"Whatchamacolumn" by Jeb Bladine
The News-Register publisher writes about the community; people; local, state and national affairs; and sometimes whimsey.
Whatchamacolumn: Ticketmaster and the ravages of cybercrime
Good things, said ancient Greek philosophers and Chinese numerologists, come in threes, and millennia of folklore added “bad things” to belief in that pattern. It has a name – apophenia ...
Whatchamacolumn: At every level, regulatory overreach strangles America
Pure and simple: Government rules, laws, mandates and regulatory overreach have strangled America. Not “are strangling,” as has been lamented nonstop for decades, but “have strangled.” Consider ...
Whatchamacolumn: First and last encounter with a sports legend
We landed in San Diego on Feb. 11, stopped at the gate, and only then saw the hulking figure of a man who sat just behind us the entire flight. I was momentarily speechless, but Michelle quickly blurted ...
Whatchamacolumn: Mostly boring primary election has a local spark of life
Although most federal and statewide races were contested in this week’s Oregon Primary Election, serving in the Oregon justice system or state Legislature appears to have lost its appeal to political ...
Whatchamacolumn: Blanchet Farm treating alcohol disease
There is social response to realities described in a 2023 report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), headlined: “Risky Alcohol Use: An Epidemic Inside the COVID-19 Pandemic.” One sign ...
Whatchamacolumn: Coming full circle on facility consolidations
Serious discussions about possible consolidation and redevelopment of Yamhill County facilities mostly have fallen on semi-deaf ears among community leaders. That is, until county Commissioner Kit Johnston ...
Challenged to articulate response to protests
It was inevitable, but I wasn’t prepared when a friend casually asked, “What do you think about the college campus protests?” His unspoken question: “What do you think about the ...
Whatchamacolumn: Take the plunge into tri-weekly E-Editions
I was about 40 when computers first absorbed our business operations, and less than enthusiastic about the changes. Over subsequent decades, my wealth of valuable and enjoyable computer experiences has ...
Whatchamacolumn: Newspaper seeks its 'value proposition'
After correcting a previous error, last week’s column concluded: “That’s one of the reasons we have a community newspaper … if you want to help sustain that newspaper, take a look ...
Whatchamacolumn: Corrected context for tax rate measure
I hate making mistakes in print … even one that almost no one notices. However — and this should be no surprise — Mark Davis noticed, and let me know. So, since correction of published ...
Bladine: Proposed ballot measure would disrupt city services
Tax-limiting ballot measures are nothing new in Oregon, but the proposed McMinnville referendum on city property tax levies is a rarity. If petitioners can collect 3,540 signatures from active registered ...
Bladine: Is there enough electricity for our tools?
I’ve been thinking about replacing my gas-powered leaf blower with a modern electric model. That idea got a boost this week when Portland City Council approved a phased-in ban on gas blowers, which ...
Bladine: Legislative session ending with a bipartisan flurry
Unlike Congress, Oregon’s 2024 Legislature is winding down with a strong showing of bipartisan attention to public interest legislation. Thursday, as this column goes to production, the Oregon Senate ...
Bladine: Attention now turns to downtown trees
Trees, particularly downtown trees, are important to McMinnville, and public angst erupts when talk turns to removal of existing downtown trees as part of future redevelopment. With an expanding timeline ...
