The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLV No. 46 // 2022-11-16

Winter driving conditions arrive

By Stuart Ehr Correspondent

Although Sisters Country will finish the year on the edge of a La Niña cycle (cooler and wetter), it is still impossible to predict with certainty how this will translate into snowfall — and, therefore, local driving conditions. It is best to be prepared for whatever nature brings.

In a “typical” year a mile section of road could simultaneously be dry, wet, packed snow, ice, and slush. These driving conditions are brought on by Sisters transitional elevation. At 3,142 feet, we are at the perfect elevation to experience every form of precipitation, sometimes all in the same 24-hour period. With those variables in mind it is incumbent upon drivers to constantly assess the road conditions all the way to their destination.

Here are a few tips to help

you drive safely and get to where you’re going:

• Make sure your car is up to the challenges of whatever the weather brings. Check

Seasoned council will lead Sisters

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

The 2023 Sisters City Council will see only one newcomer, Susan Cobb, who will take the seat vacated by retiring Council President Nancy Connolly, who has served for eight years.

Gary Ross and Michael Preedin were reelected to serve for four years, and Cobb will serve for two. They join continuing Council members Andrea Blum and Jennifer Letz.

Ross, who garnered 28 percent of the vote with 1,179 votes, said, “I want to thank the voters of Sisters for trusting me with their vote.”

Ross had not intended to run for reelection, but a few factors played into his decision to reconsider.

“We will soon have a new city manager,” he said. “We just adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan. A new Parks Master Plan is about ready for adoption, and efficiency measures by way of text amendments are being

decided. I believe continuity on the City Council in this time of change will increase our chances of success. In addition, there are several key projects in late planning stages I want to help bring to fruition.”

Ross is hopeful the community can find sustainable solutions to helping our houseless population without being distracted by short-term solutions that are expensive and unlikely to succeed given governmental restrictions, and possible citizen resistance.

“We must work with developers to ensure the people who educate our children, run our clinics, and staff our businesses have an affordable housing opportunity in our community,” Ross added.

Ross would like to see honest, but civil, dialogue as the City and the residents navigate the difficult discussions related to growth and what Sisters will look like for the next 20 years.

the condition of your wipers, before they’re needed. Keeping your window washer fluid top-upped with a fluid rated for below freezing

temperature is essential.

• Tires are all-important. Not only good tread depth,

See WINTER on page 31

Sisters man busted for fentanyl, meth

Detectives from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE Team) arrested a 46-year-old Sisters man on multiple drug charges on Friday, November 11.

According to Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the CODE Team concluded a short-term investigation with the arrest of Paul Weston of Sisters.

Sgt. Vander Kamp reported that after receiving several community

See DRUG BUST on page 20

Rush named Coach of the Year

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws had a stellar league season and finished with a 11-1 record — all sweeps, except for two matches. Six Outlaw players stood out and earned AllLeague recognition — and Coach Rory Rush was named Coach of the Year.

It came as no surprise that junior Gracie Vohs, Sisters’ outside hitter and team captain, was a First-Team pick and named Player of the Year. Vohs recorded 220 kills, 24 blocks, and 25 aces during league play.

Coach Rory Rush said, “Gracie has worked hard this year to be a leader and play all-around this season. She is a fierce competitor and wants to always make those around her better. She is a powerful hitter, with the ability to change the game. She plays high above the net and frustrated the other team with her blocking.”

Gracelyn Myhre (junior), who plays outside hitter, was also a First-Team selection. Myhre tallied 134 kills, 10 blocks, 89 digs, and 32 aces

for the Lady Outlaws.

“Gracelyn has established herself as an anchor for our team,” said Rush. “She is an all-around player that

has great court sense. She sees the floor so well, and is a go-to when we need the

Rory Rush was named Coach of the Year and Gracie Vohs earned Player of the Year honors after an 11-1 season.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

Just a little bit of the white stuff can alter driving conditions in Central Oregon.

PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY

OPINION

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.

Gender identity

To the Editor:

Last week my husband, Kris Calvin, submitted an excellent letter to the editor referencing the controversy over nonbinary youth counselors at Camp Tamarack, and I’d like to chime in that I am also extremely proud of our daughter Amity Calvin (she/her pronouns, prefers term daughter).

She came out as gay in college and a few years later, in medical school, shared with us her nonbinary gender identity.

I’ll admit, when she told me she was having top surgery (bilateral mastectomy for the purposes of aligning with gender identity), it gave me pause. It seemed so radical. But that just showed me how strongly she felt about

The mirror of history

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Rampant development and land-use conflicts. Pandemic illness. Economic instability and anxiety. Gun control.

We could be talking about issues affecting Oregonians in 2022 — or we could be talking about issues affecting Puritan colonists and the Wampanoag Confederacy in 1675 New England. One of the things that makes the study of history so compelling is the way the same kinds of trials and tribulations resonate across centuries. An old saying, usually attributed to Mark Twain, asserts that “history never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.”

The Nugget Newspaper, LLC

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

Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon.

Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius

Production Manager: Leith Easterling

Creative Director: Jess Draper

Community Marketing

Partner: Vicki Curlett

Classifieds & Circulation: Janice Hoffman

Proofreader: Kit Tosello

Owner: J. Louis Mullen

I’ve been immersed in the rhyme and meter of history as I explore what came to be known as King Philip’s War. The fighting that broke out between the Wampanoag and their allies, and the settlers of New England — after 50 years of peaceful if sometimes contentious coexistence — remains to this day the most devastating conflict per capita ever experienced by Americans.

the Wampanoag remained reduced and vulnerable to illness, the New England settlements grew exponentially as the population — bolstered by families having an average of eight children — exploded. Land-use conflicts between neighbors of different cultures became more and more frequent, as settlers’ livestock decimated native fields. The Wampanoag had been key middle men in the fur trade that developed almost immediately after the Pilgrims arrived — but the fur trade was on the decline locally as beaver populations were trapped out. The Wampanoag had become enmeshed in a new trading economy — and their sources of income were drying up. So they were forced to sell land.

area.

postage: one year, $70; six months (or less), $45. First-class postage: one year, $110; six months, $80.

It’s fitting to look at it now, as Thanksgiving approaches, because the conflict grew out of a relationship established in 1621 in the First Thanksgiving, a cornerstone of the American creation myth. The legend of the First Thanksgiving — which has a solid foundation in fact — has the Pilgrims who survived a first year of colonization marred by disease and hunger celebrating the bounty of the land in harmony with helpful natives. It’s true that the Wampanoag under their great sachem Massasoit gave the Pilgrims direct aid, and taught them how to raise and gather food in the alien New England climate — and saved their lives.

In turn, the Puritan settlers formed an alliance with these native people who had, in recent years, been devastated by pandemic disease that may have killed as much as 90 percent of their population. The alliance with the English provided the Wampanoag security — and firearms — to protect themselves from aggressive neighbors like the Narragansett, who had not suffered the same level of devastation from disease.

For 50 years, good relations held up, but by the beginning of the 1670s, the alliance and partnership was unraveling. While

The settlers no longer needed the Wampanoag, and so they no longer treated them as sovereign partners, but as a people who must be made subservient. Tensions mounted. Settlers came to fear that the Wampanoag’s dissatisfaction could turn dangerous. So they tried to disarm them. Massasoit’s son, now sachem, named Metacom and called by the English King Philip, resisted.

In June 1675, tensions erupted into open warfare. In the early months of the war, Metacom and his allies devastated the English settlements, burning towns and farmsteads, ambushing militia units, and killing hundreds of settlers, often in terrible and terrifying ways. The tide turned when the English were able to mobilize other Indians against Metacom’s movement, and the Wampanoag were hunted down and virtually destroyed as a sovereign people. Thousands died and countless others were sold into slavery.

It was as cruel and brutal an episode as can be found in American history.

What came to be called King Philip’s War is worth remembering for its own sake, especially as we mark Native American History Month. But it is even more powerful to reflect on the way that we are buffeted by ill winds of bad fortune, subject to the tensions and conflicts inherent when people of different values inhabit the same space, at risk of provocation when we feel our security, identity, and way of life are threatened.

The mirror of history is imperfect, but when we hold it up and look closely, we can see ourselves.

PHOTO BY DALE GRIMSMAN

BY JERRY BALDOCK

Sisters schools honor veterans

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Sisters schools honored local veterans with their annual assemblies at all three schools. The Sisters High School assembly took place on Wednesday November 9 in the auditorium, with the entire student body and teachers present, as well as 15 local veterans from dif ferent branches of the mili tary, who sat in the front to be recognized.

The assembly, which is put on by the Associated Student Government (ASG) every year, included a video message from staff and students about what veter ans mean to them and why they are thankful to them. Many students echoed their

gratefulness to veterans for fighting for their freedoms, and for care they have for their country.

In the video message, teacher Daniel O’Neill said: “The cost is heavy, but it is well worth it, and I appreci ate what our veterans have done, and my heart goes out to service members and their families.”

The assembly began with a performance of the National Anthem from the SHS Jazz Choir led by Rick Johnson and accom panied by Julie Cash. Band student Dominic Martinez performed “Taps,” honor ing those who have fallen. The concert choir then rec ognized all branches of the military accompanied by the band, in their performance

of “A Tribute to the Armed Services (arranged by Lloyd Larson).” Members of the Central Oregon Band of Brothers were in attendance, and all echoed praises for school leadership: “We are always so impressed by the leadership and this assembly here at SHS.”

During the assembly, the school honored SHS stu dents/graduates who cur rently serve, or previously served in the military.

Earl Schroeder, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was the keynote speaker for the assembly this year. He served during the Cold War era, and spent eight years at six different radar sites, with his last location being

SMS student wins veterans essay award

Sisters Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8138 presented the Patriot Pen Award to eighth grade student Asher Davis during the Veterans Assembly at Sisters Middle School on November 9. Davis received a Patriot Pen Medal, as well as a cash prize of $400, from the local VFW Post for his essay on the thesis “My Pledge to Veterans.”

His essay follows: In America, we hold our freedoms and rights dear to our hearts. My pledge is to always honor the people who fought to protect these free doms and rights, our veter ans. Our veterans put their lives on the line and fought for what we take for granted.

My pledge to veterans is to always honor their service. Some of the ways I can show honor and respect are to stand and lead the Pledge of Allegiance every morning before classes begin, offer my assistance to those who sus tained battlefield disabilities, and, above all, give them my utmost respect.

I can show respect to our veterans by not taking their sacrifice for granted, and thanking them for their ser vice. When we take the sac rifice our veterans made for granted, we become ungrate ful for what they did to pro tect and secure our freedom,

Population grows to 3,064 in official census

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

The 2020 population census is still being tabu lated almost two years later in some locales, but for Sisters the numbers are in. According to the United States Census Bureau, Sisters is home to 3,064 persons liv ing in 1,661 dwelling units (1.84 per household). There were 1,172 families or other living arrangements recorded.

The census, which is conducted every 10 years, also revealed that 49.7 per cent are employed in Sisters,

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

and 57.6 percent work in Oregon. The Sisters median household income is $75,662 as compared to $68,937 for Deschutes County and $65,667 for Oregon, making us considerably better off.

Sisters is home to 194 who are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Six of us are Black or African American; 26 are Asian. Not surpris ingly, we are an older group with a median age of 49.5, as compared to 40.1 for all of Oregon. A full 34.9 percent are 65 or older, and only 5.1

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al-Anon Mon., noon., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-610-7383.

Alcoholics Anonymous Thurs., 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / Sat., 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / Mon., 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Big Book study, Tues., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Gentlemen’s meeting, Wed., 7 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Thurs., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fri., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 541-548-0440.

Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild

For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelefly@msn.com.

Council on Aging of Central Oregon Senior Lunch In-person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab-and-go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs. 12:30 to 1 p.m. Sisters Community Church. 541-480-1843.

East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wednesday (September-June), Stitchin’ Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061.

Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday, 7 p.m. Sisters Community Church. All ages welcome. 541-771-2211.

Heartwarmers (fleece blanketmakers)

2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Sisters Community Church. Materials provided. 541-408-8505.

Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 541-668-1755.

Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk

3rd Monday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP at citizens4community.com

Military Parents of Sisters Meetings are held quarterly; please call for details. 541-388-9013.

Oregon Band of Brothers – Sisters Chapter Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-549-6469.

SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings & Enrichment) Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation District. 541-549-2091.

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503-930-6158.

Sisters Area Photography Club

2nd Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., at Sisters Community Church. 541-549-6157.

Sisters Area Woodworkers 1st Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-1897.

Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846.

Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Church. Email sistersbridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregiver Support Group 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Sisters Episcopal Church. 541-771-3258.

Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Location information: 541-549-1193.

Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Brand 33 Restaurant at Aspen Lakes. 541-410-2870.

Sisters Parent Teacher Community 2nd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters Saloon. 541-480-5994.

Sisters Parkinson’s Support Group 2nd Thurs.,1 p.m. Sisters Library 541-668-6599

Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday.

Location information: 541-848-1970.

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-760-5645.

