The Nugget
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Outlaws skier is a state champion
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Sisters Alpine Ski Team delivered an outstanding performance over three days at the 2025 Oregon High School State Championships held at Mt. Ashland Wednesday through Friday, March 5-7. The team walked away with a second place overall finish in the combined boys and girls team results.
Styopa Myagkov emerged as the individual state champion in giant slalom, with a dominant victory in a time of 1:19.09, which earned him second place in the boys’ combined individual state standings.
The Outlaws dominated across multiple categories, and finished in the top three in five different team events.
Coach Natalie Grummer was proud of the team’s remarkable performance.
“This achievement underscores the team’s depth, consistency, and strength across both disciplines, as they emerged as one of the most well-rounded programs in the state,” she said.
The girls team slalom battled through a competitive field to earn a thirdplace finish with a total time of 4:54.60. Key contributors in the strong performance included Tallis Grummer, Ava Riehle, Payten Adelt, Mary Roberts, and Ella Eby. Hood River took the state
New recreation center set to open in Sisters
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) is set to open the Sisters Community Recreation Center on March 17. Located at the former site of Sisters Elementary School, 611 E. Cascade Ave., the new facility will serve as a hub for fitness programs, community drop-in activities, preschool programs, district administration, and more.
In 2024, SPRD entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Sisters School District to repurpose the former elementary school into a community center. Since August, the district has been renovating the space to better serve the community. Key improvements include:
• A new fitness studio
• Two multipurpose rooms
• Two ADA-compliant
single-user restrooms
• A revamped commons area, designed as a welcoming gathering space.
Construction of the fitness studio, restrooms, and commons area was completed by Bremik Construction.
Volunteers from Kiwanis, Rotary, and community members, coordinated by David Hiller, president of the Sisters Kiwanis Club, contributed to updating the multipurpose rooms — highlighting the power of community collaboration.
“We are so excited to open the doors of this facility to the community,” said Jennifer Holland, SPRD executive director. “This new space allows us to expand our programming and provide greater visibility
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title in slalom with a time of 4:42.72, and Grant secured second place at 4:49.03, just 5.57 seconds ahead of Sisters.
In the girls Giant Slalom (GS), Sisters finished second overall, narrowly missing out on the state championship with a combined time
of 5:18.28, just .46 seconds behind Bend’s winning time of 5:17.82. The GS team was led by Eby, Roberts, Grummer, and Riehle. Coach Grummer noted that the girls showcased both precision and speed on the slopes.
See CHAMPION on page 11
Sisters seniors roiled by changes
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
“The people in this facility are like residents of a village in a valley, with a dam above them. As time goes by, the dam gets weaker and weaker but the organization responsible for the dam doesn’t tell anyone, so the villagers aren’t warned of impending trouble. When the dam owners finally release the water stored behind the dam to decrease pressure on the dam, the village is flooded and those who reside right in the village are washed away. Those who live on the hills above the village are safe.”
This was the metaphor that came to Sisters Senior Living (SSL) resident Ken Gardner, 83, when he awoke in the middle of the night
See SENIORS on page 7
Fire destroys shop near Sisters
A fire destroyed a large non-residential building off Highway 126 on Wednesday night, March 5.
According to the Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District (CRFPD), reports came in at approximately 9:26 p.m. of an outdoor fire near Milepost 101 on Highway 126, on the east grade of Dry Canyon. Upon arrival, responders determined that the incident involved a fully engulfed 6,000-square-foot office warehouse building.
The fire resulted in a total loss of the building, which had just recently been finished enough to move into. Losses are estimated at roughly $500,000 for the building and $500,000 in contents, which consisted of heavy equipment and associated materials for a construction business, according to Cloverdale Fire Chief Thad Olsen.
No injuries were reported, and no other structures were affected.
Chief Olsen said that the immediate priority for firefighters was dealing with a 500-gallon propane tank that was located about 12 feet from the building.
“We were getting radiant heat on that, so that was our first priority,” he said. Firefighters prevented an explosion of the tank. Olsen noted that the
Firefighters contained a blaze that destroyed a 6,000-square-foot building off Highway 126 last week.
Styopa Myagkov climbed to the top of the podium in Giant Slalom at the state championships at Mt. Ashland last week. The entire Outlaws team turned in a stellar performance.
PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN
Letters to the Editor…
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.
Outlandish claims
To the Editor:
In response to Barbara Draxler’s letter, “Happy Now,” there are so many outlandish claims it is difficult to attempt to focus on just one or two.
I’ll start on the first paragraph where she says that Trump won by a “big” majority of voters across the country. Let me just state the facts and not the FOX, OAN and Newsmax standard line. In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump received approximately 77.3 million votes (49.9 percent), while Kamala Harris garnered about 75 million votes (48.4 percent). Trump won both the popular and Electoral College votes, securing 312 electoral votes compared to Harris’ 226. Trump won the popular vote by 2.3 million votes (1.5 percent).
Another notable fact is that he garnered
less than 50 percent of the vote. This is not a majority, and hence, not a “big” majority. And less than a majority does not a mandate make. As a comparison and a fine example of a “big” majority, President Reagan, who is no doubt rolling over in his grave much like a crocodile with its prey, won in 1984 by 17 million votes (18.2 percent) over Walter Mondale. Reagan additionally won 49/50 states in the Electoral College as compared to Trump who won 31/50. Now 18.2 percent and 49/50 is a “big” majority. Clearly, Trump did not have a “big” majority and if you were being accurate, you would say he did not even have a majority.
The second point I will address is the comment that use of the COVID vaccine was responsible for “many” deaths across our country. The author will likely not believe this as she already identified, without a valid
See LETTERS on page 9
Sisters Weather Forecast
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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).
Not happy now
By Susan Cobb Guest Columnist
The ‘Happy Now,’ letter to editor, in the February 17, issue of The Nugget Newspaper abounds with dis- and misinformation. Starting with the win by a “big majority of voters,” which was 49 percent of the voters with Trump beating Harris by an abysmal 1.5 percent (the lowest percent spread since Nixon). Of the 262,000,000 plus eligible voters in 2024, the ‘winner’ attained 29 percent with 47 percent not voting. Nonetheless, President Trump declared he had a mandate without garnering half of the popular vote.
It is correct that Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw from Afghanistan did not go well during Biden’s first half-year. However, the remainder of the claims in the ‘Happy now’ letter, are simply inaccurate. What follows are a few corrections for the record.
Biden assured our borders were manned and did not scatter illegal aliens. However, three governors from Texas, Arizona, and Florida illegally flew or bussed immigrants to other states in 2022.
• There was not rampant crime during Biden’s fouryear term but rather a dramatic decline to below the significant increase in crime during Trump’s term.
• The inflation that Biden inherited was a global event due to a pandemic. Biden’s administration addressed the problem bringing inflation from 7 percent in 2021 down to 2.9 percent by the end of his term. It is currently at three percent and trending up.
• Biden assured energy independence by releasing the reserve to the public and increasing the extraction of fossil fuels. As a result, the USA became a major international exporter of fossil fuels and gas prices declined from pandemic highs.
• The Center for Disease Control saved lives. The pandemic was internationally declared in January of 2020. Trump denied it was a pandemic, then said it would go away in April, and finally took Dr. Fauci’s advice in the fall. The World Health Organization reported 1,800,000 humans had died from COVID-19 globally in 2020. When Biden took office mid-January 2021, the deaths were continuing
to climb. Biden’s national rollout of COVID vaccines saved lives. By end of summer the U.S. workforce was back and our economy was recovering faster than in any other nation.
• The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not limiting government but rather dismantling it. They have fired over 60,000 civil employees illegally — there are legal means to fire government employees to assure a smooth transition and protect employees from partisan firings. When planes were crashing DOGE asked the Federal Aviation Administration and Air Traffic Controller employees they had fired, to return. The employees that protect the nuclear arsenal were also fired before DOGE quickly rehired them.
• The lack of concern for the military is evidenced in the defunding and firings at Veterans Affairs (VA). Some of the fired VA employees are themselves, retired veterans. Top level military staff havebeen fired.
• Trump is not defending the U.S. Constitution even though he has sworn a second time to abide by and protect it. He is the first constitutionally illegitimate POTUS per Amendment XIV, Section 3. Because Trump aided an insurrection in January 2021 and did nothing for over three hours to stop it, he is not qualified to run for any office unless the Congress votes by two-thirds in each House to remove the disability. Congress did not bother, but many states (32) tried to point out the unconstitutionality by not including Trump in their primary ballots in 2023.
When contested by three states before the U.S. Supreme Court, SCOTUS ruled that a U.S. President was in essence, untouchable.
• On that January 6 day, the world witnessed the second attempted coup in the history of the United States. The first occurred in 1893. Any assertions that January 6 was a peaceful protest or that the Capital Police or Federal Bureau of Investigation employees were the aggressors, are untrue.
Those who have been lied to by this administration are not at fault. They may soon join the majority of eligible voters, (71 percent who did not vote for Trump or did not vote in 2024) who are definitely, not happy now.
Horses from Black Butte Stables enjoy hanging out with their artsy counterparts.
PHOTO BY CODY KOCH
Sisters artists showcase work
Foundation and SFF Presents.
Sisters’ young artists showcased their work in the first ever Sisters Rotary Middle School Art Celebration Night on Friday, March 7. The goal of the evening was to present a variety of student art to the community, and give students the opportunity to be recognized for their creations.
“Having your art be seen makes you feel something and being able to relate to it from a viewer’s perspective is such an amazing experience,” said Sisters Middle School art teacher Judy Fuentes.
The event couldn’t have taken place without the help of the Sisters Rotary Club and additional organizations like the Roundhouse
We have a big presence at the elementary and high schools and wanted to continue that work here,” said Sisters Rotary Club President Francis A. Reilly.
The night included time for attendees to walk around the gallery and an awards ceremony that celebrated a select group of students for their designs. Viewers were encouraged to observe with open eyes to notice, open minds to wonder, open hearts to feel, and open mouths to discuss.
The art pieces were judged the night previously by local ceramicists, gallery owners, and professional artists and writers. The categories included, ceramics, writing, mixed media, painting, drawing, and graphic design.
The writing portion was
based on the prompt: “What do you imagine your life would look like at age 50?”
The short stories written embodied the creative and original ideas that these students have within them.
“The kids were really excited to learn about a visual art reward that met their age group,” said Fuentes, “and it’s been so fun putting up art and showing the importance of viewing art.”
The recipients of the awards included Clara Bilderback, Opal Reid, Mallory Perry, Bodhi Planty, Tucker Kirbs, Paige MarksMcGuire, Echo Wilkie, and Chloe Hudson.
Organizers hope the evening will turn into an annual event, continuing to encourage the imaginative process that leads students to creating something amazing.
Better sleep hygiene key to restful nights
a refresher, sleep plays a vital role in numerous bodily functions:
Sleep is the single most effective thing you can do to reset your brain and body health. If you didn’t change anything else in your life routine, but decided to improve your sleep hygiene, you would notice a huge change in your every day. You cannot have quality sleep without quantity and you cannot have quantity without quality. That’s why creating a bedtime routine to improve your sleep hygiene is pivotal in your overall health.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have discussed why sleep is important. As
• Physical health: Sleep allows the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. It supports immune function, hormone regulation, and muscle recovery.
• Mental health: Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive function, including memory, concentration, and decisionmaking. Sleep deprivation can lead to mood swings, irritability, and increased risk of mental health disorders.
