Welcome to The Beacon

Are you ready for some spring reading? This issue marks the first of The Beacon’s magazines for 2023, with summer and fall issues to follow. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find inside.

Like most, you may find your spending budget doesn’t return as much as it used to. Everything, it seems, is more expensive than ever. While we can’t offer you tips on reducing your cable or streaming services bills, David Pan offers an engaging piece on how to save money on clothes, grocery items, and even things you might never have known you needed.

Speaking of food, did you know that the businessman who helped kickstart our teriyaki cravings still sells his sauce-covered meats in Mill Creek? There may be several Toshi’s Teriyakis dotting Puget Sound, but there’s only one where Toshi Kasahara makes your meal. Beacon columnist Maria Montalvo shares the goods.

To work off some of that teriyaki, you might be wondering where you can find biking trails nearby. Makenna Dreher, who grew up in Edmonds riding its trails, spoke to those knowledgeable about trails while even sharing a bit of her own story.

In the what’s-that-like list of jobs you might be curious about, Chris Trujillo takes a ride with a police officer and his K-9 companion for our A Day in the Life feature. Dogs can be a man’s best friend, but also a crook’s worst enemy. We know you love Snohomish County and what Puget Sound has to offer, but have you visited the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington-Oregon border? If you have, you’ve experienced its incredible beauty. If you haven’t, travel writer Debbie Stone gives you all the information you need, as well as offering some breathtaking photos. Dig in, and we’ll see you again this summer!

– Brian Soergel, Managing Editor