The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVI No. 31 // 2023-08-02

The Nugget

Tankerfire disrupts Sisters

Right about midnight on Saturday, July 29, a vehicle northbound on Cloverdale Road came through the intersection and collided with a westbound gasoline tanker truck on Highway 126.

The truck carried a 5,000-gallon tank, with another 6,000-gallon tank in tow on a trailer.

“When the crew arrived, they found the (rear trailer) tires were on fire and impinging on the tank,” Cloverdale Fire District Chief Thad Olsen told The Nugget Firefighters hoped to attack the fire before the tank went up. However,

See FIRE on page 19

EDCO Pub Talk back in Sisters after four years

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

“It’s great to be doing this again in Sisters.”

That was the widespread sentiment expressed as EDCO — Economic Development for Central Oregon — hosted one of its annual Pub Talk events in Sisters last week.

The Pub Talks are open to the public and are an opportunity for community members, entrepreneurs, and business owners to connect, network, and hear from a select few speakers. The event was hosted at the Three Creeks Brewing Co. facility off Barclay Drive, providing an outdoor space with their signature beers on tap. Representatives of EDCO and title sponsors for the Pub Talk, as well as local business owners and community members,were in attendance.

Working with business owners and communities across Central Oregon, EDCO assists in expansion or in helping a business move

News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters Woodlands partners with Habitat for Humanity

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

In what looks like a firstof-its-kind partnership, Sisters Woodlands, a 300-plus mixeduse community under construction in Sisters, is partnering with Sisters Habitat for Humanity to build affordable homes for lowincome dwellers.

There is no affordable housing requirement in the City’s Development Code when permitting large-scale projects like Sisters Woodlands. Some projects, such as ClearPine, included

See WOODLANDS on page 16

Local 4-H club celebrates 75 years

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

to the area. Eric Strobel, the new EDCO lead for Sisters, helped coordinate the event and was excited to hold a Pub Talk in Sisters.

“This is the first Pub Talk hosted in Sisters since 2019, so it’s nice to have it back here again,” said Strobel.

Strobel is new to his position but has already made connections with businesses in the area.

“I have loved every minute of my year and a half of being the area director here, and assisting with a lot of the businesses expanding in Sisters,” said Strobel.

The rest of the event focused on four main speakers: Josie’s Best CEO and founder Josette Johnson provided a company update on her flour mixes and how her business has grown in the last four years.

According to the event biography on Johnson:

“Johnson was diagnosed in her 20s with severe food allergies, and she set out to find a pancake mix that

See PUB TALK on page 17

4-H has been around for 121 years, and for 75 of those years 4-H has thrived in Sisters Country as Cloverdale Livestock Club.

4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization, surpassing scouting.

The 4-H idea is simple: Help young people and their families gain the skills needed to be proactive forces in their communities, and develop ideas for a more innovative economy.

Today, 4-H serves youth in rural, urban, and suburban communities in all 50 states. 4-H-ers are tackling the nation’s top issues, from global food security, climate change and sustainable energy, to childhood obesity and food safety.

4-H out-of-school programming, in-school enrichment programs, clubs, and camps also offer a wide variety of STEM opportunities — from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, environmental protection, and computer science — to improve the nation’s ability to compete in

key scientific fields and take on the leading challenges of the 21st century.

Much has been written on these pages about the Cloverdale Livestock Club given how interwoven they are into the fabric of our rural life. In case you have forgotten, 4-H stands for head, heart, hands, and health. Deeply rooted in the 4-H culture is character, as defined by the six pillars of character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

As the Club prepares for the upcoming Deschutes

County Fair, The Nugget got a firsthand, up-close look at their preparation. Last week about 20 members and their animals gathered at the Moss/Walker Ranch east of town to put themselves and their animals through a competitive trial.

In the past, the week before the Fair was a formal practice with no scoring, but this year leaders decided on a full dress rehearsal just as it will be in competition August 2-6. On the one hand the kids were

4-H on page 15

Cloverdale Livestock Club is set for the Deschutes County Fair. They’ve been in action for three-quarters of a century.

PHOTO BY GRACE PULVER

PHOTO BY KEN WILLETT

Letters to the Editor…

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.

To the Editor:

No bull

As an avid user of our trail system, I have seen my fair share of wildlife — coyotes; bobcats; a herd of elk, etc. — but this sighting was unique for me.

On a run with my dog I hear some rustling off-trail and stop to see a huge bull staring at me from 50 yards away. My first thought was “This is not normal.” He stared at me for a minute and then went on his way.

Finishing the run later, the story became clear as I came upon several cowboys on horseback searching for an escaped bull from the nearby rodeo grounds. I assume they found him, but to me he certainly looked happy with his temporary freedom.

Chuck Ryan

s s s

Profanity

To the Editor:

I must take issue with a recent Letter to the Editor stating that “anyone using profanity does not have a very large vocabulary.” I have an excellent vocabulary and would make the case that sometimes a well-placed profanity is the perfect choice!

Patrick Rose

A human wrote this column

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

s s s

Questions on shelter

To the Editor:

Reasonable questions about the proposed shelter: How many homeless/houseless will actually choose to utilize the facility?

See LETTERS on page 15

Sisters Weather Forecast

The Nugget Newspaper, LLC

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442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com

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Classifieds & Circulation: Lisa May

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The Nugget is mailed to residents within the Sisters School District; subscriptions are available outside delivery area. Third-class postage: one year, $70; six months (or less), $45. First-class postage: one year, $110; six months, $80. Published Weekly.

A human being wrote this column. You’ll just have to take my word for it. Strange way to start a column, right? Well, we’re living in strange times. Times in which this column you’re reading might well have been created by a chat bot — and you might not be able to tell the difference. I’d like to think that I have a distinctive enough voice that you wouldn’t mistake a chat bot for me — but actually there’s enough of my writing out there in the world that Artificial Intelligence can scoop it up and, with the right prompts, produce a column (in a minute or two) about AI. One that is a pretty good facsimile of my style and outlook.

Creepy. Content creators everywhere are wondering if they’re about to be rendered obsolete. Just ask Hollywood writers.

The stakes get a whole lot higher when lives are at stake. I encourage readers to sit down with the Netflix documentary “Unknown: Killer Robots,” which explores the implications of AI applied to the military. Artificial Intelligence — or Machine Learning as some of its proponents prefer — offers the prospect of autonomous machines acting on massive quantities of data, making decisions at blinding speed, and reducing the exposure of military personnel to direct combat.

It is clear that in a very near future, a military that achieves AI dominance will crush any force that does not have it. In the crucible of combat, you want to be on the dominant end, not the dominated end. The U.S. has to pursue AI dominance — the alternative, where China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia can compete with us in this arena, is a very dark scenario.

The imperative to develop and apply the technology very quickly is very strong. The stability of what remains of the post-World War II order is at stake. And yet... there are significant questions. Can we put up robust enough guardrails to avoid sliding into a moral

abyss, where kill decisions are handed over to an algorithm? Does adhering to those guardrails put us at a fatal disadvantage against adversaries who don’t care to apply them?

One former Army Ranger working in the field noted that decisions have to be made in combat that are not necessarily programmable Rules of Engagement. He asks whether AI can distinguish between what is “legal” and what is right.

There are clear benefits to AI. There’s a segment on the uses of AI in fighting wildfire, which are certainly of interest to anyone living in Sisters Country.

As the documentary demonstrates, AI can help researchers discover new drugs and therapies at a speed unprecedented in human history. And, with the flip of a set of instructions it can, overnight, produce 10,000 new formulas for chemical weapons. Anyone can potentially access this capability on a standard sixyear-old Mac computer. You don’t have to be a national security maven to see the problem here…

AI is as revolutionary as nuclear weapons and the Internet — it is already changing our lives. The question is, can the benefits of AI be brought to bear while mitigating the downsides, and protecting humankind from the potentially catastrophic results of losing control of the technology?

This is a profoundly serious moment in human history — and we’re not a serious people right now. Our society and its leaders are burning time and energy on identity politics and culture wars, and we’re poised to enter a three-ring circus inside a Dumpster fire in the 2024 presidential election, which looks to be a rematch between two men who have both demonstrated that they cannot be entrusted with serious power and responsibility.

We need to start paying attention and demanding that our leaders get serious. The first step is educating ourselves, and mapping the terrain of the science fiction world that has become our reality.

Jonathan

caught a snap of his pointer

PHOTO

Airshow of the Cascades landing soon

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

“Why do they insist on calling it an air show?”

Those are the words of Don Riordan of Sisters as he mused about the upcoming annual event in Madras.

When The Nugget asked Riordan what he would call it instead, he stroked his chin a bit and pondered.

“Gosh, not sure,” he said. “Maybe extravaganza. Maybe festival. It’s a heckuva lot more than airplanes,” he said.

And in looking at the lineup for the two-day affair, Friday, August 25 and Saturday, August 26

Annual PCT migration is underway

By Stu Ehr Correspondent

Once again, the annual migration is underway for thousands of backpackers trying to complete a thruhike of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile footpath from Mexico to Canada.

Possibly you have seen them resupplying, doing laundry, going to the post office, or removing the miles of caked dust from their tanned limbs as they take a “zero” day (nonhiking) and move through Sisters for a quick return to the trail.

As in 2017, a previous heavy snow year, the remains of winter caused many hikers to postpone

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.

Alcoholics A nonymou s

the 300 miles of the Sierra Nevada till late this summer or fall.

So technically it will not be a thru-hike, “a continuous footpath,” as hoped. However, the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), makes allowances for hikers to “flip flop” their way to finishing the 2,650 miles (6 million steps) of the PCT in any order. Although technically Sisters is 1,900 miles from the Mexico border, none of the hikers who have arrived in Sisters have done those hard miles through the Sierra.

Hiking and camping through the Sierra Nevada Mountains on feet of snow is not hard with the right training and gear. The

SISTERS

Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration / Satur day, 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / M onday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church / Big Book study, Tuesday, noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church / Gen tlemen’s meeting, Wednesday, 7 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Sober

Sisters Women’s meet ing, Thu rsday, noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fr iday, noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440.

Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild

For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om

Ci tizens4Communit y New neighbor meetup, last Tuesday of t he month, 5 to 6:3 0 p.m. at T he Bar n in Sisters

Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday, 10 to 11:3 0 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.

danger comes in the potentially hazardous river crossings that are required. In 2017, two thru-hikers, slight Asian women from Japan and China, both drowned when swept away by raging currents. Many more hikers came close to that same fate in 2017.

With 2017 in mind, thru-hikers skipped ahead to Northern California or Oregon, some even “flipflopping” to Washington State and then heading south back through Oregon and California to finish their hike.

Given the conditions, many flip-flopping hikers started arriving in Sisters

AREA

Council on Aging of Cent ral O rego n

Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs

12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity

Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43

East of the Cascades Quilt Guild

4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’

Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061.

G o Fish Fishing G roup 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Siste rs C ommunity Church. 541-771-2211

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s)

2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided.

541- 408 -8 505.

Hero Q uilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755

Milita ry Parent s of Sisters M eetings are held quarter ly; please c all for details. 5 41-388 -9 013.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant.

541- 549- 64 69

SAGE (Senior Activities, G athering s & Enrichmen t) M onday- Fr iday, 11 a.m.

to 4 p.m. at Sisters Par k & Recreation

District. 5 41-5 49 -2091.

at the Madras Municipal Airport, Riordan’s point was made: music, fireworks, food, Kid Zone, cars and trucks (lots of those – vintage, classic or antique), motorcycle stunt team, ROTC Marine Drill Team, and, oh yes, an air show on Thursday, August 24.

Turns out Riordan is somewhat prophetic, as Airshow of The Cascades is now the Airshow of The Cascades Festival. It’s a not-so-subtle change to reflect the expansive offering of family entertainment attended by dozens of Sisters Country families and

Outages impact Farmers Market

By T. Lee Brown Correspondent

Two visitors met up with friends at Fir Street Park last Sunday, aiming for Sisters Farmers Market.

