• We look at the flags flying at half
mast and note that millions are taking
time off work to mourn the passing of
one of America’s greatest individuals,
and it is fitting that we honor a man
who has touched us all so deeply with
his gifts of love, joy and beauty. A
song of you comes as sweet and
clear as moonlight through the
pines.… Still in peaceful dreams I see,
the road leads back to you. We’ll miss
you, Ray.
• Predictably, the mayor’s Committee
on Economic Development is not
jumping up and down to prioritize a
study on the impact of big-box stores
on jobs and the local economy. But
even a cursory reading of the
research done by other cities points
out major problems associated with
Wal-Mart and other mega-stores.
Living-wage jobs are lost and local
cash is sucked out of state to finance
construction and acquisition of more
concrete and asphalt atrocities else-
where. An easy solution is a moratori-
um on the size of retail outlets until
the research can be done.
work and raise and family. We owe it to our
children to protect our public lands.”
The proposed logging area near Shady
Cove was affected by the 27,000 acre
Timbered Rock fire in 2002. The area in-
cludes 19 spotted owl territories and 18 miles
of coho salmon habitat within the fire
perimeter.
GOVERNOR CALLS FOR
WILLAMETTE CLEANUP
Gov. Ted Kulongoski is pitching his plans
for how citizens can join government, busi-
ness and industry to help restore the health of
the Willamette River. In a statement sent to
selected newspapers along the river, includ-
ing EW, praised the work of SOLV’s “Down
by the Riverside” program and made the fol-
lowing suggestions to citizens:
• Planting more shrubs or plants in gar-
dens or using straw, mulch,
or plastic sheeting will help
to stabilize soil and prevent
damaging
run-off.
Switching from hosing to
sweeping a driveway it is
another simple way to re-
duce contaminants seeping
into the river and to save
water.
• Conserving water on
our lawns and in our homes
not only lessens the water bill, it also lessens
the high costs and environmental impacts of
new dams, pipes and treatment plants. Even
in Oregon, water resources are limited and
we must take care to keep them clean and
useable.
• Reducing the num-
ber of on toxins on our
lawns, such as pesticides
or excessive fertilizers,
and increasing our use of
environmentally friendly
products in our homes
are other small ways we
can each contribute to a
cleaner
Willamette
River.
The suggestions are part of the governor’s
Willamette River Legacy.
• As the Goldschmidt scandal plays
out it’s becoming evident that a dis-
turbing number of people knew about
the former governor’s sexual indiscre-
tions, including the statutory rape of
a 14-year-old girl. Was Kulongoski in
the loop? We’re speculating that he
knew more than he’s letting on. He
has a lot to lose. Our governor likely
would have known about
Goldschmidt’s habitual sexual indis-
cretions, and if he didn’t know about
the teenager, he should have. But
unless someone else credible comes
forward to substantiate Fred
Leonhardt’s claim that Kulongoski
knew about the teenager long before
the scandal broke, we are inclined to
give our governor the benefit of the
doubt.
• Our cover story this week on the
persistent local peace movement fol-
lows news that more Oregon soldiers
have died in Iraq. Among the latest is
a National Guard soldier from
Corvallis whose six-year military com-
mitment was extended. He was sched-
uled to return to civilian life two
months ago. More than two dozen
people with ties to Oregon have died
in the Iraq War, and many more have
been injured and disabled. Reading
about these soldier’s lives at home
reminds us that war destroys not only
human bodies, resources and land-
scapes, but also precious dreams and
aspirations. The most important
things obliterated in war can never be
repaired or replaced.
• What do our friends across the
Atlantic think about American poli-
tics? Our globe-trotting editor recent-
ly returned from Western Europe and
found people there who dismiss
George W. Bush as a crackpot and
religious fanatic. But they are particu-
larly angry with the British prime min-
ister. They say Tony Blair has given
Bush just enough credibility that he
can get away with murder — literally.
JUNE 17, 2004 9