Letters to the Editor for Jan. 18

Our federal representatives, Merkley, Walden, and Wyden, were invited to attend the rally and/or provide statements about what they will do to protect the Obamacare benefits that people care about. Senators Merkley and Wyden jointly submitted a statement supporting the ACA and committing to doing all in their power to preserve the benefits it has provided. Congressman Walden did not provide a statement, and did not acknowledge, let alone respond to, the many attempts to contact him.

Mr. Walden’s pattern of unresponsiveness has been documented before in this newspaper and in various social media by Gorge-area constituents.

This episode is another piece in the pattern. It is not possible for Mr. Walden or any elected official to be an effective representative of his/her constituents if he/she is unresponsive. We need and deserve better.

Bonnie New

Hood River

Snow good

Then God said, “Let there be snow;” and there was snow. And God saw the snow, that it was good.

Rick Peargin

Hood River

Concerned

A local resident, Greg Walden has recently been appointed to a very powerful position in the U.S. House of Representatives. As the new chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he will have an influential role in many types of legislation, and in particular on any changes to health care legislation.

While he has this power, I also believe he has a great responsibility, to the nation and to his constituents in Oregon, to craft any new legislation so that it will do the most good for the most people. I’ve looked at his website for information on his plans for repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare (ACA) and how it would affect his constituents, and found none.

With a little Internet research, and some data from the Oregon Health Authority, here is what I did find. I would welcome any clarification or additional information from the Congressman’s office on how health care reform will affect his constituents.

Repeal of the ACA would mean that 88,979 people in the Second Congressional District would lose their existing health care — more people than in any other Oregon District, according to the Oregon Health Authority. According to HealthCare.gov, if you look at just those people who have gotten access to individual plans through Cover Oregon, I found that 1,232 people in Hood River, 562 people in The Dalles, 534 people in La Grande, 430 people in Pendleton, 159 people in Burns and almost 7,000 people in Bend have health insurance thanks to the ACA.

None of these people, our Oregon neighbors, deserve to lose access to health care. Congressman Walden has the power, and the responsibility, to make sure they don’t. Please let him know, soon, if you share these concerns. You can reach his office at walden.house.gov or through his Facebook page.

Leanne Hogie

Hood River

Peevish arrogance

I must say I was appalled to see the editorial cartoon in the Jan. 14 Hood River News. Is this all the credit that can be mustered as a president, who has had huge responsibilities — and accomplishments — during eight extremely difficult years, ends his term in office?

It is a sad commentary on our divided condition that we cannot be appreciative of the work that has been accomplished, even while worried about what still needs to be done — whatever our naive conviction that we could do better ourselves.

And that we should essentially say “goodbye and good riddance,” especially when we seem to be entering an even more fraught presidency, seems nothing less than peevish arrogance.

Tom Penchoen

Hood River

Awful cartoon

Just finished looking at the disrespectful and awful carton about Obama (Jan. 14). I’ve noticed your cartoons are getting more and more awful. I would like to see someone else pick them out and have a much better quality — at least less prejudiced.

Ruth Turner

Hood River

Keep HR walkable

Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to keep the sidewalk in front of your home clear of snow.

Kudos to the Hood River News for highlighting Richard Logan shoveling the walk in front of his house (Jan. 11). Logan’s comment, “Not everyone shovels ... in front of their place” is the understatement of the winter. I’ve witnessed residents of all ages having to take dangerous detours into the streets this winter because sections of sidewalk were impassable. This is especially true in the residential sections of downtown, where a higher percentage of homes are “dark” for the winter. Even though there’s been a ton of snow this winter, it’s been the easiest-shoveling snow I ever remember. At 86, Mr. Logan sets a great example. What’s your excuse?

Wyatt Wall

Hood River

Great opportunity

I appreciated an offered solution for the “Pay to Play”parking problem as the first of many great ideas that can yet come. I hereby submit my own: build safe bike lanes.

Similarly, I envision a parking facility, be it a garage or park and ride or ...? But what to do after one parks necessarily becomes part of the solution. Enter Hood-River-hill-conquering electric bicycles and their various iterations. Unfortunately, truly safe bike routes do not yet exist in either the city or county. Some attempts are evident, but until a physical separation between 5,000-plus pound cars and a couple hundred pound rider and bike (well, a bit more for some maybe) exists, and it ain’t safe. And no, a bike lane on a shared shoulder between a guardrail and the auto lane that dead ends on perhaps the most dangerous cycling road in the county. But, I digress …

The Heights and the Waterfront working together to unify the diverse parts of town with people-centered designs and make it easy and safe to access the wonderful businesses can only be a plus for the community as a whole. Use the parking spaces for food carts or streetside bistros or whatever, and use one lane to create a safe non-motorized route with cycle parking, bike kiosks, hitchin’ posts (you too, equestrians), water fountains and open spaces. Downtown ought to pay attention as well.

Build safe paths and the bikes will roll. More bikes equals less cars, less space, less maintenance, less of many things and more health, more options, and probably fun along the way. Kids ride to school, mom and dad cycle commute, tourists cycle admire. Hood River really is at the cusp of a great opportunity that I believe can unite the disparate business sections, greatly support our tourist industry, and serve the community at large in myriad and as yet unimagined ways.

P.S. Wouldn’t hurt to keep Morrison Park as part of this system, hey?

Daniel Baxter

Hood River

Update, don’t replace

Our political process is painful to watch. It must be frustrating to experience first-hand. We have an opportunity today, regardless of political affiliation, to stand up as a country and come together around healthcare. I’m frustrated with the costs of Obamacare. However, it’s the most comprehensive improvement to our healthcare system that I have seen in my lifetime. It seems to me that updating and improving the Affordable Care Act would be less disruptive than removing it altogether without something to immediately replace it. Healthcare is not about Democrat or Republican, it is about people’s lives.

As our elected official, please work with the opposition to help each other define more clearly what should be our inalienable rights.

Healthcare, in my opinion, should be one of those rights. It affects so much of our society and people’s ability to be and feel free, without the inevitable threat of getting sick. Do the right thing. Do whatever you have too, to promote laws that encourage the pursuit of happiness for our citizens today and in the future. It’s an awesome responsibility and I have the upmost trust in your capabilities to do what is right.

Avery Hoyt

White Salmon, Wash.

Save the park

Hello, I am Chad Klaas. I am a sophomore at Hood River Valley High School, and I would like to discuss a big, but not well known issue of the rezoning of Morrison Park.

Morrison Park, also known as the disc golf course, is located near the Hood River Skateboard and BMX park. Twelve years ago, the city of Hood River leased the park to the Parks and Recreation board, who turned it into a disc golf course. Currently, this park is in danger of turning into a housing development. I think this would be a mistake on Hood River’s part for various reasons. One being that there is wildlife living there; two is that people really enjoy having a disc golf park and don’t want to travel to The Dalles to play it, and three is that it could open the doors for Hood River to rezone all the parks in Hood River, none of which are protected from being rezoned. This means that every single park in Hood River could become a housing development. This is not okay, and should not happen, but if Morrison Park turns into a housing development, it could happen. Please help save this park.

Chad Klaas

Hood River