Apologies for missing last weekends addition.

Over the last couple of weeks, something has become more noticeable if you’ve been following along closely.

It’s not just growth. It’s not just planning. It’s that multiple parts of Quincy are moving forward at the same time, and those movements are starting to intersect. If you’re only catching pieces here an…

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Most city code conversations do not grab people by the collar. This one should. On paper, the “Airport Overlay Zone Code Update” sounds like exactly the kind of dry land-use item most people would expect to skim past. But the moment a local property owner stood up and started asking what this would mean for commercially zoned land near the Quincy airport, the conversation got real in a hurry.

This was no longer just about maps, acronyms, and development regulations. It became a question a lot of people in Quincy can understand immediately: if the city changes the rules around the airport, what can still be built there, how hard will it be to build, and who gets affected next?

The answer matters because this conversation touches future development, private property, airport protection, and how much control Quincy keeps over its own growth instead of leaving those decisions to broader state standards.

TL:DR

• Quincy is moving to adopt an Airport Overlay Zone because state law requires cities to have development rules that discourage incompatible uses near general aviation airports.

• City staff argued this is the more flexible local option compared to simply defaulting to broader WSDOT standards.

• The biggest practical question raised at council was what this means for privately owned land near the airport, especially commercial property.

• The overlay does not replace existing zoning, but it adds another layer of review and restrictions depending on where a property sits within the airport compatibility zones.

• The discussion made it clear this is not just abstract planning language. It is about what people may or may not be able to do with land near one of Quincy’s important community assets.

Why This Conversation Matters More Than It Sounds Like It Should

At first glance, this looked like one more technical public hearing. The council packet described it as a code amendment to establish an Airport Overlay Zone, or AOZ, around the Quincy Municipal Airport. The stated purpose was straightforward enough: discourage incompatible land uses near the airport, protect flight paths with height limits, and bring Quincy into compliance with state law.

That may sound like routine housekeeping. It is not.

“Quincy currently has no airport zoning.”

What made this hearing worth paying attention to is that the city was not simply debating whether airport-area rules should exist. Staff’s position was that the state already requires them.

The real issue in front of council was whether Quincy would create a local overlay that fits Quincy better, or continue operating without one and leave future projects near the airport more exposed to broader Washington State Department of Transportation aviation standards that staff said were more restrictive.

That is an important distinction. This was not a choice between regulation and no regulation. It was a choice about who gets to shape the rules and how blunt or how tailored those rules will be.

Quincy Is Trying to Set Its Own Rules Instead of Falling Under Broader State Limits

The city’s staff report laid out the basic problem clearly. Quincy currently has no airport zoning on the books, and because of that, any development near the airport would be subject to the underlying zoning plus WSDOT aviation standards. According to the city, a previous project review near the airport helped show that those default standards were overly restrictive for Quincy’s situation. That is what pushed the city toward writing its own local airport overlay code.

One of the presentation slides said it plainly: the proposed code update would “allow for greater flexibility than WSDOT standards.” That line may have been the single most important argument staff made all night.

The overlay would create six Airport Compatibility Zones around the airport. Depending on which zone a property falls into, certain uses would be permitted, some would require special review, and others would be prohibited. The code also adds height restrictions tied to airport safety geometry, not just a simple flat height cap. In other words, the base zoning does not disappear, but airport-related restrictions get layered on top of it.

That may not sound dramatic on paper, but on the ground it can affect whether a project moves easily, faces additional review, or is not allowed at all.

The Real Tension Was About Land Use, Not Airport Support

The most important moment in the hearing came when local property owner Kurt Morris stepped up with the kind of questions regular people would ask if they had land near the airport or were thinking about buying, selling, or developing there.

He wanted to know whether this overlay would actually change the zoning on his property or simply add another layer to what is already there. He asked what it would mean for commercial property, whether something like a four-story hotel could still be built, and whether special review would now become part of the process. He also wanted a clearer answer on the underlying issue: is this really making development easier than it would be otherwise, or is it just adding a new obstacle that property owners did not realize was coming?

That exchange was where the whole issue stopped sounding like planning jargon and started sounding like Quincy.

“Allows for greater flexibility than WSDOT standards.”

Because that is what people actually care about. Not whether an item is labeled G-1 in the council packet. They care whether a business opportunity still works, whether a piece of land keeps its value, whether a project they have in mind becomes harder, and whether the city is protecting something important without quietly making development more complicated than it needs to be.

One of the key clarifications from staff was that this overlay does not rezone the land. The underlying zoning still applies. But the airport overlay can still trigger additional review or restrictions depending on the exact location and proposed use.

That may sound like a small distinction, but it is not. It means the answer to “Can I build this?” is no longer just found in the base zoning map. It also depends on whether the property sits in one of these airport compatibility zones and how the proposal interacts with airport safety and height rules.

This Is a Technical Code Update With Very Practical Consequences

The city’s proposed code is built around a three-part system. In the compatibility chart, a use may be marked as permitted, special review, or prohibited. If it is permitted in the airport overlay chart and permitted in the underlying zone, it can move forward. If it is labeled special review, it must go through an administrative review focused specifically on airport compatibility. And if it is prohibited in that airport zone, it is out regardless of what the base zoning would otherwise allow.

The chart itself tells the story. Residential and community-type uses are the most restricted closer to the runway. Commercial uses are prohibited in the closest zone, require special review in some of the next zones, and become permitted farther out. Agricultural uses are allowed throughout all six zones. Industrial and utility-type uses get more flexibility the farther they are from the airport core.

That is why the conversation around hotel height, commercial use, and future development near the airport mattered so much. The overlay is not just symbolic. It changes the way future proposals get evaluated.

It also became clear during the hearing that the height rules are not especially intuitive. One councilmember asked for a more straightforward explanation of the height requirements in each zone, but staff explained that the limits are not based on one simple number per zone. Instead, they are based on a larger FAA-style set of “imaginary surfaces” around the airport, including approach, transitional, horizontal, and conical surfaces.

That complexity is probably one of the biggest takeaways from the hearing. Even if the city is right that this is the better local option, the rules are still not easy for an ordinary resident or property owner to understand just by glancing at a map.

This Was Also About Local Control and Future Growth

Another important point that surfaced during the discussion was jurisdiction. The proposed overlay applies within city limits. Outside city limits, land remains under Grant County’s review unless it is later annexed into the city. The city, Port of Quincy, and Grant County met before this hearing and concluded that each jurisdiction would continue reviewing permits in its own area.

“What does this actually mean for my property?”

That may sound like a small procedural detail, but it has implications. Councilmembers openly noted that land in the Urban Growth Area could potentially benefit from annexation if the city’s airport overlay is indeed more flexible than the county’s WSDOT-based standards. That means this code conversation is not only about current city property. It is also connected to how Quincy may grow outward and what standards could shape that future growth.

This is the kind of thing that tends to matter long before most people realize it does. By the time a project is proposed, the framework has already been set.

A Small But Telling Detail: Other Utilities Were Paying Attention Too

Buried in the staff report was another detail worth noticing. Grant County PUD recommended language clarifying that the new overlay should not restrict or impair the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, upgrade, or easement rights for existing utility facilities that were lawfully established before adoption of the code. The city accepted that recommendation and added it into the proposed chapter.

That matters because it shows this was not just an airport issue. Other infrastructure players saw the potential consequences too and wanted their protections written into the code before it moved forward.

The airport overlay discussion may have started as dry code language, but by the end of the hearing it was clearly about something much bigger. It was about whether Quincy can protect one of its important long-term assets while still leaving room for sensible growth, private investment, and clear local decision-making.

That balance is not glamorous, but it is one of the most important jobs local government has. And when the questions start sounding like, “What does this mean for my land?” or “Can I still build here?” that is when the rest of us should start paying closer attention too, because those are the moments when policy stops being abstract and starts shaping the future of the community we live in.

Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about the fire district until something goes wrong.

A siren cuts through town. An ambulance moves faster than everything else on the road. Smoke shows up where it shouldn’t.

That’s when it matters.

But at the April meeting of Grant County Fire District 3, it became clear there’s a lot happening behind the scenes right now and it’s being shaped by something everyone in Quincy can see: growth.

Chief David Durfee, who many of you know and have seen around the community for years, spent much of the meeting walking through where the district is and where it’s headed. The tone wasn’t reactive. It was steady and intentional. The district isn’t waiting to be overwhelmed. They’re working to stay ahead of what’s coming.

TL;DR

• Quincy is growing, and emergency call volume is rising with it

• Fire District 3 handled 74 calls in March, with 35 inside city limits

• A new EMS contract ensures 24/7 ambulance coverage, with increased cost

• The district is moving from planning into implementation on staffing and systems

• New technology, including Starlink, is being deployed to improve communication

• Despite lower tax revenue, the district is continuing to invest in equipment and readiness

Growth Is Showing Up in Real Numbers

You don’t have to look very hard to see that Quincy is growing. You can feel it in the traffic at certain times of day, see it in the steady work happening along 3rd and 13th, and notice it in how quickly new areas are filling in around the edges of town.

That growth isn’t just something you see; it’s something the fire district is responding to every day.

In March alone, Fire District 3 handled 74 calls for service, with 35 of those happening right inside the City of Quincy. That’s nearly half of their total call volume centered in town, even though their responsibility stretches well beyond city limits across the 98848.

When you put that into perspective, it starts to tell a clear story. Quincy isn’t just expanding outward, it’s getting busier at its core. More people, more homes, more activity throughout the day and all of that naturally leads to more calls for help when something goes wrong.

It’s not dramatic, and it’s not unexpected. It’s just the reality of a community that’s growing, and a fire district that’s seeing that growth show up in real time.

Strengthening EMS Coverage

One of the most important decisions in the meeting was final approval of a new EMS contract aimed at strengthening ambulance coverage.

The agreement supports:

• 24/7 Advanced Life Support (ALS) coverage

• 24/7 Basic Life Support (BLS) support

There is a cost increase tied to the agreement, something the commissioners addressed directly, but the priority was clear: reliable emergency medical response isn’t optional in a growing community.

This is about making sure that when the call comes in, someone is ready to respond—every time.

From Planning to Action

Over the past several months, a lot of the work inside Fire District 3 has been happening behind the scenes. Meetings, discussions, input from staff, reviewing how things are currently done and where the pressure points are starting to show. The kind of work most people never see, but that shapes everything that comes next.

Now that process is starting to shift.

At the meeting, Chief Durfee shared that the district is moving out of that planning phase and into the next step, actually setting goals and putting those plans into motion. That includes taking a closer look at staffing, especially on the EMS side, and making sure the way the district is structured matches what’s really happening out in the community today.

Because the reality is, Quincy today isn’t the same Quincy it was even a few years ago.

What this represents is a transition. Less talking about possibilities, more deciding on direction. Less evaluating, more building toward something specific. It’s the point where planning turns into action, and where the decisions being made now will start to show up in how the district operates moving forward.

Upgrading How Crews Communicate

Some of the most immediate changes are happening on the technology side.

The district is currently working on:

• New radios and pagers

• Starlink satellite systems on multiple apparatus

• Expanded communication coverage in areas like Monument Hill

Chief Durfee shared that the district is in the middle of rolling out upgrades that include new radios, new pagers, and the installation of Starlink satellite systems on multiple pieces of apparatus. In total, they’re working toward outfitting around 11 units with this enhanced capability, along with onboarding crews on how to use it effectively.

On the surface, that might sound like a technical upgrade. In reality, it’s something that directly affects how well a response comes together when seconds matter.

In a district like ours, there are still areas where radio and cellular coverage drop off—places like Monument Hill and other rural stretches where communication isn’t always reliable. When crews are responding across a wide area like the 98848, those gaps can create real challenges. Coordination between units, updates from the scene, communication with dispatch—all of it depends on staying connected.

What this upgrade does is give crews another layer of reliability. With satellite-backed communication, they’re not as dependent on traditional coverage alone. It means better coordination between responding units, clearer communication during incidents, and fewer moments where crews are operating without full visibility of what’s happening around them.

It also shows something about how the district is thinking. They’re not just reacting to problems as they come up. They’re identifying where the weak points are—like communication dead zones—and investing ahead of time to fix them.

For most of us, it’s something we’ll never see directly. But it’s one of those behind-the-scenes improvements that makes a real difference when the call comes in and everything needs to work the way it’s supposed to.

Readiness Is Being Tested in Real Time

Training is one thing. Real calls are another.

During the meeting, Chief Durfee talked about a couple of recent structure fires the district responded to—calls that gave crews the opportunity to put their training into action. He referred to them as “bread and butter” fires, not because they were small or insignificant, but because they’re the kind of incidents firefighters train for over and over again.

“Those were bread and butter fires… we could actually use our skills on.”

Moments like that matter more than most people realize.

They’re where preparation meets reality. Where systems get tested, communication gets challenged, and crews have to rely on each other to do the job right. And just as important, they’re followed by review—looking at what worked, what didn’t, and where things can be tightened up next time.

It’s a reminder that readiness isn’t something the district talks about once a year or checks off a list. It’s something that’s built, tested, and refined every time the tones go out.

Adjusting Without Slowing Down

The district is also navigating a financial adjustment after updated numbers from the county showed lower-than-expected property tax revenue.

That required a budget amendment.

But even with that change, the district is continuing forward with planned equipment purchases, including fire engines, and setting aside reserves.

“We’re still able to make those purchases.”

That balance—adjusting to reality without pulling back on preparation—is part of staying ahead in a growing community.

