Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

Editor's note:

Last week we ran a letter concerning Squaw Creek Irrigation District from "Ann Wright." The woman who submitted the letter told one of our staffers that this was her given name, but not the name that she generally goes by.

Due to an oversight, we did not get a phone number with the letter as is our usual procedure.

We do not publish anonymous letters. While this letter was not actually anonymous, the writer certainly endeavored to disguise her identity. Under those circumstances, it was inappropriate for us to publish the letter and we regret doing so.

Though we recognize the letter writer by sight, we have not been able to put a real name with the face. Perhaps she will step forward and identify herself and claim her opinions.

Jim Cornelius, News Editor

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To the Editor:

This responds to "Ann Wright's" diatribe concerning the Squaw Creek Irrigation District (SCID) election. I should say I am related to the Cyruses, thus am not unbiased.

Wright's letter, however, contained some preposterous statements which demand a reply. To say that the Cyruses "want to keep our irrigation district broke" speaks for itself. The financial records are public records and are there for all to see. "Wright's" letter is indicative of either gross misinformation on her part, or, more darkly, an attempt to deliberately inflame the community in an attempt to influence the election.

The same applies to her statement concerning the candidate who is attempting to oust the incumbent director.

Unfortunately, we'll never know. Apparently "Ann Wright" is a pseudonym for a person who is unwilling to crawl out of the shadows and publicly identify herself and air her views.

Regrettably, The Nugget failed to follow its own procedure for assuring the legitimacy of letters submitted for publication by not obtaining identification of the "Wright" individual.

"Ann Wright" is not a member of SCID, nor does she attend SCID meetings. Who, then, is this person to castigate others who speak their minds for not attending meetings? Let's face it: much of the weight we give a person's pronouncements is influenced by who the person is who is making the pronouncements. When that person refuses to identify herself, what are we to make of anything she says?

Although it is too late for this letter to serve as an effective rebuttal, since the election will have taken place before this gets published, I can only hope the community will evaluate "Wright's" letter for what it was: a cowardly anonymous attempt to influence an election through flagrant misstatement of fact.

Leonard Knott

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To the Editor:

I have been out of town for the past month, so I have missed the latest Squaw Creek-Cyrus battle.

I did see a letter referring to Mr. Lee Christensen. I have worked on every phase of the sewer project, except the residential hook-ups. In the past 13 months I have gotten to know the Sisters Public Works Department.

In 17 years of tearing up city streets and installing new sewer lines in almost every city in Oregon, I can say that the Sisters Public Works Department is the best I have ever dealt with.

This reflects on the excellent leadership of Mr. Gary Frazee. I have never met a man with a harder work ethic or a better attitude than Mr. Lee Christensen.

Their locates have been 99 percent accurate. If a water line was broke, they did not point fingers, they just showed up quickly and did everything they could to cooperate, have everything fixed and be back on line.

So we all know that the Arabs and the Jews and the Christians and the Muslims will have their problems solved before the Cyruses and Squaw Creek. Please don't question Lee Christensen. There is not a better man in the world to be on the Squaw Creek Board.

Sincerely,

Casey Kendall

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To the Editor:

Evil lurks in Sisters; it made itself known at 7:05 p.m. this Saturday evening when some thoughtless individual threw a "king of beers" beer bottle at my pickup as I was passing Circle 5 headed to Sisters.

If the bottle had been just an inch or so more into my lane I probably would not be writing this.

You did a lot of damage to my uninsured old pickup, and you got the canopy too, glass and beer all over the impact area. You should be proud of your stupidity.

I would invite the editor to come and take a picture and maybe make a story of this. It might make someone think; it is no joke throwing beer bottles from one vehicle at another, I am sure and am without a doubt that it could kill.

Thank you,

David Culver

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To the Editor:

As the city and councilors are working through the current problems of the Buck Run III sewer dilemma, I wonder if they have also considered the possibility of:

• Current home owner selling prior to the 10 year limit.

• How would the 10 year limit affect the new buyer -- would they then be responsible for putting in main lines before purchase?

• What part of the balance of remaining loan would the seller be responsible for?

• How would the LID affect the transfer of ownership?

I think these issues should be addressed by the current 13 homeowners -- or the City would then again have the same issues to deal with in 10 years

Jean Cooper

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To the Editor:

The U-8 soccer team sponsored by Figaros Pizza developed into a winning squad by practicing hard, rain or shine this fall.

By the first game, Tony Pullig was stopping goals like a pro and Lauren Rudinsky was diving on shots with no fear.

The team learned quickly how to move the ball down-field. Ryan Haney dribbled and shot with confidence and forward Luke Silva drove the ball down-field to create scoring chances.

The young players took a while to appreciate the value of passing, but Andreas Golden and Abel Porraz demonstrated that passing could lead to scoring.

Sydney Stoneback and Julie Cristiano caught on and began bringing the ball into the scoring zone, where Malia Butler scored for the first time -- on her seventh birthday.

Denise Cristiano and Karen Stoneback