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Archives for December 2018

30 YEARS – So Much More Then Cuts and Styles… Earl’s 30th Anniversary Roast

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Since 1992, Earl’s Cuts and Styles has earned a reputation for providing the most professional barbering services and quality customer service in the pacific northwest. Located in the Central District of Seattle simply known as Earl’s by seattleites continues to exceed customer expectations.

Earl Lancaster has been running Earl’s Cuts and Styles in heart of the Central District for 30 years. He’s the man behind the scissors, but he insists he’s just the “first person they come to when bills need to be paid.” The shop is a community gathering place and a training ground for up and coming barbers, and, of course, a place to get your hair cut. Earl’s is at 23rd and Union — an area of significant and sometimes controversial development over the past several years — and will be relocating across the street once the Liberty Bank Building is finished.

 

 

 

 

 

The Central Area Community, Customers, Family, and Beloved Friends join AfricaTOWN in celebrating 30 Years of Black Excellence with Earls Cut and Styles 30 of 30 Anniversary Roast.
There’s nothing like laughter, music, and memories to honor a community legend and legacy.

 

WyKing Garrett – AfricaTown, Earl Lancaster – Earls Cut and Style, Thomas F. Bangasser – Community Advocate, Dennis Beaver – NW FACTS Media Group

 

 

 

Seahawks Sign Pete Carroll to Multi-Year Contract Extension

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The Seattle Seahawks have signed Executive Vice President of Football Operations & Head Coach Pete Carroll to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced this afternoon.

“I am excited to announce that we have extended Head Coach Pete Carroll through the 2021 season,” said Jody Allen, Seahawks Chair and Trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust. “This will continue the championship culture that we have created in Seattle.”

Carroll, hired as Seattle’s eighth head coach on January 11, 2010, has led the Seahawks to seven playoff appearances with a combined 97-59-1 record, back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013-14, 10-plus wins in five-consecutive seasons (2012-16), and four NFC West Division titles. Prior to his arrival, Seattle posted 10-plus wins only five times in the previous 34 years.

“So grateful to Jody and the organization,” said Carroll. “I love this team and couldn’t be more proud to represent the 12s.”

Seattle has advanced to the divisional round in six of the last eight postseasons, winning two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl, while claiming the No. 1 seed in the NFC twice.

In partnership with Executive Vice President & General Manager John Schneider, the two have acquired and seen 18 different players selected to the Pro Bowl since 2011. Their roster has also included 12 first-team All-Pro selections since 2012.

The franchise’s all-time winningest coach, Carroll ranks 28th in NFL history with 131 combined wins (regular season and postseason).

King County Executive Top 18 Accomplishments in 2018

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Dow Constantine
King County Executive

Being the change we want to see

These are times of remarkably rapid change.

Over the past few years King County’s population has grown at twice the historical pace, and shows no signs of slowing. In 2012, $2 billion of new construction took place in King County. By last year that had skyrocketed to nearly $10 billion – an all-time record.

This place is changing. We are changing.

Where those winds of change take us – how our community will evolve – depends in part on the course we chart and our skill as a crew. In this time of uncertainty and impermanence, we have to harness the raw energy of change to serve the people, to repair the damage of the past, to create the future we want.

By welcoming new neighbors, we open up new opportunities.

By working in partnership with all who love this place, we protect our forests, farms, rivers and Sound.

By relentlessly improving how regional government provides services – from transit to homelessness and public health and safety – we ensure every person has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

Reading through this list accomplishments, I am inspired by the work of so many County employees and our partners throughout the region. As the new year approaches, I am eager for the challenges that lie ahead.

Leading the best large transit system in North America

King County Metro was named the best large transit system in North America by the nation’s leading public transit advocacy organization, citing achievements in ridership, safety, access, customer service, financial management, commitment to equity, and sustainability.

Uniting the region to confront the homelessness emergency

King County continued to work with partners to respond to the region’s homelessness crises, increasing access to emergency shelter with on-site services, offering more housing, and lowering the barrier to effective treatment. Executive Constantine also united the efforts of cities, business leaders, service providers, and philanthropies to address the root causes of homelessness.

Creating the Roadmap to Zero Youth Detention

Executive Constantine announced the completed report, Road Map to Zero Youth Detention – a strategic plan to guide future investments and policies to support families and further reduce the number of young people involved in the legal system. In the 2019-2020 budget, he included funding to help expand solutions to improve community safety and help young people thrive.

