The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLIX No. 14 // 2026-04-08

The Nugget

and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Taking action to mitigate fire risk

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

The Flat Fire, which destroyed five homes and numerous outbuildings in the summer of 2024 brought home just how vulnerable Sisters Country’s outlying communities are to wildfire. Christina Maier certainly took notice. Actually, her attention had been fully engaged a year before, when a home burned in Tollgate, a forest subdivision three miles west of Sisters. That blaze was contained to one property — but had it occurred on a hotter, windier day, it could have been a catastrophe for the neighborhood she calls home. She began to look into ways to take action. She explored the potential for grant funding.

“I’ve been looking for several years, and was intimidated by the information you had to provide, and the legwork you needed to do beforehand,” she told The Nugget.

But she persevered, got all that work done, and in January 2026, Oregon Department of Forestry

confirmed that Tollgate would receive $299,200 in grant funding from an application they ranked second

Mild winter savings for ODOT not a certainty

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) budget struggles are well publicized. The Nugget asked what savings were generated from this mild winter, with less plowing and de-icing needed.

“It may feel like a mild winter depending on location, which can lead people to think ODOT spent less on winter maintenance. However, we manage our budget statewide, and the picture is more complex,” said Kacey Davey, ODOT regional spokesperson in Bend.

ODOT spokesperson David House confirmed in February that the agency had “been very lucky the last four to six weeks to have a

very mild winter with actually a lot of dry weather,” and that it had “really helped quite a bit” through savings on sand, deicer, and overtime hours for severe events. He added that the mild conditions put ODOT in a position to absorb the cost of a more serious winter weather event if one were to arrive.

ODOT notes that winter maintenance is reactive work that varies each year, and that mild winters mean sand, deicer, and other materials last longer while crews can spend less time plowing snow and more time on routine road maintenance. ODOT end-of-season cost tallies are typically compiled after winter concludes.

“While some areas saw less snow, other parts of

in priority out of 115 in the state. The funds were for fuel treatment on 88 acres of commons in the subdivision

and

April 8, 2026

Keb’ Mo’ heads back to Sisters to support schools

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Legendary blues and folk artist Keb’ Mo’ is looking forward to his weekend in Sisters, headlining a Sisters Starry Nights Concert on April 11.

The sold-out “An Evening with Keb’ Mo’ Presented by Sisters Fence & Deck” concert marks the 41st production in the long history of the event and will be Keb’ Mo’s third appearance in the Starry Nights series, after his performances here in 2008 and 2013.

The artist spoke with The Nugget in advance of his appearance here. The decision to return was not complicated, he said. He has known event organizer Jeri

Merkley holds Sisters town hall

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley (D) held another of his community information sharing events Saturday at Sisters High School attended by hundreds of people — most supporters. Merkley has a record of doing at least one “town hall” in every Oregon county each year.

He spoke fondly of his visits to Sisters.

“The drive in from Lake County, seeing the Three Sisters, is such a welcoming sign,” he said as he sat down with The Nugget prior to the public assembly.

Merkley chatted briefly about the mountains’ low snow pack and the forecast drought and the concern for a brutal fire season. He showed genuine concern for the potential. Time was limited as he also set aside time for community leaders prior to the public event.

The Nugget asked what influence he could have on bridging the seemingly widening divide between rural and urban Oregon.

He began his answer by recounting his youth in

Douglas County.

“Back then Democrats were farmers and Republicans were ranchers,” he reminisced. “But we had common interests and

MERKLEY on page 16

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.

