The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVI No. 2 // 2023-01-11

The Nugget

News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Wildlife census could impact Sisters Country

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Oregon has one of the most robust land use and planning protocols in the nation, and LUBA — the Land Use Board of Appeals — has been the center of disputes for decades between advocates and opponents of growth. The year 2023 will no doubt be a year of controversy in the long running debate about best stewardship practices when Deschutes County resumes consideration of updating its wildlife inventory.

In the face of declining mule deer numbers, and greater concern for the protected range of elk and bald and golden eagles, biologists are signaling the possible need for more restrictions on private property owners.

In 2021 an interagency working group in collaboration with Dr. Wendy Wente under a grant from Oregon Department of Land Conservation undertook the initial phase to update Deschutes County’s wildlife inventory last taken some 30 years ago. The group’s assessment was that all three of the County’s current data sets did not currently align with the best available

science.

“They are out of date and land use changes can conflict with the long-term maintenance of these wildlife resources,” their summary report said.

There were two public open houses, April 15 and April 20, 2021. A summary

Gun measure on hold following judge’s order

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

A circuit court judge in Burns in Harney County has temporarily blocked the entirety of Ballot Measure 114, a controversial gun control law narrowly enacted by voters last November. Presiding Judge Robert Raschio of the 24th Judicial District ruled: “The court declines to remove the background check provisions from the [temporary restraining order] as the provisions are intertwined with the permit-to-purchase program and the court has made no final determination on constitutionality of the program.”

Arguments were made

before the judge on December 23 and he took a week to deliberate. The core of the arguments were languagebased, and dealt primarily with the background check provisions of the law. The arguments were highly technical in nature, and not made-for-TV courtroom drama.

Opponents of the measure have long argued before and after passage that the wording of the measure was fraught with misleading and confusing verbiage. An example of the complexity of the debate was demonstrable:

“The court would be

report was issued the following month. In November 2021, based on the results of Phase 1, the Board of County Commissioners directed Community Development Department staff to initiate a pilot project updating the proposed new inventory only for mule deer winter range.

The project’s priority was pushed downward as in 2022 staff had to respond to Ballot Measure 9-152 regarding psilocybin therapy or production in the County, which passed. Additionally the impact of SB 391 that went into law

Sisters embraces bereaved family

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

The family of Maria Aviles Tapia, who died in a single-vehicle car accident on Thursday, December 23, is profoundly grateful to the Sisters community for the outpouring of support the family has received in the face of their tragedy.

“They’ve been doing such a good support for the family and the kids,” said Maria’s brother Jaime Tapia. “I really, really want to say thank you.”

Tapia, 38, died when the vehicle she was a passenger in slid on ice heading west toward Sisters just before 4 p.m., left the roadway and struck a tree. The incident occurred near the Sisters Rodeo Grounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Maria was the mother of five children, ranging in age from three to 19.

Temporary Sisters Library arrives

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Back in 1980 the original Sisters Library—630 square feet and built in the 1930s—was lifted off its foundation, loaded on a trailer, and moved a few blocks to a new location. It was not long, however, before the community outgrew that building, as well as another 2,600-square-foot space built in 1989. In 2005, the current 8,300-square-foot Sisters Library began serving the public as part of the Deschutes Public Library System.

Almost 20 years later the Sisters Library is about to undergo a significant remodel, and in a moment of déjà vu, yet another library building was loaded

The

on the back of a trailer and brought to the site of the current facility on the corner of Cedar and Main. This time,

however, the mobile building is a temporary space intended

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

A county wildlife overlay zone is likely to be a contentious land-use issue in coming months.

PHOTO COURTESY ODFW

Getting to know law enforcement

Folks in Sisters have an opportunity this month to learn how local law enforcement works. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office used to offer a Citizens Academy in which people could sign up for an in-depth exploration of the variety of missions and services required of the Sheriff’s Office — from running the jail to patrolling our streets and investigating crimes.

The academy has been distilled down to a two-night

event in an open house set for later this month at the Sisters Fire District Community Hall (see story, page 3). The first night will be especially Sistersfocused, with an introduction of the cadre of deputies assigned specifically to our town. Attend either night or both.

There is too often a disconnect between the citizenry and law enforcement agencies. Citizens can lack understanding of the nature

of law enforcement operations and a distorted view of capabilities and constraints. Law enforcement agencies can become insular and unresponsive to the priorities and concerns of those they serve.

Events like this month’s Sisters Community Academy can go a long way toward keeping the connection between the community and law enforcement strong.

Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sisters Weather Forecast

The Nugget Newspaper, LLC

Website: www.nuggetnews.com 442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759.

Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius

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Community Marketing

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Classifieds & Circulation: Janice Hoffman

Proofreader: Kit Tosello

Owner: J. Louis Mullen

You say you want a Revolution?

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

While I was out delivering your Nugget a couple of weeks ago, I listened to the final episode of “Revolutions,” a podcast by historian Mike Duncan.

Many a Tuesday evening of chucking newspaper bundles has been filled with this monumental achievement of historical storytelling, which started back in 2013 with the English Civil Wars of the 17th Century and concluded last year with a deep dive into the Russian Revolution.

I am of the belief that you can’t understand the world we live in today without understanding the tremendous spate of political and social upheavals that shaped the modern world. The way we are governed and the very way we understand our place in the world the nature of freedom and liberty, economics, justice, faith — all of these things are shaped, whether we recognize it or not, by the great revolutions of the early modern and modern period.

Our basic concept of “left” and “right” in politics is an artifact of where people sat in the first National Assembly thrown up by the French Revolution of 1789. Our political and social actions often echo and replay the conflicts that erupted within the great revolutions.

If understanding revolutions is important, “Revolutions” offers a mighty pleasing means of sharpening that understanding. It’s like having a multiunit college course in your pocket — with an especially engaging and accessible professor.

Bright as a reading light...

Jarod Gatley caught a detailed shot of the moon over Sisters Country — just one day off of the full “Wolf Moon.”

thrones in which ever single major player died violently in a hail of assassins’ bullets.

When you study the great revolutions, clear patterns emerge, patterns that repeat with eerie consistency. The ancient regime gets itself into trouble financially and economically, usually through colossal mismanagement by an out-of-touch elite, often exacerbated by the strains of war. This causes a crisis of political legitimacy, where a significant proportion of the population simply ceases to accept the right of the ruling elite to govern. Often, political leaders seek reform, which is sometimes granted, but always too little, too late. The spark for a real-deal revolution can be a small one, but the conflagration accelerates quickly.

If the revolution is successful in overthrowing the old regime, there is almost inevitably a falling out between more moderate revolutionaries and the radicals, who aren’t content with mere political change and want to revolutionize the economy and society completely. Duncan calls this “the entropy of victory.” This rift often leads to civil war and revolutionary terror — which is much more violent than the original revolutionary upheaval.

Civil war, sometimes accompanied by external conflicts, throws a society into exhausting chaos, which is resolved when a strongman — think Cromwell, Napoleon, or Josef Stalin — seizes and consolidates power.

Duncan himself notes that the podcast really hit its stride in Season 3, when he abandoned his plan to confine each revolution to 15 episodes, as he did with the English Revolution of 1641-60 and the American Revolution of 1776-87. The French Revolution is too wild and weird, too complex and significant to put such constraints around it. So Duncan just sent it, recording 55 main episodes and five supplementals on that world-shaking event. The Russian Revolution would be covered in a whopping 103 episodes.

Along the way, Duncan also devoted significant attention to events that are often overlooked or have even been more-or-less erased from history, like the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804. He does a magnificent job recounting the complex and wild course of the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920 — a game of

Revolutions that start as an effort to overthrow a repressive regime tend to end up massively expanding the scope and power of the state — and creating something that is far more repressive and violent than the regime they replaced. The Jacobin Reign of Terror in France was a totalitarian horror show far worse than anything the Bourbon kings ever perpetrated. The Okhrana of Czar Nicholas II had nothing on the monstrous apparatus of state terror set up by the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution.

Meet the new boss, WORSE than the old boss.

This all begs the question of whether revolutions are a bloody but necessary means of creating a better society by advancing the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, or cataclysmic earthquakes that cause far more destruction than beneficial progress.

That’s a question Duncan opens but doesn’t answer for us — because it’s really up to us to decide what the legacy of these tremendous events was, is, and will be.

BY AUSTIN BALDWIN

Sisters graduate testing the waters

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Amy Yoder, 2011 Sisters High School (SHS) graduate, has combined her love for the outdoors with her love for science in working for the USGS (United States Geological Survey) as a hydrologist based in Boise at the Idaho Water Science Center.

Her journey to her position at the USGS began during her time at SHS, and then through college where she developed her passion for water conservation and hydrology.

During her time at SHS, Yoder was heavily involved in the IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition) program as both a student participant and as a senior intern.

“IEE was a huge part

and really helped shape me into who I wanted to be. It taught me that good organization and preparedness can allow you to have more fun in the outdoors. I spent most of my senior year in outdoor activities without paying for any of them; I was lucky to have had the program,” said Yoder.

While in IEE she worked with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council on planting days on the riparian of the Whychus Creek, which made her aware of hydrology as a concept, and helped develop her sense of place.

“It really helped me learn how to become a steward. It wasn’t a direct influence, but it helped me in wanting to study hydrology, eventually,” said Yoder.

After graduating from SHS in 2011, she attended Montana State University

(MSU) for her undergraduate degree, studying geohydrology. Geo-hydrology is a degree in geology with an emphasis on hydrology. The geo-hydrology degree requires harder math and physics classes than typical geology.

“I knew I wanted to be outside for my job, and science was one of my better subjects compared to others, and so I wanted to be outside and play into my strengths,” said Yoder.

Yoder received her undergraduate degree from MSU and began working in 2016 with the National Park Service in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. She worked as a summer field tech, doing field work, authoring reports looking at water quality

Sisters Folk Festival to host musical workshops

Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) presents two sixweek songwriting and musical arranging workshops at Sisters Art Works (204 W. Adams Ave. with local artists Beth Wood and Joe Schulte beginning in February and continuing through May. Registration opens on Wednesday, January 11 at 10 a.m. at https://sisters folkfestival.org/music-edu cation/. Participants must be 18 or older to enroll.

First up is “Songwriting in Community: A 6-Week Workshop/Playshop with Beth Wood” every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. February 21 through March 28. Weekly sessions will explore topics such as:

What are the nuts and bolts of songwriting and how can we utilize them to convey our message? What makes a memorable melody? How does song form influence the communication of a narrative? Under the guidance of instructor Beth Wood, aspiring writers will explore tools for beginnings and engage in wordplay and writing exercises.

