It’s May, and Big Things are happening! Read about them below:
Chair's Corner – Ellen Menshew talks about local journalism and a call to public service.
May Day! Big local protests in Port Angeles and Sequim.
Candidate filing week is upon us. Find out how to join in!
Your County Charter is under review - and we need you to speak out!
Get to know Navarra Carr – one of our young progressive elected officials
Learn how library cuts would hurt our community, especially Tribes and people with disabilities, and how to fight back!
Find out how three federal proposals target our National Forests for plunder, not sustainability.
Another inspiring Resistance Music Break
Resist 2025 – how Washington fought the Trump coup last month
Calendar items - save the dates!
Explore, click, read, learn, enjoy, activate!
(Got a story? Submit your contributions to newsletter@clallamdems.org. Deadline is Sunday, May 25th, for the June 2025 issue.)
by Ellen Menshew
The importance of local journalism and civic engagement
I recently attended an excellent forum at the Field Hall Center focused on the importance of local journalism. Local and regional journalists provided insights into the important role journalism plays in keeping citizens informed, especially in small communities like ours.
Over the past twenty years, with the rise of social media, there has been a dramatic decline in local journalistic avenues. Due to corporate consolidation and other factors, we have fewer local radio stations, few to no local television stations, and far fewer local newspapers. This decline has had a profound impact on communities' access to reliable and relevant information, especially about their local government.
As I listened to the journalists, two shocking statistics resonated with me. In many small communities, over 60% of people do not know who their mayor is, and fewer than 16% know the name of their school superintendent. This is alarming since these are the voters who choose their community and national leaders.
Public Service: A Calling
It’s crucial we stay involved in Clallam County, and you can make a difference by running for office. Citizens who decide to run and are selected by our community may go on to represent us regionally, statewide, and nationally. Our future leaders are best cultivated here in our local community, where our democratic values, connection, and strong sense of public service are most critical. Engaging in local politics amplifies our voices and ensures that our interests are represented.
Our local elections will take place this year for city councils, school boards, hospital commissions, and more. The filing date to register as a candidate began on May 5th and closes on May 9th. Please reach out to me if you have questions about any of the local offices listed.
Need more inspiration or information about running? Check out this piece from our current Clallam Democrats blog page
In solidarity,
Ellen Menshew, Chair – Clallam County Democrats
Mayday protests
Thousands of Clallam County residents took to the streets on May 1 in Port Angeles and Sequim, standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of thousands of people across the country, to demand that the federal government put workers first and hold billionaires accountable. Also known as International Workers' Day, May Day commemorates the historic struggle for rights of working people and honors the lives lost in the fight for labor rights. This nationwide Mayday protest was one of the largest, most widespread May Day actions in the history of our country.
Candidate Filing Week: May 5 - 9
You can have a positive impact on our local community by applying to one of Clallam County’s 47 government openings on the ballot this fall. You could run to be a Board Member for a fire, parks and recreation, hospital, water, or school district; the port commission; or local city councils serving Port Angeles, Sequim, and Forks. Tempted? Here’s how to throw in your hat:
Charter Review Call for Action
We need your opinions! Clallam County’s Charter — your local “constitution” — is up for review and the Charter Review Commission needs to hear from ALL citizens about the issues being considered. Your input could help decide what proposed changes will be on the November ballot. Find out about the issues and how you can comment.
Send your favorite resistance song to newsletter@clallamdems.org
Profile in Leadership
Navarra Carr, Clallam County’s youngest elected official urges young people to ‘do things that matter.’ In a one-on-one interview by editor Paul Pickett, learn about her greatest moment as a Democrat - at the age of 14!
Public libraries’ essential role in democracy threatened by Federal cuts
Elimination of Federal grants to WA libraries threatens our own NOLS library, Tribal libraries, and online services for people with disabilities. Clallam Democrats Communication and Education Committee Chair Denise Mackenstadt lays it all out. Learn what you can do to protect our public library systems.
Plunder of Public Lands
A three-pronged Federal plan to increase domestic production of lumber targets every National Forest in Washington state. Read Tina Tyler’s account of unsustainable timber harvests that will damage our Olympic National Forest, and how to fight back.
News of resistance from Clallam County and Washington state.
Items include links to the full story.
[Note: Seattle Times and Peninsula Daily News stories require a subscription.]Clallam letter details Trump administration impacts (Peninsula Daily News, 04/ 02, 2025)
Clallam County Commissioners describe the local impacts from federal cuts and ask our members of Congress for help
Climate leaders warn about potential Trump action against environmental groups (Inside Climate News, 04/21/2025)
Governor Inslee speaks out against Trump’s climate madness
How loss of federal funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services will harm marginalized communities in the Northwest (International Examiner, 4/17/2025)
Details on impacts are described above in “Public libraries’ essential role in democracy threatened by Federal cuts”
Poll: WA voters more politically engaged following 2024 election (Cascade PBS, 4/15/2025)
Polls show that we’re mad as hell and up in armsWA joins lawsuit against Trump to stop AmeriCorps cuts (Seattle Times, 04/29/2025)
Top WA education official backs judge in blocking Trump anti-DEI order (Seattle Times, 04/25/2025)
Judge bars Trump from denying funds to ‘sanctuary’ cities like Seattle (Seattle Times, 04/24/2025)
WA international students are seeing their legal statuses get restored (Seattle Times, 4/24/2025)
UW, other WA universities decry Trump’s ‘political interference’ (Seattle Times, 04/22/2025)
WA bill to restrict outside National Guard from entering state is signed into law (Washington State Standard, 4/21/2025)
Anti-Trump protests build momentum in WA: ‘We’re just getting louder’
(Seattle Times, 04/19/2025)
WA health care expansion for low-income immigrants on track to be maintained (Washington State Standard, 4/18/2025)
Find all of our upcoming events on the calendar on our website.
Save the dates
Saturday, May 10, noon - Preserving Americorps Rally (Clallam County Courthouse, Port Angeles)
Wednesday, May 21, 6:00 pm - WA State Legislators to address CCD Members
Washington State Senator Mike Chapman and House Representatives Steve Tharinger and Adam Bernbaum (24th Legislative District) have been invited to speak at Clallam Democrats Headquarters in Port Angeles as part of Clallam Democrat’s popular “Let’s Talk” forum. Our State Legislators will talk about the important work completed in the latest Legislative session, as well as projects continuing into the next session. Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with Clallam County’s Legislators.
Friday, July 4 — Forks Old Fashioned 4th of July, 12 Noon (Gather at Outfitters Parking Lot at 10:30 am)
Friday, July 4 — Port Angeles Parade (Starts 6:00 pm - more details to follow)
Saturday, July 12 — Clallam Bay Seiku Days, Clallam Bay (Details to follow)
Saturday, July 19 — Quileute Days, LaPush (Details to follow)
Monday, August 2 — Joyce Daze (Details to follow)
Wednesday, August 22-24 — Makah Days, Neah Bay (Details to follow)
Click here to: ✅Become a Member! ✅Volunteer! ✅Donate!
We need your stories! Submit your contributions to newsletter@clallamdems.org. Deadline is Sunday, May 25th, for the June 2025 issue.
Thank you for reading and being a part of the change and resistance our country needs. Together, we will defend Democracy. Stay active, and see you next month!