Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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The cult of social justice is perpetuating racism in the Clover Park School District with a new student discipline policy requiring staff to consider a student’s race and background before determining their punishment. Instead of disciplining students consistently based on conduct, as justice would require, it is mandating discrimination based on race. In other words, skin color determines whether one receives easy or harsh punishment for the same offense. Isn’t this the textbook definition of...
The NCAA men’s tournament will be over next Monday and an old champion will once again be crowned as the best in the land. Well, at least the best at the end of the season which is all that matters. The matchups for games dictate so much because each team plays a certain way and you need to adapt or else you will need to catch the next flight back home. As a Gonzaga fan, last Thursday’s game was a real punch to the gut. I’ve been there before seeing a near-perfect team struggle against a more...
About six weeks ago, I had a “cardiac episode.” As I laid in the emergency room, thinking about my to-do list and wondering what I could do for the people who were contacting me regularly asking for help with policies in Olympia that threatened their farms or ranches, the irony of my “heart problem” was entirely lost on me. I have not worked in public policy for very long, but I have been a farmer my entire life. Even when I’ve held other jobs or lived elsewhere, when I came home, I was a farmer...
As predicted, there was a whirlwind of activity in the first few weeks of the legislative session related to the WA Cares Fund. That’s the name of a new social program the state’s legislative majority created in 2019 — and that voters said “no” to in an advisory vote. It will soon bring workers in our state a new payroll tax of 58 cents for every $100 of wages. A delay of the long-term-care law that mandates the program and its tax was secured in the passage of House Bill 1732. Gov. Jay Insle...
Return Alaska to Russia? A month ago, such lunacy wasn’t news worthy, but after Russia shockingly invaded Ukraine, anything is possible. The assault on Ukraine has been massive and brutal. Civilians continue to be targeted and thousands have been killed. Apartment complexes, stores, and nuclear power plants are being bombed and hospitals, orphanages and children’s theaters are being shelled. Just as worrisome is Vladimir Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons. The game changer may be Rus...
The NCAA tournament has gotten to be my source for reality TV because it is real. There are no scripts to follow. Sure, there are game plans but the other team may mess up those really good ones and all of a sudden the team has to ad lib. And don't forget the emotions. We've seen how being a high seed may not mean much. Kentucky, a number 2 seed gets beat in the first round by 15 seed St. Peter's. It took overtime but overtime should have favored UK but it didn't. By the way, St. Peter's...
Sorry to break the news, Washingtonians, but Year 3 of living under emergency orders by the governor will continue without meaningful legislative oversight. The House officially killed Senate Bill 5909 before adjourning. Although that bill as passed by the Senate was essentially fake reform, several amendments were introduced for the House floor debate to bring the policy back in line with what exists in the rest of the country by requiring affirmative legislative approval for emergency orders...
The 2022 legislative session has ended. Throughout the past 60 days, your voice has been heard as I try to represent our collective priorities as best I can. What follows is a quick recap of some of the larger issues of the session. 2nd Amendment Senate Bill 5078 – bans firearms magazines of more than 10 rounds. This new law goes into effect July 1. It bans the sale, transfer and import of so-called “high-capacity magazines,” although most of us gun owners know it really bans standard magaz...
There is an old saying: Don’t let the “perfect” be the “enemy” of the good! That is important to remember as we work our way out of the energy crisis exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the Russians are razing the country and killing thousands of innocent people, many world leaders are slapping Moscow with heavy economic sanctions. Embargoing Russian oil and natural gas are examples. With the prohibition of Russian oil imports, there is a crude shortage in our country. Co...
The majority party in the House passed their supplemental operating budget proposal. It represents the largest spending plan in state history. Their supplemental budget is almost 10 times more expensive than any previous supplemental budget. As a reminder, our state operates on a two-year (biennial) budget that is adopted in odd-numbered years. During even-numbered years, the Legislature passes a supplemental budget to cover unforeseen expenditures or emergencies. With the supplemental budget...
It is not often Gov. Jay Inslee directly addresses the state’s agricultural community. Last week, an Oregon publication ran a cover story featuring our governor doing just that. The interview revealed how out of touch Inslee has become with farmers and ranchers of our state and, yet, how certain he is of his own ability to maintain an agriculture relationship. When asked how he would “characterize his relationship” with agricultural, the governor responded: “Maybe it’s a little easier for me to...
Patriotism alive and well in Ukraine It’s not often that we see an athlete at the top of his (her) game walk away from a multi-million dollar payday to go home and fight for his (her) country. However, that is exactly what world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk did after Russia invaded Ukraine. Usky postponed his championship rematch with Britain’s Anthony Joshua and returned to war-torn Ukraine. He enlisted in the homeland defense force; however, he’s not alone. Fellow boxers Vasiliy...
The fact that Gov. Jay Inslee is dropping mask mandates in our state is horrifying. Hospitals are running low on supplies. Medical staff are exhausted. Disabled, immunocompromised, and chronically ill people (including children who cannot be vaccinated, teachers who are working in public schools, and medical staff who are treating COVID-positive patients) know now that their governor does not care about them. We need to be taking more precautions, not fewer. We all saw the graph at Inslee’s press conference. We are just starting to come down f...
