Sunday, July 5, 2009 - Page updated at 03:37 a.m.
Jockipedia Web site tracks athletes
Douglas Warshaw has a theory: Sports fans can't read enough athletes' Twitter posts, blog entries and Facebook messages but they need a...
U.S. overpowers Grenada 4-0 in Gold Cup soccer opener
The U.S. crushed Grenada 4-0 in a CONCACAF Gold Cup match at Qwest Field, with Robbie Rogers scoring a goal and adding two assists.
Lance Armstrong a solid 10th in Tour de France's first stage
Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara powered to a convincing, 18-second victory in the Tour de France's first stage, a 9.6-mile time trial.
Sideline Chatter
Sideline Chatter: The grand slam for professional sports
Guess she should've blocked a few shots after the game, too. Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi was cited for drunken driving at 2:30 a...
Serena beats Venus for 3rd title
It is rare to see Venus Williams telegraph defeat on Wimbledon's Centre Court, where she has triumphed so many times. But masterful serving and...
Wimbledon | Roger Federer is favored to defeat Andy Roddick
As American Andy Roddick plotted and perspired over the years to get back to the place and the round where he once belonged, the opponent...
AL | Yankees Chien-Ming Wang leaves game with shoulder trouble
Chien-Ming Wang's next start is in jeopardy after the New York right-hander left early against Toronto.
Russell Branyan, Mariners fight off the Red Sox
First baseman finishes an 11-pitch at-bat with a game-tying sacrifice fly to left. Then Takashi Saito walks the bases loaded in the ninth and Chris Woodward singles in the game-winning run to defeat the Boston, 3-2.
An instruction guide for hecklers
web-summary tag with dummy text.
Retired quarterback and a woman were shot to death in Nashville
Larry Stone
Mariners deserve big All-Star contingent
Ichiro, Russell Branyan, David Aardsma and Felix Hernandez have the numbers, but will the team being in the middle of the pack hurt their chances?
Make sure you have the correct escape cord on your crab pots
In the northwest Straits, an estimated 372,000 crabs die each year in "lost pots"
Steve Kelley
Hatred for the NBA runs deep, but don't take it out on the players
When Portland and Phoenix play an exhibition game at KeyArena this fall, fans should use it as a chance to welcome home McMillan, Roy and Webster.
Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
Assessors in both counties say the decades-long rise in home values followed by a sudden decline has made it unusually tough to appraise property.
Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
Travelers hitting the road around Washington this summer will notice lots of changes born of the recession — from lower menu prices to more child- and pet-friendly B&Bs and more hotel rooms available last-minute. This spells good deals for tourists but struggle for small-business owners, who are trying to find new ways to stay alive.
Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
Seattle's landmark Smith Tower is now at least 70 percent vacant; also, some former InfoSpace executives are off the hook in lawsuit alleging tens of millions in improper payments to option holders.
Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
Sound Transit plans further tests after complaints of screeching and grating loud enough to affect sleep and property values.
Seattle safety project: A snake shelter on Beacon Hill
Seattle's first public herpetarium, or reptile habitat, opened in June in Beacon Hill's Jose Rizal Park, to provide shelter for the local garter snake population. The modest structure was built with rocks and concrete debris that had been removed for the benefit of Seattle Parks Department mowing crews.
Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
Security and logistical concerns at the University of Washington have stalled the school's decision on whether to allow Tent City 3 to relocate to campus after the proposal won unanimous support from the Faculty Senate in May.
Snohomish County PUD seeking homemade energy
The feisty utility that uncovered audiotapes of Enron Corp. traders discussing gouging "poor grandmothers" is hedging its bet against another energy crisis.
Two years ago, veteran smokejumper Sara Brown dived out of a plane into a wildfire and shattered all of the bones in her right leg.
Budget cutbacks close county offices
King County offices will be closed Monday as the county government takes the sixth of its 10 mandated furlough days this year.
Stopped motorist hurts officer, flees
A Seattle police officer was injured early Saturday when he was dragged by a car driven by a man stopped for reckless driving.
