Feeling connected
On my outdoor adventures, I have encountered many bears in the wild, including black bears, coastal brown bears and grizzly bears. Each experience holds a special place in my heart. While sharing space with an animal such as a bear, I feel a part of the natural system rather than a dominant species. I feel connected.
I am thankful that Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge is home to many wild animals, particularly large mammals such as black bear, elk and cougar. The unfragmented habitat, clean water, abundant food sources and shelter in and around Mount Hood are essential for animals such as these. It is our responsibility to protect these natural treasures, which is why I support Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Ron Wyden’s proposed legislation to better protect Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.
This legislation is the first step in creating a new plan for Mount Hood that better balances recreation, conservation and wildlife. The proposal will protect the natural features and wildlife habitat that makes this place so special. I am particularly interested in the new Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers designations that will help preserve habitat, protect clean water and air and provide opportunities for wildlife to thrive well into the future.
The wildlife that call Mount Hood and the Gorge home deserve our best efforts to safeguard them and their habitats. I fully support Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Ron Wyden’s proposed legislation to protect wildlife around Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and hope you will too.
Brittney Mills
Parkdale
No demons
In his letter of March 9 (“Avoid War”), Patrick Rawson had the courage to say this about the war in Ukraine: Nonviolent economic sanctions are the only humane way to halt the conflict.
Biden’s refusal to impose a no-fly zone is the smart and compassionate course. There is no faster way to slide into a global confrontation with Russia than to put U.S. pilots in the line of fire. The last thing Ukraine needs is to be a proxy battlefield for conflict among major atomic powers. The war in Ukraine is the culmination of an ethnic civil war on Russia’s border that has been going on for generations, and has cost both Ukrainian and Russian lives.
But despite the clear patriotic passion on both sides, it is really economic issues that go to the heart of this conflict. This war is at root a struggle between Russia and the west for access to economic resources — natural gas and oil markets, Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth, and warm-water shipping ports. Economic sanctions and isolation are the best way to pressure an end to it.
America is wise to avoid rushing to embrace violent war. Unfortunately, in recent weeks, some ordinarily compassionate and thoughtful Americans have seized on the idea of Russians and their political leaders as evil, less than human, deserving of death on the battlefield — or even by assassination. War fever is becoming an enticing and exciting national pastime, like a video game we can all share.
We can’t forget that real people die in such games. We can’t forget that Russia was our ally in World War II, just as Japan and Germany were sworn deadly enemies. We can’t forget that today’s enemies are tomorrow’s friends. We can’t forget that this is not a black-and-white world. We can’t forget that no story in the real world has only one side to it.
Russians are not evil or demons. Few real people are. They are human beings who believe they have communal interests they are trying to protect, just like the Ukrainians, just like the Europeans. Just like us.
Susan Crowley
Hood River
Top notch
I happened to be in Rheingarten Park last Thursday afternoon while the Whitson Elementary second grade music class was performing under the outdoor covered rec area. I and several others who were using the park at the time all commented on how lovely the singing and storytelling were. I heard classics like America the Beautiful, You’re a Grand Old Flag and De Colores. Well done, kiddos; your performance was top notch!
Carly Lemon
White Salmon
Brady of Wasco County
I am thrilled that my friend and neighbor, Phil Brady, is running for Wasco County Commissioner. We’ve lived next door to each other since 2003, we’ve shared gardening tips, taught science together at the high school, watched our kids grow up together, and we’ve shared a sincere interest in our community. Phil is running for Position 3, which Commissioner Kathy Schwartz is retiring from. I know Phil will continue the amazing work that Kathy started, especially the critical work to provide more access to affordable housing throughout the county. And I know he’ll find new ways of his own to make Wasco County a better place for us all.
Besides housing, something very important to Phil is improving access to affordable childcare and early education. This is so critical to support young families, provide essential opportunities for our next generation, and create resources that people considering a move to The Dalles are looking for.
