Lois is a single person, with much experience and ability, who has chosen to run against the powerful and entrenched and secretive county executive, Pete Kremen. She decided on her own to file and challenge the teflon don. The politically powerful in our county have smilingly dismissed her candidacy. Moments after she filed, Pete’s PR guy Joe Bates - on the county payroll but attending political forums with Pete - told Lois he had only one question for her. How old was she. Joe apparently does not follow the common rule of not asking a woman over forty her age. Lois looked him in the eye and said she was not going to answer him. Of course her age is public knowledge and Lois was only putting Joe back in his place. But Joe showed how little class he has. And Lois had her first experience with how the establishment will try and dismiss her. I invite you to check out the Elect Lois Garlick website.

Lois has another campaign event this Saturday, Aug 18, a bit to the east of Bellingham at the home of Nicole Armstrong, 2399 Mt. Baker Highway - next to the Circle F Machine Works - from 10 am to 3 pm. All are welcome. I encourage all who have concerns about how the county departments are running to come and meet Lois. Learn what she intends to change if elected.

Joe Bates? His official title is “Information Communications Coordinator for Whatcom County”. He gets a nice salary. The position was created in April by Pete’s executive department as Joe was let off by KVOS. (He supposedly competed for the position. And I’ll sell you a bridge.) The county council did not approve the new position - as is required by law. Joe reports to Dewey who is Pete’s assistant. Supposedly Joe is going to the political forums with Pete just on his own. And by the way, the above answers were not easy to get from the county. It took several phone calls and being told more than once that they had to check if this information could be released to the public. I got it because of persistence but most citizens would not get the answers to these basic questions. This is public information that should be readily available to anyone.