At Seattle Center 500 take oath to become U.S. citizens;
More than 500 people from 79 different countries took the oath of citizenship Saturday at Seattle Center. Motivated by love, freedom, a fresh start, or the opportunity to vote, for each person who received the naturalization certificate, it was the end of a long journey.
I-90 road work could delay travelers
Travelers, take note: You could face some long delays returning to Seattle on Interstate 90.
Man found dead in King County Jail was on trial for rape
A man found dead in the King County Jail after hanging himself was on trial in the rape of a woman in Wallingford last year, authorities confirmed Saturday.
Masked intruders shoot man near Federal Way
A 47-year-old man was shot and seriously wounded Friday night when two masked men stormed into a house in the 4900 block of S. 284th Place, east of Federal Way in unincorporated King County.
Anti-tax rally in Olympia attracts about 1,500
The Washington State Patrol says about 1,500 people attended an anti-tax rally on the Capitol campus on Independence Day.
Auto Racing | Tony Stewart bumps his way to win
Tony Stewart led lap after lap around Daytona International Speedway, using a flawless pit-road performance to inch closer to his second...
Golf | AT&T National has final pairing of Anthony Kim, Tiger Woods
Anthony Kim finally gets a crack at Tiger Woods — and when he says he has been practicing for a moment like this all his life, Kim...
Emerald Downs | Elusive Horizon proves tough to catch
Elusive Horizon took the early lead, then held off favored Gadget Queen to win the $50,000 King County Handicap on Saturday at Emerald Downs...
Larry Stone's MLB power rankings
Last week's ranking in parentheses Team 1 Dodgers (1) Canceled promotions: Manny Ramirez Female Fertility Drug Ingesting Bobblehead 2 Boston...
Saturday's Emerald Downs results; Sunday's handicap
Saturday (Track fast) 16 ½ furlongs, purse $6,650, maiden claiming $7,500, 3-year-olds. Horse /Jockey 1/4 Str Fin Odds Hit the Juice...
Soccer | Real Madrid boss spends to add talent
It is not often a man in a blue suit is serenaded by 40,000 screaming soccer fans. But when that man is Florentino Perez, the president...
NL | Manny Ramirez homers in second game back for Dodgers
Manny Ramirez hit his 534th career home run, then dodged reporters' questions after the Dodgers' loss to San Diego.
NW Briefs
Hydros driver Jean Theoret hospitalized after accident
Jean Theoret, driver of the U-37 Miss Bello's Pizza, is hospitalized in stable but guarded condition after a blowover accident during an...
Rainiers, AquaSox win in extra innings
Tacoma got past Salt Lake 7-5 in 12 innings and Everett beat Yakima 3-2 in 10 in minor-league games Saturday night.
Briefs | Poker: WSOP entrants start with more chips
Poker World Series of Poker director expects longer main event this year: The main event of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas will...
Just one man's opinion Jerry Brewer's recent two-part series on the impact of the Sonics' move ("Our team, their town," Thursday) is a clear...
Toyota's Toyoda scolds execs for emulating U.S. car companies' mistakes
Toyota Motor's honorary chairman, Shoichiro Toyoda, scolded the company's president for being so anxious to boost sales and profits that he'd let Toyota emulate now bankrupt General Motors and Chrysler. Toyota, he said, had become addicted to big, expensive cars and trucks and had forgotten customers' need to save money.
Money Makeover
Financial makeover: A "go-getter" goes after her spending habit
Nina Davis has met plenty of challenges in her life. "I'm a go-getter," Davis says. "And a really hard worker." Now she is working at spending less, cutting her debt and building for the future of her and her daughter.
Do your homework before buying brokered CDs
Even relatively safe, federally insured certificates of deposit issued by banks and credit unions can pose hazards for investors seeking to squeeze the biggest returns from their portfolios amid a slumping stock market and historically low interest rates.
Mutual-fund deposits shift into low gear
U.S. mutual funds added $3.75 billion in net deposits two weeks ago, the lowest inflows since a stock-market rally began in March.
Consumers aren't so reckless after all
We often hear about how consumer spending makes up 70 percent of the economy, but one strategist says that unfairly paints Americans as binging consumers.
