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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2015)
A4 V IEWPOINT Hood River News, Saturday, May 9, 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. Thanks for kindness KIRBY NEUMANN-REA Editor Thank you to the kind man who gave an eight-year-old boy an extra dollar at Rosauers last weekend to buy ice cream for his grandpa’s birthday cake. It was the second or third time he’s ventured to the store on his own, and he hasn’t learned yet how everything works. Thank you for being the sort of person who notices and helps. I wanted you to know that you also helped me (his mom) to let him go a little more, and know that he’ll be okay out there. Leah Hedberg Hood River 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 McCarthy for Parks and Rec Member of the Associated Press Good Parents Resources rise for local families T here’s a scene in the play “Good People,” on stage at CAST, in which two friends from the same South Boston neighborhood debate why one of them succeeded in life and the other did- n’t — how one got “a leg up.” Hard work is one thing, but to what extent do circumstances determine how we fare later on? “You had a parent checkin’ your homework,” the out- of-work single mom tells the physician, 30 years since they last saw each other. No one factor decides how a person will do in life, and the play considers the general socio-economic fac- tors which might have hindered kids growing up in South Boston, the same things that can hinder a kid in any town in Oregon: low income, uncertain nutrition and housing, unsafe neighborhoods, lack of health care, and absent or uninvolved parents. But a parent checking homework, or in some similar way taking the time and showing an interest, is undeni- ably a positive influence. And sometimes it is the parent that needs “a leg up.” Next week is National Parenting Education Week, and as future editions of the Hood River News will show, more and more things are happening in Hood River County in terms of giving parents new and better tools for nurturing their children. As well, there are those mentoring programs that serve as an auxiliary to meeting the challenges of serving kids who could use a bit of attention that parents might not give or be equipped to give. These include the newly-formed Home Visiting Con- nection, coordinated by Hood River County Health De- partment and North Central Public Health District, in association with other seven other sponsoring agencies in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam counties. The Connection provides education and outreach for families, women and babies on subjects ranging from car seat safety and post-natal questions to safe relation- ships and toddler behavior concerns. The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative re- ports that brain research shows that the quality of par- enting affects a child’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Good parenting is not instinc- tive, it is learned, and that parenting education honors the important work that parents do, helping them gain skills and strategies, as well as realistic expectations for themselves and their child. According to the Collaborative: ■ Improved knowledge of positive parenting prac- tices will promote loving and skilled parents, helping ensure the well-being of children. ■ Parenting practices are significantly influenced by one’s own upbringing; ■ Of all the things that influence a child’s growth and development, the most critical is reliable, responsive, and sensitive parenting; ■ Children must have early relationships that pro- vide stability, consistency, affection, and responsiveness as well as protection from harm and support for growth of new skills and capabilities. Access to help is already a proven priority among local social service agencies, and more help is on the way. It neither starts nor ends with checking your kids’ homework, but involves establishing a consistent aware- ness and attitude so that parents see fit to do so, and kids know they can expect such nurture. 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 — 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/ 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 Operations: Joe Petshow Publisher President, Eagle Newspapers JPetshow@hoodrivernews.com Chris Stenberg Bookkeeper CStenberg@hoodrivernews.com Front Office/ Classified Advertising: Kelly Gallagher Eagle Classified Director KGallagher@eaglenewspapers.com Stacey Methvin Classifieds/Receptionist HRNClass@hoodrivernews.com SMethvin@hoodrivernews.com I strongly support Michael Mc- Carthy for the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District Board. Mike is one of the most ex- perienced and thoughtful people I know. He has lived and farmed in Parkdale for over thirty years and has served our community for decades on a wide variety of elect- ed and volunteer boards, including Hood River County Fair 4H and FFA Livestock Auction, Middle Fork Irrigation District, Crystal Springs Water District, chairman of Hood River Grower Shipper As- sociation Marketing Committee, and Hood River Valley Residents Committee. Along with a wealth of experi- ence, Mike also has clear goals for the Parks District. While operation and maintenance of the pool should continue to be the primary function of the Parks District, he also believes in working coopera- tively with other public entities in the county on a long-term plan for the efficient management of area parks and the development of new athletic fields for our youth sports. Mike has stressed the importance of transparency and financial re- sponsibility in all his public work. If elected, he will bring the same values of accountability to his role on the HRVPRD board. Please join me in voting for Michael McCarthy for Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation Dis- trict. Ron Cohen Mt Hood-Parkdale It’s gorse, of course That yellow wanton weed Extract it I say But Scottish broom in bloom, in- vading blight, Brighter than the moon at night, Distracts us from our course, Extract it I say Keep it at bay Resist that yellow tide Let native plants abide Extract it I say And with it, all deception nd de- ceit. Chris Emerson Hood River Return college to health My name is Lee Fairchild and I am running for the CGCC Board of Education because, like most of you, I believe that there are very serious problems at the college that can be repaired by a more proactive board. I believe that the CGCC budget over the last few years is unsustainable, and also be- lieve that the current cuts pro- posed to improve the budget bal- ance are too heavily weighted to- ward reducing what the college is there for — teaching classes and helping students get a quality edu- cation. My