By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Like the many before it, the 2024 Sisters Rodeo left spectators thrilled and delighted. Despite an alarming situation Saturday night when a bull jumped out of
the arena and ran through the Rodeo grounds (see related story, page 1) , the crowds lucky enough to get a ticket for the sold out performances were treated to world class entertainment.
“I don’t think most people see rodeo as being in
In two terrifying minutes, a bull in the range of 1,900 pounds eluded wranglers on the Sisters Rodeo arena floor and like a deer, running at full speed, jumped the fence in the red section at the arena’s southern end. The bull catapulted its bulk over the sixfoot metal fence before exiting the red section entry way and into the food court. This was the conclusion to Saturday night’s sellout event, the fourth of the five scheduled presentations of the 84th Sisters Rodeo. Fans scattered in all directions, horrified as the bull — later identified by the name Party
Bus — sought its bearings. Within seconds of clearing the metal fence the rodeo announcer activated the Rodeo’s emergency response plan. That sent a dozen or more Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies in motion. Only the rodeo clown, JJ Harrison, and the bullfighters beat them to where the bull jumped.
Running with all their might from one end of the arena to the other they too hopped the fence and gave fruitless chase. As fans dove and toppled to avoid the charging bull, some who looked like they had ranching experience joined in the
the entertainment business,” said legendary announcer Wayne Brooks.
Until 2000 rodeo was an old sport with a deeply rooted tradition and culture that is neither familiar nor comfortable to every American. That was the year
after a major campaign by PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) went mainstream. The results have been nothing short of spectacular.
And never more so than
Construction crews are hard at work on the east side of McKenzie Pass and plan to have Highway 242 above the gate paved and open by the morning of July 4. Last week, crews began paving preparation work beyond the gate of the seasonally closed pass.
Only the east side of the pass is under construction, but the west side will also remain closed at the gate just beyond Linton Lake until July 4. Limited space for vehicles to turn around on the west side makes it unsafe to open any further towards the summit, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Once the freshly paved pass opens above the gate, there will still be some construction work occurring. Tasks like striping, putting up signage, and clean-up may cause minor delays. Paving on the east side section of the highway
Sisters’ new $33.8 million elementary school is substantially completed. There’s a lot of finish work yet to be done, but the Sisters School District has a scheduled move-in date of June 24, with keys handed over July 15.
The project is on time and on budget, though there have been some alterations due to increased construction costs. The gym is a little smaller than originally planned, and a planned rollup door to the outside of the library was scrapped in favor of a large window. However, the gym remains expansive, striped for activities ranging from dodgeball to pickleball, and capable of holding two physical education classes
the citizen Bond Oversight Committee on a tour of the nearly finished Sisters Elementary School last week.
at the same time. The gym is expected to be well-used.
“That’s the biggest request in wintertime,” said
Superintendent Curt Scholl.
“That’s the biggest request
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.
To the Editor:
I’m writing to comment on Gary Leiser’s letter to the editor in the May 22, Nugget It took a bit to write this to you, Mr. Leiser, because I was so shocked at your opinion. There are other people in Sisters that are retired and many wealthy. What do you define as wealthy? You should have gone to the forum on housing as you may have learned something about living in Sisters. Yes, there is a “housing crisis” for those that serve you in all businesses here. Yes, Sisters is a very desirable place to visit and live. I laugh at “there are people from San Francisco and Portland come here who are ‘flush’ so the ‘housing crisis’ is irrelevant. Really?
So who will serve all these people that are moving here or passing through? Do you see the Help Wanted signs in business windows?
Who cooks and serves your meal at the restaurants in Sisters? How about the checker of your groceries and the person that stocks the shelves? Do you think any of these folks can afford to buy a $400,000 home at the 7 percent-plus interest rate? Can they afford the $1,800 - $2,000 in rent monthly, plus buying food, electricity, gas, and more? Supposedly “affordable housing” is advertised by all the new developments. No one can define what affordable is. It’s a joke.
You say the housing crisis in Sisters is relevant chiefly to some workers who do not wish to commute there and to some public employees. Do you really think an issue is not wanting to commute? People do commute to Sisters from Bend and Redmond because they can’t afford to live here so they pay $4 and more per gallon of gas for a job. I laugh
See LETTERS on page 5
Website: www.nuggetnews.com
442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759
Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon.
is mailed to residents within the Sisters School
Editor in Chief & Co-owner: Jim Cornelius
Production Manager: Leith Easterling
Creative Director: Jess Draper
Community Marketing
Partner: Vicki Curlett
Classifieds & Circulation: Lisa May
Proofreader: Kema Clark
Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen
In a recent magazine, an advertisement appeared with a young man wearing a sling across his chest, carrying an infant. The purpose of the ad was to send the message that it was “cool” to be a dad.
Yes! To be a dad is cool. Where would we be without them (beyond replenishing our species)? Where are we when they are absent?
It’s easy to think of the many practical things dads do — fixing things, earning an income, transporting to and from events, teaching a firm handshake, helping with chores, and giving strong, bear hugs to their kids. I’m not talking about those things. Everything mentioned, a woman could do.
What I’m referring to is what Dan Whitaker spoke of when he penned the words to “In His Fathers Hands.”
In that song he talks about, “Fathers of strength and steadfast minds” and the ability to come forth and match “the high demands of love.” Along with strength, he also references gentleness, and the importance of holding young ones in their hands.
Of course, since this is a hymn, those words have a religious connotation. That is not what I am talking about. Here they are used to help us focus on the wonderful “cool” qualities dads bring to a family. Strength of character, the ability to think and give advice, and the gentle touch and care all wrapped up in the love that only a father can share.
in the sixties and seventies dads spent time with their kids primarily after work in the evenings and on the weekends. They were less involved in daily activities, however, still highly invested. In our family’s situation that meant our kids observed Ted (my husband) spending many hours refereeing at swim meets and monitoring hills as a ski patrolman, learning the importance of volunteering in their community. Of course, there was also a lot of time when they enjoyed cheering together for a favorite team or enjoying the ski slopes as he shared his expertise, helping them learn to navigate the downhill slopes.
Gradually, this mode of interacting started to change, as more women entered the workforce, and a growing number of men became “stay-at-home dads.” Some even attended parenting groups such as the ones I led for Together for Children.
Today it’s not uncommon to see dads pushing baby carriages, including kids while shopping for groceries, wearing infants in slings, and transporting them to sports practice sessions. And changing tables can be found in most men’s restrooms.
I’m hoping we all recognize their importance. Yes, kids are nurtured and fed by moms; however, the contributions made by dads are of equal importance. As one dad said to me just a week ago, “I leave many things up to my wife, and this is what I give to my kids.”
Not long ago, in talking to a dad about his adult daughter, he said, “She and I have a special relationship.”
What wonderful words to hear. Having watched my husband connect with our children I can visualize what he’s referring to. I’ve observed the same in our son as his daughters have grown.
How interesting it’s been to watch the role of dads change over the years. Back
As we celebrate Dad on his day, let’s be sure he gets to do whatever he wants to do. This is his day. I hope that will be something that includes the whole family, however, Dad, if you just want to take a nap it’s OKAY. You’ve earned it. Yes — dads, you are cool! Thanks to all of you here in Sisters Country. You are not only cool. You are special, needed, and appreciated.
Some 3,000 spectators lined Cascade Avenue Saturday morning, treated to the annual Sisters Rodeo Parade. The event started promptly at 9:30 a.m. with a one hour window to get 80 entrants a half dozen blocks before the city had to reopen the avenue, a section of the longest federal highway in the U.S.
Eighty may seem like a small number until you realize that most entries comprised multiple vehicles, horses, or marchers. At least 500 persons or animals were on parade. As usual, being a rodeo parade, horses — groomed and costumed
to perfection – were main attractions, especially those ridden by rodeo royalty.
The 2024 Sisters Rodeo queen, Destiny Wecks, was in full majesty. Queens from a dozen regional rodeos performed their ceremonial duties with grace and beauty. On the sidewalks, often three-deep with onlookers, little girls stared in wide-eyed fascination.
“I’m going to be one of them when I get bigger,” said five year-old Maddy Armstrong, visiting her grandparents as she waved tirelessly to the passing nobility.
The mood, like the weather, was bright. It was a festive gathering consisting of hundreds of families,
many inter-generational. Spectators came from at least five states, like the Paul Bingham family of nine, ages three to 68, from Portland, lined up in front of Sno-Cap.
“No way we miss the parade. This is a way of life all but disappearing in so many places. We are so grateful that Sisters is preserving this tradition,” Bingham said.
Up and down Cascade Avenue it was all the same, flush with accolades for the slice of Americana.
The Peytons, all seven of them from Redmond, typified the enthusiasm and appreciation for the event
The public is invited to the first annual Black and White Spring flag football games slated for Wednesday, June 12, at Reed Stadium. Girls will play a “powderpuff” game starting at 6 p.m. followed by a boys flag football game featuring members of the Outlaws tackle football team at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is $3 per person and additional donations will also be accepted.
Girls’ teams from each grade level will square off to get things started. The first game will be freshmen versus juniors followed by the sophomores versus the seniors, with winners
advancing to the championship final. The boys will then take the field for a flag football game of their own that will feature two 30-minute halves and a running clock to keep things moving. The Sisters High School Band will provide entertainment. Proceeds from the games will benefit the Project Unify sports program that serves school-aged youth with disabilities.
Sisters School District has been involved with Project Unify for many years.
Head football coach Gary Thorson said, “I really hope people from all over the community can come out and support Project Unify and have a fun evening watching some flag football.”
The history of Sisters is newly on display in a hot-off-the-press addition to the prestigious Arcadia Publishing Images of America Series.
Author Sharon Karr will present “Around Sisters” at an event at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 p.m.
Karr credits Central Oregon historian Steve Lent, former official historian
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills
Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.
Alcoholics A nonymou s
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills
Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -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 Central Oregon Trail A lliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets 4th Thur sday 6 p.m. at Blazin Saddles Bike S hop sistersrep@c ot amtb.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.
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 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
Living Well W it h D ementia Sisters
Care Par tner suppor t group. 2nd & 4th Thurs., 1:3 0- 3 p.m. Siste rs C ommunity Church, Room 4. 5 41-6 47-0 052.
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 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 Sup por 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 Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Lodge in Sisters. 5 41-6 32-3663.
Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298
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).
Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203
of the Bowman Museum in Prineville, with providing the impetus for the book. Lent has written several regional titles for the series.
“We talked and he kind of mentored me through the proposal process,” Karr said.
“Images of America,” as the title suggests, is photointensive, with the images driving the narrative, assisted by captions of 75 to 100 words.
Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.
CIT Y & PARKS
Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.
Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Dire ctor s 2nd & 4th Tues., 4 p.m.,
Sisters Trail Alliance (STA) is currently recruiting high school students for the Youth Ambassador program which started last summer with three high school students and will be active again this summer.
This part-time summer position is perfect for young people with a strong interest in environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, the Forest Service, or related fields. STA encourages Youth Trail Ambassadors to tailor the role according to their passions, empowering them to strengthen their resumes, college applications, and overall life experiences.
Key responsibilities and duties of the ambassadors will be to act as friendly faces and resources for trail users at popular trailheads during peak hours throughout the summer season. They will promote responsible trail ethics and practices, including adherence to “leave no trace” principles and sustainable trail use practices. They will engage with trail users and visitors to promote environmental awareness and trail preservation. Educating users on “share the trail” principles and distributing informational brochures will also be done by the ambassadors. They will be available to provide visitors with important trail information and collect user feedback through surveys to gather data on trail conditions, signage, and on-the-trail experiences.
Applicants must be at least 15 years of age at the start of enrollment. They will need to be flexible in work hours, including two-to-four-hour shifts on Friday afternoons and Saturdays and Sundays, the most popular use times for the trails. They must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. and provide a valid U.S. social security number. The position pays $18/hour.
Eric Benedon, the new Volunteer and Events Coordinator, hopes to recruit more young people for this summer and “welcomes their youthful exuberance.” He believes the job will empower them and provide an opportunity to strengthen their existing skills and develop new ones. Applicants are encouraged to bring their current interests and skills to the position. During downtime at the trailhead when few hikers are present, they will be encouraged to study the birds, wildflowers, and wildlife in the area. They will also be encouraged to read books on the human/nature connection.
“This will be a great opportunity to share the trails with locals and visitors while meeting a variety of people,” Benedon said.
To apply for the program, send a cover letter to coordinator@sisterstrails.org. Include interest in the program, your grade in school next year, and contact information. Candidates will have a personal interview with STA Executive Director Stephanie Presley and Benedon.
Eric Benedon, the volunteer and events coordinator for the Sisters Trails Alliance, describes himself as a “forest person through and through.”
Benedon grew up in Southern California, spending time snowboarding at Big Bear, in the San Bernardino Mountains, an alpine region of pines and snow, not dissimilar to Sisters’ high desert.
With a degree in art history, Benedon graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver BC. While there, he worked as an assistant to the curator of education at a contemporary art gallery. From there he moved to Portland for graduate school in sustainability education. He ran the education program at an urban farm where sixth graders from Portland schools came once a week as part of the science program.
