WWW . THESKANNER . COM
M ARCH 27, 2013
S EATTLE , W ASHINGTON
V OLUME XXXV, N O . 25
25
CENTS
For The Skanner
news alerts
Text "NEWS" to
503-715-0890 or
scan this QR code
C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
KIZOMBA!
Abortion
Access
Debated
Washington weighs
first insurance
mandate in U.S.
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
By Jonathan Kaminsky
The Associated Press
Eddy Vents, an instructor in kizomba semba dance, offers some tips to a couple participating in the Seattle Kizomba
Semba Camp Saturday, March 23, at the Century Ballroom. The two-day event offered dancers a chance to learn
and improve their skills in this Angolan ballroom dance style.
Inslee Promotes Columbia Bridge
Light rail critics attack the controversial interstate highway project
By Jonathan J. Cooper
The Associated Press
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP)
Gov. Jay Inslee said Friday that
Washington has a closing win-
dow of opportunity to replace
the bridge carrying Interstate 5
over the Columbia River, warn-
ing that failure to act would
“start that erosion process in our
economic competitiveness.’’
Speaking with Southwest
Washington business and gov-
ernment leaders, the governor
said the opportunity for more
than $1 billion in federal fund-
ing won’t be available for at
least another decade.
“This is the last-second shot
for our team, and we’ve got to
take it, because there’s no other
shot available to us,’’ Inslee
said.
The project has run into vocif-
erous opposition from light-rail
critics who oppose plans to use
the bridge to link Vancouver
with Portland’s light-rail sys-
tem. Inslee, a light-rail support-
er, said removing the transit
component isn’t an option.
INDEX
News ...........................3
Calendar ....................2
A&E ..........................2,8
Opinion .......................4
Obituary......................6
Bids/Classifieds.........6,7
“There really, at this moment
in time, are only two decisions
that are before the state, and that
is to move forward with the cur-
rent configuration or not move
forward for the next 10 years,’’
he said.
Vancouver voters in Novem-
ber rejected a sales tax hike to
help pay for light-rail expan-
sion. Rail opponents say the
decision is a signal that voters
oppose light rail; Inslee said
voters were merely opposing a
sales tax increase but might sup-
port other ways of paying for
light rail.
Oregon recently approved
$450 million toward the project,
and Washington has to kick in a
similar amount to secure $1.2
billion in federal transit and
highway funds. Another roughly
$1 billion would come from the
tolls.
Despite Inslee’s enthusiastic
support, the project is vocally
opposed by more than just light-
rail foes. Some say the cash-
strapped state has higher
priorities. Others say the height
See BRIDGE on page 3
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — In 1970,
Washington became the first — and remains
the only — state in the country to legalize
elective abortions by a popular vote.
A generation later, and 40 years removed
from the landmark United States Supreme
Court Roe v. Wade ruling that extended
abortion access nationwide, Washington is
once again poised to stand out.
With 21 states having adopted bans or
severe restrictions on insurance companies
from paying for abortions, Washington is
alone in seriously considering legislation
mandating the opposite.
The Reproductive Parity Act, as support-
ers call it, would require insurers in Wash-
ington State who cover maternity care —
which all insurers must do — to also pay for
abortions.
The bill passed the state House earlier this
month by a vote of 53-43, though it faces an
uncertain future in the Senate. A similar bill
in the New York state Assembly has been
introduced each session for over a decade
but has never received a public hearing.
“This is a core value for Washingtonians,’’
said Melanie Smith, a lobbyist for NARAL
Pro-Choice Washington. “We should protect
it while we still have it and not leave access
to basic health care up to an insurance com-
pany.’’
The proximate cause of Washington
State’s measure is the federal Affordable
Care Act. Thanks to language placed in it to
assuage
anti-abortion
congressional
Democrats, insurers selling their plans on
the state exchanges taking effect next year
will have to segregate the premiums they
collect for abortion coverage.
In addition to that built-in disincentive to
insuring abortion, the law also invites states
to enact stricter rules of their own. Thus far,
16 states have followed suit, barring or
restricting insurance companies on their
See ABORTION on page 3
Nature Volunteers Needed in the City
Urban Stewards recruited to help restore Seattle’s forestland
By Alyssa Keehn
Special To The Skanner News
T
he Green Seattle Partnership is
recruiting volunteers to help restore
Seattle’s urban forestland. Volunteers
are needed to remove invasive plants, plant
new trees, and maintain and monitor
restoration sites.
The partnership, founded in 2004, is a
unique public-private collaboration between
the city of Seattle and Forterra, the state’s
largest conservation and community build-
ing organization (previously known as Cas-
cade Land Conservancy).
The partnership’s main effort is a 20-year
plan to restore 2,500 acres of forestland
throughout Seattle (roughly the equivalent
of restoring 2,500 football fields of land).
Thousands of volunteers are needed in order
to reach this goal.
The Forest Steward positions that are now
open for application involve more leader-
ship than the average volunteer position.
Stewards are responsible for coordinating
volunteer restoration events and activities
within a specified parkland, as well as
developing annual site restoration work
See FOREST on page 3