This week closes the door on another year here in Bremerton. A year filled with highs and lows. A year in which legalizing chickens and the city council’s interpretation of whimsical fish art took front and center stage. The good, the bad and the ugly fishy smell of it all.
There are times of the year and certain times of our lives that serve to remind us of how fortunate…
Many of our friends and neighbors had a front row seat to the chase and shooting at Fifth Street and Naval Avenue Friday. We have friends who live nearby as well as friends who were law enforcement officers involved in the chase and finding of the de
Growing up in a family of firefighters, there were many times where I witnessed firsthand the tragedy of one simple careless decision or less than thoughtful act.
My father was a volunteer firefighter for 26 years. My uncle and grandfather were al
Twas a month before Christmas and all through Bremerton
presents were purchased, wrapped and piled as high as the sun;
These gifts were then stuffed into bro
Black Friday is upon us. Let the twisted bargain hunting games begin. The really hardcore shopping experts have their plans in place and are putting the final touches on their battle strategies. Lists are compiled, maps are produced and targeted retailers are marked accordingly. Scissors are sharpene
Losing plays a very big part in the game of life. It can be hard. It can be painful and most importantly it can be enlightening. Losing often times reveals just how important something was to you in the first place. A heart-wrenching reminder of why winning should not ever be taken for granted.
This past Saturday, a grou
I really love Halloween. The lights, the costumes, even the rain, dark and cold. Fall in Bremerton is beautiful. This week everything timed out perfectly and the trees are wearing their full autumn regalia of colors during the day but are spindly enough to add to the scary atmosphere at night
Just because you have the “right” to act a certain way does not make it the “right” thing to do….
The perfect storm of education funding shortfalls, underfunded pension payments that are coming due and crippling unfunded mandates already in place has been brewing for quite some time now at the federal, state and local level. The Bremerton School District and Central Kitsap School District
This past month an incident in the Bremerton School District regarding prescriptions drugs reminded me that I was lagging slightly behind in some of the hard, uncomfortable talks I needed to have with my own son. It reminded me that lagging behind is not the best place to be when it comes to these
Several weeks ago the Smidt family had to make the agonizing decision to have our dog of 12 years euthanized for health reasons. It was a very sad day. Maggie was a lab/cattle dog mix and lived with us for three years before our son Nick was born. From his birth forward, Nick was her “boy” to be both manag
Volunteering for various community organizations over the past 20 years has taught me quite a number of things. The primary lesson learned every single time? Ten percent of the people involved do 90 percent of the work. In sports car clubs, PTAs, finance committees and most recently youth sports organizations I have found myself being in that 10 percent group, the 10 percent
This past weekend Bremerton hosted its annual Blackberry Festival, the magical yearly event that transforms downtown Bremerton into a smorgasbord of sights, sounds and things to do. For those of us who have invested for the long run in homes surrounding the downtown area, we briefly and fleetingly catch a glimpse of what a vibrant downtown future could hold.
The Bremerton School District school year started Sept. 1. It is with a heavy heart that we collectively recognize that one less bright light will be among those
A piece of history traveled into Silverdale on Sunday. It is a piece of history that became a living, breathing memorial for those who followed it on motorcycles and in cars across various sections of our great country. It became a memorial because of those who stood on overpasses, side roads and along fences to honor its passing with waves, flags, signs, smiles and tears.
County fairs are about so much more than the razzle-dazzle of the rides, games and the sale of clever gadgets that slice, dice, chop and spin. The day they start selling a gadget at the fair that takes out the garbage and cleans the toilets is the day I am the first one in line.
The official opening of the Pee Wee Football Bremerton
When something looks off, it usually is off. This past week, on a very normal Tuesday night at the Smidt house, text messages arrived to both of the Blackberry phones in our house with the following text: “Federal Credit Union Alert: Your Visa Card has been placed on hold.”
Traveling through the great state of Washington for the past five days on our family vacation was a wonderful experience filled with new adventures that delighted all the senses.
