Outline for Seattle Budget Cuts

1. What will happen?
1. The city of Seattle plans to close its libraries for a week during the summer and lay off 30 city workers
2. midyear budget shortfall
3. Nickels announced his plans to cut $13.3 million out of the 2009 general-fund budget.
4. said he will spend $5 million of the city's rainy-day fund to close a budget gap caused by lower-than-expected tax revenue.
2. In all, the city is cutting 59 positions in July, but only about half are filled.
1. Those 30 employees learned Friday their jobs are in danger
2. About 100 other employees will take an unpaid week off this year, and executives with the city will take pay cuts.
3. The mayor himself said he wrote the city a check for about $5,000, returning the cost-of-living raise he got this year.
4. It's no secret that we are in the worst economic crisis in decades here in Seattle," Nickels said during a news conference.
5. Nickels said he will make no cuts to direct human services or to police officers.
3. The cuts the mayor announced Friday, along with money left over from 2008, will cover this year's $29.5 million shortfall.
1. Most city departments will take between a 1 and 3 percent cut
2. Some will delay purchases of computer equipment. Others will reduce expenses for travel, interns, postage, office supplies.
3. The mayor plans to cut $400,000 he set aside for public toilets when the city's automated public toilets were declared a failure and removed from downtown. He will close the Atlantic Street Nursery, which provides plants for parks, and cut some parks maintenance.
4. The Seattle Public Library initially proposed shorter branch hours, but the mayor reinstated $500,000 to its budget to allow it to keep its regular hours and avoid layoffs.
4. The reaction
1. Linda Averill of Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity said the city should cut more deeply from executive salaries and consider tax reform to avoid affecting front-line employees. She said it's not enough to avoid cuts to human services, and that in hard times the city should increase spending.
2."When you look at the picture overall, it's pretty grim. So even if they cut one whatever percent, what they need to be doing is actually boosting spending," she said.
3. The city's budget cuts won't be over then.
4. Budget director Dwight Dively projects the city will be about $40 million short in 2010. There is still $25 million in the rainy-day fund to help close that gap.

Corrections

1. He looked through the door, but he did not see anyone inside the church.
2. "We could wait to see if anyone else came, or we could go back home," she said.
3. Reed, a graduate of Washington State University, was elected Secretary of State in 2000.
4. The organization paid the speaker $1,000, but its officers were unable to attend the event.
5. According to Washington state law, bars will become smoke-free on Feb. 15.
6. He saw Karen and they had coffee.
7. The bales are then sold to a processing center in Tacoma, Wash., which ships them to Moscow, Idaho.
8.It was raining, we stayed home. (Correct)
9. Later he phoned again. (Correct)
10. This will end up having an effect on consumers, she said.
11. He introduced the speaker to Floyd, Moos and Wulff.

tragedy on ice- Brynn, Jenna, Kristin

Four boys age 7 to 11 drowned when a group of seven boys plunged through thin ice. As seven boys finished their snack run from the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club to Hanson's Market yesterday afternoon, a sudden urge to slide around prompted 11-year-old William Rodriguez to dash for the serene expanse of river ice. The ice was one to two inches thick where they ventured off the river bank. Lawrence and Andover firefighters equipped with ice rescue suits arrived and after a search of the area where the boys went in, found the four remaining boys under the ice, 25 feet from shore in 15-20 feet of water. Members of the state police, Lawrence Police and Merrimack Valley dive teams entered the 38-degree water and conducted an area search to be sure no one was left behind. Because of the steep embankment, rescuers were forced to use ladders to bring the children up off the river to the waiting ambulances. The catastrophe left four boys dead, their families crushed and rescue workers shaken following an afternoon of fighting a river of broken ice, the steep mud-covered bank and driving rain. Police said the four dead boys were trapped under the ice at least 10 minutes. Dead are William Rodriguez, 11, of 292 Howard St.; Christopher Casado, 7, of 18 Jasper Court; Mackendy Constant, 8, of 7 Clinton St.; and Victor Baez, 9, 46 Bernard Ave. Surviving the incident were Francis Spraus, 9, 14 School St.; Christopher's brother Ivan Casado, 9, 18 Jasper Court; Jaycob Morales, 10, 4 Winslow Place. Four inches is considered the minimum to support more than one person, and river ice may not be safe even at that thickness because of currents and other factors. It was a playful impulse that ended with his plunge through the ice, setting off an ill-fated rescue attempt that deteriorated into a mass of desperate children clinging to each other in 35-degree water. "I threw the rope out once and it landed too far away, so I threw it out again, and again it was too far for them to reach," said Jacques Fournier, a retired maintenance worker. Ivan and Francis were released from the hospital last night, and recalled the story from its quiet start. Willie said he wanted to go down to the river, to slide on the Ice," Ivan said. “We tried to stop him.” "He was in the middle of the river," Francis said, Ivan finishing the sentence: "Then the ice broke and he fell down in the water." "Then we all fell in," Francis said. "I thought I was going to drown." "My legs started to get stiff, and I had a freezing headache," Francis said. "I was hanging on to Christopher, but he started to slip under. I tried holding on to his hand, but it was like he let go." It was the worst local Merrimack River tragedy in nearly a century.

