Dasher On The Hill!

Dasher climbed on a mound on Maple Valley's pipeline trail to survey his land.

A Sign Of The Times?

This is no joke, it may be fun, but it actually exists. A new version of the old board game Monopoly encourages players to cheat to win, as long as you don't get caught.

It comes with handcuffs, so it looks like fun, but what does it say about our culture?  

Trip To Sunriver 6--Vistiting Oregon Colleges

I had never visited the campus of either Oregon's Pac 12 Universities, University Of Oregon (top picture) nor Oregon State  University (bottom picture).  One difference between Washington and Oregon is that in Washington, the two largest Universities are on opposite sides of the state.  In Oregon, they are very close.  

We decided to check out both campuses on the return from Sunriver.  Students were getting graduation pictures taken at both campuses.  Students also loved Dasher.  

In spite of the proximity, you can sense the difference in philosophy between the two institutions.  

I can now say that I have visited campuses of all the original Pac 8 schools.  

Now, only University of Arizona is the only school of the Pac 10 that I haven't visited, as I have been on campus at ASU.  

After it was the PAC 10 for about 3 decades, the conference became the Pac 12, after admitting Colorado and Utah, so that leaves 3 colleges in the top western athletic conference that I have not been on campus or have driven past  (as in the case with USC).

Holzhauer Reign Comes To An End

James Holzhauer's incredible run on Jeopardy has ended.  A Las Vegas sports gambler, Holzhauer won 32 consecutive games, amassing almost 2 and a half million dollars. He lost to librarian Emma Boettcher, who bet even bolder in the final Jeopardy round.  He was very close to breaking the 15 year record of all time money winner Ken Jennings.
Holzhauer's run and unorthodox style, made Jeopardy compelling television and for the first time, I set Jeopardy on our DVR.
Now, I'll watch tonight to see if Boettcher will go on a similar run.

Mitch Delivers Touching Interview With Author Steven Elliott

Mitch Levy, once the host of Sportsradio KJR's morning program has once again shown that he can deliver a great human interest interview on his now, once a week podcast.
On this week's show, Levy interviews Steven Elliott, the author of War Story.
To back things up, there is a sports angle to this story.  In 2004, Pat Tillman of the Arizona Cardinals, quit football to volunteer for US Army.  Of course, at the time, the country was mourning 9/11.   He was later reported to have been a war casualty.  First reported to be a victim of an enemy ambush and then revealed to be a victim of "friendly fire."
Steven Elliott is reported to be one of two soldier that may be responsible for Tillman's death.  Elliott has gone through life carrying the guilt of someone who most likely snuffed out the life of someone considered an American hero.
You can hear Levy interview Elliott, now a resident of Olympia about 40 minutes into the podcast by clicking here.

Trip To Sunriver 5--An Evening In Bend

After a day at the pool, we went down to the road to Bend.  It is a charming town that has experienced a lot of growth.  We had dinner at the Deschutes  Brewery.
The Deschutes River flows through the town and is surrounded by a variety of parks.

Trip To Sunriver 4--The Lava River Cave

Monday was cold and rainy, in other words, a great day explore the Lava River Cave, just outside the Sunriver Resort.  It is the longest such cave in Oregon at 5211 feet.  

 It has some narrow passages and  low ceilings, so it can be challenging.  There is a metal walkway at the beginning, but that ends quickly.  

The bottom picture is at the end of the cave.  The walk back is much easier because you know what to expect.

40 Years Ago, Sonics Win The NBA Title

I working at KTEL the station carrying the Seattle Supersonics in Walla Walla, when the team won it's only world championship.  I was so excited, I broke open the mike and yelled "Alright Sonics!" at the final buzzer.

Trip To Sunriver 3: Arrival At The Resort.

Scenes from Sunriver Resort, near Bend, Oregon.  Dasher is right at home on the deck overlooking the golf course. Bottom, the resort had stunning views of Mt. Bachelor.

Sunriver Trip II--We'll Ride Them Someday

Wild horses may not drag you away, but they may block the road you travel.  These horses were seen on the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon.

Trip To Sunriver--Cool Statues

We spent part of the Memorial Day Holiday in Sunriver Oregon.  After a lunch stop in Sandy Oregon at the Smoky Hearth, we found these statues of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe in front of the Sandy Cinema in the same strip mall.

