Letters to the Editor for March 3, 2012

Leighton Hazlehurst

Hood River

Preview art studios tour

The Hood River News should be applauded for supporting all of the Arts activities in the Gorge and the Hood River Valley. On behalf of Gorge Artists, an all-volunteer organization managed by participating artists, I want to thank you for publishing notice of the 2012 Open Studio Tour on the front page Feb. 29.

Unfortunately we neglected to inform you that we have reduced the ticket price this year to $10 (instead of the $15 we originally planned) to encourage more visits to our studios, and that we have two preview shows this year at the Pines in downtown Hood River and at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. The preview shows will run the whole month of March.

Come see our work at these great venues and then come see how and where we work during the Gorge Artists Studio Tour April 13, 14 and 15.

Christine Knowles

Hood River

Stop Nestlé in Gorge

I am concerned to hear that the Oregon Water Resources Department just approved two permits to allow Nestlé to bottle water in Cascade Locks. This brings Nestlé one step closer to being able to exploit our precious natural resources.

Many people here in the Gorge are strongly opposed to Nestlé’s proposed bottling plant, for good reasons: It would hurt the salmon, a species that already faces extreme environmental pressure. It would diminish or drain our natural aquifer. It would increase truck traffic and pollution in the Gorge. And, perhaps most importantly, it would encourage the wasteful and irresponsible business of bottled water.

Please write or call Gov. Kitzhaber and Richard Whitman of the Natural Resources Department (listed below) and tell them to stop this process and stop Nestlé, on behalf of the residents of this unique place. You can also get involved with BARK (www.bark-out.org), an organization that is fighting to stop Nestlé.

Write to: Richard Whitman, Natural Resources Department, Governor’s Office, 255 Capitol St. N.E., Ste. 126, Salem, OR 97301; Gov. John Kitzhaber, 160 State Capitol, 900 Court St., Salem, OR 97301; 503-378-3111.

Venka Payne

Hood River