The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVII No. 33 // 2024-08-14

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News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Fish for breakfast...

Doctor shortage causing pain

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

It seems that nearly everybody in Sisters Country knows somebody first- or second-hand who has had delays in getting medical care. Most often, the anecdotes go, it’s a patient waiting for a joint repair or replacement. The shortage of orthopedic surgeons is at near crisis levels, nationally and locally.

The largest provider of such services is The Center in Bend, well-known to folks in Sisters. In a letter to patients, The Center said: “Thank you for entrusting your care to The Center. Our community is facing

Flyfishermen are not the only ones out on the Metolius River — and Mergansers are not into catch and release.

Wildfire experts are turning to AI

By Paige Gross Oregon Capital Chronicle

With climate change driving hotter, drier summers across the West, the intensity of recent fire seasons is outpacing workers’ ability to track and analyze fires with the traditional methods.

“There simply aren’t enough boots on the ground, or eyes in pairs of binoculars

to cover the base and the extent of what we’ve been dealing with, and that’s been true across the western U.S. and across the world,” said Sarvesh Garimella, the chief scientist and chief technical officer at weather app MyRadar.

But government agencies and private sector companies

See WILDFIRE on page 9

Shooting incident leads to arrest

A 23-year-old Sisters man allegedly fired a pistol repeatedly as he rode his bike home from a Sisters bar in the wee hours of Friday, August 9.

The escapade landed him in jail facing charges of unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, reckless

endangering, and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to reports of a shooting complaint in the area of West Felicity Lane

See SHOOTING on page 17

See SHORTAGE on page 13

Trail plan raises wildlife concerns

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

A series of wildlife images captured by a trail camera on a proposed downhill mountain bike trail near Sisters is remarkable in clarity. Moreover, against high odds, the same camera caught a pair of cougars, a black bear, and numerous mule deer.

The camera is the property of Adam Bronstein, a local wildlife and wilderness advocate with the newly formed group Wild Ecosystems Alliance, one of a number of opponents to the Forest Service’s proposed trail activities on 21 existing and future trails across the District, including new trail construction, the addition of existing routes, and existing system trail realignment and abandonment.

Proposed trail actions in the Sisters Trail Additions and Replacement project (STAR) would provide a variety of user experiences unavailable on the existing trails. Overall, about 54 miles of new non-motorized trail are proposed to

A trail cam captured considerable wildlife activity at a spot where a proposed downhill mountain bike trail might go.

be added to the Sisters trail system and 8 miles removed for a net addition of about 46 miles.

Currently, there are about 392 miles of non-motorized system trails on the Sisters Ranger District. Trails proposed for this project were derived from a larger list initially created by various trail user groups and vetted by Forest Service specialists. New trail construction includes the construction of a route that does not currently exist. According to the Forest Service, new trail construction is considered when the

proposed trail would provide a unique user experience not already available in the greater trail system, potentially reduce user conflict, and/or provide trail system connectivity. This project proposes 4 new trails totaling 16 miles.

The proposal, introduced in July 2023, included a public comment period that ended September 23, 2023. A decision is expected to be reached next April with implementation slated to begin next June.

See TRAIL on page 14

PHOTO BY CRAIG RULLMAN

Letters to the Editor…

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

Not in my backyard

To the Editor:

I’m not usually a NIMBY-person but in the question of moving the Community Garden to Clemens Park, I definitely am because I live in Tamarack Village Apartments. The fourfoot fence along the park edge allows residents of 24 of these apartments about eight feet of grass beyond our patios so we have a view of the open space and easy access.

We all use the park, whether kids at the playground; parents teaching their kids to play baseball, football, soccer; throwing a toy for our dogs to fetch; or enjoying a neighborhood barbecue. Neighborhood day care facilitators and home schoolers bring groups of

children to the park to play at the playground. We also have the fly-fisher guy teaching people to cast. We have Yoga and Tai Chi groups with plenty of space to practice. In the evening, teenagers hang out in the park often singing songs and playing guitars. Stargazers have a spectacular view of the night sky. The park is a respite for travelers who stop to use the facilities, sit in the shade, and chat with residents about Sisters. And, yes, sometimes it is empty giving the grass time to recover.

Thinking about what would happen if the Community Garden were to move to Clemens Park: First, they are going to have to construct unsightly eight-foot chain link fences to keep

Sisters Weather Forecast

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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. The

Editor in Chief & Co-owner: Jim Cornelius

Production Manager: Leith Easterling

Creative Director: Jess Draper

Community Marketing

Partner: Vicki Curlett

Classifieds & Circulation: Lisa May

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Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen

It’s true: I cannot live without books

Jim Cornelius

My 5.11 Tactical Rush72 2.0 pack — a fabulous piece of gear, BTW — proudly bears a morale patch that proclaims “ I Cannot Live Without Books.” Truer words never rode on nylon and velcro.

The forthcoming Sisters Festival of Books (see story, page 8) got me thinking about my relationship with books. Reading made me who I am. I’m sitting at my desk at The Nugget banging out this string of words on a keyboard because some time around 12 or 13 years old I read things that made me say to myself “I want to do that.”

It was pulp adventure, mystery, and Western writers who lit the fire. I could think of nothing more wonderful than to be able to put down words on paper that could thrill and move someone the way those bloodand-thunder yarns hit me.

My reading expanded as I grew older, as it does, but I never lost my taste for pulpy goodness. Used to be that the literary folk turned their nose up at suchlike, but in recent decades genre fiction has gotten the respect it deserves. Because, it turns out, it is possible to write beautiful sentences AND tell a ripping yarn.

non-fiction. Done right, narrative history and journalism can serve up writing as lyrical and compelling as anything in fiction. My time for actual reading of books is more constrained than I’d like it to be, so I often turn to audiobooks, which I can listen to while I throw your Nugget into bins at the post office and at doorsteps around town. When I’m deep into a good book, I find it absolutely necessary to mow the lawn. Frequently. I might mow yours and your neighbor’s too, just to keep rolling.

The deepest, most lasting interests in my life have come from reading books. “The Frontiersmen,” by Allan W. Eckert bent the twig when I was about 14 years old, planting a lifelong fascination with the early Ohio River Valley frontier; Clifford Irving’s roman a clef “Tom Mix and Pancho Villa” spurred a decadeslong obsession with the Mexican Revolution.

My love of music distills down to words, too. I’m a lyrics guy, and my favorite songwriters — from Kris Kristofferson to Steve Earle to Evan Felker — are selfconsciously literary fellers.

My closest friends are book junkies, and nothing is more pleasing than sharing a book that we know the other is going to devour.

Nowadays, the vast majority of my reading is

I am closing out a binge on the work of Steve Coll, a Pulitzer Prize winner for his book “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001.” The follow-up is just as good and just as dismaying: “Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America’s Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” If you want to know how we became involved in Afghanistan, and how that involvement turned into a slow-motion train wreck — all with compelling portraits of the actors in the drama, great and small — these books are for you. Coll’s most recent tome is “The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq,” which mines a treasure trove of thousands of hours of Saddam Hussein’s recorded meetings with his inner circle to illuminate how misperception and shortsighted self-interest on all sides led to two very messy wars in the Gulf. (The First Gulf War seemed pretty tidy to us, but the aftermath was a bloody and protracted nightmare for Kurds and Iraqi Shiites — and led to a decade of failed attempts at regime change through covert action, and ultimately the 2003 invasion of Iraq.)

I cannot overstate how good these books are — providing deep and compelling insight into events that shaped the world we live in today.

That’s what books can do for us. Can’t live without ’em.

Editor in Chief

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Bear!

A few of the 100-plus children, many from Redmond, Madras and Prineville, came to Sisters Ranger District headquarters to help Smokey Bear celebrate his 80th birthday.

COMMUNITY

Explore Sisters opens visitor center

Explore Sisters, the Destination Management Organization (DMO) for Sisters, has opened a reimagined Visitor Information Center in the downtown district. Located at 291 E. Main Ave. next to Fir Street Park, the center provides visitors with information about the local area through printed materials, digital resources, business highlights, and inspirational content. Explore Sisters anticipates the Visitor Information Center will operate seasonally May through October.

The entrance to the center on Main Avenue entices passersby to step into a space where they are greeted by an immersive 180-degree view of the Deschutes National Forest and

Three Sisters Mountains. Inspirational images of local businesses, activities, events, and landscapes rotate on a large display, and a variety of brochures, rack cards, maps, and guides are available to takeaway to help guests further navigate the Sisters destination experience. A portion of the center is dedicated to a rotating exhibit highlighting a local business, organization, experience, or stewardship message, which will change throughout the year. Business listings for dining, retail, and lodging, along with resources for outdoor recreation, can be accessed through digital means by way of QR Codes.

