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Sunny. High 76F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
A clear sky. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
A fat, intricately patterned spider camouflages itself on a clump of hawthorn berries at Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Aug. 27.
A fat, intricately patterned spider camouflages itself on a clump of hawthorn berries at Deschutes River State Recreation Area, Aug. 27.
Darcy Long on gun violence prevention
I hear of one or more new preventable gun tragedies in the news every single day. Mass murders, spousal violence, accidental shootings of children by other children, and on and on. They keep happening, over and over and over. Legislators at both the federal and state levels keep accepting money from the NRA to stand idly by while our children, sons, daughters, neighbors, pastors, and doctors are killed with guns. How long have we been saying, “This has got to stop”?
We need legislators who will act to protect our children and grandchildren, and our communities. Darcy Long has been a gun owner and respects the strong feelings about the right to own guns in our country and in our local area. She does NOT want to take anyone’s guns away. She DOES strongly supports gun safety measures that could make a world of difference for us — safe storage, background checks and permits for ALL gun purchases, limited magazine capacities, firearm training, and so on.
As we keep seeing, this wanton gun violence supported by NRA money will not be stopped by our wishing it away. We need sensible prevention-oriented laws, and sensible prevention-oriented legislators like Darcy Long.
Save a child, or even a whole classroom full of them. Vote for Darcy Long.
Tina Kotek for women’s choice
Because I believe in a woman’s right to decide when, how and with whom to bear children, I support Tina Kotek for Oregon’s next governor.
Only Kotek has the record and commitment to a woman’s right to choose. In the Legislature, she supported Oregon’s national-standard Reproductive Health Equity Act. She favors a Constitutional Amendment enshrining the right to choose, unlike both of her opponents.
That’s not all. Kotek supports gender-affirming care as health care, and marriage equality.
For me, there’s only one clear choice for Governor in November — Tina Kotek. I hope you’ll join me in voting for her.
Recently I put into a mail box one hundred handwritten post cards all addressed to residents in Canby, Ore., and all in support for Raz Mason. I would like for you to read what I wrote. “I am writing to you in support of Raz Mason who is running for the Oregon Senate from District 26. Raz’s career has given her a big heart and a strong backbone. She is reasonable and bright and will represent us and our concerns with a fair and open mind. Please join me in voting for Raz by Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.”
The lack of a quality education is an important issue that impacts communities all across the country. Raz Mason, our Democratic and Independent Party candidate for state senate, has a background in education at all levels that will bring a strong focus on quality, affordable education for children and adults.
Raz is the product of a community college education, something that prepared her well to continue on and eventually earn a master’s degree from Harvard.
As a high school teacher, she worked closely with community colleges as a math consultant for an 18-program high school skills center. She is a supporter of dual credit programs so that students can attend high school and community college at the same time. She favors making community college free or very low cost to all residents.
Her time as a teacher in a high-poverty school district in The Dalles allowed her to see firsthand our students’ struggles with poverty and housing insecurity. This economic stress too often bleeds over into family challenges with abuse and addiction.
These experiences bring us a candidate who will work to improve access and funding to quality education, and support students’ whole life experience.
Please join me in voting for Raz Mason for state senate.
If you, like me, put off having a mammogram during the height of COVID, you may be in for a pleasant surprise.
Skyline in White Salmon has new equipment that is much more comfortable for the patient — no more thumb screws! Plus the X-rays are state of the art, far superior for the detection of irregularities.
The main X-ray area has also been updated with new equipment. Even I, a complete layperson, can see the difference between the old, blurry ones and these new crisp, clear X-rays. The technician announced with well-deserved pride that he was the one who picked out the new equipment.
While both technicians showed delight and pride in their new equipment, they were also very client centered. They were gentle, aware, and considerate of both my physical and emotional well-being.
If you’ve been putting things off, like I have, now might be the right time to act. It was actually a surprisingly pleasant experience.
It’s possible that many people don’t know what “BOLI” is, even though it appears on our ballots every four years. For a long time, I didn’t either. Turns out it’s an office that touches every employer and employee in Oregon, which is most of us.
BOLI is the Bureau of Labor & Industry, and its purview is to:
Protect the civil rights of Oregonians in the workplace, housing, and public spaces
Enforce compliance with state laws relating to wages, hours and civil rights
Help train employers to understand and comply with both wage and hour and civil rights law
Promote the development of a highly skilled, competitive workforce in Oregon through the apprenticeship program and through partnerships with government, labor, business, and educational institutions.
