Your voice

He grew up in rural Oregon and cares deeply about our farm and forest lands that are what really make Oregon, Oregon. Whether I am meeting with him in Salem in his role as a legislative staffer or talking to him on my farm, I know that I am working with a person of integrity who is working tirelessly to protect and improve Oregon.

To protect Oregon’s waters, its farmlands, and its forests, join me in voting for Hank Sanders for State Representative, 52nd district.

Mike McCarthy

McCarthy Family Farm, Parkdale

Vote yes

In a time when money is tight and it seems that everyone is asking for an investment, it can be hard to willingly agree to an increase in what we pay out. The return on investment needs to be substantial, especially now. The proposed bond and levy to rebuild the county swimming pool and fund the continuation of our Hood River County Parks and Recreation is an excellent chance to support something meaningful and effective in our community.

As a family doctor living and working here over the past 20-plus years, I have counseled countless families on the importance of water safety, helped them to access free and discounted swimming lessons, connected children and adults to the wide variety of programs offered by community education, and used all of the above for myself and my family. Living and playing along the banks of the Hood River, the Columbia River, and the myriad lakes and other bodies of water emphasizes the importance of knowing how to swim and how to take care of oneself in the water. Our local schools use the public swimming pool to provide free swimming lessons throughout grade school to our local children, preventing water fatalities. Master swimmers meet in the mornings and maintain physical fitness even in the darkest, gloomiest days of winter. Water aerobics classes and the “warm pool” allow people with mobility challenges to stay active and healthy. The system of trails and parks and the Community Education programming offer opportunities for all ages to make physical activity a fun and foundational part of life.

Physical activity and social connections are two of the foundational pillars for aging well, and we have the chance to pledge our support for our community venue that provides these opportunities so well. Please join me in voting yes on the Hood River Parks & Recreation Bond and Levy.

Molly Fauth

Hood River

For Osborn

In 2022, I had the privilege of running for Senate District 26 in the Gorge as the Democratic and Independent Party candidate. While I can’t afford to run again this year, I’ve stayed closely engaged in our local legislative races. One candidate for House District 52 stands out among several strong contenders: David Osborn.

What most sets David apart to me is his clear understanding of the economic challenges facing working Oregonians — and ideas for addressing them. He has the strongest grasp of political economy in the race, with common-sense ideas for how to make up revenue lost when Trump’s tax cut unfairly benefited the ultra-wealthy, also cutting Oregon income keyed to federal returns. He understands that working people are struggling and that the economic situation is dire for many Oregonians. He is focused on solutions that invest in education, healthcare, housing, and childcare — the foundations of solid communities.

David brings exactly the experience our district needs right now. As an educator, Corbett School Board leader, and longtime nonprofit executive, he has spent decades working here in the Gorge. His leadership on forest and watershed stewardship — including co-founding the Sandy River Watershed Council — demonstrates a deep, practical commitment to protecting the natural places we love while addressing wildfire risks and climate change.

In a general election against a Republican with prior elected experience, David’s unique elected experience among Democratic candidates matters. The last Democrat to serve as HD-52 Representative, Anna Williams, has endorsed David.

House District 52 is winnable. With David Osborn, we have the candidate who can win it — and serve with the wisdom and courage this time demands.

Raz Mason

The Dalles

Gambee is ready

I have had the honor of knowing Lisa Gambee for 37 years. What I have learned about Lisa that impresses me most is that when she puts her heart and soul into an endeavor amazing things happen. While attending Portland State University (PSU) on athletic scholarship, Lisa was a two-time, first-team All American volleyball player with her team winning back-to-back National Championships both of those years. She is a member of both the PSU and State of Oregon Sports Halls of Fame. Several years after leaving PSU with a Bachelor of Science degree, Lisa returned and earned her MBA. With her MBA in hand, she started a successful marketing and brand strategy firm.

In 1995, Lisa and her husband purchased property in Tygh Valley where they built the first straw bale house permitted in Wasco County. Lisa put in countless days bucking straw bales, stacking and trimming the bales into walls, and applying plaster and stucco to finish the walls. Lisa applied the final coat of stucco while eight months pregnant with Clara Tygh.

Lisa began her service as Wasco County Clerk in 2015. She was a dedicated public servant for the almost 10 years that she served. As County Clerk, Lisa increased election transparency and improved all processes associated with the clerk’s office. Most importantly, she listened to the people of Wasco County treating all with respect and helping in any way that she could.