While Explore Sisters made sure the center was

operational for the high demand travel season, it is still a work in progress, according to Executive Director Scott Humpert. Future plans include additional resources within the center such as new printed materials and an electronic kiosk, and 24/7 on demand information including a new wayfinding map outside the center that will be available outside of operational hours.

The Visitor Information Center was designed to function as an unstaffed resource for local information. Explore Sisters currently has one staff member who is responsible for the entirety of the organization’s operation including

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) Skipping the August meeting, nor mally the 4t h Thursday, and resuming in September.

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 Weds., 1-2:3 0 p.m. T he Lodge in Sisters. 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

By Maret Pajutee

Late summer flowers are still blooming around Sisters in our gardens and out in the wild. If you stop to take a closer look you may see a diverse army of pollinators hard at work, including butterflies, hummingbirds, wasps, flies, beetles, as well as those buzzing bees. Many of us have heard that bees are in trouble and important to protect. But do you know the difference between native bees and European honey bees, and how both are important?

Sisters local Michele Sims is a volunteer for the Oregon Bee Atlas which is managed by Oregon State University. The Bee Atlas is on a quest to train citizen scientists like

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 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

Makin’ it Local will feature regionally acclaimed Central Oregon Artist Kathy Deggendorfer in an exhibition and print sale from August 23 through September 24. An Artists in Attendance reception is scheduled for the Sisters Oregon Fourth Friday Art Walk on August 23, from 4 to 7 p.m.

“Patterns, Color and Texture” features newly released giclee prints by Deggendorfer. Makin’ it Local: is located at 281 W. Cascade Ave.

Deggendorfer lives on a

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

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

Be a friend to bees

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

SCHOOLS

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

Michele to find every kind of bee in Oregon. Their mission is to create an accessible inventory of native Oregon bees and their host plants, create awareness of bee biodiversity in native ecosystems, and conduct surveys to check on how our bees are doing.

Michele found that many people are interested in knowing more about bees.

“Every time I went out collecting on a popular trail, I ended up giving a 20-minute talk each time someone came by,” she said.

Sims decided to get efficient and do guided walks for the Deschutes Land Trust to help people get excited about native bees and learn how to be more bee

Sisters artist featured in exhibition

cattle and hay ranch just outside of Sisters. Inspired by her surroundings’ color and texture, her vibrant and colorful watercolor paintings are whimsical representations of ranch life, her travels, and the environment. Deggendorfer’s paintings are often referred to as “Painter’s Quilts.” Kathy was chosen to create the 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2019 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Posters. Her work has been translated into quilting fabrics in collections by

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

PHOTO PROVIDED

The old Sisters library building is now a Visitor Information Center.

Correspondent

friendly at home.

Honey bees are not native to North America; they were brought by European settlers in the 1620s as a source of beeswax, honey, and pollinators for crops like apples, potatoes, alfalfa, berries, and many vegetables. Honey bees are important to agriculture and can be moved when needed to support food production by pollination, or to develop different flavors of honey. Honey is a sweet treat, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and has many other health benefits. Honey bees are social and live in hives, while most native bees are solitary or live in small groups, in the ground, in wood, or in stems of plants.

Native bees don’t produce honey; and many are specialists on certain plants or environments.

Honey bees have a fuzzy back and back legs, and yellow bands on their abdomen.

Native bees include big furry bumble bees, mason bees, sweat bees, leaf cutter bees, and fairy bees in many colors, sizes, and body types.

Sims says people are surprised to learn about the differences between honey bees and native bees.

“It’s not information that is readily disseminated,” she said. “You know every time anyone talks about bees they’re thinking about honey

bees. We have to start out with, ‘yeah they don’t live in hives, many live in the ground’ and I’ve had people look at me like I’m crazy.”

She says it makes her happy when people stand around after a Bee Walk and look at what kind of bees they are seeing on a flower.

You may think there is nothing much left to discover in this wide world, but Sims says the exciting thing about studying bees is there are so many gaps in our knowledge. She explained, “East of the Cascades, in the desert shrub steppe environment, we have the most diversity and the weirdest bees. It’s known worldwide for its interesting insects, especially bees, because they tend to be specialists with a limited range, that emerge at a certain time, and they only go to one plant and they’re done.”

She described going through old plant collections to see where a plant was collected in 1927 and then going out to see if the plant and its specialist bee is still there. She says if you really want to go down the “nerd spiral,” the Oregon Bee Atlas can train you to become a bee taxonomist and help identify the many boxes of bees that have been collected.

You can help native bees and honey bees. Being careful with chemicals is important to avoid inadvertent bee kills. A big tip to support native bees is to leave a messy yard in a few places. We tend to like our yards neat, and so we clear away

the old wood, stems, and leaf litter that native bees need. Leaving hedge rows of wild plants near crops helps provide more nectar and habitat; and having some native plants in your garden helps provide a steadier supply of nectar. Michele suggests there are many resources for people interested in supporting

native pollinators including OregonFlora’s Gardening with Natives webpage, the Xerces Society’s native plants list, and Pollinator Pathways in Bend.

If you want to learn more about bees, Sims is doing one more walk this year during the rabbitbrush bloom in late August. You can sign

up through the Deschutes Land Trust at https://www. deschuteslandtrust.org/ hikes-events/hikes/nativebee-walk-2. And if you find yourself fascinated by these little furry, colorful, magical insects, check out the Oregon Bee Atlas for more information at https://extension. oregonstate.edu/bee-atlas.

Grounded in your community

• Superior closing experiences • Strong relationships that last

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A honeybee on a rose. The high desert has a diversity of “weird” bees.

PHOTO BY MARET PAJUTEE

Snoop Dogg, it turns out, brought unexpected levity and light to an otherwise smoke-filled summer. His observation that pole vaulters get “high-high” was as prescient as reporting seems to get anymore, and so this space counts it a solid win for the otherwise dismal condition of the fourth estate.

Most of the smoke locally is the result of fire, of course, discounting the tropospheric smoke and radiation from the world’s most embarrassing presidential election cycle. With our political organs — it seems — only capable of producing candidates this bad, this vacuous, it isn’t difficult to predict what the next four years are going to look like, whoever wins. I recommend that you file the next four years, in advance, in the “History Repeating Itself” drawer and move on to other, lighter, Snoop Dogg inspired pursuits.

The internet isn’t working this morning, which is an opportunity because instead

of the ritualized masochism of a morning doomscroll I can turn to generative efforts.

This used to be the way we lived and maybe it should be again. It feels like sobriety, this netless world, similar to watching a murder mystery that twists your mind and your guts until at the end you look back and think: I knew it all along. The clues were obvious. How did I miss that?

I probably wouldn’t feel the same way if the power went out for very long—although we do have a backup plan for that — if only because resiliency should be the first hallmark of a registered independent.

Still, it would be nice to once again enjoy a summer that wasn’t simply variations on a theme of smoke. Nobody can do anything about lightning, but the hordes of careless yahoos who invade the woods are an existential menace.

Bill Gates may be right about controlling the population but I just can’t get around the eugenicist foundations of his efforts, which means I’ll have to assume some risk created by all those yahoos incapable of putting out their campfires.

Gates’ good buddy Jeffrey Epstein — before whatever happened to him in jail — was on record for wanting to populate the earth with his own genes, which is a weird and apparently common ambition of the uber rich. The Rockefeller-GatesFauci-MicroSoftNBC relationship is worth investigating but I’ve noted that most

folks don’t want the responsibility. Or the additional gloom. It takes too much time, especially when people “experiencing homelessness” are lighting big portions of the forest on fire, threatening our homes.

At the end of World War II, the U.S. was producing 35 Liberty Ships every day, but in the mid 2020s we can’t seem to complete a roundabout project.

In normal times that might give us pause to reflect on the actual condition of things, but perhaps we can just stipulate that things aren’t normal. That is, if normal can be characterized as a sustained period of peaceful industry where men battering women is unacceptable everywhere — even the Olympic Games.

A lot of interesting conspiracies are floating around the pot-shot taken at Trump in Pennsylvania, which I learned about while sitting on a ferryboat in the Skagway Fjord, after an attempt to locate and photograph Coastal Brown Bears on Alaska’s Chilkat River. One of my favorite theories is that he arranged it himself. I don’t

know who you might trust to shoot you in the ear for a few pro-fracking votes — but speaking as a trained sniper I’d recommend you enlist precisely no one for that gig, no matter how desperately you need the pro-frackers. Meantime, up in Alaska, we didn’t have any luck finding brown bears. They just weren’t out and about. But I did get to spend some time with our river guide, Captain Richard.

He lives without the internet quite handsomely, guiding the Chilkat, fishing for his dinner, and swimming in a nearby lake. In the evenings he drinks wine and reads books at his campfire surrounded by nine million acres of wilderness inhabited by thousands of bears and moose and eagles — and there is not a single e-bike anywhere because what trails there are belong exclusively to the bears and the moose.