experience will give me the perspective needed to solve the dif- ficult problems the board faces. My background includes earning a PhD in Geology and teaching at the university level. I understand how the academic system works. I have also worked for corporations large and small during my career and for Circulation: Esther K. Smith Circulation Manager (541) 386-1234 Ext. 205 ESmith@hoodrivernews.com News: Kirby Neumann-Rea Editor HRNews@hoodrivernews.com Ben Mitchell News/Features BenMitchell@hoodrivernews.com the last 15 years have run my own geologic consulting business. I know how to approach budgetary problems from both an academic view point and a practical business view point. Finally, my wife and I have con- tributed substantially to the CGCC foundation for many years, so we have a personal financial incentive to ensure that the college remains a viable and thriving institution for years to come. I hope that you will elect me to the board so that I can represent you in the process of returning the CGCC to good health. Lee Fairchild Mt Hood-Parkdale College support With CGCC being in such dire fi- nancial straits, it is extremely im- portant that we have an attentive board of directors. Sadly, this is not the case now. Four members from Wasco County are asleep at the wheel, and two of three members from Hood River County may be awake, but they don’t know which direction to turn. (The exception is Stu Watson, who actual- ly does his homework and comes to meetings prepared. Re-elect Stu Wat- son.) In addition to re-electing Mr. Wat- son, I urge voters to vote for Lee Fairchild and Guy Fenner, both of whom are intellectually engaged. We need board members who are more than a rubber stamp. Watson, Fairchild and Fenner will oversee college business with careful eyes, and that is what we need. Tim Schell Portland CGCC Board openings There are three open Hood River positions on the May ballot for community college board members in the Columbia Gorge Community College district. After serving for 15 years, I’ll be stepping down to possibly apply for part-time teach- ing positions at the college when they arise. Obviously I can’t be an employee if I’m also a board member. CGCC, like nearly all community colleges in the country, belongs to the national Association of Com- munity College Trustees (ACCT) organization. ACCT provides state and local CC organizations help and resources in college policy for- mation, board training and gover- nance, and other programs and services. At the core of these is the ACCT Code of Ethics and Best Practices, which CC boards use as a foundation at their local institu- tions. Central to standards is that the board represents the community in- terests and investment in their local college. The board is responsible for hiring a college president to imple- ment college policies approved by the board. As such, the board is ex- pected to cooperate with and sup- port the president, who is their only staff connection to the college. The board determines the overall poli- cies and does not get involved with internal day-to-day operations. Ob- viously, through the president, the board also represents management in labor negotiations. The board is expected to focus on the success of the entire college as a For Brostoff We’d like to encourage you to vote for our friend Rob Brostoff for District 1 position on our school board, representing West Side and Cascade Locks elementary schools. Rob has represented the people of Cascade Locks on the school board for three years. He’s also mentored our elementary students in chess and works with the SMART pro- gram, reading to our students. In addition, he’s a current member of our Port budget committee and has been on the budget committee for the city, served as councilman and planning commissioner. He also served on the emergency services committee, rebuilding our fire and ambulance services. When he’s not working for us here, he’s working on minimum wage and affordable housing issues in the greater Port- land area as a member of Port- land’s City Club, where he’s on the research board. Please help main- tain the quality of Hood River schools and bring equity and op- portunity for all Hood River stu- dents. Joe and Nancy Renault Cascade Locks Need coverage It would be a great service to the electorate of H.R. County if this mass media (H.R. News) would treat these District elections similar to the City Council and County Com- missioner’s elections, affording us with the candidate’s qualifications and goals for their desired position of public service, rather than the electorate depending on biased let- ters to this column. Alan Winans Hood River Support Arnold Charlotte Arnold has proved her commitment for lifelong learning by working tirelessly as a board member at CGCC for the past four years. Charlotte will help lead the college in facing the challenges as the state grapples with funding ed- ucation in Oregon. Charlotte is passionate about assuring that the college remains a viable education- al intuition in the face of these dif- ficult times. Please help her con- tinue her effort. Re-elect her to Po- sition 4 on the CGCC Board for an- other four years! Joanne Pollack Hood River Trisha Walker News/Features TWalker@hoodrivernews.com Liana Stegall Advertising Sales LStegall@hoodrivernews.com LisaAnn Kawachi News/Features LKawachi@hoodrivernews.com Kirsten Lane Advertising Sales KLane@hoodrivernews.com Patrick Mulvihill News/Features PMulvihill@hoodrivernews.com Ailene Hibbard Archivist Advertising: Jim Drake Entertainment JDrake@hoodrivernews.com whole and not just a few individuals or personal interests, just as the community would expect. Although a board member might disagree with other members over an issue, once a board decision is made then all members are to sup- port that decision and speak with one voice. Public dissent not only cripples the board, but also devalues the college to students, employees, and the community. Open communi- cations and transparency, within the law, is paramount. Of the candidates running for the open Hood River positions, I person- ally know that Charlotte Arnold (in- cumbent), Becky Kopecky, and Christina Suarez all pledge to abide by the ACCT Code of Ethics and Good Practice standards, and I sup- port their election to the CGCC board. Dave Fenwick Hood River Jody Thompson Advertising Manager JThompson@hoodrivernews.com Production: 419 State Street Hood River, OR 97031 P.O. Box 390 Phone: (541) 386-1234 David Marvin Production Manager DMarvin@hoodrivernews.com Tony Methvin Plant Manager (541) 386-1234 TMethvin@columbiagorgepress.com Jim Drake Production JDrake@hoodrivernews.com Sarah Methvin Sales/Customer Service SDMethvin@columbiagorgepress.com Lisa Becharas Commercial Printing LBecharas@columbiagorgepress.com
