Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1751
Unemployment benefits were implemented under the Social Security Act off 1935 to help workers who become involuntarily employed. The idea was that businesses would be taxed to pay for unemployment benefits for former employees who were fired, laid off or otherwise lose their job due to business closures and other decisions beyond their control. The funds would be paid on a limited basis and for a limited time period while a worker actively searched for a new job. A worker who...
In 2025, big investment money is going to nuclear power to offset the loss of reliable electricity from coal and natural gas-fired power plants. Those plants are closing to curb "greenhouse gas" emissions at a time when demand is skyrocketing. The Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee cites the rapid expansion of data centers as a driver in increased electricity use. Large data centers, an increase in high-tech manufacturing and growing electrification in homes, bui...
As Washingtonians take a welcome year-end break to spend time with family and celebrate Christmas, our state’s political leaders are hard at work drafting the agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The legislature doesn’t meet formally until January 13th, but the governor’s budget proposal, a list of 215 pre-filed bills, and a curious leaked e-mail give us hints of what some lawmakers are planning. Tax collections are up and there is ample revenue to fund gover...
“Just as a leaking faucet results in the loss of water for no gain to the homeowner, concurrent enrollment results in additional costs to taxpayers without a benefit to the people served by Medicaid,” writes Democrat Pat McCarthy, Washington state’s auditor. She wrote it in a summary statement for an October report about wasteful spending in Medicaid that hurts both state and federal taxpayers. In an October report, “Examining Washington’s Concurrent Medicaid Enrollmen...
When Jay Inslee first successfully ran for governor in 2012, he told Washington voters – and here’s the quote – he “would veto anything that heads the wrong direction, and the wrong direction is new taxes in the state of Washington.” Once Inslee took office, his pledge to not raise taxes was quickly broken. In fact, our outgoing guv has routinely called for tax hikes of one type or another. For years, I’ve said Inslee “never met a tax increase he didn’t like.” Now, wit...
In the aftermath of the catastrophic fire which gutted Paris’ Cathedral of Notre Dame in 2019, President Emmanuel Macron announced it would be rebuilt within five years and promised it would be “more beautiful than before!” Macron, who remains head of a divided French government, saw restoration of the 13th Century church as a way to restore national pride and unite fellow French citizens. When interviewed just before Notre Dame’s massive doors re-opened on Dec. 7, Macron...
If Washington state elected officials and energy planners need to be reminded of the risks of increasing reliance on wind-generated electricity, they can look to the week-and-a-half after Thanksgiving. Starting on the night before Thanksgiving, the amount of electricity generated by wind power in the BPA system across the northwest collapsed, falling to zero megawatts around midnight. Generation remained extremely low until midday on Dec. 7, more than nine days later. During t...
It’s as simple as X and Y. The question of whether boys should be participating in girls sports in our state may finally be addressed by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association next spring. Among proposed amendments to the organization’s athletic code are proposed rule amendments that relating to so-called “transgender” competitors. The proposals will be introduced to the 53-member assembly during its annual meeting Jan. 27. One amendment would limit partici...
Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, has been namedthe next FCC chairman by President-elect Donald Trump. Based on his past and current statements, a large change in the direction of the FCC should be expected. A few key takeaways: Net Neutrality Carr was part of the initial repeal of the net neutrality rules in 2017, and has continued to decry their reinstatement. As I’ve argued in the past, the FCC would be wise to avoid r...
I-2066, “Protect Energy Choice,” was a light in the darkness for Washington state conservatives on election night last month. It was one of the few victories claimed by Republicans in a state dominated by Democrats. But what picture does this win paint? What can we learn and how can we grow from this victory? We believe the success of I-2066 establishes a numerical map toward victory that we can leverage to our advantage in future elections. For background, Initiative 2066 gave voters the power to protect natural gas for hea...
This Saturday, I will walk across the stage and receive my bachelor’s degree from University of Idaho. It’s a moment I’ve anticipated for years, culminating in countless hours of hard work, late-night study sessions, and an endless cycle of deadlines. I should feel nothing but excitement for this chapter of my life to close, but instead, a strange cocktail of emotions has taken over. Relief is there, yes. But it’s tangled up with an odd sense of apprehension. What’s next? The...
At the beginning of this year, most small businesses, including single ownership LLCs, became subject to corporate transparency filing requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act. Under the CTA, businesses subject to the law have until Jan. 1, 2025, to file all the beneficial ownership information for each person who has part ownership of their respective enterprise. This law applies to farms and ranches, too. The law is not new, but the reporting requirement is. The...
