In “Another Voice” on May 26, City Manager Bob Francis and Port Director Michael McElwee explain how the “pinch point” near exit 64 causes congestion. As one of the closest business owners to this intersection for the last 24 years, I feel some clarification is in order. In the article, they say: “South of the (toll) bridge, the local street network is unable to handle traffic demands during peak times.”

As anyone who has waited in the traffic jam on I-84, or up Highway 35 knows, it is not the traffic leaving that intersection that is causing the congestion, it is the toll booth that is the bottleneck. After finally being released from the toll booth “pinch point”, a driver is no longer in a traffic jam, no matter which way they go: I-84, Highway 35, the Marina, or the Inn.

These executives suggest that “taking the alternate route through Button Junction (by Tum-a-Lum) can help ...” Traffic already backs up clear to Tum-a-Lum during peak times in addition to backing up onto I-84. The problem and the solution lie with the port‘s toll booth. Granted, they are spending $2.5 million dollars on new booths. The problem will persist, though, until the port either removes the toll altogether or just charges the vehicles coming from the north.

I believe that the port really, really, really wants a vehicle bridge and main thoroughfare to connect their real estate on either side of the Hood River. They are causing this traffic problem and using it as an excuse to fulfill their dreams of a new vehicle bridge across the Hood River. They are now going to spend money to study (aka: justify) putting in this bridge and arterial through the Hood River Marina Sailpark.

It is irresponsible of the port to risk people’s lives by not solving the problem right away by removing the northbound toll. I have actually seen a vehicle get rear-ended on I-84 because of the port’s traffic jam. The real “pinch point” is the port’s toll booth.

Iran opportunity

There are times when the best thing to do is to do nothing. As Americans, we have difficulty understanding that. But the American activist posture has gotten us into big trouble around the world, and now threatens to undermine the indigenous freedom movement in Iran.

During the 1990s, Iranian civil society developed a large, organized and sophisticated democratic movement which remains largely intact. Today there are some 37,000 non-governmental organizations in Iran raising public consciousness on human rights issues affecting women, labor unions and freedom of the press. Due to the oppressive policies of the current Ahmadinejad regime, most of these reformist movements don’t openly challenge government policies, but work behind the scenes at the grass roots level to liberalize society.

In its typical heavy-handed way, the U.S. Government and private right-leaning agencies like the American Enterprise Institute have sought to “help” this process along by offering financial aid and logistical support to reformist leaders. The result has been an Iranian government crackdown on reformist groups and the jailing of their leaders on charges of treason and spying for the United States. Despite urgent pleas from the reformers to stop, we continue to proffer offers of substantial aid and political solidarity.

President Ahmadinejad, whose popularity among the Iranian people has recently been challenged by a resurgent women’s movement, as well as by consumer shortages and inflation, is using this issue to marshal even more anti-American sentiment in order to sustain his government at home and abroad. As one reformer said, what we are doing “is the most unhelpful, unnecessary, and damaging policy that a state could adopt to destroy or hinder the democratization process in Iran.”

When will we start getting it right?

Thanks to PROD

Hood River County now has an animal shelter. We want to thank the Hukari family and PROD (Promoting Responsible Ownership of Dogs) for making this new shelter a reality for the community.

PROD and its volunteers have been working tirelessly over many years to take care of our pet population. PROD provides educational programs to our children, sponsors a spay-and-neuter program and transports animals for adoption to the Southwest Washington Humane Society.

We so appreciate and want to acknowledge PROD’s contribution to our canine friends.

Hostage at dump

I’ve just returned from “Hostage Day at the Dump.”

Wednesdays are the one day a week when people who work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. must take time off from work to bring yard clippings for free recycling.

All other days recyclable yard clippings are charged at the normal refuse rate. Who the heck negotiated this? Would not Saturdays have been a better “Hostage Day at the Dump”?

Wait, Sen. Wyden

As Sue Ryan reports (Hood River News, May 18) on Sen. Wyden’s Hawks Ridge visit with a few supporters who were bathed with “Bush bashing” remarks and other boast, complained of the president’s vetoing his unacceptable legislation. He shared his frustrations.

The senator assured us that he did indeed represent the entire state of Oregon; not just the special interest of the big city dwellers.

WAIT! Just a minute, Mr. Wyden. Aren’t you one of the supporters of that minority group pushing for extension of the wilderness areas at both ends of our county?

Apparently he isn’t aware of the fact that 50 years ago lumbering was the mainstay for his state and our county. This industry fed our schools when the Hispanic population was less than 1 percent (today, over 50 percent).

I understood him to say that we should both educate and provide medical needs for the illegals’ children until we solve the border problem. Sounds good!

And I don’t think that he is aware of Contractor Cesar Chavez (ca. 1960) bringing busloads of underpaid Hispanic farm workers and displacing the natives who had grown accustomed to higher wages.

Mr. Wyden seems to know where we are, but doesn’t know where we were. Replacing lumbering with apples just doesn’t cut it! Our mountains will soon be green again with a God-given resource.