The 2011 Roach Baby Girl Trifecta

1. Eve Catherine was born near Ft. Meade, Md. on October 18, 20112.Lily Josephine was born October 21, 2011 and was delivered by her dad.












3. Cortney Jean was born July 12, 2011


Jim and I are very blessed, indeed. And, so are these beautiful little girls. They have accomplished and wonderful parents who will teach them gospel principles, encourage education, and lead by example.

"Dan Roach Delivers"...Lily Josephine Roach

I just love that head-line!!! Dan says he hardly had time to wash his hands! It was a perfect catch. He laid the baby on Melanie without even noticing what it was! Melanie said, "Well, what is it?"

He had to turn the baby over and look!

Lili was welcomed by 6 firefighters, two grandmas, 4 siblings (who actually slept through all this), and even a couple of neighbors who woke up with the flashing red lights! Good work son....I told you you could do it! LOL


Here is Lily, resting and totally oblivious to the event of her birth. She has delicate features, black hair, and looks like her mom. Lily weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz.

So, last Friday night I got a call a little after mid-night. It was son, Pierce County Councilman Dan Roach, not panicked :o) but sounding concerned... asking if I could come right over. The baby was coming right away and I was needed in case the other kids woke up, etc.

Melanie had, again, arranged for a home delivery with a trusted midwife...who just happened to be on vacation! The sub was on the way but it was clear she would not make in time... Everyone got there before she did!

Another Shoe To Drop On Our Economy

Washington must be a horse because it seems we have more than two shoes. And, another one is about to drop.

As I have predicted, with upcoming budget cuts there will be more state employees cut from the payroll. This is usually a very stable category of employee because they are not usually subjected to the variables of the economy. We are about to experience the blow of another iron shoe.


Associated Press
October 21, 2011

Washington state loses 18,000 jobs in September
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state recorded its first monthly job declines in more than a year Wednesday, losing more than 18,000 jobs in September largely due to deep cuts in government.

The reductions, which also included a decline in private sector positions, wiped out much of the past year's gains. The number of positions had been steadily increasing by a few thousand each month, and growth over the past year now stands at about 27,000.

The figures seemed to run counter to the jobless rate, which fell from 9.3 percent to 9.1 percent in September. The numbers are produced from two different surveys.

"It's not unusual for the surveys to generate somewhat different results, but the gap between the two September surveys is much larger than we usually see," said Greg Weeks, who leads labor market analysis at the Employment Security Department. He expects the numbers will be revised in the coming weeks.

CNN Reporting...Selective Whines

I have been watching CNN more and more these days. While I work I keep the TV going and FOX is a staple, of course.

Comparisons are easy. CNN gave a tilted view of the recent Republican debates. Only the sole Republican "strategist" had any good call on the outcome. Liberals wanted to lift Perry and Cane and dis Romney. At FOX, a network that has seen the light on Perry's record, touted Romney as the clear winner of the debate. They mentioned the terribly rude behavior Perry rendered against Anderson Cooper and Romney. CNN ignored it in trying to lift Perry.

But, watch today. CNN is covering the death of Moammar Gadhafi. They are making a big thing about the fact it appears he was taken alive and waiting to see if he had been executed. That, they say, would reflect badly on the new leadership. The "rule of law" would not have been followed.

Who are they kidding? This is still a war! And, if America can waste Osama bin Laden without a trial then I guess CNN should lighten up on Libyans. As I remember the story...Obama, Clinton, etc. hovered around a live drone picture as our guys took out our problem. Our nation cheered!

CNN should lay off the Libyans. This is one time if Perry called something hypocritical...I would agree.

Captain John's New Love...Eve Catherine Roach

(Pictured with Miriam, 2, is Evie. Miri talks about her baby all the time.)

I spent all last week at Ft. Meade, Maryland, waiting, on duty if you will.

But, grand baby #15 was very tricky and jumped over the due date by more than a week! In something that could be planned, I was relieved by Grandma Kitty and flew home after seven days...or 40 hours before the birth. However, I had a fun wait with Sadie, Jack, and Miri.

We all walked mom around the Lincoln Memorial and then again at the Naval Academy at Annapolis a few days later, then for dinner in Georgetown. I think the thing my son liked most was that I gave them a chance to go to the show a couple of nights.

I enjoyed being on base. I love the wake up bugle, and the people, and the purpose. We are all very blessed. and, I look forward to meeting Eve as soon as I can.

DSHS Head Resigns....!!!!Too Many Children Taken, Too Many Department Lies

OK so the real headline was "DSHS chief Dreyfus will resign."

The Spokesman Review
October 13, 2011

(She made it for 2 and 1/2 years. About par for the course. PR)

Susan Dreyfus, who has led the Washington Department of Social and Health Services through two tumultuous years of budget reductions,(and the unwarranted taking of many children, ed.) will step down at the end of the year to lead a national nonprofit social services organization.

Dreyfus will become CEO of the Milwaukee-based Families International Inc., the organization she worked for before being named by Gov. Chris Gregoire to head Washington’s largest department in May 2009.

“Her departure is a loss to our state and to my team, who have come to rely on her insight and constant drive,” Gregoire said. “I understand and respect her personal and professional decision to return home to Wisconsin and continue her work at the national level and am glad she will remain through the special legislative session to tackle yet another unimaginable challenge.”

In two years, Dreyfus said, she has implemented $2.2 billion in cuts from DSHS and reduced the department’s workforce by 14 percent as the state faced declining revenues.

“We have done all this at a time of increasing caseloads,” Dreyfus said. “This economic recession is having a real impact on this state’s budget and what it is that our state government is able to provide its citizens.”

Before she leaves at the end of the special legislative session, which begins Nov. 28, Dreyfus expects to see another $900,000 in state and federal cuts from the department that currently has an $11 billion budget for the next two years.

“This agency will have to take further reductions, and we will do our best to make sure the cuts have the least impact possible,” Dreyfus said.

However, she does not believe that lawmakers will take advantage of her lame-duck status to impose more cuts than are absolutely necessary.

“I have worked hard to build credibility with the legislators on both sides of the aisle and with the stakeholder community,” Dreyfus said. “I work my heart out for the mission of this place, and that will not change over the next couple of months.” (But, not one suggestion of legislators with concerns was ever adopted. ed)

Gregoire appointed Dreyfus DSHS secretary in May 2009. She came to Washington from Wisconsin, where she served as senior vice president and chief operating officer for the Alliance for Children and Families, part of Families International. Now she will replace the parent organization’s CEO and her personal friend, Peter Goldberg, who died in August.

In 1996, she became the first administrator for the Wisconsin Division of Children and Family Services.

Soon after coming to DSHS in 2009, Dreyfus personally handled the fallout from a 2009 incident in which a criminally committed patient of Eastern State Hospital walked away from a field trip to the Spokane County Interstate Fair.

Dreyfus appeared at a news conference at the Medical Lake facility in which she announced an investigation into the escape of Phillip Paul, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1987 killing of a 78-year-old Sunnyside, Wash., woman. Last year, Dreyfus returned to Medical Lake to announce reforms stemming from the investigation.

Pam Roach Cashes In At McD's

Today was a big one! I won a prize in McDonald's Monopoly Game. Really!

I won a KINECT for my XBox360! I had actually been thinking about buying one after trying it out with son, Dave, and his family.

Heaven knows that I have paid my dues on this. When I am on the road I swing by for a diet pop several times a day.

But possibly better than this....I have the Boardwalk piece. All I need is Park Place and I will win a million bucks!