Kate Smith
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Articles by Kate Smith
Your Picks are In! 340+ PanelPicker Sessions Announced for SXSW 2027
After 94,484 community votes on 3,320 submitted proposals, we’re happy to announce 340+ community-selected sessions for SXSW 2027. Spanning the Innovation, Film & TV and Music Conferences, this year’s trending topics included Tech & AI, Creator Economy, and Health. Across all three conferences, we started noticing common patterns emerging, from the role of humans in an AI world to the future of creativity.
Best versatile roof colors
By Kate Smith, Sensational Color. Check out some of timeless colors that DaVinci's composite roofing comes in. Roofs and exterior walls don't usually get replaced on the same timeline. A homeowner might be re-roofing now but repainting or re-siding years from now, in a color that hasn't been chosen yet. In that situation, the composite roof needs to stay compatible with whatever comes next. A few colors are built for exactly that job.
Kenneth Noland’s Karma (1964) as a Case Study for Decision-making in the Treatment of Color Field Paintings
ABSTRACT Karma (1964) by Kenneth Noland is a monumental example of the artist’s chevron series and was acquired by the Fogg Art Museum in 1965, shortly after its exhibition in the 1964 Venice Biennale. In the sixty years since Karma’s creation, condition issues – including numerous local stains from handling and uneven darkening – developed in the exposed canvas, but until 2024, no attempt had been made to conserve the painting.
Matching new copper to an aged patina
By Kate Smith, Sensational Color. Copper is a material you'll be looking at for decades; a few extra days spent comparing samples in your own light is worth the investment of time. If your home has a copper turret, cupola or dormer that has developed a rich green-blue patina over the years, you already know it's one of the more distinctive details a house can have.
The First Keynote and Featured Sessions for SXSW 2027 Are Here
The countdown to SXSW 2027 officially begins with our first round of Keynote and Featured Session announcements, and we couldn’t be more excited to share them! SXSW sparks cross-industry conversations, creating an amalgamation of ideas that shape what’s next. These Featured Sessions point to a theme running through this year’s programming: as technology accelerates, people still crave community. From AI to branding, this round brings together voices from across the spectrum.
Brad and Ruth Riordan's home garden shows what it means to be ‘water-wise' in Walla Walla
In the front yard of Ruth and Brad Riordan's Walla Walla home, a rock path meanders through a collage of plants. Yellow coreopsis with rich red centers burst from green foliage. Bunchgrasses quiver in the breeze. And the low branches of Japanese maples, junipers and manzanita reach to cover the mulched ground. There's also a bench beneath the taller fir trees. "It's so enjoyable, you know. (I) just love going and sitting over there. I never used to sit there to look at the grass," Ruth said.
Brad and Ruth Riordan's home garden shows what it means to be ‘water-wise' in Walla Walla
In the front yard of Ruth and Brad Riordan's Walla Walla home, a rock path meanders through a collage of plants. Yellow coreopsis with rich red centers burst from green foliage. Bunchgrasses quiver in the breeze. And the low branches of Japanese maples, junipers and manzanita reach to cover the mulched ground. There's also a bench beneath the taller fir trees. "It's so enjoyable, you know. (I) just love going and sitting over there. I never used to sit there to look at the grass," Ruth said.
Brad and Ruth Riordan's home garden shows what it means to be ‘water-wise' in Walla Walla
In the front yard of Ruth and Brad Riordan's Walla Walla home, a rock path meanders through a collage of plants. Yellow coreopsis with rich red centers burst from green foliage. Bunchgrasses quiver in the breeze. And the low branches of Japanese maples, junipers and manzanita reach to cover the mulched ground. There's also a bench beneath the taller fir trees. "It's so enjoyable, you know. (I) just love going and sitting over there. I never used to sit there to look at the grass," Ruth said.
Brad and Ruth Riordan's home garden shows what it means to be ‘water-wise' in Walla Walla
In the front yard of Ruth and Brad Riordan's Walla Walla home, a rock path meanders through a collage of plants. Yellow coreopsis with rich red centers burst from green foliage. Bunchgrasses quiver in the breeze. And the low branches of Japanese maples, junipers and manzanita reach to cover the mulched ground. There's also a bench beneath the taller fir trees. "It's so enjoyable, you know. (I) just love going and sitting over there. I never used to sit there to look at the grass," Ruth said.
