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Vote Hood for PUD
The right of the people to elect those who govern over them has been essential from the beginning of our nation. We must protect the vote for all citizens, reject arbitrary barriers, encourage them to flex their civic muscles to vote safely in fair and free elections.
I vote for candidates whose positions align with my personal values, those who seek to build up and not break down, who can imagine a nation functioning better for all people, not just for some. I want transparency, ethical and informed decision-making, people who keep asking the right questions, despite pressure to do otherwise.
While I don’t agree with them on every issue, I will be voting for Ernie Hood (PUD Commissioner) and Robert Rosencrantz (PO County commissioner) this fall. They will be independent voices and work toward the future good of our county, especially with the rise of data centers in our back yard.
I will also be voting for Carmela Conroy for Congress. She is experienced, capable and relatable, and will listen to the folks back home. We need a change: remember Rep. Baumgartner voted FOR the Big Beautiful Bill and AGAINST the war resolution to end the “engagement” in Iran.
Becky Anderson Newport
Bradbury for PUD
Commissioner #2
David knows our County. He has maintained a teaching/ coaching/ Radio Manager position for many years , adding the “Voice of the Griz” for 30 plus years. As Manager of the KUBS radio station he worked weekends, nights and Holidays to achieve its success.
David has shown how one person can strive and achieve outside their normal work hours if you have ambition and passion. David has the ambition to take on the job of PUD Commissioner and the passion, He has a degree in Leadership/ Administration from EWU giving him a MA in Education with emphasis on budgeting/management practices. He has served on various Committees, etc. for Newport and has had many leadership positions in civic groups.
David has long been interested in the PUD. He has done summer work and studied the inner workings of the PUD throughout his adult life. He took on a leadership role in TIPP (teachers interested in public power) continuing his power education.
Vote Bradbury.
-Gail Berendt Newport
Herndon doesn’t represent my Republican Party
Scott Herndon proposes removal of Bonner County Republican Central Committee members for supporting candidates or expressing ideas contrary to “Republican values”. Herndon seeks political loyalty through political coercion.
A political party’s strength comes from members free to exercise judgment and not by requiring members to surrender that judgement. Sometimes a candidate emerges who, regardless of party label, is better qualified, more trustworthy, or closely aligned with the community’s interests. We know too well how a community suffers when a party loyalist pursues party agendas and ignores the needs of our residents.
“Loyalty” to party should never become a duty to put party above conscience, voters, or constitutional principles. Republicans champion individual liberty, independent thought, and personal responsibility. Punishing committee members for exercising those values would turn the party’s commitment to freedom into an internal loyalty test. Likewise, Republican officials should choose candidates who earn voter support through sound policies and effective leadership, not threats.
Herndon’s goals for the Republican Party use coercion rather than genuinely earning members’ votes. I urge Bonner County Republicans to reject this corrupt effort and restore the Republican Party as the party of personal liberty, freedom of conscience, and a government practicing both.
-George Eskridge 14 Year Republican State House Representative Bonner County
Support for Warren for commissioner
I am Kim Gentle, Port Commissioner for District 1, and I proudly endorse Brandy Warren for District 2 County Commissioner. Over the past year, I have seen Brandy consistently show up for Pend Oreille County – not just to attend meetings, but to listen, learn, and serve.
Brandy brings the courage and business sense our county needs. She handles difficult conversations with respect and resolve, speaks plainly, and stands firm for what she believes. In challenging rural economies, she has built stability, created jobs, retained loyal employees, and shown that leadership is about both results and people.
She also has a genuine heart for youth and young adults, giving them opportunities to work, learn, grow, and build a future here at home.
I believe the Board of County Commissioners needs Brandy Warren. She offers courage, practical experience, strong business leadership, and sincere commitment to the people of Pend Oreille County. I trust her backbone, her heart, and her ability to help lead our county toward a stronger future.
