The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVI No. 51 // 2023-12-20

The Nugget Vol. XLVI No. 52

www.NuggetNews.com

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

POSTAL CUSTOMER PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15

News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Merry Christmas & blessings on your New Year!

— From The Nugget Staff

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.

From the superintendent To the Editor: As 2023 comes to an end, I wanted to share with you a few highlights from the December Sisters School Board meeting.

Before the start of the meeting, the Board and guests celebrated the Sisters High School volleyball team as the 2023 3A state champions.

A group of middle school teachers presented on the continued support of transitions as the fifth grade will be in the new elementary school in the 2024-25 school year.

Brad Tisdel, who shared that the Sisters Folk Festival has been partnering with the Sisters School District for the past 23 years, spoke about the shared goal of complimenting See LETTERS on page 17

Sisters Weather Forecast Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

December 20 Partly Cloudy

December 21 Mostly Sunny

December 22 Rain/Snow Showers

December 23 Partly Cloudy

44/33

49/32

40/28

38/25

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

December 24 Partly Cloudy

December 25 PM Showers

December 26 Few Showers

39/29

43/33

43/32

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

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Editor in Chief & Co-owner: Jim Cornelius Production Manager: Leith Easterling Creative Director: Jess Draper Community Marketing Partner: Vicki Curlett Classifieds & Circulation: Lisa May Proofreader: Kit Tosello Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen

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Cover photo: istockphoto.com//kayjj. Published Weekly. ©2023 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All advertising which appears in The Nugget is the property of The Nugget and may not be used without explicit permission. The Nugget Newspaper, LLC. assumes no liability or responsibility for information contained in advertisements, articles, stories, lists, calendar etc. within this publication. All submissions to The Nugget Newspaper will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyrighting purposes and subject to The Nugget Newspaper’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially, that all rights are currently available, and that the material in no way infringes upon the rights of any person. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photos, or manuscripts.

Wee wi W wish wis i s h you y uaM Merry erry er rry C Christmas h rris rist istm mas ass and Happy New Year!

The Nugget is closed

Sat., Dec. 23–Mon., Jan. 1 Holiday H oliday D Deadlines eadlines Issues of December 27 & January 3

Deadline has passed. Submissions received after noon on Tuesday, December 19 will be considered for publication in the January 10 edition News & Letters to the Editor: Jim Cornelius, editor@nuggetnews.com Advertising: Vicki Curlett, vicki@nuggetnews.com Classifieds, Subscriptions, Announcements: janice@nuggetnews.com Events: jess@nuggetnews.com

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Losing trees in Sisters Country

By Therese Kollerer Guest Columnist

Sisters has lost two mighty ponderosa pines, one at Sisters Woodlands Development.

And one by a tree poacher, in the Deschutes National Forest behind Crossroads (see related story, page 3).

We know who is responsible for the first loss, at the corner of Pine Street and West Sisters Park Drive. Sisters Woodlands Development, which states it is committed to saving as many trees as it possibly can, mysteriously felled one of the largest ponderosa pines on its 35-acre site last month. This approximately 42-inch DBH (diameter at breast height) massive and healthy tree was one that the developers themselves had marked for preservation at the time that the original Sisters Woodlands concept was approved.

Efforts to save the tree were futile due to the unilateral action taken by the developer.

The City and the developer had been in active discussions about possibly getting a variance approved in light of the developers’ now-detailed building plans under consideration with the City regarding builds on lots #104 and #103. The variance would have created more space for the tree.

What happened here?

The City of Sisters was taken by surprise when in early November it discovered the tree had been taken down. Someone driving by spotted the massive tree laying on its side. The City could do nothing more to save the tree in question, and the very modest penalty that was subsequently imposed on the developers for taking it down was not commensurate with the extreme loss to the community of Sisters. A ponderosa pine tree of its age, size. and prominence simply cannot be replaced in our lifetimes, nor in our children’s lifetime. The tree is estimated to have been 200-300 years old.

In my conversation with Kevin Eckert of Build LLC, master plan designer for the owners of Sisters Woodlands, he expressed extreme regret over the loss of the tree but stated various

reasons why it was taken down: It would have been too close to the foundation of the nearest home, which would have been stressful on the tree, and perhaps cause its ultimate weakening and demise in the years to come. At that future time, it would have been challenging and expensive to cut down the dead or mortally diseased or damaged tree. Subsequently the root system beneath the foundation would slowly decompose and earth could settle, perhaps causing issues with the foundation of the residence that would require expensive repairs in the future.

The tree itself had a damaged top, he stated (this is not unusual with older ponderosas who have survived for centuries). It had big heavy branches that could be a hazard if they came down. It’s just plain hard on a tree to build so close to it.

While all of these seem to be reasonable considerations, all of them were apparent from the project’s inception, when it was decided which trees to preserve and which to log, where homes and industrial buildings would be sited and where not. When asked about this, and also about the possibility of just not building on this particular very visible corner or pursuing the other possible tree-saving solution, giving the City a chance to get a variance run through the approval process, he stated that waiting “up to 8 months” to get both the Planning Commission and City Council to approve the variance was not the choice they decided to go with due to the potential time delay.

Per The Nugget’s article August 24, 2021, “Sisters Woodlands marking trees for preservation” by Jim Cornelius: “Among the trees that will be preserved are five very large ponderosa pines, including a 58-inch diameter pondo that is believed to be the oldest tree in Sisters.” https://www.nuggetnews. com/story/2021/08/24/ news/sisters-woodlandsmarking-trees-for-preserva tion/32331.html.

It is believed the huge ponderosa that was felled on Pine Street last month was among those top five.

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

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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Tree poachers strike in Sisters the area around Tollgate, up Forest Road 16 (Three Creek Road), and elsewhere.

“Green Ridge is a chronic area for us,” said Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid.

Reid noted that, in the case of the Crossroads tree, the top was taken.

“Was it the same person who felled the tree?

We don’t know that,” he said.

Reid very much wants to catch the culprit or culprits.

“I can’t say a lot, because it’s an open investigation, but that is one of the highest priorities for me for law enforcement on the District,” he said.

The poaching problem is

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Jeremy Fields was named Region 6 Employee of the Year at last week’s Regional Forester Honor Awards ceremony in Portland.

Jeremy Fields honored for work

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Those who have worked with Jeremy Fields in his capacity as Sisters Ranger District’s Special Forest Products coordinator, or in his work with the unhoused population in Sisters’ forests, know that he approaches his work with exceptional dedication, and with humility and a high degree of respect for all.

His work was recognized last week in the U.S. Forest Service’s Regional Forester’s Honor Awards ceremony held in Portland.

Fields was named Region 6 Employee of the Year.

Region 6 covers all of Oregon and Washington.

Fields “takes on more

than his job description,” according to Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid.

While Fields’ actual titles include Special Forest Products & Small Sales Coordinator and Forest Protection Officer, he also works with multiple nonprofits and other groups around the Central Oregon community.

“He’s a really good liaison between the houseless community and other social services,” said Reid.

Fields works with the Sisters Community Leadership Initiative to keep the Sisters forests clean, and with Deschutes County Behavioral Health and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate access to services and minimize and

resolve resource damage and friction between the people living in the forest and the broader community.

Bonnie Rose, part of the Sisters Community Leadership Initiative team, told The Nugget earlier this year that, “Jeremy Fields… is truly a hero in his concern for the forest, the city, and the houseless in the forest.”

His Forest Service colleagues agree. USFS spokesperson Kassidy Kern said, “He has done all of this with humility, respect, and dignity for our community partners, our forest users, and our unhoused population and is constantly coming up with creative solutions to this wickedly complex situation.”

See FIELDS on page 19

While Sisters Ranger District Special Forest Products Officer Jeremy Fields and local volunteer Therese Kollerer were out on a Forest Service volunteer clean-up and patrol on December 4, they stopped to examine the site of a crime.

Someone had felled a very large, green old-growth ponderosa pine.

The felling of a large, important tree — one that the Forest Service had gone out of its way to protect during fuels treatment in the area — is a stark example of a problem that is plaguing the Sisters Ranger District. Tree poachers are felling trees in

See POACHERS on page 9

Sisters veterans mark wreath ceremony 16 observance was hosted

by Sisters veterans and held at the veterans’ memorial at Village Green Park. The ceremonial laying of wreaths on veterans’ graves had taken place earlier in the week at Camp Polk Cemetery.

Captain Jim Morrell, retired U.S. Navy, served as master of ceremonies.

He outlined the history of Wreaths Across America, which started with Christmas wreaths donated to Arlington National Cemetery 15 years

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

From Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, across the nation to Sisters, Oregon, Americans laid wreaths on Saturday, December 16 to mark National Wreaths Across America Day. The national moment commemorates fallen veterans during the holiday season in a mission to remember the fallen; honor those who serve; and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

In Sisters, the December

See CEREMONY on page 21

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday. For location information, please call: Al-Anon 541-848-1970.

Mon., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Sisters Area Woodworkers First Lutheran Church. 541-610-7383.

Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-760-5645.

Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-1897.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd Tuesday, Sisters Veterans Thursdays, Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills East of the Cascades Quilt Guild noon, Takoda’s Restaurant.

7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846.

Lutheran Church 4th Wed. (September-June), Stitchin’ 541-903-1123.

Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061.

Sisters Trails Alliance Board Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church p.m. at Sisters Community Church.

Meetings take place every other month, Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday Wednesday, 7 a.m.,Gentlemen’s Email sistersbridge2021@gmail.com.

5 p.m. In-person or zoom. Contact: meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran 7 p.m., Sisters Community Church.

Sisters Caregiver Support Group info@sisterstrails.org.

541-771-2211.

Church 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Sisters Episcopal Three Sisters Irrigation District Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Heartwarmers (fleece blanketmakers) Church.

541-719-0031.

Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Sisters Board of Directors Meets 1st Tuesday, Lutheran Church Community Church. Materials provided. Sisters Cribbage Club Meets 11 a.m. 10 a.m., TSID Office. 541-549-8815. every Wed. at SPRD. 509-947-5744.

Thursday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of 541-408-8505.

Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd the Transfiguration Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Spoons Sisters Garden Club For monthly Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, Friday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com. Restaurant. 541-419-1279.

1 to 4 p.m. 541-668-1755.

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

VFW Post 8138 and American Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board Military Parents of Sisters Meetings 541-548-0440.

Legion Post 86 1st Wednesday of the of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m. are held quarterly; please call for Saturday, 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of month, 6:30 p.m., Main Church Building Location information: 541-549-1193. details.

541-388-9013. the Transfiguration Sisters Community Church.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild 541-549-1462 (John). a.m., at Aspen Lakes Golf Course.

Chapter meets Wednesdays, For Saturday meeting dates and SCHOOLS 541-410-2870.

11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. location, email: steelefly@msn.com.

541-549-6469.

Black Butte School Citizens4Community Community Sisters Parent Teacher Community Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Board of Directors 2nd Tuesday, Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters 3:45 p.m., Black Butte School.

Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. every month, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Visit Elementary School Commons.

541-595-6203 503-930-6158. citizens4community.com for location.

917-219-8298.

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Council on Aging of Central Oregon Senior Lunch In-person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

12:30 to 1 p.m. Sisters Community Church. 541-480-1843.

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

This listing is for regular Sisters Country meetings; email information to nugget@nuggetnews.com.

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

CITY & PARKS

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

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tues., 4 p.m., Coffield Center. 541-549-2091.

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

FIRE & POLICE Black Butte Ranch Police Dept.

Board of Directors Meets monthly.

541-595-2191 for time & date.

Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BBR Fire Station. 541-595-2288.

Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Wed., 5:30 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale Rd. 541-548-4815. cloverdalefire.com.

Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday, 5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Fog creates travel woes out of Redmond

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Maybe you are one of the estimated 7.5 million air passengers traveling for the Christmas holidays.

Or maybe you are expecting family traveling to you.

Good luck. You will probably need it.

In addition to the anticipated record number of travelers — up by 200,000 from the previous high in 2019 — you may encounter uncommon delays at RDM – Redmond airport — in the form of fog.

A couple from Camp Sherman arose at 3 a.m. last week for a 6 a.m. am flight that would take them to Salt Lake City for a connection to Las Vegas that would get them there at noon, in plenty of time for that evening’s opening of the National Finals Rodeo. It was a dream trip they had planned for months.

Ground fog delayed them over seven hours, and they had to add in an extra connection in Los Angeles to make it at all. This was after

El Niño brings more warm moisture and with it more opportunity for fog.

two schedule changes in the preceding months from their original booking as airlines continue to struggle with crew shortages and delivery delays of new airplanes.

We are in an El Niño weather year. The term El Niño refers to a warming of the ocean surface, or above-average sea surface temperatures, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The low-level surface winds, which normally blow from east to west along the equator (“easterly winds”), instead weaken or, in some cases, start blowing the other direction (from west to east or “westerly winds”).

