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

In My View

For farmers and ranchers, every day is Earth Day

April 25, 2013 4:00 am

Since its beginning in 1970, the celebration of Earth Day has led to an enormous growth in understanding of the fragile nature of our natural resources. It has led to more action to protect our planet’s land, water, air, wildlife and us as human beings. Around the world, environmental concerns ....MORE

In my view

It’s time to demand some integrity from our leaders

April 24, 2013 4:00 am

I have some thoughts regarding the bombing attack at the Boston Marathon on April 15, other news stories circulating the nation and the ongoing reports of shootings and mass killings. The Boston bombing is not something new. Since Oklahoma City in 1995 when Timothy McVeigh used a homemade truck bomb ....MORE

Does Columbine offer any insights into the Tsarnaev brothers?

April 23, 2013 4:00 am

My Twitter feed has been flooded with this theme: The Tsarnaev brothers seem more like the Columbine killers than al-Qaida. Maybe. Either, neither or it could easily be a combination. It’s way too early to know. The first thing I learned covering Columbine all those years was that most of the ....MORE

Talking to teens: just listen

April 21, 2013 4:00 am

Asking what teens care about is a little like asking what women want; any question about an entire demographic can only be answered accurately with: “It depends."That doesn't mean the question isn't worth asking, however. During the monthly City Club of Central Oregon forum last week, three....MORE

in my view

Job fairs give veterans a chance to show their talent

April 21, 2013 4:00 am

On April 11, The American Legion and other community organizations sponsored a job fair at the Bend Armory for veteran job seekers and their spouses. It was encouraging to see the attendance of active-duty military members as well as reservists and members of the National Guard. As a veteran and one ....MORE