Tukwila Reporter, September 16, 2015

[see us online www.tukwilareporter.comSCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-15 [see us online www.tukwilareporter.com

tukwilareporter 0 9 • 2 0 1 5

MCMICKENHEIGHTS:WITNESS

TO TUKWILA’S STORY

coverstory | page 10

SCHOOL CONNECTIONS: Tukwila School District update, pages 14-15

2 SEPTEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSEFriday October 9 // 5:30-7:00pmTukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave S.

Delicious recipes and traditional coffee from various East African countries will be prepared by graduates of the Project Feast kitchen skills training program. Guests will also have an opportunity to watch basic culinary demonstrations and learn a little bit about the history and culture of the featured countries. As part of The Big

Read program, we will also discuss themes in the book, “The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears” by Ethiopia-born author, Dinaw Mengestu.

Registration is FREE but please RSVP: 206.768.2822. The first 20 guests to arrive will receive a free copy of the book!

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Partners: King County Library System, King County Housing Authority, Highline College, Highline Public Schools, Refugee Women’s Alliance, White Center Community Development Association/White Center Promise.

Culture, Literature & Cuisine from East Africa

Wear your craziest socks and help others by donating socks to the Spirit of Giving Campaign. Spirit of Giving volunteers collect household items and gifts to be distributed to Tukwila families in need. Raffle tickets will be given to those wearing unique & crazy socks and a ticket for each pack of socks donated. Course meanders through Foster Golf Links and along the beautiful Green River Trail to Fort Dent Park and back.

Sorry, no bikes, skates or skateboards will be allowed on the course. Baby jogger strollers are welcome, and dogs must be on a leash. Runners and walkers will receive coupons for drink and food specials at Billy Baroos Restaurant, so join us for lunch after the run!

FUN RUN & WALK

October 10 10:00am

Check-in begins 9am

Foster Golf Links13500 Interurban Ave S.

CALL TO REGISTER 206.768.2822

THRU SEPTEMBER 30: $10 plus a pack of socks to be donated to our Socktober Spirit of Giving Campaign

OCTOBER 1-9: $15 plus a pack of socks to be donated to our Socktober Spirit of Giving Campaign

DAY OF RACE: $20 plus a pack of socks to be donated to our Socktober Spirit of Giving Campaign. Day of race registration closes 30 minutes prior to race start.

$20 Registration fee without sock donation.

tukwila’sstory

The Tukwila Post Offi ce was tucked away in a corner of Heemink’s grocery store, a “town meeting place.” Mail was not delivered but was picked up at boxes. Those gathered at the post offi ce were from left; R.J. Hemstedt, owner of a variety store; Roy Rector, fi re chief and proprietor of the local cold-storage plant, and three generations of Foutys, represented by Cliff ord, Mrs. William, and Mrs. F.B. Fouty. Tukwila Historical Society

BY LOUISE JONES-BROWNT U K W I L A H I S T O R I C A L S O C I E T Y

A recent search into the Tukwila Histori-cal Society archives located a newspaper article from August 1950. Th e photo fea-tures a way of life that is no longer found in our metropolitan area: mail was NOT delivered to homes but picked up at boxes located in a local business which created a “town meeting place.”

Th e Tukwila Post Offi ce was in a cor-ner of Heemink’s grocery store that was located on Interurban Avenue near the present-day Galliano’s Italian Restaurant. Th ere was a prominent sign with the words U.S. Post Offi ce painted on both sides so it could be seen whether one was traveling northbound or southbound on the road.

A closer look of the photo shows some items that are recognized even today, such as Van De Kamp’s cookies, Ritz crackers and Wonder Bread.

Th e sign that identifi ed this post offi ce location was preserved and is now on dis-

play at the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S. Tukwila.

Louise Jones-Brown is president of the Tukwila Historical Society. Th e society op-erates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. Reach the center by phone at 206-244-HIST or via email at [email protected].

Tukwila’s mail picked up at ‘meeting place’

Society calendarSept. 17, 7 p.m. Regular monthly mem-

bership meeting at Tukwila Heritage and Cultural

Center, 14475 59th Ave. S.

Sept. 26, 1 p.m., Special Presentation:

“Defeating Racism Today” by Eva Abrams. This is a

free event made possible by a Humanities Washing-

ton grant awarded to the Tukwila Historical Society.

It will be held at the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural

Center. For more information, call the center at

206/244-HIST (4478).

Th e Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce will present “Meet the Candi-dates” reception on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Tukwila.

Candidates from Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, Tukwila and the Port of Seattle are invited to introduce themselves at the re-ception, which is open to chamber mem-bers, their guests and the general public.

Brad Goode, news anchor from KOMO 4 News, will emcee the event 5-8 p.m.

Candidates will each have three minutes

to introduce themselves and will have cam-paign material available to attendees.

Th e reception is at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Seattle Airport Southcenter, 16500 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila.

Th e cost to attend the reception is $20, paid by Wednesday, Sept. 16. Th ere will be appetizers, wine and beer provided.

Registration can be completed on the chamber’s website at www.swkcc.org or by phone by contacting Carol Kolson at 206-575-1633.

Chamber to host candidate event

As a result of a recent windstorm, Waste Management will collect up to 96 gallons of storm debris without extra charge to res-idential yard waste customers on Sept. 25.

In partnership with Waste Management, City of Tukwila will conduct a Community Clean up Event at the Tukwila Community

Center and Saar’s Super Saver Foods 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 19. In addition to elec-tronic waste, scrap metal, appliances and large bulky items, residents will also have an opportunity to dispose of yard debris. Th is special event is open to all Tukwila residents free of charge.

How to get rid of wind debris, junk

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » SEPTEMBER 2015 3

BY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

The $15 minimum wage vot-ers in the city of SeaTac narrowly approved in 2013 applies to all workers at Seattle-Tacoma In-ternational Airport, the state Su-preme Court has ruled.

The high court’s 5-4 ruling overturns a lower-court’s deci-sion that SeaTac’s Proposition 1 did not apply to workers at the airport, which is owned and op-erated by the Port of Seattle.

The $15 minimum wage did apply to employees in the hospi-tality and transportation indus-tries in SeaTac outside the air-port, as well as other people who work in the city of SeaTac.

About 4,700 workers are em-ployed at businesses inside the

airport.The Supreme Court heard an

appeal of a King County Supe-rior Court judge’s ruling in 2013 that the provisions of Proposition 1 didn’t apply to airport workers because it could affect airport operations and federal law pre-empted a provision that protects workers from certain types of re-taliation.

The Supreme Court reversed those rulings and upheld Propo-sition 1 in its entirety.

“We hold that Proposition 1 can be enforced at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport be-cause there is no indication that it will interfere with airport opera-tions,” the justices wrote. “We also hold that federal labor law does not preempt the provision pro-tecting workers from retaliation.”

In a news release, the Port of Seattle stated it is “reviewing what effects the ruling may have on

operations, policies and employ-ment standards related to tenants, customers and stakeholders who work at Sea-Tac Airport.

“We are pleased the court agreed with the Port of Seattle that we maintain sole jurisdiction over airport operations,” the port stated in the release.

The news release also indicated that Port of Seattle employee wag-es continue to exceed the initia-tive’s minimum-wage standards. The port will work with the City of SeaTac, which is responsible for the implementation and en-forcement of Proposition 1.

State Sen. Karen Keiser, a 33rd District Democrat, said the ruling confirms that the voters’ approval of a higher minimum wage is le-gally binding.

“With this ruling, it is my hope

that the Port of Seattle will accept the imprudence of its unfortunate and counterproductive opposi-tion, and instead shift its efforts to honoring and implementing the will of the voters,” she said in a news release.

The appeal of the Superior Court ruling was filed by mini-mum-wage proponents, SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs, and the City of SeaTac. The respon-dents were Filo Foods Inc., BF Foods, Alaska Airlines and the Washington Restaurant Associa-tion.

Alaska Airlines, Filo Foods and the Washington Restaurant Association were among the $15 minimum-wage opponents who had challenged Proposition 1 in Superior Court.

SOUTHCENTERkid’S

DENTISTRY411 Strander Blvd. Suite 303

Tukwila, WA 98188206-575-1130 fax: 206-575-1133www.doctorbuda.com

Your Child’s

The StarEverything

is geared toward

your child’s

comfort and

enjoyment

1413720

Our offi ce is funand kid friendly.

We have great gamesand giveaways during

the year. Your child getsa prize and sticker

at every visit.

Dr. Robert Buda D.D.S., M.S.DENTAL AND ORTHODONTIC SERVICES

PROFESSIONALSERVICES AND PRODUCTS

6 month preventative exams Free Orthodontic exams Brushing for toddlers Teething tips White Fillings Sports Guards Space Maintainers Thumb Guards 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

THANKSFOR VOTING US

#1 DENTISTIN TUKWILA

WE LOVEDR. BUDA!

AWARDSBESTOF2013tukwilareporter

WINNER


WINNER

AWARDSBESTOF2015TUKWILA • SEATAC • DES MOINES

tukwilareporter

FINALIST

2 inthemailBelieve it or not, there was a time in Tukwila when the mail was never delivered to your home. Instead you went to Heemink’s.

4 poolyesThe Tukwila Reporter is urging Tukwila voters to approve an independently elected commission for the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District.

7 50yearsThe Museum of Flight in Tukwila is marking its 50th anniversary with a big celebration at the museum on Saturday.