• Emotional well-being: Sleep helps regulate emotions and reduces stress levels.
Students perform in Festival Music Concert
Music filled the auditorium at Sisters High School as performances from the SHS Concert and Jazz Choirs, Concert Band and Jazz Bands, the Outlaw Jazz Combo, and multiple Americana Project bands marked the Outlaws’ Festival Music Concert.
The night was the culmination of months of work from all students and teachers involved and they made sure to make it worthwhile for the audience.
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 meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info.
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 Wednesday., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 503 -616 -8712.
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 41-9 03 -405 0.
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., Pine Meadow V illage Clubhouse, 596 W Jef ferson Ave. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School
Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203
Band Director Kayla Golka told The Nugget, “One of my favorite parts was when the Americana Project band, named Dumpster Fire, wanted to write a sad song, but with happy lyrics. They ended up writing a love song to BLT sandwiches aptly titled ‘Layers of Love.’ Instead of just performing their original song, they incorporated a hilarious performance by asking Mr. Livi to theatrically eat an actual BLT sandwich on stage during the song. The
Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.
CIT Y &
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Award winners: Clover Lee; Clara Bilderback; Mallory Perry; Opal Reid; Paige Marks-McGuire; Bodhi Planty.
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
By Ashlee Francis Correspondent
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
Book store will host ‘house concert’
Paulina Springs Books will host an intimate “house concert” on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m., featuring songs and stories of New England-based folk Americana singer-songwriter Jesse Terry. Listeners will enjoy an evening of warmth, community, fun, connection, plus entertaining and engaging music.
Terry is an internationally touring, award-winning singer-songwriter, and has shared stages with Paula Cole, Liz Longley, Tony Lucca, and Red Molly, as well as playing major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Philadelphia Folk Festival, 30A Songwriters Festival, and AmericanaFest. His most recent album “Arcadia” is rooted in rhythmic rock & roll and sharp songwriting. It’s a big, bold sound that begs to be played in the car, windows rolled down, driving down the fast lane toward some new horizon.
Terry says, “I’m more obsessed with music than ever before. I love the idea of bringing something beautiful into the world. There are so many different parts to all of us,” he said. “For me, I have the husband part, the father part, the songwriting part, the touring part… and I like embracing all those different sides with my music, too. I listen to just as much Tom Petty as I listen to James Taylor. As much
acoustic Neil Young as electric Neil Young.”
The Grand Prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the CMT/NSAI Song Contest, Terry’s songs have been featured on many network television shows, including Netflix’s “Virgin River,” the CW’s “Hart of Dixie” and PBS’ “Roadtrip Nation.”
This will be Terry’s first time playing in Sisters. For more info about him visit https:// www.jesseterrymusic.com/.
A “house concert” is an intimate listening event where music is the focus, a community gathering in support of artists and their work. Seating is limited. $20-25 suggested donation per person, pay at the door. All donations go to the artist. Visit events@paulinasprings books.com to reserve your seats.
Senator will hold town hall in
Sisters on March 18
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold a town hall, open to the public, at Sisters High School gymnasium, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd., on Tuesday, March 18, at 6 p.m.
The Sisters town hall is one of four set in Central Oregon this month. The first two will be on Sunday, March 16, in Linn and Clackamas counties, co-hosted with U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum.
Wyden holds at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties.
“Given the unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever that elected officials meet with Oregonians in their communities for direct conversations to hear their opinions and answer their questions,” Wyden said. “I’m glad Congresswoman Bynum will be joining me in Linn and Clackamas counties, and look forward very much to those discussions on March 16, as well as those in Crook and Deschutes counties on March 18.”
The events were set at the largest venues available, but space may still be limited. Doors will open one hour before the town hall start times for attendees. For everyone’s security, backpacks and large bags will not be allowed in the town hall.
St. Patrick’s Day Concert at The Belfry
Local bluegrass band, Skillethead, will be hosting their fourth annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration at The Belfry on Saturday, March 15. The group will lean into the Irish roots of bluegrass music on this occasion, while dishing out their array of original and traditional tunes.
The evening will open with an energetic set of old time music with Darin Gentry’s Old Time Machine. Hailing from the hills of Western North Carolina, Darin Gentry is the embodiment of traditional
Appalachian music rooted firmly in the old time masters on fiddle and banjo. With accomplished pickers Joe Ellingson, Dale and Suzanne Adkins on board, DG’s Old Time Machine kicks everything up a notch with a solid old time groove and killer vocal harmonies.
The Belfry is located at 302 E. Main Ave. Showtime is 6:30. Advance tickets are $20 and are available at https://belfryevents.com/ event/st-patricks-day-withskillethead-and-daringentrys-old-time-machine/.
Singer-songwriter Jesse Terry.
Darin Gentry’s Old Time Machine will be featured along with Skillethead in a St. Patrick’s Day concert.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Sisters dancers shine in spotlight
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
The annual Sisters Dance Academy Spotlight performance took the stage at Sisters High School on Saturday, March 8.
This hour of dance focused on putting the “spotlight” on the competitive dance teams at SDA, including Senior and Junior Ensemble and Senior and Junior Hip-Hop groups. It also highlighted solos and duets being performed by dancers, either self-choreographed or choreographed by dance instructors Kayla Williams, Shannon Abero Guerrero, Ava Wiley, Denisse Churchill, Ashley Gaona, or Colby Roberts.
The afternoon consisted of 26 different dances, with a range of ages and styles that performed for a large audience of parents, friends, and general supporters.
“I see and feel the dancers giving to each other and it is so full of joy and love. This showcase is the cherry on top of months and months of hard work and discipline,” says Sisters Dance Academy owner Lonnie Liddell.
There were a total of four duets, 15 solos, and six large group dances that displayed their hard work that afternoon, and it was obvious that each dancer poured their heart into the choreography.
“One of my favorite moments was when Adriana,
our only graduating senior, played the drums and everyone on the side stage and in the audience went crazy cheering for her, feeling the energy of that moment! I also loved our younger soloists putting their hearts onto the stage and being so vulnerable to our oldest and more technical dancers. They literally left us all in awe and super inspired,” said Liddell.
This performance helps prepare dancers for their upcoming competition season, solos and duets will be attending competitions in Prineville and Corvallis, while the dance teams will visit Portland and Eugene.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the competition season when we get to travel together, perform what we’ve worked so hard for, have bonding experiences and some fun!” said Liddell.
Dancers of all ages showed their stuff at the Sisters High School Auditorium.
PHOTO BY KELLI
By T. Lee Brown
Have you ever met a Huguenot? I’d heard of them, with my typical American grasp of history: Europe, a long time ago, religion, something-something.
Recently I started doing in-depth research on these folks, by which I mean listening to podcasts about European history, narrated by Brits with alluring accents.
Talking about accents offers a workable if awkward segue to pronouncing Huguenot, don’t you think?
Select from HYOO-guh-not or HUE-guh-no, depending whether you want to sound American or British.
So the Huguenots were early Protestants in France. Calvinists, to be precise. What does that mean, exactly, and who honestly cares? Work with me, here.
Calvinists, like other Protestants, held different beliefs about the nature of God, and people’s relationship to God, than did Catholics. (This is still the case, and apparently there are still Huguenots in France! Who knew?)
This is back when everyone was assumed to believe in God, and better make it the One Christian God or someone might torture you and/or chop off your head.
So here we are in France, in the 16th century. France is primarily a Catholic nation. Priests intone, interceding between individuals and God. Religion is tied to politics as countries vie for power in Rome, home of the Pope, the Holy See, the Vatican and pasta carbonara.
Each King of France is sovereign by divine right, simply for existing. He’s God’s representative on Earth. His power is absolute, “free of all restraints” in Latin. King Dude doesn’t answer to Congress, the Supreme Court, or the Constitution. None of which exist yet, and if they did, they’d be an ocean a way.
King Louis XIV—the super fancy guy who rules from 1643 to 1715 and builds Versailles (yes I love the Netflix series of the same name)—calls himself The Sun King (yes I love the Beatles song of the same name) whilst also comparing himself to Apollo, classic Greek god of the Sun, and if I am not mistaken, this is by far the longest sentence I have ever published in The Nugget for lo, these many years.
What the Pope thinks of Louis XIV styling himself as both the One Christian God’s representative on Earth and a polytheistic god from the multitude available in the Greek pantheon, I do not know.
Anyhoo, the Protestants come along and say, Hey,
individuals can have their own relationships with God. The King and Pope and priest don’t have to be involved. (Do they add, Neener neener? I’d like to think not.)
Calvinism is named for John Calvin, who totally does not like having a religion named for him and prefers the term Reformed Christianity, teaches that God reveals himself to the everyday peasants and nobles alike through his son Jesus Christ.
According to many a theologian, Reformed Christians believe that some people are predestined by God to be saved and go to heaven, while others are predestined to eternal damnation. (Fatalistic echoes of those Greeks and their astrology, which I’m pretty sure John Calvin disapproves of, as he does Calvin & Hobbes, or he would if he happened to live in the right century.)
Oh and also? The Calvinists say, Let’s have sparse, simple churches and get all that gold out of the monasteries. No more buying indulgences from corrupt priests to get your sins
forgiven, either. Well, you can imagine how fabulously this goes over with, you know, the King of France, and the Pope, and the priests. Strangely, though, a lot of nobles dig it. Especially noblewomen.
As Protestants will, the Huguenots start converting people. The invention of the printing press helps them in this endeavor, right up until it gets them slaughtered. More on that later.
Though they’re a minority, the Huguenots hold some sway because a fair number of them are educated and literate folks, like merchants and the aforementioned nobles. (Élites, one might say, but then one would have to lay out the difference between the Boat Rich and the TED Talk Rich, and defend one’s choice to put l’accent ague over that letter É. Moving right along.)
There’s a lot of back and forth. This ruler converts to Protestantism, then back to Catholicism; that one tries to keep the peace among Catholics and Huguenots. Other countries pile onto the conflict like Redditors on an
the chopping off of heads, Catherine de Médici...
/AITAH thread: Spain and Savoy support Catholics; England and the Dutch Republic back Protestants. Violence, treaties, more violence, the chopping off of heads, Catherine de Médici, Europe, a long time ago, religion, something something. Then comes the Red Wedding.
Now do I have your attention?
OK, it’s not precisely the Red Wedding of “Game of Thrones” fame, but it is the incident that inspired said (gruesome, horrific) scene, according to none other than George R.R. Martin himself. Oh look! I’m out of room. Tune in next week or thereabouts to find out more about this era long ago, on a continent far far away, where people who believed in different worldviews couldn’t manage to get along.
SENIORS: Move to end assisted living has big impact
Continued from page 1
after hearing that residents on Medicaid must vacate by April 24. In his metaphor villagers are the 15 Medicaid residents, and some of the assisted living people, and the independent living residents are safe up on the hill.
In the two weeks since Artegan Management sent out letters to residents and their families and held a community-wide meeting to explain changes coming as of April 24, according to residents, the atmosphere at SSL has been full of fear, anger, frustration, grief, uncertainty, and rumor.
The 15 residents who rely on Medicaid to pay for their room and board and needed care have no option other than finding someplace else to live in less than two months. They will be leaving comfortable, familiar surroundings and valued friendships as they are, in Gardner’s formulation, “washed away.”
