Email: kendall.watson@patch.com
Phone: 206-455-1331
Hometown: Salem, UT
Age: 37
Bio: From 2006 to 2010, I've worked at newspapers in California and Washington state, including the Mercer Island Reporter in 2009 covering education and sports.
Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for us to inject our beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will cause editors to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
How would you describe your political beliefs?
I'm a mixed bag. I strongly believe in the power of the government to act as a force for good and to improve people's lives. It is, after all, made up of people. But I also believe that our elected representatives should be held accountable and spend money they raise for the state carefully and wisely—they should conserve our resources for when we really need them. It is, after all, our money. And finally, we should always be thinking about how our actions affect others, now and in the future—both those we don't know and our loved ones living with us now, as well as our children and grandchildren not yet born.
Are you registered with a certain party?
I am not currently registered with a political party.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself?
I consider myself a casual observer of the mystery of life, and enjoy the multitude of expressions in celebration of it. Heck, it's one of the main reasons I sought out a career in writing. I believe in this.
Loyola University student John Versnel died early Saturday after he accidentally fell from an elevated train platform and stumbled onto an electrified rail, killing him instantly.
The Seattle Seahawks head coach had plenty to say about the past NFL season, a potential owners lock-out, the NCAA and how to live life with a passion.
The 8th annual breakfast fundraiser is one of the primary sources of funding for Mercer Island Youth and Family Services.
The following homes are holding open houses this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15-16.
Make this holiday special with these traditional recipes and share some of your favorites.
Pedestrian "refuge" islands at SE 46th and SE 48th streets and the mailbox drop-off loop on the 5200 block of Island Crest Way have been re-installed as road crews finish the city's largest summer road project.
State Route 520 was to be closed tonight, Sept. 13 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. A full closure is scheduled for next weekend, Sept. 21-24.
The city dedicated $6,000 in 2012 to purchase 36.5 percent of its electricity needs from Puget Sound Energy's Green Energy program.
Click "Add" on the top map to put a marker where you notice the smoke.
The Puget Sound Energy-sponsored "Green Power Challenge" nears its goal of 625 participating homes. The private utility pledges to install a pilot-program solar array at the Community Center upon reaching the goal.
WSDOT says more drivers saw red in 2011 than in 2009. Has your daily drive gotten longer? Tell us in the comments.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation's named nearly 50 students in the Bellevue School District as Semifinalists in the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Mercer Island's Lake Washington and Evergreen chapters of the National Charity League teamed up with Aljoya, the City of Mercer Island, and Seattle-area non-profit Treehouse to donate approximately 100 school backpacks to needy kids.
The following information from Aug. 19 - Sept. 5 was supplied by the Mercer Island Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
Bankruptcy trustees of former Mercer Island resident Frederick Darren Berg say singer John Mayer was paid for a 2008 performance from money stolen from investors. They are attempting to recover more than $130 million that Berg never repaid.
Mercer Island's municipal buildings and the local VFW post will mark Patriot Day — in commemoration of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — by flying flags at half-staff and observing a moment of silence at 5:46 a.m. PST
The Mercer Island Arts Council and Aljoya retirement community will sponsor screening the 1995 film adaptation of the Shakespearean play as part of its fall film series, starring Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, and Robert Downey, Jr.
Bankruptcy trustees of former Mercer Island resident Frederick Darren Berg say Mayer was paid for a 2008 performance from money stolen from investors. They are attempting to recover more than $130 million that Berg never repaid.