Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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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...
I am requesting the attention of all Washingtonians, but especially Christians. Please vote in this year’s election. The issues we face are serious. Transgender ideology has infected our children’s schools. Grocery bills are painfully high. Christian values are being silenced and slandered. My current home, Texas, is being trespassed by violent criminals being allowed into our country daily. And my home state Washington, you too are among the victims — especially women and girls. We should be outraged. But the sad reali...
We would like to endorse Dan Blankenship to be reelected for the position of Adams County Commissioner District No. 1. He has held numerous leadership positions throughout his career and has used these experiences to be an effective advocate for progress in Adams County. We have known Dan for 40 years and he has always been fiscally responsible and mindful of how the taxpayer’s dollars are used. He has helped bring broadband access to our county and funding for road repairs such as the repaving project for Schoonover Road. W...
We know President Trump’s four-year track record — no wars, secure borders, energy independence (selling oil instead of buying from our enemies), lowest unemployment in decades, highest employment of black persons, fulfilled promise to bring U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, built up our military, initiated Space Force to help protect America and still fighting for America despite getting shot and a second attempt on his life by Democrat operatives. And that’s only a partial list. We also know Kamala Harris’ track record. As Cali...
Dan Blankenship is a dynamic leader who has a history of delivering results for the people of Adams County. We first starting working together for our region when he was leading for the Wheat Growers Association. His passion and deep understanding of the issues, including fierce advocacy for securing funding for bridges, roads, and the Adams County jail, have rightfully earned him the trust of Adams County. Together, we secured funding for jail improvements as well as funding for the Booker Road bridge across the East Low...
Please join me in supporting Dan Blankenship for Adams County Commissioner. Working with Commissioner Blankenship since he was elected has been a privilege for me. Commissioner Blankenship is knowledgeable on issues affecting Adams County and has a roll up the sleeves attitude to get things done. Commissioner Blankenship has been effective securing funds for vital needs in the county and is respected by my legislative colleagues. Please join me in my support of Commissioner Blankenship. Rep. Joe Schmick Co...
What a lovely day was had May 25, when the Ritzville Museum’s hosted the first cornhole tournament on the lawn of the Burroughs Home. Fourteen teams registered to play, competition was high, with participants of all ages. Prizes were awarded to first and second place teams, Phil Peterson and Wes Tracy taking first and Jason Heider and Dusty Breazeale in second. Root beer floats were served and enjoyed by many spectators who sat on the porch and around the lawn, while many toured the Burroughs Home. A raffle was held with d...
This week, from April 14-20, we join the nation in celebrating National Telecommunications Week. This important occasion gives us the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the vital contributions of our dedicated dispatchers in law enforcement. Our dispatchers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of our operations. They are often the first point of contact during emergencies, handling calls with professionalism, empathy and efficiency. Their ability...
Carmela Conroy gives Eastern Washington voters the unusual, important opportunity to elect a foreign policy expert as their U.S. Representative. As a foreign service officer for 24 years, she served in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Norway, New Zealand and Tom Foley’s Japan office. Voters must weigh foreign policy experience much more than usual in their 2024 voting decisions. Foreign policy expertise is also prerequisite for ending the tragic Israeli-Palestinian conflict that Trump has accepted uncaringly. Like retiring Rep. Cathy M...
Let’s have a look at the benefits of dams to human life with a special focus on Grand Coulee Dam. It is the largest hydroelectric producing facility in the U.S. and provides enough electricity to power about 2 million households every year, 68% of all Washington state households. Please keep in mind too, that it is just one of 145 hydroelectric dams in the state. Grand Coulee dam prompted the creation of the “U.S. Bureau of Reclamations Columbia Basin Project” which converted 670,000 acres (over 1,000 square-miles) of forme...
“Polluters pay. People get a carbon cashback” sums up the impact that the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act would have. The EICDA was re-introduced in the House of Representatives last September and is currently languishing in committees. Briefly, the EICDA puts a price on carbon at the source of the fossil fuels – the well, mine, or imported tanker – therefore making it simple to administer and uniform across sources of greenhouse gases. It would take the revenue from the price on carbon and distribute it to every i...
A special report urges the mobilization of civic leaders, organizations, businesses and all residents to work together to save the state’s Public Records Act. The report is available online for viewing and downloading at washcog.org. State lawmakers and the courts continue to whittle away at the landmark public records law, which was adopted overwhelmingly with a citizens’ initiative in 1972. Since then, state legislators have passed more than 650 exceptions and have tried repeatedly to exempt themselves. Residents argued in...
Each season, Ritzville Water Park employs an average of 15 residents (mostly high school age) and is a popular stopping point to thousands of local and out of town visitors. The facility boasts two swimming areas, a diving board and a large yellow waterslide, making it easily recognizable. Ritzville Water Park is now more than two decades old, and has not had an opportunity for the featured attractions, such as the waterslide and diving board to be restored or replaced. Due to the age of the facility and being constantly...