Lisa is ready and willing to put her heart and soul into Wasco County. Please join me in voting Lisa Gambee for Wasco County Commissioner, Position 1. Amazing things can happen.

John Gambee

(proud husband)

Tygh Valley

Integrity

I am writing in support of Lisa Gambee’s bid to serve as a Wasco County Commissioner. As the executive assistant to the board of county commissioners, I worked closely with her throughout her entire tenure with the county. That experience gave me a front row seat to her character, her work ethic, and her unwavering commitment to the people of Wasco County.

Over the years, Lisa and I collaborated on many major countywide initiatives. We served together on the planning team for leadership summits, on the training team for all staff employee development, and on the creation of the county’s 100% Love culture initiative. I also supported her as she brought numerous items before the board — each one thoroughly researched, thoughtfully prepared, and grounded in what would best serve our residents.

In every setting, Lisa demonstrated the same qualities: she is collaborative, strategic, ethical, and exceptionally hard working. She brings compassion to difficult conversations, innovation to complex challenges, and organization to every project she touches. She communicates clearly, operates transparently, and consistently elevates the people around her. Lisa is the ultimate team player; someone who listens deeply, seeks common ground, and leads with both heart and integrity.

Lisa Gambee will bring thoughtful leadership, practical experience, and a deep sense of responsibility to the role of county commissioner. She has already proven her dedication to this community, and will continue to serve it with integrity. My vote is going to Lisa Gambee, and I invite you to stand with me.

Kathy Clark

The Dalles

Investment

Nobody gets excited about paying more in taxes. But when I look at the pool bond and the Community Ed levy, I see more than a tax — I see a direct investment in our community. Every dollar stays in the Hood River Valley. It doesn’t disappear into a federal budget or get redirected somewhere else in the state.

For more than 50 years, Community Education has offered youth sports, after school programs, adult classes, and opportunities that keep people connected and active. The pool is where generations of children have learned to swim — a life skill that keeps them safe. It’s also the playing field for the kids who do competitive swimming and water polo, and a place many have used to recover from injuries.

If the levy doesn’t pass, Community Education will end at the end of the summer. Period. The pool will ultimately close permanently without the bond — it’s kind of like my old 1969 Mustang that finally just fell apart.

This is a worthwhile investment to me.

Greg Crafts

Hood River

Join me

Lisa Gambee is a proven leader, having served almost 10 years as Wasco County Clerk, a position which required the establishment of effective working relationships with other leaders and community members throughout the county.

I am impressed with her heartfelt dedication to service. She now aspires to become a Wasco County Commissioner. Lisa’s determination to build upon her years of experience and move us forward through very challenging times earns her my vote. Please join me in voting for Lisa Gambee.

Connie Krummrich

The Dalles

Sanders for rep.

I write to encourage you to join me in voting for Hank Sanders for House District 52 in the upcoming primary and general elections. Among the many reasons that Hank is our best choice for state representative, he’s identified the threat to our healthcare posed by federally-mandated Medicaid changes coming in 2027, and he’s the only candidate promoting a plan to respond.

Over the past year, Hank has spent a lot of time asking questions and looking for ways to support rural health care, including through maintaining public and private insurance coverage. I started talking to Hank last year about crafting a plan to help people stay on the Oregon Health Plan, our state’s Medicaid program.

What’s happening? New nationwide requirements from the federal government will be the drivers of lower Medicaid coverage next year, and Oregon has no choice but to implement them. Some of these federally-mandated changes will bump people off coverage who are actually still eligible because of the confusion and administrative burden involved in re-applying every 6 months instead of once a year and frequently reporting employment hours to comply with new work requirements.

Hank has identified a solution that includes state level support and administrative efficiency to ensure that eligible Oregonians can keep the Medicaid coverage they deserve. His approach to this issue shows his ability to identify areas of concern, seek out a variety of perspectives, and develop actionable, effective solutions.

Please join me and vote Hank Sanders for Oregon House District 52.

Kristen Dillon

Hood River

Community Ed

Community Education has a more than 50 year history in this county. It was started by the Hood River County School District in 1975 as a vehicle to provide lifelong learning opportunities for every single person while allowing the people access to school facilities they were supporting through taxes. Community Education has been an important part of the lives of thousands of residents and has benefited many generations. Community Education is now part of the Hood River Valley Park and Recreation District, but the benefits of the program continue serving the people of the valley.

