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Council needs to find the next city manager
   The Newberg City Council has a unique opportunity, one that doesn’t arise very often.
   With the August announcement that Jim Bennett will leave his post as Newberg city manager to take a similar post in Damascus, the council has the opportunity to change the way things are done in Newberg government, and perhaps save a little money.
   The council met in informal session Monday evening with a League of Oregon Cities representative to discuss the different options for finding a new city manager. The city can hire the League or commission an executive search or “head hunter” agency to find a replacement. Both options cost thousands of dollars, money we believe could be better spent on the pressing issues of the city, including fixing roads and building sidewalks.
   Instead, we believe the council should do the job itself. The position of Newberg city manager is a plum job that will likely elicit numerous applications if the council (with the help of the city’s human resources staff) advertises in the appropriate trade magazines and through local, statewide and regional newspapers. etc.
   There’s no good reason that with staff’s help the council can’t winnow the applications to a select few, schedule face-to-face interviews with the council, do background checks and visits to applicants’ current place of work, and make an informed decision.
   It is, ultimately, the council’s responsibility to fill the city manager position. Why not see the process through themselves and save time and money?

Reasons for optimism and a hearty ‘thumbs up’
   — The Newberg Earlybird Rotary Club is to be lauded for its effort to help the tens of thousands of destitute folks near Lima, Peru, following an 8.0 earthquake Aug. 19 that rocked the area.
   The club quickly gathered up a $1,000 donation and sent it to our neighbors to the south. Sure, $1,000 doesn’t seem like much, but it will pay for food and water for another day and that’s food and water these people wouldn’t otherwise have.
   We encourage other Newberg organizations, and individuals, to step up and donate to this effort. We humans are all in this together, and those of us who are more fortunate than others have a duty to help out when we can.
   — Congrats to Faith in Action. The Newberg organization was recently notified it will be named the Outstanding Volunteer Program at the 2007 Oregon Governor’s Volunteer Awards.
   In 2006, 300 Faith In Action volunteers donated a total of 3,750 hours of service, most often to the elderly in the community, who reported that the volunteers’ actions help them increase their ability to remain in their own homes and reduced their stress level.
   — And a hearty huzzah to those men and women who make up the Newberg Fire Department. A cadre of them gathered at George Fox University Wednesday to demonstrate to students the dangers of keeping an untidy, unsafe dormitory room or off-campus housing complex. After erecting a makeshift dorm room in the middle of the school’s quad, the firefighters put torch to the room and demonstrated how quickly the room becomes uninhabitable.
   Hopefully, it will get the point across for those students with a penchant for over-microwaving their popcorn.

Dundee won’t lose its identity with new sewers
   The city of Dundee will consider in the coming months hooking its sewer system to the facility of its counterpart, Newberg. Engineers will examine the pros and cons of the move, which could potentially save Dundee some serious cash, and deliver their findings to the town council.
   More importantly, however, connecting Dundee’s system to Newberg’s would make Dundee’s system more efficient and less likely to dump untreated sewage into the Willamette River.
   That’s encouraging, because Dundee’s aging system reached its maximum capacity years ago and this being the rainy corner of Oregon, the chance that large amounts of sewage will be washed into the river is a distinct possibility.
   Now, we know that some folks will cry that connecting Dundee to Newberg’s sewer system will degrade the individuality of the town. These were the same folks that complained when Newberg was contracted by Dundee to take over its police services.
   We hasten to remind those folks that Dundee’s police department had been plagued by problems for decades prior to the change, not the least being the ouster of the former police chief.
   Dundee now has better, more efficient police service at basically the same price it was budgeting to provide service itself.
And the town hasn’t lost an iota of its identity. Imagine that.

Sept. 11: Pay tribute to the loss of life, liberty
   Tuesday marks the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
   Unlike most anniversaries, it will not be a festive event designed to elicit fond memories. It will, instead, cause Americans to remember back to the horrific scenes of passenger planes hurtling through the sunny September sky into buildings, of people jumping to their deaths to escape the flames, of the twin towers imploding upon themselves into heaps of rubble.
   Those memories have been branded onto our psyches and will live in the collective consciousness of this nation for, we suspect, centuries, much as America’s entry into World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
   On Tuesday a small gathering of public safety personnel, — mostly firemen and police officers, as well as some city officials and members of the public — will gather at the main fire station to honor those who died on the fateful day six years ago. They will also pay tribute, we suspect, to those who have been thrust into service as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks — personnel in the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
   Regardless of your views on America’s war on terror, notwithstanding one’s gripes with our loss of civil liberties, pay tribute Tuesday to those who lost their lives, the families they left behind, and the men and women charged with ensuring it never happens again.

At least consider Measure 49
   The hyperbole that is emanating from representatives, and past representatives, of Oregonians In Action is at a fevered pitch as November’s ballot approaches and voters will be asked to decide the fate of Measure 49.
   The bill was forwarded to the voters by a bipartisan committee in the legislature to fix Measure 37, the land use bill passed by voters in 2004. Measure 49 includes language left out of Measure 37 that limits the number of houses people may construct on their rural land to a few rather than the hundreds allowed under Measure 37.
   Of course, those champions of Measure 37, including former OIA director Larry George, now a state senator representing among other towns Newberg, are attempting everything to defeat Measure 49, including filing a constitutional challenge that argues the ballot title of the measure is “factually inaccurate, unfair and underhanded.”
   If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black we don’t know what is.
   In a state notorious for asking voters to decide measures so badly written as to stretch one’s imagination, Measure 37 stands alone in obfuscation.
   At the very least, voters should take a long, hard look at Measure 49 and see if it conforms to what they see for the future of Oregon. If it doesn’t pass muster, then it should be rejected. If, on the other hand, it returns Oregon land use planning to a system weighted toward longterm livability, then they should pass it.

A holiday thumbs up for things done right
   * On Sept. 5, the combined forces of George Fox University — students, faculty, alumni, administrators and employees — will disperse from the Newberg campus and blanket the community with caring through the annual Serve Day. Many nonprofit organizations, including churches and others, will benefit from this simple act of Christian service, which should serve as an example of the power of putting one’s religious beliefs into action to the benefit of others.
   * A hearty thumbs up to the city of Dundee for having the will to consider drawing water from the Willamette River to supply its growing citizenry. Other cities who have looked at taking water from the river have met with strong opposition from the Chicken Littles of the world that argue that river water is not fit for consumption. The Willamette’s problems, especially in the so-called ‘Newberg Pool,’ lie at the bottom of the stream where the effluent from upstream abusers comes to rest. Draw the water from the surface, treat it properly and it will meet all the government requirements for consumption. Wilsonville has been doing it for nearly a decade with no ill effects.
   * Finally, thumbs up to Debbie Gill, who recently took over the position of veteran’s services officer for Yamhill County. Gill is a veteran, she understands the issues and challenges veterans face when they leave the service. And in this time when our country is creating veterans at an increasing rate, it’s good to see someone looking out for these men and women.

Labor Day: How was it started?
   It was election year 1894. President Grover Cleveland was looking for a conciliatory gesture to appease the nation’s workers, angry over poor treatment by their employers and increasing the ranks of the labor unions.
   Labor Day would soon be born.
   The movement to honor the nation’s workers had its roots in 1892 when union workers in New York City took an unpaid day off to march around Union Square in support of the holiday.
   The drive picked up steam in 1893 when Cleveland ordered 12,000 troops to quell rioting strikers of the American Railway Union, who were protesting treatment by the Pullman company, maker of railroad cars. When an economic downturn gripped the country, owner George Pullman laid off hundreds of workers and decreased pay in his factories without a corresponding decrease in the rent he charged for company housing.
   Recognizing he needed the workers’ votes to have any chance at re-election, Cleveland quickly shepherded legislation through Congress to create a national day recognizing laborers. The bill reached his desk six days after federal troops had broken the Pullman strike.
   In 1898, Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, termed Labor Day as “the day for which the toilers in past centuries looked forward, when their rights and their wrongs would be discussed ... that the workers of our day may not only lay down their tools of labor for a holiday, but upon which they may touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel the stronger for it."