Protecting King County’s most vulnerable forests, farmlands and shorelines

The King County Council approved a plan by Executive Constantine to protect thousands of acres of forests, farmlands and shorelines. The action is part of the Executive’s effort to save King County’s most at-risk open space before development reshapes what makes this region great.

Winning lawsuit against Trump administration to restore funding to study sexual health education

In a major victory to King County, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services illegally terminated an education grant that studies the effectiveness of a promising sexual health education grant created by Public Health — Seattle & King County.

 

Expanding a successful law enforcement diversion program to South King County

Executive Constantine included funding in King County’s budget to expand a successful law enforcement diversion program in Burien and two other cities in South King County, connecting more people to community-based care instead of incarceration.

Taking emergency and long-range action to prevent the possible extinction of native salmon species

Under the direction of Executive Constantine, King County is partnering with tribes, cities, and state agencies on both emergency and long-range actions to ensure the survival of the native kokanee salmon after a sudden, alarming decline in returning spawners.

Organizing a community-led effort to ensure a complete, accurate 2020 Census

Executive Constantine convened a community-led effort by local governments, nonprofits, and philanthropies to ensure a complete, accurate 2020 Census. King County is convening the effort sooner than it has in the past after the Trump administration announced it will add a citizenship question to the next Census, which could cause a substantial undercount that would result in a loss of federal and state funding and other impacts.

Leading the state by providing prepaid ballots to all King County voters

The King County Council approved a plan by Executive Constantine and Elections Director Julie Wise to provide prepaid ballots to all voters starting this year. The state later approved funding to provide prepaid ballots to all voters in the 38 other counties.

Upholding King County’s promise as a welcoming community with a permanent Immigrant and Refugee Commission

Executive Constantine signed legislation to create an Immigrant and Refugee Commission, a permanent body committed to upholding King County’s commitment to being a welcoming county and to integrate, strengthen, and value immigrant and refugee communities.

Offering innovative first- and last-mile service to and from transit hubs

Executive Constantine launched two app-based services that offer first- and last-mile connections to transit, making it easier for commuters to get to work and back home each day without having to drive or park.

Investing in 38 senior centers that keep older adults connected throughout King County

Executive Constantine announced nearly $3.5 million in funding for 38 organizations serving older adults throughout King County. The one-time investments will help senior centers, community centers, and organizations serving older adults expand programs to reach more local seniors, make their facilities safer and more accessible, and purchase equipment and appliances.

 

Creating a go-to services agency for unincorporated King County

Executive Constantine established a new Department of Local Services to improve the coordination and delivery of services to the nearly 250,000 people who live in unincorporated communities.

Increasing home-visiting services so parents and caregivers have the support they need

A wide range of support services for expectant mothers, parents, and caregivers – funded by Executive Constantine’s Best Starts for Kids initiative – are increasing parents’ knowledge and confidence, strengthening parent-child bonding, and improving school readiness throughout King County.

 

 

Honoring the King County employees who are helping build the nation’s Best Run Government

Executive Constantine honored the winners of the first King County Performance Excellence Awards, thanking them for helping achieve our ambitious goal of building the nation’s Best Run Government.

Overhauling the review process for police shootings for greater transparency and accountability

Following last year’s convening of a six-person King County Inquest Process and Review Committee to examine the public forum that investigates the circumstances surrounding law enforcement-involved deaths, Executive Constantine announced a series of reforms to make the process more transparent and meaningful.

Making it easier to hike mountain forests without having to drive or park

Hikers boarded Trailhead Direct for more than 10,000 round trips during the first full season of the transit-to-trails service, increasing the number of people who explored King County’s mountain forests without having to drive or park.

Increasing the pet adoption rate by a record 20 percent

Regional Animal Services of King County – which has dramatically increased the pet-save rate in recent years – increased pet adoptions by a record-setting 20 percent last year, delivering on Executive Constantine’s commitment to transform humane animal care.

 

In Loving Memory of Jeffrey Conrad Tymony

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Jeffrey Conrad Tymony

Jeffrey Conrad Tymony was born January 3, 1953, to Norma Bash and John Tymony. Jeffrey passed away peacefully on November 28, 2018. He was born and raised in the Central Area of Seattle, Wa. Jeff went to school at Madrona, Meany, and Roosevelt High School. He later graduated from Evergreen College with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Dependency. He had a passion for helping the suffering Addict on their journey to recovery and spent 21 years as a Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Counselor until he retired. Jeffrey was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Kwame Turner. He leaves to mourn his siblings Darrel Tymony, Norma Turner, John Tymony II, and Tanya Tymony, along with his daughters Makayla Moore, Jamie Denton and Grandchildren Lexy, Luna, Lily, Ashlee, and Jack and his partner in life Bridget Sessum. Jeff’s Celebration of Life is Thursday, January 3rd at Billy Barroo’s Foster Link Golf Course 3pm.

