Your voice: Oct. 21, 2026

Thank you to the Columbia Gorge News and Nathan Wilson for the time, care, and work that went into reporting “Turmoil at Comunidades” (Oct. 7 edition). Our community is better served when local journalism asks difficult questions and brings concerns into the open.

Most of all, thank you to the Latino/a leaders who spoke up. It takes courage to share painful experiences when doing so could affect your livelihood, relationships, reputation, or ability to continue the work you care about. We should also recognize those who spoke anonymously because they did not feel safe attaching their names to their experiences. Their concerns deserve to be taken just as seriously.

And we know there are many more people whose stories will never appear in the newspaper. We hear those stories in our community all the time. Not everyone can afford to speak publicly, and their silence should not be mistaken for an absence of concern.

Accountability is a community responsibility. Sometimes, concerns remain unaddressed because those with the power to act are unwilling to listen. When leaders surround themselves with people who tell them what they want to hear, outside voices become even more important.

Organizations entrusted with resources to serve our communities must be accountable to the people they serve. Important missions, like those protecting our most vulnerable community members, do not excuse harmful behavior, and no one person should be treated as the sole voice or representative of an entire community.

We have an opportunity to show up for Latino leaders across the Gorge who are doing meaningful work for their communities and for all of us. Listen to them. Build relationships with them. Support their work, their leadership, and the community-led solutions they are building every day.

Our community is strongest when people can raise concerns, ask hard questions, and work toward something better together. That requires all of us to pay attention, make room for difficult truths, and hold those with power accountable.

We owe that to the people who spoke up, the people who couldn’t, and the community we share.

Sasha Bentley

White Salmon

Hank energy

Hank Sanders will bring the energy and vitality to work on the complex issues facing Oregon in coming years. We often see candidates running for office who do not represent younger generations and as a result we lose the innovative spirit and energy required to solve and help resolve many of the complex issues of our day.

Vote for the future not for the past. Vote with me for Hank Sanders.

Bill Lennox

The Dalles

AI out of control

Does anything live in these innumerable data centers? After a fashion, yes, Artificial Intelligence (AI). Each of the Nvidia chips or the transistors therein are like neurons in the human brain. In order to reach the number of neurons necessary to become super intelligent, the AI’s require more and more data centers with more and more Nvidia chips. So the push to build more data centers is really driven by the desire to create this super intelligent machine. The problem is that the present state of AI development demonstrates that AI’s cannot be controlled, besides the massive amount of electricity and water needed for the data centers and concomitant pollution caused. The last thing the human species needs is an uncontrolled super intelligent machine.

Especially concerning is that the Secretary of Defense (he calls himself the Secretary of War) has given the military’s AI autonomous weapons control. This means that the thing inside these data centers can decide who, when, where and how to kill any number of humans. Since the geniuses who are developing AI’s admittedly cannot control them and do not know how AI’s work or think or really what they are, the Pentagon’s AI can decide to kill any number of humans whether or not they are actually foreign military or just ordinary citizens. Worse yet, our President is opposed to any regulation of AI development. So just remember when you go to vote, do you want an uncontrolled President who will stop any regulation of AI development and will continue with the unlimited construction of data centers. The future is yours to decide.

Lance S. Stryker

White Salmon

Send Hege

I am writing to support Scott Hege for Dist. 52. Scott has years of experience in county government that has encompassed many issues from energy, land use, agriculture and manufacturing. He has done a great job as a leader in Wasco County and will serve the state well. Vote for experience not talking point rhetoric. Vote for Scott and send him to Salem ... a vote for experienced common sense.

Jack Hay

The Dalles

Hank will fight

The decisions we make today about our water, land, and energy will affect our farms and our communities for generations. I have had numerous conversations with Hank Sanders. He has taken time to come out, listen to people, and understand what we’re facing firsthand.

Data center development concerns me because of what it could mean for our water and other resources, especially when it affects water and stream flows in the Hood River Basin, like The Dalles’ data centers. Hank has called for a moratorium on new data centers so we can slow down and better understand the long-term impacts.

Scott Hege, by contrast, was involved in bringing data center development to The Dalles during his time with the port.

