Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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This week, I received a ballot in the mail to vote on a tax levy for the Wahkiakum School District. I marked the box to support the levy. They call it an enrichment levy. The state legislature has determined that the state is paying for the cost of basic education, and voters in local school districts can use these special levies to enrich their programs. For the Wahkiakum School District, enrichment means future technology needs; music instruments; transportation to band competitions and athletic events; safety equipment; for grass and water...
To The Eagle: Last week’s Eagle had two particularly well written articles. James, to your rhetorical question of “why,” I think the answer comes down to the age-old balance beam of “fear and greed,” and then often justified with religion. When you peel the onion back, this is the political metric that is usually at the core. You call the religious aspect a cudgel, I call it a crutch. I think the last line in the other Eagle article about denial and CRT is a great example of this supposed justification. PS: Regarding your PS: I wonder ho...
To The Eagle: Folks should have received a ballot in the mail this week for a levy to replace an existing educational programs and operations levy. That's it! Nothing else on the ballot. Boring. Boring. Boring. But it's pretty darned important, and I'm writing to encourage people to return those ballots. It's not a slam-dunk that it will pass. Our schools operate using a combination of state dollars (about 80%) and local school levies (20%). We have the third lowest levy rate in the state at $1.90 per thousand dollars. In fact, the rate will dr...
To The Eagle: It is not an extra tax and its approval by voters will not increase your property taxes. Instead, by voting for the renewal of the existing levy, voters indicate that they want a certain amount of their existing property tax to be used to fund, for example, school projects (sports, drama, band) and the purchase of safety equipment (defibrillators). In past years, based on the consent of voters, as much as $2.36 per $1,000/assessed property value (APV) was allocated to such projects. This time, the school board of the Wahkiakum...
To The Eagle: On social media we are seeing some folks campaigning against the levy whose end goal appears to be that Wahkiakum school district ceases to exist. They are possibly misinformed about the costs of doing that. According to Washington State, Wahkiakum currently has the third lowest special levey rate of all counties in the state, at $1.90/$1,000. Source: https://dor.wa.gov/about/statistics-reports/average-levy-rates-county-interactive-data-graphic. Our estimated levy rate if the levy passes is $1.78/$1,000. Source: Voters pamphlet. I...
To The Eagle: The Wahkiakum Lions Club wishes to thank Diana Zimmerman for her great article about the LC Medical Equipment Loan Closet. It has already created help for several people in this community who needed items to help in their recovery. Also, we have received donations of equipment from Kelly Head, Hannah Booth, Linda DeHart and others who’s names I did not get. Thank you all. Because of you I can now add a hospital bed and transfer poles to my list of loan items. Carol McClain Keeper of the Loan Closet...
To The Eagle: We plan to vote “yes” on the replacement levy for the Wahkiakum School district (February 8 special election) and urge our neighbors to do the same. This simple, minimal measure carries forward the existing school levy and helps provide critical funding to address class sizes, technology, safety equipment, Mule athletics and necessary staff. The school district is not asking for an increase in funds, in fact district tax rates are projected to decrease over time. Families, children and quality of life improve when schools are ade...
To The Eagle: The ballots are out for voting on the renewal of our school district levy. Yes, renewal, not a new levy or tax, but replacing the expiring 4-year levy the school district is currently collecting. The estimated levy rate is $1.78/per $1,000 of assessed value according to the Official Local Voters Pamphlet. The previous 4-year levy was approved at $2.36/$1,000. The amount the levy currently collects is $997,000, the same amount the replacement levy will collect beginning in 2023. Yes, property values may continue to rise and if...
To The Eagle: A writer in last week’s paper suggested that the reason many good people don't want to run for office has something to do with religion being used as a cudgel (stick). The real reason many good people don't run for office is that the two parties have at the ready, a professional smear machine designed to destroy anyone that dares to challenge the political establishment. I think good people should run for office and point out to the voters that when the smears start, and they will, the words of Jesus Christ apply, “Let him amongst...
To The Eagle: My number1 hope for this country and continued democracy, is to pass the two voting rights bills currently in Congress. Sadly did not happen. Some years ago, it would have been a large bipartisan vote, now zero Republicans will vote for it! Sad! Next, I hope the roughly 15+ percent of the adult population that remains stubbornly unvaccinated, who are at the greatest risk of severe illness and death from the omicron variant, will somehow change their minds. My hopes also come in the form of appreciating, where we have so much...
To The Eagle: The school levy for Wahkiakum School District will be voted on February 8, 2022. Every school district in Washington State has a school levy that provides for maintenance of basic needs - books, teachers, teacher assistants, special education tools, extra curricular activities, and school building maintenance to name a few. A school levy is not just for schools but helps define the community it is in. If this school levy does not pass, the school will not have money for basic needs. Eventually, if not immediately, families will...
To The Eagle: As a recent writer adroitly pointed out, you’re not likely to read about American Communist activities in the local paper. They’re simply not exciting enough. You’d have to subscribe to the People’s World newspaper which informs the 5000 members of the American Communist Party. Connecticut’s World People’s Committee is a branch of our domestic Communist party and they met recently to present the Amistad Award to four dedicated labor organizers for their tireless efforts to advance worker rights, equality, and social justice. Th...
