The excitement begins at 11 a.m. this Saturday, May 25 with a ribbon-cutting that will officially open the Seattle area’s newest Massage Envy Clinic at Westwood Village (map below).

The fun continues until 1 p.m. with tours of the clinic, FREE chair massages, a water bar and healthy snacks.

After a tour, guests can enter for drawings for a free massage.

What’s more, introductory specials start at just $39.99 for a full 1 hour massage – can you say affordable?

The celebration hits Full Tilt…ice cream that is!… courtesy of Donna from Gianonni’s Pizza, who will be on hand to serve the luscious samples.

Don’t miss the celebration happening this Saturday only at Massage Envy Westwood Village, located at:

2513 SW Trenton Street
Seattle, WA 98106

PHONE: (206) 456-3400

WEBSITE: http://www.massageenvy.com/clinics/WA/West-Seattle.aspx

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by Jack Mayne

Mayor Clarke Brant has withdrawn from the race for reelection for City Council saying it is “really time to retire.”

The sole candidate in the Position 2 race now is Mike Bishoff.

Candidates for other Council vacancies are, for Position 4, incumbent Marion Yoshino and Kathleen Waters. For Position 6, Tom Munslow and Chris Coleman (incumbent John Rankin did not seek reelection).

Brant said it “has been my privilege to be able to serve on the Normandy Park City Council for two terms and to be elected mayor by the Council for the last two years.

“It has been an ‘interesting’ period and I hope my efforts have helped guide Normandy Park through serious fiscal problems and set the table for upward growth in the financial security and stability of our city,” he said in a Sunday e-mail statement.

“Many other crisis de jour seemed to come at us from many directions but with the effort of staff and the rest of the council we are moving forward. We have just concluded interviews and have three excellent finalist from which to choose and begin negotiations for our next city manager. I think by the end of my term the city will truly be in good hands and I have decided, along with my wife, that it is time to really retire.

“Working on the Council has been a period of personal growth for me; and I thank the city staff, my colleagues on the Council, the citizens who have responded so well at the polls when new revenue was urgently needed and my wife who patiently put up with all this. It is work and demands your time, Brant said.

“I wish the new candidates for November elections well and will gladly ‘pull the lever’ when I no longer have to fill out PDC declarations, voters pamphlets, read the council packages, and attend committee meeting, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Thank you all for the privilege.”

Bishoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Brant’s withdrawal.

NPB Real Estate Sponsor Prudential Northwest’s Open House for this week is a cute Craftsman that’s all NEW inside!

Beautiful living room with brick & slate fireplace, large Kitchen, petite Dining Room or Den and much more!

The main floor Master has a big closet and gorgeous tiled bath, there’s a 1+ extra finished room or 2 bedrooms up with storage, along with a main floor utility/mud room, patio, fully fenced yard, stone BBQ, fire pit, carport and workshop.

Oh and did we mention it’s priced to sell at just $214,700…AND there’s a $5,000 Buyer Bonus w/full price offer!

Here are some pics (click images to see larger versions):

Here are the details:

WHAT: Prudential NW Open House

WHEN: Sunday, May 19, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: 10027 17th Ave SW, Seattle 98146-3702

INFO:

• List Price: $214,700
• MLS Number: 446881
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 1
• Year Built: 1954
• Approximate House SqFt: 1,482
• Lot SqFt: 5,624 sf

Site Features:

• Cable TV
• Dog Run
• Fenced-Fully
• Outbuildings
• Patio
• RV Parking
• Shop

Marketing remarks:

$5000 Buyer Bonus w/Full Price Offer! Cute Craftsman,

All NEW Inside!

Beautiful Living Rm w/Brick & Slate FP. Large Kitchen, Petite Dining Rm or Den. Main Floor Master w/Big Closet, Gorgeous Tiled Bath. 1+ Extra Finished Rm or 2 Bedrms Up w/Storage.

Main Flr Utility/Mud Rm, Patio & Fully Fenced Yard, Stone BBQ & Fire Pit, Carport & Workshop. Alley Access, Addl Pkg.

Bsmnt “Person Cave”, High Ceiling & Sep Entry.

Zoned R24 Multi-Fam on Double Lot.

