Posted Wed, Apr 11, 12:38 p.m.

Crosscut, Who is the handsome, but OLD, guy pictured? Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Mon, Apr 9, 5:14 p.m.

Roger - The only "on-gong" tiff is your continued advocacy of this bad idea. What is it you want/need to build that you don't have? Tax increment financing is a form of Revenue Bond - you expect new, anticipated revenues to pay for the improvement. Which is great. EXCEPT WHEN ...

Posted Fri, Mar 16, 1:38 p.m.

Peter, I don't recall three ways in Bothell being part of the County Executives defined benefits, but I served a number of years ago with a fiscally more conservative Council, and perhaps times have changed. Tell me, if you know: Is this a Union benefit? Ross Kane Warm Beach District ...

Posted Mon, Jan 9, 10:05 a.m.

While there is much to admire in the saga of grit and determination that lifted the Kalakala out of the Alaskan mud, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It ought not to have been attempted. The current estimate for "restoring" the ship is $50 million plus. Wisely, ...

Posted Thu, Dec 8, 3:22 p.m.

BlueLight, My great-grandparents came for the chance to Homestead 160 acres. An unprecedented opportunity that does not exist today. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Dec 8, 10:24 a.m.

BlueLight, My great-grandparents were all immigrants. As are nearly all of us. For 400 years America has stood for the words inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty: The New Colossus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here ...

Posted Tue, Dec 6, 9:46 a.m.

Snoqualman, The investigation of phone records is incidental to a more serious allegation: That Reardon took trips at public expense and did little or no public business on these trips. Further, the allegations are being made by a woman, a County employee, who says she traveled with Reardon while they ...

Posted Wed, Nov 16, 9:54 a.m.

"Jones acknowledges Intiman’s Board of Directors didn’t exert enough fiscal control over the organization." This has got to be the understatement of the year. In the late 80's, early 90's, several of my friends were on the Intiman Board. My wife and I were season subscribers. We attended, and spent ...

Posted Tue, Nov 1, 1:55 p.m.

Blue Light - Your assertion is absolute nonsense. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Oct 27, 11:24 a.m.

Oh, Peter. Bravo. BRAVO! Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Mon, Sep 19, 12:14 p.m.

Peter- Or maybe Everett? Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Mon, Sep 5, 10:46 a.m.

Peter, Outstanding, thoughtful writing. A dose of reality for all the " the only good is more, more, density" crowd. We need regional governance/ planning. We need to start somewhere in the vicinity of Ian McHarg's DESIGN WITH NATURE, and adapt/adopt, pragmatically plan how we can create both built and ...

Posted Tue, Aug 23, 12:58 p.m.

Mr. Valdez, Land use Codes do not make land use decisions. People do. And the decisions, interpretations, and enforcement, are only as good, and only last as long, as the last election. Ross Kane Warm BEach

Posted Thu, Jul 28, 8:39 a.m.

Crosscut, Great coverage. Good story. MORE! Ross KAne Warm Beach

Posted Wed, Jul 27, 1:33 p.m.

Jack, Great stuff. MORE! Ross Kane

Posted Wed, Jun 15, 12:39 p.m.

Troops: On the tunnel, y'all are just going to have to sort it out. Personally, your so-called vote this fall looks pretty meaningless, with no legally binding effect. What I find unhelpful are all the knee jerk assumptions, especially by Mr. Valdez. Tax increment financing has been used successfully in ...

Posted Mon, Jun 13, 9:39 a.m.

Mr. Van Dyk, Brian would make a good Governor. He understands the nuts and bolts of how government works, and that the devil is too frequently hidden in the details. At the least he might speak to peoples concerns about the cost and effectiveness of some State Agencies. Instead, we're ...

Posted Fri, May 20, 11:17 a.m.

Mr. Brewster, Over the last twenty years I have attended many performances at Intiman, including the complete Angels in America cycle. Enjoyed meals in the courtyard before a performance. Attended many auctions. Written checks. Been personal friends with a Board member, or two, or three. WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, ...

Posted Fri, May 20, 10:56 a.m.

Stephen, In an ocean of argument about the Viaduct and Seattle schools, finally! a post about the financial basics,and prospects, of the regional, NW economy. BRAVO!! Ross

Posted Tue, Mar 29, 11:59 a.m.

Knute - I'm a NW Native and I have spent my life on and around saltwater. A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money. The bigger the boat, the more money you need. Especially for the Kalakala. Restoration costs probably fall in the range of ...

Posted Fri, Mar 18, 3:46 p.m.

Joe - Northwest Energy may have a new name, but it's still the same old WPPSS. Same board and governance as when it was created in the 1960's. With one exception: The NW Power and Conservation Council. MAJOR energy additions to the NW Regional Grid have to be part of ...

Posted Thu, Jan 27, 10:41 a.m.

Mr. Royer and R: As a former elected official, (Snohomish County Council), I strongly disagree with the idea that one, big, consolidated government structure is going to solve the problems faced by local schools or local governments. In the other 38 counties, the best deal taxpayers get is County Government, ...

Posted Tue, Jan 25, 9:58 a.m.

John - Nice piece, with some illuminating insights. Plus a great line: " he also understands the difference between the Tea Party Movement and the Black Helicopter crowd." Not certain I completely agree with you, or that there is all that much difference, but a great line. As a Democrat, ...

Posted Fri, Jan 21, 12:23 p.m.

Many knee jerk assumptions here; few facts, no real analysis. Overall, not very helpful. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Jan 13, 1:40 p.m.

Bob - What does the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney have to say? To me, this seems like a pretty clear conflict with the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine under holdings by the Washington State Supreme Court. It may, ultimately, be a decision by a Judge, or a Jury, in Whatcom County. ...

Posted Thu, Jan 6, 10:01 a.m.

Sir, Well, you can find many of these underachieving males in jail or prison. Males are over represented in this demographic about 10 -1. Testosterone poisoning and an Archie Bunker "Do what I'm tellin' ya" mentality, has limited appeal to today's better educated, emancipated women. The same values also contribute ...

Posted Wed, Dec 22, 11:40 a.m.

The Editor: The Ad hominem attack on Martha Kongsgaard above, is both inaccurate and inappropriate. It should be taken down. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Dec 9, 10:57 a.m.

Crossrip: I should have said, 70% of GENERAL FUND revenues. The number you cite includes monthly FEES charged by METRO for sewer and water, as well as County Wide METRO transit revenues (fare box and dedicated sales tax). My point is that a re-drawn Seattle would have limited general government ...

Posted Thu, Dec 9, 9:57 a.m.

If Seattle becomes a County, then it assumes the LEGAL OBLIGATIONS of a County government: An Auditor, Elections supervision, Recording, Property Assessor, Treasurer and tax collector, foreclosure sales, a jail (!), a Medical Examiner, Superior Courts, Prosecuting Attorney, a Clerk for maintaining Court records, etc., etc. Nearly 70% of present ...

Posted Sat, Nov 20, 4:45 p.m.

I knew Tom. I worked with him when I served on the Snohomish County Council ( 1990 - 1993). There were some issues where we did not agree at all. But Tom was a pro, he knew how to create a big tent with room for all, and GET THINGS ...

Posted Thu, Nov 18, 10:23 a.m.

Knute, I think you have confused the R's Press Release with Gregoire's Executive Order. I think she recognizes that implementing new rules costs money - money that is in very short supply. Her order, in distinguishing between essential and non- essential rule making, has enough exceptions to look like a ...

Posted Mon, Nov 8, 9:43 a.m.

I assume, by the date on your byline, that you attended the performance on Thursday, November 4. My wife and I were in the audience Saturday, November 6th. I would describe the evening as a very "ON" performance. The interplay, the entrances, the transitions, with Watts and the orchestra seamlessly ...

Posted Wed, Nov 3, 11:07 a.m.

Dr. Sale, this is just another post from a long time fan. How delightful to see you are alive, and still kicking. Ross Kane, English, 1971 Warm Beach

Posted Fri, Oct 8, 10:57 a.m.

Peter - nice article. And I suppose if no Norwegian is available, Mr. Frank will do fine. On three occasions, I've had the opportunity to spend the day - or parts of a day, with Billy. What I find unique - and remarkable, is his capacity to remain calm, rational, ...

Posted Thu, Oct 7, 4:39 p.m.

Jack - Great article. I grew up in Everett, when four pulp mills were still operating. The smell? Nearly everyone in town described the odor as the "smell of money". Jobs, payrolls, groceries, college tuition - so you didn't have to always live in Everett. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Sep 30, 10:14 a.m.

Luigia - Your post is factual, personal and persuasive. I wish I could write as well. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Mon, Sep 27, 9:54 a.m.

This is nonsense. The author has the legal obligations of the parties under the Charter exactly backwards: McGinn reports to, is accountable to, and implements policy at the direction of, the Council, NOT the other way around. Regardless of how you feel about the issues, at least keep the players ...

Posted Fri, Sep 24, 1:44 p.m.