Several have been able to make a quick departure. Moving vans are a frequent sight these days. Others are investigating their options — some good, some not so good — after believing they were settled in their “forever home,” of which many were assured when they moved to SSL. A number of the residents came to SSL because they have family here in Sisters. Now the closest they may be is Bend or Redmond. There are currently no Medicaid vacancies in Sisters, very few in Bend or Redmond, and people are being advised to look in Prineville and Madras.
Ken Gilbert, 83, who has served as the SSL Resident Council president, has lived here for a year-and-a-half. When he moved to Sisters to be close to his sister, Sydney Harrison, he began as a selfpay assisted living resident. After intentionally spending down his resources, six months ago he qualified for Medicaid through Pacific Source but now is no longer able to live at SSL as it transitions to a non-Medicaidaccepting independent living facility. As the Council president, Ken was responsible for creating bylaws for the resident organization, an accomplishment he is proud to leave as his legacy.
Ken and Sydney grew up in a cabin with cold running water, in Nimrod on the McKenzie River, where his dad was a logger. They say they received great love from both parents and were taught to respect the earth and others.
Ken has known difficulties in his life but has tackled them with a positive
attitude and good outcomes.
As a child, Ken had a tonsillectomy which resulted in an infection that was treated with radium, due to wartime shortage of penicillin. The radium treatment destroyed nerves in his ears and thickened his ear drums, leaving him hearing impaired.
Thirteen years ago, Ken was fortunate to receive cochlear implants which enabled him to hear normally. Twentythree years ago, Ken began experiencing essential tremors and four years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
As an adult, Ken became an electrical engineer and worked for consulting firms involved in wastewater treatment, including on Maui. Ken was married, never having children.
Ken moved to Sisters from Oregon City where he said his accommodations left some thing to be desired. He was not in very good physical or mental shape due to poor care and facilities. He reported his transition to SSL was very
good. He is now healthier and happier. He attributes his current improved health to exercise five times a week at SSL and the nice surroundings and people. Ken will continue to work with a private physical therapist two times a week after he leaves SSL.
Ken had great praise for the SSL staff and their level of care, saying they were “exceptional.” He appreciates Life Enrichment Coordinator Alea Schliep’s energy.
On April 25 he and his cat Allie will be moving in with his sister Sydney and her daughter. He will have his own bedroom and bathroom on the first floor. Medicaid will pay for any adaptive equipment Ken may need.
Sydney said she felt like the SSL management company was myopic in their treatment of the residents.
“I can see where the resi
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is a national program that helps pay for some of the healthcare for low-income adults, children, older adults, and people with disabilities. The program is run by each state. In Oregon, Medicaid is called the Oregon Health Plan, or OHP, and is run by the Oregon Health Authority. OHP/Medicaid is funded by both the state of Oregon and the federal government. The program provides health coverage to 1.4 million people in Oregon.
“I
To be eligible for OHP, one must meet income limits and other requirements. OHP provides free health coverage which may include medical, dental, mental health care, and help with substance use disorders or addiction.
Seventy-one-year-old
Dan Folwick describes himself as a 36-year-old in his heart, a 48-year-old in his mind, and an 85-year-old in his knees. This upbeat man moved to SSL on December 7, 2024. He hasn’t even unpacked all his boxes or hung his pictures yet, and he already must move. After selling his home in Beaverton and finding that assisted living facilities in the Portland area had twoto-three year waiting lists, Dan moved in with family in Terrebonne in September 2024. He enjoyed having time to spend with his 11-year-old granddaughter Ruby. Leaving Portland meant he was out of Kaiser Health’s service area, so he applied for Medicaid through the Oregon Health Plan, was quickly approved, and was able to move to SSL last December.
Dan said Deb Wattenberg at SSL was the reason he came here, Deb telling him this could be his forever home. He didn’t know what
When a person applies for Medicaid long-term care services in Oregon, the state looks at how much help they need to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). This information is used to decide who is eligible for service based on their service priority level. People must also meet income guidelines to qualify for service. Assisted living residents who are on Medicaid have their monthly charges paid with their Social Security checks and receive $210 from their checks for their personal use. Generally, their Social Security checks do not cover the actual monthly charges of the facility.
to expect but he loved the sign Deb had posted on his door when he moved in: “Welcome home, Dan.” There was no mention of any changes coming.
Wattenburg and her husband relocated to Idaho before any of the current events at SSL unfolded.
Dan admits he hates moving but he doesn’t care where he goes because he has friends all over the country. As long as he has his music and cable he doesn’t feel alone or lonely.
He has found an assisted living facility in Portland that he was going to see this past Monday and will be able to move in on March 22, if all goes well. Dan says he has enjoyed meeting the other SSL residents and hopes to stay in touch. He will be a little closer to his son who lives in Kent, Washington, south of Seattle.
“If you work with what you’re given,” Dan said, “you can make lemonade from lemons.”
— Josh Nordell, Sisters School District SPED Teacher
Siblings Ken Gilbert and Sydney Harrison will soon be living together in Sydney’s house in Sisters. Ken has to move out of Sisters Senior Living.
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
Moving fast and breaking things
By Josh Curtis Guest Columnist
You may have recently noticed some unusual turbulence in the federal government. We’re being told that the reason for all this unprecedented activity is to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and regardless of your political stripes, I don’t think anyone seriously objects to pursuing that goal. However, after the 10th revision of the DOGE findings, in which they quietly admit to claiming credit for things actually eliminated under Biden, eliminating things that don’t actually exist, or simply adding three or four zeroes to a number, we should probably stop believing anything these people have to say.
The overarching problem we face is that for decades we have been lectured by our economic betters that public spending is waste, fraud, and abuse by definition. That the private sector is the apex and our ultimate salvation. That we must run government like a business. Our elected officials at the behest of their billionaire donors have occupied our house and slowly and methodically sold off the furniture, careful not to move too quickly lest they give up the game. But now the game is being run by a small taskforce of unelected people, most of whom are not old enough to be entrusted with a rental car, whose only qualifications are their ability to write mediocre code and blindly follow the directions of an egomaniac under the influence of a truly heroic cocktail of competing drugs who also happens to be the richest man on earth. Their ethos is that most idiotic mantra of Silicon Valley — move fast and break things.
In their frenzy to strip the wiring from the American administrative state, they
are predictably committing many incompetent, criminal, and cruel acts. As a horrified onlooker of this gruesome trainwreck, you likely have a top five personally most offensive list. Perhaps it is depriving babies overseas of lifesaving HIV medication. Or the naked corruption of Musk quietly moving to replace Verizon’s two billion dollar contract to overhaul FAA systems with his Starlink company, made even more odious by leaked directives to not write anything down about Starlink’s involvement so that a FOIA request doesn’t catch them with their hand in the cookie jar. Tesla is set to be awarded a 400 million dollar contract to produce armored vehicles which is admittedly very funny, but should immediately tell you how serious these people are about combating waste. Trump crony and sentient thumb Dana White has recently revealed that the FBI, eager to claim the high ground of stupidity, is exploring a contract with the UFC to train their agents in martial artistry.
We’re also seeing the gutting of the National Park workforce, a brave stand against waste that amounts to a hundredth of a percent of the federal budget. And in an effort to sell off Woke
real estate, the DOGE squadron inadvertently revealed the existence of a CIA black site in northern Virginia, by you guessed it, targeting anything with the key word “black.” Maybe it’s not all bad.
Of course none of this is strictly legal. We have a procession of federal judges lining up to tell them so, including some of their very own Supreme Court Orcs who spawned directly from the Federalist Society birthing pools. But to make everything nice and legal, and to finally join in on the fun, the Republican House has unveiled their own even greater demolition plan which includes a proposed $880 billion cut to Medicaid. This will produce a body count.
What is the immediate upshot of all this fraud fighting? The things actually being eliminated are the jobs of vital civil servants. The amounts saved are inconsequential — equivalent to the proverbial daily coffee. The Consumer Price Index is up, job growth has well undershot forecasts, and if you are invested in the stock market, I don’t need to tell you how that is going. The Fed is predicting a first quarter GDP reduction of 1.5% with fresher models showing a catastrophic 3% loss.
We can’t let people catch on to how devastating this is so the administration is planning to simply change the way in which GDP is measured. Afterall, math is whatever we want it to be, as children will undoubtedly be taught after the pesky Department of Education is eliminated.
I’ve seen some react to all this with schadenfreude, a “reap what you sow” mentality, and this is equally despicable. Farmers — a constituency who overwhelmingly voted for Trump — are realizing that expensive equipment purchases made under a cost sharing agreement in the Inflation Reduction Act, will not see that agreement honored. With some of them now facing bankruptcy, they deserve support not scorn.
I understand that when the government has failed us all for decades, people want to lash out, they want to see someone punished and brought low. For many, this seems to be the only thing that the federal government can reliably deliver but this is the impulse we must combat most vehemently.
So what do we do? Well, if anyone tells you that government should be run like a business, you can pretty
The things actually being eliminated are the jobs of vital civil servants.
much ignore anything else that person has to say about the running of government. We need to demand that billionaires are no longer allowed to exist. They are the author of our pain and are the ones reaping all the rewards. Above all we have to help each other. We have to be our own saviors. No meaningful help is coming from the pink suited people meekly holding up little signs during a speech and certainly not from the people perpetrating this destruction. The solutions are not going to be found in the social media fever swamps. We must resist further solidifying into tribes or lone wolf individualists. There is no nobility in doing better than your neighbor but there is in helping them. The greatest joys in life are the ones we share with other people and this will be the wellspring of how we build a better community and ultimately a better nation.
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
source, that the CDC is corrupt. Regardless, a paper published by the CDC, that was a review of multiple studies revealed the following. “In a cohort of 6.4 million COVID-19 vaccinees and 4.6 million demographically similar unvaccinated persons, recipients of the PfizerBioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen vaccines had lower non–COVID mortality (death) risk than did the unvaccinated comparison groups. There is no increased risk for mortality among COVID vaccine recipients.”
This paper actually showed that the risk for non-COVID associated mortality was lower in people vaccinated for COVID. It thus appears that if you received a COVID vaccine you had a smaller chance of dying from diseases other than COVID. And there are reams of research papers, too numerous to count, concluding that the risk of dying from COVID is lower when vaccinated for COVID. Here is the reference to the above cited material: https://www.cdc. gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7043e2.htm. Fortunately in the medical realm, “science does not give a hoot what you believe.”
In good taste, the wording was changed to avoid vulgarity.
Mark Parchman
s s s
Propaganda
To the Editor:
The letters to the editor in this week’s edition of The Nugget made me wonder, again, why the paper’s editor fails to exert editorial discretion to stop the spread of demonstrably blatant falsehoods.
Nearly every week, The Nugget publishes letters to the editor that are chock full of lies, conspiracy theories, disinformation, and propaganda. Some may argue that in the “marketplace of ideas” that Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. described anyone should be able to spew out whatever nonsense one wants to, for the public to evaluate and accept or reject. But this favors those with the biggest megaphone and a shameless willingness to repeat baldfaced lies until the sheer force of repetition causes them to be accepted. As Nazi propagandist Goebbels reportedly pronounced, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” Putin’s propagandists ( including Donald Trump ), channeling their Soviet predecessors, are now employing this technique in repeating the lies that Zelensky is a dictator and that Ukraine is the instigator of Russia’s aggression against it. Time will tell if they are successful.