El Niño brings more warm moisture and with it more opportunity for fog.

Any number of days in Sisters over the last month have featured ground fog in some cases lasting for hours.

Redmond has been especially hard hit, with the airport having a number of severe fog, events totally disrupting air travel. And it couldn’t come at a worse time.

17.6 million Americans are now enrolled in TSA PreCheck, up 3.9 million from last year. This once elite program designed to speed you through security is having the opposite effect with so many more travelers qualifying.

The pre-check lines at RDM are often just as long as for

regular screening, frustrating passengers.

At the same time as demand for air travel increases, squeezing more passengers through RDM’s already crowded terminal, due for a major expansion, Alaska Airlines resumed its Portland (PDX) service with a daily nonstop in each direction.

A few counters down, Avelo has grown from one destination (Los Angeles/ Burbank) to four, adding in Palm Springs, Santa Rosa, and Las Vegas.

Alaska operates Boeing 737-9 Max jets to and from Seattle. This is the biggest plane in the 737 family employed for long-distance flights, with a 3,250 nautical mile range making it capable of coast-to-coast flights or even reaching Hawaii.

But due to passenger demand, the “Max” ferries travelers the short distance from Redmond to Seattle.

Almost without exception, the Seattle gateway offers Sisters Country travelers the lowest fares, especially as compared to connections via San Francisco and Denver.

In May RDM will add nonstop service to Dallas (DFW)

by American in a move to meet ever growing demand from Central Oregon. DFW is American’s major domestic and international hub, and

PHOTO PROVIDED

A Boeing 737-9 Max in the air.

Sisters passengers will now shorten many destinations by as many as eight hours.

Capacity-strained RDM took a major hit in 2020 from Covid, as did airports everywhere. The rebound has been nothing short of spectacular. Roberts Field surpassed the one million mark this year in enplanements and deplanements.

A $200 million terminal expansion is expected to make its start in 2024, and that could complicate travels even more during construction, although airport managers expect to minimize impacts with careful and phased planning.

Airport parking is now $24 a day, which some passengers describe as greedy.

“Give me a break,” grouses Dave Fuller of Sisters, a

frequent business traveler.

The bump from $15 is still less than Portland, Seattle, or Eugene but it’s forcing a change in habits for passengers leaving town for more than a few days.

There is no Lyft or Uber in Sisters — yet. And a ride to the airport is at least $50 and typically $60 plus tip each way.

Airfares remain high, up 25 percent in a year according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. That does not appear to be slowing down travel. Gen Zers are traveling at record numbers and will soon surpass Millennials.

Travelers may expect more frustration in 2024, especially in the morning when nine flights depart in a three-hour window from 5 to 8:05 a.m.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you for supporting Fika this year.

See you in 2024!

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Meat, poultry, game, Alaskan seafood • Smoked cheeses & jerky Seasonings & sauces • Sandwiches & beer, wine, cider 541-719-1186 110 S. SPRUCE ST.| OPEN 9AM-6PM EVERY DAY 5

MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY • DRINKERY

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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Holiday season is in Sisters galleries

By Helen Schmidling Correspondent

This will be the last Sisters Arts Association Fourth Friday Artwalk of 2023. It’s a great opportunity to find gifts that may be just what you’ve been looking for.

Canyon Creek Pottery will feature “Raku After Dark.”

Master Potter Ken Merrill will be pulling pots from the raku kiln, starting at 5:30 p.m. at his gallery at 310 N. Cedar in Sisters. It will be a lively and exciting demonstration, and you get to see beautiful pottery created in real time. From red-hot to beautiful finished pots in minutes. The gallery also has a wide selection of gifts and stocking stuffers.

Campbell Gallery has artwork by Jill Neal displayed through December, but will not be open during Artwalk.

Toriizaka Art invites art lovers to the gallery during this festive time, and will be open on Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with refreshments from 4 to 7 p.m. Look for a selection of affordable ceramics and woodcarvings along with contemporary art.

Sisters Gallery & Frame season, through the end of has a brand-new selection February. The jewelry artof gourds and framed gourd ists are Alisa Looney, enamel shards by Kim Black of jewelry; Karen Evans, fine Beaver Meadow Arts arriving hand-woven beaded braceon Friday. Also new framed lets and necklaces; Danica art by Paul Alan Bennett and Curtright, glass beads using Brad Earl, and more hand- a century-old process; Sharon knitted and crocheted hats by Reed, handwrought items; Helen Schmidling. Bennett’s Sunstone Store, sunstone earrings, necklaces, “Moons Over the John and rings; and Day River” Zantana Design, series comb i n e s dichroic printmakg l a s s ing and jewelry. painting.

Makin’ Earl plays It Local, a nostalgic a new gallery in chord with Sisters, celtwo jukeebrates Oregon boxes and four a t 2 8 1 W. classic typewriters. Black Cascade Ave., “Marbled Canteen” by Kim Black decorates with art, phoat Sisters Gallery & Frame. gourds with tography, fine traditional carving or wood- crafts, jewelry, ceramics, and burning, and then applies more. Featured artwork is by transparent ink dyes, metallic Megan Marie Myers, Lindsay paints, and botanicals. There Gilmore, Rachel Dantona will be sweet refreshments (Hikerbooty), James Parsons between 4 and 7 p.m.

(Extreme Oregon), letterHood Avenue Art Gallery’s press by Quail Lane Press focus will be their jewelry and Green Bird Press, Julie artists during the holiday Hamilton, Sheila Dunn, Susan

PHOTO PROVIDED

“Stand By Me” by Trinh Tuan at Toriizaka Art.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Art gifts at Space In Common.

PHOTO PROVIDED

“Evening Sentinel” by Raymond Nordwall at Raven Makes Gallery.

Luckey Higdon, and more.

Space in Common is home to lots of gift items: pottery, candles, soaps, handmade jewelry, and more. In addition, look for some lovely small paintings from Taylor Manoles and watercolors from Amelia Morton. Stay tuned for announcements of upcoming workshops in 2023.

Raven Makes Gallery wishes everyone happy holidays and a rejuvenating New Year. New pieces for Christmas include Navajo jewelry, Zuni fetishes, and miniature Kachinas.

Wildflower Studio has small-batch candles, diffusers, linen sprays, and lotion

PHOTO PROVIDED

Local handcrafted art at Wildflower Studio.

collections in unique seasonal blends. The studio is stocked with original paintings, prints, handcrafted gifts, artisan and felted soap and shampoo bars.

The Rickards Gallery features gifts made by local artisans and light appetizers from 4 to 6 p.m. The Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Items include jewelry from Wendy Vernon, pottery from Nomadic Ceramics, fused glass from Edie Shelton, mosaic glass from Mare Schelz, hand-painted gourd ornaments from Chris Warren and Leslie Burtt, and, of course, beautiful artwork. Gift cards and complimentary giftwrapping are available.

The Stitchin’ Post is not holding a reception this Fourth Friday, but items are still available in the Employee Craft Boutique that opened after Thanksgiving. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sign up for Quick Draw in each gallery you visit. Sisters Arts Association awards two $50 gift certificates to Artwalk patrons, thanks to a generous donation from Coldwell Banker Bain of Sisters. Also, a reminder to those who have won these gift certificates during this year to use them up before the year ends.

Happy holidays!

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Soccer players earn All-State

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The girls soccer squad wrapped up a perfect league season, made it to the state semifinals and to top it off had three players make Allstate teams. Marley Holden was a first-team pick and Izzy Schiller and Katie Ryan were both second-team selections.

Holden, for the second consecutive year, led the Outlaws in both goals and assists, 21 and 11 respectively. She was a stellar midfielder who was the “engine” of the team.

Coach Brian Holden said, “I will miss Marley as a player and a captain. She has set a standard of how a midfield should be run. She has been a very unpredictable offensive player, both in her passing and shooting. She is a selfless distributor and was always reliable in the middle.”

Schiller recorded 14 shutouts and only allowed five goals to be scored against the Outlaws all season.

“Izzy ran our defense to perfection!” said Holden. “As a center back she was a communicator and led by example. I will miss her energy and leadership as a captain.”

Ryan finished the year with 19 goals and four assists for the Outlaws.

“Katie defined ... ‘hard work’,” said Holden. “She always arrived to practice with a smile and ready to better herself and team every day.”

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Commentary...

Christmas: Good news for a tired world

By Ryan Moffat Guest Columnist

Merry Christmas to the people of our wonderful community here in Sisters Country. Just a few short weeks ago many of us gathered for the Christmas parade and the definitive marker that it is now officially Christmas in Sisters Country — the lighting of the tree at Fir Street Park.

As our community ushered in the joy and excitement of the holiday season, I found myself asking some deeper questions that many wrestle through, especially those who aren’t necessarily feeling all that “Christmas cheer” due to the pressures of this time of the year.

Many in our community feel like life has lost its luster and some struggle with the questions of meaning and purpose. Still others with the pain of loneliness, grief, and loss. Has the idealism of your youth faded?

Does the wonder and awe of the Christmas season seem like a distant memory for the naïve, hopeful child you used to be?

Far too many of us feel the nostalgia of the Christmas season as we watch joyful children at the

parade, but life’s surprising twists and turns has a way of turning the hope into skepticism. We can’t let ourselves get too excited; who knows who or what might fail us next? Or perhaps you’re simply paying attention to the world around you. Wars, rumors of wars, rising animosity between people groups and political entities in our own country and community.

All of these stressors can bring a fog of fatigue.

Right in the middle of the crisis we hear the Christmas hope breaking through in the words of the Christmas hymn “O Holy Night”: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices...”

Nobody knew this weariness, this darkness, and this cynicism more personally than Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German pastor who wrote a Christmas devotional from his prison cell in 1942. Bonhoeffer watched as darkness swept the land, hatred and racism destroyed nations, and the horror of the Holocaust happened before his very eyes: “And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message

comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all…”

The wonder of Christmas can be restored, but we will have to correct our blurry vision. We will have to have our assumptions challenged, our perspectives poked, and our modern sensibilities questioned. We will have to begin to open up again to the possibility that there is a good and gracious God at work in ways that are not obvious but nevertheless real and meaningful.

Christmas is the miracle of the love of God coming to a broken and tired and needy people. The Christmas message is simple yet incredibly profound. The Christmas message is that God so loved the world that he gave us his Son, Jesus Christ, to come to the world and die for the sins of people like you and me.

Christmas wonder, joy, and hope can be restored this holiday season, but these transcendent gifts will not be accessed through the latest Hallmark film, the perfect gift under the tree or by just getting one more

peppermint latte. Hope will break in when you begin to experience the awe and wonder of the great promise that we learn from John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”

I would like to take a moment and invite you to our church this Christmas.

On Thursday, December 21 at 6:30 p.m., we will host a special Christmas gathering called “Blue Christmas” for anyone who is struggling with grief, relational pain, or loss this holiday season. Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time for those who feel alone. Please consider coming to experience God’s grace through this gathering.

We would also invite all of you out to one of our two Christmas Eve services on December 24. One will be at Fir Street Park (outside) at 4:30 p.m. on December 24, and the other will be at 5:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Church. We would be grateful and honored to host you.

Merry Christmas, Sisters Country, and God bless you.

Ryan Moffat is the Teaching and discipleship Pastor at Sisters Community Church.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Law enforcement raids marijuana operations

Farrier’s work all for love of horses

On December 12, at 7 a.m., Detectives with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Team (DCIMME) executed three search warrants after conducting a long-term investigation into the illegal production of marijuana at multiple addresses in the Bend area.

The team was supported by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team, Drug Enforcement Administration, Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Bend Police Department, Oregon Army National Guard Counterdrug, Oregon Water Resources, Deschutes County Code Enforcement, Oregon State Police and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, A total of 330 growing

Sisters Country is horse country — and there is nothing more critical to equine well-being than keeping their feet in good shape.

That’s where Charles H a l p e r a n d H a l p e r ’s Horseshoeing steps in.

Halper graduated from Oregon Farrier School in Silverton at the top of his class, and has hung out his shingle as a certified farrier in Sisters, where he and his wife have decided to make their home.

“I can do just about anything to do with horseshoeing,” he told The Nugget.

That includes trims and therapeutic and corrective shoeing. He’ll work with challenging horses. He and his wife have seven horses, including some rescues.

“A lot of our horses are rescues, and I’m willing to work with rescues,” he said.

Halper likes working outdoors, likes working with his hands, and he likes being his own boss. But most of all, he loves horses, and that’s the main driver of his work.

“I do it for the horses,”

marijuana plants, approximately 100 pounds of processed marijuana material, one firearm, and 50 grams of psilocybin mushrooms were seized.

