January 2008

A 'Sharrow' story

By Dave Kannas

I think we can all agree on these points whether driving a car or riding a bicycle: smooth is better than rough, no pot hole is better than pot hole and a flat tire is a serious pain.

OK, since we have that settled, let's move on. One of the routes I frequently travel by bicycle is along Beach Drive in West Seattle. Those of you who know and love Beach Drive as do I, will agree that it is, to a great degree, not smooth, is littered with pot holes and has been the cause of many of my bicycle flats.

Resolve to get healthy as a family

By Suzzanne Bull

January is the time of year when millions of Americans make New Year's resolutions to maintain a regular exercise schedule. Then, before you know it, it's February. Where has the resolution gone?

Research shows that making resolutions together as a family or with a supportive group greatly improves success.

Weather plays a role in determining the types of plants that live here, including temperature and water supplies. Snow is rare in Seattle because the weather is influenced by the ocean and the Puget Sound. These large bodies of water moderate air temperature. The high specific heat index of water regulates the rate at which air changes temperature, and air over water remains cooler than that over land.

While there are several scenarios that create a snowfall in Seattle, the most common one requires cold, arctic air to move south out of Canada.

I remember Chehalis flooding

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

In my early life growing up in Chehalis, we lived on Prindle Street where it flooded every few years. But in all those years water never rose high enough to flood our home.

I remember water gushing under our house leaving all manner of debris after the flood waters subsided. My sister Sarah put on hip boots and carried me through the water to high ground so that I could walk to school.

Jan Kober and live comedy

By Bruce Bulloch

The Admiral Theater is in a transitional phase, slowly it's finding its way back to some refection of its former glory with a remodel underway and new entertainment acts being booked. And, there's something about this in-between place - the energy of change, the informality of a work in progress - that makes it a great venue for stand-up comedy.

A case in point is Jen Kober's performance on Jan. 12.

The upkeep, maintenance and replacement of aging freeways, state highways, bridges of all types and many of our ferries is woefully inadequate, even dangerously so.

But, we wonder just why anyone is surprised.

The latest problem is the ferries, where four 80-year-old boats were found to have severely pitted hulls. They are now out of service.

Ooops! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine there would be two Ron Marshalls in my neighborhood. My apologies to you, Ron Marshall of Fauntleroy...mea culpa.

When you ask, re Jim McDermott, "Is this man really on our side?" are you asking the voter (Christian or not) whether the man represents your point of view? Are you asking whether he promotes your agenda? If so, I think you are setting the voter up for an adversarial relationship with his/her representative. There's a built-in hostility that goes with this kind of territory ...

I must ask that both the editor and the staff writer of the West Seattle Herald retract and correct the misinformation that appears in both the front-page story and the editorial regarding the so-called Denny/Sealth project in the Jan. 16 West Seattle Herald.

Clearly, you did not check King County Elections if you can so incorrectly say: "The bond issue clearly stated that Denny Middle School would be torn down and a completely new building would be constructed directly next to Sealth" It does not say directly next to Sealth.

academic outcomes

First, a correction needs to be made. The school district sent out a mailing to 45,000 households, describing a joint Denny/Sealth campus. The official Voter's Pamphlet did not say anything about it. It merely said that four high schools were being "renovated or replaced." Seattle is made up of far more than 45,000 households.

Second, every single decision in the district should be driven by academics. There is, as Carla Santorno said at the work session on this issue, no real academic plan.

their own reward

A lovely thing happened on Monday (Jan. 14). My son and a friend were trying to load a refrigerator on a trailer-they were really struggling when a car stopped nearby. A young man got out, gave them a hand, chatted a minute and left.

Just think if we all could do a good deed every day. What a lovely world it would be. Let's all try. Thank you!

Carol G. Longfellow

Admiral