This newspaper entertains by informing
   You may have noticed several letters to the editor lately debating who is a journalist. Jim Bellah of Newberg pretty much put everyone in their place with one of the best written letters we have published lately. He informed his readers that the “TV personalities” in question, conservative and liberal alike, are not journalists but political commentators.
   We prefer to refer to those TV folks not as journalists or political commentators but as entertainers. Their exorbitant salaries are determined by the ratings they generate; you’re not going to find any newspaper columnists making $20 million a year.
   If we may, we’d like to take this opportunity for self-promotion of our chosen profession -- newspapering. We find it somewhat curious that of all those mentioned in Bellah’s column, not one of those media outlets happens to be a newspaper. Makes us wonder: Does the reading public still respect us? We’d like to think so. Or are we just not that “entertaining?”
   Now, on occasion we’ve been labeled as the “liberal media,” especially by those who disagree with left-leaning letters and columns printed in this forum. They charge that we should only print letters and columns that are sympathetic to our conservative readers. Trouble is, our readers are made up of liberals and conservatives — our goal is simply to present a forum for discourse.
   Then there are those who accuse our stories of being biased or one-sided. Reporter Amanda Newman was recently lambasted for the first in her series on illegal immigration, for example, because the reader didn’t see in the story “facts” that supported her take on the issue. A reporter can only write based on what information is made available to them; the information that the letter reader accused Amanda of leaving out was not available.
   Whatever the story, we will always tell all sides of it as completely as we can. And we certainly pledge to be as non-entertaining as we can. Actually that’s not true, we hope you are entertained by being informed.

McKern farmstead will find a new home
   We’re hoping that the third time’s a charm for organizers attempting to move the McKern house and barn to a new location west of Sportsman Airpark.
   The group who has taken up the challenge of getting the buildings moved, Friends of Historic Newberg, have worked long and hard to save two of Newberg’s oldest structures. They should be lauded for their work and the tirelessness of their quest.
   The goal of saving the historic buildings has been wrought with setbacks, disappointments, bureaucratic red tape and enough frustration to test even the most determined historian. Money, lots of it, had to be raised to shore up the building, temporarily move utilities to make way for the move and actually transport the buildings on the roughly one-mile journey to their new home.
   It’s been difficult. It would have been easier for the group to just throw up its collective hands and give up, leaving the buildings to the wrecking ball as developers move in to construct a subdivision.
   But Friends of Historic Newberg was not thwarted; they kept plugging, kept up fund-raising efforts, kept prodding the park district for land and help.
   They deserve our thanks and our support. Don’t stop giving because the move is almost here. They need all the help they can get.

Thumbs up to events in Newberg this week
   — Thumbs up to Twila Tschan, named Aug. 11 as Oregon’s Junior Miss.
   Tschan, who will be a senior in September at Newberg High School, was awarded a total of $3,250 in scholarships and will represent Oregon in the America’s Junior Miss National Finals next June.
   — Thumbs up to the folks at the Chehalem Park and Recreation District and the Newberg-Dundee Police Department for putting on the first-ever Safety Town this week at the Chehalem Armory Center. This program teaches 5- and 6-year-olds a wide range of useful safety tips, including being safe in traffic, on a bike, with fire, in the water and with animals. The kids memorized their address and phone numbers, learned how to call 9-1-1 and practiced “stop, drop and roll.”
   At the end of a week of instruction participants received diplomas certifying their graduation from Safety Town. They also got dessert donated by Wendy’s, one of many individuals and groups that pitched in to make the program a reality.
   — Thumbs up to ‘Acoustic Ninja’ Trace Bundy for his Tunes on Tuesday concert in Newberg. Bundy’s unique talent for “finger-tapping” his guitar borders on genius and made for another in a great series of concerts put on by the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Fill the Boot, congrats Friendsview, etc.
  It’s time once again for us to weigh in on the events of the past week.
   — Thumbs up to the members of the Newberg Fire Department who will be out in force this weekend to raise money — and awareness — of the plight of those stricken by muscular dystrophy. The annual Muscular Dystrophy Association’s “Fill the Boot” raises cash for research and to help people stricken by this deadly disease.
   If you see the firefighters braving the elements this weekend on First and Hancock streets, toss a couple of bucks into their boots. It’s the right thing to do.
   — Thumbs up to Friendsview Retirement Community on breaking ground on Springbrook Meadows. As the U.S. population ages the need for housing will increase as Baby Boomers age and retire. Friendsview, along with Astor House, Chehalem Springs and Avamere in Newberg, is filling a distinct niche in the community. We wish them well in providing homes for those folks enjoying retirement.
   — Good luck to the city of Dundee and their ongoing struggle to address their lagging sewage system. The city is turning over operational oversight to the Department of Environmental Quality because the city is out of compliance with state wastewater guidelines. The system will remain in place until the city can construct new sewage facilities, ones that comply with demanding state standards.

The trials of small town government
   — In November voters will have a second opportunity to consider annexing land into the city’s northeastern corner near the intersection of Highway 99W and Benjamin Road.
   Voters turned away in May two annexation requests that would have added about 44 acres of residential and commercial development. The hyperbole on both sides of the issue – much of it erroneous – ran at a fevered pitch up until the vote.
   Developers will return the annexation requests in two phases this go around, but the result will be the same – more land for development.
   Regardless of voters’ views on development and increasing the size of the city, they owe it to themselves to be well informed on the issue before casting their ballots. After all, they will have to live with the results.
   — Dundee is experiencing the same angst via its sign code that Newberg fought with several years ago. City of Newberg officials had their hands full with business owners threatening lawsuits because they weren’t allowed to erect the type of signs they wanted.
   Now Dundee must decide if an objectionable sign erected by antagonist Howard Meredith violates its fledgling sign code and, if so, what will be done about it. The content of signs is First Amendment issue and the courts have ruled that it cannot be censored.
   It’s a sticky issue. We don’t envy Dundee, but wish them well in dealing with the issue nonetheless.

Annexations in Newberg: Part 2
   Did the voters understand what they were doing when they defeated two annexation requests presented to them in the May election?
   Perhaps. Perhaps not.
   Developers determined to bring more than 44 acres into the city’s northeastern urban growth boundary want to “educate” those same voters on the benefits of the Gueldner and NewB annexations. They are touting the many years of planning in conjunction with the city of Newberg to bring about the annexations, which will afford the city the final link in its Northside Collector, a miniature northern bypass of sorts designed to encourage resident motorists headed for north Newberg to skirt downtown in order to alleviate congestion on Highway 99W.
   Of course the annexations will also mean development of more residential and commercial properties, which in turn means more place for people to live, shop, recreate and the like.
   But the annexations also mean stretching city services thinner, funneling more kids into already crowded Newberg schools and adding traffic to Benjamin Road, which is ill prepared to handle it, and Highway 99W, which is notoriously crowded already. Will additional property taxes cover those costs?
   Over the coming months The Newberg Graphic will document the push to bring these two large lots into the city’s UGB. We will present both sides of the story in as balanced a manner as the parties involved will allow us. And then we’ll let the voters decide.

