4
Columbia Gorge News
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
HoodRiverNews.com • TheDallesChronicle.com • WhiteSalmonEnterprise.com
OPINION
YOUR VOICE
directly with them, and with my
community, are all actions that
have helped me decide who to give
With tears streaming down my
my powerful vote to.
face, I thank God for my three
I’m voting for Biden for president
heroes. At the very risk and cost of
for
the future of my country. I’m
their health and careers, they strove
voting for Carolyn Long because we
to meet the critical needs of the
deserve someone who is as smart,
Flagstone Memory Care residents
hardworking, and accessible, as she
against all odds last month. An
incredible nurse, and facility chap- is. I’m voting for Tracy Rushing for
LD14-1 because we need a doctor
lain Scott Crimshaw, remained
in the House, especially now. I’m
12 straight days, working through
voting for Devin Kuh for LD14-2
the night, continuing to serve ill
because his write-in-to-serious
residents with every bit of energy
campaign shows how much he can
that they had.
get done for us in a Democratic
Their executive director, Sharla
House. I’m voting for Joanna Turner
Mosqueda, sought, and pleaded
for Klickitat County Commissioner,
“corporate” for supplies, staffing
and support, with minimal and de- District 1 because she will make
better decisions and give us
layed response. A resident noticed
better outcomes. I’m voting for
her office light on at 6 a.m. which
Jim Sizemore for Klickitat County
then did not shut off until 2 a.m
then next morning. Some days were Commissioner, District 3 because
he is everything his opponent isn’t:
even longer!
Respectful, good, experienced and
This past month has been trau-
willing to change if that means
matic for the residents and staff of
improving.
Flagstone. Likened to a battlefield,
I’m voting for many other candi-
Memory Care became a place of
dates and resolutions on my ballot
death, with a lack of supplies and
that will affect my future.
caregivers for residents’ critical
Please join me.
needs and seemingly ignored by the
Sasha Bentley
outside world. (If only the outside
White Salmon
world could have known!)
These three people mourn for
those so dear to them that didn’t
make it, and rejoice that others were
Well, someone stole my yard sign.
able to be transported to facilities
Lots of people have these signs —
out of town. One of my heroes, the
they just have a couple of names on
nurse, became sick with COVID-19 them, they don’t say that you have
and Sharla and Scott were fired as if to like my guy or vote for my guy or
they had been the ones negligent.
believe what I believe about who
You know, as horrific as this
deserves to be president or gover-
real-life scenario has been, I believe nor or representative. Just names.
that these three would have done
My way of demonstrating my
it all again rather than to abandon
convictions. My sister, who belongs
those under their care in the condi- to a different party and who had a
tions and fate they would have left
yard sign with different names than
them. They would not, and could
mine, reports that her sign was also
not, leave the residents they loved
stolen.
and served. To me they are the
Here is what I want to say to
unsung heroes of The Dalles! They
whoever stole our signs — stop it!
are my heroes.
I’m sure your mom taught you that
Ramona Harwood stealing is wrong. As a mom and
The Dalles grandma myself I want to grab you
EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter was pub- by the ears and make you stand
lished in the Oct. 14 edition but the last in the corner until you say you are
fewlineswereinadvertentlyomitted.We sorry and promise you will never do
printtheletterinfull,withourapologies. it again.
As a person who loves this coun-
try, I want to remind you that one
of the things that make this country
Mark Zanmiller for City Council. amazing is the right to free speech,
Mark has served with distinction
the right to support and vote for
for the last two terms. I have known your choice of candidates. Stealing
Mark for 12 years and had the plea- yard signs is petty, childish and
sure to work with him on a variety
un-American. So stop it!
of projects. He is honest, thoughtful,
Heather Weisfield
and a true problem solver. Because
White Salmon
of his community involvement and
his desire to have a positive impact
on the world around him, he is
I know what crisis looks and feels
aware of local issues and has the
like, and now so do you.
tools to address and build consen-
As an American, I have always
sus on those issues to affect real
believed in the American dream,
change. It is my belief you would
“anything is possible, all you have to
be hard pressed to find someone
more willing to dedicate himself to do is work for it.”
That is no longer true. People
serving our community than Mark
are working without the ability to
Zanmiller.