“I love sharing what I have learned and what works for me in songwriting. I love supporting other songwriters in their creative process and in sharing their work… and I believe we have much to learn from

Sheriff’s Office to host open house in Sisters

Local citizens will get a chance to get to know their local Deschutes County Sheriff’s Deputies and learn more about how law enforcement in Sisters Country works in a two-day Community Academy set for January 18-19 at the SistersCamp Sherman Fire District Community Hall.

The event is in an open house format, so anyone can drop in and interact with DCSO personnel.

Lt. Chad Davis told The Nugget that the centerpiece of the event is an opportunity

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

to meet the cadre of Sisters deputies. Under the current contract between the City of Sisters and DCSO, Sisters has its own set of deputies who work the town and Sisters Country much as if they were Sisters’ own police force.

The Academy offers a chance to meet them faceto-face, along with Deputy Brent Crosswhite, who serves as School Resource Officer in the Sisters School District.

The introduction to the Sisters deputies is set for the

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

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

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

Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild

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

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

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

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

Heartwarmers (fleece blanketmakers)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Location information: 541-549-1193.

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

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

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

Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday. Location information: 541-848-1970.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SCHOOLS

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

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

CITY & PARKS

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

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

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

FIRE & POLICE

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

Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., 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

Amy Yoder collecting a water quality sample from Meadow Creek near Stibnite, Idaho.

Hoopsters kick off league play with two wins

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws kicked off league play with a 51-46 win on the road over the Elmira Falcons on Tuesday, January 3. Three days later, they posted a 43-29 victory over the Siuslaw Vikings.

In Tuesday’s matchup with the Falcons’, the Outlaws jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Sisters played patiently against the Falcons zone defense, and worked the ball around to get shots and put points on the scoreboard.

The Outlaws’ man-to-man defense wasn’t as good, which allowed the Falcons multiple layup opportunities right at the rim. At the end of the first period the Outlaws were down by one, 14-15.

Sisters came out in a halfcourt trap, and their 1-3-1 defense in the second quarter. The switch worked as the Falcons turned the ball over five times. Elmira did knock down two three-pointers in the quarter, with one at the end of the half, which cut the Outlaws’ lead to four points with a score of 25-21.

Mehkye Froehlich and Jessey Murillo scored all of Sisters’ points in the third quarter. Murillo hit a field goal off a missed layup attempt from Landen Scott as well as hitting two free-throws for four points.

Froehlich scored in transition off a Falcon turnover and a nice spinning layup in the key for four points. At the end of the third, the Outlaws held a six-point advantage over Elmira.

In the final period the Falcons took a one-point lead with 4:30 left on the clock. The Outlaws didn’t panic and went on a 16-4 run to take a 10-point lead with just under a minute left in the game.

Murillo had the play of the quarter with a put back and foul off a missed layup with two minutes left that gave the Outlaws the momentum to make their run. Kale Gardner scored six points in the quarter, and Scott and Murillo each contributed five points.

Froehlich led the team with 15 points and four steals.

Murillo scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Gardner contributed nine points, and Scott added eight points and four steals.

Coach Chad Rush said, “This was a great way to open up league play. To go on the road and get a victory is something that is not easy to do. I was pleased to see the way the team responded late in the game when Elmira took the lead. The guys did not quit or get frustrated, but rather drew on what we have learned in our non-league games and put a run together to give us the momentum to secure the win.”

At home on Friday the Siuslaw Vikings made the long four-hour bus ride from Florence to cap off the first week of league play.

The Vikings play an extended 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defense, which took the Outlaws a while to figure out. Sisters got good looks at the basket, but their shots didn’t fall. The Vikings were patient against the Outlaws’ man-toman defense and took advantage of some miscues by the Outlaws. Siuslaw banked in a three-pointer at the buzzer to take a 15-5 lead to close out the period.

In the second quarter, the Outlaws switched to a trapping half-court 1-2-2 zone, and then fell back into their 1-3-1 defense. That proved to be effective, as the Vikings turned the ball over four times in the period. Sisters switched offenses as well, and were able to get the ball in the paint, where they scored 12 of their 14 quarter points.

The Outlaws outscored the Vikings 14-6 in the quarter

and at the half trailed by two, 19-21.

The Outlaws had a great third quarter; they put up 12 points on the scoreboard and held the Vikings to just three points on 10 percent shooting. The Vikings went just onefor-10 and also committed four turnovers. Sisters continued to pound the ball inside and scored eight of their 12 points in the paint. At the end of three the Outlaws were on top by seven, 31-24.

Sisters kept the pressure on in the final period, outscored the Vikings 12-5, and forced them into nine turnovers. Sisters converted those turnovers into 10 of their 12 fourth-quarter points. Froehlich scored six points in the quarter, and Taine Martin had four.

Froehlich led the Outlaws with 12 points and five steals, followed by Scott who tallied 11 points and seven rebounds. Gardner finished with seven points and five rebounds and Adam Maddox-Castle contributed six points and three assists. Martin pitched in for six points and Murillo led the team with eight rebounds.

Rush said, “We knew coming into this game that if we executed our game plan that we would have a very good chance to get the win. Siuslaw came out fighting in the first period, but I was proud of how the team stuck together and never lost focus on what we needed to do to get the win. Our players once again did a great job of turning defensive intensity into offensive efficiency.”

The Outlaws will play on the road at Harrisburg on Friday, January 13.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA KENNEDY

Local foundation helps launch inspiring film

The new documentary film “Space, Hope and Charity” tells the remarkable journey of Charity Woodrum, a young woman from rural Oregon who overcomes tragedy as she pursues a career in astrophysics. Woodrum grew up in poverty in Canyonville, Oregon, where she had dreamed of working for NASA one day, but had never met a scientist. At the age of 28, married and nine months pregnant, Woodrum decided to follow her passion and returned to school to study physics.

Woodrum was thriving at the University of Oregon. By her junior year, she had completed a NASA internship, her family was happy, life seemed perfect. Then came what she refers to simply as “The Worst Day” — January 15, 2017. As Woodrum, her husband, Jayson Thomas, 37, and son Woody Thomas, 3, walked in the sunshine at Boice-Cope State Beach in Oregon, they were hit by a sneaker wave. Charity was the sole survivor.

Mentors, old friends, and perfect strangers rallied around Woodrum, helping her get her life back on track. She is now earning a Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of Arizona, working as a member of the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam Team.

Woodrum said, “Astrophysics saved my life. It’s not the life I planned because Jayson and Woody aren’t here, but I am still seeking purpose through pursuing my goals and spending time with my community of loved

ones.”

With help from the Roundhouse Foundation, a supporter of the film, Woodrum has created “Woody’s Stars,” a fund of the Oregon Community Foundation in her son’s name, to provide financial support and mentorship to college students interested in STEM.

“I can’t think of a better way to honor Woody than to help students follow their dreams,” she said. “He was an empathetic and generous kid and would be so proud.”

The film, directed and produced by Sandy Cummings, is currently being submitted to film festivals across the country and will be screened at the American Astronomical Society’s meeting in Seattle on January 9.

The film is a hero’s journey, highlighting the power of human connection in creating resiliency and changing lives. Charity chose to share her deeply personal story in order to inspire hope in others.

For more information about the film, visit www. spacehopecharityfilm.com.

For more information about Woody’s Stars and to make a donation, visit www. woodysstars.org.

The film was made with support from HeisingSimons Foundation, Roundhouse Foundation, Starview Foundation, and Research Corp. for Science Advancement. Fiscal sponsorship provided by International Documentary Association.

Charity Woodrum overcame terrible tragedy to pursue a career in astrophysics. Her story is recounted in a film supported by Sisters’ Roundhouse Foundation.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Many a folk in Sisters Country check their phone, tablet, or computer in the morning for the temperature. Your phone’s telling you it’s 20 outside and you step out the door and know instantly that it’s nowhere near 20, more like 10 or 15. Then you get in your car or truck, let it warm up, and the outside temperature gauge is reading 6 or 8.

You trust the car’s reading, as you should – they are highly accurate, experts say. Besides, it more closely aligns with what your body is telling you. You’re irked, and maybe even mutter obscenities under your breath. Your wrath is directed toward the weather man.

It shouldn’t be. The National Weather Service, a unit of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), is actually likely to be closer to your car’s temp or your body’s instincts. It’s the apps, espe cially the ones sitting on your phone, that are more likely to be off by as much as 10 degrees.

Why? Lots of reasons, some technical. Mostly it’s location. The app may or may not know exactly where you are. No matter your phone – Apple or Android –if it’s newer than, say, 2015, it comes with a weather app. Just like the TV or radio weather guy or gal, they all get their information from the exact same source — NOAA.

The National Weather Service serves us here in Deschutes County from Pendleton. The NOAA has

a weather station in Sisters at 44.30445N, 121.53909W. Any guess where that is? Exactly! Sisters Eagle Airport. Accurate weather is a matter of life and death for pilots and passengers.

So, since everybody gets weather from the same source, how can it differ from app to app? Take Saturday at 10:00 am. The NOAA said it was 45 degrees but Accuweather said 40 degrees, Weather.com (the same as The Weather Channel, both owned by IBM) read 41 degrees, and Weather Underground told us it was 41 degrees. They were all an hour or two behind NOAA in their updates, and that’s the essential difference. But, they were all reasonably close — at 10 a.m.

Not so in the early hours of the morning where, in the scenario above, we’ve all experienced the wide discrepancies. Alas, The Nugget has no clear answer for that, but not for lack of trying. The NOAA in Pendleton shrugs it off. The most likely explanation is location: your app not knowing or being confused about where you are.

If you leave your “location services” switched on in an Apple phone or “location” turned on in an Android phone, the weather

app knows precisely where you are. One in four phone users say they never or rarely turn on this tracking feature, therefore around 25 percent of weather app users may not get precise weather data.

Location further compounds weather app precision when you check weather from your computer. Over 95 percent of Sisters Country folk get their internet feed from TDS, formerly Bend Broadband. So, if you type in “my weather” in your Google or Safari search bar you will get a snapshot of Southwest Bend weather, because to the cyber world you look like you are in Bend, where the TDS servers sit. It will say Bend in the result, but if you read past that you might think it’s weather for Sisters.

Location also comes into play based on where you are in Sisters Country. In our earliest years we learned that elevation affects temperature. Camp Sherman sits 219 feet lower than Sisters, so one can assume that it’d be a degree or two or three warmer there. When Camp Sherman (44.46N, 121.62W) asks NOAA for their weather, alas, they get the weather for station K6K5 — Eagle Airport.

You’d expect Hoodoo to be colder at 5,700 feet — and it is, most days. At 10 a.m.

on Saturday when it was 41 degrees in Sisters, it was 30 degrees at Hoodoo Butte. Skiers will tell you that it can often be warmer at Hoodoo than in town, due to the occasional inversion.

