July 2006

Thank you for Tim St. Clair's excellent, in-depth coverage of Alaskan Way Viaduct proposals. What a wonderful gift the citizens of Seattle will give to downtown property owners if we opt for a tunnel.

The average citizen, who may not live in a home with a view, drives the Viaduct now and is treated to a magnificent scene of water and ferries and mountains. That public view will be lost with a tunnel.

With Viaduct obstructions removed, the value of downtown condos will soar beyond their current height already on par with London and Paris.

Mayor Nickels has finally told us how he intends to pay for his pie-in-the-sky Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel proposal.

Just as many of us predicted, Mayor Nickels proposes to impose tolls.

My name is John Bennett. I have been a resident of West Seattle for 32 years and my family has been here since 1906. My grandfather was president of West Side Federal Savings Bank and King County treasurer.

I have been very involved in the community. I was instrumental in getting the Birthplace of Seattle Log House Museum open and running.

Today for some unknown reason I thought of the "Herald" and decided to see it you had a Web site.

It was wonderful to see the story on the Homestead. I remember when it opened in the 50's. It has been a long time since I grew up in Alki, went to the Alki grade school and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1953.

No matter how long, I still have wonderful memories of our community and the spirit of it. The Alki Kids Fishing Derby where the winner got a new bicycle. Seems hokey now but how we waited for it every year.

I could not disagree more with the reader that maintains coyotes do not belong in Schmitz Park.

Unlike house cats, coyotes are native to the area. I hope to be fortunate enough to see one of these wily critters on one of my walks through the park.

I do agree that we should not leave food for them, however.

If a careless cat owner allows his pet to run free and it becomes a meal for the coyote, I hardly think it is the animal's fault for availing itself of an easy meal.

I have heard about an atrocious case of animal cruelty involving a puppy named Peanut and that Pasado's Safe Haven in Monroe is offering a $2,500 reward for any information leading to the arrest/conviction of the perpetrator.

I am beseeching you to please let the public know that a reward is offered to help bring in tips. _

Animal cruelty is shown to be the first step in a fast progressing line to violence against other people (adults and children).

If your rented home or apartment is completely destroyed by fire or if thieves load a large truck with everything you own and drive away, can you afford to replace your personal belongings? Can you do it without adding to your credit card balance and without spending weeks shopping for sales?

According to the City of Seattle, residential burglaries jumped nearly 20 percent in 2003 and 40 percent since 1999. White Center is one of the hardest-hit areas.

Read your policy. An insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. Read the policy carefully - if you have questions or if something is unclear, call your insurance company representative.

Shop around. Ask friends or relatives or consult the insurance section of your yellow pages. You also can get information and online rate quotations from the Northwest Insurance Council's member companies at http://www.nwinsurance.org/members.htm.

Ask about discounts.

The people who run the Head Start program in White Center wished they could build a preschool facility as part of the new Greenbridge mixed-income housing project and now they can with a $9 million grant.

The largest charitable organization on earth found White Center while looking for a pilot program to develop its new "early learning initiative."

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is focusing some of its donations on organizations that encourage early childhood development.

The Alki Community Council says Alki restaurants that turn into bars at night should have to address negative impacts they impose on the neighborhood and Seattle officials have stepped in to try to get one neighborhood restaurant to quiet down.

Joleen and Gareth Hughes, owners of The Celtic Swell and Alki residents, were recently issued a notice of violation from Seattle's Department of Planning and Development saying they are in violation of city zoning laws because they don't have a land-use permit to operate as a drinking establishment.