Letters to the Editor for Sept. 14, 2010

Trail illustrates city's foresight I had the privilege of attending the recent dedication ceremony of the Washougal River Greenway Trail, which is the culmination of many years of effort from so many people and agencies. The project all started with a vision that our previous mayor, Nan Henriksen, had to preserve the area along the beautiful Washougal River for the public enjoyment of generations to come. She enlisted the help of Ken Powell, a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, to acquire riverfront property, either by purchase or donation. After 20 years, the help of two mayors, the city administration, and many agencies, her vision of a greenway along the river has been completed with a beautiful bridge connecting parks on both sides of the Washougal River, which opened up a "hidden scenic treasure," making it one more accomplishment for which the city of Camas can be proud. We are so fortunate to live in a city with beautiful parks, well-kept cemetery, great schools and library, fire, police and emergency services, and people with the foresight and knowledge to maintain and manage it. Belva Baz, Camas History may repeat itself As the nation heads into the mid-term elections, it has become painfully obvious that Americans learn nothing from history -- even if that history is recent. Americans are also demonstrating willful ignorance. In some regions, such as the former Confederacy, they seem to be proud of that ignorance. They are all-too-willing to accept propaganda as "truth," as demonstrated by how many religiously follow faux - er, FOX News on a daily basis. But go ahead, America, give it back to the Republicans. Yes, the corporate Dems have done a sloppy job of correcting the problems caused by three decades of supply-side economics and more often than not, side with global corporations rather than the people they supposedly represent, but at least there have been a few small improvements and government has somewhat started to re-assume a few of the responsibilities it has abandoned to a predatory, private market that has no conscience, no accountability and no regard for human life or the planet, or anything other than their precious bottom line. Well, kiss it all goodbye come November as stupid America prepares to hand its government back to the party that has nearly destroyed this country. You want more bank bailouts and corporate welfare while the middle class disappears and people lose their jobs, their homes, their families? Vote Republican. You want to see more American industry and jobs outsourced to China and India? Vote Republican. You want to see public schools continue to fall apart as teachers wind up having to deal with 50 kids in a classroom? Vote Republican. You want to see our roads, our power, our water turned over to for-profit private corporations? Vote Republican. You want to see even MORE people die for want of health care they can't afford? Vote Republican. You want to see our government hand a $3 million dollar check over to each of the 120,000 richest families every year (the result of extending the Bush tax cuts)? Vote Republican. You want the insurance that you have paid into - Social Security - turned over to the control of Wall Street so it can flush it down the toilet the way it did with your pensions and your 401ks and retirement funds? Vote Republican. You want to see more billions of dollars and more lives wasted in never-ending foreign wars and occupations that bleed us dry while those who wanted to take America down laugh as we do the job for them? Vote Republican. You want another Great Depression that will make the 1930s look like "high times"? Vote Republican. Frankly, this country and its system is now so broken and dysfunctional, it can no longer be fixed, and it's painfully obvious that most Americans who get all their information from our own version of Pravda and Der Sturmm - FOX News - do not want to see it fixed. So let's do it America - let's hand the country back to the Republicans and let them finish the job they started! Hey, if nothing else, reducing America to an impoverished Third-World banana republic ruled by an elite, oppressive and predatory corporate oligarchy will certainly solve the immigration problem - because why would all those brown people want to come to a country that's no different from what they left behind? But you'll probably want to start boning up on your Mandarin. K.J. McElrath, Camas BPA lines impacts will be felt in C-W Bonneville Power Administration is proposing to build a 70-mile long 500 kilovolt transmission line from Castle Rock to Troutdale, passing through Camas and Washougal. BPA held one of four open houses on Sunday at Union High School for newly impacted homeowners on new proposed segments through Camas. BPA has estimated there are between 300 to 400 impacted homeowners along these segments; these are in addition to those of us already on proposed segments. These new segments are not along existing BPA right-of-ways, so if they build these 150-foot tall towers there, BPA will need to purchase 150-foot wide easements through your property. The towers can be built as close to you as 75 feet. The towers at the river crossing from Camas to Troutdale will be 300 feet tall with strobe lights flashing 24/7. The towers from the river crossing back up the hillside will be taller than a 15-story building, significantly altering the view from the Granite Highlands neighborhood and others nearby. Yet there were fewer than 100 homeowners at that meeting. Where were you impacted homeowners? Where were you Mayor Dennis? Where were you Mayor Guard? If we can't stand together to oppose these towers being built in populated areas, we will all lose. Our property values will decline even more; Camas and Washougal will not be attractive to future residents or businesses. We have a lot to lose. You can still get involved and be heard by contacting BPA, your local officials, and one of the citizen groups requesting no lines in populated areas. Debby Prentice Thornley, Camas

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