Quincy has always been the kind of place where people look out for each other, and that includes the people who show up on our worst days.

What came through clearly in this meeting is that Chief Durfee and the district aren’t just maintaining what’s been built here. They’re paying attention, making adjustments, and putting the pieces in place to keep up with a community that’s changing in real time.

And if you’re paying attention, you can see it happening right now.

For years now, the Q-PLEX has lived somewhere between idea and expectation in the 98848.

You’ve heard about it. You’ve seen early concepts. You’ve probably wondered if and when it would actually start to feel real.

Last week, it took a step forward.

Not a ribbon cutting. Not a final design. But something important: a clearer picture of what this facility could become for the 98848, and how it might actually function when the doors open.

And if you’ve been waiting to see whether this thing has real legs… this update matters.

A Facility Designed Around Community… Not Just Sports

From the beginning, the Q-PLEX hasn’t been pitched as just another gym. The design team reinforced that again in this latest presentation, grounding everything in a few key ideas: engage local youth, create a true community hub, keep it accessible, and make it something that draws people into Quincy, not just something that serves those already here.

That shows up in how the building is laid out.

At its core, this is a multi-use facility. Not a one-sport building. Not a single-purpose complex. It’s designed to flex depending on the day, the season, and the needs of the community.

If this lands the way it’s being designed, the Q-PLEX could become more than a sports facility. It could become a real community asset for the 98848.

On one side, you’ve got a large indoor turf field—set up for soccer, football-style training, and even adaptable for baseball and softball work. On the other, a bank of hard courts that can host basketball, volleyball, and other indoor sports.

In the middle is where it gets interesting.

That central space isn’t just a hallway. It’s designed as a gathering area; something closer to a commons or café-style environment where people can sit, wait between games, meet, or just exist without being packed into the sidelines of a court.

Because anyone who’s spent a full Saturday at a youth tournament knows, that space matters.

Built for Tournaments… and Everything In Between

One of the big takeaways from the discussion is how much this building is being shaped around real use, not just best-case scenarios.

Yes, it’s being designed to host tournaments; that’s where the regional and economic impact comes in. Bringing teams into Quincy means hotel stays, restaurant traffic, and more visibility for the area.

But the board also spent time talking through what a normal Tuesday night looks like.

Local practices. Kids running drills. Parents waiting. Maybe a small meeting happening in a flex room. Maybe nothing “big” at all.

That’s where the flexibility of the design starts to matter.

The current layout includes multiple flex rooms that can be opened up or divided depending on need, everything from team meetings to community events.

There’s also a pre-function area and central seating space that can handle a few hundred people depending on setup, which becomes critical when you’ve got overlapping activities or large events cycling through.

And then there’s the turf.

In a tournament scenario, that turf space doesn’t just sit idle. The turf becomes overflow, warm-up space, or a place for teams to wait instead of being stuck outside or crammed into corners.

That’s the kind of detail that tells you this isn’t just being designed on paper, it’s being thought through by people who’ve actually lived those long tournament days.

A Smaller, Smarter Footprint

One of the more notable shifts in this update is size.

The building has been refined down to roughly 90,000–112,000 square feet; smaller than earlier concepts, but more efficient in how it uses space.

That wasn’t just about cutting, it was about tightening.

Instead of oversized, underused areas, the design leans into shared spaces doing double duty. The central circulation area becomes gathering space. The flex rooms connect directly to the entry and concessions. The layout is built to move people through the building without wasting square footage.

It’s a shift toward something more practical and more financially realistic.

But that doesn’t mean every question is answered.

The conversation now is less about whether there is a vision and more about whether the final design can match that vision within budget.

Board members raised concerns about whether some spaces; especially the flex rooms, are actually big enough for the kinds of events Quincy might want to host long term. That conversation isn’t settled yet.

And that’s important.

Because this is the phase where those decisions still get made.

What It Will Look Like—and Feel Like

If you’ve been wondering what this might actually look like, the early renderings give a glimpse.

The design leans clean and modern, with a lot of natural light brought in through glazing and skylights.

Inside, there’s a clear emphasis on visibility. From the entry, you’ll be able to see into multiple parts of the facility. From the elevated walking track, you can look down onto the turf and courts. It’s meant to feel open, connected, and active, not closed off or segmented.

There’s also a strong nod to durability; polished concrete, athletic flooring, materials that can handle heavy use without constant upkeep.

Because this place isn’t being built for light traffic.

It’s being built for long weekends, packed schedules, and real wear and tear.

Still Early. Still Moving.

If there was one message repeated throughout the meeting, it was this:

Don’t lock this in your head yet.

This is still schematic design. Still evolving. Still being tested against budget, site constraints, and engineering realities.

There are still open questions about cost. About final layout. About how this integrates with surrounding roadwork and access points. Even about how certain spaces might expand or shift before final design.

But it is moving.

The design is getting tighter. The conversations are getting more specific. Coordination is happening between the city, engineers, and planning teams.

That’s what progress looks like at this stage.

Not headlines. Not shovels in the ground.

Clarity.

What This Could Mean for the 98848

If this project lands the way it’s being designed, it has the potential to be more than just a building.

It becomes a place where local kids train year-round. Where families spend weekends. Where tournaments bring people into Quincy who otherwise might never come here. Where community events have a home that actually fits the need.

That’s the upside.

But like everything at this scale, it’s going to come down to execution; balancing ambition with budget, and making sure what gets built actually serves the community it’s meant for.

Right now, what we saw this week is a step forward.

And for a project that’s been talked about since 2019, that step matters.

Because for the first time in a while, this doesn’t just feel like an idea. With the city starting work on the roads to serve the QPLEX; it feels like something that is actually happening here in the 98848.

Qplex Fact Sheet

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*ALL Images are CONCEPT images from the recent presentation by the ALSC Architects to The Quincy Valley Regional Parks District Board Meeting on March 31st 2026 and are NOT necessarily the final designs or what the QPLEX will look like in the end.

There’s something different that happens when a kid gets to sit across from history instead of just reading about it.

Not a textbook. Not a worksheet.

A conversation.

That’s what I walked into today at Mountain View Elementary, where the Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum rolled out their “Philadelphia: 1776 Traveling Exhibit” for the first time.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” - Benjamin Franklin

Are you familiar with the story of Betsy Ross? How about the story of how Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence and what they wanted to accomplish with it?

These are stories you likely learned at some point in elementary school, which was a long time ago for some of us. You might have done little patriotic plays even. You touched on some of it really briefly in your school’s mandated U.S. History class.

Truth be told, for a lot of us, we might be able to recall a few random trivia facts about some of it. We move forward in our lives and only really think about it some when we celebrate the 4^th of July or see a movie that takes place in that time period.

I was raised by a family of history buffs and I have to admit I don’t know it as well as I probably should. (Sorry Grandpa)

It was a critical time period in our history, something as Americans we should all hold to and celebrate because it is the story of our past, present and future.

But today wasn’t about remembering facts. It was about watching history become real.

As we move into America’s 250^th Anniversary Celebration this year the Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum has been working to bring pieces of our country’s founding to life here in the 98848. Starting with the beautiful new banners you see around Quincy and now, bringing some of the moments to life for our young people.

History Brought to Life

I sat inside an impressively quiet gym as all of Mountain View Elementary came in and took their seats this morning. Their eyes were searching the scene before them, trying to guess at what was about to happen. Principal Manuel Ramos walked to the front and the small amount of whispering died down quickly.

Huzzah to the very respectful and well behaved students of Mountain View, we were never that well-mannered in assemblies growing up.

After the introductions the students were pulled into history as they were taught the era-correct way to cheer and the characters of the exhibit came out to greet and meet them in costume.

You didn’t need a research paper to explain what was happening in that room. You could see it in the way kids leaned in instead of back. In the way they responded to questions that didn’t sound like they were trying to get the “right answer,” but like they were actually trying to understand.

The Philadelphia: 1776 Traveling Exhibit

Today I had the honor of being present to observe the first public outing of the “Philadelphia: 1776 Traveling Exhibit” at Mountain View Elementary as a handful of volunteers make history real for our young people.

Let me ask you a question

If you are reading this article and you feel like you learn better by doing something than by hearing about it or reading about it, raise your hand.

I know it is silly….

There is a point.

We learn best when we don’t just hear it—we see it, do it, and experience it all at once.

Good teachers are always trying to do just that to help their students. Always trying to solve that puzzle of combining learning modalities and senses to help their students retain information and learn.

The Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum’s “Philadelphia: 1776 Traveling Exhibit” is going to great lengths to bringing that experience to our young people. They are helping them learn about the founding of our nation and will be coming to all of Quincy’s elementary schools.

In this incredible experience and through the work of an incredible team of volunteers our kids can sit down with Betsy Ross and learn why our flag has 5 pointed stars instead of 6 which was part of the original design.

They can sit in the study of Thomas Jefferson as he works on penning the Declaration of Independence and ask him about why it says what it says. They will also get a chance as a class to write their own declaration of how they envision their class should be for everyone.

Do you know who Nathan Futrell is?

What about John Dunlap, do you know who he is? I didn’t until today. John Dunlap printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence on his press. Today the kids printed copies of the original American Flag on paper using the same type of hand operated movable type printing press that John Dunlap used to shape history.

Making History Come Alive

You may ask “Why is it important to make history come alive for the next generation?”

Because if history feels dead, it gets ignored and when it gets ignored, we repeat it.

Making history come alive isn’t about memorizing dates or names. It’s about helping the next generation understand that real people made decisions, faced pressure, failed, adapted, and shaped the world they’re now living in. When history becomes human, it becomes useful.

Kids (and honestly, most adults) don’t connect with abstract timelines. They connect with stories. When they can see themselves in the people who came before them; their fears, their courage, their mistakes, that’s when history starts to matter.

Two hundred and fifty years isn’t just a milestone; it’s a reminder that the United States is an ongoing experiment, not a finished story. If we don’t make that story come alive for the next generation, we risk raising people who benefit from the country but don’t understand it, and that’s where things start to drift.

History has to feel real because the country itself is built on ideals that only work if people understand and participate in them.

If you’re wondering why something like this matters for your kids, it comes down to this:

1. It reminds us this country was built by imperfect people

The founding generation wasn’t made up of flawless heroes. They argued, compromised, disagreed deeply, and still chose to build something together. When you bring those stories to life, it strips away the myth and replaces it with something more powerful: ordinary people can do extraordinary things under pressure.

That’s a message this generation needs.

2. It shows that freedom isn’t automatic

The rights Americans enjoy weren’t handed down fully formed; they were fought for, debated, expanded, and sometimes restricted over time. When history is alive, you can see that tension. You can see the cost.

And when you understand the cost, you treat it differently.

3. It builds informed patriotism, not blind loyalty

If history is taught as propaganda, young people reject it. If it’s taught honestly with both the achievements and the failures, they respect it.

Real pride comes from knowing the full story and still choosing to invest in it.

4. It teaches responsibility, not just identity

The American story isn’t something you inherit like a trophy, it’s something you step into. Every generation has had to decide what to do with it.

When young people see that clearly, the question shifts from “What is America?” to “What am I going to do with it?”

5. It connects the national story to local life

The American story didn’t just happen in Philadelphia or Washington, D.C. It happened and is still happening in places like Quincy, in small towns, farms, businesses, schools, and families.

"You're a Grand Old Flag" by Mountain View Elementary

When you make that connection, history stops being distant. It becomes personal. That’s really the point of the 250th anniversary. Not just to celebrate what’s already been done, but to remind the next generation that they’re holding the pen now.

If we make history come alive, they see themselves as part of the story.

If we don’t, they see it as something that ended before they arrived and something they have no responsibility to carry forward.

That’s really what stood out to me walking out of that classroom today.

Not just that kids learned something about 1776.

But that for a moment, history didn’t feel like it belonged to someone else. It felt like something they could step into.

In the coming weeks the Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum‘s “Philadelphia: 1776 Traveling Exhibit” will be coming to all the elementary schools in Quincy. Homeschool families will be able to attend at the museum on May 22nd.

As we head into America’s 250th anniversary, there’s going to be a lot of celebrating. Flags, events, speeches. All of that matters. But what matters more is what happens in rooms like this, right here in the 98848.

Because the story of this country doesn’t live in Washington D.C. or Philadelphia.

It lives in classrooms in Quincy.

In the way we teach our kids.

In whether they see themselves as part of it or not.

The Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum didn’t just bring in an exhibit.

They gave our kids a chance to sit down with history…. and realize they’re holding the pen next.

Acknowledgment

I want to take just a moment and thank Dr. Bergman and the school district for allowing me to come on campus so that I could observe this presentation to share with you. I also want to thank Jessica Blancas, the communications coordinator for the district, for walking me through the proper procedure for visiting a school. My thanks as well to Principal Manuel Ramos and the incredible staff at Mountain View Elementary for their generosity in allowing me to observe this presentation with the incredible students at Mountain View.

I also want to express my deep gratitude to Harriet Weber from the Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum and the incredible volunteers who are putting in large amounts of time to bring these presentations to our young people. You are bringing our country’s founding to life and making it real and tangible for the next generation in our community.

Last night my wife and I made a drive I’ve probably only made two or three times in the 18 years I’ve lived here. We headed out toward Sunland Estates, past the familiar edges of Quincy and down into a part of the 98848 that, if we’re honest, most of us don’t spend much time in.

It was one of those clear nights where the stars feel closer than usual. Quiet. Still. The kind of night that reminds you why people choose to live out here in the first place. As we dropped down the switchbacks into Sunland Estates, I had this moment of realizing just how much I didn’t recognize anymore. There was more there than I remembered. More lights. More life than I remembered.

