hoodrivernews.com
Wednesday, January 1, 2020 A5
HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore.
Dear readers: Thanks for writing
Paul Crowley
Below is the Hood River
Susan Crowley 3
News’ annual listing of the
Christopher Cruz
writers of letters to the editor.
Carolyn Crystal*
These letters were compiled
Steve “Squrl” Curley
between Jan. 2 and Dec. 28,
Steve Curtiss 2
2019. See A4 for a synopsis of
popular topics for the year.
Note: An asterisk (*) denotes D
those who co-signed letters, and
Lynda Dallman* 2
a number denotes the total let-
Peter Dallman
ters written by that person.
J. F. DaLuz
Margo Dameier 2
A
Daniel Dancer 2
Celia Acosta
Bob Danko
Alejandro Aguilera Cano
Justin Danner 2
Cindy Allen 2
Marti Dane*
Jessica Allen
Jon Davies
Gloria Arnold
Bill Davis 16
Loran Ayles 2
Bryan Davis
Judy Davis
B
Richard Davis 5
Chris Dennett
Arthur Babitz
James Denton
Alan Bailey 3
Carl DeWitt
Cheyenne Baker
Willie Dickerson 3
Junie Baker
Ellen Donoghue*
Belinda Ballah
Sheila Dooley
Antonio Baptista 9
John Dorsey
Carolyn Barber
Fred Duckwall
Carrington “Ceb” Barrs*
Ricki Duckwall 2
Mason Bates
Kellie Dunn
Susan Bellinson 6
Lara Dunn 4
Jessica Berty
Ron Dunn
Dick and Wendy Best
David Dye
Wendy Best 2
Doug Beveridge
E
Roger and Linda Blashfield
David Bohlmann
Jim Eastman
Rev. John Boonstra* 5
Kenneth Ebi 8
John Brennan
Nicholas Eby
Lottie Bromham*
Brent Emmons
Rob Brostoff 14
Lyric Emmons
Al Brown 3
Eva Estes
Tonya Brumley
Lisa Evans
Becky Brun
Pat Evenson-Brady
Eric Burnette*
F
Stephen Burdick 2
Erin Burnham, MD
Mike Farmer 2
Pennie Burns 2
Sam Fauth
Jules Burton
Adrian Fields
Gary Fields 16
C
Irene Fields*
Jane Camero 3
John Fine
Kathy Mariah Carlson
Patty Fink
Brian Carlstrom 5
Fran Finney
Devin Carroll
Rebekah Fisher
Alonso Castillo
Kristyn Fix
Tina Castañares 2
Beth Flake 3
Linda Chamberlain
Mary-Ethel Foley
Kristi Chapman 2
Elizabeth Foster, MD
Jay Chrisman
Mike Fox
John Christensen
Scott Franke
Jeremy Cervantes
Joanne Franz
Jatziri Chavarria
Daniel Fritz
Deborah Chenoweth 2
Susan Froehlich 4
Damon Clegg*
Ann Frodel 2
Avi Cohn 3
Susan Frost
Eric Cohn 3
G
Tabitha Colie*
Chris Connolly
Susan Gabay
Ed Cooper 2
Gerald Gard
Peter Cornelison** 5
Kari Goben
Dani Correa
Aileen Gonzalez
Tim Counihan
Nicole Goode
Suzanne Cross 2
Gretchen Goss
Donna Grey-Davis
Jess Groves
H
Mike Kitts 3
Jim Klaas 2
Amy Klee*
Jen Klee*
Christine Knowles* 2
Maria Kollas 2
Keely Kopetz
Ruth Kosmalski
Tom Kosmalski
Courtney and Rob Kovacich
Rob Kovacich 2
Helen Krehbiel
Rod Krehbiel 5
Sue Kusch
Jennifer Hackett
Janet Hamada
Corinda Hankins, MD
Jennifer Hanlon Wilde 2
Karen Harding
Ronald Harriman
Mike Harrington 5
Ann Harris* 2
Jo Ann Harris
Paul Harshbarger
Melissa Haskin
L
Annabel Hawley
Jim Hayes
Travis Lage
Chuck Haynie
Anson Lane
Katie Haynie
Susan Lannak 2
Erick and Katie Haynie
Jon & Debra Laraway
Health Professionals at One
Pamela Larsen
Community Health
Rick Larson 3
Amy KW Heil
Alyssa Lee
Peyton Helm
Timothy Lee
Mike Hendricks
Debbie Lingel
Jurgen Hess
Jerry Luke
Leonard Hickman
M
Lucy Hill
Patrick Hiller 2
Harold McBain*
Ethan Hillmick
Richard McBee
Chuck Hinman
Kate McBride
John Hlavek
Ken McCarty*
Julya Hoffman
Joe McCulloch 2
Kate Hoffman
