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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12 Tukwila ReporterLc....„.e1. AN EKBERG `FIRST FAMILY CHRISTMAS SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-16 [see us online kwww.tukwilareporter.com 2 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Local residents become naturalized citizens REPORTER STAFF Azemina Gurdic was all smiles. The young woman, who came to Ameri- ca from Bosnia-Herzegovina, officially be- came a U.S. citizens in a special naturaliza- tion ceremony at the Renton Library. She calls Tukwila home recently and works at Nordstorms. "It's a special day," she said. "It also means I can now have a passport and travel." Gurdic, one of 29 new U.S. citizens, in- cluding from Tukwila, who took the Oath of Allegiance at the ceremony, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Megan Kenny, U.S. Citizenship and Im- migration Services (USCIS) Seattle Field Office Supervisory Immigration Services officer, administered the Oath of Alle- giance at the ceremony, the first of its kind in the library since its renovation. The new citizens, who all live in the local area, come from 17 nations. Syveste and Glody Divava, brothers who immigrated with family from the Congo nearly more than five years ago, enjoyed the moment. They both live and work in Kent. "It's a special day," said Syveste, 19, who works for Amazon. "I took a lot of work but it's great to become an American citizen." Glody, 21, who works for UPS, added: "It feels great. I can now have a passport?' Gary Wasdin, King County Library Sys- tem director, was the keynote speaker. One of the new citizens, Auburn's Na "Nay" Young Park, performed the National Anthem. She sang professionally in her home country, South Korea. Park works in supply chain support for TMX Aerospace in Kent. USCIS invited new citizens and their families and friends to share the experi- ence via Twitter, using #newUScitizen. TO ADVERTISE YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP Please call Lisa 425-255-3484 Ext. 3052 FOSTER-TUKWILA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 14401 56th Ave S CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE, 7:30 PM Thurs., December 24, 201543.:,, Winter Schedule: CE 9:00 am; Worship 10:30 am 206-243-4455 • www.ftpc.org Finding the Connection Where ifs home and you're family. Providing Premier Memory Care Permanent Residency • Short Term • Day Stay 1°57 ° 8'4. Call Today For A Tour WEATHERLY IN\ 253-630-7496 • www.weatherlyinn.com/kent 15101 SE 272nd St., Kent, WA 98042 Close to Hwy 18 on Kent-Kangley Azemina Gurdic, of Bosnia- Herzegovina, leads the new U.S. citizens in the Pledge of Alle- giance during Monday's ceremo- ny at the Renton Public Library. Gurdic lives today in Tukwila, MARK KLAAS, Reporter Yes, swim in the winter With the New Year on the way, we want everyone in the community to consider coming down the Tukwila Pool and enjoy the warm water. There are many benefits to swimming and you don't have to just swim laps to get some good exercise. Just playing in the pool is a physi- cal activity that can be beneficial to your health. So, whatever age you are, the Tukwila Pool is a place that can be part of your healthy lifestyle. For you serious lap swimmers out there, we are going to start posting the "Workout of the Day." We hope this program will provide you some added motivation to get that laps. We also want to remind every - A SWEARING IN On Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 at 6 p.m. history was made at the Tukwila Pool as the first in- dependently elected Tulwila Pool Metropolitan Park District Commissioners were sworn in before a standing room only crowd. Incoming Commissioners Vanessa Zaputil, Ellen Gengler, Christine Neuffer, Jeri Frangello-Anderson and David Puki were elected by Tukwila voters in the November General Election. Attendees included Mayor -Elect Allan Ekberg as well as City Council Members Joe Duffie, Dennis Rob- ertson and Kate Kruller who administered the oath. Melissa Hart, community member and City of Tukwila Deputy Clerk generously volun- teered her time to notarize the oaths. Also in attendance were family members, community members, District staff and State Senator Bob Hasegawa. Affordable Wills Simple Will $300.00 Trust Will for minor children $350.00 Community Prop. Agreement $200.00 Durable Power of Attorney $150.00 Directive to Physician $75.00 Mention this ad for package discount. MOGREN, GLESSNER, ROTI & AHRENS P.S. Attorneys at Law 15 So. Grady Way, 100 Evergreen Building, Renton, WA 98057 (425) 255-4542 • www.mgrlaw.com one that Tukwila Pool will host its monthly special event on Dec. 16 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. The theme this month is "Winter Fiesta" and we will be having music from around the world, a cannonball contest and food for you to enjoy. So come join us for this fun event. Price is only $3. Some important dates coming: • Dec. 16, Swim Lesson registration for the January session will begin. • Dec. 21-24, Winter Break. Pool will have open swim from 1 p.m. — 3 p.m. and the price is only $2. • Dec. 25, Pool will be closed. • Jan. 1, Bring a friend for free to the Tukwila Pool. Thanks again for taking the time to read this update. We hope to see everyone in the pool soon! Dave Perkins is aquatics manager of the Tukwila Pool. Present coupon for a REE DRINK with purchase of sandwich. 206.575.7761 • www.capriottis.com 17308 Southcenter Parkway • Tukwila WA 98188 www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 3 Tukwila to celebrate its diversity at cultural event Dec. 17 The Tukwila Heritage Event 2015: An Evening of Poetry, Mu- sic, and Food, is 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Tukwila Community Center ban- quet hall. Tukwila Parks and Recreation together with Project Feast is presenting an evening of stories, music, and food to celebrate the diverse heritage of Tukwila resi- dents. This year's heritage event will serve as the book release celebra- tion for The Stories of Arrival: Refugee and Immigrant Youth Voices Poetry Project. The ELL students at Foster High School have written poems that share their experiences of leaving home and arriving in a new country. The students collaborated with Project Feast graduates to cre- ate a book that interweaves po- etry with recipes, highlighting the connections between food, identity, and home. Copies of the book will be available for sale and proceeds will go toward a college scholarship fund for the student poets. There will be live poetry read- ings, a variety of dance perfor- mances from different cultures, chat with local service providers, and sample a variety of bite -sized dishes prepared by Project Feast graduates. The free event will also fea- ture a live performance by Yam- ato Taiko, a traditional Japanese drumming ensemble based at Highline College. Tukwila's schools organized their own version of a flash mob, coming together at Foster's Neu - Man shot in head on TIB A 19 -year-old Federal Way man was in critical condition Dec. 8 at Har- borview in Seattle, after he was shot in the head during a fight with several others on Tukwila International Boulevard, according to the Tukwila Police Depart- ment. His name wasn't released the night of the shooting. The investigation is con- tinuing. Witnesses reported the man was shot once at close range during the fight at about 5:15 p.m. in the 14800 block of the Boule- vard. Immediately after the CASCADE MEMORIAL low cost cremation & funerals $495 Simple Cremation $895 Direct Burial Bellevue 425.641.6100 Federal Way 253.874.9000 Online arrangements available CascadeMemorial.com shooting, the group fled in different directions. A K-9 track was unable to locate any of the suspects in the immediate area. Anyone with informa- tion about the shooting is asked to contact the Tuk- wila Police Department, 206-433-1808, and refer to case No. 15-8709. SHOPPING SURVEY 0 Enter to Win $2,000 Pulse of America research Cash prize will be awarded To enter now, go to: www.pulsep011.com Students, school district staff and the community gathered Nov. 25 at Neudorf Stadium at Foster High School to welcome refugees to Tukwila. Sara Niegowski/Tukwila School District dorf Stadium recently to celebrate their diverse student bodies. The festival is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Tukwila Community Cen- ter, 12424 42nd Ave. S., Tukwila. The day before Thanksgiving, students, school district employ- ees and community members came together to make this point: We welcome, support, and care for every one of our families; we are all now neighbors, no matter our origins; and we believe in the unlimited potential of every stu- dent. Students made signs written in Nepali, Samoan, Vietnamese, Arabic, Somali, Burmese, and Spanish. Among the immigrant families now in Tukwila are ones from Syria. "This was not a political state- ment;' said Sara Niegowski, the district's spokeswoman. "This was about our community coming together to support our diverse families. We are a global commu- nity. Foster High's immigrants and refugees have been working with professional poet Merna Hecht to tell the stories of leaving their home countries and coming to Tukwila. The Tukwila School District has posted photos and a video of the recording session here, http:// tinyurl.com/jy7x3pe Stcdt J 1± I range uil" a 03 Tukwila, WA 98188 206-575-1130 * fax: 206-575-1133 www.doctorbuda.com • Robert DENTAL AND tukwila WINNER reporter p2013 • S :1V.tR.Y.T.H.iiP6 •IGAREDTOWARD•OURCHIAN • ;COMFORT ENIOYMENT • • Buda D.D.S., ORTHODONTIC tukwila WINNER repOrter BESToF214 TDKWILA • SEAT. • DES MOINES WARDS SERVICES tukwila FlWilJST BESToF2015 TAW. SEATAC. DES MOINES \S THANKS * 6 month preventative exams * Free Orthodontic exams * Brushing for toddlers * Teething tips *White Fillings * Sports Guards * Space Maintainers 1 ur office is fun and kid friendly. We have great games and giveaways during the year. Your child gets a prize and sticker *Thumb Guards at every visit. * Anxiety Medication * General Anaesthesia available 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 1488366 index tukwila 3 ourculture Tukwila will celebrate its rich diversity on Dec. 17. 4 ourschools School Supt. Nancy Coogan writes about the importance of the upcoming bond and levy election to the district's STEAM program. 6 ourstory Longacres barns are long gone, but if you go to the Nelsen mansion, you'll see one that was saved from the wrecking ball. 10 ourmayor Learn about our new mayor, Allen Ekberg, and his family. The cover photo this month is by Bryan Camozzi. 