In reply to "Les Schwab Amphitheater Closes East River Bank to Cut Free Concert Access" (8/9, Bent Blog)
This news is very disheartening. One of Bend's many attributes is that people of all socioeconomic means have access to the beauty and events that surround us. Listening to music on the rivers edge is a social gathering, more so than free music, as anyone can tell you. The music quality is in no way the same as attending the event nor is the ability to see the performers.
Taking this option away from visitors and those of us who live here is very sad. I've purchased many tickets in the LSA—Michael Franti last year for one, and couldn't justify it this year as I would have to miss a majority of the show due to work-and will continue to do so but this action leaves a sick feeling in my gut. Please get your opinion out to those that matter.
—SJohnson
I agree with it, or with an idea that there could be cheaper tickets sold for those areas. It was embarrassing last year to be at the concert in the paid section and have Michael Franti waving at the people packed in across the river while the paid venue had lots of open space. He was gracious about it, but gosh. Must be tough to play a whole concert and see all those folks over there.
— Donna Burklo Jacobsen
They will just find another place to go. What's Les Schwab gonna do? Put up a sound proof dome so no one can hear any of the concerts? Give me a break. It's an OUTDOOR facility and trying to prevent people from sitting here or there is just going to piss people off. Seriously Les Schwab, get over yourself. I could understand this better if we had headline music play there, but we don't.
—khilton0619
From experience I know how expensive it is to put on concerts—various acts are quite expensive, and the venue, staffing, fees, permits, licensing, etc. So I agree that they should enforce it. Hire a security/police staff and just keep it cleared off. I've been to shows and paid a lot to see people who I love to listen to, and people who get to just hang out and listen put the venue in the hole financially—and it's just not a good business practice.
— Karen Timme
Just Wondering Why?
WHY?
Why do drivers go through red lights at 6am when no one is coming from the cross direction?
Why do drivers think that the red sign with the letters STOP do not mean anything at the corner of Azure and Savannah? not everyone turns from Savannah onto Azure.
Why do people leave their rummage sale, garage sale, yard sale signs up when the sale is long over?
Why did the driver of the aqua moped riding on Daggett Lane think he did not need a helmet on?
Why do people stop at a roundabout when there is no one coming?
Why do bike riders ride on the white strip coming down & going up to Mt Bachelor? Isn't there a brand new wider shoulder just for them? Why do bikers ride double and one is over the white strip?
Why when it is dark [fall, winter] do bikers ride without any reflectors, lights and in dark clothes?
Why when it is dark do people walk across Hwy 20/ Greenwood at NE Windy Knolls [when drivers can really only see oncoming headlights] instead of walking the short distance to the signals at the end of the block?
Why do drivers yell at bikers that are riding with traffic through the roundabout at 8th and Franklin? Why do they try to squeeze by you to get into the roundabout even when you are signaling to go into the driving lane and you have to pull your arm back in or it will be knock off for the vehicle is so close?
Why did a big diesel trucks step on the gas and blow black smoke at me riding my bike when he got by me through the roundabout? [that was sort of funny he couldn't barrel through the roundabout and then he proves to be childish by blowing diesel smoke].
Why do people answer their cell phones and then say can't talk right now?
Why do people call back a number and ask I just missed a call from this number who was calling and what did you want?
Why doesn't any driver stop for a person at the cross walk at Colorado and Lava road? There is a handicap ramp...
Why do people bring their dogs to events in town?
Why did the lady bring her dog to the dog park and when my dog got hit by her dog hard enough for mine to yelp and then state 'oh my dog doesn't like other dogs near him and he doesn't bite other dogs.' [say what?]
Why does the person with 4 Alaskan huskies think it is ok for his dogs, who run as a PACK, to terrorize other dogs and their owners at the Pine Nursery dog park?
Why plant trees in boulevards and then stop watering them, add rock around them so they can roast even more?
Why doesn't the city court industry to come to the city of Bend, with some good paying jobs? Instead of all the minimum wage service jobs that are here?
Why does Bend Park and Rec. or the City keeping paying out money to have a 'group' figure out what to do with the wide spot in the river, oh sorry, Mirror Pond? They already know what they 'want' to do and of course the tax papers will dish out, yes there is another 'NEW' committee been assigned with the task of coming up with a plan to decide. Why wasn't a Mirror pond cleanup fund put together years ago? It is a river, it does not sit still, it creates sand bars.
Just wondering WHY?
—Colleen
OLCC versus doormen
It is apparent from the OLCC versus doormen article that the Velvet Lounge doorman was an employee of the lounge doing his job as instructed by the Lounge and therefore it is incumbent on the employer to provide not only the instruction for the job but the required training for the job, i.e. fill out the necessary state paperwork, pay the fee, provide the work time for the training and PAY the ticket that her employee was given while on the job doing the job he was told to do. It is certainly worth her time and effort to properly train her employee that paying TRIPLE the cost for a private security company to provide a person to do the same job for a few hours a week. What kind of business logic is that???
It is also apparent that the OLCC is really digging for more revenue making opportunities since the last debacle. The more savvy and aware the bar owners can and be will make it more difficult for the OLCC to pick on them.
—Joselyn Houk
To the Editor:
Your Ann Romano (One Day at a Time column) manifested her incredible stupidity, ignorance and/or bigotry in her commentary about Pope Francis. While totally misconstruing the Pope's remarks about gay priests, she proceeds to pass "judgment" about the Pope's NOT passing "judgment" and on the Catholic Church for making a "huge step into the 21st century."
In her ignorance, she does not understand the fact that the Pope was simply and politely expressing existing Church teaching, which forbids blanket condemnation (i.e., judgment) of homosexuals, nor does she recognize that the Pope's remarks in no way alter or affect Church teaching about the sin of perverted homosexual behavior. Armed with her ignorance, Romano then proceeds to insult the Catholic readers of the Source (if there are any left) by implying that the Church should change its 2000-year-old teaching of Christian moral truths and Natural Law, to accommodate modern day aberrations (hey, if it feels good, just do it!). Romano should stick to commentaries about pop stars and movies, about which she might have something meaningful to say.
—James Strelchun
Letter of the Week!
Hangry indeed
I am hangry. Hangry for an editor who reads the Source with a critical eye for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors; or maybe just one who can read. How can I respect your opinions when the Source consistently goes to press with glaring typos? Maybe it was a joke about how hunger can make people angry, but I don't think so.
Thanks for a great rag,
—Aaron
Editor's note: For almost getting the joke, we present a $5 certificate to Crow's Feet Commons so that Aaron won't get so hangry.
