Letters to the Editor 02/12/2020

The Hummel family would like to send a big and very overdue “Thank-You” to our amazing community of Sisters for all of the support we received during and long after the time when Rich was sick last fall!

We are so blessed to live in such an amazing community with so much support!

Beth Hummel

To the Editor:

I would like to thank the Sisters City Council for its decision to close Creekside Park to medium and large events starting in 2021. As a Locust Street homeowner and neighbor to the park and campground, I have seen first-hand the significant safety issues raised when these multi-day events are held in this park.

After the organizer and vendors set up their booths, they park their vehicles and tall cargo trailers along Locust Street, blocking the bike lanes and significantly obscuring motorist, pedestrian, and bicyclist views of intersection traffic, both northbound on Locust and eastbound on Jefferson. Patrons park in the neighborhood, frequently on the narrow Locust Street Bridge, which forces all users of the street into a narrow traffic lane increasing the possibility of an injury accident.

Locust is heavily used by summer visitors staying at the campground and FivePine Lodge to access the downtown area. Many of our summer visitors do not understand that Jefferson can be quite busy and fast as local traffic uses it to avoid Cascade. These folks assume that traffic will be light and often bike or walk through the Locust/Jefferson intersection without stopping.

I personally have nearly been struck, and have almost struck, pedestrians, bicyclists, and, yes, vehicles, due to the obstructed view at this intersection during these events and the congestion they create, and I’m aware of how dangerous it is. Our visitors are not.

While the Councilor who voted no states that “little to no factual reasons” to change Creekside park use exist and implies that the City rushed to judgement, I attended two sessions on this topic, the first in early November where this was discussed. I also detailed my concerns in a letter to the mayor, city manager and City Council in November.

While I personally would like to see the change implemented this summer, not next, I understand the desire of the Council to provide an opportunity for impacted events to have a year to relocate. I do request that no parking or trailer storage be allowed between the intersection and the campground entrance this year to reduce the danger to our guests and community.

Gary Ross

To the Editor:

Here’s to those who have stood up to power and acted on principle.

Elliot Richardson, attorney general, and William Ruckelshaus, deputy attorney general, who resigned rather than follow Richard Nixon’s orders to fire the special prosecutor during the Watergate investigation.

All the fact witnesses during the impeachment inquiry of Donald J. Trump who testified under subpoena despite being directed by the White House to not appear before the committee:

Marie Yovanovitch, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, Bill Taylor, George Kent, Fiona Hill, David Hale, and eight others.

Senator Mitt Romney of Utah who voted “yes” on one article of impeachment because his conscience demanded he do so.

May they be noted for their courage in history books yet to be written.

Stella Dean

To the Editor:

A modern fable...

And the serpent was subtler than any beast of the field; and he said unto the woman called Praysalot, “If ye shall sign this ‘State of Our Union’ agreement I will give you power over all the people and they shall kneel down before you; and you will destroy the Elected One with golden hair.”

And it came to pass that Praysalot then went unto the one called Heliesalot and said: “Go unto the nation called Infanticide and the town of Squad and seek the blessing from the one named Green who rides the pale horse.”

And the serpent later came unto Heliesalot in a dream and implanted within his mind the serpent’s own tools to destroy the Elected One with golden hair: NAZI, Hitler, misogynist, Stalin, dictator, Mao, RACIST, quid pro quo, endless lies, collusion, RUSSIA, obstruction, impeachment, personal destruction and bombshells. When Heliesalot awoke the serpent had sealed his eyelids open as a sign.

And across the land many scribes of the fake word joined hand in hand with the woman called Praysalot to propagate the tools of the serpent that would destroy the Elected One with golden hair.

And it came to pass that the final witness called Truth, moved upon the face of the land; and the attempt to destroy the Elected One with golden hair was defeated. And Praysalot summoned the serpent in a childish fit of rage and tore up their “State of Our Union” agreement. And the serpent just smiled and said to Praysalot “Do not fear for I am with you until the time of weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

Jeff Mackey