Letters to the Editor: May 22, 2026

Out of this world!

I attended the Second Winds Community Band concert at the McMinnville Community Center. The theme was Space, Galaxies and Aliens.

It was a wonderful, uplifting concert, keeping our UFO Festival front and center.

Mark Williams did a great job both of conducting, as well as giving us fun facts along the way. The band is a real asset to our community!

Joyce Messina

McMinnville

Kicking the can

The May 8 editorial on System Development Charges raises the potential downside of increasing SDCs, but fails to offer any alternative system to cover these costs. By default, we are left with the current plan to let those of us who already live here to pay much of the public infrastructure costs brought on by newcomers.

New construction requires streets, parks and sewer capacity. If SDCs are not assessed to recover the full cost of these improvements, we all pay for them. We pay either directly, through bond issues and rate increases, or indirectly, through crowded parks and clogged roads.

I fail to see why current residents, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet, should help subsidize someone’s purchase of a half-million-dollar home. The editorial’s concern about the impact of SDCs on affordable housing can be addressed as it currently, by reducing or waiving SDCs for qualifying projects.

For too many decades, this city has kicked the can down the road on capital costs, and it is now struggling to get caught up. Implementing full SDC recovery should be part of the plan to achieve financial stability.

Mark Davis

McMinnville

Prepare and adjust

Why are more parents choosing homeschool, private, charter and micro schools over the McMinnville public schools?

As the school year ends and educators begin renewing their collective bargaining agreement, it may be time to reflect on teaching methods and long-term priorities within public education.

Over the past decade, schools nationwide have heavily invested in technology. Much of today’s instruction is media-based rather than centered on traditional pencil-and-paper learning.

Homework has become less common in many elementary schools, while parents often struggle to understand the abstract methods now used to teach subjects like math. Writing skills also appear to be receiving less emphasis.

Many districts across the country are beginning to reverse course, realizing that technology should support teaching, not replace it, and that strong schools still depend on knowledgeable teachers and engaged parents, working together.

As a parent, I understand why some families are exploring alternatives.

But I also believe public education matters. I support a system where children from all backgrounds learn together under accredited, certificated teachers in a safe environment.

Parents must also accept responsibility.

Schools and teachers should educate children, not raise them. Families need to be involved, reinforce learning at home, and stop expecting digital screens to do the work of parenting.

Lower enrollment is often blamed for budget problems, but declining birth rates have been forecast nationally for decades. This is not new or unique to McMinnville.

School districts have had years to prepare and adjust. The community deserves transparency and thoughtful long-term planning instead of continually doubling down on systems that many families no longer trust.

Sean Devereaux

McMinnville

Health care impasse

For the thousand or so McMinnville residents insured through United Health Care, please know this: We are due to lose our local clinic and hospital coverage July 1. Please call UHC and tell officials there how much this would hurt our community.

We need the hospital’s lab, X-ray, physical therapy, cancer center and numerous other services, as well as its emergency care and inpatient admission services

In addition, losing access to associated clinics would place all UHC clients under the care of new doctors, if they can find any. Already long waiting lists would grow longer, even at Providence Newberg, if one is willing to drive out of town.

We do not have enough principal care physicians in this area to absorb this. Call UHC officials and tell them we desperately need them to get the stalled negotiations resolved.

Beverly Montgomery

McMinnville