Looking back at my prediction a couple months ago that the NFL season would be scrapped due to COVID-19, boy am I glad I was wrong. Like many of you, I’ve been loving the first month of the pro football season, thanks in large part to the 5-0 start by the Seattle Seahawks. We’ve seen... Continue Reading →
Who could’ve imagined back in March that we might have to go an entire year without high-school sports? First, the spring season was wiped out due to COVID-19. Then came fall sports. Now we’re all collectively crossing our fingers that there will be a winter sports season. But, at this point, would you put any... Continue Reading →
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Sports fans are going to have a lot of free time on our hands this fall. Some readers are probably getting tired of my doom-and-gloom predictions for the fall season. If you’re an optimist, I can’t say I blame you. But optimism requires a reality check once... Continue Reading →
It’s good to see sports starting to make a comeback. Players, coaches and fans have been going through some serious competition withdrawals during this quarantine spring, and we’re all ready for some live action. Over in Selah, the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak has played about a dozen baseball games over the past two weeks against... Continue Reading →
What’s worse than being stuck at home for two months? Being stuck at home for two months without sports. Now that we finally have an excuse to sit on the couch all day, we can’t truly enjoy our free time when there are no live sports on TV. Not only can we not watch our... Continue Reading →
My heart sank a little last week when the governor officially canceled school for the rest of the year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Not just for my kids, who won’t get to see their friends and teachers for another five months. Or for my wife, a preschool teacher who won’t be able to host... Continue Reading →
Things have gotten real in a hurry. In a matter of days, we went from normal, everyday life activities to a societal shutdown of epic proportions. COVID-19, aka “the coronavirus,” has paralyzed our very existence, closing schools and universities, canceling sports at all levels, slowing airline travel to a crawl, shuttering bars and restaurants, wiping... Continue Reading →
I’m one of those guys people love to hate. Not because I’m a jerk or a particularly disagreeable fellow. It has more to do with a certain after-hours activity that I’ve been involved in for the past dozen-or-so years. You may have yelled my name and not even known whom you were barking at. You... Continue Reading →
I’ve always been a huge fan of Asian cuisine. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indian — it doesn’t matter. If I had to rank my favorite ethnic foods, I would have to go with Vietnamese, Thai and Korean — in that order — followed closely by authentic Mexican (mmmm, tacos!). There’s just something so... Continue Reading →
EDITOR'S NOTE: This column was updated and republished in July 2021. ••••• Sports reporting is something I’ve always enjoyed. Covering events, writing features, talking to athletes and coaches — it’s a great job if you can get it. Honestly, following high school teams and reporting on them is more fun than it is work. Hanging... Continue Reading →
I’m always amazed by how many coffee shops and drive-thru stands we have in this town. I mean, it’s getting a little crazy around here. From national chain stores to family-owned roadside kiosks, there seems to be more coffee options than anyone could ever need. Someone told me there are 100 of these coffee businesses... Continue Reading →
There are lots of places to find a good beer in Yakima nowadays, but that wasn’t always the case. As recently as 2007 — the year I moved to town — it was pretty slim pickins around here. You could barely find a good sixer, let alone a growler or twenty-two. Bale Breaker had yet... Continue Reading →
•••••• Originally published in May 2017 If you haven’t seen me around town as a reporter over the past year, you’ve probably at least seen my byline. I’ve been on the Business Times staff since September 2016, handling a mix of production and editorial responsibilities. For the past 12 months or so, I’ve been the only... Continue Reading →
Originally published in August 2017 •••••• OK fine, I admit it. I’m a small-town guy. It has taken me about 16 years — my whole newspaper career — to accept this reality. But the longer I spend away from the big city, the less I want to return. Just give me an occasional weekend visit... Continue Reading →
Originally published in June 2017 Losing your best friend is never easy. Human or pet, the deeper the bond, the more difficult it is to move on. Parting with those closest to us is rough, but we find a way to go on with life. Everyone experiences loss, and most of the time, things get... Continue Reading →
