THE VOICE - August 2008
The Newspaper of Neighborhood House
The Seattle Housing Authority and Northwest Justice Project have reached a settlement agreement regarding the way that SHA conducts its termination hearings for Section 8 participants.SHA has agreed to implement changes to its hearing process to ensure that the hearings meet due process standards.
“It looks like the key due process problem that really led to this case in the first place … is no longer going to happen,” said Eric Dunn, an attorney with the Northwest Justice Project.
“These hearings will provide more assurance that the termination was fair,” said James Fearn, SHA’s general counsel. “The objective is fair hearings that are perceived to be fair. I think these reforms go a long way toward accomplishing that objective.”
Before terminating a Section 8 participant’s voucher, SHA conducts a hearing to review the case. But the previous hearing officer didn’t have formal legal training, and the hearings didn’t follow the customary standard of evidence, according to Dunn.
As terms of the settlement, SHA has agreed to changes in its Section 8 termination hearing process.
SHA will hire a panel of hearing officers who have legal training and who will be trained in the details of the Section 8 program. Hearings will be conducted by members of the panel on a rotating basis.
Applicants to the hearing office will be reviewed by a five-person board comprising three SHA representatives, one person appointed by the Tenants Union and one person appointed by the King County Bar Association’s Housing Justice Project Sponsor Group. The panel will make nonbinding hiring recommendations to SHA’s General Counsel.
Participants at termination hearings will be allowed to present any issues and evidence that they deem appropriate, and hearing officers will give full and fair consideration to evidence and testimony presented.
The hearing officer will provide a written decision that includes formal written findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Hearing officers will be reviewed annually using SHA’s standard employee review process.
“I’m really hoping that this agreement can be implemented within the next few months. It seems like there’s a pretty good chance,” Dunn said. “I think the fact that they’ve actually been proceeding with incorporating the order in a fairly expedient way is a good sign.”
Dunn questioned whether or not SHA would reopen any of the several hundred termination cases that were tried under the previous hearing process, but Fearn said the changes would not be applied retroactively.
The lawsuit was originally brought against SHA by the Northwest Justice Project on behalf of Section 8 participant Tina Hendrix.
In November 2007, a district court judge ruled that SHA was following HUD guidelines in conducting its termination, but said there was sufficient concern that the hearings violated due process standards.
“We’re happy to have it resolved,” Fearn said. “It appears that this is being well received.”
By Jeff Arnim
Seattle Housing Authority
Thanks to an additional $16 million in
funding announced by Governor Christine
Gregoire in June, more than 23,000 Washington
residents are expected to be added to
food stamp support programs this fall.
Starting Oct. 1, individuals and families
earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty
level will be eligible for the Department
of Social and Health Services’ Basic Food
Program, which administers food stamps in
Washington. Under current guidelines, only households with incomes of up to 130 percent
of the federal poverty level qualify.
Many residents receiving housing assistance
through Seattle Housing Authority
will be newly eligible for the program once
the new income limits take effect.
To qualify for food stamps under the new
limits, a single-person household must have
monthly income of no more than $1,734.
That figure goes up by $600 for each additional
household member. A four-person
household, for example, could earn as much
as $3,534 per month and still qualify for the
program.
To register for the program, households
must complete an application form, either
online or in person. Applicants will be interviewed
by DSHS staff, who will ask about a
household’s living situation, income, utilities,
and additional expenses. These interviews
generally take place over the phone.
Although the process has several steps,
the time between applying for benefits and
receiving them is relatively short, Glynnis
Ashley, DSHS Food Programs administrator
said recently.
“On average, applications are processed and paid within eight or nine days of the application being submitted. It mostly depends on how quickly the information needed to complete the application can be obtained," she said.
However, Ashley pointed out that individuals
with urgent needs can receive help
sooner.
“Applicants who are considered to be in
immediate need of assistance, because of
having no income or resources, most often
receive their food benefits on the same day
they apply,” she explained.
The amount of assistance a person or
family will receive depends on a number of factors.
