Travel
Spending time in Salem, Oregon, is a chance to better understand the Northwest. The Grand Hotel sits on the site of a former historic hotel. It has all the conveniences and amenities of a modern hotel with décor that gives it the charm of a bygone era. Visitors can easily walk
Arts
"Cultural imPRINT: Northwest Coast Prints" is an exhibition of some 45 prints by artists from the many Northwest coastal tribes over a period of six decades. From the earliest works to the most recent, these prints demonstrate a melding of ancient traditions with the latest aesthetic practices from the times
Music
Have you ever experienced a panic attack? My first one happened when I was a youngster. It was the night before my first day of the school year, and I was suddenly seeing spiders all around my house. They had most assuredly been there the entire summer, but I was
Stage
There's a great, but little-seen movie called Nine Lives, which features nine short films about women. The hook of the movie is that each short film is shot in one long take, which might seem like a stunt, but it ultimately grants you more intimate access to the lives of the
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: Downtown Gig Harbor may be sleepy with gorgeous views of sailboats and great shops to wander in and out, but it also has a kick-ass burger shop serving up the very best in meat, fries and shakes.JASON: Don't tell my cardiologist I ate there! These burgers are stacked high
Features
It's usually just good common sense not to combine alcohol and zoo patronage. When was the last time you read a news story about a tipsy zoo patron deciding to test the hunting prowess of a polar bear, or go swimming in the shark tank that didn't have a predictably
South Sound Cinema
Distinguishing itself from many of the other arts, film is defined by its massive amount of moving parts. Directors adapt the words of screenwriters, cinematographers work with the technical crew to enact visions onscreen, actors' performances are elevated by scores or soundtracks selected by yet another party, and it all
Online Newspapers
A memorial honoring the 91st Division stands silent at the western edge of Watkins Field at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The field honors the heroic actions of MSgt. Travis Watkins during the Korean War. Dedicated on May 30, 1930, the monument, which features six statues and a 40-foot tall obelisk, honors the
News Front
What makes a hero? A question for the ages, debated by philosophers, scientists, artists and the other brilliant minds amongst us throughout recorded history. Are heroes born or are they made? George Washington had a mind for military strategy - but if he'd been a royalist, it's unlikely his face
News Front
Beginning May 20, Capital Mall in Olympia's West Side will display its annual Military Appreciation Exhibit honoring community members who have served in the U.S. military, or are currently serving. This will be the first annual such exhibit according to Capital Mall marketing director Christina Eudy. "Capital Mall is requesting photos
News
We occasionally see them out in public when we are running our day-to-day errands. We notice the service dogs wearing their work vests and the person they are with. But for the most part, many of us continue on with our day and pay little attention or even remember the
Military Life
Being a military newspaper, the staff at The Ranger meets a lot of heroes, and we have more opportunities than most to ponder what the word "hero" really means. Our military servicemembers are heroes, of course. Anyone who willingly forfeits the relative comfort of being a civilian in order to
Focus
The classic poem, “Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer honors the beauty, endurance and life of a tree. Here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, trees have for more than half a century been a way to honor and preserve the dignity and memory of the installation’s highest military leaders as they
Archives
For a show not well seated in reality, take a trip to Seattle to see “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim. The show tells the story of a fabled baker and his wife as they journey into the woods on a quest to lift a witch’s curse so they can
Archives
THE CONTEST Define-a-Thon Funny, I was just in Goodwill the other day and saw a (used) For Dummies product that made me wince openly. It was, I think, Cookies for Dummies. Not a book. Some sort of kit. Some sort of toxic powdered mix in a large porcelain Dummies-logoed container, with dumbed-down
Music
In the flourishing, vital times of my early teens, I became obsessed with professional wrestling. Like other kids getting into the performance art-leaning sport, I initially took it as face value. It didn't take long, though, for me to become engaged with it in a different way, judging it more
Arts
Salon Refu ends its brief but amazing history as the only gallery in South Puget Sound to rival major galleries in major cities with a two-person show of works by Jean Nagai and Peter Scherrer. The gallery will close its doors at the end of this month, but not necessarily