The Nugget Vol. XLVII No. 17
POSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Fire consumes shop, two rare cars A massive fire at a shop east of Sisters consumed two rare cars and destroyed the structure early Wednesday morning, April 17. There were no injuries and firefighters kept the fire from spreading. The Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District responded to an early morning fire near the 67000 block of Fryrear Road near Sisters. Cloverdale fire officials reported that multiple callers indicated that there was a large building on fire with explosions. The first arriving crews found a large 40- by 60-foot shop fully engulfed in flames with ammunition and pressurized cylinders exploding. Fire crews went into “defensive operations” to keep the fire from spreading due to the large amount of fire, nearby exposures, and the threat of more explosions, Fire Chief Thad Olsen reported. Fire crews had the fire under control within 40 minutes of the initial call. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to nearby structures and vehicles. The building and its contents, including two rare
Correspondent
On a chilly Friday morning earlier this month, an FAA examiner grilled Timber Bionda. Four hours and one flight later, he had earned his pilot’s license. Then he had to get ready for school. The 17-year-old is exceptional, to say the least. Those in his circle describe him differently: “Amazing. The coolest kid.” “Very dedicated. Very methodical.” “A natural in the air.” Timber grew up in France. At age 11, he and his French father, American mother, and little brother set sail and road-tripped on a five-year, worldwide
Inside...
Building ‘affordable’ is a real challenge By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
PHOTO BY MITCH TURPEN, CLOVERDALE RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
A shop building on Fryrear Road was destroyed in an early morning fire on Wednesday, April 17. classic cars, are a total loss. There were no reported injuries, and the fire is under investigation by the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office. Four fire engines, four water tenders, and 22 firefighters
responded. Cloverdale fire District thanked SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Bend Fire & Rescue, and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for their response, as well as Black Butte Ranch
Fire Department which covered both the Sisters and Cloverdale Districts while crews were on scene. The fire resulted in an estimated $250,000 worth of damage.
Kevin Eckert speaks bluntly when it comes to “affordable housing” in Sisters: “The era of single-family homes being affordable is gone,” he says. Eckert is the principal of Build LLC, architects and designers of Sisters Woodlands, a housing development located on a portion of the former Sisters Ranger District property along Pine Street on the western edge of Sisters. He will be part of the panel sparking discussion of the housing situation in Sisters at a town hall sponsored by C4C on Sunday, May 5, at 4 p.m. at Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District’s community hall. The forum is titled: “Who Gets To Live Here? The See FORUM on page 20
Rodeo names grand marshals
Sisters student earns his wings By Matt Van Slyke
PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
odyssey. A French speaker, Timber did not know much English. In his free time, he built model planes. “Since I was little, I have loved airplanes and always liked aviation. I started with remote-controlled planes, then I said, ‘Why not build a real airplane and become a pilot?’” said Timber. “We were homeschooled for five years, and me and my brother were starting to get into aviation at about the time where we should settle in the U.S. to get back into a school system.” The family made a spreadsheet of 150 small cities that met their criteria: mountains, skiing, good climate, close enough to a large city. They visited 10 of them. See PILOT on page 16
Ernest and Alinda Dunn epitomize the essence of community spirit and dedication, as evidenced by their remarkable journey intertwined with the Sisters Rodeo Association. The couple have been named Grand Marshals for the 2024 Sisters Rodeo. Raised in the Willamette Valley, their roots run deep within the fabric of Oregon, and our tight-knit community of Sisters. Prior to retirement they settled in Sisters and worked at Black Butte Ranch. Their story with the Sisters Rodeo Association began in 1994 when Alinda, while residing in Central Oregon, crossed paths with Susie Aylor, a persuasive member who encouraged her to join. Ernest, commuting between the Valley and Central Oregon, followed suit two years later,
PHOTO PROVIDED
Ernest and Alinda Dunn epitomize the Sisters Rodeo’s volunteer spirit. They are 2024 Grand Marshals. solidifying their joint commitment to the association. Initially drawn to the thrill of coordinating the
parade, their involvement later transitioned to cleaning See DUNN on page 14
Letters/Weather ............... 2 Sisters Country Birds .........7 Announcements...............10 Poetry .............................14 Sudoku ........................... 22 Meetings .......................... 3 Obituaries ........................ 8 Entertainment ................. 11 Crossword .......................21 Classifieds................. 22-23