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Recently by http://blogs.king5.com/bio/upfront.js
6:00 PM Sat, Oct 24, 2009 | Permalink
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It has been a big week for debates in the races for King County Executive and Seattle's Mayor. Both races are close and none of the campaigns have a lot, if any, money for television ads. As a result, these televised debates are seen as high stakes, with candidates trying to hang onto leads or make up ground. How do you think the candidates did? Do you think debates really make a difference in how people vote? Have you ever changed your mi...
8:30 AM Sun, Oct 18, 2009 | Permalink
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The race for King County Executive is a classic match up between a political newcomer, Susan Hutchison, and a political veteran, Dow Constantine. Constantine touts his experience as his key qualification for the job. Hutchison turns that argument on its head, saying her outsider status would bring a fresh perspective to the county. Historically the county executive has been a partisan position but last year voters decided to make it non-par...
9:30 AM Sun, Oct 11, 2009 | Permalink
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Either Joe Mallahan or Mike McGinn will be Seattle's next mayor. Neither has ever held or run for elective public office before. One major difference between the two: McGinn opposes replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel; Mallahan supports the tunnel. But what else do we know about these candidates and do we know enough to choose one over the other? Tell us what you think about Mallahan and McGinn and who you think you might vote for....
8:26 AM Sat, Oct 03, 2009 | Permalink
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Here's the question voters will face on their ballots this fall:
"Referendum 17
The legislature passed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5688 concerning rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill.
This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partne...
6:54 AM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink
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Initiative consultant Tim Eyman's latest is another attempt to strap a corset on state government. Eyman's twist this time is to include county and city government as well. If passed, the measure would limit government's revenue growth to a rate determined by the combination of population growth and inflation. Any revenues above the limit would be returned as property tax reductions. Voters can create exceptions by passing taxes above the l...
8:12 AM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink
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Two incumbents, Nick Licata and Richard Conlin, both elected in 1997, are looking for four more years on the council. They are being challenged by two newcomers. Jessie Israel is taking on Licata and David Ginsberg is facing Conlin. Tell us what you think. Is it Licata or Israel and is it Conlin or Ginsberg? ...
9:00 AM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink
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Robert Rosencrantz and Mike O'Brien are facing off for the council position number eight. O'Brien is a financial officer for a Seattle law firm. He has been an active member of the Sierra Club and has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington. Rosencrantz is an affordable housing specialist and past president of the Montlake Community Club. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. ...
7:08 AM Sat, Sep 05, 2009 | Permalink
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This has been a bad year for workers. The obvious: unemployment is high. Wages are frozen or shrinking. And as far as organized labor was concerned, the 2009 legislative session was a disaster. It was supposed to marry the control of the Democratic party with the agenda of Democrats traditional ally, unions, but it didn't turn out that way. Unions went away from the session disappointed and feeling their support of Democratic candidates wa...
9:00 AM Sun, Aug 23, 2009 | Permalink
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Author Matt Miller says America is being held captive by dead ideas. He says these dead ideas, like local control of schools and employer provided benefits no longer work. Among his targets: school standards need more federal control; employers need to get out of the health care and retirement business; and Americans need to learn to live with higher taxes. Miller also thinks this moment in history, with the economy in severe recession and l...
6:28 AM Sun, Aug 16, 2009 | Permalink
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Congress is in so-called recess, Members are facing voters on a number of issues but especially health care reform. President Obama is also taking time in August to make his pitch for changing the health care system and including a public option in the final package. The public option is essentially a government run health insurance plan that would compete with private insurance plans and, according to the President, help drive down health ...
7:32 AM Sun, Aug 09, 2009 | Permalink
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The agreement to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep bore tunnel is a complicated project. Multiple governments are participating and most are relying on multiple sources of funding to pay their share. The project is also a lot more than just a tunnel. It includes replacement of Seattle's seawall, a promenade for pedestrians and cyclists, street improvements, utility improvements, and mass transit improvements.
Here's an o...
6:13 AM Sun, Aug 02, 2009 | Permalink
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In the August primary, Seattle voters get a chance to weigh in on a proposal to place a 20 cent fee on disposable paper and plastic bags. This is Seattle's attempt to reduce the number of disposable bags people use and encourage them to grocery shop with reusable bags. Disposable bags used in retail stores and those used for bulk foods would be exempt. Governments around the planet are increasingly getting involved in disposable bag use, som...
