C O Wednesday, September 2, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon M M U N I T 3 Y ODOT crushing at Zimmerman Butte Shooters are being asked to avoid one of the most pop- ular shooting areas in Sisters Country during a cinder- crushing operation. A contractor with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) began crushing and process- ing materials in Zimmerman Cinder Pit last Friday. ODOT will stockpile the cinder for winter sanding on local highways. They plan to take 8,000 cubic yards of cinder out of the pit, which lies on Deschutes National Forest lands. Zimmerman Pit, on land managed by the Sisters Ranger District, lies approxi- mately 3.5 miles northwest of Sisters off Highway 20. The contractor may oper- ate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once started, the project is planned to last approximately 10 days, but could last longer if fire restrictions impact the con- tractor9s operations, the Forest Service reported. The contractor can operate in the pit until October 15, if needed. Once the processing of the cinder is completed, ODOT will haul the material from the pit. Hauling operations will occur Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ODOT plans to have the material removal completed by November 20. The public is asked to See ZIMMERMAN on page 23 Bridging the digital divide in Sisters By Sue Stafford Correspondent PHOTO PROVIDED Alana Lukens at Tamolitch Blue Pool. Sisters grad promotes empowerment By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent How does a 2018 gradu- ate of Sisters High School manage to have an upcom- ing meeting scheduled with a member of the British Parliament? The answer to that is easy for those who know Alana Lukens, who seems to have a knack for immersing her- self in issues that she finds important. Lukens, who will be starting her third and final year at the Warrington campus at the University of Chester in the United Kingdom, is remembered not only as the lead in two musi- cals while at Sisters High School, but for her ability to not only <think outside the box,= but <act outside the box.= For example, as a fresh- man in high school, Lukens convinced a teacher to let her See LUKENS on page 22 Editor9s note: In 2020 America, Internet connec- tivity is as vital a piece of infrastructure for many folks as roads and electricity. This is the first in a series of arti- cles about Internet services in Sisters. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the public consciousness a num- ber of inequities that exist in the America of today. One of those is the <digital divide= that exists between large urban areas of the U.S. and smaller rural towns, farms and ranches, Indian reser- vations, and lower-income urban dwellers. Providing Internet ser- vice to densely packed large and medium-sized cities is a financially viable enterprise. The more subscribers in an area, the less impact on pro- viders9 bottom lines when installing and upgrading the necessary infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet, TV packages, and phone ser- vice to residential and busi- ness customers. Sisters is a small rural town with a population under 3,000. Sisters Country (loosely defined as the boundaries of Sisters School District and Camp Sherman), is home to roughly 10,000 people and covers miles and miles of Central Oregon wide open space, with moun- tains, hills, ridges and buttes. The land is dotted with farms and ranches, occasional developments like Tollgate and Crossroads, the resort community of Black Butte Ranch, the city of Sisters, and houses on small and large acreages 4 plus those who live completely off the grid. Broadband is high- speed Internet. The fastest speed available in the U.S. is 2,000 mbps. Average speed is 133 mbps and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines broadband as 20 mbps. According to that definition, millions of communities have broadband 4 but it9s too slow for most peoples9 purposes. Currently there are five types of Internet service providers (ISPs), but what is available to the average consumer depends on where they live and the ways they use the Internet. Speed, reli- ability, and cost are usually the three factors that figure in when choosing Internet service, if there are choices. In Sisters, according to See INTERNET on page 21 As the COVID-19 crisis continues to affect gatherings, please contact individual organizations for current meeting status SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS Al-Anon Mon., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. / Thurs., 10 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-610-7383. Alcoholics Anonymous Thurs. & Sun., 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfi guration / Sat., 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfi guration / Mon., 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Big Book study, Tues., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Gentlemen’s meeting, Wed., 7 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Thurs., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fri., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-548-0440. Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Support Group 1st Tuesday, noon, SPRD bldg. 800-272-3900. Black Butte Ranch Bridge Club Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m., BBR community room. Partner required. 541-595-6236. Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelefl y@msn.com. Central OR Spinners and Weavers Guild One Saturday per month, Jan. thru Oct. For schedule: 541-639-3217. Council on Aging of Central Oregon Senior Lunch Tuesdays, noon, Sisters Community Church. 541-480-1843. East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wednesday (September-June), Stitchin’ Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061. Sisters Area Woodworkers 1st Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-639-6216. Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd Friends of the Sisters Library Board Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846. of Directors 2nd Tuesday, 9 to 11 a.m., Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, Sisters Library.www.sistersfol.com. 12:30 p.m., The Pines Clubhouse. Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday, Novices welcomed. 541-549-9419. 7 p.m. Sisters Community Church. All Sisters Caregiver Support Group ages welcome. 541-771-2211. 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., The Lodge in Heartwarmers (fl eece blanketmakers) Sisters. 541-771-3258. 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 1 p.m., Sisters City Hall. Materials provided. 541-408-8505. Sisters Cribbage Club Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ray’s Food Place Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to community room. 541-923-1632. 4 p.m. 541-549-1028 or 541-719-1230. Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m. 3rd Monday, 5:30 to 8 p.m. RSVP at Location information: 541-549-1193. citizens4community.com Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to Military Parents of Sisters Meetings 8:30 a.m., Brand 33 Restaurant at are held quarterly; please call for details. Aspen Lakes. 541-410-2870. 541-388-9013. Sisters Parent Teacher Community Oregon Band of Brothers – Sisters 2nd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters Chapter Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m., Saloon. 541-480-5994. Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-549-6469. Sisters Parkinson’s Support Group SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings 2nd Tuesday, 2 p.m., The Lodge. & Enrichment) Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. 541-668-6599. to 4 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday. District. 541-549-2091. Location information: 541-279-1977. Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., Ponderosa Lodge Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Thursdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-760-5645. Meeting Room. 503-930-6158. Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 4 p.m., Sisters Library community room. 541-549-6157. Sisters Speak Life Cancer Support Group 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 1 p.m. Suttle Tea. 503-819-1723. Sisters Trails Alliance Board 1st Monday, 5 p.m. Sisters Library. Public welcome. 808-281-2681. Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-903-1123. Three Sisters Irrigation District Board of Directors 1st Tuesday, 4 p.m., TSID Offi ce. 541-549-8815. Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd Tuesday, noon, Ray’s Food Place community room. 541-419-1279. VFW Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 1st Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-903-1123. Weight Watchers Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in, Sisters Community Church. 541-602-2654. SCHOOLS Black Butte School Board of Directors 2nd Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Black Butte School. 541-595-6203. Sisters Christian Academy Board of Directors Monthly on a Friday. Call 541-549-4133 for date & time. Sisters School District Board of Directors One Wed. monthly, SSD Admin Bldg. See schedule online at www.ssd6.org. 541-549-8521 x5002. Sisters Middle School Parent Collaboration Team 1st Tuesday, 2 p.m., SMS. 541-610-9513. CITY & PARKS Sisters City Council 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022. Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m., SPRD bldg. 541-549-2091. Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022. FIRE & POLICE Black Butte Ranch Police Dept. Board of Directors Meets monthly. 541-595-2191 for time & date. Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thursday, 9 a.m., Black Butte Ranch Fire Station. 541-595-2288. Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Wed., 7 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale Rd. 541-548-4815. cloverdalefi re.com. Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday, 5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771. Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771. This listing is for regular Sisters Country meetings; email information to lisa@nuggetnews.com