With the addition of new voices from North Kitsap, Central Kitsap and Bremerton, Speaking of South Kitsap is evolving. Since Bremerton reporter Steve Gardener and Central/North Kitsap reporter Brynn Grimley hopped on board, you’ve heard about a noted civic leader, a transformational moment or two, one town’s no so little victory and more.
On Grimley’s entry about Hank Mann-Sykes, one commenter mistakenly thought I had written the story and the post. It was an understandable error There’s my mug shot, as we call it, tacked on the home page of the blog. It’s probably time to change that, as well as the name of the blog. We’ll be mulling that over for a couple weeks while Grimley’s on vacation, and some time after that likely make the switch.
We’d like your help in re-branding the blog. While the Kitsap Caucus focuses on politics and government, Speaking of South Kitsap has, for the most part, focused on people, events and life in general in Port Orchard and surrounding communities, like Manchester, Olalla, South Colby and Gorst (Gardner and I both claim a stake in that one). Each has its own unique character … and characters. Now we add to that mix Seabeck, Lomolo, Hansville, Rocky Point, and other areas as well as the cities of Poulsbo and Bremerton and unicorporated yet urban Silverdale.
First we need a name. We’ve kicked around a few ideas and will mine our fellow staff members for others. So far we have Kitsap Klatsch and Speaking of Kitsap Communities. I suggested “That’s Kitsap with a ‘K'” but nobody got it. Excuse me while I stop by the store for some krab. … Oh, never mind.
OK, obviously we need a little help here.
We also need to replace my mug with something iconic, representing all that makes Kitsap Kitsapy. We got into a discussion of that over on the post about Hank Mann-Sykes. I asked for scenes that come to mind that represent your community. Kathryn Simpson, of South Kitsap, suggested: a picture taken from the center of the crosswalk at the end of Bay Street in Port Orchard, a picture of the scoreboard at Joe Knowles Stadium at the high school, a picture of the entrance to the older Kitsap County Admin building (the one the courts are still in), a picture of the foot ferry reaching the Port Orchard dock, a picture of the Stokes Auction windmill. If you live in Bremerton, Central or North Kitsap, you can probably think of scenes that conjure up the essence of a place. Maybe for Bremerton, we should have a chicken.
I was hoping we could have a rotating picture box with scenes from all over the county. But our Web editor says even our tech guru isn’t up to that one.
Our fall back idea is a group picture of Gardner, Grimley and me, as they have on the Wild World of Kitsap Sports blog. Not that we aren’t an attractive bunch, but I think we could do better.
So put on your thinking caps and sing out. This is a brainstorming session. Nothing is off the table, as they say. Again we need a new name and iconic picture or graphic for the blog soon to be known as The Blog Formerly Known as Speaking of South Kitsap.
Thank you.
Chris Henry, South Kitsap/government reporter
Ok Chris. I was willing to help out here, in a real nice kind of way, till you took the shot at Bremerton about the chicken. And don’t think I did not miss the one you did about the bikini barista change over at 6th and Naval. Gloves off now.
Iconic pic for SK…hmmm…
How about a shot of an often occurring drunken nighttime brawls in the middle of Bay Street? Or…
A picture of a one of the numerous Bail Bonds companies that are the business backbone of downtown.
For people head shot possibilities:
A picture of Delilah because you guys (Port Orchard) need to ask her permission first for pretty much anything. Or…..
A Debbie Macomber pic because the fictional Cedar Cove is way more appealing than the actual reality of Port Orchard.
For a blog title I would recommend: Everything Kitsap. Well, because Everything Bremerton is already taken in the local published world. (smile)
Brainstorm (might be something of a light mist today)..
Kitsap Kampus (Campus)?
Kitsap Place
Kitsap Blogger
My personal choice…
Blogging Kitsap
Oh Colleen, that’s harsh. You’ve apparently become a hardened cynic under the wings of a certain weekly publication editor.
We can’t use Everything Kitsap, not only because it sounds a lot like Everything Bremerton (and we’re about way more than just Bremerton), but also because our blog does not include Bainbridge Island. Hey, there’s an idea. How about Everything Not Bainbridge?
Kathryn, A for effort, but Kitsap Place? Yes, I know we are a civic soap opera …
Chris Henry, reporter
Hey Chris, actually it was Gardner who taught me everything I know about making fun of Port Orchard. What do you expect for a town that never moves off the “On Notice” board.
Kitsap Place… That is a good one.
How about “Communicating Kitsap” or “Kitsap Conversations?”
(Translated into “krab” they would be: Kommunicating Kitsap or Kitsap Konversations).
