I was raised not to use the word “hate.” My mother used to say, you “dislike” something, don’t say “hate.”
Most of the time I’m conscientious of that little rule.
Most of the time.
But there are times when “hate” is the only word available to describe how intensely you feel about something.
I hate heroin.
Congratulations to the City of Oak Harbor on a marathon well done.
The 13th annual event drew more than 3,000 people to run along Whidbey Island’s scenic roads. And with many of those 3,000 participants came family and friends to cheer them on.
That’s a pretty hefty number of visitors.
For nearly 125 years, the Whidbey News-Times has been providing loyal readers with coverage they can count on.
The industry has been transformed countless times during that century, going from hot-lead presses to giant floppy disks to all-desktop. Now into our second century, newspapers are finding a place on the Internet.
Our most avid website readers will notice something new starting today. All website readers will be prompted to either register their print subscription account for full online access at no additional charge, and others will be invited to subscribe.
For nearly 20 years, The Whidbey Examiner has been providing loyal readers with coverage they can count on.
The industry has been transformed many times over the decades, incorporating websites and, later, social media.
It wasn’t just the mighty oak tree that was lost this weekend in Oak Harbor.
A good deal of trust in Oak Harbor city government also fell victim to the city’s chain saw this weekend.
All too often, you hear about the professional athlete who runs afoul of the law, or who comes off as kind of a jerk.
And then you hear about a great athlete who’s also a great guy — someone like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
The sculpture of a large octopus proposed for downtown Oak Harbor — a piece being referred to as a “Kraken” — is certainly fulfilling one objective of good art — it has people thinking and talking about it.
I’ve gone back and forth in my opinion about this particular piece. I feel differently about it at different times.
And I kind of like that.
Two recent articles drew some particularly emotional reactions from some readers.
The first was a Jan. 28 article about the arrest of Coupeville deputy marshal Hodges Gowdey III. Gowdey, 44, was charged with unlawful imprisonment and witness tampering in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred in 2007.
Gowdey was ordered held in lieu of $30,000 bail and put on administrative leave.
The past few weeks have been pure electric on Whidbey Island and throughout Washington state.
The excitement and energy that mounted with the Seattle Seahawks’ ascension to the Super Bowl has provided us all with an experience to savor.
A community newspaper is a historical record.
With every edition of the Whidbey News-Times, events are recorded for posterity. On a regular basis, as I unlock my office door, there is someone poring through the back issues of the newspaper, furiously taking notes.
At times I fear it is forgotten — even by those of us in the newspaper business — that our responsibility goes beyond reporting the news of the day.
Like countless other communities across the nation, North Whidbey and the Oak Harbor have felt the sting of hard economic times in recent years.
That’s why the news that Whidbey Island Naval Air Station projects will be funded to the tune of $117 million is very welcome.
The funding is included in the National Defense Authorization Bill, approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama.
Dear Santa,
I’m writing to you this year from Whidbey Island. I moved here in February after spending the previous 13 years as publisher in Yelm.
My wish list this year is a little different than when I was in Yelm.
Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve certainly has a right to voice an opinion. The group has the right to file a federal lawsuit if members believe they’ve been wronged, and they did just that.
However, COER can’t expect that everyone will agree with their position, or that others might not hold an opposing viewpoint.
Case in point, Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson, a staunch proponent of the Navy and its presence on Whidbey Island.