He also worked for the Snowdays Foundation, a non-profit which partners with youth outreach organizations to create access to snowboarding at Summit ski area on Mt. Hood and at Hoodoo on Santiam Pass. Through the physical and mental challenge of their experiences, the participants are empowered to
apply their successes in their everyday lives. By working through their challenges on the mountain, students gain self-confidence, strengthen relationships with mentors, and gain a deeper appreciation for the mountain.
Besides his duties as the event coordinator, Benedon is responsible for the Youth Ambassador Program which started last summer with three high school students and will be active again this summer. (See Youth Ambassador program on this page.)
Benedon can be reached at coordinator@sisterstrails. org.
The majority of Benedon’s time will be Portland where he will continue to reside, but he will spend part of his time in Sisters, as well as working remotely from Portland on STA matters. Benedon’s parents, Doug Benedon and Louise Boyer, moved to Sisters about a year ago and joined STA. He has two older siblings, a sister in Portland and a brother in South Carolina.
Continued from page 2
that you say the housing crisis is an issue for only a very small portion of the population. Do you really think that if employers just pay workers higher wages, they will then be able to afford housing? What rock have you crawled out from under? Apparently, you don’t watch/listen to TV or read the paper. Businesses are closing their doors across the country because of the high cost of materials and the cost of labor. Many businesses here in Sisters rely on income from tourists in the summer. If it’s not a good summer for them a few may not survive through the winter.
I’ve lived in Sisters for 25 years and have seen a lot of growth and change. Some good and some not so good. I don’t want to see Sisters grow like Bend and Redmond, but change is inevitable. I’m on a fixed income and the prices are affecting how I live, as all of us are affected.
I’ll never leave Sisters.
Ann Marland
s s s
To the Editor:
The Nugget recently portrayed the Sisters Stampede as lots of fun, riding two abreast, almost a tail gate party.
I ride it every year for the reflection on Memorial Day and my lost comrades over North Vietnam in particular, with an American Flag in my helmet.
In eight years of riding hard and visiting after the race, I have never uncovered the casual theme.
The race course has difficult places with large rock outcroppings, sudden turns in sand, narrow gaps between trees. All the racers I know are serious riders and getting around a gab party obstructing the racers should be avoided for race riders’ safety.
Please enjoy the Peterson Ridge trails for casual riding, but not on race day, the Sunday before Memorial Day.
Jack Addison
s s s
To the Editor:
I would like to acknowledge all the hard work the VFW does for our town. They are the ones that put up all our flags in town and put on the Memorial Day celebration at the Village Green Park. A ‘thank you’ is not enough to say, so I would like to publicly thank them and let them know how much we appreciate them and are grateful that they take the time to put the flags up. Washington Federal has the largest flag in town by the roundabout coming into town and Earl Schroeder always makes sure that it is in good condition and replaces it when it gets tattered by the weather. He has been taking care of this for years and we are extremely thankful. It is always a nice sight when driving into town and seeing a flag flying in the wind. It
gives you a sense of pride and makes you remember all the veterans that have served and are serving. Thank you, veterans. I can honestly say our town loves that you take the time and energy to put on the events and help maintain the flags.
C. Suttons s s
To the Editor:
The final school board meeting of the 2023-2024 school year was accompanied with a Budget Hearing, in which board members adopted the budget for the 20242025 school year. Following the Budget Hearing, Elementary School and Middle School principals presented the results of i-Ready assessments. In both schools significant progress was noted. Tim Roth, principal of the Sisters Middle School, attributed the success to several factors, including implementation of high yield teaching strategies, as well as the integration of goal sheets and student-led conferences, where students take an active role in their academic achievement, goal-setting, and character education. Principal of Sisters Elementary School, Joan Warburg, mentioned that goal-setting and student-led conferences had also been tested in a few classes at SES, demonstrating promising results, and will be implemented school-wide next year.
The new math curriculum chosen for 6th grade Algebra was presented to the board by SMS teacher Jonathan Kelly. After a long and in-depth selection and testing process, Big Ideas by Cenage was the math curriculum selected by a team comprised of staff from all three schools. Some of the exemplary features of the curriculum include extensive digital classroom tools, instant detailed feedback, skills focusing on domains rather than grade level for added support, and it offers a comprehensive K-12 curriculum, versus just 6th-8th grade. After a round of questions, this curriculum was unanimously adopted by the board.
Lorna VanGeem, Director of Student Services, shared a presentation about the district’s collaboration with Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) that was given recently at the State Advisory Committee for Special Education (SACSE). In conjunction with OAS, our district has been providing skiing and snowboarding opportunities at Hoodoo Ski Area to special education students for 13 years. In that time span, 1,900 mountain hours to 92 students has been registered. This has only been possible thanks to the amazing volunteers, OAS, SSD staff, and funding from Unified Sports Grants from the Round House Foundation, Sisters School Foundation, and Kiwanis Club.
The new Sisters Elementary School is nearing completion with a scheduled movein date on June 24 and keys to be officially handed over on July 15. (See related story, page 1). And finally, the meeting concluded with some board business, such as policy
The November 5 election holds high stakes and high interest across the nation. In Sisters, the election will determine the makeup of the City Council.
The terms of Council President Andrea Blum, Councilor Jennifer Letz, and Councilor Susan Cobb will end on December 31. All three are eligible to apply for re-election.
Candidates may now file for a City Council position. To be eligible one must be a qualified elector in Oregon, a
current registered voter in the City of Sisters, and must have been a resident of the City for 12 months preceding the election. City Council positions are non-partisan. Election materials can be found on the City website at www. ci.sisters.or.us.
Candidates must submit perfected petitions by August 27, at 5 p.m., to qualify for the ballot.
For more information, email Kerry Prosser at kprosser@ci.sisters.or.us, or stop by 520 E. Cascade Ave.
A good day on the Metolius River is one trout hooked, landed, and released.
A great day is two trout hooked, landed, and released.
Anything more than that is a spectacular day.
Why am I happy with such modest results from the most beautiful trout stream in the Northwest? Well, the Metolius is a very tough river to fly fish.
First, the water in this big spring creek is very clear, so the trout can see everything, including the little details of every fly.
Second, there are a lot of bugs in the water, so the trout can afford to be picky, choosy fish.
Finally, some of the best fly anglers on the planet pester the trout of the Metolius. Combine that with catch and release, and you’ve got some very, very educated trout.
Yes, those trout, with brains the size of a pea, regularly dole out humility to very good fly anglers. After
all, these fish have one job: to survive and reproduce, and they’re very good at their job.
So, no matter how skilled you are as an angler, the trout of the Metolius will drive you nuts on a regular basis.
That’s what happened to me on Sunday.
Changing flies
I spent much of the day hoping to find a mighty hatch of massive Green Drake mayflies — and big trout eagerly gulping down big flies. What I found was a few scattered Green Drakes — and tons of Pale Morning Dun mayflies. I managed to fool one rainbow trout on a Pale Morning Dun Sparkle Dun and another rainbow on a Green Drake emerger. So, it was a pretty great day.
Until I found one trout rising in a little section of flat water.
This trout, a redsides rainbow, was eagerly slurping down Pale Morning Duns as I slowly crept into position to cast downstream and across to the fish. I could clearly see the trout moving around in the water. The fish couldn’t see me, as I was concealed behind a bush.
My second cast floated a Sparkle Dun over the trout. The fish rose and ate the fly. My hookset was a little early, and the fly flipped out of the trout’s mouth.
Amazingly, after a fiveminute wait, the trout began rising again. I don’t think the trout even felt the hook from that Sparkle Dun. I tied on an Almost There PMD pattern, and the fish rose to the fly — but stopped short of eating.
If you see a Metolius
trout slam on the brakes short of your fly, don’t show it that fly again. It’s time to change up.
First, I made my 6X tippet a little longer, which reduces drag on the fly and also makes a cast less likely to spook the fish. Then I tied on a Pale Morning Dun parachute fly. The fish rose to this fly as well — but turned away just before reaching the fly. The resulting boil looked like a genuine rise, but I could see the fish the whole time, and it never ate the fly.
I tried nine more flies over the next 90 minutes or so. The fish sometimes moved toward my fly or boiled on the fly, but it also ignored some flies. I was incredibly frustrated, but I also felt lucky to see the trout react to each fly. It was as if the trout was giving me a graduate-level course on fishing over picky fish. The trout kept on eating natural flies — including Pale Morning Dun adults and spinners — and something else I couldn’t see.
The trout finally ate a tiny, size 20 stonefly imitation. I tied it on after seeing the tiny stoneflies in the air. Sometimes little stoneflies flutter on the water, and they look like caddisflies or mayflies. It was pure luck to finally notice the tiny stoneflies. These were probably the flies that I couldn’t see the trout eat. Tiny stoneflies are almost invisible on the water’s surface.
The hook rattled out of the trout’s mouth, and it shot away like a torpedo. I never really hooked this frustrating, delightful trout. I fished over this trout for
almost two hours. Leave your ego at the door, kiddo
I think these grinding episodes with tough trout teach me a lot about fly fishing — and myself. If fly fishing were always easy, it would become boring. The great thing about fly fishing is that there are always new things to do, see, and learn. In the end, I’m so lucky to live near the Metolius River, where the trout are not pushovers — but they’re great teachers.
I want to mention the outstanding fly tiers of the Go Fish Group — a Sisters fly fishing club — who recently gathered for Tie-A-Thon.
A happy group of fly tiers spent the day tying flies for several groups that teach fly fishing to kids — or people who need the tranquility that fly angling provides.
These groups include the Mayfly Project in Bend, the Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation, and Clydehurst Christian Ranch in Montana. The Go Fish Group will have future Fly-A-Thons, and I’ll let you know ahead of time. Anyone is welcome to come to a Go Fish Group meetings, which are the third Monday evening of each month at Sisters Community Church. For more information, call Gary Kutz at 541-771-2211.
Partners In Care is now a Level 5 Partner with We Honor Veterans (WHV), a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
Level 5 is the highest level WHV partners can attain and includes various mandatory activities and educational requirements, with recertification needed annually.
As a WHV partner, Partners In Care provides specialized care to veterans who are facing a life-limiting illness and need support through various services such as the no-cost, resourcebased Transitions program for medically fragile individuals, home health care, palliative care, and hospice care.
In addition to the partner requirements completed to earn Levels 1-4, including education for staff and volunteers, developing relationships with VA medical centers and other veteran organizations in the local area and across the state, Level 5 partners achieve excellence in delivering care that is tailored to veterans’ needs and expand partnerships with other community-based organizations for wraparound support. Additionally, Level
5 partners take on the role of regional mentor to other WHV partners working to enhance their programs. Partners In Care is now one of only three, level five WHV hospice programs across the state of Oregon.
“When we set out to create the Level 5 program, we knew that it had to be rigorous to ensure partners who earned the title were truly delivering a better care experience for veteran patients and their loved ones. Level 5 partners have not only demonstrated their commitment to the Veteran community, but they have helped shape the WHV program for providers across the country, serving as an example of what all hospice partners should strive to be,” said NHPCO Senior Director of Veteran Services, Katherine Kemp.
NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs launched We Honor Veterans in 2010 to address the growing need for veterancentered care, especially as veterans continue to age and need access to high-quality hospice and palliative care. Here in Central Oregon, there are over 600 World War II, 1,200 Korean War,
and over 7,000 Vietnam War veterans, with countless veterans of younger generations working and living across the tri-counties.
“I am extremely proud of our entire team for reaching Level 5 of the We Honor Veterans program,” said Maureen Dooley, Partners In Care veterans outreach coordinator and United States Marine Corps veteran. “Having served ten years in the Marine Corps, I take this role of caring for veterans very seriously, but I can’t do it alone! Nearly 10 percent of our over 180 volunteers are veterans, and their involvement is critical to providing much needed vet-to-vet care.
It takes a team effort to get to this level. From our clinicians to volunteers, leadership, and partner veteran groups across Central Oregon, everyone is committed to supporting the unique needs of seriously or terminally ill veterans in this community and ensuring they get the highest level of care they deserve.” Veterans are served with respect, integrity, and dignity through veteran-specific care and services provided by the nurses, home care aides, providers, social workers, therapists, chaplains, and volunteers. Many veterans from older generations are not enrolled with the VA for benefits or healthcare and
may not be aware of the endof-life services and benefits available to them, including the Medicare Hospice Benefit and VA-paid hospice care. Much of what the Veterans Outreach team at Partners In Care does in the community is educate veterans about these helpful benefits, as well as increase their awareness of how Partners In Care supports those with serious or terminal illnesses. The team also partners with local veteran organizations to solve unique challenges facing veterans around the community.
Learn more about the We Honor Veterans program at www.WeHonorVeterans.org.
In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild brings its outdoor concert series to Black Butte Ranch this week, June 18–19. Founder, artistic director, and performer Hunter Noack will play a 1912 Steinway grand piano in a meadow, attended by casually dressed concertgoers on picnic blankets rather than the formal, expensive venues where classical music is often played live.
With vast backdrops of lakes, deserts, and skies, the unusual concert settings of In a Landscape might threaten to disconnect audience from performer. Audience members can sit or wander, wearing headphones so that the music travels with them, heard over wind and wildlife.
Listeners at a past performance told The Nugget that they felt spellbound, connected to the natural world and to the music. Noack said he felt very connected to the audience, with the headphones creating a sense of intimacy.
Noack expressed appreciation for how In a Landscape’s take on classical music deflects visual attention from himself as a performer. Having a world to observe and explore, and the freedom to walk around, gives his audiences an immersive sensory experience, engaging all the senses in addition to hearing.
In a Landscape is an Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. While a majority of its revenue came from ticket sales last year, according to the organization’s annual report, staging these unique tours also relies on grants, sponsorships, and an impressive amount donated by individuals.
Why do people step up to support this mode of presenting classical music?
“I just think it’s such an
incredible project,” said Kathy Deggendorfer, founder and trustee of Sisters-based Roundhouse Foundation.
Roundhouse is one of many supporters of this year’s In a Landscape tour. “It feels like it’s a natural fit for us,” Kathy continued. “I think it introduces people to music in a new way, and environment in a new way.”
Noack grew up in Central Oregon, in the Sunriver area. His mother, Lori Noack, was executive director of Sunriver Music Festival and a friend of Deggendorfer. Years later she became In a Landscape’s executive director.
In Sisters, “Hunter and his partner Thomas Lauderdale stayed here at the ranch as artists in residence, which was super fun,” Deggendorfer enthused. The ranch in question is Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, a Roundhouse program. “Their focus on bringing fabulous, creative entertainment to rural spaces in Oregon really resonated with our mission.”
Though she’d known him many years, Deggendorfer first saw Hunter Noack play in the wild overlooking Summer Lake. “This spot had a view over the whole playa area, an outcropping with pine trees,” she explained.
“He started to play and the birds just swooped in, like choreography. Nighthawks
when they fly overhead, seen from underneath, look like piano keys. They were swooping and moving with the music while he was playing.
“It was really an incredible feeling. You could feel like you were part of the landscape. The music is like needle and thread, just tying everything together.”
In a Landscape has been presented twice at the ranch. “The same thing happened when they played here,” according to Deggendorfer. “The whole herd of cows came over at the fence and watched him play.”
It’s not just animals that find the concerts compelling. As of last year, In a Landscape reported that over 50,000 people had attended their shows, performed by Hunter Noack and 88 guest
artists. The tours traveled to eight states for a total of 249 concerts. Many attendees received free or reduced price tickets totaling more than $100,000 in value, courtesy of the organization’s Good Neighbor Program. Bringing joy along with music and environmental immersion, In a Landscape has played at Bybee Lakes Hope Center, one of the state’s largest homeless shelters. Other sites include the imposing Central Oregon geological feature Fort Rock, locations in Warm Springs Indian Reservation, and in the Alvord Desert, which is more than 250 miles from the nearest concert hall.
This summer’s upcoming tour dates near Sisters include Black Butte Ranch and the Playa residency campus on Summer Lake, along
with two concerts in Bend. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com with additional information at inalandscape.org.
After that, In a Landscape’s tour will extend into Yellowstone National Park, the Tetons, the Oregon Coast, and San Francisco’s Crissy Field in the iconic Presidio, among other locales.
The 2024 season is made possible in part by supporters with local ties, including Visit Central Oregon, Roundhouse, and donor Priscilla Bernard Wieden. Her donation was made “in loving memory of Dan Wieden,” co-founder of renowned creative agency Wieden + Kennedy and beloved founder of Caldera Arts, located on Blue Lake in Sisters Country.
SCHOOL: Move-in to new facility is set for later this month
all the time is gym space.”
Scholl led members of the citizen Bond Oversight Committee on a tour of the facility on Tuesday, June 4.
The facility has all-LED lighting, and wood trim accents are featured throughout. The wood came from a closeout consignment and represented a good deal for the district, adding warmth and visual interest without busting the budget.
“Even though it looks expensive, it’s not,” Scholl said.
The security vestibule
at the school entrance will require visitors to stop and sign in before being let into the school.
Project Manager Brad Hudson, who works for the school district, demonstrated how classroom doors can operate in unison, in case of emergency.
“This door swings open and connects to a maglock that is tied to the fire system, so when we hit a panic button or have a fire, this (magnetic lock) releases and this door shuts,” said Hudson.
“It creates a smoke and airflow deterrent for a fire.
Also, if there’s a bad person in the building or if there’s something wrong, we can shut the doors and shelter in place.”
Mark Kelly, chair of the
Bond Oversight Committee, reflected on the need to enhance security.
“I’ve been following school construction for 35 years,” he said. “The biggest change is all the security stuff.”
Kelly is an attorney, who specialized in representing school districts in school construction matters. He is satisfied with the process for the construction of the new school.
“It’s been a very clean project, and the prices have been under control,” he said.
The SES greenhouse, which had been eliminated at one point due to cost, is back in, according to Scholl.
Dedicated second-floor classrooms for art and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) are outfitted with sinks and cabinets, ceiling-mounted power cables, and extra storage for class projects. The art room will have a signature feature in its southwest corner: a kiln.
Across the hall, a SPED (Special Education) room has an overhead mount for a sensory swing – “best practice for a calming mechanism,” Scholl said. The space, like the gym, has a divider to become two spaces to fit students’ needs.
Classrooms are set up in pods, with four classrooms set around a common area.
There is an interactive TV in each pod. Kindergarten through second grade will be housed on the first floor and grades 3-5 will be on the second floor.
The way the education space is configured is designed to promote differentiated instruction — tailoring content and processes to meet the needs of individual students who are not all learning at the same pace and in the same style.
“The flexibility of the space and how we can use it to serve kids is what has the staff pretty excited,” Scholl said.
All but two classrooms will be in use at opening, according to Scholl. One fifth grade class will not be
used because the incoming fifth grade is small, and the preschool room won’t be used because there are too many kids being served under a Promise Grant to fit the space. Those kids will stay in the old elementary school facility, Scholl said.
The unused preschool space could be used as an early childhood development classroom for high school students working with younger kids.
“Right now, we’re not sure,” Scholl said.
The current site of Sisters Elementary School at the corner of Highway 20 and Locust Street will be repurposed to serve Sisters Park and Recreation District.
Go Fish Group Meeting
Go Fish Group will meet on Monday, June 17, at Sisters Communit y Church at 7 p.m.
Our speaker will be Garrett Lesko and the program will be on “Stillw ater Fly Fishing ” For more information call Gar y at 541-771-2211
Sisters Kiwanis meeting s Sisters Kiwanis Club meeting time and place has changed ey now meet at e Lodge in Sisters , 11:30 a .m. to 1:0 0 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Join them at their new meeting location at 411 E Carpenter Ln. Info: 541-632-3663
Historic Guided Walking Tours in Sisters
Join ree Sisters Historical Societ y for a docent-guided tour of the Camp Polk Pioneer Cemeter y on June 12 or July 10 . Take this f ree oppor tunity to learn more about who and what has helped “make Sisters Sisters” ! All tours begin at 10 a.m., cover about one mile, and take around an hour and a half. Families are welcome.
Reservations are necessary
Stop in at the Sisters Museum on Fri. or Sat. (10 -4), call 541549-14 03 or email museum@ threesistershistoricalsociet y.org with your contact info and the number in your party
Solstice Gathering
Celebrate Summer Solstice with a labyrinth walk on ursday, June 20. Casual event is celebrator y & non-religious Optional: wear white, bring a drum . Everyone is welcome. Free.
Sisters Community L abyrinth, W Hood Ave. between Hwy 242 & Hw y 20. June 20, exact time TBD; check neworegon.org for details
STEM Stor y Time
Play and learn with robot friends ursday, June 20, from 10:30 to 11: 0 0 a .m. in the Communit y Room at Sisters Library. Read a fun stor y about f riendly robots who don’t want to go to sleep. en help your own robot f riend power down with some hands-on robotics f un. For ages 0 -5 with their grown-up.
Makey Makey
Exploration
Build a game controller using Makey Makey on ursday, June 20, f rom 11:30 a .m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Sisters Library
Explore the world of electric circuits to build exciting game controllers to play a variet y of games . is is your chance to innovate ! For ages 8-14; older students are welcome, and younger may be able to participate with a grown-up’s help. Supplies available for 20 participants, but siblings and families can share. More info at www deschuteslibrary.org/kid s/ programs
Saturday, June 15
Violin Senior Recital Episcopal Church
Monday, June 17
Go Fish Group Meeting
Sisters Community Church
Violin Senior Recital
All are invited to the senior recital o ered by Sisters resident and violinist Nicolas Oncken. He is graduating this year and heading to the Universit y of Michigan. Nicolas will present a diverse repertoire of classical pieces accompanied by pianist Da-Sol Um on Saturday, June 15, at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. e recital will last about an hour. ere will be an intermission and refreshments . Admission is free and open to the public . Call 541550- 0283 for more information
Preser ving Our Place: e Interplay of Culture, Climate, and Migration
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture is hosting a lecture, short-film screening , and exhibition on ursday, June 20, f rom 6 to 7:30 p.m., featuring Indigenous artist s f rom Louisiana and Alaska talking about communities in the two states f acing displacement due to climat Chantel Com Davis in the discussion event is f public. P Center for A located a Rd . in Siste is require roundhou events/. For mor 9 04- 070 roundhou
Free W
Family K go hot mea to 6 p.m. S ty Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org
Vacation Bible School
Go back in time! Bring your whole flock to Hometown
Nazareth: Where Jesus was a K id! You’ll travel back to Bible times , without setting foot outside our community. E xperience this fun, hands-on, Bible-times village the week of June 24 to 28 at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. Children’s Session for age 3 to 5th grade, 9 a.m. to noon. Family Session (parent or guardian must be present) f rom 5 to 8 p.m Register at sisterschurch.com/events.
STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transpor t Patients Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond, and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STARS dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included. Learn more at www starsride.org. STARS is an AFSC Action Team.
10 0 Women Who Care
10 0 Women Who Care-Sisters is accepting membership applications in advance of its June meeting. Applications must be submitted by Monday, June 24, for those who wish to attend the meeting on ursday, June 27, at noon at e Lodge in Sisters , 411 E . Carpenter L ane.
10 0 Women Who Care-Sisters is a newly organized group that will pool its resource s to f und local nonprofits nominated by its members . ere is no membership fee. For more information, email 100wwc. Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912- 0750
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.
A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Edwards C atholic Church in Sisters , at 11 a .m. on Wednesday, June 19. Lunch to follow at the Church. In lieu of flowers , you can make a donation to the St. Edwards Altar Society
Baha’i Faith
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.
Living Well With Dementia Sisters Suppor t Groups
Living Well now o ers t wo support groups . A support group for the care partners and family of those diagnosed with some form of dementia meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1-2:30 p.m. at e Lodge in Sisters , 411 E Carpenter Ln. A support group for the person diagnosed with some form of dementia in the early stages meets the same days and times , also at e Lodge Info: 541-6 47-0 052.
e Burke invites you elebration of his life odeo Grounds near the e 15, 2024. Follow the eremony will commence ommemorating the legac y d memories of Mike. Your port during this time ated as we honor his nd bid him f arewell.
Sisters Careg iver Support A f acilitated support group for caregivers of those with chronic or life-shor tening diseases meet s 10 to 11:30 a .m. on the third Tuesday of ever y month at Sisters Episcopal Church of e Transfiguration, 121 Brook s Camp Rd. For more information, please contact Kay at 541-719- 0031
is delight ful one-year-old girl can be a little shy in the shelter, but if you give her a warm smile and a tasty treat she’ll be your best friend in no time. Echo is house-trained, cr ate-trained, and enjoye d living with her canine f riends in her previous home. She is used to using a dogg y door and knows how to sit, stay, and come.
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. Sunday Sac rament Meeting
e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 www.transfiguration-sisters.org
8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship
10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship
e Resting Place meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy www.restingplace.us • hello@restingplace.us
5 p.m. Sunday Worship
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
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
FILL ’ER UP! Hannah and Trevor Johnson and their pups fill up at the Sisters Pumphouse & Country Store on Saturday, June 1. “We just came from the Elk Lake area,” said Hannah. “We sat still for a minute, started a fire.” It was a new experience for their shepherd mix Linux and pit bull mix Lupin — “Kind of like the flower but also for Harry Potter,” Hannah said. “They’re new to camping, new to all of this, so this was sort of a trial run,” said Trevor.
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 12
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Cornhole Tournament Sign up at 5:30 Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
THURSDAY • JUNE 13
Sisters Depot Courtyard Live Music: Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent in a lively atmosphere. 6 to 8 p.m. Info: sistersdepot.com/our-events.
Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Elizabeth Mehren presents" I Lived to Tell the World: Stories from Survivors of Holocaust, Genocide and the Atrocities of War," 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night
Sign up at 5:30 Starts promptly at 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Dogand family-friendly Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: "House Band" Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday! 6 to 8 p.m. Free for all and for all ages Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
FRIDAY • JUNE 14
Frankie’s Upstairs Comedy: Aging with Laughter! 7 p.m. 21+ show. Stand up comedy hosted by Elizabeth Ueland. Advance tickets $20 at sistersdepot.com/our-events, $25 at the door 250 W. Cascade Ave.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights 5 to 7 p.m. Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15
STROLLING THE STREETS: Michele James, left, strolls through Sisters with her family on Saturday, June 1. They came from Redmond for Sisters Country Tournament Baseball. In the morning, one of the two James boys had one of the two hits for his 11U Junior Ravens travel team. Quoth the parents: “We just went to the Sisters Saloon and got some great lunch, now we’re going to walk to Sisters Meat & Smokehouse, then we’ll head back to the game. Ben wants to try to hit a home run but the wind is not a friend.” And his little brother? “Still trying to convince us to go to the Sno Cap Drive In,” Dad said.
COMMERCE AT THE FARMERS
MARKET: Jack Van Slyke, left, is happy to be buying snapdragons and a daylily from Anna Daniels of Snow Creek Farm on Sunday, June 2. “This is our second year growing the flower farms,” said Anna, a co-owner from Tumalo. She sells flowers at Central Oregon Locavore and Northwest Crossing’s Saturday Market in Bend. A newcomer to Sisters Farmers Market, Anna says she’ll run her stand every Sunday this season. “I came last year to check it out. It was a very nice environment,” she said. “Everybody was really kind when I was walking around, watching and asking questions. It’s such a friendly place.”
PLAY BALL! Chris Tschantz’s son poses beside a streaming video camera at a Sisters High School ball field adjacent to Bike Park 242 on Sunday, June 2. “My responsibility is primarily for setting up cameras. It helps out a lot for families that are non-local; they can view that through the GameChanger app, and that’s how the game gets scored, said Chris. “Later, I’ll take the videos and I’ll upload them to YouTube so the boys can go back and look at their plays, cheer themselves on, do that kind of stuff.”
More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show/Live Music: Smoke Drifters 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool or vintage car for the car show — or come to see them! For more info call 541-549-2471
SATURDAY • JUNE 15
Sisters Depot Courtyard Live Music: Bob Baker and Mark Barringer 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets $5 at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • JUNE 16
The Belfr y Live Music: Peter Rowan Grammy-award winner and member of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, Peter Rowan is a singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades. 7 p.m. Tickets $35 at www.bendticket.com, or $40 at door Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music, community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY • JUNE 17
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Bart Budwig "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free for all and for all ages
TUESDAY • JUNE 18
Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Phillip Margolin presents "Betrayal: A Robin Lockwood Novel," 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Aaron & Faisal 6-8 p.m. Free entry Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 19
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Cornhole Tournament Sign up at 5:30 Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
THURSDAY • JUNE 20
Pine Meadow Ranch Lecture: Preserving Our Place: The Interplay of Culture, Climate, and Migration Speakers include Dennis Davis, Chantel Comardelle and Elizabeth Marino 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free to attend. Register at roundhousefoundation.org/events/.
Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Sharon E. Karr presents "Around Sisters," 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Sisters Middle School Venue Play: “Now You’re Talking...” One Acts 2024 performed by Silent Echo Theater Company. 7:30 p.m. Info/tickets: silentechotheatercompany.org.
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night Sign up at 5:30 Starts promptly at 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Dogand family-friendly Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: "House Band" Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday! 6 to 8 p.m. Free for all and for all ages Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
FRIDAY • JUNE 21
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
It is a truly sad state of affairs here in the Beaver State: Our salmon stocks are struggling mightily, biodiversity is crashing under the weight of human activities, climate change is accelerating, drought is greatly affecting regional agriculture and wildfires threaten our communities every summer.
But there is a naturebased solution that could help. Protecting our state animal could greatly assist human and wildlife communities adapt to the many challenges we face. The wetlands and habitats that beavers create work all sorts of magic for us – free of charge.
The issue is, we keep killing these beneficial animals rather than embracing their effective restoration potential as a recreational activity under the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s furbearer regulations.
The department has not budged in years past to protect beaver populations by making necessary changes to the furbearer regulations. But we have another chance this year.
In 2024, less than 200 beaver hunters and trappers are depriving 4.2 million citizens of Oregon criticalbeaver benefits. Among the millions includes hundreds of thousands of hunters and anglers in the state (I am a hunter and angler myself) who would see greatly
expanded fish and game populations due to habitat expansion if beavers were protected.
The mission of the department is to “protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations.” I cannot think of a single action that the commission can take to “protect and enhance our fish and wildlife more than to close federal lands to beaver hunting and trapping and let these creatures improve wild habitats. The department is currently abdicating their responsibilities, and in the process, depriving the public of expanded ecosystem services by failing to take action in the past.
Opponents of this change like to claim that just 3% of beavers are killed on public lands, a number so low it is not worthy of concern. But every beaver matters, particularly individuals that colonize new watersheds.
The take of just one pair of beavers can impede the recovery across an entire watershed for decades. As it stands today, thousands of Oregon’s rivers and streams are unoccupied by beavers and thousands of rivers and streams are listed as “impaired” under the federal Clean Water Act.
The commission will discusss the state’s furbearer regulations on June 14. To comment virtually or in-person, email ODFW. Commission@odfw.oregon.
gov, noting you want to talk about furbearer regulations and include your name, email and phone number. Submit written comments to the same email, with “Furbearer regulations” in the subject line. For more information, check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife webpage. Beavers should not be considered as just another species to be managed for recreational purposes by the department. They are the keystone of keystone species and should be protected to assist in species recovery and expansion, and also as a matter of state and national security.
A forthcoming literature review authored by the Oregon Natural Desert Association – set for public release to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission on June 14 – demonstrates how critical beaver-created and modified habitats are to fish and wildlife. In the Oregon Conservation Strategy, 43 species of greatest conservation need – those that need action now to prevent their further decline – are listed as federally threatened or endangered. Fortyfour percent of these species could benefit from expanding beaver populations. Additionally, out of 159 species of greatest conservation need identified by the department, up to 111 species, or 70 percent, could benefit from more beavers on the landscape.
Since 2020, conservation groups and scientists have been submitting information and formal requests to close federally managed public lands to hunting and trapping. Despite our previous unsuccessful attempts, we beaver believers are not going anywhere.
In late May, over 40 conservation groups submitted this letter requesting that commissioners vote to “enact a closure to beaver trapping and hunting on federally managed public lands amending OAR 635050-0070 with a report to the commission documenting the ecosystem effects, including to water resources and to fish and wildlife populations after 10 years.”
A similar request to the commission to close beaver hunting and trapping on federally managed public lands was submitted to the commission by a coalition of Oregon scientists on the grounds of accelerating climate-driven droughts and wildfires and biodiversity losses.
Fish and wildlife staff recommend that the commission approve maintaining the status quo – allow beaver trapping and hunting to continue on federal managed public lands as a recreational activity. And yet staff also state in the information it has prepared for the commission that the “the Furbearer Program is also committed to implementing the department’s Action Plan for Beaver Modified Landscapes which outlines specific goals and actions the department is implementing over 36 months (August 2022 – 2025) to protect and restore beaver habitat and beaver-modified habitat.” However, you cannot protect and restore beaver habitat and beaver-modified habitat if you continue to allow beavers to be killed as a recreational activity. We need all hands on deck. As they say, democracy is not a spectator sport. Republished courtesy of https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.
Matt and Jenny Behnke sought a life of adventure and creativity. They’ve found it in Sisters.
The couple fronts Skybound Blue, an Americana, harmonydriven roots band. Their music, influenced by Gillian Welch, The Civil Wars, and The Avett Brothers, strives to create meaningful songs and melodies that resonate with their audience. The Behnke’s moved to Sisters three years ago from McMinnville, looking to be closer to the outdoors and the music community in Sisters.
BY CEILI GATLEY
Matt and Jenny Behnke have quickly become an integral part of the Sisters music community.
“We feel so lucky to be here and adore the music community here that has welcomed us with open arms,” said Jenny. Jenny and Matt have always been passionate about music; they lived in Nashville for many years, composed and wrote songs together, and did gigs around Nashville before moving to Oregon in 2009 to be closer to Matt’s parents. “McMinnville was a great place to exercise as artists. We got some gigs there, and we enjoyed being closer to the climate and scenery in Oregon,” said Matt.
Jenny works remotely full time in administration for her practice, Thrive Integrative Psychiatry in McMinnville, but has always had a passion for singing and pursuing music. Matt is a craftsman currently working as a builder for Preston Thompson Guitars in Sisters. He is building his custom guitar with his coworkers at Preston Thompson. Matt has been documenting the build process with his team on social media through videos. Matt hopes the guitar will be ready for debut at Skybound Blue’s set at Big Ponderoo at the end of June.
The Behnke’s unique journey began in jazz choir at community college in Spokane. They left school after falling in love and seeking that life of adventure and creativity. In 2000, they sold everything and bought a sailboat, spending a year in the Bahamas. However, they soon realized how much they missed their community and returned to Oregon. Upon their return, they received life-altering news: Jenny was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at just 26 years old. Despite this, her commitment to music remained unwavering, and she realized more than ever that she needed to pursue and create music with Matt. Jenny went through
treatments and is now cancer-free, a testament to her strength and resilience.
After their transformative experience in the Bahamas, the couple returned to McMinnville, ready to face the challenges of establishing themselves in a new music scene and building a fanbase from scratch. Their unwavering passion and resilience carried them through this challenging time, inspiring all who heard their music.
Matt and Jenny have always strived to balance their music life and careers. They decided to be in a community where they could pursue music but still have the comforts of a home and community around them.
“That’s really what success feels like. We are full time and have scaled back our time on stage, but we are always writing and recording music,” said Jenny. “We’ve learned that saying no to more things has benefitted our balance and daily decisions,” said Jenny. The Behnkes, a testament to resilience, have always strived to balance their music career, other full-time jobs, and the responsibilities of raising their 13-year-old son. “One of the many reasons we love Sisters is the schools; once we heard about them, it was a no-brainer to move over here,” said Matt.
Their band name, Skybound Blue, came from a song lyric, sitting around chatting with friends.
“We knew we wanted a name, and we sat around with friends, listened to our songs, and tried on the name Skybound Blue. Now, we’ve had it for 10 years. It feels like something positive, and feels like going somewhere, into the Skybound Blue,” said Matt.
“Keith recommended him to us, and it was great to have the recording person and then David as the producer telling us what meshed well, and (helping) create a beautiful composition of the songs,” said Matt.
Jenny writes the majority of the lyrics to their songs, and Matt composes the melody.
This record provided comfort, with two songs dedicated to Jenny’s dad after his passing.
“Recording feels like processing grief into joy,” said Jenny.
After attending one of Jenner Fox’s songwriting classes through Sisters Folk Festival, Matt learned the importance of trying to play compositions on different instruments to shake something loose. “Another Song,” came from that experiment. In that song, Matt plays the guitar he built off the design of a cigar box guitar with a square body using pieces of wood from different craftsman projects pieced together to create an instrument.
Being a married couple and in a band together can come with challenges, but overall, it’s rewarding.
“We get to be so close together, and I see your partner as a person to help you grow, and when it’s your bandmate and your spouse, you are striving to help each other be your best selves and musicians. It’s all about the energy and connection we have with the crowd. It’s easy to get lost in the logistics, but once we are on stage together, it’s an opportunity to reconnect, and it’s extraordinary,” said Jenny.
“We are so thrilled to have landed here in this community of artists and people who appreciate life and music,” said Jenny.
Their home near Sage Meadow, a place filled with love and music, was sold to them by family friends, a testament to the strong bonds they have formed in their community.
Their latest record is only available for download on their website, and they will have physical copies for sale at Big Ponderoo. They have a few local gigs lined up in Sisters, including at the Sisters Depot on August 10. They will perform back in McMinnville and Maupin, with some Sisters shows later in the fall, including a show at the Suttle Lodge.
Their latest record, “Born to Love You,” is the fourth record, produced by David Jacobs-Strain and Keith Banning of Grange Recorders.
the fourth record, produced by David Jacobs-Strain and Keith Banning of Grange Recorders.
Skybound Blue will perform at the second annual Big Ponderoo Festival on Saturday, June 29, on the Ponderoo Stage. For more information, visit www.bigponderoo.com.
Skybound Blue’s fourth record, “Born to Love You,” is available for preview and purchase at their website: SkyboundBlue.com
Well, I’m gonna pick up some of these empties, Lord
As soon as I find where they lay Tied off them jolly and leavin’ lines
On a long hot summer day...
— John Hartford
Nothing evokes the long, lovely days of summer more strongly than homemade music on the porch or on the lawn, played in fellowship with friends.
Linda Leavitt and Tom Nechville have put together an opportunity for summer fun — and musical growth — in their Second Sunday Bluegrass Jam from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Banjos West. Tom has crafted a new pickin’ porch at the shop at 411 E. Main Ave. (directly across from The Nugget Newspaper).
Nechville is a legendary banjo-maker whose instruments tear up stages across the world in the hands of tier-one players like Béla Fleck, Alison Brown, and Billy Failing, who plays with Billy Strings. He’s a Bluegrass picker in his own right.
Leavitt plays guitar and sings beautiful lead and harmony. She teaches everything from harmony vocals to bluegrass jam etiquette.
“I actually had the title ‘Instigator of Fun’ for a while at a bluegrass festival,” she said with a grin. “Some of it had to do with pie.”
Both musicians believe fervently in the importance of the connections forged by people getting to gather to play bluegrass music.
“People want this,” Leavitt said. “They want to play with other people. That’s what really turns me on — getting people together and doing a creative thing together.”
Nechville concurs.
“I’ve been surprised at how many people show up at open mics and jams. It’s incredible,” he said. “People are always looking for opportunities, and we just want to be one of those opportunities.”
Jammers often break up into two or three groups on Nechville’s expansive property, so that the jams are manageable and each musician gets to really participate. Some are on the lawn, some are on the pickin’ porch, some are inside.
Leavitt notes that bluegrass has a wide range of variants, depending on where you are. West coast bluegrass is different from more traditional southern and eastern bluegrass — but there are micro variations even within the bigger regions.
“Even from the Valley to here, what people think is bluegrass is different,” she said.
Whatever the regional variations, bluegrass is a kind of universal international language. Nechville and Leavitt have traveled a lot, and they hear this traditional American art form everywhere.
“You can really take this music all over the world,” Leavitt said. “Everybody knows ‘Old Joe Clark.’”
The high lonesome feeling that bluegrass lyrics often evoke resonate far beyond the upper south and Appalachia, where
the genre was born.
“It’s the music of a diaspora, and so many people have had that experience of loss or moving away from home — and home isn’t there anymore,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt recently earned a place with Leadership Bluegrass, the International Bluegrass Music Association’s intensive professional development program. Nechville was selected in 2011.
According to the IBMA, “each year, 25 applicants are selected to gather in Nashville, Tennessee for three days of panels, presentations, and teamwork to better understand the current industry landscape and foster leadership in the bluegrass community.”
Leavitt explained the benefits:
“You have this network. And a lot of what I do and have done over time is connect people. Everybody in that room is a problem-solver.”
Leavitt and Nechville are committed to helping bluegrass musicians succeed. For example, they nurtured the band Never Come Down, which has played house concerts in Sisters and is now a highly regarded band on the bluegrass scene.
But their support, teaching, and nourishing isn’t reserved for pros. They want to build the skills, camaraderie, and joy of the musicians across the country and in their adopted community.
“This is a great place to be for artists and musicians,” Nechville said. “I think people recognize it as a component of their lives, as self-improvement.”
Leavitt says, “I want people to be able to go out and jam with anybody and not get the hairy eyeball.”
To keep up with events and opportunities, visit ww.banjoswest. com/events. Contact Nechville to confirm that the Sunday jam is on.
Sisters folks are pumping up good times this summer with inflatable toys, games, and watercraft. Now that summer appears to have arrived on the scene the lakes and rivers are blooming with all sorts of fun seekers inflating a vast array of brightly colored kayaks, loungers, floaters, tubes, and SUPs (stand up paddle boards).
The SUP market has exploded with the entry of inflatable boards. The benefits of an inflatable are obvious — weight and size. You can carry an inflatable in your backpack or toss it into the trunk or back seat of any car. A rigid board — eightplus feet in length — needs to travel on a roof, or in a pickup bed, or hang out the rear window of a hatchback.
Because it’s easy to learn, and an inflatable board can be had for as little as $250–$350, it’s a bargain compared to a new set of skis or a new mountain bike. Most buyers will opt to spend closer to $600 for a better constructed rig with multiple-layer PVC skins (meaning better protection), and a greater chance of getting a higher numbers of drop stitches and welded seams, adding to longevity.
Inflatable is the key here. A decent rigid board will set you back a thousand dollars or more depending on its construction material — plastic being a fourth to a third the price of carbon fiber. Plus the paddle, another $125–$300.
But the fun extends way beyond SUP. Inflatable kayaks have been around for years for much the same reason — portability. Designers seem to have no limits. And it’s cheap fun too, in an age where many families have been priced out of theme parks and long-distance vacations. For $169, as example, you can get a sixperson floating island with built-in ice buckets.
There is a major distinction in inflatables between beach and pool quality, and deep- or running-water quality. Taking a pool-quality inflatable beyond 100 feet of shore can be dangerous. The differences are obvious — just by touch and weight. Know what you are buying and where you will use it, especially when children are involved.
Nobody knows more about inflatable fun than Tracy Streeter at Hillside Ski & Sport in Sisters. Streeter was skeptical at first that floaties, which she brought in for the 2021 season, would be much of a
Inflatables offer families and friends
affordable family fun close to home.
seller. The store has been “blowing them
She has her own criteria for inflatable
seller. The store has been “blowing them out ever since,” she said, with the hot weather being her best advertisement. She has her own criteria for inflatable fun.
“It must have a cup holder,” she said. “Always have a patch kit. And get a pump that you can power off your car.”
Osbourn and Granger families at Cline and Redmond where it was party city. There were floating sharks for the younger children, wrap around loungers
for water basketball and, of course, squirt
The Nugget caught up with the Osbourn and Granger families at Cline Falls State Park midway between Sisters and Redmond where it was party city. There were floating sharks for the younger children, wrap around loungers for the parents, and a mishmash of floaties for the teens. They had an inflatable hoop for water basketball and, of course, squirt guns ranging from a 10- to 40-foot spray.
“We do this at least 10 times a sumstay out here all day and the only thing we worry about is sunburn,” grinned dad
“We do this at least 10 times a summer,” said mom Kari Granger. “We can stay out here all day and the only thing we worry about is sunburn,” grinned dad Randy Osbourn.
The kids, 7 to 17, were too busy having
The kids, 7 to 17, were too busy having fun to stop for questions.
Up at Suttle Lake, Luke Stallings was introducing his girlfriend, Myra Dorsett, to SUP. Both in their 20s, and both working six days a week, find it easy to chuck their boards into the back seat and get on the water in under an hour.
Up at Suttle Lake, Luke Stallings was
“What’s better than water for fun?” Myra asked. “We live in a desert and here we are every chance we get heading for water,” Luke added.
A few yards away, Marti Jacobs was inflating her two-person kayak. She had her grandson, Adam, six, along for his first time in a kayak. Within minutes they were off, donned in life jackets, and a few minutes longer they were a mile offshore but you could still hear the delight in their voices.
Marti cautioned that it’s easy to think an inflatable boat can’t sink and that you don’t need life jackets.
“I have a two-chamber kayak and I still always wear my jacket,” she said. “Water in Oregon is cold and it doesn’t take long for hypothermia to set in.”
For affordable multi-generational fun, not much beats inflatables. Sisters Country is teeming with lakes — Three Creeks, Suttle, Clear, and Big Lake being among the most popular. Likewise for our abundance of rivers. And in Bend is the popular Whitewater Park where you can put your inflatable to the ultimate fun test.
Fun for everyone! Open 9:30 AM –7 PM Daily
! y
THURSDAY, JUNE 13 • 6:30PM
ELIZABETH MEHREN pr esents I Lived to Tell the World: Stories from Survivors of Holocaust, Genocide, and the Atrocities of War, 13 inspiring pr ofiles of people w ho endur ed unthinkable cr uelty, only to resume pr oductive lives in their ne w homes in Or egon.
MONDAY, JUNE 17 • 5:30PM PSB FICTION BOOK CLUB discussing VenCo by CHERIE DEMALINE. Meeting thir d Monday; info at paulinaspringsbooks.com.
TUESDAY, JUNE 18 • 6:30PM New York Times bestselling author PHILLIP MARGOLIN pr esents Betrayal: A Robin Lockwood Novel
Lo T THU nCo y 6:30PM g, d
THURSDAY, JUNE 20 • 6:30P
SHARON E. KARR uses rare vintage images fr om a v ariety of sour ces to celebr ate the ric h histor y of a c har ming town called Sister s in Around Sisters
THURSDAY, JUNE 27 • 6:30PM
Myster y writer TED HAYNES pr esents The Sunriver Murders, the fifth book in his Nor thwest Mur der Myster y Series featuring mur der, forest fire, death thr eats, and hidden tr easur e.
THURSDAY, JULY 11 • 6:30PM
JOE WILKINS in conver sation with ELLEN WATERSTON pr esenting The Entire Sky, a poignant stor y about a tr oubled boy on the r un, an aging ranc her, and a woman at a cr ossr oads, who find unexpected solace and kinship in the family they make.
EVERY SATURDAY AT 10 AM!
of how his 1966 Ford
There’s nothing a car enthusiast enjoys more than hanging out with other car enthusiasts, and showing off their pride and joy.
“Gearheads like to geek out with each other and their cars,” said Mondo Aguilera.
Aguilera is the organizer of an informal drive-in held each summer Friday evening at Eurosports Food Cart Garden on the corner of East Hood Avenue and Fir Street.
Aguilera should know — he is one. He has a 1966 F-100 with manual steering and brakes that he parks on the street. He’s happy to tell the tale of how his truck became what it is — and others share their own stories.
“We lie to each other about how fast it is and how much power it has,” Aguilera said with a chuckle.
The drive-in isn’t a formal thing — it’s not really a car show. It grew organically from a conversation between a couple of car guys.
“It started with Brad (Boyd, owner of Eurosports),” Aguilera said. “He had an antique car; he had his dad’s antique Mercedes. I said, ‘You know, we should do a thing here.’”
So they did. Eurosports has a nice
corner location with plenty of parking spaces, and the food cart courtyard is a great place for car aficionados and passers-by to gather and talk about cars. The criteria for participation isn’t strict.
“It wasn’t even really an old-car thing,” Aguilera said. “It was a unique car thing.”
Over a period of four or five years, the drive-in has grown into a staple of summer fun in Sisters.
“It’s become quite a community,” Aguilera said. “On some of the summer nights, we have not enough parking spaces. We would have as many as 20 cars or so.”
Car owners just show up around 4:30 or 5 p.m. and park their rig. Some of them open the hood to show off the engine. Passers-by ooh and ahhh over the beautiful paint and chrome — or point out the wild and wooly rigs that aren’t as glossy but just as interesting. And folks talk and share stories and act like neighbors. The community may be the best part.
“I’ve met a lot of new people,” Aguilera said. “I’ve met neighbors who had old cars that I didn’t know they had. So it’s been pretty cool.”
Europsports is located at 223 E. Hood Ave. in Sisters.
tisans
Our first U.S. flag, also called the Betsy Ross flag, had six white stripes, seven red stripes, and 13 stars in a circle in the (Union) blue upper left corner of the flag — all to represent the original 13 Colonies. Requested by then Commander of the Continental Army, Gen. George Washington, it was completed in June 1776.
RED STRIPES STOOD FOR VALOR, COURAGE, AND BRAVERY.
WHITE STRIPES STOOD FOR PURITY AND INNOCENCE.
BLUE STOOD FOR VIGILANCE.
The last edition of our U.S. Flag Code was published in 1989. Flag etiquette within the code is now managed through tradition, not by law. The most understood and accepted version still clearly states that respect is most important.
• Flag should never touch anything beneath it.
• Flag should never be used for wearing apparel, etc.
BY EARL SCHROEDER
• Torn, frayed, dirty, or damaged flags should not be used and should be destroyed in a dignified manner.
• Active or retired military Veterans or Boy Scouts may perform the act of flag destruction by burning. To be done in a respectful manner.
• In the presence of other flags, the U.S. flag should always be the highest.
• The flag should always be allowed to blow or fall freely.
• At meetings, the flag should always be placed at the left of the audience.
• The (blue) Union stars should always be
displayed at the upper left of the flag.
• A flag flown at half-staff is to honor or acknowledge someone’s death.
• A flag that is raised upside-down is a signal of distress or extreme danger.
The next time an American flag passes you by, say at a parade, you may see citizens with their hands over their hearts. You may also see people rendering a hand salute, which is being done by past or present military Veterans. This is one of the simplest ways of showing respect to our country’s flag.
Earl Schroeder served in the United States Air Force.
I was asked last week why I had such a passion for our country’s flag, having earned the title of The Flag Man. The passion has been with me all my life, but it had never occurred to me until the question was asked. After a week of thinking about this I would like to share how this patriotic feeling came to me.
I was born the same month that Hitler invaded Poland. Our flag became an important symbol for our country, and it remains close to my heart to this day. Our liberty and freedoms are represented by and through our U.S. flag.
It’s amazing how many of our country’s flag are seen all around Sisters Country: In front of government offices, public schools, on Cascade Avenue businesses, homes, city parks, Fire Department, and so many more. Then there are, service club meetings, veterans meetings, banks, nonprofits, and meetings of all kinds that honor our flag, and many recite The Pledge of Allegiance. Flags abound throughout our City of Sisters. I would surmise over 200 flags are flying proudly.
Flags represent many nations and people throughout the world. All recognized countries in the world have a national flag. All except one, Nauru, a small island nation off the east coast of Australia. The flag of our nation, USA, is the most recognized flag in the world, which should give us all tremendous national pride.
BY EARL SCHROEDERThis coming Friday, June 14, is Flag Day here in America. Formerly established in 1949 by the U.S. Congress, President Truman signed it into law. However, Flag Day was not included in the 1968 Uniform Holiday Act, which means it is not a federal holiday.
Our first official country’s flag was adopted on June 14, 1777, and was called The Grand Union or Continental Colors flag. After almost 250 years our Stars & Stripes have had 26 variations, and the 27th change came in 1959, when Hawaii became our 50th state, hence 50 stars on the blue union.
The citizens of USA have been granted many freedoms that other countries envy, and the symbol that represents these freedoms are our “Old Glory, The Colors, Star Spangled Banner, or simply the Red, White & Blue,” our USA’s Flag. This is where, I, for one, have a passion to love, hold dearly, respect, and give cause to protect what our flag stands for.
Every day, in my book, is Flag Day. Consider flying your flag often, treat it with respect, and may God Bless America.
Earl Schroeder served in the United States Air Force.
IF YOU HAVE A FLAG THAT IS UNFIT TO FLY AND WISH TO HAVE IT PROPERLY DISPOSED, YOU MAY DROP IT OFF AT CITY HALL, ACE HARDWARE, OR GIVE TO A MILITARY VETERAN FOR DISPOSAL.
ByJerry Hanford
Once to me two cor ds wer e given,
Alas, they wer e not split or cloven
Stout logs they wer e of pine and fir
Upon a block they must be r ender ed
Seeking out a righteous altar
I c hanced upon a stump of alder
T his sturdy bloc k will take the whac ks
So I cut it with my tr usty axe
I bor e it to its place of sitting
And commenced upon the wor k of splitting
For year s it bor e the taxing hacks
As logs wer e split with upon its bac k
Not only logs upon it stood
But on occasion a fowl’s r ed blood
Was shed upon its aged tree rings
Sad to feel the shar p cr uel stings
One day a stur dy round atop it sat
The str ong bloc k’s shoulder s, thic k and fat
I swung the heavy maul with power
But never did the stout log cower
Enr aged by this reluctant wood chor e
I set upon it with the str ength of Thor
Upon my bleeding hands I spit
And so the stur dy lo g I split
But, oh no, w hat’s this? An er rant miss?
Through the lo g the axe did pass
Until the c hopping block it met
No mor e will wood upon it sit
Oh, now w hat will I do?
My f aithful c hopping block is split in two
I did not pause to bloc k admir e
I cast it in the hear th’s hot fir e
Steven shares this photo from Muxia, Spain, on what is known as the Costa de Morte, the coast of death, because of all the ship wrecks that have occurred over the years.
Robert “Rand” Houk was born February 5, 1948, in Seattle, Washington, to Robert and Bette Houk. After his birth, the family moved to Milwaukie, Oregon, where he attended school. Many lifelong friends were made and continued throughout his lifetime. Rand spent every summer at McKee’s Beach on Puget Sound, a special place to be with his grandparents. He and his older brother had many adventures there.
In his early years, he began his rodeo career as a bull rider in the Pacific Northwest traveling throughout the United States, whereafter he moved to Hawaii to recuperate after years of competition on the rodeo circuit. After Hawaii, he moved to California to start his career with Vogt Western Silver. That took him to the next level of opportunities in the Western merchandising world. Rand was highly organized, and his attention to detail was unparalleled. He was a consummate professional, carrying lines for Larry Mahan, Panhandle Slim, Justin, and Lucchese Boots. Rand worked hard and played hard. He was an outdoorsman. He loved hunting ducks and upland game, elk hunting, fishing in Alaska, and putting oars in the water in his drift boat. He was also a skilled diver, loving to search for abalone in Bodega Bay.
He had an innate gift for bringing people together for parties and anyone invited came from near and far;
February 5, 1948 – May 28, 2024 THURSDAY-SUNDAY
most notably his annual Labor Day abalone parties which were so grand they were talked about for years.
Rand was a good friend to so many, his word was his truth, but his greatest accomplishment was being a dad to Josh, Geoff, and Jenny. Offering unconditional love and support, his triple crown added another jewel, his grandchildren who he adored. Rand passed peacefully, on Tuesday, May 28, surrounded by his children, holding him until the last minute of his life.
He was preceded by his mother and father, and older brother Jeff Houk. Survived by his children Josh and wife Katie, Geoff, and Jenny. Grandchildren Damon and Cheyenne and family Kathy Troutt of Emmett, Idaho, and Jan Pray of Sisters. Also, his special bird dog Lefty, who never left his side throughout the many years.
He will sorely be missed for his quick wit and humor, by all those that knew him and loved him.
If you’d like to reach out to the family or find information about his Celebration of Life, please find information at https://randslifeparty. com/.
December 7, 1930 – December 31, 2023
December 31, 2023, was the day I lost my best friend, my wonderful husband, the love of my life, Kenny Miller.
For four years Kenny had many threatening illnesses. In the last five months, tongue cancer was discovered. There was no hope of beating the cruel and painful disease. He was 93 and he has said he was “grateful to have lived this long.”
Kenny wanted to live his last years in the wonderful home he built for the two of us that he loved so much, overlooking a beautiful meadow, surrounded by the cutest forest animals.
A few hours before Kenny passed away, he was very peaceful and to me he looked like an angel. His face was so beautiful, almost glowing, and it was free of wrinkles with no pain or aggravations.
He was born December 7, 1930, in Knoxville, Iowa. His father was Gabe Miller and his mother Katherine Miller (Ellerson). He had an older sister Margaritha, and a brother Robert. Some of you might have knowns his sister
Donna and brother-in-law Jack Ulstad of Sisters. Kenny, at the age of 5, lost his mother due to a boil on her elbow. The miracle of penicillin had not yet been invented.
His father raised his family with the love and help of the children’s grandmother until they moved to Ontario, California, when Kenny was about 15. He graduated from Chaffey High School in Ontario. After graduation he joined the Navy and fought in the Korean War. His ship was the USS Stickle.
Kenny’s father married Enid Small after Kenny graduated high school. They had Beverly Jean Miller, and Enid had a son from a previous marriage, Milton Calaway. After a few years, a large poor family needed help, so the Miller’s welcomed 3-year-old Sharon to their family.
After the service, Kenny became passionate about riding motorcycles. He was fortunate to see much of the beautiful United States of America.
He worked for General Telephone of California that later became Verizon. We met there, and then married on May 19, 1984. You just
had to look at this face to see he was a good, humble man.
Kenny took on an important role of raising our two children, Shannan (Baldridge) Hill, 17, and Johnny Baldridge, 13. We lived in Upland, California. In 1991, we moved to Sisters where we lived happily for 33 years until present.
During those years, one of Kenny’s favorite things to do was to get together with several military men once a week in Sisters to have some good discussions and fun times.
Kenny also leaves behind Willa Hill, Jon, Jake, and James Baldridge, his four adorable grandchildren. I, Sherry Miller, lost my heart that night, December 31, and we will all miss him terribly.
Audry Van Houweling, PMHNP Columnist
One of my first patients was a pastor. He was esteemed and well-respected — a pillar in the community. I was a newbie in the small town where his roots ran deep. He was a man of conviction and compassion. He spoke with authority. And he was also sometimes hopeless and desperate.
At 26 years old, I sat at my desk sporting my newly printed diploma. I was trying my best to hide my imposter syndrome. Still shaky in my confidence, I kept questioning how could a man who has guided so many, seek out any sort of guidance from me? He was a master at portraying steadiness and reassurance for his patrons. He held tight to concepts of duty and responsibility. In a small town, he felt there was little room for any misstep or deviation.
Despite being surrounded by people who revered him, he shared with me that he often felt alone...and scared. While I stumbled through coping skills and strategies, I learned that my best intervention was to simply hold space for his complexity and provide a brief respite from the rigidity of his self-imposed and societally reinforced standards.
Over the years in my practice, I have come to have a deep appreciation for the multitudes we all contain. The pastor and so many others in their courage to be vulnerable, unknowingly also
gave me permission to better accept my own depth and sometimes messy complexity. Feelings and thoughts that may seem contradictory can all exist simultaneously. Grief and gratitude, courage and fear, joy and pain, hope and despair. The ability to hold multiple realities and straddle paradox might be one of the greatest measures of resilience.
Life can be a bit performative. Like a play, we all take on different roles. The character descriptions will likely differ depending on if we are at work, home, social settings, or alone. This is completely human and to an extent, shows cognitive flexibility and healthy adaptation.
Some roles we have mastered. We know the lines front and back. We have become intimately familiar with certain characters. Others, we would prefer to remain out of the spotlight or silenced altogether. The cast of characters can be diverse. Some may be protective, some ambitious, some ashamed, some stubborn, some silly, and some hopeful.
At times, we might allow other people or societal expectations to take the director’s seat and choose the cast despite our unspoken resistance. If we have faced trauma or dysfunction, we might favor a cast who seemingly offers protection by seeking control while we might sideline child-like characters who crave lightness and adventure. When faced with a decision, multiple characters may want a seat at the table — at times contradicting one another generating inner conflict. We might have a character begging to take center stage, but fears of judgment or shame keep the muzzle tight.
As with most entrepreneurs, I have a strong identification with my professional cast of characters. Defined by productivity, steadiness, responsibility, and a fair amount of rebellion to the
mainstream, this industrious cast has a tendency to crowd the stage and can be hesitant to share the spotlight. I call on these characters in times of life’s turbulence, and yet they have been known to create some undue stress themselves.
They are supposed to take a bow around 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and enjoy a mini sabbatical through the weekend. Lighthearted characters have had to bargain with them at times, finally convincing them that rest, and playfulness, are also necessary ingredients for success. Characters offering grace have also had to remind them that success is, in itself, a construct up for interpretation.
Sometimes we find ourselves acting in a play we never signed up for. When tragedy strikes, we often default to self-preservation. The protective cast of characters takes center stage. For some of us, this cast of protectors might convince us that the best way to self-preserve is to sideline emotion. We might launch into attempts of control and order, retreat to our work, numb or detach, or dive into martyrdom taking care of everyone else but ourselves. While these characters have likely served important roles in our past, the safety they seek in the present can be a guise for self-sabotage.
Ultimately, we must remember that none of us are made to be one-dimensional. By remembering that we are by nature, multi-dimensional, we can grant ourselves and those around us more grace. We can remember that everyone has struggles and shadows. We can appreciate nuance and acknowledge complexity.
We can know that sometimes those most skilled at portraying a brave face can sometimes be facing the greatest battles. Hold space for your own multitudes and in doing so, hold space for the multitudes of others.
242
Continued from page 1
below the gate will continue through July and could also cause some delays. Unlike the upper highway, this section is wide enough to accommodate traffic and construction equipment with single lane closures and flaggers.
“After a long winter, we know everyone is anxious to head out,” ODOT offered in a statement. “Remember that when this road is closed, it’s closed to everyone. Entering
the work zone is dangerous and can cause delays that may slow down the project timeline. Since crews will be working in a closed area, they may work any day of the week and heavy equipment will remain on the road until it’s open.”
Funding from a Federal Lands Access Program grant is repaving Highway 242 from the junction with Highway 20 in Sisters to Dee Wright Observatory at the summit.
There is always the possibility that extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances could delay the opening past July 4, ODOT notes.
PARADE: Event filled
Cascade Avenue with spectators
Continued from page 3
now in its 84th year.
“We’ve been coming the last 10 years or so,” mom Randi said. “In our household we go shopping for back to school, Halloween, Easter, and the rodeo parade,” she explained, pointing out the family’s matching head to toe western wear.
Indeed, on Saturday every other person was a cowboy or cowgirl in appearance.
“You gotta get your rodeo on,” Marla Standish of Seattle said.
Her extended family of eight all agreed, twirling and posing to make the point.
As with most such parades, a place of honor was reserved for the Grand Marshals, Ernest and Alinda Dunn who rode down Cascade in a vintage carriage drawn by two draft horses in polished harness. This year’s parade featured not one but two authentic stage coaches, clearly crowd favorites.
On the opposite end of the spectrum were dozens of modern, some high tech, trucks by entrants like Oregon State Police, the Forest Service, and Cloverdale Fire District.
Music was aplenty including the Sisters High School band and a drum and bagpipe duo in Celtic regalia. It was a patriotic affair,
with a youth color guard and several veterans groups, some handing out small U.S. flags.
“This was the most prepared and disciplined parade I’ve seen, and I’ve been to about 20,” Colleen Hardisty from Bend assessed. “No stragglers, no breakaways. They all knew just what to do.”
Entrants were encouraged not to throw candy and other treats to the crowd as both a safety issue, and a potential litter matter, but that was widely ignored and kids scrambled to stuff their pockets with goodies.
City crews received praise for shutting down, rerouting, and reopening a highway that sees 10,000 cars per day travel through downtown Sisters — all in the period of an hour.
Downtown merchants could not be more delighted particularly those selling coffee and sweets. A good number of parade watchers remained downtown and strolled the business core reminiscing. Out of town visitors were seen chatting vivaciously with locals, seeking out dining and shopping advice.
The parade route was dotted with dogs, and a sizable number of folks came by bike, as parking was scarce.
“I can’t recall the last time I had so much fun,” said Tumalo resident, Sue Ryan. “Just watching everybody having such a good time is good for my soul.”
This level of ugliness has to be the result of some sort of system failure.
How is it that Americans have to choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump as the next president of the United States?
The whole situation is overwhelmingly putrid, a pot of stew that started with bad meat and then sat on the stove for far too long.
It’s not just rot-at-the-top. The vegetables in Congress are utterly dysfunctional. Stonewalling has become
a game where “we won’t work to benefit America if your side will get credit.”
The grandstanding, the pettiness, the abject intellectual dishonesty is burnt yellow smoke that won’t lift.
If Alternative Intelligence wants to destroy mankind, it might do worse than put the current crop of lying, self-absorbed, manipulative, power-obsessed partisans in charge of the levers of government. And it’s getting worse, not better, despite the hopes of those who can’t believe it’s gotten this bad.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re conservative or liberal anymore, because the principles upon which that distinction could be made have evaporated. Oh, sure, you can sit behind your barricade and throw rocks at the other side for their foul absurdities. And you can dodge the rocks they throw back at you. But let’s not pretend that’s a dialogue.
Pointing out the differences doesn’t really matter. We suffer a systemic disease that has metastasized and made even the simplest progress unobtainable.
There’s nowhere to turn for “The Truth,” which may not even exist anymore.
A wise man once said, “if you’ve fallen off a cliff, it does little good to cling to rocks and roots falling with you.” This is not a movie, there are no eagles coming to catch us before we hit the ground.
It feels like, as a nation, we are designing our reality upon reality shows that were … not … real. Sucking up drama and chaos because that’s better than coffee to get us up in the morning, because that’s more powerful than empathy and compassion, because that’s what sells.
There are many theories about the source of this corrosion. They might be partially right, they might be wholly wrong, but any that focus on one or two causes, especially if they lay blame on “the other side,” are incoherent or incomplete.
It’s everywhere, it’s piling up, it’s unstable, and now feels like it’s about to topple. The problem is, there’s no place to run. And apparently, no one able to fix it.
Portland-based writer, editor, and educator Elizabeth Mehren will present her book “I Lived to Tell the World: Stories from Survivors of Holocaust, Genocide, and the Atrocities of War,” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m.
A co-publication with The Immigrant Story, “I Lived to Tell the World” is a collection of thirteen inspiring profiles of refugees who have settled in Oregon.
They come from Rwanda, Myanmar, Bosnia, Syria, and more—different stories, different conflicts, but similar paths through loss and violence to a new, not always easy, life in the United States. The in-depth profiles are drawn from hours of interviews and oral histories; Mehren weaves in historical, cultural, and political context alongside the personal stories.
Together, these portraits of individual courage and tenacity illuminate broader themes such as human cruelty, political tyranny, and hatred based on race and religion. The stories invite readers to take stock of their own life experiences, and to view newcomers to America with new perspective — and with respect. After all, if these survivors of unthinkable human savagery can emerge with a spirit of hope and dignity, so can the rest of us.
“I Lived to Tell the World” shines a light on Oregonians—perhaps even our own neighbors—living purposeful and productive lives despite their painful pasts.
Mehren is a Portlandbased writer, editor, and educator. After working at The Washington Post, she became a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and later spent a decade on the faculty at Boston University. Mehren earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC Berkeley and has written for national magazines, appeared on television and radio, and received awards for teaching and journalism.
“I Lived to Tell the World” is
her fifth book.
Founded in 2017 by Sankar Raman, who immigrated to the U.S. from India, The Immigrant Story is a volunteer-run nonprofit with a mission to promote empathy and advance an inclusive community by sharing stories of immigrants and refugees who often overcame tremendous odds to reach the United States. In addition to its multimedia storytelling site, The Immigrant Story has also launched a podcast, worked on public school curriculum, and organized public exhibits.
Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.
Continued from page 5
review, deletion and adoption.
To conclude, I would like to extend a huge congratulations to all the students that worked hard and have made it through another school year. And this could not have been possible without the incredible support of our amazing and dedicated staff, coaches, volunteers, and community members. To celebrate certain key steps in the student’s educational journey, the 8th Grade Promotion will be held at Reed Stadium on June 13th at 5 p.m., and High School Graduation will take place at SHS Gym on June 14 at 7 p.m. Congrats to the class of 2024!
I wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer break!
Curt Scholl SuperintendentTo the Editor:
A few clarifications are in order regarding two rambling apologies for Israel in June 6 edition of The Nugget.
When the Zionist settlers first arrived in Palestine in the late 19th century, they began to purchase land, much of it from absentee landlords in Beirut. This land was to be used exclusively by Jews in perpetuity. In the 1948 War the settlers were able to conquer (steal) vast areas of Palestine and ethnically cleanse it of most Muslims and Christians, who were driven out or massacred. Their villages were obliterated. These Palestinians had no military forces or weapons. The British had, however, allowed the settlers to fully arm and some had served in the British army in WWII. Most of the land that was conquered was also reserved for Jews only (90 percent of it). Today a Christian from Oregon, for example, cannot
purchase land in Israel.
The writers of these two letters have no historical context for the events of last November. The full reality of the conditions of the Palestinians is lost on them. And they can’t bring themselves to mention Israel’s slaughter of innocents in Gaza. Israel has subjected the Palestinians there, in the West Bank, and in East Jerusalem, to the longest and one of the most brutal illegal occupations in modern history. It is a basic moral principle that no people under such an occupation are required to provide security for their occupiers. That would be absurd. Each time the Palestinians have become restive in recent decades the Israelis have subjected them to a massacre, or, in Israel’s terms it ‘mows the grass.’
Keep in mind that the goal of Zionism continues to be the creation of an “ethnically pure” Jewish supremacist state in Palestine from the “River to the Sea.” This will help you understand a monster like Netanyahu. Meanwhile, read Rashid Khalidi’s book “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017.”
Gary Leiser s s s
To the Editor:
There are dark hearts all around us. One of the darkest, without cause or justification, stole our dog from us and then abandoned her in unsurvivable conditions. Our dog was a joyful and innocent creature adored by so many. He knew only friends and our loving hands.
Anything else the dark heart(s) might have taken from us could have been forgiven. But not this. Someone with a conscience has information about this evil and cruelly tragic deed. Will that someone dare be brave?
Kathy Smith
Jarod Gatley can pinpoint the moment when he started down the path that took him into a career behind the camera. He was hiking up South Sister at night with his brother-in-law, freelance photographer and videographer Cody Rheault.
Cody was taking shots of the landscape under the night sky.
“I saw the photos he was getting and I thought, ‘I want to capture that myself,’” he said.
From that day, “I spent every minute that I could outside, doing landscape photography. That kind of morphed into lifestyle stuff.”
Gatley’s landscape photography has landed on two covers of The Nugget’s annual Sisters Oregon Guide (SOG), and he has also contributed both photography and video to The Nugget’s Spirit of Central Oregon Magazine.
SOG project coordinator and designer Leith Easterling said, “Jarod is just a fantastic photographer. His photography always feels organic — it is like he just always happens to be at the right place at the perfect time to get the most amazing shot. It has been such a pleasure to use his work and I am always happy when I get to see what he sends my way.”
Gatley is a freelancer for
The Nugget ; his day job is behind a camera at Central Oregon Daily News.
The photographer makes little distinction between work in print media and in television and other visual media.
“I don’t know that I would say that it has the ability to do something different than print — because you’re still telling the same stories,” he said. “ I wouldn’t say there is a difference in the content.”
He does, however, acknowledge that people often gravitate toward visual storytelling as media consumers. He enjoyed producing a video story on musician Pokey LaFarge at the Sisters Rhythm and Brews Festival for The Nugget in 2022 (bit.ly/3xf6moT). He also profiled Bend ultramarathoner Chris Colovos for Spirit of Central Oregon (bit.ly/3xivYkE) and falconer Hank Minor, also for Spirit of Central Oregon (bit. ly/3xaUZye).
Gatley particularly thrives on feature profiles, “diving into someone’s life and seeing what makes them tick.”
The 25-year-old photojournalist recently won a Northwest Regional Emmy Award for a Central Oregon Daily “War Stories” profile of veteran Lou Bauer (bit.ly/3Rldg2T).
According to Central Oregon Daily, “‘War Stories’ is a mini-documentary about
the lives and service of military veterans and their families, told in their own words. It airs every Monday on Good Morning Central Oregon and Central Oregon Daily News.”
The logline on the Bauer documentary states that, “Bauer retired from the U.S. Army with 25 years of service. But after he got out, he still felt the effects of war — struggling with PTSD and pushing him to his limits. Now he’s trying to let others know there is help out there.”
In the documentary, Bauer states bluntly that skiing saved his life. Gatley
says that outdoor activity is important to veterans in the region.
“A lot of veterans move here because of the skiing, because of the mountain biking, mountain climbing,” he said. “Getting outside, for them, is therapy. It was a natural part of the story. We didn’t have to force it in. Skiing saved his life.”
Gatley is happy to have seen the work recognized in the Military Reporting category — but he is quick to put the credit for the accolades on those who lived the stories he tells.
“The Emmy belongs to
those stories,” he said. “It’s not about what I do, it’s not about the stories I choose to tell; it’s for the veterans… It’s not about me, it’s about them.”
Jarod continues to pursue his passion for wilderness action. He grew up hiking and backpacking; these days he’s focused on mountain biking and trail running. When he’s going hard on the trail is about the only time you’ll catch him in the woods and mountains without a camera in hand.
Editor’s note: Jarod Gatley is editor Jim Cornelius’ son-in-law.
Event brought top competitors to town
Continued from page 1
the Sisters Rodeo which bills itself as The Biggest Little Show in the World. It would be hard to find anybody who disagrees.
“I believe it. It’s not bragging. It’s fact,” said Kevin Duffy from Wenatchee, Washington, taking in his 10th Sisters rodeo.
His cousin, Willa Gardner of Burns, agreed.
“This is big time. Big names, big crowds, big money. And really big time fun,” she offered.
The two of them were part of an extended family group of over 20 that meet up every year for a week of Sisters Rodeo.
Another cousin, Troy Carroll, from Yakima, Washington, told The Nugget : “There are a bunch of big time rodeos in Oregon – St. Paul, Pendleton, others – but, and I can’t explain it, Sisters is the perfect combination of real Old West rodeo and the kind of big time excitement you’d get in Reno or Vegas or Fort Worth.”
Starting Wednesday night with Xtreme Bulls and running though Sunday, fans took in five performances with some of the biggest names in rodeo. Sixth-ranked Chase Dougherty from Canby, Oregon, took home $6,111 with an 89.5 ride on bull Rock On. Also ranking sixth in the world, Sage Newman, a Montana cowboy, snagged $5,131 in saddle bronc riding on Spring Tour.
And so it went throughout all seven events – top competitors turning in impressive scores. The total payoff for the four days was a whopping $222,375.
“That’s big money and that’s why these cowboys and cowgirls come here,” said Tom Waller of Redding, California, making his eighth Sisters Rodeo. “Follow the money.”
Money talks. Sisters
Rodeo put in $189,985 of the haul, with entry fees making up the rest. There are 790 PRCA sanctioned rodeos. Sisters is consistently in the top 100 rodeos by any measurement. Just ask thirdranked bareback rider, Dean Thompson of Vernal, Utah, scoring 88 points of Cowboy Fever and pocketing $5,957.
Or fourth-ranked Abby Phillips of Marshall, Texas, finishing in 17:35 seconds and taking home $6,768 for her barrel racing efforts. The most raucous crowd enthusiasm seems reserved for the barrel racers. The competition was intense with 15 riders crammed between 17:35 and 17:81 seconds.
It wasn’t all heart-stopping action. The rodeo was surrounded by companion events that drew large numbers like the parade (see related story, page 3) . There was the Buckeroo Breakfast Sunday morning put on by Sisters Kiwanis. Hundreds and hundreds of hotcakes, eggs to order, smoked bacon and country sausages sizzled off the grill. It is a major fundraiser for the civic organization.
Since 1992, Sisters Rodeo Association has granted hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships
to Sisters High School graduates.
This year they expanded the number of scholarships offered and accepted applications from high school students in Sisters, Prineville, Redmond, Madras, and Bend-LaPine and from college freshmen who graduated from eligible high schools.
While the gritty competitors were at the heart of the entertainment, fans – most in their best Western attire – feasted at the dozen food offerings and wetted their whistles at portable watering holes with cold beer and sippin’ whiskey. It was a full-on party atmosphere throughout the week. It didn’t end at the rodeo grounds. Eateries and drinking venues in Sisters were packed. Numerous contestants mingled with locals and visitors and within minutes friendships were formed.
Tales of rodeos past and to come filled the air along with a recounting of the most memorable moments — such as when famed rodeo clown JJ Harrison, holed up in his protective barrel, was knocked down not once but twice Wednesday, and knocked over and rolled
around Sunday to roaring approval.
Not only were the contestants greeted affectionately but one of the most stirring moments of each performance was when young colts – future bucking horses – were set free with their mamas to run side by side around the arena.