And, as it turns out, something I had completely missed.

We were late. The event had started at seven and we didn’t roll in until almost eight. Parking was tight, which should have been my first clue that something bigger was happening than I expected. As we found a spot and started walking, you could hear the music down the block. It carried out into the night, pulling people in.

That was my introduction to the Riverside Restaurant & Bar and The Listening Room.

I’ll be honest with you. Until recently, I didn’t even know it existed.

Walking through the front door, the place was alive. People laughing, talking, moving around. It wasn’t the kind of “bar scene” people tend to picture. It was bright, welcoming, and full of energy in a way that felt intentional, not chaotic. Someone behind the bar caught our eye, smiled, and without hesitation said, “You’re here for The Listening Room—come on back.” That kind of welcome sets the tone.

As we made our way down the hallway, the music got louder, fuller, more present. Then the door opened.

And everything changed.

The room was packed wall to wall. Low lighting, small tables, soft candle-style lights, a small stage with just enough color to draw your focus without overpowering the space. Every seat filled. Every person engaged. It wasn’t just noise. It was attention. People were listening.

That was the moment it hit me.

How did I not know this was here?

After nearly two decades in the 98848, I had somehow missed one of the most unique spaces in our community.

The event itself was a Listening Room show featuring Scott Heuston, joined by a guitarist from his band Saltwater Sky. If you’ve never experienced this kind of setup, it’s very different from what most of us are used to. This isn’t a bar band playing in the background while people talk over them. This is an intentional, intimate concert experience.

You’re not watching from a distance. You’re part of it.

We were seated just a few feet from the performers. Close enough to see expressions, hear the stories behind the songs, catch the jokes between sets. The artist wasn’t separated from the crowd. He was in it. Talking with people, answering questions, reacting to the room in real time. At one point I shook his hand, talked with him for a few minutes, and realized I was sitting at a table with the wife of one of the performers.

That doesn’t happen at the Gorge.

And that’s not a knock on the Gorge. We’re lucky to have one of the best concert venues in the country right here. But this is something different. This is connection.

The Riverside Restaurant & Bar has built something that isn’t about being loud for the sake of loud or busy for the sake of busy. The Listening Room is a small, intentional space designed for people to experience music together. Not just hear it but experience it.

And it works.

The room was full, shoulder to shoulder, and yet it never felt overwhelming. I’m not a crowd person. I don’t enjoy loud, packed environments. But this felt different. Comfortable. Connected. You could lean over and talk to your spouse without shouting. You could meet the people around you without it feeling forced. By the end of the night, the room didn’t feel like a crowd. It felt like a group of friends.

The music was great. Country, a mix of originals and familiar covers that had the whole room singing along by the end of the night. But what stood out wasn’t just the music. It was how present everyone was. People weren’t distracted. They were in it. Laughing, listening, responding.

It was a shared experience, not just entertainment.

The food deserves a mention too. We ordered a meat lovers pizza, and they didn’t hold back. Generous, solid, the kind of meal you’re happy to take home leftovers from. Good drinks, good service, and a staff that clearly understands what they’re trying to build there.

It is also worth noting that nights like this take support. Last night’s event included sponsorship help from Bob Feil Boats & Motors in East Wenatchee, and it was good to see a long-standing local business helping support live music and community experiences like this one.

But support alone doesn’t create a space like this. That starts with the people behind it.

And that’s where Brian and Regina Demers come in.

They’re the owners of Riverside Restaurant & Bar, and the driving force behind The Listening Room. Talking with Brian after the show, it’s clear this didn’t happen by accident. Over the past year, they’ve intentionally built this space into something more than just a restaurant or bar. Their vision is simple and powerful: create a place where people come together, experience music, and connect.

Not just another night out. Something better.

And here’s the part I think matters for all of us in the 98848.

Sunland Estates can feel like it’s “out there.” A little removed. Quincy, George, Crescent Bar—we think of those as connected. Sunland sometimes feels like its own thing.

It’s not.

What’s happening out there is part of our community. Sunland Estates has grown from a housing area to a thriving part of our community we should all be paying attention to. I am honestly surprised it is not officially incorporated yet.

There were people in that room from all over—Quincy, Wenatchee, even up toward Chelan. People who had already found this place that I, somehow, had completely missed. And they weren’t just attending. They were part of it. Welcoming, open, glad to have new faces in the room.

There wasn’t a stranger in the place for long.

Now, full transparency. I was invited out by Regina as a thank you for sharing their events on the Good Morning Quincy WA Newscast. The tickets were comped. I paid for our food and drinks. There’s no payment for this story, and no obligation tied to it.

I’m sharing this because I had no idea this existed, and I have a feeling I’m not the only one.

Places like this matter.

Not because they’re flashy or big, but because they add something to the fabric of the 98848. They give people a reason to get out, to connect, to experience something different. They’re the kind of spaces you usually only find in larger cities, and yet here it is, tucked down in Sunland Estates.

Quietly building something worth paying attention to.

As our community grows, these are the things that change how we experience where we live. It’s not just about schools, roads, or development. It’s about the people who are creating places for connection, for culture, for shared experiences.

The Riverside Restaurant & Bar and The Listening Room are doing exactly that.

If you’ve lived here for years like I have, ask yourself how many times you’ve actually made that drive out to Sunland Estates. Because I can tell you, it’s not the same place I remember.

And if you’ve never experienced a Listening Room show, this is one worth starting with.

It’s not far. It’s not complicated. But it is something special.

Turns out, it was sitting at the end of a drive I just hadn’t made.

And it’s right here in the 98848.

Quincy schools are rethinking special education, and that matters for the future of the 98848.

When people hear a school board presentation on special education, it is easy to assume it will be mostly numbers, staffing charts, and compliance language. But what came out of Quincy School District’s March 24 update was something much more important than that. It was a look at how the district is trying to better serve some of the most vulnerable students in the 98848 while also asking a harder question that communities like ours cannot afford to ignore: are we identifying students correctly, supporting them well, and giving them every possible chance to succeed alongside their peers?

That is not a small question. It is a question about fairness. It is a question about expectations. And in a community like Quincy, where so many families are working hard to build a better future for their kids, it is also a question about whether our school system is helping young people grow into confident, capable members of this community.

At the center of the presentation was a reminder of just how large and complex special education is in Quincy right now. The district reported serving 454 students in special education during the 2025-26 school year. To do that work, the district said it currently has 21 certificated staff, 48 classified staff, and a range of contracted specialists including speech and language staff, a teacher of the visually impaired, physical and occupational therapy support, a psychologist assistant, and behavioral support.

That alone tells you something important. Special education is not a side conversation in Quincy schools. It is a major part of how the district serves the youth of our community every single day.

A Big Number and a Bigger Question

One of the most striking pieces of the presentation was the breakdown of disability categories. Of the district’s 454 special education students, 204 are identified under Specific Learning Disability. That is by far the largest category in Quincy’s program. The district’s own comparison slide showed Quincy at 49.1 percent in that category, while the state sits at 29.7 percent. That is not a minor difference. That is a gap big enough to demand a closer look.

And to the district’s credit, that was exactly what Special Education Director Sunshine Pray did during the presentation.

Rather than gloss over the number, Pray openly talked about the challenge of distinguishing between students who truly have a learning disability and students whose academic performance may still be catching up because of language development. In plain terms, the district is wrestling with whether some multilingual students may have been identified under Specific Learning Disability when language acquisition may have been a more important factor.

That is a hard conversation, but it is also the right one.

For a district like Quincy, where multilingual learners are a significant part of the student population, that question matters in a very real way. It matters because labels follow students. It matters because support systems are built around those labels. And it matters because if a student is placed in the wrong category, even with the best intentions, it can shape years of their educational experience.

The presentation included a chart showing multilingual and non-multilingual learners with disabilities by category, and it reinforced the district’s concern that Specific Learning Disability is an area requiring more careful review. Pray said Washington is moving away from the discrepancy model used to identify Specific Learning Disability, with that shift scheduled for the 2028-29 school year. That change will force districts to rely more on student growth patterns and broader evidence rather than the older model comparing cognitive ability to academic performance.

That part of the presentation may not have been the most emotional moment of the night, but it may end up being one of the most important. Because it is not just about process. It is about making sure Quincy gets this right for kids.

More Students in General Education Settings

The other major theme of the presentation was inclusion.

Last year, the district laid out a goal of increasing the number of students spending most of their school day in the least restrictive environment, meaning in general education settings with their peers whenever that is appropriate and workable for the individual student. This year, the district reported a major jump in that area at the secondary level.

According to the presentation, 60 percent of secondary special education students were in LRE 1 during the 2024-25 school year. This year, that figure rose to 88.4 percent. In practical terms, that means far more students are spending 80 to 100 percent of their day in general education environments.

That is a big change, and it reflects a broader shift in how Quincy is approaching support.

The district outlined a continuum of services that now includes full inclusion, limited support, supported classes, targeted support or grad success, foundations limited, and foundations classes, with placements based on the individual student’s needs rather than a one-size-fits-all model. At the elementary level, the district continues to offer developmental preschool, life skills classrooms, resource room, and full inclusion. At the secondary level, the district has expanded supports including limited support, full support, targeted support, replacement core classes, and full inclusion.

This isn’t just about where students sit during the day. It’s about whether we’re identifying them correctly and giving them the right support to succeed alongside their peers.

That matters because inclusion is not just a slogan. Real inclusion takes planning, staffing, accommodations, collaboration, and constant adjustment. The district said it has backed that work with professional development, co-teaching support, weekly collaboration with special education staff, regular grade reviews, progress monitoring, and tools for differentiation.

In other words, Quincy is not just saying more students should be in general education classrooms. It is trying to build the support systems to make that possible.

A Classroom-Level View of the Change

One of the more useful moments in the presentation came through a letter from middle school special education teacher Sandra Garcia, which was read aloud because she could not attend the meeting.

Garcia described inclusion in the secondary setting as full co-teaching, shared responsibility for instruction and grading, small-group support inside the classroom, and modifications that still allow students to work with grade-level content. She said she has seen students with IEPs grow in confidence, build stronger peer relationships, and become more independent. She also pointed to academic gains, noting that co-taught math classes at Quincy Middle School saw strong growth on STAR assessments from fall to winter.

That is the kind of thing numbers alone cannot show.

It is one thing to say a student spent more time in a general education classroom. It is another to say that student felt less labeled, had more confidence, and was making progress. That is where this conversation stops being just about educational structure and starts becoming a conversation about belonging.

And in a town like Quincy, belonging matters. We are a community where kids grow up seeing each other at school, at church, on ballfields, at community events, and eventually in the workforce. Learning how to live, work, and grow together is part of what school is supposed to do. So when the district talks about reducing stigma and helping students learn alongside their peers, that is not just an education talking point. That is local community building.

The Program Is Bigger Than the Headline Number

Another detail that stood out was how much movement happens behind the scenes, even when the overall total looks steady.

Pray told the board that while the district’s special education count usually only fluctuates by a few students from month to month, the real picture is far more active. In just five months, 42 students with existing IEPs moved into the district, 29 students newly qualified for services, and 49 students either moved out of the district or no longer qualified.

That is a lot of churn.

For families, that may be invisible. For staff, it is not. Every new student with an IEP means records, coordination, scheduling, and support planning. Every newly qualified student means evaluation, meetings, interventions, and a decision that can shape a child’s educational path. Every student who exits services represents another layer of review and follow-through.

So while 454 may look like a stable number on paper, the actual work behind that number is anything but static.

Where Quincy Says the Work Goes Next

The district also made it clear that it does not view this year as a finished success story.

The presentation listed several areas of focus for 2026-27, including continued review of the service matrix, stronger transition plans and post-secondary outcomes, expanded pre-employment transition services, growth of the district’s 18-22 program, and improved practices around dually qualified students. The district also highlighted family nights, preschool family nights, and field day as continuing parts of its outreach to families.

“One of the hardest questions in this work is knowing the difference between a true learning disability and a student who is still developing language. If we get that wrong, we shape their entire school experience.”

That transition piece may deserve even more attention going forward. Pray said the district has not been satisfied with post-secondary engagement results from students after graduation and wants to better prepare students for work, training, and adult life. The goal is not simply to keep students in school longer. It is to help them see a future for themselves in the world beyond school.

That is the right instinct.

Because if Quincy is going to talk seriously about local ownership in the youth of our community, then that ownership cannot stop at graduation day. It has to include whether students leave school prepared for life in the real world, whether that means work, college, supported employment, independent living, or some combination of the above.

Why This Matters Beyond the School Board Room

There is an easy way to hear a presentation like this and reduce it down to jargon. Inclusion. LRE. MTSS. Identification models. Transition services.

But underneath all of that is something very human.

This is about whether a child gets the right support early enough. It is about whether a parent feels seen and heard when they ask for help. It is about whether a student spends their school years feeling isolated or connected. It is about whether multilingual families can trust that language barriers will not be mistaken for disability. And it is about whether schools in the 98848 are preparing young people not just to pass through the system, but to become part of the long-term strength of this community.

There is still work to do. The district itself said that. There are still questions to answer, especially around identification, multilingual learners, and what success should really look like after high school. But there was also something encouraging in this update: Quincy is not pretending the work is simple, and it is not pretending the job is done.

That matters.

