Mayor Orr forthright and sincere in his apology
Thank you for the article in Tuesday’s issue detailing Aberdeen’s Mayor Doug Orr’s post and subsequent explanation and apology. Few of us would have known about this incident otherwise.
Mayor Orr, from the times I have met him, is a compassionate man who cares deeply about Aberdeen and its citizens. It’s a shame that he decided to post a conspiracy theory about the attempted assassination.
However, his apology, rather than the typical “mistakes were made” or “I’m sorry you caught me” fakes we so often find, was obviously forthright and sincere. And his further explanation made it clear he knows the unprofessional nature of his post.
But enough with the snow-flaky cancel culture. Council President Kacey Morrison should accept his apology, forgive him — assuming she is a Christian (but maybe she isn’t. It’s a free country) — and move on.
Tim Leggett
Aberdeen
New north county hospital looks to the future
It is my turn to help our community.
My great-grandparents homesteaded in the upper Willapa Valley in the 1890s. My grandparents, both maternal and paternal, supported a bond to build the current Willapa Harbor Hospital in the 1950s.
When it was built, it was a state-of-the art facility serving North Pacific County and those visiting. Many of my family and friends were treated here, some for life-threatening illness or injury.
My mother was able to work at Willapa Harbor Hospital as a cook and later as an assistant in the radiology department. When I was in high school, I was able to work there as a nurses’ aid, which led to a wonderful career as a registered nurse.
Now that I am retired, it is my responsibility to support our community to make sure that those that choose to live and work here, or visit, have access to modern medical care. It is my responsibility to help create a work environment for medical workers to do their absolute best, without being hindered by an out-of-date facility and old equipment.
I want the best for our community. I want to live here, as my ancestors have, in a healthy environment, with access to modern medical care. I support the construction of a new hospital and medical clinic as proposed by the Willapa Harbor Hospital Board of Commissioners. I am thankful they are looking to the future.
Sherri McDonald, RN, MPA
Raymond
Hilary Franz supports rural communities
As a native of Tacoma, a resident of Grays Harbor and a member of the IBEW Local 76, I’ve dedicated my life to working in and serving the communities of this region.
I’ve seen a lot of politicians make a lot of promises, but I’ve never seen a public servant actually get things done at the level that Hilary Franz has as Commissioner of Public Lands.
Since she took office back in 2017, Commissioner Franz has been championing communities across our state — especially rural communities. She knows how important active, sustainable land management is to towns and communities all over the state, and has always stood up for those communities.
Through her work at the Department of Natural Resources, Commissioner Franz has uplifted rural Washingtonians with her Rural Community Partnerships Initiative, she’s fought for good-paying, blue-collar jobs, and she has always stood up for good-paying jobs, which is why so many unions are supporting in her race to represent this district, including the Washington State Association of Electrical Workers.
There’s a lot of division and anger in our politics right now, but Commissioner Franz has proven herself to be a common-sense leader willing to work with anyone to get things done for the people of this state.
Jeff Nichols
Montesano
