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Wednesday, September 6, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Area hospitals
looking to
slash costs
XC teams look to lead league again
By Charlie Kanzig
Correspondent
The Outlaws cross-coun-
try teams have consistently
sent teams to the state meet
for most of the last two
decades. They look to con-
tinue that trend during the
2017 campaign.
For the boys team, that
will mean a big turnaround
from last year, while the girls
appear to be the favorites to
win the Sky-Em title once
again.
Returning from last year’s
trophy team is senior Anna
Bartlett, who won the district
race and went on to finish
10th at the state meet where
the team finished fourth.
Also back from that varsity
squad are Tate Ricker, Amy
Hills, and Engracia Diez,
each of whom placed in the
top 11 at the district meet last
year.
Time will tell who will
compose this year ’s top
seven, according to head
Coach Josh Nordell, in his
fifth year as head coach of
the program.
“We have a good turnout
of new and returning girls,
but it’s way too early to make
any predictions about how
the team will develop spe-
cifically,” he said.
Following last year ’s
uncharacteristic fifth-
place finish at district, the
boys are a question mark
in 2017, but Nordell sees
tremendous potential for
a significant turnaround
that might rely heavily on
youth.
Leading the charge will be
defending Sky-Em champion
Jordan Pollard, a senior, who
had a stellar track season in
the spring where he placed
fifth at state in the 3,000
meters and appears as strong
as ever, according to Nordell.
“He is among the top 10
returning 4A runners,” said
Nordell.
Another senior, Cole
Pade, who has struggled with
lower-leg injuries the past
two seasons, is an integral
part of the Outlaws’ success,
according to Nordell.
“Cole is tough, and if he
can run relatively pain-free
he will be a big factor for
us,” said Nordell.
Sophomore Josh Liddell
placed 14th at district last
year as a freshman, which
bodes well for the team this
season.
The question mark for the
team will be who else rises
up to contribute at the var-
sity level from a roster that
includes fifteen new team
members, nine of whom are
freshmen.
“We’re excited to see how
the team progresses once we
get out of the smoky condi-
tions and into the competi-
tive season,” said Nordell.
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Senior Anna Bartlett returns for her final season with the Outlaws.
Cottage Grove won the
league title last year by just
three points in a very tight
team race among the top four
squads, and appears to be the
pre-season favorite based
on returnees, but again,
Nordell believes it’s way too
early to make any accurate
predictions.
“We’ll know a lot more by
October,” he said.
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The Outlaws are sched-
uled to host a six-team meet
at Sisters High School on
Friday, September 8, pro-
vided air quality improves
by then. Teams from Cottage
G r o v e , B e n d , C u l v e r,
Kennedy, and La Pine will
traverse the forested, and
dusty, trails behind the high
school beginning with the
girls race at 4:45 p.m.
BEND (AP) — Central
Oregon’s largest employer
says it needs to make $6 mil-
lion in cuts, and layoffs are a
possibility.
St. Charles Health System
has been looking to slash
costs for most of the year,
after its finances began to
worsen. Chief Financial
Officer Jennifer Welander
says it will offer a voluntary
buyout program for caregiv-
ers, as well as incentives for
employees who come up with
cost-saving or revenue-gener-
ating ideas.
The health system operates
all four of the region’s hospi-
tals. Officials announced in
May that financial problems
were forcing them to scale
back a much-needed expan-
sion of the Bend hospital.
Welander says patients
on Medicare and Medicaid
represent 75 percent of the
business at the hospitals, and
those reimbursements don’t
cover the cost of care.
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Deschutes
County
Fair & Rodeo
Queen 2018
Tryouts
★ Are you interested in being an ambassador
for Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo?
★ Can you talk to and work with people of all ages?
★ Can you ride a horse?
★ Will you be 17 years old by January 1, 2018
and not yet 21 years old by July 25, 2018?
★ Do you live in Deschutes, Crook, or Jeff erson county?
★ Th ings to consider: Application, Reining Pattern,
Flag Run-in & Queen Run-in, Speech, Interview
Tryouts will be held Sunday, October 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Juniper Arena & North Sister Building
Deadline to apply is September 29 at 4 p.m.
For more information contact Carol Shull Zimmerman,
Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo Queen Advisor, at
541-389-2529 / 541-480-2140 or cshull@ykwc.net