March 2008

Rumors are swirling around the Admiral district about a redevelopment of the Safeway store, but the company say a final decision is perhaps two years away.

Some refer to the Admiral Junction Safeway as "the other Safeway" because of its older appearance when compared with its sister store in Jefferson Square. The Admiral store sits on a prime 121,000 square-foot lot, almost three acres.

"We are investigating a very real possibility of plans for the Admiral Safeway for the near future," said Safeway spokesperson Cherie Myers.

While sisters Erika and Julia affectionately feed treats to their cavalier King Charles spaniel in their warm West Seattle home, their thoughts drift to the tenacious Siberian huskie teams that plow their mushers through 1,100 wind-chilled Alaskan miles of Iditarod trail, and through the tiny villages that welcome the two and four-legged athletes.

The 12- and 14-year old Guerette sisters attend Our Lady of Guadalupe School and are too young to mush in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race coined the "Last Great Race." But they do participate by collecting books donated at school to give other

Mariachi Quinto Sol, a mariachi group based at the University of Washington featured in a story in the March 19 issue of the West Seattle Herald, and which performed at Chief Sealth High School, traveled to the Vancouver Mariachi Festival, not Chula Vista.

The young dancers mentioned were part of a local folkloric dance group, Joyas Mestizas; they were not part of Mariachi Chula Vista.

We regret the errors.

Mayor Greg Nickels has ordered another green mark for his record as the Seattle Police Department is now operating "one of the largest fleet of Segways in the nation for parking enforcement," according to a city news release.

"Segways allow parking enforcement officers to be more efficient and accessible around the streets of downtown Seattle," said William Edwards, parking enforcement director.

A major repaving project could start as early as April and lengthen West Seattle residents' commute into and out of downtown.

Funded by the nine-year, $544 million Bridging the Gap transportation package voters approved in 2006, the project would repave along First Avenue South from South Dearborn Street to South Stacy Street and from South Spokane Street to East Marginal Way.

It's part of an accelerated paving plan that is awaiting City Council approval, said Krista Bunch, Bridging the Gap community outreach advisor.

Several major projects in the funding packa

"I used to be six feet, but I shrunk a little. Now I'm five-eleven," said Merritt Sherman, who turned 99 on Feb. 22. "Last time I went to see the doctor, why he says 'call me if you need me. I can't find nothing wrong with you.' I don't have any special diet, but I never drank or smoked."

Sherman, who recently became a great-great grandfather, retired at 96 from his post as Highland Park School crossing guard, near his house, after 17 years.

Years ago, Seattle Public Schools had an outstanding music program that reached many students, but the money that had financed these valuable programs has dissipated over the years.

Instruments and musical education for many students are out of reach, and some worry that music education is on the brink of extinction.

Something is being done to counter this trend. A new program, Rotary Music4Life, wants to make sure that Seattle schools don't go silent.

Officers were dispatched to Jefferson Square after several callers reported that a man was ramming his car into other vehicles. The suspect fought with officers so hard that they couldn?t get him into handcuffs. In the meantime, the man wielded his keychain which had a sharp blade, and he managed to cut several officers? hands.

It's never to early to teach a kid to balance a check book or begin investing for their financial future.

Due to the popularity and success of its initial offering of Financial Skills For Life program for teens, Woodstone Credit Union is pleased to announce a second series of workshops.

The free financial workshop is designed specifically for teenagers and is the latest in a long history of educational opportunities offered by Woodstone to help students build lifelong financial skills through education.

Financial Skills For Life will teach teens the valuable sk

What part does the "Guidance Department" play in a child's education?

The President of the University of Washington stated recently that our high schools were "preparing most students for car wash attendant positions."

As a confirmation of this we have learned that Washington state is 50th in the nation in college completion rates.

Evidently "Guidance" isn't working that well.

In discussions with some of the highest levels of education in this state I have gotten agreement that Guidance just isn't as effective as it needs to be.

There are