Politics
In search of passenger-only ferry service that pencils out
A 'return of the mosquito fleet' might make sense, but finding the right combination of public and private money to float a useful and economical service has proved elusive.
William Echols
Latest work
Culture
For some, Seattle is evergreen; others say the Emerald City has lost its shine
Update: Jonathan Raban's recent essay on Crosscut has sparked a big debate: What was Seattle, what has it become, and how did that happen?
Culture
Miracle: A mainstream newspaper sheds the pretense of detachment
Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer has been chronicling the lives of a girl with terminal cancer and her family. Gloria Strauss' parents pray that a miracle will occur, that she will survive. A common story line. Not so common is Brewer's emotional immersion, his willingness to be openly close to
Politics
Here are the real statistics, and they support light rail
As a counterpoint to last week's article by Emory Bundy, here are some figures that suggest light rail is a better deal than claimed, environmentally and economically, and other modes of mass transit are not as good.
Politics
Norm Dicks, the Northwest's Earmark King
Budget "earmarks" are considered by many the key gauge of wasteful government spending on pet projects, like Alaska's famous "bridge to nowhere." Seniority has its privileges. Tacoma's Norm Dicks, a 15-term Democrat, ranks sixth among congressmen with the most earmarks, raking in $44 million last ye