Wednesday, April 5, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
13
Oregon Senate approves raising legal tobacco age to 21
By Kristena Hansen
Associated Press
SALEM (AP) — Oregon is
on track to potentially become
the third state in the nation to
raise its tobacco age minimum
to 21 following Thursday’s
vote by Senate lawmakers.
Senate Bill 754 cleared the
chamber in a 19-8 vote and
now heads to the House. The
measure would raise the legal
age in Oregon for possess-
ing and buying tobacco and
nicotine products from 18 to
21 beginning next year, fol-
lowing the leads of Hawaii in
2015 and California in 2016.
State budget officials say
the Oregon proposal would
drop tax revenues by an esti-
mated $1.76 million — less
than 2 percent of total tobacco
revenues — in the upcoming
2017-19 budget, which has a
$1.6 billion projected short-
fall. Total tobacco revenues
account for approximately
$134 million of the total $19.6
billion expected gross revenue
to the state’s general fund for
the upcoming biennium.
Any potential revenue
losses, however, could be
recovered through other pro-
posals currently being con-
sidered in Salem to raise the
state’s tax rates on tobacco
products. The Oregon Health
Authority also says the mea-
sure could take a bite out of
the $2.5 billion in tobacco-
related medical costs that bur-
den taxpayers every year.
But the bipartisan proposal
was criticized by some Senate
Republicans as discriminating
against young adults who are
otherwise legally old enough
to vote, join the military, own
a house, drive a car and pay
taxes.
“Are we a nanny state?”
Republican Sen. Alan Olsen
asked his colleagues during
the debate. “Or do we believe
in life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness?”
Senate Republican
Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli
characterized it as a “lack of
trust” in young adults to make
their own decisions and as a
“great opportunity for young
people to enter the thriv-
ing black market of bootleg
cigarettes.”
Under SB754, prohib-
ited sales to minors under
21 would include vaporiz-
ers, electronic and traditional
cigarettes, cigars, chewing
tobacco, among others. There
would be no crime penalties
for persons under 21 caught in
possession; retail shop own-
ers, managers and sales clerks
would be on the hook for any-
where between $50 to $1,000
in civil, rather than criminal,
fines should they be caught
selling to those underage.
Sen. Elizabeth Steiner
Hayward, one of the bill’s
Democratic sponsors, said she
understands critics’ concerns,
but noted that voters and mili-
tary members under 21, for
instance, also can’t legally
E N T E R TA I N M E N T • E V E N T S
Wed.~April 5
Sisters Saloon Texas Hold
’Em Tournament 7 p.m.
Every Wednesday! For more
information call 541-549-7427
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Thursday~April 6
Theater company serves up one-acts
The community is invited to
attend “Now You’re Talking:
Sisters One-Acts 2017,” at
The Belfry, April 27-29 at
7:30 p.m., with a matinee
showing on April 29 at 3 p.m.
More than 20 actors
and directors from Sisters,
Redmond and Bend will enter-
tain you, move you and make
you laugh for the evening
during these seven plays pro-
duced by the nonprofit Silent
Echo Theater Company. Three
of the plays will be making
their world premiere, and the
other four will make their
Oregon premiere.
Tickets are available at
www.bendticket.com: $12 for
adults; $10 for students and
seniors (65 and older). Tickets
can be purchased at the door
(cash only): $15 for adults;
$12 for students and seniors.
For more information: silent
echotheatercompany@gmail.
com or 541-719-8779.
The Belfry is located at 302
E. Main Ave.
— Friday, April 21 —
Jeff rey Martin
& Anna Tivel
7:30 doors 8:00 show
$10 adv $15 door
— Friday, April 28 —
Head For
The Hills
7:30 doors 8:00 show
$12 adv $15 door
oldstonebend.com
157 Franklin, Bend
BUY A
BOAT!
And get
accessories
20% OFF!
Outcast brand
BOATS &
FLOAT TUBES
151 W. Main Ave., Sisters
541-549-FISH | Open 7 days a week
Fri., Apr. 7 – Thurs., Apr. 13
Going in Style (PG-13)
Fri-Sun 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Mon-Thurs 5:15, 7:30
Personal
Shopper (R)
Fri-Sun 2:30, 5:00, 7:15
Mon-Thurs 5:00, 7:15
The Boss Baby (PG)
Fri-Sun 2:15, 4:30, 6:45
Mon-Thurs 4:30, 6:45
Beauty and
the Beast (PG)
Fri-Sun 1:30, 4:15, 7:00
Mon-Wed 4:15, 7:00
Thurs 4:15
Fate of the
Furious (PG-13)
Thurs, April 13, 7:00
Movie times and titles are
bsite
subject to change. Visit we
on.
ati
orm
inf
est
lat
or call for
WWW.SISTERS
MOVIEHOUSE.COM
541-549-8800
Sisters Saloon Karaoke
Night! 9 p.m. Every Thursday,
no cover! For more information
call 541-549-7427 or go online
to sisterssaloon.net.
