Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 3022 - 3046 of 3750
Mitt Romney summoned all the righteous indignation he could muster after a Newt Gingrich ad called him “anti-immigrant.” Romney blasted the ad shortly afterward in an interview: “It’s just inappropriate.” “Inappropriate.” For Romney, that qualifies as a stinging rebuke. He also regretted in the strongest possible terms the Gingrich ad’s “terrible terms.” The Republican campaign now pits a man, in Newt Gingrich, expert at channeling and expressing emotions against a man, Mitt Romney, who can’t or won’t. “I have emotion and passion,” Romney said...
Dear Savvy Senior What are the 2011 IRS income tax filing requirements for seniors? I had to file and pay federal income taxes last year, but my income dropped and I’m wondering if I’m exempt this year. Recently Retired Dear Retired, According to the Tax Policy Center, 56 percent of retirees will not have to file or pay federal income taxes this year mainly because their incomes are under the IRS filing threshold. Here’s a breakdown of the 2011 filing requirements along with a few other tax tips to help you determine if you need to file. IRS Re...
Outraged Please add my name to the list of those outraged at the actions of the County commissioners in dealing with the pending development near Moscow, ID. It is irresponsible to conduct business in such a manner. How can the chairman believe he is justified in his actions to not allow public input? Who pays the bills? Who is responsible for his actions? All of the authority, but none of the responsibility. Typical of the trend in government these times. I have asked the Dept. of Public Works several times to repair roads in my area and get...
An old TV commercial for an antacid once asked heartburn sufferers, “How do you spell relief?” For thousands of western Washington people left in the dark by winter storms, the word is “p-o-w-e-r.” And it took more than a couple of Rolaids to deal with it all. Normally, we flip a switch and the lights come on. We think nothing of it until a storm knocks out our power. Then we realize how important electricity is to our everyday lives. The Pacific Northwest periodically experiences heavy snow, ice storms and high winds, but generally not all...
The primary ended the Thursday before the voting, at around 8:05 p.m. That’s when Newt Gingrich stopped berating CNN’s John King for asking him about his ex-wife Marianne’s allegation that he wanted an “open marriage.” Newt’s reply was a virtuoso display of bluff and indignation. He angrily dismissed her account as false, even though the balance of evidence suggests it’s true. He summoned dubious evidence in his defense, saying all their mutual friends knew Marianne’s charge was untrue, although there could have been no witnesses to a...
The news is not good for the county. Four county representatives on two different trips have travelled to Olympia to find financing for the county’s commitment to the Hawkins Mall project. The first envoys—led by Commissioner Greg Partch—reported that their trip last week was a positive and productive one. They just were not able to find much support or a source of the $15 million needed. Commissioner Pat O’Neill followed the others to Olympia this week. He wanted to talk to a former neighbor who just happens to be working on a $1 billion... Full story
Dear Savvy Senior Is heartburn considered to be an uncomfortable inconvenience or a symptom of a more serious problem? I’ve had mild heartburn for years but it has gotten worse since I’ve gotten older. What can you tell me and what should I do? Rolaids Eating Ron Dear Ron, Almost everyone experiences the discomfort of heartburn or acid indigestion from time to time, but frequent episodes can signal a much more serious problem. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips and treatments to help relieve your symptoms. Heartburn Alert It’s...
Colfax Awesome The city of Colfax has an awesome Public Works Dept. We had horrible weather last week with much snow. These employees worked long shifts trying to keep up with the non-stopping snowfall. Then it started to melt and what was bad became worse. Tired guys did the best they could to make roads passable. To add to the challenge the city has limited equipment, some of it very old, needing constant care and repair. We, as citizens, can be thankful that we have a dedicated bunch of guys in the Public Works Dept. that will work long,...
W. Bruce Cameron Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published in 2006. I guess I always thought that my first grandchild wouldn’t be a goldfish. I played along, though, when my then-8-year-old daughter solemnly explained that the arrival of “Princess Goldy” at our house meant that I was a grandfather. “Great,” I said, “I always wanted to take my grandchildren fishing!” Princess Goldy lived to be old enough to have grandchildren of her own, except that we never thought to provide a Prince Goldy. As pets accumulated, my kids took...
As Congress and state legislatures struggle with the sluggish economy, high unemployment and growing deficits, it may seem that a solution is out of reach. That’s not the case. In fact, you and I can make a real difference with the choices we make every day. The realization that consumers control the marketplace is fueling a burgeoning movement to “Buy American.” When consumers choose American-manufactured products, they support American jobs — the more products purchased, the more jobs created. “Buy American” is not anti-trade, it is about co...
ITEM - Letter grades have disappeared from many elementary schools and they may soon fade from middle and high schools as well. Students are getting report cards with ones, twos and threes instead of A’s, B’s and C’s. It’s called standards-based grading, focusing on which skills a student has mastered, rather than how hard he or she worked to attend class or turn in homework. Grading consultant Ken O’Connor said “instead of providing a single grade for a student, you get a profile of student performance.” COMMENT - No wonder the poor kids can’t... Full story
The town of Palouse has pulled off a tremendous accomplishment. Without tax money and with only its own resources, the town has created and opened a new community center. The new center has been a vision for the town for years. It became more than a vision just over a week ago with the official grand opening. This was one vision that was not easy to realize. It took time, money and a commitment from the community. The success, however, came from the fact that the community shared the vision and worked together to see it realized. Funds were... Full story
Dear Savvy Senior, Do airlines still provide discounts to seniors on their airfares? My husband and I are retired and like to travel and are wondering which airlines offer the best discounts to budget conscious seniors. Frugal Travelers Dear Travelers, While senior airfare discounts are not nearly as common as they used to be, there are a handful of carriers that still offer them. Here’s a rundown of the different airlines that are currently offering senior airfares, along with some tips to help you find the best deals. Senior-Friendly Skies T...
