Now that the smoke has cleared and my ears have stopped ringing, I have to say I have mixed feelings about Independence Day.
Having sat on the board of the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council and shown up for meetings of the board, general council and the recent forums since July 2009, I have come to a startling demographic conclusion about our Island. I know what the census and other statistics indicate about the current population of Vashon Island and its Siamese twin, Maury Island, but I regret to inform you that only 25 people live on Vashon. Shocking, I know, but apparently true, as these are the same 25 (or 20, sometimes less!) people that I meet and greet at every type of community council meeting from board to general to forum — the very rooms where ideas, motions and, ultimately, decisions that impact the present and future Island lifestyles of those 25 or so residents are made.
Several weeks ago, The Beachcomber reported that the Army Corps of Engineers has announced they have initiated the development of a court-ordered Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will investigate the environmental, social and public health impacts of the Glacier Northwest Maury Island proposal.
The Islanders who donated money to Vashon Island School District’s recent fundraising campaign deserve a hearty thank-you. What an incredible outpouring of support for the establishments that work so tirelessly to educate our young people.
Today a school superintendent has to wear a number of different hats. The job requires a growing skill set that includes the administrative know-how of a CEO, the financial knowledge of an accountant, the empathy of a human resources manager, the negotiating acumen of a diplomat and the flexibility of an acrobat. In these times of state budget cuts and underfunding of public education, I would have to add fundraiser to that list.
While one adult’s art may be another’s garbage, in the world of children, every artistic expression is a treasure. This is true not just because Mom and Dad simply adore the source and any production therefrom. It’s also true because the benefit for kids is all about process.
Tomorrow is my birthday. It is also the night we open Drama Dock’s “Oklahoma.” My youngest child and I are both in the show’s chorus. While it has been wonderful to finally have a chance to sing and dance with Will after doing so with his two older sisters, I do it with melancholy because the woman who started me on this path is taking a break.
A significant transition is taking place at The Beachcomber.
Since the 2010 legislative session adjourned earlier this year, you have, no doubt, heard about the tax increases we approved. But as talking heads slam us for the modest increases, they oftentimes forget, as they say, the rest of the story.
I met my first guide dog and fell in love with the beautiful golden retriever puppy named Malou who was being trained by Vashon High School’s Char Phillips.
Recently Jim Sherman and I shared some old Island photos from both of our families’ long Vashon history on Facebook.From that sharing we created a Facebook group called “Old Vashon Stories and Photos.” In a few short weeks it has grown like wildfire with more than 535 photos and 1,020 group members and counting.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, crude oil from Louisiana (or MC252 as it is called here) mixed with water comes in at least three different forms.