 Our heartfelt condolences to the family of Jeffrey Conrad Tymony
Please Sign, Leave a Comment or Memory for the family to cherish

In Loving Memory of Brenda C Taylor

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Brenda C Taylor

Sunrise: January 7, 1956, Sunset: December 27, 2018

Brenda C Taylor passed away peacefully surrounded in love on December 27, 2018. She is preceded in death by husband Che Taylor and her mother Ms. Audrey Bascomb-Carter. Taylor is survived by her first husband William B Green Sr, and children Demeka Green, DeAndre Green and Traci Green (Daughter In-law). Children by marriage William (Jayson) Green and Millia Jimerson.  Funeral services will be held on January 4th at 12pm at NW Life Church located at 13120 SE 192nd St, Renton, WA 98058. Public viewing will be on January 3rd at Evergreen-Washelli from 3pm to 8pm at 11111 Aurora Ave N Seattle, Wa 98133

 Our heartfelt condolences to the family of  Brenda C Taylor
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Race in America: 1968 – 2018, in 50 years, how far have we really come?

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Wornie Reed giving TEDx talk

As 2018 comes to an end, we close out a 50 year period that began with the tumultuous 1968. This was the year Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated; the year the Fair Housing Act passed; the year the Kerner Commision report revealed the cause of riots; and the same year John Carlos and Tommie Smith gave the Black Power salute at the Olympics.

50 year serves as a great opportunity to look back and see how far race in America has come and according to Race and Social Policy Research Center Director, Wornie Reed, “the bottom line is that we have not come very far, if at all, since 1968.”

Reed notes “Unfortunately, the data show that with all of this progress on the electoral front there was little if any relative improvement in the lives of African Americans. In fact, with the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, made 2018 one of the the worst years for voter suppression of African Americans and other minorities since 1968.”

Quoting Reed

Poverty: “This year marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s Poor People’s Campaign when MLK put his life on the line to start a very aggressive push to force the country to address the issue of poverty. He said, “I choose to identify with the underprivileged. I choose to identify with the poor. I choose to give my life for the hungry. I choose to give my life for those who have been left out…This is the way I’m going.”  We called the rate of poverty an outrage then. It is worse now. The numbers and proportions of people in poverty in the United States have increased since 1968.”

Housing: “In 2008 the National Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, co-chaired by former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretaries, Democrat Henry Cisneros and Republican Jack Kemp, investigated the state of fair housing. To assess progress since the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Commission held hearings for six months in five major cities. They concluded that ongoing discriminatory practices in the nation’s housing and lending markets continued to produce residential segregation.”

“Despite this bipartisan assessment, the current Administration is scaling back fair housing enforcement and moving to make it more difficult to find patterns of discriminatory or predatory lending. They have passed legislation to exempt banks from their obligation to collect and provide data routinely collected on their lending processes.”

Economics: “The Great Recession of 2007-8 was far worse for African Americans. Black homeowners had a higher percentage of their wealth tied up in home equity, and they were much more likely to be victims of predatory lending during the housing boom. Blacks and Latinos were more than twice as likely as comparable whites to receive high-cost loans. African-Americans have lost over half of their wealth since the beginning of the recession through falling homeownership rates and loss of jobs.”

“African American families are continuing to fall behind whites in building wealth — how much a family has in savings, investments, real estate, and cash, less any debts. White family wealth was seven times greater than black family wealth in 2016. Despite some fluctuations over the past five decades, this disparity is as high or higher than was in 1963.”

“Further, there has been no reduction in labor market discrimination. At the Race and Social Policy Research Center at Virginia Tech, we analyzed the income of all black and white full-time workers in the United States between 1967 and 2005. Controlling for education, we found that for every dollar a white worker earned in 1967 a black worker earned 65 cents. In 2005 a black work earned 66 cents for every dollar that a white person earned, not a real increase.”