Debt settlement carries costs, too
Typically, borrowers who get or are offered settlements have missed at least a few payments.
How long will a foreclosure or bankruptcy affect credit?
Credit-reporting agencies have agreed to voluntarily remove completed Chapter 13 filings — where someone pays off part or all of their debt under a court-supervised plan — seven years from the date of filing. The idea is to give consumers some credit for having paid back as much of their debt as they could afford to pay back.
Q: Is it a good time to invest in airlines?
The future isn't as bleak as it appears, to some
Syndicated columnist Scott Burns says that dramatic predictions of a dire economic future are as common as their inaccuracy. We don't know the future. All we can do is cultivate flexibility, diversify our savings, and share as little of our return as possible with those who claim to know the future.
Your Funds
Why an expert owns 62 funds and you only need a few
Syndicated columnist Chuck Jaffe says that somewhere between the minimalist one-fund-is-your-portfolio approach and the hobbyist's massive collection is the right number for the average investor.
Click on the attached chart to see the average Seattle-area rates for 30-year fixed and 15-year fixed mortgages.
Obama warns of 'difficult' days in Iraq, pledges support for troops
President Obama warned Saturday "there will be difficult days ahead" in Iraq and said the United States will remain a strong partner to Iraq for its security.
Top Iran clerics decry election, defy supreme leader
The most important group of religious leaders in Iran has called the disputed presidential election and the new government illegitimate, an act of defiance against the country's supreme leader and the most public sign of a major split in the country's clerical establishment.
Sailor recounts girl's rescue after plane crash
Doe Cyrille and his crew searched for hours in high winds and waves up to 16 feet high for a sign of Yemenia Flight 626. Then they spotted a...
Obituary
Beijing opera singer inspired 'Madame Butterfly'
Shi Pei Pu, a Beijing opera singer and spy whose sexually convoluted love affair with a French Embassy worker created one of the strangest cases in international espionage and was the inspiration for the Broadway show "M. Butterfly," died in Paris on Tuesday.
Bill fails to focus on cutting oil use
Despite its title as the "American Clean Energy and Security Act," the energy and climate bill the House passed recently takes only a modest step toward reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
Churches look for flock on social-networking Web sites
Things went smoothly for the first hour of the Twitter experiment at Trinity Church in Manhattan on Good Friday in April. While hundreds of worshippers...
Michael Jackson's doctors scrutinized; drugs prescribed by at least five
Investigators are focusing on at least five doctors who prescribed drugs to Michael Jackson as they try to unravel the circumstances surrounding...
Minority GOP gets creative to flex muscle
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, came to Washington in 1991 as a rabble-rousing Republican willing to disrupt the House to score points against powerful Democrats. Now, as the House Republican leader in a town again dominated by Democrats, he is back to his old tricks.
Park service reopens Statue of Liberty's crown to public
The National Park Service has reopened the crown of The Statue of Liberty to visitors. Just thirty people per hour are now permitted to climb the narrow, 354-step staircase to the top of the statue.
Remains merely deepen the mystery of lost wanderer
The saga of Everett Ruess, an idealistic wanderer whose disappearance in 1934 sparked one of the most enduring mysteries of the modern West, is not over yet.
Odds and Ends
68 hot dogs in 10 minutes: American Joey Chestnut wins hot-dog eating contest
Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services.
Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
Departing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday laid the groundwork to take on a larger, national role after leaving state government, citing a "higher calling" with the aim of uniting the country along conservative lines.
Obituary
Mary Henry, 96, Northwest painter
Mary Dill Henry, one of the Northwest's most accomplished painters, died in May in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.
Outdoor-theater season kicks off at Volunteer Park
The Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival will present 10 plays at Volunteer Park on July 11 and 12, 2009. The free festival is the unofficial kickoff of the Seattle area's outdoor-theater season, with participation from GreenStage, Wooden O, Theater Schmeater, Balagan and more.
Quincy Jones remembers "the biggest entertainer on the planet": Michael Jackson
Music producer Quincy Jones, a Northwest native and Garfield High School graduate, worked with Michael Jackson on record-breaking recordings, including "Thriller" and "Off the Wall." He wrote this remembrance of Jackson for The Los Angeles Times.
