The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLIX No. 13 // 2026-04-01

Candidate seeks to empower locals

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

The Nugget

Danielle Bethell’s campaign for the Republican Party nomination for governor has a consistent theme: empowering local government to act on local problems with support from the state. As she sees it, Oregon should work from the bottom up, not from the top down.

The candidate is one of a dozen candidates in a crowded field that includes two who have previously vied for the position: Christine Drazen and Sisters-area

See BETHELL on page 16

No Kings rally…

Demonstrators turned out in large number in Sisters on Saturday morning, March 28, for the third “No Kings” rally. An estimated 1,000 people lined Cascade Avenue at the peak of the rally, expressing their opposition to the policies and conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration. The event was part of an organized nationwide series of demonstrations protesting actions associated with immigration, rising fuel costs, the war in Iran, and more.

Fire District sees growing demand

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Last week, Sisters firefighters knocked down a RV fire that could have taken out a good chunk of Sisters RV Park. They have recently responded to escaped debris fires and numerous medical calls. Firefighters and paramedics are running 65 percent more calls than they were a decade ago — with an emergency response staff that hasn’t increased in 15 years.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Board of Directors has placed a local option levy on the May 19 ballot. If passed, Measure 9-182 would levy taxes at a rate of 70 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to maintain and improve emergency services in response to the increased service demands,

staffing challenges, and rising operational costs.

Last week, Fire Chief Tony Prior and Finance Manager/Executive Assistant Julie Spor sat down with The Nugget to walk through the state-of-play in the SistersCamp Sherman Fire District.

Chief Prior came on the job a year ago, and he said it was immediately apparent to him that the increased demands on the district were taking a toll on staff.

“It was easy to see very quickly that we’re burning our people out,” he told The Nugget.

The District runs three shifts with personnel on for 48 hours and off for 96. Overall call volume has increased 63.5 percent over 10 years. Medical emergencies make

Local community builds wildfire resilience

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

Wildfire mitigation efforts in Whychus Canyon Estates (WCE) continue with consistent help from the local fire district, property owners within and without WCE, and recently, from the Sisters High School Tennis Team who are helping create a fire buffer. WCE is located about 10 miles northeast of the city of Sisters and is abutted by some private property but mostly by the properties of Bureau

See RESILIENCE on page 21

Quick action contains dangerous fire

Fire consumed an RV at Sisters RV Park on Highway 20 at the east edge of Sisters on Wednesday afternoon, March 25.

Multiple units responded to the blaze, and firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to other RVs, despite windy conditions.

The state fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.

According to SistersCamp Sherman Fire District Chief Tony Prior,

the incident was initially reported as a car fire, but it became immediately apparent that it was a more significant incident. Significant resources mobilized immediately to respond, including woodland firefighting units.

Chief Prior noted that a power line that was directly over the blaze melted and fell to the ground and over two vehicles, creating a safety hazard that firefighters and law enforcement had to work around.

“It was a pretty huge safety hazard,” Prior said. Power had to be shut down through the RV park. The water source to fight the fire was across the highway from a hydrant near Three Creeks Brewing Co.

“DOT and the sheriff’s office were so great getting the highway shut down so fast,” Chief Prior said.

Chief Prior noted that a blaze involving a large RV

OPINION

Letters to the Editor…

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

Burning rules

To the Editor:

I think ODF should change the backyard burning rules, either ban it entirely or change the parameters, limit the timeframe and only to a certain acreage, like five acres. So here’s the thing: times have changed. We now have a fire season and the winters are getting dryer. Last week there was an article “ODF issues burn warning for Sisters.” It asks the community to use extreme caution while burning saying it is best to burn on cool, rainy days. Interesting, we have not had hardly any rainy days lately and the temperatures have not been cool during the day, and people burn.

Four fires have started so far this burn season from escaped debris burns. Simply put, backyard debris burns are a fire danger no

matter if they have a required burn permit or not.

And here’s the other thing: Communities like Tollgate, Crossroads, and other forested communities near Sisters are on half- to oneacre and the smoke, often dense from pine needles, does not stay on their property. So their neighbors get the smoke all day long on a nice day when we could be out in our yards enjoying the beautiful spring day.

And another thing: It is not healthy to breathe in that smoke for people with respiratory issues and for kids with developing lungs. I don’t see any of these people burning their debris pile when their kids and grandchildren are around.

So, for the safety of our homes, our lives

See LETTERS on page 19

Sisters Weather Forecast

Maintain the Roadless Rule on National Forests

By George Wuerthner Guest Columnist

In 2001, the Forest Service passed the Roadless Rule Conservation Act. The Trump administration is seeking to rescind the Act. During a brief public comment period, 99 percent of the respondents opposed the idea.

The Roadless Rule affected 58.5 million acres of Forest Service roadless lands and put them off-limits to new road construction, logging, and road reconstruction. As the Forest Service recognized in its original review, these roadless lands “have the greatest likelihood of altering and fragmenting landscapes, resulting in immediate, long-term loss of roadless area values and characteristics.”

Abolishing protection from logging and roading provided by the Roadless Rules has major economic consequences, both in direct costs and in avoided costs.

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Saturday.

For instance, a practical rationale for the rule is the Forest Service’s acknowledgment that the roughly 370,000 miles of existing Forest Service road network could not be maintained. There is already an $11 billion backlog in road maintenance, and creating even more roads would exacerbate this situation.

require less treatment than water from other sources.

That same high-quality water supports important fisheries, from salmon to trout, that anglers seek, and provides important food for other wildlife, from bald eagles to river otters. Approximately 70 percent of all roadless areas support native trout and salmon, with 92 percent of all species at some risk. This includes the “Blue Ribbon” trout streams found in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado, all of which flow from roadless areas. In Southeast Alaska, nearly all salmon production occurs in Forest Service roadless lands.

Roadless lands are critical for sustaining populations of elk and deer, important to hunters, and essential as prey for predators like mountain lions and wolves. For example, in Idaho, 98 percent of elk use roadless lands at some point.

Roadless lands are also a major repository of carbon. Carbon emissions are driving climate warming. Just their carbon storage value alone exceeds any economic return from logging.

The idea promoted by the Trump administration that logging our roadless lands can decrease wildfires ignores studies showing that intact forest ecosystems are less likely to burn and burn at lower severity than “managed” forests.

Finally, intact roadless lands are essential for preserving biodiversity, which is the foundation for ecosystem function and stability. Estimates suggest that 57 percent of vulnerable U.S. wildlife species have suitable habitat in roadless areas.

For instance, nearly 85 percent of the wildfires that start on National Forest land are human-caused. We spend 2.5 billion fighting these fires, and new logging and roading will only increase firefighting costs. A new study found that from 1992 to 2024, wildfires were four times more likely to ignite within 50 meters of a road than in a forest without motorized roads. Thus, preserving roadless lands will reduce the likelihood of wildfire.

There are other ecological and economic reasons for preserving the Roadless Rule. Some of the highest quality water is found in roadless areas. Many western cities obtain their drinking water from Forest Service roadless areas and

When all these opportunity costs, as well as actual economic and ecological costs, are considered, any rational person would keep the existing 2001 Roadless Rule Conservation Act intact. Let’s hope a few rational people are working in the current administration.

George Wuerthner is an ecologist and author of numerous books on natural history and environmental issues.

Views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.

COMMUNITY

Killefer joins Circle of Friends

Jane Killefer is taking on the role of mentor liaison for Circle of Friends, a Sisters nonprofit dedicated to youth mentorship.

A lifelong professional educator with a distinguished background in community leadership, Killefer will serve in a half-time capacity to strengthen the organization’s core mission of youth empowerment.

Killefer has dedicated her career to youth-centered initiatives, with a specialized focus on serving underrepresented and underserved populations. In her new role, she will be instrumental in bridging the gap between volunteer

mentors and the youth they support within the Sisters community.

As mentor liaison, Killefer will oversee three primary pillars of the program: mentor development, which involves cultivating and supporting the organization’s growing roster of volunteer mentors; strategic communication, providing consistent and clear updates to ensure all stakeholders remain aligned with the mission; and program expansion, assisting the Circle of Friends team in identifying and creating new enrichment opportunities for local youth within the Sisters community.

“Jane’s professional expertise and her heart for community-led service make her an invaluable asset to our team,” Executive Director Nicole Woodson stated. “We are thrilled to have her skills and experience as we continue to grow our reach and deepen our impact.”

Circle of Friends is a Sisters-based nonprofit dedicated to providing vulnerable children with the consistent support and individual attention of a mentor. By fostering these vital relationships, the organization helps local youth navigate challenges and reach their full potential.

Sisters gets set for Easter Egg hunt

Children from infants to 11 years of age are invited to participate in the annual Easter Egg Hunt co-sponsored by the Sisters-Camp Sherman and Cloverdale Fire Departments.

The event will take place on Easter Sunday, April 05, at 1 p.m. at the adjoining Creekside and Sisters Creekside Campground, regardless of weather. The Easter Bunny will be present to greet all.

Parking is limited so plan to be a little early. Children wishing to participate are asked to be at the parks 20 minutes before 1 p.m. so they can be divided into

the appropriate age groups. Children are divided into the following groups: Infants to two years old will be in the red area; 3-5 will be in the yellow area; 6-8 will be in the blue area; 9-11 will be in the white area.

Be prompt; the eggs disappear fast! There are prizes for finding the golden eggs. Any questions about the event should be directed to the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department at 541-549-0771.

Park addresses are Creekside Park, 657 E. Jefferson Avenue; Sisters Creekside Campground, 504 S. Locust St.

Exploring e-bike changes on forest trails

Late last year the Forest Service gave approval to allow Class 1 e-bikes access to approximately 160 miles of system trails and paved paths throughout Phil’s Trail Complex and Wanoga (both in Bend), Sunriver, and Sisters’ Peterson Ridge Trail locations. These soft-surface or paved trails, some 67 in number, are already conditioned to heavy bike use.

As of April 1, Peterson Ridge Trail System and Elk Ranch Trail are open to Class 1 e-bikes.

On Wednesday, April 8, Blazin Saddles Bike Shop will host an

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon

Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383. Alcoholics Anonymous

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 the Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Sunday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

Central Oregon F ly Tyers Guild

For Saturday meeting dates and loc ation, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info. Ch eck- I n Circle: Come a s you are Open c ircle for simple check-ins, self-ref lection, and authentic c onnection.

1st & 3rd Mondays, 4:3 0 p.m., at The Hub, 291 E. M ain Ave. RSV P: 503 -6 88 -4 881.

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 Cen tral O regon

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.

Go 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 ith Dementia Sisters Care

Partner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Sisters Park & Recreation District Communi ty Center. 5 41-588 -0547.

Mili tary Parent s of Sisters Meetings are held quarter ly; please c all 5 41-388 -9 013.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 5 41-5 49 -6 469.

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., m eeting 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 Woodworkers First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97

Sisters Bridge C lub Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sistersb ridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Park & Rec. Communit y Center. 5 41-588 -0547. (Meets with Living W ell With Dementia Sisters)

Sisters Cribbage C lub Wednesdays, 11 a.m. at The Lodge, 411 E. Car penter Lane. 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 Kiwanis 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SPR D in Sisters 541- 632- 3663

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Element ar y School Commons. 9 17-219 -8298

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon to 1 p.m., at SPR D. 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 Trail s Alliance Board M eetings take p lac e every other month, 5 p.m. In -person or zoom. Contact: info@ sisterstrails.org.

Songwriters Sharing Circl e All ages welcome. 2nd Wednesday 6 p.m., at The Hub, 5 41-977-8 49 4.

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of D irectors M eets 2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSID Off ic e. 5 41-9 03 -405 0.

Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 541- 419-1279

VF W Post 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., The Hub, 291 E. M ain Ave. sistersveterans@gmail. com.

SCHOOLS

Black But te School Board of Direc tors 3rd Tuesday 9 a.m., Black But te School. 5 41-595 -6203

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule a t www.ssd 6.org. 541- 549-8 521 x5 002.

E-Bike Education & Trail Information Night at Sisters Community Recreation Center, 611 E. Cascade Ave, Sisters, OR 97759. The event runs 5 to 7 p.m.

Casey Meudt of Blazin Saddles promises “an informative and engaging evening focused on the recent changes to our local trail system and the introduction of Class 1 e-bikes.”

Meudt reported that, “We’ve heard many great questions from riders, hikers, and community members, and we felt

CITY & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs Cit y Hall 541- 549- 6022

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Direc tors 2nd & 4th Tues. 4 p.m., C of field Center. 5 41-5 49 -2091. Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m.,

FIRE & POLICE

Black

rman RFPD Board of Direc tors 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 5 41-5 49 -0771. Sister s- Camp She rman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 5 41-5 49 -0771.

Obituaries

July 31,1938- January 24, 2026

Duane Taylor Ullmann was born on July 31, 1938, in Portland. He spent his first four years in Redmond before his parents moved the family to Sisters.

As a boy, Duane helped in Cliff’s Café located on Main Street. The food was good, homemade pies by Mom and Dell. Dad and Cliff built a large chipmunk home that Duane kept supplied with chipmunks to entertain visitors.

Duane attended all 12 years of school in Sisters. A highlight was playing baseball in the Oregon State Championship Finals in Portland. Their team came in second place, pretty good for such a small school. Duane graduated in 1956, and went on to earn a degree in Forest Engineering at Oregon State College in 1960.

Duane took a job with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. His 30-year career took him to Venersborg, Omak, Forks, and eventually, Lacey and East Olympia for the past 58 years. He supervised fire suppression crews, cruised timber, located roads, built bridges, supervised timber sales, worked on summer camp outs, and for fun, got to work in old-growth timber on the Olympic Peninsula.

Duane married his love, Barbara Campbell, and they had 66 years together. Their sons, Jeff (California),

Jon (Colorado), and Dave (Alaska) have given them five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Duane served nearly 30 years as a volunteer fire fighter in Omak, Forks, and Lacey.