Joe - It's TRUE! From a distance, this starts to look more like more fun than the fight between the Mayor of Granite Falls and the police Chief!! But McGinn isn't going to stop the tunnel by denying the Council postage stamps. Since his delay of an Draft EIS puts ...

Posted Fri, Aug 27, 2:26 p.m.

If Seattle wants to go its own way, fine. Good-bye. The problem comes when the rest of the Puget Sound Region needs to go through Seattle to get to somewhere else. If you want to use OUR State tax money, get OUR legislative votes in Olympia for YOUR programs, Seattle ...

Posted Fri, Aug 6, 12:04 p.m.

Well written. Both sides presented. Outstanding journalism. And not a McGinn or a tunnel in sight. MORE! Ross Kane Warm Beach/Stanwood

Posted Thu, Jul 29, 9:59 a.m.

Fine. Let people vote. If Seattle voters reject the tunnel, taxpayers STATEWIDE win. This leaves the Governor no other choice but to fix the Viaduct. Neither Seattle voters, nor the City, can legally,impede a STATE HIGHWAY. Then the story will be over. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Mon, Jul 19, 10:15 a.m.

Come on, Knute - your chasing moonbeams. You know there is no STATE income tax - and who in their right mind in Olympia would give McGinn the income tax. Did you read Joel today? Enough said. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Fri, Jul 16, 10:30 a.m.

Peter, (Siiiiigh...) Well, some folks will always miss the point. But once again, People ARE policy. Something academia doesn't get at all. Ross Kane

Posted Thu, Jul 15, 11:47 a.m.

Fine. Vote. But if Seattle voters say "no", the default position has to be fixing the Viaduct. Washington State taxpayers have invested BILLIONS in Seattle: I-5, the Viaduct, HWY 509, 99,I-90, State 520, Ferry terminals, Light Rail, airports, Port facilities, railroad connections and truck bypass routes to move goods to ...

Posted Wed, Jun 30, 3:52 p.m.

Sheesh---where have you folks been? After Maggie tore Dixie apart at the State Convention in Hoquiam (1980), Sunny Jim went went on to beat Dixie in the Primary. He lost in the General to Spellman. Booth was not very daring, but he was solidly progressive. Passage of Mental Health Reform ...

Posted Tue, Apr 20, 9:49 a.m.

Mr. Berger, Well, I suppose you could TRY and resurrect LESSER SEATTLE, but you and McGinn are about fifty years too late. And Watson, et mort. Maybe you and Mike, riding bikes everywhere you go, haven't noticed, but out principal roadways (I-5, I-405, State 9, 167, etc) are operating at ...

Posted Fri, Mar 26, 3:38 p.m.

Mr. Kammerer, I am a former elected official, serving on the Snohomish County Council from 1990 to 1993. I lost a bid for re-election in 1993, so my advice may not be worth a hoot. On the other hand, I did the job the way I felt it should be ...

Posted Wed, Mar 24, 5:42 p.m.

A racist lynch mob is a racist lynch mob. The tea baggers have shown themselves to be nothing more than a lynch mob. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Fri, Mar 12, 5:55 p.m.

MY Norwegian grandparents - and great-grandparents - were determined to assimilate and become AMERICAN as quickly as possible. In Everett, the congregation of Ebenezer Lutheran began offering services in English in 1908. By 1915 services were no longer held in Norwegian. The church was re-named Central Lutheran, in 1917. My ...

Posted Mon, Feb 15, 3:58 p.m.

Mr.Van Dyk, After reading Bernard Fall, I do so wish you had exercised your independent thinking skills in 1968, and convinced Hubert H. Humphrey to NOT blindly follow LBJ off the cliff. Humphrey was way too late in declaring his independence from Johnson. Instead, we got Nixon and his 'secret ...

Posted Fri, Jan 8, 11:37 a.m.

Joe - my experience is that Peter is thoughtful, experienced, pragmatic and practical. He's good at policy - and sand trucks! Also, good to see YOU back in the saddle. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Dec 31, 11:09 a.m.

Chris, Well, I suppose you've got to write something to give heart to your party. But Hutchinson? Beating Patty? Dream on, if it makes you happy. God knows, the world does not need ANOTHER cranky Republican. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Thu, Dec 31, 11:09 a.m.

Chris, Well, I suppose you've got to write something to give heart to your party. But Hutchinson? Beating Patty? Dream on, if it makes you happy. God knows, the world does not need ANOTHER cranky Republican. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Tue, Dec 29, 10:02 a.m.

