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People for Puget Sound responds

Chuck Taylor, Crosscut — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:17:01 PDT

Kathy Fletcher, the executive director of People for Puget Sound, has responded to Daniel Jack Chasan's Crosscut article about setting priorities — performing triage, essentially — as we plan to reduce the impact from the several million people who live around the inland sea. Here's what she wrote:

BC Ferries offer better fare

Sue Frause, Crosscut — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:01:01 PDT

Even though I'm a Washingtonian, if I had to choose between the Washington State Ferries (WSF) and the BC Ferries, the Canucks win by a kilometer. Granted, BC Ferries has had its share of mishaps. In 2006, the Queen of the North sunk while cruising the Inside Passage on its 18-hour journey between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. One hundred and one passengers were on board, and two are still missing and presumed dead. Human error was blamed for the sinking. Two years later, the Queen of Oak Bay lost power and plowed through dozens of boats at a marina in West Vancouver while attempting to dock at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.

Sausage Links, slow news day edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:00:01 PDT

The editorial board at the Stranger posted their interview with Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire yesterday — and boy, did she get defensive. Along with saying Republican challenger Dino Rossi's latest ads were "racist" and offensive, the governor got fussy on rapid transit relief, gay marriage, and the economy. Meanwhile, Fox News is ~~making its case~~ reporting on Gregoire's continuing battle with Republicans over tribal gaming compacts, while Rossi will reportedly be endorsed by the Seattle Police Officers' Guild later today. ...

Land rush on top of the world

Knute Berger, Crosscut — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:21:01 PDT

The search for the Northwest Passage spurred the European exploration of the Pacific Northwest. With global warming, Arctic land claims are heating up as the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Russia, Iceland and Norway vie for sea lanes, the seabed and once ice-bound islands. Finally, there's a great visual to sort out these competing claims.

Sausage Links, 'you'll shoot your Eyman out' edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:41:01 PDT

Ballot king Tim Eyman had to be happy to see Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly say his traffic congestion measure, Initiative 985, "might be on to something" and deserved a "closer look." Unfortunately for Eyman, the Office of Fiscal Management released a report today stating the initiative would, among other things, cost the state $668.6 million already going to current congestion relief projects, cost the state $324.6 million to implement, cost the Washington State Arts Commission $500,000 over the next five years, and increase the state's budget deficit by an estimated $290 million. The Washington Policy Center Blog has the full breakdown. Meanwhile, David Goldstein at Horse's Ass points out that I-985 would be one more reason Eastern Washington voters would continue to hate Seattle. ...

(Not) in the garden: bees

Geri Larkin, Crosscut — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:12:01 PDT

When I was growing up, a summer wasn't a summer until my first bee sting. Honeybees, in particular, were everywhere. During picnics we would often have to move from place to place until we found a shady bee-free zone at the local park. Playing kick-the-can in the afternoons, racing through the neighborhood yards was its own Olympics:

In the garden: your pain about Spain cured on the main

Geri Larkin, Crosscut — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Let's just say you are sitting at one of the Starbucks still standing, staring into a cup of stunningly delicious coffee, wishing you were headed somewhere like southern Spain to take a class on, okay, anything. Medicinal herbs is your top choice, but even miniature golf-putting techniques fits the fantasy. Those huge cerulean blue skies. Those plateaus. Those high deserts. Those plants. And let's just say that there isn't a snowball's chance in the Sahara that you are going to Spain, maybe ever. A VISA bill that grows all by itself, combined with ever-growing travel costs, are the marks of a trip that will not happen.

Sausage Links, debating the polls edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:00:01 PDT

Washington state pollster Stuart Elway unveiled his latest poll — and it's a doozy. Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire is crushing GOP challenger Dino Rossi by 16 points. A SurveyUSA poll taken last week, however, showed Gregoire only up 49 percent to 46 percent — a pretty big discrepancy. Either way, voters will get a chance to refine their choices in coming months, as the two gubernatorial candidates agreed yesterday to debate at least three times before the Nov. 4 general election. So far, the debates would be in Seattle, Yakima, and Spokane. ...

In Everett, history is now history

Pete Jackson, Crosscut — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:00:01 PDT

For decades my mother ritually pulled out the Everett Herald sports page, folded it into squares, and inserted it neatly under the cat pan.

