The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVII No. 14 // 2024-04-03

The Nugget

Sisters, Oregon

Private land abundant in Sisters’ forests

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

It often comes as a surprise to Sisters Country folk when out hiking deep inside the Deschutes National Forest and they come across fences or other indicators that they are now upon private lands. “How does anybody have a ranch smack dab in the middle of the

forest?” Clay and Maureen Whittier asked as they came upon Skyline Forest.

They were snowshoeing near Three Creek Butte via Snow Creek Road when they faced a pair of signs: “NOTICE Entering Private Property” and “PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL. Thank You.” Little did they know

Sisters enters the burning season

Deschutes National Forest firefighters plan to start spring prescribed burning in mid-April as conditions become favorable. The Deschutes National Forest may accomplish up to an estimated 11,000 acres of prescribed burning, including up to an estimated 7,000 acres on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, 1,271 acres on the Crescent Ranger

District, and 2,942 acres on the Sisters Ranger District. Prescribed burns are planned north of Sisters on the east and west sides of Highway 20 just south of Indian Ford Campground; within the Metolius Basin including along the eastern side of FSR 14 and just north of Camp Sherman on

See BURNING on page 18

District committed to music program

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sisters High School will continue its vocal music program, even as teacher Rick Johnson has been placed on leave while the Sisters School District looks into concerns about a potentially inappropriate text exchange with a former student. The student is believed to have been 17 at the time of the exchange.

“That’s our next conversation,” Superintendent Curt Scholl told The Nugget. “Our intent is to still run the program. We want to, as much as

Sisters miracle dog brightens lives

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

On a cold December 21, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Deputy Jerad Bearson of the Sisters Station found himself on the Cold Springs Road cutoff near Highway 20 in search of a distressed dog. A citizen called it in describing the dog as looking like a black Labrador retriever, pregnant or having recently birthed.

Bearson quickly found the dog, sitting up, guarded. When he approached, the dog became agitated and tried to bite him. Another deputy responded to Bearson’s efforts and they enticed the dog to come near their cars, but they couldn’t coax the dog into the back seat.

A call was made to Lt. Chad Davis, who heads the Sisters office, and he brought the agency’s metal crate. After some more biting attempts the dog put herself into the crate, clearly worn down by her experience. Bearson called Brightside Animal Center in Redmond, and the dog was dropped off at 4 p.m.

The next day at noon, still highly malnourished, and showing signs of a hard existence, she delivered 10 puppies.

“We call her the miracle dog,” said Taylor Campbell, Brightside executive director. “It’s amazing that she survived, and more amazing that she found the strength to live through the rigors of birthing.”

While all 10 pups survived birth, three subsequently succumbed, probably due to her ordeal and having insufficient feeding capacity. The “miracle dog”

got better, gained weight, had her long nails and ragged coat tended, was vaccinated and chipped. Her face is scarred from encounters with fences, other animals, or brush.

The pups were weaned after a couple of weeks and could be fostered until eight weeks when the surviving seven could be placed up for adoption. Within four days, all were taken by delighted families.

Mom, named Ivy by the staff in recognition of her

Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies found Ivy in a bad way in the woods. She delivered 10 pups at Brightside Animal Shelter in Redmond. Seven survived

Eager Easter Egg hunters swept up 6,000 eggs hidden by local firefighting agencies in a few frenzied minutes.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

Letters to the Editor…

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

Student safety

To the Editor:

In response to the recent allegations against SHS choir teacher Rick Johnson, who has represented Sisters Folk Festival’s Americana Project for nearly 20 years, a simple question needs to be addressed: Is the Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) creating a successful and safe atmosphere for both teachers and students involved in its Americana Project? Should the Americana Project and its leadership be supporting their leading educator instead of distancing itself from the problem?

Note that The Americana Project is listed

on the SFF website as one of the top accomplishments and Mr. Johnson’s name has already been removed. Has SFF demanded leadership with integrity, modeled and demand boundaries to keep both students and teachers safe? The very nature of festival production — and the requirements for every student enrolled in the SFF Americana Project — puts kids and leaders in abnormal student/teacher situations with kids and teachers in unsupervised and unmonitored activities, with fewer codified boundaries than there would be in a school setting. We should ensure that events like these have important oversight to protect

Sisters Weather Forecast

Saturday April 6

Sunday April 7

Monday April 8

Tuesday April 9

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442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759 541-549-9941 | editor@nuggetnews.com

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Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen

Accessible and affordable insurance

By Phil Chang Guest Columnist

Sisters Country homeowners and business owners are struggling to access affordable fire insurance coverage. I’ve worked for 20 years to protect our homes and communities from wildfire and now I’m working as your Deschutes County Commissioner to keep insurance accessible and affordable for residents. We need to make our homes and communities more resilient to wildfire and then we need to get insurers to recognize those improvements in coverage and premium decisions.

Since 2004, I’ve worked to build collaborative agreement and community support to plan and implement hazardous-fuels reduction treatments on the Deschutes National Forest. These collaborative efforts helped to implement thousands of acres of thinning, brush mowing, and prescribed fire treatments on the Sisters Ranger District, including the Sisters Area Fuels Reduction (SAFR) Project and the Metolius Basin Project. These treatments were critical to containing the Pole Creek Fire (2012), the Milli Fire (2017) and the Green Ridge Fire (2021), preventing devastating losses of local homes within the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District.

high wildfire-hazard areas, where landowners will be required to create defensible space around their homes and to use fire-resistant building materials for new construction. At first, many people mistakenly thought these state maps were driving the dramatic increases in insurance premiums and withdrawals of coverage we have witnessed in Oregon since the 2020 Labor Day fires. Now, people are starting to understand that insurance companies have their own models, maps, and data, and that the state maps will actually be the tool to funnel state technical and financial assistance to homeowners to make real improvements in wildfire resiliency. The state asked me to sit on the Rulemaking Advisory Committee to complete the hazard maps and I will make sure that these maps are used to assist landowners, not target them for insurance penalties.

Devastating losses to the Awbrey Hall and Skeleton fires in the 1990s drove Deschutes County to become a national leader in assisting residents to better protect their homes. For decades, County staff have led and coordinated Project Wildfire as it offered homeowners technical and financial assistance to create defensible space around their homes and to produce Community Wildfire Protection Plans to guide neighborhood resiliency efforts. I’m ensuring that Project Wildfire has the staffing and resources it needs to keep supporting our community.

Firefighter Damon Frutos played the bagpipes in the park in the run-up to the annual Easter Egg Hunt, staged by Cloverdale and Sisters fire volunteers. The bagpipes are a traditional and emblematic instrument of the fire service in America.

As your County Commissioner, I’ve worked hard at the state policy level to keep Sisters Country homes safer. In my first year in office, 2021, I testified to the state legislature four times in support of the omnibus wildfire package Senate Bill 762. SB 762 has delivered real community wildfireresiliency benefits for us over the last 3 years. First, it has delivered millions of dollars for fuels-reduction projects on private lands in Deschutes County to complement the work on the National Forest. SB 762 also created the Oregon Conservation Corps, which I sat on the founding board for. This program employs and trains local youth to help disadvantaged homeowners – think seniors on a fixed income – to implement defensible space around their homes. In addition, SB 762 requires power utilities to bury key power line segments and to make operational changes to reduce ignitions from broken lines.

I have also been involved in the most controversial part of SB 762: the statewide wildfire-hazard maps. These maps will identify

While we are well set up at the community level to make Sisters Country more resilient to wildfire we still need to translate this to ‘getting credit’ from the insurance industry for our efforts in coverage area and premium decisions. I advocated for a bill in the justcompleted short legislative session that would create the system we need. Senate Bill 1511 would establish a grant program to make entire neighborhoods more resilient and then would provide state certification of those neighborhoods and require insurers to recognize that certification. We must pass this bill in 2025.

I hope to earn your vote in the upcoming May County Commissioner election so that I can keep supporting work in the forest, in your neighborhoods, and in Salem to protect our homes from wildfire and ensure access to affordable insurance coverage here.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Sisters women contribute to local nonprofit

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

More than 70 Sisters women gathered last week with open hearts — and open checkbooks — to provide $7,500 to Harmony Farm Sanctuary which provides rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption of abused, neglected, medically compromised, and senior farm animals. They also strive to build a kinder and more inclusive community, and advocate for a food system free from harm.

100 Women Who Care –Sisters (100WWC-Sisters) came together at the instigation of Chris Laing and Kathy Campbell, both of whom have been involved in leading Sisters Country

nonprofit organizations. Laing had experience with a similar group when she lived in Homer, Alaska, and was certain Sisters women would respond to the call.

The two women contacted 100 of their closest friends, and fellow volunteers in other local organizations, inviting them to join the new group. And respond they did — swiftly and enthusiastically — as friends told other friends, all in less than a month.

100WWC-Sisters is simply a group of women who get together four times a year to help support projects undertaken by local Sisters Country nonprofit organizations, through their collective donations.

At the quarterly

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

Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43

Monday,

Tuesday,

Thursday,

Women’s

Thursday,

Fr

541- 54 8-0 440.

Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration

Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild

For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.

East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’ Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061.

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

541-771-2211

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s) 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided. 541- 408 -8 505.

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

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

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 549- 64 69

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters man warns of silent killer

By Katy Yoder Correspondent

Fred Woodworth is a jovial man who’s quick to smile and even faster to help someone in need of his expertise. Known as the go-to general contractor/handyman in Sisters Country, he’s built, repaired, and upgraded homes in Black Butte Ranch and across the region. He was often found under a sink, on a roof, or beneath a home doing what he knows best. Then he got a diagnosis that changed everything.

Woodworth ended up needing open heart surgery that included a double bypass and replacement of his aortic valve. He was stunned. He

meetings, the women hear three five-minute presentations by organizations nominated and vetted by 100WWC-Sisters members. Members vote for the organization they would like to support and the one receiving the most votes is awarded the collective donations written directly to the organization. One of the requirements for membership is that all members agree to donate to whichever nonprofit receives the majority vote. Receipt of the donations is acknowledged by the chosen organization and is tax deductible.

The local 100WWCSisters is not part of a national organization but

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

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

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

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

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 5 41-719 -0 031.

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

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

Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m.

Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.

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

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

didn’t have any heart disease symptoms prior to hearing from his doctor that he had a heart murmur; that news at least, wasn’t a surprise.

“I was asymptomatic for heart disease, not short of breath, had no leg swelling or weakness. The only reason the heart disease was found was because of the heart murmur. I knew about the heart murmur since I was 18 because I had rheumatic fever,” said Woodworth. “I went to doctors sparingly because we couldn’t afford the insurance. When I went to a doctor in 2019, she mentioned my heart murmur, and suggested an echocardiogram which registered a

Sisters Ranger District to host open house

The Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest will host a public open house in early April.

On Tuesday, April 9, the Sisters Ranger District will provide interested public the opportunity to review and discuss a range of activities planned for the next year with Sisters District Ranger, Ian Reid, and program specialists. The event will kick off at 4:45 p.m. with an optional walking tour of the

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

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

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

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

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of Direc tors M eets 1st Tuesday 10 a.m., TSI D Of fice. 5 41-5 49 -8 815

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

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

Sisters Communit y Church 541- 549-14 62 (John).

SCHOOLS

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

new ranger station site. The open house will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. at the Sisters Ranger District located at 201 N. Pine St. in Sisters.

“We look forward to providing a tour of the new ranger station site and sharing our upcoming forestmanagement program of work,” said Reid. “Our staff enjoys this opportunity to engage one-on-one with

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation

CITY & PARKS

Sisters

Sisters

Sisters Pl anning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste

PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD

A new organization is raising funds for local nonprofits.

on

Oregonians have ‘right to repair’

By Lynne Terry Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon is now the fourth state in the country to enact a “right to repair” law to make it easier for consumers and independent shops to fix electronic gear.

With Gov. Tina Kotek’s signing of Senate Bill 1596 on Thursday, manufacturers will be required to offer any necessary documentation, parts, tools, or any device needed to repair electronic equipment at a “fair cost” and on “reasonable” terms.

“This is a win for consumers and will help bridge our digital divide and support small businesses across our state,” Kotek said in a statement.

