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Park On: $8 billion budget shortfall

No other state wants to have a budget like California. But it appears that Washington state comes pretty close. This week Washington forecast an $8 billion shortfall in its budget.

A window into our budget crisis

Postcards from Olympia

We're already well into the 2009 legislative session, and we are facing historic challenges in Olympia.

Scouts on the march to collect food for the needy

If you get a knock on the door soon, it might be a Boy Scout trying to do some good.

Postcards from Olympia

Nickerson Street planning is way off track

The exhausting, long-running debate over the future of the Viaduct is now, finally, coming to an end. The state Senate voted last week to move forward with the open-waterfront approach negotiated among city, county and state leaders. The state House is next in line and-hopefully-we can get the package to the governor's desk for her signature.

The real St. Patrick

Linda of London

Happy St. Patrick's Day, March 17, which is dedicated to the little bit of Irish in all of us. A time for green beer, green bagels, parades, Irish tenors and green stripes painted down the centre line of streets, and of course corned beef and cabbage, leprechauns, shamrocks, and general rejoicing for everyone.

Ask Ray about Real Estate

Dear Ray: I am thinking about buying a home but am confused about the tax credit. How does it work? What's in the fine print? How will it help me?Diana

Good houses at good prices getting attention

Homebuyers appear to be in a "mental filibuster," according to one real estate executive upon seeing the latest figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). The report on February activity for 19 counties across Washington shows slight gains in pending sales and selling prices from January, but brokers say many would-be buyers remain on the sidelines, paralyzed by the uncertain economy.

Spring vagaries ...

Notes from the Garden

Just when you thought it was safe to plant out those leggy seedlings, big, fat, fluffy snowflakes filled the skies and whitened the ground. Fortunately, by mid-day, all was slush rather than frozen solid. Yet still not a pleasant picnic to work in. It was that exquisitely balmy 50-degree day last week that promised us the end to winter's nasty coldness. Ha!

St. Anne's student to battle in Bee

St. Anne's eighth grader Jackson Studzinski will make a bid next month to be the 2009 Washington Geographic Bee champ.

Goodbye to Queen Anne dog

Puccini, a friend of many in Queen Anne, left the hill for a higher place of peace.

Corner Poets

Tulalip, Wa.

the hills were stippled with poppiesan opium dreamwhere the moon kids gatheredon the shore

QA lacrosse tops North Seattle

On Saturday, March 21, the Queen Anne Boys Lacrosse team defeated North Seattle 8-7 in sudden death overtime.

Magnolian gets music award

Talman Welle, a Magnolia resident and classical pianist, was recently honored by the Music Teacher's National Association (MTNA) with the Permanent Professional Certification in Piano. The certificate is reserved for teachers who have maintained MTNA professional certification for a minimum of 10 years.

Corner Poets 4/1/09

Between Songs By Ryan Barret

Afraid of this silence?Does it deafen you?Echoing off of everything, isit staggering here at the Center of everything?

The new recycling plan has begun? Aww rats!

The Right Side

City Council President Richard Conlin's rat feeding program was launched last week and will bring even more of the rodents to your alley where they can join the possums and raccoons.