The Nugget
An art display of wooden fish painted by Sisters students as far back as 2016 was reinstalled on the fence along Highway 20 at the east end of town last week. Laura Campbell, who led the original project, worked with Sisters Elementary School teacher Clay Warburton to bring the fish back, after the display was removed during construction of the roundabout.
Community forum explores youth well-being
Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Folks in Sisters turned out on a snowy evening on Sunday to take stock of the well-being of youth in the community.
The broad conclusion of the Citizens4Community (C4C) forum “Are the Kids Alright?” held at Sisters Elementary School was that Sisters has a lot of assets that support youth well-being — but there are still challenges
that the community should work to address.
Panelists were Lindsey Overstreet of Mosaic Community Health’s schoolbased health clinic in Sisters; Ami Formica of Well Wired, a Bend-based tech advocacy group; long-time school counselor Charlie Kanzig; and Faith Keeton, Sisters High School senior class vice president.
Discussion touched on the
See YOUTH on page 18
How will Sisters grow?
The City of Sisters will host an open house on its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Expansion process on Monday, December 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the new Sisters Elementary School. City staff is inviting the public to come learn more about the future of the community and make their voices heard.
All are invited to the open house: Sisters residents, as well as those living in Sisters Country and beyond.
Attendees will learn more about progress made so far on the UGB expansion project — including on how much land is needed to address needed housing, businesses, parks, roads, and other elements of the community to keep up with the
See UGB on page 17
22 reasons to sweat for veterans
Cody Rheault Correspondent
It was 6 a.m. last Saturday at Level 5 CrossFit when a group of 33 men formed a loose circle around Ryan Hudson, owner. It was an uncanny hour for such a workout, if not for the cause it represented. “Blood, sweat, and tears for those who have served our country, that’s why we’re here,” he says.
“Every rep represents a veteran fallen to suicide. Every minute stands for them.”
This particular workout was the first of its kind.
Consisting of 22 movements, 22 reps each, over a 22-minute time frame. It stood for the average 22 veterans who take their own lives every day in America.
He quotes the Bible verse Psalms 23:4 which says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Looking at the men in the circle, Hudson says, “When veterans come home, they enter a new valley. But God shares in our suffering. This
workout represents that journey.”
After a group prayer the men split into pairs. At the trigger of the timed clock and a loud “go,” men drop to the floor, hands shoulderwidths apart, into a pushup and the first of 22 symbolic movements.
Discussions around suicide are delicate, shrouded in shame or profound confusion, but for veterans of America’s military the reality is more real than many know. According to a 2020
See 22 REASONS on page 19
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
OPINION
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.
Appreciation
To the Editor:
Hats off to the Sisters School District for its Veterans Appreciation Celebration held at both the elementary and high schools on November 12.
The assemblage of students from all three schools, including the intermediate school, and the program of patriotic/service songs, as well as recognition of both Sisters area veterans and Sisters HS graduates who have gone into military service after graduation, was absolutely heartwarming. Appreciation goes both ways. We veterans received appreciation for our service from students and staff; in turn we extend our appreciation to the students and staff for their recognition. Nicely done.
Len Knott
s s s
Veterans Day is every day
To the Editor:
Last week, many organizations hosted Veterans Day celebrations. We as a society need to keep veterans in our thoughts daily, and not just one day a year. Many veterans still struggle daily from PTSD, aftermaths of sexual assaults, and depression. Their tour of duty may have ended but some are still living
in the theater.
The Veterans Administration (VA) is doing a better job of providing mental health care but it is not enough. The suicide rate in Oregon among veterans is significantly higher than the national veteran suicide rate. If you know a Veteran in a mental health crisis and they are thinking about hurting themselves, get help right away by dialing 988 then press 1, or text 838255, or start a confidential chat. If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 800-799-4889. Let the veteran know that they are not alone — not just one day a year.
Laurie
Kimmell, MSgt, USAF (Ret.)
s s s
Protecting Owyhee Canyonlands
To the Editor:
I recently read an inspiring op-ed from Congressman DeFazio advocating permanent protections for the Owyhee Canyonlands. I’ve been working on this for more than a decade, and for more than the past five years, Senator Wyden has worked with stakeholders to craft and pass protective legislation for Owyhee Canyonlands. While these protections are supported by over 70 percent of Oregonians, no version has yet cleared the Senate. The
See LETTERS on page 12
The Nugget Newspaper, LLC
Website: www.nuggetnews.com
442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759
Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon.
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Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen
The Nugget is available to pick up free at The Nugget office and at businesses throughout Sisters and Tumalo; mail subscriptions are available in the 97759, 97756, 97730, and 97703 zip codes for $55/year; subscriptions outside these zip codes: $70/year, $45/six months (or less).
On political discussion
By Julie Fugate Guest Columnist
I grew up in a newspaper family. Both my parents worked for the San Jose Mercury News. My dad was the art director. My mom sold advertising. My family knew the publishers at the time. Politics and current events were an every night discussion at the dinner table.
My mom was a stickler for dinner time – always at the dining room table with proper manners and each of us four girls were expected to participate in the adult conversation my parents were having. Politics was a frequent topic. We discussed the president, the congress, what bills may have been pending or garnering attention. We talked about the Vietnam war, student protests, Watergate and the Supreme Court. We were encouraged to ask questions, to disagree (respectfully) and to be informed and involved. In high school I was required to take a government class. It was 1976, and an election year. I wasn’t old enough to vote, but as part of class we were required to work for a campaign. It didn’t matter for what office or party. We just had to be part of the campaign process. I chose Leon Panetta’s run for Congress. It was his first time running and I chose him not because of his party or politics, but because my mom had grown up next door to his family’s ranch in Carmel Valley. It was an amazing experience. I worked on getting out the vote. I worked the phones. I solicited donations. I did mailers. I knocked on doors.
And I got an A in government class. And Mr. Panetta won. I watched his career with pride knowing I played some very small part in getting him elected. But the biggest benefit was really getting a deep understanding of how a campaign worked and how our government worked. Today, I’m almost afraid to talk politics with anyone. People are not only divided but often nasty to those who don’t agree with them. The assumption seems to be that if you don’t agree the other person is somehow terrible, stupid, or worse. The use of disparaging labels such as “libtard” or “deplorables” are juvenile and deeply offensive.
Can we not agree to disagree? Can we not listen to each other without vilifying folks who don’t agree with us? It makes me sad. I have traveled the world and this truly is a remarkable country. Sadly the hate and vitriol have become the norm. I have friends across the political spectrum and while I may not agree with their choice, it is, in fact, their choice to vote for whomever they want. And I’m still friends with them. There are those who say to cut off “friends” who disagree, but then the opportunity to discuss issues is gone.
Let’s have the discussion, calmly and respectfully without falling back on insults and name calling. Let’s agree to disagree. I love this country and our system of government as I know those who do not agree with me do. We have far more in common than is assumed. Let’s focus on common ground and work from there.
Views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.
...and winter is coming on. A rainy and snowy week is underway in Sisters Country, with substantial snow falling on the Cascade crest.
PHOTO BY KRIS KRISTOVICH
COMMUNITY
Outlaws media students visit U of O
take in everything around them.
The new Outlaw Media class at Sisters High School is introducing a wide array of skills to SHS students. Many of these skills are founded on hands-on interactions, which led to their recent field trip to the Allen Hall School of Journalism and the University of Oregon.
A small group of eight students, including chaperones Susan Seaney and Matt Hilgers, were led around campus by Mikala Selman, a current SOJC student and junior ambassador. The group met with Professors Kelli Matthews and Kym Rohman before talking with production specialist Jon Sharpy. They toured the broadcast studio, production rooms, and podcast studio, making sure to
The tour was informational in numerous ways, both providing ideas for life post-high school and allowing students to visualize concepts learned in class.
“I think the class got a ton out of the trip,” said Jack Turpen, Outlaw Media program coordinator. “Experiences like this are vital to our juniors and seniors who are still looking into what their career
Experiences like this are vital to our juniors and seniors who are still looking into what their career path could be.
— Jack Turpen
path could be. It was also beneficial to Outlaw Media Club members of the group who run day-to-day operations like news and assemblies. They walked away with several ideas on future improvements for our Outlaw Media studio at the high school.”
“I learned a lot as a senior being able to look around colleges and apply things that I learned in class” said senior Brooklyn Cooper.
Turpen told The Nugget that it was additionally beneficial to see what kind of equipment they were using and realize that their smalltown technology wasn’t too different from what was being used on campus.
The field trip marks the first of what Turpen hopes to be many more interactions with real-world applications of the class.
Festival creative director shifts role
Brad Tisdel will be leaving his current role as fulltime creative director with SFF Presents (SFFP) at the end of the year. Tisdel has formed a company that will be hired to coordinate talent booking for both of the group’s annual music festivals, the Sisters Folk Festival and Big Ponderoo.
Tisdel has been instrumental in the success of SFFP (formerly SFF, Inc.) since he joined the organization in its early stages in 2000. His dedication and visionary leadership were critical in co-founding and establishing the innovative Americana Project at Sisters High School, creating and
running the Americana Song Academy, co-writing and implementing the five-year Studio to School OCF grant in partnership with Sisters public schools, and growing SFFP to a year-round cultural arts organization.
He was a key member of the Connected by Creativity capital campaign committee that concluded in 2019 and helped SFFP raise funds needed to purchase the Sisters Artworks Building and adjacent land, which serves as their headquarters, community space, and a music and event venue.
Tisdel has been the
Hunting Christmas trees in Sisters forests
The public can now purchase Christmas tree permits for the 2024 season at Forest Service offices, online, and from local vendors around Central Oregon for use on the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests.
Purchase online at Recreation.gov — a $5 per permit with an additional $2.50 reservation fee. Permits purchased online must be printed to be valid.
In-person permits are available at Forest Service offices and several local vendors (bit.ly/3fsheXA).
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills
Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.
Alcoholics A nonymou s
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills
Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration
Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild
For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail A lliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter will not have their regular meetings in November or December
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
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
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 no- host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welcome, 5 41-241-6 56 3.
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., Spoons Rest aurant. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School
Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203
Individual permits are $5 and households can purchase a maximum of five permits. Fourth-graders are eligible for a free permit as a part of the Every Kid Outdoors initiative, a national program to encourage children to visit national parks, forests, and public lands. To be eligible, the student must have an Every Kid Outdoors pass (information can be found at https://everykidoutdoors. gov/index.htm). Students can obtain their free permit
Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org.
PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN
Sisters High School media team members got a glimpse of university programs on a field trip.
Olivia Nieto Correspondent
Although your life circumstances may not have triggered your current depressed mood, what you tell yourself about the events in your life, how you frame your experience in your mind, strongly influences how you perceive an event; some ways of making sense of your life directly contribute to depression.
Mitchel Luftig Columnist
There are events that occur over the course of one’s life that have the potential to cause depression — going through a painful divorce, adjusting to widowhood, living with chronic illness, becoming a caregiver for an ill parent or life partner, losing your job and struggling to find another.
Sometimes depression takes root, not as a result of an external event but from biological changes within one’s brain. But we are so used to looking within our life circumstances for the cause of our depressed mood that we may ignore the role played by biology in our depression.
In an effort to figure out what life circumstances may have led to depression, we may create an exhaustive mental list of everything that seems to be going wrong with our life, from dissatisfaction with our relationships with friends and family, to our performance in school, job, or our career.
Once we convince ourselves that it is our awful life that is depressing us, we may develop tunnel vision, blinding us to all of the rewarding aspects to our life, ignoring all of our successes. Focusing exclusively on negative data, we may not be able to recognize when our life is actually going okay.
When you conclude that your life is awful, when you are unable to recognize any rewarding aspects to your life, your depression is more likely to persist.
We need a way to differentiate between depression caused by external circumstances and one caused by biological factors. If your life has not changed significantly (e.g., fired from your job) but you are nevertheless suffering with a depressed mood, biology is the most likely explanation.
To determine whether you are realistically appraising an event or whether you have conferred meaning to an event more likely to lead to depression, you must learn to track your thoughts.
Let’s say your best friend hasn’t called you for several weeks and you notice the thought popping into your mind, “I must have done something really awful to upset her or she would have called me.”
As a result of this thought, you are more likely to feel defensive and insecure about your friendship. Your mood becomes irritable. And when your friend finally calls, you might either jump down their throat for shutting you out of their life or make endless apologies for any imagined wrong doing.
If these responses strain your friendship, you might notice other negative thoughts, such as “I don’t deserve friends. I just bring
everyone down,” which causes you to withdraw from your friends, which weakens your support network, and as a result, you may become more depressed.
On the other hand, if your explanation for your friend not calling you is benign— “Maybe her dad has suffered another stroke”— you are more likely to feel sympathetic, reach out to offer support, and view yourself as a caring friend.
Challenging negative thoughts and learning to frame your experience in a positive way, is an excellent tool to promote happiness, rather than depression.
Another way to alter your perception of your life circumstances is to practice gratitude.
If you want to become more grateful:
• Value your relationships, especially the people who act in a thoughtful manner, more than your prosperity or the material goods that you possess.
• Recognize the conditions for happiness that already exist in your life rather than fantasizing how happy you would be if you could only live someone’s more glamorous life.
• Replace the cynical view that people will only look out for their own
selfish interests with the optimistic view that people often treat each other in a thoughtful manner.
• Value acts of generosity, kindness, and helpfulness as a gift, given to you freely, rather than something “due you” because you are so much more important than everyone around you.
Keep a gratitude journal:
• Make a conscious decision (set your intention) to become happier and more grateful and view the act of journaling as a valuable tool to get you there.
• Focus on acts of
kindness rather than the things people have given you or you’ve acquired.
• Reflect on what your life would have been like without certain blessings that you’ve received.
• Record events that were unexpected or surprising as these often elicit higher levels of gratitude.
• Keep the experience “fresh” by writing in your journal just once or twice a week.
• Take the time to really relish and savor the gifts of thoughtfulness that you receive. - Robert Emmons
SAA’s Artwalk is in a holiday mood
By Helen Schmidling Correspondent
The Sisters Arts Association’s Fourth Friday Artwalk is in a holiday mood this Friday. In between shopping, baking, and giving thanks, take a few moments to stroll through the galleries and see what’s happening this month. Galleries are open during the day and the featured artists’ receptions generally take place between 4 and 7 p.m.
Wildflower Studio has prints, cards, stickers, and Christmas card packets by Megan Nielsen, a local artist with a design and illustration background. Pick up new art supplies, ready-made frames, seasonal soaps and room sprays, among other sustainable, consumable, and affordable gifts.
Makin’ it Local features three Central Oregon artists in a pairing of art, wine, and food on this Friday as well as next week — Friday, 3 to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m. Featured art and artists are raku pottery by Terri Axness of Muddy Creek
Studio in Haines, Oregon, new fine art prints by Susan Luckey Higdon of Bend, and Kathy Deggendorfer of Sisters. Pairings and receptions feature Oregon wines curated by Mark Clemens of Friends and Vine in Sisters. Sisters Gallery & Frame has new work by several artists. Sandy Melchiori’s colorful chickens strut their stuff, Antonia Carriere’s soft pastel landscapes take you to Northeastern Oregon, penand-Prismacolor fantasies on board by Steve Mathews, and Linda B. Wolff’s tissue paper landscape collages are just dreamy! Speaking of dreams, the second edition of printmaker Denise Kester’s popular book, “Drawing on the Dream,” has just arrived and there are several signed copies in stock. Check out the colorful multi-artist wall as you stroll alongside the gallery.
Hood Avenue Art will be warmed by the fiddle music of Bob Baker, while visitors stroll through art by the gallery’s many fine artists. As with the other locations, there will be light refreshments,
great conversations, and time to share with friends.
The Rickards Gallery showcases new jewelry by Wendy Vernon. She has been making jewelry for more than 40 years. This show will include new shapes, colors, and interesting geological tidbits with stones and gems including citrine, labradorite, kyanite, amethyst, garnet, and prenite.
Stitchin’ Post’s Staff Handcrafted Gift Boutique opens during the Artwalk from 4 to 6 p.m. The boutique is full of wonderful items including quilts, bags, pincushions, ornaments, and holiday décor. Explore the wide variety of wonderful things the creative and talented staff has made.
At Space in Common, Randy Redfield will display a collection of mostly new work through November and December. He is a noted regional painter who has lived and worked in Sisters for 35 years. He says, “The best part of painting is to teach myself to see the world around me and translate that
into something real. Interior space blends with the surrounding landscapes we are all part of.”
The joy of “Hugs” continues at Campbell Gallery, monoprint images by Sisters’ artist Paul Alan Bennett that recall the time after the pandemic when we could finally exchange hugs. Monoprints are available as is the artist’s self-published book, “Hug.”
The Flying Horse, Sisters’ newest gallery at 161 S. Elm St., spotlights artist Megan Nielson from Canyon & Cove and unique creature displays from Hailey Nelsen, along with Small Works of Whimsey from more than 20 local and global artists. Resident artists are Brad and Sloane Earle. Brad is known for his paintings of typewriters, cameras, and iconic spots; Sloane’s oil paintings and prints whisk you off to a fantasy world.
Toriizaka Art will be closed during Fourth Friday Artwalk, but will return in December.
Sign up for SAA’s Quick Draw, once in each gallery. Thanks to a generous donation from Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty in Sisters, two $50 gift certificates will be awarded. Gallery maps are available in all of the galleries.
Art by Megan Nielsen is featured at Wildflower Studio as prints, cards, and stickers.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Berries” fine art print by Kathy Deggendorfer at Makin’ it Local.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Art by Randy Redfield at Space in Common.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Wolf” by Sloane Earl, Flying Horse Gallery.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Rooster” by Sandy Melchiori at Sisters Gallery & Frame.
PHOTO PROVIDED
It is with heavy hearts that we announce Brad passed away at OHSU hospital in Portland on November 13 at the age of 66, following a prolonged battle with heart disease. He was surrounded by family upon his passing.
Brad was born on March 7,1958, at Klamath Valley Hospital in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He graduated from Lost River High School in Merrill, Oregon, in 1976. His nickname while growing up was Buddy because there wasn’t a person who met Brad with his easy going personality, keen sense of humor, and beaming smile that didn’t consider him a friend.
Brad worked for the Orem family in Merrill throughout high school. After graduation he moved to Sisters and was employed by Bill and Mike Reed during which time he mastered his construction skills. In 1988 Brad established his own company, Nicholson Construction, specializing in custom built homes in Central Oregon.
Brad was a stellar athlete and participated in numerous sports during his lifetime. He was a member of the Bend Roughriders rugby club from 1979-1996 and also played city softball and basketball for many years. Most notably Brad participated as an individual athlete in the Pole Peddle Paddle in Bend from 20032012 placing in the top three five times including a firstplace finish in his age division. Other hobbies included wakeboarding, water and snow skiing. He enjoyed all genres of music and was a wonderfully talented swing dancer. Brad was always excited to go elk and deer hunting with friends and family.
Brad and his wife,Terri, delighted in time spent together and took part in many activities and travels over the years. A favorite pastime was chukker hunting where they enjoyed taking their camp trailer and side by side to the Steens
mountains, his personal utopia on earth. They became members of the Outlaw Riders, a side by side group, traveling and riding in locations including Moab, Utah, and the dunes on the Oregon Coast.
In 2021, Brad and Terri moved to Fort Klamath, Oregon, after purchasing Crater Lake Country Suites. They continued the construction business as well as fixing up their newly purchased property and shortterm vacation rentals.
Brad is survived by Terri, his high school sweetheart and loving wife of 21 years; son Austin (Karlee) Nicholson and grand children Oaklynn and Waylon; step-daughter Jennifer (Nick) Kintzler and grandsons Dashiell and Maddox; step-son Christopher (Kelsey Reznick) Ashley and grandchildren Charlotte Joan, Mavis, and Minerva; mother and step-father Donna and Robert Fensler; brothers Larry (Karen) Nicholson and nephews Ryan (Kat) and Benjamin; Gary (Deborah) Nicholson and nephew Jesse and niece Kenzie (Nico Morales); Jeff (Mary) Nicholson and nephews Teddy (Erica) and Bradley and niece Anna; sister Lisa (Gary) Zimmerman and nieces Lindsay and Kelsey; brothers-in-law Kenny (Joannie) and Steven Hawkins. Brad was preceded in death by his father Bill Nicholson as well as Terri’s parents, Ron and Joan Hawkins.
