July 2007

When it comes to mass transit, Puget Sound's new selling point is that open water requires no expensive workers to design, build, pave, stripe or repeatedly patch its surface.

"The route is free," said King County Councilman Dow Constantine at a "mosquito fleet" forum last week at Salty's on Alki.

"It just makes immense sense," said Seattle City Councilwoman Jan Drago.

Sponsored by the Cascadia Discovery Institute, the July 2 forum put King County elected officials together with city officials, representatives of boat builders, maritime labor unions, chambers o

The last vestige of the former Park Lake-now Greenbridge neighborhood is the Jim Wiley Community Center, which officially reopened Friday after a $5 million remodeling job.

The pyramid-like building is the only structure in the Greenbridge neighborhood left from the Park Lake days. It's been closed for months as construction crews renovated the building.

The building is home to the Southwest branch of the Boys and Girls Club. It's also where the Greenbridge office of Neighborhood House is located.

Des Moines residents have been interested in an arts commission for quite some time and city officials have taken that interest to heart.

Nancy Warren, co-chairwoman of the recently created Des Moines Arts Commission, said last week, "Des Moines was ripe for an art commission and it had been too long without one."

Warren noted "the reestablishment of the commission is important because it is concerned with how art can make our community better and bring more people into it."

And the difference that an art commission can make was readily apparent during the city

Highline Community College is embarking on its first "viral marketing campaign."

The college is reaching out to the teen and young adult populations, especially to males, with a new ad campaign: Don't be an Obert.

"Our research shows that the younger male population is foregoing college.

Summer will sizzle with diversions both quirky and wonderful, from jugglers to a sausage-eating contest, during the Olde Burien Block Party on Saturday, July 14.

Among the amusements planned from noon to midnight are performers of every sort, live music, the Bubble Man, a variety of contests, irresistible store specials and a $500 Olde Burien shopping spree.

New this year for the younger set are inflatable rides, sponsored by Burien Honda.

Also on the entertainment lineup for the first time are a karaoke contest on the event's main stage and an olive-tossi

We were invited to sit in at the dedication of the Jim Wiley Activity Center.

It's funny how important pets can become in one's life.

I've been thinking more about this crazy obsession the last few weeks after Marge and I had to have our beloved Blackie put to sleep.

She was in our family for 17 years.

Getting all the way to the championship is good, of course.