January 2007

Two drops at a time, Rotary International has been providing polio vaccine to children in Ethiopia and other countries through its PolioPlus program.

In October, Ballard Rotary member Lori Knuckey and her son Alex joined a group of Rotarians on a journey to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The 65 local Rotarians representing King County and Snohomish County assisted Ethiopian health workers as they gave oral polio vaccine and vitamin A to youngsters, during the country's National Immunization Days last October.

Be careful what you ask for, because you might get it - and then regret it.

That old phrase appears to be germain in light of the hastily approved City Council move to put the viaduct on a special election ballot for just under seven weeks from now. We get an election that is not worth the paper the ballots are printed on.

The governor asked for an election to find out what the people of Seattle wanted to do to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The state, and apparently she, herself, want to replace the viaduct with another viaduct.

Many thanks to the Ballard/Magnolia Kiwanis Club for providing for two families in the community during the holidays. The club worked through the Magnolia Helpline to provide gifts and food. Their participation was greatly appreciated.

Bill Whitham

Magnolia Helpline Board of Directors

What a community we have here in Ballard!

We are relative new comers here. My husband and I moved our young family to this amazing neighborhood nine years ago and began working to open our bakery on Market St.

We chose Ballard for its tight knit feeling community, great schools and blue-collar foundation; a small town in the city.

The "Bodies the Exhibition" has helped me have a greater respect/awe for the human zygote. This one cell contains all of the information and applications to form all of the organs in the human body and to have them work together for decades. Don't we have a duty, a responsibility, and obligation to protect this human life in its infancy with laws, love and marriage.

Tim Carney

Ballard

strictly local

To preserve Ballard's "uniqueness," I would suggest that a Historical District be organized at a strictly local to declare the streets from 20th to 24th on Market and from Market two blocks south on Ballard Avenue to be "historical" in nature; an architectural committee can be formed including all the local merchants to determine a form of restyling building fronts to reflect Scandinavian architecture.

All five Scandinavian flags should be flown at various places along this "esplanade." A few volunteers dressed in Scandinavian attire could walk the streets

the mistake

Director Soriano states that "a huge mistake" was made when previous Seattle School Boards hired superintendents who lacked backgrounds in education. The mistake was not in the selection of these quality candidates such as John Stanford and Raj Manhas who clearly demonstrated the leadership skills necessary to implement both educational and fiscal reforms.

Your article, "School Bond-Levy Debated," (Jan. 17) leaves readers with the gross misconception that if voters approve Propositions 1 and 2 on Feb. 6, "Ballard schools won't get much of the pot." Untrue!

Proposition 2 renews an expiring levy and represents 24 percent of our schools' operating budget. All Ballard schools depend on that pot for basic classroom needs.

I am both surprised and saddened by the Ballard News Tribune's negative coverage of the upcoming Seattle schools bond-levy. Seeking out a tiny minority of naysayers, reporter Rebekah Schilperoort tried to find controversy where there is little, by mixing in commentary about the unrelated school closure issue.

Implying that voters might want to deny the capital bond proposal because "Ballard schools won't get much of the pot" is embarrassing. The complete reconstruction of Ballard High School has rejuvenated the entire Ballard community.

school measures

Contrary to the suggestion of last week's article ("School levy-bond vote debated"), there is little debate surrounding school Propositions 1 and 2. These critical measures enjoy widespread support, as did the expiring levies they replace.

Propositions 1 and 2 are not new taxes, and they are fundamental to the success of every child in every classroom in every school. They are vigorously supported by teachers, principals, parents, students, business people, elected officials, and friends of education in all parts of the city.