The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLV No. 50 // 2022-12-14

A holiday celebration…

Schools launch mental health partnership

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

The Sisters School District (SSD) has quite a few new programs and updates that were presented to the school board in last week’s meeting.

Students from Rima Givot’s biology classes presented an update on the Trout Creek Conservation

Area (TCCA) trees that have been studied by students for many years. Students presented on the number of ponderosa pine, and western juniper trees in different oneacre plots throughout the area behind the high school. The TCCA is a 160-acre area owned and protected by the SSD. The purpose of their

See SCHOOL on page 23

Planning Commission to rule on development

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

The Sisters Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to make a decision on the controversial proposed Sunset Meadows development along Highway 242 at their meeting on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

At the conclusion of

the December 8 Planning Commission meeting, the public hearing on Sunset Meadows was closed, and the written record left open for submittal of additional information. With the public hearing now closed, the Planning Commission will not receive any additional oral testimony

and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Exploring the forest by the numbers

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Anybody who has explored the forests of Sisters Country is familiar with the numbered forest road markers. What do the numbers actually mean?

The only thing systematic about the Forest Service road numbering system is that there is nothing systematic, at least in the sense of consistency. Each National Forest is more or less free to employ their own numbering scheme. So if you

A long walk through Sisters

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

On June 6 (D-Day), Justin “JD” LeHew and Coleman “Rocky” Kinzer, both retired U.S. Marine Corps sergeants major, set off on a crosscountry American journey, from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon. They walk in support of America’s missing and killed in action from all wars and conflicts, Gold Star families, and to highlight other charitable causes supporting veterans from all walks and challenges of life.

On August 18, they were joined in Elgin, Illinois, by Marine veteran Staff Sergeant Raymond Shinohara, who served with both LeHew and Kinzer during their time in the Marines.

Enroute to Sisters on December 5, they were met nine miles east of town by some three- to four-dozen veterans with full-size flags at the popular viewpoint that marks the highway as a Medal of Honor Highway. In an often tearful ceremony, the three spoke eloquently about their mission.

The trio arrived later that

afternoon in Sisters for a warm welcome sponsored by Sisters Band of Brothers. The trio overnighted in Sisters after meeting Mayor Michael Preedin at City Hall, where they were gifted small quilts by Quilt Show Executive Director Dawn Boyd.

They had reached Bend on December 2, and were waiting for conditions to improve on the Santiam Pass.

Accompanied by two Oregon State Police patrol officers, they made a

reconnaissance ride to the Pass, which is now filled with snow. OSP cautioned them to delay their walk a few days. The fear was that, on the downhill side, cars might lose control. They perceive their greatest danger to be Tombstone Pass, as Highway 20 rapidly descends.

“ODOT plows have gone back and cut an extra 12 inches into the snow banks to

Coleman “Rocky” Kinzer (with beard) Justin “JD” LeHew, and Raymond Shinohara (orange jacket) spoke of their cross-country mission.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Sisters Dance Academy hosted their annual holiday recital themed “Winter Wonderland Ball,” treating audiences to delightful dances from all ages.

PHOTO BY KELLI CARTER RISE GRAPHIC DESIGN

Letters to the Editor…

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

Recycling center

To the Editor:

Re: “Dumping a problem at center,” (The Nugget, November 23, page 3): This is a case of defining the problem over and over again, and abandoning the solution! This I know, when the [recycling center was managed by the County it was clean, unacceptable materials were not accepted, just didn’t happen.

The facility was managed by an on-board staff member. As Morgan Schmidt’s campaign message said, “Give a Schmidt.” Well now, by the growing disaster displayed at the “Center” not enough users give a… Our society is loaded with growing disrespect for anything or anyone. Example: speed limits, flicking trash out of vehicles, violating

Measure 114 and constitutional law

By Pete Shepherd Guest Columnist

Reams of paper have already been chewed up by lawyers arguing the constitutionality of Measure 114 (2022). Forests of paper, barrels of ink, and many pages in the calendar will be consumed before Oregonians learn whether, and to what extent, the measure’s new limitations and controls on firearms will ever be enforced.

Two judges recently got the process off to a rollicking and, to some, head-spinning start. Federal District Court Judge Karin Immergut denied a preliminary request to delay implementation, ruling that opponents have not yet persuaded her that Measure 114 is unconstitutional. Proponents celebrated and opponents licked their wounds. Hours later, opponents of Measure 114 partied, and proponents nursed their grievances after state Circuit Court Judge Rob Raschio halted implementation and declared that the measure is likely unconstitutional.

in 1857: “27.-The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence [sic] of themselves, and the state, but the Military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power.-” In making his ruling, Judge Raschio tested Measure 114 against Article I, section 27.

Compare that text to the Second Amendment, tacked on to the U.S. Constitution of 1789 and ratified by the States in 1791: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” In making her ruling, Judge Immergut tested Measure 114 against the U.S. Constitution, including the Second Amendment.

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What gives? How could two highly educated students of law and respected judges reach different results in what seems superficially to be the same dispute?

Owner: J. Louis Mullen

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

The answer reveals an often-overlooked and yet very important truth about constitutional rights. Many of our most fundamental rights are guaranteed not by a single constitution, but by two.

The Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution is the protection most of us know best. We tend to think of the U.S. Bill of Rights as the only protection of our rights to free speech, to equal protection of law, to the free exercise of religion, or to purchase “arms” without unconstitutional restraint.

But there is another layer to the protection of these and many other individual rights. That layer is the Oregon Constitution.

Opponents of Measure 114 have loaded their magazine with at least two rounds of ammunition. One is the Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. The other is Article I, section 27 of the Bill of Rights of the Oregon Constitution. Proponents must separately defend against both attacks.

The two constitutions do not use the same words.

Here is the text of Article I, section 27 of the Oregon Constitution, exactly as it was adopted by popular vote

It is much too soon to know whether variances between the text of the two constitutions will make any difference in the end. In some cases involving other dual rights, courts have concluded that the Oregon Constitution provides stronger — or at least different — protections than the U.S. Constitution. Oregonians objecting to a police search, for example, are sometimes able to successfully challenge the search under the Oregon Constitution, even though the same police action would be lawful under the U.S. Constitution. Similarly, Oregon’s Bill of Rights forbids laws “restricting the right to speak, write, or print freely on any subject whatever,” whereas the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has, in some respects, been held to be less protective of free speech rights.

The Oregon Supreme Court has the final word on interpreting our state constitution. When it comes to interpreting the U.S. Constitution, the United States Supreme Court has the power to have the final say. If the measure violates the Oregon Constitution, then it is “game over” for the proponents, regardless of whether Measure 114 also violates the Second Amendment. If Measure 114 is not unconstitutional under the Oregon Constitution, then the hopes and fears of the proponents and opponents alike will depend on whether the measure violates the U.S. Constitution.

Pete Shepherd formerly served as Deputy Attorney General of Oregon. He is retired from the representation of clients.

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

PHOTO BY AL KRAUSE

Sisters Folk Festival 2023 tickets go on sale

Tickets to the 2023 Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) go on sale Wednesday, December 14 at 10 a.m. The Festival will take place September 29 - October 1, 2023 at seven venues around downtown Sisters.

Three-day all-events tickets will be available through a tiered pricing model, with discounts given to those who purchase first. The initial 500 tickets will be offered at a $50 holiday discount for $175 (limit two per person); the next 800 tickets sold will be available at a $25 early bird discount for $200 per ticket (limit four per person); and the final round of tickets will be sold at the advance price of $225 per ticket. Tickets

for youth ages 17 and under are $85 each. The discounted tickets have sold out quickly in the past.

Sisters Folk Festival will begin making lineup announcements in the early spring and single-day Festival tickets will be available for purchase in mid-April.

Refunds are available through July 31, 2023; no refunds after August 1, 2023. In the event of cancellation by SFF, full refunds will be offered to all ticket buyers.

Follow @Sisters FolkFestival on Instagram and Facebook for updates and additional information. Tickets can be purchased online at www.AftonTickets. com/SFF2023tix.

By T. Lee Brown Correspondent

Enjoy a silent meditation walk with others in your community, celebrating the longest night of the year on December 21. Sisters Community Labyrinth will begin its annual Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk with a brief gathering, then proceed through the labyrinth in silence toward the boulder at its center.

Organizers ask that participants dress warmly, wear appropriate snow boots or traction devices, and bring a flashlight or electric candle. Hot beverages will be provided; participants should bring their own mugs to reduce environmental waste.

“I appreciate the organized labyrinth walks that

connect us with humans all around the globe,” said Pat Leiser, who sits on the Sisters Community Labyrinth committee. Leiser studies not only the movement of planets and seasons, but the many ways that different cultures celebrate these occasions.

Susan Prince will lead a short gathering at the labyrinth. She helps people connect with the natural earth and the spirit of transformation that comes with a change of seasons.

“It may seem paradoxical that winter officially arrives just as our days begin to lengthen,” she explained.

“For eons, humans have joined in ceremony to celebrate together as planet Earth once again turns back towards her sun’s light.”

Earlier this year, the labyrinth was slated for potential destruction. The City of Sisters purchased the land on which the labyrinth sits— a beautifully treed parcel called East Portal—from the U.S. Forest Service.

City staff and Council announced plans to transform the land into a “mobility hub” for buses and other transportation.

Former City Manager Cory Misley said that the team hired to design the new hub, Kittleson & Associates, would have a “blank slate” to design the locale regardless of its existing history and facilities, including the labyrinth.

Then the City heard community input about

Molly Baumann — the people behind SPRD

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Molly Baumann wears many different hats in her career and life: mom, wife, and Forest Service employee, as well as secretary for the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) board of directors. Baumann manages forest sites and forest development in Central Oregon. She oversees maintenance for sites in the Cascade Lakes area, and sites on the Deschutes River.

She has been living in Sis-

Winter solstice walk scheduled SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

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

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

Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild

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

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

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

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

Heartwarmers (fleece blanketmakers)

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

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

Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk 3rd Monday, 6 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP at citizens4community.com

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

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

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

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

Sisters Area Photography Club

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

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

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

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

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

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

Location information: 541-549-1193.

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

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

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

Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday.

Location information: 541-848-1970.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCHOOLS

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

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

ters with her family for five years and entered service on the SPRD board to give back to her community.

“I knew I wanted to be involved on a board in some way or another, and then I met Jeff Tyrens (the current board vice president), and he encouraged me to apply when a spot came open,” she said.

Baumann has been serving almost a year and a half, being one of the newer members of the board.

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., 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 TL BROWN

A globe and planets around Sisters Community Labyrinth helped people understand the change of seasons during a spring equinox gathering. For the winter solstice walk, the labyrinth may be covered in snow.

Christmas Book Flood on tap in Sisters this month

Sisters’ independent bookstore is expecting a flood this holiday season — in fact, they’re causing it.

“We’re big fans of the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod, or the ‘Christmas Book Flood,’ in which books are given as gifts in the days leading up to Christmas and friends and family sit around, read, and enjoy each other’s company,” said Lane Jacobson, owner of Paulina Springs Books. “So much so, in fact, that we’re going to put on our own version this year, which we are dubbing the PSB Solstice Book Flood — and we’re extending an invite to you, your friends, and the rest of our community! We’re excited for an evening full of book talk - and an excuse for us to gather, which we’ve so missed doing with y’all over the last few years.”

The event is set for Tuesday, December 20, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Here’s how the Christmas Book Flood works:

Pick out one of your favorite paperback books that you’ll be exchanging for the Book Flood. Fiction, nonfiction, a classic, or a recent release — doesn’t matter as long as it’s a book that you’re excited to put into someone else’s hands. It can be a used copy of your own that you’re ready to share with someone else or it can be a new copy that you purchase from Paulina Springs or another indie bookstore.

“You’ll get 10 percent off on any book that you order from PSB for the book

exchange, but order soon so it’s here in time,” Jacobson said.

“Try to pick out a book that you feel passionate about but that will also have some sort of broad appeal. Specific, but not too specific.”

On the evening of the exchange, be prepared to write a few sentences about the book and why you love it.

“You can exchange up to three books, but keep in mind that this is intended as

an opportunity for us to share the books that we love most, not as an avenue for offloading books that you no longer want,” Jacobson said.

The evening will open at 6 p.m. with some brief readings and reflections on the changing season. Notecards will be passed out so that everyone can write their own recommendation or blurb for the book that they brought. All books and notecards will be collected and arranged on a table. Everyone will have an opportunity to browse the

books and pick out one that speaks to them.

“If someone else snags a book that you were excited about, we’ll be offering 10 percent off of any books that were part of the exchange,” Jacobson said.

Light snacks and refreshments will be available.

“And if you are joining us at the last minute and don’t have a book to exchange, that’s okay,” Jacobson said.

