tukwila reporter, december 17, 2014

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coverstory | page 6

FIRST FAMILYChristmasFor Jim and Carol Haggerton,

holiday is all about family; mayor enters fi nal year in offi ce

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

2 DECEMBER 2014 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com

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Th e following excerpt by Alma Nelsen Taylor is from the Tukwila History book “Community at the Crossroads.”

Great preparation went into the celebra-tion of Christmas. At least one whole day was set aside for cookie making – spritz, kleiner, and Danish coff ee cake.

When Christmas Eve came, in the morn-ing several of us would go with Dad and his axe across the river to the woods, now Tukwila Park, and fi nd a tree tall enough to “reach the ceiling.” We hauled it back on our homemade horse-drawn wagon and Dad would take it into the living room and put it into a home-made frame. Th ere was always much talk about where to cut it so it would be sure to almost “touch the ceiling.” Th e wonderful fresh fi r smell is memorable.

Th en came the excitement of Christmas Eve. Aft er the evening chores were done, milk bottled, etc., we would all march be-hind Dad to the barn to give the animals a present of extra grain for Christmas. I re-member taking handfuls of the “cow salt” and scattering it on top of the extra hay so it would taste good.

Our Christmas Eve supper was always chicken soup and Danish dumplings and mother’s famous Park House rolls. Th e kids were then relegated to the kitchen, where the dishes were done. Th en the popcorn popping began and we strung the popcorn. As each string was fi nished, Mother would come and take it back to the living room and hang it on the tree. Mother and Dad did all the decorating, and we were not al-lowed in the living room until Dad rang a loud bell and slammed the hall door shut, calling “Santa, have a good trip.” When he

opened the living room door to us, there stood the wonderful sight of 100 candles burning on the tree and presents stacked under it. Each one of us would get one present we had hoped for.

Th e hired man, who lived in a small one-room house beside the big house and boarded with us, was always invited to “come in for the tree.” Christmas carols were sung and all was merry. We children almost always got a pair of new red boots to wear while doing our chores. Th e hired man always got a pair of bedroom slippers.

NOTE: Alma was born Sept. 15, 1911, to Fred and Dora Nelsen. Th e Nelsens had a dairy farm in the area known as Renton Junction near Grady Way.

Th is Tukwila’s Story was submitted by Pat Brodin, a member of the Tukwila Histori-cal Society. Th e historical society operates the Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center, 14475 59th Ave. S.

A Danish Christmasin early 1900s Tukwila

James Nelsen, left, and Larry Nelsen, right, who are third-generation members of the Nelsen family in Tukwila, sit in front of the Christmas tree at the family home in the 1950s. Tukwila Historical Society

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

Aft er months of transition planning, the Tukwila Pool will close on Dec. 25 and reopen on Jan. 5, operated by the Tukwila Pool Metropolitan Park District.

Th e pool district also won’t off er swim-ming lessons in January as it continues to train staff for the transition.

Th e district and the City of Tukwila this year signed an agreement transferring pool operations from the city to the district.

Park district commissioners fi nalized some of the details of the transition at their meeting Dec. 10.

“We are well-positioned to be success-

ful,” said President De’Sean Quinn.Th e 11-day closure will give the city

time to remove its property from the pool and the pool district will install comput-ers, train staff on a new point-of-sale sys-tem and train staff in lifeguarding skills, according to Dave Perkins, the district’s aquatics manager.

Swimming lessons will resume on Feb. 1. Any registration payments already made for January lessons will be credited to the February session or refunded, Perkins said.

Sixteen current lifeguards applied to continue their jobs and Perkins was to begin accepting applications this week for new hires. Information is available at www.tukwilapool.org.

Tukwila Pool finalizes transition details

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com DECEMBER 2014 3


Tukwila firefighter Greg Hansen doesn’t remember fly-ing 12 feet through the air and landing on the fogline of Interstate 5.

He does remember fellow firefighters dragging him to safety, blood running from his nose.

Hansen has a new Thanksgiving day and a message for anyone who drives on a freeway: when you see emergency lights of any color, slow down and MOVE OVER.

“I’d run into a burning building 10 times over one call on the freeway,” Hansen said at a press conference earlier this month at Tukwila’s main fire station, in talking about the risks emergency workers face on scene at a freeway ac-cident.

Representatives of the Washington State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Transportation joined with the Tukwila Fire Department to talk about the need to obey the state’s move-over law adopted in 2007.

“Our message today is about safety of our re-sponders on our high-ways,” said Tukwila Battal-ion Chief Marty Grisham, and not just Tukwila’s.

Hansen was driving fire Engine 51 back to the sta-tion the evening of Nov. 29 on Macadam Road, after responding with his two fellow firefighters to anoth-er call farther north on I-5.

Snow had fallen earlier in the day for the first time this fall; the roads were icy and the state patrol – and fire crews – were responding to numerous calls on the freeways.

At about 6 p.m. Hansen saw a small white truck spin out and come to rest in a median on northbound I-5. He noti-fied his captain and headed back to the freeway.

He parked in the HOV lane of the onramp from Inter-state 405 just ahead of the pickup that had come to rest perpendicular to traffic. He did everything “humanly” possible to protect the fire crew and other motorists.

Closest to the truck, he got out first and walked toward the truck driver’s door. The accident didn’t seem serious, but he needed to check on the man inside. Seconds later, maybe a foot away from the door, he heard a big boom and then nothing.

A red Mustang collided with the pickup truck with such force that Hansen was thrown 7 or 8 feet into the air and about 12 feet toward the freeway. The truck’s driver was injured; no one was hurt in the sedan.

“The next thing I remember is I am being drug off the road, or drug somewhere, in the most pain I’ve ever been in my life,” he said. “I can remember blood just pouring out of my nose.”

He was treated at Haborview Medical Center and re-leased. No bones were broken, which he attributes to the padding in his bunker pants – and some “natural” pad-ding, which drew a laugh.

As of last week, Hansen, who is on disability leave, was still recovering; his doctors had not yet indicated when he could return to work, according to Grisham.

His voice wavering, Hansen says he’s calling Nov. 29

his new Thanksgiving. There were thousands of other outcomes, each one worse, he said, not the least of which is that 15 seconds later his whole crew would have been standing with him, suffering the same fate.

“I don’t know if I could live with that,” he said.Trooper Chris Webb, a spokesman for the state patrol,

said the driver of the Mustang would receive a citation if found at fault in the collision, which is standard patrol policy. The investigation is continuing.

The move-over law basically requires that drivers are supposed to give emergency workers – police, fire, aid, transportation department and two trucks – 200 feet of emergency space, Webb explained. Vehicles must move away from emergency vehicles – not get closer, which Webb has seen repeatedly.

The law is hard to enforce because the trooper is inves-tigating an accident or issuing a citation and can’t pursue an offender, he said.

In the 10 days prior to the Nov. 29 accident, three state patrol cars had been hit while responding to a call, he said.

“This is a serious issue,” he said. “Greg is going to be tes-tament to how personal it can get when it goes beyond cars and into people.”