Because in a small community, the best version of local education is never just about checking boxes. For a community like Quincy, this isn’t just an education conversation. It’s about how we invest in the kids who are going to grow up and carry the 98848 forward.

That is why this story matters. Not just for special education families. Not just for teachers. Not just for school administrators.

It matters for all of us.

Some businesses start with a business plan.

Some start with a market study, a storefront, and a clean logo on the window.

And some start because a guy looks around town, sees what is missing, and decides to begin with what he has.

That is the story of Quincy Bike Shop.

Brandon Hatch does not run his shop out of a polished downtown retail space. He runs it out of his garage. Part of that is practical. Storefronts are expensive, and like a lot of small-town businesses, growth has to happen at the speed reality allows. But after talking with Hatch, it becomes clear pretty quickly that Quincy Bike Shop is not only about repairing bikes or selling a service. It is about something deeper than that.

It is about giving people, especially kids, a reason to get outside again.

It is about building the kind of place people want to go, not just the kind of place they use.

And in a town like Quincy, it is about asking whether we still know how to create spaces where community happens naturally.

A Bike Was Never Just a Bike

Hatch describes himself as “a 40-year-old kid,” and honestly, that feels about right in the best possible way.

He grew up in Snohomish as an only child in a home shaped by divorce, work, and a lot of figuring life out on his own. Like a lot of kids, he needed somewhere to put his energy, somewhere to belong, and somewhere that felt like freedom. For him, that place was on a BMX.

What started with racing became something much bigger. He moved from BMX racing into freestyle, found his people, found his passion, and found something healthy and grounding that kept him out of trouble and gave him direction. He rode hard through his teens and into his twenties, even picking up sponsorship support along the way. Long before Quincy Bike Shop existed, bikes had already done serious work in Brandon Hatch’s life.

That part matters, because when Hatch talks about bikes, he is not talking about them like inventory. He is talking about them like something that changed the course of his life.

That came through over and over in conversation. A BMX gave him friendship. It gave him purpose. It gave him a safe outlet. It gave him movement, adventure, discipline, and a way to stay connected to something good. Years later, after becoming a father, those memories hit differently. He found himself drawn back to the things he was grateful for and wanting to pass that same kind of life-giving experience on to his kids.

That is a big part of what eventually made Quincy the right fit.

Why Quincy Felt Like Home

Hatch and his family did not move to Quincy because of some carefully laid out long-term business strategy. In fact, Quincy was almost more of a gut decision than a calculated one.

They knew they wanted Eastern Washington. They had looked at other towns. Moses Lake was on the radar. So were Soap Lake, Blue Lake, and Ephrata. But on the way home from looking at houses one day, Hatch and his wife started talking about Quincy, the town they had passed through before on other trips. They decided to swing through.

That was enough.

He said they had only been here about an hour when he looked over at his wife and said, “Let’s just do it. Let’s just move to Quincy.”

That kind of story makes more sense once you hear how he describes the place. To Hatch, Quincy felt like Snohomish felt when he was a kid. Smaller. Calmer. More grounded. Less crowded. More like the kind of town where kids still ought to be outside and people still ought to know each other.

For families who have spent years around bigger, busier areas, that kind of calm is not a small thing. Hatch talked about not really realizing how much noise and pressure comes with living near larger population centers until you get away from them. Quincy, for his family, felt like rediscovering that a quieter and more connected way of life still exists.

It also felt like a place with one obvious missing piece.

He saw a town that had the bones for the kind of life he believed in, but not enough kids on bikes, not enough spaces built around that culture, and not enough opportunities for the kind of active, outside community he grew up with.

That gap stayed with him.

A Garage Shop With a Bigger Purpose

When Hatch first came to Quincy, he was already deep into biking as a family passion. What he had not seriously considered yet was opening a shop.

That came later.

He spent time at bike shops on both sides of the mountains, including Full Circle Cycle in Wenatchee and Marysville Bike Shop on the west side, where owners had been good to his family for years. Somewhere in that process, the idea clicked. Quincy had nothing to support his beloved passion. He was a stay-at-home dad at the time, looking for something meaningful to pour himself into. The thing he was searching for was already right in front of him.

He loved bikes. He loved working on them. He loved what they could do for people. So he decided to start.

Not with a big launch. Not with a major ad campaign. Not with borrowed money and a huge overhead burden hanging over everything. He got the business license, got insured, handled the city and reseller paperwork, put together some business cards, started a Facebook page, and let it grow slowly.

That decision to start from the garage turned out to be both practical and wise.

At first, he had thought about going after a storefront right away. But conversations with experienced shop owners and a realistic look at the economics of a small-town bike business pushed him toward a slower, steadier path. He checked into at least one possible building in town, but ran into issues with the condition of the property. Rather than force something too early, he decided to build the customer base first and keep overhead low.

That is the kind of choice a lot of small businesses in towns like Quincy understand very well. You do not always begin where you want to finish. Sometimes you start where you can, and you prove the need before you take the bigger leap.

And there was a need.

Hatch said that by the first full season, he started having days where there were multiple bikes in the shop and cars stacked in the driveway near closing time. There were moments he looked at his wife and basically asked, “Is this real?”

That is often how small-town businesses grow. Quietly, then all at once.

Why This Matters to Him

The strongest part of this story is not the business model. It is the mission.

Hatch is deeply passionate about getting kids off screens and back outside. Not in some preachy, anti-technology way. He is not pretending screens are going away, and he is not pretending his own family never touches them. He joked about still playing Fortnite with his kids. This is not a lecture from someone trying to drag families backward in time.

It is coming from someone who has lived enough life to know what gets lost when outside time disappears.

He talked about sunlight, fresh air, movement, and human interaction like someone who learned the hard way that those things are not extras. They are part of being healthy. Part of being whole. Part of being human.

That is a message a lot of people in this community will understand immediately, even if they do not say it out loud that way.

There is a time in many of our lives when being outside was not something you scheduled on purpose. It was just what you did. You rode until dinner. You knocked on doors. You figured it out as you went. You came home sweaty, tired, a little scraped up, and usually happier for it.

Hatch has not romanticized that idea because it sounds nice. He believes in it because he lived it, and because he has seen what it can do for kids who have never really had that chance.

He shared stories from reunion events he has helped run over the years on the west side, gatherings built around BMX, skate culture, and kids. Those events included food, games, prizes, and the kind of raw, unfiltered energy that comes from kids discovering they are good at something physical, fun, and social. He described seeing kids show up unsure of themselves, isolated, maybe lacking support or resources, and then start to light up once they had a bike under them and a place to belong.

He did not describe that like a business opportunity.

He described it like watching someone come alive.

That is a powerful thing.

More Than Repair Work

At one point in our conversation, Hatch told a story that probably explains Quincy Bike Shop better than anything else.

A woman came in to get her son’s bike fixed. In the course of the conversation, she mentioned wanting her daughter to be able to ride too and wanting to ride with both of her kids, but not really being able to make that happen. Hatch had bikes available, got them ready, dropped off the repaired bike, and gave the family a couple more so they could all ride.

Later, she came back just to thank him.

That moment stuck with him, and it is not hard to see why.

For Hatch, this is not just about transactions. It is about removing obstacles. It is about helping families do something healthy and simple together. It is about using what he has to get more people moving, smiling, and participating in the life of the town around them.

He also works with bikes from the city, fixing them up with tires, chains, and whatever else they need so they can be donated and put back into use.

Again, that is not the kind of thing you do if this is only about business growth.

That is the kind of thing you do when you actually believe the service matters.

Why Quincy Could Be Better for Bikes Than People Think

One of the more interesting parts of our conversation was hearing Hatch talk about Quincy as a biking town.

Most people probably do not think of Quincy that way right away. But he made a compelling case that the bones are already there.

For one, the town is compact. A lot of what people need is relatively close together. In a town this size, bikes make sense in a way they often do not in bigger spread-out communities. Add in lower speed limits through much of town, and you start to see why he believes Quincy could be a very good place for more cycling culture than it currently has.

He also pointed out something many riders know well: you experience a town differently on a bike.

You see things you miss from a car.

You notice businesses you have driven past a hundred times.

You interact with the place instead of just passing through it.

That observation rang true. Anyone who has spent time on a motorcycle, bicycle, or even just walking more regularly knows exactly what he means. A place feels different when you are in it instead of sealed off from it.

Hatch believes more biking would not just mean more activity. It would mean more interaction. More people outside. More reasons to engage with one another. More reasons to stop, notice, wave, and participate in town life.

That feels especially important in a season where many communities, including ours, can sometimes feel segmented. School sports bring people together. High school arts bring people together. But outside of those shared spaces, it can still feel easy for families and individuals to stay in their own lanes, moving from home to work to errands and back again.

Bikes, simple as they are, can interrupt that pattern.

What Quincy Is Missing

Hatch is realistic about the limitations too.

He does not think Quincy is where it could be yet when it comes to safe access and bike-friendly infrastructure. He specifically talked about the need for safer routes, especially in places where traffic feels too risky for younger riders. Like a lot of parents, he sees the difference between the freedom kids once had and the realities parents have to weigh now.

He also believes the city needs more destination spaces for young people and riders in general.

Not just a place to pass through, but a place to gather.

That is where the conversation broadened beyond bikes and into something even more revealing. Hatch kept returning to the idea that communities need “third places,” those spots that are not home and not work, but still matter deeply. Places where people want to be. Places where kids can spend time. Places where culture forms naturally.

He talked about old bike shops, skate shops, and hangouts with a kind of affection that many people from his generation will recognize immediately. Shops where kids watched videos, worked on bikes, sat on couches, talked, hung out, and then rode together. Not because anyone organized it as a formal program, but because the place itself created connection.

That part of American life has thinned out in a lot of places.

We have convenience. We have delivery. We have phones. We have endless digital entertainment. What we often do not have are enough physical spaces that invite people to gather without spending a fortune or having some formal reason to be there.

In Hatch’s mind, Quincy Bike Shop could become part of that answer someday. Not just a storefront, but a place people want to visit. A place to sit down, cool off, talk bikes, talk life, and feel like they belong there.

That is a much bigger dream than retail square footage.

A Business With a Community Vision

Hatch wants a storefront eventually. He is careful about how much he talks about it because he does not want to get ahead of himself, but the vision is there. He wants an old building in Quincy. He wants a shop people remember. He wants a place where the atmosphere matters as much as the service. He wants something with staying power.

And he wants it to be part of the community in a real way.

That vision fits with other things he has already tried to bring forward. He has pushed for more youth engagement, floated ideas with the city, and even put together a proposal centered on teaching kids hands-on skills related to bikes and boards. If the right kind of space existed, especially something like a skate park, he clearly sees the possibility for something much bigger than one shop owner fixing flats and tuning drivetrains.

He sees a path toward mentorship.

Toward skill-building.

Toward kids finding direction.

Toward giving young people, especially those who are not naturally plugged into school sports, another healthy lane to run in.

That is not a small thing.

In communities like ours, those other lanes matter. Not every kid is going to be on the field or the court. Not every kid is going to find their people through traditional school activities. Having other options can make a real difference.

Hatch knows that because he was one of those kids.

Why This Story Matters

It would be easy to treat Quincy Bike Shop like a simple local business profile. A guy likes bikes. He started a garage shop. He wants a storefront someday. That is true as far as it goes.

But it would also miss the real story.

The real story is about what kind of community Quincy wants to be as it grows.

Do we want more places that bring people together?

Do we want more reasons for families to be outside?

Do we want more options for kids who need healthy, active, affordable ways to belong?

Do we want small businesses that are rooted in service and actual community life, not just commerce?

Because that is what Brandon Hatch is really talking about.

He is not selling nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. He is not arguing that every child should become a BMX rider or that bikes fix everything. He is pointing to something simple and practical that many of us already know deep down: people do better when they are outside more, moving more, interacting more, and connected to something real.

A bike is not the whole answer.

But it can be a beginning.

And sometimes beginnings look a lot like a garage in Quincy, a few bikes waiting for repair, and a business owner who still believes there is something worth building here.

The Raw Interview Audio

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Brandon Hatch Quincy Bike Shop

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If you want to know what’s happening in a place like Quincy, you don’t have to go looking for announcements. You don’t need a report or a meeting recap. You just need to listen for a few minutes in the right places.

Stand in line at the grocery store a little longer than you meant to. Grab a drink at Short Stop and don’t rush back to your truck right away. Hang around the edge of the conversations after church or picking up your kids from an event.

It doesn’t take long before you start to hear the same things come up again and again.

Not coordinated. Not planned. Just people talking about what’s in front of them right now.

And this week, there’s a clear shift in what people are talking about. You can feel the season changing, not because the calendar says so, but because of the conversations that keep repeating themselves across town.

Planting season.

One of the first things you’ll hear, especially if you’re around anyone tied to the land or working outdoors, is some version of the same thought: it’s time to get moving.

There’s a different tone to it than there was a few weeks ago. Less waiting. Less talking about what needs to be done and more talking about what’s already started. Equipment is getting pulled out. Schedules are tightening up. People are looking at the next few months, not the next few days.

You’ll hear it in passing. Someone mentioning they’ve already started in one field. Someone else saying they’re a little behind but will catch up. There’s always a comparison, always a quiet awareness of where things stand.

It’s not loud, but it’s steady. The kind of conversation that tells you the pace of life is picking up again.

Right alongside that, there’s another conversation that shows up in a different kind of tone, usually a little more curious, a little more speculative.

Construction season.

“Do you know what they’re building out there?”

