Graduation ceremonies loom for students in the Tahoma and Kent school districts this weekend.
Having sat through a few of these myself, I can tell all the members of the graduating class of 2011, it’s unlikely you’ll remember a bit of it.
While driving through Maple Valley this week, I noticed the banner ads announcing “Maple Valley Days”; the city’s annual fair coming up on the 10th. As soon as I saw it, visions of fair food flashed in front of my eyes.
One of the reasons I love my job is the fact it’s expected that we spend time in the community.
The Beach Boys aren’t meant to be played in the middle of a tropical monsoon which is exactly what Western Washington has been going through.
Just a few years ago, you couldn’t drive a few blocks without seeing a “We Buy Houses” sign on the…
I’ve been trying to avoid the Tahoma school district’s $125 million bond issue for a few weeks now; both before the voting and after the measure failed.
During the past two weeks or so I’ve discovered that TJ Martinell, our new staff writer, and I have quite a bit in common.
The news of Osama bin Laden’s death has riveted the country since the story broke Sunday evening.
The coverage has been intriguing. It is one of the best stories to come along for this country in many years. It is a great read and the kind of news the country has needed.
Last week’s news about a cyberstalking case in Issaquah made the headlines, mostly due to the young age of the accused “cyberstalkers”.
The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field featured the Liberty Foundation’s 2011 Salute to Veterans tour with the Boeing B-17 “Liberty Belle” and the rare Curtiss P-40E “Warhawk” fighter aircraft.
The B-17 flying fortress is particularly fascinating for a couple of reasons.
I’ve been watching “American Idol” on TV this season (it’s not what you think; I only watch it for the articles), and was disappointed when Kent’s only remaining contestant Stefano Langone was booted off the show.
The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field has something very special coming April 30 through May 30. The Liberty Foundation’s 2011 Salute to Veterans tour will feature the Boeing B-17 “Liberty Belle” and the rare Curtiss P-40E “Warhawk” fighter aircraft.
The B-17 flying fortress is particularly fascinating for a couple of reasons.
The 450,000 people living in King County Public Hospital District No. 1 (Valley Medical Center – VMC) own that hospital and all its assets. They should be allowed a chance to decide for themselves who should own/operate VMC in the future.
There has never been a vote about the form and existence of the public hospital district and one should take place now – before a 45-year deal is signed between the University of Washington Medicine (UWM) and VMC. That deal now looks set to be rushed to approval by the end of May, even though no final plan has yet been presented for review.
The Valley Medical Center has some serious business to consider – whether to form a strategic alliance with UW Medicine.
But commissioner Anthony Hemstad is hampering that business by continuously bringing up or promoting side issues that simply have nothing to do with an alliance. It’s what’s known as a red herring, or something that diverts attention away from what’s really important.
Last week, the online version of this newspaper ran an informal survey, asking, “Should the federal government make cuts in the Medicare program to cut the deficit?” The overwhelming response was “no.”
Sure, it’s unscientific, but with a 62 percent no vote, that’s a landslide. Don’t cut my bennies, bro.
Even if legislators wanted to it’s too hard to make cuts to that program. If any of them say “I want to cut Medicare benefits,” they’ll be on the fast-track to becoming private citizens again.
This week I am going to dedicate this space to a married couple. A happily married couple. And that is worth noting, and remembering.
For the past couple of years I have played in a sextet with Rob Reynolds. Rob is the best jazz sax man I have ever had the opportunity to work with in a band.
There is nothing like change to throw the chips in air.
Many already know there have been some changes in the air at The Reporter. I wanted to wait until all was settled to write about the next step for the newspaper and in my life.
I listed a car for sale on Craigslist this weekend, which is a website that offers free classified ads, if you aren’t familiar with it. “Why didn’t you list it in your own paper’s classifieds?” you might say. It’s a new world man and I wanted to sell it that afternoon.
A trial budget balloon sent up by the Kent School District administration about cutting physical education and music has been met with a volley of letters to the editor and heaps of worry.
The emotions of those I have talked to range from anger, suspicion and questions about hidden agendas. I have yet to hear from anyone who thinks cutting PE and music programs falls in the good idea category, or is even an acceptable option despite the dire budget numbers the board members and administration are staring down.
I’ve tried not to pick on our state legislators too much, since they have an incredibly difficult job to do right now. Faced with a $5 billion hole in the budget, we’ve declined their offers to help pay for it. We rejected their attempts to tax our Twix bars and Fiji water and even tied their hands by requiring them to get a two-thirds majority to pass any new taxes or fees.
