The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVI No. 36 // 2023-09-06

The Nugget

New school is on time and on budget

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

The new Sisters Elementary School will (SES) open on time, and come in on budget — despite the pressures of inflation.

Curt Scholl and the Sisters School District (SSD) team offered a tour of the construction of the new elementary school located across McKinney Butte Road from the high school. The new elementary will be 80,000 square feet, including the mechanical areas, with an additional 7,000 square feet, including the ball fields.

Scholl offered a tour to elementary school teachers alongside SES Principal Joan Warburg last Thursday, August 31, to check out the progress on the building and get an idea of the layout as it’s being constructed.

On May 18, 2021, Sisters voters passed a $33,800,000 general obligation bond to

See SCHOOL on page 4

A school ritual...

Seniors like Gracie Vohs painted their parking spots at Sisters High School in a tradition that signals the start of a new school year — and the last one for the Class of 2024.

Youth Ambassadors liven trail experience

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) is the recipient of a $45,000 grant from The Oregon Trails Fund (OTF), a Travel Oregon program, developed and funded in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, that aims to bolster Oregon’s competitive advantage as a world-class outdoor recreation destination and provide exceptional trail experiences.

In 2023, Travel Oregon awarded $438,977 in Oregon Trails Funds to increase capacity of Oregon trail organizations to support stewardship projects (regenerate, restore, maintain,

Mixed signals for Sisters housing

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Local realtors say the market for single family homes in Sisters has cooled dramatically but a look at the numbers tells a slightly different story. On August 15, a 14,666-square-foot, eightbedroom, nine-bath home on Jordan Road sold for $15 million.

Stripping that one-ofkind sale from the totals, August 2023 showed signs of resiliency compared to August of 2022. Last year in August saw 35 single- family homes sell in Sisters Country for $31.7 million. This August saw a slight decline to 32 sales for a total of $27.5 million.

In 2022, nine homes sold for more than one million dollars. This year the number was 10 (not counting the whopper sale). For the last three years, homes costing one-plus million have

See HOUSING on page 15

Wetland restoration is a success

By Cody Rheault Correspondent

develop) on new or existing USFS trails, and/or provide volunteer and trail ambassador programming to help provide enjoyable trail experiences for a diversity of visitors and recreation users.

Funds are sourced from USFS and Travel Oregon’s Destination Development team and are separate from Travel Oregon’s Competitive Grant Program. The Central Oregon region received $80,209 of funding and STA was awarded over half.

The grant covers staff capacity — a new position that will recruit, train, and manage a robust cadre of

It’s a warm afternoon as smoke from a distant fire settles into the tree canopy. Black Butte’s faded silhouette overlooks the 50-acre Black Butte Lower Swamp, which is experiencing renewed life. Willows and waist-high, vibrant-green blades of sedge drift in the caustic breeze. Birds whisper among the treetops. Indian Ford Creek, once subtle, now ripples through the meadow.

This once-barren landscape harbors abundant life, once again.

The faint aroma of native mint fills the air as Mike Riehle, the fisheries Biologist for the Sisters Ranger District, hikes the swamp overlooking the

Riehle walks through thick folds of sedge, one of the many indicators that the land is rejuvenating with a higher water table.

results of last year’s efforts.

“It was not this lush last year,” he says, pointing to the vegetation around him while

carefully stepping through the rejuvenated terrain.

Mike

PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Letters to the Editor…

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

Truck stop?

To the Editor:

The furor over the proposed mega gas station and the new big apartment complex in back of Takoda’s made me think wistfully about my first of many visits, starting many years ago (1997 maybe?), to the little town of Sisters.

A friend and I lived over by Ontario and we came over with our horses to camp and ride in the Cascades. It was usually hot, so we looked for a cool spot (for the animals) to park our rigs and were delighted to park under the big ponderosas back of Takoda’s, where there was food, ice, and other supplies handy close by, before we headed out into the forest to the horse camps.

Growing up an hour south of LA makes you doubly aware of overcrowding problems, such as no parking, long waiting lines, and driving hazards. In LA it was the smog, here it is now the smoke, but the rest of the story is the same!

Building Battle of the Books

Regarding the gas station, wouldn’t it be great if there was a roomy truck stop outside of Sisters, where the folks with trailers, buses, and big rigs could fill up before the crush of town traffic makes it a headache for everyone? I suppose it’s impossibly unreal to think it would be possible for a chunk of USFS land along Highway 20 could be traded for that present gas station property? Easy in, easy out for trailers and buses, a place to fuel up, even eat and sleep for big truckers? Why not? It’s not going to get better as we get bigger!

While I’m here, I’d have to say I appreciate the sanity of the Bunkhouse columns. We pass a law making it legal to carry drugs in our cars. Then we are surprised that we’re now at the top of the list of states in drug addicts! According to Kotek and her cohorts though, our problem is really that we don’t have enough “dry out” clinics! Is that what the woke consider “intelligent” thinking? God help us.

Marilyn Bernal

Sisters Weather Forecast

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By Karissa Bilderback Guest Columnist

A new school year is upon us and with it brings great opportunity. It’s a chance to reflect upon our past and also dream up new visions for our future. I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in SPTC (Sisters Parent-Teacher Community) for the last several years, supporting the kids of our learning community through a variety of avenues. As a mom and a teacher, I know that our kids benefit most from a collaborative community and an “all hands on deck” mentality.

This year, there are again many opportunities to lend your talents and your time to our kids, whether you have kids in our schools or not. I’d like to highlight one particular avenue where community involvement would be so appreciated.

Last spring, The Nugget featured Sisters Elementary’s Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) regional competitors. Our district-winning team of third-grade scholars competed head-to-head with students from around Central Oregon, displaying their book recall prowess. Offering academic competition has given us an opportunity to broaden students’ understanding of what it means to be part of a team. For students who do not necessarily play sports, this can play a key role in the growth and development of leadership and the experience of synergy in teamwork.

our local OBOB program to include more volunteers from the wider Sisters Community. Last spring we witnessed OBOB students develop a connection with community elders when several retired folks volunteered to coach our teams. It was apparent that cross-generational relationships formed around a love of reading can be a key component in our educational recovery from the challenges faced over the last three years.

Despite COVID pandemic obstacles, our students have continued to show steady growth in their reading achievement. We see OBOB as an opportunity to build on that trajectory and Sisters Elementary has multiple avenues to support literacy in our schools. Through community programs such as SMART (Start Making A Reader Today), or volunteering to coach students participating in OBOB and other reading programs, a little time spent reading can go a long way for our children.

If you wish to take up the call to volunteer in our schools, we welcome you!

Please contact the Sisters Elementary School office, 541-549-8981, the main District Office, 541-5498521, or see the website, http://ssd6.org/parents/ volunteer/ for details on how to complete our volunteer application. In addition to this, folks can also contact SMART reading at 541797-7726, https://smartreading.org/about-smart/ local-offices/central-area/.

Truckin’…

Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen

Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon. The Nugget is mailed to residents within the Sisters School District; subscriptions are available outside delivery area. Third-class postage: one year,

The OBOB is a voluntary reading initiative in Oregon, where students read from a list of books and “battle” to see which team of four knows the most about their books. The book lists are categorized by grade, 3rd5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th, and students may begin reading from their designated list in June. However, Sisters Elementary School begins forming teams and coaching students toward the end of September. Though our coaches do not have to read the full list of books, they do take time to familiarize themselves with the material and spend time supporting students to complete reading the list in teams.

Given the success our students had last year, and how inspired they were to participate in the 2023/2024 season, we hope to expand

Our Sisters community can also support these efforts through donations to our library for the purchase of OBOB books. Due to there being a new book list every year, multiple copies of the new books are purchased annually. In addition, SPTC hopes to join Sisters Schools Foundation in financially supporting the SES media manager, Laura Roth, as she updates and grows the inventory of our little school library. Donations to these book funds are wholeheartedly welcomed as this is an expensive endeavor and will happen over the course of the next many years. For donations, contact SPTC sistersptc@gmail.com.

We thank our amazing Sisters Country community as we educate and prepare our children for the exciting world they will encounter.

PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY

Gunterman passes baton on chorale

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

High Desert Chorale conductor Connie Gunterman has retired and moved to Portland for reasons of family health.

Gunterman took the reins of the Sisters singing group in 2016. Gunterman’s first directing experience began early. As a junior in high school she was student conductor for both the school chorus and pep band.

She sang in the Kentucky All-State Chorus during her junior and senior years and fell in love with big chorus sound.

After high school, she attended the University of

Recalling the Flight for Freedom

By Sally Ruth Bourrie Guest Columnist

In 2001, I saw Oregonians make a difference in hundreds of lives. Their courage and compassion made history, but sadly, it’s history that even Oregonians don’t know about these days. It was called the Flight for Freedom and it’s who we are at our best, when we come together across all the things that are supposed to divide us and we let our hearts take the lead.

Prepare to be inspired.

The Flight for Freedom took place just three weeks

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon

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

Alcoholics A nonymou s

after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when four commercial aircraft were hijacked by members of the radical Islamist terror organization al Qaida and used as missiles to bomb the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a target that remains unknown because courageous passengers attempted to stop the hijackers and the plane went down in Pennsylvania.

With nearly 3,000 people killed on that day, it’s the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Many are still suffering and dying from its

toxic aftermath.

Not only did these attacks shock the United States and the world, they paralyzed people with fear. In many ways, it seemed that the country had shut down.

Understandably, people were afraid to fly. Commercial airliners had just been used as missiles. New York City was a place to avoid – could it happen again?

In Oregon, just eight days after the attacks, a woman had an idea: Let’s show people they don’t have to live

Kentucky, majoring in music. During her junior year, she was selected student conductor for the University Chorus, where she had the opportunity to conduct a group of over 100 voices.

The group, originally formed as Sisters Community Choir in 2007, was rebranded in 2014 by founding director Irene Liden, whose career included 40 years teaching music theory, music ensembles, classes, and private voice; and as a professional opera singer in Santa Fe, New Mexico, performing with the Shreveport Opera Company in Louisiana and Chautauqua Opera Company

Musicians play for Maui relief

The Belfry is hosting a “Concert for Maui” with songwriter, artist, and multiinstrumentalist Dayan Kai. The event is a fundraiser in support of the Maui community and residents impacted by recent wildfires. Special guests include Brad Tisdel, Beth Wood, and Dennis McGregor.

