Letters, letters, letters

To the Editor:

Black, intentional lies, when revealed, leave a taste in the mouth like rotten meat, and that was the kind of disgust I felt after reading the December 3 article in The Nugget regarding the Santiam LSR project.

When the spruce budworm epidemic began spreading 10 years ago, the Forest Service began drafting plans and submitting ideas about how to control the damage. Historically, the spruce budworm, during times of drought, has ravaged conifer stands all over the west, and scientists have developed various ways of stopping it.

But not this time, no way. Because from the very beginning environmental groups thwarted every attempt to save the forest.

The preservationists, through their lies and irrational inflammatory, sentimentalized rhetoric showed that they were determined to let the forest die. And it died didn't it? All you have to do is drive up on the pass. Everywhere you see dead and dying diseased trees, a forest ruined for at least 100 years.

The blame for this needless catastrophe, this criminal devastation of some of the most beautiful country in the U.S., rests squarely on the sanctimonious shoulders of the so-called "environmentalists" whose idea of forest stewardship was to let the forest die, and "clear cutting" has nothing to do with it!

I can disprove every statement Steve Huddleston made in the December 3 article, because nothing he said is true.

And I, who gave 30 years of my life to the woods; who planted over a million trees; who cleared and thinned over 2,000 acres in Deschutes County during the mountain pine beetle epidemic; who worked as a contract timber faller for the forest service on six major project fires; who cut enough timber to build every structure, to supply lumber and wood products, for thousands of people, am insulted!

And I am sickened by the routine demonization of the Forest Service and the timber industry in general by people who don't even know what work is; who have to lie to promote their agenda; who are jealous and envious of those who have the courage and integrity to handle the responsibility of forest stewardship.

And, when the "tree-huggers" start using plastic toilet paper, maybe they'll earn my respect.

Yours truly,

Michael Goodwin

To the Editor:

As a reply to The Nugget's story of November 26, on the Forest Service-Crown Pacific land swap within the city limits of Sisters, I have some comments.

The parcel appears to be representative of one of the few spots untouched by previous logging, containing many mature old growth ponderosa pines. In the southwest area of the parcel are 14 or 15 wildlife trees, dead standing ponderosas in all stages of maturity with holes for nesting birds. I saw deer and woodpeckers as I walked the parcel.

Upon inspection of the maps supplied by the Forest Service for the proposed land swap, I noticed that Crown Pacific owns no land within the Sisters city limits or anywhere near the Sisters city limits. The Forest Service states that the intent of the land swap is to square up checkerboarding in the forests, eliminating management challenges.

The story mentions that the owner of the Ponderosa Lodge will likely purchase the parcel from Crown Pacific for expansion of the motel. I fail to see what prevents the Forest Service from contacting the developer of the property with an offer for the direct sale of this parcel, thereby eliminating a tremendous management challenge and possibly bringing a not insignificant amount of money into public hands.

If this very small portion of the 72,000 acre land swap proposal is indicative of the intent of the entire package, or of what could be the future of our National Forest holdings, perhaps it is time to question the motives of our present public lands management system.

Yours respectfully,

Stephen Ankrum, Bend

To the Editor:

The US Forest Service is about to try to exchange 32,000 acres of our forest and claims, under an as yet untested section of law, that they do not have to tell you its value.

Their study, called the EIS, took about two years, probably cost in the six figures, and according the EIS will save them $9,900 (see p.87 - their figures).

With all due respect to the addition of 16.2 acres in Sisters, and the pro-exchange article in last week's Nugget, I submit the following questions:

l. If you check the price paid for the one-plus acres at the future Les Schwab site, and multiply it by 16.2, what is the value of this parcel?

2. Of the 118 million board feet of timber coming back to USFS, how much of it is salable timber? (See its description in the EIS)

3. If the 16.2 acres has 12 truckloads of timber, how many loads are there in the rest of the 32, 000 acres - much of it old growth?

4. If timbered forests adjoining LaPine are still unreforested or cleaned up after five years (testimony at the November 3 hearing) what are the 32,000 going to look like? I've heard some poor reports from the Gilchrist area.

5. How many convention attendees at any of the three proposed centers will want to golf, ride horse, or fish in this kind of forest?