He was a Command Officer for Lacey FD #3.

After retirement from DNR Duane spent a year in Australia, working as a parttime carpenter and enjoying all things Australian. That led to travels to New Zealand, Fiji, Great Britain, Austria, Germany, France, Jordan, and Israel.

Duane purchased land, cruised and sold the timber, chose a unique house plan, supervised construction, and enjoyed country life for 31 years in East Olympia.

He passed away in the home he built — surrounded by the land, the memories and the family he cherished. His legacy lives on in the stories he shared, the land he protected and the people whose lives he touched.

Fungal disease threatens bats

By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle

A deadly fungal disease that has put at least one bat species on the federal Endangered Species List has been detected in Oregon for the first time.

State Fish and Wildlife officials on Wednesday announced that scientists from the National Wildlife Health Center in March identified six bats in Columbia and Benton counties suffering from white-nose syndrome.

The scientists at each agency will work together to continue monitoring and identifying sites where bats might be infected and coordinate care for the bats with wildlife rehabilitators and the Oregon Veterinary Disease Laboratory at Oregon State University, according to a news release.

The fungus causing white-nose syndrome was previously detected in bat guano collected from a roost in Clatsop County in 2025, but officials had never before detected it in Oregon bats themselves until this month, state wildlife officials said.

Oregon was one of about a dozen states that had avoided the fungus and the disease since it first showed up in New York around 2006. It was first detected in Washington in 2016.

It has so far been found

in 38 states and killed nearly seven million bats, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2022, the service announced that the northern long-eared bat, found across much of the U.S. and Canada, would be the first bat species to be listed as endangered due to the disease.

The disease attacks bats’ skin while they hibernate. As it spreads, it causes scarring and holes in their wings. It can cause them to break hibernation and fly into the cold to look for food, burning up their fat stores needed to survive winter. Without insects that thrive in warmer months, they can freeze or starve to death.

The fungus spreads primarily through bat-to-bat contact, but humans play a role in the spread via contaminated clothing, gear, and equipment brought into or out of caves or visiting areas near bats’ summer roosts. Managed caves, including the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve in southern Oregon, prohibit any gear, clothing, or shoes that have been in other caves.

There are currently no

endangered or threatened bats in Oregon, according to the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. Because the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has become so common in the U.S., it is unlikely that it will go away, federal wildlife officials say.

Oregon Fish and Wildlife’s advice to protect Oregon’s bats:

• Disinfect shoes and gear after visiting a cave or other known bat roost before getting in your vehicle or leaving the site.

• Report sick or dead bats to ODFW’s Health Lab using the Bat Health Survey or call the health lab and leave a message at 866-968-2600. Never touch or pick up a bat with bare hands. Report sites of known high bat activity using the Bat Colony Reporting Survey.

• If bats are impacting your home or another structure, remove them safely and help prevent future entry. More information is available online, and some wildlife control companies specialize in bat-friendly solutions.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

New aircraft strengthens firefighting capabilities

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is strengthening its statewide wildfire and emergency response capabilities with the addition of a new Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA).

“This is a significant advancement in how the agency detects, monitors, and responds to incidents across Oregon,” said Sarah Prout, ODF’s state aviation coordinator.

This $13.23 million investment, including $12 million in legislatively approved bonds (2023) and $1.23 million from additional funding sources, builds on ODF’s long-standing aviation program that has enhanced wildfire detection and response for decades.

The new aircraft is a Twin Otter airframe that replaces the agency’s long-serving Partenavia P.68 Observer aircraft which is retiring after more than 30 years of service.

“This aircraft represents a major step forward for Oregon’s aviation program,” said Neal Laugle, state aviation manager for ODF.

The new $7.8 million-dollar aircraft brings improved endurance, range, and payload capacity, allowing it to remain airborne longer, cover more ground, and transport more personnel and equipment when needed. However, the most significant advancement is the integration of $5.4 million in advanced sensing technology and mission systems, transforming the aircraft into a true aerial intelligence platform.

Equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled wide-area mapping, highdefinition thermal imaging, augmented reality mapping software, and night operations capability, the aircraft will allow ODF to identify and communicate emerging incidents more quickly, track fire behavior with greater precision, and maintain situational awareness during both daytime and nighttime operations.

“It builds on decades of experience while bringing new capabilities that allow us to detect fires earlier, understand conditions in real time, and provide critical intelligence to firefighters and decision-makers on the ground when every minute matters,” said Laugle.

During a typical wildfire detection mission, crews monitor weather forecasts and lightning activity to anticipate potential fire starts. As storms move through, lightning strike location data is captured and uploaded into the aircraft’s mapping software and mission planning tools. When conditions are safe, the

aircraft is deployed to scan affected areas using onboard sensors and night vision goggles (NVG) to detect new fire starts — often before they are visible to the public or reported through traditional means. Once a fire is identified, dispatch centers are notified so suppression resources can respond.

“What makes ODF’s Multi-Mission Aircraft unique is the combination of advanced mission systems with night vision capability,” said Laugle. “When operating at night, NVGs allow our crews to detect subtle visual cues—like the flicker of a new fire start—that are often difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye. Paired with our onboard sensors, this significantly improves our ability to find and respond to fires at night.”

Beyond wildfire response, the Multi-Mission Aircraft significantly expands Oregon’s all-hazards capabilities. The aircraft can support incidents such as floods, severe storms, search and

rescue operations, and disaster damage assessment by rapidly collecting and sharing geospatial intelligence.

“This capability will improve coordination across state agencies, local responders, and incident management teams—helping ensure a faster, more unified response during emergencies,” said Prout.

The aircraft will support a wide range of mission sets, including:

• Wildfire detection and reconnaissance.

• Real-time situational awareness and mapping.

• Air Tactical Group Supervisor coordination.

• Movement of personnel and equipment.

• Support to non-fire and natural resource missions.

It will also generate a suite of data products, including live-streamed video, recorded full-motion video, georeferenced imagery, and mapping data that can be rapidly shared across agencies to support decision-making.

“ODF is coordinating closely with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Oregon State Fire Marshal, federal partners, and local agencies to ensure the aircraft is fully integrated into Oregon’s emergency response

system,” said Sarah Prout.

The new aircraft will be based at Prineville Airport.

“We can easily reach all four corners of the state with relatively short flight times from Prineville,” said Laugle. “Also, lightning storm activity, that the aircraft tracks closely, is typically more frequent in eastern and southern Oregon so it makes operational sense to base it there.”

The aircraft is currently undergoing final integration and testing in California. Once the aircraft is delivered, pilots and aerial observers will complete several weeks of training to ensure the aircraft and its systems are fully operational for the upcoming fire season.

As wildfire seasons grow longer and more complex, continued investments like the Multi-Mission Aircraft will be critical.

“The MMA positions Oregon to better meet evolving challenges—by leveraging advanced technology and decades of operational experience to protect communities, natural resources, and the landscapes that define the state,” said Prout.

E-BIKES:

New rules are in place on Sisters Country trails

Continued from page 3

it was important to create an open forum to talk through all things e-bikes in a thoughtful and positive way.

“Throughout the evening, we will review detailed trail maps outlining which trails are open to which types of e-bikes — and which remain nonmotorized,” Meudt said. “We’ll also explore how similar trail systems have implemented e-bike access and what their experiences have been.”

The forum will cover:

• The different classes and styles of e-bikes.

• Which e-bikes are best suited for Sisters’ local terrain.

• Trail etiquette and how cyclists and other users can all coexist responsibly.

• Implementation plans, signage, and what to expect moving forward.

Stephanie Presley, executive director of Sisters Trails Alliance, will discuss the rollout of e-bikes on select trails and future plans. Staff from the Deschutes National Forest will also be in attendance to answer questions and provide additional insight.

This free community event is organized and sponsored by Blazin Saddles bike shop.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Seeking scrutiny of logging plans

By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon’s congressional Democrats are asking federal officials to give the public more time to learn about and comment on new plans that would open up millions of acres of federal forests in Oregon to logging activity not seen since the 1960s.

The Bureau of Land Management in late February announced it would change the Western Oregon Resource Management Plans that have governed logging and conservation on 2.5 million acres of forests in 17 Oregon counties for decades. The stated goals were “maximum” timber production to “advance Trump administration priorities,” including logging in areas that are home to federally protected, vulnerable species.

The announcement kicked off a month-long public comment period that ended March 23, but the agency did not hold any public meetings. Officials said in the announcement they would not hold any meetings before releasing a draft proposal for new logging.

Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Janelle Bynum, Maxine Dexter, Val Hoyle, and Andrea Salinas, all Democrats, said such

generational change in logging practices deserves far more public scrutiny.

In a letter to Kim Prill, the acting director for the region at the Bureau of Land Management, they asked for a pause and more public comment. Specifically, they want 60 more days of public comment and for bureau officials to hold at least one in-person public meeting in each of the land management bureau districts that would be affected by the increased logging.

The lawmakers wrote they had received “significant outreach” from constituents concerned about whether the bureau’s environmental analysis will be adequate, and asking for more time and opportunities to engage with officials on plans, impacts, and concerns.

“More robust engagement at this stage will help ensure the agency does not overlook critical information necessary to reach a socially and legally acceptable decision,” the lawmakers wrote.

A draft analysis of environmental impacts is expected in June, according to the bureau’s site page for the project. Officials did not immediately respond to the Capital Chronicle’s questions Friday about the letter and whether they’d do more public engagement. Hank Stern, a spokesperson for

Wyden, said on Friday that land management bureau officials have acknowledged receipt of the letter and told the lawmakers they are working on a response.

About three-quarters of the 2.5 million federal acres, known as O&C lands for having once belonged to the Oregon and California Railroad, are currently protected from regular logging. But in its notice of intent, the land management bureau indicated it could return those acres to 1960s harvest levels, at times more than 10 times average harvest levels over the last two decades.

Conservationists have called it a plan to return to a time when the agency and the U.S. Forest Service clear cut roughly three square miles of old-growth forests per week, and an attempt to override years of court precedent protecting vulnerable species that depend on the stands. That level of logging nearly drove the federally protected northern spotted owl and the marbled murrelet, a small seabird that nests in oldgrowth forests, to extinction.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

Household hazard waste collection coming to Sisters

Spring is a good time to clean out the garage and get rid of household hazardous waste. However, these items must be disposed of safely. Knott Landfill takes household hazardous waste on Fridays and Saturdays every week, but rural transfer stations aren’t currently equipped to accept it.

To make it easier, and cut down on trips to the landfill, Deschutes County Solid Waste is hosting special oneday collection events this April in Redmond, Sisters, and La Pine. Residents can drop off household hazardous items at these events for free.

The Sisters event is set for Sisters Recycling Center, 328 Sisters Park Dr., Saturday, April 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

COCC talks science, AI

The Nancy R. Chandler Lecture Series, a program of the Central Oregon Community College Foundation, is finishing its 40th year of bringing inspiring scholars and speakers to the region with a spring schedule that features “Building Belonging: The Science of Connecting in a Lonely World” (April 14) and “Stay Human: Author Your Mind in the AI Age” (April 28). Visit cocc.edu/ foundation/cls to learn more and reserve a spot. “Building Belonging: The Science of Connecting in a Lonely World” will examine social isolation and what the U.S. Surgeon General has dubbed the “loneliness epidemic.” Providing an engaging, scientific look at the neuroscience and psychology involved in the issue, the event will offer practical ways to strengthen human connection in everyday life. Presented free on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 p.m. in Wille Hall on COCC’s Bend campus, by Scott Crabtree, founder of the consulting firm Happy Brain Science. Helen and Dave Edwards, cofounders of the Bend-based Artificiality Institute, will present “Stay Human: Author Your Mind in the AI Age,” on Tuesday, April 28, at 6:30 p.m. in Wille Hall on COCC’s Bend campus. The research-based presentation will explore how the use of AI changes the way people think, and how it impacts one’s sense of self. Having gathered input from thousands of individuals, the researchers will discuss their findings and the importance of ethical reasoning and self-awareness. Presented with sliding-scale pricing, $0-$20. For 40 years, the Nancy R. Chandler Lecture Series has brought diverse, thought-provoking programming to Central Oregon, from poet-activist Maya Angelou to food justice champion Bryant Terry to journalist Lulu GarciaNavarro. Thanks to sponsorships and grants, the events are always offered free to students and at low or no cost to the greater community. With the COCC Foundation, former Bulletin editor and owner Robert W. Chandler Sr. established the program in 1985 in honor of his wife. For more information, contact Charlotte Gilbride, coordinator of the Chandler Lecture Series, at 541-383-7257 or cgilbride@ cocc.edu.

Presence changes everything Leaders at the THRESHOLD

Hank Minor Columnist

As leaders, we’re responsible for moving things forward — especially when there’s a blockage. A staffing issue. A production bottleneck. Sales that have stalled. Some wrench in the works. We’re stuck — and we don’t know how to get ourselves unstuck. We’ve exhausted all the plays in

the playbook. All the strategies and tactics that we’ve always relied on. But nothing seems to help, nothing that reignites the engine, regenerates the momentum.

From here, things start to spiral. Frustration rises. Pressure builds. A sense of desperation takes hold. And, more often than not, we feel utterly alone.

I can’t begin to count the number of times I experienced this moment over the 25-plus years of running my manufacturing company back in Western New York.

This moment is a threshold. And it’s uncomfortable. Uncomfortable on every level. And what’s worse — it’s not a problem we can easily solve our way out of.

But if we stay with it, sit with it long enough — slow it down, give it space, see it differently — something begins to shift. Not always in the external circumstance, but in our relationship to it. And that’s enough. Enough to create perspective and a broader view. Enough to allow openings to appear. Options and opportunities that were otherwise hidden from us. Suddenly we’re free of the

bind, and the road opens up before us.

