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.
Words cannot express how deeply grateful we are to the hundreds of people who have supported our family as we coped with the loss of our beloved Ryan. We are grateful to each and every one of you and hope that this brief note will let you know how profoundly we value you and all you have done to help. We simply could not have borne the weight of these past weeks without your loving safety net.
My family enjoys soccer. And, frankly, we don’t expect Bellevue-style fields on little ol’ Vashon. That’s sort of why we live here. Because to get those Bellevue-style fields, you have to live in that Bellevue-style culture.
The park district board has mismanaged the fields project.
Every day last week I walked our small dog through Island Center Forest while our regular dog walker, my wife, was away. I was amazed at how much dog poop was left on the trails through our county forest. I do not think that it comes as a surprise to those who walk their dogs in ICF that they are supposed to pick up that which their dogs leave on the trails. The county parks department supply bio-degradable bags and specific deposit containers at all the entrances to ICF, just for this purpose.
I avoid reading newspapers because most specialize in bad news. Instead, I let wife Margaret break the bad news to me gently. For example, yesterday she read to me a piece in The Beachcomber reporting that Island Lumber will sell liquor. The owner was quoted as saying something like, “Adding alcohol will enhance the shopping experience when you’re looking for plumbing supplies or straight 2-by-4s.”
Is competition always a good thing?
I live on Vashon, and I try to shop as much as possible here. What makes the shopping on Vashon more agreeable is to go from one small shop to another, to have a personal and a knowledgeable contact with the shop’s tenant. I suppose it is also one of the touristic attractions of Vashon and a nice change from the mega-stores across the Sound.
I am in agreement with CC Stone’s call in last week’s Beachcomber (“Key user groups need to pay for the project”) for user groups to pick up the tab for the capital costs of the new playing fields. This was the consensus of most of the people at the community meeting on the project Saturday.
I was disappointed to read about the coming of yet a third pizzeria to Vashon (“New pizza restaurant slated to open in April,” Feb. 20). Establishments on Vashon have plenty of competition from off-island businesses already. I wasn’t aware that the current two pizzerias were not adequately serving the needs of our population.
The bells of democracy rang out loud and clear the night of Feb. 14, when the Burton Community Church joined with the Vashon Unitarian Fellowship to celebrate same-sex marriage. The minister of each church stood side by side to perform the ceremonies in front of a sanctuary full of islanders clapping and smiling.
We have taken our dry cleaning to Joy since we moved here in 2005. She does an excellent job. The two gentlemen who work for her are polite and efficient. We also use the big washing machine and dryers in the laundromat for quilts, cushions and other large items.
Historically, the Vashon Park District’s commissioners worked cooperatively with special interest groups to enhance and improve park property for the benefit of the sponsoring group and the greater island community. Projects that have followed this model to a good outcome include the equestrian course and covered arena at Paradise Ridge Park, the boathouse at Jenson Point, the renovation of many structures at Point Robinson Park and much work done successfully at BARC.