The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.
To the Editor:
As 2022 winds down, the Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) is gaining momentum and making progress on new goals and projects for its fourth “vision year.”
Each vision year, which runs from September through August, provides an opportunity for a collaborative team of local leaders and
community members to advance the Vision Action Plan. The VIT is facilitated by local nonprofit organization Citizens4Community (C4C).
Along with Josie Newport, C4C’s new executive director, who took the helm in May, members of the 2022-2023 VIT include (but are not limited to) Jennifer Holland, executive
Sometimes I do writing meditations. I ask my inner wisdom to speak and share what’s important. In this time of short days, cold nights, and hibernation, internal work is embraced. Using the prompt Here’s what I want you to know, I’ll share what came through in hopes these words might inspire you as well.
This is it. The big one, the one chance, the N.O.W.… No Other Way. Speak truth. Your truth only helps if it’s said with respect for other ideas. How you say something makes all the difference. How much thought you put into it before opening your lips directly corresponds to what can be digested, internalized, considered, and possibly adopted as part of a larger family of ideas, dogmas, and ways to move through this tumultuous, troubled world.
I want you to know yourself honestly with necessary, nourishing truth. I want you to share that truth in every way possible. Let it all out, expose what was hidden, kept safely away and protected from criticism. Hope is alive as long as there are people brave enough to push past angry scowls and pasted-on smiles of reverence and blind faith.
Open your borders, allow those in who are not like you. Who do not share your life experience and views embraced because of your past. It’s not about pigment, it’s about the past and
how it shaped you, others, this country, and the world. How you reach out makes all the difference. You may be afraid, or sure your words won’t make a difference. But they do, they will, they must. Sheep will run off the cliff if the dogs push them there. Learn to speak to them. Listen to their bleating fears, and desire for safety. You are no different.
Remember what a view of our planet from space reveals. It lacks individual ideas or challenges, or stories. It reveals oneness, the blues and wispy whites of moving clouds swirling and dropping rain on the thirsty and the drenched. Look at your own life from a distance. Look at other lives from a distance and you will see clearly and hopefully reach yourself and others.
The end of the year marks another journey around the sun. Earth can’t stop moving, but you can. Just for a moment, reflect.
What have you learned? What have you completed? Who have you reached, helped, soothed? When you look down from a distance on the past year, what fills your heart? Do you feel regret, gratitude, peace?
If you’re blessed with another year, what will you continue? What was left undone? What can you do on your tiny speck of earth that will bring joy, or sustenance or renewal. What wrong will you work to right? What heart will you help to heal?
I watch with eager eyes to see the goodness you will give in the coming year.
At her final City Council meeting on December 14, after eight years of serving the people of Sisters, Council President Nancy Connolly was showered with gratitude and well wishes from the other councilors and City staff.
Public Works Director Paul Bertagna provided a comprehensive list of all the projects, programs, personnel, and plans in which Connolly had a hand. It is an impressive list which, with a moist eye, led Bertagna to summarize by telling Connolly, “Everywhere you walk, you
can see what you’ve done.”
Scott Woodford, community development director, thanked Connolly for welcoming him when he first came to work at City Hall.
“You have always been very professional with the staff, and you have always taken time to understand the issues,” he said.
Finance Director Joe O’Neill remarked that he is impressed with “how evolved and effective the City Council has become” during her tenure.
“I appreciate your thoughtfulness and compassion,” O’Neill told Connolly.
Being the City money man, O’Neill had some
figures to share. “The 201516 budget was $11.5 million. The latest 2022-23 budget is now $25 million. That’s a budget change you’ve been part of.”
Kerry Prosser, city recorder, had some numbers as well. She estimated that over her eight years, Connolly attended 400 public noticed meetings, another 400 informal meetings, and spent thousands of hours on City business.
“You’ve always wanted what was best for the City,” Prosser said. “The staff has really appreciated you.”
Mayor Michael Preedin told Connolly, “I have loved
There will be no increased building heights in Sisters for the foreseeable future. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District doesn’t have the equipment necessary to fight a fire in a 50-foot building. Furthermore, the current fire station may not be able to house a ladder truck equipped to reach 50feet. In the interest of public safety, the increased height conditions were dropped from code changes approved by the Sisters City Council last week.
At their December 14 meeting, City Council approved TA 22-04,
Development Code Text Amendments that will support the recommendations of the Sisters Housing Plan and Efficiency Measures Report.
The updated Housing Plan includes a detailed list of strategies and timelines to help produce more affordable housing in Sisters. These strategies may include development incentives, cutting regulatory impediments, adjusting fees, and grants or waivers to increase the availability of needed housing. Both plans contain a list of strategies to accomplish the plan goals, many of which involve amendment to the Sisters Development
The Sisters School District (SSD) has been partnering with University of Oregon graduate students looking at possibilities for reconfiguration and reuse of the current elementary school property once the new elementary school construction is complete.
The new elementary school location makes the SSD campus c off highway 242 a complete K-12 campus. However, the historic and
memory-filled current elementary school building will still be owned by the School District when the time comes to open the new location in September of 2024.
The graduate students from the University of Oregon (UO) are part of the Masters of Community and Regional Planning program, specifically the Sustainable City Year Project.
During the presentation last Wednesday evening to the school board and the
Al-Anon Mon., noon., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-610-7383.
Alcoholics Anonymous Thurs., 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / Sat., 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / Mon., 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Big Book study, Tues., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Gentlemen’s meeting, Wed., 7 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Thurs., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fri., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-548-0440.
Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild
For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelefly@msn.com.
Council on Aging of Central Oregon Senior Lunch In-person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab-and-go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs. 12:30 to 1 p.m. Sisters Community Church. 541-480-1843.
East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wednesday (September-June), Stitchin’ Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061.
Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday, 7 p.m. Sisters Community Church. All ages welcome. 541-771-2211.
Heartwarmers (fleece blanketmakers) 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Sisters Community Church. Materials provided. 541-408-8505.
Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 541-668-1755.
Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk 3rd Monday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP at citizens4community.com
Military Parents of Sisters Meetings are held quarterly; please call for details. 541-388-9013.
Oregon Band of Brothers – Sisters Chapter Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-549-6469.
SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings & Enrichment) Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation District. 541-549-2091.
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503-930-6158.
Sisters Area Photography Club
2nd Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., at Sisters Community Church. 541-549-6157.
Sisters Area Woodworkers 1st Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-1897.
Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846.
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Church. Email sistersbridge2021@gmail.com.
Sisters Caregiver Support Group 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Sisters Episcopal Church. 541-771-3258.
Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m. Location information: 541-549-1193.
Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Brand 33 Restaurant at Aspen Lakes. 541-410-2870.
Sisters Parent Teacher Community 2nd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters Saloon. 541-480-5994.
Sisters Parkinson’s Support Group 2nd Thurs.,1 p.m. Sisters Library 541-668-6599
Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday.
Location information: 541-848-1970.
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-760-5645.
Sisters Trails Alliance Board every other month, 5 p.m. varies from in-person to zoom. Info: info@sisterstrails.org
Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-903-1123.
Three Sisters Irrigation District Board of Directors 1st Tuesday, 4 p.m., TSID Office. 541-549-8815.
Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Spoons Restaurant. 541-419-1279.
VFW Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 1st Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., The Hanger, Sisters Community Church. 847-344-0498.
Weight Watchers Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in, Sisters Community Church. 541-602-2654.
Black Butte School Board of Directors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black Butte School. 541-595-6203
Sisters School District Board of Directors One Wednesday monthly, Sisters School District Administration Building. See schedule online at www.ssd6.org. 541-549-8521 x5002.
Sisters City Council 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022.
Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m., SPRD bldg. 541-549-2091.
Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022.
Black Butte Ranch Police Dept. Board of Directors Meets monthly. 541-595-2191 for time & date.
Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BBR Fire Station. 541-595-2288.
Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Wed., 5:30 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale Rd. 541-548-4815. cloverdalefire.com.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday, 5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771.
This listing is for regular Sisters Country meetings; email information to nugget@nuggetnews.com
The flu outbreak in Central Oregon is taxing health care facilities as cases skyrocket and more patients flood emergency departments and urgent care. We are in Week 48 of the flu year, and it’s disrupting the system, according to Dr. Cynthia Maree, St. Charles Health System infectious disease medical director.
“Influenza numbers are rising rapidly,” she said. “Our hospitals are already strained. We’re seeing the number of visits going up to the emergency department and urgent care.”
The flu season runs from October to May and the positivity rates being seen are more typical of January. More taxing is the number of pediatric RSV — respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, acommon respiratory virus that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms.
Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV
is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than one year of age in the United States.
Nearly all children have been infected by RSV at one time or another, but cases requiring hospitalization are on the rise, in some cases dramatically. St. Charles has already air-transferred seven cases to other pediatric ICU facilities. There are only 40 such beds statewide, and all but four were taken last week with RSV patients.
Responding to strained hospitals, Governor Kate Brown issued a state of emergency on November 14 due to the rise of RSV cases in children under age two.
Like COVID-19, flu and RSV cause numerous mild infections, but can cause more serious illness leading to hospitalization for very young children, pregnant people, adults 65 and up, and the immunocompromised.
In the most recent week, nearly 4,500 persons in Oregon tested positive for
flu, about 32 percent of the total tested. Very few are tested, with most not seeking treatment or relief, relying on commonsense therapies such as staying at home, drinking lots of fluids, and taking over-the-counter pain and fever reducers.
Similar to the majority of diseases recorded in Oregon, Deschutes County is faring somewhat better than other populated areas. In week 48, of the 1,651 tested only 25.9 percent were positive for flu “A” as compared to 40.0 percent in the Columbia Gorge and 30.4 percent in the Willamette Valley.
That’s of little comfort to anybody hospitalized or in the waiting room of the emergency department or urgent care.
Close to 90 percent of outbreaks are in a school or day care setting, per data from Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The same OHA reports that just over 5 percent of all emergency visits to hospitals are flu-related this year, four times as many as the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 flu season.
• Wash hands frequently by washing with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands; it’s
the easiest way for germs to enter your body.
• Eat healthy and balanced meals to strengthen your immune system.
• Exercise boosts your immune system and speeds recovery from illness.
• Stay home until your fever is gone for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine.
• Studies have shown that smiling and laughing can help boost your immune system.
There were 57 ER visits last week in Deschutes County, up from 44 the week before.
No surprise, say Oregon health officials. Those getting their flu shot this season are down. Peak week is usually the second week of October. This year saw about 125,000 get their flu shot that week as compared to 150,000 last season and 220,000 in 2020, the year of COVID.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at a news briefing last Monday that this year’s flu shot appears to be “a very good match” to the circulating strains. However, she noted that flu vaccinations are lagging behind the pace of previous years.
Overall vaccine skepticism has increased since the onset of COVID. Per the
CDC, last year in Oregon only 51.4 percent of the age-appropriate population received an influenza vaccine.
Through the end of this October, CDC data shows that vaccinations for pregnant women, a group that is more vulnerable to severe illness from influenza, are down about 12 percent from the same point in 2021.
Statistically, flu risk is reduced up to 60 percent by vaccine. Influenza is the only respiratory virus preventable by vaccination.
Oregon ranks “high” on the national epidemic map tracked by the CDC. Neighboring California and Idaho are in worse shape however, and Washington state is at the highest level of reporting. The best place to be to avoid the flu — Vermont, followed by Wisconsin and Alaska.
The Holidays are here, and Sisters Arts Association (SAA) has one more Fourth Friday Artwalk in 2022. It’s fun to spend time walking through the galleries of Sisters this week. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in the galleries, whether you are doing lastminute shopping or just tak ing a relaxing walk through downtown.
At Clearwater Gallery this month, you’ll find classic holiday offerings made by talented crafters and artisans. Hand-painted gourd ornaments by Chris Warren and Leslee Burtt, pottery by Molly Newbern, fused glass by Edie Shelton, miniature paintings by Sarah B. Hansen, PF candles, and Dan Rickards’ holiday cards. Stop in from 4 to 6 to celebrate the season with wine and light appetizers.
Wildflower Studio wishes you Happy Holidays. Stop in for last-minute stocking stuffers. New products include local wildflower honey by Brittany’s Bees and felted soaps and lotion bars from Rough Cut Soap Co. Original paintings exploring
local landscapes, plus prints, glass, candles, and cards. Celebrate this winter season from 3 to 6 p.m.
Courtney Parker has put together a collection of Western-themed artwork for this month’s show at The Campbell Gallery. Parker has loved to draw for as long as she can remember. “Creating portraits in pencil is my passion. There is something special about the blank paper or canvas. The outcome of the art is unknown and that’s exciting and beautiful.”
Working from photographs, she begins each portrait with the eyes. “If I can get the eyes accurately, I find that the rest of the drawing falls into place.” The best part of doing commissioned portraits is delivering the end product. “I love to see their faces when I can hand deliver the finished drawing. That has always meant so much more than any monetary gain.” She has recently begun to work in watercolor and pastel, and to explore doing colored pencil portraits.
Like the instrumentalists in an orchestra, the Hood Avenue Art artists are coordinating their skills, memories, and perception of “Peace’d Together” for a group show. Peace is something to cherish, especially at this time of year. They worked together to find spirit of place, love of family and our fellow humans, and the need to express ourselves as individuals. That is the meaning of “Peace’d Together” and the art that’s part of it. The gallery will celebrate its Artwalk from 4 to 7 p.m. with music and holiday cheer.
At Sisters Gallery & Frame you can buy a “HUG” or two from artist Paul Alan Bennett. His latest hardcover book, “HUG: A Visual Chronicle of Our Need to Touch,” has arrived just in time for Christmas. He will be on hand to sign books. The gallery continues to feature photography by seven local artists: Curtiss Abbott, Gary Albertson, Wendy Birnbaum,
Greg Davidge, Roger Dorband, Bruce Jackson, and Dennis Schmidling. The show “Owls and the Friends – A Tribute to Jim Anderson” continues through the end of the year. Partial proceeds from sale of the owls etc. will be donated to the Jim Anderson Memorial Scholarship Fund at Sisters High School. There will be a sneak peek at new pottery by Ann Grossnickle. The gallery will feature light refreshments from 3 to 6 p.m.
Raven Makes Gallery has an ever-growing selection of fine art and jewelry from the Southwest, Plains, First Nations, and Alaska Native artists, and ranging from museum quality masters to innovative new talent. They continue to offer positive energy and beauty to art lovers worldwide. Raven Makes will be open Friday during regular hours, until 5. Stitchin’ Post is always a favorite. This Friday, the shop will be open during regular hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are a few gift items remaining in the Employee Boutique, if you are still looking for handmade gifts. There will not be an evening Artwalk at Stitchin’ Post this month.
Toriizaka Art owners are away, so the gallery will not be open for Fourth Friday.
Remember to sign up
for SAA’s “Quick Draw,” as we will give away two $50 gift certificates, good in any of the participating galleries. Thanks to Coldwell Banker Bain in Sisters for their support. Sisters Arts Association is a 501(c)(3) organization that welcomes new members: individuals who love art, artists, students, and businesses. Annual memberships range from $50 to $150, and now is a great time to join for 2023. More information is available at sistersartsassociation.org.
• City staff is currently negotiating a development agreement with Northwest Housing Alternatives (NHA) for a multi-family rental workforce housing project on Trinity Way. The development will be a multi-story building with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, and possibly some studios. The building design will feature a minimum of 40 affordable workforce units with an additional manager’s unit. Amenities will include a community space, outdoor play area, and easy access to shopping, work, and other amenities within the city. Units will be targeted at households making 60 percent of the area median income or less with unit sizes designed for individuals, couples, families, and seniors.
Several funding sources have been secured to support the project, including $400,000 in Urban Renewal funds, over $100,000 in the Affordable Housing Reserve, and $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds reserved by Deschutes County for a multifamily workforce rental housing project in Sisters that should be approved on January 11.
• The official results for Sisters voting in the November 8, General Election are as follows: For City Council (three positions) Susan Cobb 1,088 for 23.81 percent, Sarah McDougall 973 for 21.30 percent, Gary Ross 1,251 for 27.38 percent, and Michael Preedin 1,149 for 25.15 percent. Ballots cast were 2,154 for 4,569 total votes with 108 writeins. The Charter amendments Measure 9-147 was approved with 1,455 yes votes for 74.43 percent and 500 no votes for 25.56 percent.
• The Public Works
reviewed a summary report on feedback from the public open house held in November to showcase three concepts for the proposed East Portal multimodal hub. Concept No. 3 seemed to receive the most positive feedback. It will be advanced with modifications including the addition of long-term parking in the southeast corner, clear RV parking area/option, and a dedicated EV parking area. Option No. 3 contains the sawtooth design for bus pullins and was favored by the transit companies. The public favored the natural cover of trees along Highway 20 in Concept 3.
Kittelson & Associates will now work with the City staff to create the preferred concept with engineering drawings, including a refined layout, added detail of onsite facilities (paths, sidewalks, bike parking, restrooms, etc.). They will also make phasing recommendations. The PWAB will review the preferred concept drawings when complete in first quarter 2023 and make recommendations to the City Council. The Deschutes County Commissioners were deciding last week if the City of Sisters would receive the requested $978,000 in STIF
funds for construction.
• The PWAB reviewed Kittelson & Associates Barclay Drive conceptual design for the alternative route between the Highway 20/Barclay roundabout and the Highway 20/Locust Street roundabout.
The drawing showed proposed reduction of curves on Barclay Drive to make it possible for traffic to travel at 35 mph. Traffic traveling in both directions between Pine and Locust will be able to travel through without stopping. There will be 9.5foot multiuse paths on both sides of Barclay, two 13-foot travel lanes, and one 14-foot turn lane down the center of Barclay. The entire stretch will have curbs. Coming from the north on Camp Polk, traffic will be required to stop.
Next steps include refining the ADA pedestrian crossings, a detailed review of all facets of the design, right-of-way acquisitions, securing project funding, and putting the project out to bid.
It is hoped the alternate route and the Highway 20/ Locust Street roundabout will be completed within the same timeframe. The design of the roundabout will be done in 2024 with construction
hopefully completed in 2025.
• Paul Bertagna announced that the East Portal project made it onto the STIF funding list for transit money. Deschutes County Commissioners were to decide last week if Sisters would be awarded the money they requested.
• Scott Woodford, community development director, reported that the Sunset Meadows Master Plan application is still in process. Oral testimony has been closed but written testimony can still be given until December 22. The next Planning Commission meeting when the hearing on Sunset Meadows will be continued is scheduled for Thursday, January 19.
Other planning work includes the new Parks Master Plan which should be ready for Council approval in February 2023. Applications have been received for projects in the light industrial/residential zone. To accommodate the proposed workforce housing apartment complex on Trinity Way, land in the Heavenly Acres area will need to be rezoned.
• Creekside Campground reservations go live online January 3 for the 2023 camping season.
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
Recruitment for a new city manager for Sisters will go public after the first of the year. Jensen Strategies of Portland, who oversaw the first recruitment effort, will lead the new one beginning in January 2023. The first search resulted in the city rejecting all candidates.
During December 2022, work behind the scenes included a few adjustments to the profile, an interview with new City counselor Susan Cobb to bring her up to speed, and brochure edits. At their December 14 meeting, Council approved the profile and hiring process with minor revisions as part of the Consent Agenda.
The City will advertise for the position starting January 30-February 26, 2023. Interviews and selection is
The Sisters Outlaws wrestling team hosted 13 teams at the annual GFP Tournament, held Saturday, December 17. The tournament marked the third competition of the season under new head coach David Kemp.
The tournament included varsity boys and girls brackets, as well as a full slate of junior varsity matches.
Despite injuries to three key wrestlers, the Outlaws held their own Saturday, according to Kemp.
“We have had a strong start overall to the season, led by our senior captains Ben Cooper and Hayden Kunz,” he said. “Unfortunately Hayden was unable to wrestle this weekend due to injury.”
Sisters had three wrestlers score at the varsity level on Saturday, starting with freshman Tyson Kemp in the 132pound division. Kemp won his first match by fall (5:56) before losing to eventual champion Landyn Philpott of La Pine. He then lost by major decision to Denny Dean of Caldera (18-4).
The Outlaws picked up the majority of their team points
in the 152-pound class, as Ben Cooper made his way to the championship match with falls over Alex Byler of Caldera and Brennon Allen of Crook County before losing by fall (1:52) to Hunter Kemper of Burns in the final,Kemper was the state champion last year.
Scott Henderson picked up four points for the team at 170 by winning his first round match by fall (5:57) over Julian Lopez of Crook County, but was unable to continue due to injury.
Carter Van Meter (126) and Jozua Miller (285) also competed at the varsity level but were shut out of scoring. Van Meter lost by fall to Justin England of Crook County (2:52) and to Jayden Esquiro of Madras (1:14), while Miller wrestled one match, losing by fall to Isaiah Boise of Madras (1:47) in his only match.
In the JV-B Average contests, the Outlaws entered three wrestlers.
Jace Owens took top honors in the JV-B Average 142-148 with wins over Michael Noblitt of Caldera, Dakota Wilson of Gilchrist, James Landles of La Pine, and Maximus Dorning of
Ridgeview.
Hunter Bronson wrestled in two matches in the 160165 class, losing by fall to Garren White of Mountain View and Jose Martinez of Mountain View.
In the 124-129 JV-B class, Brennan Frutos got a lot of action, wrestling all three of the other competitors in the class, which earned him fourth place despite losing by fall in all three matches.
The Outlaws placed eighth among the 14 teams with 30 points. Burns edged La Pine 161-160 for the team trophy.
Results were not readily available from the girls’ competition, but Kemp looks forward to seeing the five girls on the team continue to learn
and develop. Sophomore Brooklyn Cooper is leading the way among girls this season, according to Kemp.
“Brooklyn has already had significant improvements in the first few weeks of the season,” he said. “She works hard every day in the practice room and her results are
showing”.
As a new coach to the program Kemp said, “I am very excited to be here and to build the program.”
The Outlaws hit the road for their next competition at the Rollin Schimmel Invitational in Pendleton on Wednesday, December 21.
Americans nurture a long-running obsession with criminals, from Jesse James to John Dillinger to Bernie Madoff, so it’s no surprise that FTX charlatan Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was able to enjoy a guiltfree series of softball interviews—and even a fawning ovation sponsored by the New York Times—in the days leading up to his arrest. It remains to be seen how well his “These aren’t my pants” defense (the same line used by street-level dope dealers everywhere) will hold up in federal court, given his exposure. SBF’s attorneys might consider having him write an “ I’m Not Suicidal” statement before he winds up in a New York jail where the security cameras are out of service and the guards take frequent naps.
$15 billion is a lot of other people’s money to lose at the craps table.
Nowhere is the American crush on criminal nitwits, even violent ones, on better display than in the state of Illinois, which has recently eliminated cash-bail. The reasoning behind the nobail movement is that poor defendants, mostly Black, can’t afford it, which is
a strange new obsession among legislators who should be less concerned with poor criminals of any skin tone, and far more concerned with law-abiding victims of any tax bracket.
What people really can’t afford is to be repeatedly victimized by crooks. In Cook County, Illinois, between 2017 and 2021, some 15,000 hoods were freed without bail and went capering — mostly in poor neighborhoods —again. Apparently, people in Cook County just love being robbed, burgled, carjacked, or even shot at, because last year 1,002 people were murdered by gunfire, and as of November of this year 3,258 people in Chicago have been shot.
Those numbers read like the casualty figures from combat in Donetsk, even though Chicago has some of the strictest guncontrol laws anywhere in America. They don’t appear to be working there, either, which one supposes can only be properly explained as very, very weird, given so many passionate assurances that gun laws reduce gun crimes.
