Bend should focus on needs not wants

May 19, 2013 4:00 am

Suppose you are making choices about what Bend’s police need. Would a mobile command vehicle be on the list?One part of Bend’s proposed budget for the next biennium that deserves some council scrutiny is the plan to buy a mobile command vehicle for the police for $200,000. Why is it....MORE

Legislature fails on long-term PERS reform

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

Better than any governor before him, Gov. John Kitzhaber framed the problem with the state employee retirement system called PERS. Cut PERS or cut schools.“The average cost per pupil in Oregon will go up about $1,000 per pupil this next biennium; $500 of that is the increase in PERS," he said....MORE

Email gives context to senators’ letters

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

When Oregon’s U. S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and other Democratic senators wrote to the IRS last year criticizing the agency’s regulations, they didn’t mention conservative groups. But Merkley’s email to supporters makes it clear that was his concern. However, the letters to the IRS....MORE

Computers testing writing goes too far

May 17, 2013 4:00 am

Can a machine grade a writing test? Surprisingly, it’s a subject of some dispute, with dueling studies, impassioned statements and an online petition. A critical driver is money. As tests are being developed for the new Common Core K-12 educational standards, some see computer scoring as....MORE

Internet freedom bill is a gesture worth making

May 17, 2013 4:00 am

While an official U. S. policy favoring global Internet freedom may not improve things in China or even here at home, adopting one is a gesture worth making. And so the U. S. House of Representatives did this week, approving H. R. 1580 unanimously and sending it on to the Senate. The bill, introduced....MORE

Government should update email policies

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

The government can’t routinely open a letter sent in the mail without a warrant. The same standard should apply to email, but it’s not clear if the IRS and the FBI bother much with warrants for email. The American Civil Liberties Union has been nosing into the government’s policies.....MORE

Don’t do an Oregon statue switcheroo

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

Those who hope to honor the late Mark Hatfield by putting a statue of him in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D. C., have the right idea — memorialize a great person in Oregon history — but the wrong location. The statue of the man whom Hatfield would replace in Washington, Jason ....MORE

Health exchanges provide critical transparency

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

When consumers can see price comparisons, the marketplace responds. That’s been rare in health care, but last week brought a speedy demonstration. The state posted proposed medical insurance rates from different providers, and some companies with higher prices quickly prepared to reduce them.....MORE

Noise ordinance needs to protect residences, too

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

Bend’s noise ordinance is getting a needed upgrade, but the revision flops when it comes to protecting homes from arbitrary enforcement. The Bend City Council is scheduled to vote on changes to the ordinance on Wednesday. The council made a number of worthy changes in the ordinance at its last ....MORE

Tighten rules on DAs, collection companies

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

The Oregon Senate voted in late April to approve a measure designed to tighten the rules covering companies that collect on bad checks for local district attorneys. Senate Bill 525 would require that a bill collector working for the local district attorney use his own letterhead, telephone number....MORE

Don’t cut back federal funding for fuels reduction

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

The best time to fight a wildfire is before it starts. Reducing fuels reduces fires. There’s less threat to the public, firefighters, trees, wildlife and property. So why is the U. S. government planning to spend less on reducing fuels for wildfire?The 2014 budget reduces funding for....MORE

Need more than IRS apology

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

News that the Internal Revenue Service made life difficult for some conservative political groups during the last election campaign got your juices flowing, if you are a suspicious sort. Employees of the agency’s Cincinnati, Ohio, office singled out for extra scrutiny groups with the words....MORE

Don’t let PERS affect bond and levy support

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

If you’re considering a no vote on any of several money measures on Central Oregon ballots this month because you’re upset over problems with the state’s Public Employees Retirement System, don’t. You’re aiming at the wrong target. In fact, taking anger at PERS spending ....MORE

Legislation could improve Oregon’s vaccination rate

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

The number of parents in Oregon who choose not to vaccinate their children continues to grow, and as it does so, it continues to raise the health risks for those who, for medical reasons, cannot be vaccinated. State senators will try to stem that tide when they vote on one of two versions of Senate ....MORE