Popular Former Seattle Radio Duo Return In Podcast

It lasted over an hour and covered a variety of topics, but chances are, most listeners skipped to the very end of the podcast to find out what they really wanted to know.  The firing of Ron And Don, the highly rated afternoon drive team at 97.3 KIRO FM.
Last year,  Mitch Levy, who lost his job, after being caught in a prostitution sting, reappeared on his own podcast tearfully contrite.
By contrast, with Ron and Don, it was said to be simply a matter of the station choosing not to renew their contract.  Don O'Neill, always the most vocal of the pair could not conceal his anger, maybe not so much that the firing had taken place, although, he emphasized the high ratings that the show had achieved, but the way the station had chosen to bring down the axe.
The pair are now in the real estate business and sponsor the podcast as such.  A welcome addition is Don's son "G-Force" who did some of the "bumpers" during the pod.
You can hear the podcast of Ron Upshaw and Don O'Neill by clicking here. 

Derek Hough Tour in Seattle-A 05-25-2019

A sample of Derek Hough concert at Benaroya Hall.  Hough is a dancer and choreographer most famous for his work on Dancing With The Stars .

Happy Memorial Day

Bart Starr

CNN reports the passing of Green Bay quarterback legend Bart Starr.  He was 85. 
Starr was the winning quarterback in the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and '68. 
Starr and the late Johnny Unitas were considered the "gold standard" of quarterbacks of that era.
 

Derek Hough Live At Benaroya

Deb and I spent an enjoyable night at Downtown Seattle's Benaroya Hall to watch Derek Hough (bottom picture) and his dance troupe.  Hough was one of the most accomplished and popular choreographers on Dancing With The Stars.
Hough said he enjoyed performing live because of the ability to feed off the energy of the crowd.  Indeed, he often went into the crowd and had audience members come up on stage.
Our seats were excellent although the lighting and constant motion made it impossible to really take a great picture of the performers.

Long Lost Family Photos

Thank you to my cousin (bottom picture, front row second from right) for digging through her "attic" and finding these pictures. They were taken at a Sunday picnic in our backyard, one day after my brother Steve's Bar Mitzvah in August of 1984.
Of note, Cousin Burl is holding son, Jordan in the back left of the top picture.  Steve is between him and me with glasses.  
My grandmother, Esther Barer is in both pictures.

Pedal Car On Display

This is one of two pedal cars that my sister and I had as children.  My wife and I found this when my dad moved out of his house in Walla Walla in 2000.
It has been on display at The UPS Store in Crossroads Bellevue for about 10 years.

Rodman Son Set To Play For Cougs

Sources say DJ Rodman, the son of NBA great Dennis Rodman, has committed to the Washington State Cougar basketball program.  

The Cougs are trying to improve their PAC 12 fortunes under rookie head coach Kyle Smith.  

Rodman is a 6'6 190 pound forward from JSerra  Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

O'Day Stars In Radio Documentary

A look at four iconic disc jockeys includes Seattle radio legend Pat O'Day, according to the Puget Sound Media blog.  The movie, done in documentary format, is available on Amazon Prime.
The show, which is called "I Am What I Play" also features Meg Griffin, who I listen to on Sirius/XM channel 26, as well as Dave Marsden and Charles Laquidera.

Skating Polly Rocks Bothell

The 2 woman, one man alternative rock trio Skating Polly was one of the bands entertaining fans at the Bothell Block Party and Brew Fest this weekend.
Close to 30 micro breweries and wine cellars gave samples at the event.  There were shuttles operating to keep celebrants off the road, as well as a booth that measured alcohol content for anyone thinking they could drive after the festival.

Former KIRO Team Ron And Don Will Begin A Podcast

Our friends at Pugetsound.media post that Ron And Don, longtime stalwarts of Seattle drive time radio will return with a podcast.   The pair, who talked their way into the hearts of Seattle listeners including my own, left the air suddenly in January.
For a countdown clock to their first podcast drop, click here.

Early Burl Barer

Off the Pugetsound.media blog, this snip taken from Burl Barer, at the time working in Seattle rock radio, doing a guest DJ appearance at Nathan Hale High's radio station KNHC.  Click Here

Gimme Shelter - Grand Funk Railroad

Better than the Stones original version?  You decide!

Retiring From Football

We salute Wide Receiver Doug Baldwin, who is retiring from the Seahawks.   Baldwin leaves with 493 catches for 6593 yards and 49 touchdowns.  He also leaves with a Super Bowl ring.

