Winter Weather Banter

As many of you are already aware, the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships will take place in Bend's Old Mill District and on the grounds of Deschutes Brewery from December 10-13. In addition to the races themselves, a weeklong celebration of cycling has been planned, featuring art exhibits, parties, film premiers and more taking place throughout the city. Registration for this event has already broken records for a Cyclocross National Championship and we are expecting upwards of 4,000 total visitors.

Why is it that in a state like Oregon that has its own personal fertile crescent of agriculture in the Willamette Valley that we in Bend are stuck shelling out money in our local and chain markets to buy produce from all over the country, and yes, all over the world. I walked into Safeway yesterday and found asparagus from Peru. Peru! Granted, Safeway isn't exactly your mom and pop grocer, but even Nature's has only a tiny selection, or a few selections, of locally grown organic produce come winter, like potatoes, some salad greens and garlic. I guess the winter season makes things difficult. But does it have to?

We were informed some time ago that President Obama, or should I say “Stonewall” Obama, said in 1996 that: “I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.” But, during his 2004 U.S. Senate bid, he cited his Christian faiths as grounds for his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman!?” Apparently, he had no Christian faith in 1996! The Bible and Jesus say many things important about family and love, but neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman!