January 2008

The 20-something fresh faced boy was lathered in make-up and shiny rings were pierced into every orifice on his face - not that there is anything wrong with that.

He is the "manager." I'm in the return area of the big bright red and white store in Westwood Village and he's in repeat mode "I am just enforcing the rule."

It seems that although my measly $10 purchase of FoodSaver bags is still in the pristine bag and presented with a receipt - it's unacceptable for exchange. Past the deadline.

But, no. He's pointing me to the signs behind me.

Two busy West Seattle intersections, and 17 others across the city, will have "red-light" cameras installed this year, Mayor Greg Nickels said last week.

Cameras will show up westbound at Southwest Avalon Way and 35th Avenue Southwest and southbound at 35th and Southwest Thistle Street.

A total of two dozen cameras will be put up to catch irresponsible drivers who run red lights at some of Seattle's most hectic intersections, including several downtown and in north Seattle.

In the first nine months of 2007, the Employment Security Department caught 17,930 people who fraudulently collected $11.9 million and tried to collect another $6.5 million in unemployment benefits.

The most common types of fraud are claimants not reporting all of their sources of income and continuing to collect benefits after returning to work. When the department discovers someone has defrauded the system, that person must pay back the money, plus interest, and the claimant is suspended from collecting benefits for a period of time.

West Seattle's newly appointed state senator, Joe McDermott, has been named to three Senate committees.

McDermott will serve on the Early Learning and K-12 Education, Governmental Operations and Elections and Judiciary committees.

"All three of these committees work on issues and policy that I'm deeply committed to," McDermott said.

Seattle Public Schools have hired Don Kennedy as the district's new chief financial and operations officer.

In the newly configured position, Kennedy assumes the responsibilities of former Chief Operations Officer Mark Green and former Chief Financial Officer Art Jarvis. In this role, he has leadership responsibility for the school district's business functions of Capital Projects Program, Enrollment, Facility Services, Finance, Information Technology, Planning, Procurement, and School Support Services, among other district operations.

New state Rep. Sharon Nelson has been appointed to legislative committees. She will serve on Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Audit Review, and Local Government committees.

"I hope to rely on my experience in the banking industry to bring a private-sector perspective to the subcommittee," explained Rep. Nelson who spent 10 years working in the banking industry.

The fact so many people are mystified as to how the Alaskan Way Viaduct Stakeholder Advisory Committee was formed worries us.

As this new year begins, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ballard News-Tribune staff for their efforts in keeping the Ballard community well informed. Please continue your good work we need and appreciate it.

I would also like to state that I was pleased and agreed with Theresa Jay's Dec. 19 letter sentiments to Dr. Hochman's changing the direction of the Ballard Swedish Hospital Campus to include more services rather than cut them as was started in 2006. I applaud Dr.

(Editor's Note: This letter was sent to Fleets and Facilities Department of the City of Seattle with a copy to this newspaper.)

I wish to voice my support for converting the vacant City Light "Sunset Substation" to a multi-use public pocket park.

Rezoning opposed by Conlin

By Richard Conlin

On Monday, Dec. 17, the City Council approved legislation reducing the size of commercial and retail uses that can be constructed in areas zoned industrial.