Hey we know times are tough, so when you find a good thing you stick with it, but this is ridiculous – the King County Sheriff’s Department says a man robbed the same Wells Fargo Bank twice!

The bank is located inside the Safeway Store at 4011 South 164th in SeaTac.

The robber first struck about 5:50pm on June 17th. He presented the teller with a robbery note, then fled with the cash. No weapon was seen.

Tuesday of this week (Aug. 25th) the same bad guy struck again just after 5pm. He again used a note, was given the cash and walked out. No weapon was seen.

No one saw a getaway car after either robbery.

The robber is a Hispanic male in his 30, between 5’8” to 5’11” tall with black hair. He wore dark sunglasses and a tan zip-up jacket in both robberies. He wore a white baseball cap in the most recent incident.

Here are his pics from the surveillance camera – recognize him?

If anyone recognizes this suspect they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911 immediately.

The tellers there are getting tired of seeing him.

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The King County Sheriff’s Department reports that a stabbing overnight left a 21 year-old SeaTac man in critical condition.

The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Shannon South Apartments in the 3500 block of South 180th about 4am Monday morning (Aug. 24th). Several men were apparently arguing in the lot just before the stabbing, and the suspect fled before police arrived.

The victim, whose identity has not yet been released, was taken to Harborview Medical Center with several stab wounds. He was in critical condition when transported, and is a resident of the Shannon South.

The investigation is continuing and no one has been arrested.

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On Tuesday, Aug. 18th, the Port of Seattle hosted members of the press at a tour of the reconstruction project that is in the final stages of completion on the first (as well as oldest and longest) runway, also known as “16L/34R.”

Approximately 80% of the concrete has already been poured for the new runway, and finishing touches will be completed over the next month. The original concrete runway, built in 1944, is being crushed and recycled as the gravel sub-base for the new runway. This sub base is 12 inches, topped by a 4-inch asphalt layer and then the 20-inch concrete runway.

In comparison, Sea-Tac’s third runway is only 17-inches thick.

This re-construction is the main reason why the airport’s third runway has been in use so much recently.

Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture these photos:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

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by Mark Neuman

We spoke recently with Ross Hunter, candidate for King County Executive.

Ross, a Medina Democrat, managed a political miracle, if you will, seven years ago.

The 48th District (Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland) had not sent a Democrat to the House in over 100 years. Ross got himself elected.

“That was back when it wasn’t fashionable to be a Democrat on the east side. It was hard work. I raised and spent about a quarter of a million dollars. I knocked on eight thousand doors. I worked pretty hard.”

Was there a particular selling point?

“Sure. I’m competent. And I care about public education, the paramount duty of the state legislature.”

We asked Ross about one of his opponents for King County Executive, Susan Hutchison. In a recent direct mail piece Susan said she, if elected, would establish a transportation czar.

“Susan seems to be confused about the powers the King County Executive actually has.

“For her to come in and say she is going to have a czar that takes over the functions of the cities and the state is a fundamental misreading of what the King County Executive is actually allowed to do.

“The job of Executive is a complicated one with a lot of moving parts and a $5 billion budget.

“Unless we coordinate our transportation with our land use we are making the problem worse.”

Ross recently received the endorsement of the Seattle Times.

“Of course it makes you feel good that they (the Times) share your belief that you are competent to do the job.

“Next to the Seattle Times endorsement, I am most proud of the endorsement of the Eastside Business Alliance. This is a group of various chambers of commerce who know their business doesn’t succeed if they don’t have quality education for their kids, or if they don’t have roads.

“Our economy and quality of life depends on us making the wisest use of limited transportation dollars. We are one county, one region, and we should act like it.

“The solution to improving the business climate isn’t always to cut taxes. Making the system fairer and easier to comply with could have much more impact. More service, less overhead. Simplifying and regionalizing how King County does business with its businesses is one way the county can potentially save businesses thousands and thousands of dollars.

“We can simplify the permitting process for builders and contractors. Instead of making a business owner waste time traveling throughout the county to revisit city permitting offices, King County can provide a regional office where businesses can manage their permits at one location.

“Many cities in King County are already doing this and there’s no reason we can’t provide such a service countywide.”

“I propose that King County provides a simple web service for businesses to apply for licenses and calculate and pay business taxes. One tax return, one tax bill.”

Regarding recent budget cuts Ross said “I think we probably need more prosecutors. It’s not a place I would have cut. I also wouldn’t have cut into the public defenders.

“There are normal times and there are special times. This is a special time, because of the unprecedented downturn in the economy.”

Ross said he expects voters of North Highline to approve annexation on August 18.

He supports annexation because with it “There will be somebody to answer residents’ phone calls.”

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