Last week The Nugget published a letter, which among many falsehoods, describes “J6ers” as persons whose “constitutional liberties were ignored” and who were allegedly victimized by “the great injustice that the
government did by having at least (fact confirmed by DOJ [not true]) 26 FBI influencers at the Capitol January 6, causing havoc and riling up the people…” The letter repeats the false conspiracy theory that the January 6 Commission “destroyed all their evidence after the election.” When The Nugget receives such a letter, one that is so patently, if possibly unwittingly, a vessel for disinformation, does the paper feel the need to ask the writer to provide credible sources for the statements in the letter? If not, why not, when the result is to repeat and reinforce big lies and propaganda that harm all of us?
Other newspapers apply strict rules requiring that factual claims in letters to the editor and opinion pieces be supported by credible sources. Why doesn’t The Nugget do so?
Mary Chaffin s s s
From the superintendent
To the Editor:
As Superintendent of Sisters School District, I am excited to share some of the highlights from our recent board meeting. We began with a presentation from the High Desert Education Service District on the Local Service Plan, which provides essential paid services to districts in our region — services which are typically not feasible to sustain independently.
One of the biggest points of celebration was the announcement that Sisters Elementary School (SES) has earned the prestigious American School Counselor Association RAMP certification, making it currently one of only eight schools in the state to receive this distinction. This recognition honors schools with exemplary, data-driven counseling programs that positively impact students. With this achievement, our district now has two certified schools, a testament to the dedication and hard work of our incredible counseling team over the past three years. Additionally, we continue to invest in academic resources, with the selection of a new K-3 English Language Development curriculum. This curriculum is currently available for public viewing at the District Office and will be up for final approval at our next board meeting.
We are also making strides in facility improvements and community partnerships. Our board discussed several infrastructure projects, including maintenance on the new SES field, relocating portables to the high school, improving our irrigation system, and breaking ground on a new SES greenhouse. In addition, Sisters Park & Recreation District is preparing to move into the old elementary school over spring break, which opens the door for discussions about the future of our district office.
To move forward, the board has decided to
CENTER: SPRD has taken over the former elementary school site
Continued from page 1
for our services. We hope our new location will help us reach even more community members.”
To celebrate the opening, SPRD will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, March 31, at 9 a.m., with staff available for guided tours of the facility. A Grand Opening event is planned for Saturday, June 7, coinciding with Kids
Fest, a district special event that celebrates being a kid in Sisters.
Additional work will continue outside the facility, with construction of a new preschool playground, funded by a generous local Sisters couple, beginning on Monday, March 17. The development of a larger community park—funded by a Local Government Grant, along with contributions from the City of Sisters and Pineview Tennis Club — is set to begin in June. For more information, visit www.sistersrecreation or call 541-549-2091.
Let’s Get Going! Indivisible Sisters Civic engagement workshop. ursday, March 13, f rom 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at the Communit y Hall, SistersCamp Sherman RFPD, 301 S . Elm St. Learn easy ways to be involved & informed . More information: 541-40 0-8312
Go Fish Group Meeting
Go Fish Group will meet on Monday, March 17, at Sisters Communit y Church at 7 p.m. e program will be presented by Bruce Willhite of Bend and will present “Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass on the John Day River ” For more information call 541-771-2211.
Sisters Rodeo Parade Sisters Rodeo Parade applications are now open. Be part of a longtime tradition in Sisters . Limited entries and the deadline is May 15 . Visit www.sistersrodeo.com , click on Events/Par ade and proceed to fill out the application. Line-up will go out around first of June.
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 W. McKenzie Hwy. No reservations needed. No-cost Grab-N-Go lunche s take place weekly on Wed . and urs ., f rom 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367
Announce Celebrations!
Birth, engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversary notices f rom the Sisters communit y may run at no charge on this Announcements page. All submissions are subject to editing for space. Email nug get@nug getnews .com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays
A NNOUNCEMENT S
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, March 13
Let’s Get Going ! Fire Station Community Hall
Monday, March 17
Go Fish Group Meeting Sisters Community Church
STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transpor t Patients
Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond, and Bend . Attend a f ree two-hour training. Emails f rom 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 and volunteer to keep Sisters healthy one ride at a time.
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 f amily of those diagnosed with some form of dementia meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1 to 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.
Save the Rubberbands
10 0+ Women Who Care
10 0+ Women Who CareSisters is delighte d to announce that it has added a “+” to its name! Having topped 100 memberships last month, the group is actively recruiting women to join and support that beautif ul “+.” 100+W WC pools donations to fund local nonprofits nominated by its members . More than $42, 000 has been donated since the group’s founding a year ago. ere is no membership fee; the group meets quarterly. For more information, email 100wwc. Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912- 0750
Sisters Garden Journal
Sisters Garden Club has Garden Journals that are availabl e for $15 at Paulina Springs Book s & e Gallimauf r y here in Sisters e multiyear journal includes pages for notes on weather, monthly garden activities , plant details , and more. Sale s support the Garden Club and other lo cal nonprofits . Get your copy now ey make great gif ts Plea se call 971-24 6-040 4 to ask questions and find more information
STAR S Seeks
Dispatch Volunteers
While working from home, help STAR S transport Sisters Country resident s to nonemergenc y medical appointments . Needed: A computer, the abilit y to use online apps, and a telephone. Call 541-9 04-5545
Free Weekly Meal Service
Open Studio at PMRCA A
e first Open Studio of the 2025 residency season is ursday, March 20 , f rom 4 to 6 p.m. at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, 68467 ree Creek s Rd . Presenters for this event include multidisciplinar y artist Mallor y Craig , and collaborators Margaret-Mar y Sulentic Dowell and Ellie Kingsbury is event is f ree and open to the public . Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org.
Sisters Careg iver Support
A f acilitated support group for caregivers of those with chronic or life-shor tening diseases meets 10 :30 to 11:30 a .m. on the third Wednesday of ever y month at Sisters Episcopal Church of e Transfiguration, 121 Brook s Camp Rd . For more information, please call 503-616 -8712.
Free papers at e Nug get If you need papers to start fires in your fireplace, mulch your garden, pack to move, or anything else, stop by e Nugget. ere is a wooden box on the porch with past-date papers for your recycling use
SISTERS LIBRARY COMING EVENTS
Family Story Time
Habitat rif t Store Now Open e new carpet is in and Habitat rif t Store is open for business! Store hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donations are accepted Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ank you for your patience during the closure
PET OF THE WEEK Humane Societ y of Central Oregon 541-382-3537
BROWNIE
Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m., at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org
Weekly Food Pantry Changes
Meet Brownie, a 7-monthold German shepherd-mix puppy who’s eager to learn . He’s sociable, treatmotivated, and ready for a home that can o er consistent training and lots of exercise
— SPONSORED BY —
adline is 5 p m on Fridays them If you can save , se all
Business owners: Are you the recipient of a bundle of Nug gets each week? ose f at rubberbands are highly valued by the Nug geteers that bundle your papers each week , not to mention the value of rec ycling rather than throwing them away If you can s e them k, p them them a Questions
f rom week to week then drop them by e Nugget we’d love to u again. Questions? Ca 541-549-9941
Wellhouse Food Pantr y has a new name ORE Market . It is still l t 222 N . Trinity Wa . Market hours are rom 1 to 2 p.m. 332.
name: COR located at 22 Way in Sisters M now Mondays, f Info: 541-588-233
Interactive story time with books , songs , and rhymes for children ages 0-5 years ese stories and songs are designed to support early literacy skill development, social-emotional awareness , and f amily engagement. is 30-minute program is on Wednesdays , March 19 and 26, at 10:30 a .m. in the Communit y Room at Sisters Librar y. Go to https://www deschuteslibrary.org/kids/ programs for more info. 541-549-2275 • 541-549-8836
SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES
Baha’i Faith For information contac w ww bahai.us • Calvar y Churc
484 W. Washin
For information, devotions, study groups , etc., t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org • www.bahaiteachings .org y Church hington St. , Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288 y Worship • www.ccsisters.org
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
Chapel in the Pines mp Sherman • 541-815-9153 y Worship
10 a .m. Sunday in the Camp Sherman 10 a .m. Sunday
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
e Church o f 452 Trinit y Wa 10 a .m. Sunday
e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s y • Branch President, 5 41-977-5559; y Sac rament Meeting
Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational) 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com
e 121 N Bro ok s www.transfigu 8:30 a .m. Ecum
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
10 :15 a .m. Epis
e Pl at Sist
130 0 W. McKe
e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 uration-sisters.org menical Sunday Worship .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship e Resting Place meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, enzie Hwy lace.us • hello@restingplace.us y Worship
www.restingpl 5 p.m. Sunday
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
pr no charge. Busin allows . Email lisa
profits, schools , churches , birth, engagement, wedding , and anniversar y notices may run at iness items do not run on this page. All submissions subject to editing and run as space a@nug getnews .com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave. Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fridays
CHAMPION: Season has been best in program history
Continued from page 1
The boys team slalom had a stellar performance, and finished second with a time of 4:17.69. Myagkov, Spencer Tisdel, Spencer Davis, and Cooper Merrill all contributed to the impressive finish, coming in just 2.83 seconds behind state champions Lake Oswego (4:14.86), while Sunset took third at 4:19.64.
In the boys GS, Sisters placed fourth overall with a time of 5:13.24, behind great times from Myagkov, Tisdel, Davis, and Merrill. Bend placed first (5:03.74), Lake Oswego took second, and Sunset placed third.
Coach Grummer said, “The pinnacle of the Outlaws achievement is an incredible second place in the overall combined team standings, with both girls and boys teams locking in a cumulative time of 19:43.81, falling just 3.81 seconds short of the overall team state title behind Bend High (19:40.00). This result reflects how incredibly close the Outlaws were to capturing the championship against the best competition in the state. Hood River Valley took third with a combined time of 20:02.07, a whopping 22.07 seconds behind Sisters.”
In addition to Myagkov championship win, several Outlaws had outstanding individual performances. Tallis Grummer was a regional championship qualifier. She finished 14th in slalom with a time of 1:33.36. She also placed 26th in the GS with a time of 1:52.89, which earned her 15th place overall in the combined rankings, securing her a spot to represent Team Oregon at the Western U.S. High School Championships race in Grand Targhee, Wyoming, next week.
Tisdel delivered a wellrounded performance, and
placed 15th overall in the combined rankings (3:17.87). He put together a strong slalom race and finished 18th (1:28.56), and also secured 25th place in GS (1:49.31).
Coach Grummer noted that Tisdale once again proved to be a consistent and valuable racer for the Outlaws.
Roberts, the lone freshman on the Outlaws squad, had a standout performance in the GS, and finished 11th overall (1:45.45). Coach Grummer noted that Roberts showcased her speed and agility on the course which earned her a Move-Up Award. Roberts also competed in slalom and finished 49th (1:52.48), which earned her 26th overall in the combined rankings.
Eby placed an impressive eighth in GS (1:43.42), which made her one of the top ten finishers in the state in that discipline. She placed 55th in slalom, which Coach Grummer noted highlighted her versatility as a racer. She finished 27th overall in the combined rankings.
Riehle put in a solid slalom run, and finished 24th overall (1:39.98). Coach Grummer told The Nugget that her strong showing and 15th place single-run in the GS (00.53.05) helped secure valuable points for the team in the GS event.
Adelt earned a 41st place finish (1:49.90) in
slalom, and also contributed to the team’s strong slalom performance.
Pia Grummer improved throughout the competition, and earned 57th in giant slalom (2:03.35), and won a Move-Up award for her significant gains on the slalom course.