10 coverstoryThe McMicken Heights neighborhood is one of the bedrock Tukwila neighborhoods where families choose to raise their children.

12 councilraceIncumbent Kate Kruller and challenger Charles Tyson are locked in a battle for her City Council Position 6 seat.

index

19426 68th Avenue South Kent, WA 98032253.872.6600 www.tukwilareporter.com

tukwilareporter

Minimum wage applies to airport workers“We hold that Proposition 1 can be enforced at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport because there is no indication that it will interfere with airport operations.”

State Supreme Court

Crews building the Angle Lake Link light-rail station are entering the restoration phase of the project, which involves streetscape im-provements on roadways near the future South 200th Street Link extension.

Streetscape improve-ments include:

• New bike lanes along both sides of South 200th Street between 26th Av-enue South and Interna-tional Boulevard

• New sidewalks along 28th Avenue South be-tween South 204th Street and South 188th Street

• Lighting improvements along South 200th Street, 26th Avenue South, and 28th Avenue South near the station

• Repaving and striping along South 200th Street between the vicinity of Des Moines Creek and Interna-

tional Boulevard and along 28th Avenue South between S 204th Street and the 26th Avenue South/28th Avenue South intersection

• Roadway improve-ments along 26th Avenue South between South 200th Street and South 188th Street

Other improvements in-clude a new traffic light at the 28th Avenue South and South 200th Street intersec-tion and new crosswalks.

Motorists can expect:• Frequent lane closures,

traffic shifts, and motor-ist delays. Flaggers will be onsite during major traffic changes to help direct mo-torists around the work. Notices will be distributed to announce future road closures.

• Night work and light-ing to illuminate the work area

Work finishing on Link station


Welcome to the 2015-16 school year! I have been out in schools and classrooms, and I need to commend our students for showing up with great energy and enthusiasm for learning and our staff for embracing this new begin-ning like they do each student — with full expectation of unlimited potential. I can feel the optimism and hope, and I know that everyone — student and staff alike — is ready to give their best. Furthermore, I have the data and experience

to show that our stu-dents are turning that self-belief into ac-tion. Th ey are making p r o g r e s s ,

and even leading the state and nation in their growth.

Th at’s why it’s so disheart-ening to once again start the school year by mailing a No Child Left Behind (NCLB) let-ter to each household. Almost every single family in the state with children at public schools received a similar letter. Quite simply, the requirements of NCLB are not realistic. If any-thing less than 100 percent of students — including those in subgroups like special educa-tion and English Language Learners — does not meet standard on reading and math tests, the entire school is

viewpoint

writestaff

regional publisherpolly shepherd

publisherellen morrison

[email protected]

editordean radford

[email protected]

425.255.3484, ext. 5150

circulationjay 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 HOWTo submit a letter

to the editor, E-MAIL:editor@

tukwilareporter.comFAX:

253.437.6016MAIL:

19426 68th Ave. S., Ste. A, Kent, WA 98032

STORY IDEAS:dradford@

tukwilareporter.com

ONLINE CALENDAR:tukwilareporter.com

Tukwila voters have already shown they support their pool with the formation of the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District in 2011.

Th at saved the pool, which has served Tukwila resi-dents for decades, from closing because the City of Tukwila didn’t have the money to operate.

But there’s one more issue that Tukwila voters should resolve.

Th ey should vote yes resoundly in the Nov. 3 gen-eral election on a measure to change the pool dis-trict’s governance to a independently elected Board of Commissioners. At the same time, they’ll be voting on the fi rst fi ve members of the new governing board.

Th e commissioner election becomes moot if the governance change isn’t approved. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Since the park district was created, the members of the Tukwila City Council have also served as the dis-trict’s commissioners. Th at created some policy “con-fl icts of interest” when the council members had to decide what was best not only for the City of Tukwila but also for the park district.

Th e plan always was to off er this measure to voters, but fi rst the city had to transfer ownership of the pool to the park district. Th at happened earlier this year.

During this time there has been an active group of Tukwila citizens who fi rst ensured the pool was saved and then worked just as hard to make sure it survived. Now, members of that group are running for the com-mission. Frankly, there are no other individuals better suited to run the district in Tukwila.

Th ey have spent their own time doing research that helped the City Council make informed decisions, at-tended meetings as advisers to the council and have spent countless hours promoting the pool.

Th ey all deserve a big thank you.Four of the candidates are running unopposed,

which pretty much ensures their election. Th ey are Vanessa Zaputil, Position 1, Ellen C. Gengler, Position 2, Christine Neuff er, Position 3, and Jeri Frangello-Anderson, Position 4.

Th ere is one “contested” race: David Puki and Mi-chael Robert Neher are running for Position 5 on the commission.

COM

MEN

TARY

Chuc

k Pa

rris

h

tukwilacommentary

Pool deserves own board

Success defines schools

Let’s be honest. Most of us are low-information voters. We take short cuts to decide how to vote. We read the voters pamphlet and talk to whoever comes to our door.

Instead, let’s take a little extra time. Let’s consider ourselves absentee own-ers of a government enterprise. We want competent, experienced people to run things so that we can get on with our lives. We can start, as any employer

would, by reviewing candidate resumes. Th eir web presences are their resumes. Why do they believe that they are the right person for the job? What informs us that they are ready to take the reins of government as mayor, council mem-ber or school board director? How long have they been a resident? How have they served the Tukwila community in the past? Are they past their prime or too inexperienced? What is their vision for

Tukwila or the school district?And now the tough part. We have done

our homework. How do we decide? Th at, friends, is up to each of us. However, let’s not succumb to the worst reason ever to vote for someone: Because they asked us fi rst, and they are nice people.

Tukwila Reporter columnist Chuck Parrish can be reached via email at [email protected]

Information drives who we should pick as leaders

COM

MEN

TARY

Nan

cy C

ooga

n

[ more COOGAN page 6 ]

EDITORIAL


The Hi-Liners Musical Theatre

Presents

Tickets and info available atwww.hi-liners.org | 206-617-2152 13

9224

9

Highline Performing Arts Center401 S 152nd, Burien, WA 98148

September 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 & 27

Affordable Wills

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

1400623

Mention this ad for package discount.

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

800.982.0425 • williamsauction.com

real estate auctions

WA PHILIP R. HEILIGER RE LIC 24486; WILLIAMS-WILLIAMS MKT SERV INC. RE LIC 18545; SCOTT SAMUEL MUSSER AUC LIC 2175; WILLIAMS & WILLIAMS AUC LIC 2389

TUKWILA, WA• 15152 65th Ave S #8042BR 1BA 913+/- sf condo.Nominal Opening Bid: $1,000Auctions: 1:30pm, Wed Sep 23 at 22002 SE 40TH Ln Apt 111B, Issaquah, WA.

ISSAQUAH, WA• 22002 SE 40TH Ln Apt 111B• Lot 89 90 91 SE Mirrormont Blvd

Also Auctioning in September

1415714

Please call Lisa425-255-3484 Ext. 3052

TO ADVERTISEYOUR PLACEOF WORSHIP

New BeginningsChristian Fellowship

8:00am & 11:00amwww.thenbcf.org19300 108th Ave. SE

Renton, WA 98057 1403

071

City Council Position 6: In their own words

Aft er decades of both taking from and giving to my communi-ty, my wife Diane and myself have decided the time has come for me to off er my insight, professional training, and listening skills to my neighbors by serving on the Tuk-wila City Council.

My parents moved my siblings and myself to the small town of Tukwila to give us children the opportu-nity to grow up in the country. Feeding farm animals and tending to the needs of a large garden were two chores assigned me, as a means of gaining a sense of re-sponsibility at an early age. A result of doing chores was a sense of contributing to the family and being a part of our community.

All about us, I learned by example. Everyone used their talents and skills for the ben-efi t of the community. Early at-tempts had been unsuccessful at disincorporating our Town, and it was only by volunteerism that the town grew.

Th e annual budget of Tukwila was under $30,000. Yes. Monthly, I walked over to Mrs. Newton’s house to pay our water bill. All of the town records were kept in her roll top desk, and the town’s rev-

enue from utility collections was kept in a tin can under her bed. Yes.

Volunteerism in Tukwila took many forms. Certainly, most notable was the service of the men on our all-vol-unteer fi re department. But there was more, such as my parents’ time spent cleaning up aft er dances at the Com-munity Club.

Th e purpose of the dances was to raise money for the Bicentennial Fireworks Celebration (1958) on the Foster Golf Course. Years later I would serve on the Citizens Committee that negotiated with Joe Aliment for the purchase of his course, in order to preserve the green space from commercial development. Today, sad-ly, there are those who would like the city to sell this unique asset.

Serving as an early member of the Tukwila Historical

Charles Tyson: I have insight

I want to thank you for the hon-or of serving you on Tukwila City Council for the past four years. With your vote, I pledge to contin-ue serving you with integrity, hard work and common sense.

As a homeowner, neighbor and volunteer, I’ve been living in Tuk-wila for some 23 years.

Currently, I advocate for you as the president of both Tukwila City Council and Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District. I also represent you in leadership roles on regional and national organizations for cities. Rep-resenting Tukwila, and in collaboration with 35 other cities, I currently serve as a member of the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee (PIC), vice chair of Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee and was

selected to the National League of Cities Transportation, Infrastruc-ture and Services Steering Com-mittee. Th at means Tukwila’s voice is being heard at all levels of gov-ernment.