Never before has president ‘Ronnie’s’ “Here we go again!” utterance been more appropriate than now, since two of our county commissioners have decided to go into the mall business! Apparently the fiasco over the county’s computer and record keeping event hasn’t taught them anything! But the taxpayers haven’t forgotten what it cost them! But you certainly can’t call them pikers! The computer venture was only around a million dollars, and this latest one fifteen times as much! Charging ahead valiantly, despite warnings from their own legal a... Full story
In his letter last week, Gary Kopf of Benton City wrote that expansion of utilities in the Moscow-Pullman highway corridor would cost half as much of the cost of the Hawkins infrastructure which the county has committed to pay. The word half was unintentionally omitted from the letter which was printed....
I have spent many hours doing my due diligence on the future of this shopping center. After reviewing many documents and asking the hard questions, the issue comes down to: Is this good for all the citizens of the county? The county is very large with the majority of the business revenue coming from farming. The county is ranked in the top three in the state for the amount of money it receives from the state and federal governments to help with county operations. This also is true when it comes to gas tax. We do not receive enough money from... Full story
I am shocked at the vote to commit a lot of money at the behest of a private party, to develop commercial real estate. I would love to see more shopping in our area, but believe that is the role of private investors, and not an “issue of state.” I urge the Commissioners and their staff to work together with the public and the developer to explore ways the developer might both proceed and succeed, without the use of public funds. The key to doing this is to make it easier and more attractive for anyone to start a business, build a house, and...
Lamont The recent Whitman county commissioners’ decision to borrow $15m instead of $9m for the Hawkins development doesn’t make economic sense. According to the article in the Gazette, they are expecting total tax revenue to increase somewhere between $11m and $18m over 20 years-if the project is successful. Let’s assume it is and I’ll keep the math minimal. The County has to pay at least 1% interest to upwards of 5% interest on the borrowed money. At 1%, that means $150,000 a year in interest payments alone or $3m over 20 years. Total cost (P...
W. Bruce Cameron Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published in 2006. You’re probably a lot like me: You would like to see me become fabulously wealthy. You’re also pretty sure you’d like to see this happen right away — this afternoon would not be too soon. As you fantasize about my wealth, you probably think about all the wonderful ways in which I will use that money to improve me. Picture Bill Gates, who made billions crashing people’s computers and who is now dedicated to using his vast financial resources to the betterm... Full story
Would you buy a new car or a new house without knowing how you’ll pay for it? Of course not. But Washington voters do something similar every time they approve a costly initiative without specifying how it will be paid for. That needs to change. In 2000, voters overwhelmingly approved two initiatives to hire more teachers and provide annual cost of living increases for all K-12 school employees and faculty at community and technical colleges. Even though the measures would increase spending by hundreds of millions of dollars, neither i...
OK, I MANAGED to scare up enough leftover stuff from 2011 to fill this space until the Legislature gets down to work and provides some copy. One of my favorite stories was the purse snatcher who was nabbed when his pants fell down while he was running away from his victim.The would-be thief was a 43-year-old Everett man who ripped the woman’s handbag off her shoulder at the Bremerton ferry terminal and ran to a nearby taxi to make his getaway. When his pants suddenly descended to his ankles he tripped and fell down. A pedestrian who w...
The state faces a continuing financial crisis, and only our elected leaders can get us out of the jam they have put us in. We have waited a long time for them to find some solutions to the problem. At long last, they have come up with an answer, and it is brilliant. Just create their own bank. Imagine. The state of Washington running its own bank. For years, state leaders have been trying to balance the budget. What was a $5 billion dollar deficit is now a $1.4 billion deficit. Without ever really approaching the roots of the problem and the ca...
Dear Savvy Senior I would like to get my personal and financial information organized so my kids will know what’s going on when I die. Any tips would be appreciated. Overwhelmed Senior Dear Overwhelmed, Organizing your important papers and personal information is a smart move and a great gift to your loved ones. Here are some tips to help you get started. Get Organized The first step in getting your affairs in order is to gather up all your important personal, financial and legal information so you can arrange it in a format that will benefit y...
A lot of fiddling has been going on. Immutable facts of life are no more because people just cannot leave things well enough alone. Fiddling is sort of like tinkering, only much, much worse. Consider Pluto. That much loved planet rounded out our solar system, It was an important part of our celestial family. Yet, it is no more. Pluto has been fiddled down to a planetoid or some kind of inconsequential space debris. As a result, there are only eight official planets in our solar system. What is the point? We always had nine. What is wrong with n... Full story
Where are we going? We received one of the most shocking rebukes from our county commissioners that we have ever received in our many years as residents of Whitman County. Many residents have been concerned with the county obligating our citizens with a $15,000,000 contribution to a project near the Idaho State line. This project has been ongoing for several years and is supposed to create a great deal of revenue in the form of sales tax to the county. The only problem with the project is that it is a very risky commitment of public funds that...