On the boys side, Ben Hayner placed 42nd overall (1:52.97) in the GS. Coach Grummer stated that Hayner showed his tactical and skiing strength in the race.
John Berg put together a solid performance, and finished 28th (1:34.91), and contributed valuable points to the team’s strong slalom in the technical event.
Merrill had a strong single-run in the GS, and secured 29th place (00:57.41). Coach Grummer noted that this was a crucial result that helped the Outlaws secure their team placement.
Rounding out the racers was Emerson Backus, who competed in slalom, and laid down a single run, finishing 60th (00:50.53). Coach Grummer stated that Backus showed determination on the course with a strong effort that contributed to the team’s depth in the competition.
Three Sisters racers won the prestigious Move-Up Award, given to those who improve their placement the
See CHAMPION on page 19
THINKING ABOUT
SISTERS-AREA EVENTS & Enter tainment
WEDNESDAY • MARCH 12
Paulina Springs Books Partners & Pages Community Book Club hosted by Partners in Care "The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot" by Marianne Cronin. 10 to 11 a.m. Free and open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com/events.
Sisters Movie House & Café Spring ADVART: "Fly Fishing Film Tour 2025" Part of the Adventure & Art series. 6:45 p.m. Tickets $17 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY, MARCH 13
The Barn Dance Party: Lunar Eclipse Dance Party Full Moon After Hours Dance Party with DJ Mooch, 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets and info: www thebarninsisters.com/events.
The Belfr y Live Music: Broken Compass Bluegrass are a fresh force on the bluegrass scene, recognized for their tight arrangements, tasteful musicianship and distinguished songwriting skills. 7 p.m. Presented by 4Peaks Presents. Tickets and info: www.belfryevents.com.
Luckey's Woodsman Trivia: "St. Paddy's Themed" 5:30 p.m. Info: www.luckeyswoodsman.com.
FRIDAY • MARCH 14
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
SATURDAY • MARCH 15
SELLING YOUR HOME?
Thu., March 13 • 7 p.m.
Brok en Compas s Bluegr as s
Sat., March 15 • 7 p.m.
Skillethe ad and Darin Gentr y’ s Old Time Machine
original,traditional, modern BendTicket.com $20
Fri., April 4 • 7 p.m.
Bon Bon Viv ant with Jet Black Pe arl up-tempo, indie-flavored New Orleans music BendTicket.com $20 • 7
It’s a g
It’s a great time to begin planning and prepping for listing your home in 2025 – I’d love to help! 541-408-1343
Ross Kennedy, Principal Broker
Sisters Run: Lucky Leprechaun 5K /10K Costume contest, bag pipes, finisher party at Luckey's Woodsman. Benefits Sisters Rotary/Family Access Network. Register at www.runsistersrun.com. Luckey's Woodsman St Patrick's Day Bash A full day of shenanigans including live music, Irish eats (starting with breakfast at 8 a.m.), and more! 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Big Chief Vintage next door will have free pancake tickets and vintage vehicles are encouraged. Cascade Highlanders Pipes and Drums sound off at 11 a.m., Joseph Balsamo brings acoustic tunes at 11:30 a.m., The Tidebenders serve up surf/garage rock at 2 p.m., and Rustmouth will bring the Delta blues at 3:30 p.m. Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, To Eat is an Agricultural Act: Starting your own Kitchen “Materia Medica” Bookmaking workshop and learn more about the medicinal benefits of local plants with Mallory Craig 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. $50 Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events. The Belfr y Live Music: Skillethead and Darin Gentr y's Old Time Machine will bring original, traditional, and modern bluegrass music 7 p.m. Tickets and info: www.belfryevents.com. 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.
SUNDAY • MARCH 16
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
TUESDAY • MARCH 18
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, Poetr y, Narrative & Argument: A Writing Workshop on Environmental Issues Interactive writing workshop that explores three different genres: poetry, narrative, and argument/opinion. 3 to 6 p.m. $10. Registration and info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.
COUNTRY: Exploration and Settlement of the Pacific Northwest
WEDNESDAY • MARCH 19
Jim Barnett is a local historian whose talk will focus on the early history of Oregon, describing the best current evidence of the Native migration and settlement of the region, as well as later Euro-American exploration and settlement of the area that was known as Oregon Country Jim Barnett
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played). Sisters Movie House & Café Spring ADVART: "Dawn of Impressionism: Paris, 1874" Part of the Adventure & Art series. 6:45 p.m. Tickets $17 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.
THURSDAY, MARCH 20
Paulina Springs Books House Concert: Jesse Terr y An intimate evening of song and story with Americana/folk singer-songwriter Jesse Terry 7 to 9 p.m. $20-25 suggested donation per person goes to artist. RSVP to events@paulinaspringsbooks.com.
FRIDAY • MARCH 21
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. Tickets are $10 at the Door (Free to TSHS members)
2 p.m. , doors open at 1 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Questions? Call 541-610-6323.
SUNDAY • MARCH 23
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.
Iconic Sisters business is closing its doors
By Matt Van Slyke Correspondent
The Paper Place is folding. The Sisters shop, which has been in business for more than 40 years (since 1981), will close on Friday, March 14, its owner said.
The Paper Place is selling off its stock of greeting cards, gifts, games, children’s books, and toys. Everything is half-price.
Owner Joshua Smith bought the business from Kara Petersen, daughter of original owners Bob and Jerry Petersen, in May of 2022. Since then, economic conditions have worsened.
“Every business comes with a loan when you purchase it,” explained Smith. “I had a 4.5 percent interest rate that went to almost 13 percent at First Interstate Bank, and they were unwilling to help because they’re backed by the government, with the SBA, so they would rather close and get the money from the SBA quicker than they would try to help me in any way, shape, or form.”
Another factor in the closure is a decline in foot traffic.
“Tourism started to die out here in Sisters,” Smith asserted. “I probably have more of a local base than any other store in town because of my greeting card selection. However, $3.50 here and $3.50 there from a local
is not as helpful.”
Smith said his store used to see a 60-40 split of tourists to locals. Today, it’s closer to 80-20.
“Locals aren’t shopping local. They’re going to Bend and Redmond to shop now. With tourism down and less boots on the ground, it has just killed our business, and there are a lot of others on the brink here in town,” Smith said.
He should know. Smith is president of the Sisters Business Association, created in 2024.
“From the beginning, I saw that there was going to be a challenge, which is why I co-founded the business association with Shaunette White over at High Desert Chocolates — so that we could help other businesses and connect with each other and help, ideawise, and gather educational resources.”
Smith also feels that Sisters leaders don’t understand the true state of the local economy.
“I would say there’s a lack of care and concern from the local government. They focus on a lot of other things but they don’t focus on anything that would help their local businesses. In fact, there’s a lot of red tape that a lot of people don’t know about in owning a business in Sisters,” he said.
While this is a sad moment for him, Smith
fondly recalls the beginning of his business ownership journey, when times were great.
“I’ve enjoyed every customer, getting to know tons of people in town, and having phenomenal conversations,” he recalled. “Being part of the community has been wonderful.”
Smith plans to stick around through the school year and help the community as best he can.
“I’m going to be dedicating my time to the Little League board, and head coaching for Little League. I just finished up basketball with the kids. At the Rotary Foundation, we’re going to review essays from high school seniors to see who’s going to warrant scholarships,” he said. “There’s a lot
of nonprofit work that I’m still trying to work on while I’m here.”
Despite the closure, Smith is proud of his time behind the counter.
“I would like to thank the previous family, the Petersens, who did a phenomenal job over almost four decades of keeping this going. Everyone who has worked for me, I have appreciated. And I thank my
family for backing me. My wife has been a huge part of everything I do.” He views The Paper Place’s end as a community wake-up call.
“I hope that a closure of this size opens up the eyes of the locals to start shopping and spending money in town,” he said. “There are several other businesses that I know that are really close to closing.”
The Paper Place will soon close its doors.
PHOTO BY MATT VAN SLYKE
So, what is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to a set of practices and habits that promote consistent, restful sleep. Poor sleep hygiene can contribute to insomnia and other sleep disorders. A bedtime routine signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep. It can help reduce stress and anxiety, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
How to Establish Good Sleep Hygiene and a Bedtime Routine
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle (i.e. circadian rhythm: we will dive into this next week).
• Sunlight exposure: Expose yourself to natural sunlight during the day, especially in the morning, to help regulate your circadian rhythm.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine:
• Dim the lights: Lowering the lights an hour or two before bed signals your body to produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness.
• Take a warm bath or shower: A warm bath or shower can help relax your muscles and lower your body temperature, signaling to your body that it’s time to sleep.
• Avoid screens: The blue light emitted from electronic
devices (phones, tablets, computers) can interfere with melatonin production. Avoid screen time at least an hour before bed. Some people will put their phone “to bed.” They will buy an alarm clock and leave the phone in a separate room from where they sleep.
• Read a book: Reading a physical book (not an e-reader) can be a relaxing way to wind down. We read our children bedtime stories; why not read one to ourselves?
• Listen to calming music: Soothing music or nature sounds can help you relax and fall asleep.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Deep breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Optimize your sleep environment:
• Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool: Use blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine to create a sleep-conducive environment.
• Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows: A comfortable sleep surface can make a big difference in sleep quality.
Watch what you eat and drink:
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed: These substances can interfere with sleep.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal before bed: Eating a large meal close to bedtime can cause indigestion and disrupt sleep.
• Drink fluids earlier in the day: Drinking water close to bedtime can lead to
fragmented sleep, as you may have to get up once to several times in the night to empty your bladder.
• Get regular exercise: It is true that regular physical activity can improve sleep quality, but avoid intense workouts close to bedtime. A late night vigorous activity can raise your core body temperature and elevate heartrate and adrenaline, all of which make it harder to fall asleep. Aerobic exercise also releases endorphins, which would normally be great, but close to bedtime, this release of endorphins can create a heightened state of activity in the brain, making it more challenging to fully relax.
If you have persistent sleep problems, consult a doctor or sleep specialist. They can help identify any underlying medical conditions or sleep disorders that may be contributing to your sleep difficulties.
It may seem like a lot to focus on in the beginning, but establishing good sleep hygiene and a relaxing bedtime routine is an investment in your overall health and well-being. By prioritizing sleep and implementing these strategies, you can improve your sleep quality, boost your energy levels, and enhance your quality of life.
a collective effort of Molly Rova, Chloe Frazee, Kholie Walker, and Mikee Stutzman. They are offering lash and brow services, facials, spray tans, waxing, and nails.
Books Games Events
Fun for everyone!
Open 9:30 AM –7 PM Monday-Saturday 9:30 AM –5 PM sunday
MON, MARCH 17 • 5:30PM
PSB FICTION BOOK CLUB discussing The Unmaking of June Farrow by ADRIENNE YOUNG. All ar e welcome – no need to have r ead the book to dr op in! Meeting thir d Monday; info at paulinaspringsbooks.com.
THURS, MARCH 20 • 7-9PM
HOUSE CONCERT with Jesse
Songs ar e liter atur e! An intimate evening of song and story with Americana/folk singer songwriter Jesse Terry. T his is an intimate listening event w her e music is the f Seating is limited. $20-25 suggested donation per per son goes to the ar tist! RSVP to events@paulinaspringsbook
9 : n th THUR 0PM
MON, APRIL 7 • 5:30PM
THE PAUSE BUTTON: A Monthly Poetry Gathering ar ound the table to take a moment to pause for poet ry explor ation. Bring a poem or two to shar e. Listen, discuss, and do a little writing No experience necessar y. (First Mondayof everymonth.)
