Islander Leah Okamoto Mann, seen here performing in at Seattle’s Kubota Gardens in May, will lead a “Kizoku Ishiki” Obon celebration at Vashon Cemetery on Aug. 9. (Courtesy photo)

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Happenings | August 7, 2025

Kizoku Ishiki Obon, Ciscoe Morris and more.

Aerialist Ariel Ginger (Alex Bruell photo)

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News Briefs | August 7, 2025

Aerialists flied at Open Air.

Camp Fire Executive Director Rick Taylor shakes hands with King County Executive Shannon Braddock at the easement signing ceremony July 10. (Alex Bruell photo)

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County buys third easement protecting Camp Sealth from development

This transfer is the biggest land right purchase of its kind between the camp and King County.

William McLaughlin (Courtesy photo)

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Fire board votes to hire new chief

The commissioners extended an offer to William McLaughlin.

Workers from Meade Building Company work on a ramp at Cynthia and Fred Matusky’s Sunflower Community Land Trust home the afternoon of Wednesday, July 30. They finished the final touches on the project on Monday, August 4. (Alex Bruell photo)

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Vashon ‘Rampathon’ winners feel the love

Before last week, a trip outside for Cynthia Matusky meant a roll of the dice on whether she’d…

Aboard the Virginia V wooden steamship, volunteer engineer Lydia Louie prepares an oiler in the engine room on a Vashon Heritage Museum tour. (Terry Donnelly photo)

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Time & Again: The Virginia V circumnavigation

The story of the Virginia V is a story of change amid the last two centuries.

People with compromised health can be especially affected by the fine smoke particles that can penetrate deeply into the lungs. In addition to this article, you can learn more by visiting the VashonBePrepared website at <a href="http://www.vashonbeprepared.org/hazard/smoke" target="_blank">vashonbeprepared.org/hazard/smoke</a>. (Terry Donnelly photo)

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VashonBePrepared: Tsunamis and wildfires — prepare and survive the elements

That Russian mega-quake on July 30th startled everyone. It was so far away, yet we had tsunami warnings…

Alex Bruell (Phil Clapham photo)

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Beachcomber editor to step down

Alex Bruell’s last day with the paper will be August 20.

Lindsay Hoffman, married in 1968, and her niece Manda McCoy, married in 2023, show their wedding dresses at the show at the Presbyterian Church. (Courtesy photo)

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Weddings dresses tell history at Presbyterian Church

They included the dress of Edith Roosevelt Derby Williams, granddaughter of Theodore Roosevelt.

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News Briefs | July 31, 2025

Updates from the island’s Ferry Advisory Committee.

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County may postpone logging project to 2026

The thinning project is the largest since the county took ownership of Island Center Forest.

A group of Bon Odori dancers on Vashon. (Ela Lamblin photo)

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Celebrate ‘a deep sense of belonging’ at Vashon Cemetery

The cemetery will host a Kizoku Ishiki Obon celebration from 12-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.

“Boots” owners Malory Graham and Kevin Flick, accompanied by dog Tindra (which means “Tinkle” in Swedish), converted their Swedish fire truck into a camper. (Mari Kanagy photo)

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Vashon couple’s quirky Swedish fire truck turns heads

The story behind the truck is one of connection, curiosity and political expression.