Letters 4/7-4/14 | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

IN REPLY TO "UNNECESSARY LOUDNESS" (4/8) I have been a patron of the Riverside Market for 6 years. I suspect the writer of this letter is "new to the neighborhood" and probably to Bend, as much of their rant seems highly aggregated. I'd bet money that if the writer of this letter lived next to one of our fabulous city parks or elementary schools they would be complaining about that noise (children playing gleefully), traffic, and the parking, too.

The owner of the Riverside Market is very sensitive to "rational and lucid" members of the neighborhood, and has even changed closing time from 11 pm to 9 pm (two years ago), much to my chagrin.

The writer fails to mention that this "local haven" provides needed vital services to the neighborhood, not to mention jobs. Need a quart of milk, need a hardy breakfast/lunch, need a place to gather and catch up with friends, want to watch a game on wide screen?

I have never witnessed the police at the Riverside Market. What I have witnessed is a great place to meet great people, with great food.

As a society isn't it "the needs of the many outweigh the needs/wants of the ONE?" I would say this to the writer, if you want absolute quiet, then move outside of Bend.

We need more places like the Riverside Market; not less!

I am not afraid to put my name on this, like Anonymous/Unnecessary Complaining.

—T. Bloomquist

IN REPLY TO "BUILDING THE BIG PICTURE" (4/8)

Why are there so few full time rental homes available? I think it's because many homes are sitting empty most of the time. Would the Source be able to do a little survey some Wednesday evening and see how many homes are empty in a given area? I bet the number would be surprising.

—Ken via bendsource.com

IN REPLY TO "SIMPLY HER BEST" (4/8)

How about some credit for Pilot Butte Partners, the true benefactors of Pilot Butte? They were responsible for the complete restoration of the top and the parking lot, and are working on grants for more improvements. Can't really see the need for another group since the Pilot Butte Partners have been around for 25 years.

—anotherbendite via bendsource.com

IN REPLY TO "CITY VOTES 4-3 TO SUPPORT MIRROR POND" (3/19)

It seems amazing to me that the City and our Parks and Rec Department are trying to redevelop the downtown riverfront by saying it is for the "health of the river." If you look at this new plan, they are using the river to push forth development of up to four stories along Drake Park and downtown. This is the real issue, hidden in "let's fix Mirror Pond." Doesn't anyone else see this as a travesty, packaged into something being sold for the better good for Bend? Where do they plan to put another four-story parking garage once they take out the two lots along Mirror Pond? Oh, and how does the City pay for those?

—Wondering Why via bendsource.com

KILLING COUGARS NOT EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT

The Bend Bulletin article on April 6 titled, "Were Cougars in Bend here by coincidence?" was disappointing. The article did not ferret out the biological issues; it only heightened unreasonable public fear.

There have been two cougars needlessly killed in Bend since January due to the perceived danger they presented to the public. Rather than react to our innate fears, consider the facts. Only 20 people have been killed in North America by cougars between 1890 and 2011. In all likelihood, the cougars would have moved along without harming anyone.

The biologist's explanation for why cougars travel in areas like Pilot Butte is also disappointing. While ODFW authorities blame it on coincidence, Montana FWP authorities note that cougars seen in populated areas are likely juveniles, often orphaned, who have not been taught to avoid humans and populated areas. Cougars are stealth animals and prefer to remain unseen.

Hunting cougars is a likely cause for orphaned cougars. Hunting and these killings are ineffective management strategies and they do not keep the public safe.

ODFW's conservation mission is to, "protect and enhance Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for us and enjoyment by present and future generations." ODFW's severe budgetary shortfalls due to falling revenue from hunting licenses are a detriment of its mission. Call Rep. Knute Buehler and Sen. Tim Knopp, ask them to support general funding for ODFW.

—Mary Fay

LEGALIZE WEED EXPORT FOR OREGON'S FUTURE

The news has been getting depressing about the future of Oregon. Funds from the federal government to the state have been declining. There isn't enough budget at the state and local levels to pay for infrastructure. The Port of Portland is losing its connections to Asia and Europe. The local school districts are losing funding in a K-12 education system ranked lowest in the U.S. Drought will negatively impact farmers and communities. Fires are breaking out in much of the forest.

Oregon definitely needs to get its house in order. It has to look beyond the recent scandal in the Governor's office. It has to look beyond partisan bickering.  

What Oregon needs is to legalize marijuana as a cash crop and export it to other western states. There can be taxes levied and revenues generated. Oregon will have a brighter future and not one up in smoke.

—RM

WELCOME TO BEND?

I wonder how the cover of the Source would be received if Issue 15 had the heading of "Fires, Droughts and... (insert racial or religious epithet here)"? California and Oregon are part of the United States, the same nation, or so the Pledge of Allegiance goes. The heading reminded me of another place in which I lived where the local surfers would mark territory with the saying "Vals (non-coastal residents) go home." A longtime resident of this area was telling me that in the not too distant past black people could not, were not allowed to, live in a local town. Wow. It is a shame that some residents think that diversity was a ship in the Civil War. From my own casual observation, 75 percent of the current residents of Bend moved here from another state.

I would like to know that prejudice is not alive and well in Bend, and that tolerance for "others" is a value that rings true when one hears the kind words "Welcome to Bend!"

—Laurie Ramirez

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