Military Life
For many of our military members, the decision to enlist was the result of the desire to serve our country. For them, there was no better career choice than to proudly volunteer their services for the better of their country until their retirement. Once they fulfill their military obligations and
Military Life
If you're wondering what's next after the military, Maria Ferns and Michael Shea both have a simple suggestion: cut hair. Or learn to be a cosmetologist. At the Olympia Barber School in Olympia and at the Summit Salon Academy in Tacoma, there's an open door for military veterans looking for a
Archives
As I begin writing my column this week, I must warn you. Someone has wronged me, and the result has plunged me deep into a state of extreme irritation. So my tone may be a little more bitter than normal, but please bear with me. By the time this publishes,
Archives
Halloween is creeping around the corner like a Commerce Street guttersnipe in search of a bag of cans. Spooky, eh? I love Halloween. I remember the thrill of eating, blindfolded, “brains” made of cold spaghetti and peeled-grape “eyeballs” while playing haunted house with the neighborhood kids. Although I made them
People Rule
Nearly 29 years after retiring as an infantry officer in the Army, a veteran from Steilacoom was awarded the Order of Saint Maurice, the highest honor an infantryman can receive from the National Infantry Association, Tuesday. Retired Col. Frank Adams, recipient of the Order of Saint Maurice,
Music
One of the nice things about being even marginally aware of one's local music scene is the ability to watch as artists grow and evolve. This isn't something that we necessarily become privy to once a band has broken through that cultural membrane to find mainstream success. Sure, we got
Arts
Anne de Marcken, whose stunning "Redaction Project" at Salon Refu this past spring I reviewed in this column, is at it again with another intriguing, intelligent and engaging art project. This time it is what she calls a "performative piece" at the Feast Art Center. This project defies easy categorization. It
Stage
At long last, Rachel Corrie has come home to Olympia in the form of Harlequin Productions' presentation of My Name is Rachel Corrie. This is Olympia's first-ever locally-produced full theatrical performance of the play based on the life and writings of the Olympia native who was run over and killed
Music
It's really hard to say no to live music. Living in Olympia, especially, we are fortunate to be in an area that is rich with artists and musicians. What can be tough to find is a place that plays live music that accommodates general music lovers. Meet Rhythm and Rye. This
Stage
This Saturday, Jan. 28, marks the start of another Chinese year of the rooster. Depending on which calendar one observes, it'll be New Year's Day of either 4654, 4714 or 4715. Traditionally, celebrants dine on communal hot pot, seafood and cured meats. They exchange packets of money or other gifts,
Online Newspapers
In 1917, when 91st Division commander, Maj. Gen. Henry A. Greene, sought to put young Camp Lewis recruits on a straight and narrow path, Progressive Era political reform and social activism emerged in the form of an amusement park just outside the camp's main gate. The vision for the Camp Lewis
Attractions
Ambition in the service of education is a desirable mission statement. This endeavor is commendable as the 7th Infantry Division turns a century old. "We're commemorating the one hundred years of the division's establishment as a division headquarters," explained Lt. Col. Frederick Williams, the division's public affairs officer, "in order to
News Front
While growing up in the small town of Waxahachie, Texas, Donny Boaz had absolutely no aspirations for the Hollywood scene. Through and through, he was dedicated to sports and used that as his motivation in life. In 1999, at the age of 18, Boaz walked through the doors of a
News Front
The Fort Lewis Family Scholarship Fund is seeking applicants for its merit-based scholarship program. Applications must be postmarked by March 24, 2017. Last year, the fund distributed $30,500 in scholarships. "The fund awards scholarships to three military family groups: high school seniors, current post-secondary students and military spouses," said Scholarship Coordinator
Online Newspapers
The Ranger newspaper may not be 100 years old like Joint Base Lewis-McChord, but it's been covering the base longer than it hasn't. Established in January 1951, The Ranger has reported on a big portion of the base's history, starting publication just after the 2nd Division here deployed to fight in
Online Newspapers
Innovation can make history. Take Brown & Haley's Almond Roca as one such example. At the beginning of World War I in 1914, Harry Brown and J.C. Haley started a candy company in Tacoma, Washington. In 1916, Brown & Haley began producing a confection called the Mount Tacoma Bar. As the war wore
Online Newspapers
Marion Sydenham Ball was born in 1923 in Ft. Missoula, Montana, as she puts it, "a child of the 4th Infantry Regiment." When Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, Ball interrupted her college studies to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps, but shortly after the war ended, she
Online Newspapers
Back in the far-off days of 1976, when Peter Frampton ruled the airwaves and Fort Lewis and Air Force Base McChord were separated, Maj. Gen. (retired) Don and Joan Brown moved onto McChord, and the four years they spent there are ones they will remember for the rest of their
Online Newspapers
As Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) nears its Centennial Celebration, many influential leaders of not only JBLM, but also the community that supports the military, are sharing some of their memories, good and bad, of their tenure at JBLM. Former Chief of the 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, Lt. Col. Anna Sullivan