As climate disruption becomes more evident, more people are empowered to advocate for climate mitigation. This advocacy is positive, but climate advocates must choose their words carefully for their message to be most effective. Advocates need humility because we don’t have all the answers. For instance, while the climate science fundamentals are well-established, it is a relatively new field and probably still holds plenty of surprises. Humility is necessary because renewable energy development will make mistakes, just l...
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 ladder? The answer is cooperation or compromise – not contempt or hard-headed, extremism on breaching. Sen. Murray, Gov. Jay Inslee and President Joe Biden need to step back and look at the whole picture. Errol Kramer Odessa/Ritzville...
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 during interview. Bars and strip clubs exploit the resulting financial problems by hiring “LPs” for dwarf-tossing events, where bar patrons pay to physically throw an them in front of a crowd of laughing and jeering customers. LPs very frequently have skeletal (especially spinal) issues requiring multiple su...
Christmas season is upon us. From the time we were children, most of us heard carols, sung songs, sent cards with , “Peace on Earth, good will towards men.” Yet, we humans continue the violence and killing. This year it is especially terrible because it is taking place near the headquarters of religions that claim peace and where Jesus was born. Concerning the war on Gaza, experts keep saying that the situation is very complicated and solutions do not come easily. The conflict has been ongoing for years. Nevertheless, the...
I am writing to express my concern regarding the lack of attention given to non-partisan candidate Anthony Hudson in your coverage of the presidential race. As a blue-collar man with a message that has resonated with over 60 million people, Hudson represents a significant portion of the American population that deserves to be heard. It is disheartening to witness the prevalence of media bias in the current political landscape. While the media plays a crucial role in informing the public and shaping public opinion, it is...
The Israel/Hamas situation is a perfect example of how losing touch with our religious and political traditions makes all of us sniveling idiots. Religion gone bad is the reason Jews and Muslims are at each other’s throats today, and the reason why American Christianity is complicit with all the inhumanity. Israel’s lop-sided military holocaust in Gaza is a flowering public relations disaster for democracy, Israel, Joe Biden, American Jewry, the American war industry, monopolist media companies, religion, the Republican par...
The Building Integrated Grids With Inter-Regional Energy Supply (BIG WIRES) Act is a promising bipartisan bill in Congress that offers a wide range of benefits: reducing the risk of electrical power outages, lowering carbon emissions and energy costs, and increasing national security. The recent gas pipeline rupture in our region gave many of us a taste of how a blackout in winter would feel. Extreme weather events damaging power stations and overloading the grid are on the rise. The bill will require each U.S....
Physicians and health-care workers across the state have experienced unprecedented stress and hardship over the past several years. Despite this, physicians in Davenport and Odessa took and continue to take the time to help train medical students. We are thankful to the extensive network of physicians throughout Eastern and Central Washington who believe in “paying it forward,” because of the training they received from preceptors and mentors when they were medical students. We’ve learned that despite added layers of complexi...
Our problem is not that there is too much “fake news.” Our problem is that too many people believe it. Fortunately, there is an “antidope” — epistemology , the theory of knowledge or “how we know what we know.” Epistemology is a good solution because it has validity tests to distinguish between justified belief and opinion. And this distinction is central to most disagreements. Epistemology has simple and clarifying definitions, e.g., Truth has the property that corresponds with facts and reality. Can you imagine how m...
Early in Barack Obama’s presidency, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his most important achievement would be to make Obama a one-term president. Ever since, McConnell has opposed anything Democrats have introduced, even if originally Republican-proposed (e.g., Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts health plan predating Obamacare). This includes blocking legislation Obama and subsequent Democrats continually propose to rescue lower- and middle-income workers, many unjustly left behind. Lately, McConnell has...
Last week, I received this card and wanted to share it with all of you. “Hello Mayor Kadlec… My name is Loraine, and I am traveling across the U.S. with my friend, and we stopped into your quaint town. Our first stop was the Railroad Station (the museum was closed), but we really appreciated the placards with descriptions! The history of the building posted was AMAZING! The folks at your drugstore (where I purchased this card) were so friendly & helpful!! I also happened to meet the lady that is in charge of the Senior Cen...
If you are unaware of what happened July 17 or the scope of the tragedy, take a short road trip up West Main Street onto VanVleet Road and down Gun Club Road. Look all around you and across the freeway. It is hard to believe our Ritzville Volunteer Fire Department, with the help of other fire departments, the employees of the city of Ritzville, the police from our city and county, and countless others were able to control and put out that fire. The next time you see a person who works for the city, volunteers for the Fire...