Opinion
Letters from our readers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Independent.
FROM THE EDITOR: So just how are we going to carve up the state?
(BRANDON HANSEN/Brandon is the managing editor of the Chewelah Independent)
With the passing of I-639 that adds more to the pile of gun control pile of controversies, I’ve seen more than my fair share of tough guy Facebook posts about splitting the state up again.
Now I’m of the opinion that the I-639 gun control measures are terrible, if not unconstitutional, and we are going to find issues with anyone on the eastern part of the state enforcing these unenforceable measures.
But that’s not what I’m on my soapbox for today, nope it’s the splitting of the state. People think it’s as simple as drawing a line on a map but I’m here to tell you, the theoretical 51st state is going to be a lot more complicated of shape than we all think.
There have been many proposals and suggestions with my favorite recently being the idea that eastern Washington and Oregon just join Idaho.
Brilliant! I thought, until you realize has anyone asked Idaho? Or Oregon? Or Washington? Since these sort of measures take legislatures and Congress agreeing on things, you can see how adding three state legislatures in the mix could get you into a bunch of trouble. More
Smaller American towns connect in ways Washingtonians (D.C., that is) don’t
(Tom Purcell/Tom Purcell is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Send comments to at Tom@TomPurcell.com.)
After living in Washington, D.C., for nearly eight years, I love being back home in Pittsburgh.
I met many interesting people in the D.C. region, but one thing was missing there that’s common in places such as Pittsburgh: a basic connection among people.
I remember visiting Pittsburgh one Saturday morning while I lived in D.C. As I walked to a downtown coffee shop to meet some friends, a short, elderly Pittsburgher shouted at me.
“Hey, pal, your wallet is about to fall out of your pocket!”
I explained that my wallet was long and designed for the vest pocket of a sport coat. It appeared to be falling out of my pants’ pocket, but wasn’t. I thanked him and began walking away.
“But, pal,” he said, “a dollar bill is showing at the top of your wallet. Flip it around.” More
EDITORIAL: Veterans Day, Is it Enough?
(By Danny Tyree/Danny, son of WW II veteran Lewis Tyree, welcomes reader email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page “Tyree’s Tyrades.”
Copyright 2018 Danny Tyree)
“What have you done for us lately?”
I don’t think the average American military veteran has the time or the temperament to spend 51 weeks a year asking such a question, but a reasonable person could hardly blame him if he did.
Veterans Day can be like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day – an occasion to heap praise upon individuals whom we spend the rest of the year ignoring, tolerating or circumventing. A week’s worth of bumper stickers, newspaper interviews, special discounts and grade school essays soon give way to the daily grind.
I don’t think our veterans are expecting a “We’re not worthy!” routine from civilians (as in Wayne and Garth kowtowing to Alice Cooper in the “Wayne’s World” movie), but there are lots of little ways to show appreciation during the year. More
Letters to the Editor for Nov. 15, 2018
Here are Letters to the Editor for Nov. 15, 2018
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PURCELL: After Pittsburgh’s synagogue tragedy, start with Mister Rogers
(TOM PURCELL/Tom Purcell is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Send comments to at Tom@TomPurcell.com.)
Saturday morning is normally my favorite morning of the week.
Usually, I sit in a festive coffee shop near downtown Pittsburgh, working on a novel, a love story, I’m eager to complete.
Last Saturday morning, I heard police cars and ambulances racing past the coffeehouse – headed, I now know, to the tragic scene at the Tree of Life Synagogue just 4 miles away, where innocents were targeted as they worshipped.
It’s the latest in a series of tragedies in which powerful weapons were used to slaughter defenseless people.
More
FROM THE EDITOR: Let’s talk about the important stuff
(BRANDON HANSEN/Managing Editor of the Chewelah Independent)
Just before the election, there is always a lot of talk about this issue or that issue. We have already heard if we don’t vote for one candidate, we risk being unprepared for a possible invasion from Mars aliens. One proposition on the ballot may cause the downfall of our entire society. Not to mention a half a dozen conspiracy theories concerning our very own county.
Now, me personally, I am worried about the serious conspiracies: the Canadian mafia, the government hiding all their cheese in a vault deep below Quarzite and the probability that Bigfoot exists.
However, I’ll spare you that talk and focus on the REAL IMPORTANT STUFF we should be talking about right now. More
NORVELL: School board members talks about Chewelah superintendent
(DEANNA NORVELL/Deanna is the chairman of the Chewelah School Board. She made this speech at the last Chewelah School Board meeting in support of new superintendent Rich McFarland)
The Chewelah School Board hired a new superintendent, Rich McFarland, and the first thing we asked him to do was engage in contract negotiations with the teacher union; one of the most difficult responsibilities of a superintendent’s position. The Board set negotiation parameters for him to come back with a fair contract that was within budget and sustainable.
We asked him to do this without the benefit of having had the time to establish relationships and build trust within the district and the community. By its very nature contract negotiations are adversarial. To say the board placed him in a difficult position is definitely an understatement.
Since day one, the board has repeatedly seen evidence of his professionalism, knowledge, experience and dedication to education. As a board we are fully confident in our Superintendent Rich McFarland’s ability to successfully lead us into the future.
We are hopeful everyone will take the time to get know our new superintendent; to be open and allow him the opportunity to show what he is capable of doing for our district and community. We are all part of the same team, with the same goal: Educating our children, preparing them for the future and maintaining a healthy school district.