The Daily Chronicle

Bill Moeller smiles for a portrait outside The Chronicle in Centralia on Jan. 24, 2023.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Old Lewis County Directory Has Plenty of Stories to Tell

I was just thinking that the only way we can know how far we’ve come is by looking back on where we’ve been. That’s hardly a profound statement, but it’s the best I … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 2/1/23

Ed Johnstone is the chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

Being Frank: Dead Zones Are a Symptom of a Warming Planet

As first stewards on the front lines of climate change, treaty tribes have been sounding the alarm for more than a decade about low oxygen levels in the ocean and the Salish Sea. My mentor, former … more

Commentary by Ed Johnstone / Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. | 2/1/23

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

Letter to the Editor: Thank You to Those Who Help Recovering Addicts Through Drug Court Foundation

It is with considerable appreciation that I wish to take this belated opportunity to thank the 19 businesses and 13 individuals that made last month’s Christmas party for Lewis County Drug … more

2/1/23

Letter to the Editor: Wind Farms Are Risky

On Sept. 8, 2022, I attended a Boistfort Community Meeting hosted by Lewis County District 2 Commissioner Lindsey Pollock. The focus of the meeting was a proposal before the county … more

2/1/23

Letter to the Editor: Thoughts on the Times From a Conservative Perspective

It was good to see a positive letter from the local conservative leader. Our liberal friends are constantly airing their opinions and complaints in print. Even our self-named curmudgeon columnist … more

2/1/23

Letter to the Editor: Putting Onerous Restrictions on Landlords Will Produce Negative Results for Housing

There’s lots of talk in our Legislature and in the other Washington about rent control, renter’s bill of rights and what to do about homelessness. I believe these types of actions, … more

2/1/23

Letter to the Editor: Moral Decay to Blame for Gun Violence

Letter writer Marty Ansley missed the mark in his Jan. 30 letter concerning shootings in this country. He seems to feel that the NRA and gun ownership are the reasons for all of these … more

2/1/23

Letter to the Editor: State Trying to Strong Arm Cities Out of Land Use Control

The Washington State Legislature is once again trying to strongarm most all Washington cities into giving up local control over land use, density and zoning decisions. Two bills have just … more

2/1/23

From left, Priscilla Tiller, Jan Leth and Luana Graves pose for a photo at the Lewis County Historical Museum.

Julie McDonald Commentary: Lewis County AAUW Branch Celebrates Its First Century

Do you believe women pursuing a college education can impair their fertility? Today, such a notion sounds absurd, but that was a prevailing myth dispelled only after a small group of college … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 1/30/23

Letter to the Editor: Do You Want Safer Roads or Feel Good Progressive Laws?

Almost 750 people were killed in vehicle accidents across our state in 2022. That’s the highest number in the past 30 years. Are you concerned? You should be if you or your loved ones travel on … more

1/30/23

Letter to the Editor: Constant Mass Shootings Are a Mark of a Nation Headed for Anarchy and Decay

Three killed in a random Yakima shooting early Tuesday. Seven in Half Moon Bay, California, on Monday. Eleven in Monterey Park, California, last Saturday. I am old enough to remember a time when gun … more

1/30/23

Letter to the Editor: Ukraine War Will Only End When Putin Is Thrown Out

Ramifications from Vladimir Putin’s misbegotten invasion of Ukraine continue to burgeon and multiply, especially in the Far East. Russia’s armed incursion rapidly intensified concerns … more

1/30/23

From left, Deb Parnham, Vickie Jackson, Tim Browning and Mandi McDougall listen as superintendent Lisa Grant talks about current levy expenditures during a Centralia School District board meeting last December.

Commentary: Success in Our Public Schools Will Require a Commitment by Our Whole Community

Recently, I tried to evaluate my year as president of the Centralia School Board and what I may have learned during my 81 years that would help me assist Superintendent Dr. Lisa Grant and the board … more

By Tim Browning / Centralia School Board | 1/30/23

Letter to the Editor: Support Napavine School Bond for a Safer Learning Environment

I have lived, worked and retired in Napavine, and it is a tight knit community. If I want something to do after supper, I go up to the high school. I will watch a Tiger team — be it volleyball, … more

1/27/23

Letter to the Editor: Every Child Has a Right to Basic Education in a Safe, Nondiscriminatory School

Discrimination hurts everyone. We should encourage, not discourage efforts to promote empathic communities. “Don’t tread on me” is not a caring motto, but sums up columnist … more

1/27/23

Letter to the Editor: News Dump Podcast Is a Treasure Trove Insight Into Newspaper

The Chronicle’s “News Dump” podcast is a treasure-trove of insight for those interested in a behind-the-scenes look at what is happening in our community. As a bonus, it is also an … more

1/27/23

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, walks alongside State Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, outside the Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia earlier this month.

Sen. John Braun Commentary: To Restore Public Trust, Start Reestablishing Public Safety

I don’t know anyone who would choose to live next to a big, noisy international airport, or have sexually violent predators for neighbors. Through no fault of their own, people in the … more

By Sen. John Braun / R-Centralia | 1/27/23

Letter to the Editor: Bill Seeks to Remove ‘Qualified Immunity’ for Washington’s Law Enforcement Officers

A bill coming up this session is HB 1025. It is a bill that will open up each and every law enforcement officer and private security guard to nuisance litigation, and will also transfer liability to … more

1/25/23

Photo by Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com Longtime Chronicle columnist Bill Moeller is pictured outside The Chronicle on North Pearl Street in Centralia on Tuesday. The Chronicle decided it was past time to provide a new photograph of our columnist.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Seasonal Contemplations of an Elderly Columnist

I was just thinking about spring. It’s still a ways off but some signs are appearing. Weeds are certainly poking their heads out already, primroses are appearing and, depending on the … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 1/25/23

The Washington state Capitol is pictured in 2022.

Brian Mittge Commentary: Micromanaging Lawmakers Set Back Students and Teachers

The Legislature is back in session, and parents (and all who care about their community’s schools) should pay attention to how some powerful state lawmakers are pushing to roll back local … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 1/25/23