Letters to the Editor for Nov. 30, 2017

Shop downtown Camas for holiday gifts Growing up in Camas, and having a father who owned a business in downtown Camas, I am well aware of the importance of supporting other local businesses. Today, many decades later, holiday shopping is easier and options are more plentiful than ever. I spent only a few short hours yesterday buying gifts for my work family. Here is a partial list of some of the wonderful things I found (not to worry, they all live in Portland and don't get The Post-Record): For the office staff: amazing handmade soaps from The Soap Chest, each beautifully wrapped in sisal with a bamboo soap dish. Yum. For my two finance managers, both foodies: Meyer lemon olive oil and grapefruit balsamic vinegar from Navidi's, already in a beautiful gift bag just ready for a bow. For my boss, who always needs de-stressing: bath salts from Camas Beauty Bar, in really cool packaging. For the receptionist who brings her dog to work: an adorable dog bone Christmas ornament from Lizbeth A. And for another essential, dog-loving employee: a great squeaky toy from Naturally Healthy Pet. That's just the beginning ... I've got family and friends to buy for. I still have to hit the Camas Antique Mall, Runyans Jewelry (ideas for hubby), Feast 316 for gift cards, and Lily Atelier for a scarf for sis. And don't forget Lutz Hardware for lots of cool tools. We have a great thing going here in Camas -- do not underestimate how important it is to shop here first! Jean Kleser, Camas Response to Howard letter on Trump I just finished reading Mr. Howard's letter to the editor, "Guest column justifies reader's vote for Trump," (Nov. 23, 2017, Camas-Washougal Post-Record) and felt compelled to respond. First, Mr. Howard used the word "enjoyed" several times in his article to say how he felt about a previous guest editorial letter he read in The Post-Record. What an odd word (enjoy) to use repeatedly to describe a letter he could clearly not stand. Secondly, he disparages a professor for being a "professor emeritus" and says basically that those kinds of people don't' really work for a living like he himself does. Mr. Howard needs to look up the definition of "professor emeritus" and then realize that some of us do our work with our hands, some with our brains and some with our mouths. But we are all working and in the end deserve to retire, like a professor emeritus. Then, Mr. Howard says that America was becoming a socialist society like Cuba and Venezuela and Trump is saving us from that. Mr. Howard, have you EVER traveled to those countries? Have you ever been in a socialist society to know what it feels like and acts like? You need to do some traveling. Finally, Mr. Howard, you can choose the candidate you want to vote for; that is your right as a citizen. But really, for you and all the Trump supporters out there, couldn't you have picked a leader who doesn't grab women's crotches, doesn't degrade war heroes, doesn't disparage Gold Star families, doesn't lie and lie every day, doesn't make repeated racial comments? I could go on and on. Next time you pass by a mirror, take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror and ask: What is it inside of me that made me want someone so despicable leading my country? And the answer cannot be: desperation and fear. Because the historical landscape is littered with the rotten debris of other nations and people who made that horrific mistake in choosing their leader. Joanne Pinelli, Camas Blame government, not teen, for Gorge fire I think it is unfair to put all the blame for the devastation of the Eagle Creek Fire on the 15 year old Vancouver boy who started it. What he did was absolutely illegal and wrong, but he did not purposely do it. It was an accident. It seems to me that the Forest Service and other government officials are as much, if not more, to blame for their refusal to use the 747 Supertanker and other large planes to put it out quickly. Some years back, a wing fell off a larger plane fighting a fire and crashed killing the crew. The decision was made not to use any plane with a capacity of more than 5,000 gallons. The Supertanker carries 20,000 gallons. I have heard also that some of the owners of the helicopters used fighting these fires earn about $5,000 for every day for their helicopter that is standing by at the fire even if it is not used always, so the longer the fire goes on, the more money they make. It is time to hold our government officials and government employees responsible for their bad decisions. Bob Mattila, Brush Prairie

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