Cheers: To Ichiro. Yes, just Ichiro; for even casual baseball fans, only one name is necessary. In 2001, Ichiro arrived from Japan and captivated the Northwest while helping to transform the Seattle Mariners. With a metronomic ability to pound out base hits and one of the best throwing arms of his generation, he has been a crowd favorite throughout his 18 seasons in the major leagues. He became the 30th player in history to amass 3,000 hits, reaching the milestone in 2016.
Ichiro returned to the Mariners this season at the age of 44, after several years playing for different teams in other cities. But he played sparingly, and on Thursday it was announced that he will be removed from the roster but remain with the organization in some capacity. It is fitting that he will stay with a franchise and a city that have embraced him for nearly two decades.
Jeers: To bad plans and aggressive reactions. The Seattle City Council is considering charging businesses a head tax upon employees to raise money for affordable housing and homeless services. Amazon has responded by halting construction on a massive new building at its headquarters.
The company’s response brought needed attention to the situation. But the contentious issue also led to city officials being shouted down during a town hall to discuss the plan and to construction workers shouting down a city councilor at a meeting. At a time when elected officials are increasingly reluctant to hold in-person meetings with constituents, it is essential that activists on all sides of an issue make more of an effort to listen rather than shout.
Cheers: To cleaning out medicine cabinets. A drug take-back event last week drew more than 2.3 tons of unwanted medication from residents in Clark and Skamania counties. About 1,500 people visited one of several drop-off locations, delivering pills and syringes. The items were boxed and secured for destruction by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The event saw a marked increase in participation compared with previous efforts. That reflects the public’s growing awareness of the dangers presented by unused and unwanted medication; illicit use of prescription drugs has contributed to a devastating opioid epidemic throughout the country.
Jeers: To poor oversight at Washington State University. An internal audit of the athletic program at the Pullman campus has found the department “did not support a culture of compliance or fiscal responsibility.” That has contributed to deficits amounting to $67 million in recent years.
Big-time college athletics are big business. Despite having the smallest budget in the Pac-12 Conference, WSU’s athletic department spends more than $70 million a year. Funding comes mostly from athletic revenue, so the department is not pulling money from, say, the math department or student housing. But the mismanagement is embarrassing for the university and renews questions about whether WSU can compete at the Pac-12 level.
Cheers: To getting outside. Some sun-splashed days this week reminded us of the wonder that is the Northwest in springtime. They also gave us a case of spring fever, with the outdoors beckoning from the windows beyond our office cubicles.
With that in mind, we direct you to a Columbian article from reporter Scott Hewitt (https://tinyurl.com/ydh3nnkw). Complete with maps and all you need to know for a hike on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, it provides a how-to guide for taking advantage of the region’s wondrous scenery. While much of the Oregon side of the Gorge was devastated last year by the Eagle Creek Fire, Washington offers many reminders of why we live in this part of the country.
