Opinion | The Daily Chronicle

Ed Johnstone is the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission chairman.

Being Frank: Indigenous leaders unite for salmon recovery

We are stronger together for a common cause. For 40 years, Indigenous nations in the United States and Canada have participated in the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) to implement the 1985 … more

Commentary by Ed Johnstone / NWIFC Chairman | 3/18/25

Glenn Aldrich examines blueberry plants in this 2012 photo provided by Washington State University.

Julie McDonald: Deaths and births bring focus onto the circle of life

On Saturday morning, I checked my phone to discover exciting news and a photo of the baby boy born to my niece, whose story I shared in a column after the stillborn birth of her first son. Praise … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 3/17/25

State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, speaks at a public hearing for House Bill 1719 in the John L. O’Brien Building in Olympia on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Peter Abbarno: Late nights, high stakes and the battle to protect Washington’s future

The most important issues I hear about daily from constituents in Southwest Washington and across our state are affordability and crime. Families are struggling with the rising cost of living — … more

Commentary by state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia | 3/16/25

A handful of Makah Ozette potatoes. Plant each potato whole.

Brian Mittge: Generosity grows with historic Makah Ozette potatoes

For more than 200 years, the Makah people have grown a unique variety of potato in the rain-soaked far northwestern corner of the continent. This week, I was given two boxes of these special spuds. … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 3/14/25

John Braun: Republicans disrupt budget conversation with no-new-taxes, no-cuts plan

Being on the minority side in the state Senate means playing defense against a lot of bad pieces of legislation, but there are times when we can still take satisfaction in a job well done. One … more

Commentary by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 3/14/25

Gov. Bob Ferguson smiles at his family during his inaugural address at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Commentary: Democrats might be having some second thoughts about Washington's new governor

When Washington's new Democratic governor, Bob Ferguson, gave his inaugural speech two months ago, I drove down to the Statehouse in Olympia to check it out. In a time of maximal partisanship, … more

Danny Westneat / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/12/25

Rep. Peter Abbarno runs with the torch during the Lewis County Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run on Friday, May 31.

Peter Abbarno: Honoring Special Olympics Washington — a step toward greater inclusion

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, a month to raise awareness and attention to the accomplishments and continued needs of our community members with developmental … more

Commentary by state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia | 3/11/25

Pastor Mark McHugh of Harrison Square Presbyterian Church speaks on Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Lewis County chapter of the American Association of University Women at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Chehalis.

Julie McDonald: Churches tackle homelessness with Shalom Village, Safe Parking Pilot Project

Many complain about vagrants living on the streets, but members of four local churches are tackling homelessness by creating a community building and six little duplexes to serve as transitional … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 3/10/25

Commentary: Crossroads in the state Legislature — Higher taxes and costs, or wiser choices?

As lawmakers head into the final half of the legislative session, they have some big decisions to make. Do they take a middle road and keep costs under control, or do they increase taxes and add new … more

By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business | 3/10/25

Scott and Jeannie Collins enjoy a swim in the Caribbean Sea during a trip to Honduras in 2023. They spoke about “navigating the rapids of life together” during a February marriage conference at Bethel Church, Chehalis.

Brian Mittge: Bringing out the sweetness in marriage

If you want to look forward to a better marriage through practical daily steps, let me pass on some tips that Scott and Jeannie Collins gave during a powerful and useful session at Bethel … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 3/7/25

State Senate Republican Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia.

John Braun: Going soft on criminals makes it even harder to overcome shortage of officers

It seems like legislative Democrats are always coming up with reasons for wanting to let people out of prison sooner. One of the latest examples is Senate Bill 5266, which is on deck for a vote … more

Commentary by Sen John Braun, R-Centralia | 3/7/25

Commentary: New tariffs could hit Washington farmers hard

Any battle over tariffs between the United States and Canada, China, and Mexico is concerning, but if it escalates, it will hit Washington farmers particularly hard. Avoiding that possibility should … more

By Don Brunell | 3/5/25

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

Letter to the editor: Abandoning Ukraine would not prevent a more destructive war — it would ignite one

The current crisis in Ukraine is darkened by distant shadows of the Munich Conference in 1938, during which the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy ceded the Czech Sudetenland to the Third … more

3/5/25

Letter to the editor: We need Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to fight for us

I am writing as a resident of Long Beach. I’m calling on U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to do more to prioritize our health, climate and future. This includes: • Stopping … more

3/5/25

Letter to the editor: All of you conservatives who idolized Ronald Reagan, where are you?

Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, is a day that will live in infamy. All of you conservatives who idolized Ronald Reagan, where are you? Or, more accurately, who are you? After decades of … more

3/3/25

A marker erected by the Washington State Historical Society marking the location of Fort Henness and a map listing the layout of the fort and the names of families living there, including the Borst, Mills and Gooddell families.

Julie McDonald: John Rogers James recalls 1850s Grand Mound, construction of Fort Henness

John Rogers James, an early pioneer of South Thurston County, wrote his memoirs before his death in 1929 and listed the names of people who settled Grand Mound in its early years — the same … more

Commentary by Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 3/3/25

Pastors Dan and Rebekah Metteer speak during the Bethel Marriage Conference on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 at Bethel Church, Chehalis.

Brian Mittge: Working through differences for a stronger marriage

Standing alongside hundreds of other people, all aiming to build up better marriages, is a pretty great place to be. That’s where my wife of 23 1/2 years and I found ourselves last … more

Commentary by Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 2/28/25

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

John Braun: Democrats cry about ‘disastrous’ cuts but silent about $4B in pay raises

At $80,500, the median annual state-employee salary in Washington is higher than the median annual private-sector pay in 38 of our state’s 39 counties. People often seem surprised when … more

2/28/25

Rep. Peter Abbarno in Olympia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2024.

Peter Abbarno: Rising costs — How Olympia is shifting its responsibility

Washington families feel the strain of rising costs on everything from housing to gas to groceries. Inflation has already driven up prices, yet lawmakers in Olympia continue pushing policies that … more

By Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia | 2/28/25

Letter to the editor: Debate the solutions, not our commitment to making America great

A response to letter writer Mike Kimbrel’s piece on Democrats not wanting to make America great: To begin, the question, “Why do Democrats resist making America great?” seems to be … more

2/28/25