Fix recycling
I have been noticing when I recycle the cans with my mom at Rosauers, it is clean and everything works properly, but there are only four combination recycle machines. At Safeway there are three, but they are quite often broken, and the area isn’t clean, either. At Walmart, there are three, but they are separate and outside, according to my mom. Hood River has around 7,686 people and 10 recycling machines, but most of the time not all are working. I think we should have some more recycling machines, because quite often there is a line at Rosauers going into the parking lot, or it is just very long. Safeway is usually full with a short line. How can we fix this?
I have been noticing when I recycle the cans with my mom at Rosauers, it is clean and everything works properly, but there are only four combination recycle machines. At Safeway there are three, but they are quite often broken, and the area isn’t clean, either. At Walmart, there are three, but they are separate and outside, according to my mom. Hood River has around 7,686 people and 10 recycling machines, but most of the time not all are working. I think we should have some more recycling machines, because quite often there is a line at Rosauers going into the parking lot, or it is just very long. Safeway is usually full with a short line. How can we fix this?
Travis Lage, age 13
Hood River
Hood River
Public sale needed
Columbia Gorge Audubon Society has asked U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Butler, for congressional intervention and investigation of Forest Service neglect and mismanagement of the White Salmon and Klickitat National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Columbia Gorge Audubon Society has asked U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Butler, for congressional intervention and investigation of Forest Service neglect and mismanagement of the White Salmon and Klickitat National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Weyerhaeuser is selling their timberlands in the Mid-Columbia through Copper West Real Estate, including 240 acres straddling the White Salmon National Wild and Scenic River, and they want development prices. According to Copper West, a residential developer has made an offer. Will this property be brought into public ownership as it should be, or will it be used for residential development? Here are some predictions:
Copper West and Weyerhaeuser want development value, but worry about bad PR that goes with marketing timberland for conversion to residential development along a Wild and Scenic River. Not something a “Tree Growing Company” should be doing. They will claim the Forest Service doesn’t want to buy or will only pay fair market value and hunker down and see if this blows over.
Audubon’s efforts move the Forest Service to talk with Copper West, but this looks like a “cover your behind” gesture to us. The Forest Service will be looking for excuses not to purchase this land. And they know them all, because they have been there, done that before.
We believe the developer will likely urge county commissioners to oppose bringing this land into public ownership so he can buy and develop it. And he probably wants county taxpayers to finish improving Oak Ridge Road to raise lot value.
This Weyerhaeuser property is a fraction of their land sale, but will have a huge impact on the White Salmon National Wild and Scenic River. The Forest Service and Weyerhaeuser need to take a breath and begin negotiating in good faith to bring this property into public ownership. Fear of public exposure is the only thing keeping this timberland conversion from happening. Trying to get these people to do the right thing is like herding cats to an annual bath. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so pathetic.
Dave Thies
President, Columbia Gorge Audubon Society
President, Columbia Gorge Audubon Society
Support HR 517 and SR 318
Carolyn Barber and Donna Schindler-Munro make convincing arguments for America to continue its funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (“Help fight AIDS crisis” and “Support Global Fund” on Sept. 25 and 28, Hood River News). Now we can do our part to make this happen, thanking Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, and Peter DeFazio for signing on to House Resolution 517, and asking Reps. Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader to do the same. Encouraging Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to show their support by cosponsoring Senate Resolution 318 will also help.
Carolyn Barber and Donna Schindler-Munro make convincing arguments for America to continue its funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (“Help fight AIDS crisis” and “Support Global Fund” on Sept. 25 and 28, Hood River News). Now we can do our part to make this happen, thanking Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, and Peter DeFazio for signing on to House Resolution 517, and asking Reps. Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader to do the same. Encouraging Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to show their support by cosponsoring Senate Resolution 318 will also help.
This is how we can use our voices (calling or writing) in a democracy to make sure these diseases are battled globally to protect us locally.
Willie Dickerson
Snohomish, Wash.
Snohomish, Wash.
Climate change is real
In contrast to Donald Rose’s article “No crisis” (Letters to the Editor, Sept. 25), I know there is a climate crisis. I am only 12 years old and it is already affecting my future.
In contrast to Donald Rose’s article “No crisis” (Letters to the Editor, Sept. 25), I know there is a climate crisis. I am only 12 years old and it is already affecting my future.
The sources Mr. Rose gives work with fossil fuel companies and are not credible. According to SourceWatch, climatedepot.com is funded by ExxonMobil Foundation. The other source, Mark Morano, has no climate science expertise and no degree in science.