Brad and Ruth Riordan’s home garden shows what it means to be ‘water-wise’ in Walla Walla
In the front yard of Ruth and Brad Riordan’s Walla Walla home, a rock path meanders through a collage of plants. Yellow coreopsis with rich red centers burst from green foliage. Bunchgrasses quiver in the breeze. And the low branches of Japanese maples, junipers and manzanita reach to cover the mulched ground. There’s also a bench beneath the taller fir trees. “It's so enjoyable, you know. (I) just love going and sitting over there. I never used to sit there to look at the grass,” Ruth said.
SXSW 2027 Illustrator María Jesús Contreras Is Keeping Austin Weird
Fear. Humor. In-your-face color. These are just a few of the defining characteristics of Chilean artist María Jesús Contreras’s work. You might recognize her bold illustrations from The New York Times‘ Saturday morning paper, The Washington Post, Penguin Random House, Texas Monthly, The New Yorker, and Gucci, to name a few. Every year, we commission an artist to try and capture the essence of SXSW and the city we all know and love.
Why roof color matters
By Kate Smith, Sensational Color. Roof color affects curb appeal, resale value, how a house reads on its lot and how well it performs in its climate. The roof makes up 30%-40% of a home's visible exterior — more surface area than the walls on many house styles. That makes it the single biggest color decision most homeowners will ever make, and one of the longest-lived. A composite shake or slate roof installed today will still be on the house in 25 to 50 years.
PanelPicker Community Voting Is Now Open: Vote on Your Favorite Sessions
Help select SXSW 2027 programming! PanelPicker® community voting is open August 5-23, 2026. Cast your vote for your favorite session ideas you want to see in March. Participating in PanelPicker community voting gives you a unique opportunity to shape the 2027 program. Don’t miss this chance to have your say in this year’s event. Your vote can influence which innovative and insightful proposals make it to the stage in March.
What to expect from the new U-B series, ‘Federal Focus'
A weekly news series called Federal Focus will supplement the U-B's reporting on the local impact of federal policies. The goal of this series is to deepen readers' understanding of the affects of various federal policies on people who live in the Walla Walla Valley. Federal Focus will not include opinion-based writing, where the writer shares their own views or tries to persuade the reader to adopt a particular view as their own.
What to expect from the new U-B series, ‘Federal Focus’
A weekly news series called Federal Focus will supplement the U-B’s reporting on the local impact of federal policies. The goal of this series is to deepen readers' understanding of the affects of various federal policies on people who live in the Walla Walla Valley. Federal Focus will not include opinion-based writing, where the writer shares their own views or tries to persuade the reader to adopt a particular view as their own.
2 director positions are open at the city of Walla Walla
Walla Walla Parks and Recreation Director Andy Coleman and Finance Director Liz Moeller have taken new positions in larger cities, leaving two leadership positions open. Both jobs have been posted, and both positions will ultimately be hired by City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain. She said the exact interview process is still being determined, but it typically includes a panel interview with the city leadership team and a meet-and-greet with staff.
2 director positions are open at the city of Walla Walla
Walla Walla Parks and Recreation Director Andy Coleman and Finance Director Liz Moeller have taken new positions in larger cities, leaving two leadership positions open. Both jobs have been posted, and both positions will ultimately be hired by City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain. She said the exact interview process is still being determined, but it typically includes a panel interview with the city leadership team and a meet-and-greet with staff.
When does a multi-colored roof make sense?
By Kate Smith, Sensational Color. Start your customer’s colorful roofing exploration with the free Design Tool that allows them to “try on” different composite slate and shake roofs onto their home or sample homes. Most roofing color decisions come down to picking one color and living with it. But some of the most striking roofs on the market aren't one color at all — they're built from several, blended so the color shifts depending on the light, the distance and the angle you're standing at.
When does a multi-colored roof make sense?
By Kate Smith, Sensational Color. For homeowners drawn to a roof with a story — one that looks like it earned its color rather than had it applied — the Nature Crafted Collection from DaVinci Roofscapes is the strongest option. Most roofing color decisions come down to picking one color and living with it.
