A4
V IEWPOINT
Hood River News,
Saturday, February 14, 2015
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.
Oil train
concerns
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
Tide Out
Kitzhaber’s shell game must stop
B
y now, the wave building toward the Salem
beach has probably crashed.
In the biggest political crisis involving a seat-
ed servant in Oregon’s history, the resignation
of Gov. John Kitzhaber seems imminent. If he
hasn’t done so before the weekend, it at least spares the
Friday the 13th bad luck association. But all signs point
to Kitzhaber stepping down soon, and the factors involve
not only the governor’s own actions but also public per-
ception and the breakdown of faith. The riptide of mis-
trust has pulled this once-respected public servant into
ever deep water.
If Kitzhaber has not resigned by the weekend, he
should do soon. The tide has gone out for the governor.
It’s tempting to lay all kinds of blame at the feet of
his fiancé, Cylvia Hayes. Her maneuverings within
Kitzhaber’s household and office, and the disturbingly
blurred lines that created, were one thing. Then the
well-documented lack of income reporting along with
lobbying efforts that, by appearance at least, point to
Hayes’ capitalization on her insider status. Further, the
rather sticky association it attached to the governor
with regards to hiring and contracts going to people
connected in some way to either Hayes or Kitzhaber.
Those matters contributed to the start of Kitzhaber’s
slide, but other troublesome aspects of this are
Kitzhaber’s inept communication in the heat of the con-
troversy, his hasty and ill-timed request for an Attorney
General investigation he had to have known was already
underway, and his mysterious and urgent “come to
Salem, quick” call to Secretary of State Kate Brown. All
of this happened when it was dawning on the public
that Kitzhaber would face ethical and possibly criminal
investigations.
The most troubling development, however, was
Kitzhaber’s request to review his emails, apparently to
determine which amount to public business and which
are private, as reported Wednesday by OregonLive.
Such a move indicates Kitzhaber either had some-
thing to hide or believed it might appear that way. Ei-
ther that, or his request suggests he was trying to re-
member what he’d written in order to get his story
straight.
The timing of his request is remarkably bad for a
politician as experienced and savvy as John Kitzhaber,
and it exhibits intolerably bad judgment at the very
least.
If he does not resign, Kitzhaber’s future as governor
would amount to beachcombing at low tide, and finding
only the shell of leadership.
Mile-long trains are passing
along our side of the river, carry-
ing heavy crude oil from the Alber-
ta tar sands region. This fact was
reported February 9 by Oregon
Public Broadcasting:
www.opb.org/news/article/tar-
sands-crude-oil-moves-through-
northwest-in-mile-long-trains-as-
spill-planning-lags
Sometimes people have asked us,
“How do you know these crude oil
shipments are happening?” It’s an
excellent question. We know from
bits and pieces of information col-
lected from diverse sources. As the
article states, the railroad and the
shippers are not informing state or
local officials about these ship-
ments. I’ve learned that the Union
Pacific Railroad refuses to tell Sen-
ator Wyden’s office anything. If
one of these trains dumps this as-
phalt-like material into the Colum-
bia, it’s over for river life as we
know it: the stuf f cannot be
cleaned up in anything less than
many years, if ever. This potential
catastrophe cannot be allowed to
happen. Our elected officials and
the people whose job is to protect
us cannot do their jobs without
being informed by people whose
only concern is for profit.
David Hupp
Hood River
Appreciation
for ‘Props’
Mr. Ihle, your Feb. 11 letter “Pul-
pit Props” was very much appreci-
ated in light of what followed a few
columns over. Sometimes, however,
hyperbole helps to illustrate a
point or reveal the silliness of an
idea or paradigm.
Apparently there is a lot of
“eroding
of
f o u n d a t i o n s, ”
“crookedness,” and “flouting”
going on at the highest level of gov-
ernment, 100 percent of which is
entirely due to POTUS. I will be
grateful when the Republican-led
House can solve every problem
they complained about for the past
several years now that obstruction-
ist Democrats are in the minority.
Ta ke n o t e D e m o c r a t s a n d
POTUS. T here are some well
thought out and humane ways to
resolve our immigration issue
quickly and decisively:
Either build a huge wall and pro-
vide a lot of heavily armed guards
at short intervals, or just give a de-
cree to “Get out now. You cannot be
h e re ! ” ( I n s e r t h e av i ly a r m e d
guards here to ensure compliance.)
