April 2006

Sonic the tax hog: We don't need greedy basketball team owners to be a great city

The Sonics have a deal for you! They need tax payers to cough up a quarter of $1 billion to spruce up Key Arena and for that, the basketball team will keep all of the money the arena makes, and pay the city $1 million a year to help cover rent.

Come again?

Ok, Howard Shultz, we'll do it...but only if you throw in an extra hot snake oil latte.

This newspaper joins with the Governor Christine Gregoire in hoping the city and the Seattle Supersonics basketball team come to closure on the issue of a lease at Key Arena.

Category

Viaduct deserves more than two options

Dear Sir:

Various qualified and competent structural engineers have evaluated the Alaskan Way Viaduct damage and have stated that repair is possible without disrupting traffic flow and at far less cost than replacement (the state preference) or a tunnel (the mayor's preference). When the state and city prepare the ballot wording for the November ballot, repair will not be an option.

Mark Twain (I think) said "if it aint broke, don't fix it." 61 of the 64 spaces "aint broke." Let's vote to repair them but prepare a backup plan in case we ever get the big one.

Category

Immigrants mean diversity

I must have been about ten years old when I read the United States Citizenship Test questions for the first time.

The test was not for me, I was born in the United States and that made me a citizen.

In grade school, I learned who George Washington was and what the Declaration of Independence meant.

My mother and one of her friends were interested in becoming citizens.

Neighborhood
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James M. Rice
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James M. Rice, born Nov. 14, 1931, at peace, April 7, 2006 from pneumonia and complications from a long struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. Jim grew up in Fremont, Neb. and served three years in the Coast Guard during the Korean War. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor's Degree in English and he did graduate work at the University of Iowa. He was a member of Phi Kappa PSI Fraternity.

He moved to the Northwest and lived in the Des Moines area since 1967. He started his manufacturers representative sales agency, Tek Parts, Inc.

Edward J. Hermans

Edward J. Hermans joined his friend and companion of 34 years, Ed Morris, in heaven on March 8, 2006. He will be greatly missed and remembered by nieces, nephews, friends, neighbor and his "girl" Ginger.

Marion "Mona" M. Parker
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Born March 19,1913 to Frederick W. Watt & Effie (Mackenzie) Watt near Victoria, B.C., Canada the eldest of four children. Mona passed away peacefully April 18, 2006 after a very long struggle with Alzheimer disease. She was married in 1937 to John F. (Jack) Parker and they together raised a family of four children.

Mona moved with her family to Seattle in 1952 from Vancouver, B.C. and was employed with the Highline School District administrative office for many years making many friends along the way and retiring in 1978.

Donald LeRoy Backman

Donald L. Backman passed away peacefully Easter Sunday at the age of 83. He was a man of kindness, gentleness and an easygoing spirit who was the truest of friend and could always be counted on by people in need.

He is survived by his wife, Janet T. Backman, of 62 years, 3 children Meredeth Stucky, Marilyn Crandall and Fritz Backman, 9 grandchildren, sister Doris Kirkpatrick and brother Fred Backman.

Donald was born in Fargo, N.D., moved to Seattle in 1942 where he spent the rest of his life.