I’ve spent my life farming and studying water and electricity issues in the Hood River Valley on the boards of Middle Fork Irrigation and Crystal Springs Water District and that gives me a pretty simple perspective: don’t make us all pay the cost of data centers with our water and electricity.

I want leaders who understand that what happens to our resources ultimately affects all of us here in the Gorge. Hank Sanders is free from big money and will bring new energy to fight for us in Salem, he has my support and my vote.

Mike McCarthy

Parkdale 

Clear choice

I think we have very clear choices in the 2026 candidates for the offices of the county assessor and for the Skamania County Clerk. The two elected individuals, Gabe Spencer and Grace Gross, have faithfully, and with integrity, served the citizens of Skamania county for many years and will continue to do so when re-elected. Both Gabe and Grace are well-qualified for the offices that they currently hold, having continued their education in office and remaining current in all the required certifications. Both offices are in competent hands.

I have dealt with personnel in both offices and have found them well-trained and knowledgeable in answering my questions. The assessor’s office is run efficiently and competently, following the rules and regulations of Washington State; Gabe has instituted technological updates that have made Mapsifter, Taxsifter, and GIS easy, and painless, to use. The clerk’s office is accessible and friendly; most of the time they deal with people who are struggling with difficult issues, legal and personal, and from what I have seen all the personnel show empathy and understanding in difficult situations. Laws are constantly changing and Grace has kept the clerk’s office current in both technological and legal advances.

We are being asked to elect new people to these offices. I ask why? We already have local people working hard for us. They reside in and are part of our community. Both candidates have shown that they are dedicated to serving the people of Skamania County honorably, with integrity in all things.

Normally, people who run for certain offices do their time in the office and at the end of the current occupant’s term, they run to fill the slot. That’s not the case here. I urge folks with questions about these two offices to visit the current electeds and their work spaces and see for yourself that Gabe Spencer and Grace Cross are doing the jobs they were elected to do, serving all the people of Skamania county with full integrity, honesty, and competency.

They deserve our vote so they can continue to do their jobs.

Mary Repar

Stevenson

Backing Bassett

Jeff Helfrich is no friend of the environment. For example, in the last legislative session alone, he voted against a dozen important pieces of environmental legislation, including:

• A bill to protect residential and ordinary businesses from having to pay higher costs due to the huge energy demands made by data centers (HB 3546).

• Modest funding for wildlife habitat protection with a minimal increase in motel and hotel taxes (HB 4134).

• A bill authorizing state agencies to monitor groundwater usage and protect groundwater quality (SB 1154).

• A bill prohibiting state agencies from cooperating in the Trump administration’s efforts to sell off public lands (SB 1590).

Helfrich doesn’t talk about these votes in public because the voters of Senate District 26 would probably turn him out of office if they knew. The Oregon League of Conservation Voters gave him a 2025 score of 9% for Oregon legislature votes on important bills. This is one of the lowest ratings by the OLCV.

Helfrich also voted against citizens’ economic interests by voting against HB 3179, Fairness and Affordability In Residential (FAIR) Energy Act. He wants to keep your children in the dark regarding climate change as he voted against including climate change in school curriculums (HB 3365).

   Nicole Bassett is the state senate candidate who reflects the environmental and economic values of the majority of the people in Senate District 26, and that’s why I’m voting for her in the Nov. 3 election.

Jurgen Hess

Hood River

Integrity

Wasco County Commissioners play a vital role in our communities and I support the candidate who has not only exemplified integrity and transparency but has the experience to hit the ground running.

Lisa Gambee served as our Wasco County Clerk and has a deep understanding of county operations: elections, public records, budgeting processes, interdepartmental coordination, and direct service to county residents. She collaborated with every county department and every community in Wasco County and built solid, trusting relationships with local leaders, volunteers, and residents. She developed a practical understanding of what people need and how county decisions affect their daily lives.

I worked as an election worker under Lisa’s leadership. I witnessed her exemplary transparency and communication of the ballot intake and counting processes, careful adherence to the laws, and excellent active listening skills. She met a steady stream of Wasco County citizens who arrived with questions and concerns with calm, compassionate support and effective answers. Every one had value in her County Clerk office.

If you want integrity, transparency, and experience on the County Commission, then Lisa Gambee is your candidate. She has the experience to serve Wasco County from day one and has demonstrated the integrity and compassion to represent everyone in Wasco County. Please join me in voting for Lisa Gambee!

