August 9, 2013 [3]

Run from the cops to support the special olympics

Renton’s first “Run from the Cops” 5K fundraiser is scheduled for Aug. 24. The event raies money to support the Washington Special Olympics. For more information or to sign up, visit http://www. specialolympicswashington. org/calendar/letr_events/ run_from_the_cops

Principal‘s minivan doubling as bookmobile Highlands Elementary School administrators delivering free books for kids this summer By TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com

Two Highlands Elementary school principals have taken it upon themselves to deliver summer reading materials to kids, from their own book mobile. Principal Janet Fawcett and Alfred Deblasio, assistant principal, are volunteering their time this summer to keep kids in the area reading through the summer. “We know that a lot of kids, especially kids that come from low-income families, they don’t have books in their house,” said Fawcett. “We want children to have books at their home because we have lots of books at school and we’re always adding to our book collection. Our teachers are adding to their book collections, but our kids go home and they don’t always have books.” The effort was doubly important to the principals because for the past two summers, Highlands Elementary has been No. 1 in the state’s Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge in the “Read for the World Record.” With funds from Scholastic, Fawcett went shopping at the company’s warehouse in Auburn and got discounts on books and freebies. Deblasio picked up books from a give-away at retailer Half Price Books. The two loaded up Deblasio’s minivan, now their bookmobile, and headed to the Highlands Community Recreation Center and United Methodist Church for deliveries. They collected close to 2,000 books. Last Thursday afternoon, the principals rolled up to the recreation center. As they answered questions in an interview with the Renton

Highlands Elementary administrators watch as kids swarm on a delivery of books from their bookmobile at Highlands Community Recreation Center. tracey compton, Renton Reporter Reporter, kids came streaming out of the center, interrupting the interview to ask when they could select books. Three boxes full of reading materials had yet to be unpacked from the van, as kids excitedly gathered on the sidewalk. Once Fawcett and Deblasio were freed to do their work, the kids swarmed around the piles of books and examined them. “It’s really fun because the kids come out and they’re literally walking out with armfuls of books that they can’t hardly hold on to,” Fawcett said. “And it’s free; they don’t have to bring them back.” Last Thursday, Aug. 1, was the bookmobile’s

third visit and the principals plan to make one more trip before the summer’s over. “The first day was really cool,” said Deblasio. “When we pulled away from here, we looked out and we saw kids by the swing sets, over there, sitting down in the grass reading books, as we were pulling away.” These visits are important because they remind kids that it’s important to read through the summer or else there is a big drop in their studies, if they’re not reading, even a little, he said. “So, it’s a huge part to connect with us, as their school leaders in their community and also just to keep them motivated to read,” Deblasio said.

Another noisy weekend around the airport By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com

It’s going to be another weekend filled with construction noise for those living around the airport, as work continues in the north end.

Crews will once again work this weekend to finish foundations for a new, temporary bridge prior to the closing of the in-water work (fish) window. Boeing is replacing the bridge at the site used to bring completed

737s from the plant to the airport. Eight more foundation piles will be installed as well as support piles for demolition of the existing bridge. Work is set to begin Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m. with vibration driving of piles.

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But noise will be most significant between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday while impact driving occurs. Building the new bridge is a three-year project and expected to be completed in 2015. For more information on the project, visit www.rentonnorthbridge.com.

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