crosscut.com : Immigration

The future of 'nowhere'

Crosscut — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:00:01 PDT

Urban planners love to hate the suburbs, but what's going to become of them? Will Bellevue eventually become a post-carbon ghost town or a new urban hybrid? Some reflections on the urban/suburban debate.

Sausage Links, ice cream man edition

Crosscut — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:22:01 PDT

Despite the near-record temperatures predicted for the weekend, officials from around the state are asking agencies to "freeze." Last week, Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire ordered a hiring freeze for state employees in an attempt to ease Washington's mounting budget deficit. Yesterday, the Snohomish County Council ordered a hiring freeze for all of their county's agencies. Not to be outdone, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels proposed a $5 million spending freeze for the City of Seattle yesterday. On a related note, Seattle's fleet of ice cream carts are expanding their service around the city, in a move experts say could result in widespread brain freezes. ...

Bellevue's 'Little Eichmann'

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

Finding the banality of Nazi evil close to home.

Sausage Links, row, row, row your boat edition

Crosscut — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:00:01 PDT

Gov. Chris Gregoire spent yesterday on Puget Sound, touting her environmental record while bashing her Republican opponent, Dino Rossi. Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly rode along (you can even see him to the left of Gregoire in the Everett Herald's photo of the boat tour), but remained unconvinced of her ability to connect with voters. Here's Sound Politics' take on the story. ...

Sausage Links, pot, farms, and medicine edition

Crosscut — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:58:01 PDT

Count on the alt-weeklies to provide blow-by-blow coverage of the recent ~~medical marijuana bust~~ illegal search and seizure. Dominic Holden at The Stranger has the story about the incident — along with copies of the police report and the arresting officer's search warrant. According to the reports, Seattle Police officers tore down a wall while searching for an illegal pot-growing operation that didn't exist, while seizing bags of marijuana and medical records. The folks at Seattlest would like to remind the SPD that medical marijuana has been legal in Washington for nearly 10 years. ...

Sausage Links, sex, satire, and rock 'n' roll edition

Crosscut — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:03:01 PDT

At Horse's Ass, David Goldstein has a lengthy investigative story detailing a case of sexual harassment at the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). According to a 62-page document obtained from public records, a young woman who worked at the DNR quit her job after being harassed by 68-year-old Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland. The story goes on to say:

Sausage Links, sonic-bust edition

Crosscut — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:07:01 PDT

Let the mourning begin about the Seattle SuperGoneics. Everyone's in tears. That is, except the editorial board at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. They think the settlement was a good deal. Hmmm. Are you kidding me? Heck, even the basketball gods thundered their disapproval throughout the night. ...

Sausage links, Seattle SuuuuuuperSonics edition

Crosscut — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:00:01 PDT

Today's the day of reckoning for the city of Seattle and the SuperSonics. Judge Marsha Pechman will rule at 4 p.m., and we'll know who wins this OK Corrall shootout. Mayor Greg Nickels will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. to discuss the decision (live on the Seattle Channel). Here are the pre-announcement perspectives: state Rep. Bob Hasegawa, Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat, Stranger writer Josh Feit, Crosscut writers Ross Anderson and Sue Frause. ...

Sausage Links, hammer-time edition

Crosscut — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:01 PDT

Tri-City Herald reporter Chris Mulick digs deep into Washington state's bungled attempt to land a $2 billion uranium enrichment plant, along with its 400 high-paying jobs. According to Mulick, Gov. Chris Gregoire chose not to pursue bidding for the plant, deciding instead to play it cool politically. As a result, Idaho got the plant. Washington lost the money. And Dino Rossi just got more ammo for his campaign. Still, Gregoire's got a sizable lead in the polls, at the moment. ...

The Wash. state GOP gets tougher than McCain

Crosscut — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:06:01 PDT

The Washington State Republican Party adopted an aggressive new platform over the weekend. There are some key differences between the new platform and the stances of the party's presidential candidates, especially that of presumed nominee John McCain.