The magnitude of criminal celebrity is usually tied to the audacity of the crime and spins off its own industries — most profitably in the entertainment universe. But it shows up in lesser forms as well because Bernie Madoff’s game-worn boxer shorts sold at auction for $200, and Charles Manson was perpetually inundated with marriage proposals until he finally died, asphyxiated under a mountain of fan mail. SBF was a darling of the cryptoclimate imaginarium and incidentally vegan —so collectors of jailbird memorabilia might want to watch
the art markets for his Free the Milk Cows silly cup and artisanal Peruvian chopsticks — which will eventually be worth a fortune.
Mining crypto is one of the most energy-intensive industries on the planet, which might make it anathema to climate warriors, except that it somehow doesn’t. That’s true even as the tonsured disciples of climate change continue their rapid evolution into what amounts to an ultraorthodox religion. There are some fascinating parallels between the climate zealots of our day and the medieval Christian church, which aren’t limited to missionaries throwing soup on priceless artwork, the trotting out of doomsaying child prophets, and the always lucrative selling of dispensations to serial sinners.
SBF, of course, was well on his way to becoming a cardinal in the Church of Our Holy Climate after dropping $40 million in the collection plates of mostly left-wing politicians —and somehow convincing Major League Baseball’s umpires to stitch the FTX logo on their uniforms. The former earns a big meh, because that’s how America works. But the latter is extremely disconcerting because it is hard to accept that people who rep for a make-believe asset can be trusted to call real balls and strikes.
SBF being clapped in bracelets 24 hours before his expected congressional testimony is no accident, and it’s mostly amusing to see historically terrible legislators such as Maxine Waters pivoting so hard and so publicly to disavow their once cozy relationship. One suspects that SBF, the Jerry Falwell Jr. of America’s crypto-climate megachurch, has a few
secrets he’d love to share — in exchange for a reduced sentence — with the notoriously efficient, competent, and nonpartisan Department of Justice.
If he’s found guilty. Which is always in doubt because it doesn’t take much to get a driver’s license, and a driver’s license and a heartbeat are about all you need to sit on a jury.
We will soon know what level of celebrity Sam Brinton can achieve.
Brinton was an expert on nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, and an official in the Department of Energy until being arrested for stealing expensive luggage
from airport carousels in Minneapolis and Las Vegas. And wearing the women’s clothes he found inside. There is probably a way to trace this behavior back to Oppenheimer, whose Manhattan Project unleashed a chain reaction of everexpanding nihilism across the planet, but for now it’s enough to know that, unlike SBF, when Brinton tries to explain away his crime by saying “these aren’t my panties,” they really aren’t.
Thank God that pitchers and catchers report to spring training in less than two months. We can make good use of more bread and circuses around here.
Code. The amendments in TA 22-04 are the first round of code amendments put forward.
The approved amendments include:
• Multifamily residential district to increase allowed residential density, and remove the floor-area ratio requirement.
• Zoning incentives (density) for affordable housing.
• Allow residential-only development in specific parts of the downtown commercial zone.
• Facilitate middle housing types (duplex, triplex, quadplex – latter two minor conditional use).
In their deliberations, councilors each shared their concerns and considerations guiding their decision to approve the text amendments.
Councilor Andrea Blum thinks we “have a unique and wonderful place” here in Sisters. “We are struggling with growth, but we have to be prepared, have to make adjustments to get quality people to work in Sisters.”
Blum suggested the City has to be nimble. She pointed to the importance of having constant review of changes made to the Development Code to evaluate how things are working and make adjustments as necessary. Blum was happy with the compromise making tri- and quadplexes minor conditional uses and
not outright permitted uses. Conditional use means the builder must come to the City for approval.
Council president Nancy Connolly agreed with Blum about the necessity for affordable workforce housing. She would like Council to give direction to the Sisters Planning Commission to review the entire short-term rental picture. She would like to see a process started so that available housing is not tied up in vacation rentals.
“We all need a place to live. If you want gated communities and exclusive neighborhoods, then a public city is not for you… Change is hard but necessary,” she said.
Mayor Michael Preedin assured those attending the meeting, “There is nobody up here that wants unfettered growth. What we’re doing tonight (approving Development Code changes) is a release valve on the UGB expansion… With no increased density, an expansion of the UGB will definitely be necessary and probably larger than we want…. We never stop talking about livability, but we have to address growth… Design standards will be key to mitigating the impact of density.
“We started this whole process over a year ago,” Preedin explained. “We looked at every number, every line of (development) code. Staff did a great job. Planning Commission did a great job. Nothing we do is perfect because there are too many societal factors. We’re doing the best we can… What we’ve approved
tonight is a one-yard run at fourth and goal.”
Councilor Gary Ross pointed out that in the past, single-family homes have been built on multifamilyzoned land, reducing the number of units provided.
“I’m not excited about what we have approved tonight but we have to compromise.” Ross said.
He, too, would like to see a cap on short-term rentals, sooner rather than later. He thinks 90 percent of the housing problem in the city is due to the high percentage of second homes and shortterm rentals.
“We need to provide for people who live here,” Ross added.
Councilor Jennifer Letz was unable to attend the meeting, but her comments were read into the record and echoed those of her fellow councilors.
Blum reminded those present that the Parks Master Plan is currently being revised and updated. More developed park and open space can help mitigate some of the density increase.
Connolly concluded with, “The goal of many outweighs the opinions of one.”
The provisions outlined in TA 22-04 are encapsulated in Ordinance 526, which was approved by the Council.
director of Sisters Park & Recreation District; the Deschutes County Commissioner; Schools Superintendent Curt Scholl; Ian Reid, USFS Sisters Ranger District; Chief Roger Johnson, Sisters Camp Sherman Fire District; Jane Paxson, C4C board president; Scott Woodford, City of Sisters; Tammy Baney, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council; and community members Steve Swisher and Elizabeth Kirby.
As the vision year progresses into 2023, VIT members will continue to prioritize and align their efforts, both individually and collaboratively, using the four focus areas of the Sisters Country Vision. These focus areas – prosperous, resilient, livable, and connected – continue to act as a guide for decisionmaking in Sisters Country. To learn more about the Sisters Country Vision, visit www.sisterscommunity.org/sisters-coun try-vision. Here you’ll find the history of the Vision, a more detailed look at the four focus areas, and recaps of each vision year.
You can also get involved in the community via events hosted by C4C, such as Let’s Talk! discussions, Community Builders meetings, and Community Conversations. And for even more opportunities to learn, collaborate, and connect with Sisters Country, visit www.citizens4community.org.
Carrie Uffindell and Elizabeth Kirby
This Christmas season is one filled with the message of hope that is found in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world! Yet for many this time of year is only a magnification of the hopelessness and despair that they feel inside. Whether this hopelessness comes from a loss of a loved one, a commercialized view of Christmas, or maybe even the difficulties we all faced in the past several years.
The gift of Christ is a clear expression of love when taken in the context of God, Creator of the universe, choosing to offer his only Son in exchange for our salvation. The Bible
Shepherd
Luther
Saturday, December 24, at 4 p.m . there will be a traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service including Christmas carols and a Christmas story and message. On Sunday, December 25 at 10 a .m., come attend a Christmas carol worship ser vice. All are welcome! For more information call 541-588-5831.
On Saturday, December 24, at 4 p.m. Wellhouse will host a Christmas social hour with free f amily por traits , drink s, and cookies. Following at 5 p.m . will be a classic Christmas candlelight ser vice complete with Christmas music, story time, and a gift for kids . For info call 541-549-4184 or go to wellhousechurch.org.
Enjoy a silent meditation walk with others in your community, celebrating the longest night of the year. We begin with a brief gathering , then proceed through the labyrinth in silence (di erent f rom our exuberant summer gatherings). Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight or electric candle. Enjoy a hot beverage—please bring your own mug. December 21, 7-8 p.m. Sisters Community Labyrinth is located in the East Portal wooded area at the corner of Highway 242 and W Hood Ave (between Bi-Mart and Les Schwab). Info: 503-7091148
On Christmas Day, Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and Sisters-Camp Sherman Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Association will once again prepare a traditional sit-down Christmas dinner on Dec. 25 f rom 1-3 p.m. in the Sisters Fire Communit y Hall, 301 S . Elm St., Sisters . All are welcome. For more information call 541-549-0771, or email sbialous@sistersfire.com
e 25th Anniversar y Edition
“Quilt s in the Garden” Puz zle make great gif ts! . Puz zles are currently available for purchase for $20 at the following locations: Ray ’s Food Place, e Gallimauf ry, Fika Sisters Co eehouse, and Metamorphosis Salon. Purchase puzzles now before they are all gone. Contact 971-246-040 4 for more information
On Saturday, December 24 at 4 p.m., SCC will host Christmas Eve in the Park at Fir Street Park . is celebration for the whole family includes hot cocoa, singing Christmas songs , hearing the Christmas stor y, and candle-lighting . e Christmas Eve indoor ser vice begins at 6 p.m. at 130 0 W McKenzie Hwy. e Sunday Christmas Morning ser vice will begin at 9:30 a .m. For more info call 541-549-1201 or go to sisterschurch.com.
Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration
Invites you to attend ser vices on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24. Family ser vice & children’s nativit y begins at 4 p.m . A traditional ser vice with Holy Communion takes place at 9 p.m. Christma s Day service will be Sunday, December 25 at 9:30 a .m. For info: 541-54970 87 or visit episcopalsisters. com.
Celebr ations set at December community lunches
Each Tuesday in December at the Sisters Community Church, lunche s are sponsored by Council on Aging of Central Oregon . ere will be seasonal entertainment for the enjoyment of the attendees e no-charge, in-person lunches are held at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. e year will be closed out on December 27 with a Happy New Year celebration. No reser vations are necessar y. For more information call Emma Fried-Cassorla at 541323- 0432
Fre e Lunches For Seniors e Council on Aging of Central Oregon is ser ving seniors (60+) free lunche s on Tuesdays, Wednesdays , and ursdays at the Sisters Community Church located at 130 0 McKenzie Hw y., Sisters . e Tuesday meal is sit down f rom 11 a .m. to 1 p.m . and also o ers activities and information about health, communit y resources , and nutrition. On Wednesdays and ursdays lunche s are o ered drive-through style, f rom 12:30 p.m . to 1 p.m. and seniors can drive through the parking lot to pick up a meal on those days . Come on by ; no need to make a reser vation. For more information call 541-678-5483.
Save the Rubberbands
Business owners: Do you receive a bundle of Nug get Newspapers each week? e fat rubberbands are highly valued by the Nug geteers that bundle your papers each week. Save the rubberbands we’d love to use them again. 541549-9941
Christmas Masses at St . Edward the Mar tyr Christmas masses will be held at St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 24, at 5:30 and 8 p.m.; and on Sunday, December 25, at 10 a .m. Solemnit y of Mar y Mass will be held December 31, at 5:30 p.m . Call 541-549-9391 or visit stedwardsisters.org.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Sisters Church of the Naz arene
Join Sisters Church of the Na zarene on Christmas Eve for a candlelight ser vice at 4:30 p.m. Come be a part of the greatest stor y ever told through music, message, and fellowshipping . e church is located at 67130 Harrington Loop Rd., o Gist Road. For more info call 541-389-8960 or visit sistersna z.org.
