Category Archives: General

Donald Trump: making America not so great

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Source: Google images.

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president this year, visited Washington State Saturday. State Sen. Steve Litzow (R-Mercer Island) of the 41st Legislative District (Southern Sammamish) took a strong stand against his own party’s nominee. So did Rob McKenna, a Republican, the former attorney general and candidate for governor here and then Chris Vance, former chairman of the state Republican Party and candidate opposing incumbent US Sen Patty Murray (D-Washington).

Sammamish Deputy Mayor Ramiro Valderrama, running as a Republican for the State House in the 45th District (northern Sammamish), as yet hasn’t taken a position supporting or opposing Trump.

I’ve been following presidential elections since 1968 and voting in them since 1972. I’ve seen George Wallace, then the Alabama governor, run against “pointy-headed” liberals, appealing to racist instincts. I’ve seen then US Sen. George McGovern (D-SD), a former World War II US bomber pilot in Europe, run on a far-left campaign. I’ve watched the two major parties go in wrong directions (by my standards). I watched outsider Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. I like outsiders who are squeaky wheels (hence, supporting Valderrama for City Council last year).

But I’ve never seen anything like Trump. His destructive approach to everything and everybody is mind boggling.

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Polar bear, wild mustangs photography exhibit at Sammamish City Hall begins April 16

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There is a special photography exhibition opening April 16 at the Sammamish City Hall, focusing on threatened polar bear and wild mustangs.

  • Sammamish Comment has provided reporting and commentary throughout its existence. Today it’s some shameless promotion for the photography debut of an exhibit by Gail Twelves, my wife.
Momma Bear

Photo by Gail Twelves. This will be on display at the Sammamish City Hall April 16-July 8. Meet the photographer at a reception 6-8pm on April 22. The polar bear photos were made in the wild in Kaktovik, Alaska.

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I’ve never seen anything like it before

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The Issaquah Press and Sammamish Review have a new general manager and new editor. The Jan. 7 issues have full, front page pleas for people to voluntarily pay subscriptions. The whole thingSamRev smacks of dying newspapers.

This may well be true. The diminishing size of the papers and the sparse advertising were clear signs of struggling papers. But the full, front page pleas? I’ve never seen anything like it. And my first full time job, at age 19, was with a community paper, The Wheaton Daily Journal in Wheaton (IL). The paper no longer exists, given up long, long ago.

But I’ve been in journalism for most of my professional career. I started two international aviation magazines, sold them, and started an paywall/freewall aviation blog, which is my full time profession with its companion consulting business. Sammamish Comment is a past time, a community service, really, started because the Sammamish Review and, later, Sammamish Reporter really don’t do a very good job of covering Sammamish on critical issues. See here for details. Last year, The Comment had record readership.

Having successfully created three money-making publications, including one that is entirely on the Internet, I think I know a thing or two about what makes a successful news outlet.

It’s called giving readers something worth reading.

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Disaster exercise Saturday, Oct. 31: Info Hubs

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InfoHub Locations

Info Hub locations in Sammamish. Click on image to enlarge.

There will be a disaster drill exercise Saturday, Oct. 31, in Sammamish for residents of the City call Info Hub. Hours are from 9am to 1pm. Since it is Halloween, children showing up with parents will receive a prize.

This is a “drop-in” event, not something for which residents have to plan a four hour commitment.

The Sammamish Citizens Corp. (SCC), a volunteer group that is affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security, is the organizer. The City of Sammamish will also participate.

“In the event of Catastrophic Disaster, the Citizens of Sammamish need to be able to be on their own for 3-10 days,” says the SCC.  “Part of recovery is to reunite family members and to share resources within the community.  By creating a meeting place accessible to a larger population and sharing that information, neighbors will have a place to go to give and get information and resources.  Each Info Hub will need communicators.   By using the Elementary School boundaries, we can divide the plateau into 11 zones and locate the Info Hubs at a public/private Park within that zone.  There can be multiple Info Hubs within the boundary of an elementary school.”

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Stan Bump, Sammamish icon, passes away

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Aug. 12, 2015: Stan Bump, a very close friend, formerly of Sammamish and a former member of the Sammamish Planning Commission, died yesterday after a long struggle with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Stan Bump

Stan and his wife Ellie became a fixture at Sammamish City Council meetings after his term expired on the Planning Commission. The Council reserved seats for them in the front row–the only citizens so honored–for their long dedication to attending council meetings.

Stan was a career Naval officer, retiring as Rear Admiral, with his last command that of Kings Bay (GA), an Ohio-Class Trident Nuclear submarine base. When I had to unusual opportunity of spending two days and two nights on the Trident sub, USS Maryland, in the Atlantic out of Kings Bay, I saw Adm. Stan Bump St. on the base.

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