As someone that spent my career developing and managing community education, I highly recommend supporting the tax base increase so these wonderful programs can be experienced by many more generations that enjoy taking classes and participating in many sports programs. Please consider voting yes on May 19.

Mike Schend

Hood River

No suppression

Initiative IP26-500 is being circulated once again. A similar measure, under a different number, failed to gather enough signatures last fall. It wasn’t popular then, and it isn’t now. This proposal would make voter registration more difficult for many people and would disproportionately impact women.

According to the Washington League of Women Voters, Initiative IP26-500 would require all voters to present an enhanced driver’s license or provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person at the Auditor’s Office. Voters who fail to do so would have their registrations placed on hold and would not receive ballots or election materials.

This initiative effectively raises the cost of voting. A U.S. passport costs $165, and obtaining original birth certificates can involve additional fees. It also creates logistical barriers, requiring time and travel to reach an Auditor’s Office. In addition, counties would bear increased administrative costs to process in-person registrations.

There is no evidence that non-citizen voting is a meaningful problem. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the incidence of non-citizen voting in 2016 was just 0.0001%. Washington residents value our vote-by-mail system and accessible voter registration.

Let’s keep our elections free, convenient, and accessible to all eligible voters.

Sandy Montag

White Salmon

‘Our turn’

Hood River Valley parents and grandparents built the pool in 1948 and started Community Ed/Recreation in 1975. I have benefited, as have my kids and grandkids.

Now it’s our turn.

The pool bond and Community Ed/Recreation levy on the May 19 ballot are both urgent. Community Ed ends in September if we vote no on the levy. Our pool is failing — if we vote no on the bond, we can’t replace it.

Community Ed gets kids running, learning, and playing after school and at camp, away from screens. A new pool serves everyone: kids learning to swim, seniors staying active, families having fun. The pool is the basketball court, tennis court, or football field for water sports teams. Swim lessons reduce drowning risk by 88%.

For most households, both measures combined cost less than $27 a month.

The generation before us built these amenities and programs. Let’s build too.

Your ballot arrives this week. Please vote yes on both and turn in your ballot early.

Kate McBride

Hood River

Endorses Seeger

I am proud to endorse Bernard Seeger for Oregon House District 52. This endorsement reflects my personal views and my direct experience working alongside him in Cascade Locks.

I first worked with Bernard during a city budget cycle while I was serving on the Cascade Locks City Council. He stood out immediately for asking the right questions and identifying the real drivers behind an issue. He helped the budget committee navigate difficult trade-offs with discipline and clarity. After that budget cycle, a vacancy opened on the city council, and I encouraged Bernard to apply. He filled the seat. He was elected in November 2024, and we have served together since. Throughout that time, I have consistently seen steady, pragmatic leadership, clear financial stewardship, and the ability to explain complex decisions in ways that build trust and consensus.

One example of Bernard’s follow-through was the required relocation of electric utility infrastructure associated with a state transportation construction project. The relocation incurred costs of more than $1 million, and the central issue was ensuring that Cascade Locks residents were not left to absorb that burden. Bernard led the council effort that ultimately secured state reimbursement for those costs.

What sets Bernard apart is that his leadership is not just theoretical. He created and personally maintains a volunteer litter-reduction effort in Cascade Locks by coordinating residents who commit to keeping specific areas clean and helping equip volunteers. The result has been a visible and sustained reduction in litter throughout the community.

District 52 needs leaders who are prepared, accountable, and focused on practical outcomes. Bernard is a West Point graduate, a veteran, and a steady, accountable leader. He has my full support, and I am confident he will serve the district with professionalism and sound judgment.

Pete Happy

Cascade Locks

Actions don’t match words

Republican leaders like to crow about how much they support our troops, but lately their actions don’t match their words.

We keep reading about the spouses of military personnel getting snatched up by ICE and hauled away for deportation. Currently, the Trump Administration is planning to jettison off to Congo as many as 1,100 Afghans who risked their lives to help U.S. troops (“Afghans Who Helped U.S. Forces Say They’re Being Pushed Back to the Taliban,” New York Times, April 23). These include translators, special forces who fought alongside our soldiers, and family members — including more than 400 children.

