Letters to the Editor

Wrongful seizure of property

In November 2018, a whistleblower wrote a letter of concern related to the seizure and sale of property seized in drug busts to commissioners, auditor, and prosecuting attorney of Adams County.

The complaint was subsequently investigated by the State Auditors Office. We obtained a copy of the letter and the auditor’s report. We set about researching the several questions raised as to the ethics and propriety of how our Sheriff’s Office has handled seized property, and whether anyone has wrongly personally benefitted.

The auditor’s Management Letter for Adams County for January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017, said, “We did identify one vehicle sold to an immediate family member of the Department, however there is no state law or County policy prohibiting this”.

Jimmy Deez led us to find the state law related to government employee Ethics.

R.C.W. 42.23.070 says “No municipal officer may use his or her position to secure special privileges for himself, herself, or others”.

This vehicle was not advertised as all the other vehicles were, was sold for half market value, and was alleged to have a salvaged title, although a VINCheck search of that vehicle shows no history of ever having a salvaged title.

We have informed commissioners, auditor, and prosecuting attorney, along with the state Auditor’s and State Attorney’s offices of our concerns.

We await their findings.

– Sean Bates

Othello WA

Vanderholm should listen to health officials

In last week’s edition, it was disappointing to learn the school superintendent, with the backing of the board, is pushing to move to Stage 5-Full Reopen against the guidance of our Health Department.

The incidence rate within the county is well above the less than 25/100,000 threshold, a precondition for moving forward. What data were used to justify this change?

In September, because the administration did little to plan for anything other than in-person learning, we made the decision to disenroll our four kids. Our hope has been that next year we can send them back.

Dr. Brezezny said with more contagious COVID-19 variants coming, “School districts should be reducing opportunities for spread, not increasing them.” Instead, Vanderholm said, “I feel the pressure from the students to move forward.”

Instead of bending to the will of students, Vanderholm should set an example by following the advice of health officials.

We agree the emotional health of students is important; what has the District done to serve the mental health of its students? Or, is the push to reopen a result of the districts bleeding money because, when given the opportunity to plan and reimagine how a system can function in the face of a pandemic, they just chose not to?

The irony — the story is directly next to it reports the Othello School chose to close, following the county health officer- 75 years ago.

Damon and Morgane Roth

– Ritzville

Newhouse let down

“RINO” Dan Newhouse has caused us to lose the greatest president in U.S. history.

I have been asking Washington State Republican Chairman Caleb Heimlich to initiate RINO Dan’s immediate removal from office. Dan was undermining Donald Trump during the 2016 primary and voting to impeach him shows Dan hasn’t stopped.

Dan is no different than RINO Mitt Romney, who is still calling for President Trump’s impeachment.

Newhouse has given me his word twice and never kept it – first in writing at a 2014 general election voter forum with now Franklin County Commission Chairman Clint Didier. Dan swore again publicly Aug. 2, 2017, that he would meet jointly with the state congressional delegation to ask President Trump for a meeting (Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers can verify it) to fast track completion of the Columbia Basin projects and the expansion of Washington ports.

History clearly shows Didier or myself would have better represented Washington’s 4th Congressional District voters.

Washington State Economic Development NP has offered to work directly with Dan for six years to bring more than $2 billion dollars of preexisting revenue, without any new taxes required to the project.

Dan has undermined President Trump in succeeding on bringing the largest economic development and jobs project in U.S. history to Washington state.

It’s time for voters to recall RINO Dan Newhouse.

Glen R. Stockwell

– Ritzville