Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2015)
A4 V IE WPO INT H o o d R i v e r N ew s , W e dn e s d a y , J u l y 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 JOE PE TSHOW TOM LANC TO T P u b l i s h e r / P r e s i d e n t , P a s t P r e s i d e n t , E a g l e N ew s p a p e r s , I n c . E a g l e N ew s p a p e r s , I n c . CHE LSEA MARR K IRBY NEUMANN -REA G e n e r a l M a n a g e r E d i t o r JODY THOMPSON TONY ME THV IN A d v e r t i s i n g M a n a g e r C o l um b i a G o r g e P r e s s M a n a g e r D ICK NA FS INGER DAV ID MARV IN e r i t u s ( 1 9 3 3 - 2 0 1 1 ) P r o d u c t i o n M a n a g e r P u b l i s h e r ,Em S u b s c r i p t i o n $ 4 2 p e r y e a r i n H o o d R i v e r t r a d e a r e a . $ 6 8 o u t s i d e t r a d e a r e a . NA T IONA L N EW S PA P ER A S SOC IA T ION OR EGON N EW S PA P ER PUB L I SH ER S A S SOC IA T ION P r i n t e d o n r e c y c l e d p a p e r . O f f i c i a l N ew s p a p e r , C i t y o f H o o d R i v e r a n d H o o d R i v e r C o u n t y P u b l i s h e d E v e r y W e d n e s d a y & S a t u r d a y b y H o o d R i v e r N ew s , P .O . B o x 3 9 0 , H o o d R i v e r , O r e g o n 9 7 0 3 1 • ( 5 4 1 ) 3 8 6 - 1 2 3 4 • FAX 3 8 6 - 6 7 9 6 M em b e r o f t h e A s s o c i a t e d P r e s s O ur r e a d e r s w r i t e P e t r em i n d e r Now tha t MaryJane is lega l , keep in m ind tha t i t ’ s a lso tox ic to your pe ts . Keep i t ou t o f reach , locked away a long w i th choco la te , brown ies and ra is ins . Mar ia Ko l las Hood R iv er H o n o r R o l l I was p leased to see Sena tor Chuck Thom sen and Repre sen ta t ive Mark John son on the Oregon ian ’ s 2015 Leg is la ture Honor Ro l l (Ju ly 19 ) . W e are for tuna te to have them work ing for the good o f u s a l l . Ru th Turner Hood R iv er Hood R iv e r N ew s r em ind s l e t t e r to th e ed i to r w r i t e r s tha t sho r t e r i s b e t t e r . Con c i s e l e t t e r s a r e no t on ly b e t t e r - r ead , th ey a r e mo r e l ik e ly to b e pub l i sh ed b e cau s e l im i t ed spa c e i s ava i lab l e . A lmo s t any po in t can b e mad e in 350 wo rd s o r l e s s , so th i s i s s e t a s an upp e r l ev e l fo r l eng th . L e t t e r s ex - c e ed ing 350 wo rd s w i l l e i th e r b e ed i t ed to 350 o r r e tu rn ed to th e w r i t e r fo r ed i t ing and r e subm i s - s ion . Un s ign ed l e t t e r s , l e t t e r s s ign ed w i th f ic t i t ious s igna tur es and cop i e s o f l e t t e r s s en t to pub l i c o f f i - c ia l s a r e no t a c c ep t ed . W e l im i t l e t t e r s on a sub j e c t wh en w e f e e l i t ha s b e en tho rough ly a i r ed , to th e po in t o f l e t t e r s b e com ing r ep e t i t iv e . A l so r e j e c t ed a r e l e t t e r s tha t a r e l ib e lou s , in bad ta s t e o r p e r sona l a t - ta ck s on ind iv idua l s or pr iva t e bu s in e s s e s . W r i t e r s mu s t in c lud e add r e s s e s and t e l ephon e numb e r s . Th e s e a r e fo r id en t i f i ca t ion pu rpo s - e s on ly and w i l l no t b e pub l i sh ed . G o t o t h e F a i r V o lun t e e r s m a k e i t a b lu e r i b b on e x p e r i en c e Y ■ On the top ic o f pa rk ing : la s t y ea r , the fa i r expanded pa rk ing to p r iva te p rope r ty on loan we s t o f the schoo l ground s . I t can fee l l ike a long way to wa lk fo r peop le , and th i s y ea r the fa i r boa rd , wi th he lp f rom a coup le o f bene fac to r s , ha s mov ed to dea l w i th tha t rea l i ty . G r i f f