Your Voice: Sept. 9, 2026

She brings integrity, honesty, a deep knowledge of Wasco County and 10 years experience as county clerk. She is an excellent listener and wants to know what her constituents think and what they want for their communities.

For example, to learn more about the Maupin area, she has attended city council meetings and joined the town’s Garden Cub, which is focused on providing good service to the community. She was in the Maupin Daze parade in May.

She believes that county government should work for the people who live in Wasco County. I believe her, which is why I am voting for Lisa Gambee who will become an outstanding Wasco County Commissioner.

Carol Beatty

Mayor, Maupin

Nicole Bassett for state senator

Oregon’s need to build its economy by bringing in or creating new businesses has been in the news for years. And yet many of the businesses we attract, both locally and statewide, act like predators, taking from the community, gobbling up resources, and often delivering less jobs and actual value than promised. Data centers come to mind. Also Amazon’s delivery business. Also Nestlé’s water capture plans. I’m still waiting for the company that comes and asks the community, ours or any potential host community, “How can we prosper together?”

Can we have a vibrant economy in Oregon without degrading the environment and/or leaving waste for the next generations? Can companies prosper, provide good paying jobs, and focus on value, while protecting our shared natural assets, our watersheds, and our communities?

Maybe this is expecting too much? Too unrealistic? Not according to Nicole Bassett, candidate for State Senator here in Senate District 26. Nicole’s career has focused on just that type of business development, enabling companies like Patagonia and prAna to operate sustainably as well as profitably.

In addition to working for and consulting with global corporations on “circular economy” business design, Nicole has put her expertise to work right here in the Gorge. She was co-founder and CEO of The Renewal Workshop in Cascade Locks for seven years, taking damaged apparel, and getting it repaired and back into use. Focused on creating value and preventing waste, her business grew to 80 employees across the U.S. and the Netherlands before being acquired in 2022.

Businesses that only take do not deserve a red carpet into our communities. With her competence and business expertise, Nicole Bassett will be an asset in our state legislature to guide its response to Oregon’s economic needs.

Bonnie New

Hood River

Bassett for D26

I’ve watched communities across the Gorge change as local businesses struggle to compete and working families struggle with rising costs. That’s why I’m paying close attention to this fall’s race for Senate District 26. I want our communities to thrive — and I want our kids to have a real chance to stay here. To me, that means building an economy that makes better use of what we already have: thinking creatively about materials at hand, turning discarded goods into new products, and creating jobs that stay local instead of shipping opportunity elsewhere.

Nicole Bassett has spent years showing that this is possible. She built a business here in the Gorge that turned discarded goods into good local jobs. This isn’t just a campaign talking point; it’s the work she has actually done. Nicole and I have been friends for 15 years, and I’ve watched her take things that weren’t working — a bike, a supply chain, a broken system — and make them work.

That kind of hands-on, practical experience is what we need in Salem: someone who has built something, not just talked about building it. Oregon has a real opportunity to lead in creating an economy that keeps jobs, materials, and opportunity close to home. I believe Nicole Bassett is the person to help us get there. Please join me in voting for Nicole Bassett for Senate District 26 on Nov. 3.

Jen Bayer

Hood River

Voting against yourself

Why do people vote against their best interests? This age-old question is relevant for many who vote for Republicans.

My father many years ago opined that people so dreamt of joining the rich that they closely related to them and voted with them.

But economic mobility has greatly diminished, including by the billionaire-friendly “One Big Beautiful Bill” championed by Congressional Republicans, so those dreams should be rudely awakened by reality. Hard work now may not ensure economic security.

Vowing to make Democrat Barack Obama a one-term president, long-time Republican Sen. Leader Mitch McConnell opposed everything Obama — and then Democratic ex-President Joe Biden — proposed to help the working class. Consequently, the working class justifiably has felt forgotten, and many emotionally relate to President Donald Trump’s angry rhetoric, even though he’s never done anything for their welfare — in fact, along with Congressional Republicans, has made life harder for them. Unfortunately, many people vote their emotions, rather than rationally in agreement with their best interests.