Stacey Holeman

The Dalles

Vote Bassett

Every election, decisions get made about our housing, jobs, schools, and farms, whether or not we take part. Ballots go out soon, and I urge every neighbor in Senate District 26 to vote. Choose the person you believe will best advocate for the issues that affect all of us.

For me, that person is Nicole Bassett.

Hood River faces a real affordability crisis. Housing prices keep climbing, and we risk becoming a town of second homes instead of a year-round community. Fixing that takes more than building houses. It takes good-paying jobs and strong local businesses, so the people who work here can afford to live here.

Nicole understands this because she has done the work. For decades she has built businesses, created jobs, and helped bring Fair Trade practices and living wages to workers in the apparel industry. She is not someone who talks about building an economy. She has built one.

Her priorities fit our district. She wants to keep wealth in our communities, which supports family farms, orchardists, and local storefronts that are under pressure from large corporations. She supports investment in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and local job training. She also backs affordable housing, strong public schools, and small businesses and local agriculture.

Nicole has also said she will build relationships across party lines. She promises to base every vote on what the people of this district actually need, and to be honest with us about the results. After years of partisan standoffs in Salem, that approach is welcome.

District 26 stretches from the Gorge to the edge of Oregon City, and our small, rural communities deserve a strong voice in Salem. I believe Nicole Bassett will be that voice.

Please vote by Nov. 3, and please join me in voting for Nicole Bassett for Oregon State Senate.

Anna Cavaleri

Hood River

Sanders skilled

Voters in Oregon House District 52 would do well to select Hank Sanders as our representative in Salem. Like many of us in Corbett, you may have already met Hank as he has reached out tirelessly over the last several weeks to meet people personally throughout our district. What strikes me about Hank are his communication skills, ability to listen carefully to our concerns, and his capacity to translate complex public policy issues into information that is easy to understand. These skills will allow him to work well with other legislators in Salem to advance the interests of all Oregonians. Hank understands the concerns of the rural and small urban communities of our district. For example, he knows the impact data center development has had on water and energy availability and on our utility bills, and he has wisely called for a moratorium on their development. There are issues unique to our district on which Hank has a firm grasp. Whether it is the concerns of orchardists in the Hood River valley, small family farms, the health of fisheries in the Columbia River, and the concerns about wildfire risk in our forests — Hank is well-informed. As a family forest owner, I believe he will effectively represent my interests and those of other small woodland owners throughout our district. Give Hank Sanders your vote!

John Christensen

Corbett

Scott Hege note

We met at my door here in Cascade Locks — you and your friend stopped by, and I appreciated you taking the time. Wanted you to know you’ve got my support and my prayers as you run for District 52. Sixteen years serving Wasco County tells me you’re the kind of leader who shows up, listens, and does the work — that’s exactly what the Gorge needs in Salem. Thank you for stepping up. Running for office takes guts, and it matters that good people are willing to serve.

God bless you and your family out on the trail.

Jay Mather

Cascade Locks

Revamped

Hood River Valley Christian Church

Wants you to know we care,

Our thrift shop will reopen soon,

We’ve many things to share.

We’ve painted and reorganized,

We have a brand-new look,

Perhaps you’ll find some winter clothes

Or things to help you cook.

Our shelves are filled with books and toys

And we have bedding too,

So come and see what you can find,

We’re hoping to see you!

Reopening on Oct. 21.

Jan Behrmann

Hood River

Story response

In response to reporting my administrative complaint for perjury and defamation, Washington State Parks Ranger and Klickitat County Commissioner candidate Andy Kallinen provided further misrepresentations published in The Goldendale Sentinel on Oct. 14.

 I did not “conflate” seeing him testify in uniform at trial. I have only seen him at the County Courthouse on one occasion —  at trial. There are other witnesses as well. Kallinen’s false claims regarding an $825 reimbursement to me that saved taxpayer’s approximately $10,000 have continuously shifted.

 Kallinen now claims he innocently confused events, but again falsely contends there was an “agreed” reimbursement amount, which he denied communicating to me at trial. Forced to face his contradictory allegations, Kallinen now blames his false claims on communication from defendant Carpenter and/or Area Manager Pratt —  both apparently no longer with State Parks. Based on the factual record and direct statements to me, it was Carpenter who advocated for a higher reimbursement than I submitted to compensate for my “donated time and resources,” and perhaps my lost employment earnings.

