November 2008

No matter which option is chosen for replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, it will come with a big price tag for taxpayers to swallow.

A bored tunnel running under downtown from Royal Brougham to Roy Street may cost $3.5 billion. A cut-and-cover tunnel, $2.7 billion. The integrated elevated highway running on top of residential and commercial buildings and under a citywide park may cost $2.2 billion. A lidded trench $1.9 billion. A side-by-side, four-lane elevated highway, $1.6 billion.

After closing and being sold for $13 million to accommodate new apartments, Sunset Bowl's presence had its last chance at staying in Ballard as its most recent owners put it up for nomination in front of the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board.

The landmark board voted unanimously last week to reject Avalon Bay's nomination.

Hitting on points such as the buildings type of structure, the history of the investors, architects and developers, the growing popularity of the sport and notable works of the architects, David Peterson, architectural historian research

More than a year after Terry McMacken was injured on the Ballard Bridge, it remains a dangerous stretch of commute for many cyclists.

Two weeks ago McMacken died from injuries sustained in July 2007 on the Ballard Bridge when the bicycle he was riding made contact with the concrete barrier separating cyclists and pedestrians from vehicles and threw him into traffic.

Sean Cryan has been riding his bike across the Ballard Bridge for eight years.

Greenwood resident Kris Steinnes was driving down Highway 99 some years ago when she had an epiphany.

She wanted to create a community of women who were supportive and committed to strengthening and empowering the voice and dreams of women.

She created the Women of Wisdom Foundation in May of 1992, and the following February it had its first conference.

Work is moving along on the $31.5 million expansion of the Ballard campus of Swedish Medical Hospital, including more than 35,000 square feet of hospital and about 75,000 square feet of office space.

Swedish's Board of Trustees voted in November 2007 to authorize the multi-million project that will add a new outpatient center and medical-office building to the current campus located at 5350 Tallman Ave. N.W.

Parking for vehicles will be provided within the existing 510 stalls on the campus.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is using his office's Web site to help fight insurance fraud.

In an effort to protect consumers, the fraud section of the site has been expanded to educate people on how to recognize and avoid fraud, and to make reporting easier. It also features facts about fraud and examples of real cases.

"Insurance fraud is a widespread problem and many people never think about it or consider how it affects them," said Kreidler. "For example, people might think that padding an insurance claim is a victimless crime, but they're wrong.

Despite the national chaos over finances, the city was able to sucessfully raise $205 million through a public offering of water system bonds last week.

At a time of failing credit quality throughout financial markets, Standard and Poor's Ratings Service actually raised its rating of Seattle's Water System bonds, from AA to AA+ in the days immediately preceding the bond sale.

King County Metro Transit will have reduced service for the Thanksgiving holiday on both Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28 - and the schedules will be different for each day.

Metro will operate on a full holiday schedule on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, meaning buses will operate on regular Sunday schedules. If a bus route normally has service on Sunday then it will operate with its Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving.

Vehicle theft in King County in 2007 is down by 36 percent from an eight-year high in 2005, and law enforcement agencies are projecting a 55 percent decrease in 2008. In the same period auto thefts in the North Precinct, which includes Ballard, have dropped from 3,591 to 2,320.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Satterberg met with the Crown Hill Business Association Nov.

Due to a projected $90 million shortfall for 2009 in the King County General Fund, criminal justice agencies in the county are experiencing a blanket 11.4 percent budget cut.

The budget cut has caused a change in filing and disposition standards and the way the King County prosecutor's office prosecutes crimes.

According to a letter from King County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Satterberg to county police chiefs and commanders, the cut is equivalent to 41 of the 190 deputy prosecutors paid for by the general fund.

"I had 27 more people working for me in Apr