Captain Richard came to his current gig after a career in Naval Special Warfare, which was followed by five years of anti-poaching patrols in Africa, and then anti-kidnapping endeavors

in Mexico. In the winter he runs boats in the Caribbean. He eschews the internet as a matter of course which means that at times he seems delightfully unaware of the invisible digital universe, full of its own smoke, bearing down so heavily on the rest of us.

On second thought, that’s not accurate. He’s aware of it. He just doesn’t like it, doesn’t want the unavoidable entanglements that come with it. And so he reads and fishes and looks for bears and lives an embodied life free from doomscrolling and all of our endless personal irony.

Which, back home in the haze, can only serve to inspire. And so I can point to two wonderful things to have emerged from yet another summer full of political radiation and floating ash — Snoop Dogg and Captain Richard.

Not exactly the heroes we’ve all been looking for, perhaps, but then again The Grateful Dead did suggest that we can see the light in the strangest of places — if we look at it right.

STARS gaining independent non-profit status

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

For the last four years, the popular Sisters Ride Share and Transportation (STARS) program has been meeting the needs of residents who aren’t able to provide their own transportation to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond.

In 2018, the need for that service was identified in a community study, and STARS, powered by volunteers, was created as a grassroots initiative to fill the need. Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC), a newly formed 501(c)(3) became the fiscal sponsor for STARS, their first Action Team, and has provided support and services from their start. Recently, AFSC redefined their purpose and elected to limit support contracts for Action Teams to five years.

During 2024, STARS has been engaged in methodically transitioning to become its own independent 501(c) (3) nonprofit. They contracted for a Sustainability Study with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to identify the best option for moving forward. Based on the study, facilitated team meetings, and exploring other fiscal sponsorships or integration into a government agency, the best option was determined to be transitioning into an independent non-profit.

Sisters location as a rural community means roundtrip medical rides for care in Bend and Redmond range between 50 and 100 miles. Due to the age of most STARS passengers and their challenges with mobility, vision, and memory, public transit is not an option. Commercial transportation is either not easily accessible or affordable.

Since beginning, STARS volunteers have provided over 1,000 free round-trip rides and driven over 50,000 miles. From June 2023-June 2024, they provided 588 rides for 25,000 miles, a 33 percent increase over the same period the year before.

As part of determining the best way to transition, Executive Director Rennie Morrell applied for and STARS was accepted to participate in a Capstone Project conducted by graduate students at Oregon Health Sciences University as their culminating experience to earn their Masters degree. The students select the projects they want to work on and there were five professionals who selected the STARS project.

To help STARS in its

transition to a sustainable, independent 501(c) (3) organization by 2025, the Capstone Project carried out research and reviewed literature from April 1 through June 1, 2024, to compile as much information as possible to inform the transition. A comparative analysis was conducted with similar organizations in Maine, Colorado, and Illinois including in-person interviews with their executive directors. They focused on five key areas – hiring staff, creating a need-based statement, exploring funding sources, identifying available grants, and investigating best practices.

At the end of the study, an online presentation was made by the students to STARS board and volunteers. In addition, an extensive written report was provided with recommendations to facilitate a successful transition for STARS. The report said, “To ensure sustainability, STARS must establish structure, governance, and staffing alongside exploring business partnerships and securing stable funding avenues.” STARS also received a computer program that allows them to track their grant applications. All these services were provided free of charge.

The five students were

very complimentary of STARS and thought the project had been a good experience. They said, “ Sustaining STARS will ensure the residents of Sisters, Oregon, continue to have crucial nonemergency medical transportation. Our objective is to offer recommendations to facilitate this successful transition.”

The current board members of STARS are: Rennie Morrell, volunteer executive director; Christy Corzine, board chair; Gayle Sawyer,

secretary; Susan Utterback, treasurer; Tom Gonsiewski, director at large/operations committee chair; and John Finley, director at large/technology committee chair.

Donations can be sent to STARS, PO Box 3500 PMB 422, Sisters, OR 97759. To schedule rides, call 541904-5545 on Tuesday or

Thursday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at least 48 hours before the ride is needed. Spanish-speaking Sisters residents can leave a voicemail requesting transportation by leaving a voicemail on Monday or Wednesday at the above number. If interested in volunteering as a driver or a dispatcher, see starsride.org.

STARS has built a vital service for folks in Sisters needing transportation to medical appointments. PHOTO PROVIDED

Sisters dentist earns award

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) announced that Trevor Frideres DMD, FAGD, principal of Sisters Dental, received the prestigious Fellowship Award during the AGD’s convocation ceremony.

The celebration recognizes AGD member’s commitment to excellence in dental education.

During the event at the AGD’s scientific session on Saturday, July 20, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Frideres accepted this award along with 264 general dentists receiving this award.

The Fellowship Award is presented to dentists looking to provide the highest quality of dental care by remaining current in their profession. To receive this award, Dr. Frideres completed 500 hours of continuing dental education, passed a comprehensive written exam, and fulfilled three years of continuing membership with the AGD.

As a recipient of this award, Dr. Frideres has joined an elite group of more than 20,000 members of the dental community who understand that great smiles and good oral health for their patients are the result of going above and beyond basic requirements.

The Fellowship Award symbolizes excellence in the dental profession and a commitment to exceptional patient care.

“The AGD is committed, to supporting the growth and development of general dentists through education, and we are delighted to recognize Dr. Frideres for steadfast dedication to providing outstanding oral healthcare,” stated AGD President Merlin Ohmer, DDS, MAGD. “Dr. Trevor Frideres exemplifies excellence by standing out within dentistry and showing a commitment to the dental community.”

Sisters salutes...

Patty Killoran of Tucson, Arizona, wrote:

Kudos to first responders in and around Sisters.

I had a fall last week on a trail along the Metolius River, breaking several bones in my left leg. The first person on the scene was Kirk, a search and rescue volunteer, who convinced other services that I needed to be carried out.

So along came responders from the police, the fire department, search and rescue, and the forestry service. There were so many guys there I didn’t meet them all, but I remember three Brians, a Jack, a Michael. Without Kirk, I’m sure this would’ve been a much longer rescue than it was.

I am indebted to them all and to my cousins Steph and Mitch of Sisters who have been by my side throughout.

ARTIST: Deggendorfer has earned many artistic honors

Continued from page 3

In The Beginning Fabrics, Maywood Studios, and FreeSpirit Fabrics.

Rich with color and pattern, Deggendorfer’s work is collected throughout the Pacific Northwest. In 2008, Kathy was selected to create the Oregon State Ornament for the White House Christmas Tree, and in 2009 was a featured artist on Oregon Art Beat. Her image “Coming Home” was featured on the cover of the 2010 OPB calendar.

In 2014, her work was honored in a one-person show at the High Desert Museum in Bend. This exhibit continues to travel to museums around Oregon. It includes shows at the Oregon Historical Society Museum in Portland, the Columbia River Discovery Center Museum, and the Baker City Museum. In collaboration with Kibak Tile,

Sisters, Deggendorfer creates handprinted tile murals for installation in public and private settings. Her work is included in the permanent collections at Roberts Field Municipal Airport, Brasada Ranch Resort, Mahonia Hall (the Oregon Governor’s mansion),

private collections.

OHSU Casey Eye Institute, OSU Cascades Campus, St. Charles Hospital Cancer Center, City of Sisters Fir Street Park, PeaceHealth Hospital in Longview, Washington, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, as well as many

“Mt. Washington and 5 Aspens” is among the prints available at an exhibition and print sale of the work of Kathy Deggendorfer.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Festival of Books brings authors to Sisters

The Sisters Festival of Books will celebrate the rich diversity of the creative spirit of writers in a three-day event set for Friday-Sunday, September 13-15.

The weekend starts with a community StorySlam event at The Belfry on Friday, September 13, featuring storytelling and story-oriented music.

The festival will also offer three workshops: Notions of wealth — a generative writing workshop exploring poverty and creativity, Friday, September 13, 4 to 5:30 p.m. facilitated by Christina Vega & Tina Ontiveros; Writing Workshop for Parents Sunday, September 15, 9:30 to 11 a.m., facilitated by Christina Vega; and Poetry of Belonging: A Workshop for the Poetry-Curious on Sunday, September 15, 3:30 to 5 p.m., facilitated by Beth Wood.

Saturday will serve up a full day of author readings at Sisters Movie House, where attendees can enjoy food and drink while interacting with authors across genres ranging from historical nonfiction to historical fiction, romance to sports writing, true crime to literary fiction.

Sunday, September 15, is devoted to a celebration of local and regional authors.

“We’re trying to create a wide range of offerings, starting with the StorySlam on Friday night, to the author faire on Sunday,” said organizer Lane Jacobson.

Jacobson said that participants will get to mingle and socialize with authors across a wide range of genres and subject matter.

Among those participating are:

Randall Sullivan, “The Devil’s Best Trick: How the Face of Evil Disappeared” (History, Theology); John Larison, “The Ancients” (Speculative, Nature/ Environment); Chris Vega, “Vega,” (Poetry); William Sullivan, “The Ship in the Ice” (Viking Saga Book 4) (Historical Fiction); and Amanda Skenandore, “The Medicine Woman of Galveston” (Historical Fiction). The full lineup may be found with the online version of this story at www. nuggetnews.com.

Authors were recruited

through “a combination of ‘traditional’ methods — going through the publisher and publicists — but also a lot of leaning on our friends in the industry,” Jacobson said. “It’s a small book world.”

He also noted that Sisters’ natural beauty and reputation as an arts community are a strong selling point.

“It’s not hard to get people to visit Sisters,” Jacobson said. “Other than scheduling conflicts, there’s no reason to say no.”

Jacobson said the festival is committed to both celebrating the local community’s creativity, and “bring(ing) more outside authors into contact with our community, which is very arts-heavy, but is only so big.”

Jacobson is the owner of Paulina Springs Books, but he emphasizes that the Sisters Festival of Books is “a separate entity from the bookstore.”

Sisters Festival of Books is in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. One

DAVIS TIRE

of its missions is to develop grants to support local school libraries.

“They really have to fight tooth and nail for funding. It’s a mission-driven project, for sure.”

Jacobson is looking forward to the event and appreciates the warm sup port it’s received from the

community.

“I think it’s going to be fun,” he said. “We’re excited about the different venues.”

For more information, visit https://www.sistersfob. org/.

Note: Jim Cornelius is a member of the board of directors of Sisters Festival

Fire managers in the Pacific Northwest predict that many wildfires currently burning in Washington and Oregon, and potentially new ones, will persist until the region experiences significant rain or snow this fall.

Firefighters are actively battling these fires.

With widespread lightning expected this month, fire managers will be adopting a strategic approach to integrate risk management, ecosystem resilience, and community involvement on long-duration fires before typical east wind events potentially arrive around the beginning of fall.

“Our planners are taking a realistic look at current wildfires, expected new fires, and the resources we have to help us safeguard human lives and property while enhancing our ability to respond to wildfires in high-risk areas,” said Jacque Buchanan, Regional Forester for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service.

Christina Vega

PHOTO PROVIDED

John Larison

PHOTO PROVIDED

like Garimella’s are adapting artificial intelligence technologies in their wildfire monitoring and fighting strategies.

Increase in number and reach of wildfires

The Environmental Protection Agency’s data shows that wildfires have become more common and spread further over the last few decades.

The 1990s was a “period of transition” for climate cycles that tend to change every few decades, and this shift may have contributed to “warmer, drier conditions,” the EPA reports, which make wildfires easier to spread in the Western U.S. Between 1981 and 2021, the amount of land involved in wildfires and suffered severe damage has risen from 5 percent to 22 percent.

Changing climate conditions are just one of the contributing factors, said Michael Pavolonis, a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Center for Satellite Applications and Research. He added that land management practices, a century of fire suppression that left forests overgrown and combustible, and human activities have greatly changed the fire landscape in the U.S.

The Western Fire Chiefs Association says that nearly 90 percent of all wildfires are caused by human activities, like discarding a cigarette, leaving campfires unattended, or through an equipment malfunction.

Fire activity for 2024 is already above average from the last decade, the New York Times reported this week.

Oregon firefighters worked on what was at the time the biggest fire in the country, in late July, which spread across nearly 270,000 acres and threatened evacuation for thousands of residents. A week after the initial response from EMS, residents of the state were still dealing with smoky, unhealthy air conditions. And late last week, Coloradans faced evacuation orders for a blaze along the state’s Front Range, which killed one person.

Zach Tolby, director and lead scientist at NOAA’s fire weather testbed, said living with wildfires is “nervewracking.” The now Colorado-based weather expert said while living in Reno, Nevada, there were a few years where the wildfires kept people from being outside nearly all summer.

Incoming threat of fire or the residual smoke often

upends social gatherings, interrupts work and school schedules, and can keep people from feeling safe in their communities.

“Once you do have wildfires, there’s a lot of, you know, kind of PTSD from the effects of being around them,” Tolby said.

AI in fire detection

Weather science is all about data, climate experts say, but viewing, logging, and processing that data is an overwhelming task. It’s where the AI comes in: the bread and butter of AI models lies in the processing and sorting of mass amounts of information.

In the case of wildfire prevention, if you can automate the sorting of fire information, more humans are freed up to make decisions, call for resources, and be deployed on a scene to stop a wildfire from spreading.

That’s the intention behind NOAA’s Next Generation Fire System, which uses an AI model to identify fires from the department’s geostationary satellites. The program, and a location to test fire prevention systems, was developed via funding from

the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by the Biden administration.

NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) are the “workhorses” of weather monitoring of the entire United States from space, Pavolonis told States Newsroom. The satellites are able to record an image as often as every 30 seconds, which generates an overwhelming amount of information, Pavalonis said.

“So humans stare at all of these images and look for the fires themselves,” he said. “They do that and they do catch some of them. But it’s impossible to stare at every image.”

The AI model, which was built through academic partnerships, automatically scans those images and uses heat detection to look for features of an emerging fire. It then pipes the information to a situational dashboard that allows those monitoring it — whether it’s the National Weather Service or a land management partner — to determine that a fire could use their attention.

The Next Gen Fire System

has been in development for a few years, and NOAA piloted the technology at the Colorado-based fire testbed in June. Tolby, director of the center, said they tested the technology with a few existing systems, like the National Weather Service, to see if they could identify fires and weather phenomena with enough accuracy to be used in real-world situations to issue public alerts.

Tolby and Pavalonis stressed that humans are still at the helm of decisionmaking. The pilot at the fire testbed provided a realistic operational environment that allowed NOAA to understand how new capabilities would work when the agencies have to make real decisions.

“Science and technology are essential, but they’re not sufficient,” Pavalonis said. “You need to also work closely with decision makers throughout the development and testing process.”

Some states that experience a lot of wildfires, like California, have camera systems to monitor the spread of fires. But more rural and lower-population areas can

be vulnerable to wildfires going unchecked. The satellite systems, developing AI tools, and cross-department collaborations are valuable tools for those communities, Tolby said.

“If you can get to a fire when it’s … only a couple of trees, you’ve got a much better chance of putting it out than you do when it’s 10 acres or 100.”

Modeling future fires

A project from the University of Southern California aims to use AI to improve the effort to fight fires once they start, predicting their possible spread and behavior. The research team at the university, headed by Professor Assad Oberai, uses a physics-informed approach to predict the spread of wildfires.

The team uses a generative AI model called conditional Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network (cWGAN) and trained it, informed by data from past wildfires, satellite images, and from data assimilation, or a method of combining different data sources, to predict future fire spread.

Glacial Shif ts: Ar t and Science in the Mi gration of Ice

Join the Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture on ursday, August 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m., for an enlightening event featuring two distinguished speakers , Dr. Anders Carlson and Daniela Naomi Molnar. ey each o er unique perspecti ves on the intersection of art and science in the context of transitions and migration in the face of climate change. is event is f ree and open to the public . e event will be held in Pine Meadow Ranch’s Classroom, 684 67 ree Creek s Rd . Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org

Go Fish Group Meeting Go Fish Group will meet on Monday, August 19, at Sisters Communit y Church at 7 p.m. e program will be presented by Marc Williamson and will be on “Nymphing ” For more information contact Gar y at 541-771-2211

SISTERS LIBRARY COMING EVENTS

Music Together Workshop

Join this workshop on ursday, August 15, from 10:15 to 11 a .m. in the Community Room at Sisters Library. Music Together- Central Oregon is an early childhood music and movement program for children ages 0 -5 . e classes help little ones develop their innate musicalit y and so much more! Music classes also show parents and caregivers how to help their children become confident music-makers just by having f un making music themselves. Registration is required . All children must be accompanied by a caregiver. More information at https://www deschuteslibrary.org/kid s/ programs

Know MigrationsCycling Across Oregon

On ursday, August 15, from 4 to 5 p.m., in the Communit y Room at Sisters Librar y, explore rural Oregon using the state’s scenic bikeways as a road map. Follow along as a group of friends set out to explore the 17 o cial bikeways in a single year. Hear about the stories , surprises , and revelations they encounter with photos from the road. Stand in ruts created by countless w agons on the Oregon Trail, meet the owners of a ghost town, pedal over the Cascades, bike through historic covered bridges , and climb the state’s oldest standing lighthouse. More information at https:// www.deschuteslibrar y.org/ calendar/adult