Sisters Cold Weather Shelter Winter Meals
Sisters Cold Weather Shelter is unable to o er overnight shelter this year. ey will be o ering hot meals twice a week at the following locations December through Februar y : Mondays 2-4 p.m. at Wellhouse Church, 222 N . Trinit y Way ; ursdays 2-4 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy For more information, email sisterscoldweathershelter@ gmail.com
Announce Celebrations! Notices f rom the Sisters communit y may run at no charge on this page. Email nug get@nug getnews .com Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays
Parkinson’s Suppor t Group Are you a person experiencing Parkinson’s disease (PD) or a care partner/f amily member desiring to better support your loved one with PD? We invite you to join our support group to experience f riendship, shared experiences , and a better understanding of PD. Please join us the second ursday of the month 1-2:30 p.m. at the S Librar y, 110 N . Cedar St. Siste For more information con Carol Pfeil, program coord of Parkinson’s Resource s of Oregon, 541-6 68-6599 or c parkinsonsresources.or
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Caregiver Support Group elma’s Place Adult Day Respite Program in Redmond host s a monthly support group for those caring for someone with Alzheimer ’ s or another dementia-related disease. e support group is held every third Wednesday of the month from 4:30-5:30 p.m. is is a f ree family-caregiver support group featuring local organiz ations For more info call 541-548-3049.
Fre e Weekly Meal Ser vice Family Kitchen is hosting a weekly to-go hot meal ser vice on Tuesdays f rom 4:30 to 6 p.m . at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hw y. For more infor mation visit www.FamilyKitchen .org
Weekly Food Pantr y e Wellhouse Church will have a weekly food pantr y on ursdays at 4:30 p.m. (222 N Trinit y Way) Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Call 541-549-4184 for information
Hunter Education Class Starts Februar y 7, 2023 . For information call Rick Cole 541420- 6934
Chapel in the Pines Camp Sherman • 541-549-9971 10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831 10 a .m. Sunday Worship www shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com
St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h 123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391 5:3 0 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass 9 a .m. Sunday Mass • 8 a .m. Monday-Friday Mass
e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s 452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 541-420 -5670; 10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting
Calvar y Church 484 W. Washing ton St. , Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288 10 a .m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsister s.org
Seventh-Day Adventist Church 386 N . Fir St. • 541-595-6770, 541-306 -8303 11 a .m. Saturday Worship
Hello, I’m Sophie!
Because I’m already grown, you can see exac tly how big l will ever be, easily discover what I like, and learn all the unique thing s about my personality. I may be a bit older but I still need love and attention. My new special someone will watch me blossom into my loveable self. I am truly beautif ul and enter taining , and I cannot wait to find my f avorite nap space in your home. Come and meet me!
Baha’i Faith
Currently Zoom meeting s: devotions , course trainings , informational firesides. Local contac t Shauna Rocha 541- 647-9826 • www.bahai.org or www.bahai.us
Wellhouse Churc h 442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com 10 a .m. Sunday Worship e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 68825 Bro ok s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship 10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship www.epis copalsisters .com
Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har ring ton Loop Rd. • 541-389-8960 www sistersnaz.org • info@sistersnaz.org 10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational) 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship www sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com
After a number of years without local coaches, the Sisters Outlaws Nordic ski team has been reignited under the leadership of Sisters Middle School teachers Jeff Husmann and Tiffany Tisdel.
With 16 skiers on the roster, virtually all of them having no Nordic racing experience, Husmann has broad goals for the team.
“Our goal for this year is to help skiers gain experience in a lifelong sport, grow the culture of Nordic skiing in our community, and have fun!” he said. “Though we won’t likely threaten podium spots this year, we look forward to growing this program.”
Husmann does see plenty of potential on the team.
“Though nearly all of these kids are quite new to Nordic skiing, they are an athletic group of kids with a positive attitude to work hard and improve,” he said. “Many of our skiers run crosscountry or play soccer in the fall, so they have engines. Though we have had limited
time on snow this early in the season, it’s become obvious to us that they are not only a fun group of kids but supportive of each other and hungry to improve.”
There are two disciplines in Nordic skiing, classic and skate/freestyle, so team members are learning a lot of technique early in the season, according to Husmann.
Junior Ella Bartlett is the sole returnee from last year’s team, which was operated in cooperation with the schools from Redmond.
“Ella is our only skier with any race experience and she is certainly a leader of this team,” said Husmann.
Husmann is no stranger to coaching the sport. He taught and coached in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, for 16 years before coming to Sisters.
“I started the Nordic ski program, where we went from having just four skiers the first year to as many as 35 skiers in a school with fewer than 300 students,” he explained. “We grew the program not only in number of participants but became one
of the strongest programs in our division.”
Husmann and Tisdel are pleased with the team members’ willingness to be involved in Outlaws athletics.
“Many of these kids also are on the Alpine ski team so are comfortable on skis. The Alpine program, coached by Gabe Chladek and Rima Givot, have also been very supportive in our efforts and we have worked cooperatively to make doing both disciplines a workable option for athletes,” said Husmann.
“In addition, there already has been so much support from families and the school and this will only continue to grow.
Six Outlaws had their first competition of the season on December 14 at Virginia Meissner Sno-Park.
“This was not only the first race of the season but the
first race ever for all of our skiers,” said Husmann, “and we were so proud of their willingness to give it a go. They pushed themselves and came away with stories and smiles and plans on how to
improve for next time.”
Finishers for the Outlaws on the five-kilometer classic course included Ella Eby (25:02), Kiara Martin (29:46), Nevaeh McAfee (29:56), Spencer Tisdel (20:16), John Berg (22:18), and Jack Turpen (25:11).
The team is scheduled to compete next on January 7 at the Teacup Invitational located at the Teacup Nordic Snow Park at Mount Hood.A home meet at Hoodoo is scheduled for Monday, January 16.
Many of our skiers run cross-country or play soccer in the fall, so they have engines.
— Coach Jeff Husmann
Sisters Park & Recreation board, student representatives from the class, Annie Price and Katherine Rola, laid out the three different possibilities their class researched over the last 10 weeks as sustainable plans for the use of the elementary school land. Price and Rola are both firstyear graduate students in the program. Over the course of a year, they will come up with a synthesized report of the reuse of the School District land by March 2023.
“We’ve had the opportunity to use the first quarter of graduate school to work with Sisters as part of our wonderful Sustainable City Year Project. We have been studying the makeup and importance of community structure, current research, andwe’ve had the opportunity to explore potential applications to Sisters,” said Price.
“We, in the first 10 weeks, looked at research, design, visited the location and what putting infrastructure in place would look like,” said Price.
Students looked at the survey results put out by Citizens4Community (C4C) that highlighted what citizens wanted to see as far as livability in Sisters.
Students also looked at population trends, age demographics, and other factors that would play into the best use of the land based on the growth of the community, the age of its members, and what the future of the town might look like. As well, they looked at the housing cost burden with lack of affordable housing and availability.
They also brought in elements of what transportation in the area might look like with the eventual addition of the roundabout at the intersection of Locust and Highway 20 and how that could affect what type of building use is there based on accessibility to it.
The students split up the possible reuse into three categories and reports. The first category was age-friendly, second was adaptive reuse
(or housing development), and the third was a recreation area. Each category had a vision/values statement produced driven by values highlighted by documents and conversations with community members.
The students on the agefriendly neighborhood team looked at the possibility of green spaces, safe and connected pathways, built spaces for social gathering, and housing for all. They provided examples of what this might look like through visual aids of small housing units such as cottage courts, townhomes, etc.
The second category was adaptive reuse. This focused mainly on creating affordable housing options, especially for Sisters School District employees, as teachers struggle to find an affordable place to live locally in Sisters Country. The team’s vision statement was: “The Sisters School District will model sustainable rural development through there purposing of the Sisters Elementary School as a community hub
that includes workforce housing for school district employees.”
They looked at an example of a Prineville elementary school hallway that was converted into 29 apartment units, providing a housing option to faculty and day care providers. A project like this would allow most of the structure of the building to remain the same as it has historically, just with a different purpose than a school.
There would be an option for a green space with the current field, community gathering spaces, housing for employees, and other adaptive reuses that meet the community’s needs equitably.
The third category option was a community and recreation center. This team’s focus and vision statement was: “The Whychus Creek Recreation Center [the name the team gave the space], is an accessible and connected recreation hub for intergenerational play to support a healthy, happy, and socially thriving Sisters
community.”
The team looked at the option for many different recreational uses for the land, including a pool, more courts and fields for sports, accessibility to recreational activities for all ages. They looked at the interests in the community based on surveys, to determine what sort of recreational options could be available in this space.
There were common threads throughout each of the categories that were important to the team’s study as well as to the Sisters community. Those ranged from the need for affordable housing to having open and green spaces; safe transportation and safety and accessibility to options and locations on the land.
All the possibilities brought up are very much in their initial stages, and projects and planning such as this can take up to a decade, according to the students. Momentum is dependent on funding and community interest in a certain category.
A project could become a combination of some of the categories.
The presentation was
— Annie Price
made to highlight the collaborative work UO students, Sisters Country, and SSD are doing to create a beneficial space to the community overall. There are many details and elements to iron out with projects such as this. Superintendent Curt Scholl is hopeful that providing options and dreaming up the possibilities will create the best possible use for the current elementary school land once the new location is up and running.
We’ve had the opportunity ... to work with Sisters as part of our ... Sustainable City Year Project.
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The boys basketball squad lost 73-58 on the road at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 13, and three days later lost to Yamhill-Carlton (YC) by three in a heartbreaker, 50-47.
In Tuesday’s action the Outlaws faced their toughest competition of the season so far. Sisters held an 11-8 advantage with just a little over one minute left in the quarter, but then took some quick shots that didn’t fall, committed some turnovers, and couldn’t get a stop on the defensive end, which allowed the Lions to score and take the lead. At the close of the period the Outlaws trailed 11-12.
Cottage Grove held on to the momentum as teams entered the second quarter, and outscored the Outlaws 25-17. Landon Scott scored six points for the Outlaws and Mehkye Froehlich added five to lead Sisters’ scoring effort. At the half the Outlaws were down by nine, 28-37.
The Outlaws switched up their defense to a 1-3-1 zone in the third. Froehlich was able to get a steal just seconds into the quarter and cut the Lions’ lead to seven. However, the Lions were patient with their ball movement, cut into the Outlaws’ defense, and made some shots against the Outlaws’ zone. At the end of three, Sisters trailed by 14.
Sisters battled back an forth with the Lions in the
final period and tried to keep the game within striking distance. The Outlaws put up 20 points, but the Lions scored 21 to maintain the lead and record the win.
Froehlich led the Outlaws with 16 points and three steals, Scott recorded 12 points, and Diego Silva tallied eight. Adam MaddoxCastle put up five points, and Kale Gardner, Garrett Sager, and Brody Fischer added four points each. Sager also pulled down five rebounds.
opened up a 6-10 lead, but the Outlaws followed with a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead 12-10. The run was capped by a baseline long ball from Maddox-Castle on an assist from Sager. When the quarter ended the Outlaws trailed by two, 14-16. Jessey Murillo led the Outlaws’ scoring with six points.
The second quarter belonged to the Outlaws, and they outscored the Tigers 22-11 in the period. Silva started the scoring spree with two three-pointers. Sisters used their 1-3-1 defense to disrupt the Tigers’ rhythm, and caused four turnovers. The Outlaws scored six points on the turnovers and 14 points in the paint. Froehlich attacked the basket in transition and scored 10 points to lead the Outlaws’ scoring effort.
Outlaws were on top 44-33.
The Outlaws struggled in the final period and went a disappointing one-for-eight from the field, while the Tigers went five-for-eight. Even with the lopsided shooting the Outlaws found themselves up by one with just over two minutes left on the clock.
Sisters switched to their delay offense and ran the clock down to 25 seconds. Tigers player Kyle Slater (who finished with 21 points) hit a tough jump shot around the free-throw line and the Tigers took the lead for the first time since the 6:22 mark in the second quarter.
difference in the game, and had to record the heartbreaking loss.
Froehlich led the Outlaws with 10 points and three steals, and Murillo finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. Scott and Silva both scored eight points, Sager contributed six, and Maddox-Castle added five. Gardner had five rebounds and three assists in the contest.
Coach Chad Rush said, “We knew this was going to be the toughest game of the season so far this year and were looking forward to the challenge. We were able to compete with the athletic Lions, but were not able to match their physicality at the basket. We will look to learn from our mistakes the next two days in practice and come back stronger and better on Friday against Yamhill-Carlton.”
