Any time an elected official accuses part of the government of "giving us the middle finger," you know there’s a good story behind it.

My colleague Brent Champaco wrote about opposition from Lakewood to a proposed 600,000-square-foot development at Fort Lewis that would mix mid- to high-end retail, casual-dining restaurants, a health club, a furniture store and other amenities.

Some readers shot back at Lakewood in the comments section.

If you missed it in today’s paper, check out the story.

And if you’re interested in AAFES plans,

Read more »

Flipper and Co. could be guarding a Navy base near you.

The Navy wants to use dolphins and sea lions to help guard Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The program – officially called the Swimmer Interdiction Security System – was first proposed in February 2007. An environmental impact statement will be presented to members of the public in Silverdale on Feb. 11 and in SeaTac on Feb. 12.

From the Kitsap Sun:

The Navy is considering five options: California sea lions and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins; just sea lions; combat swimmers;

Read more »

Sixty-five years after flying a bombing mission over Europe, an Army Air Corps veteran will receive the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Joseph Moser, an 87-year-old Whatcom County resident, will receive the honor for “heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight” at McChord Air Force Base’s annual awards banquet Thursday night. Two former members of his squadron will escort Moser on stage, and more than 30 members of his family are expected to be in attendance.

Moser was a first lieutenant in the 474th Fighter Group. On July 30, 1944, he

Read more »

In the comments section of executive editor Karen Peterson’s Sunday column, a reader asked, "Is there an embedding charge from the military, aside from the safety gear? Do you apply to embed with a unit, someone reviews the application and charges a fee based on the situation?"

Journalists apply with Multi-National Force-Iraq, which coordinates with a unit for an embed slot. The application is a few pages; journalists must also sign ground rules that restrict what one can report. My embed application took a bit of work (I’m asking to cover one

Read more »

Fort Lewis just e-mailed more information about Sgt. Kyle Harrington, the member of the 542nd Maintenance Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion killed in Iraq on Saturday.

Harrington, 24, died after being struck by a forklift in Basra.

Here’s a link to the story in this morning’s paper.

And here’s the press release:

FORT LEWIS, Wash. – The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. According to the Dept. of Defense, Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington, 24, of Swansea, Mass., died

Read more »

The Department of Defense made official what we (and two Massacuesets) newspapers reported over the weekend:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.



Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington, 24, of Swansea, Mass., died Jan. 24 in Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-hostile accident in his unit motor pool. He was assigned to the 542nd Maintenance Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion, 593rd Sustainment Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.



The incident is under investigation.

Usually Fort Lewis will follow with more details. I’ll

Read more »

The News Tribune is returning to Iraq.

I’ll arrive there early next month to report about the 2,400 Washington residents serving with the National Guard’s 81st Brigade Combat Team.

It’ll be the sixth time The News Tribune has embedded with a unit. That means I’ll be with them day and night, eating and sleeping alongside the troops. The 81st Brigade is spread among bases across western and northern Iraq; the soldiers primarily provide convoy security and force protection.

I leave Feb. 1. First stop is Kuwait, where the military will process travel orders into Iraq. Then it’s

Read more »

Washington’s first war death of 2009 is a Fort Lewis soldier was killed in Iraq on Saturday when he was struck by a forklift, his wife said.

Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington of Swansea, Mass., was serving at Joint Base Balad with a unit of the 593rd Sustainment Brigade. The 24-year-old was scheduled to return from his deployment in August.

"He was amazing," said his wife, Faith. The couple has two children, 5-year-old Joshua and 2-year-old Kaylee.

Army officials arrived at the Harringtons’ on-post housing Saturday afternoon to inform Faith of her husband’s death, she said. Neither Fort

Read more »