WED, APRIL 16 • 6:30PM
ROD SCHER pr esents Ship of Lost Souls: The Tragic Wreck of the Steamship Valencia, the stor y of the 1906 disaster w hen the vessel cr ashed into the jagged roc ks just of f the coast of Vancouver Island, BC . Almost ever yone a boar d the steamship died. Who w as at fault? What lessons have been lear ned?
10 AM!
Cedar Studio celebrated its opening at 272 S. Cedar St. on Saturday, March 8. The new studio is
PHOTO BY JESS DRAPER
Middle school wrestling program grows
By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent
The Sisters Middle School wrestling teams wound up the season that included the best turnout in recent memory, much to the delight of coaches Bruce Kemp and Jeff Smith. Smith wrestled collegiately and has served on the Sisters School District board of directors for many years.
According to Kemp, whose son Dave coaches the high school team, the squad of 24 boys and six girls competed in a total of seven meets.
The SMS Outlaws competed in a regional league comprising five Bend schools, two Redmond schools, Crook County and Jefferson County middle schools, and La Pine.
The team defeated both La Pine and High Desert Middle School in dual meet action this year and nearly knocked off Burns and Crook County.
The girls team produced a
first place finisher at District as eighth grader Julianne Kemp nabbed the top spot. Teammates Isla Rhyne, Brylee Saunders, and Arora Restani each picked up two wins against one loss at District.
The district boys tournament featured over 440 wrestlers in the various weight categories. Jett Miller placed the highest among the Outlaws with a third place finish. RJ Moon took fifth, Keagan McShane and Blake Kemp placed sixth, and Cole Morris finished in the top eight.
Bruce Kemp has mixed feelings about losing fifteen eighth graders to the high school, but heartened his son Dave will inherit them.
“Our goal has been to have a great experience featuring mental and physical toughness, great camaraderie, while having fun along the way and I think we accomplished that and hope it translates into another great turnout next year, “said Bruce Kemp.
Kindergarten roundup set in Sisters
Sisters Elementary School (SES) will hold their annual Kindergarten Roundup preregistration on Friday, May 2, in the school gymnasium at either 9 to 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to noon. Students will be participating in a teacherled activity while parents are involved in a parent orientation.
Sign up by contacting the elementary school at 541549-8981. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025, are eligible for the 2025-26 school year. SES will also be offering two tours to prospective students and parents who wish to see the school and classrooms. Register for one of these times: Friday,
READ THE NUGGET TO...
• be informed
• connect with community
• hear someone else’s perspective on a topic
• discover local businesses & organizations
• have something fresh to talk to your neighbor about
April 25, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Friday, May 2, at 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Enrollment forms may be picked up at the Sisters Elementary School office between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. The school will be closed March 17-28 for Spring Break. Forms need to be completed and returned to the school office on May 2 at the time of your scheduled appointment.
The following documents are required to register:
• Enrollment packet
• Copy of birth certificate
• Immunization records
• Proof of address.
Students will not be registered until all forms are returned.
• talking about what you’ve read in The Nugget with another person
• sharing your perspective in a Letter to the Editor or opinion column
• becoming a correspondent
• shopping at a local business
• advertising your business
• submitting an original poem
• selling something in the classifieds
• recognizing a good deed done in a “Sisters Salutes”
• buying a subscription for yourself or a family member
• hiring local service professionals
• sending in a great photo of life in Sisters
• being a “supporting contributor” with a one-time or recurring financial gift to support community
The Nugget Newspaper
Jim Cornelius, 541-390-6973 (cell), editor@nuggetnews.com
Advertising: Vicki Curlett, vicki@nuggetnews.com
Events, Poetry: Jess Draper, jess@nuggetnews.com
Classifieds, Subscriptions, Announcements: Lisa May, lisa@nuggetnews.com
Working together, we spin the threads that connect our community in a rich and colorful tapestry. We appreciate you, Sisters!
Reckoning with the Big One
The Pacific Northwest is rocked by the same kinds of giant earthquakes and tsunamis that wreaked havoc in Japan in 2011, and the Indian Ocean in 2004. But these severe hazards are underappreciated because the last event happened 325 years ago. And unlike California, Oregon lacks many moderatesized earthquakes in between “Big Ones” to remind us that we live in earthquake country.
The vast majority of Oregon’s infrastructure was built before even geologists recognized how big Oregon’s Big Ones could be. That means almost all the essential infrastructure in the Willamette Valley and westward is at risk, and some infrastructure failures will themselves create cascading disasters. When (not if) the next magnitude-9 earthquake strikes the Pacific Northwest, it will trigger the worst disaster in U.S. history.
Geologist Liz Safran will explain the origins and anticipated consequences of this region’s major earthquakes in a talk sponsored by the Sisters Science Club on Thursday, March 25 at The Belfry. She will also touch upon some of the ongoing efforts to reduce risk and build resilience.
Dr. Safran is a geomorphologist by training (think floods and landslides), and is now obsessed with the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. She got her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, an M.Sc. from University of Washington, and a Ph.D. from University of California, Santa Barbara. Her most recent research uses custom-made video games in experiments to bet ter understand what motivates young adults to prepare for earthquakes.
CONCERT: Event
featured wide range of talent on stage
Continued from page 3
whole aesthetic of a mournful melody about a silly subject while a man on a stage ate a sandwich was so funny.”
There were a total of four Americana Project bands: ranging in creative titles, Chemically Incorrect, ToeTappers, Don, and Dumpster Fire.
Other performances included songs from the Outlaw Jazz Combo who started the night off with an upbeat chart titled, “Jig-AJug,” by Joshua Redman, followed by “More Kick,” by Josh Deutsch. The SHS Jazz Choir sang hauntingly beautiful songs entitled, “Time,” by Jennifer Lucy Cook, and “Good Night, Dear Heart,” by Dan Forrest.
Each of the concert choirs and bands involves a majority of freshmen and sophomores who continue to improve their playing.
The Sisters High School Concert Band is additionally preparing for an upcoming overnight trip to Jewell on Friday, April 4, where they will participate in their league concert band festival, which is the only band festival where they will play with bands from schools of their size and division. They also plan on visiting Multnomah Falls, a beautiful
PHOTO BY KELLI CARTER
David Darst performed a solo rendition of “Tulsa Time” in the Outlaws Festival Music Concert. He dedicated the song to his mom Rhonda Darst of Sisters, who passed away this year.
landmark that connects to one of the pieces they titled, “Multnomah,” by William Owens.
The trip is supported by community contributions.
“Your donation will grant the opportunity for our students to participate in our league festival and will go towards hotel costs, the bus drivers, paying a guide to visit Multnomah Falls, and covering meals. Students should not have to pay large sums of money to be able to participate in the enrichment of their academics, but our program budget cannot support this trip without your help,” said Golka.
Visit https://app.school fundr.org/fund/shsbandtrip to learn more about supporting student musicians.
The event is part of the Frontiers in Science lecture series. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. Lecture begins at 7 p.m.. Admission is $5 at the door; teachers and students are admitted free.
The Belfry is located at 302 E. Main Ave. For more information, visit www.sistersscienceclub.org/.
Nugget Poetry Corner
The Robe
ByPaulAlanBennett
I wear my father’s r obe
He died some year s ago
And though the cuffs need tender car e
T his r obe, come mor ning, I do wear
The fabric belt with loops of wool
How many times his hands did tie
And once the knot secur ely made
Did both of them feel satisfied?
When sitting in my lazy-boy to r ead a book or ma gazine
His r obe does say to me, I know of this r outine
And if a snif fle I do feel, it w hisper s you will find relief
Just r eac h inside my poc kets to find your handkerc hief
In evening time, a sudden c hill
Upon my nec k my r obe will still
Respond and tell my hands to fold the collar in
And then sit bac k to r ead ag ain
My hands, these bones, so like my dad’s
Perhaps this r obe thinks I am him
And being fooled encr adles me,
A younger he with younger limbs?
T his r obe has now embr aced two hear ts
Its sleeves just like quotation mar ks
That hold his spar k of life, whose ember s still
Within this r obe I feel
Time wor ks upon this wool so gr ey
With red trim that’s unr aveling
And as I drink my mor ning br ew and wonder what the day will bring
His r obe gr ows old with me, his r obe knows this r outine
poem
d like to share?
Geologist Liz Safran.
Cuts raise fears over fire season
By Lynne Terry Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon’s Democratic U.S. House members — and other Democrats in the House — warned this week that firing firefighters and employees at agencies that manage federal land could have drastic consequences for the upcoming fire season.
The federal government owns just over 50 percent of Oregon’s land, and it’s mainly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
In two letters this week, Oregon’s House members called on the new head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, and the recently appointed secretary of the Department of the Interior, which oversees the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, to reverse the recent firing of thousands of employees.
“The hiring freeze and staffing cuts have harmed the livelihoods of dedicated public servants across our state and will directly undermine public safety,” Oregon’s five Democratic House members wrote Thursday to interior head Doug Burgum and USDA chief Brooke Rollins. “Fewer firefighters and insufficient staffing during fire season exacerbate fire response delays, prevent effective mitigation efforts, and place lives, property, and our environment at greater risk.”
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
LETTERS
Continued from page 9
begin a formal search for realtors to assess the market value of the property. We also had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Independent Schools Conference, where we explored innovative approaches to education, particularly in interest-based and place-based learning — concepts that align with our district’s vision for the future.
Sisters School District is committed to fostering a thriving learning environment through continued investments in student support, facilities, and community partnerships. I encourage everyone to stay engaged and informed by subscribing to our weekly district newsletter. Simply visit our website at https://district.ssd6.org and click the “Newsletter” button on the homepage.
Curt Scholl Superintendent
To the Editor:
s s s
Irish history
As an Irish immigrant to the United States, I was embarrassed by Donald Trump’s recent proclamation praising the Irish as “great people” and claiming they voted for him in large numbers. This statement is not only misleading but an insult to those of us who understand Irish history and values.
Irish immigrants came to America fleeing famine, persecution, and economic ruin, only to be met with hostility, exclusion, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The same brand of xenophobia that once targeted the Irish is now directed at other immigrant groups, much of it stoked by Trump himself. His sudden admiration for Irish Americans feels less like genuine respect and more like a cynical attempt to rewrite history for political convenience.
To suggest that the Irish broadly support Trump is both inaccurate and offensive. Our history teaches us to stand against discrimination, not embrace leaders who promote it. If Trump truly respected the Irish, he would recognize the values we hold dear — fairness, justice, and solidarity with the oppressed — not use us as a prop to serve his own agenda.
Colette Whelan
To the Editor:
s s s
Trump
After just reading a book about an episode in America’s Civil War, a war in which 750,000 Americans were killed, it comes as no surprise we continue to make irrational decisions. Electing the likes of Donald Trump hoping he will do something about the price of groceries, it should come as no surprise his focus is on the wasting of our resources causing the further degradation and viability of the planet.
I have to give credit to the Biden Administration for attempting to prevent Ukraine from using the weapons we’ve provided in a manner likely to result in Russia pulling the nuclear trigger ending in our immediate demise. Electing Trump will hasten the degradation of the planet, but at least the end won’t come as soon should Russia be goaded into exercising the nuclear option.