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2 tukwila’sstoryChristmas was always important for the city’s early residents. The Nelsen family’s Christmas was practical but meaningful.

3 moveoverTukwila firefighter Greg Hansen survives being hit on I-5, pleads with motorists to move over when they see emergency lights.

4 givingcityWhen the call went out to help a refugee family whose mother died unexpectedly, the response was overwhelming and appreciated.

6 coverstoryJim and Carol Haggerton and their family are Tukwila’s First Family. As mayor, Jim has tried to make the city better for all families.

12 boyshoopsThe Foster boys basketball team is a little green, but they’re ready to fight all the way to the state championship over and over again

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tukwilareporter

Move over, says firefighter tossed 12 feet

Tukwila firefighter Greg Hansen and his wife Mary Prentice, standing in front of Hansen’s Engine 51, spoke at press conference at Tukwila’s main fire station. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter [For safe driving tips, see the online version of the story at tukwilareporter.com.]

“I’d run into a burning building 10 times over one call on the freeway.”

Tukwila firefighter Greg Hansen


How do I even begin to thank this incredible and generous com-munity? Words cannot express what’s in my heart, but I will try.

Earlier this month, six of our students lost their mother when she collapsed suddenly while cooking dinner. In addition to the shock and devastation of her current family, another life was profoundly impacted: Th e mother was six months pregnant, and her 2 1/2-pound premature baby — miraculously — has defi ed the odds for survival in the intensive-care unit. Th e family is Burmese, only nine months in the U.S., with no money for funeral expenses let alone medical and day-to-day costs as the father has had to shift focus from his job to taking care of his children. I vividly recall the family’s panic as the hospital called wondering what to do with the mother’s body even as funeral homes were quoting a price in the tens of thousands of dollars for a basic service.

But like true angels, the people in the Tukwila school community stepped up. First, the Burmese and faith organizations stood vigil

with the family, off ering food, prayer, and sup-port. Our district’s own Burmese liaison and high-school counselor — Ohnmar and Laura Linde, respectively — fi guratively and literally navigated the medical obstacles, making count-less inquiries and driving the family to and from the hospital. And once the call went out for as-sistance, it was unbelievable how people opened

their hearts and pocketbooks: Not only staff in our schools, not only neighbors in Tukwila, but people from far and wide in the Puget Sound gave. Th e money that has been raised is signifi cant, but so are the acts of kindness. One community member has off ered profes-sional childcare; another has signed on to walk the youngest children to and from school each day. Several organizations are holding gift drives to make sure the season is just a little brighter for the children.

I need to give special recognition to the people at the local Bonney-Watson Funeral Home. From my fi rst conversation with Managing Director Mark Owsley, it was clear that this was a man of deep com-passion; he spent many hours with me clearing bureaucratic obstacles for the family with grace and style. Ultimately, Bonney-Watson con-tributed the casket, fl owers and all of the other services. Director of Grief and Community Resources Barbara Gilreath was there to sup-port the emotional needs of the family. Furthermore, they did it with utmost cultural sensitivity. If you think it is diffi cult for U.S.-born citizens to know the etiquette, procedures and scope for a funeral and memorial, it is almost incomprehensible for a refugee. (Th is is such valuable information that I am going to work with the people at Bonney-Watson aft er winter break to hold a life-planning informa-tion session for all of our community members.)

THANK YOU. What you may not understand is that because of your generosity, this family and its new baby can stay together — united, cared for, and educated — in Tukwila. We cannot take away the heartache, but we can make sure that their needs are met and they can focus on the task of healing rather than surviving. Your support

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tukwilacommentary

Th ere’s a common theme run-ning through much of this month’s Tukwila Reporter. It’s family.

It starts with Tukwila’s First Fam-ily, Jim and Carol Haggerton and their children and grandchildren. Jim is entering his fi nal year as mayor, leaving behind a city where families can prosper a big part of

his legacy.In talking

with Jim and Carol, I learned a lot about their family and its strengths. Th ey don’t come from wealthy families

and had to work hard for what they enjoyed as a family.

“I think Carol and our family have much to be thankful for and that too is caused by hard work and dedication and appreciation for the value of keeping strong family ties,” he said.

Th ere’s much to learn about family from Tukwila’s diverse com-munity, which Jim looks at with pride. Tukwila’s school commu-nity and the community at large

was touched by the sudden death of Ciin Nuam, a Burmese refugee who along with her six children had recently been reunited with her husband and their father.

In a incredible display of gener-osity and caring, the community raised about $50,000 for the family, as of last week. Tukwila’s Burmese community has rallied around the family. Th ose are examples of kindness that if emulated will continue to make Tukwila a caring place to live.

And please read this month’s Tukwila’s Story. It’s a popular fea-ture, so I am guessing you already have. Th e Nelsen family has deep roots in Tukwila. Th eir Christmas-es at their home on West Valley Highway were steeped in practical-ity and love. Th at’s something else to remember.

And families even happen at the workplace. Mary Prentice, wife of injured Tukwila fi refi ghter Greg Hansen, thanked the “fi refi ghting family” for its support of her and her husband.

As a reminder: MOVE OVER when you see emergency lights.

Family first makes Tukwila strong place

EDIT

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Tukwila steps up tohelp refugees in crisis

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I have a great appreciation of creative arts: music, literature, plays, sculptures, paintings, public art, you name it. In par-ticular, I enjoy paintings. When I view art, I get the opportunity to see, think and feel diff erently. Perhaps the piece is simply beautiful or humorous, and I can appreci-ate that. I may want to understand what I see intellectually. Th e piece may invite me to use my imagination or to notice how I feel and explore psychological corners.

Or all of the above. It does not matter. Th e artist creates the space in which some or all of these things can happen.

We enrich our lives and the lives of our children when we provide opportuni-ties to appreciate the creative arts. And we don’t have to be rich to be culturally enriched. Most communities have public art and art galleries. Art museums usually have one free day a month. Other half- price and discount opportunities abound.

School districts and museums work to-gether to organize fi eld trips. I love that, but I don’t care to be there when it hap-pens (if you know what I mean). And guess what? Museum memberships make great gift s.

Tukwila Reporter columnist Chuck Parrish can be reached via email at chuckpar-

[email protected]

The arts make for a wonderful gift any time of the year

[ more COOGAN page 5 ]

www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2014 5


The Zam Khap family was split apart for about 10 years, before finally being reunited and moving to Tuk-wila nine months ago.

He had spent eight years in a refu-gee camp in Malaysia and then 2 1/2 years in the United States, while his wife Ciin Nuam and their six children remained behind in Burma.

Once in Tukwila, the six children enrolled in school, two at Foster, two at Showalter and two at Cascade View. He’s a general worker at a sea-food factory.

On Dec. 2, Ciin Nuam was cooking dinner early in the afternoon in prep-aration for her children’s return home from school. Six-months pregnant, she collapsed; Zam Khap, who was getting ready for work, heard her fall.

He doesn’t know how to commu-nicate with 911, explained Ohnmar, the Burmese liaison for the Tukwila School district, who has been work-ing with the family. Church groups and the Burmese community at large are helping, too.

He tried to call friends to help. De-spite language barriers, emergency help was summoned. Ciin Nuam’s baby survived, treated at the Swedish Hospital neo-natal unit, and is report-ed to be doing well.

Ciin Nuam’s cause of death was still being determined last week.

Ohnmar contacted the school dis-trict and began the process of helping the family deal with funeral costs and make plans for supporting the family for the difficult days ahead.

Sara Niegowski, the school district’s communications director, set up an online fundraiser for the family, with a $10,000 goal, enough to cover fu-neral costs.

As of late last week, about $50,000

has been raised for the family. The website address is www.youcaring.com. Search for Zam Khap.

“That was unexpected,” Ohnmar said, but appreciated by the family.

Organizations and businesses are also buying Christmas presents for the family.

Communication has been difficult, even for Ohnmar, who doesn’t speak the Burmese dialect spoken by the family. In fact, only a few speak the dialect in Washington state.

But the father said the support

“has really touched his heart.” The school community really cares about his family, as does the whole Tukwila community, according to Ohnmar.

“That made him a little bit stronger and he feels that he can stand on his own feet,” she said.

The family will still need support, especially now that everyone is go-ing back to work, she said. And Zam Khap has a baby to care for. His oldest daughter, Niang Lun Cing, is learning to care for and feed her baby sister, Sian Hoih.

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has not gone unnoticed; the family says they have been wrapped in care, and it has made all the difference. They are greatly, humbly appreciative, and they feel a renewed sense of home here.

I have heard and experienced over and over again that Tukwila is a com-munity that cares. This holiday sea-

son, disregard the headlines about high crime rates and poverty related to cities that are marginalized. We in Tukwila know the truth: We create moments where humanity and hope prevail. Isn’t this what we are born to do? Isn’t this why we were created? I have never experienced a more lov-ing, caring community that rises to every occasion and believes in the

ability of every child. Perhaps it’s all of the other com-

munities that need to learn from our greatness.

In service,Nancy CooganTukwila School Supt. Dr. Nancy

Coogan can be reached at [email protected].

[ COOGAN from page 4]

$50,000 raised for family

Niang Lun Cing is learning to care for her baby sister Sian Hoih, after the death of their mother Ciin Nuam. Sara Niegowski/Tukwila School District


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For Mayor Jim and Carol Haggerton, Christmas Day is all about their family – and the veterans who served this great nation.

Th e busy day takes planning and begins early, even the Satur-day before for a Santa party, a family tradition that goes back to the 1960s.

Th ere’s baking and candy-making and grand-kids to consult about the menu, which Carol says usually comes together two or three days before Christmas.

“We have a close family,” says Jim of Tuk-wila’s ‘First Family.’ “We get together on all of our birthdays and special occasions, especially Christmas time is important to all of us to get together.”

For many past Christmases the Haggertons visited veterans at the Veterans Hospital in Seat-tle on Christmas morning with other members of Tukwila’s American Legion Post 235.

Th is year, they’ll join veterans from Tukwila and American Legion and VFW posts throughout the region to bring gift s and a sense of home to veterans, many without fam-ily nearby to come visit. One gift is a phone card for calls home.

Th e visits are “very emotional,” says Jim, a Marine Corps vet-eran. Many of the veterans are awaiting surgery or recovering from one, he said.

“Th ey really do appreciate veterans coming in,” he said.Th e Haggertons usually return home to Tukwila at about 1 p.m. Th e table is set

for a family of 10. Th ere’s daughter Terri and her husband Ed Woyvodich and their two children, Taylor and Cale. Son Carey and his wife Rachel arrive from Kent with

their sons, Cody and Blake.Haggerton grandkids have already gathered at grandma’s side to make cookies

and candy, something they’ve done since they were old enough to stand.

A family affair

“We have a close family. . . . Christmas time is important to all of us to get together.”

Mayor Jim Haggerton

The Haggerton family posed for a family photo during a recent Christmas. From left, they are: Cody Haggerton, Jim Haggerton, Taylor Woyvodich, Blake Haggerton, Terri Woyvodich, Cale Woyvodich, Ed Woyvodich, Carey Haggerton, Carol Haggerton and Rachel Haggerton. Haggerton family photo ON THE COVER: Carol and Jim Haggerton hold hands in front of the Christmas tree at Tukwila City Hall, donated annually by the Segale family. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

Christmas at the Haggertons usually means baking with the grandkids, ham - although they’re flexible, following an emotional visit to hospitalized veterans

[ more CHRISTMAS page 7]


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A favorite cookie is Krumkake, a rolled Norwegian waffle cookie. The boys aren’t really into intricate cookies, says Carol. “They like to see the results quickly,” she says, and get their hands covered in ingre-dients. She laughs.

For Thanksgiving the Haggerton fam-ily had turkey and ham. Normally, ham is served for Christmas, but she’s always look-ing for something different. The grandkids have a say “because they are a little bit pick-ier,” she says.

There are traditions, however, including a cranberry salad. Carol bakes, including a pecan pie. The Haggertons’ children typi-cally bring dessert and wine.

Carol typically cooks all the basics, in part to make travel easier for her children.

How does she get all that done? “She is a hard worker,” says Jim. “Some-

times I think she works too hard. She is so family oriented.”

And then there’s a birthday cake. Terri

was born on Christmas Day.“We always have a cake for Jesus and

for Terri,” says Carol. Terri likes a choco-late tort with maraschino cherries and whipped-cream frosting.

After dinner, the family can spend hours putting together a jig-saw puzzle, says Jim.

The Haggertons were born in New Mex-ico, where Jim grew up. They met in New Mexico while Carol was on vacation; her family had moved to the Seattle area.

Jim and Carol Haggerton married on July 1, 1958, in Tukwila. Their first house was in Federal Way, which was then little more than forest. They moved to SeaTac, before finally buying the family home in Tukwila.

Jim worked for NC Machinery (one of the original businesses on Tukwila’s val-ley floor) for 20 years. In the 1980s, they started a family business called HACO, for Haggerton Co., a diversified small business. Carol does bookkeeping and ac-counting for a construction company.

Jim still owns all the dehumidifiers and fans he used in structural drying, but he doesn’t plan to return to that job after he retires.

Jim turns 79 in January. He and Carol like to take driving vacations; a particular interest are the Indian ruins in the South-west. Carol volunteers for Children’s Hos-pital in Seattle.

For sure, after 20 years, the Haggertons will have Monday nights to share once again. The City Council meets Monday nights, but Haggerton regularly attends other evening meetings during the week and often on weekends.

“Mondays are going to be a real chal-lenge, because he hasn’t been home on a

Monday evening, unless there was a fifth Monday, for about 20 years,” said Carol, laughing.

Planning a dinner time has always been hard, because of Jim’s busy evening sched-ule.

“I can just have something planned that we can cook quickly. Dinners are just kind of impromptu at our house,” she said, laughing.

That planning was simplified when the City of Tukwila started broadcasting City Council meetings live on city Channel 21.

