July 2008

The projected shortfall in King County's general fund could jeopardize a variety of public health programs including disease control and direct care at public health clinics, according to the chair of the King County Board of Health.

Councilwoman Julia Patterson called for action by the state Legislature to authorize a long-term, stable funding source for public health programs across the state.

"Public health supports services that are critical to the fabric that holds our community together, and King County's funding is the foundation on which these services are built,"

A city, just like a person, gets to celebrate its 50th birthday only once.

And Des Moines community leaders came up with dozens of ideas at a recent "summit" to make the Waterland city's 50th anniversary a special year-long occasion.

The meeting "went extremely well," Mayor Bob Sheckler said afterwards. "When you get this many community leaders in the same room, great things are bound to happen.

On July 10, the Des Moines City Council approved a draft resolution to the South Transit board of directors endorsing a South Transit 2 plan for light rail.

Council supported the extension of light rail to South 272nd Street and encouraged further extension to Tacoma.

Mayor Bob Sheckler emphasized that the council does not want light rail to stop permanently at 272nd Street.

The Sound Transit Board is meeting July 24 to make final decisions about an expansion package and to decide on ballot timing.

Sound Transit may present a plan to voters either th

On Saturday, Aug. 23, a number of hearty souls will swim from Des Moines Beach Park across Puget Sound to Point Robinson on Maury Island.

Funds raised by the third annual Brent Rice Memorial Swim will go toward a foundation that helps low income families afford swim lessons and promotes aquatic safety education classes in the Puget Sound area.

The swim is a 2.3-mile journey in fifty-degree water.

The event was started in 2006 by 17-year-old Justin Moser, who wanted to honor his friend and mentor, Brent Rice.

Officials from cities in north and east King County are recommending to their councils building a single 640 bed municipal jail facility to serve their collective needs

Two potential jail sites in the areas around South Park and White Center have drawn fire from the Highland Park Community Council and from some in South Park and White Center.

Preliminary results of a feasibility study show the cities north and east of Seattle would cut their per-inmate costs by half, and Seattle's costs are also reduced, if these cities jointly build a misdemeanant jail.

Like snow angels in winter, Olivia Barbera and Sophia Larson made pavement angels with chalk at the Federal Way Farmer's Market. Olivia, 5, and Sophia 4-1/2 are the daughters of Terry Barbera and Fernanda Larson of Federal Way.

They're moms with a mission as they displayed a healthy fast food snack alternative called Crocodile Crunch at one of the market booths.

The Federal Way Farmers Market runs every Saturday from May to October. Booths open at 9 a.m. and the day of enjoying great locally-grown produce, crafts and flowers winds down by 3 p.m.

A reader, Rick Hughes, writes to ask, "Why does this city have so many businesses close down. I just learned we are losing the Roadhouse Grill next Sunday.

Federal Way residents may have to wait up to 12 more months before crews began constructed the long-awaited mixed use multi-plex in the heart of downtown.

"Symphony" builder, United Properties of Vancouver, BC, last week formally asked the Federal Way City Council for up to a year's extension on the sale of property for the downtown Symphony mixed-use development project.

At its regular meeting on July 15, the Council agreed to extend the closing date to Sept.

For many families, the arrival of summer brings the return of cherished traditions such as picnics in local parks, hanging out at the pool, camping and hiking.

As hard as it is to believe, in a region with so much natural beauty, many kids never experience the outdoors.

According to the National Parks Service, in 2006 one million fewer people visited our parks.

Perhaps it is in the consequence free approach to raising children?

Three recent news headlines suggest to me that it is this consequence free approach to raising children that has allowed a very significant number of children to make what most would call dumb decisions.

Locally we have a 10 year old who last year, when he was 9, stole a car, wrecked it, then went to the airport and evaded both security and ticket agents to flee to Texas, was caught at the airport again trying to make it to Texas.

According to court documents he has made no restitution for the