Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2015)
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon solution that works for everyone. Chris Lalli LETTERS Continued from page 2 Sisters population on the Ranch’s paths that somehow that will benefit the Ranch? We feel we are already connected to the Sisters community in many ways without com- promising the unique environment that we have so cherished all these years. Dianne Walta Hart Thomas J. Hart s s s To the Editor As a Black Butte Ranch homeowner and frequent visitor to the area, I have followed the debate about a paved bike trail between Black Butte Ranch and Sisters for years. The June 3 story how Oregon Solutions “dropped out of the process” given “the inabil- ity to bring key parties to the table” is beyond belief that even a “mediator” can’t bring peo- ple together to find a reasonable solution that appears people support in concept but “don’t want in my backyard.” Step back and consider this: The town of Sisters, population 2,200, has bike trails run- ning through the town, two bike shops, pro- motes biking as part of the attraction of Sisters. Black Butte Ranch has 1,200 homes, 18 miles of paved bike trails, a bike shop, and biking is promoted as an attraction. Yet, there is a visceral reaction to linking the two communities with a “paved” trail, that will run past other homes, “harm” the forest, invite trespassing and invade privacy. How were bike trails and paths ever approved and constructed in Sisters and Black Butte Ranch? In Lake Tahoe, California, there is a paved bike trail from Squaw Valley to Homewood, 13 miles. Sun Valley created paved bike trails that connect the towns of Bellevue, Hailey and Ketchum, or 15 miles of paved trails run- ning by streams, golf courses, houses, through meadows and forest. If other communities have done this by working together, why can’t this community? Instead of driving, wasting gas, polluting the atmosphere, you could walk or ride a bike to shop, eat, or just be out for exercise. I appreci- ate the trail would be “carved” through the for- est and be close to people’s homes, but is that any different now with cars running past your home or business on the existing road, or peo- ple taking a walk on the paved street or path? Surely there has to be a way for people to find a s s s To the Editor: No roundabout on a major highway! The people of Sisters need to wake up now and object to this obscene waste of taxpayers’ money by ODOT and Peter Murphy over the roundabout project scheduled for Highway 20 and Barclay Road intersection. Are people really aware this project will cost $3.4 million? A stop light intersection cost $100,000-$300,000 (est.) at most, and doesn’t interrupt the town in the process. This could be paid for with the $300,000 Sisters will contrib- ute to the process. The roundabout will cost 10 to 15 times more than a stoplight system. That extra $3 million saved would go a long way to improv- ing Highway 20 from Sisters to Suttle Lake, which is in dire need of repair, as are most state highways. A roundabout intersection: Slows traffic down, stifling traffic flow. Costs 10 to 15 times more to install the system. Will cause backups similar to Quilt Show weekend that will hap- pen most days in summer. Take up excessive real estate. Hamper semi-truck traffic around this obstruction. Block out our natural views of entering Sisters with an artificial manufactured view, cluttered up with some scrapyard piece of junk called “art.” I haven’t met anyone around Sisters that is in favor of this roundabout. Everybody was happy with the stop light installed last fall. Who is pushing this project? ODOT, Peter Murphy, or the Sisters City Council? The public needs to know the answer. People, hold Peter Murphy accountable with your taxpayer dollars. It’s waste like this proj- ect that keeps ODOT and other public agen- cies always demanding more and more money. They first need to spend what they have wisely! Finally, Peter Murphy: stop lights do not cause rear-end accidents — inattentive drivers do! Oh, if you want to slow traffic down com- ing into town as you so stated: A much cheaper way is to put in rumble strips; cost is only a few dollars compared to a grotesque roundabout at $3.4-million-plus. If stop lights are so bad, why are there a mil- lion or more intersections across the country equipped with them? Maybe ODOT needs to do some soul-searching and rethink their data. C. Childrey Camp Sherman/Sisters DROP-IN PUBLIC YOGA CLASSES Year-round 7 DAYS A WEEK! FIREWOOD SALES SistersForestProducts.com photo by Gary Miller PRCA honored Sisters Rodeo for 75 years of excellence. • The volunteers of the Sisters Rodeo Association deserve a big tip of the hat for their efforts in stag- ing the 75th Sisters Rodeo. Creating and sustaining an event of that caliber and scope with an all-volun- teer crew is a remarkable achievement. Barrelman J.J. Harrison said it best: “What a great place to have a rodeo!” • Sisters High School graduate Riley Gilmore has been nominated for teacher of the year in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas — the fourth largest school district in the nation. Gilmore went through Sisters schools for his entire K-12 education and gradu- ated in 2008 as valedicto- rian. He was also crowned Mr. SHS. He graduated in 2012 from Biola University summa cum laude in phys- ics. He also minored in Bible and mathematics. He was accepted into Teach for America, the national corps of top college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to expand edu- cational opportunity. The program is highly selective, with the acceptance rate below 15 percent. Riley has been teach- ing high school physics at Mojave High School since 2012. R i l e y ’s f a t h e r, E d Gilmore, noted, “Lynn and I feel very fortunate to be a part of a community and school district with caring teachers that still ask how my children are doing after they have moved on. Since our teachers in Sisters invest so much into the life of our students I think they long to hear how that effort has paid off. We are so proud.” • Outlaw baseball stand- out Jonathan Luz repre- sented Sisters High School in the Oregon 4A All-Star Baseball tournament in Roseburg last weekend. Kick Yer Heels Up! LIVE MUSIC Friday, June 19 at 7 p.m. NO COVER! SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS 541-410-4509 Sisters salutes... DJ Chris, out of Bend D — Kindling — — — Kalin Emrich & Katie Crabb 541-549-2882 Exceptional Cuisine at the Metolius River 164 N. Elm St., Sisters 541.390.5678 | www.lifeloveyoga.com 21 Open Wednesday thru Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 190 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters • 541-549-RIBS ( 7427 ) Michael and Tammy Robillard N L . Call 541-595-6420 for Reservations www.kokaneecafe.com FivePine Station • 750 Buckaroo Trail, Suite 104 • Sisters • 541-549-0531 info@mountainviewins.com