She can watch the meeting to get a sense of when to start cooking. “And when I walk in the door, she just about has something ready,” Haggerton said.

[ CHRISTMAS from page 6]


Jim Haggerton has one year left as Tuk-wila’s mayor and it’s going to be busy.

But that shouldn’t surprise anyone who has worked for and alongside Haggerton in his two decades as an elected official in Tukwila.

Haggerton served 13 years on the City Council before his election as mayor in 2007. He also served on the city’s Planning Commission, as well as numerous regional committees.

Haggerton talked recently about his two terms as mayor leading this city of nearly 20,000 residents and what’s on his “bucket list” in his final months in office – and into the future.

Haggerton wants to leave Tukwila with a strong economic base and safe and walk-able neighborhoods, where everyone has a chance to prosper.

“A lot of people say I am really business-oriented,” he said. “But what I am oriented toward is providing a solid financial base for the years to come.”

He wants to make sure everything done

in 2015 leaves the city in “solid financial shape” and projects move forward that will benefit the city financially into the future.

“That’s the legacy that I would like to have,” he said.

Haggerton’s years in the mayor’s chair, starting in J a n u a r y 2008, have been finan-cially tumul-tuous, start-ing almost immediately with the Great Re-cession that forced cities to tighten their belts.

Tu k w i l a relies heavily on the sales tax and property tax for revenue. And, of course, much of that sales tax is generated by the economic engine that is Southcenter, with its daily population of around 150,000 workers and shoppers.

That money is used to improve the

neighborhood streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure that another city of 20,000 would find a financial stretch. But it’s also needed to provide the streets, utilities and emergency services for that large daytime population.

Sales-tax revenue is trending upward, although gradually, and Haggerton thinks the city will see a “pretty dramatic increase” in sales-tax revenue from new construc-tion in 2015.

Even with these tailwinds, Haggerton proposed and the City Council approved on Nov. 17 – the earliest in Haggerton’s years as an elected official – a hold-the-line budget of about $300 million for the next two years.

The property tax levy was raised by 1 percent, the most possible without a vote of the people.

The city created a new communications department earlier in the year and added a new employee each to code enforcement and the Police Department, mostly by moving staff and money around internally.

Again, with an eye to the future, Hagger-ton and the City Council are studying the city’s needs for new or refurbished govern-

ment facilities, including a new police and court building and possibly a consolidated city maintenance shop.

Haggerton has kept a timeline of the city’s accomplishments in the last sev-en years. He’s quick to point out that he doesn’t take all the credit for those, as they were made by all city officials and the com-munity working together.

And many of the accomplishments are embodied in the city’s Strategic Plan, ad-opted in 2012, that provides the vision for how the city will spend its money.

Here’s a look at some of those accom-plishments and what’s still on Haggerton’s and the city’s “bucket list”:

SouthcenterMuch has been happening in the South-

center Business District, which will be-come a major transportation hub, a resi-dential neighborhood and a place friendly to pedestrians.

The new transit center on Andover Park West will provide a convenient transfer and starting point for Metro Transit bus

Mayor’s legacy: make city financially secure

“What I am oriented toward is providing a solid financial base for the years to come.”

Mayor Jim Haggerton

[ more LEGACY page 10 ]

8 DECEMBER 2014 « www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com www.TUKWILAREPORTER.com » DECEMBER 2014 9

TUKWILA CITY PAGESMAYOR: Jim Haggerton COUNCIL PRESIDENT: De’Sean Quinn

A special thank-you goes to everyone who contributed to the City’s

CouncilChat

Next Chat: January 10

CVoiceouncil

by De’Sean Quinn, 2014 Council President

What a year we’ve had!I wanted to take an opportunity to reflect on 2014 and my term as City Council President. I’ve been honored to serve in this role and serve alongside my fellow councilmembers, all of whom are committed to continuing to improve the City of Tukwila. In many ways, 2014 has been a great year. I would be remiss if I did not reflect on the great loss the City sustained when former City Attorney Shelley Kerslake passed away. Her presence continues to be felt throughout the City and, in-deed, she had a guiding hand in many of our 2014 accomplishments highlighted below:

★ With unprecedented collaboration between the Administration and Council, the City adopted a fiscally responsible biennial budget and six-year CIP.

★ Other key legislation in 2014 included the Parks, Recreation & Open Space (PROS) Plan, five Comprehensive Plan amendments, the Southcenter Subarea Plan/Design Manual, the City’s Compre-hensive Emergency Plan and our City debt policy.

★ We broke ground this summer on Tukwila Village; we participated in the opening of the new South Park Bridge; and private develop-ers broke ground on Washington Place, which has the potential to fundamentally change the Southcenter district.

★ We continue our efforts to improve the Tukwila International Bou-levard area and secured the former motel sites consistent with our urban renewal efforts.

★ The City has engaged in exceptional collaboration with the Tuk-wila School District, from joint meetings of the City Council and the School Board to the City extending funds for elementary af-ter-school programs. We continue to invest in Tukwila’s young people, including establishing the City of Opportunity Scholarship and chartering the Teens for Tukwila youth council.

★ We expanded our community outreach opportunities from the open houses held for the budget and Comprehensive Plan to our work with the Community Connectors.

While there are many more achievements that could be listed, perhaps what I am most proud of is teamwork approach we as the Council brought to this year. We had record participation from Council on regional and national committees, which results in Tukwila’s voice be-ing heard at the table when key decisions are made. I applaud my colleagues for their great work this year and look forward to what 2015 brings for all of us! Have a safe and happy holiday.

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

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Safe Routes to School project on winter hiatusThe City of Tukwila’s Thorndyke Safe Routes to School project – improv-ing pedestrian safety along South 150th Street between Tukwila Inter-national Boulevard and 42nd Avenue South – has entered suspension for the winter. Fortunately, the undergrounding of utilities and storm drainage portion of the work has been completed. The contractor has removed the detour signs, temporarily patched the roadway, and will perform some minor property restoration prior to the break. The proj-ect site will be closely monitored for erosion control, roadway integrity, and pedestrian and vehicle access throughout the shutdown period.

Although the intent was to finish the work this year, the unusually wet October caused the contractor to lose valuable time that impacts very sensitive paving and concrete flatwork. The City determined that this hiatus will ultimately provide our citizens with the best possible product. When work resumes in the spring of 2015, the contractor will return to construct sidewalks, build curb returns, and remove and replace the asphalt roadway.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email [email protected] or call 206-431-2446. Information about the Thorndyke project – as well as several other significant Tukwila construction proj-ects currently in progress – is available online. If you travel on any of the impacted streets, look here for detailed information including project updates and road closures.

THORNDYKE: TukwilaWA.gov/PubWks/ThorndykeSafeRoutes.html

TRANSIT CENTER: TukwilaWA.gov/PubWks/TransitCenterProject.html

INTERURBAN: TukwilaWA.gov/PubWks/IURoadway.html

EAST MARGINAL: TukwilaWA.gov/PubWks/EMWStorm.html

Updating our Comprehensive Plan: Next up, Tukwila International BoulevardIn 1998, the Tukwila City Council passed a resolution changing the name of Pacific Highway to Tukwila International Boulevard (TIB). The new name was intended to be more representative of the area’s international flavor and to help better the image of the area to reflect adopted redevelopment guidelines.

