Once again, the public is being told to mind its own business when it comes to Anthony Montwheeler. First state officials and now a state judge have acted to prevent the public from learning crucial information about Montwheeler’s fitness for trial. The credibility of state government is as much at[Read More…]
Tag: Editorial
EDITORIAL: Children should not be pawns in political battle over immigration
No one should find the forced separation of children from parents a preferred way to exercise federal government power. What is happening in Texas and elsewhere doesn’t represent how civilized Americans treat children – not now, not ever. This isn’t about politics. This is about humanity. The country is in[Read More…]
EDITORIAL: Rodeos give local communities chance to shine
The smell of leather and livestock sweeps across the area in coming days as Nyssa and Vale stage their annual rodeos. More than winnings and bragging rights are at stake. Sometimes it’s easy to miss how much work goes into these events. Volunteers labor for months to stage a few[Read More…]
EDITORIAL: Dealing with local school threats requires clear protocols
They say bad news comes in threes and that’s the case in Malheur County with threats involving local school students. The episodes raise important issues of response, communication and preparation. Above all, these recent incidents impose a duty on parents, schools, and police to consider their reactions and their steps[Read More…]
EDITORIAL: Strong reasons exist to create Ontario recreation agency
Mary Jo Evers is fashioning a life ring to rescue the Ontario city recreation program from disappearing. She wants voters, not city officials, to determine the importance of youth sports and aquatics to the community. She is exercising a fundamental duty of a good citizen – petitioning her government to[Read More…]
Class assignment for Malheur County graduates: Bring civility back into vogue
We’d like a few moments with the high school graduates of 2018. The rest of you can tag along, but this is meant for those teens ready to toss caps in the air. This isn’t goodbye, exactly, but encouragement for you graduates to help the rest of us do better. [Read More…]
Sales tax voters will chart Ontario’s future
Ontario’s future will be charted by what voters decide on the city’s proposed sales tax. The debate has been clouded for weeks by sometimes excessive rhetoric. Voters should now judge for themselves: What would Ontario look like with and without money from a sales tax? Ontario sits at a significant[Read More…]
Public has higher expectations for leaders in Malheur County
Volunteering to be a community leader comes at a cost. Ask anyone who has served on a school board, city council, irrigation district board, and more. Thank goodness people do raise their hands to serve. They are not typically experts in government. These individuals want to help their communities.[Read More…]
Success of Malheur County students gives hope where worry is all too dominating
Anytime you start getting too anxious about the future, think about what local students are achieving. High schools from one end to the other of Malheur County are churning out success stories. They are a counterpoint to worries about where the country, even the state, is headed. Next week, for[Read More…]
Love it or hate it, Ontario citizens get into sales tax debate
Mention “sales tax” around here and people pay attention. The looming vote on Ontario’s proposed tax is going to be hotly debated in the coming days. Local folks, though, recently showed their interest in learning before arguing, and that should continue. To the surprise of many, a healthy crowd turned[Read More…]