The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLV No. 49 // 2022-12-07

and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Debate over winter camping site continues

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

Despite no proposal brought to the City for win ter camping at Creekside Campground, and a number of barriers to using the camp ground for such purposes, emails and rumors have con tinued to circulate regarding use of the facility for a winter camp for homeless people.

Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang thinks the spot would make a good location for “safe park ing,” a program in place in other areas of the county. He acknowledged, however, that the park is a City of Sisters facility and decisions about

Right:

Sisters man arrested in string of thefts

Noah Kirshner of Sisters has been arrested — yet again — in connection with a series of vehicle break-ins in the local area. Kirshner, 23, has been arrested repeatedly over a period of years in con nection with similar thefts.

The most current arrest occurred on Tuesday,

November 29, after a con cerned citizen made a report to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office regarding possible stolen property that might be connected to a string of thefts in the neigh borhood of Squaw Creek

Winter range closures take effect

As of December 1, four winter range closures are in effect across Deschutes National Forest, to pro vide critical habitat for deer and elk. Areas including the Metolius Winter Range and Tumalo Winter Range in Sisters Country are now closed to motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles and electric bicycles).

The winter wildlife clo sures will last through March

31, 2023.

The public can visit the following links to view maps of the closure:

• Metolius Winter Range Map (fs.usda.gov/Internet/ FSE_DOCUMENTS/ fseprd526507.pdf).

• Tumalo Winter Range Map (fs.usda.gov/Internet/ FSE_DOCUMENTS/ fseprd526509.pdf).

Ugly Sweaters for the kids...

Tree poaching on the rise in forest

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Tree thieves increase in numbers and are more bra zen as we enter firewood season, and as a cord of wood is selling for $275 to $295 in Sisters Country. And that may or may not be split and/or delivered. It might just be rounds you pick up.

As the price for propane rises, homeowners are turn ing to Mother Nature more frequently to heat their dwellings, or at least par tially so. In Central Oregon a cord of firewood (128 cubic feet; typically a pile eight feet long by four feet wide by four feet high) is up about 25 percent from a year ago, which itself was up double digits from 2020.

Where better to get your wood than the Deschutes National Forest, including, perhaps, a stop in Sisters for a bit of shopping. And it’s free. Up to eight cords per season per household for personal use. That’s just about what it takes to heat

a three-bedroom home for a winter.

The Sisters District Ranger’s office issues per mits for about 3,000 cords annually. That might only be half or less of the wood taken, however, as poachers

help themselves to trees. And not just any trees — legacy trees that are hundreds of years old. Trees far in excess of the size limit (24 inches in diameter) and, lately, live trees.

Tree poachers have been systematically felling large trees in Sisters Country.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

More than 400 participants, in over-the-top holiday wear, turned out for the second annual Ugly Sweater Run on Saturday, December 3. The event, sponsored by Run Sisters Run, is a benefit for the Circle of Friends program. Seestory,page4.

Santa came down to lead the runners off to a cheerful start.

PHOTOS BY JERRY BALDOCK

OPINION

Letters to the Editor…

On buying local

To the Editor:

Most of Sisters and Sisters Country residents know all about buying local. We know that it stimulates our local economy and allows sustainability of our local busi nesses and services through the months when tourism is low. Besides the laudable stores, shops, restaurants, galleries, and venues, we also have a great movie house, Sisters Movie House. I would like to give a shout out to our local movie house. I am a consummate mov iegoer. I am not one who is knowledgeable

about actors, producers, or even names of movies. My sister is a great source for such information, current or past. We go to the movies for the big screen and good popcorn or grilled cheese sandwiches, to be enter tained, to learn something, and/or to be awed while we nosh. Entertained? Go see “The Menu," (a spoof on why one would pay $1000-plus for a meal). Learn something? See “Devotion,” (based on true story about a notorious U.S. Black aviator). Be awed? Go see “Avatar: The Way of Water,” coming

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. See LETTERS on page 27

Sisters Weather Forecast

The Nugget Newspaper, LLC

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

Sunset Meadows project should be redesigned

By Cathy Russell Guest Columnist

Change is inevitable but the proposed Sunset Meadows development is not a well-thought-out development. The proposal does not promote quality of life, mitigate the efforts of growth, or maintain the unique community charac ter of Sisters. Four of the five key themes/priorities garnered through commu nity input in the developing of Sisters’ Comprehensive Plan.

The proposal does not meet the following goals stated in the Comprehensive Plan:

Goal 3: “Encourage growth to strike a balance between urban scale devel opment and preserving the history, natural beauty, and character of the commu nity.” The proposal is an urban scale development. It does not belong at the beginning of a designated scenic byway. It does abso lutely nothing to enhance or preserve the natural beauty of the area.

Goal 4: “Maintain and enhance the livability of Sisters as a welcoming com munity with a high quality of life and a strong commu nity identity.”

This proposal does not encourage community. There are no gathering areas for proposed community members.

Policy 4.1.1:“The City shall recognize and con serve the environment and natural resources that enhance the community’s identity, including open spaces, natural landscap ing, outdoor recreation areas, historic structures, and architectural styles, and public art.”

There are no open spaces within this proposal.

Goal 5: “Meet the hous ing needs of current and future residents, as well as the region’s private and public sector employers by creating opportunities for development of a wide range of housing for all ages and income levels, includ ing housing that is safe and high quality and that includes design features and transitions that contribute to compatibility with existing neighborhoods.”

According to data in the Comprehensive Plan, based

on the 1,100 needed units, 66 percent single family detached, 10 percent single family attached, 11 percent duplex, triplex, and 11 per cent multifamily units will be needed.

Sunset Meadows, as presented, will provide 13 percent single family detached, 28 percent sin gle family attached, zero duplex, triplex, and 59 per cent multifamily units. This proposal does not meet the actual housing needs of the community.

Goal 6.1: “Protect, con serve, and enhance the quality of the city’s natural and scenic resources, main tain the quality of its air, land, and wildlife habitat, and improve community health.”

This project basi cally clear-cuts 13 acres with a sparse buffer along Highway 242, a scenic byway, and one of the best views of the icon of Sisters.

Goal 7.1: “Plan, develop, maintain, and enhance rec reation opportunities, scenic views, and open spaces to meet the needs of commu nity members and enhance their physical and mental health.”

The need for parks has been identified in several City documents. There are no parks on the west side of town. This proposal dumps hundreds more people on the west side of town, which is underserved. Postagestamp parks do not meet the needs for families and indi viduals seeking an outdoor experience.

This proposal will have a negative impact on the com munity. Sometimes preserv ing a community is far more important than maximizing development.

Redesign this project to reflect the goals stated in the Comprehensive Plan.

Redesign it with respect and thoughtfulness to the natural beauty of the area and the citizens of Sisters.

Change is inevitable. Ugliness is not.

Views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.

Kick up your shoes — SNOWSHOES, THAT IS

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

It returns. That white, powdery pleasure substance. Snow. The Sisters kind, gen erally light and fluffy and again in abundance at higher elevations. And not that high, actually. Last week saw the arrival of a second wave of snow, the first from early November.

It only takes 8-10 inches for folks to head for the snoparks and strap into their snowshoes. Snowshoeing is wildly popular in Oregon, and Sisters Country shoers are right in the thick of it. For lots of reasons.

Thad and Lorie Peters, new to Sisters, are in their 80s and have been life long alpine skiers. “Our ski days are numbered,” Thad said. “But while our knees may not be what they once were for a full day of downhill, we can go hours on our snowshoes.”

Lorie loves the solitude.

“The quiet is spiritual,”

she said. “There’s a calm, a peacefulness, that you can’t match when snowshoeing.”

“It’s kind of like ballet, not for everybody,” said Lillian Michaelson, 86, who comes to Camp Sherman three times a year in the winter from Eugene for her snowshoeing base camp.

“I feel like I’m dancing,” said the one-time ice skater, who competed on ice “many, many years ago.”

A casual census of snow shoers striking out from Ray Benson Sno-Park adjacent the Santiam Pass, and oth ers starting at Three Creeks Sno-Park, backs up the Peters’ and Michaelson’s opinion that snowshoeing is a perfect outdoor activity for super-agers. The term refers to people in their 70s and 80s who have the men tal or physical capability of their decades-younger counterparts.

Snowshoeing can be strenuous and on average burns about 500 calories an hour; 250 on snowpack and

800 on hilly terrain. Only two percent of snowshoers are over 65, based on indus try statistics. In Oregon, however, that number is thought to be higher by a factor of four or five, given the overall health condition of Oregonians in general, according to Rolf Gander from Government Camp, who outfits and guides older shoers around Mt. Hood National Forest.

Snowshoeing is an ideal family activity.

“It’s way less money,” said Cassie Tyler of Redmond, who with hus band, Monty, bring her four children, ages 4 to 11, to the Sisters Country Cascades a half dozen times a year.

“We can snowshoe for a fraction of the cost of ski ing, even at Hoodoo where it’s much less costly than Bachelor,” Monty Tyler said.

The Tylers spent less than $800 to outfit the entire fam ily in what they say is decent

Pearl Harbor survivor turns 100

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

Five years ago, Craig Rullman told in the pages of The Nugget Marvin Emmarson’s incredible story of survival during the Pearl Harbor attack and later endur ing a catastrophic torpedo assault that almost took out his ship, the U.S.S. Selfridge.

Emmarson is a man of few words, so his story has to be told by loved ones and the pages of U.S. history books. Regardless of who’s recount ing Emmarson’s life, his 100 years on the planet have been full of adventure, loss, and finding fun in all kinds of situations.

Talking about his upcom ing birthday, and the 81st anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Emmarson isn’t taking any thing for granted. He knows life can change in an instant. He’ll celebrate his birthday this December, but added, “I’m not there yet!”

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took place at 0751 hours, a few minutes before morning colors. The attack killed more than 2,400 military personnel, wounded 1,100 people, and dam aged or destroyed 19 ships. Emmarson was below decks, and didn’t know anything

During remodel library will still offer services

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sisters Library will soon be under construction, in a major remodeling project that is expected to last through August.

Local patrons will still be able to order books and pick up holds, and access other services at the library’s tem porary facility.

“Basically, it’s a trailer,” said Lynne Mildenstein, Deschutes Public Library’s (DPL) assistant director of operations. “It’s going to

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

sit on the corner of Cedar [Street] and Main [Avenue].”

The trailer is 24-by-40 feet, offering 960 square feet of space. It will hold new book titles, and “Hot Reads.” According to Mildenstein, “printing, faxing, scanning services will still be avail able and we’ll still have some limited public PC services as well.”

Sisters Library will host a drop-in open house where people can learn more about the plans on Friday,

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 Cribbage Club Please call for details. 541-923-1632.

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 BY BILL BARTLETT

Snowshoers find plenty of fresh snow in the Sisters Country Cascades. See

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

More than 400 runners and walkers, decked out in tre mendously ugly sweaters and garish garb, turned out for the second annual Ugly Sweater Run on Saturday, December 3. The event, sponsored by Run Sisters Run, is a benefit for the Circle of Friends program.

Participants needed their sweaters this year, with tem peratures at the start hovering below freezing — as opposed to last year’s event held under balmy conditions in the 60s.

Participants had the option of a five-kilometer course or a one mile out and back. As a fun run, times and places were not recorded.

Kelly Bither, organizer of the event, believes in the work of Circle of Friends, and directed all funds from the race to the organization.

“We set up the entry fee as a suggested donation so that entire families could take part and know that they were helping out directly to sup port Circle of Friends,” she said. “This event is all about putting on a fun community event for all.”