Washington’s 4th Congressional District (CD4) is easily the state’s reddest and Republican MAGA cultist Amanda McKinney is the favorite over Democrat John Duresky in November. However, McKinney voters should be warned of the same danger as those voting for many other Congressional Republicans, including the deceitful Michael Baumgartner in neighboring CD5: if they haven’t monitored McKinney closely enough to discern any difference between what she says and what she will likely do (how she will likely vote), they may be voting against their best interests.

Norm Luther

Spokane, former Gorge resident

Vote!

Vote! Voting is the only way to end the insanity, corruption, belligerence and destruction of the Coward and Thief. Silence is complicity!

Sixty-eight point seven percent of eligible voters did not vote for this! We have this catastrophe because 35% did not vote and are complicit. Soon we will have midterm ballots. Choose to be active. Choose not to extend this tragedy! Don’t be complicit! Vote!

I suggest using Exodus 20:1-17 as a guide. Display the 10 commandments prominently in the Oval Office.

1. No other gods: Don’t allow him to continue to build temples to himself, Ball Room, Kennedy Center, Statuary, 747s ….

2. No Idols: Remove his garish, gilded, and other “vulgar golden calves” of gold trash.

3. Don’t allow him to diminish Christianity by selling “Trump Bibles.” He is not Gideon!

6. Don’t allow him to kill people: 228 Caribbean and Eastern Pacific boat people, 168 children/teachers in an Iranian school — Trump, Musk and DOGE dismantled the staff to verify legitimate military targets. Prevent such killings, and people like Renee Good, Alex Pretti ....

7. Why follow the adulterer? A self-confessed rapist sexually assaulted 23 women including his ex-wife, found guilty of assaulting E. Jean Carrol.

8. Don’t Steal: Oil from Venezuela, found guilty in New York of 32 counts of fraud, paid $25 million to settle fraudulent Trump University.

9. Don’t give false testimony: Easier to list when he has not lied! Immigrants eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio.

10. Don’t covet your neighbors’ things: not Greenland, not Venezuela, not Canada, not Mexico, not the Kennedy Center, not ….

This year’s cherry harvest was bountiful, but the market has fallen. The illegal and extreme tariffs have destroyed the world marketplace! His hubris “Only I can fix it” illuminates his profound ignorance. Not only are the sales side markets in uproar, but the supply side markets are likewise anxious. We cannot sell what we grow, and we cannot buy what we need!

Our Representative Clifford Bentz has had a political orchiectomy. Bentz doesn’t stand for us! He doesn’t have the courage to challenge the bully! Vote! Fire Bentz!

Terry Armentrout

The Dalles

Sanders for businesses

During my 25 years building Tofurky right here in the Gorge, I learned that doing business in Oregon is harder than it needs to be. Hank Sanders understands what it takes for our businesses to thrive and will fight every day against both big corporations steamrolling our communities and unnecessary red tape from Salem. As an investigative journalist, Hank learned to ask hard questions, hear the community voices that get drowned out too often, and hold powerful people’s feet to the fire. I’ve come across a lot of young people in my day, and Hank is the real deal. Furthermore, doesn’t it make sense that a sharp young person with a large stake in the future should be added to the Oregon State legislature?

He will also fight to protect our families from skyrocketing utility bills, made worse by data centers in the Gorge. He’ll protect our water and fight against giving tax breaks to trillion-dollar corporations. That’s why he’s calling for a data center moratorium.

His opponent, Scott Hege, worked for a data center construction company. He’s Google’s biggest fan, and he will shell out more support for AI data centers if he can.

Fight for small businesses. Lower costs for families. Stand up to data centers. Vote Hank.

Seth Tibbott

Founder, Tofurky Company

I’m sorry!

I’m sorry because I didn’t know the enemy followed me home, the name called Trump. Trump wants to arrest anybody who speaks a different language than me and others. If you don’t want to lose your freedom, speak out verbally and in writing, as I am.

I saw and heard the enemy in the combat zone. We are now in a combat zone called Civil War II. My weapon in Vietnam was my AK47; now it’s Columbia Gorge News.

I will fight before I lose mine and your freedom to a dictator called Donald Trump. Fight the enemy with love. No matter the race or color, we are all family.

My late wife was from another country and that comes with love and pride.

