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Earlier this month, state Department of Fish and Wildlife Director officials said they needed an additional $26 million to effectively manage its existing lands and programs. They said that if they didn’t receive additional money from the Legislature this coming session, they will have to reduce staffing and services. Agency Director Kelley Susewind himself said it would be “pretty catastrophic” if his agency doesn’t get more money. Why then is the agency simultaneously pushin... Full story
You write that Matt Shea wants to build a theocracy (“The theocracy of Liberty State,” CFP Dec. 26, 2019) and that is ridiculous. Obviously you have never interviewed him or researched his proposal for a 51st State. You just want to continue the smear job of others. If you were honest you would find out what he believes by listening to him on the following website: https://youtu.be/LPZrn77dj94. Barbara Green Liberty Lake, Wash....
A year ago, much of America’s heartland was inundated by Missouri River flood waters. At least 1 million acres of U.S. farmland in nine major grain producing states were under water. More than 14 million people were impacted. Damage exceeded $1 billion. With 11 dams on the Missouri, why was the flooding so severe? Why didn’t the dams absorb the excess waters? Its dams are above the flooded areas. The last impoundment is at Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota and heavy rai...
In his daily commentary on Jan. 21, veteran political commentator Chris Cilliza pointed to a recent poll by Gallup that reflected an 82-point partisan gap between Republicans and Democrats over approval of the job President Donald Trump is doing. Overall, 89 percent of Republicans approved of the job the president is doing while 7 percent of Democrats feel the same way — the largest presidential approval gap in the poll’s 74-year history. Cilliza is quick to point out, correctly I will add, that this phenomenon is not an inv...
Last night (Jan. 9) I watched the opening of “Just Mercy” with several Black American friends. After the movie, a woman in the bathroom stall next to me was weeping. A very well-educated man I have tremendous respect for said he had to be convinced to go. For these two people, the still present discrimination they face as Black Americans today is so real, it’s difficult for them to watch it unfold on a screen. Years ago, when I was trying to learn more about Native American issues, Al Frank, a Nez Perce friend of mine said “J...
In response to Nancy Street’s letter on Jan. 9, I’d like to give a positive look at our lives in the United States. Yes, we sit in our comfortable houses watching TV, read the sports pages, tailgate with our friends, go to the gym, shop and use our smartphones. But, let’s look at our lives positively. We go to the gym to work on bettering ourselves, even when we overindulge. We drive our SUV’s full of kids to soccer practices and baseball games where we volunteer coach, cheering on our kids, building them up and teachin...
The Washington State Legislature once again is attempting to make government records more obscure, this time by trying to shield public employee birthdates from disclosure with the introduction of HB 1888. Rep. Zack Hudgins, of the 11th Legislative District and Javier Valdez from the 46th Legislative district, both Democrats, are the sponsors. While proponents say they are most concerned with privacy rights and identity theft, this bill is really about a fight between public employee unions and the Freedom Foundation, a...
Under our Constitution, anyone accused of a crime has right to see all the evidence against them, to face their accusers, and to call witnesses in their defense. I have been falsely accused of being a “domestic terrorist” by a private investigator who never spoke to the principals involved in the incidents she described and relied instead on anonymous sources. Based solely on this investigator’s dossier, the Speaker of the House of Washington State said I “engaged in an act of domestic terrorism.” This is a lie. The Speak...
On Friday, an American drone fired missiles into a convoy leaving the Baghdad airport and killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, who for decades has led Iran’s Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Several officials from Iraqi militias were also killed. President Donald Trump, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort, said, “Suleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks…” He did not provide any details or evidence of such. Given the President’s propensity for lying, the credence of Trump’s rationale can certain...
It’s the New Year, and with that come the traditional New Year’s resolutions. I’m not a proponent of New Year’s resolutions. I’ve tried them in the past a couple times and they never last more than a few weeks. And as my wife says, if something is so important that you feel the need to change it, why wait until the beginning of the year? Just get busy and do it now. But it is the New Year and a chance for a new start here at the Cheney Free Press. To help that along, I am asking your help in setting a resolution to make a ch...
The Department of Fish and Wildlife needs to live with in the budget they have or make cuts. They need to stop buying land (“Access to public lands too expensive,” CFP, 12/19/2010) and restricting the pubic use of state lands. Quit buying more land, there is no need for it whatsoever. If they need $26 million, sell the land that they have spent the public’s hard-earned tax dollars on and quit wasting it. Why does the state need to buy more land? There is no reason whatsoever. Live within the budget or make cuts to your over...
Eastern Washington is noted for the recreational activities it offers, including — hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and many others. People come from all over to enjoy the natural resources and not just from Western Washington. These recreational visitors bring much needed funds to the groceries, gas stations, motels, campgrounds and many of the resorts that specialize in meeting their needs to have a reason to travel to Eastern Washington. And many persons come from the crowded c...
