Taking the step into home ownership is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime. There are many factors to consider when embarking on this venture. Literally hundreds of loan programs are available, and it is important to find the one that best fits your personal long-term goals.
The pending decision by the legislature to axe the state’s Adult Day Health (ADH) program is going to cause tremendous harm to thousands of seriously ill seniors and disabled people across Washington state. And it will all but end this innovative approach to efficient, community-based care for a very vulnerable population, costing more than 500 jobs in the process.
Give the bikini baristas a break
The Big Brothers program was 4 years old, and it would be 11 more years before women had the right to vote. Wilbur and Orville Wright had convinced the U.S. Army a year earlier that their newly invented airplane could stay aloft for more than an hour.
It’s tempting to dismiss the violence occurring in our community. It’s far easier to imagine such pain living in another neighborhood. In recent days, the topic of domestic violence reemerged as celebrity Chris Brown was charged with the assault of pop star and girlfriend Rihanna. As headlines ran, we remembered O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown and we are again reminded abuse and violence in intimate relationships dwell in every corner of the world without prejudice — in Hollywood and at home in Bothell.
Deregulation
April 26, 2009. That is the last day of the Legislature under the state Constitution. That’s less than one month away. Lawmakers still have yet to face the $8 billion deficit that we face.
As I drive by the umpteen coffee huts along Bothell Way, I must say, I’m absolutely disgusted that the “bikini barista” has hit our town. I’ve always been appalled by the young ladies in Kenmore that don’t seem to mind displaying themselves for folks to gawk at, and now that it’s moved into my town, I’m very disappointed and outraged. Save the bikinis for the beach, the night clubs or the bedroom, ladies!
In 2009, we witnessed the demise of major metro dailies such as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Denver’s Rocky Mountain News. More will follow.
Last week, my family and I went out to dinner. A normal family activity you might think, but not this time. Last week was the first time in months that we had gone out to eat. What used to be a weekly ritual, turned into a rare occurrence after the market took a dramatic turn last October. My family is pretty plugged into the business world, so I am used to lectures and family discussions about bad loans and the dismal housing market.
In our culture, we are consistently surrounded by images of what it means to be beautiful, desired, accepted. Images conveyed through our media and displayed within our community speak to the value of appearance most notably depicted by the physical body. Regardless of whether we personally value the ideal or should ascribe to its belief, the message of our culture is clear — to be regarded as beautiful, one must be thin.
I wanted to rave about the generosity of a Kirkland business to a student in my first-grade class.
Imagine a different kind of commute — sipping coffee on a boat as you glide over Lake Washington and watch the day break over Mount Rainier; stepping off a dock and onto a bus that sweeps you off to your final destination in a matter of minutes. Now, contrast that to your current battle through bumper-to-bumper traffic as you inch your way along miles of pavement. It is time to make water-taxi service across Lake Washington a viable way to travel.
The cartoon to the right may look inviting for the first three frames, but then the pain kicks in come the fourth drawing. All of a sudden, the blue skies, green grass and yellow flowers seem to fade away and bring a stream of emotions to the forefront.
As if public schools in our area were not feeling enough of a budget crunch for the foreseeable future, the subject is on the table in the Lake Washington School District to shift from three-year to four-year high schools in that district.
Since I first met Marcia at a company event (our husbands work together), I keep bumping into her around town — at the Northshore YMCA where she exercises and at Steve’s Restaurant on Main Street where she meets for breakfast with the Bothell Chamber of Commerce crew.
I can honestly tell you that my future is in full swing. I can’t remember the last day my mom hadn’t asked me about college, when teachers forgot to assign homework to “make us better” or when the word career was just a six-letter word. That’s hardly true anymore. My mom is constantly badgering me about colleges I should attend and majors I should consider. As for teachers, they are assigning as much grueling homework as ever. And, in my vocabulary, the word career is a life-altering six-letter word.
In November 2008, we submitted an article to the Kenmore Reporter titled “Delving into the excessive costs of a new Kenmore city hall.” The article examined the building process and its funding. Since then, circumstances have changed in the building industry with an impact on the Kenmore city-hall project. The ensuing delay allowed the City Council to place the project into an open bidding process, even though it is in conflict with the existing contract. The escalating economic crisis provided a highly competitive environment resulting in about $5 million cost reduction. This came about due to a deteriorating economy and not by any individual or group decision. The result is a positive benefit for the citizens of Kenmore.
They’ve taken the handoff, and the Pop Keeney Stadium scoreboard committee is heading toward the end zone.
Recently, I’ve become more involved in the “Save Darfur” campaign through Inglemoor High, giving me a broader view of the situation in Sudan.