In a recent column, Don Brunell proposed that the discussion of restoring Snake River salmon and steelhead be expanded to include the entire Snake River drainage. However, the issue of immediate importance is the survival of endangered and threatened Snake River salmonids. The impact of the four lower Snake River dams on salmon is clear. A recent BPA-funded study concluded that recovery of salmon and steelhead is only likely if these dams are breached. The difference between recovery and extinction of these species is the four lower Snake...
Applause to Free Press Publishing at the Whitman County Gazette for publishing what we need to hear concerning current issues. Guest columnists, Rep. Joe Schmick and others are giving us giving us refreshing facts on the Opinion Page. The facts are stronger than fiction, but are often buried beneath tons of opinion, seldom to see the light of day. It is still the “truth” that sets of free,” and the pen is still “mightier than the sword,” but someone has to publish it. Beverly Mader Wilson, S...
Washington’s Board of Natural Resources is considering banning timber harvesting on state lands. That is extremely unwise. Instead, the Board must insure its healthy forest policies incorporate all management tools including planting, thinning and logging. The board, established in 1957, sets policies to manage Washington’s 5.6 million acres granted by Congress in 1889. More than 3 million acres were designated as trust lands to support various public institutions of which 2.1 million acres are...
The house of origin cutoff was this week, meaning all House bills not necessary to implement the budget must pass the House and be sent over to the Senate (and vice-versa) or else they are considered “dead” for the year. At this time of the session, it’s not unusual to spend long nights on the House floor debating amendments, procedures, and voting on bills. However, one floor fight that occurred on Feb. 21 is worth mentioning. This nine-hour floor session on House Bill 1837 began around 9 p.m...
Ireland: Clean, Greener and Reopening When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around March 17, the Irish have lots to celebrate. Ireland is still clean and green. Now, it is spending $15 million to bring visitors back. Irish tourism officials are targeting 35 million people living in the U.S. with Irish heritage. They are key to generating $3 billion in pre-coronavirus yearly revenue. Ireland is an island nation roughly one-third the size of Washington state with 5 million people. It is no longer an a...
“Wear masks!” “Social distance!” “Wash hands!” “Do not gather!” “Don’t be a danger!” “Quarantine!” “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!” “Follow the science!” “Listen; do not speak!” “Stay in your lane!” “No room for rebels!” That was the narrative in the beginning. It was void and without form. But the narrative grew – and quickly. While it still had little form and virtually no substance, somewhere in its early growth, the narrative developed its own self-perpetuating energy supply called “agenda.” Later, adherents to the narrative sup...
It’s been three weeks since I testified in writing on Senate Bill 5909 before a state Senate committee Jan. 28. At that time, my testimony facetiously pointed out the measure that purportedly would limit gubernatorial powers was a “step in the right direction” that accomplished nothing. Nothing has changed since that testimony. Proponents tell us the bill would make it possible for the legislative leadership — the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate — to end a governor...
At a recent press conference, Gov. Jay Inslee was asked several questions about the state’s nursing shortage, a problem that existed long before the COVID-19 era. Reporters were stabbing around at various solutions being proposed in the Legislature. Should we regulate hospital working arrangements? Should we limit what contract nurses are paid? How does the government protect nurses from burnout? Gov. Inslee summed up the concerns well: “The best solution is to produce more nurses that are ava...
We have been on the House floor all week with most legislators participating remotely. This is the time of session where long days and nights are spent briefing all House members on bills that have passed through their respective policy committees. We debate, draw up amendments, and vote on legislation that will have an impact on your life in some way or another. TRANSPORTATION This week, the majority party introduced their transportation plan. Here are a few key points: • It would begin in 2...
Washington Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee announced in October, they’ll listen to diverse viewpoints with open minds to recover salmon and potentially breach the four Lower Snake River dams. Their focus on restoring Snake River salmon and steelhead runs is too limited. It needs to be expanded to cover the entire Snake River drainage. Currently, the four lower dams — all in Washington — are targeted to determine if they should be torn down to improve ocean-going fish runs while ignor...
It was heartbreaking when the Nooksack River submerged Whatcom County farming communities, swept livestock away and decimated dairies, farmland and homes. Equally sad was when heavy rains overflowed the Chehalis River and nearby tributaries, sending water through homes and property. Gov. Jay Inslee opened his Dec. 13 climate policy press conference by voicing concerns about the flooding, wildfires that have destroyed forests and filled the skies with smoke, drought that has caused reduction of...
Last year, Gov. Jay Inslee attempted an end run around the legislature by banning natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings via the state’s building codes. It was a bad idea. Now, some fellow Democrats who control the legislature are working on legislation trying to do the same — also a bad idea. Inslee’s proposed regulations forbid the use of fossil fuels for heating and hot water in new structures. Prohibiting natural gas is expensive for home and building owners many of whom insta...
