As a lone bagpiper played a mournful “Amazing Grace” at the top of the Capitol steps, state troopers slowly lowered flags to half-staff in honor of those who lost their lives in the Oso landslide tragedy — and the communities and responders who continue to offer care and comfort. Gov. Jay Inslee, joined by Secretary of State Kim Wyman, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and First Lady Trudi Inslee, told a noon gathering of school children and state workers on Tuesday…
After learning about the tragic landslide in Oso, the Whistler Valley Quilters’ Guild north of Vancouver, B.C., contacted our Combined Fund Drive, wanting to help. The big-hearted quilters sent a large box of handmade quilts to the CFD office for survivors who are missing the warmth of home. For anyone who has been forced from their home due to a natural disaster, the smallest things can be the biggest source of comfort. Secretary of State Wyman joined the CFD staff…
Part of the neighborhood damaged by a slow-moving landslide in Kelso in 1998-99. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) Last weekend’s massive landslide near Oso in Snohomish County is a sad and tragic reminder that we live in a state where devastating landslides can and do happen, often resulting in the loss of property and, sometimes, human life. The combination of hilly or mountainous terrain, unstable ground and heavy rainfall make many parts of Washington prone to slides. Washington has…