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About Sandy post. (Sandy, Oregon) 1938-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1985)
Light rail to Hood sensible option In considering the widening of Highway 26 from Wildwood to Zigzag, our first reaction is that the improved roadway should be built. Increasing numbers of people are going to use Highway 26 for recreational purposes, and to cross the Cascade Mountain range. For safety reasons, and convenience — neither tourists nor local residents should be forced to edge their way down the mountain on Sunday evenings — the improved highway is needed. We do have a slightly different point of view While we agree one solution to the problem is an improved roadway, a com pletely overlooked alternative is light rail service from Gresham to the upper elevations of Mt. Hood. With the Banfield Light Rail project due to be completed soon, a connecting line makes perfect sense. According to a Tri-Met official — who pointed out there are “zillions” of exceptions — the cost to install light rail track is approximately $2 million per mile. That cost includes a station every two miles, but does not include the cost of purchasing vehicles, obtaining right-of-way or operating expenses. Infla tion could increase the cost in coming years. The two stages of the highway widening project — from Wildwood to Zigzag and Zigzag to Rhododendron — is ex pected to cost from $7 million to $8 million, which of course wouldn’t even get the light rail to Sandy. However, consider this: There were 600,000 lift tickets sold on Mt. Hood this season. It was a good season, but there are regularly more than a half a million people visit the three downhill areas each year. There were another 200,000 cross country ski trips taken, and this is a sport that is exploding in popularity. Let’s assume that these people double up, and that each car burns $10 worth of gasoline. Assuming 300,000 cars visit Mt. Hood each winter, at $10 apiece, that is $3 million spent on gasoline. In 27 years, the in vestment would be paid off. We admit we are raising more questions than we are answering, and that we are asking people to consider a project that wouldn’t pay for itself for three decades. The Mt. Hood-Portland area, however, is unique, and such a solution is not as farfetched as it appears on first glance. We endorse the concept of an improved, wider highway, but the Oregon Department of Transportation should consider that there may be an even better idea. Trauma designation boost for Sandy area The Mount Hood Medical Center has had an identity pro blem ever since it opened its doors last year. People who suffered so-called “traum a” injuries in the Mt. Hood corridor, Sandy, Gresham, Troutdale, the Columbia River Gorge and other East County areas would be whizzed to other area hospitals even though the medical center was closer. At least a part of that identity problem should be cleared now that the hospital has been designated a part of the county’s trauma care system. The medical center had to meet nine standards to be approv ed for the system. The recent addition of a CAT scanner, an in house anesthesiologist and a trauma surgeon cleared the way for the trauma designation. Trauma victims are so designated at the scene of an acci dent by paramedics who work with the heart of the system’s communication network, which is at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in Portland. It should be comforting in those life and death situations to know that victims now can go to Mount Hood Medical Center rather than spending precious minutes in an ambulance or helicopter enroute to another hospital. The safety factors for victims are the primary benefit of the center joining the trauma system. Beyond that, the designation should be a boost for the medical center, which serves the Sandy area. In part, trauma victims are determined by the type of acci dent they are in, not the severity of the injury they receive. For example, if a person hiking on Mt. Hood falls more than 15 feet, he or she is automatically considered a trauma victim. Likewise people who are in an auto accident where someone in the car is killed. In some cases, the trauma determination is unnecessary ex cept for the rather rigid set of guidelines that have been established. But many of the victims have been taken to other hospitals when they could have been easily treated at the medical center. For both reasons — safety of victims and the convenience of being treated closer to home — the trauma designation is a boost for the area. Policy on letters Letters to the editor should be typed, double-spaced and signed. An address and telephone num ber should also be provided, although on ly the name of the letter w rite r and the city or area he is from w ill be published Letter w riters may also wish to in clude a title or office held if it is ap propriate considering the subject matter The news deadline of noon, Tues day is also the deadline for letters to the editor Letters should be accurate, free of libelous remarks and in good taste. This newspaper attempts to publish all letters it receives from local residents We reserve the right to edit letters to conform to style guidelines or for length A preferred maximum length is 300 words. 1 \E THESE BEEN HUNTING IN W O O D S ALL. M V YEARS AMO I ’VE NEVER SEEK) TRACKS LIK E THESE Letters to the editor Seizure story ‘false,’ says cafe owner This is in response to a letter in last w e e k 's p a p e r tit le d , “ P eople humiliated by restaurant employee.” The entire story is false! Their sons were not dealing with just an employee but the owner, and I have knowledge of how to handle emergency situations. I have worked in the restaurant and bar business for over 20 years 1 have attended classes that are required of me to be in this business The first thing you learn is never to move a person that may be sick or injured or to give li quids The 21-year-old that had the attack was not in the restaurant when it oc curred. He was in the store and fell through a swinging door into our restaurant. No one threw water on him. I demanded that he be left alone while I called 911 for emergency help While I was calling, a customer look ed at the young mar. on the floor and his brother, and my daughter heard him say to the man’s brother, “ If you’re