Those are the only two ideas I have
ever heard mentioned by the Re-
publicans in Congress.
I am not an orchardist, but can
tell you with certainty that some
need more workers at harvest time,
not less. So maybe more mature,
non-partisan dialogue is needed to
find some middle ground.
Steve Kaplan
Hood River
one right in front of me. Reacting
with rage and writhing in wrath, I
suddenly recalled a Johnny Carson
thought-provoking retort I could
use on that person behind the
wheel: “May 2,000 sand fleas infest
your shorts!” So I decided to tell
this meandering motorist those
exact words if the driver would
ever stop and park that thing. We
traveled here, there … everywhere,
but by the time we drew close to
Timberline Lodge, I had run out of
gas. The bumper sticker message,
you ask? “I’m battery powered and
you’re not!”
Bill Davis
Hood River
ABOUT LETTERS
Hood River News reminds letter
to the editor writers that shorter is
better. Concise letters are not only
better-read, they are more likely to
be published because limited
space is available.
Almost any point can be made
in 350 words or fewer, so this is set
as an upper level for length.
Thank-you letters are no longer
accepted, neither are unsigned let-
ters, letters signed with fictitious
signatures and copies of letters
sent to public officials.
We limit letters on a subject
when we feel it has been thorough-
ly aired, to the point of letters be-
coming repetitive.
Also rejected are letters that are
libelous, in bad taste or personal
attacks on individuals or private
businesses. Writers must include
addresses and telephone numbers.
These are for identification pur-
poses only, and will not be pub-
lished.
Bumper sticker
humor
The other day as I drove around
town searching for overly offensive
bumper stickers to assault and in-
sult my senses. Much to my dislike,
disgust and distain, I discovered
HOW TO HELP
Helping Hands Against Violence
W HERE TO WRITE
Helping Hands operates two facil-
ities that offer shelter and safety to
survivors of domestic violence and
sexual assault. Contact the office 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 de-
tergent, 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 of-
fice, copy paper, envelopes, letter
size file folders, stamps, post-its,
bottled water, tissues, and disinfec-
tant wipes.
For those in need of Helping
Hands services, here is the hotline
number: 541-386-6603.
President — Barack Obama, White House, 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave., Washington D.C., 20500
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
U.S. Senators — Jeff Merkley, SDB-40B, Dirksen Senate Office
Building, Washington D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-3753; E-mail:
oregon@merkley.senate.gov; Ron Wyden, 717 Hart Office Build-
ing, Washington D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244.
Web address: www.senate.gov/member/or/wyden/general/
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 Ben-
ton and Karen Joplin, Hood River County Courthouse, Hood River,
OR, 97031. Phone: 541-386-3970.
HR Care Center
The Family Council at the Hood
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
News:
Kirby Neumann-Rea
Editor
HRNews@hoodrivernews.com
River Care Center is seeking dona-
tions for wild birdseed, to be used
in filing the residents’ birdfeeders.
This is an activity which is enjoyed
all year round. Donations may be
dropped off at the Hood River Care
Center, 729 Henderson Road. For
delivery or pick-up, call Debbie
Medina, 541-490-1575 or Carol
Daniel, chairman, 541-490-6136 or
hrccfc551@gmail.com.
WANT IN?
If your non-profit is looking for
volunteers or has other needs,
send brief information to
hrnews@hoodrivenews.com.
From 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly,
homeless people can find a warm
place to sleep, bedding, meals, and
c o n n e c t i o n t o c o m m u n i t y re -
sources, all at no charge.
Veterans Office
Volunteer drivers from the Mid-
Columbia area are needed to take
veterans to the Portland VA Med-
ical Center. Oregon drivers must
have a valid driver’s license and a
good driving record. CDL is not
needed.
For more information, contact
the DAV Coordinator at 1-800-949-
1004, ext. 57804 or ext. 56957.
FISH
Warming Shelter
Visit hoodrivercares.org for de-
tails on how to assist Hood River
Warming Shelter, now located in
the former Expo Center at the wa-
terfront, through the end of the
season March 8.
Trisha Walker
News/Features
TWalker@hoodrivernews.com
The food bank program in Hood
River County can always use mon-
etary donations to help stock
shelves at sites in Hood River,
Parkdale, Odell and Cascade Locks.
Donations may be sent to 1767 12th
St., Box 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