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Wednesday, September 2, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
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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