“Our phones are down!” cried one young woman.

“Oh my God!” responded another.

A small crowd gathered, discussing the collective tragedy of having zero bars on their mobile phones. Kids shouted in the background, running through the fountains of the splash pad.

MEETING CALENDAR

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters Area Photography Club

2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.

Sisters Area Woodworke rs First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97

Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup

3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 5 41-719 -0 031.

Sisters Cribbage C lub M eets 11 a.m. ever y Wed. at S PR D. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.

Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.

Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m. Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.

Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to 8:3 0 a.m., at Aspen Lakes Golf Cours e.

541- 410-2870

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y

2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons.

917-219-8298

Sisters Red Hat s 1st Friday. For location infor mation, please c all:

541- 8 48 -1970.

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.

Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant.

541- 903-1123

Sisters Trails A lliance Board Meetings take plac e ever y other month, 5 p.m. In- person or zoom. Contact: info@sisterstrails.org

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t

Board of Direc tors M eets 1st Tuesday 4 p.m., TSI D Of fice. 5 41-5 49 -8 815

Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd

Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons

Rest aurant. 5 41-419 -1279.

VF W Po st 813 8 and A merican

Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the mont h, 6:3 0 p.m., M ain Church Building Sisters Community Church. 8 47-344 -0 49 8

SCHOOLS

Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday,

3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203

“I find I’m getting anxious without my phone on,” said one woman. ”I keep wondering, what’s going on?”

Close by was Andre Ilyin, a regular vendor at the Market, selling High Peak Granola. He said he lives in Bend but noticed “there was no connection once we got to Sisters.” The outage affected not just cell phone connectivity but Internet access in general.

People throughout Sisters Country lost electrical power

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.

CITY & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0

FIRE

PHOTO BY STU EHR

PCT though hikers are beginning to show up in Sisters, where many take a day off.

TRAILGRAMS: Trail blazin’ around Sisters

Patjens Lake Loop Trail

Bats test positive for rabies

Two bats found in the southeast Bend area have recently tested positive for rabies. Rabies is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal and while post-exposure vaccination is effective, the best plan is prevention.

Deschutes County Health Services reminds residents to take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your pets from rabies:

By Bill Bartlett

Patjens Lake Loop Trail is in all its floral splendor, at least for the next week or two. The bear grass (Indian basket grass) is especially abundant standing as high as six feet. Likewise lupine, scarlet gilia, and Washington lily is in full glory.

Why go? It’s an easy, mostly flat 6.9-mile loop with abundant flora and fauna from late June to early August. The trail starts and passes by Big Lake and works around the smaller Patjens Lake, both scenic and pastoral.

When to go? Like most trails in the peak of summer, the earlier the better to beat the heat. If you’re a photographer you’ll want to adjust your time to capture the best light. Also, earlier outings encounter fewer trail users.

What to expect? Nice views of Mt. Washington, the Three Sisters, Husband, Sand, and Scott mountains. It takes less than three hours with frequent stops to take in the beauty. Total elevation gain is around 632 feet, but it’s gradual, nothing steep, on a soft path with few rocks. The highest elevation is 4,830 feet; the lowest is 4,350.

Due to unusually strong winds and deeper snow last winter, there will be a number of downed trees over

which you will need to navigate, adding to the sense of accomplishment.

Bring mosquito repellent but you’re not apt to need it depending on the amount of sun or wind. About half the hike is shaded.

Dogs may be off leash and the trail is shared with horses, however they are infrequent users say. It is open to campers. On a July 14, 8 a.m. start we had the trail to ourselves. Weekends are bound to encounter more traffic.

Directions: There is no right or wrong way but if you make an early start, going clockwise will keep the sun mostly to your back. About three-fourths of the hike is within the Mt. Washington Wilderness, adding to its tranquility.

Getting there: From Sisters drive west on Highway 20 to the Hoodoo exit at the summit. Follow

the signs to the ski area and then turn left onto Big Lake Road. Follow it four miles to its end and the start of the trail. Parking in the summer is tight given the popularity of camping and boating at Big Lake.

What youʼll need: A Northwest Forest Pass for parking and a free day-use wilderness permit for the trail. Overnight campers will need a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit between June 15 and October 15.

The trail and lake is inside the Willamette National Forest. Another great time to go is late September and early October when all of the colors start to change. There will be few ponderosa pines. Most of the area is proliferated by douglas fir, but as many as 15 other conifers are possible on the hike, many old-growth.

This is definitely a trail to add to your list.

• Avoid physical contact with bats — healthy, sick, alive, or dead. Be sure to keep children and pets away from bats.

• Do not hand-feed or otherwise handle stray animals and wildlife.

• Vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies. This protects them and provides an immune barrier between humans and wild animals.

While bats play a valuable role in nature, contact with humans should be avoided. Sick bats may be seen flopping around on the ground or otherwise acting unusual. If you find a sick bat or other sick wildlife on your property, take children and pets indoors and call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 541388-6363 or visit their site to contact a local wildlife control operator.

are up to date. Dogs, cats, and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies at three to six months of age. After initial vaccination, a booster is required in one year and then every three years after that. Under Oregon law, dogs and cats that do not have current vaccinations and are suspected of exposure to rabies must be euthanized or placed under strict quarantine for four months. If a person or pet does come in physical contact with a bat or is bitten by an animal, promptly report it to Deschutes County Animal Control at 541-6936911 or Deschutes County Environmental Health at 541-317-3114.

Patjens Lake trail is a mostly easy loop hike.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

This is a new, regular feature The Nugget will run periodically. If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to editor@nuggetnews.com using the following format, including a photo.

Columnist

Sisters Country birds

By Douglas Beall Correspondent

The Barn Swallow’s [Hirundo rustica] distinctive long-forked tail makes it one of the easier North American swallows to identify. It has the most widespread natural distribution among birds in the world. When flying, the feathers are swept back and form a single long point behind the bird. A friend to farmers, these swallows are on an endless search for insects throughout the season.

Barn Swallows build nests under eaves, bridges, cliffs, and maybe your patio. Nests are constructed with mud mixed with grasses and feathers, and up to a thousand trips to the ground for materials are made. The female lays three to eight white eggs, which are spotted with reddish brown, beginning one to three days after nest completion. The eggs are incubated by both

Kotek least popular governor in U.S.

adults, with the female incubating longer. Only females have a brood patch. The eggs will hatch after 14 to 16 days of incubation. The young will leave the nest in 18 to 23 days. Barn Swallows eat and feed their young on flying insects caught on the wing.

Two broods a season may be attempted and Barn Swallows will return to the same nest site each season and make repairs to the old nest in order to reuse it.

A group of swallows can be called a “flight,” a “gulp,” a “swoop,” a “kettle,” a “herd,” or a “richness.”

The soul of a Swallow peered from within the cliff.

Then leapt on wings well swift to the current,

As others peeled from nests so well built,

To begin a day in the abundance of air,

As a heart swelled breathless to the feathered affair.

By Julia Shumway Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek remains the least popular governor in the country, according to a new quarterly poll released Monday, July 24, by research company Morning Consult.

Only 45 percent of Oregonians polled approved of Kotek’s performance so far, while 39 percent disapproved, according to the poll. It’s a slight step up from where she was in the firm’s April survey, when 42 percent of respondents approved of her, and from the 39 percent of Oregonians who had a positive impression of Kotek in a March survey from Portland-based DHM Research.

In the latest Morning Consult poll, Kotek is one of only three governors with an approval rating below 50 percent. The other two are freshman Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs of Arizona and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi, who has been in office since 2020.

Freshman Republican governors Joe Lombardo of Nevada and Jim Pillen of Nebraska, who also fell below 50 percent in the April survey, have gained in popularity as constituents get to know them better. Lombardo now has a 57 percent approval rating and 26 percent disapproval rating, while Pillen rose to a 51 percent approval rating and 29 percent disapproval rating.

Kotek remains an

unknown quantity for about 16 percent of Oregonians surveyed. Her 39 percent disapproval rating didn’t change between April and July.

Following the March and April surveys, Kotek said it was clear that many Oregonians didn’t yet know her.

“I’m confident that as we continue to communicate with Oregonians in a variety of ways, they’ll get to know me better and I hope they’ll like what I’m doing,” she said during a press conference on her 100th day in office.

She’s more than halfway through her “One Oregon” tour of the state’s 36 counties following trips to Baker, Grant, Harney, and Malheur counties last week. Harney County was the 20th stop on her tour, which has included meetings with local elected officials, business leaders, and some community members in each county.

So far, Kotek’s visits have largely involved conversations with small groups about her top priorities: housing and homelessness, education and health care. Unlike U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, who hold town halls in each county each year, Kotek hasn’t yet held public forums where uninvited Oregonians can address her directly.

After her visit to Malheur

and Baker counties, Kotek said in a statement that she understood from spending more than six months on the tour how important it was to visit communities and listen.

“The state can’t solve problems it doesn’t understand,” she said. “But it’s not enough to listen. It’s no secret this part of Oregon hasn’t felt heard. It’s my job to take back the wisdom that I gain here and make adjustments. State government needs to work in every part of Oregon and take the unique needs of every community into account. I’d like to thank Oregonians for being frank and sharing what makes their communities wonderful despite the challenges.”

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

Barn Swallow.

PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BEALL

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

ODOT, CC BY 2.0, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

State seeking feedback on insurance rate increases

By Brian Botkin Oregon Capital Chronicle

State regulators want to hear from Oregonians about insurance companies’ plans to increase costs in 2024.

Each year, the state’s Division of Financial Regulation holds public hearings before deciding whether to approve requests from insurance companies to increase rates for two types of plans: small businesses with 50 or fewer employees and individual plans for people who purchase their own coverage rather than through an employer. Larger employers negotiate rates directly with insurers and those are not regulated by the state.

The hearings on August 4 will allow people to voice any concerns or objections to proposals that would impact how much they pay for insurance coverage. Insurers will give their pitch on why the increases, which average 6.2 percent for individual plans and 12.1 percent for small business plans, are necessary.

In the market for individual plans, six insurers submitted rate proposals that seek average increases ranging from 3.5 percent to 8.5 percent. That’s a weighted average increase of 6.2 percent for the plans, based on their size.

Individuals would see higher or lower increases based on the type of plan. The average 40-year-old Portland resident with a silver plan would pay between $467 and $537 in monthly premiums after increases, depending on the insurer.

Providence Health Plan has the highest proposed rate increase of 8.5 percent. Its proposal would affect nearly 50,000 Oregonians, the most of all insurers that provide

individual market plans.

PacificSource Health Plans submitted the lowest proposed increase of 3.5 percent, which would affect about 17,000 people.

In the market for small employers, eight insurers requested rate increases that range from 0.8 percent to 12.4 percent on average. That’s a weighted average increase of 8.1 percent, which is higher than the requests submitted last year. In 2022, insurers sought an average increase of 6.9 percent.

Proposals from the two largest insurers are:

• Providence Health Plan requested a 12.4 percent average increase for small employer plans, which affects nearly 53,000 people.

• Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon requested a 6.1 percent average increase, which affects about 42,000 people.

State regulators will make preliminary decisions before the August 4 hearing but will make final decisions about whether to deny or approve the requests in August after the public hearing.

Republished under Creative Commons license

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

Bend author and sociologist Marcia K. Morgan, Ph.D. will present her book “Should I Change My Name? The Impact of Your Last Name on Identity, Marriage, and Happiness” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, August 10, at 6:30 p.m.

The book is a historical and cultural investigation into why married women delete their names in our country, since most women in the world do not. Why did this practice ruffle the feathers of the suffragists? If 30 percent of U.S. women keep their maiden names, and that number is growing, why do some men accept this trend and others don’t? What about children and their names? Dr. Morgan discusses the stories from heterosexual and same-sex couples about their name decision, what worked/didn’t work for them including the challenges and regrets, and reveals the six common last name options (hyphenating, changing names, adding name as middle name, etc.).