How would you like to risk your life in combat to help U.S. troops try to bring democracy to your homeland, only to discover years later that America wants to send you and your family to Congo? How much more difficult do you think it will be for our soldiers to recruit foreign nationals in the next war?

And now the top Republican leader, President Trump, has the audacity to proclaim he would have won the Vietnam War “very quickly” (CNBC interview, April 21). That’s an insult to all the veterans who fought there, delivered by a man who received five rich-boy deferments to escape the draft because of bone spurs, an ailment that doesn’t seem to bother him these days as he burns through millions in taxpayer dollars flying around to his various golf courses.

Meanwhile, Republican leaders keep their hands on their hearts and their eyes on the flag ... and they don’t say or do anything to stop this disrespect.

Rick George

White Salmon

‘Privilege’

We have the privilege of living in an Oregon Congressional District (52) with four great Democratic candidates vying to represent us in the state House. I wish we could elect more than one! But I will be happy to mark my ballot for Hank Sanders.

Hank is intelligent, dedicated and has highly relevant education and experience. I believe he will have a long career ahead in public service, which we need. Some people have remarked on his youth. To me, that is a major plus. If we are sincerely concerned about the upcoming generations inheriting the messy world that Boomers like myself have in part created, let’s entrust more of the problem-solving to those younger people, with fresh ideas and energy.

I want to add that Hank has proven to me to be an excellent listener and learner. Just this week he took the time to hear out several of us concerned about Medicaid, the Oregon Health Plan, health care access in general, and long-term care. These are complicated subjects he proved eager to learn more about, seeking specific advice about how to approach these critical subjects once elected. I wholeheartedly endorse Hank Sanders for Oregon House District 52, and I urge your vote for him as well.

Tina Castanares

Hood River

Sanders resonates

I am writing in support of Hank Sanders who is running District 52 of the Oregon State Legislature which encompasses the Columbia Gorge. I have been impressed with Hank’s ideas and his drive and enthusiasm.

As a person who spent most of his adult life running a small business in Hood River, these are the points of his campaign that resonate with me:

• Fostering entrepreneurism in the Gorge. Gresham is one model Hank points too which offers tax breaks to start ups

• The need to keep homegrown talent employed with high paying jobs. Many of the kids Hank grew up with have left the Gorge to find jobs elsewhere due to this lack.

• The need to stand up to our current administration whose polices favor the billionaires and large corporate interests and not the entrepreneurs and working class.

• Adjusting the corporate tax for small businesses not trillion dollar corporations.

• Lastly, we need young people like Hank who are wise beyond their years and have a larger stake in the future to enter politics.

For an energetic candidate with real ideas on how to stand up to Trump and improve our state, vote Hank Sanders for District 52!

Seth Tibbott

Trout Lake

Walden Poublon

On February 10, Columbia Gorge News published the article “HD 52 candidates introduce themselves, stances on issues at the Feb. 1 Wasco County Democrats forum.”

For me, Nick Walden Poublon is the best candidate for this Oregon House seat. He told me recently, “I will always tell the truth, will always shoot straight with my constituents.” He then shared an example with me why this is true.

On April 12, Willamette Week reported Walden Poublon remarked he “stepped in it” while seeking the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council’s endorsement (www.wweek.com). He was completely transparent with them about the huge amount of water used in data centers with basically no permanent jobs produced. He was honest that he was “very nervous” about the short-term gains vs. the long-term losses. As a climate organizer, I am grateful for Nick for speaking the truth to the trade union even if he lost their endorsement. For 25 years, I worked as a seasonal park ranger at Crater Lake National Park. While I loved my job, I saw climate change with a diminishing annual snowpack.

On April 9, The Oregonian posted “Oregon’s snowpack just broke a terrifying record, and the consequences could be devastating this summer (www.oregonlive.com). It alarmed me to read “Crater Lake National Park registered the lowest snow water equivalent levels ever recorded for this time of year last month.” It warned “a longer, more difficult fire season is a major concern for the entire region, “Industries and the economy could also suffer” due to the snow drought.

These warnings are clear that climate change is here. We must act now to reduce the threat, while pushing back on data centers sucking more of our precious water and grabbing more of our electricity while our utility bills rise. We need bold leaders like Nick Walden Poublon representing us in the Oregon Legislature who will stand up for the climate, environment, and sustainable jobs even if it costs him endorsements.

Brian Ettling

NE Portland