Sports: “During the last 50 years African Americans have become even more prominent in sports, with four current stars arguably considered the best of all time in their respective sports: Simone Biles in gymnastics, Serena Williams in Tennis, Tiger Woods in golf, and Lebron James in Basketball. Nevertheless, just like in 1968 black athletes are protesting racial discrimination. Two years ago Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest the disproportionate use of police force against African American males and related issues, That protest was joined by other African American athletes, in football and other sports. And some of it continues.”

Kerner Commission Report: “One month before Martin Luther King was assassinated, the Kerner Commission released its report. This Presidential commission investigated the riots and disorders of the mid-1960s and reported what MLK called a “physician’s warning of approaching death, with a prescription for life.” The Commission offered the most forthright analysis and discussion of the racial situation in America that has ever been done by a high-level commission or committee.”

“The Kerner Commission stated that “White racism is essentially responsible for the explosive mixture which has been accumulating in our cities since the end of World War II.” And they continued, “What white Americans have never fully understood but what the Negro can never forget—is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.””

“The Kerner Commission concluded that the United States had three options for dealing with the situation. One was to do nothing, which was not acceptable. A second option was to work on improving black ghettoes, which was useful but not desirable. The third was to integrate cities, suburbs, and transportation to workplaces (factories and plants). Many Americans thought we would choose the third option and be on our way to a better America. However, one month later Martin Luther King was assassinated, blacks rioted all over America, and the narrative changed—from correcting what white society had wrought to blaming it all on the problematic culture of black folks. To this day we have not overcome the political and policy effects of that narrative.”

EOI isn’t afraid to tackle the fundamental issues facing our city, state, and society

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Katie Wilson: Recently declared one of Seattle’s ‘most influential people of 2018’ by Seattle Magazine

General Secretary of the Transit Riders Union, I spend much of my time organizing and fighting for the basic things people in our communities need to live a dignified life: Housing. Shelter. Affordable, accessible, and reliable public transit.

When my comrades and I go to lawmakers and ask them to fund these essential needs, we hear the same reply again and again: “We’d like to, but there’s just not enough money.”
Of course, we know there’s enough money! The two richest humans in the history of the world live right here in King County. Scores of profitable mega-corporations do business and extract wealth here. The problem is, we’re not taxing the people who have all that wealth. Instead, we’re taxing the people who are struggling the most.  
 
I joined the board of the Economic Opportunity Institute because EOI isn’t afraid to tackle the fundamental issues facing our city, state, and society – issues like progressive taxation.
And I’m incredibly grateful to EOI for another reason. EOI staff don’t just do vital research and policy work. They build meaningful partnerships with grassroots organizations. I know this first-hand. 
In 2017, immediately following the election of #45, EOI and the Transit Riders Union teamed up to build the Trump-Proof Seattle Coalition. Over the course of a whirlwind six months, we built a movement for a progressive taxation that won a unanimous city council vote passing Seattle’s pioneering income tax on affluent households. 
 

Now together, we’re doing battle with the Freedom Foundation and other forces of reaction as our legislation heads to the Washington State Supreme Court. If we win, this would raise $175 million a year in Seattle – revenue that can go to affordable housing, free community college tuition, the homelessness crisis, transit, and green jobs. 

EOI can’t keep doing this groundbreaking work without your support. Please give generously and power EOI into 2019!

Tacoma Power Awards Grants to Tacoma Housing Authority and Bates Technical College for Solar Energy Projects

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Contributions from Evergreen Options program will support campus for homeless youth

and bolster local educational institute

Tacoma Power announced the winners of its Evergreen Options Renewable Energy Project grant, awarding more than $90,000 in grants to two local nonprofit organizations. The funding for these grants comes from Tacoma Power customers who voluntarily pay a small monthly fee to support local renewable energy projects like wind and solar. This year’s winners, the Tacoma Housing Authority and Bates Technical College, will use the funding to implement solar energy projects at their respective campuses in Tacoma.

 

“Thanks to the goodwill of local residents who have enrolled in this program, we’re excited to provide these new renewable opportunities – like rooftop solar panels – to organizations helping the community right here in our service territory,” said Chris Robinson, superintendent of Tacoma Power. “These projects complement the renewable hydroelectric power that makes up the majority of Tacoma Power’s electricity.”

The Tacoma Housing Authority will use the $50,000 grant to integrate solar panels into the Crisis Residential Center (CRC) at its new Arlington Drive Youth Campus, which will break ground in 2019. The CRC will be a twelve-bed facility to house, serve and save homeless youth ages 12 to 17. The CRC will be part of a larger campus that will also serve homeless young adults ages 18 to 24. The total capacity of the new solar energy system will be 21 kilowatts.

“We’re pleased to be awarded this grant for solar energy. It not only allows us to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future, it also saves us money,” said Michael Mirra, executive director of Tacoma Housing Authority. “Those savings will strengthen the services we can provide to homeless youth and young adults to give them a second chance at a reasonable adolescence and adulthood without exploitation, impoverishment, and fear. We’re grateful to Tacoma Power for helping us do that.”

The second grant recipient, Bates Technical College, is a two-year public institution that has been providing quality training and education to Tacoma/Pierce County for 80 years. The college is known for its commitment to helping students find family-wage level employment. The $41,500 renewable energy grant will allow the school to install solar lighting at its south campus parking lots, which will increase safety and support energy conservation. It is estimated that the project will produce 3,728 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

“The South Campus hosts a number of instructional programs, including welding, carpentry, electrical construction and auto mechanics, among others,” said Bob Roehl, executive director of facilities and operations at Bates Technical College. “We are happy to be able to light up the parking lots with renewable energy generated on site.”

The winner of last year’s grant, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, used its $50,000 grant to help fund a solar project located in the Asian Forest Sanctuary area. The zoo anticipates its project will produce more than 26,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in the first year and save more than $200,000 over its 30-year lifetime.

 

The Evergreen Options program is available to all Tacoma Power customers. By paying a small additional monthly charge on their electric bill, customers support local renewable energy projects. Participants can choose a specific amount (minimum $3 per month) or a percentage of their electric use, up to 100 percent.

 

Visit MyTPU.org/Evergreen for more information about the Evergreen Options program.

 

Revenue offers free tax workshop Jan. 10 in Seattle

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Dec. 27, 2018 – Business owners in Washington are responsible for knowing which taxes to report. To help them, the Washington State Department of Revenue (Revenue) is hosting a free workshop for new and small business owners Jan. 10, 2019 in Seattle.

Call 206-727-5300 or go online to register on Revenue’s education page.

Participants will learn about Washington excise taxes, reporting classifications, deductions, tax incentives, sales tax collection and record-keeping requirements. Attendees receive a workbook and helpful reference guide to Revenue’s rules and regulations. Also, attendees may earn two continuing professional education (CPE) credits. Contact the workshop instructor for details.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 10

Time: 1 – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Dept. of Revenue, 2101 4th Ave, Suite 1400 (cross street Lenora), Seattle

Contact Revenue’s Rick Stedman with any questions about the workshop: 360-705-6624 or .

Revenue offers several ways for businesses to learn about taxes. Visit the education page to view a complete schedule and to register for upcoming workshops. Business owners can also watch a short streaming video version of the workshop online.

King County Councilor Larry Gossett will be the keynote speaker for The Skanner Foundation’s 33rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast

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King County Councilor Larry Gossett will be the keynote speaker for The Skanner Foundation’s 33rd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast, which will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Red Lion at Jantzen Beach.

Gossett, who was was first elected to the King County Council in 1993, represents District 2 (portions of Seattle, Washington, including Capitol Hill, Central District, Mt. Baker, Columbia City, Rainier Valley and Skyway). He served as chair of the entire Council in 2007 and 2013.

A native of Seattle, Gossett helped found the Black Student Union on the University of Washington campus and helped to organize nearly a dozen high school and middle school Black Student Unions throughout Seattle.  He’s credited with bringing about the U.W.’s Educational Opportunity Program minority recruitment program. In the 1970s, Gossett was the first supervisor of the Black Student Division, in the Office of Minority Affairs. From April 1979 until December 1993, he was the Executive Director of the Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP), one of the oldest and largest community action agencies in the city of Seattle.

In 2007 Gossett became just the second African American elected to be chair of the King County Council.

Gossett has participated as a delegate in numerous international trade missions. His destinations have included Japan, Canada, Russia, England and Nicaragua. He has represented the King County Council on promotional trade missions to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, India, South Korea, China, several countries in South America, and most recently, South Africa.

In 1999, 13 years after the 1986 change of the county’s name to honor the slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Gossett spearheaded the campaign to change the King County logo from an imperial crown to an image of Dr. King.

“We thought it would be good for him to come down here and talk about some of the economic advantages of what the county has to offer; he was county chair,” said Bernie Foster, publisher of The Skanner News. “We thought it would be different. We bring people from all over the world. We thought it would be good to have some regional flavor to the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast.”