Warrants were served in the 21000 block of Tumalo Road; the 21000 block of Tumalo Place; and the 63000 block Logan Avenue in Bend. Kelly James King, 39, of Bend, was arrested on a charge of unlawful manufacture of marijuana within a thousand feet of a school.

Law enforcement reportedly found non-permitted dangerous electrical wiring which consisted of exposed wiring, breakers, and outlets; black mold and marijuana mite infestation; and ground water contamination due to herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers being disposed of on the properties.

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

he said.

It’s all about enhancing and prolonging soundness, conformation and quality of life for the horse. Halper says he’s willing to work with veterinarians too.

Halper found his love for horses early. He was born in Long Island, New York, but his family moved to Florida when he was young. There, he started riding in a variety of disciplines.

“I actually started riding when I was five,” he said.

There was an interlude for a stint in the military, then he headed west to manage a farm in Springfield, Oregon.

There he met his future wife, Stephanie, whom he describes with a grin as “a crazy horse lady.”

As soon as I got around someone who had horses, it became my lifestyle,” he recalled. “There was no looking back.”

In a story familiar to many folks in Sisters, Charles and Stephanie found Sisters on vacation — and immediately started figuring out how to move here.

“We took a trip over here, and it kind of sold itself to me,” Charles recalled. “As

soon as I saw the town of Sisters, within six months we were living here. This is where I plan on living for the rest of my life.”

Halper worked for a time as the bar manager at Sisters Saloon before taking the plunge into a career working with horses. There is more demand for a capable farrier’s work than there are capable farriers, so he knows he will find success. Currently, he’s building a client base, and those interested should book now before his calendar is full.

Halper works out of a trailer towed behind his truck: “It’s a full-on mobile workshop. I thoroughly enjoy the forging part of it.”

Halper is acutely aware that farrier work is hard on the body, and longevity in the career requires attention to the farrier’s own soundness.

“I was actually a personal trainer for four years,” he said. “I know what it’s going to do to my body, and I train in the gym four to five days a week to compensate.”

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

SHS unveils new media center

By Olivia Nieto Correspondent

Sisters High School (SHS) has always been known for its creative and hands-on classes. As the world quickly advances in technology, the high school is following in stride.

Just a few weeks ago a well-equipped media center was set up at the heart of the school. Junior Jack Turpen was at the helm of this project, which spanned the week-long Thanksgiving break.

Turpen initially developed an interest in technology during his time as a sixth grader at Sisters Middle School.

This interest eventually led to being named president of the audio-visual club at SHS. In addition to that role, Turpen works as a freelance photographer for The Nugget, and helps run technology for school-sanctioned events.

“Ever since sixth grade I’d been helping with the middle school news and had the opportunity to transform

it into something really cool.

Since freshman year I’ve wanted to have a studio,” Turpen said.

This goal was fulfilled when he had the idea to create a media center. Aided by woodshop students, AV, and leadership members, they began building this room over Thanksgiving break.

The bulk of the process lay in obtaining enough grant money to purchase the necessary equipment. However, once this obstacle was overcome, it only took a little less than two weeks to fully set it up.

“Thinking back to my younger sixth-grade self, I never would’ve expected to be what I am now. But it’s all thanks to the community around me that supports and encourages youth to reach their goals,” Turpen said.

The multi-functional media center serves as a place to record Outlaw News, the primary news source for SHS students, including editing computers and a green screen. This space is used for

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Brooke Blakelock is behind the anchor desk at the new student-created Sisters High School media center, where they produce Outlaw News. taking photos of seniors, art, and the yearbook.

“I hope it’ll aid the expansion of the school…as a developing school, AV and media is really important. We designed it to be modular;

people are constantly going to be adding on and improving the space. I hope that its legacy will last long after I leave the high school,” said Turpen.

This space marks the

growth of Sisters High School, supporting students in their technological aspirations, and cultivating a space of new opportunities, which is expected to serve for many years.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

POACHERS: Illegal tree cutting is a problem across the region Continued from page 3

significant. Fields told The Nugget that there has always been an issue with people illegally felling trees, often to sell as firewood. However, he thinks the problem is growing.

“I do think there are more trees being cut,” he said.

“What I’m seeing is largediameter wildlife trees being cut. I’ve used the word thousands of trees. I don’t think I’m exaggerating.”

Fields said he began to see an uptick during COVID. Evidence indicates that most of the cutting is not being done by professionals but by “unskilled fellers who are lucky as heck.”

Felling trees with an undersized saw when you don’t really know what you’re doing is extremely dangerous, because a tree can fall in unpredictable ways.

The cutting of a major, green tree is “different,” Fields said.

Reid said there are basically four categories of tree poaching. Some is “subsistence” poaching, where people are cutting trees to heat

their own home or camp.

Some is, as Fields identified, illegal commercial firewood cutting.

“I think some people may be doing some milling,” Reid said. “It’s probably pretty rare, but I think it is happening.”

Both Reid and Fields noted that some people seem to be felling trees simply for “sport.” Perhaps they’re playing with a new chain saw, or imitating things they see on social media —motivation is speculative.

As far as the foresters are concerned, it’s no different than poaching an animal and leaving it to rot, or taking the head for a trophy, and perhaps a prime cut.

“It’s that same just criminal mentality, and no sense of right and wrong,” Reid said.

Fields notes that some people seem to get a kick out of stealing from the feds.

“You’re not stealing from the Forest Service,” Fields said. “You’re stealing from the community.”

Fields notes that the loss of a wildlife tree is greater than its simple value as timber.

“It’s super important,” he said. “That’s why we left it there.”

There are reputable, legal firewood sellers to buy

PHOTO PROVIDED

Therese Kollerer with a big, old growth ponderosa pine recently found cut down outside of Crossroads. Tree poaching, including what foresters are calling “sport falling,” is a top law enforcement priority for forest officials. from. Fields said the public can help quell the problem by not buying from people who are selling on a black market.

“Quit buying from these people,” he said. “Guy shows up at your property in a beater truck and looks like a tree poacher — probably a tree poacher.”

Fields emphasizes that the vast majority of firewood cutters are responsible, and that cutting firewood legally is a legitimate and important part of a working forest.

“You should see people out there cutting firewood,” he said.

Personal-use firewood permits are free, though a permit is still required. The public can obtain up to eight cords of wood per year. This firewood cannot be sold.

People interested in selling firewood must obtain a commercial permit at a Forest Service office.

The pinecones that grace many a yule wreath come from the forest.

“A few years ago, your cone contract sold for

$30,000,” Fields said.

Fields said that the public has been good about “see something, say something.”

If you come across evidence of tree poaching, it is helpful to be able to give location information, including google coordinates, and the timeframe in which you found the tree.

Do not confront people in the act; pass information on to the Forest Service at 541-549-7700.

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10

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Commentary...

The great pathfinder

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

History is capricious.

Who we remember and who we forget often has more to do with who had the better press agent than who was most accomplished. Most folks in Oregon have at least heard of John C. Fremont, who traveled through this country in the 1840s, mapping out the expansion of the United States.

Before Fremont was a Mountain Man named Jedediah Smith. Few other than fur trade buffs know that name today. I was gratified last week to hear that a new popular biography of Smith is on its way from the prolific team of frontier loreslingers Tom Clavin and Bob Drury. “Throne of Grace: A Mountain Man, an Epic Adventure, and the Bloody Conquest of the American West” is due out next spring.

Since the last and only real biography of Smith was published in 1953, you could say we’re due.

In 1823, when General William Ashley was looking for 100 “enterprising young men” to ascend the Missouri River to its source to trap beaver for three years, Jed Smith signed on.

Smith was definitely an “enterprising young man.”

He was one of the original Ashley’s Hundred, the first major contingent of American Mountain Men to go up the Missouri River.

He was a trapper and a fur trade entrepreneur. But the business of the fur trade was really an excuse, a justification to indulge his deepest

WORD OF THE DAY

Fain feyn

Pleased or willing under the circumstances.

passion. Smith was compelled, almost to the point of mania, to “discover” new lands.

He was of a type that the 19th Century would throw up over and over again, an explorer driven by “firsts.” Consider his roster of achievements over eight years on the plains, in the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest: • The discovery of South Pass over the Rocky Mountains.

• First American to travel overland to California — in a brutal crossing of the Mojave Desert.

• First American to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin (modern Nevada).

• First American to reach Oregon trekking up the California coast.

He was a deeply religious man, who did not indulge in the carnal excesses that many a Mountain Man reveled in. No cussin’. Not much drinkin’. No romantic or transactional relationships with women. He is a somewhat aloof figure — not relatable in the way Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, and Joe Meek are. Yet, he earned the respect and admiration of his fellow Mountain Men, who followed him willingly — often into disaster. He was tough as hell. He was once

mauled by a grizzly and had Jim Clyman sew a torn ear back on with leather whangs.

While Smith accomplished prodigious feats, they came at a high cost.

His trapping brigades ran afoul of Mexican officials in California, suffered thirst and deprivation in the desert — and were repeatedly mauled by native peoples.

One of the most disastrous incidents to befall the Mountain Men occurred in Oregon in 1828, near what is now Reedsport.

Smith led a party of 19 trappers with 300 horses and mules up the California coast and into Oregon, heading for the Hudson Bay Company Post at Fort Vancouver. (If you haven’t visited Fort Vancouver, it’s a must; a wonderful recreation of the fur trade era post). Oregon City’s End of the Oregon Trail blog has a detailed dayby-day itinerary of Smith’s journey (https://historicore goncity.org/2019/04/03/ jedediah-smith-route/).

As Smith’s party moved north, there was increasing friction with the native peoples. The Lower Umpqua Indians (Quuiich) alternately saw the fur trappers as potential trading partners and as trespassers. In turn, the trappers were suspicious of the Indians and on edge due to the intense rigors of

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their journey. The Quuiich came into camp to trade, but also shot horses with arrows and stole camp equipment, infuriating the trappers.

Increasing tensions came to a head on July 14, 1828.

Smith, two companions, and a native guide took a canoe out to scout for a route into the Willamette Valley. While they were out of camp, the Quuiich fell on the trappers and killed 15 men. One man, Arthur Black, was wounded but managed to escape into the forest.

As Smith canoed back toward the camp, the Indian guide grabbed Smith’s rifle and jumped into the river. Seeing no sign of life at the camp, Smith and his two companions fled north toward refuge at Fort Vancouver. They made it there, as did Arthur Black, in early August, rescued and guided by Tillamook Indians. Even though they were competitors, the British

company gave the refugees succor, and sent out an expedition that recovered much of their property — including Smith’s journals.

Smith returned to the Rockies and led a highly successful hunt into Blackfeet Country in what is now Montana, in 182930. After making bank on this hunt, Smith, David J a c k s o n , a n d Wi l l i a m Sublette sold their Rocky Mountain Fur Company, and Smith returned to St. Louis, Missouri, planning to publish a map of his explorations.

In 1831, though, he was back out in the wilderness, leading a trading expedition to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Somewhere in Kansas, scouting for water, he ran afoul of a party of Comanche and was killed.

Look for “Throne of Grace” next spring. Think I’ll plan a trek out to the Umpqua River next summer in his memory.

Come celebrate the souurce of oour ur source

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

11

Girls basketball posts first win of season

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The girls basketball squad fell 37-50 at home to Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 12, but three days later, they bounced back with a 65-47 victory on the road at South Umpqua.

In Tuesday’s action against the Lady Lions the Outlaws were shorthanded, with one starter out, with an injury and another for academic reasons. As a result the Outlaws played with just five varsity players, two of them freshmen (Audrey Corcoran and Paityn Cotner), and four girls swung up from the JV squad.

Sisters stayed within five points of the visiting squad in the first quarter until the last three minutes. At that point the Lions went on a five-point run and at the close of the quarter Sisters trailed 7-18.

In the second quarter the Outlaws played almost even with the Lions. They scored eight points in the quarter, while the Lions put up nine.

At the half they’d closed the gap to seven at 15-27.

Sisters only points in the

third was a three-pointer from Cotner, and two free-throws from Ila Reid. Unfortunately, the Lions were hot offensively and put up 16 points in the quarter to go ahead by 23 at the close of the period.

Although the Outlaws were shorthanded they didn’t let fatigue keep them from playing hard until the final buzzer, and outscored the Lions 17-7 in the period.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make up for the third-quarter deficit.

Reid led the team with 15 points, and also had six rebounds in the contest. Shae Wyland scored 13 points, and recorded six steals. Cotner recorded five points, and Audrey Corcoran contributed with two points and three steals.

Coach Paul Patton said, “I was really pleased with the solid play we got from our subs (Norah Thorsett, Holly Madron, Emma Sahlberg, and Althea Trask), who had just played three or four quarters in the JV game. They kept us competitive on the floor and allowed our starters to catch their breath.”