-Kim Gentle Newport
Hood has time, ability
As voters we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to make a choice of who we want to represent our interests in the management of the PUD. The roll of the commissioner is to approve policies, budgets and rates for us, the customers.
As neither of the candidates bring a voting record for the voters to use, we must look at business management qualifications and experience they bring.
Mr. Hood comes to us with a background in private and for profit business. He has an MBA he earned while holding down a full time job, and 35 years experience in the real world. Mr. Bradbury brings a working lifetime experience of education, relying on taxpayers largess.
Mr. Hood’s total independence is another difference. Ernie’s ability to be independent and the fact that taxpayers will only be paying one salary for him is a big difference that should be considered. PUD board members must spend between 70 and 90 days, outside of board meeting days, representing the interest of the PUD. Ernie has that time ability. Does a dedicated teacher have the freedom to work half time?
-Mike Hanson Newport
Misdirected anger
Washington state has 10 Federal Representatives and two Senators.
Michael Baumgartner is just one of them. Yet he is blamed for his opinion on how to prevent wild fires in the state by this paper’s most prolific letter writer. Mr. Scobby should direct his ire at the Washington state politicians, long controlled by Democrats. I have long thought that clear cut alleys across dense forests would make sense for firefighter access and safety. Just FYI …The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the primary state agency responsible for wildfire suppression, protection, and investigation on 13 million acres of state-owned and private forestlands in Washington.
DNR Wildland Fire Management Division handles firefighting operations, deploying over 1,300 permanent and seasonal staff, engines, and aircraft. Homeowners living in wooded areas need to take commonsense precautions and debris clean up around their property.
K.C. Hunt Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Trump is a liar, dumb
Yes, it would be a good idea for those running for the highest office in the land take an IQ test. Sadly, the only thing this President would have won is Nations Dumbest. Being the liar he is he could say it was Nations Smartest because this liar turns all things around.
He calls the news outlets that refuse to lie about him “fake” news. These are the truthful outlets that ask this old fool the hard questions he doesn’t want to answer.
We need to make sure a demented old felonious pervert is never elected again. Tell the world we are not stupid enough to believe all the lies and horrible things he has done. Get America back to a country that is respected again. Because of Trump being elected twice it will take a long time for us to no longer be the joke to the world.
Jeannie Hutchins Newport
Vote Rosencrantz, Hood who oppose data centers
Living in a predominantly conservative or red area like Pend Oreille County can be frustrating when the majority of local candidates on the ballot belong to the opposing party. Short of leaving sections of the ballot blank, the only practical option is to carefully evaluate those opposing candidates and choose the individuals whose values and statements come closest to aligning with our own values and concerns.
There are two candidates I will have no problem voting for come Tuesday, November 3, 2026. These candidates are incumbent County Commissioner Robert Rosencrantz and PUD candidate Ernie Hood. Why? Both have come out strongly opposing or in favor of placing a moratorium on the siting of data centers in POC.
Rosencrantz and Hood are listening to community members who have genuine misgivings about data centers and their impact on the environment and our rural way of life.I believe it would be a serious conflict of interest if Rosencrantz’s opponent, Brandy Warren, were to win, as her husband works as a “manager at Merkle Standard, the company trying to convert its operation into a (massive) data center” as reported in the Spokesman Review.
Phyllis Kardos Newport
Jane Sauter lifelong Republican
On November 3, voters in Legislative District 1 will choose who represents Bonner and Boundary counties in the Idaho House. I support Jane Sauter of Cocolalla for Seat 1A.
Jane is not a career politician. She is a wife of nearly four decades, mother of nine, and grandmother of 21. A Bonner County resident for a decade, she has served as a precinct committeeman, poll worker, and election judge. She won the Republican nomination this spring by talking with neighbors and asking for their votes.