A total of 416 people registered for the event and 330 showed up for the race, according to Bither. She estimated that about $7,000 was raised for the Circle of Friends mentorship program (see related story, page 6)

Sponsors included Kizziar Properties, The Barn, Woodlands Properties, Three Creeks Brewery, Sisters Coffee, and Birch & Home.

Kelly Scholl, program director for Circle of Friends, explained how the Ugly Sweater Run benefits Circle of Friends beyond the budget.

“It really builds commu nity awareness for what we and who we are,”she said. “What we are finding is that a lot of people who live here, new and old, don’t really know what Circle of Friends is all about and how we are serving many children in the community through mentor ing and other offerings.

“Because the need con tinues to grow for kids, we are always looking for more mentors and other volunteers to help us in our efforts,” she said. “We love that this run has become a family event because we are all about kids and families.

Circle of Friends has recently added two new staff members who are youth pro gram leaders, according to Scholl. Shaina Fields is work ing with elementary students and Henry Schuler is connect ing with the middle and high school students.

“These two are working inside the schools with our identified students in collabo ration with the schools to offer point of contact support,” she said. “They are supporters in addition to the mentors and also help the students who have not yet been matched with a mentor.”

Nicole Woodson, execu tive director of Circle of Friends, echoed Scholl’s com ments about how the run pro vides a fun event for families while also broadening the community’s awareness of the program.

“We are a community here in Sisters and it truly takes all of us to raise our kids. The more help, the more volun teers, the more mentors we can get, the better it is for everyone in our community.

“Circle of Friends cur rently has thirty mentors serv ing 35 individual kids one on one, but we are expecting to need five to eight more men tors for some kindergartenaged kids this year,” she said.

Woodson directs those interested in becoming men tors or doing other volunteer ing to contact Kelly Scholl through the Circle of Friends website.

“We do ask mentors for a one-year commitment to start with, while the organization commits to following kids all the way through grade 12,” she added.

Lauren Frey, the women’s top finisher in the fun run was visiting from Texas.

“I brought the kids out with me while my husband is work ing here for five weeks and feel so grateful to be here on such a beautiful day,” she said.

Erik Ryan, a 2021 gradu ate from Sisters High School, took the top men’s spot and said he was glad to be able to help support the mentoring program.

Kelli Jacobson of Bend

came out with some running partners who call themselves the Trail Sisters for the run.

“Everybody was dressed really festively and had smiles on their faces,” she said, “and the volunteers have all been so enthusiastic. Everyone is having a good time.”

The group pledged to come back for Bither’s next

race, The Lucky Leprechaun, in March: “We’ll come to any thing that includes wearing a costume,” they agreed.

Annie Winter of Sisters said, “It was incredibly wellorganized and a lot of fun. Doing a community activity event like this is a great way to support a nonprofit like Circle of Friends.”

David Rowell and Tara Morris, both teachers at Sisters High School, participated in the Ugly Sweater Run to benefit Circle of Friends.

PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

You can’t live in Sisters and not recognize the ubiquitous pale-green fire trucks used by the Forest Service. A test of how long you’ve lived in Sisters Country would be your ability to differentiate BLM (Bureau of Land Management) fire trucks, the chartreuse-col ored rigs. Further upping your identification skills would include knowing to whom the white fire trucks belong.

The answer: Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). Of course red-fire trucks generally are associated with municipal firefighting. When the fires around Sisters Country or nearby woods get hot enough, it’s possible that all four colors will be on the scene.

There is no hierarchy when it comes to dealing with a lifethreatening fire. Whichever agency is closest with the best equipment is likely to be first on scene.

“It’s a unified goal and a unified effort,” said Jeremy Hall, forest officer with ODF’s Sisters Sub-Unit.

If you didn’t know that there was a Sisters Sub-Unit, you’d be in the majority. The station is hard to see through the trees as you whiz past them on Highway 126, 3.3 miles east of town. And if you don’t know ODF’s mission or role, well, you’re in the company of

most Oregonians.

“Basically we’re firefight ers on state and private lands in the forest not covered by federal or municipal agen cies,” Hall told The Nugget when we met for an interview.

Hall was accompanied by Ross Huffman, stewardship forester and Christie Shaw, public information officer.

The Central Oregon District, of which Sisters is a unit, is based in Prineville. The Sisters unit covers a vast terri tory, over 200,000 acres with more than 20,000 residents in thousands of structures. In the height of fire season they respond to 30-40 fires a day.

Many of the property own ers they protect are unfamiliar with the risk of living in the woods. A good number came from large cities or towns hoping to make a simpler life closer to nature. Some are hobby tree farmers, or desire to be but are not wise to the species or health of the trees they acquire with their dream purchase.

Throughout Sisters Country the dominant trees are ponderosa pine or western juniper. The former have low timber value as compared to other conifers, like Douglas fir, and are prone to disease. Junipers are more or less inva sive, and consume enormous amounts of water.

Huffman’s job is largely educational, helping landown ers and tree farmers interpret

the highly complex 1971 Oregon Forest Practices Act, the first-of-its-kind legisla tion governing the practice of forestry on all Oregon property — public and pri vate. His territory stretches west of Highway 97 from Warm Springs to the Klamath County line.

While putting out fires is its highest priority, ODF’s mis sion is much broader: protect ing, managing, and promoting stewardship of Oregon’s for ests to enhance environmen tal, economic, and community sustainability.

The ODF is engaged in maintaining resilient forested ecosystems and watersheds with functional aquatic and terrestrial habitat. Oregonians have come to expect broadbased protections for our woodland and wildlife.

“It’s not all about fire resil iency in the WUI (wildland urban interface),” Huffman said. “We help landowners manage their trees for overall health and yield.”

Generally speaking, ODF

has a low profile and seldom makes news. The exception was last summer. In a surprise move the agency withdrew its controversial wildfire risk map after receiving criticism from the public. The map was part of the implementation of SB762.

In July of 2021 ODF released the new map, created with Oregon State University, which outlined wildfire risk statewide, in the first step toward requiring new fireresistant codes in areas of high or extreme risk.

Following a sizable amount of pushback, some quite heated, the agency said it’s going to “remove the current iteration of the wildfire risk map.”

The Sisters Sub-Unit has a small permanent work force of three to five employees. In the summer that grows to as many as 18 tasked with firefighting. They arrive at the fire in white trucks with a green emblem.

In the dirty, hard, and dan gerous work of fighting fires on the ground, ODF is assisted

with an array of technology, including its own Partenavia P-68 Observer aircraft housed in Redmond. Its primary use is for nighttime fire detection work. It is equipped with a for ward looking infrared (FLIR) camera system that is paired with an augmented reality mapping system.

In fire season, the Partenavia will fly at night to detect wildfires started by lightning. During their time in the air, the observer, or cam era operator, will look for hot spots using the infrared system on the belly of the plane.

It is not unusual on some nights to have hundreds of lightning strikes in Sisters Country. Hall, himself an engine captain and EMT, is highly dependent on meteo rology to aid him and his team in planning and managing resources.

If you live outside the boundaries of the Cloverdale or Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Districts, you’re apt to know ODF, founded in 1911, and appreciate its expertise.

Circle of Friends thriving in face of challenges

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

Circle of Friends Executive Director Nicole Swisher Woodson has been running a metaphorical marathon, with all kinds of obstacles in her way because of COVID-19 challenges. Like many orga nizations, over the past two years she’s learned new ways of facilitating connections when face-to-face time wasn’t possible. By far, that has been her greatest challenge. Especially with an organiza tion whose mission is based on building strong, long-term relationships between men tors and mentees.

Woodson hasn’t done it alone. Volunteers, dedi cated staff, and supportive funders like The Roundhouse Foundation have helped her find a way to keep going no matter how insurmountable the task.

“Through the support of Roundhouse, we were able to purchase a SMART board for the Campbell House, which facilitated group activities in a socially distanced and safe manner,” said Woodson.

The SMART board allowed Circle of Friends the opportunity to increase par ticipation and maintain con nections with the youth and families they serve despite the challenging conditions.

“Our mentors did a won derful job creating fun and creative ways of keeping in touch with their mentees, such as creating mailboxes for our youth to share messages and other fun activities back and

forth. Circle of Friends was able to maintain our programs in creative new ways through out the pandemic,” she said.

Circle of Friends’ men tors work one-on-one with children and youth, build ing caring and supportive relationships. Mentors work on a selection of core assets with children and youth while focusing on long-term goals and the lifelong success of the mentees. Mentors receive monthly ongoing support and trainings, which nurture the development of the mentor/ mentee relationship and pro vide camaraderie among the mentors.

Not only has Circle of Friends persevered; they’ve expanded tremendously com ing out of COVID. They’ve seen a 20 percent increase in mentees and a 29 percent increase in total mentors. But even with an increase in new mentors, they still have several unmatched youths, as well as new children and youth in their program. Currently they have 30 active mentors serving 35 youth in one-on-one mentorships.

“At any given time, we have five to 10 unmatched youth, which means we’re always in need of more men tors,” said Woodson.

Circle of Friends recently hired two new youth program leads, Shaina Fields serving at Sisters Elementary School, and Henry Schuler, serving at Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School.

“Our youth program leads help support matched and unmatched Circle of Friends

youth on the school cam puses, while also working to facilitate communication with our mentors. We hope to expand this model to allow for more meaningful and sup portive connections for our mentors, youth, and families,” said Woodson.

There are specific steps to becoming a mentor. First, prospective mentors meet with a Circle of Friends staff member, then an application is filled out and a background check is done. There’s a home study program, then a fourto-six-hour mentor training. Finally, a match is found with a mentee and family. Mentors receive as much as they give.

One mentor said, “I love being a part of a community and organization that rec ognizes that every kid has potential.”

Learn about becom ing a mentor or volunteer ing with Circle of Friends at their Mentor Open House Wednesday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Campbell House, 164 N. Elm St. Nicole Swisher Woodson can be contacted at nicole@ circleoffriendsoregon.org, or call 541-588-6432.

Dennis McGregor, local author and volunteer at Circle of Friends, reading with the Preschool Promise Program at the Campbell House.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Heath Foott — the people behind SPRD

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Heath Foott keeps busy with his remote work for Meta, his former service with the Oregon Army National Guard, and enjoying the benefits of living in Central Oregon. Yet he somehow finds the time to serve on the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) board.

Foott and his family have been in and out of Sisters over the last 35 years, leav ing to get employment else where and eventually settling down in Sisters Country. He is a 34-year veteran of environmental and safety work for companies, includ ing working for OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). He currently works for Meta remotely from his home in Sisters.

Foott has had parallel careers, working for large companies and as a lieutenant colonel in the Oregon Army National Guard — nine years enlisted and 32-1/2 years as a logistics officer and flight medic operating out of Salem. He still works as the chief in the Construction Facility Management Office.

Foott also has a sheep ranch in Sisters known as the Sisters Soay Sheep Company keeping up the bloodline of the soay sheep species, which hail from Scotland.

He also serves as the bud get committee chair for the American Society of Safety Professionals.

In 2018, the election bal lot for new SPRD board members was left blank, and Foott rallied his community and friends and ended up being the write-in member with the greatest number of votes chosen to serve on the SPRD board.

“I wanted to volunteer and give back to my community,

Heath Foott.

Celebrations set at Dec. community lunches

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

Table discussion will take on homelessness

PHOTO BY CEILI GATLEY

and two months later I get a call that the write-in votes had won it with the highest card wins,” he said.

In 2020, he was put on the ballot to serve again. Foott has served as board vice president, and the role of member at large. Foott assists with strategic planning for the board, assessing what new things they can take on and whether there is an appe tite for something new in the community. Foott also works with timeliness — how to steer the District in the right direction based on levies and bonds coming on the ballot.

