Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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To the Editor: I was a cheerleader all throughout high school here in Odessa. When I was a freshman, we cheerleaders were allowed to ride the bus with the football players to all the out-of-town games. Over the years since my freshman year of high school in 2013, the girls of the Odessa cheer team have been unable to ride the bus due to excuses from football coaches, players and the school. After learning that this is still going on and that the 2017-2018 cheerleaders cannot ride the bus to attend out-of-town games, I thought...
To the Editor: After the twin towers fell, Bin Laden said that his goal was to bankrupt America. I would assume that he would be proud, as would his followers. Our debt that we recognize is twenty trillion and climbing because we keep making mistakes that would please his followers. We keep foolishly allowing immigrants in to our country who don’t speak English. This gives us the added expense of having five million school-aged children who must be taught English in our classrooms. That takes valuable teacher time! We must p...
To the Editor: Tammy Wynette once crooned a tune entitled, Stand By Your Man. Sadly, even though we have an incompetent, morally vacant man as our President, Cathy McMorris Rodgers stands by him. Some Republican leaders have had enough and are speaking out and saying that this president is doing great harm to our America. Senator Bob Corker said, “He has not demonstrated stability or comprehension. Our nation is going to go through great peril.” Arnold Schwartzenegger, a fellow Republican, said Trump had a moral res...
To the Editor: Since ACA (Obamacare) is still U. S. law, please remind your readers who wish to apply for health insurance in 2018 through the Washington State Health Benefit Exchange that open enrollment begins November 1 and ends December 15, 2017. They can begin planning now by visiting the Health Care Plan Finder at www.wahealthplanfinder.org. This would also include the estimated 10 percent in the county who do not have any health care coverage. Those who are currently covered by ACA may make changes to their coverage...
To the Editor: Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers said at her August 10, Town Hall meeting, “ I support Donald Trump because…, because…, because he’s a disrupter and we need to change DC. I continue to support him.” When a later question about Donald Trump was asked, she said, “ Donald Trump was elected POTUS. He won the election and I’ve already told you why I support him.” So, being a disrupter is McMorris Rodgers qualification for POTUS? Another woman recently disagreed with her when she said she thought the POTUS shoul...
SUMAS, Wash. – Farmworkers and community members are demanding accountability from Sarbanand Farms in Whatcom County, after a worker died there over the weekend. Workers say Honesto Silva Ibarra complained to his employer about feeling ill before he collapsed in the fields last week. Ibarra took himself to a hospital in Seattle, where he fell into a coma and died on Sunday. About 100 workers drawing attention to what they say are unsafe work conditions at Sarbanand Farms were fired over the weekend. All are here on H2A or g...
Dear Dr. Universe: I was wondering, how does an eclipse happen? – Susan, 13, San Francisco, CA Dear Susan, It just so happens the Great American Eclipse is coming up on August 21, 2017. This solar eclipse will be the only one visible from across the lower 48 states in nearly a hundred years. When it happens, parts of the country will experience darkness for a couple minutes during the day. It seems prime time to answer your question. My friend Guy Worthey, an astronomer at Washington State University, was happy to help o...
There’s good news for the Pacific Northwest and the federal hydro system that powers it. Inland Power supports our legislators in their effort to save the dams and protect our natural, renewable and affordable energy source. Key members of our Congressional delegation have stepped up to declare the value of our dams that provide affordable, renewable hydropower, flood control, navigable waters for agriculture and recreation to our economy and way of life. They’re asserting their rightful authority over the eight federal dam...
To the Editor: Once again, students at Odessa High School demonstrate that small schools rule! Congratulations to the FBLA for its state and national achievements this year. Another fantastic job! Kudos to your advisor, Terri King. The support from teachers, parents, and community shows that small towns and their schools are committed to success. Sincerely, Duane and Jonnie Pitts Odessa...
I was talking with a friend the other day, when I heard Simon and Garfunkel’s “59th Street Bridge Song” and its lyrics, “Slow down, you move too fast; you got to make the morning last. Kicking down the cobble stones, looking at life and feeling groovy.” Life was so much simpler back then. In Seattle, an eight-year-old could get on a transit bus alone and travel across town without a worry. Life nowadays moves so fast we barely have time to think. Then the next problem rears its ugly face, and another day begins. You’re st...
Retirement from a farm business may not mean moving away or giving up on mentoring the next generation, but it does entail transferring management decisions to someone else. It can be a gradual or sudden process. It may be driven by long-term goals, by sudden health issues, or events outside your family. When should farmers retire? The answer is related to choices and goals, and can happen at any time. While many can’t imagine doing anything else except farming, their families may have other ideas and want to share more time...
SEATTLE – Cell-phone users are excited that the prototype for a battery-free cell phone might mean they could cut the cord to their chargers in the future. But the developing technology also may be a boon for the environment. Developed at the University of Washington, the battery-free cell phone draws power from the air by “harvesting” radio frequency signals and turning them into energy. The prototype also uses “photodiodes,” which essentially are tiny solar panels. Vamsi Talla worked as a research associate on the proje...
