Our Values Unite Us
The actions coming out of Washington, and more recently out of our County Commission, are causing anxiety and fear among many of our neighbors, especially the members of our Latino community and other underrepresented groups. We’ll all need to work together here in Bend to find ways to deal with those actions and to protect the interests of everyone in this beautiful community we call home.
To do that, we all need to lean on the common values that unite us — fairness, freedom, kindness and generosity.
We all expect to be treated fairly, and we don’t like it when we someone else or another group is not. And we all cherish the freedoms guaranteed to us in the U.S. Constitution.
Bend’s special culture also reflects the values of kindness and generosity. We’re a welcoming city, proudly sporting bumper stickers that say: “Be Nice, You’re In Bend.” In the store, we’re usually greeted with, “How’s your day going” or “Got anything fun planned?” And, we’re a city of community-minded people — volunteering in support of others, through city government, neighborhood associations, schools and the wide array of nonprofit organizations.
There are plenty of ways — big and small — that each of us can fight back against injustice, strengthen the shared values of our community and support our most vulnerable neighbors. We can find connection by getting involved in community groups that are helping others facing challenges or uncertainty. There are dozens of them, covering a wide range of categories.
A good place to start is a website called Volunteer Match (volunteermatch.org), where you can find a fit with your personal interests. You can also stick closer to home by volunteering at your kids’ school or helping out with their sports teams. Or even just organize a book club with some friends.
In the coming months and years, let’s remember a few important things:
Separate the thunder from the lightning. Don’t overreact to rumors, provocative public statements or threats.
Be bold and courageous in advocacy for what you believe in, but avoid public confrontations that don’t reflect our shared values.
Seek understanding. If you have questions, get information from sources you trust. And look for a balance of views.
We’re a strong community with a solid sense of who we are and where we’re going. The Envision Bend action plan says it well:
“We envision a greater Bend that blends its smalltown friendliness and exceptional quality of life with the amenities of a growing city, helping all our residents lead safe, secure lives of purpose and possibility in a rapidly changing world.”
By following that vision and working together we can continue to be a community where neighbors can find common ground while respecting differences, where families are safe and thriving and where we live the shared values that unite us.
—Lou Capozzi
Leadership
—James Scott
Greenwood Road Diet
I’ve been noticing a slew of folks (media included) throwing the Greenwood Road Diet under the bus. This despite no slowdown in emergency response times, a reduction in average speed, a reduction of accidents and better pedestrian safety. (Plus, I haven’t seen a side mirror in the road in ages.) When Portland and Olney are closed for construction during a snowstorm that ground the city to a halt, OF COURSE it’s those two missing lanes for three blocks that have caused even porcupines to miscarry and bald eagles to dive headfirst into the nearest fire pit. FOR SHAME!
Bring back the original Greenwood? I have a better idea! Let’s get rid of angle parking downtown and turn Bond or Wall into a Greenwood clone in its former “glory.” Let’s see how THEY like cars blasting by at 50 mph straight past their wine bars and boutique shops while people throw themselves out of the way of oncoming traffic. You know why that would never happen? Because it would be awful for business, just like the original Greenwood was awful for us. In all seriousness, I want to thank City Council for helping make customers to my place and others on Greenwood feel safe and heard.
—John Heylin, Unofficial Logging Co.
Letter of
the Week:
John, I appreciate you sharing your first-hand perspective on this sometimes-divisive matter — thank you.
—Chris Young
This article appears in The Source Weekly February 13, 2025.
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Mocking people who disagree with you is not the best way to win their votes down the road when you run for office. I agree with John Heylin probably 80% of the time. But he is wrong about the flow of traffic through downtown Bend. If two lanes of traffic one way don’t improve the overall flow of traffic why aren’t all the roads we build limited to just one lane each way? Why is the Parkway two lanes instead of one? Again, I encourage the city to consider re-opening Greenwood through downtown to two lanes each way through the duration of the Olney-Wall intersection closure. It will improve the flow of traffic. Which will make it easier for people to get to the medical center area to the east and COCC to the west. It is worth noting that not all businesses that front Greenwood on this stretch of the street agree with John about the impact on their businesses. Many cite lost business because parking has been removed. His business is not on Greenwood. It fronts Harriman, where there is ample parking on both sides of the street. –Michael Funke
When I served during Desert Storm service to others was an American value. Somewhere in the past handful of decades though it’s become fashionable to be self-centered and to disregard our fellow Americans. Taking a few extra minutes to get somewhere isn’t going to kill anyone but making a stretch of road less safe for pedestrians, the disabled, and cyclists just might. Let’s remember, being self-centered has never been a virtue.
Mickey Finn … stop making sense. The bicycle mayor wants to take your car from you.
Great Talking Heads album.