“I really help in looking at the timing of certain things and investments. Timing is everything in a small com munity, so I help make sure we are fiscally responsible and work as a sounding board for the ideas coming up,” said Foott.

“Surviving through COVID as a District was big; it really made us stronger and the parallels of working with kids and elderly people and continue to grow our offer ings,” he said. “It’s been awe some working with Jennifer [Holland, executive director] and rewarding learning from her experience.”

Each Tuesday in December at the Sisters Community Lunches spon sored by Council on Aging of Central Oregon, there will be seasonal entertainment for the enjoyment of the attendees. The no-charge, in-person lunches are held at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sisters High School Jazz Band and Choir will be play ing and singing on Tuesday, December 13. The ever-pop ular Sisters Ukelele Group will liven things up on December 20. The year will be closed out on December 27 with a Happy New Year celebration. On December 6, the Sisters Bell Choir rang in the holiday season.

No reservations are necessary. For more infor mation call Emma FriedCassorla at 541-323-0432.

The City Club of Central Oregon will host “On the Margins in Our Towns — an interactive forum on houselessness across Central Oregon,” on Thursday, December 15, at The Riverhouse in Bend. The event will be a dialogue amongst partici pants supporting an under standing of the causes and conditions that are keeping so many unsheltered. The forum will emphasize table conversation.

According to the City Club, this is a chance to gather as a community and ask deep questions concern ing this complex issue.

“The causes and condi tions driving houselessness

are complex. Understanding these circumstances—espe cially direct impacts to those living unsheltered — will be the focus of an interactive forum hosted by City Club of Central Oregon. This will be a different kind of City Club. Please join fellow commu nity members as we work with your questions in smallgroup conversations with experts. Reimagining our community in relationship and response to this close-tohome crisis promises to be a memorable discussion,” said Ruth Williamson, City Club board member. The event is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Riverhouse Convention Center. Register at https://cityclubco.org.

Art installation recounts

Sisters artist Jim Horsley has painted landscapes, Western scenes, and military-inspired works. Now he has embarked on a magnum opus project that brings together his pas sion for painting with the Christian faith that underpins his life.

In collaboration with his pastor, Steve Stratos of Sisters Community Church, Horsley is creating an art installation titled “Reflections of Jesus,” which will hang at the church. In an overview of the project, Horsley explained:

“The collection when complete will consist of about 50 original oil paintings depicting key moments in the life of Jesus as described in the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament. Steve is providing the

related pastoral commentaries, which add a key application perspective to each painting.”

The first phase of the project is now on public display at the church and the church will host a Fireside Chat about the story depicted in the 12 paintings on December 16. A tabletop book, with pages that include an image of each painting, the related Bible text, Stratos’ commentary, and an artist’s note, will accompany the displayed art.

The first phase displayed is fitting for the Christmas season.

“The initial 12 paintings are focused on critical moments around the birth of Jesus,” Horsley told The Nugget.

The paintings range in size from

eight-by-eight inches to 16-by-16.

This project is now the focus of all of Horsley’s efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Horsley stopped displaying his work in galleries.

“I pulled out of the galleries and I found that most of what I was doing was commissions and gifts for peo ple,” he said.

He felt he needed a stronger purpose.

“I got into this art business to paint paintings that mean something and have a purpose,” he said.

The artist was stirred by the work of 19th-century French painter James Tissot, who traveled several times to the Holy Land and devoted his later career to 365 paintings relating the

life of Jesus. He decided to embark on a more modest but similarly inspired project — and Stratos was enthusiastic about the idea. He felt that the accessible visual presentation was an effective and nondogmatic way to tell a story in which he finds profound beauty.

“This presents the beauty of the gospel and who God really is,” Stratos said. “I thought it pro vided both an experience and some observation.”

Stratos’ commentary reflects on not only the biblical and historical context of the images, but also the way they can inform contemporary lives.

“I just see the beauty of the person of Jesus and the way he shows up in

story of Jesus

my life and in other people’s lives,” he said.

Horsley and Stratos both cited the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem as an oppor tunity to reflect on the individual journey that each of us is on. Both men seek to show the presence of God on that journey.

“He’s involved in our journey, even when we don’t perceive his pres ence in the moment,” Stratos said.

The paintings and the commen tary are crafted to adhere as closely to the Gospel accounts and the known historical record as possible — in Stratos’ words, to be “authentic to the story line and person of Jesus.”

Much of what we understand of the familiar Christmas story is an

accretion of myth over centuries. For example, Horsley notes that the Christmas carol “We Three Kings of Orient Are” mythologizes the story of the magi or wise men who ventured to Bethlehem to see Jesus.

“Nobody ever called them kings,” Horsley said.

And Jesus wasn’t born in a man ger — at least not a purpose-built structure.

“It’s pretty clear when you look at scripture, it was most likely a cave,” Horsley said.

In both image and commentary, Horsley and Stratos are striving for realism.

“We’re just trying to paint this reality as honestly as we can,” Horsley said.

Stratos notes that the project seeks to address the question that Jesus once put to his disciples: “Who do men say that I am?”

In doing so, the artist and the pas tor hope to reach beyond the church community to the community at large, in an accessible way without “pomp and circumstance” — includ ing those who do not have a particu lar faith.

“It was our hope that we could present a Jesus that we have known in our lives — that at one time we didn’t know, too,” Stratos said. “I hope peo ple will be able to pursue their own answer to the question, ‘Who do men say that I am?’”

“Reflections of Jesus” is a passion project for Horsley, not a commercial

By Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

endeavor.

“The paintings will not be avail able for sale individually,” he noted. “I’m open to discussion with anyone who might like a commissioned ver sion of any of the paintings; a por tion of the sale proceeds from any display-related art or future sales of the tabletop book will be donated to Sisters Community Church and/or Hope Africa.”

For information about purchase of related art prints or paintings, con tact Jim Horsley at 206-890-3008 or email jimhorsley4@gmail.com.

The Fireside Chat will be held at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy., at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, December 16. For informa tion call 541-549-1201.

Las Posadas (Spanish: Place of Shelter)

e Council of Latino Families of Sisters invites you to a posadas celebration on Friday, December 9 in the cafeteria of Sisters Elementar y School from 4-7 p.m. ere will be pinatas , ra es , and delicious traditional food and drink for sale. Cash only, please. Proceeds will provide financial help to students in Sisters schools. For more information, call 541-580 -1978.

Ukrainian Platoon 541 Benefit at Jackalope Grill

Chef Kelly Day will present a four-course meal inspired by Ukrainian popular dishes. Proceeds go to Platoon 541 to provide winter garments to keep Ukrainian soldiers warm in the winter months . Sunday, December 11, at 5:30 p.m. For reservations visit: http://bit. ly/3NWoCaC

Weekly Food Pantr y e Wellhouse Church will have a weekly food pantr y on ursdays at 3:0 0 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.

ree Sisters Lion’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

Save the Rubberbands! Are you the recipient of a bundle of Nugget Newspapers each week? If you save those fat rubberbands, we’d love to use them again. Call Janice at 541-549-9941

Americ an Legion and VFW Meeting will be held Wednesday, December 7, 6:30 p.m . at e Hangar, 15211 W McKinney Butte Rd . Members are invited to attend . For more information call L ance Trowbridge, 541-233-8399.

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 Hwy For more information, email sisterscoldweathershelter@ gmail.com

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 f rom 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, from 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

Fre e Pet Food Budget tight this month, but you still need pet food for your dog or cat? Call the Furr y Friends pet food bank at 541-797-4023 Pickups available ursdays , beginning at 12:30 p.m. Located at 412 E Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get

Announce Your Celebr ations!

Birth, engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversar y notices f rom the Sisters communit y may run at no charge on this Announcements page. All submissions are subject to editing for space. Email nug get@nuggetnews .com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays

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 Carol Pfeil, program coordinator of Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, 541-6 68-6599 or carol@parkinsonsresources.or

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 ever y third Wednesday of the month f rom 4:30-5:30 p.m. is is a f ree f amily-caregiver support group featuring local organiz ations For more information call 541-548-3049.

Sisters Holiday Showcase Auditions

On ursday, December 8 , the SHS Jaz z Choir will host the eighth annual Sisters Holiday Showcase. is showcase will be a fun, f amily-friendly holiday variet y show. We are looking for all types of talents (adult s 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). Call 541-549 4045 ext. 5826.

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

Your Announcement Here Schools, churches , nonprofit companies , recreational and communit y groups: is is your page to announce your f ree gatherings and upcoming event s! Regularly occurring Sisters Country meeting s are listed on the Sisters Area Meeting Calendar on page 3 . Special event s or featured meetings can be listed on this page. All submissions are subject to editing and will run only as space allows . Email your announcement to Janice at nug get@nuggetnews .com, or drop o at the Nug get front desk at 4 42 E . Main Ave Your text must include a “ for more information” telephone number. e deadline for the next week’s announcements is 5 p.m. on Fridays

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

STITCH

Friendly Stitch has quite a lot to say to ever yone he meets, so adopters need to be prepared for his vocaliz ation . But hey…he just wants your attention! We recommend training, exercise, and a consistent routine will go a long way with this cute boy Stitch seems to have a great star t in socialization and just needs some fine-tuning with his training.

Sponsored by

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

Wellhouse Churc h 442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com 10 a .m. Sunday Worship e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 68825 Bro ok s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship 10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship www.episcopalsisters.com

Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har ring ton Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960 www.sistersnaz .org • info@sistersnaz .org 10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Communi ty Church (Nondenominational) 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com

o at 4 42 E . Main

Meditating on gratitude with author and photographer

Cottage Grove author and photographer Eric Alan will offer a presentation from his new book “Grateful by Nature: Walking Gratitude’s Wild Path Home,” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, December 8. Alan will read selections from his new book along with a slideshow fea turing his beautiful photo graphs of nature.

“Grateful by Nature” offers gratitude as our shared path home, within a return to nature. Through poetic stories and vivid photo graphs, the book’s mindful walk through five seasons in the Oregon backwoods out lines gratitude as a devoted practice. It guides gratitude into daily action, able to

Sisters salutes...

Jeff Scheidler, SMS STEAM teacher/activities director, wrote: Sisters Middle School would like to thank the Sisters Schools Foundation. They have been an instru mental part of making one of our largest incentive pro grams possible. With their contributions, our studentled leadership program is able to facilitate an evergrowing student store.

This store is maintained and stocked by students here at SMS. This also includes SMS students designing and making the merchandise themselves. This process alone has been a great learning experience for these students, but is also helping the overall stu dent culture and spirit here at SMS.

For those wondering how this is helping our school culture, this is what drives one of our largest incentive programs with the use of Outlaw Bucks. The purchasing of items within the store is through these Outlaw Bucks, which students earn through a variety of positive ways within the school.

This program is in about its third year, and has been extremely successful. We continue to make adjust ments and innovations to ensure that this program is working to build our school culture and spirit. We would not be able to sustain this program with out the help from Sisters Schools Foundation. Their continued support helps us maintain this program, which I believe to be a crit ical component of the SMS culture.

Editor’s note: To contribute to Sisters Schools Foundation, visit http://ssd6.org/ssf.

transform our most painful challenges into healing and compassion. Being grate ful is like being a carpenter: the skills are only realized when you use them to build shelter for others. Grateful care for each other and the life around us becomes the shelter we share. Gratitude becomes as beautiful as the wild earth, as comforting as awakening peacefully at home.

