Sisters salutes...

• Jim Anderson: Every once in a while, in this often cruel old hard-nosed world, you run across someone who cares in a way that most people don't - like having concern about the welfare of wasps.

Terry Anderson, head golf professional at Black Butte Ranch, called me the other day to say he had some "bees" outside the window of his office that needed to be saved. Being a beekeeper myself, that was a surprise. The timing was off for a swarm, and so was the location - but Terry's attitude was right on the money. "I don't want to see a lot of chemicals sprayed or the bees destroyed," he said, and that made him my hero.

When I went out to check I had a feeling I wasn't going to find "bees," and sure enough, they turned out to be paper wasps. As just about everyone knows, wasps and people just don't mix for very long. The attitude (and bias) of most people becomes hostile, and then the wasps get upset which ends in the death of the wasps, and "I told you so..." by the people.

When Terry saw that his "bees" were actually wasps it didn't matter, he didn't want to see them killed. So, I went out last Saturday night, gently (and carefully) pruned the bush the wasp nest was in, removing enough small limbs to drape a plastic bag over the nest, tied it off and then cut the limb and nest from the bush. I placed the whole shebang in the back of my Chevy S-10 pickup canopy, and took it to a new happy home away from people - without being stung, once!

The wasps can't say it, but I can: Thanks, Terry, for caring.

• Jennifer Ortega of Sisters was crowned Mexican Independence Queen of Sisters and Redmond. In Spanish it is La Reina de Fiestas Patrias (Queen of Patriot Parties). Hispanic girls, ages 15-17, were to compete with each other and strive to win the crown. There were two girls from Prineville, Bend, one girl from Madras and one girl from Redmond.

Each girl was to sell tickets for $1 each and the girl who earned the most money was the one who won. Every girl started off with 300 tickets and if they sold out, they could get more and continue selling. Donations were also accepted. Every girl was to donate their money to any facility of their choice. Jennifer decided to donate half to the St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church and half to Sisters FAN.

She earned a total of $932 to win the crown.

• Kimberly Wilson, Sisters High School Class of 2005 graduate and daughter of Steve and Barb Wilson, graduated cum laude from Azusa Pacific University on May 8, 2010. She holds double honors degrees in psychology: child & family and in music: vocal performance. Kimberly is currently employed as office manager for a marketing firm in Los Angeles, California. She hopes to pursue graduate school in the near future.