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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 2020)
The Nugget Vol. XLIII No. 24 P OSTAL CUSTOMER News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon www.NuggetNews.com Sisters enters Phase 2 of reopening plan PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15 Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Schools looking toward future Cleaning up the backyard... By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent Deschutes County has been approved to enter Phase 2 of the State9s reopening plan for Oregon on Saturday, June 6. County officials announced the approval on Friday afternoon. By entering Phase 2, Deschutes County will be able to continue with the reopening process, follow- ing updated health and safety guidance: " Gathering limits will be raised to 50 people indoors, and 100 people outdoors. " Indoor and outdoor venues, including churches, faith-based organizations, and theaters, with six feet of physical distancing and other PHOTO BY PROVIDED Gavin Schultz and his dad, Brian, cleaned up dispersed camping sites at Round Lake as part of a Black Butte School Parent Teacher Organization program. The program made a fun engagement project out of cleaning up after campers who hit the area when campgrounds were closed. See story, page 3. See REOPENING on page 29 See SCHOOLS on page 29 Planned development will add housing By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief Sisters could see 250 to 300 new homes in the next couple of years as plans get underway for the development of 31 acres of land along Pine Street and Highway 20. Kevin Eckert of Build LLC is designing the project for Paul Hodge and Paul and Carla Schneider of Sisters, who purchased the property that was formerly part of the U.S. Forest Service admin- istrative site because, as Eckert says, <they just saw an opportunity for positive growth.= Hodge, who is CEO of Laird Superfood, has long been an advocate for work- force housing that will allow people who work for a pay- check in Sisters to live in Sisters. Eckert said that the Sisters Woodlands development, bounded by Pine Street, West Inside... Sisters schools are wrap- ping up a very challenging school year and the school board is digging into what the budget will look like for next year, given the economic dis- ruption of COVID-19. Steve Swisher, the chair of the school district bud- get committee spoke during the public comment portion of last week9s Zoom school board meeting to high- light some of the <what-ifs= regarding funding from the state next year. The committee approved a budget, but Swisher made clear that adjustments by the school board may become necessary due to the Barclay Drive and Highway 20 (see map) will feature <cottage development= of approximately 1,500-square feet each utilizing shared open space; townhomes and home-over-garage units; and apartment or condominium- style units along Highway 20 with a significant setback from the road. <We9ve almost ruled out doing true single-family (housing),= Eckert told The Nugget. It9s just not afford- able. It9s the most expensive housing you can build.= Eckert said that the cot- tage development plan will allow the preservation of somewhere around 200 trees. Eckert said that an appli- cation is in process at City Hall and the planning com- mission should meet on the project in August and the developers hope to be through the planning process by October or November. See DEVELOPMENT on page 28 Residents demonstrate for justice By Ceili Cornelius Correspondent More than 50 people gathered on the corner of Locust and Highway 20 last Saturday in a demonstration advocating for racial justice. In the aftermath of George Floyd9s death at the hands of a police officer in Minnesota, hundreds of protests and demonstrations have been happening across the world. In Sisters, a group of locals decided it was time to show their support in their town. Katie (who requested that her last name not be published due to professional security concerns) helped organize the event on Saturday. She put out on her social media that she wanted to create a gather- ing of demonstrators. <I think it is important, especially here in a predomi- nately white town, to show our support and make every- one feel welcome here, espe- cially kids and young people, and for them to know that they matter,= she said. Katie reached out to PHOTO BY CEILI CORNELIUS Some 50 people gathered for a rally at the corner of Locust Street and Highway 20 on Saturday. friends and family who then reached out to others and word spread, creating a gath- ering of over 50 demonstra- tors holding signs and wav- ing at passing cars. Passing drivers would often honk and wave back in support. <I hope that people driv- ing by really start to think critically about why they wouldn9t be able to agree with the statement »Black Lives Matter.9 I hope that we can be examples for others as well,= Katie said. Sisters High School art teacher Bethany Gunnarson brought sign-making materi- als to the event Saturday. <I think it is awesome that the city of Sisters is get- ting their voices out there,= said Gunnarson. <Words are usually not really my thing, I more create things See DEMONSTRATION on page 30 Letters/Weather ................2 Sisters Country Naturalist..5 Property Guy .................... 12 Crossword .......................25 Sudoku ............................28 Meetings ...........................3 Announcements ............... 10 At Your Service.............14-19 Classifieds ..................26-27 Real Estate ................ 30-32