I know the importance of an ac-cessible, accountable government that respects the taxpayer, provides high-value and stretches your tax dollar. My goal is to encourage re-sponsible city budgets, continue to

support reliable public safety and aid services, make sure we have aff ordable housing and safe neighborhoods for everyone and capture improved transportation options for Tukwila residents through good government.

I also believe in building community through being actively involved with neighborhood groups, senior citi-zens, students, veterans and businesses. It is only with community feedback that I can make informed deci-sions that represent all who live and work here. How well is that working? Tukwila Reporter readers selected me as a top fi nalist in the Tukwila Reporter’s Best of Public Offi cial Category two-years running (2014 and 2015)!

Together, over the past four years, we’ve made a BIG diff erence in Tukwila! We are building Tukwila Village, Tukwila Pool is updated and self-managed, the Sound

Kate Kruller: Servant-leader

Society, which was formed by close friends, was another act of volunteerism. Another highlight of my giving back to the community was the development of the Tyson Plan as a means to economically meet future city facility needs. No other citizen has brought forth a plan, and mine re-mains under consideration despite the hundreds of thou-sands of dollars that has been paid by the city to a Bremer-ton architectural fi rm to bring forth a proposal.

Th e duty of volunteerism, instilled in me at an early age, is why I am a candidate for Position 6 on the Tukwila City Council. I would be honored by your vote which will show your faith in me to provide my training and insight to deal with the complex problems of our city. Th ank you.

COM

MEN

TARY

Char

les T

yson

COM

MEN

TARY

Kat

e K

rulle

r

Transit Commuter Rail Station renewal is complete, we are putting in sidewalks and paths to our schools, we’re cleaning up the Tukwila International Boulevard and now residents can watch their City Council live on television or online when it’s convenient.

Our success together will continue as we work for Sound Transit to build the Boeing Access light-rail sta-tion, encourage new high-rise development near the mall, have potential for a large-scale sports arena and continue to revitalize Tukwila International Boulevard. Tukwila is truly at a turning point with so many opportunities on the horizon!

Being in touch and having a servant-leader spirit, is fun-damental to what I believe qualifi es me to run for offi ce again. I am devoted to representing what the people who live here in Tukwila want, and what makes sense for Tuk-wila. I ask you to cast your vote to reelect me to Tukwila City Council, Position 6.

“I would be honored by your vote which will show your faith in me to provide my training and insight to deal with the complex problems of our city.” Charles

Tyson

“I am devoted to representing what the people who live here in Tukwila want, and what makes sense for Tukwila.” Kate

Kruller

[ more TYSON at right] [ more KRULLER at right ]

[ KRULLER]

[ TYSON]


deemed “failing.” The President, congressional members, education lead-ers, and parents almost universally agree that this does not make sense, and they are actively trying to change the law. (U.S. Edu-cation Secretary Arne Dun-can says, “As it currently exists, NCLB is creating a slow-motion educational train wreck for children.”)

At issue is the fact that actual student progress is not being considered, and it is nonsensical call a school a failure if only one student does not meet a uniform bar of achievement. This is particularly true in Tuk-wila, where students make tremendous growth but of-ten begin at a place of sig-nificant disadvantage.

So here’s what I want to say to each and every stu-dent and teacher: YOU ARE NOT A NUMBER. You can never be reduced to a number, and what makes you exceptional out-shines any ill-conceived federal law. More than that— never start to let a

label like “failing” define what you are capable of achieving. You are limitless.

I invite Mr. Duncan, our own lawmakers, commu-nity members – heck, even the President! – to come to Tukwila to see what actual student growth looks like, not just a static benchmark of proficiency. I invite them to consider expanding their definition of student suc-cess to include artistic ex-pression, identity develop-ment, resiliency, happiness, global and humanitarian engagement, real-world job skills, and more. For many of our students, just the act of making it here, to Tukwila, and to the school-house every day has re-quired unbelievable acts of courage and strength.

To be sure, we have a long way to go. We are con-stantly striving to improve and serve students better, and our Strategic Plan pro-vides a clear roadmap to-ward the achievement goals that matter most for the Tukwila community. But I will say it again and again: Our district — our stu-dents, our educators, our

families — are successes. Let me tell you about just a few of them:

• Foster High and Tuk-wila Elementary won the state’s highest award for student growth in math last year.

• Foster almost doubled the number of Advanced Placement tests adminis-tered last year compared to five years ago. On the AP Calculus test, our students had the highest median score in the state!

• Our preliminary grad-uation rate went from 55 percent to 69 percent last year. Our grads earned more than $3 million in scholarships.

• Our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) program is garnering local and na-tional attention!

• 98 percent of elemen-tary students averaged four months growth during summer school this year.

• Middle-school students with regular attendance doubled their math and reading scores on average.

• High school students completed more than 70

courses to earn credits to date, and others participat-ed in an Advanced Place-ment boot camp where they got a jump start to pre-pare them for the rigorous, college-level courses.

• We have created a Bal-anced Literacy Framework for all teachers and have begun a comprehensive training program for el-ementary teachers that will serve as a foundation for all students’ learning.

• Cascade View has re-duced discipline infrac-tions from 69 in 2007-8 to just 4 last year.

• Each day we serve a free breakfast to every el-ementary student through our Breakfast in the Class-room program.

• Our Transportation Department earned the top efficiency rating in the state last year.

As we begin this new school year, please join me in raising our voices loud-er than any outside law or critic. We are Tukwila. We have unlimited potential.

In service, Superintendent Nancy

CooganTukwila School Superin-

tendent Dr. Nancy Coogan can be reached at 206-901-8006 or at [email protected].

• Celebrating 16 Years • 253-630-7496 • www.weatherlyinn.com/kent

15101 SE 272nd St., Kent, WA 98042Close to Hwy 18 on Kent-Kangley

1400729

Register Today!Eastside Walk to End Alzheimer's

September 27, 2015Tibetts Valley Park, 965 12th Ave. NW, Issaquah, WA 98027

Contact Weatherly Inn to join our teamor to sponsor.

2015 WINNER

$495Simple Cremation

$895Direct Burial

Bellevue 425.641.6100Federal Way 253.874.9000Online arrangements availableCascadeMemorial.com

1229409

Imperial Bingo Connection 3100 East Valley Road Renton 425-656-5257 (Wed Fri Sat Sun)

Every SaturdayWhat you buy at tills for 11 AM session

Play for 2:30 session Buy-in - Machines - Singles - Stars - Doubles

1400

450

[ COOGAN from page 5]


Tukwila residents will have a chance to hear from the candidates running for mayor and the City Council at a Candidate Debate Thursday, Sept. 17.

The debate is at 6:30 p.m. at Tukwi-la Elementary School, 5939 S. 149th St. , Tukwila.

The moderator for the debate is Jonathan Joseph, a 2005 graduate of Foster High School.

Attending the debate are mayoral candidates De’Sean Quinn and Allan Ekberg; Charles Tyson and incum-

bent Kate Kruller for council Position 6, and Kathy Hougardy and Dennis Robertson, who are both running un-opposed.

This is the first mayor’s race in eight years; Mayor Jim Haggerton is not seeking a third term.

Candidates will be asked standard questions and members of the audi-ence can submit questions to the can-didates prior to the debate.

The moderator will compile the questions and each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will ask the questions.

Candidate forum Thursday

Editor’s note: The Tukwila Reporter this month begins a regular column about the Tukwila Pool by the pool’s staff. The idea is to let residents know about the value of learning to swim and the events at the pool.

For those of you not familiar with drowning statis-tics, they are quite disturbing. Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death in 0-14 year olds. The easiest way to reduce tragic drowning incidences is

simple – teach children and adults how to swim.

Children should have swim lessons each year. Our state is surrounded with bountiful amounts of open water and chil-dren need to know the dangers of open water, as well as how to be safe in and around water. As

kids’ bodies and minds grow, they can improve their swimming and water survival skills. Swimming is also great exercise and often a requirement to do water ac-tivities.

The Tukwila Pool offers swim lessons every night of the week, as well as Saturday mornings, and private lessons for all ages (including adults). There are schol-arships available for families residing in the City of Tukwila. More information about water aerobics, open swims, family swims, lap swims, and party rentals can be found by calling the pool directly at 206-267-2350 or visiting our website online at www.TukwilaPool.org.

Marissa FitzgeraldAssistant Aquatic Manager

New column about pool

SWIMMING SAFARIThis Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1-3 p.m. is a chance to go on a swimming safari at the Tukwila Pool, 4414 S. 144th St. Cost is $3.


The Museum of Flight celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Saturday, Sept. 19, with an all-day birthday party and 50-cent admission – the original ticket price.

Visitors are encouraged to dress for the party’s 1960s theme. Festivi-ties begin at noon with a nod to the museum’s artist-designed astronaut statue program, Astronauts on the Town. Next will be a 1960s costume and fashion contest that is open to all visitors. The audience chooses the winner.

Family activities throughout the day include a Scavenger hunt and a design-your-own-astronaut coloring project. A museum archivist will also be on hand to answer questions about preserving family photos and other personal treasures.

The astronaut artworks have been on display all summer in the Seattle area, with an associated Instagram contest. Contest winners and the fi-nal results from the Astronauts on the Town online auction will be an-nounced at the noon ceremony. All 25 of the statues will be back at the museum and in formation below the M/D-21 Blackbird.