Alison McDonald 3
Leanne Hogie 2
Michael McElwee
Sage Hoke
Gary McFarlen 3
Linda Holloway
David McKay 2
Jill Jolene Holmes
Douglas McKee
Tracie Hornung 7
Rose McLeod
Avery Hoyt 2
Bailey McManus
Jeff Hunter 3
Linda Maddox
David Hupp 9
Michon Mainwaring
Russ Hurlbert 3
Ruth Maletz
Michael Hustman
P.W. May
Cassandra Medley
I
Chris Medley
Nicolia Mehrling*
Samantha Irwin
Leslie Melby
Richard Iverson 3
Lisa Merkin
J
Jessica Metta
John Metta 2
Mary Jette
Maui Meyer
Nancy Johanson Paul 8
Dave Michalek 3
Douglas Johnston
Adam Mims
Mark Johnson
Jeff Mitchell
Marty Johnson
Tim Mixon
Susan Johnson
Nancy Moller
Bill Jones
Mike Monahan
Debby Jones
Sandy Montag
Jonathan Jones
Heather Moore, PETA
Nik Jones
Matt Morrow
Ninette Jones
Gabriela Jorge 2
N
Kathy Jubitz
Gabriel Judah
David Nash
Emma Neiworth Petshow
K
Roger Neufeldt 4
Steve Kaplan 33
Bonnie New 3
Tom Kaser
Jon Nigbor
Sarah Kellems
Markus Norvick*
Micaela Keller
Nan Noteboom 2
Debbie Kelly
Steve Nybroten 6
Thomas Joseph Keolker
O
Elaine Kirby
Nick Kirby
Mike Oates*
Susan Sorensen
Linda Sparks
Megan Spears
Natalie Speck
Tres Spicher
Michael Sprague
Rhonda Starling
Heather Staten
John Stevens 2
Rev. Vicky Stifter 2
Ian Stormquist
Eric Strid* 2
Michael Stroud
Lance S. Stryker 2
Bill Sturman
Andres Ochoa
Carol Oji 2
Lucas O’Laughlin*
Joe O’Neill*
Olivia O’Shea
Randy Orzeck
Susan Orzeck
Jennifer Ouzounian
P
Andrea Pacheco*
Russ Paddock
Vic Pavlenko
Shannon Perry
Dave Phelps
Laurent Picard
Luan Pinson
Sue Powers
Pat Price
T
Georgia Tate
Renee Taylor
Wanda Taylor
Dave Thies 2
Paul Thompson 2
Vern Thornburg
Pam Tindall
Melia Tolle
Tracey Tomashpol 4
Shelley Toon Lindberg*
Brian Towey
Esteban Trejo
Rich Truax
Ruth Tsu 2
Ruth Turner 3
Q
Olivia Quiroz
R
Megan Ramey
Darrell Roberts
Chrissy Reitz
Dick Reed
Jim Reed 3
Colleen Regalbuto*
Max Reitz*
Mark Reynolds 2
Kirby Richards*
Ron Rivers*
Darrell Roberts 3
Chris Robuck 2
Allan Rodrick
Carol Rodrick 3
Andy Roof*
Doug Roof 3
Doug and Karen Roof
Suzie Root
Donald Rose 16
Paige Rouse 2
Sandi Rousseau
Zed Ruhlen
David Russo 2
Peter Rutkowski
S
Ed Salminen
Melanie Salsbury
Nicolas Salter
Gordy Sato
Kathy Sauer-Bishop
Anne Saxby
Jon Schlecht
Robert Scobee
Scott Scrimshaw
Bernard Seeger
George Selleck 2
Donna Schindler-Munro 2
Mark Schrankel
Joe Sheahan
Jay Sherrerd
Beverly Sherrill
Benjamin Sheppard 20
Michelle Sibley*
Heidi Shoup Nastasi
Tony Sims 2
Carolyn Smale 5
Mark Smith
Nathan Smith 2
Linda Snyder
U
Eileen K. Utroske
V
Leticia Valle
Dave Van Cott
Heidi Venture 5
Erick von Lubken
W
Cindy Walbridge
Jan Wallace
David Warnock 18
Stu Watson 2
J. Andrew Weerts 2
Larry and Jeanine Wehr
Jones
Carolyn Welty
Lindsy Weseman 2
Justin White
Robert White 3
Layla Whiteside
Liz Whitmore
Bob Williams 2
Alan Winans 6
Richard Withers* 3
Marilyn Wong
John Wood
Polly Wood
Caleb Woodruff
XY
Ron Yamashita 3
Tom Yates
Gary Young * 4
Z
Mark Zanmiller
Jeff Zipfel
Hood River News Letters Policy, in detail
In every issue of the Hood
River News, the “Our Readers
Write” column is a vital part of
the community forum.
We welcome letters to the
editor submissions on any topic
(though “thank you” letters,
in most cases, will run on the
Community page, so feel free to
write them).