That question comes up every year, but it hits a little differently right now. Construction is starting to ramp up again, and with it comes the usual guessing game. Which project is it? Who’s expanding? Is it one of the existing data centers adding on, or is something new coming in? One of the neighborhoods is expanding again or new road construction signals something new coming in.

People piece it together from what they’ve seen driving by, from what someone heard at work, from a conversation with someone who knows someone involved. I just sat in with the Quincy Valley Regional Parks District Board meeting and looked at several new road projects that will accompany the QPLEX.

It’s not about having the exact answer. It’s about trying to understand what’s changing around them.

Because in a place like Quincy, growth isn’t abstract. You can see it from the road. You can hear it in the background. Most people have at least some connection to it, directly or indirectly. One thing is certain, it never truly stops here because the 98848 is growing.

Then there’s the conversation that comes from looking a little further ahead, even while everything is just starting to wake up.

Fire season.

No one says it dramatically. No one needs to. It usually comes up in a practical way. Someone noticing how dry it’s getting earlier than they expected or how dry it has been this winter. Someone mentioning what last year was like. Someone else talking about clearing around their place or getting things ready just in case.

Fire season has an extended date range here depending on the winter and can come sooner, later or both. That is one of the big topics speculated on in conversation so early. It is part of life here and we have an incredible fire department that helps manage it well.

It’s not panic. It’s familiarity.

Living here means understanding that the same conditions that make this a great place to be outdoors also come with responsibility. And as things start to dry out, that awareness quietly works its way back into conversation.

You don’t dwell on it, but you don’t ignore it either.

At the same time, there’s a completely different kind of conversation happening that feels lighter, even if it’s just as constant.

Outdoor season.

People are starting to spend time outside again.

You see it before you hear it. More people out walking. Kids in yards in the middle of the day. Parks are getting busier again. Trucks parked at trailheads or near the river. And then it shows up in conversation.

Someone talking about getting out this weekend. Someone else mentioning they took the kids somewhere after dinner. Someone making a loose plan that may or may not actually happen.

Our annual fishing derby is a big reminder, but the deeply devoted have already been talking fishing for a few weeks. It is some of us fair weather fisherman who are joining in now.

The days are longer and more people are finding time to be outside even if it is just the smell of grills firing up for fun at home.

There’s no big announcement tied to it. Just a gradual shift back toward being outside as much as possible while the window is open

And then, almost layered over everything else, there’s the conversation that shows up this time of year whether you’re paying attention to it or not.

Concert season.

It doesn’t start with a big moment. It starts with someone casually asking if you’ve seen the lineup. Or mentioning a show they’re thinking about going to. Or talking about friends coming into town for a weekend. Major changes like Watershed not coming this year which is always a big weekend for the area.

Living this close to the Gorge Amphitheatre means you don’t really get to ignore it. Even if you never go to a show, it still becomes part of your schedule. You know which weekends are going to feel different. You know when town is going to be a little busier, a little more crowded, a little more alive.

For some people, it’s something they look forward to all year. For others, it’s just something to plan around. Either way, it’s part of the rhythm.

None of these conversations are official. They’re not organized, and they don’t come from any one place. They are in fact the same conversation that comes year after year for the 98848.

Taken together, they tell you exactly what’s happening.

Work is picking up.

Growth is continuing.

People are starting to think about the months ahead, not just the week in front of them.

The community is moving back outside.

And the pace of life is shifting into something faster, fuller, and more connected.

You don’t need a headline to see it.

You can hear it in the conversations happening all around you, every day, whether you’re looking for them or not.

When people hear “state inspection” tied to a hospital, the assumption is usually the same: something must be wrong.

In reality, in Washington, hospital surveys are a built-in part of the licensing system—unannounced site visits designed to make sure facilities are meeting minimum health and safety standards for both patient care and the building itself.

That context matters locally.

At their March 23 public meeting, Quincy Valley Medical Center commissioners reviewed a compliance update following a recent Department of Health relicensing survey. Hospital leadership confirmed the survey had been completed and that the facility has submitted its plan of correction.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, acute care hospitals are inspected every 18 months—or every 36 months if accredited by an approved organization—and those inspections are required to be unannounced. Hospitals aren’t graded like schools. Instead, inspectors provide a written assessment identifying deficiencies, and the hospital is required to respond to each one with a detailed correction plan.

The inspection process itself is layered. DOH says nurses assess clinical care, while public health advisors evaluate the physical environment of care. In addition, the state fire marshal is brought in to inspect fire, life-safety, and related systems—often the most technical and documentation-heavy portion of the process.

Washington law explains why that coordination exists. Fire marshal inspections are embedded directly into the licensing process, with a written report outlining any required corrective actions. That report becomes part of the Department of Health’s overall findings, and the hospital’s response is submitted as part of a single, unified corrections package.

For the public, the phrase “plan of correction” can sound ominous, but it is also very specific. It is not a press release or a general promise to improve. The Department of Health requires a written response for each identified deficiency, typically within about 10 days, and that response must do three things: explain how the issue will be corrected, who is responsible, and how the fix will be monitored to ensure it stays corrected. Simply stating that something has been fixed is not considered acceptable.

At the federal level, the same concept appears in the CMS-2567 form—“Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction”—which pairs each cited issue with a specific corrective action and a completion date. The structure is straightforward: identify the problem, document the fix, and make it verifiable.

Hospital leadership told commissioners that the recent compliance work at QVMC followed that same structure. Rather than being handled by a single administrator, multiple departments contributed to building out detailed correction tables—tracking what was fixed, who addressed it, when it will be completed, and what system will verify the correction remains in place. That approach closely matches what state regulators expect when reviewing a submitted plan.

Still, “survey” and “corrections” are broad terms.

Without access to the actual Statement of Deficiencies or the submitted Plan of Correction, the public cannot see what specific items were cited, how significant they were, or what timelines have been set for completion. The Department of Health does not post individual hospital inspection results online, but it does note that those records are available to the public upon request.

I don’t mean that to sound like the hospital is hiding things, during the course of the meeting they shared what was on the report and it was small little things. Things like adding an extra sign for an exit or a fire extinguisher. Adding informational posters in bathrooms. I honestly laughed because they were the little things that most of us would never notice, see or think about. Exactly the little nit-picky things I would expect from any inspection of a place running well.

What state guidance does make clear is how the process moves forward from here. The Department of Health issues a formal written notice of findings, requires a detailed correction plan addressing each item, and then reviews that plan to determine whether it adequately resolves the deficiencies. Acceptance is based not just on fixing the issue, but on demonstrating that systems are in place to prevent it from happening again. (Yes, they really had to write a plan on how to add an extra framed notice and submit it besides just hanging it)

On the fire and life-safety side, the Washington State Patrol’s Fire Marshal’s Office follows a similar model. Hospitals are inspected against established life safety and health care codes, and any citations are addressed through a formal plan of correction submitted by the facility. Like the broader survey process, those inspections are also unannounced.

This isn’t new territory for Quincy Valley Medical Center. In past commissioner records, including meeting minutes from April 2019, the hospital documented that its final plan of correction at that time was accepted by both the Department of Health and the Fire Marshal’s office.

For 2026, the question in front of the community isn’t whether a survey happened. These inspections are expected, scheduled, and required as part of operating a hospital in Washington.

The more important question is what happens next.

Corrections are only meaningful if they hold over time. The state’s own guidance defines an acceptable plan of correction as one that includes ongoing monitoring—systems that ensure issues don’t quietly return once the inspection is over.

For residents, that’s where this becomes relevant.

The inspection itself is routine. The paperwork is expected. But the follow-through; the consistency, the accountability, and the ability to sustain those corrections over time is what ultimately shapes how well the hospital serves the 98848.

And while the regulatory system ensures that process happens, transparency is what allows a community to understand it.

I invite you to come to the next meeting, our medical center and the team the runs it is not hiding anything from the public. I have total freedom to ask questions and clarification and so do you. More importantly, we have a board, administration and staff that welcomes and wants your feedback and input.

The next meeting is April 27th, put it on your calendar now.

There’s a point in every community where things stop feeling theoretical.

Growth isn’t a conversation anymore. Planning isn’t a future idea. Demand isn’t something you prepare for “someday.” It starts showing up in real, measurable ways.

This week felt like one of those moments for Quincy.

Not loud. Not dramatic. But clear… if you’re paying attention.

And i…

Read more

Easter weekend in the 98848 isn’t just a holiday on the calendar. It’s one of those times where the whole community seems to come out of winter at once. Parks fill up, kids run with baskets in hand, churches open their doors a little wider, and neighbors find small reasons to gather. Whether you’re looking for an egg hunt, a sunrise service, a family meal, or just a place to be around people, there’s a lot happening across Quincy, George, and Crescent Bar this weekend. Here’s a look at what’s going on so you don’t miss it.

Here’s what we found happening around the area this weekend

Saturday, April 4, 2026 – Community Events & Egg Hunts

George – Annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt

📍 George, WA

⏰ 9:00 AM

• Ages 0–12

• Bring your own basket

• Dress warm

Tower Pizza & Sunworks – 4th Annual Tower Plaza Easter Egg Hunt

📍 Crescent Bar

⏰ Check-in: 10:30 AM | Start: 11:00 AM

• Must check in at Tower Pizza for wristbands & map

• Prizes require registration & wristband

• “Hoppy Hour” food & drink specials after the hunt

Jesus House – Spring Festival

📍 Quincy

⏰ 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

• Free hot dogs & hamburgers

• Fresh popcorn

• Games & prizes

• Family-friendly event

The Cambridge – 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt

📍 Quincy

⏰ BBQ at 1:00 PM | Egg Hunt at 2:00 PM

• Food, crafts, music

• Special appearance by the Easter Bunny

Quincy Moose Lodge – Easter Festivities

📍 East Park, Quincy

📅 April 4, 2026 at 10AM

· For Kids who can walk on their own all the way to 4th Grade

Sunday, April 5, 2026 – Easter Services & Church Events

Quincy Free Methodist Church

📍 Quincy

• Good Friday Communion Service – April 3, 6:30 PM

• Sunrise Service at Lauzier Park – 6:20 AM

• Groundbreaking Prayer – 8:00 AM

• Easter Worship Services – 8:45 AM & 10:30 AM

• Easter Egg Hunt – After 10:30 AM service

Faith Community Church

📍 Quincy

• Good Friday Service – 7:00 PM

• Sunrise Service – Monument Hill

• Sunday Services – 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

📍 Quincy

• Easter Sunday Service – 11:00 AM

St. Pius X Church

📍 Quincy

• April 2 – Holy Thursday Mass – 7:00 PM

• April 3 – Good Friday (Passion) – 5:00 PM

• April 4 – Holy Saturday Mass – 8:30 PM

• April 5 – Easter Sunday Mass

  • 9:00 AM (English)

  • 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM (Spanish)

Sunday, April 5, 2026 - Specials

Riverside Store & Restaurant

Easter Brunch from 10AM - 1 PM

Tendrils Restaurant at Sagecliffe Resort & Spa

Celebrate Easter in unforgettable style at Sagecliffe Resort & Spa with a special Easter Sunday Brunch experience at Tendrils.

What to expect:
• A delicious, chef-curated Easter brunch menu
• Fresh, locally inspired dishes made from scratch
• A warm, welcoming atmosphere for all ages
• Stunning panoramic views to elevate your experience

When: Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026
Where: Tendrils Restaurant, Sagecliffe Resort & Sp
$55 per person / Under 12’s half price
Buffet food only. Beverages, tax and gratuity not included. Secure your table and celebrate Easter the Sagecliffe way.

Additional Upcoming Event

Andaluz Restaurant & Nightclub – Local Vendor Market

📍 Quincy

📅 April 11, 2026

⏰ 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

• Local vendors

• Handmade goods

Still Looking for Something?

If you’re checking this list and not seeing something that quite fits what you’re looking for, you’re not alone. Some parts of the 98848, including areas like Winchester, Sunland Estates, and some of the smaller surrounding communities, tend to have quieter weekends, smaller gatherings or head somewhere like Quincy. That doesn’t mean nothing is happening, it just means not everything makes it onto a public list.

However you spend your Easter weekend, there are plenty of chances to get out, connect, and be part of what’s happening around the 98848. From early morning services to kids running through parks with baskets in hand, it’s the kind of weekend where small moments add up. A quick conversation, a familiar face, a few minutes spent outside with your family, those are the things that tend to stick. Take advantage of it while it’s here.

Have an event we missed? Send it our way so we can help keep the 98848 connected and informed.

In a community like the 98848, it’s easy to overlook the things that quietly make life better.

We talk about schools, roads, jobs, and growth; and we should. Those things matter. But there are other pieces of a community that don’t always make headlines yet still shape how people experience living here.

The 98848 community is an incredible place to live, especially if you enjoy the great outdoors. Between the Columbia River, the Quincy Lakes area, one of the largest outdoor concert venues in the Pacific Northwest, and all the places to ride and explore in between, this is a great place to be. We have a lot of great reasons to love our community.

Places that give people a reason to stay a little longer.

Places that bring visitors into town.

Places that create connection without needing a big announcement.

That kind of place matters more than we realize.

The Colockum Ridge Golf Course is one of those places.

And if we’re being honest, it’s one we probably take for granted too often.

Why a Golf Course Matters More Than You Think

A golf course isn’t just about golf.

In a community like ours, it becomes something bigger. It’s a place where people cross paths who might not otherwise. It’s where conversations happen between holes, where friendships form over a shared round, and where people bring guests when they want to show off a piece of Quincy.

