Jean Godden

Jean Godden wrote columns first for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and late for the Seattle Times. In 2002, she quit to run for City Council where she served for 12 years. Since then she published a book of city stories titled “Citizen Jean.” She is now co-host of The Bridge aired on community station KMGP at 101.1 FM. You can email tips and comments to Jean at jgodden@blarg.net.

Get Kraken: Let the Puns Begin (and other News)

Once fans tire of the puns generated by the Kraken name -- lame stuff like Krakhouse and Krakheads -- they'll get around to more substantive matters like welcoming a team mascot...

Books: The Trump Family Pathology

Mary Trump believes her uncle suffered from an undiagnosed learning disability that made it difficult for him to read and absorb facts. Donald relied on his sister Marianne to do his homework and hired Joe Shapiro, a smart kid with a reputation for being good at tests, to take his SATs.

Who Is That Masked Woman? Plus: Comets And Jokey Names

Masks, however problematic, are a symbol of caring for others, trying to protect one another against transmission of a nasty virus. That said, I can't help wishing that I had better constructed ears.

Seattle Faces A Budget Reckoning. Here’s What We Learned Last Time.

We bargained with the unions, getting concessions like unpaid furloughs so that we could reduce the number of layoffs. We closed libraries for a week in August. We cut community center hours and reduced park maintenance.

Godden: Remembering A City Hall Watchdog, Fauci Bobbleheads, and AWOL Pirates

At Seattle City Hall, you could see Mr. Locke seated in a favored seat, usually in the front row of the council chamber, 10 seats from the right side. He habitually signed up to speak at committee meetings. In time, councilmembers could have written his speeches. He would tell us to "stop wasting so dang much money."

An Open Letter to Mayor Durkan: Feeling for You in a Whirlwind

Few could blame you, Mayor Durkan, if you took Sawant up on calls to resign. But somehow one expects that you have shown resilience through tough times and will not back away.

Battles of Seattle, WTO 1999 and Today

The WTO riots suffered from Seattle's failure during months of lead time to prepare adequately, to involve city council and others in planning, and to foresee signs of a disaster. By contrast, the 2020 unrest came swiftly, stemming from the killing of an African-American, a final straw in a litany of injustices.

Godden on West Seattle: Bring Back the Mosquito Fleet? (and other news)

A new way to get off West Seattle, and a local city's leg-pulling twitter site.

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