 Kallinen claims he has “zero intent of deceit.” His shifting stories — including the bizarre and obviously invented allegation that I somehow went over his head to coerce an unjustified reimbursement from State Parks —  show nothing could be further from the truth.

The public should have all the facts about a person to make an informed voting decision. Kallinen deceitfully manufactured and initiated this excessive reimbursement scheme to discredit me during a trial where he appeared under oath in uniform despite having no official State Parks business. His responses to my revealing this deception and improper behavior are intended to deflect from his perjured testimony, and have created a new web of false allegations.

 County Commissioners require public trust while managing the public’s business and taxpayer funds, making honesty a priority.

The truly sad thing is Kallinen’s ready disposition to create falsehoods, which disqualifies him from holding public office.

Bob Yoesle

Arivaca, Arizona,

former Gorge resident

 Editor’s Note: See story referenced on A2.

Rob the bank

Do you realize that U.S. billionaires got about $2.5 trillion richer from Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and $2.2 trillion richer in just the past year, mostly due to the 2025 Big Betrayal Bill?

That’s more than $35,000 per household, increasing every day. They’ve robbed the U.S. Treasury, which we all own. How? They created unprecedented chaos and disasters so that citizens focus on the confusion instead of the heist.

Why isn’t bank-robbing in the news? Because taxes are boring and don’t make juicy headlines. Sixty to 70% of Americans now live paycheck-to-paycheck, focused only on paying bills. Others are distracted by the daily chaos and destruction — illegal ICE activities, illegal tariffs, an illegal and predictably disastrous war, the highest inflation since 2002, our unhinged Supreme Court allowing our deranged president to destroy whatever he wants, our Republicans (and some Democrats) in Congress approving bills that take from the poor and give to the rich, etc. etc. The more violent or audacious the tactic, the better for distraction. Some people just dismiss all politics as dysfunctional.

The GOP call it trickle-down economics, when it’s actually theft — just like the Reagan era. But don’t billionaires want strong U.S. companies and workforces? No, they’re happy to buy struggling companies (or foreclosed properties) for pennies on the dollar and replace all the workers with AIs and robots; $35,000 is just the beginning of their plan to enslave you.

Don’t be confused by record stock market numbers, because stock markets are systems for extracting wealth, not indicators of economic well-being. I experienced this first-hand, as the CEO of a public company — over three years my respect for Wall Street turned into loathing.

What can we do about it? If we don’t massively shift power in this election, it may be the last U.S. election. That’s no exaggeration, because the president is now above the law and he has plumbed enough dark money to enough powerful people to corrupt our democracy beyond recognition. Mr. President says we won’t need another election. 

Pay attention and vote!

References: Budget Committee Democrats, Americans for Tax Fairness, Guardian.

Eric Strid

White Salmon

Vote Duresky

Earlier this month, the GOP Trump administration kicked 280,000 legal immigrants off Medicaid. But that was only a warm-up. The Urban Institute projects that between 4.9-10.1 million people could lose their Medicaid coverage by 2028 — a budget cut of $900 billion.

In addition, as many as 5.5 million folks will lose their Affordable Care Act insurance, because premiums skyrocketed after the Republicans in Congress refused to extend subsidies that helped make the ACA affordable. These cuts will impact all Americans, because people who cannot afford health insurance often forego seeing a doctor until their condition gets so bad that they end up in hospital emergency rooms. That clogs up the emergency rooms and saddles hospitals with unpaid bills that patients can’t afford. Hospitals raise the price of services as a result, which increases the premiums that we pay for insurance. It’s an ugly cycle.

There is one group, however, who won’t be suffering much due to these cuts: the wealthy class. The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that the Republican Congress passed and that Trump signed will provide “roughly $2.3 trillion in tax cuts over the next 10 years for households in the top 10% income bracket” (Seattle Times, Oct. 8).

Today’s Republican leaders have betrayed regular folks, while helping the rich get richer. John Duresky, the Democratic candidate for Congressional District 4, which includes Klickitat County, is hopping mad about this kind of unfairness. He deserves our vote.

Rick George

White Salmon