Enjoying A Band on New Years Eve

The Beat Project playing at The Lime in Kirkland.

Barers Of Maple Valley Does Record Number Of Posts

While most blogs formed in the last 10 years of so post less frequently or have shut down, I once again have set a personal record for most posts in a year.  This is for the 5th year in a row.
A great year and the emergence of Maple Valley are probably the reason.  This is post 386 for 2018. Happy New Year!

Ringo Starr Interview with Peter Mansbridge

I really enjoyed watching Ringo Starr speak of his life with the Beatles.  This is worth the watch.

Cougs Take Alamo Bowl

After what seemed like an eternity from their last football game, the Washington State Cougars closed out the season with a 28-26 victory over the Iowa State Cyclones.  It was the 11th victory for the Cougars this season, a school record.

Maple Valley's Brandi Carlile Gets 6 Grammy Nominations

It's been a long road, but Maple Valley favorite daughter Brandi Carlile, whose performed for well over a decade, is now getting the recognition that she and her band deserve.  Carlile is nominated for  6 Grammy Awards for 2019.  The nominations include best song of the year, (The Joke), best  album of the year (By The Way, I Forgive You), and best record of the year (The Joke).  
Last spring, Carlile performed a benefit concert at Maple Valley's  Tahoma High School that featured local artists.
This is the second time that Carlile has received Grammy recognition.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered Part 27 KTEL's Brother John Hammond

KTEL's Brother John Hammond worked  the night shift on the radio and was a student at Wa-Hi during the day. Because he was still in High School, he had valuable insight on what worked on local radio.
Hammond is probably remembered most as the DJ who was on the air in March of 1974, urging listeners to streak outside the KTEL studio.
This cut  was done many years after Hammond left the airways.  He was doing a fun tape with fellow Walla Walla legend Dave "Rockin'" Cochran.

For The Last Year-' Woodinville Wonderland

This is the last year for the Woodinville Wonderland as the owner has retired and will leave the area.  Only a few miles from where our in laws live, we have watched this wonderful display year after year.
January 4th of 2019 is the last day.  The Woodinville Wonderland is located at 23630 NE 183rd Street in Woodinville.  You can find out more by clicking here.  

Merry Christmas From Barers Of Maple Valley

Seahawks In Playoffs

Ya gotta believe!  Without key defensive players of past years and the ugly loss of Earl Thomas, the Seahawks are back in the NFL Playoffs.  This after missing last year.

FIREBALL XL-5 TV THEME (NEW ENHANCED VERSION) STEREO 720P

I fondly  remember this show, and it's Rock like theme from my childhood.

Stan Barer Awarded In Beijing

Cousin Stan Barer was in Beijing, China at the beginning of this month to receive the Award of Achievement from the Western Returned Scholars Association Entrepreneur Alliance for his contribution to US-China relations in the past 40 years.In 1979, Stan successfully negotiated the resumption of shipping services between the US and China.
The Western Returned Scholars Association consists of Chinese scholars and researchers who have studied abroad.   It is affiliated with the Chinese government.
We wish to Congratulate Stan on this amazing honor.

KZOK's Silent Radio Star

Former Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce lives here in the Puget Sound and has been the morning DJ on KZOK for years.  Did you know that?  The Puget Sound Media blog writes on the lack of promotion of an iconic radio presence in our own back yard.  Click here

T-Mobile Park

Reports confirm the Safeco Field will now be T Mobile park as the Bellevue based Cell phone giant has inked a 25 year deal for naming rights.

Portland Has Eyes On MLB

The Portland Trail Blazers may have a major league companion in their own town.  A Portland Oregon group has apparently come up with a design and plan to build a baseball stadium in hopes of luring a team to Oregon's largest city.  

The group is known as the Portland Diamond  Project and the plan is to build 45 acre state of the art ballpark that would seat between 32 and 34 thousand people. Seahawk quarterback Russell Wilson is reported to be an investor in the project.  

