December 2008

After 20 years of living at the same house number I sat down for the first time with a woman who lives one block away. We have always been invisibly connected by a dollhouse left on her doorstep 15 years ago.

When I moved to Seattle in 1987 we rented an apartment in lower Queen Anne. The Madigans were incredibly gracious landlords, practically acknowledging each rent check with a thank you note. When we gave notice they sent a housewarming gift. When we let them know that we were expecting they sent not one but two stuffed animals, claiming they couldn't choose just one. With Mrs.

Perhaps the best part of the Christmas season at our family gathering is when we sing a few old carols around the fire. It starts with one of the more courageous of our extended family, Aunt Gert, who has a fine voice, made even better by a few glasses of nog.

Each of us deserves to be treated fairly and have the same chance to realize our hopes and dreams. As important as the progress on domestic partnerships has been, they don't provide the same security as marriage, and are used as a way to exclude people from marriage and treat people as second-class citizens. Even if we disagree on marriage that doesn't mean it should be illegal. It is not for us to judge other people.

Brendon Taga

Seattle

Update:5:30 p.m., Sunday Transportation officials are warning residents to prepare for an icy commute Monday morning and to expect continuing limited bus service, as three to six more inches of snow is expected.

The storm that hit the region dumped nearly five inches of snow in Seattle Saturday through Sunday morning.

Thousands are stuck at Seatac Airport due to cancelled and delayed flights and Alaska and Horizon airlines have cancelled all flights today due to a shortage of de-icer fluid.

Twenty-seven snow plows removed snows and ice throughout the day on man

Taco Time Northwest chose Saturday, December 20th despite the cold weather, ice and snow, to shoot part of a new series of commericals at the West Seattle Taco Time at Fauntleroy and 35th and they even had to de-ice the parking lot first.

The spots are promoting a new Taco Bowl product from the company and are being produced by Dave Leonard Creative. You might recognize the "Ned the Cactus" too. Contrary to what you might think, he's not a costume. Ned is a foam rubber creation, but he does enjoy the drive through.

"These spots are scheduled to run soon so they had to be produced now to get them on the air," said Leonard.

Cashman is the long term comedic character actor in the Taco Time commercials, familiar to Seattle viewers from his years on the KING 5 show "Almost Live" which can still be seen at 1 AM following Saturday Night Live.

The spots are set to air in the next few weeks.

Heavy snow and icy roads didn't slow down West Seattle residents who found creative ways to brave the elements and get around heavily snow packed neighborhoods.

Snow plows, cross country skis and all terrain vehicles all saw the light of day today. Intrepid West Seattleites took to the streets, sidwalks, and hills to get around and have some fun, on what for many was a "Snow Day."

Photos by Patrick Robinson, Steve Shay, and Debbie Daschner

Update: 6 p.m., Saturday Mayor Greg Nickels has announced that a fleet of 27 snow plows are clearing Seattle roads and seven utility repair crews stand ready to respond as a winter storm hits the region.

Two trucks will be dedicated to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct

The city of Seattle activated its Emergency Operations Center at 2 p.m.

While Dec. 18 in Ballard could be summed up by one word, "snow," the word of the day Dec. 19 could be "ice." Following the lead of the rest of the Seattle area, Ballard residents, at least those who ventured out of their cozy homes, were encircled by a slippery scene evocative of a Norman Rockwell New England painting. See the slideshow with this story.

Photos by Steve Shay

Update: 6 p.m., Saturday Mayor Greg Nickels has announced that a fleet of 27 snow plows are clearing Seattle roads and seven utility repair crews stand ready to respond as a winter storm hits the region.

Two trucks will be dedicated to the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct

The city of Seattle activated its Emergency Operations Center at 2 p.m.

To great fanfare, Sea-Tac recently opened its third runway.

Many studies were done that illustrated how "necessary" this runway was for the airport and its corporate partners, but no effective or comprehensive studies were done as to the effect this would have on surrounding communities.

In response to community outrage, Sea-Tac Airport assured us that the third runway would only be used "occasionally" for "severe" weather.