Inversion means that the temperature change due to altitude increase is reversed. This is most notable in the mountains, where the cold air flows down toward the bottom of the valleys. It mainly occurs during high-pressure, cloud-free days with little wind.

Joe Gunterman, who lives in Tollgate, swears that they have their own weather and it’s the coldest spot in Sisters. Who are we to argue?

Basically, before you yell at the weather guy or gal,

check that the app you use is set to Sisters. It’s possible that you are unknowingly getting Redmond’s or Bend’s. Weather Underground is one that is keyed precisely to Sisters Weather Station

ID: KORSISTE96; Station Name: ROJOGAOR. However, a nice feature lets you choose KORSISTE87 atop McKinley Butte if that’s closer to home.

Real-time readings are altogether different than forecasting. Each company/app that creates forecasts uses different models, different processes, and is edited by different meteorologists. So, different forecasts for the same location will easily differ, with some generally more accurate than others.

Bill Bartlett Columnist

Weather apps may give misleading data on Sisters Country — especially first thing in the morning.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Sisters salutes...

Seed to Table (S2T) is grateful to everyone who participated in the success of 2022. Fundraising efforts exceeded expectations, with nearly 240 individual donors contributing to the organization’s biggest community fundraising campaign to date. In total, community donations brought in $141,200, launching S2T into a strong 2023. Last year was full of a vast ecosystem of support for Seed to Table. In addition to donor support, more than 100 community members dug deep alongside the S2T team to harvest produce and feed our community. In September, a flurry of people of all ages harvested 1,000 pounds of carrots.

Five-year-olds filled buckets, while their grandparents and neighbors loosened the carrots from the ground. It was a true team effort between our organization and the community.

Seed to Table’s impact is growing with all of this collective energy — in the field, classroom, and at the Farmers Market.

“Our board and staff appreciate the building momentum that continues to

foster our collective and individual desires for health and wellness, which we know is deeply personal for each community member. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Thank you for letting the fresh veggies from the farm be a part of your daily routine; thank you for amplifying the power of hands-on, farm-based education; thank you for allowing students to create positive relationships with fresh veggies; and thank you for bringing your own energy to the Sisters Farmers Market. We are grateful to be working alongside you!” said Founder and Executive Director Audrey Tehan.

Seed to Table Oregon’s mission is to increase the health and wellness of theCentral Oregon community by providing equitable access to fresh foods and through opportunities in farm-based education. The mission is brought to life through three programs: Feeding Families fresh veggies, K-12 education, and the Sisters Farmers Market. The 501(c)(3) organization has served Sisters for 10 years. Learn more at www.seed totableoregon.org

Local residents show ‘Spirit of Giving’

The Aspen Lakes Estates Owners’ Association held their fourth annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving 2022” in conjunction with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District’s sponsorship, providing Christmas gifts and assistance to families in need in Sisters Country this holiday season.

Committee members were warmly welcomed when they

repeated a tradition of walking Aspen Lakes streets to personally extend a festive holiday-wrapped participation invitation to each neighbor’s home.

Homeowners who wished to contribute to the Sisters Community in a meaningful and charitable manner were able to do so by purchasing gift cards for our community’s children and depositing them in the fireman’s

boot at their Aspen Lakes Holiday Party, held at the Brand 33 Club House on December 8.

Aspen Lakes homeowners generously donated over $2,000.

This local opportunity, developed and coordinated with the Fire District’s personnel, continues to bring special meaning to the annual Aspen Lakes holiday celebration.

Aspen Lakes homeowners partnered with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District to provide Christmas gifts this season.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pine Meadow Ranch announces artist residencies

Some of Oregon’s most exciting artists and scholars will be exploring the intersection of art, food, and agriculture in the 2023 Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture (PMRCAA) arts residency program. Through a juried application process, 24 artists, culture bearers, scientists, scholars, and researchers from around the United States have been selected for either one-month or twoweek stays at PMRCAA in Sisters, from March through November. The PMRCAA offers dedicated individuals a supportive environment in which to further their creative development. This year will be PMRCAA’s fifth residency program.

Through an open-call process applicants were invited to focus on the theme of “Food & Agriculture.” The topic connects the residency program with much of the work of parent organization The Roundhouse Foundation.

“Agricultural practices are adapting and/or adopting new techniques to deal with the current environmental and social challenges,” said PMRCAA Arts Projects Coordinator Ana Varas. “By inviting participants who focus on the different components of the food system, we aim to foster critical thinking, dialogue and exchange of ideas and knowledge, which can lead to potential solutions to some of the environmental and social problems we are facing today.”

Residents will work closely with others in the region that are already engaging in community-supported agri(cultural) initiatives. The PMRCAA also hosts a variety of community events around the scheduled residencies.

Located on Pine Meadow Ranch, PMRCAA is a 260-acre working ranch at the southwest corner of Sisters.

The 2023 residency participants include:

Visual Arts

Alexandria Nazar (Philadelphia, PA): paintings, drawings; received a master’s in painting and drawing from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia and a bachelor’s in fine arts and history from the University of California, Davis.

Ben Buswell (Portland, OR): sculptural work spans diverse media: glass, ceramics, metals, resins, and incised photographs.

Catie Michel (Denver, CO): visual storyteller who explores the relationship with the natural world using artistic and scientific principles.

Collin Bell (Syracuse, NY): Documentary and portrait photographer, crafting images that explore vulnerable and complex themes regarding changing landscapes, non-traditional families, and unexpected communities.

Derek Yost (Portland, OR): painter and tattoo artist; work draws from a range of sources, including folk art, pre-Columbian art, wildlife and botany.

Flora Carlile-Kovacs (Seattle, WA): textile artist using an ancient textile technique of combining wool and silk fibers and fabrics with water and soap to create felt.

Laura Nolan (Bend, OR): uses a range of formats including sculpture, performance, community engagement, and functional art.

Michael Pribich (New York City, NY): visual artist who believes that in recognizing labor as cultural production, there becomes an expanded social space.

Sally Widgery Finch (Beaverton, OR): visual artist working with weather and other information to see patterns over time; manipulates information to see it in new ways.

Tammy Jo Wilson (Oregon City, OR): Black artist and curator; Art in Oregon’s

co-founder and president; Bush House Museum director of exhibits and programming: and Lewis & Clark College’s visual arts and technology program manager.

Performing Arts

Evan Kassof (Philadelphia, PA): composer based in Philadelphia whose work is at the intersection of opera, science and community building.

M. D. Schaffer (New York City, NY): a queer, nonbinary, African-American writer, librettist, and lyricist from Houston who lives in New York City. Their works examine the relationship between Americana, historical romanticism, and contemporary American reality.

Literary Arts

Diane Wilson (Shafer, MN): author with a deep commitment to learning and writing about the relationship between humans and plants, water and land, and how that

relationship has evolved.

Jackleen De la Harpe (Portland, OR): writer who has worked primarily in journalism and nonfiction — essays, news, and explanatory reporting.

Joe Wilkins (McMinnville, OR): author of a novel, “Fall Back Down When I Die;” a memoir, “The Mountain and the Fathers,” and four collections of poetry, including “When We Were Birds” and “Thieve.”

Nancy Matsumoto (New York City, NY): writer who covers food, agriculture, and the environment. She co-authored “Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake” and edited a forthcoming book of Japanese poetry from UCLA’s Asian American Studies Press.

Multidisciplinary Julian Saporiti and Emilia Halvorsen (Portland, OR): perform as the musical duo No-No Boy. Saporiti transformed his doctoral research on Asian American history into concerts, albums, and films with No-No Boy. As an artist and musician, Halvorsen teaches workshops around the world.

Kaci Rae Christopher (Sisters, OR): Sisters-based writer and garden educator focusing on fostering transformative experiences for youth through a connection to land.

Kai Takada Misner (Detroit, MI): leader of Controlled Environment Agriculture Technology at

Planted Detroit, a vertical hydroponic farm on the east side of the city.

Madelaine Corbin (Detroit, MI): multidisciplinary artist; researchbased practice moves fluidly between drawing, writing, sculpture, textiles, and natural dyeing.

O. Milo Vella (Ithaca, NY): works on research to support and safeguard Indigenous and heritage-based agroecological systems.

Sarah Red-Laird (Ashland, OR): conservationist, researcher, beekeeper, educator, and artist; contemplating methods to creatively bring people to understand and appreciate the value of bees and healthy flower-filled landscape.

Slinko (Maplewood, NJ): multidisciplinary artist from Ukraine living in the U.S.; practice is informed by scholarship on labor, agency, and power, inspired by interactions with ordinary people.

Emilia Halvorsen.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Joe Wilkins.

PHOTO PROVIDED

separating sentences at commas and considering the phrase ‘permit holder’ surplusage,” the judge wrote in his order, using a legal term for irrelevant language. “It is not surplusage.”

He said he would rule on severability only if the permit requirement is ultimately found to be unconstitutional. The measure says that if any “articles, sections, subsections, sentences or clauses” are blocked or found to be unconstitutional, the voters still want the remaining portions to be implemented.

The permit-to-purchase program is on hold until the State creates a new application and review process to which Raschio and a federal judge must approve.

Opponents promised sweeping legal challenges to the measure even before its passage. Earlier in December Raschio ruled that restrictions in Ballot Measure 114 prohibiting the purchase and carry of magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition “unduly frustrate the right to bear arms” under Oregon’s Constitution.

“Based upon the preliminary evidence, the result of BM 114 would be a near absolute prohibition on handguns and many other firearms with their magazines,” Raschio wrote, unconvinced

“I am convinced that there’s irreparable harm to the constitutional right to bear arms under Article 1 Section 27 if I do not,” Raschio said at his December 15 ruling.

Raschio’s orders have effectively blocked all provisions of Measure 114 pending a trial on its constitutionality. Essentially, firearms can still be purchased as before the law.

Several challenges to the measure are winding their way through the courts. There are four cases before federal courts arguing that the law violates the second amendment of the Constitution, the right to bear arms.

Legal scholars say that it will take months, maybe a year or more, to be fully litigated in Oregon. Plaintiffs are prepared to appeal any adverse rulings to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Passions are high on both sides as they muster legal teams and strategies. The law has been called one of the most restrictive gun control initiatives in the nation.

For the state-level case, a hearing has yet to be scheduled but the Oregon Department of Justice has already said they are asking the state Supreme Court to review Raschio’s lower court rulings.

In the federal case, three days of oral arguments are scheduled for the end of February that will decide if the judge will order a prelim-

of Chiefs of Police is coordinating with Oregon State Police and Oregon State Sheriff’s Association to create a permit-to-purchase system that meets the requirements of Measure 114. However, they say that no system is currently in place and thus no permits to purchase can be issued.