The proposed stadium to me seems to be quite a gamble since I have not heard of any MLB plans for expansion or relocation of any existing teams.  It would, of course, be nice for the Mariners to have a neighboring team, creating a natural rivalry and having a town that they can visit without taking a long plane ride.

Penny Marshall Dead

CNN reports Penny Marshall, who starred on LaVerne And Shirley and directed movies like "A League Of Their Own" has died.  She was 75.

Enchant At Safeco

Deb and I posed by a Christmas tree at Enchant Seattle. A Christmas festival at Safeco Field.

Phoenix Suns Owner Reportedly Threatens Move

Have the tables been turned?  In the news, recently, the owner of the Phoenix Suns has reportedly said that if  he doesn't get the arena deal that he desired, he will move the team TO Seattle, also tossed in as a potential landing spot was Las Vegas.  We in this area have seen every one of our major pro teams threaten to leave and the Super Sonics actually carried through.  Since then, we have been repeatedly teased with the potential of the NBA moving back.

While Key Arena is undergoing a major rebuild that will allow us to put an NHL team on the ice, it is clear that teams may use this area, now once again a hot spot due to growth from Amazon, to gain leverage on their cities to build arenas at tax payer expense.  

My guess is that Phoenix's arena issues will work themselves out, but  for maybe just instant, Seattle has been teased with the possibility of an NBA return. 

Maple Valley Christmas Lights

Although this video was taken last year, we went to visit the house last night!

US Senate Approves Renton Post Office To Change Names

A bill sponsored by local congressman Adam Smith to change the name of the U.S. Post Office Building on NE 4th  Street in Renton to the James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix Post Office Building has cleared the US Senate.

The bill now needs to be signed by President Trump.   Hendrix is buried in Greenwood Memorial Gardens in Renton.

Leonard And Mike

Taking a break from the holiday rush at The UPS Store,  I met up with my buddy, Leonard Barokas. 
Barokas has been the longtime producer of the Kent and Alan Show on Star 101.5.
Barokas and other air personalies were at Fred Meyer in Issaquah to promote the Salvation Army Toy Drive.

Posing With KOMO 4 TV Personality Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson was at Fred Meyer in Issaquah for the Salvation Army Toy Drive.  Johnson is graduate of WSU.

Sondra Locke Dead At 74

Sondra Locke, whose tart tongue played up against Clint Eastwood in 6 movies in which they had co-starred has died at 74.

Locke was nominated for an Oscar in the 1968 movie "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter". 

Locke, who was in a relationship with Eastwood at the time of their movies.  Their splitting turned into an ugly palimony suit.    Locke seemed uable to revive her career after her split with Eastwood.
Locke had been suffering from breast and bone cancer.

A New Addition

We have just had a gas fireplace installed on our house to replace the woodburning one.   Thank you to PMG of Bellevue.

Seahawk Miracle--One Win From Playoffs

I won't say "virtually assured" because anything can happen, but after losing Earl Thomas to injury and without Cam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, and Cliff Avril, the Seahawks need just one more victory to get into the playoffs.  

This is really a surprise for Seahawk fans as this was to be a rebuilding year.  Chancellor, and Avril were also lost to injury and Sherman and Bennett were cut. The plan was to rebuild the great defense that had gotten the team to two Super Bowls.  The Seahawks failed to make the playoffs last season.

This could give hope to the Mariners for 2019, who are also beginning a rebuilding process.

Happy Birthday, Susan Dey

This is out of the blue, since I don't normally post celebrity birthdays, but I read that Susan Dey, who played Laurie Partridge on the Partridge Family, has turned 66.  It reminded me that time does indeed fly.

Maple Valley Fire Engine

It's not the best picture, but we've lived in Maple Valley for 20 years now.  We have seen many changes, but happy to see the tradition of the decorated fire truck going through the neighborhoods at Christmas time is still with us.

Times Reports Inslee Considering A Run For White House

A front page story in the Seattle Times has revealed that Washington Governor Jay Inslee is seriously considering a run to be the 46th president of the United States.  The newspaper revealed that Inslee has set up a political action committee to explore his options in the race.

Inslee, a Democrat, has been at the forefront of Washington politics since he first went to Congress in 1992, a huge year for Democrats as Bill Clinton was elected.  Inslee would represent Washington's generally Conservative 4th Congressional District in Central Washingon.  Inslee was defeated in the next cycle after a Republican sweep, but reemerged in 1998 to be elected back to the House Of Representatives in the 1st Congressional District which encompasses suburban Seattle.  

Inslee ran for governor in 2012 upsetting Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna.  He was reelected  in 2016.  Inslee is known for his passion for the environment and is a frequent critic of President Trump.   

My First Stereo

My first year at WSU, at least my first semester, my roommate had a great stereo, stereos were essential in a college residence hall (dorm).  Everyone had their own musical preferences.  There were often "stereo wars" were students would try to made  their music louder than their neighbors.  

I was allowed to use Jeff's stereo, but second semester when he moved to an apartment, I did not have one.  My new roommate didn't have one, so I got my music from a clock radio.  I was not quite armed for a stereo war.  

In the summer, I made up my mind that I was going to get my own stereo.  Back then (1977), you needed to get your stereo in components.  You didn't have to, but that was the cool way to do it and that is how stereo stores would market.  

Being that my aspirations at the time were to work in radio and I in fact worked at the campus station, KUGR,  it was essential that I would need a radio, which in stereo lingo was a "receiver".  I wanted a record player (turntable) and of course, separate speakers. Each component needed to have a separate brand name.  The audio stores must have been making a mint over these.  

That summer, Walla Walla had a new stereo shop known as Stereocraft.  It was a chain based out of Ellensburg.  They had a special for people buying a stereo.  It was $399.00, about $1300 of today's dollars.  As I remember, I had a Sansui receiver, a Gerard turntable with a Pickering cartridge (record player needle), and to top it off, Pioneer speakers.
No longer would I have to depend of roommate's stereos. 

FULL VIDEO: Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Seattle Center arena

Winter Sports are returning to Seattle as ground is breaking on what is currently known as the Seattle Center Arena.  An NHL franchise has been granted for 2021 and an NBA team that will make this town it's permanent home, should be in the not too distant future.

No Joy In Marinerville

Two of the Mariner's biggest stars are leaving the team, Robinson Cano, who has been up and down since  signing a huge contract to come over from the Yankees and Edwin Diaz, the team's lights out closer.  Both players are headed to the Mets. 

They may bump into another Mariner star, pitcher James Paxton, who was traded to the Yankees in this off season.

The  trades are part of an attempt to rebuild the team.  The team does not feel it can win with it's current crew, so it is trying to trade people of value or with big contract to get prospects who can blossom into stars.  

Seattle Granted NHL Team

About 10 years after the NBA left Seattle during a crippling recession, the NHL has announced it will be playing in a remodeled Seattle Center arena in the same location the Sonics vacated. 
With a now thriving economy, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Seattle's entry into the National Hockey League, with the first season to be played in 2021.

Quality Remains At The Seven Diner

The Testy Chef is now the Sev7n  Diner.  Maple Valley's most unique restaurant has changed it's name, but the menu has stayed the same as well as the local warmth and atmosphere.

Congresswoman Elect Kim Schrier

Washington's Freshman Congresswoman elect Kim Schrier had a party at Zeek's Pizza in Issaquah to thank volunteers.  Schrier is the first Democrat ever elected in Washington's 8th CD.

Happy Hannukah!

The Return Of Sherman

Richard Sherman returns to the Clink as a San Francisco 49er today.

George Bush Meets Women Fencing Team In 2008

My cousin Sada Jacobson on the left, with Becca Ward and Mariel Zagunis poses with the late 41st President George Bush after the US team won Silver, Bronze, and Gold in Women's Sabre Fencing at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  During his visit, Bush lent Jacobson his handkerchief as she wept.