True testimony
I had to chuckle when I read the “Mitch, think!” letter in the Jan. 6 Opinion page. The claim of “1,000 testimonials” of election fraud are not true testimonies. The dictionary definition of a testimonial is “a written or spoken statement based on truth and fact.” These so called “testimonies” are based on neither. They are nothing more than personal opinion.
Rants of voter fraud never provide any proof, never. Free speech allows people to say almost any thing they want. In election and voter fraud claims, anyone can express their opinion.
Opinions are never “wrong;” they can’t be. But neither do they have to be based on truth or fact, and far to often, they are not.
I am totally opposed to Trump, his administration and his appointed lackeys and what has been done to our country. I hope Biden’s presidency will restore most of the wreckage Trump (et al.) has made of our country, both at home and abroad. I am a staunch believer in our Constitution.
I took an oath to uphold it when I joined the U.S. Coast Guard and again when I was commissioned as and officer. I am still bound by that oath.
Gary Fields
Hood River
Think of mindful acts
In the Jan. 13 issue of this newspaper, Jackie McMannus wrote a heartfelt letter titled, “It could be anybody," addressing a leading cause of death of those aged 10-24, suicide. Ten days before her letter appeared, we learned that our 20 year-old grandson, Ian McLandress, had ended his life.
In the days since his death, we have been sustained in our deep grief by the kindness of friends, neighbors and even strangers. We expect the ache of our Ian’s death will continue for as long as our life’s journey continues.
Simply put, the deep emotional pain Ian experienced was more than we could have imagined and more than his body, mind and spirit could handle. His short life gave us much love, laughter, and joy. But for Ian, the darkness overcame those precious memories.
So many have asked, “What can we do?” Answers are elusive. However, couple of things come to mind:
Consider, if you would, some intentional, simple, mindful acts of kindness. You never know when such a simple thing will have a lifesaving and life giving affect for someone experiencing the rages of emotional pain. Also, it is our experience that silence often speaks more clearly and deeply than word’s feeble attempts. So consider keeping a mindful time of silence for all who are in despair.
Mindful acts of kindness and silence will not heal the aching regions of our souls, quiet wailing of our hearts or dry our tears but perhaps, they are our best hope as we meet the days ahead.
Please don’t neglect telling your friend or family member of your concerned for them, remind them of your love, share your precious memories. It may not stop or lessen their emotional and spiritual pain but, then again, maybe, just maybe, it could lead them to a different answer. And, provide them with this number: 800-273-8255, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Barbara and Gary Young
Hood River
Once adrift, now found
In response to Colleen Ballinger’s emotionally riveting account in the recent “Through The Eyes of An Elder” column (“What I have learned from my dying patients,” Jan. 6), I felt inspired to write this poem:
The river of Genuine Love
thunders pure and clean
stopping not for fear and deceptions
but buoys up the crystalline essence of Spirit:
The Heart of one listening to that of another.
Once adrift, now found ...
never again to be submerged.
Cynthia Hovezak
Husum
Protect your wallet
Gov. Kate Brown, your 2021 tax proposals follow:
$270 million tax on small businesses owners (who have no customers! Huh? Whatz up w/dis?).
800 percent beer, wine, cider tax. (Huh?)
$12 million property tax on landlords who the state blocks from collecting rent! (Huh?)
Oregon has the third slowest COVID-19 vaccination roll-out! (Brown, don’t you care?)
Oregon was the 38th State to re-open schools! (So, no kids get educated, huh?)
Oregon is the last state to deliver jobless benefits!
Oregon DMV has a two-month backlog of customers for driver’s licenses, so people are unable to get to work! (Huh?)
Brown ... your hypocrisy reeks! WHY are you destroying Oregon? It’s a BEAUTIFUL STATE!
(Much of the above information is provided by The Oregonian, KGW-TV, Education Week, Forbes and your own “Governor’s Budget.”)
God bless The Taxpayer Association of Oregon for gathering this information and bringing it into the Public Forum!