The bill takes effect in January. It was championed by state Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, who first started pushing for the legislation in 2021. She won approval this session with support from Democrats and several Republicans, including Republican Sen. Kim Thatcher of Keizer. The minority of lawmakers who opposed the bill were Republican.

“Our new right-to-repair law is a reasonable, common-sense step to lower costs and put more power back in the hands of consumers,” Sollman said in a statement.

The law is expected to make repairing electronic devices, like smartphones and computers, cheaper for consumers and independent repair shops. It is also expected to stem emissions and electronic waste. Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, who presented in the House, said that Oregonians toss nearly 5,000 cell phones every day and that if they held onto them another year, it would be the equivalent of removing 8,100 cars from the road.

Supporters say the law will also be good for marginalized communities that are often left on the sidelines in the digital world. A 2021 report from the Federal Trade Commission to Congress said consumer products are becoming increasingly harder to fix and maintain and that communities of color are heavily affected.

The bill had wide support from small businesses and consumer advocates, including OSPIRG, a statewide public interest group.

“No longer can a manufacturer use anti-consumer software to prevent third

party repairs,” said Charlie Fisher, OSPIRG’s director in a statement. “Now, small business vendors will be able to fix consumer technology without threatening the performance of a device.”

Only one major manufacturer opposed the bill –Apple. An Apple representative who testified against the bill said it would undermine the company’s security efforts, a claim lawmakers questioned. The company has come under mounting regulatory scrutiny, with the European Union recently fining it nearly $2 billion, and 15 states, including Oregon, joining a U.S. Department of Justice suit this month that accuses Apple of trying to illegally corner the smartphone market.

Besides Oregon, Minnesota, New York, and California have right-torepair laws on technology. Massachusetts has approved a right-to-repair law on vehicles, and Colorado has adopted one for wheelchairs and another for farmers.

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

If you work for a paycheck in Sisters, it’s hard to find a place to live. Really hard. Home prices have soared out of reach for most working folks, and there aren’t a whole lot of rental options — and they’re often not all that affordable when you find one.

That means hard-working people, often established for years in the community, are facing hard choices, wondering if they can stay in the community they call home. Business owners have a hard time finding staff, because working in Sisters often means commuting from Redmond or points farther away. When gas prices are high, that just may not pencil.

All of this will shape the kind of community we become. A vibrant community needs young families, and folks to work in our shops and restaurants and service businesses. We need teachers and first responders to be able to live in the community they serve. That vibrancy is under threat.

What can we do about it?

That’s a tough question. It’s tempting to ask all kinds of Why don’t they just… questions: Why don’t developers just build more affordable housing? Why don’t they just build apartments that can

only be rented by local folks?

Why don’t they just get rid of short-term rentals?

As always, things are never as simple as we’d like to make them. Turns out that building “workforce housing” isn’t so easy and straightforward.

The Sisters Community will get a chance to wrestle with this vexing problem — one faced by communities across the American West — in a forum set for Sunday, May 5. “Who Gets To Live Here? The Search for Local Housing Affordability” is co-sponsored by Citizens 4Community (C4C) and The Nugget. It will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Sisters Firehouse Community Hall — and also live-streamed online. The event is free and open to the public.

Panelists include:

• Clayton Crowhurst, Northwest Housing Alternatives, housing developer

• Emme Shoup, City of Sisters associate planner

• Jennifer Letz, City of Sisters, councilor

• Kevin Eckert, BUILD LLC, partner and founder

• Peter Hoover, Sisters Habitat for Humanity, executive director

• Kellen Klein, C4C, executive director, (moderator).

Topics will include defining what workforce housing means — and what

price-point we’d need to hit to provide it. There will be discussion of how the community got to where we are, and how we might move forward. Event planners look forward to ample time for robust discussion and audience questions and participation.

There is really no more important topic than this in Sisters — and it’s a thorny one. The desire to make the community affordable enough that a wide range of folks can live here clashes with concerns about growth. Growing too much too fast is a threat to the community’s character and identity — and so is hollowing out our demographics so only the (very) well-heeled can live and work here.

There are people working this problem, and it will be good for the community to get a chance to hear about that work. It’ll also be good for a wide range of folks to share their experiences and ideas. We all know that there is no silver bullet — if there was, we’d have fired it off already. But there are ideas and opportunities that we may be able to grasp before it’s too late. If that’s going to happen, we need to be alert and aware — and we need to realize that the they that should do something is us.

This forum is a good place to start. See you there.

Track teams have high hopes

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

After a district championship, two event wins, and a top-five team finish at State last year, the Outlaws girls’ track and field team is poised for another successful campaign thanks to a large number of returnees, and some talented new arrivals.

Meanwhile, the boys’ team looks to build on its fourth-place district finish last year.

Jonathan Kelly, in his second year at the helm of the program, feels that the learning he experienced last year will help him in 2024.

“Having the benefit of a year of experience, I think I can be a lot more proactive in coaching this season — especially in terms of training with an eye towards the district meet and peaking for the end of the season,” he said.

For the girls’ team, defending the district title and moving into trophy position is a

realistic goal, according to Kelly. The girls finished fifth at last year’s state meet, just four points shy of a trophy.

With a majority of the scorers back from last year’s state meet, Kelly has reason to believe in the team’s potential.

State 400-meter champion Gracie Vohs returns for her senior season. Vohs also anchored the winning 4x400meter relay team, which returns sophomore Brooke Duey and senior Ila Reid. Vohs also placed in the high jump, while Duey competed at state in the triple jump and placed fifth in the 300 hurdles. Senior Lilly Sundstrom placed in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and fellow senior Ella Bartlett placed third and fifth in the 3000 meters and 1500 meters respectively. Junior Mae Roth qualified in the pole vault.

Returnees, Katie Buller, Kate Singleton, Kiara Martin, Analycia Erdekian, Lauren Sitz, Norah Thorsett, along

with a crew of talented freshmen, provide depth across the 17 events.

Things are definitely looking up for the boys team, according to Kelly.

“We’ve had senior Tony Gonzalez join us this season, and I know he’s got his eye on the school’s shot put record,” he said. “Senior Ted Stolasz is starting the season strong in the pole vault and hurdles as well as picking up the javelin this season after missing quite a bit of last year due to illness. Junior Spencer Tisdel qualified for state last year in the pole vault and he and John Berg will likely lead our mid-distance runners. I’m also interested to see how all of the boys brand new to track find their strengths and the younger boys continue to develop.”

Kelly is enjoying a lot of extra help from returning and new assistant coaches.

“We are quite lucky this year to have many assistants, mostly volunteer, so that we can really focus on specific events at practice,” said Kelly. “Returning assistant coaches include legendary pole vault coach Jim Anderson, who will also

be assisting in the horizontal jumps; Dennis Dempsey coaching the hurdles, high jump, and the discus; and Sarah Thorsett heading up our distance squads. New this season, we have Dana Charpentier coaching pole vault and horizontal jumps; Mark Hodge coaching the sprints and relays; Aarika Brooks coaching the javelin and shot put; and Joe Uhan helping with distance as well as strength, mobility, and keeping athletes injury free.”

The Outlaws started the competitive season on Tuesday, April 2, at Mountain View and will host a nine-team invitational on Saturday, April 6, which

Kelly hopes will attract local track fans.

“We’d love for folks to come and show support to our teams,” he said.

Sisters will also be the host for the District Championships on May 9 and 10. “It will be great for our athletes and supporters to be right here at home for that important, state-qualifying meet,” he said.

Kelly acknowledged that putting on quality meets requires a full lineup of volunteers, including helpers at events and the concession stand. Anyone interested in helping out with the meets can email Kelly at jonathan.kelly@ssd6.org.

Senior Tony Gonzales hopes to make the most

his first track season for the Outlaws.

Freshman Audrey Corcoran expects to add to the depth for the Outlaws girls’ track team as a sprinter and jumper.

PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG

BURNING: Prescribed

fires set for Sisters Country in April

Continued from page 1

the eastern side of FSR 14; and generally west of Sisters.

Firefighters implement understory prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk to communities. According to the Forest Service, prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within our fire-dependent ecosystem by removing concentrations of vegetation and restoring forest health while increasing public and firefighter safety. Once firefighters ignite prescribed burns, they monitor and patrol the units until they declare the burn out.

Prescribed burns, primarily conducted in spring and fall, are planned and implemented under specific conditions of temperature, wind, humidity, and vegetation moisture. Firefighters work with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Forestry smoke forecasters to identify conditions that will minimize smoke impacts on people and communities. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn. Most smoke impacts occur during the night and early morning hours.

For more information on prescribed burning and smoke preparedness in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit www.fs.usda.gov/ deschutes. Visit centraloregonfire.org/prescribedfire-smoke-plans/ to view an interactive map with planned burn locations. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive prescribed burn and wildfire text alerts. Follow along on X/Twitter @ CentralORFire.

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

the children who simply want to perform. I am not leveling accusations at anyone specifically, but I simply have concern that inappropriate activity has been happening for what sounds like quite some time, and the perpetrator was seemingly protected, or at least he was never discovered. Let’s look at the model of all programs involving youth in our community, including the Americana Project, to make sure both students and leaders are protected and set up for success.

Matt McDonnell

s s s

Editor’s note: The Nugget reached out to SFF Presents to provide answers to the questions Mr. McDonnell raises in his letter. Their response follows:

To the Editor:

Thank you for giving SFF Presents the chance to respond to Mr. McDonnell’s letter and to clear up a few points of potential misunderstanding.

SFFP is a community nonprofit that supports creativity through music and arts programming. Consistent with our mission, SFFP has been supporting art and music in the Sisters schools for 24 years, working with staff and administration to augment the good work they do with the resources they have, and to identify and help fill gaps that tight public education resources can’t reach. Mr. Johnson is one of several Sisters School District employees who have taught the Americana Project and other classes we have supported within the Sisters School District.

In recent years, our support for the Americana Program has been in the form of arranging for professional musicians to visit our schools, offering students performance opportunities, fully funding the Outlaw Strings program at SMS, helping advanced juniors and seniors to create professional-quality audio recordings of their music, and providing scholarships to qualifying graduating seniors. We host an Americana Arts Showcase at Sisters Art Works at the end of the school year, which showcases student-made guitars from the luthier program alongside the performances of AP students and an SHS advanced-placement art show in the Campbell Gallery.

Over the years, SFFP’s outreach has grown to include support for music and arts programming in all three SSD schools, but in no case does our support to the schools extend to hiring or direct supervision of any SSD employee.

When students take part in our summer programs or volunteer at one of our festivals, SFF Presents has a youth-protection policy in place that includes mandatory background checks for all SFFP staff and any volunteers who work

directly with youth 18 and under. We also follow the “rule of threes” to eliminate situations where a youth would be alone with an adult.

Like all Sisters community members, we share completely Mr. McDonnell’s concern for the safety and well-being of our students, and we trust our schools’ administrators to manage their staff. We plan to continue our support for cultural programming at all three SSD schools, including the Americana Project, for years to come.

Crista Munro, Executive Director SFF Presents

s s s

What’s been going on?

To the Editor:

These past few weeks have seen the spectacle of the dysfunctional MAGA GOP continue to unfold.

The House finally passed the 2023-24 appropriations bills to stave off a government shutdown, the last one only hours before the latest deadline. The 2023-24 bills were supposed to have been passed nearly six months ago but weren’t, due to MAGA GOP infighting which led to the ouster of Speaker McCarthy. The last appropriations bill was finally passed with the overwhelming support of Democratic members and less than half of Republican ones. As a result, Speaker Johnson now faces a motion to vacate the chair … after the House returns from its recess.

Bipartisan Senate bills to address border security and to provide desperately needed assistance to Ukraine have been derailed by Trump and his allies. Two more members of the GOP majority have resigned, one citing their own party’s dysfunction as a reason and narrowing their party’s majority to one vote.

The House Republican Study Committee has released its dystopian 2024-25 budget, proposing to continue the failed policy of trickle-down economics that has resulted in so much economic inequality. A paper by an economist and a mathematician at Rand Corporation estimates that over $50 trillion have been transferred from the bottom 90 percent to the wealthiest.

Trump is now the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and he is completing the final steps of the MAGA takeover of the party by installing his daughter-in-law as co-chair and installing his henchmen in the party’s rank and file.

