Commentary | The Daily Chronicle

Dan Maughn smiles while talking about beekeeping after receiving a gift from Lewis County Farm Bureau President Maureen Harkcom, the author of this commentary, during a tour on Monday, July 31.

Maureen Harkcom: Parents need to demand quality meals be brought back into schools

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with ”M&M,” as I will refer to Margaret Garrett and Meredith Arseneau of Educational Service District 113 (ESD 113) up in Tumwater. … more

By Maureen Harkcom / For The Chronicle | 5/22/24

Richard Stride is the current CEO of Cascade Community Healthcare. He can be reached at drstride@icloud.com.

Richard Stride commentary: Good sleeping habits help promote overall good health

Do you sleep well? Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. After looking at articles about sleep, here’s what I found: We all know that good sleep equals good health. We are … more

By Richard Stride / For The Chronicle | 5/22/24

Julie McDonald: Pioneer graves atop Boistfort mound threatened a century ago

An unusual mound on the Boistfort Valley southwest of Chehalis proved the perfect place to bury early pioneers — at least until 1887, when a wealthy Canadian farmer bought the property, removed … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald | 5/20/24

Maynard Mallonee is a third-generation dairy farmer and a member of the Organic Valley Co-Op. He operates Mallonee Farms in Curtis.

Guest commentary: Climate smart agriculture is the future, says Lewis County farmer

I am an Organic Valley dairy farmer. My grandfather purchased the land we still farm in 1949, and I have a 23-year-old son, Jack, who is in the process of taking over management. He will be the … more

By Maynard Mallonee | 5/20/24

Columnist Brian Mittge takes a stroll from Stan Hedwall Park to W.F. West High School in Chehalis on May 3.

Brian Mittge: It’s the perfect time for a walkabout

What happens when you walk a route that you’ve driven for decades? You see your world in a new and better way. I recently set out on such a trek, strolling from Stan Hedwall Park in … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 5/17/24

Sen. John Braun of Centralia serves the 20th Legislative District, which spans parts of four counties from Yelm to Vancouver. He became Senate Republican leader in 2020.

Sen. John Braun: Campus protests call for decisive leadership

During the first half of May, administrators at the University of Washington patiently negotiated with pro-Hamas protesters about voluntarily dismantling their illegal encampment at the center of the … more

Commentary by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 5/17/24

Garth Stein will be the keynote speaker at the Sept. 7 conference.

Julie McDonald: September weekend features writers’ conference and AAUW fundraiser

I missed perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the Northern Lights from my backyard on Friday night, but I certainly enjoyed seeing all the gorgeous photos posted online. My friend … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 5/13/24

Richard Stride commentary: This month and always, pay attention to the state of your mental health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's talk about this important topic. We all know problems in our lives can cause anxiety. Those problems can be relationship issues, pressure at work … more

By Richard Stride / For The Chronicle | 5/13/24

John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@gmail.com.

John McCroskey: College students throw tantrums as some call for ludicrous loan forgiveness

Watching the past few weeks on college campuses has really been inspiring. Seeing so many young adults acting like tantrum-throwing children just makes you proud, doesn’t it? And our … more

Commentary by John McCroskey / For The Chronicle | 5/10/24

John Braun: Slam the door on Democrats and their anti-Hispanic grab for more power

With candidate filing week now behind us, the 2024 election season is in full swing. Democrat leaders in our state are no doubt looking ahead to the August primary and November general election … more

Commentary by state Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 5/10/24

Cody Duncan, a TransAlta business developer who grew up in Boistfort and graduated from Adna High School in 2000, recaps the company’s history and outlines its future on Thursday night at the Lewis County AAUW chapter’s meeting at Stillwater Estates in Centralia.

Julie McDonald: NPR shines national spotlight on Centralia and TransAlta

In the past month, National Public Radio has focused on TransAlta and Centralia as an example of the right way to phase out a coal-fired power plant, the last such plant in Washington state. A … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 5/6/24

Sen. John Braun in Olympia from the Capitol on Friday, Feb. 15, 2024.

John Braun commentary: Legislators don’t need to address property-tax cap — we already did

Blocking a bad piece of legislation can often be as important as passing a good bill. That’s why Republican senators took a moment to cheer a few months ago when, in the face of intense … more

5/3/24

Leslie Lewallen commentary: It’s time for the Supreme Court to clean up the 9th Circuit’s mess on homelessness

Editor’s note: Republican Leslie Lewallen is a candidate for Congress in the Third Congressional District. The Chronicle has previously published commentaries from incumbent Rep. Marie … more

5/3/24

The entrance to Mountain View Cemetery in Centralia is pictured in this 2022 Chronicle file photo.

Brian Mittge: Want to buy a cemetery?

This is a deal that doesn’t come along very often: you can buy your very own pioneer cemetery in the heart of Centralia’s Fords Prairie, and it could cost you as little as $2,000 plus … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 5/1/24

FILE PHOTO — A rooster eyes the camera during the Spring Youth Fair in 2022.

Commentary: Unfortunately, it is animal fighting season in our state

Unfortunately, it’s animal fighting season in the Pacific Northwest. The Washington state Gambling Commission encourages reporting of animal fighting to help stop these terrible acts. Our … more

By Gary Drumheller / Washington Gambling Commission | 4/30/24

Jaime Herrera Beutler speaks at the Chehalis Eagles Club Annex during a meet-and-greet event organized by the Conservative Coalition of Lewis County as Frank Corbin looks on.

Julie McDonald commentary: Herrera Beutler deserved more respect at GOP convention

For a dozen years, Republican Third Congressional District U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler represented Southwest Washington in Congress with a focus on helping her constituents. Before that, she … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 4/29/24

State Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, talks about his focuses in the legislative session during a visit to The Chronicle in Centralia on Thursday, Dec 14, 2023.

John Braun: The hits just keep coming from Democrats’ cap-and-tax law

Anyone who buys gasoline already knows how the price of a gallon of unleaded regular in our state has shot up since majority Democrats’ cap-and-tax law — the so-called Climate Commitment … more

Commentary by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 4/26/24

Justin and Melody Reynolds pull invasive horsetails during an Earth Day work party at the Seminary Hill Natural Area in Centralia on Saturday, April 20.

Brian Mittge: Laying down a wholesome Twin Cities challenge

Last Saturday was a busy one in our towns. The weather was sparkling like a diamond and a number of communities were hosting work parties in advance of Earth Day. I was working at one of them … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 4/26/24

Bill Serrahn, who lives in Packwood, has written several climate-focused commentaries for The Chronicle.

Bill Serrahn commentary: Living at the bottom of an atmospheric ocean in the Holocene epoch

“We are the first generation to feel the sting of climate change, and we are the last generation that can do something about it.” — Jay Inslee The earth’s climate has … more

By Bill Serrahn / For The Chronicle | 4/24/24

Julie McDonald: Medical care grew locally from doctor’s offices to large hospitals

Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the French-Canadian Sister of Providence who started nearly 30 schools, orphanages and hospitals in the Pacific Northwest during the 19th century, never started a … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 4/22/24