Paul R. Munsell
The Dalles
Thanks, Rep. Beutler
I don’t often agree with Rep. Herrera Beutler, but this is the time to say THANK YOU for voting to impeach Donald Trump on charges of inciting violence against our nation’s capital. The horrific attack on our capital was a day of disgrace for our country and on this outgoing president.
My only wish now is that the Republicans in the Senate will likewise convict him and prevent him from ever serving for office again.
Our country needs the leadership of President Biden to help heal the wounds of division of the last four years. Working people, especially the millions who have lost jobs during the pandemic, need the help of our government to save their homes and get back on their feet. Money poured into the hands of ordinary working folks will help save families and businesses.
It is time to let go of the violent, divisive language and attitudes that are tearing this country apart and build a future that is better for all of us.
Gigi Pomerantz
White Salmon
Free speech?
A corner stone of Democracy.
Enshrined in the Constitution.
A basic tenet of our free democratic society.
Are false statements, insightful language, vilifying “others,” free speech? Slander is free speech? Lying is free speech?
We had an election, it was conducted and reviewed by local election watchers, state level officials, state courts and even the Supreme Court. The attorney general of the USA has said, "There is no evidence of large scale voter fraud that would change the outcome of the election.”
Many of these decision makers were Republicans appointed by our outgoing president.
Our ability to form a democratic nation relies on our citizens being able to put aside our differences and join together around our common goals.
We share many common goals and have many challenges to overcome in order to achieve "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Progressive and conservative ideas are welded together in the foundations of our nation. This joining of ideas makes us stronger.
It is time to turn away from the messages you receive that vilify and demonize our neighbors. Take a step back from the calls for division and combat.
Our national dialog is being manipulated by outside forces who want nothing more than to tear us apart.
When the USA is weakened, our true enemies grow stronger.
Let us choose to avoid the messages of hate and division and instead embrace the promise of, “peace and justice for all” and continue our work, ”toward a more perfect union.”
Respectfully,
Rich McBride
Hood River
Get tough with climate plan
Governor Kate Brown created the Oregon Climate Action Plan (OCAP) by executive order last year after our Republican legislators walked out again, refusing to negotiate on climate legislation. It was a bold, science-based move on the governor’s part, and one that has been sorely needed.
Now we are in the planning stage to implement OCAP, and of course the fossil fuel industry and other producers of large amounts of CO2 emissions are whining and angling to be relieved of regulation. This is not new or surprising. What is alarming is that the state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) appears to be responding sympathetically to the push-back, excluding gas-burning power plants and other large polluters from regulations. This is a huge abdication of responsibility, as fossil gas power plants are the largest stationary sources of climate pollution in Oregon, accounting for 10 percent of our climate pollution by tons. We can’t afford to have them and other large emitters given a “pass” because their industry leaders continue to be more concerned about their short-term profits than our ever-deepening climate crisis.
We are already suffering severe consequences of climate change, and are way behind in addressing it. We need Oregon’s DEQ to firmly commit to controlling large CO2 emissions and to commit to ambitious targets in every time-frame, especially near-term.
I urge the governor to push the DEQ to include gas-burning power plants and all other large polluters in the OCAP regulation scheme, to ensure our kids have the future they deserve.
Rhonda Starling
Mosier
Times have changed
It is time to stop looking for the R, or the D for that matter, and start finding out who the person really is you are voting for.
I am convinced that Cliff Bentz was elected just because people who have voted for the R candidate most of their lives just checked the R box. Now that we all know that this man will march in lock step with the politicians who think that they have the right to deny Pennsylvanians their votes we can't afford to give him a second term.
Throwing out the electoral votes of thousands of people is not what we should support.
We need someone to run in two years who will defend our rights, not do what they are told by the powerful who will do anything to regain that power.
Please think about running in two years and start campaigning now! We need someone who truly wants to go to Washington to defend our rights not vote in fear of what the “powerful” might do if you follow your conscience do what’s best for the people.