12 ourpolice Read about one of Tukwila's outstanding police officers. reporter SOUND PUBLISHING INC. >19426 68th Avenue South > Kent, WA 98032 ,253.872.6600 > www.tukwilareporter.com tukwilacommentary 1 4 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com • • PP > write staff regional publisher polly shepherd publisher ellen morrison publisher@tukwilareporter.com editor dean radford editor@tukwilareporter.com 425.255.3484, ext. 5150 circulation jay krause 253.872.6610 The Tukwila Reporter encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. Share your thoughts in a letter to the editor (200 words or less) including your full name, address and phone number. HERE'S HOW To submit a letter to the editor, E-MAIL: editor@ tukwilareporter.com FAX: 253.437.6016 MAIL: 19426 68th Ave. S., Ste. A, Kent, WA 98032 STORY IDEAS: dradford@ tukwilareporter.com ONLINE CALENDAR: tukwilareporter.com sewcE ewe -1AiE D ERS IS Fire annexation a critical issue The Tukwila City Council is wise to take its time deciding whether to place before voters a measure to annex the city to the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority It's a major decision for council >- • and voters and there are myriad « questions that need to be answered, Wo probably a bunch that no one has thought of yet. And all property owners need to have a pretty clear u. picture of what the RFAs new fi- nancing model will affect their pocketbooks. The city administration has said there will be a ro- bust and transparent process to vet the annexation. In the next few weeks, it will take what learned from City Council members at their meeting Dec. 7 and return with more information to answer the council's questions, including what does it cost to operate the fire department right now. Right now, the council isn't even considering a date for the election, although the administration had rec- ommended April 16. There was some concern about cost of the election, but that doesn't seem quite as im- portant when you think about the magnitude of the annexation. It will take time to get this right. Regionalization is not a new issue facing voters. In fact, two in our area, the City of Renton's annexation to the King County Library System and the strategic alliance between UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center, became intense community and political de- bates. Those issues included ones Tukwila voters face today: costs and the loss of community (or hospital) identity. But despite the controversies, Renton has a bright new library and services at Valley Medical Center (which serves many Tukwila residents) have im- proved and become more extensive. Think new fire stations and more efficient fire services as corollaries to what happened in Renton and at Valley Medical. This is one of those decisions for Tukwila voters to require their attention. And it's good that the City Council is doing their due diligence for their constit- uents as they go through the process. Levies, bond key to STEAM Almost daily, I am out in the community providing information about our three school measures — two levies and one bond — that will be on the Feb. 9, 2016, ballot. Just as frequently, I get questions about one of the bond's most significant projects: a new STEAM academic wing at both Foster High and Show- alter Middle schools. Thus, I want to take the time to talk more about these pro- posed new classrooms that (if the bond's ap- proved) will solve criti- cal space needs and spearhead our movement toward enhanced, innovative, and relevant edu- cational programs for prepar- ing students for high -demand jobs. First things first, we need more space at all of our schools. As you can see, and your students have certainly told us, the buildings are full, and we expect between 18 and 44 percent more students in the coming decade! The bond, therefore, funds construction to provide additional class- room space for grade spans. At Foster and Showalter, that comes in the form of a new ac- ademic wing on each campus. >-c ~o c W V 2' t 0 m vz [ more COOGAN page 5 ] No Chuck Chuck Parrish is tak- ing a break from his column this month. letterto the editor Once again welcome to the persecuted During this season of Thanksgiving, the difference between our lives and those fleeing violence around the world is thrown into sharp contrast. While we eat turkey, Syrian families are doing the best they can to keep themselves safe. I hope that the leaders of our nation and people in my community will take the opportunity this Thanksgiving holi- day to learn more about the struggles refugee families are facing. We cannot close our doors to them during this time of overwhelming need. Our nation is great because we stand by our humanitarian ideals. Our ances- tors were welcomed centuries ago and I hope this holiday season sees America's shores once again welcoming those seeking protection from persecution. Verna Seal, Tukwila i www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 5 From farms to furlongs at historic Nelsen mansion BY LOUISE JONES -BROWN TUKWILA HISTORICAL SOCIETY James Nelsen, with brothers Herman and Fred, immigrated to the Duwamish River valley from Denmark in the 1880s. The farms they established stretched from Renton Junction (in the area of Interurban Avenue and Grady Way) to the area known as Orillia as well as Westfield Southcenter. A family home was built in 1905 and the structure is now known as the Nelsen Family residence. Helen, the youngest daughter of James Nelsen, was born in the home in 1906. She was a local business- woman, former Tukwila City Council member and founding officer of the Tukwila Historical Society. A 1909 ban on gambling closed the racetrack known as "the Mead- ows" located on the south end of present day Boeing Field. The ban was lifted after a bill became law on March 20, 1933. Then on June 20th, 1933, Vinson "Joe" Gottstein founded the Washington Jockey Club. Some of the dairy land originally owned by James Nelsen was purchased by Gottstein and others to operate a one -mile track which became Lon- gacres Racetrack in August 1933. A permit was obtained and the Lon- gacres Racetrack was created in only 30 days. The Longacres Racetrack was in operation from Aug. 3, 1933 until Sept. 21, 1992. At the time of the sale to the Boeing Co., the track was owned and operated by members of the Alhadeff family, who were re- lated to the Gottstein family. This facility hosted an exhibition by Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew, and saw the famous jockey, Gary Stevens, on several mounts at the track. A former paddock barn (featured in the photo by Richard McLeland-Wieser) which was originally located at Longacres can still be seen next to the Nelsen House. Our annual December Holiday "Open House," which is hosted by the Tukwila Historical Society and the Nelsen Family Residence Trust, will be held on Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tours of the home and refreshments will be provided. Please join us to celebrate the Sea- son. Louise Jones -Brown is president of the Tukwila Historical Society. The society operates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. The center can be reached by phone at 206 -244 -HIST or via email at tukwilaheritagectr@tukwilahistory.org. ABOVE is how the paddocks barns appeared at Longacres Racetrack in an historical photo. BELOW is a photo by Richard McLeland-Wieser that shows one of the barns that was moved to the Nelsen property. [ COOGAN from page 4] So why focus on STEAM for the addi- tions? STEAM stands for Science, Technol- ogy, Engineering, Arts, and Math, and the Tukwila School District is moving to- ward becoming a premier STEAM leader across the nation. STEAM is much more than just a focus on these certain academic subjects; it is a way of teaching that helps students think deeply and critically as they use content knowledge to collaboratively solve real-world problems. Because busi- ness and industry are calling attention to the importance of these subject areas and their relationship to preparing students for the competitive workplace — where they will be expected to collaborate, cooperate, and communicate with team members us- ing project -based scenarios—the district must respond accordingly. Therefore, Tuk- wila School District will began to redesign its facilities and curriculum to mirror the real world, to ensure content knowledge is interwoven, layered, and sophisticated, not experienced in isolation such as in tra- ditional education settings (separate math time, separate science time, etc.). The dis- trict's commitment is that every student will have many opportunities, from pre- school to graduation, to see and experience relevant, high -demand career -focused programs to pique their interest and build their skills. Our goal is to strengthen global competitiveness for our students. We have chosen to dedicate the new academic wings at Foster and Showalter to STEAM because it will allow us to create class spaces to promote STEAM methods of teaching. We don't know exactly what that looks like yet, but we are exploring in- novative classrooms, creative spaces and 21st century state-of-the-art technology. One potential model is called SmartLabs — a fully integrated learning environ- ment where everything from the furniture to the technology to the curriculum work together to support hands-on, minds -on learning. If you were to peek into such a lab, you'd see students moving and creat- ing, inquiring, building, exploring, and collaborating, working in pods with pre- sentation stations. There is a buzz! Stu- dents lead their own learning with teachers guiding and facilitating. Students with all different abilities and skills—not just those who gravitate toward math and science— are engaged and successful. This is par- ticularly powerful for gifted students who want to dig deeper, for special education students who may learn kinesthetically, for English language learners who understand through hands-on experiences, for un - engaged students who need relevancy in classwork—okay, this is a powerful model for all students! Our teachers and educa- tional leaders will be involved in every as- pect of designing the new classroom spaces to match these instructional practices. We are also working on exciting new partnerships and programs that fit our STEAM focus. Our region is rich with in- dustry: manufacturing, technology medi- cal care, aviation, and more. After meeting with business leaders, it is clear that they are hungry for graduates with skills to fill their job vacancies. We are speaking with some of these corporations about a nation- al certificated program that would usher a student directly into a living -wage, career - oriented job. If a student is college -bound, she or he would enter with advanced cred- its and skills. If we can train our students, business leaders have told us they have space for them in abundance! Our efforts with students will begin early, helping even elementary children to identify career in- terests with job shadows, career presenta- tions, STEAM clubs, mentorships, science and technology fairs, field trips and more. Perhaps most simply stated, STEAM is our effort to prepare our students with 21st Century skills for 21st Century jobs. This is our commitment to invest in our local and global economy. We will cre- ate clear pathways for every student to a skilled, living -wage job that matches their interests. We will enhance our community through ensuring our students are well prepared for future employment with lo- cal industry. All of this will take focused business partnerships, and we have started those conversations. We already have an analysis in hand of the top 25 jobs in our region that will be the most in demand in the next few decades. Our students will be ready to fill them. I hope this gives you some sense of the vision that's included in our bond con- struction projects. If you want to learn more about the three school measures on the February 2016 ballot, please visit our homepage, www.tukwila.wednet.edu. You can also give me a call, 206-901-8006, be- cause I am happy to talk with individuals or groups, wherever and whenever you're available. In service, Superintendent Nancy Coogan Tukwila School Supt. Dr. Nancy Coogan can be reached at 206-901-8006 or at ncoogan@Tukwila. wednet.edu. 6 ( DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Tukwilareporter.com: HOW to submit storm damage Tukwila news everyday reports from recent rainfall Keep It Local this Holiday Season Pretty Pews Pet Grooming Doggie Biscuit Delights Ingredients 2 cups oatmeal 1/2 cup applesauce 1 13 oz. can pumpkin 3 Tbsp. raw sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup marshmallows 1 tsp. baking powder 2 eggs 1 tsp. baking soda Directions: Put all ingredients together in bowl, stir until all ingredients are blended. Take and make cookies with tablespoon. Drop onto cookie sheet with cooking spray applied. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Prettu Paws Est.1999 Pet Grooming Certified Master Groomer $4 off Grooming or Bath for your Pooch or Kitty Cannot be combined with any other offer _ _ _ eat 206-444-4656. 123 S.W. 158th St. • Burien 4 • . ARENAS f,4 OFa Daily Sessions at both locations Dec 16th to Jan 3rd Full schedules 4r online www.Snokingicearenas.co Phone: 425.254.8750 RENTON 12620 164th Ave SE Renton. WA 98059 KIRKLAND 14326 124th Ave NE Kirkland, WA 98034 WWW,SNOKINGICEARENAS.COM Flooding, wind, and landslides from recemt storms have impacted residents and businesses across King County. Those that suffered property damage or other losses in the storm may be eligible for assistance to get their property back in order. Eligibility is determined through a damage assessment process which takes into account the total reported losses within King County. In order to compute the losses, individuals and busi- nesses are encouraged to submit reports to King County Emergency Management. A webpage, www.kingcounty. gov/damage, is now open to receive damage reports for individuals and businesses in King County. In addition, a hotline number, 1-800-523-5044, will be available for individuals and businesses to record a dam- age report Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. be- ginning Dec. 14. Submitting a report does not guarantee reimbursement. Damage reports are for uninsured losses. Before filing a damage report with King County, residents and business owners should contact their insurance provider about existing coverage and deductibles. They are also urged to document damage with photographs and keep records of all cleanup and repair costs. Residents in unincorporated King County whose homes were damaged in the storm can obtain free build- ing inspections from the King County Department of Per- mitting and Environmental Review (DPER). DPER has waived the associated fee to help residents speed up repair to their property. Priority service will be given for dam- aged structures requiring permits for repair work. Inspectors will evaluate the integrity of structures, as- sess if a structure is safe to occupy, and whether a permit is required for repair work. Inspection staff may also advise customers of the need to pursue a more detailed inspec- tion from a licensed structural engineer to determine the full extent of the damage. While storm damage inspec- tions are free, standard permit fees still apply. To request a damage assessment inspection during busi- ness hours, call 206-296-6630. DPER's customer service center operates 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. on Mon- day, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The center is closed on Wednesdays. For minor repairs, permits may be issued over the counter at the DPER offices at 35030 SE Douglas St., Suite 210, in Snoqualmie. Residents in the process of removing yard waste and woody debris can visit wwwkingcounty.gov/solidwaste to identify local trash haulers, or companies that recycle wood. Valley Med earns top award for safety Valley Medical Cen- ter this month received a Grade of "A' for hospi- tal safety by The Leapfrog Group, a national, inde- pendent nonprofit orga- nization which evaluates and scores 2,500 hospitals across the country, accord- ing to a news release. Leapfrog is the nation's premier advocate of trans- parency to promote giant leaps forward in quality and patient safety in healthcare. Valley is one of only 11 hospitals in the state with an A grade (43 were grad- ed). The Hospital Safety Score is the gold standard rating for patient safety, compiled under the guid- ance of the nation's leading patient safety experts and From all of us to you and yours, a hearty thanks and best wishes! Season's greetings! VOTED BEST SENIOR LIVING FACILITY tukwila **** tukwila **** tukwila **** reporter BEST0F2013 reporter reporter BEST0F2015 TUKWILA • SEATAC • DES MOINES AWARDS/ TUKWILA •SEATAC • DES MOINES s.t.A,,„R..2>TUKWILA•SEATAC• DES MOINES AWS ARDS/ 13534 Macadam Rd, Tukwila 98168 1465796 administered by The Leap- frog Group. "This "A' grade demon- strates that Valley Medical Center is one of the safest hospitals in the region, and the nation, for patients to receive care. Our team is committed to delivering safe, high-quality patient care day in and day out," Kathryn Beattie, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Valley Medical Center, said in a press release. "The safety of our patients has always been a top priority here at Valley, and we will con- tinue to strive to provide the best possible care to our patients and the commu- nity we serve" Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog's Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single A, B, C, D, or F score, repre- senting a hospital's overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. More than 2,500 U.S. hospitals were assigned scores in October 2015, with 773 hospitals receiv- ing an A grade. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 7 Under new coach, Bulldogs learn science of basketball BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Under new head coach James Johnson, the Foster High boys basketball team will learn how to play the game - and understand the science of basketball. The Bulldogs got a boost in confidence in their come -from - behind win Monday, Dec. 7, over Sultan High School, 59-56, at Foster. The following Wednesday night, the Bulldogs beat Tyee, 58- 52. The Bulldogs lost their first two games to two seasoned teams, Chief Sealth, 65-46, on Dec. 1 and Kennedy Catholic (where John- son has coached) 70-30. Johnson had hoped for a least a moral vic- tory over Kennedy Catholic, but 40 points is moral victory, he said. In the Sultan game, the Bull- dogs took an early lead but at half were behind. In the fourth quarter, behind by eight points, the Bulldogs rallied, stayed com- posed and won the game. "It's a good win. They see they can come back and win those sort of games," Johnson said, and it's something the team and coaches can build on. Johnson replaces Isaac Tucker, who coached the Bulldogs for three seasons. Last year's season ended one win short of the state Coach James Johnson works on positioning with his players during a recent practice, including, from left, Mehtaab Buttar (5), Jordan Hunter (23), and Musa Leigh (3). Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter tournament. The Bulldogs lost some starters from last season. Ronnie Rob- erson graduated and younger brother Freddie is now a sopho- more at Rainier Beach High School. But new leaders are already stepping up. Camet Soe, a 5 -foot -9 junior guard, was an all-Seamount League running back. "He defi- nitely looks like a football kid playing basketball. But because of his toughness - he's willing work hard - he's providing all that on the floor," Johnson said. Tyler Amin, a 5 -foot -11 junior guard, hasn't played basketball but he's a "basketball stud," said Johnson. "He's playing great de- fense just because he's a great ath- lete and a hard worker;' the coach said. Senior Jordan Hunter, a 6 -foot - 1 wing, didn't play basketball last year but played JV as a sopho- more at Renton High, so this is his first action "in a long time;' Johnson said. But he scored 16 or 17 points in the Sultan game. "He has come into his own," Johnson said. "The biggest thing that we are trying to preach here is show- ing respect for your teammates, coming every day, working hard, being on time. Those three guys have done that all year long," Johnson said It's a learning year, Johnson said. "We are just learning. We are just teaching. It's just taking one day at a time. We are preaching progress and process. We aren't trying to rush ahead. We are not trying to implement extra stuff. Not trying to do more stuff Keep it simple. If you get good at simple stuff, then you'll be surprised at how good you can be he said. And it's a rebuilding year, John- son added, but he thinks "we have pieces that if they work together and we can learn a little quicker, I think they can shock some peo- ple; he said. Becasue many of his players are inexperienced and his tallest player is Hunter, Johnson said he's keeping his offense simple. And he said everyone will get a chance to score, "playing good team bas- ketball: 8 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov MAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Kate Kruller www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 9 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Joe Duffie • Dennis Robertson • Allan Ekberg Verna Seal • Kathy Hougardy • De'Sean Quinn TUKWILA CITY PAGES Plan to start the new year by having fun and staying fit? We can help! Tukwila's new Winter Activities Guide is now online at TukwilaWA.gov The city of opportunity es2~44144 Military aircraft to test at Boeing Field Residents and visitors may notice a temporary up- tick of noise emanating from the King County In- ternational Airport, a[so knowing as Boeing Fie[d, when the Boeing Company begins testing the new KC -46A Tanker military aircraft there beginning later this month or next. Under federal rules, all military aircraft are exempt from standard operating require- ments related to sound and time of day [imitations. In addition, King County, operator of Boeing Fie[d, has no authority over military aircraft operations. The KC -46A is capable of refueling other aircraft