To The Eagle: The people who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January don’t understand that radical nationalism is not patriotism. Not wanting to be considered as rioters, or insurrectionists, they claim to be “patriots.” It is a strange modern definition of patriotism that includes flag-waving hypocrites who proudly proclaim their loyalty to a country they seem determined to kill. A true patriot would accept stricter gun laws favored by 70% of Americans. Instead, patriotic nihilists helped make the National Rifle Association the official spons...
To The Eagle, I fancy the readers of our paper to be articulate well educated souls. Given that, allow me to posit this. Perhaps I can get an answer to a question that has been lurking at the edge of my consciousness for some time now. We live in a society of something over 240 million so why is it that we are left with the choices for leader being only between a moron and a bully? There are so many intelligent and experienced people being shoved aside by the most ridiculous of reasons that prevent them from being in positions of power. We...
To The Eagle: Is there any person more pathetic or foolish than the man or woman of 40-50-80+ years who is “woke,” who is the recipient of the privileges and capabilities from the most free and open society in the world, but who hates it and his fellow citizens who wish to keep it free? Who insists on racial quotas, shaming the majority of people because of the evils and mistakes of our past history, or members of the hated red party? Who goes along with the destructive divisive policies of power from obsessed authoritarians [the Karens of gov...
To The Eagle: I have to comment on a letter last week from a writer who's views are mostly extreme to me. The writer suggested maybe we don't need a Constitution, well I guess he thinks we don't need freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or any other of our Bill of Rights. I guess he believes we don't need any elections of the president, Senate or House of Representatives anymore as is in our Constitution. I don't know about anyone else but I am not happy Joe Biden has three more years in office but imagine him president for life, or anyone...
To The Eagle: “Basic civil, human, and economic rights were violated under demonstrably fraudulent pretenses. The sacrifices we thought we were making for the common good were sacrifices made in vain. Unlawful lockdowns demoralized the population and ruined lives. The tragic reality is that this was all for nothing. The only way to prevent these events from recurring is to exhaustively investigate not just the origin of the virus, but every corrupt and misguided decision made by politicians, NGOs, public health organizations, and scientific i...
To The Eagle: The Star Program of Wahkiakum is finished with the 2021 season. We are happy to report that with all the donations, the star placement locations, and the help of the great people of Wahkiakum County, it was another successful year. We are ever so grateful for each and every person that donated time, money, and gifts to the program for the children. We would like to thank the Fire Department Santa Run for collecting toys and money and donating them to the program. And special kudos to the young couple that found a star that...
To The Eagle: I don’t dislike you because we have differences of opinion about national policy or because you vote Republican and I vote Democrat. No. I dislike you because you don’t accept truth and facts that don’t conform to your perception of reality. I dislike you because you cheered on a man while he mocked a disabled reporter in a crowd and made sexist and racist comments. And continued to cheer for that same man, when he called the press the enemy of the people, and encouraged violence against reporters and political opponents. I disli...
To The Eagle: Something in last week's paper jumped out at me. Well, three things actually. Number 1: It's nice that the overseer of the PUD gets his 5% raise. Like the rest of us on SS that will help a little with the 5% inflation rate. Following that bit of news was that 18 customers will have their power turned off for non payment. I get it that they were given every chance but has it occurred to the powers that maybe some are simply unable to pay this and for whatever reason shouldn't be a public concern. We are in the beginning weeks of...
To The Eagle: Not every country possesses a single, written constitution, and some countries possess them in quirky forms. Nonetheless, these countries remain some of the most free and democratic in the world. Australia’s 1901 constitution lacks what many consider the crown jewel of such documents- a bill of rights. Having one document that sets up a government does not result in better democratic outcomes than having a mix of statutes, norms, and precedents instead. The United Kingdom famously does not have such a document. New Zealand possess...
To The Eagle: The latest entree in The Eagle's "dueling headlines" opines that some opinions shouldn't be repeated. The letter then goes on to attack several observations about the ineffectiveness of, and hazards caused by, masks. These observations may have started out as opinions, but for most of the past year they have qualified as cold, hard fact, with readily observable evidence to be found in the wreckage of much of our school system: collapsing athletes, teen suicides, adolescent mental health issues. All this in turn is based upon...
To The Eagle: Senator Elizabeth Warren tweeted on Elon Musk: “Let’s change the rigged tax so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else,” in which Elon responded “If you opened your eyes for 2 seconds, you will realize I will pay more taxes than any American in history this year. Don’t spend it all at once. Oh wait, you did already.” Not knowing who Elon Musk is, I reckoned I should read up on him. His income is estimated around $270 billion. I’m trying to grasp inside my head having an income in the...
To The Eagle: According to Town of Cathlamet Mission Statement: "Cathlamet is committed to providing credible leadership and quality services to the community through transparency of its processes, good stewardship of public resources, respect for the Town's heritage, and valuing its diverse citizenry." And where is that commitment when our past and present town council members have dropped the ball in maintaining our recently closed Community Center? After previous council members passed management of the facility to the Wahkiakum County...
To The Eagle: I attended school at George Washington Elementary in White Plains, New York from 1940 through 1944. The school was only about five blocks from my house, but it was on the other side of the Mamaroneck Parkway, a four lane divided highway, sort of a mini-freeway. These were the years of one-car families, and also war rationing, so everyone walked everywhere. To get to school, I walked half a block to where my street ended at the parkway, hung a left for about a block, then went over a pedestrian walkway bridge, a beautiful iron...
