What the political establishment did not recognize at the time of Cho's surprise election in 2019 was that Cho was one of a rising tide of young, progressive, and politically well-connected men and women of color with strong ties to labor.
In one notable race, the New Bellevue of fast growth, high-rise development, and increasingly diverse population came up against the Old Bellevue culture of middle-class neighborhoods fighting to protect their character.
Unlike its neighbors, Libya and Algeria, Tunisia has a stable government, although the actions of an increasingly authoritarian president are causing increasing concern. The streets are safe, transportation is cheap and accessible, and food options range from street fare to fine dining. The people are warm and friendly.
They don’t have a deliverable, they don’t have a specific mandate, they don’t have the authority to make any decisions,’’ lamented Warren Hendrickson, Olympia Airport senior manager and a long-time aviation professional, at a recent Port of Seattle commission briefing.
The ports say they are protecting valuable cargo-handling land and longshore union jobs by stiffing the Coast Guard. But the action could also mean Seattle will lose several new patrol ships to Oregon or Alaska.
Sen. Karen Keiser called the new work group “doomed,’’ and said it will only prolong the years of state and regional inaction in developing new aviation facilities. “Mostly, we’ve held on to a firm state of denial,” she said.
Choosing a site alone is only one piece of the total airport-construction puzzle. Who would choose a site and green light such a mammoth project, and all the mitigation that it entails?