Debating whether it was wrong for President Trump to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord negotiations is never-ending. Both sides will find ample evidence to claim the accords are good or bad for America; however, the rhetoric can’t obfuscate our ongoing work to reduce greenhouse gases.
What’s all the fuss about pollinators? For one thing, we depend on pollinators for the majority of the crops we eat. And at least 80 percent of all plant life depends on pollination for reproduction. And more pollination makes for better fruit set and quality, in addition to increasing fruit size, resulting in more productive farms and gardens.
The governor called the Legislature into a special session on April 24, after we were unable to reach a budget agreement within the 105-day legislative session. We are in…
The Trump budget — pure profit for Pentagon corporate contractors. The Trump tax “reform” — massive tax cuts for the rich. Really? We are going to stand for this?
By Jill Pariera, Guest Columnist No matter one’s race, ethnicity, age, gender identification, sexual orientation, value system, or socioeconomic status; depression does not discriminate. People from all walks of life…
Why is there so little popular protest against today’s threats of nuclear war?
Twenty-one years ago my wife Teresa and I bought a log home on the Washougal River in western Skamania County, Washington — a place where salmon and steelhead move up the river; deer, coyote and otters play along the banks; and heron and eagles use the river flyway to hunt and the trees to nest in. With the breathtaking beauty of the West End of the Columbia River Gorge only a few short miles from our doorstep, we truly feel we live in a rural paradise — a wild, special and sacred place.
Driving east along SR 14 these days, you see water pouring out of Columbia River dams. It is already a high water year with much of the runoff from our heavy mountain snowpack yet to come.
Recently, I held a town hall meeting to discuss future transportation solutions. More than 150 citizens attended to hear about creative ideas presented by the private sector. From that outreach and dozens of meetings with business leaders and citizens, several important points have become apparent as we look to solve our local transportation crisis.
I applaud our own Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for its 7-2 vote on Jan. 14 to reach a compromise that has our state moving in the right direction for conservation of endangered salmon and steelhead. This recent decision removes all commercial gill nets from the lower Columbia River during the spring and summer runs and allows commercial nets in the fall in selected areas - but only through 2019 with the commitment to remove all gill nets completely after that time. This two-year extension of fall gill netting is a compromise to the original plan in favor of the gillnetters, to allow more time to develop selective commercial fishing methods and help the commercial fishery achieve financial goals.
