December 2007

On a recent mid-morning, and the Admiral Way Metropolitan Market was bustling with activity. In addition to it being the day before Thanksgiving - a consistently busy day for the retail food industry - the store was launching its new "REbag," a reusable grocery bag made entirely out of recycled polypropylene.

Although the bags will be distributed at all Metropolitan Market locations, West Seattle resident Mayor Greg Nickels was on hand to introduce the new eco-friendly venture.

Ground has been broken on a new $3 million Learning Center to serve women and families at the redeveloped Greenbridge public housing community.

The YWCA Learning Center will feature classrooms, state-of-the-art communications and computer learning technology, a career development center, a King County library branch and other programs and services.

"With this beautiful new facility, the YWCA and its partners will be able to better serve local women and families, building opportunity and self-sufficiency in one of the most economically challenged communities in the region,

Mayor Greg Nickels has asked the City Council to provide free bus passes to all city employees by 2009, part of an effort to get more people our of their cars and reduce global warming pollution.

As a first step, the city would double the current subsidy for employee transit passes from $15 to $30 per month starting Jan. 1.

The paving contractor that did the work on California Avenue Southwest ending last August, will be "correcting minor deficiencies and remaining restoration" during the next few weeks, the Seattle Department of Transportation says.

Some temporary lane closures will occur from time to time, necessary to "adjust some utility manholes and create a smoother ride." The city says traffic disruptions and parking impacts will be "minimal and of very short duration."

Normal work hours for the contractor are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

King County Councilman Dow Constantine was recently recognized for his heritage preservation work with 2007 Landmark Deeds Awards for Public Service from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

The awards are presented to public officials who demonstrate leadership on issues connected to preserving and retaining Washington's heritage and who understand the critical role our historic resources play in providing livable, sustainable communities statewide.

Constantine, who represents West Seattle, rallied stakeholders to help rescue the First United Methodist Church

The Seattle City Council's 2008 budget, which was passed last month, includes almost $350,000 to fund rental and relocation assistance to help displaced renters.

Residents pushed out of their homes due to high rent increases or who have been evicted as the result of an apartment-to-condominium conversion can be eligible for the assistance, said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the council's housing, human services and health committee.

The funds are set aside as "emergency and transitional services" and will be dispensed by the city's Human Services Department.

Two young women will be facing investigation of charges of malicious mischief after they were caught-not red-handed, but purple- and green-handed-defacing a bathroom, rocks, trees, picnic tables and playground equipment in a local park. Estimated damages from the graffiti: $750.

Officers were dispatched to 16th and Cambridge after someone reported that a man was climbing onto the rooftops of cars. When officers arrived, they found a man who admitted his guilt, but said that he was only trying to escape from a pit bull. At that moment, the officers saw a pit bull on the corner.

Starting in March, the city will repave and repair much of a major route to Seattle Center and points north.

The repaving project will include Denny from First Avenue, Elliott and Western, 15th Avenue to the south end of the Ballard Bridge.

The Seattle Department of Transportation intends to keep all lanes open on the route during rush hours. Grinding off the old asphalt, and laying down the new, will be done mid-day during off-peak hours, or evenings and weekends. Most of the construction will be limited to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mayor Greg Nickels was unanimously elected chair of the Sound Transit board.

Nickels is a long-time advocate for a regional light rail system, first as a King County councilman and later as Seattle's mayor, where he lead effort to get construction moving on the first line connecting downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

"This is both an exciting and important time for Sound Transit as we prepare to open Link light rail service in 2009," Nickels said. "We must have regional solutions to our transportation challenges.

The Washington State Patrol says it plans to "vigorously enforce the state's new law against sending text messages while driving," now that the law is in effect.

"Texting while driving was always a bad idea," said State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste. "Things happen too fast on the highway to take your eyes off the road long enough to read or type a message."

Because texting while driving is a secondary violation, troopers cannot stop drivers if they see it occurring.