The Nugget Vol. XLVI No. 13
Hall case comes back to Deschutes County
Deer code…
Hundreds of jobs available in Sisters By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Deschutes County Community Development will host a public information session in Sisters on Tuesday, April 4, to provide information on new zoning and code regarding mule deer habitat. (See story, page 11). PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK
Waiting for the ‘poop fairies’ Along with construction and maintenance, Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) also faces challenges like vandalism — and dog poop. The number one mythic question in the woods is not “Is there a Sasquatch?” Rather “Is there a Poop Fairy?” Many seem to believe so, based on their own words. Rick Retzman, a Sisters Trails Alliance board member, has talked to some of these “believers,” who think that it is the responsibility of someone else, “fairies” who must flit about the woods after dark picking up bags of and piles of dog poop. “I’ve approached a couple different people and this is the silly attitude people have. ‘Hey ma’am, can you carry that bag back to your car, we’re pretty close to the trailhead?’ And they respond, ‘Oh, no, I just drop them here on the trail for the rangers to pick up.’” There are no rangers or anyone else to pick up what others leave behind.
Inside...
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
See HALL on page 12
Correspondent
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A ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court last December that a requirement for unanimous verdict in serious criminal cases applies to older criminal cases as well as those still on appeal has had a significant impact in Deschutes County. According to District Attorney Steve Gunnels, a number of cases have or are expected to be returned to Deschutes County for review and potential retrial. That
By Stuart Ehr
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Retzman continues, “I reminded another woman that it’s bad to just leave the poop bag on the trail, and she interrupted me by saying, ‘Well, it’s biodegradable.’ “Yes, the poop will go in a couple months if not contained. With a plastic bag it’s gonna take a couple years to go away even though it’s in a biodegradable bag.” Although there is no such thing as a poop fairy, Retzman and other hikers who consider themselves stewards of the trail will often pick up the waste of others rather than leave it on the trail. “Personally, I pick up probably five gallons a year! That’s a lot of poop. And that’s typically bagged poop. If a dog has defecated on the trail I’ll just kick it off to the side.” Having to pick up after “irresponsible” hikers is a real frustration for Retzman and others like him. “The frustration level comes with taking care of your dog,” Retzman said. “It is your dog. Be responsible. See DOG #*@! on page 20
Bumblebee technician needed. That’s one of nearly 300 advertised jobs in Sisters. Dozens of other jobs are not advertised but are needed by nearly every business in town. Almost every store window has a “help wanted” sign. The bee technician job consists mainly of conducting field work near Santiam Pass. The work requires long days in the field, travel See JOBS on page 19
Sisters man lauds proton therapy By Sue Stafford Correspondent
Longtime Sisters resident Bill Willitts is on a mission to reach as many men as he can to educate them about the value of proton therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer — a treatment which has a cure rate of 85-90 percent. Last fall, Willitts was told by his urologist that his PSA (prostate specific antigen), which was first found to be high 10 years ago, had gone higher. With a biopsy, it was determined that he had developed prostate cancer. His urologist told him that a radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the entire prostate) was the gold standard for curing cancer. Willitts wasn’t willing to accept all the possible side effects of the surgery, including postsurgical impotence and urinary incontinence. His own personal research led Willitts to one of the 41 centers in the U.S. that offer proton therapy to treat cancer, Loma Linda University Cancer Center in California. Most centers are located at large institutions due to the expense of setting up a proton treatment program, which involves highly technical and
PHOTO PROVIDED
Bill Willitts, center, at his “graduation” from proton therapy for prostate cancer. The Sisters man is seeking to raise awareness. expensive equipment. Willitts arrived at Loma Linda on December 4, 2022, and underwent 39 proton therapy treatments. Not only did he receive treatment for his cancer, but he enjoyed physical and emotional support as well. He was part of a group of men who were all at Loma Linda to receive proton therapy for prostate cancer. Some lived together, each in their own apartment, at Richie Mansion, and others who were accompanied by their wives found alternative housing. All of the men participated in a support group called the Loma Linda Proton
Brotherhood, celebrating on Wednesday nights at a local restaurant banquet room when someone finished their treatment and graduated from the program. Attire for the graduate was a hospital gown and mortar board. Since 2010, there has been an over 500 percent increase in treatment centers offering proton therapy, but still over two-thirds of the U.S. population lives over 100 miles from a proton treatment center. Many cancer patients face unnecessary delays and denials of treatment due to reluctance of some insurance See THERAPY on page 16
Letters/Weather ............... 2 In the Pines....................... 5 Announcements...............10 Sisters Country Birds .......13 Crossword .......................21 Meetings .......................... 3 Obituaries .....................8-9 Entertainment ................. 11 Nugget Flashback ............18 Classifieds................. 22-23