UPDATE 4/30 4pm: King County’s Public Health Department announced Thursday at 3:30pm that there are now 10 “probable” cases of swine flu in King County, out of 13 in the entire state.

Still no known cases in the White Center area, and none have yet been confirmed by the CDC.

The 10 probable cases of swine flu in King County include:

• A male child of Seattle who was hospitalized and is improving
• A male in his 20s from Seattle, not hospitalized and improving
• A woman in her 30s from Seattle, not hospitalized and improving
• 7 additional probable cases in King County as of 4/30/09, 3:30pm (Public Health is still investigating and has not yet announced the locations or status)

Also, because one of the victims was a student at Seattle’s Madrona School, both Public Health and Seattle Public Schools decided to close the school for seven days, starting today, to reduce the ability of the infection to spread. The school is scheduled to re-open on May 7.

As for the Highline School District, there are no known cases or planned closures yet, and here’s the latest statement from their website (which concerned parents should check often as this news is developing quickly):

The first suspected cases of swine flu have been detected in Washington State, and Highline Public Schools is monitoring the illness and is working closely with Public Health-Seattle and King County and the national Centers for Disease Control as a precaution.

If more cases are reported in our area, Public Health will advise the district on closing schools.

PREVIOUSLY:

Just after 9pm Wednesday evening (4/29), King County Public Health Department announced that three probable cases of swine flu (H1N1) have been identified in the county.

All three were reported to be in Seattle, with none reported as being in the Burien area.

Laboratory samples have been sent to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Public Health – Seattle & King County is awaiting final confirmation.

Also today, the World Health Organization raised its pandemic swine flu alert level to Phase 5 – its second-highest level, and one that includes the language “a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent.”

The CDC has determined that the swine flu virus H1N1 is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

Symptoms of swine flu include:

• A fever of more than 100°F
• Coughing
• Joint aches
• Severe headache
• And, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea

“Now that swine flu is likely in King County, we expect to see more infections, but it’s too early to say how severe the illnesses will be. We are working to provide needed information and assistance to these people and their families. We are also working with health care providers and community partners to prepare in the event that the situation becomes more serious,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County.

“We’ve prepared for this day for the past four years, and now we must all do our part to reduce its spread,” said Ron Sims, King County Executive. “We encourage everyone to get prepared at home, find out about plans at your job, and take steps to protect yourself, your family and the community by staying home when you are sick, washing your hands often and covering your coughs and sneezes.”

“In the last few years, Seattle has prepared for pandemic flu. We will activate our Emergency Operations Center at the first level so our emergency operations personnel can coordinate procedures and communications,” said Greg Nickels, Seattle Mayor.

As of April 29, there are three probable cases of swine flu in King County, in addition to two cases in Snohomish County and one case in Spokane County.

The three King County residents with probable swine flu include:

• A male child of Seattle who was hospitalized and is improving
• A male in his 20s from Seattle, not hospitalized and improving
• A woman in her 30s from Seattle, not hospitalized and improving

Officials did not release any other information, such as whether the victims had traveled to Mexico recently.

When should you seek medical care?

Use the same judgment you would use during a typical flu season. Do not seek medical care if you are not ill or have mild symptoms for which you would not ordinarily seek medical care. If you have more severe symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, body aches or are feeling more seriously ill, call your health care provider to discuss your symptoms and if you need to be evaluated.

Public Health will continue to work with health care providers to test flu patients who develop severe illness or are associated with clusters, but does not currently recommend testing for all flu patients.

If the following flu-like symptoms are mild, medical attention is not typically required: runny nose or nasal stuffiness; low-grade fever for less than 3 days; mild headache; body aches and mild stomach upset.

What can I do now to get prepared?

This is an excellent time to get prepared at home and work for a possible influenza pandemic. See www.kingcounty.gov/health/pandemicflu

Everyday behaviors to stay healthy

• If you are sick, stay home from work or school.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• To further prevent the spread of germs, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with sick people

What is swine flu?

“Swine flu” is an influenza A (H1N1) virus normally found in pigs. There are many such viruses and they rarely infect humans. The virus currently causing human illness is a new type of swine flu that has developed the ability to infect people and be transmitted from person to person.