Congrats To The Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers topped the Denver Nuggets in games 7 of the NBA Playoffs. They now will face Golden State in the conference finals.
  I can remember when the Blazers and the Seattle Super Sonics were the only major league teams in the Pacific Northwest.
Since I lived in Walla Walla just north of the Oregon border, I could have rooted for either team, but preferred the Sonics.
For the last couple years, Deb and I have made a winter trip to Portland to watch the Blazers.

Doris Day

It's been reported that icon actress and singer Doris Day has died. She was 97.

Peggy Lipton Of The Mod Squad

Peggy Lipton, who starred as Julie Barnes in the late 60s-early 70s cop show The Mod Squad, has died.  She was 72.
The ABC network, at the time, was able to somehow dial into the emerging youth culture during an era of change and upheaval.  The Mod Squad blended to opposing forces, the police, who were looked upon as "The Establishment" and young, rebellious youth.
At the time, I was quite taken by the counter culture movement and as I was entering my teen age years, Lipton was an attractive and hip.    
Lipton would later star on the cult classic TV show, Twin Peaks.   She had been suffering from cancer. 

Cousin Alta Will Be Missed

Alta Barer died on Wednesday, May 8th. She married  my cousin Stan  in the early 70s.  She was a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines for more than 20 years.

Stan and Alta's contributions to the Seattle area are indeed legend.  If attending a music event or a play, it's no surprise to see Stan and Alta Barer on the list of donors.   In 1996, Stan and Alta put on a political fund raising event featuring Hilary Clinton. In 2008, they made a contribution to the University Of Washington Law School to help make it possible for students in under developed countries to attend that institution.

Alta's contributions to the community are well stated in this beautiful article by Patti Payne in the Puget Sound Business Journal, click here, but this, above all, is a deeply personal loss.  Alta and Stan were often present at family gatherings.  As a teenager, I was struck by her beauty and poise.

In this picture, Stan and Alta,  and grandson Aaron, Jr. pose with President Obama.  A memorial service for Alta J. Barer  will be announced at a later date.  Contributions may be made to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Resource Center.

The UPS Store 1477 In Downtown Bellevue Is Open

The UPS Store  in Downtown Bellevue is open and ready for business at it's new location, 1100 NE Bellevue Way, 8A in Bellevue, 98004.   

The location had moved from it's previous location a block south of Bellevue Square last week.  For hours and services, please check here. 

1982 KXLY The Noon Show Segment

I often watched KXLY Channel 4 in Spokane, when I lived in Walla Walla and later, going to school at WSU.    Here is a clip from the Noon Show.

Beatles Final Studio Album Released 49 Years Ago

The group had already announced the ride was over when the album Let It Be was released on this day in 1970. The title song would soon become a classic by the group, along with another Paul McCartney song, The Long And Winding Road.

Iconic Walla Walla Band Will Reunite For Summer Performance

A band formed 42 years ago will reunite for a summer jam on July 20th of this year, according to the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.   It will be part of the Scotty Fletcher II Memorial Boogie On The Mountain Jam II.  

The concert will take place at the Walla Walla Eagles Aerie 26, 350 S 2nd.   The event is to honor Scotty Fletcher, close friend of the band,  The  band, with it's original members, played together until 1984, according to the UB. 

The Original Congregation Beth Israel Of Walla Walla

It had no signage nor did it have a telephone, therefore, no listing in the local phone book.  The main door went to a living room type reception area.  The door on the right would went to the small sanctuary.  Their was a large kitchen in back,  used for Passover sedars, break fasts, etc.
There was an apartment on the second floor, originally the rabbi would live there.  Eventually, the temple would do away with having a paid rabbi and use volunteer lay leaders to run the service.   As I was young, the top apartment was rented to the anyone wishing to live there.
The original Congregation Beth Israel was located at Rose and Tukanon in Walla Walla.  The congregation moved to it's present location on Alder and Roosevelt in 1972, as the original temple was torn down with the rest of the block to make room for a new Elks Club building.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 32--KGTS In College Place

The headline is kind of a misnomer, because KGTS is still around.  It is the campus radio station of Walla Walla University.  I did not listen to it much, because it has played classical music and religious programming.  Walla Walla University, after all, is a Seventh Day Adventist institution.  

KGTS began operating in 1963.  Whitman would establish KWCW at a later date.

It is ironic that Walla Walla University is in College Place and is not far from the site of the Whitman Mission.  Whitman College is in the heart of Walla Walla and is non-sectarian.  However, Whitman was church affiliated in it's early years.  