Susan Lannak
Hood River
Dismayed by Bentz
I would like to thank everyone who wrote a letter to the editor of the Columbia Gorge News expressing their dismay with the actions taken by Oregon Congressional District 2 Rep. Cliff Bentz on Jan. 6. Mr. Bentz failed his constituents, he failed all Oregonians, and he failed the United States of America. He chose to pander to the far right, propagate lies, and support rioters who invaded our nation’s Capitol at the behest of Donald Trump. Therefore, we must take action! Our best option is to ensure that Mr. Bentz is not re-elected in the 2022 election.
The Hood River County Democrats need your help to make sure that Mr. Bentz is one and done! I am asking you to attend our virtual meetings, which are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Our next meeting, on Feb. 11, is especially important, because we will be reorganizing and there will be opportunities for interested persons to fill leadership positions. In order to receive an invite to the virtual meeting, please go to our website hoodriverdemocrats.org. At the top of our homepage, there is an article titled “Hood River Democrats Email Notices” in which there is a link to a form that you can fill out in order to join our email list. Thank you for your support! Please join us to make sure that Mr. Bentz is held accountable for his actions!
Jessica Barty
White Salmon
Bentz’s real work
With his first vote as a newly sworn in congressman, Rep. Cliff Bentz bought into fear and lies. He asks us to believe that he felt compelled to vote against certifying the fair election of Joe Biden because of an alleged violation of the principles of Article II of the Constitution by the State of Pennsylvania. He further justifies his vote by his empathy for “those whose frustrations with the electoral system remain unresolved.”
What Bentz does not say is that, like too many of his fellow Republican colleagues, he voted against Biden’s victory fearing political consequences. He also fails to admit that concerns about the integrity of the electoral system have been caused by Donald Trump and his Republican enablers constantly repeating baseless claims of widespread election fraud ever since Nov. 3.
If Cliff Bentz truly wants to ease concerns about the electoral system, how about starting with calling out the lies about election fraud? How about denouncing Donald Trump for claiming over and over again that the election was stolen from him? How about working to restore faith in legitimate journalism instead of supporting conspiracy theories? How about fighting restrictions in over 20 states that selectively disenfranchise minority voters? How about signing on to the national vote by mail act?
Yes, there are many of us who are concerned about the integrity of our electoral system. To Congressman Bentz, I hope you will indeed do your best to address those concerns.
Paul Woolery
Odell
Value elders’ lives
According to the Oregon Health Authority, in the two weeks leading up to Jan. 17, 246 senior Oregonians over 65 died from COVID. If you dig a little farther into OHA data, the astonishing truth is that elders over 60 have suffered 91 percent of all Oregon COVID deaths — a total of 1,600 elder lives lost so far.
Nevertheless, Gov. Brown has now decided to delay vaccination for seniors and prioritize teachers and school personnel for vaccination. The proposed two-to-four week phased delay in vaccinating the elderly will probably mean at least 250 more vulnerable Oregonians will die this miserable death.
A functional compromise would have been to vaccinate seniors concurrently with teachers, phasing both groups starting with the oldest first. Given the six-week delay between initial vaccination and maximum immunity, the reality is no teacher should physically enter a classroom until March at the earliest, with only a few remaining months in the school year. Is that worth the deaths of more than 250 older friends, parents, and family members? Before you answer, think of your own loved ones.
Do elder lives not matter? It’s a sad statement that the Trump administration, which recommended vaccination priority for those over 65, in the end proved more compassionate to elders and data-driven than Oregon’s governor.
Susan Crowley
Hood River
In gratitude
On Jan. 20, 2020, the first death from COVID-19 in our country was reported from our state.
During the subsequent year, two amazing events occurred. One, 25 million of our fellow citizens became infected with that virus, and 400,000 died. A staggering display of science illiteracy was revealed. The awe-inspiring dedication of our healthcare workers was all that kept the death toll from being even higher, and we were supported by all those folks who kept the grocery stores open, the mail delivered, and the many services that we generally take for granted operating.
