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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2021)
2 Wednesday, January 27, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon O P I N I Getting into action… O N 2021 priorities for Sisters Country Vision Janel Ruehl , Vision Coordinator Emme Shoup , Assistant Community Engagement & Program Coordinator. PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK Youth sports action is underway with flag football being played in Sisters under COVID-safe conditions. Letters to the Editor… The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer9s name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday. To the Editor: Now working in a grocery store envi- ronment, I have a serious plea to every- one. Please only send one member of your family to the grocery store. There is abso- lutely no reason to bring your entire fam- ily. Couples, only one person needs to shop. People with children, one parent stay home with the kids. This is not your opportunity to, <Get out of the house for a while.= I have to be there. You can shop alone. I promise, you9ll be OK. Don9t know what to buy? Make a list. Call your partner for advice if necessary. But get in and get out. Nicole Edwards s s s To the Editor: Oregon Law SB 579: Death with Dignity Act needs to be revised to consider the unique circumstance of dementia patients. There is no morally relevant reason why dementia patients should be treated differently than cancer patients except for the fact that the six-month requirement gets in the way. See LETTERS on page 11 Sisters Weather Forecast Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Mostly Cloudy PM Rain/Snow Showers Partly Cloudy AM Snow Showers 42/27 42/25 41/28 42/30 Sunday Monday Tuesday Rain/Snow Snow Showers PM Snow Showers 43/30 40/26 39/22 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC Website: www.nuggetnews.com 442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, Oregon 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon. Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius Production Manager: Leith Easterling Creative Director: Jess Draper Community Marketing Partner: Vicki Curlett Classifieds & Circulation: Lisa May Owner: J. Louis Mullen The Nugget is mailed to residents within the Sisters School District; subscriptions are available outside delivery area. Third-class postage: one year, $55; six months (or less), $30. First-class postage: one year, $95; six months, $65. Published Weekly. ©2021 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohib- ited. All advertising which appears in The Nugget is the property of The Nugget and may not be used without explicit permission. The Nugget Newspaper, LLC. assumes no liability or responsibility for information contained in advertisements, articles, stories, lists, calendar etc. within this publication. All submissions to The Nugget Newspaper will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyrighting purposes and subject to The Nugget Newspaper’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially, that all rights are currently available, and that the material in no way infringes upon the rights of any person. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photos, or manuscripts. 2021 brings renewed hope for many residents of Sisters Country, even as some of our friends and neighbors con- tinue to feel the compounding effects of the coronavirus on livelihoods and local business, food security, housing, and, of course, health. It may all feel overwhelm- ing at times, but each of us can do something to continue to make Sisters Country a com- munity where all can thrive. The Sisters Country Vision was originally undertaken in 2018 and facilitated a com- munity conversation that helped identify clear, positive directions for the future, and engaged local organizations, businesses and residents in putting the community vision into action. The Sisters Coun- try Vision has continued to serve as a unifying project, bringing together a group of local leaders and residents committed to collaborating and directing resources to the 20 Vision Strategies. Supporting the Vision9s goals to be a more prosper- ous, livable, resilient, and con- nected Sisters Country in 2021 has never been more urgent in response to the stressors of the past year. In 2021, the Vision Implementation Team (VIT) members have prioritized projects improving broadband access, offering new platforms to connect virtually, exploring new and expanded transporta- tion options, conserving and expanding outdoor recreation resources and trails, and bring- ing new medical care options to Sisters Country. Broadband expansion to underserved areas has been taken on by Sisters Coun- try Economic Development (SCED), the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC), and other regional partners, who are currently supporting area needs assess- ments and exploring grant options for improved service. Thanks to Citizens4Com- munity (C4C) and VIT mem- bers9 collaboration with the Community Website Part- nership, the Sisters Country Community Connects Web- site serves as a bilingual, vir- tual, one-stop-shop hub where residents can learn more about local organizations and resources, find opportuni- ties to volunteer in the com- munity, see upcoming events and encourage local economic activity. Deschutes County Com- missioner Patti Adair has taken the lead in exploring options for a new urgent care center, or other opportunities to provide on-demand medical care to residents. <We do believe it is an important part of the vision- ing project to implement this medical urgent-care facility in Sisters,= shared Adair. Age Friendly Sisters Coun- try9s STARS Transportation Program received a grant from the VIT to support their work, providing Sisters Country residents free rides to medi- cal appointments located in other parts of the region. Vision Implementation Team partner Cascades East Tran- sit is also halfway through an optimization study for alter- native options for on-demand transportation in Sisters Coun- try and throughout Central Oregon. The past year has brought a whole new appreciation and demand for accessible outdoor recreation, which has never felt more important to qual- ity of life! Deschutes County, USFS, and the City of Sisters 4 all members of the VIT 4 have celebrated progress on expanded recreational trail systems and local greenspace goals in 2020 and have exciting projects in the works for 2021. The county adopted a new rural trails system plan, includ- ing a conceptual implementa- tion strategy to begin in 2021, which includes new trail sys- tems in Sisters Country. USFS completed several notable trail upgrade projects on the Petersen Ridge Trail System in 2020. This year, they will focus on implementing the Central Cascades Wilderness Strategy, which aims to improve visi- tor experience on trails in the Three Sisters, Mt. Washing- ton, and Mt. Jefferson wilder- ness areas. District Ranger Ian Reid also says they will com- plete Phase One of the Green Ridge Trail reroute, restoring the section of trail damaged from fire suppression activities during 2020 Green Ridge Fire. Sisters Country residents can help identify needs and gaps in the trails system around Sisters, identify areas unsuit- able for new trail construction, and prioritize new trail ideas in USFS9s upcoming 2021 Trails Master Planning Community Kick-off meeting. These projects represent just a small portion of the VIT9s 2021 priorities, which also include the adoption of new fire-resistant building codes, new County Transporta- tion Plan Update, new public- art development, new youth leadership and recreation pro- grams and more. Thanks to all our VIT members and many community partners who have continued to work so diligently to address immediate commu- nity needs and provide sup- port through collaboration and coordination. To learn more about the Sisters Country Vision, please visit www.sistersvision.org