Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Dear Editor, In the present political climate, it is easy to become partisan and blindly vote for our chosen party. However, the work of a county commissioner is not driven by partisan ideology. Instead, professional experience, expertise, and the proven ability to listen and communicate are what create a strong commissioner. Dain Nysoe is the strongest candidate for Columbia County Commissioner. He has an educational background in economics and public administration, and he has taught business administration at the college level. He has...
Dear Editor, I have known Cathy McMorris Rodgers for much of my life, as my father, Perry Dozier, worked with Cathy when he was State officer for Washington Association of Wheat Growers, and later as Walla Walla County Commissioner. She is a leader that I have looked up to becoming one day. Her knowledge, attention to detail, innovation, and leadership make her the reasons why the 5th district needs her. When it comes to being an advocate for education, Cathy is the leader of the charge. I was fortunate to interact with her when I was a leader...
Dear Editor, It’s not just showing up to events to introduce yourself to just a few at community events, but rather it is complete community involvement in youth activities, church, community service, and school events that make an individual have a keen awareness of their community. Matt Stroe is that person. After raising my family in this community, I understand the importance of what Matt says: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Matt has involved himself on every level of community connection, and that is why he understands best the c...
Dear Editor, I consider both of the candidates for Walla Walla County Sheriff to be friends of my family. Anyone who believes either candidate is steering any supporter to lead a negative campaign does not know these men. Both men are good guys with good hearts. Because of the aforementioned friendships, it’s uncomfortable to publicly endorse one of the candidates. However, as a Deputy’s wife, I understand the tremendous responsibility on the person who ultimately will become Sheriff. If I take emotion out of this process, then it is clear to...
Dear Editor, We live in dangerous times. Law enforcement is a much more challenging profession than it used to be. When I got out of the Navy and began my first day at the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 1, 1976, I was issued a Smith & Wesson Model 10 civil defense pistol and sent off to work the fair. By the time I retired 37 1/2 years later, our whole world had changed. The technology, legal constraints, and violence in society are daunting. As of Oct. 4, 41 U.S. law enforcement officers have been killed in 2018. There is no room l...
Dear Editor, As an elected official or department head, you are not only a leader of your department, but you also set the tone of the employees within your department. As a past Walla Walla County Commissioner, I have worked closely with all (12) elected officials and numerous department heads on all aspects ranging from budgets, union negotiations to employee issues. Just as in contract negotiations or budgetary issues, emotions can become heated. This election of Walla Walla County Sheriff has demonstrated this same atmosphere. As a Whitman...
Dear Editor, I am writing to urge voters in Columbia County to support Dain Nysoe in the race for county commissioner (District 3). I met Dain and his wife shortly after we moved here 10 years ago. I know him to be a man of honesty and utmost integrity. Dain has deep roots in this community and his family farming experience puts him in a position to understand and support the needs of our local farmers. He also has life experiences outside the area, including military service and multiple positions of leadership in other communities. He showed...
Dear Editor, The general election is just around the corner. The ballots will be mailed out on October 19th, so we will be receiving them in our mailboxes soon. Much has been said about both candidates for Sheriff; much has been discussed on social media. I’m the type of person who checks for himself and only uses what people say to start my fact checking. I had the luxury of being in on the interview process when the position of Undersheriff was selected. I heard from all the candidates, and Mark Crider’s honesty, dedication, training, abi...
Dear Editor, If you live in Columbia County’s 3rd district, you may have had the opportunity to meet Dain Nysoe as he and his wife, Claudia go door to door speaking to voters. Dain doesn’t do this just to talk you into voting for him, but because he genuinely wants to know what issues Columbia County cares about. He knows that talking to voters is the only way to enact change that matters to us when he’s in office. It’s easy to feel voiceless in our government, but Dain recognizes that he will be the voice in county government for all the con...
Dear Editor, I am endorsing Skyler Rude for 16th District State Representative and urging you to vote for him in November. For the past four years, Skyler Rude has served as a legislative assistant in both the House and Senate for Senator Maureen Walsh. During his tenure, he has had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the people and issues facing the 16th district and the state of Washington. I have had numerous opportunities to work with Skyler the past four years. He is dedicated to serving the citizens of the 16th district. I...
We have completed over a month of school and it just goes by like a blink of the eye. I would like to take this opportunity to give you an update of happenings in the Waitsburg School District. We have got a lot of wonderful things going on. It is hard to distill it down to a few, but I will try. Last year the Professional Development Council (PDC), a group of teachers, classified staff representative, and administration convened to address needs of the students and staff of the district. During the course of the year, the council worked on...
Give Gov. Jay Inslee and backers of Initiative 1631 credit. They are persistent in their quest to invoke a fee on carbon emissions. Voters will decide its fate on Nov. 6. Since Inslee was first elected, he pushed to reduce CO2 discharges---a laudable goal. Two years ago, carbon initiative backers drafted a “revenue-neutral” ballot measure which voters rejected by a 59-41 percent margin. Today’s Initiative 1631 simply adds a new fee without cutting any state fee or tax, particularly on gasol...
