Wednesday, April 26, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Plan to
dismantle
vocational
funding
scrapped —
for now
By Kristena Hansen
Associated Press
SALEM (AP) — A pro-
posal by the state’s teachers
union to fundamentally alter
a voter-approved mandate
for college-prep, vocational
and dropout prevention fund-
ing in Oregon high schools
effectively failed last week in
Salem — at least for now.
Debates are heating up
over Oregon’s looming $1.6
billion budget deficit as the
second half of the 2017 ses-
sion begins, and the $300
million high school spend-
ing requirement set forth in
Measure 98 is among the
many areas still on the table
for cuts.
The Oregon Education
Association’s revised ver-
sion of Senate Bill 353 would
have stripped Measure 98’s
funding carve-out and essen-
tially turn it into an optional
grant fund. That proposal
stood in contrast to House
Bill 2246, which was revised
to make modest adjustments
so that school districts would
have more flexibility with
spending.
The House revisions were
proposed by the four biparti-
san lawmakers who sat on a
work group with the teachers’
union, state education offi-
cials and Stand For Children,
the nonprofit behind Measure
98. The work group hit a
roadblock during final nego-
tiations this month so the
lawmakers separately drafted
the bill revisions.
Track athletes go faster, higher, farther
By Charlie Kanzig
Correspondent
Big meets can produce
big results, and Keegan
Greaney appears to be proof
of that. He faced a fast field
of competitors at the Summit
Invitational on Saturday and
came away with the fast-
est time of his career for the
300 hurdles, coming within
inches of a sub-40-second
mark by finishing in 40.02
seconds.
His mark is a school
record.
His time not only launched
him to the top of the 4A
ranks, but places him sixth
among all Oregon classifica-
tions. It was all part of a busy
day for Greaney, who went
on to take part in the Mr. SHS
pageant later that evening.
“Keegan is coming into
his own on the track,” said
Head Coach Jeff Larson. “His
technique is improving and
he just seems to be getting
stronger and stronger.”
The Summit Invitational
drew schools from through-
out Oregon, including 6A
powerhouse Jesuit, along
with Boise High School and
Centennial of Idaho, making
it one of the most competitive
meets in Oregon. Proof of this
is that Greaney’s great effort,
which would win nearly any
meet around, was only good
enough for fourth place.
It was a perfect situation
for Keegan to run against
four or five other top-level
hurdlers, according to Larson.
Other Outlaws who pro-
duced season and career bests
at the meet included Keaton
Green in the 800 (2:09.56), as
well as three 400-meters run-
ners, Tucker Flannery (53.0),
Korbin Sharp (53.18), and
Jose Luquin (56.87).
As one of only two 4A
teams at the meet, Sisters
athletes faced a deep field
of talent in every event, but
held their own according to
Larson.
“A meet like this can bring
out the best in the kids, unless
they allow themselves to be
intimidated,” he said. “I think
our kids handled themselves
very well.”
A number of freshman
girls rose to the occasion
with personal bests as well.
Ryliereece Morgan ran a
personal best in the 100
(13.25), and cleared 5 feet
2 inches in the high jump
tying the school record, while
classmates Hallie Schwartz
(30.30), Allison Mansfield
(31.05), and Caitlyn Schwab
(31.29) all ran lifetime bests
in the 200. Only two 4A girls
have jumped higher than
Morgan, and her 100 time is
the top time in the Sky-Em
League.
Sophomore Tate Ricker
ran a season best in the 800
(2:41.15), while senior hur-
dler Sabrina Reifschneider
lowered her season bests in
the 100 hurdles (16.12) and
the 300 hurdles (48.97). Her
time in the 100 hurdles ranks
third among 4A girls and
moved her very close to her
lifetime best of 16.00.
On Thursday, Sisters
hosted a three-way Sky-Em
meet against Junction City
and Elmira, which all three
schools appeared to be using
as more of a practice meet
than a full-fledged, tooth-
and-nail competition. This is
in part due to league meets
not figuring into the district
championships any longer,
according to Larson, along
with the trend toward making
PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK
Erynn Ricker won the pole vault in a three-way meet last week, with a
personal best of 10 feet 4 inches.
the big Saturday Invitationals
the focal point.
Nonetheless, some nota-
ble performances came out
of the meet, including Erynn
Ricker’s personal record in
the pole vault at 10 feet 4
inches, which puts in at the
fifth-ranked 4A vaulter this
season. Mandi Calavan con-
tinued lowering her season
bests in the 200, with a time
of 27.41, which is the top
time in the Sky-Em League
this year.
The Outlaws host an
invitational of their own
this Saturday as the Sisters
Rotary Invitational returns
after a three-year absence
due to the track facil-
ity being unusable. Teams
from throughout Central
Oregon including Culver,
Gilchrist, Madras, Lost River,
Paisley, Redmond, La Pine,
Lakeview, Mountain View
and others will gather at the
brand-new facility for a full
day of competition.
Field events begin at 11
a.m. and running events com-
mence at 1 p.m. Limited
bleacher seating is available,
so fans are encouraged to
bring their own lawn chairs.
Concessions will be available
to fuel fans and athletes alike.
Sisters Rotary members
comprise the bulk of the
volunteers who help keep
the meet running smoothly.
Anyone interested in helping
at the meet may contact Mike
Bidasolo at 541-419-3737 or
Jeff Larson at 541-910-3434.
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