The BOLI commissioner, also known as the labor commissioner, is a nonpartisan position. There are two candidates running in November, and one, Christina Stephenson, has a background and expertise tailor-made for this office.
Christina Stephenson is a civil rights attorney and small business owner. Her small law firm is focused on employment law and civil rights. Her labor experience includes:
Promoted Workplace Fairness Act in partnership with AFL/CIO
Business experience helping employers comply with Oregon labor laws
Worked for Oregon’s Equal Pay Act
Worked on farm-worker overtime legislation
Works on employee rights and small business compliance.
Christina favors investment at BOLI to provide the technical assistance Oregon businesses need to stay compliant with Oregon labor laws.
Oregon workers need and deserve a highly qualified advocate as labor commissioner. Oregon employers need and deserve expert technical assistance for their businesses to be compliant and thrive in a competitive atmosphere. Let’s give them both what they need — Christina Stephenson for BOLI Commissioner.
In the late ‘70s, President Jimmy Carter took the scientists seriously in their forecast of global warming. He pleaded with citizens to take measures to reduce carbon, etc. He installed solar panels on the roof of the White House, which were properly removed when President Reagan took office. Global warming became a joke to most people and his term doubled. The Bush presidents had strong ties to the oil industry so minimized the pleading from the scientists.
President Clinton gave credence to the scientists but didn’t get needed support. President Obama took climate change very seriously and set up future programs to make a major impact on the apparent disasters. Then President Trump threw them out and convinced half the country that this was all just a political stunt. We now know President Biden is taking dramatic measures to try to undo all the years of ignorance. Is there a message here?
One would think someone billing himself as a Constitutional Sheriff might be more familiar with the documents. Article III of the U.S. Constitution establishes the judicial branch of our government. It’s the branch that hears, debates, decides, and acts upon questions of constitutionality.
The Constitution of the State of Washington, article I, section 2, states The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land. Following the federal model, Washington also has a judicial branch.
SECTION 1 JUDICIAL POWER, WHERE VESTED. The judicial power of the state shall be vested in a supreme court, superior courts, justices of the peace, and such inferior courts as the legislature may provide.”
So, it’s clearly established that we have a court system under the constitution. The Relevant statutes include:
The sheriff is the chief executive officer and conservator of the peace of the county. In the execution of his or her office, he or she and his or her deputies:
(3) Shall execute the process and orders of the courts of justice or judicial officers, when delivered for that purpose, according to law;
(5) Shall attend the sessions of the courts of record held within the county, and obey their lawful orders or directions;”
Sheriff not to practice law.
No sheriff shall appear or practice as attorney in any court, except in their own defense.”
It is now clear that we have a court system, where questions of constitutionality are brought, debated, decided, and acted upon, and not the desk of the Klickitat County Sheriff. I would think someone so vested in the constitution would know that.
I want to buy property and a lot of people I come across want to do the same. I have one big issue and it has wrecked my dream of truly owning property. Maybe some people have caught on to what I’m about to talk about, the dreaded property tax.
I understand it’s to help with roads, law enforcement, schools, etc., but I started thinking deeper about it. If I have to pay someone in order to be on my property, is it my property or am I just renting it even after the mortgage is paid? If you refuse to pay your property tax the government will come and take it. That shows me again that I never owned it and I was just renting.
I started hearing about permits that are needed in order to build on your property. I was blown away when hearing about this because it made no sense. I was told by numerous people that it’s about safety but it still didn’t seem right. If it’s my property, why do I need permission to build on it? Again, I realized that it would never be my property.
I keep talking to people that had their property paid off many years ago and how their property taxes keep going up despite that. When I hear that someone has sold property, I think to myself that they just sold the privilege of renting that property. I realized that I and many more have been conned into renting government land and calling it “our property.”
I wonder what other illusions the American Dream has in store and do I want to keep digging? All I can do is shake my head in disgust. We let this happen.
Well, no political gangster had the courage or the imagination to write their suggestion on how the would stop school shootings. Twenty some years of lying to yourselves in a vain attempt to save the children through your sacred vote only with embarrassing and shameful results. You all found a way to ensure “your own” safety on jet planes. I guess the children can wait until you elect that perfect politician who will pass that perfect legislation to ensure school safety. Wow! Are you not ashamed yet?