Our representative in Congressional District 5, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has tried to distance herself from the MAGA dysfunction in part by refusing to hold any in-person, unscripted town halls where she could be asked tough questions about her record. But that strategy has now been exposed for the sham it is.

See LETTERS on page 23

Tribute bands to hit the stage this summer

The rock music of the 1970s and ’80s is timeless — and always draws a crowd to Hardtails Bar & Grill’s summer concert series featuring tribute bands that keep the music of that storied era alive.

Owner Steve Macey has announced the line-up for this year’s series, which features the swan song of one of the most popular acts.

“Lots of awesome bands, some repeats, but people seem to love them,” Macey told The Nugget . “We have kept our prices the same — unlike most everything else that inflation has hit!”

All shows will be held in the outdoor courtyard at Hardtails. The action kicks off on Saturday, July 13, with Lucky Town, a tribute to the music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

The music of The Cars will be featured by Candy-O on Saturday, July 20, and Valhalla will bring down the hammer of the gods with its Led Zeppelin tribute on Saturday, August 3.

The Gold Dust show on August 10 is one of a few dates the Fleetwood Mac tribute band will play in its final summer. Leader Windy Wahlke posted on Facebook:

“It is time to announce that Gold Dust will be

officially retiring at the end of 2024! We have had an amazing run and thoroughly enjoyed our decade+ musical journey, celebrating the amazing music of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks! I have met the most talented and passionate people that have become family, and am honored to have been a part of such a great community including fans, musicians, friends, family, business owners, entertainment bookers, festival, events and fair members/bookers, and to have been invited to perform on some of the best stages in the PNW.”

According to Macey, Gold Dust has been among the favorites of audiences over past summers, selling out four of their last five appearances. This summer’s show is likely to sell out early.

Another perennial favorite, Petty Fever, honoring the legendary Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, will return to the stage on August 17, and the season will again close out with the three-hour music and light-show extravaganza of the Pink Floyd tribute, In the Pink.

Tickets are available online at https://bendticket. com/organizations/ hardtails-bar-grill.

Gold Dust will play Hardtails in Sisters on August 10, in the tribute band’s last summer of shows.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The mountains remind us that this is a spectacular place to call home.

PHOTO BY KRIS KRISTOVICH

Sisters Trails Alliance seeks new leader

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

On March 14, Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) Executive Director Scott Penzarella announced his resignation.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to leave the Sisters Trails Alliance to refocus my efforts on my own businesses,” he stated.

Penzarella is an owner of Left Coast Lodge, an 11-unit motel in Sisters, and, according to his Linkedin page he serves as managing partner of The Golden Gate Market in Sausalito, California.

He joined STA in June of 2022 and in his short tenure moved the organization from one that focused primarily on trail stewardship to one that added environmentalism to its mission. Along the way he was instrumental in rebranding what was Sisters Trails Alliance to STA, complete with a new logo.

The changes were considered controversial by some. A few took to removing the new logo from trail marker posts in a futile effort to bring back the original name and logo. Several trail users went on the record lamenting the loss of the name Sisters from the new branding.

In response to public sentiment, STA revised the new logo to include the words Sisters Trails Alliance.

Longtime volunteer and immediate past Board Chair, Rick Retzman, has been named Interim Executive Director as a search is underway for a permanent head.

Current Board Chair Forrest Tancer spoke with The Nugget about the change.

“Scott’s decision was a surprise,” he said. “It gives us an opportunity to do

community outreach and determine what the community wants or expects from the Trails Alliance,” he added.

Tancer is an equestrian, and is keen on a shared trails experience by all users. He says that the board is focused on growing involvement with younger users and supporters and cites the success of its Youth Ambassador program.

Tancer also talked about the ongoing e-bike controversy, and how STA could be a partner in any tests or trial programs the Forest Service may allow. Currently, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) does not allow e-bikes on Deschutes National Forest non-motorized trails. However, e-bikes could be permitted in the future after a USFS-led assessment.

Talks are underway to allow some portions of the Peterson Ridge trails system to be opened for pedalassist bikes, increasingly in demand especially among older riders. Peterson Ridge is a major destination for mountain bikers, across Oregon and the region, who contribute to the Sisters economy.

The position of executive director is half time (2025 hours/week) and pays $40-$50/hour depending on experience. There are no benefits. Qualified applicants should email a cover letter, resume, and references to info@sisterstrails. org.

STA will host “Recreation and Wildlife — A Discussion of Values, Context, and Perspectives,” an STA-led community discussion around social values and recreation impacts to wildlife, on Monday, April 15, 6–7:30 p.m. at the Sisters Firehouse Community Hall, 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters.

By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle

A metal found in the Earth’s crust could be used to attract and remove climate-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Oregon State University scientists studying ways to filter greenhouse gases from the air recently discovered that when molecules of the metal vanadium are bound with oxygen molecules as peroxide, they can pull carbon dioxide from the air. The carbon molecules can be siphoned off using a small amount of energy that’s then funneled into other uses, like making limestone for buildings or enhancing the atmospheric carbon in greenhouses, accelerating plant growth.

The process could help improve nascent technologies in capturing carbon dioxide from the air to slow the impacts of global climate change. The discovery was published in the journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry in December.

Carbon dioxide is responsible for about twothirds of the atmospheric heating causing global climate change, and it is primarily released in the burning of fossil fuels for energy, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration.

Vanadium is often added to steel to strengthen it, and is found in many other minerals such as iron ore, and is often mined alongside uranium. May Nyman, the Oregon State chemistry professor who led the research, said vanadium and peroxide could be used in filters behind industrial fans to trap the carbon dioxide.

“It’s not a magic elixir. It’s new science. It’s a new approach. It’s a new tool,” she said.

This discovery could eventually help slow the Earth’s heating when paired with rapid decarbonization in the transportation sector and with the expansion and improved health of the Earth’s own carbon dioxide magnets: forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other natural plant-rich ecosystems.

“There needs to be a balance of everything: conservation, forests, marshes,

new technologies,” Nyman said. “We’re adding another tool to the toolbox. We’re adding knowledge, and understanding the reaction of removing carbon dioxide from the air.”

She and others on her team, which includes scientists at the University of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, continue to study other metals similar to vanadium that could attract and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Nyman’s project is one of nine projects nationwide working on finding ways to remove carbon dioxide from the air anywhere and not just where it is emitted. The projects received $24 million in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

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

Obituaries

Warren Pearson Seaward

August 6, 1932 – March 17, 2024

Warren P. Seaward, age 91, passed away March 17. He left to rejoin Nancy, his wife of 62 years, and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day together once again. Warren’s life was defined by his love for his family, his sense of duty, his great love of the outdoors, a heart for community service, and his mischievous sense of humor.

Born in Melrose, Massachusetts, to Reverend Carl and Rachel Seaward, Warren spent his childhood summers working at the family’s summer camp in New Hampshire. Here, with his brother Carl, and sister, Carol, they helped provide a unique outdoor experience for underprivileged, innercity youths. This included collecting sap and making maple syrup, growing and harvesting a victory garden, all of which the children were able to take home at the end of the summer.

In 1951, Warren attended the University of Maine in Orono, served two years in the U.S. Army/7th Cavalry, then returned to Maine to graduate with a degree in Forestry. Upon returning to the University, he met Nancy C. Burnham.

In 1959, they married and traveled together to Washington State where Warren began his 28-year career with the U.S. Forest Service. Settling in Quilcene, Washington, Warren quickly became involved in the local community and was instrumental in building the Quilcene Volunteer Fire Department.

It was during his time in the Olympic National Forest that daughters, Christine and Linda, were born. In 1968, Warren transferred to the Mt. Hood National Forest, Ripplebrook, Oregon, and then moved to the Deschutes National Forest, Sisters, in 1978. He retired in 1986. Never one to be idle, Warren began a part-time job with Black Butte Ranch maintenance, and worked there until he completely retired in 2002.

Always avid Nordic skiers, Warren and Nancy lamented the lack of designated Nordic ski trails available in the Sisters area, and in the 1980s, partnering with the Sisters Ranger District, designed and developed the Nancy and Warren Nordic Trails located near the Three Creek Sno Park. They made many happy memories skiing up and down those trails.

Warren was proud to be a Life Member of the Kiwanis Club of Sisters. Since joining in 1979, he was very involved in the Rodeo Buckaroo Breakfast, Highway Clean up, Hole in One Golf tournament, hanging quilts for Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, and many other community activities. He was particularly proud to be the sponsor of the first woman to become a member of the Sisters Kiwanis Club.

In 2002, Warren and Nancy began spending their winters on the sunny beaches of Sanibel, Florida. His community service continued there when he helped create “The Crowbars,” a

group of volunteers dedicated to the building and maintenance of animal enclosures for the local wildlife rehabilitation facility known as CROW.

Warren always had a project going. He would make life-size wood animal cut-outs that can still be seen around the neighborhood, built amazing sculptures out of seashells, and created over 60 beautiful crossstitch works of art. In recent years he became a master of jigsaw puzzles, finishing his final 1000-piece puzzle just days before he passed.

Warren is survived by his older brother Carl Seaward; daughters Christine Brophy and Linda Bafford (Robert Hennings); grandson Seth Bafford (Krystal); granddaughter Kala Bafford; and great-grandchildren, Zoee, Jayden, Sienna, Grace, and Jonathan.

A family celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Sisters Kiwanis Community Service Foundation, PO Box 1296, Sisters, OR 97759 or Furry Friends Foundation, PO Box 1175, Sisters, OR 97759.

Josefina “Jo” Malaga Hanks

September 19, 1921 — March 14, 2024

Our mother, Josefina “Jo” Malaga Hanks, of Camp Sherman, 102 years, born on September 19, 1921, has joined her late husband, J. Wayne Hanks, and the rest of the Atizado Rodriguez family members who have gone before her in heaven: E. Kay and Gwendolyn L. Hanks; Jose and Primitive M. Atizado and their children Victor, Ralph, Alex, Dominica, and niece Evelyn A. Rodriguez.

She passed away in her sleep on March 14, 2024. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and aunt, and lived a long, welllived life.

She is survived by her daughter Malaga Kay Hanks, with sons Dante and Cody; her son J. Ryan Hanks; and her nephew Herman Rodriguez, and his children Edgar, Madonna, and Elaine.

Obituaries Policy: The Nugget Newspaper does not charge a fee to publish obituaries.

Student Jazz Jam

Student Jaz z Jam is back! Local high school teens will play jaz z on the stage at Sisters High School with seasoned jaz z pros for education, experience, and exposure to the world of jazz. Sisters High School Band Director Kayla Golka invites students f rom Sisters and other area high schools . Free admission. ursday, April 4, 6 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, email robspo@comcast.net or call 541-513-1997.

Sisters High School Storage Building Construction

SHS Construction Class is interested in building a storage building for someone in the communit y during spring term. Cont act Tony Cosby for more information, 541-410 -1018.

Americ an Legion and VFW

American Legion Post 86 and VF W Post 8138 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Spoons Restaurant, 473 E . Hood Ave. Sisters . Call John at 541-549-1462 for info.

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

Weekly Food Pantry

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

Free Lunches for Seniors

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

STAR S Seek s Volunteers to Transpor t Patients

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

SISTERS LIBRARY

COMING EVENTS

Family Story Time

Interactive story time with books , songs , and rhymes for children ages 0-5 years ese stories and songs are designed to support early literacy skill development, social emotional awareness , and f amily engagement. is 25-minute program is on Wednesdays , April 3, 10, and 17 at 10:30 a .m. at Sisters Park & Recreation Co eld Center.

A NNOUNCEMENT S

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, April 4

Artist Talk & Performance

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts

Thursday, April 4

Student Jazz Jam

Sisters High School

Tuesday, April 9

Open House

Sisters Ranger District Office

Sisters Ranger Distric t Open House

On Tuesday, April 9, f rom 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the Sisters Ranger District will provide the opportunity to review and discuss a range of activities planned for the next year in an open house at the district o ce at 201 N . Pine St. in Sisters . For more information, call 541-5497700

Sing Your Hearts Out , Sisters!