Sisters Trails Alliance Board every other month, 5 p.m. varies from in-person to zoom. Info: info@sisterstrails.org

Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-903-1123.

Three Sisters Irrigation District Board of Directors 1st Tuesday, 4 p.m., TSID Office. 541-549-8815.

Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Spoons Restaurant. 541-419-1279.

VFW Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 1st Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., The Hanger, Sisters Community Church. 847-344-0498.

Weight Watchers Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in, Sisters Community Church. 541-602-2654.

SCHOOLS

Black Butte School Board of Directors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black Butte School. 541-595-6203

Sisters School District Board of Directors One Wednesday monthly, Sisters School District Administration Building. See schedule online at www.ssd6.org. 541-549-8521 x5002.

CITY & PARKS

Sisters City Council 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022.

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m., SPRD bldg. 541-549-2091.

Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall. 541-549-6022.

FIRE & POLICE

Black Butte Ranch Police Dept. Board of Directors Meets monthly. 541-595-2191 for time & date.

Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., (3rd in Nov.) BBR Fire Station. 541-595-2288.

Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Wed., 5:30 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale Rd. 541-548-4815. cloverdalefire.com.

Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday, 5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771.

Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771.

This listing is for regular Sisters Country meetings; email information to nugget@nuggetnews.com

PHOTO

Earl Schroeder was the featured speaker at Sisters High School’s Veterans Day observances.

Josie Patton named

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Senior Josie Patton was a First-Team All-League pick and earned top recognition as Goalkeeper of the Year in the All-League voting. Patton has been a four-year start ing goalie for the Outlaws, and last year was also named Goalie of the Year in 4A.

Coach Brian Holden noted that Patton is a tall player with strong hands and a broad wingspan. She is a dedicated athlete, a positive team leader, and vocal from the back. Patton recorded 11 shutouts, and only had three goals scored against her in league play.

This year the league vot ing changed a bit. In the past coaches always voted on attack and defensive players, this year it changed to first, second, and honorable men tion field players, and then goalies were in a separate category.

Marley Holden, Izzy Schiller, and Tatem Cramer were all First-Team field picks.

Holden, a junior, is a three-year varsity starter for the Outlaws. She played in a defensive position last year, but this year moved to a more offensive role at midfield, where she scored 21 goals, and tallied seven assists. Only one other player in the league scored more goals than Holden.

Coach Holden noted that Marley Holden has a high soccer IQ. She’s a physical player and a great outside shooter. She passes with pur pose and confidence, and is a great ball handler, and a creative playmaker. Marley

was also runner-up for Field Player of the Year.

Schiller, a junior, is a two-year varsity starter and scored eight goals and recorded four assists. Izzy also has a high soccer IQ and is fundamentally perfect. Holden described Schiller as a tenacious defender who can also attack from the back. She’s a physical player with explosive speed. She controls the pace of the game, and is a positive team leader who exhibits great sportsmanship.

Cramer (senior) scored eight goals and tallied two assists as a forward. She’s a physical presence with her height and strength, and Holden noted she did a great job of playing with her back to the goal. Holden also stated that Cramer has a big throw-in, is fast in the open field, and fed her midfielders with calm passing.

Second-Team field recog nition went to Juhree Kizziar, and sisters Sage and Shae Wyland.

Kizziar, a junior, is a hold ing midfielder and scored six goals and recorded four assists. Holden noted that Kizziar is fit and determined, and works well in the middle with her teammates. She’s a good outside shooter, and is speedy and can play wellplaced balls through the gaps.

Sage Wyland is a fouryear starting center back. Holden described Sage as relentless, tenacious, and extremely competitive. As a defender she helped the Outlaws to 11 shutouts and only three goals scored against. Holden added that Wyland defines what a hardworking and dedicated player

of the Year

is, and she could easily have been a First-Team selection for the past three years.

Shae Wyland is a twoyear varsity starter and plays at centerback and wing back. She scored one goal and had two assists during league play. She’s a physical defender, who is athletic and

fast. Holden noted that Shae has an amazing left-footed shot, and is competitive and relentless like her sister Sage. Shae does a great job attacking from the back, and is a ball-runner. Holden said that Shae is another player who easily could have been a first-team selection.

Becca Clausen rounds out the field all-league picks. Clausen is an exchange student from Hamburg, Germany and played as a winger for the Outlaws this year. Holden noted that she is

fundamentally perfect, strong and fit, minimizes turnovers, and plays a very controlled game in passing the ball on the ground. Becca brought stability to the Outlaws’ mid field, and Holden said she knows her role on the field and is 100 percent team.

Holden said, “Sisters is new to the conference this year and our athletes aren’t well known to the other coaches yet. I do believe several of our girls deserved higher recognition. It’s been a very exciting and fun year.”

Goalkeeper Josie Patton was honored for her stellar play for an outstanding Outlaws soccer squad.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

It’s been a very exciting and fun year.

— Coach Brian Holden

Boys soccer announces All-League selections

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws soccer squad had four players who earned All-League honors, including Tate Kaczmarek, Gus Patton, and Vincent Christian, who were all First-Team picks.

Kaczmarek, senior and cocaptain, is a four-year starter and played at forward for the Outlaws. He was the leading goal scorer this year with 17 goals. He also tallied nine assists over the course of league play.

“Tate has exceptional field vision, is a very versatile player, is attack-minded, and has an incredible work rate,” said Coach Jeff Husmann.

Patton, senior and co-cap tain, played defense as a cen ter back.

“Gus has truly led this team,” said Husmann. “He is always supportive of all play ers, is level-headed, and leads by example. He is the foun dation of our defense and the team.”

Christian, a junior, is a three-year starter, and played in the midfield this year.

Vincent tallied 12 assists and also scored nine goals for the Outlaws. Husmann described Christian as a very

experienced and savvy player.

“Vincent has played as a holding midfielder this year and initiates much of our offense,” said Husmann. “He is capable of any position and has a deep understanding of the game.”

Corbin Fredland, senior and co-captain, earned hon orable mention recognition. He is a three-year starter and played as goalkeeper for the Outlaws. He had seven shut outs this year, averaged eight saves per game, and recorded two assists from the goal.

“Corbin is a very intelli gent player,” said Husmann. “He selflessly became a goal keeper when we needed him. He is a student of the game and works incredibly hard to improve.”

Veterans can access dental program

By Lynne Terry Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Health Authority is gearing up to launch a no-cost dental program for lower-income veterans.

This month it opened the application process, and on January 1 the program will launch. No one knows how many will sign up and qual ify among Oregon’s 300,000 veterans but it could be thousands.

To qualify, vets can earn between 138 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty limit or between about $19,000 and $54,000 a year for a single person. Those who earn less already qualify for dental care through the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon’s version of Medicaid.

The Oregon Health Plan and the new veterans plan offer free dental care — with out insurance premiums or co-pays that includes clean ings, X-rays, extractions, emergency care, and some crowns and dentures.

Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Roseburg and a dentist, spearheaded the plan dur ing the February legisla tive session to cover a gap in services. The Veterans Administration, which offers

comprehensive physical care, only offers limited den tal care. For example, in the Portland area last year, only about 3 percent of the veter ans served by VA Portland also received dental care, said spokesman Daniel Herrigstad, a spokesman for VA Portland.

Hayden estimates that only about 15 percent of Oregon’s vets have dental care.

Studies show that poor oral hygiene is associated with cavities and gum disease along with heart disease, cer tain types of cancer, diabe tes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Dental problems also are linked to depression, diffi culty in finding employment, and poor self-esteem.

Hayden had asked for $5

million for the program but the Legislature only approved $1 million for startup costs and dental care through June 30 when the current twoyear budget ends. Because funds are limited, the Health Authority, which is admin istering the program, urged veterans to apply early to ensure they get in.

“This new program reflects our state’s continu ing commitment to serve and support our Oregon veteran community,” Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, said in a statement.

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

ISTOCKKPHOTO.COM/DRAZENZIGIC

Gus has truly led this team. He is always supportive of all players, is level-headed, and leads by example. He is the foundation of our defense and the team.

— Coach Jeff Husmann

this. Amity would like to add that she is now six weeks post-op, and is ecstatic about her new body. She says she is so grateful to have the privilege to make her body finally fit her identity.

I’ve lived in Sisters for 32 years and remember well the pink balloon tied to the outside of my clinic door after she came into this world. Maybe it’s time to move on to purple or yellow or green balloons.

May Fan, MD

God is not a Republican

To the Editor:

This is a response to the commentary by Bruce Campbell in the November 2 edition.

In his piece, Mr. Campbell was reacting to a letter written by Jeff Mackey. He accuses Mr. Mackey of “cherry picking the Bible,” meaning that he is using verses out of context (according to him), to support his viewpoint.

Mr. Campbell then proceeds to do the very same thing. What I take issue with, however, from Mr. Campbell’s commentary, is that he labels certain Republican politicians and their supporters as false prophets. The impli cation I get from his comments is that certain Republicans are (or think they are) represen tatives of God, but in reality, because of their bad behavior, they are really false prophets.

God is not a Republican or a Democrat. He is the Almighty God. To be connected with God, one must submit to him and receive his Spirit (being born again). There are Republicans that have entered into this rela tionship with him and there are Republicans that haven’t. Party affiliation has nothing to do with where one stands with God.

Policy-wise however, there are in particu lar two issues in which Republicans tend to agree more with God than do Democrats. One of these issues is in the legislation (pro moted by the Democratic Party) that allows for the killing of unborn babies in their moth ers’ wombs. God’s Word clearly states that life begins in the womb (Ps. 139:13-16). And God has said that He will judge the shedding of innocent blood. Republicans, who have

taken a stand for life, are in agreement with him. The second issue is concerning what constitutes a marriage. The Bible is consis tent throughout that God has ordained mar riage between a man and a woman. He even speaks of homosexuality as an abomination. This is also an area where most Republicans are likely to agree with God.

In conclusion, it seems clear that Mr. Campbell does not understand what bibli cal prophecy actually is. The false prophets of the Bible are those who claimed to have heard from God and claim to be speaking on behalf of God, but in reality are not. This has nothing to do with selling T-shirts, misusing finances, or expressing controversial politi cal opinions.

Richard McDaniel

s s s

Dignity makes a comeback

To the Editor:

I was raised in western Pennsylvania, 20 miles from Youngstown, Ohio. At night the skies over Youngstown would burn orange from the steel mills. Those were prosperous times and, sadly, long gone. My mother was a bartender in a steelworker bar. The guys would come in after their shifts and order Iron City beer. They had the dignity of men who had put in a damned hard day’s work to make sure the American Dream did not elude their families. They were not choirboys, but as my mother always said, “These are good men.”

Another good man and son of the Ohio Valley, Tim Ryan, recently lost his Senate race to J.D. Vance. He had, in many estima tions, run one of the best races in the country. Still, he lost, and it had to hurt. Yet these were the words he used in his concession speech: “I have a privilege, right now, a privilege, as someone who was the Democratic nominee, I have the privilege to concede this race to J.D. Vance. Because the way this country oper ates is that when you lose an election you concede. And you respect, you respect the will of the people.”

That was a dignified speech. Dignity may be one of those things that takes many

Giving Tuesday event to boost KIDS Center

KIDS Center, the Central Oregon nonprofit leading the region’s response to child abuse, is encouraging the community to give generously on Giving Tuesday.

“There are three ways peo ple can give,” said Executive Director Gil Levy. “Give your time as a volunteer, give a gift card to support a local fam ily, or give a cash donation to KIDS Center to ensure our life-changing services remain free for families.”

On Tuesday, November 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., any one can stop by the nonprofit, located at 1375 NW Kingston Ave. in Bend, and make a donation, sign up as a volun teer, or drop off gift cards for the annual Gift Card Drive.

KIDS Center staff and vol unteers will be outside thank ing everyone who stops by for Giving Tuesday, and offering fresh coffee and hot cocoa donated by Kevista Coffee as well as locally baked

sugar cookies.

Giving Tuesday has become a national phenom enon. It’s a day of giving back after one of the year’s biggest shopping weekends, which includes Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. “Giving Tuesday is a won derful opportunity to con nect with the spirit of the season,” says KIDS Center Development Director Ginger Theis-Stevens. “And when you give to KIDS Center, what you are really giving is hope.”

If you can’t make it to KIDS Center on Giving Tuesday, you can still give by visiting www.kidscenter.org.

KIDS Center relies on community support to help children and families. Cash donations to KIDS Center enable the nonprofit to offer medical exams, forensic inter views, family advocacy ser vices, and therapy to children and families free of charge.

Robinson Columnist

away from work — a time to focus on each other instead of work.

Three busy years later Doug proposed to Erin during a trip to visit her family. A couple’s week end at the Mt. Washington Hotel, surrounded by the historic buildings and White Mountains of New Hampshire, provided the perfect backdrop for Doug to get down on one knee.

itself: snow, rain, hail, sun, and snow. What was sup posed to be an outdoor, barefoot ceremony was no longer possible. But with some quick action by Doug and the groomsmen moving the entire wedding inside, the day was a memorable success.