9:00 AM Sun, Jul 19, 2009 | Permalink
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Susan Hutchison is a newcomer to politics but she is way ahead in the polls in the race for King County Executive. Hutchison's long history as a news anchor on KIRO TV gives her a big advantage in name recognition. Here are the results of the latest KING 5 News SurveyUSA poll:
39% Hutchison
22% Undecided
12% Constantine
8% Phillips
7% Jarrett
6% Hunter
2% Lobdell
2% Goodspaceguy
...
7:40 AM Sun, Jul 12, 2009 | Permalink
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Initiative 1033 is Eyman's new initiative. Although it hasn't been certified, it clearly seems to have enough signatures and to be headed to the November ballot. It would tie the growth of property taxes to inflation plus population growth. Eyman seems to be selling this initiative softly right now. Critics compare it to a law in Colorado which they say has been disastrous and voters recently suspended. Eyman's answer is that unlike the ...
9:00 AM Sun, Jul 05, 2009 | Permalink
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This coming week we expect to get more details about Obama's healthcare plan. He's pushing for a so-called public option that would compete with private insurance plans. House Speaker Pelosi wants to pass legislation by July 31, so in theory, healthcare reform is on the fast track. The broad outlines of Obama's plan are known. The public option healthcare plan would be administered by government and people would pay for their healthcare on...
6:28 AM Sun, Jun 28, 2009 | Permalink
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How concerned are you about King County's handling of your tax dollars? The Washington State Auditor's office released a scathing report on King County's finances this week. The audit was cut short because records could not be found to complete it. Here's a short excerpt from the report: "In response to our request, the audit team received dozens of spreadsheets that were compiled manually and that contained incomplete and conflicting info...
8:30 AM Sun, Jun 21, 2009 | Permalink
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The rumors have been flying this year that Boeing will locate a second production line for the 787 in another state. The suggestion has even been made that Boeing will gradually phase out its production in this state and locate in areas it considers more friendly to its business model. Others say this is just the dance that works for Boeing. In 2003 the company pried 3.2 billion in concessions out of the state's taxpayers. In return, the s...
8:00 AM Sun, Jun 14, 2009 | Permalink
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It's clear now that the race is on to see which candidate for King County Executive gets second place in the August primary. Susan Hutchison is polling way ahead of her opponents and it would take a miracle for any of them to make up roughly 20 points or more amongst voters. Dow Constantine called Hutchison out this week, trying to draw attention to what he says are her conservative Republican values. The race, incidentally, is non-partisan...
6:41 AM Sat, Jun 06, 2009 | Permalink
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Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is proud of his record during his eight years as mayor now he wants four more years in office. Nickels admits mistakes and says he'll make more in the future, but promises they won't be the same mistakes. Seattle voters are not lining up behind him yet. In a KING 5/SurveyUSA poll of likely primary voters taken this past week, 30 percent said they weren't sure who they'd vote for, 25 percent said they'd vote for Nic...
9:00 AM Sun, May 31, 2009 | Permalink
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It's six years and counting since the US occupied Iraq. Military author Thomas Ricks thinks President Obama's administration may preside longer over the Iraq war than President Bush's. What do you think? Are we there for an unlimited stay -- like in Germany or Korea? Or can you see light at the end of the tunnel? Will we be out in five, ten or fifteen years? ...
7:55 AM Sun, May 24, 2009 | Permalink
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The Obama administration hopes to pass a health care reform bill by the end of this year. Almost everyone agrees "something" has to be done about its cost. Healthcare takes an increasing proportion of our national wealth, our tax dollars and our personal budgets. What no one agrees on is how to reduce the cost. Some think a more competitive health care market, where insurers and doctors have to compete for your dollars will reduce the cost...
9:30 AM Sun, May 17, 2009 | Permalink
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The big snow storm melted away five months ago, but it's still making news. Reports indicate the Department of Transportation or SDOT has had internal problems dating back years. The city has spent more than 500 thousand dollars trying to figure out what to do about them and plans on spending more. City council members Jan Drago and Nick Licata said they were not made aware of audits that indicated the depth of the SDOT's problems and an ...
9:30 AM Sun, May 10, 2009 | Permalink
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It's no surprise this bad economy is hurting the arts because so far it has spared nothing. But how important do you think it is to help out art organizations that are struggling? Would you consider making a donation? Let us know what you think?
...
