Letters to the Editor 6/28/23

Just say no

To the Editor:

I applaud the City staff for its denial of the Space Age rebuild!

Mr. Pliska’s comment that he’s “trying to be a good neighbor by doing what is right for Sisters” is laughable.

As a 33-year resident, I love driving into town and seeing the flower and plant stands open, announcing that spring and summer are coming! They’re both welcoming and a down-home entrance to our little town!!

The idea of a truck-stop-size gas station/mini-mart replacing that image gags me!

I hope we continue to “just say no,” and keep our town’s atmosphere inviting, lovable, and warm, without huge commercialism on our main street.

Sue Durbin

Editor’s note: City staff recommended denial of the application. No final decision has been made. The Planning Commission’s public hearing was continued to July 13.

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Walk in peace

To the Editor:

I’d like you to imagine a beautiful Central Oregon day inspiring a walk around the block, or even to town on a short errand. You pop your earbuds in and plan to listen to music after a catch-up call with a friend. Not more than a block from home, however, a police officer pulls up and asks your name, where you live, and if you are alright.

Surprised, you say, “Of course,” and, “Why do you ask?” It turns out that a concerned neighbor has called your landlord and the police to report you for being on the street alone. And this is not the first time this has happened to you or your friends living in adjacent apartments. You wonder if this is happening to people living in apartments in other parts of town. Would you be stopped if you hadn’t quit tinting your hair? Or if you’d been pushing a stroller rather than a mobility device? Would talking to a friend through your earbuds have raised an eyebrow if you were a teen rather than an octogenarian? Perhaps there is a misperception about the nature of your home across the street from the Post Office.

The Lodge is home to residents who choose to rent an independent apartment with amenities such as meal service, housekeeping, and laundry. It also offers, for an additional fee,  personal in-home assistance on an individualized basis as needed. Residents have as much right to move freely about as their neighbors. The Lodge does not provide contained memory care or skilled nursing care.

Agism can be very subtle; but it can also cause a feeling of belittlement. As a State Ombudsman protecting the rights of residents in long term care, I ask you to consider that well over half of Sisters residents meet membership criterion for AARP. Would you be inclined to express concern if you saw any other person of similar description walking in other parts of town? Consider how you might feel being publicly approached by a police officer on the street for no apparent reason, or being “reported” to your landlord for simply taking a walk. It is somewhat humiliating. And when it happens more than once…annoying.

Thank you for caring, and yet, barring obvious signs of an emergency, please consider everyone’s right to privacy and autonomy before taking intrusive action. Your neighbors will appreciate the opportunity to walk in peace.

Chris Laing

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F is for flag

To the Editor:

I’ve lived here for 35-plus years and there have been rules. But there’s someone with a flag, lots of them — but one of them is obscene. The f-word isn’t acceptable in my little town!

Candyce Park