Opinion
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1653
Tree farms part of climate solution
As climate change concerns grow, researchers are turning to family tree farmers for assistance. They have been helping for a century, but their efforts have gone unrecognized. The... — Updated 3/14/2024
What to watch for in energy leases
By Norman D. Brock Attorney at Law, Brock Law Firm Editor's Note: This story was originally published in the March edition of Wheat Life Magazine. Many of our widespread agricultura... — Updated 3/14/2024
'Climate agenda' to cost you $20,000
Eleven years ago, when we started debating the climate agenda in Olympia, I sat on a study committee we called the Climate Legislative Executive Workgroup and asked an unpopular... — Updated 3/7/2024
Commissioners request Albert Sensor bill veto
Several years ago, the Washington Secretary of States provided to counties, at no cost, a device called an Albert Sensor. Albert is an intrusion detection device that was provided... — Updated 3/7/2024
Dam compact words matter
Let’s take a few words that should be on the minds of all Eastern Washingtonians concerned over efforts to breach Snake River dams — agreement, restoration and sovereign, to... — Updated 2/29/2024
Small, but impactful Legislature wins
Let me begin with some political realities about your state Legislature. Republicans, and I am one, are in the minority. The Senate Republican Caucus, of which I am the chairwoman,... — Updated 2/29/2024
Beef cow type, then and now, Part 2
Welcome to 2024! Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that I was thinking that graduating from high school in 1977 would be an eternity in the future. Now I appreciate... — Updated 2/22/2024
Forest bill offers welcome change
Funny how it took a move into the country before a Democrat would support efforts to clean up our forests. Last week, Senate Bill 6121 passed the Senate unanimously. The bill sponso... — Updated 2/22/2024
State needs more law officers
There was a time many years ago when our state was generally safe and did not have a serious crime problem. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, that was then and this is now.... — Updated 2/15/2024
Wisdom needed for wind farm decisions
I went to a community meeting about a proposed wind generation project encompassing Reardan and Davenport. First off. This project and the one in southern Lincoln county are huge. These have the economic power to rival or eclipse a... — Updated 2/15/2024
Windfarms an unnecessary eyesore
If you haven’t seen how ugly wind farms are you need to get out more. Go south to Colfax or Dayton and look at how they have destroyed the beauty of the rolling hills of the Palouse and breaks of the Tucannon in Whitman and... — Updated 2/15/2024
Take 'Gotcha!' out of records requests
When state voters adopted the state’s Public Records Act in 1972, they wanted to make sure state, county and city governments operate openly and are transparent to the people.... — Updated 2/8/2024
Charting a Sustainable Energy Future
As Washington stands at a pivotal moment in shaping its energy future, it becomes increasingly clear that adopting sensible, forward-thinking solutions is crucial for a reliable,... — Updated 2/8/2024
Endorsement: Vote in support of school levies
It’s the cold of winter. Temperatures hover, apparently, anywhere between -10 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. On a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday night, where do Lincoln County citizens... — Updated 2/1/2024
EV battery recycling a huge effort
Each year Americans throw away more than three billion batteries constituting 180,000 tons of hazardous material. The situation is likely to get worse as the world shifts to lithium... — Updated 2/1/2024
State parks failing at Palouse Falls, Lyons
Two years ago, Washington State Parks bureaucrats in Tumwater hatched a plan to address so-called “overcrowding” at Palouse Falls. The plan was to close and relocate the... — Updated 2/1/2024
State's energy policies costly
“The possibility of a global environmental apocalypse has been dominating headlines and exercises a powerful hold on the imaginations of millions of people,” according to... — Updated 1/25/2024
Democrats push tax hike bill
It seems like every year the Democrats, who have voting majorities in the Senate and House, in Olympia introduce legislation to raise or create taxes, no matter how much revenue... — Updated 1/25/2024
New recourse against wolves
There are at least 216 gray wolves in 37 packs in our state. Thirty-one of those gray wolf packs are in North-Central and Northeastern Washington. Senate Bill 5939 – relating to... — Updated 1/17/2024
Booking photo RCW needs clarification
Unclear language in a few state RCWs may be leading to inequities in the public about the release of booking photos for jail and prison inmates. The main culprit is RCW 70.48.100,... — Updated 1/17/2024
Biden needs to expose Dam plan to reality
The $33 billion secret Snake River Dam plan that President Biden and friends cooked up in the White House basement needs to be exposed to the light of day and thoroughly aired by... — Updated 1/11/2024
Breaching dams isn't the answer
Monumental Dam has a concrete fish ladder. Its lock works for barge. Rather than breach the dam – or others on the Lower Snake River – how about using a tunnel-boring machine to notch an on the side an additional zig-zag fish... — Updated 1/11/2024
Legislative priorities this year
Monday featured opening-day ceremonies in the Senate and House chambers, followed by a joint legislative session in the House chamber on Tuesday for Gov. (Jay) Inslee’s final... — Updated 1/11/2024
Reintroduce bill to ban dwarf-tossing
Persons who have dwarfism (also referred to as “little people”) frequently experience employment discrimination. Although they can perform any job task well – often needing only a stool – employers frequently reject them... — Updated 1/11/2024
Military money is a Golden Egg
Aesop’s fable warns against killing the goose laying golden eggs. The tale’s origins date to 600 B.C. and tells of the greedy farmer who foolishly killed the prized goose to... — Updated 1/4/2024