A celebration of life will be held after the new year in Sisters. In lieu of flowers consider a donation to the Civic Improvement Club of Fort Klamath P.O. Box 483 Fort Klamath, OR 97626 in Brad’s memory.
Timothy Killefer
Passed October 17, 2024
Timothy Killefer passed away peacefully on October 17, 2024 at his home in Sisters. He was 69.
Tim chose his birthday to use medical aid in dying (MAID), completing his circle of life. Radiation therapy had arrested his cancer decades ago but left a legacy of atrophied muscles and nearly unbearable pain that attacked with a vengeance in 2021. There was no cure, and Tim turned to the MAID program to guide his family through the inevitable ending of his life.
He lived a full life, by his own measure. After his cancer retreated in the late 1990s, Tim had continued to pursue his passion for adventure, satisfying his tenacious curiosity about nature, math, and science, coupled with a talent for making meaningful connections.
Tim’s motto was this: “I will go anywhere, at any time, to go and talk to anyone, about anything.” And he did. He visited all 50 states and 27 countries, eager to immerse himself in local cultures. Born in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in 1955, his travels began as a youngster as the family moved often for his dad’s career. Tim and his three brothers grew up outside, generating a lifetime of memories of sibling hijinks and daring escapades on land and sea. His adult adventures took him from Manhattan to Montreal, Hong Kong to Hawaii, from Stockholm to Seattle. He
especially enjoyed traveling for his birthday, amassing memorable moments in Paris, San Francisco, and the Bahamas among many other destinations. His choice to die on his birthday to embark on his last journey made perfect sense.
Tim earned his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University. In his 40s, he went back to school at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, to become a teacher, where he met his wife, Jane, and her children Patrick and Anne. He taught middle school math for two decades in the Salem-Keizer School District. Tim and Jane, an alternative education teacher, were mentors to many inside and out of the classroom and never hesitated to lend a helping hand to those in need.
The year of his initial cancer diagnosis, Tim’s home state of Oregon had passed the Death with Dignity Act. Tim was passionate about sharing his story and decision to use medical aid in dying. Strong believers in giving back to his community, Tim and Jane hosted many Death with Dignity conversations with family and friends, culminating in a public event discussing his MAID decision in September.
Jane, his wife of 23 years, son Patrick (Lauren), grandchildren Brennan and Lilah; daughter Anne (Noah); and beloved black Labrador, Kenzie, remain to carry on his legacy. His firm belief was that we all have a spirit or soul that is carried on by those who love
us, intertwined with and by nature and the great energy of whatever the other realms there may be. Before he passed away, he encouraged his family and friends to “say my name” to help keep his spirit and love alive, and to talk about hard topics like death.
Tim was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Helen Louise Campbell Killefer. In addition to his wife and children, Tim is survived by brothers Campbell (Madeline) Killefer of Annapolis, Maryland; Peter (Molly) Killefer of Ashland, Oregon; Brian (Heather) Killefer of Holden Beach, North Carolina; and by five equally beloved nephews and nieces: Harrison, Dana, Ellen, Ian, and Ned.
His ashes will be spread into the earth at three of his favorite places: his birthplace, Hermosa Beach, California; in Hawaii and in Mineral King (Jane’s family cabin), California.
No services are planned. Memorial donations can be directed to Partners In Care Bend, Peaceful Presence Project, and End of Life Choices Oregon.
Outlaws earn all-league selection
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
Five Outlaws soccer players earned all-league selection, including senior Micah Dachtler, who was a first team pick. Senior Danny Benson earned second team all league and seniors Cooper Merrill, Andrew Islas, and juniors Nick Palmer and Joseph Derksen were honorable mention.
Dachtler was a co-captain for the Outlaws and primarily played at center back. He scored one goal from a set piece during league.
co-captain for the Outlaws.
“Cooper exemplifies the kind of player and teammate we want for this program,” said Husmann. “This year he has taken ownership of playing a central defender. Most importantly, he has always led by example on and off the field. He has been such a strong part of our team these last four years.”
Islas was an Outlaws defender and scored one goal and tallied one assist.
four goals and five assists. According to Husmann he was their ‘set piece guy.’
“Nick has brought such a commanding toughness to our team these last two years,” said Husmann. “He plays with an intelligent passion that helps motivate the team. He is often helping analyze the tactical approach versus our opponents. He is such an impact player and continues to evolve in a leadership role.”
“The Hell of Helene, a Cascadia fundraiser for Appalachia” will be held at The Belfry on Friday, November 22, at 7 p.m.
The night of music, featuring Skillethead, Quattlebaum, Danger Gently, and The Color Study, will support Hurricane Helene relief with a lineup of local musicians, some of which have direct ties to Western North Carolina.
Skillethead works in bluegrass traditions of driving fiddle tunes, layered harmonies, and single mics, while weaving in inspiration and originality from other genres.
Quattlebaum, Southern Gent and Banjo Slinger, brings music and people together, encouraging camaraderie and building community. You will hear the reverberations of the rustic mountains clashing with the
breezy ocean.
Danger Gently is centered firmly around the authentic grooves of Darin Gentry’s masterful Appalachian fiddle playing. Darin, from Western North Carolina, feels that traditional music and environmental custodianship are closely related, as both are central to the survival of a region’s heritage, and this could not be more true today.
The Color Study was started by singer/songwriter Scott Oliphant, who draws inspiration heavily from his 20 years in the Austin, Texas, music scene. Normally a sixpiece band, they will pare down to a trio on November 22.
For more information visit https://belfryevents.com/ event/the-hell-of-helenea-cascadia-fundraiser-forappalachia-with-skilletheadquattlebaum-danger-gentlyand-the-color-study/.
Of Dachtler, Coach Jeff Husmann said, “Micah truly personifies the kind of player and person we hope to develop. He is such an intelligent player and student of the game. He has played every position for us, except goal keeper, and has such a balanced view of the game. He has modeled the commitment that we want the younger guys to strive for. His is so helpful in articulating our game play for other players, and so very well deserved getting first-team honors.”
Benson played attacking midfield for the Outlaws and scored six goals and recorded 11 assists over the course of league play.
“Danny has shown such growth and modeled such commitment to helping this team,” said Husmann. “He has such a strong soccer IQ and competitive nature. The biggest growth for Danny has been knowing how younger players learn and pay attention to him. He is our assist leader and is always involved with the development of play.”
Merrill played at center back and was also a
“Andrew has been such an integral part of the development of this team,” said Husmann. “He has grown as an individual and as a soccer player. He is among the most skilled players on our team. His soccer IQ allows him to play in any position he is asked. He has modeled what it takes to improve and his selfless nature is commendable. He is so loved by his teammates and coaches.”
Palmer played as a holding midfielder and tallied
Goalkeeper Joseph Derksen rounded out the allleague picks, averaging over 10 saves per game.
“Joseph is perhaps the most overlooked and underrated player on our team and in our league,” said Husmann. He has trained so very hard to be the keeper he is. He has a savvy field vision and commands the defense. He models the kind of student/athlete balance that we want. He’s like able and coachable and tough.”
Skillethead is among the bands performing at a benefit concert to aid flood-ravaged North Carolina.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Twelve Sisters Outlaws earn football all-league honors
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Outlaws had 12 players earn all-league honors this season, including seniors Kayl Mock, Hudson Beckwith, Landen Scott, Kolbi Cotner, Kale Gardner, and Dawson Roberson.
Beckwith was named first-team running back, defensive back, and firstteam returner. He had 23 carries for 378 yards, four touchdowns rushing and also six receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns receiving.
Coach Gary Thorson said, “Hudson was recognized as the top returner in the league on special teams. He had a dream season and was one of the most explosive players on the field every Friday night. As a defensive back, he didn’t give up a single pass this year, and broke up six passes and had 12 tackles.”
Mock earned secondteam running back. He had 60 carries for 747 yards, 12.5 average per carry, and 12 touchdowns.
“Kayl made the move into the backfield this past season and had a great season there,” said Thorson. “He has an incredible cutting ability and a threat to score every time he touches the ball.”
Scott was a second-team all-league receiver and had 12 receptions for 200 yards and one touchdown.
“Landen is well respected in the league and a great receiver,” said Thorson. “His
blocking was fantastic for us as well and helped allow us to run as well as we did. He was an all-league pick last year as well.”
Cotner earned secondteam all-league at linebacker for the second year in a row. He had 25 tackles from his outside linebacker position, and scored seven touchdowns, including an interception for a pick six.
“Kolbi is a great leader for us on both sides of the ball,” said Thorson. “He is an unselfish and extremely hard worker.”
Kale Gardner was an honorable mention linebacker. He recorded 31 tackles and had one interception.
Thorson said, “Kale and Cotner made it very difficult for teams to run outside against us. He was a huge contributor on special teams as well, and our starting tight end.”
Roberson (senior) was a second-team defensive back for the second year in a row, and led the team with six interceptions. He also scored three touchdowns, one of them a pick six.
Juniors Hunter Bronson, Reid Woodson, Jozua Miller, and Ethan Eby also earned all league honors.
Bronson earned first team quarterback and went 29-42 for 535 yards for a 69 percent completion rate and eight touchdowns.
“Hunter made some great strides this season at quarterback and did a fantastic job running our offense,” said Thorson. “He has a great mind for the game and has a good understanding of our offense.”
Woodson is also a twotime all league player for the Outlaws, and was voted honorable mention kicker and punter, and went 21-29
on PAT’s (point after touchdown) this season.
“Reid was voted onto the all-league team this year as a punter, even though the Outlaws did not punt once during league play,” said Thorson.
Miller was named firstteam offensive and defensive line.
“Offensively Jozua led the team with 14 pancakes and was consistently double teamed all year long on defense,” said Thorson. “He has a great motor and is a physical presence on both sides of the ball. He’s very worthy of getting the league lineman of the year award.”
Eby earned first-team linebacker. He recorded 17 tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and four touchdowns.
“Ethan was a great leader on the defense that flies to the ball well and one of the
most physical players in the league,” said Thorson. “He was first-team last year as well.”
Sophomores Tabor Garcia and Spencer Davis also earned all-league honors.
Garcia was named second-team offensive line.
“Every week Tabor graded out as our most consistent offensive linemen this year,” said Thorson. “He made the move from tight end last year to help our team and does a great job pulling and blocking in space for us.”
Davis was an honorable mention running back. He had 45 carries for 480 yards and five touchdowns.
“Spencer is a slashing runner with great vision and top-notch work ethic,” said Thorson. “This sophomore will be a handful the next few years for the league to deal with.”
Traveling folk dancers inspire Sisters youth
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
The Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble visited Sisters High School to host an interactive intensive and evening show for fellow dancers and community members earlier this month.
The group toured through Oregon and Idaho during the first two weeks of November, showcasing their wide variety of cultural dances in numerous cities across the two states, including the Dalles, Corvallis, Eugene, and Sisters.
The group of 28 dancers had been rehearsing for months in preparation for this tour, and although only one of the students is receiving a major in Dance Theater, the ensemble means a lot to all individuals involved.
“Dancing is something that both helps me to feel joy
TREE PERMITS: Be alert to safety while tree hunting in the forest
Continued from page 3
by visiting a Forest Service office or at recreation.gov.
Christmas tree guidance
• Check weather forecast and road conditions before traveling. Dress for the season. Be prepared for snow.
• Start tree hunting early in the day to have plenty of daylight hours. Bring emergency supplies, including water, food, and a first-aid kit.
• Tell someone where you are going. Bring a map and compass. Cell phones may not work.
• The tree must be at least 200 feet from main roads, recreation sites, and campgrounds, and away from areas along the sides of streams, rivers, lakes, and wet areas. Check with forest or ranger district for specific distance.
• Select a tree with a trunk six inches or less in diameter and cut the tree no more than six inches above ground level. Never cut a tree just for the top.
• Select tree from overstocked area. Watch restricted areas. Cut one tree per tag. Attach tag to the harvested tree before placing it in the vehicle. Bring a rope and tarp to move the tree from the harvest area to the vehicle. Properly secure tree for travel.
• You are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of those around you. For more information visit Deschutes National Forest’s website, bit.ly/3zDt87Q or Ochoco National Forest’s website bit.ly/3ft6PuG.
and to see that joy brought to others. Learning different cultural dances only builds on this. I love it when people tell me that our performances help them feel connected to their ancestors or where they come from,” said BYU dancer Tyson Boxer.
The performance
consisted of 22 different dances from Poland, Brazil, Canada, the Philippines, the U.S., Peru, India, Hungary, Slovakia, Norway, Indonesia, and Ukraine. The variety made for an entertaining performance and lots of applause.
“It was an inspiring
performance to watch…it’s really exciting to understand that I could take a path in college and in life that involves the thing I love most,” said Sisters Dance Academy dancer Colby Roberts.
Events like these allow members of Sisters Dance Academy and Sisters High
School students to see what life beyond high school could look like. The intensive before the performance took place immediately after school and brought together everyone from competitive dancers to fun-loving students. BYU students taught the group Bollywood and Charleston style dances, pieces audience members would later see performed on stage that night.
“The audience members we got to interact with were so kind to us! Seeing their faces light up when they talked about the show was a wonderful thing to see and made it all feel more special,” states BYU dancer Natalie Lund.
This performance allowed community members, whether they were dancers or not, to appreciate different cultural expressions of movement and BYU students to experience the beauty of Central Oregon.
Sisters Dance Academy students were inspired by a visit from the Brigham Young University International Folk Dance Ensemble.
PHOTO BY OLIVIA NIETO
COTA Potluck Friendsg iving
A NNOUNCEMENT S
Sisters Chapter of Central Oregon Trail Alliance is hosting a ‘Potluck Friendsgiving’ on ursday, November 21, f rom 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Tollgate Recreation Hall. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com to RSVP
Black But te Ranch RFPD Meeting Date Change
e regularly scheduled board meeting for November has moved to ursday, November 21, at 9 a .m., due to the ank sgiving holiday. Location is 13511 Hawk s Beard, Black Butte Ranch, OR 97759. Questions? Call 541-595-2288.
Living Well With Dementia Sisters Suppor t Groups
Living Well now o ers t wo support groups . A support group for the care partners and family of those diagnosed with some form of dementia meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1-2:30 p.m. at Sisters Senior Living , 411 E Carpenter Ln. A support group for the person diagnosed with some form of dementia in the early stages meets the same days and times , also at e Lodge. Info: 541-6 47-0 052.
Sisters Garden Journal
Sisters Garden Club has Garden Journals that are available for $15 at Paulina Springs Book s & e Gallimaufr y here in Sisters . e multiyear journal includes pages for notes on weather, monthly garden activities , plant details , and more. Sales support the Club and other local nonprofits. Get your copy now. ey make great gif ts . Please call 971-246040 4 for questions
Happy Trails Horse Rescue
Seek s Volunteers
Calling all horse lovers! Happy Trails Horse Rescue needs volunteers! Can you help them help horses? New Volunteer Orientation the first and third Sundays at 10 a .m. or call 541-241-0783 to schedule! Learn more at https://www happytrailshr.org.
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 County E xtension 4-H, 541-5486088 , ext. 2. New enrollment starts Oct. 1. For more information, contact: Nanc y Hall 541-904-4433, nancyhall4h@ gmail.com.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, November 21
COTA Potluck Friendsgiving Tollgate Recreation Hall
Sisters Holiday Showcase
Call for Talent
e Sisters Holiday Showcase is on Friday, December 13 , at 7 p.m., in the Sisters High School auditorium. is is a call for local talent to per form, as this isn’t just a school concert. It is a showcase of acts f rom within our community. Send video submissions for consideration to steven.livingston@ssd6.org. Submission deadline is Sunday, December 1. Results will be posted no later than ursday, December 5
Weekly Food Pantry
e Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantr y ursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N . Trinit y Way
Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Info: 541-549-4184.
Free Weekly Meal Service
Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org
Free Lunches for Seniors
For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a f un, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church , 130 0 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.
Americ an Legion and VFW VF W Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Spoons Restaurant, 473 E . Hood Ave. Sisters . Email SistersVeterans@gmail.com.
Camp Sherman Holiday Bazaar
On Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, join in a festive community gathering at the Camp Sherman Community Hall with wreaths , craf ts , and goodies for sale. Friday hours are from 5 to 8 p.m.; S aturday hours are f rom 10 a .m. to 3 p.m. ere will be soup Friday night and hot drinks , and on Saturday there will be co ee drink s , scones, and other yummy goodies . is holiday tradition is one you won’t want to miss! For more information call 541-595-2719.
Bike Park 242
Winteriz ation
Bike Park 242 is seeking used tarps . Tarps can be any size or thickness , heavy-dut y, weatherproof, t ypically made f rom vinyl or polyethylene. Used billboard vinyl tarps f rom company banner/advertisements are ideal for draping over dirt jumps to preserve them from the freeze-thaw c ycles over the winter season. If you have any to donate please reach out to COTA volunteer Michelle at sistersrep@cotamtb.com
STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transpor t Patients Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond, and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STARS dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included. Learn more at www starsride.org.
Sisters Habitat Volunteers Needed Are you looking for something fun to do with your free time? Volunteer with Sisters Habit at for Humanity! Call 541-549-1193.
PET OF TH E WEEK
Humane Societ y of Central Oregon 541-382-3537
ED SULLIVAN
Come meet this sweet kitty who goes by the name of Ed Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan is in the business of making you smile and laugh all day and all night ! Ed Sullivan has the biggest voice and isn’t afraid to use it, especially at dinner time. He is a timeless kitty with a unique personality and a down-to-earth attitude!
A Novel Idea choice to be revealed
The choice for the next Central Oregon Community read, A Novel Idea, will be revealed on December 7 at the Downtown Bend Library.
Join fellow book lovers as the library reveals the captivating story that will inspire readers across the community; a selection for young readers will also be announced.
The anticipation is palpable as readers gather to be the first to know this year’s featured books. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the unveiling takes place upstairs at 6:30 p.m., featuring literary trivia, small bites by Bleu Bite Catering, no-host bar by Sips Cocktails, and a special message from the chosen authors.
“From the very first sentence, this book pulls readers right in,” said Liz Goodrich, events supervisor at Deschutes Public Library. “It’s the first time we’ve taken on a story quite like this and it promises an unforgettable journey, filled with twists and turns, for our readers.”
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
— SPONSORED BY —
SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES
Baha’i Faith
For information, devotions, study groups , etc., contac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteachings .org
Calvar y Church
484 W. Washington St. , Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288 10 a .m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsisters.org
Chapel in the Pines Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s
452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 5 41-420 -5670;
10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting
e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration
121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087
www.transfiguration-sisters.org
8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship
10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship
e Resting Place
meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy
www.restingplace.us • hello@restingplace.us 5 p.m. Sunday Worship
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
541-815-9848
11 a .m. S aturday Worship
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831 www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har rington Loop Rd. • 541-389-8960 www.sistersnaz .org • info@sistersnaz .org
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)
130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com
7:30 a .m. Daybreak Ser vice • 9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship
St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h
123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391
5:3 0 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a .m. Sunday Mass
12 p.m. Monday Mass • 8 a .m. Tuesday-Friday Mass Wellhouse Churc h 442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
POLICY: Nonprofits, schools , churches , birth, engagement, wedding , and anniversar y notices may run at no charge. Business items do not run on this page. All submissions subject to editing and run as space allows . Email lisa@nug getnews .com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave. Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays Black Butte Veterinary Clinic 541-549-1837
In 2002, A Novel Idea began with David James Duncan’s “The River Why.” From 400 participants that first year, the program has grown exponentially, with more than 10,100 people taking part in 2024. It is the largest community read program in Oregon, bolstered by a month of thought-provoking and relevant programming, and wraps up with a free and accessible visit from the author.
“This year’s selection quickly became a standout favorite among our advisory team,” said Goodrich. “Nominated by one of our newest committee members, this book keeps readers guessing until the very last page.” Programming for A Novel Idea kicks off in April and concludes with a visit from the authors. The youth author event will take place at the Downtown Bend Library on Saturday, April 26, and the main adult author event will take place on Saturday, May 3, at Summit High School. All programs, including the author visits, are free of charge.
Readers can check out a library copy of the selected books immediately following the reveal on December 7. Herringbone Books will be selling copies at the event and local bookstores will have copies available for purchase. Head to the A Novel Idea website, www.deschutes library.org/novelidea, for a look back at the past 21 years. For information about this or other library programs, visit www.deschuteslibrary.org.
