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POSTAL CUSTOMER PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Vol. XLVI No. 24
www.NuggetNews.com
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Rodeo brings the Western action By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
S t e t s o n Wr i g h t o f Milford, Utah, took AllAround Cowboy honors at the Sisters Rodeo last weekend. That meant he went home with an exquisite equine sculpture sponsored by the Sisters branch of U.S. Bank, and carved by Sisters artist J. Chester “Skip” Armstrong. The exceptional trophy is a reflection of the homegrown quality of the Sisters Rodeo — one of the aspects of the event that draws the top competitors and sold-out crowds. The event is staged by hundreds of volunteers who
Bronc rider Ryder Wright spurred out to an 88-point performance on Saturday night. PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK
School board adopts next year’s budget By Ceili Gatley Correspondent
The Sisters School Board adopted the 2023-2024 operating budget in a public hearing at the final School Board meeting of the school year. Every year, the School Board adopts the new operating budget based on the money allotted to the Sisters School District (SSD) from the state
school fund. The state school fund amount is decided in the state legislature. The general fund budget, including $9,619,008 for instruction and nearly $8 million for support service,s, comes to $19,774,962. That includes a $1,640,000 contingency fund. The special revenue fund allocates See BUDGET on page 14
Debating habitat conservation policy By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Dozens of people traveled from across the Pacific Northwest to Sisters last week to testify before the Oregon Board of Forestry. The Board conducts its meetings at locations around the state, and Wednesday-Thursday, June
Inside...
7-8 was Sisters’ turn. The public testimony that the Board took at the beginning of an all-day session at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center on Wednesday was impassioned — and it had nothing to do with anything that was actually on the board’s agenda. See POLICY on page 19
See RODEO on page 8
SHS graduates Class of 2023 By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent
The 90 Sisters High School seniors who received diplomas at Friday’s 75th commencement had plenty to celebrate as they moved from students to alumni. There was little sign and barely a mention of the pandemic that disrupted nearly half of their four-year journey, but challenges of those years are undeniable. Rather than dwelling on the difficulties, this resilient bunch focused on the positive, as evidenced by the speeches and songs shared by the graduates. After the graduates marched in single file to “Pomp and Circumstance,” the crowd stood for the high school jazz choir’s moving version of the national anthem, followed by welcoming remarks from principal Steve Stancliff. Stancliff spoke about how at a leadership retreat in August, students came up with a motto for the year, “Slay the day the Outlaw way.”
PHOTO BY SUSAN SEANEY
Sidney Linn, ASG President, addressed her fellow students on Friday evenings as the Class of 2023 graduated from Sisters High School. “We probably have as many takes on what it might mean to ‘slay the day’ as we have graduates here tonight, so I will focus on what I have observed to be the ‘Outlaw Way’”, he said. Stancliff identified the common thread of meaning for the “Outlaw Way” is connecting with one another and the school staff. “The life-affirming value in virtually all of your
pursuits have been the human connections and relationships you have built,” he said. Sidney Linn, the president of the Associated Student Government, took the microphone next and underlined the theme of connection. “As we look back over our high school journey, we recognize the obstacles we have overcome and the moments See GRADUATES on page 20
Letters.............................. 2 Obituaries .......................10 Entertainment .................13 Scotties ...........................21 Fun and Games ............... 22 Meetings .......................... 3 Announcements...............12 Tight Lines.......................18 Classifieds..................21-22 Crossword ...................... 24