The Association claims Measure 114 is a financial burden to law enforcement agencies, and said the revenue generated by the permits does not cover the cost of their expenditures.

“Most law enforcement agencies don’t have the personnel or money necessary to fund this required program,” the Association wrote in a press release. “This will likely result in other public safety resources being reduced to cover the costs of implementing a new permit program.”

On December 5, just three days before the regulations were to become effective, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced that Oregon’s DOJ wants a postponement of some aspects of the measure pending judicial review.

Since passage of the measure, gun shops have faced a surge in demand. Under law, purchasers are required to pass a background check before buying a gun. Oregon State Police, who conduct the background checks, is overwhelmed with a backlog of requests that could take months to process. Under federal law, if a background check is not processed in three days, dealers can legally sell a gun, rifle, or semiautomatic weapon

Former Deschutes County Sheriff dies

Former Deschutes County Sheriff Les Stiles has died.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement over the weekend.

Stiles was elected as the seventh sheriff of Deschutes County, serving from 2001 to 2007.

Stiles championed and oversaw the implementation of stable funding for the Office, which had previously run on serial tax levies.

“He oversaw the accreditation of our Office (the second Sheriff’s office in the state to do so at the time), started the Shop with a Cop program, and founded the Sheriff’s Office Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth program (mentoring of children with incarcerated parents) with his wife, Carol,” the Sheriff’s office noted. “His service had a significant positive impact on the future of our Office and service to our community.”

Sheriff Stiles was a military veteran, having served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army. He served in law enforcement beginning with Northglenn Police Department in Colorado, as the chief of the Moab, Utah Police Department, and as a lieutenant with the Bend Police Department prior to serving as Sheriff.

While with the Bend Police Department, he taught law enforcement classes at Central Oregon Community College for 17 years.

He was an avid fly-fisherman and owned a guide service. After retirement, he owned his own consulting business, Legacy Leadership, and later served as the Prineville police chief. He also taught leadership classes in the Concordia MBA program.

Stiles also appreciated music and was a frequent attendee at Sisters Folk Festival events.

MEASURE: May take many months to resolve questions

Guest Speaker

Sisters Garden Club invites ever yone to attend their January 14 meeting , and hear guest speaker Pattie Apregan discuss how to grow a European garden. Doors open at 9 a .m. and the meeting begins at 9:30. It will be held at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 W. Mckenzie Hwy ey would love to see you . For information call 971-246-0404.

COPY O ers Mentoring Class

On Saturday, January 14, Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth will o er a volunteer training class . e COPY program is designed to prepare volunteers to become mentors for children with an incarcerated parent. Volunteers are matched with a child in and around Sisters that shares similar interests and activities , and commits to spending a few hours a week together for a minimum of one year. ere is no cost to attend, but advanced registration is required . Light snack s and refreshments provided . For information, call 541-388-6 651.

Sisters Careg iver Support Group

A f acilitated support group for caregivers of those with chronic or life-shor tening diseases meets the 3rd Tuesday of ever y month at Sisters Episcopal Church, 10. to 11:30 a .m. For information, call 541-719- 0031 and ask for Kay

Community Academy e Deschutes Count y Sheri ’s O ce will host two classes , on Januar y 18 and 19 f rom 6 to 9 p.m at Sisters Fire Community Hall, 301 S . Elm St. Classes will cover the various Sheri ’s O ce divisions , including Patrol, Detectives, Corrections , Search/ Rescue, and S.W.A .T. Open to the public, no registration needed. Call 541-388-6 655.

Furr y Friends Is Seeking Volunteers

Seeking part-time helpers for our great Sisters animal advocac y nonprofit. View more details in e Nug get’s classified help wanted section, and then call 541-797-4 023 for more information.

Sisters Cold Weather Shelter

Sisters Cold Weather Shelter is unable to o er overnight shelter this year. However, they will be o ering hot meals twice a week through Februar y at the following locations: Mondays 2-4 p.m., Wellhouse Church , 222 N Trinit y Wy.; ursdays 2-4 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. Email sisterscoldweathershelter@gmail. com for more information

Fre e Lunches for Seniors

e Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a no-cost social lunch ever y Tuesday f rom 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sisters Communit y Church , 130 0 W McKenzie Hwy. for those 60 and older. No reser vations needed.

e Council also provides nocost Grab-N- Go lunche s on Wednesdays and ursdays each week at the Sisters Communi Church f rom 12:30 to 1 p.m. For more information call 541-797 9367

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Caregiver Support Group

elma’s Place Adult Day Res Program in Redmond hosts a monthly support group for those caring for someone wit Alzheimer’s or other dementiarelated disease. e support group is held monthly every third Wednesday f rom 4:30-5: p.m . is is a f ree f amily-caregiver support group featuring local organizations Call 541-548-3049.

Parkinson’s Suppor t Group

Are you experiencing Parkinson’s disease (PD) or a care partner/ family member wishing to better support for your loved one with PD? Please join us the second ursday of the month, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Sisters Library, 110 N Cedar St. For more information cont act Carol Pfeil, program coordinator for Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon , 541-6 686599

Announce Celebrations!

Sisters community notices may run at no charge on this Announcements page. Email nug get@nug getnews .com Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays

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

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

Lady Outlaws wrap up week with big win

Look at me with my new lion-cut do! I ’ll be a loving companion. It may take me a little longer to acclimate to new people and new environments, but let me tell you it will be worth the wait! A quieter, lowactivity home would allow me the opportu nity to get used to new things at my own pace and become the dream kitt y you have been looking for

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws hoopsters fell 36-29 at Elmira on Tuesday, January 3, in their first game of league play, but at home three days later they crushed Siuslaw 41-9.

In Tuesday’s road matchup against the Falcons, the Outlaws only scored four points in the first half; a single free-throw from Ashlynn Moffat in the first quarter and a long ball from Ellie Mayes in the second period. The Falcons played a 2-3 zone and Sisters struggled to find open shots. At the half the Outlaws trailed 4-19.

Coach Paul Patton said, “Our ball movement and player movement was just out of sync, and that resulted in some turnovers.”

On Friday, the Outlaws had a balanced performance with nine points in the first and second quarters, 14 in the third, and nine points in the fourth. Siuslaw is a very young and inexperienced team, and they had trouble the entire night putting points up on the scoreboard.

The Outlaws built a wide lead the first three quarters, and as teams entered the final period Sisters held a 32-3 lead. Coach Patton was able to give several girls who usually don’t get big minutes on the floor playing time in the fourth quarter. One of the girls in particular, Norah Thorsett, played very well. Sophomore Holly Madron also scored her first varsity bucket of the year.

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

Baha’i Faith

Currently

647-9826 • www.bahai.org or www.bahai.us

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

Sisters made some adjustments in the second half and started to score. In the final quarter, the Outlaws’ defense clamped down and forced some turnovers, which resulted in Shae Wyland making three breakaway lay-ins.

The Outlaws closed the gap to five, 27-32, with two minutes left on the clock, but the Falcons hit a three and scored two points from the charity stripe to secure the win.

Moffat led the team with nine points, followed by Mayes and Wyland, who both put up seven on the scoreboard.

Patton said, “This was a tough loss because we see Elmira as a team we’re competing with for one of the four league playoff spots. So we’re going to have to keep improving in order to get a win when they come to Sisters later in the season.”

Sisters played solid defense and prevented Siuslaw from running their plays, which was a big factor in keeping them from scoring.

The Outlaws did a much better job of taking care of the ball compared to previous games, and only had four turnovers the entire contest.

Mayes led the team with 12 points, including two three-pointers. Wyland played particularly well for the Outlaws across the board, and finished the game with three points, five rebounds, six steals, and three assists. Haleigh Froehlich scored six points, and Josie Patton put up six points and also tallied five steals and two assists. Moffat recorded four points and four rebounds and Thorsett contributed four points. Madron, Sage Wyland, and Hadley Schar pitched in with two points each.

The Outlaws will play at Harrisburg on Friday, January 13.

Shae Wyland drives up the floor in Outlaws basketball action.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA KENNEDY

Sisters Garden Club Hos ts

FAMILY: Sisters has offered financial, emotional support

A GoFundMe account has raised some $61,000 in support of the family. To contribute to the GoFundMe fundraiser, visit https://www. gofundme.com/f/please-helpmarias-family. Additionally, a Maria Tapia Family Account has been established at First Interstate Bank. Checks should be made payable to Denise Tapia or Jaime Tapia. Checks may be dropped off at the bank, or at Rancho Viejo, where Maria Tapia was employed.

Donations can also be submitted to Family Access Network (FAN) for the Maria Aviles Tapia family rent and utility needs. Make checks payable to Family Access Network or FAN , mailed to FAN c/o Sisters School District, 525 E. Cascade Ave. Sisters, Oregon 97759. Write “For Maria Aviles Tapia family” in the check memo.

Javier Luna, owner of Rancho Viejo, thinks fondly of his longtime employee and friend, who came to Sisters from Guerrero, Mexico, in 2003. The Tapia family, including Jaime, was instrumental in the establishment of Luna’s successful Mexican restaurant.

“I think this family has been special to me and the history of Rancho Viejo,” he said.

“She was a go-getter,” he said of Maria. “That’s the word to describe her.”

Maria always stepped up when there was extra work to do, and she was forthright when something needed to be said.

“She definitely got her opinion across,” Luna said. “At the end of the day, you miss that.”

Maria was the main provider for her family, main caretaker for a disabled mother, and the rock on which other members of the

family relied.

Jaime recalled that, even though she was the younger sibling, he often turned to her for help when life got complicated.

“Any problems, we’d go to her and she’d find a way to figure it out,” Jaime said. “She always was there for me. I really had a good relationship with her.”

Jaime Tapia says that the family is determined to stay in Sisters and make a go of it.

“This is where my sister is staying, and this is where we’re all going to stay,” he said. “The intention is to stay here and keep pushing through.”

The Sisters community has and will continue to be instrumental in that mission. The Tapias’ family expressed gratitude to Rancho Viejo for their support and to Cenobia Gonzalez for establishing the successful GoFundMe fundraiser. Jaime also wanted to thank his extended family in Washington and California for their support.

Emotional support has been just as important as financial assistance. Luna translated for Zenaida Tapia, who has worked at Rancho

Viejo for 23 years, who told The Nugget that she “feels the love every time she gets a hug. And it’s very heartwarming.”

Luna noted that care for the Tapias’ disabled mother will be an ongoing issue, and the family is looking for leads for establishing care for her. Anyone with information is asked to contact Luna at 541-390-7489.

Ways to help

Make a donation to Family Access Network (FAN) for the Maria Aviles Tapia family’s rent and utility needs. Make checks payable to Family Access Network or FAN , mailed to FAN c/o Sisters School District, 525 E. Cascade Ave. Sisters, OR 97759. Write “For Maria Aviles Tapia family” in the check memo.

