Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt during dinner tonight? You want to know about my thoughts on it? Here’s my take: Don’t we all have one? An uncomfortable relative? Maybe even more than one? The one that gives you extra-trouble with extra-wishes just because they seem […]
To Ponder
Letter: The Acronym…..SCI, What does it really mean?
Submitted by Eric K Chandler, Retired CWO, US Army. I am a US Army retired Chief Warrant Officer, and for almost 3 years, served with the 513th Military Intelligence (MI) Group, which eventually became the 513th MI Brigade (roughly 2,000 soldiers). It is the primary, multi-disciplined intel unit for the current 3rd US Army (formerly […]
Letter: What Fond Memories We Have, Before 2020
Submitted by Erik Chandler. Prior to 2017, before Pierce College finally fixed their Sewage System, Waughop was still suffering Cyanotoxins, the really bad ones, but they tended to show up in the “warm” periods of the year and when the Lake was low on H2O. And during those times waterfowl were pretty much absent. […]
Across the Fence: Olm
Before you scream “Eww!” and scroll on, give this little critter a chance to be presented! Because you are most likely never to encounter one in your life, Germanism in the English language or not. Let me introduce you to the olm (pronounce with an “o” as in odd). Etymologically, it is totally unclear what […]
Letter: Why We Care About Spanaway Marsh
Submitted by Claudia Riiff Finseth. HAPPINESS, FOR ONE THING Last week the annual list of the happiest countries in the world came out. For the eighth time in a row that designation went to Finland. The United States of America came in way down the line. We are not, generally, a happy people. One of […]
In the Book Nook with … Katy E. Ellis
Author Katy E. Ellis from Vashon Island, Washington, who does administrative work for her local public health department, started writing when she was 8 years old and received a Hello Kitty diary for her birthday. She began writing poetry in high school, studied creative writing at university, and has never stopped writing. In 2012, dancing […]
Letter: Tacoma City Council Report Card
Submitted by Morgan Alexander. It’s a difficult time to be focused on local government considering all the chaos in the other Washington right now. However, we can’t lose attention of what is going on in our own back yard with our city council. In theory, local government is where the rubber hits the street. In […]
Letter: Financially Tough Times?
Submitted by KM Hills. You may have heard, Washington State is financially $12-14 BILLION in debt. Some have expressed that this figure is nothing, given the State budget is $116 billion. I don’t know about the budget for your household but a 10 to 12% deficit in my budget would be significant. I don’t have […]
Letter: The State of Spanaway Marsh Now
Submitted by Claudia Finseth. It’s March 25, 2025. Those of us fighting against the destruction of the Spanaway Marsh have been at it for over two years now and spent $140,000 dollars. So let’s take stock. In December of 2024 the Tacoma Rescue Mission brought in massive equipment, and on the high point in the […]