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‘Huge chasm’ in Clark County GOP headlines primary elections

Washington state’s primary elections are Tuesday. In Clark County, staunchly right ideals – backed by the local GOP – will be facing off against a right-of-center ethos that moderate Republicans say is best for the county’s purple districts.

And while primaries often reveal a party’s fault lines, political experts and candidates said there is a particularly bitter recent history among Clark County Republicans.

Mark Stephan.Infighting occurs constantly within the two umbrella parties, said Mark Stephan, a political science instructor at Washington State University Vancouver. It may be less noticeable in Democrats today, however, because political groups coalesce more if they have a common enemy.

“That was true for Hillary Clinton, that is true for Donald Trump,” Stephan said. “That tends to get people to focus a bit on opposition rather than each other. That can help.”

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OPB

Douglas Gast 1974-2020

Douglas Gast.
Doug Gast

Douglas Paul Gast, 46, associate professor of fine arts and director of the Digital Technology & Culture degree program at WSU Tri-Cities, peacefully departed this life on Sunday, August 2, 2020 at his residence. Born July 1, 1974 in Bainbridge, Georgia, he was the son of Linda L. Macom and Michael F. Gast.

Doug received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, master’s in Communication Studies from Baylor University, and an MFA in Electronic Art from the University of Cincinnati. Since 2005, he has served Washington State University Tri-Cities and its students. He always extended a listening ear, words of encouragement and a helping hand to family, friends, and students.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made by mail to the Douglas P. Gast Scholarship and Travel Fund in Fine Arts and Digital Technology & Culture Endowment # 7246-0127, c/o Don Shearer, Associate Vice President, Washington State University Foundation, PO Box 643528, Pullman, WA 99164 or online at https:// foundation.wsu.edu/give/ (Type Gast in Search).

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Legacy

Juvenile justice system can better serve children with autism

Amid ongoing discussions of criminal justice reform, a Washington State University professor argues in a new book that now is the time to focus on better serving children and teens on the autism spectrum who become entwined in the juvenile justice system.

Laurie Drapela.Youth on the spectrum need greater access to mental health support staff who can provide counseling and act as advocates, writes Laurie Drapela, an associate professor of criminal justice at WSU Vancouver, and author of “Law and Neurodiversity – Youth with autism and the juvenile justice systems in Canada and the United States.”

“There is a real opportunity to start broadening how individuals involved in the juvenile justice system work with people on the autism spectrum who come to the attention of law enforcement,” Drapela said.

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WSU Insider

Glacial stream insect may tolerate warmer waters

A study published in Global Change Biology on July 22 found that mountain stoneflies can tolerate warmer water temperatures at least temporarily. In fact, they might even be stressed in their current extremely cold environments.

Scott Hotaling.
Hotaling

While the study goes against the prevailing theory that rising water temperatures will be devastating for the glacial stream insects, Scott Hotaling, co-lead author on the study, said this does not mean that global warming will be a win for mountain stoneflies.

“These species are likely still very much in peril,” said Hotaling, a Washington State University post-doctoral researcher in biological sciences. “They live in these extreme areas for a reason. The problem is we don’t fully understand what that reason is yet. The threats from warming and the loss of glaciers are likely more complicated, and potentially, it is not about physical factors. It might be about ecological factors.”

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Phys.org

WSU Insider

Reform, don’t defund, Bellingham police say

Bellingham residents spoke out Sunday, June 28, at the “Stonewall was a Riot: March to Defund the Police” event, calling for partial defunding of police departments in order to pay for other community resources in the wake of police violence against Black and Indigenous people and people of color.

David Makin.
Makin

David Makin, research professor and associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University, said improving law enforcement is about starting conversations.

“[I’m seeing this in] areas that are having honest conversations with their community,” Makin said. “Notice the emphasis. Their community. They’re having those conversations around, ‘What should police be tasked with in our community?’”

“It’s about being more purposeful in who is better to handle a specific type of incident or interaction,” Makin said. “What we’ve done over the past 50-plus years is made the police everything to everyone, and that’s unfair. They’re not trained for that, and they can’t be. So if there’s an expert who’s better at handling a particular type of incident, then let’s have that.”

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The Western Front