Opinion
Posted inOpinion

Wheeler Clams Up About Travel Perks

To encourage Oregon treasurer Ted Wheeler to get a move on – and rebuke him for not moving already – we're applying THE BOOT.
Source Weekly

When he became Oregon's treasurer in January, Ted Wheeler brought in a new broom that he wielded vigorously against ethically questionable behavior. But lately Wheeler seems to have put his broom away in a closet.
The backstory gets rather complicated, so please bear with us.
The Treasury Department employs people called “investment officers” who act kind of like financial traffic cops. They're supposed to make sure the bonds and other instruments into which the state puts its money are legally and ethically kosher and financially sound. They also give thumbs-up or thumbs-down to new investment opportunities that are pitched to the state.

Posted inOpinion

This Straight Poop Certified 100% Organic and Hormone-Free

Scoop Lewis, Ace Reporter, delivers the straight poop on the past weeks most news worthy events.
Source Weekly

Monday, March 28
Tough nutcase to crack: Advance of Libyan rebels halted outside Muammar Qaddafi's hometown of Sirte. “The regime still vastly overmatches opposition forces militarily,” says top American commander Gen. Carter F. Ham … It just keeps getting hairier: Heavily contaminated water found leaking from Japan's Fukushima nuke plant; plutonium traces found in soil, radiation detected in rainwater on East Coast of US … Getting high in the Middle East: French daredevil Alain Robert climbs world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, height 2,717 feet (that's more than two Empire State Buildings) … Been there, done that: As it seems to do every spring, the Oregon Department of Transportation extends studded tire removal deadline. Why not just make it April 15 every year? … Heartbreak for gadget junkies: No new iPhone, iPad or other Mac toys will be unveiled at this year's Apple software conference.

Posted inOpinion

Oregon's Stupid Lawmaking Spree

How about another obscure and difficult-to-enforce state law? WTF?
Source Weekly

Last week it was a law adopting the “Code of the West” as Oregon's official code of conduct – a code that included such truisms as “know where to draw the line” and was first laid out not by a buckaroo on a bunkhouse wall, but buy a former Wall Street investor. This week's unnecessary legislation award goes to Rep. Jean Cowan of Newport and the rest of her House cohorts who spent at least part of their day on Tuesday considering a piece of legislation that would make it illegal to feed dangerous animals, such as wolves, bears and cougars. OK, file this one in the “duh” category.

Posted inOpinion

Bendites Did Right By Japan

Dinner to raise money for Japan fed 300 people and raised $14,000.
Source Weekly

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A week ago Sunday, a small group of Japanese ladies living in Bend met at the Common Table to discuss the possibility of hosting a dinner to raise funds for earthquake and tsunami stricken Japan. By Tuesday morning of last week they had not only secured sufficient donations to host, but also to cover the cost for food for the event. A press release was organized and all of the responsibilities were delegated for the purchase and preparation of food.
The team at the Common Table was activated and the excitement level was high. A target was set to feed 100 people and to raise $2,000 to donate to the Red Cross and the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance funds, directed to the relief effort in Japan. This past Saturday night a group of volunteers met to prepare the meal, working until 2 a.m. Sunday morning. They were back at work by Sunday afternoon at the restaurant, putting the finishing touches on the Japanese dinner menu.

Posted inOpinion

Teen Homeless Jabs Were Misinformed

Pat Gundy, program manager for Cascade Youth and Family Center, response to a letter to the editor printed last week.
Source Weekly

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As Program Manager at Cascade Youth and Family Center, I was very pleased that Mike Bookey took the time and energy to explore the problem of teen homelessness in our community in his article “Searching For Stability.” I was eager to work with Mike, mostly to continue to create awareness of the issue, and to promote solutions to the problem. I am constantly impressed by the youth that I encounter and I strive to cast a positive light on youthwho have experienced hardships, yet continue to work to overcome their circumstance.

Posted inOpinion

An Open Letter To Superintendent Wilkinson

A letter to the editor concerning school boundary change proposals.
Source Weekly

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Dear Mr. Wilkinson,
As you are well aware of the public debate surrounding the current School Boundary change proposals, I see an opportunity for the Bend – La Pine School district to demonstrate true leadership and precedent for the entire community. One of the most disturbing and worrisome aspects of this debate is the growing division in our community between north and south, which as you know is not healthy for a community.
I truly believe we have the best schools in this country, and we have the perfect opportunity to keep that badge of honor and not further divide the haves and the have-nots. I cannot believe that most leaders in education would think it's a good decision to bus a southwest Title I school twice as far as their neighborhood school to a northeast Title I school for the sake of overcrowding.

Posted inOpinion

A Low Blow to the Death With Dignity Act

House Bill 2016 is an atrocious law, that's why the legislature must smack it down fast and hard, and that's why it and its sponsors are getting THE BOOT.
Source Weekly

For 17 years the opponents of Oregon's landmark Death With Dignity Act have taken a beating every time they tried to fight it. But like a punch-drunk boxer who doesn't know when he's licked, they just keep wading in and swinging.
Oregon voters passed the pioneering legislation handily in 1994 in spite of a scare campaign aimed at making them believe they'd be starting the state down the slippery slope to mass euthanasia. Opponents tried to get the act repealed in 1997; that time they got hammered even worse, with 60% of the votes going against them.
In the courts they didn't do any better. The George W. Bush administration challenged the DWDA but lost before the US Supreme Court in 2006.

Posted inOpinion

Your Fresh Straight Poop Hot Off the Presses

Scoop Lewis, Ace Reporter, reviews the past week’s biggest news stories, both locally and nationally.
Source Weekly

Monday, March 21
Out of the woods? Head of US Nuclear Regulatory Commission says Japanese are “on the verge of stabilizing” wayward reactor as power is restored to two of six units … Fire from the left: Liberal US Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) says President Obama's decision to intervene in Libya without congressional okay “would appear on its face to be an impeachable offense” … Meanwhile Libyan rebels, helped by US and allied air strikes, advance against Muammar Qaddafi's forces, and Libya releases four New York Times journalists captured six days ago … A break for the jobless: Gov. John Kitzhaber signs bill extending unemployment benefits up to 26 weeks … Speaking of the jobless, sources report CBS thinking about giving Charlie Sheen his old $2 million-per-episode job on “Two and a Half Men” back.

Posted inOpinion

You Don't Make Friends With Salad

This Letter to the Editor reviews the origin of the Caesar salad in response to last week’s Chow article.
Source Weekly

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Last winter at a dinner with a group ofCanadian friends in the Mexican town where we winter, a couple of us opted to order the “Chicken Caesar Salad” on the menu. One diner, who had quaffed several shots of some excellent Tequila exuberantly declared, “Do you know where the Caesar salad was invented?” As it happened, I did know, but he didn’t wait for me to answer and with a triumphant smileannounced,”In Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.” I had heard this myth many times before, including from members of my own family who have lived in Las Vegas for decades. Isimply couldn’t let it pass.

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