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Wednesday, April 18, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Local sheriffs affirm gun rights
By Jim Cornelius
Editor in Chief
The top law-enforcement
officers in the counties com-
prising Sisters Country have
issued statements affirming
civilian gun rights and oppos-
ing Oregon Initiative Petition
43.
Deschutes County Sheriff
Shane Nelson posted a
statement last week on the
sheriff ’s office Facebook
page stating that “I sup-
port and defend the Second
Amendment and oppose IP
43.” Nelson affirmed the
importance of citizens having
the means to defend them-
selves, noting that “Deputies
of the Deschutes County
Sheriff’s Office will always
respond to assist and protect
the citizens we serve, but you
must be prepared to appro-
priately take care of you and
your family until we can get
there.”
Jefferson County Sheriff
Jim Adkins issued a similar
statement on Facebook ear-
lier in the month.
The petitioners for IP 43
are seeking signatures to
place the initiative on the
November 2018 ballot. The
measure would require cur-
rent gun-owners to do one of
the following with identified
semi-automatic firearms and/
or “high-capacity” maga-
zines: register them with the
state, sell them to a registered
dealer, remove them from the
State, render them inoper-
able or surrender them to law
enforcement. Failure to com-
ply would constitute a Class
B felony. The initiative also
restricts where and how the
firearms or magazines could
be carried or used.
IP 43 defines an “assault
weapon” as semi-automatic
rifles and pistols with a
detachable magazine and
one of several modifica-
tions, semi-automatic shot-
guns with grip and stock
modifications and semi-auto-
matic rifles under 30 inches
in length.
The petitioners have
enough sponsorship signa-
tures to draft a ballot title.
“We know that sup-
port for an assault-weapon
ban has been growing since
Sandy Hook,” said Penny
Okamoto, executive director
of Ceasefire Oregon. “The
Legislature has had five years
to act on this.”
...you must be
prepared to appropriately
take care of you and
your family until
we can get there.
—Sheriff Shane Nelson
Opinion on an “assault-
rifle” ban is sharply divided
in Sisters Country (see
Letters to the Editor, starting
on page 2). Proponents argue
that firearms such as those
addressed in the initiative do
not belong in civilian hands.
In his statement, Sheriff
Nelson said, “Our office has
issued over 14,000 concealed
handgun licenses and I firmly
believe that every responsible
and accountable law-abiding
citizen who wants to legally
own a firearm should do so.
Firearms have their lawful
place in society and are an
important tool in personal
protection and ensuring pub-
lic safety in our county.”
He further stated, “I under-
stand the concerns of school
violence across the country
and the role law enforcement
plays. Oregon has a number
of laws on the books regard-
ing background checks and
age restrictions related to
the purchase of a firearm.
These laws prohibit the sale
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of firearms to convicted fel-
ons, those convicted of mis-
demeanor crimes involving
violence, those adjudicated as
mentally ill, those who have
been committed as the result
of a Mental Commitment
Hearing, those with an active
felony warrant, active out of
state misdemeanor warrant
and those on pretrial release
for a felony.
“Our office continues to
take all threats seriously, and
we appropriately vet them
in partnership with our DA’s
Office, mental health profes-
sionals, other law enforce-
ment agencies, our schools,
and others in the public
safety sector. We immedi-
ately respond to, investigate
threats of violence or danger,
and hold people accountable.
We are committed to keeping
our children and community
safe.”
Jefferson County Sheriff
Jim Adkins said, “These
laws, and any law restrict-
ing any type of arms, will
only make us weaker, mak-
ing ‘good people’ law break-
ers and ‘bad people’ stronger.
Bad people do not care what
laws we have. Bad people
will always possess and
obtain that which they are not
suppose(d) to possess!
“Initiative Petition 43
would restrict the sale, pro-
duction and ownership of
assault weapons and high-
capacity magazines. (I want
my constituents, our citizens,
to be well-armed and pre-
pared.) I support and defend
the constitution.”
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Sisters golfers play
at Bend Country Club
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
Both Outlaws golf teams
played at the Bend Country
Club on April 9, and the girls
team was able to post a team
score for the first time this sea-
son. Weather conditions were
the best to date — a beautiful
sunny day with a slight breeze.
The Lady Outlaws were
one of five teams that partici-
pated in the Bend Invitational,
and finished with a score of
500 for a fourth-place finish.
Bend was first (367), Summit
second (392) and Ridgeview
third (405). The Dalles took
fifth place at 512.
Emma Farley had the best
round of her career. Emma
shot a 48-47-95. She putted
in her third shot off the green
for a birdie on the fifth hole,
and then parred her seventh,
eighth, and ninth holes for a
great front-nine finish.
AriAnne Griffy shot a
66-63 to finish at 129. Rose
Williams was consistent with
a 66 on both the front and
back (132). Emilie Turpen
rounded out the scores with a
77-67-144.
The boys team struggled
throughout the round. Coach
Bill Mitchell told The Nugget
that he reminded his players
there are no shortcuts to the
game of golf, and they will
have to work harder if they
want to improve.
Peyton Myhre led the
Outlaws with a 108, followed
by Kincaid Smeltzer, who
c a r d e d a 111 . Wy a t t
Hernandez scored 121,
Connor Crowe shot a 129, and
Patrick Dingeman rounded out
the scores at 133.
Nine teams were in atten-
dance. Summit finished on top
with a team score of 317. Bend
was runner-up at 327 and The
Dalles finished third at 351.
Four days later, the
boys attended the Summit
Invitational held at Broken
Top. It was windy and cold; a
pretty miserable day for golf.
Summit played great on
their home course, and their
five players took the top five
spots to post 301 as a team for
a first-place finish. Ridgeview
was runner-up with 354, and
Oregon Episcopal School fin-
ished third at 357.
Myhre led the Outlaws
with 100, Wyatt Hernandez
followed with a 108. Kincaid
Smelzer scored a 109, Felix
Leahey shot a 116, and Dan
Schmidt (freshman) rounded
out the scores at 134.
Mitchell said, “Both Felix
and Dan did remarkably well
for playing varsity for the first
time. This game can be very
intimidating, because you’re
out there all on your own.
These guys love the game, and
they both want to improve.”
The boys team has the
week off. The Lady Outlaws
were to play in Prineville on
April 16. They will host a
two-person scramble at Aspen
Lakes on Thursday.