The museum was founded on Sept. 14, 1965. It was originally formed as the Pacific Northwest Historical Avia-tion Foundation (PNHAF), and was located in some small offices near the Space Needle at Seattle Center until 1979.

The name was changed to Museum

of Flight in 1981, and the doors were opened at its current Boeing Field lo-cation in the newly restored Boeing “Red Barn” factory. Now the museum campus spreads across 15 acres with four buildings and one more under construction. There’s also the muse-um’s Restoration Center and Reserve Collection at Paine Field in Everett.

The museum’s archives include more photos than the Smithsonian

National Air and Space Museum.The Museum of Flight is located

at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Tukwila, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The mu-seum 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.

Flight museum marks 50th

The main gallery at the Pacific Northwest Historical Aviation Foundation at the Seattle Center in the late 1960s was the forerunner to the Museum of Flight. Museum of Flight

The Metropolitan King County Council has placed the Best Starts for Kids initiative on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

If approved, the levy would generate about $58.3 mil-lion in 2016 through an increase in the property tax countywide.

The proposed six-year levy would provide funding for prevention and early intervention programs de-signed to increase the number of King County children and youth who reach adulthood healthy and ready to contribute to the region’s prosperity, according to a King County news release.

The proposed levy rate is 14 cents per $1,000 of as-sessed property value, which would cost the average King County homeowner about $1 each week.

Half of the funding would go toward early child-hood development—birth through age 5—followed by early intervention as problems such as depression and chemical dependency occur during teenage years. It would also support community-based programs that are designed to create safe, healthy communities that reinforce a child’s progress.

The levy’s proceeds would be allocated in this way:• 50 percent to early childhood development, from

birth through age 5, when research shows that 92 per-cent of brain growth occurs.

• 35 percent to sustain the gain by providing early in-tervention services to address problems such as depres-sion and developmental disabilities as the brain contin-ues to develop through age 24.

• 10 percent to reinforce a child’s progress by improv-ing the health, social, and economic outcomes in the communities where they live.

• 5 percent to pay for evaluation, data collection, and program improvement.

Kids levy on Nov. 3 ballot

8 SEPTEMBER 2015 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » SEPTEMBER 2015 9

TUKWILA CITY PAGESMAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: Kate Kruller

City of Tukwila • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Online: TukwilaWA.gov

All Tukwila residents can dispose of yard debris at the Fall Clean-up Event on Saturday, September 19. Waste Management will collect up to 96 gallons of storm debris – without extra charge –

from its residential customers on the September 25 pick-up.

Meeting agendas, City programs, recreation activities, publications and more… get the most current information at TukwilaWA.gov!

by Kate Kruller, 2015 Council President

Next Chat: Oct. 10

Speak with a Councilmember about what’s on your mind!

Billy Baroo’s at Foster Golf Links 13500 Interurban Ave S

10:00 to 12:00

CouncilChat

City of TukwilaFall Clean-up Collection Event

Saturday, September 19 – 8:30 to 3:00Two locations!

Tukwila Community Center 12424 - 42nd Avenue South

Saar’s Super Saver Foods 3725 South 144th Street

Government of the people, for the people and by the people. What do these words mean to you?

One of the most coveted rights in the world is active participation in one’s own government. There are many ways to do that, but one of the most fundamental is by exercising the right to vote.

Here in the United States, our Constitution grants U.S. citizens, aged 18 years and older, the right to

elections regarding governments that have juris-diction over you.

With your vote, you take part in selecting who represents you – in your city, county, state and nation. This can include electing your water and sewer commissioners, school board members, city council, mayor, county council, county exec-utive, judges, state legislators, governor and con-gressional representatives. This is certainly not a complete list, but when you cast your ballot, you are part of a very powerful collective – the voting public or “electorate” – which makes very impor-tant choices on who is in place to govern.

You may also know that in 1912, Washington -

try to adopt the “initiative” and “referendum”

The City of Tukwila, a recognized leader in Wash-ington State for its Rental Housing Licensing and Inspection Program, is building on its commit-ment to ensure safe housing for all by adopting additional residential standards. These new regu-lations will be discussed at the City Council’s Com-mittee of the Whole meeting on September 28, be-ginning at 7:00 in Council Chambers. To learn more about these changes, property owners, rent-ers and all residents are encouraged to attend.

To ensure that minimum standards are met in all rental units in Tukwila, the City of Tukwila created the Rental Housing Licensing and Inspection Program in 2011. Tukwila is only one of three cities in Washington

State with this program. (The other two cities are Pasco and Seattle.) The program covers single-family homes, condominiums and multifamily apartments where people pay rent. It requires all rental units to be inspected on a regular basis,

standards. Each unit is inspected for a variety of issues, such as the availability of running water

issues, and problems with pests or mold. In order to pass an inspection, rentals must receive less than 25 non-compliance points. These points vary depending on the severity of the issue: the height of weeds in the yard versus the unit having

life safety issues automatically prevent a property from passing. Units found out of compliance must be brought up to code within 30 days. If the unit fails a second inspection and the unit is declared

to vacate the unit. Landlords may be required to provide relocation assistance.

The Rental Housing Licensing and Inspection Pro-gram has been a success for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, it has allowed the City to work -

cient units, resulting in better housing for Tukwila residents. It has also provided a straight-forward, easy-to-understand program that is supported by most in the landlord community. By having a

-ule plus the ability to respond to rental housing complaints as they are received, the program ben-

inspections.

Tukwila’s Code Enforcement has been using the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) since 2004, and its standards are a part of the rental housing inspection checklist. The 2015 version was recently released, and the City of Tuk-wila is proposing to adopt the new version, with amendments from the National Healthy Housing Standards (NHHS). The additional provisions pro-posed for adoption will give Code Enforcement even more tools when investigating housing code violations in rental units. Some of these new stan-dards include better protocols for correcting pest infestation and repairing mold damage, as well as other criteria to ensure the health and safety of residents.

Adoption of these new standards is yet another way that the City is working to improve the stock of residential housing in Tukwila. Moreover, the City has forged relationships with key organiza-tions such as the Tukwila School District, to help identify properties that may need additional in-spections beyond the rotation cycle. Partnerships like the one between the City and District help enhance the City’s ability to improve residential neighborhoods. Residents also play a critical role

Code Enforcement to report problematic rental properties, as well as any other violations of the City’s zoning code. To report a violation, contact Tukwila Code Enforcement at 206-431-3671 or email [email protected].

Tukwila builds on housing regulations

This year, the City of Tukwila produced its inaugural Video Voters’ Guide, which

the opportunity to record a two-minute statement, which were then edited to produce a short video. Introduced by Mayor Haggerton, all candidates for the mayor and council positions participate in the video.

You can access the Tukwila Video Voters’ Guide at the City’s website TukwilaWA.gov or by searching “Tukwila voters guide” on YouTube.

The general election will be held on November 3. New voters have the opportunity to register online to vote until October 6 at King-County.gov/Elections and can register in person by October 26. For more information, call 206-296-VOTE (8683).

Lower winter water rates return

per unit for single-family residences or multi-family housing units. For commercial and industrial ac--

sumption fee is based on usage of cubic feet of water: 100 cubic feet (CCF) = 748 gallons of water.

Help prevent neighborhood floodingAs our sunny summer migrates into rainy autumn, leaves are beginning to fall. Storm drains clogged with leaves can cause

private property.

Tips to prevent clogged storm drains Keep an eye on nearby stormwater drains to see that they are free

of leaves and other debris. Busy City crews appreciate your help!

Do not rake/blow or hose down leaves, dirt and debris from your property into the street. Compost or dispose of leaves and yard debris in your yard waste container.

What to do if you see a clogged storm drain Use a rake, shovel handle or stick to clear the drain. If this does

not help, report the blockage to Tukwila’s Maintenance Shops at 206-433-1864.

NEVER remove the grate from a storm drain opening; this doesn’t help unclog the system and creates a hazard. Don’t attempt to clean a drain located in a busy street.

Do not wade into water when you are unsure of the depth.

Tukwila performs regular maintenance of its stormwater system, -

dents and businesses can help by maintaining their property and contacting the City if they see a problem.

For more information about Tukwila’s Surface and Stormwater Man-agement program, email [email protected].

check over the decisions made by the legislature. Initiatives allow citizens, through the petition process, to place proposed law on the ballot. Referendums allow citizens, through the petition process, to refer an act of the state legislature to the voter’s ballot before it becomes law. The referendum also permits the legislature itself to refer proposed legislation to the electorate for approval or rejection.

So with your vote, you also have the power to enact, modify, approve and reject actual or pro-posed laws that are put before the people. In Tukwila this occurs at the City level as well.

Your vote matters and is an essential part of the power “we the people” have over our govern-ment. To do this, you need to register. It is so easy to do! You can register online or download a registration form to mail in at http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/register.aspx, no later than the Monday four weeks prior to the election record (October 5, 2015), or go in person to King County Elections at 919 Southwest Grady Way, Renton, WA 09057, no later than the Monday one week before the election (October 26, 2015).

Don’t delay, the ballots are mailed out to voters on October 13 for the General Election.

FUN RUN & WALK

You can hear from Tukwila candidates!

Tall crane towers over TukwilaResidents and visitors may have noticed that Tukwila’s tallest tower crane has gone up in the City’s central business district. This crane is being utilized to construct the 19-story apartment and hotel de-velopment at the former Circuit City site on Andover Park East. The

will soon begin above-ground construction. The Washington Place

The crane itself is 290 feet and the crane hook sits at 237 feet, though the building will be only 190 feet. Delivery of the entire structure took 14 separate trucks and was assembled over a period of three days. The crane is programmed by computer to ensure that it does not carry a load over adjacent buildings, and is built is such a way to actually lean backward toward the counter weight when there is not a load on the hook. While it may look odd, the backward lean is an important part of the safety mechanism for this mammoth structure.

In 2014, the City of Tukwila passed the Southcenter plan, a roadmap for growth in the central business district with the goal of turning the area around the commuter rail station into a mixed-use urban area with housing, employment, easy transit access, and various nearby amenities such as shopping and dining. The construction of Wash-ington Place begins the implementation of this vision. In the coming years, this area will become a new residential neighborhood, allow-ing for growth outside of Tukwila’s traditional residential neighbor-hoods, and providing housing opportunities for people who want a walkable urban experience.

CONSUMPTION RATE BY CATEGORY

Summer Rate, per CCF

Winter Rate, per CCF

Price

Single Family Residence $3.90 $2.80 $1.10

Multi-Family $4.49 $3.21 $1.28

Commercial/Industrial $6.00 $4.38 $1.62

Summer and winter water rates are compared at right. Bill payers who qualify as senior low-income or dis-abled low-income are charged 50% of the single-family residential rate. Please call 206-433-1835 for more information.

Scenes from KidsFest – August 21 at Cascade View Park

DON’T FORGET!

Saturday, October 10 Sign-in begins at 9:00AM

Run starts at 10:00AM

at Foster Golf Links

Wear your craziest socks and help others by donating socks to the Spirit of Giving Campaign.

To register, call 206-768-2822

Over 1,000 people participated in this year’s annual event hosted by Tukwila’s

Parks and Recreation Department.


coverstorySurvey paints

a profi le of McMicken Heights

The canvas of neighborhood sen-timent in McMicken Heights was conducted by volunteers from all city departments.

They surveyed 175 residents, which was a 36 percent response rate overall, according to Rachel Bi-anchi, a spokeswoman for the City of Tukwila.

In conducting the survey, she found many original homeowners in McMicken Heights, which she said is a “real testament to the neighbor-hood.”

The city will look at speeding issues on 51st Avenue South and other streets, she said.

Here’s what the canvas found out about those surveyed in McMicken Heights and their neighborhood.

• 19 years is the average residency• 30 percent have lived in Mc-

Micken Heights for 25 years or more• 90 percent own their homes• 6 years is the average stay for

renters• 70 percent plan to live in the

neighborhood in fi ve years • 59 percent are 50 or older• 16 languages are spoken• 81 percent are English speakers• 26 percent have children in the

home• 88 percent fi nd it easy to come

and go in their neighborhood• 76 percent fi nd it easy to get to

a bus or light rail but also complain about the lack of parking at the Link light-rail station

• 71 percent agree there is ad-equate street lighting

• 24 percent identify speeding on 160th, 164th, 42nd and 51st as a top concern

• 20 percent expressed concern about the look of the neighborhood, including specifi c homes, lack of home pride and junk cars

• 52 percent feel a sense of com-munity; most know their immediate neighbors but not many others

The city is planning to survey two neighborhoods yearly, Bianchi said, as part of its ongoing eff orts to reach out to residents to fi nd out how to work with them to improve their quality of life.

ON THE COVERWilliam Gorjance stands in the

big toy at the Crystal Springs Park not far from his home on McMicken Heights. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter


For 57 years Pat and William Gorjance have watched from their birds’ eye view on McMicken Heights – literally – as Tukwila and especially Southcenter have grown up.

In-laws asked William why the family de-cided to move to the country in the early 1950s. What’s out there? they asked.

“Well, right now, I say it’s so marvelous,” William said. “I can connect to I-5, 405, Southcenter. Anything I want, there it is.

“We’re isolated enough; even though I can hear the freeway noise. To me, the freeway noise is like the surf. I love it here.”

Apparently, so do a lot of other residents of Tukwila’s share of McMicken Heights, a broad geographic area west of Interstate 5 that Tukwila shares with SeaTac.

Th e results of the second neighborhood canvass in Tukwila show that most McMick-en Heights residents are generally happy with their neighborhood.

“We got a lot of ‘things are fi ne,’” Rachel Bianchi, the City of Tukwila’s communica-tions director, told the Tukwila City Council recently in presenting the canvass results.

Earlier this year, city workers surveyed Al-lentown, where a meeting with residents was held to talk about what community-based projects were needed to fi x some of the prob-lems residents reported.

Such a meeting isn’t planned for McMick-en Heights because of the general satisfaction of residents. Issues that were raised, such as sidewalks, street repairs and localized fl ood-ing or speeding or the neighborhood’s “look,” were reported by only about a quarter of the respondents.

Some traffi c problems“With the exception of traffi c on a couple

streets, the neighborhood, and with the ex-ception of one street, is satisfi ed,” said Dennis Robertson, who is one of two City Council members (the other is Allan Ekberg) who lives in McMicken Heights.

“We have great police protection. We get a response within three minutes for anything. You just don’t see that anywhere else. Th e fi re department does a wonderful job, although normally the fi rst fi re trucks here come from SeaTac,” he said.

Safety concerns were raised about Crystal Springs and Crestview parks, especially at night and especially Crystal Springs, which Robertson said gained a “very very bad rep-utation within the neighborhood” several years ago. Crestview Park hosted this year’s National Night Out against Crime.

Crystal Springs still is not a busy park. “Th e

neighborhood doesn’t consider this a neigh-borhood park. Look around. How many peo-ple do you see here?,” he asked. Th e park’s lo-cation near ramps from I-5 or I-405 make it a convenient spot for drug dealers to exchange their “product,” he said.

But it’s this mostly wooded hillside, now covered with grass, big toys and basketball and tennis courts, that helped McMicken Heights residents decide to annex to Tukwila in 1985. Robertson and other community ac-tivists led the annexation drive.

“It all started right here,” said Robertson, sitting at a picnic table at Crystal Springs.

A developer was working through the city process to build high-density apartments on the land nearly 40 years ago. Upset residents showed up at a public hearing, including Robertson, who at the time lived in unincor-porated King County and was active in the McMicken Heights Community Club.

‘We need more time’“We were all saying, ‘We need more time to

think about this and everything else’, because we were upset with what we could look at across the big intersection and see over there,” Robertson, motioning toward the apartment complexes above City Hall in the distance.

A second meeting was planned for City Hall, then at what is now the Tukwila Heri-tage and Cultural Center on 59th Avenue South. So many people showed up, about

200, that the meeting was moved to a nearby grade school.

Th ere were assurances that the neighbor-hood’s worst fears wouldn’t happen. Th en a project architect spoke, describing the plans for three to fi ve stories with not a bit of glass, as Robertson described. “An angry growl went through the crowd,” he said.

Th e city stepped back. Th e apartments weren’t built. Another fi ght occurred over another proposed apartment complex closer to I-5. It wasn’t built but the land-use battle is what Robertson said propelled him to run for the City Council.

Not listened toBut they also were ready to annex, aft er

discovering how hard it was to work with King County, according to Robertson. Offi -cers of the McMicken Heights Community Club would set up meetings with county of-fi cials, who would then reschedule.

“It didn’t take much to decide this wasn’t the way for us,” he said. “We weren’t getting listened to at all.”

Robertson has gone on to work closely on land-use issues and in recent years he’s worked with his neighbors to stop a marijua-na-grow operation on their street, aft er a long process. Th ey’re keeping an eye on another house, waiting to smell the pungent odor of growing marijuana so they can call police,

MCMICKEN HEIGHTS: Still a great place to raise a family

Tukwila City Council member Dennis Robertson stands on his street in McMicken Heights, where neighbors worked together to rid their street of a drug house. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

[ more MCMICKEN page 11 ]


Kirkland

Bellevue

Bothell

Woodinville

Lynnwood

NE 160th St

NE 195th St

NE 116th St

NE 124th St

NE 128th St

NE 85th St

NE 70th Pl

TOLLBRIDGE

NE 8th St

NE 6th St

522

520520

522

527

525

405

405

5

$2 .50 $2 .50

L E G E N D

Enter

Exit

Direct access

1 Express toll lane

2 Express toll lanes

Direct access to/from:NE 128th St

Direct access to/from: NE 6th St

The new I-405 Express Toll Lanes are opening soon, and they’re the fastest way to get where you need to go between Bellevue and Lynnwood.

Only a Good To Go! Flex Pass lets HOVs ride free on the I-405 Express Toll Lanes. Carpoolers will need a Good To Go! Flex Pass set to HOV mode and 3+ people to ride free during peak hours (weekdays, 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.), 2+ people at all other times. The new toll lanes open soon, so get your Flex Pass today at GoodToGo405.org.

Rush through rush hour.

Paid for by Citizens Voting for Ekberg

We had a great turnout for the annual Night Out Against Crime on Aug. 4.

Thanks for all the great food, warmth and community. Twenty-one locations participated bringing out the best in people. This is what makes Tukwila special and I’m proud to call it my home. Our community is my priority.

www.LetTukwilaShine.com

ALLAN

EKBERG FOR MAYOR

1414939

son’s plan.“We are pleased that Mr. Tyson agrees

with us on the importance of developing a plan to replace critical city facilities, and we are always happy when members of our community take an active role in major is-sues facing Tukwila,” said Bob Giberson, the director of Public Works.

