Guest Opinion

Over the past few months, the Spokane Regional Health District has seen an increase in the number of probable and confirmed cases of whooping cough in the Pacific Northwest.

In October , a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association issued a paper that clearly established the connection between cardiovascular disease, diabetic kidney disease and obesity. Other related illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and stroke, make up a large segment of health care spending in the U.S. Much of this spending could be used for other areas including preventative health and early intervention in illnesses.

By Elizabeth New

By Emilie Cameron

Last year, as Seattle weighed a wage floor proposal for food delivery drivers, a chorus of opponents warned that the policy would drive up prices, harm local businesses, and hit consumers already feeling the pinch of inflation. Local lawmakers should have listened.

By Todd Myers

By Dr. David V. Evans, Dr. Russell Maier and Dr. Glen Stream

The Spokane River is an incredible community resource that offers endless recreational opportunities, provides vital habitat for wildlife, and supports our water infrastructure. In the summer months, water conservation is more important than ever to protect the health and flow of the Spokane River and ensure it remains a vibrant hub for our community (including our aquatic friends).

Recently, life expectancy in the United States saw a decline for the first time since the 1920s for Americans.

Cities across America have watched as businesses close and commercial property remains vacant. The pandemic certainly played a role as has remote working patterns expedited by the COVID-19 shutdowns. However, anti-business policies and actions have had a tremendous impact as well. Crime and homeless vagrancy are forcing businesses to close or move out of downtowns because of a lack of traffic, theft, organized retail crime, employee safety and more.

By Sebastian Griffin

By Chris Corry

By Crystal Pyrak, M.D.

A June 18 announcement by the Biden administration that it plans to create a Columbia River Task Force led by political appointees at the White House Council on Environmental Quality has reignited the long-simmering dispute over the future of hydroelectric power in the Columbia River Basin.

By Mark Harmsworth

My mom grew up in Glenrose, and she tells this story of her brothers waking up on winter mornings with black soot around their nostrils. Her brothers slept in the basement a few feet from the coal furnace, which emitted soot particles that my uncles would breathe in during the night. Thirty-some years later, my sister and I would sleep in that same basement when visiting my grandparents, but we did not wake up with soot on our faces. My grandparents had updated to an electric furnace.

By Robin Hills Von Davies

Natural gas delivers warmth and comfort to more than a million Washington homes. It also is the lifeblood of thousands of restaurants and businesses. Natural gas is a critical piece of our state’s energy grid, supplementing renewables like hydro power, solar and wind.

By Rob McCann