THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
A4
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EDITORIAL
Wyden town
hall on River
Act must
provide
answers
U.S. Sen Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, will host an online
town hall meeting Tuesday, Aug. 31, and if you get
the chance, we urge you to listen in.
The subject of the town hall will be the River
Democracy Act, a sweeping piece of new legislation
pushed by Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon.
The bill is designed to greatly expand conservation
protections to more than 4,000 miles of rivers and
streams in Oregon, including many waterways in the
eastern part of the state.
Wyden touts the legislation to expand recreation
access, protect drinking water, limit wildfi re and
safeguard endangered fi sh and wildlife.
The spirit of the bill — to protect more waterways
— is a good one. Our natural resources are a fi nite
commodity and represent national treasures that
enhance us as a people and a nation.
Now, more than 2,000 river miles in the state are
protected under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers
Act.
As much merit as the proposed legislation has, it
still needs to be explained carefully to voters. That it
is why it is so important for area voters to participate
in the town hall.
While protecting rivers and streams is a good
idea, the fact is, there already are existing protections
— such as the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
— on many waterways. Other federal laws, such as
the Endangered Species Act, also help add a layer of
protection to streams and rivers.
The danger in such pieces of legislation is
unintended consequences. That’s why Wyden must
explain how, or if, private property rights will be
impacted with the legislation. He also must explain
how, or if, grazing rights will be affected by the
legislation.
The streams and rivers of Eastern Oregon are
part of our heritage and must be safeguarded,
but too often the region is seen as a kind of giant,
conservation amusement park for a minority of
people who have little or no connection to our unique
way of life.
The natural bounty of our region isn’t something
taken for granted for most of us who live in Eastern
Oregon. We see it every day. No one wants to see our
local natural resource treasures destroyed.
But before we go and create yet another layer of
federal regulations to our region, let’s make sure we
are all on the same page and working for the same
results.
So, tune into the town hall and exercise your right
to give feedback to your elected representative.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Baker
City Herald. Columns, letters and cartoons on this
page express the opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of the Baker City Herald.
Your views
Mask mandates don’t
violate constitutional
rights
I understand that some
people are claiming their
rights as citizens are being
violated by mandates to wear
a mask. To my knowledge,
nothing in our constitution
requires the wearing of
clothes. Therefore, I am
certain none of the anti-
maskers will object to seeing
a slightly over 70, slightly
overweight woman shopping
in the produce department of
their local grocery store.
Also, it would only be
fair at your next surgery to
sign a waiver, exempting the
surgical team from wearing
masks. They are inconvenient
and uncomfortable and,
in your opinion, serve no
purpose.
I have had these thoughts
for several months, but never
took the time to write. I just
learned that two friends, too
young to be vaccinated, have
COVID, which will likely
prevent them from starting
school with their classes.
They are suffering with
fevers and headaches. Did
they catch this virus from a
person who was vaccinated
and wearing a mask?
Possibly, but is that what you
honestly believe?
Marilyn Hereau
Baker City
Baker City is plenty
special without train
whistles
I’ve heard it said that
Baker City wouldn’t
be Baker City without
the trains. Our town is
wonderful in so many
ways. If we really delve
into what makes Baker
City a special place trains
have nothing to do with it.
Baker City is known for a
lovely downtown, unique
local businesses, beautiful
geographical setting, historic
buildings, and a vibrant arts
scene. If the train horns go
quiet Baker City will not
lose a bit of its small town
character and we will gain a
lot in quality of life.
I understand that many
people are wary of change,
especially if they perceive
that it’s driven by outsiders
or newcomers. That seems
to be human nature. A
town that resists change,
innovation and improvement
will lose its resilience. As a
community we need to plan
carefully, study what other
towns are doing, and make
decisions based on what is
best for everyone today and
in the future.
In the years since Baker
City citizens voted against
silencing train horns, the
horns blasts have gotten
louder and more shrill in
tone. There is no question
that staff and students
at South Baker School
are negatively impacted.
Quieting the horns would
improve education quality,
improve the school’s
reputation, and attract
teachers and families.
Many people, including
children, are chronically
Letters to the editor
• We welcome letters on any issue of
public interest. Customer complaints
about specifi c businesses will not be
printed.
• The Baker City Herald will not
knowingly print false or misleading
claims. However, we cannot verify the
sleep deprived from the
tremendously loud and
numerous nighttime horn
blasts. The effects of poor
quality, interrupted sleep
are devastating to physical,
mental and emotional
health.
We have an opportunity
to make a positive change
in our community. We lose
nothing by quieting the
train horns. We have a group
of people willing to raise
money to make the change.
