Clothing • Taxes are prepared by IRS -certified volunteers. • Many sites have volunteers who speak other languages. • Walk-in. No appointment is necessary. • Find out if your family is eligible for public benefits including food stamps. For more information, call 2-1-1, or TEXT the word TAX and your 5 -digit ZIP CODE to 57682 unitedwayofkingcounty.org/taxhelp Tenga mos ingresos. Tenga mos para el exito de su estudiante. Preparacion Gratuita de Declaracion de Impuestos Obtenga todos los creditos para los que es elegible... • Credito Fiscal por Hijo • Credito Fiscal sobre lngresos Ganados • Credito Fiscal por Ensenanza Superior • Creditos sobre Cuidado de Ninos despues de clases Servicio gratuito para los hogares que ganan menos de $50,000 Tenga mos dinero para el exito de su nino en la escuela... • Utiles escolares • Libros • Tecnologia • Ropa • Las declaraciones de impuestos son preparadas por voluntarios certificados por el IRS. • Muchos sitios tienen voluntarios que hablan otros idiomas. • Visita sin necesidad de cita previa. • Averigue tambien si su familia es elegible para recibir beneficios publicos, incluyendo cupones para alimentos. This event/activity is NOT being sponsored by the school district and the district assumes no responsibility for the conduct at or safety of the event/activity. In consideration for the privilege to distribute these materials, the school district shall be held harmless from any cause of action, claim, or petition filed In any court or administrative tribunal arising out of the distribution of these materials, including all costs, attorney's fees, and judgments or awards. LOCATION: HOURS: Services in ENGLISH and: Auburn City Hall 25 W. Mao St. 98001 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Wednesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Thursdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Spanish Spanish, Russian and Ukranian Spanish Also open Mondays, 5 P.m. -9 n I,I. San I0 ' Feb 24 Bellevue Hopelink 14812 Mao St 98007 Tuesdays 1 P.M. -5 P.M. Thursdays 1 P.M. -9 P.M.' Saturdays 10 A.M.-2 P.M.' Chinese, Japanese Chinese, Japanese Chinese, Japanese and Russian Also open Tuesdays, 5P.m.-9 P. San 10 Feb24 Crossroads Bellevue N.E. 8th St. & 156th Ave. N.E. 98008 Wednesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Thursdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Saturdays 11 a a.-3 P.M. Chinese, Spanish and Russian Chinese, Spanish and Russian Chinese, Spanish and Russian Burien Goodwill Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. 512808 Ambaum Blvd. S.W. 98146 Saturdays 10 A.M.-2 P.M. Spanish Spanish and Vietnamese m ,-i i•nnbtlaya. 5,.a.-9 P.M. Jan 10- Fel, 'y.! Multi -Service Center 3 1200 S. 336th St. 98093 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Wednesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M.' Thursdays 5 p.m. -9 P.M. Russian Amharic/Tigringa Korean Also open Mondays, 5 P.M. 9 P.m. Jan 10 - F1b Highline Cammunity College Outreach Center 23835 Pacific Highway South Ste. 101. 98198 Thursdays 4 P.m. -8 P.M. Saturdays 9 A.M.-1 P.M. Chinese Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese x WA Women's Employment and Education Center 515 W. Harrison St. 98032 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -8 P.M. Thursdays 5 p.m. -3 p.m. Saturdays 1 P.m. -4 P.M. .:open Saedays,9A.o-12P.m. Jan 10 Chinese and Vietnamese Vietnamese Vietnamese Fen" Salvation Army Renton Rotary 5 Food Bank 206 S. Tobin St. 98055 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Wednesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Sundays 12 P.M. -4 P.M. Spanish Spanish Chinese Also open Mondays. b P.a.-9 P.m. Jan 10 - Feb'.' LCSNW/Angle Lake a Family Resource Center n 4040 S. 188th St. 98188 Mondays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Tuesdays 1 P.M. -9 P.M. Saturdays 9 A.M.-1 P.M. Amharic, Spanish and Vietnamese Spanish Spanish -, Beacon Hill El Centro de la Raza 2524 16th Ave. S. 98144 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Thursdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Saturdays 10 A.M.-2 P.M.' Arabic and Spanish Spanish and Chinese ,c open Wednesdays. 5 PM -9 p.m. Jan 10 - Feb 24 Central District Thursdays 5 P.5.-9 P.M. Yesler Cammunity Center Saturdays 10 A.M.-2 P.M. 917 E. Yesler Way 98122 gays, 5',30 PM. -9 P.m. Jan 10 - Fen ' -4 Downtown Mondays 3 P.M. -7 P.M. Downtown Seattle Library Tuesdays 12 P.M. -7 5.. 1000 495 Ave. 98104 Wednesdays 12 5.4.