How colleges, business leaders can co-design the future of work in the age of AI
expand Customized training programs require time, money and resources many community colleges lack. That's why it's often more effective to develop pilots and other low-lift approaches that can be adjusted and scaled up if they work. SolStock By Kate Smith – Contributing writer Preview this article 1 min Nearly 60% of workers will require reskilling over the next five years. In this guest column, Rio Salado College's president outlines three strategies for stronger industry collaboration.
College Place reopens search for city administrator; Rayburn wasn't ‘right fit'
College Place is again looking for a city administrator, less than a year after a nationwide search that resulted in the city hiring Troy Rayburn to fill the position. Mayor Norma Hernandez said in an interview Thursday, July 16, that the city decided to "part ways" with Rayburn, who was hired in October 2025. She said she was unable to share additional details about the decision. Rayburn's last day was June 30, she said. He could not be reached for this story.
Paranormal Cirque will bring its frightful mix of horror, comedy and cabaret back to Walla Walla
Editor's note: This review was originally published in 2023, after the Paranormal Cirque's first show in Walla Walla. The troupe returns next week for Paranormal Cirque Voodoo, an event with a slightly different premise but many of the same content warnings. Read one reporter's experience, and decide if it's for you. When I learned a traveling troupe colloquially known as the "murder circus" was setting up in Walla Walla in August 2023, I knew I had to see it.
Paranormal Cirque will bring its frightful mix of horror, comedy and cabaret back to Walla Walla
Editor's note: This review was originally published in 2023, after the Paranormal Cirque's first show in Walla Walla. The troupe returns next week for Paranormal Cirque Voodoo, an event with a slightly different premise but many of the same content warnings. Read one reporter's experience, and decide if it's for you. I don’t scare easily, and I love watching people conquer fear.
College Place reopens search for city administrator; Rayburn wasn’t ‘right fit’
College Place is again looking for a city administrator, less than a year after a nationwide search that resulted in the city hiring Troy Rayburn to fill the position. Mayor Norma Hernandez said in an interview Thursday, July 16, that the city decided to “part ways” with Rayburn, who was hired in October 2025. She said she was unable to share additional details about the decision. Rayburn’s last day was June 30, she said. He could not be reached for this story.
Here's how to return your ballot ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election
More Information Visit the Union-Bulletin Election Center for coverage of local races. The voting period for the Aug. 4 primary election opens Friday, July 17, and ballots are headed to voters. Ballots in Walla Walla and Columbia counties will include races for federal, statewide and local seats down to the smallest unit of political representation, precinct committee officers. A full list of local races on the 2026 primary ballot is available here.
Amazon plans open house in Burbank for Walla Walla County data center project
Amazon Data Services will host a community open house on Tuesday, Aug. 11, to answer resident questions about the proposed data center campus in Walla Walla County. The county's Community Development Department shared the details for the open house on its website. The Union-Bulletin also confirmed the details with Amazon. The open house will be held 4-8 p.m. at Columbia High School, 787 Maple St. in Burbank. Amazon will not provide a formal presentation.
Amazon plans open house in Burbank for Walla Walla County data center project
Amazon Data Services will host a community open house on Tuesday, Aug. 11, to answer resident questions about the proposed data center campus in Walla Walla County. The county’s Community Development Department shared the details for the open house on its website. The Union-Bulletin also confirmed the details with Amazon. The open house will be held 4-8 p.m. at Columbia High School, 787 Maple St. in Burbank. Amazon will not provide a formal presentation.
Q&A: Meet the candidates for Walla Walla County commissioner
Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners District 3 incumbent Gunner Fulmer faces two challengers in the August primary election: Rikki Wescott and Troy Woody. Fulmer, a Republican, was elected in 2022 and is completing his first term in office. Woody, also a Republican, is a business owner and a former school board member for the Columbia School District in Burbank. Wescott is a customer service professional and first-time, nonpartisan candidate.
Will Iran Be the End of MAGA?