On Friday, the Outlaws made the three-hour trek to YC, and despite the long bus ride competed well in the first quarter. The Outlaws traded baskets with the Tigers and after four minutes of play the score was tied 6-6. Next YC
Sisters came out slow in the third and were held scoreless for the first two minutes. Scott ended the scoring drought with a nice layup, and finished the period with all of the Outlaws’ eightquarter points; two field goals, a triple with an assist from Gardner, and a freethrow made on a plus-one. The Tigers switched defenses in the quarter to a 2-3 zone defense, which slowed the pace of the Outlaws’ offense.
Despite the slow offensive production, the Outlaw’s defense remained strong. They held the Tigers to just six points on two of nine shooting attempts and forced five Tiger turnovers. At the close of the period the
The Outlaws inbounded the ball and tried to beat the Tigers down the floor before they could set up their defense, but the ball was thrown out of bounds. Sisters was forced to foul to stop the clock, and unfortunately the Tigers hit both free-throws for the final three-point
Rush said, “There’s no hiding the fact that this loss hurts. I am still very proud of the boys for hanging in there during the second half. We did not let our offensive struggles affect our defensive intensity, especially in the third quarter. That is something that we can take away from this game. I am looking forward to getting back on the court and continuing working on getting better.”
Sisters will play at home against Estacada on Wednesday.
— Coach Chad RushBy T. Lee Brown
As a kid, I spent a lot of time watching people get their vehicles out of ditches. I learned the sticky value of mud, the slick potential of black ice, and the inevitable offroad sliding that would come with snow.
Sometimes I was helping. More often I was huddling in my dad’s red truck while he got the job done. There were no cell phones; if you were stuck in a ditch out on Gimpl Hill Road, you were good and stuck. If you wanted help, you’d need to trudge up someone’s snowy driveway and ask to borrow their phone.
They’d usually let you, or they’d come down and help. It was a neighborly process. Folks got to know one another. Someone might offer you a cup of coffee to go with your phone call.
Or my dad would drive by, or a neighbor would call him. There was never any question of not stopping. Of course we stopped. Of course we helped. My dad would get the rope or the chain, do his best to tow them up and out of the ditch.
One time, in a much bigger snowstorm than anyone was used to, a bunch of my disreputable-looking NewWavey friends and I wandered the streets of nearby Eugene, digging people’s cars out of the snow. Just for fun. Just to help out.
I had cause to think of all this the other night in
Camp Sherman. My passenger and I were headed to the Community Hall for the annual Black Butte School Winter Performance in the darkness of evening. It was a beautiful night, sparkling and cold, surrounded by picturesque trees in snow.
There wasn’t anywhere to park — at least for a perpetually barely-on-time or okaysometimes-a-bit-late reporter from Sisters like yours truly, one largely uninitiated in the secret ways of Camp Sherman.
I was a little flustered by the time I took a left up Tamarack Lane. I’d noticed a couple cars parked up there, but found no parking spot for us. Driving up the dark lane, trees towering overhead, snow piling around us, I saw no plowed turnouts or roads.
Helpfully, my passenger began to harangue me for my increasingly (how shall we say it?) “disregulated” grumbling as I drove. In my flustery-blustery state, I snarled, “Fine! I’m turning around!”
This was, as they say, a poor choice. How else to explain my Toyota Sequoia half hanging onto Tamarack Lane, with its spinning front wheels unable to find a grip, rear end cowering in the ditch?
Or the not-ditch. With all that snow, it was hard to tell where, exactly, I’d attempted to turn around. Random forest, I guess.
I checked for cell phone access. There it was! Too bad I recently found out the hard way that our emergency roadside service, through our auto insurance? Suuuuuucks. I wouldn’t care to start any lawsuits, but the insurance company’s name might rhyme with Bait Harm.
Then what? Right, put some gravel under those tires and try again! Oh. The bucket of gravel I cleverly remembered ought to be put in the Toyota, the one I texted my husband about, even wrote by hand on a list? Somehow never made it into the vehicle.
My vehicle is usually stocked with snacks, first
aid kit, water, rope, emergency blanket (a.k.a. overpriced skim of tin foil stuffed into a little plastic container, stamped with an officiallooking Red Cross logo), shovel (crummy old Army folding shovel that pretty much stays half-folded even when you’re using it), windup radio, battery-compressorthing, and an old pair of halfcut-up red sneakers (never know when I might need those). Because we’d taken a different car on a road trip, not all the stuff made it back into the Toyota.
So that’s me, your friendly local prepper, stuck in a ditch with a half-broken minishovel and handful of wimpy hemp cord for company. Oh yeah, the sneakers, too. I probably should’ve stuck them under tires for traction. Maybe if we ever got home, me limping into the house in half-cut-up red kicks, we’d find a faded list from September on the fridge. In dim lettering, there would be the words “gravel for Toyota,” scrawled alongside “Sign up four months early for a snow tire changeover because things sure have gotten wackadoodle-busy over at Les Schwab.”
It was tempting to ditch the vehicle where it lay flopped in the snow like a beached white whale. Just walk away, go see the show, and hope for help afterward. I knew my texts to locals weren’t getting any more traction than my front tires. Everyone in Camp Sherman would be watching the show.
Abandoning the vehicle was a no-go. Because of the halfway-on-the-road factor, we blocked in Gary, this nice guy from Ponderosa Heating & Cooling. He’d been hoping to get back to Sisters before the falling snow got any thicker. But now he was stuck. He kindly helped with the traction attempts.
The flusterment-escalation of our drive had ceased the moment we flailed into the snow-ditch-forest. Now my passenger grabbed our dubious shovel and Gary grabbed
his real one. Much scooping of snow and digging for soil ensued.
The party really got going when a mom and her fouryear-old had to stop their car, trying to get through to their house, up the mysterious dark snowy road. The mom was patient about the situation, though bedtime loomed and everyone was getting cold.
But alas, all the scoops and digs were for nothing. The Toyota wouldn’t budge.
I shoved a couple innocent-looking fir boughs into the traction mix. We even tried the spiky rubber mats that protect the Toyota’s pale carpet. No dice. Gary kindly gave his flashlight to the woman so she could carry her falling-asleep kiddo into the snowy darkness beyond. (Spoiler alert: they made it home safe and sound.)
When the show ended, and the people of Camp
Sherman wandered into cell service areas, Mark Foster saw my text. Though we’ve only met a couple times, he extended the same help my dad would. Drove his truck up the lane, towed backward while I gunned forward, and on the very first try, the Toyota leaped merrily onto the snowy pavement.
To Mark and Gary, I want to say: Thank you. Thanks for your understanding, friendliness, and hands-on help. Thanks to my dad, for showing me how it’s done. Thanks to my mom, too, who taught me to bake oatmeal cookies and deploy them in a gratitude-oriented manner in appropriate situations. Hope everyone got their deliveries.
Merry Christmas to all — and blessed Solstice, and Happy Hanukkah, and wonderful Kwanzaa, and blissful New Year — and to all a good night.
According to the National Safety Council (NSF), 25,000 slip, trip, and fall accidents occur daily in the United States.
Nearly all injuries from slips and falls on snow and ice fall under the classification of “traumatic injuries.” These injuries range from minor bruises, cuts, and abrasions to serious bone fractures, spinal cord damage, and concussions, according to the NSF.
Health care professionals warn that slipping and falling accounts for a large number of winter-related injuries, and can have an impact on the quality of life for the injured person. The most common injuries encountered as a result of slipping on the ice are head injuries, as well as fractured arms, legs, and hips.
Falls commonly occur when a person is getting out of their vehicle or walking in a parking lot or on a sidewalk.
In the month of November, 179 patients visited St. Charles urgent care clinics and emergency departments throughout the region due to concerns about injuries related to falling on ice. This is significantly higher than last November when they had only nine patient visits related to falls on ice.
From October 1 until last Friday, St. Charles had 347 total visits for injuries related to falling on ice this year. They are on pace to exceed last year when they recorded a total of 437 for the entire season of October through March.
In a special report prepared for The Nugget, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District EMS units responded to 1,029 incidents between January 1 and November 15 of which 162 were fall related. Only eight were due to ice conditions, a number that will grow as the cold weather persists.
The vast majority of falls from ice do not require emergency assistance, with most patients driving themselves to the emergency room or urgent care.
Of all falls to which the District responded, 102 falls occurred at home (includes nursing homes); 129 were patients over the age of 60 (33 under 60); females accounted for 89 of the falls, while males accounted for 73.
As we age, falls increase due to balance issues, arthritic joints, and reduced muscle mass.
Chief Roger Johnson said: “In regards to words of wisdom, prevention is the key. Using ice melt or other antislip material such as bird seed, sand, etc. can prevent falls. There are also a lot of anti-slip devices that go on over your shoes. Our firefighters use these over their firefighting boots when working on icy roadways.”
Bi-Mart has no shoe traction devices of any kind —“still waiting” for a supply with no information on when they will clear the backlog.
Sisters Ace Hardware and Hoyt’s Hardware & Building Supply each have a limited stock of Yaktrax, the leading national brand. Both say that they are still waiting for a new supply. Other shops in Sisters like Hike-N-Peaks may have some traction devices.
Doris Minor was pulled down by her dog while walking. Emergency departments say this is not uncommon and advise not walking your pet on ice.
The best key to prevention? Walk like a penguin. The Farmer’s Almanac, which provides annual weather forecasts among a collection of other useful information, says people who live in colder climates are more acclimated to walking on icy surfaces because they have learned to walk like a penguin.
To walk like a penguin, do the following:
Bend slightly and walk flat footed. Keep your center of gravity over your feet as much as possible. Point your feet out slightly – just like a penguin does. Shuffle your feet and take short steps. Pay attention. Don’t get distracted. Watch where you are stepping. Concentrate on keeping your balance. Keep your arms at your sides and hands out of your pockets. Go slowly and don’t walk with arms full of groceries or packages.
Summit Health Urgent Care in Redmond also wants us to protect our heads first. If you feel yourself beginning to fall, tuck your chin against your chest to prevent your head from hitting the ice or pavement. Cradle your arms around your head.
As you fall, try to fold your body into itself, which helps to decrease the height of the fall.
When you hit the ground, roll and exhale sharply to tense up your body, and allow
for it to absorb the impact. Never try breaking a fall by bracing yourself with your hand as it likely will only result in a sprain or a break.
The greatest number of falls on ice occur getting out of a car, when we are naturally unbalanced, and relying on one foot. Try this. While still seated scooch 90 degrees
toward the door, then plant both feet on the ground and hold on to the car door as you exit. Don’t worry about looking stupid or old.
The Nugget did a walk around the central business district and found a surprising number of businesses who have not cleared their sidewalks which are now caked with uneven ice.
Winter has arrived and that means dealing with slippery conditions around your home or business. For many property owners the quickest and cheapest solution is to grab a bag of “ice melt.”
Ice melt on sidewalks and driveways might help melt some of that ice and snow this winter, but you’re apt to regret it down the road.
It works quite well, especially when temperatures don’t dip too far below freezing.
But unfortunately, using ice melt causes a tremendous
amount of harm to both your landscape and your hardscapes. Rock salt, or sodium chloride as it is officially known, is highly corrosive to concrete, asphalt, and brick. As it melts the snow and ice, trace elements remain behind.
Those corrosive remains attach themselves to the hardscape surfaces. Even more damaging, into their tiny, porous holes. The salt remaining on top can scar and mar the surfaces, permanently leaving unsightly chips, streaks, and stains.
While some of the salt remnants remain on and in the surfaces, most are washed
off into nearby lawns and flowerbeds. That’s a recipe for short- and long-term problems.
Ice melt is not good for Fido’s paws either.
Calcium chloride is a lessharsh alternative to rock salt (sodium chloride), and actually works better when temperatures are low (between 0 degrees and 30 degrees Fahrenheit).