“We are becoming a better team,” added Patton.

“Once we get our roster at full strength and become more familiar with the system we’re trying to run offensively and defensively, I believe we’ll be able to win games against good teams.”

At South Umpqua on Friday night, the Outlaws were again short two of their starters. The loss wasn’t a factor as Sisters dominated the entire game and proved they were definitely the better team. They got good shots from their half-court offense and made several easy buckets off of steals. On defense, the Outlaws rebounded the ball well, and forced the Lady Lancers to take harder shots.

At the half Sisters held a commanding 41-22 lead.

In the third quarter the Outlaws continued to dominate and outscored the Lancers 14-7. In the final quarter the Outlaws experienced a drop in intensity due

to fatigue and were outscored in the period, but still came out on top by 18.

Ten girls got minutes on the court for the Outlaws and nine of them scored points.

Corcoran led the team with 15 points, Reid scored 13, and Wyland and Cotner tallied 10 points each. Emma Sahlberg recorded five points, Althea Crabtree and Norah Thorsett posted four each, Jorja Christianson added three, and Holly Davis pitched in with one.

Patton said, “Audrey (Corcoran) stood out not only for her scoring but for her

steals on defense and passing as our point guard. Ila (Reid) was her usual strong self with inside scoring and rebounding as well as team leadership.

Shae (Wyland) helped us by running the court in transition and blocking shots on defense, and Paityn (Cotner) probably had her best game of the year with 10 points and as our on-ball defender.”

The Outlaws will play on the road at Estacada on Wednesday. They will resume play on Thursday through Saturday, December 28-30 as they host the annual Sisters Shootout.

I was really pleased with the solid play we got from our subs…

— Coach Paul Patton

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

A N N O U N C E M E N T S Celebrate Winter Solstice at the Sisters Labyrinth

Gather together with your community to honor the darkest time of the year and celebrate the returning of the light! The group will be walking the labyrinth so please wear warm clothing and bring a candle.

Thursday, December 21 at 6 p.m. at the E. Portal (across from Les Schwab) on W. Hood Ave. For more information, please call 415-233-3243.

Sisters Garden Club Journal

Sisters Garden Club has a Garden Journal that is available for $15 at Paulina Springs Books, The Gallimaufry, Three Sisters Floral, Home Styled, & Metamorphosis, all in Sisters.

The 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.

They make great gifts. Please call 971-246-0404 for questions.

Pet Food Drive

The annual Furry Friends (FF) Pet Food drive is going on now and is held in conjunction with the Kiwanis and local fire department’s Spirit of Giving campaign. Donations of pet food can be dropped off at the FF office. Monetary donations are welcome and can be mailed to P.O. Box 1175, Sisters 97759 or made online at www. furryfriendsfoundation.org. For more info call 541-797-4023.

Free Weekly Meal Service

Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy. Visit www.FamilyKitchen.org.

THIS WEEK’S

HIGHLIGHTS Thursday, December 21 Celebrate Winter Solstice Sisters Labyrinth Thursday, December 21 Blue Christmas Sisters Community Church

Thelma’s Place Adult Day Respite Program in Redmond hosts a monthly support group for those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease. The support group is held every third Wednesday of the month from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. This is a free family-caregiver support group featuring local organizations. Call 541-548-3049.

STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transport Patients

Help Sisters Country residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters, Redmond, and Bend. Attend a free two-hour training. Emails from STARS 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. STARS is an AFSC Action Team.

PET OF THE WEEK

Humane Society of Central Oregon 541-382-3537

For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon offers a fun, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy. No reservations needed. No-cost Grab-N-Go lunches take place weekly on Wed. and Thurs., from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367.

Are you looking for something fun to do with your free time?

Volunteer with Sisters Habitat for Humanity! Call 541-549-1193.

SISTERS LIBRARY COMING EVENTS

Storytelling Essentials Workshop

Join Claire Brislin, a writer, educator, and creative coach, for this youth workshop on how to write fabulous stories. For middle school and high school students age 11 and up in the Sisters Library Community Room on Tuesday, January 9 at 3:45 p.m. Registration is required at https://www. deschuteslibrary.org/kids/ programs.

This is a solemn service for those whose hearts are hurting this season. This service will be held in the Fireside Room at Sisters Community Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy., from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 21.

For more information, contact Terry Hardin at terryhardin1@ gmail.com.

Hunter Education Class

Starts February 14, 2024. Register online at odfw.com For info call Rick Cole 541-420-6934.

Weekly Food Pantry

The Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantry Thursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N. Trinity Way. Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-style distribution are available. Info: 541-549-4184.

Sunday School for Children

Church of the Transfiguration is now offering Sunday School for children, ages 5 to 12, regardless of church affiliation, during both Sunday worship services.

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

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Caregiver Support Group

Free Lunches for Seniors

Sisters Habitat Volunteers Needed

Blue Christmas

MAGGIE

Say hello to Maggie! This young lady came to HSCO with one of her kittens. Maggie spent some time in one of our wonderful foster homes until her kitten was ready to find its own home and is now ready to find a place to call her own.

If you are looking for a sweet and playful companion, then Maggie is the cat for you. If you are looking for a loving cat to add to your family come by and ask to meet Maggie!

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Sisters Veterinary Clinic 541-549-6961

Christmas Church Services

Sisters Community Church

On Sunday, December 24, there will be a morning service at 9:30 a.m. at SCC. There will be two afternoon services.

Outdoors at Fir Street Park at 4:30 p.m. is a celebration for the whole family, including hot cocoa, singing Christmas songs, the Christmas story, and candle-lighting. The Christmas Eve indoor, candlelight service begins at 5:30 p.m. at 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. For more information call 541-549-1201 or go to sisterschurch.com.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Sisters Church of the Nazarene

Join Sisters Church of the Nazarene on Christmas Eve for a Sunday morning worship service at 10 a.m. The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is at 4:30 p.m. The church is located at 67130 Harrington Loop Rd., off Gist Road. For more info call 541389-8960 389 8960 or visit sistersnaz.org. sist stersnaz.org.

Christmas Eve Social Hour and Service at Wellhouse

On Sunday, December 24, at 3 p.m. Wellhouse will host a Christmas social hour with free family portraits and cookies.

Following at 4 p.m. will be a classic Christmas candlelight service with a special reading and a gift for kids. For info call 541-549-4184 or go to wellhousechurch.org.

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

Invites you to attend services on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24. There will be a morning Advent service at 9:30 a.m. Family service & children’s nativity begins at 4 p.m. A traditional service with organ and choir takes place at 8 p.m.

For info: 541-549-7087 or visit www.transfiguration-sisters.org.

Christmas Masses at St. Edward the Martyr

Christmas Eve in Camp Sherman

All are welcome to the Chapel in the Pines Christmas Eve service, which will be held at the Camp Sherman Community Hall (F.S. Rd. 1419).

There will be Christmas carols, a devotional, and gifts for the children! The service begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 24.

Questions? Contact Kathi at 541-815-9153.

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

On Sunday, December 24 at 10 a.m., come attend a Christmas carol worship service. Sunday, December 24 at 4 p.m., there will be a traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service including Christmas carols and a Christmas story and message.

All are welcome! For more information call 541-549-5831.

Christmas masses will be held at St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 23, at 5:300 p.m.; Sunday, December 24, at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; and Monday, December 25 at 10 a.m. Call 541-549-9391 or visit stedwardsisters.org.

SISTERS-AREA CHURCHES

Chapel in the Pines Baha’i Faith For information, devotions, study groups, etc., contact Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153 Shauna Rocha 541-647-9826 • www.bahai.org • www. 10 a.m. Sunday Worship bahai.us • www.bahaiteaching.org Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) Wellhouse Church 386 N. Fir Street • 541-549-5831 442 Trinity Way • 541-549-4184 10 a.m. Sunday Worship https://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com www.shepherdofthehillslutheranchurch.com 10 a.m. Sunday Worship St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 123 Trinity Way • 541-549-9391 121 N Brooks Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a.m. Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship 12 p.m. Monday Mass • 8 a.m. Tuesday-Friday Mass 10:15 a.m. Episcopal Sunday Worship The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints www.transfiguration-sisters.org 452 Trinity Way • Branch President, 541-420-5670; Sisters Church of the Nazarene 10 a.m. Sunday Sacrament Meeting 67130 Harrington Loop Rd. • 541-389-8960 Calvary Church www.sistersnaz.org • info@sistersnaz.org 484 W. Washington St., Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288 10 a.m. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsisters.org Sisters Community Church (Nondenominational) Seventh-Day Adventist Church 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 386 N. Fir St. • 541-815-9848 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship 11 a.m. Saturday Worship www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com

POLICY: Nonprofits, schools, churches, birth, engagement, wedding, and anniversary notices may run at no charge. Business items do not run on this page. All submissions subject to editing and run as space allows. Email janice@nuggetnews.com or drop off at 442 E. Main Ave. Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

13

Education Service District superintendent to retire High Desert Education Service District (ESD) Superintendent Paul Andrews announced that he will retire at the end of June 2024.

Andrews has been with the region’s Education Service District for 25 years, first teaching, then innovating and growing programs, and ultimately leading the organization as superintendent beginning in 2017.

High Desert ESD provides administrative, information, and special education support services to the region’s schools, including Sisters School District.

Andrews was 31 years old when he accepted a job as a Central Oregon autism specialist in 1999. It was the launch of a 25-year career with the ESD, which came to be called the High Desert Education Service District in 2003. Before joining the organization, Andrews worked as a special education teacher in classrooms from kindergarten through high school in Washington and Alaska.

His heart for special education developed early in life after having loved and lost an identical twin brother, Peter, when they were only four years old. Peter was born with cerebral palsy, vision impairment, and intellectual disabilities. Sadly, there were few support services for people with disabilities at that time, and the boys’ parents were encouraged to institutionalize Peter. He died in the nursing

home where he lived without ever having access to Early Childhood Special Education because it didn’t exist.

Peter would have been 11 years old when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) law was implemented in 1977, making free special education and related services required to children with disabilities throughout the nation. This reality was the early inspiration for Andrews’ career in special education.

While county-based regional education services had been in place in Oregon since 1860, it wasn’t until 1997 that Central Oregon’s ESD began providing special education to children ages 0 to 21. Within one year of joining the ESD, Andrews recognized a pressing need for students experiencing disabilities so he developed an assistive technology program in 2000, bringing equipment and software designed to enhance learning for special education students in seven counties in Central Oregon.

In 2003, Andrews was appointed director of special programs, a role in which he served for eight years before being named executive director of school improvement in 2011. In 2012, he accepted the role of deputy superintendent, working in partnership with his predecessor John Rexford. In 2017, he accepted the position of superintendent and led the organization

through significant growth and challenges, including the global pandemic.

When asked what he is most proud of, Andrews is quick to talk about the HDESD team.

“We have a lot to be proud of,” he said. “We have over 300 people doing amazing work every day and I feel incredibly fortunate to have shared my career with them. I’m excited to watch their continued success and stewardship of this work.”Andrews notes that often people don’t know what education service districts do.

“If we’re doing our job well as an ESD, we are often behind the scenes. We bring people together and make district teams’ lives easier.

Oftentimes, when you read or hear about students’ success in the news, HDESD plays an important role and not everyone knows that.”

The delicate balance, says Andrews, comes with maintaining the appropriate level of visibility to ensure continued support and funding for regional services.

As the central resource for the region’s early childhood

PHOTO PROVIDED

High Desert Education Service District Superintendent Paul Andrews will retire at the end of this school year. education (up to five years), special education (up to 21 years), mental/behavioral health, substitute teachers, driver education and other specialized programs, HDESD uses a shared resource model to make sure partner school districts have the support they need to provide cost-effective, healthy, safe, and inclusive environments for students of all abilities, races, genders, and walks of life.

In retirement, Andrews plans to enjoy time and travel with his wife ,Jenny, and continue teaching as an adjunct professor for Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where he obtained his Doctorate of education in educational leadership.

The HDESD board of directors announced earlier this month that they are partnering with Human Capital Enterprises in the selection of the next superintendent.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Winter joy...

& Entertainment W WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 20 0

Paulina Springs Books Solstice Book Flood Celebration A community gathering and paperback book exchange. Bring a favorite book you are done with to trade.

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

THURSDAY • DECEMBER 21

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: Eric Leadbetter, Central Oregon local, playing his unique style of rock and roll. 6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30.

Tickets, $10, at www.bendticket.com.

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 22

Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Artwalk 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations.

For additional information go to sistersartsassociation.org.

Hardtails 13th Annual Ugly Sweater Karaoke Party 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Karaoke, prizes, and DJ Santa!