“Just come in a little early and purchase a book off the shelf that seems like a good

fit to use in the exchange. More than anything, this is an evening intended for sharing in our love of books and for enjoying each other’s company during the holiday season. We’ll also be showing off our new events space, though it is still a bit of a work in progress. The more the merrier, so we encourage you to bring along any friends and family that you think will have fun.”

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.

Dinner event supports children in Nepal

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

Ten Friends Silent Auction and Himalayan Dinner, sponsored by the Cascades Academy MUSE Club, will be held Wednesday, December 14, 6 to 8 p.m. at Cascades Academy.

After two years of a virtual auction, this year’s event will be live. The evening will include speakers, a raffle, a dinner of dal bhat, and the silent auction. The auction will include an assortment of goods and experiences donated by local businesses and individuals. Items include a ski package donated by Crows Feet, a foodie’s package, with gift cards from all your favorite restaurants, a weekend stay in Sunriver, and much more.

The fundraising event and Ten Friends both have deep Sisters roots. Ten Friends began after two Sisters High School teachers, Mark LaMont and Rand Runco, and eight of their friends spent the summer of 2006 in Nepal. Upon returning home they wondered what they could do to help the people of Nepal. With support of friends and generous donors, Ten Friends became a reality

that has grown and evolved over the years, now engaging hundreds of people from countries around the world.

Sisters resident Delaney Newport, when a student at Cascades Academy and whose older brother Ryley went to Nepal with Ten Friends, originated the silent auction and dinner as a fundraiser for Ten Friends. She started volunteering for the organization right after Ryley returned from Nepal, when she was eight. When she graduated from Cascades, a number of Sisters residents who supported Ten Friends pitched in to enable Ten Friends to present her with a ticket to Nepal at the last fundraiser she organized.

Once Newport graduated, Cascades student Louisa Lamarre, now in the 11th grade, along with the Academy’s MUSE club, kept the tradition going. MUSE is a local nonprofit that empowers women and young girls to take action and create positive social change.

“The Cascades Academy MUSE club, made up of high school girls, takes on many projects that either illustrate our values or create change in our community and world. Supporting Ten

Friends is one of our projects,” Lamarre explained.

Ten Friends is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives in the third world with simple, hands-on projects that make a big difference to people in need. They work predominately in Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, with a culture based in simplicity. The goal of Ten Friends is to provide the Nepali people with basic needs like food, sanitation, shelter, and clean drinking water. Before they begin any project, they always ask those they are helping, “Is this something you need and can use?”

In the early days of the organization, Ten Friends founders traveled to Nepal most summers, sometimes taking high school students or friends as volunteers.

“Our very first project was delivering stretchers to villages along the trekking paths near Mr. Everest so that injured or sick villagers could be carried safely to hospitals. From that first project, other charitable opportunities arose, and Ten Friends began supporting sanitation, literacy (libraries), sponsorship of orphanages, and education,” their website explains.

Their helping others is of value to everyone involved. According to their website, “One of the most exciting things for us is to hear high school students who have traveled to Nepal on a Ten Friends work project tell us their career paths have changed as a result of the experience. For others who are not able to travel to Nepal, they are nonetheless able to find inspiration from children who are persevering in an orphanage or completing their education against all odds!”

After several years of running the fundraiser, Lamarre was able to travel to Nepal.

“I was able to raise money to travel there and build a library in the village of Khandbari. It was an incredible experience and I hope to go back as soon as possible. I also had the opportunity to

join the Ten Friends board a couple of years ago, which has helped the auction grow and become more connected to the organization,” Lamarre said.

Last year, despite being virtual, with the help of the board they were able to raise over $10,000 to support Ten Friends. This year, with its being in person, they hope to match the $5,000 offered by the Ten Friends board.

“If we reach this goal, we will have raised enough money to send 10 Nepalese girls to school which would be very exciting!” Lamarre explained.

Cascades Academy is located at 19860 Tumalo Reservoir Rd. in Tumalo. The cost of the evening is $10 per person and reservations can be made at https:// www.cascadesacademy.org/ community/muse-club-pres ents-ten-friends.

Boys basketball squad bounces back with two wins

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The boys basketball squad snapped their two-game losing streak with a dominant 66-34 victory at Jefferson High School on Tuesday, December 6. At home two days later, they destroyed the Dawgs of Culver with a final score of 63-29.

In Tuesday’s action the Outlaws set the tone of the contest from the opening tip, and the defense caused the Lions to turn the ball over on their first two possessions. Sisters used full-court manto-man pressure to make the Lions uncomfortable the entire period. Adam Maddox-Castle led the first quarter scoring with six points on two transition baskets and two points from the free-throw line. At the close of the first quarter the Outlaws held a 20-8 lead.

Sisters kept the pressure on in the second quarter, and continued to attack the rim in penetration and in their half-court offense. Jessey Murillo had seven points in the quarter, three-for-five from the line, and two baskets.

The Lions weren’t able to handle the Outlaws’ defensive intensity and constant pressure, and committed 20

turnovers in the half. The Outlaws converted nine of their 13 attempts at the charity stripe, and at the half were on top 34-15.

At the half the Outlaws talked about keeping the pressure on in the third quarter, and they were able to do just that. They held the Lions to six points, their lowest scoring quarter of the game. Sisters had a well-balanced attack and scored 14 points in the period, with six different players putting points on the board. The Outlaws remained aggressive on offense and made six of their eight attempts at the line.

In the final quarter, Sisters came out in their 1-3-1 zone defense for the first time this season to get some game experience with that defense. Since it was the first time, there were a number of defensive breakdowns and miscommunication, which led to the Lions’ highest-scoring quarter of the game (13). In spite of trying to work through a new defense, the Outlaws outscored the Lions 18-13 in the period and recorded the win.

Mehkye Froelich scored seven points in the final quarter, including a plusone opportunity as the clock expired.

Landon Scott led the scoring effort with 15 points. Froehlich scored 11 points, and Murillo scored 11 points and pulled down eight boards. Maddox-Castle tallied nine points and Garrett Sager contributed seven points and five rebounds. Kale Gardner and Brody Fischer added six and five points, respectively.

Coach Chad Rush said, “I was very proud of the team tonight. They listened to what we talked about in practices leading up to this game and were able to execute the changes and emphasis for the game. Being able to consistently put pressure on the ball will be a key for us as we move forward this season.”

In Friday’s game against Culver the game started with the score going back and forth, with the score tied up four times before the Outlaws plowed ahead. From there the Outlaws jumped on the Bulldogs and by the close of the quarter outscored them 29-10.

Sisters tore apart the Dawgs’ zone defense with patience and unselfish passing, and tallied six assists in the quarter. The Outlaws’ defensive pressure caused Culver to turn the ball over six

times. Sisters hit four threepointers; two from Scott, and one each from Diego Silva and Froehlich. The Outlaws held the Dawgs scoreless for the final four minutes except for two points they got from the charity stripe. Froehlich and Scott both scored eight points in the quarter.

The Outlaws continued their unselfish play in the second quarter. Sisters went to a 1-3-1 zone and caused five Bulldog turnovers. Silva hit another three and Brody Fisher hit the bottom of the net with a three to end the first half scoring and extend the Outlaws’ lead to 45-16.

Sisters was a bit sluggish at the start of the third and consequently lost the quarter to the Bulldogs 8-11. Silva continued his hot shooting, and knocked down his third long ball of the night. The Dawgs closed out the quarter with eight straight points, including back-to-back threes from senior Logan Macy. At the end of three the Outlaws still held the lead, 53-27.

The Outlaws regained their intensity in the final quarter, and held the Dawgs to just two points. Most of the starters sat out the remainder of the game and the bench did a great job,

and forcing five Bulldog turnovers. The Outlaws capped their scoring with a Fischer steal and layup and a layup from Silva.

Eight different Outlaws contributed in the scoring effort. Silva led the team with 17 points, followed by Froehlich, who scored 12 points and recorded five steals. Scott scored 10 points and dished out three assists. Maddox-Castle scored nine points, and Fischer contributed seven. Murillo had four points and four assists and pulled down seven boards. Garrett Sager finished with seven rebounds and two points. Hudson Beckwith also had two points in the contest.

Rush said, “This was a complete team win from tip to final buzzer. I was proud of how patient and unselfishly the team worked tonight in handling Culver’s zone defense. Our defensive intensity continues to improve, which will be much needed as we continue our non-league schedule and head into league play.”

Sisters was to play at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 13. They will travel to Yamhill-Carlton on Friday, December 16.

noise laws, and the list goes on and on and on. The signs at the Center obviously have little or no impact on user behavior. An unmanned camera is a waste —power et al. — dang!

Proposed solutions: 1. Shut the Center down — redirect to the county transfer center on Fryrear, clean, well-managed by an on-deck employee.

2. Set up a job-share employee program to “live” monitor/manage the Center during open hours. Close the Center (gates) during the posted hours, 4 p.m. close and 7 a.m. open. The proposed monitor/management for the nine open hours could look like this: two shifts, 7 a.m. to noon; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the hour overlap providing time for the employees to talk / share. Recommended wage $15 with some benefits, provided by and managed by the City, not Republic.

3. If the Center stays open, ask the sheriff’s deputy to do drive-by checks during the closed hours. It’s way past time to reset bad behavior at the Center!

Bob Hunt

Christmas parade

To the Editor:

What a wonderful Christmas Parade it was! It has been years since there was even close to this number of entries. I imagine that someone or lots of someones really worked hard to recruit groups to celebrate the start of the holidays this year.

There were returning favorites like the corgis, the Science Club knocked it out of the park, a Rodeo Queen, several horse groups! Even floats! The fire departments brought their super-shiny rigs, always a crowd favorite. I was dazzled and delighted, my holiday spirit got fed and blossomed.

Thank you so very much for a splendid time. I really look forward to next year! Ho ho ho.

Karly Lusby

s s s

Protecting wildlife

To the Editor:

The Winter Wildlife Range Closures went into effect on Dec 1. One of which is the Tumalo Winter Range (go.usa.gov/xeEua). This late summer and fall there has been ongoing, extremely sad and illegal OHV activity (see regulations and restriction at blm.gov/programs/recreation/OHV) both on BLM land and Oregon Department of State Lands, in the Plainview area. There has been elk poaching to the east of this area this fall. And more recently, as the previous week’s Letter to the Editor documented, there has been deer poaching directly to the west of the illegal OHV activity.

All these may be unrelated. However, they may not be. Since the illegal OHV activity has not been present in the past, I might guess that it is being created by someone new to the area that is not informed about the ethical care and stewardship we all must partake in for the sustainability of our natural habitat. And just as critical: fire protection.

With the closures now in place, I would ask all the people in the Plainview area to please respect the wildlife and habitat. The destruction of this critical habitat and disruption of wildlife migration is unacceptable. From ignorance to education to enforcement.

Scott Stoery

Sisters parks

To the Editor:

A recent column by Cathy Russell (“Sunset Meadows project should be redesigned,” The Nugget, December 7, page 2) presents a wellreasoned analysis of the ways the development fails to meet key priorities of the Sisters Comprehensive Plan. However, her statement that there are no parks on the west side of Sisters begs for clarification.

The Sisters Parks Master Plan: Park Inventory Report lists numerous parks and public facilities located on the west side of Sisters. For example, the Sisters Park & Recreation District has two

community ball fields, the Hyzer Pines Disc Golf Course, a playground, and a half-pipe for skateboarding. Community residents may utilize the various school district amenities (playgrounds, basketball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, and picnic benches) that are available during non-school hours. The Trout Creek Conservation Area walking/biking trail connects the schools with Tollgate. The Village at Cold Springs and McKenzie Meadows developments have pocket parks and linear green spaces with picnic facilities and playgrounds. The Forest Service land adjacent to Village at Cold Springs offers forest habitat laced with well-used trails and logging roads that connect with Tollgate and the Trout Creek Conservation Area trail.

It is imperative that these resources be protected, and expanded where possible. If joint use agreements for outdoor school recreation facilities between the City of Sisters and the Sisters School District are informal or nonexistent, they should be formalized so that the facilities remain unlocked and open to the public. Natural areas, such as the Forest Service property adjacent to the northern city limits, must not be traded off for developmental purposes. The west side of Sisters is being developed with increasingly dense housing, and the proximity of natural forest habitat provides intrinsic environmental, aesthetic, and recreational benefits to Sisters’ residents.

Paul Twelker

s s s

Housing again

To the Editor:

I read the preliminary census data for Sisters ( The Nugget, November 16) with interest. PSU (Portland State University) will use this data to try to predict Sisters’ presumed population growth and housing needs out to 20 years. I wonder if the City Council will postpone rubber-stamping such sweeping developments as Sunset Meadows until after PSU makes its predictions?