This is what I call Presence. It’s not a tactic. Not a strategy. It’s a state of awareness that changes everything.

Presence shifts how we see the world. It widens the lens and encourages us to reinterpret the moment. It allows the inherent potential of what’s possible to become available. It creates the space for clarity and wisdom to emerge — not by force, but simply by removing the limitations that kept them covered, below the surface.

In this deeper state of being, the essential qualities of Presence come forward. Discernment. Understanding. Equanimity. Connection. Vision. And a deep sense of what truly matters. In this state there is a calm without disengagement. A confidence even in the face of uncertainty. Circumstances become clearer — and better decisions follow.

Presence doesn’t necessarily remove the weight or the pressure. It changes how

so it all feels lighter, more easily managed and carried.

Here’s what I’ve found as a leader and a mentor: We can’t do things differently until we see things differently.

When we step back— when we rise above the immediate crisis and noise—that’s when the shift happens. That’s when wisdom becomes available. And crossing the threshold is no longer something we force. It’s something we’re ready for.

If you find yourself at a threshold in your leadership, there is a way through it. I’ll be hosting The Leaders’ Coffeehouse gathering on Thursday, April 2 at The Hub in Sisters, 5:30 to 7 p.m. This is an intimate, thoughtful conversation for leaders exploring the challenges and opportunities that come with growth and responsibility. In this discussion, I’ll talk more about Presence and also share insights gained from my work with leaders over the years. Seating is limited to 15. If you’d like to join the conversation, please follow

Basic goodness Consider THIS

Mitchel Luftig Columnist

My intention is to lean into my basic goodness — to remember that I am worthy of love and affection; that I deserve to be treated with kindness, consideration, and care; to be met with compassion and understanding; knowing my life holds inherent value.

But shame deprives me of the capacity to touch my basic goodness. My childhood shame followed a common theme: an inability to control myself. When I reacted to a sibling’s taunts with rage, and my parents threatened to send me to military school, I felt ashamed. When I wet the bed

until I was 9 years old, I felt ashamed. Shame pursued me into adulthood, left me feeling something was wrong with me, that my inability to control myself was a personal defect. And when the secret of my defectiveness was finally exposed, I was certain that even my intimate acquaintances would withdraw their affection. Once the objectionable parts of myself were glimpsed, no one would think that I deserved to be treated with kindness, consideration, or care. No one would meet me with compassion or try to understand me.

To prevent others from becoming aware of my defectiveness, I tried to remain in control of myself by avoiding conflict, keeping a lid on my temper, deferring to others, and steering clear of stupid mistakes that would demonstrate my immaturity, my lack of self-control.

Despite my efforts, slipups continued to elicit jolts of shame that deprived me of the capacity to touch my basic goodness.

Thich Nhat Hanh once said: “No mud, no lotus.” The mud in his analogy would be the objectionable parts of ourselves that we try to hide from others, and from ourselves. Hanh’s point was: if our intention is to become whole, to feel complete, to know that we are good enough just as we are, to

touch our basic goodness, we must make use of even the ‘muddy’ parts of ourselves: No mud, no lotus.

Hanh also used the metaphor of composting to talk about the unseen value to be discovered within the “objectionable” parts of ourselves.

Just as we take our food waste and draw upon the heat of the sun to convert indigestible matter into fertile soil, apt for growing beautiful flowers and nutritious plants, we can use the light of mindfulness to convert whatever we are ashamed of into something of value, that contributes to our wholeness, frees us from constrictive self-judgment.

Examining my shame with mindfulness, I asked myself: did losing my temper when I was taunted, sleeping so soundly that I couldn’t wake myself up to use the bathroom, making silly mis takes, really make me a bad child? Did my lack of control over my temper and over my body make me defective?

Not long ago, I dreamt of a huge wolf approaching me from the woods. Although I was aware in the dream that the wolf was an instinctual creature who would attack me if it felt threatened, I was not afraid. I held my hand out so the wolf could sniff me and smell that I was safe. The wolf lay down behind me, napping, yet still vigilant.

The dream represents my

effort to befriend my instinctual nature, to learn to trust myself. I can be spontaneous, without acting impulsively, oblivious to consequences. I can be passionate, without losing my temper. I can trust my body to function properly (as far as 73-year-old bodies go).

A few nights ago I grabbed a glass bottle of olive oil. The spout hit the bottom of our kitchen cabinet and the glass shattered, spilling olive oil onto a rug we’d bought decades ago in Portugal, onto my favorite hiking pants, and across our counter and wood floor. My immediate reaction was to think, “How could I have been so careless?” Followed by intense shame.

In order to avoid going down the rabbit hole of selfloathing, I kept repeating to myself: “My mistake does

not make me any less deserving of love and affection,” until eventually I began to believe that it was true.

My wife helped me to clean up the mess, running my pants and the carpet through the washing machine. Her actions reminded me that I am worthy of kindness and consideration, even when I make mistakes. When she framed the spillage as an accident that anyone might have, she demonstrated caring for my raw emotions.

I will use mindfulness to compose myself, transforming my shame into something of value, that contributes to my wholeness, frees me from constrictive self-judgment, enables me to touch my basic goodness with greater ease, and empowers me to live my life with more passion and abandon.

COMM UN IT Y AN NOUNCE ME NTS

M Perfec tly Commun i-Tea

Suppor ting women on t heir jour ne y f rom t raum a to tr iu mph . e nex t Com mu ni-

Tea e vent w il l be Tuesd ay, A pr il 28 , 3 to 5 p.m . at Sisters L ibra ry

Commun it y R oom . L ea rn

— SPONSORED BY — has experience being par t of a family. She is pa rtially litterbox t rained a nd will thrive with proper care, enrich ment, and room to explore. Come see her today!

SIST ER S COMM UN IT Y FOOD

RE SOURCE S

Free Lu nches for Seniors

COACO o ers no-cost

socia l lunc h e ver y Tuesd ay, 11 a .m . to 1 p.m . at Sisters

Commun it y C hu rc h, 130 0 W. McK en zie Hwy No reser vation s neede d.

No -cost Grab-N-Go

lu nc hes weekly on

Wednesday a nd u rsday, from 12:3 0 to 1 p.m . Cal l 541-79 7-93 67

Week ly Food Pa nt ry

COR E M arket , loc ated at 222 N. Trinit y Way i n

Si sters . Mondays , 1 to 2 p. m . I nfo: 5 41-588 -2 332

Free Week ly Meal

Serv ice

Famil y K itchen hos t s a week ly to-go hot mea l on Tuesdays , 4:3 0 to 5:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Com mu nity

Church, 130 0 W. McK en zie

Hw y. I nfo: www

Fami lyKitc hen.org.

Free Pet Food

Need pet food for you r dog or c at? Cal l t he Fur ry

Fr iend s pet food b an k at 541-79 7- 40 2 3 to s chedule you r pic kup. L oc ated at 412 E . M ai n Ave., Ste. 4, beh ind e Nug get.

Kiwa nis Food Ba nk

Located at 382 W. M ai n Ave . Weekly d istr ibut ion i s u rsday s f rom 9 a .m . to 2 p.m . I nfo: 5 41-632 -3 663.

about t he v ision, hea r f rom a n

use s ur vivor, a nd get i nvolved elpi ng women i n d i c ult at ion s c ha nge t hei r l ives!

For i nfo, c al l A sh ley at 8 43 -8704 or to don ate, go to www mper fect ly.org

Sisters Rodeo Pa rade

pl ic at ion s a re open . B e par t of a longtime t radition . L im ited ies; deadline i s M ay 15. t www.sistersrodeo.com. k u nder G et I nvolved a nd l out t he ent r y online . Parade e up i nfor mation w il l go out he r st of June by ema il er ican Legion and VF W dnesday, A pr i l 1, at 6 :3 0 p. m., at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n St . sisters vetera ns@g ma il .com

Free Libert y Quar tet

Concer t

Satu rd ay, A pr i l 2 5 , at 6 p.m . at Si sters Com mu nit y C hu rc h, 13 0 0 McK en zie Hwy. E njoy a Souther n G ospel “concer t of wor sh ip” bridg ing a ll gene ration s . Free ent ry; love o ering t aken . 5 41-5 49 -12 01

Craf t & Connec t: Ar t Supply Swap

u rsday, A pr i l 16 , 2 to 5 p.m at t he P ine Meadow R anch

Center for A rt s & A gr ic ultu re, joi n a n a ernoon of fel lowship and c ra . e A r t Suppl y Swap be gin s promptly at 2 p.m followed by a t ime of c ra i ng i n t he c lass room . Bring a sm al l projec t to work on or test out you r newl y acqui red material s . Free a nd open to t he public . R eg istrat ion i s requi red at h ps:// roundhou sefoundation .org / events/. For more i nfo c al l 5 4190 4- 070 0 or ema i l i nquiries@ roundhou sefoundation .org

Cent ra l Oregon Federated

Republ ican Women

u rsday, A pr i l 2 , at A s pen La kes G ol f Cou rse i n Sisters, 11 a .m . to 1:3 0 p.m . Luncheon i s $27. R SV P to c of rw bend @ gm ail.com . I nfo: www.cof rw org.

Ment al As ylum s in Fict ion: Sa nity, Confor mity, and Cont rol u rsday, A pr i l 2 , 5:15 to 6:15 p.m . W ho get s to dec ide wh at ’ s sane?

Thrive Cent ra l Oregon Drop -I n Consultations Fr id ay, A pr i l 3 , 10 a .m . to 1 p. m . Stud y R oom . D rop-in

socia l ser vice s a ssista nce.

My Father ’s Stor y: WW II

Japa nese Amer ican Intern ment Ca mps

Wednesday, A pr i l 8 , noon to 1 p.m . Com mu nit y R oom.

Sisters Commun it y Ga rden (SCG) Plot s 2026 e SCG i s at t hei r new location at 2 22 N. Trinity Way. R ai sed bed g arden plot s a re ava il able for t he 202 6 gardening sea son. Appl ic at ion a nd i nfor mation are ava il able at www Si stersC om mu nity Ga rden org. For more i nfo, 5 41-7602084.

Mont hly Song wr iters’

Sharing Ci rcle

Wednesday A pr i l 8 , , 6 to 8 p.m., at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n A B e i an songs, bei prov sk ca

St ud io Tours Satu rd ay, A pr i l 11, 4 to 6 p. m . at P ine Meadow R anch Center for A rt s & A gr ic ultu re, engage w it h c ur rent a rt ists i n residence . D uring t hi s event , t he c ur rent cohor t of Wr iter s sha re some of t heir work a nd how t hei r t ime at Pine Meadow R anc h h as en riched t hei r w riting pract ice. i s e vent w il l a lso i nc lude specia l g uest Pa m Hou ston, author of “Cowboy s A re My Weak ne ss.” Free a nd open to t he public . R eg istrat ion

Sisters Commun it y Ment al Health Fa ir Satu rd ay, A pr i l 4, 11 a .m . to 3 p. m . at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n Ave . L ea r n f rom pros a nd peers, joi n f ree a ct iv it ies , a nd nd resou rces . Hosted by t he

Nationa l A ll ia nce on Menta l Illness . n amicent ra loregon.org. Cont ac t: 5 41-316 -0167.

Ea ster Church Services & Event s

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

Come celebrate t he sou rce of ou r Hope.

Maund y u rsday Ser vice: A pr i l 2 at 4 p.m e celebration of t he L ast Supper w hen Jesus in st it uted Ne w Coven ant Mea l. G ood Friday Ser vice: A pr i l 3 at 12 noon. Meditation on “Ch ri st Cruci ed .”

Easter Sunrise Ser vice: A pr i l 5 at 8 a .m Outdoors. E aster Wor sh ip C elebration: A pr i l 5 at 10 a .m . 38 6 N. Fi r St., Sisters . 5 41-5 49 -5831

www.shepherdo heh il lslutheranchurch .com

Easter at Shiloh Ra nch

Apri l 5 , l ive ser vice s a re at 8:3 0 a .m . a nd 10 a.m . L ivestrea m sta rt s at 10 a .m . at h ps:// sh iloh ra nc h.com/watc h . 1569 6 S W Bus se Rd., Powel l Bu e

Fi re Depa rt ment Easter Egg Hu nt

Kid s age 0 to 11 a re i nv ited to t he a nnua l E aster

Eg g Hunt co-sponsored by t he Sisters-Ca mp

Sher ma n a nd C loverd ale re d istr ic ts . e hunt i s on, regardless of weather, E aster Sunday, Apri l 5, at 1 p.m . at t he adjoi ning Creek side

Pa rk a nd Sisters Creek side Campg round . e

Easter Bunny w il l be pre sent to g reet a ll . A rr ive

2 0 m inutes early so k id s c a n be d iv ided i nto

age g roups . Be prompt , a s t he eggs go fast! For in format ion, contac t Sisters-Camp S herman

Fi re D istr ic t at 5 41-5 49 -0 771.

Sisters Commun it y Church

G ood Friday, A pr i l 3 at 6 p.m . E aster Ser vices, Apri l 5: Sunrise ser vice at 6 :3 0 a .m.; R eg ul ar serv ice s at 8:3 0 a nd 10:3 0 a .m . 130 0 W

Mc Kenzie Hwy, Sisters . For more i nfor mation ca l l 5 41-5 49 -12 01, or i nfo@si stersc hu rc h.com.

