It’s never too late to do some spring cleaning of column items:
• Won’t it be nice when the newly minted graduates of Kentwood and Kentlake high schools can stop caravaning to Tacoma to get their diplomas?
For those two schools and the rest of the high schools in the Kent School District, this year’s classes of 2008 are the last to go through the pomp and circumstances in the Tacoma Dome. District officials are promising that starting next year, the graduation ceremonies will switch to the new Kent Events Center.
No more long drives to a different county and a venue that has no community connection whatsoever to the grads and their families. The last official act as students in the Kent district will actually occur in the district.
The only thing you can wish for now is consistently dry weather in June so that the ceremonies can be staged outside. Fat chance that will ever happen, unless a dome is built over French Field some day.
• Pat yourself on the back if you’re mellow when you drive. Because you’re among the most courteous drivers in the United States.
According to the third annual “In The Driver’s Seat Road Rage Survey,” commissioned by AutoVantage, a national auto club, the Seattle-Tacoma region is the third most courteous part of the country in terms of road rage. It’s the same ranking we got in the survey last year.
Compared to 24 other major regions, we’re ranked as the very least likely place where other drivers are seen talking on their cell phone and text-messaging or e-mailing while driving. Considering how regularly I see cell phone gabbers behind the wheel, I’m worried for some other places.
The survey also concluded that we are the least likely to wave our fists or arms at another driver in reaction to rude or aggressive motoring. I hope that means we also steer away from hand gestures, waving weapons and cutting off or tallgating motorists who get under our skin.
• Just wondering: What was worse – the gas shortage in the 1970s (if you were around then) or today’s gas prices?
Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 1050) and pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com
