A4
V IEWPOINT
Hood River News,
Saturday, January 17, 2014
O ur readers write
JOE PETSHOW
Publisher/President,
Eagle Newspapers, Inc.
CHELSEA MARR
General Manager
JODY THOMPSON
Advertising Manager
DICK NAFSINGER
Publisher, Emeritus (1933-2011)
TOM LANCTOT
Past President,
Eagle Newspapers, Inc.
Protesting point
In protest of Jim Burdick’s letter
to the Editor “Good Job, Obama.” In
it he demonstrates a profound igno-
rance of history, claiming that no
other world leaders stood in support
of the US after the attacks of Sept.
11, 2001. Not only did Europe stand
in unity with America, so did some
of our traditional adversaries such
as Iran, Cuba, Libya, and North
Korea.
He forgets that no one was flying
anywhere immediately after the at-
tacks of 2001. However, the inability
to physically stand on American soil
did not deter the rest of the world
from mourning with us.
Speaking with such force and con-
viction without an understanding of
history demonstrates the arrogance
of ignorance that leads to acts of ter-
ror like Sept. 2001 and Paris 2015. If
we let these acts of terror drive a
wedge between us, then the terror-
ists win.
Glen Patrizio
Hood River
KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
Editor
TONY METHVIN
Columbia Gorge Press Manager
DAVID MARVIN
Production Manager
Subscription $42 per year in Hood River trade area. $68 outside trade area.
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
ASSOCIATION
Printed on
OREGON NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
recycled paper.
Official Newspaper, City of Hood River and Hood River County
Published Every Wednesday & Saturday by Hood River News,
P.O. Box 390, Hood River, Oregon 97031 • (541) 386-1234 • FAX 386-6796
Member of the Associated Press
Service
The best way to remember Dr. King
We could fill dozens of editorial columns with the
powerful words of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., from
throughout his career serving his church, his communi-
ty, and the nation.
Many of those words will be spoken during Monday’s
community celebration on MLK Day (details on page
A1).
Here are just 13 words that sum up the underlying
mission of Martin Luther King:
“Life’s most persistent and urg ent question is, ‘what
are you doing for others?’”
Groups around the country are focusing on these
words of King in the MLK Day of Service, a part
of United We Serve, the President’s national call to ser-
vice initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of
life to work together to provide solutions to our most
pressing national problems. In 2014, citizens in all 50
states delivered meals, refurbished schools and commu-
nity centers, and collected food and clothing. Volunteers
also recruited mentors, supported job-seekers, built
homes and provided other services for veterans and mil-
itary families, and helped citizens improve their finan-
cial literacy skills.
To learn more, go to nationalservice.gov, and register
your project or idea, track what others are doing, and
learn about more resources on the subject.
What are you doing as an individual or group, as part
of the organized Day of Service, or on your own? Share
it with readers by sending a short description — attach
a photo if you’d like — to hrnews@hoodrivernews.com.
If you want to reach out at this time, or any other, to
groups that are striving to deal with problems of litera-
cy, hunger, aging, and domestic violence, our “How to
Help” feature, running on this page, is a place to start.
King himself put a major emphasis on mentoring —
caring adults spending time and giving their talents to
young people — and numerous such programs are avail-
able and in need of volunteers. They include foster par-
enting and Big Brother/Big Sister programs through
The Next Door, Inc., Aspire at HRVHS, reading and math
assistance at any school, Start Making A Reader Today,
and more.
The question is “persistent and urgent” because the
needs are. Whether in memory of Dr. King or for the fu-
ture of a young person, reach out and lend a hand. The
giver is usually the greatest recipient.
Punchbowl Falls
‘a gem’
I’m relatively new to the area. I
moved to Parkdale in July 2013. I’ve
been over to Punchbowl Falls for
swimming. I heard about the area
and just had to see it for myself. I’m
a father of three boys, soon to be
four. I’ve been to many of our Na-
tional Parks and State Parks across
the country, to include Yosemite, Yel-
lowstone, Grand Teton, Everglades,
and Great Smoky to name a handful.
Punchbowl Falls is a gem in this
valley. The view from the pool is
wonderful. The basalt wall towers at
least a couple of hundred feet up.
There is another waterfall nearby
that is just a refreshing delight to
visit. It has two small pools of its
own. I’m 38-years-old, and it was
strenuous for me to enjoy. In fact, I
found much of the area to be precar-
ious.
