2020’s State, Local Cringeworthy Awards (Forehead Slapping Satire)

As we usher out 2020, we take one last look back with our Cringeworthy Awards.

These go to people or institutions who said or did things that made us wince, or slap our foreheads. Let's get to it. (In no particular chronological order).

• Benton County Commissioner Jerome Delvin participated in a TVW digital press conference with Gov. Inslee July 2, right around the time Inslee announced B-F Counties were getting Phase 1.5.  At the 41:19 mark of the video (press conference) Delvin's cringeworthy moment came when he recounted a recent visit to a Circle K to get a soda. He mentioned, obviously pandering to the Governor, that of the 20 people in line, only one (a woman) did not have a mask on. He said she appeared to be 'embarrased' and hurried out...and it was said with a chuckle. Cringeworthy Award for mask shaming.
• Governor Jay Inslee visited several fire ravaged counties including the town of Malden in Whitman, where 80 percent of the town burned to the ground Labor Day Weekend.  During his September visit, it was learned the apples he had picked from trees at the Governor's mansion contained apple maggots, and were rotten. It also violated the state's apple maggot quarantine law. 17 central and eastern counties don't allow home grown tree fruit due to this invasive horrid problem. Inslee's ill advised gesture set off frantic searches in Dougals, Chelan and Okanogan counties, to retrieve and dispose of the fruit before it could contaminate orchards. The incident spawned a number of hilarious memes. Moses Lake State Senator Judy Warnick said he should have known better, and demanded he face charges.
• The Governor's infamous "News To Me" comment. July 11, during a rather tepid virtual press conference, Inslee was asked by a reporter about the very recent CHOP-CHAZ takeover of the Capitol District of Seattle, and Inslee uttered that famous phrase.  His ignorance even drew a blistering Tweet from President Trump as well as national commentators such as Ben Shapiro. Then later in Oct. Inslee "clarified" his comment in an interview with Fox Q13 reporter Brandi Kruse, claiming he actually did know about it.
• WSDOH caught counting gunshot victims as COVID deaths. Back in May an investigative report showed the Washington State Department of Health was counting anyone who died, and just happened to have COVID, as a "COVID" death, overinflating totals by as much as 13 percent. This included the six infamous gunshot death victims who were count as COVID.
• We found out WA state was spending hundreds of thousands on a COVID consulting firm to 'tell' the Governor what to say and do.  It was revealed by GOP Governor's Candidate Loren Culp that the state had spent this money for over two months, to provide guidance and 'talking' points for Governor Inslee. It was called the "Governor's Decision Support Tool," and cost taxpayers $1.3 million dollars.
• From the non-political spectrum, a February burglar at Tri City Rock Products on South Olympia may have led to their own demise. The suspect broke out their own windows trying to load stolen merchandise from the company. Using that evidence, plus a worker spotting a vehicle that looked "out of place," authorities were able to located the suspect (police had not yet found them at the time of the story). Busting your own windows in a burglary? Forehead slap.