“Monthly benefits vary by the number of
people in the household, income, and living
expenses, such as rent, mortgage, utilities,
childcare, and child support,” said Ashley.
The average benefit households received
in 2007 was around $180 per month, but
amounts and limits vary widely, based on
household size and monthly income.
Once a household has been enrolled, food stamp benefits are loaded onto its Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which looks like a credit or debit card. The card is used to make eligible food purchases in the same manner as a debit card. Funds are added automatically once a month.
Washington state residents interested in applying for food stamps can do so using the online application at the DSHS website, or through their local DSHS Community Services Office.
In Seattle, offices are located in Belltown amounts and limits vary widely, based on (206-341-7427), Capitol Hill (206-341-7431), household size and monthly income. Ballard (206-341-7424), Rainier Valley (206-341-7429), and White Center (206-341-7430).
There’s more to preventing skin cancer than applying sunscreen and shunning tanning salons, says a Seattle naturopath who works with cancer patients.
Healthy lifestyle choices and a diet rich in antioxidants also can help prevent the nation’s most prevalent type of cancer, says Heidi Lucas, a naturopathic physician at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center.
The Capitol Hill clinic integrates traditional oncology with complementary therapies, including naturopathy, acupuncture, Chinese medicine and mind/body counseling.
Lucas advises consuming plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, green tea and whole grains to help guard against cancer, including cancers of the skin.
Melanoma is the most aggressive of the three types of skin cancer. The other two common forms are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, and someone in the U.S. dies from melanoma every hour. While skin cancer can be deadly, it’s usually treatable if caught early.
Lucas offers the following tips:
“Diet can be a major factor in boosting your immune system,” Lucas says. “But an equally successful measure is to smile, breathe deeply and add more joy to your life.”
Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center is an affiliate of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a network of hospitals that integrate oncology with complementary and natural therapies. For more information and cancer-fighting tips, call 206-FOR-HOPE (367-4673) or visit www.seattlecancerwellness.com.
Seattle, King County housing authorities to provide rental assistance to 105 homeless veterans
By SHA Staff
A program run jointly by the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs has awarded Seattle and King County Housing Authorities just over $838,000 in vouchers to provide long-term affordable housing to eligible homeless veterans and their families.
Seattle Housing Authority has agreed to house 52 veterans’ households, and King County Housing Authority has agreed to house 53.
The goal of the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program is to provide Housing Choice (Section 8) rental assistance vouchers combined with case management and clinical services to homeless veterans, enabling them to lead healthy, productive lives in the community and avoid remaining homeless.
Through outreach efforts, the Department of Veterans Affairs identifies homeless veterans for whom the VASH program may be suitable. Some of these veterans may have severe psychiatric or substance abuse disorders, or both. Participating veterans receive treatment and become medically stabilized prior to their being issued Housing Choice Voucher program rent-subsidizing vouchers. A VASH participant would have to pay at least $50 per month as his or her share of a unit’s rent.
The VASH program targets very-lowincome veterans, people whose income is about 30 percent of area median income. A participant must earn no more than 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which, for a single person, is $45,600. (A two-person household could earn as much as $52,080.)
According to the Veterans Administration, complications unique to the plight of homeless veterans have long been recognized by the Veterans Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Intensive case management, timely long-term therapeutic interventions, and stable housing are the essential elements in providing services to this population, according to the Veterans Administration. In addition to rental assistance and help locating available units, services provided to participants enrolled in the VASH program may include:
Not every participant will need these services. Eligibility for the VASH program is set by the Veterans Administration, which will have determined that an eligible participant:
The Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center will refer eligible households to the two public housing agencies.
Veterans and others interested in learning more about the program should call Reginald Taylor, Veterans Administration Homeless Care Line Social Services Assistant, at 206-277-6768.
Ballard House hosts Citizen Councilors meeting
By Robert Canamar
SHA Resident
All over King County, meetings of Citizen Councilors are taking place. In July, Ballard House hosted its first meeting of Citizen Councilors. The purpose of these meetings is to get an idea of how our citizens feel about different issues. This meeting was about transportation and easing the congestion of our streets and highways.