By T. Lee Brown
Suppose you’re in your late 30s. Or well into your 40s. Or, heaven help you, mid-50s. Let us also suppose you have a uterus and ovaries, and you’re still menstruating.
Even if you don’t have that apparatus, or you’re freaked out by the word “menstruating,” keep reading. What follows may help you navigate a world that’s composed of over 50 percent women.*
There’s this wild, destabilizing thing that happens around mid-life. Our hormones go absolutely wild. It’s called perimenopause.
What does it bring many of us? A mind-boggling array of changes, most of which—to put it in medical terms—suck the big wazoo.
Rage. Physical aches. Joint pain. Loss of bone density, sex drive, apparent sanity, and willingness to tolerate BS. Rearrangement of our body’s shape and therefore our wardrobes.
Struggling with “brain fog,” organization, finding our keys, and coming up with everyday, uhh, what do you call them? Wait. Right. Everyday words
Periods that become irregular and/or turn into uncontrollable floods; donate those white jeans to Habitat.
Mood swings. Disrupted sleep. Insomnia. Night sweats. Watch out, easily embarrassed people, here come “vaginal thinning” and “vaginal atrophy.” (Thanks, medical world, for the mellifluous terminology.)
We may be fertile and terrified of getting pregnant. We may yearn for a baby but not be in a position to raise one. We may investigate the research on pregnancy at age 47 and decide the risks are too high.
For GenX and some Millennials, these changes come at a particularly inconvenient time. We’re the Sandwich Generation, raising kids while caregiving and otherwise helping our aging parents. Maybe
working, volunteering, and pursuing other life dreams such as writing a novel, traveling the world, or launching our hand-stitched clothing line.****
In fourth grade, the school nurse may have given us an introduction to periods and adolescence. Alas, a similar talk did not precede perimenopause.
Loads of women rarely speak of The Change — as my grandmother occasionally referenced it, to the howling laughter of my aunts and mom — much less describe it in detail.
Some believe that speaking about mid-life changes increases discrimination against women in the workplace. I reckon that’s true in some cases.
I also reckon people have the smarts and decency to find solutions and workarounds. In the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, a strong movement is underway to normalize peri- and menopause at work and in society at large.
The perimenopause and menopause process is
sufficiently rocky and lifechanging that it’s often compared to adolescence. Society acknowledges the vagaries of puberty and the teen years.
We understand that kids will change a whole bunch as they adapt to their new bodies and their families adjust to new hormonedriven behaviors. We know it’ll hit each teen differently at different times: they may act moody, risk-taking, self-conscious, withdrawn, goofy, disorganized, lacking in common sense, obsessed with fitting in, rebellious, whatever.
We generally give ‘em a little slack and sympathy. Perhaps we remember our own painful moments and irrational jackassery from back in the day.
Our mid-life friends, wives, co-workers, maybe ourselves: do we cut ‘em some slack, too? Do we even know what’s going on with them, with us?
Perimenopause is often lumped in with the term “menopause.” In a definition that could have been
invented only by a man, technically menopause denotes the moment at which a woman has not had her menstrual period for one year.**
After that, the woman is deemed “post-menopausal.” Since all this authoritative science-speak is about as user-friendly as the latest update of iOS, the whole shebang is referred to colloquially as menopause.
Some women sail right through it with few symptoms. They go off the pill or wake up one day and ta-da! No more periods.
If your 40-something partner gives a howl of frustration and envy upon reading the preceding paragraph and/or bursts into tears,*** give ’em a hug.
Unless they’re in one of those perimenopausal phases where they absolutely don’t want to be touched by anybody, thank you very much, in which case try a wan smile and “I’m gonna go rake those pine needles. If you need me, I’ll be here for you.”
Alarmed? Feeling a
bit ignorant? You’re not alone. Consider heading to the Sisters Library for a talk called Menopause 101 with Dr. Erin LeGrand and Dr. Sarah Hellmann, Wednesday, November 20, from 6 to 7 p.m. See you there.
*Gender terminology is in flux. As used here, the umbrella terms “woman” and semi-ironic “ladies” refer to those with female reproductive organs and the hormones that come with them, rendering them susceptible to the difficulties of perimenopause regardless of gender identity.
****Ha ha! Just kidding. Approximately 97.3 percent of us will not pull all this off simultaneously, or maybe ever, because we’re exhausted and overwhelmed and still can’t find our keys, or even put our asteriskladen footnotes in the right order.
**Dude named Dr. Charles Negrier coined the term menopause in 1821. ***Not that I’d know anything about this. Nosirree Bob.
SISTERS-ARE A Events & Enter tainment
WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 20
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • NOVEMBER 21
Luckey's Woodsman Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave., Ste. B.
FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 22
Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Artwalk 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations. For additional information go to sistersarts.org.
Hood Avenue Art 4th Friday Artwalk Gallery Reception 4 to 7 p.m. Member artists in attendance and live music by Bob Baker, local fiddle favorite! 357 W. Hood Ave. For more information, call 541-719-1800
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.
SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 23
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 24
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.
WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 27
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 29
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.
SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 30
The Belfr y Live Music: Thunderstorm Artis 7 to 9 p.m. Thunderstorm Artis' soaring vocals meet dextrous, layered guitar and intimate storytelling in this seated concert. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets and info: www.belfryevents.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • DECEMBER 1
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 • DECEMBER 2
Paulina Springs Books Poetr y Gathering "The Pause Button," an informal monthly gathering for poets and poetry enthusiasts Bring a poem or two to share. Listen, discuss, and write. Free 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 4
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • DECEMBER 5
Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Lori Hellis presents "Children of Darkness and Light" 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
FRIDAY • DECEMBER 6
The Belfr y Live Music: Scottish Fish , a Boston-based quintet performing lively and unique arrangements offering a fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music 7 p.m. Presented by SFF Presents. Tickets and information: https://aftontickets.com/Scottish-Fish.
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.
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 7
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby
8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
SUNDAY • DECEMBER 8
“Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act” has strong bipartisan support, but has been stalled since passing the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last December.
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.
With extremely limited time left for Congress to act, DeFazio’s call to use the Steens Mountain model can also work here. National Monument designation would give Senator Wyden leverage to reach a deal with Congressman Bentz — assuming Bentz is genuinely committed. Mr. Bentz recently introduced another Owyhee bill, offering weakened protections, undermining long-standing conservation law, and disregarding agreements Wyden made with the Burns Paiute Tribe. Collaboration with the executive branch can break through this gridlock. Senator Wyden told me personally last June to “keep up the pressure.” I must wonder why he’s hesitating in calling for Monument designation now at this 11th hour? This high-stakes political gamesmanship is risking one of the greatest conservation opportunities left in the West — yet Wyden is not moving to ensure his bill’s passage. Does he truly believe Congress will suddenly overcome its historic dysfunction, and current disdain for conservation, and pass something that is consistent with his commitments to his constituents? Unlikely!
born right here in Sisters, and we are excited to continue working together with our community to make it a place where aging is embraced and individuals with dementia can live well. We look forward to future events, collaborations, and initiatives that will bring us closer to a more inclusive and understanding Sisters.
WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 11
Thank you again for your invaluable support. Together, we are making a lasting impact.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
Bill Kelly, Director
Living Well With Dementia Sisters
THURSDAY • DECEMBER 12
Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Sisters author Kit Tosello ("The Color of Home") in conversation with another Sisters author Melody Carlson ("The Christmas Tree Farm") 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
FRIDAY • DECEMBER 13
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 14
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • DECEMBER 15
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.
I now urge Senator Wyden to work with the Biden administration to designate the Owyhee Canyonlands as a National Monument — now We can’t afford to wait!
WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 18
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
FRIDAY • DECEMBER 20
What Brian Doyle says here is vital and brilliant: “…you cannot control everything. All you can do is face the world with quiet grace and hope you make a sliver of difference. You must trust that you being the best possible you matters somehow. That being an attentive and generous friend and citizen will prevent a thread or two of the social fabric from unraveling.”
s s s
School board
To the Editor:
The November Sisters School Board meeting covered a wide range of topics and actions. There were two school presentations. The first, by Steve Stancliff, principal of Sisters High School, highlighted an inspiring project called Monster Art, a collaboration between firstgrade and high school art students. The project began with first graders, guided by art teacher Paige Catalina, drawing imaginative monsters. High school students in Bethany Gunnarson’s 2D/3D art class then created 3D clay models based on these drawings. On Halloween, the high school students surprised the first graders by delivering the finished models in person, creating a heartwarming moment. The positive response to this project has encouraged further collaboration between the three schools, now on the same campus.
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.
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 21
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby
8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
Right?!
Scott R. Bowler
Sisters Depot Live Music: Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent in a lively atmosphere. 7 to 9 p.m. Info: sistersdepot.com/our-events.
s s s
SUNDAY • DECEMBER 22
Remember when?
To the Editor:
Enjoyed the “Remember when” in The Nugget.
Sisters Middle School principal Tim Roth spoke about the positive impact of integrated grant funding on academic support and growth. With the use of tools like i-Ready and Oregon Data Suites, along with support from educational assistants, the school is able to track and enhance student progress more effectively. Furthermore, the enrichment classes, which offer additional help for students who are below grade level without pulling them out of core classes, have been particularly successful. This approach helps students stay integrated with their peers. Mentorship between eighth graders and sixth graders is also contributing to improved academic and social outcomes, highlighting the value of peer support.
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.
Remember when the Sisters Post Office was in the Oliver Lemon’s Building, and the Fathom Realty property had a brick building with a gold bank of Post Office boxes that are now at the Pony Express, and the Administration building was the High School?
WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 25
XXXX?
In other business, enrollment numbers are on track with the district’s typical trends. A recent meeting with Rooted Homes explored other options for affordable workforce housing to support the district’s staff. Additionally, the old elementary school is currently being remodeled into a Community Center.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
FRIDAY • DECEMBER 27
The Sisters Pumphouse was a Texaco with my relatives living in the house next to it and Spoons was my uncle’s home.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Carrie Buchanan
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby
The consolidation of the three schools is fostering exciting new collaborations and opportunities. For those interested in learning more about what’s happening in the district, the community is encouraged to sign up for the weekly district newsletter at ssd@ssd6.org.
