Expanded commissioners board could represent us all

Dave Dotterrer recently wrote about maintaining the status quo for county commissioners. First, thanks Dave, for your service. I agree that Jackson County is in good fiscal shape.

I would like to see Jackson County have five commissioners for five different geographical areas. As of 2021, there were 99,636 voters in Jackson County registered as unaffiliated and/or Democrats; 49,285 are registered Republicans. All three commissioners are Republicans. 

Dave stated that the current commissioners reflect our “shared values, principles and priorities.” Colleen Roberts is an anti-vaxxer/anti-masker with far-right viewpoints. Roberts doesn’t represent my values or principles. I believe in public health, science and facts.

That being said, Roberts represents how many folks in Jackson County feel. That’s a good thing. I also think it’s good thing to have a commissioner with a different “political philosophy” to represent the rest of us.

Dave states the people that want five commissioners are doing this because, if the the process doesn’t give them what they want, “they will seek to change or manipulate the process until it does.” 

Dave, that sounds exactly like the good people of the current Jackson County Republican Party. They didn’t get their way nationally in 2020 and are ardent election deniers that still want to change the outcome despite absolutely no evidence of fraud. 

Dave, I’m quite sure you believe in facts and science. I wish you and John Rachor had stuck around a little longer. Why do we lose the good ones?

Peter Toogood / Ashland

Wolf management opinion piece distorted ESA facts

A biased and inflammatory editorial by the Capital Press appearing recently in the Rogue Valley Times does nothing but incite anger toward the Endangered Species Act.

It complained that Oregon treats ranchers “like children,” but Idaho gives ranchers the right to manage wolves.

They should get the facts straight, such as:

• The federal ESA applies evenly to all states (and shouldn’t be blamed for the differences in management);

• Under the ESA, wolves in Oregon are protected only west of Highways 395-78-95;

• Ranchers are allowed to kill wolves caught in the act of attacking or chasing livestock or working dogs, according to ODFW;

• Employing nonlethal tools IS management, and effective when done correctly;

• Livestock producers and wildlife managers work together on implementation;

• Saying the ESA was merely an attempt to assuage certain members of Congress ignores the groundswell of public sentiment at the time to better balance nature with profit.

And the law works. The ESA has saved more than 99% of species under its protection.

According to the NIH, “a number of studies have found the ESA is effectively stabilizing or improving the status of species trends (Male & Bean, 2005;

Taylor, Suckling & Rachlinski, 2005; Gibbs & Currie, 2012; Suckling et al., 2016).”

Yet, thousands of imperiled species are awaiting review. Rather than gutting the law, it would be more cost-effective to improve efforts to prevent species from becoming listed in the first place.

Lin Bernhardt / Talent

Remember to support local businesses this holiday season

In the annual frenzy of Christmas shopping, hopefully we’ll remember that stores in our downtown core areas offer crafts, books, shoes, plants, baked goods, chocolate, new and used clothes, kitchen items, games, antiques, pet supplies, comics, art supplies, collectibles, and many other things.

Plus, there are unique restaurants (non fast-food) and coffee houses when we need a break. In short, our downtown cores offer personality, uniqueness, and variety.

Also important is that money spent in our locally owned downtown stores stays in the Rogue Valley. It isn’t transferred or credited to bank accounts in Seattle, Maine, Colorado, Arkansas, Wisconsin, or somewhere else.

Brent Thompson / Ashland