Renton, WA

Just a quick Friday Freebie for some of you. This weekend is a Starz Free Preview weekend on Directv. So spend a few minutes setting up your Tivo to record all those movies!

Our local government has two plans to help regulate our traffic, and thus improve traffic flow.

First, the HOT Lanes are being implemented this month on HWY 167 (aka The Valley Freeway) using the Good to Go transponders to pay your toll. If you are a carpool, you do not need to pay the toll, and can cover the transponder with aluminum. I’m honestly not sure how this honor system is supposed to accomplish anything. It seems like it will be harder to patrol than a simple carpool lane. And I can see why some have called it the “Lexus Lane”. But people who are carpools, or willing to pay the varying fee (up to $9) can ride in the HOT Lane on 169 when it opens April 26th.
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Stonyfield Farm is recalling 6oz non-fat blueberry yogurt because there may be glass in it. This is a nation-wide recall.

They state that “the problem is not widespread” but I’d rather not chance swallowing some glass. If you have any of the affected products, just return it or toss it:

Affected products would be 6-ounce Fat Free Blueberry yogurts carrying one of following product codes printed along the cup bottom that start with the following dates:

Apr 14 08
Apr 15 08
April 25 08
Apr 26 08

Make sure you wash those cantaloupes and other melons carefully! Many people don’t think of that, because of course you don’t eat the rind, but your knife will pick up that bacteria and bring it right into the inside which you do eat.

The FDA is urging consumers to discard Honduran cantaloupes after a salmonella outbreak sickened 59, including at least 14 in the Pacific Northwest. While the Honduran government argues about whether they should be blamed, or the cantaloupe picked up the germs whilst in transit, I say it doesn’t really matter to the consumer where it is contaminated. Either toss the fruit or wash it very carefully. Like you always do, right?
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Renton residents have been on TV quite a few times lately. First we had Tanji Johnson on American Gladiators. Then the Renton Hale-Jo family receiving an home makeover from daytime tv queen Oprah. Now, we learn that Miss Washington USA is from Renton also. Michelle Font graduated from Kentwood, and her parents live in Fairwood. Michelle attended the Kent School district from Kindergarten through High School, and then went on to the University of Washington. So she’s a real local girl. Now she is on her way down to Las Vegas to compete at the Miss USA pageant at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.

You can watch the televised Miss USA 2008 pageant Friday April 11th at 9PM ET on NBC. Good luck, Michelle!

Set your clocks ahead one hour tonight. You effectively loose an hour of sleep, so you may want to go to bed a little early.

My strategy is to change my alarm clock when I get into bed, and leave all the rest of the clocks until the next day. Otherwise I confuse myself, wondering which clocks I have changed, and what time it “really” is. Computers and cell phones should automatically update themselves, so you can double-check what time it “really” is, if you need to.

Valley Medical Center offers many of us the convenience of neighborhood clinic facilities for emergency and urgent care. Months ago, I wondered what was the difference? Well, they must be reading my blog, because my question has been answered.

Urgent is less life threatening, and less expensive, than emergency. Paradoxically, the Urgent Care Clinic Manager Cathy Roberts states that the wait time is “much shorter” for the urgent care facilities. So the more life-threatening your situation is, the longer you have wait. She goes on to explain “Because Emergency Departments must maintain extreme levels of staff and equipment, they have to charge a premium for visits. When a medical issue is not life-threatening, patients can save a lot of money by going to urgent care.”

There is also an advantage to using one of VMC’s clinics, instead of a stand-alone clinic. They are able to provide a continuity of care and access to patient records. And VMC clinics have a direct link to the hospital system, where more comprehensive services are immediately available, if needed.

Coming soon, will be Valley Urgent Care, located near VMC’s hospital campus. Ideal for those situations that don’t quite require (the cost of) an emergency room. Other urgent care facilities are extending their hours to meet growing demand.