The concert will be held Saturday, September 16. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show is at 7 p.m.

Dayan Kai is a true force of musical nature. An artist whose musical abilities

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

Council on Aging of Cent ral O rego n Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

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

Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom.

503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters Area Photography Club

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

Sisters Red Hat s 1st Friday. For location infor mation, please c all: 541- 8 48 -1970.

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

and style know few bounds, Dayan is known for his soulful voice, powerful songwriting, and multi-instrumental prowess. Dayan’s deep insight into the human condition, innovative spirit, and infectious sense of humor enchant audiences around the world. Kai lives in Haiku, Maui, and has made his career as a singer/songwriter, musical director, solo artist, session recording artist, and has toured extensively with various musical ensembles

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

Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration / Satur day, 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration / M onday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church / Big Book study, Tuesday, noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church / Gen tlemen’s meeting, Wednesday, 7 a.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Sober Sisters Women’s meet ing, Thu rsday, noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fr iday, noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440.

Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild

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

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

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

East of the Cascades Quilt Guild

4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’

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

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

541-771-2211

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s)

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

541- 408 -8 505.

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

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

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

541- 549- 64 69

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

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

District. 5 41-5 49 -2091.

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

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

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup

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

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

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

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

Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to 8:3 0 a.m., at Aspen Lakes Golf Cours e. 541- 410-2870

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y

2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298

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

541- 903-1123

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

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

Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 5 41-419 -1279.

VF W Po st 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the mont h, 6:3 0 p.m., M ain Church Building Sisters Community Church.

8 47-344 -0 49 8

SCHOOLS

Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203

CITY & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h

Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Dire ctor s 2nd & 4th Tues., 4:30 p.m., SPR D bldg. 5 41-5 49 -2091.

Sisters Pl anning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.

FIRE & POLICE

Black Bu tt e Ranch Polic e Dept Board of Dire ctor s M eets monthly 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date Black Bu tt e Ranch R FPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m BB R Fire Station. 5 41-595 -2 28 8

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sally Ruth Bourrie will share the extraordinary experience of the post-9/11 Oregon Flight for Freedom at Paulina Springs Books on Monday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m.

Film screening benefits salmon

Even as the leaves begin to change, and the first taste of cooler autumnal winds are in the air, there are changes afoot at Sisters Movie House & Café starting after Labor Day.

For the second straight year, the cinema and café will be reducing “normal” operating days and hours to Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the rest of September and most of October. The theater will be closed completely on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with special events occurring on Thursdays beginning on September 14.

“Due to the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes in Hollywood, we need to adjust our fall schedule,” explained Drew Kaza, managing partner of quoin media & entertainment, which operates Sisters Movie House. “It is not our preference, but unfortunately, the strikes are impacting the movie release schedules and the knock-on effect has a number of titles shifting into the new year instead of getting released in the months ahead.”

The biggest of those titles so far is “Dune 2,” which was originally scheduled for release in early November but has since been moved to midMarch, 2024. There are several others and more expected to come.

“It’s a bit of a mad scramble now,” said Kaza.

The cinema has enough product to guarantee a lively autumn, even with opening reduced to the weekends.

“We are particularly excited about our special events for the fall, starting with a major environmental educational event on the 14th at 7 p.m. with a screening of the documentary ‘Dammed to Extinction,’” noted Kaza.

That program will benefit nonprofit Columbia RiverKeeper and feature a panel discussion following the movie, including the director Steven Hawley.

“This is a very topical movie and discussion. Everybody wants to help save our salmon,” said Kaza. “We are donating 100 percent of the ticket proceeds to Columbia RiverKeeper as part of this effort.”

Tickets for “Dammed to Extinction” are priced at $15 and available for purchase now at www.sisters moviehouse.com. As for the other special events, “We will be announcing further details shortly,” according to Kaza.

SCHOOL: Project is on time and on budget for 2024

Continued from page 1

pay for the construction costs of a new elementary school within Sisters School District (SSD) and related support and maintenance costs associated with the District’s 2016 Master Plan.

According to the SSD website: “The new ‘Shared Campus’ location for the elementary school is a critical component of the 2016 Master Plan. It will allow for increased safety, transportation, operational, and educational benefits for all the students in the district. Fifth grade will return to the elementary school location, better aligned with educational best practices and providing additional middle school capacity.”

The building is a twostory design. The first floor houses kindergarten, first and second grades and the second third, fourth, and fifth. The fifth grade has been at Sisters Middle School for a decade and is returning to the elementary school building. Each grade level will have four classrooms arranged pod-style around a commons.

The building incorporates several amenities, including student sensory spaces, calm-down rooms, and staff offices on each floor. There will also be a specific STEM

(science, technology, engineering, and math) classroom and a second-floor art classroom with a pottery kiln.

All three schools will have seven sports courts, all within walking distance.

The entire building will be fenced,along Highway 242 and McKinney Butte. They are still working out the transportation aspect of the drop-off and pickup locations without spending extra money on revamping the highway. Oregon Department of Transportation advised them that they wouldn’t have to revamp the highway layout if there were a through road across 242 from Edgington to the new school. They’ve extended

the school zone area due to the concern about speed coming off of 242.

“We will see where the pressure points are when we start getting people in and open up and work with parents as we go,” said Scholl.

Elementary school teachers were able to see the structured bones of the building before their move into the building in 2024.

The building process is scheduled to be substantially completed by May 2024,

and the first batch of students officially start at the new school in September 2024.

The District is currently on budget in the building process. With inflation and supply chain elements smoothing out, they hope to add the school-grounds greenhouse back in after having to cut it due to budget restrictions.

View the aerial site at: http://ssd6.org/files/2022/04/ SITE-PLAN.pdf.

Superintendent Curt Scholl led a tour of the new Sisters Elementary School, under construction along Highway 242 last week.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Blum focuses on public service on Sisters City Council

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Andrea Blum has been involved in Sisters Country life for many years. Blum moved to Sisters in 1988 and purchased 20 acres of land in the triangle between Bend, Redmond, and Sisters.

Blum worked for the Bureau of Labor and the Oregon Public Employees Union in the Willamette Valley before moving to Sisters, and had always been interested in public service work.

“I worked my way up to the office manager position and learned about workers’ rights. I worked behind the scenes on contract negotiations and accident insurance claims. And all those things that are the other side of the equation that you don’t know much about. I got an opportunity to go out on the picket line, and witness how employee unions worked,” said Blum.

At the time, Blum and her husband lived in Salem but knew they didn’t want to live there forever. They relocated to Sisters, purchased their 20 acres, and began figuring out how to get it developed.

At the time Blum moved to Sisters, there wasn’t much in Sisters; there was barely a septic system, and now, over her 30 years here, Blum has witnessed Sisters build and evolve into a community.

“Occasionally, we went to things, and then they started having Starry Nights, and wow,” she recalled. “They had people we’d heard of and were in the brand-new little high school with a stage and folding chairs. We had mostly country western who came, and then the Folk Festival started, and they had a jazz festival, then we had the Quilt Show, and it just started building and evolving and becoming more of a community.”

Blum worked for the Deschutes County Commissioners’ office as a recording secretary when they settled in Sisters. She witnessed many changes in zoning for farmers. The County was evaluating all the farmland and what was resource land, and finding out that a

lot of land had been zoned as exclusive farm use because it wasn’t resource land.

She also witnessed the uniqueness of the three counties of Central Oregon — Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook — working together to better the area instead of competing.

“After witnessing how government worked in Salem, when I came here, the various three counties, especially Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, worked together,” Blum said.

“They didn’t compete against each other; they looked at who had the resources to do what, and why they duplicated what each other was doing. And the same thing with ODOT. And even the nonprofits and social services. In Salem, it was: We’re getting federal money for this, so if you’re our competitor, we’ll get less than you… Whereas, here it was, well, you’re already doing this; why should we do it?”

Government has always been an interest of Blum’s, and when she and her husband, Jack, relocated from their 20 acres to a house in Pine Meadow Village in 2014, they began attending City

Council meetings. Blum was also the county representative for the League of Women Voters at the time, therefore understanding how public boards and meetings went. Blum was also well versed in the language of council meetings and public government because of her career background.

Blum was pleasantly surprised with how the meetings were held, and with a lot of angst going on in Sisters at the time, she thought things were handled very well. That same year (2014) there was a vacancy on the Council. Blum was tapped to fill the vacant seat as she had been to every meeting and knew the other councilors.

“They knew I already knew what the agenda was all about. It would have been easy for me if they asked me to interview for it, which I did and was successful. In 2015, I was on the Council,” said Blum.

Blum has been on the Council ever since, being elected to the post in 2020. She now serves as the Council president and is involved with boards and organizations

in the area.

Blum has served as the Sisters representative with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) and has served on the Central Oregon Commission on Transportation (COACT) board overseeing numerous transportation projects happening in Central Oregon including roundabouts.

Blum also works with the houseless community boards within COIC as the Sisters representative, attending meetings surrounding solutions for the houseless community.

“I think this community is very lucky in the people who have stepped forward to run. When I first came here, we had very few people who were ready to run up to throw their hat in the ring for the Planning Commission, the Parks Board, or any of that stuff because there was too much squabbling about issues,” said Blum.

Blum hopes to encourage community involvement and

make Sisters livable for all ages and groups.

“Because we do have a lot of new people coming to this community, there are a lot of people with very strong backgrounds in all kinds of areas that maybe never had a community interest when they were working in or living somewhere else. Here, they see that they can make a difference and are willing to give the time and effort,” she said.

Councilor Andrea Blum

TRAILGRAMS: Trail blazin’ around Sisters

By Bill Bartlett Columnist

Hawk’s Flight-Eagle Rock Loop is a fun and easy loop trail within five miles of town that offers superb views with diverse scenery. It’s part of the wondrous Peterson Ridge section of the impressive Sisters Trails Alliance system.