It’s all thumbs up this week, baby
   — Head Start of Yamhill County will soon put the final touches on plans to construct a new facility in Newberg. The 4,000-square-foot building will be located on Crestview Drive and serve to give 58 preschool students a jump on their education. That is a good thing and will, in the long term, serve this community very well.
   — George Fox University recently received notice that La Shana Hall, the newly-constructed student residence facility, has been included among those buildings receiving a LEED certification. That means the building was constructed with and utilizes Earth-friendly materials and practices. This is the second GFU facility to receive the prestigious designation, the first being the Edward F. Stevens Center. The more that buildings are constructed with and utilize so-called “green” technology the better off we all will be.
   — Payday lenders are fleeing Oregon in droves now that the legislature has clamped down on the amount of interest they can charge. And as far as we’re concerned, they can’t leave too soon. These businesses have enjoyed ridiculously high interest rates for too long in Oregon; hopefully the ones that remain, including one here in Newberg will take the high road and provide a service without bilking their customers that can afford it least. Only time will tell.

Illegal immigrants? No one seems to know
   If there is one thing reporter Amanda Newman discovered while researching Saturday’s front page story on illegal immigrants in Yamhill County, it’s that there are no hard and fast numbers, no answers, no one that can say definitively whether this is a widespread problem in our area, or just a hot button issue designed to stir voters.
   As the report says, there are illegal immigrants in Yamhill County, as there are in areas across the West. A closer examination indicates they are a lot like natives of this area. Some of those people use social services to get by, many do not. Some illegal immigrants run afoul of the law, many do not. Some are gainfully employed (we suspect more than average), but some are not.
   Those illegal immigrants are, for the most part, working at jobs in the nursery business, restaurants, landscaping and other manual labor sectors. They perform valuable services to society.
   We don’t condone folks living here outside the law, nor do we support rounding them all up and deporting them. We do support creating a fast-track system where workers from other countries can become citizens of this country.
   After all, isn’t that fulfilling the American dream?

State needs to step up and fund the bypass
   Wednesday’s announcement by Macquarie Infrastructure Group that it was pulling out of the Newberg-Dundee bypass project came as a surprise, although not a big one.
   We suspected for some time that Macquarie would come to the realization that the project wouldn’t yield the income they require to get involved.
   Also, since the company’s announcement that tolling Highway 99W would be necessary to make the project viable, and the subsequent backlash from that announcement, we believed it was likely Macquarie would take a pass.
   Macquarie project manager Nick Hann said as much Friday: “The bypass is not commercially self supporting ... as long as there is a viable free alternative on Highway 99W. The situation is likely to continue for a long time until congestion levels become so intolerable for most of the day that more people are prepared to pay to use the bypass.”
   But that shouldn’t mean the end to the bypass effort. Nor should it mean that the Oregon Department of Transportation should backtrack in any way from the plan it has developed and entertain options — such as a regional route — that have already been eliminated from consideration.
   It’s time for ODOT, and the state of Oregon in general, to step up and fund construction of this bypass. It’s inconceivable to us that between tolling the road, garnering tens of millions of dollars in federal funds and using its bonding ability, that the state is unable to get this done.
   Local, county, state and federal politicians need to apply pressure to the state to make this thoroughfare a reality. And they need to do it now.

It’s festival time — get out there and party
   The Old Fashioned Festival begins Thursday in its customary way — with the kids parade and queen’s coronation. It continues the next three days with fun for everyone in Newberg’s annual rite of summer.
   There’s stage acts, lots of music, a carnival midway and parade, car show, pancake feed and the Saturday Night Spectacular, which features the Boomer Band playing before by far the best fireworks display in the area, bar none.
   Old Fashioned Festival is an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to have some fun, catch up with old friends and celebrate not only Newberg’s long and storied history, but that wondrous time of year called summer.
   It’s a time for Newberg to let its hair down, kick up its heels and, with any luck, luxuriate in the warm summer sun and cool evening breezes of the Chehalem Valley.
   In one shape or another, Newberg’s festival has been around for decades. Each year it has grown in popularity and scope and each year it fails to disappoint.
   So, get out there Newbergites, Newbergians and Newbergists and enjoy the town’s annual summer party in the sunshine. Winter, with its attendant rain and gloom, will be hear soon enough.

It’s time to finish cultural center
   The effort to save Central School from the wrecking ball after its June 1995 closure by the Newberg School District has been a long and arduous journey. And it’s not over yet.
   The building was turned over to the ownership of the Chehalem Park and Recreation District in 1997. The park district twice sought bonds and was twice turned down by the voters, prompting district officials to take a long-term approach to turning the building into a cultural center.
   Some grants were awarded, allowing the park district to perform seismic upgrades to the building, install a new roof and windows, and reconstruct the structure’s original entrance. The park district also used inmate labor to do much of the demolition work inside the building.
   With completion of plans for the cultural center a committee was formed to get the word out and raise funds to complete the project. The committee has been hard at work and has raised about half of the $2.5 million it will take to complete the lobby and gallery on the first floor and what will be the art area in the east wing.
   The committee estimates it will cost a total of $7.5 million to complete the project, and that’s where Newberg residents come into play: It’s time the people of Newberg step up and complete the cultural center.
Residents can help via “Friend-raising Nights” slated for Aug. 16 and 23, which will raise awareness and cash towards completion of the effort.
   Completion of this project will be a great boon to the city, providing a cultural Mecca of sorts while preserving a piece of Newberg’s past.
   Help the park district get this project done and add this important feature to our community.

Meredith should admit defeat, give up the fight
   Howard Meredith should think long and hard about appealing a judgment against him in his quest to turn Dundee’s infamous “Purple House” into a coffee shop, diner or anything else.
   From the onset, Meredith’s argument was ridiculous that Dundee government was impinging on his ability to develop his property. He tried to prove his point in court, saying that under Measure 37 he was entitled to $250,000 in immediate compensation, even though he hadn’t bothered to file a legitimate Measure 37 claim with the city of Dundee, typically the first step in the process.
   Meredith carried the nonsense further by claiming that it was, in fact, the city’s responsibility to prove that the value of his real estate had not been adversely affected by the city’s codes.
   Thankfully, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Carol Jones saw through this ruse. She ruled that Meredith failed to demonstrate that the market value of his property had been reduced by Dundee’s land-use regulations.
   This isn’t the first time Meredith has unsuccessfully claimed the government has impinged on his ability to develop his property. He filed a similar claim at the state level and lost.
   We’re hoping that this latest setback will convince Meredith to move on.
   It’s clear that Meredith, a former candidate for Dundee mayor, likes attention. We’re convinced that instead of this being a fight over property rights, constitutional rights or whatever — the root of his fight against the government amounts to vanity.
   It’s a waste of taxpayer money and should stop.

Summer entertainment abounds in Newberg
   It was a good week for entertainment in Newberg, what with the season’s first installment of Tunes on Tuesday as well as the debut of the latest Harry Potter movie.
   The amazingly talented Ben Rice Blues Band caused a small, but enthusiastic crowd to forget the heat Tuesday and enjoy the screaming guitar riffs and soulful vocals of the band’s namesake.
   The five Newberg natives who comprise the band, all 19 or under, displayed talent way beyond their years and kept the crowd rocking for more than two hours at Rotary Centennial Park Tuesday.
   It was an excellent start to what promises to be a great Tunes on Tuesday line-up over the next month. The bill includes the pop rock band The Retrofits next Tuesday, Matt Kirk Jazz July 24, roots rocker Jacob VanAuken July 31, Newberg native Lori Wilcutts Aug. 7, guitar virtuoso Trace Bundy Aug. 14, local Celtic band Roughly Hewn Aug. 21 and the popular Five Guys Named Moe in the last concert, Aug. 28.
   Those seeking entertainment of a more visual nature flocked to the Historic Cameo Theatre Tuesday night to view a midnight showing of “Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix.” Few of the nearly packed house went away disappointed in the fourth movie in the popular series. The movie also served as a warm-up to the next book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which will be released July 21 and available at Chapters Books.