For more information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights 5 to 8 p.m. Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15 More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • DECEMBER 23 PHOTO BY KELLI CARTER

Students at Black Butte School performed in the school’s annual winter program at Camp Sherman earlier this month.

CORRECTION STARS provides nonemergency medical rides for residents of Sisters. Due to an editorial error, the story “Public transportation in and out of Sisters” (The Nugget, December 13, page 1) misstated their services.

TIME FOR YOUR HOLIDAY MOVIE FIX NOW PLAYING:

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Holiday Highlights At The Fantastic

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Aquaman 2 (PG-13)

– FROM CHRISTMAS DAY –

The Boys in the Boat (PG-13) – FROM 1/5 –

Ferrari (R) Tickets On Sale Noow at

WWW.SISTERS MOVIEHOUSE.COM 541-549-8800

40-Year basketball collection

by Rick Barry & Jim Schmit featuring memorabilia with Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy, Yao Ming, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Wooden, Pete Newell, Dale Brown & many more.

A portion of items available for sale!

The improbable millionaire book Great gift signed by Jim Schmit, the Improbable Millionaire, soon to be made into a documentary Open Op pen 11 am To 4 pm Daily Before Christmas 121 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters

Hardtails Live Music: Parker Steers 9 p.m. to midnight.

Performing for the first time in Sisters with a mix of classic, current, country, and a few originals! Free, no cover.

For more information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Game Night 5 to 8 p.m.

Bring a game or play one of ours. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SUNDAY • DECEMBER 24

Pole Creek Ranch Sleigh Days 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Horse-drawn wagon rides, family photos, crafts, and chili.

15425 McKenzie Hwy. Info and pricing: www.polecreek.com.

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 26

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Kurt Silva 6-8 p.m. Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.

THURSDAY • DECEMBER 28

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: The Holy Broke, from Spokane, here to share their rowdy commingling of country, punk, blues, and surf rock fueled by one of Arkansas’ most formidable yodelers. 6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30.

Tickets, $10, at www.bendticket.com.

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 29

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights 5 to 8 p.m. Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15 More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • DECEMBER 30

Paulina Springs Books Game Night 5 to 8 p.m.

Bring a game or play one of ours. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SUNDAY • DECEMBER 31

Hoodoo Ski Area All-Day New Year’s Eve Celebration An all-day party on the mountain. Lifts run 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., live music in the lodge until midnight, and professional fireworks show shortly after 9 p.m. Family-friendly atmosphere. Non-skiers welcome. Info: www.skihoodoo.com.

The Belfry Live Music: New Year’s Eve with Reb & The Good News and Bend Burlesque 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Get your glitter on! Reb & the Good News, a Portland-based funk, world, and soul group brings optimism and cathartic release to the dance floor. Catchy horns and sultry vocals soar over grooves that you can’t help but move to! Bend Burlesque brings sassy vignettes throughout the evening. Tickets, $42, at www.bendticket.com.

Hardtails NYE Live Music: The Blake Harris Band 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Classic rock and more! Free, no cover.

New Year’s Eve food and drink specials all night.

For more information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Entertainment & Events Calendar listings are free to Nugget advertisers. Non-advertisers can purchase an event listing for $35/week. Submit items by 5 p.m. Fridays to jess@nuggetnews.com.

EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Roundhouse awards local grants The Roundhouse Foundation began bolstering organizations that serve and support rural and Tribal areas of Oregon in 2002.

This fall, they supported the work of 105 organizations for the fall 2023 Open Call cycle, with nearly $1.5 million given across the state. Here in the Sisters area, eight organizations received funding for special projects.

Grant partners working in Sisters fell into three focus areas: education, social services, and environmental stewardship.

“We are honored to support the great work happening in our home town of Sisters and the rural communities throughout Oregon,” said Erin Borla, executive director and trustee of The Roundhouse Foundation.

Grants from this process range from $2,500 to $75,000, with some distributed across multiple years to support the sustainability of projects that require longer-term investments. The Roundhouse Foundation has awarded several other grants to Sisters Country based organizations throughout 2023. A complete list of grants can be found at RoundhouseFoundation.org.

The Sisters-area fall 2023 supported programs include: Social Services Age Friendly Sisters Country(AFSC): to support Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS), which

provides nonemergency medical transportation for Sisters Country residents unable to drive themselves.

Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD): to help offset program costs and ensure Sisters community members can access the exceptional recreation opportunities that enhance the livability of our community.

Thrive Central Oregon: to place a Community Outreach Advocate in Sisters, who will provide in-person services to help community members access affordable and varied community resources through informed and respectful case management services.

Education Citizens4Community (C4C): to bring the National Policy Consensus Center’s Civic Leadership Academy program to Sisters. The program – a collaborative partnership of C4C, NPCC, and the City of Sisters – will provide 8-12 Sisters Country citizens with a 6-week crash course in local government operations, leadership best practices, and group problem solving, with an ultimate goal to cultivate a more diverse and informed pool of future civic leaders for our rural community.

Think Wild: to provide free wildlife education programming for K-12 youth in the classroom, afterschool programs, field trips, and events that nurture appreciation for the local

www.NuggetNews.com

WE’RE HIRING!

Weekends off • Small-shop camaraderie Non-toxic work environment •Picturesque outdoor work sites

THE GARDEN ANGEL LANDSCAPING

environment and provide hands-on learning opportunities with real community impact in Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook Counties.

Environmental Stewardship Central Oregon Forest Stewardship Foundation: to host a series of sciencebased presentations focused on the need for active forest restoration in communities adjacent to the Deschutes National Forest, like Sisters.

Deschutes Land Trust: to support the Deschutes Land Trust in its mission to conserve and care for the lands and waters that sustain Central Oregon, so local communities and the natural world can flourish together for generations to come.

The Roundhouse Foundation is a private family foundation based in Sisters that supports creative solutions to the unique challenges associated with rural culture and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

For more information call 541-904-0700 or visit www.

RoundhouseFoundation.org to view all Fall 2023 Grant Recipients.

15

Sisters firefighters plan live exercise The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD) plans to conduct live fire training exercises on Saturday, December 30, and Saturday, January 6, 2024 on the U.S. Forest Service compound in Sisters. The compound is located at 201 N. Pine St. According to Fire District officials, the exercise will provide invaluable training to firefighters using live fire. The buildings are being burned as the Sisters Ranger District begins construction of its new headquarters facility on the property.

District firefighters will be practicing search and rescue skills along with fire attack, ventilation, and exposure protection activities.

“We wish to thank the community in advance for their support in this training exercise.

Successful prevention efforts and modern fire codes have created fewer opportunities for our firefighters to gain live fire experience with structure fires, so this type of training is invaluable,” said

Tim Craig, deputy chief and training officer for SCSFD. Smoke from the burn will be kept to a minimum when possible, but the District asks that area residents and businesses keep their windows closed during the exercises.

During the exercise smoke may drift out onto Highway 20, causing reduced visibility. Drivers are advised to use caution. Fire personnel and apparatus will remain on scene throughout the afternoon and into the evening to monitor any continued burning, and all fire will be extinguished by Monday, January 1 in the first case, and Monday, January 8, in the second.

There will be activity during the days leading up to the live fire dates, and fire personnel will be on and off the site throughout that time for training and preparation.

Safety and control are the primary concerns at this training, Deputy Chief Craig reported. Extra equipment and trained personnel will be on scene at all times.

For more information call 541-549-0771.

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Sisters Dance Academy students staged their annual winter recital last weekend to a packed house at Sisters High School.

Dancers take Sisters to the North Pole With the theme “To the North Pole,” dancers from age 3 to adults held a packed house rapt at Sisters High School in two performances on Saturday, December 16.

Some 250 dancers performed in styles of hip-hop, ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary around Christmas and

winter themes.

Sisters Dance Academy owner and director Lonnie Liddell introduced the performances, making special note of the seniors who were performing in their last recital with the academy. Hundreds of Sisters youth have danced in the annual event over the

years, many of them starting as small children and growing up in dance.

Sisters Dance Academy has nine teachers on staff, working in the full range of styles across a wide range of ages.

The Winter Recital is an enormous production,

featuring a matinee and an evening performance, each of which filled the Sisters High School auditorium near capacity with family members and people from the community, who enjoyed an impressive display of talent and holiday spirit.

Ski team prepares for season on the slopes

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Sisters Outlaws Alpine Ski Team is getting ready for the upcoming season. They will field 26 athletes, 19 skiers who return from last year, and seven who are new to the program this year.

The girls squad returns the most skiers and the most upperclassmen the Outlaws have had in many years. Eleven girls return to the squad including Payten and Presley Adelt, Brooke Duey, Ella Eby, Molly Greaney, Tallis, Araiya, and Pia Grummer, Kiara Martin, Ava Riehle, Lauren Sitz, and Charlotte Seymour. Joining the girls squad, for the first time are Abi Duda and Johanna Gehring.

Coach Gabe Chladek said, “From former season of high school racing to seasons of club racing at the elementary and middle school age, this group of girls has got more experience on the course than the Outlaws have ever fielded.”

The boys team return Emerson Backus, John Berg, Spencer Tisdel, Joseph

Derksen, Cooper Merrill, Kellen Petke, and Jack Turpen. Five new skiers will join them, including Ben Hayner, Spencer Davis, Finn Stancliff, Jack Barry, and Daniel Miller.

“With not a single senior on the boys team, this year experience is a little shallow, but heart is possibly deeper than ever,” said Chladek.

“I’m confident that this group will put their best foot forward and have a strong season at the league level, and represent our school with pride at the state championships this season.”

Chladek told The Nugget he feels this year’s season will be amazing, and very successful, due to the group’s sense of camaraderie and community.

“They never cease to have a great time on the snow!” said Chladek. “The team will be attending an invitational race at Mount Hood Meadows prior to league races that begin in January, and another invitational race with the Central League at Mount Bachelor later in the season.”

Chaldek has several coaches who will be assisting

him this season, including Natalie Grummer, who will be assistant on-the-hill coach. Also assisting with coaching in dry land and on the hill will be Dave Stoker and Bill Turner. Rima Givot and Ann Brewer will head up the dry land conditioning.

“Everyone on the

coaching staff brings a variety of technical and athletic backgrounds to the table,” said Chladek. “Each coach brings a unique background and skill set to the team and I really feel we may have the strongest coaching staff we’ve had in a long time.”

Sisters Park & Recreation District WINTER 2024 RECREATION GUIDE

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Pull out and save...

16

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

and supporting the District in the form of creativity, self-expression, and community engagement around the arts. He listed many amazing collaborations in the field of art and music which have occurred over the past two decades, and insisted on the importance of continuing the remarkable connection and the need to push innovation in these domains.

The presentation concluded by a fiddle demonstration of Scandinavian music by several Sisters Middle School students. The club was led by Melissa Stolaz, and is an example of SFF’s support and partnership with the School District.

Finally, 10 students from Rima Givot’s first year Biology class presented their work on the Trout Creek Conservation Area. The students shared the history and detailed findings of 160 acres of ponderosa pine and Western juniper forest. They closed with a message of what they learned and what we can do to help support the forest.

Enrollment figures were slightly up again this month. The new Sisters Elementary School construction is on track for a 95 percent completion by May 2024. To view the plans and videos of the construction, you may visit the website: https://district.ssd6.org/departments/district-office-operations/operations/ 2021-bond-new-elementary-school/.

The workforce housing project is moving forward with several viable candidates. ODOT is anticipating breaking ground on the new roundabout in March.

The Board reviewed a few policy updates and voted on a budget resolution, the integrated grant, the English Language Proficiency textbook adoption (as required by ODE), and OSBA candidates and resolutions.

On behalf of the Sisters School District, I would like to wish all students, families, staff, and the entire community a wonderful holiday season and thank you for your continued support.

Curt Scholl, Superintendent

s s s

Anniversary of January 6

To the Editor: On January 6, two-and-a-half weeks from today, we will mark the third anniversary of the Insurrection, the violent attack on our Capitol that was called for by Donald Trump in an attempt to illegally hold on to power.

Since that awful event, we have seen the gears of justice grind slowly but surely to hold those responsible accountable. More than 1,200 people have been charged in connection with January 6, including 117 people who have been accused of using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily

injury to a police officer.

Trump, the primary instigator of the violent assault, has been indicted in state and federal courts for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, indictments that are supported by mountains of evidence.

Our Representative, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, was a proud Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2020. She has never renounced the Big Lie that Donald Trump used to incite his MAGA followers to overturn the election. She has repeatedly dodged the question, refusing to state that Biden won in 2020. Instead, she likened the violent insurrectionists to peaceful protestors: “[W]e have a protected right for people to peaceful protesting [sic]; we should have been allowed to do so,” and, echoing MAGA propaganda, she asserted that their due process rights had been infringed.