However, any chemical containing chlorides, including sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, etc. found in “safe de-icing chemicals,” fertilizers, ocean water, etc. present a danger to the concrete. All
are mildly acidic, and attack the bonds that hold concrete together.
Go natural
• Sand absorbs sunlight, which can help snow and ice melt, and it also adds traction.
• Kitty litter doesn’t melt the snow and ice, but is like sand in that it also adds traction for a non-slip surface. Both kitty litter and sand need to be applied on top of the snow to be effective.
• Vinegar. As vinegar contains citric acid, it will help melt snow and ice. It may take a few applications, however. It has no traction benefit.
• Sugar beet juice is one
of the most environmentally friendly ways to de-ice your home. The juice from sugar beets lowers the melting point of ice and snow. It’s also completely safe for roads, pets, plants, grass, cars, and concrete.
• Another environmentally friendly way to melt snow and ice is alfalfa meal, which is usually used as a fertilizer, so it’s 100 percent natural. It’s also grainy, so you’ll get some traction.
• Coffee grounds. Like sand, coffee grounds will absorb sunlight to help melt snow and ice faster. It will also give you a non-slip surface.
Jeff Tryens grew up on the East Coast, and worked in Washington D.C. and Massachusetts as everything from a policy consultant to a deputy director of program activities for national public policy organization in the 1970s. He made the move to Oregon in the 1990s.
Tyrens currently serves on the board of directors for Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD).
Tryens lived in Oregon off and on for 30 years before returning to school on the East Coast at 49 years old. He went to the Kennedy School at Harvard to receive his master’s degree in public administration.
“I had been doing the same job for so long, the thinking part of my brain wasn’t being used as much, so I decided to go back to school to receive my master’s,” he said.
Tryens focused on how to replicate innovative programs for organizations. After receiving his degree, he began his career working with nonprofits as the executive director of the Oregon Progress Board in Salem. He worked closely on directing the state board responsible
for oversight of Oregon’s strategic vision, Oregon Shines, which was the vision plan in the early 2000s.
“That vision really focused on Oregon’s livability and the long-term vision for Oregon at the time,” said Tryens.
During his time with the Oregon Progress Board, he received an invitation to speak to groups about aspects of strategic planning and visions for their organizations.
“Through that, I became the head of the Portland recreation bureau working as a management consultant focusing on strategic planning performance management and metrics,” he said.
Tryens’ work sparked an interest in learning how they run a parks district, and how he might be able to aid with program management and strategic visions.
Over time, Tryens’ and his partner Patricia Cusick’s friends began moving from the Willamette Valley to a little town called Sisters. In the 2000s Tryens was contracted to work in South Australia doing the same thing he was doing for the Oregon Progress Board for areas in South Australia.
“When we came back to Portland, we visited our
friends in this small town and wanted to move there too; it was a beautiful place and our friends were already here,” he said.
Tryens has been living in Sisters for eight years now and serving with SPRD since 2016. He joined SPRD initially as a volunteer, based on his work with Portland Rec; he wanted to get involved. Tryens helped with SPRD’s strategic plan in 2016, and when the ballot came out in 2017, many of the community members wrote in Tryens to serve on the board as an elected official. He served as board president for a couple years and is currently serving as vice president.
“The great thing about SPRD, is (it is) an independent entity. It gets its funding from taxpayers and we as board members get to plot the direction of the organization without worrying about the politics higher up,” he said.
Tryens’ role as vice president is to get people involved and be sure people have every opportunity of learning who we are and what we do. Tryens also works on the strategic plan and vision for the future of SPRD.
“We really try to engage with the community at large. As a board we want to
emphasize what we sponsor, like the car show, parade, and just letting people know what we are involved in as much as possible,” said Tryens. Moving to Sisters allowed
Tryens to get involved with horses. He works with endurance horses and participates in competitions, and at 76 years old, he is a proud endurance rider.
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Lady Outlaws had a rough week, with several players out due to illness. The depleted roster was a big factor in their 39-30 loss to the Lions at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 13, and three days later their 20-45 loss at Yamhill-Carlton (YC).
On Tuesday the Outlaws traveled with just eight of their 13 players, with four out sick and one that had to stay in Sisters for a choir event. With key players out, and a short bench, the teamput forth their best effort, but it just wasn’t enough to pull off a win.
Players had to step into positions they don’t normally play, and after a slow start in the first quarter, the Outlaws played catch-up the entire game.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Sisters was able to cut the Lion’s lead to six points, but down the stretch they committed a few turnovers and the Lions hit a lay-in at the buzzer to secure the win. The Outlaws did outscore the Lions 12-8 in the period, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the earlier deficit.
Jenna Lake and Ellie Mayes led the Outlaws with nine points each. Ashlynn
Moffat recorded four points, Haleigh Froehlich and Hadley Schar tallied three points each, and Shae Wyland pitched in two.
Coach Paul Patton noted both Froehlich and Wyland, who dug deep and gave it their all despite the fact they’ve both been fighting sickness.
Of the game Patton said, “We were focused on doing a better job of keeping our opponent off the offensive glass, and after allowing four offensive rebounds in the first quarter, we did much better at screening out the rest of the game.”
Patton added, “I keep saying we just need to get more reps in practice, but that’s hard to do when so many players are out sick or injured. Hopefully, we’ll get all these troubles done and over with soon, and be good to go in the second half of the season.”
In Friday’s game only seven players were able to make the road trip. Four key players were out, including Patton, Froehlich, Schar, and
Sage Wyland.
Sisters had a good first quarter and got two long balls from Lake and one three-pointer from Delaney McAfee. Emma Sahlberg got her first varsity points of the year with two free-throws, and at the close of the period the Outlaws held a slim 13-12 advantage.
In the second quarter the Outlaws couldn’t make a shot, while YC tacked on 15 points to their score, with an off-balance bank-shot threepointer at the buzzer to close out the half.
Yamhill-Carlton continued to extend their lead in the second half, while the Outlaws struggled to make shots and take care of the ball. Sisters was outscored 7-14 in the second half and had to record the loss.
Lake led the Outlaws with 13 points.
Sisters was scheduled to play on the road at Sweet Home on Tuesday, December 20. They will play at home against Estacada on Wednesday, just one day later.
Rick Curlett wrote: This past Wednesday morning I was preparing to drive from Sisters to an appointment in Sunriver. As I got into my car and started to back out of my driveway I noticed one of the warning lights on my dashboard came on indicating that I had low tire pressure! I got out of the car and looked at all four tires and couldn’t see anything wrong, however the thought of having a flat tire going up Lava Butte in the freezing-cold weather was not something I wanted to take a chance with.
I thought of Les Schwab since they are literally a few blocks from my home but I must admit my tires were not purchased from them and I wasn’t sure of their policy regarding that, and I also did not want to be late for my appointment down in Sunriver. I pulled up to the front of the service doors just as one opened, and one of the technicians was backing a car out that they had just finished servicing. I rolled
down my window and told him my situation regarding the warning light, etc. and his immediate response was “go ahead and pull up to the next door and I will see what is going on.” He then got the air gauge and went around to all four tires and checked each one (right front was about 10 lbs. low) and he adjusted all four tires as well as verified from a visual inspection the low tire was fine, probably just low due to the extreme cold temps, and it was good to go.
He then wished me Happy Holidays and went back to work. The entire process took less than five minutes, and I was able to make my appointment on time.
I just want everyone in Sisters to know that the entire team at Les Schwab are fantastic, and I have two words that I would like to pass on to them that unfortunately we don’t hear often enough in this age of negativity and that is “THANK YOU!”
Citizens4Community (C4C), in partnership with Happy Brain Science, is offering a free training called “Remember This! The Science of Learning and Memory” on January 12, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., at the Sisters Fire Hall Community Room.
The session is open to the public; anyone living in, working in, or visiting Sisters Country is welcome to attend. While a Zoom link will be provided to those unable to attend in person—see registration information below— the session is designed for an in-person audience, and the experience will be much better in the room.
Have you ever walked into a room and wondered why you went in there? You are not alone! Human memory is far from perfect. Forgetting can make anything we are trying to do in life harder. Fortunately, science suggests solutions. Peer-reviewed research can guide us to techniques that can work for anyone, to help you remember anything from a person’s name to why you walked into a room.
“Building capacity in various organizations and individuals is part of C4C’s mission to build a connected community through collaboration,”
said Josie Newport, director of C4C. “We are delighted to be able to offer this training for free to the residents and visitors of Sisters Country.”
Jane Paxson, president of the C4C board, said, “Scott Crabtree previously delivered a session called “The Science of Being Happy and Productive at Work and In Life” in partnership with C4C, and it was very well received. That session went so well, we invited Scott to join the board of C4C. And now as a member of the board, Scott is willing and able to deliver more free sessions for Sisters Country. Organizations such as DreamWorks, Google, NBC, and The National Park Service hire Scott over and over; we are fortunate to be able to offer his sessions to anyone in Sisters Country. I am looking forward to Scott’s session for my own benefit!”
“The science of happiness is clear: the most important factor in our well-being is the quality of our relationships. So, I was eager to partner with C4C, because they focus on building a connected community here in Sisters Country,” said Crabtree.
To register, contact Josie Newport, director of C4C, at director@citizens4 community.com.
Interest in serving as volunteer City board and commission members was high this year, with 11 people being selected for one-, two-, three-, or four-year terms. Eleven people applied for the three Planning Commission positions.
Named to the Planning Commission for another fouryear term are Cris Converse and Art Blumenkron. They are joined by Jeremy Dickman.
Dave Moyer and Rachel Rupple will serve for three years on the Public Works Advisory Board, and Dane Zehrung for one year.
The City Parks Advisory Board will see Emily Coonrad and Doug Buell serving three-year terms and Nancy Connolly two years.
The Urban Forestry Board will welcome Terese Kollerer for a one-year term.
The Budget Committee has a full complement of members, with Nancy Connolly named to the three-year term, Sarah McDougall to two years, and Dave Moyer and Doug Mahoney to one year each.
At the end of each year, the City seeks volunteers to apply for a variety of board positions and terms. Candidates fill out applications and participate in an interview process. The most qualified candidates are selected.
Oregonians along with the rest of the U.S. are seeing some relief from months of budget-killing fuel prices. As of December 19, the price per gallon of regular unleaded in Oregon hit $3.845, well below last month’s price of $4.693. Just last week, the price was still over $4.
Sisters prices are right at that statewide average this week, while in Redmond the lowest price for regular is $3.57, according to Gas Buddy, a popular phone app that lets buyers find cheap gas by location, grade, or brand.
Station attendants in Sisters tell The Nugget that since the run up in gas prices more and more shoppers no longer say “fill ‘er up.” They are either, as is the case nationally, buying by dollar amount than tank, or in Sisters, putting in just enough to get them to Bend or Redmond where they can save about $6 per tank.
If a driver is already going to Redmond then it’s an obvious savings. If you have a 20gallon tank the savings can be as much as $8/tank. It’s a false economy local stations say to deadhead for gas only.
If your car has a 15-gallon tank and gets 25 mpg, it will take $5.90 to get to and from Redmond to save $6.
The bad news: diesel prices remain stubbornly high at $4.949/gallon average in Oregon. Until the start of 2021 when the pandemic was in full force, diesel fetched only a 20-24¢ premium over regular. Now it’s more than a dollar more per gallon in Sisters.
Sisters Country in its rural setting is more dependent on diesel than more urban areas.
Farming and ranching run on diesel and many workers in Sisters Country are employed in forest products or construction, relying on a diesel powered truck for their labors.
It’s the same diesel that is the cause of much of our
inflation and rise in airfares. Name an everyday product that isn’t delivered by rail, truck, or air freight, all of which are powered by diesel. That’s a key reason why consumers paid an average $3.42 for a dozen Grade A, large eggs in October — up from $1.82 a year earlier, according to federal data.