Better to get involved than to complain later

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

It’s always easier to complain than to get involved and help find solutions. The latest local example is the lack of applicants for the city of Bend’s water treatment advisory board. The city has taken plenty of heat for the supposed errors of its ways in designing the Surface Water....MORE

Schools’ digital conversion is too much, too fast

May 9, 2013 4:00 am

The Bend-La Pine school district wants to educate its students “for their future, not our past," as the now-popular phrase goes. To that end, the district is making plans to dump traditional textbooks and hand a digital device — likely an iPad or other tablet — to every student in ....MORE

One sure thing: you’ll pay more for health care

May 8, 2013 4:00 am

For the 180,000 Oregonians who buy health insurance in the individual market, dramatic price changes are on the horizon. For some, those increases will be offset by tax credits, but others could face premium hikes of as much as 50 percent. So much for being able to keep insurance we like, as....MORE

Pass Knopp bill to catch crooks

May 8, 2013 4:00 am

Billions of health care dollars go to waste each year, siphoned off by criminals defrauding Medicare and Medicaid. State Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, has proposed a bill to try to do a better job of catching the criminals. Senate Bill 753 would allow the state to contract to use technology to stop....MORE

Film industry tax incentives deserve extension

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

If you’ve watched “Portlandia" or “Grimm" in the last couple of years, you’ve seen the value of the Oregon Production Investment Fund, which reimburses filmmakers, television productions and others in those industries for some of the cost of doing business here. The fund is....MORE

Study undercuts some health insurance notions

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

Gaining health insurance coverage doesn’t necessarily make people any healthier, according to a study of Oregon Health Plan members. That perplexing outcome is a worrisome reminder of the many unknowns as the nation prepares to extend medical insurance to millions of low-income people as it....MORE

Common Core’s benefits are well worth challenges

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

Opposition is growing in some states as testing nears on new Common Core education standards. The anxiety is understandable, but the potential benefits to students are well worth the predictable growing pains. The standards were instigated by the nation’s governors and adopted by 45 states....MORE

Don’t feed the wildlife

May 4, 2013 4:00 am

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife does not want you to feed wildlife. It doesn’t matter how cute the ducklings are, how polite the squirrel is, how cold the winter may be for the deer. Most people have heard the arguments before. Feeding animals people food can be bad for them.....MORE

Don’t give the money back to Forest Service

May 4, 2013 4:00 am

The stupid, undiscriminating sequester cuts have caused a stupid, discriminating mess for Oregon counties and the U. S. Forest Service. The Forest Service sent out $17.9 million in federal subsidies and has asked for the money back. It paid out the money. It didn’t withhold any as some....MORE

Social gaming poker should be left alone

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

Some Oregon lawmakers are throwing a legislative tantrum about social poker gaming. Businesses running social poker are making money. House Bill 3518 would make that illegal. The bill would only make such social gaming legal if it were on premises operated and controlled by charitable, religious or ....MORE

City has more urgent issues than 3rd Street

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

Given the problems the city of Bend faces, re-creating Third Street is hardly the community’s No. 1 priority, though it shouldn’t disappear from the to-do list entirely. Officials have said, for example, that they must delay work on expanding the city’s urban growth boundary....MORE

Senate should approve bills on logging protests

May 2, 2013 4:00 am

Heated rhetoric aside, two bills approved by the Oregon House of Representatives on Tuesday should shift the burden created by logging protesters against work on state forest lands back where it belongs, on the protesters themselves. House Bills 2595 and 2596 were approved by substantial margins,....MORE

Measure the noise to enforce the ordinance

April 30, 2013 4:00 am

Bend city councilors are going to talk noise at their Wednesday meeting. On the agenda, there’s a plan to polish away the ambiguities in the city’s noise ordinance. But the revision fails to purge the ordinance’s biggest ambiguity: Police are not required to measure the noise.....MORE

