Disrespectful
Open Letter to Donald Rose, MD:
Dr. Rose, I write this letter to you as a fellow physician using my title because it is relevant to the issue. I am fully aware that you are a retired family physician and that a medical degree is an honor to hold. That is why it is inappropriate for you to use it to lend credibility to your opinions by invoking it in your letters to the editor.
The American Academy of Family Physicians has taken stances on the issues of gun control and climate change (both topics you have written to the editor about) and your opinions are not in line with the academy on either issue. Your opinions are just that, your opinions, and you are entitled to them no matter what I or anyone else may think of them.
However, you are not entitled to invoke your title as a physician in an attempt to enhance your credibility on topics outside your scope of practice.
Continue to write your letters to editor, they are thought provoking.
Just please stop signing them with your title. It is irrelevant to the majority of your topics and disrespectful of our shared profession.
Glen R. Patrizio, MD
Hood River
See Stuart art
Rodney Stuart art at Hood River Library lower level. Walk in, sign in; look about and chuckle, chuckle, etc. But — as you exit, walk softly, very softly, for the slightest vibrations may cause Mr. Dumpty to fall. (That thin-shelled Egghead should know better.)
Listen! You may hear the ghost of Mr. Stuart laughing back at you.
Alan Winans
Hood River
Short term rental issue
Housing is a complex issue. I don’t envy the difficult decisions Hood River City Council and Planning Commission will have to make and I don’t consider myself a housing expert. Instead I’ll share a little about my experience as a home buyer in Hood River.
My husband and I left Austin, Texas, two years ago this winter with the dream of living in Hood River. Two years of renting, we have saved a down payment, and we are prepared to buy. The only problem is, there is nothing in our price range. Following the housing market for the last year has been a disheartening experience. We’re asking ourselves, “Can we afford to live and buy here?”
In my neighborhood several of the houses are vacation rentals, empty a large portion of the year. During the drought last summer on several occasions, broken sprinklers ran for 24 hours straight at an empty home. I couldn’t knock on my neighbors’ door because no one lives there — I had to track down a property management company. Eventually, I met one of my neighbors who lives in California full-time where he collects rent on his investment property. I don’t fault people for making a buck, but I do when that investment comes at the cost of the people who live here year-round.
I support Livable Hood River’s proposal of short term rentals offered by full-time residents in residential zones, modeled after Portland’s plan, as well as short term rentals in commercial zones, with a grandfathering period for non-resident short term rental owners who are currently registered with the city. Read their straightforward plan here: bit.ly/LivableHRplan.
I work and live in this community. I volunteer in this community. I shop local in this community. If people are going to ask me to go local, I’m going to ask decision-makers to go local and ensure people who live here have an opportunity to be home owners in this community.
Join me in supporting Livable Hood River’s proposal by signing their petition today: bit.ly/LivableHR.
Elizabeth Terharr
Hood River
Work together
In a recent letter Robert Kovacich wrote in part concerning STRs, “This has the ugly feel of late 1700s French aristocrats, the people with STRs need minimum wage workers to serve the tourists that pay the exorbitant STR rates, but they do not want to allow them to live where they work.”
Mr. Kovacich — I am an owner of an STR in Hood River. I am not a French aristocrat. I have worked very hard over the last 50 years to now be able to enjoy my retirement. I struggled like many do in my early years of work. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck. To compare me to a French aristocrat is way out of line.
There has been no evidence that STRs are limiting affordable housing in Hood River. The city maintains there is no link between the STR regulation currently under review and affordable housing.
I believe there are solutions and better regulations that would benefit all if we could work together on this issue instead of each side trying to win. If the city would undertake to hold a few meetings that would allow discussion and compromise I believe everyone would find a much better outcome.
Ron Montague
Mukilteo, Wash.
Share ‘sail’
Would someone please inform Full Sail Brewing that we live in a windsurfing and biking haven of outdoor recreation? In fact, they are named as such because of their love of recreation and setting up a brewery here. They have no claim to the recreation that has made Hood River famous, nor does the word “sail” on a cidery threaten their narcissistic existence in any way. The fact that they waited until signs were made and the cidery was about to open just adds to the belief that Full Sail is just mean.
Heather Clemons
Parkdale
Fight marijuana
When your kids grow up, what do you want this world to be like? In 2015, 79.9 percent of HRVHS 11th graders say it’s easy to get marijuana. What! Do you really want your kids in a position to get hold of marijuana? I know you are like, “My kid wouldn’t do that!”
Every kid has temptations.
Fight! Fight against marijuana! They are going to put in eight marijuana dispensaries in Hood River with a population of 7,476 people.
Thank you.
Ciline Kasberger, 8th grade
Hood River
Drugs affect you
Every day, more people are getting addicted to marijuana and believe it or not, kids are too.
In 2008, 18.7 percent of 11th graders had used marijuana in the last 30 days. That is a big percentage!
In 2015, 29.1 percent of 11th graders had used marijuana in the last 30 days.
Wow, that’s a lot of kids. We don’t want a community that does drugs like it’s no big deal. Many people don’t understand how much drugs can affect you, which is upsetting. Kids might start because they wanna be “‘cool,” their parents do it, or because they don’t think it’s bad.
Jihan Ziada, 8th grade
Hood River
Backing bond
We almost missed it.
The recently mass-mailed “May 17, 2016 Election Information” flyer from the school district was a pretty dense page of facts and proposed projects in a smallish font. I had to find my glasses.
We didn’t realize how old the boilers were in several district buildings (89), nor that the last new school of any sort here was built 48 years ago.
Of course roofs need replacement, plumbing work needs done and even, gulp, it’s probably time for a new building somewhere. May Street School seems like a good candidate; it’s 94 years old, after all.
And, then, there it was: “This Bond Measure will NOT increase the tax rate as the school district has paid off other bonds before asking the community for a new one.” This little gem was almost hidden in the same small font. No color, no pie charts. Just stark common sense.
What? In this age of trillion dollar deficits and bailouts, we see some fiscal restraint?
Kudos to the HRCSD directors and all those involved in putting together this bond proposal. You’re running your district as the rest of us would.
Well done.
Hal Ueland
Hood River
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