i th Mo to r s and Le s Schwab T i re s gene rou s ly do - na ted two go l f coa r t s to the Fa i rground s — they ’ l l be u sed a t o the r ev en t s , too — and tho se ca r t s a re su re to be we l l - u sed . Peop le w i th mob i l i ty l im i ta t ion s can f lag down the ca r t in the pa rk ing a rea s fo r a l i f t to the fa i rground s (and back ) o r hop aboa rd a t the fa i r o f f ice and take the ca r t to loca t ion s inc lud ing the an ima l ba rn s , ho r se a rena , o r foo t - ba l lf ie ld . Fa i r boa rd ’ s R ed Lago and regu la r fa i r “chau f feu r” Je rry Pe t r icko a re su re to keep bu sy w i th th i s expanded se rv ice . Mo s t o f wha t happen s a t the fa i r come s f rom peop le s ’ dona ted t ime and e f fo r t . I t ’ s ha rd to say enough abou t the ro le o f the vo lun tee r s a t the fa i r , and i t i s impo s s ib le to pay t r ibu te to each one . I t s ta r t s w i th the men and women o f L ion s who s tand in the ho t sun mak ing su re pa rk ing happen s sa fe ly and e f - f ic ien t ly a t wha t amoun t s to fou r sepa ra te lo t s . The supe rvi so r s and vo lun tee r s in each Open C la s s and you th a rea de se rv e a co l lec t iv e thank s fo r the hund red s o f hou r s they pu t in to th i s , y ea r - round . Thank s in advance , too , to a l l the bu s ine s se s and ind i - v idua l s who p lace b id s a t the a l l - impo r tan t l iv e s tock auc - t ion on Fr iday n igh t . And , f ina l ly , thank s go to a l l the peop le who en te r i tem s in the fa i r . They hav e taken the t ime to do so , and some - wha t b rav e ly d i sp lay the f ru i t s o f the i r e f fo r t s in a w ide va r ie ty o f sk i l l s and in te re s t a rea s . One o f the be s t way s to thank them i s to look a round and con s ide r do ing some - th ing s im i la r in the 2016 fa i r , pe rhap s you w i l l end up mak - ing i t you r own b lue r ibbon expe r ience . A s you know , there i s k ind o f a drough t in Oregon . W e need to u se ter . U se spr ink ler s ha l f a s l e s swa much , take a shor ter shower , be aware o f how much wa ter you u se . Toge ther we can make a d i f ference . E lana G la t ter Hood R iv er ABOU T L E T T ER S P h o t o b y K i r b y N e um a n n -R e a TA L L CEDARSi n t h e F a i r g r o u n d P a r k p r o v i d e s h a d e a n d a g a t h e r - i n g p l a c e f o r a v a r i e t y o f e v e n t s t h i s w e e k . ou can coun t on the Fa ir for a b lue r ibbon expe - r ience . From the an ima l s to the r ide s to the a r t d i s - p lay s to the de l ic iou s (and , okay , no t a lway s “hea l thy” ) food on and a round the m idway , th i s y ea r ’ s fa i r w i l l p rov ide much o f wha t you come to expec t . Th i s fa i r i s a lway s fam i ly - f r iend ly , o f fe r ing d i s t inc t g l imp se s in to loca l peop le s ’ ta len t s and in te re s t s . The fa i r i s one o f the be s t en te r ta inmen t va lue s a round , fo r the numbe r o f th ing s to do and see — mo s t o f them f ree w i th adm i s s ion — inc lud ing conce r t s , l iv e s tock judg ing , k id s ’ ac t iv i t ie s , and mo re . Ju s t fo r s ta r te r s : th ing s tha t sme l l good o r appea l to the ey e , the wh i r and squea l o f the m idway , and examp le s o f you r ne ighbo r s ’ c rea t iv i ty , k i tchen ta len t s , o r green thumb s . The fa i r i s a co rnucop ia tha t m igh t no t rev ea l lo t s o f su rp r i se s , bu t the r ichne s s i s an annua l t rad i t ion : baked good s , the a r t fu