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Wednesday, April 29, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
intersection may or not be with a roundabout.
While I understand the emotional involve-
ment of writing to express an opinion, the
reader should also read the letters with ana-
lytical thinking.
B. Graham
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To the Editor:
I read with interest the article and letters
about the proposed roundabout at Highway 20
and Barclay.
I don’t really understand the reasoning
behind the letters in favor of a traffic light.
It seems to me that safety and efficiency of
traffic control and movement would be the
highest priorities, with aesthetic appeal being
a nice-to-have.
If traffic circles are navigable by trucks —
and they certainly are by cars — and they’re
substantially safer than lights, I’m not sure
what the appeal of a traffic light might be.
They’re also “obeyed” 24 hours a day, where
traffic lights have less observance overnight
(would we want red-light cameras?). And a
roundabout has substantially more aesthetic
possibilities than a traffic light.
There seems to be a bit of conspiracy para-
noia, with questions of a “done deal,” but I
think that misses the point of this discussion.
The issue is about good public policy —
which we want based on experience gained
from scientific studies, and not someone’s
personal opinion.
As for business in Sisters and a truck
bypass, I would be much happier walking
downtown without breathing clouds of diesel
smoke, and there are probably potential visi-
tors who feel the same. If we get roundabouts
at Barclay and Locust and trucks out of our
core, the loss of some car drivers who would
take a bypass would be balanced against the
improved pedestrian experience and more
positive attitude of visitors who choose to see
what we have.
And aren’t happy visitors more likely to be
customers?
Steve Bryan
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To the Editor:
I am very concerned with the safety of our
high school drivers in regards to the proposed
roundabout on a major interstate [sic]. I love
roundabouts but not on a major interstate [sic]!
This will surprise and confuse tourists
entering our town along with intersecting with
a road that young drivers use up to three times
a day. I just don’t buy into the safety studies
after hearing all of the safety studies of back-
in parking and seeing the results of that poor
choice.
I don’t understand why officials don’t
choose the easiest, safest and most cost-effec-
tive system. That traffic light should have
never been taken down.
Please let the locals vote on this important
matter!
Shirley McBride
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To the Editor:
As the former owners of Camp Tamarack,
we encourage everyone who has experienced
outdoor school, or had a child attend one,
contact our state legislators with support for
House Bill 2648 and Senate Bill 439. Both of
these support Outdoor school for all students.
Passing them would provide every fifth- or
sixth-grader in the state with the opportunity
for a full week of Outdoor school or a compa-
rable outdoor education experience that meets
local needs and conditions.
The Sisters School District has a long
history of participating in Outdoor school.
However, that is not the case for all districts.
Today, approximately 50 percent of Oregon’s
fifth- and sixth-graders are denied the oppor-
tunity to experience Outdoor school. Only
five of Oregon’s 36 counties report 100 per-
cent Outdoor school program participation,
four counties report no participation at all and
eight counties report less than 20 percent stu-
dent participation.
It has long been recognized that hands-
on experiences such as outdoor school teach
collaboration and community-building skills,
build self-sufficiency and leadership skills,
and drive interest in science, technology, and
natural resources. All of these help to allevi-
ate the achievement gap in schools, one of
the blights on our Oregon education system.
Passing either of these bills will provide stu-
dents with hands-on learning that helps them
understand the world through their local com-
munities, connect with their peers, and dis-
cover valuable information about themselves.
A solid-waste fee and unclaimed bottle-
deposit fund have been targeted as possible
funding avenues, both of which stay away
from dollars already earmarked for education.
Having seen first-hand the value of Outdoor
school, we strongly urge you to contact our
legislators ASAP, imploring them to support
this valuable legislation. (Sen.TedFerrioli@
State.Or.US and Rep.JohnHuffman@State.
Or.US).
Edie and Ted Jones
s
s
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See letters on page 20
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SPRD offers free
self-defense class
No matter how safe a
woman might feel in Sisters,
it is an inescapable fact that
women are especially vulner-
able to attack.
Sisters Park & Recreation
District is offering a free class
on Saturday, May 23, from
noon to 2 p.m. to give women
a basic rundown of self-
defense that could get them
out of a serious jam.
The class will be led by
martial arts instructor Charles
Quandt, better known as
Coach Q; Sherri Hermans;
and Kim Manley.
Coach Q explained that
the class will provide use-
ful information that can help
women avoid being in the
position where they have to
deploy self-defense measures.
Attendees will learn to
“guard against placing them-
selves in dangerous situa-
tions,” Coach Q said.
The first principle of self-
defense is to avoid making
yourself a target.
“That’s what a lot of pred-
ators are looking for,” Coach
Q said. “An easy target.”
The class will offer “street
self-defense” based on Coach
Q’s background in aikido,
kickboxing, taekwondo and
ju-jitsu. Participants will learn
about vulnerable targets on an
attacker and quick and effec-
tive techniques that can extri-
cate a person from a danger-
ous position.
While the class is free,
space is limited and advance
registration is requested.
Wear comfortable clothes you
can move in and bring water.
Extended training is available.
Coach Q teaches martial
arts at SPRD on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 4:45 to 6 p.m.
For more information,
contact him at 541-549-4177.