Erin had just moved to Santa Barbara and was look ing for a personal trainer position when she met Doug, a local gym owner. They went their separate ways, but two years later their paths crossed again, and Erin started as a trainer at Doug’s gym.

A great working relation ship led to spending more time together even outside the gym. It was during an outing to a soccer game, enveloped in the roar of the cheering crowd, that they realized there was some thing there. They couldn’t deny the attraction they felt for each other and decided to give it a go.

“We never looked back,” Erin recalls.

Dating and working together, as you can imag ine, had its pros and cons. All week they ran the gym together, and to find some balance they spent weekends

On September 21, 2013, they married in June Lake, California, at the Double Eagle Mountain Resort. With so many guests com ing from afar, they planned a fun-filled three-day wed ding weekend. In the eve nings, friends and family relaxed together under the stars warmed by a bonfire on the lakeshore. One of Erin’s fondest memories is the Field Day that Doug’s brother planned on the beach of June Lake. The guests played a variety of games to bring everyone together.

“It was like being a kid again. We just played,” she says.

The wedding day weather was less ideal. Where the two days before were clear skies and sunshine, the day of was mercurial. In true mountain fashion, every type of weather presented

Doug and Erin dreamt of traveling and eventually leaving Santa Barbara, and decided it was time to hit the road in a Sprinter van. They toured the Northwest,

Alaska, and Canada keep ing their eyes open for their next move. On the way back to Santa Barbara they stopped in Bend and fell for the Central Oregon moun tain town. They found a townhome in a week, sold their business, and moved to Bend, where their son was born. Soon after their sec ond child, they found their perfect home in Sisters. On date nights they can be found at their favorite spots, The Open Door or The Barn,

or enjoying a mountain bike ride in Sisters Country.

Nine years of marriage have taught Doug and Erin Holt that “marriage deserves attention; make intentional time for it.” Erin attributes their strong relationship to mutual respect, a passion for personal growth, and loving life.

Do you have a love story you would like the share? If so, we would love to hear it. Please email Sabrina at sabrinaratliff@gmail.com.

Sabrina

JV football wraps up season

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws JV football squad finished their season with a 3-4 overall record. Twenty-three players were on the roster, and three, including Kayle Mock, Ethan Eby, and Kelvin Parker, saw significant minutes on the varsity squad.

Mock (sophomore), and Eby and Parker (freshmen) were all instrumental players, and according to Defensive Coordinator Jim Gurney will be foundational for the var sity team next year.

Mock played as running back, wide receiver, and at safety. He was explosive when he ran the ball and learned to trust the plays over the course of the season and became a much better player.

Eby played fullback and linebacker. He’s a physical player and dominated play on both sides of the ball. He’s a bruising runner and a punish ing tackler.

Parker started on the var sity squad the entire season and then played two quarters on JV. He played as a defen sive end and at right tackle and controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Juniors Chance Hamlington and Jayden Vogt, sophomores Cade Lindsey and Wyatt Shockley, and freshman Jozua Miller were on the offensive and defen sive line. The whole group was very new to football and improved tremendously over the course of the sea son. Gurney told The Nugget he thinks they will play a lot next year at the varsity level.

Linebackers included sophomores Carter Van Meter and Colton Middlestetter, Trent Gordon, Tyson Kemp and Cooper Pronold (fresh men). It was the first time any had played at the linebacker

position, and coaches saw a dramatic improvement and love for the game as the sea son progressed.

Junior Triston Madron, and sophomores Dawson Roberson and Joe Souza, along with freshmen Ian Landon, Nick Palmer, and Isaac Dunn were the Outlaws’ wide receivers. Gurney noted that they learned how to run routes, and spent a lot of time selflessly blocking when the other players were running the ball. Gurney added that Roberson shows real prom ise as a varsity player for next year.

Madron, Roberson, and Souza also played at corner back, as well as sophomore Kolbi Cotner. They did a great job in run support and learned how to defend the pass. Madron could see sig nificant minutes on varsity next year, and Robertson should also get in some minutes.

Freshmen Hunter Bronson, Reese Moore, Teegan Schwartz, Isaac Dunn, and Souza all saw time at safety. They are good tacklers, and a hard-hitting group.

Cotner and Roberson also played as running backs. They learned how to run the ball, and how to use and set up blocks. They ran outside runs that were key to the Outlaws’ offense. Kemp and Middlestetter also got in min utes on select plays.

Hunter Bronson, a fresh man, was the Outlaws’ main quarterback. Gurney stated that Bronson had a strong understanding of the plays, executed run plays well, and improved in his throwing accuracy as the season went on. Gordon occasionally filled in at the quarterback position.

Two big games high lighted the Outlaws’ season: the first, their win against

Madras at home. The first time around the Outlaws fell 20-24 to the White Buffs, but when the White Buffs came to Sisters, the Outlaws destroyed them in a final score of 56-7.

Gurney said, “It was the most points a Sisters JV squad has ever scored as far back as I can remember.”

Another bright spot was the JV’s 32-14 win over La Pine, whose varsity squad were the league champs.

Gurney said, “I can still see the smiles that came clear through the face masks of the guys coming off the field after they had a good run, or a tackle in the backfield for loss. They were just enjoy ing the game and having success.”

Gurney and Offensive Coordinator Jordan Wilkins commented on the season.

Gurney said, “This was a fantastic group of young men to coach. They played hard and with a lot of passion and enthusiasm and had a ton of growth in their understanding of the game of football. The amount of new players to the program bodes well for the future of Outlaw football.”

Wilkins said, “This was a year of growth and devel opment. It was our first year with a full JV schedule in a long time. We had an up and down season, learning how to prepare our minds to be competitive, and learning the difference between firing out and waiting for someone else to make a play.

“Our team was unself ish and worked hard,” added Wilkins. “They were learners and listeners and we saw an incredible development from start to finish. I am so excited to work with these guys again in the summer and next sea son to keep Sisters’ football program strong. I’m super proud of the JV squad.”

Ben Cooper made n outstanding TD catch vs. Thurston in Outlaws junior varsity football action.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

Local voters reject psilocybin ban

By Mike McInally Oregon Capital Chronicle

Thousands of voters across Oregon have decided to ban or block the rollout of psilo cybin treatment centers.

But two counties bucked that trend: In Deschutes and Jackson counties, voters rejected the proposed bans and chose to move ahead with Measure 109, which passed statewide in 2020 and legal ized the limited use of psilo cybin in state-regulated treat ment facilities. The measure allowed local authorities to opt out of Measure 109 by forwarding to voters either two-year moratoriums or bans on psilocybin services.

Authorities in 27 Oregon counties and 114 cities and towns asked voters to con sider two-year moratoriums or bans. Among the latter, only two — Phoenix in Jackson County and Wheeler in Tillamook County — autho rized psilocybin services.

Nevertheless, most of Oregon’s most populous counties and cities have cleared the way for psilocy bin production by authorized facilities. Supporters of psilo cybin services say that therapy with the hallucinogen will be locally available to nearly 3 million Oregon residents beginning in 2023. In all, 17 of Oregon’s 20 most populous cities are allowing psilocybin services along with 11 Oregon counties.

But in a call with report ers after the election, Measure 109 supporters said much work remains to ensure access to psilocybin services throughout the state, espe cially in rural areas. The advo cates said education is a key to breaking down resistance.

Sam Chapman of the Healing Advocacy Fund, a nonprofit organization work ing to roll out psilocybin ser vices throughout the state, said that if people track the research into the hallucinogen and begin to hear “stories of healing right here in Oregon,” they’ll begin to understand the potential benefits of psilocybin.

The measure made Oregon the first state to legalize its use, though voters in Colorado also approved the use of psilo cybin on November 8. In both states, it will be restricted to state-licensed facilities with trained counselors administer ing the drug.

Oregon’s law does not cre ate a market for psilocybin, and possession, consumption

The people behind SPRD – Peggy Tehan

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Peggy Tehan has lived in Sisters for over 38 years, and she raised her children here. Tehan is currently serving as the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) board president. She has been serving on the board for over 12 years, taking over the director position from John Bushnell. She worked as board treasurer before serving as president this year.

“I help out with the finan cial statement and auditing process and being available for staff questions regarding the board or organization,” said Tehan.

Tehan’s role on the board is her way of giving back to her community.

“People here set the bar high for volunteering and being involved in the com munity, and my parents did it, and I want to be an active part of the community,” said Tehan.

SPRD started out as SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation) with a group of community members pro viding after-school care and activities for youth. It then morphed into a formal parks

and recreation district, pro viding options for adults and community members for clubs, activities, and youth programs.

“The biggest thing we want to continue develop ing is being an asset to com munity in any way we can,” said Tehan.

Tehan acts as sort of a facilitator for helping things move forward with the District.

“I try and be realistic and prioritize availability for needs and fill in primary positions,” she said.

Tehan has felt and reaped the benefits of living in Sisters, raising her own fam ily in the unique community.

Tehan worked most of her life as an accountant and she continues to maintain a limited accounting practice for nonprofits.

“Everyone needs an accountant. I retired a couple years ago but I still do some work and have been able to get through trying situations and able to bring that experi ence to the board,” she said.

Tehan teaches the begin ner ukulele class at SPRD for students.

“It’s fun to use a different skill set,” she said.

Tehan and the board are currently working on

bringing the District out of restrictions they had dur ing COVID, by bringing more adult programs back and continuing to work on

special events put on by the District.

To learn more about SPRD programs visit www. sistersrecreation.com.

Peggy Tehan has served on the board of directors for Sisters Park & Recreation District for over a decade.

PHOTO BY CEILI GATLEY

Cele ation of Life You are invited to celebrate Luke on Saturday, November 19, 2022 at e Belfr y in Sisters , f rom 12 to 2 p.m. Please join us to remember Luke.

ree Sisters Lio n’s Club 11th Annual Holiday Faire Great selection of handmade items f rom local vendors

High quality! Unique gif ts! Free admission! Open daily November 25th to December 17th. 311 E . Cascade in Sisters (Old Antler Arts building).

Monday through Friday, 10 a .m. until 5 p.m., S aturday 10 a .m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday 11 a .m. until 4 p.m

Weekly Food Pantr y e Wellhouse Church will have a weekly food pantr y on ursdays at 4:30 p.m. (222 N Trinit y Way) Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Call 541-549-4184 for information

Sisters Hig h Deser t Chor ale Concerts e Sisters High Desert Chorale will usher in the Sisters holiday season with t wo f ree Christmas concerts. “ e Glory of Christmas” introduces the season in a beautif ul way with both newer and traditional songs . Concerts will be performe d December 2 at 7 p.m . and December 4 at 2:30 at the Sisters Community Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. Come, enjoy, and celebrate the glory of the season with us . Call 541 588- 0362 for more information

Sisters Holiday Showcase Auditions

East Por tal Open House

e Cit y will be hosting an open house at Sisters Cit y Council Chambers on Wednesday, November 16 , 4 -7 p.m. for the communit y to give feedback on concept plans for the East Portal site. Par ticipants will see three concepts , connect with Cit y sta and the project team, and share input. Call 541-323-5220 for more information

Chocolate Bar Fundraiser Sisters High School Band is selling World’s Finest Chocolate bars for $1 each. e band is raising money to support the program’s expenses . Buy chocolate bars directly f rom any band student or stop by e Nugget lobby. Payment can be by cash or check (made out to Sisters High School Band) Questions? 541-977-8 494.

