Letters to the Editor

Guest Opinion: After 10 Years of Delay, Let’s Bridge the Gap in Southern Bend By Connect Bend Board of Directors Ten years ago, Bend voters approved a $29 million bond measure for three great projects: the Whitewater Park, the Pavilion Skating Rink and the completion of the Deschutes River Trail via a footbridge in southern […]

Betsy Johnson Remember: Betsy Johnson voted against the bill that would have prevented the Safeway shooter from getting a gun. And then she says Democrats are soft on crime.  Also voted against raising the min. wage.  —Tom Gates Deciding on a New Mayor Need workers? (waiters?) Need ideas? Need solutions? We need new blood—a new generation—with fresh, out-of-the-box creativity to pave a […]

Worrell Park Worrell Park provides respite for nearby workers in the middle of the city.  It is unique in Bend a pocket park where wildlife, insects and more can find a home. I find it ironic that the City of Bend is trying to reduce parking and car trips through various code changes related to […]

Morgan Schmidt for County Commissioner A lack of affordable housing, homelessness, worker shortages, a childcare “desert,” drought and wildfires. These are just a few of the challenges we are facing right now in Deschutes County. Our elected officials have made progress towards addressing these challenges but there is still much work to be done. Frankly, some […]

Midterm elections and democracy Democracy in the U.S. is facing severe challenge as evidenced by extremists using their position, social media and lies to destroy the impact of institutions and political norms—not for altruistic purposes, but to secure power for minority rule. As our democracy has aged, its population has changed from a homogeneous body […]

Today I drove by the yellow tape today. Parking lot empty, Store dark, Do Not Cross, Evil has come too close this place. Super Heroes. Well disguised at 66 years old, as a produce clerk. Why’d you bring a knife to a gun fight? Because it was all I had, to save the world for […]

Amphitheater Did you ever live next door to a thoughtless neighbor?  One who wouldn’t turn his music down late at night.   The guy, let’s call him Hayden, blasts his stereo so loud that you can’t shut it out.  As the evening progresses, he tends to turn it up louder.  Close the windows, close the door, […]

RE: Water at Home Feature, 8/25 All these residential and commercial water users rely on groundwater (wells). As the surface water dries up, water companies will increasingly rely on groundwater mitigation credits to turn their surface water rights into ground water rights. They have trashed the river and now they will trash the aquifer. Please […]

Pet Owners Beware Bend Parks and Rec should be congratulated for Alpenglow Park. The finished product sets the benchmark for local parks. Unfortunately, the park has not been cleared of foxtails and cheatgrass. These dangerous weeds are everywhere including inside the dog parks, and barbs cover the walkways. I have personally witnessed the damage these […]

Correction: Last week’s “Best of Central Oregon issue,” published 8/11, included lists of the winners of our annual readers’ poll. (The same list was printed twice; once as a complete list, and another broken up, with names and categories listed adjacent to stories about various winners.) One of those lists listed “Lounge” as the second-place […]