Wyden disclosure bill would aid transparency

April 28, 2013 4:00 am

The U. S. Supreme Court has been consistent over the years: Americans have a right to contribute what they wish to the political candidates and causes of their choice. And the court’s ruling in the Citizens United case in 2010 made clear that, where political contributions are concerned,....MORE

Destination resorts need some flexibility

April 27, 2013 4:00 am

Deschutes County commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing Monday to consider if destination resorts should be able to reduce the number of required overnight units. The commissioners should approve the change. Almost nothing in Oregon land use law gets debated as much as destination....MORE

Tax vote is a gift of opportunity

April 26, 2013 4:00 am

Oregon’s House Republicans held fast Wednesday, blocking the Democratic plan to railroad a damaging tax hike. Now it’s up to the Senate and the governor to take full advantage of this renewed chance to do the right thing. Maybe the Senate can avoid the hard-ball partisan approach used by....MORE

Taxing Internet commerce is fair

April 25, 2013 4:00 am

A tax system should be fair. When it comes to sales tax and the Internet, some of the unfairness could be coming to an end. Congress is likely to vote soon on a bill that would give states the authority to collect taxes on Internet purchases. The Washington Post reports that there may be as much as....MORE

Contract talks should be public

April 24, 2013 4:00 am

When the City of Bend is going to make an important policy decision, it posts the item on the City Council agenda. It usually includes a staff summary of the issue with pros and cons. There is also usually a link to the actual language of the proposed law or contract. Why doesn’t it do that....MORE

Tax bill defeat could prompt better PERS reform

April 23, 2013 4:00 am

Rep. Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, and Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, the two minority party leaders in the 2013 Legislature, have their work cut out for them this week. One of the Democratic leadership’s key budget-balancing measures is up for its full House vote. If it is approved, it will....MORE

Don’t do end run around the Electoral College

April 20, 2013 4:00 am

The Electoral College may not be an ideal way to pick a president. But the bill passed this week by the Oregon House is a lousy way to “reform" it. House Bill 3077 is a finagle around the electoral college, without the difficulty of amending the U. S. Constitution. It would declare that Oregon....MORE

Fox in henhouse on PERS

May 19, 2013 4:00 am

Based on who is covered by PERS, maybe the name should be changed to PE&ERS. Why? Well, as state legislators and judges can participate in the system, the name should reflect that elected persons are included, hence Public Employee and Elected Retirement System. That would clarify the current....MORE

Wasteful government spending

May 19, 2013 4:00 am

This is another case of wasteful government spending, with the benefits shared by a few and the costs paid by all. Those who want to fly to Los Angeles pitched in for American Airlines’ $400,000 requirement for pre-paid tickets. These — likely high income — people can choose to do....MORE

Help clean up our public lands

May 19, 2013 4:00 am

While out walking my dog the other day, I came across a sight that is all too common in Central Oregon, bags of trash and piles of tires dumped on our public lands. Seeing litter, graffiti and deer carcasses dumped as a result of poaching on our land is just disgusting. My frustration with the....MORE

Protect homeowners

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

Can you imagine what paying your taxes would be like without the mortgage interest deduction? It could amount to a significant income tax that would negatively impact Oregon’s housing market and the dream of homeownership. Well, that’s exactly what almost happened in Oregon just a....MORE

McAfee for COCC board

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

I am thrilled to see that Adele McAfee is running for the Central Oregon Community College board! What a great advocate she would be for the “real world needs" of both students and the local community. Her common-sense approach to fiscal realities of the “funded" (not....MORE

Vote for McAfee

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

It is not often one has the opportunity to elect a candidate that will make a difference. The voters of Bend will do well if they elect Adele McAfee to the Central Oregon Community College board. It was my pleasure to serve on the La Pine City Council with McAfee. Under her leadership, La Pine made ....MORE

Munkres for Redmond schools

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

Much is being made in the Redmond School Board race about the distinction between vocational education and “academics." The argument is that not enough attention is being paid to vocational education and too much emphasis is being placed on “academics," and those making this....MORE

