Tillicum lost another of its leaders in the recent death of Pat O’Brien. Perhaps my favorite story of those we swapped by phone over the years, and again in the waning days at his bedside, was the opportunity he had to set aside the standard requirements that had been imposed by the school in order […]
To Ponder
Westside Story – Homeless Heading For DuPont
Recently, I read an article about an exploration to determine if Pierce Transit should bring bus service to DuPont titled Pierce Transit Follow Up and City of DuPont Survey Results. My knowledge of Pierce County dates back to 1959. Decades ago we faced the same question regarding implementing bus service in the Lakewood area. I […]
Westside Story – No Shots Fired
Every day major news sources are full of highly critical stories telling us cops are trigger happy, violent and racially biased. Do you ever wonder if this news is the truth, half truth or simply poisonous propaganda produced by anti-cop hate groups supported by news media because bad-cop stories, violent protests, damaged cars, broken windows […]
Westside Story – That’s The Ticket
Last week my daughter rolled in on a big jet from the East Coast. We met up the next morning before breakfast at Java Joe’s, an exclusive Lakewood coffee spot. Actually, Java Joe’s is so exclusive, only a few people have ever been there. If truth be known, Java Joe’s is 5’ of kitchen counter […]
Letter: We’re sailing (and playing ball)
The Tillicum Crushers – the 9-and-10-year-olds all from Tillicum Elementary School’s third-and-fourth-grades – will have brand new uniforms this season with a big, bold letter ‘C’ on the cap. Far more than the name of the team is what the letter signifies illustrated by the day many, many years ago that my then-little-daughter and I […]
Westside Story – Circling Back with Gratitude
If you will allow me say so, my title today, Circling Back with Gratitude, displays some strong and long term observation skills, highly efficient memory along with a superior level of intellect. Before you leap to the false conclusion I am bragging about myself, let me hasten to disclose that my title was created during […]
Letter: The eagle hadn’t landed
It’s an old scraggly, stark-naked tree, not a leaf on any of its many – and most decidedly – dead branches. Like the twisted, gnarly and bony fingers of what remains of a skeletal hand thrusting claws up through the soil which our mom was fond of placing about the yard at Halloween, the solo […]
Westside Story – Being Mortal
On January 2, 2016, there was a death in my family. With the passing of my 93 year old mother, the entire generation ahead of me is now gone. My parents, aunts, uncles and in-laws are all gone. There is no one left in front of me. Being the oldest, I am the patriarch. I […]
Letter: Safe at Home
The little guy was standing at third base. Seven years old. His fellow teammate at the plate had swung furiously at the first two pitches. And missed. I knelt down on my knees in the third base coaches’ box and leaned out over the chalk line that fairly shouted ‘proceed no further,’ and spoke as […]