Although this new virus is called “swine flu,” it is not transmitted from pigs to humans, or from eating pork products. Like other respiratory diseases, it is spread from person to person through coughs and sneezes. When people cough or sneeze, they spread germs through the air or onto surfaces that other people may touch.

Rest assured The White Center Blog will be following this story closely, and we urge all readers to be vigilant in following the directions listed above, as well as seeking immediate help if you suffer from any associated symptoms.

For more information and frequent updates: www.kingcounty.gov/health/swineflu, or call the Public Health Hotline: 206-296-4949.

Here’s a link to a PDF called “Pandemic Flu Planning Guide” which is probably now worth a read.

White Center Heights Park Community Garden is back for a second year, and there is still some space available.

The garden is located by the White Center Food Bank, at SW 102nd and 7th Ave SW (see map below).

Each raised garden space is 7 feet by 3 feet and assigned at no cost to community members or groups.

The goal of each garden, according to community distributed flyers, is to “enable families to be self-sufficient, well nourished and connected with the larger community.”

Gardeners can plant and manage their spaces between April 21st and March 14th, 2010. Each bed is organic and only organic fertilizers and non-toxic pest control can be used. While pesticides are not allowed, organic resources and tools will be made available for gardeners as needed.

For more information contact Audrey Zemke at 206-762-2848 or email Audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org.

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The White Center Blog is proud to welcome as our latest Advertiser the wonderful people of the West Seattle Montessori School.

It’s a great school.

And they’re having a Rummage Sale this Saturday, May 2nd.

Go!

It’ll be this Saturday from 9am to 3pm at the American Legion Hall, which is located at 3618 SW Alaska Street in West Seattle (map below).

Booth space is available for a small fee. Call the school for more information at 206-935-0427.

Also, the West Seattle Montessori School will soon be moving to their new location in White Center.

They are now enrolling for the 2009 – 2010 academic school year.

“Choosing a school where children flourish according to their needs and abilities is more critical today than ever,” said the school’s Angela Sears. “West Seattle Montessori School is pleased to offer individualized teaching from experienced professionals, and would be delighted to assist you throughout your child’s academic journey.”

West Seattle Montessori School
4536 38th Avenue SW, West Seattle
phone 206-935-0427
www.westseattlemontessori.com

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by Scott Schaefer

Monday afternoon (4/27), the King County Council held a special session on the swine flu with public health experts, who reassured councilmembers that despite heightened monitoring, the swine flu that recently originated in Mexico has not yet spread to the area.

No cases of swine flu have yet to be reported in White Center, let alone King County or the entire state of Washington, according to Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. He said the 40 cases confirmed in the U.S. have been mild, with no serious illnesses or deaths.

“At Public Health we are actively preparing with our partners for the real possibility of swine flu here in our region,” said Dr. Fleming. “Whether or not swine flu arrives in King County, now is the time to get prepared. The more we are all prepared at home, the better we’ll be able to respond and recover.”

He said Public Health has asked local health care providers to notify them of suspected swine flu cases and has made arrangements with the state Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the submittal of suspect lab specimens.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, Disease Control Officer for Communicable Disease at Public Health – Seattle & King County, said the CDC has asked to receive all suspect lab specimens to ensure that cases that may appear as seasonal flu are not in fact the new strain of swine flu. He also said local providers are being advised on how to screen patients who present flu-like symptoms and that Public Health will investigate any cases of severe unexplained respiratory illness. Dr. Duchin said Public Health is recommending that the public not seek health care that they would not otherwise seek.

“Today I was pleased to hear that King County is as prepared as any jurisdiction in the event of a pandemic flu,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, chair of the King County Board of Health. “However, I am concerned that given the cuts proposed in the state budget and impending cuts to the County budget, our health department will have reduced capacity to respond to emergencies in the future.”

“The Council’s work in recent years calling for a pandemic flu response plan and stockpiling of Tamiflu means we are mobilized and ready to respond if swine flu strikes King County,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, sponsor of legislation to create a Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan for King County.