Participants viewed a DVD that expressed views of Ron Sims, King County Executive, Julia Patterson, King County chair, Kemper Freeman, Bellevue Square owner, Steve Mullin, Washington Roundtable chair, Tim Gould, Sierra Club Transportation Committee chair, and Bruce Agnew, Cascadia Center director.
It is pretty well agreed that something needs to be done about transportation in King County.
All agreed that we need a system that is efficient, reliable, affordable, and environmentally sensitive, and safe for all to use.
A lot of time was spent in discussing what is most needed in the county. High-occupancy toll lanes were discussed. Variable tolls would encourage people to use buses and light rail.
Sound Transit seems to be the most viable for those who live in outlying areas.
At this point it was noted that the layout of all transportation seems to be based on the idea that everyone will want to come downtown or back out, which is not meeting the needs of those who wish to go from one point of the city to another point of the city.
This is where the conversation went to the bus system. It was agreed that more buses need to be added to more bus lines to accomplish this. The group also discussed getting more businesses to use carpooling.
Not a lot of time was spent on the ferry service, but it was agreed that there should be more passenger-only ferries running on Puget Sound.
Not many agreed that Lake Washington needed ferries. It was agreed that King County should use more of its transportation funding to better coordinate bus service with state and local ferry service.
The conversation around funding became very interesting. Everyone had a different idea on that subject, including a type of income tax to pay for all of this, especially the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Everyone agreed that the viaduct should take priority over everything else, and our governing body needs to get on the ball now.
By Seattle Neighborhood Group
Do you find yourself bombarded with
telephone calls from callers offering you
free vacations, free prizes, lottery tickets,
and more?
Do they sound too good to be true?
That’s probably right. Many of these
offers are not on the level.
A typical call might go like this:
Caller: Hello, Irene, how are you
today?
Irene: Fine, thank you.
Caller: Do you think that on this Friday
morning you could use a cashier’s check
for $50,000?
Irene: Sure, I think so.
Caller: Congratulations, Irene. This is
your first opportunity to walk away a winner.
That’s a lot of money, isn’t it Irene!
Irene: Yes, it is.
Caller: Now, Irene, we’re able to cover
the taxes for you. We’re able to cover all
charges other than bonding and insurance.
That’s a $500 bonding fee that’s paid
directly to the chief of accounting. By
the way, it must be done by midnight
tonight.
Now I show here that you are some kind
of a credit card holder. I am going to ask
you to go to your local money wire office
and use that credit card of yours to send
me $500. You know, Irene, it’s that easy.
How would you respond to the caller?
How can you tell if this offer is on the up and
up or whether it is a scam?
Here’s a rule of thumb — if the caller
tells you that they want to give you something
for free, then you shouldn’t have to
pay to receive it.
You could say in response: “I shouldn’t
have to send money for something I’ve
won.”
Legitimate callers won’t be turned off
by your response. They will treat you like
an educated consumer.
Another response could be: “I’d like to
take some time to discuss this with family
and friends.”
In other words, get another person’s
opinion on the offer before committing.
And remember, you are always in control
of the telephone conversation.You
can always hang up.
If you receive unsolicited telephone
calls and mail, you can remove your name
from calling and mailing lists.Write to: Direct Marketing Association,
Mail Preference Service, PO Box
282, Carmel, NY 10512 and send a $1
money order or personal check.
Or you can make a request online at:
www.dmaconsumer.org/egi/offmailing.
For more safety information, please
contact us: Allan Davis, 206-323-7094, or
Kelly McKinney, 206-323-7084, at Seattle
Neighborhood Group.
Seattle office presents workshops about online security
By Robert Canamar
SHA Resident
On July 19, I attended a workshop on Internet security and learned a couple of things I did not know.
Now, I am no slouch when it comes to computers. (I built NBC's very first computer in the early 1970s.)
I have found my match. Mike Hamilton of the Seattle Office of Information Security has me beat, hands down.