The two latest urgent care facilities are
Covington Urgent Care
253.595.2006
16850 SE 272nd Street, Covington
M-F 8am-8pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm

Renton Highlands Urgent Care
425.656.5518
451 Duvall Ave NE Suite 120, Renton
M-F 8am-8pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm

Do you need to vote today? It depends on which political party you support.

For the Democrats, it was all decided weeks ago. Obama’s caucus win left zero Democratic delegates at stake. Republicans, however, still have half - that would be 19 - delegates in play.

Despite the relevance question, a record turnout is predicted for Washington’s primary. “We’re really expecting to be close to half the voters,” said Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed.

The real problem is our absentee votes, which are used by the majority of voters. If you voted absentee, you were required to check a party affiliation and sign. If you didn’t check a party affiliation, your vote doesn’t count. And let me tell you, they are watching closely for signatures that don’t match, and your vote won’t count.

I’ll admit it. I frequently sign paperwork for my husband. The bank probably wouldn’t know what to do with his actual signature endorsing a check. So when I saw that he forgot to check the party loyalty oath and sign, I checked the appropriate party and signed his name. This is the only time I have been busted for signing his name.

We got a letter stating that the signature didn’t match, and his vote wouldn’t count unless he signed the enclosed voter registration form, and included a copy of his drivers license. Then they would update their records with his “new” signature. His “new” signature is probably more frequently seen than the one on his drivers license, but I decided that would be some form of fraud. So he needs to go vote in person on the 19th, or more likely, just skip it.

Whether you are going in person, or sending in an absentee ballot, please watch that party loyalty oath!

Back in October, we in WA state passed R67, which makes it illegal for an insurance company to “unreasonably” deny a claim. And now, the first test is coming to court.

Cigna Life insurance provided accidental death insurance for a man who died, apparently accidentally. He had multiple sclerosis and died after a fall. According to Cigna, however, their team of doctors decided that the man had a heart attack which caused his death. I believe the cause of death is decided by an autopsy, not insurance lawyers - I watch CSI so I know these things - but at any rate, I would expect that having a heart attack would be accidental as well. However, technically a heart attack doesn’t count as an accident, and wouldn’t be covered by the accidental death policy.

Jodi Scanlon has obtained an attorney. They feel that Cigna has looked for excuses to unreasonably deny the claim, first by blaming a heart attack, and then his medication, as not covered under the terms of the policy. “Cigna Group Insurance determined, based on extensive medical review, that the unfortunate circumstances of Mr. Scanlon’s death were not covered under the terms of the accidental death insurance policy,” said Gloria Barone with the company.

Now a jury will decide if an insurance company unreasonably denied a family’s claim and whether Cigna will be the first to pay triple damages. I imagine that no jury is sympathetic to insurance companies when they deny claims, so it may be hard finding a impartial jury. Watch this precedent-setting case. Cigna says it will give a more detailed explanation for denying the family’s claim in court.

A local Renton resident is on TV again. First we had Renton resident Tanji Johnson on American Gladiators. Now we have a Renton family, the Hale-Jos, receiving a free home makeover courtesy of Oprah Winfrey. They will be on the show today (Tuesday 11/12) at 4PM.

The show’s producers called the family in November after hearing from Hale’s wife, Kari, about the family’s struggles since she and Dave took legal custody of their three nieces –8-year-old Lily, 10-year-old Izzy and 11-year-old Jade — a year and a half ago. Expenses went up. Remodeling projects were put on hold. Kari quit to take care of her own 2 year old, Ty, and the the three girls. Their 1960s tract house just wasn’t big enough for six, Kari explained.

My own Renton home makeover has been taking closer to a decade. So what was accomplished in two weeks? Renowned home decorator Nate Berkus and more than 100 crew members doubled the size of the home. They added a new bedroom, a second floor, 200 gallons of paint and new landscaping. And more celebrities pitched in as well. The Seattle Seahawks donated muscle and the stars of High School Musical threw in movie props and costumes as gifts to the kids, who fell in love with Berkus throughout the process.

