The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

To the Editor:

In response to several misleading statements that have been made about the new Black Butte Ranch Welcome Center, here are some facts:

1. You cannot see the Three Sisters peaks from anywhere in the entry area. You do not view Mt. Washington unless taking a right turn, which is only utilized by 30 percent of homeowners.

2. The gatehouse (a building) is the first thing you see when entering the Ranch.

3. The new Welcome Center will not block any views and is placed specifically to enhance and frame certain views in order to heighten the entry experience for all.

4. Roads are being realigned to correct a dangerous intersection created by the original design 35 years ago.

5. Site drainage is being improved to handle a site that was originally a swamp, not added hardscape.

6. One of Oregon’s top Landscape Architecture Firms, David Evans & Associates, was directly involved in the design and planning of the project and contributed Traffic and Civil Engineering services.

7. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony begins with the famous few measures. The Ninth begins quiet, but builds, eventually leading to “Ode to Joy.”

8. In Landscape Architecture, as in most design, the first few notes rarely “make it or break it.” True art is found when one moves past the surface and digs deeper. I doubt if the first few steps into Central Park, another landscape masterpiece, are an all-or nothing experience for anyone-

There is a great deal of research, analysis, and studies that have gone into the project. I would encourage anyone interested to review this information, look closely at the designs and walk the site yourself.

Gary A. Holbrook,

Architect Holbrook Design Architecture

s s s

To the Editor:

The aftermath of the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina leaves many questions unanswered.

For example, why did it take five days for the Bush administration to deliver any significant aid to the tens of thousands of stranded storm victims, when news cameras were on the scene within hours? Why did President Bush remain on vacation for two days following the storm and not return immediately to D.C. to spearhead the rescue and recovery?

Why did President Bush shore up spending for rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure while cutting three years in a row the Army Corps of Engineers’ budget for shoring up New Orleans’ levees, when he was fully aware that government studies had warned in no uncertain terms that it was only a matter of time before New Orleans would be hit by a catastrophic hurricane?

And in the wake of such an inexcusably slow response to a natural disaster forecast days in advance, how effective can we expect the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to be in the wake of a sudden and massive terrorist attack, and what have all the billions of dollars spent on homeland security accomplished?

The news media have asked many of these same questions and more, but to my knowledge one question remains unposed: Faced with the staggering costs of rebuilding New Orleans and other areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina — and the impact to our nation’s economy — who in America continues to wish to spend tens of billions of dollars each year (not to mention the expunging of hundreds of young lives) to aid an Iraq which 1. just approved a Constitution that institutionalizes the violation of women’s human rights, 2. is arguably on the verge of civil war and 3. has an exploding insurgency that wants us out of their country at any cost?

The victims of Hurricane Katrina desperately need our help. It’s time to get our spending priorities straight and take care of our own.

Michael Cooper

s s s

To the Editor:

The Post Office administrators seems to be awfully short-sighted! They are proposing building a new Post Office to reduce the traffic congestion around their building.

How many millions will this cost? Why not just put mailboxes on the streets so the folks in town can get their mail without having to drive to pick it up? This would solve their major traffic problem and save the government a batch of money and be a great convenience to the people in town. It would also keep the Post Office downtown close and convenient to the businesses where it belongs!

If the Post Office installed on-street mailboxes for local delivery, they would clear up not only their self professed major traffic problem and the potential shortage of boxes in the Post Office but they would save most of the folks in town at least $24 per year rent (for a small Post Office Box, technically a Group E Box) and much more for the large boxes that many businesses have.

Already many of the new developments in town have on-street mailboxes near their residences, why not take the next step and put in on-street mailboxes for all the residences?

“Government efficiency”; is this an oxymoron? I certainly think so!

Next time you’re in the Post Office why not mention this to the powers that be? Save yourselves some money and hassles. It’ll be easy!

Kirk Jacobsen

s s s

To the Editor:

I’m sorry, but Intelligent Design is just not science.

The scientific process starts with an idea, a hypothesis about how something works, with predictions. If the predictions prove true over many experiments by different researchers, the hypothesis may become a theory.

This is where evolution is in the realm of science — a strongly verified theory.

Intelligent Design makes no predictions. It says, in fact, that the process of developing complex life is unknowable — that it must be a divine action.

It’s very hard, and often foolish, to say something is unknowable. And teaching that we can’t know something and presumably shouldn’t try to know is not only foolish, I would call it stupefying.

The motivation for objections to evolution has historically come from a literal interpretation of the Bible. Initially, fundamentalists said that the Earth was only some thousands of years old, based on counting generations from Adam, and evolution couldn’t have had time to happen.

Now they’ve taken a step away from that position. ID is the current attempt to try to preserve their literal interpretation — and their vanity — as divinely created and special.

It would be best to remember that the wisdom of the Bible is in its insights into human interaction, especially the second great law (at least for Christians). It is not a scientific text and should not be taken that way. Science, not ID, should be taught in our schools. We have enough of a national problem with scientific illiteracy without actually promoting it.

Steve Bryan

s s s

To the Editor:

Isn’t it interesting that the Cyruses won approval of their Measure 37 claim to allow them to develop a 110-acre property on Highway 26 into 22 five-acre lots and another claim to develop 180 five-acre lots on Highway 126 (that’s a total of 202 houses and outbuildings) and yet they don’t want to let Central Electric Co-op upgrade the power lines on their property so that these 202 houses, and the rest of the area, have enough power to prevent blackouts.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Diana Raske Lovgren

s s s

To the Editor:

Sheriff Les Stiles is touting the same slogan as Sheriff Bernie Guisto in Multnomah County. They are crying the budget blues without cutting positions at the top. Deschutes County has contracts with other cities and has not lost any territory to annexation. The county needs to dig a little deeper in their budget.

Perhaps the sheriff should negotiate with the State of Oregon or other counties for a regional jail.

It does not take $100,000 to train new staff. Deschutes County has been on the lower end of the pay scale for deputy wages and benefits.

Laurie L. Kimmell

s s s

To the Editor:

The Black Butte Ranch Art Guild thanks everyone who made this year’s Art At The Ranch art show very successful. It was a joy to see many happy people leaving with their treasured purchases. Thanks to the outstanding artists, many volunteers, guests of the Ranch, and local Sisters, Camp Sherman, and Bend area residents, our annual art show exceeded last year’s revenues.

What this means to our community, is that again our Sisters school students will benefit from this effort. In June, 2004, we were able to give three $1,000 scholarships to graduating Sisters High School art students, and $1,000 each to the Sisters Elementary and Middle School art programs. In June, 2005, we gave four $1,000 scholarships to graduating Sisters High School art students and we will again donate to the Sisters Elementary and Middle School art programs.

This year, we will also donate a substantial amount to the Katrina Relief Fund.

Without your participation, this event would not enjoy this level of success. Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you next year.

Lee Kufchak, Marti Bradley-Kufchak

Co-chairpersons,

Black Butte Ranch Art Guild