“However, the Steering Committee, which has been working on this issue for

more than two years and includes several community representatives, recommend-ed that the city move forward with a differ-ent approach for planning new facilities.”

That approach recommends renovating the current City Hall and constructing a new Public Safety Building to house police and courts. The 6300 Building next to City Hall will be used as interim space during the renovation and construction of the Public Safety Building.

[ COUNCIL from page 12]

who have said they will respond quickly.“One of the reasons we are seeing this is

house prices aren’t very high here. And for some reason the word was out you could do it and get away with it,” he said. “We hope the word is getting out that that’s not true.”

He expects that marijuana-grow hous-es will eventually disappear because of changes in state law. The City of Tukwila has also rewritten its ordinance regulating marijuana.

Robertson, who said he’s walked the city at least 10 times doorbelling, said his neighborhood is no different from the rest of Tukwila in the need for code enforce-ment or drug houses or the quality of hous-ing. He said it’s maybe just serendipity that there were two grow houses on his street, which he said is on the mend.

Also on the mend is South 164th Street, where the City of Tukwila has ordered a property owner to secure a house against illegal entry and remove rubbish, garbage and debris and junk vehicles on the prop-erty by Oct. 2.

This is how Robertson would describe his neighborhood to a young family look-ing to buy a house:

“It’s a wonderfully peaceful quiet neigh-borhood where we generally respect each other’s rights. We help each other and stick together. But it’s not a neighborhood where we’re over for coffee every day.”

William Gorjance remembers the day when neighbors did have coffee, hosted their neighbor’s children and knew every-one up and down the street. They bowled

at the long-gone Lewis and Clark bowling alley on what was then known as Highway 99 or Pacific Highway South.

“It was one big family complex,” he said. Just a handful of the original homeowners remain.

The Gorjances have lived in McMicken Heights for 57 years. They bought one of 16 lots on 53rd Avenue South and hired an architect to design their first – and only – house. It was featured as the House of the Month in The Seattle Times in April 1958, a feature that looked at what’s new in archi-tecture in the Seattle area.

And these lots came with an expansive

views – until all the trees grew up. “Before all this growth, the Valley was

visible. We could hear the announcements at Longacres. It was so quiet. No freeway. Nothing. Cows used to come from over this direction and trample the front yard,” Gorjance said. And there rose Mount Rainier.

Even though they couldn’t easily see it, they could hear what was happening around Southcenter.

“We listened to the pile drivers for two years - ca-thunk, ca-thunk, ca-thunk,” Gorjance said as the big mall was being built in the mid-1960s. Now they hear the

pilings being driven for the new 19-story Washington Place.

They miss the views, which were the rea-son for putting in the big picture windows. But Gorjance has turned his backyard into a private garden.

Gorjance, 89, worked for The Boeing Co. in the military division for 37 years. The Gorjances raised their four children, Bill, Mary, Theresa and Vincent, in the house, where three of whom were born. They at-tended Crestview Elementary School, then Kennedy High School.

Their street was part of Tukwila before the 1985 annexation.

Today, their neighborhood has become diverse, “without anything binding us to-gether anymore. When we all had kids, we related that way,” he said. Like most others in McMicken Heights, he doesn’t have any complaints.

“It has remained a very pleasant neigh-borhood. We have no complaints,” he said. But it was also “really useful” to have a mayor (Ed Bauch) living across the street, which got sidewalks and underground utilities.

The city’s canvass showed that some Mc-Micken Heights residents feel a tug toward SeaTac, probably because many of their children go to Highline schools. Robert-son estimates that about 20 percent of what’s traditionally considered McMicken Heights is in Tukwila.

But Gorjance identifies with Tukwila, “for sure.” He served on the city’s arts com-mission for 29 years and has almost every Tukwila Days t-shirt.

“I hope to die here,” he said. “This is the only home I’ve ever owned.”

William and Pat Gorjance have lived in their McMicken Heights home for 57 years, enjoying for a long time an expansive view of the Valley and raising their family of four children. DEAN A. RADFORD, Tukwila Reporter

[ MCMICKEN from page 10]


election2015


Th e race for Tukwila City Council Posi-tion 6 features two candidates with diverse backgrounds and diff ering views for the city but both with a desire to serve the city’s neighborhoods.

Th e fi rst-term incumbent Katherine “Kate” Kruller, this year’s council presi-

dent, is facing Tukwila resident Charles Richard “Dick” Tyson, who says that fol-lowing a close loss for a council seat in the early 1970s, he’s been working quietly be-hind the scenes in the city.

Th e two will square off in the general election on Nov. 3. Ballots will be mailed to Tukwila voters in mid-October.

Besides serving as council president this year (a position that rotates among coun-

cil members), Kruller is also the president of the Board of Commissioners for the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District, which owns and oversees the operations of the Tukwila Pool.

In recent years Tyson has promoted his proposal for a new City Hall campus, which he calls the Tyson Plan. His idea is to consolidate City Hall facilities on 14 acres of land lining Interstate 5 from roughly

South 144th Street to roughly South 151st Street.

Th e model of his campus has been on display at city buildings, while the City of Tukwila has gone through an extensive process to decide how best to renovate or build new city facilities, including a reno-vated City Hall.

However, the city is not considering Ty-

Kruller, Tyson square off for council Pos. 6


Charles Tyson says the Tukwila City Council needs someone with professional expertise, who will ask questions and make sure all solu-tions to the city’s problems are con-sidered.

Today’s council, he said, is “largely ceremonial,” appearing in the com-munity and considering recommen-dations from city departments – and voting with “virtually no questions asked.”

He wants to change that.“I think the fact that I am not en-

dorsed by any member of the coun-cil speaks for the need for me to run,” he said. His opponent, incum-bent Kate Kruller, is endorsed by her fellow six council members.

In an interview with the Tukwila Reporter, Tyson talked about the is-sues facing the city.

He expects the four years “will be noteworthy” because the city is planning its facility needs for the fu-ture. Because of his training in geog-raphy and urban planning, he said he thinks he can provide “hands-on input.”

For years he has worked on his “Tyson Plan,” a proposal to build a City Hall campus along Interstate 5, making presentations to city offi -cials and the City Council. Th e city is headed in a diff erent direction on its facility planning, but Tyson thinks the city will eventually consider his proposal, which he says will cost less than what the city is proposing.

CHARLES RICHARD TYSONPERSONAL: Age 69, married to Diane. He has a

special-needs daughter, Stephanie, 36, who lives on Camano

Island with her mother. He lived his early years in Tukwila,

until his family moved to West Seattle. He still considered

Tukwila his home. He returned to Tukwila in 1970; he bought

property and built a house.

EDUCATION: 1964 graduate of West Seattle High

School; 1969 graduate of the University of Washington with

an education degree and a minor in art. He also studied ar-

chitecture, landscape architecture, geography and urban

planning.

PROFESSION: Taught a variety of subjects in the Se-

attle School District but predominately drafting and history.

He also was a substitute teacher. He retired from the school

district on disability.

POLITICAL/COMMUNITY: Candidate for City

Council in 1973, won primary election but lost in the gen-

eral election. Early president of the Tukwila Historical Society.

Served on the committee that recommended the City of Tuk-

wila purchase the Foster Golf Links.

ENDORSEMENTS: M.L. King County Labor Coun-

cil.

CONTACT: By phone: 206-790-9444; by email, uw-

[email protected]

KATHERINE KRULLERPERSONAL: Age 56, single, bought a house in Cas-

cade View in 1992. Worked for a year overseas. A “military

brat,” she was born in Savannah, Ga., but the family has al-

ways considered itself residents of Washington.

EDUCATION: 1977 graduate of Bainbridge High

School; 1982 graduate of Washington State University, with

bachelor’s degrees in communications; Master of Business

Administration in Engineering/Technology Management,

City University of Seattle, 1992; Project Management Certifi -

cate Program, Bellevue College, 2007

PROFESSION: Information Technology project

manager for the Washington State Administrative Offi ce of

the Courts

POLITICAL/COMMUNITY: Tukwila City Coun-

cil, 2012-2015; volunteers and works closely with a number

of Tukwila organizations; trustee for Puget Sound Access

Channel 77; elected precinct committee offi cer.

ENDORSEMENTS: All Tukwila City Council mem-

bers; other political and community leaders in South King

County and countywide; Washington State Conservation

Voters; Seattle/King County Building and Construction Trades

Council and other labor organizations; 11th Legislative Dis-

trict Democratic Organizations; King County Young Demo-

crats.

CONTACT: By phone, 206-853-9330. Website, www.

Kate4Tukwila.com

[ more COUNCIL page 11 ]

[ more TYSON page 13 ]

TYSON: Facilities will mark four years

KRULLER: City poised for bright

futureBY DEAN A. RADFORDD R A D F O R D @ T U K W I L A R E P O R T E R . C O M

It sounds like a broken record, she says, but Kate Kruller has her list of things she really cares about as she runs for her second term on the Tukwila City Council.

“I really care about responsible budgets. I really care a lot about sus-taining our emergency services at a high level of service. I care about af-fordable housing for everyone. I care about safe neighborhoods,” she says.

Th e city still has transportation issues to resolve, she said, but her mantra – still – is to continue to im-prove “our transportation system for our residents and those who work here.”

