Our friend Utah passed on Friday from heart failure.

Utah touched many lives throughout his travels, which brought him through the hearts and minds of many people, including many Olympians.

If you have a favorite Utah story, feel free to tell it here.

I would like to put together a celebration of Utah's life. I envision everyone who was touched by Utah getting together and telling stories, singing songs, and most importantly, laughing and enjoying ourselves, because that's what Utah would have wanted.

If you would like to help set up this fun community event, which will also be a fundraiser because the Phillips family is sidled with big medical bills and I'm sure funeral costs are now adding to that debt. Let's give 'em a hand!

Contact me at 359.3293 if you'd like to volunteer to help make this event happen.

My girlfriend and I were down by the fountain, enjoying the views of the Capitol, and we noticed that the "mistake" is having something major going on. There's some kind of wooden chute built all the way down it like an elevator shaft, and they're throwing all kinds of acoustic tiles down into dumpsters. The place was a mess! There was all kinds of trash and debris sitting on the pavement, not that far from where kids were playing. We wondered what was going on, then I saw a letter in support of the isthmus rezone on the Friends of the Waterfront's website, written by Scott Shapiro, who owns property in Olympia and lives in Seattle. He seems to operate under a couple of business names: Eagle Rock Ventures and the Views on Fifth, and he writes "we are currently redeveloping the Capitol Center Building, The Views On Fifth Avenue, as a mixed-used building with nearly 40 condominiums."

I guess this means that somebody's going to try again to get it right. I find it hard to believe that anyone could create appealing condominiums there, and even harder to believe that anyone would want to live in such an ugly building. One thing is for sure: nothing can make it worse.

At:
North Olympic Fire Station
5046 Boston Harbor Road

The May meeting will be our last until next August.

From Sunday Morning's Daily Olympian comments:

First they came and took the gambling. I didn't care because I'm not lucky at gambling. Then they came and took the cigarettes. I didn't care because I don't smoke. Then they came and took the music and it was too late because there was no one who said "No" to the government.
FOF Life Member | 05.25.08 - 4:55 am

Here is what I consume:

Hi,

I've lost track of where the posts on the noise ordinance are and have a question that I hope someone won't mind answering. What is the indoor noise level that the city council thinks is appropriate? I think the words used were "moderate conversation" but I'm looking for something less subjective, in decibels. A link to the city council source for the information would be very much appreciated as well.

Thank you!