Mike is the chief information security officer for the City of Seattle. He has been at this game for 20 years, mostly as a consultant, traveling around the country working for organizations like Wal-Mart, TRW and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
When he had the opportunity to settle down and be a father to his daughter, he took it. This is his first time in public service.
Mike told me, "Bad guys are putting more resources into their endeavors, so one way to address this is for our office to become consultants for everyone."
According to Mike, "We are the least regulated for security controls, yet we have the most to lose, and the reason for this is protection of rights. What we need is a balance between the two." This is where Mike and his staff come in. Once every quarter, his office plans to have workshops in north and south Seattle.
If needed the amount of workshops can be scaled up.
In the workshops you can learn about ugly e-mail and schemes to get your money and passwords, patches and updates, fire-walls and virus/spyware protection software, making back-up copies of files and folders, and thinking before you open that e-mail saying that you are the recipient of a kajillion dollars.
Here is a checklist of actions home users can take to protect their computer systems:
Also visit the city’s information security Web site for more information: www. seattle.gov/information security.
Garden tips for community gardeners
As I pull the weeds that threaten to
choke out my vegetable garden, I wonder,
“To throw them in the compost or not to
compost, that is the question.”
I know that a good hot compost pile will
kill off most of the seeds and roots of the
weeds, but what if you are using the slow
composting method?
Then you need to be more selective about
the yard waste materials you use.
I try to remove the seed heads of annual
weeds before I compost the whole plant. For
some perennial weeds, I remove the roots,
especially for Canadian thistle, quack grass
or bindweed (also known as morning glory)
which can thrive in a cold compost pile.
Check for these invasive roots when you
turn your compost and remove them. Don’t
let them become established in your garden
by spreading your infected compost.
I also avoid diseased plants like tomatoes
with blight and club root on the brassicas
(broccoli, kale, choy, etc.). I think it is
best to try to avoid composting powdery
mildew on the dying squash plants and
cucumbers.
So now you have a pile of selected garden
waste (weeds, leaves, grass clippings, bean
vines, etc.) but how does this yard waste
become a crumbly, rich compost that can
improve your garden soil?
Here is the scoop on compost.
Compost just happens. Any pile of yard
waste will decompose eventually. To make
compost happen faster, keep these guidelines
in mind:
Mix dried “brown” materials and fresh
“green” materials, usually layering six
inches of greens and then six inches of
browns.
“Green” items include grass clippings,
fresh manure, fresh weed leaves and stalks.
Examples of browns are dried leaves, straw,
shredded paper, etc.
Keep a hose nearby and sprinkle with a
lot of water as you pile up these materials, especially in the summer months.
The pile should always be as damp as a
wrung-out sponge. You may want to cover
the pile to keep it from getting soggy wet
in the winter months. Incorrect moisture
content is the main culprit when compost
piles are not decomposing as fast as they
should.
Don’t add soil to the compost pile,
because it will compact it and reduce air
flow. Air is such an important part of the
composting process. There are enough
soil-born microbes found on the roots and
leaves of the collected materials to “work”
on the compost, so don’t add a layer of soil,
as older composting guides recommend.
Smaller pieces of material will compost
faster, so you may want to chop up any
larger stalks. Think of adding pieces the
size of your finger or smaller. We use a
machete and a chopping block, especially
on anything very woody.
Lastly, keep aerating the compost pile by
turning it over once a month or so. It will
decompose without turning, but the process
is much slower.
Planting a winter cover crop is an excellent
way to reduce weeds in a garden and
enrich the soil at the same time. Plant nitrogen-fixing “green manure” like fava beans,
vetch or field peas and these will choke out
weeds, loosen and enrich your soil.
The rains actually compact soil and
having a cover crop will protect soil from
compacting. Sow these while the weather
is still warm (late September), so that they
have time to germinate. They then grow
slowly as the days become short and the
temperature drops.
Keep watering well this month and until
the fall rains start. Water your soil (and its
microbes), not the leaves of your plants.
