(By Brandon Hansen/Editor-in-Chief of the Chewelah Independent)

If you don’t maintain it, you usually end up up losing it.

A common issue we’re finding out in this country and this area specifically is if no money is put into improving and maintaining a building, infrastructure or program, it generally crumbles to the point where it’s unable to be saved when it reaches a point of disrepair.

With the possibility of money left over from the new Snyder Field track project — which has to be the first time this has ever happened in the history of public school building projects — it’s nice to see the new track committee proactive in finding ways to improve the field.

In sort of a piecemeal way, the Chewelah School District has both a lot of athletic fields that could either turn into something awesome, or just continue to be there. The Barbour Complex, I remember as a kid, happened in phases but even a chess nerd like myself used the fields there numerous times over and over.
While Snyder Field gets a nice track and some new turf, let’s not be complacent as to what a public resource this can be for the town. And for goodness sake, let’s not wait another 30 years to pass a levy. More

Here are Letters to the Editor for June 29, 2017…

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Here are Letters to the Editor for June 22, 2017…

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(By Don C. Brunell/Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at theBrunells@msn.com.)

Two days before last year’s presidential election, Frank Luntz walked away from a CBS 60 Minutes focus group leaving people uncontrollably screaming at one another. He couldn’t stop it. Nobody could.

America’s political frustration has boiled far beyond anyone’s ability to listen and find common ground. Our country’s polarization now is to the point where people are shooting one another.

Luntz is the best in the business. He is a pioneer in the field of communications and public opinion research. While at Association of Washington Business (AWB), we hired Luntz to help us find the words, phrases and tones which unified people. More

(By SCCA/The Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association is a group of cattle producers and concerned citizens dedicated to engaging civic and community leaders on issues that affect the industry. Our regular meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Stevens County Commissioners Hearing Room. To contact SCCA, email: stevenscountycattlemen@gmail.com.)

The start of the 2017 grazing season on the Colville National Forest (CNF) started June 1, allowing ranchers with grazing agreements to turn out their cattle on various portions, or allotments, of the forest. Now that the season has begun, the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association feels it is important to clarify the misinformation about cattle grazing on federal land and remind the public what requirements ranchers must meet during the grazing season.

For instance, although wolves may be present in some areas of the CNF, cattlemen do not automatically have wolf information, like collar data, available to them as part of their grazing lease. While the grazing agreement between a ranch and the CNF does include many details, it does not include wolf information. In addition, the summer grazing plan must be approved by CNF staff who oversee a variety of specifics, including where salt blocks and water tanks can be placed, pasture rotation plans, fencing, road access and other matters. More

(By Don C. Brunell/Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. Contact him at theBrunells@msn.com.)

Debating whether it was wrong for President Trump to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord negotiations is never ending. Both sides will find ample evidence to claim the accords are good or bad for America; however, the rhetoric can’t obfuscate our ongoing work to reduce greenhouse gases.

The focus needs to be on what is being done to reduce emissions globally and how our innovations and technology can be implemented across our planet.

For perspective, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported in April that U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2016 were 1.7 percent below 2015 levels. These recent decreases are consistent with a decade-long trend in which CO2 releases dropped by 14 percent. More

(By Brandon Hansen/Brandon in the managing editor of the Chewelah Independent)

The Taste of Chewelah is upon us! Chewelah officially enters the “foodie/hipster/we belong on Instagram” zone as Thursday’s event will allow everybody to sample many local tastes, check out local art and listen to local musicians.

But please keep in mind that despite Taste of Chewelah only lasting one day, there are a lot of awesome things you can eat around town to keep you wining and dining well after this week’s event. More

(By Tom Purcell/Tom is a nationally syndicated humor columnist. Send your comments to Tom at Purcell@caglecartoons.com)

“I may have to do WHAT to receive my high school diploma?”

“Pass a U.S. citizenship exam. The Civics Education Initiative is hoping state legislatures will require high school students in all 50 states to pass the exam in order to graduate. Some states, such as Arizona, have already passed such a law.”

“But my high school made me take American history courses, and I got straight A’s.”

“Great for you, but studies show that many Americans are pathetically ignorant of basic facts about their government and its unique history.”

“If it becomes a requirement for high school graduation, how will this citizenship test work?” More

(By Don C Brunell/Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at theBrunells@msn.com.)

Recently, the Wall Street Journal editorialized that Connecticut’s elected officials are getting their “comeuppance” for years of absorbingly high taxes, failing to implement state spending constraints, and treating business as a bottomless well of cash.

Just as Washington lawmakers are meeting in special session to balance the budget for the next two years, so are Connecticut legislators. While the differences between Democrats and Republicans over taxes are great in both states, Washington’s tax collections from existing sources are rising, while revenues are falling noticeably in Connecticut.

In May, that state’s Office of Fiscal Analysis reduced Connecticut’s two-year revenue forecast by $1.46 billion.

Both states spend over $40 billion each biennium. More

Dear Editor,
A while ago five members of the Colville, WA Public School Board Number 115 were in support of the proposed Transgender policy that would allow boys in girls’ restrooms and locker rooms with the girls, also girls in the boys’ restrooms and locker rooms with the boys. The public school superintendent Lewis appeared also to be in favor of this bad policy.
As of now to my knowledge the transgender policy is not in effect in our public schools. Let us keep it that way. Such a policy is not moral. It is also wrong, against Christian values, and is absurd. It will also lead to sex sin as our students get older.
Having taught school in every one of the public school buildings of the Colville District Number 115, my desire is to keep the District as it is now and say No, No, and No to the proposed Transgender policy of our school board.
The Holy Bible reads in 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that comitteth fornication sinneth against his own body.”
We want the best for our students, not the worst.
Sincerely,
Dr. Arthur Houk
Colville