11:58 PM Sat, May 02, 2009 | Permalink
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The Washington State legislature has finished the hard work of creating a balanced budget after starting the session with a self-described nine billion dollar deficit. The price of the budget: deep cuts to healthcare programs and to education, especially higher education. Critics also say the budget is unsustainable, because one-time federal grants make up much of the deficit. On the other hand, a plan for basic education reform was passed ...
9:00 AM Sun, Apr 26, 2009 | Permalink
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The legislature has removed the caps on tuition hikes and that means students at the University of Washington and Washington State University will likely face 14 percent tuition hikes in each of the next two years. The state's budget crisis seems to be accelerating a change that both university presidents and Governor Christine Gregoire have advocated. They have said they would like to set higher tuition, closer to the real cost of the educa...
7:37 AM Sun, Apr 19, 2009 | Permalink
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Is it time Sonics and NBA fans to give up it up? Here's what KING 5's Chris Daniels reported this past week:
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Margarita Prentice, (D) Renton, says SB 6116, which would allow King County to use certain tax streams to fund projects like a Key Arena remodel or Husky Stadium renovation looks "very, very doubtful" that it will get out of committee.
Prentice says no one has talked to h...
9:00 AM Sun, Apr 12, 2009 | Permalink
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State Representative Hans Dunshee, a Democrat from Snohomish, has proposed spending three billion dollars on school construction and school renovation. He says his plan would create 90,000 jobs and cure some of the problems old schools have like energy inefficiency and bad plumbing. The three billon would come in the form of a bond and increase the state's indebtedness. State Treasurer Jim McIntire (also a Democrat) says any more debt could ...
9:00 AM Sun, Apr 05, 2009 | Permalink
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Author Matt Miller says America is being held captive by dead ideas. He says these dead ideas, like local control of schools and employer provided benefits no longer work. Among his targets: school standards need more federal control; employers need to get out of the health care and retirement business; and Americans need to learn to live with higher taxes. Miller also thinks this moment in history, with the economy declining and lawmakers s...
9:30 AM Sun, Mar 29, 2009 | Permalink
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It might be hard to imagine that bottoming out would be a positive sign, but, for an economy that has been in a free fall, it is. Bellevue researcher Jim Hebert says all signs point to consumer confidence in our region having hit bottom about two months ago. Still, he says likely car and home buyers number only about half of what you'd expect in a strong economy and he is not sure when confidence will begin to rise. Car and house buying are...
6:04 PM Fri, Mar 27, 2009 | Permalink
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The short answer is yes. Yet, while it may not be unconstitutional for the state to run up a debt, it may be impractical. Up Front spoke to state treasurer Jim McIntire, and he said any debt has to be paid back within twelve months and cannot be rolled over into the following year. Unfortunately for the deficit spending idea few people believe the state's revenues will increase enough within the next year to make up any significant deficits...
7:44 AM Sun, Mar 22, 2009 | Permalink
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This past week, the state's budget deficit reach nine billion dollars according to the state economist. To balance the budget, the governor is suggesting draconian cuts to safety net programs like adult day health and general assistance unemployable. Some suggest it's a matter of prioritizing the budget, trimming down costs and these programs can be saved. Others say new taxes are needed or more people will be on the streets without health ...
9:37 AM Sun, Mar 15, 2009 | Permalink
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Everything but marriage is how the latest expansion of domestic partnership law in Washington state is being touted. When the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the state's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 2006 it upheld a ban on gay marriage. But supporters of gay marriage vowed to use other avenues to achieve their goal. Their tactic: expand the definition of domestic partnership. The latest expansion has passed the state senate and i...
9:30 AM Sun, Mar 08, 2009 | Permalink
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Although we're told we're living in the information age, one source of information is having a lot of trouble these days: the daily newspaper. Every medium that relies on advertising is trying to keep its head above water during this tough economy, but daily newspapers seem to be sinking at a very high rate. The Seattle PI will stop publishing a daily newspaper shortly and will become an online news source using much smaller news gathering s...
8:02 AM Sat, Feb 28, 2009 | Permalink
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Voters passed Initiative 1000 last fall by a margin of 58 to 42 percent. That law takes effect on Thursday, March 5th, with the official name: The Death With Dignity Act. It allows people who are terminally ill with a prognosis of less than six months to live to get a lethal prescription. The prescription is written by a doctor and filled by a pharmacist. The drugs have to be self-administered. Already, some people are saying the law shou...
