Proud of community Christmas tree efforts

I am filled with gratitude as the community gathered to place a Christmas tree in the center of downtown Aberdeen.

Scott Reynvann with the Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP) took the charge as a maestro of many moving parts. Within hours Hedlund Christmas Trees donated a 20-footer, and Chehalis Valley Timber, Inc. hauled it into town.

Then we jetted to Home Depot where Deanna Emery Perron donated the lights.

It continues with the Aberdeen Mayor Douglas Orr wrapping huge cement blocks as gifts, the city of Aberdeen supplying power, and CCAP using their lift to string lights and guide wires. This included a special fabrication to join the tree to the center of the parking lot at Wishkah and Broadway.

The Downtown Aberdeen Association wants to thank everyone for mission impossible during a major windstorm for this project to actually happen and continue standing through the holidays.

I want to acknowledge Darrell Westmoreland who graciously ran back and forth ensuring moving parts kept moving.

Wil Russoul

Executive Director

Downtown Aberdeen Association

Federal budget needs to repair Trump’s damage

Congress has until Jan. 30 to pass a long-overdue Fiscal Year 2026 budget. This one must repair the damage inflicted in 2025.

The One Big “Beautiful” Bill Act delivered massive tax cuts to the wealthy as it slashed Medicaid and SNAP. Those cuts start in 2026, threatening millions with hunger, poverty and loss of care. To make matters worse, the Trump Administration is now targeting housing and homeless assistance.

And the shutdown of USAID-led anti-poverty programs has already contributed to the deaths of 700,000 people worldwide this year, and a predicted 14 million deaths by 2030, including 88 child deaths every hour.

The Fiscal Year 2026 budget must be a course correction. It must stop the cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, fully fund housing choice vouchers, and reinvest in proven global health and education programs that save lives and reduce poverty.

Above all, as U.S. Rep. Emily Randall, D-6th District, has been fighting hard for, Congress must reassert its constitutional authority. Another year of the Administration ignoring congressional spending directives is unacceptable. Any Fiscal Year 2026 budget agreement must include enforceable safeguards to ensure funds are spent as Congress intends.

I have no doubt that when Rep. Randall returns after the recess, she will fight to deliver a budget that serves people, not billionaires.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Prouty

Elma