Welcome to the first inaugural post on the newest Kitsap Sun Reader Blog, Everyday CK

My name is Rich Jacobson, and I’ll be your tour guide, moderator, and occasional moving target, as we engage one another in meaningful dialog and constructive debate on issues relating to our beloved community known as Central Kitsap.

But first, before we begin, allow me to express a HUGE word of thanks to longtime local news legend, Jeff Brody, for his faithful posting on “Seeking Silverdale and Central Kitsap,” and for his incredible 21-year contribution of journalistic excellence to the communities of Kitsap County. We wish him the greatest success in his new role as Community Relations Director for Kitsap Regional Library.

And now, here’s the brief Reader’s Digest on Yours Truly:

My family has deep roots in Washington soil. My Mom was born out on the coast, along the edge of the Clearwater River, near Queets. Her parents later moved to Everett where her Dad was a tugboat captain. I remember spending several very memorable childhood summers in the Puget Sound area, including the World’s Fair in 1962.

During my brief Navy career, my boat (USS George Washington SSBN598) pulled into the newly constructed Bangor Subase to on-load missiles. I can vividly recall standing watch topside along the shore of Hood Canal and being in awe of the majestic Olympic Mountains. Clear Creek Road was the main ‘north/south’ route back then, and Silverdale consisted of only a 4-way stop sign and Elsie’s. Since those days, in the back of my mind has always been the dream of one day returning to live in the scenic Pacific Northwest.

Just over 8 years ago, my family and I relocated to Silverdale from Lawrence, Kansas (Please, no Dorothy and Toto jokes!). I have had the good fortune of being a licensed real estate agent affiliated with Windermere here in Silverdale. My wife, Janice, is an elementary teacher in the Central Kitsap School District. 3 of our 4 kids have already graduated from Central Kitsap High School, and our ‘baby,’ Luke, just started 10th grade this past Fall.

I started blogging in 2005 through sites like MySpace and Blogger.com, but it wasn’t until I joined Activerain.com, a large social network/blogging platform for real estate professionals, that I really started to embrace social media. For just over a year, I served on staff at ActiveRain as a Community Manager. From there, I helped to create and co-author a local blog, SOUNDBITEBLOG, and later, a fun recreational pastime blog, CrabbingInTheHood.

It is my hope and intention for ‘Everyday CK‘ to become a place where local readers can find an engaging assortment of articles covering a wide range of issues/topics on the quality of life in Central Kitsap. From local business to school support levies, I will attempt to serve up consistently fresh content designed to inform and evoke your comments/opinions.