A NNOUNCEMENT S

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, August 15

Glacial Shifts Lecture Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts

Saturday, August 17

Metolius Interpretive Walk Camp Sherman Bridge

Saturday, August 17

Submariners Picnic

Quince Park, Redmond

Saturday, August 17

Memorial Rock Dedication Village Green Park

Saturday, August 17 Go Fish Group Meeting Sisters Community Church

Calling All Submariner s

Be sure to put Saturday, 17 August, 11: 0 0 hours, at Quince Park, Redmond, on your calendar for the annual Central Oregon Submarine Base picnic. Tri-tip and hot dogs will be on the menu, along with potato salad, ice cream, and more. e Base will provide the tableware and drink s , no alcohol is per mitted . Contact Fran at 541-527-5484 to let her know what you will bring , enough for yourself and 4 others , please. Meet at the Pavilion at Quince Park. For more information please call: Rick at 530-434-1102 or Bill at 603-953-3483

Sisters High Desert Choral e Sisters High Desert Community Chorale will begin rehearsals Monday, September 9, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, 121 Brook s Camp Rd . f rom 6:30 to 8:30 p.m . All voices are welcome and no auditions are necessary. For further information contact Irene Liden at 541-848-874 6 or lidenmez zo@gmail.com

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

Free Weekly Meal Se rvice

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

Free Lunches for Seniors

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

STAR S Seek s 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.

Friends of the Metolius Interpretive Walks

Join Susan Prince on this free interpretive walk f rom Camp Sherman Bridge to Allingham Bridge & back. Saturday, August 17, f rom 9 to 11 a.m. Obser ve the unique riparian habit at of the Metolius ecosystem that includes charismatic species such as osprey, river otters , and merganser ducks . Learn about recent changes to enhance habitat for fish and native plants. Susan’s cabin on the river has been in her family since the 1930’s . Meet near the Camp Sherman Bridge fish-viewing platform. Children are more than welcome, but dogs are not appropriate. Wear sturdy footwear and bring water. For information call 415-233-3243

Memorial Rock Dedication for Sisters Deceased Veterans

On Saturday, August 17, at 11 a.m., at Village Green Park , local Veterans groups will honor Sisters Veterans who have passed in 2023 -2024 with a brief ceremony reading the names to the bell toll and taps . e ceremony is open to everyone. For more information please call: Bill Anttila at 541-549-1132 or 805 231 2374, or Pat Bowe at 541-719- 00 49

Public Pickleball Cour ts ere are three pickleball courts available 7 days a week at the middle school tennis courts. All of the tennis courts are permanently lined for pickleball. ere are three temporar y nets up against the fence that can be moved out onto the court and used or you can bring your own nets . Please put the net back when you are done. Questions? Call Karen at 503-871-4172.

Free Pet Food

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

Sisters 4-H Dog Group for Youth

Have fun and meet new friends while learning about care & training of dogs , including anatomy, parasites , feeding , di erent sports that dogs can do, and more. Sisters K9 Paws 4-H encourages youth to set goals and helps to develop selfconfidence and problem-solving In August group members can show their dog at the Deschutes County Fair 4-H Dog Show. is group is open to children 9-18 years of age who weigh as much as their dog. Projects are available for Cloverbud children ages 5 to 8 . Register at Deschutes Count y Extension 4-H, 541-548-6088, ext. 2. New enrollment starts Oct. 1. For more information, cont act: Nanc y Hall 541-9044433, nancyhall4h@gmail.com.

Sisters St ar Watch

Plea se join the Sisters Astronomy Club on Saturday, August 24, for an evening under the stars . e star watch will begin at 8:30 p.m. with an informative presentation at Sisters Park & Rec District (SPRD) o ce building , after which visitors will move out onto the adjacent parking lot where telescopes will be set up to view the night sky. e event is f ree and all are invited . SPRD is located next to Sisters High School at 1750 McKinney Butte Rd . For more information email ron.thorkildson@gmail.com.

Drop-In Tennis with the Outlaws Outlaw Tennis is hosting free drop-in tennis on Tuesdays and ursdays f rom 5 to 7 p.m. through August 15. ese are not lessons , but a fun time to play the great game of tennis. Sessions are open to the Sisters communit y, including boys and girls, ages 10 and up, and adults. Held at Sisters Middle School tennis courts . Donations are accepted, but not required. For questions please contact: Girls Head Tennis Coach Bruce Fenn at 419-806-0167 or Boys Head Tennis Coach Vince Grace at 541-70 6-1392

Historic Guided Walking Tours

Join ree Sisters Historical Societ y for a free tour of Downtown Sisters L andmarks on August 21 or 25, or the Camp Polk Pioneer Cemetery on August 21. Learn more about who and what has helped “make Sisters , Sisters ” All tours begin at 10 a .m. (except August 25 at 3 p.m.), cover about a mile+, and take 1-1.5 hours . Families are welcome. Reservations are needed, so stop in the Sisters Museum on Fri/Sat/Sun, call 541-54914 03 or email museum@ threesistershistoricalsociet y.org with your contact info.

Looking for a golden girl to steal your heart? en look no further than Remi! She is a gentle, shy soul that would love to sit in your lap all day long . She is shy around new people but wants all the loves and pets once she warms up. Providing her with a cozy place to get away f rom all the noise of the world will help her adjust to your home.

Continued from page 2

the deer out, eight feet from our tiny backyards. There will be heavy equipment digging spaces for planting beds and a water system. Once built, gardeners will be out there bright and early every morning planting, weeding, watering, chitchatting eight feet from our bedroom windows. Again, in the early evening, those gardeners will out there eight feet from our open patio doors weeding, watering, picking, chatting, yelling at their kids.

I’m not a gardener myself, but I do love the Community Garden as a concept. When Trina and Marvin Benson were in charge at the airport location, I used to go over often, enjoyed Quilt Show luncheons, took photos and wrote articles for The Nugget, and I sincerely hope a new location can be found so the tradition can continue.

But please, have a heart, just NIMBY.

Diane Goble

To the Editor:

s s s

No firewood

Hats off to Ray’s Food Place for removing its offering of campfire wood for sale during this especially dangerous wildfire season. Perhaps Bi-Mart, Space Age, Ace Hardware, Oliver Lemon’s Sisters, and Sisters Pumphouse & Country Store will follow Ray’s lead before it’s too late? If you agree, please voice your opinion to a store manager when you do business at one of these establishments. I do.

Jeff Tryens

To the Editor:

s s s

Just an observation

I was excited to have the chance to observe the Perseid meteor shower Sunday night and was able to get a glimpse of a few streaks across the night sky around 9:40 p.m.

However, I got more than I bargained for when my attention turned to a bright blue round light above a hazy whitish crescent feature. It was in the east sky and not moving. Did anyone else see this?

I'd be interested in any feedback your readers may share, thank you.

Judy McCann

DuRocher steps up as acting Ranger

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Lauren DuRocher will serve as Acting District Ranger while current Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid fills a 120-day stint as Acting Modoc National Forest Supervisor. That temporary role places him in charge of four districts from an office in Alturas, California.

The Modoc covers 1.6 million acres spread over three northeast California counties.

Reid told the Modoc County Record, “I am excited to work with the caring and dedicated employees of the Modoc National Forest and to support the local communities and tribal partners who depend on the natural resources found on the Modoc.”

Since January 2021, DuRocher has served in the Sisters Ranger District office as Environmental Coordinator. Prior to that she was the NEPA Planner in the Forest’s Bend/Fort

Rock District.

From June of 2011 to March of 2015, DuRocher served as Frontcountry and Winter Recreation Manager at the Cle Elum District of the Wenatchee National Forest in Washington.

DuRocher holds Master Degrees of Environmental Management and Master of Forestry Candidate from Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University. Her undergraduate

degree is a Bachelor of Arts, Art History and Environmental Management from Boston College.

“I look forward to taking on this new role for the next few months,” said DuRocher. “It’s a great opportunity to broaden my perspective and leadership with the Forest Service. I am happy to continue working with the community and the great team of employees and volunteers at the Sisters Ranger District.”

Acting District Ranger, Lauren DuRocher, welcomed by Smokey Bear. DuRocher will oversee a workforce of 114.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Steber releases new book

Central Oregon author Rick Steber has released a new non-fiction tale, titled “A Cowboy Goes To War.”

Bud Fairclo was a cowboy who loved running wild mustangs and the open spaces of the High Desert. After the Japanese bombing at Pearl Harbor, he went off to war and returned home as one of the most decorated soldiers of World War II.

Bud’s son, Larry, finds himself adrift in an era of civil unrest and the prospect of having to go overseas and fight in an unpopular war in Vietnam. His safe harbor lies in gleaning the details of his father’s war hero status, the return of medals lost in a house fire, and paying tribute to all veterans –and their families – who have sacrificed so much to defend this country, and to assure us of the freedoms we all enjoy.

