Here’s their press release:

Normandy Park Towne Center is proud to announce the Grand Opening of their new building, built by local developer McKittrick Real Estate Group. Housing tenants such as nutritious (& yet still tasty) vendor Emerald City Smoothie, old favorite hamburger-maker Herfy’s, and Café Mia, a lovely Italian themed restaurant with its own pizza oven, bakery, wine & coffee bar; this addition to the Normandy Park neighborhood promises to be well received. In addition, NPTC houses the offices of McKittrick Real Estate Group, as well as the local non-profit, the Hear See Hope Foundation.

To introduce the new tenants to the community, Normandy Park Towne Center is hosting a community-wide Winterfest on December 13th & 14th from 10am to 3pm. Be sure to mark your calendars as you will not want to miss out on this festive holiday event that includes a little something for everyone:

• Baked goods offered by Café Mia
• Specially priced Smoothies from Emerald City Smoothie
• Local entertainment from The Hi-Liners, Momentum Music & Dance Academy, TeenSounds, YouthSounds, & KidSounds Northwest Choirs
• Special visits from Rudolf, Frosty and their friends
• Story time and sing-a-long with Mrs. Claus
• Professional holiday photos taken with our Special Guest, Santa Claus!

Yes, Santa Claus truly is coming to “Towne” to partner with the Hear See Hope Foundation to raise awareness about Usher syndrome. Created in 2004 to as a response to the diagnosis of their eldest son Conner, Todd & Lane McKittrick created Hear See Hope as a means to raise funds to support research looking to find a cure. Four years later, their fourth son, Dalton, was born with Usher as well. Usher syndrome is the leading cause of deaf-blindness in the world. Those with Usher syndrome are born profoundly deaf, and lose their vision by their teenage years. To date, Hear See Hope has raised approximately $850,000, and will not stop until a cure is found.

NPTC is continuing to look for local entertainment that would make the event even better. If you have an idea, let us know by emailing us at info@mckittrickre.com. We will contact you once your information is received. No matter what, plan on joining in on the fun at Normandy Park Towne Center!

Located in-between the City of Des Moines and the City of Burien, Normandy Park Towne Center can be found at 19803 1st Ave South in Normandy Park.

Directions and more information on the development can be found at www.normandyparktc.com.

See you “around Towne”!

Here’s an informational video about the Hear See Hope Foundation:

They are located at 803 SW 154th Street, just west of Ambaum and a little south of Olde Burien.

Vision Collision is quite a family-based business, from longtime area stock, on land that goes way, way back in the area of auto body repair.

Husband and wife team Michael and Amy Driscoll, recently purchased the former BBC Dodge Body Shop. There has been an auto body repair shop on that space going back many decades.

Robert scrubs yet another Vision Collision dent-free gem.

Doug McLester, who for thirty years served as BBC Dodge Body Shop Manager before retiring this past summer, recently said:

“Amy entered into the auto body industry right after high school and is thrilled to be working in her hometown doing what she loves! Michael has always had a passion for cars and has been restoring them since the age of fourteen. I have complete confidence that Amy and Michael will provide the quality service you have come to expect over the years.”

“From door dings to collisions, we fix it all,” Michael and Amy point out. “We help reduce stress by assisting with insurance claims, too.”

“And we offer detailing,” Amy adds.

Amy and Michael were born and raised in the area, and both attended Highline High School.

“My mom, Cathy Low, and her whole family grew up in Seahurst,” Amy informs us. Cathy helps out now and again at Vision Collision’s office when Amy needs to run the occasional errand.

“And my uncle is none other than Jim Hughes of Sal’s Deli, just off 152nd. I worked there for years,” Amy said.

Lucy is Vision Collision's official mascot.

Amy and Michael’s Border Collie, Lucy, can often be seen running around the office.

“Lucy loves to come to work.”

Lucy isn’t the only pet in Amy and Michael’s household. On their land southeast of Burien “we also have two horses, three goats, and a cat.”