Check your soil to see if it is damp a few
inches below the surface. A deep soaking a
couple times a week is better than a quick
sprinkle every day. When the rains start,
the microbes and earthworms will become
more active and their work will enrich your
soil for next year’s plantings.
Anza Muenchow is a farmer and a volunteer
with P-Patch. You can reach her by
e-mail at mahafarm@whidbey.net or on the
Internet at http://www.mahafarm.com.
A source of stress for parents is the cost of purchasing supplies our children need when a new school year gets underway: pens, paper, books, and backpacks.
Every August, a few local churches, organizations and agencies in Seattle and in King County help lighten the burden. Here’s information about their free school supplies programs, arranged by date. All are free.
For information about other free school supplies programs, call the Crisis Clinic, at 2-1-1 or 877-211-WASH (that’s 877-2119274).
Educational Resources Street Fair
Items: School supplies, books, backpacks, rain jackets; parenting materials; event also includes music, food, a farmers market, a talent show and children’s activities Date: Saturday, August 9, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: 24th Avenue, between East Spruce Street and East Yesler Way, Seattle
Sponsor: People’s Institutional Baptist Church
Whom does this program serve? Anybody and everybody
Notes: If you can, register early online at www.edrsf.org. Doing so will also let you enter the Fair’s essay contest.
ROAR School Supplies
Items: Backpacks and school supplies
Date: By appointment only through Thursday, August 14
Location: 717 North 36th Street, Fremont (Seattle) Sponsor: Fremont Baptist Church
Whom does this program serve? School-age children and youth in low-income working families that reside within Seattle city limits. At least one person in the household must be working.
Notes: Call 206-643-1977 for an appointment Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wheelchair accessible. Se habla Español.
Back to School Supplies
Items: Notebook paper, pencils, pens, crayons, scissors, erasers, rulers, and composition notebook.
Dates: Three days: Tuesday, August 19 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Wednesday, August 20 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; and Thursday, August 21, from 1 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 2800 First Avenue, Seattle
Sponsor: Puget Sound Labor Agency in partnership with Boeing retirees
Whom does this program serve? Local community members who reside in 98101, 98104, 98109, 98111, 98119, 98134 and 98199 ZIP code areas.
Notes: Call first to tell the sponsor you’re interested in obtaining supplies. The number to call is 206-448-9277, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Wheelchair accessible.
Back to School Bash
Items: Backpacks full of school supplies
Date: Saturday, August 23, from noon – 4 p.m.
Location: 8650 55th Avenue South, Seattle
Sponsor: Atlantic Street Center – Rainier Beach Family Center
Whom does this program serve? School-age children and their parents or guardians. Targets families in Seattle’s 98108 and 98118 ZIP code areas — that is, the New-Holly and Rainier Beach areas. Notes: Wheelchair accessible. Backpacks are distributed first-come, first served.
For more information contact Sue at 206723-4073.
Center for Human Services Back to School Event
Items: School supplies, school clothes, other resources, and free haircuts — all with fun and games
Date: Saturday, August 23, from 1 – 3 p.m.
Location: Ridgecrest Elementary School, 16516 10th Avenue Northeast, Shoreline
Sponsor: Center for Human Services
Whom does this program serve? Shoreline School District students and their families.
Notes: Call to tell the sponsor you’re interested in obtaining supplies. Call 206-362-7282 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Wheelchair accessible.
Help you and your neighbors breathe easier — become a master home environmentalist volunteer
By American Lung Association
The American Lung Association of Washington is now accepting applications for the Master Home Environmentalist Fall 2008 Volunteer Training. Classes are held September 9 to November 11 at our Seattle office.
This free 35-hour training meets Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., and on occasional Saturdays.
Master Home Environmentalist volunteers will receive formal training from local indoor air quality and environmental health experts:
You don’t need to be an expert or environmentalist to become knowledgeable in understanding how lead, mold, dust, household chemicals and other pollutants could affect your health. We provide valuable information, so you can share with other community members as well as family and friends.
Volunteer applications are due August 31.
