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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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.

I have a suggestion for the new name of Squaw Creek. How about What Creek?

Tyler Hoyt

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To the Editor:

At a recent Sisters Planning Workshop Bill Willitts had excellent input. He said, "We need to have a vision of what we want Sisters to look like in 20 years; and then plan accordingly now to meet that vision."

Mention was made of one Bend neighborhood having 12 units per gross acre -- while Sisters is headed towards having 17 per gross acre!

Take a look at a living example of what he was trying to warn the workshop about. Drive by 520 South Pine Street, three blocks South of Space Age Gas Station. You will see a 30-foot-high massive structure. It is a "zero lot line" two-townhouse structure; view it from Ash Street to get the impact.

Plus, there will be another home put on the westward side of this 12,900-square-foot-lot. Take a look to see what our planners have allowed and approved in our quaint neighborhood! This is planning?

Ask, is this the vision? Is this what we want Sisters to look like? There is literally no play area for the townhouses -- and continued construction of more high density accommodation throughout Sisters will continue to destroy Sisters' livability.

Neighbors have said, "I cannot believe it;" and, "there are no words to describe how this was ever allowed;" and "this is ridiculous!"

Mr. Willitts has extensive insight of real estate development and has good ideas. Our "Planner" and the Mayor have shown no leadership on this issue. Allowing three residential homes on less than one-third of an acre in a single family area is nuts. It seems Bill was trying to wake up our city's leadership about density issues -- the 520 South Pine structure should wake us all up!

We have city leadership and "planners" who seem to have no imagination about future neighborhood livability.

Lastly, a question: Is our city lawyer, Mr. Steve Bryant, paid to assist taxpayers or only there to defend City Council's miscues and lack of leadership? What is their vision?

Visitors to our area will quickly think twice about investing and moving here.

John and Virginia Groom

Joe and Bonnie Emmons

Mel Bryan

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To the Editor;

As some of you may know, I will soon be leaving Ray's Food Place.

I would like to take time to say thank you to all the customers for your loyalty and to let you know what a privledge it has been to abe a part of your lives for the last 15-plus years.

And, to all of the co-workers, past and present, thank you all for everything.

This has not been an easy decision for me and brings great sadness. But at the same time I'm looking forward to a new career.

You all will be missed more than you'll ever know. And I hope to be of service to you in some other way.

I hope I can say good-bye to all of you individually but if not, please know that each of you are a special part of my life, no matter how small or big the order was. It was you I looked forward to every day.

I'm not quite sure just when my last day will be. But I have my box of Kleenex and open arms for all that want to come by and say "see you around."

It's been a pleasure from Checkstand 2.

Sincerely,

Bobbie Tafte

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To the Editor:

Not all "spam" is garbage. My daughter, Kristin -- a true and faithful pal -- forwards me every piece of spam she thinks I need, whether I like it or not. Sure, some of the jokes are fun, but most I dump into G-4's trash bin where (I think) it goes to the electron graveyard. However, yesterday she sent me one that hit me right between the eyes, and whether it's true or not, it's worth passing along...

"Handicapped, or emotionally gifted?"

"A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with relish to run the race to the finish.

"All that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry, slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back... every one of them.

"One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him said, 'This will make it better.' Then all nine of them linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.

"People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing... What matters in this life is helping others to win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course."

All I can add to that is I wish I had been there to share in that beautiful moment of love and the awareness of how important the spirit of caring is to us all.

Jim Anderson