February 2007

Justin Cox of White Center was recently named King County Youth of the Year at the Boys and Girls Club's annual luncheon at Benaroya Hall.

Cox, 18, was honored for his life goals, academic performance, personal character and community service. He was also awarded a $2,500 education scholarship.

"I'm excited," Cox said. "It was something that hit me by surprise."

Cox represented the Southwest Boys and Girls Club and competed against 11 contestants from other King County clubs to win the title.

The public is being asked to help identify a hit-and-run motorist who put a young Arbor Heights woman in the hospital Feb. 16.

Emily Lovelett, 23, was crossing 35th Avenue at Southwest 100th Street at about 8:15 p.m. that Friday night.

Y = Yes N = No E = Excused NV = Not Voting

Bill 1

Phasing out the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

By a vote of 71 to 24 on February 16, 2007, the House approved HB 1024, which would prohibit the sale, manufacture or distribution of products that contain polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), chemicals found in certain flame retardants, after January 1, 2008.

Phil Lutes has been named deputy managing director of the Seaport Division at the Port of Seattle. His first day on the job was Monday, Feb. 5.

Before joining the Port, Lutes spent 28 years with Westwood Shipping Lines where his last post was director of marine operations. His responsibilities included managing Westwood's vessel fleet, vessel chartering, cargo-handling operations, and the company's new vessel building program.

The death of a Bellevue apartment dweller by a falling crane last year has prompted state lawmakers to look at ways of ensuring that such a tragedy does not occur again. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Ballard, and Rep. Deb Eddy, D-Kirkland, have introduced companion measures to regulate crane safety and require that operators be certified.

"With all the construction going on in Seattle, the Eastside, and across the state, the potential for another accident is still present," said Kohl-Welles, the chair of the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee.

We have all heard the saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Well that is exactly what Congress is planning to do to the new Medicare drug benefit. The House of Representatives just passed House Resolution 4, which says the secretary of Health and Human Services "shall negotiate" prices for the Medicare Part D drug program.

Changing Medicare Part D makes no sense, because the drug benefit is already performing well, and any tinkering now will only hurt people in the program.

The significance of black history has been a little more real for students at Roxhill Elementary School this month.

Every February, during Black History Month, students open their history books to learn about important African American figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall.

Now Roxhill students are discovering the significant role their own school played in black history.

Seattle Public School's first black principal was Harrison Laverne Caldwell.

Five years ago Karen Palmer chucked an insurance-consulting business and went to the dogs. And cats - occasionally, rabbits or even horses.

While the outdoors is a welcome respite from the stuffy corporate offices she once roamed, the owner of Karen's Pet & Home Care in West Seattle says that pet sitting is a challenging job that requires a great deal of dedication and responsibility.

"It's more than just 'I love your pet, let me take it for a walk,'" she said.

When I read in the Herald that the White Center community had decided to drop plans for a Jubilee celebration in July this year I was shocked.

Enthusiasm for a parade and scores of booths selling souvenirs and goody bites had waned badly. It was just too much work with too little return and leaders have decided to throw in the towel for the year.

I have attended that event without missing a turn for 56 years, and entering a homemade float was a family ritual for us for lots of those years when the boys in the family were small.

Before my husband and I visited Anchorage, Alaska a few years ago we had this letter from Cheryl Hibbert who grew up next door to us here on Trenton Street in Seattle. In 1989 we had regained contact with her after she saw us on the Oprah Show and congratulated us by letter.