That’s the position of the Lakewood City Council in a resolution (pp.305-318) supporting the safety recommendations approved by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on May 21, 2019. Noble, but inadequate. Even with the replacement “as soon as possible” of current passenger conveyances with more substantially built rail cars, somehow the recommendation to “secure potential […]
Letter: A Voter’s Guide – Hit the road, Jack (but look for Mike or Debbie)
We were there the night the Seattle Mariners got pummeled by the hated A-Rod, always-booed-when-he-comes-to-the-plate Yankees. That wasn’t what we hoped to see given the King was on the mound – briefly – but it was what we saw. It was our first time so there were a lot of firsts for us. First it […]
Letter: I love all our grandchildren
It’s just that this one seems like I’ve had opportunity to hold more than any of the others. At four months now since she’s been born, she’ll want to go to the mailbox with me. At least I think she does. Or anywhere else for that matter. I’ll do anything to get her to smile […]
Letter: Safety first. Then why wasn’t it?
Beginning December 18, 2017 Sound Transit said 14 Amtrak trains, at 79 mph, would pass through Lakewood at the following times: A.M. – 7, 8:25, 9:40, 10:35 and 11:05. P.M. – 12:20, 2:10, 3:15, 5:30, 6:15, 7:10, 7:50, 8:45 and 9:35. One, just one, the first one, made that trip. But never reached its destination. […]
Letter: Today I make the call
“A sign in the office of Dr. Stephen Strum, a prostate cancer specialist in Los Angeles, reads: ‘Old Russian Sailing Proverb: Pray to God but don’t stop rowing.’” Interesting that I should run across this quote today from a book I picked up in my favorite bookstore – Goodwill – four years ago. “Prostate and […]
Letter: Train operators need more training
That’s one of the conclusions – and recommendations – of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which met May 21, 2019 for a final review of its investigation into the December 18, 2017 derailment of Amtrak 501 that occurred just south of our community of Tillicum, Washington. The featured presentation at the Tillicum Woodbrook Neighborhood […]
Letter: King of the Hill – it's election season
No, not Felix Hernandez. And not the “King of the Hill” American adult animated sitcom in which “season four the episode ‘High Anxiety’ was rated TV-14 due to the episode’s references to marijuana smoking, murder, and irresponsible gun use.” Interesting how those go together. Ever play that children’s game – King of the Hill? It’s […]
Letter: We’re talkin’ trash – Lakewood’s ‘dump-it-days’
Why was Lakewood’s Community Development Director Dave Bugher standing in the middle of the road, leaning on the driver’s side open widows of trucks, cars, and U-Hauls as they lined up bumper to bumper this past weekend? And, for that matter, what was the occasion that smiling members of the Lakewood City Council, City Manager […]
The trains aren’t comin’ . . . yet
And Amtrak drops out of the top “5 Unbelievable U.S. Train Routes”. Well, it might, given the Amtrak Coast Starlight Train will bypass the current route along the scenic Puget Sound waterfront and instead barrel through towns and cities paralleling I-5. The featured presentation by the Rail Division, along with an update by the Washington […]