It draws in visitors who might not have had a reason to stop here otherwise. It gives us a venue for tournaments and events. And in a landscape like ours, it adds something visually different—green space carved into the high desert.

When a course is done right, it quietly supports the local economy too. Players grab food, fuel up, stay in town, and spend time here instead of passing through.

And when it’s publicly owned, like this one through the Port of Quincy, it becomes something even more important.

It becomes a shared asset.

Something that belongs to all of us.

About Colockum Ridge Golf Course

Just outside of town, Colockum Ridge offers a kind of golf that feels right at home in the Columbia Basin. This isn’t Western Washington golf. There are no towering evergreens lining every fairway.

This is open sky, rolling terrain, and a course that makes you think.

• Wind matters.

• Placement matters.

• Elevation matters.

You can’t just overpower it. You have to play it.

It’s the kind of course that challenges experienced golfers, welcomes newer players, and rewards the ones who keep coming back and learning its rhythm.

Owned and operated by the Port of Quincy, it’s also a reflection of something we don’t always say out loud: this community invests in quality of life.

The course is well-kept, approachable, and positioned to host events that bring people into Quincy, not just past it. You will find a solid menu at the Colockum Ridge Café if you want a bite before or between rounds.

You can even make a weekend of it here; bring your RV, play a few rounds and enjoy some of our wineries or the tasting room out at Woodinville Whiskey.

If you ask around about Colockum Ridge, you’ll hear it from people who play it regularly:

“The best deal in Washington. The course is always in great shape. Friendly staff and great burgers.” – C. Peterson

That kind of reputation doesn’t happen by accident.

A Bigger Stage This Spring

This spring, Colockum Ridge gets a little more attention from outside the valley.

On April 7, 2026, the course will host a stop on the Mid-Columbia Senior Golf Tour, bringing in experienced amateur golfers from across Central Washington and the surrounding region.

These aren’t casual rounds. This is competitive play; golfers who know the game, who travel for it, and who expect a course to hold up under pressure. It raises the course’s profile

For those unfamiliar, this tour is:

• Made up of experienced amateur golfers (typically 50+)

• Structured as a competitive, multi-event series across the region

• Focused on both competition and community among players

This isn’t just another weekday round of golf.

For Quincy, that means a few things.

It means visitors in town. It means people seeing our course for the first time. It means Colockum Ridge continuing to build a reputation beyond just the locals who already know what it offers.

That matters more than it might seem. For small-town courses, events like this are how you get on the map. It’s also a chance for locals to see high-level amateur golf up close

But that’s not the whole story

The Center Pivot Classic: Where the Community Comes In

Not every event is about competition at that level.

Some are just about getting people out together, and that’s where the Center Pivot Classic fits in.

This upcoming event is a two-person best ball tournament, and it’s open to anyone who wants to sign up.

If you’ve never played that format before, it’s one of the most approachable ways to jump into a tournament.

What is a “Best Ball” Tournament?

In simple terms:

• You play as a 2-person team

• Each player plays their own ball the entire hole

• At the end of each hole, you take the best score between the two players

So if your partner has a rough hole but you sink a great shot, the team still scores well.

What that does:

• Keeps things competitive but fun

• Levels the playing field for mixed skill levels

• Makes it a great format for friends, coworkers, and family teams

It’s one of the most approachable tournament styles out there and exactly the kind of event that gets more people involved.

It’s perfect for friends, coworkers, couples, or anyone who’s been looking for an excuse to get out and play.

Why This Matters for Quincy

There’s always a bigger picture.

When we talk about building a stronger community, we usually focus on the big things here. We focus on housing, jobs, infrastructure, growth.

But places like Colockum Ridge are part of that same conversation.

They give people a reason to stay local on a Saturday. They create shared experiences outside of work and school. They bring visitors into town who might not have come otherwise. And they shape how people feel about living here.

That last part matters.

Because pride in a place doesn’t just come from big projects. It comes from the small, steady things that make life here better over time.

The Quiet Invitation

Colockum Ridge doesn’t need to be flashy to be valuable.

It’s already doing the work.

But the more people who show up; whether that’s playing a round, signing up for a tournament, or just supporting what’s happening out there, the more that value grows.

Because in a place like the 98848, the best things usually aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones that have been here all along. Steady. Consistent. Part of the fabric of the place. Just waiting for more people to notice.

It’s easy to overlook things like this when they’re close to home. But this is ours. It’s part of what makes this place what it is.

If you’ve never played it, this might be the year. If it’s been a while, this might be your reason to head back out.

And if nothing else, it’s worth remembering:

We’ve got something pretty special sitting just outside of town.

Most mornings in Quincy start the same way. Something you do almost every day without a great deal of thought. Coffee brewing. Kids half-awake at the kitchen table. A scramble to find shoes that were right there five minutes ago. Backpacks zipped, maybe a quick “I love you,” and then out the door into the cold or the wind or whatever the day decided to bring.

And somewhere in that rhythm, right on time, the bus shows up.

Even if your kids don’t ride the bus. Even if you don’t have kids at all.

Those yellow buses are part of all of our lives.

We see them at intersections, rolling through neighborhoods, stopping traffic so a child can cross safely. We pass them on our way to work. We trust them on icy mornings and busy afternoons without even thinking about it.

They move through our town like they’ve done it a thousand times before.

Because they have.

But what we don’t always stop and think about is who’s sitting in that driver’s seat.

Not a system. Not a department.

A person.

In Quincy, it’s probably someone you know.

There are 21 drivers and 4 substitutes keeping that system running. People with lives that don’t pause just because the bus route starts. Some are stay-at-home parents carving out a few hours in the morning and afternoon. Some run businesses. Some work other jobs and flex their schedules to make this work. These aren’t just employees. They’re woven into the fabric of this town.

I know that personally. I know at least eight of them and I’m married to one.

Our mornings start a little earlier than most. I’m wrapping up the morning show while she’s getting ready to go drive your kids to school. We compare schedules, trade a few quick words, and then she’s out the door.

I wake up our kids just in time for them to stumble out of bed and hug their mom before she leaves. It’s a small moment.

But it’s also the moment she steps into a job that carries a whole lot of responsibility for a whole lot of families.

When you see it up close, it changes how you think about that bus pulling up to that bus stop with kids waiting to head to school.

Because that job isn’t just driving.

Every weekday, they’re responsible for safely moving between 1,300 and 1,400 students across our community, covering nearly 2,000 miles a day. That’s a lot of road. That’s a lot of responsibility. That’s a lot of moments where something could go wrong, and it doesn’t, because someone is paying attention.

They learn the routes, but they also learn the kids.

Who needs a little extra patience in the morning. Who just moved here. Who had a rough day yesterday. Who’s excited about a game, a concert, a field trip. They form a relationship with the students in their care.

I watched my wife light up with pride as she watched kids from her bus on the stage at various events like Footloose and the Spring Choir Concert. Even as she pulls information for the morning show. She is so proud when she sees one of her bus students come across the news for an accomplishment.

Field trips don’t just happen. It might be educational, it might be a sports trip or an internal trip like the recent 5^th & 6^th Grade Career Field. The transportation department is part of it and there is a bus driver waiting to deliver those students safely there and back.

So far this year, they’ve already handled close to 400 trips and activities, and spring hasn’t even really hit its stride yet.

That’s early mornings, late nights, weekends, and long drives so kids can have experiences that go way beyond the classroom.

And they do it without a lot of fanfare.

There’s also a whole layer of work most of us never see. Monthly safety meetings. Real training on loading procedures, emergency response, even crisis scenarios. Ongoing certification and defensive driving. First Aid and CPR training.

Every bus carries an accident response packet, ready if something ever does go wrong.

And behind all of it, the mechanics. The ones in the shop making sure those buses are actually safe to put on the road. The ones who catch problems before they become problems. The ones who make a 98% DOT inspection score possible, which doesn’t happen unless people are doing their job the right way, every single day.

It’s easy to miss that part because when everything works, it’s invisible.

That’s kind of the point.

These mechanics are above and beyond too. Stepping in and driving routes periodically to make other trips possible or cover sick drivers because we don’t have enough subs. More than just their normal day with little to no notice sometimes.

If you slow down for a second, it’s actually something pretty remarkable.

Every morning, we hand our kids over to someone else and trust them to get them where they need to go safely. We don’t sign paperwork for it every day. We don’t stop and think about it.

We just trust.

And in a school district like ours, that trust isn’t abstract. It’s personal.

It’s someone you’ve talked to at the store. Someone you’ve sat next to at a game. Someone whose kids go to school with yours.

They’re driving through construction detours on Rd R. Adjusting routes. Working through behavior challenges. Figuring out new systems like Smart Tags that don’t always go smoothly at first.

It’s not a perfect system.

It’s people doing their best, every single day, in real conditions, with real responsibility.

And most of the time, they do it so well that we don’t even think about it.

The bus shows up. The kids get on. Traffic pauses. The day moves forward.

That’s the quiet kind of excellence that holds a community together.

So maybe this is just a moment to notice it.

To notice the driver behind the wheel at the intersection. To notice the bus you’re waiting behind on your way to work.

To notice the people in the shop keeping those buses safe long before the first pickup of the day. Because whether you have kids on that bus or not, you’re part of the system that trusts them.

And in a community like the 98848, that kind of trust isn’t small.

It’s built on people.

Real people.

Neighbors.

The ones carrying our kids, our schedules, and a piece of this community forward every single day.

That’s worth noticing.

And it’s worth saying out loud.

Thank you.

A monthly hospital commissioners meeting isn’t usually where you expect to find warmth and laughter. In our community, that is exactly what you find.

Real people. Members of our community. People connected by more than just seats at a table. Don’t get me wrong, business is being done. But it feels a little more like a family dinner (complete with excellent cookies) than a boardroom.

These are neighbors. Friends. People you see at the store or at church. All aligned around one goal: stewarding our hospital and making sure it serves the 98848 to its full potential.

In Quincy, these meetings are one of the few public windows into how our local hospital is running: what’s working, what’s still being fine-tuned, and what the staff sees when the doors close behind the last visitor of the day. The meetings are open to the public and routinely held in the Quincy Valley Medical Center conference room.

This is our hospital, all the way down to the details. Want proof? Ask about the table made from one of the trees on-site by a local teacher and his class. It’s the kind of detail you only get here: community literally turned into infrastructure, not as a slogan, but as a piece of our community that is part of the future here in the 98848.

Real Life Right Here in Our Community

That context matters, because at the March 23 public meeting held at 5:30 p.m. in the QVMC conference room, the commissioners weren’t just checking boxes. They were taking a monthly pulse on a building that’s still new enough to need fine-tuning, but now old enough to start showing what steady operations really look like.

You can see that “settling in” stage right in the structure of the meeting agenda: Quality Improvement and Compliance were up near the top, before the long list of departmental reports that touch nearly every corner of local care—from the clinic to radiology to physical therapy to the swing bed program.

The order of the agenda matters. It shows a hospital committed to becoming better while still showing up every day to care for the community.

Interestingly, there was also a line most people skim right past until it’s personal: the consent agenda listed more than $160,000 in charity care. No names. No stories attached. Just a number that quietly signals something many families already understand: people still come in when they need help, even when life is complicated.

But the clearest sign that the hospital is starting to “gain traction” wasn’t the agenda. It was the February snapshot.

February is short. It’s often a slower month. And still, hospital reporting showed more emergency room visits than the same time last year. In the monthly reporting to commissioners, the hospital tracked 297 Emergency Department visits in February 2026, compared with 243 in February 2025; roughly a 20% increase year over year.

February’s count dipped slightly from January, something staff said is expected because February has fewer days. However, the numbers were higher in several areas than the seasoned staff expected for a February.

In a rural community, numbers like that don’t just live on a spreadsheet.

It’s not hard to picture what that looks like in real life.

It’s a busy evening when the parking lot is fuller than usual.

It’s a couple more ambulance lights in the bay.

It’s another parent sitting with a kid who spiked a fever after school. It’s a worker who thought they could “sleep it off” until they couldn’t.

It’s one more person who didn’t have to second-guess whether they should drive out of town. It’s another family choosing to turn into the hospital driveway instead of turning the key toward the highway and hoping nothing gets worse on the way.

And it’s not just the ER.

The notes also reflected higher activity in follow-up care, including physical therapy, another place where momentum shows up in a very Quincy way: you see it in the parking lot, and you feel it when someone tells you they finally got that shoulder seen, that knee worked on, or that back pain managed without turning it into an all-day travel project.

And then there’s the swing bed program; care that matters most when someone is past the crisis, but not ready to go home alone.

In the swing bed report shared with commissioners, the program noted two swing bed admissions in February 2026, including one patient discharged home on March 1, and one swing bed patient still inpatient at the time of that report.

What makes that feel real isn’t just the admission count. It’s what those swing bed days represent: rehab and skilled care happening in the same town where family can visit after work and where recovery doesn’t automatically mean being sent away from your people.

Swing beds are an opportunity to recover close to home, something that matters when families are already dealing with stress and disruption. Instead of sending people out of town, care can continue here, where family can visit after work and recovery happens in a familiar place.

In the Background

Of course, a new hospital “settling in” isn’t only about patient counts.

It’s also about the quiet work the public rarely sees; the work that keeps the doors open and keeps the building compliant.

In the Feb. 23 meeting minutes, the superintendent/administrator reported that the Washington State Department of Health was in the building for nearly three days for a relicensing audit, and that it went very well with a good outcome expected. The minutes said the preliminary findings mostly involved paperwork tied to the new facility, with some minor workflow/training adjustments involving contracted physical therapy providers, and noted that a CMS survey was also completed during the same period.