Morgan brings a wealth of experience from over 40 years as a sociologist/criminologist, researcher, trainer, and national expert on gender issues. Her passion is

helping to give women a voice and she has appeared on numerous national television, radio, and podcast programs.

Morgan has consulted with many agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the Pentagon, and was selected to represent the United States in Italy at the NATO conference on victimization. In 1976, she and a colleague developed a groundbreaking forensic tool, the

anatomically-correct dolls now used worldwide to interview victims of child sexual abuse. She initially made her mark heading up one of the first all-female law enforcement rape investigation programs in the U.S.

Morgan is an author of numerous books and articles, translated into multiple languages, on gender and crime. She is excited to look at gender from a different perspective in her new book on marriage and surnames.

articles, translated into multiple languages, on

Marcia and her husband, Andy Jordan, and yellow lab “Farfel” live in Bend.

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave. For more information call 541-549-0866.

Paulina is

Marcia K. Morgan.

PHOTO PROVIDED

It’s getting weird out there.

The Vice President of the United States was in California recently claiming that the average American is only $400 dollars from declaring bankruptcy, while on the other end of the continent a delusional, dizzy, and clearly scrambled President was claiming that “Bidenomics” has created the greatest economy since— well, ever.

They can’t both be true, can they?

Mixed messaging from the great Head Shed in Washington seems to be the order of the day, though the origins of this bizarre situation are murky. It probably has something to do with the late pandemic when we all got to enjoy people of

extremely low character and extremely high ambition exploit a virus to cement their own power. It wasn’t that long ago, you may remember, when we were arresting schoolchildren for refusing to wear masks, slapping pastors in bracelets for holding services in parking lots, sealing people into their houses, wrecking small businesses, fistfighting over toilet paper, and firing people from their jobs because they refused to take an experimental vaccine. Covid-shaming was an actual thing, a vile behavior that exposed the surprising number of closeted witchhunters who live amongst us. Things got weird very fast, as they often do when human beings allow themselves to be governed by fear and propaganda, and it isn’t clear that we have returned to anything resembling normalcy.

Or that we ever will.

In a less weird world we would not, probably, see conservatives suddenly championing the opinions of Oliver Stone, and liberals embracing government officials wherever they find them.

In that world we wouldn’t spend much time discussing the idea that men can have babies, and we probably wouldn’t be asked to accept the hilarious claim that the Secret Service was unable to determine who, exactly, dropped their baggy of blow in the White House. We might even react with legitimate outrage, in the manner

of French farmers, to learn that our allegedly representative government was colluding with Big Tech firms to censor opinions it didn’t like. We might be furious, and harbor great reservations about the integrity of the FBI, when we learned that they didn’t investigate information from their own “best and highest paid informant” because it might dirty up the president.

But we don’t live in that world.

Instead, we are headed into yet another dreadful presidential election season, a moment of urgent consequence, with what is shaping up to be the very worst slate of candidates imaginable.

Hollywood couldn’t write a script this bad, even if they weren’t on strike.

You may be wondering how it is that in this nation so full of people with talent and vision and, dare I say it, uniting principles, that the best we can find are a demented octogenarian bigot, who is probably a felon, versus a whack job narcissist who is also, probably, a felon. Whatever the outcome, we can only blame ourselves, because much like crazy people we keep voting for corruption and expecting a different outcome. There is no shining city on the hill,

whatever they may say about it, and for the next two years we are going to get a loathsome earful of promises from people who simply aren’t credible human beings.

Optimism was, of course, once the defining characteristic of Americans. We were known around the world as a forward-leaning people with a “can-do” approach to problems. It was at once our most admirable and — if you happened to be British or French — annoying attribute. Perhaps that was merely a function of a younger, eager nation still maturing on the world stage. I’d like to believe it was something else, something fundamental rather than accidental, but that’s a hard vision to maintain in a country that can’t win any of the wars it goes off to fight, where the institutions are under constant assault and are, frankly, their own worst enemy, and there is a pervading sense that the entire experiment is about to run off the rails.

For as long as we have existed, the United States has done an admirable job of using its institutions to selfcorrect. The list of course corrections is long, and while it may be yet imperfect, the challenge is to find any nation on earth that has done so much in so very little time

to improve itself and the conditions of its citizens — and increasingly those who aren’t citizens at all. But something strange is in the air these days, and it isn’t unfair to ask if the people we have been putting into office are up to the very serious challenges in the offing.

But we shouldn’t despair. It isn’t helpful, and there are plenty of other places to put our energy. In a podcast interview shortly before his death, the novelist Cormac McCarthy was asked if he was pessimistic about the future. He thought about it for a moment, then said: “I’m pessimistic, but it’s nothing to be gloomy about.” Which has the generous ring of wisdom.

AIR SHOW: Event is a multi-day festival in Madras

Continued from page 3

thousands of visitors from some 10 states.

Riordan, new to Sisters from Corvallis, will be making his eighth or ninth Show. This time he won’t be camping at the showgrounds, now that he’s so close. About 200 campers, from tent campers to luxurious, 45-foot RVs, will turn their attendance into one big, two-day-plus party.

It all fires up Thursday at 5:30 p.m. with the kickoff party. Then there’s the afterparty from 8 to 11 p.m. Did we mention party? This is when sponsors, dignitaries, and volunteers gather for celebration and last-minute marching orders.

The Show opens to the public at 2 p.m. Friday, by which time about 200 cars and trucks will have been marshalled into position for the Les Schwab Car Show. At the same time the Hot Box opens and the food vendors rev up their menus.

Music cranks up at 3 p.m. on the South Stage with the US 56th Army Rock Band. No John Philip Souza from this outfit. The 30-minute Metal Mulisha Motorcycle Stunt Show starts at 4 p.m.

It’s from 5:30 to 7 p.m. when the fish-and-chips dinner gets rustled up for the lucky first 1,000 persons. It always sells out.

Metal Mulisha makes a return from 6 to 6:30 p.m. before the crowds settle in for the aerobatic performances against the background of Mt. Jefferson. Sammy Mason will thrill spectators — many left gasping — with his loops, dives, spins, corkscrews, and overall wizardry.

Manfred Radius, a top air show performer who ushered in a new era in sailplane demonstrations, will alight the sky with his Pyro Glider. Most of Friday’s spectators will stick around for the Pacific Power fireworks display set to music. The sky lights up in celestial splendor as young and old guffaw, craning necks and trying to guess where and what the next boom and dazzle will bring.

And it’s not only Friday. Saturday is even bigger: more music including Whiskey Bandits on the North Stage, and more food. The car show opens at 9 a.m. and runs to 4:30 p.m.

More aero thrills, from pulse-raising aerobatics to sport air racing — a heartpounding experience. And more of Metal Mulisha.

There’s the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, Redmond High School Drill Team, and a performance by Ace Maker Aviation in a T-33

Shooting Star, America’s first jet fighter, and a training craft for thousands of military pilots.

Visitors can hitch a ride with Specialized Aero Works and experience many of the maneuvers seen at the Show.

Not all planes will be in the air. The iconic Black Hawk helicopter will be on ground display, welcoming guests for up-close and personal inspection of the famed craft.

The Show shares space with the permanent exhibit of the Erickson Aircraft Collection, an indoor history museum of venerable World War II military airplanes. Open everyday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Monday, it is a special place for aviation, military, and history buffs.

It’s a perfect place to cool

off from the August heat and high-energy show. Two of its planes — an F4U Corsair and an AD-4 Skyraider — were included in the making of last year’s highly regarded and attended movie “Devotion.”

Tickets can be ordered

U-turn leads to fatal crash on 20

A Portland woman died in a crash on Highway 20 in Tumalo last week.

On Friday, July 28, at approximately 4:26 p.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 20 near milepost 15.

ahead of time at www.afton tickets.com or take your chances that some may be left at the showgrounds.

For more information, visit www.cascadeairshow. com for a full schedule and list of performers.

According to OSP, preliminary investigation indicated a Subaru Forester operated by Janet Diane Abelein, age 68 of Portland, was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in Tumalo when the driver made a U-turn in the middle of the highway. The Subaru was T-boned by a Ford F350 operated by Policarpo Vasquez Prudente, age 46 of Redmond, which was also traveling eastbound.

All occupants were transported from the scene to local hospitals for treatment.

Abelein died at the hospital. A passenger in the Subaru, Dwayne Milo Abelein, 65, of Portland, received treatment for injuries.

The highway was impacted for approximately an hour during the on-scene investigation. Oregon State Police were assisted by Deschutes County Sheriffs’ Office, Bend Fire, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire, and ODOT.

Visitors can take a walk-though tour of an H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter at the Airshow of the Cascades.

PHOTO BY JEAN-MARC JAQUIER

Ace Maker Aviation showcases the T–33 Shooting Star, America’s first operational jet fighter and trainer with a solo and two-ship dynamic airshow performance during Airshow of the Cascades.

PHOTO BY JEAN-MARC JAQUIER

— K. Daniel

Oregonians can start to apply for paid work leave in August

By Ben Botkin Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon workers can apply for benefits through the State’s new paid leave program starting August 14.

The program, Paid Leave Oregon, covers family leave, medical leave and safe leave for Oregonians with jobs. Oregon is the 12th state in the nation with paid family and medical leave, for workers, due to a bill the Legislature passed in 2019. Oregonians can qualify for leave for reasons that include:

• A child arriving in their family, whether through birth, adoption, or a foster care placement.

• Caring for themselves due to a serious health condition.

• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition.

• If they or their child experience sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment, or stalking. This is called “safe leave.”

Oregon Employment Department officials determined the trust fund, which collects employee payroll deductions and employer contributions, will be solvent and ready to launch benefits the week of September 3. As a result, this will be the first week workers can start their paid leave. Payments will go out within two weeks of when their leave starts, state officials said.

To apply for leave, employees will use the Oregon Employment

Department’s new online system called Frances Online.

Employees can now go to the employee overview page and find many resources, including a guidebook.

Detailed information for employees, including eligibility requirements, tutorial videos, a benefits calculator, and much more, will be available on the Paid Leave website on Aug. 14.

“We’re opening up the application process a little early so we can handle that big influx of initial applications we expect,” said Karen Madden Humelbaugh, director of Paid Leave Oregon.

Humelbaugh said the State cannot retroactively pay people who took leave before September 3.

State officials expect the demand to be high initially and level out. They project about 41,000 workers will file claims for leave during the initial launch and that figure will eventually level out to about 12,000 claims a month.

One reason why the initial period will see more claims is because workers can take leave due to the birth or arrival of a new child into the family within the first year.

“You do have all those folks who maybe their child is 10 months old, so they could take the last two months or something like that,” Humelbaugh said.

How it works

In January 2023, employers and employees started contributing to a trust fund

Custom Entry Gates

that will pay for employee paid leave benefits. Workers will be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually, or 14 weeks for pregnancyrelated medical leave.

In 2021, state lawmakers delayed the start of contributions for one year, from January 2022 to January 2023, as the Oregon Employment Department worked on a project to modernize its technology during the pandemic.

Employers and employees fund Paid Leave Oregon with a combined total contribution of 1% of gross payroll. Employees pay 60% and large employers with 25 or more employees will contribute the remaining 40%.

For an employee who makes $50,000 in annual gross wages, the worker’s share is $300 annually and the employer will contribute $200.

Employers with fewer than 25 employees are not required to contribute, but their workers still pay into the program and are eligible. Part-time employees, or those with multiple jobs, are eligible.

The program will pay benefits on a sliding scale, based on how much employees make. Many low-income Oregonians will be eligible for all their paychecks while on paid leave. For example,

Oregonians making minimum wage will receive 100% of their regular pay while on paid leave.