Don’t blame the Demos for inaction
   If you are beginning reading the opinion page with this editorial, you may want to start with the one just below so you will have an idea of the pompousness of which we are about to comment.
   State Rep. Kim Thatcher talks about all of the legislation that her and fellow Republican legislators couldn't get done because of "those Democrats," but let's stop for a moment and really look at what didn't happen and why. In Oregon, enacting or increasing a tax takes a two-thirds majority; the legislature is about 52 percent Democrat.
   Why did the actions of the minority  Republicans stop the actions of the majority Democrats from increasing the cigarette, beer and wine taxes so we can take care of those in need of health care? Why would the naysayers to that tax increase — which would have taken in much needed funds, helped people quit smoking, made society healthier over all, and not affected beer and wine drinkers — do that? There’s one real reason: it is a tax and the Republicans didn’t want to risk not getting re-elected even though it was the right thing to do.
   The aforementioned situation is proof alone that the notion of the "socialists" from Portland not using a bipartisan approach and causing the lack of production in this session is ludicrous. What keeps little from getting done is politicians worrying about their own agenda and acting like their political future really matters. Well it doesn't; 99 percent of our legislators will never become anything politically more than they are right now. So, Democrats, quit trying to save us from the evils of life and Republicans, quit worrying about what's in your wallet.
   Don't misconstrue our opinion of part-time legislators. It is a noble act to serve and if we could skip out of full-time work, it would be likely be a rewarding experience. But we urge anyone with the notion to serve do so with the intent that you wish to give back to society — don't get trapped into voting a pre-determined direction.

There’s good, then there’s better
   — The 2007 edition of the St. Paul Rodeo has become history now after delivering plenty of thrills and spills during its four-day run in the tiny Marion County town.
   The annual Fourth of July tradition has become a mainstay for many families in the area and beyond, providing a glimpse of our western roots and entertainment you can’t get anywhere else.
   We herald the organizers of the rodeo for putting on a first-class show and the money that will flow into the town of St. Paul and beyond through the philanthropic efforts of the rodeo association.
   — Although we are not thrilled with the idea of more development at Newberg edges, we’re giving a thumbs up to the Newberg City Council for its approval of a development agreement between the city and the McClure family, owners of Springbrook Hazelnut Farm.
   The McClures want to construct an upscale, 36-home subdivision on the flanks of Rex Hill and can do that because of their successful Measure 37 claim.
   While we are no fans of Measure 37 because it means development into farm land around communities, everything we’ve seen so far indicates the McClures will construct an attractive, vital community that will serve as a gateway to Newberg’s eastern entrance.
   We plan to hold the city and the McClures to their word that this development will be a valuable addition to the Newberg community.— The 2007 edition of the St. Paul Rodeo has become history now after delivering plenty of thrills and spills during its four-day run in the tiny Marion County town.
   The annual Fourth of July tradition has become a mainstay for many families in the area and beyond, providing a glimpse of our western roots and entertainment you can’t get anywhere else.
   We herald the organizers of the rodeo for putting on a first-class show and the money that will flow into the town of St. Paul and beyond through the philanthropic efforts of the rodeo association.
   — Although we are not thrilled with the idea of more development at Newberg edges, we’re giving a thumbs up to the Newberg City Council for its approval of a development agreement between the city and the McClure family, owners of Springbrook Hazelnut Farm.
   The McClures want to construct an upscale, 36-home subdivision on the flanks of Rex Hill and can do that because of their successful Measure 37 claim.
   While we are no fans of Measure 37 because it means development into farm land around communities, everything we’ve seen so far indicates the McClures will construct an attractive, vital community that will serve as a gateway to Newberg’s eastern entrance.
   We plan to hold the city and the McClures to their word that this development will be a valuable addition to the Newberg community.

Budget process needs increased scrutiny
   Another year of budget wrangling is behind the city of Newberg now that the city council voted to adopt said budget.
   We’re heartened the council was up to the task of refining the budget in order to make it work for the city. We’re also encouraged that, when it became apparent the city would receive more property tax proceeds than previously thought, it chose to send the budget back to committee to determine where best to backfill cuts made earlier.
   We are disillusioned, however, by two things: that the city overestimated by some $600,000 how much it would receive from building fees. And that the council doesn’t seem to be too serious about making cuts to pet programs in order to save cuts to key departments.
   Overestimating building fees by $600,000 is just shoddy work, there’s no other word for it. It shouldn’t happen in a municipality that has so many bright people working for it and we hope it will not happen in the future.
   As to the pet programs, the city appears disingenuous that it is serious about making government more efficient when it funds $2,000 for council dinners, $1,100 for city and county dinners, $700 for a mayor’s conference and nearly $12,000 for membership in the League of Oregon Cities. Other than the LOC membership, we doubt the city gets much for its money, money provided to it by the taxpayers.
   The city of Newberg’s budget is an enormous and complicated document. We understand that. But in these uncertain times the city must work harder to ensure it’s spending the taxpayers’ money properly.

A week has gone by: What’s good and bad?
   — Thumbs up to those folks who participated, and presented, Newberg’s version of Relay for Life, the annual fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society.
   It was encouraging to see so many teams circling the Newberg High School track through the night Friday in support of research into this insidious disease and for outreach for those stricken with the malady.
   The event in Newberg gets bigger every year. If you’re not participating, consider it. The money gathered through pledges goes to a good cause, a cause we can all identify with in one shape or form. And besides, what could be more fun than getting some exercise while walking the NHS track for a good cause?
   — Thumbs way down to the person or persons who shot and killed a miniature horse on Chehalem Mountain June 20.
   If this was simply a teen-age prank, it is disheartening to see an animal suffer for no reason. If it has some connection to the horse owner’s vocal opposition to a Measure 37 claim filed by an adjoining neighbor — and we sincerely hope that it does not — then that’s incredibly sad and definitely criminal.
   As controversial as Measure 37 has become, disputes over land use should never devolve into harming others — people or animals.

Do your homework, then speak up
   Good news came Monday night when it was discovered that the city of Newberg has received an additional $128,000 in property tax proceeds.
   The windfall, which came by way of payment of delinquent property taxes, allayed some fears that the city would have to make drastic cuts within its general fund.
   Word of the windfall, and the proposed budget, was returned to the budget committee, who is charged with backfilling suggested cuts to the general fund.
   Hopefully, the budget committee’s revised document will put an end to the haggling, at least for this year, over the budget.
   A real bright spot Monday was that the city council meeting was well attended by caring people that stayed well into the night. They had a stake in the continued livelihood of this community and were there to ensure the city council knew their position.
   Many times in towns across this state, apathy and anti-government malaise results in no one paying attention until the process is nearly complete; the people that complain arrive late to the process, gnashing their teeth and wringing their hands over issues on which they could have had input months prior.
   This is a lesson to us all: pay attention to what is going on. When you believe something is not the right direction for you or the community, do your homework, understand the issue, and speak up.

It’s time to snuff out cancer once and for all
   Great gains have been made in the study and treatment of cancer over the past 50 years, but much more is needed and that takes money, money provided in part by the Relay for Life events staged across the United States.
   Newberg’s Relay for Life is set for Friday and Saturday on the track at Newberg High School. Dozens of teams ranging from just a few people to more than a dozen will walk through the night to raise money for cancer research.
   It’s the fortunate few that haven’t been directly or indirectly affected by cancer. This insidious disease, in its many forms, has taken the lives of millions in the United States and will continue its onslaught unless research continues to create new treatments and, hopefully one day, vaccinations to prevent contracting the disease.
   It’s time we defeat this disease once and for all, but it won’t happen without aid from ordinary people.
   While it’s likely too late to form a team, get pledges and walk in Newberg’s relay, it is not too late to support those walking. Travel to NHS between 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, put your hands together in appreciation and, if you feel so inclined, open your wallet or purse and give to the American Cancer Society.
   They’ll do good work with the money, rest assured.

