Guest Column: Strange rhythm of the session – February 16, 2021

…Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, told of walking his dogs across a Salem pedestrian bridge, witnessing the large homeless population and watching a woman walk shoeless in the rain. “As I continued to walk, I started to notice that my puppies were going to be warmer tonight than that young lady,” Smith told his House colleagues, urging them to collaboratively address homelessness.

Oregon’s plight is Salem’s plight: Seven former newspaper colleagues and I met by Zoom last week. Collectively, we have more than two-and-a-half centuries of journalistic experience.

They asked how Salem has changed in the years since they had moved on. My response was quick and brief: “Homelessness and lack of housing are far greater.”…

Read the article in The Astorian here.