It’s a smaller share for high-income Oregonians. For example, someone earning $2,555.78 a week — about $133,000 annually — would get $1,469.78 a week in paid leave.

Most employees are covered, with the exception of tribal governments, independent contractors, and selfemployed business owners. However, they can choose to participate in the program.

Federal government employees are not eligible.

Employers that offer equivalent paid leave benefits can opt out of the State’s program.

During the 2023 legislative session, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 31, which requires the Oregon Employment Department to make sure the Paid Leave Oregon trust fund is solvent before starting any benefits.

“Just like any new statewide program of this size, we know we will have to adjust along the way,” Humelbaugh said. “SB 31 was good contingency planning, and we will continue to work with the Legislature and other key partners as we monitor the program’s progress after launch.”

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

for puzzle on page 21

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Game Night at Paulina Springs Books

Join Citizens4Communit y for a game night at Paulina Springs Books (252 W. Hood Ave) on Monday, August 21, f rom 4:30 to 6 p.m. All ages welcome. Bring your own board game or play one of our classics. Visit citizens4community.com/event s for more details

STAR S Seeks

Dispatch Volunteers

While working from home, help STAR S transport Sisters Country residents to nonemergenc y medic al appointments . Needed: A computer, the abilit y to use online apps, and a telephone. Call 541-9 04-5545 . STAR S is an AFC S Action Team.

Weekly Food Pantry

e Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantr y ursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N . Trinit y Way

Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Call 541-549-4184 for information.

Free Lunches for Seniors

For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a f un, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy. No reser vations needed. No-cost Grab-N- Go lunches take place weekly on Wed . and urs ., f rom 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367.

Free Weekly Meal Service

Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org

Americ an Legion and VFW

Meeting s are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. All members invited to attend . Call Charles Wilson, 847-344-0498.

Sisters French Club

For people interested in French culture and language, Sisters French Club meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m . at e Barn, 171 E . Main Ave. All levels are welcome. e next meeting will be August 7. For more information, visit Facebook @SistersFrenchClub.

At tention Submariners

Central Oregon Submarine Base will be having their annual picnic Sunday, August 13 f rom 1 to 3 p.m . at the covered pavilion at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond

All folks interested in the Submarine Ser vice are welcome to come. Please bring food enough for three other people and let Fran Davis (541-527-5484) know what you will be bringing. ere are tables with benches so you don’t have to bring chairs.

From Sisters , take Highland Ave (Hwy. 126) in Redmond, east to 15th St., turn lef t, go down a small hill & take the first lef t, go past the tennis courts to the pavilion on the right. For more info: Base Commander, Rick Neault 530 -434-1102.

A NNOUNCEMENT S

Celebr ate Summer with the Library

It’s not too late to join a summer of reading , exploring , and earning great prizes at the Sisters librar y! All ages can participate ere will be f un giveaways and the chance to win some amazing prizes. For more information and to sign up, visit the librar y website: www deschuteslibrar y.org/summer

SHS Class of 2003

20 Year Reunion

Sisters alumni, come join your classmates to reconnect after 20 years away! Celebration held at Pole Creek Ranch “Elkatraz”, 15425 Old McKenzie Hwy. on Aug . 12, 6 to 9 p.m. More event information and ticket s at www eventbrite.com/e/573273304887 or at the door.

Join a Saturday Morning Interpretive Walk

Friends of the Metolius is sponsoring free walk s for all interested parties On August 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. Join Susan Prince for a walk from Camp Sherman Bridge to Allingham Bridge & back. Observe the unique riparian habitat of the Metolius ecosystem that includes charismatic species such as osprey, river otters, and merganser ducks . Learn about recent changes to enhance habitat for fish and native plants . Susan’s cabin on the river has been in her family since the 1930s . Meet near the Camp Sherman Bridge fish-viewing platform. Leader: Susan Prince. For information call 415-233-3243

Sisters Farmers Market

Seek s Volunteers

Sisters Farmers Market is looking for Market Day helpers Volunteers assist with market set-up and breakdown , sta the information booth, and help with a variet y of other tasks . To learn more, call 541-9 04-1034 or email sistersfarmersmarket@ gmail.com . Sisters Farmers Market is located at Fir Street Park, 150 N Fir St., Sisters . e market is open Sundays , 10 a .m. until 2 p.m., through September

Historic Sisters

Docent-led Walking Tours

Family-f riendly and f ree! Take the “Downtown Sisters L andmarks Tour ” and learn the histor y of Sisters’ oldest buildings and early pioneers . Held Wednesdays and Sundays at 10 a .m. For reservations email museum@ threesistershistoricalsociet y. org or call the Sisters Museum at 541-549-1403 . Or take the “Camp Polk Cemeter y Tour ” led by a direct descendant of our earliest families . “Martha Cobb” has stories to tell! Aug. 13 , Aug 27, or Sept. 2 at 10 a .m. C all Jan at 541-788-0274 to make a reservation.

Free Pet Food

Budget tight this month

but you still need pet food for your dog or cat? Call the Furr y Friends pet food bank at 541-797-4 023 to schedule your pickup. Pickups available ursdays , beginning at 12:30 p.m . Located at 412 E . Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get

STAR S Seek s Volunteers to Transpor t Patients

Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergenc y medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond, and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STAR S dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included . Learn more at www starsride.org. STAR S is an AFCS Action Team.

Sisters Careg iver Support

A f acilitated support group for caregivers of those with chronic or life-shor tening diseases meet s 10 to 11:30 a .m. on the third Tuesday of ever y month at Sisters Episcopal Church of e Transfiguration, 121 Brook s Camp Rd . For more information, please contact Kay at 541-719- 0031

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

COFRW (Central Oregon Federated Republican Women) meet s the first ursday of every month f rom 10:30 a.m. (registration) to 1 p.m. at Brand 33 at Aspen Lakes Golf Club in Sisters. Come learn f rom quality speakers, and hear and question local and state candidates Meetings include lunch for $27 RSVP required to attend. Learn more about upcoming meetings and speakers , and RSVP at www.COFRW.net

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Caregiver Support Group

elma’s Place Adult Day Respite Program in Redmond host s a monthly support group for those caring for someone with Alzheimer ’ s or another dementia-related disease. e support group is held every third Wednesday of the month f rom 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. is is a f ree family-caregiver support group featuring local organiz ations Call 541-548-3049 for more information.

26th Annual Countr y Fair

Includes silent auctions, music, homemade Marionberry cobbler & ice cream, café with delicious food, children’s games and activities , animals, country store, book sale, and more. Free admission! All proceeds are donated to local community support agencies. Silent Auction and reception on Friday, August 18, 5 to 8 p.m. Silent Auction and Countr y Fair on Saturday, August 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located at e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration at the corner of Hwy. 242 and Brooks Camp Road (1/8 mile f rom the intersection of Hwy. 20 and Hwy. 242). For more information call 541-549-7087.

Announce Celebrations!

Sisters community birth engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversar y notices from may run at no charge on this Announcements page.

Sunday School for Children

Church of the Transfiguration is now o ering Sunday School for children , ages 5 to 12, regardless of church a liation, during both Sunday worship ser vices. Protestant/ecumenical ser vice is at 8:30 a .m. and Episcopal service begins at 10:15 a .m. e church address is 121 Brook s Camp Rd . Sisters . For more information contact Margaret Doke at 541-588-2784.

Ice Cream Social

Come join us for an oldfashioned Ice Cream Social at the Camp Sherman Community Hall August 12 at 4 p.m., sponsored by Camp Sherman Historical Society. Enjoy some ice cream…no charge; donations gladly accepted. And be one of the first to get your copies of the new Walking Tour Guide to Camp Sherman Historical Places. Members of the Community Hall Association will be in attendance promoting the Association’s paver fundraiser for Hall restoration project s . For more information contact Lori, 541-595-2719.

Family Story Time

Interactive storytime with books , songs , and rhymes . For ages 0 -5 yrs . Sponsored by the librar y, at the SPRD Co eld Center. Wednesday, August 2 and 9, f rom 10:30 to 11 a .m. More info and events at https:// www.deschuteslibrar y.org/kids/ programs

Humane Societ y of Central Oregon

541-382-3537

Zeus

Zeus is an 8-year-old lab and pitt bull mix who has wiggled his way into the hearts of all the sta at HSCO. He came to the shelter when his owner was moving and could not bring Zeus along. is big , lovable goof has lived with other dogs, has done well making canine f riends at the shelter, and would be happy to meet any dogs he’d be going home with to ensure a good fit. He is reportedly a fairly f riendly cat-guy as well. If it sounds like Zeus would be right at home with you, come and meet him today!

— SPONSORED BY —

SPONSOREED BY Y ALLAN GODSIFF SHEARING

541-549-2202

SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES

Baha’i Faith

For information, devotions, study g roups , etc. , contac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org • www bahai.us • www.bahaiteaching.org

Wellhouse Churc h 442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087

8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship

10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship www.transfiguration-sister s.org

Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har ring ton Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960 www.sistersnaz .org • info@sistersnaz .org

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)

130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201

9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com

Chapel in the Pines

Camp Sherman • 541-549-9971

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N . Fir Street • 5 41-549-5831

10 a .m. Sunday Worship www.shepherdof thehillslutheranchurch.com

St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h 123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391

5:3 0 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a .m. Sunday Mass

12 p.m. Monday Mass • 8 a .m. Tuesday-Friday Mass

e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s

452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 541-420 -5670;

10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting

Calvar y Church

484 W. Washing ton St , Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288

10 a .m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsisters.org

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

386 N . Fir St. • 541-595-6770, 541-306 -8303

11 a .m. S aturday Worship

Veterans program gets funding boost

Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (COVR) has received a grant from the Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) for $25,000, which will fund continued agritherapy programs to support rural veterans.

The Ranch is a sanctuary and community hub reconnecting veterans of all eras of service to purpose and meaning in their lives. In partnership with the Disabled Veterans National Foundation, the Veterans Ranch will continue supporting disabled and at-risk rural veterans by applying this grant funding to its existing agri-therapy program.

During the grant period, the Veterans Ranch plans to engage 1,800 veterans, family members, and civilian supporters through a range of activities to include: weekly greenhouse classes and hands-on experience growing produce hydroponically; summer community garden plots for veterans and families; agricultural vocation training with exposure to a range of farming & ranching techniques; a summer picnic at the Ranch in August for veterans and their families; regenerative forestry/agriculture weekend in September; and the annual Harvest Festival in October.

Adrian De La Rosa, coexecutive director of COVR, said, “Agri-therapy is at the heart of our peer support programs. What do we accomplish with agri-therapy? Digging in the dirt makes people happier! From beneficial microbes in the soil that stimulate the release of serotonin, to the increased release of dopamine, getting your hands in the dirt helps the body’s nervous system find equilibrium. We appreciate the partnership with DVNF for this important mission.”

Joseph VanFonda (USMC Sgt. Maj. Ret.), CEO of the Disabled Veterans National Foundation said, “DVNF is proud to fund COVR and the unique way they serve veterans. Creating a place for veterans and their families to learn new skills in such a vital vocation gives new life and promotes healing. This innovative agri-therapy is essential to the veterans in numerous ways.”

For more information about the COVR visit www. covranch.org.

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 2

Lake Creek Lodge Live Music: Bob Baker & Jon Prince 5-7 p.m. on the deck. 13375 SW Forest Service Rd #1419, Camp Sherman. For information see www.lakecreeklodge.com/events/.

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: The Pine Hearts 6 to 8 p.m. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Matt Reeder presents “Extraordinary Oregon!: 125 Fantastic Hikes Across the State of Oregon,” a book for anyone who has ever been overwhelmed with the bounty of hiking options. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

THURSDAY • AUGUST 3

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

Sign up at 5:30 Starts promptly at 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Dogand family-friendly Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • AUGUST 4

The Belfr y Live Music: Dallas Burrow with The Shining Dimes 7 p.m. Dallas Burrow is a songwriting talent with a big bold voice to match. The Shining Dimes bring a fresh take to classic country Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets, $20, at www.bendticket.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show & Live Music: Rockridge 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool or vintage car for the car show — or come to see them! For more info call 541-549-2471

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. For more information call 541-549-6114.