The good and bad of a week gone by
   As the newspaper of record in Newberg we are privy to much that goes on in the community. That being said, here are some positive and negative events that have occurred in our fair city, and beyond, in the past week.
   — Thumbs up to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde for kicking in some cash toward a study that will look at construction of a passenger rail service from Sherwood to Sheridan. Because Spirit Mountain casino, run by the Grande Ronde tribe, stands to benefit from construction of the train, it only makes sense that they contribute toward the study. Now, if we could only get the tribe to fork over some cash for the Newberg-Dundee bypass.
   — Thumbs down to the city of Newberg for considering cutting the nearly $18,000 it provides to the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce to run its visitors center. The money, which the city takes in by way of a room tax, is put to good use promoting not only the tourists aspects of the city, but also playing up the city’s positive attributes to those considering a residential or commercial move to the community.
   — Finally, thumbs way up to those who helped restore a 1970 VW Bug in memory of Jeremy Burrows, the young Newberg native who succumbed to cancer last summer. The car will appear in the Old Fashioned Festival, a tribute to the love the group had for JB and the dedication to see his wishes live on.

It’s up to you voters to decide what’s right
   In November Oregon voters will be asked to take a second look at Measure 37, the controversial property rights bill passed by voters in 2004.
   We urge them to do their homework before voting.
   The referendum asks voters to cut back the amount of development allowed on rural land to three to 10 homes per claim, basically eliminating the landowner’s ability to develop the large subdivisions seen in many claims filed in Yamhill and other counties.
   Opponents, including Republicans in the legislature and property rights organizations such as Oregonians in Action, have said they will fight to defeat the bill, arguing that Measure 37 restored property rights taken away as a result of Senate Bill 100 in the early 1970s.
   Measure 37 detractors — including 1000 Friends of Oregon, Democrats in the legislature and environmental groups opposed to development on farm land — have vowed to mount a campaign to pass the more restrictive bill.
   Much money will be spent and it’s likely that hyperbole will be the order of the day for this election. What will be lost, however, is the truth and that’s where you voters come in. You have a responsibility to inform yourself on the ramifications of this or any other referendum before casting your vote.
   We don’t believe that was the case in 2004’s vote: People voted with their hearts, thinking people were being robbed of their property rights, without recognizing that restoring those rights would mean rampant development in rural areas.
   We will do our best to explain the new bill in stories and editorials. Then it’s up to you.

Budget shows city’s weaknesses
   On June 18, the Newberg City Council is expected to take a first look at the city’s annual budget as recommended by the city budget committee.
   The $72.64 million budget proposal, crafted by city staff, includes more than $205,000 in cuts to the general fund, cuts that will effect a wide range of departments.
   City officials said the budget shortfall resulted from overly optimistic expectations for building receipts to the tune of $500,000 to $600,000.
   While we understand that Newberg is not growing as quickly as some think, the number of houses built and commercial properties added to the community has been robust. That being said, we find it difficult to fathom a $500,000 overestimation of building fees received by the city. On what is the city basing its projections?
   The trend of the city not having sufficient funds for essential services, especially funds for repairing city streets and constructing the final section of the Northside Collector, is troublesome.
   The economy is good, Newberg has more than its fair share of large corporations paying property taxes, and the building market continues at a high rate: Why doesn’t the city of Newberg have enough cash to do what needs to be done?
   We realize the city is loath to touch the nondiscretionary funds in the budget, such as union contracts and PERS benefits, but it seems like a town of Newberg’s vitality should have a little more cash to spend. Perhaps city government has become too top heavy with well-paid administrators. We wonder.

Graduations: And then there was one
   Friday marks the end of the graduation season in Newberg and the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of students at five area high schools and one university.
   The season began in April with commencement exercises at George Fox University. It continued with ceremonies at Open Bible Christian School, C.S. Lewis Academy, Veritas Classical Christian School and St. Paul High School. The season ends Friday with graduation at Newberg High School.
   The rite of passage that is graduation can sometimes be taken lightly. It comes every year and, other than the students involved and their families and friends, typically goes unnoticed by the public.
   But, beyond the pomp and circumstance, the speakers who will be forgotten years from now, and besides the parties, gifts and slaps on the back, their is substance here.
   Graduation marks the end of the education track for some students, the continuance of that track for others. Some students will join the work force, some will join the military, some will continue on to college, some will go out into the world without a clue what they’re going to do.
   And that’s OK because graduation is also about freedom, it’s about parents reaching a time when they have to let go and allow their children to succeed or fail based on the abilities they’ve learned. It’s about taking the next step, whatever it is.
   Congrats grads and God’s speed.

City should stand firm on development
   Ellen and Charles McClure’s wish to extend water from their residence, a historic bed and breakfast at the base of Rex Hill, to a 31-house development in what is now a failing filbert orchard is unusual in that city of Newberg ordinances prohibit extending water services beyond the city limits.
   The McClures successfully applied for a Measure 37 claim to develop the land and, recognizing that, city staff has worked with the couple so as to have input into the development the city wouldn’t ordinarily have because the land is under county jurisdiction.
   The couple is agreeing to have their land annexed into the city at the voters’ discretion in exchange for access to city water.
   Although we’re troubled by the rate of Newberg’s growth into its borders, the McClure’s arrangement with the city seems to be a good one. The housing development will be developed regardless of access to city water, that water has been delivered to the property for more than a half-century because of the location of Otis Springs on the property, and any city input into the type of development at its borders can only be a good thing.
   We encourage the city, however, to stick to its guns on requiring that the development adhere to city codes when it comes to street widths, etc. To allow anything else would set a bad precedent and would not be representing well Newberg’s citizens.

Turning out to honor, cheer and have fun
   Good things have been going on in Newberg since we last published a paper, most having to do with either Memorial Day or school graduations.
   — Thumbs up to those folks who attended Memorial Day services in Newberg on Monday. More than 100, a good crowd by Newberg standards, appeared at Memorial Park and bore witness to the tribute paid to men and women lost defending our country and to those currently fighting in defense of freedom.
   It was heartening to recognize that the crowd increased in number from previous years. Maybe, with the country embroiled in an armed conflict, Newberg residents have become more conscious of the price of war to country, its citizens and especially its soldiers.
   — Thumbs up to all those who attended graduation ceremonies Friday night in Newberg and St. Paul. Commencement exercises at St. Paul High School and Veritas and Open Bible Christian schools saw hundreds of onlookers recognize seniors’ accomplishment at graduating and to wish them well in whatever future they have planned.
   — Thumbs up also to those who attended the Memorial Day boat races at Roger’s Landing. It’s good to see people supporting such a staple in Newberg sports, an event out of the mainstream that is nonetheless a lot of fun to watch.

The true meaning of Memorial Day
   Sure, it’s nice to have a three-day weekend, if you are one of the lucky ones. Sure, it’s nice to kick off summer season with a relaxing weekend of leisure. Sure, it’s nice to have time away from work, time to spend with family and friends.
   But Memorial Day is not about leisure, summer or time with family and friends. It is about recognizing those who have fought and died in service to this country.
   And it’s a remembrance that we should not take lightly. Especially considering that some of the names that will appear on obelisks and memorials across this nation are soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, or those who are destined to perish before this war comes to an end.
   Politics aside, America soldiers are fighting and dying in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere as part of this country’s war on terror. Weekly, and often daily, news comes that another soldier has fallen and will be returned to a community that will undoubtedly etch his name in a monument to America’s war dead.
   So, enjoy your hot dogs and refreshments, play with your kids and get to know your friends a little better today and Sunday. On Monday, however, gather up your family and friends and head down to Memorial Park at 11 a.m. for the VFW and American Legion’s annual Memorial Day remembrance. You’ll be exposed to the true meaning of Memorial Day, and you’ll be the better person for it.

