Editorials

Guest Editorial By Sandy Stokes The Washington Newspaper Publishers Association is deeply disturbed by the Legislature’s action to limit the public’s right to know. As of Friday (Feb. 23), the state’s lawmakers and their staffs are no longer subject to the state’s Public Records Act. Most problematic is the way our elected officials went about […]

Here’s something you don’t read very often: The state Legislature acted quickly and appropriately on important legislation just days into the current legislative session. That’s not a misprint. Yes, the Legislature more commonly leaves the disposition of crucial matters to the very last second or, in the case of extended sessions, well beyond. But the […]

Hatched too quickly The haste with which the Douglas County Public Utility District (PUD) is severing ties with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is puzzling and troubling. It’s not clear why the PUD is in such a hurry to take over operation of its fish hatcheries at Wells Dam and Winthrop from […]

The so-called Hirst decision has caused enough consternation, confusion and disruption all by itself. Now, Republicans in the state Senate have made things even worse by crassly seizing on the state Supreme Court’s ruling in the Hirst case as a political bargaining chip. It’s bad politics, bad policy and an act of bad faith that […]

By Don Nelson Publisher, Methow Valley News Defining our mission, and how we will carry it out Before I purchased the Methow Valley News in 2011, I thought a lot about what that would mean. I came up with a mission statement and vision statement that I intended to guide the newspaper’s operations and establish […]

More comprehensive The Okanogan County commissioners took an important step toward calming the political waters with their recent decision to review the updated comprehensive plan that the previous board of commissioners approved in 2014. That previous board — made up of Ray Campbell, Sheilah Kennedy and Jim DeTro — adopted a plan update that had […]

Together at last Some things get talked about for years, without resolution. Ideas languish and then are revived, only to fade from public discussion again. Political or policy decisions often get handled at the elected representative level, rather than at the polls. So it’s more than merely interesting that the voters of the Town of […]

It seems like a logical question that should have a simple answer: when water pipes serving homes and businesses in Winthrop freeze up in super-frigid temperatures, why can’t the town help those people and restore their service? Then the second you start talking about, it’s no longer the least bit simple, and to the people […]

Apparently, some people do need to be reminded. So here goes: “Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a […]

As this grueling, grating, seemingly endless election season staggers to a welcome finish, it’s appropriate to give one local organization due credit for helping make our county commissioner races more competitive and meaningful. Represent Okanogan County (ROC) has weathered some attacks from certain quarters — the quarters that think the current commissioners are doing a fine job, […]