Eric Alan is an author, photographer, lyricist, and feral forest resident. His book Wild Grace: Nature as a Spiritual Path has inspired workshops and meditations on the reintegration of nature into daily life. Its sequel Grace and Tranquility offers

contemplative peace in a tur bulent world. The compan ion Grace and Tranquility album merges the music of international recording art ists Gypsy Soul with lyrics adapted from both books. The wild spirit within base ball is in This Is Our Time!, co-written with Major League Baseball writer Chris Haft. Grateful by Nature integrates photography and prose from a decade of contributions to Celebrate What’s Right with the World, a movement founded by for mer National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones. It also arises from commu nity events called The Nature of Gratitude, which gather authors, musicians, poets,

social activists, and others to raise gratitude and awareness for local causes. As a found ing board member of Cerro Gordo Land Conservancy, Eric assisted in obtaining conservation easements to protect 1,000 acres of vital open land. He was also the full-time caregiver for his mother in the forests, until her passing near her 94th birthday.

Eric Alan presents “Grateful by Nature: Walking Gratitude’s Wild Path Home,” Thursday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Paulina Springs Book, 252 W. Hood Ave. For more information call 541-549-0866 or visit www.paulinaspringsbooks. com.

Eric Alan will present his book“Grateful by Nature: Walking Gratitude’s Wild Path Home,” at Paulina Springs Books.

PHOTO PROVIDED

CAMPING: County commissioner

interested in city issue

it belong to the Sisters City Council.

In an email to a concerned citizen, Chang explained what a “safe parking” site is:

“A Safe Parking site is not a homeless encamp ment. It is a place where a person or family whose cur rent home is an RV, van, or trailer, is allowed to park for a fixed period of time while they work toward getting into permanent housing. Safe Parking programs are run by faith-based, nonprofit, or public agencies who screen candidates, establish rules and structure for safe parking sites, provide case manage ment and support services to Safe Parking participants, and are on call to manage any complaints or concerns.

Safe Parking is intended for people experiencing house lessness who are prepared to transition to permanent housing but just need a bit of stability and support to com plete that process.”

Chang explained to The Nugget about how he became involved in this issue.

Following the Citizens4Community forum

on houselessness, where the possibility of using Creekside Campground in the winter for houseless camping was raised, Chang said, “multiple Sisters resi dents who attended the forum contacted me to share what had been dis cussed, including a sugges tion from a forum attendee that Creekside Campground be used as shelter or tran sitional housing. I was told that forum attendees were encouraged to send in pro posals about this concept. I shared with these Sisters res idents that the idea had been raised before, that I thought Creekside Campground had a lot of advantages as a site to host shelter or transitional housing, and it was up to the City since they own and operate the park.”

When asked why he was involving himself in a City issue, he responded, “Creekside Park is a City property. But solving home lessness is both a County and City responsibility. So, pro viding space within Sisters is a County issue. The people of Sisters – both within and outside of the Urban Growth Boundary – are my constitu ents, who elected me to work on the major challenges fac ing our community. I have heard from many Sisters residents (my constituents)

about their concerns about homelessness.”

Chang also received emails from two Sisters resi dents, and one person who said they spent a lot of time in Sisters, who said they were opposed to the idea. Chang sent an email to them reiterating that it was up to the City, but he thought if any kind of homeless ser vice facility was established during the winter months at Creekside Park that Safe Parking would probably be the best fit. He forwarded his response to the Sisters City Council as well.

Chang said, “Having watched the Safe Parking program roll out in both Bend and Redmond, I think that this might be the best fit for an outdoor shelter or transitional housing concept at Creekside Park and that Safe Parking could work very well in this location.”

In an email exchange, a Sisters citizen told Chang she had visited the sites in Redmond and did not think Creekside Campground was the place for this. She pointed out that Creekside Park is the entrance/exit to Sisters and is “revered and used by the community.”

In his email to The Nugget , Chang contended Sisters has “the high est concentration/density

of homelessness in all of Deschutes County. People who say that these 100-plus people are not Sisters resi dents because they live just on the other side of the city limits are using an arbitrary dotted line to deny that peo ple who work in Sisters busi nesses and send their kids to Sisters schools are part of the Sisters community. Homelessness is very much a City of Sisters problem.”

In another email, he warned that the “City has done very little to address the situation thus far. Perhaps that is actually why Sisters has one of the highest con centrations of homelessness in the entire Central Oregon region. Programs like Safe Parking are needed whether people support locations like Creekside Park or other

locations. If the Sisters com munity does not work to set up Safe Parking or other programs to help people exit homelessness, the situation will only get worse.”

The gift that makes everyone’s dreams come true, with no returns! GIFT Cards & C ertificate s STITCHIN’ POST A gift card opens up a world of op tions! We have fabr ic s, yarns, ar t quilting supplies, book s, patterns, gift s, and more! 541-549- 60 61 | www.stitchinpost.com TAKODA’S RE STAURANT Our gift cards make great stocking st uf fers! We welcome you to dine in with fr iend s or take out for quick and delicious holiday meals at home 541-549- 8620 | www.t akodassister s.com THE SUTTLE LODGE Gift an ap ré s-sk i st ay, a supper, or both this winter. Lodg ing cert ificate s for cabins, lodge rooms, and Sk ip Re st aurant av ailable. Be merr y this holida 541- 638-70 01 | www.thesuttlelodge.com daay! e. SOMEWHERE THAT ’S GREEN Visit our lush green holiday show room for gift s and order eGif t cards online that ever yone will appreciate 541-330- 4086 | www.somew heregreen.com

Holidays in Sisters

This is the season when we remind ourselves of all we have to be thankful for: the natural beauty that surrounds us; the bonds of a strong community; friends and family who bring us joy. We are also fortunate to live in a community of creative makers, who provide food, gifts, and experiences that offer real meaning and lasting value. Meet them here…

Singing in the holidays...

The SweetEasy Co.,

The SweetEasy Co., serving BJ’s old-fashioned ice cream for over 40 years, welcomes everyone to come in and see all the goodies they have been creating. Their barista will be happy to whip up your favorite espresso drink, including eggnog latte, caramel macchiato, or even a peppermint candy cane milkshake! They bake every morning and have 6-8 different cookies, scones, and muffins, along with seasonal surprises. Now that the cold weather is here, it’s the perfect place to warm up inside and enjoy watching the snow fall, holiday shoppers stroll, or stop in after your family outing. They have sweets to delight everyone from your littlest darling to grandma and grandpa. Their chocolatiers are busier than ever making chocolate turtles, fudge, and homemade marshmallow rocky road to go with their hot cocoa, apple cider, caramel corn, and old-fashioned candy and truffles. They are open until 7 p.m. daily with everything you need to make your holiday season the sweetest ever.

Stitchin’ Post

The holidays are the perfect time to get our noses out of our screens and enjoy some hands-on activities with family and friends. Stitchin’ Post offers an array of opportunities to find the joy and satisfaction of handmade creativity. They offer kits that provide everything you need for a project — and they’re customized, so you really can’t find their like anywhere else.

Stitching and knitting can become lifelong joys — and the Stitchin’ Post kits are great for kids to get started in crafts.

Create your own Christmas cards with block printing. Activities like these offer family bonding time that is more precious than ever these days. Stitchin’ Post’s crafting and quilting materials are handpicked for quilters and knitters. While Stitchin’ Post continues to be a beloved destination quilt shop, it has evolved into a true maker’s mercantile, where you can find inspiration as well as the tools to make that inspiration into something real.

Sisters Coffee Co.

Sisters Coffee Co. is sharing their latest release: Holiday Cheer Blend — because we all need a little more cheer this holiday season.

Shop local for the holidays! Treat your loved ones to a coffee date with a Sisters Coffee Co. gift card, or choose from the new selection of mugs, cozy crewnecks, and Oregon-knit beanies.

You’ll also find a wide array of new coffee offerings that are hitting the Sisters Coffee Co. shelves this holiday season — the perfect stocking stuffers for the whole family to enjoy. Need a larger quantity for corporate gifts? Reach out to customercare@sisterscoffee. com for discount pricing on coffee orders of 50 bags or more.

Sisters Coffee Co. is a favorite from the North Pole to the South Pole. As always, you can order online and ship a little piece of Sisters to your loved ones far away this holiday season at www.sisterscoffee.com.

High Desert Chorale singers were accompanied by Adrienne Brown on viola. The group held two holiday performances for the Sisters community last weekend.

PHOTO BY KIT TOSELLO

Sisters dancers take stage

— By Olivia Nieto —

Sisters Dance Academy’s 12th annual holiday performance, the Winter Wonderland Ball, is set for Saturday, December 10, at Sisters High School.

Owner of the Academy, Lonnie Liddell, said, “Sisters Dance Academy (SDA) opened in 2009. We have held two shows a year, every year. I think it is an amazing way for the community to come together to support our youth and is also such a positive, joyful event.”

Each dance recital has had a different theme.

“This year’s theme was inspired by wanting to do something that captured the spirit of the season and wintertime… but is also about attending a fancy event like a ball, party, or fancy dinner!” Liddell said.

This family-owned academy has grown so much that they have to host two different shows in one day, simply to accommodate all the friends and families who want to attend. There is a matinee performance at 1 p.m., and the evening show begins at 6 p.m.

“It also gives the dancers more than one opportunity to attend and have people in the community come and give their support to the local dancers,” Liddell said.

All the dancers and instructors have been preparing and working hard to make it the best experience possible for the audience.

Kayla Williams is a dance teacher of 17 years.

“I love getting to see the dances come to completion on stage,” she said. “It’s the moment when the music, lights, costumes, and dance finally come together.”

Suttle Tea

BY OLIVIA NIETO

Previous student, now turned teacher, Olivia Bertagna, says, “Being able to showcase to the community what we’ve been working on is amazing.”

The Academy is a place of sweat, laughter, and music, and both dancers and teachers love it.

“It’s always so fun, sometimes stressful, but even when you only have one dance it’s really nice to just get involved,” said dancer Gracie Fendall.

Instructor Shannon Abero said, “It has been a joy to work with all of the staff, the teachers, but most of all the students at SDA the past 10 years!”

With 32 different dances being performed and nearly 250 dancers, the Winter Wonderland Ball is certain to be a magical time. Tickets are on sale on the Sisters Dance Academy website, www.danceinsisters.com.

“There’s something historically hopeful and peacebringing about tea, and we love seeing more and more people discover this every day,” says Kit Tosello, co-owner with her husband, Garth, of Suttle Tea.

Now in its eighth year, Suttle Tea occupies a niche in the tea world right here in Sisters—designing, sourcing, and blending deliciously unique artisan teas. “We handblend our teas in small batches, using ethically sourced and organic ingredients,” says Tosello.

Suttle Tea offers around 40 blends, including seasonal favorites. Right now ’tis the season for Christmas in Sisters, a black tea embellished with citrus and cardamom. And these Sisters products now make their way to customers and retail partners all over the States.

Creativity flows from their tea-blending room, filled with spices, florals, and fruits. They’ve just launched a line of small-batch soy candles scented to match their teas—the first inspired by the flavor of their bestselling tea blend, Lavender Mint Dark Chocolate. The shop also boasts a newly expanded gift section, and a warm and welcoming space to sip and shop!

Gypsy Wind Clothing

Gypsy Wind offers something of great value to anyone looking to put checkmarks on their Christmas list — mistake-proof gift-giving.

At Gypsy Wind, Janet Kronemeyer offers one-size-fits-all, easy shopping with unique items that have real personality and flair: handbags, scarves, jackets, and Kronemeyer’s original-design shawl. This is fun, unique, and affordable clothing that looks great, feels great, and fits into any budget. Most of the store is in the $35-$59 range. Clothing fits size small to 3X.

