Author: Lyndon Zaitz

Let a commission redistrict

Once again Oregon is going through the sausage-making process of redisticting the state’s legislative and congressional districts. Sausage-making is never pretty. This year’s redistricting process brings to light two political altruisms: number one: to the victor go the spoils; and number two, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The[Read More…]

A trillion here, a trillion there

  A trillion dollars here, a trillion dollars there, soon it all adds up to real money. The game of chicken being played out in Washington over the debt ceiling and a massive infrastructure bill will have to come to an end somehow. Some say if the debt ceiling is[Read More…]

Chemeketa and the future

Education is more important than ever. Many businesses will not interview job prospects for some jobs without a degree. Many jobs are going unfulfilled; a dearth of applicants bedevil hiring managers across the country. Many workers today are expected to change jobs up to seven times during their working years.[Read More…]

And then it rained

After months of nary a drop of precipitation, Keizer will finally see rain this weekend. According to forecasters, it could be significant rain. The first reaction is thank, goodness…at last. The second, and more important reaction is more tangible. After weeks and weeks without rain, every road we travel on[Read More…]

America is still strong

Does anyone not remember where they were on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 when terrorists crashed into New York City, Arlington, Virg., and Shanksville, Penn.? One is shocked anew when revisiting video of planes smashing into the towers of the World Trade Center and then those two buildings crumbling down onto[Read More…]

$8 million to spend

At a work session on Monday, Aug. 23, the Keizer City Council will discuss how to spend more than $8 million, the city’s share of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds authorized by Congress last spring. That $8 million is approximately one quarter of the city’s annual general budget. Depending[Read More…]

COVID whiplash

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is responding to the state’s COVID-19 resurgence with the delta variant. She ordered this week that mask mandates in public indoor spaces are back in place. People are not pleased with the ever-changing requirements. Mandates to wear a mask and getting a vaccine violates personal liberities,[Read More…]

Homegrown stages heaping helping of The Bard

Jennifer Johnson, Jeremy Clubb (center) and Tom Cavanaugh (right) run through the works of Shakespeare at a blistering pace in The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). The play runs two weekends and is directed by Laura Reid. Submitted photo Shakespeare is back in Keizer this summer. A whole lot of[Read More…]

They want to be heard

The tapestry that is American is weaved with a multitude of colors and textures. That is the beauty of our country—and our community. Keizer has as many different residents as any other part of America. Democracy gives all people a voice in society and how it is shaped for the[Read More…]