Kruller has served on a number of City Council and regional commit-tees, including one that has explored the feasibility of Tukwila joining the Kent Regional Fire Authority. Th is year she’s the council’s president and is president of the Board of Com-missioners of the Tukwila Pool Met-ropolitan Park District

For sure, Tukwila is at a “sig-nifi cant point in time” when it will transform itself, she said.

For example:• A recommendation will go to

the Tukwila City Council by year’s end whether to send to Tukwila’s voters a measure to contract for fi re services with Kent’s fi re authority, which already provides fi re services to Kent, SeaTac, Covington and Fire District 37.

• With a new state transportation

[ more KRULLER page 13 ]


budget, the City Council must press for-ward, she said, for funding for the Boeing Access Road light-rail station in the Sound Transit’s ST3 bond measure. And there’s grant money available for extending Strander Boulevard and building a bike and pedestri-an bridge across the Green River.

• The city is in the final phase of a city fa-cilities study, with decisions about priorities and funding over the next 25 years to be made in the next four years.

“I smile a lot. We’re at a turning point where things get a lot better in Tukwila be-cause of a whole lot of chain reactions going on,” she said.

‘Chain reaction’One of those “chain reactions,” taken as a

whole, is the development of Tukwila Village and the revitalization of Tukwila Internation-al Boulevard.

“I consider Tukwila Village a catalyst to change on Tukwila International Boulevard,” she said. “It exemplifies the reason for the revitalization zone that we created up there.”

The city worked hard and spent a “pretty good amount” of money on the Boulevard to condemn busineses that didn’t adhere to the “future and vision that we have for Tuk-wila. And that’s clearing the way for exciting things that may occur up there.”

At the same time, Kruller said, the city needs “to do more to manage our finances well, stay up with increasing public safety and infrastructure demands, provide af-fordable housing and safe neighborhoods, and improve city services to meet the needs

of our residents, people who work here and visitors.”

Occasionally, national websites will report that Tukwila has some of the highest crime rates in the nation. But, Kruller said, that’s using FBI statistics in “funky ways.” “Not anything like it,” she said of the rankings.

“They are comparing our crime numbers to our nighttime population,” she said, when Tukwila has about 19,000 residents. But what the online analysis doesn’t reveal is that Tuk-wila’s daytime population grows to about 150,000 because of workers and shoppers at the retail complex in Southcenter, where shoplifting occurs.

Neighborhood crimeFor the neighborhoods, major concerns

are thefts from mailboxes and porches and burlaries, she said, as evidenced by what she hears from neighbors and her Block Watch-es. Being aware can help slow down crimi-nals, as can alerts on social media of anything out of the ordinary, she said.

“The future of Tukwila belongs to the peo-ple who live here,” she said, and not just her or the City Council or the Planning Com-mission or city staff. “Everybody.”

For her, the questions are: “What is best for our neighborhoods? What makes sense for us here in Tukwila?”

“In terms of the future of Tukwila, what we as the council would like to see is that we turn to the neighborhoods and they get to have a heavy role in what the future looks like for them,” she said.

“We want Tukwila to be a very livable city,” she said.

He calls residential crime an “epi-demic.” The police chief has indicated the Police Department has sufficient resources, but Tyson asks, why does the city still have a problem?

“I think we should give police the resources and hold them accountable,” he said.

According to the Police Depart-ment’s 2014 annual report, in the last five years reported property crimes have ranged from a low of 2,976 in 2010 to a high of 3,402 in 2014. Those numbers include shoplifting cases at Westfield-Southcenter.

Tyson deferred comment on a pro-posal for Tukwila to join the Kent Re-gional Fire Authority until he sees the final recommendation. But he said he doesn’t feel the Tukwila Fire Depart-ment is adequately funded now. “They are true professionals doing a wonder-ful job,” he said.

Tukwila VillageTyson said the new multi-use devel-

opment called Tukwila Village in the long run will help revitalize Tukwila International Boulevard.

“But I don’t know if we’ve eradi-cated the problems we have up there or if we’ve just kicked them down the street,” he said, pointing to the ongo-ing crime issues at the Link light-rail station.

“Priority-wise, when we are dealing with unmet needs in the fire depart-

ment, when we have the people needs that we have, I just begin wonder about investing in things as opposed to peo-ple,” he said. He noted he doesn’t want to “come on strong” as opposed to Tukwila Village.

TIB revitalizationTyson questioned why local tax dol-

lars were used to buy crime-ridden motels on Tukwila International Bou-levard after they were seized by federal authorities. He understands that the properties are part of a larger vision the city has for improving the Boule-vard.

“The feds had a blighted piece of property in Tukwila. Whose respon-sibility was it to unblight it?” he said. The answer is the federal government, he said, and then sell the land as sur-plus property.

Eventually, the city will sell the land, but it won’t recover all its costs, he said.

Tyson said he’s hopeful about Tuk-wila’s future, but “we have a long ways to go to meet this slogan: City of Op-portunity, Community of Choice. For whom? We have not met that.”

The city’s problems are complex, he said, and “I think that we need a hands-on approach by leadership, as opposed to leaving all decisions to the staff.”

He said that’s what the City Coun-cil did in the past. “I think the council position is more than ceremonial,” he said.

[ KRULLER from page 12] [ TYSON from page 12]


The City Council race between incum-bent Kate Kruller and Charles Tyson has played out early on social-media sites in Tukwila an on the internet.

The social-media sites are where Tyson revealed background information he found about Kruller, through online research and through public-records requests.

An emotional Kruller, who is president of the Tukwila City Council this year, used a few moments at the end of a recent coun-cil meeting to talk about someone – she didn’t name anyone – whom, she said, was bullying her online and in public.

Tyson and Kruller have been invited to a candidates forum on Sept. 17 that will feature all the local candidates on Tukwila’s general election ballot Nov. 3.

Tyson posted a comment on the social-media site Tukwila Talk on July 23, chal-lenging Kruller to a debate on the site and gave her 24 hours to respond.

She didn’t respond and the online debate didn’t occur, although Tyson has posted “position pages” and Kruller has posted items about community events on the site.

Tyson also reached to out Kruller on NextDoor, a social network for neighbor-hoods. He mentions Kruller’s Code of Eth-ics violation in 2012 that was well-covered by the Tukwila Reporter. And he had other “revelations” about Kruller.

He writes: “I urge you to quietly resign

from Position 6 on the council, and I will not feel the obligation to bring facts, (not gossip or hearsay), before the public for review.”

Kruller filed her bullying complaint against Tyson on July 27 after he ap-

proached her on July 25 while she was volunteering at Touch A Truck at West-field-Southcenter. According to the police report, he asked her several times to agree to a political debate.

According to the police report, because of Tyson’s emails and his appearance at Touch-A-Truck, Kruller told the officer she feared Tyson’s behavior would escalate and he could become violent.

Tyson told the officer he never threat-ened Kruller and the information he had gathered about Kruller was available to

anyone through a public-records request.The city’s prosecuting attorney, Aaron

G. Walls, declined to pursue the complaint against Tyson in August, because Tyson’s comments were protected political speech.

“Online communications show the sus-pect [Tyson] made politically based com-plaints and was careful to limit his discus-sion of disclosing information to facts and not gossip,” Walls wrote.

Walls also explained that Washington state doesn’t have a crime of bullying. The closest crime would be cyberstalking or ha-rassment, which as speech – especially po-litical speech – is “limited to prevent First Amendment violations,” he wrote. The evi-dence must show “true threats” of physical harm, he wrote, which didn’t occur.

In doing online research about Kruller’s background, Tyson said he found court documents regarding Kruller’s guilty plea in 2008 to first-degree negligent driving. That was three years before Kruller was elected to the Tukwila City Council.

Several months later she changed her name from Susan Grace Kruller to Kath-erine S.G. Kruller. Tyson maintains she did that to hide her negligent-driving record; in an interview and in public comments, Kruller said she changed her name to hon-or her great-grandmother and “Kate” felt like a better fit for her.

The ethics violation in 2012 stems from Kruller’s efforts to rent a room at the Tuk-wila Community Center for a campaign event for State Rep. Bob Hasegawa. The al-

legation from staff at the community cen-ter was that Kruller used her position as a City Council member to get special privi-leges while renting the room.

Mayor Jim Haggerton ruled that Krul-ler violated the city’s Code of Ethics, which includes even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Kruller was fined and warned against using her position as a council member to “secure special privileges or creating the perception of engaging in such activity.”

Kruller appealed, but a hearing exam-iner upheld Haggerton’s ruling.

Kruller said in an interview she was fol-lowing the process to rent the room that was outlined to her by city staff. She said there was a “miscommunication.”

What she learned, Kruller said, is that she won’t put herself in situations ever without asking the question, “Are you treating me any differently than you would treat someone else?”

“I have no intention other than show-ing contrition for ever allowing myself in a situation like that,” she said.

Since then, the City Council has changed the ethics code to remove the “appear-ance” of a conflict of interest. And a Board of Ethics, rather than the mayor, rules on whether a conflict of interest has occurred.

“I feel better that things are better than they were before. I am humbled by the ex-perience. I did the best that I could do. And that wasn’t good enough. I am sorry,” she said.

Position 6 race uses social media, internet

“Online communication shows the suspect [Tyson] made politically based complaints and was careful to limit his discussion to of disclosing his information to facts and not gossip.”

