Posted Wed, Nov 16, 6:45 a.m.

A good man. A friend and mentor. My heart is sad.

Posted Fri, Mar 13, 6:59 p.m.

Peter lost my vote of competence when he tried to handpick Venus Velazquez as his replacement on city council. That kind of democracy doesn't pass the sniff test with me (or the police). Anyway, thanks for the good laugh Gregory Wade. patricia stambor

Posted Wed, Feb 4, 6:13 a.m.

Dick - You style of writing is disingenuous. You are trying to convince us that what you are saying is what we are thinking - and it isn't. Your second to last paragraph beginning with, "And what does all this controversy mean for Goodloe-Johnson?" is journalistic mess of facts and ...

Posted Mon, Dec 22, 5:22 p.m.

Mr Kammerer clearly states what many of us are thinking. I was, however, surprised and disappointed in the typical corporate-speak reaction to Kent's piece written by David Postman. I, at one time, admired Mr Postman's balanced political writing in the Seattle Times. Let's hope Vulcan doesn't provide job security for ...

Posted Fri, Sep 19, 4:52 p.m.

3rd generation Spokane Democrat: Born and raised on the South Hill. Knew every inch of Manito Park. My dad, Ray Goodner, owned the "Lewis and Clark Drug Store" on 2nd and Howard. Besides Du Barry Cosmetics he served venison sandwiches at his soda fountain from the deer my Grandpa hunted ...

Posted Thu, Sep 18, 9:30 p.m.

RE: Onward Brightwater!: Intelligent writing about storm water. CSO projects are costly. Trying to locate and build more of these throughout the system would prove challenging. There are some innovative and environmentally friendly ways to handle runoff but they would require a tremendous amount of coordination and participation within and ...

Posted Thu, Sep 18, 9:30 p.m.

RE: Onward Brightwater!: Intelligent writing about storm water. CSO projects are costly. Trying to locate and build more of these throughout the system would prove challenging. There are some innovative and environmentally friendly ways to handle runoff but they would require a tremendous amount of coordination and participation within and ...

Posted Thu, Sep 18, 2:28 p.m.

RE: Onward Brightwater!: Piper - That is quite a lecture. Is it all a pretext for something else you don't like about Ron Sims or do you just not want to live next to a sewage treatment plant? To be fair you should stop flushing your toilet so those of ...

Posted Wed, Sep 17, 9:52 p.m.

Onward Brightwater!: King County's Renton and West Point Sewage Treatment Plants are near or at capacity. It is about time Snohomish started taking care of its own "inappropriate content" that will be deleted if I write it. One can make all kinds of technical legal arguments for delaying Brightwater but ...

Posted Fri, Jun 20, 12:38 p.m.

get your hands dirty before you dig in: P-patch gardening is gratifying personal experience but it takes a community to run a p-patch. Those who are eager to get their own city plot do not have to wait for a p-patch assignment to get their hands dirty. P-patches are public ...

Posted Fri, May 30, 7:56 a.m.

RE: Where is the solution?: Maybe he didn't write about it in Urban Politics since it was May Schell's plan. Why don't you do the next leg of research and ask Nick Licata's office for more information?

Posted Thu, May 29, 9:16 a.m.

RE: Questions: Nick Licata and others (and others with more vision than Nickels and Drago) did offer a better and more effective fix which is articulated in Nick's "Urban Politics" newsletter. "Under former Mayor Paul Schell there was an alternative design for the Mercer Corridor which was one-tenth the cost ...

Posted Tue, May 13, 8:49 a.m.

protecting our assets: Knute - This is one of the best articles on the health of Puget Sound (how you write so well on so many subjects baffles me). People don't realize that the chemicals they put in their mouths don't necessarily get filtered out in sewage treatment. Today the ...

Posted Tue, Apr 29, 11:31 a.m.

Rebutting BC through history: Thank you for writing about the evolving history of Bruce Chapman. There are others who have a history with this man too. The perceptive social commentator and historian, the late great Walt Crowley, rebutted Chapman's "Intelligent Design" sermonizing in the P-I and on KVI radio. Looking ...

Posted Mon, Apr 7, 10:26 a.m.

Van Dyk's rants backfire: McDermott has been on my mind all weekend. As an Obama delegate I attended the 36th District caucus at Ballard High School last Saturday and regretted every minute of it. Don't get me wrong, I admire and respect those wonderful 36th District organizers and activists - ...

