Letters to the Editor

Voting for responsible Republicans

I occasionally vote for Republican candidates who demonstrate exceptional civic responsibility, civility, moral character and most importantly loyalty to the laws and Constitution of the United States. Latah County Sheriff Richie Skiles has earned my vote through competent and unbiased service, and due to the diligent protection and assistance he provided to vulnerable residents during the perilously drawn-out evacuation of Syringa Mobile Home Park following its closure some years ago. Lori McCann likewise represents all her constituents, and has allowed me to share differences with her, including on reproductive rights, without any blaming or vitriol, and without ignoring me.

By contrast, state Sen. Dan Foreman has proven himself unfit for office, and should not be reelected. Claiming to be a Christian, Foreman seems to have gone no further than the first bit of the Old Testament, extracting only the simple-minded directive to blame women first, and always.

I trust Rep. McCann’s corroborating account of Foreman’s recent angry outburst against excellent House candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart, with him absurdly and pathetically shouting at an American Indian woman to “go back where you came from.”

Julia Parker offers an excellent alternative to Foreman, who has no place in elected office due to an abject failure of moral character and civic understanding, same as our would-be insurrectionist in chief Donald Trump. Lying about his own failures compounds the error to the point of unredeemability, same as Trump. I don’t vote for liars, or abusers of women either. Real men apologize and own their mistakes.

Chris Norden

Moscow

Stick with Skiles

Sheriff Richie Skiles was an eager, baby-faced reserve deputy when I started working at the Latah County Sheriff’s Office in 1995. He’s always been a “people person” and seems to know pretty much everyone in the county.

The sheriff is only required to work a few hours a month and some took advantage of that. One Sheriff’s response, when asked why he wasn’t seen in the county more, was: “When you see a deputy, you see me.” Richie is usually in the office or patrolling and even works holidays. He’s involved with local communities and regularly attends city meetings and events. I retired from the sheriff’s office in 2023, but still visit the office and am proud to call Richie my friend.

Former Moscow Police Chief James Fry is putting his name on the ballot for sheriff, “To move into maybe a different era of law enforcement and help move things along.” The Moscow PD was down several officer positions under Fry. The sheriff’s office dispatch center, jail and patrol are fully staffed. The office acquired three new patrol vehicle this year and recently updated their deputy and vehicle cameras. They received a grant for the video equipment so there was no cost to the taxpayers for the $350,000 price tag.

My father liked to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Well James, the sheriff’s office isn’t broke and is doing just fine. Please join me in reelecting Richie Skiles for sheriff.

Scott Mikolajczyk

Moscow

Post grieving town deserved attention

Friends of Hospice serving Whitman County notably skipped the Malden Fall Fest last month and the governing board doesn’t have a clue why they should attend. Samaritan agencies in attendance included Innovia, United Way, Pine Creek Restoration District and Avista. Four years after a catastrophic fire leveled the town, Malden blossomed out of the ashes.

FOH functions from a substantial bequest from a Malden man, Donald Steward, who died in 1999. He resided near the park where residents celebrated the town’s reconstruction. Following a lung cancer diagnosis, Steward received compassionate at-home care from Home Health. Steward left $300,000 to Friends of Hospice so others could also die at home. His last will and testament explicitly directs his bequest be used for “the purpose of care to and for the terminally ill who could remain in their homes such as himself.” This gift equals over $500,000 in 2024 dollars.

Sadly, Donald Steward’s money stays mainly in the two most densely populated pockets of Whitman County: Colfax and Pullman. Most FOH board members also work or live in Pullman. Don Steward’s vision to serve his 200 Malden neighbors is grossly neglected, as are the rural communities of Lamont, Tekoa, Rosalia, St. John, Endicott, Hooper and Lacrosse.

This impasse can only be resolved through outreach like attending community events throughout the county and in particular the Malden Fall Fest.

Becky Dickerson

St. John, Wash.

Keep our power options open

I see them everywhere in Whitman County. NO WIND FARMS signs. Really?

Let’s be clear: I don’t think the placement of the Harvest Wind Farm near Kamiak Butte should happen. There are many alternate sites in the western part of the county that are better suited.

But, the deal of it is, with increasing electrical power demands from data processing centers to commerical production to personal use combined with the decline in water storage in the mountains, longer heat waves, declining hydro-power production, plus the total elimination of coal-fired generation, we have to look at alternative means to produce power. There are three options immediately available: solar, wind and nuclear.

We cannot categorically reject any alternative. I just think the NO WIND FARMS people have not thought through their position. We need to keep the option open — just not in the shadow of Kamiak Butte.

Wayne Beebe

Pullman

Response to Anderson

I recently read Scotty Anderson’s opinion piece titled “Dems Are behind failed ideas” (Daily News, Oct. 12) and it prompted me to reflect on the state of our public discourse. It sounds like Scotty is deeply concerned about the direction our policies are taking and fears the impact they may have on our community’s future. I appreciate his willingness to share his perspective so openly.

However, I can’t help but notice that the tone of the article contributes to the very divisiveness it critiques. When we resort to labeling and assigning blame, we risk widening the gap between us rather than finding solutions. It’s understandable to feel frustrated, especially when we believe strongly in our convictions. But what if we shifted our approach from name calling to seeking understanding?

Our community is made up of diverse individuals who all want the best for our families, friends and neighbors. We may have different ideas about how to achieve those goals, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find common ground. How might our conversations change if we focused on listening to each other’s concerns and experiences?

Instead of viewing those with differing opinions as adversaries, let’s consider them partners in the quest to improve our community. By engaging in respectful dialogue, we open the door to collaborative problem-solving. This is the reason why I ran for political office. What solutions could we uncover if we combined our different perspectives and strengths?

I believe that constructive conversations start with empathy and a willingness to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Scotty’s passion indicates a deep care for our community, and that’s something we all share. Let’s use that commonality as a foundation to build upon.

I invite Scotty and others who feel similarly to join in a dialogue aimed at understanding each other’s viewpoints.

Eric Fejeran

Pullman