20 Year Anniversary Of Nisqually Earthquake

 Today (Sunday February 28th) marks the 20 anniversary of the Nisqually Earthquake which shook the Puget Sound region.   

I remember when it struck, the area had previously experienced a number of small tremors in the previous few years, one interupting and stopping play in a Mariner game.  There was a shake, but unlike previous ones, this continued a little longer.  Items were falling off the bookshelf.  I was happy when the shaking stopped, but had to look outside to see if there was any more damage. 

Our house was safe, but that was not quite the case in the area.  You can read more about the damage toll by clicking here.

Reboot To Classic TV Comedy Frasier In Works

 Fans of the TV show from the 90s and early 2000s, Frasier will be happy to know that plans are under way for a reboot.  The return will apparently be streamed on Paramount Plus.

Reboots, which have been trendy lately, are similar to movie sequels, it generally takes a TV show from where it left off and continues the situations of those characters.  

With Frasier, the death of John Mahoney, who played Frasier's dad, Martin Crane, makes this trickier.  Martin, the retired cop, played the everyman to his elitist sons, Frasier and Niles.

The show ran from 1993 to 2004 and won a record 37 Emmy Awards.

Dick's Food Truck Comes To Crossroads--Home To Future Location

The legendary Seattle hamburger joint, Dick's Drive-in announced that it will be back in Bellevue after 47 year absence. It will be located in Crossroads Mall on North East 8th Street. 

To celebrate the announcement, the company's brand new food truck set up shop in the parking lot, last night, near where the new location will open.

With a line that wrapped around the corner, the food truck was the place to be last night.  

Construction completion and grand opening for the new location is scheduled for the late part of this year. 

Thank you to Deb Barer for the picture. 

Legendary Golf Comeback

 Tiger Woods devastating car accident may remind long time fans and historians of golf star Ben Hogan.  Hogan, the top golfer of his time, was in a head-on bus crash with a Greyhound Bus in 1949, nearly killing him.  Hogan would make an incredible comeback, winning 6 majors including a US Open win 16 months after the crash. 

Tiger Woods In Car Crash

ESPN reports that golf superstar Tiger Woods has been in a one-car rollover accident and is in surgery with multiple leg injuries

WildBlue Author Burl Barer The Story Behind BETRAYAL IN BLUE

Burl Barer advertises his book, Betrayal In Blue.

Mariner President Kevin Mather Resigns When Speech To Bellevue Rotary Surfaces

By now, you know that the Mariners have parted company with their president Kevin Mather.  I'm hoping this stays up, but you can hear for yourself.  It starts out as your run of the mill Rotary speech or what you would perceive a Rotary speech to be.  

His missteps are subtle, but apparent.  

President Kennedy's family reflects on his 100th birthday

Many of my generation would find this video fascinating, the heirs to the John F Kennedy dynasty appear in it. This was made about 4 years ago as what would have been JFK's 100th birthday was approaching.

It  begins with daughter Caroline, my age.  Then, the grown up grandchildren appear, John Kennedy Schlossberg with an amazing resemblance to his uncle, the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. 

The Sonics Guy-- Seattle Super Fan Passes On

 I just learned about the passing of Kris Brannon, known as The Sonic Guy, a Super Sonic super fan who dedicated his life to the now departed Seattle NBA team. I met him at a State Democratic Convention in June of 2016 and he posed for this selfie with me.  

Seattle Times Columnist Matt Calkins wrote a beautiful and moving piece about him.  Click here. 

Walla Walla Native Edward P. Morgan's Tribute to JFK

When you think of Walla Walla citizen's who became famous, you may think of Adam West or Drew Bledsoe, but Edward P. Morgan, a well respected broadcast journalist, also had Walla Walla ties.  

I had mentioned him in a post about radio talent with ties to the town several years ago.

I found this video in a post on Morgan in the Puget Sound Media blog.

If You Think 13 Is An Unlucky Number--It Is For Washington Criminals

 

As I grew up in Walla Walla, I knew the Washington State Penitentiary, which to many, is the only thing they can think about when hearing of the town, was on 13th Street.   What I didn't know at all, is the address is 1313 N. 13th.   Not until I saw a post in the Facebook group You Know You Grew Up In Walla Walla When??

Of course, many consider 13 to be an unlucky number and to have it repeated 3 times in the address of such an infamous institution is impossible to resist.  

Walla Walla has only a handful of numbered streets, all running North and South. 

Speaking of "repeats", how many towns have one word repeated twice?

Pitcher James Paxton Returns To Mariners

 James Paxton, known as the Big Maple because of his Canadian roots, looks to be returning to the Seattle Mariners this season.  Paxton threw the last no-hitter by a Mariner pitcher on May 8th of 2018.

Paxton was traded to the New York Yankees, after the Mariners chose to go the rebuild route, when contention was not an option.  