A lifelong Republican, Jane promises to answer to District 1A voters, not special interests. She supports limited government, responsible budgeting, school choice, enforcement of immigration laws, constitutional rights, the Second Amendment, and law enforcement. Prolife since her teens, she opposes Proposition 1 and believes its sweeping changes to Idaho abortion law are wrong. These are consequential times for North Idaho. District 1 deserves a representative who understands why so many of us choose to live here and who will plainly defend the principles she campaigned on. Jane has made those commitments and will keep them.
On November 3, join me in voting for Jane Sauter for Idaho House District 1, Seat A.
-Dr. Rick Kirschner Sagle
Baumgartner supports runaway national debt
Perhaps worst of Michael Baumgartner’s habitual votes contradicting his policy statements is his continually advocating for slashing federal spending but then voting for One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). This added $4.1 trillion to the national debt which has doubled to $40 trillion since 2017, the beginning of President Donald Trump’s first term. Deceit-prone Baumgartner could have killed OBBB because it passed the House by just one vote. More accomplished opponent Carmela Conroy would kill OBBB, as recognized by Trump’s recent Truth Social post praising Baumgartner while berating Conroy’s endorsement of taxing the richest.
Sensing OBBB’s great unpopularity, Baumgartner’s weekly Friday Emails to constituents suddenly renamed OBBB as “Working Families Tax Cuts”, never admitting the renaming. This huge misnomer contradicted the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s determination that OBBB’s total impact makes the poorest working families even poorer, the richest CEOs much richer.
Reversing our huge runaway national debt problem needs immediate attention. Clearly Baumgartner, contradicting his statements, has no interest in this, but rather just advancing his MAGA stature by gaining favor with Trump and his lapdog, House Speaker Mike Johnson. Just recall Baumgartner’s recent positive response to Trump’s ridiculous renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”
Baumgartner should be renamed “MAGA-man.”
Norm Luther Spokane
Import bans affect prescription drugs
I order my stroke prevention medication from Canada for $1.51 a day, compared to Walmart’s $10.11. That’s because my Medicare Part D denies coverage for this medication, and patent lawsuits have blocked the release of a generic version which was approved in 2020.
Now, my Canadian pharmacy has warned me about an upcoming CBP/FDA rule taking effect October 22, 2026, which suspends the de minimis exemption for mail shipments. While it does not explicitly ban importing Canadian drugs, it introduces burdensome restrictions that increase package rejection rates.
Furthermore, the FDA declares that medications available domestically cannot be imported. This rule fails to recognize that extreme retail costs can make a drug financially inaccessible to people with limited incomes.
The drug’s manufacturers, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, fund a pharmaceutical lobbying group that contributes to Michael Baumgartner, making advocacy from him unlikely.
Blocking illicit substances at the border is crucial, but federal actions like pardoning dark web drug trafficker Ross Ulbricht contradict this focus. It remains uncertain if past political promises to protect personal Canadian prescription imports, made by Trump himself, will stand.
-Dianna Michaels Colville
Price of diesel affecting farmers most
Cambridge Press estimates that 78% of farmers voted for Trump in 2024 – this estimate is based on counties more than individuals. With such overwhelming support you would think a President would be very sensitive to their issues.
But I heard a report on the havoc the Trump Iran war is causing with farmers – the price of diesel has increased 75% in the past year, and farmers use a lot of it; consequently, some Republicans are calling for a ban on exports of the fuel in the hopes of temporarily lowering the price. That would not be a good solution. Gulf coast refiners would sell more domestically in the short run but cut back overall as they lose their global market, causing global diesel prices to increase. The real culprit is the war and until that is settled, we are going to see increases in prices of diesel and, as a result, food.
DJT is urging voters to pretend he is on the November ballot. I hope we all do – especially all those farmers who expected him to act in their best interests.
-Sandy Nichols Newport
Warren owned by Merkle
Merkle Standard owns Brandy Warren. The same Merkle Standard that converted the Usk papermill into a crypto mill, then repeatedly threatened our county’s PUD in an effort to get us to subsidize their failed Chinese bitcoin joint venture. They now want a massive 225 MW data center projected to cost the county tens of millions in new infrastructure to support.
