Another old guy reference: There’s this moment in the movie Amadeus, where the Emperor walks in on a rehearsal of Mozart’s newest music and he sees something so obviously wrong he’s rendered speechless with confusion. My ‘fix the web site’ proposal At last week’s City Council Meeting, I felt a lot like this guy (not
... continue reading.Neighborhoods
He led the Proud Boys in the Capitol riot and shamed his town
He led the Proud Boys in the Capitol riot and shamed his town Richard Read May 16, 2021 14 min read In this article: Ethan Nordean Leader of the “Proud Boys” neo-fascist and accused political terrorist Ethan Nordean, speaking into a bullhorn, leads the Proud Boys’ march on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A
... continue reading.Water District 54 Tower
The King County Water District 54 reservoir, located on 11th Avenue between City Hall and the Police Department, is almost unique in Washington State. It is one of only three remaining well-water sources and is un-chlorinated. One ‘feature’ of the water is that it tends to contain high levels of manganese–a benign metal that naturally
... continue reading.The changing demographics of Des Moines, Washington
2000 2010 2020 White 74.20% 63.55% 51.30% Black 7.18% 9.08% 7.40% Native American 0.95% 1.07% 0.40% Asian 8.30% 10.66% 11.60% Pacific Islander 1.34% 2.41% 3.00% Other Races 3.29% 7.78% Two or more races 4.74% 5.45% 9.00% Hispanic or Latino 6.61% 15.17% 19.90% Information taken from the U.S. Census Thanks to Meg Tapucol-Provo
... continue reading.Letter of resignation from Des Moines Diversity Task Force: Meg Tapucol-Provo
4 Comments on Letter of resignation from Des Moines Diversity Task Force: Meg Tapucol-ProvoSubject: Stepping down from the DMPD Diversity Task Force To: Chief Ken Thomas, Des Moines Police Guild, City Council, etc. To the Members of the Des Moines Police Department Diversity Task Force, I am regretfully writing to inform you that I am stepping down from the Diversity Task Force. In joining this Task Force, my
... continue reading.2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – proper uses of funds for local governments
1 Comment on 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – proper uses of funds for local governmentsAccording to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), local governments have until December 31, 2024 to spend the funds on eligible purposes. These funds cannot be banked. ARPA states that these funds can be spent: To respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 To provide assistance to households, small business, and nonprofits To
... continue reading.A letter to Port Of Seattle Commission re. SR509 property acquisition
1 Comment on A letter to Port Of Seattle Commission re. SR509 property acquisitionCommissioners, I have been watching with interest your purchase of the plot of land you refer to as ‘SR 509 Surplus’. Residents of Des Moines refer to it as ‘the forest off of 216th’. We call it that because that entire area used to be forested. The development of the Business Park and FAA
... continue reading.State Of The City Presentation To DMMA (November 11, 2020)
Format Video1 Comment on State Of The City Presentation To DMMA (November 11, 2020)Back in November, Mayor Pina and Deputy Mayor Mahoney gave a presentation to the Des Moines Marina Association and it’s worth thinking about. I get comments sometimes complaining that all I do is bitch about picayune stuff like parliamentary procedure saying basically “Let’s talk about something real, Dude!” Well, this is as real as it
... continue reading.How I got so interested in Code Enforcement
1 Comment on How I got so interested in Code EnforcementIn 2010 I moved away for a year and rented out my house here. Now back then, in order to rent out yer house, the City required aspiring landlords to do a few things: you paid an $80 fee and you became part of a database with your current address and phone number so that
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