Julie Heinemann get ahead. Some work without the
Hood River ability to pay their basic bills. Many
find it difficult to keep enough food
in the house. This country’s systems
have been broken for a long time
Regarding Oregon Ballot Measure without many of us knowing about
110, which is the de facto state
it.
legalization of a variety of addictive
However, a rare opportunity for
and dangerous drugs: My first wife to become aware of our broken
died unexpectedly of a morphine
systems has become real with this
overdose at age 49. The medical
pandemic. You may not have un-
examiners’ report stated that she
derstood the uprise of the protest-
had enough morphine in her sys-
ing and riots without the pandemic
tem at the time of death to kill 1,000 to help unveil this country’s system
people.
failures.
It seems to me that we have too
The people in this country, espe-
much and too many drugs of all
cially our elected officials, are not
kinds around these days. Why add
respecting the U.S. Constitution and
to the huge problem we already
Bill of Rights and that is the core of
have?
our crisis.
Britt Storkson
The U.S. Constitution and the
The Dalles Bill of Rights are the base for the
American dream, a promise that
the quality of life we desire can be
achieved.
I’ve never been more excited to
The core of our crisis is the uncer-
vote and it’s interesting to me that
my ballot doesn’t look like the kind tainty of our safety. If those we have
of ballot you would be really excited put in place do not honor the oaths
about. Curtis King, State Senator for and ethics that require them to be
held to a higher standard of person,
LD14, doesn’t have an opponent
they should not have taken the job.
and there are two Republicans
running for County Commissioner With their job descriptions outlined
for them, they are given budgets
in District 3.
But, looking deeper, every single and tax payers’ monies to carry out
a plan.
race on my ballot is for a powerful
Let us elect officials that can
position and I connect that to how
show us the difference that one
it will affect us. Reading voter’s
pamphlets/guides, researching the voice can make backed by the
people, people that have our safety
candidates, watching forums/de-
bates with the candidates, speaking and quality of life at the top of their
Flagstone heroes
Stop stealing signs
Vote Zanmiller
Nation in crisis
No on Measure 110
Voting plans
Eagle eye
A red-tail hawk perches on a dead tree east of The Dalles. The hawks are common throughout Oregon and often seen circling
over the landscape watching for small rodents.
Photo courtesy Gary Elkinton
in our environment. Thousands of
Americans and millions of world
citizens die each year as a result
of our ever-increasing toxic load
on the planet. Recently, despite
the science (or perhaps because of
the science), the Trump adminis-
tration rolled back over 100 rules
Tom Lannen has been working
and policies designed to protect
for Skamania County, long before
our land, water, and air, which
he was ever a commissioner. I had
in turn, protects all life. Did the
met Tom while he had been doing
American voters ask for those rules
volunteer work for the county.
and policies to be overturned?
Tom’s entire mission during that
No. Corporations and millionaires
time was to hold accountable the
wanted them overturned so they
Forest Service for their manage-
target politicians. Nowadays, it is
ment of the Gifford Pinchot Forest
the Republican party that caters to
and to maintain the sustainable
logging and management they have the corporate demand for dereg-
I am deeply grateful to Tracy
ulation of environmental policies
Rushing and Devin Kuh, candidates said they were going to do for over
and laws. Our current Washington
for State Representative, District 14. 25 years.
representative Chris Corry, does not
After he began working as a vol-
Kuh is a teacher, and Rushing is an
consider this an issue of concern.
emergency room physician. Neither unteer for the county in the name
He has made it clear that he prefers
had political experience prior to
of sustainable and healthy forest
business over people and will do
this election. Both felt compelled
practices, Tom began to consider
their bidding.
to run for office when they saw the running for county commissioner.
I am supporting Dr. Tracy
unopposed incumbents actively
It seemed suitable for someone
Rushing
for Washington State
obstructing efforts to control and
who had already given an abundant
Representative
because she is
contain coronavirus, while Yakima amount of time working for the
County, in the 14th, was one of the good of our county, coming to every trained in science and not political
games. Her vision is for a healthy
hardest hit places in Washington
commissioner meeting for three
community and state which starts
State.
years prior and wanting what was
with science-based decision-mak-
Rushing and Kuh both see
best for our county.
ing and policies that support not
healthcare as a human right, critical
In the four years since Tom be-
to building healthy communities.
came county commissioner, he has only human health but the health of
the land we live on.