smart, you’ll take your friend and get out of here before the paramedics arrive because I believe you guys w ill be in a lot of trouble ” The reason the customer said this to the young man was that something didn't seem to be right about the situation His brother seemed to be in a hurry to get him out of the restaurant His brother forced him up and they were on their way out the door when the paramedics arrived. The paramedics talked to them for a while and then came in to talk to me and stated that it didn't look like the young man had a seizure to him If anyone is humiliated by this, it is I Due to the accusation coming from these parents who had been misin formed and didn't take the time to find out the facts Janet Severson Owner Country Corner Cafe Sandy PS. Will the couple that was eating dinner at the restaurant at Shorty’s Corner on the evening of July 10 and witnessed a man fall through the door of the store please contact the owner at 668 5605 as soon as possible School head rotation ‘railroaded’ I attended the Sandy Elementary School D istrict’s “ special meeting” last Thursday, which was called in response to apparently sufficient dis quietude expressed by parents of students who would be unhappily af fected by the school board's recent decision to rotate the four principals at Cedar Ridge. Firwood, Kelso and Sandy elementary schools I cannot help but feel the so-called “ a d m in is tr a tiv e m o v e ” was railroaded through by the school board members without adequate in vestigation and certainly without adequate input from those affected most — students and their parents. Attending the meeting i aside from irate parents) were only three board members out of fiv e and the superintendent, who appeared to hold the board in servitude to his “ educated guess” regarding the benefits of moving the principals from one school to another. At no tim e were satisfactory answers given as to why the principal rotation was being done Rather, the board hid behind a smoke screen of vague statements about change be ing good for the entire district. The board made it very clear from the outset by their unbending position that the meeting had been called merely as an empty gesture (com mumty PRESSURE?) and that they would neither reconsider their deci sion nor would they be w illing to discuss the pros and cons with the assembled parents. The frustration of the parents was so evident when the board refused to dialogue with them The board chairm an’s last remark to a member of the audience who asked what the parents could do next was, “ Get a lawyer.” I am personally saddened to ex perience such cold, stubborn, unresponsive district representation of the community And while it was pointed out by someone that the board members are volunteers, I must remind all that what the board members volunteered for was to be “ elected" by and thus represent the community. Too, it is my understan ding that the superintendent is employed hy the district and we are the district — we parents who entrust our children’s one-time elementary education into the hands of our "representatives.” From all I have been able to ascer tain, political reasons motivated the whimsical shuffling of our principals For my part, this is not a good enough reason to toy with my son’s education I was very happy with the administration of our school and re joiced in its excellence Let there be cooperation and open ness between the teachers, ad m inistrators, superintendent, and board members. Politics has no place in our children's schooling, and an OPEN FORUM is essential where district policies are formed It must also be understood that parents are an essential ingredient in any policy making Gail Karl Parent Sandy Elementary School District Committee commended Editor’« note: Sandy Mayor Deane We«»elink recently sent this letter to Darrell Dempster, chairman of the Sandy Mountain Festival committee. We run tty letter with Wessellnk's appi ov al. At a recent City Council meeting I voiced my feelings about the 1985 Sandy Mountain Festival I also wanted to be sure that you and all the members of your committee were aware of my feelings as well. First of all, the overall Mountain Days was a big success and I was glad to see that everything went so smoothly I had many people express their satisfaction with everything from the parade to the displays and food, the Wine F air and Feast and the Lions dunk tank It was particularly gratifying for me to assist in fund raising along with the Lions for Heidi Setterlund. My highest compliments are in order. You and the committee did a great job and no one enjoyed the Festival this year more than I did On behalf of the city of Sandy, Deane R Wesselink Mayor Troop thanks area helpers The members and leaders of Troop 176 would like to thank everyone who supported our chicken barbecue at this year's Sandy Mountain Festival. Special thanks go to the following businesses and individuals who helped make this year's barbecue a big success They were: Multnomah Kennel Club, Lynden Farms, Athena Products Corpora lion. Bowman’s Sandy Thriftw ay, Dan and Blanca Patck, Mike Annes, Clyde Barney and Herb Fenwick Boy Scout Troop 176 is chartered by the Community Presbyterian Church and Sandy VFW Post 4273 and Auxiliary Kathy Dunn Sandy Committee thanked To the Sandy Mountain Festival committee: I want to take this opportunity to thank you for selecting me to be one of the senior princesses for this year's Sandy Mountain Festival court. It was an unforgetable ex perience, the memories of which w ill be treasured for a lifetim e My husband, Pat, and I had a great time attending the various functions, especially the Coronation Ball and the parade We had the chance to meet a lot of nice people and make new friends, including the other members of the court and their families I hope our community appreciates all the tim e and effort the Sandy Mountain Festival committee puts into this event every year You are all te rrific. A very special thank you to Sherry Lawson, director of the queen’s court Without this lady, and her fam ily, the court would not have been the success it was. Donna Marlow Sandy Scott grateful for kindness Marie Scott desires to acknowledge and thank her many friends for re m e m b e ra n c e and tr u e thoughtfulness following the death of her husband, Bob Scott M a rie Scott Sandy