Sisters Church of the Na za rene

Celebrate t he hope of E aster — Jesu s i s a live! Free Con ti nent a l break fas t at 9 a .m. , wor sh ip serv ice at 10 a .m. , fol lowed by E aster eg g hunt at 11:15 a .m . 67130 H arri ng ton L oop R d., 541-389- 89 60, i nfo@si stersnaz .org

St . E dwa rd the Mart yr

Easter ser vices: Holy u rsday, A pr i l 2: M as s of t he L ord’s Supper at 7 p .m.; G ood Friday, Apri l 3: Station s of t he Cros s at 6 :3 0 p.m. , a nd e Pas sion Ser vice at 7 p.m.; Holy Sat urday, Apri l 4: E aster V ig i l at 8:3 0 p.m.; E aster Su nd ay, A pr i l 5: M as s at 7:3 0 a .m . a nd 10 a .m 12 3 Trinit y Way www.stedw ardsisters .org Episcopa l Church of the Transf ig urat ion Maund

SIST ER S- AR EA CH UR CH ES

Yu ki ko F lennaug h sha res her f at her’s i nc arceration ex perience during W WI I.

Sisters Ga rden Club Mont hly membership meeti ng wi l l be held on Monday, A pr il 13 , at 12 p.m . at e L odge Reti rement Com mu nity ater R oom, 411 E Ba ha’i Fa it h For i nfor mation, devot ions, study g roups, etc ., cont ac t S hauna R ocha 5 41-6 47-982 6 • www.bah ai .org www.bah ai .u s • www.bah aiteac hi ng s.org Chapel in the Pi nes Ca

Sisters author to release new book, fourth in illustrated series

“You Stole My Name: Foods” by Dennis McGregor will be released by Blue Star Press/Penguin Random House on April 14.

This is McGregor’s fourth book in the criticallyacclaimed “You Stole My Name” series. The spotlight this time is on foods that were named after animals.

McGregor’s illustrations and rhyming verses continue to be humorously entertaining as well as thought-provoking.

Why is a cake named after hummingbirds and how did Monkey Bread get its name? From Dragon Fruit to Toad in a Hole, Grasshopper Pie to Turtle Brownie, the entries tickle one’s imagination and possibly their tastebuds.

McGregor says, “This whole thing

started about eight years ago when I painted a bird next to a turtle and then realized that the bird I had painted was a Turtle Dove. I smiled and wondered how many other animals had unlikely shared names. That led to a series of paintings which eventually

became a picture book called ‘You Stole My Name.’ The printing of the book was crowd-funded and the first copies were sold in Sisters at Paulina Springs Books. Eventually enough copies were sold there to get the atten- tion of Blue Star Press, a visionary publishing company that had recently relocated to Bend. Distribution immediately went from local to worldwide.

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 1

The Belfr y Live Music: Vanessa Collier

An award-winning powerhouse of modern blues — a magnetic blend of blistering saxophone soulful vocals, and unstoppable energy 7 p.m. Tickets: bendticket.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).

Sisters Movie House Spring Adventure & Art Series: "Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) 2026" A fresh collection of the finest fly-fishing films from across the globe 6:45 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dirty Jazz Come hang and listen to jazz with Wolfe House records 6 to 8 p.m. $15, or free for Suttle guests Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.

THURSDAY • APRIL 2

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Chris Beland 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Kolby Knickerbocker Firesides Music Series inside The Skip Bar & Restaurant, 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations required: www thesuttlelodge.com.

FRIDAY • APRIL 3

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Singer Series – Jordan Wolfe, Scott Crabtree & Russell Johnson 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tony Lompa 6 to 8 p.m. No cover! Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave.

SATURDAY • APRIL 4

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Brandon Campbell Trio 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • APRIL 5

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Signs of Spring A come anytime celebration of the season on the farm where kids hunt for a Seed Egg and pot a take-home bee-friendly flower. 1 to 4 p.m. Free More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

MONDAY • APRIL 6

Paulina Springs Books Writers in Community is an unstructured quiet time around the big table for writing with others. Drop in for a few minutes or stay the whole time 10 a.m. No RSVP required. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

that had recently “You Too” was named came ani-

Good reviews came and “You Stole My Name Too” was named Barnes & Noble’s best Children’s Picture Book of 2023. The third edition, “You Stole My Name Tools” came next, with animal names like bull dozer, crow bar, and monkey wrench.”

McGregor

has been known for years in the Sisters community as a poster artist and singersongwriter. His evolution as a children’s book author combines with his love for music and illustration. At his first bookstore appearance he brought his guitar along and “sang the book.” From there he has fine-tuned his presentation with original songs, images, and the addition of his talented associate, singer-songwriter Beth Wood. Together they are currently completing a tour of Central Oregon elementary schools and are now booking dates for 2027.

“We love working with the kids! They are so smart and funny and unabashed about their love for the arts!” McGregor said.

There is one big difference between “You Stole My Name: Foods” and the previous three: the size.

McGregor says that while people have loved the unusually large format, they just don’t fit on a bookshelf. So

the designers at Blue Star redesigned this new one to be “bookshelf friendly.” It is still big but it fits.

“You Stole My Name: Foods” will be available at Paulina Springs Books on April 14.

MUSIC, COMMUNITY & SPIRITS

MONDAY • APRIL 6 (cont.)

Paulina Springs Books Poetr y Gathering "The Pause Button," an informal monthly gathering for poets and poetry enthusiasts Bring a poem or two to share. Listen, discuss, and write. Free 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Spoons Open Mic: Music, Poetr y, Comedy Bring your talent (or come cheer) and enjoy a night of local music, poetry, and comedy hosted by Jordan Lewis Lee. 7 p.m., sign-ups open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner menu available 473 E. Hood Ave. Info: 541-719-0572

TUESDAY • APRIL 7

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Pool Tournament 5:30 p.m. Info: 541-549-6114.

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 8

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 Spring Adventure & Art Series: "Exhibition On Screen: Turner & Constable" The extraordinary art and remarkable stories of two of Britain’s greatest painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable 6:45 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

THURSDAY • APRIL 9

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Megan Diana Firesides Music Series inside The Skip Bar & Restaurant, 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations required: www thesuttlelodge.com.

FRIDAY • APRIL 10

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Lickety Split

Original music grounded in American roots traditions, including jug band stomps, vaudeville blues, and old time 6 to 8 p.m. No cover. More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tuesday String Band 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

SATURDAY • APRIL 11

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Dan Mangan

7 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • APRIL 12

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Thurs., April 23 • 7 p.m. Br ad Parsons — with Joel Chadd Bradisamulti-instrumentalist,talented songwriter,anddynamiclive performer bendticket.com...$1759

Thurs., May 14 • 7 p.m. Glen Phillips Leadsinger&mainsongwriter of Toad the WetSprocket for almost40 years, Glenbringshonest,introspectivelyrics bendticket.com...$28.29

Pb i t i t h , Wed., April 1 • 7 p.m. Vanessa Collier Award-winningpowerhouse of modern blues—amagneticblendofsaxophone soulful vocals,andunstoppableenergy bendticket.com...$28.29

Pub opens 30 minutes prior to shows 302 E. Main | BelfryEvents.com

SISTERS-AREA EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SUNDAY • APRIL 12 (cont.)

Paulina Springs Books Peanuts, Popcorn & Poetr y: A Community Gathering Celebrating Poetr y Month 4:30 to 6 p.m. come share a poem or two, or just listen and celebrate the wonder and intimacy of this vital art form. RSVP if you would like to read. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

MONDAY • APRIL 13

Spoons Open Mic: Music, Poetr y, Comedy Bring your talent (or come cheer) and enjoy a night of local music, poetry, and comedy hosted by Jordan Lewis Lee. 7 p.m., sign-ups open at 6:30 p.m. Info: 541-719-0572

TUESDAY • APRIL 14

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Trivia 6 to 8 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114. Sisters Saloon Bingo Night 5:30 p.m., upstairs, BINGO supporting Sisters GRO Foundation. Info: 541-549-7427

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 15

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dirty Jazz Come hang and listen to jazz with Wolfe House records 6 to 8 p.m. $15, or free for Suttle guests Info: www thesuttlelodge.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).

Sisters Movie House Spring Adventure & Art Series: "Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It" Billy Preston backed gospel legend Mahalia Jackson at 5. Over his six-decade career, he contributed his sound to the greatest artists of his time while establishing himself as a GRAMMY-winning solo artist. Despite success, he struggled to reconcile his deep relationship with the Black church with his sexuality, setting off a lifelong quest to find love and acceptance. 6:45 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

THURSDAY • APRIL 16

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Gar y Lewis presents "Fishing Central Oregon," the closest thing to fishing with a professional guide! 6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Joel Chadd

Firesides Music Series inside The Skip Bar & Restaurant, 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations required: www thesuttlelodge.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Wine & Watercolor Workshop 6 to 8 p.m. $30 before April 9/$35 after Sisters Art Station will host a beginner-friendly watercolor workshop Make 1-3 art pieces! Register: sistersartstation.com.

FRIDAY • APRIL 17

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft 5 p.m. $20 paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Oregon seeks to regulate AI chatbots

By Robin Linares Oregon Capital Chronicle

Lawmakers who “missed the boat” on regulating social media now have a chance to address the next emerging technology’s effects on youth, Oregon lawmakers contend.

Sen. Lisa Reynolds, D-Portland, and the Senate Early Childhood and Behavioral Health committee she chairs are championing Senate Bill 1546 to regulate artificial intelligence chatbots. The committee voted 4-1 to advance the bill with amendments to the Senate floor Thursday, February 19.

The bill would require AI programs such as ChatGPT to remind users more regularly that they are speaking to an artificial intelligence tool, not a human. The legislation follows a recently passed California law and similar legislation introduced this year in New York and Washington.

Reynolds, a pediatrician, described parents’ struggles with managing electronic use among youth she works with, as kids spend more time using the internet, social media, and now, AI.

“What is coming up for me all the time in my exam room is parents feel like they’re fighting a losing battle,” Reynolds said.

Assessing teen AI use AI use among teens is increasingly common, with 72 percent of teens using AI companions, and more than 50 percent as regular users, according to the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Other research from the organization noted that nearly a third of teens find conversations with AI chatbot companions just as satisfying or more satisfying as real-life conversations.

Robbie Torney, the head of AI and digital assessments at Common Sense Media, said teens are using AI chatbots as companions for emotional support or to discuss mental health.

“Our testing shows that they consistently miss subtle warning signs — and even not so subtle warning signs

— that another human being, a parent, a friend, or an adult would catch,” Torney said.

There have been several cases over the past few years of AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and Character.AI, contributing to teen suicides, according to parents’ testimony before a U.S. Senate committee last year.

The Oregon bill proposes additional guardrails for youth access to AI, including calling for programmers to note that the platform may not be suitable for minors, to not show or promote sexually explicit content or conduct, and to discourage spending extended time interacting with the platform.

Expanding notifications is one way chatbots can promote responsible AI use, said Linda Charmaraman, senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College and founder and director of the Youth, Media and Wellbeing Research Lab. She supports educating youth about responsible uses of AI, rather than outright bans.

“Whether it’s adults or for minors, just to remind people that there are limits to the technology and that there’s inaccuracies,” Charmaraman said. “If I could wave a wand, I would love for them to really focus on AI literacy from early ages.”

Suicide prevention focus Beyond youth access, Reynolds added that the bill’s intent is to protect anyone expressing suicidal tendencies.

The proposed legislation would require programmers who make their tools available to Oregonians to develop protocols for their AI platform to detect signs of suicidal ideation, self-harm, or thoughts of intending to do either.

In response, these platforms would be required to refer users to a suicide hotline and other crisis related resources and immediately interrupt conversation between the chatbot and user. The protocol would also be required to be publicly available on the AI program site.

Reynolds has been in touch with Lines for Life, the Oregon-based suicide and mental health hotline, and its sister hotline YouthLine, about potentially being part of the mental health resources that AI chatbots could offer users.

Hotline volunteers have already seen how AI has impacted users, according to Dwight Holton, executive director of Lines for Life. Youth volunteers are increasingly reassuring users in crisis that they are speaking to a human, not AI, he said.

“We know that intervention works,” Holton said.

“So, if we can convince our partners in the industry and legislatively, establish guardrails that require that kind of connection to intervention, we will get folks from that path of despair to a path of hope.”

Reynolds has also reached out to organizations like TechNet, which supports a network of tech agencies including Google, OpenAI, and Meta.

Social media companies have had the opportunity to make some choices that would have kept kids safe from social media but instead they really double down on doing everything they can to keep their eyeballs on social media content for as long as they can. — Lisa Reynolds

TechNet officials, while largely supportive of the bill, mentioned some concerns about Oregon’s potential requirements of more frequent notifications than laws in other states. The bill has since been amended to align with other states’ notification provisions.

“I am working with a coalition of companies to try and make sure that we have clear definitions and clear requirements on notifications and guardrails and looking forward to working with the senator and the committee,” said Rose Feliciano, TechNet’s executive director for Washington and the Northwest.

The bill could face legal challenges if passed because

of a December executive order President Donald Trump signed to limit state regulation of AI services. While Reynolds is unclear about where the executive order fits in, her plans remain unchanged in addressing unregulated AI use.

“Social media companies have had the opportunity to make some choices that would have kept kids safe from social media but instead they really double down on doing everything they can to keep their eyeballs on social media content for as long as they can,” Reynolds said. “I see it time and again in my exam room, so I don’t want to wait till it’s too late to put some sideboards on AI tools.”

Reprinted under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy of https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

Easter Services

Holy ursday, Apr il 2: Mass of the Lord ’s S upper, 7 p.m.

Good Fr iday, Apr il 3: S tations of the Cross, 6:30 p.m.

e Passion of the Lord, 7 p.m.

Holy Saturday, Apr il 4: Easter V igil, 8:30 p.m.

Easter S unday, Apr il 5: Mass, 7:30 a.m & 10 a.m

Saint Edward the Mar ty r Roman Catholic C hurch

123 Tr init y Way, S isters | 541-549-9391 www.stedwardsisters.org | Rev. Rijo K Devasia

Levy would support services under strain

up about 70 percent of calls, and the number of “stacked” or simultaneous calls has increased by 207 percent since 2019. The District dealt with 333 stacked calls in 2025, and 377 the year before that. That means ambulance crews are running a lot — and they cover 800 square miles of territory, from Cloverdale to about 10 miles west of the Santiam Junction. According to Prior, out of 1,100 or 1,200 medical responses in a year, 700 or 800 will require transport to the hospital.