Have a free Indoor air Quality assessment done at your home
Home improvement can take more than a hammer and nails. The American Lung Association of Washington offers home environmental assessments to learn how to make homes healthier.The home assessments focus on recognizing indoor air pollution and reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in the home.
These evaluations of the home environment are great for people with asthma, allergies, children, the elderly, or pregnant women because of the sensitivity of their lungs, but can be helpful to anyone.
We do not provide testing or cleaning services, but we do provide recommendations for healthier living. Free indoor air quality assessments are available in Seattle.
For an application or more information, contact Casey Coulombe at 206-441-5100, casey@alaw.org or visit our Web site at www.alaw.org/mhe.
Protect yourself from payday loans and predatory lending
By Tyler Roush
The Voice editor
They entice consumers with the promise of quick and easy cash.
But payday lenders can lead many borrowers down the road to financial ruin.
When asked if payday loans can be a practical resource for someone who is short on cash, Bruce Neas of Columbia Legal Services was point-blank in his response.
“I don’t think payday loans are almost ever a practical solution for a number of reasons,” Neas said. “And if they are a solution they ought to be the very last-ditch solution with the consumer really recognizing that they have the ability to just do one.”
But most Washington residents who use payday loans don’t stop at just one loan. The average is between eight and 10 payday loans per year, according to Neas.
Oftentimes, the consumer is taking out one payday loan to pay off a previous loan. High interest rates — an average of 391 percent for a standard two-week loan — can quickly put consumers in a hole.
And the loans are easy to come by — as Neas noted, there are more payday lenders in Washington state than there are Starbucks cafes.
“The problem is, you’re writing a bad check — that’s all a payday loan is, is a bad check,” Neas said.
The interest on a $500 loan is $75, or $15 per $100 of loan. When that payment becomes due, if the borrower is unable to pay back the loan and interest in full, then his or her debt will accumulate.
Neas said he knew of one consumer who took out a $500 loan. In the course of paying it back, she took out additional loans. By the time the original $500 had been repaid, she had also paid back $750 in fees and interest.
Help available for residents
When the rent comes due and a resident finds him or herself short on the money to make a payment, there are options out there aside from taking out a payday loan.
Bruce Garberding, an SHA senior property manager, said that instances of late payment are handled on a case-by-case basis. Property managers are more likely to be lenient with a resident who is rarely late with rent payments than they are with someone who routinely misses payments, he said.
Case managers and property managers have a list of community organizations to make referrals to residents who are in need of rental assistance.
Before thinking about taking out a payday loan, Neas stressed that consumers should weigh every other option — talking first to family, friends, community service organizations and local churches to see if there is help available.
But in every case, Garberding stressed that residents should let their property managers know beforehand if they think they might be late in paying the rent.
“We certainly encourage them to let us know right away. It’s so much more helpful for someone to let us know right on the first week of the month,” he said. “If folks do let us know up front, then our folks can work with them.
“We have a vested interest in keeping folks housed once they’re housed,” he added. “So we certainly do make a concerted effort to work with folks.”
RAC looks to expand membership
By Jim Bush
Resident Action Council
The Resident Action Council, the citywide organization of Seattle Housing Authority residents, is looking to expand its active membership base and, as a part of this process, has developed a new brochure that details what the group has been doing over the past couple of years.
RAC is also seeking written documentation from residents on how RAC has helped solve community issues, such as the “sign rule” or the “vending machine” issues and the homeWorks project.
If you have any comments on how RAC has helped you, please send them to us at the address below.
Also, RAC will be “on the move.” Starting this month, the organization will be having its regular meetings in various SHA communities throughout the city — and people are encouraged to attend, so they know what the organization is up to.
Our next meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 26 at Greenlake Plaza (505 N.E. 70th – Metro Routes 16, 26 and 48 stop within several blocks). More details will be announced soon.
In addition, RAC is planning to participate in some neighborhood block parties throughout the city.
These block parties will allow residents in a particular neighborhood to get together to learn about what resources are available to them, as well as enjoy food and entertainment. Already a number of organizations have signed on to be participants, and more are expected to join in as this project evolves.
