A true hero

Every now and then the media really comes across an incredible story. I saw this in the Seattle Times last week and this is one of those stories. As a fellow journalist, I tip my hat to Katherine Long. Great job!

Thursday was shaping up to be just another school day for 13-year-old Erik Martin, but then something extraordinary happened: Spider-Man called.

Spider-Man happens to be one of the few people who knows that Erik, too, has a secret identity — he's Electron Boy, a superhero who fights the powers of evil with light.

And Spider-Man needed Erik's help.

Erik, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.

Read the rest of the article on the Seattle Times site.

High School Sports Update: Southridge

To have one player honored as WIAA/Seattle Times State Athlete of the Week is a great achievement, but to have two...for the same week? That is the honor that was bestowed upon Clayton Homme and Caitlin Klepper, both of Southridge High School. Homme and Klepper both had a monster week in garnering 4A player of the week awards.

Homme tore the cover off of the baseball this past week as he went 9 for 12 in three games with 5 doubles, 7 runs scored and 7 RBI. Last season when Southridge was 3A Clayton was named to the 1st team All Columbia Basin League as a utility player. Those kind of numbers shouldn't be surprising for a 6'5" 200 pound senior who has committed to play tight end for the Idaho Vandals next year.

In softball sophomore Klepper, who pitches and plays first base, delivered a stellar 5 inning pitching performance for the Suns by striking out 14 of the 15 batters she faced. The other batter attempted to reach base on a bunt but was unsuccessful. Last season Caitlin made the Columbia Basin League 3A all Conference 1st Team as a pitcher. With performances like this from Klepper, the Suns should be able to improve on their 18-12 record from last season.

Agent goes undercover to nab a gang of poachers

The Seattle Times ran a great article today by Warren Cornwell about how an undercover wildlife cop brought down a gang of poachers known as the Kill 'Em All Boyz.

Read the story here.