We have a neighboring
town who has done it
successfully. We all care
about our fellow community
members, right? We look
out for one another. That’s
what living in a small town
is all about. Let’s not get
political, fearful of change, or
pretend that we can’t afford
to do this. Instead let’s put
our collective energy into
making our lovely little town
even better.
Cynthia Roberts
Baker City
almost 70% of Baker County
young people ages 20-29
have NOT received the free
vaccination. And in the age
group 12-17 80% are NOT
vaccinated. Alas, any day
now many of them will be
returning to schools and
colleges.
In order to stimulate our
elected leaders on Baker
City Council to take the
lead in encouraging citizens
to get vaccinated, I’ve sent
three pleas to the mayor and
six councilors to fi nd if they
would set a good example by
publicly announcing they are
vaccinated. To the fi rst plea I
got not one response. To the
second plea I got two “yes”
responses: Councilor Lynette
Perry and Councilor Jason
Spriet. And to my third
plea a “yes” response from
Councilor Heather Sells. I
thank all three councilors for
being good role models.
I got no response from
Mayor McQuisten and
Councilors Alderson, Dixon,
and Waggoner.
I believe that County
We need leaders on
Commissioners Bruce
COVID vaccinations
Nichols and Mark Bennett
Mark Twain is often
quoted as saying: “There are have been vaccinated.
Arkansas Governor Asa
three types of lies: lies, damn
lies, and statistics.”
Hutchinson, whose state has
Here’s a statistic that is
one of the lowest vaccination
easily proven true: About
rates in the nation, says, “It
99% of persons presently
is sad to see someone go to
hospitalized suffering from
the hospital or die when it
COVID are persons who
can be prevented.”
have NOT been vaccinated.
I encourage everyone to
What better statistic could
get vaccinated and wear
one have that vaccines are
a mask.
effective?
Gary Dielman
Yet, as of last week,
Baker City
accuracy of all statements in letters to
the editor.
• Writers are limited to one letter every
15 days.
• The writer must sign the letter and
include an address and phone number
(for verifi cation only). Letters that do
not include this information cannot be
published.
• Letters will be edited for brevity,
grammar, taste and legal reasons.
Mail: To the Editor, Baker City Herald,
P.O. Box 807, Baker City, OR 97814
Email: news@bakercityherald.com
OTHER VIEWS
Editorial from Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette:
The courts seem to be
holding that employers
can require workers to
be vaccinated against
COVID-19 as a condition
of employment, but things
get more complicated when
there is a labor union
involved.
Rather than avoid the
issue, employers and unions
should be talking about how
to make a vaccine-for-all
protocol work.
Allegheny County,
for example, is requiring
vaccinations of new
employees only, while the
largely unionized county
workforce will not be subject
to the same mandate.
Current employees who
are not vaccinated will be
required to wear a mask and
undergo regular testing.
Allegheny County
Executive Rich Fitzgerald
acknowledged that
requiring a vaccine for all
employees would involve
a labor negotiation. “It
becomes more complicated
when it comes to collective
bargaining and some other
things along those lines,” he
told reporters.
The right direction is
discussion between labor
and management. In
reasonable workplaces,
all employees — union
and management alike
— should be able to reach
a consensus on a public
health issue. It’s certain
no employer wants to be
the test case as to whether
a collective bargaining
agreement can be amended
to include a required
COVID-19 vaccination. But
the approach should not be
adversarial but collaborative.
It’s for the benefi t of all.
Even as there are
increasing calls for
mandatory vaccinations —
with exceptions for religious
and health reasons —as
terms of employment, there
is a lot of reluctance among
employers to engage with
their union leaders on the
matter. This reluctance
should be pushed aside in
light of the rising number of
COVID-19 cases linked to
the delta variant.
This is especially
pertinent in the health
care sector, where doctors,
nurses and other health
care professionals have a
higher risk of coming in
contact with COVID-positive
patients, as well as in public
schools where the delta
variant could spread quickly
in crowded classrooms
among unvaccinated
children.
Some unions have voiced
opposition to mandated
vaccines, but others seem
willing to consider the
matter. The president of
the American Federation
of Teachers, the second-
largest teachers union in
the country, said recently
that the union, which was
opposed to mandatory
vaccinations, should now
work with employers on the
issue. Randi Weingarten’s
public comments on the
matter came Aug. 8.
Working together: This
is the right approach to
a health crisis that both
employers and unions are
trying to navigate. The
bottom line is that everyone
involved wants the same
outcome: a safe environment
for everyone.