So anyway, we at the Blog think you’ll enjoy yourself so much at Vision Collision that, even if your vehicle is already ding-free, you should just take a hammer to your hood and bang it up a bit so you’ll have an excuse to stop by (uh…just kidding on that part, but stop by anyway!).

But seriously, click on Vision Collision’s Ad in the right sidebar, check out their stuff, call or drop by and see what they can do to fix your dinged and dented vehicle up.

Vision Collision Auto Body Repair
“See? You’re dent free!”

Service shop:

803 SW 154th St
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 244-2758
www.visioncollision.net
Email: info@visioncollision.net

Mail:

Vision Collision
PO Box 66110
Burien, WA 98166

You kind of have to look to find Wag the Dog – they’re next to Supercuts on Ambaum in Burien, just south of Martini Cleaners. There’s plenty of parking.

“Wag the Dog is committed to providing socialized fun-filled days,” owner Terri Benish says. “Our day care is filled with lots of toys for the dogs’ enjoyment, and beds for when they want to relax. We are ready and willing to cater to your pet’s needs at any time.”

At Wag the Dog, your pet will have access to an outside fenced-in play yard which allows him or her to remain on their normal potty routine.

Another unique feature are Wag the Dog’s four “Dog Cams” (check them out here) which enable you to check in on your pooch anytime of the day.

Terri offers additional features including grooming, nail trimming and teeth brushing.

“It’s been my dream all my life to work with animals,” says Terri, who for fifteen years worked as a real estate appraiser. “I love what I’m doing now. It is truly rewarding and fulfilling to work with my clients’ dogs every day.”

Terri opened her shop in March, after looking at locations all around the south Puget Sound area.

“I was delighted to find that Burien has very reasonable zoning regulations,” Terri said. “This city is quite business friendly.”

Well, as they say at Wag the Dog: “Wag On!”

Wag the Dog info:

Monday through Friday
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
15227 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Burien 98166

Phone 206-453-DOGS (3647)

info@wagthedogdaycare.net
www.wagthedogdaycare.net

Sylvan Learning Center was founded over 27 years ago with the sole purpose of providing tutoring and supplemental education services to students of all ages (from Pre-K through High School) and all levels.

Affordable tutoring instruction is available in “readin’, ritin’ and ‘rithmetic”, as the old saying goes, but make it Reading, Writing and Math Essentials, plus throw in study skills, homework support and test preparation for those all-important SATs. Use Sylvan’s amazing diagnostic assessments to find exactly what your student needs, mix liberally with tons of attention from certified teachers, and you’ve got the successful recipe for the Sylvan Advantage.

Sylvan Learning Center in downtown Burien has offered their personalized learning plan to hundreds of students since opening its doors in Burien nearly two years ago. Prior to their move, they had been in the West Seattle area.

In Burien/Normandy Park, when they want real results, parents, teachers and students all turn to Sylvan for tutoring services. Sylvan’s individualized approach ensures every student develops the skills, habits and attitudes for lifelong success.

Get “The Best” for Less
Right now, through the end of January 2009, Sylvan Learning in Burien is making it more affordable to enjoy the many benefits of Sylvan. $94 per week/per student will bring your student through the door for two hours of instruction each week, with the testing, registration and enrollment fees waived ($164 savings). Interested in Sylvan now? Let’s see what it’s all about.

The Recipe for the Sylvan Advantage
It all starts with a Skills Assessment, which identifies where your child may have ’skill gaps’ or areas of academic struggle. Then you add in a large dose of a Personalized Learning Plan which is designed to meet your student’s exact needs, goals and learning style. Stir in Highly Trained and Certified Teachers, who love to teach and are dedicated to helping your child succeed. The tutoring programs have been designed so that every student has immediate access to their teacher, while benefiting from the opportunity to work independently to master the material. Throw in a bunch of Individualized Instruction, supplemented by independent learning, and you have the key to helping your child build confidence, motivation and success.