Equestrian shop expands

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

With the expansion and new location of A Bit Less Tack, purchasing or selling horse equipment, riding apparel, and equine-related gifts has become a lot easier.

Sisters Heather Naasz and Teresa Roff own A Bit Less Tack. They chose a location that’s easy to find, accessible for horse trailers, and able to contain their vast inventory of consigned and new horse products.

Originally the store was run by Naasz and was located by Costco. When Roff decided to move over from the Willamette Valley and be closer to her grandchildren, the sisters became partners in the business. To make sure they were offering the best products and services, the women asked their customers what they wanted in the store, and that’s what they stock. The new location at 370 SE 3rd St. in Bend is much larger, and better suited to accept saddles, tack, riding apparel, and other equine supplies and products for consignment. They’re also the only place in Bend that’s carrying Haystack brand feed.

The store has about equal

amounts of new items and consignments.

“We have new blankets, clothing, and barn supplies,” said Roff. “We offer equal numbers of English and Western saddles. Right now, we have 178 saddles in the store, which is probably the biggest inventory in Oregon. We have more new Western saddles, but more used English saddles. There’s a wide variety of saddles at different price ranges.”

She noted, I’ve been a 4-H leader for years; in fact, this is the first year I haven’t done it. I have a soft spot for kids who have a hard time affording what they need to participate in 4-H and OHSET. They can purchase things here for a fraction of the cost. You could come in and buy a saddle for $150 or purchase a high-end saddle for over $4,000.”

Roff says their store also has the largest inventory of new and used endurance saddles and tack in the area.

All of their consigned saddles are available online through their website. Depending on the type of tack, they also sell through other platforms like eBay and Facebook. But when buying or selling tack, having a brick-and-mortar store offers benefits not

available if you’re relying solely on a few online photos.

“People can come in and check out a saddle for five days and return it if it doesn’t fit their horse. There’s no fee to do it. They can check out more than one saddle at a time, too,” said Roff. “We know it can be hard to fit your horses with all kinds of tack, so we take returns on everything. We have people come in all the time with their horse trailers and try on saddles in our parking lot. We try to keep our price points a bit less and under the suggested retail price. We’re trying to be competitive with online options. Our goal is to eventually have all our store items available online but we’re not there yet. People can buy items and pick them up or we can ship them. We sell out of state as well as in Oregon. We move a lot of saddles. Since July, we’ve gained 200 new consigners. We keep receiving more saddles but we’re moving a lot too. We carry the new Barefoot saddles for endurance and sell new and used Circle Y saddles, too.”

The sisters are also offering some fun social opportunities to meet more horse people and learn how

to paint. Once a month on Sundays, they do paint parties at 5 p.m. Because it’s so popular, signups are required. Tickets are $45 per person and include painting materials, beverages, and snacks. After paying the artist, proceeds go to a local charity.

“We have an artist come in and we all paint something. Last month we did a horse. Thirty people took part in that one. Most recently we did a barn. The artist teaches how to paint the subject step-by-step,” said Roff. “Next month’s paint party is January 22. We’re asking people to send

in a photograph of their animal and the artist will sketch the outside of the shape. People can paint their own horse or dog. Everyone will paint the face and fill in the colors. It’s fun! We find it builds community for the horse people in the area. All people have to do is show up; everything’s included.”

A Bit Less Tack is located at 370 SE 3rd St. in Bend. Consignment agreements and requirements are on the website: www.abitlesstack.com. To learn more about the painting parties or the products they carry and consign, call 541-323-3262.

Heather Naasz and Teresa Roff are owners of A Bit Less Tack.

PHOTO BY KATY YODER

in on ski biking

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

It all began as a mode of transportation in the Alps. It grew into a new winter sport on ski slopes when Austrian ski manufacturer, Engelbert Brenter, patented the “SitSki” in 1949. He created a steerable sledge with runners, and added key components needed to transform the bike into a serious recreational sport including a suspension system, and real skis instead of runners.

The sport bloomed in the 1970s, and more-or-less died of in the ’80s, as ski resorts resisted their presence. Now they are back, bigger, faster, and badder than ever — completely overhauled with impressive technology.

SkiBikes are bicycle-like devices engineered with skis instead of wheels to use the force of gravity to descend the slopes. They are catching on in popularity and are a great alternative to traditional skiing or snowboarding.

As with skiing or snowboarding riders apply pressure and edging to control the ski boards, skidding the skis across the hill or turning slightly uphill to stop.

It is a much more balanced workout than skiing or snowboarding, according to the industry’s representatives. You have the ability to sit or stand depending on the bike style, and there is much less stress on your legs, knees, and back. The fatigue factor is considerably less, giving rise to older ski bikers.

With their stable design, the learning curve is less steep than skiing or snowboarding, according to the pros at Ski Hoodoo who rent the bikes. Generally, within a few runs, riders should be able to master the basics, and be progressing and enjoying their ride in no time. Able and disabled riders alike enjoy SkiBikes. Adaptive programs for skiers with disabilities have used SkiBikes for decades.

Often called skibobs in the 1960s and ’70s, this type of SkiBike has a low center of gravity, and is designed to be ridden sitting down. It is generally used with footskis for additional balance and edging. You only see these in movies or old travel posters.

Leave it to American enthusiasts and ingenuity to move the sport to its second and still dominant phase. Freestyle SkiBikes resemble mountain bikes. They are most often ridden without footskis, with a downhill mountain bike-inspired riding technique. Like moun-

tain bikes, freestyle bikes can be ridden either standing up or sitting down, and have footpegs or foot rests. Many models have fully adjustable front and rear suspensions.

And now there are trikes. Three-ski SkiBikes have reached new heights in popularity. One ski is forward connected to the steering handlebars, while the rider stands on the rear two skis. They are ridden standing up and usually have front suspension.

Both styles are seen regularly at Hoodoo who has embraced the sport — one of only six places in Oregon where ski mountain operators allow their use. Only one other, Timberline at Mt. Hood, has any significant acreage or lift capacity, making Hoodoo a destination in all of Central Oregon and the Valley for the fun seekers. Mt. Bachelor does not allow SkiBikes.

Some traditional skiers, mostly a minority at Hoodoo are not pleased with the proliferation of SkiBikes, particularly when boarding the lifts. Hoodoo has no detachable lifts so the chair comes at you with some speed. It’s

always a source of anxiety when small children or first time skiers get onto the moving chair.

It is easier than you think, “lifties” at Hoodoo say. They are enthusiastic about assisting riders.

SkiBikes are not as heavy as a mountain bike. Depending on the style of bike, you carry the bike on the chairlift with you. Manufacturers have specific recommendations, but with most, you simply rest it either on your lap or at your side. You get in the lift line as normal and approach and exit the chair on foot or with footskis as you would skiing.

You can easily spend up to $1,500 for a state-of-theart SkiBike. For the ultraserious rider, you can be out-of-pocket for $2,500 up to $5,000 so that means renting for the vast majority of Hoodoo riders at $50/day for a Koski, Lenz or SkiByk100, or A Sno Go Trike — all leading brands.

“It’s the easiest $50 I ever spend,” said Clint Wilder, 19,

from Eugene, who makes the trek five or six times a season. “It’s the most bang for buck you can get.”

Terry O’Donnell from Salem agrees about the thrill but would rent more often if it were closer to the cost of ski rentals, $25.

“It’s tempting to sell my skis and boots which ran about $1,200 and get a ski bike,” O’Donnell, 23, said.

Ski biking is allowed at Hoodoo — and riders love it.

PHOTO COURTESY SKIBYK

A NNOUNCEMENT S

Go Fish Group

Church

Shepherd

of the Hills Lutheran Church

Saturday, December 24, at 4 p.m. there will be a traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service including Christmas carols and a Christmas story and message. On Sunday, December 25 at 10 a .m., come attend a Christmas carol worship ser vice. All are welcome! For more information call 541-588-5831.

Christmas Eve Social Hour and Ser vice at Wellhouse

On Saturday, December 24, at 4 p.m. Wellhouse will host a Christmas social hour with free f amily por traits , drink s, and cookies. Following at 5 p.m. will be a classic Christmas candlelight ser vice complete with Christmas music, story time, and a gift for kids. For info call 541-549-4184 or go to wellhousechurch.org.

Christmas Dinner at SistersCamp Sherman Fire District

On Christmas Day, Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and Sisters-Camp Sherman Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Association will once again prepare a traditional sit-down Christmas dinner on Dec. 25 f rom 1-3 p.m. in the Sisters Fire Communit y Hall, 301 S . Elm St., Sisters . All are welcome. For more information call 541-549-0771, or email sbialous@sistersfire com

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

High quality! Unique gif ts! Free admission! Open daily November 25th to December 17th. 311 E . Cascade in Sisters (Old Antler Arts building). Monday through Friday, 10 a .m. until 5 p.m., S aturday 10 a .m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday 11 a .m. until 4 p.m.

Winter Solstice L abyrinth Walk

Enjoy a silent meditation walk with others in your community, celebrating the longest night of the year. We begin with a brief gathering , then proceed through the labyrinth in silence (di erent from our exuberant summer gatherings). Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight or electric candle. Enjoy a hot beverage— please bring your own mug December 21, 7-8 p.m. Sisters Communit y L abyrinth is located in the East Portal wooded area at the corner of Highway 242 and W. Hood Ave (between Bi-Mart and Les Schwab). Info: 503-709-1148

Sisters Communit y Church

On Saturday, December 24 at 4 p.m., SCC will host Christmas Eve in the Park at Fir Street Park. is celebration for the whole family includes hot cocoa, singing Christmas songs , hearing the Christmas stor y, and candle-lightin g. e Christmas Eve indoor ser vice begins at 6 p.m. at 130 0 W McKenzie Hwy. e Sunday Christmas Morning ser vice will begin at 9:30 a .m. For more info call 541-549-1201 or go to sisterschurch.com.

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

Invites you to attend ser vices on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24. Family ser vice & children’s nativit y begins at 5 p.m. A traditional ser vice with Holy Communion takes place at 9 p.m. Christmas Day ser vice will be Sunday, December 25 at 9:30 a .m. For info: 541-549 -7087 or visit episcopalsisters.com.

Celebr ations set at Dec . community lunches

Each Tuesday in December at the Sisters Community Church, lunches are sponsored by Council on Aging of Central Oregon. ere will be seaso nal entertainment for the enjoyment of the attendees . e no-charge, in-person lunche s are held at Sisters Community Church , 130 0 McKenzie Hwy., 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. e ever-popular Sisters Ukelele Group will liven things up on December 20. e 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 reser vations are necessary For more information call Emma Fried- Cassorla at 541-323-0 432.

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

Announce Your Celebr ations! Birth, engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversary 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@nug getnews com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave. Deadline is 5 p.m. Fridays

Christmas Masses at St . Edward the Mar tyr Christmas masses will be held at St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 24, at 5:30 and 8 p.m.; and on Sunday, December 25, at 10 a .m.

Solemnit y of Mar y Mass will be held December 31, at 5:30 p.m. Call 541-549-9391 or visit stedwardsisters.org.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Sisters Church of the Naz arene

Join Sisters Church of the Na zarene on Christmas Eve for a candlelight ser vice at 4:30 p.m. Come be a part of the greatest stor y ever told through music, message, and fellowshipping . e church is located at 67130 Harrington Loop Rd., o Gist Road. For more info call 541-389-8960 or visit sistersna z.org.

Fre e Lunches For Seniors e Council on Aging of Central Oregon is ser ving seniors (60+) free lunche s on Tuesdays, Wednesdays , and ursdays at the Sisters Community Church located at 130 0 McKenzie Hw y., 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, f rom 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. and seniors can drive through the parking lot to pick up a meal on those days . Come on by ; no need to make a reser vation. For more information call 541-678-5483.

e Go Fish Group will meet at Sisters Community Church on Monday December 19th at 7:0 0 PM . Our speaker will be Gar y Lewis and the program will be on “ e Utah Cutthroat Slam” For more information contact Gar y Kut z 541-771-2211

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 twice a week at the following locations December through Februar y : 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

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 f riendship, shared experiences , and a better understanding of PD. Please join us the second ursday of the month 1-2:30 p.m. at the Sisters Librar y, 110 N . Cedar St. Sisters For more information contact Carol Pfeil, program coordinator of Parkinson’s Resource s of Oregon, 541-6 68-6599 or carol@ parkinsonsresources.or

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 541-797-4 023 to schedule your pickup. Pickups available ursdays , beginning at 12:30 p.m. Located at 412 E Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get

PET OF THE WEEK

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

JERRY

Jerr y is true to his breed and ready to show you his intelligence and spunk . Jerr y is eager to find his forever homestead filled with adventures and exciting places to explore.

He loves to play chase with his dog friends and respectfully gives kitties their space.

