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Grandview City Administrator Resigns

February 5, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Scott Staples Tenders Sudden Resignation

Scott Staples resigned his position as Grandview City Administrator yesterday, Thursday, February 4, 2010.  His resignation was apparently effective immediately.

The City of Sunnyside used Mr. Staples for consulting purposes in recruiting former City Manager Eric Swansen.  The City Council fired Mr. Swansen after only 11 months on the job.  Sunnyside has yet to hire a new permanent City Manager, although some on the Sunnyside Council recently expressed a desire to interview additional candidates recruited by Mr. Staples.

Following the abrupt firing of Mr. Swansen, the Sunnyside City Council again utilized the consulting services of Scott Staples, to help stabilize the Sunnyside City Hall leadership, which had significant gaps due to the resignations in protest of the former City Attorney and City Finance Director.  Former Council Member Bill Gant resigned in protest at that time as well.

A call to Grandview City Hall confirmed that he was no longer employed by the City.  No information was available about what his next job might be, or why he resigned at this time.  Grandview City Staff informed BLOGSUNNYSIDE that department heads were notified of his resignation, but that the decision as to who might step in as an Interim City Administrator has not yet been announced.  The Grandview Mayor was not in the office today, and was not available to comment at the time of my call.

It is not yet known if the Sunnyside City Council will continue to utilize Mr. Staples as a consultant following his resignation in Grandview.

Posted in Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

Patty Murray’s Senate Seat Is Not Safe

February 3, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Some politicians and pundits have said that they consider Washington’s Senate seat to be safely in Democrat hands.  They are wrong.

As Scott Brown’s recent victory in Massachusetts shows, even the bluest of blue states can and do elect Republicans.

A recent poll of likely voters listed by RealClearPolitics has a theoretical contest of Republican Dino Rossi versus the incumbent Democrat Patty Murray.  Rossi leads with 45%, to Murray’s 43%.

Furthermore, among the critical block of independent voters polled, Rossi has a lead of 17 points (44% Rossi, 27% Murray).

Although this is just a hypothetical match-up, it clearly shows that the Democrats are not invulnerable in this upcoming election.  Voters are not satisfied with the explosion of government debt, and programs being rammed down their throats by the likes of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid.

The 2010 election is likely to show Republican gains in both houses of Congress.  It is even possible that Republicans will gain control of both the House of Representatives, and the Senate.

For additional information about this poll of Washington voters visit this link:

Moore Information

Moore Insight

2010 – Opportunity Knocks, Will the GOPs Answer?

Washington State

Posted in 2010 Election, President Obama, Republican Party, US Senate, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Yakima Tea Party To Host U.S. Senate Candidates

January 30, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

The Yakima Tea Party will be hosting a public forum with four U.S. Senate candidates on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.  The event is free to the public, and will be held at the Yakima Convention Center from 7:00PM to 8:30PM.

Although the event is not being sponsored by the Republican Party, all the candidates appearing are Republicans hopeful of unseating the incumbent, Democrat Senator Patty Murray.

The candidates that will be attending are:

Art Coday: http://www.codayforussenate.com/

Clint Didier: http://www.clintdidier.org/

Chris Widener: http://www.chriswidener.org/

Sean Salazar: http://www.seanforsenate.com/

Check out  this promotional image for the candidate forum:

Candidate Forum, Yakima Convention Center, 2/10/2010, 7PM-8:30PM

Posted in 2010 Election, Republican Party, US Senate, Yakima County Republicans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

iPAD Is Not A Feminine Hygiene Product

January 27, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

The iPAD is not a feminine hygiene product.  This was a thought expressed by a friend of mine on Twitter.  To clear up the confusion, it is a new product offering from APPLE.

I have not seen this new gadget, but have read some news articles about it.  It is being touted as a bridge between a smart phone and a laptop.  The device does not have a regular keyboard, but does have an on-screen keyboard.

The price is said to start around $499, with upgrades available for an additional charge.  As far as I can tell, it is APPLE’s answer to the Netbook market.