l f la i r o f ja r s o f pea r s and che rr ie s , photo s o r ce ram ic s en te red in the a r t show , the ou t f i t s k id s c rea te and exh ib i t in the 4 -H Fa sh ion R evue . New th i s y ea r i s B ig W ind s ’ appea rance Sa tu rday w i th gea r to g iv e w ind -and wa te r spo r t newcome r s an idea o f the fun to be had on the Co lumb ia . I t ’ s good to see some - th ing o f the wa te r f ron t come to the fa i rground s lawn . The Sen io r Expo i s ano the r new fea tu re o f the fa i r , on Thu r sday , i t i s a p r ime oppo r tun i ty to lea rn abou t se rv ice s and idea s fo r the e lde r ly and fo r fam i ly membe r s and f r iend s who wan t to expand the i r know ledge in he lp ing se - n io r s mee t the i r cha l lenge s . The fa i r th i s y ea r boa s t s expanded eque s t r ian oppo r tu - n i t ie s , inc lud ing a showca se o f H i span ic ho r se s and r ide r s , and the ev e r -en te r ta in ing team penn ing compe t i t ion s , a t the Frank He rman A rena . D o p a r t ANOTHER VO ICE Ombud sm en n e ed ed to ad vo c a t e fo r r e s id en t s o f c a r e f a c i l i t i e s B BY AR T LABROUSSE ear w i th me a b i t a s we take a look a t how i t wou ld be to be con f ined to a sma l l room . Y ou have l i t t le say in who the per son i s tha t you share tha t room w i th . Y ou are dependen t on your care - taker s to make sure you are sa fe , to make sure you have food to ea t , tha t you are ab le to u se the re s troom — when they are ab le to a s s i s t you . Un t i l then , you have to wa i t . Y ou may ge t ou t o f your room to ea t in a d in ing ha l l . The food i s b land . Y ou may no t be u sed to i t or even l ike i t , bu t tha t i s a l l there is to . Y our d ie tary need s are me t , bu t eat s ince there may be over a hundred o f you , they have to cook for a l l o f you , and ind iv idua l ta s te s are se l - dom con s idered . Y ou may have a per iod o f t ime for recrea t ion , bu t then you once aga in go back to tha t sma l l room , where you spend mo s t o f your day . Y ou are a lone . There are few , i f any , fr iend s to v i s i t w i th you , and your fam i ly may have abandoned you . Y ou are con f ined to a sma l l room — tha t is your ex is tence , every day fe . for the res t o f your l i Sounds l ike a ja i l , doesn ’ t i t ? Bu t wha t I have jus t descr ibed is how hundreds o f peop le w i th in our coun t ies l ive the ir l ives every s in - g le day . They are no t in ja i l . They are cared for by peop le in fac i l i t ies tha t s tr ive to mee t the ir every need , car ing for and g iv ing them com for t . They are our e lder ly or d isab led who res ide in a fac i l i ty because they can no longer care for them - se lves . Th is is the ir home , th is is where they l ive . Th is is the ir ex is tence . for the res t o f the ir l i fe There are laws , ru les and regu la - t ions tha t govern each o f these fa - c i l i t ies . In add i t ion , there are po l i - c ies and procedures tha t each fa - c i l i ty has se t up to care for the res - iden ts . i l i t ie s tha t I am aware o f Thefac in Hood R iver , Wa sco and Sherman coun t ie s do the be s t they can to in - sure the proper care o f the ir re s i - den t s . I have ob served emp loyee s go ou t o f the ir way , do ing th ing s on the ir own t ime , to a s s i s t the re s i - den t s and the ir spec ia l need s when - ever po s s ib le . Bu twho the per son the re s iden t i scan be lo s t in the crowd o f o ther s who a l so have per sona l need s — some grea ter , some le s ser , bu t a l l in - d iv idua l s who once were ac t ive and se l f - su f f ic ien t adu l t s . Now , they are dependen t on o ther peop le — s tranger s — for the ir we l l - be ing . Tha t i s the ir l i fe . Wha t can you do to make i t be t ter ? The S ta te o f Oregon ha s a man - da te to in sure tha t every re s iden t o f every fac i l i ty dea l ing w i th the se c i t - i zen s i s fo l low ing the law . Oregon Long -Term Care Ombud sman , over - see ingthe fac i l i t ie s ha s seven fu l l - t ime Depu ty Long -Term Care Om - bud smen emp loyee s who advoca te for re s iden t s , promo te the ir we l fare and pro tec t the ir r igh t s . The se men and women are re spon s ib le for more than 42 ,000 re s iden t s through - ou t Oregon . Over 1000 re s ide in Wa sco , Hood R iver and Sherman coun t ie s . Obv iou s ly tho se seven peop le canno t beg in to per form th i s func - t ion on the ir own . The Long -Term Care Ombud sman program i s de - s igned to re ly on vo lun t eer s , Cer t i - f iedOmbud smen , in every area to in sure the proper care i s be ing g iven . Curren t ly there are no vo lun teer s in Wa sco , Hood R iver and Sherman coun t ie s . I u sed to be one ; i t wa s a sa t i s fy ing and reward ing po s i t ion , bu t un for tuna te ly , I have med ica l i s - sue s tha t have cau sed me to s tep down . I t i sn ’ t for everyone — i t can be try ing and hear t wrench ing . Some re s iden t s are d i f f icu l t , o ther s are unab le to commun ica te , and o ther s w i l l re jec t a s s i s tance in fear o f re t - r ibu t ion from an emp loyee . l so be very reward ing a s a I tcan a per son ’ s l i fe become s a l i t t le ea s ier ; even a sma l l s tep make s a b ig d i f fer - ence in the re s iden t ’ s l i fe . A vo lun teer undergoe s a back - ground check to in sure they are compe ten t to do the work and are tru s twor thy . They come from a l l wa lk s o f l i fe ; the ir exper ience s he lp them become good advoca te s . They are g iven f ive day s o f tra in - ing to or ien t them to the law s and wha t the ir ro le a s an Ombud sman i s — bu t they are no t le f t a lone . They have a lmo s t in s tan t acce s s to thefu l l - t ime s ta f f a s s igned to the area and w i l l be g iven gu idance a s needed . The se e lder ly c i t i zen s are no t face le s s peop le , warehou sed in a fa - c i l i ty ; the se fac i l i t ie s are occup ied by our paren t s , unc le s , aun t s , bro th - er s , s i s ter s , ne ighbor s — and , one day , maybe one o f u s . W e wan t to in sure the fac i l i t ie s are do ing the very be s t they can for our loved one s and for tho se tha t may have been forgo t ten by the ir fam i l ie s and the re s t o f soc ie ty . AnOmbud sman i s an advoca te f or the re s iden t s . He/ she i s no t a par t o f the fac i l i ty ’ s team — and can o f ten be a t odd s w i th the fac i l i - ty or po l ic ie s wh i le advoca t ing for the re s iden t . I encourage you to look in to the program , ta lk to an Ombud sman to see i f you m igh t wan t to be in - vo lved , or g ive me a ca l l and I w i l l be g lad to share my exper ience s w i th you . The Ombud sman i s independen t , w i th the so le re spon s ib i l i ty o f mak - ing sure tha t each re s iden t i s prop - er ly cared for and i s l iv ing in asa fe andsecure env ironmen t . I sn ’ t tha t wha t you wan t for your fam i ly member ? ■ Ar t Labrou s s e l iv e s in Th e Da l l e s .