in mid-air, requiring the testing of additional military jet aircraft, some of which will be landing and taking off from Boeing Field. While the Boeing Company is still refining details on timing and scope of the test program, it is expected to last approximately six months. There is the potential for a significant in- crease in aircraft noise at any time of day or night. �I�1�17E][3 Tukwila Transit Plan needs your input The City of Tukwila is in the process of updating the Tukwila Transit Plan, which seeks to seeks to improve transit for resi- dents, workers and visi- tors in Tukwila. This plan will assess how well tran- sit is currently serving the City and identify improvements to make it better. To accomplish these goals, we need your input! Please take our interactive online survey, which is available in three languages: English: TukwilaTransitSurvey.com/ Espanol: TukwilaTransitSurvey.com/es Soomaali: TukwilaTransitSurvey.com/so Learn more about Tukwila's Transit Plan by vis- iting the info page on our website: TukwilaWA. gov/PubWks/TukwilaTransitPlan.html by Kate Kruller, 2015 Council President Once the elections are behind us and the results have been certified, there is a final step that [ocal government elected officials must complete before assuming office: taking the oath of office. The oaths of state and [ocal officia[s are largely patterned on the federal oath of constitutional allegiance. Our state laws for local officials say a newly -elected official maytake the oath of office beginning imme- diately after December 31 following the election, or at the first meeting of the governing body after the first of the year. However, there are some excep- tions to this approach per RCW 29A.60.280(3): • It is possible to take the oath of office up to 10 days prior to the first of the year. By doing so, the e[ected official assumes office at precisely midnight on January 1. For example, our in- coming Mayor will do this. (On January4, 2016, he will take a ceremonial oath) Also noteworthy is that a person who is elected to fill a position being vacated by someone who was previously appointed to that position maybe sworn in as soon as the election results are certified. The purpose of that is to fill what is called the "short term" through January 1. The person e[ected to the short term should take the oath again on January 1 to assume the office for the full term. • It is also possible to be administered the oath of office at the last regular meeting of the local jurisdiction's governing body before the person elected is to assume office. The Oath of Office may be administered by any notary public, or by any other officer au- thorized by statute with a notary public pres- ent. Here in Tukwi[a, traditionally the Tukwi[a Municipal Court Judge swears in the Mayor, and the Mayor administers the oath of office to City Councilmembers. On January 4, 2016, the first Regular Council meeting of the year, three incumbent Tukwila City Counci[members will take the oath of of- fice along with acting on some other organiz- ing items. This meeting is open to the public and is a good opportunity to observe this im- portant ceremony. Also of note, the new Mayor will vacate a Council seat halfway through its term of four years. The City Council has a process in place to select and appoint a qualified applicant. The appointed City Councilmember will take an oath of office in mid-January to complete the remaining two years of that position's term. Council position to be filled by appointment The election of CouncilmemberAllan Ekberg as Tukwila's next Mayor has created a vacancy on Tukwila's seven -member Council. Tukwila City Council Position No. 3 will be open as of January 1, 2016, and the remaining six Counci[members will appoint the most qualified indi- vidual to complete the remaining two years of the term. The term of office will be from the date of appointment through December 31, 2017. The position will be up for election in November 2017. If you are interested in serving your community as a member of the Coun- cil, you can download the application form from the City's website: TukwilaWA.gov/CityCouncilApplication.pdf. To be considered for appointment to Tukwila City Council Position No. 3, applications must be fully completed, signed and received no later than 5:00PM on Monday, December28, 2015. Applications may be typed or neatly handwritten. Signed applications in PDF format may a[so be submitted by email to CityCouncil@TukwilaWA.gov. (In subject line of email, p[ease use "Councilmember Application.") For further information or assistance with specia[ needs, p[ease con- tact Council Analyst Laurel Humphrey at 206-433-8993, or send an email to Laurel.Humphrey@TukwilaWA.gov. City -owned motels to be demolished On Friday, November 20, City elected officia[s, staff and residents gathered at the Spruce Motel for an event signifying the beginning of the end for the vacant motels on Tukwi[a International Boulevard. Mayor Haggerton and Police Chief Mike Villa expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the extraordinary law enforcement raid that took place in August of 2013, which resulted in a significant reduc- tion of crime and emergency response calls to this area of the City. On Monday, December 7, the Tukwila City Council gave final approv- al for the demolition of the four City -owned hotels on Tukwila Inter- national Boulevard. All four motels are scheduled to be torn down in January. Additional site work will be completed in the spring, includ- ing laying sod and securing the sites. Speak with a Councilmember about what's on your mind! Billy Baroo's at Foster Golf Links 13500 Interurban Avenue S 10:OOAM to 12:00 NOON Winter is upon us - preparedness information The gift of being prepared The holidays provide a perfect time to give preparedness gifts (also birthdays, anniversaries, and other specia[ holiday events). Some suggestions might be a weather alert radio, flashlights, lanterns, batteries, fire/carbon monoxide detectors, outdoor cooking stove, fire extinguisher, generator, vehicle safety kits, ice scrapers, etc. These gifts can go a long way in help- ing family and friends be prepared for those seasonal issues that threaten safety and re- duce comfort. Helpful websites fir s / • • , - TAKE WINTER BY iggeriat ' �i/* .* ••. Take Winter By Storm TakeWinterByStorm.org [Winter Weather preparedness tips for Western Washington] WA State Emergency Management Division mil.wa.gov/preparedness WA State Department of Transportation www.wsdot.wa.gov [Traveler Information and Newsroom] Ready www.Ready.gov [Get Ready for Winter, Fol- low Ready on Social Media, Ready Publications] America's PrepareAthon Community.FEMA.gov [grassroots campaign for action to increase community preparedness and resilience] FEMA www.FEMA.gov [download the FEMA app] American Red Cross www.RedCross.org [disaster alerts, pre- paredness tips, ways to get involved] WA Information Network 211 win211.org [Free, confidential service helping people find the local resources they need] National Weather Service www.wrh.noaa.gov [Information for Seattle and other cities] Basic Disaster Supply Kit (3 -day minimum) • One gallon of water per person per day, bleach for purifying • Non-perishable food for each person per day • Medications / first aid supplies • Toiletries (including toilet paper, hygiene supplies, etc.) • Flashlights, extra batteries, light sticks, battery-operated lanterns • Important documents (wills, insurance papers, etc.) • Money, including coins • Multi-purpose tools; garbage and zip lock bags • Radio or NOAAweather radio (battery/crank)/extra batteries • Special needs (elderly, baby, pets) • Extra clothes, shoes, blankets • Cell phone with car charger • Extra supply of gas for vehicles / generator On the City's website To help you prepare for the impacts of our winter weather, two very useful brochures are available on our website: • TukwilaWA.gov/PowerOutage.pdf (windstorms, generator use, etc.) • TukwilaWA.gov/Flooding.pdf (before, during and after) Tukwila's Emergency Management office offers more information at Tukwi laWA.gov/disaster/disasterprepare.html. A final Mayor's Message - Looking back proudly With less than two weeks [eft in office as Mayor of this great city, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on my time in this office over the last eight years. First, and who[e heartedly, I thank the people of Tukwila for allowing me to serve the community in this role. Together we have ac- complished a lot, and the key to this success has been the critical partnership between the residen- tial community, the business community and City government. Mapping the City's direction One of the best examples of this partnership was the development of Tukwila's first Strategic Plan. This process brought hundreds of people from Tukwila's many diverse communities to the table to participate in a visioning process for strength- ening our city. Since that time and in coordination with the Council, we have developed budget pri- orities that directly align with the Strategic Plan, guide departmental work plans, and ensure that we remain focused on the goals set forth by the community. The Strategic Plan provided clear guidance on the importance of improving the neighborhood around Tukwila International Boulevard. One of the proudest days of my two terms in office was August 27, 2013 when we raided and eventually seized the problem motels on TIB. Soon those buildings will be torn down and eventually, like the work currently progressing on the Tukwila Vil- lage site, construction will begin on a new, game - changing development on that property where those motels once stood. Achieving financial stability My administration has worked hard to ensure a healthy and secure financial future for the City. We have a six-year financial plan that is solid, and many of the projects undertaken over these last eight years were designed to buttress our eco- nomic development efforts. For instance, the new interchange at Klickitat makes it easy for shoppers to get in and out of our retail core, bringing ad- ditional sales tax to the City. The transportation investments - many of which were made by lever- aging Federal, State and transit funding- will have a long-term economic impact on Tukwila by pro- viding better transit -related connections for resi- dents, commuters and shoppers. Some of these even helped our city's aesthetics - just look at how much better the transit center area looks because of the new investment! A robust CBD With the new Washington Place development currently underway, we are also starting to see the implementation of our Southcenter Plan. Be- cause of the work we did on this, much of the new growth coming into Tukwila will be cen- tered in this area, helping to relieve growth pressures in our single-family neighborhoods. The area between the mall and the river is destined to become a bustling area where people live, work and play and have access to su- perior amenities and transportation options. Serving residential neighborhoods Over the past eight years the City has made pro- cess improvements and efficiencies that have strengthened how we provide service to residents, businesses and guests. We've won awards for our work reaching out to Tukwila's diverse communi- ties, and have gone door to door to hear directly from residents as a part of our neighborhood can- vass program. We finished important residential projects such as the Safe Routes to School proj- ects in Thorndyke and Cascade View, and have laid the foundation for new projects that will come online soon, including upcoming improvements to 42nd and 53rd. In fact, just last month we re- ceived a grant in excess of $2 million to fully fund the 53rd overhaul project Working together for success Finally, I want to close with how important rela- tionships are to everything we do. Because of the bond we've forged with our Federal and State del- egations, key funders such as the Transportation Improvement Board, and other elected officials, Tukwila has been able to leverage a significant amount of funding for road improvements, side- walk construction and more. Such relationships have helped us put the Boeing Access Road light rail and commuter rail stations back in the mix for the upcoming Sound Transit ballot measure. Fur- ther, the City's active participation in key regional committees and boards has ensured that Tukwila is well -represented when key discussions are held and regional decisions are made. Because of these achievements and more, I am excited for the future of Tukwila. I am proud to leave the next mayor a financially solid City, with great staff energized and continuing to improve as a high -performing organization. But most of all, I am proud to be a part of this great community. Thank you for helping to make Tukwila a better place to raise a family, start a business, spruce up a fixer upper house, or go to work in every day. ici(!,7/7 Jim Haggerton, Mayor Meeting agendas, City programs, recreation activities, publications and more... get the most current information at TukwilaWA.gov! 10 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Getting to Tukwila's new 'first family' (EDITOR'S NOTE: Here's a look at the personal side of Tukwila's new "first fam- ily," newly elected Mayor Allan Ekberg, his wife Trish and their children Karlin and Erik. It's almost a politics free zone. -Dean A. Radford.) BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM Christmas at the Ekbergs is usually low-key, a day to hang out, play crib- bage or watch football and maybe dine on ham or pizza and chicken nuggets - the request of son Erik and uncle Bryan one year. And there was that "awesome" chicken fettuccini, says Allan Ekberg - Mr. Mayor starting at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1. Ekberg has been known to make a cake or pie and the pumpkin cookies he baked Thanksgiving morning "turned out pretty good, actually; he says. For years Trish Camozzi-Ekberg has baked rolled butter cookies for her family from a recipe in her mother's 1960s cook- book. The cookies take time to make but they are good, she says. And you can paint them. (The recipe is on page 11.) Trish "is actually a good cook," Allan says of his wife, which apparently worked out well for him. Trish's first taste of an Allan -cooked din- ner came before they married. He mixed together macaroni and cheese out of a box, tuna fish and frozen mixed vegetables. "It was great;" says Allan, of his "bachelor food" "I realized then that I would have to be the cook if we actually ended up becoming a family; says Trish. The Ekbergs celebrated their 30th anni- versary in April. During that time they've raised daughter Karlin, 25, and son Erik, 23, who both graduated from Global Con- nections High School at the Tyee Educa- tional Complex in SeaTac. Karlin, 25, lives in Ellensburg, where she owns and boards horses, and works for Kittitas County. Erik, 23, is checking out graduate schools to pursue a doctorate degree. He graduated in May from Wash- ington State University, earning bachelor's degrees in mathematics and psychology (in four years). you could argue the Ekbergs will now take their place as Tukwila's "first family," with the election of Allan as mayor in November. Sharing the house with the Ekbergs are first -dog Nikki, 12, an Alaskan Malamute; Kermit, about 15, the Quaker parrot, who does a good job of imitating blue jays and crows at the top of his voice, and Sara, about 12, the Indo- nesian box turtle. "He has yet to say, 'Go Hawks;' Trish says of Kermit. "I keep working on that:' AIIan and Trish Ekberg have three pets at home, including their Alaskan Malamute, Nikki. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter. ONE THE COVER:The Ekbergs, from left, Karlin, AIIan, Trish and Erik, stand with their Christmas tree at home in McMicken Heights. The Ekbergs live in McMicken Heights, a block south of South 160th Street, the bor- der between the Tukwila School District (north) and the Highline School District (south). He thought his kids would his alma mater, Foster High School, when the family bought the house. During that time, the Ekbergs have built very similar and successful ca- reers in the technology field. They met, more or less, at a class in COBOL programming (used by businesses for data pro- cessing) at Humboldt State University in north- ern California. A class- mate offered to introduce the young woman sitting next to him. Allan said, without looking, "Get out of my face. I am trying to get some code done" But the classmate insisted. "So I turned and looked at Trish and said `hello' and when I looked, `It was love at first sight for me:" (Trish laughs from the couch.) Then he turned back to his coding. "Three or four days later I chased her go to down and I asked her out. We went out and one thing led to another;" Allan says. Trish grew up mostly in northern Cali- fornia; her father worked at hatcheries operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife so they moved around a lot, mostly in the middle of nowhere, as she says. After living a rural life, living in an urban area "took a little bit of adjustment;' says Trish. Allan grew up in Riverton at South 126th Street and 35th Avenue South, within walking distance of Southgate School as a grade schooler. It was during this time that he formed a close relationship with Paul and Betty Gully that would last for decades. Al- lan hung out with the Gully's son Craig; Betty Gully was the Cub Scout den mother and Allan's mom helped out, too. Allan found escape with the Gullies when his parents Phyllis and Roy "were going through some rocky times" when he was 11 or 12. "They always welcomed me to come in and be part of their family and do din - "Three or four days later I chased her down and I asked her out. We went out and one thing led to another." AIIan Ekberg, on his court- ship with Trish ners with them," Allan said of the Gullies. "There were always like my second mom and dad as a little kid" Allan's parents eventually divorced. Al- lan was 20 when his father died; his mother died in 1997 while he was serving his sec- ond term on the Tukwila City Council. Paul and Betty Gully were the first recip- ients of the "Treasures of Tukwila" award, now given annually by the City of Tukwila. Betty Gully was heavily involved in the Tukwila community, especially the schools. Allan remembers punching out button lapels for a school bond at the Gullies' home, "just being part of the fam- ily." From Betty, he learned the art of com- promise, Allan said, to get something ac- complished. "You have to be flexible, adaptable and take in what people are telling you and then formulate an opinion," he said. "It may not be the opinion they want to hear but you have acknowledged what they've told you." Allan graduated from Foster in 1977 in the Top 10. He was a member of the Na- tional Honor Society. "I was a very studi- ous student; he said. He was a law enforce- ment Explorer Scout. [ more MAYOR page 11 ] [ MAYOR from page 10] He hung out with the jocks, the scholarship students and the "rowdy people," he says. At the request of legendary coach Werner Neudorf, he helped out with the track team in a support role. "He (Neudorf) saw something in me. He pulled me out of my shell basically and got me engaged," Allan says. It also allowed him to hang out with the jocks, he says. Ekberg wasn't political at Foster — never gave a thought to running for mayor someday — but he served on the student council in college. After graduation, Ekberg joined the Air Force, serving as a sergeant in the security force at March Field in California, with the Strategic Air Command. At the same time he earned his associate degree in criminal justice in 1981 from Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif. He went on to Humboldt State Universi- ty, where he met Trish and earned a bach- elor's degree in business administration, concentrating on Computer Information Systems, in 1984. He got a job right out of college. He and Trish married in April 1985. "I've always been focused on what's the next step in my life, what do I want to do "I've always been focused on what's the next step in my life, what dol want to do differently." Allan Ekberg differently," he says and what he needs to do to reach that goal. "I've always been that type of guy" Ekberg's last day as a senior project manager in information technology at BECU is Dec. 25. The Ekbergs worked at Weyerhaeuser, Trish for 26 years until she was laid off in a round of budget cuts. Now, she's working for Alaska Airlines as an Office 365 coor- dinator. Like her husband, she says she's a bridge between workers and the technical tools that they use on their jobs. Before the election, the Ekbergs didn't talk about the expectations Allan's new job would place on the family, Allan says. Trish figured the routine of Monday night City Council meetings and other duties would just continue. But when Allan won the election, Trish realized it's probably not going to work out that way. "I think to me it was just kind of like, 'OK, he's going to be mayor. That's cool: And then everybody at work is like, 'Your husband is running for mayor.' And, I am thinking, 'Wow, maybe this is a bigger deal than I thought": A mayor's spouse will attend some oc- casions, mostly ceremonial, and Trish says she'll support her husband. But she jokes that she'll attend three events a year, so "use them wisely." And Allan says: "That's her statement to me:' "We're pretty easy going. We go with the flow," Allan says. Ekberg, 56, says he "had no vision what it would be like to be mayor." He's seen other mayora at work, so he understands the role. "But until I get into it, it's going to be pretty fascinating to uncover what's going on and the people you get to meet," he says. FINAL ELECTION RESULTS Here are the final certified results from the Nov. 3 general election. The turnout was estimated at about 35 percent in Tuk- wila. MAYOR