RAC can also use your talents. If you’d like to find out how they can help you put your talents to work (and help yourself at the same time!), please let us know.
Our mailing address and phone number are below. The office is located on the lower level of the Center Park Community Building (right below the STAR Center, which is also looking for volunteers — contact them at 325-4284 or send an e-mail to starofseattle@cablespeed.com).
How can people get in touch with us? Our address is 2600 S. Walker St., Suite B-1, Seattle, WA 98144-4711. RAC’s phone number is 206-322-1297.
By Tyler Roush
The Voice editor
Whether to buy organic or nonorganic foods is a question that many consumers ask themselves on every trip to the grocery store.
For Nora Kelly, a resident of Pleasant Valley Plaza, the choice is an easy one.
Kelly, 78, said she grew up in a time before we used the term “organic.” What one ate was simply assumed to be naturally grown.
Now, she said people have to choose between organically grown foods, and foods that are produced with the use of chemicals or hormones.
The organic foods might be a little more expensive, but they’re the best choice for Kelly.
One advantage to choosing organic foods, she said, is that they fill you up faster.
“You don’t need as much for your body to become satisfied,” Kelly said. “I find that I don’t eat as much at any meal because I do eat (organic foods).”
That makes them worth the additional expense, she said.
“If I want strawberries, I’ll just buy them, whether I pay more for them or not, because I know that I’m getting more out of them,” she said.
It also helps to buy produce that is in season, because the cost for those fruits and vegetables tend to be lower.
To get the most nutritional content out of her vegetables, Kelly said she never boils any food. Much of the vitamins and nutritional content is lost when foods are boiled. Instead, she steams, bakes or broils the food she prepares.
Rather than eat three large meals a day, Kelly recommended eating four times a day, with smaller portions at each meal.
As an example, Kelly said she might start each day by eating a dozen or so fresh strawberries (one of her favorite fruits). A few hours later she might eat an egg and a slice of seven-grain toast or a bowl of hot cereal.
In the afternoon, she might prepare a large bowl of steamed vegetables and, for dinner, a small serving of trout and a salad
She doesn’t eat a lot of meat, but said that she always buys beef or chicken that is hormone-free, and whenever possible buys fish that is not farm-raised. And she stressed that a serving size of meat is four ounces — about the size of a deck of cards.
Nora’s sweet and zesty salad
Ingredients: Two leaves Romaine lettuce One half carrot One half stick celery One radish A few leaves of Italian parsley One half Granny Smith apple One half lemon One half tablespoon honey Herb seasoning Cayenne pepper One clove garlic, minced (optional) Fresh ginger (optional) Dried cranberries or raisins (optional) Chopped tomatoes (optional)
In a salad bowl, mix juice from lemon, honey, herb seasoning, a pinch of cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger. Coarsely chop all vegetables by hand or in food processor.
Toss vegetables in salad bowl. Top with cranberries, raisins or tomatoes. Serves one.
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Market place coupon
Do you have a couch or other item you want to sell? Take advantage of the free person-to-person classified advertising in The Voice by filling out your 24-word ad below. Remember, write only one word per line and don’t forget to include your telephone number in your ad! Mail your ad before the 18th of the month and it will be included in the next month’s issue.
Name _______________________________ Address _____________________________ City _______________________________ state __________________ ZiP ___________ telephone ______________________ e-mail ____________________________________
Write your ad here (one word per line)
Check the classification: items for sale Autos for sale items wanted services
Mail to: PPC, 4000 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98133 fax: 206-461-1285 e-mail: classmgr@nwlink.com w/subject line “The Voice”
TRANSLATIONS
Translated Articles from The Voice
Sida loo fuulo baska Seattle
Marka aad soo joogsatid barta basku istaago, waxaad arkeysaa jadwal ku dhegan tabeelaha ama xarumaha basasku ay istaagaan. Xasuusnoow markaad akhrineysid jadwalkan kala gedisnaantiisa xagga wakhtiyada sida Isniinta illa Jimcaha, Sabtida iyo Axadda/Feestooyinka.