Sisters Community ank sgiving Dinner

All are invited to come together and share a f ree holiday meal at the ninth annual Community ank sgiving Dinner, ursday, November 24, 12-4 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy

BBR RFPD Meeting Date Change e regularly scheduled board meeting for November has moved to ursday, November 17 due to the ank sgiving holiday. Questions? Call 541-595-2288

Volunteer For Community ank sgiving Dinner

Interested in volunteering with the Community ank sgiving Dinner this year? Contact volunteer coordinator Kimberly Finney at 541-788-2929. Texting is preferred

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 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. is is a f ree family-caregiver support group featuring local organiz ations For more information call 541-548-30 49

Fre e Weekly Meal Ser vice Family Kitchen is hosting a weekly to-go hot meal ser vice on Tuesdays f rom 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. For info: www.FamilyKitchen .org

On ursday, December 8 , the SHS Jaz z Choir will host the eighth annual Sisters Holiday Showcase. is showcase will be a f un, f amily-friendly holiday variet y show. We are looking for all t ypes of talents (adults and students) — the more unique the better. Live auditions will occur in the high school choir room on Tuesday, November 29, f rom 6 to 8 p.m. Please email rick .johnson@ssd6.org for an audition time or to send video auditions (submit by November 29). For more information call 541-549-4045 ext. 5826. Benefit Concer t for Seed to Table Young violinists Nicolas and Ezra Oncken invite the Sisters communit y to a benefit concert. ey will be accompanied by Nathalie Fortin on piano. It will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 20 at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration It is a f ree, family-friendly event However, donations will be welcome to support the work of Seed to Table based in Sisters A reception with refreshments will follow after the concert. Come to support a wonderf ul local nonprofit organiz ation and listen to pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn, Tom Myron, and many more. 541-550 -0283

Fre e Lunches For Seniors e Council on Aging of Central Oregon is ser ving seniors (60+) f ree lunches on Tuesdays , Wednesdays, and ursdays at the Sisters Communit y Church located at 130 0 McKenzie Hwy., Sisters . e Tuesday meal is sit down from 11 a .m. to 1 p.m . and also o ers activities and information about health, communit y resources , and nutrition. On Wednesdays and ursdays lunche s are o ered drive-through style, f rom 12:30 p.m . to 1 p.m. and seniors can drive through the parking lot to pick up a meal on those days . Come on by; no need to make a reser vation. For more information call 541-678-5483

Humane Societ y of Central Ore gon 541-382-3537

, f

Sisters Cold Weather Shelter Winter Meals Sisters Cold Weather Shelter is unable to o er overnight shelter this year. ey will be o ering hot meals t wice a week at the following locations December through February : Mondays 2-4 p.m. at Wellhouse Church , 222 N Trinit y Way ; ursdays 2-4 p.m . at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hw y. For more info email sisterscoldweathershelter@ gmail.com

Parkinson’s Suppor t Group Are you a person experiencing Parkinson’s disease (PD) or a care partner/f amily member desiring to better support your loved one with PD? We invite you to join our support group to experience friendship, shared experiences , and a better underst anding of PD. Please join us the second ursday of the month 1-2:30 p.m . at the Sisters Library, 110 N . Cedar St. Sisters . For more information contact C arol Pfeil, program coordinator of Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, 541-6 68-6599 or carol@parkinsonsresources.or

DUCKIE

Since her arrival Ducky enjoys ‘zoomies’ in the play yard, is happy to be with her handler, and is ready for that f un-loving, adventurou s home that will provide her with much-needed training. Ducky is a total love bug who curls up to you, begging with those big brown eyes for another exciting activit y, along with treats of course!

Ducky will be a great dog for an active home that can continue her socializ ation with all the beautiful thing s this world has to o er.

Baha’i

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 • 8 a .m. Monday-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

Sisters

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

.com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave before 5 p.m.

Science series to return to Sisters

After being derailed by the pandemic, “Frontiers in Science,” the popular lec ture series presented by the Sisters Science Club, will return to The Belfry next spring.

Neuroscience and genet ics will be the topics for the February and April events, featuring two accomplished researchers and teachers.

On Tuesday, February 21, Dr. Mark Pitzer of the University of Portland will focus on how to help our brains learn and retain new knowledge. Dr. Pitzer’s lec ture is the perfect preface to April’s presentation on the DNA mutations that define and defy species adapta tions, explained by Dr. Sarah Schaack of Reed College.

The Sisters Science Club, founded in 2011, supports science education in local schools as well as present ing public lectures for the community. The Frontiers in Science lectures were suspended in the spring of 2020; following the upcom ing February and April lec tures, the monthly series is expected to return in the fall for 2023-24.

“Thanks to our donors and supporters, our lectures are coming back to The Belfry,” said Cal Allen, one of the Club’s founders and current vice president of the nonprofit’s governing board. “It’s wonderful to be able to bring these great speak ers to Sisters again and fill The Belfry with friends and neighbors who share a love of science.”

For more information on the activities of the Sisters Science Club, contact scienceinsisters@gmail.com or call 541-912-0750.

Concert will benefit Sisters farm

A concert from a pair of young Sisters violinists will help feed folks in Sisters and educate others about agriculture.

Nicolas and Ezra Oncke are inviting the Sisters com munity to a benefit con cert, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 20, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters.

The concert is a free, family-friendly event. However, donations will be welcome to support the work of Seed to Table, based in Sisters. A reception with refreshments will follow after the concert.

The violinists will be accompanied by Nathalie Fortin on piano. They will perform pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn, Tom Myron, and many more.

The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration is located at 121 Brooks Camp Rd. in Sisters.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

NOVEMBER 17

NOVEMBER 18

MONDAY

NOVEMBER 21

NOVEMBER 25

NOVEMBER 26

Obituaries

Robert “Bo” Neal passed away surrounded by fam ily and close friends at St. Charles on Monday, November 7.

Born May 8, 1951, in Silverton, Oregon, Bo was raised in the country around Stayton and Scio, part of a large extended family. He graduated from Regis High in Stayton and received a baseball scholarship to Treasure Valley Community College. Following that, he attended University of Oregon, again on a baseball scholarship, where he was a catcher. Graduating in 1973, he went on to play for the Portland Mavericks, then the Dodgers organization in Bakersfield, California. A bad knee ended his baseball career.

He married college sweetheart Jill Haney, and went to work for Columbia Helicopter, then moved on to Simpson Timber Company before embark ing on a successful career as a general contractor in the Olympia, Washington area. He built everything from waterfront homes to medical

clinics to recording stu dios, and enjoyed the various challenges.

Eventually moving to Central Oregon, he continued his contract ing. When the eco nomic downturn struck, he and his brother Jim got a falling contract for the U.S. Forest Service, and spent sev eral years on the forest fires as cutters.

Later, his “kind-of retirement” was doing a few remodels and cutting trees on Black Butte Ranch.

Besides being a character, he was always ready to help anyone in need — pulling people’s cars out of ditches, snowplowing driveways, jump-starting cars, and any small chores needed. Sometimes people would “pay” by leaving beer or cookies on the doorstep. He loved that.

Hunting, fishing, and the outdoors were his passions, as well as playing with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Jill; children John Neal and wife, Ashley, of Sisters, Christy Montermini

of Olympia, Brian Neal of Henry Island (San Juans); as well as grandchildren Leo, Abram, Will, and Emerson Montermini, and Henry, Gwen, and Tristan Neal.

We will miss him ter ribly, but he left a legacy of love, and we know that Heaven has received a very special person.

Funeral mass will be held at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church on Friday, November 25, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, dona tions can be made to Food for the Poor in his name.

Debra Sue Van Cleave passed away after a long battle of dementia at the age of 71.

Debra was born in Spokane, Washington to Gordon and Dorothy Holmdahl on September 26, 1951. The family moved to Flaxville, Montana then they moved to The Dalles, Oregon, and Portland, before settling in SalemKeizer area.

Debra graduated from McNary High School in 1969. Debra worked a few jobs before she started her career at ODOT; she worked 30 years, retiring in 2012. Debra met the love of her life, Duane Van Cleave, in 2006. They married in 2012 and moved to Sisters, where she enjoyed the outdoors.

Debra loved to read and travel. Her favorite thing to do was to take a drive in their 1954 Ford F100 to go get their mochas.

Debra is preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Dorothy Holmdahl; brothers Rick Holmdahl, Jeff Holmdahl; and great-grandson, Bentley Tucker. Debra is survived by

husband Duane Van Cleave; brothers Mike (Marsha) Holmdahl; sons Brent Holmdahl, Jason Holmdahl, Chad (Leslie) Savage; step daughters Shelly (Rich) Duncan, Shannon (Cory) Ziglinski; grandkids Bailey Savage, Justin (Eugenia) Van Cleave, Jordyn (Blake) Tucker, Matt (Samantha) Duncan, and Brian Duncan; great-grandkids Jacob, Brooklynn, Alex, Jesse, Tyler, and Zoey, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of life will be at a later date in Salem.

Robert “Bo” Neal

Debra Sue Van Cleave

September 26, 1951 — November 8, 2022

CENSUS: Folks in Sisters are well-educated

percent are under age 5.

By far the largest percent age, 27.2, claim German in their ancestry; English 12.9 percent; Irish, 8.2 percent; and Italian, 6.3 percent. In Oregon 15.2 percent of those counted speak a language other than English, and in Sisters that number is 8.4 percent.

Of all the newcomers in Oregon between the 2010 and 2020 Census, 3.2 percent moved from another state. In Sisters it was 4.9 percent. Sisters is home for many vet erans — 8.4 percent versus 7.7 percent for Oregon as a whole.

And while the median (half below and half above) income for Sisters is a comfortable $75,662, 12 percent of us live in poverty officially; 5.4 per cent lack health care.

Folks here are well edu cated, with 42 percent hav ing a bachelor’s degree or higher, while statewide that number is 36.3 percent. Here in town 13.3 percent of every body over 25 has a gradu ate or professional degree. Some 53.1 percent of work ers are employed by private forms. 29.1 percent are selfemployed in incorporated on unincorporated businesses, showing a strong “gig” econ omy. Federal, state, and local workers make up 10.4 percent of the employed.

Of those working, 18.5 percent work at home and 4.4 percent walk to work. The average commute time to work is 26.6 minutes, four more than the Oregon average.

Workers in education, health care, and social ser vices are 21 percent of the work force. Those employed in arts, entertainment, and recreation make up 13 percent of workers as do retail trade workers. Forestry, agricul ture, mining, and construction account for 14.4 percent of workers, and 3.9 percent are in manufacturing.

Rent and housing costs

The median monthly rent in Sisters is $1,209, just $73 less than all of Oregon. Just over 73 percent of us own our homes, 10 points higher than Oregon. Houses valued at $200,000 to $299,999 make up 20 percent of the hous ing pool. Those $300,000 to $499,999 comprise 33.7 per cent, and houses $500,000 to $999,999 are the majority at 42.5 percent.

Some 319 housing units are not occupied full-time or at all. Turnover is high, with 13.4 percent of renters having moved to Sisters since 2019, although that number is 29.7 percent statewide. Homes are somewhat smaller and match the demographics. The per centage of homes with four or more bedrooms is 13.4 per cent, a full six points lower than Oregon.

Health

We’re in pretty good shape, as only 1.1 percent have inde pendent living difficulty, and 2.8 percent having self-care difficulty. Overall Sisters has fewer disabled folks when compared to Oregon in total.

In 2019, women ages 20-34 in Sisters gave birth to 29 children. The average fam ily size is 2.6; 2.99 statewide.

Household makeup

Exactly two-thirds of Sisters’ households are occu pied by a married couple. Six percent are occupied by a male householder and 21.2 percent by a female house holder. Over 17 percent of adults in Sisters have never been married and 10.9 percent of us are divorced.

All of the above is from the 2020 Census. Current popula tion estimates for Sisters put the number at 3,270, show ing a dramatic 6.72 percent growth since the onset of COVID-19. We are growing at a 3.25 percent annual rate, which if unaltered would put us on pace for a population of 4,219 by 2030.

The Census Bureau does not have a published count yet for all of zip code 97759 but in preliminary data it closely mirrors the city of Sisters in median age, income, educa tion, and household makeup.

PSILOCYBIN: Treatment may benefit PTSD and other conditions

and manufacturing of the drug outside licensed facili ties will remain illegal.

Backers such as Drew Snyder, a veteran and a mental-health counselor in Jackson County, say psilo cybin could aid thousands of Oregonians with mental health conditions who have not been helped by other therapies.

Snyder, who was also on the call, said he served for more than six years in the Army and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress dis order at the end of his service.

Department of Veterans Affairs doctors “were doing their best to treat me and providing therapy for me,” Snyder said, prescribing what he called “a grocery bag of medications,” including “medications to treat the side effects of the medications that I was on.”

After learning about psi locybin, he researched it and became intrigued enough to try the hallucinogen. It worked, he said: “It has just been so incredibly healing for me that I knew I had to bring these services to other veterans and to other people experiencing trauma and depression.”

A survey earlier this year by the Oregon Health Authority found that nearly 4,200 people among about 4,400 who responded were interested in seeking treat ment for their well-being.

Researchers in Maryland at Johns Hopkins University, which has led psilocybin research in the U.S., have found the drug to be effective against PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Also known as magic mushrooms, psilocybin has long been used recreationally in the U.S. but it comes from Indigenous cultures who’ve used it in sacred ceremonies for hundreds of thousands of years. It comes from certain

types of mushrooms that are indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the U.S. Only one species, which is also one of the best known – Psilocybe cubensis – will be allowed under rules pro posed by the Oregon Health Authority.

Officials in the cities and counties that referred bans and moratoriums to their voters did so for a variety of reasons.

Some said they thought it best to wait two years to see how the program rolls out statewide before allowing psilocybin services in their community.

Some county offi cials, such as Linn County Commissioner Roger Nyquist, have said they have little faith in the Oregon Health Authority’s ability to estab lish the rules that are guiding the rollout of the program.

Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang had lamented the decision by his colleagues to refer a ban to voters in his county, even though they approved Measure 109 – and in Tuesday’s election rejected

the proposed ban by an even wider margin. Chang, who was also on this week’s call with psilocybin sup porters, said the Deschutes County ballot measure was “a significant waste of tax payer resources and people’s attention.”

Cities and counties that have cleared the way for psi locybin services now must develop local ordinances to govern details such as where the hallucinogen can be pro duced and where and when it can be administered to patients. Chang noted that a first draft of these rules in Deschutes County would have severely limited the locations where psilocybin services could be accessed:

“I am hopeful that my fellow commissioners, after seeing the results of the opt-out bal lot measure, will understand that the people in Deschutes County want access to these services, but I can’t guarantee that is going to be the case,” he said.

