February 2009

When you’re working, you have a financial strategy that is largely based on one goal: saving money for a comfortable retirement. You’ll likely have to make many adjustments over several decades to ensure that you stay on track saving and investing.

But once you retire, a new goal arises — investing so you can remain retired. To help yourself achieve this goal, you will need to make a number of investment decisions.

Which of these decisions are most important? Here are five to consider:

How much will you spend each year? Before you can pursue an appropriate investment strategy, you’ll need to know about how much you'll spend each year. Estimate your costs for housing, food, travel, entertainment, insurance, gifts — everything. Keep in mind that your expenses will likely change annually, especially for items such as health care. Don't forget about inflation, which will likely cause your expenses to increase over the years.

Ballard High School sophomore Taylor Sterns placed 10th all-around at the Washington state individual gymnastics meet Feb. 20.

It was the second year in a row Stern has qualified for the state meet.

“She’s very talented,” said coach Stephanie Gundel.

She finished sixth on the vault with a 9.35 score and 10th on the floor with a score of 9.45.

Her scores qualified her to compete in the Feb. 21 state championships in those events. Stern was one of only four girls to qualify for the second day who wasn’t from Woodinville High School, Gundel said.

In the championships, Stern finished ninth on the floor and tied for seventh on the vault.

She also placed in the top 10 in every event during the district meet.

Gundel said one of Stern’s greatest assets is that she is a quick learner. Stern can try a routine a few times and have it ready for competition, she said.

She said Stern debuted a brand-new routine on the bars Feb. 20 and placed 11th overall, barely missing qualifying for the championships in that event, despite not having worked with the routine much.

(Editor's note: This editorial originally ran on Feb. 11 but was not published on our new site until Feb. 24, as it was overlooked during our transition to a new server and online platform. We apologize.)

In today's hyper communicative environment many blogs are like a bowl of popcorn compared with a full restaurant meal.

The idea of blogs and Web sites that use "crowdsourcing" assumes that eyewitnesses are the best reporters (this is not the case), and that participation is a given from a 'vibrant community of readers. Sorry, but that's a mistaken assumption. It has been consistently shown that only about 5 percent to 7 percent of all readers of any publication (online or in print) will ever send in a letter, newstip or other contribution.

Among those, how many have an axe to grind or are otherwise biased? How many of them can provide a photograph better than a snapshot or a video from something more than a cellphone?

The quality of a photograph or video or story matter, precisely because they tell the story better, more succinctly.

Professional journalists don't waste your time

The City Council voted today, 6 to 3, to lift remaining spending restrictions on the Mercer Corridor and allow construction to begin.

The project will create a two-way Mercer Street complete with vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian modifications, as well as a tree-lined median and on-street parking. The changes are meant to increase walkability and safety along a narrower Valley Street, improve freight access to the Ballard and Interbay neighborhoods, and keep traffic moving between SR-99 and Interstate-5.

“The Mercer Mess has been studied and re-studied for over 40 years," said Council member Jan Drago, chair of the Transportation Committee, in a statement from the city. "This collaborative project improves safety on the corridor for all modes of travel, and I’m pleased we’re finally ready to give it a green light and get it built.”

Council members Sally Clark, Tom Rasmussen and Nick Licata voted against the bill.

The project is a product of years of discussion by the city and the Mercer Corridor Stakeholder group, which is comprised of representatives from freight, neighborhood, business, and pedestrian

The first African American astronaut to walk in space will stop by Madison Middle School this Friday at about 8 a.m.

Harris will talk with students about his professional experiences as well as discuss reaching their own personal potential through problem-solving skills they learn in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The visit includes an interactive program by Harris as well as a demonstration on space.

Seattle is Harris’ first stop of his national 2009 “Dream Tour,” which will visit numerous cities across America.

Madison Middle School is located at 3429 45th Ave. S.W.


The Seattle City Council voted today to establish new interim tree protections that will limit tree removal in areas zoned for single-family, lowrise, midrise and commercial structures.

“It’s critical that the city follow through on its goal of growing our tree canopy,” said Council President Richard Conlin, sponsor of the legislation. “Protecting mature trees from unnecessary removal will contribute to our ability to fight the effects of global warming, mitigate flooding and the toxic effects of storm water run-off, safeguard the habitat of the city’s urban wildlife, and keep Seattle an attractive, vibrant city long regarded for its natural beauty.”

The bill limits tree removal to no more than three trees of 6 inches or greater in diameter per lot in any one year period on single-family zoned lots that are at least 5,000 square feet, or on any sized lot in a lowrise, midrise or commercial zone. It also prohibits the removal of exceptional trees.

Normal and routine pruning of trees, trees that are hazardous, and trees whose removal is required for construction of a new structure under an approved building or grading permit are exempt from the new limits.

Friends of the Junction Park Plaza have launched an effort to raise funds to complete the Junction Park Plaza and are still looking for volunteers to assist.

A planning committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 p.m. in the in the Nelson room at the West Seattle Senior Center The group has asked that anyone interested in getting invloved in this project attend the meeting.

Volunteers to provide outreach to the community about the park and fundraising assistance is being sought.

Let me tell you about Sue Fix, the mother of Ashley Fix, who died six years ago, a month after her 15 birthday.

Maybe you never knew Ashley. But it was hard not to on Vashon Island. She sang at the basketball games. She acted in plays. She painted.

But, as most people in my community know, one day in March of 2001, Ashley decided to leave the high school and take a ride to another girl’s house for lunch. The girl decided to drive a little crazy on Monument Road, the road kids "drag-race" on frequently. Ashley, one of five kids in the car, and not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the car.

That was it. All those talents. All those dreams. All those hours of love, guidance and caring from Sue and Jeff Fix – what did they mean once Ashley made the decision to get in the car?

Someone called Child Protective Services after noticing that a woman had a habit of coming into a local bar while leaving her 8-month-old in the car. In fact, she recently brought the child inside, placed it behind the bar, and partied on, ignoring the baby.

In the 7700 block of 15th, an employee on break at the liquor store saw a lingering customer who pretended to be looking at displays while chatting on a cell phone and shoving a bottle of liquor under his coat. The suspect also managed to steal the wallet of customer who was standing in line at the cash register. When the employee yelled that the suspect should pay for the items, the suspect had the audacity to yell back at the employee, chastising him for rudeness, saying something to the effect of “Can't you see I'm on the phone?!” The suspect escaped out the door, but the store's surveillance video should prove helpful in identifying him.

Hamburger Harry's restaurant, at 2409 N.W. Market St., has applied for a permit with the city's planning and transportation departments to install a sidewalk cafe.

Last summer, Mayor Greg Nickels proposed simplifying the sidewalk cafe permit process to a streamlined 10-day period, and reducing the permit price to make it easier for businesses to ope the outdoor cafes.

The ordinance was passed by the City Council in October.

Comments on the application will be accepted thru March 4, and should be submitted by emailing annualpermits@seattle.gov or by mail to:

SDOT
Attn: Annual Permits
PO Box 34996
Seattle, WA 98124

Please be sure to include the application number, 87391, project address and the commenters contact information.