-7 P.M. Thursdays 12 P.M. -7 P.M. Saturdays 12 P.m. -4 P.M. Sundays 1 P.M. -5 P.M. Chinese Chinese Chinese and Spanish Chinese Chinese and Spanish Chinese and Vietnamese Lake City Lake City Neighborhood Service Center 12525 28th Ave. N.E. 98125 Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M. Thursdays 5 p.m. -9 P.M. Saturdays 11 A.M.-3 PM. Also open Mondays. 5 em. -9. M- Jan 10 - Russian and Chinese Feb 2- South Seattle Rainier Community Center 4600 38th Ave. S. 98118 Wednesdays 5 P.M. -8 P.M. Thursdays 5 P.m. -8 P.M. Saturdays 11 A.M.-3 P.M. Sundays 11 am. -3 P.M. Vietnamese White Center Tuesdays 5 P.M. -9 P.M.' YWCA Greenbridge Thursdays 5 P.m. -9 P.M. 9720 8th Ave. S.W. 98106 Fridays 12 P.M. -4 P.M.` Saturdays 12 P.m. -4 cm. Spanish Spanish Spanish Spanish and Vietnamese Shoreline Hopelink Wednesdays 5 P.m. -9 P.M.' 15809 Westminster Way N. (next to Thursdays 1 P.m. -9 P.M. o Marshall's in the Aurora Square Plaza) 98133 Saturdays 10 A.m.-2 pm. Vietnamese Vietnamese Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese Free ITIN Acceptance Agent Services available. All sites have limited capacity. Please arrive early for the best chance of being served. What to bring to the tax site: W -2s or other statements for you and your spouse from ALL your employers • Picture ID • Social Security card or ITIN number and birthdates for everyone on your return • Any 1099 Forms (for income from interest, dividends, retirement, social security or unemployment) • Name, address and taxpayer identification number of child care provider if you pay for daycare • Records of student loan payments • Records of payments for educational expenses, such as college tuition • Mortgage interest and property tax statements if you own a home • Bank account number, for direct deposit • A copy of last year's tax return, if you have it • If filing jointly, both filer and spouse must be present to file electronically United Way et King County Free Tax Preparation Campaign sponsors: BOE/Af6 Microsoft' KeyBank OTC S City of Seattle Walmdrt iii. unitedwayofkingcounty.org/taxhelp December 2011 8 Winter Band Concert 13 School Board Meeting - 6:30pm 13 Showalter Middle School & Foster High School Choir Concert 16 Cascade View Winterfest Concert 19-30 Winter Break (No School) January 2012 2 Winter Break (No School) 9 PTA Meeting, 6:30PM - Cascade View Elementary School 11 SMART Wednesday 12 Financial Aid Night - Foster High School 12 PTA Meeting - Tukwila Elementary School 16 MLK Jr. Day (No School) 19 East African Family Night at Showalter, 5:30-7:30 24 Class Picture Day - Tukwila Elementary School 25 SMART Wednesday 26 Literacy Night, 6:OOPM - Thorndyke Elementary School 30 No School February 2012 6 PTA Meeting, 6:30PM - Cascade View Elementary School 8 SMART Wednesday 9 PTA Meeting, 6:30PM - Thorndyke Elementary School 10 PTA Family Fun Night, 6:OOPM - Thorndyke Elementary School 14 PTA Fundraiser Begins - - Tukwila Elementary School 14-17 ASB Spirit Week - Showalter Middle School 20-21 Winter Break (No School) 28 Book for Breakfast, 8:00-8:40AM - Thorndyke Elementary School 29 SMART Wednesday Visit: www.tukwila.wednet.edu for up-to-date information about your schools Thorndyke Elementary Elections by Theren Hayes, 5th Grade Teacher Thorndyke Elementary held its 6th annual student council officer voting on Thursday, October 26. It will con- tinue to recruit students for classroom representatives this coming week. The student council at Thorndyke Elemen- tary School is made up of 4th and 5th grade students that apply for either the president, vice president, or secretary office or one of the two classroom representatives for the student council facilitator, organized a Google Form and shared it on a web- site for fourth and fifth grade classes to then vote for their choice of presi- dent, vice president and secretary. Classroom representatives will be voted on next week. The main jobs of student council are to help teach how to The winners are: Michael Ibarra - president Dante' Larson - vice president Nechelle Butler - secretary. fourth and fifth grade classrooms. This election was unique in that it used the district supplied Google Apps and a few iPads to create an electronic ballot. Mr. Theren Hayes, be good leaders, giving students a voice and chance to help, and also building our sense of community by giv- ing back. The student council will now take on two tasks immedi- ately: a food drive for the Tukwila Food Pantry and having a used book sale to raise money for more books in our own Thorndyke library. The Tukwila School District complies with all federal rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin (including language), religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation (including gender expression or identity), veteran or military status, non -program -related physi- cal, sensory or mental disabilities, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. This holds true for all students who are interested in participating in educational programs and/ or extracurricular school activities, or in the recruitment and employment of personnel. Inquiries regard- ing compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the school district's Title IX/RCW 28A.640 officer and/or Section 504/ADA coordinator located at 4640 South 144th Street, Tukwila, WA 98168: Nina Melencio, Title IX/RCW 28A.640 Officer (206.901.8005) and Gwen Estes -Zuehlke, Section 504/ADA Coordina- tor (206.901.8035). The Tukwila School District will also take steps to ensure that national origin persons who lack English language skills can participate in all education programs, services and activities. For information regarding translation services or transitional bilingual education programs, contact the Student Services Department at 206-901-8025. Fretakis president of state association BY SARAH KEHOE SKEHOE@ TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Tukwila School Board Director Mary Fertakis is passionate about educa- tion. Not just because she has had children in the Tuk- wila School District, but because she cares about the students. That's why Ferta- kis has been a member of the Tukwila School Board for 16 years, serving as the board president, vice presi- dent and legislative repre- sentative. "I'm not one of those people that does something just to do it;' Fertakis said. "I did this because I believe in education and want to make things better for the kids. For me, that meant putting myself out there in a leadership position so I can have more of a voice for the students." Fertakis was sworn in as president of the Washing- ton State School Directors' Association Nov 27. The association is an organiza- tion made up of the state's 1,477 locally elected school board members. Fertakis was elected pres- ident-elect by association members last year. Under the association's bylaws, the president-elect automati- cally becomes president the following year. "While I was excited to have this new position, the weight of responsibility definitely settled in," Ferta- kis said. "This is not a good time for education, it is on the chopping block for all kinds of (state) cuts:' As president for 2012, Fertakis serves as an ad- vocate for school boards and their efforts to pro- mote student achievement. The president represents the association and com- municates its positions to legislators, members of Congress, the State Board of Education, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the U.S. Department of Education. "I feel so honored to rep- resent my district and my state;' Fertakis said. The last Tukwila school director to be president of the association was Her- man Anderson, in 1941. Anderson was one of the people who helped to es- tablish the association. Founded in 1922, the Washington State School Directors' Association is comprised of all 1,477 school board members from Washington's 295 school districts. The dis- tricts they lead serve more than one million students, have a combined annual budget of $6 billion and employ nearly 100,000 people. The association is fo- cused on ensuring that school board members have the knowledge, tools and services they need to effectively govern their dis- tricts and improve student learning. Fertakis has been active in the association through service on the association's board of directors, Legis- lative Committee, Urban Issues Committee, Fed- eral Relations Network, the Achievement Gap Task Force and D -MAT. Fertakis has many goals for this year already. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2011 19 Mary Fertakis was sworn in as president of the state School Directors' Association. Courtesy photo "Part of my job is to re- mind the legislature that they took an oath to protect education when they were sworn in," Fertakis said. "I want to protect education funding:' Fertakis will testify with other school board mem- bers from around the state in Olympia in 2012. She has already gone to Olympia to speak against education cuts to rural schools. "Any kind of cut you to do a high poverty school district is disproportionate in comparison to their af- fluent neighbors;" Fertakis said. "I want to remind our legislatures that they have Free for Residents and Small Businesses Celebrate your well-trained dog! All types of training