The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVI No. 40 // 2023-10-04

The Nugget

News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters immersed in music over weekend

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

The 2023 Sisters Folk Festival — the 26th — opened Friday under Portland-like weather, with a steady mist under overcast skies, the temperature just barely reaching 50.

Appearing on seven stages scattered around town, artists did their best to boost the mood and stay warm. Attendees warmed to their sounds and musicianship. Beer sales dipped and coffee and cocoa sales soared. Folks huddled under well-placed, patio-style propane heaters, but none were complaining.

Being serious music lovers, they were commiserating with artists struggling to tune their instruments against the climate barriers. They were still keenly engaged while strategizing how to see it all – 33 acts from all over the world representing multiple genres of roots music, from folk and bluegrass to jazz and country-blues.

The Festival sold out well before the weekend’s events got underway.

As usual, folks came from around a dozen states, some driving all night and day to get here. Angie and Tad

Walton, who left Cedar City, Utah after work Thursday, rolled in at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon.

“Weather? What weather?” they cracked.

“Hey, we came for the music, not the scenery, even though that’s pretty amazing,” Angie allowed.

Like many, they came underdressed in fleece and flannels, when parkas and wool ponchos were the day’s predominant attire.

Hunting season in full swing around Sisters

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Signs of autumn are everywhere — cooler days, turning leaves, seasonal rain, and thankfully, snow returning to our mountains. And there are hunters, archery and rifle, taking to the woods in search of game. Central Oregon has a rich and deep hunting tradition, often running multiple generations.

As more hunters are visible from late September into November, so too are those charged with keeping them safe and in compliance. That duty falls upon the Oregon State Police. Oregon is one of only two states, the other being Alaska, where

SMS adjusting Outdoor School

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sisters Middle School (SMS) is modifying its Outdoor School program, which runs October 16-18 at Camp Tamarack west of Sisters.

wildlife protection is under the auspices of a police agency rather than a civilian administrative unit such as a fish and game commission.

There are 126 sworn officers with OSP (Oregon State Police) Fish and Wildlife Division, all fully trained state troopers just like the ones who enforce traffic or work in the criminal division. These officers have additional training but unlike their patrol counterparts are rarely seen. They work deep in the woods, marshes, prairies, rivers, and skies.

The OSP Fish and Wildlife Division maintains four aircraft used for a variety

“Inside the tents it’s just fine, actually not stuffy like when it’s hot,” mused Jerry Fiedler from Boise. “I’m good with it. The music more than makes up for any drizzle. Not sure how the fiddlers are coping.”

Saturday was a whole other story as the sun gradually started a takeover around 10 a.m. By noon, when bands were taking stage, it was as if the climate gods said: There Shall Be Sun and Fun and

All Good Things in Sisters.

Crowds grew in size, as did their enthusiasm. Talk about the weather ceased and all conversation turned to the main attraction: music. Lots of it.

Eateries, stunted Friday night, were crammed full all day Saturday and into the late evening. And suddenly everybody was a critic or music promoter heaping

In response to a variety of parent concerns, the school is offering an option for students to attend only during the day rather than staying overnight, and the opportunity for parent volunteers to stay overnight at the camp, according to SMS Principal Tim Roth.

Last year, the Outdoor School experience became a focus of controversy when the Culver School District pulled students from a threeday/two-night excursion to the camp after some of them reported feeling uncomfortable with the gender identity of some of the high-schoolage counselors. Sisters

See OPTION on page 19

Neighborhood changes its name

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

A substantial contingent of residents turned out on a drippy Friday afternoon, September 29, to mark the renaming of their neighborhood.

The subdivision off of Wilt Road north of Sisters formerly known as Squaw Creek Canyon Estates is now officially Whychus Canyon Estates. The neighbors unveiled an updated and restored neighborhood sign in an informal observance on Friday.

The change lines the neighborhood up with the name of the canyon and creek it overlooks. Squaw Creek was renamed Whychus Creek in 2006, as the state of Oregon began to eliminate

geographical names featuring the word “squaw,” which was deemed offensive by some Native American people. Whether the Algonkianlanguage term for a young

woman is or should be universally considered offensive is debated.

In any case, the renaming of the creek tapped a historical

See HUNTING on page 18 See WHYCHUS on page 18

Residents of the newly renamed Whychus Canyon Estates unveiled a new neighborhood sign last week.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Bab L’Bluz brought a Moroccan flair to the stage at Sisters Folk Festival.

PHOTO BY TIM LEBARGE

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.

Development and affordability

To the Editor:

The Central Oregon Daily on September 6 reported that the 2020 Census data revealed that 33 percent of the people moving to Deschutes County between 2016 and 2020 came from California and, of the other 66 percent, half came from other parts of Oregon and half from other parts of the country.

The implications of this are worth pondering.

Perhaps the most important is that the housing “crisis” in Deschutes County has little or nothing to do with organic demand. Instead, it is driven by external forces abetted

by promoters (chambers of commerce, tourist advocates, developers, and the like). There is no lack of housing in Deschutes County for those who are moving here and are willing to pay the price. So why do the County and the State claim there is a crisis? Have they invented a crisis in order to attract newcomers and to try to manipulate demand to the benefit of developers? The assertion that there is a lack of “affordable” housing and, therefore, we need massive development rings hollow. Affordable for whom?

Massive development will not significantly lower the price of homes. It only lines

See LETTERS on page 13

Sisters Weather Forecast

Choose your circus

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

A friend of mine wore a T-shirt the other day exhorting us to “Keep Calm and Circus On.”

It struck me as an apt slogan for the times, for surely we are living in a circus — though perhaps not the kind my friend adores. Our republic is careening in a clown car toward a presidential election rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden that a substantial plurality of Americans — or a clear majority depending on how you look at the data — don’t want. A recent NBC poll shows Biden with a net favorability rating of 39 percent positive and 49 percent negative, with Trump at 35 percent positive and 54 percent negative.

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Trump seemingly has an insurmountable lead over any Republican Party rival, despite the fact that he will likely spend most of the 2023-24 campaign season in court under a mountain of indictments — some perhaps spurious or overcharged, and some legitimate and very serious. The Democratic Party is apparently sticking with Biden — or is stuck with him — despite disqualifying failures in Afghanistan and at the border, and the mounting evidence that he’s in no kind of shape to do the job until he’s 86.

So, we’re going to be trapped in a devil’s choice between whoever we perceive as the lesser of two evils — or, as my late mother would say, the evil of two lessers. I’m out. Once again, I will write in Jim Webb — Marine veteran, assistant secretary of the Navy in the Reagan Administration, and, for a flashing, hopeful moment, a 2016 Democratic Party candidate for president. Call it a protest vote if you will — I just want to vote for someone I would actually like to see as president.

The clown car swerved to avoid a government shutdown over the weekend, but there’s nothing to stop it from rolling around again in November for another show. From fire-alarm pullers on the left to gurning obstructionist performance artists on the right, work that has serious implications across the globe is turned into a clown show. But maybe that’s unfair — to clowns. Clowns are actually entertaining.

I fear I am too much of a news junkie to just turn away from the spectacle,

even though I’m sure it would be healthier to do so. We can’t pretend that the circus doesn’t produce consequences — it does, and those consequences may be significant after 2024. But it’s not like any of us are going to move the needle merely by paying attention.

If we’re looking for answers to vexing questions, we’re not serving ourselves well by turning to a system that is increasingly incapable of delivering solutions to anything at all.

In fact, the more attention, clicks, and dollars we send off, the more spectacle we get. It doesn’t shape outcomes, it merely pumps up the volume.

We have to be careful not to get so discouraged by all of this that we become mired in cynicism. Nugget columnist Craig Rullman recently kicked up a quote from the late poet and novelist Jim Harrison that serves as a valuable reminder:

“We are drenched in cynicism, psychologisms, explanations, but life is still there, its essence quite beyond spin, its cycle as surely set as it always has been.”

Ah, yes… real life.

We each have our own circus to attend to, don’t we? Life can get pretty wild all on its own. We’re more fortunate than most in that what we do in what remains a small and tight-knit community can really mean something — our actions here in Sisters can affect our lives and the lives of others in positive and noticeable ways. We can choose our circus — and it can be a lot more fun than a political one. Volunteers build houses and trails, they teach and mentor, they promote art and athletics. They clean things up and sort things out.

My own particular circus is Sisters Folk Festival, and we had a heckuva good time under the big top last weekend. I believe I’ll shut off the national noise for a bit and savor the memories as I “Keep Calm and Circus

PHOTO BY SUE STRATER

National commander visits Sisters American Legion Post

School-based health center to expand

The Sisters School-Based Health Center (SBHC), located adjacent to Sisters High School, will soon expand its operations from two days a week to four days a week, thanks to a partnership between Mosaic Community Health, St. Charles Health System, and Deschutes County.

On October 18, Mosaic will assume operations of the health center, which is currently operated by St. Charles Health System in a building owned by Deschutes County.

said Tamarra Harris, pediatrics manager for Mosaic.

“In addition to a pediatrictrained medical provider, we also plan to have a full-time behavioral health consultant on-site. We want to thank our community partners, St. Charles and Deschutes County, for supporting this transition, which will benefit our community.”

Veterans from American Legion Post 86 gathered at Spoons café in Sisters on Tuesday, September 26, to greet newly elected National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer, who is on a whirlwind tour of posts across the nation.

Seehafer was elected national commander of The American Legion on August 31 in Charlotte, N.C., during the 104th national convention.

Seehafer says, “It’s personal,” when it comes to The American Legion’s mission of serving veterans and their families. That was evident in the passionate talk he gave at Spoons. He reminded the Sisters veterans organization that The American Legion plays a critical role in giving mission and purpose to veterans after their military service. That can literally be a life-or-death matter.

“We change lives and we save lives,” he said.