Parlez-vous a software language?

Crosscut — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Seattle's French Underground: Thousands have invaded metro Puget Sound, many of them in search of opportunities and attitudes in technology that simply don't exist at home in France. Part 1

Hey, what about an Absolut Ecotopia?

Crosscut — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:00:01 PDT

A vodka ad stirs anger and nationalism, tapping a history that links to the fight for the Pacific Northwest.

Is there any blarney in Hillary Clinton claims that she brought peace to Ireland?

Crosscut — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:00:01 PST

Tonight's debate was the second time I was struck by Sen. Hillary Clinton's claim about her role in the peace process in Ireland. As a Claddagh wearing son of Irish citizens, I took note. Her claim reminded me of a lunch I once had with a literary hero of mine, the Irish poet Seamus Heaney, who praised Bill Clinton for helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Alluding to the kneecappers and killers of the tribal wars, he said: "We take our politics seriously." I agree. Bill Clinton moved that process forward, to his lasting credit.

Obama and Clinton shift the debate to free trade

Crosscut — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:42:01 PST

Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton ended their televised Austin, Texas, debate last week on a high note. But, since then, their campaigns have been outrightly confrontational. The tone is likely to carry over into their Cleveland, Ohio, debate late this week and into March 4 voting in Ohio, Texas, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Clinton, facing elimination from the race, has adopted an angry campaign persona and Obama is not turning the other cheek. Ironically, the hottest debate has been over an issue where both candidates have been trimming and grandstanding: the North American Free Trade Agreement and international trade (see below).

The Border Patrol swoops in on a domestic ferry run

Crosscut — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:00:01 PST

Last week, cars and passengers disembarking the San Juan Islands route at Anacortes were met by feds who inquired about everyone's citizenship. Normally, no big deal. But this checkpoint was for a boat that had not been to Canada. The government isn't saying much about it, but islanders are buzzing.

Richard McIver explains his actions

Crosscut — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:21:01 PST

Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver has just released a statement explaining in detail his actions leading to his being charged with domestic abuse. The case was dropped yesterday, for insufficient evidence. Here's the McIver statement: “I am pleased that the domestic-violence charges against me have been dropped, and it is my hope that my wife and I will now be able to put this experience behind us. This has been the most painful and embarrassing chapter in my life. I want to express my deep thanks to my friends, supporters, and staff who have offered their support and prayers to Marlaina and me over these past three months.

Bracelet women hang tough

Crosscut — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:00:01 PST

The Oregonian is running a fascinating story about fallout from the feds’ June raid of Portland’s Fresh Del Monte Produce plant, which arrested 167 people in a sweep targeting illegal workers.

From CNN, big kudos for an immigrant UW student

Crosscut — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:58:01 PST

A University of Washington grad student was given Oscar-like treatment on a two-hour CNN special last night, Dec. 6, honoring humanitarian entrepreneurs. Peter Kithene, a native of Kenya and a resident of Mountlake Terrace, was selected as one of seven humanitarian "heroes" doing noteworthy work in difficult circumstances in various spots around the world. Update: CNN Heroes will air again today at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Kithene (Kih-THEE-nee) was cited for his work in creating a health clinic in southwest Kenya. Orphaned at age 12, he managed to secure a scholarship to an elite secondary school in Nairobi. A chance meeting with Seattle residents led to his applying to UW, where he combined studies with a fundraising effort to create the Mama Maria Clinic in his home village.

Big development comes to Yesler Terrace

Crosscut — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:00:01 PST

After 68 years, the nation's first racially integrated public housing community faces enormous change. So what will happen to the people who live there?

The scientific dark age of George Bush

Crosscut — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 05:00:01 PDT

University of Washington computer science professor Ed Lazowska, a onetime Bush appointee, says scientific research and education are sputtering in the "dark time" of the Bush years. He also says Washington state's higher ed system is failing the next generation.