Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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OLYMPIA - An initiative prohibiting the imposition of a state income tax was approved March 5 by the Legislature. "This is a great day for everyone in Washington," said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. "Codifying Washington's long-standing tradition of opposing any state tax on personal income will help working families and local economies...When common-sense conservative policies lead the way, things get better for everyone." At the hearing on the initiative, every chair in the jo...
OLYMPIA — A bill written to reduce the number of rejected ballots in elections is on its way to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk. Signature verification is done to curtail fraud in mail-in ballots. But, state officials say, too often people change the way they sign their name or they don’t sign their ballot at all. That results in a rejection of their ballot. Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, introduced Senate Bill 5890 after reviewing statistics on ballot rejection rates. The bill received unanimous approval in both the House and Sen...
OLYMPIA — A proposal in the Legislature calls for neonicotinoid pesticides — known for their harmful effects on the nervous systems of insects — to be banned for household use. Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, sponsored the measure, Senate Bill 5972; he blames the use of the pesticides for killing bees, butterflies and other pollinators. “About 1/3 of our agricultural sector needs pollination to thrive, and our pollinators, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds in this state are under more and more threat,” Liias said. Opponents...
OLYMPIA — A bill being considered in the state House of Representatives would require schools to keep alternative sexual livestyle books on the shelves in schools. House Bill 2331 would prevent school districts from rejecting or censoring educational materials associated with so-called “protected” sexual lifestyles. In Washington, many schools adhere to a “model policy” for reviewing objections. Initially, a teacher or librarian is consulted regarding a book. If a parent objects, alternative material is provided for their...
OLYMPIA - Facing health and safety hazards and experiencing overcrowding, in May 2023 the original Irving R. Newhouse Building on the capitol campus in Olympia was entirely demolished and construction of a new building began. The building is named for the father of 4th Congressional Rep. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside. The district includes western Adams County. But there are rumors of the new building getting a new name. As a result, Rep. Bryan Sandlin, R-Zillah, representing the...
OLYMPIA - Amanda Knox, the Seattle resident who spent nearly four years in an Italian prison for a murder she did not commit, offered heartfelt testimony Jan. 8 in favor of a bill that would prevent law enforcement officers from using deception during interrogations. "I was interrogated overnight by police officers who claimed to have evidence against me, who claimed that there were witnesses who could place me at the crime scene," Knox said. "They lied to me. I did not know...
OLYMPIA – Public safety should be a top priority for this year's legislative session, Gov. Jay Inslee and bipartisan state legislators said on the eve of the 2024 legislative session. "We need additional officers on the street," Inslee told reporters last week. "And to help local police forces find their additional officers, I'm proposing a $10 million grant program." Washington ranks 50th in the nation for the number of law enforcement officers per capita, Inslee said. At t...