Letters to the Editor: Jan. 16, 2026

Poor example

I attended the city council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 13, to learn if the City was going to respond to recent ICE activity, and if so, what the response would consist of. It was clear there were people in attendance on both sides of the issue.

The meeting started with 10 assorted citizens, including several high school students who were articulate and courteous, expressing their views on the matter. The city council and audience quietly listened to their comments, respecting their turn to speak.

The councilors and mayor then individually expressed their perspectives on the matter, some very thoughtfully and passionately. But the councilors who expressed the opinion that it was not the city’s role to become involved in federal matters were increasingly heckled, called names, spoken over and interrupted.

Mayor Morris attempted to maintain order, but eventually had to stop the meeting when it appeared the audience was turning into an angry mob.

I believe recent ICE enforcement activities have exceeded their authority and someone needs to rein them in. I wanted to hear what the city had to say on that.

It was stated repeatedly that the meeting was not meant to provide residents with an opportunity to debate the council, but only one to provide information.

Those preferring the city not respond were calm and respectful, but those wanting the city to act were often not. They were rude and disrespectful to the council and prevented the rest of us from listening and learning.

Shouting may be appropriate conduct at a street demonstration, but is not acceptable behavior at an indoor public meeting. Acting so immaturely does not help their cause or promote the dialogue that may persuade others to change their mind.

Disruptive adults set a very poor example for the young people in attendance.

Mark Bierly

McMinnville

Unmarked vehicles?

An open letter to Yamhill County:

I’m writing to express extreme concern at the state of policing at both the county (YCSO) and federal levels (ICE/DHS/secret police).

You may not be aware, but ICE/DHS is acting as a covert police force, operating in the shadows, hiding behind masks and using mismatched license plates. It’s doing so to secretly detain hard-working community members, most of whom have not been convicted of crimes.

People captured by these secret police are taken to facilities where they have a difficult time accessing legal assistance or communicating with family, and are often denied medications. They are treated like criminals, even though they are not.

This is causing fear among those so targeted, and anger and disgust among those of us caring about deplorable treatment of fellow humans.

Last week, ICE murdered a woman in broad daylight in Minnesota, and it’s not immediately clear what happened afterward. Did local police handle the crime scene, as is appropriate when an innocent civilian is shot, or did ICE dispose of evidence in a manner consistent with the lies of Kristi Noem and Donald Trump?

What if something like this happened here? Would YCSO respond to make sure justice and the rule of law were observed, or has our county decided the secret police have carte blanche?

I’d also like to know why YCSO is using what appear to be personal vehicles, including a Toyota Tundra truck, to make arrests here. This occurred in two locations Dec. 30 in what many assumed to be ICE detainments. Shouldn’t our officers be doing all they can to assure us they are not the secret police, thus avoiding confusing situations like these?

If we’re supposed to trust county officers, they should be clearly identified. This is within your jurisdiction and should be immediately addressed.

Valerie Blaha

McMinnville

Message distorted

Protesters gathering around the flagpole in Newberg are, in the process, demonstrating support of Maduro. He is responsible for the deaths of many thousands of his own citizens, due to the rape and pillage of Venezuelan economy, and also the deaths of thousands of U.S. citizens, due to facilitating the production and export of U.S.-bound narcotics.

Also, Renee Good, killed in Minnesota, was not innocent. She was attacking a federal agent with her vehicle. The context of this story has been biased toward a very leftist political viewpoint, so is very deceitful.

Paul Thompson

Newberg

Male rage

Call out the Renee Good slaying for what it is — the murder of a woman by a man because she didn’t react to his demands with the seriousness, immediacy and deference he felt he was entitled to as a white man. A cellphone video records the shooter, ICE agent Jonathan Ross, as saying “F---ing bitch,” after he mortally shot her.

Sheila Hunter

McMinnville

Crimestopper

Let’s stop crime! Get the felon out of the White House!

Ann Helm

Lafayette

Protect the trail

The proposed Yamhelas Westsider Trail will be a one-of-a-kind asset for Yamhill County citizens. Fortunately, its location is already owned by us, the Yamhill County citizens.

Yes, it’s controversial. Some along the route are against it. But more than one recent poll shows a large majority of county residents want the trail.

This reminds me of the Newberg-Dundee bypass.

Those who lived along the various proposed routes naturally were generally against the bypass. But the vast majority of locals were in favor of whatever route was proposed.

Ultimately, a route was chosen, the bypass built and some along it were negatively affected.

The Yamhelas Westsider Trail is the Newberg-Dundee bypass of this time. Many benefits will arise because of it, but some people may be negatively affected.

Across the country, the positive economic, health and safety benefits of trails like this have been documented in study after study. Experience with similar trails in Oregon has proven these reports to be accurate.

The board of commissioners needs to consider the public good that the Yamhelas Westsider Trail will bring. It needs to focus on that public good, just as it did for the bypass.

To be consistent, the commissioners must keep the Yamhelas Westsider Trail in the county’s transportation plan.

Jack Kriz

Newberg

Time to act

Attention Yamhill County citizens who care about green spaces: Please act now with a simple e-mail.

At a Jan. 22 hearing, the publicly described “sneaky” Yamhill County commissioners, Kit Johnston and Mary Starrett, will most likely cast their votes to remove the cherished 15-mile Yamelas Westsider trail from the county’s transportation plan and sell it off.

If you would like to help keep this lovely public asset, which taxpayers have already paid for, please send your comments to both planning@yamhillcounty.gov and BOCinfo@yamhillcounty.gov by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21.

You may also attend the trail hearing, set for 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, in Room 32 of the Yamhill County Courthouse, at 525 NE Fifth St. in downtown McMinnville.

Many people believe it’s pointless to act since public records show Johnston’s and Starrett’s minds are already made up. But it would be beneficial for citizens to send comments because citizen input may be considered on appeal to the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

For more information about efforts to save the trail and ways to donate or volunteer, visit trailspac.org.

Janice Allen

Newberg

Time to take action

In Italy and Germany in the 1930s, they wore brown shirts. And they terrorized and killed Jews, as well as others they deemed undesirable, such as Romas and the disabled.

In the United States today, they wear masks. And they terrorize and kill Latinos, as well as others who support Latinos.

We must put a stop to this madness.

There is hope. Augustine of Hippo pointed the way when he wrote, “Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”

Let’s give voice to our anger by flooding the Oregon delegation to Congress with letters, requesting that ICE and other border control agencies be shut down. This will not take much courage unless you fear that ICE will come knocking on your door.

You will find the addresses you need in this issue of the News-Register.

Robert Mason

McMinnville