A4 THE SPOKESMAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022
Heat
Continued from A1
As a steady stream of people drove,
walked or biked to the tent, volun-
teers leaped into action — handing
out popsicles and packing bags of Pe-
dialyte and sandwiches.
Many took extra supplies for their
neighbors, who live deeper in the ju-
nipers, are disabled or don’t have the
ability to travel to the streetside mist-
ing station.
“While there’s a lot coming, there’s
a lot more who aren’t,” worried Os-
borne.
Construction
It wasn’t just those living outdoors
who found it difficult to escape the
heat. Those who jobs required them
to work in it suffered as well.
David Henderson, a mason and
founder of Redmond-based Masonry
Resource, Inc., fought high tempera-
tures as he worked a job in Prineville.
“This is pretty exceptional for us,”
he said, catching his breath.
To combat the heat, Henderson’s
crew has been starting their workday
around 5:45 a.m. and finishing by
about 2:30 each afternoon. They’ve
been trying to stay hydrated —
drinking more water and bringing a
5-gallon jug of Gatorade.
Diana Klapproth, the owner of
3CS Concrete, said her crews are do-
ing much of the same. Working with
concrete is already a hot business
— and the heat pounding down just
added to the stress.
In June, Oregon’sOccupational
Safety and Health Administration’s
new rules regarding working under
high temperatures went into effect.
Employers must now provide em-
ployees with access to water, shade,
extra breaks and heat illness training.
Cooling
Continued from A1
She has a system: she opens
two doors to let the van cool
out and closes them when it
gets chilly.
Before Shepherd’s House
opened up, she soaked a
hat and scarf in cold water
and put them on her head.
She filled up jugs to make
sure she had plenty of wa-
ter. If she had gas, she’d
find a shady spot in a park
— since the juniper in the
homeless camp where she
normally stays doesn’t pro-
Queen
Continued from A1
Sperber says it was a great
place to grow up and fall
in love with horses — she
learned to ride a pony before
she could walk and has raised
everything from poultry to
show horses.
About the time she decided
to become a rodeo queen, she
made another choice on the
ranch that she has stuck with.
She decided that, for a career,
she would become a surgeon.
“I just watched a lot of med-
ical shows and found it inter-
esting,” she said. “I grew up
on a farm, so blood doesn’t
bother me.”
“She has always gone back
and forth between a surgeon
for people or a surgeon for an-
imals,” said her mom.
But that’s all the waffling
Sperber allows herself. This
year she turned down 58 ath-
letic scholarships in favor of
accepting a full-ride to Texas
A&M, where she plans to ma-
jor in animal science and vet-
erinary medicine and minor
in agricultural business. She’s
leaving open the opportunity
to later attend medical school
and become a doctor, but for
now the plan is to become a
large animal surgeon and own
a cattle ranch.
At Texas A&M, one of the
nation’s premiere ag schools,
she plans to try out for the
university’s prestigious ranch
horse and equestrian teams.
“That’s the goal,” she said.
“I’ll have to be at my best.”
But before she rides off into
the Texas sun, Sperber gets to
enjoy her dream week in De-
schutes County as its queen.
She will present the colors
each day of the fair, hoisting
the American flag while on
horseback and leading the
run-in at the rodeo. She will
be on the grounds all day ev-
ery day, signing autographs
and making appearances.
She’ll also be working. Jes-
sica will show her 4-H ani-
mals this year, including her
market steer, a shorthorn
Nick Rosenberger/Spokesman
Kathryn Osborne, a community volunteer and candidate for Redmond City Council, hands an otter pop to a houseless individual
on 17th Street in Redmond on Thursday, July 28.
Henderson and his company
watched for heat exhaustion and fol-
lowed the new rules, but he said it
can still be challenging. Crews ro-
tated around the work site through-
out the day to seek out shade. They
brought out a tarp to create their own
when necessary.
Henderson said it wasn’t always
like this. Temperatures too hot to
work is new for him.
“I don’t ever remember … bring-
ing Gatorade in a 5-gallon drum un-
til last year,” he said.
Life goes on
Yet, despite the heat, many workers
and residents went about their daily
lives. More than 100 people attended
the free Music on the Green concert
at Sam Johnson Park on July 27.
It was around 103 degrees when
Junkyard Joyride, the band of the
week, came on stage. People clumped
under the shade of trees, sprawled
on the grass with drinks in hands as
children ran past with water guns.
“I think Redmond people are
pretty resilient,” Klapproth said, who
attended the event as a vendor.
Agriculture
Humans weren’t the only ones
affected by the heat either. With
extreme heat comes the poten-
tial loss of crops and a more chal-
vide a lot of shelter.
When the heat hit Cen-
tral Oregon just a couple
weeks prior, Neal landed in
the emergency room with
heat exhaustion. Shepherd’s
House prevented a repeat
visit, even as temperatures
surpassed 100 degrees for
six consecutive days.