The tablet style, with a touchscreen, makes it a little different, but the 10 inch screen is about the same as one would find on a conventional Netbook.   It reportedly has an electronic reader built-in, and is being positioned to compete with the Amazon Kindle to some degree.

I am not sure about the reader functionality, since the Kindle is built for long-term use, but it is pleasing to see new technological innovations occurring at a relatively low price.

The iPAD has an available upgrade to include 3G wireless, like some Netbooks, so it would not be surprising to see it  offered by one or more wireless providers.  I do not know if it will be exclusively sold through AT&T like the iPhone currently is, but would not be surprised if that is the case.

For the most part, I am not an APPLE fan, but I do like it when more competition exists.  Just a couple of years ago, Steve Jobs said that APPLE would never make a $500 computer, because he considered them junk.

My how times have changed.

It will be interesting to see how the marketplace responds.

Reference:

Reuters: Apple unveils iPad, bets on new device class

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sunnyside Council Air Show Causes Overlay To Crash

January 26, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Mayor Turns On “Fasten Seat Belts” Sign For Another Meeting To Reconsider Proposed Airport Overlay

BREAKING NEWS: Operations at Sunnyside Municipal Airport continue at NORMAL pace, despite overlay ordinance failing to pass at Monday’s City Council Meeting.

THERE IS NO AIRPORT TOWER, SO AIRCRAFT LIKE THESE ARE FLOWN IN AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE PILOT, WHO MUST JUDGE IF HE HAS ENOUGH RUNWAY LENGTH TO SAFELY LAND AT THE SUNNYSIDE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.

Seriously though, at last night’s meeting, the Sunnyside City Council voted down a proposed airport overlay ordinance that would restrict development within 6,000 feet of the airport.  That is a radius of almost 1.4 miles around the airport, potentially effecting hundreds of property owners.

The City Council heard public comments from the Chair of the Sunnyside Planning Commission, who stated that in 1985 there were about 36 aircraft based at Sunnyside’s airport.  Now there are only a handful.  Even under the most optimistic projections the City’s airport consultants made, they do not see those numbers of aircraft returning to Sunnyside during the next 30 years.

Council Member Tom Gehlen said that he did not see any trends that would justify the proposed expansion of the airport runway to 4,000 feet in length.  Because of this, he felt that the current overlay restrictions are adequate to protect the airport.

Interim City Manager Jim Bridges gave an “off the cuff” estimate of about $1 million, as to the cost of extending the runway to the proposed 4,000 feet.

Jamey Ayling, in response to Council Member Mike Farmer’s questions, stated that farm owners annexed into the City would not be able to make improvements in their business operations, without first seeking conditional use permits.  This is because the City’s proposed ordinance is more restrictive than what Yakima County currently uses.

Council Member Don Vlieger questioned why no one had proposed building a runway longer than 4,000 feet.  He also asked why a runway that was 3,999 feet long would not be adequate for aircraft needs.  He is concerned that the proposed document was too “onerous”, and needlessly deprived property owners of their rights.

As an example, he pointed to language on page 7 of the ordinance, which would require land records at the county to carry this language for property owners in the overlay:

“This property is located within the Airport Overlay Zoning District of the City of Sunnyside in which a variety of airport aviation activities occur. Such airport aviation activities will impact the use of your property.”

Property owners outside of the overlay would not have such a disclaimer placed on their property records, thus adversely impacting anyone unlucky enough to be within the boundaries of the proposed ordinance.

Vlieger noted that this information would have to be disclosed to potential buyers, making the sell or development of land more difficult.

Mayor Jim Restucci countered, saying, the airport is a jewel for economic development and transportation.  He added, “I don’t want to be mean, I hate to say this, but, 9/11 changed the rules on through the fence operations at airports, and there is never going to be a time when somebody could fly in and park an airplane near their house.”

Restucci also said that Council needs to take more than it needs right now, so that 20 years from now the airport will not be “boxed” in.

Council Member Vlieger again asked why no one was addressing why a 4,000 foot runway was needed.  Vlieger asked why they could not plan for a 3,999 foot runway instead.

Vlieger pointed to another burdensome restriction on page 15 of the proposed ordinance:

“…no tree shall be planted in any zone created unless a

permit therefor has been applied for and granted.”