Oregon Food Bank says: “Every aspect of our food distribution operations has faced significant cost spikes, from purchases to transportation costs. Since December of 2021, our fuel costs are up 30 percent, freight costs to transport food to our warehouses is up 16 percent.”
In a Bloomberg report from late November, they paint a pessimistic picture: “Within the next few months, almost every region on the planet will face the danger of a diesel shortage at a time when supply crunches in nearly all the world’s energy markets have worsened inflation and stifled growth.
“The toll could be enormous, feeding through into everything from the price of a Thanksgiving turkey to consumer bills for heating homes this winter. In the U.S. alone, the surging diesel cost will mean a $100 billion hit to the economy, according to Mark Finley, an energy fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy.”
Prices in Oregon have dropped down close to last year’s average of $3.771/gallon. Enjoy it while it lasts. Trading Economics in New York, a leading international data collector and forecaster, predicts a gallon of regular will rise nationally to $4.125 in the first quarter, $4.277 in the second, and $4.428 in the third quarter.
A brighter long-sterm forecast from Fitch Solutions expects the price to continue its downward trajectory, dropping to $2.50 nationally in 2024, from $2.90 in 2023. The firm’s gasoline price forecast for 2025 projects the price to drop to $2.45 in 2025 and $2.38 in 2026.
working with you. I couldn’t have been mayor without you.”
Connolly told those in the Council chamber, “Serving as a City Councilor has been a huge learning experience. I have enjoyed working behind the scenes with City Council and City staff.”
Her loss of privacy when out in public, and sometimes
at home, is the only downside Connolly found in being a public servant. She walks a lot and sometimes felt like a moving target for disgruntled citizens who wanted to bend her ear about a Council decision with which they didn’t agree.
When someone takes the time to give positive feedback, Connolly said, “A kernel of positive belief in what you’re doing can keep you going.”
In closing, she said, “What makes this town successful is what goes on behind the scenes.”
reveals truth from beginning to end, in that all things lead to Christ. Personally, I can’t think of many occurrences in the past two years that say: “Wow, that truly gives me hope.” It wasn’t that long ago when a winning lottery ticket was over $1 billion! What’s the probability of that becoming your answer to hope, extremely small? The probability of finding real hope in Christ is 100 percent. Without the birth of Christ, we wouldn’t have salvation from sin and the certainty of eternity in heaven.
Who among us has not felt at some point in our life a feeling of hopelessness, despair, depression, rejection, or grief? Relief comes when we turn our focus to the hope that springs eternal in Christ.
Jeff Mackey
Dear Editor:
As follow-up to my recent interview with Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson, I submitted several questions to the Oregon Department of State Police. Specifically, asking who is on the steering committee regarding Measure 114 and why no notes or official record has or is being kept of these meetings.
Below is the response I received from that law enforcement entity.
I would submit a state law enforcement agency such as OSP, which is inviting and hosting such meetings, and on a subject that has state and federal constitutional implications regarding the right to self-defense and firearms ownership, must convene a formal committee and must keep records of such meetings in the public interest.
To do otherwise echoes similar efforts to
restrict and indeed take away the rights of a county, state, or country’s citizens to own firearms for any number of reasons – as was done in Nazi Germany.
wyoleg.gov/InterimCommittee/2019/01201910313-04Handout.pdf
The group’s meetings do not constitute a public body and as such they are not subject to Oregon Public meetings law.
Answers to your questions are below.
1. What are the names of those chairing the 114 steering committee.
a. As noted above, these meetings are ad hoc informal meetings. There is no set structure for the meetings, and no one holds any position or title related to organizing or guiding the meeting. There is no “chair” for these meetings.
2. What is the name and position of the head of this committee.
a. As noted above, there is no formal structure to the meetings and no head of the group that meets. OSP merely set up the Teams invites to facilitate the meeting for the group.
3. How often does OSP anticipate the ad hoc group will meet over the next 90 days.
a. OSP anticipates meeting on an “as needed” basis. It is unknown at this time if the group will meet further beyond this week.
4. Why were no minutes kept.
a. No minutes were kept because this is an informal ad hoc group meeting and not a formal “steering committee” governed by statute or rule. There is no legal requirement to keep minutes at informal ad hoc meetings.
There is little to no transparency in what is taking place regarding Measure 114, and it is both sad and a travesty that our state police are accepting of this, and indeed participating in such “smoke and mirrors” at the cost of civil liberties in Oregon.
Greg Walker (ret.)
In 2014, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana after being told it would eliminate problems caused by “uncontrolled manufacture” of the drug. Illegal production of marijuana has instead exploded.
Oregon lawmakers, who have heard complaints from police, legal growers, and others, are now looking at toughening laws against the outlaw growers. Oregon, one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, can be an object lesson for other states, including Maryland and Missouri, where voters legalized weed on Nov. 8. That raised the number of states that have approved marijuana’s recreational use to 21.
So far this year, police have seized over 105 tons (95 metric tons) of illegally grown marijuana in Oregon, according to the OregonIdaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force. That’s up from at least 9 tons (8 metric tons) in 2019.
The indoor and outdoor grows use massive amounts of water in drought-stricken areas, contaminate the environment, and employ migrant laborers who live in squalid conditions.
A draft bill for Oregon’s 2023 legislative session that begins January 17 would double the maximum prison sentence and fine — to 10 years in prison and $250,000 — for unlawful manufacture involving more than 100 plants and possession in excess of 32 times the legal limits. Personal possession limits in Oregon are 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana in a public place and 8 ounces (227 grams) in a home.
The measure also holds people accountable for environmental damage and prohibits use of water at locations not licensed for growing marijuana. Addressing immigrant labor, the draft bill makes it a crime for managers of an illegal grow site to confiscate a passport or immigration document, to threaten to report a person to a government agency for arrest or deportation, or withhold wages without lawful justification.
Some parts of Oregon have seen record seizures as police raid plantation after plantation. Police say foreign criminal gangs have become involved, from Mexico, Russia, China, and other countries.
A single raid in October yielded 76,930 pounds (35,000 kilograms) of marijuana in Yamhill County,
southwest of Portland, the largest pot bust on record in a county more renowned for its pinot noir wine.
“Investigators found the entire property had been converted to facilitate the growth, storage, processing, and packaging of marijuana to be shipped or transported out of the area,” the sheriff’s office said.
The street retail value of the marijuana in Oregon would be $76 million while on the East Coast it would be worth $269 million, the sheriff’s office said.
Receipts at the property in rural Newberg, Oregon, showed wire transfers involving large amounts of money going from Oregon to the state of Michoacan in Mexico.
On October 25, Oregon State Police, including SWAT officers, raided a property in southern Oregon’s Jackson County that had pot growing in greenhouses. The officers destroyed about 1,000 pounds (450 kilos) of illegal, processed marijuana and found the carcass of a black bear, along with firearms and three stolen vehicles.
The amount of illegal marijuana that law enforcement officers manage to intercept each year in Oregon is believed to be dwarfed by the uncounted tons that are smuggled out of state and sold for high profits.
The 2014 Oregon voters’ pamphlet said legalization of recreational marijuana would “eliminate the problems caused by the prohibition and uncontrolled manufacture, delivery, and possession of marijuana within this state.”
Anthony Johnson, who was the chief petitioner for Ballot Measure 91, acknowledged that legalization — and the creation of a regulated industry from farm to customer — has not stemmed the illegal grows.
With recreational marijuana still being illegal federally as well as in many other states, Johnson said the problem won’t go away because of the high profit margin from selling on the black market in those states.
“I think that this is going to remain a problem until the federal government legalizes across the nation,” Johnson said in an interview on Tuesday.
He said, though, that authorities should act against the illegal growers in Oregon.
“Certainly, when unregulated grows are stealing water or using chemicals that shouldn’t be polluting our land, then it’s expected that the state and/or federal government is going to move in to enforce state law.”
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For the first time since 2019, Oregon State Parks will host Whale Watch Week in person along the Oregon Coast December 28 through January 1.
Every year thousands of gray whales migrate south through Oregon’s waters at the end of December, and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department invites visitors to the coast to see their journey.
Trained volunteers will be stationed at most of the 17 sites to help visitors spot whales, share information, and answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The sites are some of the best places to watch for whales on the Oregon Coast.
“We really enjoy getting folks out to the coast for Whale Watch Week,” said Park Ranger Peter McBride.
“It’s something that Oregon State Parks has been doing for more than 40 years now, and we’re really glad to be able to bring it back in person,” he said.
A map of volunteer-staffed sites is available online on
the official event webpage: https://oregonstateparks.org/ index.cfm?do=thingstodo. dsp_whaleWatching.
An estimated 19,000 gray whales are expected to swim past Oregon’s shores over the next several weeks as part of their annual migration south to the warm calving lagoons near Baja, Mexico. The end of December is the peak time for their migration; roughly 30 whales pass by per hour.
The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Visitors to the center can enjoy interactive whale exhibits and take in the panoramic ocean views. Binoculars are provided. Rangers from Oregon State Parks will also be on hand to answer questions about the whales.
All Whale Watch Week visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather, to bring binoculars, and to follow beach safety guidelines such as remaining out of fenced areas, knowing the tide schedule, and keeping an eye on the surf at all times.
Fifth Grade 4.0
Anderson, Jordan; Barbeau, Kammy; Beaver, Catherine; Bergquist, Collin; Borla, Nealie; Brent, Dixon; Bulloch, Belle; Card, Tabor; Casey, Lillian; Cheney, Lena; Cochran, Brogan; Comerford, Connor; Corcoran, Charlie; Demaderios, Mia; Hamerly, Vivienne; Hudson, Sydney; Jensen, Dublin; Jordan, Crosby; Kidd, Mya; Kuitert, Brayden; Kuitert, Macy; Liddell, Campbell; McCord, Aulora; Monroe, Cayden; O’Neill, Emmry; Oncken, Naomi; Perry, Mallory; Reyes, Malachi; Roth, Hunter; Skeels, Brennin; Sullivan, Ashly; Thomas, Aspen; Vedder, Pyper; Walker, Stephen; Wall, Mason; Welbourn, Sydney; Wilkie, Echo; Wolfe, Ava 3.5 and above
Anderson, Paige; Craig, Nolan; Dethlefs, Soren; Ellington, Delfina Folin, Amelia; Frank, Owen; Green, Savannah; Martinez, Elsie; Miller, Kaylee; Newton, Kiera; Nibur, Augustus; Restani, Arora; Riemer, Rilyn; Talerico, Jaxon; Vanhandel, Seth;
Vogt, Jackson; Connelly, Lane; Hansen, Penelope; Keefe, Hudson; Wills, Ava Sixth Grade 4.0
Bilderback, Clara; Cogdill, Katharine; Dean, Caroline; Durham, Marshall; Faldmo, Kinley; Labhart, Maren; Liddell, Paige; Mock, Kate; Moffatt, Brennan; Molesworth, Annabelle; Nordell, Ryah; Reid, Opal; Scott, Boden; Singleton, Will; Smith, Roselynn; Taylor, Ashlin; White, Jasmine 3.5 and above Barlow, Jade; Brang, Cameron; Keeton, Kyanne; Miller, Aksel; Roberts, Tucker; Dunivin, Jaylynn; Backouris, Kaia; Behnke, Max; Erdekian, Ajax; Lowe, Alexis; Morris, Kole; Vitelle, Alex
Seventh Grade 4.0 Beaver, Elizabeth; Benton, Phineas; Brent, Verbena; Clark, Sofia; Davis, Kennedy; Durham, Madison; Freeland, Avery; Green, Silas; Hansen, Brooklynne; Jordan, Addison; King, Siena; Magner, Lola; Moen, Stella Nickelson, Connor; Riemer, Brecken; Talus,
Henri; Vanhandel, Mason; Varner, Madison; Walker, Ella 3.5 and above Anderson, Carter; Guiney, Janelle; Cheney, Jack; Jensen, Jasper; Kennedy, Teague; Stelle, Ryan; Sybesma, Corbin; Moss, Natalie; Newton, Olivia; Anderson, Quinn; Willard, Christopher; Fuentes, Josta; Hansen, Emma; Kirkpatrick, Makayla; Bolam, Logan; Gibney, Tanner; Maloney, McGinnis; Miller, Josie; Roberts, Mary; Symonds, Ferguson
Eighth Grade 4.0 Backus, Juliette; Buller, Emmitt; Corcoran, Audrey; Crabtree, Althea; Davis, Spencer; Friend, Alanna; Goe-Alayon, Kainoa; Hamerly, Thomas; Labhart, Kieren; McDonnell, William; Retherford, Axton; Stahn, Jessica 3.5 and above
Velikonia, Juliette; Fogarty, Allison; Ryan, Josie; Brang, Mason; Evans, Gage; Panozzo, Isabella; Riemer, Daniel; Roberson, Grant; Lindsay, Brooke; Morris, Luxen; Palmer, Nathan
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) is hosting a get-together at the Coffield Center (west end of Sisters High School parking lot) on December 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS).
