A warning has to be raised concerning Highline CEO Benedum’s assurances that “patients will not notice a change; the Franciscan position is that issues such as birth control and abortion are concerns between a woman and her health care provider” (“Highline’s proposed merger won’t affect care,” Oct. 16, 2012). On April 11, I questioned Mr. Benedum about the evident conflict with the position of the Franciscan Health System (FHS), which is posted on its website: “Franciscan Health System is guided by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs).”
The next time you dump your yard waste into the sound, please think about where it will end up. Each year, we spend countless hours cleaning our beach at the end of Quartermaster Harbor — where Dockton Road and Quartermaster Harbor connect.
Driving to work the day I write this, I pulled over to the shoulder and waited for several minutes until a bicyclist from about 1,000 feet away passed. The strobe lights used on the front of bikes on the island are so visually upsetting to me that I actually become nauseated. It does not matter whether it is light or dark out, the effect is the same: I feel ill and my head hurts.
The departure of “our” editor, Leslie Brown, is a loss to Vashon-Maury Islands. In her, we had been gifted with a star journalist for seven years. Leslie raised the bar for anyone who is to follow. She has been not only a chronicler of life on this island in all its dimensions, she has been the island’s conscience, holding a mirror for us to see all our glory, our wrinkles and our zits, our quirkiness and our independence as a community.
I have lately been writing mystery novels, and so, naturally, I wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery of the great hydrangea heist at Kathy’s Corner a week or so back.
After the destructive 2004 Dalco Pass oil spill, a handful of islanders attended spill training and beach cleaning for first responders. Inculcated in us was where and how to report a spill, as well as the urgency of initiating a competent cleanup effort by agencies with essential skills and equipment.
While it was not mentioned in the March 13 article about La Boucherie butcher shop and restaurant closing (“La Boucherie to close to walk-in diners”), I’d like to add that as the manager and co-owner of this business, I was extremely grateful and touched by the island patronage of La Boucherie. To those customers: I will miss seeing your faces in the shop, hearing about your culinary adventures and intentions and enjoying your enjoyment of the food we prepared and served.
I was saddened to hear that Leslie Brown is leaving The Beachcomber. Of course, I understand that the stress of long hours and an unrelenting schedule must be enormous. I have been amazed and grateful to see Leslie, camera in hand, spending yet another evening at a public meeting or event.
I was very disappointed to read that Island Lumber is planning sales of alcoholic beverages. When our two grocery stores had the option just over a year ago to add hard liquor to wine and beer sales, they passed, and the small Vashon Liquor Store was able to continue in business. Now I understand that the Vashon IGA is going to add hard liquor. That is, at least, an appropriate place. In my opinion, a large lumber and hardware store is not an appropriate place.
Regarding the letter titled “Owners need to scoop poop” (March 6), I heartily agree. I have been bike riding all over Island Center Forest very regularly for quite some time. A group of us go religiously and fervently discuss the plethora of said poop on a regular basis. However, we feel that the real poopertrators are the horse owners. I guess that it is easy to ignore your pony’s pies when they fall behind you on the trail, although they do make a decided plopping sound. I wish that the horse owners would please pick up after themselves.
Island Lumber’s move to sell liquor has raised questions not just about access to intoxicants, but also about “harmful” competition. Competition, like it or not, is part of our capitalist society, and it doesn’t mean the big guys always win. If island businesses compete strictly for the island dollar, Island Lumber is well-positioned to take business away from our small liquor store, our boutique pet shop, even our sporting and gift shops.
March is the start of the wildlife season and lambing for the agricultural programs of Wolftown. Could everyone please help Wolftown in its continuing work of wildlife rehabilitation and education and our sustainible farming programs? Donate, volunteer or hold a fundraiser.
It’s deeply encouraging to see the restoration work unfolding at the Maury Regional Marine Park, a beautiful expanse of land that bears the scars of years of mining.