Allan Ekberg, 1,471 votes or 52.84 per- cent De'Sean Quinn, 1,302 votes or 46.77 percent CITY COUNCIL, Position 2 Kathy Hougardy, 1,997 votes or 98.52 percent CITY COUNCIL, Position 4 Dennis Robertson, 1,920 votes or 98.01 percent CITY COUNCIL, Position 6 Kate Kruller, 1,758 votes or 71.15 per- cent Charles Richard Tyson, 696 votes or 28.17 percent TUKWILA SCHOOL BOARD, District 2 Steve Mullet, 1,293 votes or 62.04 per- cent Kevin O'Brien Gaw, 785 votes or 37.67 percent TUKWILA SCHOOL BOARD, District 4 Dana Scott, 1,416 votes or 95.87 percent TUKWILA SCHOOL BOARD, District 5 Dave Larson, 1,659 votes or 99.04 per- cent TUKWILA POOL PROPOSI- TION 1, creating a separately elected commission Yes, 1,706, or 66.77 percent No, 849 votes or 33.23 percent POOL DISTRICT, commis- sion position 1 Vanessa Zaputil, 1,749 votes or 97.30 percent POOL DISTRICT, commis- sion position 2 Ellen Gengler, 1,748 votes or 97.38 per- cent POOL DISTRICT, commis- sion position 3 Christine Neuffer, 1,731 votes or 97.30 percent POOL DISTRICT, commis- sion position 4 Jeri Frangello-Anderson, 1,726 votes or 97.40 percent POOL DISTRICT, commis- sion position 5 David Puki, 1,445 votes or 70.73 percent Michael Robert Neher, 559 votes or 27.36 percent www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 11 City Council looking for council candidates BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM The City of Tukwila is looking for candi- dates for the City Council seat left vacant with the election of Allan Ekberg as mayor. The City Council will appoint a new coun- cil member in mid- January to fill the final two years of Ekberg's four-year council term through Dec. 31, 2017. Position 3 will be up for election in the November 2017 general election. Ekberg will be sworn in officially before Jan. 1 so that he's in charge at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1. A ceremonial swearing in is planned at the Jan. 4 council meeting. Applications for the council seat will be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at Tukwila City Hall, 6200 Southcenter Blvd., 98188, Tukwila. To be eligible, candidates must be registered to vote in King County and a resident of Tukwila for at least a year prior to appointment. To receive an application packet, contact City Council analyst Laurel Humphrey at laurel.humphrey@tukwilawa.gov or 206- 433-8993. Application packets are also avail- able at Tukwila City Hall. Candidates can hand deliver the com- pleted and signed packet to City Hall, mail it City Hall (attn: Laurel Humphrey, council analyst) or email it as a PDF to laurel.hum- phrey@tukwilawa.gov. The City Council will interview the candi- dates at a special meeting tentatively sched- uled for Monday, Jan. 11. If necessary, the interviews would continue on Jan. 13. After the interviews, the council will meet in executive session to discuss the candi- dates' qualifications, then return to open session to vote. The new council member would be sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Sian Hoih was born about three months prematurely. 'Miracle baby's first birthday A bright-eyed Sian Hoih celebrated her first birthday on Dec. 5, a year after the death of her mother Ciin Nuam, a Burmese refugee. Ciin Nuam was cooking dinner for her family on Dec. 2, 2014, when she collapsed and died. The medical examiner deter- mined she suffered from heart disease. She was six months pregnant with Sian Hoih, who was treated at the Swedish Hos- pital neo -natal unit in Seattle. The Tukwila community and the larger community as well joined with her family to mark her first birthday at at the Showal- ter Middle School Commons. It's that community that raised $52,000 through an online donation drive to help the Zam Khap family move forward and stay together in Tukwila. Six of the family's children were enrolled in Tukwila schools. The family is reported to be doing well and has moved into a new apartment. And Sian Hoih has been attending plenty of school and family functions. 1 2 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Finding his smile fighting crime in Tukwila Allan Baalaer honored as outstanding Tukwila officer BY DEAN A. RADFORD DRADFORD@TUKWILAREPORTER.COM For 10 years Tukwila's drug dealers, prostitutes and car thieves have given Allan Baalaer, a Tukwila Police officer and detective who has been recognized for his service, something to grin about. "My niche is narcotics and being proac- tive; Baalaer said. "That is what really puts a smile on my face:' It was Baalaer who wrote the search war- rant that SWAT, detectives and police of- ficers served in August on a Tukwila house they believed was associated with a vehi- cle -theft ring. After weeks on the run, a prime suspect is in custody. Just six months into his career in Tukwi- la, Baalaer in 2006 became a hero, saving a handcuffed man on drugs from drowning in the Duwamish River. "At that moment in time, I was just thinking this guy is going to die, if I don't jump in right now," he said. "I had to make a decision that fast" He decided to risk his own life. Now underwater, 10 feet from shore and in full gear, he grabbed man's white t -shirt. The man started fighting and yelled, "Let God take me. Let God take me:' Backup of- ficers arrived and helped Baalaer pull him to shore. Baalaer received the Governor's Lifesav- ing Award and the City of Tukwila's Medal of Valor Award in 2006 for his heroic ac- tions that day. His life-saving awards and his work ethic as a police officer were cited in the nomina- tion the Tukwila Police Department sent to the Delta -White Center Masonic Lodge in Tukwila, which has honored Baalaer earli- er as its outstanding police officer for 2015. "Once he got to Tukwila, he hit the streets running;' the nominating letter reads. "He has proved himself in a very short period of time to be a proactive, reliable police of- ficer." Baalaer was hired by the Tukwila Po- lice Department after four years as a Detroit police officer. He was one of hundreds of police officers laid off by that financially troubled city. He looked west to Washington, where he has family, for a new job. He considered Seattle and Tacoma and then only applied with Tukwila. This was 2005. On a ridealong as part of the interview process, he saw the city - "the beautiful mall" - and Tukwila International Bou- levard, which he was told was Tukwila's high -crime area. He had worked in a "real- ly, really bad area" of Detroit, but he didn't see any bars on Boulevard buildings nor did it seem intimating. Tukwila Police DETECTIVE Allan Baalaer has been recognized for his police work and life-saving efforts. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter He started to second-guess himself, wondering whether he would find excite- ment in Tukwila. He decided to give Tuk- wila a shot. And that smile appeared on his face. "It was like 'Wow; I started getting a lot of dope arrests, stolen cars and guns;' he said. Not quite like Detroit, but Tukwila did have a high -crime area. "I just really enjoyed myself" he said, pointing out he wasn't comparing Tukwi- la's to Detroit's crime. But the job matches his proactive style of police work, he said, seeking out and ac- tively preventing criminal activity in known high -crime areas before it can happen. "Once you become a police officer, ev- eryone finds their niche," he said, from processing accident scenes to writing tickets to commu- nity policing. He had found his in Tukwila. He was promoted to detective in 2009. He served on the fed- eral Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team, one of the leading of- ficers to make drug arrests for three years in a row. Later he would join a task force that targets vehicle thieves. Duty on the narcotics task force took him to Mexico, basically wherever large- scale organizations operated. At home, the task force would seize packages at airports, hotels or the post office or other parcel - delivery locations. Washington is on the West Coast drug thoroughfare between the main source, which is Southern California, and Canada, he said. Marijuana to Alaska flies out of Seattle and ecstasy and marijuana comes down from Canada, so he was busy. "It's a fruitful area for narcotics;' he said. Local agencies handle the street -level drug crimes. Baalaer worked at the Neighborhood Resource Center on The Boulevard, which he calls a `great resource" for officers be- cause they can monitor criminal active on cameras from there. "It's like you are sitting next to them at a bus stop and watching them," he said. An officer can develop probable cause to make an arrest from what's seen on the camera. He credits the cam- eras for many of his arrests. Baalaer patrolled The Boulevard at a time when criminal activity at four mo- tels was at its peak, he said. He was very busy. "They were boring all these drug deals and prostitutes. And literally it was almost like shoot- ing fish in a barrel;' he said. "I mean you there and you would watch "That just makes me happy, knowing that the streets are that much safer every time you take somebody off the streets who shouldn't be on the streets ." Allan Baalaer, Tukwila Police detective could sit out drug deal after drug deal or Johns picking up girls for prostitution." With the closure of the motels, crime has decreased on The Boulevard. "It's not like it used to be. But obviously there are still drugs and there are still things going on," he said. "It's just not in plain view like it used to be:' A member of Tukwila's Civil Distur- bance Unit at the time, Ballaer was part of the multi -agency raid in August 2013, in which the federal government seized The Boulevard, Great Bear and Travelers Choice motels. The City of Tukwila later har- purchased the Spruce Motel. A contract has been awarded to demolish all but the Travelers Choice. The crime rate on The Boulevard has dropped since the raid. "It made a huge difference;' he said. "It was a great time for Tukwila:' Last July, Baalaer was assigned to the P.A.T.R.O.L. Auto Theft Regional Task Force. Soon, he was writing the search warrant SWAT and investigators needed to look for Kevin Michael Vaughn and any- thing related auto theft early on Aug. 27 at the house on 51st Avenue South next to Interstate 5. He and other task force detectives were in the Tukwila Police briefing room, wait- ing for SWAT to secure the house so they could begin their investigation. "That's the way it usually works," he said. Then "shots fired" came across police radios. "To hear that on the radio — shots fired — your instinct is `I want to get in my car and go down there;' he said. But they couldn't. Two motorcyclists southbound on Inter- state 5 had fired at least seven times at in- vestigators at the house. No one was hurt. The search began for Kevin Vaughn, who almost was taken into custody at least once. Baalaer had to cancel one interview, without saying why. Later, he explained that that attempt to arrest Vaughn at that time "didn't work out as planned." "It would be great if somebody called me right now and said we have him in custo- dy," Baalaer said at the time. "I would be so happy. He's been a thorn in a lot of people's side." Vaughn was arrested Oct. 15 in Lyn- nwood on numerous warrants and was be- ing held without bail in the King County jail downtown. Baalaer wasn't able to say much about Vaughn, other than describing him as a prolific car thief who has mul- tiple convictions. "The problem is when you get some- body who is reckless and fearless, that's a bad combination," he said. "When you're not fearful of ramifications of your actions, that could be a really bad recipe for the safety of the public." Now, 10 years in Tukwila and despite ini- tial uncertainty, the city has given Baalaer plenty of professional excitement. "I love it here. Tukwila has given me so much opportunity, he said, including the two specialty task forces and his patrol du- ties, which many other police officers don't get. "It's a fun place to work. I enjoy getting up every morning an dcoming to work," said Baalaer, who plans to retire in Tukwila. And he's making a difference - smiling - knowing that at least for awhile someone he's arrested won't be committing another crime. "That just makes me happy, knowing that the streets are that much safer every time you take somebody off the streets who shouldn't be on the streets;" he said. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015 13 Engines of Moon -bound Apollo 12 land in Tukwila The Museum of Flight in Tuk- wila showed off for the first time Nov 19 the restored remains of the F-1 rocket engines used to launch NASA's historic Apollo 12 and Apollo 16 missions to the Moon. Apollo 12 landed on the moon 46 years ago on Nov 19, 1969, four months after Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon. The historic engines were re- covered from the sea by Seattle - based Bezos Expeditions in 2013 and have been under conserva- tion at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, according to a Museum of Flight news release. At the request of the Bezos Ex- peditions team, NASA has now given the artifacts to the Museum for permanent display in Seattle. Speakers at the event in- cluded museum President and CEO Doug King and Jeff Bezos, founder of Bezos Expeditions. One Apollo 12 artifact are on temporary public display . "These artifacts not only launched humanity's first expedi- tions to the Moon, they fired the imagination of young people who are now today's leaders in the second great era of space explo- ration; said King. "We trust that Jeff Bezos at the Apollo rocket engine unveiling ceremony at The Museum of Flight shows the injector plate from an F-1 rocket used on Apollo 12. Ted Huetter/The Museum Of Flight the legacy of these engines will continue to inspire a new genera- tion of explorers who will set foot on Mars and other new worlds." These engines boosted the 40 -story Saturn V rocket from liftoff until the edge of space, then separated with the first stage of the rocket and fell 40 miles through the atmosphere and into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Subsequent stages of the rocket propelled the Apollo spacecraft into orbit and on to the Moon. For the next 43 years the F-1 en- gines were lost and beyond grasp, deeper than the wreck of the Ti- tanic. Bezos Expeditions found and recovered the engines from the bottom of the Atlantic in 2013. The engines were the last missing links to the first adventures to the Moon, according to the release. "It took a lot of 21st century underwater tech and an extraor- dinary team of skilled profes- sionals to find and recover these historical treasures and, thanks to them, NASA, and The Museum of Flight, now a whole new gen- eration of young people will be able to see these amazing engines on display," said Bezos. "When I was five years old, I watched Neil Armstrong step onto the moon and it imprinted me with a pas- sion for science and exploration - it's my hope that these engines might spark a similar passion in a child who sees them today." The relics are now part of The Museum of Flight, and will be on view for the public for the first time. One section of the Apollo 12 engine - the injector plate - will be previewed at the museum until Jan. 4, 2016. Then it will be moved to the museum archives until early 2017, when it will re- turn with the rest of the F-1 arti- facts as part of a new permanent Apollo exhibit at the museum. This new permanent exhibit will showcase the salvaged Apollo 12 and Apollo 16 F-1 remains, other Apollo artifacts including lunar rocks, and large display the career of Apollo 12 Commander Pete Conrad. The Museum of Flight is lo- cated at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Tukwila, Exit 158 off Inter- state 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea -Tac Airport. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 65 and older, $17 for active military, $12 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. For more information, call 206- 764-5720 or visit wwwmuseu- mofflight.org County Council creates paid parental leave pilot program The King County Council has unanimously approved a proposal to create a one-year pilot program to offer up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, making King County one of about a dozen public employers across the country to offer this type of program. The program was proposed by County Executive Dow Constantine. "I'm proud that King County is among the leading em- ployers in the nation to offer a program that has a positive, lifelong impact on a child's development," Constantine said in a press release. "It also demonstrates our commit- ment to recruiting and retaining the talented workforce we need to deliver the best outcomes for our community" The one-year pilot program will start Jan. 1, 2016. King County joins a few other major employers in the region - including Microsoft, Amazon, the Gates Foun- dation and the City of Seattle - to begin offering paid - parental leave as a way to attract high-caliber talent. King County and Seattle are the only public employers in the state to offer this type of program. Slightly more than a dozen governments — mostly cities — offer paid parental leave, though most do not offer as much as King County. The program aligns with Constantine's Best Starts for Kids initiative, designed to improve the health and well- being of the region by focusing on birth through 5, when 92 percent of brain growth occurs. It will also confront the inequity that exists in the coun- ty's existing leave policies, which are less accessible to new- er employees and have an adverse impact on those who are at the lower end of the pay scale, according to a press release. "Providing paid parental leave is the right thing to do for a progressive employer like King County, and an essential piece of the compensation structure for a best -run gov- ernment that attracts and keeps quality employees;' said Dustin Frederick, Business Manager for the Public Safety Employees Union Local 519 and King County Coalition of Unions Co -Chair. Boeing completes final assembly of first 737 MAX 8 Thousands of Boeing employees in Renton recently marked another milestone in the evolution of the 737 - the completion of final assembly of the first 737 MAX 8, named the Spirit of Renton. The 737 MAX 8 rolled into the paint hangar on Nov. 30, the exact date in the development schedule defined four years ago, and emerged with a special teal version of the Boe- ing livery. Next, the Spirit of Renton, written in script under the cockpit window, will continue to undergo pre-flight preparation in the Renton plant, be- fore heading over to Clayton Scott Field at the airport to continue flight - readiness testing, according to a Boe- ing news release. The airplane is on track for first flight in early 2016. The launch cus- tomer is Southwest Airlines The 737 MAX family has nearly 3,000 orders from 60 customers worldwide, according to Boeing. "Today marks another in a long se- ries of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together;" said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX, Boe- ing Commercial Airplanes, in the news release. "With the rollout of the new 737 MAX - the first new airplane of Boe- ing's second century - our team is upholding an incredible legacy while taking the 737 to the next level of per- formance;" he said. [HOOPS from page 7] My way of connecting with my kids is I just try to get to know them on a personal level, other than just basketball and school," Johnson said. And it helps, he said, that he's a paradeducator at Foster. "I get to see these kids. One thing I think my kids should know is that I care about them;' he said, checking on their grades, how they are doing. His players are "buying in. "Wins will help that too. That's a slow process. My kids know that this year, we preach it's about a process, it's a process, it's a process. We're not really worried about wins in the month of December. We're kind of concentrating about wins in January, when we've had some time under our belt." 14 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com Tukwila School District #406: l.. DECEMBER 2015 Thorndyke named School of Distinction, state's highest award for student growth Thorndyke Elementary School has been honored as a 2015 School of Distinction for being in the top 5 percent in the state for sus- tained growth in language arts and math. Thorn - dyke joins an elite group of only 90 schools across the state (51 elementary schools) to earn the award. "I'm so proud," said Thorndyke Principal Kathy Page. "This is one of the hardest working staffs I have ever seen in over 15 years of being a principal. They are continu- ally searching for ways to reach stu- dents, think- ing outside of the box. They take to heart the unique needs of each student, and it shows." With a stu- dent population that is 83 per- cent in poverty, 50 percent Eng- lish Language Learners, and 20 percent homeless/ housing insecure, Thorndyke educa- tors' do much more than teach the curriculum. "They look at everything, which means being in tune to meet- ing even the basic needs of students," Page said. That often includes food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and transportation, she added. Page took over this year for long- time Thorndyke principal Brian Hutchison, who led the school during the period of growth recognized by the School of Distinction award. Dur- ing that time, the school began many intentional, student -focused initia- tives that are continuing this year with added emphasis. Educators at every grade level frequently come together in Profes- sional Learning Communities to analyze data and create support plans for specific students. Thirty minutes every school day is designated for literacy and math intervention for each child—stu- dents receive instruction that matches their exact need, whether they are excelling or struggling. Thorndyke also identifies students for additional before- and after-school