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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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.

To the Editor:

Hello....was wondering if there are any plans to divert interstate traffic around the city in the future? I feel for you on the loss of business that may or may not happen but people do know where you are.

If they plan to go there to the shops, I don't think a couple of blocks would make any difference especially since they can get the same items at Wal-Mart for 80 percent less money.

When you have 10-mile traffic hold-ups each way from Sisters, this is a bad thing don't you think?

I have the patience of a snail myself, but most people on the highway don't. It may be one of your family members coming home from the market one day that gets killed by the dude in the four-ton Dodge that thought he could make it around the car in time. Is it really worth it? Most intelligent people don't think so.

The least they could do is put in some crosswalk lights so people don't stroll across a major highway at their leisure. They don't allow us to have garage sales on I-5 for a reason.

This is no joke. I was held up on a very crowded time through Sisters because two people of questionable intelligence decided to have a two minute conversation in the middle of the crosswalk. Unbelievable!

Someone's life is just not worth it and I do hope some of the citizens there will wake up to that fact and try to prevent people from getting killed.

Randy L. Nott, Lebanon

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To the Editor:

Two large black dogs chasing fawns and a doe followed by two young women on bicycles were roaring down West Meadow Parkway this Saturday afternoon on July 6.

In my horror, I screamed at the people on the bicycles to get the dogs under control.

A few minutes later I saw the doe being chased by one of the dogs across our property and heading for the willows on Indian Ford Creek on the Deschutes Basin Land Trust property.

I don't know what happened to the fawns and did not see the other dog return, but did see one of the bike riders moving at a good pace back down the road from whence she came.

We do have leash laws, and domesticated animals chasing wild animals are out of control.

I wish the visitors to our area would apprise themselves of the fact that we do expect them to consider the welfare of the wildlife that live here in peace along with the residents who care about them.

I am sick at heart at this unnecessary letter.

Norma Funai

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To the Editor:

Following published reports of the recent Sisters City Council meeting where they approved a resolution expressing lack of support for the loss of any public lands in the Squaw Creek corridor, many people seem confused.

Two questions are being asked: How divided was the council in this vote, and; Isn't it a dead issue since the proposal to exchange lands was withdrawn?

During the half hour of the work session and the half hour of the regular council meeting, council members raised only one question for clarification and that was by Councilor (Lon) Kellstrom. His concern was answered and the council then voted 5-0 to approve the resolution.

The private landowner did submit a letter to the council saying his original proposal was withdrawn and then spent the next three paragraphs endorsing the five-page second proposal distributed at the June 18 workshop.

This proposal reduces the acres from 690 to 462, still two-thirds of the last proposal. It offers to "give back" to public use access that is allowed already under public land management and renews his "permanent" conservation easement. The last part of that easement describes how it can be canceled.

To answer those questions: The council's action was unanimous, and: It's not over, folks until -- in the words of Wayne Jack -- the lady sings a solo.

Jim Fisher

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To the Editor:

On Friday, May 24, John C. Watts, a local masonry contractor, was on the job working as usual, when he suddenly felt ill.

He packed up some, not all, of his tools and headed for home. While enroute, he felt himself losing consciousness, so he pulled his work vehicle, a red GMC truck, over to the side of the road.

He tried to use his cell phone to call for help, but found he couldn't concentrate long enough to dial the numbers.

John Baumann, who had worked on construction sites with Mr. Watts in the past, happened to be driving by and noticed his vehicle pulled over at the side of the road and strangely enough, his feet sticking up in the window.

He mentioned to his wife, Jackie, "I think that's John Watts' vehicle and his feet were in the window. That doesn't look like something he'd do, we'd better check on him."

John Baumann's assumptions were correct.

Jackie Baumann dialed for help while John Baumann got in the truck with Mr. Watts and drove him home. Their quick thinking and response saved John Watts' life that day. He had multiple blood clots and one had moved to his lungs.

We would like to say a special thank you to John Baumann and his wife, Jackie.

In our minds and hearts they are local heroes.

The Watts Family

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To the Editor:

It is uplifting to see that someone has taken the initiative to display their pride in the good fortune of living in the greatest nation in the world. I am referring to the new U.S. flag at pole at the east end of Sisters.

However, I would like to point out some flag etiquette trivia.

The Stars And Stripes can be displayed 24-hours-a-day but must be illuminated in some way (by a halogen flood or just a mere spot light).

Old Glory should never, ever, fly in total darkness.

Thanks again for the efforts to erect this powerful worldly symbol of life, liberty, and the steadily improving justice for all.

Sincerely,

Sandra Rosencrantz

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To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the editorial concerning "In God We Trust" ("Oh, for God's sake," The Nugget, July 3, page 2).

I am truly grateful that I live in a country where I can be reminded of my faith in so many ways as was established by are forefathers.

"In God We Trust or "One nation under God" seems simple, yet it has been that very thing that has sustained me in the recent events of my life.

Trusting in God can be taken for granted. Take it from someone who cherishes those words -- how many others have been comforted by those four simple words -- "In God We Trust."

Sincerely,

Jackie Kolb

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To the Editor:

The Sisters Outlaws softball team would like to thank all the folks who supported us at our annual Art Auction.

Many artists and businesses donated items for our cause.

Skip Armstrong's carved eagle sold for $1,450, all of which went to the girls' program.

Shannon Powers put in a lot of time and was a great auctioneer. Pat Lamoreaux also helped with organizing the event.

In these times of tight budgets we depend on fund-raisers and community support for the success of our program.

Thank you,

Mitch Deaderick, SHS softball

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To the Editor:

Israel has forgotten the horrors of their own holocaust. They are now visiting similar terror upon their Arab kinsmen, all children of Abraham.

The Jews might as well make the Palestinians wear the infamous Star of David patch, if they are going to be confined to the filthy ghettos of refugee camps, their land stolen for Jewish "settlements."

We in America, with our comfortable lives, cannot imagine how utterly intolerable Palestinian existence must be, so much so that suicide has become a viable option for them.

We have just celebrated our freedom, but we continue to deny it to the Palestinians.

They are regarded by President Bush, that awful Mr. Sharon, and many of the media as so subhuman that they don't know how to pick an adequate leader, much less govern themselves.

They have even been compared to mosquitoes in the analogy "If you want to get rid of a mosquito problem, don't spray the mosquitoes; drain the swamp." While that is definitely the only procedure for a lasting end to terrorism, the analogy is derogatory.

Nearly 60 years ago, the UN decreed the division of Palestine into two states. In all that time, only Israel is a state. When is the world going to demand an equal Palestinian state?

Submit the process to binding arbitration and be done with endless negotiations that only allow Israel to delay Palestinian statehood indefinitely.

Put an end to terrorism by giving Palestinians their freedom! Make Israel stop the persecution; demand that both sides stop the bloodshed.

June Forsyth