The Sisters School District is grateful for the ongoing support of the community.
s s s
8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SATURDAY • DECEMBER 28
Living Well With Dementia
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby
To the Editor:
8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • DECEMBER 29
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble
On behalf of Living Well With Dementia Sisters, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful community for the tremendous support shown at the Care and Connect Resource Fair for Dementia Support. The event was a resounding success, with over 50 attendees coming together to learn, connect, and access resources dedicated to supporting those affected by dementia and their care partners.
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 1
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
Curt Scholl, Superintendent s s s
C4C Forum
To the Editor:
On behalf of the C4C team, thanks to all the folks who braved winter flurries to attend our community forum, “Are the Kids Alright?” on Sunday afternoon. It was a wide-ranging and thoughtful discussion about local youth wellbeing, and we were inspired to see so many residents interested in such an important topic.
SATURDAY • JANUARY 18
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby
8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
This event would not have been possible without the participation of our local organizations, vendors, and, most importantly, the residents of Sisters who believe in creating a compassionate, dementia-friendly community. Each person who attended or contributed to the fair played an essential role in fostering an environment where individuals and families dealing with dementia feel supported and valued.
Living Well With Dementia Sisters was
An event recording is now available at bit. ly/C4Ckids, along with a packet offering statistics, local resources, recommended reading, and ways you can stay engaged on this topic.
We hope this is just the starting point for many new discussions and youth-focused initiatives in our community. A few initial takeaways from our team:
1. Center youth voices when making decisions about their well-being. And
See LETTERS on page 18
THANKSGIVING DINNER
Brought to our community by our community for 11 years!
Wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving to our wonderful community! SFF Presents
We are beyond grateful for this community! Thank you, Sisters, for your cont inued support. Happy Thanksgiving!
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 12-4 PM At Sisters Community Church • Indoor dining & To-go dinners No charge • All are welcome! • To volunteer call Deri at 541-419-1279 Grateful for you this Thanksgiving and always! — Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show — Ha ppy Thanksgiving from
Winter conditions arrive in Sisters
Folks in Sisters woke to a beautiful sunrise on Monday morning — and an inch or so of snow on the ground. A storm dropped far more than that along the Cascade crest, an earlier-than-usual arrival of winter conditions.
While the snow is pretty, and inculcates a spirit of the winter holidays, it does complicate travel, and locals and visitors are reminded to adapt to winter driving conditions as a mix of rain and snow showers are forecast to persist for the next week and more.
Staying safe on the roads
• Check your route and the weather. Use www.tripcheck. com for updated road closures and chain requirements.
• Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight.
• Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads. Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have anti-lock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snowcovered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
• Don’t stop while going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• It is also a good idea to stay home and only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.
Seeking applicants for civil service commission
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District invites qualified voters of the fire district interested in serving on the Civil Service Commission to submit letters of interest and applications to the Board of Directors of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.
Early snow in the backcountry will tempt crosscountry skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers out into the woods and mountains, and Christmas tree hunters will be out looking for that perfect tree.
Some tips for those enjoying winter recreation on public lands:
• Plan the trip — check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes, enough water for everyone for 3 days, emergency food, tire chains, shovel, flashlight, flares and/ or something to start a fire with, camp saw or hatchet, and a cold weather sleeping bag or blankets.
• Have a full tank of gas, and be prepared for changing conditions. Let someone know the dates you will be gone.
• If the snow on the road is three inches or greater, turn around; conditions are not likely to improve ahead.
• Do not count on technology — GPS devices can steer drivers onto impassable roads, and cell phone service can be inconsistent.
• Pay attention to weather conditions, including increased winds and snowfall, to ensure plenty of time to safely head back home.
Civil Service for Firefighters is covered by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 242.702-242.824. The Civil Service Commission is made up of three citizens of the district who are not members of the board or employees of the district. They are independent individuals appointed by the board for an uncompensated term of four years.
Primary responsibilities include working cooperatively with the board of directors and fire chief to maintain a current list of all classifications and grades of
civil service positions within the district, overseeing proper administration of all civil service exams, and maintaining a current database of all employees holding civil service positions within the district. Commissioners also adopt and oversee the proper administration of the Rules relating to conducting civil service exams, appointments, promotions, demotions, transfers, reinstatements, suspensions, and discharges for civil service positions.
Two positions are open for appointment. The Fire District must receive letters before December 1. Letters may be sent P.O. Box 1509, Sisters, OR 97759. Applications can be obtained via the district’s website https://www.sistersfire.com/ employment/ or in person at 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters. Contact Fire Chief Tony Prior at 541-549-0771 for more information.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
An open letter to Kamala Harris
By Lisa May Guest Columnist
Dear Madam Vice President,
How could the election have turned out like this?
Many people have expressed surprise and dismay at the results of the 2024 election, particularly in our county, Deschutes, where 53 percent of the population voted for you and in our state, Oregon, where over 55 percent of the population voted for you. I have been reflecting on my own personal view of this election and I would like to share it with you because I do not think the thoughts are mine alone.
The older I get, the more I study and appreciate the book that guides my life, the Bible. I know that I am not the only one in Sisters, in Oregon, or in this country that believes the Bible is the very words of God, written through human authors. Because I submit my life to God, I submit my life to the revelation of Him recorded in the Bible.
First of all, I believe that God is the Author of life. Jesus is specifically called that title by Peter, one of His disciples. In addition, we can turn the pages of our Bible all the way back to Genesis 2, where God breathed into Adam the breath of life. Turn one page further back to read that God created man and woman in His own image. Every human being is valued as an image-bearer of God. This is not truth that I have somehow devised in my own
thinking, this is truth that has been recorded for thousands of years. You may not agree with this truth, Ms. Harris, but millions upon millions of people over the past two millennia have lived by this truth.
Another truth contained in the Bible is that God knits a person together in their mother’s womb. Science has explanations for the fertilization of a female egg by a male sperm and the ensuing cell divisions and differentiation that grows into a developing baby, but science has absolutely no explanation for the spark of life. At what point do physical cells take on the thoughts, consciousness, and emotions of the human spirit?
The biblical view maintains that God has this role in every human being, as the Author of life and the One who knits humans together.
So when does life begin?
The answer could lie in the discussion around fetal viability, usually defined by when the fetus is no longer dependent on its mother’s womb for survival. Naming the time period for fetal viability is usually in a range of 20-28 weeks, and shifts according to advances in medicine and the availability of equipment and professionals to attend to a preterm delivery.
However, the question I would like to ask is, how viable is the healthy, fullterm baby that leaves the hospital with its parents and is not attended to? A full-term baby one week past delivery is no less dependent on the mother’s care than the one
that remains in her womb. For that matter, a two-yearold is completely dependent on a caregiver. At what point is a human child truly selfsustaining? Is that when we proclaim the child “alive”?
The biblical view that I submit to protects life in a woman’s womb. The life God has created should not be snuffed out by human hands before it is born. The Bible also challenges me to “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy.” The conclusion, for a follower of Jesus, is that I am charged to protect the unborn. For this, Ms. Harris, you have labeled me as “extremist.”
In this week since the election, I viewed one of your campaign videos online in which you addressed an audience to say, “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.” I hope I have shown you in brief that I would have to abandon my deeply held faith to not tell women that ending a pregnancy is ending a life. And the same Bible that guides me in these principles also teaches me that governing authorities have been instituted by God, sent for the purpose of punishing those who do wrong. The government’s very purpose is to establish the rule of law, including protecting life.
The election on November 5, 2024, has demonstrated that there is a large portion
of America, measured both geographically and by headcount, who do not share the opinion that the right to abortion should be federally protected throughout a pregnancy for any and all reasons. There are valid discussions that must be had regarding protecting the mother’s life and how to approach victims of sexual assault. However, online research indicates that about 12 percent of abortions are due to concerns for the health of the mother and/or the fetus and only one percent of abortions are connected with sexual assault. This means that over 85 percent of abortions are conducted for convenience or preference on the part of the mother.
Ms. Harris, the major focus of your presidential campaign was on abortion rights, under the banner of “reproductive freedom.” I absolutely believe in a woman’s right to choose whether to be sexually active and whether to use birth control. But, as with every other freedom in society, it comes with a responsibility. This responsibility includes recognizing that these choices could result in a pregnancy. Once
a pregnancy has begun, the woman has already exercised her reproductive freedom and another life is initiated. This life is a genetically different human being from her and is most certainly not her body. That separate life contained within her body is desperately relying on her for sustenance. If you don’t agree with me, Ms. Harris, I suggest you look at the results of the 2024 election to evaluate whether the biblical view or your view is the more extreme. I hope you can see, Madam Vice President, that my values are not driven by hatred of women (I am one), but by a passionate love for God and the new life He creates.
This writing is in no way an attempt to argue for Donald Trump. My biblical convictions also include classifying at least some immigrants as the “afflicted and the destitute… the weak and the needy,” so a candidate that labels immigrants indiscriminately as murderers and animals, then institutes policies in accord with that sentiment, does not have my support either. But that’s another letter.
Sincerely, Lisa May
UGB: Open house offers opportunity to learn about process
projected population growth over the next 20 years; the boundary of the study area; and which lands are higher priority for expansion than others, according to state rules.
Participants also will have the opportunity to view maps of possible concepts for the UGB expansion — as well as have opportunity to provide the city with your thoughts on them — feedback which will be used to ultimately inform the preferred UGB expansion area. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. with a half hour of informal viewing of project boards and opportunity to interact with city staff and consultants until 6:30 p.m., when project team members will provide a formal presentation and Q&A session between 6:30 to 7 p.m. This will be followed by 50 minutes of facilitated small group discussion where open house participants will break up into small groups and discuss what values are important to them in considering the future UGB expansion and how the community should plan and prepare for new growth areas.
The last 10 minutes until 8 p.m. will be a report by the City.
“A lot of work has already occurred with this project and thanks to the community, a lot of great input has already been provided. But we intend this open house to be an opportunity for those that maybe haven’t had a chance to learn more to come tell us how they feel about anticipated growth and where it should be located and what factors we should be considering when contemplating this expansion,” said Scott Woodford, community development director for the City of Sisters. “UGB expansions are a requirement of Oregon State Law to ensure adequate room for cities to grow, at the same time protecting farm and forest land. But beyond that, there is plenty of opportunity for residents to help shape Sisters’ future growth.”