The basic elements of the
letters policy is this: 350 words,
maximum, and attach your
name and hometown (for print)
and daytime phone (not for
print).
Anonymous or “name with-
held by request” letters are
never published.
Letters are subject to editing
for length and will be edited,
or declined, based on content
that is malicious or identifiably
inaccurate.
Hood River News reminds
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.
■
We hear expressly at times,
and “through the wire” other
times, that the newspaper
“chose” not to run a particular
letter because it said one thing
or another.
Here, at the start of 2020, is a
good time to reiterate that this
is simply never the case. We do
not “pick and choose.”
It is true that we decline to
run the occasional letter — but
only because it does not meet
any of the standards or re-
quirements spelled out above:
No signature or our inability to
verify authorship, presence of
malicious or erroneous materi-
al, or surpassing length.
Also, we strive to fact-check
letters and apply an “editor’s
note” as needed. It is impossible
to “catch everything,” but if a
statement or citation is known
to us to be incorrect, incom-
plete, or out of context, we
attempt to correct or add details
as the situation dictates.
Just about any point of view
is welcome, and no distinctions,
yea or nay, are made based on
the opinion itself — just how
the writer expresses it. Nothing
is eliminated based on topic
or point of view, although the
News reserves the right to select
from similar letters on a given
topic for space reasons; this
dynamic will no doubt become
a cogent reality in the coming
Primary and General Election
periods of the year 2020.
Yet, we also make an effort
to provide extra space in those
times we have plenty of letters;
in case of space restrictions, we
choose a representative sam-
pling from both sides of a given
concern.
Further, we keep a careful list
of who writes, and about what,
for the annual Our Readers
Write list. We bring it again to
our readers, on this page, as
a way of looking back on the
opinion year 2019.
Cross-river and cross-aisle federal business development
grants directed at Eagle Creek fire damage recovery
A bipartisan press release
from federal legislators from
Oregon and Washington:
Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merk-
ley and Ron Wyden, U.S. Sena-
tor Patty Murray (D-WA), and
Representative Greg Walden
(R-OR-5), recently announced
that the 2020 spending bill
passed by Congress will in-
clude $2 million in new fund-
ing for rural business devel-
opment grants, with priority
given to National Scenic Areas
that have been devastated by
wildfires, such as the Columbia
River Gorge.
This funding is intended
to be used by entities such as
the Mid-Columbia Economic
Development District to create
revolving loan funds to help
support local Gorge business-
es as they recover and grow
following the Eagle Creek Fire.
“I’ve been fighting for a long
time to help the Gorge get the
economic development as-
sistance that was supposed to
come with the scenic area, and
it’s more important than ever
after the Eagle Creek Fire,” said
Merkley, who serves on the
powerful Senate Appropria-
tions Committee, which directs
federal spending. “Wildfire can
be devastating for any small
business, but it’s particularly
devastating in areas like the
Gorge, where the economy is
interconnected with outdoor
recreation. This assistance will
make sure the small businesses
that are the heart and soul of
our local Gorge economies can
come back stronger than ever.”
“These resources are a must
for the full recovery of the
Gorge’s businesses from the
devastation of the Eagle Creek
wildfire,” Wyden said. “Many of
these job-creating businesses
play key roles in the Gorge’s
world-renowned recreation
economy and I am gratified
that our work to help them
continue to grow has succeed-
ed.”
“The Columbia Gorge Na-
tional Scenic Area is one of
our most treasured natural
areas in the Pacific Northwest,
and I’m glad to see Congress
allocate these funds to support
economic development in the
region and aid its continued
recovery following the tragic
Eagle Creek Fire,” Murray said.
“I’m thankful to my colleagues
in Oregon for their work on
this issue and their partnership
throughout the years to bolster
communities along both sides
of the Columbia River Gorge,
and I won’t stop pushing for
stronger federal investments to
continue moving these critical
efforts forward.”
“I was glad to work with Sen.
Merkley and our colleagues
across the river in Washing-
ton to fight for this remaining
funding owed to our commu-
nities under the Columbia
Gorge National Scenic Area
Act,” Walden said. “As the area
continues to recover from the
effects of the Eagle Creek Fire,
these funds are all the more
important and I look forward
to President Trump signing
this legislation into law.”
“I appreciate the hard work
of our Senators, Representa-
tives, and the advocacy from
many of our community part-
ners who understand the crit-
ical function this expanded
access to capital plays in the
ability for the Gorge econ-
omy to continue to thrive
and prosper,” said Amanda
Hoey, executive director of
the Mid-Columbia Economic
Development District.
The 2020 spending bill has
passed both the Senate and the
House of Representatives, and
United States Forest Service photo
has been signed into law by the
BIPARTISAN efforts yielded $2 million in development grants that will be turned into a revolving
president.
loan fund for businesses affected by the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire in the west Gorge.