July 4th Special

Auto Shop for the 21st Century

The Economist magazine recently argued that America is home to the laziest children in the world because of our traditional three month vacation from school each summer. This upset us for two reasons.

First, we fear the charge is true. Based on some of the American kids we know, if the foreigners are breathing they have our kids licked.

Second, we know the charge is false. Forget the slugs. We know American kids who'll be world beaters including three students that we recently encountered at the Ingraham High School auto shop program in north Seattle.

We highlight them here in our first ever Seattle Industry Fourth of July Special Feature because their story has a nice, All American feel to it. Besides, the Economist is based in London, and if some English rag wants to offer opinion pieces about American character traits, we can't think of a better time of year to tell them to shove a stocking in it.

The students in our feature recently brewed up the auto shop's first batch of bio fuel from cooking grease, and two of them are shown in the accompanying photo -- Vincent Huang and Michael Haily, along with shop teacher, Don Reynoldson.

According to the Economist, this summer we might expect to find Vincent and Michael kicking back, spending most their days on the couch, eating chips and watching daytime soaps on TV.

Instead, Vincent is taking a full load of summer classes at South Seattle Community College and Michael is working fulltime at a Seattle-based non-profit agency.

When school resumes in September, Vincent and Michael will work with the teacher, Don Reynoldson, to refine the fuel to a point where Don will try using it to fire up the engine in his pick up truck.

Then there is a third member of the auto shop student team, Lucas Johanson, who is not in the picture. If you read the Economist, you might suspect Johanson was absent because he was lounging at the beach.

In reality, he didn't have time for the photo because he was too busy preparing to leave for Alaska where he is spending the summer working with his dad, a commercial fisherman.

The shop's bio fuel refinery is a converted hot water heater and Johanson was the student who took the lead in revamping it into a bio fuel processor.

That experience helped persuade Johanson that he might want to become a chemist, a new life possibility that is a tribute to Don Reynoldson's approach to auto shop.

Reynoldson spent most of his working life running an auto repair business until he decided to spend the last part of his career as a teacher.

He does not view auto shop just as an introduction to cars, but as a spring board to technology and the opportunities available to his students.

Listen to Reynoldson explain it, and the connections become clear. Cars run on fuel and fuel is chemistry. Auto body work is all about material science and design. Applied math is integral to all of it. Reynoldson says it can take him four pages to show other teachers the math problems his students are required to solve nearly every day.

Begin to master practical skills and sciences like these and your perspective on life's possibilities begins to grow along with your self confidence. As Don says, "In auto shop, it all comes together."

Sounds like a truth that's self evident to us and here's to their pursuit of happiness.

Seattle Industry is working with the Manufacturing Industrial Council to help develop an intern and shop equipment program to support Reynoldson and other local shop teachers. If you'd like to help, call 206-762-2470.

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There is a Shortage of Skilled Workers in the Aerospace Industry.
As more workers retire the trend is growing. In 2008, money was put into the Washington State budget to develop training programs to instruct workers in the aerospace industry. The Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) was born out of this initiative. AJAC has customized aerospace training programs approved by Labor & Industries and accredited through your local Community College. We're starting with a MACHINIST (AIRCRAFT ORIENTED) program. King County employers can attend an information meeting to learn more, or skip the meeting and get started by contacting us directly. Marilyn Young Skogland, Business Liaison, mysmic@qwest.net or 206-762-2470

WHEN: July 7, 8:30 am – 9:30 am
WHERE: South Seattle Community College - Georgetown Campus
6737 Corson Avenue South, Building C, Seattle WA 98108

WEBSITE: www.ajactraining.org

Link light rail starts Saturday, July 18th
We're counting down to a milestone in public transportation in Seattle.

Light rail passenger service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila begins the weekend of Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. This is an historic event for the region and that first weekend all train rides are free.

Trains will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Regular service, along with fares, begins Monday, July 20.

During the launch weekend, stations from Westlake to Tukwila will include a Welcome Portal and family-friendly entertainment. Staff will answer questions and give directions, and security officers will be at and around the stations.

Because there is no parking at or around the stations, our best advice is to take a bus, walk or ride your bike. Bicycle parking is available at each station. We're also encouraging people to park at a transit center and ride a bus into downtown Seattle. The downtown light rail stations, located in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, are easily accessible by bus.

Building Link was a community-wide effort. It took the region working together to advance light rail from planning to groundbreaking to construction. Work is almost complete. Time now to enjoy the ride.

Now online! Rider information for Central Link service
Link light rail fares
Central Link schedule & map

Seattle-Area Firms Targeting Stimulus Funds Sought
Interested in using federal recovery (ARRA) funds to work on a collaborative business venture with regional impact? The Prosperity Partnership, a coalition of government, business, labor and community organizations in the Puget Sound region, can help businesses wade through the application process, access federal funding, and achieve high-impact regional results. The Prosperity Partnership is available to actively assist groups that are targeting national stimulus funds for a project or proposal in the region.

Learn more through the Prosperity Partnership

Source: Seattle Economic Times from the Office of Economic Development, June 2009

CTED Releases Guide for Small Washington Businesses
Many resources are available for small businesses in Washington, but it can be hard to know where to look. A new, comprehensive guide from the Washington State Department for Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) is an important tool for small businesses at all stages of development. The CTED guide provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with instantly accessible information on important federal, state, and local agencies, business associations, economic development centers, government contracts, Innovation Partnership Zones, and more.

Download the CTED small business guide

Source: Seattle Economic Times from the Office of Economic Development, June 2009

6 Things Bus Riders Should Know About July's I-90 Lane Closures
In a few days, westbound Interstate 90 across Lake Washington will be narrowed from five lanes to two while crews replace the expansion joints on the westbound floating bridge. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is warning all motorists that the traffic delays could last an hour or more and stretch from Issaquah to Seattle.

The work begins Sunday, July 5 around 4:00 PM and should be completed by July 20. In addition to WSDOT's warnings for all motorists, here are a few things bus riders should know:

Delays – Bus travel times are expected to be delayed because all vehicles will be using the HOV express lanes across the lake into Seattle.
Reroutes – Metro is planning to reroute all Seattle-bound service that travels westbound on I-90 from Snoqualmie, Sammamish, Issaquah Highlands, Issaquah and Eastgate.
Eastgate boarding – The reroutes could cause some confusion for people who board buses around Eastgate.
South Bellevue traffic – Many routes will be detouring without stopping through the bus lanes at the South Bellevue Park-and-Ride in order to access I-90. But, only the regularly scheduled service will board passengers there.
Other disruptions – There will be other projects and events that could slow I-90 bus service from July 5-20.
New tools – Both WSDOT and Metro are offering new tools for tracking travel conditions during the I-90 lane closures.

For the complete report go to King County DOT Dash

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Repaving 4th Ave S
Repaving between S Royal Brougham Way and Airport Way S begins Monday, June 29, and will continue through the end of July. In order to minimize traffic interruptions, most work will occur during the evening hours between 6 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

FREIGHT TRAVEL ALERT
US 12 Closures Planned for August

WSDOT will be temporarily closing portions of US 12 this summer for construction work on the two Tieton River Bridges west of Naches. Closures will take place two nights a week on Mondays and Thursdays beginning in August from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.