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For the fifth straight year, I’ve introduced a bill that aims to help school districts in Washington address their building-maintenance needs. Senate Bill 5403 would allow school districts to create a “depreciation subfund” that can receive a transfer of up to 2% of a school district’s general fund each fiscal year. This bill would provide another path for school districts to handle building- or facility-maintenance needs. Sometimes it can be better for a school district to pay cash for a building repair or to set aside m...
Washington state has high tax rates — gas, property, you name it. Government agencies billions of tax dollars annually from residents and businesses here. So why then are government agencies taking Washington taxpayer dollars and buying goods and services out-of-state, goods and services that are readily abundant in Washington? Those agencies are penalizing state taxpayers (residents and businesses) for paying the high taxes the agencies collected under burdensome r...
WARNS. Interesting acronym for a survey being pushed by the state Department of Education, Washington State University and public schools statewide. The Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students has been around a few years, but largely disappeared during the coronavirus shutdowns — when students were at home and parents would have an opportunity to see it, read the questions and determine appropriateness. But now that classes are back in-person statewide, the s...
The following incidents were reported by Cheney police between Jan. 9-15 Jan. 9 Third-degree theft. 100 Block College Ave. Stolen: wallet containing WADL, credit/debits cards, misc. ID cards, $130 cash Warrant arrest. Cottonwood, ID. (Prisoner being released from ID prison and had active felony warrant related to 2018 Cheney case-second-degree rape, third-degree rape of child, communication w/minor for immoral purposes). Arrested: Buddy D. Robbins, 38 year old male Recovered: stolen vehicle. 100 Block E. Betz Rd. Recovered:...
You’ve heard it said in the Pacific Northwest that, during the winter, we see a long stretch of bleak weather followed by a temporary rise in temperatures around mid-January, a “false winter” as it is sometimes called. Well, according to the Farmer’s Almanac for 2022-2023, the unusually warm weather we’ve been experiencing the past few weeks may just be the herald of real, honest-to-goodness spring. Granted, meteorological predictions aren’t perfect, but Farmer’s Almanac’s pre...
The legislative session is in full swing, which means a lot of lawmakers are interested in picking winners and losers. Instead of creating equal opportunities, an equality of outcome is being sought. The Washington Future Fund, proposed in Senate Bill 5125 and House Bill 1094, is being heard this morning and later this week. Senate Democrats write that the bill “seeks to break the cycle of generational poverty by making a one-time deposit of $4,000 into an account for each baby in Washington born into poverty.” Over the yea...
We are back at the state Capitol for the 2023 legislative session, which began Jan. 9 and is set to last 105 days, ending April 23. After being forced to endure a virtual legislative session in 2021 and last year due to restrictions caused by COVID-19, we’re encouraged that the Legislature has returned to near-normal in terms of how committee meetings and floor sessions are conducted. In the two previous legislative sessions, citizens weren’t allowed to attend committee meetings or floor sessions in person. Instead, they had...
CHENEY — A local lawmaker says two environmental laws from the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee that took effect Jan. 1 are already causing a fuel price increase. Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler or Ritzville, who represents the 9th Legislative District, said the Washington Independent Energy Distributors Association is reporting the increase in less than a week of new laws taking effect. Wholesale gasoline and diesel prices have risen statewide as a result of the “cap-and-tax” law and the law creating...
Coupled with the rapid growth of data centers we rely upon for internet service and information storage is an increased demand for electricity to power millions of computers and cool the mammoth buildings in which they operate. Data center computers are integral to our everyday life and store everything from cooking recipes to complex engineering blueprints. They are heavy power users consuming 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office. Energy in...
It is time to change the way things are done in our nation’s capital---the “Other Washington!” The year-end Christmas dash to pass a $1.7 trillion spending monstrosity is the straw breaking the camel’s back. It is a 4,000-page document which lawmakers freely admit they did not read. To put the problem into perspective that one bill contains 17 times more money than the entire two-year state budget for Washington. It’s an unfathomable sum of money and its vast scope has not gone unnoticed outside the D.C. beltway. It is fue...
For many, the new year brings with it a mix of complex emotions, desires, speculations, hopes, and plans. For Rick Bechtel, interim police chief at the Cheney PD, new years doesn’t herald any particularly rigorous self-reflection, mostly because he already has a system of discipline that keeps him on track and thankful. “Gosh,” Rick says with a laugh and a smile, “I guess I want to lose a few pounds and be a little better than I was last year.” Rick and I talked for a while ab...
The Washington State Auditor has completed a performance audit of the Employment Security Department and has found the agency still has not corrected its systemic performance and fraud problems uncovered during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the complete failure of the agency to handle pandemic unemployment claims, which culminated in the resignation of Commissioner Suzi LeVine in 2021, state lawmakers passed several key pieces of legislation to require the agency to reform many of its internal processes and increase...
