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I immensely agree with Frank Watson, Cheney Free Press, guest commentary, May 10, 2018. There are two reasons I do not teach for a living. One, the Washington Education Association, I didn’t want to HAVE TO PAY an organization I didn’t agree with. Two, teaching to a test is boring. We wouldn’t need Friday late starts if they were not teaching to a test; they may not even realize it any more. My dad made less than a first-year teacher makes now when he retired. I knew I wasn’t going into teaching for the money. We had excelle...
What is happening to this country I love? Every day our present government is making life more difficult for many people, the latest is separating children from their families at the border: and among those, 20 percent (1,500) are missing — some babies awnd toddlers. Trump’s Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly reports that they are either in foster care or “wherever.” I am outraged and saddened. Who is thinking up these terrible policies? What’s more, standing alongside of these government officials day after day is our smiling r...
Every now and again I come across something that is unbelievably dumb. It seems that there is currently an epidemic of very stupid things in the news. I don’t have space enough to cover them all, so I have selected three that my old friend Oscar would say, “are as dumb as a whole box of rocks.” It should come as no surprise that the second runner-up comes from the far side of the Cascades. It seems that King County is suing the five major oil companies for global warming. The petition alleges that the oil companies provi...
On Sunday (May 27), actor/musician Gary Sinise will again co-host the National Memorial Day Concert from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. It will be the 29th annual concert on the 150th anniversary of Memorial Day. The format is much the same as in past years. Sinise and Criminal Minds star Joe Mantegna team with retired Army Gen. Colin Powell to remember those who have sacrificed for our country, our freedom and our way of life. It will attract millions of viewers across...
In a world where the important things — like Harry and Meghan’s wedding — command so much of some people’s attention, stuff tends to slip through the cracks of our consciousness. North Korea, Syria, spies from the “Deep State,” Bitcoin, etc., etc., etc. One of those things that probably got lost in the buzz recently was the matter of something called net neutrality which, for most, has the equivalent radar blip of cricket vs. the NBA playoffs. Like tennis, the topic has b...
Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s attempt to influence the 2016 election is getting more and more press lately. The prosecutor and his team are not actually tasked with finding out if the Russians tried to influence the election. That is the purview of the FBI. The special prosecutor law limits investigations to alleged misconduct of federal elected officials while in office. Thus, Mueller’s team is investigating whether or not someone in our government worked with the Russians in an alleged attempt to influence ou...
Growing up with technology, I never really wrote letters to people because I could just send a text or make a phone call instead. Well that all changes when you have a loved one at basic training and writing a letter is the only form of communication you have. Even though it has been difficult to not talk to your person every day, I have gotten into a routine with writing letters and I have grown to love it. That must be the journalist side of me. Also considering that I had never really been into sending mail before, I also...
StageWest Community Theatre ended it’s 2017-2018 season with a bang. The past weekend saw StageWest last three performances of “Seeds of Change” by local author Craig Rickett. We had great audiences all three performances with our dinner theatre being sold out. StageWest would like to thank Mike Hartman for once again serving up a delicious dinner for Saturday night. StageWest would also like to humbly thank the congregation of Emmanuel Lutheran Church for their very generous allowance of the use of their building for all o...
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, reported in a national NBC investigation “Policing the Schools” (Feb. 27, 2017), during the 2013-2014 school year the rate of student referral to law enforcement in the Cheney School District was 9.86 per 1,000 students. This was over twice the national rate of 4.47, and over three times the Washington rate of 2.94. Twelve of the 43 (28 percent) of these students were reported as having a disability; four of the 12 disabled students referred to...
The Trump Administration unveiled an agenda for “energy dominance” shortly after taking office, promising to curb the global influence of countries like Russia and China with American energy exports. Whether or not the administration succeeds will depend a great deal on ongoing trade talks with Canada and Mexico. U.S. negotiators continue to discuss terms to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the trade pact between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. NAFTA has fostered a thriving North American energy mar...
My first teaching job was in a Spokane middle school. I was hired for one semester while an experienced teacher had both knees replaced. It was an interesting assignment. A week or so after I began, I was given notes for the kids to take home announcing an upcoming open house. I assumed I was included, so I showed up at the announced date and time to discover I was the only teacher there. The principal informed me that this activity was not in the union contract, and teachers were not allowed to attend. As I was not a member...
I am constantly amazed at how much our nation can sometimes resemble a Third World country. Having been to a couple, one of my observations is that normal day-to-day activities often function without any semblance of order or rules. Take driving, for instance. At times in Guatemala, it seems the basic rule of the road is “every person for themselves.” Change lanes or turn without signaling, force your way into traffic, sometimes without looking, inventive use of shoulders — like for passing, and generally engaging in a free...
I read an article in a liberal publication the other day. Although I lean to the right, I try to listen to arguments left of the middle. That is only fair. In this particular article, the author bemoaned the fact that his poor brother-in-law was being victimized by his rich neighbor. The brother-in-law didn’t go to college and had few marketable skills, so he had spent much of his life dependent on public assistance and can barely afford gas for his old Chevy. When he found work, it was usually part time, minimum wage and n...