SATURDAY • AUGUST 5

Hardtails Live Music: Petty Fever a tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 8 p.m. Summer Tribute Series.

Tickets at www.BendTicket.com.

Sisters Depot Live Music: Metolius Jazz Quintet 6-8 p.m. Reservations recommended. Info: www.sistersdepot.com/events.

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Jess Clemons 6 to 8 p.m. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 6

Long Hollow Ranch Live Music: Riddy Arman Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. Free admission. An authentic singing cowboy and so much more, Riddy Arman brings fierce honesty through a voice that immediately commands attention. Lawn seating Food and drink vendors on site. Info: https://thelonghollowranch.com/public-events.

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music, community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.

The Belfr y Live Music: Courtney Marie Andrews with Kar yn Ann 7 p.m. Courtney Marie Andrews, a songwriter, poet, and painter, brings Americana music to leave you feeling love and hope Soul/Americana singer-songwriter Karyn Ann opens the show with powerful vocals and emotive lyricism. Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets, $20 at www.bendticket.com.

Sisters Community Church Live Music: Motel Kalifornia (Eagles tribute band) Summer Concert Series on the lawn. 6 p.m. Free (donation to local nonprofits who provide assistance for those in need in our community, is appreciated). Bring chairs or blanket. More info at www.SistersChurch.com.

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Toothpick Shaker

6 to 8 p.m. on the patio All ages Free Information at facebook.com/SistersSaloonAndRanchGrill.

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 9

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Pete Kar tsounes 6 to 8 p.m. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

Lake Creek Lodge Live Music: Skybound Blue 5-7 p.m. Harmony-driven dig-deep-and-tell-the-story-in-your-bones Americana music on the deck. 13 375 SW Forest Service Rd #1419, Camp Sherman. Information: www.lakecreeklodge.com/events/.

THURSDAY • AUGUST 10

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

Sign up at 5:30 Starts promptly at 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Dogand family-friendly Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • AUGUST 11

Hardtails Live Music: Nightlife brings the classic rock 7 to 10 p .m. Free For more information call 541-549-6114.

FRIDAY • AUGUST 11 (continued)

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show & Live Music: TBD 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool or vintage car for the car show — or come to see them! For more info call 541-549-2471

SATURDAY • AUGUST 12

Hardtails Live Music: Nightlife brings the classic rock 7 to 10 p .m. Free For more information call 541-549-6114.

Sisters Depot Live Music: The Gypsy Travellers

6-8 p.m. Blues/rock fusion band will play originals from their debut album and crowd favorite covers on the outside stage. Reservations recommended. Info: www.sistersdepot.com/events.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 13

Hardtails Live Music: Sam & the Band

4 to 7 p.m. Country rock all the way from Arizona! Free For more information call 541-549-6114.

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Call Down Thunder

6 to 8 p.m. on the patio All ages Free

Information at facebook.com/SistersSaloonAndRanchGrill.

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 16

Lake Creek Lodge Live Music: Jim Cornelius & Mike Biggers 5-7 p.m. Jim’s rich baritone and accomplished rhythm guitar make for fine delivery of well-crafted story-songs. Mike’s originals are a fun mix of sweet and hysterical, and he laces in bright lead guitar and mandolin throughout. 13 375 SW Forest Service Rd #1419, Camp Sherman. For information see www.lakecreeklodge.com/events/.

THURSDAY • AUGUST 17

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

Sign up at 5:30 Starts promptly at 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Dogand family-friendly Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • AUGUST 18

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show & Live Music: JuJu Eyeball 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool or vintage car for the car show — or come to see them! For more info call 541-549-2471

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy

8 p.m. to 12 a.m. For more information call 541-549-6114.

SATURDAY • AUGUST 19

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Countr y Fair

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fun for the whole family Free admission. Silent auction, music, children’s games, café, book sale, animals, fire trucks, and more. Proceeds donated to community support agencies. 121 N. Brooks Camp Rd Info: www.transfiguration-sisters.org/country-fair

Paulina Springs Books Bookstore Romance Day

Panel: Catherine Cowles, Rebecca Jenshak, and A.L. Jackson join in celebrating romance fiction — its books, readers, and writers. Authors will share about their books and writing process. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

Sisters Art Works Live Music: Rainbow Girls

Presented by Sisters Folk Festival. 7 to 9 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. This dynamic trio seamlessly combines soul-touching harmonies, vari-textured instrumentals, and poignant, lyrical content into a beautiful sonic tapestry

Tickets at https://aftontickets.com/rainbowgirls.

Hardtails Gold Dust a tribute to Fleetwood Mac, 8 p.m. Summer Tribute Series. Tickets at www.BendTicket.com.

Sisters Depot Live Music: Michelle Van Handel Trio 6-8 p.m. Reservations recommended. Info: www.sistersdepot.com/events.

SUNDAY • AUGUST 20

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music, community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Matt Martin and The .45’s 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio All ages Free Information at facebook.com/SistersSaloonAndRanchGrill.

Sisters Community Church Live Music: Juju Eyeball (Beatles tribute band) Summer Concert Series on the lawn. 6 p.m. Free (donation to local nonprofits who provide assistance for those in need in our community, is appreciated). Bring chairs or blanket. More info at www.SistersChurch.com.

Metolius Jazz Quintet to perform

Saxophone artist Tom Bergeron brings a unique quintet of jazz artists to the Sisters Depot stage on Saturday, August 5.

Bergeron is a master of Brazilian music, and was a professor of music at Western Oregon University for 28 years. His wealth of experience and virtuoso saxophone skills will be on display as part of the Jazz at the Depot jazz series.

This Metolius Quintet is vastly different from Bergeron’s Brazilian band. Except for vocalist Rosi Bergeron, every player in this band is new and each brings a considerable jazz resumé. Foremost is guitarist Don Latarski, a University of Oregon professor of jazz guitar, a prodigious author of jazz guitar theory, and a legendary Eugene performer. His many albums and bands speak of a wide range of styles and tastes, and guitar enthusiasts will revel in Latarski’s prowess.

On standup bass is Andrew Lion, the Bay Area native now living in Bend. He is fresh off several successful dates here, and he has made a dent in the jazz landscape here in Central Oregon with his broad scope of performance options, and his connections to other world-class talent.

Bay Area drummer Zach Mondlick makes his first appearance in Central Oregon, bringing big-city grooves and an urban stamp on the band’s sound. Singer Rosi Bergeron, a native of Rio de Janeiro, brightens the sound-space with her rich bossa grooves. Music is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations are strongly advised, as previous events have sold out.

5th District race shaping up to be competitive

By Randy Stapilus Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon’s 5th Congressional District is looking to be a closely fought contest next year — both in the general election and its primary.

And the Democratic primary election looks to be the least predictable of the two.

Voter registration in this district, anchored by Clackamas and Deschutes counties (home to about two-thirds of its voters) with slices of four others, leans Democratic by 5 percentage points. That’s enough to create a challenging environment for a Republican candidate.

Incumbent Lori ChavezDeRemer, is a Republican, a narrow winner in 2022, and she appears to have borne in mind since her swearing-in the problems emerging in the next campaign. She is preparing thoroughly for her 2024 campaign for re-election, so far raising a solid $636,051. National Republicans, too, see this as an important battleground seat.

Independent national prognosticators have noted the race as a partisan tossup, provided Democrats can come up with a candidate who can mount a competitive campaign – and the party so far has produced three.

That in turn means the primary election next spring also will be competitive.

Lesser-known candidates

have and may continue to enter the contest; the filing period doesn’t open until Sept. 14. But the main contours of the Democratic field seem to be settling into place, with a potentially tight battle between three leading contenders. No massive philosophical differences seem to separate them; the differences involve geography, backing, and types of support.

The most recent entrant is the candidate who lost to Chavez-DeRemer by just two percentage points, the 2022 Democratic nominee Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a Terrebonne attorney; that loss came months after she won a tough primary campaign, dispatching Democratic incumbent Kurt Schrader. Through that cycle she built a strong campaign organization and was a strong fundraiser as well, outpacing DeRemer’s $2.6 million by a million more. (DeRemer did receive heavy outside support from Republican groups, however, which likely contributed to her win.) Worth noting: This is not McLeod-Skinner’s first loss; she came in third in the Democratic primary for secretary of state in 2020. Will Democrats want to give her another try when they have as options two other contenders who have repeatedly won offices in the area?

The Democrat with the longest political reach is Lynn Peterson, now a major officeholder as chair of the Metro

Council, elected by voters through the MultnomahWashington-Clackamas county area. Her most recent races, in 2022 and 2018, both of which she won, were nonpartisan. Previously, she was an elected commission chair in Clackamas County, the 5th District’s largest, and she was elected to the Lake Oswego City Council. She entered politics through working with conservation groups, and retains strong ties there –as well as strong Democratic establishment ties. She likely will have strong fundraising abilities for the new campaign.

A question, however: Will the candidate most identified with the Portland metro area find acceptance in farther reaches of the District, notably Deschutes County, which has become a key element of Democratic base for the District?

The third candidate brings to the table strengths that collectively closely match those of her contenders. Janelle Bynum is a third-term state representative with a statewide profile – she was for a time a prospect for House speaker – and strong connections in Oregon politics, and to an extent beyond.

She also brings an unusually pertinent credential: In two of her three races for the House, her Republican opposition was Chavez-DeRemer, and Bynum defeated her both times. Those races

were competitive in a competitive district, and that history will be one of Bynum’s top talking points. Bynum seems well established in her home legislative district, but so far less known than the other two contenders outside of it.

Like the other two contenders, she’s well connected in Democratic circles, and also like them is unlikely to fall short of needed campaign funding.

Taken as a whole, the three candidates have strengths and weaknesses that almost perfectly balance each other.

McLeod-Skinner won both of the big counties, Clackamas and Deschutes, in 2022, though not by large margins. Chavez-DeRemer prevailed by keeping her losses there small enough and by winning very strongly in the District’s slices of Marion and Linn counties. A Democratic nominee will have to contend with that math.

Prognosticators for the Oregon 5th will need some new emerging facts or conditions to budge the races here from toss-up for months to come. For now, this looks like the least predictable Democratic major office primary contest in years.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy of https://oregon capitalchronicle.com.

Continued from page 3

in June. Usually we don’t see these northbound hikers (NOBOs) till July.

Southbound hikers (SOBOs) usually cross paths with the NOBOs in Sisters Country. So far, the number of hikers making it from the Canadian Border to Sisters, (750 miles), has been nearly nonexistent, with those hikers having to battle the same heavy snowfall that blanketed the Sierra this year.

“Yes, they did start earlier this year, but business has been steady with more hikers expected,” said Sharri Bertagna, owner of Hike n’ Peaks, an outdoor store in Sisters.

Transporting hikers to and from McKenzie and Santiam passes and often housing them on their stay in Sisters

Country falls to the good hearts of “trail angels,” community volunteers who assist hikers on their short stay here.

Liana Ottaviano is the administrator for the Facebook group Central Oregon PCT Trail Angels, which bring angels and hikers together to facilitate a quick return to the trail.

“A good combination of international and domestic hikers, all so thankful for the assistance,” said Ottaviano of the hikers the angels have encountered. “I’d say Central Oregon angels have helped hundreds this year so far. With rides and trail magic, probably 700 at least.”

The work of angels, and the care exhibited by the citizens of Sisters toward thruhikers, has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

“Crockett,” a thru-hiker from Philadelphia was enthusiastic about his short time in Sisters.

“What I appreciated about Sisters was the great trail angel network as well as the local people that I met at the various stores and restaurants I visited,” he said. “I will definitely come back to visit when I can spend more time!”

