Articles in "News"

October 20, 2011. Vashon Island, my house, 4:40am. This is the last article in the Amanda Knox series; she is home, looking to the future and Vashon has been euphoric for the past few weeks. When she visited Thriftway recently, she received hugs and accolades from the folks who saw her at the store. No I haven’t seen her; I’m not her personal friend, but felt enormous relief to see her at SeaTac surrounded by her family. Someday, if it’s meant to be, I’d love to give Amanda the biggest hug, but I’m completely fine just having her home. To tell the truth, all I need to be happy is to see her hugging her Dad and Mom.

VashonBePrepared and the Carnation-Duvall Citizen Corps Council were both honored with the first-ever Executive’s Awards for Community Preparedness.

"When storms knocked out power and blocked roads last winter, I saw first-hand how members of VashonBePrepared jumped into action to open warming shelters and deploy a ‘bucket brigade’ to distribute fuel for generators – keeping Island residents from suffering in the cold," 

As most know by now, the news on the budget front is not good. The revenue forecast for the 2011-2013 biennium (July 2011-June 2013) dropped last week by $1.4 billion. That is a significant drop given that the general fund budget, which funds education among other programs, is $32 billion. There is pessimism regarding the November revenue forecast which may bring revenues down again. The Governor and Legislature are probably looking at a $1-$2 billion deficit in the current biennium. For this reason, the Governor has announced that she will call the Legislature back into special session November 28th in advance of the regular session that begins in January.  

On September 23, 2011, the closing arguments began for Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito’s Appeal for the murder of Meredith Kercher. As you read this, the prosecution and Raffaele’s lawyers are done, Amanda’s lawyers will be presenting on September 29, followed by rebuttals on the 30th. Amanda and Raffaele will also read statements and we should hear a verdict between October 1st and 5th.

A four-year study to evaluate the role of nitrogen in observed late summer, low-level dissolved oxygen events in Quartermaster Harbor has passed the half-way point, and study participants want to share their updated findings with the public at an Oct. 12 workshop.

King County, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Washington-Tacoma, Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) and the Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee, will provide the progress report in a workshop beginning with an open house at 6:30 p.m. followed by a presentation starting at 7 p.m. in the Vashon High School Commons.

September 5, 2011 marked the arrival of the last phase of Amanda Knox’s appeal and Island supporters were glad to see the end in sight, the past year has been stressful but the court has been fair throughout this ordeal and we are hoping for a just outcome.  Amanda and her friend, Raffaele Sollecito, have spent nearly four years in prison for the murder of Amanda’s British roommate, Meredith Kercher. 

A murder that they did not commit.

King County Parks is proposing to limit deer hunting at Island Center Forest on Vashon Island to a 17-day period in October, when all other access to the public open space would be prohibited.

Under the County’s proposal, hunting would occur Oct. 15-31, and hunters would be required to purchase a modern firearm hunting license. Bows and arrows, crossbows, muzzleloaders, revolver-type handguns or shotguns would be allowed; center-fire or rim-fire rifles are prohibited on Vashon Island.

Vashon Park District Commissioners announced August 26that they have hired Jan Milligan to fill the position of Executive Director to be vacated by retiring Wendy Braicks at year-end. Milligan will start working with Braicks at the Park District October 17. Braicks will leave the post in November. 

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) will be providing students in grades from 3rd Grade through High School an opportunity to participate in VFW Sponsored Youth Essay Contests that provide recognition and cash awards from the VFW Post, VFW District, State of Washington and National levels. The Washington State sponsored Youth Essay Programs include 3rd through 5th Grades; the National Patriot’s Pen Programs includes 6th through 8th Grades and the National Voice of Democracy includes 9th through 12th Grades.

September 5, 2011, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito’s appeal trial for the murder conviction of Meredith Kercher reconvenes after summer break and we expect to see the prosecution’s rebuttal continue. At the end of July we left off with the prosecution foot-dragging for an entire day asking inane questions to the independent experts who had reviewed key pieces of the DNA evidence from the Trial of First Instance in 2009.

After lots of work installing the motor in the wagon and managing all kinds of logistics we made it to the NW Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent. Since we are local we were able to get in line really early and therefore score a fantastic pit area, close to the starting line and right on the the path to the grandstands.