Letters to the Editor 11/04/21 | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon

Letters to the Editor 11/04/21

Deschutes South Canyon Natural Area, Raptor Migration, Footbridge Marches On and more

Editor's note:

This issue of the Source Weekly has a little bit of everything that makes a weekly like ours so fun to read: Lively letters from readers, an opinion piece on an important current issue (in this case, police accountability), a feature that tells the real tales of locals dealing with a widespread issue (this time, it's rental evictions), music news that keeps readers in the loop about new local and regional albums, a quirky roundup of great movies you might have missed, and of course, a nugget or two of food news for our hungry foodies. And that's just a quick rundown!

Letters to the Editor 11/04/21
@bettybluerescue/Instagram
What do two rainbows, two people, three pumpkins and one dog make? This picture from @bettybluerescue makes a great festive snapshot, that's for sure! Share your photos with us and tag us @sourceweekly for a chance to be featured here and as the Instagram of the week in the Cascades Reader. Winners get a free print from @highdesertrameworks.

With Halloween behind us and the holidays looming ahead, here's to a great little issue filled with all the regular ol', non-holiday news, information and events you're looking for.

Thanks for reading!

Deschutes South Canyon Natural Area being sold to developers....no...no...no.  

Bendites unite to save the largest undeveloped open space remaining in the city of Bend near the River.  This is a natural park area for the city to keep available for the southwest part of Bend off of Brookswood, McClellan, Woodriver, Rock Bluff and Powers. I can't even wrap my head around the amount of houses, cars and people they are proposing for this area. There seems to be no plan for infrastructure, just pour concrete and build. Please do not take away this last open space. The city, neighbors, and Parks and Recreation should be able to raise enough funds to buy the land and keep it for future generations. This property offers access to the river from many neighborhoods, not to mention dog walking, running, biking and general enjoyment of open space. Let's get together and save this land.

—Heather Drakulich

RE: Raptor Migration 10/20

I appreciated and enjoyed the enlightening article by Damien Fagen regarding the "Hawk Watch" and local efforts to monitor raptor migration at Green Ridge. As a follow up, I'd like to invite everyone to tune into the upcoming 18th Winter Raptor Survey (WRS). Also conducted in conjunction with the East Cascades Audubon Society, the WRS is set to kick off in November with over 400 volunteers conducting surveys on nearly 500 routes in 5 (soon to be 6) states. Just go to the East Cascades Audubon website, ecaudubon.org, and click on the "Projects" menu, and select Winter Raptor Survey to learn more. The Survey, established and coordinated by long-time birder Jeff Fleischer, is conducted each winter, and strives to encourage an appreciation for raptors ("birds of prey") and provide a citizen-science opportunity to monitor raptor abundance and diversity year-to-year.

—Kevin Tanski

RE: Footbridge Marches On News, 10/28

Yes, there was a big fight back then. Neighbors opposed it not only because it would attract traffic and congestion. It was also sited on an established elk migration route that Fish&Wildlife considered critical habitat in the Wild & Scenic section. Even BPRD decided to relocate the bridge site after the Oregon Legislature voted unanimously to block the project on enviromental grounds. The only reason these new proponents are insisting on the original location is that the trail and bridge are the centerpiece for their new subdivision of exclusive homes along the Wild & Scenic section of the Deschutes. Without the trail, they just have houses for sale. But now the boat tours, bike racers and running clubs will crank up their membership to ride along with this terrible idea again. Contrary to this article, the elk have been using this river crossing for centuries to access their calving grounds in the Spring. The herd splits up and the females take their yearling calves to the shallow river ford and down through Deschutes River Woods to the lava beds along the river. Here, they find safe haven for having their babies. There are no other crossings that the young elk can use safely to cross with their mothers. If you like watching elk along the river or seeing them along Century Drive, you have to support them throughout their tenuous life cycle. They don't have the option of driving a few extra miles to a different ford. We do. If we are as woke as we claim to be, we can find ways to protect the very creatures we go to the wilderness to see.

—Tim Breeden via bendsource.com (edited for length)

Elk have not been seen here for YEARS!!! When we moved to River Rim in 2006 a herd of elk came grazing in the winter at the Elk Meadow. There have not been any elk since 2008. Because of the development of the neighborhoods elk have moved on to different locations such as the area west of Aubrey Butte and are often seen on farms and ranches near Johnson Road, according to a Bend Bulletin article.

-Bridgette Taylor via bendsource.com

RE: An Independent Governor May Be Just What Oregon Needs Opinion, 10/21

You are wrong to equate Democratic and Republican extremism. Governing is about solutions to social issues. Whether Democrats are middle of the road or far to the left, Dems try to find solutions. Republicans' answer is to obstruct. When they hold majorities in the legislature, or head executive offices, they fail to govern, and move mountains to increase wealth inequality.

If an independent candidate for governor proposes solutions to social issues, then good for her. Let's hear her proposals. In the meantime, vote out the obstructionists and those who are beholden to wealthy donors.

—Ken Brinich

Letter of the Week:

Ken: I can't say I disagree with much of what you said—and yet, politics don't exist in a vacuum, and Democrats still have opportunities to build bridges with the many non-political and/or more conservative Oregonians who are concerned with the perceived overreach of a supermajority in their state. Thanks for your thoughtful response and come on in for your gift card to Palate!

—Nicole Vulcan

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