I don't think you can blame Greg Nickels for the WAWONA. For at least two decades she was a giant pile of dry rot that occasionally sank at her mooring. The cost of restoration was estimated by experts in ship restoration at $15-20 million. There is a reason the CA ...

Posted Wed, Dec 16, 10:15 a.m.

Sir: Ever been to Haida Gwaii? The name fits, and reflects the place. The west coast especially is remote, beautiful, hard to get to and re-supply is a logistical challenge. This may also be a case where ART has trumped politics. Bill Reid's THE BLACK CANOE if officially known as ...

Posted Tue, Nov 24, 4:43 p.m.

All the policy has been wonked to death. Way too many people are employed full time to attend meetings and send each other memo's. Fifteen years of litigation has helped put a lot of lawyers kids through college, but not done much for the environment. It is the restoration efforts ...

Posted Thu, Nov 5, 9:43 a.m.

Chris - I hate to deflate your optimism with facts...but, as of today, Dow leads 57.53% to 42.26%. This is not a result to cheer about. Sure, the count isn't final, and the precinct by precinct canvas is not yet available. But I don't see much room for optimism. Ross ...

Posted Thu, Sep 3, 8:41 a.m.

Vegan donuts? You big city folks sure is spoiled. Ross Warm Beach

Posted Fri, Jul 24, 11:50 a.m.

Peter - Good piece. Did you see the article in the June Nor'Westing regarding bulldozing net sheds, kicking out paying tenants who provide services to boaters, all for the goal of building condo's? With a developer who has now filed for bankruptcy? Everett always has waited for SOMEONE ELSE to ...

Posted Mon, Jul 20, 10:27 a.m.

I live in unincorporated Snohomish County. I have no runner in the Seattle Mayor's race. I'm not a big Nickels fan. There are more pot holes in my brother-in-laws Wedgewood neighborhood roads than at Warm Beach. The millionsto be spent on 'the Mercer mess' to achieve absolutely nothing but a ...

Posted Fri, Jun 5, 1:52 p.m.

"...and yet CO2 is ...demonized. Increasing CO2 dramatically increases crop production." There is ZERO scientific evidence to support this assertion. Ross

Posted Thu, May 21, 5:24 p.m.

GOOD GRIEF Mr. Brewster - voting for Triplett is a no brainer. As 6 members of the Council finally realized. With elections in the offing, you want to franchise Royer to wine and dine every media flak out there for six months on a steady diet of generic "reform"? With ...

Posted Thu, Apr 30, 10:39 a.m.

Dear Mr. Jimmy, You offer an interesting metaphor of what "ownership" means. I offer no metaphors: The people of this State legally OWN the UW. The Reagents and Mark Emmert can ALL be easily replaced. Ross Kane

Posted Wed, Apr 29, 12:22 p.m.

Mr Emmert ought to be more careful. It may come as a surprise to the good Dr., but the Citizens of this state OWN the UW. We fund the UW for OUR benefit, OUR community, OUR children. Right or Wrong, the PEOPLE, through their Representatives and Governor, have spoken. If ...

Posted Tue, Apr 14, 10:56 a.m.

Peter- Emmert only has himself to blame. And the UW Faculty and staff should do the same. Going in to a budget writing session, he emphasized, over and over, the need to build a new stadium. He spent BIG bucks on new football coaches. He, and the Regents, made minimal ...

Posted Fri, Mar 13, 11:13 a.m.

Great picture of Peter Jackson! However, you probably could get a nude photo from his mother - nude photos being a rite of passage for Norwegians in Everett. Ross Kane, Warm Beach

Posted Wed, Mar 4, 11:35 a.m.

Gosh, Austin, have you lost your phone? Forgotten how to walk the halls of the Capital Office buildings? Have all the Admn. Assistants and Committee staff people stopped talking to you? What did you do? Poop in the punch bowl? No wonder you've taken to beating up on mid-level bureaucrats ...

Posted Thu, Feb 26, 1:44 p.m.

Gary Locke is an OUTSTANDING choice for Commerce. It's a nuts and bolts Cabinet position: The Census, Economic Development, Minority Business Development, Patents and Trademarks, etc. Gary is a moderate Democrat. He was a damn good Governor. His honesty and integrity are miles above average. He is outstanding at making ...

Posted Tue, Feb 24, 10:30 a.m.

Get Real, people. Restoring the Wawona would cost $20,000,000. Once restored, it would cost 5% a year - one million dollars - to keep her in good condition. Charging admission is NOT going to pay those costs. Several years ago, WOODENBOAT magazine did a two part story on successful - ...

Posted Tue, Feb 24, 10:05 a.m.

