Opinion

While briefly discussing politics with a friend.., I commented that I wished I had the option to vote for “no President at all” because our country has been going steadily downhill for the past 50 years. Why do I feel this way? After all, the government constantly tells us we are in a period of unprecedented freedom and prosperity.

Hand-stitched quilts of old in every room; the love in them will never wash away or fade. She “touches” my hand whenever I touch her works.

Charlie and Momma are no longer on this “level.” I still experience that stage of separation when loved ones of many years are only temporarily away. Memories refuse to fade, instead, come alive, vividly stand out to take my breath away with a knowing pain in my solar plexus that beg a tear. Yet, the memories offer joys of the past.

I thought my bench letter was fairly explanatory, if digested thoroughly. Let’s flip the spectrum to summer. Any day above 90 degrees with a beating sun on dark brown cement will not “cool your buns.” It will cook them. How many hot days will Oroville have next summer? As I said, the slat wood type are comfortable and useable at any temperature.

And the posture angle. Do you like to squat or lean? I guess it depends on the moment.

The Youth Activity Center (YAC) on Central in Oroville has been in operation for five years, opening our doors Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. as a drop-in center for all age kids to have a place to hang out and build relationships with adults who take the time to be there for them. Monday nights are specifically a time for junior and senior high students. With a fantastic staff of volunteers we have been able to minister to upwards of 30 to 40 kids.

Another Tonasket school levy coming up! This community has been great in their support for our school and they need you again to keep our school top notch! Our kids are our future.

Bill Forhan’s commentary, ‘Green Policy’s Legacy of Waste’ triggered thoughts of old when we used to frown on shortcuts; when a “let it burn” policy was never in play.

My thoughts meandered to remember how this little tot of eight or ten years of age would be in awe watching what then seemed a mile long bright gleaming red fire engine (truck). Men seemed to claw to it hanging on all sides, their heads all facing in one direction, forward; all cloaked in black rain resistant gear. The large coils of hose looked like the huge reptiles I used to see in the reptile house at the Bronx Zoo.

We keep hearing and seeing article in the newspapers stating the Tonasket Eagles quit negotiating with the North Valley Hospital on the purchase of the Eagles building and property and that we offered to sell 18 feet north of our building and 10 feet east of our building that is adjacent to the alley to the hospital. That is not true.

Voters within the Oroville and Tonasket School Districts will be asked to approve new two-year maintenance and operations levies to replace the ones that run out at the end of this school year. In fact, all the school districts in Okanogan County will be asking voters to support their schools because state basic education funds fall short of what is really needed to educate our children – our citizens of tomorrow.

In a perfect world Washington State would actually provide a public education that did not need to be subsidized with levies. However, it is not a perfect world and we still want our children, these future leaders, to have the tools they need to be good citizens of our country.

The Washington State Legislature is in session and looking at the list of proposed bills; nobody’s wallet is safe. Following their last session where the Democrat controlled legislature threw bipartisanship out the window and set new records for spending, it looks like they have set a course to follow that up with new tax programs that will dwarf any in recent memory.

Thanks to Proposition 960 the Office of Management and Budget must calculate the cost of bills submitted for consideration. This newspaper has signed on to receive email notification of those budget calculations and each day we receive numerous messages about the cost to taxpayers of new legislation. While many of the proposals are specific to individual segments of our state economy, there are currently two bills in the legislative process that would add over $88 billion in new taxes over the next 10 years. Yes, that is billion with a B. To put that in perspective those two bills would cost every occupied household in Washington state approximately $37,500 over the next 10 years. That is an average of just over $4,550 per year or 8.7 percent of the average household income in this state.

These comments are not intended as criticism, just a little advice. Our town benches are not quite what we require. When I see one I imagine “The Cat in the Hat” and “Sam I Am” sitting there waiting for a bus. They are straight out of Dr. Seuss artwork. Here’s a thought, let’s paint them “nugget” gold for our centennial celebration.