Stories for Aug. 15, 2008

Seattle has a streetcar named Desired

Fri, Aug 15, 3 p.m.

Minneapolis is the latest city to develop Portland-envy and, thanks to the Portland-imitating Seattle Streetcar, a little Seattle-envy as well. Minneapolis is now considering a starter-streetcar line, with maybe six more to follow. Minnpost.com writer Steve Berg recently visited the Northwest cities, rode and praised the streetcars, and was "reminded again how far behind downtown Minneapolis has fallen."

Sausage Links, ice cream man edition

Fri, Aug 15, 12:22 p.m.

By Clark Fredricksen

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. ...

Europe in our front yard

Fri, Aug 15, 5:01 a.m.

By Sue Frause

If you're upset because that two weeks in Italy isn't part of your summer plans due to our lowly little dollar, never fear. All the Europeans are over here. It seems wherever I go, there they are. On a whale-watching trip out of Port Townsend recently, there was an ornithologist from Vienna on board, along with two Swiss guys in their twenties. OK, the Swiss guys were with me, family friends from Zurich staying with us for a week on Whidbey Island. But I think they're typical of the Western Europeans who are flocking to the U.S. this summer.

Another 'writedown' by the Seattle Times Co. minority owner

Fri, Aug 15, 5 a.m.

By Bill Richards

According to McClatchy, its 49.5 percent stake in the Washington and Maine newspaper company is worth a mere $9.9 million. While that figure signifies little, the fact it keeps shrinking is a bad sign.