Crooked River Water Flows
I am concerned about the Crooked River water flows as it affects the fisheries. It is known that low water flows (1500 CFS) has raised havoc on the native trout and whitefish populations. Low water forces fish into smaller pockets and leaves insect larva high and dry. Extreme flows tend to displace fish but more importantly introduce high levels of nitrogen causing the fish to get the bends. A high water release just occurred last week to make room for water in the Prineville reservoir.
My question is, why does the irrigation district and the Bureau of Reclamation not use data available to determine water content in the Crooked River Basin to control how much and when to release water? There has been snowpack in the Basin since November, it seems to me that the BOR should have determined the water content as it relates to reservoir capacity and started a measured discharge earlier. The science is there.
The Crooked River can be an exceptional fishery and in the past has brought substantial visitation both in state and throughout the country. It provides both recreational and economic growth for Central Oregon. I feel that there should be a balance between the irrigation and recreation industries, especially since the science and data is available to both parties.
I understand the need for water and irrigation, however it should not adversely affect the fisheries on a designated Wild and Scenic River.
— Mark Motsko
In Response to, Bend Weighs in on Homelessness (2/22)
There are an awful lot of Boot Strappers being interviewed here. The assumption is that houseless = jobless or untrained or uneducated and that just isn't the case. There are a lot of people that have jobs but can't afford to get into a home because the rental market is terrible.
The issue is systemic, it isn't a matter of job training nor is it an issue of refugees (Jean Robson) the issue is we have a limited amount of housing and landlords that are really proud of their property. Couple that with social, cultural and financial systems that frown on anyone who doesn't look a certain way and you've got a recipe for an epidemic.
— Tori Pearce, via facebook.com
Build a small tiny home village, with a building for showers and a place to eat. Then, job training, counseling services, get donated workplace appropriate clothing. Get local business owners to sign on to hiring them. Then there has to be subsidized/low income housing available for them.
— Susan Peck, via facebook.com
More market rate housing of various types, rather than just cranking out single-family homes. Add enough supply and prices will stabilize.
— David N. Welton, via facebook.com
Wow, we have so many Americans that need food, a warm place, a chance at a new start... Then our State decides to take in people who are not Americans, feed them, give them homes, healthcare and jobs! What's wrong with that picture?
— Jean Robson, via facebook.com
I am a 60-y-o, single woman living on barely above minimum wage. I am currently living in a one bedroom apartment owned by the Pacific/Northwest mega real estate conglomerate of Norris & Stevens. When I first moved in my rent was $570. I signed a one-year-lease. Each year after, I signed another lease with an increase in my rent each year. This last October I was told that they (Norris & Stevens) were not offering a lease option anymore. In November my rent was increased by $50 a month. Today I got notice on my door that my rent would (again) be increased by $75 a month. I cannot afford the rent now, so will be forced to move out. To where I do not know. Norris & Stevens does not care because now they will be able to get even more monthly rent from my cute little apartment. This should be a crime. They should be ashamed of themselves.
-RMB, via bendsource.com
In Response to, the Source Activist Playbook (2/16)
Well, thanks to your timely and extremely complete playbook for activism, we no longer have any excuses to remain sitting on our bar stools or in our recliners, whining all the while.
Your concise and well researched outlines of what we can do, where we can do it, and how we may do it are just plain unarguable, sort of like back in the day when your Mom made you wear dirty gym clothes because you forgot to put them in the hamper. Personal accountability is the bottom line here.
What if someone reads this playbook from cover to cover and doesn't find any action suited to their "oh so busy" lifestyle? Guess that means they really aren't serious about being part of the solution.
How about highlighting "The Ides Of Trump" campaign? In protest, on Mar. 15, postcards with personal messages to the President at the White House will be dropped in mailboxes all over the world. Maybe run a contest for the best zinger sent off to #45, or a place for folks to share what button they pushed via snail-mail? Some postcards will tell him he is fired, but I'll inform him that "The majority was never in favor of hiring you, and it's increasingly obvious the position is not a good fit. Therefore, the majority is laying you off, effective yesterday. We will contact you (by tweet) if anything suitable to your unique skill set becomes available."
Good work, Source Staffers. Over to us now.
— Nicki Pistacchio
LETTER OF THE WEEK
Nicki: I was going to tweet you the announcement that you'd won the Letter of the Week for your (obviously astute) praise, but hey! Guess what! Other forms of communication are still alive and well... in spite of 45's preference for that 140-character stuff. "Sad!" Over to you now, indeed.
— Nicole Vulcan, Editor