Ford for COCC board

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

As a current board member of Central Oregon Community College, I heartily endorse David Ford for a second term. From drawing upon his private sector experience, thorough preparation for meetings, active involvement on numerous committees and the insightful questions he asks, it is clear that he not ....MORE

Don’t need wolf comeback

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

The Hurd brothers — Scott, Ross and Doug — ranch near Wenatchee, Wash. Last year, they noticed wolf tracks on their property six miles southwest of downtown Wenatchee. Then last fall a neighbor used a remote camera to take a photograph of a wolf. This spring a bull elk turned up dead.....MORE

Fishkin for park board

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

In the upcoming election for Bend Park & Recreation District board position 1, please consider voting for Dan Fishkin. Fishkin has lent his sound management skills to the district’s budget committee for several years and is currently serving the remainder of Dallas Brown’s vacant....MORE

Fell for park board

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

If you believe the park board is elected to spend more than $12 million a year of our taxes (not to mention the $29 million bond), stop reading. If you believe the board should do everything possible to determine what the people want and be their representatives, then Foster Fell is your candidate.....MORE

Congress faces complex issues

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

Of World War II vintage, hopefully still learning, I am mystified by even the index of the April 20-27 Economist! Then I realize that our Congress is entrusted with making decisions on all this! World health awareness that today’s germs have become immune to today’s drugs and can....MORE

Kirk, Elliott for Crooked River Ranch fire board

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

There is an upcoming election for members of the fire board at Crooked River Ranch. After having been involved in electing a new water board there, people should be more cautious in electing those who have responsibility for keeping us safe and using our tax dollars appropriately. Yet the....MORE

We work hard on political activism

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

In her May 5 column, Lily Raff McCaulou’s lead sentence states that Central Oregon is known for physical activism, not political activism. Hearing this, from one of The Bulletin’s best reporters, is hard news. There are a great many of us who have worked for years to keep Bend....MORE

Road too narrow for cars and bikes

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

I read where the paved bicycle pathway from Sunriver to Lava Butte lookout entrance will be opened this summer. I wondered if bicycles would be allowed to use the road up to the top, so I stopped in at the entrance hut to find out. According to the official at the entrance, bicycles will be allowed ....MORE

Maybe Wyden is seeing the light

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

I thought I was in a time warp when I first read your front page article in the May 2 Bulletin. A U. S. senator saying, “The reason we are on the floor talking about it, and talking about ... businesses being forced to do this against their will, is that it is not without costs. It is not....MORE

Corbin supports vocational education

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

Oregon’s education “policymakers" and the general public have dramatically different priorities for improving public education, according to public opinion research conducted by a group based at Portland State University called Oregon’s Kitchen Table. In this research, 3,223....MORE

Vote yes for schools, 911

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

Education and public safety — what’s more important for a community?As a fiscal conservative who seriously questions public expenditures, and usually opposes requests for more money, I almost surprise myself by endorsing two bond measures as essential for our community. Most of our....MORE

In my view

Obama, America need to wake up to terrorist threat

May 14, 2013 4:00 am

In the rush to “nitpick" the Boston terror attack — not trivializing this horrific event in any way — the Obama administration and the country as a whole are missing the giant picture of the dangerous watershed of worldwide Islamic terrorism! Fox news estimates that 90 percent of....MORE

McAfee for COCC board

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

As a refreshing new face with a valuable perspective, Adele McAfee is the best choice as a proven leader who has served our community well. She will work to improve and sustain the future success of Central Oregon Community College students by focusing on the core mission of the college —....MORE

Vote yes for schools

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

My youngest son will graduate from Bend High School in June. As I reflect back upon the excellent education he and my two older sons received in Bend-La Pine Schools, I want to urge taxpayers to vote yes for schools. As a taxpayer, parent and financial professional, I appreciate the fiscal....MORE

