The nugget., February 25, 2015, Image 1

Quilt Show announces
2015 theme page 6
Arruda will play for
George Fox page 16
The Nugget
Vol. XXXVIII No. 8
Library program takes to
the skies in Sisters page 18
P OSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion
from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Fair ignites interest in science
Chorale
director
donates
scholarship
funds
By Jodi Schneider McNamee
Correspondent
The Sisters High School
commons was converted into
a maze of educational experi-
ments, demonstrations and
displays on Saturday, for the
fourth annual Sisters Science
Fair.
The air buzzed with activ-
ity as students from all three
Sisters public schools shared
their creative abilities, knowl-
edge, and interests with oth-
ers. Students and adult exhib-
itors showed off a wide range
of hands-on demonstrations,
from robots and dust explo-
sions to a ping-pong cannon
and lemon batteries.
Sisters Science Club
President Bob Collins was
having a great time watch-
ing students engage hundreds
of spectators in learning the
science behind each unique
project.
“We have expanded, and
I think compared to previ-
ous fairs the audience is more
captivated by the kids and
their projects. This year we
have all volunteers and exhib-
itors wearing a bright yellow
PRE-SORTED STANDARD
ECRWSS
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Sisters, OR
Permit No. 15
photo by Jerry baldock
Natalie Marshall show the flammability of lycopodium powder at the Sisters Science Fair, which drew a big crowd
of interested Sisters Country folks.
tag. And the buzz word is and climate change, from the dig around and find out how
“Ask Me!” And everyone National Center for Science things work.”
is,” said Collins, co-founder Education (NCSE). She made
ENERGYneering Solu-
of the Sisters Science Club. a commitment to use our sci- tions, Inc., a local company,
“We have a special visitor ence fair as a model to create drew a big crowd with their
this year, Minda Berbeco, an three more fairs around the
See SCIENCE FaIR on page 23
expert on the carbon cycle country. She’s here today to
Sisters Park & Recreation
District (SPRD) has received
a $4,300 donation from Irene
Liden, director of Sisters High
Desert Chorale. The funds are
dedicated to the scholarship
program.
Liden, a retired profes-
sional opera singer, is an
enthusiastic walker and hiker
who also volunteers as the
director of her church choir
along with the chorale. Her
joie de vivre inspired her to
assist in funding programs
that encourage activities and
education for youth through
SPRD.
“I wanted to give back
to this community,” Liden
explained, “so giving young
people the opportunity to learn
what is going on in our state
See doNatIoN on page 22
City weighing loan fund Skyline Forest changes hands
to spark job growth
By Jim Cornelius
News Editor
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
The Sisters City Council
is considering a plan to ini-
tiate a new Forgivable Loan
Fund, in an attempt to attract
new businesses and/or pro-
mote job creation, retention
and expansion in Sisters.
They discussed the idea at
their February 18 workshop.
Disbursements from the
fund may take the form of
low-interest loans, but all
loans have to be tied directly
to creation or retention of
jobs in Sisters. If the jobs
that were created still exist
in three years, the loan is
Inside...
forgiven.
The City contracts with
Economic Development for
Central Oregon (EDCO)
for economic development
strategic planning, counsel
and support. In turn, EDCO
is directly engaged in the
recruitment of new traded-
sector businesses to the City.
EDCO would administer the
loan program and oversee a
“due diligence committee.”
Staff has been directed
to prepare this program for
rollout in the 2015-16 fiscal
year. However, if everything
comes together and there is
See CIty on page 27
The Deschutes Land Trust
has been working for years
to acquire the vast tract of
private forestlands to the
southeast of Sisters known as
Skyline Forest. Now DLT will
be talking to a new owner.
Fidelity National Finan-
cial announced last week the
closing of the sale of all of
the assets of Cascade Tim-
berlands, LLC to Singapore-
based Whitefish Cascade For-
est Resources, LLC. Cascade
Timberlands is comprised of
approximately 197,000 acres
of timberland in Klamath and
Deschutes counties. Fidelity
reported that they received
a total cash distribution of
photo by Jim cornelius
Skyline Forest is the foreground for the iconic view of the three Sisters.
approximately $63 million
from Cascade at closing.
DLT Executive Director
Brad Chalfant told The Nugget
that the sale won’t negatively
affect the land trust’s efforts to
conserve the forest between
Sisters and Bend.
“I don’t see it as a nega-
tive,” he said. “Nothing’s
See FoRESt on page 22
Letters/Weather ................ 2 Announcements ................12 Business at Glance............15 Crossword ....................... 18 Classifieds ..................25-26
Meetings ........................... 3 Movies & Entertainment ....13 Obituaries ....................... 16 Stars Over Sisters ............ 24 Real Estate .......23-24, 28-27