Veterans were recognized with warmth. The pageantry
of rodeo royalty led by Sisters
Destiny Wecks, joined by Miss Rodeo Oregon 2024 Abby Torgerson, and a stirring invocation by Brooks that preceded the signing of the national anthem, was rousing.
“Oh how I love this rodeo,” said Melvin Streeter of Prineville, joined by 13 family members celebrating his 89th birthday.
BOOK: Author will speak at book store on June 20
“What I love about the series is they appeal to people who are not necessarily book readers — but they can learn a little bit about Sisters,” Karr said.
The book starts with the founding of Camp Polk and moves through the logging and ranching history of Sisters Country.
Geographically, Sisters encompassed communities now long gone — Cloverdale, Gist, and Plainview. These small communities depended on Sisters for mail, supplies, groceries, and other services. The development of Black Butte Ranch and the Metolius recreation area contributed to creating today’s tourism hub. By stepping back in time, the reader can explore the past of ranching and irrigation and trace the logging, rodeo, and recreation history of those who came before today’s travelers and tourists.
places is sitting in a historical society and digging through their files,” she said.
Three Sisters Historical Society has hundreds of photos, but sometimes she had to hunt for originals of a high enough quality for publication. Individuals like Bill Willitts and Floyd Leithauser also provided photographs.
“For such a small town, the history is so rich,” Karr said.
She noted that she found family connections of her own in the research.
“Those were the biggest surprises — finding my connections,” she said.
Karr said that her only real regret with the book is that it could not include Native American history, a history that we don’t know very well.”
3 of Oregon, and is a retired documented in pictures.
She noted that “all the old roads followed Native American trails.”
Karr said it was a bit challenging to include the contributions of women, which were not necessarily documented in pictures.
Short-term rentals (STR) may fall under tighter restrictions in Sisters. The Sisters Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on June 20 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall on text amendments to city Development Code that would:
• Expand the STR concentration limit from 250 feet to 500 feet.
• Apply STR concentration limit to dwelling units within a condominium.
While Karr acknowledges that the book was “a lot of work,” she enjoyed the research. Karr majored in history at the University of Oregon, and is a retired technical writer.
“One of my favorite
Existing STRs would not fall under these changes, according to City of Sisters Community Development Director Scott Woodford.
“As long as they get their license renewed every year and meet all other requirements… they would be grandfathered in.”
“One that was hard was getting women to fit into the history, because the pictures are almost all men,” she said.
the pictures are almost all will cover the material in
Karr said that her talk will cover the material in the book, but also include much that didn’t make it into the book, elaborating on some aspects that could not be explored in limited caption space.
“Then I talk about, how did this become a community,” she said.
Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave. in Sisters.
• Apply STR concentration limit to dwelling units in the Downtown Commercial District that are part of a residential-only development. This is not applicable to dwelling units in commercial or mixed-use buildings.
The planning commission will make a recommendation on the code changes to the Sisters City Council, which is tentatively scheduled to take up the issue on August 4.
“It started from a city council goal to reevaluate the short-term rental program,” Woodford said.
A staff report is to be available at City Hall on June 13.
• Prohibit STRs in Urban Growth Boundary expansion/ annexation areas.
Ian Reid Sisters District Ranger
Happy spring! We hope folks enjoyed the recent Sisters Rodeo, an event the Forest Service is proud to partner with by way of a special use permit and employee participation in the wonderful Rodeo Parade.
As daytime temperatures continue to increase, we will likely pause our prescribed fire program until the fall. This was a very successful spring for under-burning on the Sisters Ranger District, burning over two square miles (1,430 acres),
including many long standing high-priority areas adjacent to homes and other infrastructure. We also used aerial ignitions with an uncrewed aerial system (UAS, aka drone) for the first time on a prescribed fire on the district.
Some people have asked why we burn on windy days. In essence, we need wind to disperse smoke away from populated areas and to achieve desired ecological fire effects. Wind speeds on the burn unit itself are typically much lower than those in open areas due to the sheltering effect of trees. If wind does blow embers across the holding line, we have crews and engines patrolling the burn perimeter to quickly squash any spot fires that may ignite.
We do not burn unless we have both the right predicted wind speed and direction, we receive site-specific spot weather forecasts from the National Weather Service prior to ignitions, and we monitor on-site wind speed/direction hourly while burning to make sure we stay within authorized prescriptions.
We have focused on
protecting, maintaining, and improving essential infrastructure such as utilities and roads over the last year. Some examples are the recent authorization to reduce hazardous fuels around the City of Sisters water reservoir near Edgington Road. We also permitted utility connections to a cellular tower, with priority for first responders. And we authorized Central Electric Co-op (CEC) to clear their power line corridor along Forest Service Road 2058/North Pine Street for fire safety. Conversations with CEC employees about a similar project implemented near Camp Sherman revealed that there were also fewer winter power outages and disruptions following line clearing. The federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy states that “(Energy reliability),, is vital to human health, safety, and well-being and the nation’s economic prosperity and security. Reliable energy keeps lifesaving hospital equipment and communications systems operating, buildings at safe temperatures with
good ventilation, and much more.”
Another form of infrastructure we are investing in is our forest road system. Our dedicated employees are working on repairing and maintaining several popular road systems this spring including the 12 and 14 roads near Camp Sherman, the 1230 and 1234 roads near Jack Creek and Lake, and the 11 and 1170 roads near Green Ridge. Our forest road crew will have recently graded the 16 road (Three Creek Road), with the gate scheduled to be opened the morning of June 12. Other forms of infrastructure improvement include the Whychus Creek Overlook retrofit, largely funded by grants and our partner Sisters Trails Alliance. Sometimes infrastructure is just not worth the investment to maintain, as is the case with a dilapidated and condemned bridge crossing the Metolius River that we plan on removing next month.
Spring is a prime time for recreational shooting, a valid use of the national forest. We ask that shooters follow safe practices including
using an appropriate backstop and not shooting near or across occupied areas, trails, or roads. A free brochure showcasing nearby suitable shooting areas is available at the ranger station or you can search The Nugget archives. We do need shooters to remove all trash when they are done, including used targets and spent casings or shells. Exploding targets, tracer bullets, and fireworks are ALWAYS prohibited on the national forest.
Spring also means wildflowers. It’s still too early to see the floral show at highcountry spots like Canyon Creek Meadows, but close to town you will find gorgeous displays of lupine, paintbrush, balsamroot, and buckwheat.
Finally, we welcome two new permanent employees: supervisory wildlife biologist Laura McMahon, and fish biologist Nate Dachtler, who replaced longtime district employee Mike Riehle. Our station is open during construction for firewood and mushroom permits, maps, or just answering questions about trip planning.
See you in the woods!
Family and friends of Sisters resident Kristy Cosden are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with Kristy’s ALS.
Kristy received a Power 3 wheelchair May 22, which she was able to drive downtown Sisters and back home, providing a new freedom and level of comfort as she now has to spend most of her day in a wheelchair.
But now Kristy is in need of a vehicle that she can drive the wheelchair into and lock into place without requiring her to transfer to another seat — and so that she can have the heavy wheelchair with her when leaving their apartment. The vehicle that the Cosdens currently have a lead on — a 2005 Honda Element with a side ramp conversion — is lower cost than most options at $11,000, and would allow her to sit in the front passenger area rather than toward the middle or back. Even with the modest price tag, medical expenses are accumulating, and caregiving needs that limit her husband Darrell’s availability for work (he is a beloved substitute teacher at Sisters middle and high schools), put the family in a position to reach out to the community for financial assistance to make the purchase.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS, is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the
BULL: Incident got international attention from news networks
Continued from page 1
chase on foot.
But the bull, now in full charge, caused injuries to three spectators, two men and a woman. It was the woman, the last in the bull’s path, who bore the brunt of the surreal experience. Video from spectators posted on social media show the bull first kicking over a full-size trash can and then hitting the woman fullon, tossing her into the air where she spun and thudded to the ground.
“It was horrifying, I couldn’t watch the video. I had to close my eyes and I started to shake,” Merissa Weathers said. Carolyn Dillon of Cloverdale described it as “… a lady got tossed into the air like a rag doll.”
The bull, now near the holding pens where livestock are held before entering the
brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control. The disease gets worse over time. ALS is often called Lou Gehrig’s disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it.
ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat, and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease.
Kristy’s husband wrote a song earlier this year titled “While We Can” as a way to process the life-changing, catastrophic illness. His hope is that the song can help others to understand a little better how ALS crashes in upon people. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=G26E9yvd4ec.
You can contribute online and read updates at https://helphopelive.org/ campaign/23969/ or make a donation by check, payable to “Help Hope Live” with note in the memo “In honor of Kristina Gwen Cosden,” mailed to Help Hope Live, 2 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 100, 100 Matsonford Rd., Radnor, PA 19087.
chutes which release them into the arena for the ride, was roped and wrangled by a pickup man and led to safety.
An ambulance from Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is on hand in preparedness for injury to contestants. Paramedics were already on scene from SistersCamp Sherman Fire District and Cloverdale Fire District. Three other ambulance units were dispatched and the three injured were triaged and taken to St. Charles in Bend.
The Nugget spoke with Rob Harrison, who was the duty captain for Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District that night, who confirmed events. Deputy Chief Tim Craig categorized the injuries as “minor” but acknowledged the seeming miracle that there was no serious injury to the woman so violently tossed by the bull.
“Shocking, but true,” he said.
The incident made international news, including the BBC.
ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
CLASSIFIED RATES
COST: $3.50 per line for first insertion, $2.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1.50 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $3.50 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.
DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication. PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.
CATEGORIES:
541-420-7128
102 Commercial Rentals
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.
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7 EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
103 Residential Rentals
ClearPine Building Luxury Apartments
Brand-new w/second-story mountain views, covered parking. 1 unit available now.
3 bedroom/2 bathroom
1,448 s.f. $2,750 Contact: 541-977-1492
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792
Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES
Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002
Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com
Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC
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
– Sisters Oregon Guide –Pick up a copy at the Nugget! 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
Oak and plum firewood logs approximately 2.5 cords per load. Delivered, $500 per load. Custom rough-sawn saw-milling available. Live edge, coffee tables, custom dimensions. Please call or text 936-600-2132. Sunnyblueskys94@gmail.com
205
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
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 $275 • 541-419-2502
401 Horses
ORCHARD GRASS HAY New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $300-$360/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
403 Pets
Brando's Natural Dog Biscuits brandosbyjulie.etsy.com I’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com 541-306-7551 • Julie
Pineapple is a 2-month-old kitten that is full of charm. He is very playful and is looking for a home to spoil him. Apply to adopt him at: sisterswhiskers.org
500 Services
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE
“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871
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
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 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
M & J CARPET CLEANING Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
504 Handyman
JONES UPGRADES LLC
Home Repairs &
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
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
S I C K L Y T R E E S ? Check the Nugget's classified advertisers for professionals to help you! 601
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC. General Contractor Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74 A “Hands-On” Builder Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016 To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523
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
541-390-1206
beavercreeklog@yahoo.com
Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc.
CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond
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
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
Earthwood Timberframes
• Design & shop fabrication
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services
EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com
From Ground to Finish
Accurate and Efficient
541-604-5169
CCB#233074
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054
541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
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
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
Pat Burke LOCALLY OWNED
CRAFTSMAN BUILT
CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com
Custom Homes
Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects
Becke William Pierce
CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com
605 Painting
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
~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks
CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com
606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance
J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com
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
All Landscaping Services
Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com
541-549-2345
– 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
I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051
BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897
T H E N U G G E T
N E W S P A P E R
802 Help Wanted SEEKING EXPERIENCED LEAD CARPENTER
Able to read plans, run crew, well-versed in all phases of residential construction and remodel, concrete experience a plus. 40 hrs./wk., year-round, pay DOE. Company vehicle and fuel for right candidate. CMS has worked in Sisters for 50+ yrs., booked solid through 2026. Send resume to cpatterson@cncmsinc.com or call 541-550-8219.
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
WE ARE
Join our team at Sisters Mainline Station and Chevron. Full-time and part-time work available. Looking for cashiers and gas attendants. Applications available at the Sisters Mainline Market, 1001 Rail Way in Sisters or on our website at Sistersmainlinestation.com
VIEW OUR Current Classifieds every Tuesday afternoon! Go to NuggetNews.com
Youth Trail Ambassador
The Sisters Trails Alliance is seeking high-school-aged students passionate about environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, or related fields. Encouraging tailored roles, we empower Youth Trail Ambassadors to enrich their resumes, college applications, and overall life experiences. As a Youth Trail Ambassador, you'll greet and assist trail users during peak usage times, educate visitors about responsible trail use and environmental awareness, and gather feedback about their overall trail experience. To apply, please send a cover letter to coordinator@sisterstrails.org.
Part-Time Sales Associate
We are looking for a friendly, outgoing, and reliable Retail Sales Associate. Workdays would be Thursday, Friday, Saturday and fill in. Email application to: amber@ villageinteriorsdesign.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
• 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!
ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com
CCB #195556 541-549-6464
442 E. Main Avenue POB 698, Sisters, OR 97759 541-549-9941
for puzzle on page 24