There are some real dangers at
the site. Depending on the time of
year, Punchbowl Falls gushes and is
dangerous to approach. Guard rails
are an absolute necessity. Warnings
about approaching the falls while in
the pool are needed as well. In my
humble opinion, it would be a great
loss for this county not to acquire
the land. I’ve visited both Tucker
and Tollbridge parks. They are trea-
sures for this area as well. Punch-
bowl could be the park that is miss-
ing. I would be willing to pay a small
tax to help fund the county parks. I
read before that grant money did not
meet the sale price. There must be
some way to supplement that grant
money with aide from local citizens
and businesses to turn Punchbowl
into the next county park.
Mike Teems, Jr.
Parkdale
Money talks
If you do not believe this, then you
have not looked at the recent
Supreme Court decisions regarding
political contributions, or the recent
decisions regarding zoning in Hood
River.
I decided to look at the local deci-
sions only.
Hood River used to have a zoning
that restricted housing to lots 100 by
100. This has been reduced to allow-
ing five houses on a lot sized for two
units.
This is only an extreme example.
Others include allowing multiple
units for single unit housing, allow-
ing parking units that were impossi-
ble to use.
This only results in many addi-
tional costs to those who do not prof-
it from the recent zoning decisions.
The additional costs for water and
sewer pipes, which were not de-
signed for the in-fill decisions made
by selected developers, are going to
be paid by residents who followed
the previous rules.
Why don’t we require these devel-
opers pay for the additional services
required by their developments?
I propose a cost, per unit, be added
to development expenses for all
units added to the fee for multi-units
on ANY site other than the original
100 by 100 site. This cost should
equal the anticipate fee for provid-
ing this service.
Why should they profit at the cost
of older residents?
Leonard Hickman
Hood River
Missing
the point
I think people are missing the real
reason why Obama did not go
“Stand with France” recently. If you
read his “Audacity of Hope” crap
you know that in reference to the
Muslims he said, “I will stand with
them should the political winds shift
in an ugly direction.” His words ex-
actly, not mine. I think what he is
doing by staying away from France
is exactly that, “standing with the
Muslims.” It does not surprise me.
He and Michelle, like most liberals,
are ashamed to be American. That’s
my opinion.
Cliff Mansfield
Cliff Mansfield Incorporated
Odell
Thank you for
thank you notes
“The Elusive Thank You Note” by
Wendy Best said it best. I have been
concerned for a long time that adult
children and grandchildren do not
write “thank you” notes for any-
thing from wedding gifts to bringing
their friends for a weekend of play-
ing on the slopes of Mt. Hood.
Of course we are grateful that
they come and want to bring their
friends, but they should be grateful
too, for the invitation, beds, food and
welcome. Since they do not send
“thank yous,” they are not teaching
their children to do it either.
Great aunts and uncles, grandpar-
ents and old family friends are usu-
ally on fixed incomes. When “we”
send money for birthdays and other
gifts, we would like a note (and
maybe a crayon drawing) from the
recipients showing their gratitude.
It is a labor of love to get over 30
cards a year, add money and mail
them to the right people at the right
time. Make some old people happy.
Send “thank yous.”
Linda Frizzell
Mt. Hood
W HERE TO WRITE
President — Barack Obama, White House, 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave., Washington D.C., 20500
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
U.S. Senators — Sen. Jeff Merkley, 313 Hart Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20510, phone 202-224-3753
Sen. Ron Wyden, Dirksen Senate Office Building 221, Washington, D.C.,
phone 202-224-5244
2nd Congressional District Representative — Greg
Walden, 14 N. Central Ave., Suite 112, Medford, OR 97504. Phone:
541-776-4646; E-mail: www.walden.house.gov/contactgreg
Governor — John Kitzhaber, 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR
97310. Phone: 503-378-3111;
E-mail: www.governor.state.or.us/email.htm
District 26 State Senator — Chuck Thomsen, 900 Court St.
N.E., S-307, State Capitol, Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1726;
E-mail sen.chuckthomsen@state.or.us
District 52 State Representative — Mark Johnson, 900
Court St. N.E., Bldg. H-385, State Capitol, Salem, OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1452; E-mail: rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
Hood River County Board of Commissioners — Chair Ron
Rivers, Vice Chair Maui Meyer, members Les Perkins, Bob Benton and
Karen Joplin, Hood River County Courthouse, Hood River, OR,
97031. Phone: 541-386-3970.
County Administrator — Dave Meriwether, Hood River Coun-
ty Courthouse, Hood River, OR, 97031. Phone: 541-386-3970.
Hood River City Council — Mayor Paul Blackburn, members
Laurent Picard, Mark Zanmiller, Kate McBride, Becky Brun, Peter Cor-
nelison and Susan Johnson, Hood River City Hall, Hood River, OR,
97031. Phone: 541-386-1488. E-mail: cohr@gorge.net
Chelsea Marr
General Manager
CMarr@hoodrivernews.com
Founded in 1905
419 State Street
Hood River, OR 97031
P.O. Box 390
Phone: (541) 386-1234
Fax: (541) 386-6796
Operations:
Joe Petshow
Publisher
President, Eagle Newspapers
(541) 386-1234
JPetshow@hoodrivernews.com
Chris Stenberg
Bookkeeper
CStenberg@hoodrivernews.com
Front Office/
Classified Advertising:
Stacey Methvin
Classifieds/Receptionist
HRNClass@hoodrivernews.com
SMethvin@hoodrivernews.com
Circulation:
Esther K. Smith
Circulation Manager
(541) 386-1234 Ext. 205
ESmith@hoodrivernews.com
HOW TO HELP
■ Helping Hands Against Vio-
lence — Helping Hands operates two
facilities that offer shelter and safe-
ty to survivors of domestic violence
and sexual assault. Contact the of-
fice at 541-386-4808 prior to dropping
off shelter items or to arrange a pick
up. You also may donate online at:
www.helpinghandsoregon.com.
Needed goods include, for the
shelter: toilet paper, sponges, paper
towels, garbage bags, laundry deter-
gent, dish soap, laundry soap, towels
and washcloths, sheets and blankest
(single double, queen), pots and pans
silverware, and toys for the kids’
playroom; for the office, copy paper,
envelopes, letter size file folders,
stamps, post-its, bottled water, tis-
sues, and disinfectant wipes.
For those in need of Helping
Hands services, here is the hotline
number: 541-386-6603.
■ HR Care Center — The Family
Council at the Hood River Care Cen-
ter is seeking donations for wild
News:
Kirby Neumann-Rea
Editor
HRNews@hoodrivernews.com
birdseed, to be used in filing the res-
idents’ birdfeeders. This is an activi-
ty which is enjoyed all year round.
Donations may be dropped off at the
Hood River Care Center, 729 Hender-
son Road. For delivery or pick-up,
call Debbie Medina, 541-490-1575 or
Carol Daniel, chairman, 541-490-6136
or hrccfc551@gmail.com.
■ Warming Shelter — Hood River
Warming Shelter is open at River-
side Community Church, Third and
State, this week until Jan. 18, and
then for a week at Immanuel Luther-
an Church. Visit hoodrivercares.org
for details on how to assist. On Jan.
25 it moves to the former Expo Cen-
ter at the waterfront, through the
end of the season in March.
From 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly,
homeless people can find a warm
place to sleep, bedding, meals, and
connection to community resources,
all at no charge. The service is of-
fered nightly at rotating locations.
■ Veterans Office — Volunteer
Trisha Walker
News/Features
TWalker@hoodrivernews.com
WANT IN?
If your non-profit is looking
for volunteers or has other needs,
send brief information to
hrnews@hoodrivenews.com.
drivers from the Mid-Columbia area
are needed to take veterans to the
Portland VA Medical Center. Oregon
drivers must have a valid driver’s li-
cense and a good driving record.
CDL is not needed. For more infor-
mation, contact the DAV Coordina-
tor at 1-800-949-1004, ext. 57804 or ext.
56957.
■ FISH – The food bank program
in Hood River County can always
use monetary donations to help
stock shelves at sites in Hood River,
Parkdale, Odell and Cascade Locks.
Donations may be sent to 1767 12th
St., ox 147, Hood River, OR 97031
Production:
David Marvin
Production Manager
Adam Lapierre
Ailene Hibbard
Archivist
DMarvin@hoodrivernews.com
News/Features
Advertising:
Jim Drake
ALapierre@hoodrivernews.com
Jody Thompson
Advertising Manager
JThompson@hoodrivernews.com
Production/Commercial Printing
Liana Stegall
Advertising Sales
LStegall@hoodrivernews.com
Production/Commercial Printing
Ben Mitchell
News/Features
BenMitchell@hoodrivernews.com
Jim Drake
Entertainment
JDrake@hoodrivernews.com
Kirsten Lane
Advertising Sales
KLane@hoodrivernews.com
JDrake@hoodrivernews.com
Andy Taylor
ATaylor@columbiagorgepress.com
Allen Diers
Commercial Printing
ADiers@hoodrivernews.com
419 State Street
Hood River, OR 97031
P.O. Box 390
Phone: (541) 386-1234
Fax: (541) 386-6796
Tony Methvin
Plant Manager
(541) 386-1234
TMethvin@columbiagorgepress.com
Andy Taylor
Commercial Printing/Production
ATaylor@columbiagorgepress.com
David Marvin
Commercial Printing/Production
DMarvin@hoodrivernews.com