Still dangerous

The pedestrian crosswalk at 13th and May streets has been a very dangerous spot for the kids from May Street School and Hood River Middle School, and hospital employees to navigate.

A joint request to the state from the school district, the hospital and the city for a remedy has resulted in a series of 6-inch bumps directing traffic, and elimination of left turns for eastbound traffic on May Street. But the kicker is that the state has determined that the existing crosswalk on the north side of May Street crossing 13th was not an approved crosswalk and it was removed.

So, instead of pedestrians being safer, they now cross completely at their own peril. Fire trucks and ambulances can still turn left down 13th, but must drive over the traffic bumps to do so.

Apparently, since 13th is a state highway, the state refuses to allow a signaled crosswalk because there have not been enough incidents at the intersection to warrant it.

I guess a few pedestrians have to get hit before we can get a common-sense solution.

Marg Guth
Hood River

Safer crossing

As a pedestrian who has crossed at 13th and May several times a day for nearly 30 years, I would like to thank the individuals who made the effort to inform the state of the dangerous traffic pattern, and I would also like to thank the state for responding. The new traffic pattern makes it much safer for pedestrians to cross, though I know it will inconvenience some drivers.

Gary Regalbuto
Hood River

Insulting editorial

The first sentence in your March 14 editorial about Cascade Locks and our new fire hall is an unnecessary and insulting comment. It is obviously made by someone who doesn’t have to pay for the oversized and underfunded building.

We have “persevered” through a controversial, hidden and sometimes illegal funding process. We “noses” were never against the new fire station; we were and are advocating for fiscal responsibility.

Kate Stuart
Cascade Locks

Party of No

I am appalled at the hypocrisy of the Republicans and the 2009 Budget Act just passed that was “loaded with pork.” If you review Rep. Walden’s earmark requests listing, aka “pork,” the list is around $260 million. And yet, he voted against the pork-laden budget.

However, he will surely take credit for the “pork projects funding we Oregonians will receive” in the budget that President Obama just signed into law.

Rush Limbaugh is right: All Republicans should just vote no as they are doing in lock step. Rep. Walden does not represent my centrist views.

Dale Nicol
Hood River

‘Pretend’ idea

Let’s pretend Kristy Sargent (Our Readers Write, March 21) and all who think like her have the one and only right answer to everything.

Gary Fields
Hood River

A spirit there

Grieving is a process.

I was so moved by the compassion of so many people reaching out to others, with love, during their loss and grief. We are all different and deal with grief in different ways but nature has a wisdom of its own which helps us to tolerate and come to terms with the pain and discomfort. To interfere with this natural process upsets nature’s own wisdom, creating new problems rather than solving the existing ones.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote a book, “On Death and Dying,” and shares her wisdom on the five stages of grieving, taking us through the valleys and leading us to the top of the mountain.

1. Denial: This is usually our first reaction to the loss of someone or something we are attached to and painful, any way you look at it.

2. Anger: This stage of grief is also the causes of most of the pain from grief. It is difficult to let go of but we must come to terms with it or anger will consume us and become our life. When we let go and understand what is happening, then we can heal from our loss.

3. Bargaining: This stage is where one tries to “make a deal” to gain back what has been lost. There are so many examples and concepts but this has its place in the process and helps us to relieve the generalized feelings of our grief.

4. Depression: Everyone goes through depression of some sort before they can heal from a major loss. There are several ways to treat depression and reaching out for help is a start, believing that “in time, this too shall pass.” When I lost two brothers in one month, I didn’t think that I would ever see the sun; but in time, hope was there for me.

5. Acceptance: This is the decision to be at peace and to see things differently. There is an acceptance that loss is part of life and to go on and to find there is joy in our lives. Before we know it, we are there bringing joy to others. “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

I wish I had a magic wand to bring back all of our loved ones but, for me, I believe this isn’t the end for them or us. I believe it’s a new beginning.

When I changed the way I looked at things, the things I looked at changed. All things are possible and I believe, with all my heart, there is a rainbow and spirit, who will always be there.

J. Shuman
Hood River

Gas goes up

Well it looks like oil prices are on back on the rise. That means only one thing: Hold on and get ready for a wild ride of gas prices.

Let’s just hope we don’t see another repeat of last year with $4 a gallon.

Ron Dunn
Hood River

Bowling thanks

Thank you to each of you who raised funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Columbia Gorge through Bowl for Kids’ Sake! On Saturday, March 14, hundreds of people showed their support for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Two hundred and ninety bowlers, 40 businesses, 20 volunteers, and countless donors raised $43,084 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Columbia Gorge on Saturday. Teams raised more funds this year than ever before! Wow — thank you!

Check our Web site later this week (www.nextdoorinc.org) for updates on the top teams and individuals and to find out how much other teams raised. (Team captains: Please forward this to your teammates.)

Thank you to each of you! Big Brothers Big Sisters could not create and support mentoring friendships for youth in the Gorge without support from community members like you!

Jenny Halsch
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of the Columbia Gorge
Program manager