To help make this event family friendly and accessible, free drop-in childcare for kids age 4 and up will be offered during the event, on a first-come-firstserved basis in the Sisters Elementary School gymnasium immediately adjacent to the school cafeteria where the open house will be held. Childcare will be provided by Starshine, LLC (www.starshine-theater. com), a local business offering a variety of youth camps and programming.
There will be limited availability for childcare for kids up to 3 years of age, so the City requests families contact the city about this option in advance (see contact info below) so additional caregivers can be made available. Refreshments will also be available at the open house.
If the December 9 open house date and time doesn’t work for people, the city is also offering an online version of the open house, available on the City of Sisters website starting December 9. The online open house, as well as additional information on the UGB expansion project can be found at www. ci.sisters.or.us (look for the UGB Amendment icon at the bottom of the website). For more information, contact Scott Woodford at 541323-5211 or swoodford@ ci.sisters.or.us.
TISDEL: Changes afoot for long-time festival creative director
Continued from page 3
artistic/creative director of the organization since 2003, while also serving as the executive director from 2008-2014. During his tenure, the SFF grew to include 11 venues, with the moniker “All The Town’s A Stage,” a model he helped create with the SFF board, staff, and key community partners. The festival has garnered national and international recognition in large part due to the musical lineup that is carefully curated by Tisdel for artistic excellence.
Tisdel was the co-founder of the 20-year music and arts fundraiser, My Own Two Hands, and helped launch its replacement event in 2023, the Big Ponderoo Music + Art Festival.
Through his new company, Tisdel will continue to serve as a contracted talent buyer for the folk festival, Americana Song Academy, and Big Ponderoo.
“Going into my 25th year, the timing is right for me to take a step back from my full-time work with SFF Presents,” Tisdel said. “The effort needed to facilitate the organization from a twoday event into a year-round cultural arts organization has been an immense, and ultimately very rewarding,
experience. I also want to pursue new opportunities to expand other interests in my life that have been put aside for a long time. After pouring my heart and soul into SFF Presents, it’s important I make this move at a time when the organization is strong, and there’s a talented and capable staff in place that can carry on the work we do in the community for years to come.”
Executive Director Crista Munro said, “It’s been
rewarding to work alongside Brad for the past five years and witness firsthand his passion and joy for what we do. He will leave our team with a deep legacy of community-building and a creative vision that will help carry SFF Presents far into the future. I’m pleased we were able to retain his services as a talent buyer to help ensure there’s no disruption to the high artistic quality that our patrons have come to expect.”
Brad Tisdel, long-time creative director with the Sisters Folk Festival organization, will step back and take a different role with the organization.
LETTERS
Continued from page 12
when we ask for their opinions, listen to understand rather than reinforce our preconceived notions.
2. There is a hunger for more discussion about the impacts of social media and “addictive technology” on both youth and adult wellbeing. We’re exploring opportunities to go deeper on this topic soon.
3. We should celebrate all that’s going well for local youth, while acknowledging that not every kid is thriving. There’s more we can do to ensure no one is left behind.
4. There’s so much talent in this community. We should all be thinking about ways we can share our expertise with local youth, be that through mentorship, volunteering, offering internships, etc.
Immense thanks go out to our panelists Faith Keeton, Charlie Kanzig, Lindsey Overstreet, and Amy Formica; to the C4C board for their support; to The Nugget as our co-presenter and a contributor to thoughtful public dialogue on this topic; to our main sponsor, St. Charles Health System; to Starshine LLC for providing on-site childcare; to Sisters Elementary School for hosting us; and to all the youth-oriented organizations who tabled at the event.
Kellen Klein C4C Executive Director
YOUTH: Forum explored a variety of family-related topics
Continued from page 1
way in which the demands on parents interacts with demands on youth to produce high levels of stress.
Parents often feel pressure to keep up with very full schedules for their children while simultaneously trying to keep the household going — and it can be overwhelming.
“I think there’s a general exhaustion and that makes it hard to do your best — because you’re tired,” Kanzig said.
The counselor — who is also the parent of five kids who went through Sisters schools — advised parents to take stock of what is on their plate, and not be reluctant to cut back. He said that it’s good that Sisters youth have many opportunities through varied school programs, “but sometimes I think kids are over scheduled, I really do.”
Overstreet is a parent as well as being a behavioral health specialist, and she acknowledged the pressure to be perfect.
“I’ve really embraced ‘good enough’ parenting,” she said. “Just to normalize that this is hard, that we’re doing the best we can is an important message.”
Keeton affirmed that
point of view from her own experience as one of five siblings watching her mother work hard to keep things going.
“We all know she was doing her best,” she said. “We see that, so we have grace.”
Parents also seem to have developed an acute need to protect their children from failure — a trait that Kanzig has seen increase over his career. Intervening on behalf of a child can stunt their ability to develop skills and coping mechanisms.
Keeton summed up her take on the matter — to applause from the audience: “A parent is meant to pick us up when we fall, not prevent us from falling.”
The pervasive nature of technology and social media got considerable attention from the panel and the audience. It was made clear that it’s not a simple binary equation of good versus bad. Keeton noted that there are many positive aspects of social media in terms of providing youth a sense of connection.
“It’s not all bad,” she noted. “If you don’t fit in, you will find a community online where you do fit in.”
Formica talked about
A parent is meant to pick us up when we fall, not prevent us from falling.
— Faith Keeton
helping parents collectively set boundaries. She said that it’s important to understand that a smart phone is not really a phone — it’s a super computer in a child’s pocket that includes a calling function.
“When do my kids need a super computer in their pocket,” she asked.
Well Wired offers tools to parents looking to set boundaries. They encourage a pledge to forego social media until the age of 16, and everyone on the panel agreed that screens and phones should be kept out of teens bedrooms at night.
The panel acknowledged that technology and social media are not just potentially addictive for teens. Adults, too, can become preoccupied with their screens.
Overstreet reported that many of the youth she works with say that they can’t get their parents’ attention.
“We’re leading to a place where we’re all distracted all the time,” she said.
“It was clear that there was a lot of reflection from the attendees and the panelists around how the technology affects them, as well,” said Klein.
A parent asked about rules around phones in school. Keeton noted that students are generally expected to check their phones into a caddy at the start of class and are not to have earbuds in. Forum moderator Kellen Klein noted that there are movements across the globe to enact outright bans of cell phones in schools.
Klein told The Nugget that the forum clearly established that “there is a lot that is going great for kids in our community — but we know that not everyone is thriving.”
He said that C4C and others will continue working toward making sure no one falls through the cracks.
Approximately 75 people attended the forum in person, with another 20 viewing it online.
A link to the recording was to be published by Wednesday and a resource packet is available at bit.ly/ C4Ckids.
report by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans are at a 57 percent higher risk of suicide over non-veterans in similar age-sex groups. In 2023 the rate of veteran suicide had increased 11.6 percent over 2021 statistics. The risk isn’t restricted to only combat veterans either.
Sisters resident and Army Green Beret veteran, Magnus Johnson, knows this reality all too well. In 2012, he lost a dear friend and veteran to suicide. It shook his perception on life and military service. “I was living a washed up Army vet life in Indiana when I had a long conversation in the mirror with myself,” he says.
He was disillusioned with the military — his time in Iraq and Afghanistan, what was the point after all? Why did his friend kill himself? Why do veterans die by suicide at all? Some research into the matter revealed that in 2012 an average of 22 veterans died by suicide per day.
“It dawned on me, why am I not doing anything about this?” he says.
Saddened and inspired by this reality, he founded Mission 22 in 2013 as a way to inspire veterans and their families to engage their minds, bodies, soul, and community in a way that pulls them out of the past and into the present. They provide physical, mental, and spiritual resources to support veterans and their families.
For Johnson the results are encouraging but he keeps his eyes and heart on the mission: “God has given me a passion, a purpose, and a mission for this. I’m not saving anyone. God is, the program is, the process is.” 22 REASONS:
Mission 22 also fights a powerful trope.
“There’s a social value to the victimized that needs to be challenged,” Johnson says. “You can’t stay there in that victimhood. You need to move and move others to do the same. We need to address the trope of the ‘broken veteran’.”
Physical movement is one way to discover a renewed sense of life. When veterans participate in exercise like CrossFit it forces their mind out of their service past and into the moment.
“That’s where opportunity and life is,” Johnson says. “The way to live isn’t by avoiding death, it’s by pursuing life.”
CrossFit alone isn’t a cure, but it’s a start.
felt inspired to create a unique workout based on that grim number: 22.
“Our hope is that this workout will carryover into the larger CrossFit community,” he says. “We hope this pulls people out of isolation who wouldn’t normally do a partner workout. Hopefully it ripples into the rest of their life.”
Twenty-seven minutes into the workout the last pair finishes their final movement. Sweating and panting, men slap hands and backs. Johnson and his workout partner, Victor Jimeneasy, a Marine Corps veteran, smile wide.
“This is meaningful,” Victor says between heavy breaths. “It’s not just about being in community, but being
and Hudson, it was everything they had hoped for. Thirty-three men, and 30 women who performed a separate set after the men, completed the workout while dozens of spectators lined the gym. Hudson expected no more than two dozen men and a dozen women at the early hour.
“The turnout really surprised me,” he says.
Magnus Johnson (left), and Ryan Hudson, are the brains behind the unique workout that they hope will be go far and wide into the CrossFit community.
Women pray in a circle before starting their own workout set with the same movements and standards as the men.
Both men and women — 63 in total — pose for a photo between the men’s and women’s workout sets.
Victor Jimeneasy, a Marine Corps veteran, performs one of the 22 movements.
ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
CLASSIFIED RATES
COST: $3.50 per line for first insertion, $2.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1.50 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $3.50 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.
DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication. PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.
CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
MINI STORAGE Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor
RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies. OFFICE/RETAIL
SPACE FOR RENT
Great location across from Ace Hardware.
Several space types available. Call owner Jim Peterson/RE Broker. 503-238-1478
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
• 8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7 EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
103 Residential Rentals
3 bedroom, 2 bath house with attached garage. Near old grade school. Refrigerator, stove/oven, washer/dryer, A/C. Fenced yard. Small pets allowed. Owner pays all utilities including internet.
$2,500 first/last month's rent plus $300 cleaning deposit ($500 with pets). No smoking. Call 541-639-2875.