CENTER: Partnerships made opening facility possible

Continued from page 3

the new center.

“Given our current resources and capacity, the new Visitor Information Center is a hardworking and efficient way to provide our guests with a high-quality experience and deliver a variety of resources for the greater Sisters area,” explained Humpert. “The center provides the tourism ecosystem with an opportunity to further partner with other organizations in our community and connect guests with local artisans, makers, and producers.”

The Visitor Information Center was made possible in part through a partnership with Sisters Makers. Sisters Makers is a new non-profit with a mission to support artists, makers, growers, and innovators with facilities, education, and advocacy. Sisters Makers was awarded a rental contract from the City of Sisters for the facility at 291 E. Main Ave. earlier this year and partnered with Explore Sisters to deliver visitor information and the Sisters Farmers Market to expand market capacity and experience, both which help support and create connections with local makers. For more information about Explore Sisters or the Visitor Information Center, contact Scott Humpert at scotth@exploresisters.com.

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 14

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played). The Barn Live Music: Leadbetter Duo 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Cornhole Tournament

Sign up at 5:30 Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471

THURSDAY • AUGUST 15

Luckey's Woodsman Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave. Ste. B. 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.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night

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

FRIDAY • AUGUST 16

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby

8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Desert Suns 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

SATURDAY • AUGUST 17

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Countr y Fair

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fun for the whole family Free admission. Silent auction, music children’s games, café, book sale animals, and more. Proceeds donated to community support agencies. 121 N. Brooks Camp Rd Info: www.transfiguration-sisters.org/country-fair

Hardtails Live Music: Petty Fever a multi-award winning full production tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers featuring the captivating Frank Murray 8 to 10 p .m. 21+. Tickets $20 at www.BendTicket.com.

Luckey's Woodsman Live Music: Travis Ehrenstrom "Serenade in the Shade" Saturday music series featuring folk rock 4 to 7 p.m. BBQ special. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave. Ste. B. The Barn Live Music: Sean Allen and Vibe Shiftas 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: thebarninsisters.com.

Pine Meadow Ranch Art Workshop: Natural Dyes Series

Madelaine Corbin presents "Bundle Dyeing, Ecoprinting and Plant Printing." 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Save 10% with code Nugget10. Tickets at www.roundhousefoundation.org/events/.

Sisters Depot Courtyard Live Music: Bob Baker & Mark Barringer 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets $5 at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show 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

SUNDAY • AUGUST 18

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Bill Keale

6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages

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 • AUGUST 19

The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Love, Dean "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free for all and for all ages

TUESDAY • AUGUST 20

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Evan Mullins

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

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 21

The Barn Live Music: Critical Blues Band 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Cornhole Tournament Sign up at 5:30 Free For info call Eurosports at 541-549-2471

THURSDAY • AUGUST 22

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Haute Melange brings a special night of Gypsy jazz swing The band includes violinist Bob Baker, Scott Johnson on guitar Jon Harnum on guitar and trumpet, Dillon Schneider on guitar, and Evan Brawn on stand up bass 6-8 p.m. Free entry Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Jeff Alessandrelli presents "And Yet" with special guest Carrie J. Walker 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

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.

Luckey's Woodsman Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave. Ste. B. 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.

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

FRIDAY • AUGUST 23

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

Makin’ It Local Artist Reception: Kathy Deggendorfer 4 to 7 p.m. "Patterns" featuring newly released prints. Refreshments and decent wine served. 281 W. Cascade Ave. More info: www.makinitlocal.com.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114. Madras Airport The Airshow Festival 1 to 11 p.m. Airshow, aircraft displays classic car show, live music fireworks. Tickets and info: www.airshowofthecascades.com.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Rockridge 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471

SATURDAY • AUGUST 24

Hardtails Live Music: The Pink a tribute to Pink Floyd Special 3-hour performance with light show 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets $25 at www.BendTicket.com.

Sisters Depot Courtyard Live Music: Silvertone Devils 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets $10 at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.

Luckey's Woodsman Live Music: Zach Madison "Serenade in the Shade" Saturday music series 4 to 7 p.m.

BBQ special. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave., Ste. B. The Barn Live Music: Henkle Butte Ramblers 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.

Pine Meadow Ranch Art Workshop: Natural Dyes Series

Madelaine Corbin presents "24 Natural Dye Samples for Color Journal." 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Save 10% with code Nugget10. Tickets at www.roundhousefoundation.org/events/. Madras Airport The Airshow Festival 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Airshow, aircraft displays, classic car show, live music Tickets and info: www.airshowofthecascades.com.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Car Show 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

SUNDAY • AUGUST 25

Sisters Saloon Live Music: Lilli Worona & John Shipe 6 to 8 p.m. on the

an unexpected shortage of orthopedic providers that has created a higher demand for our services.”

They continued: “What This Means for You. Longer wait times during your visits. Delays in scheduling appointments and procedures. Slower response times for routine questions from our medical staff…

“We understand that waiting for medical care can be a frustrating experience, especially when you’re dealing with pain or discomfort. Please know that we are doing everything within our power to minimize these delays. We are actively recruiting additional staff.

“Be Kind to Our Staff: They are the backbone of our practice, working tirelessly under challenging circumstances. Any delays are beyond their control, and your kindness and understanding are greatly appreciated.”

Amid the crisis, St. Charles Health System (SCHS) is considering purchasing some or all The Center’s operations, announcing last week that the two healthcare organizations would “expand” their relationship. But what exactly that means for The Center is

unclear. CEO Brett Hazlett says the full legal transaction hasn’t yet been defined.

“Whatever form that takes, the end result is that the majority of the employees will become employees of St. Charles,” he said.

The Center is the region’s main provider of orthopedic and neurosurgical services, as well as offering physical and rehabilitation medicine.

However last Thursday the Oregon Health Authority denied a request by SCHS to fast-track the acquisition.

St. Charles has filed for an “emergency exemption” to a new state regulatory review process, saying the chain, known as “The Center,” was in danger of going under due to an exodus of doctors, and declining payments from insurance.

The Center has 200 employees, and St. Charles executives had said they would employ “a substantial number” of them following the deal’s conclusion.

The Nugget interviewed Isaac Harris and Paige McAndrews both in the front of recruiting at St. Charles, Harris for doctors and specialists, and McAndrews whose work is to keep the hospital and clinics fully staffed with nurses. The fourhospital system currently lists openings for 289 positions among them 14 physicians and 42 nursing professionals and eight advanced practice providers.

There are no openings for

orthopedic surgeons. Both say that St. Charles is competitive in salary and benefits. The primary challenge is nearly always geographic based. Candidates have many options and those looking at Central Oregon are often swayed to larger cities like Denver, Boise, Seattle, and Portland.

It’s easier to recruit for Bend and Sisters than Prineville or Madras, Harris said.

Housing costs are an obstacle both say. McAndrews recalled that it was only a few years ago that candidates from Portland would find it cost advantageous to transfer to Bend. No longer is that the case, as Bend and Sisters housing costs often exceed those of Portland.

Bend’s median age is 39.5 according to World Population Review. In Sisters it’s 49.4. Per capita, Sisters uses more health services especially in orthopedics.

Debi Lancaster in Sisters is typical of those who have been waiting for more than six months for a

Co-Working Space at Fika!

knee replacement.

“I’m on hold with no firm date and I don’t know if it’s a shortage of doctors or facilities,” she told The Nugget.

St. Charles is hoping to meet more of its talent needs locally. The Three Sisters Rural Track Program is the first Graduate Medical Education Program and Rural Track Program in Central Oregon. As a 1-2 program, this residency will recruit up to six residents per class.

Residents will spend their first year in Portland, followed by two years in Central Oregon at their Madras hospital and Family Care Clinic. In partnership with Oregon Health & Science University, this program aims to bring together educational teams within various clinical models to help meet rural needs.

Harris is hopeful that they can “grow” more local talent reducing the need for longdistance hiring.

A year ago, St. Charles was experiencing a high vacancy rate exacerbated by workforce shortages related to the pandemic and a nationwide shortage of nurses.

I’m on hold with no firm date and I don’t know if it’s a shortage of doctors or facilities...

— Debi Lancaster

To meet patient care needs, SCHS brought in many expensive temporary nurses to cover key positions.

Today, St. Charles’ labor shortage is all but erased and the vacancy rate for acute care nurses is down to 6 percent (from a high of more than 20 percent in early 2023). One key factor in this turnaround is traveling nurses, like Teeters, opting to apply for permanent positions with St. Charles. These conversions used to be extremely rare, but not anymore. In 2022, St. Charles hired four traveling into permanent positions. In 2023, that ballooned to 58 travelers into permanent positions and so far, this year 18 travelers have already been hired into permanent spots.

