I read in The Bulletin Jan. 10 that our City Council is poised to put a $180 million transportation bond before voters in May. Unless this bond issue does more than the last one to pair sensible anti-congestion policies with building roads I will be voting against it.

It is impossible to solve traffic congestion problems simply by building more roads or widening them. The last transportation bond issue proved this: After spending millions of dollars and enduring over a year of construction disruption Reed Market is even worse than it was before.

Rather than just asking voters for more money to repeat that kind of road folly the City Council needs to adopt policies that will reduce road use. Instead of continuing to encourage housing developments with no integral amenities for their residents the city should require that all new developments include walkable access to facilities such as grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, small shops, parks and playgrounds, etc. NorthWest Crossing serves as a limited example of what can be done with such integrated development.

It’s true that we cannot close the gate and stop Bend from growing. But we can and must insist that expenditures for more and wider roads be paired with development regulations designed to reduce the need to drive. Without such an approach bond issues for road construction simply throw good money after bad in a futile attempt to build our way out of the problems of growth.

— John Cushing, BendLike many people, I read with horror the story of the Redmond woman targeted and assaulted because of her ethnicity. I’m very glad the man who attacked her has been charged with a hate crime. This is the kind of action that we can all agree is not acceptable in our community.

But what about the actions of people that are not as severe but still harm people of color every day here? Getting followed around stores. Kids being called the N word as a “joke.” Not wanting to meet in a group downtown for coffee because of the stares. The misperceptions and assumptions about economics and family structure. Can we as a community be as outraged about these daily microaggressions? Can Bend still be a utopia if we start to acknowledge that people of color here are having a totally different experience than our privileged reality?

And when will our city leaders, elected officials and influencers stop reacting and start acting? Saying you believe in diversity and inclusion doesn’t mean anything unless you put the work and ACTION behind it. We have a big problem in this city and it is time to work on it now before we lose the amazing contributions of people of color in our community to other cities. Each and every one of us should be out front on this issue not standing on the sidelines.

— Megan Perkins, Bend

Roger Sabbadini’s “Horatio Alger would be proud of Les Schwab” guest column (Jan. 9) is a superb tribute to Les Schwab. The article lists causes the Schwab family donated to but does not include four veterans’ projects managed by Bend Heroes Foundation. The Foundation honored over 550 WWII veterans with free Honor Flight trips to our nation’s Capital. The Schwab donation ensured 22 local WWII veterans traveled with us and were honored for their service and sacrifice. Although Les Schwab’s death in 2007 precluded him from enjoying that honor, the Schwab family donation guaranteed local WWII veterans enjoyed that long overdue “trip of a lifetime.”

The Schwab family also sponsored one of 12 Oregon Medal of Honor Highway signs dedicated on U.S. Highway 20. The family also co-funded the bronze Bend Medal of Honor City plaque at Bend Heroes Memorial as well as the memorial itself. Bend is one of 13 Medal of Honor Cities to which 30 Medal of Honor recipients from Oregon are connected. The Bend Medal of Honor City plaque displays the Medal of Honor citation for the late Robert D. “Bob” Maxwell, a WWII veteran and director, Bend Heroes Foundation.

Like Les Schwab, Bob Maxwell enjoyed a lifetime career in automotive repair. As role models, Les Schwab and Bob Maxwell are honored as Distinguished Alumni by Bend Senior High School.

Les Schwab’s generosity to fellow veterans and our community will never be forgotten in Bend — his name is engraved on two bronze plaques and in the memories of grateful veterans.

— Dick Tobiason, chairman of Bend Heroes FoundationYes Bend there’s more to life than beer. Apparently the Go! Magazine staff don’t agree with me. One of the latest issues (Jan. 9) published a “drink directory” in which many fine local breweries and cideries where listed. As for the local wine tasting rooms, not a drop of ink.

A short walk around the Old Mill District will have you sipping wines from 4 fully functional wine tasting rooms. Here’s hoping that in the next “drink directory” we can find our worthy wineries listed. Cheers!

— H. Bruce Smith, Bend

In reference to the front-page story about a brutal hate crime directed at a local business owner: I am appalled at your lack of sensitivity. The victim’s family stated that they did not want their name published because they feared additional assaults. You published not only their names, but also their address, the hospital where the victim is recovering from a broken neck, and the amount of time she is likely to be in the hospital. The headline was “family in fear after alleged hate crime.” You have contributed to their fears.

— Booth O’Quinn, Bend

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