Sing your hearts out with the Low Bar Chorale at e Belfr y on Saturday, April 13. Hosted by Age Friendly Sisters Country, it’s a night of community, music, and pure energy. ese professional musicians will back us on pop/ rock hits f rom Elvis to Elton

John. AFSC invites all voices and is asking for any contribution at the door to support their mission to enhance livability and combat isolation in Sisters Countr y. Embrace the harmony, make new connections , and let Sisters’ musical tradition unite us . Doors open at 6 p.m., singing starts at 7

SE S Kindergar ten Roundup

Sisters Elementar y School (SES) will hold their annual Kindergarten Roundup preregistration on Friday, April 26 , in the school gymnasium Student s will participate in a teacher-led activit y while parent s are involved in a parent orientation. Sign up by contacting the elementar y school at 541-549-8981. Children who will be 5 years old on or before September 1 are eligible for the 2024-25 school year. Enrollment forms may be picked up at the SES o ce between 9 a .m. and 2 p.m. Forms need to be completed and returned to the school o ce on April 26 at the time of the scheduled appointment e following documents are required to register : enrollment packet; copy of birth certificate; immunization records; proof of address. Students will not be registered until all forms in.

Sunday School for Children

Church of the Transfiguration

o ers Sunday School for children, ages 5 to 12, regardless of church a liation, during both Sunday worship ser vices. Protestant/ecumenical ser vice is at 8:30 a .m. and Episcopal service begins at 10:15 a .m. e church address is 121 Brook s Camp Rd. Sisters . For more information call Margaret Doke at 541-588-2784.

Ar tist Talk and Performance

Join Artist s in Residence Lindsey

Danae Perez and Megan Wiessner on ursday, April 4, f rom 4 to 6 p.m. at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, 68467 ree Creek Rd. in Sisters . Two-spirit Tong va descendant, Lindsey Danae Perez, will give a t wo-par t cultural presentation including a live ancestral hand drumming and singing performance. Meg an Wiessner w ill share findings f rom her three-year research journey spanning British Columbia to Central Oregon , exploring the impact of mass timber in diverse settings. Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org.

Sisters Garden Club Meeting

Sisters Garden Club invites the public to their monthly meeting on Saturday, April 13. Join us for a presentation by Robine Bots , founder of Harmony Farm Sanctuary. She will speak about how the farm rescues abused & neglected animals and how it ser ves the community e meeting starts at 10 a .m. (doors open at 9:30) at Sisters Communit y Church , 130 0 W McKenzie Hwy

Sisters Rodeo Parade

Want to participate in the parade? ere are limited entries , so don’t wait. Deadline is May 15 . Visit sistersrodeo.com and fill out the registration.

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

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

Sisters Habitat Volunteers Needed

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

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

STAR S Seeks

Dispatch Volunteers

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

Mentor a Child with an Incarcer ated Parent

Saturday, April 13 , f rom 9 a .m. to 12:30 p.m., Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth (COPY a program of the Deschutes

Count y Sheri ’s O ce, is o ering a class to prepare volunteers to become mento for children with an incarcera parent . After initial training a compre hensive background checks , volunteers are match with a child in Sisters that share similar interests and activities and commit to spending a few hours a week together for a minimum of one year. e class covers program policies, Q& A f rom a current volunte how to establish a mentor relationship, and more. ere is no cost to attend, but advanced registration is required. Light snacks and ref reshments provided . Class w ill be held at the Deschutes Count y Ser vice Building , 130 0 NW Wall St. in Bend . For additional details call 541-388- 6651 or email COPY@ deschutes.org. More information is available at the Sheri ’s O ce web site at www sheri deschutes.org/copy

Sisters French Club

Announce Your Celebr ations!

Birth, engagement, wedding and milestone anniversary notices f rom the Sisters communit y may run at no charge on this Announcements page. All submissions are subject to editing for space. Email nug get@nug getnews com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays

PET OF TH E WEEK

Humane Societ y of Central Oregon 541-382-3537

MOBY

is adorable 3-month-old Alaskan Malamute mix is ripe for some training and consistenc y so he can grow up to be his happiest adult self ! Puppies are lots of fun and require dedicated adopters, but with the right attention as a pup, Moby will reward his adopter with many fulfilling years

— SPONSORED BY —

For people interested in French culture and language, Sisters French Club meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at e Barn. Visit Facebook @SistersFrenchClub.

STUMPMUNK FARMS a seasonal flower farm

stumpmunkfarms.com

SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES

Baha’i Faith

For information, devotions, study groups , etc., contac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteachings .org

Calvar y Church

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

10 a .m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsisters.org

Chapel in the Pines

Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

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

452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 5 41-420 -5670;

10 a .m.

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

386 N . Fir St. • 541-815-9848

11 a .m. S aturday Worship

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA)

386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831

www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har rington Loop Rd. • 541-389-8960 www.sistersnaz .org • info@sistersnaz .org

10 a .m.

Sunday Worship

Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)

130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201

www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com

9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship

St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h

123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391

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

12 p.m.

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

Wellhouse Churc h

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

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

POLICY:

TRAILGRAMS: Trail blazin’ around Sisters

Hiking Metolius Preserve

By Scott Bowler Guest Columnist

Along Lake Creek, in between Suttle Lake and Metolious River, lies a littleknown protected area known as the Metolious Preserve, owned by Deschutes Land Trust. It’s an unusual property, with a very diverse species mix along beautiful creeks — making it a great place to go as winter morphs into spring.

Why go?

It’s an easy, essentially flat hike with beautiful creeks and diverse plants, with plenty of wildlife. The good trail system criscrosses the creek forks and several different habitats, and runs to the far corners of the oddly shaped protected area. It’s perfect for a winter wander in your boots, snowshoes, or XC skis

Two parking areas, accessed from opposite sides, provide access to the various trails. As you explore you will encounter a wide variety of conifer species, including ponderosa and white pines, several true and Douglas firs, incense cedars and larches—among the more diverse tree communities around here. Animals include plenty of birds, elk, deer, bobcat, coyote, porcupine, and possibly cougar, or even our resident wolves. (I’ve seen tracks of all of these at different times around there.)

When to go:

It’s a great spot to visit just about anytime really, and usually possible whatever the weather, as long as your vehicle can get to the trailhead, and you choose the right footwear. The road to the north trailhead is more popular and probably easier to access at this time of the year, but with a higher clearance 4WD you can usually

make it into the south trailhead. Spring brings abundant diversity in flowers and birds because of the variety of habitats.

What to expect:

The Preserve is full of wildlife, and not a lot of people. A plus is that the flat aspect and short distances make it great for kids and family exploring. Both trailheads provide access to the whole trail system, and it’s fairly short and easy walking. It can be a little confusing, since both trails and streams meander, so best to print the paper map and to download the trails into your mapping app or GPS unit. Look up www. deschuteslandtrust.org and search for the map. Dogs are allowed but MUST be under your direct control on a sixfoot leash the whole time in order to protect the wildlife who call the place home— and be sure to bag and carry out their poop!

Getting there: Take US 20 west towards Santiam Pass, and in about 10 miles watch carefully for USFS Road 2064 taking off on the right, which leads to the south trailhead—a warning though that this road is little used and is likely difficult to navigate in deep

snow or thawing mud! You can access the north entrance from Suttle Sherman Road, a more well-used and more likely passable option in spring “sloppy” season.

Get to Suttle Sherman Road either from US 20 via a right turn on USFS Road 12 and heading west and turning right, or take Camp Sherman Road off US 20 to the east and turning left. The short spur road to the trailhead parking area is about halfway between the two main crossroads.

What youʼll need:

Footing can be treacherous if icy, and it will be muddy in spots, so take poles or cleats — or maybe snowshoes or even XC skis — so you can take on any conditions. Note that it can get pretty muddy in rain or heavy thaws, so the trails are best avoided then! Don’t forget the Ten Essentials, including layers, plenty of snacks and water and/or a filter to drink from the creek. It’s closer to the Cascades and the snow will be deeper than in town, so plan and suit up accordingly. Dogs must be leashed in the Preserve, so please follow that rule so that they continue to be welcome.

Enjoy!

season is ... arriving.

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 3

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dirty Jazz with Wolfe House Records 6 to 8 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets, $15, at www.bendticket.com.

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

THURSDAY • APRIL 4

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: New Victorian 6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30 Tickets, $10, at bendticket.com.

Frankie’s Upstairs Live Music: Eric Leadbetter 7-9 p.m. Location is upstairs at Sisters Depot, 250 W. Cascade Ave.

Tickets, $20, at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.

Sisters High School Auditorium Student Jazz Jam

High school students playing jazz with seasoned jazz pros 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free admission. Info: robspo@comcast.net.

FRIDAY • APRIL 5

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. 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 • APRIL 6

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Hoodoo Ski Area Snake Run Rally 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Grassroots banked slalom snowboard event on hand-dug course Info and registration at www thesnakerunrally.com.

SUNDAY • APRIL 7

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 • APRIL 9

Sisters Movie House & Café April ADVART: "Yamnuska: The Ragged Edge" follows two modern day adventurers as they embark on a rock climbing journey through time, celebrating the rich history and folklore of one of Canada’s most iconic climbing cliffs. 7:15 p.m. Tickets $16 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Victor Johnson

6-8 p.m. Free entry Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.

THURSDAY • APRIL 11

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: Rich Swanger

6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30 Tickets, $10, at bendticket.com.

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Wendy Williams presents "Autobiography of a Sea Creature: Healing the Trauma of Infant Surgery." 6:30 p.m. More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

FRIDAY • APRIL 12

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.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

SATURDAY • APRIL 13

Sisters Firehouse Theatrical Presentation: "Tuesdays with Morrie" Perfomances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Presented by Ellipse Theatre Community. Based on the worldwide bestselling novel by Mitch Albom. Tickets $20 at www.etcbend.org.

The Belfr y Sing Along featuring PDX’s Low Bar Chorale presented by Age Friendly Sisters Country Lyrics on the walls, and the band keeps the beat and harmonies going No admission, but donations accepted at the door Doors open at 6 p.m.; singing at 7. More info: www.agefriendlysisters.com

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • APRIL 14

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 • APRIL 16

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Evan Mullin 6-8 p.m. Free entry Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.

Sisters Movie House & Café April ADVART: "John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger" Known as the greatest portrait artist of his era, Sargent made his ‘swagger ’ portraits remarkable by his power over his sitters what they wore, and how they were presented to the audience. Sargent influenced modern art, culture, and fashion. 7:15 p.m. Tickets $16 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

THURSDAY • APRIL 18

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: Gina Denoble 6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30 Tickets, $10, at bendticket.com.

is a regular

If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to editor@nuggetnews.com using the following format, including a photo.

The Deschutes Land Trust’s Metolius Preserve is a beauty spot in Sisters Country.

PHOTO BY SCOTT BOWLER

This

feature The Nugget will run periodically.

Spring hiking

PHOTO BY SCOTT BOWLER

High Desert Heroines: Grace Cyrus Aitken

By Maret Pajutee | Columnist

She was quick-witted and ethical and it ran in the family. Grace Cyrus Aitken came from a long line of pioneer innovators who believed in new ideas and working well with others. Her grandfather William was a County Commissioner, Oregon State Senator, and early adopter of new farming approaches in Scio.

In 1882, her father Enoch migrated east with his wife Mary and five sons to a sparsely settled area near Gray Butte, northeast of Terrebonne. Daughters Grace and Annie were born in 1886 and 1889 and the large family workforce built a successful ranch with three apple orchards and gardens full of vegetables and watermelons. Enoch was another who quickly adopted new technology and introduced the idea of growing hard winter wheat, locally called “Cyrus Wheat,” which soon was in high demand for its highquality flour. It was such a good idea that some 130 years later, 95 percent of the wheat grown in Oregon is hard winter wheat. Thanks to the careful placement of the orchards, 150 of the original apple trees still survived in 2015, with some trees as large as 20 inches diameter at breast height.

A 2015 report on the historic homestead site said “The Cyrus family is still known today for standing together, as a remarkable story where both Enoch and Mary jumped into life with great enthusiasm to try new ventures, new homesteads, and instill special values into their family — all of their words were as good as a bond; they shared a deep communication, love, and compassion for one another all their lives.”

Grace loved to learn and was particularly

PENDING $949,500

Black Butte Ranch

skilled at math. She moved in with her brother George, a barber in Prineville, to attend a new high school. By 1907, her parents had started a another homestead near Cloverdale and she went to work as a mail clerk in Sisters. In 1912, at the age of 26 she was promoted to postmistress, a job she held for the next 25 years. As a young single woman, she built her own store with living quarters and was certainly the first to specialize in selling women’s clothing and gifts in the frontier town.

In 1917, she married 49-year-old George Aitken who started the first newspaper in Sisters, and later opened a drugstore and merchandise business. With Grace’s help and business acumen they did well until that day in 1923 when half of the town burned in a terrible fire. George was gone on a buying trip and returned to see their store, post office, and block of buildings a smoking ruin, three feet high in rubble.

But quick-thinking Grace had saved the day. First she grabbed the mail full of people’s paychecks, and the post office records. Then she mobilized the men in town as they came to help and handed each one a basket with instructions to scoop a shelf of goods from the store and dump it on the lawn across the street. They even saved the

Representing the seller

SOLD $1,390,000

Black Butte Ranch

Representing the seller

SOLD $570,000

Eagle Crest Resort

Representing the seller

SOLD $815,000

Sage Meadow

Representing the seller

SOLD $660,000

Saddlestone

Representing the buyer

Nugget Poetry Corner

A Sunshine Climb

ByAlissaCowan

At 10:03, I’m dr essed for tea in my spring flor al gown

I step outside with my picnic basket, wide and br own

The basket is brimming with all of the trimmings for a fine tea Cupcakes, cookies, and cr umpets galor e for my puppy and me

Tiny finger sandwic hes, a teapot and quilt, r eady for the climb

To the fr esh crisp air, we ar e quite the pair, inhaling the scents of pine

Fr eedom and fr olic king wher ever we please to gr asp that bird’s eye view

Gr asses and r eeds br ush up to my knees, wet with the mor ning de w

As we r un and play, it takes all day to ascend to the highest peak

My tea bag collection will be utter perfection, at the top of the world we seek

Ther e the sun will br ew, tea for two, what a gr andiose kind of time

PB&J in triangle display, ever ything will be sublime

With my puppy in tow we made it to the top, looking down fr om the sky

Basket, quilt, tea collection, and pot — r eady to give it a tr y

Jen McCr ystal, Broker

541-420-4347

jennifer.mccr ystal@cbrealty.com

jennifermccr ystal.sites.cbmoxi.com/

At half past two, enjoying the vie w fr om our Play-Set, my puppy and me

The world is so small fr om way up tall, and now we will have High Tea.

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

Email submissions to jess@nuggetnews.com.

Publication is subject to space availability and discr etion of The Nugget Newspaper

Grace Cyrus Aitken in 1917 or 1918.

shelves. Just 2 days later the store was back in business in a vacant building and the people in Sisters were able to buy what they needed with the paychecks she had rescued.

Grace’s original store and home came in handy too. Using horses and a crew rotating logs from back to front below it, the building was carefully rolled inch by inch to where it stands today as The Palace, a historic landmark in the center of town. It was rebuilt and expanded with a soda fountain with a marble top and mirror salvaged from a Portland saloon. They became famous for their rich ice cream with Grace’s special huckleberry topping. This was years before freezers were common and George made and cut his own ice from flooded ponds and stored it in a special room insulated by sawdust-filled walls. A second floor with rooms to rent was added in the 1930s, creating the building we see today.

An ardent fisherman, George got the credit for the idea of a fish hatchery at

Wizard Falls along the Metolius River. But a 1953 Bend Bulletin article notes, “While Mrs. Aitken is reticent in telling of her own accomplishments, she does admit her part in the move for a fish hatchery in the Metolius River area. When her husband mentioned the idea to her, she suggested Wizard Falls had the perfect temperature and that a hatchery could be installed there with a minimum of effort.”

When she was in her early 30s and 40s, they had two sons who absorbed the family values. George Kenneth worked in radio and was famous for a 58-year perfect attendance record at Rotary. Donald James helped out at family businesses, then opened a beloved building supply in Madras, while serving on boards and generously donating materials.

George Sr. died in 1944 and after a few years Grace sold the store, and gave up the post mistress job. In 1947 she took over as Sisters librarian and

served for 16 years.

The history compilation “That was Yesterday” is dedicated to her as the first person to recognize that the history of Sisters needed to be preserved before all the old timers were gone. Her math skills persisted into her old age, and at nearly 87 she was reported to still be able to add columns of numbers quickly and accurately and was in demand to help friends with their tax returns.

Grace passed away in 1975. Her family’s values of innovation and cooperation served the community she helped build. In the 1985 History of Deschutes County, her life is summed up, saying “whenever she saw a job need doing, she quietly went about doing it.”

She herself said, “I don’t feel I was of any particular importance, but whatever I did, I tried to do it right and on time.”

Thanks to the Forest Service and Deschutes County Historical Societies for their research.

Aitken Sisters Drug — Rooms $5. PhotocourtesyThree SistersHistoricalSociety.

Cyrus family, circa 1900. Grace Cyrus at the left end of front row. PhotocourtesyUnitedStatesForestService.

Blake Parker of ten finds herself stepping into leadership roles. A case in point: She’s Choir President, where she has run fundraisers, set up field trips, organized the music librar y, and she emcees choir and Americana Project performances

“It’s just something that I’ ve always loved,” she said. “And I’m not really that good at it, so it ’s a fun challenge.”

Blake enjoys a challenge — like taking high level math classes. For her, that kind of work is fun.

“I like learning how things work, and it ’s especially fun if there’s a puzzle involved,” she said.

She’s also a participant in the SH S pageant, which suppor ts Sisters Family Access Network.

Parker moved a lot in elementary school and middle school, and she feels like she’s found a home at Sisters High School — a different place than the schools she might have at tended

“It’s a lot closer-knit communit y, and there’s more of a general kindness in the air,” she said.

She plans to at tend either the Universit y of Oregon or the University of Portland to study mathematics.

“Blake Parker is a multi-talented person with a huge heart. I have absolutely loved being one of her teachers. I am excited to see what she does with her life.”

— Dan O’Neill

“Blake Parker is a deep and critical thinker, an incredibly kind and caring person and has such a fun sense of humor. Blake elevates the class culture and lives with a clear integrity of caring. Our community is better because of Blake!” — Rima Givot

“It has been a pleasure having Blake in class, she is a born leader and positive role model. Her amazing sense of humor and optimistic outlook make her a joy to be around. More importantly, Blake is a loyal and trustworthy friend who many depend on for her wisdom and guidance. Not to mention, she makes the best cheesecake on the planet. Congratulations, Blake! I’m excited to see where your next adventure takes you!”

— Sheryl Yeager

“Blake has incredible leadership skills, but beyond that she is the kindest and realest person you will meet. Not only is she a skilled songwriter, but she is a leader

among her peers. She is incredibly kind, selfless, and a joy to be around. You always know that if Blake is involved in any project, the job will be executed to the highest standard. Blake brings joy to all things she does. Congrats, Blake!” —

Kayla Golka

Just Like Us: Matthew

By Lisa May Columnist

Have you ever wished you could travel through time? What would it have been like to set out on the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon in 1840? What was life really like in a European castle in the Middle Ages… or in the villages outside? What if we could actually climb into a time machine to experience life alongside the people of another time period? I suggest that there is a sense in which we can. For thousands of years humans have seen the value of recording their stories in written form. Archaeologists have discovered stone tablets that date as far back as 3000 BC. Papyrus documents have been preserved that may have been written as early as 400 BC. Reading literature may not be the time machine that you and I imagined, but it certainly gives us a glimpse into what people were like hundreds or even thousands of years ago. And what we are likely to discover is that people really were not that different from us.

The ancient documents that have most captured my attention are the books of the Bible. The more I have read and studied the stories of the people recorded in the Bible, the more I am convinced that, at the core, human beings of that time period were just like us. They were passionate and held strong opinions. They did the best they could to live true to their beliefs, but sometimes they failed. They had friends and they had enemies. They loved and they often lost that which they loved.

I would like to explore some of these people from the Bible, with a particular eye on how we moderns can relate to them. We will discover that there were good guys and there were bad guys… and sometimes the line between them was not as hard-edged as we would like to believe. I hope you will enjoy this exploration with me, because maybe we can learn something from this time travel and the people we meet along the way.

Our first stop on this journey through time will be in the first century AD, where we meet a man named Matthew. We are starting here because this is someone whose name is familiar to many, even if you haven’t read much of his story. But how much do we really know about Matthew? We think we know a lot about him because he wrote a whole book of the Bible that is called by his name. The reality, which may be startling even to those familiar with the Bible, is that there is only one story told about him. It is repeated with variation in three different books of the Bible, but it is all the same event.

Matthew is sometimes

called Levi. He is the son of Alphaeus, but readers are not even given any information about who Alphaeus is. Matthew works at a tax booth, thus his job title is tax collector.

This is where we need to pause in the story of Matthew and pick up some cultural context. When the people of Matthew’s day wrote his story and called him a tax collector, readers are not meant to understand that he held a respectable position with the Internal Revenue Service. In firstcentury Galilee, where Matthew lived, tax collectors worked for the Roman occupiers. And we can be pretty sure tax collecting was not a once-a-year event. Matthew had a booth on the streets of a Galilean village, so collecting taxes was a regular thing. He was a Jew who worked for the Romans to make sure the Jews paid their taxes on an ongoing basis. Matthew was the worst kind of turncoat, selling out his people for his own financial gain.

The same books of the Bible that record Matthew’s story regularly use the phrase “tax collectors and sinners” to refer to the

disrespectable crowd. Tax collectors in first-century Judea were not just outcasts, they were the most nefarious of all sinners. When a parable in the New Testament casts a villain, the bad guy is often described as a tax collector. To bring ourselves into Matthew’s story, when we read that he is a tax collector, we best understand his story if we change that label in our own minds to the most evil identifier that you can conceive from our own culture.

Back to Matthew’s story. As Matthew is sitting at his booth collecting taxes from his fellow Jews, a man named Jesus approaches the booth. “Follow me,” Jesus says. Matthew leaves everything, rises, and follows him. Matthew prepares a feast in his house and invites all his friends to meet Jesus. Of course, all of Matthew’s friends are tax collectors and sinners. The religious guys in town ask Jesus about his questionable dinner companions. If Jesus is supposed to be the good guy, why is he hanging out with the bad guys? Jesus answers that he did not come to take care of healthy people, but he came to care for the sick. After

this story, Matthew is then listed in every account in the Bible among the twelve disciples of Jesus.

That’s the entirety of Matthew’s story — he is a sick tax collector in need of a doctor. When the doctor called Matthew to follow him, he did. He left behind the tax booth and all its responsibilities, completely altered his life direction, and was transformed by a Jewish rabbi who presented himself as a physician. What is not actually written in the record of the Bible, but is passed down from early church tradition, is that Matthew — the tax collector— wrote one of the four historical accounts of the life of Jesus, The Gospel According to Matthew.

So, how is Matthew just like us? Do you know a Matthew — a nefarious character who lives completely opposed to your social expectations? Are you a Matthew? The identifying label affixed to Matthew — and to us — need not be set in stone. Just as a firstcentury Jewish tax collector had his story changed, so we 21st-century people can be changed. Are you in need of a physician?

DONATION:

Group is open to more people joining

Continued from page 3

hundreds of communities throughout the United States and Canada have similar groups, each tailored to the needs of their local residents.

According to Laing, “100 is not a magic number as far as members. The more women we have, the more money we will give.” Laing and Campbell have agreed to facilitate the group until it has 100 members and then the membership will decide how the group is run. They welcome more members and members who would like to volunteer for short-term committees.

Nominations for next quarter are due by noon on June 21. The next meeting will be Thursday, June 27, at noon, at The Lodge, 411 East Carpenter Lane, next to the post office. Prior to the meeting, members will receive links to the three nominated nonprofits’ websites and members are encouraged to review those prior to the meeting. Nomination and membership forms are available by contacting 100wwc. sisters@gmail.com.

Harmony Farm Sanctuary was started 10 years ago by Robine Bots in their original location on Perit Huntington Road when she got Pig Floyd for her daughter. They have since moved to larger quarters on Cascade Estates Drive, where they currently have 146 animals in their safe haven. Hundreds more have been rescued and rehomed in the last decade.

All the animals have names like Eleanor the pig, Norman the cow, the barn cat Ronald Weasley, and Lulu the goat who has a prosthetic leg. It costs about $7,000 a month for feed and vet bills. They operate with over 50 volunteers and there is no paid staff. Their Compassionate Curriculum teaches empathy, kindness, and compassion. They were selected to receive the $7,500. Their website is www.harmony farmsanctuary.com.

The other two presenting nominees were Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS) and 3 Sisters Equine Rescue. STARS began offering free rides for Sisters residents to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond in March 2020 and, to date, has provided 1,500 round-trip rides covering 67,000 miles. They have about 150 clients at any one time, 39 volunteer drivers, 10 dispatchers, and

seven volunteer staff members. Their funding comes from donations and grants. To schedule rides, call 541904-5545 on Tuesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Rides need to be scheduled 48 hours in advance. Their website is at starsride.org.

3 Sisters Equine Rescue began in 2014 with efforts to save one horse from the slaughterhouse. It turned out they saved three and a new rescue organization was formed. Six hundred horses have been rescued thus far, including wild, senior, and medically compromised — horses no one wants — and 30 are currently in their volunteer rescue program. The horses undergo rehabilitation and retraining, before they are rehomed. All volunteers are trained and vetted. Those who foster horses receive financial assistance with veterinary, feed, farrier, and supplement expenses. Their operating funds come from donations and two special events a year — Gritty Girl Tea, which is May 4 this year, and Boots and Bourbon. Their website is www.3sistersequine. com and their email is 3sisterstotherescue@gmail. com.

MIRACLE DOG:

Having your pet chipped is critical

Continued from page 1

near-Christmas arrival, stole the heart of Carol Staropoli, BrightSide’s foster coordinator. In her entire life, including six years with BrightSide, Staropoli never had a dog. Cats, yes. But no dog, surprisingly, given the hundreds and hundreds of dogs who have come through the shelter, none stole her heart — until Ivy.

“I just knew at once that this was my dog. I didn’t choose her. She chose me,” Staropoli said as she thumbed through dozens of photos on her phone of Ivy and her pups. “She’s a totally happy dog, and is in charge of me now.”

Campbell and Staropoli both said it was the dog’s courage and eyes that made her irresistible.

Bearson was delighted to learn of the outcome.

“I’ve been wondering all this time what happened. What a good ending,” he said.

Brightside is a high-save shelter dedicated to providing sheltering, placement,

I just knew at once that this was my dog. I didn’t choose her.

She chose me.

— Carol Staropoli

and prevention services to reduce animal homelessness and unnecessary euthanasia.

They have a 97.7 percent animal live-release rate. This rate is calculated by dividing the number of live outcomes (animals leaving the shelter through adoption, transfer to another organization, or return to owner) by all outcomes, not counting animals that died while in the care of the shelter, were lost from the shelter, or that were untreatable and were euthanized at the request of the owner.

In 2022 they took in 679 dogs, 339 of whom were adopted, and 766 cats with 741 adopted. The number of dogs reunited with their owners was 329.

Lost pets are a common occurrence, and a frequent call both to BrightSide and the sheriff’s office. Bearson said most dogs are matched with their owner within 24–48 hours and is why they

keep kennel crates at the station.

“It’s costly to transport pets to Redmond, and takes away time of other calls,” Bearson said.

He and Campbell stress the importance of having your pet chipped. A microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a grain of rice. The microchip itself does not have a battery—it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area, and the radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. The chip transmits the identification number to the scanner, which displays the number on the screen. The microchip itself is also called a transponder.

It is injected under the skin using a hypodermic needle. It is no more painful than a typical injection, although the needle is slightly larger than those used for injection. No surgery or anesthesia is require. A microchip can be implanted during a routine veterinary office visit.

BrightSide also maintains a helpful lost and found pet page on its website www. brightsideanimals.org where you can also find volunteering opportunities and donation options.

Continued from page 1

that the property in question is 33,000 acres. Nor did they know that they could buy it – for $95 million, down from its original asking price of $127 million. Nor is it a ranch.

In this case it’s one of the most controversial pieces of land in all of Oregon — Skyline Forest. The Whittiers were not interested in the politics of the property or the combatants as how it is possible to have any private property of any size in a public forest.

The answer is complicated to say the least. Basically it all goes back to the days when railroads were connecting the West to the more settled lands east of the Mississippi. Eric Olmanson of the University of Wisconsin explains: “As railroads sought to expand westward into sparsely settled regions, they faced a serious dilemma: until the lands around the tracks were settled, passenger and freight traffic would be too small for the railroad company to survive. Furthermore, without rail connections, settlement was bound to continue at a slow and gradual pace.

“The solution came in 1850 when Congress voted to grant more than two million acres to the state of Illinois to aid the construction of a north-south line.

Over the next two decades, more than 129,000,000 acres (about 7 percent of the continental U.S.) was ceded to eighty railroad companies. The awarding of grants

led to sectional conflicts, abuses, and continual arguments over whether or not the grants were too generous to the railroads, but in 1872 Poor’s Manual stated that ‘no policy ever adopted by this or any other government was more beneficial in its results or had tended so powerfully to the development of our resources by the conversion of vast wastes to all uses of civilized life.’ While the land grants may not have been all bad, most scholars take a more negative, or more nuanced, view.”

In 1897 the Organic Act was passed to protect watersheds and forests while still allowing the timber industry to continue. The Transfer Act of 1905 established the U.S. Forest Service as a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This agency was formed to map, maintain, and protect forests, as well as provide water and timber for national benefit.

Ninety-nine million acres were added to the national forests in 1907 and in 1922 the Secretary of Agriculture authorized the selling of national forest land in exchange for private land of equal value, which changed the National Forest Service from essentially a conservation organization to one that focused on the logging industry.

According to the Forest Service there are an estimated 10.6 million family forest and woodland ownerships. They control more than any other group: family forests, 38 percent; federal government, 31 percent; corporate, 20 percent; state, 9 percent; local, 2 percent. So finding a private grove in the

middle of the forest should not be much of a surprise.

Further, the Forest Service says, “These other owners supply nearly 30 percent of the water we drink as well as clean air, fish and wildlife habitat, and significant recreation opportunities. And, provide over 90 percent of our domesticallyproduced forest products, including the timber needed to build homes and fuel wood for heating them.”

The United States National Forest comprises about 132 million acres.

There are 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands containing 193 million acres of land. These lands comprise 8.5 percent of the total land area of the United States, an area about the size of Texas. About 87 percent of national forest land lies in the Western United States, mostly in mountain ranges. Alaska has 12 percent of all national forest lands.

Oregon Wild reports that national forests cover about 16 million acres (about 25 percent) of Oregon. These 10 forests are managed by

the U.S. Forest Service. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 15.7 million acres of land in Oregon — much of it high desert. In Oregon, within the Northwest Forest Plan area, there are 7.1 million acres of National Forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service and 2.6 million acres of public land managed by BLM. The Oregon Department of Forestry manages about 821,000 acres of forest land in the state, on six large state forests and some other scattered lands.

LAND: Forest land is not all public land in Sisters Country

Amid the sprawling national forest, there are thousands of acres of private timberlands.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Racing to catch up to AI in elections

By Zachary Roth Oregon Capital Chronicle

This year’s presidential election will be the first since generative AI — a form of artificial intelligence that can create new content, including images, audio, and video — became widely available. That’s raising fears that millions of voters could be deceived by a barrage of political deepfakes.

But, while Congress has done little to address the issue, states are moving aggressively to respond — though questions remain about how effective any new measures to combat AI-created disinformation will be.

Last year, a fake, AI-generated audio recording of a conversation between a liberal Slovakian politician and a journalist, in which they discussed how to rig the country’s upcoming election, offered a warning to democracies around the world.

Here in the United States, the urgency of the AI threat was driven home in February, when, in the days before the New Hampshire primary, thousands of voters in the state received a robocall with an AI-generated voice impersonating President Joe Biden, urging them not to vote. A Democratic operative working for a rival candidate has admitted to commissioning the calls.

In response to the call, the Federal Communications Commission issued a ruling restricting robocalls that contain AI-generated voices.

Some conservative groups even appear to be using AI tools to assist with mass voter-registration challenges — raising concerns that the technology could be harnessed to help existing voter-suppression schemes.

“Instead of voters looking to trusted sources of information about elections, including their state or county board of elections, AI-generated content can grab the voters’ attention,” said Megan Bellamy, vice president for law and policy at the Voting Rights Lab, an advocacy group that tracks election-related state legislation. “And this can lead to chaos and confusion leading up to and even after Election Day.”

Disinformation worries

The AI threat has emerged at a time when democracy advocates already are deeply concerned about the potential for “ordinary” online disinformation to confuse voters, and when allies of former president Donald Trump appear to be having success in fighting off efforts to curb disinformation.

But states are responding to the AI threat. Since the start of last year, 101 bills addressing AI and election disinformation have been introduced, according to a March 26 analysis by the Voting Rights Lab.

On March 27, Oregon became the latest state — after Wisconsin, New Mexico, Indiana and Utah — to enact a law on AI-generated election disinformation. Florida and Idaho lawmakers have passed their own measures, which are currently on the desks of those states’ governors.

Arizona, Georgia, Iowa and Hawaii, meanwhile, have all passed at least one bill — in the case of Arizona, two — through one chamber.

As that list of states makes clear, red, blue, and purple states all have devoted attention to the issue.

States urged to act

Meanwhile, a new report on how to combat the AI threat to elections, drawing on input from four Democratic secretaries of state, was released March 25 by the NewDEAL Forum, a progressive advocacy group.

“(G)enerative AI has the ability to drastically increase the spread of election misand disinformation and cause confusion among voters,” the report warned. “For instance, ‘deepfakes’ (AI-generated images, voices, or videos) could be used to portray a candidate saying or doing things that never happened.”

The NewDEAL Forum report urges states to take several steps to respond to the threat, including requiring that certain kinds of AI-generated campaign material be clearly labeled; conducting role-playing exercises to help anticipate the problems that AI could cause; creating rapidresponse systems for communicating with voters and the media, in order to knock down AI-generated disinformation; and educating the public ahead of time.

Secretaries of State Steve Simon of Minnesota, Jocelyn Benson of Michigan, Maggie Toulouse Oliver of New Mexico, and Adrian Fontes of Arizona provided input for the report. All four are actively working to prepare their states on the issue.

Loopholes seen

Despite the flurry of activity by lawmakers, officials, and outside experts, several of the measures examined in the Voting Rights Lab analysis appear to have weaknesses or loopholes that may raise questions about their ability to effectively protect voters from AI.

Most of the bills require that creators add a disclaimer to any AI-generated content,

noting the use of AI, as the NewDEAL Forum report recommends.

But the new Wisconsin law, for instance, requires the disclaimer only for content created by campaigns, meaning deepfakes produced by outside groups but intended to influence an election — hardly an unlikely scenario — would be unaffected.

In addition, the measure is limited to content produced by generative AI, even though experts say other types of synthetic content that don’t use AI, like Photoshop and CGI — sometimes referred to as “cheap fakes” — can be just as effective at fooling viewers or listeners, and can be more easily produced.

For that reason, the NewDEAL Forum report recommends that state laws cover all synthetic content, not just that which use AI.

The Wisconsin, Utah, and Indiana laws also contain no criminal penalties — violations are punishable by a $1000 fine — raising questions about whether they will work as a deterrent.

The Arizona and Florida bills do include criminal penalties. But Arizona’s two bills apply only to digital impersonation of a candidate, meaning plenty of other forms of AI-generated deception — impersonating a news anchor reporting a story, for instance — would remain legal.

And one of the Arizona bills, as well as New Mexico’s law, applied only in the 90 days before an election, even though AI-generated content that appears before that window could potentially still affect the vote.

Experts say the shortcomings exist in large part because, since the threat is so new, states don’t yet have a clear sense of exactly what form it will take.

“The legislative bodies are trying to figure out the best approach, and they’re working off of examples that they’ve already seen,” said Bellamy, pointing to the examples of the Slovakian audio and the Biden robocalls.

“They’re just not sure what direction this is coming from, but feeling the need to do something.”

“I think that we will see the solutions evolve,” Bellamy added. “The danger of that is that AI-generated content and what it can do is also likely to evolve at the same time. So hopefully we can keep up.”

Republished under Creative Commons license

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com.

St. Charles reports workforce turnaround

St. Charles Health System reports a major turnaround in the strength of its workforce over the past year, according to a variety of metrics: Vacancy rates have decreased from near 20 percent to approximately 6–7 percent for acute nursing; in 11 of the past 12 months, the number of hires has been more than the number of caregivers leaving the system; and St. Charles has significantly decreased its reliance on high-cost temporary traveling nurses to fill needed positions.

In the first two month of 2024, St. Charles hired five temporary traveling nurses, compared with 196 in January/February of 2022.

Additionally, many traveling nurses are opting to make St. Charles their permanent home by securing positions with the health system.

“These are highly skilled nurses who could find a home anywhere. They are choosing St. Charles — that speaks to our strong culture and competitive rates of pay,” said Rebecca Berry, Chief Human Resources Officer for St. Charles.

Chris Collins, a Client Relations Manager for FocusOne, which provides traveling nurse staffing for hospitals across the country, says that the percentage of travelers converting to be permanent nurses at St. Charles is notable. “With many of our clients typically experiencing conversion rates of less than 5 percent, St. Charles definitely stood out with their impressive 12 percent conversion

These are highly skilled nurses who could find a home anywhere. They are choosing St. Charles — that speaks to our... culture...pay.

— Rebecca Berry

rate in 2023. There are several likely factors that helped contribute to that success. Notably, St. Charles offers attractive pay packages and is situated in a location known for its picturesque scenery. However, it’s the culture St. Charles has created that sets them apart and makes them attractive to those looking for a permanent position.”

Michael Teeters spent more than six years as a traveling nurse before becoming a permanent staff member at St. Charles last month. He’s one of 14 traveling nurses to be hired as a permanent caregiver in 2024.

“St. Charles feels like home, like where I’m meant to be. The people that work here are incredible,” said Teeters.

Continued from page 3

pressure gradient of 19. Once I qualified for Medicare, I went to an internist in March of 2023, and due to the confirmed murmur, had another echocardiogram with a baseline from the earlier test. The pressure gradient went up from 19 to 38.”

The increase in the pressure gradient from 19 to 38 in four years was a red flag indicating a significant increase in his aortic stenosis or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). A cardiologist told Woodworth his level of stenosis at 66 looked like something he’d expect to see in a person 10 years older. The cardiologist mentioned a potential risk factor for the increased levels of stenosis as an inherited gene called Lipoprotein(a) or LP(a) that can accelerate plaque buildup. Woodworth learned that 20 percent of the population can carry the gene without any direct symptoms.

After taking an easy and affordable test for the gene, Woodworth and his doctor learned why his stenotic levels were elevated. The LP(a) genetic marker he carries accelerated the buildup of plaque on the aortic valve. ASCVD is typically attributed to high levels of bad cholesterol or LDL which is currently treated by using statins, exercise, and dietary changes. But LP(a) is unaffected by diet or exercise, and flies under the radar because it’s currently considered untreatable in the U.S. Even though it isn’t currently treatable with medications, Woodworth is optimistic about the future because of several clinical trials currently underway .

LP(a) is in the same family and cousin to LDL cholesterol, sometimes called “bad cholesterol.” LP(a) is sometimes called LDL’s “evil twin” due to its undetected presence and the fact that it causes LDL cholesterol to be stickier, increasing risk of blockages and blood clots in arteries. Common LDL-lowering drugs such as statins have no impact on lowering LP(a) levels, in fact there are studies indicating that the use of statins can increase LP(a) levels by as much as 20%. Risk ranges for LP(a): Optimal<75, Moderate 75-125 and High >125. Woodworth’s initial test result was 181. After starting statins in March 2023 and retesting in September his levels increased to 213. Follow-up tests are already scheduled.

Woodworth knows there are people in the community

who carry the gene and don’t know it. With cardiovascular disease remaining the leading cause of death in the United States and around the world, Woodworth wants people to know there’s more to the cholesterol picture than many know.

“I talked with some customers at Black Butte Ranch, and they told me about a friend whose brother died of a sudden heart attack at 57. His sister went to a local doctor and asked to be tested for LP(a) and found she has the gene,” said Woodworth. “Your first event could be your final event, that’s why it’s called the ‘widow maker’ or ‘silent killer.’ When I was diagnosed, doctors told me to stay off my tall ladders and to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground because if I have an event prior to surgery, I could fall and die.”

After learning about the genetic and inherited nature of LP(a) Woodworth suggested his family including first cousins and their children get tested. Both his brother and sister tested positive, while his son and daughter tested negative. Woodworth’s father had his aortic valve replaced in the 1990s. Testing for LP(a) wasn’t promoted during that time; Woodworth suspects he inherited the gene from his father.

“A lot of doctors in our area don’t know anything about LP(a) or the clinical trials taking place. I forwarded the information I’ve accumulated to several people who then shared it with their doctors and others. People need to be aware

that it’s out there. We have around 10,000 people in Sisters Country and 20 percent of them could carry the gene without knowing it; that’s 2,000 people in our area,” said Woodworth. “There’s 64 million in the U.S. potentially carrying that gene. If you have cholesterol issues and take statins, it’s an inexpensive test. In Europe they already have an oral drug that helps reduce LP(a) levels by 64 percent. I’m

just lucky I never had a first event. Due to the heart murmur and a good cardiologist, the actions taken were preventative, not reactive.”

Despite his diagnosis with ASCVD, Woodworth feels great. He knows there’s hope on the horizon for treatments and he plans to be around to benefit from them. He encourages folks to reach out to their doctors and make sure they’re not part of the 20 percent with the disease.

OPEN

HOUSE: Ranger district will talk about projects

Continued from page 3

the community to answer questions and listen to feedback.”

Those who are interested in attending the walking tour of the new ranger station site should RSVP by calling 541-549-7700 or emailing kylan.carlson@ usda.gov. If you have any accessibility needs, please share those with the Sisters Ranger District prior to the tour.

The doors will open at 5 p.m. for the open house portion. Signage will be posted directing people to the warehouse bay at the Sisters Ranger District where the meeting will be hosted. People are welcome to come at any time, but there will be formal presentations beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by smaller group discussions for people interested in hearing more about specific issues.

Some of the activities to be presented include vegetation management in the Green Ridge and Cougar Rock areas, recreation program updates including trails and campgrounds, anticipated prescribed burning plans, the new Sisters Ranger District administrative site construction updates, predictions for the coming fire season and several watershed restoration projects.

For more information, contact the Sisters Ranger District at 541-549-7700.

HEART: Genetic condition affects 20 percent of population

Fred Woodworth was at risk of sudden death from a genetic condition that may affect others in Sisters. He is getting the word out to check for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

PHOTO BY KATY YODER

MUSIC: Investigation of teacher’s conduct is underway

Continued from page 1

possible, limit impact on any of our students. That’s our goal.”

Johnson taught choir and the Americana Project programs. The choir traditionally serves the community a spring performance, and Scholl said he believes they have at least one music festival on the calendar. The hope is to enable the students to go ahead with planned events.

Accompanist Julie Cash and the students of the program are highly engaged, but classes must have a licensed teacher present. Because events occurred over spring break, Scholl said the district has not been able to determine exactly how securing a substitute will proceed. If the situation is protracted, the district will seek to find a substitute with appropriate music background, Scholl explained. In the immediate moment, that may not be possible. Initially, a “general substitute” may be brought in.

However, Scholl said, “we’ll have coverage and support, for sure.”

SFF Presents, the umbrella organization of Sisters Folk Festival, has partnered for decades with the school district to support the Americana Project, which promotes songwriting and performance. SFF Presents Executive Director Crista Munro told The Nugget that the organization has no formal role in personnel decisions in the district.

SFF Presents is, however, ready to provide support for the maintenance and continuation of the program.

“Once we have a clear picture of how Sisters School District is going to handle staffing of that classroom, we’ll sit down and talk about how we can help keep that program on track, both shortand long-term,” Munro said.

As is standard practice as a mandatory reporter, Scholl referred the matter, which arose with the posting of the text exchange on social media on March 25, to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC).

Melissa Goff, interim executive director of TSPC,

CLARIFICATION

In the story “Candidates seek to serve Sisters,” (The Nugget, March 27, page 1) about next month’s primary election, we left readers with the impression that the two candidates for the sheriff’s race would be on the May primary ballot. In fact, when fewer than three

confirmed on Monday that there is an active investigation underway.

“Other than confirmation of an active investigation, TSPC is unable to comment on any cases until they reach completion,” she said.

Lt. Chad Davis of the Sisters substation of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office could not discuss the particulars of the matter at hand, but he explained how DCSO approaches the investigation of concerns raised in any context.

“When we receive information from citizens regarding a suspected crime or possible crime, we begin investigating by contacting witnesses, potential victims, reviewing any evidence or documentation from the incident in order to determine if a crime occurred or not,” Lt. Davis said. “We document the investigation by preparing a police report and gathering evidence. Evidence can be in several forms such as video recordings, audio recordings, physical evidence (DNA), digital photographs, and statements. If a crime has occurred and we can determine who the suspect is, we locate the suspect and attempt to interview them. If there is probable cause to make an arrest, then we may make a physical custody arrest, issue a criminal citation in lieu of custody, or refer the case to the District Attorney for review. The District Attorney may refer the case to the Grand Jury for their review. If the suspect is charged, then the case will proceed through the criminal justice process.”

DCSO can only take action if they find evidence that a crime has been committed.

“We take enforcement action when laws have been violated, and don’t have any ability or authority to take action on behavior that some citizens would deem inappropriate,” Davis said.

Citizens are always welcome to provide further information that could be relevant to an investigation, even if there is no initial law enforcement action taken.

“If a case is opened and determined there is no crime, it will be closed,” Davis explained. “If new information is received, the case can be re-opened and the investigation can continue on from there.”

The Nugget Newspaper Crossword

candidates file the contest moves directly to the November General Election bypassing the May ballot.

Also, we did not mention that in the race for Commissioner, Position 2, if one candidate receives a majority of the May votes (50% + 1 vote) for this office he or she is declared the winner with no run-off election.

102 Commercial Rentals

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

• 8 x 20 dry box

• Fenced yard, RV & trailers

• In-town, gated, 24-7

EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

OFFICE/RETAIL

SPACE FOR RENT

Great location across from Ace Hardware.

Several space types available. Call owner

Jim Peterson/RE Broker. 503-238-1478

MINI STORAGE

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

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

103 Residential Rentals

PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002

Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to:

PonderosaProperties.com

Printed list at 221 S. Ash, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes.

CascadeHomeRentals.com

TENANT PLACEMENT

“nothing’s more expensive than bad tenants”

call or text mike 541.588.2028

mikez@wetdogpnw.com

1 Bd/ 1Ba for Rent!

181 E. Tall Fir Ct. D

$500 off first month of rent!

$1295.00 plus $60.00 WSG

See utopiamanagement.com for disclosures and application. 541-702-1111

HOME or CONDO

TO SELL OR RENT?

C L A S S I F I E D S !

Deadline is Mondays by noon, call 541-549-9941

104 Vacation Rentals

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

www.SistersVacation.com

Downtown Vacation Rentals

Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom

SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

201 For Sale

Two Niches, Cascade Chapel Mausoleum, Sisters, Alcove Columbarium, Deschutes Memorial Chapel and Garden. 63875 N. Hwy. 97, Bend, OR. Glass front to view your loved ones' urns. Niches FWL-21 and FWL-32 on left bank. FWL-21 regular price $2,945, selling for $2,000. FWL-32 regular price $3,595, selling for $2,500. For more information call Bonnie Wright 541-410-5650

FREE!

U. S. Postage Stamp Collection

Free to new, young collector in the Sisters area. Call John at 503-997-9340

— Blue Adult Electric Trike — One year old, basket, helmet, barely used. Purchased new at Blazin' Saddles for $2,500. $1,800 • Call 541-771-6455

202 Firewood

• SPRING SPECIAL • SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD

• SINCE 1976 • KINDLING

Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES

– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com Order Online! 541-410-4509

205 Garage & Estate Sales

HERITAGE USA

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters. Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!

Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150

206 Lost & Found FOUND!

If you are the Sisters person who left 4 wine glasses at the Vintage Etc. shop in New Meadows, ID, call Darlene at 208-634-6920

301 Vehicles

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

CUSTOM CAR GARAGES HEATED, 110 POWER

401

New

Jasper is a 4 month old curious boy. He loves a good chin scratch and wants to be the center of your world. Apply to adopt him online at: sisterswhiskers.org

AKC Golden Retriever Puppies, available in April. Email Gingerthedog25@gmail.com

500 Services

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

SMALL Engine REPAIR

Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental

331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

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

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE “A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871

Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475

501 Computers & Communications

Technology Problems? I can fix them for you.

Solving for Business & Home Computers, Tablets, Networking Internet (Starlink), and more! Jason Williams

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

Oregontechpro.com

3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC Cable jobs, security cameras, WAPs. CCB #191099

541-318-7000 • 541-306-0729

502 Carpet & Upholstery

Cleaning

M & J CARPET CLEANING

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

GORDON’S LAST TOUCH

Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY

Member Better Business Bureau

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

504 Handyman

JONES UPGRADES LLC

Home Repairs & Remodeling

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

Local resident • CCB #201650

THE NUGGET NEWSPAPER

600 Tree Service & Forestry

LOLO TREE WORKS

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

Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com

Call / Text: 503-367-5638

Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com

CCB #240912

TimberStandImprovement.net Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825

SUDOKU Level: Moderate Answer: Page 22

4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts!

– TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –

Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.

– FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!

Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003

** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342

4brostrees.com

Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057

601 Construction

CASCADE GARAGE DOORS

Factory Trained Technicians

Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553

Custom Homes • Additions

Residential Building Projects

Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality

CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764

John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com

Lara’s Construction LLC.

CCB#223701

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

HIGH DESERT WOOD CARE

Power wash/clean • Complete sanding • Stain & finish • Log home chinking • 10% military discount • Specializing in log home and deck refinishing 541-948-2303

$100 off decks • $500 off log homes until April 30

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com

Uncompromising quality. Local and personal. You can trust me. All projects: From new construction to those little projects you don't seem to get to. My team of local subcontractors and I will get it done right, fair, and pain-free so you can make your spouse happy.

Call Jared 503-949-9719

Pat Burke

LOCALLY OWNED

CRAFTSMAN BUILT

CCB: 288388 • 541-588-2062

www.sistersfencecompany.com

Custom Homes

Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

From Ground to Finish

Accurate and Efficient 541-604-5169

CCB#233074

541-390-1206

beavercreeklog@yahoo.com

Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc. CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond

Construction & Renovation

Custom Residential Projects

All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448

602 Plumbing & Electric

Ridgeline Electric, LLC

Serving all of Central Oregon

• Residential • Commercial

• Industrial • Service

541-588-3088 • CCB #234821

SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability”

Repairs • Remodeling

• New Construction

• Water Heaters 541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial

Licensed

• Bonded

• Insured

CCB #87587

– Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941

603 Excavation & Trucking

ROBINSON & OWEN

Heavy Construction, Inc.

All your excavation needs

*General excavation

*Site Preparation

*Sub-Divisions

*Road Building

*Sewer and Water Systems

*Underground Utilities

*Grading

*Sand-Gravel-Rock

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

CCB #124327

541-549-1848

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial

CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977 www.BANR.net

Full Service Excavation

Free On-site Visit & Estimate

Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition

Trucking

• Deliver Top Soil, Sand, Gravel, Boulders, Water

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24

Whatever You Want!

604 Heating & Cooling

ACTION AIR Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs

actionairheatingandcooling.com

CCB #195556

541-549-6464

605 Painting

~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks

CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com

EMPIRE PAINTING

Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining

CCB#180042

541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk

METOLIUS PAINTING LLC Meticulous, Affordable Interior & Exterior

541-280-7040 • CCB# 238067

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com

541-549-2345

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

CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com

541-515-8462

J&E Landscaping Maintenance

LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com

All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

Alpine Landscape Maintenance

Sisters Country only All-Electric Landscape Maintenance.

Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837

alpine.landscapes@icloud.com

– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing.

Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

701 Domestic Services

House Cleaning

Sisters & Black Butte

Free Consult 503-750-3033

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING!

Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC

Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals.

Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051

802 Help Wanted

RANCH WORKER WANTED

Cascade Meadow Ranch is a private residential community in Sisters, OR., in search of a full-time ranch worker. Some, but not all, job requirements:

-Knowledge of and comfortable around horses

-General ranch skills; fence repair, mowing, painting, cleaning paddocks, landscaping -Works well alone and self-motivated

-Willing to work some weekends

-Willing to work outdoors in adverse weather

-Under the supervision of the ranch manager some of the duties could include but not limited to: maintaining the grounds; setting and operating the irrigation system; mowing pastures; plowing roads in winter; daily feeding of horses.

Competitive salary DOE plus benefits. Interested parties please send your resume to: Cascade Meadow Ranch, PO Box 687, Sisters, Oregon 97759, or email: cascademeadowranch123@ gmail.com

Sisters Trails Alliance is seeking an experienced nonprofit leader with superior fundraising skills and organizational experience to lead STA. The ideal candidate for the part-time, executive director position will excel at building partnerships, inspiring staff and volunteers, and be dedicated to our mission to protect, preserve, and enhance the outdoor experience through stewardship of multi-user, non-motorized trails and their adjacent wild places. Full job description and application info at sisterstrails.org.

We are Hiring! Join our summer camp culture at Lake Creek Lodge. We're recruiting for: Housekeeping PT/FT and Maintenance F/T. We are proud to offer flexible schedules and excellent compensation.

www.lakecreeklodge.com

13375 SW Forest Service Rd.

1419 Camp Sherman Part-Time Sales Associate

We are looking for a person who is friendly, outgoing and reliable; someone who enjoys working with the public in a team environment. Workdays are Friday, Saturday, and Monday. Applications available at the Stitchin' Post, 311 West Cascade in Sisters or by email diane.j@stitchinpost.com.

Questions? Contact diane.j@stitchinpost.com

T H E N U G G E T S I S T E R S O R E G O N online at NuggetNews.com

803 Work Wanted POSITION WANTED; for Companion Caregiver. Looking for part-time; must be close to Sisters downtown. References upon request. Please call 503-274-0214

999 Public Notice NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Sisters School District #6, Deschutes County, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, will be held at Sisters School District Office, 525 E. Cascade Ave, Sisters, Oregon. The meeting will take place on the 17th day of April, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. and an additional meeting will be held on the 1st day of May, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting(s) is to receive the budget message, review the proposed budget for FY 24-25, and to receive comments from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained at the meeting on April 17th or at the Sisters School District Office, 525 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters, Oregon, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on or after April 16th.

SUDOKU SOLUTION

for puzzle on page 21

C L A S S I F I E D S

and available at City Hall. Prior the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Matthew Martin, Principal Planner at (541) 323-5208 or mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.

The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https://www .ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.

Notice to Big Lake Community Big Lake Youth Camp is requesting assistance from the Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training Program, including various construction, hazard tree removal, mechanical and electrical projects. Work will take place in 2024. For questions, please contact office@biglake.org within 30 days after publication of this notice. Failure to file comments within this time frame will be considered a waiver of objections to military assistance for this project.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under the Oregon Self-Service Storage Facilities Act.

PUBLIC HEARING: April 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FILE #: TA 24-01

APPLICANT: Ernie LarrabeeLake House Inn, LLC

REQUEST: Text Amendments

SDC Chapter 1.3 - Definitions

Chapters 2.12 - Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District. The purpose is to expand and clarify types of uses allowed in the Ranch Tourist Commercial District and other edits for consistency with the Sisters Development Code.

The undersigned will sell at a public sale by competitive bidding on the 10th day of April 2024, at 10 am, on the premises where said property has been stored and which is located at Cascade Storage, 581 N. Larch Street, Sisters, OR, County of Deschutes, State of Oregon, the following: Jill Paulus, Units 407, and 619. Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased items sold as is where is and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party.

Dated this March 18th, 2024.

Cascade Storage

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

SDC Chapter 1.3 – Definitions, Chapter 2.12 – Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District, Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures, Chapter 4.7 – Land District Map and Text Amendments; City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan; Oregon’s Statewide Land Goals

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct an in-person public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on April 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held in accordance with Sisters Development Code (SDC)

Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council

Casting a line...

C L A S S I F I E D S

and available at City Hall. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Matthew Martin, Principal Planner at (541) 323-5208 or mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.

The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review at least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of all materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https://www .ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.

PUBLIC HEARING: April 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FILE #: TA 24-01

APPLICANT: Ernie LarrabeeLake House Inn, LLC

REQUEST: Text Amendments to SDC Chapter 1.3 - Definitions and Chapters 2.12 - Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District. The purpose is to expand and clarify the types of uses allowed in the Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District and other edits for consistency with the Sisters Development Code.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

SDC Chapter 1.3 – Definitions, Chapter 2.12 – Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District, Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures, Chapter 4.7 – Land Use District Map and Text Amendments; City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan; and Oregon’s Statewide Land Use Goals

LETTERS

Continued from page 6

First, she voted for extremist Mike Johnson for Speaker, calling him “a consensus candidate.” Next, she endorsed Trump on March 6, after he: said that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” echoing “Mein Kampf;” said he would abolish the Affordable Care Act, which now insures more than 40 million Americans; pledged to be a dictator on day one, if elected; caused the failure of the Senate bipartisan bill for border security and foreign aid for Ukraine; promised to deport millions by carrying out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history; said he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies who didn’t pay more for their defense; and claimed he has “complete and total immunity” for acts, including crimes, committed as president.

In the days since Chavez-DeRemer endorsed Trump, he has: announced that he supports a national abortion ban at 15 weeks, which would destroy the legal protections that Oregonians now have to get the healthcare they need; and said there would be a “bloodbath” if he loses the election.

Chavez-DeRemer refuses to denounce any of these statements, much less Trump’s continuing lies about winning the 2020 election, the atrocious behavior that led to his being held liable for fraud, sexual assault, and defamation, or the conduct that led to his being charged with dozens of state and federal felonies.

Fortunately, we will have the opportunity to send Chavez-DeRemer back to Happy Valley in November. She is too extreme for us!

Mary Chaffin

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Bad math

To the Editor:

In response to Rob Phelps’ comments on the cost of defense funds being sent to Israel: Mr. Phelps, please learn to do basic math before submitting letters to the editor. You are off by a factor of 1000. Three orders of magnitude. The values you are looking for are $1,125 per person and $1,458 per Jewish citizen, not the $1,125,541 and $1,458,625 that you claim.

Honestly, I don’t disagree with you that the funding is fiscally irresponsible; that’s a topic for another day. I just believe that if

people are going to try to make a case one way or another, they do so with accurate data and defensible math.

Dan Neal

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Concerns about code changes

To the Editor:

TA24-01, the “Proposed Amendments to the Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial Zone” proposes a significant overhaul of the City’s Development Code. These extensive revisions are being sold as “simplifications and conformity with other sections of the Development Code.” In truth, they allow the tourism market conditions and goals promoted by Explore Sisters, the local Destination Management Organization, which in turn is funded by the City’s lodging taxes. This will make Sisters a Destination City above all considerations of the impact on those living here. Nowhere has there been a discussion of how the requested changes are consistent with the Sisters Vision, which is supposed to reflect the long term goals of the community.

The Sisters Planning Commission workshops on March 7 and March 21 show how City Planners and the Planning Commission have distorted the planning process.

The property owners’ stated purpose of the revisions is to continue and further the original intent of the current zoning. Instead, it is an attempt to mislead the community from the truth. The proposed changes focus on allowing RV parks to be included with hotels, motels, and hostels in a newly defined category named “lodging establishments.” This allows RVs and other non-permanent facilities to qualify as lodging facilities throughout the development code. Most importantly, all future commercial properties developed within Sisters will be able to focus primarily on tourism.

The Commission and Council are supposed to set policy, but should rely on qualified staff for a detailed, unbiased review of all potential benefits, risks, and negative impacts. Staff reports should include a clear summary with a checklist of pros and cons related to the goals of the Sisters Vision. Lastly, the planning commission should be provided enough time to evaluate staffs’ summaries prior to setting policy.

David Bachtel

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Intermittent sunny days draw fly fishers to the Metolius River.

Photo by Bill Bartlett.