I read your column regarding the state Department of Fish and Wildlife land holdings. You are spot on on your analysis of the situations stated and solutions that would solve it. Unfortunately, this is happening all over the U.S. Common sense in fixing the situation is not prevailing because there is a silent agenda going on. The easiest way to start to understand the bigger picture is to go to YouTube.com and look up Agenda 21. The name of Agenda 21 was changed last year to Agenda 2030 — the year “they” hope to have imple...
On behalf of the EWU campus community, I express my heartfelt thanks to the citizens of Cheney who support the diversity of people and perspectives throughout our community. Recognizing that we are all different and all persons have value is the first step toward an engaged and enlightened society. Eastern Washington University and the City of Cheney have a long history together creating a community where we all love to live, learn, work and play. In fact, our birthdays are only a year apart! We hold true to the belief that...
At Christmas, millions watch the 1946 movie classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” While it is labeled “fantasy drama”, the show gives us a glimpse of reality and reminds us of the importance of caring local business owners. The setting is mythical Bedford Falls, N.Y., on Christmas Eve. George Bailey, a family man with a wife and four children, was dogged by a greedy banker, Henry Potter, who wanted to shut Bailey Building and Loan Association down. (George inherited the strugglin...
An ad in Washington DC reads, “Do you need to attend a congressional or judicial hearing but don’t have the time to stand in line? We provide professional, competitively priced line-standing and seat holding services for congressional and judicial hearings.” This is just sort of opportunity for the homeless and hopeless that Frank Watson promotes in his December 12, 2019, commentary for the Cheney Free Press. Lobbyists pay to have people hold a place in line for them to ensure they have a seat at public meetings — meetings th...
After the 2016 election, I wondered if only the filthy rich would be able to run for president. Hillary Clinton, with a net worth of around $35 million, was the Democratic favorite, and her only challenger was Bernie Sanders. Not being independently wealthy, Bernie had no choice but to fund his campaign with contributions. Hillary expected the contest to be a grand coronation, and was surprised Bernie put up as much resistance as he did. On the Republican side, Trump with probably a little less than the $12 billion he...
As has been widely reported, Rep. Matt Shea (R-Spokane Valley) has been labeled a “domestic terrorist” after the Washington State House of Representatives commissioned an independent investigation to determine if, and to what extent, Shea “engaged, planned, or promoted political violence against groups or individuals.” Conducted by Rampart Group LLC, the extensive 108-page report concluded that Shea did, in fact, engage in political violence and domestic terrorism on three s...
There is much to take issue with in James Haught’s “Our country is ill-served by having zealots in high offices.” In the limited space allotted in a letter, I’ll leave aside the smeary boilerplate that combines multiple guilt by association with dark hints regarding the “rapture” (gasp) and the shameful fact that some of our high officials attend — hold onto your hats — Bible studies. All of this neatly tied together and subsumed under the hated label of “Fundamentalist.” As a scholar in the field of American religious...
A big thank you to all who put up holiday lights. At this time of year when the days are short, dark, cold and often dreary, as is so often the news, the cheerful brightness of the lights is a gift to the community. Thank you for the delight they provide to young and old. Mary Robinson Cheney...
Bridges shouldn’t have to sink to be replaced. However, at times that’s what it takes. Too often new projects succumb to years of fighting among interest groups and endless political bickering. In 2013, opposition killed Columbia Crossings project which was formed to construct a replacement I-5 bridge across the Columbia River connecting Vancouver and Portland. We all want more roads and a bridge as long as they are in the other persons’ neighborhood and someone else pays....
Nigerian Christians celebrate Christmas in special ways. If possible, most return to the village of their ancestors, even those living abroad. Beginning early on Christmas day, goats are brought to slaughter and then the cooking and feasting begins. Children are all around, and there is a competition among grandmothers as to which “compound” is the noisiest, i.e. has the most people returning for the celebration. The day is spent in attending church, feasting, visiting, discussing and arguing various topics including pol...
By JOHN McCALLUM Managing Editor I’ve been thinking about Christmas. Right, haven’t we all. Or at least most of us in some way. According to a 2019 report by SafeHome.org using data from various Pew Research Center surveys, nine in 10 American adults will celebrate Christmas in some way. That’s not bad considering census figures put the number of people identifying as Protestant Christians around 55 percent with about 30 percent of Americans claiming affiliation with non-Christian sects along with agnostic and atheist. Accor...
It seems life imitates art. In the big screen adaptation of the seminal Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien there is a scene where a council of the various inhabitants of Middle Earth — elves, dwarves, men and hobbits — are debating what to do with the troublesome One Ring of Power. Meanwhile, a former ally, the powerful White Wizard Saruman, has jumped ship and taken up with the evil Dark Lord Sauron, who is intent upon getting his ring back, taking over Middle Ear...
I read an essay not too long ago that claimed income disparity as the biggest danger to our democracy. The author could just have easily said that the gap between the very rich and very poor is a near and present danger. I thought about that for a few weeks and decided that the author was misguided. The difference between the wealthy and the not so wealthy is not a bad thing. It is a normal, healthy part of a society based on capitalism. I had a discussion with a very smart young teenager the other day. I usually find it...