“We’re transporting a lot,” he said.

With extensive geographic coverage and the requirement to transport to Bend or Redmond, a single call can easily tie up an ambulance for four hours.

There are currently usually three full-time personnel working on each of the three shifts. According to Prior, two people is a bare minimum for an advanced life-saving response, which means that the District is operating at a thin margin with personnel, and they rely on students and volunteers. Nationally, fire

districts have seen a 30 percent decline in volunteerism.

“People are just busy and don’t have time to volunteer,” Prior said. “Relying on that model is really no longer sustainable for us.”

Prior seeks to add full-time emergency response staff, not only to maintain service levels, but to accomplish all of the training, maintenance, and administrative requirements of the service. He noted that each of the full-time staff have responsibilities for making sure that supplies and equipment are responseready, and that the facilities are in good order. Training is a major component of their work — both achieving and maintaining their own certification and training volunteers and students.

“We have a ton of training that we’re required to do each year to stay proficient,” Prior said.

“There’s really not a lot of downtime for them at all,” Spor noted.

Training includes medical, haz-mat, vehicle fire and rescue, technical responses like swift water and rope rescues, structural and woodland firefighting. Training is planned out seasonally. Prior noted that Deputy Chief Tim Craig recently designed a multiagency simulation for wildfire response in an effort to

continually refine coordination for incidents such as last summer’s Flat Fire.

Another key need, according to Chief Prior, is a fulltime mechanic. Currently, they have the services of a mechanic one day a week. Last year, the District paid out approximately $67,000 in outside repairs. That’s not only a cost issue — it takes vital equipment out of service for longer than Prior would like.

“We can’t afford to have apparatus shipped over to Ford and be down for a week or two waiting to be fixed,” he said.

Prior believes that a fulltime mechanic position would pay for itself in short order, and improve the life of expensive equipment.

The Nugget asked Prior to address the commonly held perception that growth should pay for increased services.

Prior acknowledged that this seems like a logical proposition — but it plays out differently in fact. Property tax assessments and collections increased 4.9 percent last year and this year, he and Spor reported. That growth did not keep pace with increased salaries, as the District seeks to maintain staff in the third position among Central Oregon agencies in compensation.

As for increased growth due to urban growth boundary expansion, “We may be a year-and-a-half [from development] before we see any revenue from that,” Prior said.

And the increased growth will bring its own increase in calls for service.

“We’re not asking for this [local option] for the future,” Prior said. “This is what we need now to maintain the service that you expect.”

According to election documents, the 70 cents per $1,000 of taxable assessed value will generate estimated revenue of $5,807,284 over five years.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District will hold informational community meetings in four different locations on four different dates:

• Saturday, April 11, 1 p.m. at Station 703, 17233 Buffalo Dr., Whychus Canyon Estates

• Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School, 2155 W. McKinney Butte Road, Sisters

• Saturday, April 18, 2 p.m., Camp Sherman Community Hall, 13025 Metolius River, Camp Sherman

• Monday, April 20, 6 p.m. at Station 701. 301 S. Elm St., Sisters.

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Sisters Country birds

By Douglas Beall Correspondent

A common forest raptor around Sisters is the Sharpshinned Hawk [Accipiter stiatus], which is America’s smallest hawk. They are named for their sharply keeled, featherless lower legs and their average life span is five years. Their diet consists of mostly small birds up to the size of a robin, although doves and

quail are occasionally captured. The “Sharpy” hunts down prey by hiding in trees and surprising the birds and catching them in mid flight or guiding them into trees or houses and merely picking up the stunned birds.

Nests are built mostly by the female although the male does bring some nesting materials. High in a conifer tree canopy, the one- to two-foot-wide nest contains three to eight whitish brown

or blue splotched eggs that hatch in 30–35 days. The nestlings are provided food by the male for 16–23 days and then begin to attempt simple flight to other branches and in 3–4 weeks are often fed on the wing with mid-air exchanges of food from the parents.

Unique to the Sharp-shinned Hawk is the removal of the head before presenting the food to their young in the nest. After the young hawks

learn to fend for themselves they move on to create their own venery territories.

A large migration from Canada is observed with up to 11,000 Sharpys seen in one autumn day at Cape May Point, New Jersey. A group of hawks is called a “knot,” a “boil,” a “spiraling,” or a “tower” of hawks.

For more Sharp-shinned Hawk images visit https:// abirdsingsbecauseithasa song.com/recent-journeys/.

Sisters Park & Recreation District

Arrested man has Sisters history

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Noah Kirshner as the suspect responsible for a series of vehicle break-ins in La Pine. Between doorbell cameras, driveway cameras, and dozens of tips from the community, the suspect was identified as 27-year-old Kirshner of La Pine.

Deputies reviewed hours of video from homeowners’ cameras that captured Kirshner stealing items from cars in the Reserve in the Pines and Crescent Creek neighborhoods. Stolen items included purses, wallets, medications, and an iPad. Deputies say that most of the items have been recovered, and the property returned to the owners.

Kirshner was arrested and lodged in the Deschutes County Adult Jail on the following charges:

• Attempted Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle (seven counts).

• Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle (five counts).

• Theft in the Second Degree (two counts).

• Theft in the First Degree (one count).

DCSO reports that as

deputies continue to sort through the large volume of video evidence and identify additional victims, Kirshner could face additional charges.

The 27-year-old has an extensive criminal history in Sisters.

In December of 2022, Kirshner was arrested after a concerned citizen made a report to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office regarding possible stolen property that might be connected to a string of thefts in the neighborhood of Whychus Canyon Estates.

The investigating deputy applied for and was granted a search warrant for Noah Kirshner’s vehicle. The search of the vehicle resulted in locating other suspected stolen items.

Kirshner had been arrested in 2020 for a string of thefts from vehicles. All of those cases involved vehicles that were left unlocked in driveways of residences. In one case, a 9mm pistol was stolen from an unlocked vehicle, along with other valuables. Additionally, one of the victim vehicles had damage to a stereo and

dashboard from Kirshner’s attempt to steal the stereo.

Kirshner was arrested for a similar string of break-ins two years before that.

According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Black Butte Ranch police responded on September 26, 2018, to a report of a domestic dispute at 576 E. Jefferson Ave. in Sisters. When law enforcement arrived, they contacted Kirshner outside the residence. Investigators determined that Kirshner had caused extensive damage to a residence and had been throwing rocks at vehicles. Investigating further, they found property in Kirshner’s possession that linked him to multiple vehicle break-ins in the Sisters area that had been reported the morning of September 25, 2018.

In 2017, Kirshner was arrested in connection with the theft of hemp from a farm near Sisters.

Blood drives set in Sisters

The American Red Cross asks people to help patients in need by making an appointment to give blood or platelets now.

Donors of all blood types remain critical to keeping momentum up and the blood supply stable as spring begins.

Those who come to give blood or platelets now through April 12, will get an exclusive Red Cross x Life is Good T-shirt, while supplies last. See RedCrossBlood.org/ LifeIsGood for details.

“Life is Good has always been about more than a T-shirt; it’s a reminder that the world is full of good worth fighting for, and that spreading optimism starts with the everyday choices we make,” said Linne Kimball, vice president of strategic partnerships for Life is Good. “For us, partnering with the Red Cross was a natural fit, because giving blood is proof that one person and one simple act can make a real difference. We hope this collaboration

inspires donors old and new to turn positivity into purpose — because doing good doesn’t have to be complicated, sometimes all it takes is rolling up a sleeve.”

Between spring break plans and the return of outdoor activities, busy spring calendars can impact the availability of lifesaving blood products — but the need for blood never stops.

“It’s critical that donors make and keep appointments in the weeks to come to help the blood supply stand up to any seasonal disruptions or challenges,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of donor services for the Red Cross. “The Red Cross is grateful to Life is Good for joining us in an important mission.”

Donation events are set for April 1, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sisters Athletic Club, 1001 Desperado Trail and April 3 at 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Sisters Fire District Community Hall, 301 S. Elm St.

Candidate visited Sisters last week

Continued from page 1

resident Chris Dudley.

“I’m the only candidate running an effective government today,” Bethell asserted in an interview with The Nugget last week.

The candidate stopped in Sisters on a swing through Central Oregon.

Bethell is a Marion County Commissioner who served as president of the Association of Oregon Counties in 2024. She believes that her position and experience has given her insight into the way in which government should work. In her view, effective government is small government, locally run, government that lives within its means and focuses on delivery of services, one that is “more program-focused and less ideologically focused.”

She acknowledged that housing affordability is a critical matter in Sisters as well as across the state. As a Marion County Commissioner, Bethell worked to use Community Development Block Grants for downpayment assistance and homeowner rehab programs and connected renters with financial resources and education to help get them onto a home ownership track.

She argues that the state should support creation of the housing individual communities want rather than creating mandates.

“You just shift the system from top-down to bottomup,” she said. State government should “partner with those communities, not dictate to those communities.”

She believes that state government should focus on leveraging resources to partner with communities to create infrastructure to ameliorate costs that impact affordability.

Bethell advocates for increased local control for school districts. Bethell

served on the Salem-Keizer School Board before resigning in 2022.

“[School districts] want local control,” she said. “They should be able to control their own systems.”

She believes the statute allowing the governor to be superintendent of public education should be repealed and that the state department of education should be reformed to focus on academic success. She believes that there should be renewed focus on standardized testing as a measure of student progress — but not to the exclusion of more organic classroombased measures. She argues that identity-based priorities and programs should be dismantled.

“I believe that character is the most important form of understanding a person,” she said.

In keeping with her political philosophy and policy preference, Bethell believes that the state department of education should mobilize funding to support local initiatives rather than creating mandates.

“I believe communities do best when they lift up themselves — and the state just seems to get in the way,” she said.

Bethell acknowledged that homelessness is a significant issue statewide — and one that impacts Sisters in unique ways, with encampments on national forest land surrounding the community.

“It’s very present for tourists to see and for the locals to be concerned about,” she said.

Partnerships and local engagement are, in her view, the route toward mitigating the issue, and she believes it is critical that local voices are heard at the national level in addressing it.

“It is unacceptable to me that ODF and the governor’s office would be missing from those [national] meetings,” she said.

She advocates for the application of evidencedbased programs emphasizing

Danielle Bethell is seeking the Republican Party nomination for governor in the May 19 primary. She visited The Nugget on a campaign swing into Central Oregon last week.

personal responsibility and long-term results, including work as a commissioner to expand safe homes for people seeking sobriety.

Bethell is convinced that the referendum on a transportation tax to provide $4.3 billion dollars for the Oregon Department of Transportation over the next decade will be shot down by voters.

The transportation bill would provide funding to bridge an Oregon Department of Transportation shortfall through a six-cent gas tax increase, hikes to car registration and title fees, and doubling the payroll taxes used for public transit.

“I don’t think we need more taxes at the state level for anything,” Bethell said.

Bethell advocates for zero-based budgeting in all departments, and for ODOT to collaborate more with county governments to reduce duplication of services.

“Working together reduces costs,” she said.

Bethell criticized Drazen and Dudley for stepping away from debates.

“While we have good candidates in the race, they’re not showing up in the debate space,” she said. “Skirting that process is disrespectful to the voters, in my opinion. If Sisters or Bend want to have a debate or a forum, I’m coming.”

Candidate addresses ethics investigation

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

As she vies for the Republican nomination for governor (see story, page 1) , Danielle Bethell is awaiting action from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission regarding two complaints asserting that she used her position as a Marion County Commissioner to benefit her children.

One complaint against Bethell regards an interaction with a Marion County deputy sheriff who pulled Bethell’s daughter over in December 2024 for a cell phone use violation. Bethell reportedly told the officer that any ticket could not end up in Marion County Justice Court because of Bethell’s position on the county commission. Bethell told The Nugget that she made that assertion because the commissioners set the court’s budget and hire staff. Two of the charges against Bethell’s daughter were dismissed in August 2025, and she was handed a $265 fine for driving while using a mobile device.

The other complaint centers on a $1.1-plus million addition to a contract Marion County Commissioners voted

to approve in September for Salem-based Slayden Constructors Inc. The company employs Bethell’s son. Bethell told The Nugget that she had declared a potential conflict of interest in the matter, but did not recuse herself from discussions.

In December 2025, Bethell told Oregon Capital Chronicle , “In navigating these events, I made the best decisions I could to be as transparent and ethical as possible.”

She told The Nugget last week, “That remains true.” She said she had been open about the fact that her son works for Slayden Constructors, including making a statement to that effect on television.

“I will continue to be forthright in the public eye about everything, because I feel that is transparent,” she said.

Bethell said she has not heard from investigators since the Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted to investigate the matters last year.

Oregon Capital Chronicle’s December 16, 2025, story on the matter may be found at https://bit. ly/4t96VI0.

Morgan takes key EDCO role

Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) has hired Wendy Morgan as its new venture catalyst director, a key role that leads the organization’s Start initiative and advances entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth across the region.

In this role, Morgan will focus on building and strengthening Central Oregon’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, helping scalable startups succeed at a higher rate and contributing to longterm job creation. She will work directly with early-stage companies to prepare them for debt and equity funding, provide pitch coaching and strategic guidance, and connect founders with the professional expertise and resources needed to grow.

“Wendy brings an exceptional blend of founder experience, investment readiness expertise, and a deep commitment to supporting entrepreneurs,” said EDCO CEO Jon Stark. “Her leadership will be instrumental in helping Central Oregon startups access capital, scale successfully, and create quality jobs in our region.”

Morgan will also play a central role in EDCO’s signature startup programs and events, including Central Oregon PubTalks and the

Bend Venture Conference. Her responsibilities include supporting company recruitment, coaching presenting founders, facilitating due diligence processes, and working closely with fund managers and partners to ensure strong outcomes for both investors and participating companies. She has dedicated her career to helping earlystage companies gain traction through customer discovery, go-to-market strategy, and investor readiness. Most recently, she served as innovation impact catalyst manager at Oregon State University’s Advantage Accelerator, where she mentored a portfolio of startups and worked to increase the number of research-based ventures entering the market. Her work strengthened

connections between founders, industry partners, and funding opportunities.

She is also the founder of a venture-backed immersive training company, where she secured funding through federal grants, accelerators, and private investment. She has collaborated with organizations such as Cedars-Sinai and the National Science Foundation to support innovation and commercialization efforts. As a certified NSF I-Corps instructor and experienced mentor, Morgan is known for her practical approach to helping founders validate ideas and build scalable businesses. Her background spans health tech, edtech, and workforce development, with a focus on impactful, market-ready solutions.

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

and wildlife, the health of us and our children, is it really wise to keep burning in our forested densely populated communities?

Kathy Marshall

s s s

ODOT funding

To the Editor:

According to the legislature, ODOT is in desperate need of a major budget boost. Last year we were told that if more funding was not forthcoming selected maintenance stations would be closed and snow removal less frequent.

So, with budgets so tight why did ODOT need to move the snow gate on Highway 242? Why was this project a priority? How much did it cost?

My best guess is that the gate was moved about a mile east, toward Sisters, and about 500 feet lower in elevation. The old gate was adequate for decades and yet now, as we see winters of less and less snow, it was relocated. Why was this necessary? Why at this particular time? At what cost?

Moving this gate effectively limits winter recreational access to the McKenzie Pass area during the spring and low-snow years. Last winter ODOT declared Highway 242 off limits to recreational use when the gates were closed. The public response was immediate; many pointing out the Cascade Lakes Highway remained open to winter recreational use. Is there a connection? ODOT, if moving this gate is more than response to that incident, please define the new factors that prompted the relocation of this gate.

Budgets are tight? Well, how much does it cost ODOT to move a gate? I challenge the District Supervisor to let us know. And I mean the real cost. Not just the on-the-ground costs but all associated support, design, overhead, facility and administative costs; all the stuff that eats up your current $6 billion biennial budget.

Finally, a few more questions: How was the location selected? Why build a gate in a location so easy to drive around? And why is the old gate still there? Will the lower gate be opened first; say when the road is melted out and significant new snow unlikely? How about right about now?

ODOT’s gas tax increase (plus a variety of additional fee increases) goes on the ballot in May. If ODOT wants my vote I want some transparency.

Art Pope s s s

Bailey appeal

To the Editor:

On April 22, at 1:30 p.m., our county commissioners will hear a termination appeal from former Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office employee William Bailey. Mr. Bailey has requested a public hearing to accommodate his supporters attending. As a public hearing, it will also be attended by local and state media.

The presence of media at Deschutes County commissioner appeal hearings regarding employee termination is essential for upholding the principles of transparency and public accountability. Especially those involving senior officials or law enforcement. Media attendance ensures that due process is observed and that decisions are made in a manner that withstands public scrutiny.

Essential reasons for robust media coverage include:

• Ensuring accountability and public trust: The media serves as an independent watchdog, verifying that termination decisions are based on sound reasoning and are not the result of retaliation or bias. This is especially

Continued from page 19

important in cases involving the sheriff’s office or other highprofile positions, where public confidence in local governance is at stake.

• Verified information dissemination: Neutral reporting by the media ensures that public comments and testimonies are accurately represented, providing a factual record of the proceedings.

• Documentation of official action: Media attendance at Board of County Commissioner meetings ensures that proper procedures are followed and that the appeal process is conducted appropriately.

When employee terminations occur, particularly within law enforcement, media presence helps maintain the integrity of the process, preventing it from devolving into a spectacle or being perceived as retaliatory.

Greg Walker

To the Editor:

s s s

Be fire wise

Wildfire season is upon us, and this year is shaping up to be especially concerning. Snowpack is only 11 percent of the long-term average, making this one of the driest winters in the past 30 years. These conditions significantly increase wildfire risk as we move into spring.

Spring also brings gardening and landscaping projects. Unfortunately, some common practices—such as using wood mulch increases wildfire risk. Wood mulch is one of the worst choices if wildfire is a concern. It should never be used within five feet of a structure, and “gorilla hair”-type mulch should not be used within 30 feet.

To help protect homes and neighborhoods, consider using non-combustible landscaping materials such as rock or gravel near buildings. Small choices can make a big difference.

If you haven’t already take advantage of the free wildfire assessment provided by Sister Camp Sherman Fire District by going to https://www.sistersfire.com/ wildfire-home-assessments.

By taking fire-wise steps around our properties, we can all help reduce wildfire risk and keep our community safer.

Bruce Hess

Pickleball Club supports public access

Sisters has joined the nation’s fastest - growing sport with eight new pickleball courts at Sisters Park & Recreation District’s (SPRD) community park, and they were built without using local tax dollars. Since 2019, Sisters Pickleball Club (SPC) has partnered with SPRD, Sisters School District, the City of Sisters, and Pineview Tennis Club to provide broad public access to pickleball in Sisters Country.

In 2024, Pineview Tennis Club sold its 40 - year - old courts and donated $333,000 to SPRD to help construct new pickleball courts. SPRD used this private donation to successfully secure a $756,000 local government grant from the State of Oregon, completing the budget for a five - acre community park.

The pickleball courts themselves cost $290,000 to build, and the remaining funds from the Pineview donation helped pay for sidewalks, picnic tables and benches, and the park shelter structure. As a result, no local tax dollars were required to build the pickleball court complex.

Because of the strong

relationship with Sisters Pickleball Club, Pineview Tennis Club assigned its donation rights to SPC to help support the courts over time. SPC has since raised additional funds for player amenities and to build a reserve for future court maintenance.

The club’s vision is to be a model of public - private cooperation that makes pickleball accessible to all and creates a positive pickleball experience in Sisters Country. SPRD owns the park facilities and manages usage agreements for all groups.

Under the original donation agreement, the pickleball club receives dedicated use of six of the eight courts Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. During those hours, two courts always remain open to the public, and after 1 p.m. all eight courts are available for public play every day.

During club hours, SPC offers many organized play sessions and instructional opportunities for its members. For information about joining Sisters Pickleball Club, visit https://sisterspickleballclub. com.

RESILIENCE: Locals are acutely aware of wildfire danger

of Land Management (BLM) and the Deschutes Land Trust which has oversight of the Whychus Canyon Preserve.

A fire buffer or fire break requires removing dead trees, reducing tree density, removing tree limbs up to eight feet, and removing ladder fuels (bushes or saplings under trees) while sustaining environments for wildlife. This work acts to slow and lower a wildfire from tree tops to ground which reduces the fire’s ability to spread. The leading members of WCE Firewise organization, David Tremblay and Toby Weiss, shared that, “We want to continue creating fire breaks that not only protect us, but all of Sisters from the fires.”

WCE residents’ lives and properties were under dire threat during the 2025 Flat Fire. Due to prior WCE Firewise community efforts, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD) was enabled to protect the majority of their properties.

Weiss said, “Fire officials reported [after the Flat Fire] that these efforts significantly reduced fire intensity, allowing crews to better control and hold the line in a highrisk area.”

Removal of fire fuels from within five feet of a structure is critical. During a conflagration, firefighters rush ahead of a fire to pull away fire fuels from structures as fast as they can. Sometimes, a fire is moving too fast and there is no time to clear.

SCSFD Community Risk and Fire Specialist Steven Lord said, “We all have a role in protecting this place we love. This spring, please join our community wildfireresilience effort by removing all combustible material from the 0-5 feet immediate zone around your home.”

Tremblay and Weiss, with other WCE residents, formed a nonprofit Firewise organization. Nonprofit status allowed the group to seek grant funding. The WCE property owners managed to secure over $35,000 in grants which were not held by the WCE, but were paid to various entities providing wildfire mitigation services in Deschutes County. The grant sources were federal — Buttes to Basin program — conferred by the County and local fire district programs. With the help of SCSFD 701 Captain Doug Meyers, a fire fuels reduction plan was initiated in early 2023.

An additional $9,000 in grants from the County paid for community-wide fuel reduction events, chipping services plus debris removal, equipment costs (fuel,

chainsaw maintenance, etc.), and nonprofit administrative operations. Because the competition for grant funding has increased, the WCE Firewise organization pivoted to launch a donation program which thus far has raised $2,700 toward a $5,000 annual goal for 2026. All 262 property owners in WCE are benefitting with access to volunteers and the growth of fire buffers around the estate.

After the Flat Fire, BLM introduced a revision to its firewood program, permitting fuel reduction up to 150 feet into federal land bordering private property. WCE Firewise organization is creating fire buffers under this program and Tremblay added that it, “represents a major step in reducing cross-boundary wildfire risk.”

WCE Firewise organization identified a major vulnerability during the Flat Fire. For overall safety in an area on fire, electrical power is shut down by the provider. That meant that the WCE well water was inaccessible. Weiss reported that the WCE community has prioritized development of a backup generator system for local water wells. Learn more here, www.wcefirewise.org. The City of Sisters is already prepared with generator backups for all four wells in city limits.

Tremblay added that leadership is, “working with

FEMA and Avion Water Company to secure funding for an estimated $200,000 generator project... [generator backup to provide] reliable water access during power outages, strengthening firefighting capability for future wildfire events. . . [and leadership are about to] initiate their Spring 2026 plan, focusing on home hardening in the critical 0–5 feet zone around structures that includes a neighborhood-wide fuel reduction event to help residents take immediate action.”

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Voters tend to reject statewide tax measures on ballot

By Mia Maldonado Oregon Capital Chronicle

May’s vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law will mark the 67th time in state history that Oregonians opposed a law strongly enough to petition for its placement on the ballot.

A majority of voters approved just more than onethird of those laws, including measures that gave sheriffs control of county prisons and closed the Willamette River to commercial fishing south of Oswego. Most recently, in 2018, voters approved higher taxes on hospitals and health insurers to cover funding gaps in the Oregon Health Plan after the first Trump administration cut Medicaid funding.

The remaining 42 times, Oregonians voted against laws that were referred to the ballot, often forcing lawmakers to find alternative solutions to budget constraints. That could very likely be the case for Measure 120, which voters will see on their May ballots.

A “yes” vote on the measure would raise most vehicle title and registration fees, increase the gas tax from 40 cents to 46 cents and double the payroll tax used for public transit from 0.1% to 0.2% of a worker’s paycheck until 2028.

This process, known as a referendum, has roots in distrust in the political class, according to Rep. Ed Diehl, a Scio Republican who helped lead the state’s most recent referendum alongside Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee

and Taxpayer Association of Oregon founder Jason Williams. In late 2025, the petitioners submitted to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office more than 200,000 signatures — more than double the 78,000 signatures they needed — to secure a spot on the ballot.

While they’ve sued to keep the vote in November rather than May, those legal attempts have so far been unsuccessful, and a Marion County judge said the law would likely survive other legal challenges.

It’s not unusual for a referendum to take place outside of the November general election. The Legislature moved five out of seven referendums since 2000 to special elections in January or February or to the date of the May primary.

While a May vote means there will likely be less voter turnout, it is also true that delays on the implementation of the law will delay much needed maintenance on Oregon’s roads, according to Reed College political science professor Chris Koski. Populist roots Oregon was a pioneer in the West when it came to establishing the initiative process, Koski told the Capital Chronicle.

While South Dakota was the first state to adopt a process giving citizens a chance to veto a law, Oregon followed shortly after when early Oregon lawmaker and populist William U’Ren pushed for ways regular Oregonians could propose laws or amendments to the

• Angeline’s Bakery • 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 • Country Coffee

• Dairy Queen • Dixie’s • Eurosports

• Fika Sisters Coffeehouse

• First Interstate Bank • FivePine Lodge

• GrandStay Hotel & Suites • Habitat Thrif t Store • Habitat ReStore

•Hard Tails Outlaw Country Dive Bar & Grill

• High Camp Taphouse

• 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

• Pine Desert Dental • Ponderosa Properties

• Rancho Viejo

• Ray’s Food Place

• Sinclair Gas Station • Sisters Ace Hardware

state constitution, or reject a bill passed by the Legislature.

“There was this feeling that parties were not being responsive to populist demands,” Koski said. “There was this idea that if the Legislature wouldn’t respond to what the will of the people were, and that was often happening in machine politics, that the people ought to have a say in a number of different ways.”

In 1902, Oregon voters approved a legislatively referred ballot measure creating Oregon’s initiative, referendum and legislative referral process. This trinity of tools became known as the Oregon System, which Republicans recently warned they would use if Democrats don’t take their concerns seriously.

“They’re really influential,” Koski said. “The threat of an initiative is enough to motivate the Legislature to do something.”

Initiatives are widely used in Oregon in comparison to other states because Oregon doesn’t just allow citizens to pass laws, but to change the state’s constitution.

“As a result, the Oregon Constitution looks less like a

hallowed document like the American Constitution, and more like a document with a bunch of sticky notes all over it associated with different kinds of changes that have been from this initiative process,” Koski said.

Oregon voters hate to see a gas tax hike Through a mix of ballot initiatives, referendums and legislative referrals, Oregon voters have shot down several attempts to increase the gas tax.

In November 1928, 73 percent of Oregon voters voted against a ballot initiative aimed at raising the gas tax from three to five cents per gallon.

In the May 1978 primary, the Legislature asked voters if it would support requiring highway revenue to be used first for maintenance and infrastructure rehabilitation before any new highway construction. That referral also proposed increasing the gas tax from seven cents to nine cents. It failed, with 66% of people voting no.