The results will air today in a full hour episode (see photos and details on Oprah’s site).

Since the random DUI checkpoints didn’t pass, the powers that be have another idea for cracking down on drunk drivers. Only this is more a retroactive shame technique, in case the existing penalties are not a serious enough deterrent.

The latest proposal? Convicted drunk drivers would need to display a yellow license plate on their car. Republican senator Mike Carroll of Lakewood says this would be another tool to get people to stop drinking and driving. I’m not sure that his quote makes sense to me, though. “There are some people who don’t believe we should have shame in our community; that things are so bad that people should know that they’ve done them,” Carroll said. So is he saying that we should or should not shame people?

More importantly, would it be effective? “I don’t know yet,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “I don’t know how much we’ll accomplish by that and I need to talk with my experts in the state patrol and the chief and those in the sheriff’s and chiefs.” Mothers Against Drunk Driving says it’s not in favor of the idea because there’s no scientific data showing the special plates reduce drunk driving. Plus, innocent family members would have to ride in the car would bare the shame.

There is one other state that actually does this, and has for the past four years - that is Ohio. If the WA state bill passes, DUI drivers would have to drive with the special plates for one year. There would be an exemption when driving work vehicles.
What do you think? Good idea, or too “Scarlet Letter” for our society?

Good morning, snowy residents. This morning the Renton School District is closed, and the Kent School District is on time but on snow routes. If you are in the weird spot of unincorporated King County with a Renton address, east of Renton, with a Kent School District (aka Fairwood) that means you have more snow than most of Renton, which is closed, but you still take the kids to school.

Literally, you take the kids to school, because their bus is on snow route. So get going. (more…)

On January 3rd I posted about some construction on the Hardie Ave Bridge. Two main-span girders were installed for the BNSF railroad crossing of Hardie Avenue between SW 5th and 7th Streets, with detours in place for a week. Well, it took a little longer than a week, but as of the morning of Wed., Jan. 23, the two 125 ft. long spans, and about 6 or so cross braces, are in place — all lanes were open for a.m. commute.

BNSF has every interest to move as fast as possible so that by the end of February the track can start being used — that is their target date. In the 5 or so weeks to the end of February BNSF will finish the bridges (Hardie should be permanently open in just a couple of days), install concrete panels on Houser Way (Main to Burnett), and lay track.

Thanks for Councilman Randy Corman and the Renton Reporter for the latest update in the Benson Hill annexation.

The King County Council has approved 1.7 million dollars of County funds to help the city of Renton defray the costs of annexing the Benson Hill neighborhood. The money is for new equipment, hiring, and other start-up costs related to Benson hill. It will certainly help prevent existing Rentonites from having to take a hit in service as a result of the annexation. (more…)

Well, it’s official. The Benson Hill area is going to annex to the city of Renton. According to the website bensonhill.com the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of annexation. No exact date has been set, although March 1, 2008 has been mentioned a couple of times. Now Benson Hill’s government and many of its services come under the umbrella of the City of Renton.

Newly annexed areas’ police and fire service responsibility would transfer from King County and Fire Protection Districts 40 and 37 to the City of Renton. Parks and streets would become a city responsibility and, over time, Renton would bring those areas up to the City’s level of service. One so-far unmentioned benefit is Renton resident rates for the Henry Moses Aquatic Park.

School districts will remain the same. The Renton Police Department would likely re-district its patrol district boundaries to be able to serve the Benson Hill Communities area. With a smaller service area than the King County Sheriff and a focus on local patrol services, Renton should be able to respond more quickly to high-priority calls.

You should be able to find updates on the official city of Renton web page.

Pursuant to state guidelines, Renton has hired a firm to conduct a door-to-door census of the area. If residents prefer not to provide information through contact at the door, they may also provide information through the mail, by phone (425-444-4936), or by email. For questions about the annexation or the City of Renton, you may contact city staff at 425-430-6575