“Everybody’s been really
nice here,” Neal said. “Defi-
nitely just a place to come
in, cool off. And no drama.”
Besides providing a re-
prieve from the swelter-
ing heat, Shepherd’s House
served its visitors lunch and
dinner every day it was open
— as well as providing wa-
ter, Gatorade and dog food,
thanks to the donations
from community members.
Jericho Road, a local non-
profit, stationed a shower
truck in front of the cool-
ing center on Monday and
Thursday, providing those
in the shelter with a place to
wash off.
“It seems to renew them,”
said Mike Larson, who set
up the truck. He said it’s
lovely to see people go into
the shower and “come out
with pink cheeks and a
named Scooby. Sperber said
the money she makes from
the auction will go to her liv-
ing expenses as a freshman
down in College Station,
Texas.
“That’s the next dream
down there,” she said.
█
lenging environment for raising
livestock, including for JoHanna
Symons, owner of Symons Beef
Company and co-founder of Per-
fect Balance USA, a nonprofit fo-
cused on agricultural education.
“It’s pretty devastating,” Symons
said, “I feel so bad for all the ani-
mals out in this heat.”
Symons said that cattle are able
to adapt and survive the extreme
heat, but her crew takes extra pre-
cautions by feeding cows early in
the morning and late in the eve-
ning, evading the worst of the heat.
This, she said, helps cows conserve
energy for the worst part of the
day.
But, with an ongoing drought
and reduced water levels in local
reservoirs and irrigation canals, it
can be difficult to keep cows cool
and hydrated in high temperatures,
when the cattle consume about
twice as much water as usual.
In fact, the cattle are drinking so
much water right now that Symons
said it has affected the water levels
in their family house. On Thurs-
day, not a drop of water escaped
the kitchen faucet — which is con-
nected to the same water line that
fills up the cattle trough.
Securing enough water is the
biggest problem for ranchers
during the heatwave, said Billy Bu-
chanan, owner of Keystone Natural
Beef. The heat and drought forces
ranchers to buy additional hay and
feed for cattle rather than grow it
themselves — chipping away at the
already tight margins of ranchers.
It’s basic science, Buchanan said.
The higher the heat, the faster
crops dry out.
Cows also lose their appetite in
high heat, which lead to lower nu-
tritional intake and conception
rates, as well as increased cortisol
levels that leads to greater stress for
the cows.
“They’re okay [with the heat]
to a certain degree,” Symons said.
“But their consumption rate goes
way, way down.”
To remain profitable, Buchanan
said that a cow has to produce a
calf every year. If they can’t do that,
then it can be more economical
simply to sell the cow that has be-
come expensive to feed and water.
“Years like this can be pretty
hard on your mental health,” he
said.
█
Reporter:
nrosenberger@redmondspokesman.com
fresh outlook on life.”
Hoeksema plans to ex-
pand Shepherd’s House into
a full-time shelter, with ren-
ovations set to begin next
month. In the meantime,
however, he’s partnering
with local churches for a
winter shelter and plans to
reopen the temporary cool-
ing center whenever tem-
peratures hit 100 degrees
for consecutive days.
█
Kim Neal
stands out-
side of her
van, parked
in front of
Shepherd’s
House.
Nick Rosenberger/
Spokesman
Reporter: lbaudhuin@
redmondspokesman.com
Plan your 2023 Getaway!
Reporter: ttrainor@
redmondspokesman.com
GREAT TRAINS 6 & DAYS
GRAND CANYONS
MARCH 19-24, 2023
DAY 1: PHOENIX, SEDONA
DAY 2: SEDONA
DAY 3: GRAND CANYON
DAY 4: MONTEZUMA CASTLE, JEROME, VERDE
CANYON RAILROAD
DAY 5: DAY AT LEISURE, BLAZIN’ M RANCH
DAY 6: SEDONA, SCOTTSDALE, FLIGHT HOME
HIGHLIGHTS:
Two Rail Journeys
Grand Canyon Railway
Verde Canyon Railroad
Grand Canyon Nat’l Park
Oak Creek Canyon
Sedona Trolley Tour
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Tlaquepaque & Uptown Sedona
Montezuma Castle
Jerome
Chuckwagon Supper & Show
INCLUSIONS:
Roundtrip Airfare
- PDX or RDM (+ $250)
5 Nights Hotel Accommodations
8 Meals (5 Breakfast, 3 Dinners)
Professional Tour Director
Motorcoach Transportation
Sightseeing per Itinerary
Admissions per Itinerary
Hotel Transfers
Baggage Handling at Hotels
ACCOMMODATIONS:
5 Nights - Hilton Sedona Resort,
Sedona Courtyard by Marriott or
Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona
On some dates alternate hotels may
be used
Visit www.bendbulletin.com/offers/travel
for a more detailed look at all trip itineraries.
For more information or to book, call (877) 953-8687 x 276