Klemp for Redmond board

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

Redmond students, parents and the community deserve the very best people on the Redmond School Board. Lisa Klemp brings a sharp and creative mind, a caring heart and a clear understanding regarding the challenges facing the district in terms of budget and academics. As a young, successful....MORE

Lower Whychus needs protection

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

I was pleased to see Whychus Creek featured in the recent article “Preserving Whychus: A hike reminds why" on April 29. I am on the board of directors for a new group, the Friends and Neighbors (aka FANS) of the Deschutes Canyon Area that is focused on helping to preserve and restore public....MORE

Form Alfalfa fire district

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

Your article “Firefighting options for the east county are debated," published April 14, failed to mention a seventh option and one that the Deschutes County commissioners would most likely prefer. This option is that citizens in the unprotected areas form their own volunteer fire districts, ....MORE

Irrational idiocies in bomb suspects

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

The mother of the Boston bombers, in “defense" of her sons offered a string of irrational idiocies that she capped off with “God is Great." For her, not so much. Look into the eyes of our recent mass violence perpetrators and you can see the same irrational idiocies within. If every....MORE

Carr for Crook County school board

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

I’d like to throw my support behind my wife, Gwen Carr, as the at-large candidate for the Crook County School Board. Gwen and I are both native Oregonians and our two children attend Crooked River Elementary School in Prineville. She is a devoted mother and small-business owner who....MORE

Keep money here

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

How is it with a sputtering U. S. economy, record number of food-stamp recipients, unemployment at record highs and taxes soaring, that we, the taxpayers, can allow $123 million to be given to Syrian rebels? For centuries, foreign countries have been in political turmoil and war. Why does the U. S.....MORE

Release wolves in L.A.

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

I find it interesting that someone in California is interested in Oregon game laws. In her April 30 letter, Sonia Valdivia said she was “absolutely overjoyed when wolf OR-7 crossed the Oregon border into California a year ago." I am sure that in the last 500 years wolves roamed the Angeles....MORE

Klemp for Redmond schools

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

Please vote for Lisa Klemp for the Redmond School Board. Klemp is a local attorney in Redmond and is running for Position 4. Klemp is running to advocate for the students and taxpayers. She is also a supporter of school safety for students and staff, which is a pressing need many parents are....MORE

Ford for COCC board

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

I’ve had the honor of serving on the COCC Board of Directors with David Ford since he was elected to his first term in 2009. During his tenure, the college has gone through explosive growth in both enrollment and facilities, on the Bend campus as well as into outlying areas —....MORE

Re-elect Ford to COCC board

May 9, 2013 4:00 am

David Ford is running for re-election to the Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors. We, as citizens and voters, should be delighted he is willing to continue to spend the time and effort to help keep this great institution at the top of its game. I have worked closely with Ford for....MORE

Vote no on bonds for schools and 911

May 9, 2013 4:00 am

Proponents of Bend-La Pine Schools and 911 bond measures clamor that these measures are for the children and public safety. They are not for the children and public safety; they are to help fund PERS. Your no vote on these measures will help send a strong message to the public employee unions and....MORE

Support Corbin for Redmond schools

May 9, 2013 4:00 am

There is one candidate for Redmond School Board who makes a lot of sense. He doesn’t talk in “educator-speak" or platitudes — instead he truly understands what many of our kids need to succeed after graduation. His name is Johnny Corbin. Corbin is well-known for supporting....MORE

Votes are unfair to property owners

May 8, 2013 4:00 am

It has come to me how unfair it is for property owners. A fine example is how all registered voters vote on money issues that only affect the property owners. Why aren’t the owners the only ones to vote on these issues? If it was really fair, that would be the way to go. Another example....MORE

Choose Corbin and Klemp

May 8, 2013 4:00 am

The status quo is not good enough for Redmond parents and students. We need to accelerate positive changes by electing school board members with new ideas, not a rehash of the past. Candidates for the two contested Redmond School Board positions feature stark contrasts. In the Johnny Corbin vs. Ron....MORE

