Opinion | The Daily Chronicle

Letters to the editor can be submitted to letters@chronline.com.

Letter to the editor: Let us give Centralia’s children the robust education they deserve

The Centralia Community Foundation is writing to express its full support for the Centralia School District Replacement Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy, which will appear on the … more

1/16/26

Letter to the editor: Lewis County should support Gather Church

Gather Church is doing a tremendous job helping people who are suffering with poverty and people who are suffering with drug addictions in our community. Our county commissioners should be … more

1/16/26

Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope speaks during the Tuesday, July 8, business meeting at the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis.

Sean Swope commentary: ‘Manufactured outrage?’ No — it’s a manufactured deficit

As the Washington state Legislature gavels in for its 60-day session, Lewis County families deserve facts — not spin, not distortions and not Seattle talking points. In a recent column, Zac … more

By Sean Swope | 1/14/26

Letter to the editor: Thank you to the Onalaska School Board

January is School Board Recognition Month, a time to recognize the locally elected leaders who serve our schools and community. In Onalaska, our school board plays a vital role in guiding the … more

1/14/26

Letter to the editor: The righteous, misguided ruse of Chad Taylor’s partisan rhetoric

Chronicle Publisher Chad Taylor’s latest commentary relies on a familiar and dangerous move, a righteous pose masking a deeply misguided ruse. He presents himself as a defender of law and order, … more

1/14/26

Letter to the editor: Proposed cuts to conflict resolution programs are a recipe for disaster

Washington’s proposed 2026 supplemental budget includes two cuts that should concern anyone who values fiscal responsibility, family stability and community safety: a 50% reduction in funding for … more

1/14/26

Letter to the editor: How Truman’s legal sleight of hand really changed war powers

Chronicle Publisher Chad Taylor’s commentary was grounded in historical fact. When President Truman sent American troops to Korea in 1950, he made a fateful choice of language. Determined to … more

1/14/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson answers questions from the press during a legislative session preview in a Senate Hearing room in Olympia on Friday, Jan. 9.

Commentary: Washington poll shows voters want economic focus, spending restraint, and ed transparency

Mountain States Policy Center on January 13 released results from the first annual Washington Poll , a new statewide research effort designed to help lawmakers, community leaders, and citizens better … more

By Chris Cargill | Mountain States Policy Center | 1/14/26

Julie McDonald: J. Vander Stoep discusses the importance of the Declaration of Independence

When President Abraham Lincoln recited the Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863, in a Pennsylvania cemetery where many of the 7,000 fallen soldiers still awaited burial four months after the infamous … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 1/12/26

Letter to the editor: What our reactions reveal

I grew up in Pe Ell, and Lewis County shaped my sense of what community looks like. That's why the response to the recent posts about the ICE protests has stayed with me. It wasn't just the … more

1/12/26

Chad Taylor is publisher and co-owner of The Chronicle. He can be reached at chad@chronline.com.

Chad Taylor commentary: When the law becomes optional, escalation isn’t an accident

A free society runs on two things most of us claim to value, no matter what yard sign we put out every two years: the consistent enforcement of the law and leaders who don’t pour gasoline on public … more

By Chad Taylor / For The Chronicle | 1/12/26

Zac Eckstein is chair of the Lewis County Democratic Party.

Zac Eckstein commentary: In the absence of solutions, Republican legislators reach for outrage

The Washington state Legislature gavels in for a short, 60-day session this week. Before the first bill is even read, we’ve already been flooded with warnings from our local legislators: … more

By Zac Eckstein | 1/12/26

Richard Stride is the current CEO of Cascade Community Healthcare.

Richard Stride commentary: Centralia’s January doesn’t demand toughness — it encourages thoughtfulness

In January, winter has a way of sorting things out — including what really matters and what only looks like it does. I remember trying to wear my unlined Levi jacket to school in Grand … more

1/12/26

Commentary: Fairness is not a ‘bait-and-switch’ — the case for modernizing Washington’s tax code

For decades, Washington has held an unfortunate title: having one of the most unfair tax systems in the country. Despite being home to some of the world’s richest people, our tax rules are … more

By Rob Richards / For Thurston Chronicle | 1/12/26

Commentary: Washington needs a pro-growth economic agenda

As the 2026 legislative session begins, lawmakers are once again facing a multibillion-dollar budget gap. They were in the same spot last year — and they responded by passing the largest tax … more

By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business | 1/12/26

Sen. John Braun commentary: Refusing to take fraud concerns seriously will add to public’s distrust

Allegations of fraud involving childcare funding and other government-subsidized programs elsewhere have people here concerned that something similar could be happening in Washington. I know … more

By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 1/9/26

Brian Mittge talks to Chris Thomas during a Business After Hours at The Chronicle in Centralia on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Brian Mittge: As we enter the new year, be it so resolved ...

OK, a week into the new year, how are your resolutions doing? The habit changes that I’m starting with in 2026 aren’t exactly strict new rules that started with the ball dropping on Jan. 1, but … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 1/9/26

Letter to the editor: As simple as to free or not to free? A Seattleite’s take on the Skookumchuck

I’ve always found academic conversations surrounding dam removal to be rather cut-and-dry. Wrapping up my environmental studies degree at the University of Washington, I can comfortably make the … more

1/9/26

Letter to the editor: Let’s learn to respect the profound and valuable differences among our citizens

As I watch and listen to our country in chaos and frustration from elected officials to local citizens, I sometimes fear for our future. So, after too many years as rhetorician, I am reminded of … more

1/9/26

Letter to the editor: Don't reduce Venezuela to a talking point in America’s culture wars

Much of the public discussion surrounding Venezuela — particularly in progressive political circles — treats the country’s collapse as either a distant humanitarian tragedy or, worse, as a … more

1/9/26