NOT a Short Sale, Bank or Flip! Can Close Quick!

Click here to see the full, detailed listing.

Click here to view all of Prudential Northwest’s Open Houses.

• Marine View Dr @ Beverly
• Riviera @ SW Normandy Terrace

“Please use caution when in the area, Puget Sound Energy has been notified,” a note reads.

Can a great massage change the world? At first glance you may think that a preposterous question, but spend a little while with Jennifer McCollum, owner of the new Massage Envy at Westwood Village – NOW OPEN! – and you may find it’s not so far-fetched.

Leading her team of experienced and caring therapists, Jennifer is on a mission to create “Better lives. Better communities. Better families. A better world…through our hands.” An analytical and detail oriented person by nature, Jennifer has turned an unflinching lens on every detail of how her clinic’s design, processes and culture can exceed expectations and positively impact their clients overall well-being and in turn their lives.

While guests will find all the signature convenience and hallmarks of the Massage Envy concept you would at other clinics, such as extended hours and a unique affordable membership plan, the Westwood Village clinic also benefits from Jennifer’s personal experience and skill as an engineer within the medical device field. Years of listening to and observing medical technicians, taught Jennifer the impact that ergonomically correct design can have on proper body mechanics, reducing stress on the body and reducing repetitive motion injuries. As a result, her clinic features electric tables, which allows the therapist to work at optimal height for both themselves and the client and change the height during the massage if needed. This is just one of the many carefully planned details designed to make your visit a relaxing joy.

Extra training days have been spent developing a branch culture of extreme customer service and superior customized treatments. Each therapist is committed to listening to clients to create a massage plan that addresses their desired results, be it pain management, stress relief or more specific needs such as senior, or prenatal care.

Jennifer and her staff are confident that you will enjoy your visit so much that you will also become a fan. To that end they are inviting everyone to visit their clinic for an introductory service at a special rate of just 39.99. You can also treat mom to a pampering gift card. Click here, cross that off your list and watch your Mom smile as she opens the mom’s day gift of choice in this convenient Westwood Village location.

AND IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO BUY A GIFT CARD FOR MOM!!!

Massage Envy West Seattle is located in Westwood Village next to Staples:

2513 SW Trenton Street
Seattle, WA 98106

Phone: (206) 456-3400

Website: http://www.massageenvy.com/clinics/WA/West-Seattle.aspx

NOW OPEN!


Advertiser Second Saturday Divorce Workshops wants to remind our Readers that their next workshop will be held from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. this Saturday, May 11.

It will be held in the Outreach Center, Building 99, Room 130 at Highline Community College, located at 2400 S. 240th St., Des Moines (206-870-3785).

According to the class listing:

Do you know that Washington’s community property doesn’t always mean a 50/50 division of your assets and debts?

At the Second Saturday divorce workshop you will learn about equitable distribution of property and debts, and so much more.

The workshop is held on the second Saturday of each month at Highline Community College.

For more information and to register, go to www.secondsaturdaydivorce.com.

The cost is $59, and to register, click here: https://ce.highline.edu/class_listing.php?genre=27

Second Saturday Divorce Workshops are a cost-effective and sensible way to get the answers to the questions you have, and to learn about the questions you haven’t yet considered. Each class is jointly taught by Family Attorneys, Certified Divorce Financial Analysts and Family Communication Specialists/Therapists.

The workshop provides a clear understanding of the divorce process with an emphasis on property settlement, parenting plans, child support and spousal maintenance, as well as the different options available to reach agreements: without third party assistance (kitchen table), mediation, collaboration, arbitration and litigation. The focus is to provide resources and discuss topics that cover legal issues, financial aspects, and the emotional well-being of the couple and their family.

“Second Saturday divorce workshops are currently underway in over 30 cities across the nation. My associates and I knew that it was a great workshop. We knew that the amount of information that is provided would be valuable to anyone that is going through or even thinking about, a divorce or legal separation. What I didn’t expect, was the gratitude that we received from those who have already attended a workshop. The feedback has been extremely positive and it has solidified our original thought that not only would this be helpful, but that it’s necessary for couples who are going through such a difficult time. It addresses a multitude of questions and when people leave, they feel calm, and centered emotionally. They know that they are not alone and appreciate the resources that have been made available to them.”