Factually, based on the prices being charged, I would not classify the high rise development in Belltown, or along the rail lines in Portland or Vancouver B C , as "tenements". Further, the crime and rowdiness in Belltown would appear to have more to do with the Club and Bar ...

Posted Mon, Feb 2, 1:13 p.m.

Mr. Vance - good solid analysis. File cabinets are full to bursting with plans and planning documents. If only we could turn all that paper into asphalt. You mentioned several regional projects that need to be done. I would add that all of the projects in the Regional Plan for ...

Posted Wed, Jan 14, 12:39 p.m.

Excellent! A great overview of the issues and especially Hoover! MORE! Ross Kane

Posted Sat, Jan 3, 12:04 a.m.

Mr. St. Clair, a win is a win. There are NO ties at the polls. Even if the final decision is made by flipping a coin. The VOTERS have decided. Light rail is being built. It will continue to be built. Complaining that voters were "duped" or "mislead" - in ...

Posted Wed, Dec 31, 11:35 a.m.

Ted, Ted, Ted, Light Rail passed by very comfortable margins in Snohomish County, King County, Seattle, maybe with less support in Tacoma and Pierce. But a win is a win is a win. There is very little left to discuss. GET OVER IT. This system will change - permanently - ...

Posted Wed, Dec 24, 9:59 a.m.

Shades of Lesser Seattle!! Emmett Watson LIVES!!

Posted Wed, Dec 10, 9:59 a.m.

Some of the titles - and authors - you mention speak with a true NW voice. A few - Raban in particular - ugh! Guterson is damn good. Read Snow Falling on Cedars next. Tom Robbins, Another Roadside Attraction. Stanley Park, by Timothy Taylor. Other non-fiction: The Good Rain, Timothy ...

Posted Wed, Nov 26, 12:01 p.m.

Skip Raban. Read Alaska Blues, by Joel Upton instead. Much, much better book. Or, even more fun, Three's a Crew, by K. Pinkerton (published in the 1930's, you can find a reprint). Or Curve of Time, by Wylie Blanchet, a new reprint is just out. Ross Kane Warm Beach

Posted Fri, Aug 29, 8:24 a.m.

Filson lives up to its reputation: Filson really is THE BEST. Enough said. Ross

Posted Sat, Aug 16, 2:11 p.m.

Makes Perfect Sense: I always wondered why people would vote for a Republican. Ross

Posted Tue, Jul 22, 2:52 p.m.

The Fog of Ignorance: It is simply fact, that Bob Drewel, formerly the elected Snohomish County Executive, ran for Exec three times, and won three times. He left office because he was term limited out under the provisions of the Snohomish County Charter. If allowed, he would have won re-election ...

Posted Wed, Jul 16, 11:47 a.m.

Theory and "Studies" vs Results: Long, interesting discussion. And typical, endless, Seattle process. Don't results count anymore? Do you folks ever, like, travel? Have you ever actually used MBTA trains? The "A" Train? The METRO in D C ? The Paris METRO? BART? Or better yet, light rail in Portland? ...

Posted Fri, Jun 27, 3:46 p.m.

Nuclear is the WRONG answer!!: WPPSS plants 3 and 5 at Satsop were abandoned 20 years ago. Except a site, there is nothing left to rebuild. There is only one commercial nuclear plant operating in the four state region of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, WPPSS plant No. 2, now ...

Posted Tue, Jun 10, 2:27 p.m.

"When I come home to you....": 'Twas San Francisco Twain referred to. And he did spend most on one summer there.

Posted Thu, May 29, 9:56 p.m.

Smell of money?: Peter, I thought what we said in Everett was , "Smell that? That's the smell of money!" Seems like it would apply to this bill. Ross Kane

Posted Thu, May 22, 12:42 a.m.

Back to Basics!!: The politics of paying for the Ferry system is an endless tape loop of blame. If State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen can sort it all out, give her the next Nobel Prize in Economics. But folks, a boat is a hole in the water into which you ...

Posted Mon, May 12, 4:59 p.m.

CHANGE IS NOT EASY. NEVER HAS BEEN.: A forty hour work week. A decent minimum wage. The vote for all men and women, not just the propertied and rich. Social Security. Employer paid medical care. Medicare for Seniors. Student loans for College. None of these fights were easy - all ...

Posted Sat, Feb 9, 11:32 a.m.

Wholesale Politics: Crowds - and speaking to crowds - is part of the political process. I am a former local elected official. I've run for office. Sure, you meet and talk with individuals. You have conversations. But in a race for Governor - or President - you have to get ...