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PeninsulaNorthwest Briefly: State Evaluations
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011 — (J)
Gregoire:
to improve instruction CONTINUED FROM A1 “We think when it’s fully implemented it’s going to make a significant difference to the students in our classrooms,” she said. “The purpose of the evaluation system is to improve instruction. That’s the focus of our evaluation system.”
Budget cuts Lindquist said the greater concern is further budget cuts to education. “The biggest problem facing us is not tinkering with the evaluation system. The biggest problem is we don’t have adequate funding for our schools,” she said. Lawmakers are working to fix a $1.4 billion shortfall to the state budget. Gregoire has proposed getting there through a combination of cuts, fund transfers and delayed payments. The cuts would include cuts to education, including shortening the school year by four days. She has separately proposed that voters approve a temporary increase in the sales tax to offset some of the cuts.
When asked if she needed to present reform to get major business groups — like Microsoft and Boeing — on board with a sales tax increase, Gregoire said it was not a “quid pro quo.” “These two employers desperately need a skilled workforce,” she said. “They’ve made that very clear to me.” Gregoire added the big businesses don’t want to see dramatic cuts to K-12 or higher education. “So don’t be thinking there’s some quid pro quo here,” she said. “There’s a common interest. We cannot shred our education system. We’re going to have to invest new revenue, and yes, we must continually be reforming and doing a better job with our K-12 system.”
Corporate praise Boeing and Microsoft both issued statements Tuesday praising Gregoire’s efforts on education reform. Microsoft General Counsel and Executive Vice President Brad Smith wrote he was “encouraged by Governor Gregoire’s willingness to propose necessary
improvements to our education system, and we view her proposals today as a positive step in the right direction.” “In spite of a significant budget shortfall, we are confident that continuing this vital dialogue can yield sustainable funding for education; lasting, performance-based reforms; and access to educational opportunities for all students,” wrote Boeing spokeswoman Susan Bradley. Also Tuesday, Gregoire proposed creating opportunities for struggling schools to partner with universities and to create a new office called the Office of Student Achievement that will focus on educational attainment for students from high school until graduate school. Gregoire also wants opportunities for struggling schools to partner with universities and to create a new office called the Office of Student Achievement that will focus on educational attainment for students from high school until graduate school.
McChord soldier is a person of interest in the slaying of a Kirkland woman. Spokesman Joe Piek told The Seattle Times the 19-year-old soldier was booked into the base corLONGVIEW — Police rections facility Nov. 30 for have identified the shoplift- being absent without leave. ing suspect accused of Army officials were notihacking an ear off a secufied the same day he’s rity guard at a Fred Meyer under investigation in constore in Longview. nection with the death in Police said 31-year-old the early morning hours of Adrian Jess Kramer of Nov. 30 of 19-year-old ScarLongview has previous con- lett Paxton. victions for possession of a She suffered a fatal dangerous weapon, meth neck wound at her Kirkpossession, shoplifting, bur- land apartment where she glary and assault. was found bleeding by her He is wanted on suspiboyfriend. cion of first-degree assault Kirkland police spokesand third-degree theft in man Lt. Mike Murray said Monday’s confrontation the soldier had been quesoutside the garden tioned by police the same entrance to the store. day as the slaying in conSecurity guards susnection with an unrelated pected him of taking CDs, 9-1-1 call. bike chains and other small items. Seattle seal dies Police said he pulled a SEATTLE — A northsmall hatchet out of his ern fur seal named Al who waistband, severed the guard’s left ear and escaped. had entertained millions of Seattle Aquarium visitors The Daily News and provided rich research reported the 33-year-old victim had surgery to reat- to scientists has died. He was 19. tach the ear at Oregon The Seattle Aquarium Health and Science Unisaid the seal’s health had versity in Portland. been declining in recent weeks. He was euthanized Soldier suspect Tuesday. JOINT BASE LEWISNamed after Vice PresiMCCHORD — A Lewisdent Al Gore, the seal
Police ID shoplifting, ax suspect
PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
landed at the aquarium after he veered from the ocean and was found in a cow pasture in Hoquiam. Federal biologists determined he wasn’t fit to be returned to the wild because of his small size and lack of survival skills. Aquarium officials said his remains will be sent for study to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle and to a researcher in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is survived by an 11-year-old pup, Isaac, who is on loan at Boston’s New England Aquarium.
Blue whales SEATTLE — Scientists said they have spotted a record number of endangered blue whales off the state’s coast. John Calambokidis of Olympia-based Cascadia Research was in one of two research vessels that spotted the creatures about 25 miles from Westport. He said more needs to be known about the distribution of the blue whales. The Olympian reported that last week’s expedition is part of the three-year effort by Cascadia Research to learn more about endangered whales off Washington and Oregon. The Associated Press
City: Public difficulty with financial documents CONTINUED FROM A1 check out each of the documents before they are “The David Timmonses released to the public, and if and [City Finance Director] you get a ‘huh?’ then it Mike Legarskys of the could get some further world look at these budget explanation.” documents and understand them because it is part of Expand budget panel their jobs, but many memTimmons also suggested bers of the public look at that the Council Finance them and say, ‘Huh?,’” Ran- and Budget Committee, dels said. which now includes three “Maybe we should have council members, be a designated lay person expanded to include all
members of the council. “If we have all the members of the council assembled as a whole all the members will become more familiar with city budget and finances,” Timmons said. “It could be a council work session in a roundtable format, which would make it easier to reconcile budget priorities.” The expanded budget committee could meet on a
quarterly basis, Timmons said. City Council Member Catharine Robinson liked the idea, saying that it would help the entire council focus on the budget for the entire year “rather than just waiting until November.” Mayor Michelle Sandoval and City Councilmen Mark Welch and David King comprise the current budget committee.