Dr. Fleming said the framework already laid out by the King County Council for the County’s comprehensive planning for pandemic flu will provide effective guidance and that the current response will provide useful lessons for updating the plan. The Council in 2007 adopted the Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan that recognizes:

• the County’s role in regional public health and emergency management response.
• the County’s duty as both a regional service provider and a local service provider for continued provision of police and paramedics, bus service, wastewater treatment and other public services in the event of a pandemic flu, and
• the County’s duty as a large employer to ensure that its own workplaces help prevent the spread of pandemic flu.

At Sea-Tac Airport, there’s no unusual alert or extra screenings of passengers yet, according to Port of Seattle spokesman Perry Cooper.

However, the airport does have a quarantine zone at the south satellite that has room for several hundred people. Apparently it’s only been used once before during a screening for avian flu.

Alaska Airlines flies daily to and from Mexico, and the next plane from Mexico City is due to arrive Wednesday.

More information about emergency health preparedness can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/pandemicflu.aspx.

For more information on Swine Flu, visit this website.

Here’s a “Swine Flu” map that shows that the nearest cases were up in Vancouver, B.C. and involved two men who had recently traveled to Mexico:

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Friday afternoon  (4/24) at 2:45pm, King County’s Public Health Department shut down a second establishment on 16th in White Center, this time a place called Bilisee, located at 9829 16th Ave SW.

Previously, we reported on the closing of Asian Bubble Tea, which is located just next door at 9835 16th Ave SW.

According to the county’s website, Bilisee was “Operating without a valid food business permit” as well.

Here’s the closure notice:

Updated: Monday, April 27, 2009

Establishment: Bilisee

Address: 9829 16th Ave SW, Seattle 98106

Date closed: April 24, 2009, 2:45 pm

Reason: Operating without a valid food business permit

Status: CLOSED

The White Center for the Arts group, which holds Open Studio Tours as well as the Rat City Rummage Sales in the historic former Southgate Skate Rink building, is seeking donations to help save the building.

According to a statement posted on their website, they need $300,000 by May 31st to save the building.

Here’s the statement:

Please Help!!!

We need your donation to help save our building.

We need to come up with $300,000 by May 31st so that the White Center for the Arts Building will remain in the hands of the COMMUNITY!.

Please contact us with any questions, or suggestions for finding this money.

Thank you.

To donate or suggest ideas, please email them at: crimsonpark@whitecenterforthearts.org

The group’s next Open Studio Tour event will be Saturday May 16th, from 5pm to 10pm at the building, which is located at 9639 16th Ave SW in White Center.

Friday morning (4/24) around 11:30am, King County’s Public Health Department shut down Asian Bubble Tea, which is located at 9835 16th Ave SW in White Center.

According to the county’s website, the establishment was “Operating without a valid food business permit.”

It is currently closed until further notice.

According to the Public Health Department:

Closure information remains online for a period of 7 days after establishment is reopened.

Public Health lists the reason the establishment was closed, whether it has been reopened, and the date it reopened.

Reasons for closing a food establishment can vary and include such issues as failure to follow the permit process and unsafe food handling.

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Here’s the world premiere of a Video Ad for longtime White Center Blog Advertiser White Center Glass & Upholstery, produced by your WCB Video Production Team of Mark Neuman, Bart Bryan and Scott Schaefer:

White Center Glass & Upholstery is located at:

9443 Delridge Way SW
Seattle, WA 98106
206-762-8088 main
206-762-6794 fax
www.whitecenterglass.com

[Are you a Business looking to make a major impact on the internet? Video is one of the most effective ways to market, and our experienced production team can produce one for you and post it here, as well as market it with YouTube, Facebook and Twitter! For more information, email us or call (206) 248-2565!]

As we first reported Tuesday, the Highline School District is facing major budget cuts, potentially having to lay off the equivalent of 228 full-time Teachers.

According to the school district, the RIF (Reduction In Force) will impact 152 full-time and 114 part-time teachers for a total of 264 individuals, or 228 full time equivalent teachers.

We sent an inquiry to John Welch, Superintendent of the school district, and received his response which we’ve posted below (it can also be seen on the district website as a PDF here):

Message to the community
April 22, 2009

Dear Neighbors:

As you probably know, the state is dealing with a budget shortfall of $9 billion. As a result, the legislature will likely make deep cuts to education funding. At Highline Public Schools, we anticipate budget cuts of $8 million for next school year due to state funding cuts. We have already made significant reductions in the current school year; we must now make some very difficult choices for next year.