Dear Editor, I have known Dain Nysoe since the mid-sixties when we competed against each other in high school sports – Dain at Dayton High School and myself at Waitsburg High School. Although we both left our hometowns to pursue our careers, we met again in the early 2000s in Dayton. We have and currently share common interests in education, rural politics, and making life better for all of our fellow rural and small-town citizens. Dain has had broad life experiences both in rural and urban settings, serving his country in the U.S. Army, in c...
Dear Editor, I would like to express my support for Chuck Amerein as county Commissioner. I have known Mr. Amerein for many years. He is a man with integrity. Whom is honest, fair and committed to our county. He is passionate about this area and bringing good employment to our county. He is active with the American Legion along with CC friends of the fairgrounds and others. Support Chuck Amerein. Thank you, Jeri Fulbright Dayton...
Dear Editor, Over the past several years, the Sheriff’s Office has experienced a considerable amount of controversary in the administration of the office. In addition, the controversaries have divided the deputy’s loyalties which I believe to be a dangerous situation, especially in law enforcement. In 2015, under the term of the current Sheriff, the County Commissioners determined it would be in the best interest of the county to create a Department of Corrections and remove the jail responsibilities from the Sheriff. For the first time in the...
Dear Editor, In my 35 years with the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, I’ve worked my way through the ranks serving as a deputy, corporal, and sergeant. Four Sheriff’s have served during my time at the WWSO and all were highly qualified, trained, and more than capable of doing the job. One was born and raised in Walla Walla; three others were not. All served very well in the position and left the office better than when they arrived. I have a long view of the office and that is why I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that Mark Cride...
Dear Editor, Myself, City Council and City Staff for the City of Waitsburg would like extend our appreciation to all the local fire crews for coming to the aid of Fire District #2 recently to help extinguish the structural fires burning on Main Street here in Waitsburg. Without aid to our local fire department from the surrounding area fire districts, this fire could have been much worse and ultimately extended to the rest of Main Street including Waitsburg City Hall; causing much more damage than it did. It a good feeling to know that there...
Dear Editor, After attending the Dayton High School Youth and Government Columbia County Candidate Debate, and the AAUW Candidates Forum, it became clear to me that both candidates for Columbia County Commissioner have a sincere desire to serve the county and both candidates have considerable qualifying experience. Chuck Amerein’s participation and leadership experience in extremely high-stress military assignments as Airborne Ranger in Panama, Green Beret in Iraq, and Security Contractor in Iraq, has given him an extraordinary background in l...
Dear Editor, It is with great pleasure that I fully endorse Dain Nysoe for Columbia County Commissioner. I find Dain intelligent and honest with an exceptional work ethic. His experience with local government is well known and he is presently serving as a Dayton City Council member. He serves on the Financial Committee and has exhibited exceptional fiscal responsibility regarding the city. Dain is committed to the community and concerned with the advancement and development of Columbia County. He has made a concerted effort to reach out to the...
Dear Editor, I was pleased to see a recent article in the Spokesman Review regarding how the tax cuts benefit the middle class. It is time people hear the truth about the tax cut instead of the many misconceptions and biased reports. Not one but three trustworthy accountants backed the claim that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are saving middle class Americans money. One of them stated, “some people will pay more, some will pay less...for simple returns, people are saving money.” I am retired middle class and have benefitted from the cut...
Dear Editor, Matt Stroe is the embodiment of what it is to be a community leader. I have known Matt for many years and I am impressed by his commitment to service in our community. Since his time at the Sheriff’s began over eleven years ago, Matt has donned the robe and face paint to be the Grim Reaper for the Every15 Minute Program put on to educate and detour underage drinking and driving. Upon leaving the Sheriff’s Office, Matt continued to volunteer his time each year to the program because he believed in the cause. Anthony Wenham Wal...
Dear Editor, During Mark’s first month as undersheriff at the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, he made it a point to attend roll calls and ride-along with different deputies. During the roll calls, Mark allowed deputies to ask him questions about his views on leadership, his life, the direction he wants to take the sheriff’s office, and anything else that came to mind. Mark was open and honest throughout these conversations. I, along with several of my squad mates, appreciated his willingness to speak with us candidly on various topic...
Dear Editor, I am writing about the recent FEMA road construction that has been taking place here in Dayton. This April I was overjoyed to receive a letter stating that there would be road repair going on around town, including near where I live on East Patit Avenue. In May they did repair on the sewer lines/electrical on my road, and I was preparing for the official construction to begin when it suddenly all stopped. I read in the newspaper that they were going to continue construction later in the summer – only that never happened. All of t...
Dear Editor, I am writing this letter to voice my support for Cathy Loftus Shochet to be our next Columbia County Treasurer. I have known Cathy from the time she was in school with our kids, and now I know her on a professional basis. She’s in her third year as Columbia County Deputy Treasurer. I’m the treasurer for our Senior Center, which is also a County department, so I have contact with her on a regular basis. I think she has a great work ethic. I have found her to be knowledgeable and efficient with a pleasant professional attitude. I’v...
Dear Editor, An advertisement for the Stroe candidacy appeared in the Union-Bulletin on Sept. 17. This announcement touted the many volunteer hours Mr. Stroe has put into the community, his time at the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, and his current position as Director of Security at Whitman College. The ad then stated, “The most powerful person elected is a Sheriff – you should know the person you are voting for!” The implication being that the voters of this county don’t know who Mr. Stroe’s opponent is. I find this puzzling, b...
