The Nugget Vol. XLVII No. 6
POSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
Sisters man pleads guilty to drug charge
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Please stay off trails when muddy!
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Paul David Weston, 47, of Sisters, pleaded guilty in Deschutes County Circuit Court to a single felony count of possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, but has already served 11, and so will not serve any additional time. A second larger and more serious case involving drugs and equipment theft is still pending. Judge Beth Bagley reset the trial date for that case to July 22, but both prosecutor and defense
PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Sisters Trails Alliance volunteers and staff are asking hikers and cyclists to be mindful of the conditions and forego hitting the trail in muddy conditions. Trail use when the ground is boggy creates ruts that will make things worse for trail users in the long run.
See WESTON on page 14
Baby delivered in Sisters ambulance On Saturday, January 27, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District paramedics assisted in delivering a baby during a transport to the hospital. Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District crews were dispatched with lights and sirens to a medical call for a woman in labor. Upon arrival, ambulance crews quickly confirmed the patient was in active labor with just a couple of minutes between contractions. The patient and her significant other were assisted to the ambulance and crews began to transport the couple to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. While enroute to the See DELIVERY on page 14
Historic Conklin Guest Sisters’ vulnerability to cyber threat House may have a future By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
It all began in 1911 as a schoolhouse followed by a stint as the Hitchcock family residence and later to be occupied by the Barclay family. The old white house just north of East Barclay Drive on the west side of Camp Polk Road has had a history of ups and downs. Its last life came to be in the 1980s when Frank and Marie Conklin turned it into a quaint bed-and-breakfast. It was described then in travel guides as “Country elegance in a serene pastoral setting. Perfect spot for romantic getaways and weddings. Walking distance to Sisters and local airport. The home is a remodeled 1910 Craftsman style farmhouse with wrap-around porch and deck nestled amid beautiful manicured grounds and stately pines. Entering the house is like stepping into the pages of Country Living and delightful country decor,
Inside...
old-fashioned warmth, a cozy fireplace and soft music.” As time passed, the Conklins ended their run, and the building and grounds went into decline. In 2006 Dutch Pacific Partners planned to revive it as an 85-seat restaurant with panoramic views to be surrounded by 25 rental bungalows. The plan never came to fruition. The 4.6-acre property was sold in 2004 for $800,000, sold again in 2017 for $1.675 million and is currently on the market for $2.95 million Now a new vision for the storied property is coming into focus. Developers are keen to turn the space into a boutique RV park. They held a neighborhood meeting on January 10 for any property owner within 500 feet of the proposed development, as well as any interested member of the community. Jon Skidmore, a planning consultant hired by the See RV PARK on page 16
In testimony to Congress last week — described as chilling — FBI Director Christopher Wray said that China’s hackers are targeting American critical infrastructure, including water treatment plants, pipelines and the power grid, to be able to “wreak havoc” in the U.S. if Beijing ever decides to do so.
Testifying before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Wray also warned that there has been too little public attention on the threat that he says China’s efforts pose to national security. “China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause realworld harm to American citizens and communities, if and when China decides the time
has come to strike,” Wray told lawmakers. The Nugget asked Sisters Public Works Director Paul Bertagna to assess the threat posed to Sisters. “An advantage to being small is we don’t have complex treatment systems that use a lot of chemicals and controls. We are also able to respond to any disruption quickly and we have See CYBER THREAT on page 14
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Critical infrastructure is vulnerable in Sisters as it is elsewhere — and local authorities are alert to threats and attentive to security.
Letters/Weather ............... 2 Announcements...............10 Scottie Wisdom & Faith ....19 Obituaries ...................... 22 Crossword .......................27 Meetings .......................... 3 Entertainment .................12 The OWL ......................... 20 Fun & Games ................... 26 Classifieds................. 29-30