Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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Newspapers ask people to vote in every election. This time we didn’t have to and it’s looking like a silver lining in a contemptuous aggressive ugly political era. Election day has come and gone. The political ads are finished. No more campaign rallies or tour buses. Now we wait for all of the votes to be counted, and most likely counted again. Now, we can take a deep breath or two before the next phase. We can relax a little and remember the “enemy” is our neighbors, coworkers, friends and family. We can remember and reflect on how America has...
SEATTLE - Undocumented workers are the hidden people in every state, including Washington. Most work hard, pay taxes, and are engaged with their communities. Our state, however, has decided to ignore its own hypocrisy by working toward making legal means of employment through the H-2A program more expensive and creating a $40 million fund for undocumented workers instead. State officials announced today the Immigrant Relief Fund is now accepting applications from “Washington residents who are un...
I do not know the names of the couple that have the creamy-yellow barn. I pass it every time I come to work and every time I go home. I don’t know their names, but I do know they keep their yard well groomed, he wears a pale straw cowboy hat and they have dogs. I don’t know them, but if they are outside, I wave. They started it. At first I thought it was a fluke, that my vehicle looked like one they knew. No. It doesn’t matter what vehicle I drove, whenever I go by, they wave. Then it occurred to me; they are just friendly people. They wave as...
Okeydokes: SEWEDA helping small businesses in town stay afloat during Covid-19 Coffee stand patrons who leave enough room for others to get by City and locals’ trick-or-treating efforts...
A couple of years ago, a major regional medical clinic leader announced his support for a local tax hike to beef up the city’s police force and provide cops with better training and capabilities. His rational was two-fold: the Clinic needed police to augment its security and good public safety attracted the best staff. Any realtor will tell you people want good schools and safe neighborhoods. They want police who can respond quickly to emergency calls and investigate crimes. Today, the p...
As a Whitman County resident and subscriber to the Whitman Gazette I am dismayed that you would publish (so prominently) an editorial by Liv Finne of the Washington Policy Center, “Inslee funding unnecessary union jobs”, Sept. 10. Liv Finne has probably never seen a Palouse wheat field nor does she have any perspective on rural public schools and the families they serve. Most, if not all Whitman County schools are holding on site classes and the labor force is not unionized. Furthermore, the local public school is the only choice for par...
There’s buzz out recently about mouthwash killing COVID after a published study by Penn State amazingly found that it had 99% efficacy, just like it says on the bottle. Mouthwash usually contains some form of peroxide; the old school stuff had alcohol. So, I started thinking. How else can we achieve those results without the rigors of nightly oral hygiene? Consumption! Now, I do not advocate knocking back shots of peroxide unless you want to see your lunch a second time, but alcohol comes in many flavors pleasing to the pallet, and with a l...
Olympia is clearly out of touch with Eastern Washington, and you won’t have to look any further than your ballot to figure that out. In addition to the East versus West gubernatorial battle, you’ll find Referendum 90, pitting many rural parents against a few city-based lawmakers and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal over the measure. Referendum 90 targets Senate Bill 5395, a so-called “comprehensive” and “inclusive” sexual education curriculum being mandated by those in Olympia. For the last few years, a version of...
Okeydokes: Great customer service at the Colfax Post Office Pet Peeves: Icy bridges Snow before Halloween...
People have changed their travel preferences to minimize their COVID-19 exposure. Travel trailers and motorhomes are iconic symbols of campgrounds in our “great outdoors.” Meanwhile, outdoor recreation increased once the initial lockdowns were lifted. Before the pandemic came ashore in the U.S., the number of active camping households was increasing. It reached 1.4 million in 2018. In effect, outdoor recreation came before “social distancing” had a name. As travelers try to keep their separation...
