This month marks the one-year anniversary of the creation of the Washington apples specialty license plates by the Legislature. The first plates became available on July 1.
The second impeachment trial of Donald Trump was a remarkable civics lesson on constitutional issues of free speech. The meaning of the words “fight“ and “fight like hell” were debated at length. It is certainly true that these words are routinely used in political speech and are not, in the…
For nearly three decades, we’ve been grappling with diminishing salmon runs, and these fish are running out of time. Now, thanks to Congressman Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, our hopes for the future soar as we contemplate a proposal that combines salmon recovery with true infrastructure modernizati…
As Yakima residents know, water issues here in the West can be contentious — discussions can quickly become arguments. We’re now seeing something quite different in Yakima County. We’re finding some consensus on water issues, with conversations becoming easier as we start from points of agre…
I do not know how U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse deals with reality, but his statement to the Yakima Herald on Dec. 29 leads me to believe he needs a reality check. Newhouse said, "As our national debt grows, it is more important than ever that we focus on reopening our economy and getting Americans…
To the editor — I have been hearing about people getting their mail stolen or missing. You can take this matter into your own hands by signing up for informed delivery thru the USPS online. Ve…
To the editor — Red lights matter! No, this is not a political diatribe, but one based on a concern for self-preservation as individuals walk, bike and drive in Yakima Valley neighborhoods.
To the editor — Local, in-depth reporting can be difficult to find. Fortunately for our community, the Yakima Herald remains a good source of reliable information. Two recent examples: Your re…
To the editor — As a volunteer of The Plaid Door in Yakima, I took note of the announcement on a local radio station that the fire department fought a blazing fire at The Plaid Door on North 4…
To the editor — Proverbs 30 declares that some things cannot be satisfied: The leech has two daughters -- Give and Give. Dry ground never has enough water; fire always says "More!"
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For many of my Republican friends, Donald Trump is a guilty pleasure.
How do nations sleepwalk into war? Often through lack of imagination.
One year in, when we maybe finally have the coronavirus a bit on the run, there’s a new outbreak emerging in the land.
Neera Tanden became President Joe Biden’s first Cabinet casualty on Tuesday when she withdrew her nomination to be budget director. The Republicans who sank her have not accomplished much. Biden’s next nominee will be a little more or less progressive, and a little more or less competent, but not significantly different in any way that matters. The next nominee will, however, lack Tanden’s record of combative tweets against Republican senators. Those tweets were what kept her from being …
He walked out on the stage and the crowd was cheering, the music was blasting “I’m Proud to be an American,” and former President Donald Trump did look proud, very proud. This was despite a lost election he says he won, a Capitol riot he says he did not start and a furious but failed impeachment attempt to keep him from ever seeking the presidency again.
This month marks the one-year anniversary of the creation of the Washington apples specialty license plates by the Legislature. The first plates became available on July 1.
The second impeachment trial of Donald Trump was a remarkable civics lesson on constitutional issues of free speech. The meaning of the words “fight“ and “fight like hell” were debated at length. It is certainly true that these words are routinely used in political speech and are not, in the…
For nearly three decades, we’ve been grappling with diminishing salmon runs, and these fish are running out of time. Now, thanks to Congressman Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, our hopes for the future soar as we contemplate a proposal that combines salmon recovery with true infrastructure modernizati…
I live in Yakima and work as a Department of Services for the Blind. I rely on paratransit to get around, but that’s a challenge because transit service stops running at 6 p.m. I’m in a band, and before COVID, having no transit options in the evening made it difficult to participate in band …
As Yakima residents know, water issues here in the West can be contentious — discussions can quickly become arguments. We’re now seeing something quite different in Yakima County. We’re finding some consensus on water issues, with conversations becoming easier as we start from points of agre…
If you are a regular reader of the letters to the editor, it should come as no surprise that the most frequently addressed topic is our president, Donald Trump. All other topics were a weak second place until COVID-19 showed up last spring.
A Dec. 16 article in the Yakima Herald-Republic states that I am “repeating unspecified concerns” about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. This is simply not true, and frankly I take offense to the allegation that, as a U.S. representative, I would sign my name to a legal docu…
During the first weeks of November, Washington state reported several record-breaking days of new COVID cases — averaging more than 1,500 cases a day. At the same time, we’re hearing encouraging news about vaccine trials and effectiveness.
For adults who have been thinking about earning their GED or learning to speak English, now is the time to act. Strengthening the skills that employers are demanding is more critical than ever in today’s uncertain, rapidly changing economy.
Just eight years ago, Washington state led the nation in working to improve access to justice for the average American by creating a new category of licensed legal professionals — the limited licensed legal technician. LLLTs were modeled after similar successful human resource additions in t…
The oppressive gray blanket that covered the Yakima Valley lifted just enough Saturday to offer hope.
Throughout this year, I’ve been amazed and encouraged by the strength, courage, and compassion of my patients and their families, as well as my colleagues in health care, as we’ve united to all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. Wearing masks, socially distancing when possible, prac…
September is National Suicide Prevention Month — an opportunity to call attention to this serious public health concern. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 adults between ages 18 and 24 has considered suicide in the past month. Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States, the s…
No one enjoys restrictions on their lives or businesses. Just like no one likes to get sick. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us as individuals and communities in terms of what we find acceptable. And problems arise when the restrictions drag on for months and months, seemingly with litt…
As a former Selah councilman, attorney and veteran, I am discouraged to see the council sit silently while one man’s political opinions dictate how the city responds to peaceful protests.
The Yakima County Commission does not reflect the diversity of our views and our communities. Latinos and Native Americans make up about half of the population of Yakima County, and yet only one candidate that looks like us or has experienced similar life challenges has ever been elected to …
The Yakima River Canyon is the most beautiful place on Earth.
Imagine living in a home without a computer. Or access to broadband internet. Imagine your family’s only connection to the internet is a smartphone with a data plan that is prohibitively expensive. Now imagine your kids — both of them —need to get their education through that smartphone. But…
The high rate of COVID-19 infections among the Latino population in Yakima County didn’t take me by surprise. Knowing well that poor dissemination of news in Spanish still exists, it was just a matter of time before we would see the adverse effects on our community.
This is the time right now when young people from every grade level in our local schools would be going through all the rites of passage that are familiar to us in concluding the latest cycle of a school year. We all know June as the time when students are gathering in classrooms for those l…