By George C Michalopulos As many of you know, I have been a huge supporter of President Trump, going all the way back to his first run for president in 2016. I won’t go into the details but my devotion to President Trump and MAGA-style populism was rock-solid. It still is. If anything, the first year of his second administration has been nothing short of momentous. However, I won’t lie to you and tell you all is well. I don’t engage in happy talk.
Amazing! The Original Version Of “God Bless America” By Kate Smith
EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). Few patriotic songs have become as deeply woven into the American experience as “God Bless America.” Written by Irving Berlin in 1918 during World War I, the song was set aside for two decades before Berlin revised it in 1938 as tensions once again mounted overseas. Rather than composing a traditional march, Berlin crafted a heartfelt prayer for peace, gratitude, and divine guidance.
07.01.26 -- Having Achieved Quality, Downstream Teams Seek To Maximize Viral Vector Recovery
FOCUS ON DOWNSTREAM MANUFACTURING In this segment from the Bioprocess Online Live event, "Downstream Decisions To Maximize Viral Vector Yields And Reduce COGs," our panelists react to an audience poll about which factors most drive their downstream decisions.
Walla Walla awards $4.6M bid for reconstruction of Pine Street between 2nd and 9th
Pine Street is getting an update between Second and Ninth avenues, and the work will begin with the construction of a compact roundabout at the intersection of Ninth and Pine. "The road needs it," Public Works Director Ki Bealey told the City Council on Wednesday, June 24.
Q&A: Walla Walla County auditor candidates discuss budgeting, finances
Walla Walla County is in its second year of a hiring freeze, a policy initiated as a cost-cutting measure during budget discussions where county leadership also asked departments to cut their overall budgets. Before and after policy decisions set by the Board of Commissioners, the auditor is responsible for preparing and presenting the countywide budget. The auditor is also responsible for overseeing the county's accounting, elections, licensing and recording departments.
Walla Walla awards $4.6M bid for reconstruction of Pine Street between 2nd and 9th
Pine Street is getting an update between Second and Ninth avenues, and the work will begin with the construction of a compact roundabout at the intersection of Ninth and Pine. “The road needs it,” Public Works Director Ki Bealey told the City Council on Wednesday, June 24.
Q&A: Walla Walla County auditor candidates discuss budgeting, finances
More Coverage This is the second part of a two-part Q&A. See the first installment and learn more about the auditor's race here. Walla Walla County is in its second year of a hiring freeze, a policy initiated as a cost-cutting measure during budget discussions where county leadership also asked departments to cut their overall budgets. Before and after policy decisions set by the Board of Commissioners, the auditor is responsible for preparing and presenting the countywide budget.
Amazon's permit application for Walla Walla County data center is incomplete
Editor's note: The date the notice was issued has been corrected. The application materials for a data center near Attalia have not yet been reviewed by the Walla Walla County Community Development Department because they are missing a key component, Director Melissa Shumake said. Amazon Data Services filed an application for a site development permit and environmental review for the data center in late May.
Q&A: Walla Walla County auditor candidates share their qualifications for office
Three candidates - incumbent Sheryl Park, Marjorie Denton Sanborn and Tim Reeves - are vying for the position of Walla Walla County auditor in the 2026 primary. Two candidates will advance to the general election, and the candidate who is elected will be the first new auditor elected in 27 years, following former Auditor Karen Martin. The position is up for a short and full-term election after Martin retired early, at the end of 2025.
Q&A: Walla Walla County auditor candidates share their qualifications for office
More Coverage This is the first part of a two-part Q&A. Look for the second part on Saturday, June 27. Three candidates — incumbent Sheryl Park, Marjorie Denton Sanborn and Tim Reeves — are vying for the position of Walla Walla County auditor in the 2026 primary. Two candidates will advance to the general election, and the candidate who is elected will be the first new auditor elected in 27 years, following former Auditor Karen Martin.
Amazon’s permit application for Walla Walla County data center is incomplete
The application materials for a data center near Attalia have not yet been reviewed by the Walla Walla County Community Development Department because they are missing a key component, Director Melissa Shumake said. Amazon Data Services filed an application for a site development permit and environmental review for the data center in late May.