It is important to know the bills and votes of senators and representatives in Congress. This information is valuable to understand, as much of it is not reported in the regular articles of most papers or over TV or radio. What surprised me recently was our representative for the 5th District, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, voted to oppose a bill for a floor debate that would protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts to balance the budget in a constitutional amendment. In other words, her vote was to allow Social Security...
Few can argue the point these days that the overall atmosphere of this country is volatile. Thin skin abounds and there seems to rarely be time for deep thinking and thorough study of a topic. And heaven forbid trying to find that the truth DOES usually lie in the middle, rather than gobbling up what is spoon fed to us in whatever medium we receive our news and information. I’ve coined the term “skews” which I think adequately covers it on both sides of the ideological aisle...
The late great philosopher Yogi Berra once proclaimed: “The future ain’t what it used to be.” It sure ain’t! Lots has changed over the last 60 years since Yogi was the catcher for the legendary New York Yankees. Hopefully, in the years ahead, we will experience a return of respect for one another and our way of life which has been a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. Today, there is too little civility and the public discourse consists of subtle and not-so-...
I admire leaders who surround themselves with very smart people. Good managers use their experts to make their organizations better. It would seem that President Trump missed that lesson in management class. He has obviously been successful in business, successful enough to fund his own campaign. But managing a private business is different than administrating a government. The profit motive of private business is paramount to all other considerations. Not so in government. Private business is “for the stockholders.” Gov...
I was once reminded that courage comes from the heart, and to never lose the heart to do what is right. As I pondered this, I realized that the heart has throughout the ages been associated with the place where feelings, one’s spirit and confidence comes from. To have courage is to have the greatness of spirit in facing danger, difficult situations or simply doing what is right for the right reason. One of the biggest mistakes people make concerning courage is thinking that having courage means someone is not afraid. Fear a...
For some reason, this winter seemed to be extra long to me. I would dread going outside because I just hate being cold. Every time winter rolls around, I always question myself why I live here. The cold just makes me cranky. The only time that I appreciate the snow is Christmas, so by Dec. 26, I want it to be gone. That never happens though. So this past two weeks, nothing has made me happier than walking outside and feeling the warm sunshine. I guess that is the only positive thing about the dreaded cold months, it makes...
An independent government agency saved Americans from a massive de facto tax hike. Energy Secretary Rick Perry had proposed a multibillion-dollar bailout of failing coal and nuclear power plants. He wanted to give these plants taxpayer-funded subsidies to keep them afloat. Luckily, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made the right call and quashed the plan. Perry’s proposal — commonly called the notice of proposed rulemaking, or NOPR — would have granted government subsidies to any power plants capable of stori...
I can’t feel sorry for Stormy Daniels. This saga shows American politics at its worse. For those who haven’t followed the scandal in detail, let me recap the sequence of events as I understand them. In 2006, a sleazy British tabloid claimed a professional bad girl had a one-night stand with a rich American tycoon. The bad girl categorically denied the whole thing. Then, 10 years later the tycoon decides to run for president. The bad girl threatens to publicly expose the affair that she earlier denied unless she is paid a who...
“I’ll be the roundabout The words will make you out ‘n’ out I spend the day your way Call it morning driving thru the sound and in and out the valley.” In 1971 while touring Scotland, the English progressive rock band Yes traveled from Aberdeen to Glasgow and went through about “40 or so” roundabouts on the way. Their journey through the traffic calming devices among the mountains, influenced by a little weed, led singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe to pen their hit: “Roundabout.” It’s a happy little ditty off th...
I finished my taxes a few weeks ahead of the deadline. Yippee! Now I can worry about something else. When I talk to my friends, I find I am one of the few who prepares their own tax returns. Most are afraid to make a mistake or decide not to spend the time. The IRS publishes estimates of the time required to prepare each form. They are pretty accurate. By the time I read the instructions, sorted my files into the appropriate piles and completed the forms, I had invested more than three full days. I recall a big IRS push a...
Start with trust. It’s Better Business Bureau’s tagline, and consequently, the first of eight of BBB’s Standards of Trust. Trust is a buzzword, easily tossed around and much harder to define. But, it is at the core of much of what we do on a daily basis. Consider this: It’s Tuesday, and you’re driving around, rushing between work, errands and family commitments. Suddenly, that dreaded check engine light pops up. Inevitably, you think you do not have the time, and possibly the money, to deal with this. Nonetheless, you drop...
Perhaps the following belongs on the sports page? Maybe in Neighbors or in obits? Or possibly nowhere on these pages? But in what I always call a “target-rich” environment for op-ed, the opportunity to reflect is a great way to shift gears, let the high revving motor of our daily lives run at idle and have the tires cool down. What a perfect segue. For the better part of two hours last Saturday I sat in a pew at a Spokane Valley church listening to stories. And if told in a c...