Redmond schools need write-in candidates

May 8, 2013 4:00 am

After attending the May 22 Redmond Patriot forum for the Redmond School Board, we left with some serious concerns about each candidate. Six candidates are running: Ron Munkres and Johnny Corbin for Position 1; Rick Bailey (previously appointed) for Position 2; A. J. Losoya (incumbent) for Position 3; ....MORE

Deschutes County 911 levy deserves your support

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

Deschutes County voters need to approve the 911 levy proposal that appears on the May ballot. During early March, I expressed my concerns at a Deschutes County Commission meeting that the 911 District budget appeared to contain an excessive surplus and that the surplus was growing faster than....MORE

History on PERS tax benefit

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

I have heard a lot of talk but no explanation of the “PERS Income Tax Windfall Benefit." This is the increase in PERS benefits to cover Oregon income tax payments. From 1945 to 1991, PERS retirees were exempt from Oregon income taxes, a typical practice across the country. A U. S. Supreme....MORE

Fair board supports 911 levy

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

The Deschutes County Fair Board unanimously and enthusiastically supports the 911 levy proposal coming up in the election on May 21. Your Fair Board is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the year-round operation and success of the Fair & Expo Center. Every year, more than 500,000....MORE

You know, like, amazing

May 7, 2013 4:00 am

Interesting piece regarding overuse of the fluffy phrase “you know" in a recent letter to the Bulletin. Seems “you know" is simply a filler when people are gathering their thoughts. Worse yet is “um" or “ah" — often strung out for several seconds. Better to just....MORE

Rally to support school bond

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

As we strive to extend the reach of our tax dollars, partnerships are key. And from the perspective of the park district, there is no more significant partnership than the one we share with our school district. This values-driven partnership allows both agencies to provide essential classroom space ....MORE

Bend school bond makes good business sense

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

Great schools are vital to a well-educated workforce and healthy economy. The exceptional Bend-La Pine Schools public school system is good for business in Central Oregon. For nearly three decades, thousands of new students have enrolled in our public schools. Their families come to the area for the ....MORE

COCC endorses Bend school bond

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

The Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors formally endorses Deschutes County Measure 9-92 and Bend-La Pine Schools’ efforts to build new schools, deliver safety projects, renovate and add classrooms, and preserve existing facility assets in our communities through the $96....MORE

Gun argument is illogical

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

I’d like to expose the illogical argument used in two letters by gun violence apologists in the April 21 paper. Both authors employ two versions of the same premise — that guns kill people just as any other potentially dangerous object of daily use does — as proof that laws....MORE

Ford for COCC board

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

I am writing in support of David Ford’s re-election to the Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors. I have known Ford for more than 22 years, and I am familiar with his professional expertise and personal character. He is a strong, principled leader with a practical approach to....MORE

Misleading letters

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

On the same day, April 21, we had two misleading letters on assaults and deaths caused by knives, cars and hammers. Now, the facts. The figures provided by Thomas Nitcher are incomplete or deliberately misleading. Here are the facts from the 2011 FBI statistics: 496 deaths from clubs, hammers,....MORE

Ford for COCC board

May 1, 2013 4:00 am

Local voters should re-elect David Ford to the Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors. He is a tireless, generous volunteer and an established community servant. Ford and I have worked together on multiple Bend-La Pine School committees. He is always well-prepared, listens respectfully ....MORE

House bill on wolves not right for Oregon

May 1, 2013 4:00 am

House Bill 3452 permits the killing of a wolf on “suspicion of harassment or damage." No evidence is required. Wolf predation has a minuscule impact on the livestock in Oregon. Out of 1.3 million head of cattle, there is only one cattle death this year. Tens of thousands of livestock die....MORE

Junior Achievement does great work

May 1, 2013 4:00 am

While I was initially encouraged by the youth finance education story headline in the April 20 Bulletin, the article text was disappointing, with Junior Achievement lumped into the category of ineffective programming. Junior Achievement program efficacy has been measured over many years in ongoing....MORE

In my view

What we must do to improve Oregon’s future

April 30, 2013 4:00 am

As the weather begins to warm, Bachelor begins to thaw and signs of spring are all around us, it’s hard for me to believe that this legislative session is already half over. We have reached the midpoint in the legislative session, and a great deal remains to be accomplished. If we’re....MORE

Who will do the work?