Waxaa kaloo xusuus mudan darawaliintu waxay ku istaagayaan keliya barta loogu tala galey si ay u qaadaan una dejiyaan raaceyaashooda.
Darawalku hoosta sanduuqa lacagta ama aaladda akhrisa kaarka calaamad ayuu ku leeyahay taas oo kuu sheegeysa in aad lacag bixineyso markaad soo gashid, markaad degtid ama in ay tahay meelo bilaash lagu raacayo. (Deegaanka bilaashka lagu raaco wuxuu ka biloowdaa waqooyiga jikda Battery illaa koonfuurta jikda Jackson dhinaca koonfuur iyo xagga jikda lixaad illaa biyo dhaca xagga galbeed waxuuna si adag u shaqeeyaa inta u dhaxeeysa lixda aroornimo illaa todabada galabnimo (6:00a. m-7:00 p.m maalinkasta.) nabadgelyada baska waxaa marwaliba qeyb ka ah xajin ama in la qabsado biraha marka aad baska dhexsoconeysid sababtuna waxaa weeye
basasku marka bareegga la qabto dafid si
isdaba joog ah ayeey leeyihiin.
Sidoo kale haddii aad caruur leedahay hubi in ay ku fariistaan kursiga adiga kuu dhow iyagoo qabsanaya biraha. Haddii aad saaraneysid dhabta, meel adag ka qabso oo xaji.
Haddii aad lacag kaash ah aad bixisid, darawalka basku wuxuu ku weydiin doonaa in aad dooneysid warqad ku wareejin bas kale, taas oo aad si bilaash ah ku raaceysid baska kale illaa wakhti cayuman gudeheedi (inta badan sagaashan daqiiqadood 90 minutes).
Inta badan qiimuhu waa $ 1.50 waxaa baska lagu raacaayo, balse waxey ku kala gedisan yihiin deegaanada, maalin iyo saacad.
Riding the bus in Seattle
ĐI XE BUYT Ở SEATTLE Khi bạn đến trạm xe buyt, thì bạn phải thấy có dán trên trụ xe búyt hay nơi trạm xe tờ lịch trình giờ giấc xe đến và đi. Bạn nên nhớ là có lịch trình các tuyến đi khác biệt cho các ngày từ Thứ Hai đến Thứ Sáu, và (lịch trình khác) cho ngày Thứ Bảy, Chủ Nhật hoặc các Ngày Lễ. Một điều khác cần nhớ là tài xế xe búyt chỉ đỗ xe ở các trạm chỉ định để đón khách và đỗ khách. Người tài xế xe búyt cũng trưng ra các bảng báo hiệu ngay nơi thùng thâu tiền cho hành khách biết là phải trả tiền lúc bước lên xe hay lúc rời xe, hoặc xe đang trong khu vực được đi miễn phí.( Khu vực đi xe không phải trả tiền đã đuợc nới ra từ đường Battery Ave ở phía bắc đến đường South Jackson ở phía nam và ngang đường Số Sáu ở phía đông, và có hiệu lực từ 6 giờ sáng đến 7 giờ tối mỗi ngày). Phần của việc đi xe búyt được an tòan là phải luôn vịn vào các tay vịn, cột xe khi bước đi trên xe búyt bởi vì xe búyt thường thắng gấp. Lại nữa ,nếu bạn có trẻ em đi theo, hãy để cho con em ngồi gần qúi vị và bảo chúng luôn nắm vào tay vịn. Nếu bạn để trẻ em ngồi trên đùi, thì phải vịn em cách chắc chắn. Nếu bạn trả bằng tiền mặt, thì người tài xế xe búyt sẽ hỏi bạn có muốn phiếu đổi xe hay không, bạn có thể dùng phiếu này để đi tiếp trên chuyến xe búyt khác trong thời gian ấn định ( thường là trong 90 phút nữa). Thường thì giá vé xe búyt là $1.50 nhưng nó cũng thay đổi tùy vào khu vực và ngày giờ.