“Ratstrap,” from Rochester, New York, was equally glowing in his appreciation of the people of Sisters.

“My time in Sisters was brief, but very lovely,” he said. “(Our) Trail Angel, gave us a little tour around town, showing us where the post office, groceries, and coffee shops could be found. While hanging out at Sisters Coffee Company, a local couple of PCT 2014 alumni paid for our coffee and breakfast! The generosity of the people in Sisters toward PCT hikers was some of the best I’ve

experienced on trail so far. And of course, I had to stop by Sno Cap for a milkshake! Sisters is definitely on the list of towns I’d like to visit again after I finish the hike.”

“Navigator,” a young woman from St. Ignace, Michigan, echoes the sentiments of nearly every thruhiker who comes through Sisters:

“We love Sisters! People were very friendly and helpful, from trail angels, staff at our hotel, and Hike ’n Peaks!”

From the view of outsiders, it’s easy to see why Sisters is regarded by thruhikers from around the world as one of the great trail towns.

“To me, what stands out to me most about this trip is how everything has been an pure act goodwill, to the countless acts of openhearted Americans who have let me into their homes and given me food, given me encouragement and help in anyway they possibly can,” said a hiker by the handle of Muddy Waters. “Hiking alone across this wild, wild country would be impossible without the support of everyone along the way. It has

been a fantastic way to bolster my faith in humanity.”

Trail angel Blanche Tadlock cited the pleasures of the work.

“You really get to know them when you bring them to your home,” she said. “I love it whenever I get a call from a thru-hiker from the trail needing a ride in or out of town! Each one has stories and often from various

countries. Today it was a 68-year-old man from Taipei, Japan, that could only speak a few (words of) English.

Last week it was a carload with Japan, France, Spain, and Arizona represented. Another time from the Czech Republic, and Australia. Then I picked up Pete from

Palm Springs, who along with seven friends was the first to go through the High Sierras this year….What stories I got to hear. If it wasn’t for doing trail-angeling I would never have a chance to meet so many from so many countries and languages. I am so lucky!”

The Pacific Crest Trail runs north and south west of Sisters.

MARKET: Sales were impacted by inability to use cards

Continued from page 3

beginning shortly after midnight on Saturday, July 29, in the early morning hours of July 30. A passenger vehicle and a gas tanker truck had collided at the intersection of Highway 126 and Cloverdale Road. The tanker was breached and a major fire ensued, impinging on power and utility lines.

While power was restored within several hours, cell and Internet service remained down throughout the day for many businesses and households. The outage strongly affected vendors and marketgoers.

“Of course we’ve seen some decline in sales because we couldn’t take credit cards,” said Ilyin. “People have to manage their cash properly, spend it on their fruits and veggies first.”

Sales were down compared to a normal week, but Ilyin was able to take cash. He also sold some granola on a trust basis.

“We tell people they can grab a bag now and pay for it later through Venmo,” Ilyin explained. He said people were “kind of surprised — but they’re the nicest people, here in Sisters.”

Though Fir Street Park was friendly and bustling, it lacked the larger crowds and more intensive shopping of a typical Sunday. Shelley Akres of Bohemian Roastery noticed the difference.

The booth she runs in collaboration with her partner sells artisanal, small-batch,

wood-fired coffee beans. It’s a familiar sight at the Market.

“We are always here for the full season. This is our sixth year at Sisters Farmers Market,” said Akres.

“We love it. This is our favorite in the whole of Central Oregon,” she said.

“You can bring your dogs and kids and run through the splash pad, and have a lot of shade on a hot, sunny day.

It just feels like an old-fashioned farmers market. It’s a happy place.”

Without platforms such as Square online to swipe credit and debit cards, fewer people were out and about with shopping on their minds.

”It’s been definitely a lot slower today. Most of the town looks slower,” Akres reported.

While vehicle traffic was thick, “a lot of stores are shut down or taking cash only. Foot traffic is slow.”

At Bohemian Roastery, Akres processed transactions without a hitch. Her AT&T phone worked just fine. Meanwhile, a nearby marketgoer talked about how he couldn’t get any access — on his AT&T phone.

Willa Bauman manages Sisters Farmers Market.

“This morning we started setting up and realized that no one could text each other,” she said. Nor could most vendors process credit cards or debit cards, “which is about half of what most people see in payments. We realized we were going to be cash-only, all day.”

Providing SNAP customers with a smooth experience is important to Seed to Table, the nonprofit organization that runs Sisters Farmers Market. The Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program is a benefit program enabling people to buy groceries, including many of the locally farmed and ranched goods available at the Farmers Market.

At the Market every week, SNAP customers stop by the info booth to collect tokens they can use to buy food. SNAP customers are typically eligible to receive an additional $20 worth of food free of charge through the Double Up Food Bucks program.

Lack of Internet and cell access didn’t stand in their way last Sunday.

“Luckily, we’re able to run something called offline vouchers,” Bauman said. “We were still able to give everyone SNAP tokens and Double Up Food Bucks today.”

Bauman looks forward to increasing the visibility of fresh local food for SNAP

customers in upcoming months.

“We received a grant from The Roundhouse Foundation recently to work on SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks outreach, so we’re excited to start branching out with flyers and in-person talks,” she said.

In the meantime, those curious about how SNAP and additional benefits work at the Market can learn more at www.sistersfarmersmarket. com/snap or drop by the info

booth in person.

Sisters Farmers Market is open through the end of September, on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring free entertainment and no admission fee, the Market takes place at Fir Street Park, one block north of Cascade Avenue/Highway 20. A program of the nonprofit organization Seed to Table, it can be found on the web at sistersfarmersmarket. com or on Instagram at @ sistersfarmersmarket.

Shelley Akres of Bohemian Roastery observed a decline in sales at Sisters Farmers Market on Sunday, due to cell phone and Internet outages.

PHOTO BY TL BROWN

Will those using drugs/alcohol be required to forfeit their habits?

Will some or all be required to undergo treatment, rehab/treatment, counseling?

What skills does a noncertified counselor possess as opposed to a certified counselor?

Once the building is purchased, alterations made, and four to five salaries paid, where will funds come from to continue the operation the second year?

How does the chosen location mitigate concerns of relocating houseless people away from residential areas when there are or will soon be hundreds of homes within a couple of blocks?

It will be beneficial to all to learn more about the intentions, mission, and plans for the proposed shelter.

Fred Boyd

s s s

To the Editor:

The proposed Sisters Shelter and Resource Center has been approved for funding by Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC). Our city should be proud that we are the benefactors of an amazing gift to solidify the operations of an entity that has been assisting the most vulnerable in our community. This body of volunteers has given so much of themselves over the years, caring and walking alongside individuals who could be you or me.

Sisters Cold Weather Shelter began operations in 2017 and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2020. We started with guidance and support from seasoned shelter providers like Shepherd’s House, NeighborImpact, Bethlehem Inn. The shelter is well-versed in running a healthy, safe, and respectful operation.

Current plans call for an overnight emergency shelter for our unhoused community members in the winter months, November through March. We will also be available to open in the summer during times of extreme heat or substantial smoke for not only the unhoused but housed members of the Sisters community. Our facility was approved by fire marshals for up to 40 beds, but historically

we’ve had a dozen or less.

In addition, our shelter will be open yearround as a resource center. The vision is a place where individuals can access services and connections to help keep them safe and make strides toward more stable housing solutions. The Resource Center’s knowledgeable staff and volunteers will create meaningful connections while providing lifesaving and life-changing support. We currently have a coordinator who is helping to connect individuals and services. With the help of the COIC grant we expect to hire additional staff in the coming months.

As always, the shelter will expect the cooperation of the guests we serve to adhere to a code of conduct ensuring mutual respect and safety for our neighbors and each other. Experienced staff will strictly enforce the agreed-upon code and take swift action if there is a violation.

We hope the building on Barclay can serve as a location for other service providers to broaden their services in the community. We have begun discussions with Deschutes County Behavioral Health and Family Kitchen and are open to other possibilities as well.

We are grateful for the support and collaboration of local and regional leaders who made it possible to secure grant funding to make this much-needed resource available for our community. It is heartwarming to see people coming together to assist and overcome obstacles. I am very proud of the positive overtones and desire to be a part of this operation. It is a blessing to be part of our caring community.

To find out about volunteering with the shelter, email sisterscoldweathershelter@ gmail.com.

Luis Blanchard Board President, Sisters Cold Weather Shelter s

s s

Campfire ban

As I write this letter to the editor, I am breathing unhealthy air caused by a “humancaused” fire in the Bedrock Campground in the Willamette National Forest. We are all suffering from this avoidable incident and yet fires are still allowed in Forest Service

Program is character-building for youth

Continued from page 1

relaxed, in a good mood, playful even. Until the time came for them to get into the ring. Then it was all business.

Cattle, followed by goats, then pigs, and finally sheep were herded into position all groomed to perfection and all having made weight — being within the range allowed for entry. For steers, that’s 1,100 pounds minimum (and also under two years in age). Seeing these young people navigate their beefy charges is impressive in itself.

Then as they get them into a stance, legs positioned just so, head just right — which is artistry, ranch style — and keeping them calm in the process by stroking their stomachs with a five- to sixfoot cattle pole.

Hayden Kunz, 18, is aging out. This will be his last fair, his ninth; four with sheep and five with steers. This year he’s betting it all on Murdock, a black angus, who appears ready. On September 18, Hayden heads to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for basic training, an intense 7.5-week course. After that he’ll transfer to Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas where he will be trained in cryptology and intelligence.

That’s a world away from Sisters, where Hayden attended district schools from K-12, graduating this

year. He’s one of three graduates from the class of 2023 who have enlisted in the Air Force. Gus Patton is already enduring basic training, and Mason Sellers will soon be on his way in service of his country. All three are friends.

Growing up on a ranch in Sisters was character building for Kunz. His family runs OK Ranch, about 400 acres of cattle, sheep, and hay. Military service does not run deep in the family, although his brother, David Keeton, is a Marine.

Kunz chose the Air Force after researching all the military branches and seeking guidance from as many as he could reach. He has a quiet, unassuming nature that seems to match well with his chosen Air Force specialty.

“My parents are my greatest inspiration,” Kunz said, adding that “Sheryl Yeager and Tony Cosby are teachers I will always remember and who are a big influence on me.”

Yeager teaches flight science, health, and social science. Cosby specializes in design, tech, and vocational arts.

Kunz is used to working with his hands. In addition to wrangling show steers and helping on the ranch, he has made two guitars and his own snowboard.

Pam Mitchell, a 4-H club leader for almost 35 years, said, “We will miss Hayden and his many contributions to our Club’s success. He’s a natural born leader and I am sure he will succeed beyond expectations in the Air Force.”

Th r ee Sister s Hist or ical Society

COME SEE OUR NEW EXHIBIT

The story of the enormous impact the lumber industry had on our community timelines, mill histories, profiles, logger lingo, and samples of gear that was used.

The museum shares stories of Sisters lore, pioneer families, historic photos, and artifacts going back to the 1800s.

visit

affordable units in its master plan as a negotiated provision with the developer.

Designating the lots to Habitat was not a requirement for Sisters Woodlands Development (SWD) group, but a voluntary election. Ten cottage lots will be integrated throughout the development as part of their final master plan approved by the City last year.

Whereas most Habitat homes are generally clustered together, the ones in Sisters Woodlands will be built randomly in the various phases of development. Anybody driving down the street will not know a Habitat home from the others.

Sisters Woodlands Development, CS Construction, the general contractor, and BUILD LLC, who have designed the project, have expanded on their commitment to Sisters Habitat and more affordable housing stock in Sisters.

BUILD LLC, led by Kevin Eckert, designed the Sapling cottage model — both three-bedroom and two-bedroom versions — probono, at no cost to Habitat. They also obtained City of Sisters approval and Deschutes County building permits for the first two Habitat cottages at Woodlands, and plan to continue this method for the remaining eight.