May 19, 2013 4:00 am

News sources reported three weeks ago that Kevin and Tami Sawyer had been sentenced to federal prison for crimes related to their bogus real estate business. But my question is where were these news sources when the tough journalistic work was being done?Most media know how to cover hearings and....MORE

In my view

Klemp is right candidate for Redmond School Board

May 18, 2013 4:00 am

I am writing this letter for two reasons. Very soon we will be having a special election. I am 76 years old and I have never, since I was 21 years old and registered to vote, missed an election. It bothers me a lot when, after an election, I read that we had somewhere in the vicinity of a 30....MORE

Janet Stevens

Love affair with local food is good for small farms

May 17, 2013 4:00 am

Farmers markets, Central Oregon-style, tend to be dominated by growers from the Willamette Valley. Perhaps that’s not surprising — with a much longer growing season than generally is the case in these parts, row-crop agriculture is a much bigger deal west of the Cascades than....MORE

In my view

Bend park board candidate misrepresented the facts

May 16, 2013 4:00 am

It is unusual for the Bend Park & Recreation District board of directors to submit a response to an In My View to correct factual errors and misrepresentations from a member of the public. However, in this case, the board believes it is important to do so because the author of these claims is a ....MORE

In my View

Vehicle trail system is bad for hunters and habitat

May 15, 2013 4:00 am

The proposed Ochoco Summit Trail System is opposed not only by the Oregon Hunters Association but many other organizations that are concerned with wildlife and habitat. The Ochoco National Forest Management plan states, “Off-road vehicle use and trail construction, will be allowed where they....MORE

Farewell Central Oregon

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

Growing up near Washington, D. C., my main impression of Oregon came from “The Oregon Trail," a then-new-fangled computer game that was the highlight of elementary school in the late 1980s. In the game, you pack a virtual wagon with supplies and then trudge west past landmarks such as Chimney....MORE

In My View

Bend park district needs to get back on the right path

May 12, 2013 4:00 am

With more than a little reluctance, I have found it necessary to run for the position of Bend Park & Recreation District (BPRD) director in the May 21 election. Everyone should be a candidate for public office at least once. Win or lose, you do get the rare chance to talk about the issues that....MORE

The best Mother's Day gifts

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

In the news business, every season, holiday and major event brings with it a flood of press releases from well-meaning companies trying to link their product/service/idea to current events. For example, hurricane season on the East Coast cannot pass without my email inbox bulging with press releases ....MORE

In my view

Candidate Gottlieb uses ‘revolutionary’ grassroots campaign

May 11, 2013 4:00 am

My “opinion" is the people of Oregon love Bend’s parks and recreation system. Bend Park & Recreation District is a vital community asset and should retain its integrity and independence. Beginning March 4, I spoke with 1,364 citizens, residents and businesses while knocking on 3,037....MORE

Janet Stevens

Central Oregon's libraries let your imagination soar

May 10, 2013 4:00 am

I will never forget my first trip to the library. It was in the fall of 1953, shortly after we moved to Bend. Jean Webster, my first-grade teacher, walked the class from Thompson School past Trinity Episcopal Church and across the street to the Deschutes County Library. We all got library cards....MORE

In My View

Vote yes to help renew fire, EMS in south county

May 9, 2013 4:00 am

As a director of the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District and a resident in the district, I urge my fellow voters to vote yes on Measure 9-90 to renew funding for the replacement of equipment at the same tax rate as we are currently paying. This measure is a replacement of a 10-year capital bond....MORE

