A Tree Removal and Bright Light City?
I'm curious, how can the City of Bend think we could even begin to call ourselves a tree city. For at least the last six years, I've seen nothing but the clearing of trees by our lovely developers. How have we let this happen? Bend is well on its way to becoming an asphalt jungle. I'm saddened that the removal of so many trees is being allowed. Clearing all the local trees and planting trees that aren't native to this area does not count.
And let's not forget the Deschutes South Canyon (COID's property) that should become an open space instead of another area of nature that will be cleared of all trees and plant life. Pahlisch, can't you do something good for the community and help the locals and possibly Bend Park and Recreation purchase this property instead of you?
Lastly, what's the deal with these new blue street lights that hurt our eyes and make it impossible to see the stars? Let's please wake up and change our ways before Bend's trees, views and stars are lost entirely.
—Mary Verbeck
On the Anniversary of the Safeway Shooting, a Status Quo in Addressing Gun Safety. Opinion, 8/31
Thank you for the editorial remembering the one year marking of the deadly shooting at the Safeway east. This store is literally 3 minutes from our home. I had gone shopping there that morning, and my son arrived 5 minutes after the police got there, not realizing what happened. This "anniversary" seems too recent to me. Maybe I've been trying to push it out of my brain — otherwise the reality of what could have happened to either of us is a bit too heavy to live with. Hopefully we will get to keep some common sense gun laws that the people of Oregon voted for.
—Jeff Cole
RE: State of the Brewnion Feature, 8/31
The headline on the Source Weekly's recent article on beer is a bit misleading.
"State of the Brewnion: The people who make our beer discuss the state of our beer"— with its takeoff on the word "union" and reference to people who make stuff — could be taken to imply an article about working people.
That'd be a worthy subject heading into Labor Day weekend.
But, the only people we hear from in this article are the brewery and pub owners, including one person who say she faces a "labor crisis" and calls a higher minimum wage for Oregon workers a "hurdle."
That's the boss talking.
Hopefully, not all beer employers in Bend feel the same way about the wages they pay the many, many people who actually, physically brew, package, market and serve the beer that provides them profits.
A good follow-up article might be based on conversations with all those workers to learn how they feel about the work they do and the compensation they get for their work. Maybe some are happy with their pay; maybe some are not. Maybe some can afford to live in Bend; maybe some have trouble making ends meet.
Maybe some are happy with the way their bosses treat them; or maybe some would like a bit more say about their jobs, better compensation, more dignity and power in the workplace.
Predictions of 30-plus breweries in Bend translates into a pretty sizable workforce, and one that could have some serious collective clout that could lift the community wage as a whole.
The Teamsters union just won a tremendous victory and new contract for UPS workers. They are a progressive union that also represent thousands of brewery workers across the country. They can be contacted at https://teamster.org/divisions/brewery-bakery-and-soft-drink-conference/.
As the nurses at St. Charles recently proved, there is power in a union and collective action gets the goods.
—Michael Funke
RE: Avion Water Company Took the Source to Court in 2022. Litigation is Still Ongoing. News, 8/31
Thanks for continuing to pursue story - both from a free press and a water use/shortage perspective. We don't get to choose who our water service providers are here, so why isn't Avion (and similar providers) a public utility?
Water comes from a shared water table. Yet some providers, like the City of Bend, regulate and encourage water conservation while users of privately held companies are encouraged to use more water to make more money for the stockholders of the company.
Oregon water law, like many western states, needs to be changed to reflect the present and future, not the first come, first served basis of the past, focusing on conservation as well as allocation in times of shortages. And since the vast majority of water used in Central Oregon goes to agriculture, more work needs to be done there.
We live in the high DESERT, but in many neighborhoods you wouldn't know it from the plant and lawn selections that require lots of water. Some communities in the West are already facing residential and commercial water shortages and building moratoriums — we need to change our laws before we get there.
—Christine Walsh via bendsource.com
Letter of the Week:
Christine: I couldn't agree more. Come on by for a gift card to Palate and enjoy a coffee on us — brewed with water from the gorgeous Bridge Creek watershed.
—Nicole Vulcan