Walla Walla also has a community college, which as far as I  know, has no radio station. 

The Way- Fastball Lyrics ♫♪♫

If you have heard this song and wondered what it was about, you can follow with the lyrics.  There is also a follow up on Wikipedia.

Folk Legend Judy Collins Turns 80

Folk Legend Judy Collins Turns 80: In an interview from 2011, WDET’s Rob Reinhart spoke with Collins about her ground-breaking career.

Collins was born in Seattle.

Once Upon A Time

May of this year marks 30 years since I left Walla Walla to live in the Seattle area.  I found this picture of the Debunce Photo Studio on Joe Drazen's incredible Bygone Walla Walla blog.  It is posting great vintage pictures almost every day.
This building, on East Alder and Roosevelt  became Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in the early 70s.

New Location For The UPS Store On Bellevue Way

The UPS Store 4177 at 227 Bellevue Way NE is moving to a new location.  In a couple of days, it will have been relocated to 1100 Bellevue Way NE #8A.  This weekend, we moved items to the new location. (above)

Crane Falls In Seattle

A construction crane has fallen across Mercer Street in the South Lake Union area of Seattle, crushing 6 cars.  4 people are reported to have died. 

RIP Ken Kercheval

Ken Kercheval, who played JR Ewing's arch rival Cliff Barnes, has died.  On the show, Cliff was the brother of Pam, who married JR's brother, Bobby.  In spite of that, Cliff hated the Ewings, especially, Jr.
Cliff was  outmatched by JR, who was smooth as he was dastardly.  Cliff, on the other hand, was principally clumsy and gullible.  

Larry Hagman and Ken Kercheval were the only actors who stayed through the entire run of the series. 

A heavy smoker, Kercheval was 83.

Sandy Koufax and Yom Kippur ..... JEWS & BASEBALL - (2010)

Sometimes, sacrifice is more rewarding.  Sandy Koufax's decision not to pitch the first game of  the 1965 World Series etched him in the hearts of young Jews.  Koufax had just retired when I started following baseball in 1967.   He had become a game of the week commentator on NBC.

Celtic Legend Havlicek Dies

John Havlicek,  who won 8 championships with the Boston Celtics in the 60s and 70s has died at 79.  When I first starting watching the NBA, the Celtics were frequently on the game of the week.  Havlicek, was definitely a catalyst for the team.  

Havlicek had been suffering from Parkinson's. 

Walla Walla's Walsh Makes News Again

Even after it's emergence as a premier wine destination, it's extremely rare for my hometown of Walla Walla or it's politicians to make national news.  However, Republican Senator Maureen Walsh has done this twice  with her speeches.
Walsh made headlines this past week with a speech in support of an amendment to a bill that intended to shorten hours and mandate breaks for nurses in the state.  Walsh said that nurses in smaller hospitals get breaks where they probably spend a considerable amount of the day playing cards.
Social media picked up on that phrase and before you know it, it spread throughout the country.
The backlash from her remarks were considerable, as shown above, her office received about 1700 decks of playing cards.  On a more serious side, an online petition received about  750 thousand signatures to have her "shadow" a nurse to see how they spend their days.
A few days later, she apologized for making the remark.
In 2012,  Walsh first got national attention as a member of the state house of representatives.  Her folksy speech supporting marriage equality.  The fact that she bucked her own party, made her popular with many Democrats and progressive minded people.

Jeopardy Contestant Holzhauer Keeps Rolling Along

Jeopardy, one of the oldest game shows running is seeing something it has never seen before.  In 15 games James Holzhauer has accumulated over 1,100,000 dollars becoming the game's second million dollar winner in it's history.
Ken Jennings, the game's previous million dollar winner, took over 70 games to amass his fortune.
Holzhauer's system is to begin by picking the bottom boxes (harder questions worth more money) of the Jeopardy board, amassing more money and beginning getting a huge lead early, seemingly to unnerve his opponents.
It would come as no surprise that Holzhauer's profession is listed as a sports gambler.    He lives in Las Vegas.
Making a living as a sports gambler seems unlikely to most people.  It you ever watched the movie "Rain Man", Nevada does not seem to take kindly to people it thinks have learned to beat the system.

Seahawk Clark Traded To KC

The Seattle Seahawks have announced that they are trading star defensive end Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 1st round draft pick for Thursday's draft, a second pick in next year's draft and an exchange of 3rd round picks.