I have already announced $2.2 million in cuts—elimination of 10 administrator and manager positions, a freeze on administrator and manager pay, and elimination of 20 math and literacy coaching positions.

We still must make cuts of around $6 million. We have identified a list of budget reduction options, and we are asking staff and the public for feedback. You will find the list published on at www.hsd401.org. I invite you to participate in one of the community budget forums being held in the next week:

• Thursday, April 23, 6pm – 8pm: Pacific Middle School
• Saturday, April 25, 9am – 11am: Hazel Valley Elementary
• Monday, April 27, 6pm – 8pm: Evergreen High School campus

We are working very hard to minimize direct impacts on students. But since 70% of district spending is on employees, it is impossible to sustain cuts this deep without cutting staff—both teachers and non-teaching staff.

In our earlier projections based on the governor’s budget, we did not anticipate the need to lay off teachers. Since then, the state budget shortfall has grown significantly, and the state House and Senate have published their budgets, which contain much deeper cuts to public education funding. As a result, we now anticipate a reduction in force (RIF) of 152 full-time and 114 part-time teaching positions.

This is a worst-case scenario. We anticipate we will be able to call back at least some of these teachers.

I had very much hoped to avoid a reduction in force. I regret that we will lose even one teacher. And I recognize that even for those who will be called back to work, the RIF notification is stressful. However, until the legislature finalizes its budget and we know how many teachers are retiring or moving out of the district, we cannot be certain of our staffing needs. This is an unfortunate place to be, and I am asking both staff and the public to be patient as we work through this process.

The school board faces some tough decisions. Your input will help inform their decision-making. Together, we will work to create a budget that meets the needs of students as best we can with the resources we have available.

If you can’t attend any of the three meetings above, you can always send in an anonymous comment by clicking here.

Highline Public Schools serves over 17,000 students in 35 different schools (18 elementary, 4 middle and 13 high schools), ranging in an area from White Center to Des Moines.

More information, including specific budget cuts, is available on the Highline Public Schools website.

Here’s the latest from Pasado’s Safe Haven on “Scatt,” the severely injured cat we reported on Tuesday that was the victim of a man who “gutted” it with a box cutter; the man, 47, was arrested in White Center Sunday on animal cruelty charges.

According to Pasado, “Scatt” endured surgery to close an 8” gaping wound; peritonitis (infection of the pericardial region in the gut area) could be present so blood work was sent to a lab. Scatt is eating, alert, and standing, despite being in pain – what a trooper!

Here’s more from their website, including a way you can donate to help this poor feline:

It was a call that will leave us with nightmares; but our pain is no where near to what “Scatt” endured.

The good news? We believe he will recover.

“A cat,” the sheriff’s deputy told us, panic in his voice, “has been hurt so horribly, I can’t even look at the wounds.”

The veteran deputy who had investigated murders, now faced an animal cruelty case of untold horror. “Scatt”, he told us, was a therapy cat who resided at a church, just south of Seattle, Washington. He spent the last decade helping those who were trying to turn their lives around. In the end, one of those very people turned on him.

BROKEN RIBS – 8” KNIFE WOUND – PERFORATED LUNG –

It is a story of profound sadness, but thanks to those who acted quickly, Scatt may survive.

“Scatt” was a homeless cat who found his way to the doorstep of The Cross Church in South Seattle. The people there named him Scatt, for when they first told him to find his way home, he simply wouldn’t leave. And it was a good thing – he found kindness, and a forever home in the arms of the church staff and volunteers.

Over the last ten years, he became a “therapy cat” for humans who too were homeless, and like Scatt, down on their luck. He provided unconditional love to those who had nothing, and would curl up in the laps of complete strangers, purring.

Today, one of the very rehabilitation clients he helped, viciously attacked Scatt, nearly gutting him.

PERP ARRESTED!
According to The Cross Church’s Rehabilitation Director (who was “Scatt’s boss” during therapeutic sessions with the homeless or indigent) the perpetrator admitted to attacking Scatt. Sheriff’s deputies quickly arrested the man and booked him on First Degree Felony Animal Cruelty charges – punishable up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine. The man, they learned, had multiple outstanding warrants against him.

