A lot of fun vocabulary words can help explain my urge to volunteer: support, community, learn, active, inspire, involvement, and most importantly joy. We all get wrapped up in our worlds, myopically so, that we forget to look up and out to our larger community. As a bit of a history nerd with an unusual…
Editor: As our city council begins with a new mayor, new and seasoned councilmembers; it might be time to remember that they are supposed to be non-partisan elected officials with goals of good government for all the citizens of Edmonds. Perhaps to start off this quest we should begin with civility. Civility is a key…
Proposition 1, the Edmonds School District capital construction bond, addresses two critical problems facing our community: aging schools and a shortage of capacity to meet the needs of our growing student population. Approval of the six-year, $600 million bond will enable us to replace three elderly schools and finish replacement of a fourth, add a…
Since May 10, 2018, a federal “No Discharge Zone” (NDZ) has made it illegal to discharge both treated and untreated sewage from boats and vessels into Puget Sound. Vessel sewage can contain bacteria and viruses that are harmful to people and the environment. These contaminants are harmful to water quality, beaches and shellfish beds. Eating…
Editor: With the backdrop of a steady stream of stories about divided communities and institutions and alarming news about climate change across the globe, the Edmonds Waterfront Center is a story of hope, bold decisions and never giving up. It’s hard to believe the campaign to replace the failing Edmonds Senior Center was announced in…
Once again, the Rotary Club of Edmonds managed the gift-giving trees to support the Snohomish County CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children) and the Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Programs. These programs provide court-appointed special advocates for children who are victims or alleged victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neglect. This year, we had a…
Editor: As the year is about to come to an end, so does the role of four amazing individuals who have served our city with distinction. I want to express my sincerest thank you to Mayor Earling and City Council Members Tibbott, Mesaros and Teitzel. It has always been clear to me that You love…
During this season of giving we all have stories of memorable gifts given and received. In our family the story retold year after year was given (and abruptly returned) to my Great Aunt Julie from Chicago. During the family gift exchange prickly Aunt Julie opened the gift of assorted nuts and roared, “I hate nuts!…
Editor: The Edmonds city trees, on our streets and in our beautiful parks, are not receiving adequate care! We have very little dedicated staff to attend to them, which leaves them less structurally sound and more open to potential disease due to lack of care and pruning. Debra Dill, our city beautification program leader, has…
Editor: Are Edmonds residents subsidizing other communities by entering into long-term wastewater contracts of 30 years, possibly contributing to utility cost inflation for Edmonds residents over the long term? Affordability is a hot topic in today’s modern world. One thing that is of affordability factor is long-term local utility costs. Utility cost are specifically sensitive…
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Editor: I was moved by Alicia Crank’s letter describing her feelings during and after the campaign. As a minority myself, I know what it is like to be discriminated against. But it is what we do with what life has handed you and what you do along your life’s journey that defines who and what…
Editor: As this election season draws to a close, it has become clear that Edmonds may not be ready to lift its veil of racism. In this election year we had a race for mayor and four city council positions. The Progressive Voters Guide endorsed Mike Nelson for Mayor; and Alicia Crank, Susan Paine and…
Editor: I urge the Edmonds City Council to adopt the budget line item funding the hiring of a full-time arborist for the city of Edmonds. With the adoption of the UFMP (Urban Forest Management Plan) policy there is a huge need for a professional certified arborist to guide the process of implementing the UFMP and…
Editor: Citizens of our state need to know the truth abut the proposed Kalama methanol plant. They need to know they are being lied to by the Chinese company seeking to build the world’s largest fracked gas to methanol refinery — and have U.S. taxpayers subsidize it. This plant would use more fracked gas than…
Editor: As active members of the Edmonds community and residents in the “Bowl”, we were recently given a copy of the new Landscape Plan for the new Civic Park between 6th and 7th Avenues. The plan looks great! The park is a dream come true and for those of us fortunate enough to live neighboring…
Editor: After more than 28 years serving Edmonds and the greater Edmonds area, I will be closing my solo family medical practice at the end of December 2019. Words cannot express how grateful I am to be a part of this wonderful greater Edmonds community and for the support and love that so many of…
Editor: As ballots are marked, primary consideration should be given to Edmonds City Council candidates’ fiscal acumen, accountability and responsibility. The Edmonds “City Council Mission and Purpose” states that council is the legislative body that establishes city policy and represents the city on boards and commissions, among other duties. As such, councilmembers must be able…
Editor: October 19, 2019, I attended the the first film of Edmonds Diversity Commissions’ free Film Series of the season, “CinemAbility: The Art of Inclusion: A star-studded documentary on the portrayal of disabilities in entertainment. Do media’s portrayals impact society or vice versa?” (As written on the Diversity Commission’s Film SeriesBrochure) As the film progressed,…
Editor: As parents of children in youth sports, we would like to know where all of the candidates – school board, city council, and mayoral – stand on supporting youth sports and improving the facilities on which our children grow, play and compete. Children participating in youth sports are more likely to experience improved health…
Dear Editor, Like many longtime Edmonds residents, we wish to preserve the charm of the downtown core, and the natural beauty of the marsh and our beaches. We also celebrate the diversity of our town: once referred to by local residents as “Deadmonds” due to its sleepiness and homogeneity. As Christians, we care very much…
Editor: I didn’t plan on writing a letter to the editor, as I know people are generally sick and tired of opinion pieces at this point. However, after reading Adrienne Fraley-Monillas’ condescending and fearmongering “endorsement,” I feel compelled to write in. I don’t particularly appreciate being lectured about what is best for my family nor…
Editor: I have served as a firefighter for our community for over 17 years. I have seen our town go through changes. I first got to know Mike when he participated in a training with our firefighters. He donned our heavy bunker gear in 90-degree weather. He eagerly climbed up a 6-story ladder, crawled on…
Dear Editor, Choosing a new mayor for our great city is like choosing a steady, experienced, protective captain of a ship. Neil Tibbott meets and exceeds those qualifications and qualities. Whether working on the Planning Board or as a City Council Member, he comes prepared, he listens respectfully to the public, to staff and to…
Editor: This time during each election year, people become campaign exhausted. Within Edmonds alone, we have eight people running for council seats and two people running for mayor. You don’t know who to believe or what to believe when it comes time to vote. The biggest piece of advice I can give is do your…
Editor: I never meant to get involved in politics. I only meant to work with those trying to protect our environment. However, the more I got involved with environmental issues, the more I realized how essential it is to have elected officials who understand and care about the issues. Those of us working to protect…
