Letters to the Editor, Aug. 7, 2026

Deja vu

I was glad to see the McMinnville Historic Landmarks Committee was willing to work to restore the historic brick wall in City Park. Unfortunately, eight months after the first accident, another accident has taken out even more of the wall.

I hope that before the Landmarks Committee rebuilds the wall again, it will work with the city on possible solutions to the Star Mill, Park and Wallace Road intersection. As it is now, many folks ignore the “No left turn” sign on Wallace and “No right turn” sign on Park.

Many do not approach the right turn, from either direction, at the posted 25 mph speed. Maybe stop signs on Star Mill and Wallace would help slow folks down. Another possibility would be to put a curb in the middle of the road to get oncoming traffic to slow down and stay in its designated lane.

The brick wall has now helped stop two vehicles from more serious accidents, but not much of it is left to stop the next one. It would be wise to start working now to prevent yet another accident.

Kathleen Culbert

McMinnville

Vanishing urban canopy

Functional, flourishing, vibrant cities depend on well-maintained greenery, inviting streetscapes, and verdant public parks. Extensive research demonstrates that thriving urban green spaces promote mental health, reduce stress, manage urban heat and foster community pride.

So what does it say about McMinnville’s commitment to its Tree City USA designation when dead, dying, and diseased trees line our roads, public spaces and neighborhood backyards? Wortman Park has become Stumpville, a stark, visible symbol of municipal neglect.

City leaders have known for years that the bronze birch borer beetle, and now the invasive emerald ash borer, recently confirmed in Yamhill County, are actively destroying trees across our community. Yet dead host trees remain standing, serving as unchecked reservoirs for beetle larvae, accelerating blight and posing serious fire and public safety hazards to pedestrians and vehicles.

Ignoring this crisis does not make it go away; it merely guarantees more of our urban canopy will perish as trees are left to rot.

It’s time for city leaders to move beyond passive acknowledgment and prioritize decisive action by:

Removing infested trees promptly to break pest breeding cycles.

Establishing a stump removal schedule to restore park aesthetics and accessibility.

Restoring the canopy through careful replanting of resilient species.

Providing guidance and enforcement as necessary for private property owners managing hazardous diseased and dead trees.

Does anyone in leadership care enough to act?

Our city deserves more than a graveyard of skeleton trees and stumps. Clearly we can do better for this community we call home.

Peter Enticknap

McMinnville

Different take

I went to see The Odyssey, as did John Linder, who recounted it in his letter to the editor last week.

I also felt it was worth seeing and also would recommend to friends. However, while he tied it to a “gaggle of grifters” in our current government, I had an entirely different take.

The movie is not about the Trojan War as much as about Odysseus’s journey home afterward.

I tried to take the five timeless virtues identified in the Odyssey and tie them to the movie. They are perseverance, loyalty, wisdom, piety and justice.

There is a good reason the novel is school recommended reading.

In my political dealings, I try not to attack individuals or use negative names, but rather look at policies and try, through the ballot, to get positive change. We have a God-given gift with our constitutional republic and a responsibility to maintain it for our children.

There have been those in government from its beginning, and still are, who try to get personal benefit, and so only an informed citizen can maintain the constitution’s genius. Our authority comes from the Creator, not from anywhere else; we are to be informed stewards of that gift.

Currently, we are dealing with the Affordable Care Act from a previous administration, which is not affordable.

I will do my best as an informed Republican precinct person to get that act back on track. You can only do so much with other people’s money until you run out of other people.

Dennis Goecks

McMinnville