That history matters because Warren’s financial disclosure raises serious conflict-of-interest concerns. Merkle employs her husband at a reported salary of $100,000 to $200,000 per year. Warren herself makes a fraction of that – less than $30,000 – from her Lucky Bee Variety Store.
To make matters worse, Ms. Warren appears to be drowning in debt – as much as $880,000 based on her public financial disclosure, including spending between $100,000 and $200,000 for a new luxury motorcoach RV.
That’s $6-$9,000 a month based on her total reported debt—far more than what her own income can support.
When asked at a candidate forum if her financial dependence on Merkle was a conflict of interest, she responded about her husband’s employment: “He’s the one paying the mortgage, not me, so it’s not a conflict.” Really?
We deserve independent commissioners who are free from serious financial conflicts of interest.
Ben Richards Usk
Abbey, library topic of town hall
In this time of partisan political divide, it is good to find places to gather and celebrate common ground and appreciate the local offerings that enrich our all lives. Many of us belong to clubs or special interest groups, attend a church or cheer for our sports teams. It is within those types of groups that I find that common ground with a variety of people.
Newport’s community Town Halls are another opportunity.
On October 3rd there will be a Town Hall at 1 p.m. at the PUD conference room off Pine Street in Newport. The speakers are Mandy Walters and Thubten Jigme. Mandy is director of Pend Oreille County Library District and Thubten Jigme is from Sravasti Abbey. Both guests will share information and opportunities that are available to our community. There will be a facilitated question and answer session after each presentation.
Please consider attending to learn about your public library system and our local Buddhist Monastery, Sravasti Abbey.
-Martha Nichols Newport
Break party lines, vote Johnson
My main intention is to prompt everyone in Idaho to vote. However you do it “just do it.” It can be by mail or in person on election day. If you choose to do it by mail you have to request a ballot. That has to be done soon. Then it has to be mailed in and received by your county clerk by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 23rd. There are places you can scan to request an absentee ballot.
However you choose to do it, please do it.
This year you should give serious thought to breaking party ties. You do NOT have to vote a straight party ticket if you choose NOT to. The independents running this year are good people.
Steve Johnson is running against Herndon.
He’s bad news and we DON’T want him representing us in Boise. Vote Johnson.
-Ernie and Helen Schoeffel Priest River
A vote for Baumgartner is a vote for Trump
The Cold War is over.
Nuclear stockpiles have been greatly reduced. A new nuclear threat now exists with President Trump. He has threatened multiple times to annihilate Iran if they don’t agree to his terms.
Unlike Venezuela, Iran won’t agree or surrender to Trump. Instead, Iran uses economic pressure by driving up World energy prices. Trump’s recourse is to carry out his nuclear threats and kill millions of Iranians to end a war he started or admit failure and walk away.
The nuclear option would open the door to Putin to nuke Ukraine and China to take Taiwan.
Do you support a nuclear holocaust initiated on our behalf by the President? Does the president have the authority to destroy a country over a deal they won’t accept?
This isn’t defending America but the murder of millions of people.
We are represented by a congressman who supports any action taken by Trump. Our community voted for both men, and we would be accessories to mass murder. How does this square with the religious faith of most of our community?
A vote for Baumgartner is a vote for Trump to kill other humans just because he has to power to do it.
Pete Scobby Newport
Voting for Warren means voting for data centers
I am very concerned about the data centers. I feel that all of you who are voting for Robert Rosencrantz’s opponent are voting for data centers.
I attended a meeting where due to good questioning it was discovered that Brandy Warren’s husband works for Merkle Standard. I had wondered where all the money she said she donated to various entities in our community had come from. No talk about what she wants to bring to the position of county commissioner.
If you do not want another data center in our rural community, please vote for Robert Rosencrantz. If you do not know what a disaster another data center could do to our water supply in town and our lakes, wells and rivers please research it!
-Terry Zakar Newport
