Opinion | Thurston Chronicle

Chinook salmon, pictured here, is Oregon’s official state fish and is of high cultural value to Northwest tribes and high economic value to Oregon’s coastal economies. (Photo courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Flickr)

Opinion: Fishermen protect salmon habitat — the BPA should too

I’ve worked in the fishing industry for 30 years and have fished my own salmon troller for the past 15 years. I’ve been fishing now for half my life and have seen how devastating the decline in … more

11/13/26

Opinion: Here we go again — Washington's education establishment wants more cash

This is not a reprint of a story 10 or even 20 years ago — although it sure could be. Washington state's education establishment is getting ready to file yet another lawsuit demanding … more

By Chris Cargill / Mountain States Policy Center | 11/11/26

The courtroom in the Temple of Justice is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, in Olympia.

Opinion: Washington state needs to reform judicial election process

Yes, I have run multiple times for the Washington Supreme Court. I have no regrets. Anyone paying attention to reality knows that my campaigns were always run from the right place for the right … more

By Dave Larson | 11/11/26

Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier speaks during a grand opening celebration for the Nisqually Indian Tribe Generations Health Center in Olympia on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.

Wayne Fournier: Let’s remember that, in politics, winning is only the beginning

One of the most interesting things I've heard throughout my political career is a sentence that usually comes from someone who approaches me a little cautiously. "You're the first Democrat I've … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier | 11/9/26

Opinion: Here’s a plan for growing Washington’s economy

Maybe it’s time to just — take a pause. After several years of tax increases and steep growth in state spending, Washington employers — and taxpayers — could use some time to adjust to … more

By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business | 11/9/26

Opinion: The voters have spoken. What did they say about taxes?

Though ballots are still being counted in several states, enough votes are in to project the outcome for several tax proposals that were considered across the country this election. It appears that … more

By Jason Mercier / Mountain States Policy Center | 11/9/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson answers questions from the press during a legislative session preview in a Senate Hearing room in Olympia on Friday, Jan. 9.

Opinion: Governor must put politics aside and let Washington’s kids benefit from federal education tax credit program

I talk with parents in Spokane Valley, Greenacres and other Eastern Washington communities regularly. Behind almost every conversation is a story that stays with you. I hear from mothers whose … more

By Sen. Leonard Christian | 11/6/26

Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier waves to attendees during the Oregon Trail Days parade in Tenino on Saturday, July 25.

Wayne Fournier: After election season, a question — who would sign up for this?

Well, another election season is behind us, more or less. Thankfully. I'm still getting political text messages from candidates as far away as Maine and Texas, so apparently somebody hasn't … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier | 11/2/26

A prosecutor Thurston County can count on

Proven experience. Trusted leadership. People first. These are more than words to me. I’ve spent my career protecting the people of Thurston County. As chief of staff for the Thurston County … more

10/28/26

The Washington state Capitol is pictured from Heritage Park in Olympia on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Opinion: How to get Washington’s business climate back on track

The check engine light for Washington’s business climate is flashing. In July, the Association of Washington Businesses (AWB) held a summit with small businesses, policymakers, and … more

By Sam Cardwell | 10/27/26

Wayne Fournier is a firefighter, Thurston County commissioner and former mayor who has spent more than three decades working in public safety.

Wayne Fournier: Considering the most important thing a law enforcement officer carries

When I first took office as a 32-year-old city council member, I immediately had a problem sitting on my desk that I didn't fully understand. It was 2012. We had a brash, unprepared new mayor … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier / For The Chronicle | 10/26/26

Letters to the editor can be submitted to news@thurstonchronicle.com.

Letter to the Editor: Current clerk endorses Garrett Cady

Dear editor, As Thurston County’s current elected clerk, I know firsthand the complex, demanding, and vital nature of this office. The county clerk serves as the keeper of the Superior … more

10/26/26

Amalie O’Connor is a longtime Olympia resident, mother, former educator and federal budget analyst, and the founder of Evergreen Growing. She believes Washington’s best days are ahead of us. For more information, visit evergreengrowing.org.

Amalie O’Connor: Your vote is your dollar. Spend it like one.

A business that stops listening to its customers doesn’t get a warning. It gets empty tables. Word spreads, people stop coming back, and eventually the doors close. Nobody has to organize a … more

By Amalie O'Connor / Evergreen Growing | 10/26/26

The possibility of removing four Snake River dams — Ice Harbor Dam, Lower Monumental Dam, Little Goose Dam and Lower Granite Dam — has long been a contentious one that has generally split along party lines. Shown is the Ice Harbor Lock and Dam, the first of four dams constructed as part of the Lower Snake River Project, authorized in the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1945. (Photo by Columbia River System Operations EIS)

Commentary: What people and computers say about the Northwest power supply

When you use an artificial intelligence system like ChatGPT, what it gives you depends on the prompt you enter. The answer is likely to be most useful if the prompt is carefully crafted. This … more

By Randy Stapilus / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 10/23/26

Letter to the editor: Disappointed in MGP

I am an unabashed conservative libertarian. I have voted for Linda Smith, Jaime Herrera Butler and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (twice). Although I have not always agreed with her votes, she has … more

10/22/26

Letter to the editor: Braun is against abortion

To the Editor and voters of SW Washington. I see all these lovely words of endorsement for John Braun. Women need to speak up to protect their hard earned rights. John Braun is against … more

10/22/26

Letter to the editor: Timberland Regional Library services make our region stronger and a better place to call home

My first memory of a library is from when I was maybe 3 years old. My hometown library was small, and I remember one particular shelf — it was low to the ground, and the books had yellow … more

10/22/26

Letter to the Editor: Support TRL and the value libraries bring

I am a homeowner in Olympia and support the ballot initiative Proposition 1 to have a temporary levy lid lift in support of Timberland Regional Library (TRL). Here’s why. It would only … more

10/22/26

Troy Kirby in a photo provided by his campaign.

Letter to the Editor: Ratepayers need a watchdog, not another utility insider

This March, my aunt, a senior on a fixed income, handed me her Thurston PUD water bill. The mandatory base charges and fees on her statement were 14 times the cost of the actual water she consumed. … more

10/22/26

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal speaks during a Legislative Media Day at the Washington state Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 19, in Olympia.

Opinion: Washington Superintendent Reykdal advocates for politics over students

Will Washington state leave federal tax dollars on the table? It will if Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal gets his way. Governor Ferguson is currently just one of 16 Governors … more

Meg Goudy / Mountain States Policy Center | 10/20/26