He said that if that was not an example of a government being too big for its britches, he did not know what one was!

Council Member Gehlen said that there should be some growth at the airport to show it is getting closer to being economically self-sufficient before planning to make these types of proposed expansions.  Instead of this proposal, he suggested adding instrument landing systems to allow pilots to land and take off in more bad weather situations.

After much debate, the Council voted 5-2 to kill the airport overlay ordinance.  Mayor Restucci and Council Member Pablo Garcia voted for the proposed ordinance.  Gehlen, Vlieger, Paulakis, Farmer, and Hancock voted against it.

The City Council will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, February 1st, 2010, to again consider an airport overlay ordinance.


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Posted in Constitutional Issues, Freedom Issues, Sunnyside Council, Sunnyside Planning Commission, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The Ribmaster Has Arrived

January 23, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Last weekend, a poll on this blog offered readers a choice of names the editor has been called lately.  The winner of the poll was “Ribmaster”.

Those who know me well, know that I like to grill out whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Yes, I cook burgers, hot dogs, and chicken.  However, ribs are especially delightful.  Recently, a friend of mine started calling me the “Ribmaster” in jest, and I threw that name into the poll for the heck of it.

I never imagined that the name would be the winner, but it is.  Of course, I “tickle the ribs” of the City Council and others, from time to time.  Some have said that I am a “thorn in the side” of Council Members also.  So there you have it, some varied reasons why Ribmaster Raines will be serving up more commentary in the future.

And now, some political entertainment news…

I enjoy listening to my MP3 player when driving down the road, and sometimes at night as well.  In addition to music, I load mine up with the occasional audio book, or download political content to listen to.

Always striving for thriftiness, I look for content where there is no charge for making downloads.

This week, I stumbled upon a site called OutLoudOpinion, which features editorial content from a variety of sources.  They have articles from Investor’s Business Daily, The New Republic, Reason Magazine, as well as talk shows like The Steve Gill Show (a host in the Nashville area), G. Gordon Liddy, and others.  All the content is available for podcasting, and I am enjoying it immensely.

Other content I have been known to download are the radio programs of Mark Levin and Fred Thompson, both of which are available from their show websites without charge.

For more libertarian views, programs syndicated by the Genesis Communications Network are available for download free of charge.

When I am wanting some religious programming, I visit Focus On The Family, In Touch Ministries (Atlanta preacher Charles Stanley’s outfit), or even download sermons given by Episcopal priests at the Washington National Cathedral.

For all my lefty political friends and followers, I am sorry I do not have any “progressive” political talk links for you today.  In the past, Ed Schultz provided his radio show as a free download, but he now charges for his content.  The market for left-wing talkers is just not as developed as it is for other points of view.  This week, Al Franken’s Air America went completely bankrupt, and is now off the air.

If you know of any left-wing talkers that provide their content as a free download, let me know, and I will try to mention it on this blog.

In the meantime, thanks for enjoying my “ribbing”.

Posted in Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Scott Brown’s Big Win

January 20, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

What Can Brown Do For You?

Republican Victory In Massachusetts Is Change We Can Believe In

Yesterday, voters in one of the “bluest” states, elected a Republican to the seat vacated by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy.  One of the biggest issues of the campaign was the proposed health care “reform” that Obama and the Democrats are trying to ram down our throats.

Massachusetts voters overwhelming voted for Obama, but are not pleased with his arrogant one party ruling attitude.  Recently, it has become apparent that Obama is breaking his promise to have open, transparent, negotiations televised on C-SPAN regarding healthcare.

Mr. Brown campaigned on the promise of being the 41st vote against healthcare, which the majority of Massachusett’s voters endorsed.  They have a state-run healthcare system in that state, and do not want Federal intrusion to further interfere with what they have.  They do not want cuts to Medicare, or increased taxes and mandates for “reform” being proposed in D.C.

Increased taxes on “Cadillac” insurance plans would only apply to those with private insurance under proposals in Congress right now.  Unions, and government employees under collective bargaining agreements would not pay these additional taxes for health insurance.

