Opinion | Thurston Chronicle

Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.

Commentary: On the road to inspire the next generation of builders

Ten years ago, when AWB’s first Manufacturing Week bus tour crossed the state, we had many goals, such as highlighting the great jobs available in our state’s modern manufacturing sector and … more

By Kris Johnson / Association of Washington Business | 6/10/26

A wagon packed with belongings sits at the end of Eckerson Road in Centralia as structures in a homeless community are demolished by crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation, which owns the land, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023.

Opinion: Washington’s homelessness and drug policies have created a culture of death and disorder

Timothy was dead for a week in Seattle’s Discovery Park, lying halfway inside the door of his tent, when an officer investigating rumors of “a body in the woods” finally found him on March 31. … more

By Marsha Michaelis / Discovery Institute | 6/9/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson, left, and state Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen.

Chad Taylor commentary: ‘The Little Guy’ lacks guts to debate Walsh

I understand why Gov. Bob Ferguson would lash out at Washington Republican Party Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen. The Grays Harbor County lawmaker has made it his job to call out Ferguson … more

By Chad Taylor | 6/5/26

Wayne Fournier: The last time — a message to new graduates and their parents

This spring, communities across the country will gather to celebrate a familiar milestone. Caps and gowns, diplomas, graduation parties, proud parents taking photographs and trying, … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier | 6/5/26

The Washington Capitol building is lit up against the night sky in Olympia.

Commentary: Decades of one-party rule broke our state constitution guardrails

Late last month, thousands of retired Washington police officers and firefighters were forced to file a federal class-action lawsuit against their own state government to block a historic $4 billion … more

By Sen. Jim McCune | 5/29/26

Wayne Fournier is a firefighter, Thurston County commissioner and former mayor who has spent more than three decades working in public safety. His column appears in The Chronicle twice each month.

Wayne Fournier: Preparing for fire season in an uncertain time

Each year in Washington, wildfire season arrives with a familiar sense of unease. The smoke that settles into our valleys, the images of aircraft and engines converging on distant ridgelines, … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier | 5/29/26

"Voices of Children" contest winners are honored at the Governor's Mansion on May 14.

Commentary: 'Voices of Children' statewide contest celebrates kinship care

“Grandma tells me she loves me every day. Grandpa tells me I can do anything. When I grow up, I want to help people.” Those are the words of Malachi, an 8-year-old living with one of the … more

By Bob Partlow on behalf of Family Education and Support Services | 5/27/26

Rob Richards is a Navy veteran and former congressional staffer who has been an active community member in Thurston County for over two decades.

Rob Richards Commentary: A plan is not a promise

The Jungle has been visible from Interstate 5 for a decade, 20 acres between Martin Way and Pacific Avenue, tents and tarps and the quiet accumulation of everything that happens when a community runs … more

By Rob Richards | 5/26/26

Commentary: State policies matter for taxpayers and the business climate

I start each workday by reviewing the latest economic and government reports for Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. It doesn’t take long to see a trend. Those states that prioritize fiscal … more

By Jason Mercier / Mountain States Policy Center | 5/22/26

Commentary: Washington state keeps making it harder for law enforcement to serve

For 15 years, Washington has lived with an uncomfortable truth: we rank dead last in the nation for police staffing per capita. And instead of reversing course, the Legislature continues to pass laws … more

By Jared Nieuwenhuis / Councilmember, City of Bellevue | 5/22/26

The Boo-reaucrats, featuring Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and Thurston County Commissioners Wayne Fournier and Tye Menser, race through Bucoda during the Boo-Coda Spook-Tacular Casket Race on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Wayne Fournier: Communities that understand who they are attract visitors — and belief

Every successful community has something that is difficult to quantify but easy to feel: a sense of place. You know it when you experience it. Some communities feel memorable, distinct and … more

Commentary by Wayne Fournier | 5/22/26

Rob Richards Commentary: 'Good Job, Boats'

I heard from one of my old Navy shipmates that the USS Juneau (LPD-10) will be sunk as a SINKEX target this summer. The USS Dubuque (LPD-8) went down the same way back in 2024. Those are the two … more

By Rob Richards | 5/22/26

Rob Richards Commentary: Winning isn't the same as governing

Most people don’t pick a political party because of what they believe. They believe things because of the party they’re in. I’ve spent enough time around campaigns, and in the halls of our … more

By Rob Richards | 5/19/26

Gov. Chris Gregoire is pictured in 2012.

Commentary: When you’ve lost Christine Gregoire, you’ve lost Washington

When former Gov. Christine Gregoire starts sounding the alarm about Washington state government, Olympia should pay attention. Gregoire is not a conservative activist. She is not … more

By Chris Cargill / Mountain States Policy Center | 5/15/26

Wayne Fournier is a Thurston County commissioner and former mayor who has spent more than three decades working in public safety. His column appears in The Chronicle twice each month.

Wayne Fournier commentary: The power of regional alignment

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the City Nation Place Americas Conference in Vancouver, B.C., alongside regional partners from across Thurston County. I attended as a board member of … more

By Wayne Fournier | 5/13/26

John Braun commentary: To get our state back on the right track, the choice is clear

It has been a privilege to have this space week after week to alert readers about important public-policy issues facing our beautiful state and how the Republican members of our state Senate are … more

By. Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 5/8/26

Commentary: Washington employers are looking for the exit

Back in February, when the Association of Washington Business released a survey showing that nearly one in five Washington employers were looking to move business to another state — and almost half … more

By Kris Johnson, Association of Washington Business | 5/6/26

Rob Richards commentary: Domestic violence victims left in the dark

There is a service window in the Thurston County Courthouse that has been dark since Jan. 20. The phones behind it go unanswered. The counter is closed. Linda Myhre Enlow, our county clerk, did not … more

By Rob Richards | 5/5/26

Students and Evergreen State College pool advocates wave signs before a 22nd Legislative District town hall at The Olympia Center on Wednesday, April 29.

Commentary: Evergreen's pool is the canary in the coal mine

On Feb. 26, The Evergreen State College announced it would close its pool — the largest south of Federal Way and the only public pool on the westside of Olympia. Students and community members were … more

By Amalie O'Connor / Save the Evergreen Pool | 5/4/26

State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, speaks during a Legislative Media Day at the Washington state Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 19, in Olympia.

John Braun commentary: Shine light on governor’s court appointments by requiring Senate confirmation

If the Democrats’ new income tax ends up before the state Supreme Court, as many expect, the case will bring a heightened level of public interest in the justices themselves. Taxpayers will … more

By Sen. John Braun | 5/1/26