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

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

With prices rising for just about everything, when it comes to utility bills in homes and businesses, efficiency is more impor tant than ever. Working in construction, GreenSavers owner and Sisters resident Robert Hamerly saw that need firsthand while install ing cost-effective machinery and insulation in new builds. The benefits of construction standards and heat pump systems were undeniable and because of that, 15 years ago, Hamerly launched his com pany, GreenSavers, to install current technology into exist ing Central Oregon homes. Upgrading to leading-edge technology has made a dif ference for his clients.

Hamerly says he’s been working in construction for most of his life. When he was attending business school, he worked construction dur ing holidays and summers to help pay for school and gen erate spending money.

“GreenSavers was born out of the housing reces sion of 2007 and 2008,” he said. “I was partnered with a green builder, and a lot of the technologies we were excited about like spray foam insulation, heat pumps, and really tight envelopes were being applied in new construction. Then we saw the new construction market falling off a cliff. The ques tion was how to take all these cool technologies and apply them to existing buildings. That’s what led us down this path, with heat pumps as our expertise.”

Hamerly lives with his wife and children east of the Sisters airport.

“We built our home here five years ago. We have three kids in the school district, two in middle school and one at the elementary school. We love the close-knit feeling living here,” said Hamerly

from his office in Bend.

GreenSavers has cur rent and past clients in Crossroads, Timber Creek, Black Butte Ranch, Coyote Springs, and the surrounding Sisters Country, and they’re ready for more.

Over the years, Hamerly has stayed true to GreenSavers’ core concepts of insulating homes, air seal ing them, putting in highly efficient heat pumps and water heaters and space heat ing equipment.

“We offer experience with mechanical systems that improve efficiency in homes. Technology has come such a long way in the last twenty years. Prior to that a lot of people needed pro pane for backup; heat pumps didn’t work very well under 30 degrees or so. Now, heat pumps we install can do full capacity to -17 degrees and still operate efficiently. They are way more applicable to Central Oregon’s climate than they were 10 to 20 years ago and work in all weather conditions. A home’s cost of operation versus cadet heaters or an electric fur nace is about one-third the cost. We’re putting systems in people’s homes that are having significant energy savings. Past the energy sav ings, one of the cool things about these systems is you get efficient air condition ing as well. Each year, we’re setting records with how many hot days we’re having and how early in the season the triple digits are coming. It’s becoming a necessity to have air conditioning,” said Hamerly.

GreenSavers is the big gest Mitsubishi heat pump dealer in Oregon.

“Propane had its place, but it’s connected to com modity pricing on the world marketplace, so when some thing happens in Ukraine the price of your propane goes up,” said Hamerly. “That’s one of our main differences

seeks

from our competitors; we focus on heat pump technol ogy and have fully adapted it and encourage it while a lot of other HVAC companies are still doing fossil fuels systems.”

Like most industries, there have been some supply chain issues, but Hamerly says most GreenSavers cli ents are doing planned prod uct replacements as opposed to emergencies.

“During COVID, things did get a couple of months out; now those timelines are starting to reduce. If it’s a breakdown or forced replace ment, we have the ability to shift our install schedules, or limp along a customer’s current system, or we can deploy auxiliary heaters,” said Hamerly.

To keep machinery run ning at top efficiency, GreenSavers offers a bian nual home performance plan.

“We find as technol ogy gets more sophisticated maintenance becomes even more important. If you forgo maintenance the effi ciency will suffer. The heat pump technology has such a significant impact on the cost of operation; they’re so much cheaper to operate. Customers see that in their lowering utility bills. We also can pull rebates from the utilities that sweeten the pot for our customers,” said Hamerly.

The Hamerly family and GreenSavers are fully invested in Sisters Country.

“We want to be good par ticipants in the community,” Hamerly said. “GreenSavers sponsored a baseball team last year and will do it again next year. We’re going to be here for good. We recreate here and hang out at Hoodoo in the winter and Peterson Ridge in the summer. This is

our spot.”

For more information about GreenSavers or to set up a complimentary con sultation, there’s an online scheduling calendar on their website: https://GreenSavers. com, or call 541-330-8767.

The company is also hir ing and offers living wage career opportunities both inside the office and in the field.

Robert Hamerly, founder of GreenSavers, and his family at Hoodoo.

PHOTO PROVIDED

A Thanksgiving activity placemat to keep curious fingers out of the pie before the big meal!

A Thanksgiving activity placemat to keep curious fingers out of the pie before the big meal!

Cities seek to control camping amid growing homeless crisis

By Claire Rush Associated Press/Report for America

PORTLAND (AP) — The tents proliferating on side walks in downtown and resi dential neighborhoods across Portland, Oregon, are fueling a debate that’s playing out in cities nationwide as the home lessness crisis in the U.S. explodes: Should camping be banned anywhere except in sanctioned sites?

Republican-led states including Texas and Missouri have passed laws in the past couple years prohibiting street camping while divert ing money from affordable housing projects to short-term shelter solutions.

Now, after decades of struggling to tackle home lessness, some progressive West Coast cities are consid ering similar plans. Portland City Council members voted Thursday to create at least three large, designated camp sites and ban the rest of the roughly 700 encampments currently scattered across the city. More than 3,000 peo ple are living without shel ter in Portland, a 50% jump from 2019, according to the proposal.

“People on the streets deserve our compassion. They need our understand ing, and many of them need our help to get off and stay off the streets,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said after the vote. “It is my personal view that these resolutions take an important step forward for the city of Portland to be able to do just that.”

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty was the sole council member that voted against the resolution.

“I hear and share the anxi ety and frustration commu nity members feel around

the city about the houseless crisis. And I’m committed to continue to work to solve the problem,“ she said. “But say ing we will magically wave a wand in 18 months and there will be no more street camp ing is not real.”

Opponents have said the camping restrictions effec tively criminalize homeless ness and fail to address its root causes.

“As visible homeless ness has increased, there is also an increase in pressure from the public and from others for elected officials and other folks in positions of authority to address that issue,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “What’s starting to happen is that the way to immediately address an issue that is at its core an affordable housing problem is to try and remove people from public view.”

Portland’s soaring home lessness has become a top concern for the vast majority of residents and has prompted legal action. A group of peo ple with disabilities has sued the city over tents blocking sidewalks and making them inaccessible.

Portland’s proposal would establish at least three des ignated sites where camping would be allowed, with an ini tial capacity to serve about 150 people each. They would have 24-hour management and pro vide access to services such as food, hygiene, litter collec tion, and treatment for mental health and substance abuse.

Outreach workers would direct people living on the street to the designated camp ing sites. Those who refuse could be cited, but the cita tions could be waived if the person takes part in a diver sion program that would

require mental health or sub stance abuse treatment in lieu of jail time.

Dozens of people showed up Thursday to provide com ment to the City Council in a heated meeting.

Randy Humphreys said he was homeless for 11 years and that he waited five years for an opening in an affordable housing complex. Housed for the past year, he came to the meeting to oppose the mea sure and said large, sanctioned campsites could be dangerous.

“There are gonna be fights. There could be shootings. There could be disasters wait ing to happen if you stick 500 people in one area,“ he said. “It’s unethical.”

But Monica Cory, who described her neighborhood as being taken over by tents, broken down RVs, litter, and drugs, said she was “enthusi astic” about the measure.

“Anyone in recovery will tell you that you have to hit rock bottom before you can get better. But there is no rock bottom in my neighborhood, where people can live wher ever they want without conse quences or behavioral expec tations,” she said.

Denver, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, have also

passed ordinances both ban ning public camping and allowing sanctioned camp sites. Denver has opened sev eral “safe outdoor spaces” since 2020 where tents, food, and other services are provided. In Austin, the Esperanza community is a sanctioned encampment that serves about 150 people and is currently constructing 200 individual shelter units.

The Cicero Institute, which wrote the model legislation that inspired many of the recent camping ban policies, says creating specific areas where camping is permitted can be a faster solution for cities compared to building affordable housing.

“One of the biggest prob lems that sanctioned camp ing is trying to address is just the unbelievable difficulty of getting more shovels in the ground to get shelter or other sorts or services avail able for the homeless,” said Judge Glock, the group’s senior director of policy and research.

“The answer can’t possibly be for these cities, wait two or three decades and we’re going to build enough per manent housing. In the mean time, we’re going to see tens

of thousands of people die out on the streets,” Glock said.

But many homeless advo cates say that a “housing first” approach is the only way to address the underlying factors that cause homelessness.

“Rounding people up with nowhere else to go is not only cruel and impractical, but forcing them into giant camps cannot possibly be a cultur ally competent or equitable situation,” Mark Guzman, founder of the food non profit MealsonUsPDX, said at a contentious Portland City Council meeting last week.

“If you truly want to end homelessness, the only way forward is with housing first,” said Guzman, who said he previously experienced home lessness himself. “People need love, compassion, and resources to escape a situation of homelessness.”

VETERANS: School ceremonies are a Sisters tradition

Continued from page 3

North Bend, Oregon, which is why he ended up landing in Oregon. Schroeder has lived in Sisters for the past 15 years. His speech was a poem titled “What Is a Veteran?”

The assembly wrapped up with the “Missing Man Table,” which is a table set

DRUG BUST: CODE Team conducted investigation

Continued from page 1

complaints, CODE detectives identified Weston as a fen tanyl trafficker in the Sisters area. The initial investigation alleges Weston imported fen tanyl pills from the Portland area into Central Oregon, where he distributes them.

After an overnight surveil lance operation in the Portland area, CODE Detectives applied for, obtained, and executed a search warrant. At approximately 9:30 a.m., Weston was contacted during a traffic stop on Highway 20 west, near milepost 96, while driving a 2021 Dodge Ram pick-up towing a dump trailer.

Dectives from CODE and DCSO gathered and seized a commercial quantity of fake pharmaceutical tablets made of fentanyl, and a separate package of methamphet amine. At the same time, it was also determined that Weston was driving under the influence of a controlled substance, Sgt. Vander Kamp reported.

A “commercial quantity” is defined by statute as five grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl or any substituted derivative of fentanyl as defined by the rules of the Oregon Board of Pharmacy. Law enforcement notes that this is not a separate criminal charge, but denotes an increase in the sentencing guidelines.

The greater Portland area is a central transshipment hub

to honor those who are either Missing in Action (MIA) or a Prisoner of War (POW).

Students had read about this tradition for honoring POWs and MIAs. The table is set for one, to represent Americans who were or are missing from each of the five branches.

The table is round to show everlasting concern, with white cloth symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.

Students played out the many elements of the traditional

BY JERRY BALDOCK

honoring service. There was then a moment of silence for all those who are POW/MIA.

ASG students finished the assembly by thanking and honoring the veterans in attendance. Students at Sisters Middle School honored veter ans later that day.

and we begin to lose appre ciation for the freedom we value so much. We can also respect our veterans by offer ing support for charities that are helping sick, wounded, and homeless veterans.

I can bring the morning salute to our veterans back to our school system by stand ing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before the first class starts in the morning.

I believe this is important to keep my generation remem bering and honoring our country, and what our flag stands for. I can stand up to those who dishonor the flag, and stand with the people who fought hard to protect all

that it stands for.

There are many opportuni ties to volunteer and support our veterans. I pledge to lead others my age in spending time with our veterans and listening to their stories, and experiences about their time in service. One practical way I can do that is by seeking veterans in my community, and buying them a cup of cof fee, and listening to their life stories and time in service.

In conclusion, I pledge to be a leader among my peers by standing up for what I believe. By bringing back the morning Pledge of Allegiance in our schools, and by con necting with veterans in my community. Through these things, I make my pledge to our veterans.

Davis’ essay will be for warded to VFW District 10 Commander for District competition.

where illegal drugs from the southwest border are stored in local warehouses, storage units, and residential proper ties, according to law enforce ment. The bulk shipments of drugs are usually broken down into smaller quantities and transported to other states or distributed to local deal ers. In addition, the Portland area has an international air port, interstate highways, and bus and train lines that make it easy for shipments to be smuggled to other des tinations around the Pacific Northwest.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 107,000 people have died due to a drug overdose or poison ing in the U.S.

In a press release, Sgt. Vander Kamp stated: “Criminal drug networks in Mexico are mass-producing illicit fentanyl and fake pills pressed with fentanyl in filthy, clandestine, unregulated labs. These fake pills are designed to look like real prescription pills based on size, shape, color, and stamping. These fake pills typically replicate real prescription opioid medi cations such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).

Weston was lodged in the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Jail on the following criminal charges:

• DUII - Drugs.

• Unlawful Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Fentanyl).

• Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

AD VERTISING in The Nugget WORKS!

“ e Nugget Newspaper is hands down the best value for advertising in the S isters area. W hen I was starting my law practice here in Sisters, I went with the recommendations from other locals to ‘Put an ad in e Nugget!’ is turned out to be the best advice I could have received. I saw immediate new business as a result of my advertising, and I continue to be amaz ed at how many people, when asked, heard about my ser vices from my Nugget ad.

