Sudden deaths took a trio of state’s business and agriculture leaders

Posted by on Sep 6, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Sudden deaths took a trio of state’s business and agriculture leaders So far this year, a trio of unexpected deaths has shocked Washington business and agriculture. Melanie Dressel, Ron Reimann and Jeff Brotman leave behind large shoes to fill.
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Massive fires increasing wood prices

Posted by on Aug 23, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Massive fires increasing wood prices Massive forest fires in western parts of Canada and the U.S. are not only choking us with layers of smoke, but are cutting off lumber supplies around our country. 
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Abundant natural gas helps provide a giant step toward our energy independence

Posted by on Jul 12, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Abundant natural gas helps provide a giant step toward our energy independence In the last half century, Americans yearned for energy independence. We were tired of being held captive by foreign governments — some of which continue to be hostile toward the United States and our way of life.     
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Searching for the words to unite us in troubled times

Posted by on Jun 28, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Searching for the words to unite us in troubled times Two days before last year’s presidential election, Frank Luntz walked away from a CBS "60 Minutes" focus group leaving people uncontrollably screaming at one another. He couldn’t stop it. Nobody could.
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Texas is flush with money for transportation projects

Posted by on Jun 7, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Texas is flush with money for transportation projects In the last decade, there has been a highway construction boom in Texas. On the other hand, lawmakers in Olympia still scramble to fund road maintenance.
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Forest landowners prove cooperation does work

Posted by on May 31, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Forest landowners prove cooperation does work Recently, Washington state’s largest environmental, wildlife and natural resources agencies recognized 43 large forest landowners for their “exemplary efforts” to upgrade forest roads and stream crossings which improved salmon habitat and water quality.
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America needs more welders, and a few less philosophers

Posted by on May 24, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on America needs more welders, and a few less philosophers “America needs more welders and fewer philosophers,” proclaimed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during the 2016 presidential campaign.
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Time to ax Amtrak’s passenger service to Chicago from Seattle

Posted by on May 17, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Time to ax Amtrak’s passenger service to Chicago from Seattle Last month, a Wall Street Journal editorial hit the nail on the head recommending Amtrak focus its limited funds on shorter more heavily traveled routes between Washington, D.C., and Boston.
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Entrepreneurs remain the key to America’s success

Posted by on Apr 19, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Entrepreneurs remain the key to America’s success American entrepreneurs’ ability to invent, create and bring products and services to market makes our nation great. Their success generates the tax revenue which fund our schools and puts people to work.
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Lessons learned from demise of Northwest aluminum industry

Posted by on Apr 12, 2017 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Lessons learned from demise of Northwest aluminum industry Driving east along SR 14 these days, you see water pouring out of Columbia River dams. It is already a high water year with much of the runoff from our heavy mountain snowpack yet to come.
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