The Nugget Vol. XLVI No. 7
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News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
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Wednesday, February 15, 2023
School works to improve reading
From Sisters to Morocco...
By Ceili Gatley
PHOTO BY OLIVIA KENNEDY
Correspondent
Sisters photographer Olivia Kennedy spent two weeks in Morocco experiencing a different culture and capturing vivid images. See story, page 4
Washington man arrested in robbery Deputies with Deschutes County Sheriff ’s Office (DCSO) arrested Dana Roy, a 42-year-old Washington resident, after he allegedly robbed a man camped off the 100 road spur at the west end of Sisters. According to Sgt. Jason Wall of DCSO, deputies were dispatched to an unwantedsubject call at Mainline Station on Monday, February 7, at about 8 a.m. Staff reported a man was making concerning comments to the staff
about houseless camps across Highway 20 on Forest Service land. The location is near the Sisters city limits, and there are several camps of houseless people in this area. Deputies arrived quickly and identified the man as Dana Roy. Deputies made contact with Roy and then released him after he was identified and determined there was no probable cause for an arrest. See ROBBERY on page 9
State planning goals guide local decisions By Sue Stafford Correspondent
Concerns around “growth and development” in Sisters are at a fever pitch. But before diving in to discussions around this hot topic,
Inside...
it is necessary to gain a clear understanding of Oregon’s land-use laws which guide decisions made by the local Community Development Department staff, the See GOALS on page 5
Letters/Weather ............... 2 Meetings .......................... 3
The Sisters Elementary School (SES) teachers and staff are making strides to increase literacy and reading levels at the elementary level, particularly in kindergarten and first grade. Principal Joan Warburg presented to the Sisters School District School Board in January the highlights of SES Literacy Instruction Programming. Warburg outlined the new adoption of a core-based curriculum that offers literacy experiences around a common text at the elementary level. See READING on page 19
Sisters may add another deputy At the end of last month, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s office responded to a drunk and disorderly call at Takoda’s in Sisters (see “Man arrested, threats assessed,” The Nugget, February 8, page 1). That Tuesday evening, it took 26 minutes for the west-county deputy with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) to arrive on scene. That is due to the gap in shifts at the local branch of the DCSO, which relies on the assigned west-county deputy to fill in shift gaps on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings between 6 p.m. and midnight. Under the current contract that went into effect on July 1, 2020, the deputies assigned in Sisters provide 160 hours of patrol coverage. Lieutenant Chad Davis presented to the Sisters City Council last Wednesday night about adding an additional deputy to the three existing Sisters deputies that patrol the streets of Sisters.
The DCSO began a partnership contract in the way of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), which is any agreement that involves or is made between two or more governments in cooperation to solve problems of mutual concern. This IGA came after the dissolving of the Sisters police department over 20 years ago. During discussions in winter of 2019, the DCSO and the City of Sisters looked at re-structuring the law enforcement services through a new IGA to serve needs created by population growth, increased tourism, and a need for more coverage during special events. During the discussions leading up to the new contract, they spoke about having a lieutenant who serves as a defacto police chief and three or four patrol deputies to provide law enforcement services within the City, according to Lt. Davis’ presentation. From 2020 through 2022, the number of calls for service have increased each year:
• 2020: 2,925 actual calls for service, plus self-initiated calls of 1,195. Total calls: 4,120. • 2021: 3,582 actual calls for service, plus self-initiated calls of 2,156. Total calls: 5,738. • 2022: 3,825 actual calls for service, plus self-initiated calls of 2,943. Total calls: 6,768 Over those last two years, DCSO has reduced response times and increased traffic stops (500 more per year). They have also hosted community outreach events educating the public on what they do. The team at DCSO has done a lot already in the last two years of the new contract to increase law enforcement presence in Sisters. However, there are still gaps in the coverage, and with population only expected to continue to rise, more special events, more tourism, and part-time residents, the DCSO saw the need for an additional deputy. “Per the contract in March
Obituaries ........................ 9 Announcements...............10
Entertainment ................. 11 Crossword .......................19
Classifieds................. 20-21 Real Estate ................ 22-24
By Ceili Gatley Correspondent
See DCSO on page 22