Maria Tapia Family Account at First Interstate Bank. Checks made payable to Denise Tapia or Jaime Tapia. Checks may be dropped off at the bank, or at Rancho Viejo.

Contribute to online GoFundMe fundraiser at: www.gofundme.com/f/pleasehelp-marias-family.

OPEN HOUSE: Program held at Fire District community hall

Wednesday, January 18 session, which starts at 6 p.m.

Sheriff Shane Nelson will be on hand, along with the DCSO management team.

Attendees will also get a chance to learn how the jail operates and get an introduction to the DCSO K-9 program.

The second evening,

Thursday, January 19, will serve up an introduction to the Patrol Division and the DCSO detectives, as well as the Search & Rescue program and an introduction to the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) and the Street Crimes unit. The evening will wrap up with an exploration of the equipment and mission of the DCSO S.W.A.T. Unit.

Both evenings of the Academy run 6 to 9 p.m., and Lt. Davis said that there will be “lots of time for questions.”

CLOSED JAN. 16-17

MON., JAN. 23 • 6:30PM

MARK D. OWENS PRESENTS

Impact. Owen’s de but work of fiction, Impact w as a semi-finalist for the Cygnus aw ar d for new Science Fiction in the 2022 Self-Published Science Fiction Awar ds. Mr. Owen is an Or egon native w ho began writing science fiction in 2018 after a car eer as an inventor and entr epreneur.

THURS.,

lipsed both colle ge and pr o spor ts in Or egon, the meeting between the all-Blac k team fr om Portland’s Je ffer son High and the w hite “far m boys” fr om Eastern Or egon’s Baker High capti vated

By Melody Carlson Columnist

OK, I realize it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day this month, and I’m not making light of his “I Have a Dream” speech. In fact, I’m a great admirer. But I had a dream—the kind of dream you have while sleeping. In this admittedly strange dream, I was reluctantly observing a political convention when suddenly the man with the microphone called me up to make a speech. Totally shocked and unprepared — I had no speech!

But they forced me to the podium, and to my surprise I made a full-blown dramatic speech with hand gestures and exclamations and everything. Afterward I was so shocked by the words that came out of my mouth (in this dream) that I actually woke up and wrote them down — verbatim. I hadn’t planned to share this speech publicly, but was just reminded of MLK Day and I suddenly felt compelled. So here goes — the speech from my dream:

I don’t have a speech written for you tonight so I will speak directly from my heart. Let me say first off, this is not a political speech. I also want to say that if you’re a citizen of the United States of America, these words are for you. Our country has suffered what may be a mortal wound.

It’s as if someone has taken a giant sword and slashed the United States right down the middle. And now she is lying helpless on the ground, bleeding and in pain. And yet the ones responsible stand about bickering, questioning, accusing . . . doing nothing to treat the mortal wound!

Imagine parents who’ve come upon their injured child. She lies motionless in the middle of the road, seriously wounded, close to death. But the parents stand idly by questioning each other—how did this happen? Who is responsible? While their child bleeds, they exchange theories and rumors about who caused it. They banter the details about why it happened, and what led up to this. They toss out accusations and threats, and even blame each other. Meanwhile, their child is dying! But instead of tending her wounds, they posture themselves. They get defensive and angry—all the while totally ignoring their child’s life-threatening injuries. Does this make any sense to you?

Of course not! But it’s not much different from the way American citizens are reacting to the impending peril of our country. Instead of recognizing that the U.S. is suffering from what could be a mortal wound, we are arguing over who is responsible, how this was done, and even creating false narratives in order to blame each other. All while our nation is sliced right through the middle and bleeding to death.

So, you ask, what do we do? How can we fix this? How can we change things? First of all, we need to stop bickering and blaming. We need to roll up our sleeves, get down on our knees, and start binding up and bandaging the wound. And while on our knees, we’re in a good place to ask God to direct us, to help us to take on this seemingly impossible task.

And what would God tell us? Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is an old command that applies more than ever to

our world today. But who is your neighbor? If you are a Republican, your neighbor is a Democrat. If you are a liberal, your neighbor is a conservative. While you fly the Stars and Stripes on your front porch, your neighbor may fly an LGBTQ rainbow flag from theirs. If you worship in a church, your neighbor might worship in a synagogue or mosque. Yes, your neighbor is different from you! You don’t agree on all things, but you are still neighbors. And God tells us to love our neighbors.

So now you ask, how is this even possible? How do we do this? How do we love someone so opposed to our own beliefs and values? We do this by choosing to love God first . . . and by asking him to help us. Because an unconditional love like this can only come from the God of unconditional love. We cannot do it alone.

Okay, I know some of you are still shaking your heads, still questioning my words, still wanting to point the finger at someone else, and still ready to argue over who started this whole ugly mess. Meanwhile our nation is slashed wide open, lying in the middle of the road, bleeding to death. What will you do?

If everyone continues along the same dark path, if we all refuse to love our neighbors and continue to blame and shame each other, while our country dies, we will all share the same fate. And that fate will unite us. We will be united in grief! Because together we will all grieve the death of what once was an amazing nation. The United States of America will be buried and dead . . . and it will be too late to save her.

I had a dream...

Outlaws wrestle at King of the Hill

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

The Outlaws wrestling team traveled west Saturday, January 7 for the 19-team “King of the Hill” tournament hosted by the Billies of Pleasant Hill. The event gave the Sisters squad a look at some of the competition from the Willamette Valley after competing mostly against Central and Eastern Oregon teams. Schools large and small took part in the tournament.

Senior Ben Cooper got his first championship of the season after being the runnerup in all the previous tournaments of the season, raising his record to 21-4. After winning the first three rounds by fall, Cooper had to work until the end to eke out an 8-6 decision over Gavin Hoelich of Pleasant Hill.

Fellow senior Hayden Kunz made it to the championship round at 145 pounds before falling to Kayden

Tiller of Oakridge in the finals.

After losing his first match, sophomore Carter Van Meter stormed back to win the next four on his way to a fifth-place finish at 126 pounds.

Freshman Tyson Kemp got off to a strong start with three consecutive wins in the 132-pound class before a matchup with Riley Barrett, the reigning 4A state champion from Philomath, who improved his record to 15-0. Kemp ended up in fourth place overall.

For the girls, Kisten Elbek got her first career win with a double-leg takedown and arm pin, according to Head Coach David Kemp. She finished fifth overall. Brooklyn Cooper won one of her three matches, also placing fifth.

“We had a great week of practice and the kids are showing a great improvement in their decision-making and speed on the mat,” said Kemp.

and amphibian monitoring, as well as conducting general hydrology monitoring.

Later in 2016, she did an internship with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council.

“During that time, I realized I wanted to work at a higher level in this field after my experience at the parks and at the watershed council. I then realized I had to go to grad school to get there,” said Yoder.

Yoder looked for schools with programs specific to hydrology when getting her master’s degree. She ended up attending University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and received her master’s degree in hydrology.

“Groundwater was the main focus, especially in California. Being one of the largest exporters of fruit and vegetables, we looked at the problem of groundwater and methods to recharge it,” said Yoder.

She studied ways to take the stress off farmers who have been having problems with water scarcity.

After receiving her master’s, Yoder applied to jobs in hydrology. In July 2019, she started working for the USGS as a hydrologist.

Yoder works on a variety of different projects from water quality studies to groundwater work and more. Her team works on analyzing data and making interpretations of characteristics of ground water, season changes on water quality, and irrigation changes.

The USGS is non-regulatory, which means they don’t enforce laws and rules based on findings, they just work on gathering and finding the data and getting it to various stakeholders.

“The USGS is an unbiased scientific agency that provides the data and findings to the right people,” said Yoder.

Most of her work now is on a computer, analyzing data and writing reports.

“I am not outside as much as I was when I started, but I still do some field work and transitioned into more science stuff and figuring out a lot of what goes into the field work to better understand what people are out there to do in the field,” she said.

She also works on designing studies for people in the field and writing the data from those studies.

Yoder plans to continue her role at the USGS, based in Idaho with her partner, Toby Maxwell. Yoder’s experiences in Sisters and at SHS helped shape not only her professional role now, but also her lifestyle spending time outdoors in nature.

Skiers kick off season at annual race

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws boys took second overall, and Gabe Chladek notched first place in a ski race at Mount Hood Meadows last weekend.

The Outlaw ski team traveled to Mount Hood Meadows on Saturday, January 7, to kick off the ski racing season at the annual Kelsey’s Race. The Kelsey’s Race is the largest high school ski race in the nation, with more than 500 racers registered for the event this year.

School, who finished first with a combined time of 1:11.88. Outlaws’ skier Bela Chladek was the overall boys first-place winner. Other Outlaws supporting the boys varsity team finish were Corbin Fredland and Styopa Myagkov.

costume contest, in which the Outlaws boys and girls teams combined took third place.

Sisters boys team took second place in the event with a combined team time of 1:12.14, coming in just behind Lincoln High

The Lady Outlaws finished fifth as a team with a combined time of 1:17.30, just behind Lake Oswego, who finished fourth with a combined time of 1:17.77. The girls missed the thirdplace spot on the podium by just over a second. Leading the Lady Outlaws was sophomore Tallis Grummer with supporting varsity times from Presley Adult, Charlotte Seymour, Ella Eby, Araiya Grummer, and Ava Riehle. The race included a team

The Outlaws brought 30 racers to the event and, according to Coach Gabe Chladek, they all were impressive on the slopes. Chladek added that the event was an exciting way for the team to kick off the competition season.

Chladek, along with assistant coaches Rima Givot

and Natalie Grummer, was impressed with the team’s performance and told The Nugget it will be exciting to watch the competitive team throughout the season.

Chladek said, “This team of over 30 racers is bonding and supporting each other as the season gets started.”

The Outlaws Alpine Ski Team’s next race is a giant slalom at Hoodoo Ski Area on Wednesday, January 18.

The Outlaws turned in a very strong performance on the slopes to kick off their season.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Obituaries

Rodney “Rocky” Doane Davis

August 12, 1948 – December 28, 2022

Loved husband, father, and grandfather, Rodney “Rocky” Doane Davis, passed away on December 28, 2022. He was 74 years old. The family is shocked and saddened by his sudden death.

Rocky was born to Roy Davis and Leona (Demaris) Davis on August 12, 1948, and raised in the town of Sisters, Oregon. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1974 and met his wife Nida while stationed in the Philippines.

Rocky is survived and missed by Nida, his wife of 48 years, daughters Christine (husband, Rob, children Shannon and James), Alona (husband, Dave, son Rocky), and Sheila (husband, Sebastian, sons Ellington and Ellis), father, Roy, and sister,

Rita (Hollingsworth) and her family. He is preceded in death by his mother, Leona.

