February 2007

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, an eloquent and exceedingly courageous young man refused to be deployed to Iraq. Not surprisingly, a military judge ruled that the Army lieutenant cannot base his court-martial defense on the war's legality. If he had ruled otherwise, think of what a precedence this would set in bringing true democracy to this nation of heightened language, but very limited and circumspect moral principles.

It is patently obvious that this war has been a disaster resulting in the deaths of over 3,000 U.S.

As a Seattle voter, I am very concerned about the viaduct/tunnel choice that we, as Seattle voters, will need to make. Why am I concerned?

I want to vote on the official ballot title, not the pros and cons. From my best up-to-date information, as of Feb. 1 from the Seattle City Clerk's Office as to the ballot wording, this is what I was told: The wording on the ballot will reflect the change made on Jan.

When the power went out for five days in mid-December, some Fauntleroy residents were in the midst of fighting an onslaught of mud that had left their basements waist deep in soil, sand and gravel.

Hard hit were Jack Lawless and Jennifer Forrey. They live on the quietest stretch of Fauntleroy Way, south of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal.

On Dec. 14, they arrived home to discover their 17-foot boat floating in the driveway and a freezer bobbing on its side in the basement sludge.

Seattle City Council members urged Seattle School Board members to ensure surplus school buildings are used as community assets rather than sold to the highest bidder at a joint city-schools meeting last week.

The district is currently evaluating 20 of its leased, interim and closed facilities to determine whether or not to sell or increase rents to make more money.

White Center's eight-decade run of summer festivals will be broken this year due to volunteer burnout.

A group of five stalwarts, who've been instrumental in keeping July Jubilee Days going for the past 20 years, reluctantly voted to cancel the 2007 festival.

White Center has had various summer festivals over the years that offered a numbing array of events and competitions.

The first was a one-time event called the Great Fair held in early August 1923. It featured a carnival, a sideshow, a contest to determine the biggest baby, and a sermon against capital punishment. The beauty pageant back then was called a "popular lady contest."

During the rest of the 1920s, White Center residents were invited to West Seattle's annual picnic in Lincoln Park.

Pro Parks Levy dollars won't run out until the end of 2008 but the Seattle Parks and Recreation department is planning now for how to absorb programs, staffing and maintenance now funded through the levy since city officials have made it clear it won't be renewed.

As well as purchasing and developing nearly 42 acres into open space, the $198 million levy voters approved in 2000 also provided about $62 million for environmental stewardship, maintenance and programming.

$60,615,000 - Environmental Stewardship, Maintenance and Programming; for stewardship awareness programs, teen leadership, senior and adult programs, teen transportation and assistance for low-income families, tree, trail and field maintenance and restoration.

$101,584,000 - Development projects; for art projects, off-leash areas, conversion of property, etc.

$26,000,000 - Acquisition; for land purchase and green space preservation for forested hillsides and creek corridors.

$10,000,000 - Opportunity Fund; for unforeseen park development pro

Four Seattle Board of Parks Commissioners resigned last month after the Seattle City Council passed an ordinance that gives the council the authority to appoint half of the seven-member advisory board and creates one new position.

The parks' board will appoint its seventh member by majority vote.

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

HB 1057

Requesting information on the use of alternative fuels.

By a vote of 94 to 3 on Jan. 29, 2007, the House approved HB 1057, which would require certain information from state agencies that own and operate gas stations. The bill would require the agencies to inform the Legislature at which gas stations would it be practical to offer alternative fuels to the public and to other state agencies.