June 2008

A race to get hooked on

By Dave Kannas

The first of the three Grand Tours of European bicycle racing has begun.

The Giro d'Italia, or Tour of Italy, began its 21 day's of racing through Italy. The peloton is made up of 23 teams or about 200 riders. The Giro is followed by the Tour de France in July then the Vuelta a Espana, or Tour of Spain in September.

If you haven't yet watched one of these Grand Tours, give it try. Since you're reading this column, I'll assume we have something in common: a love of or at least a passing interest in bikes.

Eating with the meek one, the food snob and the meat and potatoes girl

By Annette Herrick

Periodically, I will be dining out with three of my personal training clients. This is a review of our second meal with Jen Ament (the food snob) Liz Woody (the meat and potatoes girl) and Katie Schielke (the meek one). We're on a mission to eat out at all kinds of tempting places, ones you wouldn't even consider healthy without totally blowing it.

The goal is not to be perfect, pious, or anorexic.

In your May 28th issue you ran an article on the city budget written by Rebekah Schilperoort. The article seemed to indicate that the greatest concerns regarded funding for social services. On closer reading most speakers appear to be administrators of various service organizations. Of course it's perfectly understandable that this should occur. It's only natural for people to defend their own turf and these various organizations all perform highly commendable services for people in need.

Unfortunately the most important ideas don't come until the very end of the article.

I read the article and have one more suggestion that needs to gather steam (Viaduct, May 21). The suspension bridge idea by a engineer over the waterfront so that It can be built while the viaduct is up then torn down to make the exit and tunnel connections. Imagine a graceful structure like the Golden Gate or Charles River bridge with two towers would be less intrusive and then the city can build all the parks it wants where the viaduct stood.

John Golubiec

Polyways Travel Service

Come hear our tale of viaduct

Whose lofty roadways would conduct

One hundred thousand cars or so

To north on top or south below

And in reward, because we'd ride

Her double decks, she did provide

A stunning sound and mountain view

For all to share, not just the few

Alas, the thing that made her grand

Would in the end not help her stand

Construction of a new plaza and pedestal for the Alki Statue of Liberty is on schedule for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 6 with groundbreaking possibly in mid-July.

Despite attracting almost $100,000 over target, the project has been plagued by delays, the collapsed support from its first arts organization, extra scrutiny from the city design commission, and two changes of project managers.

A third, Patrick Donohue, and new parks superintendent Tim Gallagher, have put the project on track.

"The project is moving forward to a Sept.

The city has unveiled the first of four plug-in hybrid electric vehicles it will test over the next year.

Specifically, the project will test technology used to convert four existing Priuses in the city's fleet to 100-miles-per-gallon vehicles.

"With gas prices exceeding $4 a gallon and climbing, we must accelerate our efforts to develop clean and cost-effective alternatives to gas-fueled vehicles," said Mayor Greg Nickels.

The West Seattle Junction Association has been given a grant of $10,000 from the Office of Economic Development.

It was one of 18 grants to Neighborhood Business District Associations throughout Seattle to continue the city's investments in building healthy communities, said Mayor Greg Nickels.

"Our business districts are the economic engines that provide jobs and create the character in our unique neighborhoods around Seattle," said Nickels.

'Horton Hears a Who' isn't bad

Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino

Rated G

(Two Stars)

By Bruce Bulloch

Before you snuggle down in your theater seat to watch "Horton Hears a Who," you should ask yourself a very important question.

A race to get hooked on

By Dave Kannas

The first of the three Grand Tours of European bicycle racing has begun.

The Giro d'Italia, or Tour of Italy, began its 21 day's of racing through Italy. The peloton is made up of 23 teams or about 200 riders. The Giro is followed by the Tour de France in July then the Vuelta a Espana, or Tour of Spain in September.

If you haven't yet watched one of these Grand Tours, give it try. Since you're reading this column, I'll assume we have something in common: a love of or at least a passing interest in bikes.