Pasado’s Safe Haven teams up with veterinarians
It’s great news to know that the coward who allegedly attacked this innocent being, is in a jail cell. The courts will take care of him. But now, we need to take care of Scatt.

We need your help to support the life-saving care needed for Scatt, who is in the care of an excellent veterinary team at a south Seattle veterinary hospital. Scatt has already endured surgery to close the 8” “collarbone to tail” wound that was inflicted with a knife. His prognosis is “guarded”, the vets told us, and “optimistic”. We have every paw crossed that this little guy will make it.

Will you help? Any amount would be so appreciated. Please donate here.

No adoption – Scatt’s church “family” wants him back – they adore him!
In addition to paying for Scatt’s medical bills, we asked if he needed long-term care at Pasado’s Safe Haven, and even an adoptive home. “No, we love him!” we were told. His family, for the last ten years, wants him back. And although we’d love to be able to wrap our arms around him and help him into his future, we know that the church, and the humans there, are his family. We’re just glad we can make him whole by helping with the medical bills. Thanks to you.

Please check pasadosafehaven.org frequently. We’ll be posting updates and photos often. And thank you for this little being, who most likely walked up to the man who hurt him, thinking he was his friend.

PLEASE DONATE HERE, and keep hoping that that “optimistic” prognosis comes true.

If you experience any problems with our donation form please contact us at 360.793.9393.

by Scott Schaefer

As if the seemingly endless stream of daily layoffs, rising unemployment rates and closing area businesses isn’t enough bad news, now comes word of major budget cuts for Highline Public Schools, which faces an estimated $8 million in cuts for next year due to reductions in state funding.

As a result, up to 228 teachers could be laid off.

These are in addition to $3 million in cuts already made during the current school year.

Superintendent John Welch has already announced cuts for next year totaling $2.2 million dollars. These cuts are to the central office, including administrator and other non-teaching positions.

“In our earlier projections based on the governor’s budget, we did not anticipate the need to lay off teachers,” Welch said in a statement. “Since then, the state budget shortfall has grown significantly, and the state House and Senate have published their budgets, which contain much deeper cuts to public education funding. As a result, we now anticipate a reduction in force of 228 FTE (Full-Time Employee) teaching positions.”

The public and Highline staff are invited to give input on these options at the following community budget forums (click on the school for address/directions):

• Thursday, April 23, 6pm – 8pm: Pacific Middle School
• Saturday, April 25, 9am – 11am: Hazel Valley Elementary
• Monday, April 27, 6pm – 8pm: Evergreen High School campus

Interpreters will be available, and childcare will be provided for children ages 3-12. No children in diapers, please.

Parents and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend and share their comments with the superintendent on ideas like:

If you were managing the district budget in these tight financial times, what areas would you prioritize and in what areas would you reduce spending?

If you can’t attend, you can always send in an anonymous comment by clicking here.

Highline Public Schools serves over 17,000 students in 35 different schools (18 elementary, 4 middle and 13 high schools), ranging in an area from White Center to Des Moines.

More information, including specific budget cuts, is available on the Highline Public Schools website.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Help Save Highline School Arts On April 15th

When writing fiction, oftentimes writers resort to having to depict a bad guy as being “really bad” by showing him hurting an animal; this is often referred to as the “kicking the dog” scene, and it’s intended to make audiences hate the antagonist.

However, in this true story, the bad guy is so bad that we won’t have to resort to writing that scene – he already lived it out, and is now paying for it:

King County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 47-year old man in White Center Sunday on animal cruelty charges after he allegedly severely injured a church’s cat with a box cutter knife.

The incident occurred at Cross Church, located at 1320 SW 102nd in White Center (map below).

The church operates a live-in recovery program, and the male suspect was one of its residents.

Another resident was awakened by the suspect about 1am Sunday morning. The suspect said he had “gutted the cat.” The resident thought the suspect was intoxicated, and both men ended up going to bed.

The next morning the suspect moved out.

That afternoon the church pastor found the church’s cat, “Scat” in the parking lot. He had serious cuts and puncture wounds, including a seven-inch cut, and possibly three broken ribs as well.

