Your Voice: Feb. 9, 2022

Two weeks ago, The Dalles High School had a lockdown during first period. Many students were just walking into the school, and were ushered into random classrooms. Students immediately questioned whether it was a drill, and the stricken look on teacher’s faces immediately confirmed our worst suspicions. Rumors were flying through pitch black classrooms as we whispered to one another, and all our minds were on the most recent school shootings across the country. My family and friends from other schools flooded my phone with worried texts: What was going on? What did I know? About 10 minutes after we were originally put on lockdown, an overhead announcement declared that we were now on “lock in.” The students around me breathed a sigh of relief as the lights flickered back on, but doors remained locked. Ten minutes later, another announcement declared that the lock in had ended, and students were asked to return to their correct classrooms.

As I walked to my correct classroom, the atmosphere was still anxious: Policemen stood in the hallways, and students exchanged anxious glances. Although the rest of the school day passed uninterrupted, there seemed to be a thick gloom surrounding the student body, everyone was a bit more on edge than usual.

I am writing this letter, not to rehash the events that occurred, but to give my gratitude to all the teachers and administrators at TDHS, as well as the first responders of The Dalles. As a student, it makes me feel so much safer knowing that leaders made the quick decision to put students on lockdown, even when they were unsure whether the tip was accurate or not. I am immensely thankful for how quickly the police responded, and how teachers and janitorial staff didn’t hesitate to herd students into classrooms. I believe that I speak for all students at TDHS when I say thank you for doing everything to ensure our safety.

Lucy Booth, TDHS student

The Dalles

Gift bag thanks

Every year I put together 50 bags that I pass out on Christmas Day. When they come to the Community Meal site for their Christmas dinner, they receive a gift bag. I prepare 35 bags for men and 15 for women. The only difference in the bags are the socks, gloves, scarves and hats. I try to pick girlie colors for the women.

The bags contain a winter hat, pair of gloves, pair of socks, fleece scarf, a dozen homemade cookies, a candy cane, a washcloth, bar of soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo, lotion, Q-tips, chapstick, small package of tissue, razor, and a $10 gift card to a local restaurant.

Thank you to Dr. David Perry for donating some of the toothbrushes. To Lana, who made all the fleece scarves, and also for chapsticks, tissues and Q-tips. Another lady bought socks all year long at yard sales; that helped a lot.

Thanks also to my “special donor.” He bought all the hats and gloves and made many donations. A huge thank you to all the ladies who donated cookies. I had a real variety and they are appreciated. Chris and Judy helped pass out the gift bags. Also to my kids, who helped fil the bags — that was a big project.

Another successful year. Thank you all.

Klea Espy

Board member, Community Meals, The Dalles

What changed?

What has changed for the Democrat urgency to get rid of the filibuster? They like it. After all, they used it 327 times in 2020. Must be good for something, it seems. Oh, I get it, it is not for the ruse of democracy, just for their power.

The platitude of “suppressing the vote.” I am still waiting for a Democrat to give any specific example, and how that example suppresses the person’s ability to vote. Voting and democracy take proactive personal participation.

Back to history, which always has a lesson, Jim Crow era: That would be the Democratic party, which led the charge in the south. Look at President Biden’s past relationships with Southern Democrats. By his recent remarks, is that where he wants to move the Democratic party to? Just curious.

Steve Nybroten

White Salmon

Domino

Words carry great power and consequences. We are hearing the click of those words like dominoes falling, one after another. The historical definition of a domino, “a loose cloak worn with a mask for the upper part of the face at masquerades.” The mask cannot save us now. Our good words and trust in one another can set the dominoes right again and end the masquerade.

Sheilah Nelson

Hood river

Concerned

I am concerned about the direction MCMC is taking, and the future of health care in our area. MCMC is bleeding doctors and other medical staff, along with severing the relationship with OHSU, the best hospital in Oregon (per health/usnews.com). I wrote a letter to the board members about my concerns a few months ago, and heard back from only one person who was not a board member. They seemed to brush off my concerns by saying there is always turnover in hospitals. According to statistica.com, the turnover rate of doctors in the U.S. is more than 19%. But the turnover here seems to be much larger in the past year and is not just from doctors leaving the area. Some of them are staying in the area, but choosing to not continue with MCMC.

Board members and the local community leaders who will be making the decisions on the new hospital need to take a long and hard look at why the many doctors and medical staff are leaving, and why the relationship with OHSU was severed. These are serious problems and building a newer, better hospital is not going to solve them. The board might need to bring in outside help, that isn’t affiliated with the current administration, to help them find out where the issues are. It is frightening that all the cancer specialists have left, all the cardiologists have left, and many of the primary care physicians have all left in the past year or so.

I value having an ongoing medical relationship with my doctor, Dr. Anslinger, who left MCMC at the end of January.

Why are these established doctors who have built up a practice suddenly leaving in larger numbers than can be explained away? They are dedicated members of this community who chose to practice here, to buy homes, to raise families in this area.

I am urging county elected officials, city elected officials and other community leaders who are the decision makers, to honestly and carefully research the issues with the loss of staff and OHSU before deciding to move forward any public support for a new hospital.

Marilyn Richardson

The Dalles

Putin possibilities

A New York Times editorial on Jan. 29 has the title “Putin Is Caught in A Trap of His Own Making.”

The editorial proposes two alternatives for the murdering thug. He can back down, a humiliating defeat. Or he can invade. Russian propaganda is describing this as “ ... victory in 48 hours.” He might start with incremental grabbing of some land, but I think most military experts believe this can so easily, almost inevitably, escalate.

Concerning the claim that invasion would be easy, is this propaganda, or does it unfortunately reflect unrealistic groupthink in the Kremlin? The Ukraine military has improved substantially. I think Ukrainians have not forgotten that Russia killed 30,000,000 of them a few decades ago. I think a lot of Ukrainians are thinking, well, OK, we get invaded, but at least I’ll have an opportunity to kill some Russians before they kill me.

True, the failure of the U.S. to provide air defense against high altitude bombers, jets, drones, and missiles indicates to me the American ruling elite has decided to throw Ukraine under the bus. But even so, there would be likely a whole lot of Russians returning to homes all over Russia in body bags.

So I tend to agree with the overall theme of the editorial, that Putin has put himself in a bind.

But I do see another disturbing possibility. I see him deciding to go for it, to roll the dice big time. He calls his fellow murdering thug in China, who wants to grab Taiwan, and says, “Hey, let’s go for it. Let’s see if we can shut down the electrical grids, telecommunications and financial system in the U.S., empty their grocery store shelves, and watch them starve. Wouldn’t that be cool? Your people and mine have more staples gardening and local food than they do in the U.S., by far. Nukes? Bio? Ah, whatever, the heck with it, let’s do it. I’m in the mood.”

Jerrold Richards

Lyle