Spectator becomes activist

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

Central Oregon is known for physical athleticism, not political activism. Stephen Schaffer happens to exhibit both traits. Schaffer, 62, a personal trainer and former gym owner, can be found these days outside the downtown Bend library, passing out tiny scraps of paper that read: “You can help....MORE

In my view

Carefully planned school growth deserves support

May 5, 2013 4:00 am

Is there value in planning ahead? For the past 25 years, the Bend-La Pine school district has thought so and done so. In order to meet space needs to accommodate a fast-growing student enrollment, the district developed a planning process in the late 1980s. Rather than constantly playing catch-up....MORE

In my view

Illegal immigration has devastating human costs

May 4, 2013 4:00 am

Some people consider illegal immigration a victimless crime and new civil right. However, it inflicts enormous human costs on Americans every day. Citizens who have suffered its effects and found themselves ignored are the ones truly “living in the shadows." Consider the stories of three....MORE

Janet Stevens

Many things distract from driving, not just phones

May 3, 2013 4:00 am

I had a minor car accident last Friday. No one was hurt, no police called, no car towed. And no, I wasn’t texting or talking on my cellphone at the time. I was distracted, however, and that’s what caused the accident. In my case, I was looking down at the console between the front seats....MORE

In my view

Restore funding for seniors

May 2, 2013 4:00 am

We received a letter from Central Oregon Council on Aging dated March 13 regarding the cuts that are being made to our Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals. It states that these meals are being reduced from $3.50 to $3 per meal starting April 1. It also states that the Meals on Wheels drivers are....MORE

In my view

Sewer system upgrade more important than parks

May 2, 2013 4:00 am

“Will the Boat Sink the Water?" is the title of a recent book describing Chinese peasants’ struggles against their bloated, over-reaching government. This intriguing title might also refer to our politicians’ cavalier attitude regarding revenue and spending issues. Over the past....MORE

In my view

Funds from license plate help abused, neglected kids

May 1, 2013 4:00 am

Child abuse and neglect is a problem in our community. In 2011, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services “2011 Child Welfare Data Book," over 450 Central Oregon children were abused or neglected, most of them by their own families. Research shows that up to three times as many....MORE

Inmates do time with music

April 28, 2013 4:00 am

I visited the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution recently, to write about a new entrepreneurship course offered there. That story will appear in tomorrow's newspaper. During my visit, the prison's director of education, Cody Yeager, lamented in passing that she'd been trying to learn to play....MORE

Support local bonds

April 28, 2013 4:00 am

Not too long ago, a skeptic of The Bulletin's editorial positions suggested that it was the only tax-and-spend, conservative editorial page he had ever read. We all smiled, but the remark begs a legitimate question. How can a newspaper that regularly argues for more government efficiency and tax and ....MORE

In My View

2 bills, plus jobs, will get ‘zombie homes’ on the market

April 27, 2013 4:00 am

Today’s foreclosures are a consequence of a problem created several years ago. Without a time machine to go back and solve the initial problem (whether it stem from the bank or the borrower), we are left to deal with the consequence. Considering this, it is difficult to expect the Legislature ....MORE

Lessons we learn with kids

April 27, 2013 4:00 am

From the file of “important things I accidentally learned by having small children" come the following tips. May you use them in the spirit in which they are intended (that is, to help keep you from tearing your hair out in frustration).• If you can swing it, get a car with leather....MORE

Janet Stevens

Expanding job opportunities for the intellectually disabled

April 26, 2013 4:00 am

If you’re the parent of a child with an intellectual disability, there can be a certain security in knowing she is spending her days with other disabled men and women. That was true for me when my daughter Mary went to kindergarten in Bend; it was true in high school and it’s true now.....MORE

In My View

Expanding management is good for forests’ health

April 26, 2013 4:00 am

In a recent “In My View" column, it was argued the best way to assure forest health is to do absolutely nothing. Allowing forests to remain vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire, insects and disease, it was argued, is simply a natural part of “healthy" forest ecosystems. While this is a....MORE