“My par tnership with e Nugget has become the cornerstone of my marketing plan in the S isters area, and I encourage anyone wanting to reach the local population and grow their business to give serious thought to advertising in our local paper. I guarantee you will see results!

“We are so fortunate to have a local newspaper that delivers valuable information and is so well utiliz ed by the area’s businesses. W hen I am in need of a ser vice, I always look to e Nugget ads rst. W ho needs the internet when we have e Nugget?!” — John H. Myers

PHOTO

The SHS jazz band and choir performed during Veterans Day events at Sisters High School on November 9.

ESSAY: Winner was awarded $400 prize for work

Nurses Association pushes for stricter hospital staffing law

By Ben Botkin Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Nurses Association is pushing for minimum standards that establish how many nurses hospitals need to operate and meet patients’ needs effectively.

The union, which rep resents 15,000 nurses, on Wednesday released details of legislation it plans to pursue in the 2023 session. Oregon already has a law that requires hospitals and nurses to develop staffing plans to best meet the needs of patients.

But the union says the existing law needs a stronger enforcement mechanism and steep fines to hold hospitals accountable when they try to skirt staffing requirements. Staffing standards ultimately are about patients, including their level of medical atten tion and other care they get such as prompt meals and help to the restroom.

The push for better hos pital staffing comes after a two-year pandemic burned out many nurses who endured in understaffed hospitals where the quality of care deteriorated.

“We live with the terrible consequences of unsafe staff ing levels every single day,” Tamie Cline, a registered nurse and president of the Oregon Nurses Association’s board of directors, said in a press conference. “We are forced to pick up extra shifts and work longer hours without rest or meal breaks. Managers assign us unman ageable and unsafe numbers

of patients. We leave work feeling exhausted, physically and emotionally, because we are just not able to deliver the quality of care that our patients, and our communi ties, deserve.”

Hospitals have faced nurs ing shortages for more than two years that have affected patient care, nurses have told the Capital Chronicle. Sometimes the consequences have been dire, with patients dying because of a lack of staff, Patrick Allen, Oregon Health Authority director, told a legislative committee in September.

The trade group that rep resents hospitals, the Oregon Association of Hospital and Health Systems, has said more needs to be done. But it opposes the proposal and warned it threatens access to patient care and is punitive for struggling hospitals.

“Rather than preserv ing access to quality health care for Oregon patients, the union’s proposal focuses on new ways to punish com munity hospitals based on questionable standards, while increasing costs,” Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, said in a statement. “Under the union’s proposal, community hospitals will have no choice but to reduce access to services if they are unable to hire enough staff, which is very likely given the severe staffing shortage.”

Proposal Details

The proposal, backed by Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland and chair of the Interim House

Health Care Committee and a former nurses association lobbyist, would set minimum figures for how many nurses should be on different types of hospital units.

From there, nurses and hospital management would set staffing standards based on factors unique to each hospital, such as the acuity of patients and experience of nurses on staff.

The proposal includes:

• The Oregon Health Authority would be required to enforce staffing plans and could levy fines of up to $10,000 a day. The authority didn’t respond to a request for comment.

• Unions and individual employees could sue hospi tals in court for violations.

• Staffing plans would require nurses to have ade quate meal and rest breaks.

• Minimum staffing stan dards in the law would set a floor for hospitals. But hos pitals and staff would still be expected to collaborate on a plan that looks beyond the minimum standards. For example, an intensive care unit would have at least one nurse for one or two patients, depending on the patient’s conditions.

Allison Seymour, a reg istered nurse in Salem and secretary of the Oregon Nurses Association, said the improvements would encourage people to return to nursing who, like her, suf fered when workloads were unsustainable.

“I carried the guilt of delays in care and missed care,” Seymour said. “I would

go home wondering if my patients were going to survive the night. Unsafe workloads made me feel my license was in jeopardy. I developed over whelming anxiety trying to juggle an unsafe workload, trying to care for everyone at once with the care they deserve.”

The nurses union said the shortage of nurses is about retention amid poor working conditions — not the actual number of licensed nurses in Oregon.

The number of licensed registered nurses in Oregon increased from nearly 63,000 in January 2019 to 80,000 in September, an increase of more than 17,000, accord ing to the Oregon Board of Nursing licensing data.

Those figures only reflect licensed nurses in all situa tions, not all those employed. Licensing figures also reflect other factors, such as nurses who keep their license and move to another state or retire and only work part-time.

Still, the rise demonstrates that turnover is at the root of the problem, union officials said.

“Everyone must remember that hospitals are the authors of this crisis due to turnover; we know nurses are leaving the bedside at record rates because they are unwilling to work in unsafe and unsup portive environments,” said Matt Calzia, director of nurs ing practice and professional development for the Oregon Nurses Association. “Fix the working environment, and you fix turnover.”

Calzia noted that the

level of increase is equal to the union’s 15,000-worker membership.

The nurses union said an increase in staffing will improve patient outcomes, help them avoid life-threat ening complications, and reduce expensive turnover for hospitals.

Hultberg, with the hos pitals association, said the group will propose other solu tions to address the workforce needs and benefit patients.

In September, the Legislature’s Emergency Board approved a $40 mil lion request from the health authority and the state Department of Human Services for hospitals that coordinate care in Oregon’s six hospital regions, clini cal staff to coordinate patient transfers, and money to hire 50 more contract nurses. That money is only a temporary fix and state officials say a perma nent solution is necessary so hospitals have adequate staff ing and the capacity to treat patients at all levels of care.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, cour tesy of https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

Sisters salutes…

COUNCIL:

“All of these issues pres ent challenges, but they are not insurmountable. It takes community involvement, careful examination of issues by City staff and Council, and support from our civic partners and local busi nesses,” he explained.

Preedin, with 1,093 votes for 26 percent, said he ran for reelection to “finish up a few of the bigger projects that I helped start.”

Preedin also looks for ward to the development of the East Portal mobility hub as well as working to get a new multifamily workforce housing rental project going. He sees the need for continu ing economic development work occurring.

“It is also important to me to help bridge the gap between our previous city manager and the new one, who will be hired over the next months. A continuity of leadership and informa tion to share with the new city manager is critical in my mind,” he said.

— Susan Cobb

and supported her and for the organizations that provided candidate forums during the election.

• The Barn was honored with a Building a Better Central Oregon (BBCO) award for Outstanding Community Enhancement by the Central Oregon Association of Realtors.

The BBCO award rec ognizes those who have enhanced their community with outstanding new or ren ovated residential, commer cial, or industrial buildings. Projects are judged on eco nomic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design or use of materials

Coldwell Banker Bain nominated the food cart court and tap house that has become a favorite dining spot and gathering place for people in Sisters. The awards were presented last month at an event at The Riverhouse in Bend.

• Joan Ramey wrote:

A belated, but heartfelt thank-you to my Sisters Family Care Clinic.

Thank you to the best work family ever. I loved working and laughing with you every day.

Thank you to all the patients I met along the way; I’m grateful for the friend ships I made. And thank you all for putting up with my flock of flamingos!

I miss you all.

The Highway 20/Locust roundabout is fully funded, in final design with ODOT, and due to start construc tion next fall. Upgrades to Barclay Drive to create an optimal alternate route around downtown are in the works. The new destination management organization Explore Sisters will be up and running in early 2023.

“Both of these big-ticket projects will greatly help to maintain the livability of Sisters, even as we grow, by reducing traffic in the down town core and marketing tourism in ways to spread tourists even more into the shoulder seasons and win ter,” Preedin said.

Susan Cobb, who received 1,026 votes or 24 percent, is pleased to have been elected.

“It is an honor to have this opportunity to serve the city of Sisters,” she said. I sincerely thank those who voted for me; for their con fidence that I will be a fair representative of the people of Sisters. I look forward to working with and for the people of Sisters to assure our city continues to be safe, viable, and sustainable. I am also looking forward to get ting to know the competent team of people working in City Hall and learning from and working with the other councilors.”

Cobb expressed apprecia tion for those who endorsed

Sarah McDougall, with 914 votes or 22 percent, came in fourth in the threeposition race. She enjoyed the experience of running for office.

“My favorite part of run ning was connecting with many Sisters neighbors and talking about concerns in our community,” she said. “People have missed face-toface discussions, which had decreased due to technology, and then further declined during the pandemic. I love living in Sisters and will con tinue engaging in the com munity in other ways and will consider running again in 2024.”

The Sisters proposed City Charter amend ments, Measure 9-147, was approved with 1,371 yes votes, or 74 percent, to 474 no votes, or 26 percent.

CITY

Three were elected to Sisters government body

Daniel St. Lawrence of The Barn at Sisters with Building a Better Central Oregon Committee Member Patti LeBlanc of Coldwell Banker Bain.

PHOTO PROVIDED

I look forward to working with and for the people of Sisters to assure our city continues to be safe, viable, and sustainable.

Sisters Country birds

By Douglas Beall Correspondent

One of our smaller and most tenacious owls, the Northern Pygmy Owl [Glaucidium Gnoma] , hunts during the day. Large insects, rodents, and song birds make up the major ity of their diet. Pygmies are found in habitat rang ing from deciduous woods to high-elevation fir and spruce forests. Nesting in tree cavities, the Northern Pygmy Owl will lay two to seven white eggs and wait until all eggs are laid before beginning incubation. After fledging, the adults will continue feeding their owl ets for 30 to 34 days.

At this time, the adult male will leave the area and the youngsters are able to hunt for their own prey. In fact, these fledglings have been observed hunting only nine days after leaving the nest.

Northern Pygmys are active during the daylight and rely on their sense of sight to hunt and will cache uneaten prey and eat it later. This is especially important for this small, high-energy species, which must eat

frequently. Because of this use of sight, they did not develop the good hearing, silent flight, and exceptional night vision that nocturnal owls use in their search for prey.

A group of owls are referred to as a “glaring,” a “parliament,” a “bazaar,” a “stooping,” or a “wisdom” of owls.

For more Pygmy Owl photos visit abirdsings becauseithasasong.com/ recent-journeys.

forms, but you know it when you see it. It could be men showing up every day for hard and exhausting work or a politician who respects the will of the people and concedes a hard loss. I sure hope dignity is making a comeback.

Stella Dean

s s s

Reckless development

To the Editor:

I, along with everybody I know, strongly oppose the reckless pace of development in Sisters.

The level of growth we’re witnessing degrades the quality of life, the safety of resi dents, and the very nature of Sisters. It vio lates the will of the citizens and indicates no respect for the Sisters Vision process, thus making a mockery of citizen involvement in local decision-making. There seems to be little concern from city officials on the cumu lative effects and swelling tide of unpleasant consequences rising from unchecked growth. Sisters does not have the infrastructure for the increased traffic, the increased need for medical care, the demands on water supplies, or evacuation in case of a deadly fire.

I urge the City to reject the entire Sunset Meadows proposal outright. This would send a strong message of respect and understand ing to the community and could set a new precedent for consideration of human needs over the business opportunities of developers.

Planning commission members say they are constrained by state land-use laws to approve all these development proposals. If a law threatens to ruin a town, then the

responsible thing to do is to challenge that law. I urge the City to show some courage in defying the “growth at all costs” mental ity currently on display. I urge the City to go through the necessary procedures to adopt a moratorium on construction of housing devel opments. I believe there is ample evidence of the detrimental effects of these ongoing proj ects in our town.

Sisters will never be able to accommodate all the people who would like to live here. No matter how many new residents are added, there will be multitudes more who will feel “left out.” To continue on the current path will be a constant erosion to the livability of Sisters.

Susanna DeFazio s s s

Density in Sisters

To the Editor: Hello! Is anyone listening?

I’m sure that a great deal of effort has gone into the City’s attempt to grapple with Sisters’ housing dilemma. But I wonder whether any of our decision makers were lis tening to the hopes and wishes of the major ity of respondents to the Sisters Country Visioning Process or the overwhelming oppo sition to the proposed dense development called Sunset Meadows. As some folks have observed, the name might be more apt for a cemetery, representing the death of Sisters, as we know it.

Clearly, the majority of Sisters’ residents want to preserve the qualities and character that make Sisters unique. Ours is a small town in a magnificent setting with a charming Western-style downtown. Preserving these

Northern Pygmy Owl.

PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BEALL

Lori Chavez-DeRemer wins 5th District

By Lynne Terry and Julia Shumway Oregon Capital Chronicle

Lori Chavez-DeRemer has won Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, becoming the state’s second Republican in Congress and its first Latina.

On Sunday, the Associated Press announced that the for mer mayor of Happy Valley had won the race against Democrat Jamie-McLeodSkinner, an attorney and regional emergency manager from Central Oregon. The call followed a Saturday night drop of about 23,000 ballots from Clackamas County, which widened ChavezDeRemer’s lead to about 6,500 votes.

On Friday, after The Oregonian/OregonLive called the race for Chavez-DeRemer, she declared victory.