Ballots for WA primary election will go out July 17
Walla Walla and Columbia county voters will get to cast votes in a number of races, from state and federal representative to county sheriff, in the Aug. 4 primary election. For some races, such as the congressional race in District 5, voters will pick which two candidates will advance to the November general election. For others, like the sheriff's race, the candidates will automatically advance to the November ballot, but the primary election will give an initial look at voter support.
Ballots for WA primary election will go out July 17
More Information Look at the Union-Bulletin Election Center for more coverage of candidates before ballots are sent to voters on Friday, July 17. Walla Walla and Columbia county voters will get to cast votes in a number of races, from state and federal representative to county sheriff, in the Aug. 4 primary election. For some races, such as the congressional race in District 5, voters will pick which two candidates will advance to the November general election.
Display policy discussion reopened briefly during Pride month at Dayton library
Black holes. Lives of women in the Viking Age. Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during World War II. These are just some of the topics Dayton Memorial Library worker Laura Hinze has seen catch the eye of library patrons from the display shelf inside the building's front door.
Display policy discussion reopened briefly during Pride month at Dayton library
Black holes. Lives of women in the Viking Age. Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during World War II. These are just some of the topics Dayton Memorial Library worker Laura Hinze has seen catch the eye of library patrons from the display shelf inside the building’s front door.
Anti-data center group forms to oppose Amazon development in Walla Walla County
Weaving through pedestrians on the sidewalks of Walla Walla's Main Street, College Place resident Rikki Wescott approached people she thought might be locals to ask what they knew about the data center proposed in the county. When people said, "I don't," she asked if they wanted to learn more and handed them a flyer for a Friday, June 12, town hall, the first community event hosted by the Walla Walla Anti-Data Center League.
College Place works to secure funding for Community Opportunity Center
The Community Opportunity Center in College Place that will fuse a licensed child care facility with a rural library branch has support from local and state partners but is facing a funding gap. New floor plans and external renderings show what the space could be - a two-story community center with big windows, community meeting rooms and an outdoor area for kids attending day care, steps from Lions Park.
Anti-data center group forms to oppose Amazon development in Walla Walla County
Weaving through pedestrians on the sidewalks of Walla Walla's Main Street, College Place resident Rikki Wescott approached people she thought might be locals to ask what they knew about the data center proposed in the county. When people said, “I don’t,” she asked if they wanted to learn more and handed them a flyer for a Friday, June 12, town hall, the first community event hosted by the Walla Walla Anti-Data Center League.
College Place works to secure funding for Community Opportunity Center
The Community Opportunity Center in College Place that will fuse a licensed child care facility with a rural library branch has support from local and state partners but is facing a funding gap. New floor plans and external renderings show what the space could be — a two-story community center with big windows, community meeting rooms and an outdoor area for kids attending day care, steps from Lions Park.
CTUIR set to regain sole legal jurisdiction in civil matters after 73 years
For 73 years, civil legal matters on the Umatilla Indian Reservation have been within the jurisdiction of the state of Oregon. In 1953, Congress passed legislation requiring certain states, including Oregon, to assume criminal jurisdiction and certain civil jurisdiction over tribal lands. This allowed state law enforcement to operate on reservations without tribal consent and to prosecute crimes involving Indigenous people.
Walla Walla artist advances to group final in national People's Artist contest
Public votes advanced Walla Walla artist and organizer Anthony Covert to the group final stage of the Johnny Depp Presents The People's Artist, a competition with a cash prize open to artists in U.S. and Canada. The winner - whittled down from a pool of about 400 artists - will receive a $25,000 honorarium, an exhibit at the Art of Elysium's Art Salon in Los Angeles, and a feature in Artforum Magazine. "I'm super excited, I'm just that much closer," Covert said.
Walla Walla artist advances to group final in national People's Artist contest
Public votes advanced Walla Walla artist and organizer Anthony Covert to the group final stage of the Johnny Depp Presents The People's Artist, a competition with a cash prize open to artists in U.S. and Canada. The winner - whittled down from a pool of about 400 artists - will receive a $25,000 honorarium, an exhibit at the Art of Elysium's Art Salon in Los Angeles, and a feature in Artforum Magazine. "I'm super excited, I'm just that much closer," Covert said.
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