Washington farmers need tariff relief

Posted by on Feb 5, 2019 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Washington farmers need tariff relief By Don C. Brunell The good news is Washington’s cherry crop is projected to be as good as 2018; however, absent tariff relief from the ongoing U.S.-China trade tiff, a key market will remain limited. When China’s tariff went from 10 percent to 50 percent last July, right in the middle of the harvest, exports to China went from the most profitable to the pits, Fox News reported. “Growers in...
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The private sector is stepping up for tourism

Posted by on Jan 29, 2019 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on The private sector is stepping up for tourism Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. That’s particularly true in difficult times when “business as usual” no longer works.
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Good economic news sprinkled with caution

Posted by on Dec 18, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Good economic news sprinkled with caution The good news is Washington’s revenues continue to grow and projections for the next couple of years appear promising. That is welcome news, but it is sprinkled with caution about introducing new taxes.
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Lawmakers must work to reduce wildfire risk

Posted by on Dec 4, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Lawmakers must work to reduce wildfire risk While massive wildfires are historic, they are more dangerous today. As our population grows, they are a greater threat to communities adjacent to wildlands.
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Costs matter in hiring

Posted by on Nov 20, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Costs matter in hiring While both sides argue over the merits of Seattle’s escalating minimum wage, there are other issues — such as the total cost per worker — which enter into hiring equations.
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Military also adjusting to worker shortages

Posted by on Nov 13, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Military also adjusting to worker shortages When our military is viewed as an employer, it has the same problem as the private sector; attracting qualified people to fill jobs.
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A much needed dose of Yogi Berra’s wit and wisdom

Posted by on Sep 12, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on A much needed dose of Yogi Berra’s wit and wisdom With today’s tension and rancor, we need a dose of Yogi Berra’s wit and wisdom to put things into perspective.
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Role models are among us

Posted by on Jul 11, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Voices | Comments Off on Role models are among us Too often, our sons and daughters tend to look for role models in lofty places and many become disillusioned by the bad behavior of some of them. Worse yet, some try to emulate that comportment.
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Don Brunell | Lt. Dan Needs Lots of Helping Hands

Posted by on May 31, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Special, Voices | Comments Off on Don Brunell | Lt. Dan Needs Lots of Helping Hands By Don C. Brunell Sinise’s organization also links high school students with World War II veterans for tours of the D-Day Museum in New Orleans. He believes it is vital for young Americans to understand what our veterans have sacrificed. That link is weaker today. Today, with no military draft, less than 2 percent of our population is defending the rest of us. “Freedom and security are...
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Don Brunell | Streamlining regulations makes more housing affordable

Posted by on May 24, 2018 in All Content, Don Brunell, Special, Voices | Comments Off on Don Brunell | Streamlining regulations makes more housing affordable By Don C. Brunell America’s supply of affordable housing is shrinking and a bevy of government regulations on residential construction only acerbates the homeless problem. As a result more people are now living “unsheltered” in tents along the freeway or beneath overpasses because they can’t afford to pay rent or a home mortgage. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)...
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