Finally finish it off with Regular Progress Reports to determine if your child is progressing as planned, or if his/her program should be accelerated.

Top Notch Teachers-Top Notch Educators
The Sylvan Advantage is only as good as the staff and teachers who work there. Let’s meet them.

Michael, Kasey, Nik, Will, David and Kelly help make learning a breeze at Sylvan Learning Center in Burien.

First there’s the Giller twins, Michael and David. Michael is the Executive Director, has a master’s degree in teaching from UPS and has taught in the Tacoma and Puyallup school districts. He’s worked with students of all ages and finds that an individual has the best chance to make an impact on the environment through literacy. David, the Center Director, has a BS in Management from Park College. He loves having the opportunity to help children reach their fullest potential through Sylvan Learning (he’s the guy you see when you walk in the door).

Marre Giller, Michael’s wife, has a major in mathematics and chemistry from UW. Her skills in multitasking, documentation and project management are put to use creating a schedule that will suit your busy life and make it easier for you to give your student the Sylvan Advantage.

There’s six teachers at Sylvan. Kayleen Diaz has a BA in Special Education K-12 and an elementary education K-8 from SPU. She has a special gift for working with young and special needs kids. Nik Dukich graduated from Evergreen State with a BS in mathematics and minor in physics. He’s the math guy. Jen Parker has a BA in Liberal Arts from Southern Louisiana University. She’s taught English at university and high school levels. In addition to her teaching at Sylvan, she is chair for the English Department at Kennedy High School. Kelly Kirk has a BA in Education from UW. She substitutes in the Highline School District and is getting her masters in Special Education. She teaches reading, math and study skills. Kasey Clay has a BA in Elementary Education from City University. She also teaches elementary school in Kent. Will Bielawski has a BS from University of Michigan, he’s been teaching for three years. He’s the reading and writing guy for all levels.

Great programs. Great Teachers. Right in the neighborhood. What are you and your student waiting for? Stop by soon, or check out their ad on the upper right sidebar. Click-through to the local website for much more of the recipe for success.

For more information call 1-866-735-9209 Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., or stop by Sylvan’s Burien location, which is located at 636 SW 152nd Street, Suite B.

Did you know that there’s a creek down there?

And um…this:

Here’s a call for help from Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward Dennis Clark:

Local mountain men - and women – are wanted for an urban adventure this Saturday morning, Oct. 25th!

There’s a decade of trash in the ravine beneath the Sylvester Bridge in Normandy Park. Microwaves, TVs, computer monitors, bicycles, shelving, and variety of other detritus limited only by the imagination of the dolts who threw it off the bridge are at the bottom of the ravine.

With the exception of the trash, which is concentrated in a small area, the ravine is a pocket of green and gold vegetation both attractive and peaceful. The ravine also is home to Fox Creek, a tributary stream to Miller Creek and getting the electronics out will reduce the chance of lead leaching into the creek.

Strong and agile volunteers are needed to pack stuff out of the steep-sided ravine. Safety equipment and donuts will be provided. Volunteers need to wear shoes with good traction and ankle support and wear clothes that can get dirty.

The work will begin 9 a.m. on 11th Place SW just below Sylvester.

Interested volunteers should RSVP with Dennis Clark, Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward, 206-296-1909, or via email: Dennis.Clark@kingcounty.gov.

This is a great chance to ask questions and hear the arguments:

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 23rd, 7-9pm

WHERE: Normandy Park Congregational Church, 19247 1st Ave So, Normandy Park (map below)

View Larger Map

With all the hoopla over the Presidential candidates, I wanted to gently remind the communities of Burien and Normandy Park that your fire department has a bond on the general election ballot Nov. 4th (download PDF here).

This is the first facilities bond in the 80-year history of your fire department. It would replace our two existing fire stations with two new facilities.

