In the spirit of offering Letters to the Editor as a traditional platform for lively, wide-ranging conversations in the public square, we invite you to write about whatever is on your mind.
Because we require comments under articles to be “on topic”, we found that readers who want to speak to other important issues, events and concerns that our small crew can’t cover don’t have a place for that. This Off Topic! feature allows readers to bring up other subjects, post news flashes, announce community events, or express concerns outside of the selected topics we write about.
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Submit your letter in the white box below Comment Guidelines at the bottom of the page containing the muted prompt “Enter your comment here…”
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Co-editors Ana Wolpin, Stephen Schumacher and Annette Huenke have a combined history of more than 120 years in Port Townsend. See the “About the Free Press” page for more about the editorial team.
4th of July Musings
No one commenting so I will fill some space. The ghosts of George Carlin and George Orwell are whispering in my ear again…..
Tomorow is the 4th of July. It is a time of a kind of repatriation of cash and karma to Native Americans, where on reservations tribe members are allowed to sell the illegal kind of fireworks that can kill and maim nontribal members. Lots of cash back to the tribes. Please don’t take these explosives off the reservation or hurt each other. Wink. Nod.
Quite often this happens next to tribal casinos where more nontribal members enter with money that they have very little chance of holding on to. I have researched this selflessly quite a bit. Much work is put into the illusion that make it look like you can win, and things are fair. A sort of twisted implied treaty of fairness in a way, broken regularly. My idea for a game name is “What the hell did you think was going to happen dumbass?” There would be lots of distracting bells and whistles as your money and common sense disappears.
In Port Townsend there is a similar thing that happens called a public meeting. What did you think was going to happen dumbass?
Another observation on this 4th of July is the endless coverage of the imploded experimental submersible. 5 people died. The craft was not certified and more and more information is coming to light regarding its questionable design and cut corners. Those it was marketed to didn’t know or take the time to research details. Dozens of articles about it in the mainstream media. More to come. 5 people dead. This cow will be milked daily for weeks.
Compare to experimental mRNA “vaccines” or gene therapy jabs. Often mandated by government and some businesses for employees. In the land of the free many had no freedom. Sub passengers had a choice at least. This gene therapy experiment also had no certification. What has come to light are “vaccine” deaths and injuries still growing that no mainstream media is covering. Manipulations of data has come to light regarding virus and “cure” and are not mentioned. At least not yet. It is a situation that many are starting to understand as all cause death statistics worldwide are exponentially high. What is also seen if one looks is that mainstream media is as toxic as ingredients in the experimental gene therapy cocktail that needed the definition of vaccine to be changed to cover. Orwell would understand.
Cover the loss of 5. Do not cover the loss of thousands. Look here. Not there.
Happy 4th of July. Land of the free. Home of the brave. And the unsuspecting manipulated masses. Have fun this 4th and try to keep your hands and fingers intact. And your immune system and organs working.
There are many working on the cure for the cure. Lets hope next 4th we have some fixes.
Am I the Only One Who Prefers a Fireworks Ban?
Why have a ban on fireworks when they seemed excessive to me in Jefferson County? And I am likely the only one who is complaining as it was not followed? Each explosion rattled me and my doggie to the core. No sense in calling in to Sheriff as they cannot control it. It did not used to be this way. People listened and cooperated with a ban like this. So lucky we avoided a fire. Again am I the only one who prefers the peace and quiet on a holiday? Am I the only one who wants her community to obey the law?
More musings on the Fourth of July: In contrast to Bainbridge and Port Angeles, which had festivities and family activities for the Fourth, and did a bustling business, our town emptied out on the Fourth. People decided to leave town and spend their day and their money elsewhere. And in contrast to Frances, I heard very few fireworks in our neighborhood. She might like to invest in a pair of dog ear mufflers and/or an anxiety vest for her pooch.
Is it always about the money? The Sheriff says the ban was a success. Since ban means legally prohibited in the entire county, I am confused as it felt like a war zone where I live. Was it a success because there were no fires? Please explain Alison.
More Manufactured Problems
I have seen no mention in the FP of the 50-unit utilitarian looking Hotel box that is in process of being approved across from Don’s pharmacy near the ferry terminal for a new look in the historic district. 50 units. 11 proposed parking spaces. Parking not enforced for 10 years with city studies showing millions in lost revenue. Below is part of my comments from the “PT finances falling off the cliff” article as Jim Scarantino and Scott Walker spoke of parking in comments.