If you or someone on your list is escaping the Sisters Country winter and heading somewhere warm this winter, Gypsy Wind has a specialty in resort and travel wear that Kronemeyer describes as “easy-wear comfort clothing,” great for travel. She has created a backroom rack devoted to resort and travel wear.

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An early American Christmas

— By Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief —

Christmas is a time for nostalgia. We look back fondly on our own childhood memories — and sometimes we project ourselves back to an early, purportedly simpler time when things were better in our fair land.

But if we’re looking for a quaint snowglobe scene in an early American Christmas, we’re looking in the wrong place.

In the years of America’s founding, Christmas wasn’t that big of a deal — certainly not the cen terpiece holiday we celebrate today. In Puritan colonial New England, celebrating Christmas at all was frowned upon.

If the Pilgrims observed the day at all, it was a solemn moment of spiritual contempla tion — certainly not any kind of celebration. Christmas actually represented everything the Puritans were trying to “purify” out of the English church.

“Puritans believed Christmas was basically just a pagan custom that the Catholics took over without any biblical basis for it,” writes Stephen Nissenbaum in “The Battle for Christmas.” “The holiday had everything to do with the time of year, the solstice, and Saturnalia and nothing to do with Christianity.”

When non-Puritan settlers started arriv ing in the Plymouth Colony — which they did very shortly after the Mayflower landing — the Pilgrim Fathers felt a need to clamp down on any signs of fun. Governor William Bradford gave some non-Puritan workers the go-ahead to take a day away from their labors to celebrate the hol iday, which he apparently thought they would do quietly at home. Imagine his consternation when he found them out in the street playing. Actually, you don’t have to imagine it — he wrote about it in “On Plimoth Plantation.” Note that the gov ernor refers to himself in the third person. As one does:

“So he led-away the rest and left them; but when they came home at noon from their work, he found them in the street at play, openly; some pitching the barr and some at stoole-ball, and such like sports… So he went to them, and took away their implements, and told them that was against his conscience, that they should play and others work. If they made the keeping of it matter of devotion, let them keep their houses, but there should be no gaming or revelling in the streets.”

Governor William Bradford — Colonial American Grinch.

In 1659, Massachusetts formally banned Christmas.

“For preventing disorders arising in several places within this jurisdiction, by reason of some still observing such festivals as were supersti tiously kept in other countries, to the great dis honor of God and offence of others, it is there fore ordered by this Court and the authority thereof, that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon such accountants as aforesaid, every person so offending shall pay of every such offence five shillings, as a fine to the county.”

Now, to be fair, it should be understood that the Puritans didn’t send out the jack-booted Christmas police to kick in doors in search of people celebrating. They were just trying to keep the fun off the street. And, it must be admitted that in the English world of the 17th century, “fun” was often alcohol-soaked and exceedingly rowdy, so they had their reasons, beyond their distaste for pagan goings-on.

But it wasn’t exactly all “Joy to the World” in colonial New England.

Things were considerably looser in the south ern colonies, at least in the Tidewater, dominated by the Anglican Church. Christmas Day wasn’t a special focal point — the Anglican gentry would make the social rounds of dances and fox hunts for the whole 12 Days of Christmas. The Epiphany on January 6, commonly called “Twelfth Night,” was particularly celebratory. On that night, it was traditional to consume a Great Cake or “King’s Cake.” There’s apparently a recipe for Great Cake in Martha Washington’s papers (https://www.mountvernon.org/inn/ recipes/article/great-cake/).

As prominent members of society, George and Martha Washington kept a pretty lively Christmas. This was enabled by enslaved people. The household “staff” — cooks, housemaids, waiters, and the like —  worked overtime to keep Mount Vernon in food and libation and shipshape for multitudes of guests. Elsewhere on the plantation, enslaved people who worked the fields might expect a couple of days rest around Christmas.

The celebrations of the season were boozy, with fortified Madeira wine a particular favorite. George Washington adopted a favorite Dutch holiday libation called Cherry Bounce, described in the papers of Mount Vernon. (Note that the

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proofreader has not over-indulged in said libation and fallen asleep — the spelling idiosyncra sies are typical of the 18th Century):

To Make Excellent Cherry Bounce —  Extract the juice of 20 pounds well ripend mor rella cherrys

Add to this 10 quarts of old french brandy and sweeten it with white sugar to your taste—To 5 Gallons of this mixture add one ounce of spice such as cinnamon, cloves and Nutmegs of each an Equal quantity slightly bruisd and a pint and half of cherry kirnels that have been gently broken in a mortar — After the liquor has fermented let it stand close-stoped for a month or six weeks then bottle it remembering to put a lump of Loaf Sugar into each bottle.

You can find a modern recipe for Cherry Bounce at https://www.mountvernon.org/inn/ recipes/article/cherry-bounce.

It was common practice to celebrate the holiday with musket and cannon fire, which is re-created with the Firing of the Christmas Cannons at Colonial Williamsburg.

The seafaring folk of colonial America also sought to celebrate Christmas, though ship board conditions often meant Christmas dinner was sparse and pretty gross. Let’s just say that nobody in Sisters Country would countenance a sailor’s diet in the 17th and 18th centuries for their dog.

Edward Barlow in “Barlow’s Journal of his Life at Sea in King’s Ships, East and West Indiamen & Other Merchantman From 1659 to 1703,” writes about Christmas 1676:

“Having put all our goods on shore that we were to deliver [to Marseilles], we walked ashore being Christmas, to take our recreation and see all about the town, which is a place of very

good buildings and a pretty large town or city, where all things are very plentiful, both for meat and drink. They have a very good wine of sev eral sorts and very cheap, especially a red wine, which is a king of wine much like to claret, only a clearer red and better wine to drink.”

Yes, sailors did tend to fixate on the holiday libations.

Honest seamen were not the only ones celebrating. Pirates might have been “really bad eggs,” but contrary to mythology, most of them consid ered themselves Christians — of a sort — and sought to celebrate the Nativity. In proper pirate fashion, of course.

Captain Charles Johnson writes about Captain Calico Jack Rackham’s crew in “The General History of the Most Notorious Pirates”: “After this Cruize, they went into a small Island and cleaned, and spent their Christmas ashore, drinking and carousing as long as they had any Liquor left, and then went to Sea again for more, where they succeeded but too well, though they took no extraordinary Prize, for above two Months...”

Sometimes folks had to work on Christmas. For example, on Christmas Night, 1776, our man George Washington led a ragged remnant of the beaten and battered Continental Army across the Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey, where the next morning they fell upon a garrison of German Hessian mercenaries, a bit worse for wear from their own Germanic cele brations. The Continentals routed the Hessians and killed or captured almost the entire force. It was a mighty holiday present to hand to the American people, for it kept the struggle for independence alive.

Merry Christmas.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) is one of Sisters’ most beloved institutions - a gathering of a tribe of creative minds and hands from across the world. Belonging to this tribe is a meaningful expression of artistic community and fellowship. The 48th Annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show will take place on Saturday, July 8, 2023.

Give the special quilter in your life the gift of friendship. Enroll them as a Friend of the Show today! As Friends of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, your friends and loved ones will have access to exclusive SOQS programs. And because every donation directly supports SOQS programs, exhibitions, scholarships, and the world-renowned Quilt Show, your generosity will make our community a little brighter.

Also available: A gift or memorial donation is a unique way to honor an extraordinary person who has touched your life. SOQS merchandise…shirts, totes, hats, baby onesies, and mugs…make great gifts, too, and can be ordered online at soqs.org/soqs-merchandise. Please visit SOQS.org or call 541-549-0989.

Jazz Choir offers Holiday Showcase

— By Olivia Nieto —

As the holiday season approaches, so does the Sisters School District Holiday Showcase. The performance will be hosted by the Sisters High School Jazz Choir and is set for this Thursday, December 8, at 7 p.m. at Sisters High School auditorium.

“The holiday showcase is an opportunity for the high school, middle school, and elementary school music programs to share holiday music with the community,” said Choir Director Rick Johnson.

The variety of acts in the Holiday Showcase highlights performances from all over Sisters.

“This will be the only concert this year that will present songs from every school in the School District. It will be incredible to hear the elementary choir, the middle school choir, and the high school bands and choirs all in one night!” Johnson said.

Ian Landon, a freshman trumpet player said, “I just like how even though each parent comes to see their kid’s performance, they end up experiencing everybody else who performs too.”

Ellie Barbieri, the Sisters Elementary music teacher, will introduce third- and fourth-grade vocalists, the “Outlaw Singers.”

“It is always amazing to watch these children work so hard. It feels incredibly

special to be performing with the community at the high school alongside unparalleled musical facility,” she said.

This will be the first year the concert is completely open to the public since COVID, when they instead held an online concert to battle the production restrictions.

“We are very happy to bring the Holiday Showcase back to the high school auditorium and invite the community to come and enjoy it,” Johnson said.

Not only will there be band and choir contributions; local acts are taking part as well. Small bands, individual singers, and more are all joining in on the holiday festivities.

The Sisters Dance Academy is continuing a tradition and partaking in the showcase.

“Dance is just another form of art, similar to band and choir,” said Colby Roberts, a high school dancer participating in the routines. “I just really like performing.”

The event is free; however, a $5 donation to support all of the work being put in is encouraged. For anybody who doesn’t have plans, it’s a highly enjoyable experience. Treats will also be available for purchase. Auditorium doors open at 6:45 p.m.

Canyon Creek Pottery

If shopping local — and handmade — means something to you, a gift from Canyon Creek Pottery is as local and handcrafted as it gets.

For 17+ years, Ken Merrill has been at work in his pottery studio and adjoining gallery creating one-of-a-kind functional art.

Come to Canyon Creek for beautiful, handmade items… Mugs for your special cup of coffee. A pie plate for the baker in the house. A soup tureen. Candle-holders to spice up your holiday décor. Colorful rectangular platters for Santa’s cookies.

Ken has been a potter since 1983, and opened his pottery studio in Sisters in 1998. He has won renown for his beautiful, functional handmade pottery. Each piece is handthrown on a potter’s wheel, then fired in a kiln to 2,400 degrees, where it becomes stoneware.

All of Ken’s pottery is made of the finest clays available and makes a gift that gives each time it is used.

Fika Sisters Coffeehouse

Fika Sisters Coffeehouse (FIKA) welcomes you to come to the shop and enjoy your FIKA with friends, surrounded by traditional holiday decor, while sipping on delicious holiday drinks. Enjoy their annual Gingerbread Swedish Gala Horses decorating boxes with cookies, toppings, and frosting, available daily, for you to decorate in shop or at home for a great family activity.

FIKA can also be taken home as seasonal bread loaves, scones, and quiche, which can be preordered anytime throughout December. And pick up a box of French chocolate truffles to take with you to your holiday parties.

This year they are also offering a special holiday dessert to enjoy with holiday meals… Buche de Noel…a cocoa genoise cake filled with vanilla ganache and a raspberry jam. Preorders begin in December for pickup on December 24.

FIKA’s second Circle of Giving fundraiser is set up like a giving tree throughout December, supporting local nonprofits such as Circle of Friends, Family Access Network, Sisters Cold Weather Shelter, Furry Friends Foundation, and Bethlehem Inn.

FIKA wishes everyone “God Jul” this season. They love serving you!

Council rolls up its sleeves on growth issues

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

At their November 30 meeting and public hear ings, the Sisters City Council rolled up their sleeves and for four hours wrestled with the toughest topic of late: how to plan appropriately for growth without destroying the smalltown character of Sisters.

Unable to reach consensus on all issues, Council contin ued the hearing on Ordinance 526 amending specific Development Code sections to Wednesday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Oral testimony was closed, and written testimony was left open for further comments until December 14.

Two resolutions, 2022-17 and 2022-18, acknowledg ing the 2022 Housing Plan update and the Sisters Land Use Efficiency Measures report, were reviewed for Council by Matt Hastie of MIG Consultants, who have worked for the last nine months on both projects. They have met with City staff, the Planning Commission, stakeholders, City partners, conducted community sur veys, and relied on popula tion projections for the next 20 years from Portland State University.

Neither of these

projects are part of the updated Comprehensive Plan, nor are they legally binding. Rather, they are tools to use for providing affordable housing and stay ing ahead of projected hous ing needs over the next 20 years. The efficiency mea sures are for evaluation of the measures the City is employ ing to ensure that land in the City is being used efficiently. The state requires that prior to any urban growth bound ary (UGB) expansion appli cation, the City must “con sider” efficiency measures, but they don’t all have to be implemented.

Both documents represent road maps for how to help address current and future housing needs. The efficiency measures help estimate how many dwelling units could be accommodated within the current UGB, and how many could be added with an expansion of the UGB.

Implementation of the strate gies proposed in both docu ments depends on available City staff, other resources, partners to undertake con struction, and other factors.

Two other public hear ings were held regarding Sisters Development Code text amendments (TA-22-04) and Ordinance 526 amending sections of the Development

Code and adding a chapter on middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes). The Development Code amendments would allow for implementation of some of the strategies in the efficiency measures and housing plan that would have the greatest impact.

Council deliberations on the middle housing, and increased building heights generated lengthy discussions and strongly differing views among councilors not often seen at Council meetings.

Councilor Gary Ross ada mantly opposed outright per mitting of triplexes and quad plexes in residential zones, which he thought would not be the appropriate scale with single-family homes. Ross contended that tri- and quad plexes in residential areas would be more appropri ate if the UGB is expanded and they are part of planned development, rather than in older residential areas. Middle housing allows for reducing lot sizes.

Council president Nancy Connolly saved her com ments until the others had spoken. She compared Sisters to a patchwork quilt.

“We can’t stop change,” she said. “We have to make the best choices for the next 20 years and be sure we have

checks and balances in place.”

She reminded the other councilors that they each had moved here at some point in time, “ruining it for the old timers… We need to grow up and make the tough choices while striving for good design.”

Mayor Michael Preedin seconded the importance of design standards as density increases.

“We want to make the city as inviting for as many dif ferent people as possible,” he said. “People are moving here whether we want them to or not. Density changes will allow us to accommodate those people. I’m sold on 95 percent of the changes, but change is hard.”

Later in the meeting Preedin said, “I’m concerned about the density. I wish we didn’t have to do it… No one wants to abandon affordable housing. It’s up to us.”

Early in the discussion, Andrea Blum clearly and forcefully made the point that she wouldn’t be in favor of increased density, taller buildings, or any of the other proposed strategies unless there were guarantees that truly affordable housing would be the end result.

“I know I am looking at the likelihood of the worstcase scenario. But if we

are going through all this (change), I want to end up with a community good for everyone,” she said. “I don’t see where that’s guaranteed.”

Blum was concerned about the outright allowing of twice the current density –where will it go, what will it look like? It might be appro priate in some areas, not appropriate in others.

Councilors considered applying minor condi tion use (MCU) permits to three- and four-story build ings. Blum proposed allow ing four stories if the entire project was affordable hous ing only (120 percent of area median income and under). Councilor Jennifer Letz sug gested incorporating day care facilities in taller buildings to help alleviate the shortage of quality childcare.

With a number of issues unresolved at the end of four hours, Council asked con sultant Hastie to make some changes and new recommen dations for the ordinance and return for the December 14 Council meeting and hear ing. Written testimony prior to that meeting can be sent to City Recorder Kerry Prosser at kprosser@ci.sisters.or.us. Copies of the efficiency measures and housing plan are available on the City of Sisters website.

POACHING: Volume of tree violations is significant

Permits are only good for dead trees, which are abun dant. You might wonder why you even need a permit for a dead tree or why there would be a size restriction for a tree lying on the ground decaying.

Start with wildlife. Dead and dying trees provide food and shelter for many wild animals. As a tree dies, each stage of decomposition plays a role in the feeding, breed ing, or housing of wildlife.

The dead tree trunk is a good source of food for woodpeckers, particularly the pileated varieties. The root is used by flycatch ers for perching, by grouse for dusting, and juncos for nesting.

Limbs are used as perches, and if hollow, as nest cavities. The spaces between loose bark and the wood are used as hiding and thermal cover by inverte brates and small vertebrates such as the Pacific tree frog.

Then there is the nutri ent value. Dead wood breaks down into nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, potas sium, and phosphorus. These nutrients enrich the soil near decaying wood, helping new plants grow and keeping liv ing ones healthy as the nutri ents are reabsorbed.

The woodcutting season ended last week, November

30, having begun May 1. The rules, once you have a valid permit, are few and easy to follow. You can cut and remove all species of stand ing or down, dead trees less than 24 inches in diameter or 75 inches in circumference located within 150 feet of the road edge.

Speaking of the road — stay on it. Do not drive your vehicle onto the forest floor itself. And no winches. That’s it for the most part. Obviously, you won’t get a permit to cut in a designated wilderness area or sensitive riparian area. The Forest Service will give you a very clear and detailed map of where, and where not, to cut.

Last week, The Nugget accompanied a forest protec tion officer, Jeremy Fields, as he showed us dozens of examples of illegal cutting within a few miles of the city limits. Several of the trees, or their remains, were as old as 400 years when they stopped living, and one was 50 inches in diameter, twice the legal limit.

We found freshly cut live trees that exceeded the size, lying on the ground; poach ers or joy-fallers were proba bly frightened off only hours before. The District has increased its patrol and has resorted to installing wildlife cameras in some places in hopes of catching violators in the act.

Two adult males, not from Sisters Country, were recently cited by Forest Service Law Enforcement officers for violations. Their

charges included cutting without a permit, driving off-road, and cutting a tree in excess of size limita tions. The penalties carry hefty fines up to $500 per incident.

Most violators are not apprehended, even though most of their illegal har vesting is clearly visible from Highway 20 or 242 (McKenzie Highway). District Ranger Ian Reid is hoping to create awareness of the problem and educat ing the public in the correct procedure for taking a tree from the forest.

Reid said, “We have miles and miles of roads with plenty of permissible trees. There really is no need to take trees that don’t meet the rules. If in doubt, just ask the office and we will show you areas of easy access with plenty of trees.”

Do not take any enforce ment action yourself if you come into proximity with suspected illegal cutting. Leave it to the professionals. Make note of the location and call 541-549-7700.

Foundation helps families with pets

It was a very busy dis tribution day at the Furry Friends Foundation (FFF) office this past Thursday, December 1. Thirty-six fami lies picked up their pet food orders along with lots of other pet supplies that lined the porch. Furry Friends Foundation is a volunteer-run 501(3)(c) nonprofit offering pet food, needed pet supplies, and free spay/neuter sponsor ships to Sisters-area families in financial hardship.

During the holidays Santa Paws helps FFF as it joins forces with Sisters Kiwanis and Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD for the “Spirit of Giving” program. Families reach out through that appli cation process for pet food, and lots of other goodies including dog coats, comfy dog beds, squeaky toys, leashes, collars, litter and lots more. Sisters Feed & Supply in Sisters displays our

giving tree and pet food pur chased there can be delivered to the Furry Friends office. Individuals can also shop the Furry Friends Foundation wish lists online at Chewy. com and on Amazon.

Furry Friends distrib utes more than two tons of pet food monthly. In addi tion, there are all kinds of pet supplies for both cats and dogs. “With the severe cold weather there have been a high demand for dog coats. Fortunately, the donation of hand-sewn fleece coats by Valerie Fercho-Tillery has helped meet that need. However, we can always use large and extra-large winter dog coats.”

There are currently two pet food drives being held at Sisters’ businesses: Washington Federal Bank and Fika Sisters Coffeehouse.

MAKING TEACHERS THE BEST THEY CAN BE ON

Krist y Rawls and Gail Greaney, longtime teachers at Sisters High School, are working together to mentor teachers within the Sisters schools . The program combines mentoring and instruc tional coaching. The mentoring aspec t is present in all three schools, with 14 teachers total receiving mentorship and guidance f rom Rawls and Greaney

Rawls o icially retired t wo years ago; her work in this program represent s her 36th year of teaching. She has been in the Sisters School Distric t (SSD) for 20 years . Greaney is in her 2 2nd year of teaching, 17th at SSD. This year she is teaching language ar t s and social studies at the high school while working on this mentorship program.

“We really take pride in the culture and relationships as par t of the Sisters School Distric t , and this program is meant to help teachers new to the Distric t feel like they are being integr ated into that culture, and we want people to stay here teaching,” said Rawls .

Rawls and Greaney created the mentorship program last spring, surveying teachers, and asking what they wish they could’ve had help with the year prior. The program mainly support s teachers new to the profession in their f irst t wo years, or their f irst year in the Distric t . Rawls and Greaney are working this year with their f irst cohor t of 14 teachers, holding monthly meetings, one -on- one mentoring, and ser ving as a resource.

They also bring in the instruc tional coaching aspec t of mentoring, which entails video training.

“We have the teachers f ilm themselves, and then create a goal and and ac tion plan for what they want to work on. We wanted to remind our teachers that we aren’t so far removed f rom where they are, being teachers ourselves,” said Rawls

They help create student-focused goals for student engagement and collaborative learning, and then help to integrate a strategy based on those goals.

“We see this program as successful if the teachers come back and want more mentoring, and that ’s been the case. It really brings up the question of owning your own learning and not just checking the boxes . The teachers are eager to learn ways to better themselves,” said Greaney

The teacher-to-teacher mentoring really shows the cohor t that ever yone

Rawls

WINTER RANGE:

Respecting closures

Pet food and supplies can be dropped off at either location.

“There are always a few requests for food for pets other than cats and dogs during the holiday drive,” said FFF founder Kiki Dolson. “It’s fun to see those requests come in. So far this year we’ve fed one rabbit, several goldfish, and one turtle.

Dolson said, “We are par ticularly excited to announce our recent partnership with the Central Oregon Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels – Pet Pals program.

“Senior clients can now have their pet food delivered and not have to venture out on what can be cold and icy days. We already had a few clients we delivered to, but this means we can reach even more who could use our help.”

Important medical services for pets are also part of the program.

“One of our main focuses is our spay/neuter program,” Dolson said. “Furry Friends has a partnership with the Rawley Project’s FixBend program. FixBend’s low-cost spay/neuter clinics are held monthly at Companion Pet Clinic in Bend. “We already have 10 dogs and cats reg istered for surgeries at their December clinic. The total cost can add up quickly for multiple animals, with vac cinations also sponsored, so cash donations are so impor tant to maintain this service.”

The blue-bag bottle and can fundraising drive is yearround and one of the main funding sources for FFF.

“There continues to be some confusion over our drop-off site,” Dolson noted. “People often tell me they bring us their bottles and cans and when I inquire where they drop them off, it is often at the trailer at the school adminis tration building. That trailer is actually owned by Brightside Animal Center in Redmond, also a very good cause. If you want yours to be donated to Furry Friends, please leave them on The Nugget’s (righthand) porch in the blue bins. If you’d like to volunteer to process bottles and cans, we always need more help there.”

