Commentary | The Daily Chronicle

Former Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy answers questions after his legal case, Kennedy vs. Bremerton School District, was argued before the Supreme Court on April 25, 2022, in Washington, DC. Kennedy was terminated from his job by Bremerton public school officials in 2015 after refusing to stop his on-field prayers after football games. (Win McNamee/Getty Images/TNS)

Opinion: The Story of the Praying Bremerton Coach Keeps Getting More Surreal

When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Bremerton assistant football coach Joseph Kennedy had the right to pray on the field, it wasn't widely understood then that the court had also ordered … more

Danny Westneat / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/17/22

Don Brunell Commentary: Herculean Effort Needed to Free Seattle of Drugs and Crime

Over the years, Seattle leaders faced “Herculean” challenges yet found the will, resources and determination to come together and tackle them. Today’s conundrum is to overcome the … more

By Don C. Brunell | 9/16/22

Lynda Wilson Commentary: California’s Power Problems Should Serve as Warning for Washington

We’re taught about a “safe following distance” in driver’s education because bad things can happen when you ride the bumper of the car ahead of you. In 2005, Democratic … more

By Sen. Lynda Wilson | 9/16/22

Smoke from the Goat Rocks Fire rises in heavy orange plumes above the trees near Coal Creek Drive east of Packwood.

Brian Mittge Commentary: We Can Only Fight Fires If We Do It Together

Last weekend, as firefighters raced to contain a wildfire that threatened cabins near Packwood and perhaps the whole town itself, the story felt very personal. Just the week before, my wife … more

By Brian Mittge | 9/16/22

Commentary: As Lawmakers Look to Fix Drug Law, Range of Priorities Collide

As state lawmakers go back to work on the state's drug-possession law, there will be a philosophical tug-of-war: Do we need a bigger legal hammer or more robust addiction treatment? Will we … more

Shawn Vestal / The Spokesman-Review | 9/16/22

Bill Moeller Commentary: It’s the Berries — OK, and the Pies

This newspaper carried an article a while ago that originated in The Bellingham Herald concerning blackberries grown in the wild. That may be a redundant description because I don’t know of a … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 9/14/22

This drawing of the Oregon Trail is from The New York Public Library and is in the public domain.

Julie McDonald Commentary: A Child’s View of the Northwest Trek Across the Oregon Trail

Mary Jane Mills was a child of 8 when her parents, Elkanah and Laurinda Vianna Mills, left Holt County, Missouri, on May 12, 1847, for a new life in Oregon Territory. The family of six started with a … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 9/12/22

Bob Mohrbacher Commentary: Real Solution to Student Debt Is Making College Affordable

Student debt has been in the news a lot lately. We’ve all heard and read the horror stories of students who took out federal or private loans and are now unable to get out from under the weight … more

By Bob Mohrbacher / Centralia College president | 9/12/22

Commentary: Many Who Claim Climate Spending Is Good Can’t Really Explain Why

Simple question: how should we measure the success of climate policy? Answer: By maximizing CO2 reduction for every dollar spent. This smart approach is standard practice for many private … more

9/9/22

Gov. Jay Inslee delivers an address from his office during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This photo was provided by the governor’s office.

Brian Mittge Commentary: It’s Time for State Worker Vaccine Mandate to End

On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that Washington’s nearly three-year state of emergency would end on the last day of October. What will not end is his rule that state workers be … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 9/9/22 | 1 comment

The Pearl Street Pool is pictured from above in this photograph taken in Centralia.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Hey, Centralia City Council — What Are You Thinking?

I don’t remember when I’ve been more upset about the Centralia City Council’s attitude than when a recent article in this newspaper revealed the thinking about the future — if … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 9/7/22

Highlighting Lewis County: Oregon Trail Pioneers of 1847 Left Mark on Northwest

My favorite Oregon Trail pioneer, Matilda (Glover) Koontz Jackson, crossed the Oregon Trail in 1847 with her four sons and watched her husband, Nicholas, drown in the Snake River at Three Island … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 9/5/22

A trailer reads “Bathroom” written in spray paint at a homeless encampment at the end of Eckerson Road in Centralia on Thursday.

Peter Abbarno Commentary: Tour of Homeless Camp Offers More Proof Washington Is Failing Residents

The past few weeks have been filled with a lot of local information about substance abuse, illegal drug trafficking and the impact drugs have on families, crime and homelessness. We are … more

9/2/22

An eagle flies past boaters on Offut Lake last week near Tenino.

Brian Mittge Commentary: Summer Thoughts on Fire, Water and Love

My wife and I were on our way home from Tenino, celebrating our wedding anniversary with a kayak trip to Offut Lake, when we noticed a plume of smoke on the horizon. Billowing smoke in late … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 9/2/22

Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

Kris Johnson Commentary: Washington Employers on Edge as Uncertainty Swirls

Is the U.S. economy headed into a recession? Has inflation peaked? When will the labor market ease? While economists debate questions like these, it’s helpful to hear from employers on the … more

By Kris Johnson | 8/31/22

Paperback books sit in boxes inside the Lewis County Mall in this file photo.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Is it Literature or Trash?

Mark Twain said, “A classic is something everybody wants to read and doesn’t want to read.” That’s a good response to one of the most famous books in American literature: … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 8/31/22

Other Views: Lawmakers Must Support Mental Health Care

The history of mental health legislation in the United States demonstrates the difficulty of dealing with the issue as a matter of politics. With the stress of modern life being compounded by the … more

By The Columbian Editorial Board (TNS) | 8/31/22

Julie McDonald Commentary: McAtees, Reinkes Part of Salzer Valley History

Although Salzer Valley was named for the large German family that settled southeast of Centralia, other early families left their mark in the community — and local roads today even bear their … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 8/29/22

Don Brunell Commentary: Drained Snake River Reservoirs Would Resemble Parched Rhine Riverbeds

If you want a glimpse of parched river bottoms behind “would be breached” lower Snake River dams, look at recent photos of European rivers and lakes. On parts of the picturesque … more

By Don Brunell | 8/29/22

Commentary: Climate Math of AG Ferguson’s Natural Gas Protest Doesn’t Add Up

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently announced he opposes the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in Washington state, claiming “This pipeline is bad for the environment and … more

By Todd Myers / Washington Policy Center | 8/26/22