Sausage Links, endorsement edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:03:01 PDT

It turned out to be a lucky weekend for civil litigator and state Supreme Court candidate Michael Bond, who got an endorsement Sunday from The Seattle Times because he is not his opponent.

What she's wearing: a wrap dress

Meredeth McMahon, Crosscut — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:33:01 PDT

I have to say, I have been tickled to see the return of the flattering wrap dress. Diane von Furstenberg popularized the wrap dress in the 1970s with her jersey knits and exciting patterns. It's a quick way to look feminine and chic.

Unsubstantiated accusations in the Internet age

Floyd McKay, Crosscut — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:38:01 PDT

Two huge legal principles clashed in last week's Washington Supreme Court decision holding that the privacy rights of teachers trump public disclosure in cases where allegations of sexual misconduct were unsubstantiated. The case, Bellevue John Does 1-11 v. Bellevue Sch. Dist. No. 405, resulted in a 6-3 split on the court.

Behind the scenes, playing no role in the legal ruling but surely on the minds of the nine justices, are two developments of recent years that have changed both the playing field (literally) and the stakes in public disclosure.

The sun sets on a certain demographic

Sue Frause, Crosscut — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:35:01 PDT

Recently I received one of those familiar white envelopes with the clear window that's obviously been bulk mailed. It was the three words above my address, in bold and all caps, that caught my eyes: SENIOR CITIZEN OFFER. Accompanying it was was the personalized message: "Sue Frause, we miss you! To tempt you back, we'd like to offer you 12 issues of Sunset at our Senior Citizen Rate. Our guaranteed low rate!"

The parade of foolishness

Ted Van Dyk, Crosscut — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:38:01 PDT

We're into August, which can be a dazzling month in the Northwest, with many things to enjoy and be thankful for: brilliant sunsets, fresh air, sparkling forests and water, music and arts festivals in places large and small, and, not least, an economy that is comparatively stronger than the rest of the country's. But concerns and irritations conspire to break the spell.

Another change at the top for ACT Theatre

David Brewster, Crosscut — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:31:01 PDT

Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre has just replaced its managing director, the veteran Seattle arts administrator Kevin Hughes, with his second-in-command, Carlo Scandiuzzi, whose title will be executive director. George Nunes is promoted to general manager.

Sausage Links, bag fees and phone ban edition

Clark Fredricksen, Crosscut — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:37:01 PDT

Plastic bag fees are so rive gauche. First, Seattle instated a 20-cent fee on disposable plastic bags. Then Portland decided to consider a similar idea. Now, the residents of Pullman say they want a bag fee, too. ...

What she's wearing: crisp, white trousers

Meredeth McMahon, Crosscut — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:56:01 PDT

This outfit is an example of picking the trends that work for me. Babydoll tops? Negative. Leggings? Negative. Wedge heel? Depends. White trousers. Definitely.

Why shopping 'green' won't save the planet

Knute Berger, Crosscut — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:08:01 PDT

Seattle's obsession with largely symbolic green measures (banning bottled water at City Hall and taxing plastic bags) and the current trend of marketing everything from hybrids to condos as "green" might actually do more harm than good.

Footnotes to the week's trade-talks breakdown

Ted Van Dyk, Crosscut — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:26:01 PDT

When I wrote about international trade and the presidential campaign recently, I characterized the seven-year-long Doha Round global trade negotiation as being "stuck on neutral." As it turned out, the negotiation promptly thereafter took a negative turn.

The end of several eras

Benjamin Lukoff, Crosscut — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:05:01 PDT

As two Seattle icons celebrate a combined 70 years on the scene, two other mainstays prepare their exit.

Wednesday morning, July 30, KIRO-AM (710) talk-show host Dave Ross celebrated his 30th year on the air with a three-hour retrospective featuring tributes from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, visits from colleagues past and present, and a liberal helping of the parodist's musical stylings. Friday night, Aug. 1, KING-TV (5) news anchor Jean Enersen will celebrate her 40th anniversary at the station with a one-hour special that she only allowed after management "suggested the piece could be a springboard for talking about mobile vans where anybody can get a mammogram."