The developers came to terms with Habitat, selling them the first four lots, including survey, material procurement, excavation, backfill, foundation, and utility prep, at approximately half the market value of the lot with those initial improvements.

Funding for the purchase of the lots comes from

Deschutes County’s redistribution of funds from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).

Of the $1.3 million Sisters received, $800,000 goes to purchase the 10 single-family units in the Woodlands project. Some $500,000 was reserved to support the expansion of affordable workforce housing in Sisters, with additional funds provided by the City.

“These investments help to support important projects that will improve housing accessibility and home ownership opportunities in Deschutes County,” said Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair.

“It is essential that we continue to work with partners across the region to support housing options for Deschutes County residents.”

To date, commissioners have obligated $33 million in ARPA investments, including $25,000 allocated to Sisters Park & Recreation District to allow the District to serve 30 to 40 additional children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. Last year, the program had a waitlist of more than 60 families.

Habitat’s hands are full with commitments at Village Meadows, where crews currently are busy building three homes. CS Construction stepped in and agreed to complete the full building envelope for the first two Habitat Homes at Woodlands. This work includes framing, underfloor mechanical, plumbing, windows, exterior doors, weatherproofing, siding, and roofing.

CS Construction is donating their own staff time, as well as providing their administration of the builds at no cost to Habitat — writing off their own costs and overhead. Further, CS has worked with its vendor pool to significantly discount this work, saving Habitat 40 percent of the costs for building shells.

This will allow Habitat to take over with interior work this winter following their completion at Village Meadows. Besides SWD, CS, and BUILD, nine vendors have given generously in terms of donated materials or discounted labor: Miller Lumber, Jesse Ford Construction, Fine Finish LLC Siding, Sisters Garage Door, Sweeney Plumbing, Stone Roofing, Pella Windows, Pioneer Millworks, and Deschutes Window & Door.

Peter Hoover, interim executive director of Sisters Habitat for Humanity, expressed gratification at the way it all came together.

“This is such an amazing contribution of talent and community goodwill,” he said. “We couldn’t be more grateful, or in awe of such generosity.”

Eckert, speaking for the consortium, was

equally thankful for the accomplishment.

“Everybody stepped up right away. There was no pressure. It just felt right for everybody involved,” he said.

Eckert recently sold his home in Pine Meadow Village, and will move his family to Woodlands as part of his commitment to the project. He regrets that the original goal of more affordability at Sisters Woodlands could not be met in the face of rising construction costs and borrowing rates.

“The partnership with Habitat is an important mix in our community housing vision,” he told The Nugget as he reviewed the plans and locations for the Habitat units. He’s now turning his attention to ways in which Sisters Woodlands can assist in designated affordable housing for teachers.

School Superintendent Curt Scholl projects a potential teacher shortage in Sisters in the next five years, exacerbated by high home ownership costs in the District.

1. Pick up a specially labeled BLUE BAG from the porch of Furr y Friends or The Nugget.

2. Fill the bag with Oregonredeemable bottles and cans. (Max 20 lbs. per bag.)

3. Drop off at any BottleDrop location including Ray’s in Sisters (scan code on bag to open door), or on The Nugget’s porch (now on the right side).

Habitat for Humanity houses will blend with the other houses in the Sisters Woodlands development.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Continued from page 1

could stand up to her cravings. When she couldn’t find it on the market, she spent hours in her kitchen tinkering with ingredients and measurements until she created what she now calls ‘The Pancake.’ From there, she has grown Josie’s Best to include The Waffle, The Muffin, The Crepe, and more. Josie’s Best gluten-free flour blend is now distributed nationwide including at many local businesses. Fika Sisters Coffeehouse uses her mix for all their gluten-free pastry options.

“I’ve learned a lot about what profitability looks like for us and the best way for us to sell the product. Amazon selling the products was the most surprising thing that we acquired for the business,” she said. “My favorite thing about the business is when I get emails from parents of kids who have food allergies that say because of the product their kid is able to enjoy family breakfast again.”

Josie’s Best samples at the event were gone in less than five minutes after her update.

John Herman, owner and operator of Lazy Z Ranch, gave a company pitch for the new Lazy Z Ranch Wines. Lazy Z Ranch was recently acquired by Herman, where they are focused on regenerative agriculture as Oregon’s sole farmhouse meadery. Herman and his family acquired the Ranch in 2020 and began regenerative

bee ranching and honey production.

According to his write-up: “Mead — or a honey wine — is a diverse and elegant beverage resulting from the fermentation of the sugars found in flowers, aka honey. While the Ranch dabbles in all sorts of Oregon-farmed and foraged fermentations, they are a mead-centric winery. The first offering will be an “estate” mead — one of the only commercially available meads in the world to hold that distinction – made entirely from honey produced at the Lazy Z.”

Herman strives to create more awareness about regenerative farming and the practices of ranching that leave the area better than how you found it based on soil practices and how the production of growth products happens.

“Regenerative agriculture gives back to the earth and doesn’t divorce the economic/impact aspect of growing product,” said Herman.

Herman’s vision is to have a tasting room in the big red barn at the ranch and continue regenerative farming tactics for years to come.

Milroy Thorson Custom Furniture also provided a company pitch, describing their handmade wood furniture pieces created from historic wood that they’ve restored and turned into something for a home or office.

They recently moved their business from McMinville to Sisters. According to EDCO’s write-up on the business:

“Their work is fueled by a passion and commitment

paying homage to historic woodworking practices that date back as far as the 1800s. One of their key priorities is popularizing the use of locally sourced juniper wood, which is considered invasive in Central Oregon. By processing each piece of furniture, they not only create stunning works of art but contribute to the ongoing efforts to positively impact the local water table, as junipers suck a lot of water up from the water table.”

Shannon Thorson and JT Milroy share a passion for creating meaningful works of art for a home, works that also contribute to the area around them through their company practices. Their goal is to fully move operations to the area, and they’ve recently acquired a studio space. They are working with local merchants to sell their furniture pieces and want to raise more awareness about the use of juniper wood and how using it in a sustainable way can impact our water table.

The final speaker was Jody Berry, founder and formulator of Wild Carrot Herbals. Wild Carrot Herbals is one of the many businesses moving its operations to Sisters later this year. Berry studied organic farming at Evergreen State College and after learning how to farm, her love for medicinal herbs blossomed. Her formulations for the skin and body provide a connection to the origin of the herbs in her products. She started formulating products in her kitchen with a stand mixer and has now grown into a huge production facility that is only

going to expand in her move to Sisters. Her products are already available in health food stores such as Whole Foods and Natural Grocers in Bend.

“I have always wanted to share my passion for plant medicine, and I am excited to be doing that in Sisters and to grow more things here,” said Berry.

She has over 60 different products, all plant-powered skin care, that she strives to produce sustainably. You can expect to see her business in Sisters by the end of the year.

“It was an incredible opportunity to share my vision of expansion to Sisters and to be part of such a heartfelt lineup of entrepreneurs,”

Berry said of the event. “I met so many kind and welcoming people at the event. I left that evening feeling even more energized about this new journey and look forward to being a part of the community.”

Each one of the businesses that presented to the audience was able to answer their questions and discuss their hopes for starting out or expanding in Sisters. All the businesses at the event have their products for sale in stores around Sisters and Bend.

After an evening of networking and hearing from businesses, everyone got to enjoy music from the jazz band The Cutmen.

EDCO Pub Talk info: https://edcoinfo.com/edcoevents/ Josie’s Best: https://josiesbestgf.com

Wild Carrot Herbals: https://www.wildcarrotherbals.com

Lazy Z Ranch Wines: https://www.lazyzranch.com

PUB TALK: Event features local entrepreneurs

SE WICASA LANE , PRINEVILLE views of Prineville Reser voir Gated community of Indian Rock Estates. 90% level lot.

campgrounds in our own backyard. This seems totally crazy to me, and what’s even crazier is many retail outlets in Sisters are still selling firewood to all comers without even a notice regarding the campfire restrictions that are currently in place. While the Forest Service deserves kudos for posting notices at many informal campsites, more needs to be done. No open fires, nowhere. This is the time for local businesses and our public officials to step up before it’s too late.

Jeff Tryens

Rep. needs town hall

To the Editor:

Our Congresswoman, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, claims that “without opinions from constituents, [she] would not be able [to] represent Oregon’s 5th Congressional District best.”

Yet she has turned a deaf ear to repeated requests that she hold in-person, unscripted town halls throughout the District.

In May, a group of constituents visited ChavezDeRemer’s Redmond office to present a letter signed by 46 voters in CD5 asking for in-person, unscripted town halls. We received no response.

A number of us have renewed our calls for this kind of open exchange, which is utilized by both Senators Wyden and Merkley in their many town halls throughout the state. We have asked ChavezDeRemer to schedule such town halls during the August recess.

Chavez-DeRemer’s office has now informed us that she is planning to hold a “tele-town hall” in September. This response is completely at odds with our repeated requests because the format will deprive her constituents of the ability to interact with her in person. Judging from past events, we also expect that it will

feature pre-screened questions.

Now we are wondering, why is our representative so unwilling to meet with her constituents in person and listen to our concerns in an unscripted manner?

Mary Chaffin

Preventing the eve of destruction

To the Editor:

It’s late July, this old man’s fancy heavily turns to thoughts of Bikini. Unfortunately, not the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie, yellow polka-dot kind. I am talking about the July 25 anniversary of bomb tests on the Bikini Atoll. With the airing of “Oppenheimer,” and my own studies of odd-shaped clouds in “thermally perturbed atmospheres,” I give my testimony to those sirens singing praises to the almighty STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.

Do not get me wrong, I love and enjoy the wonder and practice of mathematics and science. My Polish-style training turned mathematics into a drinking game, full of excitement and ecstasy. Many young scientists and engineers know this joy of discovery. It is cultivated and can lead to the desire to understand and make our world better. Remember better living through chemistry?

Its promise of a stronger, richer America makes a powerful argument for spending a disproportionate amount of our tax dollars on STEM while neglecting the humanities and arts. This is dangerous!

Do not forget how easily fervor, fear, and greed can be misled by unethical leaders.

Consider this quick list of disasters resulting from brilliant STEM-educated minds being stirred by either fear or the invisible hand.

• Those lazy, hazy days of nuclear winter,

• Vietnam’s McNamara’s fallacy,

• The 2008 fiscal crisis and an Asian contagion, and

• ChatGPT’s generative artificial intelligence.

It seems we are on a merry-go-around of tragedy. Since the assassination in Sarajevo (1914), we have forgotten “the cause does not justify the means.”

We watch mesmerized as our humanity is divebombed from Guernica to Odessa, and as civil and corporate Caesar-wannabes shatter our institutions in pursuit of personal power and unshared wealth. Have we forgotten the necessity of ethical leadership, personal accountability, and a system of checks and balances?

These are the bedrock of the country proposed by our founding parents. What did they have that we lack?

Personal values, openness to debate, and a moral compass learned through a balanced, classical education.

Their concept of democracy and personal liberty was founded on their understanding of the classics and the writings of the Enlightenment philosophers. They understood that the sciences / STEM must be balanced by a grounding in philosophy, rhetoric, and history. Without these we have no footing and so easily will be swept away by fallacy and demagoguery, to the delight of the rich and a chosen powerful few.

Today, our educational system shies away from the teaching of ethics and values in the name of cultural tolerance. This ignores the overlap of universal truths. A core set of principles for living a good life is widely shared across the globe. Thus, nothing stops us from developing a canon appropriate to our evolving culture. We can expand our children’s understanding by enriching the Western canon with the Gita, the Koran, Sequoyah, and Chinua Achebe. This is what good pedagogy does.

To prevent our eve of destruction, we need to have the will to empower our educators and support them in producing a more balanced, ethical and thoughtful next generation.

John Lancaster

Find words forwards, backwards, horizontally, or diagonally.

