January 2008

If you have driven through the intersection of 320th and Pacific Highway South on any Sunday around the noon hour recently over that past couple of years, you have seen war protestors holding signs in all manner of weather.

And though the reasons for the war in Iraq may be in dispute, these people are unquestionably a dedicated group.

The hand-made signs they hold are in various and increasingly common themes: "No More War," "Bring Troops Home," "Another Patriot For Peace," and "Honk To Impeach."

When I stopped there last Sunday to take pictures, in a slurry of

Only $25,000 to go.

Libby Carr, co-chair of the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project, reported last Saturday - with 10 days to go - that pledges and donations after expenses, totaled within $25,000 of their goal.

The last day for fund-raising, set by the Mayor's office, is next Tuesday.

"At midnight on January 15, we're stopping active solicitation," said Carr, "although we can still receive donations after that."

Later that week she, and her husband and co-chair Paul, will call the Parks Department with a final number.

Having a final d

About twenty friends held a party Friday, Jan 11 for to celebrate the

95th birthday of Burien resident Gwen Stokes.

Mrs. Stokes attended Sunnydale Elementary and Highline High. Her

father was a custodian at Sunnydale.

Mrs. Stokes was married to long-time insurance man Jack Stokes, whom she met in the 8th grade. They raised three children at their home in Seahurst. Stokes was a partner with Frank Huntley in the insurance business.

Larry Mellum is a chowder head. But in the best sense of the term. Larry, one of the longtime owners of Charlestown Cafe now has two locations of a new venture called Pike Place Chowder. One is located in Post Alley, and the other is in the Pacific Place shopping center at 600 Pine Street. The restaurant offers the famous and award winning Charlestown Cafe style chowder plus six other varieties. The menu also includes fish and chips, sandwiches with a seafood theme and number of salads.

The West Seattle Artwalk went off as planned despite a persistent heavy rain Thursday, January 10th with more than 20 artists participating at sites around the West Seattle Junction. Locations participating for this event were Hotwire Online Coffeehouse, Ginomai (West Seattle Christian Church), Clementine, Keller Williams Real Estate, Windermere Real Estate, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, Cupcake Royale, Twilight in the Junction, Georgia Blu, Arts West, M3 Bodyworks and C&P Coffee.

An "inappropriate relationship" with a Federal Way public defender likely played a role in a local judge's decision to step down.

With more details of the abrupt resignation of Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Colleen Hartl coming to light, the Associated Press reported January 10 that Hartl may have admitted to colleagues at an office holiday party that she had slept with attorney Sean Cecil, one of three public defenders trying cases in the city court.

The City of Federal Way issued a press release December 19 indicating that Hartl made the decision to step down "immed

The city of Tukwila kicked off its centennial celebration on Jan.