Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 2175 - 2199 of 3750
While Hillary Clinton's team of consultants is locked in a room somewhere trying to figure out how she can project authenticity, Joe Biden is out doing it. The vice president's recent interview on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" was compellingly human, as Biden talked of the tragic loss of his son Beau and his decision whether or not to make a late entry into the Democratic presidential race. It's rare for someone who has been at the pinnacle of our politics for decades to get a second look. But Biden's latest family tragedy (he lost his...
What do Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have in common? They both despise the idea of apologizing. Those of us past puberty might remember the book/movie "Love Story," which really should have been called "Sappy Story." Perhaps the most cloying line in the entire maudlin melodrama was, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." Yeah, I don't know what it means either, but The Donald and The Hillary have made it a watchword of their love antithesis -- which, of course, is politics. Except that -- as her campaign started to implode and with...
The city of Colfax has recognized the Codger Pole as a unique attraction. Restoration work is now underway on the pole and surrounding park. They are finally getting some appreciation. It has been a long time coming. The pole, born out of the famous Codger Bowl, a rematch of St. John and Colfax football teams 50 years after the fact, was the creation of John Crawford. Crawford, raised in Colfax, was an actor, playwright, musician and author. More telling, he was imaginative. Much to the chagrin of many, he pushed his ideas until he got his...
Tesla is the premium entry in the electric car market, with a starting price of $75,000. According to the Wall Street Journal, the high-end “Signature” model costs $132,000, slightly more than the base price for Porsche’s AG’s 911 GT3. Even with a $7,500 federal tax credit, an assortment of state tax credits and $10,000 in fuel saving over five years, the driver’s investment is over $110,000 – far beyond the reach of the average family. However, Tesla’s luxury styling and impressive performance give high-end buyers the best of both worlds ...
Hispanic Month This week marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the diverse cultures and traditions of Hispanic Americans nationwide. The daughter of seasonal farmworkers, I am part of an often forgotten population of hardworking people who are deeply rooted in many communities across the country. After a summer spent in Washington, D.C., interning for the Peace Corps in the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity, I feel this month is an important time to call attention to a program that changed my life, and is c...
While Jeb Bush feuds with Donald Trump and others kowtow to him, only one candidate is seriously gaining on him. Ben Carson is now tied with Trump in one Iowa poll and is close in others. His rise suggests that it's possible to catch the populist wave roiling Republican politics and yet not be an obnoxious braggart. Ben Carson is a superior outsider to Donald Trump. He is more gentlemanly and more conservative, with a more compelling life story. He is a man of faith who, despite his manifest accomplishments, has a quiet dignity and winsome...
Those who are past puberty might remember Mort Sahl. Sahl became one of the 1960s' first insult comedians, who would trash just about anyone and everything. He was considered a model for the incredible 1976 movie "Network," which featured a deranged network anchorman, Howard Beale, inspiring millions of citizens to scream, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Millennials should download the film or at least do an online search. It was perceptive and farsighted, plus it was funny as hell. That brings us to Donald Trump, a...
The Veterans Administration has been in the news. Not much of it has been good. In response to complaints about the difficulty of getting proper care at the various VA hospitals and clinics, the VA has tried to start a new service. It is called Choice. It allows veterans qualified for medical care at VA centers to seek that medical care with local providers. Reportedly, Choice has not been very successful, even though it gives veterans who live more than 50 miles from a VA hospital or clinic the possibility of getting care closer to home. The...
On September 4, the State Supreme Court derailed Washington’s nascent charter school movement when it ruled that charter school Initiative 1240 is unconstitutional. Approved by voters in 2012, I-1240 allowed up to 40 charter schools at a rate of eight per year. The initiative specified that low-income, at-risk students be given priority and charter schools were required to meet the same rigorous certification, performance and teacher accreditation standards as traditional schools. Nevertheless, the state teachers’ union sued to overturn the ini...
Pet peeve answer Please allow this letter to answer the question submitted within the Pet Peeve section of the Sept. 3, 2015, edition of the Whitman County Gazette. Specifically, the question stated, “How many of the ‘non-elected’ general population were even aware of the opportunity to possibly participate in a lucrative Moscow/Pullman airport wetlands offset?” For the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PMRA) Runway Re-alignment Project, the National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment (EA) Process was initiated in Septemb...
The rise of Donald Trump is, in part, a function of a vacuum. He is thriving in a Republican field that is large, talented and, so far, underwhelming. To paraphrase Bruce Springsteen, there's 17 candidates and nothing on. Except Donald Trump. Now, this has much to do with the media, and with Trump's unique qualities as a showman. He has the advantage of not caring about anything, apparently -- the facts, his reputation or, ultimately, winning the presidency. In consequence, he is a free man. Yet no speech, no policy proposal, no argument,...
To show you how clueless I am: I thought the term "anchor babies" was a harmless way of referring to the very young kids of TV news readers. Now I discover that it's a pejorative way to describe infants born to immigrant parents in the United States who automatically gain U.S. citizenship, a birthright guaranteed by the Constitution's 14th Amendment. There are some really good, fairly obvious reasons for birthright, having to do with slaves and fairness, but that hasn't dissuaded Donald Trump from pandering to the GOP hater base by turning it...