Looking ahead to 2023 one of the most significant shifts America needs is to return to an “All of the Above” strategy which expands our energy options rather than further restricting them. That strategy was incorporated in the 2005 Energy Policy Act signed into law by President George W. Bush. It was inclusive and focused on incremental improvements coupled with innovation. However, in the last couple of years, our political leaders have hastily and unwisely narrowed fuel opt...
As the dawn of a new year approaches, it is important to pause and take stock of ourselves, and of the many mercies and comforts we enjoy. After all, “Gratitude,” Cicero said, “is not the greatest of the virtues, it is the parent of them all.” Of course, much has been lost in our society, and even more has been changed by the passage of these last few years. But not all that undergoes a sea-change in the wake of a storm is unsalvageable; in fact, some of the most preciou...
A strong mind and body are crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I learned that while recently completing basic training for the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Okla. I was never a stranger to the gym. In fact, I spent every morning working out at FIT gym in downtown Colfax prior to leaving for the military. As a regular there, I always focused on strength training and cardio. Afterward, I would get my morning cappuccino and find myself at my desk in the bullpen at The Whitman...
Throughout history, there have been two political parties — one for the people, and one for the aristocracy. At times, the party for the people has been snuffed out. This is one of those times. The “Democrat/RINO” party and “Republican/Trump” party are both for the billionaire class. If in doubt, one needs only to look at government spending, which consists of an enormous transfer of wealth from the working people to the billionaires. If further proof is required, government’s violations of the Bill of Rights illuminate...
The Holiday Season is an especially difficult time for anyone grieving lost loved ones. Evergreen wreaths placed on veterans’ graves across America help to ease that pain. More than 2.5 million red-ribboned wreaths were placed by thousands of volunteers, including many family members, on December 17. Those wreaths are made from clippings of balsam firs dedicated to deceased veterans. Each tree growing in Maine has the “dog tags” identifying the fallen service member. The t...
As a youngster, I looked forward to Christmas. I loved the food, the traditions and especially the presents — what kid doesn’t? In high school and college, the luster subsided. As a wrestler, Christmas was a time for fasting so I didn’t have to move up a weight class. I dreaded running extra bleachers, doing additional up-downs and all the “fat man” jokes from teammates. Christmas would become just one of those “OK” holidays for me after college. As a journalist, I...
The $5.4 billion expansion of the Panama Canal is paying off for East Coast and Gulf of Mexico seaports. It is putting pressure on the Pacific Ocean-based terminals to be more competitive. The enlarged waterway opened in June 2016 allowing much larger container ships to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Ships carrying up to 14,800 containers can now bypass Washington and other West Coast docks and deliver containers directly to cities from Houston to New York. The older canal accommodates ships with 5,000...
Former state senator and current state Director of Commerce Lisa Brown rightly describes the difficulties a small business startup faces in Washington. Brown says the state Department of Commerce is helping small business owners navigate the complicated array of regulations and mandates that the very same government agency had previously imposed. But Brown completely glosses over the underlying problem small businesses face when they first start; that is, over complex government regulations. Instead of pouring money into...
A 2017 article in the Cheney Free Press (Cheney Changes Plowing Ordinance, 2017-02-16) suggested that enhancements to future snow removal would prioritize safe pedestrian travel. My experience as a pedestrian during the winter in Cheney is quite the opposite. City plows frequently barricade sidewalks, often undoing citizen removal efforts and preventing safe access. These same sidewalks are used by our neighbors and children to reach schools, work, and bus stops. The most recent storm has Cheney Middle School students...
I’ll soon be hopping into the pickup for the long drive from Olympia back home to Ritzville. These past few days were spent in our state capital for Senate Assembly Days, which has included several committee, caucus and individual meetings. Things got busy even before I reached Olympia. On my way west last Tuesday, I stopped in Ellensburg to meet with the new president of Central Washington University, Jim Wohlpart, over a cup of coffee. We had a good chat about a number of topics, including Central’s capital-budget nee...
In June, Gov. Jay Inslee dictated that there would be a permanent COVID-19 vaccine mandate in our fair land that extended beyond the reach of his emergency powers. When the Legislature convenes in the new year, our other elected representatives need to try and swim the moat to take that unfair requirement away. I was told it might be possible with a budget proviso. For now, rules have been written — effective Nov. 4 — and a COVID-19 vaccine is now required for taxpayer-funded employment in state executive and small cabinet ag...
Cheney Free Press Dec. 9, 1932 Lucas Walsh The G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) was a men’s organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who fought in the American Civil War. Like many cities across the United States during the first part of the twentieth century, Cheney was home to several veterans of that conflict. One such resident, Thomas E. Ross, was the last living veteran of the Civil War, and last member of the GAR fraternity. Members of the America Legion acted as pall-bearers for Ross’s casket as it was...
CHENEY – What defines community? The character of a town is surely a collection of things, some of which have to do with entertainment, food, and residents. But I would say that community is a state of being; it is the relationship between all the people in the area and the overall atmosphere of how they engage with each other. So, as you read about your local police department’s chaplain in our community section, or view the Dow Excavation company’s Christmas decorations on t...