Sheriff’s deputies tracked down the suspect Sunday afternoon. He was arrested and booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Animal Cruelty. He told the arresting deputy the cat “attacked” him.

Scat is at a local veterinary hospital and it is unknown if he will survive his injuries. He is around 10 years old.

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The Dub-C is known for its latino culture, and this Thursday night you can experience some of the same about three miles to the south at Burien’s Cafe Mundi (located at 447 SW 152nd) as they host their free Open Mic night, with lots of poetry, music and comedy.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Open Mic Night at Cafe Mundi

WHEN: Thurs., April 23rd (every 2nd and 4th Thursday), with sign-ups starting at 6pm and open mic at 6:30pm

WHERE: 447 SW 152nd, just over 3 miles south in downtown Burien (map below)

COST: No cover charge!

INFO: 16 and over please, under 16 with Guardian.

Café Mundi opened in January and serves espresso drinks, tropical shakes, Latin American fast food such as empanadas, arepas and Spanish tortillas.

We also have desserts.

Everything is made locally, using organic ingredients whenever possible.

Café Mundi also offers Internet access and will soon offer free Wi-Fi. Currently we have computers that people can use (1/2 hour free with purchase of a coffee drink) or they can bring in laptops and be connected via ethernet.

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White Center’s Evergreen Pool is holding its annual “April Pool’s Day” this Saturday, April 25th from Noon to 2:30pm.

The event is to promote water safety to children and families. It is FREE and will be FUN for everyone. We will have safety demonstrations, activities and hand outs to inform people on how to be water safe. We will also have canoe rides available in the pool and discuss the importance of wearing lifejackets while requiring them to be worn while riding in the canoes.

Here are the details:

WHAT: “April Pool’s Day” at Evergreen Pool

WHEN: Saturday, April 25th from Noon to 2:30pm

WHERE: Evergreen Pool is located at 606 SW 116th Street in Seattle (map below); phone: 206-296-4410

COST: It’s FREE!

INFO: An experienced and friendly staff invites you to join loyal patrons of all ages to enjoy King County’s only nine-lane indoor pool. The Evergreen Pool is located in the North Highline neighborhood near the southern edge of Lakewood Park, adjacent to the campus of Evergreen High School. Open year-round, the pool is 25 yards in width with nine lanes for lap swimming and a very large shallow water play area for families and young children.

Pool rentals are available at this facility. Groups receive exclusive access to the pool, including lifeguards. There is also a large enclosed outdoor patio for summer parties.

FEATURES:

• Water basketball
• Small water slide (young children)
• Shallow water stairs
• Hydro-powered personal water lift

HOURS:

• Mon / Wed / Fri: 9 AM – 8 PM
• Tues / Thurs: 11:30 AM – 8 PM
• Sat: 11:30 AM – 2 PM
• Closed Sundays

Keep in mind that Evergreen Pool also holds a family movie night on their big screen, with the next one scheduled for Friday, May 1st. The cost is $5, or just $4 if you bring in a can of food for the White Center Food Bank. Movie lovers can float and watch the movie in the pool!

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Over 150 area residents turned out Sunday to hear lawyers discuss an upcoming class action lawsuit against the Port of Seattle over the third runway.

by Jack Mayne

Big 757s taking off and landing right over your house can jar nerves and rattle lifestyles, yet a lot of people have to live that way every day – and many are ready to fight on in court.

“I can’t sleep at night,” said one person at a meeting Sunday afternoon at the SeaTac Community Center. “It got better for a while, but then they opened the new runway and now I can’t hear people in the room,” said another person, “or what is on TV.” Still another said people had moved from his rental properties and others said the value of their property, already hammered by the faltering economy, have gone lower because of the November opening of the runway. Still another resident of the area told of flashing laser lights that “even after you get used to them, they startle you.”

A spokesman said the Port would like to know more about this because there have been illegal usages of lasers focused at planes recently and it is working with police to find and stop this activity. Anger and resentment is building in the area because people think the Port of Seattle is not keeping their promise not to use the new 8,500-foot runway except in bad weather or as a backup to the other two runways. The Sunday meeting was held so the downtown Seattle law firm of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Kosnoff could explain the class action lawsuit they are drafting that seeks to make the port stop using the runway for daily takeoffs and landings (see sidebar).