Students continue to make us proud
   Typically, we don’t begin heaping praise on high school students until a little later in the school year, usually around graduation time. But this year is different. This year there are so many students doing good things that we though we’d start early.
   Take for example the two teams from the Newberg High School that took first and second in the Oregon Envirothon, a hands-on environmental problem-solving competition. The top team will compete this summer in Geneva, N.Y., to be the top Envirothon squad in the North America.
   Then there’s Veritas School’s top graduate, Derek Top. When he’s not running his own business recycling used nursery containers, Top competes for Gervais High School (Veritas doesn’t have a track team) in the 300 meter hurdles and the triple jump. Top’s academic abilities are top notch as well. He is a National Merit Finalist has received a half-scholarship for academics and $3,000 for his piano skills at Hillsdale College in Michigan.
   Down St. Paul way there’s Erika Wilmes. The Bucks’ valedictorian placed third in the pole vault competition at 1A state track championships last weekend. She has earned, so far, $3,500 in scholarships to attend Oregon State University.
   Good news about high school students is common place in Newberg. Yet, it’s good to know they’re continuing to try to outdo their predecessors. Good work kids.

Open Bible did the right thing in settling
   Former students and Open Bible Christian School have recently arrived at a settlement in a multimillion dollar lawsuit. It was filed by the students for sexual abuse by former coaches Charlie Lasiter and Todd Woods.
   We’re hoping this brings some closure to this sad chapter. We’re also encouraged that Open Bible enacted new hiring practices in light of the controversy, recognizing that if they had done background checks on Lasiter and Woods they might have avoided the coaches’ abuse altogether.
   We’re also heartened by what defense attorney Kelly Clark said was Open Bible’s willingness to treat the girls with respect during the long process toward a settlement.
   It’s unfortunate that it’s only the school’s insurance company, and ultimately the school, that will pay for Woods’ and Lasiter’s misdeeds. We will have to be satisfied that Woods and Lasiter paid in jail time what they couldn’t pay into the settlement.
    Although money cannot return the loss of innocence and the loss of trust in adults these three girls have suffered at the hands of Lasiter and Woods, it’s right that they have been awarded some compensation for their pain and suffering. We hope, with time, their scars will heal and they can put this chapter of their lives behind them.

Teens already have too many distractions when they’re on the road
   The Oregon House passed a bill Monday banning teens younger than 18 from piloting a car while using a cell phone.
That’s a good first step, but we don’t think it goes far enough.
   The bill, which must be approved by the Senate and signed by the governor to become law, only allows police to ticket a teen driver for using a cell phone if the officer has pulled over that driver for another offense.
   That makes the law ineffectual for the most part and probably won’t have much of an impact at reducing cell phone-related accidents.
   In addition, the law only applies to those teens with provisional licenses, learner’s permits or special student driver permits. Those over 18 with full driving privileges can traverse the highways and streets of the state, cell phone firmly attached to their ear, with impunity.
   Legislators told the Register Guard newspaper there wasn’t the votes to make the law more restrictive. In other words, they were again unable to hammer out a solution and settled for a law that won’t have the effect they desired.
   Fourteen states have banned or restricted cell phone use by teens while they’re driving; four states have banned or restricted cell phone use by all drivers.
   That sounds like a solution to us; ban all drivers from using cell phones while they’re moving. No call is worth your or anyone else’s life.

Annexations? Study the issue before voting
   Since the Newberg charter was changed in 1995 to require annexations be approved by the voters, the electorate has not turned down a single annexation request. Not one in a dozen years.
   In fact, voters have overwhelmingly supported bringing land into the city; oftentimes votes were 3-to-1 in favor of annexation.
   However, previous annexations were inconsequential by comparison to what’s being proposed now, a 44.66-acre parcel located on Highway 99W across from Providence Newberg Medical Center. Developers want to construct 15 commercial buildings on 23 acres and 73 homes on 19 acres.
   The pros and cons on annexing these two parcels have been hotly debated in both news stories and opinion pieces in this newspaper for the past month. They continue today on pages one and five and likely will ramp up as Tuesday’s election nears.
   We’re not going to tell you how to vote on this issue. We would advise voters to scrutinize carefully the news stories, printed material, opinions and the like before marking their ballots.
   There’s no question that approval of this annexation will alter the face of Newberg’s eastern border. Whether that is a good thing or not is for the voters to decide. We only ask that they make that decision an informed one.

Newberg’s youth are making the grade
   — Thumbs way up to Roxanne Dinger. The Newberg High School senior returned from a recent trip to Florida with some impressive hardware — a national championship award from DECA, an international student marketing organization.
   Dinger won first-place in the Quick Serve Restaurant Management category, beating out 191 other students from around the country. She adds the trophy to one she received in April from the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce as the 2007 Junior Citizen of the Year. She also has two trophies as part of the NHS girls water polo team, which has won two consecutive state championships.
   — Congrats to the NHS orchestra and three of its soloists. The orchestra returned from the Heritage Music Festival in Seattle late last month with three different awards. Violinists Bethany Taylor-White and Dani Hawblitzel, as well as cellist Joel Gilbertson, all earned “Maestro” trophies as well.
The orchestra also won a district title at a festival in March, qualifying the team to compete Friday at Oregon State University against the best schools in the state.
   NHS has long been known for the quality of its music program. It appears that tradition is safe in the capable hands of these musicians and their teachers. It’s also one more reason to ensure music remains in our public schools.

A tale of sadness in a time of war
   It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Sgt. Michael Vaughan, an Army airborne ranger who lost his life in Iraq last week.
   Vaughan, although a graduate of Taft High School in Lincoln City, has many ties to the Newberg and St. Paul areas.
   Relatives and friends alerted us Wednesday and Thursday that the slain soldier’s body would be transported to the local funeral home handling services in Lincoln City and St. Paul.
   The response from the community upon hearing of a fallen soldier was demonstrated Thursday afternoon when the motorcade that bore his body traveled First Street on the way to the funeral home. Local firefighters, who erected an impromptu memorial by hanging an American flag from a ladder truck stretched over First Street, stood ramrod straight as the motorcade passed. People emerged from their businesses to recognize Vaughan, most without knowing who he was or what had happened to him.
   The consequences of the war in Iraq, often just an image on the television, came home to Newberg in a very visible way Thursday afternoon. We hope that people will squelch their beliefs on the war, good or bad, and lend comfort and aid to Vaughan’s family and friends.
   It’s the least we can do.

Measure 37: The other shoe has dropped
   News surfaced this week that the major contributors to the 2004 campaign to pass Measure 37 have filed claims worth nearly $600 million and counting.
   Gee, what a surprise.
   Despite the talk that Oregon’s land use law unfairly kept individual landowners from building a house on the south 40 for their grandkids, the controversial measure has become a vehicle for large landowners — particularly timber and lumber companies — to subdivide and develop forest and farm land in Oregon.
   We don’t believe that was what voters intended when they passed the measure in 2004. We also don’t believe voters passed the measure so as to make prosperous companies even more prosperous, at the cost of Oregon’s quality of living.
   This is about greed, folks, plain and simple. These landowners can hide behind the argument that the land use system, as devised in the 1970s, was overly burdensome on landowners and we would agree with that, to a degree. But Measure 37, as a correction to those land use laws, is much worse in that it overturns in one fell swoop legislation that did this state a lot of good.
    What we are witnessing now, as opposed to constructing the single-family homes on large parcels in the country, is applications for subdivisions harboring hundreds of homes. These developments will do nothing to enrich this state; they can only make Oregon more like our neighboring states with a poor quality of life.