An ordained minister from Wisconsin, Seehafer

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

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

Alcoholics A nonymou s

earned his American Legion eligibility through service in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, where he served as a military chaplain. A member of American Legion Post 157 in Horicon, Wisconsin, Seehafer served in a number of American Legion offices at every level, including national chaplain and commander of the Department of Wisconsin.

He was installed as assistant pastor of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Horicon in 1997 and continues to serve as administrative pastor of the church and its school.

Seehafer’s background as a pastor was on display as he spoke before the Sisters Post in what amounted to a sermon on the importance of embracing veterans, even many years after their service. Veteran suicide continues to be a significant problem, one that the American Legion is addressing through its Be the One initiative — as in being the one who reaches out to help a fellow veteran.

The Be the One campaign seeks to

• Destigmatize asking for mental health support, creating opportunity for those with mental health issues to speak freely and get the support they need.

• Provide peer-to-peer support and resources in local communities.

• Deploy FDA-approved therapeutics for veterans to identify issues and find resources for support.

Seehafer said that veterans’ struggles often revolve around two elements — fractured relationships and financial troubles. He recounted the story of a veteran struggling with both. He joined his local American Legion post, which reached out to embrace him. The veteran became deeply involved in the post’s activities, which gave him a renewed sense of meaning and purpose and pulled him out of what could have been a deadly spiral. The man went on to become his post’s commander.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide additional access to pediatric patients in Sisters by offering expanded hours for the health center,”

Under Mosaic, which operates six additional SBHCs throughout Central Oregon, the health center will provide a pediatric-trained medical provider, a full-time behavioral health consultant, a community health

Seed to Table changes leadership structure

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Seed to Table (S2T) has grown into an integral part of Sisters Country. Farming in the High Desert is no easy task, but founder and current Executive Director Audrey Tehan found a way. With the skilled hands of Tehan and the S2T farm team, locally grown produce is more readily accessible to community members.

With all that’s been achieved by developing S2T as a nonprofit organization, the board and staff agree it’s time to broaden the staff leadership team.

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.

“Audrey has done an incredible job creating and leading Seed to Table’s programming in education, food access, and management of the Sisters Farmers Market. Now it’s time for her to focus her talents and energy on the farm, and bring in a new team member to handle the business side of the organization,” said board member Katy Yoder.

Tehan will transition from being both the executive director and managing the farm to a new position as

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 Astronomy Club 3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPR D. 5 41-5 49 -8 8 46

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 BY JIM CORNELIUS

Daniel J. Seehafer, national commander of the American Legion, visited Sisters American Legion Post 86.

SFF artists shared music at SHS

By Olivia Nieto Correspondent

Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) was a weekend full of extraordinary music, entertainment, and community joy. The Festival didn’t only span the weekend; the artists also performed elsewhere during their stay in Sisters.

One of these venues was Sisters High School (SHS). For 23 years SHS has hosted a select number of these visiting musicians to perform in a school-wide assembly.

Brad Tisdel, creative director of SFF, invited three separate bands to share their music. Handmade Moments and Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs came from New Orleans, and the third, Humbird, came from Minnesota.

Handmade Moments featured an acoustic duo playing

instruments ranging from the sousaphone to a bass clarinet.

The band played three songs, the last one a story-focused tune that shared the tale of how one of the members recovered from a life-threatening car crash. The number was accurately titled “Help Is On the Way.”

Humbird, another folk band who have toured fulltime across the U.S. and U.K., shared hauntingly beautiful songs, playing with a drummer, electric guitar, and upright bass. Lead singer Siri Undlin was even helping in an SHS class earlier in the week, collaborating with and teaching the young musicians in an Americana songwriting camp.

The final band to visit was Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs, a group of four musicians, who played a mix of New Orleans-inspired

jazz, hip-hop, and rock music. Lead singer Shamarr Allen played the pocket trumpet while accompanied by a bassist, drummer, and electric guitar player. The whole school enjoyed the upbeat music and gathered in front of the stage to dance. Even the teachers joined in on the festivities, dancing on the sidelines.

Tisdel expressed his thanks to the artists for taking time out of their days to showcase their talent to the students of Sisters.

“We’re so lucky to have world-renowned artists in our midst…I want to advocate for arts and expression that this school and festival have been collaborating on for so long,” Tisdel said.

The students were sure to remember the assembly and leave feeling grateful for their ability to experience it.

Burning season opens in Sisters Country

Open burning within the Black Butte Ranch, Cloverdale, and SistersCamp Sherman Fire Districts is allowed as of Tuesday, October 3, at daylight. Residents are strongly encouraged to contact their local fire protection agencies for additional burning information and regulations.

Some municipalities, such as the City of Sisters, do not allow yard debris burning at any time during the year within their jurisdictions, and certain homeowner’s associations may have further restrictions in place.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District utilizes an online registration system for burning. The online system can be accessed by visiting www.sistersfire.com, or the “Burn Permits” app available in both the Apple and Google Play stores. The Burn Permits app can be downloaded

directly to your smartphone.

Residents in the SistersCamp Sherman Fire District should register their address and schedule their burn days using the online system.

Residents that have previously registered their address in the system should still check burning status daily and schedule a burn through the online system for each day they intend to burn. The requirement to check in each day is based on changing atmospheric and weather conditions such as wind or air dryness. The Fire District’s on-duty shift commanders will make a determination and update the system before 8 a.m. each day regarding whether burning will be allowed within the District.

Residents in the Cloverdale Fire District can visit https://www.cloverdale fire.com/burning-reg to

register for a burn permit. Residents in Black Butte Ranch Fire District should contact the fire department at 541-595-2288 to schedule a burn.

Safety during open burn season is of the utmost importance. The online reporting system allows Fire District staff the ability to see who is burning on a daily basis, immediately notify users of changing conditions, message important fire safety information, ensure that those planning to burn are aware of the City of Sisters’ outdoor burn ban, and that the right jurisdiction is being notified of the planned burn. Local fire departments will continue to monitor weather and fuel moisture conditions in their district and may make modifications on a day-to-day basis. Call your local fire agency for more information.

Handmade Moments performed for students at Sisters High School.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Boys soccer splits games on the pitch

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The boys soccer squad posted a 4-0 sweep at home against Siuslaw on Tuesday, September 26, and at home two days later fell 1-2 to Santiam Christian.

Sisters has been working to start their matches with a greater sense of purpose, focus, and urgency, and they did just that in Tuesday’s action against the Vikings. They set the tone early and established cohesive and connected play in the midfield.

Coach Jeff Husmann said, “When we establish control in the midfield, play selflessly, and work for each other, good things happen.”

At the 12-minute mark sophomore center back Jesse Polachek made a run through the middle of the pitch, and played a smart pass off to Cooper Merrill. Merrill made the assist to Vincent Christian for the score.

Husmann said, “Jesse is wise beyond his years, a smart and solid player, and knows when to move forward into an offensive position.”

Ten minutes later Danny Benson scored with a welltimed run and crisp assist from Carson Bell.

Husmann told The Nugget that Bell has great vision and

an impressive work rate, is always involved and tuned into the match, and involves his teammates, which raises the Outlaws’ collective quality of play.

At the half the Outlaws were on top 2-0.

Early in the second half the Outlaws took the wind out of the Vikings’ sails. Sisters exhibited great transition play, quick decision making, and their unified play resulted in scoring opportunities. Bell gained possession of the ball in the Outlaws’ defensive half, made a smart pass to Christian, who made the assist to Benson’s second goal, which took the Outlaws’ to a 3-0 advantage.

With eight minutes left on the clock, Benson scored for a hat trick off a Bell assist.

“Danny’s (Benson) work rate and movement off the ball, and the midfield’s ability to possess the ball created simple opportunities to score,” said Husmann. “It’s not about an individual, but the group believing in a shared purpose.

“One thing I love about this team is how tight-knit they are,” added Husmann. “They are not necessarily best friends, but when we talk as a team and have open communication about the good of the team, there is no ego and

they are just together with a shared purpose. That is pretty awesome and rare.”

On Thursday against the Eagles the Outlaws were short a couple of their starters, which Husmann noted changed the energy of the team. At the four-minute mark the Outlaws’ defense miscommunicated and Santiam Christian’s player burst through and drilled the ball past the keeper.

A few minutes later the Eagles scored on a similar play and quickly put the Outlaws down 0-2. Sisters started to link up their passes and play with energy about 20 minutes into the contest.

Husmann said, “I commend the boys for not panicking, but we have got to figure out how to start the game with energy. Going into the half, we knew we were the better team and that if we could get one goal we could change the dynamic of the game. We were getting penetration through their back line but our shot selection wasn’t what it needed to be. We got away from our game plan and played too direct, which made it easy for their defense.

“Though it was a tough loss, there are many positives from individuals,” added Husmann. “I’m really quite pleased with the work rate

and aggressive play of juniors

Danny Benson and Andrew Islas. Likewise, seniors on this team have really helped create a supportive culture. This is particularly important when we have tough losses like this. Let’s hope this is the wake-up call and that we

make the adjustments and move forward. I love this group of boys and am confident that we will improve from this loss.”

Sisters was to play at La Pine on Tuesday, October 3. They will host Crosshill Christian on Thursday.

Logan Ryba has been strong in goal for the Outlaws.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA KENNEDY

Sisters bike park gets a fresh launch

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sisters has a hidden gem for those who like to test their skills on two wheels. Bike Park 242 is located just off the McKenzie Highway (242) adjacent to the Sisters Park & Recreation Coffield Center, at the west end of the Sisters High School parking lot.

Not a lot of folks know it’s there.

That will change this weekend, as volunteers who have sunk hours of work and a substantial chunk of grant money into reviving and improving the park will host a grand opening.

Riders are invited to bring their bike to ride the new and improved jump lines and beginner-friendly technical features.

In addition, organizers will be gifting helmets with professional fitting, courtesy of St. Charles Family Care Sisters and local bike shop Blazin Saddles. Helmets are limited, and distributed on a first-come-first-served basis for youth ages 5-15, and the child must be present to obtain a helmet.