“I am humbled and grate ful for the outpouring of sup port we received throughout this campaign,” she said in a statement. “From the sub urbs of Clackamas, down to rural Linn and Marion coun ties, and over to the Cascades to Central Oregon, one thing was clear to me: Oregonians wanted commonsense solu tions to their everyday prob lems. Families needed a con gresswoman to tackle infla tion, keep us safe, and focus on what’s best for Oregon families.”

McLeod-Skinner con ceded the race later Sunday, saying in a statement that she had spoken to ChavezDeRemer and wished her well representing Oregon’s 5th District.

“Our success as Oregonians is dependent on the success of our elected leaders, and I encourage all of us to help our elected leaders bridge our divides to address our common challenges,” McLeod-Skinner said in a statement. “I am grateful for those who worked so hard on our campaign — our team, our volunteers, our partners — and everyone who con tributed to our efforts to work toward a better tomorrow for Oregonians. It is your com mitment that gives me hope for our future. We must all stay engaged in working towards that future where all Oregonians can thrive. That’s what I will continue to do, and I hope you will join me.”

A statement from the pro gressive Working Families Party, which supported McLeod-Skinner, was less gracious.

“This seat could have made the majority, but the national Democratic PACs walked away and left Jamie to twist in the wind. The GOP knew it was competitive and

their spending showed it,” Rob Duffey, national com munications director for the Working Families Party, said in a statement.

The House Majority PAC, a committee controlled by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, gave up on the race in October, shifting close to $500,000 intended for ads in the 5th District to the 6th District, where Democratic state lawmaker Andrea Salinas, who is also Latina, has a lead of about 4,000 votes over Republican logistics consultant Mike Erickson. The Associated Press has not yet called that race.

Chavez-DeRemer noted that her victory was “his toric.” Kurt Schrader, a mod erate Democrat, has repre sented the district for seven terms, but in May he lost the primary to McLeod-Skinner, a progressive.

McLeod-Skinner won in both Clackamas and Deschutes counties, but Chavez-DeRemer’s lopsided margin of victory in rural Linn County, home to about 18 percent of the district’s voters, proved key to her victory.

Chavez-DeRemer’s win adds another seat to the Republican goal of hav ing a majority in the U.S. House. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, visited Oregon in August to stump in part for Chavez-DeRemer.

The chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Tom Emmer, congratulated ChavezDeRemer on Sunday on her win.

“Lori ran an excellent campaign focused on the issues that matter most to Oregon families, and I know she will do a fantastic job in Washington,” Emmer said in a statement.

Her victory will mean that Oregon will be represented in Congress by two Republicans. Republican Cliff Bentz easily won his reelection bid in the 2nd Congressional District spanning eastern Oregon.

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

By Jacqueline E. Mathews,

I am humbled and grateful for the outpouring of support we received throughout this campaign.

— Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Sometimes the cold weather leaves us wanting to stay inside or close to home for the holidays.

The Nugget encourages you to participate in LET’S EAT, an at-the-ready reference guide to encourage locals and visitors to dine or shop with you.

The Nugget supports our restaurants, coffeehouses, and grocers and wants you to thrive during the winter season!

Locals and visitors will be looking for takeout and delivery options, as well as where to make reservations for dining or private events. We encourage restaurants to create a limited menu featuring 10 items of their most popular items that can fit in an eighth-page ad size, or an expanded menu in a quarter-page size, along with winter hours and reservation information. If you are a grocery or quick shop, you will want to feature popular take-home goods and services, as a reminder that you will be fully stocked whatever the needs might be.

LET’S EAT will be a pull-out section inside The Nugget on December 7, reaching every household in the Sisters School District, and on stands around town for visitors here for the holidays or ski vacations. LET’S EAT will be available online at NuggetNews.com, Facebook, and at issuu.com/nuggetnewspaper,

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.

DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication.

PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.

C L A S S I F I E D S

205 Garage & Estate Sales

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

In-town, gated, 24-7 Kris@earthwoodhomes.com

103 Residential Rentals

STUDIO APT. FOR RENT WEEKLY

Above garage, with view. Utilities included. $925/mo. Call 541-420-9801

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 CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes.

CascadeHomeRentals.com

104

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

www.SistersVacation.com

Downtown Vacation Rental Five star. 1 and 2 bedroom.

SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

201 For Sale

Set of two twin beds for sale. Excellent cond. Beautiful wood headboards and footboards. Incl. mattresses, box springs, bed frames, bedding, comforters. Sisters area pickup. Avail. Nov. 21 to Nov. 28. $150 each. Call 503-708-9492

202 Firewood

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD • SINCE 1976 • Doug Fir – Lodgepole – Juniper DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES – 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com Order Online! 541-410-4509

VIEW OUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE! every Tuesday afternoon NuggetNews.com

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!

Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806

Sharie 541-771-1150

North Empire Storage Center, 63048 NE Lower Meadow Dr., Bend, Oregon, 97701. County of Deschutes, State of Oregonis holding an AUCTION to enforce liens imposed on personal property under the Oregon Self-Storage Facilities Act on Friday, Nov. 18th at 10 a.m. Purchased items sold as is, where is, must be paid for immediately in cash, and all items removed within 24 hours of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party.

301 Vehicles

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

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

302 Recreational Vehicles

2018 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP Motor Home. Original owners, excellent condition, ready to roll wherever your spirit leads. For complete details and photos, see our Private Seller ad on-line at RVtrader.com asking $ 298,000 OBO. Serious inquiries only please. 541-797-9759

SISTERS OREGON GUIDE Pick up a copy at 442 E Main Ave. Published by The Nugget

401 Horses

Give the gift of understandinghorse communication, care, & handling. All skill levels. $40 hr. Our horses or yours. Bend Horse Talk 541-639-9309

403 Pets

FURRY FRIENDS helping Sisters families w/pets. FREE Dog & Cat Food No contact pick-up by appt. 412 E. Main Ave., Ste. 4 541-797-4023

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

MOVING TRUCK FOR HIRE –COMPLETE MOVING, LLC–Sisters' Only Local Moving Co.! Two exp. men with 25+ years comm. moving. Refs! ODOT Lic. Class 1-B • Call 541-678-3332

~ WEDDINGS BY KARLY ~ Happy to perform virtual or in-person weddings. Custom Wedding Ceremonies 20+ years • 541-410-4412 revkarly@gmail.com

BOOKKEEPING SERVICE

~ Olivia Spencer ~ Expert Local Bookkeeping! Phone: 541-241-4907 www.spencerbookkeeping.com

Tree Service & Forestry

TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT

TREE SERVICES: tree removal, trimming, stump grinding, brush mowing, Firewise compliance.

— Certified Arborist — Nate Goodwin 541-771-4825 Online at: www.tsi.services CCB#190496 • ISA #PN7987A

LOLO TREE WORKS

Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services.

ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638 Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912

4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts!

– TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –

Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.

– FOREST MANAGEMENT –

Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!

Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342 4brostrees.com Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057

Factory Trained Technicians Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553

SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC. General Contractor Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74 A “Hands-On” Builder Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016 To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523

Pat Burke

LOCALLY OWNED

CRAFTSMAN BUILT

CCB: 288388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com

Construction & Renovation Custom Residential Projects All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448

CONTRACTOR LICENSING

An active license means your contractor is bonded and insured. For additional details visit www.oregon.gov/CCB

Beaver Creek Log Homes LLC

541-390-1206

beavercreeklog@yahoo.com Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc.

CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication • Recycled fir and pine beams • Mantles and accent timbers • Sawmill/woodshop services www.earthwoodhomes.com

Lic. Bond. Ins.

C L A S S I F I E D S

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

– All You Need Maintenance –

Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, gutters. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com

All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling and SNOW REMOVAL Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

City of Sisters Utility Technician I

Full-time, benefits, 40 hours per week (shifts may vary and/or include weekend work) compensation depending on experience. Duties will include all aspects of the Public Works Department. This includes working with water, sewer, streets, parks, vehicle/building maintenance. Knowledge and ability to operate back hoe, dump truck, snow plow, street sweeper and various other public works related equipment is preferred.

Custom Homes

Concrete Foundations Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

Residential Building Projects Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-549-9764

John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com

Lara’s Construction LLC.

CCB#223701

Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation. CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462

From design to installation we can do it all! Pavers, water features, irrigation systems, sod, plants, trees etc. 541-771-9441 LCB #8906 bendorganiclandscaping.com

Special requirements/licenses: Minimum of Oregon CDL Class B, current State of Oregon Water Distribution Level I, Wastewater Collection System Level I certifications and Flagger/Work Zone Traffic control card. Possession of or required to obtain within 1 year of appointment. City of Sisters is a drug and alcohol free work place and an equal opportunity employer. Salary Scale is grade 17 and the compensation ranges from $18.63-$27.75 per hour. The proposed starting salary is based upon qualifications, skills, and experience. Application and detailed job description are available at City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Ave., or at www.ci.sisters.or.us

902 Personals

Thank

999 Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to swoodford@ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Scott Woodford, Community Development Director at 541-323-5211 or swoodford@ 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: November 17, 2022 at 5:30 pm

FILE #: TA 22-04

APPLICANT: City of Sisters REQUEST: Text amendment to Sisters Development Code (SDC) to support the recommendations of the Sisters Housing Plan and Efficiency Measures Report, including to Chapter 2.3, MultiFamily Residential District to increase allowed residential density and building heights and remove the floor area ratio requirement, to add Zoning Incentives for affordable housing, to Section 2.4 to allow

Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345

701 Domestic Services

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897 I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051

802 Help Wanted

Full-Time Resource Sales Associate

We are looking for a person who is friendly, outgoing, and reliable; someone who enjoys working with the public in a team environment. Full-time position Monday-Friday. Applications available at the Stitchin’ Post, 311 West Cascade Ave. in Sisters or by email: diane.j@stitchinpost.com

Questions? Contact: julie@stitchinpost.com

Dog Kennel Help Needed Looking for reliable help at professional dog breeder/kennel. Duties include cleaning, sanitizing kennels, poopy pickup, cleaning grounds, feeding, grooming and exercising dogs. Hours flexible. Reliable, detail minded, organized. Professional and helpful customer service attitude. Reliable transportation a must! Call/Text 541-771-2330

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on November 17, 2022 at 5:30 PM regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the City 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,

Residential Only development in the parts of the Downtown Commercial Zone, and to Section 1.3.100, Table 2.2.2, and Table 2.3.2 to Facilitate Middle Housing Types and to Chapter 3.6 to add Middle Housing design standards.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA: SDC Chapter 2.15 – Special Provisions; Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures; Chapter 4.7 – Land Use District Map and Text Amendments; Oregon Statewide Land Use Goals; and City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan.

you, St. Jude, for prayers answered.

C L A S S I F I E D S

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters City Council will conduct a public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on November 30, 2022 at 5:00 PM regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the City 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 swoodford@ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Scott Woodford, Community Development Director at 541-323-5211 or swoodford@ 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: November 17, 2022 at 5:00 pm FILE #: TA 22-04

APPLICANT: City of Sisters REQUEST: Text amendment to Sisters Development Code (SDC) to support the recommendations of the Sisters Housing Plan and Efficiency Measures Report, including to Chapter 2.3, Multi-Family Residential District to increase allowed residential density and building heights and remove the floor area ratio requirement, to add Zoning Incentives for affordable housing, to Section 2.4 to allow Residential Only development in the parts of the Downtown Commercial Zone, and to Section 1.3.100, Table 2.2.2, and Table 2.3.2 to Facilitate Middle Housing Types and to Chapter 3.6 to add Middle Housing design standards.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

SDC Chapter 2.15 – Special Provisions; Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures; Chapter 4.7 – Land Use District Map and Text Amendments; Oregon Statewide Land Use Goals; and City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan.

T H E N U G G E T

N E W S P A P E R

C L A S S I F I E D S!! They're at NuggetNews.com ~ Uploaded every Tuesday afternoon at no extra charge! Call 541-549-9941 Deadline for classified is Monday by

Sisters grad is a loan officer with Guild Mortgage

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

Brennan Layne has deep roots in Sisters. Soon, he and his wife, Megan, will be welcoming the fourth gen eration to their family. Layne graduated from Sisters High School in 2012. He appreci ated his childhood experi ence so much that he moved his growing family back to Central Oregon, where he has taken up a practice as a loan officer with Guild Mortgage.

“I’m a third-generation Sisters person who really understands the community, and the market. My greatgrandfather bought the third house at Black Butte Ranch. My wife and I will be wel coming our first child soon. I was born at St. Charles, and so will our baby,” said Layne.

Layne left for six years while going to Gonzaga University and then working in Spokane. He came back, not just because his family is here, but because he wanted to be in this area and raise a family here.

“I couldn’t imagine doing it any other place, even if my mom and dad didn’t live right down the road,” he said.

Guild Mortgage was a perfect fit for Layne’s grow ing career.

“I’ve been with Guild for over three years. I’m a loan officer in the Bend branch. We are individual loan offi cers, but it’s really one big family. Growing up in Sisters, with my grandparents and parents still living in Sisters,

I’d love to have more clients in Sisters Country. I run into old friends from Sisters all the time, so it makes sense to work with them too,” he said.

