"Is this a War Zone?"
We live east of Sisters, close to government managed lands. Just last weekend we had a friend —a long time resident of Bend—come out for dinner, to walk around on the magic lands that we so cherish, and have a mid-fall feast.
At the end of the walk, off in the distance, were rapid bursts of gunfire. I would have presumed them to be automatic weapons. The guest from Bend has traveled the world and her statement was, "Not until now, did I feel I was in a War Zone...."
When will the veterans, hunters, and other legitimate gun owners help us who are so deeply saddened by these human losses at unnecessary weapons to say, "Enough!"?
— Scott Stoery
Celebrating Veterans on Veterans Day
This is my granddad Samuel F. Catterlin. He lives in Bend and was a Navy fighter pilot in The Korean and Vietnam Wars. He lost his wingman and many other brothers while at war, but came home to his wife and five kids unharmed.
He has 10 grandchildren (four who went into the military) and six great-grandchildren who he adores. He lost his beautiful wife of almost 68 years last year but this almost 92-year-old is a hero and one of the most amazing men I've ever met.
— Stephanie Wilkes Jenks
In Response to: "As the Holiday Season Approaches." (11/2)
We at the Hunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon (HPC) understand your frustration at trying to donate responsibly. If you are concerned that your hard-earned money may not be used as you intended, or if you simply don't have the time to research organizations, we are here to put your donation to a good and specific use.
Food insecurity exists in Central Oregon. People seeking food may be homeless, elderly, living at shelters or struggling families. Often, the amount of food stamps benefits is simply not even close to matching what it takes to feed a family.
The Hunger Prevention Coalition is a volunteer run, 501(c) 3 organization whose mission is to ensure funding for nonprofit agencies proven to provide nutritious food for our neighbors in need in C.O. We serve all of Central Oregon through local agencies that serve sit-down meals or give out food boxes.
Our signature program, "Help Fill Empty Plates" allows people the opportunity to give at the registers at local businesses by the use of a tear-off coupon that is given to the cashier and added to your bill eliminating the public pressure to participate and 100 percent of these monies go directly to the agencies and must be used to enhance the nutritional value of meals provided.
Your donation ensures the meals served and boxes distributed contain additional nutritional items such as protein (meats, cheeses, dairy and eggs), fresh fruits and vegetables and non-perishable items like peanut butter, canned tuna and baby formula. Agencies are held accountable by providing proof of purchase of these items in their yearly auditable report to us.
Please shop and donate all year at the participating stores. We at the Hunger Prevention Coalition believe hunger is a year round issue in Central Oregon.
— Mary Powell, Board Vice President
The Hunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon. www.HPC.org
In Response to, “Investing in Infill is a Better Effort Than More SDCs.” (11/8)
Related
Investing in infill is a better effort than more SDCs
It's not a question of either-or.
It matters not what type of development. Up, down, over,under,sideways,down (could not help the Yardbirds shout out), this city as so many others, simply is staffed with decision makers that are inept at making good fiscal decisions for their community.
Waste is waste. Except for a couple of city workers with a pail of tar and a bow torch bought at Home Depot, I have not seen an improvement on my street in 26 years.
How much time, money and effort gone into resolving Mirror Pond? Years and years of study, surveys and incompetence abound. In the meantime the City of Bend has a real chance of solving climate change.
Woo Hoo!
— Tim Sinniger
Bend will never look like The Village or The Pearl. But most of the highest value real estate (per acre in terms of property tax revenue) is in the close-in neighborhoods; River West, Historic District and downtown.
On the other hand places like Cascade Village and Walmart bring in just a fraction of what the property that is Deschutes Brew Pub. Homes in the newer east side subdivisions are a fraction of those on Federal Street or Columbia Street.
The question is should the city be encouraging three-car garage, five bedroom, three bath homes on 1/4 acre parcels or redevelopment of the Makers District or Galveston or 14th street? The latter will pay off—the former won't.
And for those who want the former, the city, county and state aren't standing in the way. But the political question of should we be subsidizing that sort of development from an economics position is not being asked.
— Jim Roberts
LETTER OF THE WEEK:
Jim—You've restated basically what we outlined in last week's editorial. While we won't argue that the city is "subsidizing that sort of development" in a tangible sense, it could do better in "subsidizing" the other option—the one that will add much-needed infill, and reduce the number of miles people need to drive to get to work downtown to boot. Come on in for your gift card to Palate! — Nicole Vulcan, Editor
