Such desparate times for you and Clem that you lower yourself to "yellow bloging".

Clem doesn't have the votes....quite picking on poor jefferson county. Next thing is you will claim that all of the extra gravel during winter is so extra windshield damage for the County Commissioner that owns a glass shop. The Metolius is protected by current state laws.

Wow!!!! Vile attacks like this remind me of how facistism is started. You must also be running the incumbants campaign in Iran. If you don't agree with someone throw acid. It is possible for two completely sane people to have a different opinion and be cordial. I have heard many of the new legislators are having a difficult time understanding this.

Thank you for supporting the Metolius ACSC! The unfortunate antics of our 'leaders' I won't comment on other than this issue transcends their domain.

The landscape views which affect every person who comes, and will come, to the Metolius Basin will forever be compromised if the $215 million 'eco resort' is allowed to be built with well over 650 houses, overnight lodging and employee housing. Today there is a sea of green below 3 Finger Jack, Mt. Jefferson, Black Butte & Green Ridge where the private square mile lies quietly waiting its fate--total development or rehabilitating transitional acres between burned mountainside and flat alluvial valley floor? Streams gush forth up high, originating near Round Lake, then travel over the surface of the private lands proposed for the resort, but then half of that water flows underground towards Lake Creek to recharge that important tributary to the Wild and Scenic Metolius. It is preposterous to consider risking the lessening of flows into the rare spring fed Metolius river in any way. If there are more detrimental effects than the 'plans' predict, will they really show their eco colors and give the water back? If their stream goes dry, will they really not dig wells?

Camp Sherman & the Metolius must not be sacrificed for Jefferson County's short termcash cow. As was mentioned above, jobs and workers won't come from Madras but rather from Sisters. Long term economic gain for Jeff. Co. won't magically appear, but rather hidden costs will make them even poorer as the infrastructure is not here for such a huge development. We tax payers will get stuck paying millions for an exclusive private development & bad planning. The Forest Service will have to spend a lot of $ they don't have on WUI fire protections.

For so many reasons, if people care, please write and call your Senators & Reps NOW and urge them to use this rare opportunity to vote for the greater good and preserve the Metolius in perpetuity... not give it away to wealthy developers for private gain. Let them know you care and are watching their votes! In the long run, an ACSC protected Metolius Basin will generate much more revenue (and continue to do so forever) than a big destination resort INSIDE the destination. There are many other resorts within one -five miles of this bad proposal already.

Three cheers for deepMetolius. Please call your Rep and Sen ASAP and urge them to protect this Oregon gem.

Carl, I'm glad your seeing "behind the curtain" of land use politics in Jefferson and Deschutes counties. It's nothing new and was exactly like this when I lived there.

I will say again, it was the efforts of the citizenary who protected the Metolius Valley in the 1970's and onward, that have made it the attractive target it is today for these inholding developers. Or as McCall described them - "grasping wastrels".

Carla, I wonder what flavour of Fascist you are? To the credit of the fakey two-fer, they did not just say "Nazi" reactively. I'm interested to know, are you akin to Stalin? Pol Pot? Khomeini? Or perhaps you are more of the Hugo Chavez variety of authoritarian masquerading as a Progressive whose good name is smeared by the vile Western Press?

Heh. I wait for Cleminite et. al. to explain what species of evil you embody.

What can one say when our national leaders allowed the financial CEO's the ability to fleece the average American. Those same type of speculators thrive in the current political environment in Oregon. "Scratch my back and I will scratch (fund)yours" That effect is filtering down and the Truth will come out. Look further than just the springs that feed the Metolius.

Springer, you have nailed it by pointing out it is the citizens who made it the attractive target it is today, and our politicians aren't listening to us again so we have had to rally (for years now!) again to permanently protect the entire basin. The inholders knew full well exactly what they were buying.. a nicely reforesting piece of land with important tributaries to the Metolius flowing through it, sitting right under 3 Finger Jack and commanding a fabulous view in 4 directions from all public land viewpoints that surround it. A resort right there would be an eyesore and intrusion into the landscape views from anywhere in the Basin that has a little elevation, from Black Butte to Round Lake.

What people don't understand is that new, ( independent of the developer's studies, hydrogeology studies ) show that only half the water that flows into their land exits it back onto public lands (situation today, before they take what they want). Where does half of it go? Underground in the porous volcanic soil southeast a short distance to Lake Creek, a major tributary between Suttle Lake and the Metolius where they are spending millions to bring back wild fish. If Davis Creek, where their proposed water source now joins, had not been diverted and channelized long ago, it would still be flowing directly into Lake Creek and no one could deny they would be affecting ground water. It is not that complex but they are not doing their homework. People did what they wanted 40 years ago in the forests but not any longer.

We had a victory in the Senate this morning.. now please contact your Reps and ask them to vote YES and permanently protect the Metolius basin!

Carla, Why is it that you blow a gasket whenever Betsy Johnson's and Ginny Burdick's names are attached to this issue, but then you so often personalize it by going after the Jefferson County commissioners?

I worked with Mike Ahern doing his state rep. campaign and found him to be a decent and friendly person and I think that's his reputation. He is a hard working store owner and realtor who will take controversial stands for economic development for his county. He lost a bid for commissioner re-election in '02 in part because he supported a natural gas cogentrics plant that many farmers opposed. This issue is , of course, more controversial.

This clearly is your big issue this session with Steve Duin taking a similar strong stand on the opposite side of the issue. I'm still celebrating the corporate tax victory and am doing what I can to help pass the bottle bill and the beer tax. I don't think our existence hangs on the Metolius.

I also wonder about the effect this bill would have on Oregon's land use system. Would would Tom McCall and Hector McPherson have thought of a bill like this? Maybe it's keeping with the McCall tradition, but many obviously think we're making a special exemption to our pre-existing system.

Carla, Sorry if I was rude. It's too bad this issue that seems to be dominating much of the session (or at least BlueOregon and The Oregonian)has turned into a battle of personalities with never ending questions of motives. Many legislative bills have big money special interests and high priced lobbying on both sides. Why is it that the Metolius bill is so front burner this year with a few select individuals always in the print/internet media cross hairs?

Why is it that the Metolius bill is so front burner this year with a few select individuals always in the print/internet media cross hairs?

Because it is a unique area that inspires generations! Politicians don't often get opportunities to vote for far reaching bills that protect natural things for perpetuity. Once they are lost, they are lost forever. It is the finality of it all, and the uplifting potential (vs greed and petty issues) imo.