One morning last week I got a text from a friend asking if I had heard anything about a bunch of illegal immigrants being moved here and housed at the mule pasture. My first reaction was disgust that this is what is being said about the project to help our community. After I calmed down, I was thankful that my friend reached out to me to see if what she had heard was really true.

Let's just set the record straight - the U.S. Forest Service is not going to use the Orchard land in Thompson Falls as a place to bring illegal immigrants.

In last week's Ledger, I wrote about the public meeting at which the Forest Service and partners wanted to get ideas for the Orchard, a piece of public land just north of Columbia Street that borders the current Mule Pasture trail system. I was excited to see so much participation at a public meeting, because often times there are few community members to give input.

I went into that meeting expecting people to share ideas such as biking or walking trails, or maybe go way out in left field and suggest soccer fields. However, walking into that room there was an air of tension and almost immediately whispers of developments and housing complexes. There were raised voices and a very clear opinion from most to leave the area alone. Any discussion about trails or cleaning up any downed trees in the area was overshadowed by the threat of future development. One person told me they didn't want Thompson Falls to become the next Sandpoint. I don't want a bunch of development in the area either, but I would like to see the Orchard better utilized with opportunities for recreation.

Whatever is decided with the Orchard, I hope people continue to show up to public meetings and get information from the source. — Annie Wooden