In search of the middle

To the Editor:

I keep hearing from voters, “I’m in the middle.” How can anyone say they’re in the middle of issues like men in women’s sports? How about open borders? Should there be Voter ID? There can be no middle ground on most political issues; the middle requires compromise, and that doesn’t seem to exist anymore. Oh, then there’s the media, your news source; they want you nowhere near the middle of any issue. In fact, they thrive on being on the right and left of the middle. A friend asked me why I was rooting for the Bears when I despise Chicago. So — not that I needed to — I defended myself

by saying, it’s my choice, my picking the Bears has nothing to do with how I feel about Chicago. That’s akin to saying, “I refused to watch ‘On Golden Pond’ because of my dislike for Hanoi Jane,” or “I didn’t watch ‘Bird Cage’ because of my homophobia at the time, although I loved Robin Williams.” In my opinion, Frank Sinatra was the greatest lyrical impressionist to have ever crooned, but I’ve never respected him as a man. Should I never again listen to Mr. Blue Eyes because of my opinion of his lifestyle?

Obviously, this scenario is not only stupid but it’s also spiteful to one’s own conscience and common sense.

Sisters Weather Forecast

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A visit from the Easter Bunny…

“What

are you worth?”

By Mark Seekins Guest Columnist

If today...I was to ask you the question: “What would you say you are worth?” — how would you answer?

You might initially think of your annual income or your combined assets. But what about the worth of your life? How valuable do you think you are?

It’s a question we all have to wrestle with isn’t it? I know at times I have felt extremely valuable. Everything is clicking and I feel like my gifts and talents and contributions to the world are making a difference. And then there’s times where I have honestly felt worthless. Not to the point of despair. But rather… frustration that my value hasn’t been recognized. Or my contributions have gone unnoticed or even ignored.

So let me ask you again. What would you say you are worth?

How would you answer? Would it depend on the day? Or the circumstance? Would you base your value on what you own or all that you possess? Would your value be tied to outside circumstances? When things are good you feel valuable. When they are difficult you question your contribution and how much it matters.

they see humans as animals, here, it kind of reminds us that we’re not that special.” So…are we nothing more than a higher form of evolutionary animal life? And if not, how valuable are we? And how does this change or impact our view of our proverbial “neighbors?” And I’m not just talking about the people right next door. What are they worth?

Well, unlike the London Zoo, I believe that in creation, God establishes the dignity and value of all people. In the Biblical account of the beginning of life, day six is the longest section of the creation account. It really is the pinnacle of all that God has created so far. First, we see God finish creating the “living creatures” — “beasts of the earth” it calls them. All the animals. And then there is this important distinction made as God creates humans. Humans have a special status that God gives.

It’s only after humanity is created that creation moves from “good” to “very good.” Now, I know how much some of you love your dog. But creation with your dog and not you is only “good.” You know that right? And I love my dog just like you do! And I know how much some of you like the beach. Or the mountains. Or steak. And bacon. Or your favorite latte. And bald eagles! And all those things are great. No wait…they are only “good.” Until you come along…and then it’s “very good!”

Everything God creates is good. And with humanity it becomes very good.

So, how much are you worth? How much is every person worth?

A horde of excited children descended upon Creekside Park on Easter Sunday for an Easter Egg Hunt that is a beloved 45-year-old Sisters tradition. The event is staged by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire & Ambulance Association with volunteers from the Cloverdale Fire District. It’s all over in minutes as the children swarm the eggs. Then they get to visit with the Easter Bunny.

Listen to this: In the summer of 2005, the London Zoo posted a sign in front of their newest exhibit, reading, “Warning: Humans in their Natural Environment.” The exhibit featured eight Homo sapiens in a sealed enclosure that was adjacent to another sealed enclosure of various primates. The human “captives” were chosen from an online contest, and spent their time sunning on a rock ledge, playing board games, and waving to spectators.

A signboard informed visitors about the species’ diet, habitat, worldwide distribution, and threats.

The goal of the exhibit, according to Zoo spokesperson Polly Willis, was to downplay the uniqueness of human beings as a species.

Let me leave you with this: God doesn’t value life because of its ability. He values life because it’s made in His image. From birth to death…and every moment in between. So, before you can love your neighbor well…

Well...

“Seeing people in a different environment, among other animals,” said Willis, “teaches members of the public that the human is just another primate.”