Jerr y is a true people pleaser, yet enjoys the company of dogs. All this wonderf ulness rolle d up into one classy canine? Come and meet Jerry!

SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES

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

POLICY: Nonprofits , schools , churches , birth, engagement, wedding , and anniversar y notices may run at no charge. Business items do not run on this page. All submissions are subject to editing and run only as space allows. Email nug get@nug getnews com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave

Sisters artist helps animals through work

Sana Hayes, an artist who has lived in Sisters for the past 17 years, uses her work to support local animal welfare nonprofits. She is currently one of the artist vendors featured at the Lions Club Holiday Faire, running through December 17 at the old Antler Arts building at 311 E. Cascade Ave.

“I created three different lines of jewelry over three years,” Hayes said. “Licensed To Love necklaces are made from the dog licenses of former shelter dogs and supports Three Rivers Humane Society in Madras. Unchained With Love necklaces are made with chain from formerly chained-up dogs who have been set free into fenced yards built by volunteers, and supporters of Fences For Fido. Rescued By Love necklaces are made with hair from horses in sanctuary at Three Sisters Equine Refuge. All three nonprofits are represented at this year’s Holiday Faire. “Next year’s line of jewelry is called Faith, Hope, & Charity.”

“In the past, we’ve made and sold doggy bandanas and coats, pet beds made from thrift store sweaters, ornaments, and more. I have also enjoyed helping two local rescues with pet portrait fundraisers using chalks and pastels. Anyone of any age who likes to do art can help.”

Hayes works all year making upcycled and rehabilitated jewelry in support of local animal welfare nonprofits.

“I recently had my line of jewelry supporting Fences For Fido at Grizzly Ridge Upcycle, and am looking for another local shop to carry my creations” Hayes said. “I have an Etsy shop called TallClover, and am at the Lions Club Holiday Faire every year. This is my 10th year participating with the Lions Club, and most years I am able to donate between $250 and $500 to

help animal welfare, as well as the 25 percent that Lions Club takes in support of their own local projects. One hundred percent of the proceeds are donated. They have kept the table fee affordable for local makers like myself, and I appreciate that they do all the work, accept credit cards, and keep the shop open every day of the week for nearly a month.”

Hayes is motivated from the heart.

“I have loved rescuing animals my entire life‚”she said. “I worked at BrightSide Animal Center in Redmond for four years as an event director and volunteer coordinator, after beginning as a volunteer photographer and adoption specialist. Most regional rescues do a lot with very little money, and I enjoy using my endless creativity to help.”

Contact Hayes at moon paws@hotmail.com for more information or ways you can help.

Sisters Country birds

By Douglas Beall Correspondent

Our most common small falcon, the American Kestrel [Falco sparverius], is often seen on fence posts, tree snags, and telephone wires. This 8- to 12-inch tall bird is also known as the Sparrowhawk. They hover overhead and kite down to capture their prey. Nests are built in cavities in trees, rock walls and even buildings. The male will choose several nest sites and present them to the female and she makes the final decision. No nesting material is used except what is already in the cavity.

Incubation of four to six mottled yellowish white eggs for 26 to 32 days is shared by both male and female Kestrels and then the hatchlings are fed grasshoppers, moths, lizards, moles, mice, and a large variety of insects as they grow at a rapid pace.

Fledging begins in 28 to 31 days and then the chicks

are taught to hunt for themselves for two to three months.

Volunteers have installed nesting boxes throughout Central Oregon and tracked the hatching success. This program has enabled the Kestrels to maintain a healthy population as more nesting trees are removed and falcon habitat is shrinking. They are stunningly colored with rust, blues, browns, blacks, and greys.

American Kestrel.

Kestrels in groups are called a “hover,” a “flight,” or a “soar.” On the British Isles the European Kestrel is called a

“Windhover.”

For more American Kestrel photos visit http:// abirdsingsbecauseithasa song.com/recent-journeys.

THURSDAY • DECEMBER 15

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 16

DECEMBER 17

PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BEALL

Steak for Christmas? Mike Stewart at Sisters Cattle Co. hopes so. As does Riley Avery at Pole Creek Ranch and a number of other cattlemen in Sisters Country who took a back seat to poultry for Thanksgiving. But now it’s time for steak at a good number of upcoming holiday tables — either at home or that special dining-out experience.

The best cuts for Christmas dinner? “Prime rib, 100 percent,” Stewart says without a second’s hesitation. Tim and Kim Keeton in Cloverdale run about 150 head of mostly Black Angus on their OK Ranch. Tim, a beef lover through and through, surprised us a bit when asked what he’d serve for a festive Christmas dinner. “I’d do a lamb. A roast.”

With that said, the Keetons are able to put any number of steaks on your plate, all grass fed and grass finished. Finished is the key. Lots of Oregon beef is grass fed, but then the cow is fattened up with grain. The difference is noticeable experts say.

A grass-finished label specifically means that cow ate nothing but grass or forage for their entire life span.

“Grass-finished beef tends to have a beefier texture and flavor to it,” Keeton said.

Think of it as similar to wild game, raised on what is most natural to the animal.

Stewart and his partners have around 50 head of varying breeds, some Angus and a few belted Galloways, and are introducing African Mashona to the herd. The breed is more drought tolerant, a key factor in our arid climate.

Until this summer Sisters Cattle only dealt in quarter, half, and whole cows. Now that they’re a USDAapproved butcher, you can treat yourself to individual cuts from a cow born and raised in Sisters Country.

Pole Creek Ranch on historic Highway 242 has only a few remaining of their popular, typically nine-pound steak boxes, with a choice of tomahawk, porterhouse, sirloin and rib eye.

Keeton says there is no secret recipe to a good steak.

“Start with good beef, salt, pepper, and a little garlic and don’t overcook it. That’s all.”

Alternatively, both Keeton and Stewart suggest sirloin for special occasions.

Sirloin is called by various names — New York or Kansas City strip, or shell steak. Strip steak comes from the top part of the short loin behind the ribs – the longissimus muscle of the cow. This muscle is little worked, making the steak very tender. This cut tends to have fat on the edge of the steak and a little marbling throughout — not nearly as much marbling as the Ribeye.

Sirloin is not as fatty as rib eye, nor as lean as filet mignon. With this cut, expect them to be tender, but not as tender as tenderloin or rib eyes, but have a great, beefy flavor. Top chefs have to balance their fussy clients with those who prize tenderness and those who are in for the taste.

Rib roasts are at the top of the list for Christmas dinners according to a half dozen social media sites.

orders for a prime rib meal for pickup after December 20, consisting of four pounds of prime rib roast and accompanied by scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie.

Is prime rib and rib eye the same thing, or which one is best — prime rib or rib eye?

Chicago Steak Company who run Steak University say that prime rib and ribeye are similar, but no, they aren’t the same, nor is one technically better than the other. Both rib eye and prime rib are excellent steak cut options for different purposes. They’re both incredibly flavorful, have fantastic marbling, and are both prime beef options with just the right amount of fat to improve taste and texture.

The prime rib is wellmarbled throughout its meat, meaning that it has a decent amount of fat content that renders down as it cooks, to keep the beef tender. A popular way to cook the rib is with au jus, or in its own juices, to prevent it from getting dry during the cooking process as it reaches your desired

temperature. Filet mignon makes a good presentation, is remarkably tender, is served in the world’s best restaurants, and is a Christmas favorite. But for flavor, top honors go to the rib eye

The rib eye steak comes from the rib portion of the cow. Typically, the cut comes from the best center portion or the “eye” of the entire rib steak. This cut tends to have a lot of marbling (fat in between the muscle fibers) and makes for a very juicy steak. The rib eye can beserved with the rib bone still attached (like the tomahawk

steak) or without the bone.

Sisters Meat and Smokehouse finds a preference for ribeye and sirloin by its customers shopping for holiday dinners. Their ribeye shown here run at least 2.5 inches thick and do not require special order.

Keeton is well aware that inflation, especially for beef, with lean ground beef averaging $6.68 pound, will steer some folks away from steak for Christmas. Beef Magazine reports that prices for sirloin declined 11 percent last month, so just maybe there will be steak on some Christmas tables after all.

Bill Bartlett

Columnist

Sisters Meat and Smokehouse offers a 2.5-inch-thick rib eye steak.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

came to Sisters from say the Southern California area and were a regular at the Angeles National Forest you may have seen roads like 2N18 or 3N47.

Other than FS for Forest Service, you won’t find any alpha characters in the Deschutes National Forest, only numbers. One might assume using all numbers makes it easier to get around. Perhaps. And there is a method, mostly, to all of it.

It helps to think of it conversely: smaller the road number, the bigger and most likely paved the road. Forest Road 16 is also known as Three Creek Road. Most all of us know it by that name. It’s the one that starts just south of town on Elm, where it turns into County Road 16 and then Forest Road 16.

All FS roads off of 16 are numbered with a series beginning with 16, right? Well, no, actually. As an example, Forest Service road 1514 terminates on the east end at 16. It’s easy to explain, though: 1514 begins at FS Road 15 to the west and is an offshoot of that road only coincidentally connecting Road 15 with Road 16.

Think of 15 and 16, both paved, as avenues (two dig-

avenues and streets are the equivalent of lanes, ways, and cul-de-sacs. Sort of. Now all the numbers off the streets (four digits) turn to seven numerical digits — like 1624320, the road into Upper Three Creeks SnoPark.

Using this city map comparison, here’s the breakdown of 1624320: Avenue 16, Street 24, Lane 320. It’s possible that without a map or GPS/nav system one could make it to 1624320, provided they started at the beginning of 16, in this case Elm Street in town.

It’s also helpful to know that as you get farther away from the start of the primary road —the avenue — the numbers get higher. So 1605, also known as Brooks Scanlon Logging Road (also known as power line road, depending on your length of time in Sisters), is but one mile from town, whereas 1624 is about 10 miles.

Some fun facts: If you told Charlie to meet you at noon at 16 and 1605, and you told Sally to meet you at 16 and 4606 at noon, where would you all wind up? The exact same spot: Brooks Scanlon Logging Road and 16, because Brooks Scanlon east of 16 is 4606 and west of it is 1605.

Don’t despair.

Here’s one most of us aren’t likely to get. We just talked about 16, everybody knowing that one. The 15 road? Of course, Pole Creek Road off of 242 (McKenzie Highway). Forest Road 11? Easy: Indian Ford off of

Highway 20. The 14 Road? Sure, the Camp Sherman road. But what about 12? Fewer know that right off the bat — Jack Lake Road in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area off of US20.

But where’s Forest Road 10? That’s right, it’s Highway 242, the McKenzie Highway. Notice next time that everything off 242 is 10 something — like 1012 at Cold Spring Camp Ground.

Maps

If you have the usual topographical map of Deschutes National Forest, the road picture is nowhere near as complete as the MVUM Map (Motor Vehicle Use Map). Trappers, miners, and loggers carry both. You can get one here for free: https:// bit.ly/3PhLwKd.

The earliest forest roads date to the 1800s and included wagon trails through federal lands. The Forest Service was for many decades the world’s biggest road builder. The road system in national forests was largely built to harvest timber and develop other resources. In 1950, loggers harvested 3.5 million board feet from national forests. It is estimated that then 14,000 vehicles per day accessed forests for timber purposes compared to 137,000 per day for recre-

ational use.

Today, the Forest Service manages 371,000 miles of road on which over 100 million vehicles per year travel. More than 8,500 miles of those roads are in the Deschutes National Forest. Oregon as a whole by comparison has 3,460 miles of highways and byways.

With that many roads originally built primarily for logging, maintenance might be equated to an exercise

in futility. The sheer and growing mass of recreationalists — campers, anglers, hunters, climbers, hikers, snowmobilers, equestrians, and others were never envisioned when the roads were built, much less designed for the speeds on which they are driven. Keeping these roads maintained to current users’ satisfaction is daunting.

So, before you complain too much or too often, think of the scale of the effort.

Forest road markers are a familiar sight in Sisters Country — but the numbering system takes some study to understand.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Three Lady Outlaw volleyball players capped their season with high honors.

Gracie Vohs not only was named Player of the Year for the Mountain Valley Conference, but recently was named the 2022 Class 3A All-State Player of the Year. Vohs finished the season with an amazing 480 kills, 78 aces, and 42 blocks.

Coach Rory Rush said, “Gracie worked incredibly hard this year to establish herself as a dominant player. She led the team with kills and aces and was an incredibly strong offensive weapon for us. She not only proved her athleticism and talent in our league as Player of the Year, but was recognized by the 3A coaches around the state. She is well-deserving of the 3A All-State Player of the Year! I am so proud of her and I am excited for her to continue her success next year.”

Gracelyn Myhre was selected Second Team AllState. She finished with 230 kills, 65 aces, and 221 digs.

