Letters to the editor
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Dear Vashon,
Thank you.
Tom Erdmann
Rachel, you were so much more than a tire
For 50 years
I found you waiting
like visiting a kindly relative,
knowing you were always at home,
nestled under the edge of the cliff,
settled deep in the soft, grey sand,
with your name proudly emblazoned on your side.
I brought my children,
and still, you waited for us.
Then grandchildren came to your beloved beach.
We always said, “Hi.”
You smiled back enigmatically,
holding your secret history close
for you to remember
and for us, only to surmise:
Earthmover? Dock worker? Farmhand?
But you came to us, somehow,
and we loved you.
(A tire?! You loved a tire?!)
Yes.
And we wondered what life
sheltered itself in your caves and tunnels.
And now you are gone,
for reasons I suppose are good,
though I can never think of you as a pollutant.
And I grieve.
(A tire?! You grieve for a tire?!)
Yes.
And I hope that
your next life is something wonderful,
like drip irrigation
or cushioning for a playground,
where there is lots of life
and people will still visit
and be glad you are there.
Debbie Butler
Islanders gather for anti-ICE vigil uptown
As an island activist with Vashon-Maury SURJ – Showing Up for Racial Justice – and Indivisible Vashon, I appreciate your coverage of the vigil we held honoring the lives of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero, who were murdered recently during ICE stops.
While we collaborate with one another regularly, full credit goes to Indivisible Vashon’s Protest group for organizing this local action, which was part of a national day of remembrance, solidarity and action in support of immigrant communities everywhere.
As we stood with our ICE Out signs and posters bearing the images of individuals who have died in ICE custody or during immigration enforcement, passersby and folks driving through the 4-way stop waved and put their hands together in signs of support and appreciation. We welcome you to join us for future rallies, vigils and protests, because this violence will not end until enough of us say NO. To get involved, check out https://indivisiblevashon.org/ or reach out to me at Vashon.Maury.SURJ@gmail.com
Janie Starr
