It is with sadness, as well as deep appreciation of her many efforts and contributions, that we announce March Twisdale’s departure from The Vashon Loop Editorial team. Just over a year ago, the idea to relaunch The Vashon Loop sprang forth during a conversation between March, Caitlin, and Jane, while in her garden. Since then,…
Island Voices
Good Boys Gone Bad
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman We never actually set out to do wrong, but occasionally small, impulsive actions led to doing the wrong thing, and for small lads this outcome was as natural as paint on a fence. Gene Amondson and I were wandering around a construction site, and as young boys do, we picked…
Island Businesses
The Famous “Pizza Pie!”
By the Footloose Foodie Hello one and all. Looks as if the summer season is upon us, and this Island is filling with many new faces and old ones venturing out again. There are many businesses here on our Island that present various fares in dining. I have become particularly interested in the famous “pizza…
Editorial Page
Life Despite Money
By Andy Valencia The United States is staggering along under more debt than you might expect: US Public Debt, Last 10 Years Debt is money you borrow – rent, if you like. If the rent is very close to zero, who cares how much you’ve borrowed? But over time, if you print endless money at…
Island Voices
Life, Sex, and Death in the Garden
By Michael Shook By the time this is in print, the leaves of the bigleaf maples will have taken on their darker summer look, and depending on how dry things are, they might already have the first dulling of dust covering them. But for now, in June, their leaves, and those of every other plant…
Island Voices
The Importance of Truth
by E. Dane Rogers About three months ago, March Twisdale asked me to write a few articles for The Loop. We share many similar views, and many opposite views, but what stood out to us both was the centrality of truth and our pursuit of it. Cultures rise and fall on much smaller issues. Another…
Island Voices
Is Free Money Free?
By Stephen Buller Continuing with the “Cash on Vashon” concept, this article will get to the heart of why so many people use credit cards, namely the rewards. We’ll look at the incentive this creates, why it’s okay for you to get that cash back, and how you can consciously choose when your reward is…
Commentary
VIFR Levy: Pro
By Rich Osborne Yes, Vashon, at long last, we need to fully fund our fire department. Someone wiser than I said “Expecting better results while repeating the same behavior is the definition of insanity.” VIFR just getting by is risky in a warming climate with, whisper it, GLOBAL WARMING increasing our fire risk every year….
Commentary
VIFR Levy: Con
By Caitlin Rothermel The Vashon Island Fire and Rescue levy (Proposition 1) is coming to a vote this August. If the levy is voted in, the VIFR annual budget will grow from $6.7 million in 2023 to as high as $10.4 million in 2029. In our population-stable community of 10,866 people (based on United States…
Island Resilience
An Islander’s Response to “Our Electric Vehicle Future,” Part 2
by Nellie Bly To continue from last month, reducing one’s carbon footprint may best be achieved by: Keeping the car you have. Using real, pure gas. Taking care of your car, and other things you already own. Buying American. Not because of jingoism, but because buying local, or at least on your own continent, is…