Posted Tue, Mar 25, 4:08 p.m.

In all fairness to Skolnik: I don't agree with Art but he gets lots of anti-"vilification points" for being the lone cowboy at this meeting. As Berger points out, by having these open and honest discussions in public we may come up with a more "comprehensive and innovative approach" to ...

Posted Thu, Mar 20, 9:33 a.m.

Steve Miller questions Skolnik: Good question Steve and here is the answer. Art Skolnik finally found a paying client.

Posted Fri, Mar 14, 8:30 a.m.

Agenda litigation: Derdowski is right. These are laws that would probably survive a direct constitutional attack. In other words, they are not on their face unconstitutional. But if you cannot defeat a law in the legislature or by a direct legal challenge to the law itself, you can attack it ...

Posted Wed, Feb 13, 7:54 a.m.

Obama girl?: Knute I have seen "Obama Girl" and I have seen you. You sir are not an Obama Girl!

Posted Fri, Jan 18, 9:51 a.m.

WWHSS - What would Homer Simpson say?: mmmm. Cheescake on the beach.

Posted Fri, Jan 11, 9:53 a.m.

Suggestions welcome but how about some support: This is a well thought-out article by Fletch Waller. Certainly the idea of a regional port authority (that includes Snohomish, King and Pierce counties) merits more discussion. Right now, however, the Port of Seattle's reputation is on the line because of a devastating ...

Posted Mon, Jan 7, 12:17 p.m.

And we can pray for a tidal wave: Shorelines and navigable waterways should be held in public trust for their intended purposes - fishing and navigation. Boats are okay - houseboats should float away. "You need water to bathe and cook with but you do not need to live on ...

Posted Fri, Dec 7, 10:22 a.m.

dirty politics okay as long as they further Brewster's agenda: Whoa David. You write that Nickels has "done well only on schools, helping off-stage to engineer the vastly improved School Board". This is news to me - but we were all kind of suspicious about the injection of money into ...

Posted Mon, Dec 3, 7:30 a.m.

opinions without facts: Amen about Connelly Sean. Van Dyk is a better writter than Joel Connelly but both of these egotistical gas bags write opinions without solid supporting facts to back up their words.

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 5:09 p.m.

RE: Are you asking me?: Actually, it does matter what consultants think about the election results - that's what they are paid to do. For the record, I would NEVER say that citizens are "gullible" and "impressionable" and please don't accuse me of writing these words that you wrote. And ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 4:03 p.m.

Are you asking me?: If you are asking me then I would refer you to the people who know and understand how campaign financing works - ask the political consultants and lobbyists (and the Community of Parents for Public schools - whose board is packed with political consultants and p.r. ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 3:20 p.m.

How big is your community?: Tell me the membership number for communities for public schools?

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 3:14 p.m.

Lilly's links: Rational momster: I do not know how to put links on this site but you can do your own homework by doing a search on names and subjects in the P-I and Times. You can find the "letter" that I reference at the end of the following article. ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 11:23 a.m.

Money talks: There was a lot of "quiet" money that set the stage for dismantling and discrediting the current school board. Check out this letter that Dick Lilli signed along with a number of well-connected consultants and paid public relation hacks (including Venus Velazquez) connected with the business community in ...

Posted Fri, Nov 9, 7:49 a.m.

the answer to your question: Dick - Here is more convincing reason why voters chose Maier, Carr, and Sundquist. "There were wide disparities in campaign contributions this season, according to elections records. Maier raised $163,453 to Soriano's $14,897; Carr raised $147,000 to Flynn's $14,669; and Sundquist raised $105,160 to Ramirez's ...

Posted Fri, Oct 26, 8:28 a.m.

Public school mom says: C.R. - I love your work but here are a few facts you don't know. Most moms with kids in public school cannot afford the pleasure of staying out on a school night drinking past the legal limit. Venus has consistantly put Bruce Harrell on the ...

Posted Tue, Oct 23, 11:13 a.m.

"The Northwest Coast" by James Swan: Ye Galleon Press published a book called "The Northwest Coast" by James Gilchrist Swan in 1966. This small printing press, located in an old warehouse in Fairfield, Washington was owned by Glen Adams up until a few years ago. Glen found old manuscripts and ...

