Commentary | The Daily Chronicle

State Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, represents the 19th Legislative District in the Legislature.

Commentary: Breaking Down the Three State Budgets Under Consideration This Session

In Olympia, we’re in the last few weeks of the legislative session and attention is turning to the state’s budgets. I’m getting lots of questions about those budgets, so … more

By Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen | 4/10/23

Pictured from left are Deb Parnham holding her granddaughter, Natalie Jean Markstrom, her daughter Tana Rogerson and her mother Jean Bluhm

Julie McDonald Commentary: Four Generations Teach in Lewis County

Perhaps it’s in the blood or a God-given talent for nurturing the minds and hearts of children. But for Jean (Hilts) Bluhm and her family, teaching has been a career of choice for a … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 4/10/23

Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston speaks with members of the council in this file photo.

Kelly Smith Johnston Commentary: Efforts to Respond to Homelessness in Centralia are Nuanced

Last week, the publisher of The Chronicle called on the City of Centralia to take action in response to an increase in crime connected to homelessness. I’d like to respond to his concerns and … more

By Kelly Smith Johnston | 4/7/23

Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, takes part in a news conference Nov., 29, 2022.

Sen. John Braun Commentary: Democrats’ Priorities Are Off-Target as Session Nears End

Drugs in our state are clearly more lethal than firearms. Just look at King County, where 83 people were fatally shot in 2022, but more than 1,000 people fatally overdosed. With that disparity … more

By John Braun | 4/7/23

Bill Moeller smiles for a portrait outside The Chronicle in Centralia on Jan. 24, 2023.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Where Have All the Loved Ones Gone?

Did I just miss the frogs singing and calling to their potential mates this year? No, I don’t think so, at least not entirely. What has been happening in recent years, and what few … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 4/5/23

State Rep. Peter Abbarno meets with school district officials at Oakview Elementary School in Centralia earlier this year.

Peter Abbarno Commentary: Impact of New Payroll Tax Is Unpopular, Unfair and Inadequate

The Washington State Legislature is down to the final weeks. The House is considering legislation that passed the Senate, the Senate is considering legislation that passed the House, both … more

4/5/23

Ed Johnstone is the chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

Being Frank: Hatchery Salmon Hold the Ecosystem Together

Salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest — a central part of the food chain and our way of life. Throughout the region, salmon runs are imperiled by the cumulative effects of … more

By Ed Johnstone | 4/4/23

Money in the form of many large bills is pictured.

Kris Johnson Commentary: Now Is the Time to Batten the Hatches When It Comes to State Economy

If ever there was a time for building up Washington’s rainy-day reserves, this is it. Warning signs continue to flash on an economy that has endured unprecedented stress during the last … more

By Kris Johnson | 4/3/23

Salmon swim in a net pen in Carlisle Lake in this file photo.

Guest Commentary: State Older Forest Auction Undercuts Investment in Salmon, Chehalis Basin Flood Reduction

Since the catastrophic flood of 2007 inundated the cities of Centralia and Chehalis and closed Interstate 5, Lewis County and state leaders have been planning and taking action to reduce flood damage … more

By Lee First | 4/3/23

Lewis County commissioners listen to attendees speak during a meeting in Chehalis.

Julie McDonald Commentary: County Commissioners’ Potential Salary Bump Is Baffling

When I heard Erik Martin was resigning as Lewis County’s first county manager to take another job, I was disappointed. The county’s former Public Works Department director excelled in the … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 4/3/23

Sen. John Braun Commentary: Despite His Blustering, Inslee Chose to Enable Homelessness Crisis

Washington is unlike any other state when it comes to the number of homeless residents. Not in a good way. In December, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued its Annual … more

By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 3/31/23

Elk in Packwood beside U.S. Highway 12 bask in the sun last January.

Brian Mittge Commentary: Newest Newsy McNewsarooni for March 32

Folks, it’s the least accurate day of the year, so here’s some April foolish “news” for you. Note that there might actually be something truthful or accurate in … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 3/31/23

The encampment at Blakesless Junction in Centralia where a fire broke out on Wednesday night is pictured from above.

Publisher's Note: Centralia Police Reports Show Obvious Need for Action on Homelessness

Any debate over homelessness — its prevalence, causes and effects and what to do about it — tends to become emotional quickly. If you think camps should be cleaned up and … more

Commentary by Chad Taylor / ctaylor@chronline.com | 3/31/23

Bob Mohrbacher is president of Centralia College.

Bob Mohrbacher Commentary: We Need Our Schools to Be Strong and Vibrant Places

Strong schools make for strong communities. I have always believed that, and that is one of the reasons why I have spent more than three decades working in education as a teacher and an … more

By Bob Mohrbacher / Centralia College president | 3/29/23

Chad Taylor is publisher of The Chronicle and CT Publishing. He and his wife, Coralee Taylor, are the owners of The Chronicle as well as the Silver Agency in Chehalis. They can be reached at ctaylor@chronline.com.

Publisher's Note: Court’s Approval of New Tax a Blow to Washington Residents

On 10 occasions, Washington state residents have voted down proposals to create income taxes in Washington state and, until Friday, the state constitution was always interpreted to prohibit the … more

Commentary by Chad Taylor | 3/29/23

Bill Moeller Commentary: A Significant Anniversary and a Lesson on Proper Use of English

I wanted to mention this last week, but the column about Kenneth Kimball had priority by far. And the significance of that column would have been the marking of the beginning of another year … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 3/29/23

Ed Fund smiles for a photo on Veterans Day during the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis.

Julie McDonald Commentary: Saying Goodbye to Ed Fund, a Faithful Friend and Family Man

Lewis County lost a stalwart supporter of the community Thursday afternoon when Edward Lawrence Fund passed on to his heavenly reward just a month shy of his 93rd birthday. I met Ed nearly two … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 3/27/23

Chronicle Assistant Editor Isabel Vander Stoep is pictured on assignment at the Mossyrock Dam in 2022. Vander Stoep covers East Lewis County and many environmental issues for The Chronicle including climate change, natural disasters, species and habitat restoration, hunting, fishing and more. She can be reached at isabel@chronline.com.

Isabel Vander Stoep Commentary: A Chehalis Rotary Club Story That Spans Generations

Some friendships span generations. In tight-knit Lewis County, we’re blessed to find these more frequently. They are a privilege. I get to enjoy them because my grandparents, … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep | 3/24/23

Braun Commentary: Supreme Court’s Income-Tax Ruling Clouds Encouraging News About Budgets

The no-new-taxes operating-budget proposal introduced in the Senate this session is a welcome turnaround. To be clear, there is no more need for new taxes this year than there was in either 2019 … more

By Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 3/24/23

Erik Martin smiles inside the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis as he is honored Wednesday afternoon for 14 years of service.

Erik Martin Commentary: Lewis County’s Future Is Bright

In 2009, I was hired as an engineer in the Lewis County Public Works Department. The Great Recession was in full swing, the housing bubble had burst and communities here had, in the span of less than … more

By Erik Martin. outgoing Lewis County manager | 3/24/23