That’s the part of hospital life that doesn’t feel dramatic, until it is. It sounds like paperwork, until you remember that licensing and inspection are what separate “a building with beds” from a hospital allowed to care for patients.

Commissioners also discussed the ongoing nuts-and-bolts follow-through that comes with a new building: warranty work, protecting the water system through the water softener, and using Mpulse as a tracking and reporting system so maintenance issues are documented and managed instead of disappearing into hallway conversations.

What you’re seeing in Quincy right now is something many towns don’t get: the moment after the ribbon cutting, when the real work begins.

For a meeting that starts with laughter and cookies, the work behind it is serious.

Because what’s being built here isn’t just a hospital—it’s trust. And a hospital proves that trust not in grand openings, but in busy February nights, in therapy appointments that stay local, and in the steady systems that make care safer month after month.

And right now in Quincy, that trust is starting to show up where it matters most: in shorter drives, in familiar faces, and in the quiet confidence that when something goes wrong, care is right here in the 98848.

There is a new business coming to Quincy, but it is not officially on the road just yet.

Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours, founded by Sherriana Dole and Heather Hankins, is still working through the licensing, insurance, and permit process before launch. But if everything comes together the way they hope, the business could fill a gap a lot of people in Quincy have noticed for years.

For locals, it could mean finally having a safer, simpler way to get to and from concerts at the Gorge Amphitheatre without dealing with the usual traffic, parking headaches, or late-night drive home.

Picture walking to a pickup spot in town, hopping on, and not thinking about your car again until you’re home.

For visitors, it could mean something just as important: a reason to get off the campground, out of the hotel, and actually see what Quincy has to offer.

A business built around a need people already feel

The idea did not come out of nowhere.

Dole said she had heard for years from people in town asking the same basic question: why is there no shuttle from Quincy to the Gorge?

That question kept coming up in conversation, and it lined up with her own experience as well. Both Hankins and Dole are school bus drivers, and Dole has also seen firsthand how difficult concert traffic can be and how limited the options are for people trying to get to and from the venue safely.

Quincy is one of the closest communities to the Gorge, but for a long time that has not automatically translated into easier access for locals or into visitors actually coming back into town to eat, shop, explore, or spend time in the 98848. Hankins and Dole saw that as both a problem and an opportunity.

Their goal is simple: provide transportation that helps local people, supports safety, and gives visitors a reason to experience more of what Quincy and the surrounding area have to offer.

What Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours plans to offer

Once they are approved to launch, Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours plans to operate in a few different ways.

One of the main services will be concert shuttle runs between Quincy and the Gorge. Riders will be able to reserve seats in advance, choose a pickup location, and be dropped back off at the same place after the show. The model is designed to be clean and simple. Reserve your seat, know your pickup point, get to the show, enjoy the night, and come home without having to deal with the drive.

They are also planning excursion-style day trips, especially during Gorge festival weekends, when campers and out-of-town visitors may want something to do during the day before evening concerts begin.

Those tours could include stops at places like Beaumont Cellars, Jones of Washington, the Quincy Public Market, local shops, Woodinville Whiskey’s Quincy-area operations, Trinity Gardens Lavender Farm, and other area destinations depending on the package and the route.

The idea is not just transportation for the sake of transportation. It is transportation tied to experience, convenience, and giving people one less thing to worry about.

Instead of leaving people stuck in one place, Hankins and Dole want to create easy, planned outings where visitors can get on the bus, enjoy the day, discover a few local spots, and not have to figure out every detail themselves.

As Dole put it during our conversation, many people do not want to build an itinerary for a full group. They just want to know where to be, what time to show up, and that someone else has already worked out the details.

What this means (in plain English)

• You don’t have to drive to the Gorge anymore

• Visitors have a reason to come into Quincy

• Local businesses get more foot traffic

• Safer roads during concert weekends

Why this matters for Quincy

This is where the story gets bigger than one business.

Quincy has a major tourism engine sitting just outside town in the Gorge, but getting those visitors into Quincy has been an ongoing conversation in this area for a long time. Community leaders, business owners, and local groups have all talked in one way or another about the same challenge: how do we take one of the biggest venues in the region and turn some of that traffic into local economic activity here at home?

Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours is not the full answer to that question, but it could become one practical piece of it.

If visitors can get into town easily, they are more likely to shop here, eat here, taste wine here, visit local attractions here, and leave with a very different impression of Quincy than if they only ever saw the campground and the highway.

That matters.

Hankins said part of their vision is helping people see that Quincy is more than just the place next to the Gorge. There are businesses here, local experiences here, and a community here that is worth more than a quick drive past on the way to a concert. For out-of-town guests, especially those coming from other states or even other countries, that may not be obvious unless someone intentionally creates a path for them to experience it.

That is part of what Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours hopes to do.

Safety is one of the clearest benefits

There is another reason this idea has gotten such a positive response so far: safety.

Anybody who has spent much time around Gorge concert traffic knows the combination of congestion, long waits, tired drivers, and people who have been partying can create a rough mix on the road. Even when someone is being careful, they are still sharing the road with a lot of other people who may not be.

“We just want people to get on the bus and enjoy their day without having to plan everything.”

That was one of the biggest themes that came up in conversation with Hankins and Dole.

They are not pitching this as a party bus. They are pitching it as a safer, more convenient alternative for people in Quincy who would otherwise have to drive themselves out to the venue and back.

In plain English, it means fewer people white-knuckling their way through concert traffic at the end of the night.

That means fewer local drivers dealing with concert traffic, fewer people trying to figure out parking, and fewer people tempted to drive back after drinking. Their pickup model is intentionally designed around community stops and walkable destinations, not extra parking lots that encourage people to drive anyway.

Their message is clear: the point is to get people where they are going and get them home safely.

They are not launched yet, and they are being honest about that

One of the things I appreciated in the conversation was that they were straightforward about where things stand.

This is not a fully launched business yet.

Right now, Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours is still in the process of getting final approvals in place. Insurance has been one of the biggest hurdles, and they are still working through the requirements that come with operating this kind of transportation service legally.

That matters to say plainly, because this is not one of those “open for business tomorrow” stories. It is a “coming soon, once the final pieces come together” story.

And honestly, that is part of what makes it worth paying attention to now. The groundwork is being laid before the wheels ever hit the road. The community response so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Local businesses, community contacts, and potential riders are already showing interest in partnering with them and using the service once it launches.

More than concert shuttles

Although the Gorge route is the easiest thing for most people to immediately understand, Hankins and Dole are thinking beyond concerts.

They talked about possible transportation for wedding groups, executive guests staying in the area, local tours on non-concert weekends, seasonal events, and even shuttle service tied to community activities like the City of George’s Fourth of July celebration.

They also mentioned interest in building packages around golf, wine tasting, whiskey tours, lavender farm visits, and other local experiences that give people a chance to spend a day doing something enjoyable without having to coordinate all the driving themselves.

In other words, the bigger idea is not just “how do we get people to the Gorge?”

It is also, “how do we help people move around this region in a way that makes it easier to actually enjoy what is already here?”

That is a different kind of opportunity, and one that could matter not only for visitors, but for local residents too. A concert night, a wine stop, a lavender farm visit, a group outing, a weekend ride somewhere different, those all start to feel a little more possible when someone else is handling the road.

A local business with local roots

There is something else worth noting here too.

This is not an outside company looking at Quincy as a market. These are local women building something from inside the community they already serve.

They already know the rhythms of this area. They already know the schools, the roads, the people, and the practical realities. And because they both already work as bus drivers, they are not coming at this from a purely theoretical angle.

They are looking at a problem they understand firsthand and trying to build something useful around it.

That local connection matters. It tends to show up in the details, in the way a business thinks about safety, in the way it thinks about customers, and in the way it thinks about the community it is trying to serve.

What to watch next

For now, Quincy Valley Shuttle & Tours remains a business to watch rather than one you can book today.

The next step is getting through the final licensing and insurance process so they can legally begin operating. When that happens, this could become one of the more interesting new businesses to emerge in Quincy this season, especially as concert traffic starts building again.

And when it is up and running, it will do more than move people from one place to another.

It could help close one of the gaps this community has been talking about for years: how to better connect Quincy to the opportunities already happening right next door. It could help locals get to events more safely, help visitors spend more time in town, and help more people see Quincy as a destination instead of just a nearby landmark on the way to the Gorge.

For a town that has spent a lot of time asking how to bring more of that energy back into the 98848, that makes this a story worth paying attention to.

If you want to follow their progress or be ready when bookings open, keep an eye on their Facebook page as they move closer to launch.

Click on their Logo to go to their FaceBook

Some weeks give you a headline.

Other weeks give you direction.

This week felt like direction.

Not because anything loud happened, but because several of the conversations across Quincy are starting to connect. When you line them up side by side, you start to see where pressure is building, where planning is happening, and where the community is being aske…

Read more

It was a bit of a slow start Thursday night.

The doors opened late, the line stretched out the entrance, and over a hundred 6th grade band students sat on stage waiting while families slowly found their seats. There was a little awkwardness, a little frustration, and that familiar feeling that comes when things don’t quite go to plan.

Large events like this are never simple, and logistics can create a little tension at the start. But then, almost magically, the music begins and none of that really matters anymore. The early chaos fades, and the night settles into something better than expected. And that begins with the 6th grade band.

I am not going to lie, the 6th grade band was not great musically; (don’t stop reading yet) it was okay and precisely what I expected. The skill has not been built out fully yet, nor would I expect it to be. Thursday night we were witness to the beginning of over 100 new journeys, and they did far better than I did at my earliest concerts.

We are all familiar with how bad a young person learning their instruments can sound. It is such a common comedic trope that it shows up in every television sitcom in history. Something exaggerated and more akin to the sounds one imagines a dying moose might make. (No, they were not that bad.)

That is why it was one of my favorite performances of the night. All the performances were good, but a couple stood out, and 6th grade band was one of them.

6th grade stood out because of the potential, because of the bravery, and the path to greatness that is beginning for over 100 students. I remember starting orchestra in 3rd or 4th grade. I was not good, and it was not pleasant for anyone. In 5th grade I had to start over with band because we moved. New instrument and a return to being a beginner. I was not good, but none of us were good. We were all beginners at one point, and we were not good because no one starts good.

I remember walking on stage the first time, knowing that we were not good. The nerves, the fear, the pressure we put on ourselves—not because we were bad, but because we compared ourselves to people who had already played for years.

Thursday night, over a hundred 6th graders looked fear in the face, knowing they are beginners, and showed up anyway. Afraid of judgment, lacking confidence, and with little experience, they said, “We will perform, we will try when others would not, and we will give our best.” It was a declaration of greatness.

As adults, we often stop being brave. Over 100 6th graders showed us how thursday night. They started a journey toward what is possible and unlimited potential. If they choose to put in effort, practice, and dedication, we may have heard one of the earliest performances of the next Miles Davis, and we will not know for years to come.

I was grateful for everyone in the audience when I was their age and just starting. Now I am grateful that I got to show up and support them in their journey. To the 6th grade band, thank you for being brave, and I can’t wait to see your next performance. Keep playing, keep practicing, and music will be a part of your life forever.

And then you start to hear what happens when kids stick with it.

I was really surprised when 7th grade and 8th grade band were split into two groups. The skill jumps from 6th grade band to 7th and then on to 8th were impressive. It speaks highly of the quality of Quincy’s music program and even more highly of the dedication these young people are showing to their craft.

Their performances were good and entertaining to listen to, very enjoyable.

I was surprised at how much smaller the 7th grade and 8th grade bands were after such a large showing in the 6th grade band. The bands sounded very full and complete despite being a fraction of the size. They performed with a gusto, and it was beautiful and fun. It will be exciting to follow them as they move forward with their music.

It brought two thoughts to mind.

How can we as a community encourage our kids to stay involved with music? The size difference was that extreme from 6th grade band to 7th.

I would also love to see separate concerts for Quincy Middle School and Quincy High School instead of a combined concert.

The sheer number of students involved and the people who came to see them created some interesting logistical challenges. The PAC was pretty full last night, and you could see the natural flow of people coming and going as different groups performed. Some families stepped out after their student finished while others arrived partway through. It’s understandable, but you couldn’t help but feel like every group deserved that same full room for their moment. With this many students and this much support, it may be worth looking at how these concerts are structured moving forward, because what we saw last night is a program that continues to grow.

We had the great opportunity to listen to a couple of our students who have earned a chance to compete at the state level in April. Emmanuel Santiago played the beautiful clarinet solo that he will be competing with, and it was excellent. Juan Ferreyra also brought his trumpet solo that he will be competing with at the state competition. Both students displayed both their technical skill and their musical ability in their section of music.

These are the moments where Quincy shows up beyond Quincy and I look forward to hearing how their performances at the state competition go.

We were then treated to the high school honors band. I have to say it was incredible to see the tremendous jump from young people starting their journey in music to a group of students who have dedicated themselves to their musical journeys for several years.

If you are not familiar with honors band; it’s a select group of top student musicians, usually chosen by audition, who come together to perform more advanced music. These students rehearse separately and are pushed to a higher level, and it’s considered an honor because only the strongest players on each instrument are selected, making it similar to an all-star team for band students.

Not to play down the many other students in the music program, every student has to ultimately decide what things they want to focus on in their student life. Honors bands are frequently made up of students who have sacrificed other pursuits to focus more deeply on their music.