Tom Mahoney, one of the participants in the exhibit, agreed.

“A lot of people think that humans are above other animals,” he said. “When

You have to love humans well. Let’s start there. You are worth that much — and so are they. Join us at Sisters Community Church for a two-week message series on what it means to be a good neighbor! April 12 and April 19. Services start at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Mark Seekins is pastor of discipleship at Sisters Community Church.

Produce share: More than a box of veggies

If you’ve ever assumed a produce share would be too expensive, too much food, or too rigid, Seed to Table Oregon is inviting members of the Sisters community to take another look.

The nonprofit’s 2026 Produce Share — now open for sign-ups — is designed to be flexible, local, and affordable. Shares start at $26 per week, while the average weekly value of produce is closer to $40 or more.

The model also accepts federal nutrition benefits. SNAP/EBT is accepted, and participants using SNAP automatically get Double Up Food Bucks to stretch their dollars further—an increasingly important

factor as food costs rise across Oregon.

For many households, it’s one of the most costeffective ways to bring home fresh, organically grown vegetables throughout the season.

“There’s often a misconception that the lower price isn’t meant for everyone,” said Audrey Tehan, founder and executive director of Seed to Table Oregon. “But it is. If $26 works for your budget, that’s exactly where we want you.”

The Produce Share runs from May 6 through November and offers a different approach than traditional CSAs (community supported agriculture).

Instead of a pre-packed box, members choose their own vegetables each week — selecting either six or 10 items from a seasonal spread that typically includes 12–22 options.

All produce is grown right here in Sisters on Seed to Table’s four-acre educational farm.

Pickup is available at the farm, the Sisters Farmers Market, a Bend location, and through a limited number of delivery options in Sisters.

The program is built to work for real life. There’s no application, no income requirement, and participants simply choose a price that

Sisters: Where the wild things are

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Sisters sits at one of the more fortunate intersections in the American West, the point where the moist, forested slopes of the Cascades give way to the open high desert to the east. For wildlife, that transition zone is a gift. For anyone hiking or camping in the western Deschutes National Forest around Sisters, it means the chance to encounter an unusually wide variety of animals, from elk and black bears to rattlesnakes and rubber boas.

“A few wildlife species of note that ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) focuses on and are

found around Sisters and the surrounding public lands are mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, black bear, cougar, bobcat, Sierra Nevada red fox, gray wolf, coyote, Rocky Mountain goat, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, sooty (blue) grouse, mountain quail, Lewis’ woodpecker, and pinyon jay,” Andrew Walch ODFW District wildlife biologist told us.

The most reliably visible large mammal in the area is the mule deer. These elegant, large-eared animals are practically a fixture at dawn and dusk, browsing the forest edges and meadow clearings throughout the Sisters corridor. Rocky Mountain elk

Gathering celebrates National Poetry Month

Paulina Springs Books will host a community gathering called “Peanuts, Popcorn, and Poetry” celebrating National Poetry Month on Sunday, April 12, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Poets, poetry enthusiast, and the poetry-curious are invited to come share a poem or two or just listen and celebrate the wonder and intimacy of this vital art form.

The celebration will center around a large sharing circle facilitated by Beth

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.

Wood — not an open mic, not a poetry slam, but rather a gathering where people share and appreciate from the heart in a supportive space. Bring a poem or two you’d like to read. Poems can be written by you or by someone else. RSVP if you would like to read at www. paulinaspringsbooks.com/ events. Folks are more than welcome to come and just listen.

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

FIRE & POLICE

Black But t e Ranch Police Dept Board of Direc tors M eets monthly 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date

Black

Sister s- Camp She rman RFPD Board of Direc tors 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Siste rs Fire

5

-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.