Order

The council discussed public intoxication, the threat to student health, and whether any laws prevented the council from banning the drinks. The meeting began at 7 p.m on Wednesday. First, the city council discussed its consent agenda. Then it discussed whether local residents should be able to buy energy drinks that contain alcohol..“These college kids are out of control and caffeinated booze is the only cause,” said Councilman Arlen Judge. “A ban will solve all our problems at once.” Students planned to protest the meeting, but only two students attended the meeting. “We’re being hit with tuition increases and more debt. Please don’t take away our cheap buzz,” said Will Wilson, a 24-year-old undeclared sophomore. Finally, after 45 minutes of debate, the City Council voted unanimously to ban alcoholic energy drinks within city limits. “This ban will finally restore order to College Hill,” said Judith Peterson, a 44-year-old podiatrist who lives near campus.

Navigating agendas and minutes

2. a.)Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee meeting.
b.)(509) 397-5240 by 5:00 p.m

3. a.)Chairman Greg Partch

4. a.) 4
b.) 600,000 doses
c.) 360 doses
d.) Dr. Moody feels we should wait to distribute the vaccine until there is enough injectable vaccine to offer to the majority of residents
e.) Whitman County's top health officer recommended that the county should wait to distribute an H1N1 vaccine until it is available for more residents.

Active Vs. Passive

1. Police in riot gear fired rubber coated bullets intot the crowd.
2. The boss informed the employees of the layoffs later in the day.
3. LeBron James missed a three-point shot with five seconds left in the game.
4. Participants in the survey were asked about their changes in political affiliation.
5. Raoul avoided tall buildings and mountain roads because he was afraid of heights.
6. The Legislature is considering the bill.
7. The earthquake destroyed the tiny island.
8. The class is reading the book.
9. The doctor at the hospital performed an experimental operation yesterday.
10. The downed airliner covered the wheat field with debris.

Fire Story

Four local victims died on Tuesday as a result of an apartment fire.

The fire broke out at 7:30 a.m on Tuesday at an apartment on 1172 S.Columbia Ave in Pullman. The Pullman and Moscow fire departments were called after flames broke out.

Carolyn L. Carothers, 13, and Samantha M. Jones, 17, were pronounced dead after being rushed to the Pullman Medical Center.

The two other victims were found in the front bedroom of the first-floor apartment and were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names have not been released yet.

There was a gasoline canister found on the first floor of the apartment and according to Whitman County Prosecutor Paula T. Doe, they are investigating whether the fire was accidental or intentional.

The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office is offering up to a $10,000 reward for details on this fire. Fire officials said that the damage caused by the fire has cost more than $1 million.

John Wilson, a 19-year-old Journalism student and resident of the apartment complex, said that he saw headlights in the driveway early this morning but he didn't hear anything that led him to think there might be trouble.

Det. William Miles, a detective for the Pullman Police, said that they have opened an initial investigation into this fire and cannot comment further until their 4p.m press conference.

Players in White

They passed the ball 15 times.

Code of Ethics: What would you do?

1. Yes, you do need to attribute this article to the other media.

2. You technically "could" use them but you shouldn't. If you were to write a story that included "top secret" information that you illegally obtained, the evidence will be inadmissable in court, which would result in a loss of valuable information.

3. I don't think it's a good idea to create a caricature of a child who is sniffing harmful things and call them "typical". This would create a panic among parents and cause unnecessary problems. While it is very important to make parents aware of the situation, I think it would be a better idea to think of something to spread the word that will create less of a panic.

4. I think that it would be important to go. Right now, the public has such a negative opinion of the military and the work they are doing over in Afganistan and it would be valuable to show the public the humanitarian side.

Top 10 Code of Ethics

This is the order that I have found to be most important:

1. Seek the Truth and Report it: Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.

2. Seek the Truth and Report it:  Never plagiarize

3. Seek the Truth and Report it: Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.

4. Minimize Harm: Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
5. Minimize Harm: Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.

6. Be Accountable: Admit mistakes and correct them promptly
7. Be Accountable: Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
8. Act Independently: Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
9. Act Independently: Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
10. Minimize Harm: Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.

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