Of Myhre, Rush said, “Gracelyn has been around the game of volleyball since she was little as a ‘coach’s kid.’” She knows the game inside and out and it shows in her play. She is smart, consistent, and has the ability to see the floor better than most. She is always striving to be better and was the glue for our team this year. Many times she had service runs or purposeful kills in big games. She was recognized as a First Team All-League player and I am so delighted she was recognized by the 3A coach-

es as well, earning Second Team All- State honors. I’m excited for her and look forward to her continued success next year.”

Mia Monaghan was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Big Playback Award Show given by KTVZ. Monaghan tallied 295 digs, 36 aces, and was 1.94 passing.

Rush said, “It is so exciting to see Mia recognized during the Big Playback Awards Show earning Defensive Player of the Year. She was a constant presence for us this year in the back row, and led our team in digs and passing. She has a great knack for the ball and was a stabilizing force for our defense. She was a big part of our success and I’m so proud to see her recognized for all of her hard work! I’m excited to see her continued skill and effort on the court next year!”

In addition to the three Lady Outlaws being recognized as standout players, their coach, Rory Rush, was named the 3A Coach of the Year.When asked how she felt about receiving the award, Rush said “It is an incredible honor to be awarded the 3A Coach of the Year award. When I go into a season I put my full effort and passion into my players. Win or lose, my goal is to positively mentor young women through the game of volleyball. I don’t coach for accolades but for the growth, both personally and athletically, I get to see in our tremendous student athletes. However, being recognized by my fellow 3A coaches for my effort this year is both humbling and an incredible honor.”

Funding seeks to reduce wildfire risk

A $20 million landscape resiliency grant program is making Oregon’s landscapes more resistant to the threat of wildfire by treatments done through unique partnerships with private landowners and other local, county, state, and federal agencies, Oregon Department of Forestry reports.

Oregon’s 2021 Legislature invested nearly $195 million to address Oregon’s wildfire crisis through Senate Bill 762. Of this $195 million, $20 million created a two-year landscape resiliency and mitigation grant program that the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has been administering.

“Projects like this are a major step towards protecting communities and natural resources in Oregon by making forests healthier and more resilient in the face of changing climate and wildfire environment,” said Cal Mukumoto, Oregon’s state forester.”

Just over 200,000 acres of Oregon landscapes are to be treated by June 2023 when the program ends. These projects in some of the highest-risk landscapes will greatly reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in those treated areas. Not only will it make the forestland around communities and resources safer, but it will also encourage forest health, resiliency, ecosystem health, and shared stewardship.

Recently, a small group of experts that helped ODF design project criteria met on a cold, sunny day in Sisters to see this program unfold.

“We went to see five different projects—five different stories of what landscape resiliency looks like,” said Jeff Burns, ODF’s all lands initiatives unit manager. “These five projects boasted just shy of 2,000

acres of fuels mitigation and resiliency work. However, the real highlight of the tour was the focus on what our partnerships and relationships can achieve together. The support and collaboration of these diverse groups are key to the success of getting this work done on the ground in such a short period of time.”

The tour highlighted innovative technology such as air curtain burners, fuels mitigation creating in-stream habitat, fuels reduction with an element of wildlife habitat management, slash burning, and mastication groundwork.

Some of the projects visited included:

• The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council removed trees on 58 acres that provided approximately 750 trees to be used for instream work and habitat restoration.

• The Ponderosa Land & Cattle Company project that included 727 acres of roadside brushing, thinning, mowing, and mastication for fuel breaks. It also treated 590 acres of unit mowing, mastication, thinning,

and ladder fuels.

• The Black Butte Ranch project highlighted the use of an air curtain burner that can be used to dispose debris from their project of 79 acres of roadside brushing, thinning, stump grinding, limb removal, and mastication. Two other private landowners had projects concentrated on thinning and pruning pine trees, removal of juniper, mastication of ladder fuels such as bitterbrush, and burn piles.

• The Ludwick Property Project treated 170 acres.

• The Glynn Property Project treated 200 acres.

“Access to programs like this enable ODF to work closely with our public and private partners to support communities, local economies, and natural resources while making them safer from wildfires,” Burns said.

“At the end of these projects, we hope we can show a level of success that will encourage future funding for this type of work.”

For more information visit ODF’s Landscape Resiliency Grant Program website.

A City of Sisters employee touches off a slash pile last week. Multiple agencies have been working together to increase Sisters’ wildfire safety.

PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY

Obituaries

My big brother, Albert Lloyd French III, left this earth on November 12, 2022 after being struck by a vehicle in Madras, Oregon, 7:23 p.m. He died at the scene. Al was born October 11, 1952 to Albert and Janie French, Denver, Colorado. Al grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado before moving to Oregon in 1970. He lived in Sisters and Bend. He is survived by his sister, Rebecca French, brother-in-law, Jason Knoke, Sisters, and his nieces, Lindsey Knoke Holloway and Kristy Knoke Ciaglo of Bend.

Al studied at LinnBenton Community College, Albany, Oregon and the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. He was a brilliant mathematician and an electronics technician at HewlettPackard in Corvallis, Oregon. Al has inventions credited to him for use at Hewlett-Packard. He was a ham radio operator from youth to his older age and was a MARS Net operator as well. His passion in life was connecting military families to their loved ones all around the globe. He was a master at Morse code.

Al was a compassionate being, caring for many stray kittens, cats, dogs, and humans. He would give you the shirt off his back to make you safer and warm. He was a proud patriot and would have served his

country if his health would have allowed. Al became homeless and desperate for companionship. He was catfished and frauded because he believed people were “good.” Al went to the Elks in Madras for a free meal and was in a mental health crisis. He was humiliated and told he had to leave. He was a member of the Elks for many years with his father, Albert Lloyd French, Jr. He never got to eat that night. I learned this after reading his journal about what had happened.

His family could not get the help he needed in his hour of desperation. We want to share his story as he was not just an “old, homeless guy that didn’t matter …” He did matter. He was my big, beautiful brother. We are all the family of man and must reach out our hands to others in need.

I share his story with you so you may reach out to those in need. As a community we must come together to help our brothers and sisters.

May we all find peace, — Rebecca Morgan French

Rodney Gene Moss

February 9, 1950 – November 20, 2022

Rodney Gene Moss was born and raised in Sisters, spending time as a boy hunting in the woods around Sisters, and fishing Squaw Creek.

After graduating High School 1968 he went off to serve his country in Vietnam, March 1969 to June 1972.

Upon return as a young man he took a job with Brooks-Scanlon Logging, which led him into the timber falling industry where he spent the rest of his time logging the great Northwest that he loved.

Most of his free time was spent hunting with his buddies and fishing those secret holes, and with a dedication to working those weights. He could also be found at one of his favorite watering holes hanging with locals telling tales of good times.

He is survived by his beautiful daughter, Samanthin Moss; brother Richard (Dick) Moss; companion and wife of 17 years, Jennifer Hammack.

Passed: Vernona Myers,

mother; Wayne (Brownie) Moss, dad; William (Bill) Moss.

Cyrus family has been generous enough to open the clubhouse at Aspen Lakes for us to gather. Meat will be provided by the family; please bring potluck and join us on January 22, 1 p.m.

Albert Lloyd French III

Middle schoolers launch Mission Possible to aid houseless

By Kit Tosello Correspondent

“If you want to see hope, stop and take a look at these girls,” Sisters Area Director of Young Life Shannon Miller says.

Miller is blown away, not only by the ownership 39 middle schoolers have taken in spearheading a project designed to ease the burden of Sisters residents experiencing houselessness, but by the success of their recent fundraiser.

With frigid weather bearing down on Sisters Country, the girls’ vision is to provide practical items — everything from snow pants to shampoo—to area residents who could use a hand up this winter.

As seventh-grader Mackenzie Frutos put it, “We’re not waiting for other people to do the work. We’re taking it into our own hands.”

On Sunday, the girls responded to their lead -

ers’ question, “How are you going to pay for all that?” by raising a cool $3,000 through a massive bake sale.

The baking began last Friday, December 9, when close to 40 tween girls crowded into Sisters Community Church’s commercial kitchen under the supervision of adult volunteers, to measure copious amounts of butter and sugar, chop nuts and cranberries, and drop cookie batter onto baking sheets. Some of the group returned the next day to do more baking, and some showed up yet again, at 6 a.m. on Sunday, to prepare cinnamon rolls before the morning’s church service. All totaled, they produced 430 cookies, 80 brownies, 33 bags of English toffee, 21 loaves of pumpkin bread, 16 loaves of orange-cranberry bread, and 137 cinnamon rolls.

Evidently it didn’t hurt their cause when morning churchgoers arrived to the smell of cinnamon wafting through the sanctuary. As hoped, the baked goods proved impossible to resist following the worship service.

According to Frutos, “all but a couple peanut butter cookies sold.”

In actuality, the students’ effort began back in August, when the girls, many of whom have been meeting weekly since fifth grade, sat around brainstorming how they might help their community.

Miller said, “They asked,

what would happen if we started helping the houseless in Sisters? And they started to dream and dream and dream. They’ve contacted women in the church to help teach them how to sew denim bags, and then they want to fill those bags with warm things for the houseless.”

Twelve-year-old Frutos explained, “God spoke to us, opened our hearts, [showing us] this was what we wanted to work for.” For her, the effort provides a way to connect with the community, which isn’t an easy thing since her family lives on remote acreage outside town. “I can’t just walk people’s dogs,” she said.

The idea to name the effort Mission Possible came

from seventh-grader Maddie Durham after the girls rejected other, too-narrow characterizations of their project. They wanted it to capture their broader vision, as they anticipate serving those who live in trailers, RVs, and campers in the woods, in addition to those with no physical roof over their heads. Thus, they also prefer the more inclusive term “houseless” for those they’ll serve.

Next up, the group looks forward to a sewing lesson to fabricate the drawstring denim bags. In coming up with a wish list for items to place inside the bags, Frutos said the girls together considered, “If we were homeless, what things would we want to help get us through

the winter?”

Their wish list features cold-weather outerwear; hand, neck, and foot warmers; socks, hats, and gloves; nonperishable food items; hygiene products; and more. Already Left Coast Lodge gave a large donation of travel-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

When asked if donations of these types of items are still needed, Frutos replied with a laugh, “We’ll take as much as you can give!”

What began several years ago as a group of 10 fifthgrade girls brought together by Durham’s mom, Lee Ann, to build friendships and explore faith evolved into a WyldLife club. WyldLife

Mackenzie Frutos

PHOTO

Sisters middle schoolers are helping the houseless through a Young Life project.

PHOTO PROVIDED

WALK: Veterans are at end of cross-country trek

since 9/11 thrust America into war. The Highway 20 long march is their tribute to all those who served and sacrificed much in the service of this nation, both past and present.

War II, Korean War memorial highways, and Purple Heart Trail.

give us more safety,” LeHew said gratefully.

They told The Nugget about their many emotional encounters along the way. For one, the place where US20 passes through Waterloo, Iowa. This was the home for the five Sullivan brothers, World War II sailors of Irish-American descent who served together on the light cruiser USS Juneau and were all killed in action during and shortly after its sinking around November 13, 1942.

LeHew told us: “We’ve had 20 more stories just like this, stories of incredible sacrifice.”

Answering a more trivial question, Shinohara said that they are on their eighth pair of shoes.

Kinzer, when asked about the snow, said: “There’s more of it than we expected and a lot colder, but that only motivates us more.”

The trio explained the symbolism of their walk. Their journey began at the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor. The route they selected is historic US Highway 20, America’s longest road. This specific route was chosen to highlight the long journey home that over 81,000 missing U.S. servicemembers have been trying to make since World War II.

It also symbolizes America’s longest wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the men and women who fought there. It has been 20 years

“The USS Constitution was selected as the journey start point to honor our naval traditions and service to this nation as Marines,” the men explained. “The rucksacks we carry represent the heavy burden carried by generations of warriors who have served in our nations ranks since 1775, as well as the weight of a nation that we carry in combat to live up to the promise that we will never surrender and never leave a fallen comrade behind.”

From Sisters the men were to make their last leg, a 50-hour stretch of 153 miles, hoping to make Newport, where Highway 20 intersects with the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans Memorial Highway on US Hwy 101. Coast-tocoast US Highway 20 measures 3,365 miles and runs through 12 states full of history and natural beauty.

They are being welcomed by many across the 451mile section of Highway 20, an Oregon Medal of Honor Highway. Team Long Road (TLR) as they are called will pass 12 Oregon Medal of Honor Highway signs as they cross the state. They will walk on a portion of Oregon’s POW/MIA Memorial Highway and cross Oregon’s World War I, World

LeHew and Kinzer collectively served in the Marine Corps for a total of 56 years on active duty, and are two of America’s most highly decorated combat veterans who have served since the end of the Vietnam War. They have been working together for years, not just in uniform, but outside of it as they have been circumnavigating the globe in the search for America’s missing and killed in action, investing their own money in the search and recovery of America’s lost heroes.

