Words cannot express our disappointment at seeing the full-page ad for Camel tobacco in the March 11 issue of The Source Weekly. Whatever money has been paid to you to display this ad cannot cover over the stain on an otherwise fine publication. Consider the damage done to individuals, families and whole societies by the tobacco industry. Ponder the misery and death resulting from their addictive products, whether smoked or smokeless.

We recognize that turning away R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company might not be an easy decision, considering the kind of money they are able to pay for a page in your paper. We have enjoyed reading The Source Weekly for free since you began publication, but starting today we can pay our share to convince you to send Camel and its ilk packing. We are sending $75, your annual subscription charge, and we encourage every other reader who cares about the health of our community to do the same. It will be a bargain.

How would you feel if your Constitutional rights had not been granted to you for 142 years? If you had been ridiculed, spat upon, beaten, even murdered. If you were discriminated against in housing, the work place, and places like restaurants. If you were told you were “evil” and “a sinner” in the eyes of religious sorts. If every time you risked a try for your rights you were put down and told implicitly that you were second-class citizens? One-hundred forty-two years ago is when Amendment 14 became part of the U.S. Constitution (1868). Sec. 1 states: “nor deny any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.”

I was gonna get a card…However due to the random act of kindness recently bestowed upon me, I believe a letter to be more appropriate.

I am a single mother living in Bend and my son and I love being part of this beautiful community. We have recently gone through a huge transition in our lives and—do I even need to say it?—money is tight. That being said, I must also tell you that I am the proud owner of a Volkswagen Vanagon—not exactly the best car to own if you’re broke. Don’t get me wrong; I love my bus. It’s my dream car when it’s running, which really isn’t all that often. This comes as no surprise to most of you, I’m sure.

Well I did it!  Took my friend Joe’s advice and got a set of studded tires.  I thought he should know being an ex-highway patrol how safe they would be.  Could hardly wait till the snow would fly.  Finally it snowed and out I went to try my new tires.  The snow was fluffy and deep, about six inches, and sure enough those studs really held.  I went right through that soft stuff like anything.  Not needing to travel till a few days later when the snow was packed down, out I went, and sure enough those studs really held again.  Although when I looked at the pattern in the snow on the street outside my house I could see that the studs were just digging out a divot and not really getting a grip at all.  Oh well, those studs really work because I had no trouble on that surface.

My first thought was that, from the single mother mired in a Central Oregon recession to oncologist Dr. Linyee Chang, or one of the physicians at Fall Creek Medicine, from COCC’s Rebecca Walker-Sands and Kathleen McCabe to Rachael Scdoris, all these candidates, all you can come up with is a bored housewi...excuse me a “Search and Social Specialist” as Woman of the Year? WOW! Thank you, The Source, for once again harvesting those pearls of wisdom from our lowly, mollusk encrusted lives, leading us into the light, and elevating we the people onto that opulent necklace of humanity. You’re doing Grandpa Hearst proud, The Source, keep it going!

Ah....Rosebud.

Editor’s note: Mr. Balestrieri, I think you forgot Mother Teresa. We’re pretty sure she skied Bachelor once.