– Jennie Bouska-Coddington

If you are considering divorce and wondering if you could benefit from a Second Saturday Divorce Workshop, just take this quick quiz:

Answer Yes or No to all of the following questions:

• 

Do you have the necessary skills you need in order to create a respectful divorce and move on with your life?
• Do you understand the legal process as it pertains to separation? As it pertains to divorce?
• Do you have a budget to accommodate a single income?
• Do you know the factors considered for spousal support or child support?

Do you know how to equitably divide your assets and debts?
• Are you able to communicate in an effective manner with your spouse?
• Do you have resources to help your children adjust through this time of change?
• Have you considered the amount of communication that will be needed to co-parent your children?
• Have you planned ahead for your financial future?

If you have answered “NO” to any of these questions then you NEED a plan.

New Advertiser Southwest Suburban Sewer District wants our Readers to know that staff and commissioners recently partnered with the Puget Sound Blood Center for a successful local blood donation drive.

Staff participation was well over 50% with many folks giving for the first time.

The donation event was open to all interested donors and organizers were very happy to have participation from Water District #49 staff, Valley View Sewer District staff, Highline School District staff, and City of Burien residents.

“Our combined efforts for this blood drive provided much needed blood to 75 local patients,” said Ron Hall, General Manager. “We have been asked to sponsor future blood drives and are planning to give it another go in about six months.”

“If you have the time, please join us for our next blood drive!”

For more information, visit http://www.swssd.com.

The Normandy Park City Council will interview five candidates for its vacant city manager’s job at city hall on Saturday, May 18 following a public candidates reception on Friday evening, May 17 in the City Council chambers.

While citizens can interact with the candidates on Friday evening, the Saturday interviews, May 18, citizens are invited to watch as the City Council interviews each of the candidates, from 1:30 p.m. to approximately 5 p.m. There will not be a chance for citizens to ask questions.

The city had originally slated a public meeting of four candidates on April 26 but that meeting was cancelled when two of the four candidates said they would not be candidates because the cities they were working for as interim city managers hired them for the permanent job after hearing they were on the Normandy Park potential hire list, said Mayor Clarke Brant.

The city then conferred with its search firm and determined there were three more names of people who had the qualifications the city had specified so they were added to the council interview list, said Brant.

The five candidates are:

• Glenn Akramoff, who has been public works director of Covington since 2007. Prior to that he was Covington’s operations and maintenance manager for a year and a half.
• Kamuron Gurol, currently the assistant city manager and director of community development for the City of Sammamish, a job he has held since 2005. He was a corridor planning manager with the Washington Department of Transportation in 2004 to 2005.
• Micah Maxwell, now the town manager of Belleaire, Fla., said to be the most densely populated county, Pinellas County. He has been town manager since 2006 and with that city since 2004.
• Thomas S. Reber, who has been general manager of Carlyon Beach Homeowners Association in Olympia since 2009 and public works director of Algona for three years prior to the homeowner’s association position.
• Michael W. Sauerwein, assistant city manager and director of administrative services for the city of Sammamish since May 2004. He was city manager of the small city of Sheridan, Ore., from 1993 to 2004.

Link to resumes are on the Normandy Park city homepage under City News and Announcements: 2013 City Manager Search Reception & Public Meeting Interviews. The City Hall is at 801 SW 174th Street.

Hanbleceya is operating four of five facilities in Normandy Park without licenses because there are no health care licenses for their facilities either from the State of Washington or from Normandy Park.

Hanbleceya does have a standard city business license that every company must have to do business in the city.

Some residents continue to believe that the Hanbleceya Treatment Centers are operating illegally facilities despite a March 29 letter, signed by Lori Melchiori, assistant director for residential care services that said the state Department of Social and Health Services has investigated and “verified (Hanbleceya’s) assertion that the four homes are not operating as unlicensed adult family homes at this time.”

