What Legacy Media Highlighted in Clallam County This Week
A review of the stories Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette chose to cover
Local papers this week featured a letter praising democratic socialism and the continuation of a contested shower voucher program. Coverage also included contrasting outcomes in two local criminal cases. Here’s a closer look at what made the pages.
Letter Promotes Democratic Socialism
The Peninsula Daily News published a letter to the editor this week from Linda Benson praising democratic socialism and noting its adoption in most Scandinavian countries.
Benson is the past president of the Clallam County League of Women Voters and remains active with the League, which describes itself as a “nonpartisan” organization. Clallam County continues to list the local League of Women Voters chapter as “unaffiliated” ballot observers.
Separately, Democratic Socialists of America National Co-Chair Megan Romer appeared on a news program earlier this week discussing the organization’s long-term goals.
These include abolishing the Senate, replacing the presidency and Supreme Court, abolishing ICE, ending borders and granting amnesty to those currently in the country illegally, defunding the Pentagon, abolishing prisons, and placing most large corporations under government or public ownership.
Shower Voucher Program Continues Despite Petition
Commissioners Mike French and Randy Johnson, along with Port Angeles City Councilmembers Mark Hodgson and LaTrisha Suggs and community member Greg Shield, unanimously voted to maintain the shower voucher program.
The program provides vouchers to homeless individuals with addictions at the harm-reduction center so they can use the showers at the William Shore Memorial Pool, which is also used by children and families. Officials kept the program even though 567 signatures were submitted in opposition.
A petition supporting the program—started by Indivisible activist Jamie Porter, Commissioner French’s newest appointee to the Homelessness Task Force—gathered only 293 signatures.
Contrasting Local Court Cases
The Sequim Gazette reported that a two-day trial has been scheduled for a 70-year-old woman accused of stealing a coffee table from the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. She faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
In a separate case, Joshua Royal was arrested for breaking into multiple units of an apartment complex, destroying furniture, and chasing a resident.
He was released by court order after two days in Clallam County Jail. His total bail was set at $0.00.
Today’s Tidbit: See You at the Wild Blackberry Festival
If you’re heading to Joyce Daze this Saturday, be sure to stop by and say hello!
I’ll be spending the day at the Jake Seegers for County Commissioner booth, and I’d love the opportunity to meet readers, hear what’s on your mind, and talk about the issues shaping Clallam County.
Whether you’ve been reading the Watchdog for years or just recently discovered us, I’d enjoy meeting you in person.
Hope to see you Saturday in Joyce! 🇺🇸
