Cheney Free Press -

Lately it seems that I hear or encounter the words that America has “totally failed” in mitigating the devastating effects of Covid-19. Mathematically, this statement is flawed as the CDC website as of today (7/24) shows: U.S.... — Updated 7/30/2020

I’d like to share an open letter to Dr. Mary Cullinan, president of Eastern Washington University:  Dear Dr. Cullinan: Quit. Just quit. Please consider doing the honorable thing and resign your position as president of EWU as a... — Updated 7/30/2020

By now it is an established fact that Donald Trump may, or may not, accept the results of the presidential election. He will definitely accept a win, and he “will have to see” about accepting a defeat. If he is soundly... — Updated 7/30/2020

Wilson’s listening skills needed here On Friday, July 1, 2016, I chanced to meet congressional candidate Dave Wilson on Main Street in Walla Walla. Being a newly retired healthcare administrator, my eye caught a reference to... — Updated 7/23/2020

There are two legal options to respond to a state budget deficit: The governor orders across the board budget cuts, or a special session of the Legislature occurs liquidating the deficit. The first is a blunt instrument allowing no... — Updated 7/23/2020

Recently, rural Americans have missed out on many services usually offered in their communities. However, library employees have worked even harder to provide for their patrons. For example, in Wayne, Nebraska, library staff have... — Updated 7/23/2020

Have you noticed recently that things are collapsing? Sure, the rightwing, nationalist rulers of many countries never stop telling us that they have made their nations “great” again. But we would have to be dislocated from... — Updated 7/16/2020

What once seemed inevitable is now growing unlikely — a special session to balance the state’s budget. This is why it was so important to act before the new spending increases took effect on July 1. Once we started the new fisc... — Updated 7/9/2020

There are many ways to suppress a vote. If you’ve followed elections in various states over the past two years, you’ll recognize such strategies as the purging of voting rolls, the elimination of same-day voting, and the... — Updated 7/9/2020

Teaching Psychology for 20 years at Spokane Falls Community College was such a learning experience — for me. I hope the students also learned a lot about the “Scientific study of behavior and mental processes.” When... — Updated 7/2/2020

If we are not committed to ensuring that each of us stands as a part of God’s plan, then: First, they will come for Black people, and some will do nothing because they are not Black. Then they will come for the Latinos, and... — Updated 7/2/2020

Having spent some time perusing social media in the last few weeks, I am appalled at the words some will haphazardly sling at those with whom they disagree. There are many racist, sexist and homophobic terms that should simple be... — Updated 6/25/2020

Renewed interest in Ulysses S. Grant’s entire career, as evidenced by the recent documentary “Grant” and books (e.g. “The Man Who Saved the Union” by H.W. Brands; “Grant” by Ron Chernow), adds perspective to the... — Updated 6/18/2020

For the past several weeks, I have been watching the protests and subsequent riots hitting our urban areas throughout the county sparked by the senseless killing of George Floyd. Like you, when I viewed the video of the... — Updated 6/18/2020

I’m glad to see Paul Delaney is back at the Cheney Free Press after a year and a couple months hiatus. I hope his “failed retirement” wasn’t because of those “half-dozen citations” from me to which he’s laid claim... — Updated 6/11/2020

Scientists across America are working hard to develop treatments for and vaccines against COVID-19. Unfortunately, several activist groups are making their jobs harder. Doctors Without Borders is urging governments to seize the... — Updated 6/11/2020

In several past columns I’ve written about the need to preserve history. I’ve editorialized to preserve history, it’s often necessary to maintain that which we find offensive so we may remember and learn from the experience,... — Updated 6/11/2020

Whether it is a crop, milk or livestock, no one involved in agriculture wants their products to go anywhere other than to consumers. That is what makes the COVID-19 crisis particularly difficult for agriculture – food continues... — Updated 6/4/2020