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I came very close to sending a letter last week about the front page article and photograph of the man on the ground in handcuffs surrounded by four well-armed white officers disturbed me greatly at first glance. I think it’s safe to say that most of us are beyond fatigued by the past few years of dissension and political and social unrest. For that reason, I didn’t send a letter — but the next week’s paper, featuring three other viewpoints mirroring my own thoughts and reactions to both the article and the choice to publish...
The variant that was described in your article “U.K coronavirus variant detected in Spokane County (Cheney Free Press, March 18)” seems to be dangerous because of how quickly and easily it spreads. This seems like it can cause another spike of cases in the area since it is already being seen that the variant is found in people locally. We know that such diseases are contagious so local could even turn out national as people are still traveling. Especially after Governor Inslee has allowed every county to go into phase 3 of...
OLYMPIA — Last week, the Legislature got a terrific piece of news. State tax collections have rebounded despite one of the worst economic situations we’ve ever faced. The latest projection adds $3.3 billion, and we’re right back where we were before the COVID shutdown. The strange thing about it was the reaction of our Democratic colleagues. They said they wouldn’t let this good news stand in the way of their brave and noble effort to impose an income tax on the people of Washington. And never mind that the voters keep sa...
Years ago, the pork industry ran a campaign touting its product as the “other white meat.” It was angling to ally itself with the “chicken-is-healthier-than-red-meat” crowd. Most people saw it for what it was: a cynical ploy. Today, when it comes to white men, the sound and fury is all coming from the red meat crowd — riot-endorsers Sens. Josh Hawley and flyin’ Ted Cruz, and Rep. Louie Gohmert, to name a few. (No, Tucker Carlson, this is not an assault on hamburgers.) So where are the “other” white men? Who wear masks, bel...
In regards to the article, “Crash damages building, vehicle,” published 4 March 2021 in the Cheney Free Press, I have questions, I have comments, mostly, I have concern. If the title of the article is “Crash damages building, vehicle,” why does the front page picture depict two police cars, three uniformed officers, two potential emergency medical responders, and one handcuffed man lying on his side on the ground? I hope the answer is not for effect. I came to “effect” as my own answer since the picture tucked away on page ei...
Wow, our representative for U.S. Congress, Cathy McMorris Rodgers is so lucky. She has continued to vote with the majority of the Republicans to make life harder for most people in Eastern Washington. Yet, she loses most of the time, as the Democrats push forward bills that improve lives and lighten the financial load for most people. Our representative has a stellar record of voting more than 60 times against better healthcare for the American people. Against the Affordable Care Act. Then, she voted against Expanding Voting...
My son wanted to wrestle this season but unfortunately due to COVID-19 and Jay Inslee there has been no wrestling in Washington. From a friend we learned that Idaho was allowing their athletes to compete. Upon ascertaining this information, and pursuing proper channels, my son has the opportunity to wrestle this year. Specifically, last month we entered an Idaho gym to sign my son up for wrestling. We were astonished when we walked into the arena. Two hundred-plus parents and wrestlers sitting in the bleachers, 30 youngsters...
The Cheney School District is proposing to adopt a Policy named “Civility” in its next meeting on March 24. To read it you will need to ask them for a copy of New Policy 2195. This policy is a threat to free speech and liberty even though it says it isn’t. Proponents of these kind of policies and laws always claim it is not a threat. It is full of undefined, procedures and rules on what is “uncivil conduct.” I have two examples of what has happened with these kind of policies: 1. As a Veteran of the Viet Nam war, I worked wi...
The 2021 legislative session is more than halfway over, and there are still a host of issues vying for the attention of lawmakers and the public. From the governor’s emergency powers to legislation strengthening our DUI laws, debate has been passionate and the consequences have been high. With so much going on, it’s easy to lose track of one the biggest issues of the pre-COVID era — the lack of affordable housing — unless you are one of the families facing the housing crunch....
What a jarring image of a shackled Black man on the ground on the front page of last week’s Cheney Free Press (March 4). I can’t help but wonder if a white suspect would have been similarly depicted. Kristin Mansfield Cheney...
On Friday, March 5, my friend texted me and asked what I thought of the picture on the front page of this week’s (March 4) Free Press. I had not gotten the paper yet, so had to wait to respond. Cheney cops standing around while an obviously handcuffed black man lay on the ground met my eyes. Surely, the headline would clear up the mystery as to why this man was laying on the ground. But the sterile headline read: “Crash damages building, vehicles.” A poor headline that does not give any idea of how combative the man must...
I was disappointed by the picture chosen for the front page of last week’s Free Press (March 4). In the current climate and awareness of Black Lives Matter, I felt the picture was in very poor taste. I don’t question the man’s innocence, guilt, or involvement. What I question is the selection of a picture showing a black man prone on the ground with four white male officers standing nearby. Had the crash involved a white male in a business suit I wonder how the reporting and photo might have been different. Carol Krieg...
