[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5982575,"mediaKeyId","5774474-49099612b61896ba28e64c0a2afa3744","parentId",5774474,"title","Cowlitz County commissioners, residents address killing of Charlie Kirk; raise concerns about rhetoric, social media and student safety","audioSeconds",266,"startMs",711000,"endMs",977000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774474-49099612b61896ba28e64c0a2afa3744&start=711&end=977","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774474-49099612b61896ba28e64c0a2afa3744/thumbnail_711000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5982575/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Cowlitz-County-commissioners-residents-address-killing-of-Charlie-Kirk-raise-concerns-about-rhetoric-social-media-and-student-safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982575-9f4943cefefb559c95e76f3b5bd790c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639390&Signature=ek2Ff0HXzqqOlGHDI722iMmcEDpV8vBveHPvEMDPjIegvgtBh4BYXtv7LDx9zJgtsd9cFwKrBtYvAVZQib15tyAQa4jCI01dOiZzHetuA2klA2KFuGU3kE6Bs92xoGujyMrzJCMgS7mCu9d78B1GcFQw4NlBHN4xPoiNxV6PHoks0zVikj~6rgu1wNFZvBuvaDbPyefR1U8AldRC7itCVlXelyszg1MVATF2V4qP6hhSIyoEijElEa06JpdKekRx~JyB8RP8n29454iOsTgOALQdHDKlVFOichy7N7YUpn0priTQC74nddXn~85gBaVQLyfmv8OmgJ1Y7vy8gLK0rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cowlitz County Commissioners, Washington","date","2025-09-16T17:17:58Z","article","COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. — Commissioners and several members of the public at Tuesday’s Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners meeting spoke at length about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and broader concerns about violent rhetoric, social media and student safety.

\"He was killed for espousing those principles or having those debates with college kids,\" Commissioner 1, a Cowlitz County commissioner, said in remarks that tied the killing to debate over political and religious beliefs. \"It's sick and it's twisted, and I don't get it.\"

Commissioner 4 also addressed those gathered: \"Charlie Kirk was somebody who lived and breathed American principles through and through ... He was a shining example of being an American, being involved, and standing up, voicing his opinion, and defending it,\" the commissioner said.

Public commenters and other commissioners framed the discussion as part commentary on violent incidents and part conversation about social media's role in amplifying anger. Jim Hill, who the speaker identified as a member of Kelso City Council, said he found public responses in Congress disrespectful after a moment of silence for Kirk and suggested officials who hissed and booed should be removed.

At least two people in public comment blamed social media and cell phones as contributing to a rise in anger and mental‑health problems among young people. One commenter said he attends school-board meetings and is advocating to remove cell phones from classrooms; another cited, without having seen the original study, that Arkansas removed phones from schools under Gov. Sarah Huckabee and reported grade‑improvement and behavior improvements.

Not all remarks agreed on causes or solutions. A member of the public urged caution in attributing the killing to a single individual or group and criticized media and official narratives; that speaker also advanced an unverified claim that the shooter could not plausibly have carried out the attack as initially described. Those assertions were presented as opinion and were not supported by materials introduced at the meeting.

No formal motions, votes or referrals emerged from the discussion. Commissioners and speakers framed the matter as a call to civility, with repeated statements that leadership should be mindful of rhetoric. One attendee specifically asked whether the county could increase its involvement with local schools on issues of phone use and student safety; commissioners did not record a formal direction or assignment to staff in the meeting record.

The discussion closed with several commissioners and residents calling for greater personal restraint, for leaders to \"watch what they say,\" and for community focus on family and faith as ways to reduce divisiveness. The board adjourned following the remainder of the agenda.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tuesday Public Meeting - 09.16.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners and members of the public used a minute of privilege at the Tuesday meeting to react to the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, expressing concern about violent rhetoric, social-media influences and student mental health; no formal county action was taken.","taxTitle","Cowlitz County, Washington","taxId",5122,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5982580,"Cowlitz County extends jail health contract, approves consent agenda including water and engineering agreements",285,273000,558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774474-49099612b61896ba28e64c0a2afa3744&start=273&end=558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774474-49099612b61896ba28e64c0a2afa3744/thumbnail_273000.jpg","/articles/5982580/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Cowlitz-County-extends-jail-health-contract-approves-consent-agenda-including-water-and-engineering-agreements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5982580-545e56bce8afb05161f3267b5e57de47/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639390&Signature=k6-Co~LnHAGkDP7hnCx5PuYrh3PfE3jUghDia8Rfx8fIhlB~S~j0Tg-e7Ohd8ExINZLYpNM7o-4AbpDZcFXcYYzd7Qa4VlbsBDyTlXeOrqYxmO9Tq8RUHUuNlHLq-iZ2GJnfa99VYbGSYy4MZDh-d0HWspP4NxY9rri-N0uaPpwHac--BsTcOw~7u0qUOABG6yH5OjiEL5spE8ehZIK1aBXLfPd2mUj7fPEPZUDgFKwcCU84ZMOkwhHWDN7CPk1Fvmk4VSqbjxO36M4d8O5I~1KF4igvC~y~XmedfWPG7BU4-h32pUS6-6pVIOMOB1oWLeH~dLtf2QH2Wz72yK2HWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. — The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners approved a consent agenda Tuesday that included a one‑month extension of the county’s contract for jail health care and several procurement and budget items.

The board approved an amendment to extend NafCare’s contract to provide health services in the county corrections facility through Oct. 30, 2025, to allow staff time to finalize a new vendor, Commissioner 1, a member of the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners, said. \"This 1 month extension ... we'll pay it'll be right around 227,500 for the month of October,\" Commissioner 1 said during the meeting.

The action took place as part of a routine consent vote that commissioners approved without further discussion. Commissioner 2 moved to approve the minutes from the prior meeting; the motion passed. Commissioner 4 moved approval of the consent agenda, which the board then voted to adopt.

Other items approved or announced in the consent package included a call for bids for 3,000 tons of 3/8-inch rock sand to be stockpiled at county road shops in Longview, Castle Rock and Kalama for winter preparation; a request for qualifications for as‑needed water and sewer engineering services (a three‑year contract solicitation scheduled for Oct. 15); a Humana Group Medicare plan renewal for a small number of grandfathered law-enforcement and firefighter members; and a professional services agreement with Bundy Law Group for employment-law services provided by attorney Elena C. Bundy.

Staff also reported additional work orders with RH2 Engineering on the Tula Water System improvement project — an increase of $7,403 for additional services while the project nears completion — and three resolutions certifying 2026 budgets for local diking and drainage improvement districts. The board noted receipt of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission notice dated Sept. 8, 2025, about Pacific Power’s dam safety program and the recording of easements to clarify right-of-way at the end of Hanson Road. Vouchers presented for payment totaled $4,534,619.74.

No substantive debate was recorded on the consent items; commissioners called for the vote and approved the package. Several items were described by staff as routine closeout steps or short extensions to allow time for procurement: Commissioner 1 said the NafCare extension was needed because the vendor is leaving Washington and a new vendor contract remains to be finalized.

The meeting packet and finalized contracts will be available through the county clerk’s office and the county’s published agendas for those seeking the full contract language and budget certification texts.

","At its Tuesday meeting the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners approved its consent agenda, including a one-month extension of the county’s corrections health contract to bridge to a new vendor and multiple smaller contract and budget items.","actionData","errors"]

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Cowlitz County commissioners, residents address killing of Charlie Kirk; raise concerns about rhetoric, social media and student safety

Cowlitz County extends jail health contract, approves consent agenda including water and engineering agreements