Gorgeous architectural home. 22 min. east of Sisters. Available Jan. 4 thru March. Fully furnished, 3,380 sq. ft.,
3 BR, 3 BA. $4,900/month, plus utilities. 541-480-4083
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792
Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
Move-in Special! 50% off the first full month's rent
2 BR, 2 BA 1st-floor unit in back building, #205 at Cowboy Court Apartments, 154 W Adams Ave. $1,600/mo. W/S/Garbage Paid, dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer, patio, garbage disposal, granite countertops, energy efficient windows, storage, plank flooring throughout, electric heat w/air conditioning, off-street parking - 1 reserved space (covered space $20/Month), some pets considered (dogs & cats OK with add'l $350 RSD per pet), owner pays landscaping, approx. 1,000 sq. ft., NO SMOKING, RSD $1,600, Lease thru November 30, 2025.
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES –
Monthly Rentals Available–
Call Debbie at 541-549-2002
Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com
Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC
104 Vacation Rentals
~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~
Downtown Vacation Rentals
Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom
SistersVacationRentals.net Great pricing. 503-730-0150
201 For Sale
Hydro rowing machine
Used 5 times, like brand new. Stores upright. Buyer pick up. Retails $2,500, asking $1,100. 503-319-9338, text only.
202 Firewood
• WINTER 2024 • SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS
DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD
• SINCE 1976 • Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES
– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com Order Online! 541-410-4509 541-699-7740
205 Garage & Estate Sales
Bald Eagle Music moving sale.
40 years of teaching music. Old sheet music, ukulele acoustic/electric bass, FREE parlor grand, mahogany cabinet, many other items. 100 E. Main, Suite B in The Place on the Elm side. Mon-Fri thru Nov. 30. Drop by or call 541-410-9064. Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150
301 Vehicles
We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397
Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com
401 Horses
Short term winter horse care feed • water • muck • groom • walk • lunge • and/or blanket 714-371-7042
ORCHARD GRASS HAY ALFALFA
TRITICALE
New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $240-$360/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
403 Pets
SISTERS WHISKERS
Your purr-fect friend is waiting for you at our local nonprofit cat rescue! Apply to adopt at: sisterswhiskers.org The Nugget • 541-549-9941
500 Services
GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE
“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
SMALL Engine REPAIR Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
501 Computers & Communications
3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC Cable jobs, security cameras, WAPs. CCB #191099 541-318-7000 • 541-306-0729
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
GORDON’S LAST TOUCH
Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY
Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008
M & J CARPET CLEANING Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
504 Handyman
3 Sisters Handyman Services
20+ years experience No job too large or small. Snow removal services available. Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Call Nate 907-748-4100 CCB# 253556
600 Tree Service & Forestry
TimberStandImprovement.net
Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825 JS Mulching LLC Forestry mulching, Land clearing. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured 541-401-9589 THE NUGGET NEWSPAPER
– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! – TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.
– FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!
Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342 4brostrees.com
Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057
LOLO TREE WORKS Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638 Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912
601 Construction
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 – Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941 SUDOKU Level: Moderate Answer: Page 22
Private Central OR vac. rentals, Property Management Services 541-977-9898 www.SistersVacation.com
Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines
Uncompromising quality. Local and personal. You can trust me. All projects: From new construction to those little projects you don't seem to get to. My team of local subcontractors and I will get it done right, fair, and pain-free so you can make your spouse happy.
Call Jared 503-949-9719
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
Custom Homes Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects
Becke William Pierce
CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com
From Ground to Finish
Accurate and Efficient
541-604-5169
CCB#248916
INSPIRED CUSTOM HOMES
www.teeharborconstruction.com
541-213-8736 • CCB#75388
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects
All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
Earthwood Timberframes
• Design & shop fabrication
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services
EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com
New construction, addition, remodel. Large and small projects. Contact for estimate. 541-325-3020
sales@gardnercontractingllc.com
Custom Homes • Additions
Residential Building Projects
Serving Sisters area since 1976
Strictly Quality
CCB #16891 • CCB #159020
541-280-9764
John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com
541-390-1206
beavercreeklog@yahoo.com Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc. CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond
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
BANR Enterprises, LLC
Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
Burke LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT
CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com 602 Plumbing & Electric
Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Remodels • Generators • Hot tubs/Saunas monteselectric@hotmail.com
CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860
Ridgeline Electric, LLC
Serving all of Central Oregon
• Residential • Commercial
• Industrial • Service
541-588-3088 • CCB #234821
SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC. “Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling
• New Construction
• Water Heaters 541-549-4349
Residential and Commercial
Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587
T H E N U G G E T N E W S P A P E R Your Local News Source! www.nuggetnews.com
Breaking News / Feature Photos Extras / Letters
& Trucking 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!
Residential & Commercial CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977
www.BANR.net
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
604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit • New Const • Remodel
Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com
CCB #195556 541-549-6464
605 Painting
METOLIUS PAINTING LLC
Meticulous, Affordable Interior & Exterior 541-280-7040 • CCB# 238067
Interior/Exterior Painting
Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327
peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491
EMPIRE PAINTING
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
JUNE PINE PAINTING
Interior & Exterior Painting
Staining & Deck Restoration 541-588-2144 • CCB# 252954
Construction Contractors
Licensing Information ~ An active license means your contractor is bonded and insured. For additional details visit www.oregon.gov/CCB
606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance
STEVE'S HAULING
Yard and other debris, landscaping services, chain saw work, etc. 707-328-8370
All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation. CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462
– All 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
I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District invites qualified voters of the fire district interested in serving on the Civil Service Commission to submit Letters of Interest and applications to the Board of Directors, Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD, P.O. Box 1509, Sisters, Oregon 97759. Applications can be obtained via the district’s website https://www.sistersfire. com/employment/ or in person at 301 South Elm Street in Sisters, Oregon.
Civil Service for Firefighters is covered by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 242.702-242.824. The Civil Service Commission is made up of three citizens of the district who are not members of the Board or employees of the district. They are independent individuals appointed by the Board for an uncompensated term of four (4) years.
Primary responsibilities include working cooperatively with the Board of Directors and Fire Chief to maintain a current list of all classifications and grades of Civil Service positions within the district, overseeing proper administration of all Civil Service exams, and maintaining a current database of all employees holding Civil Service positions within the district.
Commissioners also adopt and oversee the proper administration of the Rules relating to conducting Civil Service exams, appointments, promotions, demotions, transfers, reinstatements, suspensions, and discharges for Civil Service positions.
Maintenance Dept. PT/FT. We are proud to offer flexible schedules and excellent compensation. www.lakecreeklodge.com 13375 SW Forest Service Rd. 1419, Camp Sherman Black Butte School District is hiring a District Clerk/Business Manager and School Counselor. More info at blackbutte.k12.or.
Two positions are open for appointment. The Fire District must receive letters before December 1, 2024, to be considered.
Contact Fire Chief Tony Prior at 541-549-0771 for further information.
SERVICE TO PROVIDE? BUSINESS TO PROMOTE? VEHICLE FOR SALE? HOUSE TO RENT? LOOKING FOR LAND? GARAGE TOO FULL? NEED SOME HELP? Advertise in The Nugget Newspaper's CLASSIFIEDS For no additional cost your classified goes ONLINE! Go to www.NuggetNews.com
DEADLINE: Every Monday by noon. Call 541-549-9941
SUDOKU SOLUTION
for puzzle on page 21
CLASSIFIEDS The Nugget Newspaper Crossword
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759), or emailed to mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.
Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Matthew Martin, Principal Planner, at 541-323-5208 or mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.
The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review at least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of all materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https:// www.ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.
HEARING DATE: December 5, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.
FILE NOS.: SUB 24-02 / CD 24-02
APPLICANT: Kevin Eckert c/o BUILD LLC
OWNER: Sisters Habitat for Humanity
SITE LOCATION: Lot #1:
Address: Unaddressed; Tax Map & Lot #: 15-10-4CD 1000 Lot #2: Address: 484 E Adams Avenue, Sisters; Tax Map & Lot #: 15-10-4CD 1100
ZONING: Downtown
Commercial (DC) District; Airport Overlay (AO) District
REQUEST: Affordable Housing Cottage Development
Subdivision with 17 lots that are 1,403 to 1,943 square feet in area for detached single-family dwellings and a common area tract that contains a private drive, pedestrian improvements, parking, and other associated improvements.
CRITERIA: Sisters Development Code (SDC) –Chapter 2.4 (Downtown Commercial); Chapter 2.11 (Airport Overlay District); Chapter 2.15 (Special Provisions); Chapter 3 (Design Standards); Chapter 4.1 (Applications and Procedures); Chapter 4.3 (Land Divisions and Lot Line Adjustments); Chapter 4.6 (Cottage Developments)
UPLOADED EVERY TUESDAY! The Nugget Newspaper
C L A S S I F I E D S are at www.NuggetNews.com
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759), or emailed to swoodford@ci.sisters.or.us.
Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Scott Woodford, Community Development Director, at 541-323-5211 or swoodford@ci.sisters.or.us.
The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review at least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of all materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https:// www.ci.sisters.or.us/meetings.
HEARING DATE: December 5, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.
FILE NOS.: SUB 24-03 / CD 24-03 (Larch Commons West)
APPLICANT: Kevin Eckert c/o BUILD LLC
OWNER: Sisters Habitat for Humanity
SITE LOCATION: Consists of the following three lots:
Lot #1: Address: 294 E. Adams; Tax Map & Lot #: 151004CD01700
Lot #2: Address: 304 E Adams Avenue, Sisters; Tax Map & Lot #: 151004CD01600
Lot #3: Address: 354 E Adams Avenue, Sisters; Tax Map & Lot #: 151004CD01500
ZONING: Downtown Commercial (DC) District; Airport Overlay (AO) District
REQUEST: Affordable Housing Cottage Development
Subdivision with 10 lots, consisting of six (6) cottage lots and four (4) townhomes lots and a common area tract that contains a private drive, pedestrian improvements, parking, and other associated improvements.
CRITERIA: Sisters Development Code (SDC) –Chapter 2.4 (Downtown Commercial); Chapter 2.11 (Airport Overlay District); Chapter 2.15 (Special Provisions); Chapter 3 (Design Standards); Chapter 4.1 (Applications and Procedures); Chapter 4.3 (Land Divisions and Lot Line Adjustments); Chapter 4.6 (Cottage Developments)