A state audit published Nov. 14 found that more than 2,000 people who tapped a fund that benefits only some workers with up to 18 weeks off work with pay — while harming the paychecks of most other workers, including those with low incomes — violated state law by taking money from the state’s unemployment insurance program at the same time. They had their Paid Family Medical Leave and ate up UI benefits, too. The Employment Security Department, which administers both programs,...
When Jay Inslee took the job as governor in 2013, the state’s annual operating budget was approximately $38.4 billion. After 12 years of the Inslee administration, the state is now spending almost twice as much per year, $75.5 billion. Yet, despite this massive increase in state spending, legislators are claiming that they will need another $10-12 billion over the next 4 years to balance the state’s checkbook. The state does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending proble... Full story
Ah, Thanksgiving. Turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie and family. It’s a time to give thanks and celebrate family traditions. But not if you’re glued to a cellphone. As adults, it’s time to set an example and put those devices away. Spend time with your family partaking in longstanding traditions or creating new ones. There’s no need to be spending the day surfing social media. Instead, enjoy real social media with family and friends. Talk together, eat together, enjoy each ot...
The cost of a gallon of fuel may increase by 45 cents per gallon in the wake of the I-2117 failure. The CO2 tax already jumped; it is set at auctions and on private markets when organizations covered by the law purchase allowances covering their emissions. Immediately after voters decided to keep Washington’s tax on CO2 emissions, allowance prices on the private market jumped by more than 10% to about $57 per metric ton of CO2, according to the cCarbon dashboard of W...
After years of odious political behavior, it is time for elected officials to focus on governing with civility and respect. It is time to go back to acting for the common good. Our country needs leaders, irrespective of party affiliation, to set aside differences and unite. America is weakened by the continual onslaught of character assassinations, false accusations, misinformation and bitterness, which has been pervasive over the last dozen years. We do not know who to trust...
Contrary to the claims that Washington state is a “leader” in clean energy jobs and investment, the state lags badly behind most other states and has one of the worst records in the country. These dismal numbers contradict claims that Washington’s CO2 tax, known as the Climate Commitment Act, would spur growth in that sector. In fact, the states with the largest increases in clean energy jobs and investment don’t have CO2 taxes or aggressive climate policies. Business friendl...
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is considering a change to the state’s recently adopted premium change transparency rule. A press release from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner says, “The change would be specific to Phase 2 of the rule — the automatic inclusion of reasons for premium increases in policy renewals — and would move the timing of that action from June 2027 to June 2029.” Goodish? The rule applies to auto and home insurance policies. (Insurers...
Washington’s agriculture is a $12.8 billion business with 33,000 farms — and it runs on gasoline, diesel, and natural gas. The hundreds of big rigs hauling crops and food products are not electric. Even though new trucks have reduced CO2 and other pollutants, some politicians are hastily charging ahead to replace fossil-fueled trucks with unproven technology. According to 2021 Environmental Protection Agency data, transportation was responsible for 30 percent of gre...
Were the Seattle legislators who said that farmers could afford to pay the state’s new CO2 tax right after all? A recent report from the Washington State Department of Licensing shows just 6.5 percent of funds set aside for farmers to collect a rebate on fuel taxes assessed by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) have been accessed. State Senator Joe Nguyen (D-Seattle) mentioned the low number of farmers applying for the rebates recently, highlighting it as evidence that the i...
Four measures on the Nov. 5 general election could make a difference in your lifestyle and your wallet. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you cast your ballot: Initiative 2066 This initiative would repeal regulations that attack your ability to use nature gas use dryers, stoves, heating systems and more in your home and business. It would also restrict government agencies from implementing policies and programs that promote the use of electric appliances over natural gas. The measure comes after the so-called ...
The 2024 election is the most consequential election in our lifetime. It will, starting with the next 4 years, determine the path America will take nationally and globally. We vote for politicians, who’s agendas are conflicted, and we think/hope they are working in the best interest of the people. Many are not. Nationally, we’ve lost many of our freedoms, privacy and are being overrun with people who are not American and will over time change our culture, values and way of life. Whether you live in the city or county, it is...
What image comes to mind when you hear “rural Washington?” Fields, farms and forests. Small towns. Flyover country. The frontier. Tribal homelands. Rangelands and desert. Public lands playground. Home. Welcome to the WREN, where rural means all of these. Our goal at the Washington Rural Environmental Network is to bring a diverse chorus of rural voices to the table when public policy discussions impact our rural communities. We want a voice in sharing the development of our homelands. You can follow and support our work at...
