October 1, 2015

It is a beautiful day in the Hood River Valley. Our current temperature in the Upper Valley is 78°. Damn near perfect in my book.

And today, recreational marijuana goes on sale in Oregon. Yee haw, life is good.

But all of that takes a sour note when you hear of the people killed at Umqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.

I have no direct connection to Umpqua CC. Yes, I attended Southwestern Oregon CC 60 miles west of Umpqua and the University of Oregon, 80 miles north. I loved a man for 16 years who taught at Columbia Gorge CC. (Who am I fooling, I still love a man who taught at CGCC), but it is all still theoretical to me.

Still, this tragedy hits closer to home than I care to admit. Oregon has had more than its share of school shootings: Thurston High School, Rosemary Anderson High School, Reynolds High and now Umpqua. How can you make sense of it all?

My thoughts go out to all those killed and their families and friends (current count is 13 dead… not sure if that includes the shooter) and to those injured and their families and friends (current count is 20) and to everyone traumatized by this senseless act.

We must do something, but I don’t know what.

Please, a moment of silence in support of the people of Roseburg. It’s a fairly small town (20,000 people). I imagine most are touched in some way, most, more personally than me.