Your Voice: Dec. 8, 2021

I was driving from Oregon to a family gathering in Washington last week and passed through the beautiful Columbia River Gorge.

After taking my dog for a brief walk at a rest stop near White Salmon, I visited the ladies room. My dog is 15 years old, deaf, and going blind, so I left the stall door open while she waited for me. Tired and distracted, I gathered up her leash and washed my hands (of course!). We returned to the car and headed on down the road.

Interesting fact was, the car started because I had the extra key fob in my jacket pocket. Since my phone was also in my pocket, I never thought to look for my purse. — which was hanging on the inside of the restroom door.

Oye!

To put this in perspective, my wallet not only had travel cash and my credit cards, it carried my car key fob, house keys, vaccination card and fishing license. Without my ID and these contents, I would not have been able to participate in family activities.

A good Samaritan found my purse and took its intact contents to the White Salmon Sheriff’s Station.

There, Officer Gunnyon worked his computer to try to find ways to contact me — which he did via my family.

When we finally connected and he learned I was hours north already, he also enlisted his associate Deputy Melton to meet me in Goldendale, so that I would not need to drive all the way south.

This was a Godsend, as I was so tired, and had no credit cards available to check into a hotel.

The honest and wonderful couple who turned in my purse would not take a “reward.” And the Sheriff’s Office cannot accept any gifts, so I will need to thank them here.

Hopefully this will make you all proud of the beautiful and very kind place you live. May these acts inspire us all to be our very best selves and take care of one another. I am ever grateful!

With much love and best wishes to you all,

Karen Fay

Bandon, Ore.

End of an Era

SDS Lumber/Bingen Plywood has been a primary employer in the Gorge for 75 years. Employees have made entire careers at “the mill.” Three, four maybe even five generations of single families have worked for the family owned business.

SDS survived 75 years of many ups and downs in the timber industry. They survived by diversifying and being excellent stewards of the forest lands they managed, creating a state-of-the-art facility and providing jobs and careers for many. Local college students were able to work at summer jobs while attending college, some returned and grew with the mill. Many employees learned “on the job” and became leaders and bosses.

The mill was very active in the community. Always ready to offer materials, equipment or labor when it was needed. Our schools, hospital and many local clubs benefited from their generosity. They were there when local natural weather disasters happened. They gave humbly and quietly.

In the past month SDS has been “parted out,” you might say. The mill is now separate from all other holdings. Whole mill departments have been eliminated and their crews laid off. Some departments with employees very near retirement after whole careers working with the company.

SDS molded and grew this community. Time passes and things do change. It is the end of an era. I only hope the new company is as community friendly and generous as SDS/Bingen Plywood has been over the past 75 years.

Joyce A. Schultz

White Salmon

Price gouging

On trips to obtain food, clothing and gifts, I’ve noticed not just 6% inflation but out and out gouging. Beef at $20 per pound, vegetables at outrageous prices. Yet at the same time Maersk, reputed to be the world’s biggest shipping company, is reporting record profits.

Why is this happening? Because of greed and the ability to get away with it. It seems to be a sickness that’s endemic in not just what we need and consume but in many of our industries. E Mustangs and other electric autos with a 10% dealer markup beyond MSRP. Another example that’s been going on far to long is our federal government allowing military cost-plus contracts.

The answer? Don’t buy what you regard as priced beyond the rate of inflation. There are almost always alternatives. These prices hurt people of modest means, seniors and working people. Please consider this the next time you go shopping.

Merry Christmas,Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad and a meaningful Kwanzaa, A happy holiday to all readers.

Rob Brostoff

Cascade Locks

Christian values

I take great exception to the publication of an “ opinion” letter in the Dec. 1 issue of Columbia Gorge News, the title of which is “Christ in Christmas.”

(The author’s) whole premise is that the only people who deserve to celebrate Christmas are ones who fit his description of Christian. If we do not celebrate according to this man’s very strict definition of “Christian,” we will burn in the fires of Hell, eternally tormented.

Jesus did not treat people as (the author suggests). I don’t believe that people are “pagans” or “nominal” Christians unless they adhere to your strict standards. How dare you?

(The letter author) would like to cast everyone who does not believe as he does into the fires of Hell.

Hey, true Christians are as Jesus said they should be — loving of their fellow man and accepting of them as humans.

And Columbia Gorge News, why publish something as mean spirited and hurtful as (this man’s) letter? He says real Christians have to believe as he does.

I do not agree.

Pennie Burns

Hood River

Political assumptions

Observe the distortion and dishonesty in our politics through the ideology of the righteous Republican Party. The churchgoing Republican suggests their g-o-d prohibits abortion. Abortion is never mentioned in “Scripture.” This political game is about stubborn arrogant self importance. Politics is established on made up concepts, assumptions and lies.

The religious right believes in a g-o-d they claim to “read” about in their bibles. If abortion is wrong in the eyes of this Republican g-o-d why is it legal in America? What sort of g-o-d do they worship if “it” cannot prevent laws being passed that make it legal? Maybe this Republican g-o-d does not really care about abortions. Do legal abortions prove that their g-o-d does not care or “it” is just a weak g-o-d?

Abortion is legal in “worldly” America regardless of what the Republican g-o-d thinks or does. So! Who does the righteous Republican think they are? Who are they to stop legal abortions or punish women for having one if their g-o-d is obviously indifferent on the issue?

The churchgoing right replaces “Scripture” truth with lies and false assumptions. They are totally ignorant of its commandments concerning worldly affairs. A true follower of Yahshua knows the commandment to separate from worldly issues … even the aborting of the unborn. When a woman of the world chooses a “legal” abortion it is none of your righteous business. You are engaged in a fight that you have been ordered to stay clear of … known as the will of the Lord. You engage to satisfy your self important righteous will over the Lord’s.

Abortion is a concern when it is a believing “sister.” When abortion enters the religious body the humble obedient servant leaves for the “world” has entered.

The righteous right should concentrate on their morality. Adultery destroys the fabric of society. It’s rampant in churches. Abortion and “gay choices” are not causes for an immoral society they are the results of immoral behavior such as marriage in a church, divorce in the world and remarriage in a church … adultery. Not pardonable. We all need to focus on our own behavior.

Gary Fischer

The Dalles