12:18 PM Sun, Feb 22, 2009 | Permalink
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Representative Dave Reichert, who represents the 8th Congressional District, voted no on the stimulus package. In fact, not one Republican in the House voted for the package. Reichert says the House Democratic leadership did not allow House Republicans to participate in shaping the stimulus package. He says, the only input House Republicans had was when they appealed directly to President Obama. For his part, Reichert says he wishes the pa...
7:14 AM Sun, Feb 15, 2009 | Permalink
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King County Executive Ron Sims is leaving office to take a job as the number two person in charge of the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). One of the Seattle area's most popular politicians, Sims has never been able to extend his popularity statewide, failing in bids to become a Senator and a Governor. Now after 23 years as an elected official he is heading back to Washington DC. Sims says he will keep his home here but won'...
8:08 AM Sun, Feb 08, 2009 | Permalink
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Washington State Representative Frank Chopp is considered one of the most powerful politicians in the state. His salary is relatively little at $50,000 a year and he is elected by just one of 49 legislative districts. Still, as speaker, he controls the flow of legislation during the session. Bills don't come up for votes because of his opposition and do come up for votes because of his support. Chopp has been an opponent of the replacing t...
5:00 AM Sun, Feb 01, 2009 | Permalink
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University of Washington President Mark Emmert says the revenue stream the university hopes will finance about half the 300 million dollar Husky Stadium renovation has nothing to do with the state's or the UW's current budget problems. The so-called tourism tax on rental cars and hotel rooms is being used to pay off Qwest and Safeco Fields. Emmert just wants that money re-directed to Husky Stadium when Qwest and Safeco are paid off. The earli...
8:12 AM Sun, Jan 25, 2009 | Permalink
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The Washington Assessment of Student learning, or WASL, received a death sentence this week. Newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn, announced that 2009 would be the WASL's last year. Next year there will be a new test. The WASL has been controversial from the beginning. Parents and teachers complained the test took too much class time, asked irrelevant questions, and didn't test math skills very well. This past yea...
9:30 AM Sun, Jan 18, 2009 | Permalink
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The decision to replace the Alaskan Way viaduct with a tunnel caught a lot of people by surprise. Twenty-two months ago, Seattle voters said by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent they did not want a tunnel. Of course, it was only an advisory vote. Governor Gregoire says the tunnel boring technology is much different than the cut and cover technology first considered. Others, like former Washington State Transportation Secretary Doug MacDona...
9:30 AM Sun, Jan 11, 2009 | Permalink
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No doubt the big snow storm in December caused a lot of frustration for people who needed to get from one place to another. A news report this past week suggests that impassable streets may have even played a part in one person's death. Does that mean the city should shoulder the blame for not clearing the streets better? Perhaps you think the city did as well as it could given how rarely we get snowfalls that last ten days. Some members o...
9:48 PM Sat, Jan 03, 2009 | Permalink
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Lawmakers say the legislature has its work cut out for it simply trying to balance the budget this year. Still, hundreds of new laws will be proposed. Will we see another proposal to allow dogs in taverns? What about another attempt to outlaw off-road vehicles on state land or allow sobriety roadblocks? What law would you like to see passed in the 2009 legislature?
...
9:00 AM Sun, Dec 28, 2008 | Permalink
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Obviously most of us won't forget the snow storm of 2008 any time soon. The presidential election and the shrinking economy are also going to be vivid memories for many if not all of us. Members of the news media have watched the shrinking newspaper business with horror. No doubt the strike looms big for Boeing workers. Perhaps you were laid off and the so-called recession may look more like a depression to you. Do you miss the Sonics? Le...
7:32 AM Sun, Dec 21, 2008 | Permalink
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A fire training center where training has to be limited because of water run-off concerns; sewage and solid waste stations adorned with expensive artwork; a garbage truck that never gets used; and bus drivers who make six figure incomes after overtime. These are all examples of your tax dollars at work. Perhaps you think some or all of these expenditures are fine. Maybe you don't. Let us know your opinion and your pet peeves about how gove...
9:25 AM Sun, Dec 14, 2008 | Permalink
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Police say there's a gang war going on and that's why we're seeing shootings in malls, clubs and on our streets. Recently the Seattle City Council passed a youth violence initiative to address gang problems. Only a relatively small amount of the money was directed toward police work, and that mainly to increase police presence in targeted schools. Most of the money will go to programs trying to keep kids out of gangs. Do you think the city...
