Letters to the Editor 10/03/2018

To the Editor:

We need your help. Today we found a dead fawn on our back patio (see story, page 18). He had been shot with a small pellet gun or something similar. He died an agonizing death. I had gone outside to pick up some leaves and there he was. It was incredibly sad to see such a beautiful animal had come to such a senseless, violent end.

Yes, I know deer can be pests sometimes, but they are God's creatures and deserve a chance at life. This was a young fawn, probably still with his mother. He had a tiny bullet hole but it had gone into his lungs and he had coughed up a lot of blood. It's terrible to hear about, but someone shot this deer in town. That was wrong. If anyone knows anything about this, please contact the sheriff's office. It's not the crime of the century but we don't need or want this kind of thing going on in our peaceful town.

I'm going to volunteer for the cleanup this weekend. I love this little town. It's a great place to live and we need to come together to keep it that way. Please help to find this culprit and be good neighbors.

I also want to thank the game warden and state trooper who came out to the house to investigate. They were both genuinely disturbed by this. They protect our resources and protect all of us.

Virginia Patskowski

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To the Editor:

In the September 26 Nugget Jeannee McCaulou's letter regarding children separated from parents at the border begins with telling us how "the numbers....are both alarming and appalling." Of course no facts are given.

She then states: "not ONE child should be taken." I have no doubt Jeannee's heart is in the right place, but reality concerning separation of children from their parents is totally different than FAKE news tries to depict.

The fact is if you break the law and are incarcerated your children will be separated from you. The fact is America has many laws, and if you break those laws and are incarcerated - you will be separated from your children.

What is the answer? Simple, don't break the law, end up being incarcerated and your children won't be taken away. This is NOT just a border issue! The Annie E. Casey Foundation in November 2017 published a blog regarding nearly six million kids impacted by parental incarceration.

Tragedy YES; preventable YES.

Pat Bowe

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To the Editor:

On September 26, Jeff Mackey responded to Carolyn Hammond. While I agree with Mr. Mackey on some points, I disagree with his use of Pat Tillman and I ask that he look at Kaepernick's "sacrifice" differently.

Yes, Nike plays civil rights advocate in the left hand while pretending the right doesn't use sweat-shop labor. Also, our service men and women (including first responders) make the ultimate sacrifice daily.

However, Pat Tillman was killed by a fellow serviceman, and so we will never know if he could have returned home or not. His wife, Marie, has repeatedly asked for people to stop using her husband's death as a point of argument in the kneeling controversy.

Kaepernick didn't give up his life, but he put everything he had on the line for what he believes in: social equality. He used his platform to advocate for his beliefs and in doing so became on the receiving end of intense hate. The sacrifice is not equal to others, but it was a sacrifice nonetheless.

P.S. No one blames Trump caused hurricanes. [sic]

Let's all stop believing all we see on Facebook.

Shauna Harris

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To the Editor:

Darcy Long-Curtiss and I do not have the same letter beside our name when it comes to our political affiliation. In today's climate that means to some that I have no choice. I am not that type of voter. I vote with my brain by doing my own research and asking questions. I have asked Darcy tons of questions. Do we agree on everything? No; who does? Does she listen to my thoughts? Yes, and respects them.

Together we have sat down and discussed many of today's issues and have found enormous common ground. Darcy does not want to become Oregon's District 59 State Representative because of the money, potential power and influence. She wants to be in this position because she wants to serve and make a difference for children and families in Oregon.

Darcy Long-Curtiss may be a new name to you. What I want you to know is that Darcy is a person of great integrity. She will represent the people of District 59 with enthusiasm and spend the time finding solutions for our region. Darcy is not a newcomer to how the world of politics works. She has spent hours upon hours learning and volunteering since her time spent working in

Washington, D.C.

I support Darcy not because she is female, Democrat or Republican, but because she listens and wants to help the people in rural Oregon find a voice they can believe in and count on.

Debby Jones

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To the Editor:

Greg Walden said many times that he would protect the health insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions. Then he went to Washington, D.C. and wrote a bill that would have gotten rid of this coverage. Does this mean we can't trust him to follow through on his promises? I believe it means exactly that.

Maybe one reason for his actions is that he has taken over $400,000 from pharmaceutical and health products companies for his campaign this year. And over 60 percent of his donations come from outside of Oregon. He has no practical reasons to care about the health of his own constituents. I think he's been in Washington, D.C. for too long.

I'm voting for Jamie McLeod-Skinner. She's hard-working, responsive, and cares about the people in central and eastern Oregon. She's been driving all over this huge area with her little teardrop trailer for more than 18 months and has talked with thousands of us. She's impressive, and I believe she'll follow through on what she says.

Paula Surmann

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To the Editor:

I would like to encourage you to join me in voting for James Cook for County Commissioner. We need experience on our County Commission, and as chair of the Redmond Planning Commission James Cook has first-hand experience guiding a growing city. He encourages the construction of town homes, triplexes and four-plexes to create more housing choices. He knows how the process works, and the options that are available to cities wanting to create the housing needed by workers and families seeking their first home. He understands that there is a balance required to meet the needs of expanding cities while protecting important agricultural and forest lands.

Cities across Deschutes County have to deal with the demands of development, even here in Sisters. We need a County Commissioner who understands the intricacies of land-use planning and can help cities plan for change while keeping the community spirit that makes them special places to live.

Most importantly, when he goes to Salem to talk with legislators about sensible solutions to housing issues in Deschutes County he knows what he is talking about. He's eager to explore new ideas and build consensus between all interest groups so that we can define the communities we want to have for our children and grandchildren.

With a focus on future and an understanding of the spirit that built our county, I urge you to vote for James Cook for County Commissioner.

Rosemary Vasquez