Peak Performance Painting.

Sisters company offers precision in painting

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Jacob deSmet started painting houses and refinishing decks during college at George Fox University, where he was pursuing a degree in business management. He enjoyed the work, and when he had finished school, he decided to combine his educational background with the work he’d found a knack for, and he launched his own painting company.

He joined his family in a move to Sisters, and brought Peak Performance Painting with him.

“I do interior and exterior painting and I also do deck refinishing,” he told The Nugget.

This summer, the deck work has been a staple.

Customer satisfaction is the driving force behind deSmet’s endeavor.

“I try to focus on ending my jobs with a satisfied customer,” he said. “I go through multiple times with the customer to make sure they’re happy before we decide a job is done.”

To gain that sign-off requires an intense attention to detail, which is something that comes naturally to deSmet, and he brings it to every job.

DeSmet himself finds a lot of satisfaction in the work, which is why he decided to keep going with it. Unlike many jobs, painting provides a tangible sense of a job well done.

“I like being able to see the start versus the finish with the job,” he said.

DeSmet is very happy to have landed in Sisters.

“The area is awesome,’ he said. “It’s got everything.” He takes full advantage of

TRAIL: Cam captured an exceptional amount of wildlife activity

Lauren DuRocher, Acting District Ranger for the Sisters District, said, “We received a wide variety of comments. As a result of public input and further analysis there will probably be modifications and adjustments to the plan. We always appreciate public feedback.”

all Sisters Country has to offer.

“I like hiking, snowboarding, riding ATVs and that sort of thing,” he said. “And I like golf.”

DeSmet played tight end on the George Fox University football team, and he is bringing his expertise to the field to help the Outlaws this season.

“I’m actually coaching football,” he said.

He will serve as an assistant coach, working with wide receivers and defensive backs.

For more information on Peak Performance Painting, contact Jacob deSmet at 503-559-9327.

Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) who hold a special use permit from the Forest Service to act as trail stewards in Sisters Country are an integral stakeholder among other area users groups who have been part of the process and analysis. Stephanie Presley, STA Executive Director, told The Nugget that, “We have been very welcome and valued at the table and are an ongoing part of the process. We hear from many users of the need to expand the trail system and/or minimize conflict from competing users.”

STA is accompanying some of the Forest Service specialists who are out marking existing and potential trails.

Included in the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife comments are references to the impact on wildlife: “The Project intersects USFS designated Deer Habitat, and two Conservation Opportunity Areas and multiple Priority Wildlife Connectivity Areas identified in the Department’s Oregon Conservation Strategy. Increased human activity is related to changes

in wildlife behavior including increased stress. In addition, bicycles can cause degradation of wildlife habitat through erosion and widening of trails. Although the Project plans to abandon eight miles of trail, the realignment and construction of some trails, especially Brush Creek Trail and Trail A, transects important summer ungulate habitat that is currently intact and functionally uninterrupted by roads or trails.”

In expressing his concern Bronstein said: “Do we want Sisters to look like Bend— which is essentially a wildlife desert—or do we want to leave room for the critters we

are lucky enough to share our forests with? To give them space, we would have to begin showing some restraint. The political and local pressure for recreation to continue to grow and expand has a cost.

“We’re displacing native wildlife at a dizzying rate. Time for the Forest Service to put on the brakes and develop an Environmental Assessment with a reasonable range of alternatives for the STAR project. Discovering this wildlife superhighway along the proposed downhill mountain bike trail is an extraordinary circumstance.”

A trail cam has captured black bear, cougars and numerous mule deer on the site of a proposed trail.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Attention to detail and customer satisfaction

Art in the High Desert brings top-tier work to Central Oregon

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Art lovers across Central Oregon are preparing for a feast of top-tier art in a wide range of media as Art in the High Desert returns to Bend August 23-25.

The show will run Friday evening through Sunday afternoon at Riverbend Park across from the Old Mill District. The venue marks a return to Bend after 2023’s show ran in Redmond, a development welcomed by both organizers and patrons.

“Bend is where we’ve been for so many years, it seemed like the right place,” said board member and graphic designer Brian O’Neill.

Some 135 to 140 artists will display their work on an expansive grassy area alongside the Deschutes River.

“It’s a pleasant place to be,” O’Neill said.

Many patrons make a full day — or multiple days — of what amounts to a festival

celebration of the highest quality art. Organizers have consistently sought out the finest work for the show.

“They’re serious about it being the highest-end show it can be, so it has a pretty serious jury process,” O’Neill said.

High-end does not equate to exclusive though, O’Neill notes.

“I wouldn’t call it an exclusive show,” he said. “Most artists have a range of price points. There is something for everybody. It’s quite a spread actually.”

The range of art is staggering — from ceramics and sculpture to wearable and non-wearable fiber art; painting; digital art; multi-media creations; photography; printmaking.

All the work must be original, created by the artist, and not mass produced in any way. Patrons who attend the show year in and year out tend to be looking for unique art that displays a high level of

skill and creativity. Attendees at the show will be interacting with the artist who created the work.

“We have a lot of collectors who come, interior designers, people who are looking for quality art that can go in a home or a business area,” O’Neill said.

Art in the High Desert welcomes serious collectors and those who simply enjoy and appreciate art. The venue is conducive to spending a day browsing the artists booths, and there will be food and refreshment available on-site. The show opens on Friday, August 23 at 5 p.m.

Art in the High Desert is returning to Bend at Riverbend Park.

PHOTO BY MICHEAL KELLOGG

New child care center opening

By Matt Van Slyke Correspondent

As school and construction teams ready a new elementary school on West McKinney Butte Road, one teacher is transforming rooms in the old school building into a new school for very young children.

Soul Blossom Child Care Center (Soul Blossom CCC) will be located at 611 E. Cascade Ave. Director April Farmer, a teacher from Bend, saw a need in Sisters as an opportunity to manifest her dream.

“I’ve always had a soft spot for Sisters,” said Farmer. “When I was a kid, I remember my mom taking me to the quilting festival. The area is beautiful.”

Another impetus was the closing of Mountain Montessori.

“Thinking about my experience, and how important it was for me to have child care to be able to work, I thought, ‘This is important. Someone needs to do something,’” Farmer said.

She created a Waldorfinspired curriculum, secured a $300,000 NeighborImpact Child Care Expansion Grant, and negotiated a lease with building owner Sisters School District. Between remodeling, hiring teachers, and meeting prospective families, Farmer gave The Nugget a tour.

“This is going to be a child scare hall for young children. On the left is the Sisters Parks and Rec preschool program. I don’t compete with their program; I only offer (ages) 0-to3, because currently no one offers 0-to-3 care,” Farmer explained.

Her center will have infant rooms, an infant feeding room, toddler rooms, teacher workrooms, and spaces for parent meetings, child development classes, and caregiver support groups.

“The idea is offering wraparound care for parents, because being a caregiver can be so challenging.”

Eugenia Grimalt, a pediatric physical therapist currently with Treehouse Therapies, is on board.

“She trains my staff, gives

them consultations, and also will offer child development classes to parents, which is cool because over half the parents so far are interested,” Farmer said.

Waldorf-certified early childhood educator Cecelia McClellan will train a dozen teachers.

Farmer, a biologist and science teacher skilled in Next Generation Science Standards, will teach basic science applicable to very young minds.

“I’ve noticed in classrooms that the scientific thinking that you want a child to have, we’re developing it in middle school or in high school. It needs to start when they’re beginning.”

Toys and play provide experiential learning in math and literacy. Kids will also enjoy outdoor play and grow food in a garden and greenhouse with help from local organic farm Seed to Table.

“We’re going to grow herbs and potatoes and carrots. We make fresh food onsite. We will make soups and also make bread each week.

The children, from a very young age, can harvest and learn about all the different herbs and smell them in the mornings,” Farmer said.

Enrollment fees range from $960 to $1920 per month, depending on age and schedule.

“We have five full-time toddler slots available and one part-time and two full-time infant slots,” Farmer said.

“Our rates are high due to our commitment to highquality programming. By offering competitive pay and benefits packages, we are able to recruit highquality applicants,” Farmer explained.

The center opens September 3, same as the new elementary school, and aims to serve 32 newborn-to3-year-olds, plus summer and after-school programs for 30 elementary students.

Soul Blossom CCC is hosting an open house on August 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. Farmer says all prospective families are welcome to attend or email april@sisters soulblossom.org.

Portland author shares new work of fiction

Portland author Jeff Alessandrelli will share his novel “And Yet” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, August 22, at 6:30 p.m.

