Letters to the Editor 09/18/2019

To the Editor:

I’m grieved at what I see happening in the U.S. Mass shootings, people wanting to kill the president, burn up certain political parties, killing and aborting babies after birth. Law and order not followed.

Much bitterness, hatred, vitriol everywhere. Taking guns away will not cure this. This grieves me very much; it’s not the America I grew up in!

We all need love, acceptance, forgiveness, understanding, tolerance one to another, bearing one another’s hurts, trials, burdens, having patience, slow to anger, less judgment.

We need to esteem others higher than ourselves, caring, helping, serving others, walking in their footsteps, be in peace. America needs a heart change, keep America great, fix the problems.

I myself need to try harder. Together we stand, divided we fall!

Chet Davis

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To the Editor:

Jim Anderson’s September 11 article about our need to protect insects is so right on the money that I’d like to challenge people, to rise above politics and become truly informed.

I’ve spent the past three years working with monarch butterfly advocacy people and the most wonderful aspect of that is to see how well liberals and conservatives can work together to do the right thing for the butterflies, the earth and all the people who live on it.

This isn’t a political issue. It’s about the future of life on the planet. This is much more important than climate change, and the solutions are simple and obvious in many cases. Let’s all work together and make this a way for us to rise above small-minded political-centric thinking.

Jean Nave

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To the Editor:

Welcome back! This is one of my favorite times of year as our students return to fill our classrooms. School is back in session and we are off to a great start. The mission of Sisters School District is community-connected education that creates belonging, prepares and inspires. We are excited to start the school year as we strive to execute this mission.

Our beginning enrollment is the highest it has been as I start my fifth year as superintendent. We have seen strong growth in our elementary and middle schools which is a positive sign for future enrollment as a district.

Our buildings are in great shape thanks to the support and execution of our bond. Prior to our start, we installed high-efficiency lights in the middle school commons and gym and in both gyms at the high school. We anticipate breaking ground on our transportation building soon as we finish out this bond initiative.

Nicki Merritt, executive director of Circle of Friends, informed us about their programing and the positive impact the adult mentors have on our students. Currently, they have six students on the waiting list for mentors. If you would like to be a mentor, please contact Ms. Merritt at Circle of Friends, 541-588-6445.

Additionally, Circle of Friends is opening up their Wednesday Homework Club to all students fifth-grade and above from 4 to 5:30 p.m. starting Wednesday, September 18. The focus will be on math and language arts as well as helping the kids with basic organizational skills. If you are interested please RSVP Circle of Friends Youth Program Coordinator at [email protected], by the Monday prior to the Wednesday’s homework time.

I want to say welcome to all of our new families and once again, welcome back to our returning Outlaws!

Curt Scholl

SSD Superintendent.

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To the Editor:

Indivisible Sisters presented another Debate Night Watch Party at the Sisters Library. Lots of tidbits to eat including Sisters Movie House popcorn. Although there were three hours of debate, the time went by surprisingly fast. We hope you will mark your calendars to join us for the fourth Democrat’s Primary Debate Night occurring in Ohio on November 15. The time, exact location and channel for viewing are not yet determined.

Senator Warren remains a solid star in yet another debate, having a viable plan for every issue. Senator Sanders badly needed cough medicine and remains true to doing all he can for the people. Senator Castro was demeaned by his own cruel and not accurate attacks on previous VP Biden. Past VP Biden came off defiant, gave convoluted answers and appeared flustered. Beto O’Rouke was measured and calmed down other candidates until on the topic of gun control. At which point, Beto got heated and understandably so, given the recent mass shootings in Texas.

Senator Harris improved from the last debate by not being agitated & showing a few smiles.

She looked at the camera and confronted President Trump a few times.

Representative Cory Booker remained a gentleman with his consistent message that every program he promotes will look to protecting the environment and mitigating global warming.

Hope others follow that lead.

Mr. Yang was all about buying votes and selling his business acumen.

Mayor Pete Buttigiege continues to be well spoken and somewhat conservative on all issues.

Senator Klobuchar did all but specifically say she represents the center.

All in all there was little about which they disagreed except on how each would fund their various plans.

They feel healthcare, education and a living wage are rights, that past-President Obama did well for the people of the US of A and that global warming is, indeed, a crisis.

Susan Cobb

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To the Editor:

The standards and sensibilities that have made our town a place that people think they want to move to should be maintained above the tyranny of proposed development.

To those who think that Sisters needs a Dollar General, let me point out that we DID have one here for a while. It recently went out of business, (by recently I mean in the last few years). Before the dollar store was here, we had another discount shop called “Sisters Outpost” located in the same area. It also went out of business.

As a past local business-owner, and local long-term retail worker, mother of three who raised her kids here over the last 20-plus years, I feel confident to guess that the people of Sisters value their more traditional local businesses over common franchises. Where they know the business owners and their lives, and vice versa. Sharing the ups and downs of doing business in a small town, there comes a sense of camaraderie between neighboring business-owners and customers alike. Friendships and understandings have been built over the course of years.

Yes, at times it is expensive to live here — but it is the same all over the Pacific Northwest. We all struggle to make ends meet. It has been part of our Sisters history that we support each other, taking turns shopping between Ray’s and Bi-Mart, and the local hardware stores etc., so that everyone gets a share, and for the most part, the dollars stay right here in town.

I think the idea of a Dollar General store comes from people who have not lived here for very long.

Also, most merchandise in a dollar store comes from China — the ingredients of which are usually questionable at best. (There is a very real reason why it only costs $1). Here, we live in a wonderful place with high-quality goods readily available, maybe for a few dollars more, but well worth the investment for our community and the health of our families. And we know that Dollar General money does not come into our community, but goes back to Dollar General corporate — whereever they may be located.

We are a quirky little town. We have facades and walls up. I know more about my neighbor than I want, and they know more than they want about me. But when things go wrong, the facades and the walls come down, and people jump in to help each other until the trauma passes.

Such “small town values” are the reason people are moving here now. If we start bringing these sorts of businesses in, we begin the slow journey toward destroying what made our town good to begin with.

Michelle P. Ehr

s s s

Editor’s note: Dollar General is a chain of variety merchandise stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. They are a discount retailer, but not a “dollar store,” per se.