Rocky loved being outdoors, whether it be the forest, the high desert, or lakes and streams, and instilled that love in his daughters and grandchildren. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, reading a good book, and especially helping out family and friends. He will be forever missed.

A Celebration of Life will be planned for spring 2023.

Arrest made in crash

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) deputies have arrested a driver who hit a pedestrian near Sno-Cap on Sunday, December 8.

The sheriff’s office reports that DCSO was dispatched at approximately 1 p.m. to a report of a hit-andrun crash involving a pedestrian. Initial information received was that a maroon Chevrolet Tahoe or similar vehicle struck a pedestrian standing at a parked vehicle in the 300 block of North Pine Street.

The suspect vehicle continued north on North Pine Street, and eventually turned east on Main Avenue. Deputies were able to review video surveillance and determine the suspect vehicle was a 1999-2006 GMC Yukon

with a partial Oregon license plate of “ZV.” The suspect vehicle sustained damage to the passenger-side front quarter panel. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries and received medical attention on scene.

On Monday, January 9, deputies with DCSO were able to determine a full license plate of the suspect’s vehicle and contacted the registered owner. As a result of the investigation Richard Anthony Bassett, 89, of Sisters, was issued a citation in lieu of physical custody on charges of Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver to Injured Persons (a Class C-Felony) and Assault IV (a Class A- Misdemeanor). The Sheriff’s Office thanked the community for their assistance in the investigation.

Kenneth Ray Lindsay

Kenneth Ray Lindsay, 78, of Idaho Falls, passed away January 3, at his home.

Ken was born August 22, 1944, in Rigby, Idaho, to James Alfred Lindsay and Ethel Fowers Lindsay. He grew up and attended schools in Rigby and Ririe and graduated from Ririe High School. He also attended Idaho State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

On August 28, 1970, he married Peggy Egan in the Idaho Falls Temple. Ken and Peggy made their home in Portland, Oregon, where Ken worked as a business owner, vice president, and sales director for IMS, an international tech company,

which he cofounded in the 1980s.

He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many callings and served in the Idaho Falls Temple weekly. He enjoyed his family, his faith, fishing, automobiles, camping, firearms, and woodworking. He loved walking, especially with his dog, Jack.

Ken is survived by his loving wife, Peggy Lindsay of Idaho Falls, ID; son, Justin (Jennifer) Lindsay of Ridgefield, Washington; son, Jake (Marcie) Lindsay of Idaho Falls; brother, Jim (Gwen) Lindsay of Augusta, Georgia; sister, Louise Zones of San Jose, California; eight grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother Brent Lindsay.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at the Stanfield Ward, 1925 East 49th South, with Bishop Tim Ross officiating. The family will visit with friends from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.wood funeralhome.com.

“I have had small businesses in small towns and I have always supported the local papers and adver tised in them. But never in my experience have I had such success with my advertising as I have with e Nugget

W hen I opened up I started adver tising and I have constantly since that time had locals and tourists coming in saying they have seen my ads, sometime in their hands! ey of ten say they have come in just to see who I am and to see what I o er. I have so many wonderful loyal S isters customers, I am truly grateful for them.

It truly has been phenomenal. If you are a retailer and are not advertising in The Nugget, you are missing sales opportunities!” Janet

August 22, 1944 – January 3, 2023

Obituaries

Alfred Theodore “Ted” Goodwin was born on June 29, 1923, in Bellingham, Washington to Alonzo Theodore Goodwin and Miriam Williams Goodwin. Ted passed away peacefully on December 27, 2022 at the age of 99.

Ted was the oldest of eight children. His father, an itinerant Baptist preacher, regularly moved the entire family to small logging communities throughout Washington, Oregon, and California. Ted went to, high school in Prineville, Oregon and worked on ranches every summer. At the age of 16 he could train, harness, and drive a team of horses.

At the University of Oregon Ted earned a degree in journalism. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany and the Philippines during World War II. He returned to the U of O after the war where he met the love of his life, Mary Ellin Handelin, a Coos Bay native attending the U of O. They married in 1949 and Ted earned his law degree in 1951.

Ted had a remarkable legal career. After four years in private practice in Eugene, Governor Paul Patterson appointed Ted a Lane County Circuit Court judge in 1956.

In 1960, Governor Mark Hatfield appointed him to the Oregon Supreme Court, where he served for 10 years. His love of Oregon and the hardworking men and women he met growing up in rural communities throughout the West always informed his legal rulings. His notable 1969 opinion in the Oregon Beaches Case held that the land between the mean high tide and the visible vegetation line belonged to the people of Oregon, preserving the dry sand area for public use.

In 1970, Ted was appointed to the Federal District Court in Portland. Two years later, he was appointed to the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he served as Chief Judge from 1988 to 1991. He is one of only two judges in the nation to have been a state and federal trial judge and a state and federal appellate judge.

Ted and Mary moved to Sisters full-time in 2012. Ted continued to handle appellate cases for the Ninth Circuit until 2020. He also continued to do the ranch work he loved. At 96, he could still handle a

chainsaw and set a railroad tie fence post. Ted continued to ride horses well into his 90s. He annually helped gather calves for branding at Aspen Valley Ranch in Post and was a longtime member of the Skyline Trail Riders.

Ted is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; and his five children: Michael, Karl (Kit Stafford), Meg, Sara (James Clement), and James (Dawn Mead) Goodwin. Ted has seven grandchildren. Ted’s brothers, John and Sam, and sisters, Ruth and Miriam, all live in Oregon. He was predeceased by brothers James, Dan, and David.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hold a memorial on a date yet to be determined. Donations can be made in Ted’s name to the Deschutes Land Trust.

Family and friends lost Janard “Jan” Everett Allsman of Sisters on December 28, 2022.

Jan was born June 14, 1945, in Oakland, California, to parents Everett M. Allsman and Elsie A. Allsman. In his youth, Jan sang in the National Cathedral Boys Choir in Washington D.C. and graduated from Falls Church High School in the Virginia Suburbs. On his first day at Bluefield College, he met the love of his life, his future wife, Barboura (Barb).

Jan achieved his pilot’s license with multiple ratings and began his 33-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration as the host of Aviation Weather on PBS. He then served as an air traffic controller, procedures specialist, and supervisor at Washington National Airport. After a brief stint at the FAA headquarters, Jan finished his career at the Air Traffic System Command Center in Herndon, Virginia.

Upon their retirement, Jan and Barb relocated to Sisters to live out their dreams, building their welcoming home and traveling the country in their motorhome. Jan was

generous and always quick to lend a hand; he participated in many projects in the community through his association with the Sisters Rodeo Association, Sno Cap Vista Homeowners Association, Sisters Folk Festival, and Sisters Habitat for Humanity.

Father to two, but “Dad” to many others, he is survived by his loving wife, Barboura; sons: Christopher (Terrebonne), Jonathan and wife Abra (Fairfax, Virginia); grandchildren: Claybourne, Paige, Jackson, Miranda, Aiden; sister Joyce and brother-in-law Larry Corn; sister-in-law Becky Wirt of Christiansburg, Virginia; and countless friends.

Celebrations of Jan’s life will be held in June in Sisters, and this spring in Fairfax, Virginia. Donations may be made in his name to Sisters Habitat for Humanity or Bend Partners In Care.

Janard “Jan” Everett Allsman

June 14, 1945 – December 28, 2022

Alfred Theodore “Ted” Goodwin June 29, 1923 – December 27, 2022

Falconry presentation on tap for this month

Sisters falconer Hank Minor will present an engaging and informative look at the art and practice of falconry on Sunday, January 22 from 3 to 4 p.m. at SistersCamp Sherman Fire District Community Hall, 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters.

In The Art of Falconry: Ancient Sport in a Modern World, Minor will offer a brief history of the sport and the types of raptors, quarry, equipment, and facilities employed — and then bring out the star of the show: his female Harris hawk and hunting partner, Molly. They will share stories of hunting with these magnificent birds of prey. Ample time will be allowed for questions from the audience, and photographs are encouraged.

Minor is a licensed master falconer, having actively flown hawks on game for the past 15 years. He is a member of the Oregon Falconers Association, and is a past member and president of the New York State Falconry Association. He has trained

and flown several types of raptors over the years and has hunted his birds across the country. He considers his ability to practice falconry a privilege, and looks at each outing with his hawks as an opportunity to learn and to improve his art.

This is an in-person program presented in partnership with the Deschutes Public Library. Masks are optional at all in-person library events. All ages are welcome.

better than ever.”

to serve the public while crews work on improvements and upgrades to the Sisters Library.

The temporary building arrived in two parts, the first of which rolled into Sisters on December 28. Delivery of the second half was delayed three times due to snowy weather conditions over Oregon’s mountain passes. It arrived on January 3. Construction crews have been assembling the building and Deschutes Public Library’s IT staff will wire it for service. Once open, it will serve as a temporary library while construction takes place in the main building. The temporary space will give the public continued access to some services and resources, including pickup of customer holds, browsing of new and best-selling books, and use of public computers.

“Some library systems have to close down a library completely when they undergo a remodel or construction,” said Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “Our staff worked hard establishing a temporary space that would allow our customers to still access some of our most popular resources, like best-selling books and picking up holds, while we work to make their library

Once the mobile unit is assembled, the Sisters Library will close for approximately one week to allow staff to move into the temporary location. After that, remodeling begins at full speed, with an expected completion date of late August 2023.

“The great news is that in just a few months we get to welcome the Sisters community back into their library — and it will be better than ever,” said Zoe Schumacher, library operations supervisor at the Sisters Library. She said updates include bright and open spaces that welcome customers with amenities such as flexible meeting and tutoring rooms, an enhanced children’s discovery space, a cozy fireplace and reading area, and a large community gathering space.

In November 2020, Deschutes County voters supported the Library’s bond measure to expand and improve libraries across the county. In addition to updating existing libraries in Downtown Bend, East Bend, La Pine, Sisters, and Sunriver, the bond is funding the design and construction of a new library to serve all Deschutes County residents.

Bond funds are also being used to double the square footage of the Redmond Library; construction on that new library begins in late January. For more information visit www.deschutes library.org/futurelibraries.

LIBRARY: Services

be available in temporary trailer

Molly the Harris Hawk.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Nugget staff (left to right): Leith Easterling, Vicki Curlett, Janice Hoffman, Jess Draper, Jim Cornelius, and Kit Tosello.

ON

BUILDING SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC SKILLS

“I always knew I wanted to work with kids,” says K ate Kuiter t , school counselor at Sisters Elementar y School.