The Legislature tried asking voters again in November 1980 if they would support increasing the gas tax to

nine cents per gallon. Nearly 850,000 Oregonians — 74 percent of voters at the time — voted no.

And in May 2000, Oregonians voted on a referendum petition opposing a Republican-led law establishing a diesel fuel tax and increasing the gas tax by five cents to the same 29-cent rate as the diesel tax. Oregonians defeated the law with 87% of the vote.

Gas tax increases are so unpopular because they disproportionately impact people living in rural parts of Oregon who have to commute to work, Diehl said.

“As I go around the state, everybody feels like they’re taxed enough,” Diehl, who is campaigning for governor, told the Capital Chronicle over the phone. “They’re taxed to death and they do not feel like they’re getting their money’s worth for the taxes they’re paying.”

Oregon Capital Chronicle editor Julia Shumway contributed to this story.

Republished under Creative Commons license

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com.

• Sisters Apothecary • Sisters Art Works

• Sisters Athletic Club • Sisters Bakery

• Sisters Bunkhouse • Sisters City Hall

• Sisters Coffee Co.• Sisters Community Church

• Sisters Creekside Campground

• Sisters Dino Market •Sisters Depot

• Sisters Elementary School

•Sisters Feed & Supply

• Sisters Gallery & Frame Shop

• Sisters High School • Sisters Inn & Suites

• Sisters Library • 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 & Country Store

• Sisters Ranger Station • Sisters Rental

• Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill

• Sisters School Administration Building

• Sisters Veterinary Clinic

• Ski Inn Taphouse & Motel

• Sno Cap Drive In

• Space Age Fuel

• Spoons Restaurant

• Sisters Park & Recreation District

• St. Charles Family Care • Stellar Realty NW

• Suttle Tea • Takoda’s Restaurant & Lounge

• The Barn in Sisters • The Gallery Restaurant

• The Gallimaufry

• The Lodge Retirement Community

• The Nugget Front Porch

• The Pony Express • The Slow Down State

• Three Creeks Brew Pub • Three Sisters Floral

• Western Title & Escrow Company • Your Store

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:

• M&W Market • The Ranch Market • Redmond

Library • Sisters Meat and Smokehouse

TUMALO:

• Pisano’s Pizza • Shell Station • Tumalo

Coffeehouse • Tumalo Farmstand • Tumalo Feed Co.

• Tumalo Home

Walls of ancient fire

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Hikers and bikers in Sisters Country crossing flat terrain of the Deschutes National Forest and nearby BLM lands frequently encounter a striking and unexpected feature: a dark wall of stacked, fractured rock rising indiscriminately twenty to fifty feet from the desert or forest floor and extending hundreds of feet in length. These formations, known as rimrock, are a defining characteristic of Central Oregon.

Indeed, many a street, business, and subdivision around Sisters bear the name “rimrock.”

The formations are composed almost entirely of basalt, the dense, dark volcanic rock produced by the same geologic forces that shaped much of the Pacific Northwest. Their origin traces to a prolonged period of volcanic activity between six and seventeen million years ago, when enormous volumes of lava erupted from long fissures in the earth across what is now eastern Oregon and Washington.

Unlike the explosive eruptions associated with the Cascade volcanoes, these were low-pressure flows of highly fluid basalt that spread across the landscape in successive sheets, sometimes traveling three hundred miles or more before cooling. Repeated over millions of years, these flows stacked into a plateau thousands of feet thick, a formation geologists call the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Much of the popular Peterson Ridge trail system is dotted with striking example of rimrock providing dramatic views and challenging mountain bike obstacles while giving hikers ample bouldering pleasures.

The characteristic clifflike appearance of rimrock is the result of how basalt flows cool and how they erode. Each individual flow has distinct internal zones. The top and bottom portions cool rapidly and remain relatively porous and soft, riddled with gas bubbles that create a crumbly material known as scoria. The thick interior of each flow cools

slowly under pressure and becomes extremely hard, dense rock.

Over time, erosion works faster on the softer scoria layers, undercutting the hard cap above until large sections break away and accumulate as a rubble slope, called talus, at the base of the formation.

The blocky, stacked appearance of the rock face is the result of a cooling process called columnar jointing. As basalt solidifies, it contracts and fractures along regular vertical lines, breaking the rock into roughly hexagonal or polygonal columns. The same process is responsible for well-known formations elsewhere, including Devil’s Postpile National Monument in California and the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.

When rimrock faces erode and break apart, they do so along these joints, producing the rectangular slabs and boulders that give the formations their stacked appearance.

Rimrock is found throughout Oregon’s high desert wherever the ancient lava plateau surface has been exposed and cut by erosion.

In addition to the Bend area and Harney Basin, prominent examples appear along the John Day River corridor and across the broad tablelands of Lake and Malheur counties. The formations are typically dark gray to black, often stained with orange and yellow lichen, and can reach lengths of a mile or more in some locations.

The formations serve practical and ecological functions. Rimrock faces provide nesting habitat for raptors, including prairie falcons and red-tailed hawks, and the talus slopes at their base shelter small mammals and reptiles. Historically, ranchers used rimrock as natural windbreaks and as one side of livestock enclosures.

For geologists, the layered structure of rimrock offers a readable cross-section of the region’s volcanic history, with each distinct band of rock corresponding to a separate lava flow and a discrete chapter in the long geological record of the Oregon high desert.

On a recent Tuesday evening as I was loading up The Nugget for deliver y, a woman came up on the porch and g rabbed a handful of papers. She told me it is a weekly ritual for her to pick up papers for her neighbors, who all enjoy reading the paper “cover-to-cover.” She’s been doing this for years, and she said:

“I hope you keep going forever.”

We hear from readers like that on a regular basis, and it’s the most g ratifying aspect of our work.

Our goal is to keep going forever — and to do that, support from our readers has become vital. It’s no secret that print media is in trouble across the nation. Costs continue to rise, and can’t simply be passed on to advertisers who are already stressed by their own higher costs of doing business. Readership declines as people’s habits change, and in many places, people don’t read at all, to a point where many think we’re entering a ‘post-literate’ society

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that Sisters is still home to readers — and writers, too. We know that the community values their newspaper, because you tell us so — and many want to support their newspaper so that it does stay vital for years to come. And we continue to seek to find new ways to provide value for their support. There are now multiple ways that readers can directly support The Nugget that are easy and aren’t expensive but have a big impact:

Suppor ting Contributions: Direct contributions to The Nugget are allocated to support our outstanding stable of freelance reporters, columnists, and photographers. You can make a supporting contribution online at www.nuggetnews.com (hit the “Donate” button); or you can mail a check to P.O. Box 698, Sisters OR 97759; or (best of all) stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave. We love to talk with our readers.

Subscribe to the “Nuggets From A Small Town” Substack: Substack is an online subscription platform for creators. “Nuggets From A Small Town” offers longer-form essays from Editor in Chief Jim Cornelius, for readers who like to engage with thoughtful writing on topics ranging from identity to the power of empathy, what we learn — or don’t — from histor y. This week’s essay looks at the importance of reading what it might mean to be a “post-literate society.” You can access “Nuggets From A Small Town” at https://jimcornelius609. substack.com. All subscriptions directly support The Nugget Newspaper

Online subscription: The content published on Substack and other subscriber-only content is available with an online subscription to nuggetnews.com. Click the subscribe button to sign up or call the office and we can assist you.

Print subscriptions cover only the cost of deliver y; the paper continues to be “free.”

Directly paying for our content is the best way readers can help us continue to provide it. It’s also vital to shop local and support the businesses that advertise in The Nugget — and provide Sisters with so much of its character

Change is inevitable, and more rapid than ever — but, with your help, we can preserve good things that “make Sisters Sisters.” With your suppor t, we can ensure that The Nugget is there for you each week to read “cover-to cover,” with more content for readers online. And maybe we will just go on forever.

Thank you,

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Journalists urge veto of bill

By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle

Professional journalist groups and Oregon news publishers are calling on Gov. Tina Kotek to veto a bill passed last month by the state Legislature that the groups, along with government ethics watchdogs, say erodes public meetings laws.

In recent letters to Kotek and in editorials, the Oregon chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Oregon News Publishers Association, The Oregonian , and roughly a dozen small publishers, called on the governor to veto House Bill 4177.

Kotek has until April 9 — 30 days after it got to her desk from the Legislature — to sign, veto, or let it take effect by default. When asked what action she’ll take or if she has reservations about the bill, Kotek spokesperson Elisabeth Shephard told the Capital Chronicle in a short email that: “The governor reviews all bills that come to her desk.”

House Bill 4177 is meant to clarify a 2023 law prohibiting public officials from deliberating and deciding measures via text, phone call, and other chain conversations — essentially meeting through the ether outside the view of the public — to circumvent state public meetings law. House Bill 4177 exempts from the law such “serial communications” if they are “made for the purpose of gathering information relating to a decision that will be deliberated upon or made by the governing body.”

Proponents of the bill say it’s needed to clarify that public officials aren’t violating state law when they text an article related to an issue to one another, or share their opinion with a reporter ahead of a vote, who then shares that opinion with other members of the governing body in the course of the reporting.

But journalists and leaders of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, the latter tasked with enforcing the public meetings law, say the bill fundamentally redefines what constitutes meetings and deliberations in a way that would allow public officials to do important work in private with little transparency.

Ethics leaders in a memo to the House Rules Committee on March 2 warned of unintended outcomes.

“Much of the information gathering that normally occurs in public meetings (work sessions or executive sessions) could instead be done privately,” they wrote of the bill’s consequences. “The transparency and accountability that comes with public meetings, where the public has notice of what a governing body is discussing and the media can observe an executive session, will be lost.”

State lawmakers passed it anyway just a few days later, vowing to come back in 2027 to make fixes that might be needed.

In a statement Wednesday evening, Susan Myers, executive director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, said though there are “good and well intentioned changes” being made to public meetings laws in the bill, “there are also areas of serious concern.”

“OGEC is all in favor of having an informed, considered review of the laws and making updates that work for the public bodies, public officials, members of the public, and the media. That is why OGEC has suggested getting the Oregon Law Commission to take on this project,” she said. “In the absence of that, we would support further workgroups, legislative or otherwise, to address not only any issues raised with the implementation of HB 4177, but to consider other changes and updates that may be needed.”

Rep. Nathan Sosa, D-Hillsboro, a former chair of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission who backed the 2023 law, sponsored House Bill 4177 during the February session. It was conceived of by a workgroup Sosa convened made up mostly of lobbyists and attorneys representing cities, counties and school boards. A lobbyist for the Society of Professional Journalists was the sole press advocate in the group, and several bipartisan lawmakers and state ethics leaders participated in meetings and were consulted about drafts of the bill.

The lack of journalist representation on a bill that could affect reporters’ access to public meetings and information is among the sticking points for many of the publishers calling on Kotek to veto the bill, as well as what it does not define. Though it allows public officials to text, call, and otherwise communicate privately for the purpose of “gathering information” it does not define what “gathering information” means, according to Laurie Hieb, executive director of the Newspaper Publishers Association.

“As written, the bill would allow public bodies to meet secretly as a quorum, selectively receive information, include or exclude interested members of the public from the meeting, and hold private discussions about public issues,” she wrote in the group’s letter to Kotek.

Leaders for the Society of Professional Journalists also raised concerns that Sosa did not share with them or the wider workgroup several emails and memos from state ethics officials he received before the session, warning of the bill’s unintended consequences and requesting that legislative action be delayed to 2027.

Nick Budnick, sunshine

chair of the journalists group, said they only saw those when journalists filed a public records request for communications after the session.

Sosa said the emails and memos were a restatement of the questions, objections, and concerns raised in workgroup meetings by Myers of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, and the feedback was discussed and debated atlength during meetings.

“Government ethics and transparency are topics that I care deeply about,” Sosa said in an email. “This bill was a good faith effort to provide greater clarity for everyone while preserving the purpose of our public meetings laws.”

Other members of the workgroup confirmed they had not seen the emails or memos but they would not have changed their support for the bill.

Scott Winkels, a lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities, said the 2023 law and the government ethics commission were having their own chilling effects on news gathering and public information.

That’s because commission trainings meant to help public officials understand the new law included materials insinuating that an official of a governing body might be in violation of serial communications rules if they discussed a voting matter with an “intermediary,” such as a constituent or reporter, who then talked about it with other members of the governing body, Winkels said.

“Simply answering constituent questions should never be discouraged. Talking to a reporter — nobody should refuse a speaking engagement. I mean, it got to the point where we had told our members to take our training class and avoid the OGEC one, and we still haven’t lifted that advice,” he said.

He said some public officials — many who are volunteers on boards and committees — opt out of staying in their roles, fearing the reputational damage that can come from being found guilty of a state ethics violation, even if unintentionally perpetrated.

The government ethics commission has reviewed, or is in the process of reviewing, 50 members of eight public governing bodies for potential violations of the 2023 law banning “serial communications” since it was enacted, according to commission data. Of them, 90 percent of the complaints against the public officials were dismissed with no penalties.

Note: Oregon Capital Chronicle Editor Julia Shumway is board treasurer of the Greater Oregon Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, which is requesting Kotek veto the bill referenced in this article. She did not participate in the editing of this item.

Nugget Poetry Corner

Easter!

ByEdieJones

Easter! It has come. My hear t believes and knows

Consistent, passionate. Its message gr ows and flows.

For forty days we’ve waited, musing on what life bring s.

As other s w aited long ago, we wait, and we sing

They watc hed for His coming, raising br anches high, those with doubt and fear, plotted, so He would die.

Pr ophets had foretold it; it had to come to pass.

With heavy hear t he knew – that day would be his last.

High upon a hill, a tr ee became a cr oss.

And – all that had been hoped for – lost.

Not so. Slowly, something changed.

Without war ning, their lives were r ear ranged.

Something happened, something magnificent and gr and!