Names are powerful. So is the visual environment – what you see and how you perceive those images can make a positive or negative impact. In the 16 years since the name change, the City of Tukwila continues to make a difference by spending hours of attention and millions of dollars on public improvements to create a safer community. We’ve made a lot of progress, but work still needs to be done; some of the feedback received at the Community Conversations is that the pace of neighborhood change is too slow.

TIB is back on stage again. During upcoming joint work sessions – Thursday, January 8 and again in February – the City Council and the Planning Commission will be studying the past and current conditions, considering comments and ideas taken from the March 2014 Community Conversations, and discussing the future of the area. They will evaluate, reaffirm or modify the community’s vision and goals for the area, and deliberate policies needed to move the area towards achieving those goals.

An additional TIB-focused conversation will be held in April 2015. Community members can use this opportunity to look at and discuss any potential changes that will affect City budget on programs, project designs and regulations related to the TIB area.

Staff is always available to listen and talk about your ideas. If you’d like to be added to a Comprehensive Plan Update list, please contact Senior Planners Lynn Miranda at [email protected], or Moira Bradshaw at [email protected], or call 206-431-3670.

Tukwila Police to enforce safe holiday drivingOn Saturday, December 20, the Tukwila Police Department will be conducting DUI emphasis patrols between 8:00pm and 2:00am. The emphasis patrols are to ensure the safety of Tukwila residents and guests at the height of the holiday season.

The Tukwila Police Department strongly reminds everyone to refrain from drinking and driving. Even a few drinks can cause impairment; buzzed driving is drunk driving. In addition, do not ride with a driver who has

had too much to drink. “We want everyone to be safe while en-joying their holidays,” said Tukwila Police Chief Mike Villa. “This means we all need to be more diligent – including those who choose to drink alcohol. Call a cab, call a friend or find another way home, but do not drive drunk.”

The Department points out that there are a number of ways to safely get to and from your holiday destinations after having al-cohol, including taxis, car-sharing services and a call to a friend or neighbor asking for a ride. All of these options are much safer and cheaper than driving drunk, which can lead to thousands of dollars in court costs and fines, not to mention the possibility of serious injury or death.

This holiday season should certainly be celebrated; the Tukwila Police Department simply urges everyone to do so in a safe man-ner that protects yourself, loved ones and the surrounding com-munity. If you see a driver that you think may be impaired or know of someone driving drunk, please call 911 immediately.

To keep pace with the City’s water and sewer utility costs, a rate increase has been approved by the City Council for 2015. The expenses to oper-ate and maintain the City’s infrastructure have increased each year due to aging pipe, pump facilities, and increases in Cascade Water Alliance’s wholesale water charges. Effective in January 2015, the minimum water charge for residential customers will increase from $15.00 to $16.00 per month.

Minimum charges will also increase for multi-family and commercial customers, as well as their water consumption charges.

Flat residential sewer rates will increase from $26.50 to $29.00. Com-mercial rates will increase from $46.50 to $51.00 per 750 cubic feet of water consumption. Monthly sewer bills also include the King County

Metro sewage treatment charge which will increase from $39.79 to $42.03 per month for 2015, per King County ordinance.

King County Council has also increased the sewer capacity charge in 2015. The current charge of $55.35 per month (set up as a payment plan for 15 years) will increase to $57.00 per month in 2015. The sewer capacity charge only affects new sewer hookups from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.

Surface Water fees will also increase in 2015. The current rate for single family parcels will increase from $118.00 per year to $142.00. Although this is a larger increase than for the other utilities, Tukwila still has one of the lowest rates in the area for surface water fees. This increase will fund highly needed water quality projects in the City.

Budget designed to address Strategic Plan priorities

On November 17 the Tukwila City Council adopted the 2015-2016 bien-nial budget – the first one developed under the City’s Strategic Plan. The budget focuses on City priorities that align with the City’s strategic goals. These priorities include:

This budget is fiscally prudent, with no expected drawdowns to our general fund balance or contingency reserves. In fact, our contingency reserve goal was reached in 2013, one year ahead of schedule. As bonds mature, the budget uses a small portion of the City’s considerable bond-ing capacity to tackle the identified key priorities of sidewalks, curbs, gutters and undergrounding – and capitalizes on a new favorable agree-ment with Seattle City Light that has them covering 60% of the cost of undergrounding on 42nd Avenue S. and 53rd Avenue S.

Working together for results

The 2015-2016 priorities were identified through a collaborative process between the Council and the Administration and with input from the business and residential communities. In October of 2013, a joint Coun-cil/Administration workshop was held to discuss budget priorities; the Administration made some refinements in December and the Council made additional refinements at their retreat in January. In February, a Business Vitality Forum was held and a Community Budget Forum oc-curred in March. A Budget Survey was also conducted to learn more about community opinions and priorities. Through this work the bud-get priorities were finalized and the Council approved them in June of this year. The adopted budget is the result of a lot of input and adheres to both the priorities and the adopted strategic plan.

The City’s budgets are roadmaps for the future, supporting the priorities and work plans for the coming biennium. Tukwila encourages its resi-dents and other stakeholders to better get to know their City’s budget, key programs identified for the biennium, and the capital plans for the next six years. Tukwila’s budget can be accessed at:

TukwilaWA.gov/finance/budget/Proposed2015-2016BiennialBudget.pdf

which includes a letter from the Mayor and budget summary document that provide a wealth of information. Interested parties are welcome to visit City Hall to review a copy of the budget as well.

Give the gift of safetyIf your holiday shopping list in-cludes someone with firearms, consider purchasing an approved gun locking device. Whether it’s a gun vault or safe, a lock box, a cable lock or trigger lock, the Tuk-wila Police want to remind you that safe storage saves lives.

Firearm locking and storage de-vices can be purchased wherever guns or firearm accessories are sold: gun stores, sporting goods stores, firing ranges, locksmiths and discount stores.

Four reasons to lock firearms:

Prevent children from being injured or killed.

Prevent crimes from being committed with your gun.

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riders – basically a bus stop right in the heart of South-center’s retail area.

Haggerton repeatedly stresses his vision to make Tukwila more pedestrian-friendly and walkable to work, home and entertain-ment.

Jumpstarting the city’s vi-sion of a place to stroll, eat outdoors and get a drink on the Baker Boulevard corridor is Odin Brewing Co. Nearby will rise the 19-story Washington Place, home to hundreds of new residents and a place for visitors to stay.

Of course Baker Boule-vard runs right into West-field-Southcenter on the west and a new pedestrian bridge over the Green River will extend Baker east to-ward Tukwila Sounder Sta-tion, a major stop for buses and Amtrak and commut-er-rail trains.

Haggerton wants to break up Southcenter’s “mega-blocks,” which force people to get into their cars, rather than walk to their next destination.