She didn’ t necessarily want to teach, though. Instead, she found a di erent path, discovering counseling as her niche and her calling

“This is exac tly what I want to do,” she told The Nugget

A s a counselor, she’s not just sitting in an o ice waiting to help when a student needs it . She’s ou t ever y day, proac tively engaging with student s, helping them build social skills, self-regulation of emotions, problem solving, managing friendships, and learning to deal construc tively with conf lic t.

She spends par t of her time in each classroom teaching lessons on such subject s, and she also works one -on- one or in small groups with students.

“There are student s who need deeper suppo rt ,” she said.

The biggest consistent need is helping them in “learning to identi fy their emotions and then learning how to manage them.”

She noted that COVID disruptions “def initely impac ted our kiddos,” and they ’re working to catch up in some areas. Learning to navigate the online world and the pressures of social media is an increasingly significant matter, especially in the older elementar y school grades. Student s learn that there are consequences for ac tions online as well as in the “real world.”

In some ways, her job is not as di erent as you might expec t f rom that of a middle school or high school counselor. She talk s with them abou t academic s and future s and careers — just in a conte xt appropriate for the age level.

Kuiter t is especially excited to be able to connec t families with mental and emotional health resources through the Care Solace program currently being introduced in Sisters schools . Care Solace’s goal is to ensure that communities can access reliable, ethical, and high- qualit y mental-health care ser vices — no matter the circumstances .

Kuiter t f inds deep satisfac tion in working with the young children of Sisters Elementar y School.

Steve Stratos Columnist

connect with God. While hearing individual stories, which are many and varied, I’m continually reminded of our need to personally connect with God. I realize that everyone’s journey is different.

How do you connect with God? Do you even want to? At Sisters Community Church, (SCC) the first part of the mission statement I shared with you last weekis to Connect with God. We believe our commitment to this first step helps us to fulfill the other two steps—Care for People and Cultivate Community

As a pastor at SCC, and a member of the greater Sisters community, I have enjoyed helping others

I’d like to share my own journey with you. Born in 1950, a child of the ’60s and ’70s, I was destined to be a seeker in an unorthodox kind of way. My parents divorced when I was at a young age, and I was raised by my grandparents. While surrounded by those who loved and watched out for me, I didn’t always have boundaries. I was free to roam. Sports became a refuge for me, and playgrounds provided plenty of opportunities to get lost in whatever the ball dictated. Sports became the idol of my heart, and my place of connection — and consecration.

I always wanted more , but didn’t know what more looked like. Thanks to athletics—not academics— I was fortunate to get a full scholarship to a New England prep school. I had an English teacher who asked us to bring in our favorite piece of literature. I wasn’t quite sure what literature was, so I brought in a Jimi Hendrix song to share. He asked why I liked

it, what I saw in it. I don’t remember my response, but his changed me. He said, “Good insight! If you continue to be a curious learner you can make a difference in your world.” Yikes! I was a curious learner? I could make a difference?

As a curious learner, and realizing there was more to learn, I made attempts to connect. I wanted to reach out, to discover, to find meaning…. But I didn’t find the connection I was looking for at Woodstock. I didn’t discover it in college. I didn’t even find it living in a teepee for four years, moving up and down the beautiful Rockies.

I did discover a longing in my heart for relational beauty, greater purpose, meaning, and contentment. I searched through nature, meditation, and Eastern religious disciplines, but was continually faced with my inability to achieve and arrive. It was at this time I was introduced to Jesus and the Bible by a friend. It was not what I expected. I discovered through the Bible, and other people, the kindness, forgiveness, and sacrifice of a connecting God. I started to read and learn once again. After all my teacher said I was a learner...

I also discovered, thanks to my own humanity, connecting with God can get messy. But it’s as much about the journey as the destination. And it comes with lots of questions —about worldview, or ultimate reality. God’s answers to these questions shape our purpose, our ethic, our future hope.

Most would agree we are experiencing a crisis in America. We have a political mental health crisis, a social-relational crisis, and — most critically — we have a spiritual crisis. We have lost our soul. We are fragmented from each other, and no matter what side you’re on there is a lack of trust. There seems to be no effort to create understanding. We find ourselves in trouble. We may feel disconnected to each other — and to God.

Everyone has a viewpoint regarding life’s questions. Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Our worldview attempts to answer these questions in a logically consistent, empirically reliable, and experientially relevant way. If we don’t get origin and ultimate reality right, the other answers become a preferential guess. We are left with making it up as we go along.

At SCC we want to bring healing to this spiritual crisis by introducing and connecting people to God. The same God who reaches out to us through Jesus Christ. Some think that Christianity is about performing a truth to appease an angry God. That kind of “religion” can be divisive, legalistic, and based on performance. It creates a slippery slope of judgmentalism and self-righteousness.

Father Richard Rohr said, “Religion is for those who want to stay out of hell. Spirituality is about those who have gone through it.”

True spirituality is found in Christ — it is meant to be received not achieved. It connects us to a God who has reached out in sacrificial love. He seeks a connection with us because He has created us as irreducibly relational beings in his image. And he offers us a relationship via his grace, compassion, and forgiveness. It is this truth that connects us to God and each other.

This is our ultimate reality. It is not that we first connected with God, but that he first connected with us in giving us Jesus. At SCC we want to love and help people relationally, so that we might all be better connected to God, and each other.

Q: HO W FA ST DOE S

PUCK TR AVEL

A: Str ong pla y ers can send the puck to wa rd the net at speeds betw een 90 and 100 miles per hour, with elite shooters easily t opping the century mark. The puck often curv es in flight, making def ending the goal ev en mor e difficult fo r the goalie.

Q: HO W THICK IS THE ICE? A: The ice is about 3/4 inch thick and is ke pt betw een 16º and 24º Fahr enheit fo r the pr oper hardness. Harder ic e allo ws the skates and puck to slide faster

MATH SQU ARE

By Paige Bentley-Flannery Community Librarian

This year my favorite novels included a forensic photographer, a poet, and one extremely smart octopus. Who did you meet in your favorite books?

Favorite authors with fabulous new books included “Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century,” by Kim Fu,“Now Is Not the Time to Panic,” by Kevin Wilson, “Four Aunties and a Wedding,” by Jesse Q. Sutanto, “Signal Fires,” by Dani Shapiro, “Kaleidoscope,” by Cecily Wong, “Carrie Soto is Back,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, “The Candy House,” by Jennifer Egan, and “Our Missing Hearts,” by Celeste Ng.

Favorite mysteries with a side of outdoor adventure: “The Last to Vanish,” by Megan Miranda, “Wrong Place Wrong Time,” by Gillian McAllister, and “Winter’s End,” by Paige Shelton. Family and friendship connections filled with obstacles: “The Book of Goose” by Yiyum Li, “This Time Tomorrow,” by Emma Straub, “People Person,” by Candice CartyWilliams, “Flight” by Lynn Steger Strong, “Fiona and Jane,” by Jean Chen Ho, and “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin.

My favorite list could have been all biographies but if limited to four, they are: “My Life in the Sunshine: Searching for My Father and Discovering My Family,” by Nabil Ayers, “Stay True,” by Hua Hsu, “Solito,” by Javier Zamora, and “I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home,” by Jami Attenberg. “Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father and Me,” by Ada Calhoun is a wonderful biography which inspired me to revisit The Poetry Foundation and listen to poems online. Two more poetry favorites are “World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On,” by Franny Choi and “Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light,” by Joy Harjo.

Romance books I loved:“Book Lovers,” by Emily Henry, “On Rotation,”by Shirlene Obuobi, and “You Made

books

a Fool of Death with Your Beauty,” by Akwaeke Emezi. Also, two romances by Jasmine Guillory: “Drunk on Love” and “By the Book.”

I felt as if I had walked all over New York City when I read “The Verifiers,” by Jane Pek, “The Maid,” by Nita Prose, and “Ms. Demeanor,” by Elinor Lipman. I traveled around the world with “Sea of Tranquility,” by Emily St. John Mandel and “Ghost Music,” by An Yu. One of my favorite genres is art fiction books. This year’s favorites included “The Magnolia Palace,” by Fiona Davis, “Fake,” by Erica Katz, and “The Cloisters,” by Katy Hays.

I questioned life’s choices after reading “The Arc,” by Tory Henwood Hoen, “Lessons in Chemistry,” by Bonnie Garmus, “Swimmers,” by Julie Otsuka, and “The Measure,” by Nikki Erlick. I revisited the beginning of the pandemic with “Joan Is Okay,” by Weike Wang, and “Lucy by the Sea,” by Elizabeth Strout.

Standout essay collections included: “Burning Questions: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2021,” by Margaret Atwood, “The Hero of This Book,” by Elizabeth McCracken, and “Inciting Joy,” by Ross Gay.

Do you like secrets? Five books with plot twists: “The Family Chao,” by Lan Samantha Chang, “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau,” by Silvia MorenoGarcia, “Nightcrawling,” by Leila Mottley, “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” by Katie Gutierrez, and “The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks,” by Shauna Robinson.

At the top of my 2022 favorite are two books that I’ve recommended to everyone. One features a forensic photographer — “Shutter,” by Ramona Emerson. The other stars a very smart octopus —“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” by Shelby Van Pelt.

Discover a new book and kick off your Winter Reading Challenge at Your Next Book and Book Pairing events in 2023! Email me for more information atpaigeb@deschutes lbrary.org.

(pə-RIK-ə-pee)

An extract from a text, especially a passage from the Bible.

C L A S S I F I E D S

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

CLASSIFIED RATES

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

DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication.

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

102 Commercial Rentals

220 SW PINE ST., SUITE 106

For lease 582 SF RETAIL space available February 1, 2023. Great location with on street parking.

Email lorna@nolteproperties.com or phone 541-419-8380. Lorna Nolte, Principal Broker

Sharie 541-771-1150

206 Lost & Found -LOST- Men's Gold Wedding Ring recently lost in Sisters. If found, please call 541-480-9975

301 Vehicles

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397 Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

403 Pets

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

Three Rivers Humane Society

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

500 Services

WANTED: GREAT PIE BAKER near Sisters. Looking for 20 9-inch deep-dish baked pies with flaky crust in assorted berry, rhubarb, pecan, and maybe a citrus cream filling for May 20, 2023 wedding. "Audition" required. Call 503-888-9179

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

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

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

~ WEDDINGS BY KARLY ~ Happy to perform virtual or in-person weddings. Custom Wedding Ceremonies 20+ years • 541-410-4412 revkarly@gmail.com • DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279

501 Computers &

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

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

LOLO TREE WORKS

Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist

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

C L A S S I F I E D S

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services www.earthwoodhomes.com

Lara’s Construction LLC.

CCB#223701

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

SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC.

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

602

Plumbing & Electric

SWEENEY

PLUMBING, INC.

