Made it out to Sherman Pass this last weekend for some east side Larch Madness.

Posting this because October–November is when fire-damaged properties here start to deteriorate much faster if they're not winterized, and I've been meeting homeowners who didn't realize some of this is time-sensitive. Not comprehensive — just the pieces that get harder or more expensive after the first hard freeze.

**What needs to happen in the next 3–4 weeks**

**1. Any open structural shell needs a real weather envelope.** If your home burned partially and the roof or walls are compromised, a tarp over the opening is a summer fix, not a Spokane winter fix. Snow load on a tarp over a collapsed section will tear through. Options are plywood sheathing with Visqueen, batten-strapped poly, or an engineered temp cover. Even on a total loss, a basic enclosure matters for debris containment and for keeping scavengers (animal and human) out until demolition.

**2. Water lines in partially burned homes.** If utilities haven't been shut off at the meter yet, do it before freezing temps. Partial burns often leave broken supply lines inside walls that will burst at the first hard freeze — adding water damage on top of fire damage, which complicates both your insurance claim and the eventual demolition.

**3. Debris pile stabilization.** Loose ash and small debris get blown around by wind events and winter storms. If you can't haul before freeze (asbestos survey not done yet, or scheduling backlog), at minimum tarp and anchor the pile. Protects neighbors and preserves evidence for your claim.

**4. Asbestos survey, if you haven't scheduled one.** Nothing can legally be hauled before AHERA-certified survey + Notice of Intent with Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. If you push this to spring, you lose weeks of good-weather work next year. Independent AHERA inspectors in Spokane are generally scheduling within 1–2 weeks right now. SRCAA's property-owner page has the current process.

**What can realistically wait until spring**

- Full demolition, if your lot is secured and stabilized

- Landscaping and soil remediation

- Perimeter fence replacement

- Driveway and concrete work

- Rebuild permits (though the paperwork can start now)

Spring work in Spokane generally restarts late March, so a late October to late March gap is five months. Plan the paperwork during that window so you're ready when crews can get back out.

Hope this helps someone who's still working through the backlog.

(Context on who's writing: I work on the demolition and abatement side locally, so I see these timelines firsthand. Not posting a service — just the time-sensitive piece.)

**Sources**

- Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, Spokane Complex Fire guidance: https://spokanecleanair.org/asbestos/spokanecomplexfire/

- SRCAA property-owner page (fee waiver status and NOI filing): https://spokanecleanair.org/property-owners-affected-by-the-spokane-complex-fire/

- City of Spokane wildfire recovery: https://my.spokanecity.org/wildfireinfo/

- EPA 2026 Eastern Washington Wildfires Recovery: https://www.epa.gov/wa/2026-eastern-washington-wildfires-recovery

I just drove through this interchange. Why did they design it this way?!

I just made a reservation for the Port Townsend/Coupeville ferry, and the website says I need to print out my reservation to present at the tollbooth. Is that actually accurate? Will there be an issue if I just show up with the barcode on my phone? I’d imagine a lot of people don’t have regular printer access these days, I can go to the library if I need to but would certainly rather not. Thanks!

If they are going to keep raising rates when are they going to start being on time? If I missed scheduled pick ups and drop offs with my job I'd get canned not a raise. My wife just told me that over half of scheduled sailings last year were not on time. How bad does it have to get before it gets better?

OK, billionaire scumbags, if you're going to invade my texts (partial screenshot above) with your blatantly laughable lies, I must respond.

Stop lying. Pay your taxes. Contribute your fair share.

And if you are somehow a retired public employee who improbably and magically makes over $1 million every year in retirement income, you can pay your fair share of taxes, too.

If you, against all odds, managed to become a multimillionaire on a taxpayer-funded salary, then you should absolutely give a little back so that we can extend those state-funded services to people who also need them into the future and pay a liveable wage to those who are providing them in the years to come.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I’m going to vote against removing the so-called millionaires tax but Washington needs fundamental tax reform. The B&O tax is onerous and a disincentive for small businesses, property taxes and sales taxes hit the young, young families, the elderly and the poor with substantial bills that destroy savings and entrepreneurial ideas. Maybe Republicans could abandon their “cut spending “ litmus tests, snd Democrats could stop funding everything that sounds neat, and they could work on real tax reform for a fair and just tax system that doesn’t penalize the real job creators: our small businesses and their employees!

This is probably the weirdest thing I’ve done on the internet in a while, but I’m going through a bizarre phase of my life, and I really want to reconnect with people who made a positive impact in my life.

From June 25th to 29th, 2001, I attended Washington Business Week at Gonzaga University. Our group was Company I (Illumination Tech) and our advisor’s name was Lisa, who I believe worked as an insurance agent (I’d like to say she worked for PEMCO?).

If you’re not familiar with WBW, it was like a summer camp meets business conference with a company simulator element. We did terribly, but we all bonded fast…like a lost friends group that just clicked. I'd love to find any of them. In my head, the result would be a reunion, either in person or online.

If you recognize anyone, please lmk or, better yet, reach out to them and share this post so they can make that call for themselves. I’ve already emailed Washington Business Week to ask whether any records from that session still exist, but I kind of doubt they have anything.

Names from the back of our photo: Stephanie, Erica, Darla, Christi, Nick, Bryan L., Bryan B., Chris, Lai, Nichole, Laura, and me (Ash).

I stopped by Lake Quinault Lodge today on my drive down the 101, and I was pretty bummed to see that the massive, historic wood-burning fireplace in the main lobby is fully gas now Half the reason I loved hanging out in that lobby on a rainy day was the smell and sound of a real wood fire.

yesterday was a beautiful fall day to be on the water with the paddle board on my favorite lake in Northeast Washington. just can't get over how beautiful fall is here! so glad to call it home.

Snow Geese in flight, Fir Island Road, near Conway, Washington 10-16-2026

Looking west from Boston Harbor/Woodard Bay area

There were at least ten other people who had parked at the scenic view point to also admire the sunset. Lucky to live in a state that's beautiful all over!