December 2008

In early November I attended the State Board of Education meeting held at Highline Community College.

It was interesting to see what their agenda, for improving schools, seemed to involve.

As with local school boards the discussion didn't seem to have a great deal to do with what could be accomplished in the next school year.

There was, I think substantial agreement that there is a "need" to improve achievement, but little discussion of any issue that I could see that would have impact upon what is happening in the classrooms.

The Board reviewed a st

Picolino's food satisfies - but some space, service problems

Ristorante Picolinos

6415 32nd Ave. N.W.

Tue-Sun. 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

By Patricia Devine and Jim Anderson

The new Ristorante Picolinos does not lack ambition. This sprawling business was formerly occupied by a lawn mower shop, a piano repair business, a beauty salon, and a pottery making concern. With a huge patio and future ambitions to boot, the owners have bitten off a mouthful.

Walk through the rod iron gates and welcome to heaven, umm, I mean Haven. This is no ordinary salon. There's no banging techno music, sterile swivel chairs, and stylists that look so stylish it's intimidating.

Owner Crysdian Llemson himself wears jeans and sneakers. When not working his hair magic, he can be found lounging in the adjacent garden.

As the city continues its march to place parking meters wherever there are a few cars, those of us in Ballard can look about and judge just what it means to have no free parking around. In fact, we have precious little parking available at any price.

The flood of new condominiums has seen to that, as has the very positive growth of downtown Ballard.

By Richard Conlin

On Monday, Nov. 24, the City Council unanimously approved the Seattle budget for 2009-2010.

This action was the outcome of seven weeks of hard work and discussion and votes on more than 100 proposed budget changes and policy issues, punctuated by two very well attended public hearings and continued economic bad news. Despite these difficult circumstances, the Council adopted a budget that once again gives priority to direct services to the people of Seattle - food and shelter for those in need, public safety, transportation, libraries, and parks. I am very pleased that the Council supported my two major budget initiatives - adding almost a million dollars for emergency food assistance, and adding funding for legal services for immigrants who are victims of domestic violence.

Remarkably, the City of Seattle is in relatively good condition, especially compared to the state and county. Thanks to the city's careful forecasting, we were not taken by surprise by falling revenue projections. Over the last several years, Seattle set aside more than $30 million in a rainy day fund.

By Mathew Manweller

Last summer I wrote about a nationwide survey conducted by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in partnership with the University of Connecticut, of 14,000 college students from across the nation. The survey found that when college seniors were tested on four subjects - American history, government, foreign policy and economics - the average correct score was just over 50 percent. Parents and all of us concerned about education need to be aware of some disturbing trends in civic education at our nation's universities and colleges.

The study revealed two other uncomfortable findings. First, the average college senior scored only 1.5 percent better on the civics exams than did entering freshman. Second, in 30 percent of the colleges, outgoing seniors experience negative learning, they actually knew less about civics than did the incoming freshmen.

But pointing out how little our college students are learning about civics is only the first step in addressing a serious problem.

A tunnel is the most expensive option for replacing the viaduct, taking the longest to build, is also the least disruptive to traffic.

A tunnel would take nine-and-a-half years to build and complete and is estimated to cost $3.5 billion before adding hundreds of millions in parallel improvements to streets, transit and the freeway.

But, during construction, the existing viaduct could remain in use.

The construction times for building a replacement for the viaduct were presented to the Alaskan Way Viaduct Stakeholders Advisory Committee on Nov.

Phase 1 of the construction on Ballard Corners Park at 17th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 63rd Street is completed and Phase 2 construction could start as early as December, though with some possible changes due to a lack of funds.

Due to work during Phase 1, paid for by the city and the Pro Parks Levy, the park has been landscaped with grass and trees and a play structure and concrete benches have been erected.

Metro bus fares are going up next year and again the year after.

The Metropolitan King County Council adopted an ordinance Nov. 17 that will raise the cost of Metro fares to cope with a projected $90 million budget shortfall.

The ordinance splits King County Executive Ron Sims' proposed 50-cent increase into two 25-cent increases - one that will go into effect Feb. 1, 2009 followed by a second increase on Jan. 1, 2010.

The first fare increase will affect adult rates and those using Metro's Access van services. According the Council, the first rate increase will generate $9 million over the final 11 months of 2009.

The second increase will again raise the fare for adults, as well as for seniors and people with disabilities. The Council estimates the second increase will generate $13 million for a total revenue increase of $22 million per year.

Youth fares will not be increased.

Industry leaders are upset over the approval by the Seattle City Council to increase height limitations in the West Dravus and 15th Avenue area because they believe the change endangers the industrial base of the area.

"We said if they want to develop workforce housing for the industrial area for workers to have someplace to live we'd agree as long as the rezone does not compromise the ability of the industrial area," said Warren Aakervik, member of the an industrial action committee and owner of Ballard Oil.