FIRE: Incident closed highway and knocked out utilities

Continued from page 1

Olsen reported, “as soon as they deployed the hoses, the tank breached.”

The result was a spectacular fire that posed significant challenges.

“We had probably at least 100-foot flames when I arrived,” Chief Olsen said. “It’s one of those things that you train for, that you talk about — and hope it never happens.”

With one tank burning and another poised to go, Olsen said his priority was to get the two tanks separated.

“We separated the trailer from the truck and got it (the truck) away,” he said.

Chief Olsen praised the truck driver for his actions.

“Got to hand it to the driver of the tanker, because he did an excellent job of getting it stopped,” he said.

Because of where the driver got the truck stopped, there was minimal spread to adjacent land, and firefighters were able to quickly douse small spot fires. The main fire, however, was a significant one, and it had major knock-on effects.

“We had direct flame impingement on the power line,” Chief Olsen said.

That knocked out power, and Internet cable was also taken out by the fire. Power was restored after about four hours. Internet and cell phone service would be out or significantly disrupted in Sisters through Sunday. That had a chilling effect on commerce, as retailers and restaurants were unable to process credit/debit card transactions (see related story, page 3)

Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting units were deployed from Redmond, and deployed fire-suppressing foam at the scene. A Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District ambulance transported the driver

of the passenger vehicle to the hospital with unknown injuries. The truck driver was unhurt, and Olsen said there were no injuries to firefighters or other first responders.

“It could have been so different, though,” he said.

While the tank breached and there was significant fire, there was no massive boiling liquid/vapor explosion.

“It’s our biggest fear in the fire department, having one of those tanks explode,” Olsen said.

He was also grateful that the incident occurred adjacent to irrigated hay fields instead of on tree-lined highway, where there would have very likely been a forest fire.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Redmond Fire, ODOT, Oregon State Police, Central Electric Cooperative, and several other utility providers all responded to the scene, and a haz-mat company from Prineville was summoned for clean-up. Work continued on the closed highway through Sunday.

The incident reminds emergency personnel and citizens alike that a major incident can occur at any time, even in a quiet rural area in the dead of night.

“It was definitely an adrenaline-filled night,” Chief Olsen said.

Editor’s note: The Nugget will provide ongoing coverage of this incident and some of the questions it raises in subsequent editions.

Foam was deployed to quench gasoline fire.

PHOTO BY JUDY BULL

We had probably at least 100-foot flames when I arrived. It’s one of those things that you train for, that you talk about — and hope it never happens.

— Chief Thad Olsen

This Week’s Crossword Sponsors

ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

CLASSIFIED RATES

COST: $2 per line for first insertion, $1.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $2 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.

101 Real Estate

Camp Sherman home for sale by owner, 1,800 sq. ft., 0.8 acre lot, large shop, greenhouse, creek frontage, forest setting, $799,900. Call 541-588-0649.

CROSSROADS ESTATE

HOME. 14818 Bluegrass Loop, Sisters. $420,000 cash. 1977

Guerdon doublewide 960 sq, ft. home on 1.07 acres. 2 bdrms, 2 ba's, laundry, double detached garage, shed, well house. Call Joany or Jim at 541-997-6611.

102 Commercial Rentals Storage Space, 20 x 8 ft. $150/month. Available now. Mt. High RV Storage. Call 541-410-0458.

MINI STORAGE Sisters Rental

331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

• 8 x 20 dry box

• Fenced yard, RV & trailers

• In-town, gated, 24-7 EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

103 Residential Rentals PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002 Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com

Printed list at 221 S. Ash, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC

Transformed by God’s Nature

Daily readings accompanied by beautiful illustrations explore the attributes of God as revealed in Scripture. Readers are encouraged to know God more deeply and be spiritually transformed in the midst of trials and suffering. Available right here in Sisters directly from the author for only $10/copy! Text or call 541-420-2324.

202 Firewood

LODGEPOLE PINE

Very Seasoned Firewood Logs

Estate Sale in Sisters!

17685 Wilt Road, Fri. & Sat., 9-4

Vintage furniture & home decor, art, jewelry, cast iron, crocks, glass storage containers, musical instruments, books, yard tools, saddles/tack, brush hog & more!

View pics on estatesales.net

Hosted by Happy Trails!

MOVING SALE

14698 Blue Grass Loop in Crossroads

Fri & Sat, Aug. 4 & 5, 8:30 to 3.

JD riding mower w/rake, motorcycle parts, yard tools, RV accessories, misc. household, recliner, cupboard, file cabinet, chairs, desk, tables, canning jars, KitchenAid mixer. MOVING OVERSEAS.

302 Recreational Vehicles

EXCELLENT CONDITION

Class B 2021 RoadTrek Zion. $109,900. One owner, used only one season, under 15,000 miles. Modern, fully contained interior; exterior is Sandstone Pearl. Extras incl. Sumo Springs, StowAway rear locking compartment, Fiama bike rack. Call 402-496-9579.

401 Horses

ALFALFA TRITICALE

ORCHARD GRASS HAY New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $250-$390/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895

403 Pets

Three Rivers Humane Society Where love finds a home! See the doggies at 1694 SE McTaggart in Madras • A no-kill shelter Go to ThreeRiversHS.org or call 541-475-6889

500 Services

We’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com 541-306-7551 • Julie

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com

104 Vacation Rentals

~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~ Private Central OR vac. rentals, Property Management Services 541-977-9898

www.SistersVacation.com

Downtown Vacation Rentals Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150 T

Your Local News Source! www.nuggetnews.com

201 For Sale

upholstered chair and/or white painted nightstand. Pick up at Black Butte Ranch. Call Linda 503-704-1241.

Streamline acrylic soaking tub. 58" (l) x 27.5" (w) x 22" (h). All plumbing hardware included. Cash only $500. 541-549-6142.

Do you have a building project?

We have a LOT of buildable lumber! Reasonable price! Make offer, 541-595-2003

Delivery avail. • Call for quote 541-306-8675

SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD

• SINCE 1976 • Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir Compost by the yard DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES

– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com Order Online! 541-410-4509

203 Recreation Equipment

Mad River Canoe 15’ Expedition. $375. 541-420-6091.

17 foot Grumman aluminum canoe with paddles $500. 541-588-0649.

205 Garage & Estate Sales

— ESTATE SALE —

August 4, 5, 6 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

17647 Paladin Dr. Tools: table saw, 12" band saw sander, router tables, saw blades, DeWalt table saw, canning jars, vintage jars, fabric and lace by the yard, furniture, bed frames, Duncan Phyfe drop-leaf table, tea table, vintage ceramic tiles, mosaic tiles, vintage toys, Coca Cola collectables, Snap-on collectible toys, books, frames, extra-large ceramic planter pots, garden wagon with extra tires, rocks for the hounds, 1880s antique cast iron cooking stove, vintage White sewing machine with table, arts & crafts supplies.

MOVING SALE

14460 Mountain View Loop (Crossroads) Sat. • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters. Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!

Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by...

Daiya 541-480-2806

Sharie 541-771-1150

206 Lost & Found FOUND WATCH

On Camp Polk Road near airport. Call 408-691-0372 to identify.

301 Vehicles

CUSTOM CAR GARAGES HEATED, INSULATED 541-419-2502

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

CAR TO SELL?

Place your ad in The Nugget Call 541-549-9941 or email janice@nuggetnews.com

Deadline is noon on Mondays.

Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475

SMALL Engine REPAIR

Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers

Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871

SUDOKU Level: Moderate Answer: Page 9

999 Public Notice

ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Five printed copies and one electronic PDF copy on a flash drive will be received at the HMK Office, located at 363 State Street, Salem, OR, 97302 until 2:00 PM, August 17, 2023. Emailed or faxed responses will not be accepted.

The District is seeking to select Architects to provide the services described herein Design Services for the Black Butte School: Modernization of existing facility including replace the aging roof, and flooring. Remove asbestos. Upgrade the HVAC system. Install energy efficient windows to improve air circulation. Improve safety and security including creating secure entry to better control access and upgrading door locks and hardware. Construct an addition to expand instructional space and provide confidential meeting space and improve current instructional space. New restrooms. See conceptual plan (ATTACHMENT F) depicting scope of work.

The total value of the construction budgets is anticipated to be approximately $2.5 million funded by the recent May 2023 bond election. The selected firm will be expected to start immediately after Board award and receipt of a Notice to Proceed (NTP).

The District reserves the right to reject any Proposal response not in compliance with all prescribed public procedures and requirements and to waive informalities in this Request for Proposals response process. The Request for Proposals may be obtained from:

http://hmkco.org/bid-documents/ A MANDATORY

Pre-Proposals Meeting and Project Orientation will be held at 1:00 PM on August 2, 2023, at Black Butte School, located at 25745 Forest Service Road 1419, Camp Sherman, OR 97730. We will then visit the project sites.

Dated this 26th day of July 2023

David McKay, Principal in Charge HMK Company, on behalf of Jefferson County School District 41 (Black Butte School District).

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF DESCHUTES

[Probate Department]

In the Matter of the Estate of: DEANA HOOVER deceased.

Date of Death: December 30, 2022.

Case No. 23PB04746

NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the

undersigned personal representative at Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97225 within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims will be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC, the lawyers for the personal representative.

DATED AND FIRST PUBLISHED ON August 2, 2023 PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Fathom Fiduciaries, LLC

Attn: Mark D. Ropp 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy Portland, Oregon 97225

Tel 503.206.6401

Fax 503.214.8962 mark@swpdxlaw.com

ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:

Lindsey N. Daniel, OSB No. 192115

Southwest Portland Law Group, LLC 8455 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy Portland, Oregon 97225

Tel: 503.206.6401

Fax 503.214.8962 lindsey@swpdxlaw.com

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct an

in-person public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on August 17, 2023 at 5:30 PM regarding the applications listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall.

Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to eshoup@ci.sisters.or.us.

Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file numbers. For additional information, please contact Emelia Shoup, Associate Planner at (541) 323-5216 or eshoup@ ci.sisters.or.us.

The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review at least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of all materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https:// www.ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.

PUBLIC HEARING:

August 17, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.

FILE #: TA 23-01

APPLICANT: City of Sisters

REQUEST: Text amendments to several sections of Sisters Development Code (SDC). The proposed amendments are intended as “housekeeping” changes to correct errors and provide clarification to existing code provisions that are neither intentionally substantive nor a change to regulation or policy.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

SDC Chapter 1.2 – General Administration; Chapter 1.3 –Definitions; Chapter 2.4 –Downtown Commercial District; Chapter 2.5 – Highway Commercial District; Chapter 2.7 – Public Facility & Institutional District; Chapter 2.11 – Airport Overlay District; Chapter 2.14 –North Sisters Business Park District; Chapter 2.15 – Special Provisions; Chapter 3.1 – Access and Circulation; Chapter 3.2 –Landscaping and Screening; Chapter 3.4 – Signs; Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures; Chapter 4.5 – Master Planned Developments; Chapter 4.6 – Cottage Developments; Chapter 4.9 –Declaratory Ruling; Chapter 5.2 – Non-Conforming Uses and Structures; Chapter 4.7 – Land Use District Map and Text Amendments; Oregon Statewide Land Use Goals; and City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan.

OUR FREELANCERS LOVE DOING THE “WRITE” THING…

Katy Yoder isn’t horsing around when it comes to her freelance writing for The Nugget. With a strong sense of empathy and deep dedication to telling the remarkable stories of folks in the Sisters community, Katy specializes in features that are always memorable and often profoundly touching.

You can support Katy’s work — and all The Nugget freelancers — with a SUPPORTING SUBSCRIPTION. 100% of your donation goes to paying freelance contributors.

And if you like doing the “write” thing, too, we’ve got a complimentary pen for you! Just stop by the office and say hello!

How can I participate?

You choose the amount of support you wish to provide. You can mail a check to PO Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759; stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave. (we love to connect with our readers); or click the “donate” link at the top of www.nuggetnews.com.