Make a better choice with land

I am writing in response to article regarding the transfer of Wildhaven Preserve, Sisters, from the Nature Conservancy to the U.S. Forest Service that was published on Monday, April 8.

Such an action by the Nature Conservancy would be a travesty and a shameful breech of trust.

Vivian and Gil Staender donated Wildhaven to the Nature Conservancy in 1982 with complete confidence that their beloved land, flora and fauna would be protected from logging, hunting, trapping and four-wheeling.

According to Ian Reid of the Sister’s Ranger District,, none of these protections will be available if the Forest Service receives Wildhaven.

Vivian and Gil were not only dedicated conservationists, but were, in general, loving, selfless people. That love can still be felt at Wildhaven where Vivan’s remains still rest in peace.

If the Nature Conservancy must make a transfer, it can and must make a better choice for the Staenders and for Wildhaven so that it can maintain protections.

Anne Dorsey

Idleyld Park

Install metal detectors

I can’t understand why it is so hard to stop the insanity. After every school shooting, there never seems to be anything done other then talk. We are living in a time with endless technology, yet we can’t put it to use to save our kids’ lives. Something simple that would be very easy to implement would be metal detectors. Have one at every school entry. If it goes off, proceed to door No. 1. There you will have to show what set it off. If not set off, enter without being scrutinized through door No. 2. Have every person entering a school go through this procedure. Metal. Not too many weapons of mass destruction meant to kill aren’t metal. Inconvenient? So what? A violation of your personal rights? So what? Anything else is simply protecting the bad guys. WE have got to make it impossible for them to waltz in and easily ruin lives. I am a gun advocate. And firmly believe that if we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have them.

Andy Uppendahl

Bend

Good citizens

I would like the two men who stopped by our home in Damascus recently one morning on their way home to Bend from the Portland Swap Meet to know that your caulking our roof vents hoping to stop a leak was successful.

Two men stopped to inquire if we would sell a piece of equipment in our yard. When they found out we had water leaking from our roof into the house, they said, that’s our business, roofing. They offered to inspect the area above the leak and then caulked the vents. They wouldn’t accept any payment and just said they hoped someone would do the same for their parents one day, if needed.

I have looked at the roofing classifieds for the Bend area and considered starting to call each one, but it looks quite monumental. Maybe they were angels from Bend who represented your community beyond fantastic!

E. Claire Ochs

Damascus

Protect babies

In response to Ms. Rhoads “Go vegan” article in Thursday’s My Nickel’s Worth, she suggested that we visit PETA.org and watch footage showing how animals go to market for food. If she thinks that is horrific, I suggest Oregonians visit the website nrlc.com showing what happens to unborn babies just in the name of birth control. Who and what are our priorities, the outrage of beef going to market or millions of babies that never get born?

Carol Orr

Crooked River Ranch

Elect DeBone

I would like to recommend the re-election of Tony DeBone as Deschutes County commissioner. I so appreciate Tony’s support of local education. He has always been an active supporter of our youth and taken a hands-on approach teaching in various clubs, speaking in business classes, giving of his personal resources to help our Central Oregon students thrive.

Steve Parnell

Bend