The city is still looking

for the money to extend Strander Boulevard from West Valley Highway to Southwest 37th Street in Renton, which will provide another east-west corridor and access to the Sounder station.

StreetsThe City of Tukwila is al-

ready at work on upgrading South 150th Street between 42nd Avenue South and Tukwila International Bou-levard to make it safer for students (and other pedes-trians) to walk to and from Thorndyke Elementary School. Work will resume in the spring when weather improves.

Not far away is the 42nd Avenue’s steep ascent into McMicken Heights, under the Link light-rail line. It’s a popular route for residents walking to and from the light-rail station on Tukwi-la International Boulevard and to the Safeway store at the top of the hill.

But without shoulders the road is not safe for pe-destrians, Haggerton said.

Improving 42nd Avenue is the final phase of road

improvements in the im-mediate area that include Southcenter Boulevard.

Tukwila is negotiating a new franchise agreement with Seattle City Light, which would include bury-ing the 42nd Avenue pow-erlines underground – one of Haggerton’s priorities for such projects.

Cost to underground utilities is cost-prohibi-tive for the city, accord-ing to Haggerton; but the agreement under nego-tiations with Seattle City Light would split the cost for 42nd Avenue under-grounding at 60 percent for the Seattle utility and 40 percent for the city, he said.

“I want to get the city so it’s a lot more walkable, so we have sidewalks and safe streets and people can walk to the stores,” he said.

At homeHaggerton wanted to

beef up code enforcement to more consistently en-force laws that speak to the image and safety of the city’s neighborhoods. For example, there’s a law that vehicles must be parked on an impervious surface, such as a driveway or street.

Too often, vehicles get parked on the front lawn, in violation of the law.

“But to have the neigh-borhoods that we really want to see and to have the image we want to por-tray, we have to get on top of that. So we need a little stronger code enforce-ment,” he said.

Light railThe city is working with

businesses near Boeing Field, including BECU and the Sabey Corp., as well as the Museum of Flight and Aviation High School, to

get a light-rail station rein-stated at the Boeing Access Road. It was taken out of a regional plan because of lack of funding.

Haggerton said there’s a “big need for transporta-tion” in north Tukwila to serve businesses and work-ers and a light-rail station would provide a hub to bus people on that area’s major thoroughfares, including East Marginal Way.

Haggerton is trying to convince Metro Transit to extend the popular Rapid-Ride A Line all the way along Tukwila Interna-tional Boulevard from the Tukwila Station to a new light-rail station in this big employment center.

“It would get excellent ridership,” and not be too expensive, he said.

The new RapidRide F Line traveling east to west through Tukwila on South-center Boulevard has al-ready proved popular.

The BoulevardPerhaps not commonly

known, Tukwila Interna-tional Boulevard – state Highway 99 elsewhere – is a city-owned street under an agreement reached be-tween the city and the state of Washington years ago.

Highway 99 was acci-dent-prone, powerlines crossed the road and busi-ness signs were gaudy, Haggerton said. In phases, the city changed all that, including enforcing a new sign code and under-grounding powerlines.

“It’s made all the differ-ence in the world up there,” he said.

Then, in August 2013, the city, with the assistance of local and federal agen-cies, seized three crime-ridden motels. The city now owns the motels and

will demolish them within a several months. Develop-ers have already expressed an interest in buying the properties, Haggerton said.

Ground was broken last summer on Tukwila Vil-lage, another visionary project that has spanned mayoral terms. Along with ridding the Boulevard of the motels, that project promises to weave a strong social fabric for that Tuk-wila neighborhood with its housing, new KCLS library and shops.

“So once we do all that, it’s going to make a big big difference toward accom-plishing our vision of Tuk-wila International Boule-vard,” Haggerton said.

Tukwila SouthAnother project that was

years in the policy mak-ing is the Segale family’s Tukwila South, a multi-use development just south of Southcenter that will pro-vide thousands of jobs and new revenue for the city.

One of Haggerton’s top priorities when he took office in 2008 was to com-plete the Tukwila South de-velopment agreement. He held weekly meetings with city staff and Segale repre-sentatives, reaching a final agreement in mid-2009.

The agreement was good for the city and good for the developer, too, Haggerton said. “It didn’t give them everything they wanted, but we’re not all going to get everything that we want,” he said.

Tukwila South will take years to fully develop and the city won’t see the ben-efits in the short term. But it’s probably the biggest ex-ample of helping to secure the city’s financial health.

“It’s a good one going into the future,” he said.

Dean A. Radford can be reached at 425-255-3484,

ext. 5150.

[ LEGACY from page 7]


Someone vandalized Codiga Park not far from the Tuk-wila Community Center recently, carving doughnuts into the grass with a large vehicle.

Earlier this year, someone vandalized the park in a simi-lar fashion.

Anyone who witnessed the vandalism at the park or has information about it is asked to call the Tukwila Police De-partment at 206-433-1808.

Residents should report park vandalism to the Tukwi-la Parks and Recreation Department at 206-768-2822 or email [email protected].

Th e parks department is assessing actions to help deter further such vandalism at Codiga Park, according to Ra-chel Bianchi, a spokeswoman for the City of Tukwila.

Tukwila boy to performAlex Zuniga of Tukwila will perform with Th e North-

west Boychoir as it celebrates its 40th anniversary with the presentation of its 36th season of “A Festival of Lessons & Carols,” featuring eight regional performances in December.

Th ese holiday concerts showcase the 90-member combined chorus of the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle. Th e fi nal concert of the North-west Boychoir’s season will be presented by the Seattle Symphony, with members of the Northwest Sinfonia at Benaroya Hall on Dec. 23.

Alex, 11, is in his second year performing “A Festival of Lessons & Carols. As a boy at Tukwila Elementary, his mu-sic teacher recommended that he audition and he quickly rose through the training choirs before being promoted to the Performing Choir

To purchase tickets, visit: www.nwchoirs.org/concerts-and-events.

EPA plans Duwamish cleanupTh e U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released

the fi nal cleanup plan for the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site that will remove 90 percent of the pollution from the major industrial waterway.

Th e cleanup will cost an estimated $342 million.Th e Record of Decision – or “ROD” – is the EPA’s clean-

up plan to reduce risks to people’s health and the environ-ment from toxic chemicals in the river.

Th e cleanup plan will remove 90 percent of pollution in the river with active cleanup of 177 acres by dredging, cap-ping. Th e remaining low levels of contamination will be addressed by the river’s natural processes bringing in clean sediments to cover the contamination.

Th e cleanup timeframe is estimated to be 17 years, with seven years of active cleanup and 10 years of natural re-covery.

Th ese cleanup actions complement the work of state, county and city agencies to improve the health of the Green/Duwamish watershed, according to an EPA news release.

Th e lower Duwamish River fl ows through Tukwila and Seattle’s industrial area on its way to Elliott Bay.

Machinist top forklift operatorAerospace machinist Omar Ornelas was the winner of

this year’s Washington state Forklift Rodeo.