“In the historic district the powers that be have added the Marine Science Center which hopes for thousands of new visitors a year. In addition, last I knew there were plans for removal of a paid Port lot for a new building for boat related visitors (other end ot town). Eliminate parking and bring in more visitors. It was claimed the paid parking port lot was not used much. As the link Scott provided explains no one will pay for parking when free parking is close. The free parking in this case is city managed posted but not enforced 2 hour parking. Plans for the Hastings building last I knew would need even more parking. Seems to be that there will be more ripple effects on all business access. Manufactured ripples.’
At that time, it seems very few knew of the new hotel being planned without any parking mitigation. 50 units. Plus staff. Permitting moving along without any parking consideration.
I don’t follow Next Door but happened to see it linked on another page. Next door is exploding with this news. And the proposed swimming pool.
There are problems that slowly emerge. There are also crises that are managed into existence. I expect that soon City Manager Maruo will get some “public input” that suggests banning cars from the historic district due to the ‘unsustainable” manufactured parking situation he has overseen.
50 units. No parking mitigation on top of already purposefully mis managed parking. Business access. Ugly building at the entryway to a historic district. $$$$$$$$$$$$ and manipulation into chaos in full view.
A city with leaders would have dealt with maintenance, growth, and planning over the last 20 years. In all areas.
For more of the same re elect
David Faber- Appointed Mayor and self-described deviant.
Amy Howard
Owen Rowe
Libby Wennstrom
Aislinn Palmer
Monica MickHager
Ben Thomas
And make sure John Mauro stays at least as long as the 20 years David Timmons did as city manager to maintain “institutional continuity”.
I almost didn’t’ mention the hotel. Just more of the same. Processing this which is way off topic.
Critical thinking. Open minds. Think for yourself. Or not.
https://davidicke.com/2023/07/23/climate-engineering-what-are-they-doing-to-our-weather/
Is it time to start looking for a change in City leadership? It will be in January that the City Council will again look at appointing a Mayor. It could be a second term for Mayor Faber or would it be good to look for a change?
Fitch Ratings Downgrades U.S. Debt
Everyone loves Jeopardy, right? Let’s play!
Answer: Joe Biden and the Democrats.
Question: Why did Fitch Ratings recently downgrade the U.S. long-term credit rating?
Democrats are spending money like proverbial drunken sailors: $1 trillion for infrastructure, $278 billion for computer chips, $499 billion for “green energy” projects.
CBO currently estimates the federal government will add $1.6 trillion to the deficit this year, cascading total federal debt to over $33 trillion.
Is the country at war? Facing an economic depression? Coping with a national emergency?
Nope. In fact, the recent unemployment rate of 3.4% is the lowest in 54 years.
Fitch Ratings knows the U.S. should decrease debt in peacetime, and they are worried about our ability to pay it back.
Fitch also knows Biden’s family has received millions in bribes and extortion payments from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine, crippling the President’s ability to deal with national problems.
Furthermore, they see out-of-control crime, drug use, and filth in Democrat-run big cities.
Lastly, the Medicare and Social Security “trust funds” will run dry in the not-too-distant future, but Democrats browbeat anyone who suggests we need actuarial sanity.
Ernest Hemingway writes in The Sun Also Rises, “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked.
“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”
Like Mike, America’s fiscal time bomb is ticking, and Fitch has taken notice.
Maybe we should, too, especially when we cast our ballots in 2024.
I’ve just spent an hour or so reading current and past articles. Although some writers have clearly done extensive and excellent research the overall message of the publication seems to be that every government agency and most public servants are corrupt and deceptive at best. City Council-County Commissioners-Health Board-Hospital-ThePort-Olycap-YMCA-Pool- all get trashed in your articles. The tone is all hyper negative. Such wide ranging condemnations of virtually every government agency and many non-government entities makes me not trust your publication. Perhaps you could find one worthwhile project in PT to write about in 2024
Kate Dwyer: But what have we reported that is factually not true? Do you disbelieve your doctor unless you get the news you like? We are not the Pollyanna Press. For that one can go to the PT Leader or KPTZ. We report (with our very limited volunteer resources) the facts our local paper and radio station ignore in order to maintain the fairy tale that PT and Jefferson County don’t have major social ills and problems with government waste, incompetence and inefficiency. I got this “you only report the bad news” when I started writing about the debacle of the Cherry Street Project. The Leader, when it bothered to cover the story, ran only cheery PR pieces to make the non-profit and city government look good. You are incorrect that we have reported on government corruption. At least I don’t recall us ever accusing a local public official or employee of taking a bribe or kickback or helping themselves to public resources. With that said, the Port Townsend Free Press welcomes well-written, factually supported articles. Consider becoming a contributor.