Your voice: May 22, 2024

Opposing these barbaric 1,000 eyes-for-an-eye actions of Israel to the equally barbaric attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians doesn’t make you “anti-Semitic.” It makes you a compassionate human being. Overwhelmingly peaceful student protesters who know this are leading the way, just as they have done in opposing injustice from the civil rights movement to the tragedy of the Vietnam War.

Israel is our proxy-state in the Middle East for the conflict with Iran, leading to the U.S. turning a mostly blind eye to the manifest destiny for the Zionist occupation and colonization of the West Bank. This is as illegal under international law as the Russian occupation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine. The hypocrisy of politicians and Christian Nationalists supporting supplying offensive arms to Israel used to kill Palestinian civilians is galling. Hamas has been referred to as “savages.” The horrible actions by Hamas are unfortunately what happens when colonists take other less powerful peoples' land and put them on reservations as we did with Native Americans. We called them savages for their barbaric retaliation as well. But what is really more barbaric? Taking other people's land, and killing civilians, is part of our history from nearly exterminating Native Americans and enslaving African Americans, to the Japanese internment and nuking Nagasaki and Hiroshima, to the carpet bombing and My Lai massacre in Vietnam. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

Israeli actions in Gaza are creating more desperate and traumatized civilians who will gladly support or become members of Hamas, and the cycle of violence will continue and worsen. Biden has done the right thing to attempt to limit this violence, and push Israel towards the two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians have their aspirations for autonomy and self-rule realized. There will be no peace in the Middle East until there is justice for all.

Bob Yoesle

Goldendale

No to agreement

I’m opposed to the proposed franchise agreement for Carriger Solar being considered by the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners (public hearing May 7). Because of climate change, we need to preserve prime agricultural land. Moreover, in my opinion, utility scale solar farms (USSFs) are already obsolete for any Pacific Northwest location above 45.5 degrees latitude (south-central Washington). Offshore floating wind generators (OFWGs) are superior to USSFs, and should now be considered as a replacement for planned USSFs in Washington.

Nature, a leading scientific journal, shows large swaths of U.S. agricultural land forecast to be significantly subject to drought in only 20 years (bit.ly/3SRMRcP). Acreage designated for USSF’s in Klickitat County likely will be minimally affected and could become premium agricultural land well within the projected lifetime of solar farms, typically 25-40 years.

The Klickitat County region is a mediocre location for USSFs due to low solar irradiance levels six months per year, as shown here (120 degrees longitude, 46 degrees latitude; bit.ly/41Lh1l4). Hence, USSFs are inadequate for meeting a substantial portion Washington state’s future year-round power needs. Note: Solar is a good choice for small-scale residential power generation.

Offshore floating wind generators (OFWGs) are superior to both USSFs and land-based wind farms. Just one rotation of one state-of-the art floating wind generator can power a Washington home for 24 hours, and can generate over seven times more power than a land-based wind generator (bit.ly/3Uz4QFP). Washington State has an enormous OFWG potential. With only 10% of this potential developed, peak power generated would be more than 15 times the amount produced by all three of Washington’s currently proposed USSFs combined! More agricultural land would then be available for cattle and crop production. The impact, if any, on fishing is still being studied, but so far the environmental impact is much less than USSFs.

The Biden Administration incentivized development of offshore floating wind generators in 2022.

Steve Heitmann

White Salmon

Thanks for update

Thank you for the Under Canvas article. Both Under Canvas and Klickitat County have done everything possible to make Oakridge Road appear different than it is. The unpaved section is clearly substandard — a safety risk to users, including bus-transported school children. The application of “fire access road” standards was an arbitrary decision to ensure Under Canvas was granted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). The CUP was granted erroneously and should be reversed until the road is brought up to “local access road standards.” Appellants’ new appeal seeks to do that. But, as the article brings to light, unless the record is reopened to admit Appellants’ engineering studies (studies that prove the road is inadequate to meet criteria for a CUP), any new court decision will likely be made on the existing record. This record is without a single geometric fact regarding the roads physical condition.

I believe decisions against the public interest were made by county employees to expedite a CUP. I believe these employees were willing to do this knowing that public road safety would be compromised.  Under Canvas used the head of the county’s road department as its “star” witness. The Hearing Examiner determined this witness to be a non-expert, thus shielding him from cross-examination, allowing his testimony to be taken as fact. This employee has now been promoted to head of Public Works and as such, decides what level of road improvement Under Canvas will be required to do. As Under Canvas was quoted in the article, “Conditions of approval require (minor) improvements as seen fit by the reviewing parties…” Calloused as this may be, considering the safety of school children is at risk, Under Canvas’ smugness here is well grounded.  With a CUP now in hand, Under Canvas has Klickitat County by the short hairs. Any move by Public Works to require road improvement beyond “minor” will be picked up by the taxpayers. Klickitat County is broke, so the School District’s concern over road safety to its “students and staff” arising from Under Canvas’ increase in traffic will, in this context, be for naught.

Bonnie White

White Salmon

Personal harm

At Trump’s May 11 rally in New Jersey, he asked attendees if they’d ever seen “The Silence of the Lambs.” The presidential candidate praised the main character, Hannibal Lector, a cannibal, saying, “He’s a wonderful man ... He often would have a friend for dinner.”

Trump linked the fictional cannibal to migrants, stating that people are coming into our country who we don’t want here, and who are destroying our country. Since 2015, Trump has claimed, without evidence, that many who cross our border are mentally insane or violent criminals (Seattle Times, May 13, 2024, “Trump amps up ‘Hannibal Lector’ reference in comments about migrants”).