Layne appreciates Guild Mortgage’s long and suc cessful track record in the industry and 61 years in busi ness. Layne is proud of the fact that his company is the number-one purchase lender in Oregon.

“It’s a really good brand. We say it’s not about that 30-day transaction, but the 30-year loan,” said Layne. “We sell mortgages, and help customers manage them. I show them how the initial loan can grow to make more money down the line; like if they take out their equity and

buy a rental property. It’s all about managing the mort gage long-term and making it as valuable as possible over time. We take care of people from their first home to their last. You can use your equity to do amazing things. It can open a lot of doors for people.”

One of the favorite parts of Layne’s job is building relationships with people and discovering the best loan pos sible for them.

“It’s cool meeting new people. Every single person and transaction is a puzzle. No two loans are the same. The challenges are fun,” said Layne.

Business has slowed down due to the economy. Layne is

adapting to that change and finding the benefits of being more of a presence outside of the office.

When he’s not working, Layne is an avid skier. He’s looking forward to skiing with family and friends this season.

“I love skiing in Central Oregon, from night skiing at Hoodoo or heading up to Bachelor,” he said. “I grew up skiing at Hoodoo; that’s where I put the skis and board on for the first time and where my parents would drop me off in fifth grade and then someone’s parents would pick me up… that’s where it all began. I taught my wife how to ski.”

During the summer, Brennan and Megan love hanging out at Billy Chinook.

“It’s a great time. We wait in line with all the other cra zies,” he said, laughing.

With so many Sisters “kids” returning to Central Oregon, Layne is making all kinds of connections with former classmates.

“My friends are buying houses now; I’d love to work with them and their parents,” Layne said. “A lot of my friends are in business and it’s fun to work with them. We’re all in different industries; all here trying to make a living and growing our families.”

To reach out to Brennan Layne email him at blayne@ guildmortgage.net. His office with Guild Mortgage is located in Bend at 397 SW Upper Terrace Dr., Suite 150, Bend, OR 97702.

Megan and Brennan Layne with Hans and Boris. The Sisters native has returned to work as a local loan officer with Guild Mortgage.

PHOTO PROVIDED

side-out. She has a great serve and frustrates the other team often.”

Hannah Fendall, Mia Monaghan, and Bailey Robertson all earned SecondTeam All-League honors.

Fendall ran the offense for the Outlaws as their main set ter. She accrued 298 assists, 74 digs, and 22 aces over the course of league play.

“Hannah is our emotional leader and motivator,” stated Rush. “Her energy is infec tious. She is competitive on the floor and makes those around her feel the same. She runs our offense well and makes her hitters look good. Her hard work and determi nation has established her as one of the best players in our league.”

Monaghan (junior) played at libero for the Outlaws and had 156 digs, 22 aces, and a 2.10 serve-receive rating.

“Mia has an incredible knack for reading the floor,” said Rush. “She can antici pate and read the ball, putting herself right where we need her to anchor our passing on the floor. She has a wicked serve down the line, and causes frustration for many opponents.”

Robertson (junior and cap tain) played in the middle and netted 112 kills, 40 blocks, 68 digs, and 19 aces.

“Bailey is a force in the middle,” said Rush. “She plays high above the net and creates so much energy for our team in big moments with crucial blocks. She provides a quick offense out of the mid dle, but is also very versatile

from hitting anywhere on the floor. She is always encour aging of her teammates, and they rely on her positive atti tude and infectious cheering on the floor.”

Sophomore Kathryn Scholl, who plays as a right side hitter, rounded out the All-League picks. Scholl had 56 kills and 22 blocks in league play.

“Kathryn really came out of her shell this year, and has established herself as a major threat on the right side, not only as a hitter, but as a blocker,” said Rush. “She has a great connection with her setter and has become the perfect outlet when teams are focusing on other hitters. She can hit the ball with great force and we are excited to watch her continue to grow over the next couple of years.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team,” said Rush. “While we recognize these six girls, we wouldn’t have had the journey we did with out each and every girl on this team. We strived to work together and achieve the goals we set early on in our season. Our success is a tribute to the countless hours they spent off and on the court pushing to be better athletes and teammates. This is a special group, and I have loved having the honor to be part of their journey.”

special qualities is certainly necessary as we embark on a stepped-up effort to promote Sisters as a sustainable tourist destination.

We all understand that it is also desirable to have affordable housing nearby for folks who work in Sisters. But we must avoid end ing up with the kind of sterile tenement proj ects found in larger urban areas. What most of us have demonstrated again and again is that we are opposed to high-density develop ment with little or no open space.

Why not encourage developers to seek land outside the confines of our little town? The remaining available land within our borders is very expensive, thus raising the costs for any builder. Developments on less expensive property could allow for more affordable housing. And, with more room to spread out, that housing could be made truly livable.

Amending our Development Code to allow tiny lots and higher buildings would result in the loss of the very qualities that make Sisters special without ever really providing afford able housing for those in lower income.

To destroy the special ambiance of our town would be akin to killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

While I agree that we need to find a way to provide affordable housing for our cur rent workforce, I also asked myself, “Do we really need to plan for ‘future growth’?”

Are we not already as big as we need to be? Do we really want to become anywhere U.S.A.?

The planning commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting and an opportunity to provide testimony will also be available on Zoom. Meeting information, including the Zoom link and the Planning Commission packet, can be found at www. ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.

Suzanne Pepin s s s

No homeless camp at park

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my extreme dis pleasure with the idea of allowing a winter

homeless encampment at Creekside Park in Sisters!

Creekside Park is a “gateway” coming into the city of Sisters and a beautiful testa ment to our lovely community. The park is surrounded by homes and used daily by chil dren on the play structure. There are often folks walking their dogs and relaxing in the park.

Creekside is used extensively by the elementary school children (the elementary school is across the road), which I assume could be a serious liability!

Yes, I own a home directly across the street. Yes, I am sympathetic to people on tough times that need assistance. However, I do not think this is the answer.

I worked two jobs for seven years in order to be able to purchase my home for my family.

A homeless encampment will decimate my property value!

I have two daughters and I am a sin gle mom. I do not want the eyesore of an “encampment,” but also the crime, drug use, mental health issues, the list goes on and it is long.

It is my opinion that this is a horrible idea! Do I have the answer? No, but it is not to put the unhoused in our beautiful city park that is used by the community, surrounded by homes, and a crown in the jewel of the city of Sisters!

This idea is closer to a reality than I realized.

If you have an opinion one way or the other, you should make your voice heard immediately.

Please send your thoughts to the county commissioners (patti.adair@deschutes.org, tony.debone@deschutes.org, phil.chang@ deschutes.org) and Sisters City Council (citycouncil@ci.sisters.or.us).

Jennifer McCrystal

Editor’s note: The suggestion that Creekside Campground might be used for a winter shelter was broached at the forum “Houseless in Sisters” in October. For more information see https://nug getnews.com/Content/Business/Business/ Article/Could-City-park-shelter-homeless/7/88/32688?s=1.

VOLLEYBALL: Team had an outstanding season on the hardwood

proud of our team. While we recognize these six girls, we wouldn’t have had the journey we did without each and every girl on this team.

— Coach Rory Rush

but the right kind of tread to move through standing water, snow, ice, slush.

There are many variables here to consider: two-wheel, all-wheel, front-wheel, rearwheel, four-wheel drive, and whether they will be installed on a pickup, sedan, or van; and your type of driving — around town, highway or over “The Pass.” On these points, best to consult your tire professional on what will give you the best overall handling, safety, and gas mileage.

The only strong opinion we’ve found is that tires labeled “all season” are fine “as long as one of those seasons doesn’t include snow!”

Still, they may be fine for local trips as long as you understand the limitations of the design. Four-wheel or all-wheel drive may provide superior traction. However, know that, on ice, all vehicles can lose control and slide. If anything, four-wheel- or allwheel-drive vehicles may lead to overconfidence.

• As you leave your driveway, find out how your vehicle will respond to road conditions. This is done by a brake test at speeds of less than 15 mph. Make sure no one is behind you when you do your brake test, lest you discover your neighbor giving you a love tap as they failed to assess the braking conditions. Do this whenever conditions change, which could be as simple as moving from sunny, wet pavement, to shady, icy patches. Go slow. Brake early before stop signs and curves to make sure you maintain positive control and can safely stop in time. This also goes for accelerating. Are you cutting it close as you pull out in front of another car, only to have your wheels spinning at high RPM, yet your car barely moving, as the car you pulled out in front of is now madly braking, heading right for you?

Have options. If you are slowing to make a turn and can sense your car is not decelerating enough to safely make the turn without losing control, then abort the turn and go straight ahead until you can safely decelerate

and turn. You may have to warn others with your horn you are not going to do as your blinker indicates. As the defensive driver, you should never pull out until you know for sure the other car is going to make a successful turn.

The failure in going ahead with a turn when you don’t have 100 percent control over the speed or path of your car may have you sliding into an empty lane, or worse, into a car waiting there.

One technique in snowy, or icy road conditions is to decelerate safely as you creep your car onto a small snow berm on the shoulder where traction may be better and give you more control in decelerating.

If you lose control on a turn in town and find yourself sliding toward a curb, despite your wheels being cocked over all the way, it might be best to quickly straighten your wheels and take the curb straight on. Even at very slow speeds, with wheels turned and sliding, hitting a curb may bust an axle, making your car undrivable. Hitting a curb straight on may deflate a tire or possibly knock your wheels out of alignment, which is considerably cheaper than having to replace a broken axle.

• For the novice winter driver, ice is the biggest fear, and it should be approached with utmost caution. However, having the proper traction tires, or devices (chains), and awareness (through a deft touch of the steering wheel) of how well your tires are gripping the road surface will go a long way to keeping you out of trouble.

That said, slush can potentially be the most dangerous.

Driving into a mound of the thick, wet stuff will definitely get your attention. In a split second that slush will take you and your car in a direction you hadn’t planned on going.

Stay calm, take your foot

off the gas, and steer slowly and deliberately out of the slush. Be ready when your car breaks loose of slush’s grip and gets traction. You may discover the force you applied to steer your car back on track has caused a dangerous condition known as oversteer. This is an all too common reaction when a driver is surprised by loss of control and puts in way too much correction, potentially sending the vehicle from one lossof-control state to another.

• Overdriving the conditions is the number-one sin committed by those who are involved in weather-related accidents.

The speed sign says 45mph, but the “basic rule” determined by road conditions may be much slower. Beyond overdriving the conditions and risking a slide into the ditch or another car, you can be ticketed by law enforcement if they simply observe you driving too fast for the conditions, and certainly if you hit another vehicle or damage property.

Following too close in compromised road conditions is another thing drivers do far too often. At highway speeds (55mph), your car is covering 80 feet/second. On average, it takes one second for your mind to take in the visual cue that brake lights just came on in the car in front of you, and another half-second to take appropriate action by determining how quickly you are closing the distance to the other vehicle and applying the correct amount of brake force. Too much, you might skid and lose control. Not enough, and you end up in a rear-end crash. As you may know, the driver behind, who failed to maintain control at any speed, will be considered at fault. That vehicle in front of you may have way better traction tires, so take that consideration to heart and give that vehicle another second or two of following distance. That extra second may make

the difference between a safe arrival or making excuses to a deputy, and your insurance company about why you couldn’t spare an extra second.

• Drive ahead as far as possible. If all you see is the vehicle in front of you, and not the vehicles ahead of them, or vehicles behind you, or turning onto your path, you are blinding yourself to the unfolding possibility of a very dynamic collision that could have been prevented by paying attention to as much of the big picture as you can take in. If you feel a car is following way too closely behind given the conditions, simply pull off (when safe) let them by, and then say a prayer for whomever they get behind next.

Following a large truck too close eliminates your visual information by over half. You have absolutely no idea what may be unfolding in front of that truck. A lightly weighted truck has more rubber, hence more friction on the road, and can stop in less time and space than you can. So increase your awareness by backing off and taking in more of the visual information that extra space provides.

• The best practice for winter driving may be using your imagination. Do you have a solution for any possible scenario that may unfold in front of you? Can you adjust your driving so that every possibility will have a solution, short of a Sasquatch in a pink tutu jumping in front of your vehicle? (Yeah, that would be tough one.)

• Practice won’t make you a perfect driver, however it will improve your skills and confidence in inclement conditions. Often the best place to practice is an empty parking lot covered in the white stuff. Here you can practice braking, steering, accelerating, and recovering from a slide. It will increase skills and confidence and possibly save you from a wreck. Besides, it’s also kind of fun.

Deschutes County offers an excellent and affordable skid-car driving course. Unfortunately, they are still sorting through the COVID backlog, and it may not be available to the public again until next fall.

It is up to you to assess your skills, your vehicle, and to combine experience, knowledge, and training to keep yourself and other drivers safe this winter season.

Assess your skills and vehicle, then combine experience, knowledge, and training to keep yourself and others safe this winter season.