Best of 2008: What’s Next
While we’ve never been ones to play the entitlement card, 2008 had a certain sense of settlement in the air - after all we’ve gone through, the light at the end of the tunnel started to show. And then in November, the American people demonstrated their incredible support for change and their willingness to look forward with a renewed sense of hope and excitement. “Yes we can!” they shouted, “Yes we can!” And with that the change was made, gone was the old DTE and in came the new. We were excited about it too, but we had no idea the hysteria it would create. Increased content, added multimedia, games, widgets, a cleaner template – it’s all there – a fundamental change from the old. So thank you for your support during the long campaign and especially during the transition. With you on our sides, the future is bright. We will be the change you want. It’s a new blogosphere, come along for the ride.
Here is what DTE will be talking about in 2009.
Beavers: That's right, you read that right. "Beavers are going to be very big in our region in 2009," said a good friend of DTEs and executive director of The Lands Council Mike Peterson. There is a serious water storage problem in Eastern Washington, and the reintroduction of beavers to the region could boast a natural solution to the problem. The non-human advantages are endless. No layoffs. No unions. (No drinking on the job.) Work at home. The Lands Council and the Department of Ecology are exploring this option and it will be a story we have our eyes on in 2009.
Wastewater Treatment Plant: While this story is likely to drag on and get ugly, our sincere hope for 2009 is to stay on top of it and inform you on what's important and what's going on. As we sit, Spokane County is aggressively going forward with awarding a proposed $145 million wastewater treatment plant contract to CH2M Hill, whose proposed treatment technologies may or may not even be effective or may or may not even be able to meet regulations, regulations that they themselves may or may not have a lot to do with. What's at stake? The livelihood of the Spokane River, the surrounding watershed and the aquifer beneath us. Click HERE to read our past coverage of this issue.
Spokane's bicycle future: Something tells us that Spokane is peddling its way to becoming a bicycle-friendly community. Bike to Work Week here in Spokane was a HUGE success and the first annual SpokeFest is well on its way to becoming another wildly successful community event. Two-wheel hysteria is definately alive and DTE can't wait to see what happens next. Alternative transportation is the easiest and most beneficial step one can take to improving the sustainability of ones community and with the support of Spokane's bicycle community we are well on our way. Whether it be the outreach and education of organizations like Pedals2People, the tireless blogging of Cycling Spokane, or the efforts of the City of Spokane and the Master Bike Plan - 2009 will be the year of the bicycle in Spokane.
