That might be the silliest letter to the editor I’ve ever read in my entire life | Opinion

Biking commies leap from river

In response to the Letter to the Editor about communist bicycles: They’re right, you know.

Just last weekend on Sept. 22, I saw thousands of communist bicyclists ascend from the water and jump on their communist bicycles tying up intersections and roads for hours before they jumped off their communist bicycles to descend on the parks along the Columbia. Oh, what’s that you say, you need to go to Home Depot for your weekend project?

No, you don’t. The communist bicyclists have this intersection blocked. Oh, but what about an alternate route? Well, absolutely not because at that intersection you can only turn right, and you needed to turn left.

Communist bicyclist, coming to you from the same deluded minds that brought you windmills cause cancer, the Earth is flat and who could forget the 2020 election was stolen. I swear you can’t make this stuff up.

Or I guess maybe you can.

Rylan Grimes, West Richland

Someone taking Harris yard signs

Does it seem like there are fewer yard signs for Kamala Harris around town this election season, compared to the signs in years past for, say, Joe Biden or Barack Obama? There is support for Harris in our community, but the other side doesn’t want you to know that. So they’re going around and stealing Harris signs from people’s yards. They stole two from mine.

But in the yard across the street from me, they left the signs for Donald Trump, Jerrod Sessler and Pete Serrano.

Stealing political signs is criminal and against democracy. It’s certainly not “making America great again.” In the good ol’ days when I was growing up, you worked hard to own a home, took pride in mowing the lawn and keeping the weeds out, and you could put out political signs for the candidates of your choice and abide if neighbors displayed different ones.

Campaigns that resort to stealing yard signs and storming the capitol to prevent certification of votes don’t care about democracy. They’re interested in seizing power in the fashion of countries like Venezuela and Russia.

Joe Chapman, Richland

EVs sensible for Tri-City drivers

Buying or leasing an electric vehicle is a smart investment in the Tri-Cities. EVs require virtually no maintenance and are much cheaper to drive than internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. In the Tri-Cities, the cost of electricity is only 60% of the national average and gas prices are 20% higher than the national average.

The 5-year cost of EV ownership is less than for ICE vehicles in all but two states, according to J.D. Powers, especially here. New and used EV inventories have increased in recent months, and prices have dropped. Thanks to the $7,500 federal tax credit, the Washington sales tax exemption on new and used EVs, and the Washington EV instant rebate program, the purchase or lease price is comparable with ICE vehicles in many cases.

Because Washington has the cleanest electricity in the nation the life cycle carbon footprint of EVs in the Tri-Cities is less than for comparable ICE vehicles after only the first 15,000 miles driven.

As part of National Drive Electric Week, Tri-Citians will have an opportunity to talk with EV owners about their EVs and ownership experiences, view EVs up close, and take test drives on Sept. 28 at the Reach Museum in Richland.

Bruce Rathbone, Richland

Help available for victims of bullies

In 2023, over 30% of sixth- and eighth-grade students in Benton County reported that they had been bullied at school, according to the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey.

Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of power, in which one individual intentionally harms or intimidates another, either physically, verbally or socially. Bullying causes detrimental effects on its’ victims, including loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression. October is National Bullying Prevention month, and this gives us all an opportunity to reflect on how we can take action to foster safe and supportive environments for our community.

Helping kids understand bullying, modeling healthy behaviors and checking in with your kids often are ways that we can help prevent bullying and recognize its warning signs. Here at SARC, we believe that everyone has the right to live in a community that is free of harassment and bullying, and everyone can help to put a stop to bullying.

We have an amazing prevention team that provides anti-bullying education to schools and other organizations in the Tri-Cities. If you have been a victim of bullying and harassment and are seeking support, please call our hotline at 509-374-5391 — available 24/7.

Veronica Simmons, Richland

Harris sign taken, so he got 3 more

With just 44 days until election day, I placed my Harris-Walz yard sign in my front yard to show my support for who I think would be best for the job. Just over 24 hours later, the sign was stolen while I was not home.

To whoever stole that sign, I hope you post it with pride and you can know I ordered three more just in case the Tri-Cities cannot maintain its decency.

To my dear neighbors and fellow citizens: You can support your candidate without touching others’ property. I see plenty of Trump signs with no such harm coming to them.

Andrew Louviere, Pasco

Keep commission role nonpartisan

As a former chair of the Walla Walla County Republican Party, I’ve learned from retired commissioners Pam Ray, Gregg Loney and Jim Johnson that the office of commissioner is meant to be administered in a non-biased manner. This office is meant to serve all residents of Walla Walla County, not special-interest groups.

Ninety percent of the responsibilities of a county commissioner are not partisan in nature. This same lesson was learned while serving on the Walla Walla City Council for eight years. The ability to work with all of your constituents all of the time is paramount. Bertha Clayton has chosen to run No Party Preference to ensure politics are set aside while she functions in this role, and she has earned my full support.

I worked with Bertha during COVID-19, facilitating online candidate forums. As our moderator, I was extremely impressed with Bertha’s courtesy to and respect of all candidates. I learned that she is thoughtful, hard-working and juggles a busy career and home life. She truly is the definition of grace under pressure.

By electing Bertha to the office of District 1 County Commissioner, there will be a return of professionalism, respect and integrity to this position.

Shane Laib, Walla Walla

Cast 4th District vote thoughtfully

Rep. Dan Newhouse is facing Jerrod Sessler, a Trump-backed Republican, in the 2024 general election. Sessler has lived in Burien, a suburban city just south of Seattle, most of his adult life. Given the MAGA outrage over Newhouse’s vote to impeach Trump, and sensing an opportunity to unseat him in 2022, Sessler drove his motorhome over the pass and parked it in an empty lot on the outskirts of Prosser, giving the term carpetbagging new meaning.

A MAGA component of the Republican electorate, urged on by Trump, attacked the U.S. Capitol and attempted to overturn the 2020 Election. Sessler brags that he was there and argues that the attack was simply a peaceful protest.

Sessler didn’t make it through the “top two” primary in 2022, but he’s back for another try, and this time Sessler not only made it through a crowded primary, he outpolled Newhouse by almost 15,000 votes. In order for Dan to survive another challenge from Sessler, he’ll need to draw in Democratic votes as he did in defeating Clint Didier in 2014 and 2016.

If Democrats vote for the new write-in candidate, Cherissa Boyd, a politically unknown California transplant, Sessler might well beat Newhouse this time.

Richard Badalamente, Kennewick