Ornelas is a member of Machinists Union District Lodge 751 who works for the Boeing Co. at North Boeing Field in Tukwila. He was one of three IAM 751 Machinists who qualifi ed for the state forklift rodeo fi nal. Th e others were Mike Weinman and Kevin Jude.

Th e competition consisted of a precision driving test in which drivers had to move odd loads, navigate narrow passages and weave their 3-ton machines through a slalom of plastic pylons.

Th e event was held in Spokane, as part of the annual Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference.

Library system names directorTh e King County Library System Board of Trustees has

named a replacement for former director Bill Ptacek, who resigned in December 2013 to become library CEO in Cal-gary, Alberta, Canada.

Gary Wasdin, currently the executive director of the Omaha Public Library in Nebraska, will be KCLS’ new di-rector starting Jan. 26.

KCLS is preparing to build a replacement for the Foster Library in Tukwila.

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tukwilasportsBY 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

Th e Foster boys basketball team is coming off a season of highs and lows that eventually proved they can play deep into the postseason.

Th e Bulldogs fell one victory short of a trip to the state tournament in Yakima last March, with an emo-

tional loss to Hockinson High School, 64-53.

Th e success and the loss will “no doubt” provide motivation this sea-son, says Head Coach Isaac Tucker.

“I think the main motivation is to simply make it further this year than we did the last; every year,” he said. “We have a goal of building a sustain-able program that plays in the state tournament year in and year out.”

Last year’s run, he said, “shows the guys that we are right there as a pro-gram and sky’s the limit.”

Tucker lost seasoned starters to graduation but a key to building the sustainable program is the growing number of freshmen turning out, from one his fi rst year as coach, to two last year and now, eight freshmen, he said.

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Th is year the team is “very green,” he said of the team’s experience level. Out of 12 on the varsity roster, only six played last year; four played on the junior varsity and the other two played varsity.

Th e Bulldogs lost the fi rst three games of the season, to Chief Sealth, Kennedy Catholic and Sultan, but on Dec. 10 came roaring back from a big fi rst-quarter defi cit to beat Tyee 71-58.

“Well, to keep it simple we learned we have a lot of work to do,” Tucker said of the opening loss to Chief Sealth. He’d like to play the Seahawks again in February when the Bulldogs “will be a completely diff erent team.”

Senior Ronnie Roberson, a 6-foot-5 forward, is the only returning starter from last year’s team, which ended the season 13-15. Senior guard Pat-rick Straight joins him as the team’s two leaders.

Roberson is starting to capture re-gional attention for his play.

Th e two freshmen on the team are wing Jordan Magee and guard Freddie Roberson, Ronnie Rober-son’s brother. Also new to the team is 6-foot-3 senior Keith Hill, who played on Foster’s football team with Ronnie Roberson.

“Keith’s physicality may easily be the diff erence-maker for our post-season chances,” said Tucker of Hill. “Last year we didn’t have anybody who could match Ronnie’s size and strength on the court if he ever got in

foul trouble.”Hill has already shown his value to

team, said Tucker. In the game against Kennedy Catholic, he played the en-tire game, scoring 8 points and pull-ing down 12 rebounds.

A key loss this year is sophomore Isiah Lewis, who is not playing be-cause of eligibility issues. He, along

with the Roberson brothers, were to have been the core of the team, Tuck-er said.

“We’ll fi ll in the gaps without him, but his absence is already noticeable on the court,” Tucker said.

Th e Bulldogs play Evergreen at home Wednesday (Dec. 17) and Lindbergh on Friday at Lindbergh.

Ronnie Roberson goes for a shot in a crowd during the Dec. 10 game against Tyee High School. The Bulldogs won 71-58. Dean A. Radford/Tukwila Reporter

[ BULLDOGS from page 12]


school connectionDECEMBER 2014Tukwila School District #406

Helping students REACHtheir potential

School district, YMCA, and Tukwila Parks & Rec partnerfor new after-school program

When the final bell rings in Tukwila elementary schools, students are eager to rush out of their classrooms—not to their homes, but to even more learning!

Dubbed REACH, the district’s new elementary after-school program is giving an academic and physical boost to children most in need of it. Thanks to a partnership between the Matt Griffin YMCA and the Tukwila Parks & Recreation Department, select students get an extra 2.5 hours of targeted lessons and exercise–integrated with their school curriculum and learning goals—through REACH every week day.

“Our tagline and our mission is ‘Helping children reach their potential through academic support, enrichment, and recreation activities,’” said REACH Program Director Marissa Rousselle (YMCA), who oversees the program alongside Program Director Darren Hawkins (Parks & Recreation).

The YMCA component of REACH is dedicated to academic enrichment with emphasis on math and literacy instruction. The Parks & Recreation component is dedicated to health and fitness and includes team-building sports and exciting physical challenges.

It may be healthy and educational, but students will tell you that REACH is also tons of fun. Already this school year, they have participated in a DiscoverU week focused on career and college exploration; they were inspired by the story of a middle-school student who started a successful toothpaste company, and they played career jeopardy (now many students not only know what a “meteorologist” or “oceanographer” is, but they want to be one!).

The Tukwila School District is committed to expanded learning opportunities like REACH. For students who are behind during class time, it takes extra intervention to catch up. Outside of the school year, research shows that students who do not actively learn during breaks “slide” backward in knowledge and skills, creating a significant gap between them and their peers. In both cases, the district needs to fill these non-academic hours to help at-risk students get on track to excel.

The issue is so critical that state lawmakers have formed an Expanded Learning Opportunities Council to address state-funded after-school and summer-school programs for the highest needs students. Tukwila School Board Member Mary Fertakis is on this select committee, advocating for local students and partnerships with community organizations for more high-quality programs like REACH.

“Our obligation to students does not end with the school day,” Fertakis said. “It ends when every child is exceeding standard and graduates prepared to reach his or her potential. For some of our students, that will absolutely require extra time.”

Each elementary has 65 spots in REACH dedicated to students identified for academic support. Parents may also sign up their students for the program (which runs Monday-Friday, 3:15-5:30 p.m. at Cascade View, Thorndyke Elementary, and Tukwila Elementary) at the Tukwila Community Center. The cost is $120 per month with partial scholarships available to qualifying city residents.

Interested in knowing what’s happening in the REACH program? Follow along using #REACHTukwila.

Attention Fosterseniors: Financial

Aid Night on Jan. 8An important event is coming up in the

new year for all Foster High seniors and their families: Financial Aid Night, 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 8, in the commons. Dinner will be provided and attendees will learn more about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid). Then, the most important part: students will head to the computer lab to fill out the forms for both with help from expert volunteers.

Great jobs,fl exible hoursApply online

The Tukwila School District has opening for full-time and substitute teachers, para-educators (classroom assistants), and bus drivers. The pay is competitive, the hours are flexible, and the work is meaningful. These positions may be especially good for parents with availability during the school day, retirees or higher-education students who want to earn some extra income, or just about anyone else. Come join us in the Tukwila School District! Apply online at www.tukwila.wednet.edu under the “Employment” tab on the top.

