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Wednesday,May5,2021
Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
OPINION
The opinions expressed in the letters below are “your voice,” and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, publisher or advertisers.
YOUR VOICE
Endorsement
Quiet Lunch
After being taken advantage of,
locally I have found a plumbing
company that is courteous and
friendly and above all honest from
the beginning. They will let you
know what is going on from the be-
ginning to the end. At the end of the
job, you will get a printout detailing
everything. The company is Camp's
Plumbing. I can guarantee that you
won't be disappointed.
Warren Wols
Hood River
Jen for HRCSD
Board
I endorse Jennifer Kelly for
HRCSD School Board Position #7.
My endorsement is based on Jen’s
proven track record of learning
school board and district opera-
tions by her active participation
over the past year. Jen didn’t always
agree with the Board or District de-
cisions; but she learned the basis of
decisions, provided informed input
and suggestions, and has shown
significant time commitment to
understanding district wide issues.
Jen provided significant informed
public comment to ongoing
COVID-19 policy decision making
and went on to provide calculations
with direct relevance to the 100-per-
son cohort rule (a concern regard-
ing re-opening of HRV). Jen also
provides many years of professional
experience with budgets, union
negotiations, and a calm, informed Alan Quintero, a new resident of Hood River, enjoys a quiet lunch at Jackson Park in Hood River. Sunny weather drew a number of people outdoors last week.
Mark B. Gibson photo
approach to constructive discussion
and decision making. I believe Jen
brings the time commitment and
experience to provide excellence to warning, Oregonians!
Gorge Scenic Act.
problem solver.
on ruining whats left of the state's
our community in this school board
Do not separate from the Gorge
Jerrold Richards
Michael Kitts
economy through her inconsistent
position.
Commission! it would be a grave
Lyle
and ill advised handling of the
Rich Truax
mistake. Separating from the Gorge pandemic.
Hood River
Commission will not solve the
By now, registered voters in
It has been said that the populace
I’m writing this letter in support
Oregon should have received their problems.
gets the government they deserve.
Karen and Steve Murray After seeing what's happening to
of Lach Litwer for position #3, Port ballots in the mail. If you haven’t
The Dalles the once fine city of Portland, it
I live in Lyle, across the River.
of Hood River.
yet gotten yours, check with your
county clerk’s office. Your vote is a
I am quite upset to find that the
I have gotten to know Lach and
scares the hell out of me.
Washington Legislature has just
his family over the course of several terrible thing to waste.
Scott Maitland
passed a 7% capital gains tax on the years through workforce housing
This election, I’ll be casting
Some of us might let a Port of The
Mosier
sale of stocks, bonds and other capi- projects that we have partnered
my vote for Michael Held, Ellen
Dalles commission election go by
tal assets where the profit exceeds
up on. While he is committed to
Woods, and Annette Foley Byers for without much comment, though
$250,000.
attainable housing options for this
North Wasco Parks and Recreation these are important positions. But
I simply must respond to a
How monstrous. No man’s prop- area, he has a much wider range of District. All three of these people
for this month’s special election, I
letter to the editor in the April 28th
erty is safe when the Legislature is
experience and expertise that he
have roots in our community, as
am happy to be voting for Marcus
edition of this [under the headline
in session.
well as the skills and ambition to
would bring to the table as a Port
Swift.
"Vote Hosford, Kelly, Parr."
My accountant has just informed representative. He’s not a one-issue take our parks to the next level —
I’ve heard this statement several
I agree with [with the author]
me I shall have to downsize my 175- candidate. We need some younger re-establishing Sorosis Park to it’s
times from people in the past year: that schools should have waited
foot yacht down to a 150-foot yacht. energy and vision in government,
former glory but with more resilien- “We don’t want to be Hood River.”
until fall to reopen, but I cannot for
cy; adding new parks, including a
I’m in shock. Oh the horror! Oh
which Lach has an abundance of.
The Dalles is and needs to be its
the life of me understand how the
the inhumanity
He grew up in Portland and has a
dog park; bringing more activities
own community, a place not just
author came to the conclusion that
Where am I going to put both the remarkable resume that I would
and music to our parks; and manag- to visit, but to build a life, to raise
it is the fault of President Biden and
ing all the budget and other details a family, maybe start a business,
pool table and the hot tub in a tiny
encourage voters to read at www.
Governor Brown.
required of a Parks Board member. retire in peace.
little 150-foot yacht? Sob!
votelitwer.com. I’m giving Lach
Kate Brown, for her part, is
If it can happen in Washington,
my enthusiastic support knowing
Please join me in voting for Held,
A place that’s both prosperous
considering a shutdown of indoor
it can happen in Oregon. Take
him to be a thoughtful, intelligent,
Woods, and Byers for parks we can and affordable, in other words.
dining again, and has been facing
all enjoy to the fullest!
