Am really going to miss Dawna Armstrong, who did my facial at Foils Salon Day Spa. She was always there for me when I called up to get one of her facials. Am sad that she is quitting. Am really going to miss her a lot. Thanks, Dawna, for making me look good in those facials.

Values viewshed

I agree wholeheartedly with Jacque Johnston regarding the detrimental effects of SDS Lumber placing 420-foot wind turbines west of Underwood Mountain, where they will be visible from all over this part of the Gorge.

I attended an Underwood community meeting last fall where the president of SDS presented plans to install 44 of these turbines starting just 60 feet outside the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area boundary. He showed mock-up photos of the turbines from various vantage points in Hood River and White Salmon, and I was completely shocked at how visible they will be.

The meeting became rather heated and SDS apparently canceled two similar presentations planned for White Salmon and Hood River. While I think we all agree it is imperative to start utilizing alternative sources of energy, I strongly believe that just as natural resources are dwindling on our planet, so, too, are beautiful, protected areas like the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area.

My husband and I took great pains to design our house and landscaping to be “visually subordinate” to all the “key viewing areas,” per the Scenic Area requirements, yet Skamania County is currently trying to re-zone to allow 40-story industrial wind turbines mere feet from the Scenic Area boundary. I feel that few people outside of Mill A and Underwood know this is being planned.

I, like most Underwood residents, won’t even see the turbines from my home, but a great number of you in Hood River and White Salmon will. We will all see them as we drive around town or into Portland, or go hiking or biking in the surrounding hills. And you won’t just see a line of towering metal giants marching across the skyline during the day, you’ll also see rows of flashing strobe lights against the night sky.

I urge you all to consider how dramatically our part of the Columbia Gorge will be forever altered if this project succeeds. (The best resource for a full update on this project, including simulated views of the turbines, is www.SaveOurScenicArea.org).

Unsafe junction

It’s been around a year since the Odell exit was changed from southbound traffic turning right having the right of way, to northbound traffic turning left having the right of way. This never made any sense; and, to much protest, never was changed back.

Now that most residents have gotten used to turning left without giving right of way, they have taken down the right-hand yield sign, leaving everyone to have an accident as no one now knows or realizes someone must give way.

I have seen many close calls and fingers thrown many mornings. Is it going to take a serious accident before this is corrected, or do we just leave a stupid idea — that should never have happened in the first place — alone, to kill or maim someone?

Tax oil companies

I am a former school teacher in Hood River Valley and I was sorry to see the headline “Cash for rural areas bill fails” in today’s Oregonian. Also, I was surprised to learn that your representative, Greg Walden, voted against the measure because it was to be funded by a sort of tax on the oil companies.

Actually, it would have been money that the oil corporations already owe Hood River taxpayers. Sen. Ron Wyden has been battling for years to close the loophole in a petroleum bill which unintentionally failed to charge oil companies royalties to drill on U.S. offshore property, as is customary.

So, here’s another win for oilmen and their companies and another loss for rural communities trying to keep up their schools, roads, and public services — and pay their gas and oil bills. Better luck next time!

Pump price pains

Much gnashing of teeth and furrowed brows over the oil thing these days. All I know is that I must remember to add one more essential to the gear I normally assemble before setting out for town: hearing protectors. Not those itty squishy things you cram into your ears. I require the heavy duty kind used at shooting ranges. The ones that encase the entire ear. I offer these to the gas station attendant before (s)he presents me the little hunk of paper requiring my autograph. I offer the hearing protectors and a towel to wipe off the spit.

Yep, this modern lifestyle requires a few adjustments to the normal and accustomed. As for the big picture, I figure we have amply paid to secure the real estate hither and yon round the globe which the oil execs think necessary to provide us with product. We, the people, have already paid for it more than once.

Now, by gum, I want the deed to it — that hunk of paper which declares that WE, the people, own it. We need to nationalize the oil industry. If any of those contenders for political office want my vote this go-round they better say the right words. Five of ‘em: Nationalize our oil industry now.

Because two of these contenders already hold effective office for doing such a deed they needn’t shine me on that, “When I’m in office I’ll do blah, blah, blah.” These two can just show me the evidence that the project is happening right now and I require evidence that they have already developed the coalition of folks necessary to ensure the project gets done in my lifetime. Thank you, and signing off, Dumb as Dirt.

No bikes in wild

It’s been over four years since the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness proposal was first announced by Oregon‘s congressional delegation. The time has come for Congress to pass a final bill to protect wilderness around Mount Hood and the Gorge.

The most recent version announced by Congressman Blumenauer is the culmination of years of work, collaboration, meetings and compromises. The plan would protect amazing places like Polallie Ridge, Boulder Lake and Hunchback Mountain for future generations. It will be a legacy that Oregonians can be proud of.

Is it everything for everyone? No.

A recent letter to the Hood River News mentioned that some trails would be closed to mountain bikes. There are sensitive areas where bikes aren’t appropriate. Clean drinking water, threatened wildlife, old-growth trees, rafters, hikers, hunters and people who simply like clean air and quiet places will be the big winners when this plan goes through.

Soft on Walden

After reading Raelynn Ricarte’s story about the vote on HR 3058 I was reminded of Scott McClellan’s book, “What Happened.” McClellan chided the press for not being tough enough.

This story was so one-sided it caused me do look further as Greg Walden seems to get a pass by the local press. I urge all people concerned about this issue to go to Congressman Peter DeFazio’s Web site, www.defazio.house.gov, and get an accurate take on this issue. The congressman goes in- depth about how this resolution came to be and how Walden backed out of it.

Of the 218 votes for this resolution, 16 were Republican, conveniently reported as all 218 were Democrat so as to make it a one-sided partisan vote. It seems that big oil will continue to take precedence over the well-being of the constituents.

Get bike-friendly

I find it odd that certain outdated and harmful relics from our past are treasured and promoted, while others are deemed benign, yet so old-fashioned that they need to be replaced. In the former category, fossil fuel-burning vehicles have been raised to the level of art form by Maryhill Museum of Art with its upcoming Vintage Car show and race. What’s next — NASCAR races in the Gorge?

Meanwhile, in downtown Hood River, individual parking meters are being replaced with high-tech devices that allow us to hear when they are 80 percent full of cash. Paul Newman, in his role as Cool Hand Luke, demonstrated an audience-applauding method for eliminating the old meters. I wonder what today’s thieves and vandals have in mind for these new sentinels.

In the vicinity of the high-tech marvels on Oak St., there are at least three relics — potential rim-bending bicycle racks. It’s impossible to use a modern U-lock to attach a bike frame to these racks properly. They fit in well with the surrounding architecture, but why update parking meters without updating these bicycle racks?

In fact, many more hoop-style racks should be encouraged and installed around town.

Lastly, Oregon now has optional license plates that we can proudly display just above the tail pipes on our fossil fuel-burners — declaring our solidarity with bicyclists. But how many drivers have actually tried to navigate along moderately level streets like Cascade, State, Eugene and May on a bicycle?

The bike lanes are dysfunctional or nonexistent, and some portions of these roads rival the terrain found on upper Post Canyon Road. Climate change, health, safety and common sense are calling us to make Hood River a bicycle-friendly community.