It’s funny how thoughts float through the mind as I flip the pages of The Chronicle reading local news. Since this in an opinion column, I’ll share a few observations, from the outside looking in:
• With upheaval at the 911 dispatch center as the latest controversy in Lewis County, perhaps it’s time to re-examine the idea of adopting a home rule charter to reorganize government under an elected council that hires a professional manager.
Both the cities of Centralia and Chehalis hire managers who work under the oversight of city councils. The board of trustees at Centralia College hires a president to manage the college. Perhaps it’s time to look again at reorganizing Lewis County government.
• Since at least the 1930s, local and state governments have spent money to determine how best to alleviate flooding in Lewis County, with the latest news formation of a Chehalis Basin Overview office that would absorb the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority and “fortify the local effort with the powers of the state Department of Ecology and other agencies.” Sometimes it seems the only people who benefit from all these flood studies are government bureaucrats.
• It’s interesting that Sen. Ted Cruz, who suspended his presidential election campaign, picked up 40 of this state’s 41 elected state Republican Party delegates to the national convention, although the party agreed to be bound by results of Tuesday’s primary election. I mailed my ballot, marked for Cruz, whose name was still listed.
• Labor leader Bob Guenther, of Chehalis, raised a good point when he asked why the Port of Centralia hasn’t been actively involved in promoting the North Lewis County Industrial Access, which would provide a freeway interchange for industrial traffic to the proposed Industrial Park at TransAlta. Taxpayers fund the port, which is supposed to help provide jobs for the local community. That’s the same goal of IPAT. Are they competing rather than collaborating? Guenther is encouraging all players to work together for the community’s betterment.
• Excellent news to hear Centralia will form a foundation to support community and school district projects. The Chehalis Foundation has done much to improve that community and perhaps Centralia will begin to reap similar benefits.
• Kudos to Ralph Hubbert, owner of Tires Inc. who has purchased the old downtown Chehalis Theater on North Market Boulevard and plans to reopen it by Aug. 1. I’ve been inside only once, when it showed “Iron Jawed Angels” in November 2010 to mark the 100th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote in Washington.
• How many people can say they were surprised to read this news: “Pot-Related Fatal Crashes in Washington Spiked after Legalization”? I’m not sure what we’ve gained by legalizing pot, other than providing kids with easier access (stealing from their parents’ stash). We’ve cut down on jail incarcerations, but seen a doubling of fatal crashes involving people high on marijuana. Fair trade-off?
• I visited the EMP Museum in Seattle over spring break, when it featured a “Hello, Kitty” display, and spent much time sitting in a lobby waiting for teenagers to finish finagling with musical equipment. But now the EMP is featuring Star Trek artifacts! I’m a self-proclaimed Trekkie, so it looks like I’ll need to make another trip north.
• When I read about the Michigan man who faced charges after paying a stripper for a lap dance with a counterfeit $100 bill, I thought of the fraud perpetrated this year on my 17-year-old niece in Lacey. She was selling Girl Scout cookies outside a Safeway store when someone paid for two boxes using a fake $50 bill. Stealing from a Girl Scout? How low can you go?
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at memoirs@chaptersoflife.com.