Their platforms are solid on other
worked to bring to task the Forest
Sue Kusch
issues as well. What makes them
Service on better management
White
Salmon
extraordinary candidates, however, practices on our Forest, hold DNR
is the love, intelligence, and caring to task on their Management of the
shining through their campaigns.
local State lands, he has added $3.5
Rushing’s opponent, Chris Corry,
million to the County coffers since
has only right-wing ideology
taking office, has worked hard for
What has Daniel Bonham done
to offer. Kuh’s opponent, Gina
Secure Rural Schools, has strong
to fight for a healthy Deschutes and
Mosbrucker, is busy climbing the
relationships with our local, state
GOP ladder to success in Olympia. and federal officials, and has done a its benefits for the town of Maupin?
Rushing and Kuh offer something
number of things within the inside I’ve been asking if anyone can recall
anything he has accomplished to
quite different — genuine care for
operations of our county that will
help restore the lower Deschutes.
people and for the planet. It shows make us a stronger and brighter
I’m certain he was aware of the seri-
in the work they have chosen, and
county for years to come.
ousness of the river’s decline but, to
it shows in their campaigns. We are
As a lifelong resident, business
my knowledge,
fortunate to be able to vote for Tracy owner, raised all 10 of my children
Mr. Bonham has not used his
Rushing and Devin Kuh. Please join in the county, and now am a proud
office with any sustained, effec-
me in doing so.
grandparent, I strongly support
Patricia Arnold re-electing Tom Lannen for District tive effort to help save Maupin’s
lifeblood. Civic centers are fine, but
Trout Lake 2, for four more years.
Jim Waters river money sustains Maupin. A
Carson shiny new grocery store is won-
derful but river money makes it
In central Washington, our food
possible. Multiple city parks are the
goes from farm to table on the backs
cats meow but river lovers don’t
of agricultural and packinghouse
Over the decades, the word
come just for the parks. We have
workers. When the coronavirus
“environmentalism” has been
lots of restaurants for a small town
pandemic hit, we were quick to
hammered by negativity from cor-
but they shrivel away without the
label these workers essential, but
porate elites. More recently, it has
river’s attraction. A healthy river
we were slow to protect them from been linked to radical left think-
keeps our nifty resort afloat. Two fly
dangerous working conditions.
ing. And that’s a shame. Because
shops are great but they can’t thrive
When cases exploded among the caring for the land that feeds and
without a healthy lower Deschutes.
close quarters of Yakima pack-
houses us and for the water and air River visitors keep Maupin’s smaller
that is necessary for all life should
inghouses, workers realized that
shops alive and they help our hard-
never be construed as a bad thing. I ware store, downtown bar and grill
no help was coming. So they took
spend a lot of time on public lands, and coffee shops.
it upon themselves to organize
observing wildlife and studying
and strike; they came together
River visitors are the backbone
plants, and I am deeply concerned of Maupin’s motels, rental cabins
to save their lives and their jobs.
Trabajadores Unidos por la Justicia about the conditions we are leaving and B-and-Bs. High speed internet
for our children and grandchildren. and Wi-fi are icing on the cake, but
(Workers United for Justice) was
Insects, especially pollinators, are in people won’t come here simply for
able to negotiate safer workplaces
decline. Pollinators are responsible that — a healthy river is an abso-
and protective equipment, hazard
for two-thirds of the foods we eat.
pay and the right to organize.
lute necessity for healthy growth
According to the EPA, childhood in Maupin. Times were hard when
I stand in solidarity and sup-
asthma is negatively impacted by
port with Trabajadores Unidos.
Mountain Fir Lumber pulled out.
air pollution.
I’m running for Washington State
When the river dies, Maupin will
We know that the development of
House of Representatives to rep-
many cancers is linked to the toxins
resent working families, but more
See LETTERS,page5
priority list. Joanna Turner has re-
searched and focused on the issues
necessary to heal the areas that our
broken system has hurt.
Joanna Turner and like mind-
ed people are part of the solution
necessary to bring our country’s
systems back up and working for
the American people so we can
again have an “American Dream”
to reach.
Vote for Joanna Turner, County
Commissioner
Elizabeth Mutch
Dallesport
importantly, for working families’
rights to organize and to represent
themselves.
Tracy Rushing
White Salmon
Retain Lannen
Rushing and Kuh
Maupin needs
Burns
Workers United
Rushing for health
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