The blatant favoritism of certain people over others on something as important as health care, is not being received well by the voters.

Change is in the air.  Scott Brown promised to represent the people, not a party, or special interests in Washington D.C.  If the Democrats are smart, they will take the people’s vote seriously, and not try and shove this bill upon us before Senator Brown takes his seat.

Posted in 2010 Election, Constitutional Issues, Economy, Freedom Issues, President Obama, Republican Party, US Senate, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

The 2010 Washington Legislative Session Is On!

January 19, 2010 by Diego

The Washington State Capitol

The 2010 legislative session started on January 11.  This year’s session is short, consisting of 60 days.  Below are some interesting bills that have been introduced (or reintroduced).

HB2413- Introduced by Rep. Norm Johnson

This bill aims to equip law enforcement with the authority to confiscate property used to facilitate a criminal street gang-related offense.  This bill has gathered support from both sides of the aisle.

HJR4213- Introduced by Rep. Mike Hope

The intention of this bill is to add the Lakewood Law Enforcement Memorial Act to the State Constitution.  Under this act, it will prevent certain people charged with a serious crime from being eligible for bail  if proven that the person poses a threat to others.  As you may recall, Maurice Clemmons was released on a $15,000 bail even though he was convicted of rape and clearly posed a threat to the well-being of others.  If this resolution passes, it will be place in November’s ballot for the people to decide.

HB2034- Introduced by Rep. Brad Klippert

This bill aims to classify residential burglary as a crime against persons.  Assault, rape, vehicular homicide and 1st and 2nd degree identity theft are some of which are currently in the “crimes against persons” category.

HB2401- Introduced by Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson

This bills intends to void all existing penalties for adults 21 years of age or older who cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana.  This will implement a sales tax on legally sold marijuana.  I found it funny that the tax funds will go for drug education and awareness.  This bill also seeks to set rules and laws related to marijuana similiar to those that exist on alcohol.  I don’t think there is enough support, from the majority party, to get this through.  I read an article about someone who has filed an initiative to the people aimed to legalize marijuana.

SB5674- Introduced by Sen. Ed Murray

This bill will in effect legalize same-sex marriage.  No longer will marriage be considered between a man and a woman, but between two consenting adults.  I’m not so sure  that this bill has enough votes to make it through.  SB5688 (domestic partnership benefits expansion), which became law, was even opposed by some Democrats.  A same-sex marriage bill will result in some more Democrats joining Republicans against the bill.  If put on public vote, it will likely fail.

Posted in 2010 Election, Constitutional Issues, Freedom Issues, Republican Party, Traditional Values, Yakima County Republicans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Poll Question: What Is The Best Nickname For Our Editor?

January 15, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Some critics have been calling me, your humble Blog Editor, names lately.  The name calling has been received in comments, emails, etc.  What is your favorite?  These selections are among those fit to print!

This poll question will be up all weekend for you to vote on.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sunnyside Mayor Gets New Nameplate

January 15, 2010 by Jason R. Raines

Sunnyside Mayor Jim Restucci

Following the Thursday night Special Meeting of the Sunnyside City Council, Mayor Restucci allowed me to take his picture with his new nameplate.  One of the perks that Council Members enjoy, is getting a nameplate in front of them during the meetings.

It is customary for the Council Members to keep them as souvenirs once their term of office is complete.  Mayor Restucci has accumulated more than one.  He has one that says “Council Member”, “Mayor Pro Tem”, and now a new one that says “Mayor”.

If they are ever sold on Ebay, one might think the “Mayor Pro Tem” nameplate would have more value.  One of Mayor Restucci’s first actions was to drop this job title, and replace it with “Deputy Mayor”.  Nick Paulakis has a new nameplate with this designation, but unfortunately I did not get a picture of him to go on this post.

Paulakis has a claim to fame also, since he is the first Deputy Mayor that Sunnyside has ever had.

Our City Council Members are among the lowest paid in the state of Washington; so there is no problem with me if they get to take some pride in keeping a nameplate after serving the City.

Congratulations to Mayor Restucci!  Enjoy the nameplate, you’ve earned it.

Posted in Sunnyside Council, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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