Aaron G. Walls,Tukwila city prosecutor


school connectionSeptember 2015Tukwila School District #406

WE NEED YOUR INPUT!We all know that Tukwila is one of the

most unique, diverse, amazing, learning-filled, and caring school districts in the nation—and now we are updating our logo to reflect our vibrancy! Our current logo was created by a student (thank you, Adrien Yorozu!) in the mid-1990s, and it has served us very well. It reflects the themes of connectivity, diversity, and student-focus that are going to carry over into our updated design.

We are working with a design company to both revamp our logo and redesign our entire website. Once we collectively decide on a new logo, the website redesign will soon follow modeled on the colors and art of the new logo (hopefully in the late-fall time frame). To start the process, the design company had conversations with many staff members, parents, students, and community members to get a sense of the personality of our district.

Based on that work, we now have several draft logos. See what you think! We welcome all community members’ feedback. Please go to the district homepage, www.tuwkila.wednet.edu, to view the draft logos and take a survey.

Ultimately, our logo has to be able to stand on its own and convey a sense of the Tukwila School District in a glance. Thank you for taking the time to provide your input because you need to see yourself reflected in the new design!

New Tukwila School District logo

Update your contact

informationSchools need current

phone numbers and addresses

Parents and guardians: If there is an emergency at school, we need to contact you immediately for the safety of your student. Unfortunately, many families have old or incomplete contact information on record. This also stops parents from receiving critical school news and event information. Please take the time to check your contact information—phone numbers, address, and email address—by logging into Family Access or inquiring at your school. Any updates can be made through your school’s main office.

Junior Isabella Lemmon and sophomores

Megan Kirby, Le Onna James, Victoria

Jametsky, Danielle Chan, and Moniece Bomber

(from left) were happy to be back at school—

or at least to be reunited—on the first day!

What a start to the 2015-16 school year!Schools were filled with smiles and excitement when doors opened for the first day on Sept. 3.

For all the pictures, go to the Tukwila School District’s Flickr page, www.flickr.com/tukwilaschools.

Cascade View second-grader Ghadeer Ali Abdulhussei Al-Saedi got a jumpstart on the school year, and her parents were extremely proud of her when she graduated from the International Refugee Committee’s Newcomer School Readiness Program in August.

Thorndyke teacher Kevin Lam kept track

of his colleagues’ great ideas about Positive

Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

during the all-staff kick off in August.


Tukwila School District #406 SEPTEMBER 2015

Please check www.seamountathletics.com closer to each competition for any updates in schedules.

Football (at Neudorf Stadium,4242 S. 144th St.)• 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, against Hazen• 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, against Highline (homecoming)• 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, against Kennedy Catholic

Boys and Girls Golf(at Foster Links, 13500 Interurban Ave. S.)• 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, against Hazen• 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, against Highline, Evergreen,and Tyee• 3:30 p.m. Monday, 12, against Lindbergh and Renton

Boys Tennis (at Foster High, 4242 S. 144th St.)• 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, against Highline• 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, against Renton• 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, against Kennedy Catholic• 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, against Hazen• 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, against Lindbergh

Boys and Girls Cross Country• 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, against Lindbergh and Renton(at Seatac Park, S. 128th St. and 20th Ave. S., Seatac)• 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, against Highline, Tyee, andKennedy Catholic (at Valley Ridge, 4644 S. 188th St., Seatac)

Girls Soccer (at Neudorf Stadium, 4242 S. 144th St.)• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, against Tyee• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, against Evergreen• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, against Highline• 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, against Renton• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, against Kennedy Catholic• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, against Hazen• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, against Lindbergh

Girls Swim (at the Tuwkila Pool, 4414 S. 144th St.)• 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, against Renton• 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, against Evergreen, Highline,and Tyee• 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, against Hazen

Girls Volleyball (at Foster High, 4242 S. 144th St.)• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, against Hazen• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, against Lindbergh• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, against Tyee• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, against Evergreen• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, against Highline• 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, against Renton

Support your Bulldogs!Home athletic schedules for fall varsity sports

Student scores from last spring’s state assessments will be mailed home in September. State tests provide a snap-shot of how your child performed during testing and are not indicators of classroom performance; classroom per-formance should be the primary measure of your child’s skills and knowledge. If you have concerns about your child’s testing performance, please talk with his/her class-room teacher.

Each spring, all Washington public school students in grades 3-8 and high school are tested in English language arts and math. Students in grades 5, 8, and high school are also tested in science. This testing meets state and federal requirements. The state’s Resources page (www.k12.wa.us/Resources) has many handouts that provide more information for families about testing and learning standards.

This past spring, schools statewide administered new Smarter Balanced Assessments in math and English lan-guage arts for the first time. Because these tests are more rigorous than past years’ tests, fewer students across the state reached “proficiency” in these subjects. Some stu-dents who are used to passing the state test might find they don’t quite pass the new tests when they receive their results. Those students and their parents should not interpret those scores as the student’s failure, but rather as a new baseline for moving forward with learning the new skills.

State education experts expected the drop in test scores, and they also expect scores to climb steadily in years to come as students and staff get comfortable with the new learning standards and tests. In Washington, we have high expectations for our students and are confident in our teachers who are helping students grow academically in these areas, along with other subjects.

Students stateassessment results

coming in SeptemberSmarter Balanced Assessmentscores refl ect rigor of new test

Free fl u shots,immunizations, and physicalsKeep your children safe and healthy!

The district is proud to partner once again with HealthPoint to off er free fall medical clinics for Tukwila School District children. Services will include immunizations, fl u shots, and physicals. Immunization and fl u shots are available on a walk-in basis; physicals require an appointment. Call 206-439-3269 for more information.

•10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 26 and Oct. 24•HealthPoint Tukwila, 13030 Military Rd. S., Suite 200

We are also working with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to pro-vide a fl u-shot only clinic for all family and staff members. Infl uenza is a serious and potentially dangerous disease. Each year, students miss about 38 million school days due to fl u, and parents miss more than 10 million workdays caring for sick children. The best way to protect yourself and your family is the fl u shot. All participants will be asked to provide their health insurance card (usually fl u shots do not require any deductibles or co-pays). Students under 18 without insurance will be free. Adults without insurance may pay the $28 fee with cash or check.

•5-8 p.m. Oct. 23, at Showalter Middle School, 4628 S. 144th St.



tukwilareporter SPOTLIGHT

Celebrate your

INDEPENDENCE!

2805 S. 125th St. • Burien, WA 98168

206.243.0300www.boulevardparkplace.com

1413718


WINNER

Discover a new worldof Independent Living!

Family owned, affordable, retirement living. Tours 7 days a week

A Warm Family CommunityFREEDOM to live on your own.

PEACE OF MIND knowing your home is safe.

COMPANIONSHIP withpeople who live an active lifestyle.


WINNER

55+ Independent Community for Seniors


tukwilareporter

WINNER

Brenda K Kulju, Agent525 Strander BlvdTukwila, WA 98188

Toll Free: [email protected]

Se habla español

*Average annual per household savings based on a 2010 national survey of newpolicyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm.

State Farm, Bloomington, IL 1413724

And those savings could add up to $600.*So put your Auto and Renters togetherwith State Farm® and let the saving begin.GET TO A BETTER STATE.®

CALL ME TODAY.

Auto +Renters =Savings

1413776

Maureen A. WickertAttorney at Law

Elder Law • Estate Planning • ProbateMedicaid Planning for Long Term CareGuardianships • Trust Administration

Straightforward Discussions for Informed Decisions206.859.5502 • [email protected]

www.wickertlawoffice.com14900 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 255 • Tukwila, WA 98168

Thanksfor your support!


WINNER


tukwilareporter

FINALIST


WINNER

ickertlaw officeW

New Patient Special Come in for anew patient exam

and receive a

that can be used towardsyour next dental visit.

restrictions apply and while supplies last

$100SMILES@SOUTHCENTER

GIFT CARD

206.575.9150 • www.smilessouthcenter.com15425 53rd Avenue South | Tukwila, WA 981881400722

MACADAM COURTADULT FAMILY HOME

www.macadamcourt.com

1413735

Serving our Seniors inTukwila, Burien & Des Moines!

• Home health & hospice care

• 24/7 skilled caregivers with awake night shift

• Extensive activities program tailored to residents needs

VOTED BEST SENIOR LIVING FACILITY

Call us today & schedule a tour!206-992-1271Check out our new addition

13534 Macadam Rd, Tukwila 98168


WINNER


WINNER


tukwilareporter

WINNER

Yum.1415573

Make it an day.

SEATAC20402 International Blvd

206-592-5928

TUKWILA17250 Southcenter Parkway

206-575-0330


FINALIST


tukwilareporter

FINALIST

Your Child’s

The StarWE

LOVEOURPATIENTS!

Everything

is geared toward

your child’s

comfort and

enjoyment

THANKYOUFOR

VOTINGDR. BUDA

BESTDENTIST

THANK YOUFOR VOTINGSOUTHCENTERKID’S DENTISTRYBEST DENTALOFFICE

WE LOVEDR. BUDA!

SOUTHCENTERkid’S DENTISTRY411 Strander Blvd. Suite 303

Tukwila, WA 98188206-575-1130 fax: 206-575-1133

www.doctorbuda.com

1413722


WINNER


WINNER


tukwilareporter

FINALIST

Congratulations

2015Best of Tukwila

Winners and Finalists!

Documents

Tukwila Reporter, September 16, 2015