Reader Interaction

On the Hot Seat: Tim Eyman is pushing $30 car tabs, again

Published by editor on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 1:36am

Initiative guru Tim Eyman is at it again. And once again, he’s trying to save you money.
If you’re anywhere near my age, you’ll know who he is. If not, you may know him as the man who pushed through limits on the state’s ability to continually raise taxes and fees on vehicle licensing.
In full disclosure, I’m a fan of Tim’s efforts. Simply put, he’s saved taxpayers millions of dollars by restraining state government’s ever-increasing thirst for tax dollars.

2019: Chinese 'Year of the Pig'

Published by editor on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 8:04pm

More than one billion people across the globe celebrate Chinese New Year every year. In 2019, Chinese New Year officially begins on February 5, continuing for two weeks until celebrations draw to a close on Feb. 19.

On the Hot Seat: Proposed budget includes $750,000 waste on dam breaching study

Published by editor on Thu, 12/27/2018 - 8:07pm

Gov. Jay Inslee made it clear last Thursday that he only represents Western Washington.
Buried deep in his proposed $54.4 billion biennial budget is the allocation of $750,000 to study breaching the dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
Under his budget proposal, Inslee would create a new state task force to study breaching as part of a plan to address the ailing orca population in Puget Sound. In the governor's policy brief on orcas, he cites the need to increase the water-spill rate over our dams in an effort to cool the water and improve salmon populations.

1933: Residents among new Terraplane owners

Published by editor on Wed, 12/26/2018 - 8:07pm

By Richard Willner
Special to the Statesman-Examiner

158 Years Ago - 1860
Lt. Samuel Anderson, a member of the British Boundary Commission, reported on his Christmas visit to Fort Colville. “The Americans at their garrison celebrated their Christmas in their usual way ­— one man stabbed, another shot at, several heads broken and eyes blackened and their military surgeon breaking his fist in some pugilistic encounter with a citizen.” From, Book Two — Military Fort Colville — compiled by Patrick Graham

Faith in Focus: Christmas can be eye-opening time

Published by editor on Wed, 12/26/2018 - 8:04pm

One of the great tragedies of being human is that we so easily take for granted some of the most amazing and astounding wonders of the world around us. How rarely we ponder the magnificence of creation, from the intricacy of the tiniest flower or insect to the grandeur of galaxies and the mind-blowing immensity of the cosmic web.

On the Hot Seat: Inslee budget conceals land grab

Published by editor on Wed, 12/26/2018 - 8:04pm

When government controls land, it controls people.
That’s one of the reasons our nation’s founding fathers limited the scope and ability of government to hold title to land. But you wouldn’t know that in the West today, where federal and state governments hold title to more than half of all the acreage from Rocky Mountain states to the Pacific Ocean.
In Washington state, according to 2015 data, government agencies control approximately 41 percent of all land.

What is your favorite summer event?

Published by editor on Wed, 06/27/2018 - 7:47pm

Whether near or far, what is your favorite summertime event?

Election season, what do you look for?

Published by editor on Thu, 04/26/2018 - 6:21pm

What qualities do you look for in someone running for office? Do you look at their personalities, their political party, their work history or something else? And out of those qualities, which is most important?

First day of spring

Published by editor on Tue, 03/13/2018 - 3:42pm

March 20 is the first day of spring, what are you looking forward to?

What would you name the east half of Washington if it became a new state?

Published by editor on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 7:22pm

Last year the Statesman-Examiner asked readers if they thought Washington State should be split in two. The majority of readers voted yes. The suggested popular name for the new state is Liberty. Do you like the name Liberty State? If not, do you have your own suggestion for a new state's name?