No to turbines

It is always difficult when one finds oneself trapped between two passions, as I currently am when considering the proposed wind project in Skamania County, along the ridge of the Columbia River Gorge.

I have a long-term passion for protecting and enjoying the beautiful Columbia River Gorge with its unique and spectacular scenery, geological formations and many rare species of flowers and wildlife. I am also passionate about trading our dependence on fossil fuel energy sources for more readily renewable sources derived more directly from the sun, such as wind power, hydroelectric power, and solar panels.

So that is my conundrum: conflicting passions. In such situations, one must seek a balance and chose the least-worst solution.

I conclude that the best balance is to not place wind generation facilities within visual range of the Gorge. Wind generators should not be viewable either from river level or from the many trails along the ridges and peaks of the Gorge. This solution is certainly well within the intent and spirit of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Act — who could have anticipated farms of 400-foot towers when the NSA was written?

The Northwest has plenty of lower impact places on which to build wind generator farms without having to further desecrate the Gorge.

Tom Rousseau
Odell

‘Maiden’ kudos

It’s not about death or a maiden but the current CAST play at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River is a timely and serious play about human relationships.

“Death and the Maiden” takes place in Chile but it is relevant in any country that might practice aggressive interrogation tactics. It is exciting, plus thought-provoking.

Kate Mills
Mount Hood

Dream renewed

A soccer ball. Seemingly simple. For some children it represents a dream. Dreams of Ronaldo, Manchester United and bicycle kicks a la Pele style.

When a child is devastated by the theft of a soccer ball, many would say, “Get another.” What if that isn’t a choice? For many, the $20 to replace something not seen as necessary is not an option.

When telling the story to Brian at Shortt Supply, the solution was simple. A gift (the original ball came from Brian as well) ... a dream continues, and the smile on a child’s face ... priceless.

Shop local ... shop Shortt Supply.

Carolyn Welty-Fick
Hood River

We must fight

I read with interest the letter written by Tom Westberry (Our Readers Write, May 13).

If Mr. Westberry doesn’t know it, I think I should inform him that the United States is at WAR. War is not an exchange of ideas around a comfy table while drinking imported wine. War is hell.

We did not start this war but we must fight it. We are at war with people we cannot negotiate with. While we have done some weird things like putting underwear on prisoner’s heads or leashing them with dog leashes, we are not the enemy who tortures, abuses and sometimes beheads its prisoners.

No one has ever died from water boarding; although they might have thought they would at the time. No one has been disabled from water boarding. No one has any scars from water boarding. But some have given up information from being water boarded that has saved American lives.

Look at the history of America at war. Did we moan and groan about the innocent people at the receiving end of our carpet bombing of Germany? Did we not show the Japanese people the grit of the American will in order to end World War II?

These things are truly horrible and if we could have avoided them we would have. But we did what was necessary in order to save Americans and our allies from a dreadful fate at the hands of our enemies.

Of course Mr. bin Laden is happy right now. We are having an unnecessary public debate on a hard questioning technique used by the United States that is undermining our efforts to capture or kill the enemy. And that is our job: to capture or kill the enemy and to prevent any further attacks on American soil.

When we capture our enemy we feed them well (the prisoners at Gitmo have all gained weight and enjoy a healthier lifestyle in prison than they ever would in their homeland). We also try to gain as much information from them as we can without harming them. So what’s the problem?

Mike Farmer
Hood River

Wind farm unnecessary

We here in the Columbia River Gorge live on the second-longest river in the country, with a hydroelectric dam every 40 to 60 miles on the Columbia. We have a coal-fired electric plant in Boardman and a nuclear power plant at Hanford, all churning out lots of electricity for any of our needs. Plain and simple, we have more electricity than we here in the Gorge could ever want or need.

If I want to paint my house or chop down a tree here in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, there are certain hoops I need to jump through. The SDS Lumber Co. (and Broughton) wants to place more than 50 400-foot-tall wind turbines less than two miles from my house just outside the NSA. These wind turbines will be clearly visible from White Salmon, Hood River, Mosier and the Gorge.

We don’t need this power that bad, as to place them there in the Gorge; put them in Bickleton, Goodnoe Hills or eastern Washington. I won’t see them blinking at night from my house; you will. Turn off your lights at night (put in motion-sensor lights) and conserve power — stop wasting it. And San Francisco, Calif., is using all the power from up there. Put the windmills down there.

We live in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, NOT the Columbia River Gorge National Wind farm area.

Stephen J. Curley
Underwood, Wash.

Stop gas tax

I recently presented oral testimony at the city council meeting. There were only two people to speak against the proposed gas tax hike to be imposed by the council.

My feeling was that our testimony fell on deaf ears. The council has always stated that citizen input was very vital, but in the majority of cases involving money the council is guided solely by the administration.

The administration has no feeling for the people who are struggling to make ends meet due to the deep, depressing economy we are experiencing.

On May 26 there will be a council meeting which the council is going to impose a 3-cent-per-gallon gas tax. This is an unfair tax of which is not being voted on by the people.

I think it would be a wise thing to attend the council meeting May 26. In numbers maybe we can have the council look at this through the eyes of the citizens. I believe that it is time for the council to stop dinging the people and to look at reducing the city expenditures, like all other businesses do in rough times.

I will be at the meeting and I really hope to see the chamber full of the citizens of Hood River to stand up for their right.

Bob Palmer
Hood River

Forestry is green

“Saved Mt. Hood,” so the headline read. From what? Those ugly-looking fence-like structures better known as ski lifts? No! Melt down? No! Apple trees and grapes can’t grow in ice and rocks.

Then what were those minority few boasting about? Who are the beneficiaries? Schools? No! City and county governments? No! Then who?

Tourism and realtors, perhaps. Money warms the pockets of its beholders!

Now to quote a line from a 1953 Chamber of Commerce brochure promoting Hood River as the place to live, states that “the lumber industry is a primary factor in the economic stability of the county.”

Unlike lumbering, which kept our coffers full, farming, with its associated needs, vaporized our “Horn of Plenty.” However, Hood River does have three things that it can boast about: clean air, pure water, and people that beget more schools.

Perhaps these blind-sided few with their own “axe to grind” should pound their chest before the school board and then boast of “putting the binders” on a source of their funds.

Unlike the saying “You can’t have your cake and eat it too,” forestry is opposite in that as one tree is harvested another is planted. In other words — green replaces green to produce green ($$$).

Alan Winans
Hood River

Thanks, CAST

Small town equals BIG talent!

On Saturday evening, May 16, a best friend and I had the good fortune of attention the performance of “Death and the Maiden.”

This was performed at the lovely Columbia Arts Center, downtown Hood River. I’ll call the play just about flawless, starting with the director, then to the cast and even down through, “the people in black,” the stage crew.

We in the area are so lucky to have so much talent, coming from a relatively small “pool of people” to draw from. Thank you, cast and crew, for your great performance.

Larry Larson
Mount Hood

Respect bees

Bee swarming season is now in effect. Although they can be very intimidating looking, please resist the urge to immediately kill them.

The Gorge is blessed to have some wonderful beekeepers who will remove the swarm and put them back to work in our environment. Remember that bees are highly beneficial.

If a swarm of bees decides your home or nearby tree are the new place to be, you can contact either a beekeeper you know, or a pest control operator who will be able to provide you with the right contact information.

By the way, most of the beekeepers will do this service free of charge, so find a way to make their day!

Dan and Shannon Armstrong
Hood River