The image is disturbing. It is of a young boy, a mere toddler, face down at water’s edge. He is dead and alone. He and others in his family had drowned trying to escape the violence in Syria. This tragic little figure was just one of thousands who have died fleeing the Middle East. To escape the wars and violence, they face the dangers of a sea crossing, unscrupulous profiteers and even violence among the refugees themselves. Some of the refugees are seeking a new life in Europe. Others just hope for temporary sanctuary from the confused f...
Donald Trump’s rise in the polls is inextricably linked to the issue of immigration. He probably wouldn’t have achieved liftoff without it, and now that his campaign has entered a new phase of semi-attempted seriousness, it is fitting that an immigration plan is the first policy proposal he has committed to paper. Amid the bar-stool bombast about deporting all illegal immigrants already here is the core of a program that is more sensible than the “comprehensive” solution offered by the political establishment. What Trump offers is an entirel...
Is it premature to ask who Donald Trump will choose to be his vice-presidential running mate? Maybe. Maybe not. No matter what absurdity The Donald spouts, no matter how bigoted or simple-minded, he maintains his lead in the polls ranking the GOP candidates. There are at least a couple of reasons. First of all, the rest of the field is made up of ridiculous caricatures of regressive hatefulness or those who are mind-numbingly boring. On the second point, a few of them — Scott Walker and Jeb Bush — have announced to the world that, by gum, the...
The Palouse Empire Fair kicks off next week. It is a tradition at the end of summer. It comes with the first days of the new school year, and the first whispers of fall-like weather. Usually, it is just on the heels of harvest. The Palouse Empire Fair is the largest gathering of people in rural county, and there is a reason for that. It is a good old-fashioned show, reflecting the long tradition of post harvest celebrations where old and new friends gather for some socializing and fun. The fair is not overwhelming in scale, but it offers everyt...
In China, the government has launched an "eat more potatoes" campaign – and Washington state could benefit as a result. China’s potato push is in part an environmental effort to provide more clean drinking water for its exploding urban population and offset its polluted water from factories and inadequate sewer treatment. Home to more than 1.3 billion people, China has until recently enjoyed a decades-long economic boom that raised more than 600 million people out of poverty, according to World Bank statistics. Urbanization is expected to con...
Congresswoman Rogers Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers sent me a form letter that contained a falsehood. She said, “Be assured that I will continue to promote the most effective techniques to keep our communities safe from harmful drugs.” The most effective program that I have found is reported to have cut the rate of new addictions by 92% (heroin, cocaine, and meth). She refused to look at it. The rest of her letter is dedicated to basically continuing the War on Drugs, which appears to have multiplied the rate of new addictions. It’s a har...
Because our nation's creation is the result of revolting against a revolting king, we Americans are predisposed to being skeptical about political dynasties. True, we've elected some silver spoons, but still we're leery of those who try to float along their famous gene pool, or those who dive in by marriage. Fair or not, there's been a lot of grumbling about the prospect of a White House race between still another Bush and still another Clinton. In Jeb Bush's case, it is brother George W., the immediate ex-POTUS. It seems like wherever he...
The current drought has caused more than just truncated crop yields in the west. It has been a cause of numerous, large wildfires. In fact, the western United States is ablaze. Our area is no exception. Large, destructive fires surround Whitman County, and smaller ones have dotted the fields within the county. Smoke from the multitude of fires has covered the county in a haze. Air quality, as a result, has been classified as "unhealthy" and, in some cases, "hazardous." Outdoor activities have been cancelled, simply to avoid exposure to the...
Imagine rolling into Olympia in your travel trailer each year for the start of the legislative session knowing your district has the highest unemployment in the state and the lowest average annual wage. Folks in your sprawling rural 7th District earn between $15,000 and $20,000 less than the state average wage. Stevens, Pend Orielle, Ferry and Okanogan counties are rich in minerals and have abundant forests and natural public grazing lands, but over the years mining, logging and lumber mill jobs dried up, in large part due to government...
Rewarding I am glad to see that at least one citizen of Colfax has recently visited the Perkins House. It is certainly true that this historic building and its grounds are the pride of Colfax. Unfortunately only three Colfax residents stepped up to join the Whitman County Historical Society’s Perkins House Committee. The committee chairperson is from Oakesdale. The person that worked for four days to make sure the grounds were ready for the Ice Cream Social is from Thornton. The person that organized the social and coordinated all exhibits a...
Donald Trump is given to superlatives, so let's do him the honor of pronouncing him the most fabulous whiner in all of American politics. By Trump's own account, he's the baddest, smartest thing going, except if you ask him a challenging question, in which case he kicks and screams and demands to know how anyone could treat him so unfairly. Trump followed up his shaky-at-best performance at the first Republican candidate debate, hosted by Fox News, with days complaining that he hadn't been afforded the respect he deserves. According to Trump,...
If you want to start a vigorous discussion, ask this question: Do you think we are too politically correct in this country? Let's thank Donald Trump (I never thought I'd say those words) for raising the issue, which he did in the highly entertaining first Republican debate. Trump pushed our buttons with: "The big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people, and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time either."...
The City of Colfax has adjusted its late payment policy for water and sewer bills. Now instead of charging ridiculously large late-payment fees for payments not in city hall by the 15th, they will now only charge the ridiculously large late-payment fee for water/sewer bills not postmarked by the 15th. The adjustment isn’t very meaningful. The late penalty remains at $20. And, the city cut the response time for paying water/sewer bills. According to a Daily Bulletin story, 180 late charges were assessed in the current payment cycle. That is p...
