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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2020)
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 9 Commentary... Governors Keeping a promise want more say in habitat rule for at-risk wildlife By Edie Jones Columnist Associated Press See WILDLIFE on page 14 Sisters Dental different than their parents at an early age the easier it is for them to transition into kindergarten and learn. I now know that pre- school is essential 4 for all children. Lack of this kind of experience will influence more than how they adapt to kindergarten. It will also have a profound effect on how they learn as they con- tinue through the grades. I encourage anyone who has a preschool-aged child, who even wonders if they might qualify, to apply for the Preschool Promise. Your child9s learning will be enhanced. In celebrating the Preschool Promise oppor- tunity it is well worth men- tioning there are now sev- eral other well-run preschool programs in Sisters. Please, if you are a parent of a pre- schooler, check them out. Your child will thank you. In addition to preschools, there is another impor- tant program for parents with young ones in Sisters. Together For Children wel- comes all families with chil- dren birth through 3 years old to join them for play and parent education. The website www.together-for- children.org provides infor- mation about time and dates and ways to access their ser- vices during the pandemic. Even though this article is specifically talking to parents of preschoolers it is also intended for every- one else in our community. Schools can9t allow kids in the building on a normal basis while the virus is pres- ent. I implore all of us do our part in wearing masks, washing hands, and keep- ing our distance so schools can get back to normal operation. Remember the book <All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten= by Robert Fulghum? Let9s change those words to & Learned In Preschool& <Learn to share, play fair, don9t hit, put things away, cleanup your own mess, hold hands and stick together= are extremely important lessons. If all of us adults had learned them well I venture to guess many of the messes we9ve expe- rienced this past summer would cease to exist. Let9s do our part so this important promise can be kept. Quality Truck-mounted CARPET CLEANING Quality Cleaning 16 years in Reasonable Prices Sisters! — Credit Cards Accepted — ENVIROTECH 541-771-5048 Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062 RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME. FAMILY OWNED • SISTERS PROUD LOCAL. RELIABLE. PROFESSIONAL. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! Trevor Frideres, D . M . D . Greg Everson, D . M . D . 541-549-2011 491 E. Main Ave. • Sisters www.sistersdental.com Hours: Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. ' ' PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AGAINST THE FLU! ' BOISE, Idaho (AP) 4 Governors from 22 Western states and Pacific territories want a bigger say in how the Trump administration defines habitat for wildlife pro- tected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The new definition could have implications for how states manage imperiled ani- mals and plants, the Western Governors Association said in a letter Thursday to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The governors insist they are <co-sovereigns with the fed- eral government< and need an equal role in the decision. The Trump administration is seeking to restrict what land and waterways can be protected as habitat for wild- life facing extinction, one of the latest ways it9s sought to roll back environmental safeguards. The government is try- ing to redefine what habitat means for the purposes of enforcing the Endangered Species Act, the landmark law that has dictated wildlife protections in the U.S. since 1973. It released a proposed rule in early August. Governors said they9re having to express their views through a public-comment process on the proposed rule, saying that isn9t enough input and they want the federal government to consult with states. <It is important for fed- eral agencies and state wild- life managers to maintain a close working relationship to ensure that any new inter- pretation or application of the term does not result in unin- tended consequences for state management of species,= according to the letter signed by Democratic Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, chairwoman o f We s t e r n G o v e r n o r s Association, and Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little, who9s vice chairman. Once an imperiled spe- cies is listed under the act, federal officials designate critical habitat that it needs to survive. That can include where a species lives and areas where they don9t live but are deemed essential for survival. Such designations can come into conflict with private landowners and those ' By Keith Ridler In the August 26 issue of The Nugget we learned about a promise that has been granted to Sisters. A promise that will change the lives of 3- and 4-year-olds living in our school district. However, it is a promise that can9t be kept while schools are mandated to keep their doors closed. That promise is money that has been awarded to the Sisters School District to provide 18 preschool spots to families that apply and qualify. Preschool Promise, awarded through the Oregon Department of Education Early Learning Division, is designed to make avail- able publicly funded, high- quality, local and culturally relevant early childcare and education programs. The concept that we would have enough families living in Sisters eligible to receive the grant may seem unrealistic to many. After all, it has been several years since our district has been able to meet the guidelines that allow the federally funded Head Start program to be here. However, demo- graphics are changing and I applaud Joan Warberg, principle of the elementary school, and others who dili- gently put forth the effort to apply for the grant. Receiving this money is a really good thing! Research indicates the benefits of such a program are far reaching, especially when they make the opportunity of early childhood education avail- able to many who otherwise could not afford it. Appreciation of the value of preschool has not always been recognized. I clearly remember quitting a preschool teaching assign- ment when three year olds were admitted into our pro- gram. Fully believing it was unwarranted, I exclaimed to my aunt, an elementary school principle, <Those babies should be home with their mommas!= She quickly admonished me with, <That depends on the mommas! If those mommas don9t play with their children, engage them in imagination, and allow them to get their hands dirty, those babies are far better off in school.= How right she was, and how shortsighted I was, thinking all parents thought parenting was the most won- derful job in the world. We now know that the more exposure kids have early on to the rich envi- ronment of a well-run pre- school is invaluable! When it happens, kids are far better equipped to face all learning that will come their way. The more children inter- act with peers and adults $10 OFF EACH FLU SHOT! (With coupon, expires 9/23/20) Watch for our upcoming community flu shot clinics. WALK-IN • URGENT CARE • OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE • X-RAY 541-548-2899 3818 SW 21st Place, Suite 100 (Near the Redmond Airport) YourCareMedical.com 541-549-4349 260 N. Pine St., Sisters Licensed Bonded / Insured CCB#87587