Residential and Commercial Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587

NORTHERN LIGHTS

Electrical Installations LLC

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

SPECIALIZING IN WATER

541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com

All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling and SNOW REMOVAL

Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740 – All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

701 Domestic Services

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

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051

802 Help Wanted

Reliable and Professional Housekeeper wanted to take care of general cleaning, and am willing to pay $535 per week. Contact me for more info at: pricericky05@gmail.com Full-Time Resource Sales Associate

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

Furry

999 Public Notice

PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE

On 1/25/23 at 1 p.m. the entire contents of Unit P-4 belonging to Donna Petersen and Unit A-59 belonging to Liz Mutch will be sold to the highest bidder. The high bidder(s) must remove the contents within 3 days. Sale takes place at Sisters Rental, 331 W. Barclay Drive, Sisters, OR. 541-549-9631

LEGAL NOTICE

Directors’ Positions

Three positions with incumbents running for re-election on the Board of Directors at Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. are up for election. They are: District # 2 Tumalo District # 3 Madras District # 5 Terrebonne

Pursuant to the By-Laws of the Cooperative, members who live in that district are eligible to run for election. Applications and information for candidates, including district boundaries and eligibility requirements, are available at the Cooperative’s office at 2098 NW 6th Street in Redmond Oregon. The application process involves several steps and must be completed and filed at the same cooperative office by 5:00 P.M., February 10, 2023.

Last call for classifieds is noon every Monday. To place a classified ad in The Nugget, call 541-549-9941 nugget@nuggetnews.com

PUBLIC

T H E N U G G E T

N E W S P A P E R 442 E. Main Avenue POB 698, Sisters, OR 97759 541-549-9941

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

Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.

CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462

Friends

Volunteers Needed

Furry Friends is looking for volunteers to help with our bottle and can fundraiser drive once a week on Mon., Fri., or Sat. It takes about 45 minutes to put donated bottles and cans in our blue fundraiser bags. Then the bags are processed at our donation drop-off spot on The Nugget porch and taken to the Bottle Drop at Ray's. To volunteer, please call 541-797-4023.

Furry

Friends

Volunteers Needed

Furry Friends is seeking 2 volunteers to help at their weekly pet food distribution. Individuals must be able to move and lift up to 50-pound bags of dog food. Distributions take approximately 2 hours every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The commitment is for 2 to 4 Thursdays on a regular monthly basis. To find out more call 541-797-4023.

803 Work Wanted

Available in Sisters COMPANION CAREGIVER

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

HAVE A SERVICE TO PROVIDE?

Let the public know in The Nugget Newspaper’s C L A S S I F I E D S! Call 541-549-9941. Deadline is noon on Monday for that Wednesday's edition.

WORKSHOPS: Folk

Festival offering classes this winter

each other,” said Wood. Working from prompts to generate new ideas, students will collaborate in a nonjudgmental, supportive space to access their unique stories and translate them into song. All levels of songwriting experience are welcome, with a maximum of 12 participants.

In the spring, Joe Schulte will lead “Wood & Steel Bluegrass: A 6-Week Bluegrass Music Workshop” on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m., April 5 through May 10. This series will focus on song arrangement, jam awareness, and “bluegrass etiquette.” Participants will learn how to take traditional bluegrass tunes commonly found in jam circles and bring them to life by finding the right key(s) to play them in, construct intros, outros, and apply other interesting arrangement ideas. Students will improve their ability and confidence in jamming and learn to take their favorite song and turn it into a tune they could bring to any jam to lead.

This is a beginner/intermediate class open to 20 pickers. Participants should have a solid ability to strum

and switch between the basic and common chords on their chosen instrument. Bass, cello, or fiddle players must be able to identify some common notes and to play at least one basic scale or simple melodies. Singing is encouraged, but not required.

Tuition for each course is $150/person for all six sessions. SFF will offer a pay-what-you-can pricing model to interested participants. Classes will take place in the JAM Studio or Suite 101 of Sisters Art Works.

For more information, please visit www.sisters folkfestival.org.

June 23, 2021 covering the rules for ADUs (accessory dwelling units) in rural areas pushed the Wildlife Inventory project farther down the to-do list.

Now it’s back, included in the upcoming agenda of the seven-member Deschutes County Planning Commission’s meeting of January 12. If it progresses, planners expect it to be one of their biggest undertakings ever, according to Senior Planner Tanya Saltzman, who also expects the range of possible restrictions and prohibitions on private lands to be contentious.

Saltzman said there will be numerous opportunities for public input and the process could take as long as a year.

The WA (Wildlife Area) zone is an overlay zone that adds requirements to the base zone (ex. MUA, EFU, RR10) in which a lot or parcel is located. The purpose of the WA zone is to conserve important wildlife areas and to permit development compatible with the protection of wildlife areas.

The current WA Zone for mule deer winter range covers approximately 315,847 acres. Based on the assessment performed

in the Phase 1 grant, the IWG (Interagency Working Group) with input for ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), authors say that the range would need to increase by 188,132 acres, roughly half of which would be in Sisters Country.

Already on the books, if your property is in the WA zone you are prohibited from building or operating a golf course, commercial dog kennel, church, public or private school, bed and breakfast, dude ranch, playground, recreation facility or community center, timeshares, fishing lodge, veterinary clinic, or fishing lodge.

If your land winds up in the expanded zone you would likely be restricted in where you could site your home.

Instead of that panoramic knoll in the center of your acreage or adjacent to a babbling stream on the back 40, you would be forced to build no more than 300 feet from the public road.

New fences in conjunction with new development in the wildlife areas need to be designed to let wildlife pass over or under the fence, which could limit your ability to raise livestock or keep horses.

Already recorded in the public input record are concerns by skeptical farmers

and ranchers, who view the proposals as nothing more than thinly veiled disguises at limiting growth in the County. Proponents are adamant that measures must be taken to mitigate the declining deer population.

Much of the impetus for the inventory update is driven by Goal 5 requirements mandated by Oregon Land Conservation and Development Department pursuant to Chapter 660.

The debate is often hot between biologists and landowners as to the biggest cause of deer’s decline. The ODFW estimates that there are 6,000 cougars in Oregon with a weekly diet of one deer — 312,000 annually. Likewise, ranchers say, deer are often bunched near water in preservation efforts that lead to disease and erode streams.

As deer escape cougar predation they settle in more populated areas, where their health and safety is not as good as when left in the wild. Studies show that deervehicle collisions, tickborne pathogens, and garden poisoning are major causes of deer loss in cities and towns.

Given the scope of the project, Saltzman said it will be limited to deer only for now, with an inventory of elk and birds to follow.

CENSUS: Overlay designed to help deer populations

Joe Schulte will lead “Wood & Steel Bluegrass,” a six-week course.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Beth Wood will conduct a workshop on “Songwriting in Community.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sue Stafford Columnist

How did my beautiful golden-haired, blue-eyed boy who grew to six-footfive, who loves animals (he’s a dog whisperer), has a wicked sense of humor, is enviably creative in a variety of ways — how did he morph into a 46-year-old shell of a man, living on the streets?

His physical body is wracked by damage from years of addiction and recurring infections. His mind slips into and out of a world of paranoia that sometimes even questions my motives.

He made his entrance into the world as the youngest of six children in a busy blended family, the members of which had each experienced their own kinds of loss and trauma. Looking back, I experience guilt for his earliest years when he seemed to live in his car seat as I chauffeured his five half-siblings to schools, practices, lessons, friends’ houses, and appointments.

From the very beginning, he had exuberant energy, a sensitive, kind heart, and a large physical stature, causing people to mistake him as being older than his tender years. All through my pregnancy with him I took

exceptional care of myself, doing everything I could to ensure a happy, healthy baby. It breaks my heart over and over and over to see how he has destroyed that handsome, healthy body.

Knowing he is homeless is an especially cruel irony. His father was an exceptionally successful homebuilder, providing housing for thousands of families throughout Puget Sound. He died several months ago, bringing to a close a very unsatisfactory, damaging relationship between father and son. His dad just never understood him, or really appreciated his talents. After hearing his father was gone, my son uttered through his tears, “I just wanted once for him to be proud of me. Now, that’s no longer a possibility.”

My son was diagnosed as having ADHD at age 5. I’ve often wondered if the medication he was given made him more vulnerable to predisposed genetic addiction –a trait with a long history on both sides of his family.

Despite his innate intelligence, school was a very frustrating place for him. I always knew when he had a really good teacher who understood, liked, and encouraged him because he would excel.

He discovered in junior high that drugs helped stop his mind from racing, and soon they took precedence in his life, and school had less and less importance.

His physicality and size made him a welcome addition on youth football, soccer, and basketball teams. He even tried fencing for a while, which was good because it required him to focus and rely only on his own abilities.

Growing up in a prosperous suburb, he had all

the advantages that money make possible. He was a Cub Scout, was able to swim in the summer at the nearby racquet club, attended summer camp, enjoyed GI Joe and Star Wars toys, wore Vans sneakers, went on a number of family vacations, and had several nice bikes and skateboards. He also had several different tutors and counselors through his younger years. His father and I divorced when he was 8.

of community college, birth of a daughter, committing crimes, adult incarceration, a year of abstinence after release, engagement in a video project targeted at troubled youth that took him across the country for presentations, summer film school, increased drug use, introduction of oxycontin and heroin, and moving down the housing ladder to reach homelessness.

Writing this leaves me sad and tired. What a terrible waste of raw talent, great natural abilities, and creativity in drawing, painting, videography, and writing.

To ease my own concerns, I paid for a week in a two-star motel for him over Christmas because his locale was having unusually frigid weather. I relaxed a little knowing he was warm, had a bed in which to sleep, and a bathroom – at least for a few days.

kindness, not judgment, and an encouraging word. You could be looking at my son. I love my son with the love only found in a mother’s heart. This is not really my story to tell, but I share it to let those of you who face similar heartbreak know you are not alone. I also hope it will serve as a reminder to those who look askance at our houseless neighbors to show some compassion.

Correction:

Sisters Middle School student Kyanne Keeton was listed in the SMS Honor Roll in the December 21 edition of The Nugget as having a 3.5 GPA. The school verified that she actually earned a 4.0

This typical advantaged suburban boy began his long road to addiction and houselessness when he started “experimenting” with consuming 40s of beer and smoking marijuana. I think he would agree the experimenting phase didn’t last long.

What followed was a series of problems at school, legal difficulties both as a youth and adult, adolescent outpatient and inpatient substance abuse treatments, psychiatric hospitalization and escape, time at a ranch for troubled boys and running away, juvenile incarceration to age 21, periods as an adolescent and adult of not using and living at home with me, two terms

I hope the next time you encounter one of our houseless neighbors, or are tempted to denigrate “those homeless people,” you will remember that person is someone’s son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother, or friend. They didn’t come into this world battered and bruised, and what they deserve is