Build a PCC presence in Newberg
   It’s been some time since Portland Community College had much of a presence here in Newberg. We’d like to see that change.
   City officials and college administrators, as well as officials from the Chehalem Park and Recreation and Newberg School districts, have been talking recently about creating a branch campus or distance learning center in Newberg.
   It makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider the tens of thousands of dollars in tax money the area sends to PCC annually as part of the school’s taxing district.
   Job training is just one aspect where PCC could lend a hand in the Newberg area.  Others are adult enrichment classes in partnership with the park district, language classes and any number of college prep classes PCC could offer in conjunction wit the Newberg school district.
   Ultimately, we would like to see an actual PCC campus in Newberg. Nothing fancy, mind you, but a central location where folks could receive instruction in everything from beginning guitar to computer programming, from refresher courses in algebra to a satellite center for PCC’s excellent Small Business Development Center.
   The Chehalem Cultural Center seems like a fitting place for a satellite PCC campus.
   What do you think Newberg?

Thumbs up for events from a week gone by
   Periodically The Newberg Graphic will tout individuals and events that make the greater Newberg area a better place to live. Today is such a time.
   Thumbs up to the Newberg Education Foundation and its Educate Your Palate event. Beyond an opportunity to enjoy fine wine and delicious food, the event is a fund-raiser with proceeds going toward education programs in the Newberg School District. The event is slated for May 6 at Adelsheim Vineyard. Attend and you’ll lend your valuable support to enhancing education in Newberg, a goal we should all have.
   Thumbs up also for George Fox University after its board of trustees announced recently a change in its “lifestyle policy” to allow staff, graduate and nontraditional students to consume alcohol.
   We agree with the university that alcohol should be strictly off-limits to undergraduate, underage students, especially on campus. But allowing a professor or 35-year-old MBA student to have a glass of wine with dinner seems reasonable, especially for a university which resides smack dab in the middle of Oregon’s wine country.
   Finally, thumbs up to Julie Drescher and Coach Mike Murphy of the St. Paul High School girls basketball team. Drescher was chosen by the state’s coaches as the top Class 1A player; Murphy was chosen as the top 1A coach. The awards are just the cherry on top of a stellar season that included a state championship. Congrats you two.

Let’s at least discuss the nation’s gun laws
   In the wake of Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech the inevitable calls for tougher gun laws are now ringing through Congress.
   We’re not surprised, nor do we think that having the discussion is a bad thing, as long as it is a discussion based on fact and law, not emotion.
   The fact is the constitution, right or wrong, gives Americans the right to possess and use firearms. But the constitution was written a couple of centuries ago, when there was a musket hanging over every door and gun violence was primarily directed at wildlife.
   Things have changed. Disagreements are now settled with gunplay. Lives are shattered. People are afraid to travel at night in their own communities.
   We’re not advocating that law-abiding citizens be thwarted in their attempts to buy and use firearms. Nor do we see any reason for semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns to be removed from the hands of the populace.
   We don’t, however, see anything wrong with discussing common sense steps toward keeping guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous folks, of coming down harder on those who use guns in crimes, of more aggressively enforcing the guns laws already in place.
   Monday’s tragedy was perpetrated by a man who legally purchased pistols at a Virginia gun store. He had the requisite ID, underwent a background check, was a Virginia and U.S. citizen and, under the laws of that state, OK to purchase firearms.
   Somewhere the system broke down and needs to be fixed. Let’s at least have the discussion.

Can sense be made of such a tragedy?
   Man’s inhumanity to man. It never ceases to amaze how cruel people can be to each other.
   We join the nation today in mourning the loss of more than 30 students and professors at Virginia Tech after Monday’s massacre at the hands of a mad gunman.
   This tremendous loss will no doubt leave its mark on the institution and on the lives of students, staff and professors for many years to come. Some may never recover.
   Although reliable details are only now beginning to trickle in about the murderous rampage of Cho Seung-Hui, it’s an all too familiar tale: a loner, estranged from a group he longs to be part of, lashes out in a violent and seemingly insane way.
   “You caused me to do this,” Seung-Hui wrote in a note found in his campus dorm room. The note went on to rail against the “rich kids,” “debauchery” and “deceitful charlatans.”
   The note is eerily similar in its content to comments made by two young assailants before they opened fire at Columbine High School in Colorado. The estrangement is also similar to that felt by Kip Kinkel, who shot down his fellow students at Thurston High School near Eugene.
   Responses to the massacre will be swift and, most often, ill-conceived. Reprisals will come against Asians. Renewed calls for tougher gun control laws will sprout in Congress.
   People will want to do something in order to make sense of the event. But what sense can be made of such a tragedy? None. Man has always been cruel to his fellow man; that won’t end. We can only try to love each other while we’re here.

Bill should pass banning discrimination
   The passage or defeat of Senate Bill 2, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, could very well define the 2007 session of the Oregon Legislature. At the very least it will remain in the headlines for weeks if not months to come.
   We agree with the bill’s basic premise that no one should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation.
   We also agree with the bill’s original language that exempts churches and other religious institutions from adhering to the law when it comes to their primary purpose — tending to the spiritual needs of their congregants.
   Where the issue gets sticky is the bill doesn’t exempt churches from discriminating when it comes to their nonreligious commercial or business activities, such as hiring secretaries and janitors, for example.
   An amendment revealed this week would allow churches an exemption from the law, but not affiliated institutions such as religious schools and camps.
   That part of the bill was hotly argued in the House this week, with its leaders putting the bill on hold for seven hours Tuesday so they could work on the language of the exemption. It’s likely this give and take will continue.
   We don’t believe passage of this bill is the first step toward granting gays the right to marry, which is a red herring intent on derailing the whole process. It is an issue of fairness in the work place and everyone deserves that.

Excellent candidates vie for school board spots
   In May, Newberg voters will make their wishes known on a number of issues and contested races, not the least of which is who they want to represent them on the Newberg School District board of directors.
   The board is bound to see some changes in the months following the election, including the departure of longtime member Jim White. But the interest in filling White’s Zone 2 spot is high, witnessed by the four candidates who have filed to replace him: Mark Ankeny, Jim Bascom, Job Rabinowitz and Jeff Tant.
   All four appear to be fine candidates to represent Zone 2, a chunk of the northwest corner of Newberg.
   It’s encouraging to see such high-caliber candidates throw their hats in the ring for a spot on the school board. We can remember when the school board, like the city council, had to extend deadlines in order to give folks more time to file for election.
   We’re also happy to see former school budget committee member Debbie Hawblitzel running for election to the board after having been appointed. She faces another fine candidate, Michael Richter, who is no stranger to education as both a former teacher and site council member.
   Newberg is fortunate to have such good candidates for the school board. Voters should return the favor by becoming involved and casting their ballots.

Congratulations award winners
   Congratulations are in order for the individuals and organizations recognized Thursday evening at the annual awards banquet of the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce.
   The winners of awards from the Chamber itself — as well as the city of Newberg, Rotary and the Newberg School District, — stand as examples of good business, good faith and good works in this community.
   No one recognized better exemplified that theme than David Brandt, retiring president of George Fox University. Brandt was lauded with two accolades: Rotary’s Ken Austin II Service Above Self award and the Chamber’s Ed Stevens Distinguished Service award.
   Stevens was a tireless ambassador of the university and furthered the school’s outreach to the community. Brandt has built upon that legacy to increase the presence of the university in the community and the academic world.
   Other Chamber winners included Newberg Kiwanis, Roxanne Dinger, Steve Austin, Loni Parrish, Jaf-Co Concrete, Kris Horn and Bob Stewart.
   Mike Caruso was Rotarian of the year; Willcuts Companies, CR Woods Trucking and Joe Petshow were recognized by the school district; A-dec Inc. and Windrose Conference Center received the YC Brown Awards from Newberg Garbage and Recycling; and Providence Newberg Medical Center, River Street Dental and Oak Meadows Subdivision earned city of Newberg beautification awards.
   They have, through their actions, made Newberg a better place to live, to work, to shop and, most importantly, to serve. If we follow their example this community can only stand to benefit.

