August 2005

If you are a resident of West Seattle, then the idea that Boeing Field will become a major short-haul airline terminal for Southwest Airlines, and maybe others, is one to be immediately and strongly resisted.

But, if you are a frequent business flyer and must spend your work week going to and from an airport and getting the best deal for your dollar, then Southwest's desired move is one you will find attractive.

The immediate objection is the potential noise that upward of 200 flights in and out of what is officially known as King County International Airport will mean t

The newly renovated James Madison Middle School will reopen next week, still with its 1929 arched ceilings and ornate moldings, but now with computerized "smart boards" instead of blackboards.

The school has been closed for the past few years for a $38 million renovation while students attended classes at Boren Junior High in Delridge.

When Al Runte is asked a question his demeanor is one of calm assurance that he knows the subject and exactly what he wants to say.

He appears exactly what he once was, a professor of history and environment at the University of Washington for much of the 1980s. Since then he has been an environmental consultant, historian and author of books.

Al Runte has never before been a politician nor has he been an executive, yet he wants to be both by unseating strongly entrenched, if not universally popular Mayor Greg Nickels this fall.

The new interim chief of the Seattle Monorail Project doesn't know yet whether the Green Line will be built but he's got experience.

John Haley Jr. helped get the Las Vegas monorail back on track after it had problems and did the same for a monorail at the Newark Airport, according to the Seattle Monorail Project.

Robert Rosencrantz sees in his own neighborhood what happens when different levels of government don't communicate with each other and it's one of the reasons he's campaigning against Seattle City Councilman Richard McIver in Sept. 20's primary election.

Rosencrantz lives in the Montlake area near Husky Stadium. State Route 520 runs east and west along the edge of the neighborhood.

I was driving down a road and spotted somebody picking wild blackberries in a patch I had never noticed before so I jammed on the brakes and backed up.

It was John Richards, known best for his skill at catching sea-run trout using a fly rod from the shores of Seahurst Park and points west.

I promised to never tell where his berry patch is located in exchange for a piece of blackberry pie.

Berry pickers who have discovered blackberry Eldorados are usually reluctant to divulge their discovery knowing the popularity of the picking game.

The picture

Fall lawn care tips require use of the elements

Lawns (a.k.a. turf) have gotten a bad rap of late. A lush lawn used to mean intensive water and fertilizer use. Today, however, the home gardener has a much greater understanding of the environment and local ecologies. We have many more organic products from which to choose, and the grass seed blends available at local garden centers are formulated specifically for our soil conditions and climate.

Southwest Airlines wants to shift its operations from Sea-Tac Airport to Boeing Field. The result of this move would be an increase of between 100 and 200 additional flights a day over Seattle neighborhoods - or a plane every four to eight minutes, fifteen hours a day. We already have too much air traffic over Seattle. Boeing Field is an urban airport, surrounded by Seattle neighborhoods.

Darlene Madenwald said her top priorities in her first run for a Seattle City Council seat would largely focus on the growing healthcare concerns and quality of life.

"I would like a chance to make this city healthier," she said.

Madenwald, a 61-year-old nurse from Kansas, said she grew up with humble beginnings so she knows what it takes to persevere over rough odds and doubtful people.

She came to Seattle in 1966 to work at the University of Washington Hospital after finishing her bachelor's degree in nursing at the University of Wichita, then went on to take

The new interim chief of the Seattle Monorail Project doesn't know yet whether the Green Line will be built but he's got experience.

John Haley Jr. helped get the Las Vegas monorail back on track after it had problems and did the same for a monorail at the Newark Airport, according to the Seattle Monorail Project.