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leave it at that. I will say I can rest easy knowing I never did vote for him and I will never vote for another person who believes and follows Trump.
Jeannie Hutchins Newport
Need to correctly plant trees
I have taken the opportunity myself over the years to inspect the trees along the oneways. It’s something I can’t help but notice having worked as a salesman for some of the retail/wholesale nurseries in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area.
Most arborists will tell you about how detrimental compacted soil is for a tree and its roots. City conditions can be unforgiving, so tree selection can be crucial.
The labor put into the planting is also critical. You can have a tree species suitable for the conditions, but without proper planting practices, even the toughest of trees will struggle.
Those are definitely flowering pears along Union Ave, most likely the ‘Chanticleer’ variety.
European Pyramidal Hornbeams are the trees used along Washington Street.
Notice these trees are doing a little better as these trees are suitable street trees and commonly used as such.
There are crabapples and flowering plums at the post office, and there are flowering dogwood at Washington Federal.
Varieties like ‘Ivory Silk’ Lilac, ‘Golden Raindrops’ or ‘Royal Raindrops’ Crabapples, ‘Toba’ Hawthorns, and ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Serviceberry are nice choices with many more to choose from.
Aaron King Blanchard
A thought on our public conversations
After reading recent letters in The Miner, I found myself thinking less about the positions being taken and more about how we’re speaking to one another.
There’s no shortage of passion. That part is clear.
What seems to be missing, at times, is clarity.
We speak in conclusions— strong ones—but often without the kind of specifics that help others understand how we got there. Broad statements about “storms,” “division,” or “what’s happening to our country” may resonate emotionally, but they leave little room for meaningful discussion if they aren’t grounded in something observable or actionable.
This isn’t about agreeing or disagreeing. It’s about whether we are giving each other enough to work with.
If we want better conversations in our community, we may need to slow down just enough to say what we mean in a way others can actually respond to—not just react to.
There’s value in strong opinions. There’s even more value in making them clear.
Saundra K. Park Newport
Asia’s dedicated leadership
Commissioner Asia Williams, Bonner County Commissioner since January 2023, has greatly contributed to our county and responded to the many questions from constituents, including: Instituted commissioner chats with department heads.
Held Saturday workshops to inform citizens of issues from our county departments.
Completed course work as an accredited Internal Auditor.
Completed course work in Grant Writing, Advanced Grant Proposal Writing, and Grant Writing Consulting.
Improved the efficiency of county department budgets, encouraging them to maximize details of their expenditures thereby enhancing its history and evaluation.
Shared her extensive previous Risk Management skills.
Sits on many mental health boards to include Idaho State Suicide Prevention and Policy and Advocacy Mental Health Board.
Through networking and advocacy, she worked to bring ASIST training to Bonner County residents at no cost to the county or participants. ($60K price tag) Sits on a Regional Behavioral Health Board aiming to enhance mental health counseling rooted in the Bible and Faith Counseling. Thank you Commissioner, for running for another term! To continue strengthening our Bonner County with this powerful leadership, please vote for Commissioner Asia Williams on May 19!
Doug Paterson Priest River
Hormuz
Since my last writing, Iran decided to fire a couple of shots at ships and we closed the Strait of Hormuz again. Trump is under no pressure to get a peace deal done. However, Iran is under pressure. Every day the Strait is closed, Iran loses 500M in oil sales. They will wreck their own economy if they don’t act soon.
Another problem that Iran faces is oil storage.
With the Strait closed, they will be at storage capacity soon. It’s my understanding that if they hit capacity and have to shut their pumps down, they are difficult to get restarted and rarely get back to full production. They are literally shooting themselves in the foot. Trump is just waiting.
When Iran’s economy falls off the table, Iranians will be in a position to overthrow their radical leaders and put someone in that likes peace and freedom.
Game of chicken.
A ship tried to run the blockade and the Navy disabled it and took control. The ship was from China.
Its cargo wasn’t oil but chemicals for ballistic missiles and other military material. My guess is that Trump knew that in advance.
Glen Pierce Spokane/Cusick
Why the flag desecration?
I recently passed a local home flying an American flag that had been desecrated with a red stripe.
I have also seen similar flags with blue stripes. My understanding is that blue is for law enforcement and red is for firefighters. Other flags show an image of Trump’s face over the Stars and Stripes. Why the need to desecrate the flag that was draped over the casket of my family members who served in WW-II? I have my dad’s funeral flag in a display case.
