Letters to the editor

Published 1:30 am Monday, March 30, 2026

Fish culverts a giant waste of money

Earlier this month, work started on yet another giant fish culvert on state Route 109, about 1 mile north of the Moclips Highway cut off.

This project will tear up the highway and the environment to place a giant culvert in a creek with very little water and few fish of any species, certainly not salmon. The government is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this project, and hundreds of millions of dollars on projects just like it, with no tangible benefits.

So, where’s the irony?

That comes in the Opinion section of The Daily World. The top opinion talks about how the state is struggling to pay for the oversized budget which now includes raiding millions of dollars from the pension fund for first responders. The”rainy day” fund is to be drained. It also includes increased taxes and the “millionaires tax” that will drive ordinary people and rich people out of the state. If you look at the Laffer curve you will see that eventually the state will collect less revenue instead of more.

The middle opinion talks about how the national debt “rushes toward $39 trillion dollars, and Social Security and Medicare get nearer to insolvency.” Unlike the state government, the federal government exists by selling more and more debt, and this of course is unsustainable.

The opinion at the bottom of the page talks about the unintended consequences of state workaround type solutions to fund the often duplicate and ineffectual state programs. It reminds us of the consequences of continuing to raise taxes, along with the price of gasoline, which are the highest in the country.

And, as if to drive home a point, the article on page A2, “Where are Washington’s poorest counties?” — Grays Harbor County ranks 35 out of 39.

Certainly the continuing spending on fish culverts where there are no barriers or fish brings no economic benefit to the citizens of Grays Harbor County. On the other hand we continue to pay high sales tax on more and more items, and pay more to build a home or sell a home than in any state in the country. When will the politicians stop this economic bloodletting and embrace sound fiscal responsibility?

Tom Greisamer

Moclips

Incentivizing an endless war

The Trump family has direct incentives to keep the war going. As many wars as they can.

They have positioned themselves to make more money, the more they keep the world in a warfare frenzy. The more ordnance and drones we use up, the more money they’ll make.

XTEND, an Israeli company that makes AI-operated autonomous drones, and JFB Construction Holdings, a U.S. construction company, announced on Feb. 17, that they were merging. SEC lists Eric Trump as an investor in the merger. The President oversees the U.S. military.

The U.S. military is increasing drone warfare spending. The President’s son invests in a drone warfare company with Pentagon contracts.That company is about to go public in a billion-dollar deal. And we’re supposed to believe this is all just coincidence?

Unusual Machines, a drone maker company, lists Donald Trump Jr., on its advisory board. Unusual Machines has received approximately $735 million in Department of Defense contracts since Donald Trump Jr. joined its advisory board in November 2024.

Donald Trump Jr. is part of venture capital firm 1789 Capital. After Trump Jr. joined the firm, the firm’s portfolio companies reportedly won more than $70 million worth of contracts from the Trump Administration, including:

$45 million awarded to Cerebras Systems in April 2025 to improve artificial intelligence chip connections;

$10.8 million awarded to PsiQuantum in April 2025 for quantum chips;

$4.9 million awarded to Firehawk Aerospace in August 2025 to develop rocket engines;

$10 million to Vulcan Elements for rare earth magnets in 2025.

A separate Trump Jr.-affiliated company received a $12.8 million DOD contract last year — and another 1789 Capital-backed start-up that produces magnets in drone systems reportedly received DOD’s Office of Strategic Capital’s largest loan ever, at $620 million.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other senators requested info from Pete Hegseth’s DOD on how the contract awarding process dealt with the potential corruption of the Trump sons having inside information or contracts being awarded to them to curry favor with the President. Based on the vague and anodyne response returned by the DOD, Warren said, “It appears to have no effective processes in place to ensure that DOD contracts are being fairly awarded to companies based on our national security and defense requirements — rather than the financial interests of the President’s family.”

Not to mention the Trump family’s incentive to keep the wars going to keep demand up for those drones and weapon components. Be cynical. Follow the money. (No money for health care or snap, however.)

Laveta Bowen

Hoquiam

It is time for positive change at TRL

I am writing with a heavy heart to share my perspective following my retirement in September 2025, after 45 years of service with the library district.

I began my career at age 16 as a page and, over the decades, had the privilege of serving in a variety of roles across the organization. I earned my Master of Library Science in 2008 and most recently served as Regional Manager for East Grays Harbor. Throughout my career, I held deep respect for the mission of the library and the essential role it plays in our communities.

In my final years, particularly beginning around the pandemic, I observed a shift in organizational culture that was deeply concerning. While some operational changes — particularly those related to cleanliness and safety — were necessary, others felt punitive in nature. There was an increasing emphasis on branch appearance that, at times, overshadowed our primary focus of public service. Many managers experienced significant stress related to unannounced inspections, and there was a pervasive sense that concerns could not be raised without fear of retaliation. This created an environment of anxiety that made it difficult to effectively serve our communities.

In 2025, during the initial reorganization, I assumed responsibility for Oakville, Montesano, McCleary and Elma. While working at the McCleary library, I witnessed a child become briefly trapped between a loveseat and a coffee table. In response, I rearranged the furniture to improve safety. I was later instructed that such changes required prior approval. This experience reinforced my concern that decision-making was, at times, driven more by aesthetic preferences than by patron safety and functionality.

At the Montesano branch, I also encountered challenges related to the relationship between staff and the Friends of the Library. Prior to my arrival, tensions had escalated significantly. I observed situations in which the Friends group — longstanding supporters of the library — were treated in ways that felt dismissive and, at times, disrespectful. For example, during a facilities issue involving a storage room, access for the Friends was restricted for an extended period, even when they needed only limited access to their materials. Additionally, I became aware of instances where responsibility for project delays was attributed to the Friends despite documentation indicating otherwise. These experiences made it difficult to advocate effectively for the community and for valued partners of the library.

Ultimately, I came to feel that I could no longer carry out my responsibilities in a way that aligned with my professional values or in the best interest of the communities we serve. As a result, I made the difficult decision to retire earlier than planned.

It is my sincere belief that the organization must address these cultural and leadership concerns in order to move forward in a healthy and productive way. Without meaningful change and accountability, it will be difficult to rebuild trust, support staff, and fully serve our communities. I share these reflections with respect for the institution I served for so many years, and with hope that they may contribute to thoughtful consideration and positive change. I thank you for your time and consideration on this matter.

Sincerely,

Dee Depoe

Elma