Book review
"Lance: The Making of the World's Greatest Champion:" a portrait of cycling's king
John Wilcockson's "Lance: the Making of the World's Greatest Champion" recounts the awe-inspiring career of cycling champion Lance Armstrong, but there's too much gloss and not enough grit in the author's reportage.
Best bets for summer arts events
Your best outdoor bets for the rest of the 2009 summer include the Olympic Music Festival, the Bellevue Artsfair, Seafair, the Chinatown-International District Summer Festival and more.
Carole Lombard's slapstick legacy shines at Seattle Art Museum
Carole Lombard, the queen of screwball, is the subject of a film retrospective at Seattle Art Museum.
Variety of venues brings theater to the great outdoors
The outdoor-theater season calendar for Seattle-area productions of Shakespeare, musicals and family-friendly plays, staged by Wooden O, GreenStage, Key City, the Mountaineers in the Kitsap Forest Theater and many more.
Book review
"Dangerous World of Butterflies": A threatened universe of dazzling creatures
"The Dangerous World of Butterflies" is journalist and radio host Peter Laufer's account of the world's most dazzling insects and the many threats arrayed against them, including predators, pollution, pesticides and irresponsible breeders.
Book review
"How to Sell": Novel spills a jeweler's deep, dark secrets
Philosophy professor and former jeweler Clancy Martin's hard-boiled novel "How to Sell" is a devastating sendup of the jewelry business.
Book review
"Zhivago's Children": A brief flowering of thought after a dark time
"Zhivago's Children: The Last Russian Intelligentsia" by Vladislav Zubok is the story of the brief flowering of Russian intellectual life throughout the second half of the 1950s and into the '60s, a time of great optimism and hope.
The People's Pharmacy
Estrogen mimicker found in sunscreen
Benzophenone-3, also known as BP-3 or oxybenzone, has estrogenlike activity. We suggest looking for sunscreen that has physical blockers such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These have no known hormonal activity.
'Running for My Life' is local top seller
Ann Gonzalez's "Running for My Life" and Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows' "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" are current best-sellers at Seattle's Santoro's Books.
Catherine Coulter's "Knockout" is a national best seller
Catherine Coulter's "Knockout" and "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Deception" by Eric Van Lustbader top the list of best-selling fiction, according to Publishers Weekly.
The week ahead Arts and entertainment highlights, the week beginning July 5.
Concert Review | Green Day blasts off 4th weekend with KeyArena show
Concert Review: Green Day kicked off its world tour for new album "21st Century Breakdown" with an explosive, high-energy July 3 show at Seattle's KeyArena.
Picnics in the Pacific Northwest happen rain or shine
Picnics in the Pacific Northwest are always an exercise in hope. That's because of an inveterate, uninvited guest: the weather. So people cope by doing everything from packing tarps to wearing fleece, vying for the most likely sunny days and having a Plan B.
Wine Adviser
Rosés enjoy a boom in quality as well as quantity
Looking for a good-quality rosé as a summer sipper or picnic option? Fortunately, the wine scene is now full of them.
Plant Life
Chic raised beds help make growing veggies easy
Curved-metal raised beds make it easy to grow vegetables and herbs at home. And in Lake Forest Park just outside Seattle, Joan Caine has transformed her front garden to make it happen.
Northwest Living
One small plot serves as home, shop and town stopping spot
In the tiny town of Edison, Wash., one simple corner lot is home, shop and town gathering spot all in one.
Taste
Obamas plant a garden and set the tone for what we eat
Following a rich tradition of tone-setting in the White House, President Obama and first lady Michelle start with a garden on the South Lawn, signaling that fresh, homegrown food is a priority.
Now & Then
Seattle Center attracts a crowd, no matter the weather
While a snowy scene at Seattle Center isn't all that common, crowds of people are — especially for big events like the Folklife Festival, an annual musical rite of spring.
shopping
events for Sunday, Jul. 5th
- REI Summer Sale and Clearance
- Jaxx Boutik Summer Sale
- Kuhlman Summer Sale
- Kibbn Storewide Summer Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides
