March Twisdale

What Brought You to the Island
Arrival Stories

What Brought You to the Island

By March Twisdale When we moved from West Seattle to Vashon Island, it was after a two-year search. We were looking for a rural environment with an eclectic homeschooling community, but every rural community in the region was almost exclusively religion-inspired. Concern that our children would be disconnected from both schooled kids and homeschooling families…

Vote Against “Bank Taxes” – Pay Cash
Editorial Page

Vote Against “Bank Taxes” – Pay Cash

By March Twisdale You may have noticed that young folks working the register tend to automatically assume customers will pay with a card. This happened at C&P Coffee a few weeks ago. As I was tapping on the screen, my brain started to ping at me. Only when I handed my $20 bill to the…

If I Were Running for the School Board …
Editorial Page

If I Were Running for the School Board …

By March Twisdale We need people who know the job. If I were running for the school board, this would be my first and primary focus. What is my role? My duty? My obligation? Who do I serve? We need people who can hold power responsibly and gently. Power is scary, because coming along right…

Terms of Concern: Convenience
Editorial Page

Terms of Concern: Convenience

By March Twisdale When we hear something said often enough, we have a human tendency to believe it is true. This is known as the illusory truth effect: Hearing or reading a claim, especially repeatedly, makes you more likely to think it’s true. And it’s used against us, again and again. When businesses hire advertisers…

Patterns of Abuse Exist for a Reason
Editorial Page

Patterns of Abuse Exist for a Reason

Abuse happens. How we respond determines whether the abuse is effectively stopped. Or whether a pattern develops, as the abuse is tacitly allowed to continue. On Thursday, April 27th, Vivian Lyons read a letter at a Vashon Island School District board meeting, written by one of two women who have co-filed a formal complaint against…

The Beauty of Cash
Editorial Page

The Beauty of Cash

Awhile back, I began to question my credit/debit card habit. It felt like a convenience – with a hidden cost – and I wasn’t the only one to notice. “Keep Cash Alive” and “Cash is King” have entered the public sphere, along with several reasons for returning to good old-fashioned paper money. For me, two…

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
Literary

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women

Kate Moore is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of “The Radium Girls.” A British writer based in London, she has published numerous Sunday Times bestsellers, writing across various genres including history, biography, true crime, and humor; her work has been translated into more than 12 languages. The Radium Girls was the winner of…

Irish Soda Bread With Buttermilk and Fruit
Recipes

Irish Soda Bread With Buttermilk and Fruit

We invite you to join us in co-creating a thematic series of recipes! Tucked away in family cookbooks are recipes reflecting a life few of us remember. Family favorites handed down through the generations. Creative tricks shared, invented, and treasured during the Great Depression. Heritage and cultural memories, embedded into braided breads, spiced meats, fermented…

News

Vashon Park District Levy – To Renew or Not To Renew?

“Despite living on Vashon Island for close to 20 years, I find our levy system confusing,” I said. “I understand,” laughed Elaine Ott-Rocheford, Vashon Park District Executive Director. “Our property tax system is one of the most complicated in the country.” After a two-hour meeting, and some seriously mind-bending exercises, I began to understand how…

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