October 2007

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson said recent announcements of further downgrades within the $4 billion King County Investment Pool makes the Council's creation of an Investment Pool Advisory Panel all the more important.

"Over the past two months, we have seen three downgrades that exposed vulnerabilities with our investment pool," said Ferguson, chair of the Council's Operating Budget and Fiscal Management Committee and the council's representative on the Executive Finance Committee.

Seattle City Council candidate Venus Velazquez was arrested last Wednesday night in Ballard for drunken driving after leaving a restaurant where she had dinner and drinks.

She had participated in a candidate's forum at the Sunset Hill Community Club earlier that night.

Velazquez was pulled over in Ballard around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 17 for speeding and failing to stay within a traffic lane.

A crew of sixty goats went to work "eating" ivy and blackberry bushes last week at Gatewood Elementary to give the school's playground renovation project an assist.

The goats spent starting feeding themselves on Friday at Gatewood, munching their way through a hillside too steep for Seattle School District maintenance staff or machines.

Clearing the overgrowth is a part of a playground renovation project called "Operation Imagination," and was started three years ago by a Gatewood's Parent Teacher Association.

Parent Lori Lieske said the goats made a big differ

Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed an update and rezone to the city's multi-family code, which includes eliminating parking requirements in urban centers and incentive zoning to bring in more affordable homes and rentals.

The changes are meant to simplify the "complex" multi-family code, which hasn't been altered in more than 20 years, and absorb projected growth, said Mike Podowski, project manager with the Seattle Department of Planning and Development.

The plan is an extension of the mayor's "Seattle Homes Within Reach" strategy, which stipulates that whenever significant

The Alki Community Council held a limited candidates' forum on Oct. 18 hosting school board candidates Maria Ramirez and Steve Sundquist, and city council candidates Venus Velazquez and Bruce Harrell.

The Herald incorrectly stated that Maria Ramirez did not attend the forum. She arrived a few minute late and later in the meeting she discussed her views and campaign platform with the audience for almost half an hour.

The Herald regrets the error.

Soon this spot on Alaska, just east of California will become a garage for condos above and for the QFC and other stores that will occupy the ground levels.

I am running for the Seattle School Board to raise standards, improve academic achievement for all students, and focus on turning around struggling school so that all children - in all neighborhoods - get the quality education they deserve. I know how our schools work and believe I have the experience that's needed on the board.

A letter to the editor last week raised questions about endorsements, recommendations and ratings that I am proud to have earned as a candidate for Seattle School Board.

While Ballard Junior Football players tackled each other during practice last Thursday at Loyal Heights Playfield, three Seattle City Council candidates listened to the concerns of parents over their dispute with the city and neighbors.

The football program opposes a city hearing examiner's decision that requires an hour break in-between games. This was done to reduce traffic and noise that several neighbors had been opposed to.

Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed an update and rezone to the city's multi-family code, which includes eliminating parking requirements in urban centers and incentive zoning to bring in more affordable homes and rentals.

The changes are meant to simplify the "complex" multi-family code, which hasn't been altered in more than 20 years, and absorb projected growth, said Mike Podowski, project manager with the Seattle Department of Planning and Development.

The plan is an extension of the mayor's "Seattle Homes Within Reach" strategy, which stipulates that whenever significant

Little League - A little reality check

By Mickey Niland

There has been a great deal of griping, on all sides, about the field use at Loyal Heights Playfield. I think it's important for everyone to understand what youth sports are about. It's not about the would-be professional athletes. It's about the other 99 percent of the kids. The following is a story that illustrates why so many of us give up such a big part of our lives to put kids on a field like Loyal Heights.

Billy's tale

This last weekend I signed up to umpire three ball games on Saturday.