for all dogs! Puppy manners through off -leash control. Agility, CGC & more! $20 OFF on your first 7 -week session of classes with this ad (new clients only). Valid through 1/21/12. Promo Code: 2OTukwila Mc FAMILY DOG TRAINING CENTER 253 -854 -WOOF www.familydogonline.com to consider this when mak- ing cuts." Fertakis also wants to build connections between schools and businesses/ companies that students can work at. "I'd love to help facilitate the various entities, coor- dinate and dialog together, so that the school district, technical colleges, local businesses and more are working together to provide our kids with the means to take available jobs," Ferta- kis said. Reach Sarah Kehoe at ske- hoer@tukwilareporter.com or 253-872-6600 ext. 5056. Boulevard cleanup The Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee will end 2011 with a litter pick up from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31.The location varies, so send an email to rick@ forschler.org. Break for parents Parents Night Out is the first Friday of every month at the Tukwila Community Center. Take the night off and city staff will treat the kids to pizza, swimming, movies and other activities. Fee is $15 for residents and $19 for non-residents. Call the Tukwila Community Center to sign up, 206-768- 2822. Teen program The Tukwila Late Night Program for teens provides a safe environment with activities and games for teens who want to have a fun experience and hang out with their friends. The January programs are Jan. 20 and Jan. 27, for grades 6-12.Times are 8-11 p.m.; the fee is $2. Call the Tukwila Community Center, 206-768-2822 for more information. Chamber awards luncheon The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce Recognition and Awards Luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 13 at the Cedarbrook Lodge, 18525 36th Ave. S., SeaTac.The chamber will introduce new board members for 2012, award chamber member businesses for outstanding effort in various categories and do an annual report on the chamber. For more information or to register call Brenna Arnesen 206-575-1633 for go to www.swkcc.org/index.asp. An amazing scavenger hunt Tukwila's Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt is Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Westfield Mall. In this takeoff from the TV show"The Amazing Race;' Tukwila's seniors can compete for prizes in their own race. Fee is $17 for residents. Call the Tukwila Community Center for more information or to register, 206-768-2822. Recreation guide is online The City ofTukwila Winter Recreation Guide is available online at the city's website, www.tukwilawa.gov, where residents can sign up for classes offered at the Tukwila Community Center. Fastrak Building Inspections has been authorized by the City of Tukwila, Department of Community Development to perform Rental Housing Licensing Inspections as required by the city. • WA State Licensed Home Inspector • 16 years experience Call Leo 206-795-2499 for information or appointment 560456 Home Inspector License #245 20 DECEMBER 2011 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com IN WASHINGTON FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT 3 YEARS RUNNING Active Joint Center patients loving life and living without pain. See more joint replacement patients doing what they enjoy at facebook.com/valleymed. Another Top Ranking for Joint Replacement With more than 8000 joint replacement surgeries performed, Washington's first joint center is also the state's best, according to HealthGrades® for 2010, 2011 and 2012—and has received its Five -Star Rating in Joint Replacement for nine consecutive years. *** HEALTHG RADES® 2010 2011 2012 An acclaimed model for best practices and recently celebrating our llth anniversary, The Joint Center is led by nationally recognized surgeons in procedures, implant design and research, along with our team of specialized joint replacement nurses and therapists. State-of-the-art surgical techniques and implant selection, brand new facilities on a dedicated floor in our South Tower, attentive care and personalized therapy, private rooms and the success of nearly 1300 surgeries performed just last year, make The Joint Center your top choice for joint replacement. For more information, to obtain a physician referral or to attend a FREE joint replacement seminar, please visit us at valleymed.org/joint or call us at 425.656.4636. valleymed.org/joint The Joint Center UW Medicine VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER Remarkable things happen here:® 548593