October 2008

Is there any good news about education in Federal Way?

Our letter is intended to answer questions about project funding and to affirm the Council's commitment to the Mercer Corridor project and the Spokane Street Viaduct project.

Major transportation projects - In November 2006, Seattle voters approved Bridging the Gap, a property tax levy to fund street paving, bridge repair, sidewalks, bike paths and lanes, and pedestrian safety projects. All of these levy funds are allocated to making critical transportation improvements in every neighborhood in the city.

In just five weeks, the people of Canada will hear campaign rhetoric and then vote for 308 members of the Canadian Parliament. The election was called by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in early September and election day is next Tuesday.

The prime minister is not directly elected, but that person is the leader of the majority party in Parliament. Harper has been the leader of a minority government and is seeking a majority government. That means he must have had elected over half of the members.

The diaper debate: disposable or cloth?

By Barbara Sims

In the great diaper debate, there are two main contenders: those who favor disposable diapers and those who favor cloth diapers.

Disposable diapers have the convenience factor going for them; they are the choice for most busy moms. Use them and toss them, no mountain of smelly diapers waiting to be washed.

I had an interesting talk this summer with a bunch of 13-year olds.

We were in the San Juans for a week together, and one night the six teenaged girls and I stayed up late talking together. One of the things we talked about was sex. What you know about it. When you try it. How you are safe. How some of their friends are already (!) doing it.

And you know what the scariest thing about the talk was?

The feeling I had that a few of the girls had never been comfortable talking about sex before.

Redwood experience

By Dave Kannas

How should I approach this without coming off like an "I was there before you" jerk?

What brings this to mind is an old photo I found recently. It was taken in April, 1972 when I was on a short bike tour of the coast of Northern California. Although I lived in Los Angeles, the trip began just north of San Francisco. It was my intent to ride on U.S. 101 until I found a road that would take me to Highway 1 then north until I felt like turning around.

By the end of the first day I reached the Navarro River.

Dennison wins in rain and pain

By John Leonard

In a gentle rain last Friday, West Seattle High School cross country star Chandler Dennison ran through the pain of a recent ankle sprain to remain undefeated on the Lower Woodland course.

It was a gutsy performance on a heavily taped ankle. Dennison led, by no more than two or three strides, for the first mile-and-a-half, but fell to third, behind two Nathan Hale runners, in the hills with less than a mile to go. She held on, trailing by as much as ten meters, waiting for the flat, half-mile finish.

The state highway department close the Alaskan Way Viaduct on Oct. 18-19 as part of a semiannual inspection of the structure.

Since the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, bridge engineers and inspectors have kept a close eye on the viaduct by monitoring its condition every three months and conducting full inspections every six months to measure any substantial damage or movement.

As part of the inspection, crews from the state transportation department's Bridge Preservation Office will use a bucket truck to check crack monitors for any new structural damage.

South Seattle Community College instructor and sommelier Dieter Schafer teaches students to come to their senses.

That's because his beginning wine tasting class focuses on sight, smell, taste, touch and aftertaste, or the "finish." And yes, both swirling and spitting fit neatly into these categories.

Schafer also teaches wine at the Culinary School at the Art Institute of Seattle. He worked for a year in New Orleans, which he recalled had a wild restaurant scene 24 hours a day.

When Officer Steve Cox was killed on Dec. 2, 2006, White Center lost one of its greatest leaders in law enforcement, but Steve's mother, Joanne Cox, and others who knew him, have come together to organize a memorial scholarship in hopes of filling that void.

The scholarship has been offered to any high school senior pursuing a higher education in criminal justice.