9:30 AM Sun, Dec 07, 2008 | Permalink
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All the news about the state budget seems bad. The shortfall is estimated at 5.8 billion dollars and likely to continue growing. Governor Gregoire has floated the possibility of 20 percent cuts to higher education. Openings for new enrollees to the Basic Health Plan are being cut in half. Cuts to K through 12 education seem likely if legislators decide the cuts won't impact basic education.
Is it time to consider raising taxes t...
6:44 AM Sun, Nov 30, 2008 | Permalink
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Michael Medved criticizes our misreading of history. He says the United States was founded as a Christian nation by Christians, was not uniquely guilty of slavery, and that corporations help enrich Americans -- they don't impoverish them. Medved thinks wrong-headed ideas about American history are pervasive in schools and government. He points to an example in the Seattle Public Schools when an administrator asked teachers to be sensitive t...
4:09 PM Sat, Nov 22, 2008 | Permalink
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Bellevue researcher Jim Hebert says business leaders in the Seattle area think the downturn will last , on average, about 19 to 20 months. They also believe the turnaround will begin on Main Street before it begins on Wall Street. That means, according to Hebert, that jobs and business investment will bounce back before the Dow does. This would be a fundamental change from how recent recessions have ended.
In the mean time, he sees...
7:37 AM Sun, Nov 16, 2008 | Permalink
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Bill Fleckenstein has been saying for years a day of economic reckoning was in our future. Fleckenstein blames the low interest rate policies of the federal reserve under Alan Greenspan for the economic bubble that is now bursting. He says credit should have been tightened to try and avoid some of the economic pain we are beginning to experience. Of course, low interest rates helped people buy homes, cars and other things that drive our con...
7:07 AM Sun, Nov 02, 2008 | Permalink
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It has been a long campaign season. The presidential candidates have been at it for more than a year and hundreds of millions of dollars. Democrat Christine Gregoire and Republican DIno Rossi arguably have been running since 2004. They are breaking spending records too. It's deja vu in the 8th Congressional District features with two candidates, Darcy Burner and Dave Reichert, who faced off in 2006. People in the Puget Sound face Proposi...
7:19 AM Sun, Oct 26, 2008 | Permalink
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Initiative 1000 would allow people diagnosed with only six months to live to obtain a lethal prescription from a doctor. Oregon has had this law on the books for ten years. The number who have used it has grown slowly over that period to 49 last year. Proponents say it allows dying people to take control of the end of their lives and gain a measure of dignity. Opponents argue that society shouldn't legalize suicide and it's a slippery slop...
6:42 AM Sun, Oct 19, 2008 | Permalink
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When you ask people, they say they don't care for negative ads, but political strategists say they work. Very few -- if any of these ads -- tell the whole story. They insinuate, they spin, and in some cases they are simply wrong. Millions of dollars are being spent on these ads to influence the gubernatorial campaign. Most of that money isn't coming from the candidates campaigns; it's coming from so-called independent expenditures. These a...
6:53 AM Sun, Oct 12, 2008 | Permalink
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Rob McKenna is the incumbent Republican Washington State Attorney General. He is considered a rising star in the Republican party, a candidate with bi-partisan appeal who has been mentioned as a likely candidate for governor. His challenger is Democrat John Ladenburg. Ladenburg has been the Pierce County Executive and the Pierce County prosecutor. He attacks McKenna for not being a strong consumer advocate, especially regarding ID theft a...
4:07 PM Sat, Oct 04, 2008 | Permalink
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The Sound Transit Board has placed another light rail measure on this fall's ballot. It's called Proposition One and it would create another 34 miles of light rail from Lynnwood to Federal Way to Redmond. It would also increase commuter rail (Sounder) between Seattle and Tacoma and add express bus service. Sound Transit says it will cost $17.8 billion before interest is added. The revenue to pay for this expansion would come from a half p...
8:04 AM Sun, Sep 28, 2008 | Permalink
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Initiative 985 is Tim Eyman's latest initiative. It would open up HOV lanes in certain off-peak commute periods, require cities and counties to synchronize stop lights, put more money into emergency roadside service, and fund all of this with money taken from certain fines, penalties and tolls. None of this money could be used for mass transit -- buses or rail, bike lanes, or wildlife crossings. Eyman says these changes will result in bette...
