Support Buehler for representative

I’m supporting Dr. Knute Buehler for state representative because he is the best candidate to advance public policies that will help local students receive a world-class education.

My family has two students in Bend-La Pine Schools and I’ve seen firsthand how lucky we are to have such great teachers and administrators. That doesn’t just happen. It requires excellent management, the leadership of elected officials who appropriate the money, and taxpayers who support bond measures funding capital improvements.

Buehler’s commitment to all levels of education is clear. He serves on the Bend-La Pine School Board Budget Committee and the Ford Family Foundation, which supports Stand for Children. He also has served on the OSU-Cascades board.

We have excellent schools in Bend and Buehler understands that we can make them into world-class schools that become a model for our state. He will work to ensure that we continue to attract and employ high quality teachers; that parents have a variety of options to meet their child’s individual needs; that we support home environments to ensure kids come to school each day ready and able to learn; and that higher education is not only available, it is also affordable for every high school graduate.

Buehler will work closely with our local teachers, administrators, school board members and students to champion stronger funding for schools and to make thoughtful reforms to boost student achievement. And, he’ll continue to advocate for COCC and the OSU-Cascades campus expansion.

Bill Robie

Bend

Conservative right wing takes over GOP

I’m a registered Republican and a lifelong Oregonian, as were my parents. My family was proud to be Republican, specifically, moderate Republicans, in the spirit of Mark Hatfield, Tom McCall, Bob Packwood, Norma Paulus and Vic Atiyeh. Unfortunately, the ultra conservatives now calling the shots in the party have left little room for me in “their” party. I doubt if any of the outstanding Oregon leaders listed above could win their party’s primary in this current narrow-minded environment.

When those hardcore conservative and mean-spirited voices attacked the late Ben Westlund, calling him a RINO (Republican In Name Only) for working with Democrats to govern rather than shove ultra right-wing positions down the throats of all Oregonians, his efforts were met with that sophomoric, name-calling cheap shot. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t speak out then.

These days I am disgusted and fed up with the incessant negative ads attacking Sen. Jeff Merkley and paid for by the Koch brothers. In fact, those ads are leading me to take the exact opposite action of their intention. If our Republican leaders in Oregon and nationally said no to these despicable ads and held fast to that position, I think they could prevail. And, if not, at the very least, they should vociferously denounce these super slick and deceptive ads. That hasn’t happened and sadly, it won’t because it appears the party leaders don’t give a rip.

Mike Schiel

Redmond

The modern midden

As a cohort in this year’s Deschutes County College, I recently had the privilege to visit and learn about the Knott Landfill. I was very favorably impressed. My recollection from trips to “the dump” as a child is of trash-strewn, stinky and generally disgusting sacrificial lands that were swarmed by gulls.

After recent trips to Nepal, which has neither the laws nor the infrastructure to even begin to adequately address garbage disposal, I came away extremely grateful for both in America. However, that appreciation was abstract until I had a tour of Knott Landfill.

There I had a taste of the magnitude and complexity of the task of safely disposing of our community’s waste. I was struck by how little trash was exposed at the time of our visit, and that there was little to no odor. Also noteworthy is the prodigious effort made to recycle and compost, and that safety of staff and patrons is clearly a high priority.

I would like to thank the public servants who work at the landfill, and who ensure that we as a community are able to safely and hygienically dispose of the waste that we produce. In particular, I would like to call out the director of the Department of Solid Waste, Timm Schimke. As we go about our daily lives, and produce trash in the process, I’m grateful that he is watching out for us and for future generations. Thanks, Timm, and all the Knott Landfill crew.

Gail Snyder

Bend