Now Chavez-DeRemer has doubled down, voting for Big Lie No. 2, the baseless impeachment inquiry that is nothing more than another MAGA propaganda stunt. Even Republicans admit it is designed to help elect Donald Trump. Any doubt that she is MAGA, not moderate, has been erased.

Voters in Oregon’s District 5 deserve better. Americans deserve better. We must hold MAGA extremists who continue to undermine our democracy accountable and defeat them.

Mary Chaffin

s s s

Welcome, Deputy Bearson

To the Editor: Thank you for writing such a wonderful article about Deputy Jerad Bearson (“New deputy joins Sisters patrol,” (The Nugget, December 13, page 1).

I am proud to live in a community where residents appreciate having the law protecting them and treating the law with respect and dignity.

Welcome to Sisters Country, Deputy Bearson, and thank you to you and your fellow officers for keeping our community safe.

Justine Gjurgevich

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Wishing you and the staff of The Nugget a wonderful holiday season.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

State revenue forecast shows stable economy

By Ben Botkin Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon state revenues are stable with low inflation and unemployment in the economy, according to the December revenue forecast released on Wednesday, November 8, by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis.

The forecast helps state lawmakers as they prepare for the 2024 session in February, and plan legislation that may need additional funding to address issues like the drug addiction crisis, homelessness, or child care.

State House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich of Hood River said state officials need to address Oregon’s stagnating population and reverse the trend of people leaving the state because of high crime and drugs, while Gov. Tina Kotek and Democratic legislative leaders said the forecast is encouraging.

“Oregon’s economy is continuing to stabilize, and that is good news for working families and businesses across our state,” Kotek said in a statement. “To keep our economy moving in the right direction, we need to address core issues for Oregonians.

Housing production, the addiction crisis, and access to child care are at the top of the list.”

Kotek said she’ll work with lawmakers in the 2024 session on those issues.

House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, said the stability will help with mental health and addiction treatment, affordable housing and child care funding. But Rayfield also stressed that lawmakers need to remember the long-term outlook, which shows the population leveling out.

“It’s essential to Oregon families – many of whom continue to need relief from rising costs despite the promising figures we saw today – that we remain measured in our commitments given that the long-term forecast anticipates that population and migration rates will level out,” Rayfield said.

Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, said the state needs to reduce the cost of living for Oregonians and grow the middle class.

“We must also be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, acknowledging that we have many forecasts remaining until the next state budget,” Wagner said.

Helfrich said the stable economic outlook is good for the short term, but he is “worried about tomorrow.”

The report showed more people leaving the state than moving into it in 2022, with departures across different income brackets and demographic groups.

“Population in Oregon is stagnating as people flee – and choose not to move near – the drugs and crime Oregon is rapidly becoming known for,” Helfrich said, “This will have long-term consequences on revenues, which will further strain resources needed to address critical needs.”

Helfrich said the state needs “bipartisan buy-in to reverse this troubling trend,” adding the House Republicans will support legislation to make the state a safer and more affordable place to live and work.

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

Season of giving...

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Santa Claus and his elves met at Sisters Fire Hall to distribute gifts in the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District’s annual giving program.

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FOCUS ON HEALTH is a 2-week promotion in The Nugget Newspaper January 24 & 31, 2024 Each participating business receives a full-color ad (3” wide by 3.31” tall) both weeks and a 170-word mini-story in one issue (written by one of our professional writers).

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

FIELDS: Colleagues praise work with houseless Continued from page 3

Big-heartedness comes naturally to Fields. He told The Nugget, “I come from a long line of givers. I’ve always been interested in problem-solving.”

Fields’ involvement with the issues surrounding Sisters’ forest-dwelling population began as a solution to a very acute problem: He was badly injured on the job and had to figure out how he could continue to serve the Sisters Ranger District, where he’s worked for 25 years.

A misstep in the forest at the top of Trout Creek Butte led to a catastrophic knee injury.

Fields recalled that he felt like Mountain Man Hugh Glass laying on the forest floor after being mauled by a grizzly bear — a historical event depicted in the Academy Award-winning movie “The Revenant.”

“It was excruciatingly painful,” he said. “The conclusion I had was that I’d never been scared before. I had never felt so stuck and helpless.”

Planting contractors carried him out of the woods into an uncertain future.

“I’d gone from being a guy who could throw you over his shoulder and run up a mountain to I can’t walk up the mountain anymore,” he said. “I was worried that I was going to lose my job or be put in a job I didn’t want. I didn’t want that.”

He started working on the problem of trash in the forest, much of it left by people camped in the woods.

“I didn’t like just picking up trash,” he said. “I thought, what if we got in front of the trash.”

That meant working with the people who were camping in Sisters’ forests — some of them recreational campers, many of them houseless and living in the forest on a permanent basis.

He began working with the Community Leadership Initiative on trash cleanups — and with forest dwellers on developing better stewardship practices. Helping people deal with their refuse keeps the problem from growing.

The work evolved from dealing with trash to connecting people with social services, to mitigating negative interactions and friction between forest users.

Fields knows where all the campsites are on the Sisters Ranger District, and he interacts regularly with the campers to resolve problems — although he doesn’t really approach the work from the “problem” end.

“I don’t look at the problem,” he said. “I look at the potential solution.”

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Chad Davis told The Nugget, “He knows all the players.”

When law enforcement contact is in order, Fields knows how to approach the issue and offers creative ways to resolve issues.

“It just makes the work easier and more efficient,” Davis said.

Davis recalled a circumstance where there was potentially volatile conflict between a local resident and a man encamped along a popular trail. Fields resolved the matter.

“It was as simple as him making a suggestion to move

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the camp to reduce those negative interactions,” Davis said.

“He gains compliance with people,” Davis said, and he can do so because he treats everyone with respect.

“I think he’s managing a very difficult situation in a creative way,” Davis said. “He’s got the perfect demeanor for working with people.”

Fields said that resolving issues such as the one Davis described is possible because he’s built a lot of credibility with forest dwellers.

“I build a rapport and use my credit with them to see that there’s truth in what I’m saying,” he said.

The people in the forest believe that Fields has their best interests at heart.

“Because I do!” he said.

“That’s the secret.”

Fields says that he creates a “moral contract” with those he encounters living in the forest.

“This is our forest,” he said. “If they’re going to live in the national forest, there are some requirements.”

Among those requirements is keeping a clean camp, which most forest dwellers strive to maintain.

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Some are less able to do so than others, and Fields and volunteers pitch in where needed.

Davis acknowledges that there is a balance required in the work between compassion and maintaining standards.

“When I first started doing this, I struggled with enabling, fostering, and adopting,” he acknowledged.

“I can’t do that. Being honest, being real, giving respect — that seems to be what is helping me be successful.”

Being honest and real means being firm when a campsite is out of hand.

“It’s a mess, they need to be told it’s a mess,” he said.

T h e r e s e K o l l e r e r, a Community Leadership Initiative and Forest Service volunteer, also sees that dedication to service in Fields’ other work on the Sisters Ranger District.

“Jeremy is a genius at explaining a complex forest management situation — for example, Green Ridge — to a novice volunteer in a wonderful way,” she told The Nugget.

“He sheds light on many facets of the decision-making processes involved, and the interplay among them…

“Jeremy has a nuanced but

Being honest, being real, giving respect — that seems to be what is helping me be successful.

— Jeremy Fields clear-eyed view of the forest, and the many demands we as humans are placing on it.

He seeks collaborative stewardship of our forest. He is a remarkable person, always offering inclusion and seeking input from others on a range of forest-related issues even as he himself brings decades of relevant experience to each situation. He is a great leader and listener. He acts with integrity…. Altogether a remarkable human being.”

Lieutenant Davis considers the Region 6 award very well deserved.

“He’s not the nine-to-fivetype guy,” Davis said. “He does a lot of things that people don’t see that contribute to the community and make it a better place. He’s kind of the epitome of the public servant.”

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Wrestlers host home tourney

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

Sisters High School played host to the annual GFP Outlaw Invite on Saturday, December 16 with mixed results. The girls tied for eighth among 13 teams, while the boys took ninth among 14 teams.

For the girls, the Outlaws picked up two third places, a fourth, and a fifth among the four who competed.

Kisten Elbek scored 12 points for the team on her way to third place in the 151-174 pound class. Elbek dropped her first match of the day to Ambar Benito, but came back with a pair of wins to finish the day. She won by fall over Autumn Haney-Gibler of Redmond and managed the same over April Lopez of Crane. (Fall times were not recorded in the results).

Brooklynn Cooper started off with a win over North Marion’s Yaritza Ordonez then lost to Kayla Manely in the second round. Joey Dean of Caldera pinned Cooper in the next round, but Cooper ended on an up note with a win over Kayla McCarthy of Summit.

Sierra Jaschke lost her opening match to Gracie Baker of Crane and notched her only win of the day over Emilee Foust of Gilchrist.

She lost her next match to Amy Alaniz (North Marion) before forfeiting her scheduled match against Julia Wolfe (Madras).

Pidge Henderson finished 0-3 on the day in the 120-129 weight class, with losses to Henley Mayfield (Redmond), Jordan Magdalena Moreno (Summit), and Esther Pastrana (North Marion).

Redmond won the team

title with 66 points to edge La Pine (62), while Sisters scored 25.

Sean Moffett (113), got things off to a good start for the Outlaws at the outset of the tournament in his first contests following a bye in round one. Moffett muscled a fall over Zakk Fossier of North Marion at the 1:09 mark of the match. A loss in the next round against Kempton Richardson of Burns (fall 0:32) sent Moffett to the consolation round where he lost by fall (2:40) to Griffin Miller of Caldera.

Moffett ended with a win in the fifth -lace match with a fall over Quenton DeEstrella of Junction City (2:56).

In the 126-pound class, Carter Van Meter placed third after going 3-1 on the day. He took a 9-6 decision over Rowdy Ware of Crook County before falling to Jayden Esquiro of Madras (0:51). He then won a 7-0 decision over Tylar Wingfield of Junction City and took down Ware for the second time, this time by fall at the 5:13 mark, to secure third.

“Carter is off to a great start this season and is now 10-5 on the season,” said Coach David Kemp. “He’s one of our captains and has been a great example of hard work and positivity in the practice room and competition.”

Scott Henderson (190) also placed third by going 3-1, following the same pattern as Van Meter. After a bye Henderson made quick work of Sergio Barba of North Marion (0:51) before facing off with Easton Kemper of Burns. Kemper prevailed with a fall (1:26) sending Henderson to the consolation round, where he won by fall over Isaiah Pacheco of

PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG

Brooklynn Cooper headed toward a pin in her first match of the day at the Outlaw Invite.

Redmond (2:21). Henderson then took down Barba for the second time (1:14) for third place.

Tyson Kemp (150) ended up in fifth place with a 2-2 record for the day. Kemp opened with a fall over Finn Hesiak of Summit (1:36) but lost a battle with Jose Vera of Caldera after 5:26. He then dispatched Lance Bezdek of Redmond (2:12), but didn’t have enough to beat Cannon Kemper of Burns in the thirdplace match (1:40).

Jace Owens had his work cut out for him after losing his first match of the day at

1:42 to Bruce Bankhead of North Marion. He then had to work through the consolation round, where he beat Julius Spino of Madras (3:54) and Joey Menard of Cascade Christian (3:00). Anongba Ayeliya of Redmond sent Owens to the fifth-place match with a fall (1:26), where Owens took down Ian Colquhoun of Caldera (4:55).

Jake Beutler (144) and Jackson Spor (215), both in their first season of wrestling, each went 0-2 on the day, showing further improvement, according to Coach Kemp.

“I’ve got to give these guys a lot of credit for coming in with such limited experience and taking on varsity wrestlers face to face,” he said. “They are both showing a lot of growth and heart.”

Burns won the meet with 184 points, just six ahead of second-place North Marion.

Sisters ended with 78 total points.

The girls are scheduled to compete at Madras Wednesday, December 20, followed by the boys the following day and both squads will travel to Burns for a tournament on December 29.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

CEREMONY: Sisters veterans shared in nationwide event Continued from page 3

ago, and has spread across the U.S. from big cities to small towns.

“We want to recognize the Roundhouse Foundation,” he noted. “They provided… the funds for all the wreaths.

They’ve been very good about supporting us.”

Morrell told the assemblage that there are 44 veterans who are buried in Sisters at the historic Camp Polk Cemetery. Sisters veterans placed wreaths on each grave

on Wednesday.

The centerpiece of the observances on Saturday at Village Green was the reading of names in memoriam of all of Sisters’ departed veterans. The reading was conducted by Hal Darcy, a U.S. Navy submariner, and Mick McGrady, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts. At the reading of each name, a bell was tolled.

U.S. Army veteran Lance Trowbridge raised the colors to full staff to conclude the ceremony, and U.S. Navy veteran Bill Anttila played taps.

Anttilla told The Nugget that Sisters veterans have

been observing Wreaths Across America for approximately 12 years — starting with a ceremony conducted in about three feet of snow.

In brief remarks, Mayor Michael Preedin, a U.S. Air Force veteran, noted that the theme of this year’s Wreaths Across America observances was “Serve & Succeed.”

“All of us, as groups and individuals, continue to serve the community in various ways, successfully,” he said.

“This is the kind of thing that makes Sisters so special, and I am very proud not only to be part of this group, but part of this community.”

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Merry Christmas

from my family to yours!

Make your tax-deductible donation to: Furry Friends Foundation 501(c)(3) PO Box 1175, Sisters, OR 97759 Donate online at www.FurryFriendsFoundation.org We need your help continuing to give the 2.5+ tons of pet food monthly to Sisters-area families.

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Merry Please consider supporting your community newspaper by gifting a subscription to a loved one Christmas outside the free Sisters Country delivery area... blessings 6 months: $45 • 1 year:& $70 Visit NuggetNews.com/subscribe on your and select “3rd class”

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Many subscribers on the West Coast and in the Central U.S. report receiving their Nugget Newspaper within the week, though postal delivery may take up to three weeks.

— From The Nugget Staff

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Book Covers

By Kema Clark

Chet & Bernie Series It doesn’t matter if you like dogs. Or private detectives. Or murder mysteries.

If you like laughter, sarcastic humor, and listening to a dog’s thoughts, you’ll like Spencer Quinn’s seriesof Chet & Bernie mysteries.

The Little Detective Agency is owned by Bernie Little and run by Chet, Bernie’s dog sidekick. Well, Chet thinks he’s running the place, since he constantly worries about Bernie losing the check a client gave them, or agreeing to work for someone for free or at a discount.

The books in the series are narrated by Chet, so you’ll find out exactly what your dog — and many other dogs — are thinking when humans say and do weird things. Chet doesn’t understand when Bernie says strange things like “We hit that on the nose.” Chet doesn’t get where noses even came into the conversation. The things Bernie and others say that are completely misunderstood by Chets are hilarious.

Chet can find Cheetos in the craziest places, he can sniff out any dropped piece of food within 20 yards, and he can spot a bad guy within 40 yards. Each book in the series is an assignment to find a murderer, find a missing person, or rescue an elephant or anyone needing help. They hate divorce cases, so they try to avoid them completely.

The first book in the series is “Dog On It.” Yes, each title is a play on words for something else.

Examples: “Thereby Hangs a Tail,” “To Fetch a Thief,” “The Sound and the Furry,” “A Fistful of Collars” — and it continues. You should know, if the titles of the books make you smile, you’ll be laughing out loud when you read them.

There’s a murder or two involved in each book, so there’s always something interesting going on. Chet is great at tracking who needs to be saved, or tracking the bad person who has hurt innocents. He also is great at taking down the bad person — either by a tackle on the run, or grabbing a pant’s leg (with a leg inside it).

Bernie is an excellent detective, but since Chet is telling the story, Bernie uses all the human methods to find the bad people, then Chet does a lot of the hard work.

You don’t have to read the series in order. I’ve been checking them out of the library, and the next one in the series isn’t always available to grab. I just go with what I can check out immediately, then wait for the others to come available.

They are all entertaining, so you can’t go wrong.

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Broken Top Builders placed second in Central Oregon Lego robotics competition, earning a spot in the Oregon state tourney.

Lego robotics team off to state Since early September, the Broken Top Builders Lego robotics team has been working every week with their innovation project, programming their robot, building challenges, and more — all in preparation for competition with FIRST Lego League.

The program nurtures students’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) through hands-on learning.

Last year, the Sisters-area team came close to going to the state tournament with a team of nine. This year, with a smaller team, they placed second for Central Oregon, and will be advancing to state competition in Hillsboro on January 13.

“We are so proud of this team,” said coaches Steve and Julianne Folin. “Great

work Amelia Folin and Arora Murphy (sixth grade), and Will Bulloch and Brecken Poulos (fifth grade).”

According to Julianne Folin, “They have had a lot of fun from being picked up from school on Wednesdays, jumping on the trampoline and playing Gaga ball until coach Steve Folin got home from work. Then they would put their heads down and work hard on the tasks ahead

of them and missions to complete.”

Last year at the qualifying tournament, there were 11 teams competing; this year there were 18 teams, two from Sisters. FIRST Lego league has over 1,000 competing teams from over 198 countries. FIRST Lego League Challenge is for grades 4-8.

Competition advances after that — and the robots get bigger.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

N U G G E T F L AS H BAC K – 3 5 Y E A R S AG O

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Obituary Michael Burke

January 9, 1951 – October 12, 2023

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Michael (Mike) Burke, who left us tragically on October 12, 2023, in a vehicle accident in Mt. Shasta, California. Born on January 9, 1951, in Springfield, Ohio, Mike was the youngest of three children. His family relocated to Los Angeles during his childhood, where he later graduated from Charter Oak High School. After graduation, Mike enlisted in the National Guard. After Mike’s father passed away in 1972, he was granted a hardship discharge and returned to Covina, California to help care for his mom.

Upon his return to Covina, Mike began his lifelong career in the landscaping business. In 1974 he met “the girl next door,” Denise (Dee Dee) Saner. They were married five years later on March 29, 1979. While living in Covina, Mike and Dee Dee welcomed their two sons, Patrick and Andrew.

In 1989, they moved to Fallbrook, California, and spent six years there while Mike was operating Michael K. Burke Custom Landscaping.

In 1995, Mike was introduced to and fell in love with Sisters after helping a friend move to the area, and they decided to relocate their family there in April of that same year. Shortly after moving, Mike rebranded his custom landscaping business to Sisters Landscape Company.

He worked in the day-to-day

operations until 2020, when he retired and transferred the daily responsibilities to Aaron St. Jeor, who continues to successfully operate the business today.

Friends fondly remember Mike as a beacon of happiness, a joy to be around, and a person of great generosity.

His passions included travel, hands-on projects, and cherished moments with family.

He had a special place in his heart for their dachshund, Hanna, who also died in the accident.

Mike is survived by Dee Dee, his wife of 44 years, his sons Patrick (Stephanie) of Sisters, Andrew (Anne) of Corvallis, daughter Rhonda of Texas, his brother Frank (Judy) Burke of San Dimas, California, sister Patricia (Norman) Anderson of Covina, California, and nephews Ryan (Rebecca) Burke of Covina, California, Chris Burke of Salt Lake City, Utah, David (Nancy) Anderson of Azusa, California, Michael Paul (Francina) Anderson of

Is your car ready for the winter season?

Lewisville, Texas, and Doug (Susan) Anderson of Galveston, Texas. Mike is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Burke and Emma Pesceone, and his nephew, Daniel Anderson.

Mike leaves behind a legacy in his beloved grandchildren, Emma, Landon, Jordan, and Natalie, who affectionately knew him as “Papa.”

Mike’s family would like to thank the Sisters community for the most incredible outpouring of love and support. A public celebration of life will be held at the Sisters Rodeo Arena on June 15, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sisters Rodeo Association or a charity of your choice.

Holidays are

It’s winter in Sisters Country — even if we’re not hearing the sleigh bells ring and walking in a winter wonderland. It’s been rather unseasonably warm here in Sisters, but we know that’s bound to change at some point.

Is your car ready for winter weather?

Freezing temperatures can affect your car, and wintry driving conditions are often less than ideal. This is a good time to have your vehicle’s tires, hoses, anti-freeze, and windshield wipers looked at and possibly replaced. You would not want to be stuck in the ice somewhere over something that could have been prevented.

Checking into your insurance coverage is a good idea at this time of year.

Jason Horton of Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services notes,

“You want to make sure you have the right types and amounts of coverage and take steps to reduce your risks.

Check with your insurance agent or company to determine your policy coverages, exclusions, and deductibles.”

There are three coverage options on an auto insurance policy that typically apply to winter storms: • Comprehensive covers damage caused by falling trees or limbs. This includes while your vehicle is parked inside a garage.

• Collision covers damage to your vehicle that occurs while driving. This includes hitting storm debris or sliding on ice.

• Liability covers damage you accidentally caused to another person’s property or to a person injured in an accident.

Visit dfr.oregon.gov for more information.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Selling rental home creates challenges and opportunities

Dear Property Guy

By Mike Zoormajian

Dear Property Guy: I am about to sell a rental home in So. Cal. It is worth about $1.2M and has appreciated about $600,000. It used to be my primary residence but has been a rental for a couple years now. I don’t want to take the huge tax hit by selling it, but I understand that I could sell it for another rental property and not owe taxes. I could use it to take out a couple hundred thousand to reduce the payment on our current house. What should I do?

— Taxed out…

Dear Taxed: You have a lot going on here. And many options.

So let’s knock them out in order: A home that has been your primary residence two out of five years is elibigible for a $250,000 capital gains exemption, ($500,000 if filing jointly). So it seems, you have the option to shield that much from capital gains if you sell outright.

If you choose to use the entire proceeds of your sale to purchase another rental (also called a 1031 exchange), the whole process is tax-free. Provided you put the entire amount, including any debt, into new rental property. If you don’t reinvest the entire amount, anything you hold back (called “boot” for some odd reason) is subject to taxes.

So your choices are to sell it, take the capital gains hit, and do with the money as you choose. Or 1031 all or part of the proceeds, and

reinvest in other qualified rental property.

There is no right or wrong answer here. Your tax professional and/or financial advisor can provide a clearer picture of the exact financial implications.

But, as a very wise CPA once told me, “Don’t let avoiding taxes drive your business and life decisions.”

The message there is that your money is there to serve you. Make the decision that brings you and your family the most peace and joy.

As an aside, your scenario is not at all uncommon. Out-of-state money has been one of the key drivers of the runup in Central Oregon real estate prices. For as expensive as it seems to us, Central Oregon is still a bargain to outsiders.

— Mike Dear Property Guy: We are selling our Sisters home and retiring to a land with warmer winters. We’re

not bringing our furniture with us, and I know it would be a huge added value to whoever buys our house. My wife disagrees and wants to have a big garage sale, which seems like a huge hassle. What do you think?

- Selling in Sisters Dear Selling: I think you should listen to your wife.

I really wanted to end the column with that one sentence, but I was curious myself. So I reached out to our business partner Cheryl Dean, who is an expert on staging homes.

Cheryl says, “ Houses sell best empty or with minimal furniture. People want to imagine their own touches in a home. Also, selling a house furnished normally doesn’t add anything to the final sale price.”

Perhaps consider donating nice stuff to a local charity. You can do a kind deed and enjoy some tax advantages.

Which brings us right back to where we started about the whole listening to your wife thing.

— Mike Mike Zoormajian is principal at WetDog Properties in Sisters. Providing local real estate, property management, and investor services. Questions and comments to: letters@wetdogpnw.com. Free legal advice is worth what you pay for it. Consult a real attorney before doing anything crazy.

SUDOKU SOLUTION for puzzle on page 31

Nugget Poetry Corner Acolyte Angels Jayne Simmons

Traveling the backroads to church Gravel and frost crunch beneath tires Sentinel Ponderosas and silent nights Guardians of children and dogs Good cheer and miracles abound.

As midnight service drones on Angels in acolyte robes Asleep at the altar Pay homage to their God Whom they don’t know yet — But will.

The Star Edie Jones

The tree is up, standing regal and tall.

So far, it’s still bare—no tinsel or balls.

It stands there waiting as if to say, y.”

“Come on, get busy, let me brighten your day.”

Lights go on first and on top shines the star.

Beckoning, reaching, near and far.

Shepherds saw it and searched for a king.

Never expecting to find a wee being.

A baby swaddled, asleep on the ground, while angels sang, descended, came down.

Wise men came with gifts we’re told, bearing frankincense, myrrh, and glistening gold.

Chosen with care—to honor that king.

We too will bring gifts, and carols sing, as we carefully place them under the star to honor our loved ones, near and far.

Yes, get busy and decorate well, with angels, streamers, and a few bells, to ring out and declare, Christmas is here!

Sending greetings to all for a Happy New Year.

Accomplishing Christmas Jenny Denzer

“I need your help to accomplish Christmas!”

Words of frustration poured from my mouth Days filled with unexpected happenings Stole time I needed for what Christmas was about Emergency rooms and doctor visits Were the orders of the day While in the back of my calculating mind The Christmas clock was ticking away!

Cards to create, to write and send Gifts to buy and wrap, will it never end?

A trip to plan and all that entails Parties and food the endless details!

There are phone calls to make Dozens of cookies to bake As the Christmas clock ticks I lay fast awake!

Lord, how will I accomplish Christmas this year, With all that is left to be done?

Then in silence I heard as the ticking stopped “It’s already been done in the Gift of My Son “Christmas has come because I sent My Son He is the Messiah, The Holy One And there is nothing more that needs to be donee But to believe and receive the One who has come “So be still and rest, keep your eyes upon Me For that is when you will truly see The best way to accomplish Christmas will be To simply spend it being with Me”

But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to becomee children of God, to those who believe in His name. John 1:12 A very Merry Believing Christmas to you and those you love!

Have an original poem that you’d like to share?

Email submissions to jess@nuggetnews.com.

Publication is subject to space availability and discretion of The Nugget Newspaper..

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

27

Outlaws finish week with win on the hardwood

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws played hard against the visiting Cottage Grove (CG) Lions on Tuesday, December 12, but lost by three, 45-48, in an exciting fourth-quarter battle. Three days later at South Umpqua the Outlaws prevailed and posted a 61-44 victory.

On Tuesday the Lions came out with a pressure style defense that knocked the Outlaws back a bit at the start of the game. Cottage Grove scored seven straight points in just over two minutes of play and held the Outlaws scoreless.

Landon Scott got the Outlaws started and scored six straight points, including a three that closed the gap to 6-7. With just under three minutes left in the quarter Oliver Bernhardt hit a three off a Kale Gardner assist to tie the game at 9-9.

Unfortunately, that ended the Outlaws’ scoring for the quarter. The Lions went on an eight point run and at the end the Outlaws trailed 9-17.

Austin Dean scored at the start of the second period with a three pointer at the top of the key off an assist from Hudson Beckwith. Sisters held the Lions to just four points. Brody Fischer and Diego Silva scored back-toback buckets to close out the quarter and pull within five points of the Lions, 16-21.

At the break the Outlaws knew they had to make some adjustments and take better care of the ball, as they’d turned the ball over 12 times in the first half. They only committed two turnovers in the third quarter.

Fischer got hot for the Outlaws and hit three long balls, the first from the left corner on an assist from Dean with three and half minutes left in the quarter, which closed the gap to 22-24. His second was in the exact same

spot off an assist from Silva 25 seconds later, which made it a one-point game (25-26).

Cottage Grove scored and hit the plus one to go up 25-29, and Fischer answered with his third three from the right wing to again close the gap to one, 28-29.

The game continued to be tight until the buzzer sounded to end the quarter. The lions hit two free-throws to go up by three and Dean followed with two free-throws to tighten it up once again 30-31. With 23 seconds left in the third Dean hit one of his two free throw attempts and tied the game for the first time at 31-31. Fischer finished with 10 of the Outlaws’ 15 third-quarter points.

At the start of the final period, Bernhardt scored on a contested layup with an assist from Garrett Sager to give Sisters their first lead of the contest, 33-31.

Unfortunately, that would be Sisters’ only lead of the game. The Lions’ leading scorer, senior Gannon Leach, scored seven straight points and CG regained the lead.

Sisters continued to scrap and stayed within striking distance. With 2:30 left on the clock and the score 41-46, the Outlaws scored the next four points, two free-throws from Scott and a transition layup from Scott with 40 seconds left in the game, and once again found themselves down by just one, 45-46.

Sisters was forced to foul and the Lions hit both free throws and took a three-point lead with just eight seconds left in the contest.

The Outlaws called a timeout with 2.8 seconds left, drew up a play for Scott to get the ball in the left corner for a three-point shot. Sisters executed the play perfectly, but unfortunately Scott just missed as time expired.

Scott led the Outlaws with 14 points, Fischer scored 12, Bernhardt 11, and Austin Dean added six.

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Coach Chad Rush said, “This was another tough, physical game. I was proud of the team for making an adjustment at halftime and cutting down their turnovers from 12 in the first half to just four in the second.

The team’s defensive effort against a taller CG team was what kept us in the game. It was great to see the improvement and consistency on that side of the ball.”

On the road three days later the Outlaws jumped right out of the gate with a 5-1 lead over the Lancers.

On the first possession Kale Gardner tipped the opening jump to Scott, who took it to the top of the key and found a wide open Hudson Beckwith on the wing for a threepointer. Fischer hit a threepointer from the top of the key to close out the quarter on a Levi Szesze assist with a score of 19-14. The Outlaws’ full-court tempo press and aggressive half-court manto-man defense caused eight Lancer turnovers that led to eight of the Outlaws’ 19 points.

The Outlaws scored first in the second quarter when Diego Silva took a pass from Beckwith at the free-throw line and drove to the basket for a contested layup. South Umpqua cut the Outlaws’ lead to two points, 23-21, midway through the quarter, but that would be as close as they’d get for the remainder of the game. Sisters responded with a 4-0 run to expand the lead and close out the half 33-28.

In the third the Outlaws

went on a 10-0 run to start the quarter and took the largest lead of the game at 15. They carved apart the Lancers 1-3-1 defense with six assists, and ramped up their defensive pressure, which caused eight turnovers that they turned into eight points.

Sisters held a seven-point advantage as teams headed into the final quarter. They started the period off on a 7-0 run, and expanded their lead to 14 points. The defense only allowed the Lancers four points in the quarter, held them to 16 percent shooting, and caused seven turnovers to squash any comeback hopes the Lancers might have had.

Scott led the team with 15 points, six rebounds, four steals, and three assists.

Bernhardt tallied 12 points, Hudson Beckwith and Garrett Sager contributed eight points each, with Sager pitching in with three assists. Diego Silva posted six points and five rebounds, Levi Szesze

had five points, and Fischer added another five points and a block. Austin Dean pitched in with two points and four assists, and Gardner recorded three assists.

Rush said, “This was our most complete game so far this season. After our disappointing loss on Tuesday against Cottage Grove, where we got out-rebounded by a wide margin, our goal this game was to limit the Lancers’ second-chance points. We did that by only allowing six of their points to come off of offensive rebounds. All nine players played a key role during the game, demonstrating what the coaching staff has known all along, which is that this is a deep team that on any given night could see multiple people step up and make significant contributions.”

Sisters was scheduled to play at home against Sweet Home on Tuesday, December 19. They will play on the road at Estacada on Wednesday.

Happy Holidays!

Our heartfelt thanks to all our loyal customers.

We appreciate you and your continued business.

— Tammy, Amanda, Kim & Sue

541-549-3172 1-800-752-8540

704 W. Hood Ave., Sisters

AUTO • HOME • HEALTH • LIFE • BUSINESS • FARM • RENTAL

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

28

Fun

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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Games HOLIDAY

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CHRISTMAS REINDEER TREE ORNAMENT PRESENTS LIGHTS CAROLS

SNOW STOCKING SANTA SLEIGH SNOWMAN ELF EVERGREEN

FIND 10 DIFFERENCES

SUDOKU Easy Peasy!

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down, and each small nine-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

Oregon to set AI guidelines

By Ben Botkin Oregon Capital Chronicle

Governor Tina Kotek announced plans on Wednesday, November 29, for an advisory council that will guide the role of artificial intelligence in state government.

The decision underscores the growing influence of artificial intelligence and its potential to streamline government and make agencies more efficient or create confusion and infringe on privacy protections.

Kotek is charging the Oregon State Government AI Advisory Council with developing a plan for artificial intelligence in state government that values transparency, privacy, and equity. It will have up to 15 members.

“Artificial intelligence is an important new frontier, bringing the potential for substantial benefits to our society, as well as risks we must prepare for,” Kotek said in a statement. “This rapidly developing technological landscape leads to questions that we must take head-on, including concerns regarding ethics, privacy, equity, security, and social change.

It has never been more essential to ensure the safe and beneficial use of artificial intelligence.”

At its core, artificial intelligence can mimic human analyses and decisionmaking while carrying out tasks that society traditionally relies upon people to do. It can be a time saver, for example by transcribing audio into text or sorting through mountains of data to find trends. But in the hands of criminals, it could be deceptive and even put people at risk. With artificial intelligence, they could fake a person’s voice and trick a family into believing their child was kidnapped for a ransom, for example.

There also are privacy concerns about how to manage, store and handle personal data Kotek’s move comes amid widespread government activity to map out a future with artificial intelligence. In 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology released its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. The 73-page document, which Kotek’s office cited, also focuses on ethics and how to protect people from harm amid the surge of artificial intelligence.

In September, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum sent a request on behalf of all attorneys general to Congress asking elected

officials to pass laws that prevent artificial intelligence from harming children.

The council’s work could eventually lead to legislative proposals in Oregon.

That work has started in statehouses in the nation. In 2023, at least 25 states introduced bills about artificial intelligence, and 15 states passed proposals, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures report.

Oregon was not on the list.

In May, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a law that requires political ads to disclose when they use artificial intelligence to manipulate and change the way ads make people – especially their opponents – talk and appear, the Spokesman-Review reported.

Oregon doesn’t have a law that addresses the use of deepfake technology in campaign ads, for example, which would involve the creation of believable but fake images or sounds, though existing state laws about false statements in campaign materials could apply depending on the situation, said Laura Kerns, a spokesperson for the Oregon Secretary of State’s office.

Through an executive order that creates the council, Kotek is ordering the council to complete an action plan framework within six months of the first meeting. The final recommended action plan is to be submitted to the governor’s office within 12 months of the first meeting.

The goal of the plan is to come up with standards and policies that define what’s acceptable for artificial intelligence usage and how to ethically use it in a way that protects personally identifiable information.

The council’s membership will include Oregon’s state chief information officer, the Oregon state chief data officer, a member from the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, the Department of Administrative Services cultural change officer and another agency representative that Kotek will pick.

Kotek will appoint another eight members who can potentially come from community organizations, universities or local government agencies.

Kotek will pick the council members within a few months. The governor ’s office hasn’t yet decided whether there will be an application process for people interested in serving.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy of https://oregoncapi talchronicle.com/

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

C L A S S I F I E D S

ALL advertising in this newspaper is 102 Commercial Rentals subject to the Fair Housing Act MINI STORAGE which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or Sisters Rental discrimination based on race, color, 331 W. Barclay Drive religion, sex, handicap, familial 541-549-9631 status or national origin, or an intention to make any such Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor TENANT PLACEMENT RV parking. 7-day access. preference, limitation or discrim“nothing’s more expensive ination.” Familial status includes Computerized security gate. than bad tenants” children under the age of 18 living Moving boxes & supplies. call or text mike 541.588.2028 with parents or legal custodians, STORAGE WITH BENEFITS mikez@wetdogpnw.com pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18.

• 8 x 20 dry box This newspaper will not knowingly 104 Vacation Rentals • Fenced yard, RV & trailers accept any advertising for real estate • In-town, gated, 24-7 Downtown Vacation Rentals which is in violation of the law. Our EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom readers are hereby informed that all SistersVacationRentals.net dwellings advertised in this UPLOADED newspaper are available on an equal Great pricing. 503-730-0150 EVERY TUESDAY! opportunity basis. To complain of The Nugget Newspaper ~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~ discrimination call HUD toll-free at C L A S S I F I E D S are at Private Central OR vac. rentals, 1-800-669-9777.

The toll-free telephone number for the hearing www.NuggetNews.com Property Management Services impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 541-977-9898 CLASSIFIED RATES www.SistersVacation.com COST: $2 per line for first insertion, 103 Residential Rentals $1.50 per line for each additional 201 For Sale Newer home in great insertion to 9th week, $1 per line neighborhood.

Tempur-Pedic mattress, queen, 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included 926 E. Timber Pine Dr. firm, used and good condition. in The Nugget online classifieds at no 3 bd /2.5 ba. Rent $2,400.00 You pick up. $300. additional charge. There is a monthly with lease.

Deposit 541-420-0175 minimum $5 charge for any $3,000.00.

Pet on approval, plus classified. First line = approx. 20-25 202 Firewood deposit/pet rent. Contact characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, kirkpatrickproperties@gmail.com SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD 4th Sister Condominiums character. Any ad copy changes will • SINCE 1976 • Furnished studio apt. for lease. be charged at the first-time insertion KINDLING rate of $2 per line. Standard $890/month. No pets or smoking.

Doug Fir – Lodgepole – abbreviations allowed with the Bill: 435-901-0200. approval of The Nugget classified Hardwood – Juniper – Fir wjahsman@gmail.com department. NOTE: Legal notices DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES Fully Furnished Rentals. placed in the Public Notice section – 18155 Hwy. 126 East – are charged at the display advertising Short-term, minimum 30 nights.

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Deposit $3,300.00.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

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31

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Please call 503-274-0214 • • • • • • NEED A CHANGE? Use The Nugget's HELP WANTED column to find a new job!

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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon