If you’re wondering why last week’s paper was so pleasant to read, it’s probably because my picture wasn’t in it.
Instead of my weekly complaining, this space was filled by a column from the head of the YarrowBay development company, (Brian Ross, CEO) who attempted to explain their side of the new law creating Community Facilities District (CFD) taxing authorities. He seemed a little peeved about my previous week’s column, but I spent most of it picking on a city councilor, and not the CFD itself.

Read Story

As the daughter of a disabled World War II veteran, I grew up knowing the sacrifice our veterans and their families make for our country firsthand. And today, those who have served us in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning from service to a particularly difficult job market. These brave men and women were the first to stand up and say, “I want to serve,” but they are often times the last to find employment when they return home.

Read Story

As the Puget Sound region’s population grows, so will scrutiny over Korean immigration.
Earlier this month, a handful of Federal Way officials and leaders visited South Korea, armed with a sales pitch for Korean investors. One tool in their arsenal is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which grants green cards to foreigners (and their families) who pump $1 million into Federal Way’s economy.

Read Story

A couple months ago I took the opportunity to rip apart “American Idol” for giving false hope to viewers of someday being rich and famous. I’m not finished. One of the biggest problems with the show is its insistence that singing some karaoke tunes on TV is enough to qualify someone as a celebrity.

Read Story

So. Women in technology. As in: women who work in IT or digital media. Women who write code and run databases. Women who test servers and fix bugs.

Read Story

The Puget Sound Region is expected to experience significant population growth in the next 20 years. Unlike the rapid and rambling expansion of the 1980s and 1990s, future growth will focus on predominantly “urban growth areas,” like ours, designed to contain sprawl and create higher quality and more sustainable communities.

Read Story

Forty years ago, when the first Earth Day was organized to draw attention to the serious environmental problems created by decades of thoughtless development and industrialization, few Americans realized the extent to which we had deforested our wild places, strip mined our mountains, and carelessly polluted our air and water.

Read Story

King County may ask us to OK a sales tax hike to pay for public safety. It’s always interesting that we’re never asked to pay more taxes to keep county office assistants, public relations departments or other miscellaneous staff on the payroll in tough times. It’s always public safety.

Read Story

I had three interviews last week. All for the same position. One over the phone; one with the contracting agency; one with the client. For a Web Producer role in which I’d be publishing web pages all day long.
It was, in a word, my very vision of perfection. No sooner than I got off the phone with the recruiter than I began dreaming about a clean, quiet cubicle space in Kirkland – one with a little sunshine, a spot for a plant and a photo of my husband.

Read Story

It has the makings of an Old Guard meltdown.
Last week, we were treated to the news of Maple Valley Councilwoman Linda Johnson walking out of a meeting to protest what she believed to be illegal acts committed by the city manager and the council. But a closer look at the issue doesn’t appear to support her accusations, and the very act she is opposed to may have saved this city many millions of dollars.

Read Story

So today I thought I would interview myself, because A) few of you wonderful folks have sent me job-hunting related questions, B) I’m up against my deadline and C) I just finished watching “Interview with the Vampire” and the dialogue seemed scarily apt.

Read Story

The new state budget has finally been worked out, and as expected, taxes are going up. It’s going to cost you more to drink beer, chew gum, smoke or buy water in a bottle. It’ll also cost you more to get your hair done, visit the doctor, sue somebody or get your taxes done.
It is refreshing to finally see some reduced spending in addition to the tax increases.

Read Story

Teenagers aren’t supposed to die.
They’re especially not supposed to die like this.
Phoebe Prince only had two strikes against her, and if you were a normal person, they were not strikes at all.

Read Story

OK, so the aggressive panhandling ordinance passed in Covington last year didn’t completely work. The icky people are still out there on the street corners, so maybe now we need a passive panhandling ordinance, right?
I use the term “icky people” with tongue firmly in cheek, but that does represent the views of some citizens, which you can read in the online comments on this paper’s Web site. Most of them think that the handouts only go towards drugs and alcohol, but that’s not completely accurate. Even hardcore junkies have to eat every now and then, and most of them can’t stand still that long.

Read Story

This Legislative session seemed like mostly bad news – tax increases, budget woes and a rough economy were overwhelming. However, it is a mistake to miss that this was the best public safety session in decades

Read Story

I was reading a news article a couple of days ago about a Périgord truffle known as the Black Diamond. These are not the chocolate candies, but the precious truffles that cost a million dollars to fry up and plop on your toasted cheese sandwich made with Wonder bread and Velveeta.

Read Story

Things to do when you’re unemployed.
• Sleep.
• Get up.
• Go to the kitchen to make coffee.
• Remind yourself that the cereal goes in the fridge and the milk in the cupboard.

Read Story

Sometimes I wish that we scrutinized our politicians as much as we do our retailers.
For example, occasionally I’ll get a call from a customer who is furious because the item she ordered yesterday hasn’t arrived yet (at 10 in the morning). Or maybe another one is annoyed because the shipping charge is $8.95, but three years ago it was only $6.95.
But if you ask these same people to take the time to scrutinize where their thousands of property tax dollars are going, they don’t have a response. I know this because I’m crazy enough to ask.

Read Story

It is no secret that Google ranks among the most innovative companies in the world. (Just type “Google + innovations” in their search engine and you get more than eight million hits right away.) One would assume that they have assembled one of the smartest and most creative workforces anywhere. The few Google employees I have personally met were smart all right, but they didn’t strike me as supernaturally gifted. All those willing to talk to me about working for Google (not all are inclined to do so) said they enjoyed being with the company, primarily because they felt appreciated there.

Read Story

As the 2010 State Legislative Special Session ensues, the fear of higher taxes is weighing heavy on the minds of many Washingtonians.
Business owners, families and prospective employers are watching and waiting to see whether spending will be curbed or taxes will be raised.

Read Story