An innovative work of fiction, “And Yet” interrogates contemporary shyness, selfhood and sexual mores, drawing out the particulars of each through historical references, cultural commentary, and the author’s own restless imagination. Alessandrelli will be in conversation with Central Oregon Community College professor and writer Carrie J. Walker, who will read from her essay “In the Company of Cougars,” which was recently published in Oregon Humanities.

Jeff Alessandrelli is the author of five books, most recently the novel “And Yet,” and the poetry collection “Fur Not Light.” His work has been published in The American Poetry Review, BOMB, Chicago Review, Gulf Coast, Boston Review, Fence, and elsewhere. In

addition to his writing, he also directs and co-edits the nonprofit book press/record label Fonograf Editions. Carrie Walker lives in the dusty borderlands between Bend and Sisters and teaches writing and literature at Oregon Community College and Deer Ridge Correctional Institution. Though she has historically written literary criticism, she has crossed over into creative nonfiction. She is currently working on a memoir titled “Tangled Up in Blue.”

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

Jeff Alessandrelli.

PHOTO PROVIDED

PHOTO BY MATT VAN SLYKE

4-H club participates in dog show

Sisters K-9 Paws 4-H Club participated in the Deschutes County Dog Fair Show on July 30. Members showed in Obedience, Rally, Showmanship, and Agility. Fair participation increased to 22 members, which increased competition.

The Sisters youth placed in the following categories:

Obedience: Wyatt Whittaker — Champion; Savannah Weston — Reserve Champion; and Phoenix Padilla — Reserve Champion.

Rally: Whittaker Wyatt — Reserve Champion; McKenna Lee — Blue; Phoenix Padilla — Red; Morgan Whittaker — Red.

Showmanship: Blue Ribbons: Wyatt Whittaker, Savannah Weston, Avery Elbers, Phoenix Padilla, and Morgan and McKenzie Whittaker.

SHOOTING: Sisters man faces multiple charges from incident

Continued from page 1

on the west side of Sisters at about 12:20 a.m. on Friday, August 9. Multiple 911 calls from citizens reported that they were hearing numerous gun shots from areas to the north and east of the original call for service.

Deputies responded to the area and attempted to locate the origin of the shooting complaint. While searching the area deputies located a man near the Pacific Pride fueling station who appeared to have crashed his bicycle.

The male was identified as Christopher A. Reese, who had sustained minor injuries from the bicycle crash. During the contact a deputy witnessed a black semi-automatic pistol on the sidewalk

Agility: Avery Elbert — Blue; McKenna Lee — Red; Phoenix Padilla — Red; McKenzie Whittaker — Red.

“The kids did great,” said club leader Nancy Hall. “The county fair is an opportunity to show their end of the year project.”

The 4-H year starts October 1 and ends in August. Youth learn about their dogs, care, training, anatomy, sports, and more. They gain confidence, give presentations, and more.

The biggest weakness now is lack of safe agility equipment (expensive) and a local covered place to practice.

“The fair is not all about winning medals,” said Hall. “If the kids are having fun, learning and building relationships with their dogs, that is most important.”

near the crashed bicycle, and a black hooded sweatshirt.

Reese told the deputy the firearm belonged to him.

DCSO reported that during the course of the investigation deputies determined Reese was intoxicated, and he admitted to discharging the semi-automatic pistol numerous times into the ground as he rode his bicycle home from a bar in Sisters.

Evidence on scene and witness statements supported the conclusion that the firearm was discharged into the ground and not towards any individual or building. Witnesses provided statements to the deputies identifying a male riding a bicycle, shooting what appeared to be a handgun into the ground while on the bicycle.

Reese was arrested and lodged at the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Adult Jail.

WORD OF THE DAY…

Exemplum: An example or model, especially a moralizing or illustrative story.

Wyatt Whittaker, McKenna Lee, Morgan Whittaker, Phoenix Padilla, Avery Elbers and McKenzie Whittaker of the Sisters K-9 Paws 4-H Club. Not pictured, Savannah Weston.

PHOTO COURTESY NANCY HALL

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

101 Real Estate

1,518 sq. ft. 3BR/2.5 BA

New construction in historic district. 347 W. Jefferson. 2 blocks from coffee.

Many special features. $719,000. 541-420-7128

102 Commercial Rentals

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

8 x 20 dry box

Fenced yard, RV & trailers

• In-town, gated, 24-7

EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

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.

Retail space for lease.

351 W. Cascade Ave.

1,543 sq. ft. ground floor, plus 552 sq. ft. second floor. Available August 1. 541-408-1658.

OFFICE/RETAIL

SPACE FOR RENT

Great location across from Ace Hardware.

Several space types available. Call owner

Jim Peterson/RE Broker. 503-238-1478

AVAILABLE SOON

Prime retail space in The Gallery Annex Bld. next to the Paper Place. Approx. 2,000 sq. ft.

Contact Jim at 1-208-318-4323

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

202 Firewood

• SPRING SPECIAL • SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD • SINCE 1976 • KINDLING

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

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

205 Garage & Estate Sales MOVING SALE

Everything must go!

Furniture, all household items, hunting, fishing and camping equipment. Friday, August 16 8 am. to 4 p.m., Saturday August 17, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 67153 Harrington Loop Rd. Keep right at big rock. 2-family downsizing/moving sale. Antiques, furniture, outdoor furniture, kitchenware, small appliances, framed artwork, assorted indoor lighting. Too much to list. Don't miss out!

Fri. and Sat., 8 to 4, Sun. 8 to 2. 14893 Buckboard

HOME decor, tools, motorcycle leathers, table/bar stools/dining chairs, lamps, TV/stand, clocks, bedding, Q mattress, garden equipment, etc.! Jack stands/ ramps. 256 South Timber Creek, Sisters. 8/16-8/17, 9:00-2:30, no early birds. Cash only.

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

541-719-8475

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

Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC

jobs, security cameras, WAPs. CCB #191099 541-318-7000 • 541-306-0729

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

UPGRADES LLC

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

SUDOKU

Construction & Renovation

Custom Residential Projects

All Phases • CCB #148365

541-420-8448

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

New construction, addition, remodel. Large and small projects. Contact for estimate. 541-325-3020

sales@gardnercontractingllc.com

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services

EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com

541-390-1206

beavercreeklog@yahoo.com

Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc.

CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond

CASCADE GARAGE DOORS

Factory Trained Technicians

Since 1983 • CCB #44054

541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553

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

602 Plumbing & Electric SWEENEY

Ridgeline Electric, LLC

Serving all of Central Oregon • Residential

Commercial

• Industrial • Service

541-588-3088 • CCB #234821

603 Excavation & Trucking

ROBINSON & OWEN

Heavy Construction, Inc.

All your excavation needs

*General excavation

*Site Preparation

*Sub-Divisions

*Road Building

*Sewer and Water Systems

*Underground Utilities

*Grading

*Sand-Gravel-Rock

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

CCB #124327

541-549-1848

Full Service Excavation

Free On-site Visit & Estimate

Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition Trucking

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

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24

Whatever You Want!

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

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

Excavation: septic system installation and repair, utility installation, site prep, demolition, road and driveway construction and maintenance. "We dig your project" contact 541-325-3020 sales@gardnercontractingllc.com

Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining

CCB#180042

541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk

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

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

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

Flow State Property Improvements LLC Fall cleanups, pine needle removal, weed whacking, bark and gravel refreshing. Contact Steve at 503-884-2165 or email flowstatepi@gmail.com

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

Alpine Landscape Maintenance An All-Electric Landscape Company. Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.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

STEVE'S HAULING Yard and other debris, landscaping services, etc. 707-328-8370

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 BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

Firefighter/Paramedic

Black Butte Ranch RFPD is seeking dedicated applicants for the position of Firefighter/Paramedic. The Firefighter/Paramedic position works under the direction of a Fire Captain/Paramedic and is one of two on-duty career personnel. Joining our progressive and dynamic fire and EMS organization means participating in emergency response (fire & EMS), training, and community service roles, among other duties. The application packet is available on-line at https://blackbutteranchfire.com/ employment/ or call (541) 595-2288 to request an application packet. Completed applications must be received by 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at the following location: Black Butte Ranch RFPD, POB 8000, PMB 8190, Sisters, OR 97759. Applications may also be emailed to: jvohs@blackbutteranchfire.com. Physical address is 13511 Hawks Beard, Sisters, OR 97759. Current salary range $62,214$85,948 annually, plus benefits. Placement in salary range depends on experience, qualifications, and current budget. Black Butte Ranch RFPD is an equal opportunity employer.

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 Saturday, Sunday 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 Employment Opportunity Office Assistant Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Office Assistant. Detailed announcement, job description, and application may be obtained via the District website at www.sistersfire.com or the business office at 301 South Elm Street, Sisters, OR 97759. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on September 6, 2024. For more information contact 541-549-0771. www.nuggetnews.com

803 Work Wanted

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