Hasso Hering

“Toxics” in the water: What to do?

Written April 28th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released the results of a seven-year study of “toxic chemicals” in the state’s waterways. Too bad the report is not as useful as one would wish.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Oregon DEQ, toxics monitoring, water quality, Willamette River

Get out of the way, but how?

Written April 27th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Most afternoons, around 4 and 5 p.m., Albany’s Pacific-Ninth one-way couplet is a busy place, traffic plugging all available lanes, backing up at lights. And when you hear sirens and see the flashing lights, what you’re supposed to do to let the emergency vehicles through is impossible and may actually hold them up.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: ambulances, driver manual, emergency vehicles, Ninth Avenue, Oregon rules of the road

Cakes case: What happened to tolerance?

Written April 25th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 35 responses.

How about a little tolerance for a change? How about leaving room for citizens acting on their beliefs even if they are out of step? None of that is evident in the heavy-handed way the state of Oregon is coming down on the couple who could not bring themselves to furnish a wedding cake for a […]

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: BOLI, Brad Avakian, same-sex weddings, Sweet Cakes by Melissa

House wants passing lane clear

Written April 24th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 8 responses.

In the spirit of passing laws for the hell of it, whether they do any good or not, which is the prevailing spirit this legislative session, the Oregon House has approved a bill to try to keep drivers from hogging the left lane on our highways, mostly meaning the freeways.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Ginny Burdick, HB 3414, highways, passing lanes

Albany pot debate: Another round?

Written April 23rd, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 8 responses.

Albany may be in for yet another council debate about where to allow marijuana stores. It’s coming up partly because Canna Kitchen and Research LLC, which turns medical marijuana into various non-smoking preparations including ointments, would like to move from Ferry Street to an address where it is now prohibited.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany pot law, Kanna Kitchen, marijuana

Hillary stories remind me of 2008

Written April 23rd, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 5 responses.

The main theme in the news involving the Clintons, Hillary and Bill, now is about them getting richer and keeping members of the press at bay. It reminds me of the only time I heard Bill Clinton speak in person, a day I almost got myself arrested.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Bill Clinton, Hillary and the press, Hillary Clinton, New York Times

Council makes NA group happy

Written April 23rd, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

The Albany City Council doesn’t often get applause during its meetings, but it got some Wednesday from a group of North Albany homeowners who had just learned their prospective street assessments had been reduced from several thousand dollars each to — nothing.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Crocker Lane, MBBH, Myles Breadner, North Creek, Valley View Drive