“The Port says they are operating within the law, but that is not true if it (negatively) impacts you,” said law firm partner Darrell Cochran to an estimated 150 to 200 people at the Sea-Tac Community Center Sunday afternoon. “We will be filing a lawsuit – June 15th is the estimate (when the suit will be filed).”

Area residents, some who have fought the Port and the runway for two decades or more, have complained of a variety of impacts, but what most infuriates people is that the third runway now is a main runway.

“What we hear is that the port has not told the truth on the third runway’s use as a backup,” said Cochran. “Every landing since it has opened has landed on it. We have seen documents that it will be in fulltime use – that the Port will continue to use it as a fulltime runway, even though the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was told it would be a backup runway.”

A Port of Seattle spokesman said there has been a temporary six-month closure of the airport’s longest and oldest runway because it needs to be rebuilt. The third and newest runway is now being used only in the interim fulltime. Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said Monday the project is costing $52 million in federal funds. The work is being carried out during the spring and summer months so that it is completed as quickly as possible.

A brand new control light system is being installed on the first (eastern most) runway because all planes using the other two runways need to cross it.

“It’s going to be noisier for a six-month period,” said Cooper.

Statistics by the Port on their Sea-Tac website show that prior to April 13, the number of landings and takeoffs on the new runway were close to the number of uses the Port had estimated in its Environmental Impact Statement.

“You’ll see that the runway use is virtually equal to the Environmental Impact Statement projection,” Cooper said, adding that the traffic on the third runway is up during the winter months when more separation between active runways is required.

“In the summer, those days drop off dramatically and would expect to lower the yearly average as compared to the winter numbers.” Cooper said.

When asked by nearby residents on Sunday if the suit should be against the FAA instead of the Port, lawyer Cochran said the Federal Aviation Administration “has immunity” because the decision to build the third runway where it is was a decision by the Port and not the government agency.

The Federal Aviation Administration controls the runways planes use for landing and takeoffs.

“The Port does not operate the runways,” Cooper said. “We built it and maintain it, but the actual operation of the runway, takeoffs and landings, etc. is controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration.”

He says the Port “has been a proponent of the area community as soon as complaints were made and we went to the FAA and worked with them to make sure the operation of the runway has been consistent with the projections from the Environmental Impact Statement. That step also brought us to create the website with the usage statistics.

Members of the Federal Aviation Administration came to a recent Highline meeting to hear the community’s concerns, Cooper said.

The lawsuit lawyer, Cochran, said Sunday that people who felt they had personal injury cases against the Port should be gathering evidence to support their claim. For example, Cochran said people should take photos of soot on cars and surfaces from planes taking off or landing on the runway. They should document evidence of increase illnesses or other negative effects.

People should do this even if they have not yet decided on making a claim or filing a suit.

So, what do YOU think of this class action lawsuit against the Port of Seattle? Please answer our poll:

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Third Runway Litigation Meeting Is This Sunday
• Port Of Seattle Hears From Angry Residents
• Angry Residents Accuse Port of Seattle Of Lying
• Highline Forum 3rd Runway Meeting Is Jan. 8th
• Upset About 3rd Runway Noise? Meet Jan. 10th
• Third Runway Noise Discussion Is Dec. 19th
• Third Runway Noise Problem Not Fading Away
• Has 3rd Runway Increased Noise In White Center?

Jack Mayne is a freelance writer and editor and may be reached at jgmayne@gmail.com

Tonight (Saturday, April 18th) is the next White Center for the Arts Open Studio Art Tour, from 5pm to 10pm, at 9639 16th SW (map below), and here are the details:

Come one, come all! White Center for the Arts Open Studio Tour is on Saturday, April 18th, 2009.

Enjoy art and the usual accoutrements, and support your local, hard-working artists.

It has been a very fun night for the last two months.

Isn’t it time you tried it?

Featuring:

• Carlos Espinoza
• Kim McCarthy
• Michelle Smith-Lewis
• Tina Routt
• Shelli Park
• Eleanor Pigman
• Brian Forrest, and
• Raina Anderson

More info at their website: www.whitecenterforthearts.org

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