aca- demic services, which have been strengthened this year with more effective intervention tools. In and out of the classroom, staff members recognize that positive, caring relationships with students are the founda- tion for learning. Using a system called Positive Behavioral Interven- tions & Supports (PBIS), the school last year began analyzing discipline data and working to get to the root of what's actually causing students to act up. They have also started proactive and fun campaigns to "beat the bell" (resulting in a 30 percent decrease in tardies last month), to clearly define behavior expectations, to highlight and reward a new virtue every month, and to catch students when they are being role models rather than misbehaving. "It's all about relationships," Page said. "All the research shows that we Thorndyke student leaders promote Unity Day to take a stand against bullying. Each schoolmonth, the highlights recognizes outstandingst dent role models. The Tardy Queen—Ima Never Tardy—ap- pears monthly to recognize classes that have the fewest number of tardies as part of the Beat the Bell program. need to connect to kids to increase their engagement behaviors, and that's what we have been doing." Tukwila Superintendent Nancy Coogan said she is "exceptionally proud" of Thorndyke. "Our students come to us from every corner of the globe, with a vast array of backgrounds and educational experiences," Coogan said. "Our learning goals do not include a uni- form bar of achievement. We aim for more than a year's worth of growth for each student during the school year. So to be recognized as the top in the state for growth is a phenom- enal honor, directly in line with our strategic plan." The School of Distinction awards are based on five years of perfor- mance improvement on state assess- ments in language arts and math. They are sponsored by the Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) in partnership with the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD), The Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), Washington As- sociation of School Administrators (WASA), and the Washington Associa- tion of Supervision and Curriculum Development (WASCD). Thorndyke staff will be honored in January during an awards ceremony at the Puget Sound Educational Ser- vice District. It's easy as FEBRUARY2016 1f) 3 ZERO PROJECTED INCREASE IN TAX RATE The four-year average tax rate is projected to stay the same if all three measures pass. How is that possible? These are renewal measures, taking the place of expiring levies and bonds. — LEVY FOR LEARNING • A 4 -year renewal School Programs and Operations Levy in the approximate amount of $11.7 million in 2017; $12.2 million in 2018; $12.7 million in 2019; and $13.2 million in 2020. • Covers the gap between what state funding provides and the actual cost of educating students. • Accounts for about 28% of our operations budget (28C of every classroom dollar or the equivalent of more than 140 teaching positions). • Continues existing programs and essentials such as special education, curriculum, and lower class sizes. — BOND FOR BUILDING • $99.16 million worth of General Obligation School Bonds to be repaid over the next 20 years. • Developed by a community -wide committee with parent, student, business, civic, and diverse representation. • Bonds are needed for any major school construction projects and repairs/renovation. A lot has happened since we passed our last bond in 1998! We need to: Alleviate overcrowding and dependence on portables. We are critically in need of space, according to demographers who project up to a 44% increase in student enrollment in the next decade. Repair/upgrade infrastructure, such as roofs and HVAC systems, that have exceeded their life cycles. Upgrade safety systems, including security cameras and secured front-office entrances. Provide high-tech, hands-on math and science classrooms at the middle and high school to train students for the jobs of the future. Build an early learning center. We currently must turn away state- and federally funded (free to us!) preschool classes because of lack of space. Research shows that investing in early learning is one of the most effective ways to systemically increase student achievement. — TECHNOLOGY FOR 21sT -CENTURY LEARNING • A renewal Technology Levy for $896,250 annually for 4 years (total of $3,585,000). • The 2016 Technology Levy will continue our investment in 21st -century classrooms by: - Upgrading and modernizing laptops so students have computers to engage in real-world lessons and to help prepare students with technical career skills. - Reshaping traditional classroom tables into collaborative, active -learning spaces with multimedia displays that support project -based learning in science, math, language arts, social studies, and art. - Providing innovative professional development for our educators to implement new technology to better support all levels of learners. - Integrating digital safety and security systems into every school and classroom. www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2015r 15 Tukwila School District #406 DECEMBER 201 5 Stories of Arrival book release on Dec. 17 - get your copy! "Voice is at the heart of our project. We believe that our community is made stronger when the voices of those who are not often heard are more widely celebrated." —Poet Merna Hecht Foster High immigrants and refugees are once again working on their "Stories of Arrival" poetry and art project—and this year, it's bigger and even more beautiful. With the help of professional poet Merna Hecht, these students wrote about their incredible experiences leaving their home countries to come to Tukwila. The students' poetry will be published for the community in two ways: • Students recorded their poetry at jack Straw Studios in early December. These audio clips will be featured on 91 .3 KBCS 91 .3 radio in April for National Poetry Month. • A book with their poetry, "Our Table of Memories: Food and Poetry of Spirit, Homeland, and Tradition," will be released during the Tukwila Cultural Heritage Festival, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 17, at the Tukwila Community Center. Come get your copy! To learn more about the project and support it, go to www.indiegogo.com and search "Stories of Arrival." Foster High's immigrant and refugee students recorded their Stories of Arrival poetry at Jack Straw Studios in early December. Free "Grab & Go" breakfast for all Showalter students started in December Breakfast makes brighter brains We know that students learn more and con- centrate better when they have a nutritious breakfast, which is why we were excited to kick off the Grab & Go Breakfast program at Showalter in mid-December. It's simple: All middle-schoolers now pick up a sack break- fast as they arrive, which they can either eat in the cafeteria or during the first 10 minutes of class. Showalter joins our elementary schools and an expanding network of schools across the country that provide free breakfast to all students as part of the regular school day. The problem with most typical school - breakfast programs is that students do not participate. Students must qualify and sign up based on their family income, arrive 30 minutes before the start bell, and eat in the cafeteria. Many students would rather not eat than deal with the added time and stigma. Grab & Go Breakfast (and Breakfast in the Classroom at the elementary level) removes these obstacles. All students get break- fast, simply by showing up to school at the normal time. In its first week, Grab & Go Breakfast at Showalter increased the number of students eating breakfast by about 400 percent! One of the best parts? The breakfast is free to students and almost cost neutral to the district. With our demographics, the number of students who qualify for free meals is not much less than the student population in total. With Grab & Go Breakfast, we maximize our reimbursement from the federal government because almost all income - eligible students receive a meal. Hmmm—delicious breakfast or a i, good book? Some students didn't have to choose during the Grab & Go Breakfast kick of fl Tukwila grows its high percentage of National Board Certified teachers! Foster High French teacher Claudia Van Cleemput has proven she's among the best educators in the U.S. by recently earning her National Board Certification (NBC), one of the highest designations for professional excellence in teaching. "Tres bien, Claudia!" said Tukwila Superintendent Nancy Coogan. "The certification process is very rigorous, requiring deep content knowledge and best practices in instruction. When a teacher earns certification, it's really our students who reap the reward—so thank you to Claudia and all of our National Board teachers." Washington led the nation in the number of new NBC teachers for 201 5, a title our state has earned three years running; and in a state that tops the nation, Tukwila has one of the highest percentages of NBC teachers for a school district—about 23 percent of its total certificated staff. NBC is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers—and make them better. While state licensing systems set basic requirements to teach in each state, NBC teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practices. NBC is the only credential process that compares a teacher's knowledge and skills with a national set of professional standards. Certification requires teachers to think about how they form and deliver lessons and how they demonstrate leadership in their schools and communities. "The process helped me grow so much as a teacher," Van Cleemput said. "It allowed me to reflect deeply on my teaching and how to effectively teach each student in my classroom. As a result, I feel like I am a more effective educator." Have you ever wondered what it would look like to have every student at a school programming computers at the same time? (Maybe like a junior Microsoft?) Well, Showalter Middle School did just that on Dec. 9 as part of the Hour left de aCode, global event in which millions SShowalter people try their hand at coding. spent three hours following simple to complex level of online coding projects, depending on their expertise. 1488362 16 DECEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com tukwila **** BESToFZO�S TUKWILA • SEATAC • DES MOINESAWS ARDSi SPOTLIGHT Discounts as big as a house. Or condo. Or apartment. Brenda Kulju, Agent 525 Strander Blvd Tukwila, WA 98188 Bus: 206-575-1300 www.brendakulju.org Hablamos Espanol See just how big your savings could be. Your savings could add up to hundreds of dollars when you put all your policies together under our State Farm® roof. GET TO A BETTER STATE."' CALL ME TODAY. StateFarm 1103155.1 State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL •• EVERYTHING • • IS GEAREDTOWARD . • YOUR CHILDS• G . ENIORTAND. ENI0YME1dT 1 J! 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