Humane ways to resolve wildlife conflict

Many of us love living in Central Oregon because of its wildlife and natural beauty. But that doesn’t mean we always appreciate wildlife nesting in our homes or backyards. Think Wild offers simple, affordable and humane solutions so we can coexist peacefully.

Julia and her husband, local homeowners, invested much of last year in renovating their house. But then an uninvited guest started wreaking havoc. A single woodpecker — a northern flicker — moved in. The bird drilled at the siding, doing damage and interrupting Julia’s sleep. Understandably, she was stressed. She called Think Wild.

Our wildlife hotline is busy year-round, helping with such issues. Problems range from bats in attics to tree damage by beavers. We provide simple, humane solutions. Raptor perches and nest boxes provide rodent control options, for example. Think Wild offers both. Using these supports wildlife habitat and encourages raptors to take care of your rodent problem for you. We also offer bat boxes — beneficial if you have mosquito, moth or beetle issues.

We chatted with Julia about flickers. She sees their beauty, understands they’re native, and knows they’re legally protected. We offered a nest box, and she was keen to try one. Weeks later, she reached out with excitement. The flicker had called the new box home (instead of her siding). She could sleep peacefully again!

Such natural history-based solutions are beneficial for wildlife and homeowners alike. Other approaches tend to be temporary, inhumane, and expensive. We encourage everyone to explore ways to coexist with our wild neighbors.

— Sally Compton,

Think Wild executive director,

Bend

Didn’t appreciate guest column

For those of us who’ve opted to pay more to read a hard copy of the Bulletin, a recent opinion page is a disappointing display of poor journalistic practice.

You publish a statement of editorial high-minded principles that will guide your election coverage including a sentence that says that your “ editorial board won’t be endorsing candidates or ballot measures.”

Then directly below in it what you label a “Guest Column,” you publish what might as well be an editorial endorsement of Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer. All we are told in what reads like a piece of campaign propaganda is that the author is a Bend woman named Lisa Quattlebaum. We are not told what her relationship is with Chavez-DeRemer’s campaign. The writer cites mostly unsourced claims about her activity and voting record, and glaringly fails to note her unqualified endorsement of Donald Trump and fellow MAGA supporters who still have not accepted the 2020 presidential election results. Of course had Chavez-DeRemer distanced herself from Trump, MAGA Republicans and their PAC donors would have cut off her hefty financial largesse, and we’d be seeing far fewer of her expensive TV and streamed ads. Quattlebaum, of course, airbrushes all mention of Trump from her benign profile.

In full disclosure, I am a retired journalist and educator who is supporting actively (as an unpaid volunteer) the Democratic candidacy of Janelle Bynum. I have seen the enthusiasm for her candidacy on Bend and Sisters doorsteps as my partner and I have canvassed for her over the past month. Quattlebaum, taking a page from the Trump playbook of lies and distortions, writes inaccurately about Bynum’s campaign and her stellar record in the Oregon State Legislature.

What is true is that this Congressional contest is a critically important race and could very well help to decide whether the Democrats can overturn the slim Republican House majority and ensure that MAGA Republicans, supported by Chavez-DeRemer, are stopped from enacting laws that progressive and independent Bend voters would find unacceptable, including a likely national anti-abortion bill.

If the Bulletin intends to earmark its “Guest Column” space to partisan political essays and columns and label them as such then that’s all well and good. Readers and digital users can put these pieces in a proper context.

But for now I look forward to reading a pro-Bynum commentary and assume that you will have it clearly headlined “Dem. Congressional hopeful Janelle Bynum battles to win Central Oregon.”

— John Owen,

Bend

Support Bailey for sheriff

I am an Army veteran and wildland firefighter currently working in emergency response and logistical support. I want to thank Capt. William Bailey for his recent guest column “How I will fight fire danger from homeless camps.” I appreciate his leadership on this issue and a well thought out, actionable plan.

The local issue of fires starting in homeless encampments hits close to home/work, literally. My office and our fleet of firefighting rigs are located in Redmond. For years now, we have dealt with known unhoused individuals cutting our fence and attempting to siphon fuel. We have also been in the evacuation zone on more than one occasion when a fire from the nearby encampment starts.

Reckless/uneducated cooking, propane heating, even charging a vaping pen have been the cause of fires in homeless camps. In these weather conditions any spark can start a fire. Homeless camps are a recipe for disaster for the homeless camping there and neighboring residents, businesses, airport, medical facilities, etc.

Our wildland outfit operates throughout the country, but we have also participated in local incidents like the Darlene 3 fire near La Pine. I can confirm these near-misses are just that. Thankfully the wind was favorable that day and thankfully a robust response was available. In our line of work, we know any fire can be devastating, but a preventable fire is especially tragic.

I have been impressed with William Bailey and his vision as our next sheriff of Deschutes County. His ability to work with local, state, and federal officials, local neighbors, and service providers is a testament to his readiness to lead our county as the top elected public safety officer. I am supporting William Bailey for Deschutes County Sheriff.

— Keith Rockow,

Redmond

Do you have a point you’d like to make or an issue you feel strongly about? Submit a letter to the editor.