Steve Cochenour

The Dalles

Support Gambee

I support Lisa Gambee for the Wasco County Board of Commissioners. I hope you will, too.

Lisa Gambee has the experience we need on a commission of relative newbies, having served nearly 10 years as Wasco County Clerk. She already knows much about the issues of every community and has always been open to listening to the needs of every county resident.

Gambee is a consensus builder while maintaining her own values and integrity. The continuity she will bring to the commission will help to fill the huge gap left behind by the tragic loss of another great listener, Phil Brady. Her knowledge of both city and rural issues has helped her develop excellent working relationships with city, county and state offices and agencies.

Gambee, as a resident of south Wasco County and coincidentally personally experiencing wildfires again, has a unique perspective that we will find invaluable on our new county commission.

Gambee’s strength of character, openness and proven leadership will transfer well to her service for us on the Board of Wasco County Commissioners. Please join me in electing Lisa Gambee this November.

Sandy Haechrel

The Dalles

Campaign funding

Recently, over half a billion in dark money to Republicans came from tech companies invested in AI, cryptocurrency and online gambling (“Crypto, Gambling and AI Companies Drive Record Spending on U.S. Congressional Races,” Democracy Now, Aug. 21, 2026). AI requires far more data storage and tech giants are proposing thousands more data centers (DCs) across our nation. A few republicans and most democrats favor a moratorium on DC construction. Klickitat county is run by a super majority of Republicans who are now considering permit or moratorium on three DCs applying to locate in Klickitat County. DCs extort as much as 1,300 acres, too often on farmland, in neighborhoods, sometimes under eminent domain. Possibly soon to our public lands if billionaires get their way.

DCs can consume five million gallons of water a day; more than a city of 20,000. Five thousand more than The Dalles. The DCs proposed for Klickitat County are larger than Google in the Dalles.

One DC uses more electricity than Portland, so billionaires negotiate for cheap kilowatt rates with no public disclosures. Just one DC results in the need for expanded grids that would significantly increase residential utility rates.

When DCs don’t get bargain rates, they demand pipelines be provided or they install diesel generators that produce 68 million tons a year of climate changing pollution. Tech billionaires consider these byproducts trade secrets, so counties grant non-disclosure provisions in contracts with no environmental monitoring prescribed. Construction would create temporary jobs. Though the jobs carrot in these deals comes with the stick of automation that promises to eliminate jobs. Tough luck, kids.

Another effect of AI is all encompassing surveillance resulting in multiple abuses. Flock cameras surveilling us everywhere 24/7 require huge data storage. Plus we cloud store millions of photos and increasingly AI generates misleading political ads and pitch-perfect blues videos.

Examples are legion of big tech’s willingness to bypass democracy via purchasing politicians. I am hopeful our county leaders will not fall prey and will work to stop the hazards of this resource exhaustive development in our county. Together, Klickitat County with democrat and republican constituents alike can implement a moratorium that would support the integrity of all our lives.

Chris Connolly

White Salmon

Voting for Bassett

I’m supporting Nicole Bassett for Oregon Senate because I’ve had the opportunity to see something that doesn’t always show up on a campaign website: how she shows up in her own community.

Nicole is curious. She listens. She asks good questions. And when she believes something can be better, her instinct is to roll up her sleeves and help make it better. I’ve seen that same quality throughout her career — a willingness to take on complicated problems, bring people together and turn ambitious ideas into something tangible.

Last fall, I invited local policymakers and community leaders on an e-bike ride to experience our transportation system from a different perspective. Nicole came. So did her opponent, Jeff Helfrich, whose support for Safe Routes to School efforts I genuinely appreciate. I’m grateful to live in a community where people with different political perspectives will get on bikes together, listen and learn from one another.

I’m choosing Nicole because I believe Oregon needs more leaders who approach public service with curiosity rather than certainty. She brings real-world experience in business and sustainability, but just as importantly, she understands that good policy starts by listening to the people who will actually live with it.

Nicole sees tremendous possibility in rural Oregon and in the people who live here. I believe she has the energy, creativity and collaborative spirit to turn some of that possibility into action in Salem. I’m proud to support Nicole Bassett for Oregon Senate District 26.

Megan Ramey

Hood River