Those bases are out on the Olympic pennisula, a long way from Kennewick. Folks at McChord or Fort Lewis are probably 3-4 hours away, and I believe they are the closest.

http://home.comcast.net/~nickbuckeye...-1/cheers2.gif

My bad...I should have mapped it. My son and I drove near there (Walla Walla) five years ago, beautiful area.

Matt, please keep us up to date as best you can.

he's hiding..great
stay in your sewer...
don't even come up for air.

Rika

i forwarded the paper's story to drudge report....hope it goes national

Why take that story national. It does not represent our community.

I had heard nothing of it before it hit the local newspaper. The family went back east and never asked for any help or were around for anyone in the community to recognize as needing help. The house was essentially abandoned. The reservist’s coworkers were planning on coming in and mowing down the weeds and blowing out the sprinkler system (apparently already installed). Minimal effort I agree but not insubstantial on 2.5 acres. As soon as this became public knowledge the community stepped up big time.

Here is today’s follow up story: Follow up

You know the follow up won't make national news.

I guess we'll always have Kennewick Man.

he's a Developer -- what do you expect?

no way will he act like a human

Sorry for the late update:
 

Sorry guys I promised to keep things updated and it looks like I dropped the ball for 6 months. Somehow I missed this conclulsion to the story.

I did not manage to show at the work party.

Again thank you for your concern.

Local newspaper story from July 30, 2009 http://http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/664931.html:

Kennewick reservist says thanks for lawn
By John Trumbo, Herald staff writer

Landscaping complete for reservist Having a lush lawn wrapping around their south Kennewick home is a miracle, but being surrounded by so many people who volunteered to landscape it last year is even more gratifying, Navy Lt. Burke Jensen said at a thank-you dinner Wednesday.

About two dozen people, representing some of the nearly 100 volunteers who helped with the landscaping project at the Jensens' home in the Oak Hill Estates, enjoyed a meal provided by the Jensens.

Jensen recently returned from military duty in Kuwait, while his wife, Heidi, and son remain in New Jersey. The family's prolonged absence from their new Kennewick home began last year when Jensen received orders for a tour of duty in support of U.S. forces in the Mideast.

Their home needed landscaping to satisfy subdivision rules, and volunteers did it for them last October.

"Taking care of this landscaping took weight off me so I could focus and do my job over there," Jensen said.

"Thank you for the time, energy and selfless work. I feel so lucky," Heidi said in a text message Jensen read aloud at the dinner.

Jensen said coming home to the beautiful yard was special: "I didn't see grass or smell grass for six months."

The Navy reservist had special thanks for Tim and Teresa Montgomery, whose landscaping company coordinated the volunteer effort; Columbia Christian Fellowship Church Pastor Jeff Berry and his wife, Kathy, who checked on the vacant home weekly; Roger and Nancy Gregory, who also pulled weeds and kept close watch on the property; and Don Jensen, who mowed the lawn as needed all year even though he did not know the couple.

The thank-you dinner included a raising of a U.S. flag flown in Kuwait and a welcome home ceremony presented by Operation Thank You in Kennewick.

Jensen said he will go back to his new job at Energy Northwest to be trained as a nuclear operator. His wife, who is enrolled in college in New Jersey, and young son will join him early next year.

-- John Trumbo: 582-1529; jtrumbo@tricityherald.com

Remind me to never move anywhere with a HOA.

The deal is the LT should go after the HOA to teach them a lesson. The case should have been dead on arrival at the court. What are the judges thinking. The HOA is full of $hit and a good malicious prosecution suit should help pay for all of the materials in the landscaping.

There are two things needed in the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, with its most recent additions of 2008. First, pro bono attorney fees as part of the statute, lets say with a multiplier of about 5. Second, punitive damages.

I am in the middle of something like this at this time and the DOJ are just a bunch of crap when it comes to helping returning service members. As a CO in the early part of this dang war, my reservists were getting harassed by Aholes like this all the time. A little thump therapy for folks that transgress as in the form of punitives and pro-bono rewards would stop this crap in a flash.

I've got five gallons of fusia paint and some brushes. A real eye for lawn art too.