Editor's note:
As we round out another year of pandemic uncertainties and climate crises, I want to thank each of you who picked up a paper, shared a story on social media, commented on our website or even called or stopped by to share your thoughts on our coverage. Sharing information the public needs to know—with a healthy dose of info on the fun to be had in our community—is the joy of our lives. (OK, blasting through the forest on bikes or skis is pretty joyful, too...)
As 2021 ends, I also want to take a moment to thank the small and mighty staff at the Source Weekly, and our sister company Lay It Out Events, who keep this locally owned company humming with big doses of humor, humility, grace, kindness and know-how. We've dug deep in recent years, and looking back on our coverage in 2021, I'm damn proud of the work we do in keeping Central Oregon informed and entertained.
Enjoy your new year, readers, and thanks for reading the Source Weekly.
Correction: The Dec. 23 story, "Right to Camp, Right of Ways" contained some incomplete information regarding notices given during camp removals. In the third paragraph, we have amended the text to include both types of notices. The revised paragraph reads: "Now, the City must provide a two- week notice to campers on a site deemed unsafe and a 72-hour notice to service providers for emergency campsite removals for smaller camps with fewer than eight people." The Bend City Council will also receive a two-week notice. We regret the error.
RE: Mt. Bachelor Fast Tracks: Letters, 12/23
In response to Sierra Goode: If you don't like the Fast Tracks feature that Mt. Bachelor has instituted, I have a few suggestions for you:Go ski somewhere else. Most other areas in Oregon don't have Fast Tracks—yet. They also don't have the incredible chairlift system that Bachelor does, but at least you won't have to endure the traumatic experience of watching people who pay more ski past you.
Ski on other lifts that aren't so crowded. Mt. Bachelor, compared to other ski areas, does an amazing job of keeping lift lines short through a huge financial investment in modern, high speed quad chairlifts, the maintenance and operation of which is incredibly expensive. I've been skiing at Bachelor since 1972, and remember the days of super slow, double lifts that routinely had lift lines of 45 minutes or more. It used to be we would get 5-7 runs in for the day, but now we get that much in by mid morning, yet many people still find a reason to complain.
Start your own ski area. If you think it's so easy to make money at an operation like this, go for it.
Mt. Bachelor may be using public land, but I think the facilities they provide are second to none, and it costs a lot of money to make that happen. If they couldn't use the public land as they do, my guess is this resort would not be here. Judging by how fast you are to call a boycott, perhaps this is what you would prefer?
While you're at it, don't go to any amusement parks in this country, because they offer fast track passes, as well. Also, keep in mind Mt. Bachelor has been in the midst of a pandemic lately, and I can assure you, it has been extremely expensive and difficult to remain open. Maybe, rather than boycotting them, you could show a little support for a ski area that has provided a phenomenal place to ski and ride for over half a century.
—Arnie Endestad
RE: Short-Term Rentals: Let's See the Data: Opinion, 12/16
Important to note the difference between "data" and the "analysis" of that data. It's popular to say "data driven" decisions but what's really meant is analysis driven decisions. Both the analysis and the data itself can be wrong. We've seen this in the large errors in exit polls for voting analysis or studies manipulated to support a particular view. Can the raw data be trusted: how was it gathered, what questions were asked, by who and of whom. There are a lot of places in the process where errors and bias can be introduced.—Geoff Reynolds via bendsource.com
RE: Plowing Sreets: Who Ya Gonna Blame? OPINION, 12/23
Thank you so much for your editorial regarding snow/ice covered streets in Bend. All the finger pointing – your response was right on. If you have lived in Bend long enough (I have been here 34 years), you know the first snowfall comes and then melts and then snows again...it is just the way it is. Probably some of the complainers were not yet in Bend when we got the snowmagidian in 2010 or 2012. My street did not get plowed for over a week despite my having to get to work. Another thing about Bend with winter weather, there are some streets that you just avoid or figure out a different way to get from point A to point B. Reed Market is one especially if you are heading west – the roundabout at the Old Mill can be nasty with the down -hill drive and then you have the hill at Healy Bridge which so many cars simply cannot make it. So what do you do? Take a different route. Can't wait until the snow gets super deep and cars can't be on side roads so plows can come through, especially on the west side of town. Come on folks- this is what winter wonderland is all about in Bend. Can't believe on the Next Door site how many questions asked about not only when/if I should have snow tires but when should I put them on. Also, just a heads up everyone, you should be carrying chains in your vehicle this time of year. Again, Source, thanks for your response...loved it.—Mary Fleischmann
Thanks for the note, Mary! You get letter of the week. Have a great New Year and stay safe on those roads...
—Nicole Vulcan