I like “Living Kitsap” as well.
Ok, how about….
KITSOAPERA ??
Btw, I tinkered with Kitsap Kommunication and Konversations, but I know some would spin it with some communist linkage and we’d all be afraid to post at “Kitsap Kommie”, which would become it’s nick name. 😮
~~taking my “A for Effort” to the gym now. 😉
We’ve looked at houses for sale over your way from time to time, one in particular, recently. One of my dearest friends lives over there too.
I became a huge fan just last week over several south end medical care folks going the extra step, including educating the patient.
That said, I’m throwing in the ring a couple blog names, Whynot Port Orchard or Justamere Orchard (Port)
A very nice, understated warm blood horse operation I used to visit began with the name “Justamere…”
Justathought… Sharon O’Hara
To bad SK will again be lost in the North, Central, and all for Bremerton wordsmanship challenge. Our little voice will be lost among the many interesting and fascinating things going on elsewhere. Maybe the Gig Harbor or Belfair papers can support Souths blogging empire.
As for ideas, KCAAN – Kitsap County Alot About Nothing? Slaughter County Regional Whatever, SCRW? Maybe The “SNEW Blog”, South North East West Blog? How about The Kitsap County Wanderlust? The initials don’t do much for me, but then the subject matter could be from anywhere.. One last chance, The Kitsap (or Slaughter) County Potpourri? It may not smell like flowers all the time, but it will be a mix if nothing else.
It should be an interesting segue into a new “blogosphere”. Have fun and do not forget your roots in the South.
Roger Gay
South KItsap
Roger, why not name it what it is and understate its potential swing into becoming a big deal in Kitsap…excluding its importance as Kitsap County legal courtroom hoop dee doo base.
Sharon O’Hara
How about the Hammerhead Crane as the picture for the blog? It is iconic of the whole Kitsap Penninsula.
Then we could call the blog the Kitsap Hammer!
Speaking of Hell? Nah…
How about:
Speaking of Kitsap (an Occam’s choice)
Kitsap EBB (Everything but Bainbridge) and Flow
For a photo, maybe Colleen is onto something and the faces of the three reporters can be placed inside cutouts of Delilah, Macomber and Mayor Coppola. Maybe transplant the soldier kiss in front of the shipyard, with a pan out back shot to the county seat and Rainier…
And it’s time for your tech guru to reach out and touch someone. I hear there’s a geek or two who has helped Kitsap Sun out in a pinch before. 😉
I think RV is on to something. How about just “Kitsap EBB” I’ll snicker every time I think of the “everything but Bainbridge”.
Nice!
Thanks all for your creative suggestions — “Speaking of Hell” being maybe a bit too creative, but some days it fits.
In belated response to Roger Gay, who wrote, “To bad SK will again be lost in the North, Central, and all for Bremerton wordsmanship challenge. Our little voice will be lost among the many interesting and fascinating things going on elsewhere.”
Roger, no kidding. Did you see how Grimley and Gardner have been mowing my lawn lately? Which is precisely why I hereby deputize you Hinterlands Correspondent. I’m counting on you to help keep me up to speed on the latest in the land of the bark eaters.
But seriously, two points here:
1. What this does is puts all of us on our toes to report on our area frequently and thoroughly. A little competition, if you view it as such, is a good thing.
2. Our Web editor talked about the possibility of a filter feature that would allow blog readers to easily locate those blogs related to their area of interest. Not that CK, NK and Brem aren’t interesting, but we all know where it’s at.
Chris Henry, SK reporter … and proud of it
PO/SK has never been ‘where it is at’ other than great horses and cutting and super horse folks and that IS where its at for many…but never for the KS folks…sad to notice the unwavering, ongoing pursuit of soccer this and soccer that. Whatever happened to the really interesting sports like anything using horses?
What PO/SK has is an incredible nurse practitioner whose diligence probably saved my life last week…and a couple other folks of considerable note.
Wake up and smell your rosy future, PO/SK folks.
Sharon O’Hara
I did a little brainstorming and came up with a few suggestions on the naming of the blog.
NCiS Kitsap (North, Central, South)
K-Blog
This side of Kitsap
In the Neighborhood
Kitsap Village
A League of Their Own
Citizen Kitsap
Kitsap General Public
Kitsap Nation
Kitsap People
Kitsap Carnival
Kitsap Kolidescope
Kitsap Cavalcade
Kitsap Exposition
Kitsap Co-Op
Kitsap Kibbutz
As for the picture, I thought of something in or around the Kitsap Fairgrounds since that seems to be the Kitsap gathering place, but I think I like the Crane better.