The three Marines

Three U.S. Marine veterans are walking across the country to honor service and to raise awareness for charitable causes.

and sister’s keeper.” They emphasized that “it’s not a walk to set records, but making younger generations aware of the sacrifice of others and hoping to increase their pride in their country. Continued from page 1

PHOTO BY L OMA SMITH The Nugget is brought to you weekly because of our advertisers’ suppor t. So we ask you to suppor t t he local businesses which help make your community, hometown newspaper possible. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY Hours: M-F 8 to 5, Sat. 8 to 4, Closed Sundays 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net F8 5S 84 Cl dS d We’ve Got Tons of Gr eat Gif ts and Tools for Christmas! Open 10 a.m. to 4 p .m. F rida ys & Sa tur da ys , 151 N. Spruce Str eet, Sisters er s e Family In To wn Fo r The H olida ys ? Visit our new logging exhibit “Milling Around Sisters”

By Katy Yoder Columnist

What do avocados and books have in common?

Slicing into an avocado is like opening a book. Sometimes, I know from the first page a book is going to feed me — take me away to another time, culture, or place. A good book gives me refreshed eyes to see the world, and often a new tongue to taste it.

Some avocados look and feel good from the outside, but sliding the knife into the bumpy skin, I feel a squishy give that tells me it might be rotten. I slide the blade along the other side, pull it out and pry open the fruit. There it is… a cracked seed and two halves veined with splotches of dark brown ugliness. It’s not a good one. I smell it to see if it’s even worth a reincarnation into guacamole, hoping picante salsa and cumin will save it. When they’re past their prime, all they’re good for is compost. It hurts throwing away an avocado. I know how amazingly delicious they

can be when the insides are green, ripe, and ready.

I remember the time it took and the resources required to nurture the trees. Many people I’ll never know worked with skilled hands in the rows of fruit. Then others helped transport them to our chilly northwestern home.

Books are the same. Sometimes, there’s nothing I can do but close the crackling spine and put it in the stack of books I’ll donate to Habitat. I don’t want to dishonor the author by allowing their work to sit on a shelf never read and gathering dust. For me the voice is stale and unpalatable, but someone else might find it nourishing and full of possibilities. The book will have a second chance to reach a willing mind, and the avocado will eventually nourish the soil and help grow something new.

I often look at the row of unread books in the bookshelf next to my side of the bed. There are all kinds to choose from. Some are purely entertainment, others

feed my soul or stretch my understanding of other people’s lives. I pick one up, open the cover and read the forward, and if I’m still hungry, the first page. When intrigued and interested in hearing more, I read until my eyes are tired and full to the brim with someone else’s words. I feel equal measures of admiration and unworthiness. The unsure side of me says, “I could never write something like that. How did they do it?” Oops! Don’t let that voice in. I tell it to go away. I remind myself it’s much better to appreciate and acknowledge artistry whether it’s writing or cooking and then reassure myself we all have gifts to give. Something well done should inspire not diminish aspirations.

Picking a good avocado or a good book bring rewards and sustenance. The words I ingest and believe will either nurture or bring confusion, calling me to look further and discover the truth as best I can. Choosing what I read and believe is an on-going

walk down a road that forks, has potholes, and sometimes dead ends. I hear directions in my head; sometimes they’re from family, or friends, or my husband. I’ve learned it’s best to give my voice the last word while still listening to other suggestions and ideas. Then the rewards received from reaching toward and investing in new ideas and recipes is mine to celebrate.

Last night we had baked potatoes with guacamole, spices, and Sakari Farm hot sauce. The three avocados I bought from Oliver Lemon’s a few days before went from green, hard, and inedible to dark, soft, and full of promise. I put them in the fridge and later took one out for our dinner. There was a small indentation on one side. I wasn’t sure what I’d find when I sliced into the fruit. But the fear was

unfounded. The succulent, green interior was perfect. I tapped a sharp knife into the seed and gently squeezed the nestled seed in until it easily popped out. After adding taco seasonings, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, I smooshed it all with a large fork. Such a satisfying ending to a bit of work and unpredictability.

Avocados and books will continue to be some of my favorite things. As the holidays continue and I get ready for my husband’s office party, I’ll remember to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy whether they come in thick skin or soft covers. There will always be new stories and ideas to discover and new recipes to take my favorite fruit in a new direction. I’ll keep cracking open new books and avocados, doing my best to remember to be grateful every time.

Jean Russell Nave

New Year’s Day always makes me reflective. I was thinking how blessed I’ve been to have Scottie dogs to take care of for nearly 40 years. As I thought about all the things I’ve done for them a memory jumped into my head.

Not long after my husband and I retired here in Central Oregon, we attended a small event hosted by some partners of the Portland law firm my husband’s company had used.

One of the lawyer’s wives, who didn’t know me, asked what I was doing now that I was retired. So I began telling her about all I did with the Scotties, including walking them in the beautiful wild woods behind the house two or three times a day and doing all their grooming.

This woman looked at me, tipped her nose in the

air and curled her lips. Then she said, “Get a life!”

I smiled, not believing my ears, and she proceeded to tell me about her life, including country clubs, personal trainers, and shopping trips with her girlfriends to New York City.

On the walk, during which this memory came into my head, the Scotties and I were trudging through very cold, newly fallen snow. I pondered on the lawyer’s wife, wondering if she still takes her shopping trips to New York City and how much real joy she gets from those trips.

Looking around at the new snow, I felt grateful and content. I stopped to think how blessed I am to still have Scottie dogs who need my help, a great family, and a husband whom I dearly love.

Isn’t it amazing how different we all are? Each one of us is unique in what we want out of life and what we want to give to others in this life. A shopping trip to New York City would mean absolutely nothing to me today. Not that it would have meant much to me 25 years ago either. But caring for rescued dogs that were badly abused has been very rewarding.

I’m not posing for holy pictures; that isn’t what this is about. I’m just fascinated about what brings each of us joy and contentment. The lawyer’s wife would have

been miserable walking dogs in the cold snow.

We are each children of God. We are unique, individualized expressions of the universal mind, the Creator of all we see and know. That lady and I are equal in the sight of God. We are both able to find love and peace through the grace of God. And neither of us is like anyone else on earth. Yet love and peace is available to all of us.

Now, when we are entering a new year, wouldn’t it be wonderful if each of us opened our hearts and minds to welcoming all our differences? Make that a heartfelt welcome to every man, woman, and child on earth, regardless of politics, religion, race, color, or nationality.

We are entering a new astrological age, the Age of Aquarius. Humans have been studying constellation procession for many thousands of years. Each age has brought significant shifts to human civilizations that have actually been tracked by archeology. This Aquarius age is thought by some to be a great time for humanity, beginning with much upheaval but ending with remarkable advancement and unity of the human race.

We’ve already seen a lot of upheaval. The uniting change will only happen if each of us chooses to celebrate and respect all our differences, while seeking unity and love.

When we look at the military technology that is in the hands of so many countries now, if we don’t begin to unite, the future could be really ugly.

Yet, as I look around there are many, many organizations and groups of people working to bring us together. One outstanding group is HeartMath, in California. They are a nonprofit who says, “Our Cause: Awakening the Heart of Humanity” and, “We believe that when we align and connect our hearts and minds and connect with others, we awaken the higher mental, emotional, and spiritual capacities that frequently lie dormant.”

This group has actually tracked reduced crime rates in cities where they have coordinated thousands of people in an area to focus their minds on love and peace for a specific period of time.

That is just one organization I’ve explored. We are spirit, each connected to and a part of the benevolent energy we call God. Jesus told us that we could change

the world and make things better. We can, but it must start with each of us being truly and deeply committed to love. Not politics, not a specific approach to faith, just total love with forgiveness for all and openness to all ideas.

Lets get past building clubs and groups submerged in ideology and pledges to adhere to specific ways of thinking. Let’s embrace our uniqueness and welcome new ideas.

By being open rather than closed to others we bring in more love and are able to find better solutions to problems and difficulties. We can overcome anything when we are truly committed to real love, not qualified love for our special group.

“Today is the time of salvation,” now is the time to recognize we are one people, able to live in peace and grace. Let’s do it, and may you have a wonderful New Year.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

the history of the labyrinth, which was created by a Ford Foundation leadership cohort and funded by many local donors. The Nugget’s Sue Stafford investigated and reported on the planning process.

When the City and Kittleson & Associates presented concept layouts for the new East Portal hub layout this fall, the announcement came with an early solstice gift for labyrinth fans: the new vision preserved the community labyrinth in all three layouts.

Sisters-area residents were invited to view these layouts at City Hall; several labyrinth proponents voted for Option #2, with one hoped-for alteration to ensure that more mature ponderosa pines are preserved.

Sharlene Weed is a Sisters Community Labyrinth committee member who also helped physically build the labyrinth as part of the original Ford Foundation cohort.

“We were very happy to see that all of the designs for the transit hub allow Sisters Community Labyrinth to remain,” Weed said. “We will be able to continue our

community labyrinth walks marking the changing of the seasons in this special space.”

Leiser said she was “thrilled” to see the new plans allowing the labyrinth to continue. “The second plan with a greater park area around the labyrinth is my preference,” she elaborated, “although extra head-in parking along Highway 242 might mean the loss of some large ponderosa.”

“I would like to see a map of the trees that would be eliminated for each plan,” Leiser added. “The forest setting is important for the natural spiritual atmosphere at the labyrinth.”

Sisters Community Labyrinth and its events feel spiritual to some, but they are not identified with any particular religion, spiritual tradition, or belief system. Labyrinths around the world are used for meditation, contemplation, and sometimes celebration.

Labyrinths are found in healing environments such as hospital courtyards, spas, and places of natural healing, including Summer Lake Hot Springs southeast of Bend. Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, pagan, and atheist practitioners all walk them.

One of the world’s most famous labyrinths — other than the original Labyrinth myth from Greek mythology,

and perhaps the snowy hedge maze of “The Shining” —lies in the Cathedral at Chartres in France. Our town’s community labyrinth is modeled after the Gothic Chartres pattern.

Everyone is welcome to the Winter Solstice event. However: dogs, radios, talking, singing, and musical instruments are inappropriate for the silent meditation walk. Note that restrooms are closed for the winter.

For people who are unable to walk the coiling lanes, a finger-labyrinth is installed at the opening. The path to the labyrinth may be difficult for folks with mobility issues to navigate, depending on ice and snow conditions.

The event takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 21. The labyrinth is located within East Portal, about where Highway 20 and Highway 242 meet, roughly between Bi-Mart and Les Schwab. The driveway is on West Hood Avenue. During winter months, many labyrinth visitors choose to park in nearby lots or streets, then walk over to the labyrinth.

The Sisters Labyrinth Committee maintains and hosts the labyrinth and its activities, with Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) providing fiscal and administrative infrastructure.

is the middle school arm of Young Life, a Christian ministry aimed at introducing adolescents to the faith while offering support and engaging activities. Since Miller took the reins as area director in 2018, the ministry has seen explosive growth. This particular “small group” of girls is mentored by Miller, Mary Ingram, and Tami Kirkpatrick.

The students’ camaraderie and passion are hard to deny.

Seventh-grader Makayla Kirkpatrick shared that what gets her most excited about Mission Possible “are all the steps we’re going to do together,” and that they’re doing this “for God, in the community.”

Mission Possible is truly a student-conceived and student-led effort. “We’ve just come alongside them,” Miller said.

The girls especially look forward to distributing the bags and, for now, will focus on those in Sisters Country who would benefit. “We’re figuring it out as we go,” Frutos said.

Donations of new or gently used items — coats, snow pants, travel-sized toiletries, and the like— and/or monetary gifts may be dropped off at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy., over the next few weeks. Or donate online at giving.younglife. org (select “Sisters Area” as recipient).

Students interested in more information about Young Life, or adults interested in volunteering, can visit their Facebook page or sisters.younglife.org.

Any contributions exceeding the amount used by Mission Possible will help support Young Life’s ministry to middle and high school students and future projects. Speaking on behalf of 39 servant-hearted middle schoolers, Frutos said, “We might think of another thing we want to do.

SOLSTICE: Walk is a time for quiet contemplation

SCHOOL: District in solid shape as break approaches

study was to observe how many of the species of trees are present, what the human impact is on the area, and which animals and plants are present in the area.

One student said, “It was really cool to be able to observe the forest and learn skills to measure the forest and what’s happening within it.”