If Paxton pitches successfully and the Mariners are not contenders at the trade deadline, Paxton could be have great trade value. 

Dasher In The Snow Part 2

More Saturday fun with my dog.

Happy President's Day

 

Dasher In The Snow 2021

Once again, the Seattle area is shut down by a late winter snowfall.  Dasher and I went on a walk yesterday and had a little fun in the meantime.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Trump Escapes Senate Again

The US Senate voted 57 to 43 for the conviction under articles of impeachment of former President Donald Trump.  That was short of the 2/3s needed for a conviction.

7 Republican senators voted in favor of convicting the 45th president.

Winter Weather Arrives In Maple Valley

Our Belmont Woods neighborhood is covered with a blanket of snow 

James Taylor & Alison Krauss - The Boxer: Paul Simon Tribute

After a long Week, I thought that this tribute to Paul Simon by James Taylor and Alison Krauss would be nice.  

Area Residents Expecting Snow

 A snow storm has been predicted for the next few days in Western Washington.  Predictions vary from 1 to 10 inches.  The snow is expected to maybe start tonight with a major amount arriving Saturday. 

Two years ago, an early February snowstorm closed Puget Sound area businesses and made commutes almost impossible. 

Mark Spitz Turns 71

 US Swimmer Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals  in swimming events in the 1972 Olympics.  His birthday is today (February 10th).  Spitz, who is Jewish,  would leave the Olympic Village early after the "Munich Massacre" the kidnapping and murder of 11 Israeli athletes. 

Mary Wilson--The Supremes

 Mary Wilson, who was the last original member to leave the Motown powerhouse group the Supremes has died.  She was 76.

We saw Wilson in concert as a solo act in the mid 90s at the Puyallup Fair.  She had been the warm up act before the Temptations and the Four Tops. 

Before Jackie: The Story of Kenny Washington | Featuring Viola Davis | C...

This documentary ran during the Super Bowl pregame.  I was fascinated with the story of Kenny Washington, the first African American to play in the NFL in the post war era.  

By coincidence, Washington was teammates on the UCLA football team with Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American player in Major League Baseball.  

Another coincidence, Washington played for the Los Angeles Rams.  Robinson played for the Dodgers, but had left the game when that team moved to Los Angeles. 

Mitch Interviews Chris Hansen

 Bay Area hedge fund manager and Seattle native Chris Hansen has not given up on trying to land an NBA team in Seattle, at least not according to an interview with former KJR Sports Radio host and Mitch Unfiltered podcaster Mitch Levy. 

Hansen, several years ago, purchased the Sacramento Kings in an attempt to move the team to Seattle, a few years after the Super Sonics left for Oklahoma City.  He had also purchased land in the Sodo District in an attempt to build a new arena.  The NBA intervened against Hansen, giving the California capital enough time pass legislation to build a new arena in the city and the Kings remain.  

You can hear Levy interview Hansen about 55 minutes into the podcast. 

Wilson Wins Walter Payton Award

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has won the Walter Payton Man Of The Year award.  

The Payton Award annually honors an NFL player for extraordinary service to his community.  

Wilson visits Seattle Children's Hospital every Tuesday during the season. He has reportedly donated over 9 million dollars to Strong Against Cancer.

One other Seahawk has won the award. Steve Largent in 1988.

Super Bowl Weekend

 Have fun, be safe!

Hal Holbrook Dead At 95

Actor Hal Holbrook has died.  He was 95.    

Holbrook is probably remembered most for his performance of Mark Twain in a one man play.   He also played secret Watergate informant Deep Throat in the movie, All The President's Men.

Holbrook, one of my favorite actors, also played cranky, old school stock broker Lou Mannheim in the movie Wall Street.  He played the lead roll in The Senator in 1970, one of the continuing stories of the TV  wheel format show The Bold Ones.

Bezos To Step Down

CNN reports Jeff Bezos will step down from the position of CEO at Amazon.   Bezos, who has headed the company since its inception in 1995, will transition to the position of executive chair.

Andy Jassy, currently the head of AWS (Amazon Web Services) will be the new CEO of the Seattle behemoth. 

Burl Barer Interviewed On Podcast

Randy Roadz · The Radio Conference Call with Burl Barer

Burl Barer, who made a name for himself in Seattle radio, working at KJR and KOL, and whom I grew up with in Walla Walla, is interviewed for a Seattle radio history podcast, known as Radio Conference Call, while doing his own True Crime Uncensored internet radio program.  Paul Thompson is the interviewer.  I can tell from the interview that Thompson did his homework. 

Thank you to Randy Roadz, who tagged me with this on Facebook with the interview and Puget Sound Media.  

Burl is asked about his Walla Walla radio days, as well as his experiences in Seattle.  It is worth a listen.