Sandoval said she did not favor increasing the size of the committee permanently. While expressing optimism about the city’s continued financial health, Timmons cautioned against “false positive” indicators that make it appear that the economy is turning around but is then contradicted by negative news. “We’ve turned the corner,” Timmons said.
“We’ve made some tough decisions, and the staff has made some personal and professional sacrifices to get to where we are. “For that, we owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who is working for the city.”
________ Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@ peninsuladailynews.com.
Game: PT business, location names on board CONTINUED FROM A1 $500 to be included. With game sales and “Now, we are buying advertising costs, the school things that the school can’t hopes to raise about afford because the state $23,000, Asbell said. The Monopoly-based can’t afford to pay.” game was used as a fundThe familiar Monopoly raiser in 2005, and enough locations are replaced by time had elapsed that it Port Townsend businesses could be done again, she and attractions. added. The businesses’ Last year, the PTA raised addresses and phone num- $22,747 with an auction, bers are on the game board, but the event had a high so it doubles as a directory overhead and was compliof local stores and services. cated to produce, she said. The placement was sold The PTA contracted with as advertising, with each Pride Distributors of Farmbusiness paying $300 to ington Hills, Mich., which
has permission to use the Monopoly copyright for fundraising purposes. Locations were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with advertisers choosing their position on the board from available space.
Boardwalk Boardwalk, the most prestigious position on the “real” Monopoly board, was snatched up by Carlson and Bothell, a subset of the local Windermere agency coowned by Port Townsend
School Board member Holley Carlson. “Fate” and “PTA Cards” replace the original game’s “Chance” and “Community Chest,” giving players a leg up or a setback in the game, while “Go to Jail” is represented by a “Caught Speeding, Go to Court” square sponsored by East Jefferson Fire-Rescue. One of the sponsors of the “In Court” square is attorney Noah Harrison. When beginning the project, Asbell approached merchants who had participated in the 2005 version,
but many could not afford it this year, she said. To compensate for the lack of a full slate of advertisers, the PTA approached the Jefferson County Historical Society, which provided historical graphics and facts to fill up the board. As a result, players can learn that President Rutherford B. Hayes visited Port Townsend during his term in 1880 and that the town’s 1850 population consisted of three families and 15 bachelors. Retailers carrying the
game are Henery’s Garden Center, Completely Puzzled, Whistle Stop Toys, Sea Grass, Tickled Pink, the Sand Castle, Mt. Townsend Creamery, Kinetic Coffee and the Northwest Maritime Center. Each location was given 10 games, and many already have requested additional allotments, Asbell said.
________ Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie. bermant@peninsuladailynews. com.
Insurance: Clallam, Jefferson, others report drop CONTINUED FROM A1 among seniors is extremely low, with only about 1 perA large number of retir- cent of people age 65 or ees in Clallam, Jefferson, older begin uninsured, comCowlitz and Wahkiakum pared with nearly 30 percounties accounts for the cent of those 18 to 34. Declining rates in Whatdecline, the report said, because people 65 or older com and Whitman counties are eligible for Medicare are said to be because of high numbers of college stuhealth coverage. The uninsurance rate dents.
Elwha Klallam Tribe
A change in early 2010 through federal health care reform allows children up to age 26 to remain covered by their parents’ insurance policies. The report found that about half of those without health insurance are employed and that the most likely to be uninsured are
those between the ages of 18 and 34. Nearly 30 percent of people in that age group are without health insurance, and they make up 47 percent of all of the state’s uninsured, Kreidler said. Charity care by hospitals and health care providers rose 36 percent from
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2008 to 2010, according to the report. For instance, uncompensated care at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles cost the hospital $9.6 million this year and is projected to rise to $11.1 million in 2012. Kreidler said those costs ultimately get passed on to those who are paying health care premiums.
72 percent Also, charges presented to Medicaid and Medicare represent 72 percent of OMC’s gross revenue, Chief Executive Officer Eric Lewis has said. Since Medicare and Medicaid pay less than the hospital charges, OMC doesn’t necessarily net its gross revenue, he has said. Kreidler also noted that the state numbers don’t include people who are insured but still struggle with high medical expenses. “There are so many other people out there who, technically, have health insurance, but it’s inadequate,” he said. “They’re only one step away from bankruptcy.” Kreidler said that if the major provisions of the fed-
eral health care reform are able to take effect in 2014, more than 800,000 uninsured people in the state will be eligible for expanded Medicaid eligibility or subsidies, and the rate of uninsured would drop to 5 percent. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments challenging the constitutionality of the historic health care overhaul — also known as the Affordable Care Act — next year. Kreidler said he’s worried about what could happen if the court overturns the reform. “Given the political atmosphere we face in the nation’s capital, I don’t know how they can work on a compromise that is going to effectively deal with the crisis we’re facing in health care right now. I’m very apprehensive,” he said. The report comes after Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed last month that Basic Health, which provides medical services for the poor, be cut. She has proposed $2 billion in statewide cuts to balance the budget, and the state Legislature is in special session now considering what to do.