Why go? For one thing it’s only a 10-minute drive to the start, making it a perfect impromptu target for those last-minute outings. The trail, while shared with bikers, is low in traffic and provides a mix of all you might want for a family-friendly hike –interesting rock formations, undulating terrain, plenty of shade, and smashing panoramic views.

When to go? There’s no best time but on warmer days, the earlier the better. Unless the snow is deeper than 4 or 5 inches, winter is every bit as nice. If muddy, please stay off.

What to expect? The route starts and goes along Peterson Ridge. You are atop and very close to the edge of the ridge, and within 10 minutes you can find yourself looking down 150-foot vertical walls. The path is generally — but not completely — rock free. You won’t need rugged hikers. Don’t try it in flip-flops either.

There are interesting rock formations along the way that invite play especially for smaller tykes. Some rise starkly among the forest while others appear in the distance. About halfway you will reach Eagle Rock 2 (yes, there’s another some miles away). It’s possible but not a cakewalk to get to the top.

You can also enjoy it immensely from below the perch, and this is a good spot if you are picnicking.

At roughly the three-quarters, mark is Hawk’s Flight,

Hawk’s Flight Eagle Rock Loop

more interesting in the view of many. Be sure to continue counterclockwise around the entire outcropping, down into the ravine, and back up again.

The steep rock wall and small caves here are mini adventures where young climbers can improve their skills and confidence.

It’s a loop trail so you can go in reverse, but I much

prefer the route below.

Getting there from Sisters: drive about two miles south on Elm as it transitions to Three Creek Road (FS16).

To the left is Peterson Mill Road. Turn and drive about

two miles, sometimes bumpy and dusty, to where it intersects with 1608-500. Park there and walk back about 150 feet to the trailhead on your left.

Follow the map (shown here) – 23 to 25 to 31 to 26 to Eagle Rock to 26 to 24 to Hawk’s Flight; back to 24 to

30 and complete your loop at 23 where you started. The whole thing is under five miles and three hours, which includes lots of wandering and snacking time. What you’ll need: The usual — water, sun screen, and a hat. No permits required. Dogs welcome.

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

Close to town, the Hawk’s Flight-Eagle Rock Loop offers a fun and easy hiking option.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Garden season ending

The Central Oregon Chapter of OSU Master Gardeners will present a free class by OSU Master Gardeners on seed saving and storing. Participants will see successful ways to save and store seeds from your vegetable garden and landscape. Learn the tricks and techniques from experienced Master Gardeners. Bring a small white envelope if you would like to take home some of the seeds from the demonstration.

Sisters runners hit the mud

On a course that included a gnarly mud pit and two river crossings, a group of nine Outlaw runners experienced true cross-country at the Ultimook Race held at the Hydrangea Ranch outside Tillamook on Saturday, September 2.

Ultimook has become a favorite early season meet for teams throughout Oregon for its uniquely challenging course. Over the span of the day over 2,000 runners splashed, slid, and ran through the 5,000-meter course. Sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s made it a perfect day for competitors and fans alike.

“I offered the race as an option since it was over the Labor Day weekend, and I was pleased some of the kids could make it,” said Coach Charlie Kanzig.

Five Outlaw girls toed the line for the 1A-4A race, including two freshmen, knowing that in less than a mile they would have to navigate 60 feet of knee-deep ,muddy water turning their uniforms to brown and having their shoes face the threat of being sucked off their feet, potentially lost forever.

Sticking to the sides of the mud pit, all five girls managed quite well with the obstacle, with the river

crossings up ahead in the next mile, which they also navigated successfully. The course mellowed out in the second half, with paths looping through acres of hydrangeas, but as a whole the runners found the terrain to be a challenge indeed.

Afterward, freshman Josie Ryan asked, “How can a 5k course be that hard?”

Senior Ella Bartlett finished tenth overall, earning a spot on the podium and a bouquet of flowers. The top 10 included a “who’s who” of the best returning runners in Oregon. Bartlett crossed the line in 21:30. Ryan was next, in twenty-sixth (22:31), followed by fellow frosh Kolby McMahon in thirtysixth (23:04) among 186 finishers.

Juniors Mae Roth (23:38) and Kiara Martin (29:42) completed the team score for the Outlaws, who finished seventh among 21 teams.

4A Philomath won the girls’ team race just nineteen points ahead of 3A Oregon Episcopal, which had the top two individuals in the race who crossed virtually together in 20:04.

Four Outlaw boys, all juniors, ran among a field of 258 in the 1A-4A varsity race. Spencer Tisdel made it to the finish first for Sisters in

38th place in a time of 19:28. Colton Middlestetter came through next in 19:54, followed by John Berg (20:10) and Jack Turpen (23:51).

Newport won the boys’ team title by a wide margin with 74 points.

The full Outlaw squad will compete next at the Stayton Invitational on Saturday, September 9.

“We are looking forward to having the entire team together for the first time,” said Kanzig. “This year’s teams appear to have tremen dous potential.”

The class will be held Saturday, September 9, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Oregon State University Extension Service, Building #3, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond. The program is fee, but registration is required. Register at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/ seed-savingand-storing-tick ets-711160188267.

A second class conducted by OSU Master Gardeners

will cover cleaning up and preparing your vegetable garden and landscape for the winter. Learn how to prevent winter damage in the landscape and have a head start on the next season. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

That class is set for Saturday, September 16, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the same location. Register at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/ putting-your-garden-to-bed-

Spencer Tisdel battles through the mud pit at the Ultimook Race outside Tillamook.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Outlaws get off to rough start on soccer field

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws kicked off their soccer season with a 2-0 loss to Madras on Tuesday, August 29, and two days later fell 6-3 to Redmond.

Due to the smoky conditions, Tuesday’s game was moved to Prineville. The smoke has been a challenge for the Outlaws, as they were only able to practice twice outside, and the rest of the time share gym space with other teams.

Coach Jeff Husmann told The Nugget that the Outlaws were more nervous at the start of the match than what usually characterizes the team, and for most of the first half they had trouble connecting simple passes.

Husmann said, “We were disorganized and chasing and hurrying when we didn’t need to. We had very little possession in the first half, and they managed to score midway through. Madras did outplay us, but we knew that we were nowhere near reaching our potential.”

The Outlaws played better in the second half as they possessed the ball more, made sharper and more accurate passes, and created chances to score.

Husmann noted Logan Ryba, who stepped into the goalie spot. Husmann said Ryba has a great sense of attacking the ball. The Outlaws received strong play from Cooper Merrill, who is hungry, and attentive to learn his position as the holding midfielder. Evan Martin played a solid game on defense.

Husmann said, “The success of the team will hinge on the season-long development of some of the players who are stepping into the starting line-up for the first time.”

Two days later the Outlaws lost to Redmond, who has some very skilled players and some speed, particularly in the middle of the pitch.

Sisters made a few mistakes on defense, which allowed Redmond to get goals right up the middle.

“We stayed too wide, opening up channels for them to run into, penetrating our back line and leaving our goalkeeper exposed,” said Husmann. They also controlled much of the action in the first 20 minutes of the match.”

The Outlaws gave up three goals within the first 25 minutes, and could have easily folded, but they stayed composed, made adjustments, and the midfield began to possess the ball and

find space behind Redmond’s back line.

Momentum shifted the Outlaws’ way late in the second half when Carson Bell found the back of the net. Bell ripped a shot from approximately 24 feet out, and dipped it in just under the crossbar.

“Carson is good at finding those small spaces between the defense, and that goal energized us” said Husmann.

Seven minutes later, Andrew Islas weaved into the heart of Redmond’s defense and slotted the ball into the back of the net for his first varsity goal, thanks to a smart assist from Austin Dean.

At the half, the Outlaws trailed 2-3.

Sisters has a small bench, and fatigue was a factor in the second half. Redmond scored a couple more goals and were up by two with 10 minutes left on the clock. Sisters continued to persevere and earned a corner kick. Vincent Christian took the corner and Danny Benson attacked the ball out of the air and scored. Redmond scored the final goal and recorded the win.

The Outlaws were to host Mountain View on Tuesday, September 5, in a non-league contest. They will play on the road at Crook County on Thursday.

FREEDOM: Event recalls special effort of Oregonians

Continued from page 3

in fear. In 24 hours, Loen Dozono and her husband, Sho, who led the Portland Chamber of Commerce and owned a series of travel agencies, pulled together a group of leaders from across Portland and the state — many had never met — and they put together a trip — on airplanes! — to New York City.

Sisters is home to many people who have important and heroic connections to September 11. One of them is Jack McGowan, who was one of the key organizers of the Flight for Freedom and often the face of the effort in both Portland and New York City. Jack’s expert ability to communicate — he is a veteran of broadcast journalism — his enormous heart, his passion for the project, and his commitment to the project’s selflessness made him a powerful spokesperson.

“We have sent blood, we have sent money. Now we have to send ourselves,” he would tell the media.

It was an all-volunteer effort and nobody made any money from the trip. It cost $379 for round-trip airfare from Oregon and two nights at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. It wasn’t a tour; it was a way for people who cared to do something.

Organizers announced the trip on September 26

and hoped they’d find 150 brave people who would go on October 6. They had to close reservations after 1,000 people called, faxed, and walked into the travel agency saying they wanted to go. Oregonians took 62 flights through 12 airports, giving work to people who were wondering what they were going to do to pay the bills.

One in every 3,000 people in Oregon was a Freedom Flier. Many had never been to New York City and some had never been on a plane.

The Oregonians held a memorial service at Union Square, appeared on “Good Morning America,” spoke at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine’s Blessing of the Animals, and sponsored dinner for 700 in Chinatown, which was struggling because it’s downtown, not far from the World Trade Center. The day after the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan and New York City’s security tightened up even more, the Oregonians were undaunted; they opened the New York Stock Exchange and marched in the Columbus Day Parade.

In addition to showing that the world need not live in fear, Freedom Fliers expected to bring a boost to New York’s economy. What they discovered was a city more in need of comfort. Easy to spot in “Oregon Y New York” T-shirts and buttons, Oregonians were routinely stopped, hugged, and thanked. New Yorkers often volunteered their traumatic

9/11 experiences and the Freedom Fliers, who never expected that, stepped into their grief and were present for them. This happened over and over.

Every person who went on that trip knows that they made a difference.

I covered the Flight for Freedom for The Boston Globe and the Chicago Tribune and it changed my life — so much that I wanted to make sure that this history, this courage and caring by everyday people from all walks of life, was documented. I wrote a book based on interviews with Freedom Fliers and contemporary news sources called “Oregon Loves New York: A Story of American Unity After 9/11,” which has been chosen by the Library of Congress for its collection. This history will live on.

On Monday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m., I will present a program about the Flight for Freedom at Paulina Springs Books, showing photos the Freedom Fliers shared with me, previously seen only by friends and family. They are photos of joy and love, of New Yorkers reaching out to them in the parade; of visits to the fire stations that had lost so many firefighters; inside Ground Zero recovery efforts; and much more.

We are very fortunate that Jack McGowan will be there as well to share his memories.

I hope you can be there as proud Oregonians for a night of joy and inspiration.

Of aAGEcertain

Sue Stafford Columnist

The anticipation of a new school year colored my August for years. First, as an eager student, the beginning of school meant a few new clothes and a new pair of shoes, after my shorts, T-shirts, and bare feet of summer. In high school, it meant the return to seeing friends every day and the excitement of new experiences and more freedom.

As a mother of two boys (and four stepchildren for a decade), August meant shopping the back-to-school sales for clothes, shoes, and school supplies. Fall sports practices meant lots of picking up and dropping off with games on Saturday.

Now, as I watch the autumn of my life slide into winter, my focus isn’t on acquisition and new beginnings. Rather, I am preparing for a different journey,

one that leads to the great beyond. If I am going to make that exit as easy as possible for my sons (and me), I need to prepare every bit as carefully as I did for those new school years.

I have known for a long time what that preparation entails. I had the rich fiveyear experience of managing the Transitions program at Hospice of Redmond. I refer to that time as receiving my “master’s in aging.” It was like a lab in what it means to get old and the opportunity to experience both the helpful and not so helpful ways to prepare for death.

So, you ask, am I all ready to exit stage left? Are my affairs all in order? Can I relax, knowing that if I die tomorrow I have done everything to prepare for that certain end?

Not by a long shot! Let my cautionary tale serve as a reminder and encouragement to do as I say, not as I do.

This fall I am entering my own special class called Preparing for the End: Do It Now. I just recently took my first step. I enrolled in the Neptune Society, which will see to my cremation and attendant matters. It’s a pretty nifty program that takes over all arrangements as soon as they are notified of my death, even if I happen to be somewhere else in the world.

I began working with a

local attorney several years ago on my necessary legal documents but got waylaid by needing to have a conversation with someone who is in my will before proceeding. My unfinished document is now in the inactive file in the attorney’s office. I will resurrect it this fall before I am inactive.

I have been saying for the last half decade (even in this column) that I need to shed many of my belongings, which were important in my previous life but no longer serve a purpose. I know I will feel lighter and more at ease when that is accomplished. I have the memories — I don’t need the things.

Of equal importance is making decisions and arrangements for my care as I draw closer to the final graduation. I am fortunate that my Transitions lab prepared me well for this exercise. I have been made keenly aware of that while recently trying to help someone older navigate the maze of medical issues and decisions, housing options, transportation, and everyday living with diminished capacity, when no preplanning has been done.

There are any number of resources available to help with those decisions and the time to avail myself of these services is now, while my brain is still working well and I can utilize my computer and the internet.

Preparing people for their end is a good business. There is a plethora of books, organizers, online services, and organizations all designed to help me let my loved ones know everything they could ever want or need to know.

A resource I found while working for hospice is the “It’s My Life KIT,” which is available online (itsmylifekit.com). KIT stands for Keep In Touch and is for life, through the end of life. Simple checklists make each themed section about important life decisions easy to complete and use in discussions with loved ones.

The Neptune Society provides a Planning Guide, which will help familiarize me with the services they provide, government assistance for veterans and seniors, issues surrounding estate planning, family history, and financial information.

The AARP publishes a 250-page book, “Checklist for My Family,” a detailed guide to personal history, financial plans, final wishes, and resources. It is available at AARP.org/bookstore.

Available on Amazon is a three-ring binder titled “Life Organizer: The Essential Record Keeper & Estate

Planner.” In the same location are nine other possibilities from which to choose. The resources I mention are only the tip of the iceberg. Just google “end of life planning.”

Take a hint from me. Whatever method you use, just do it — and do it now. To assemble all the information requires the capacity to gather and organize it. If you need help, ask a trusted friend or family member for assistance. You might find yourself reliving memories and sharing stories. When everything is assembled be sure to tell several trusted others that the information exists and where it is, or better yet, give it to the person you trust to carry out your wishes.

I’m going to ask all of you a favor. Next time you see me at Ray’s, or BiMart, or Ace, or in a restaurant, ask me how I’m doing in my class, “Preparing for the End.”

I relax knowing that if I die tomorrow, I have done everything to prepare for that certain end?

Cele ation o f Li fe for Rollo “Skip “

Simpson Wheeler

A NNOUNCEMENT S

Silent Echo eater Company Per formance

Veterans Piz z a Feed

Sisters Garden Club

Clippit y Clop Fundraiser

at FivePine Lodge

Friday, September 15 from 3 to 6 p.m

GriefShare Group

Beginning September 14, join a friendly, caring group who will walk alongside you through the experience of losing a loved one. Meetings will be ursdays f rom 2-4 p.m. at Sisters Community Church. For registration and more information, visit www grief share.org/groups/169894.

STAR S Seeks

Dispatch Volunteers

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

Weekly Food Pantry

e Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantr y ursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N . Trinit y Way Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Call 541-549-4184 for information.

Craf ters Wanted

Qualit y craf t-consigners wanted for the 47th Snowflake Boutique, November 3 and 4, 2023 . Juries will be held on Saturdays September 9 and October 7, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at Highland Baptist Church, Redmond . An evening jur y will be October 16 at 6 p.m. Info: www.snowflakeboutique.org or call Tina 541-4 47-164 0 or Kim 541- 640-2536

Free Weekly Meal Service

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

Free Lunches for Seniors

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

Free Pet Food

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

Come see “Jake Woodmansee and Friends” ursday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill. e evening of comedy will feature Central Oregon comedians and will contain mature content and is not recommended for children. Doors open and dinner ser vice begins at 6:30 p.m . Per formance ticket s are $15 online and $20 at the door. e ticket price does not include dinner and drink s . For more information visit www silentechotheatercompany.org or call 310 -710 -2874.

Sisters Farmers Market

Seek s Volunteers

Sisters Farmers Market is looking for Market Day helpers

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

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

COFRW (Central Oregon

Federated Republican Women) meet s the first ursday of every month f rom 10:45 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Brand 33 at A spen Lakes Golf Club, Sisters. Meetings include lunch for $27. R SVP required.

On September 7 the special guest speaker will be Suzanne Gallagher f rom Parents Right s in Education, whose organiz ation has just been recognized on a national level. Learn more about upcoming meetings and speakers , and RSVP at www COFRW.net.

Sunday School for Children

Church of the Transfiguration is now o ering Sunday School for children, ages 5 to 12, regardless of church a liation, during both Sunday worship ser vices.

Protestant/ecumenical ser vice is at 8:30 a .m. and Episcopal service begins at 10:15 a .m. e church address is 121 Brook s Camp Rd . Sisters . For info call Margaret Doke at 541-588-2784.

Volunteer Oppor tunities in Sisters

Sisters Countr y Connects is a website that allows volunteers to connect with oppor tunities to ser ve in Sisters Country Organizations post volunteer needs and those seeking to serve can read details about oppor tunities and find contact information. Go to www sisterscommunity.org/volunteer/.

Historic Sisters

Docent-led Walking Tours

Family-f riendly and free! Take the “Downtown Sisters L andmarks Tour ” and learn the histor y of Sisters’ oldest buildings and early pioneers . Held Wednesdays and Sundays at 10 a .m. For reservations email museum@ threesistershistoricalsociet y.org or call the Sisters Museum at 541-549-14 03

All militar y veterans are invited to an annual piz z a feed on Wednesday, September 6, located at Takoda’s Restaurant starting at 5:30 p.m. is event is sponsored by the VFW, American Legion, and Band of Brothers . For info, call Charles Wilson, 847-344-0498.

Making a Di erence Made Easy in Sisters Country

Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) fiscally sponsors three great Action Teams , and two of them currently need your help to advance their project s to improve livabilit y in Sisters Countr y. Help the Family Friendly Restroom Team get their project (literally!) o the ground by going to www agef riendlysisters .com and following the links to volunteer Go to starsride.org to learn more about their Action Team. Call AFSC directly at 541-241-7910 to learn more about what we do.

STAR S Seek s Volunteers to Transpor t Patients

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

STAR S Volunteer

Driver Training

STAR S will train new drivers 10 :30 a .m. until noon on Friday, September 15 at Sisters Firehall Training Room. Complete an easy application online at https://starsride.org/volunteer. Click “Drive for us.” To apply in person, arrive at 10 a .m. STARS has a flexible commitment and o ers mileage reimbursement Email volunteer@starsride.org with questions . We are an AFSC Action Team.

Sisters Garden Club invites the public to their monthly meeting on Saturday, September 9. e guest speaker will be Chad with C&C Nursery. He will speak about fall planting , cleanup & pruning . He will also bring plants for sale. e meeting is at Sisters Communit y Church , 130 0 W Mckenzie Hwy. e meeting starts at 10 a .m., with doors opening at 9:30. C all 971-246040 4 for more information

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

Sisters High Deser t Chorale Rehearsals

Rehearsals for the chorale will begin Monday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Episcopal church. No audition required and all singers are welcome! Come join us for our upcoming December concert. For more information call Irene Liden at 541-549-1037 or email lidenmez zo@gmail.com

Sisters Bell Choir is would be a great year to tr y e Twelve Tone bell choir for their 15th anniversar y in Sisters! e bell choir will be performing with the Sisters High Desert Chorale for Christmas concer ts , as well as 3 or 4 other venue s on their own around town in December. For more information please call or text Lola Knox at 541-390-4 615 or email 4tayknox@gmail.com.

Sisters French Club

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

Join Equine Community Resources , a 501(c)(3), for a comp etitive Trail Ride on Saturday, September 16 or a Poker Ride on Sunday, September 17 at Cow Camp in Sisters . Prices var y and food is available for purchase. For more information go to equinecommunit yresources .org or find them on Facebook.

BE AR

Bear is a ver y sweet 5-yearold shepherd/lab mix who aims to please. He came to HSCO when his owner could no longer care for him is f riendly boy does have some training but building a consistent routine will help with both his adjustment and learning curve. Daily exercise is a must for this guy! With the right second start, Bear will be a lifelong adventure buddy!

— SPONSORED BY —

Black Butte Veterinary Clinic

541-549-1837

SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES

Baha’i Faith

For information, devotions, study groups , etc , contact Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org • w ww bahai.us • w ww.bahaiteaching .org

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

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087

8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship

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

Sisters Church of the N az arene

67130 Har ring ton Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960 www.sistersna z.org • info@sistersnaz .org

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)

130 0 W. McKenzie Hw y. • 541-549-1201

9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship www.sisterschurch.com

• info@sisterschurch.com

Chapel in the Pines

Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831

10 a .m. Sunday Worship www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com

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

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

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

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

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

10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting

Calvar y Church

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

10 a .m. Sunday Worship • w ww.ccsisters.org

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

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

11 a .m. S aturday Worship

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

. Main Ave. Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays

TRAIL: Grant funds program for Sisters

Trails Alliance

Continued from page 1

volunteers who perform trail work and oversee an STA Youth Ambassador program; 6-10 students trained, and compensated, to educate trail users about sustainable recreation, environmental trail stewardship, and reducing user-impact and multi-user conflict. And funds may be used for volunteer tools and supplies.

“The grant was received close to the start of the peak season for users so there wasn’t much time to ramp up and roll out the program,” STA Executive Director Scott Penzarella told The Nugget. “It’s two years of funding so we will have more Ambassadors trained and available next year.”

Six youths are engaged at the present time and perform their tasks primarily on the weekends and some Fridays when trail usage is at its highest. It’s an equal mix of boys and girls of high school age. They work in pairs — a buddy system — and are at once identifiable by their STA t-shirts and clipboards.

Sisters salutes...

Amy Bennette, owner of Cake Lab in Sisters, won the first-ever “Claw-some”

Crab Cake Bake-Off, a cake-baking contest hosted by the Coos Bay-North Bend-Charleston Visitor & Convention Bureau, also known as Oregon’s Adventure Coast. The organization invited amateur and professional bakers to bake and decorate a crab-inspired cake for a chance to win a complimentary two-night stay in the region, complete with lodging, activities, and dining options.

“This is our first time organizing and overseeing a cake-baking competition, so we were not sure how successful this would be,” said Janice Langlinais, executive director of the Coos BayNorth Bend-Charleston Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Turns out, the response was incredible. We could not believe how many wonderful and creative cake submissions we received! Choosing the winners of each category was not an easy task.”

They also carry purposely visible dog poop buckets with lids and scoop up a considerable amount of canine waste left by carless trail users. The buckets are intended to draw attention to the growing amount of dog feces left on or near the busy trails.

The Ambassadors are trained not only in dispensing information about trail etiquette and giving directions but in the STA mission to protect and preserve the outdoor experience through the stewardship of multi-user, non-motorized trails and their adjacent wild places.

“The Ambassadors are deeply committed to inspire a world of trail users to preserve nature through recreation,” Penzarella said.

Assana Bowen-Woods from Providence, Rhode Island traveled to Sisters to be an Ambassador. She talks about her experience:

“Sisters is an amazing place to explore all kinds of recreation and the beautiful trails that surround the town. On just about any morning, working our rounds, we encounter many cyclists, horseback riders, runners, and other recreationalists, learning what each of these different groups of people have in common, in addition to sharing important Leave No Trace principles.”

Bowen-Woods and the others, clipboards in hand, cheerfully engage or are engaged on the trails, and if appropriate record a survey with the user. The collected data helps STA understand user experiences from which they can refine their trail management.

The Ambassadors are under the wing of Gillian Pinciaro, STA’s other paid staff person, who serves as volunteer and events coordinator. The OTF grant helps fund her position.

Bakers were asked to craft a Dungeness crabthemed cake and document the process and the finished product. Dungeness crabs have a long historical significance with Oregon’s fishing industry and are the current symbol of Oregon’s Adventure Coast. Bennette’s cake, which won the top spot in the professional category, depicted a wizened octopus whose Dungeness crab dinner has escaped him.

Many entrants hailed from Oregon, though bakers from Virginia, Nevada, New Mexico, California, and Washington entered as well.

A panel of six judges scored each submission by its creativity, ability to incorporate the theme, crab imagery, and coastal style, before selecting the winners in the three categories: Professional, Amateur Adults, and Amateur Kids.

The winning entry.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Molly Greaney, a Sisters High School senior and Sisters Trails Alliance Youth Ambassador, guides a first-time trail user from Bend.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

RESTORATION: Project has been exceptional success

Continued from page 1

lot of willows were fading, the birches were struggling, and there were dead patches everywhere.”

He stops and places his hands on his hips — the bladed tips of sedge brush at his fingers. He takes in the view.

“The big surprise was the immediate response. A lot of native vegetation has returned.”

One year ago, armed with a passion to restore the native habitat, the Sisters Ranger District set their

efforts on this lower swamp, southeast from Black Butte Ranch, for restoration ( See The Nugget, October 12, 2022 ). One of nature’s finest natural engineers, the beaver, once inhabited the swamp and sustained the water levels by constructing dams. Water would backfill and seep into the surrounding landscape — nourishing a natural habitat once graced by a robust array of wildlife and vegetation.

But after years of trapping and predation, beavers disappeared from the area leaving the fragile ecosystem to it’s own devices. So the land dried up. Indian Ford Creek narrowed to a trickle. Willows and birch faded and fell where they stood, dotting

the landscape with brittle piles of branches, and desert weeds sprouted in their place. It was a stark contrast to the once-lush landscape of years past.

In September 2022, in partnership with the Central Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (COYCC) and the Heart of Oregon Corps, the Sisters Ranger District collected natural materials — lodgepole pine, branches, and sedge — to build beaver dam analogs (BDAs), or man-made dams. That material was hand-set, woven, and crafted into an imitation of the bygone beaver dam. The hope was the effect would lift the water table and restore the swamp with native habitat. Ultimately,

it was an experiment. Only time would tell.

Much to the surprise and delight of those involved, the results were quick. One month after implementing 26 BDAs along a half-mile stretch of the swamp the water table rose six feet. And that rise hasn’t abated.

One-inch gray piping with orange caps represent a cross-section of survey wells placed across the area. They allow hydrologists to study the water table and its effect on the wetland hydrology. What they found within those wells were not only significant but consistent and quantifiable rises in the water table.

“Some of the wells went from five to six feet down

OFFICIAL PROGRAM & SPECIAL SECTION

Wednesday, September 27

This unique pullout section is delivered to every household in Sisters School District as part of The Nugget Newspaper, distributed on racks throughout Sisters and umalo, provided to festivalgoers… plus an online social media release the section to reach an even broader audience!

We invite you to show your support of the Sisters Folk Festival by advertising in this section featuring articles covering Sisters Folk Festival’s deep connection with our community, artist bios, schedule, and more!

and now we have water at the surface,” Riehle says. “What we found is it takes only weeks for the water table to recharge.”

Water brings life, and the return of animals and vegetation is a metric for success. A large amount of natural habitat has returned in 2023 and the presence of wildlife, such as elk, is a common sight again. Birds are also returning; wildlife monitors have spotted mallard ducks and sora rails. Rainbow trout have also been spotted within the creek.

The installations are what Riehle calls “living BDAs.” The clumps of sedges and willow branches used to construct them have sprouted and taken root; he

Mike Riehle points out new wetland vegetation where desert weeds resided only a year ago. The growth is the result of restoration work that mimics beaver activity.

PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT

hopes the regrowth will help keep them together over time. Throughout the summer COYCC and Heart of Oregon Corps crews adjusted the BDAs and repaired small holes in the dams. Otherwise the builds have remained sturdy. For now the dams appear to be becoming a natural part of the lower swamp.

Last year the vegetation was thin. Looking across the meadow was possible due to thinning foliage and dying trees. It was a dismal, dying landscape. Today, the views abruptly stop at 20 feet in every direction — now obscured by the thick branches of maturing willows and birch trees.

“The willows have

gotten really tall,” says Riehle, holding a wispy willow branch thick with shoots while also noting that they’ve grown at least four feet from last year. “They just seem to have more vigor this year because of the water tables. It’s amazing.”

In stark contrast, a thousand feet northwest of the lower swamp and after a short dusty walk along a horse trail, lies the glum scene of the upper swamp.

The familiar sight of dead willow piles and brown clumps of sedge stretch across the meadow and dust kicks up with every step. Dry river channels grow weeds and rotten peat. What remains of Indian Ford Creek here is a feeble ripple,

STUD ENT OF TH EMO NTH

two-feet wide.

Riehle looks at the ground in dismay. “The striking thing is that the only thing that’s alive here are weeds,” he says. “Vegetatively, this is pretty much a disaster.”

Can BDAs solve the problem again? Riehle says he’s not sure, but the option is on the table. He says it’s important to consider all the options and ensure BDAs wouldn’t cause more damage, such as accidentally draining the wetland by creating multiple water channels.

“We’re just brainstorming ideas right now,” he says. “But we’re mostly identifying the problem right now and looking at how water flows through the wetland.

This is a unique problem, a little more solid organic soils here.”

With more drastic decline comes a more drastic recovery. But that, Riehle says, requires a little more data and a lot more study before implementing an effective plan.

The Lower Black Butte Swamp is providing that data and with the return of wildlife and native habitats it has the Sisters Ranger District motivated and hopeful. BDA’s are in consideration for other local restoration projects but this projects success mostly provides an opportunity for hydrologists, scientists, botanists, and wildlife ecologists to learn from.

“I think its turning out to be a big success,” says Riehle. “The vegetation is responding, some of the areas that were previously dead are getting re-vegetated with native plants. And I think we’ve got the project on a good path.”

It all comes back to the consideration of that semiaquatic rodent, the beaver. “We’re not completely idealistic thinking that is an essential requirement,” he says with a smile. “But to reintroduce the beaver into this wetland, that would be the ultimate goal.”

This story made possible by the Nugget’s supporting subscribers. Thank you!

in in

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Simulating the impact of beavers has proved itself in the restoration of Lower Black Butte Swamp.

PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT

Kick up your heels with dance class

Living in Sisters makes you want to dance. Line dancing for beginners will happen over four Wednesday night sessions starting September 13, sponsored by Sisters Park & Recreation District.

Participants are invited to have some fun learning basic line dancing. The instructor is Carol Ast-Milchen, who makes learning fun, fast, and easy. You don’t need a partner. Cost is $45 for all four classes, including a free makeup class, Friday, October 6.

Dancers then can show their stuff at the Harvest Faire on October 7, at Fir Street Park.

Classes are at Sisters Community Church in the Recreation Annex (large green building).

Register by September 11 by calling 541-549-2091.

MAUI: Hawaiian musician to take stage at The Belfry

Continued from page 3

including Keith Greeninger, a Sisters Folk Festival staple for many years.

“Dayan Kai is perhaps one of the most complete and talented musicians,” said Juan Sanchez, founder of Palenque Arts. “Not only is he a dazzling multi-instrumentalist who can adeptly switch between piano, flutes, acoustic guitar, or cajon, among many instruments, but also a soulful vocalist with stratospheric range and a poignant songwriter who knows how to heal with his compositions.”

Proceeds will go directly to community-based organizations on the ground in Maui, Hawaii. Tickets will be available at the door, and it is a $10-$30 sliding scale – proceeds benefit Maui Strong, N’ ‘Aik’ne o Maui, Maui Mutual Aid, Maui Hub, and Maui United Way.

For more information, visit https://belfryevents.com/ event/dayan-kai-concert-formaui/ and https://dayankai. com.

541-549-2091

1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd. Sisters, Oregon

20-acre oasis. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths in 2,497 sq. ft. Hand built by a local artisan with heartfelt attention to detail. Hand troweled walls/ceilings, stained concrete floors, handcrafted details. Sauna, greenhouses, tack room, garage/shop, pond with mountain views. NEW PRICE $995,000. MLS #220165401

Jen McCr ystal, Broker

541-420-4347 • jennifer.mccr ystal@cbrealty.com

Cascade Ave., Sisters 541-549-6000 | www.cbbain.com/sisters

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • SEPTEMBER 6

Lake Creek Lodge Live Music: Connor Bennett

5-7 p.m. Information: www.lakecreeklodge.com/events/.

Paulina Springs Books Community Open Mic

Celebrating Mary Oliver ’s birthday! Bring a poem, song, or short story to share. 5 minutes per reader

6:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Reb And The Good News 6 to 8 p.m. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 7

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk David Stevenson presents “Points of Astonishment: Alpine Stories.”

6:30-7:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

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

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 8

Sisters Depot Live Music: Bob Baker & Mark Barringer 6-8 p.m. $5 cover. Reservations recommended. Info: www.sistersdepot.com/events.

The Belfr y Live Music: Marty O’Reilly with Calvin Arsenia and Blair Borax 7 p.m. Marty’s voice is beautiful and unique, his lyrics stark yet lush over gritty electrified guitar, melding beautifully into genre-defying music Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets, $20, at www.bendticket.com.

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy

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

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

SATURDAY • SEPTEMBER 9

Sisters Depot Live Music: Use’ta Do 6-8 p.m. Bend-based roots-country and bluegrass band, performing with a nod to great musical eras. $5 cover. Reservations recommended. Info: www.sistersdepot.com/events.

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Honey Don’t 6-8 p.m. Weather permitting Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

SUNDAY • SEPTEMBER 10

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

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Western Triple 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio All ages Free Information at facebook.com/SistersSaloonAndRanchGrill.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13

Long Hollow Ranch Outdoor Movie Night: The Sandlot Doors open at 7 p.m.; movie at 8:15 p.m. Information and free tickets at: https://thelonghollowranch.com/public-events. Lawn seating bring blankets or chairs. Food and drinks available for purchase. 71105 Holmes Rd., Sisters

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 13 (continued)

Lake Creek Lodge Live Music: Brent Alan 5-7 p.m. Information: www.lakecreeklodge.com/events/.

THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 14

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

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

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 15

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Sonic Benders

6 to 8 p.m. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy

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

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

SATURDAY • SEPTEMBER 16

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

The Barn in Sisters Live Music: Use’ta Do 6 to 8 p.m. Bend-based roots-country and bluegrass band, performing with a nod to great musical eras. Weather permitting For information go to www thebarninsisters.com.

SUNDAY • SEPTEMBER 17

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

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Coyote Willow 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio All ages Free Information at facebook.com/SistersSaloonAndRanchGrill.

THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 21

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

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

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 22

Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Artwalk 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations. For additional information go to sistersartsassociation.org.

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

The Open Door Live Music: Jim Cornelius & Mike Biggers 6-8 p.m. in the yard Jim’s rich baritone and accomplished rhythm guitar make for fine delivery of well-crafted story-songs. Mike’s originals are a fun mix of sweet and hysterical, and he laces in bright lead guitar and mandolin throughout. Info: www opendoorwinebar.com.

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

HOUSING:

building a new home.

Continued from page 1

consistently been 25-30 percent of all transactions and many, according to realtors, are for cash.

Pine Meadow Village had two sales last month for $1 million-plus. A home at Grand Peaks closed for $968,564. Grand Peaks first hit the market four years ago, offered in the mid-tohigh $500 thousands.

The average home price in August of 2022 was $905,522 as compared to this August when the average clocked in at $832,693. The more useful gauge of the market — the median price — hit $840,000 in July according to Realtor. com. The median price last month was a more realistic $720,000, down from the August 2022 median of $740,000.

With a 20 percent down payment, at today’s interest rates of 7.125 percent, the monthly payment on the median Sisters home price would be $4,886. Based on the industry’s 28/36 rule the buyer(s) would need to have a combined income of $207,000 to make that purchase. That income is in the top eight percent of all earners according to Investopedia.

Affordability of Sisters homes remains stubbornly out of reach for all but the wealthiest of buyers. Only four homes sold last month for less than $500,000. The price per square foot shows some relief, dropping from $435 in August of 2022 to $404 last month as building materials have cooled. However, labor costs have shown no respite for buyers

Twenty-five percent of all homes sold in Sisters last month were new construction, a trend that should continue even as Hayden Homes is sold out. New large-scale projects like Sisters Woodlands and Sunset Meadows will bring about 400 units onto the market over the next five years but at prices around $600/sq. ft.

Prices also remain high as inventory is low. There are 76 single-family properties for sale in Sisters Country as of last Friday, down from 118 only two months earlier. Only five are listed under $500,000.

It takes longer to sell a home in Sisters according to Realtor.com, who say it requires 58 days on average. National broker Redfin says the number is 25, the same as a year ago. Sellers are generally sticking to their guns and getting 96 to 97 percent of their asking price based on reports from Zillow and Trulia.

Housing costs have driven the cost of living in Sisters to 138.2 percent of the national average.

There is a distinct softening in apartment rentals. For much of the last three years it was nearly impossible to find a traditional apartment as opposed to home rentals. Oxbow Apartments, a 50-unit complex in town, has units that have been available for nearly two months.

About 25 rental units, the majority homes, are currently listed in Sisters for an average of $2,650/ month, also considered unaffordable by comparison. The U.S. national average is $1,702/month and in Oregon, statewide, the number is $1,800 according to Rent.com.

CHORALE: Program will continue with returning director

Continued from page 3

in New York.

Liden is returning, agreeing to serve as the Chorale’s interim conductor for the fall season.

“I hope we are able to recruit a strong, permanent leader for the spring and going forward, one who is younger and can serve for many years,” Liden told The Nugget

Liden, in her 80s, is fit, and brings a high degree of energy to the group despite her years. She describes herself as a taskmaster and hopes to challenge the singers to perform beyond the printed page.

“I want them to know what the composer meant, and why the piece was written,” she said.

She hopes to “blend the group’s voices and sound” saying that the “size of the group isn’t as important as their quality.”

Rehearsals, held at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters, begin September 11. They take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. weekly. The annual holiday concert performed at Sisters Community Church is typically held in early December but Liden hopes to move it closer to Christmas.

There are no formal auditions per se and interested singers are urged to come to the first rehearsal to see if they are a match for the group. Liden is particularly hopeful of attracting more

male voices. She is looking for a mix of mature and younger voices. Some 25 choristers

are expected to return for the season. She intends to introduce more languages to the program as well.

Affordability continues to be a serious issue

Irene Liden is back in action with High Desert Chorale.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Novelist tells tales of mountaineering

Oregon writer David Stevenson will present his latest collection of mountaineering short stories at Paulina Springs Books, on Thursday, September 7, at 6:30 p.m.

In the new and previously uncollected stories that make up “Points of Astonishment,” Stevenson follows through on the promise of his “Letters from Chamonix”, winner of the Banff Mountain Book Award for Fiction and Poetry.

These eight short stories describe the fates of their fictional climbers on stages as intimate as their own living room, and as vast and unforgiving as the remote Himalaya. Stevenson stirs up a mix of humanity, language, and mountainous terrain and lays bare the answers to the question every fiction writer asks: What if?

Lady Outlaws start season strong

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Stevenson is the author of five books. His writing has received many awards, including the Boulevard Fiction Award for Emerging Writers, The Montana Prize for Fiction, and the H. Adams Carter Literary Award from the American Alpine Club, among others. Since 1995 he has served as the book reviews editor of The American Alpine Journal. He has taught at many universities, including the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he directed the MFA program in creative writing for fourteen years. He lives with his wife on the central coast of Oregon.

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

For more information about the event call 541.549.0866 or visit www. paulinaspringsbooks.com.

The Lady Outlaws opened their soccer season with a 5-0 shutout against the Cowgirls on Tuesday, August 29, in a non-league contest that was moved to Crook County due to the smoky conditions in Sisters.

Katy Ryan scored Sisters’ first goal. She dribbled the ball and beat her opponent and sent the ball into the lower corner for the goal. Zoee Bafford scored with a finish from a nice cross from Lilly Sundstrom.

Marley Holden scored twice for the Outlaws, the first on a penalty kick into the upper left corner. Her second goal came when Sundstrom beat her opponent on the outside and crossed the ball to the middle of the goal to Marley, who finished with a shot straight into the net.

Ella Davis wrapped up Sisters’ scoring effort with a goal in the final minute of the

contest. The ball was played through to Davis, who beat the goalkeeper and scored in the upper left corner.

Sisters’ defense did a great job in shutting down the Cowgirls. Coach Brian Holden noted Izzy Schiller.

“Izzy has taken on the role to organize and run our defense this year,” said Holden. “She has a very high soccer IQ, clear communication, and a great work ethic. Players respect her and respond to her voice, which will be important in this year’s season.”

Juhree Kizziar and Lilly Sundstrom were both noted for their play.

Holden told The Nugget that Kizziar continues to be a versatile player, always willing to play anywhere on the field with a smile on her face. In this particular game she played as an outside back because of her speed, agility, and athleticism.

Sundstrom will be a threat from the outside with her great crosses to the middle of

the goal. During this game, Lilly had a couple of good scoring opportunities, and ended the contest with two assists.

Holden said, “We were all in agreement that we played a little scattered and frantic at times, but we’re confident we’ll soon find a rhythm and will click together. All but two players were asked to play in new positions. With the seniors we lost last year, players will need to be more versatile. So far most of the team are willing to do that.”

The Outlaws were to play at Creswell on Tuesday, September 5. They will hit the road again on Thursday for a game at Pleasant Hill.

With the seniors we lost last year, players will need to be more versatile.

— Coach Brian Holden

Higher pay sought for wildland firefighters

By Julia Shumway Oregon Capital Chronicle

As fires rage in Oregon, U.S. Rep. Lori ChavezDeRemer joined a bipartisan group of senators and representatives pushing to permanently boost pay for wildland firefighters.

Federal wildland firefighters received temporary pay boosts through the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021, which ensured they make at least $15 per hour – wildland firefighters work a base 40 hours. They also received temporary raises of $20,000 or 50 percent of their base pay a year, whichever was less, in 2022.

But those raises are set to expire on September 30. Legislation proposed in the U.S. House and Senate aim to permanently increase pay for wildland firefighters and provide supplemental pay boosts for each day a firefighter is deployed to a fire.

“I’m honored to join this bipartisan effort in support of our wildland firefighters, who run towards danger to keep our communities safe,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement. “Unfortunately, time is running out to ensure they continue receiving the pay they deserve.”

The Senate version of the bill, spearheaded by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Arizona, received a favorable vote out of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in July.

Republished under Creative Commons courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

Outlaws snatch win in final minute against Burns

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Sisters edged out Burns 19-13 last Friday night, with a touchdown that came in the final minute of play.

The Outlaws had a rough start, and at the end of the first quarter trailed 0-7. They turned it around in the second quarter, buckled down and scored twice, with both touchdowns by Tony Gonzalez, the first on a three-yard run and the second on a one-yard run. Burns also managed to get a TD and teams entered the half with the score knotted up 13-13.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, and the score remained tied until the final minute of the game.

With just 22 seconds left on the clock, Hunter Bronson threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Landen Scott, and the home crowd went wild. They jumped to their feet with shouts and cheers. Sisters then recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.

Tony Gonzales finished the night with 23 carries for 84 yards and two TDs. Justin DeSmet had 23 carries for 64 yards. Landon Scott had two catches for 51 yards and one TD, and DeSmet had two catches for 34 yards.

DeSmet led the team with five tackles, Spencer Davis recorded four, and Garret Sager had three. Reid Woodson, Kolbi Cotner, Dawson Roberson, Kale Mock, Kody Cassano, Scott Henderson, and Kalvin Parker pitched in with two tackles each.

Several players had to play out of position due to injury and various other reasons.

Garrett Sager made a move to tackle from his tight end position and did a good job, as did first-year player Finn Stancliff who started at center. Jayden Vogt and Jozua also had great moments for the Outlaws on the line.

Coach Gary Thorson noted running backs Tony

Gonzalez and Justin DeSmet for their solid play and stated they ran the ball hard.

Hunter Bronson made his first start as quarterback and completed some crucial throws and did a great job leading the offense. Landen Scott made his debut at wide receiver and had several key catches, including the game-winning catch for the final TD.

Thorson said, “Defensively, we had great play from our two free safeties, Justin DeSmet and Spencer Davis, with DeSmet leading the team in tackles for the night with five and Davis second. DeSmet forced a key fumble to halt a Burns drive late in the third quarter. Kolbi Cotner also had a good night on the defensive side of the ball and blocked a PAT for us in the second quarter.”

Thorson added, “Reid Woodson, who handles all our kicking duties, showed great promise in that role and recovered his own squib kick in a crazy moment at the end

of the game to help seal the win for Sisters.”

Of the team’s performance, Thorson noted, “We were very pleased at the effort and fight the players showed in this ball game. We are very young and overall an inexperienced team and that showed at times. But, the upside of this team is tremendous. We

will improve each and every week and it will be a fun ride throughout the season as we watch this team grow.”

The Outlaws will host Madras on Friday, September 8. Military veterans from both Sisters and Madras will be honored at a ceremony just prior to kickoff. All veterans will receive free admission.

Justin DeSmet with big run in the Sisters Outlaws’ 19-13 win over Burns.

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

Commentary...

Boat Drinks

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Our first winter in Sisters in 1993-94 was rough.

My wife, Marilyn, and I were newly married and broke. We had plowed all of our sparse funds into moving to Sisters so that Marilyn could take a job working with Phil Arends at Desert Wings Travel. I didn’t have a gig.

We moved into a double-wide trailer across East Cascade Avenue from Sisters Elementary School. Through Christmas, it was all new and beautiful and magical. By February, we were thinking maybe we’d made a big mistake. I was piecing together a variety of odd jobs and had started freelancing at The Nugget — but money was real tight. And… it was February. It was cold and dank, and overcast all the time, the kind of weather that gets into your head. It seemed like we’d never see sunshine again.

Looking back, what got us through was music. Specifically, Jimmy Buffett. My work buddy Leith Easterling would come over to the trailer and we’d all sing “Boat Drinks.”

I gotta go where it’s warm

It may be no exaggeration to say that the only thing that kept me from shooting six holes in my freezer was singing about it…

This morning I shot six holes in my freezer

I think I got cabin fever

Somebody sound the alarm

Things turned around. Marilyn’s job got going well, and I started working part time at Paulina Springs Books and churning out multiple articles every week for The Nugget. Pretty soon I was at the paper full-time. We tossed out our anchor, and here we are — in no small part thanks to Jimmy Buffett.

That kind of story isn’t uncommon. Jimmy Buffett’s music helped people make an emergency escape to some island in the

Caribbean, or to that one particular harbor, for the past 50 years.

Buffett made himself into a lifestyle brand, and it earned him a reported net worth of $1 billion. But the foundation was the songs. The penchant for novelty tunes and the Parrothead phenomenon can sometimes obscure the fact that Buffett wrote some really fine ones: “A Pirate Looks at 40”; “Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season”; “Tin Cup Chalice”; “He Went to Paris” — those songs stand up in any company.

The sun-and-fun image aside, there’s a certain wistful melancholy to Buffett’s best work, a recognition that the good things in life are fleeting and that life must be grasped while we’ve got it — not with frenetic energy, but with … I guess you might call it mindfulness. Be here in the small moments, because someday those moments will run out.

Alone on a midnight passage

I can count the falling stars

While the Southern Cross and the satellites

They remind me of where we are

Spinning around in circles

Living it day to day

And still 24 hours, maybe 60 good years

It’s really not that long a stay

Jimmy Buffett’s stay on this plane ended September 1 at the age of 76. The news of his passing hit a lot of folks hard, because his music and that approach to living was so deeply interwoven into their own lives.

I’ll admit that Marilyn and I both shed a tear in the kitchen, and I know we’re not alone. But I’m not sad, not really. Because we know that if we’re living right, we can look back like the old man who lives in the islands and fishes the pylons, drinking that greenlabel each day. If we’re lucky we can smile and say…

Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic

But I had a good life all the way.

Outlaws earn crown at invitational

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws volleyball team traveled to Klamath Falls on Saturday, September 2, and walked away as the tournament champs of the Basin Invitational.

Sisters cruised through the morning pool play unscathed while showcasing their team depth. In the afternoon they were pitted against a scrappy Bonanza team in the opening of bracket play.

The Outlaws’ steady defensive effort and strategic serves were key in their two straight set wins against the Antlers, 25-18 and 25-9.

In the championship game the Outlaws faced Mazama, a very talented and athletic squad. Sisters used an imposing blocking front line to win the first set 25-14. However, the Vikings didn’t go away quietly, but came out swinging in the second set. The Outlaws showed their experience and poise, and weathered every run the Vikings came at them with.

Sisters erased a five-point deficit, and recorded the 26-24 win.

Gracie Vohs led the Outlaws with 31 kills, and Gracelyn Myhre was next with 29. Bailey Robertson added 17 kills. Mia Monaghan led the team in digs with 42 and Holly Davis dished out

80 assists. Jordyn Monaghan tallied 11 aces, and Vohs and Davis recorded five aces each.

At the start of the week, on Tuesday, August 29, the Lady Outlaws kicked off their season at home in a three-way match against 5A Caldera and 4A Crook County. It was an impressive showing for the Outlaws who cruised to a victory in both contests.

Sisters used a barrage of attacks all over the floor, and Caldera and Crook County didn’t have an answer.

Gracelyn Myhre led the attack with 23 kills for both matches, followed by Kathryn Scholl who finished with 22. Gracie Vohs recorded 17 kills and Bailey Robertson had 14.

The Outlaws also were stellar at the service line. Holly Davis led the team with service streaks of five, six, and nine.

Coach Rory Rush said, “It was great to see a total team effort from the ladies to start the year. Every girl on the floor played cohesive and aggressive. It was a great bench mark for us to see how far we’ve come to start the season.”

Two days later the Outlaws played on the road against 4A Baker and 3A Burns.

Sisters went up quickly in their match against Baker, and put the game away with a 3-0 sweep.

Their match against

Burns was a different story. The tough Highlander team had a rowdy crowd backing them, which created a feisty environment. Rush told The Nugget that the Lady Outlaws showed a maturity this early in the season that pleases her.

Sisters weathered run after run from Burns, and each set went down to the wire with neither team gaining more than a five-point edge.

“The girls looked unflappable in some of the most pivotal moments,” said Rush. “As the ball hit the floor on the final kill, the Outlaws rejoiced at center court having secured a very tough nonleague win against a team they fully expect to see later in the season.”

Gracelyn Myhre led the team with 18 kills, followed by Gracie Vohs who tallied 17. Bailey Robertson and Kathryn Scholl added seven kills each. Holly Davis dished out 46 assists and Mia Monaghan recorded 18 digs.

“Our team showed a lot of grit tonight in an environment that wasn’t easy to play in,” added Rush. “Burns is an extremely tough team and we have a lot of respect for them. They gave us a very tough test today and I couldn’t be more proud of the consistent play we performed with. Our girls showed heart and unity and as their coach that is all you can ask for.”

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

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

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

ODFW authorized killing wolves

By Alex Baumgartner Oregon Capital Chronicle

State fish and wildlife officials authorized the killing of six gray wolves in eastern Oregon during the past six weeks, bringing relief to ranchers who lost livestock to the wolves and heartache and anger to conservationists who see the killings as inhumane and ineffective.

The six wolves were caught with foothold traps and then shot by employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services division. They were killed in Union and Wallowa counties after preying on privately owned livestock, according to Beth Quillian, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

For the state fish and wildlife agency to issue a permit for the killing of wolves, ranchers must document at least two incidents of livestock predation within nine consecutive months and alternative mitigation strategies must have failed, according to Quillian.

But conservationists say it doesn’t make sense to kill the limited number of wolves in Oregon. Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, points to the numbers. The state has over a

million cows and more than 160,000 sheep. Until 2021, gray wolves in Oregon were on the federal Endangered Species List, and as of late 2022, there were 178 in the state. That’s up from just 173 in 2020 and 175 in 2021, according to Oregon’s fish and wildlife department.

On July 21, the state fish and wildlife department authorized the killing of up to four wolves from the Five Points Pack in Union County after two attacks on livestock within two weeks.

They were the second and third attacks in the area within eight months. By August 4, two adult females, one adult male and a one-year-old female wolf were killed by USDA employees on behalf of the ranchers.

On August 15, state fish and wildlife officials issued permits to kill up to two members of the Wildcat Pack in Wallowa County after three attacks on livestock within three months. The ranchers attempted ground and aerial monitoring and moved cattle outside of normal pasture areas to avoid wolf conflict but this did not deter the wolves, according to the fish and wildlife department.

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

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Ride For Life...

Motorcyclists concluded a “Eucharistic Revival Event” with a benediction at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church in Sisters last month. The pilgrimage, with the goal of reaching Planned Parenthood in Ontario, Oregon, honored “the precious gift of life from conception to natural death.” It was led by Father Saji Thomas and Father Sibi Polouse of the Sisters church.

Taxpayers can expect strong ‘kicker’

By Julia Shumway Oregon Capital Chronicle

The median Oregon taxpayer will receive close to $1,000 back on their taxes next year thanks to state tax revenue continuing to surpass expectations, state economists told lawmakers Wednesday.

Oregon’s latest quarterly economic forecast, released Wednesday, tells a familiar story: Tax collections and wages are higher than before the COVID pandemic and inflation remains high, though it slowed in recent months.

And the State is set to pay out a record-breaking $5.6 billion through the unique “kicker” rebate, which kicks in when revenues collected exceed official projections. Oregonians will receive money back when they file their 2023 tax returns next spring, and higher-income Oregonians who pay more in taxes will receive more money back.

The rosy forecast – the third this year – indicates the state is in an “inflationary boom,” with growth outpacing expectations. It prompted calls by Democratic and Republican leaders for investment in services and infrastructure in Oregon, including housing, roads, and water.

On the kicker, economists predict the top 1 percent of earners, with adjusted gross incomes higher than $466,700, will bring home $44,600. The median taxpayer, who earns between $35,000 and $40,000, can expect about $980 back. The average taxpayer, who earns just less than $70,000, would see a $2,100 rebate. And the

lowest 20 percent of taxpayers — who earn less than $11,400 annually — would receive just $60.

“This really does seem dramatic here in terms of the differences in this kicker credit across income tiers in Oregon, where really the vast majority of the credit goes to higher-income filers,” state economist Mark McMullen told a legislative panel. “Now, that’s not necessarily unfair, given that the percentages are the same. What it reflects is that Oregon has a progressive tax system, and that the higher income filers have a lot more liability in 2022 than lower income filers.”

The actual numbers may shift as more high-income taxpayers who requested extensions file their tax returns over the coming weeks. Oregon has never had a kicker this size: the previous record, set in 2022, was $1.9 billion.

“This one isn’t just bigger,” said Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene and chair of the House Revenue Committee. “It’s a multiple of a few times bigger.”

Along with sending more money back to taxpayers, lawmakers will have more money to put toward state services and programs. They already approved a $31.9 billion state budget for the next two years, but they can add extra funding during the short legislative session that begins in February.

General fund resources are up $437 million, thanks in large part to higher-thanexpected corporate tax filings.

Republished courtesy of https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

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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.

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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.

102 Commercial Rentals LONG-TERM RV & TRAILER PARKING. New 23' spaces available in Sisters for immediate occupancy. Gated and secure with 24/7 surveillance and personal lockbox code.

www.travelersrestrvstorage.com 541-719-8644

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

• 8 x 20 dry box

• Fenced yard, RV & trailers

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

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

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

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

103 Residential Rentals

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes.

CascadeHomeRentals.com

PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

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

Printed list at 221 S. Ash, Sisters

Ponderosa Properties LLC

104 Vacation Rentals

Downtown Vacation Rentals Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

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

www.SistersVacation.com

107 Rentals Wanted

Looking for a room/loft to rent. Call Tim at 541-306-7340 or lynchpinstim@gmail.com.

201 For Sale

Manual canvas awning 14' wide, 8' deep, excellent condition, $350. Email maria_pickles@icloud.com

205

Garage & Estate Sales

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!

Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by...

Daiya 541-480-2806

Sharie 541-771-1150

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

SMALL Engine REPAIR

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

Traveler Ultra-Light Guitar

Smallest, lightest, full-scale travel guitar! Right-handed, acoustic/electric, satin-finish maple, Piezo pickup, 1.75" nut width, 22 frets, 24.75" scale length. Size in gig bag: 30" long, 3 lbs. 12 oz. Comes with removable lap rest, gig bag, strap, picks, and Vox Classic Rock headphone amp. $365 value Like new, $260. 541-944-8494 (call/text)

202 Firewood SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD

• SINCE 1976 • Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir Compost by the yard DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES – 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com

Order Online! 541-410-4509

LODGEPOLE PINE

Very Seasoned Firewood Logs

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters.

301 Vehicles

2003 F250 SUPER DUTY, 4WD, V10, automatic. Extra set of wheels and tires and toolbox. Runs good. 199K miles. $4,900. Call 503-435-8679.

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality

Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

CUSTOM CAR GARAGES

HEATED, INSULATED 541-419-2502

401 Horses

ALFALFA

TRITICALE

ORCHARD GRASS HAY

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

403 Pets

GERMAN WIREHAIRED

POINTER PUPPIES. Excellent bloodlines, parents strong upland and waterfowl dogs. Ready end of September. Call 541-408-6256

203 Recreation Equipment

Sera is looking for a good home. At 9 years old and 72 lbs., Sera is a healthy dog. 541-233-8399.

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

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

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

Located in Sisters, we specialize in payroll solutions that fit your needs! Give us a call for more information on how we can help you and your business. Contact jennifer@ makinandassociates.com, or call 503-826-7909.

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

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

501 Computers & Communications

SISTERS SATELLITE

TV • PHONE • INTERNET

Your authorized local dealer for DirecTV, ViaSat HS Internet and more! CCB # 191099 541-318-7000 • 541-306-0729

Technology Problems?

I can fix them for you. Solving for Business & Home Computers, Tablets, Networking Internet (Starlink), and more!

Jason Williams Sisters local • 25 yrs. experience 541-719-8329

Oregontechpro.com

502 Carpet & Upholstery

Cleaning

M & J CARPET CLEANING Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090

GORDON’S LAST TOUCH

Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY

Member Better Business Bureau

• Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008

504 Handyman

JONES UPGRADES LLC

Home Repairs & Remodeling Drywall, Decks, Pole Barns, Fences, Sheds & more. Mike Jones, 503-428-1281

Local resident • CCB #201650

600 Tree Service & Forestry

TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT

VHT Guitar Speaker Cabinet Special 6 112 1x12 Closed-Back 60 watts, 16 ohms, 2 speaker jacks, black tolex, 35 lbs. Like new, $240. 541-944-8494 (call/text)

New Maytag Washer & Dryer Top-load washer, electric dryer, white. $1,000. 541-419-2502

Junk

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

— Certified Arborist — Nate Goodwin 541-771-4825

Online at: timberstandimprovement.net

CCB#190496 • ISA #PN7987A

DOING

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