In addition to new prod ucts, FFF also accepts gen tly used, clean pet supplies and broken bags of dog and cat food too. Donations can be dropped off at the Furry Friend’s office located at 412 E. Main Ave. (behind The Nugget’s office.) Cash dona tions may be mailed to P.O. Box 1175, Sisters, OR 97759 or individuals can donate online at www.furryfriends foundation.org. For more information on how to donate call 541-797-4023.

Winter range is the habi tat deer and elk migrate to in order to find more favorable living conditions during the winter. Winter range is found predominantly in lower ele vations of Central Oregon, and is extremely important to elk and mule deer sur vival. Winter ranges usu ally have minimal amounts of snow cover and provide vegetation for forage, hiding cover, and protection from the weather.

In Oregon, elk and mule deer migrate, often long distances, to lower elevations to escape or

minimize exposure to snow cover.

Local mule deer popula tions declined 56 percent between 2004 and 2021. Human disturbance of deer and elk during the winter can cause the animals to flee, which expends energy from the reserves they’re relying on to survive through winter and to successfully provide for young in the spring. By respecting winter range clo sures, the public can reduce impacts to deer and elk, helping to sustain existing populations into the future. Improving habitat quality for deer can preserve the functionality of traditional migratory routes and reduce impacts with nuisance deer in town, resulting in more healthy and productive deer populations.

protects deer and elk

Eric Wattenburg caught this photo of a magnificent mule deer buck in his neighborhood last week. Winter range closures are designed to protect mule deer populations, which are in decline, during the months when they are most vulnerable.

PHOTO BY ERIC WATTENBURG

As a Sisters Outlaw, Corbin Fredland is a highflier. Literally. He transferred to Sisters High School in his freshman year to take advantage of the aviation program of fered through the school and Outlaw Aviation

“Right now, I’m getting close to my in strument rating, and I’m hoping to get my commercial and multi-engine soon af ter,” he said

But flight is not the only way in which Corbin soar s. He’s a soccer player, a skier, a lacrosse player and an IEE intern, as well as maintaining strong academics.

I’ve always been go-go-go,” he explained. “I can’ t stop. It ’s addictive to keep going. It ’s fun. There’s a sense of accomplishment when you take a stride in anything.”

He feels that his experien ce at Sisters High School has been enhanced by the smaller environment, where it is possible to build and maintain relation ships with peers and teachers, and the exceptional level of communit y involvement “makes ever ything more accessible.”

Currently Fredland has at least tentative plans to at tend Montana State University in Bozeman, and he has his eye on a career as a backcountr y pilot.

“Corbin is such an amazing student and contributes in every program that he is involved in. He has developed such

empathy for others and leads by example, putting the needs of others before himself.” — Rand Runco

“Corbin’s enthusiasm is contagious. He is committed to giving his full ef fort and brings authenticity and kindness to wherever he is, from soccer to leading IEE students, to helping to lead the alpine ski team. Sisters High School is fortunate to have Corbin be an Outlaw, and I look forward to following his adventures in the future!” — Rima Givot

“Corbin is a fantastic human being. He is hardworking and thoughtful. He brings this wonderful curiosity and depth to his studies and is genuinely interested in getting better His commitment and drive in pursuit of his passions is inspiring and so fun to celebrate. He is humble and kind and ready to jump in and help wherever needed. I most appreciate how good he is at being fully and sincerely present with people. His wide-eyed, big smile, enthusiasm and gratitude for life are a gift to be around. I know he is going to make a meaningful difference in the world as he has here at SHS.” — Jami Lyn Weber

“From the first moment I met Corbin, I knew that he was exceptional. Corbin has worked extremely hard to earn his private pilot rating, and will soon become an instrument-rated pilot, as well. Not bad for a 17-year-old! In the air, Corbin is a safe, skilled pilot. He is a great role model, willing to help others, and always fun to have around. Congratulations, Corbin, well earned!” – Sheryl Yeager

“Corbin is an amazing student, leader,

and person. I always appreciate his great attitude and can-do attitude. When I see Corbin on the soccer field or in the halls he always has a smile and a kind word for others. Corbin, you are amazing and will go far!” — Rick Kroyt

“Corbin is a great example of what can happen when a student takes initiative in shaping their own educational experience. He is proactive in seeking out many of the great programs we offer here and then commits to being successful when he takes on something new. He is a great example for all of our Outlaws to follow!” — Steve Stancliff

Canyon Estates.

The investigating deputy located possible victims of the thefts in the neighbor hood. During the investi gation Noah Kirshner was determined to be a suspect in the thefts from vehicles in the area of Appaloosa Drive.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Noah Kirshner was located inside his vehicle on Wilt Road. Kirshner was sub sequently taken into custody without incident and lodged at the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Adult Jail.

The investigating deputy applied for and was granted a search warrant for Noah Kirshner’s vehicle. The search of the vehicle resulted in locating other suspected stolen items.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is still attempting to locate any and all additional victims in the Sisters area who may have had their vehicles broken into.

If you or anyone you know has been the victim of a recent car break-in, or had items stolen from your vehi cle, contact the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, 541693-6911, reference Case #22-64396.

Kirshner had been arrested in 2020 for a string of thefts from vehicles. All of those cases involved vehicles that were left unlocked in drive ways of residences. In one

case, a 9mm pistol was sto len from an unlocked vehicle, along with other valuables. Additionally, one of the vic tim vehicles had damage to a stereo and dashboard from Kirshner’s attempt to steal the stereo.

Kirshner was arrested for a similar string of break-ins two years before that.

According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Black Butte Ranch police responded on September 26, 2018 to a report of a domestic dis pute at 576 E. Jefferson Ave. in Sisters. When law enforcement arrived, they contacted Kirshner outside

the residence. Investigators determined that Kirshner had caused extensive damage to a residence and had been throwing rocks at vehicles. Investigating further, they found property in Kirshner’s possession that linked him

to multiple vehicle break-ins in the Sisters area that had been reported the morning of September 25, 2018.

In 2017, Kirshner was arrested in connection with the theft of hemp from a farm near Sisters.

LIBRARY:

Services will be provided from temporary trailer

December 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, and 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The trailer will arrive on December 14, and it’s expected to take a couple of days to get it ready. The trailer is expected to be ready to roll when the library closes for remodeling.

“We’re shooting for January 3,” Mildenstein said. “We’re trying to make it as seamless as possible so that there won’t be any stoppage of services.”

It is possible that the library will be closed for a day or two during the transi tion, Mildenstein noted.

The temporary facility will operate on Sisters Library’s regular hours.

According to DPL, “the location’s planned renova tion will create bright and open spaces that welcome the community with amenities such as flexible meeting and tutoring rooms, an enhanced children’s discovery space, a cozy fireplace and reading area, and a large community gathering space.”

Mildenstein said that the project is expected to be com pleted relatively quickly.

“We hope to be back in the Sisters building in its new condition in late sum mer/early fall,” she said. “Assuming everything goes well, it could be as early as late August.”

Voters in 2020 approved $195 million in bond fund ing for a variety of projects in DPL’s jurisdiction, and the Sisters Library remodel is among those projects.

Sisters Library is located at 110 N. Cedar St. in Sisters.

THEFTS: DCSO is seeking additional car break-in victims

and homeless service provid ers had been able to reach agreement.”

When asked if he had been in communication with any one at the City, he responded, “When I responded to the Sisters residents opposed to the idea of using Creekside Campground for shelter or transitional housing, I for warded my response to the Sisters City Council. Mayor Preedin had cc’d me in his responses to these residents, so I thought I would return the courtesy. So yes, I have shared my thoughts with the Sisters City Council, and have heard the mayor’s thoughts on this issue. We have not had any interactive discussions on this topic for a year.”

At last week’s City Council meeting, Mayor Michael Preedin closed the meeting saying that the City is seriously working on the houselessness issue. They have been working for a long time on being able to pro vide truly affordable hous ing and have earmarked funds for that. A new hire by the County has been made, to work with David Fox of

the County’s Behavioral Health Services visiting members of the house less community in the for est and connecting them to services.

“We are always talk ing with people about it. We are having meetings with the people from the Cold Weather Shelter and the Community Leadership Team,” he added. “I won’t allow others to put their stamp on what we’re doing.”

Chang told The Nugget , “I want to point out that shel ters across Deschutes County are filled to capacity these last few weeks as cold, wet weather is making living and sleeping unsheltered outside very dangerous for people.

It’s my understanding the group that has run the winter warming shelter in Sisters in the past does not have a site or an operation this year. I’m concerned that this danger ous situation is, in part, the result of the strain between homeless service providers and City leadership last year. Not having a winter warm ing shelter in a community makes the risk of people freezing to death very real. I don’t think anyone in Sisters wants this. But this could be the ‘worst case scenario’ that results from inaction and not being able to find community agreement on a shared path forward.”

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

soon to a theater very near you.

The pandemic hit the movie industry hard. Our movie house was no exception. But they survived. Let’s keep Sisters Movie House alive and kicking no matter what. Say hello to owners Drew and Yee and their very accommodating staff, and then enjoy a couple hours away from cell phones, news, dishes, and the mundane.

Susan Cobb s s s

STA logo

To the Editor:

While I don’t agree with the STA signage theft, I do find the new STA (Sisters Trails Alliance) logo — clever as it is — does not convey “Sisters Trails” like the OG logo did. Again, while clever and very cool, if you’re riding by you really have no idea what it is or what it means, or may even miss it on a ponderosa with its light green color.

From a bike saddle the new signage looks like a corpo rate logo of some sort (ouch, sorry). Not wanting to rag on the talented illustrator/artist, but when you’re out riding in the woods, especially when on forest roads, and you don’t know if you’re allowed to be there or not — and then see that shining beacon on the tree with the Sisters Trails Alliance emblem, it goes beyond comfort and easy to spot with its contrasting blue and green colors against the ponderosa or sign post.

I’m a regular rider of the PRT, Crossroads, Tie, etc., and the countless fire/forest roads and have met many a Sisters visitor on the trials and forest roads. How does a visitor know what the STA emblem means? I hope the STA rethinks the sig nage. And while I really do love the new logo, I would love it for T-shirts, hats, stickers, etc. (here’s my wallet!), but I would really love to see the OG blue and green signage back on our trails and fire/forest roads. And lastly, most importantly… Thank you to all the volunteers at the STA for all they do and all the happiness they bring to others!

Monica Solorio-Snow

By Jacqueline E. Mathews,

C L A S S I F I E D S

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.

102 Commercial Rentals

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

302 Recreational Vehicles

2018 Keystone Bullet Ultra Lite travel trailer for sale $19,995. More details: www.rvtrader.com Questions: wadsdd@aol.com

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

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

• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279

501 Computers & Communications

SISTERS SATELLITE

• PHONE

103 Residential Rentals

PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

Great Pyrenees Puppies

Three males & three females 3 weeks old, $500 each. Call or text 530-905-2250

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

500 Services

- SNOW REMOVALDriveways and walkways only. J&K Irrigation & Landscaping 541-771-5847 LCB# 100204

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

SMALL Engine REPAIR Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines

INTERNET

authorized local dealer for DirecTV,

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

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

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

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

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

BOOKKEEPING SERVICE

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

Lara’s Construction LLC.

CCB#223701

Offering masonry work, fireplaces, interior & exterior stone/brick-work, build barbecues, and all types of masonry. Give us a call for a free estimate. 541-350-3218

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

CENIGA'S MASONRY, INC.

