April 2008

Seattle City Council member Richard McIver's proposed changes to a tax exemption plan aimed to increase the amount of affordable housing in the city would reach lower income earners than the version released by Mayor Greg Nickels last year.

But developers told council members at a recent Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting that income requirements needed to be closer to the mayor's plan in order for projects to financially work.

The current program ends next year, but a changing rental market and increasing costs for new construction has rendered it useless

ride from D.C. to here

By Steve Shay

With sweat on their foreheads and smiles of relief on their faces six Sealth High School students and an 80-pound fourth-grader from Gatewood completed their 5492-mile bicycle ride on Earth Day, April 22. They rolled into the high school right on schedule, 3 p.m. sharp, surrounded by well-wishers, a marching band, and television cameras.

The 23-day trip called "An Inconvenient Ride" started in Washington D.C. March 31. Adult chaperones from Sealth in a van accompanied them to make the ride a bit more convenient.

Nancy Heinrich, a West Seattleite who served three years as the chair of the American Cancer Society's West Seattle Discovery Shop, was named the 2007 Volunteer Of The Year at the Shop's first 2008 quarterly meeting.

Nancy began volunteering at the Discovery Shop in 1998. In addition to her ongoing volunteer duties at the shop, Nancy serves as vice-chair of the American Cancer Society's Great Western Division, working with the division's 11 regional shops.

The city Parks and Recreation Department has infused public input into its Strategic Action Plan, a blueprint that will guide its actions over the next five years.

Tim Gallagher, superintendent of the parks department, recently attended one of 30 open house meetings the city has held. Gallagher replaced Ken Bounds as department leader last October and has overseen the plan work.

"We get such good constructive feedback on the plan that way," said Gallagher.

The National Hydropower Association has named Seattle City Light as one of five Outstanding Stewards of America's Waters.

"The Outstanding Stewards of America's Waters program demonstrates the true innovation taking place in the hydropower industry today," said Linda Church Ciocci, executive director of the National Hydropower Association.

The state has extended the Enhanced Driver License and Identification Card services to the Downtown Seattle Licensing Service Office.

The Department of Licensing will begin scheduling appointments in May.

It's been two months since the enhanced license program was introduced and over 9,500 enhanced license cards have been issued, and there are close to 22,000 appointments scheduled.

"We've been working hard to increase capacity in our existing offices and also expand services to licensing offices in regions where we're seeing the highest demand," said Liz Luce,

You know I have lots more important things to write about but I couldn't let this feeling go by. I don't like the change we are forced to do.

I read the Sunday funnies tonight and for the first time it was like old times. I am talking about the comic Frank and Ernest. Asking the classic car salesman for a fin car and the answer were so like jokes we all used to be able to say-when the salesman said "Sorry no Fins in the back but there is a car with a couple Norwegians in the trunk." I used to be able to tell lots of jokes but now you have to worry about someone getting upset.

Marlin is an unusual mix of 1/8 daschund and 7/8 chihuahua and his relationship with R'Lena Petines has given his name special meaning. He's named after Marlin, the father of the fish Nemo in the Disney/Pixar film "Finding Nemo." For some time he and R'Lena were separated, much like Nemo and Marlin in the film, through a misunderstanding, then six months later her sister spotted him on the street (he had been living with some other people) and R'Lena went to get him.

Tonya Osborne and Laura Gray show off the glorious winter wear modeled by Dino the Beagle, better known as "The KING."

Photo by Kim Robinson

There are many different forms of dancing: ballet, jazz, swing, the waltz. These are all common forms of body movement that most people think of when they think of dance.

However, there is another dance that is starting to make headways these days, particularly in the Northwest.

Belly dancing is a traditional Arabic style of dance developed in the Middle East, but that has recently become popular in the United States.