That’s my vision as a city council- down recall efforts by Republicans
Deborah Ferrer or, and I know Marcus Swift shares who continue to downplay
The Dalles it, too, in his campaign to join the
COVID-19 in favor of economic
Port of The Dalles. Our community growth. [The author] may want to
benefits when we have experi-
reevaluate the cause of the continu-
enced voices in balance with fresh
ation of this pandemic.
perspectives — which is just what
Even more insulting though, is
The Wasco County Board of
Marcus will bring to the Port.
the thinly veiled suggestion that
Commissioners is moving to sepa-
I appreciate Marcus’ entrepre-
race is biological, and that ‘critical
rate its planning department from
neurial spirit, and his commitment race theory’ is an ‘ideology’ that
working with the Columbia River
both to values and to people.
amounts to teaching white people
Scenic Area planning department
Whatever he digs into, he digs
to hate themselves.
after 34 years of working together.
deep. He’s a small-business owner
“Race” is a pseudoscientific
OLUMBIA GORGE NEWS
Vulgar or inappropriate lan-
We understand there has been
who is investing in The Dalles.
category based primarily on skin
encourages readers to submit
longstanding disagreements
Marcus is a guy who can be both
color, and which has adapted over
guage will not be considered, nor
letters to the editor for the
between
Wasco
County
Board
of
tough
and
compassionate,
some-
hundreds of years to meet the ends
malicious,
false
or
misleading
weekly opinion page. Letters on all
Commissioners and the Gorge
one we all would benefit from in
of structural power. Irish, Italian,
statements.
topics are welcome.
Commission but what would the
public office.
and German immigrants in the 19th
Letters attacking an individual,
Writers must include their name rather than an opinion, are not
citizens of Wasco County stand to
I know that with Marcus on
century were considered non-white
and hometown (for publication)
gain from this separation?
board, we can expect a Port com-
until they were folded into “white-
acceptable.
and daytime phone number (for
It appears to us that Wasco
mission that is fiscally prudent, and ness” in order to consolidate social
Letters criticizing a particular
verification, not for publication).
County citizens have much more
works to attract not just companies, power against black and brown
business over a particular com-
Letters from an agency or group
to
lose
if
the
Wasco
County
Board
but good-paying jobs. Let’s elect
folks.
plaint or grievance will not be
must be credited to the author or a considered.
of Commissioners vote to leave this Marcus Swift to the Port of The
And finally, critical race theory
contact person.
cooperative
agreement.
Dalles.
is
not
about white guilt and self ha-
The opinions expressed in
Anonymous or “name withheld
For
Wasco
County
residents
Dan
Richardson
tred,
but
about examining privilege,
letters are “Your Voice,” and do not
by request” letters are not accepted. necessarily reflect the opinions of
living outside the urban growth
The Dalles and the intersection of society, law,
Letters must be 350 words or
boundaries but inside the Scenic
and race.
the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, Gorge Area, they will likely see
fewer; generally, the briefer the
To illustrate: A racist would look
message, the better. Opinion pieces publisher or advertisers.
their permit process increase from
at a disproportionately high rate of
Letters may be submitted online months to years and Wasco County
longer than 350 words may be
crime amongst black populations
at
www.ColumbiaGorgeNews.com: will lose the millions of dollars of
published as a guest commentary at
I am an older white male retired
and attribute it to their skin color,
Scroll to the bottom of the page and potential grants from Nation Scenic and currently residing in The Dalles their race. A student of CRT would
the discretion of the editor.
select “Submission Forms,” then
Letters are published as space
Area economic development funds, area for the past 30 years. I am a
assess the rate of criminality as be-
select “Letter to the Editor.”
allows, and efforts are made each
Wasco County Commissioners
registered independent voter and
ing a result of decades of red lining
NEW — Letters also may be sent need to "bury the hatchet" and rep- over my lifetime I have voted for
week to provide as much space as
and gentrification pushing gener-
via email to Letters@gorgenews.
possible.
resent all of us and help protect our both Democrat and Republican
ations of colored folks into slums
com or to Mark Gibson at markg@
Deadline for letters is noon on
beautiful Columbia River Gorge.
candidates.
with little economic opportunity
gorgenews.com.
the Friday prior to publication.
Wasco County's cooperation is
Never in my lifetime have a seen within legal means.
Or mail your letter “attention ed- greatly needed at this time. Our
We reserve the right to edit all
such a disarray in the nation's
That’s not ideology; it’s a lens of
itor” to any of the Post Office boxes beauty attracts tourists from all
letters:
political status. We also have a
Letters must be civil.
over the world, in part thanks to the "nit-wit" governor who seems intent
listed at bottom of page 4.
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
Elect Litwer
Vote
Yacht shrinkage
Swift for Port
Race relations
Want to write
a letter?
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conflict
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chaos
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