Another priority for Phil will be to improve our community preparedness for the kinds of disasters we may face in the years ahead — more wildfires, extreme smoke, deadly heatwaves, and another pandemic. Phil understands and respects science. He’s been teaching it for years to our kids. Now more than ever, we need his voice on our county commission.
After two challenging years, we have the opportunity, not just to return to normal, but to invest in our county, its people, and our future. Electing Phil Brady will help us do that! Learn more at VotePhilBrady.com.
Debi Ferrer
The Dalles
Trump’s Praise of Putin
On a recent talk show, ex-president Donald Trump praised Putin (Europe’s second Hitler) for declaring parts of Ukraine independent and sending so-called “Peace Keepers”( i.e. tens of thousands of army troops tanks and rockets) into that sovereign state. He said, “How smart is that.”
His remarks are absolutely despicable. I suppose Trump thinks bombing schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and homes, wantonly killing civilians is smart too. Trump was an embarrassment to this country through his entire term in office and he continues to be so today. How can any self respecting person admire and support that man is beyond comprehension.
Gary Fields
Hood River
Vote Brady
I’ve known Phil Brady for over two decades. From the time his daughters were “fishies” on the summer swim team, through their years as my students in AP History and English at TDHS, and now in my retirement, he has been a steady voice for supporting what works in our community and for promoting growth and equity where those influences are needed.
Phil sets himself the high standard of “walking the walk.” This has placed him on the same path as many of us: developing competency and pride in our youth as a career educator (science teacher and mentor at TDHS for 17 years, eight as head of instruction at NORCOR Juvenile).
Phil’s commitment to community has impacted our healthcare in positive ways. He has promoted an exercise program at Water’s Edge open to everyone in the Gorge for people, like me, diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He’s also championed the Case Managers Program that helps those who find it difficult to get their prescriptions, find transportation to appointments, and address the issues at home which affect a patient’s health.
His community involvement ranges from protecting our local environment through the Watershed Council to enhancing the educational environment by way of new school facilities.
Due to his limitless creativity, clarity and abundant energy, I am pleased to endorse Phil Brady’s candidacy for County Commissioner. He’s well deserving of my endorsement and your vote.
Tim Zenker
The Dalles
Whining
I see the new narrative from Democrats is, “How petty of you to whine about gas prices. At least you don’t have Russian tanks rumbling through your streets.” That’s helpful. I suppose I should also quit complaining about crime, inflation, traffic, corruption, illegal immigration and cancer. It’s all relative, right?
Biden resisted sanctioning Russian oil because he, or more accurately, his handlers, were terrified the resulting higher prices would further annoy voters in the run-up to the midterms. Then they realized they could blame everything on Russia! Never mind the train wreck Biden’s first year has been. It’s all Putin’s fault now. Awesome!
Contrary to the lies (he’s always lied, but I’m not sure he knows it anymore) in the State of the Union address, Biden has made it more difficult to recover and transport fossil fuels in this country, and that has resulted in a decrease in domestic energy production. Yes, it’s a global market and yes, it would be difficult to increase domestic production enough to significantly reduce the price, but at least that would be income staying here instead of flowing to Russia or Venezuela or Saudi Arabia. That would be a huge benefit to America.
The greenies have declared war on fossil fuels produced in this country and, as he promised, Biden has been their weapon. It’s fine to believe that solar and wind and unicorn dust will someday replace fossil fuels, but to abandon oil and gas and coal here before that happens is lunacy, and you can bet the Chinese and Russians are not going to do that. It’s like getting rid of all the horses because the automobile was just invented. As automobiles became better, horses were gradually replaced, but not before. If someday we have viable replacements for fossil fuels (actually we do, it’s called nuclear energy, but the greenies don’t like that either), then fine, phase it out, but not before.
Fortunately for us, our ancestors weren’t stupid, but unfortunately our president and a whole bunch of modern Americans apparently are.
Steve Hudson
The Dalles
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