Correlation between wages and Forbes rank?
To the Editor:
How exciting to read in The Sentinel that Forbes magazine rated Washington State the second-highest state in the nation for business. Equally exciting was the fact the state also ranked number two in the labor rankings.
Hey, wait a minute-Washington State also has the highest minimum wage in the nation. Doesn't this totally blow apart the argument that Congressman Hastings and others have used for decades that raising the minimum wage is a business killer?
Eric Olsen
Goldendale
Always pays to help others
To the Editor:
I have been involved with United Way of Klickitat and Skamania Counties since about 2002. I have learned in detail about how United Way is organized, how it operates, and, most importantly, about the human service agencies in our own communities here that receive United Way dollars.
I was born and raised in Klickitat County and have worked for the past 17 years in Skamania County. This is home to me, and I have a sense of pride in being involved with this United Way Council for the past seven years because I know first-hand its dedication and work.
While most people are aware of the local food bank and likely know what Red Cross is, when you get a complete immersion in the details of about 30 non-profit organizations, it just sets you back on your heels to realize the magnitude of it all.
I learned about programs that I wasn't aware of here in my community. I learned about volunteers who devote so much of their time, resources, and money into the agencies they have a connection to. I learned of the struggle every year by agency directors to find the funds to run their programs and to support growing demand for services.
And most importantly, I learned how it does take a community to make a difference.
Perhaps you would be interested in joining our United Way Council and, for a couple hours a month, be a part of the answer. Or you can contribute to United Way of the Columbia Gorge. You have the option to select where you want your contribution to be directed, if that is important to you. It does not have to be money, but could be items, services, or time as well.
Tammara Tippel
White Salmon
What's with the city's streets?
To the Editor:
Is Goldendale returning its roads back to the 20th century? Are we going to rip up all the asphalt and put down gravel? That's what it is starting to look like to me. The alley ways are starting to be a smoother alternative then the streets.
Is the city trying to destroy the suspension on everyone's cars? Maybe that's why around 70 percent of drivers are running stop signs. (That's just a personal observation, not necessarily fact.) It would help all of us if the police would cite someone for going 10 miles over the speed limit and other traffic infractions. That is, if the east-side judge doesn't dismiss the violation or only fine them $20.
James Kitchen
Centerville
Time to end domestic violence
To the Editor:
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence affects every one of us. It knows no ethnic or economic boundaries.
We cannot rely on any system or agency to end it. It's a community problem that we can only solve together. People need to know that they can talk about abuse and that they will be heard, supported, and offered help. Abusers need to know that their neighbors, coworkers, and friends agree that controlling your partner is not OK.
It's important for all of us to act. Don't just be aware; be involved. Talk to young people about their relationships. Encourage them to check out www.thatsnotcool.com and www.chooserespect.org. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it's free and confidential. This is a complex issue with no simple answers, but it is simple for each of us to play a role in ending it.
Gretchen Olsen
Goldendale
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