Two, not one but two highly effective vaccines were developed, tested and distributed throughout the country.
On Jan. 19, 364 days after that first death, we were privileged to be the recipients of one of those vaccines, which will eventually enable us to emerge from our year-long isolation. Thanks to the dedicated folks at Skyline Hospital for making the process so easy. Everything was organized, everyone was helpful and professional, and the facility was bright, comfortable and accessible.
To further illustrate how far we have come, when we were children our vaccination schedule consisted solely of smallpox vaccine. A neighbor girl died of diphtheria, a classmate contracted tetanus and another classmate was paralyzed by polio.
Despite the horrible morbidity and mortality that has taken place, without the genius and dedication by our fellow citizens that lies behind all the events of 2020, things could even been much, much worse.
In sincere appreciation,
Lloyd and Deborah Olson
White Salmon
Switch hunt
Pennsylvania election data shows that over 432,000 votes were removed from President Donald Trump during the November election, data scientists say (Epoch Times).
According to an analysis by the Data Integrity Group, obtained exclusively by the Epoch Times, voters for Trump — from both Election Day and mail-in ballots — were removed from the totals in at least 15 counties. Time-series election data show Trump’s votes decrementing in various counties at numerous time points, instead of increasing, as would be expected under normal circumstances. In a widely circulated video clip of CNN’s live election night broadcast, 19,958 votes were seen being switched from Trump to Biden in “30 seconds.”
Bill Davis
Hood River
Editor’s note: Data Integrity Group is a Trump-funded advocacy group. According to SFGate, the online San Francisco Chronicle, The Epoch Times is a pro-Trump news service whose website “is full of stories questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election (neither reporters nor Trump’s legal team have unearthed credible evidence of widespread voter fraud)." The Epoch Times also posts Qanon videos.
Insurrection and Racism
The Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol seemed to be about Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. While that was the rallying cry for the insurrection, drummed up for weeks before Jan. 6 by Trump supporters, racism appears to be the long-lasting glue underneath it. (Where is Cliff Bentz in his motivation to vote against certifying the election results?)
We saw photos of the mob that revealed people with tattoos and insignias of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups. The flags being waved were Confederate. The crowd, including middle-age suburbanites, was almost exclusively white. On their way to storm the Capitol, a group of white insurgents even broke into a peaceful BLM vigil nearby and re-enacted the murder of George Floyd while shouting the “N” word, before continuing on to storm the Capitol.
The insurgents and, unfortunately, millions of Americans like them, found strength and reassurance in the racism and xenophobia of the Trump administration. It is so easy to blame others for the difficulties in our lives. The huge anti-racist response from around the country and around the world to the murder of George Floyd upended that reassurance. It has brought renewed attention to the many murders of blacks by police and others in the recent past. It has opened examination of white privilege, implicit bias, and systemic racism. It has forced a reassessment of “diversity” efforts, recognizing many have been only at the surface level. It shows we have to work harder than ever to find our common ground and set a new tone of unity. We are all facing common challenges never before seen in our life times.
Fran Finney
Odell
No on vaccines bill
The Oregon legislature previously failed to pass two bills to mandate a full vaccination schedule required for children to attend school (SB443 in 2014 and HB 3063 in 2019). Now SB 254 is here to attempt the same. This bill is moving quickly and quietly, and I wanted to make sure that folks who care about the right to choose a medical procedure for their own body or child knows this is happening.
Excerpts from the bill summary state that it: “Removes ability of parent to decline required immunizations against restrictable diseases on behalf of child for reason other than child’s indicated medical diagnosis. Prohibits child from attending in person specified school-related events, meetings and opportunities. Allows Oregon Health Authority to recommend diseases in addition to restrictable diseases against which children may be immunized.”