Lorna VanGeem, the director of student services with Sisters School District, presented a new collaboration to the board with organization Care Solace. Care Solace’s purpose is stated: “We work alongside school districts to connect students, school staff, and their families to quality mental health and substance use treatment providers matched to their needs.”

VanGeem worked closely with the Roundhouse Foundation, which provided the grant for a two-year contract with Care Solace.

SSD began the partnership just last week. Kristen Spoto, the regional director for K-12 with Care Solace, presented on some of what Care Solace does.

Care Solace creates umbrella mental health support to anyone in the school’s district, including parents, school staff, and their families. They serve ages three to 65. Care Solace helps to take out the stress of navigating care. Those in need are paired with a care companion, who helps coordinate whatever kind of care the family or individual needs.

“We help coordinate care for those who need it and provide an easement of stress on the families in districts,” said Spoto.

SSD will be implementing its own unique URL in collaboration with Care Solace, hopefully starting before winter break in mid-December.

Superintendent Curt Scholl’s report included updates on the construction of the new Sisters Elementary School, with a still-promised completion in September of 2024.

“We are excited about the infrastructure and moving forward on the bond measure,” said Scholl.

They now have a realtime time-lapse video live on the SSD website where citizens can check out the progress on the building of the new school. Visit https://bit. ly/3WcNWw1.

Scholl also reported on the potential increase in the amount of PE hours in schools. Scholl is advocating for programs in Sisters

schools that promote lifelong health and activity in the outdoors.

“We want to promote the success model for lifelong health amongst students with our programs like IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Education) and ECoS (Earth, Community, Self),” said Scholl.

Scholl also provided an update on the collaboration with University of Oregon students looking at the optimization of the current elementary school property as an asset to the community.

The students will be coming to Sisters on December 14 to look at city planning, and to work with the District on what to do with the existing property. They will be looking at three aspects including housing, agefriendly Sisters, and recreation potential for the building.

The superintendent also provided a few data points on student groups, including the notable four-year graduation rate in Sisters schools. The graduation rate in Sisters Schools in the 2020-21 school year was 93.8 percent, versus the statewide 80.6 percent graduation rate. Scholl attributes some of that success to programs within the Sisters schools that make the students excited to learn and stay in school.

Explore Sisters hires director

Scott Humpert is the newly hired executive director for Explore Sisters, the community’s new destination management organization.

Humpert brings more than a decade of experience in the tourism and destination marketing and management world to the job, most recently as the senior marketing manager for Explore Lincoln City. He also served as president of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association prior to accepting the position with Explore Sisters. Scott is currently in the process of relocating to Sisters with his wife and children and will officially begin in his new role on December 19.

Humpert is an Oregon native who’s lived in the state his entire life.

“I look forward to bringing my experience in marketing, including brand management within the leisure travel market, into my new role,” he said. “I am also excited about learning and getting to know the community in fine detail. I have met so many wonderful people working in the travel industry, and it has been my pleasure to engage in networking, profession -

al development, and other tourism-related activities. I welcome the opportunity to represent Sisters as it cements its place as one of Oregon’s premier travel destinations.” Explore Sisters is an independent 501(c)(6) exempt organization formed in July 2022 for the purpose of increasing community livability and economic vitality through the development of intelligent management and stewardship of the Sisters area’s natural and cultural resources, tourism, and outdoor recreation.

The organization is tasked to work to positively impact the City of Sisters community and surrounding areas through the advancement of tourism, outdoor recreation, and sustainability while focusing on balanced four-season visitation and overnight stays.

According to its bylaws, Explore Sisters will strive to balance the needs of the community while fostering the evolution of the local tourism economy. It will be funded by the City through the collection of transient lodging tax on overnight stays.

As of 2003, state law requires 70 percent of new or increased lodging taxes

to be used for tourism promotion or tourism-related facilities, while existing lodging taxes must maintain the percentage used for tourism promotion and tourism facilities.

Interim City Manager Joe O’Neill says, “The City is excited to see the direction Scott and the Explore Sisters board will lead the new destination management organization.”

A meet and greet event is being planned for early 2023. Watch The Nugget for details.

Scott Humpert.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Looking over the current “City of Sisters Housing and Residential Land Needs Assessment” based on the 2010 census used by PSU, one can’t help but be extremely skeptical of such predictions and how they can be used or misused to justify development, because there are too many unpredictable variables affecting them. For example, I saw no mention of interest rates. And how much of the presumed population increase will result from children born to residents and thus do not need housing? The population of Sisters might even drop as people move away, or pass away, or businesses leave. After all, economies can change. Such things were not discussed. Indeed, in the current assessment there was, in fact, an astonishing housing vacancy rate of more than 20 percent. If so, how could more housing be justified?

Moreover, the assessment (PSU) makes no distinction between a “need” for housing and a “demand” for housing. In my view, these are different things. There is a need for housing for those who wish to be employed in town and do not wish to commute (commuting is another variable). There is a demand for housing for those who are not employed here but wish to live here because it is a nice place. How many people “need” to have housing because they work here? How many sold their house in San Francisco or Portland and decided to move here? We don’t know, but certainly there is sufficient housing for the latter, who seem to be the great majority of potential residents

and can afford market prices.

In short, I see no justification for such reckless development in Sisters as Sunset Meadows, which Susanna DeFazio rightly criticizes (The Nugget, November 16) . This project is irrelevant to need while promoting artificial demand to the benefit of the developers and to the detriment of the residents. It will be the final blow after the Woodlands Project in ruining Sisters as we know it. Sisters will become a congested amorphous blob, a miniBend. The City Council constantly pleads that it is constrained by state land-use laws, which require it to approve all developments that meet certain requirements. If this is the case, the laws need to be changed to the advantage of municipalities and not developers so they can control their future. Perhaps it is time for the city councils of Sisters, Bend, Redmond, etc. to unite and march on Salem.

Gary Leiser

s s s

Resurrection of the Sisters to Black Butte Ranch path

To the Editor:

Ten years ago, the town of Sisters grappled over a proposal to install a bike path that would start in Sisters and lead into the gated community of Black Butte Ranch.

Ugly, damaging, and highly divisive, this controversial proposal literally pit neighbors against one another and resulted in some longtime friendships being terminated. To current residents not

around at the time, to give you some idea of the discord and rancor attached to this proposal: The last time the general public was invited to a meeting to discuss the topic, it necessitated the presence of an armed police officer “greeting” folks as they entered the meeting. The U.S. Forest Service ultimately chose to reject the project, and things thankfully calmed down.

Well, it’s back. And amazingly, it’s the same proposal and the exact same objections and concerns still remain. None of the concerns regarding environmental destruction / habitat disruption, private property encroachment, and taxpayer funding that ultimately led to the proposal being rejected have been addressed.

Additionally, it’s tone deaf and uncompassionate the juxtaposition of a path, that if it were to be installed as currently proposed, would mean bulldozers plowing through existing homeless camps in our forests in order to clear space for a bike path. Should we not prioritize addressing people with real needs, and preserving our forest’s natural beauty over a superfluous eight-mile treadmill?

Grab your seats and get ready for the Buzzwords Olympics. The early favorite appears to be “Sustainability,” but don’t count out “Alternative Transportation,” or that old stalwart, “Need for Connectivity.” Pardon the cynicism, but we have been down this path before. Is it really in the community’s best interest to go through this highly divisive and exhausting exercise again? Surely, there are far less damaging ways to get our cardio on.

Greg Werts

Christmas comes early for students

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

Nine Sisters High School students got an early and unexpected Christmas present when they arrived at the Circle of Friends clubhouse on Thursday, December 8.

Awaiting them were brand-new MacBook laptops provided through a federal grant obtained by Circle of Friends last year, which was partially earmarked for providing technology opportunities for young people in the program.

According to Program Director Kellie Scholl, the funds became accessible earlier this fall and the organization decided to really think about when would be a good time to make the presentation of the computers to the kids.

When asked about what getting these high-quality computers meant to them, a common theme arose from the students. They see the laptops as being an avenue for educational use as they complete high school and move on into college.

Alexis Lajko, a sophomore, couldn’t believe what was happening. “It’s very exciting, she said. “I know all of the other high school kids in Circle of Friends and know how much this means to all of us,” she said. “For example, I know that one of the other kids has an old laptop with a broken screen, and I have an old computer myself. I think this will be something I will use for the rest of my high school years.”

Her mentor for Circle of Friends, Kay Johnson, who has been with Lajko for ten years, joined in Lajko’s joy.

“This is tremendous for all these kids,” she said.

Tania Rebolledo, a junior, said she will use the laptop every day as she finishes high school and prepares to go to college. She said she had been hoping for a laptop of her own as her birthday and Christmas were approaching. “My mom is going to be as happy about this as I am,” she said.

“When we got the kids in a circle and explained what they were getting, they were shocked,” said Scholl. “The laptops were delivered about a month ago and we thought

that right after finals and right before Christmas break would be the perfect time to hand them out.”

Henry Shuler, the recently hired youth program lead, will be teaching some classes to the students in the new year related to MacBook use, according to Scholl.

Executive Director Nicole Woodson said, “This plan has been a year and a half in the making and it is just so exciting and good to get the computers into the kids’ hands. We are just thrilled to be at this point.”

Baumann has an 8-yearold and a 6-year-old going to school in the Sisters School District, and can serve as a voice for other parents on the board.

“I think SPRD is a great asset to the community. It’s a great place for kids to learn social skills, sports, and be active in their own community,” said Baumann.

Baumann works with the board on expanding programs and adding perspective and feedback about what parents are seeing regarding the benefits of the programs for their kids.

“There is also such a huge benefit to adults in our community with the programs we offer to all ages,” she said.

Baumann emphasized the

importance of volunteering with SPRD.

“Without volunteers, many of these programs would not be able to happen. It’s hard to find fulltime staff, so we rely a lot on volunteers and parents of children in programs to allow these amazing programs to operate,” she said.

When Baumann isn’t working in the forest or serving on the board, she is a ski coach at Hoodoo, with that season now entering full swing.

BAUMANN: Board member emphasizes volunteering Continued

Molly Baumann.

PHOTO BY CEILI GATLEY

Two students checking out the new MacBook Pro they received through the Circle of Friends mentorship program.

PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG

Teams tack on extra game

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Sisters’ boys and girls basketball teams played against the Monroe Dragons in a neutral site pre-season game held at Santiam Christian High School on Saturday, December 10. The boys squad walked away with a 52-47 win, and the girls fell 36-28.

In the boys’ game, Landon Scott got the Outlaws started with a transition layup. Kale Gardner attacked the Dragons’ zone defense and scored the next two baskets. Sisters forced the Dragons to turn the ball over eight times, and scored six points on the turnovers. At the close of the first period the Outlaws held a slim two-point lead, 10-8.

The Outlaws continued to pressure the Dragons in the second quarter and forced another five turnovers. Sisters also forced seven Dragon fouls and converted six of nine attempts. Scott led the team with nine points, and Jessey Murillo tallied seven. At the half the Outlaws were on top 30-19.

Monroe came out aggressive in the third and cut the Outlaws’ 11-point halftime lead to six. Sisters was unable to get their offense going and only scored one field goal the entire quarter, a basket which came from Hudson Beckwith. Murillo went four-for-four

from the charity stripe and at the end of three the Outlaws held on to their lead with a score of 36-30.

Teams traded baskets back and forth in the final period. Gardner and Diego Silva hit the team’s only three-point baskets, and each of them put an end to a mini-run by the Dragons. Adam MaddoxCastle hit his only field goal of the game on a driving layup from the left side of the basket with 4:30 left on the clock, to give the Outlaws their biggest lead of the quarter. Sisters hit four of their six freethrows in the quarter to hold onto the lead and secure the win.

Gardner and Scott both finished the night with 13 points and three steals. Murillo tallied 12 points, and pulled down four boards. Silva contributed seven points and four rebounds, Beckwith had three points, and Garrett Sager added two.

Coach Chad Rush said, “I was pleased with our team tonight. After two lopsided wins earlier in the week, where a lot of things went right for us, we faced adversity tonight and had to make plays at the right times in order to secure the win.”

The Lady Outlaws lost by eight in their matchup against the Dragons. Both Sisters and Monroe entered the game with a 1-4 record and the contest

was fairly evenly matched. The Outlaws’ first quarter was their best of the game with nine points, and at the close of the period they trailed by just two, 9-11.

The second quarter was difficult for the Outlaws as Monroe outscored them 12-6 and built an eight-point lead. Sisters played even with Monroe the second half, but couldn’t recover from their first-half deficit.

Jenna Lake scored 11 points, and Ashlynn Moffat and Haleigh Froehlich added five each. Froehlich led the defense with eight rebounds and also recorded five steals. Josie Patton finished with five rebounds, four steals, and three assists.

