When I first contacted the new--controversial and archconservative--Seattle Police Officers' Guild president, Ken Saucier, in February 2002 for an interview, he was reluctant. "Your paper has a decidedly anti-SPD stance," he e-mailed. "If you are just going to cut me up, it's not worth my time." However, as I would soon discover, Ken was always game for an honest sparring partner. "If you show me you can be fair, you'll win yourself a source for life," he concluded.

I did win a great source--Saucier thought the resulting story was "a hoot." "My style... is very blunt and direct.... I think I'd fit right in at your paper." For the next two years he did just that--happy to argue with me over cop policy, gently educate me on police tactics, and fire off a zingy one-liner about lefty city council members. Sadly, the relationship was short-lived: Saucier, just 40 years old, died in a one-car accident in Idaho on July 21, leaving behind a young family, a stunned police department, and a few reporters who were lucky enough to earn his mutual respect. AMY JENNIGES

Cheap Comedy

Mark Sidran got a psychological boost last week when comedian Al Franken, a classmate of Sidran's at Harvard in the 1960s, endorsed Seattle's former city attorney for state attorney general. "As much as I hate to interfere in the election of another state (other than Florida), I feel I must write in order to urge you to support Mark Sidran..." Franken's letter began. It's a sexy endorsement, but probably not worth too much--literally. The best-selling author didn't bother to top off his endorsement with a contribution. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Containment Policy

After city council eliminated the "lease lid" last year--a groovy longstanding regulation that had capped UW expansion to preserve ground-level indie businesses on the Ave. -- the Growth Management Hearing Board complained that U. District neighbors had been left out of the deliberations--a violation of the Growth Management Act. Council was told to go back to the drawing board.

With neighbors in the loop this time, the assault on the lease lid (being pushed by the mayor to spur biotech development) won't be as dramatic as last year's vote. The council is now considering putting checks on the university: No ground-floor leasing in commercial zones around the U.; allowing unlimited expansion citywide, but limiting expansion to 750,000 square feet around the U.; and exempting properties from the cap if 30 percent of the lease is residential--an incentive to promote housing expansion rather than institutional expansion. JOSH FEIT