With less inflammatory but troubling language, is the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 list of proposals to upend the lives of immigrants. The following are just two of the many proposals:

1. End the legal status of 500,000 Dreamers by reducing staff time to process and review renewal applications;

2. Suspend updates to the annual eligible country lists for H-2A and H-2B temporary worker visas, thereby excluding most populations from filling critical gaps in the agricultural, construction, hospitality, and forestry sectors (niksanencenter.org, Project 2025: unveiling the far right’s plan to demolish immigration in a second Trump term).

These proposals will cause personal harm to Dreamers, who study, work, and contribute to our communities, and bring chaos to our workforce, thereby threatening our security and prosperity. Please be informed as we move into election season.

April George

White Salmon

Election integrity

I am part of a national organization that is working toward bridging the Red-Blue divide. Braver Angels has recently released its Report to the Nation on Trustworthy Elections, referenced below.  Through more than a 100 hours of open discussion, a consensus emerged from 26 groups that we must take action on rebuilding our trust in the election process or we run the risk of losing our republic. They came up with seven areas of concern and agreed on suggestions for solutions which include:

Fair and equal access to voting: Each citizen has an equal and reasonable opportunity to cast their vote.

Verifiable voter identity and eligibility: Voters should be required to identify themselves and prove their eligibility.

Transparency and accountability: The processes related to training poll watchers should be based on best practices. No intimidation at the polls.

Redistricting: No politicians or special interest groups should draw gerrymandered redistricting maps.

Confidence in vote counting: Checks and backup documentation must be in place so that vote counts are complete, accurate and unbiased.

Safety and security in the elections process: Everyone involved in administering elections must be able to do so safely and without fear of intimidation. Election processes must have robust defenses against fraud and interference.

Peaceful Transfer of Power: Americans will not trust the outcome of elections if their leaders sow the seeds of doubt. Violence must never be used to decide an election in the United States.

Braver Angels has a chapter that spans state lines in the Columbia Gorge. You can contact them through braverangels.org/oregon.

Source: braverangels.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/BA_2024-Trustworthy-Elections-Summary-Report-V12-WEB.pdf

Kalama Reuter

White Salmon

Appreciates paper

Wednesday is my HAPPY Day!

Self care comes in many different forms. Each Wednesday I look forward to getting the newest edition of the Columbia Gorge News out of my mailbox. Then I sit down with a nice meal and read the whole newspaper. I consider it “not too big, not too small”, one can actually read it cover to cover.

This is part of my regular, planned self care. In the day and age of electronics, reading an actual paper feels special to me. I can learn about all things “Columbia Gorge” each week in one place, no need to log on, click, search, stare at or enlarge any screen.

I feel grateful to the dedicated staff, who makes this weekly paper happen. I have known some staff members for a long time. I wanted to thank the whole CGN team for their ongoing passion, skill and investment of time and energy.

I happily renewed my subscription for another two years. Additionally, I talk about topics I read in this paper with local friends. Some have subscribed due to our conversation.

The CGN is a small business and like all small businesses they depend on their customer’s support. Please consider this: Purchase CGN editions or subscribe, support the businesses which advertise in the CGN or advertise in the CGN. I hope we will have this local paper for many more years — as local print newspapers seem to be threatened by extinction.

Carola Stepper

Hood River

Sign petition

I believe the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners is justified in researching and seeking the best solution to the jail’s management problems. Bob Songer has not demonstrated competence in his role as the top administrator for the county’s jail and law enforcement. He claims the buck stops with him but then blames the state, the Songer haters, the radical left, the Democratic party, and the county commissioners for his failure to manage his budget and ensure the safety and humane treatment of the county’s inmates.

He hired Loren Culp because of his political alliance and hero worship of Sheriff Songer. Under Culp’s management so far, one inmate died by suicide, and another declined to near death before being transported to the hospital. Culp, who has no experience managing a county jail and staff, has mocked the mental health behaviors of inmates in BOCC meetings and dismissed the jail tragedies as something that just happens in all jails. Culp, who will likely be expelled from a professional law enforcement organization for publicly calling a female legislator a bitch, called for the lynching of a Black American and shooting judges and prosecutors, is an embarrassment to Klickitat County.

Half of the county’s voters (49% did not vote for him) are appalled by Sheriff Songer’s obsession with the fascist Constitutional Sheriff movement and his assertion that he has the most power in the state and nation. We are tired of his politics in our county government. We don’t hate Songer, but we firmly believe he is no longer competent or appropriate as the county’s chief law enforcement officer. If you support the effort of the county commissioners to find the best solution for the county jail, then sign our petition: klickitatcountyconcernedcitizens.weebly.com.

Sue Kusch

White Salmon

'Chew on that'

The Wall Street Journal reports President Biden’s dog has “ ... reportedly bitten Secret Service personnel at least 24 times.”

I sort of like this. To me, it sends a well-thought, deep political message: Guys, if your arrogant incompetence gets me killed, then you’ll be dealing with Kamala Harris. Just chew on that, guys.

Jerrold Richards

Lyle

Shocking

Hear ye hear ye! Utility costs going up? Are you curious how much the folks at the top of PG&E are making? Go to www1.salary.com and be prepared to be shocked! Perhaps some cuts at the top would be appropriate before raising rates for the users.

Maria Kollas

Hood River