Posted Sat, Oct 20, 8:22 a.m.

focus on the positive side: Apologies aside, the real truth is that Bruce Harrell is better person and a more qualified city council candidate than Venus.

Posted Fri, Oct 19, 7:41 a.m.

How to drink without getting caught: Responsible politicians and prominent public figures do not actually drink in public. They wisely order one drink with lots of ice or a glass of wine and press it to their lips with tiny sips, or they hold on to it for the entire ...

Posted Mon, Oct 8, 7:23 a.m.

one more cheer for Brewster: Wow! Very astute David. This is the kind of writing that reminds me why people like you make a living at writing. These are complicated issues and Sims is a great leader. thanks, ps

Posted Tue, Sep 25, 7:52 a.m.

Fake ID and Goats: Getting into bars with fake ID (snicker). It's as old as the hills and me. I even got caught. By my older brother. Now that's a sting that hurts. Raising goats responsibly in the city is another good idea (if you have the space and are ...

Posted Fri, Sep 14, 9:09 a.m.

Paul Allen vs The Public Trust Doctrine: You can't own navigable waters in Washington State. "Simply stated, the public trust doctrine provides protection of public ownership interests in certain uses of navigable waters and underlying lands, including navigation, commerce, fisheries, recreation, and environmental quality. While tidelands may be sold into ...

Posted Mon, Sep 3, 8:31 a.m.

RE: SOLICITING FOR SEX: thanks kieth. I wondered about this after I pushed the post button. If you are not asking for money then is it illegal? I perhaps wrongly thought it was because they arrested him. Maybe there is an ordinance about foot tapping - or invasion of private ...

Posted Sun, Sep 2, 10:15 a.m.

guilty hypocrite or conflicted victim?: Lady Be Good Anonymous sex with strangers is not unique to "gays." Sex is not an "unnatural act" even in a public bathroom. Anonymous sex, however, is dangerous and it is also illegal to solicit sex in a public bathroom. One can make an argument ...

Posted Thu, Aug 16, 4:09 p.m.

RE: Will the last bleeding-heart liberal in Seattle please turn out the lights?: This all came across in Kent's article - which was both interesting and well-written. You understand, of course, why we have reasonable rules and laws that discourage these living arrangements. I think that is what mouthy commentators, ...

Posted Thu, Aug 16, 9:31 a.m.

Welcome to the neighborhood: On my laptop there is an advertisement next to this article that says I can own a "coach" (an RV) for $9,500. If I buy this affordable house can I park it in front of yours? "Won't you be my neighbor" Mr. Kammerer? Maybe this is ...

Posted Wed, Aug 1, 8:05 a.m.

RE: I hope Bill Gates takes over: Will- Well said. As hard as it is to swallow the concept of charter schools you make a very articulate argument. (I haven't read Matt Miller yet). I agree we need more leaders that can look at the bigger picture but if you ...

Posted Tue, Jul 31, 3 p.m.

RE: I hope Bill Gates takes over: Dear Mr. HorseAss: Funny you should say that about the "folks" running the school district. It is the same cheap shot oneliner that CPPS takes at the current school board. They'll same something like "our schools are in a crisis". So, tell us ...

Posted Tue, Jul 31, 12:45 p.m.

Another white bread story without fiber: Dear Mr. Mudville: Why do you toss fluffy white snowballs at Allen and Gates when you should be swinging heavy wet mud. Is it because you want us (in comments) to do your dirty work for you? Out of curiosity, do Gates or Allen ...

Posted Wed, Jul 11, 4:46 p.m.

Cross-eyed Crosscut: Why is Brewster writing another story about Dinsmore (tired old copy that has already been beaten to death in the press)? Dinsmore came on board with the Port of Seattle in 1990. That means he was forced to sign off on Paul Schell's (partial owner of Crosscut and ...

Posted Sat, Jul 7, 5:32 p.m.

words failing on cedars: Mr Raban You should be educating your international audience about the western red cedar not pandering to their assumed ignorance. How about the cedars of Lebanon? You can even see them in Paris. ps

Posted Sat, Jul 7, 9:09 a.m.

RE: ed Letter Day: A correction JamesD. The major defining point in Seattle history was June 25, 1975 when "I" arrived at the 9th and Stewart Greyhound Station.