Brick • Block • Stone • Pavers CCB #181448 – 541-350-6068

www.CenigasMasonry.com

602

Plumbing & Electric

SWEENEY

PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling

• New Construction

• Water Heaters 541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587

R&R PLUMBING, LLC

• • •

SPECIALIZING IN WATER

HEATERS & SERVICE

Lic. Bond. Ins. • CCB #184660 Servicing Central Oregon ––– 541-771-7000 –––

Northern Lights Electrical Installations LLC

Residential & Light Commercial • Service No job too small. 503-509-9353 CCB# 235868

NEED SOME WORK done on your home? Check out the HANDYMAN advertisers in The Nugget!

C L A S S I F I E D S

Ridgeline Electric, LLC

Serving all of Central Oregon

• Residential • Commercial

• Industrial • Service 541-588-3088 • CCB #234821

603 Excavation & Trucking

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977

FRONTIER PAINTING ~

Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com

METOLIUS PAINTING LLC

Meticulous, Affordable Interior & Exterior 541-280-7040 • CCB# 238067

606

Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

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

I

701 Domestic Services

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

– 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

& Insured. 541-977-1051

802 Help Wanted

Available in Sisters COMPANION CAREGIVER

Please call or text 503-274-0214 for more information.

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

THE NUGGET IS ONLINE! www.NuggetNews.com

Sisters Folk Festival is hiring a full-time Logistics & Facilities Manager to manage production of all SFF events and day-to-day maintenance of its office building in downtown Sisters. Duties include supervising set up, production, & clean up of events with seasonal staff & volunteers; negotiating contracts with vendors & suppliers; procuring, managing SFF-owned equipment and supplies; communicating with building tenants; and overseeing building repairs & maintenance. Must be able to lift 50 lbs. Excellent organizational, time management & communication skills; a basic aptitude with computers; and the desire to learn new skills while working on a collaborative team are a must. Salary $48-52K DOE plus health, dental, and IRA match. SFF is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusivity. We are committed to a workplace free of discrimination. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications & merit. Send resume and cover letter to admin@sistersfolkfestival.org.

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

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

OF SISTERS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING

CITY

CITY OF SISTERS

NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

& I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded

The Paper Place under new owner Josh Smith (far right) expanded into the space next door, significantly increasing the size of the store. A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday morning, December 1, with Mayor Michael Preedin (second from right) in attendance.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Growing and prospering…

SNOWSHOEING:

Winter activity can be more accessible for some

gear.

“And there’s no mainte nance,” Cassie said. “No edge sharpening, no waxing. Just chuck ’em in the back of the car and off we go.”

Snowshoeing is a lowimpact workout and it’s easy on knees and joints. The snow acts as a cushion, absorbing bumps and shocks. Anyone can do it at any age without lessons.

The muscular benefits of snowshoeing are similar to running. The calf muscles, quads, and hamstrings get the main workout. You can go snowshoeing on trails or around town when there’s

snow. When you add hiking poles, you are also going to work your upper body, with your shoulders and back get ting a great workout, experts say.

There are few rules for snowshoeing, the most important of which is not to shoe on a designated crosscountry (Nordic) ski trail. It’s also risky to shoe on a snow mobile trail for the obvious reason.

Another cost advantage

of snowshoeing over snow mobiling or Nordic skiing, is that you can find unlim ited opportunities where you do not need a sno-park permit. Just pay attention to the signs and save the fee.

Not ready to commit? No worries. The cost to see if snowshoeing is a good fit for you is low. Both Europsorts and Hillside Ski & Sport in Sisters will rent you goodquality shoes for under $20/ day.

There are less obvious benefits to the sport. If you’re concerned about COVID or are given to bouts of depres sion, then snowshoeing in the wild is a good bet to meet your social distancing needs or lift your spirits.

You’re not likely to get an adrenaline rush from snow shoeing, but you just might discover a natural high.

Fun snow shoeing trails near Sisters

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Beginner: Head out Elm Street, which turns into Forest Service Road 16 (Three Creek Road), and drive 5.5 miles to the Whychus Creek Overlook Trail parking lot. Cross the road and get onto the Peterson Ridge Trail (Signpost 34). Shoe east to the next signpost (28). Take the trail left to post 33.

Stay left at 33 onto Top Rung Connector and follow it northwesterly to post 29 at Peak View. Yes, stop and enjoy the view; you’ll be glad you did. Also a good spot for a snack break. Make a sharp left and take the trail back to 34 where you started. The loop is about 2.5 miles.

It’s essentially flat until you reach Peak View, after which there is some undulation and boulders to navigate. As it is a loop, you can do it clockwise or counterclockwise.

Intermediate: This one will require a sno-park per mit, $4 and available at many outlets. It’s the first desig nated snowshoe trail in the Deschutes National Forest. The Peak View Snowshoe trail is 3.4 miles out and back, relatively short and only 669 feet in elevation gain with an 8.1% grade.

It connects Upper Three Creeks Sno-Park with Jefferson View Shelter, with favorable panoramas along the way.

Take the same Service Road 16 referenced above 9.5 miles from Sisters to the spacious car park. While the sno-park itself is a beehive of winter activity, the snowshoe trail is lightly used, weekdays even less so.

The trail was built in 2018 with the help of Central Oregon Nordic Club, Sisters Trails Alliance, and Deschutes National Forest Trail Crew. The Deschutes Trails

Coalition provided funding for winter trail markers and other signing needs for the project.

Advanced: Maxwell SnoPark, also needing a permit, is located 3.5 miles west of Santiam Junction on Highway 22. There are 25 miles of trails from easy to more dif ficult. Some trails run through old-growth forest and some offer views of Maxwell Butte, Three Finger Jack, and Duffy Butte.

Mountain View Shelter can also be accessed from several trails. From the Shelter on a clear day, visitors can see Mount Washington and the North Sister, as well as Three Finger Jack, which is just five or six miles away.

It’s a 30-minute drive west of Sisters, 3.5 miles past Santiam Junction, and is well signed. It is highly rated and favored among Nordic skiers. However there is plenty of room for snowshoeing.

We can snowshoe for a fraction of the cost of skiing, even at Hoodoo where it’s much less costly than Bachelor.

— Monty Tyler

Jason and Haley Ellison of Black Butte Ranch celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary snowshoeing with their shepherd, Luna.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

was happening until sirens went off. Within minutes of the sounding of general quar ters, the Selfridge crew was firing on incoming planes.

“I was sleeping below deck when it happened. I had to go to the engine room, but before I did, I saw one plane go by and that was all I saw. The alarm went off on the ship, that tells every body to go to their battle sta tions. We didn’t know why the alarm had gone off,” said Emmarson.

The U.S.S. Selfridge got underway as fast as possible.

“We went out to find the Japanese carriers… luckily, we didn’t find any. I never did see much because I was in the engine room all the time,” he recalled.

Marvin Emmarson was born on December 13, 1922. He grew up in Astoria, went to grade school in Northwest Portland, and finished his schooling at an all-boys school, Benson Polytechnic High School. The mascot for the school is the Techmen. That name would prove pro phetic for Emmarson, who became an engineer in the U.S. Navy. His job, keeping the U.S.S. Selfridge running at full steam, was grueling, hot, and imperative to its survival. Emmarson and his shipmates overcame the odds, under circumstances so try ing it’s hard to believe they’re true. But like so many heroic stories from WWII, truth was stranger than fiction.

After the attack, the U.S.S. Selfridge was sent out to patrol the entrance to Pearl Harbor and after a few weeks started toward Wake Island.

Being below decks kept Emmarson away from the action roiling around him. But a direct hit could have left him trapped and donefor in the steaming bowels of the ship. On one of the Selfridge’s many missions, his ship escorted an air craft carrier that fell to the Japanese from a torpedo. The Selfridge also escorted four ships to New Zealand then set sail for Guadalcanal. Aboard the last ship in their brigade, the Selfridge crew witnessed the loss of the

Lexington and five cruisers. The U.S.S. Chicago was hit by a torpedo that demolished the ship’s bow. Then it was the Selfridge’s turn to experi ence a similar fate.

The ship took heavy tor pedo damage in the Battle of Vella La Vella on October 6, 1943, exploding with a direct hit to the bow. The front of the ship was a mangled mass of metal.

“We were firing at enemy ships and a torpedo boat came up from behind one of the islands. We didn’t even see it. They just torpedoed into us and hit the powder magazine and blew the ship in half,” said Emmarson.

That’s where his good friend Owen Bauserman, who he signed up with, was lost. The Selfridge lost 13 sailors that day. Eleven were wounded, and 36 were miss ing in action.

“My ship was blown in half, and I was in the half that stayed afloat,” said Emmarson.

After repairs to secure the bulkhead and keep her afloat, Emmarson’s crewmates began a 7,000-mile journey, taking their crippled ship all the way back to Mare Island in California to have a whole new bow built.

“I guess my military train ing kicked in and we did what we had to do,” Emmarson said.

Emmarson explained that the Selfridge had a steel bulk head across the doors that kept the water out.

“The bow was gone clear back to the bridge. We weren’t towed back; we were under our own power. It was

kind of rough below deck,” he said.

Now with his harrowing experiences far behind him, Emmarson prefers to take it easy and crack a few jokes along the way. When asked about his good health and lon gevity he shot back a quick reply: “Lots of booze and women keeps you young!”

A fastidious gardener, he’s out in the yard every day making sure there’s never a pine needle or pinecone that stays on the ground for long. During our visit Emmarson’s stepson, John Tehan, and his wife, Peggy Tehan, were there to attest to his garden ing prowess and reputation as a man of few words but much hard work.

“He’s always kept his yard up. It’s neat and tidy with things organized,” said Peggy. “Having activities like that keep me going and keep my yard looking good,” added Emmarson.

When asked what his favorite thing is to do these days, Emmarson answered: “Sleep. I don’t do much but sit in this house now.”

He likes to watch “Jeopardy!,” “Wheel of Fortune,” and “American Ninja Warrior.”

“I don’t know the answers on ‘Jeopardy!’, I just watch it,” he said. “I don’t have all the answers for questions people ask me, like advice to younger people. I’ve been by myself in this house for quite a while since my wife, Marge, passed away a few years ago.”

Emmarson may not dis pense much advice for his grandkids, but he set the

example of how to preserve what you’ve got and take care of yourself. Emmarson quit drinking about a year ago. John Tehan joked, “We can start up anytime though.”

Emmarson used to go to Navy reunions, and has kept booklets with photographs of the Selfridge before and after it was blown in half. After the Selfridge, he served on other ships. The last reunion he went to was about 15 years ago, as they kept get ting smaller and smaller. One impromptu reunion happened in Sisters. Emmarson was down at the Sisters Hotel and went into the bathroom, where he met a man he’d served with. The man said, “Whitey! Is that you?” It was good to see his old shipmate and hear the name he was given because his hair was so blond.

Looking back for Emmarson, there’s a lot

of memories he can’t find anymore.

“I didn’t keep track of what happened in my life,” he said. “It just happened and that was it.”

He and his second wife, Marge, who is John Tehan’s mother, got married in Las Vegas.

“I was still drinking then,” he said with a laugh. Emmarson does remember his last drink though. “I had one drink over at John’s place and that was it,” he said with a soft chuckle.

“We try to coax him into another Kahlua and cream, but nothing doing,” said Peggy Tehan.

The Nugget story about Marvin Emmarson writ ten by Craig Rullman can be found at: https://nugget news.com/Content/CurrentNews/Current-News/Article/ Sisters-Pearl-Harborsurvivor/5/5/26038?s=1.

Marv Emmarson, with stepson John, and Peggy Tehan.

PHOTO BY KATY YODER

The U.S.S. Selfridge, where Marvin Emmarson served during World War II. PHOTO PROVIDED