Opinion
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 2595
By 
On Monday, remember those who took duty seriously
Monday is Memorial Day. By tradition, it’s the 152nd anniversary of the day set aside to remember those who lost their lives serving our country. I say by tradition because the first incarnation of this observance, Decoration... — Updated 5/21/2020
Harnack earns his 'Badalamente badge'
Reading the May 7 Cheney Free Press, I see that publisher Roger Harnack has arrived. By that I mean he’s earned “certification” and his first scolding from serial letter writer Richard Badalamente. I call it the... — Updated 5/21/2020
Universal healthcare as business tool
In the mid-1980s I had great health care for my young family. I worked in construction and as long as there was work, I had wonderful healthcare because I was in a strong union. During a slow period when work dried up, I used... — Updated 5/21/2020
Protest story plays loose with actual facts
Roger Harnack’s front-page article in the 4/30/2020 CFP, “Local business owners attend Spokane protest against quarantine,” starts by stating that Governor Inslee’s coronavirus-related rules, “shuttered businesses,... — Updated 5/7/2020
Protect meatpacking plant workers and our food supply
Meatpacking plants across the country have become COVID-19 hotspots, and the struggles faced by the people working inside are apparent and alarming. Our friends and neighbors are being asked to risk their health, safety, and lives... — Updated 5/7/2020
Mother's Day really is all about mom
So, what is this thing called Mother’s Day? For me, it was a reminder of several things, one of which a fact my mom never let me forget that I was supposed to be born on that day, but came into this world a day later. So much... — Updated 5/7/2020
Doctors for speaking up during pandemic
Since college days, I have always been in touch with the U.S. immigrant community, starting with my position as major chairman of International Forums at University of Illinois. So, it has been a great surprise and revelation... — Updated 4/25/2020
Celebrate Earth Day by defending human health
When I was born 70 years ago there was no Earth Day. That only started 50 years ago. Before Earth Day the U.S. military used to pollute. A local newspaper in Utah reported that several sites in that state, mostly military,... — Updated 4/23/2020
Washingtonians can exercise freedom and caution
Gov. Jay Inslee had to know a showdown was coming with Eastern Washington. State law allocated him 30 days in which to operate under emergency authority, unless the Legislature... — Updated 4/23/2020
Kids need home to be educational
One of the positives to come out of the current coronavirus crisis is that people are realizing what the most important and essential things are. When you only have time or resources for the top priorities, those priorities have... — Updated 4/16/2020
When it comes to COVID crisis, don't forget to thank the truckers
As we get deeper into the COVID-19 pandemic, we are finding more Americans to thank. Until recently, truckers have been behind the scenes just doing their jobs, but as shoppers... — Updated 4/16/2020
National leadership lacking in COVID crisis
This morning (April 13) I looked at the statistics of Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. The United States population is approximately about a third the size of China’s population. Yet we now have more than seven times the deaths as... — Updated 4/16/2020
Heading to a post-COVID world – or are we?
By JOHN McCALLUM Managing Editor As we begin to see some signs of leveling off in the number of cases and deaths, talk has turned to what things will look like in a post-COVID-19 world. That is coming and it will be soon, although... — Updated 4/16/2020
How I spent my COVIDcation? Things I did NOT and DID do while sheltering in place
Remember way back when in the 1960s when, upon returning to the classroom in the after summer break that your teacher might have asked you to pen a few paragraphs on “How I spent my summer vacation?” The past few weeks got me... — Updated 4/9/2020
Cheney Food Bank could use goods, donations
The Cheney Food Bank – your community food bank to help those in need – is open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. the first four Wednesdays of the month. During the months of January-March, we served 316 households... — Updated 4/9/2020
Stay-at-home shutdown is not needed
The governor has just extended the stay at home orders. Since hospitals, doctors, nurses, first responders, care givers, school and others will never say they have enough supplies, then the order will be extended again and again.... — Updated 4/9/2020
From the Publisher's Desk
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and shutdown of businesses and activities, Free Press Publishing is having to cut back page count and staff hours, hopefully just temporarily. It’s not a decision we made lightly; it’s a... — Updated 4/3/2020
Businesses need your help during outbreak
Some years back, in the biggest town in a small county outside our 9th District, there was a clothing store. Upstairs was the office of the area’s weekly newspaper. Week after week, year after year, the clothing store published... — Updated 4/2/2020
Media can help prevent lack of health education in our society
At these hard times, I am concerned how people are being educated on health issues we are facing in today’s society. Through my experience of this COVID-19 pandemic I have witnessed people doing things that have clearly been... — Updated 3/26/2020
Media: Give us virus facts, not your best guesses
Based on current events regarding the COVID-19 virus, I have noticed that many people are struggling to get clear information on what is happening and how we as a community can be proactive. One issue that concerns me is that... — Updated 3/26/2020
Renaming disease depressing
I was a long-time subscriber and firm believer in local print media. As depressing as these days are, nothing is more depressing than discovering the owner of the Cheney Free Press having no problem with renaming COVID-19 in... — Updated 3/26/2020
Armitage will be there for 5th District residents
Chris Armitage is running as a Democrat for Representative in the 5th Congressional District against Cathy McMorris Rodgers. He is well-educated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in Homeland Se... — Updated 3/26/2020
Please, for crying out loud don't buy all the toilet paper
Stop buying all the toilet paper. Seriously, knock it off. It’s not necessary. Across the state—in large and rural communities alike—grocery stores’ entire toilet paper aisles are empty. Not a single four-roll package... — Updated 3/26/2020
Maintaining control of an out-of-control situation
Losing control can lead to a lot of things like fear, panic, suspicion, emotions of that nature. That’s one of the aspects of the spread of the coronavirus and the disease it carries, COVID-19. Despite our best efforts, there... — Updated 3/26/2020