The cost has become too high for this war
   Enough is enough!
   Gov. Ted Kulongoski ordered last Friday that flags on city and state buildings be flown at half-staff in memory of another Oregon soldier slain in combat in Iraq.
    Sgt. Nicholas Lightner of Newport died March 21 at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., from wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated next to a command vehicle.
   What’s worse, Lightner was a medic, those men and women charged with holding together the bodies of service personnel wounded in combat until they can be transported to field hospitals for advanced care.
   Lightner joins the ranks of dozens of Oregon natives who have lost their lives in this nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
   And there is no end in sight for this ill-conceived war, no end in sight for an end to governor’s across the United States ordering that flags be lowered to half-staff to honor the dead, no end in sight to family members grieving.
   The cost of war has always been great to those who chose to wage it, but this wasn’t a war the American people agreed to mortgage and now the bill is being paid in the lives of young service men and women.
   The cost is too great and the benefits too small. It’s time to bring the troops home.

State legislators: Get down to the real work
   You’ll be happy to know that your legislators, those folks you elected to undertake the people’s business, are comporting themselves with dignity and the focus this state so desperately needs.
   Why, just this week a dispute erupted between Republicans and Democrats over whether the Willamette Meteorite — discovered in 1902 on a hillside in West Linn — should be returned to Oregon from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where it has resided since 1935.
   The House and Senate submitted a joint resolution demanding that the 16-ton chunk of iron nickel be returned, even though the true owners of the meteorite, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, are perfectly fine with it remaining in New York. In fact, the tribe was never consulted in advance of the legislation being written.
House Democrats and Republicans spent considerable time arguing the resolution Monday before it was defeated largely along party lines.
   What nonsense!
   This legislature, among other duties, is charged with finding funding for a flagging educational system, fixing Oregon’s aging roads and bridges, creating a rainy day fund for when the economy isn’t so rosy, and passing a budget in regular session without coming to blows.
   Maybe we’re wrong, but it seems they have enough to do without wasting time arguing legislation nobody wants or needs.

The deficiencies abound in Measure 37
   A story on the front page of today’s paper perfectly illustrates one of the deficiencies of Measure 37.
   Bruce Hall, a local land owner, wants to develop one-tenth of his 200-acre farm into home lots. Proceeds from the development would go toward preserving the remainder of the land, now planted in grapes, hazelnuts and other crops.
   But state land use laws, in concert with Measure 37, won’t allow partial development of Hall’s land. It’s either all or nothing and, eventually, it will be up to the courts to decide the issue.
   Measure 37 doesn’t give individual counties the flexibility to do land use planning on a case-by-case basis.
   In the words of Sid Friedman of 1000 Friends of Oregon, “(Measure 37) just takes a wrecking ball to land use planning, where counties don’t have the authority to make the best decisions.”
   That’s no way to run government, nor is it a very efficient way to conduct land use planning.
   Granted, the state’s land use system, which would allow Hall to develop five 40-acre home lots while sacrificing the land to development, also needs tweaking. But Measure 37 is not the fix that it was intended to be and a legislative committee currently looking at the measure should keep that in mind.

Don’t blame light rail for lack of road bucks
   There is a red herring languishing in Salem and it’s been there so long the stench has become overwhelming. It involves the old yarn that Oregon’s roads and highways are failing because the state has focused its transportation goals on light rail.
   Take this quote from freshman state Sen. Larry George this week in reference to the Newberg-Dundee bypass: “Light rail only serves a small percentage of the state’s population, but it gets millions — due to the focused effort by its supporters here in Salem.”
   Nonsense.
   Light rail in the Portland area, by far the population center of the state with more than 1.5 million people, hasn’t received significant funding from the legislature in many, many years. When projects such as the Max line did receive funding from the legislature, it was almost entirely federal funds funneled through the state.
   Construction of Max and other light rail projects in the Portland area decades ago meant that land to house the system could be had cheap before it was swallowed up by development. Max’s ridership has increased dramatically in the past decade and it has become an integral part of moving people around Portland.
   To say that roads, bridges and highways in Oregon have suffered because of light rail is disingenuous at best and a flat out falsity at worst.

Support a veteran in any way you can
   An article on the front page of today’s paper features three members of the Beecroft family — Lester, Stanley and Troy. Beyond representing three generations, the Beecrofts also share another common bond — they’ve all served in the military during this country’s wars.
   The trio gathered Saturday to serve others during the latest Veterans of Foreign War pancake breakfast. There, they mingled with other vets and their families, sharing stories and, on occasion, a laugh about their military service.
   But their military service is no laughing matter. They all have memories, vivid memories, of war and its consequences.  Some memories they’d probably rather forget. But they’re proud of their service, as we should be proud of the contributions they and other vets have made toward keeping this country free.
   Regardless of your views on America’s most current war, soldiers, Marines and sailors are risking their lives in our country’s name. We need to support them in any way possible. That may be by encouraging our representatives to increase vet benefits, fix aging facilities and provide body armor to troops on the ground. Our support may also take the form of demanding they be brought home and this war ended.
   Regardless, the least we can do is to say thank you.

Dundee appears headed in the right direction
   The search for a new city administrator in Dundee became significantly narrower this week when three candidates were named as finalists for the job.
   We’re pleased that the Dundee City Council, with help from current city administrator Eve Dolan and the League of Oregon Cities, has gone about the business of finding a new leader with such refreshing determination.
   Such wasn’t always the case in Dundee. In fact, the small town west of Newberg has experienced more than its fair share of problems when it comes to governing. Wayward police chiefs, out-of-control mayors, criminal investigations and running afoul of state public meetings laws are just a few of the “issues” the town has experienced over the past two decades.
   But those problems are fewer these days and we credit Dolan, among others, for that change. She has carried herself with aplomb, guiding the town through some rocky times. So has the council, the current group and those in the past few years, focused more intently on doing the city’s business in a professional, mannerly way.
   That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement — any government group can improve. But we’re heartened that Dundee appears to be headed in the right direction.

Welcome GFU’s new president
   George Fox University announced this week that longtime provost Robin Baker will, in June, take over the reins from the school for retiring president H. David Brandt.
   That’s good news on a number of levels.
   First, continuity between one president and the next is paramount in continuing the institution’s mission of providing a quality Christian education to its students.
   Second, by naming Baker, the Board of Trustees has chosen a man with deep ties to the university, a person who has already demonstrated his abilities in eight years as provost. School officials credited Baker, 49, with overseeing a dramatic expansion of George Fox’s academic program since 1999. The position of provost is responsible for overseeing pretty much all aspects of campus life, including academic programs, institutional technology, athletics, student life and library services.
   During his eight years on campus, Baker has overseen the addition of six new undergraduate programs and five graduate programs, and worked toward accreditation of the school’s engineering program.
   This guy knows what he’s doing and will be a valuable asset as school president.
   We applaud the board’s choice and wish him well.

Some good, bad from a week gone by
   Periodically the Newberg Graphic will, in its editorial pages, point out reasons for optimism and pessimism about the world we live in. Today is such a day.
   — Thumbs up to 9-year-old Courtney Croft of Newberg for agreeing to have a barber lop off her long hair to donate to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that collects human hair for people who suffer from medical conditions that result in hair loss.
   Courtney’s sacrifice, more than 10 inches of full blonde hair, is an example of the true spirit of giving. People would be hard pressed to find a better example than Courtney.
   — Thumbs up to Cindy Stawicke and Greg Marugg of Newberg. The pair found a disoriented man stuck in a ditch north of town and, after determining that he wasn’t thinking