With this wording, the mandate applies to any “restrictable diseases”, meaning illnesses we have the technology to vaccinate for, not necessarily the common communicable ones (i.e. pertussis). It further states that any future “recommended diseases” can be added. If families feel they are unable to comfortably comply, then their children cannot attend schools (public or private) or any “school-related events or opportunities.” This also applies to babies and daycare facilities.
Translated, if you are a parent that determines your baby does not need a Hep B shot on the day they are born for this sexually-transmitted disease, you then are prohibited from sending your child to daycare when you need to go back to work. If you think, “We all had the chicken pox when I was a kid, and I am okay if my kids get it,” then no school. This bill is very broad, and appears that it could include, now or in the future: the annual flu vaccine, HPV (sexually transmitted), COVID, swine flu, and anything else that gets manufactured.
If you believe that the decision to have a liability-free pharmaceutical product injected into your child is one best made between the parent and their child’s doctor, rather than the government — please let your legislators know by emailing or calling them right away.
Jess Desbrow
Hood River
It’s within us
Congratulations, President Biden and Vice President Harris.
May your courage be strong and your will unwavering as you take on a multitude of unimaginable challenges facing your office.
You embody the hopes of a nation who, despite the chaos, violence, division, hate, lies, and tumult of the past four years, still believes in civility, equity, and justice. You represent hope, science, fact, and all that is just.
It won’t be easy, but this moment has brought together Americans from all walks of life who have, many for the first time in their lives, understand what is at stake and are motivated and galvanized to righting the course of this country to be on the side of justice, wisdom, dignity, integrity, truth, and kindness.
This, if anything, is a reminder to all of us of the work yet to be done, and the challenges we must yet endure that will continue to test all of us, and how we must not relax our guard to protect this precious republic and keep working to realize all that is indeed possible.
May we all come together to work towards a better future.
It is possible.
And it lies within all of us.
Dawn Rasmussen
The Dalles
Cemetery improved
2020 was a busy and productive year at the Trout Lake Cemetery.
The Trout Lake Cemetery Association wishes to thank everyone who has made donations and worked with us this year to improve our cemetery. Most notably the following:
Trout Lake Farms for hours and hours of clean up labor at the cemetery. They provided a crew every Tuesday morning through summer and fall weed-eating, clearing the fence line and all sorts of general clean up. Especially appreciated is the cleaning around all the headstones. This was hundreds of hours of labor many on hot summer days.
The Justesen family for providing the Cemetery Association an easement through their property for a water-line to the cemetery. The easement allowed a much shorter waterline route to the cemetery, making the project much less daunting and more affordable.
Little Mountain True Value for donating paint and supplies for a new coat on the storage shed and especially for donating the materials necessary for the water-line. The Cemetery Association has no firm funding stream, donations like this are huge to making improvements at the cemetery.
Mike Kaufman for spearheading the waterline project. Mike’s experience with the system and what needed to get done has been and will continue to be invaluable.
Brooks Heard for design services for a new sign to be installed at the Sunnyside-Cemetery Road intersection.
All other community members who have helped out with the onsite clean up or will be working on the waterline and sign installations.
All of this work effort does not go unnoticed. I have received written and verbal compliments on the improved look of the cemetery.
Ben Beseda
President, Trout Lake Cemetery Association
Suicide Prevention
A quick note in response to the article on Jan. 20, regarding a man attempting to jump from the Bridge of the Gods. First, a bit of gratitude to Deputy Please and Deputy Helton for their work on behalf of our community and my sincere wish that the gentleman receives the support we all deserve during times of distress and pain. In the case of news such as this, which I hope is rare, perhaps CGN will consider including information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), (En Español: 1-888-628-9454) or online at suicidepreventionlifeline.org — and possibly an acknowledgment that anyone who may be having thoughts of suicide, or know someone having thoughts of suicide, can contact this free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sarah Fox
Hood River
Wanted: Honesty
Insurrection is defined as an uprising against an authority or government. Domestic Terrorism is defined as committing of terrorist acts in the perpetrator’s own country against their fellow citizens. Terrorism is defined as the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. I have watched the media and politicians pin these terms on the people that broke into and vandalized the Capitol but have stayed silent when Antifa and BLM burned down cities, looted, took over parts of cities, vandalized Federal buildings, stopped traffic by force, assaulted civilians and government personnel who didn’t bow down. This happened for most of 2020 without any word and is still happening even after Biden has been inaugurated.
