Opinion | The Daily Chronicle

In Valerie Buck’s class at Maywood Middle School, reading and writing skills are woven into lessons on other topics. There’s also an emphasis on hands-on learning in the class, part of Issaquah School District’s experimental microschool. (Photo by Donna Gordon Blankinship)

Commentary: How microschools and other innovative K-12 programs are catching on in Washington state

Educators are exploring new and creative approaches to meeting students where they are academically; for some options, regulatory and funding frameworks are still evolving When Cadence was … more

By Donna Gordon Blankinship / The Washington State Standard | 1/5/26

Rob Richards is a Navy veteran and former congressional staffer who has been an active community member in Thurston County for over two decades

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 … more

By Rob Richards | 1/2/26

The 2026 White Pass Country Historical Society Pioneer Calendar. Pick up your own from these fine history-minded folks at www.whitepasscountrymuseum.org, 360-494-4422.

Brian Mittge: Inspired by High Country history as the USA turns 250

A new year has arrived, and I’m celebrating with a fine gift from my friend, noted “history sleuth” Edna Fund. During a delightful New Year’s Day visit, Edna gave our family a … more

1/2/26

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

Letter to the editor: Chronicle’s ‘Look Back in Time’ stirs memories of partner and musician

I enjoy the "A Look Back in Time" section of The Chronicle. I know I'm going to learn interesting things about our area's past, and I often find something historically significant or personal about … more

1/2/26

Letter to the editor: I hope congresswoman can resolve late mail deliveries in Lewis County

I certainly hope Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has some luck with resolving Lewis County’s late mail deliveries. My father was postmaster in Seaside, Oregon, for more years than I can … more

1/2/26

A recent hydrological model of the Chehalis Basin shows the changes in flood water depths after the construction of a flow-through dam and other flood infrastructure. The map was provided by the Chehalis Basin Flood Control Zone District.

Our Views: Make your voice heard on flow-through dam, a basinwide solution for flooding and fish in the Chehalis River Basin

For the last century, as Chehalis River Basin fish runs declined and flooding got worse, people argued and fought while no progress was made on either flooding or fish recovery. In the … more

By The Chronicle Editorial Board | 1/2/26

Peter Abbarno commentary: Child care deserts in Washington — families lose twice to scarcity and to fraud

Across urban, suburban and rural communities, families are living in child care deserts — places where there are far more children in need of care than licensed, affordable options available. … more

By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis | 12/31/25

Letter to the editor: Chehalis annexation demands a vote of the people

Residents living within the Chehalis urban growth area (UGA) are being asked to accept a sweeping annexation with serious financial, public safety and governance consequences — without being given … more

12/30/25

Letter to the editor: In praise of productive debate

Local journalism is strongest when it resists the temptation to curate opinion and instead trusts readers to evaluate competing arguments for themselves. In that respect, The Chronicle and its … more

12/30/25

Letter to the editor: What if we stopped putting all our eggs in the dam basket?

In a recent briefing about Lewis County’s proposed dam, reported by The Chronicle, local officials were told that if the atmospheric rivers that devastated Snohomish and Skagit counties had been … more

12/30/25

Letter: Providing cash to help moms and babies works — Washington should lead

Having a baby in Washington has never been harder. Costs have outpaced what most families can manage, especially during pregnancy and a baby’s first year, when financial stress hits hardest. … more

12/30/25

Letter to the editor: Gov. Ferguson joins voices to plunder ‘the rich’

Using the power of the state — ultimately enforced by people with guns — to seize wealth from a targeted portion of the population is both morally wrong and unconstitutional. If there is … more

12/29/25

Letter to the editor: We need more antifascism, not less

Richard Perry wrote a letter to the editor recently questioning a statement by a previous writer saying that Antifa does not exist. Well, I have a new hat. It says: Antifa c.1945. Next to the … more

12/29/25

Letter to the editor: Who represents long-term renters?

I am writing this letter to the Lewis County commissioners and to The Chronicle. It is in response to actions Lewis County has taken (mostly inaction, actually) in regards to Lewis County zoning … more

12/29/25

Letter to the editor: No masks for agents and forced masks for others? Hypocrisy

Let me get this straight. During the COVID-19 pandemic, California forced people to wear masks for so-called safety for themselves and others. Yet they just passed a stupid law that mandates no … more

12/29/25

Letter to the editor: Lawmakers provide only hostility and canned ideological theatrics

It has become impossible to ignore the pattern in how state Reps. Jim Walsh and Joel McEntire communicate with the public. Their statements don’t reflect thoughtful leadership — they mirror … more

12/29/25

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

John McCroskey commentary: Can the Legislature actually fix something before taxing us more?

It seems like this past year has just been a blur. I’ve barely gotten used to writing 2025, yet here we are. The beginning of each new year is an opportunity to start over and look … more

By John McCroskey / For The Chronicle | 12/29/25

Rev. Alta Smith and her husband, Willis “Snoopy” Smith, smile in this photo provided by Chronicle columnist Julie McDonald.

Julie McDonald: Centralia’s Alta Smith recalls shifting from flipping burgers to teaching and preaching

Editor’s note: This is the second installation of a profile of Centralia’s Rev. Alta Smith by Chronicle columnist Julie McDonald. To read the first installment, visit https://tinyurl.com/bde7ahju … more

12/29/25

Letter to the editor: What kind of vainglorious putz names a building in their own honor?

I will do letter writer Ray Anderson the courtesy of paying attention to detail and spelling his name correctly. Anderson has a lot of faith in the structure and norms of the Uniform Code of … more

12/23/25

Letter to the editor: The Christmas Possum — a poem

The chickens were nestled all snug in their nests While dad kept a watch for those predator pests Like weasels and possums, coyotes and cats And even winged creatures like hoot owls … more

12/23/25