6. If the U.S. Constitution is still being rewritten after 200 years, to fit our needs, how about changing the outdated 1922 laws under which this travesty is being transacted?

The big question - do you have any idea of the real value, or loss to the taxpayers of this exchange? If these were open bids, openly arrived at and advertised nationally, this value would revert to taxpayers, not to private coffers.

The November 23 Bulletin details the latest in USFS scandals: loss of up to billions of dollars on timber sales, hidden by tricky accounting.

This exchange will add more dollars to those losses! Send for your copy of EIS, then contact your Senator to get the USFS out of land exchanges and get this one canceled!

Russell B. Williams

To the Editor,

We would like to thank the Black Butte Ranch Homeowners for their generosity in allowing the Sisters High School swim team to practice at the Glaze Meadow pool.

The Sisters swimmers were facing the ordeal of having to practice in Bend before school at 5:30 a.m. For many parents, this was not a viable option.

Now that after-school practice times are available at Black Butte Ranch, the team is practicing four to five days a week.

It's exciting to watch the motivation and hard work of these young people, as the first Sisters co-ed swim team develops.

Sisters has always been a community that goes the extra mile to support sports programs for its youth. We'd like to thank Isolde Hedemark for her tenacity and fantastic, positive outlook, Sandi Timms for her work as interim coach, and express our appreciation to the Black Butte homeowners for displaying such great community spirit by making their pool available to our team.

Sincerely,

Ginger and Bob Shaw

To the Editor:

The Magical Voices of Christmas concert on Friday, December 5, at Sisters High School was a wonderful way to start the Christmas Season in our Town of Tiny Lights.

Presented by the Sisters Rotary Club to benefit the Bucks for Books program at the library and the Sisters High School music department, the production required the time and effort of many people.

A committee consisting of Peg Bermel, Dennis Dempsey, Steve Swisher, Jim Craig and myself worked with Neil Chase and Ray Jones of the High Desert Harmoneers to bring together three outstanding local singing groups, all of whom donated their time and talent to the cause for our entertainment.

The committee and I are indebted to Neil and Ray, the High Desert Harmoneers directed by Don Madsen, The Sisters High School Jazz Choir directed by Jody Henderson, and the Sisters Community Choir directed by Forest Daniel. A bonus during intermission was the High School Jazz band directed by Jody Henderson.

The community can be proud of the High School Music Department and students.

Special thanks to the local businesses who advertised in the program, and to those who helped in promoting the program. Thanks to the businesses who sold tickets and to the members of the Lutheran church and the individual Rotarians for their help in selling tickets.

Thanks also to the high school students who set up and took down the chairs in the auditorium.

Most of all, thanks to the wonderful, generous people of this community for your support. I hope you enjoyed the evening as much as I did.

Barbara Turner

To the Editor:

I would like to thank everyone who took time out from their busy schedule to participate in this year's Sisters Christmas parade.

Congratulations to our first place winners;.

The Youth Group Award went to The Sisters Baton Team; the Motorized Category winner was the Cloverdale Pre-school; Best Dressed Animal(s) was awarded to the Saddle Bags Riding Club.

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who helped make this event possible, mainly, Evelyn Brush, Tim Wonderly, Ron Roach, Diana and Bill Kelleher, Rick Evans and Dorro Sokol.

But most of all, to everyone who attended the parade, watching you enjoying the festivities made our efforts very gratifying.

Tony Lee

To the Editor:

Zygmunt and Sarah Sawiel of Sisters, who own and direct Central Oregon School of Ballet in Bend, in conjunction with Cascade Festival of Music, presented three performances of the Nutcracker Ballet this past weekend at Bend High School Auditorium.

What a wonderful production and tribute to the 120 dancers and scores of volunteers who make the magic come to life.

Twenty dancers from ages six to 16 represented Sisters families. Aubrey Denzer, a junior at sisters High School, received unprecedented call-back on stage during the ballet, Saturday night, and standing ovation during her stellar performance as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Sisters families should be very proud, once again, of their children. Going to the Nutcracker Ballet is a fun and wonderful and festive way to begin the Christmas Season.

Thank you to the Sawiels and all of the talented dancers for a very enjoyable weekend.

Jan Reed