How come the media and so many people stay silent about all of this but are enraged when it comes to “Trump supporters” or (insert the list of names here)? I don’t think I will ever get an honest answer from anyone. Either the media has you fooled, you are blinded by hatred, or you are scared.
None of this is acceptable if you truly care for this country. I have heard nothing but silence when all of this was going on in 2020 and still hear silence, even from President Biden on Antifa and BLM.
This is another reason why I think “unity” is just another empty word to make people “feel” good.
What happened to a new start when Trump was out? Well, it’s starting off with empty words from empty people.
Doug Geary
Hood River
Klickitat Democrats
The Jan. 6 attack on our Capitol and our democracy was a disheartening and disgraceful beginning to the year and the legislative sessions.
This act of domestic terror must be called what it was — an attempted coup. It was an attempt to blatantly disregard our institutions, practices, and the voice of the people. This was, in the words of former Defense Secretary Jim Mathis, “fomented by President Trump.”
Throughout the night and to the very end, his allies in the Senate and the House spread outright lies about our electoral process, sowing doubt and rationalizing the anger felt by those who attacked the Capitol.
This embrace of falsehoods, doubt-casting, and delegitimizing of our democracy is happening at all levels of the Republican Party, from President Trump to local party organizations.
On Jan. 5, the Klickitat County Republicans posted on Facebook a letter they sent to our federal representatives that closed with, “Please represent the Klickitat County Republicans by raising your voice in support of the Electoral College Challenge on Wednesday.”
Rep. McMorris-Rodgers (WA-5) publicly supported the challenge until the violent mob incited by the GOP’s attempts to delegitimize a free and fair election put her own live at risk. As Senator Mitt Romney said with fury during the evacuation, “This is what the president has caused today, this insurrection.”
We at the Klickitat County Democrats were heartened by Congress’s return to their Chambers later that night to finalize the long-known truth of President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris’s clear electoral victory.
We know that calls for unity are important, but so are the calls for accountability for those attacking the Capitol and those whose rhetoric and leadership inspired this hate-filled attack.
We must continue to strive for a more perfect union by upholding democratic values, policies, and practices that improve the lives of those most in need.
We hope that the insurrection of Jan. 6 serves as a wake-up call to the failure of the divisive, conspiracy-addled rhetoric of the Republican Party. We must strive for a better, brighter and more compassionate, truth-based world.
Klickitat County Democratic Party
Political power
There are numerous letter writers to “our” paper who expose the cheats and liars who lust for political power so desperately that in doing so they abuse and disregard the Constitution. A letter writer protecting and defending “the Scriptures,” which is another type of Constitution, should be afforded the exact same rights regardless who the detractors are. A letter I wrote to “our” paper was “Donalized” by someone at the paper, meaning they used their power and authority unfairly to distort my letter. On Dec. 30 I used verses from “the Scriptures” to expose the lust for church empowerment sought by the female pastor. I wrote certain passages in italics. When the letter appeared in the paper, the italics were removed. Anyone reading the letter might have mistakenly thought the passages were my own words. Not good. Curiously, Ned’s five column piece on the same day had all the italics he requested. Also Mr. Woolpert on Jan. 6 had his words in italics.
Our paper demands that a president be a president for everyone. Should not our paper be a paper for everyone, regardless if they agree with the opinion? “Let the women keep silent in the churches for they are not permitted to speak … I do not permit a women to teach or to exercise authority over a man but to sit and remain quiet.” How or why would a woman seek a pastor position in a church since these rules are, “What I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” Is the female pastor acting and behaving as Donald has been accused of doing … ignoring and abusing the “Constitution?” Is it possible that the well learned female pastor does not know of these passages from the one “Book” she is supposed to know to acquire the position? The other option would be she is just as arrogant and dishonest as men. All for empowerment? The point? The blue and red power seekers, male and female will suck this nation dry of trust and truth. Politics and church are false hopes.
Trust your own mind. Learn the truth. Read now.
Gary Fischer
The Dalles
Over the gunwale
Enter Washington Representatives, Jamie Herrera-Beutler and Dan Newhouse, who voted their consciences to again impeach Donald Trump which is reminiscent of the old Soviet axiom, “Show me the man and I’ll give you his crime.”
Herrera-Beutler and Newhouse represent mainline Republican thinking. Absurdly, most Republican politicians owe their offices not to the people who elect them or the rule of law but as a less dangerous option to Democrats, whom voters perceive to be so scary. This is why the RHINO politician prevails as the main characteristic within the Republican Party.
The unwary are continually expected to believe this same chameleon establishment wing which initially elects and maintains liberal Republicans to and in office, the same who tossed Trump over the gunwale, are somehow to be trusted as the authority to discipline them.
Herrera-Beutler is now in damage control, of sorts, waving the sanctity of the Constitution to support her vote which is actually in tatters due to conveyor-belt attacks by politicians like herself who have stood idly by holding their finger in the political wind while the 99 plus percent of the violence by the George Soros types who have sponsored chaos across the nation for the better part of a year.
Mike Goodpaster
Goldendale
Wolf of D.C.
Americans have been fooled by our new wolf in sheep’s clothing. We were told time and again that fossil fuels would be phased out. With bared fangs and a slash of his claws killed the xl pipeline and all the good paying jobs that were up and ready to put Americans back to work during this COVID recovery. We have experienced failed green jobs in the past and it takes time to get up and running. In the meantime, we will suffer while the outside world devours the wolf’s spoils. Labor unions were sent to slaughter. This wolf is not an alpha; he rolls on his back and shows his neck to the left . Who will give us safety, comfort, and unity? Not this wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Sheila Nelson
Hood River
Behind CEASE
The CEASE group — Citizens Educated About Solar Energy — was formed by accident. Oct. 8, 2020, I stepped out my door to find a backhoe digging in the farmland adjoining my property. When I asked, “What are you doing?” their reply was, “We are testing the soil for a solar farm”. This was when I first learned of the intruding industrial solar farms into our beautiful county. a few days later, I formed CEASE with the intention to inform and educate the county citizens.
Our group has continued to grow as citizens become aware of this potential problem. Prior to CEASE, the citizens were unaware of the solar farms. The county officials have kept this a secret to avoid opposition. CEASE is not against solar when done responsibly, but to cover 6,000 acres of prime farmland west of Goldendale with industrial scale solar farms is irresponsible. The commissioners are unwilling to take immediate action by enacting a moratorium which would temporarily halt any solar farm from being built until the outdated ordinances (adopted 2004) are updated to protect to county and citizens from industrial solar. The commissioners interests are more for tax dollars, which we are not against but they appear to be willing to sacrifice the citizens living nearby for the greater good of the county.
The Knight Road solar project will impact 50 homes. Are they next? The EOZ energy overlay covers two-thirds of the county. Anyone living in it can have a solar farm next to their home very soon. Every citizen should be concerned. A solar farm next to your home will have a negative impact. This is a we issue, not a me issue. These ruthless, greedy, heartless solar companies do not care about us. Just their profits and the tax subsidies they receive from the Department of Energy.
They are not our friends. We get the ugly, dangerous, hazardous solar farms and destruction of our county while they profit. They will leave behind the mess for us to clean up. They do not care about greenhouse gases only the green going in their pockets.
View cease2020.org.
Greg Wagner
Goldendale
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