Both political gangs present beliefs that are founded on a lie. There is no truth abiding within the ideologies of the two political gangs. Like commodity gangsters, they simply sell what people lust for regardless.
The economic and political gangster must eliminate competition. The “machine gun” for the political gang? The sacred vote. Gun them down. Silence them. Eliminate them from power. Gain territory through the amazingly dishonest gerrymandering system.
One gang states there is no Creator. This gang claims since “life” was not created, it “popped” into existence. Flesh. Living, breathing, reproducing, food digesting flesh simply “popped” into being from rock. How long would you have to stare at bare rock and expect to see “life” come into existence? A million, billion or trillion years? Why not believe that a simple hammer “popped” into existence?
It matters not the size or the mistakenly assumed “simplicity” of this first piece of flesh. It would in the very instant of its existence need to breathe, reproduce and digest food. It would not have a billion years to evolve these very complicated biological systems that require multiple organs to function.
You claim you have intelligence to tell us who to vote for and how to live but you don’t have the sense to discern this lie? Our mess will not be fixed with a lie. Abandon the politics. Begin to question and examine what you think and believe. Please do not associate the Hebrew Scriptures with the very distorted political church gang for their platform is founded on one truth-destroying lie.
Have you had enough? Vote Republican. I see Christine Drazan gaining the slight lead in the race for governor. Let us all get behind someone new! Someone who is disgusted with our failing state like we are. Someone who is very smart, has children, and understands what failed governments can do to harm our way of life. I do not believe she is just like them. She is more like us.
Christine has been mentioned on national news as being the first possible Republican governor for the 40-year-blue-governor state of Oregon. They revealed her slight lead as if it was an abnormality.
It’s time we call Christine Drazan’s efforts our “new normal.” Please vote in November and vote for Christine Drazan for Governor. Let’s get Oregon back on track.
Kotek strong on climate change
If you care about our rapidly warming planet and the survival of all its marvelous and interconnected species, you’ll join me in supporting Tina Kotek for governor.
Of the three candidates for governor, only Kotek has shown commitment to shrinking our reliance on carbon-based fuels. Kotek backs measures to end coal-fired power by 2030. She also supports a $50 million investment toward Oregon’s goal of a 100% reliance on clean energy by 2040.
As the state develops rules to speed transition to electric vehicles, Tina Kotek has the support of Gov. Kate Brown to continue those efforts. Please support Tina Kotek and keep Oregon on the path to carbon-neutrality.
I will assume the critics of the Underwood mountain timber harvest are sitting on wood chairs on wood decks on their wood houses with wood furniture reading a paper made from wood fiber.
Indeed, the view from Underwood is down onto a river clogged with recreationalists and the overflowing parking lots and a freeway bringing in more cars to downtown Hood River traffic congestion looking for a craft beer experience. Beyond is a maze of houses and city lights.
Then there is our magnificent Mount Hood covered with snow and ice. Maybe your view depends on what you choose to see.
Mason sensible on gun safety
I am writing to support Raz Mason for election to the Oregon State Senate because in addition to many other positive qualities, she has a sensible approach to reducing gun violence. There are plenty of responsible gun owners in this state. But, as always, there are others, a minority, who can and do endanger others with firearms.
Too many people have been wounded and killed, too many children are scared to go to school, too many classrooms have had kids murdered. We absolutely must act to protect innocent people from gun violence, at the same time allowing sensible, responsible people to own and use guns.
Raz Mason, who is running for state senate, is the right candidate to achieve this delicate balance. She is a teacher who has had to deal with the reality of school shootings and also helping students deal with the emotional trauma that results. She has worked with veterans as a chaplain and understands the links between violence and trauma. She has seen first hand the horrible impact of domestic violence. She supports being a responsible gun owner. In fact, she even has an armed security license. So, she is not interested in “taking our guns away.”
Raz supports improved background checks for gun purchases, and safe storage requirements. She believes we need better training in gun handling. And she supports better mental health services including in rural areas so that gun owners don’t hurt themselves or others in times of despair.
