Letters to the Editor 08/10/2016

To the Editor:

The "Letter to the Editor" in the August 3 newspaper from Duane C. Anderson was sunlight after a rainstorm. After all the negative letters recently about what people do not like about living in Sisters, this letter was very refreshing. And by the way: A bad day in Sisters is better than a good day any place else.

My parents, Lee and Bunny Morton, and my brothers Frank and Bob moved to Allingham Guard Station in the spring of 1948. The house had no electricity, a wood heat stove in the living room and a wood cook stove in the kitchen. We used kerosene lanterns for light and mom had a gas-powered wringer washer and hung the clothes on the line outside. Adali Stevenson stopped to compliment mom on the beautiful laundry on the line and had a cup of coffee.

Carl DeMoye was the lookout on Black Butte and we would trail supplies and mail to him by burro; I was four, Bob was five and Frank was eight. Price Garlington was the cook for the summer crew. He had only one arm and made the best big cookies ever. Each summer there would be a new crew to pile brush and there was also a trail crew that took burros and cleared mountain trails. I remember all the fun the trail crew had with the burros on their two-week trips to clear mountain trails.

I remember Bill and Faye Brown. Clarence and Kathryn Smith owned the Camp Sherman Store and Post Office - and a 10-cent ice cream cone was a masterpiece.

It broke my heart when they tore down the Allingham Guard Station house, and now the rest of the buildings. It is like removing our history; but it lives in our souls. The jumps off the Allingham bridge into the cold Metolius River were classic. There are so many memories from those days and I treasure every one of them.

I hope you read this, Duane C. Anderson of Tualatin. Thank you for the trip down memory lane and a moment in time that will never be equaled.

Virginia "Vandy" Morton West

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To the Editor:

I was in Sisters in late July, helping my daughter scout housing for her family, who will be moving there this August. My husband and I are also looking at a move to Sisters, a town we have admired for many years.

While there, my daughter and I became aware of the situation that exists - and evidently will be escalating - concerning fairly far-reaching noise from a recreational plane enterprise. If I recall correctly, this noise has been disturbing residents in a radius of about three miles - a pretty big swath for a small town.

The upshot? Neither my daughter's family nor my family is interested in looking at houses for sale on the north side of town. I should think this trend would be disturbing to Realtors, let alone home owners! Is the City government turning a deaf ear to those who have made these concerns

known?

I am reminded of something Spock said in the movie The Wrath of Khan: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Is this only fantasy?

Donna Manion

Sammamish, WA

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To the Editor:

During last week's meeting of Sisters Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, discussion was voiced that recognition and support be given to all law enforcement officers.

It was quickly decided that, to honor any and all first responders throughout our nation, a posting of our national colors would be appropriate.

As of this Wednesday morning, we can all see our U.S. flags blowing in the breeze up and down Cascade Avenue. We military veterans proudly say "thank you" to all those who are dedicated to preserving the peace throughout our nation.

A dozen veterans have been posting the colors around Sisters for the past eight years. It takes about an hour to put up and take down the 125 flags, normally at the crack of dawn. Throughout the year, flags are posted five times, during patriotic holidays. This week's posting is

special.

As an added service to the citizens of Sisters, the veterans also collect and retire worn or tattered flags that need to be retired. Flags may be dropped off at our Sisters Chamber of Commerce office for proper disposal.

Earl Schroeder