Letters to the Editor 09/09/09

To the Editor:

The Sisters affiliate of Habitat for Humanity makes a positive difference in our community. On September 16 we will dedicate and break ground on homes number 41 and 42 to be purchased by the Ling-Scott Family and the Henninger Family.

Working in partnership with the Sisters community, Habitat helps hard-working, low-income families achieve the dream of owning a home of their own.

The majority of the funding for building homes comes from the generous donations of community members and everyone who shops at and donates to the Habitat Thrift Store and ReStore. Thank you so much. You are thinking globally and acting locally.

There are, however, members of our community who make "drive-by donations." A majority of these donations occur after hours, and most of what is donated is, quite honestly, junk. Essentially these folks are just dumping on Habitat property.

Dumping is against the law, and carries a $500 fine. Habitat has recently prosecuted two individuals because of this dumping. Out of necessity we plan to continue to prosecute anyone who violates this law.

We would prefer that people understand that these drive-by donations result in Habitat having to spend time and money to get rid of this material, and this takes money out of the building fund. If you dump your unwanted goods on our property, you are not helping, you are hurting. Please stop.

I would also ask that anyone seeing these after-hours donations in progress, try to get a vehicle license number or a description of the vehicle, and contact the Deschutes County Sheriff. You will be doing our community a favor.

We do welcome and appreciate donations of good, quality, salable items. The Thrift Store accepts donations Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This allows the fantastic team of volunteers to sort through donations by closing time. The ReStore accepts donations during open hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Thank you to everyone who helps Habitat help our neighbors in need. You help make Sisters a truly great community.

Ed Protas

Chairperson, Habitat ReStore Advisory Committee

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To the Editor:

I read with interest Rep. Walden's article on the HFRA-Healthy Forest Restoration Act and with all its noble purposes, it left me with more questions than answers!

As an aside I noted that one school system found conversion to slash-burning fuel units too expensive - probably will be so until those units become more common and cheaper.

Rep. Walden spoke of 1,000 jobs. I ask where and for whom? Other than cutting more trees. On that score, he mentions that the program will go "beyond the interface areas" which only says to me "let's cut more trees" as the goal of this program. Not "let's have healthy forests!"

Causal observation of the south side of McKenzie Highway up near Windy Point is the worst most fire-prone area anywhere around and represents a far greater danger to areas like Crossroads and Sisters High School (in my humble opinion) but doesn't contain enough good timber to interest timber cutters!

Near that same area I observe US. Forest Services neat slash piles, all of which will ultimately be burned. Aren't we working at cross purposes?

Will Rep. Walden's program result in a similar reduction in Forest Service jobs - or at least a reduction in their budget? If not, why not? Aren't he and his fellow reps from timber production states a little shortsighted?

What about the other 46 states and how about a renewal of the CCC which provided tens of thousands of jobs and helped keep our economy afloat in the 1930s and the '40s? That program provided reforestation which was the lifeblood of our current timber companies.

I saw nothing of reforestation in Rep. Walden's grandiose plan! I have no expertise in these matters but have observed political machinations for as many years as Rep. Walden has been alive. This is just another one, in my opinion!

Russell B. Williams

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To the Editor:

In the article about the last hurrah of summer in Camp Sherman celebrating Labor Day, I am misquoted regarding the date of the founding of The American Federation of Labor by Samuel Gompers.

Far from being founded subsequent to the longshoremen strike of 1934, it was founded by Gompers in 1886 with the goal of attaining the right of workers to collective bargaining for a living wage and safe working conditions, enabling the workers to enjoy decent housing and high standards of education for their children.

The CIO, or Committee for Industrial Organization, came much later, in the 1930s, and eventually joined hands with the AF of L, making one large labor organization: the AFL-CIO.

The above being said, the article was excellent, and we can all be thankful for the Camp Sherman Store, specifically for Roger and Kathy White, for their many contributions to our community, including food, fun and family, to say nothing of their fabulous staff.

Katherine Livingston

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To the Editor:

I am horrified that our judicial system has decided to give 26-year-old Rafael Diaz-Quintana free room and board for a minimum of two-and-a-half years in prison after his seventh DUI.

What? He has lied about his identity, left the scene of an accident, marijuana possession, driving while suspended, spit at officers, been deported and even the judge does not believe that he is capable of being reformed.

So I guess my thinking is this: I really should consider letting my 94-year-old grammie have one last thrill behind the wheel.

Finding 24-hour care for my grammie is so expensive - and what is the cost of a six-pack these days? She doesn't get my name right the first time, so the chances of her coming up with her real name the first time is slim, too.

I'll have to teach her to spit again to secure her non "early release with good behavior."

Sounds ridiculous? Welcome to America; hope you enjoy your stay. Yeah, lock him up for a couple years; I'm pretty sure he won't want a drink after that. Brilliant.

Not sure what it means to be an American anymore. Apparently it means paying for this clown to exist and pay for all his legal fees.

Becky Aylor

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To the Editor:

Re: "Canine event sets tails wagging in Sisters," (The Nugget, September 2, page 1).

I am so happy to hear of such a pawsome event happening in Sisters - my Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and I are sad to have missed it.

However, I am sad to read that with such attention to the great dogs that the author of the article did not double-check on the breed names and misstated the breed - calling a Bernese Mountain Dog a "Bermese."

A common misconception, but serious pet peeve of the Swiss Mountain dog family.

Hilary Hedemark