Easter – ar rived. Fulfilling His or dained plan

The darkness of life disper sed, its fo rce no longer felt

Bringing to those w ho believed a r adiance to their self

A ne w life emer ged. Celebrate and Sing!

Compassion! Hope! is w hat this day did bring

The Prince of Peace turned dar kness into day.

Now, as then, His message lights the way.

Spr eading love among us. Shout it loud and c lear

Easter brings forgiveness – listen, and you will hear

Rain

ByBethEckert

splatter ping pop raindr ops dancing on the r oof cozy lying in my bed. natur e’s music filling my head. softly tapping on the leaves watering down thr ough the tr ees. looking thr ough my window pane, filled with spec kles fr om the rain. twinkling water, star dr oplets made of reflected light shining through the str eet lamp, all night.

Questions

ByGabrielleBöhme

These Of fender s, Oppr essors

Were they abandoned and fell fr om gr ace?

What happened to their hear t and w hat took its place?

Did someone w hisper in their ear ...

Cr eating within them doubt and fear?

Did they love their brother s and sister s?

Were they kind to their neighbor s and str angers?

How do they see the wor ld and all its beauty?

If I am disabled ...

Do they have the right to rid of me?

If I am br own, blac k, yello w, r ed, or w hite ...

Can they strip me and beat me?

If I am a woman, can they buy and sell me ?

What about our aging souls ...

Will they be ne glected and put aw ay?

Will our c hildren have a fighting chance ...

Maybe ... Perhaps!

RV FIRE: Response showed effective collaboration

Continued from page 1

is a complex problem more resembling a structure fire than a car fire.

Collaboration among multiple agencies was critical to containing the incident. Firefighters were able to get water on an adjacent unit quickly enough to save it from catching fire, and

while the fire got into some small trees, it did not take off further.

Prior said that the fire crews debriefed on the incident and noted that if it had occurred in the height of summer, it could have spread to an adjacent field and threatened the vehicles stopped on Highway 20.

“It could have been much worse at a different time of year,” he reflected.

Highway 20 was closed briefly during firefighting operations.

GoFundMe launched for fire victim

The stepdaughter of the owner of the RV that burned in last Wednesday’s fire has established a GoFundMe campaign to help the man, identified only as Danny, to get back on his feet. Charleen Justice recounts the long-term difficulties Danny has faced — a motorcycle accident, an unrelated brain injury, and significant personal losses.

The fire has had a devastating impact.

“Everything he owned was destroyed. His clothes, food, personal belongings, and critical documents like his birth certificate, passport, and Social Security card. All of his cash also burned. (He’s old-school and doesn’t use a bank.)

“Danny is now in his 60s and essentially starting over from nothing. He is still working when he can, but the long-term damage from his motorcycle accident and head injuries is catching up with him. His leg and memory are deteriorating, making it harder and harder to continue working and stay financially stable. As a result, he did not have insurance on the RV, leaving him

overcome more hardship than most people face in a lifetime... He has never been one to ask for a handout...but this time, he truly needs help.

— Charleen Justice

with no safety net.

“Danny has overcome more hardship than most people face in a lifetime, and every time, he has found a way forward. He has never been one to ask for a handout and has always worked incredibly hard for what he has, but this time, he truly needs help.

“We are raising funds to help him replace basic necessities like clothing and food, recover important documents, secure stable housing (another RV or alternative), and cover any unexpected expenses following the fire.”

The GoFundMe page can be accessed at https://www. gofundme.com/f/rebuildingdannys-life-after-the-fire.

ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

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CATEGORIES:

102 Commercial Rentals Office for Rent at Sisters Art Works

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All utilities & Wi-Fi included. Month-to-month lease.

Security deposit required. Contact Raina: 541-588-7065

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

8 x 20 dry box

Fenced yard, RV & trailers

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MINI STORAGE

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Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.

103 Residential Rentals

3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 yards, in town. Dog friendly. Recently remodeled. Available April.

$2750/month. 541-815-1271

Rental Unit

Studio apartment-separate upstairs room with windows. Quiet 2 acre lot with forest view in a gated community. 700 sq. ft. Furnished: heat pump, Smart TV, new carpet, ninja, complete bath. $1200/ Month-to-month rent, Electricity included. First and last-deposit included. References required. Pet negotiable. No storage. Call 541-420-0175.

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com

104 Vacation Rentals

Downtown Vacation Rentals

Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom info@SistersVacationRentals.net Great pricing. 503-730-0150

202 Firewood NEW DISCOUNT PRICES

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

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205 Garage & Estate Sales

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150

206 Lost & Found

CAMERA SD CARD FOUND

1000 family photos 2024-present 541-848-9937 to identify

Seeking a Place in Sisters? Place your ad here!

301 Vehicles HEATED GARAGE power, lights, security. $275/mo. Jack 541-419-2502

Mountain High RV & Boat Storage – Large unit available. 541-410-0458. BURLINGTON AUTOMOTIVE

Mobile Mechanic in Sisters Diagnostics, Inspections, Oil Change, Tune-up, and more! Wide variety of Vehicles and Small Construction Equipment. (503) 509-9354

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397 Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

403 Pets

SISTERS WHISKERS

Your purr-fect friend is waiting for you at our local nonprofit cat rescue! Apply to adopt at: sisterswhiskers.org

I’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com Julie 541-306-7551

Caring, loving pet care in my home. Daily rates and in town. Cheryl 541-420-7875

500 Services

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 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 541-383-2455 or andy@bendblinds.com.

Junk Removal, Dumpster Rentals & Demolition Services – Done Right. Remove-Junk.com 541-719-8475

• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279

501 Computers & Communications

3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC

Audio/video, data networking, WIFI, security camera, alarms. 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

• Bonded & Insured

• Serving Central Oregon Since 1980

Call 541-549-3008

504 Handyman

AlpenGlow

Handyman Services

Small & Large Jobs

20+ Years Experience

CCB#180099

Call/Text: 541-728-8607

AlpenGlowHandymanServices. com • Credit Cards Accepted

600 Tree Service & Forestry

• Wildfire Fuels reduction

• Debris Chipping/Mastication

• Forest Health Thinning

• Wildfire Cleanup & Restoration

• Tree Removal

Will Moore, 541-409-5404

ISA Certified Arborist

We are the experts you’ve been looking for!

LCB# 100129 & Oregon

Professional Logger 71395048

Tree Removal • Tree Pruning Good for Trees. Good to People.

SparTreeArborist.com (916) 619-6317

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

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

The Guide is online at SistersOregonGuide.com

TimberStandImprovement.net

Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825

601 Construction

Lara’s Construction LLC. CCB#223701

Offering masonry work, fireplaces, interior & exterior stone/brick-work, build barbecues, and all types of masonry. Give us a call for a free estimate 541-350-3218

Pat Burke LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT

CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com

Construction & Renovation

Custom Residential Projects All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448

Custom Homes • Additions Residential Building Projects Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764 John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com

CASCADE VALLEY CONTRACTING, LLC

General Contractor CCB#180099 Custom Remodels • Additions • Decks • Firewise Upgrades 20+ Years Licensed, Bonded, Insured. Call/Text 541-728-8607

CASCADE GARAGE DOORS Factory Trained Technicians Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553

LOCAL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES & HOME MAINT. Remodels • Landscaping Firewise Maintenance Decks & Much More! Pease Co. Contracting Call Tanner at 541-588-0136. Big and small jobs! CCB# 256258

Earthwood Timber

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

Custom Homes Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

— Serving Sisters Since 2010 —

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

602 Plumbing & Electric

Electrical Service & Repair

Est. 1947, CCB#54572

Local in Sisters 503-357-2146

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

— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE

541-419-3148

A 63-year tradition for Sisters www.georges-septic-service.com

T H E N U G G E T N E W S P A P E R Your Local News Source! www.nuggetnews.com

Breaking News / Weather Online Extras / Letters

Sisters Owned and Operated Serving all of Central Oregon

• Residential • Commercial

• Industrial • Service

Hot tubs/Saunas • Generators Car Chargers • Panel Upgrades Light upgrades

541-588-3088 • CCB #234821

603 Excavation & Trucking Full Service Excavation

Free On-site Visit & Estimate

Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition Trucking

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

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24

Whatever You Want!

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

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

BRANCHWATER EXCAVATION & SEPTIC, LLC

541-408-4204

sophia@branchwater excavation.com

Sisters owned and operated Josh & Sophia McCarthy

Experience you can trust.

All Septic Systems: New Install & Repairs * Driveway Refurb & New * Fire Breaks * Site Prep * Land Clearing & Clean Up FREE ESTIMATES CCB# 256753

604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR

Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com CCB #195556 541-549-6464

Sisters, Oregon's Exclusive HVAC Service

Residential & Commercial Heating • Ductless Air Conditioning • Maintenance Installation • Repair 541-588-5667 SistersHeatingAir.com

605 Painting

Interior/Exterior Painting Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327

peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491

The Nugget • 541-549-9941

~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~

Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks

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

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.

CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462

STEVE'S HAULING

Yard and other debris, landscaping services, chain saw work, etc. 707-328-8370

Eastern Cascade Solutions Landscaping & Construction www.easterncascadesolutions. com • 541-233-7195

LCB #9958 • CCB #222039

– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, snow removal, moss removal, lawn care, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

801 Classes & Training

A D V E R T I S E H E R E !

Offering lessons or classes for... Yoga? Swimming? Piano? Drawing? Drums? Let folks know! Just $3.50 per line the first week, $2.50 per line on repeat weeks, and $1.50 per line week #10 & beyond. And it goes online at no additional charge! Call to place at 541-549-9941 or online at NuggetNews.com

802 Help Wanted

Sisters Athletic Club is seeking:

• PT seasonal Front Desk Help

• Certified Personal Trainer –- Résumés accepted in person –

THE GARDEN ANGEL LANDSCAPING

is filling crew lead and crew member positions. We want YOU to join us for an awesome season this year! thegardenangel@gmail.com 541 549 2882

999 Public Notice NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on April 16, 2026, at 5:30 PM regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held according to SDC Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to svowell@ci.sisters.or.us Comments should be directed towards the criteria that apply (see below) to this request and must reference the file number For additional information, please contact Sarah Vowell, Associate Planner at (541) 323-5216 or svowell@ci.sisters.or.us

J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC Clean-ups, irrigation, aerating, raking, mowing, thatching, hauling debris. 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

All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

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

PLACE LOOKING

A LITTLE MESSY? Check out the Nugget's CLASSIFIEDS for cleaning professionals ready to help you!

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Sisters School District #6, Deschutes County, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 will be held at Sisters School District Office, 525 E Cascade Ave, Sisters, Oregon. The meeting will take place on the 15th day of April, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. and an additional meeting will be held on the 6th day of May, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting(s) is to receive the budget message, review the proposed budget for FY 26-27 and to receive comments from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained at the meeting on April 15th or at the Sisters School District Office, 525 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters, Oregon between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on or after April 16th.

Construction Contractors Licensing Information OR law requires those who work for compensation (except bona fide employees) in construction activity involving improvements to real property be licensed with Oregon CCB. (There are several exemptions.) An active license means contractors are bonded and insured. oregon.gov/CCB

SUDOKU SOLUTION

for puzzle on page 20

The staff report and recommendation to the hearings body will be available for review at least seven (7) days before the hearing. All submitted evidence and materials related to the application are available for inspection at City Hall. Copies of all materials will be available on request at a reasonable cost. The Planning Commission meeting is accessible to the public either in person or via Zoom online meeting. Meeting information, including the Zoom link, can be found on https://www.ci.sisters .or.us/meetings

PUBLIC HEARING:

April 16, 2026, at 5:30 pm FILE #: TA 26-01

APPLICANT: City of Sisters REQUEST: Text amendments to several sections of Sisters Development Code (SDC). The proposed amendments are intended as “housekeeping” changes to correct scrivener’s, formatting and other small errors and provide clarification to existing code provisions that are neither substantive nor a change to regulation or policy.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA: SDC Chapter 1.3 – Definitions; Chapter 2.2 – Residential District; Chapter 2.3 –Multi-Family Residential; Chapter 2.4 – Downtown Commercial District; Chapter 2.5 – Highway Commercial District; Chapter 2.6 – Light Industrial District; Chapter 2.7 – Public Facility & Institutional District; Chapter 2.12 – Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District; Chapter 2.14 – North Sisters Business Park District; Chapter 2.15 – Special Provisions; Chapter 3.1 – Access and Circulation; Chapter 3.2 –Landscaping and Screening; Chapter 3.4 – Signs; Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures; Chapter 4.3 – Land Divisions and Lot Line Adjustments; Chapter 4.5 –Master Planned Developments.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District

WHAT WOULD THE LEVY PROVIDE?

• Three full-time firefighter/paramedics

• One full-time wildfire risk reduction coordinator

• Seasonal wildfire community risk reduction staffing

• One full-time mechanic

KEY FACTS

Emergency calls increased 65% in the past 10 years while dedicated emergency response staffing has not increased in over 15 years.

Increasing wildfire frequency and complexity require year -round preparedness and coordination, which the District currently funds through temporar y grants rather than permanent staffing.

To keep 22 pieces of apparatus across three stations ready to respond, a full-time mechanic is needed to cut costly outside repairs, reduce out-of-ser vice time, and strengthen emergency readiness.

WHAT WOULD IT COST?

The cost would be approximately $220 per year, or $19 per month, for a home with the District’s average taxable assessed value.

• Saturday 4/11, 1 p.m. at Station 703, 17233 Buf falo Dr., Sisters (Whychus Estates)

• Tuesday 4/14, 6 p.m. Sisters Elementar y School, 2155 McKinney Butte Rd, Sisters

• Saturday 4/18, 2 p.m. Camp Sherman Community Hall, 13025 Metolius River, Camp Sherman

• Monday 4/20, 6 p.m. at Station 701, 301 S. Elm St., Sisters (Community Hall)