To the Editor: Many years ago, before 1940, most states had students take a test when they finished the eighth grade. If they passed the test, they could go on to high school. If not, they could keep trying to pass it until they were 16. When they were 16, they were told to go get a job. I have copies of the test that was very difficult. Looking recently at the percentage of students who graduated from college after four years, it is very obvious that we possibly have too many young people who are not college material....
To the Editor: The next few months will be interesting at Crab Creek Coffee Haus. In July, I start working full time at Odessa Drug. Bonnie, Barbara, Rochelle and Elizabeth will be holding down the fort from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. I will be opening at 6:30 a.m., and one of the ladies will be closing. July, August and September will be a trial period for the Coffee Haus. If business is steady and it is feasible, we will remain open. I want to thank all my customers for the continued support, advice, suggestions and...
To the Editor: In response to Patricia Bates letter regarding the U.S. gun culture: She states that congress can stop the violence simply by the laws they can pass, yet we already have laws prohibiting murder and assault. What further laws is she referring to? Does she think outlawing guns will solve the problem? Gun ownership is prohibited or restricted in England and France. Did it prevent shootings there? She has mistakenly stated facts about the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017. This bill, HR38, can be read in its...
To the Editor: Is it window dressing, bait and switch, or kabuki theatre? Our Representative for the 5th District in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, is sponsoring legislation to provide three more years of funding teaching health centers to draw medical students to complete residencies in isolated or underserved rural and urban hospitals. She has voted against Obamacare (ACA) more than 50 times and then voted for Trumpcare (AHCA) which will basically cut Medicaid to many rural residents, so people will not be able to...
To the Editor, Has there been enough killing? It doesn’t matter if it was one of 20 children and seven adults killed at Sandy Hook, the recent shooting of six Congressmen or any of the 93 daily deaths (average) from guns. No one in our nation should have to fear for their life, yet that is becoming reality in our country. This is an American issue and can be solved by our Congress. They can intervene and they can stop much of the violence and make sure we are safe, simply by the laws they pass. I hope each senator and r...
To the Editor: Why am I running for Mayor of Odessa? Well, first off, I think we should have pride in living here and want to make this town a better place to raise a family in. Last year, no one ran for this office. Why not? Don’t you have city pride in you? That is why I decided to run. Don’t let the council do your job. If you want a job, run for it. I am not worried about me. This town is already in good hands. I will work with the city council and employees we already have here. Why change what’s working good for us no...
To the Editor: On my bank’s website it says, “Work with a local loan officer to customize a loan for you.” Oh, I was inspired because I wanted a $2,000 piece of equipment. I love banking online, because all my information is at my fingertips. I spent a few hours printing out personal financial paperwork. However, there also can be some shocking bits of information. Example: I owe WHAT! No, I paid that and I can prove it; let’s follow the website trail. I did. During this time I was messing around I had signed up for a PayPa...
To the Editor: Based solely on his belief, the President created a commission to investigate the voter fraud of 3-5 million illegal ballots cast for Hillary Clinton. He has asserted that he would have won the popular vote were it not for these illegal votes. This is his “reality.” Here are the results of the 2016 presidential election: 137,100,229 people voted. Clinton got 65,853,625 of these votes. Trump received 62,985,101 votes. Johnson garnered 4,489,233 vote; Stein got 1,457,222; the Write-Ins for other people added ano...
Dear Dr. Universe: How do viruses affect animals? – Gianni, 10, Cayman Islands Dear Gianni, Our planet is home to more than seven million amazing animal species. While we have our differences, we also have something in common: We are all made up of a bunch of cells. My friend Jeb Owen told me all about it. He’s a scientist at Washington State University who is really curious about how insects eat blood and interact with animal hosts. He’s even been called a disease detective, tracking down viruses transmitted by insec...
Dr. Keith Paredes has seen it more times than he’d care to recall: A woman, bleeding heavily, comes to the ER. She needs an urgent surgical procedure, maybe even a blood transfusion, from a condition like untreated fibroids. She’s there because she hasn’t had a routine doctor visit for ages. There are many reasons people put off going to the doctor. One of the big reasons is cost — a huge arc in the current debate about whether and how to repeal and replace Obamacare, which sought to increase the number of Americans with qu...
To the Editor, Kudos to the FBLA and advisor Terri King for the excellence of the FBLA’s presentations and achievements! They all are so fortunate to live in a small, rural community that cares so much about its youth. Whether they realize it or not, the students are great role models not only for other students in Odessa, but also for all students in rural communities. The Odessa High School FBLA demonstrates that, with enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance, students everywhere can also achieve success. Success is not m...
To the Editor: Oh, the hypocrisy of it all. Our President Trump and his great unflinching supporter, our Congressional Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, promote the repeal and replacement of Obamacare with a bill that would throw millions of American families, including babies, off their healthcare and give tax breaks to the rich. In addition, they want to prevent Syrian refugees, which include babies, from entering the country without extreme vetting on top of already stringent vetting. However, Trump points his finger...
To the Editor, The 5th Congressional District has around 696,000 people, with about 324,000 working-age adults. For all the people’s hard work, the mean income for almost 100,000 households hovers around $47,000 a year. However, it takes around $150,000 for an ordinary middle-class family to live with the basics, without extravagances. The 5th District has about 74,000 people living below poverty, or 10.6 percent of the population. If we count just families with children under age 5, the percentage for those families l...