Their performance was incredible, and you can see the dedication of these students to their music. The music was powerful and invigorating. Music is something that is experienced, not just heard, and the honors band students certainly took us on a journey.

Interestingly, a lot of listeners will not know the big differences between honors band and the fuller concert band pieces. Unless you are a musician, the nuances in technical differences and difficulties between pieces can be lost. There are some very famous technical pieces that are not very enjoyable to listen to but display expertise, while there are beautiful pieces that sound much better to an audience that are much simpler.

Directors Devan Chandler and Shaina Stuckey did an excellent job picking the pieces for each group in the show.

One of the outstanding groups of the night was the drumline. I told you that there were two performances that stuck out for me. That in no way means that I think less of any of the other groups. I enjoyed every moment of the concert from start to finish, but there are things that always stand out to people.

I have never heard a drumline in person before. I have seen it on TV, I have seen it on YouTube, and the truth is, I had no idea we even had a drumline.

I was awed by the drumline. The performance was breathtaking as they moved from the stage into the audience. Experiencing music came to a whole new meaning as you quite literally could “feel” the beats as the drummers went to work.

The coordination, the sync between every drummer, and the tempo shifts kept my entire family locked in through every beat. While we were all impressed as they moved back on stage, what came next was artistry in motion.

I cannot actually explain in words the experience. I am not gifted enough as a writer to fully convey to you what it is like nor how captivating it is to witness, and YouTube does not do it justice. Their next piece kept us locked in with anticipation through every beat.

The drum solos were fun as the drumline continued in lockstep. Top marks for the night; watching a drummer being suspended upside down by other students by his ankles while playing a drum solo has to win special mention for showmanship.

I have seen many great performances in our PAC since it was built, but really, showmanship has to go to that move. More fun still was watching him give a flex after to one of his buddies off stage because he knew it was cool. He was right.

The hardest part of writing something like this is knowing how much you’re leaving out. There are so many students, so many moments, so many pieces that deserve recognition. You can’t capture all of it, no matter how much you try. But what you can do is recognize what it all adds up to.

The Quincy High School concert band came on last and brought an energy, emotion, and performance that left us all wanting more. From the bonus we got with them playing 99 Red Balloons from their pep band repertoire through the familiar themes in Arabian Dances at the end, the music was incredible. While the drumline got my daughter’s attention, the songs they were moved by came from the incredible concert band.

So many great student musicians in one program.

What Thursday night really showed wasn’t just how good these students are, but what is possible when they choose to keep showing up, keep practicing, and keep being brave enough to try. Programs like this don’t build themselves, and moments like this don’t happen by accident. They’re built by students, supported by teachers, and sustained by a community that believes it matters. If you get the chance to show up for the next performance, take it, because nights like this are where you see Quincy at its best.

Watch the Concert on YouTube Here

Update 4/9/26

As of the April 7, 2026 City Council meeting, this ordinance has been passed to ensure the City complies with Washington State requirements. However, under the adopted zoning standards, building a state-defined co-living dwelling (per RCW) in an R-1 zone requires a full acre of property. In practical terms, that standard leaves virtually no viable locations within existing residential neighborhoods for this type of housing.

This was the Council’s original concern. With clearer interpretation of the RCW, it’s now understood that while the ordinance meets state requirements, the zoning itself effectively limits where these developments can occur, reducing the concern about widespread impact in residential areas.

Original Story Below

TL;DR

Washington State now requires cities like Quincy to allow “co-living housing,” which is a dorm-style setup where people rent individual rooms and share common spaces. Quincy has to adopt this, but the state also limits how much control the city has over how it’s regulated.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council raised concerns about how this type of housing would fit in local neighborhoods and whether residents would have any say. Because of those concerns—and some legal limits—the city chose not to approve the ordinance yet and is sending it back for more review before making a final decision.

Full Ordinance for your review

Ordinance 26-250 – Implementing the Requirements of RCW 36.70A.535 Co-Living Housing and Repealing Ordinance 26-648

734KB ∙ PDF file

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A Different Kind of Conversation

Tuesday night’s city council meeting included a conversation that felt a little different than most. Not because it was heated, but because this wasn’t something the city of Quincy set out to do on its own. This is coming from the state, and you could hear that tension in the room as council worked through what it actually means for our community.

The discussion centered around Ordinance 26-650, which would bring Quincy into compliance with a state requirement tied to the Growth Management Act. Under RCW 36.70A.535, cities like Quincy are required to allow something called co-living housing. This isn’t optional, and the deadline to adopt it has already passed at the end of 2025. The city is now working to catch up and do it correctly.

What Co-Living Housing Means (Plain English)

Co-living housing isn’t a typical apartment setup. Instead of renting a full unit, people rent individual sleeping rooms and share common spaces like kitchens and living areas. The easiest way to picture it is something closer to a dorm-style arrangement.

In many places, this type of housing is used for workforce housing or lower-cost living options. In some cases, it can overlap with transitional housing setups, including halfway-style living environments. That’s not automatically what it becomes, but it’s part of why the idea raised some concern during the meeting.

What the State Requires (And Limits)

One of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday night is that the state doesn’t just require cities to allow this type of housing, it also limits how much control cities have over it.

Under the law, Quincy:

• Cannot require larger room sizes than state building code allows

• Cannot require additional parking beyond certain limits

• Cannot regulate co-living housing more strictly than other multi-family housing

• Cannot exclude it from affordable housing programs

In plain English, even if the city wants tighter rules, there are boundaries on what it’s allowed to do.

Where This Could Show Up in Quincy

Based on how the ordinance is written, co-living housing could be allowed in multi-family zones, mixed-use areas, and most of the city within the urban growth area.

What that means locally is simple. This isn’t limited to one small area or a specific project. It could apply across a large portion of Quincy, depending on zoning and future development.

That’s where the conversation started to shift.

Where Council Has Concerns

Council members weren’t arguing against the need for housing, but there was clear hesitation about how this specific model fits here.

Questions came up about:

• Whether neighbors would have any input

• What kinds of uses might develop inside these buildings

• How the city could prevent unintended consequences

One idea that came up was requiring every co-living project to go through a conditional use permit process. That would give nearby residents notice and a chance to weigh in before something is built.

The Legal Catch

The challenge is that state law may not allow that approach across the board.

City staff explained that co-living housing cannot be held to a higher standard of review than other residential uses in the same zone. That creates a real tension. There is a desire for local oversight, but limits on how far the city can go.

In plain English, Quincy may not be able to add extra layers of review just because this type of housing feels different.

Why Council Didn’t Vote Yet

Because of those questions, council chose not to move forward with the ordinance Tuesday night.

Instead, they are sending it back for:

• Legal review

• Possible adjustments

• Clarification on what the city can and cannot require

This isn’t a rejection. It’s a pause to make sure they get it right.

What This Means for Quincy

This is one of those moments where local government has to work within rules set somewhere else. Most of the time, council is deciding what Quincy wants to do. In this case, they are figuring out how to implement something the state is requiring.

The bottom line is straightforward. This type of housing is coming in some form because the state requires it. The question now is how it gets implemented here, and how much say Quincy will realistically have in shaping it.

That’s the part still being worked out, and this conversation isn’t finished yet.

If you missed our first story on speed cameras coming to Quincy school zones, read that one first. It gives the broader background for what the city is doing and why. This piece is the follow-up, and it gets more specific.

Original Story

Last night at city council, Quincy leaders got a closer look at where the proposed cameras may go, how the system would function, and what traffic data is driving those choices.

At this point, the picture is getting a lot clearer.

The discussion came during council’s review of the city’s Speed Safety Camera Equity Analysis, a required step under Washington law before cameras can be added or moved. The report lays out the proposed locations, explains the safety case for them, and looks at the larger impact through the lenses of livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health.

The proposed camera locations aren’t random. They’re based on traffic data collected over about a week at multiple locations across town, focusing specifically on areas near schools and parks—places where kids and families are most likely to be.

Here are the locations currently being considered:

• F Street Southwest (near the museum)

• 700 block of 6th Avenue Southeast (near the park)

• 1200 block of Central Avenue South (near the fire station and trail area)

• 300 block of Central Avenue North (near North Park)

• Jackrabbit Way (near the high school)

• 3rd Avenue Northeast (near O’Connell Park)

According to the data presented, 3rd Avenue NE and F Street SW showed the highest levels of speeding activity. Those weren’t guesses—they were measured.

That lines up closely with what Captain Trujillo told council Tuesday night, though in conversation some of the streets were referenced a little differently. The basic idea stayed the same: the city is looking at a handful of school and park zone locations where speeding data showed a clear enough pattern to justify enforcement.

One of the biggest things clarified during the meeting was that the cameras are expected to monitor both directions of travel, not just one. Council asked directly whether these would be single-direction or bi-directional, and the answer given was both ways. That matters, because for drivers it means this would not be a one-sided setup where only one lane or one direction is being watched.

Council also pressed on how the speeding numbers were gathered. The answer was that the vendor brought in traffic counting equipment and gathered data over multiple days at the proposed locations. In the city’s equity analysis, those speed studies are shown in chart form for each site. The report says Quincy will use location-specific speed studies and five-year crash summaries, along with near-miss reports and community feedback to demonstrate need.

And the numbers are not small.

At the F Street SW location near the museum, the speed study showed thousands of vehicles per day in each direction, with a large share moving in the 36 to 45 mile per hour range in a posted 35 zone. For example, on Tuesday, October 29, eastbound traffic totaled 7,911 vehicles, with 4,561 of them clocked between 36 and 45 mph, plus 89 between 46 and 55 and 5 over 56 mph. Westbound traffic that same day totaled 3,511, with 2,064 in the 36 to 45 range. Similar patterns continued across the full week of sampling.

At East Park on F Street SE, the posted speed is also 35 mph. The report’s sample days show a consistent number of drivers above that mark, including several in the 46 to 55 range. On Central Avenue South near the park trail crossing, where the posted speed is 45 mph, the charts again show regular traffic above the limit, though at lower overall volumes than some other locations.

North Park shows a different kind of concern. There, the posted speed is 25 mph, and the study found vehicles regularly running 31 mph and above in both directions. The same goes for 3rd Avenue NE by O’Connell Park, another 25 mph area where the city’s chart shows a steady number of drivers moving faster than they should be through a park zone.

Then there is Jackrabbit Way by Quincy High School, where the posted school zone speed is 20 mph during active school hours. The city’s chart there breaks out two time windows, morning arrival and afternoon release, and shows drivers over 20 mph during both periods.

During the council discussion, Captain Trujillo said two locations stood out the most in terms of speeding: F Street Southwest and 3rd Avenue Northeast. That matches what council members were seeing in the overall presentation and helps explain why those locations are drawing extra attention as the program moves forward.

Another question council raised was the one regular folks are asking too: how fast do you have to be going before a ticket is triggered?

That part is still to be decided.

Captain Trujillo told council that the threshold will ultimately be set at the direction of city council. He also gave some practical context from normal traffic enforcement, saying officers generally are not writing tickets for someone going only two or three miles over the limit. In school and park areas, though, he noted there is less room for tolerance because of the higher safety risk with pedestrians and children nearby.

That means the city has not yet announced the final trigger speed, but it is clearly being talked through with the setting in mind.

Council also got clarification on something else people will want to know: this is not a case of a machine just spitting out tickets with no one looking at it. According to the discussion, the vendor provides and maintains the equipment, but a Quincy Police Department employee will review the photo or video evidence and verify that the citation is valid before it goes out. The report also says the city plans to begin with a 30-day warning period before citations start, and that advance signage will be posted ahead of activation.

That part matters in a town like Quincy. Folks may still debate the cameras—and I’m sure they will—but this does help answer the concern that tickets would just be automatically kicked out without any local review.

The city’s argument for the cameras comes down to a pretty practical reality. The police department cannot have an officer sitting at every school zone and park crossing all day long. During the meeting, Trujillo described the cameras as a force multiplier. In plain English, that means they let the city extend enforcement into places where officers simply cannot be all the time.

The report also makes the city’s case that automated enforcement applies the same standard to every vehicle that passes the camera, removing some of the inconsistency people often associate with traffic stops.

There was also some useful context on what did not make the list. During the meeting, council heard that other areas had been reviewed, including stretches people in town have complained about before, but not every spot had enough traffic or speeding data to justify a camera.

That is worth noting. This is not the city trying to blanket Quincy with cameras. At least at this stage, it is a limited list focused on locations where the data gave them something solid to stand on.

And that is really the heart of this follow-up story.

This part of the conversation is less about whether speed cameras feel popular and more about whether the city can show its homework. Tuesday night helped with that. Council asked where the locations came from, how the counts were gathered, whether the cameras would watch both directions, who reviews the citations, and how the trigger speed might be set.

Those are the right questions, and they brought out answers the public needed to hear.

For Quincy families, the issue underneath all of this is pretty simple. If kids are walking near parks, moving around school zones, or crossing busy stretches of road, the city has to decide what it is willing to do to slow traffic down before somebody gets hurt.

It’s also worth saying out loud—speed cameras aren’t something everyone gets excited about. In a lot of communities, they’ve been controversial. Some people see them as a needed safety tool, especially around kids. Others worry about fairness, overreach, or them turning into more about revenue than safety.

Not everybody will agree with the cameras. In fact, I had a conversation with a neighbor shortly after the meeting who feels like the whole idea is a waste of money.

You’re likely to hear both sides of that here in Quincy too. And as this moves forward, that conversation is probably just getting started.