February 2008

With all 93 precincts reporting their ballots, the initiative to transform the process by which Federal Way chooses its mayor appears likely to fail.

Spearheaded by a group called Accountability Comes to Town (ACT), the movement proposed to reshape the city's political structure by allowing voters to elect a strong mayor that would serve as the chief executive of the city.

The group advocates for more accountability in local government and more voter input in selecting the city's leader.

ACT President Roy Parke said the organization gathered more than 3,200 sig

The White Center Early Learning Initiative, a first-of-its-kind public-private community based partnership, will significantly expand early learning opportunities to children from birth to 5 years old in White Center.

Funded by two grants-$4.7 million from Thrive by Five Washington and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for expanded early learning options for families with young children, and $7 million from the Gates Foundation for the construction of an early learning community center, the White Center Early Learning Initiative aims to provide parents and caregivers with educat

A total lunar eclipse occurred Wednesday night, officially at 7:01pm for 50 minutes. The Seattle skies were clear, then turned hazy as the "penumbra" was, afterward, still visible. Two total lunar eclipses occurred in 2007, the first on March 3, the second on August 28. We will have to wait until December 21, 2010, for the next one.

A driver entered the front lobby of the Seattle West Inn & Suites Wednesday at about 3:45am, but not with a suit case. She drove through with her SUV. The fire department arrived quickly, and a woman in a Jeep was taken to a hospital.

Maintenance Chief, Ken Maples, was in the lobby, but was not injured. He believed one of the outdoor metal posts, ripped from its base, may have saved his life. The motel, at 3512 Southwest Alaska Street, was formerly the West Seattle Travel Lodge. Plans had been in the works to update the motel.

Mayor Greg Nickels will release $25,000 in aid to renters being displaced by condominium conversions from a $350,000 fund the City Council had set aside to help eligible tenants.

Last month, Nickels froze the funds temporarily because it might be needed to supplement an unexpected loss of $600,000 in federal funding, according to Seattle City Council central staffers.

The council designated the money in the 2008 budget to supplement the $500 developers are required by state law to pay displaced tenants to aid in the search for housing.

With all 93 precincts reporting their ballots, the initiative to transform the process by which Federal Way chooses its mayor appears likely to fail.

Spearheaded by a group called Accountability Comes to Town (ACT), the movement proposed to reshape the city's political structure by allowing voters to elect a strong mayor that would serve as the chief executive of the city.

The group advocates for more accountability in local government and more voter input in selecting the city's leader.

ACT President Roy Parke said the organization gathered more than 3,200 sig

Des Moines' elegant Landmark on the Sound, an early 20th Century mansion with sweeping views of Puget Sound and Maury Island, will host this year's Poverty Bay Wine Festival events Feb. 29 to March 2.

All proceeds benefit community service projects of the Rotary Club of Des Moines.

The festival kicks off on Friday, Feb.

To the Editor:

Several editorials have commented that a yes vote to change our form of government will eliminate professional management in the city and replace it with a mayor who might not be able to read or balance a checkbook. Looking beyond the obvious that someone like this could never get elected, I want to challenge this fallacy that a mayor would replace professional management in the city. I see this as a scare tactic from the vote no crowd.

Federal Way has several hundred employees with at least 25 who could be considered managers.

New blue timetables for Metro bus riders are now available on buses and in information racks at a variety of locations, including libraries and 7-11 stores.

The new Metro transit schedules went into effect Feb. 9.

I thought it might all have started because of my liver. I walked into the lumber store and the smart-alec behind the counter said, "What happened to your face?"

What this kid is talking about is a small age spot, about the size of a pencil eraser, just below my right eye.