Education is vital to an individual’s success and tops most communities’ concerns. But America’s education statistics offer a grim snapshot.
Thanks to the Whidbey Island League of Women Voters, islanders are becoming more aware that there is an important election starting late this week.
I must respond to M. Anderson’s recent “Sound off” column in the Whidbey Newws-Times as she does not seem to understand what this “real world” is about even with the 9/11 “example.”
For those of us who have ever wondered how we might contribute to the well-being of a child in foster care, an exceptional opportunity is at our doorsteps.
Recent concerns about the spread of pertussis on the island have been intermixed with contradictory and misleading information about the decision many families make regarding whether to vaccinate against this and other diseases.
Whidbey Island’s pertussis outbreak seems to be winding down this week, with fewer cases reported and public concern waning. But it should not be forgotten as parents think about getting their kids vaccinated before another school year begins.
Two years ago, we hosted a community meeting at the Coupeville Library to help us gather information to develop a library district-wide capital facilities plan. The comments we heard in Coupeville that night in the spring of 2006 set us on the course we are on today.
To: Federal Emergency Management Agency
The original and correct name of the so called “Wonn Road Extension” is Greenbank Road. It is identified as a county owned Public Access, site 28, in the Existing Conditions and Site Inventory, Island County Shoreline Access Study. This study and the accompanying map lists all public accesses and public tidelands in Island County and is supposed to be available to the public at the Department of Planning and Community Development. Guess what? They can’t find it.
One of my childhood baseball heroes was Mickey Mantle, the greatest switch hitter who ever lived. There are a lot of switch batters, but few can hit equally well from both sides of the plate. Mantle was a true switch hitter, meaning he could actually hit from either side. He was a more prolific home run hitter from the left side, thanks in part to the short porch in Yankee Stadium, but he could drive the ball even deeper from the right side.
A small sampling of islanders is playing the role of Jack against the giant Puget Sound Energy as they attempt to convince voters to create a Whidbey Island Public Utility District to take over electrical distribution.
Some of the letters recently published make me wonder if our schools no longer teach political science and civics. From my experience I’ll offer a different perspective.
Much has been made of Mac McDowell asking his assistant to make the arrangements to participate in the Coupeville parade. If you noticed, virtually every parade includes participation by our elected officials, city, couty, state and even federal.
With the elections coming up you have the resources to get information and to let those running for office know how important funding for education is to you.
Please go to K12.wa.gov to find out further information regarding school funding. Specifically Senate Bill 6673 and Bill 6534. Please carefully read the “No Child Left Behind” bill. You can read articles in our local paper about how many students are now being left behind because of WASL testing. Money does not go directly to the schools for this testing. This is a failing program and the money could be put to much better use elsewhere.
