FAN raises $111,000
to help families page 4
Local actors to perform
at The Belfry page 13
Outlaws play tough
double-header page 27
The Nugget
Vol. XLI No. 17
P OSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion
from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
Struggling
to cope
with
wilderness
visitors
PRE-SORTED STANDARD
ECRWSS
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Sisters, OR
Permit No. 15
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Changes
coming for
short-term
rentals
Art for Sisters Country...
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
People come from all
over the world to experience
the natural beauty of Sisters
Country and other areas of
the central Cascades. But all
those visitors have an impact
that threatens to damage the
very natural beauty that draws
them.
On Friday the Deschutes
and Willamette national for-
ests jointly released a Draft
Environmental Assessment
of a project considering new
PHOTO PROVIDED
Laura Campbell and Sisters students are creating a new public art installation
celebrating Sisters’ natural world. (See story, page 8.)
See VISITORS on page 32
See RENTALS on page 37
Another roundabout
planned for Sisters
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
Another roundabout is
in Sisters future, along with
other plans to improve traf-
fic flow and transportation in
and through town.
Eighteen months worth
of work on the City’s
Transportation Plan (TSP)
refinement is drawing to a
close. The Sisters Planning
Commission reviewed the
revised text and project maps
at their April 19 workshop.
Four specific issues have
been the focus in this refine-
ment process:
• Circulation on the east
side of town, including
Highway 20/126 intersection
improvements;
• Near- and long-term
improvements to Highway
20/Locust Street and Barclay
Inside...
Major changes are on the
table in the way Sisters treats
short-term rentals.
The Planning Commission
held their final review of
the proposed Short-Term
Rental (STR) regulations
at their April 18 workshop.
The changes to the former
Vacation Rental Development
Code are comprehensive
and extensive in scope.
Commissioners indicated
that, despite testimony against
Drive/Locust Street;
• Realignment of Barclay
Drive corridor;
• Revision to bicycle and
pedestrian system plans.
Working with the Public
Advisory Committee (PAC),
Oregon Department of
Transportation, Deschutes
County, and the public, City
staff and consultant Kittelson
and Associates developed
the draft TSP refinement
document.
A public hearing for the
TSP amendment is sched-
uled for the May 17 Planning
Commission meeting where
public testimony will be
heard.
The proposed long-term
improvement at the Highway
20/126 intersection is for a
two-lane roundabout to meet
See ROUNDABOUT on page 38
Saving Grace – one tough mustang
By Katy Yoder
Correspondent
At first glance Grace, a
small, bay mustang filly,
looks fragile. But in fact,
she’s overcome incredible
odds.
Now she’s facing another
challenge and she and
her owner, Carol Statton,
need help. With that help,
there’s hope she will sur-
vive. Approximately four
years old, Grace is from the
Ochoco Big Summit herd,
which totals around 130
mustangs.
Wild horses are protec-
tive, especially mares with
foals. For every newborn
foal, danger can come as
soon as they hit the ground.
Stallions intent on starting or
expanding their families, will
use the mare’s weakness after
giving birth as an opportunity
to steal her. In the melee, the
mare fights for her freedom
PHOTO BY KATY YODER
Grace has a bad leg and a life-threatening nasal condition. She is under the
loving care of Carol Statton.
and safety of her offspring.
Sometimes, the foal is kicked
or trampled during the alter-
cation and sustains life-
threatening injuries. Grace
was probably one of those
casualties.
Abandoned and alone
after being weaned, Grace’s
back-right ankle was bowed
See GRACE on page 39
Letters/Weather ................ 2 Announcements ................12 Focus on Health .......... 16-24 Sisters Saver Coupons .....30 Classifieds ..................34-36
Meetings ........................... 3 Entertainment ..................13 Athletes of the Month ...... 28 Crossword ....................... 33 Real Estate ................. 37-40