NFL Possibly Absorbing Bigtime College Football?

 Don't ask me why, but these sound like scary concepts.  Maybe, by then, the Big 10 will have absorbed Washington State and Oregon State.  Brodie Brazil, a You Tube sports commentator, tries to predict the direction of College football.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mel Brooks

 Happy Birthday to movie funnyman Mel Brooks, who turned 100 yesterday (Sunday, June 28th, 2026). Brooks was the genius behind movies like "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein".  Also, TV shows like "Get Smart".  

Seaside Beach Sunsets

 Thank you to Google, here are some sunsets that I've captured over the years on the beach at Seaside, Oregon.

Cohn Signs Off

Linda Cohn, ESPN's longest serving anchor, has done her last show.  Cohn was on KIRO 7 in the early 90s.

More Walla Walla Baseball From 1969

 

I had previously posted the bottom picture that was scanned, obviously, from something we saved.  Steve, who subscribes to the UB archives, found the entire article in the feature section of the paper. 

I was totally crazy over what was then the Walla Walla Bears. 

In the picture,below, are my brother, Danny and sister, Debbie in the front row.  In the back, my Mom, myself, and my Dad.  Steve would come along in 1971.

Blood, Sweat, & Tears Lead Singer David Clayton-Thomas

 David Clayton Thomas, lead singer for Blood Sweat one of the pioneers of bands who fused jazz with rock, has died, he was 84.  

Clayton-Thomas, a Canadian, was the voice behind standards like Spinning Wheel, And When I Die, and You Made Me So Very Happy.  

The group was a virtual hit machine in the late 60s, but ran out of steam in the early 70s after some ill advised career moves.

Clive Davis--Music Executive Dies

 Along with Alan Greenspan, another giant passed away yesterday (Monday, June 22nd, 2026). Clive Davis, founder of Arista Records, and J Records.  He was also credited with discovering such pop music heavyweights as Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, and Aretha Franklin, amongst many others. 

Davis was 94. 

Alan Greenspan Dead At 100

A long career as a powerful unelected figure in Washington and the country.

 

Veteran ESPN Anchorwoman Linda Cohn to Retire

 Linda Cohn, who has been with ESPN since 1992, has announced her retirement.  Cohn, who in the late 80s, worked on KIRO 7 TV here in Seattle, has anchored more Sports Centers than anyone else in history, according to the ESPN website. 

Cohn returned briefly to the airwaves in Seattle to do commentary on Kraken games. 

Kerry Park 2

Looking through the art piece,frames the Seattle skyline perfectly.

Have A Happy Father's Day

 

Welcome Summer Of 2026

 

The View From Kerry Park

We took our out-of-town guests to Kerry Park, up on Queen Anne Hill, it's known for its amazing view of the Seattle skyline.

In this picture, you can see the Needle, along with the downtown skyscrapers, as well as Mount Rainier.

The New Glass Bottom At Seattle's Space Needle

 The Loupe is the glass bottom floor at the Space Needle. 

Chicago Band Co-Founder Walter Parazaider Dies

 Walter Parazaider, Sax player and co-founder of the legendary band Chicago, has died.  Reports say that he died in hospice care.  He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  

Space Needle Gift Shop 2--Robot Barista

 These use to pop up in science fiction movies and TV shows from my childhood, but now they are a reality.  This automated barista, will make a cup of espresso for customers who push buttons and pay.  

Space Needle Gift Shop

We took Deb's cousin from Massachusetts to see the sights in Seattle. It's their first time ever here

We saw this replica in the Space Needle gift shop.

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 39--Verne Russell Buys KUJ

 

Steve sent this old UB article from the late 60s, as V. B. R. Broadcasters, headed by Verne Russell, purchased KUJ.  The station would continue to play easy listening/adult contemporary music and CBS Radio programming. 

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 40--Russell Sells To Jim Nelly

Jim Nelly bought KUJ in the mid 1970s, he did make big changes, bringing 24-hour Top 40 radio to the Valley. Because of the purchase, KTEL, which played rock at night, went all country, along with local sports. 

Seaside 5--Looking Down The Cliff Near Manzanita

 On a clear sunny day, a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. 

Knicks Win Title--First Since 1973

 I follow very little NBA since the Sonics left town.  Congrats to the New York Knicks, who have won their first title since 1973 and only the team's third overall. 

Jalen Brunson scored 45 points for the winning team, who took the series 4-1.  The Knicks overcame, in the entire series, 4 double digit deficits, a record. 

Maple Valley Days Feature--Dog Jumping

 It was fun watching the dogs jump at Maple Valley Days.  This took place at the Lake Wilderness Beach.  

The annual festival concludes today (Sunday, June 14th, 2026).

Seaside 4--Ecola State Park

 Ecola State Park, North of Cannon Beach, also has amazing views of the water. 

Seaside 3--Watching The Sunset

Once we got past the two cold, rainy days.  The weather warned and the sunsets were spectacular.

Seaside 2--Sightseeing

Driving down from Cannon Beach, views of the surf are nothing less than spectacular.

Taken from Oswald West State Park near Manzanita.

Seaside

The ocean looks beautiful!

Hymon & Parfunkel At The Village

Last weekend, we watched We Ain't Never Gonna Breakup The Hymon and Parfunkel Musical at the Village Theater in Issaquah.

It is not loosely based biography of Simon and Garfunkel, but an absurdist musical look at the 60s through the eyes of a fictional folk dou largely resembling the legendary folk duo.

Yacht Rock Revue 5--Takin' It To The Streets

 Takin' It To The Streets is an oldie, but it never sounds like one. 

A Day At Woodland Park Zoo 4--Bear Exhibit

 This was also fascinating. From last week's zoo visit.

Yacht Rock Revue 4--The Love Boat

 It's not often heard on Yacht Rock radio, but it perhaps, personifies the era.  Yacht Rock Revue, opened the show with the theme from The Love Boat.  

The Cover-up 2--Rainbow In The Dark

 The band reached into music that gets little play in performances.  Rainbow in the Dark was originally done by Ronnie James Dio 

Cover-Up Plays Maple Valley

We were back to rock n rolling this weekend as we watched Cover-up play The Lost Dutchman here in town.  The lead guitarist's son works at The UPS Store with Deb.  

Yacht Rock Revue 3--Everywhere

 

Yacht Rock Revue 2--My Old School

The band does the Steely Dan classic.

Yacht Rock Revue Plays The Zoo

 We joined our friends for the first Zootunes concert last night (Thursday, June 3rd, 2026).  Shown here, the are doing the I've Had The Time Of My Life.

A Day At The Woodland Park Zoo 3--Gorilla Exhibit

 This has to be one of the most popular exhibits at the zoo.  The humanlike traits of the gorillas are quite fascinating.

A Day At The Woodland Park Zoo 2--Toucan

 I've never seen a Toucan in real life.  The bird has a unique look and character.

The display is in the Rain Forest Exhibit at the zoo. 

A Day At Woodland Park Zoo

 We spent a day at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo today, partly to check out the zoo and also to see the Yacht Rock Revue Concert, part of Zoo Tunes.  

Here is the Yellow Anaconda. 

Russell Wilson Officially Retires

Former Seahawk quarterback Russell Wilson, who guided Seattle to its first Super Bowl victory, is now officially retired.  

It was already announced that he was joining the CBS broadcast crew for pregame analysis, but reporters stopped short of saying the 14 quarterback was ending his playing career permanently. 

1951 Jack Keating Takes Over At Walla Walla Station

June of 1951, Jack Keating takes over at KWWB, whom he would later have the call letters changed to KTEL.

Keating would own the station until his death in the mid 1980s. 

Melinda Gates Joins Kraken Ownership Group

 She had been mentioned as a potential candidate to purchase the Seattle Seahawks, but various sources report that Melinda Gates, the ex-wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, is joining the ownership group of the Seattle Kraken.  The group is now known as One Roof Sports.

The news adds the speculation that the group is setting sites on the potential team in the proposed NBA expansion. 

Bob Garred--National Newscaster From Walla Walla

 There is very little information on Bob online, but not only was he from my hometown, he grew up in the house where my family lived from 1965-2000.  We purchased our house from the Garred's as they moved to the Trees apartments on Catherine Street. 

His father owned Walla Walla Drug, a downtown drugstore. 

Bob Garred would die in 1956.

Former Seahawk Super Bowl Champ Takes CBS Job

 Reports say that Russell Wilson, most recently a quarterback for the New York Giants has joined the CBS Sunday TV football crew as a pregame analyst.  Whether Wilson is retiring or just pausing his career has not been indicated, although, it would seem that the handwriting is on the wall. 

Once, thought of as one of the game's elite quarterbacks, Wilson's career has been seemingly less stellar since leaving the Seahawks, where he guided the team to its first Super Bowl victory, and a losing apearence the following year. 

Big Y Area Joined College Place In Early 1980s

The annexation of the Big Y area was successful, but not everyone was happy.