Letters to the Editor 04/19/2006

To the Editor:

It was with interest I read the notice in “Sisters Salutes” that saluted Sisters businesses for their contributions that recently allowed the Sisters High Cascades Off Road Triathlon, an XTERRA event to donate $7,500 to the Rotaty Club for use in their local projects.

I would hope that some of that money would be used to maintain the garden the Rotary Club has started on the west entry to Sisters. As a member of the Sisters Garden Club it was my understanding that funding for the garden was running short and our club stepped in and donated most of the funds raised by our Quilt Show Garden Club Tour in 2005 to complete the plantings.

We have recently learned the Rotary Club is unable to maintain the garden and the Sisters Garden Club has been asked to take on this project. We maintain the other public gardens in Sisters and were not consulted on the plantings for this garden (suitability, easy maintenance, etc.), as it was not to be our responsibility.

Now, it seems, by default and our pride in Sisters and its gardens, we are going to be adding more work and volunteer hours for our members, not to mention the cost of fertilizer, bark mulch, annual flowers, etc.

So how about it, Rotary Club, if your members are unable or unwilling to take care of it, spend some of that money to hire a landscape service to maintain “your” garden.

Mickey Duehren

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To the Editor:

The 2006 Easter Egg Hunt Celebrated Easter with the Easter Bunny greeting hundreds of children at Three Sisters Overnight Park and Creekside Park in Sisters.

The participants and their families took part in this local 30-year plus tradition with great spring weather conditions. We would like to thank those who gave their assistance in hosting this event. It was a pleasure to offer this activity to the Sisters, Camp Sherman, Cloverdale, Black Butte Ranch residents and visitors.

A special thanks to the Easter Bunny (aka Spurge Cochran) who was dressed in the finest of attire.

We hope to see you all next year.

Stephen Fisher

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To the Editor:

During the Reagan Administration, approximately 3 million “illegal aliens” applied for the amnesty that was offered. Twice that many stayed in the shadows, wary of the amnesty offer.

South of our southern border, greatly encouraged by what may have been perceived as an open border, human migration north for a “better life” vastly increased.

Today, according to Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 2,900 people per day illegally cross the border. While some estimate 11 or 12 million “undocumented workers” or “illegal immigrants,” Homeland Security estimates are as high as 20 million, including what is termed OTM (Other Than Mexicans).

It is not humanly possible to deport or “Naturalize,” let alone find, 11 million undocumented people.

The guest worker program sounds reasonable; it offers people here for more than five years a guest worker status and a path to citizenship behind those who have legally applied.

Illegals here two to five years must go home but can legally apply for citizenship. Those people here less than two years must be deported.

The problem is the forged illegal documents to be dealt with. The 7000-mile multi-billion-dollar fence is a must. I know of a cheap labor force willing to do jobs Americans won’t do can build it.

Steve Coltin