September 2008

So much for success to start the golfing season for the Decatur Gators boys golf team, getting clubbed by the Auburn-Riverside Ravens, 80-58, in action at their home course, the Twin Lakes Golf & Country Club, Tuesday.

AR starts the South Puget Sound League Central season off 1-0 while the Gators now try to improve from this unmomentous beginning.

In this match, scoring points for A-R best was Dustin Hesse, who played No.1 for the foe, shooting a 33, three under par, and being medalist, as well as that nice a score giving A-R 21 points. The No.

Here in Massachusetts, I have been reading the local papers only to find that school "overrides," what levies are called here, are failing all around this area.

Here in Franklin, this will result in the dismissal of 45 teachers.

As the district is about 1/4th the size of Federal Way, this would be the equivalent of dismissing about 180 teachers in Federal Way!

Alarmed at this the Franklin City Council offered to contribute $1 million to help defray the layoffs.

The School Board, in what I would consider a surprising move, went to the City Counci

There is no question the city is facing budget challenges that could put many community services and programs on hold or severely reduce them, but we ask that Mayor Greg Nickels and City Council members carefully consider the impacts these cuts will have on communities that depend on them.

The mayor proposed earlier this month cutting, or rather "freezing" (this way the funds can be used later if need be), the 2009-2010 budget by $5 million.

As a follow-up to Clay Eals' wonderful article about Moe Beerman, Herald readers will be interested to know that a sampling of Moe's cartoons is being compiled. We hope to collect quite a few to display between late September and the Fauntleroy Art Show in early November.

Anyone who received a cartoon in card or poster form and is willing to have it scanned for this display should call Fauntleroy Church, 932-5600, by Sept. 25. We'll get it back to you within a day or two of your loan.

Judy Pickens

Fauntleroy

Bravo for the car free Sunday on Alki! Encore, encore!!

Candace Kramer

Seattle

I live close to 35th Avenue Southwest in West Seattle. My son is a University of Washington student but there is no bus from 35th to go directly to UW. He rides his bike and was about to be hit recently. Could we please have a bus from 35th Avenue Southwest to the University? Please please, we need it badly, Thanks Mr. Constantine.

Shahnaz Chahim

West Seattle

We are the Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral, a group of families and individuals working together to bring improvements into the Admiral neighborhood of West Seattle. We're working to design and develop a natural playscape in California Place Park (California Avenue Southwest and Southwest Hill Street) to provide a slice of nature for exploration and creativity, a place to gather and connect with neighbors and respite space for users of all ages.

What is a natural playscape, you ask?

It has been a long time since I have enjoyed such a day on Alki Beach as I experienced on Sunday Sept. 7. The length of Alki Avenue Southwest was for the most part closed to car traffic.

There was an eastbound lane left open for local residents and Metro transit, however, even that lane was not very busy. The lack of congestion was what was different. Easy to get in, and out of course, without a car.

The idea that ridding Seattle (or reducing the use) of "single use" bags will somehow solve our environmental woes is simply wrong. First off, as seen by Ireland's example, bag taxes don't reduce use of bags. Ireland's much touted tax reduced grocery bag use, but sales of packaged bags increased by nearly 400 percnt, resulting in a net gain going into landfills.

A much larger question is whether plastic bags, paper bags, and Styrofoam containers actually pose any real threat to the environment in Seattle.

I feel compelled to respond to the (letter to the editor) ("Why I will not vote for Barack Obama," Sept. 10) by Pastor Randy Leskovar stating that he will not be voting for Barack Obama because "he is pro-choice and believes in Roe vs. Wade."

I respect Pastor Leskovar's right to be against pro-choice for women.