Hood River Board of Commissioners candidate leaves questions unanswered

A Columbia Gorge News reader found statements from Hood River County Board of Commissioners candidate Kathleen Sanders in an Oregonian/OregonLive article titled “Why these Oregonians are willing to lose their jobs by refusing COVID-19 vaccines,” alarming. A pharmacist, Sanders described in the Oct. 16, 2021, article being place on unpaid leave from the Hood River Walmart pharmacy due to her refusal to take or administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Because the Hood River Board of Commissioners administers aspects of the public health department, Columbia Gorge News left messages with Sanders (email and telephone), asking about the article, and asking her to confirm whether she was employed by Walmart Hood River at the time she filed for office, as she claimed in her candidate filing. As of press deadline May 2, Sanders had not responded.