Here’s hoping we survive four years of Trump and we do better next time by electing someone who will put an end to the reckless course we are now on.
Roger Detweiler s s s
Wildfire risk
To the Editor:
Steve Woodside raises some important concerns about the Wildfire Hazards Map (WHM), but placing blame on politicians and scientists for risk assessments and proactive mitigation efforts feels a bit like shooting the messenger.
The reality is that our climate is changing and wildfire risks are increasing. Insurance companies face $40 billion in losses from recent fires alone. They don’t rely on publicly funded models to set rates—they use their own expensive, proprietary risk assessments. The WHM helps illustrate why insurance rates are rising, but the idea that rate increases are caused by HB672 is a misunderstanding.
Mr. Woodside makes a valid point about property rights, but no right exists in a vacuum. If property owners expect fire protection and, in worst-case scenarios, disaster relief, we all share the financial burden as taxpayers. If we want to keep costs down, both in insurance and taxes, we should consider how and where we build to better mitigate wildfire risks.
The fact is, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. 2023 was the hottest year on record—until 2024 beat it. This trend is expected to continue. Insurance companies must make decisions based on financial responsibility to their shareholders, while the government has a duty to safeguard the public good. Neither is perfect, but both are responding to an evolving landscape.
Instead of searching for someone to blame, perhaps we should focus on what we can do — working together as communities to build smarter, manage risks, and adapt to our changing world. As a famous saying goes, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” The question now is: what do we do about it?
Winston Saunders s s s
Lies are our demise
To the Editor:
Of course we all know that we are not spending $8 million on transGENDER mice. We know that the word Trump could not read was TransGENIC mice — mice that have modified DNA and are used to study human diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. We also know that the reason we have 200-year-old people on the Social Security system is not because they are being given benefits. Benefits are audited for anyone over 115 and not on Medicare. These are typical auditing techniques. If a death certificate is not turned into Social Security by family members or a mortician, the person may stay active in the system and then there can be fraudulent payments — but that fraud is not committed by public employees. Why do we have to continually put up with the lies or implications that lead to lies, and more important why are people believing them? I hate to point this out, but Trump isn’t the problem; people who don’t look for the truth and don’t expect Trump to tell the truth are the problem. The lies are our demise. (Proverbs 6: 16-19)
Nancy Buffinton-Kelm
End-of-life doula program in the works
Partners In Care (PIC) will be introducing an official end-of-life doula program in partnership with The Peaceful Presence Project (PPP).
Based in the PIC volunteer department, the end-oflife doulas will be trained PIC volunteers dedicated to providing an additional layer of non-clinical support for patients and families receiving services.
The PPP, in collaboration with the palliative care and hospice teams, created the specifically tailored curriculum, to train a cohort of volunteers with a deeper knowledge, understanding, and enhanced non-clinical skills centered around serious illness and being a companion. These doula volunteers will be integrated into the interdisciplinary team, so that patients and families have the option for additional supportive services.
“We are excited to partner with Partners In Care to develop an in-house doula program — an innovative model that expands compassionate, person-centered endof-life care. This collaboration deepens our shared commitment to providing holistic support for patients and their families during life’s final transition,” said Elizabeth Johnson, executive director
of The PPP.
As of 2024, only six percent of hospice providers in the United States plan to integrate end-of-life doulas, making this deeply personal, non-medical care a rare yet invaluable addition. This program is the first of its kind in Central Oregon with PIC as the first hospice organization to have trained end-of-life doulas integrated as part of the care teams.
“This program strengthens our long-standing collaboration with The Peaceful Presence Project, enhancing the support we provide to patients and families at life’s end,” said Shannon Campbell, PIC volunteer department. “It also offers a new opportunity for dedicated volunteers from our nearly 200-strong team, who already bring companionship, music, canine visits, medication delivery, and more to those in our care. By embracing this initiative, Partners In Care reaffirms its commitment to honoring each person’s journey with compassion and dignity — leading the way in holistic, heart-centered care.”
Those interested in volunteering with Partners In Care can learn more at www. partnersbend.org or call 541-382-5882.
most from their original start position.
Coach Grummer said, “These athletes started further back in the field and made massive gains against over 100 of the state’s best racers, showing that the Outlaws depth in their fourth, fifth, and alternate seeds are capable of competing at the top level.”
Move Up Awards winners were Spencer Davis, Mary Roberts, and Pia Grummer.
Davis earned the secondplace Move-Up Award (boys GS). He moved up 59 places, starting at 91st and finishing at 32nd overall.
Roberts earned the
first-place Move-Up Award (girls GS). She moved up 68 places, starting at 79th and finishing at 11th overall.
Pia Grummer earned 1st Place Move-Up Award (girls slalom). She moved up 72 places, starting at 115th and finishing at 43rd overall.
First place Move-Up Award winners, Roberts and Pia Grummer were awarded a five-day summer ski racing camp at Mt. Hood for their achievement.
This season proved to be a record-breaking season for the Outlaws, and marked the most wins in history for the Sisters Alpine Ski Team. They secured multiple topthree finishes, which proved their depth and consistency in both slalom and giant slalom. Both the girls and the boys teams proved they could compete with the largest and most competitive
programs in Oregon.
Coach Grummer said, “The incredibly tight margin separating Sisters from the overall state title, over the course of 24 combined runs across two disciplines, is a testament to the team’s skill and resilience. With a state champion, multiple podium finishes for both individuals and teams, and three Move-Up Award recipients, the Outlaws performance in 2025 will be remembered as one of the strongest in program history.”
Coach Grummer reflected on the team’s performance: “This was an incredible season. We knew we had the potential, but to come out and secure a second-place overall as a team is a testament to our hard work and dedication. Every athlete contributed, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
Winter Carnival lights up the mountain
By T. Lee Brown Correspondent
It’s a bright, sunny day at Hoodoo Ski Bowl for the annual Hoodoo Winter Carnival. A Cancer moon hovers in the daytime sky; later it will shine onto a magical night landscape studded with bonfires, torches, and fireworks.
Kids on a tall snow-sculpture hill pelt each other with snowballs and slide through snow tubes.
Pie-eating contest, threelegged race, treasure hunt, awards ceremony: the mountain is chock full of classic activities today. Music is everywhere. For dinner there’s prime rib.
A boy flops down from the snowball hill in a spectacular fall. Adults prepare to rush in. But he stands up and grins, then clambers back up for more.
A 20-something woman from Bend says this is her first time at Hoodoo in many years; she is having such a good time.
Wearing pink ski pants with a pink helmet, a young skier stops amid the busy comings and goings of skiers and snowboarders. She stands in a pizza-shaped snow plow position for five minutes, swinging her poles and scowling.
A fast rider’s snowboard whooshes right over a slowgoer’s skis. “Sorry!” she yells. The skier shakes his head and smiles.
It’s time for the Dummy Downhill contest. People gather along either side of a steep hill groomed to perfection and surrounded by safety fencing (apparently one of the dummies got out of control last year).
Locals have made creatures of various sorts and attached them to skis, snowboards, pallets. These dummies are sent down the hill one at a time, as the audience chants, “Three... two... one... GO!”
Snoopy on his doghouse, constructed by local kids, rolls and rolls. The crowd cheers. A large object stalls near the top of the hill. “Awww,” the crowd moans. Along comes another dummy, slamming into it. The crowd roars.
An eerie fake man sitting up in an eerily moving chair makes it pretty far. A green blow-up alien soars even farther.
A painted pink unicorn wends its way down the hill, then stops daintily and farts pink smoke out of its painted pink butt. The crowd goes wild.
People chuck snowballs at each dummy. A snowball hits the green alien’s sparkly balloon spot-on. It makes a crinkly, smacking sound.
Someone with a good arm throws a snowball all the way across the entire course. Another guy catches the snowball and lofts it all the way back.
Here comes a big, yellow Pikachu, sailing down the hill. Pikachu barrels into the unicorn, almost in slow motion. Yellow and pink appear to embrace. The crowd, obligingly, goes wild again. (See related article page 21.)
A little boy in beautiful face paint asks, “When are the humans going to come down the hill?”
Human spectators applaud the downhill dummy experience, then head back toward the lodge.
“It’s my shoes that hurt,” says a guy, walking gingerly. “That’s the irony.”
A Yeti and a Bigfoot, both in head-to-toe fur and shiny goggles, climb up the snowball hill. They are rewarded with an impressive attack by the kids. Smiling moms whip out their phones and take pictures.
Several dummy makers lug their creations toward the parking lot. A little girl approaches one. “I have a question,” she says.
“Forty-six,” the contestant
quips.
Beaker — the long, tubular laboratory assistant from the Muppets — drags an overflowing trashcan on skis across the snow.
Costumes abound, riffing on several themes. Tigger from Winnie the Pooh appears. The Mad Hatter rushes by; instructors from Hoodoo’s Ski School wear rabbit ears.
Upstairs in the lodge, a bartender enacts Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. “Where’s the Wicked Witch of the West?” asks a patron.
Outside, a gentleman wanders across the snow in an eye-catching red glitter tuxedo. A woman bustles about in full-length black tulle and a bright pink glitter jacket.
On other carnival-goers, there are colorful tutus, balloon hats, clown noses. A Camp Sherman local wears a bear-looking hat with a psychedelic-looking cape. “I’m a Magical Ewok,” she explains.
A boy searches for another boy who’d been on the snowball hill.
“He got me good,” the first boy says ruefully. “He put a load of snow down my shirt.”
His face grows determined. “Then he hit my mom with a snowball. Her lip was bleeding.” The courageous first boy may avenge his mother or at least extract an apology, if only Boy #2 can be found.
Before the sky grows dark, the bonfire is lit. Embers of
cardboard flit through the sky and settle on the snow.
A woman stands next to a man close to the fire. She talks with him a bit, then pauses, looks him over.
“You’re a better listener than my husband,” she says, “who I thought I was talking to.”
“He must be a goodlooking guy,” jokes her new friend.
Her husband is some 10–12 feet away. He throws his arms in the air. She walks to his side.
Locals and Valley regulars circle the fire, celebrating the night, each other, and the down-home fun to be had at Hoodoo. Two women laugh, playing pata-cake. In the firelight, their hands meet above the snow.
The bonfire is lit as evening descends on Hoodoo Winter Carnival.
PHOTO BY T. LEE BROWN
The crowd-pleasing Downhill Dummy contest brings out local creativity with a touch of mayhem.
PHOTO BY T. LEE BROWN
Yellow success for Oregon Adaptive Sports
By T. Lee Brown Correspondent
Sydney Poirer dragged a giant yellow blob on a sledlike apparatus up to the lodge at Hoodoo Winter Carnival. It had been a hit with the audience at the Dummy Downhill competition.
Poirer, 24, has spent plenty of time at Hoodoo Ski Bowl.
“I work for OAS. This is our first year in the Dummy Downhill,” she said. “We’ve been here for many, many years, but nope, we’ve never entered before. This year was the year!”
Central Oregon locals have probably seen Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) participants zooming down the slopes — every day, and in the carnival’s torchlight descent come evening.
The organization “envisions a day when everyone has access to the benefits of outdoor recreation, regardless of ability,” and provides year-round programs. Information and opportunities are available at oregon adaptivesports.org.
For Winter Carnival, the OAS team created their contest entry based on the game Pokémon.