7:48 AM Sun, Sep 21, 2008 | Permalink
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Although the Republican and Democratic candidates for president get almost all the media coverage, third party presidential candidates have often tipped the balance to one candidate or another on election day. Remember Ralph Nader in 2000 or Ross Perot in 1992? This year there are a number of alternatives to Barack Obama and John McCain. Former Republican Representative Bob Barr is running on the Libertarian ticket. Ralph Nader is once ag...
7:36 AM Sun, Sep 07, 2008 | Permalink
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Seattle author and historian RIck Shenkman has a written a book that says American voters are ill-informed. He says good democratic government depends on informed voters and Americans are not living up to their responsibility. What really animates Shenkman is misconceptions about Saddam Hussein's connection to the 9/11 attacks. Here's an excerpt from an article he wrote for The Washington Post:
"Just before t...
7:32 AM Sun, Aug 31, 2008 | Permalink
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In 2006, Darcy Burner ran as the Democratic candidate in the 8th Congressional District against incumbent Dave Reichert. Burner linked Reichert to President Bush and his Iraq policies. Reichert's campaign challenged Burner's lack of public service experience. In the end, Reichert won a close race. Now, two years later, Burner is back. Does she have what it takes to defeat Reichert this time?
...
9:58 AM Sun, Aug 24, 2008 | Permalink
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Rep. Dave Reichert is running for a third term in the 8th Congressional District. Critics say Reichert's views on Iraq are not a good fit for the district. What do you think?
...
9:44 PM Sat, Aug 16, 2008 | Permalink
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Christine Gregoire is seeking another four year term. Gregoire points to her expansion of children's healthcare and education as two key accomplishments. She also says that, despite the down turn of the national economy, Washington state is doing relatively well. She answers questions about a budget shortfall, by saying she is on top of tax receipts and will take the actions necessary to keep the budget balanced. What do you think? Is she...
8:25 AM Sun, Aug 10, 2008 | Permalink
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One of the goals of campaign finance laws is to make the process transparent. Voters should know which campaigns and candidates are getting money, who's giving them money, and how much money is exchanging hands. What do you think? Is the system working? Is it clear to you which interest groups are supporting the different campaigns? Do you think you can easily figure out the individuals who are contributing to campaigns?
...
6:14 PM Fri, Aug 01, 2008 | Permalink
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In the primary on August 19th, King County voters will be asked to take the first steps toward a non-partisan county government. It's called Initiative 26 and it would turn the King County Executive, Prosecutor, Assessor and Council offices into non-partisan positions. Supporters say parties get in the way of local government. They argue, most local issues are not partisan. Opponents say, this is a Republican ploy to get more Republicans e...
2:06 PM Sat, Jul 26, 2008 | Permalink
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The Sound Transit board voted unanimously to place a 15-year, $17.6 billion measure on the November ballot. It would entail a .05 cent sales tax increase. In return voters get, among other things, 34 new miles of light rail. What do you think? Are voters in the mood to increase taxes for transportation projects? ...
8:54 PM Sat, Jul 19, 2008 | Permalink
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In 2004 Dino Rossi lost a disputed and highly publicized election to Christine Gregoire. Now he's back and most polls show the race is once again very close. Rossi is very critical of Gregoire's record and tout's his own accomplishments in the state legislature as evidence he can do a better job. What do you think? Has Rossi shown you he is ready to be governor? ...
8:01 AM Sun, Jul 13, 2008 | Permalink
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Thousands of convicted sex offenders in Washington State don't have a place to live after serving their prison sentences. They live under bridges, on streets and in impromptu campgrounds. Is the Department of Corrections doing a good enough job keeping track of these felons? What do you think of using tax dollars to provide housing for them so we know where they are? Would creating an ombudsman help provide a solution?
...
9:51 AM Sat, Jul 05, 2008 | Permalink
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Local author Paul Roberts in his book, The End of Food, suggests the end of food -- at least as we know it -- is on the horizon. After decades of increased crop production and declining levels of hunger, Roberts says, increases in food borne illnesses, rising petroleum prices, and the cost of staple foods like rice, corn and wheat signal a breakdown in our global food system. What do you think? Is the era of cheap and plentiful food about t...
7:41 PM Fri, Jun 20, 2008 | Permalink
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 After the first week of the Sonics trial, Seattle attorney Randy Aliment says he is optimistic that Seattle will end up hosting an NBA team in the future. He says the city has made its case ...
1:10 PM Fri, Jun 06, 2008 | Permalink
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 We recently witnessed Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain tramping through a soggy Pacific Northwest forest, calling global warming a national security issue.
We also caught ...
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