The current fire stations have mold from bad ventilation, and cracks from past earthquakes in the walls and foundations. Neither station has adequate decontamination facilities for firefighters that face hazardous materials on emergency calls. Sleeping quarters are cramped and inappropriate for male and female firefighters that work 24-hour shifts, as well. In addition, our firefighters have been in the crossfire of gang activity, and faced an armed intruder at the Normandy Road Station.

We have been good stewards of your tax dollars, with a long history of clean financial audits from the State. And, now is no different. We’re not going to build the Taj Mahal in these tough economic times. We will build two new facilities to replace the two we have that are past their usable lives.

Both new stations will include decontamination facilities for our firefighters, secure entries and exits, as well as appropriate accommodations to reflect a mixed-gender squad. The Normandy Road Station will have a modest training facility attached to it. The new Headquarters will have an emergency operations center to help coordinate relief efforts in case of large-scale disasters.

The total cost to build the new stations will be $25 millon collected over 20 years. This boils down to approximately $9 per month for the owner of a $300,000 home. We know times are hard right now for many families in our community. Ultimately, the bond decision is yours to make.

Just please remember to mark and mail your ballots by November 4th or go to the polls.

We appreciate your involvement!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Here at the Normandy Park Blog we open our doors to all voices, so if you'd like to submit your opinion, please email us!]

It’ll be Saturday, Oct. 18 at South Seattle Community College’s Brockey Center (map below).

“This Harvest Dinner and Auction is more important than ever for us,” said Rick Jump, Executive Director of the White Center Food Bank. “The economy is impacting many of our donors as well as our clients.

“We have had a fifty-percent increase in the number of clients in need as compared to this time last year.”

To reserve a ticket or table, contact Rick or his volunteer staff at the Food Bank at 206-762-2848

Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Enrique Cerna of local public television station KCTS.

Rachel Glass will lead the live auction.

“I saw Rachel at a another event recently,” Rick said. “And she is a darn good auctioneer.”

Who does the White Center Food Bank help, exactly? They help Human Beings: infants and girls and boys. Grandparents and moms and dads, neighbors just down the street.

Details:

• Doors open at 5:30pm, when the first of two silent auctions begin
• There will be a Dessert Dash, and dinner (choice of sirloin steak, northwest salmon or cheese ravioli, or marinara/vegetable medley) will be served at 7:30pm
• There will be great local entertainment as well: “Dances of the World” with international dancers from Mexico, Vietnam & Cambodia
• Call the Food Bank right away, please, to reserve your seat or table: 206-762-2848
• Seats are $60 each and can be held with a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card

If you can’t make it to the auction, you can also easily donate directly online here.

White Center Food Bank
10829 8th Ave SW
Seattle WA 98146
www.whitecenterfoodbank.org
Phone 206-762-2848


View Larger Map

All four Saturdays in October offer opportunities to help volunteer to improve the Highline environment for people and fish, so get your gloves ready and mark your calendars.

Plus, these events are fun!

WHAT: Plant native trees and shrubs alongside the experienced hands of EarthCorps. Lunch provided. Sign up with Tony Cassarino, 206-246-9941.

WHEN: Saturday, October 11, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m

WHERE: Normandy Park Community Club, located at 1500 SW Shorebrook Drrive (map below)

If elected this Nov. 4, Tina will replace retiring State Representative Shay Schual-Berke.

Literally dozens of groups and elected officials have endorsed Tina.

She has been rated “Outstanding” by the Municipal League of King County.

“I’ve spent my life helping people – developing award winning housing programs, assisting families in crisis, and serving our schools as a PTSA leader,” Tina said. “I will put my commitment and experience to work in Olympia to strengthen our economy, invest in our schools and protect our quality of life.”

She is challenged by Republican Todd Gibson, a teacher and advertising executive.

Here is a link to a map of the 33rd Legislative District:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/results.aspx?District=33

For more information, here is Tina’s official campaign website:

www.electtinaorwall.com