By Andy Valencia What would you guess your political view is worth? What would it cost to change it? The 2020 election could have gone differently if just the right 100,000 voters had voted differently. Given that our federal government prints $1 trillion dollars every three months or so, you could easily justify spending $10…
Two years ago, in a garden, a wish arose to provide a print space for community conversation and the sharing of ideas. “The Vashon Loop” lay fallow. Perhaps we could relaunch it? Long story short, the rebooted Loop is nearing its two-year anniversary. We thank our readers, writers, advertisers, and financial supporters for making these…
By Caitlin Rothermel On June 20th, I listened in to the Vashon-Maury Community Council meeting. It completely grabbed my attention. Topics included the electric undergrounding proposal being presented to Puget Sound Energy, the planned Thunderbird drug rehabilitation facility, and the status of the Vashon Health Care District. If you didn’t attend, and are interested in…
There’s a joke going around that, in 2004, you had to be a computer wizard to find what you wanted on the internet. In 2014, anybody could do it. In 2024, we’re back to only computer wizards finding what they want. What happened? My list of culprits would include click farms, search engine rigging, and…
By Andy Valencia Way too many people are dying from their addictions. The latest United States annual report on drug overdose deaths puts the count above 111,000, but that is only a small portion of the misery present throughout our society. The federal budget allocates more than $42 billion dollars for drug programs. But how…
The American Dream has always been imbued with some wildness. Not surprisingly, people can have widely differing opinions and definitions of its benefits and boundaries. Amidst reports of increasing coyote activity, Vashon social media groups have recently hosted lively debates that hint at a deepening divide between those who advocate for coyotes as a protection-worthy…
Feckless: Lacking initiative or strength of character; weak or ineffective. In a whirlwind of public policy, which you may have missed, Redmond was the sudden recipient of a new homeless center; by the time most citizens knew of the project, it was already an accomplished fact. The center was originally intended for Kenmore, but the…
How does Canada impact our local media? Canada-based corporation Black Press (named after the Black family, currently headed by David Black) has filed for creditor protection in British Columbia, and plans to file a comparable request in Delaware for its U.S.-based operations. Black Press is the current owner of Sound Publishing, which owns 43 newspapers…
By the Vashon Loop Editorial Board At The Vashon Loop, it is hard for us to not take certain issues very seriously these days – that’s because these are serious times. Last year, The Loop took the opportunity to dive deep into the structures of several local administrative organizations. The experience was so eye-opening that…
By Marc J. Elzenbeck Washington State is eager to further cut carbon emissions. To that end, it’s anticipated to pass a law requiring residents to buy ultra-low rolling resistance tires when replacing original (OEM) equipment. Officials promise this will save hundreds per driver in fuel costs. This is true. For a given car or light…