Oh, Greg. You are trying to break our hearts! Just when we vilify you for airballing the Sonics all the way to OKC for a cool $45 million – you show you're a real Mayor-about-townhouses and plastic bag taxes.
For better or worse, everybody's talking about Mayor Nickels' proposals today. Erica C. Barnett at The Stranger says she spotted a "Plastic Monster" at last night's public-comment meeting about the proposed plastic bag tax, while Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat warns if we don't choose paper, the plastic bag police will get us. Meanwhile, the folks at Sound Politics rail against Nickels for the new townhouse plan, which they argue will regulate affordable housing "out of existence." ...
Did someone say housing?: P-I columnist Joel Connelly calls for state House Speaker Frank Chopp to stop playing "footsie" with the Building Industry Association of Washington and strengthen homeowners' rights. ...
Boeing's big chance: The Pentagon – not the Air Force – will be in charge of the billion-dollar tanker bid re-do. ...
Birth control's big bust?: Josh Feit at The Stranger reports on yesterday's Plan B showdown in Federal Court, where he speculates the ban mandating that pharmacies must fill prescriptions for birth control will be overturned.
Another politician from Predator?: If you didn't get enough of actor and former governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura or Cullyfawnia's Governator Arnold Shawarzenegger – there's still hope, 80s action movie fans. Sonny Landham, yet another star from Predator, is running for office. ...
Another case against Jim McDermott: Times political reporter David Postman says yesterday's Crosscut story by Don Glickstein makes a lousy argument. ...
Another contested election? The editorial board at The Seattle Times says we shouldn't listen to the "party control freaks" begging to sack the "top-two" primary. ...
Voice of the Sonics: Kevin Calabro gets political, saying the city government should get out of the entertainment business and do what governments do best, "mow grass at parks and occasionally pave a road."
Voice of the gas tank: Idaho resident Jack Gerard is about to become the chief lobbyist for the oil industry and the "most hated man in Washington."
Voice of the river: Like salmon? The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking citizens interested in salmon recovery efforts.
What's up, Doc? Medicare patients are finding it increasingly hard to find doctors willing to take the pay-cut needed to treat them. ...
Not knowing what's up: Some surprise candidates are trying a frugal new tactic when it comes to campaigning – not campaigning.
Not giving a shit: Former Oregon GOP chairman Craig Berkman ignores his millions of dollars of debt and donates $50,000 to political causes. ...
The next Golden Gate?: Portland's City Council will vote today to decide whether their new I-5 bridge replacement will have an expensive but "signature, distinctive design" worthy of a postcard. Some Democrats, however, say the bigger freeway corridor is a bad idea. ...
The next California?: Oregon judges slam opponents of the state's gay rights law. ...
The next Swift Boat?: Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith says his opponent's ads are illegal. ...
The next Big Brother: Ready for some accountability for Seattle police? Well, here's your list of watchdogs. ...
Please remember where we came from: Times columnist Bruce Ramsey remembers the good ol' days when he traveled downtown for Kung Fu lessons. ...
Please don't remove your laptop: There's a new bag that you can sneak past airport security and the TSA won't even care. ...
Please pick a candidate already: In Washington's 36th Legislative District, Democrats can't figure out which Democrat they want to endorse. ...
And finally, it was close but no cigar for supporters of Initiative 1016. The proposed initiative to allow smoking in private clubs and cigar bars fell just 10,000 signatures short of reaching the ballot. It looks like those victory cigars supporters bought will have to be lit outside. ...
