I SAW YOU
J TEAM: It's me, Lil P. I know this is your dream come true. I make dreams come true if you know what I mean. Wink wink.
PARADE SPOTTING: I saw you on the sidewalk in the home stretch of the Lilac/Armed Forces Torchlight parade. From my position in the formation of Fallen Heroes banners, even in your wheelchair you stood out in your impeccable black dress uniform, and though I didn't catch your name or rank, I recognized the distinctive Trident of a Navy SEAL on your chest. You might be a Vietnam-era veteran or more recent; perhaps the scars of battle have added years to your countenance. But you rendered a crisp salute and held it rock-steady as we, the faces and names of the fallen heroes of our era, walked slowly by, never wavering in your honor and respect for our patriotism and valor. Thank you for reminding our families and friends carrying our images that our sacrifice mattered and will not be forgotten. I salute you, sir, and the service you also willingly gave to carry the responsibility of freedom to the next generation.
CHEERS
STILL MISSING YOU: Hey babe. I would really enjoy catching up over dinner sometime. I know that you have a lot going on and that I don't quite fit in your life right now, but I want you to know that I miss you and I think about you all the time. We were inseparable, and you and I were best friends. It just doesn't make sense that we are like this, and I know in my heart that we will be together again, one day. It just doesn't add up any other way. You know my number, use it. Love you.
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING GARDEN EXPO: Hey Spokane, thanks for turning out in force to support Garden Expo at SCC on May 13!! The garden show is put on by a local nonprofit garden club called The Inland Empire Gardeners. It was a picture-perfect day and a record number of vendors, food trucks and attendees. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of planning and volunteers to make it happen. Spokane loves gardening, and so do we. So save the date for next year's Garden Expo, May 11, 2024. Extra thanks to Spokane Community College for allowing us to host it there.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE AT YOKES: On Thursday, May 11, I collapsed in the Yokes parking lot. My heart had stopped, and if it were not for a handful of Good Samaritans who happened to be there when it happened, I would not be here today. I do not know their names, and I have not had the honor of shaking their hands, so in case that never happens allow me to virtually shake their hands, in gratitude. I remember being lightheaded before collapsing, then woke up in the ICU with a breathing tube some time later at Sacred Heart Medical Center. It's the in-between time that is important here. I am told that in all, from there on the pavement to the ambulance to the ER, there were a half-hour of chest compressions, and my heart was shocked eight times. If I had received 29 minutes of CPR and seven shocks, I would not be here, which is what makes those first several minutes in the parking lot so important. When an Army medic and a nurse (as I've been told) immediately began chest compressions/CPR, they provided the bridge to paramedics, and eventually the ER. They saved my life, literally. So if by chance one of these Good Samaritans is reading this, I want to personally thank you, because without your quick actions, I would not be here.
MAYOR WOODWARD: It was very interesting to read about Woodward and Brown and policing. Woodward keeps saying she listens to communities. I've sent her over two dozen emails over her term. I've never once had a reply. Nice chatting with you Nadine!
JEERS
SHARE THE ROAD: I ride a bike. I wear a helmet. I have bright lights and use hand signals (the ones from the driver's guide that you were supposed to have read) as a courtesy to those around me. Every taxpayer foots the bill for road maintenance. Car tabs and taxes come nowhere close to covering the cost so I ride legally in the street. I approached a northside intersection heading south as you approached the side street heading west. I arrived long before you did, and I was to the right of you so I exercised my right of way (see driver's guide) but that didn't stop you from blaring your horn at me. You then chose to double back for me. You even reversed through an intersection so you could chase, harass and threaten me with your big white SUV. So screw your window. I hope it was expensive, psycho.ANOTHER GOLD MEDAL TO KCRCC: Though the competition is mighty tough in the Stupid and Swine-ish Olympics, they're always capable of stooping low enough to prevail. When Mephistopheles Taylor-Greene comes to collect on their Faustian bargain, she'll discover they have nothing to pay with.
GOOD FOR LARRY! So, Larry has finally managed to pull the millions of dollars together to build a high-rise on the old "Y" property at Post and Broadway. This isn't the latest "Woke" concept of "Low-Cost Housing" that seems to be so popular in the press but good for him! My umbridge with the project is why the powers that be think the location of the entrance gate to the project has to supersede the right of the taxpaying pedestrians' access to the suspension bridge across the river that is at the FAR end of the property at the corner of Post and Broadway. Seems fairly easy to fence even a narrow path access that leads down the hill to the suspension pedestrian river bridge. Summer is the high season for walking in our beautiful park. You want to build a monument to yourself, Larry. GREAT! Just don't needlessly take away one of the more beautiful accesses to Riverfront Park!
CONGRATS — NOT! "Congrats," Liberty Lake, for becoming part of the communist club. You should change your city's name to Lake Scythe. Turning over control of library's choices of books to the City Council is insane! According to the news, it only takes one person to object to a book to ban it from the library, and all decisions by the council are final. What about the parents' choice? What about the kid missing out on a good book just because a stuffy bureaucrat objects? Is this REALLY what you want for your city, community, country? Millions if people fought, became injured and died so that we can read, write, watch what we want!!
HERITAGE THIEVES: I'm curious about what happened to the Higgins boat and now the howitzer at the Navy/Marine armory that was on display for years. What's next, the anchors and mast? Where did they go? We, the people paid for them. I'm just asking for a dead friend cause if the anchors disappear he is going to be sad we did burial at sea in 1981.
ARE YOU INSANE? To the person that wrote re: more communism, I have a question: Are you insane? After reading your letter, I looked up the mentioned governmental systems. Fascism focuses on nationalism, with an emphasis on military force. Nazis were a good example of this. Communism is the government ownership of all property and resources. Socialism is defined as a state halfway between capitalism and communism. Communists are more likely to ban books than capitalists. Democracies are more likely to help the disadvantaged. If you think communism is so great, move to China, Russia or Venezuela.
SPOKANE TRANSIT'S MULTIPLE FAILURES: May 21, 2023. Sunday. I and others were at the bus stop at Division and Lyons at least 10 minutes early. The first inbound bus on Route 25 Division NEVER appeared at Division and Francis at 5:57 am, it's posted time point. There's no STA customer phone support available that early to ask what happened and for help. This has happened at least six times on various routes in the past year. Three of us waited about an hour before the next scheduled bus arrived. STA supposedly has hired enough operators to staff all routes. I've left a voice message with STA supervisor's phone mail requesting an explanation. This voter will not support further STA funding requests, and will advise others not to do so, until service becomes dependable again.
DIRTY LAUNDRY: Hey dude whose name starts with M and your dirty laundry is still hanging out. You owe a person $1,800, according to the Spokane courthouse. I'm sure your living your best life, and it's been a couple years, so reminder to you and the energy out there. To those who run into a guy that claims to wanna record your music, they scamming and losing status and won't help you.
REGARDING NRA MYTH: Tell it to the Taliban, who hid from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy? Waited until the U.S. military exit to take over a country with a corrupt government, and virtually no military. That Taliban? And in your scenario the so-called patriots with AR-15s, are who? The Taliban? Numbskull!!
REALLY SPOKANE? Loud cars. Big trucks. Tattoos. And Graffiti. What more Spokane? ♦