Sisters skiers, snowboarders, and snow sports lovers will be able to talk to OAS staff and volunteers about participation in the OAS Hoodoo program this winter. OAS offers ski and snowboard lessons for people with disabilities at Hoodoo Ski Resort beginning January 12 and running through April 2, 2023. These lessons are a unique experience for each individual, and OAS has equipment designed to accommodate a wide range of skill levels.
Volunteers are the heart and core of Oregon Adaptive Sports and the OAS Hoodoo program is looking for volunteers. If you are an intermediate skier or snowboarder or someone who would like to volunteer off mountain for OAS, you can get more information at the December 28 get-together at SPRD. Visit the OAS website at www.oregonadaptivesports. org and click the Volunteers button to learn more. There is no minimum time commitment for volunteers, and OAS provides excellent initial orientation and training for both new and returning volunteers. Volunteers work closely with an OAS instructor to best support the adaptive athlete and insure everyone has a positive experience.
By Andrew Selsky Associated PressSALEM (AP) — Oregon is losing its second elections director in as many years with the current one announcing her resignation, saying the job is extremely challenging and citing uncertain funding.
Elections Director Deborah Scroggin told Secretary of State Shemia Fagan in her resignation letter Friday that “we are at an extraordinarily challenging time for elections officials.“
Fagan herself appeared remotely a day earlier before an Oregon House committee, where she outlined those challenges and appealed for more funds.
Fagan said that her office tracked 220 incidents of false information this year.
“In many situations, these resulted in threats to life and
safety, threats to infrastructure or calls for voter intimidation or other serious threats,” Fagan told the House Interim Committee on Rules. She didn’t elaborate on any of the threats.
She requested funding for four full-time elections division positions, including two to investigate elections complaints. Currently only one full-time staffer works on elections complaints, though two other staffers help as time permits.
There have been over 300 complaints this year alone, and it takes an average of four months to resolve each one, Fagan said.
Adding more staff “will prevent long delays that erode public trust in our election oversight,“ Fagan said.
She also said county clerks across Oregon were inundated with public records requests.
ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
CLASSIFIED RATES
COST: $2 per line for first insertion, $1.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $2 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.
DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication.
PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.
220 SW PINE ST., SUITE 106
For lease 582 SF RETAIL space coming available soon. This is a great location with on-street parking. Please call for details: 541-419-8380
MINI STORAGE Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631 Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.
In-town, gated, 24-7 Kris@earthwoodhomes.com
Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150
We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397 Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com
2018 Keystone Bullet Ultra Lite travel trailer for sale $17,995. More details: www.rvtrader.com Questions: wadsdd@aol.com
–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002 Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com Printed list at 221 S. Ash, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792 Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
Great Pyrenees Puppies
All white, 3 boys and 3 girls 8 weeks old, $300 each. Call or text for details 530-905-2250
FURRY FRIENDS helping Sisters families w/pets. FREE Dog & Cat Food No contact pick-up by appt. 412 E. Main Ave., Ste. 4 541-797-4023
Three Rivers Humane Society Where love finds a home! See the doggies at 1694 SE McTaggart in Madras • A no-kill shelter Go to ThreeRiversHS.org or call 541-475-6889
GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE
“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
MOVING TRUCK FOR HIRE –COMPLETE MOVING, LLC–Sisters' Only Local Moving Co.! Two exp. men with 25+ years comm. moving. Refs! ODOT Lic. Class 1-B • Call 541-678-3332
BOOKKEEPING SERVICE
~ Olivia Spencer ~ Expert Local Bookkeeping! Phone: 541-241-4907 www.spencerbookkeeping.com
Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
~ WEDDINGS BY KARLY ~ Happy to perform virtual or in-person weddings.
Custom Wedding Ceremonies 20+ years • 541-410-4412 revkarly@gmail.com - SNOW REMOVALDriveways and walkways only. J&K Irrigation & Landscaping 541-771-5847 LCB# 100204
THE NUGGET IS ONLINE! www NuggetNews.com
LOLO TREE WORKS
Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services.
ISA Certified Arborist
Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638 Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912
4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts!
– TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.
– FOREST MANAGEMENT –
Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!
Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003
SISTERS SATELLITE
TV • PHONE • INTERNET
Your authorized local dealer for DirecTV, ViaSat HS Internet
Technology Problems? I can fix them for you. Solving for Business & Home Computers, Tablets, Networking Internet (Starlink), and more! Jason Williams Sisters local • 25 yrs. experience 541-719-8329 Oregontechpro.com
** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342 4brostrees.com
Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057
CENIGA'S MASONRY, INC.
Brick • Block • Stone • Pavers CCB #181448 – 541-350-6068 www.CenigasMasonry.com
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
Construction & Renovation Custom Residential Projects All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC. General Contractor Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74 A “Hands-On” Builder Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016 To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523
Earthwood Timberframes
• Design & shop fabrication
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services www.earthwoodhomes.com
Pat Burke
LOCALLY OWNED
CRAFTSMAN BUILT
CCB: 288388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com
– C L A S S I F I E D S –
It pays to advertise in
The Nugget... your hometown Sisters Oregon yellow pages. Deadline to place your ad is Monday before noon... Call 541-549-9941
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
~ WEDDINGS BY KARLY ~ Happy to perform virtual or in-person weddings.
Wedding
Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.
541-410-4412
CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462
All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling and SNOW REMOVAL Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
From design to installation we can do it all! Pavers, water features, irrigation systems, sod, plants, trees etc. 541-771-9441 LCB #8906 bendorganiclandscaping.com
J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, gutters. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com
BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897 I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051
Reliable and Professional Housekeeper wanted to take care of general cleaning, and am willing to pay $535 per week. Contact me for more info at: tommymoore761@gmail.com
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning GORDON’S LAST TOUCH Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008 M & J CARPET CLEANING
We are looking for a person who is friendly, outgoing, and reliable; someone who enjoys working with the public in a team environment. Full-time position Monday-Friday. Applications available at the Stitchin’ Post, 311 West Cascade Ave. in Sisters or by email: diane.j@stitchinpost.com Questions? Contact: julie@stitchinpost.com Reliable and Professional Housekeeper wanted to take care of general cleaning, and am willing to pay $535 per week. Contact me for more info at: pricericky05@gmail.com 803
A Harney County Circuit Court judge on Thursday blocked a new voterapproved Oregon law banning the sale of large-capacity firearms magazines with more than 10 rounds from taking effect while court arguments proceed.
Judge Robert Raschio’s preliminary injunction also stops the state from enforcing other parts of Measure 114, including a permit system that will require purchasers to undergo training from a law enforcement-certified instructor to obtain a firearm. State and law enforcement officials have asked for more time to put a permit system in place to meet the law’s requirements, which include applicants participating in live demonstrations of firearms.
Voters passed Measure 114 in November in response to mass shootings across the nation by shooters who use firearms with high-capacity magazines. The measure has drawn widespread condemnation from gun owners, firearms dealers, and rural Oregon sheriffs.
The Harney County lawsuit, filed against Gov. Kate Brown and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, seeks to overturn the measure based on the Oregon state constitution’s Article 1, Section 27, which provides the right for people to “bear arms for the defense of themselves, and the state.” A separate federal lawsuit challenges the measure based on the Second Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution.
“That the large capacity magazine bans promote public safety is mere speculation,” Raschio wrote in his order. “The court cannot sustain a restraint on a constitutional right on mere speculation that the restriction could promote public safety.”
The Oregon Department of Justice, which is defending the state, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Separately, Raschio will require a court hearing when state officials notify the court that a permit system is ready to determine if it passes constitutional muster.
Earlier this month, state officials and law enforcement officials raised concerns that a system would not be ready in time for the measure’s December 8 implementation.
Raschio’s preliminary injunction isn’t a final decision and keeps the new law from going into effect while the Harney County lawsuit proceeds to trial.
The Harney County lawsuit was filed against the state by Gun Owners of America, based in Virginia, and a related organization, the Gun Owners Foundation. Other plaintiffs include Joseph Arnold and Cliff Asmussen, two Harney County firearms owners. Gun Owners of America says on its website it has more than 2 million members and lobbies for firearms owners to exercise the “right to keep and bear arms without
compromise.”
The requirements of Measure 114 have attracted widespread criticism from firearms owners and dealers and several rural sheriffs, who say it’s unenforceable and will eat into limited law enforcement resources.
Measure 114 also closes a loophole that allows firearm sales to go through if background checks aren’t completed within three business days. Raschio will have a December 23 hearing about that issue and whether to block the change or allow it to proceed.
A federal court is handling a separate suit against Measure 114. In a ruling on that case last week, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut said Oregon can postpone the permit requirements for 30 days after the state asked for a postponement. But Immergut ruled that other parts of the measure, including the ban on sales of high-capacity magazines with more than 10 rounds, could go into effect as scheduled on December 8.
The Harney County judge’s order took precedence over the federal order, though. The Oregon Supreme Court declined to intervene at the request of Rosenblum and the Oregon Department of Justice.
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy of https://oregon capitalchronicle.com.
Central Oregon Community College (COCC) and the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC) are partnering to present “Learn About Your Home Waters,” an in-depth speaker series beginning in February focused on two significant local watersheds: the Metolius River and the Upper Deschutes.
Organized as two standalone lecture series, each comprised of five learning sessions over 10 weeks, “Home Waters” explores a range of local watershed topics with natural resources professionals, from habitat restoration to water usage to recreation. Registration is now open; visit cocc.edu/watershed or call 541-383-7270 to register. Cost is $49 for each series.
Other areas of focus, for both series, will include river hydrology, water quality, wildlife, ecology, conservation, and native fish populations.
The five-session Metolius River Watershed Speaker Series, beginning Feb. 7 and with an every-other-Tuesday format, will be held 5:307:30 p.m. at the Sisters High School, and concludes with an all-day field tour. Capacity is 50 in-person attendees and 20 virtual attendees.
The five-session Upper Deschutes Watershed Speaker Series, beginning April 6 and
with an every-other-Thursday format, will be held 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the COCC Bend campus’ Health Careers Center, and concludes with an all-day field tour. Capacity is 36 in-person attendees and 20 virtual attendees.
“These presentations, led by local experts and natural resource managers, will offer a holistic understanding about our local watersheds,” said Kris Knight, UDWC executive director. “It’s a great learning opportunity for citizens of Central Oregon, whether they are new to the area or have lived here for many years, to learn about their local rivers and streams, how they’re managed, and the value of these rivers and streams to fish and wildlife, water users, and outdoor enthusiasts.”
“COCC’s community education program is offering learning space, streaming technology, registration services, and promotional assistance,” said Stephanie Goetsch, coordinator for community education. “Being part of sharing the Watershed Council’s important mission is an honor for the college.”
For enrollment questions, contact Stephanie Goetsch atsgoetsch@cocc. edu. For information on program content, contact Kris Knight at kknight@restorethe deschutes.org.
