News Clips— Pressing/Depressing

Published 7:00 am Monday, October 9, 2006

PRESSING	DEPRESSING
The Seattle Times now wants to enrich Paul Allen by running the proposed light-rail line through his South Lake Union property holdings. Hey, doesn’t the Bothell-bound Times own a few parcels down there, too?	Vendors outside Safeco Field must pay $68 for a street use permit. This will protect the Seattle Mariners from unfair competition—that half-billion-dollar stadium apparently wasn’t enough to balance the scales.
Washington ranks fourth among U.S. states in the use of antidepressant drugs. No celebration is planned: Since we started taking Paxil, we just don’t get that excited about anything.	Gov. Gary Locke wants another legislative special session to allow work on a transportation plan. Given that the Olympia gang took six months to merely pass a budget, we’d advise everyone to clear their schedules through Christmas.
Happy first birthday to the Experience Music Project: Better still, after 12 months, its lumpy building is still standing upright—we think.	State social worker Tim Abbey has been promoted despite his role in the disastrous Wenatchee child sex abuse scandal, in which 18 of a total of 26 felony convictions have been overturned. Says a state spokesperson: “Close enough for government work.”