December 2006

Governor Christine Gregoire wants to let Seattle residents decide whether they want a tunnel or a new viaduct to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct along the downtown waterfront.

The governor called for a vote before the end of the next legislative session. The Washington State Legislature convenes Jan. 8 and continues this year for 105 days or until about the end of May.

Her call for a Seattle vote immediately drew support from Seattle City Council President Nick Licata and the council's Transportation Committee chairman, Councilman David J. Della.

You don't miss it until it's gone.

After spending 24 hours without power during last week's storm, I realized how much we all rely on electricity.

On Thursday, I drove through town towards the SODO district to pick up my wife, just as Seattle Seahawk fans were arriving to the game at Qwest Field, creating gridlock.

It started raining hard and the parking lot of her building was filled with water at least six inches deep.

Former Deputy Chief Brian Wilson appointed to top spot in FWPD

Federal Way City Manager Neal Beets announced today the appointment of Brian Wilson as Federal Way's Chief of Police.

Chief Wilson replaces Chief Anne Kirkpatrick who is now the Chief of Police in Spokane.

"Brian is the right person at the right time for the Police Department," said Beets. "He is a person of strong character with an excellent background in police services."

Wilson has been the Deputy Chief of Police in Federal Way for the last ten years.

As the days grow progressively shorter, so does my list of activities that suit the Northwest's dark and rainy winters.

I'm a die-hard outside kind of guy, but even I grow tired of suiting up for rain (or snow) to frolic around in the few hours of daylight.

With a couple of days of steady wet downpours following a few days of snow-covered roads, it occurred to me-somewhere between pacing the hallway and browsing every outdoor-oriented website in my list of bookmarks-that I desperately needed a new hobby, one to make my obligatory time indoors more bearable.

Thu

It has been a tough week for both of us, in the days before the Christmas break, the stress of extra hours at work and the holiday traffic had taken a toll on Mrs.

If you want to have fun this Christmas here is what you can do.

First you and your big brother walk about a half mile in frigid weather to a tree lot on the 24th and buy two scraggly trees, pay the man 50 cents and carry them home trying not to drag them on the cement.

Take them down in the basement and find your Dad's brace and bit and bore some holes in the trunk of the best tree and cut off some good branches from the extra tree and insert into holes you bored.

Then you have one slightly misshapen but beautiful Christmas tree.

Then find an apple

To the Editor:

I've heard talk around Federal Way about the possibility of changing our city government to an elected strong mayor form of government rather than having a hired city manager. I'm opposed to that change and I'd like to explain why.

The way I understand it, an elected mayor would take over all the duties of our current city manager, the ceremonial duties of our current mayor and would join mayoral organizations.

The City Council would elect one of its members to be council president who would preside at council meetings.