REACH STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Friday lessons! Students took up the challenge to bearchitects and engineers using marsh-mallows and spaghetti to build a tower; another day, they practiced observation, data collection, and writing skills during a gallery walk of exotic fruit.

REACH is seeking volunteers to help provide homework help and tutoring after school. This is a great, rewarding opportunity for adults as well as high-school and college students who need community service hours or who want to be considered for summer employment with the YMCA. Volunteers will need to commit to at least 30 hours between January and June 2015. If you are interested in volunteering at Cascade View or Thorndyke, contact Marissa Rousselle at [email protected]. If you are interested in volunteering at Tukwila Elementary, contact Darren Hawkins at [email protected].


Tukwila School District #406 DECEMBER 2014

Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe observed students using Math 180 at Showalter Middle School as part of a tour to learn more about the challenges and success of Tukwila schools. Other state legislators that visited here in December included Sen. Steve Litzow, Sen. Bruce Dammeier, and Rep. Zack Hudgins. The first-hand information they learned about Tukwila’s unique needs and funding issues will help them make decisions to support public education during the legislative session beginning in January.

Intercultural Speakers Series next up: “The U.S. Economic Gap Fosters the Educational

Achievement Gap6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in the Tukwila School District

boardroom, 4640 S. 144th St.

The Intercultural Speakers Series continues next month with a pre-sentation by renowned doctor and U.W. instructor Dr. Stephen Bez-ruchka that connects the economic gap with the educational achieve-ment gap. Economic inequality is at unprecedented levels in the U.S., and Dr. Bezruchka argues that we don’t have a good understanding of all of the toxic implications for society. It impacts children’s early life to compromise learning and continues through their education.

The Intercultural Speakers Se-ries is meant to bring together all members of Tukwila’s diverse com-munity to inspire dialogue, under-standing, and collaboration as we work together to improve educa-tion for all students—especially our underserved and marginalized populations. All events are free and open to all.

Go to the top “Our Community” menu then select “Intercultural Speakers Series” for information about all upcoming events and to review the presentations from the past events.

The new universal language: Coding!

Many students at Tukwila Elementary tried their hands at computer programming during the worldwide Hour of Code event on Dec. 9, creating lines of code that allowed them to control a simple Angry Birds game. Hour of Code is a movement to encourage and empower students (and everyone!) to learn computer programming skills, which are becoming more and more important and valuable in our high-tech, globally connected economy.

This year in Tukwila, students can learn coding in tech clubs and programs at every elementary school and in classes at each secondary school. Part of the district’s heightened STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts, and Math) emphasis is to buck the national trend of women and minorities not participating in high-tech career fi elds.

“I think learning code supports student learning in a variety of ways,” said Maria Flack, technology teacher at Showalter Elementary. “It supports logical thinking, problem solving, procedural writing, persistence, and reading. What I like most is that coding has a kind of universal way of thinking that makes it perfect for a diverse community.”

Showalter Middle School will host a postponed Hour of Code event soon (the initial date was cancelled due to a power outage), and the entire community is invited to participate. Watch on the district website, www.tukwila.wednet.edu, for more details.

Showalterand Foster

students have a limited-time opportunityto claim free Prezi licenseThis is a powerful pre-sentation and storytell-ing tool for education

Great news for secondary stu-dents and all staff in the Tukwila School District: They have been awarded a four-year Prezi Edu-Pro license as part of President Obama’s ConnectEd initiative. Prezi is an online program that allows users to create powerful presentations and tell meaningful stories.

Every ninth- through 12th-grade student can claim a free li-cense but they must do so before Jan. 1, 2015. They are required to use their school district email ac-count (ending in tuwila.wednet.edu) to create the account. They can sign up at https://prezi.com/connected/signup/34OG-VLSQ-

84AT-TJMP/ (or they can ask their teachers for the code). Students in sixth- through eighth-grade can also claim the license by se-lecting Grade Level 9 during the sign-up process.

The President’s ConnectEd initiative is meant to support diverse and low-income schools across the country with engag-ing classroom technology and high-speed Internet connection. It’s an eff ort to prepare America’s students with the skills they need to get good jobs and compete with other countries, which relies increasingly on interactive, per-sonalized learning experiences

driven by new technology.When Tukwila’s Technology

Coach Robert Pohl learned about the initiative and its intent to serve diverse student popula-tions, he knew he “had to make

an application.”“Tukwila stu-

dents deserve the best tools to synthesize infor-mation, create new ideas and publish their discoveries,” Pohl said. “Prezi is a non-linear story-telling tool. It al-lows our students to take big ideas—the themes and concepts of what they are learning—and break it down

into smaller more manageable bites of information. Teachers too can use the tool to present complex topics, to help students to see the connections between two diffi cult ideas and to make new meaning.”

If all eligible staff and students respond to the off er, the grant will be worth about $235,000 in free Prezi licenses.

Third-grade teacher Stepanie Kodis-Fisher gave a high-five to Preston Hopp for completing levels of computer programming during Tukwila Elementary’s Hour of Code lesson on Dec. 9.

Sounds of the season: Fourth-grader Oscar Nicolas Torres (left) and the rest of the Cascade View Elementary Choir serenaded employees throughout the district in December with some old-time holiday favorites as well as newer versions (including a song about rapping—not to be confused with wrapping—elves!). Want to hear more? Check out the video clips at www.youtube.com/tukwilaschools or (even better) attend the Winterfest Concert at the school, 13601 32nd Ave. S., Tukwila, at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.


Sleep apnea is a cornerstone ailment–it can contribute to dozens of serious health conditions, including heart conditions, mental health problems, and cognitive disorders. The worst part is that as much as 90% of sufferers may be undiagnosed, and may remain undiagnosed until they suffer fatal or near-fatal consequences. Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment can be comfortable, convenient, and effective–reversing most if not all of the damage.

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Sleep Apnea Causes and TypesThere are actually two different types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is

caused when your airway closes at night, cutting off your air supply, as explained on the snoring and sleep apnea page. It is the most common type of sleep apnea, affecting about 99% of sleep apnea sufferers. Central sleep apnea is when your brain stops telling your body to breathe for some reason. About 16% of sleep apnea sufferers have this type. About 15% of sufferers have both types.

• Difficulty getting up in the morning• Daytime sleepiness• Falling asleep when watching TV or driving• Morning headaches• Dry mouth or irritated nose• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight• Low energy• Lack of motivation• Memory or concentration difficultiesIf you suspect you have sleep apnea or are

looking for a more comfortable sleep apnea treatment, Dr. Lance Timmerman in Seattle can help.

The only effective way to diagnose sleep apnea is with a sleep test. This test will monitor

your breathing, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and other variables through the night. In the past, this test had to take place in a sleep clinic, but now it can be performed in your own home with a portable test you can set up yourself before going to bed.

The results of your sleep test will then be interpreted by a physician to give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and its severity.

To learn more about sleep apnea treatment, please contact Dr. Lance Timmerman today. See Dr Timmerman on www.wellnesshour.com

tukwila reporter, december 17, 2014

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