Friday~April 7
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with Bill Powers & Benji
Nagel 8 to 11 p.m. No cover
for bluegrass, folk & country!
For information call 541-549-
7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Paulina Springs Books
Author Reading with
Robert Heilman 6 p.m.
Heilman will read from and
sign “Overstory Zero: Real
Life in Timber Country.” Free!
Refreshments provided. For
more info call 541-549-0866.
Saturday~April 8
Starts Friday
April 22 / Sat / 8 PM
Joe Leonardi’s
Birthday Party
Extravaganza
A night of community
celebration and song!
April 27 / Th / 7:30 PM
April 28 / Fri / 7:30 PM
April 29 / Sat / 3 & 7:30 PM
Silent Echo
Theater
Company
“Now You’re Talking...”
7 One-Act Plays.
7 Premieres.
7 Predicaments
May 19 / Fri
Brothers
Comatose
Known nation-wide
for lively, high-energy
performances.
PUB OPENS 1 HR PRIOR TO SHOWS
BelfryEvents.com
541-815-9122
Rent The Belfry!
Perfect venue for live music,
weddings, receptions,
meetings, or any event.
have a beer or, in places like
Oregon, buy recreational
marijuana.
“Nicotine and tobacco are
one of the only substances
that, when used as directed,
will almost guarantee to kill
you,” said Steiner Hayward,
who has lost several fam-
ily members, including her
father, to tobacco-related
deaths. “There is a safe level
of soda pop, there is a safe
level of fast food. There is no
safe level of tobacco.”
Cork Cellars Live Music
with Doc Ryan 7 to 9 p.m. No
cover! For additional info call
541-549-2675 or go online to
corkcellarswinebistro.com.
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with Thomas T and the Blue
Chips 8 to 11 p.m. No cover
for blues! For more information
call 541-549-7427 or go online
to sisterssaloon.net.
Sisters Fire Hall Open
House for Sisters-Camp
Sherman RFPD 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. Free! Tour the facility,
see the equipment, meet fi re
personnel, watch demos, learn
about volunteering and more!
Questions? Call 541-549-0771.
Wed.~April 12
Sisters Saloon Texas Hold
’Em Tournament 7 p.m.
Every Wednesday! For
information call 541-549-7427
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Thurs.~April 13
Sisters Saloon Karaoke
Night! 9 p.m. Every Thursday,
no cover! For more information
call 541-549-7427 or go online
to sisterssaloon.net.
Friday~April 14
Paulina Springs Books
Author Reading with Les
Joslin 6 p.m. Joslin will read
from and sign “Deschutes
National Forest.” Free!
Refreshments provided. For
info call 541-549-0866 or go to
paulinasprings.com.
Sat.~April 15
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with Burnin’ Moonlight
8 to 11 p.m. No cover for
bluegrass & blues! For
additional information call
541-549-7427 or go online to
sisterssaloon.net.
Cork Cellars Live Music
with Mike Biggers 7
to 9 p.m. No cover! For
additional information call
541-549-2675 or go online to
corkcellarswinebistro.com.
Sunday~April 16
Creekside Park Annual
Easter Egg Hunt 12:40 p.m.
for age group divisions (for
ages infant to 11). The hunt
starts at 1 p.m. Presented by
the Sisters-Camp Sherman &
Cloverdale fi re departments.
Limited parking; arrive early!
For info call 541-549-0771.
Tuesday~April 18
Sisters Movie House
Screening of a Live
Performance of “The
Crucible” 6:45 p.m. Recorded
live from London’s Old Vic
Theatre. One-time-only
presentation, part of the “Spring
into Culture” series. Tickets are
$15. Purchase at 541-549-8833
or at sistersmoviehouse.com.
Wed.~April 19
Sisters Saloon Texas Hold
’Em Tournament 7 p.m.
Every Wednesday! For
additional information call
541-549-7427 or go online to
sisterssaloon.net.
Thurs.~April 20
Sisters Saloon Karaoke
Night! 9 p.m. Every Thursday,
no cover! For more information
call 541-549-7427 or go online
to sisterssaloon.net.
Saturday~April 22
Cork Cellars Live Music
with Bill Keale 7 to 9 p.m. No
cover! For additional info call
541-549-2675 or go online to
corkcellarswinebistro.com.
Paulina Springs Books
Author Reading with
Marie Bostwick 6 p.m.
Bostwick will read from and
sign “The Promise Girls.” Free!
Refreshments provided. For
info call 541-549-0866 or go to
paulinasprings.com.
The Events Calendar listings
are free to advertisers.
Submit by 5 p.m. Fridays to
teresa@nuggetnews.com