What I see is a cheap political stunt to own the liberals by claiming fake support for law enforcement and firefighters. I put that in the same light as AI Trump Jesus. The people flying those desecrated flags don’t really care about public servants who enforce the law or perform fire/EMS, who need labor unions to protect them from being abused by stolen valor politicians.
What’s needed is a yellow striped flag indicating support for other people’s kids fighting and dying in presidential vanity wars overseas. America is killing people all over the world who are innocent of the deeds of their governments. Bomb them into the stone age the cowards say with glee.
Pete Scobby Newport
Red-Alert for US Forest Service research
By now, most people realize that President Trump and congressional allies are breaking government organizations, traditions, and laws to rebuild a miniature version of their former self. Deregulation and extraction of public land resources are front and center as priorities.
One of the most troubling targets for deconstruction is USDA Forest Service (FS) Research Centers.
Of 77 existing FS research facilities in the nation, 55 will be closed and consolidated. Community and institutional partnerships built over decades will decline or disappear, along with experiential knowledge.
Public and private forests in northeast Washington have already benefited from at least 16 local research studies conducted on the Colville NF by the Pacific Northwest Experiment Stations in Portland or Seattle. A great variety of environmental, economic, and social topics were involved.
North Idaho forests also prospered from the multitude and variety of decades-long research at the Priest River Experimental Forest that is coordinated by the Rocky Mountain Experiment Station in Moscow. Weather stressors, wildfire patterns, animal or plant population shifts, and ecological degradations are among the many subjects only evident after decade-or-longer study.
Collectively, we must urgently object to federal Senators, Representatives, and our friends about these alarming proposals.
Ed Styskel Newport
Trump’s spats turn into cuts
After Trump’s Christ portrayal I eagerly awaited his damage control. He wasn’t portraying Christ, he was playing “doctor.”
Got it. He then said he was showing his “support” for the Red Cross. In less than a minute googled what “support” from Trump means. Trump cuts reduced the Red Cross budget by on fifth (17%).
Layoffs of 2,900 employees led to a loss of 15% of its workforce being laid off.
As a side note his recent spat with the Pope led to the president cutting $11 million from the Catholic Charity fund for migrant children. Times are tough but I may have a solution for the unemployed Red Cross workers. They might consider being Door Dash workers in the D.C. area. I hear Trump tips very well.
Gregory Turner Newport
VA help
Do you need medical help or caregiver support? Did you or your spouse serve in the military, whether Active duty, Guard or Reserve? Are you a child or parent of a deceased veteran? Many people who actually would qualify hesitate to ask for VA help. Too often we hear “Others need it more.” If there is any question, please check.
The easiest way to determine qualification is to call Spokane County Veteran Services at 509 477 3690.
Or call the Spokane VA at 509 434 7000 and ask for “Eligibility.”
Another option is to call the national number 1 800 698 2411. Online, go to VA Health & Benefits App, MyHealtheVet, or https:// dva.wa.gov For the veterans Crisis line call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or go online to chat at veteranscrisisline. net.
The VA offers many programs, such as caregiver assistance and support, disability benefits starting at 10% disability, or pensions depending on circumstances. If you live a distance from the VA you can be reimbursed for your travel expenses.
The Spokane VA needs volunteers to assist veterans. Volunteers assist patients from the parking lot to the building, and provide wheelchairs and drivers if needed to get patients where they need to go in the building.
Bon Wakabayashi Elk
Tax time
In his 04/17/2026 newsletter, Michael Baumgartner bragged about how the Big Beautiful Bill has put money into the pockets of District 5 residents.
According to IRS data, the average increased refund was $351 per taxpayer.
Do the math. The Republican tariffs have increased annual costs to each of us by $1700 according to the Joint Economic Committee. Now determined illegal, we are responsible to pay for a refund program for those tariffs.
Will those companies lower their prices after they receive their refund?
Donald Trump’s war, which Michael Baumgartner supports has increased gas prices at the pump by about $50 per driver each month by conservative estimates. Increased fuel costs to farmers and truck drivers have driven up costs of goods. The costs for Donald Trump’s war are in the billions of dollars per day. He has stated due to the war costs, Medicare/ Medicaid and other programs need to no longer be funded by the federal budget. Meanwhile, the BBB tax cuts are increasing our national debt up to $5 trillion over the next ten years while cutting social services. Let’s make Michael Baumgartner a one-term Representative.
J.R. Wyatt Elk
