Absentee ballots have already been mailed for February 6's special election extending property tax levies for the Seattle School District. ETS! suggests you vote yes

While Seattle usually passes school levies, it may be harder this time due to the district's well-publicized troubles. Less publicized is that the current leadership has turned around the district's financial situation, going from a $30 million deficit to putting $20 million in reserves. The biggest problem? The state government's funding of K-12 education has been cut sharply in the last decade, and larger school districts (like Seattle) have been hit hardest.

For Propositions 1 and 2 to pass requires not only a 60 percent yes vote (because it's a property tax), but a minimum threshold voter turnout. So turn out, vote yes, and help ensure that Seattle kids get the education every child deserves. --Geov Parrish

In a surprise move, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire has reversed her decision to block funding for Seattle's "Big Dig," a multi-billion dollar project designed to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

State engineers say the viaduct won't withstand a major earthquake. Currently the road carries more than 100,000 vehicles each day. Gregoire had opposed the tunnel option (both the original six-lane plan and Mayor Nickel's scaled-down version, still projected to cost $3.4 billion or more). The governor told city officials they would have to rebuild the viaduct above ground or lose $2.8 billion in state funding. Now Gregoire has changed her mind, offering to take into account the results of two city-wide, advisory ballot measures, to be voted on in March. --Mark Taylor-Canfield

Three Ground Zero activists were found guilty last week by a Kitsap County jury on disorderly conduct charges stemming from civil disobedience actions in 2006. Shirley Morrison of Seattle, Brian Watson of Bremerton, and CarolAnn Barrows of Bainbridge Island had called on international law witnesses in an effort to convince the jury that they were acting to prevent a greater crime, the deployment of nuclear weapons on the Trident submarines based at the Bangor Subbase west if Seattle. A similar argument netted Ground Zero activists (including Watson) an acquittal in 1999, but no such luck this time.

The three face possible penalties of six months in jail and up to $2000 fines. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 22. --G.P.