LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Why the holdup on the Criminal Justice Center?

Does anyone know what is going on with the Criminal Justice Center.

In 2023 the county paid $1.5 million for 15 acres adjacent to Beacon Elementary School in Montesano. Shortly after taking office in 2023 Sheriff Darrin Wallace stated that “getting a new jail is my highest priority.”

On July 20, 2026, Montesano Mayor Tyler Trimble was on FM 94.7 Aberdeen. Mr. Trimble was asked about the status of the new justice center. Here is his response: “Before taking further steps toward developing a new jail facility the Board of County Commissioners have indicated that they were waiting for the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office to launch a public outreach campaign for the citizens of Montesano.” On July 26 there was a debate for officials on the ballot for the Primary Election held on Aug. 4 at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds. During that debate Sheriff Wallace stated, “My goal is to get the Criminal Justice Center on a contract. That’s my main goal as sheriff if I am elected again.” As soon as I get that done I plan on retiring.”

Question: Has the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Department launched a public outreach campaign? Is this truly the main goal of Sheriff Wallace? Here we are three years later and where does this project stand?

Bill Pelesky

Westport

The Trump administration has once again declared victory before establishing exactly what it proved.

Vice President JD Vance announced that 870,000 borrowers have been suspended from future Small Business Administration programs over $39 billion in suspected pandemic loan fraud.

The important word is “suspected.”

The SBA may impose administrative suspensions based on adequate evidence without first obtaining criminal convictions. But that does not turn every flagged borrower into a proven thief.

Real fraud occurred. So did administrative errors, overpayments and weak safeguards.

A 2025 Government Accountability Office report found that nearly two million of the SBA’s three million COVID disaster loan fraud referrals could not be properly investigated because they contained insufficient, incorrect or duplicate information. The SBA also failed to fully implement its antifraud process until after most of the money had already been approved or distributed.

Both the Trump and Biden administrations provided emergency relief because allowing the pandemic to collapse the economy was not a serious alternative.

The necessary debate is how much relief was needed and how it can be delivered quickly next time without creating the same opportunities for fraud and error.

That requires an honest pandemic postmortem. Branding every flagged borrower a fraudster ends the inquiry where it should begin.

That is how we fail to learn from history: declare victory and preserve every mistake.

Raymond Fraker

Ocean Shores