Mr. Rose also writes, “Many of the dire predictions have not occurred.” However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) says, “Taken as a whole, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time”.
Additionally, NASA states, “Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position.”
Obviously, this is a human caused issue that we cannot ignore. I am aware that this past week there has been more action about solving the issue than usual, which is great. We should continue to fight for the environment and everyone in it.
Annabel Hawley
Hood River
Hood River
Worth considering
For the most part, Democrats have been pretty skillful in portraying Republicans as the “party of and for the rich” while claiming to be more humble, representing the “middle class.”
For the most part, Democrats have been pretty skillful in portraying Republicans as the “party of and for the rich” while claiming to be more humble, representing the “middle class.”
I came across information giving the net worth of all the senators currently in the Senate. I was curious so I totaled the “net worth” by party. Independent — $3.8 million; Republicans — $141 million and Democrats — $270 million! Pretty interesting numbers as we go into the political season.
Yeah, yeah, I know there are obvious ways to portray one’s net worth, but we can assume they all have good accountants. So, a couple of assumptions could be made: 1. There is quite a bit of hypocrisy in the Democrats’ talking points; 2. Republicans have smarter accountants.
I would opt for choice number one.
Steve Nybroten
White Salmon
White Salmon
Climate Emergency
We are in a Climate Emergency. We need to name it, deal with it, and adjust for it, starting yesterday (30 years ago, actually). Anyone who observes nature can see that vast webs of life on earth are dying.
We are in a Climate Emergency. We need to name it, deal with it, and adjust for it, starting yesterday (30 years ago, actually). Anyone who observes nature can see that vast webs of life on earth are dying.
What life so far? Sixty percent of all wildlife since 1970 (WWF), a third of all the birds in North America since 1970 (2.9 billion) and incalculable damage to aquatic life in the world’s rivers and oceans. The human death toll is rising due to heat waves, extreme weather and up to 1 billion climate migrants by 2050, per the UN. We are about to step through the door into a future that will be hot, harsh and incredibly hostile. In order to motivate ourselves to make the changes that will be necessary to ameliorate this crisis we need to call the situation what it is: A Climate Emergency.
On Sept. 23, youth and climate activists from Hood River and The Dalles asked their respective city councils to declare A Climate Emergency. We visited theclimatemobilizaton.org website and found a draft resolution that over 1000 local governments, in 19 different countries, have already signed on (check it out, it’s pretty impressive). We want our local governments to sign on too!
In the next several weeks, your city councilors will be deciding how to vote on this question. The Hood River City Council will consider this at their Oct. 16 meeting. If you care about what is happening to our climate and your future, then please contact your elected city councilors, and tell them this is important to you. Words matter, we need to start telling the truth. Their email addresses are on each city’s website.
Lottie Bromham
HRVHS Earth Action Club
HRVHS Earth Action Club
‘Magic man’
President Trump has got to be the world’s greatest magician. Copperfield and Houdini could learn a lot from his live performances.
President Trump has got to be the world’s greatest magician. Copperfield and Houdini could learn a lot from his live performances.
He sleeps with any woman his attorney can afford while his followers tout him as a godly Christian and nearly the 13th disciple. He speaks rudely about virtually every adversary while his supporters respond, “He is just saying what everyone thinks.” Trump struggles with the English language but is somehow always the smartest person in the room.
The president treats U.S. law like lucky numbers inside a fortune cookie — just a rough idea on the way to buy a lottery ticket. He has taken over the Senate with Mitch McConnell as his minion and Senators Rubio and Cruz groveling for scraps like beaten dogs whom he humiliated during the last primaries. Trump tweets his expert legal opinion on Supreme Court decisions as his followers say, “Can we get an Amen?!”
Next month, the president will make a 13th attempt at a trade agreement with China. So far, we have no agreement, two interest rate adjustments, and billions in taxpayer dollars funding this disastrous urinating contest while Trump ruffles his feathers like a rooster. Meanwhile, the Master of the Deal has our debt is up to one billion dollars (whatever that is). Supporters say, “You just wait. We can’t let the Chinese get away with this any longer.”
Keep working your magic, Mr. President. Today, Newsweek reported that if the senate could vote secretly, 30 GOP senators would vote to impeach. I do not believe you can make that go away with a sharpie marker on a chart.
Steve Kaplan
Hood River
Hood River
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