Posted Sat, Jul 7, 9:02 a.m.

the natives are rolling their eyes: I couldn't get past the first paragraph The only massive cypress trees I've seen around are the non-native leland cypress that my neighbor planted to block my view of the metropolis (Seattle). Technically cedar may be some form of cypress but native speakers always ...

Posted Sat, Jun 16, 6:04 p.m.

Speak for yourself Sierra Girl: Sierra Girl: I disagree with you on what you said I said. First you miss-stated (in fact, fabricated out of nothing) my position. Then you argued against my position as you said I stated it. I articulately expressed my opinion on the severance package issue ...

Posted Sat, Jun 16, 7:26 a.m.

dirty laundry: Tay's use of the "dirty laundry" metaphor was in reference to the commissioners personal dislike and contempt for one another. Their behavior is unprofessional and creates an environment that is impossible to do business in. Yoshitani was merely giving port commissioners a well-deserved public spanking for their childish ...

Posted Thu, Jun 7, 4:41 p.m.

Pork Economics: I'll second Mr. Tooley's comment about Bill Beyers. I was a Geography major but took my economics classes from the UW Economics Department.

Posted Thu, Jun 7, 7:58 a.m.

Pigs everywhere: Speaking of "pigs at the pastry cart" can anyone explain the scope and limitations and the multiplier effect of Pigs on Parade? Does the visual blight that this project brings to the community really benefit the market or is the perceived benefit an assumption that is limited by ...

Posted Fri, May 25, 6:38 a.m.

A council that works together: This piece made me smile. For the first time in years we have a mature and sensible group of city council members who seem to work together for the benefit of the citizens. It could be the leadership, the maturity and wisdom of the members, ...

Posted Sun, May 20, 4:31 p.m.

A review worth reading: Didn't see or hear the concert but loved reading this review. I've been thinking about buying a recording of Renee Fleming singing Strauss - thanks for reminding me that I should.

Posted Thu, May 3, 10:48 a.m.

RE: This piece seems to beg for flames from actual bicyclists: Well said!

Posted Thu, Apr 26, 8:51 a.m.

park politics: Heads up park advocates! As a former member of the Pro Parks 2000 advisory committee and an activist on various city-wide park issues, it looks to me like there is another stealth movement by behind-the-scenes advisors to the Nickel's administration to create a separate parks government - some ...

Posted Fri, Apr 20, 7:46 a.m.

My retirement as a Port defender: Foolish blunders like this are forcing me to retire as a Port supporter and defender. This continuing drumbeat of stupid decisions makes it difficult to defend the Port on more important matters. If the Port's actions are alienating its supporters then imagine the ammunition ...

Posted Wed, Apr 18, 2:21 p.m.

laissez-faire: Knute - Aren't we a little defensive? "I am not a free-marketer or free-trader, I believe in tariffs, in local control..." Did you have to find the biggest condo development to write around to tell us you don't like capitalism? And when you decide to set an example and ...

Posted Wed, Apr 18, 1:14 p.m.

RE: Condo Plague: Mary - No one was forced to sell their home to condo developers in Ballard. Just as no one is being forced to buy a new condo in Ballard. Are you suggesting that former Ballard residents should be forced to stay in their homes and live in ...

Posted Wed, Apr 18, 7:54 a.m.

the natives are whining - again: As much as I admire MB, I agree with Clark Williams-Derry's very well written rebuttal. Berger's linguistic logic that more supply creates more demand makes no sense. It was sad to see Berger resort to Bush administration tactics by asserting as an indisputable fact ...

Posted Sat, Apr 14, 8:26 a.m.

Corr's Port Report: Critics and defenders of the Port welcome a clear and insightful voice on Port issues. Crosscut's decision to sic Casey Corr on the Port is, in itself, good news! Patricia Stambor

Posted Thu, Apr 12, 6:24 p.m.

hold the platitudes: Maier is "running on a platform of creating a board that focuses on strategy, stays the course, supports the superintendent in the strategy. In short, he's a grown-up". What strategy? Stay what course? How about his position on the math debate, WASL, Highly Capable Program, Alternative Schools, ...

Posted Sat, Apr 7, 2:10 p.m.

berk and bologna: Thank you for reading the commissioned Berk and Associates report for us. Isn't this the consulting firm that gets hired by governments to product slick (but boring) power point presentations and glossy covered thick reports that are supposed to convice us something they don't want us to ...