Nope! This owl does not live in a zoo. He lives in the Leech Creek Valley in Lakewood, Washington. A friend of mine, John Anderson, who I worked with back in the 1970s, took this hard to get photo. This is a case of peaceful co-existence with nature in Lakewood. It is also a case of John scrambling quickly enough to get his camera before the owl took off. After all the owl does not give a hoot.
To Ponder
Westside Story – Oh Deer Me
In Lakewood, we often live in peaceful co-existence with nature. My photo shows one of our majestic neighbors. So far, we are getting along together just fine, but then again, he has not eaten our garden.
Westside Story – Lakewood Tab Tax For Roads
Did you see the recent TNT article announcing the City of Lakewood’s intention to consider adding a $20.00 tax to our vehicle license tab renewals?
Westside Story – Are We Are Turning Upside Down?
Back in 1964 I had a college roommate, Melvin R. Hibbard, Jr., who is still one of my dearest friends. I am the only guy on the planet who persists in calling him Melvin R. Van Iderstine, Jr. Because I love words, I continue to enjoy calling him that even though I fully realize it is not even his real last name.
Letter: Pothole, Pavement – and Payment – Potpourri
Survey results are in. You said no. Doesn’t matter.
When then-Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz (TNT, November 24, 2012) proposed a tax increase on Lakewood’s residents – specifically for electricity and gas utilities that would have generated an additional $350,000 annually to help balance the 2013-14 budget – Lakewood’s Mayor at the time, Doug Richardson, said “people have to heat their homes and cook their food. Given the current economic times, we didn’t think it was wise to increase that tax.”
Letter: My Father
“Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?”
My father served in Italy during World War II in the 10th Mountain Division. He never surrendered. Never left a man behind. Never compromised his principles.
Letter: City Committee Openings – Robots May Apply
For “jobs too dirty, dangerous or dull,” robots excel.
There are three vacancies – one-third of the nine – on the City of Lakewood’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC).
The job description requires obtaining “citizen input and advising the City Council in developing and monitoring public safety policies” – like shopping carts and dunk tanks.
Letter: When Scathing Rebukes Are In Order
“I think your style alienates people from your cause more than educate and activate them,” writes a critic.
There comes a point where it becomes more than obvious that those with the responsibility (Public Safety Advisory Committee) to actually perform their duties in keeping with their self- and council-mandated job description: aren’t.
In his book “Boards That Make a Difference,” author John Carver describes the common malady of boards that as to making a difference: don’t.
Letter: The Tanking Public Safety Advisory Committee
Dunk tanks – based upon both the volume of water they hold and the volume of words by which the members of the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) held-forth in discussing dunk tanks – evidently matter more than a discussion of the Lakewood Police Department’s Use of Force Policy (UFP).
The April 2nd minutes of the PSAC – as found in the May 19 Agenda Packet (p.024) for the Lakewood City Council – contain 108 words dedicated to in-depth dunk tank deliberations.