I am a gun owner (relic from hunting in my youth) which I have only used once in 40 years for varmint control (skunks) on my five-acre property. I believe Mason’s ideas are reasonable, common-sense actions. I am grateful for a candidate who will advance these actions in the legislature. Please join me in supporting Raz Mason for state senate.
Last year Sheriff Songer “summarized” the Constitution on official letterhead into four points.
Songer claims that he only executes his responsibilities as sheriff as he sees fit through his personal interpretations of the constitution and his personal religious beliefs.
It’s concerning that he finds it appropriate to summarize all American rights and liberties from this rather lengthy document in only four points.
It is also concerning when the vast majority of the “summarized” beliefs are faith-based in nature and are included nowhere in the constitution. The omission of the word equal is also noticeable and vexing.
Additionally, it’s concerning that Songer relies on himself to make these interpretations while the evidence of his reading comprehension continues to be dismal as he completely fails to respect the importance of the First Amendment.
“The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.”
“We establish no religion in this country. We command no worship. We mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are and must remain separate.”
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was, part of the common law.”
“The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.”
“Religion and government will both exist in greater purity the less they are mixed together.”
Vote Kotek for equity, healthcare
I’m voting for Tina Kotek for governor in November because I believe her record shows the greatest support for fair and equitable treatment of every Oregonian.
She supported minimum wage increase and measures to ensure pay equity — no more gender disparities.
She favored legislation to prevent discrimination in home sales, and supported access to easements for broadband expansion.
Perhaps most important, she worked to expand access by 100,000 more Oregonians to Medicaid insurance coverage through the Oregon Health Plan.
After graduating from the University of Oregon, Tina’s work began for the Oregon Food Bank where she realized her calling to help end hunger and become an advocate for others. She then joined Children First for Oregon as their policy director which moved her to serve all Oregonians after being elected as Oregon’s Speaker of House. I have learned that Tina is from a hardworking family and is dedicated to fighting for Oregonians.
Tina is ready to lead us as governor. Oregon is better for the work of Tina Kotek. Tina Kotek is better for Oregon.
Darcy Long for reproductive rights
I’m voting for Darcy Long to be my next State Representative. Why? Unlike her pro-life opponent, Jeff Helfrich, Darcy strongly supports access to reproductive health care and safe and affordable abortions.
For me as a woman, it is important to support candidates like Darcy who will protect a woman’s right to control her own body. The recent Supreme Court ruling allows states to take away those rights. I want Darcy in the Oregon State Legislature to stand up for a woman’s right to choose. I don’t want those rights rolled back to the time when women out of desperation resorted to unsafe backstreet abortions because safe options to terminate a pregnancy were illegal.
It is horrifying to think that women are facing this reality once again. I believe Darcy will work hard not to let this happen in Oregon. She has made it clear that she is determined to protect abortion access in Oregon. She wants to codify the right to abortion into the Oregon constitution and make sure that Oregon is a safe state for those seeking abortions.
Darcy believes a woman has a right to decide when to have children and how many. If that right is taken away, a woman is just a victim. I for one cannot just stand by and watch that happen. That’s why I’m voting for Darcy
Address housing needs: Vote Mason
When someone working full time at more than minimum wage still can’t afford even a small apartment, the system is broken. Raz Mason, who is running for Senate District 26, understands the struggles of working people — especially around affordable housing and access to healthcare.
She believes we need more immediate, inexpensive, and widely-available forms of housing, and she’ll support zoning that allows boarding houses and auxiliary dwelling units. She wants to fund and promote programs like Home Share Oregon.
She would like to see income taxes increased on owners of second homes, and the money dedicated to low-income housing support.
Since so many people are now living in vehicles and RVs due to lack of housing, she would like code changes to allow long-term parking of RVs on private property, so homeowners can earn extra income, while providing an inexpensive place to live.
She believes the state should support housing with small footprints, increased zoning for density, and housing close to transportation.
Homeless people used to be just a big city problem. Everyone likes to talk about Portland. But it’s now come to rural Oregon. If you want to make sure every Oregonian has a secure place to call home, please join me in supporting Raz Mason as our State Senator.
I would like to express my appreciation for, and hearty approval of the articulate, sensible, and factually researched letters written by Steve Hudson. Outstanding!
Keep up the good work, Steve.
The opinions expressed in the letters below are “your voice,” and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, publisher or advertisers.
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