The Nugget Vol. XLVII No. 3
POSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Snow piles up across Sisters Country By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
The snow that fell in Sisters Country much of last week causing some havoc and disruption was not a record — not even close — but it was nonetheless the main topic of conversation. What made it the talk of the town were the winds and temperatures that tagged along. Sustained winds in the 20 mph range kept some folks up at night and consistent gusts in the 30s rattled windows and nerves. The wind brought down a 30-plus foot ponderosa pine Friday on Steve Allely’s property in the alley between South Elm Street and West Hood Avenue that crashed in a ball of sparks on central power and broadband lines taking out both and leaving hundreds in the vicinity without electricity or internet. CEC restored power (and a new pole) within hours while TDS (cable) required two days to bring back the internet and in some cases telephone for those who WI-FI calling. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Protection headquarters station on Elm Street was without phone or internet until late Friday, but maintained
PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
Sisters tightens dark skies code By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
15 feet or more into tidy mountains. Dozens of westbound motorists could not get past Sisters for several days as they lacked chains or traction tires to summit the Santiam Pass. Ray and Jill Clausen
Sisters residents and visitors alike value the ability to enjoy the night sky — and the City of Sisters has passed new dark skies code language to promote that ability. Sisters City Council chambers burst into spontaneous applause as Council voted unanimously to approve amendments to the Sisters Development Code that have long been in the works. City planning staff noted that City code around dark skies was adopted in 2010. “Since the adoption, there have been many changes in lighting, including many technological advances and how lighting is measured and evaluated, as well as an increasing desire in the community to do more to protect our dark skies from the negative impacts of poorly
See SNOW on page 19
See CODE on page 17
PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY
Heavy winds brought down a ponderosa pine on Ash Street, taking down power and internet to a portion of town. radio communication. The Sisters Athletic Club closed for a few days due to a city main water line to their premises breaking. Broken water lines kept plumbers out for hours and hours. And merchants all over Sisters reduced hours or closed altogether as commuting
employees struggled to get to their jobs. Sisters Public Works crews worked tirelessly, virtually around the clock, to plow streets and roads and public sidewalks. Their work is visible at downtown intersections where snow cleared from the streets is piled
Victims recount lasting Emergency shelter set up in Sisters impact at sentencing By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Multiple women made statements at the sentencing hearing for Michael Boyle on Tuesday, January 9, recounting the lasting impact on their lives of the acts to which he pleaded guilty via Alford plea last month. One victim testified in person, while the others had their statements read into the record by a Deputy District Attorney. “Mike Boyle is a predator and must be held accountable,” one of the victims stated, while another characterized him as “an opportunist and an extreme threat to society.”
Inside...
Boyle pleaded guilty via Alford plea in Deschutes County Circuit Court on December 4, to one felony count of attempted sex abuse in the first degree, two misdemeanor counts of thirddegree sex abuse, and three counts of practicing massage without a license. In his plea petition, Boyle recognized that the maximum punishment for the crimes he entered pleas to could have been nearly a decade in jail and fines of over $156,000. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which the defendant acknowledges that there is sufficient evidence that they See VICTIMS on page 21
It was 0 degrees Fahrenheit Friday night, -5 at 8 p.m. Saturday, and -3 Sunday morning before the skies cleared after the biggest snow storm to hit Sisters in several years. Concern started rising at the start of the week as City staff looked at the forecast, and worried that some families in Sisters could be at grave risk, especially the homeless living in the nearby woods. On Wednesday night, at its regularly scheduled meeting, the Sisters City Council approved a staff-prepared resolution that would authorize the rapid deployment of a temporary emergency shelter. The emergency
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
The former Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce office was turned into an emergency cold weather shelter. resolution runs from January 10 through January 25. On Thursday a location was finalized — the
City-owned building at 291 E. Main Ave. previously See SHELTER on page 19
Letters/Weather ............... 2 Property Guy......................7 Announcements...............10 SMS Honor Roll ................14 Crossword .......................21 Meetings .......................... 3 Obituaries .................. 8 & 9 Entertainment .................12 Fun & Games ................... 20 Classifieds................. 22-23