Ever since COVID-19 reached America a year ago, we’ve seen heroic acts performed by many, especially health-care workers helping those afflicted with this contagious and life-threatening virus. As the pandemic has spread to the point of claiming half a million lives in the U.S. so far, doctors, nurses and other health-care workers in hospitals and medical clinics have put their own lives at risk to care for COVID-19 patients. When the pandemic was raging in New York City last spring, nurses from Washington and other states t...
At 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14, daylight saving time for 2021 will begin, clocks will spring forward an hour, and Washingtonians will once again ask themselves how this annual ritual is even still a thing we all must do. The supposed reason for daylight saving time is for us to make better use of natural daylight during the spring and summer. However, the practice of shifting back and forth between daylight saving time and standard time has proved to be a dangerous and altogether useless exercise that ultimately does more...
It’s a solution in search of a problem. Lawmakers in Olympia appear to be fast-tracking House Bill 1356, which would ban the use of “racially derogatory or discriminatory” American Indian mascots, logos and team names in public schools in the state. Simply put, the bill is political theater, nonsense that kowtows to the politically correct crowd that’s bent on cancelling our culture, heritage and history. The bill is quickly moving through the Legislature even though I think...
Democrats in Washington’s Legislature traditionally haven’t been shy about raising taxes. This legislative session is no different. In fact, there are several Democrat-sponsored proposals that would increase existing taxes or create new ones. State income tax: The Senate Ways and Means Committee recently passed Senate Bill 5096, a proposal requested by Gov. Jay Inslee creating a state income tax on capital gains. Voters have rejected a state income tax proposal 10 times over the past 85 years. A recent statewide Elway Pol...
The Feb. 11 article in the Cheney Free Press entitled “Occupancy, water conservation ordinances head to council,” brings the following question to my mind: How can the city check to see that occupancy rules are being followed? The street below us is often jammed with cars as well as overflowing trash cans that don’t get taken in after the trash has been picked up. This implies to me that there are more people living in these dwellings than is allowable, but how can the city monitor how many people are really living at any pa...
The dominant view of China in both Washington and in American public opinion is that the United States faces an increasingly ruthless Chinese leadership, requiring that U.S. policy restrain if not contain China’s malevolent influence. Biden will have to craft a China policy that will convince Americans, and Chinese leaders, that he can both compete with and where necessary confront China, relying on diplomacy rather than on threats and bluster. China will be a severe test for a new administration whose highest pri...
Monday marked an event I never dreamed I would see in my lifetime. Somewhere in the late morning, the United States crossed the threshold of 500,000 of our fellow American men and women killed by the coronavirus. If you had told me even five years ago, let alone 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago that we would experience a loss of American lives of that magnitude attributable to one cause, I would have thought you were talking about some kind of armed conflict. 500,000 lives gone. And as you read this, that number is marching steadily...
I’ve spent my career fighting for vulnerable patients, especially people of color. So I was ecstatic to hear about a new initiative from dozens of biotech companies. These firms pledged to enroll more people of color in “clinical trials” — years-long tests that show whether experimental drugs are safe and effective. Boosting diversity will tangibly improve the health of minority Americans. White Americans are drastically overrepresented in clinical trials. Non-Hispanic whites account for 60% of the U.S. population, but rou...
We are fast approaching the halfway point of the 2021 legislative session. There have been some challenges conducting business as usual for the Legislature during this unusual time in our lives. The governor’s decision to close off a large portion of the Capitol grounds to the public is concerning, as are his ever-changing metrics and policies when it comes to reopening our state. I’m very pleased that all parts of our state have been able to move to Phase 2 of the latest reop...
As children, we hear many insightful stories that are simple, but often full of meaning. The one mentioned above seems to resonate with what is happening in our country today. Right before our eyes, we are seeing over and over the truth. Even though videos and pictures can be altered, it would have been an almost impossible undertaking to make fake videos of what happened that led up to and included the infamous events that took place on Jan. 6, 2021. Can we assume that most of the Republicans in the Senate and House, are...
Democracy needs input from citizens to thrive, but figuring out how to share your voice and have an impact on government can be challenging. Whether you are interested in federal, state, or local policy, you can interact directly with elected officials by writing, calling, or visiting your representatives. While testifying in person is the most effective way, we understand not everyone is comfortable in that setting. Other options include writing letters to the editor or sharing information on social media. Traveling to the...
The meltdown at the state Department of Employment Security ought to teach us a lesson. It’s easy for government to create problems, not so easy for the Legislature to come back in and clean up the mess. We ought to keep this in mind as the Legislature debates some of the big, bold ideas our liberal colleagues are bringing to the table this year — for an income tax, big increases in gas prices, greater government control of industry, and many, many more. Many of these policies are so big and so sweeping we can be sure they wo...
Why would any company spend $5.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad which leaves viewers perplexed as some glitzy and abstract commercials did? After production costs are tacked on, you’d think advertisers would want their messages clearly understood especially in difficult times. Some prominent advertisers, such as Coca Cola, Budweiser and Pepsi, traditional large buyers, skipped Super Bowl LV; however, Weather Tech did not. After game, the list of best and worst ads was r...
