RE: A Beautiful Five Feature, 6/13
I have lived and worked in this area for 35 years, 8 of which were on the McKenzie River. Blue Pool, (aka Tamolitch Falls), Sahalie and Koosah Falls are all beautiful and well loved, but as our population increases and people are drawn to these delights, it is troublesome to see them despoiled by people climbing around off trail causing erosion and impacting the pristine vegetation and water quality. Posting pictures with people camping and climbing down by the falls is not helpful to maintaining the environment.
Savannah, when writing these articles, please remind folks that they are not alone in their visitation, that every step they take is an impact to the fragile environment, and to take care to treasure these places so future visitors may enjoy these spectacular treasures.
—Michelle McSwain via bendsource.com
Trump is unfit to hold office—this guilty verdict proves it
Trump's conviction in New York reaffirms the principle that no one—not even a former president—is above the law in the United States of America.
The evidence presented to the jury was damning, including numerous falsified documents with Trump's signature on them. Falsification of business records is a serious crime, and Trump is finally being held accountable just as any other American would.
Trump has often been called a fraudster—and now he has been convicted of just that: fraud, and trying to illegally pull one over on the American people.
Trump's felony conviction is not merely about illegal hush money payments made 11 days before an election; it is about safeguarding the integrity of our elections. Trump has a clear pattern of lying to the American people and trying to undermine our elections in order to cling to power. This trial was the first of several—he still faces three additional indictments and 54 criminal charges, including federal charges for inciting a deadly insurrection to overturn the 2020 election.
Donald Trump has shown us who he is: a fraudster who will lie and break the law in order to cling to power. We must remember that when we go to the ballot box and cast our vote for the next president.
—Anthony Basile
RE: A Dangerous Road. News, 6/13
So ODOT finally figured out Highway 97 is an exceptionally dangerous road.
When I wrote them and my state senator five years ago about the routine dangerous passing and excessive speed I saw on every one of my weekly trips to Bend, they dismissed me, telling me that part of 97 was not unusually hazardous. Who are you going to believe, us, or your own lying eyes?
It was a great road —in 1965.
But even here in Antelope, a town of 40 people, we had one of us killed in a head-on crash on 97 in recent years.
We need the state money to rebuild a safe Highway 97, starting with the crazy section between Madras and the Crooked River Bridge.
More of us will get killed out there, but you can make that a lot harder by writing your state legislator to get that road rebuilt.
And you can show up at the Joint Committee On Transportation meeting in Bend on September 12 to Let Them Know!
—Bill Pilling
What's up with the Bird Bikes of Bend?
It seems the City of Bend is pleased with Bird's e-bike sharing program without concern about the company's bankruptcy filing. As the Bird bikes are back flying around town and then abandoned in inappropriate spots once again.
I found a flock of bird bikes left in a No Parking area of the Deschutes River trail at the Archie Briggs trail crossing. After several days have passed and I am thinking who is responsible for getting these birds back to the nest? The Deschutes River trail is an inappropriate storage area. Same pilot program with the same issues.
Electric bikes have caused all kinds of safety concerns about underage users not obeying traffic rules. What about the impact on other trail users, as well as wildlife habitat? The City of Bend should be supporting local bike shops that offer bike rentals with accountability.
—Marybeth Hamilton
Letter of the Week:
Marybeth — Letter of the Week for so many bird references! I can't let such wordsmithery go unnoticed. Come on by for your gift card to Palate.
—Nicole Vulcan
