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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2020)
A4 Wednesday, February 5, 2020 HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore. hoodrivernews.com OPINION Our Readers Write Ending corruption Here’s some good political news! There is a national or- ganization, www.represent.us, who’s only mission is to end corruption in American pol- itics. Independent polls have shown that over 80 percent of Republicans, Democrats and Independents support the American Anti-Corruption Act. Ending corruption is an issue we can all get on board with. Represent.us brings togeth- er conservatives, progressives, and everyone in between to pass powerful anti-corruption laws that stop political bribery, end secret money, and fix our broken elections. Anti-corruption laws are being passed all over Amer- ica right now. Both Oregon and Washington states have already passed some anti-cor- ruption laws supported by the Represent.us movement. Amazingly, the State of Maine now uses “Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)” on their state level elections. RCV is only one part of the Anti-Cor- ruption Act. If you don’t know what ranked choice voting is, there are many articles and videos about it on the internet. Ranked choice voting, some- times called “order of prefer- ence voting” allows voters to pick several candidates in the order they prefer. RCV elimi- nates the element of a “spoiler effect” so voters can vote for third party candidates without the fear that they’ll be helping to throw an election to a can- didate they absolutely don’t want. It’s a beautiful thing that corrupt politicians don’t want enacted, but the State of Maine and cities and counties across America are moving to ranked choice voting as its wisdom becomes clear. It has been a long time since I’ve found a political movement that I could feel good about and get behind. I had thrown my hands up in surrender, but now I have en- thusiastic optimism again. You want to save the world? Then end corruption in politics. Visit www.represent.us and join people across the nation who are working together to take back our government. Scot Bergeron Bingen Dangerous Dangerous crossing at li- brary, yes, this is a terrible spot. Much traffic on State Street, cars trying to back out into the traffic lane, pedestrians not sure when to cross. Would it be possible to install a flashing red light on both sides of the street? I nearly got hit by two cars not paying any attention to the crosswalk. I truly believe they never saw me! Would a red flashing light make a differ- ence? At least we could try! Maria Kollas Hood River Proactive safety At 5:30 a.m. I was backing out of my drive when I could have easily hit two female runners that went behind my vehicle without any reflective clothing on, nor carrying a flashlight whilst running in the street. Please, for safety sake, wear reflective clothing, take a flashlight and be proactive with your own personal well- being and not assume a driver has you in their site. Thank you! Natasha Markovich Hood River Not Nadler Donald Trump called Jerry Nadler, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, a “slea- zeball.” But Rep. Nadler has not been seen mocking someone with a disability on national TV; he does not have a repu- tation of being a bully and a name-caller. There are no claims that he has told over 16,000 lies in the last three years; 43 women have not accused him of inap- propriate behavior, including rape, sexual assault, or sexual harassment; and he has not bragged that he can do any- thing he wants to women be- cause he is a celebrity. Rep. Nadler has not said he knows more than our generals or calls them “losers” and “a bunch of dopes and babies.” He did not insult the military service of Senator John Mc- Cain, a decorated veteran and POW; nor did he belittle the parents of a Muslim-American soldier killed while serving in W HERE TO W RITE President — Donald Trump, White House, 1600 Pennsylvania 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 Building, 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 — Kate Brown, 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 — Anna Williams, 900 Court St. N.E., H-489, Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 503-986-1452; Email: rep. awilliams@oregonlegislature.gov Hood River County Board of Commissioners — Chair Mike Oates, Vice Chair Rich McBride, members Bob Benton, Karen Joplin and Les Perkins, Business Administration Building, 601 State Street, Hood River, OR, 97031. Phone: 541-386-3970. Hood River City Council — Mayor Kate McBride, members Mark Zanmiller, Megan Saunders, Jessica Metta, Tim Counihan, Erick Haynie and Gladys Rivera, Hood River City Hall, Hood River, OR, 97031. Phone: 541-386-1488. E-mail: cohr@gorge.net the Army. Mr. Nadler doesn’t call him- self “a very stable genius” and he isn’t regarded by countless mental health professionals and others as a dangerous, ma- lignant narcissist who is unfit for office. He does not admire author- itarian rulers or take the word of Vladimir Putin over that of 17 of his own intelligence agencies. Half of the American people don’t think he is a racist. His leadership has not been re- ferred to as “the collision of in- competence and cruelty.” And he is not on trial for impeach- ment for high crimes and mis- demeanors, abuse of power, and obstruction of justice. No — Jerry Nadler has never said or done or been accused of any of these things. That would be Donald Trump. Connie Krummrich The Dalles Claire Bokovoy won one Editorial Cartoon Gold Key, sponsored by the Herb Block Foundation, for G OLD K EY: E DITORIAL C ARTOON ‘Shame’ It is a shame that the Demo- cratic Party can spend so much time and energy trying to take down the highest-ranking member of our own govern- ment, that they were not more interested in the welfare of our country. Like President Trump is and the good job he is doing for all of us. One reader wrote in “Walk the walk” (Jan. 15), where are all the Democrats for our meeting? Right off-hand, if I were a betting man, I would assume that they are keeping a low profile, or maybe they are thinking about going to the other side of the fence in No- vember. It is said that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Warren Wols Hood River Call your representative Exciting times when people