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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2020)
20 Wednesday, June 17, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon High Desert Museum reopens The High Desert Museum was to reopen to the public on Wednesday, June 17. In accordance with state and local parameters, new prac- tices will be in place at the Museum to ensure the health of visitors and staff. <We9re cautiously opti- mistic about welcoming visitors again for the first time in three months,= said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. <We miss our community and of course are excited for visi- tors to return. We9re commit- ted to reopening in a manner that is responsible to visitors and staff while also provid- ing the inspiring High Desert Museum experience people value.= The Museum closed on March 17 as part of mea- sures aimed at mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Museums are now allowed to open again under the state of Oregon9s guidelines. <We view the health of the public and staff as a top pri- ority,= said Museum Board Chair Ryan J. Hagemann. <Staff have analyzed every aspect of our facility to ensure we have the best possible safety procedures in place.= As part of reopening, the Museum will require visitors and staff, both in front of and behind the scenes, to wear face coverings. They will not be required for those who experience health issues or disabilities that make wearing a face covering difficult, as well as for those younger than age two. They will also not be required for wildlife curators in certain situations. Visitors will also expe- rience other changes at the Museum: Physical distancing signs and reminders are pres- ent throughout the grounds. The number of people at any given time inside certain exhibit spaces will be limited. Hands-on elements in exhib- its remain closed for the time being, as well as a few other areas of the Museum, such as the <Whose Home?= indoor play space. And while the Museum encompasses both indoor and outdoor space, the num- ber of people visiting at any given moment will be capped to ensure adequate space for physical distancing. A timed entry system with advance ticket purchase is being put in place to help manage visitor numbers: Find details at highdesert museum.org/tickets. Some tickets will also be set aside on a first-come, first-served basis for Museum members and walk-ins. <This time is uncharted ter- ritory for all of us,= Whitelaw said. <We9ll be observing and assessing what works and adjusting as needed as we navigate these first couple of weeks.= For those most at risk if they contract coronavirus, the Museum will open an hour early on Sundays at 8 a.m. This hour is for vulnerable populations and their families only. Those interested in visit- ing during this time can sign up at highdesertmuseum.org/ vulnerable-populations-hour. More information about new safety measures at the Museum can be found at high desertmuseum.org/reopening. New experiences await at the Museum. Visitors will enjoy a exhibition yet to be seen by the public called < N a t u r a l Wa n d e r m e n t : Stewardship. Sovereignty. Sacredness.,= a collection of portraiture by photographer Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip). The exhibition that debuted on March 20, dur- ing the Museum closure, will be extended to September 7. Wilbur journeyed 250,000 miles creating images of Native Americans from the nation9s more than 562 fed- erally recognized tribes. The photographs, black and white with coloration, feature indig- enous people of all ages, dressed in contemporary and traditional clothing, often in natural landscapes. The resulting photog- raphy and the stories of her subjects highlight con- temporary Native America and the ways that native people seek to protect ances- tral ways of life. Learn more at highdesertmuseum.org/ natural-wanderment. The run of the original High Desert Museum exhi- bition <Infinite Moment: Burning Man on the Horizon= has been extended to January 3, 2021. The exhi- bition had been in the gal- lery less than two months at the time of the Museum9s closure. Visit highdesert museum.org/infinite-moment. The Museum9s Kids Camps are also slated to pro- ceed with modifications for safety in place. The Museum has been communicating with caregivers about camps. Slots remain open in several camps: To learn more go to high desertmuseum.org/ kids-camp. The public may continue to enjoy the Museum9s vir- tual offerings at highdesert museum.org/resources, a hub for virtual field trips, educational activities for children to do at home and other resources. A virtual launch of Ellen Waterston9s new book, <Walking the High Desert: Encounters with Rural America along the Oregon Desert Trail= will take place on the eve- ning of Wednesday, June 17. Find registration information at highdesertmuseum.org/ walking-the-high-desert. LETTERS Continued from page 7 To The Editor, On Saturday, June 13, about 90 Sisters residents held a sec- ond vigil/demonstration for justice in memory of George Floyd and all those who preceded him in death at the hands of police and vigilantes, named and unnamed. The day was windy and cold with occasional light rain, but that didn9t dampen the enthusiasm of those participating. The demonstrators included all ages from children to seniors. There were participants on all four corners of Spruce and Hwy. 20. Being Saturday, the traffic on Hwy. 20 was heavy. Response of those passing by was very positive in support although there were a few detractors hand signaling their disagreement or shouting words out of their windows that cannot be repeated here. This only reinforced the sense of need for such vigils. After arriving home from the vigil, we were greeted with the images of the shooting death of another unarmed, young African American in Atlanta, Georgia. His name, Rayshard Brooks. His crime, falling asleep in a Wendy9s drive-through line. He was shot in the back after breaking away from the two police officers and fleeing. In today9s climate of killings, I can only imagine his fear. After the shooting, they were filmed altering the crime scene before investigators arrived, by pick- ing up all of their shell casings. This morning, Sunday, we were greeted by two new sto- ries of African American men being found hung from trees in Southern California. One, Robert Fuller, was in Palmdale, near the city hall and the other, Malcolm Harsch, in Victorville near the library. The police called them suicides but the coroner in Palmdale refused to call that death a suicide. Only then was an investigation opened. The other in Victorville has not even had an autopsy yet. These are stark examples of institutional rac- ism. This is what our demonstrations are about. W. Joe Weick CITY OF SISTERS NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING CITY OF SISTERS - URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING CITY OF SISTERS NOTICE OF BUDGET MEETING CITY OF SISTERS - URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY NOTICE OF BUDGET MEETING