Some good news

Nearly 20 years ago a group of concerned members of our local communities organized to develop a program to empower and enrich the lives of adults with developmental challenges. This program is now known as Clallam Mosaic.

This past Saturday, my wife and I attended Mosaic’s annual fundraising event held at the Vern Burton Community Center. There was the usual silent auction, live auction and dinner service, but the entertainment showcased the musical talents of the participants in the program themselves. Johnny Cash and Elvis not only showed up but performed a couple of their most popular hits to prove that they, indeed, ” … had not yet left the building.”

The good news is that this event and the program in general, was supported by generous contributions from individuals and businesses of money, time, effort and goodwill. To those who could not be there but helped out nonetheless, I applaud you.

The proceeds from this year’s “Gala” will enable the continuation of the teaching of social skills, the promotion of artistic creation, music, healthy living and appropriate recreational pursuits that empower the participants to improve their quality of life which in turn improves the health of the community and enriches us all.

George Will

Sequim

Reykdal the choice for state superintendent

It isn’t often that you come across a person who is completely dedicated to their family, their work and serving the people of our state — and doing so with humility!

If you know Chris Reykdal, as I do, you know how important those things are to him. His family is his whole world and he has dedicated his whole career to public service. Chris is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction and I encourage you to vote for him.

Chris grew up in poverty and he credits his public education for giving him the chance to break that cycle. Because of this, Chris feels as though he needs to give back and he does this through his public service: from serving on his local school board, to becoming a local planning commissioner, to coaching soccer, to serving as an executive at our state’s community and technical college system, and to serving as a state representative.

Chris is the only candidate who has consistently fought for adequate and equitable funding for our public schools, shown unwavering support for giving local control back to our communities and remained steadfast in his pledge to return career and technical education programs to our schools.

At a time when our schools are drastically underfunded, our kids are worn out from excessive testing and our teachers are leaving for higher-paying jobs, it is vital that we elect the right person as our next Superintendent.

Please join me in voting for Chris Reykdal in November.

Jim Stoffer

Sequim

(Note: Stoffer is a Sequim School Board director.)

Support Dave Neupert for Superior Court judge

Dave Neupert is running for Superior Court judge, Position 2.

I want to urge a vote of support for him when filling out your ballot in the coming days. This is a nonpartisan position of huge importance. The Clallam County Superior Court is a court of general statewide jurisdiction. The Superior Courts are the principal trial courts for the state. The Clallam County Superior Court has three parts and provides specialized court services for juvenile court, family court and drug courts.

At this most critical time, we face some of the hardest challenges of any county in Washington. The person elected to do this job is more important than at any other juncture in recent memory. Dave is a longtime member of our community going back to his early days as a broadcast journalist. His appreciation and understanding of this community is deep and wide. He has a breadth of experience as a civil litigator, pro-tem judge and public defender.

Cap it off with a lot of time spent volunteering and doing good work in our nonprofit sector.

Dave Neupert’s opponent was appointed by Gov. Inslee in May of 2015 to fill a vacancy left by Judge George Wood upon his retirement. It’s important to note since this means Judge Coughenour was not chosen by the citizens of Clallam County and while his resumé has its own merits, Dave Neupert has a resumé built upon 30 years of community service and strong professional credentials. Visit his website at electdaveneupert.com.

Now is the time to elect a candi-date qualified at every level to serve the citizens of Clallam County. One who is chosen to serve on the merits of his qualifications, level of commitment and strong even-handed approach to building community.

Please exercise your right to vote and when you do, vote for Dave Neupert for Superior Court judge because it matters!

Sue Ellen Riesau

Sequim

(Note: Riesau is former publisher of Olympic View Publising, which includes the Sequim Gazette.)

Support for Neupert

In my 18 years before I retired as a newspaper publisher (Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette), I watched many judges in action in Clallam County.

A good judge is impartial and makes decisions based on the facts and a correct understanding of the law.

Above all, a good judge treats all participants with dignity and respect.

I know Dave Neupert, candidate for Superior Court judge, to have these abilities — and more.

He has years of broad legal experience as an attorney and presently serves as a pro-tem District Court judge. He has high credibility with all who appear in front of him.

Moreover, Dave’s practical, grounded approach to the law would enhance the quality and efficiency of our county’s court system. He values our therapeutic courts — including the adult and juvenile drug courts and mental health court — and as a Superior Court judge he will work to establish a veterans court.

Dave is well-respected by the legal and local community as evidenced by the broad base of support he has received — including an endorsement from Sheriff Bill Benedict.

He’s a working board member of Peninsula Behavioral Health and Habitat for Humanity. I served with him on the board of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce.

I encourage my fellow county residents to vote for Dave Neupert as Superior Court judge.

John Brewer

Port Angeles

(Note: Brewer is former publisher/editor of the Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette.)

Neupert is the choice for Superior Court spot

Election Day, Nov. 8, is right around the corner and it is apparent so many are focused on the battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

However, I would like to point out that there is a judicial race on the ballot this year for Superior Court, Position 2, in Clallam County.

My choice will be Dave Neupert because he is the only candidate who has made the effort to be rated by the statewide minority and specialty bar associations. His opponent has not made the effort and believes the Clallam County Bar poll is the gold standard.

You can check it out at votingforjudges.org.

Dave’s opponent has relied on his appointment last year by Gov. Inslee to get him through this race. The last time I checked, we elect judges in our state and shouldn’t necessarily rubber stamp the governor’s appointment.

Please consider casting your vote for Dave Neupert.

Virginia O’Neil

Sequim

Libertarian Party offers ‘viable candidates’

When we cast our ballot, we would like to feel that we have just voted for the best possible person for the job.

Sadly, with our two-party system so firmly entrenched in our country, most elections have become an either/or event and we often feel as if we have been forced to just select the lesser of two evils.

For an increasing number of voters, however, the current race for president is no longer an either/or event, but rather a neither/nor event. More and more people like neither Donald nor Hillary and wish that there was a third option. There is.

The Libertarian Party has two gentlemen running for President and Vice President who have both been successful governors. They are viable candidates and have even won the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune along with other major newspapers.

Unfortunately, the television media is ignoring them and the powers-that-be who control the election debates are deliberately excluding them.

(Not surprisingly, the established power brokers are attempting to maintain the current system, which works so well for them.)

But, through the power of the Internet, it is possible to learn more about these two gentlemen to see if their character, values and goals are more in line with ours than the two major candidates whose best abilities are slinging mud.

Visit www.johnsonweld.com to learn more.

Ken Lillagore

Sequim

Kudos for support

To Kathleen Sutton Fund’s supporters,

Fourteen years running and we just keep getting humbled by the generosity of our supporters! The Kathleen Sutton Fund’s 14th annual auction on Oct. 1 in Port Gamble Pavilion raised $52,895.

There are truly not enough words to express our gratitude to all of you family, friends, businesses, volunteers and private citizens who made the event another success.

The funds go directly to assist women from Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam and Mason counties with transportation costs for cancer treatment, an expense that too often makes women overlook this lifesaving necessity in favor of making ends meet for their families.

You have shown kindness, compassion and the importance of coming together to make a difference in the lives of so many women and their families. We attribute our success to you and look forward to seeing you at next year’s auction.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Kathleen Sutton Fund Board of Directors — Vivi-Ann Parnell, Karla Woodside, Barbara Carr, Valerie Rotmark, Rita Osborn, Cheryl Callais, Allison Morrison