We have a serious threat in the Whitman County commissioner race. Tom Handy is running against incumbent Dean Kinzer. Mr. Handy is an outspoken backer of the CAP (Colfax, Albion, Pullman) Trail, along the idle rail line. In a recent letter in the Gazette and Daily News, Nancy Mack encourages people to vote for Mr. Handy. She states, “We need commissioners who will lead this effort and who understand the value that capital projects such as bike trails bring a county like ours.” Do we want a commissioner advocating for a trail at our doors? No!...
I am writing in opposition of Referendum 90. This is a sex education bill that is inappropriate for K-12 children. It is supported by Planned Parenthood, World Health Organization, and LGBTQ community groups. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s website doesn’t give all the details of the program. The sample material presented to the Senate was so explicit that it was blacked out, and they want to teach this to our children? Too graphic for adults but okay to teach to children! Really? This program’s intent is to elimi...
I wholeheartedly support Dean Kinzer for reelection to the Whitman County District 2 commissioner position. Dean is a business owner/farmer, has knowledge of the business climate and economy of the county. He is an instrumental board member and chairman of Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SWEDA). With Dean’s participation, knowledge of the business community, and effective leadership as county commissioner, during this COVID pandemic SEWEDA has given $1.8 million in small business emergency grants within Whitman County. D...
I’ve lived in two exclusive vote-by-mail states during my time as an eligible voter. My first ballot ever cast was via the mailbox in Oregon. There, the ballots are due in the hands of election officials by 8 p.m. election day to be counted. Now living in Washington, I’ve trained myself not to worry about election results until the Friday following election day, due to the state’s postmark deadline eligibility for ballots. I’ve often wondered how the country would react to the Washing...
Okeydokes Pumpkin spice season is here! Color changes brought on by autumn. Pet Peeves Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING....
Ballots are in the mail. By this time next week, you could have already filled out and returned your ballot either via the mail or at a dropbox location. There are only two candidates for each position with a handful of other levies, initiatives and measures. You have a little more than two weeks to fill out your ballot and return it. Unlike the primary election, there is no excuse not to be educated about the things you are voting on. Now is not the time to delve into all the flaws, faults and...
To the average American, China’s control of the world production, processing technology and stockpile of critical metals is not their concern. However, to our military and high-tech leaders, it is a very big deal. Our government has a list consisting of 35 metals considered to be vital to our national economy and security. While 17 are classified as “rare earth” and are not commonly known, all are critical components of products such as smart phones, laptop computers, lithium-ion batte...
Dear county commissioners, When you consider imposing a 30 mph speed limit on Draper-Brown Road, please consider that it is approximately 4 miles in total length. Of that, about 1.5 miles is basically a straight road heading due north and south. Only the northern most half mile warrants any kind of speed limit, if that. There are already warnings for curves, etc. So to be clear, I am NOT in favor of wasting tax dollars imposing speed limits and signage for Draper-Brown Road. Scott Draper, Colfax...
We had the opportunity to talk to an individual who had firsthand knowledge of the Washington State sex education bill. Here were his comments: #1. The main problem with the bill that passed was the teaching of explicit and graphic material to elementary students, #2 The excessive amount of sexual identities taught #3. No local control for school districts to choose curriculum with parent input. #4. It is an “opt out” program, while most parents are in favor of an “opt in” curriculum, where students aren’t ridiculed for NOT being part of i...
I am urging you to vote for Tom Handy for Whitman County commissioner, and here’s why. I worked as a citizen for 13 years to develop the now beloved Chipman Trail, and I am in favor of the county building a new trail that will extend our existing trails and entice tourists to our area. That new trail would be called the Colfax-Albion-Pullman, or CAP Trail. We need commissioners who will lead this effort and who understand the value that capital projects such as bike trails bring to a county like ours. Tom supports the CAP Trail. Tom u...
To voters who still have a conscience, please be aware that our current Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal is in support of the sexualization of young children. To the thousands of people in Washington State who signed the petition to put Referendum 90 on our ballot, thank you. I urge everyone to reject this measure. While I trust the administrators and teachers of my local community to bypass the current Office of Superintendent of Public Istruction’s approved curriculum, which required this TV network warning when the House w...
