FREMONT OKTOBERFEST Twenty-five thousand attended Fremont Oktoberfest September 23 and 24. Hollywood movie violence inspired the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest. Here, the Widow Twinkie (left) and SuperNova battle it out in Sunday's finals. More than 1,000 kids, including Kayla DuBois, climbed Stone Gardens' portable climbing wall. Better than 10,000 people sampled microbrews in the beer garden. Henry Gales, a student a B.F. Day elementary, was one of more than 600 children and adults carving pumpkins at Oktoberfest. Jade Beers, a student at AS 1 school, ran the zucchini race-car track. More than 1,000 zucchini cars raced in the two-day event.

Letters to the Editor

Traffic and transit, pets and violence, national politics and local schools are taken up by Seattle Press readers. Plus a great cartoon by Tom Whittemore.

My Two Cents

Capitol Hill Community Groups Blast Police WTO Action

Being a protester was not the only qualification required for police abuse--just being in the neighborhood made citizens fair game for a twisted kind of sporting event by officers from county, city and regional police departments, according to Capitol Hil

On Ballard Avenue

There's Something Going On Every Night of the Week

I've been kindly invited by the fine folks at The Seattle Press to let you in on everything I know about Ballard Avenue. Seems they think I'm somewhat of an expert. Maybe they're right.

New Bay Majestic is a Beautiful Asset to Downtown Ballard

From the black granite counter tops at the popcorn stands to the hand crafted mahogany wainscoting and trim throughout the building, the new Bay majestic theater in Ballard is one of the most beautiful movie theaters you have ever been in.

Council Body Votes To Raise Campaign Contribution Limits

A committee of the Seattle City Council voted 3-2 in favor of a $600 campaign contribution limit for city elections.

Hundreds of Good Turns Bring a New Park to Eastlake

Last week Mayor Paul Schell and other city officials and dozens of cheering Eastlake residents gathered for the opening and dedication of the new neighborhood park.

U.S. Bank Site Picked for New Ballard Library

The Seattle Public Library board of trustees has picked the U.S. Bank property at 22nd Avenue Northwest and Northwest 56th Street as the site for the new Ballard library branch.

Good Food

Cooking With Viggo

Gazpacho

"A little of this and a little of that," will be the answer if you ask what it contains, for Andalusian dishes, like Andalusian jokes, are not intended to bear solemn scrutiny. Chef Viggo provides the recipe.

North Beach Elementary Takes Novel Approach

North Beach Elementary school has inaugurated a school-wide journalism and communications program that will hone the writing, math and research skills of every student and train them in the use of computers, photography and videotaping.

Pioneer Square Ills Shifted to Capitol Hill, Say Irate Residents and Business Owners

At a public forum September 26, several members of the Capitol Hill community said that recent efforts to clean up Pioneer Square and restrict alcohol sales there have resulted in pushing the problem into Capitol Hill streets.

Good Food

3 Squares

Breakfast on Queen Anne Hill, lunch on Capitol Hill, dinner in Greenwood.

Flexcar Launches In Belltown

Flexcar will soon extend to Belltown and other Seattle neighborhoods with financial support from the city and the county.

Local Senator Seeks To Protect Abandoned Babies

When an abandoned baby boy was discovered near a sidewalk in her district in March, State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles began working with a group of other female legislators to craft legislation that would allow mothers to anonymously give up their newborns at

Fremont

History House Honors Trudy Weckworth and Zoo Docents

At the History House Second Anniversary celebration September 22, Trudy Weckworth and the docent program at Woodland Park Zoo were honored.

Hash

A Northgate homeowner returns home at 7:30 p.m. on a Monday and finds that his home has been entered, apparently by a person who squeezed through the large dog door in the rear of his house...

Home Auction Protested at Phinney Law Office

The scheduled auction of a Central District woman's home was postponed Friday, September 29, as protestors marched in front of a Phinney Ridge law office where the auction was to take place.

Crown Hill

Olympics, Dedication and Community Celebration This Weekend at Carkeek Park

Carkeek Park improvements will be boosted at a community celebration, featuring the Carkeek Park Olympics, a Saturday evening concert and an afternoon of local history culminating with the dedication of the new Hazel Wolf bench at the park.

Minorities Still Less Likely to Get Mortgage Loan Approval

African American and Latino mortgage applicants are more than twice as likely to be denied a conventional mortgage loan than white applicants, according to a study released last week by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

Greenwood

Time Marches On

An heir of the late Roy Davidson has contacted city staff about the possibility of relocating the Greenwood Jewelers Clock to a more prominent spot in the Greenwood business district.

Study Highlights Rental Housing Crisis in King County

According to Out of Reach, a report released by the Washington Low Income Housing Network, 35 percent of renters in Washington are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment.

Chess Mates Gets Gates Grant To Expand School Programs

Chess Mates, a Seattle-based nonprofit foundation, will be able to expand its after-school scholastic chess programs in Seattle and five other area school districts this year, thanks to a $10,000 gift from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.