The Outlaws were unable to keep Monroe off the offensive boards; the Dragons got 18 second chances. Sisters also struggled to take care of the ball, and turned it over 26 times.

Coach Paul Patton said, “We learned from the game that we need to prioritize rebounding in practice and do more live scrimmaging where we can work on our decisionmaking with the basketball. We’ve had a little trouble getting good competitive practice reps in due to having girls out sick, injured, or gone to conflicting activities. Hopefully, in the coming week we’ll be closer to full strength.”

Lady Outlaws snap losing streak

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws basketball squad fell 47-39 to the Lady Lions at Jefferson High School on Tuesday, December 6. At home two days later they snapped their three-game losing streak with a dominant 46-10 win against Culver.

Friday’s game against the Lady Bulldogs started off slow with neither team scoring in the first three-anda-half minutes of play. The Outlaws had several opportunities to score but just couldn’t get the ball to drop. With a little over three minutes left on the clock Haleigh Froehlich was fouled while going to the hoop and made both of her free-throws to get the Outlaws on the scoreboard. Sisters scored four more quick points and with seconds left Ellie Mayes made a nice pass inside to Hadley Schar, who made the shot and put the Outlaws on top 8-4 to close out the quarter.

The Outlaws continued to put points on the scoreboard in the second quarter, with buckets from Josie Patton, Ashlynn Moffat, and Sage Wyland, and triples from Jenna Lake and Ellie Mayes.

Delaney McAfee also hit a

shot from the charity stripe, and at the half the Outlaws had extended their lead to 21-9.

Sisters shut down the Lady Bulldogs in the final half, outscoring them 25-1. Points were spread out between Moffat, Patton, Lake, Schar, Mayes, and Shae Wyland. With less than two minutes left on the clock, Mayes scored seven straight points to close out Sisters’ scoring spree: a layup, a three-pointer, and then a steal, which resulted in a layup.

Scoring was evenly balanced with nine players contributing in the shooting endeavor. Ellie Mayes led the Outlaws with nine points, followed by Jenna Lake who scored nine. Schar and Shae Wyland scored six points each, Patton and Moffat scored four, McAfee tallied three, and Froehlich and Sage Wyland added two points each.

Froehlich pulled down five boards, as did Shae Wyland, who also had five blocked shots.

Coach Paul Patton told The Nugget that one major factor in their win over Culver was that the Lady Outlaws took better care of the basketball, and

Sisters youth shine in robotics competition

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

A group of Sisters youths built a Lego robot and turned it loose in First Lego League competition at Mountain View High School on Sunday, December 11. Their robot made an outstanding run and the group just missed qualifying for state competition.

The Broken Top Builders — fifth graders Amelia Folin, Arora Restani, Wesley Womack, and Mallory Perry; fourth graders Jordan Oathes, Brecken Poulos, and Will Bulloch; and seventh grader Nona Smith — have been practicing every week since September for the competition. The program is designed to build STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills, while fostering teamwork and cooperation and an understanding of how innovation can address realworld challenges.

This year’s event, titled “Superpowered,” was focused on energy — creation, usage and storage. In addition to building a robot to run missions in competition, the students were required to develop a presentation to be made to a judges’ panel on energy.

Broken Top Builders is an independent team, not sponsored by Sisters School District. Steve and Julianne Folin served as coaches.

“My daughter (Amelia) did it last year when we lived in Albany,” Steve Folin said. “That was our first taste of Lego Robotics. She really loved it.”

When the family moved

to Sisters a year ago, they wanted to continue with the program. Sisters schools were aware of Lego Robotics, but there isn’t a formal program here — yet. The Folins put the word out that they were forming a team on their own, and got a strong response.

The team practiced in the Folins’ garage. The couple provided the parts and pieces for the robot, and the participants’ families split other costs.

The coaches said that Sunday’s competition run was very strong. Coaches are not allowed to witness the presentation, but their surmise is that it was that part of the competition that set the team back from advancing.

The group created a comic book to explore an aspect of solar power.

“They did some research and found out that your average solar panel can last 25 to 30 years,” Steve Folin said.

The presentation examined how used solar panels could be salvaged and repackaged rather than discarded.

“My guess is that the judges were looking for a little more research and completion,” Folin said.

Though they didn’t advance to state competition, the Broken Top Builders could be proud of their performance. The coaches hope that Sisters schools will be able to take the program on as a formal school project, since the schools have space and resources that would help it grow, and it fits in very well with the Sisters School District’s focus on science and technology.

job in Lego Robotics competition.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

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Authorized service center for Stihl,

By T. Lee Brown Correspondent

A person can count on traditions in Camp Sherman. In summer, anglers will flyfish on the Metolius. Newcomers will get lost driving around the Forest Service tracts. Camp Sherman Store will serve up some fine grub. And in winter, residents will flock to Black Butte School’s (BBS)Winter Performance.

“I am so excited to bring the show back to the Community Hall!” director Jennie Sharp told The Nugget. “The Community Hall brings everyone literally closer together, which we have really missed for the last three seasons.”

During earlier times in the Covid-19 pandemic, shows had to be canceled or creatively reimagined; last year, the Winter Performance took the form of an outdoor parade featuring singing, dancing kids.

This year’s show, “Too Hot to Be Cool,” found schoolkids and show-goers returning to the traditional venue, Camp Sherman Community Hall behind the fire station. The play’s hero, King Cocoa, was portrayed by fifth-grader Everett Danger Spurgeon.

“My dad gave me the middle name,” he explained. Spurgeon has enjoyed being in BBS shows before but never with a starring role.

“I remember the first role I had in a winter performance,” he said, recalling kindergarten. “I was a cow.”

Starring in the show is tougher than portraying livestock. “I have to memorize four songs and 27 lines,” he said. “So that’s been challenging.”

Sharp found a script online called “Snow Global Warming,” by a teacher named Mrs. McCalister. After purchasing the rights, Sharp used it as the basis for a whole new play, “Too Hot to Be Cool,” which included more characters and “a little depth” Sharp was looking for.

The play enacted a par able of climate change, with plenty of fun and music. “It’s a very cold world,” Spurgeon

said of Marshmallow Land, where the story took place.

As King Cocoa, “I try to find heat from like fireplaces, hot cocoa, and stuff like that,” he said. “It starts melting all the snow, and then people have to help me try to change my ways, to stop using all the heat.”

Why does King Cocoa seek so much warmth?

“Well, the queen died. He’s just cold. Since the queen died he’s been very sad. There’s only one person who makes him happy at the beginning; that’s Princess Chocolate.”

In the end, said Spurgeon, “We make Marshmallow Land a snowy place for everybody.”

In addition to bringing the Camp Sherman community together at a picturesque time of year the annual Winter Performance enables students to learn new skills with hands-on experience.

“I believe performing and theater contribute greatly to students’ education!” Sharp enthused. “First, the performance gives them something authentic to work together toward. It helps them each individually to build confidence and work through nervous or uncomfortable feelings.”

With its unusual smallschool format, Black Butte School allows every student in the entire school to collaborate creatively on a single show. “As a school, we all learn better cooperation skills,” explained Sharp. “We have to work hard together to

each learn our part of something bigger than just us.”

In addition to rehearsing during school hours, students worked on costumes and set painting with their families. “The kids also sent handwritten invitations to most of the Camp Sherman community,” Sharp added.

Older kids helped younger kids learn their parts, and prompted them onstage when needed. “We have kindergartners in it,” said Spurgeon of the play. “They’re doing a good job. Some of them don’t know how to read yet but they’re still nailing their lines. I was surprised about how good they’re doing.”

It seemed different from playing a cow when he was little: “I mostly just said Moo through the whole thing.”

Reading a play and mem-

orizing lines brings kids into a different relationship with language, improving literacy skills. Sharp’s script helped students learn about science (heat, climate change) and social-emotional learning, also known as SEL, as it approached subjects of addiction, community, and cooperation.

“Theater education teaches focus and concentration skills,” continued Sharp, who is also the founder of Starshine Theater, where she leads performance camps throughout the summer.

In a theater production, kids need to be “hyper-aware of what is going on around them so they can perform

their part with ease,” she said. “Focus and concentration skills help with all aspects of their academic journey.”

Spurgeon said he likes performing in the winter show every year. “Jennie usually does a really good job about choosing good roles for everybody. She makes really good performances.”

In addition to Camp Sherman residents, Black Butte School serves kids grades K–8 from Sisters and surrounding areas, with buses picking up at Sisters Library. Spaces are currently available. Learn more online at blackbutte.k12.or.us.

Black Butte School’s annual winter program is a beloved tradition in Sisters Country.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

regarding this proposal.

The Planning Commission will review the record (all the evidence submitted, including project plans, burden of proof, written public comments, applicant presentation, staff findings on how the proposal does or doesn’t comply with the application criteria of the Sisters Development Code, etc.), and make a decision to approve the master plan as submitted, approve the master plan with conditions, or deny the application.

The master plan, as proposed by Woodhill Homes, would include a 71-lot residential development with 22 lots for single-family detached dwellings, 48 lots for attached townhouse dwellings, and one large parcel for a multifamily residential development including 72-124 apartment units. The 12.92-acre parcel would also include approximately 3.17 acres of open space, mainly along the frontages on Highway 242 and Hood Avenue. Access to the units would be from two alleyways off of a two-lane road running north-south through the property.

A number of issues have been raised by the public and Commission during the landuse review process.

Approval or denial of a Type III application can only be based on the development code, and if the plan meets the code requirements, the Planning Commission is

obligated to approve it.

According to a summary from Principal Planner Matthew Martin, planning staff recognizes that the other issues are valuable and important to those individuals who raised them. However, they are not directed to development code criteria or standards applicable to this proposal. Other issues include adequacy of commercial services, affordable housing, growth/development moratorium, parks, scenic byway, view protection, and wildlife impacts.

Several who testified asked how the proposed development correlated to the Sisters Country Vision strategies. Staff pointed out that in the comprehensive plan it states, “Both plans have significant crossover, but include key differences such as geographic, focuses, scope, and implementation strategies. The Vision was completely communitydriven without requirements from the State and is now in the implementation stage through community-led action by the Vision Implementation Team.”

Therefore, staff concluded that the Vision does not include development review criteria applicable to the proposal.

There have been questions about the Western design standards for the proposed development. The Western Frontier Architectural Design Theme applies only in all commercial districts. The subject property is not located in a commercial district.

• •

•

The following open-record periods provide the opportunity for participants to submit additional information regarding Sunset Meadows:

Open record period #1 –Opportunity for any participant to submit additional written evidence or testimony. Submittal deadline: December 22 at 4:30 p.m. Open record period #2 – Opportunity for any participant to submit response to new evidence submitted during open record period #1. Submittal deadline: January 5, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Open record period #3 – Opportunity for only the applicant to submit final written arguments in support of the application. This opportunity can be waived by applicant. Submittal deadline: January 12, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.

Written evidence and testimony may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Ave. (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters OR 97759) or emailed to mmartin@ ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number(s) MP 22-01/SUB 22-01/MNR 22-02.

The Planning Commission meetings are accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found at https://www.ci.sisters.or.us/ meetings. All evidence and materials submitted into the record are accessible on the City website under community-development/page/sunset meadows-master-plan-record.

For more information, contact Matthew Martin, principal planner at 541-323-5208 or mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.

OUTLAWS: Team continues to work to improve

cut down their turnovers.

Patton said, “We actually had more steals than turnovers for the first time this season! Our ability to execute was in part due to the fact that Culver was a little shorthanded, with two of their starters out of action and the remaining girls younger and more inexperienced.”

Patton stated that once again McAfee was tenacious on ball defense, and that Shae Wyland did a great job blocking shots and rebounding. He added that Schar had her best all-around game of the season, and Josie Patton was a solid leader and kept the team organized on both ends of the court.

“I was pleased with the balanced scoring and with the positive energy we displayed in celebrating each other’s success,” added Patton.

In Tuesday’s matchup two days earlier, Sisters stayed

close to the Lions, with two buckets from Haleigh Froehlich and a rebound and put-back from Ashlynn Moffat early in the first quarter. From there the tide turned, and several turnovers and an inability to hit three-pointers stalled the Outlaws’ offense. The Lions hit their shots and at the close of the period the Outlaws trailed 7-18.

Coach Paul Patton told The Nugget that Delaney McAfee played well, with her determined defense, and all-around hustle. He also said it was nice to have Froehlich back on the court after missing the last game due to illness. Froehlich gave the Outlaws some points inside, and also pulled down a few rebounds.

Patton said, “There were some signs of improvement from our previous games, with better ball movement that resulted in our highest point total in three games. We just have to keep chipping away at small improvements in all aspects of the game and enjoy the process with our teammates.”

Sisters will play at Yamhill-Carlton on Friday.

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