When dangerous weather strikes, we can’t afford understaffed agencies | Opinion

Who flubbed up in Texas flooding?

Trump/Musk Dog-E dooers who indiscriminately fired forecasters and others at NOAA? Not possible. These people (many of whom have become government employees) are very smart and only slash government programs wisely.

Climate change? Impossible. It doesn’t exist. Donald Trump said it is a Chinese hoax.

Climate scientists and meteorologists seem to generally agree that greenhouse gases created by humans cause increasingly intense storms. But ”woke” scientists are deliberately trying to sabotage Trump’s agenda. They won’t recognize Trump’s incredible wisdom, selfless patriotism and honesty or admit he knows more about weather than they do.

Trust Trump, Project 2025 and MAGA. Biden caused the storm and flood.

Brett Menaker, Kennewick

W. Richland pops for July 4 gains

Hats off once again to the West Richland City Council and mayor for their unshakeable resolve to continue sales of aerial fireworks regardless of consequences.

Who cares about brush fires, property damage, or death of citizens? There’s profit to be made in these permit sales! Who cares that a month ago a large brush fire threatened many West Richland’s homeowners and sent police and emergency vehicles and personnel scrambling to tell residents to evacuate. Fire is coming! And so is the 4th of July!

Who cares about (or remembers) the 1992 death of Paul Bjorklund, a 25-yr-old volunteer firefighter in Kennewick killed while cutting a firebreak on the side of Jump-off Joe to try to stop a 4th of July fire from spreading up the mountain? Who cares that on July 4, 2023 John Anderson was killed by a mortar-type firework that he was celebrating with at his home?

This city sanctions uncontrolled mayhem for two or three days every summer and that’s the way it is! Who cares about pets, farm animals or wildlife being terrified? There’s profit to be made! Who cares that the rest of the Tri-cities has banned sale and use of aerial fireworks? Do you care?

Mark A. Underwood, West Richland

Call Newhouse about PNNL cuts

I am a member of Friends of PNNL and want to say what a lovely welcoming community this has been to join. We’ve deepened our roots here in multiple ways.

We are concerned, however, about the economic impact of the proposed federal budget for FY26, including the elimination of PNNL’s entire $160 million Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program and the $100 million cut from the Biological and Environmental Research program.

These cuts could result in 1,100 lost jobs at PNNL. This would be more than $112M in lost earnings. This would shrink the Tri-Cities economy because of the ripple effect by about 2,500 jobs. Those who provide services for the 1,100 employees lost would all feel the hit.

The jobs lost are specialized and technical, leaving former employees at risk of selling their homes here and moving elsewhere for jobs.

On July 14, the Energy and Water Subcommittee starts their initial mark-up of bills including these potential cuts. Please call U.S. Representative Newhouse 202-225-5816 as soon as possible to ask that EERE and BER funding be restored.

Let’s save our jobs, our families and jobs that would be lost by these cuts.

Pamela Gaudet, Pasco

PNNL can stand Trump’s trimming

Another day, another Tri-City Herald “the sky is falling” due to Trump budget cuts article.

The Herald’s July 13 “Report: 1,100 jobs could be cut at national lab in Tri-Cities under Trump Budget” could stand some perspective. Per the Lab’s own 2023 Economic Impact Report, as recently as 2017 PNNL’s employment was at 4,500. As reported by the Herald, its current employment is about 6,400, which represents a 42% increase over the last eight years.

I think in the minds of many taxpayers, a staffing increase like that is excessive and just another example of why federal spending has exploded in recent years. The Lab, along with much of the rest of the federal government, could stand some down-sizing.

Richard Engelmann, Richland

Trump inhumane toward migrants

The Trump administration is hunting down and persecuting law-abiding undocumented immigrants and seeks to remove endangered groups under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). We must not look away while these cruel policies are implemented.

The southern border needs to be secure. Immigration must be implemented in a fair and orderly manner. Undocumented immigrants that have criminal records or are part of criminal enterprises should be deported. However, 46% of currently detained undocumented immigrants have no criminal record.

We have all met hard working, family-oriented Latinos that may not be documented They are part of the fabric of our community. ICE agents are hunting them down and forcibly removing them, and ripping their families apart. Furthermore, the detention centers where ICE dumps the people they detain”” are substandard and their legal rights are being violated.

Law abiding undocumented immigrants that have lived here more than a certain number of years should be eligible to obtain a green card and guaranteed pathway to citizenship as long as they continue to be law abiding. And our country must continue providing a haven to those with TPS until it is safe for them to return home.

Amy Small, Richland

My email sent to Rep. Newhouse

You are a turncoat I used to admire and for whom I voted. But you have demonstrated a lack of courage to stand up to the GOP process of implementing Project 2025 and converting our great nation from a democracy to an autocracy.

Your vote in favor of the Big Beautiful Bill, which enriches the billionaires, destroys the lower class and attempts to sell the middle class the Brookland Bridge, is an abominable betrayal of our district.

The GOP in Congress consists of fascists who have demonstrated bigotry, self-serving lies, a disregard for all but the billionaires who support your party, and disregard for the Constitution and rule of law that has made the U.S. the greatest democracy in the world since 1776.

I am ashamed of how a farmer became a turncoat against his constituents rather than upholding their ideals and well-being.

Jim Tow, Richland

Night Out is set Aug. 5 for TCs

National Night Out is an annual campaign that promotes police and community partnerships. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community.

Through neighborhood camaraderie, we can make our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.

For more information on how your neighborhood can get involved, please visit your city police department’s Facebook page or website. Also, be sure to visit the Support, Advocacy & Resource Center’s (SARC) website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for more information about crime prevention and advocacy services available in our community.

Denise Martin, Pasco