Representatives and volunteers from Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) and Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) will be on hand to demonstrate bike park features, and explain the rules and right-of-way. A little light coaching will be available.

The event runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Michelle Smith is the volunteer project manager for Bike Park 242, and Steve Smith is the technical lead.

Steve has had a passion for bicycle sports since his youth.

“I grew up building jumps,” he said. “It was kind of my escape from growing up a troubled kid.”

Designing, building, and riding jumps was a positive outlet for him, where he met good people and did fun things. With Bike Park 242, he saw a way to lend his expertise and give back to the community.

The project was funded through $15,000 grants from Visit Oregon through Central Oregon Trails Alliance (COTA), and from Oregon Parks and Recreation. It was built by Kyle Jameson of Black Sage Dirt Works, a professional mountain biker and excavator.

“He’s built many bike parks and is a well-established figure in the bike community,” Steve said.

Sisters Harvest Faire set for weekend

The streets of Sisters will blossom into an artisans’ marketplace next weekend as Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Sisters Harvest Faire, Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Faire is located on Main Avenue in downtown Sisters.

More than 150 juried artisan vendors will be present selling quality handcrafted items, including pottery, metal art, photography, painting, jewelry, clothing, furniture, home décor, specialty foods, and much more.

good old-fashioned fun not found anywhere else, including free music from Dry Canyon Stampede on Saturday and Bill Keale on Sunday.

Michelle noted that his parks become destinations for people who build their travels around biking.

The Smiths said that the park is “gaining traction,” but they want to raise its profile so that both locals and visitors know the amenity is available. They said they are working with the Oregon Department of Transportation to get more signage to direct travelers there.

They recently harvested bunch grass for beautification, and plan to stay on top of maintenance.

“Keeping the dust down, that’s our biggest issue,” she said.

The Smiths emphasized the key support from COTA, and they urge those with an interest to donate or volunteer with the organization to learn more at www.cotamtb.com.

For years people from all over Oregon and the Northwest have converged on Sisters to celebrate the changing season with this festival of handmade artisan goods and delicious food. The annual Harvest Faire boasts hands-on activities, educational opportunities, great food, and

“The Sisters Harvest Faire is a great place to find all of those one-of-a-kind, handmade items that aren’t available in stores, and it’s the perfect reason to visit Sisters,” said Judy Trego, CEO for the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. “Meander at your own pace through our charming downtown. Visit the shops. Enjoy delicious snacks or a meal. You’re sure to find good music, great artisan crafts, and amazing experiences. Come spend the weekend and experience all that Sisters is about.”

The Harvest Faire is a collection of the best that the Northwest has to offer. For more information on the Sisters Harvest Faire, visit www.sisterscountry. com.

Local ripper Hunter Michelsen gets some air at Bike Park 242. Cyclists are invited to jump into the fray during a celebration of the refurbished park on Saturday.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Scared to run out of time

By Mitchell Luftig Columnist

When did the choices get so hard with so much more at stake? Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste. Scared to run out of time. — “Nick of Time,” Bonnie Raitt

My wife was waiting in the Pine Marten lift line at Mt. Bachelor, watching a beautiful skiier glide effortlessly down the mountain. He rode up the chairlift with her, giving my wife the opportunity to ask him whether the 90+ patch on the shoulder of his ski jacket signaled a new clothing company? No, he replied proudly, he was 93-years old, with daily morning workouts at the gym keeping him fit. And, he was still capable of driving himself up the mountain to ski!

I turn 71 in December. I want to ski, hike, paddle, take bike trips, and camp, indefinitely, I want to earn my own 90+ patch for multiple outdoor activities. But I have no idea how well my body or my cognitive faculties will hold up over the decades to come. So I’m scared to run out of time.

My wife and I believe

Wecks is 2024 Sisters Rodeo Queen

that at 68 and 70 we have to put continuous effort into staying fit for future adventures: We frequently exercise in the outdoors, perform specific exercises to keep our knees and backs strong and supple, and we also eat a reasonably healthy diet.

I also take medicine to control my cholesterol and other medication to regulate my thyroid function and my mood.

On a daily basis, my wife does her Sudoku to stay sharp, while I practice mindfulness meditation to reinforce attentional skills and improve awareness, regulate my mood, and control my anxiety.

For years my wife and I have loaded our 17-foot sea kayaks onto the roof of our Mazda — lifting, pushing, pulling, and hanging off the roof to tug them into position. Not smart when the risk of falls and fractures increases with age. Such injuries would really put a damper on our adventures. Recently we bought a kayak trailer to facilitate loading our kayaks.

Other accommodations are needed to keep the

Destiny Wecks of Enterprise was chosen as the 2024 Sisters Rodeo Queen at the Sisters Rodeo grounds from a group of four highly qualified cowgirl competitors in September. Wecks will be traveling the Columbia River Circuit in the Pacific Northwest while representing the 84th Sisters Rodeo.

The new queen, a 2022 graduate of Enterprise High School, has served in FFA, 4H, and the Oregon High School Rodeo team. She has held previous titles, which include: 2015 Jr. Miss Rodeo Oregon, 2020-21 Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Queen, and 2022 Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon. Currently she is attending Treasure Valley Community College and is in her sophomore year.

Wecks is the daughter of Jeffrey and Vix Wecks and is sister to her brother, Jalyn Radford-Wecks. They all have been attending the rodeo for many years. Destiny stated that what she “loves the most about this rodeo and the Sisters area is how familiar it is to Eastern Oregon with the pine trees and beautiful mountain landscape.”

The horsemanship outfit she wore for the trials was a special design to represent the scenery that makes

Sisters so special. The petite 19-year-old rode her palomino mare Ariel, who performed nearly flawlessly in the riding drill. The panel of three judges was highly impressed with Wecks’ interview and speech, but her horsemanship skills set her apart from the rest of the competitors.

“She was poised, graceful, and aggressively elegant in her reining pattern, run-in, and flag presentation. Which was performed on her own horse and then switched

horses with one of the other competitors to perform the flag and run-in presentations again,” said Arena Director Amorita Anstett.

Wecks is looking forward to being the ambassador for Sisters Rodeo, recognizing the importance of being a good representative.

Sisters Rodeo will begin June 5 with Xtreme Bulls followed by four rodeo performances June 7-9. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at https://tickets. sistersrodeo.com/p/tickets.

Horsemanship skills set Destiny Wecks apart from her competitors in the trials to become Sisters Rodeo Queen. She will represent the 84th Sisters Rodeo at events across the Pacific Northwest.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE NICHOLE

Celebrating the change of season on two wheels

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

Sisters Moto braved the damp, fall Central Oregon weather, hosting their third annual Sisters Moto Party. The event is an opportunity for the Sisters motorcycle shop to gather with the community, kids, and parents for the kids’ races.

Sisters Moto is a family endeavor for Austin and Elizabeth (Biz) Brent and their children, Verbena, Dixon, and Adelaide. Motocross became a way of life and a livelihood for Brent while he was working in the industry.

He and Biz met at Portland State University and spent several years in Portland, where Austin worked for Motosport.com. Brent and the family moved to Sisters in 2017 and opened the store in 2021.

This is their third fall party to mark the end of summer.

“The store and all the facets of the store keep growing every year. This year, we had four races with at least five kids in each race, one of the party’s main events,” said Biz. Kids of different ages and skill levels were riding Stacyc bikes, a stability cycle that runs on a battery like an electric bicycle, but with throttle.

“The bike is easily manageable and teaches kids throttle control, which is how the bike moves forward. One of the great aspects of these bikes is kids can ride them right outside their garage door or out on a walk with their parents,” said Biz.

There were different heats of up to five kids of different levels riding different-sized Stacyc cycles. Each kid got a medal for participating in the races and braving the chilly weather.

Sisters Moto built up their track next to the store and set up the event as a block party so anyone could wander in, check out all their deals on gear, and watch the kids race on the track. They had over $1,000 worth of raffle prizes to give away.

Sisters Moto hosted vendors they work with and sell at the shop, as well as local businesses that wanted to promote their products. They had free Wild Ride Brewing beer available, music, local food truck Coco Loco, and Mama’s

Juju Kitchen. Patrons enjoyed music from Tara Snow.

“The event and the shop were created on a foundation of community and support and instill that community support. We have the event not just to sell products and promote our products but also to bring the whole family out and enjoy the motorcycling sport. Motorcycling is such a community sport with groups often riding together,” said Biz.

Sisters Moto sponsors riders and drives their race semi to different races across the Pacific Northwest to see their sponsored kiddos.

“We have 20-plus youth riders, and our sponsored riders go through interviews; we want to get good riders, but good kids and involved families,” said Biz.

For more information visit www.sistersmoto.com.

The littlest riders got to hit a dirt track at Sisters Moto in a party that marks the transition from summer to fall.

PHOTO BY CEILI GATLEY

OUT OF TIME: Accepting impermanence overcomes fear

Continued from page 7

bandwidth open for communication. With a pair of hearing aids, I no longer have to guess what other people are saying, and even my granddaughters’ high-pitched voices are discernible.

As Americans live longer, we are at greater risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Parkinsons), dementia, etc., any of which may impact both our longevity and our quality of life.

Here is where a crystal ball would really come in handy.

If I knew that my wife and I would live long, healthy lives, earn our 90+ patches, I might not feel so scared of running out of time to enjoy the activities that bring me joy. I might not feel the same urgency to replace our pop-up tent trailer with a used camper van (my current obsession) so that we could camp during colder weather and take a cross-country trip.

If I could foresee that by 80 we wouldn’t be capable of skiing and paddling, hiking, or taking trips, I’d try to pack more adventures into the next 10 years. I

would advocate for dipping into our savings to buy new skis, new ski boots, new bikes, new paddles, and a brand-new camper van!

If I knew we would live into our 90s, but that one or both of us would be forced by health issues into years of living in a nursing home, I would agree with my wife to set more money aside to pay for future care, so that our children weren’t burdened upon our death with massive bills.

Unfortunately, none of us possesses a crystal ball.

My wife and I hope that our healthy lifestyle choices will result in long and healthy lives, but no amount of exercise, healthy eating, or adequate sleep can guarantee such an outcome. There will always be some uncertainty about the future.

All my wife and I can do is try to maintain a reasonable balance between funding our adventures while saving against an unforeseeable future, hoping our bets work out.

Buddha reminds us of the inevitability of growing older, becoming ill, and dying. But he also tells us that accepting our state of impermanence enables us to overcome our fear of running out of time, so that we can live fully in the present moment.

District welcomes new firefighters

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is introducing two new career firefighters with a history of service to the Sisters community. Rachelle Otasu and Jack Wales both served as volunteers with the District, and now have been hired as fulltime firefighters.

Otasu started her career with the District as an EMS volunteer in June 2016. She was selected for the District’s resident volunteer program in September 2016, and was promoted to resident volunteer lieutenant. Rachelle completed a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration in 2020 while serving the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District. She completed the resident volunteer program, and was hired as a firefighter paramedic at Valley Center Fire District and later the City of Vista (California) Fire Department. When the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District had an opening Otasu quickly applied, and has now returned to Sisters.

Jack Wales joined the Fire District in 2019 as a volunteer firefighter. He volunteered with the District during the next four years while he completed his paramedic training. Wales is in the process of completing his state paramedic testing and certification at this time. He brings several years of firefighting

experience to the Fire District, and the District states that his experience and connection to the Sisters community will be a great asset.

Fire Chief Roger Johnson said, “Volunteering is a great way to begin a career in the fire service. Both Rachelle and Jack started their careers as volunteer firefighters with the District and we are honored to have them in their new role.”

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District has several volunteer opportunities available for area residents, including firefighting, EMTs, and Fire Corps volunteers. For information, contact Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 541-549-0771.

Jack Wales has come aboard at Sisters Fire District.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Rachelle Otasu, with Fire Chief Roger Johnson.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sisters Red Hats

Sisters’ Red Hatters say, “ We need more ladies . Put on a red hat. Join us.” e Red Hat Societ y began as a way for women over 50 to support each other through fun and f riendship. e organiz ation is now worldwide and welcomes women under the age of 50 to join, wearing a pink hat!

e Sisters Red Hats will be meeting at Luckey’s Woodsman restaurant f rom 11:30 a .m. to 1 p.m . on Friday, October 6 . Please come prepared to purchase lunch. For more information, call 541-719-1276

Panoramic Access Special Road Distric t Board

e Panoramic Access Special Road District (PASRD) has an opening on its 3-member Board of Commissioners beginning January 1, 2024. e term of ser vice is three (3) years: Jan/2024 - 12/31/2026 . Interested candidates should contact the PASRD Board of Commissioners at panoramicroads@gmail. com for information about the position and the application process . Applications requested no later than Nov. 30 , 2023.

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

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.

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. Find the website at www.sisterscommunit y.org/ volunteer/

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

Brooks C amp Rd . Sisters . For information call Margaret Doke at 541-588-2784.

A NNOUNCEMENT S

Sisters Library

Reopening Soon

e Grand Opening Celebration for the newly remodeled Sisters Librar y will be held on Saturday, October 28 f rom noon to 2 p.m.

e librar y is currently closed as the sta transitions out of the temporar y space. Operations will resume at the Sisters Library in mid-October. Visit dpl.pub/ f uturesisters for updates . e remodeled librar y will include a new fireplace, an enhanced communit y room, a color ful and interactive children’s area, and two new meeting space rooms

Garden Club Journal

Sisters Garden Club has a Garden Journal that is available for $15 at Paulina Springs

Books , e Gallimauf ry, ree Sisters Floral, Home Styled & Metamorphosis, all in Sisters e multi-year journal includes pages for notes on weather, monthly garden activities , plant details , and more. Sales support the Club and other local nonprofits . Get your copy now ey make great gif ts . Please call 971-24 6-040 4 with questions

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

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 f ree t wo-hour training . Emails f rom 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 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.

Americ an Legion and VFW Meeting s 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 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.

Bike Park 242 Social Plea se join the Grand Opening of Bike Park 242 at 1750 McKinney Butte Rd., located west of Sisters High School, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 7. Bring your bike to ride the new and improve d jump lines and beginner-f riendly technical features! Free helmets with professional fitting , cour tesy of St. Charles Family Care Sisters and local bike shop Blazin Saddles . Helmets are limited, first-come, first-ser ved for youth ages 5-15, and the child must be present to obtain a helmet. Reps and volunteers f rom Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) and Central Oregon Trails Alliance (COTA) will be demonstrating bike park features , explaining the rules and right-of-way

Free Wills & Trusts

Presentation

Sisters Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring a free “ Wills & Trusts” presentation on Wednesday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m. Learn the basics and get answers to your questions . Reser vations required. Call 541-549-1193.

Repair Café at Sisters Firehouse

e Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project coordinates with a group of volunteer fixers to host Repair Cafés ever y few months . ese f ree event s connect people with broken stu to people who like to fix stu , like jewelry, small appliances , electronics , outdoor gear, clothing , and more.

Wednesday, October 11, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the fire station Communit y Hall. See www deschuteslibrary.org/calendar/ event/71867 for more info.

Americ an Legion and VFW Meeting s 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 for more information, 847-344-0498.

Craf ters Wanted

Qualit y craf t-consigners wanted for the 47th Snowflake Boutique, Nov. 3 & 4, 2023 . A jur y will be held on Saturday, October 7, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church, Redmond . An evening jur y will be Monday, October 16 at 6 p.m. Go to www snow flakeboutique.org or call Tina 541-4 47-164 0 or Kim 541640-2536

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

COFRW (Central Oregon Federated Republican Women) meet s the first ursday of every month f rom 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brand 33 at Aspen Lakes Golf Club in Sisters. Come learn f rom quality speakers , and hear and question local and state candidates. Meetings include lunch for $27. RSVP required. Learn more about upcoming meeting s and speakers , and RSVP at www.COFRW.net

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.

Your Announcement Here

Schools , churches , nonprofit, recreational, and community groups: this is your page to announce your free gatherings and event s! Regularly occur ring Sisters Countr y meetings are listed on the Sisters Area Meeting Calendar, and featured meeting s can be listed on this page. All submissions are subject to editing and run only as space allows . Email nug get@ nug getnews .com or drop o at 442 E . Main Ave. Your text must include a “ for more information” phone number. Deadline is 5 p.m . on Fridays

Sisters Habitat Volunteers Needed

Now that the children are back in school, are you looking for something fun to do with your f ree time? Come volunteer with Sisters Habitat for Humanity! Call 541-549-1193 to get started

PET OF THE WEEK

Humane Societ y of Central Oregon

541-382-3537

BECKHA M

is adorable hopping ball of flu is a socialized bunny who loves to be cuddled. He is here with his littermates and would love to go home with them but would also do great as a solo adventurer. Beckham is ready to warm your heart with his curious twitchy nose and his delectably sof t fur. Bunnies require hay and pellets and occasional fresh veggie treats. Did you know bunnies love time out of their cages and can be litter trained? If Beckham sounds like a match for you, come to HSCO and meet him today!

— SPONSORED BY —

S ONSOR D B ALLAN GODSIFF SHEARING

541-549-2202

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

POLICY:

• 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

Another season brings its possibilities and blessings

By Katy Yoder Columnist

Feeling the next season on cool morning air, I’m filled with nostalgia for another waning summer. Buddy’s copper coat is fluffing up. Pulling a rubber curry comb from a dusty tack box in the barn, his slick summer hair pulls free as my gloved hand moves in circular motions from his neck to his shoulders, back, and rump. When I tap the grooming tool against the railing of our arena, a perfect replica of the tool’s oval insides comes away in concentric reflections of dust and short summer fur leaving his body. When the horses begin to shed, we know the next season is coming. Whether we’re ready or not.

Summer was especially delicious, with our daughter marrying her sweetheart under a giant juniper tree. Getting ready for three days of celebration, complete with doggie guests, camping, and beloveds from across the country, was sometimes trying but so worth the result. We watched our daughter’s dear friend act as officiant at a ceremony where dogs were included and honoring the couple included fourleggeds and humans howl ing in celebration of their commitment.

For three days we were taken by a tide of loved ones. Everyone helped, pre paring meals, wrangling

pups, arranging flowers, and ensuring everyone was included in conversation, dancing, and comfort. All the organizing, cleaning, and planning brought in a floodtide of blessings. The weather was just right, the Central Oregon sunset gorgeous, and the evening air cooled as we danced to a set of eclectic music reflecting generations of song and rhythm.

Now, thank you notes are being written, photographs curated, and the last bit of leftover beer and wine is slowly disappearing. The dogwood leaves are turning red, the rabbitbrush is blooming yellow, and another breath of smoke has turned the distinct silhouette of Black Butte into fading shadow. The brush and trees we cleared before the wedding lie shriveled, brown, and brittle, ready for the match after the first snow. There’s more to do… always

more to do. The thought is tiring and exciting. The question is can our BabyBoomer bodies handle it?

Pondering that thought, I hear the crinkling of a plastic bag as sandwiches are made for a day in the office. The dog’s nails clink on wooden floors and their collars jingle after their morning jaunt up the butte. Soon the noise will change.

A new home will be bought, and our daughter and son-in-love will live in Bend. I will move through a quieter house. The espresso maker’s grinding and frothing will reverberate from another countertop. I’m spoiled by the perfect lattes, more delicious than any I’ve ever tasted. Dinner will be different too. Instead of five people around my great-grandparents’ dining table, it’ll be my hubby, my next-door-neighbor mom, and me. Our time together is sweet and cherished, but

I’ll miss the younger energy, laughter, and talking about each other’s day. Soon it’ll be officially fall. I’m grateful we dodged another fire. Writing this, I’m compelled to knock on wood… just in case. Chores will change with the season. The horses need another grooming, and the hens more wood shavings in their nests. Soon everyone’s coats will be fluffy and full. When I ride, I’ll have to take care not to catch any hair in the cinch as I tighten up the girth for a dusty ride in the BLM. We’ll head out on older, eager horses into public land. Sometimes we run across a lone doe or a coyote. Both will begin to lay low with hunting season approaching. We’ll wear bright colors, talk loudly, and hope an arrow or bullet doesn’t find its way in our direction. We’ll hear the cracks and booms of folks sighting their guns. I used to stay away during hunting

season. But after a few years of letting anxiety have the last word, I’ve shifted into going anyway. I’m tired of letting fear shrink my world down to four walls. Who knows when my last season will come, whether from an errant bullet or another deadly dance with cancer. I joke with my riding partner… if I get hit; just make it a clean shot!

The seasons will come. The work must be done, just as play must be prioritized. I can feel the pull of the tide and won’t fight it. I’ll let it lift me up and carry me toward what’s next. I’ll do what I can to stay afloat and go with the current. I know all rivers lead to the source. The ocean waits… sometimes calm, sometimes roiling in rage. I’ll get there soon enough. For now, I’ll focus on enjoying the ride and welcoming each season for its possibilities and blessings.

Volleyball steamrolls opponents

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws once again proved they are a team to be reckoned with as they crushed La Pine and Elmira last week; a 25-14, 25-15, 25-5 sweep on Tuesday at home against the Hawks, and two days later a 25-11, 25-12, 25-11 sweep against the visiting Falcons.

On Tuesday against La Pine, the Outlaws quickly showed their strength along the front line from the onset of the match. Intimidating blocks and high-octane hitting had Sisters quickly out in front every set, and they cruised to a convincing threeset win. Everyone got a

chance to play, and the match was over in 50 minutes.

Gracie Vohs led the squad with 15 kills, Kathryn Scholl recorded seven, and Gracelyn Myhre and Bailey Robertson added six kills each. Mia Monaghan tallied 10 digs and Holly Davis posted 34 assists.

Thursday’s match against Elmira was very similar, as the Outlaws again jumped to an early lead in the first set and then never looked back and sailed to an easy threeset win.

Sisters’ serving performance was top-notch. Jordyn Monaghan had a 12-point serving run in the second set. She went back to the service line at seven and served the Outlaws to 19. Myhre started

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 4

Paulina Springs Books First Wednesday Open Mic Bring a poem, song, or short story to share — or come listen! 5 minutes per reader 6:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

THURSDAY • OCTOBER 5

set three with a seven-point serving run and the Outlaws finished with 12 aces on the night as a team.

Vohs and Myhre led the team in kills, with 12 and 11 respectively. Scholl finished with eight kills and Robertson added seven. Davis and Jordyn Monaghan recorded seven digs each and Davis finished with 32 assists.

Sisters remains undefeated in league play.

The Outlaws will play on the road at Harrisburg on Thursday, October 5.

WINNEMUCCA, NV

OCT. 27-29 | $144 PPDO

Receive $20 slot play and $15 food credit!

BRANSON

AT CHRISTMAS

V. 9-16 | $2,699 PPDO

Includes air, taxes, transfers, 7 nights lodging, 14 meals/14 shows.

LEAVENWORTH

AT CHRISTMAS

DEC. 10-12 | $699 PPDO 2 nights at Bavarian Lodge, 2 brkfsts, 2 dinners, sleigh ride.

PANAMA CANAL CRUISE

JAN. 21-FEB. 6, 2024 $3,499 PPDO

Includes air, taxes, transfers, 1 pre-night Ft. Lauderdale.

VENICE CRUISE

MAY 2-12, 2024

STARTING AT $2,999 PPDO

Includes air, taxes, transfers, 2 pre-nights Venice, 7-night cruise.

RIVER CRUISE

NASHVILLE TO ST. LOUIS

JUNE 30-JULY 8, 2024

STARTING AT $4,849 PPDO

Includes air, trans, taxes, 1 pre-night in Nashville, 7-night cruise, comp shore excursions, gratuities.

Connie Boyle

541-508-1500 Box

OR 97759

Sisters Movie House Autumn Arts & Adventure: “Carole King: Live in Central Park” (encore) 7 p.m. Information and tickets at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy 7 to 11 p.m. For more information call 541-549-6114. Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Bob Welch presents “Seven Summers (And a Few Bummers): My Adventure Hiking the 2,650-mile PCT.” 6:30-7:30 p.m. Information: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

FRIDAY • OCTOBER 6

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

SATURDAY • OCTOBER 7

Main Avenue Sisters Har vest Faire 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the street will blossom into a marketplace featuring more than 150 juried artisan vendors. Free music featuring Dry Canyon Stampede Presented by Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce For information: www.sisterscountry.com.

SUNDAY • OCTOBER 8

The Belfr y Live Music: The Sam Chase and The Untraditional with Billy and the Box Kid 7 p.m. The Sam Chase has a voice like a Nun on the lam with a mouthful of cigarettes and curse words in a lonely bar, drunkenly dancing next to a broken jukebox. Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets, $20, at www.bendticket.com. Main Avenue Sisters Har vest Faire 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the street will blossom into a marketplace featuring more than 150 juried artisan vendors. Free music featuring Bill Keale Presented by Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce For information: www.sisterscountry.com.

THURSDAY • OCTOBER 12

Paulina Springs Books Poetr y Reading with Jennifer Reimer and Irene Cooper sharing from “spare change” and “Keske.” 6:30-7:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

Hardtails Karaoke with KJ Mindy 7 to 11 p.m. For more information call 541-549-6114.

FRIDAY • OCTOBER 13

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

SATURDAY • OCTOBER 14

The Belfr y Live Music: Jenner Fox Band 7 p.m. Jenner Fox tells the stories of people and places with compassion and respect. His artful tone poetry and fluency on his guitar do something only the brave ones do: let us in. Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets, $20, at www.bendticket.com.

THURSDAY • OCTOBER 19

Three Creeks Brewing Brewer’s Dinner 6 to 8 p.m. Celebrate creativity in beer and food! Tickets are $65 per person. Call 541-549-1963 to reserve your spot.

Gracelyn Myhre goes up for a hit on Outlaws volleyball action. The squad is dominating on the hardwood.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA KENNEDY

John Seitzinger LMT, MSN, LMT#27436

Continued from page 2

the pockets of developers and degrades the quality of life of residents. If local workers, including public employees, have difficulty purchasing or renting homes, then they should be paid more. Surely if property taxes go up because of rising real estate values, public employees can get a raise. In short, when investigating the issue of the need for housing, we need to follow the money and ask, “Who benefits?”

Gary Leiser

Caldera Arts hosts Hearth Festival

Caldera Arts will celebrate the autumn season in the second annual Hearth Festival October 21, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Caldera Arts, 31500 Blue Lake Dr. west of Sisters.

Homelessness

To the Editor:

After reading some of the Letters to the Editor in this and previous weeks’ Nugget I see some of the letters are referencing children with families living out in the forest and the kids attending the schools here in town.

I do not see any stats on how many children actually live in those conditions, ages, etc. Also, what living conditions are the families in? Do they all live in tents? How many actually live in motorhomes, as so many people around the country travel and live with families?

If the SCWS can get monies from the State then use it to house those families that are not presently in motorhomes, the SCWS can purchase motorhomes as needed. For those families that live out in the woods during the winter could relocate as close as possible and SCWS funds could be used to assist those families with safe access to and from town based on the weather conditions in the winter.

The other option for parking motorhomes with families with children attending our schools is to work out an agreement with the City and School District for only those families to be allowed to temporarily park in school parking lots during the extreme snow conditions.

Marvin Inman

Councilor’s vote revealing

To the Editor:

Our family would like to thank the Sisters City Council for rejecting the “Cold Weather Shelter” proposal, which, while a sincere gesture, was a Trojan horse for a much larger agenda concerning the “Homeless Industrial Complex.”

Additionally, not only do we want to commend Councilor Blum for changing her vote to oppose this bureaucratic quagmire, but also Councilor Cobb for exposing herself through her anti-Democratic, anti-community statements.

Councilor Cobb’s comments at the Council’s special meeting on September 19 show her to be quite comfortable with the tyranny of the minority. From her own mouth she stated her ascent to laws “designed to circumvent public input…bypass land use laws and…made public input optional…the intent… in avoiding public scrutiny.” Incredible, but thank you for presenting your illiberal stripes.

When the Councilor’s term ends in 2024, should she choose to run again, I encourage all Sisters voters to reject her candidacy. Such disdain and disregard from a Councilor for the community’s sincere and valid concerns is disqualifying.

Kirk L. Schlemlein

Blessing all the animals...

Hearth Festival is a joyous celebration of creativity, and a welcome for community members of all ages to join us for shared space and experiences, celebration, playfulness, and community.

Hearth Festival is designed to bring together community members of all ages to Caldera’s 119-acre Arts Center on the shores of Blue Lake for a daylong exploration of the practice of creativity. This festival will feature opportunities to explore creativity through a variety of mediums. Guests will be invited to use their creative muscles by engaging in photography, screen printing, ceramics, paper making, sound-play, dance and movement, and more!

Community members are welcome to stay for the whole day or drop in throughout the day. Locally crafted artisan food will be available for purchase onsite, or bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy near Blue Lake.

Highlights will include more than a dozen familyfriendly Maker’s Stations, suitable for children and adults. These will be engaging, hands-on opportunities to try out creative projects with a teaching artist:

• Light and video art installations by acclaimed local artist Andrew Wade

Smith.

• Build-your-own-flavor ice cream station.

• Coffee Art by Deadstock Coffee .

• Screen printing and button making.

• African drumming workshops with Caldera teaching artists.

• Photography sessions in canoes on Blue Lake.

• Guided camp

tours,-games, and fun.

Details about Hearth Festival are available on Caldera’s website: www.calderaarts.org/HearthFestival.

Attendance for Saturday’s daylong community event is free and open to the public. Guests should RSVP to be entered in a free hourly drawing for the official Hearth Festival 2023 T-shirt.

Fall Is In The Air!

We have ever ything you need to get those home maintenance chor es done befor e winter. TOOLS • LUMBER • PAINT HARDWARE • MORE

Hours: M-F 8 to 5, Sat. 8 to 4, Closed Sundays 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net

The Caldera Arts Hearth Festival offers hands on experiences for families.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Sisters Episcopal Church held a blessing of the animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Continued from page 1

praise or emoting on one band or another. “Did you hear…?” “You absolutely must see…” “You cannot miss…” And so it went.

“How can you not love this?” exclaimed Sid Vaughan of Seattle.

“There is something for everybody.” chimed his fiancée Rose Garrity. “This is a banquet, a feast for the ears.”

“This is musical heaven,” said Ruth Atkinson from Portland. She was among a group of eight making their sixth Festival. “Did you hear Jorge Glem? He’s a musician magician. Good lord, what he can do on that little guitar (Venezuelan cuatro).”

She shook her head in amazement. Glem and his musical partner, Sam Reider, won a Latin Grammy Award just a few weeks ago.

It was like that all weekend. Audiences were often stunned and occasionally brought to tears by what they saw and heard. Or they doubled over with laughter.

“I thought I would split my pants,” said Greta Latham from Salem, as she described how John Craigie had the audience in stitches with his comedic performance.

“You know,” Bob Henley from Nevada instructed, “this is really, really, really good music. This is top of the food chain. There are lots of music festivals. This is not one driven by tourism. People come here purely for the music. Hell, we’d come for this even if we had to sleep in our cars. This? This is how

you do music.”

Those around him nodded in agreement as students might listening to a lecture.

Propane stage heaters were needed Saturday night as they were Friday, and artists warmed their hands before picking up their instrument. Some fussed with their strings to compensate for the dropping temperatures, which by 9 p.m. were in the 30s.

At venues like The Open Door and Sisters Depot, spectators scrunched together in part to keep warm, and in part to make sure as many as possible could fit in.

The Community Celebration, free to all, at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, was packed, with a thousand inside and more lined outside the Village Green tent. A dozen of the Festival artists took the stage in songs of love and gratitude. As the tent emptied, people walked hand in hand, arm in arm with words like: “Powerful. Needed. Important. Compelling.”

Sunday was perhaps even more enthusiastic. By then artists had found how much they were loved in Sisters, and found an intimacy with their audiences. Parking was wicked as literally hundreds of cyclists, mostly from Bend, also decided that Sisters was the place to be that day.

Some turned into knotholers at Sisters Saloon or Open Door, while others perched themselves at Eurosports to pick up the sound from the Oliver Lemon’s venue for free. The near-perfect day combined the best of what Sisters is all about, many of the 400 volunteers and staff could be heard saying as the Festival ended with a collective standing ovation and folks eased out of town, in no rush to lose the mood or memories made.

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

2. Fill the bag with Oregon-

Fantastic Cat was a last-minute addition to the lineup — and they blew the roof off.

PHOTO BY TIM LEBARGE

Ayla White is a middle school student from Colorado who has participated in many Sisters Folk Festival programs.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Lab services now available full time at Sisters clinic

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

It’s hard to miss the large, colorful banner adorning St. Charles Family Care Clinic on N. Arrowleaf Trail in the Outlaw Station shopping center. Neon-yellow all-capital letters on a fluorescent-red background say “NOW OPEN.”

The clinic has been open for years of course. The reference is to the outpatient laboratory that until September 1 had been irregularly staffed. No longer. You can get lab work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. by order of your health provider.

St. Charles Sisters said it performed nearly 600 lab orders in September, about 20-30 percent of those from non-St. Charles Health System patients. A number were patients of Summit Health, formerly BMC, who have five clinics in Deschutes County including one in Sisters on East Cascade Avenue. Summit’s Sisters location is the only one of their five units not to provide lab services on-premise.

Having full-time lab services in Sisters has long been a goal of area healthcare professionals. Most everybody has had fasting labs at least once in their life. The drive to Redmond or Bend on an empty stomach is now a thing of the past for those who wish to use the St. Charles Sisters clinic.

You do not have to be

a patient of the Clinic, but your doctor will have to fax an order on your behalf or give you a paper copy to present when making an appointment.

The clinic also performs outpatient radiology on-site.

As with lab work, Summit’s Sisters clinic does not yet provide radiology (X-ray).

High Lakes Health Care on W. Adams has lab service

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon by appointment, when a phlebotomist rotates in.

Blood tests are common medical tests. You may have a blood test as part of a routine physical examination or because you have certain symptoms. There are many different blood tests. Some focus on blood cells and platelets. Some evaluate substances in blood such as electrolytes, proteins, and hormones. Others measure certain minerals.

In a general sense, a blood test shows changes in your body. Blood test results don’t show a complete picture, however — they are more or less a snapshot. Upon viewing the snapshot, your provider may do other blood tests to get a closer view.

The Nugge t asked St. Charles when Sisters might possibly see an urgent care facility, and they deferred the topic for another time. St. Charles Health System runs an urgent care clinic in La Pine, a city with about a third less population than Sisters.

In addition to the

expansion of outpatient laboratory services, the Sisters clinic has recently added Dr. Jeremy Kenison to its roster. Kenison, an osteopath, will focus on family medicine with a sub specialty in osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT) used to help correct structural imbalances in your body, improve circulation, and relieve pain.

Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) see patients, prescribe medications, perform surgeries, and deliver babies in hospitals, medical centers, and offices across the United States and overseas. Whether they are primary care providers or specialists, DOs use all the standard tools of modern medicine, but also have additional therapeutic modalities with which to care for their patients.

Osteopathic medicine is a whole-person approach that emphasizes the body’s interconnectedness. Osteopaths, by training, treat each patient as an individual, not a set of symptoms.

A native of Concord, New Hampshire, Dr. Kenison graduated from Davidson College before finishing medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a family medicine residency at Naval Hospital Bremerton in Bremerton, Washington.

Kenison served as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Medical Corps for 10 years, finishing his service in 2022 as

the senior medical officer at Naval Branch Health Clinic Bangor in Silverdale, Washington.

“I am excited to join the St. Charles team in Sisters and I look forward to helping patients of all ages in their

wellness journey,” Kenison said.

Dr. Kenison and his family are exploring Central Oregon’s mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and backpacking opportunities. He is accepting new patients.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

WisdomScottie &Faith

Jean Russell Nave

Scottie dogs and cats

I’ve lived all my life with cats and dogs. If you read this column regularly, you know I love dogs. I like cats. Some I’ve lived with were truly wonderful. Smoki, who became the Magical Cat in my six-book children’s series, “Harry and Lola Adventures,” was sweet, intelligent, and just plain wonderful. Which is why he became a magical hero in the book series. Smoki was an exception to what I’m about to say.

It has been observed that attitude is the major difference between cats and

dogs. To sum it up: Cats ask, “What are you going to do for me?” while dogs ask, “What can I do for you?”

Cats tend to have a high degree of arrogance, while dogs generally come to us with a good amount of humility in their desire to serve. There is a great little story in the New Testament that addresses this issue.

Jesus told the brief story of the Pharisee and the publican. (Pharisees were members of a Jewish sect that believed in following traditions that were not necessarily documented in the Bible but came from “the traditions of the fathers.”

Publicans were Jewish tax collectors. Most taxes, like land taxes, were collected by Roman administrators. Toll taxes, for transporting goods, were mostly collected by Jews under contract with the Romans.)

These two people went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee loudly proclaimed his prayer, saying, “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men,” while the publican beat his breast and quietly said, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” As Jesus told this story, He added that it was the publican, who came to God with the best attitude. He did not condemn

the Pharisee, for God is a loving God and does not condemn, but Jesus praised the attitude of the publican, saying: “for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

The other tale, which expands on this idea and more, is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. If you don’t remember the story, it basically goes like this: The main character is the younger son. Impatient for his inheritance, he asks his father for his money. The father agrees. The older brother is resentful of his father’s extravagance. The younger son leaves home to see and experience the world. He squanders his money and eventually becomes destitute and homeless. Finally, with no other options left, the younger son fearfully returns home. He is welcomed back by his father. “When he was yet a way off, his father saw him and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him.” The son was given a new robe, a ring, new shoes, and a great feast to welcome him home.

In the parable, the father represents God. The older brother represents the general thinking of the human race, believing in scarcity, jealousy, and fear. The

younger son stands for all of us who first think we need to explore life, yet somewhere deep in our hearts believe that we can be better, and that our Father, God, can help us find that new road.

Each of us, at some point, even if like the Pharisee we won’t admit it, have made selfish mistakes. We have erred in our thinking and behavior, which in the Bible is called sin. Yet, somewhere along the way, after having made a number of mistakes and lived with the consequences of our choices, we have heard a loving voice tell us to remember that love and generosity is the only way to find true happiness and joy.

I’ve met, and I’m sure you have too, people who have said they were too bad, they had fallen too far, to ever be able to turn themselves around. The Parable of the Prodigal Son says that this is never true, and in fact, a loving God will gladly rush in to help each of us return to love, faith, and truth.

True spiritual humility, such as illustrated by the publican, is not bowing down to a tyrant nor supplicating oneself to a despotic power of some kind. It is rather like a scientist who

is humbled by the amazing power in a tiny atom, or an artist who is awed by the overwhelming beauty of a night sky. Spiritual humility is the lesser bowing to the greater. An essence of God lives in each of us, but the incomprehensible vastness of the loving, powerful, and knowledgeable energy which we call God is so vast, we can’t even begin to imagine or understand it. Being humbled by It should be the only true response a person could make.

Humility before a limitless loving force is a wise thing. The great lessons here are that God wants us to use our free will and willingly come home, and God never reproaches and never condemns.

Dogs have enough humility and sense to understand that people are more powerful than they are. That’s one reason why they always want to serve us faithfully.

Cats, on the other hand, want to debate that issue.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

— 2 Chronicles 7:14

ou are a nonprofit or business organizing holiday giving drives and programs, this special section is designed to shine the spotlight on the support services needed (donations, gifts, volunteers, and more) by arious organizations you are helping at the holidays. RTNERS IN GIVING will include feature articles on holiday giving written by our professional writers.

PARTNERS IN GIVING is designed as a keeper, pull-out magazine-style reference section. It will be inserted in The Nugget, which is mailed to all residents in the Sisters School District and surrounding area, and also available for pick-up on stands and in businesses around Sisters, having a circulation of 8,000 copies.

Justin deSmet has a strong work ethic that has brought him success at Sisters High School.

“With ever y class I tr y to do my best and do what the teachers ask of me,” he said. “That’s just kind of how I was raised.”

DeSmet believes that hard work equates to opportunit y; when you work hard, you maximize your opportunities, and others come your way.

“I’ve just seen grow th in myself when I work hard and not take the easy route,” he said

He loves the outdoors, and hopes to combine that passion with his facility with the sciences to create a path in college and into a career

“Something outside with sciences,” he says. “And I want to play fo otball in college.”

A standout on the Outlaws football team, deSmet plays running back on offense and safety on defense. He also plays baseball

He has been in Sisters for a ye ar, and he loves the culture of the communit y and the high school

“Everybody wants the other person to succeed, and I really appreciate that,” he said. “I love being at Sisters High School, and I’m glad I can commit my time to the

communit y. I’m really excited for the rest of my senior year.”

“Justin is a great leader, not only in the classroom but outside of it. He consistently demonstrates what we hope to see in our students. When I see underclassmen that need a person or mentor I tell them to look at what Justin is doing and copy him. Jus tin participates in multiple sports that pull him away from the classroom. While this can be detrimental for some students it is not for Justin. On multiple occasions, I hav witnessed him spend his lunchtime working on his on-course work as well as helping others with theirs. I couldn’t speak highly enough of Justin receiving Student of the Month at the start of the year!”

— Matt Hilgers, SHS Athletic Director

“Justin is the type of student who is always engaged, positive, and helpful to his classmates. He is also naturally curious about the material, self-motivated to learn, and willing to put in the effort to work through difficult concepts and materials.”

— Amber Tollerud

“Justin stands out in our student body as one who has not only achieved a healthy balance in his academic, athletic, and social commitments, but he excels in each of those areas. He is someone all members of our school community can look up to in this regard.” — Steve Stancliff, SHS Principal

Justin makes the world around him better! He treats others with kindness and shows up with a willingness to bring forth his best self! He leads others by example, showing a diligent and committed work ethic. It has been such a pleasure to get to know and work with Justin!” — Rima Givot

“Justin is one of the hardest working young men I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching and teaching. His positive mental attitude rubs off on everyone he comes in contact with. He is everything you want in an Outlaw and SHS is blessed to have him roaming our halls!” — Gary

Thorson

HUNTING: OSP patrols to keep hunters safe and in compliance

Continued from page 1

of purposes, which includes enforcing winter range closures and detecting night hunting, illegal in Oregon.

The Nugget learned of the many resources Fish and Wildlife Division officers employ in pursuit of their mission when we spent a morning last week with Lt. Tim Schwartz. From oldschool operations with horses and dogs to jet boats, rafts, ATVs, snowmobiles, and bikes, aided by radar spotting scopes, night vision goggles, GPS, and digital cameras and recorders, officers are well equipped to meet the oftendifficult Oregon terrain.

Schwartz, who lives in Sisters as does one of his sergeants, is responsible for roughly half the state’s territory. He spends many of his days and thousands of miles working with his team and interfacing with other essential partners such as ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife).

The ODFW, a civilian agency, establishes the rules and regulations for hunting and fishing and issues licenses and tags and manages wildlife conservation. The OSP enforces those rules and regs. If it seems like a lot

of resources, it is. Hunting and fishing in Oregon is a big business.

The most recent study (2019) is outdated both in terms of numbers and the impact of inflation. But then, the economic impact on Deschutes County was impressive. Three million dollars was spent on hunting, $27 million on fishing, and $19 million on wildlife watching. In the county, 620 persons were employed in these activities, with a payroll of $24.4 million.

“It’s worth protecting,” Schwartz said. “Our job may look mostly like enforcement, but the biggest aspect is education.” He pointed to some examples of the complexity of an officer’s work, one being a river where three different sets of regulations apply to different sections of the same stream.

“It takes a lot of intuition and assessing intent when encountering hunters and anglers,” he explained.

There is no law about walking down the road with a rod or rifle in hand and no license in possession. But why would one be in that position if not to hunt or fish?

Anybody hunting or fishing without a proper license or tag is technically poaching. Many interpret poaching as commercial harvesting of wildlife, which is not all that common.

Schwartz, himself an

archery and muzzleloader hunter, has four brothers and three children, products of Sisters schools, all of whom are avid outdoor enthusiasts.

Archery hunting is growing in popularity. Oregon has 127,422 deer hunters, 16 percent of whom use a bow or crossbow. They took 3,959 of the state’s 39,588 deer in 2021.

Apart from fishing or hunting without a license or appropriate tag, Schwartz says the

WHYCHUS: Name has historical and cultural roots

Continued from page 1

source. “Whychus” — meaning “the place we cross the water” in the Sahaptin language — was the name by which the creek was labeled in railroad survey maps dating back to the 19th Century.

more common violations are hunting on private property, party hunting, hunting from the road, and night hunting.

“We’re very focused as much on the safety implications from improper hunting and fishing,” said Schwartz, asking that hikers be aware of their surroundings during the season.

Above all, Schwartz wants everybody to get out and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Be safe in the woods...

Be aware when hiking or cycling during hunting season this fall. Wear bright-colored clothes and keep your dogs away from known hunting areas. If you come across obvious hunting camps or trucks outfitted

with rifle racks, move to another area. Be respectful of hunters who have paid a fee to be where you might be. Stay on trails and choose routes through open forest or meadows. Avoid dense treed areas.

“The change made complete sense to many of us,” said Karen Kane, a resident who was one of the leaders of the effort to rename the neighborhood. “We live near Whychus Creek and parts of the neighborhood overlook the Whychus Canyon Preserve, which is owned by the Deschutes Land Trust.”

A survey of property owners indicated that some opposed the name change, and Deschutes County directed the residents — who do not have a homeowners association — to conduct a vote before changing the sign, which is sited on county property. According to Kane, “The vote was conducted with the results being 135 in favor, and 51 opposed. We personally spoke with about two dozen people who chose not to vote for a variety of reasons, and about 40 property owners did not reply at all.”

Property owners voluntarily funded the relettering and refurbishment of the sign.

FUN & GAMES

Lt. Tim Schwartz checks on a hunter in Sisters Country.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

OPTION: District adjusted program due to parental concerns

Continued from page 1

students had attended the camp prior to Culver. Some Sisters parents were displeased at what they felt was inadequate communication about Camp Tamarack’s policies around gender identity.

Camp Tamarack’s website states: “At Camp Tamarack we support a student’s right to self-identify autonomously as outlined by the Oregon Department of Education. During their time at Camp Tamarack students retain the right to use facilities corresponding with their gender identity as expressed or to have access to a private or single-use facility. Camp Tamarack has private, singleuse bathrooms, changing, and showering facilities available for any students desiring increased privacy regardless of identity, expression, or background. Students that identify as a male will be placed in male cabins, students that identify as female will be placed in female cabins. Students that do not identify within the gender binary will be placed with male or female cabins according to their friend group or as assigned by their school counselor or guardian.”

The same policy applies to high school-age counselors.

Some parents have expressed discomfort with the policy, which could allow a biological male counselor to be in a cabin with female campers, or a biological female in a cabin with male campers.

Roth said that there are some families that are opting out because of that issue, along with other concerns like simply feeling that their child is not ready for an overnight, or medical issues.

“There’s definitely been family concerns, and some families saying, ‘Y’know, we’re not going to participate,” Roth said.

The principal noted that Outdoor School, while considered a milestone and a valuable experience for students, “is not mandatory for anybody.”

There are 95 students in the sixth-grade class that traditionally participates in Outdoor School. Roth said he doesn’t yet know how many families will opt out completely.

“I don’t know what those numbers look like yet,” he said.

Roth said that the school will provide substantive activities for students who choose not to attend, but he doesn’t have details on what the programming will be yet.

“I don’t have that clear yet,” he said, “but we’re going to offer something for the kids if they’re here (at the school). We’re not going to have them just sit in a room and read a book. We’re going to see what the numbers are and design it around that.”

Roth also said that he is working with the transportation department to make sure that those who choose the day-only option have transportation to and from Camp Tamarack. He said the school is also actively recruiting for counselors from Sisters.

And he encouraged interested parents to volunteer.

“You’re more than welcome to be a parent volunteer, and come up and spend the night,” he said.

Roth said that the SMS staff and Camp Tamarack are seeking to be as transparent as possible, hosting an in-person parent meeting on plans for Outdoor School, which he said about 70 percent of the parents of sixth graders attended.

Auto technician earns elite honor

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Working on vehicles has been a lifelong passion for Chad Van Handel of Van Handel Automotive in Sisters.

“I grew up just working on engines — motorcycles, cars,” he recalled. He says the satisfaction he gains from the work “really hasn’t changed. When you fix something that’s broken, there’s a lot of satisfaction that you fixed it — you identified it; you fixed it.”

He’s always strived for excellence in his work, beginning with completing the auto program at Chemeketa Community College and starting off doing oil changes in 1997. He worked for 15 years for Capital Auto Group in Salem before coming to Sisters. Now he’s being acknowledged as one of the elite of his profession.

Van Handel was recently honored as the Technet Professional ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year. He’ll fly to Florida in November for an awards banquet, which comes with a $3,000 recognition.

ASE certification

— Automotive Service Excellence — is awarded by the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, and signifies complete proficiency in the full spectrum of automotive repair.

“That entity exists to produce qualified personnel,”

Van Handel explained. “It’s important for me that my guys are ASE certified, for sure.”

Those who pass ASE certifications are “definitely a qualified professional,” he said.

Van Handel stood out from the field.

“Apparently I scored extremely high nationwide,” he said.

Van Handel is ASE certified as a Master Technician and Advanced Level Specialist. The technician had no idea that he had earned the honor until a large group of Technet representatives visited the shop to present the award.

“I was really humbled,”

he said.

Van Handel says he “kind of followed in my dad’s footsteps here.” He and his wife, Katie, moved to Sisters in November of 2016 and purchased Van Handel Automotive in January of 2018 from Tom and Cheryl Van Handel.

An avid outdoorsman and a quiet professional, Van Handel isn’t one to seek the spotlight that the industry shined on him for this achievement.

“I’m extremely grateful,” he said. “I don’t like publicity that much, but it’s a great feeling.”

Van Handel Automotive is located at 127 W. Sisters Park Dr. in Sisters. Visit www. vanhandelautomotive.com.

Chad Van Handel has been named Technet Professional ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Audrey Tehan has led Seed to Table in creating access to locally grown foods. She is transitioning into a role as farm director while the organization seeks a new executive director.

SEED TO TABLE: Tehan will take role as farm director

Continued from page 3

farm director.

The S2T board is underway with recruiting the organization’s next executive director. Applications are due by October 18. For details and job description, see www. seedtotableoregon.org.

The new executive director will wear many hats, including supervising and supporting staff, leading fundraising, managing the budget, and continuing S2T’s efforts and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

MOSAIC: Clinic focuses on student health and well-being

Continued from page 3

worker, plus clinical pharmacy, Oregon Health Plan enrollment, and nutritionist support. Deschutes County Behavioral Health staff will also be located on-site.

“We believe this transition will benefit the Sisters community and shows the exceptional partnership the medical community has in Central Oregon,” said Emily Salmon, vice president for whole person care and community health at St. Charles. “Ultimately, our goal is to provide the best access possible to medical care in our community and, in this case, that means transitioning the clinic to Mosaic, which has access to federal funding to expand services.”

Since 2015, the Sisters SBHC, located at 535 N. Reed St. in Sisters, has been providing convenient access to quality health care for local pediatric patients—one of the primary goals of SBHCs, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Other goals for SBHCs include:

• Providing patient-centered care for all students, regardless of insurance status.

• Reducing costs related

A successful candidate will have an affinity for and comfort with building and retaining relationships with donors, Sisters community members, city government, foundations, and S2T volunteers.

Seed to Table is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit entity, tax ID number 82-3795618, with a mission to increase health and wellness of the Central Oregon community through providing equitable access to locally grown, farm fresh produce and offering opportunities in farm-based education.

Audrey Tehan will be available to answer any questions about S2T after September 26, by email, audrey@seedtotablesisters. org.

to unnecessary hospital stays and use of emergency rooms.

• Improving education outcomes—because healthy kids learn better.

• Saving parents time by reducing hours of missed work to transport children to appointments.

“School-based health centers provide a great service within Deschutes County, helping eliminate barriers for our youngest residents to receive health care. Together, Mosaic and St. Charles are helping to create a healthier Central Oregon and we applaud our continued partnerships,” said Holly Harris, Deschutes County behavioral health director.

In addition to medical and behavioral health care, providers at Mosaic SBHCs emphasize prevention, early intervention, risk reduction and the development of healthy habits with their young patients. Mosaic SBHCs are open to anyone from birth through age 18; patients do not need to be a student at the school where the SBHC is located.

“We appreciate St. Charles, Deschutes County Health Services, and all of our local partners for working together with us to improve the health of everyone in Central Oregon,” said Elaine KnobbsSeasholtz, Mosaic director of strategy and development.

PHOTO BY EMILY GREEN

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

CLASSIFIED RATES

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

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

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

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

• 8 x 20 dry box

• Fenced yard, RV & trailers

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

103 Residential Rentals Available November 1, 2023 in Sisters near Creekside Park

• Fully furnished apt. 1 bedroom, 1 full bath, open kitchen, greatroom, deck, washer/dryer, complete with all bedding and kitchen with new appliances. $1,900/mo.

• Studio apt. with all it takes to live simply and elegantly. Full bath, microwave, and small refrigerator. $1,200/mo. Lease both together for $3,000/mo.

Call Susan for more information: 801-674-6265 (text only)

Cozy studio for one with separate entrance from private yard.

Finished garage with cabinetry. Nice neighborhood adjacent to bike paths & trails.

$1,290/mo + dep. 458-600-2261

Downtown spacious 1 BR rental. ADU, LVT flooring, kitchen island, and deck. Washer/dryer, semi-covered parking. No pets. $1,500/month. 503-473-9319.

Available Oct. 11.

201 For Sale

203 Recreation Equipment

301 Vehicles

For Sale: 4 studded tires. Cooper Evolution winter tires. P215/70R 16. Used 2 seasons. $250 541-904-4666 (no text)

VHT Guitar Speaker Cabinet

Special 6 112 1x12 Closed-Back 60 watts, 16 ohms, 2 speaker jacks, black tolex, 35 lbs. Like new, $240. 541-977-8494 (call/text)

Guitalele

Sound Smith acoustic-electric, 6-string (strung with Aquila Red E tuning). Solid spruce top tone-wood, ovangkol back and sides, lovely inlays/binding. Low action and closer frets. Convenient for traveling. Truss rod. Fishman pickup. Instrument and hardshell case are like new, $450. 541-977-8494 (call/text)

Eddyline Equinox 15' Kayak Red • $1,600 • 541-610-6695

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

IN GREAT NEED OF A PASTURE for 4 well-behaved mini-horses. Self care preferred. Great refs available. Current on shots. Please help, urgent! Call 541-610-5902 or 541-410-8001.

Mad River Canoe

15’ Expedition. $375. 541-420-6091.

205 Garage & Estate Sales

CLEARPINE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE

October 7, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Come hunt for bargains at multiple homes in Sisters’ ClearPine neighborhood!

Included streets: Lundgren Mill Dr., W. ClearPine Dr., W. Heising Dr., N. Forest Edge Dr., and N. Bluebird St.

LARGE FURNITURE/ ESTATE SALE

Fri & Sat, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

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

FANTASTIC DEAL! Leaving the business. Three pure-bred German shepherd puppies. 2 F, 1 M. Available for pickup October 1, 2023. Call early for your pick at 510-459-5898. $200 per puppy. Parents on property. Chihuahua puppies. Females, 8 weeks. Call 530-905-2250. No texts. $500 each.

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

NEED A CHANGE?

Use The Nugget's HELP WANTED column to find a new job! NEED ASSISTANCE?

Use the Help Wanted column to find the help you need! The Nugget Newspaper Call 541-549-9941 to place your ad by noon, Mondays or submit your text online at NuggetNews.com

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

www.SistersVacation.com

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. 541-977-8494 (call/text)

202 Firewood

Free firewood. Assorted lumber. Keep yourself warm. You haul, Camp Sherman. 541-595-2003

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

Mission-style TV entertainment center, leather couch, dining set, cowboy bar, hope chest, shelving, and other household items. 18380 Gold Coach Rd. Intersection with Holmes Rd.

BIG SALE Fri. & Sat, 9 to 2

Shop stuff, farm & garden, furniture, saddle/tack. Priced to move! 69280 Crooked Horseshoe

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by...

Daiya 541-480-2806

Sharie 541-771-1150

HERITAGE USA

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters. – Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941

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

SMALL Engine REPAIR

Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers

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

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

We’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com

541-306-7551 • Julie

SUDOKU Level: Easy Answer: Page 23

802 Help Wanted

PT/FT

Server: starting at $16.50 + Tips. Cook: starting at $17.50 + Tips. Apply/bring resume in person to Sno Cap, 380 W. Cascade. Central Electric has a full-time customer service position available in our Redmond office. In addition to competitive wages, we offer a full array of benefits including paid time off, paid holidays, medical/dental/vision benefits, 401(k) plan and disability. For complete job description and to apply online, please visit: www.cec.coop/about/careers. EOE

SEED TO TABLE SEEKS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Apply by October 18

Seed to Table seeks a collaborative, hands-on Executive Director to advance our work building community through fresh produce. Full-time, in-person position. The Executive Director will shepherd Seed to Table’s next round of strategic planning, aiming to deepen and sustain the organization’s work rather than emphasizing continued growth. See the Seed to Table website for a complete job description: www.seedtotableoregon.org/joinour-team

CAREGIVER NEEDED

Fridays & Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. $20/hour. Call 541-668-0736.

OUR FREELANCERS LOVE DOING THE “WRITE” THING…

• Wed. thru Sat.

• Able to lift liquor cases

• At least 18 years old

• Positive workplace

• Flexible time off

110 W Cascade Ave.

999 Public Notice

INVITATION TO BID

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is soliciting bids for: Trade Services. Solicitation documents may be obtained at 301 South Elm Street in Sisters, Oregon beginning September 27, 2023 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each weekday or online at www.sistersfire.com. Questions call 541-549-0771.

UPLOADED EVERY TUESDAY!

Sue Stafford has been writing for The Nugget for nearly 10 years. She contributes features, and writes the column “Of a Certain Age.”

You can support Sue’s work — and all The Nugget freelancers — with a SUPPORTING SUBSCRIPTION. 100% of your donation goes to paying freelance contributors.

And if you like doing the “write” thing, too, we’ve got a complimentary pen for you! Just stop by the office and say hello!

for puzzle on page 21

How can I participate?

You choose the amount of support you wish to provide. You can mail a check to PO Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759; stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave. (we love to connect with our readers), or click the “donate” link at the top of www.nuggetnews.com.