gather to celebrate MLK Day by taking immediate action against hunger and work to end “policies that either foster or mitigate systemic inequi- ties” (“MLK Day of Service stocks up food banks,” Hood River News, Jan. 29). Speaking up to our repre- sentatives with calls and let- this cartoon; she won four Gold Keys total. Hood River’s state Gold Key winners’ work will be dis- played at the Columbia Art Gallery for the month of February, and all Gold Key winners will be hon- ored at an award ceremony at the gallery on First Friday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. See the A1 story for details. ters supporting initiatives that make a difference; for example, creating a renters’ tax credit and further increasing income tax fairness by expanding the Earned Income and the Child Tax Credits. The Congressio- nal Management Foundation recently reported that constit- uents have the most influence with our representatives. So, let’s light up the phones and send emails to finally end hun- ger, poverty, and inequities in America. Willie Dickerson Snohomish, Wash. Do your job State senate Republican leader Herman Baertschiger said another walkout by Re- publicans, as they did last year, during this short legislative session is possible in order to deny Democrats a quorum on climate change legislation. In light of that news, I’d like all senators and their constitu- ents to be aware of this: According to the Bend Bul- letin (Jan. 29), “Twenty-one companies, including Nike and Microsoft, the Craft Brew Alliance and two healthcare climate alliances in Washing- ton and California, sent a letter to ‘leadership and legislators of the Pacific Coast,’ urging them to adopt cap and trade pro- grams, which they argue can promote economic growth.” I would think those last three words should strike a chord with our Republican senators. When the vote comes up on climate change, I expect all senators to stay and do their job. Tracie Hornung Parkdale ‘The Vagina Monologues’ I had the privilege of attend- ing the opening night perfor- mance last Friday of Eve Ens- ler’s “The Vagina Monologues” at the Columbia Center for the Arts. I recommend it for all ma- ture adults who like to learn, share and experience more about our world … and espe- cially about women, “who hold up half the sky,” and are actu- ally the majority of the earth’s inhabitants. There is humor, pathos, poignancy, poetry, rawness and abundant ten- derness in these monologues, staged and performed so ex- pertly by our local cast and crew. The monologues were drawn from Ensler’s interviews of hundreds of women from all over the world. Get your tickets now from www.columbiaarts.org/ events/vagmono/, since re- maining performances (Feb.7- 9) may well sell out. And huge thanks to visionary director Judie Hanel for bringing back “The Vagina Monologues” to Hood River, as well as CAST Theatre, THRIVE Hood River, and many sponsors and volun- teers for this important com- munity event. Tina Castanares Hood River ‘You must see VM’ “Vagina Monologues” is going on at the Columbia Center for the Arts. It’s a short stay, closes next weekend. This group of wonderful actors does a fabulous job of bringing this funny and poignant play back to the stage with updates so relevant to today. Please go see them and get ready for a wonderful evening. Susan Lannak Hood River Farm Bureau celebrates women’s contributions to agriculture Oregon ranks fourth in the nation for the number of farmers and ranchers who are women, according to the latest U.S. Cen- sus of Agriculture (2017). There are 29,868 female farmers and ranchers in Oregon, represent- ing 44 percent of the state’s agri- cultural community. Nationally, 36 percent of all U.S. farmers and ranchers are female, according to the census. To celebrate women’s contri- butions to Oregon agriculture — and the impact of public policy on all farm and ranch families — the Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) Women’s Advisory Coun- cil planned a cake-and-coffee reception for lawmakers and the general public at the state capitol on Monday, Feb. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 3 also markedthe start of the 2020 Oregon Legislative Short Session. “Farm Bureau members will be at the capitol to remind law- makers that their decisions di- rectly impact our ability to grow crops, raise animals, contribute to the economy, and stay viable and sustainable for the next generation,” said OFB Women’s Advisory Council Chair Janice Flegel, who runs a cattle and hay ranch with her family in Crook County. “Women play an essential role on Oregon’s farms and ranches in every capacity, as owner-operators, as bookkeep- ers, as mothers, and as advocates for agriculture in the legislature,” said Flegel. Agriculture is unique in that, unlike other industries, almost every aspect of public policy affects farms and ranches, in- cluding laws involving land use, labor, water, wildlife, taxes, trans- portation, and many other broad categories. Agriculture is also dif- ferent in that farmers and ranch- ers cannot simply pass along increased costs to their buyers because their product prices are set by the commodity market. Also out of their control are factors like the weather, pests, disease, and market trends. In Oregon, female farmers and ranchers are involved in producing all of Oregon’s 225- plus agriculture commodities, from cattle, sheep, and dairy cows — to berries, vegetables, and wine grapes — to hazel- nuts, grass seed, and nursery products. OFB First Vice President Angi Bailey owns Verna Jean Nursery, located outside of Portland. “My mom, Verna Jean Hale, started the nursery in 1967,” said Bailey. “She was a woman who worked in agriculture her entire life, who was not bound by any preconceived notions of what she should be and certainly was not slowed down by any barriers to success. I knew from watch- ing my mother that my gender would not be a disadvantage when I took over the nursery.” “I’m happy to see that more women are taking the lead in farms and ranches,” said Mickey Killingsworth, Women’s Adviso- ry Council member and owner of a sheep ranch in Jefferson County. “Today when I go to town to make a big order of fertilizer or buy farming equipment, I don’t get asked where my husband is. It’s not so unusual to be a female farmer anymore, which is a positive for agriculture,” Killingsworth said.