FIRE: Combustion of oily rags determined as cause of fire
Continued from page 1
property does not lie inside a fire district and had contracted for protection with CRFPD.
The multi-agency response to the incident included personnel and resources from CRFPD, Redmond Fire, SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police,
Explained Poirer, “We already had the mascot — a human-sized Pikachu costume that a person could wear, with a big stuffed yellow head — and then we just repurposed it. Today Pikachu is meant to be a dummy!”
Standing beyond the contest run, contestants can’t necessarily see what their Downhill Dummies actually do once they start careening down the hill. Do they crash coming off the initial jump? Roll over a dozen times, then get stuck in a security fence? Make it to the end?
Pikachu made it much farther down the hill than most. “I did not think it was going to make it very far at all,” Poirer said. “It had a slow roll but we were happy to hear the crowd screaming. We took that as good news.”
Poirer was enthusiastic about the day. “I love carnival, it’s probably my favorite day up here. Just the community and vibe of it here is insane and amazing.”
The weather was the cherry on top. “It’s perfect,” she said. “I thought it was going to be raining but no, Carnival brings good weather and good vibes. I’m just so happy to be here.”
and Oregon Department of Transportation.
A total of 20 firefighters worked to contain the blaze using three engines and five water tenders. The state fire marshal’s office determined the cause to be improper disposal of oily rags.
Highway 126, monitored for safety, remained open during the response.
The CRFPD extended its gratitude to all partner agencies for their swift assistance and to the community for their cooperation during this incident.
A dismantled Pikachu mascot relaxes with Sydney Poirier after his crowdpleasing debut at Hoodoo’s Winter Carnival Downhill Dummy contest.
PHOTO BY T. LEE BROWN
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CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
AVAILABLE NOW
Prime retail space in The Gallery Annex Bld. next to The Hen's Tooth. Approx. 2,000 sq. ft.
Contact Jim at 1-208-318-4323
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7
EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.
RETAIL/OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE
220 S PINE ST, SISTERS
1st Floor Retail - 582 SQFT
Office Suite 209 - 500 SQFT
Office Suite 210 - 502 SQFT For information call:
Lorna Nolte 541-419-8380
Lorna@NolteProperties.com
Executive Office Space
Very nice executive office space for rent in Sisters light industrial park. 224 sq. ft. private office.
Shared restrooms with shower. Shared conference/kitchen room. Easy parking. All utilities included. Starting at $750 per month. Call 541-549-9631
103 Residential Rentals
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792
Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES
–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002
Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com
Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC
104 Vacation Rentals
Downtown Vacation Rentals
Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net
Great pricing. 503-730-0150
~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~ Private Central OR vac. rentals, Property Management Services 541-977-9898
www.SistersVacation.com
201 For Sale
Hydrow rowing machine
Used 5 times, like brand new. Stores upright. Buyer pick up. Retails $2,500, marked down to $800. 503-319-9338, text only.
S!!
They're at NuggetNews.com ~ Uploaded every Tuesday afternoon at no extra charge! Call 541-549-9941
Deadline for classified is Monday by noon
202 Firewood
• WINTER 2025 • NEW
SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS
DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD
• SINCE 1976 • Fuel Reduction Forestry
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
Estate Sale On Awbrey Butte3615 NW Falcon Ridge, Bend Open Wednesday, March 12 –Saturday, March 15, 9-4. MCM Danish office furniture, designer clothing-handbagsjewelry-shoes, furniture, bedroom sets, dining table, dishes, crystal, silverware, art, books, collectibles, vintage ski equipment/ski suits, raft, 2005 Ford Explorer, patio furniture & more!
View pics on estatesales.net
– Hosted by Happy Trails! –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
Wanted: 1963 Corvette car, split window coupe. Some repairs ok. Numbers need not match. Grandpa Don, 541-232-3748. We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397 Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
SMALL Engine REPAIR Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines
GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE
“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871
501 Computers & Communications
3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC
Extend internet to shop, security cameras, Starlink. CCB #191099 541-306-0729
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
M & J CARPET CLEANING
Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
GORDON’S LAST TOUCH
Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY
Member Better Business Bureau
New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $220-$360/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
Cavapoo F2B puppies for sale. Please visit www.saunders hideawayhomestead.com or call 541-829-8429 for more information.
I’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com Home of Brando's Natural Dog Biscuits • 541-306-7551 • Julie
500 Services
CUSTOM WINDOW COVERINGS
Bend Window Works, LLC is offering a 10% discount on new window coverings. FREE in-home consultation. Same day in-home repair services available. New and repaired blinds make rentals look better! Contact us at 541-383-3455 or andy@bendblinds.com.
NOTARY PUBLIC - LOCAL – Call Cheryl 541-420-7875 –
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 sistershandyman@gmail.com CCB# 253556
600 Tree Service & Forestry
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
TimberStandImprovement.net Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825
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
• Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008
www.NuggetNews.com
– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
SISTERS OREGON GUIDE Pick up your copy around town today!
SUDOKU Level: Moderate Answer: Page 23
601 Construction
Earthwood Timber
• 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. Excavation: septic system, site prep, demolition, road and driveway construction. 541-325-3020 sales@gardnercontractingllc.com
Uncompromising quality. Local and personal. You can trust me. All projects: From new construction to those little projects you don't seem to get to. My team of local subcontractors and I will get it done right, fair, and pain-free so you can make your spouse happy. Call Jared 503-949-9719
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
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
INSPIRED CUSTOM HOMES
www.teeharborconstruction.com
541-213-8736 • CCB#75388
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects
All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC.
General Contractor
Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74
A “Hands-On” Builder
Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016
To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523
Custom Homes • Additions
Residential Building Projects
Serving Sisters area since 1976
Strictly Quality
CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764
John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com
Custom Homes Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects
Becke William Pierce
CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com
– Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941
602 Plumbing & Electric
Ridgeline Electric, LLC
Serving all of Central Oregon • Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Service
541-588-3088 • CCB #234821
SWEENEY
PLUMBING, INC.
“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling
• New Construction
• Water Heaters 541-549-4349
Residential and Commercial
Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587
Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Remodels • Generators • Hot tubs/Saunas monteselectric@hotmail.com
CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860
603
Excavation & Trucking
BANR Enterprises, LLC
Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls
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
Free On-site Visit & Estimate
Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com
541-549-1472 • CCB #76888
Drainfield
• Minor & Major Septic Repair
• All Septic Needs/Design & Install
General Excavation
• Site Preparation
• Rock & Stump Removal
• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation
• Building Demolition Trucking
• Deliver Top Soil, Sand, Gravel, Boulders, Water
• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly
• The Whole 9 Yards or 24 Whatever You Want!
604 Heating & Cooling
ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com CCB #195556 541-549-6464
605 Painting
Interior/Exterior Painting Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327
peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491 ~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com
EMPIRE PAINTING
Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining CCB#180042 541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk
606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance
J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com
Alpine Landscape Maintenance An All-Electric Landscape Company.
Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.com
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.
CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462
Lawn Maintenance Service
Sisters Landscape is adding another maintenance crew. We have a limited number of spots available on our schedule, give us a call for a free estimate. 541-549-3001
All Landscaping Services
Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing.
Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
701 Domestic Services
I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC
Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051
BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897 801 Classes & Training
Looking for Bridge/Pitch, Pastel/Acrylic, Sewing teachers, 503-319-9338, text only.
Y O U R S O U R C E for up-to-date Sisters news! www.NuggetNews.com
802 Help Wanted
Sisters
Athletic Club is looking for a part-time front desk person. Shifts are Tuesday 4:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and Sunday 12:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m... possibly more. $16/hour and includes a free membership. Submit resume to darcey@sistersathleticclub.com.
Experienced Retail Cashier needed. Customer service oriented, friendly, reliable, and honest, PT or FT, in a fun store. $15-18/hr. DOE & performance. Bring résumé or pick up job application at Heritage USA. Property maintenance needed: mowing, cleanup. 4 hours/ week, $100 per week. 541-749-8074
We are Hiring! Join our summer camp culture at Lake Creek Lodge. We're recruiting for: Housekeeping, Barista & Maintenance/ Landscaping. 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 an Upper Grades Teacher
More info at blackbutte.k12.or. us/employment or 541-595-6203 Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District has an opening for a Captain – Shift Commander (Paramedic Required) – Closing March 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. Link to here: https://www.sistersfire.com/ employment/
Pat Burke LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062
www.sistersfencecompany.com
*Sewer and Water Systems
*Underground Utilities
*Grading
*Sand-Gravel-Rock
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB #124327
541-549-1848
BBR & CAMP SHERMAN:
• Black Butte Ranch General Store
• Black Butte Ranch Post Off ice
• Black Butte Ranch Welcome Center
• Camp Sherman Post Off ice • Metolius River Lodges
REDMOND & TERREBONNE:
• Bi-Mart • Oliver Lemon’s Terrebonne • M&W Market
The Ranch Market • Sisters Meat and Smokehouse
TUMALO:
• Pisano’s Pizza • Shell Station • T umalo Coffeehouse
T umalo Farmstand • T umalo Feed Co.
SISTERS LOCATIONS:
• Angeline’s Baker y • Bedouin
•Best Western Ponderosa Lodge • Bi-Mart
• Black Butte Realty Group
• Cabin Creek Home & Style • Cascade Fitness
• Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s • Central Oregon Eyecare
•Chevron/McDonald’s • Countr y Coffee
• Dair y Queen • Dixie’s • Eurosports
• Fika Sisters Coffeehouse • First Interstate Bank
• FivePine Lodge • GrandStay Hotel & Suites
• Habitat Thrif t Store • Hardtails Bar & Grill
• High Camp Taphouse • High Desert Chocolates
• Hoyt’s Hardware & Building Supply
• Lef t Coast Lodge • Les Schwab Tire Center
• Luckey’s Woodsman • Makin’ it Local
• Martolli’s of Sisters • Mid Oregon Credit Union
• Oliver Lemon’s • Paulina Springs Books
• Philadelphia’s Steak & Hoagies
• Ponderosa Properties • Rancho Viejo
• Ray’s Food Place • Sinclair Gas Station
• Sisters Ace Hardware • Sisters Apothecar y
• Sisters Art Works • Sisters Athletic Club
• Sisters Baker y • Sisters Bunkhouse • Sisters City Hall
• Sisters Coffee Co.• Sisters Community Church
• Sisters Creekside Campg round
• Sisters Dino Market •Sisters Depot
• Sisters Elementar y School •Sisters Feed & Supply
• Sisters Galler y & Frame Shop • Sisters High School
• Sisters Inn & Suites • Sisters Librar y
• Sisters Liquor Store • Sisters Meat and Smokehouse
• Sisters Middle School • Sisters Moto
• Sisters Movie House & Café • Sisters Nails & Spa
• Sisters Post Off ice •Sisters Pumphouse & Countr y Store
• Sisters Ranger Station • Sisters Rental
• Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill
• Sisters School Administration Building
• Sisters Senior Living • Sisters Veterinar y Clinic
• Ski Inn Taphouse & Motel • Sno Cap Drive In
• Space Age F uel • Spoons Restaurant
• Sisters Park & Recreation District
• St. Charles Family Care • Stellar Realty Northwest
• Suttle Tea • Takoda’s Restaurant & Lounge
• The Barn in Sisters • The Galler y Restaurant
• The Gallimaufr y • The Nugget Front Porch
• The Pony Express • Three Creeks Brew Pub
• Three Sisters Floral
• Western Title & Escrow Company • Your Store