In a telephone interview Tuesday (April 30), Normandy Park Mayor Clarke Brant said the city has no legal way to prevent the operation of the facilities, under any circumstances. Further, DSHS has decided the four homes operating in the city are merely rental units and do not need any license. In addition, he noted, there is a fifth home currently being prepared to operate as a state-licensed Adult Family Home, but is currently empty while Hanbleceya prepares it to meet state standards for a license that would be issued by the Washington state Department of Health.

Mayor Brant says the state agencies consider the city to be not in the loop for information about any state license and has simply not responded to Normandy Park about the Hanbleceya potential license.

“We file requests for information but the state asks for more information on our requests and they do not respond,” he said.

Some citizens of the city say the city’s zoning code requires a city to license such operations as Hanbleceya has and Brant agrees they are right.

“But that code is very old and very out of date and it is now being brought up to date and is before the (Normandy Park) Planning Commission and soon will be before the City Council,” he said. The new code will not require city licenses for operations such as Hanbleceya’s “because court decisions and new laws” had made local licenses illegal for city’s.

So technically, as a letter writer recently said, Hanbleceya is operating in violation of the Normandy Park zoning code. But Brant notes that the city could not win a court challenge if it decided to attempt to enforce that code.

Court decisions and recent laws say a city may not discriminate against such health care facilities. Only the state can impose a license and the state has not seen fit to do that, Brant said.

Therefore, Hanbleceya has a business license and is operating four “rental homes” quite legally in Normandy Park despite any citizen objection to the contrary. If citizens want the current property and the fifth facility to have licenses, Brant and others have suggested they seek help from their state legislators to get such facilities licensed and inspected by the state. The city of Normandy Park cannot license such health facilities.

State Representative Dave Upthegrove on Tuesday (April 30) announced his campaign for King County Council Position #5, being vacated by Councilmember Julia Patterson, who is retiring this year.

Born and raised in South King County, Upthegrove began his public service as Senior Legislative Assistant to then-Senator Patterson (D-SeaTac).

In 2001, Dave was appointed by the King County Council to fill a legislative vacancy and has been elected five times. As a legislator, he helped secure funding for light rail in SeaTac to help commuters and prioritized improvements to congested intersections in Kent to ensure freight mobility.

He represents the communities of SeaTac, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, Tukwila, Renton and Kent.

Here’s more from his website:

Dave also passed legislation to clean up toxics in the soil in playgrounds in Highline and Kent, and has kept local parks– such as Saltwater State Park and Flaming Geyser State Park off the closure lists. For this, Dave was recognized by the Washington Conservation Voters in 2011 as the Legislator of the Year.

Among his leadership positions in government and community, his passions are his service on the Board of the Matt Griffin YMCA in SeaTac and his volunteer work with the We The People and Project Citizen civic education programs in our local public schools.

Seeking balance in his life, and following a passion, Dave recently left a position on the King County Council staff to become certified as a basketball official. He now works professionally, part-time, as a basketball referee for youth and adult basketball leagues throughout the region.

Dave holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Conservation with a minor in Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Certificate in Energy Policy Planning from the University of Idaho.

“It’s hard to imagine someone in South County who has a better understanding of local government or has a tighter connection to this community. Dave Upthegrove will hit the ground running and serve this community with distinction,” said King County Councilmember Julia Patterson.

Dave Upthegrove was born and raised in South King County. He attended Lakeside High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental conservation from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Upthegrove is currently Chair of the Environment Committee and also serves on the Local Government and Transportation Committees.

Dave is a former chair of the Select Committee on Puget Sound. He has been involved in education policy, sponsoring and passing legislation to improve the teaching of civics and to better meet the needs of recent immigrant students. Upthegrove has led high-profile environmental initiatives to clean up Puget Sound and to clean up soil at schools and day cares contaminated by a local Asarco copper smelter. For this, the Washington Conservation Voters named Dave Upthegrove their “Legislator Of The Year” in 2011.

“I’ve spent 12 years now working in Olympia learning the ins and outs of the laws that govern our region. I’ve worked with our businesses, our cities, our human services organizations, our labor unions and our groups working to protect our environment and our quality of life. This is and always will be my home. That’s why I want deepen my level of public service as the next member of the King County Council,” said Dave Upthegrove.

King County Council Position 5 serves the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila and parts of unincorporated South King County.

Learn more at upthegrove.com.