Writer gets second term as laureate

Governor Tina Kotek has appointed Ellen Waterston of Bend to a second term as Poet Laureate of Oregon. A celebrated poet/writer, educator, and speaker who founded the Writing Ranch and the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, Waterston will serve a second two-year term ending in August 2028. Waterston is Oregon’s 11th Poet Laureate, first appointed to the role in 2024.

“Ellen has embraced the role, visiting 23 of the state’s 36 counties in the past two years,” Governor Kotek said. “In this time of division, both real and perceived, Ellen has been an effective ambassador in uniting Oregonians and reminding us of what we share. I look forward to seeing her continue to harness her artistry to build a stronger sense of community across Oregon.”

In less than two years, Waterston has crisscrossed the state to present 84 poetry readings and workshops in 39 Oregon communities.

“It’s a particular honor to be in this role at this time in our state and nation’s history,” Waterston said. “I’ve come to realize that my job is to showcase poetry in all its forms as a catalyst for mutual understanding.”

At a recent appearance in Prineville, for example, a participant’s question about whether poetry is supposed to rhyme prompted a discussion about the poetic forms shaped by different cultures and places, including cowboy poetry. “It developed into the most wonderful, robust conversation about all the different poetry forms, from sonnet to slam,” Waterston said. “It was one more instance of the delightful and unexpected interactions that result while traveling the state in the name of poetry.”

In her second term, Waterston plans to pursue two complementary projects

deliver workshops and presentations. The first, Poetry in Public Places (abbreviated P!PP), encourages communities in Oregon to display poems in unexpected locations, “from poetry walks to permanent art installations,” she explained. She will explore pathways for poets to engage public art in Oregon and will enlist the involvement of public and private construction and remodeling projects to do the same. In the second project she will share the podium wherever she goes with a young poet from that community. Writing from those poets will be included in an anthology of young Oregon poets with the working title “Meet Me on the Divide.” Waterston said, “The poems in this anthology will form a daisy chain north to south, and up and over the Cascades.”

Later this year, Waterston will deliver a poem commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the Astoria Column in July, and in August will help welcome U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze for the opening of the new East Bend branch of Deschutes Public Library. For a complete schedule of upcoming appearances, visit www.writingranch.com or www.oregonhumanities.org/ events.

“It is truly an honor to meet with people all over the state,” Waterston said. “I am so very grateful to Governor Kotek for the opportunity to

continue to share my love of poetry and place with Oregonians for a second term.”

Much of Waterston’s award-winning poetry and prose is inspired by the remote reaches of southeastern Oregon’s outback. Her five poetry titles include the just-released “As Far as I Can Anthem,” featuring poems largely written during her first term as Poet Laureate. Others are “I Am Madagascar,” “Between Desert Seasons,” “Vía Láctea” and “Hotel Domilocos.” Waterston is also the author of four literary nonfiction titles: her most recent are “We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback” and “Walking the High Desert: Encounters with Rural America Along the Oregon Desert Trail.”

In addition to her work as an author, Waterston founded the for-profit Writing Ranch, which offers retreats and workshops for established and emerging writers, and the Bend-based literary arts nonprofit The Nature of Words, which she directed for over a decade. She subsequently founded the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, annually recognizing a nonfiction book proposal that examines the role of deserts in the human narrative, now a program of the High Desert Museum. She has taught creative writing

at middle through graduate school levels and authored the original feasibility study for the OSU-Cascades Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing. Her work as an author and literary arts advocate was earlier recognized with an honorary Ph.D. in humane letters from OSUCascades and, in 2024, with both Literary Arts’ Stewart H. Holbrook Award at the Oregon Book Awards and Soapstone’s Bread and Roses Award. “We celebrate Ellen Waterston for her work creating a vibrant literary life east of the Cascades,” wrote Soapstone. “She created

unique and important events; focused attention on the literature of the High Desert, mentored numerous writers, while writing poetry and nonfiction works that have become an essential part of the literature of Oregon and the West.”

Waterston received her BA from Harvard University and MA in archaeology from the University of Madagascar. She has three children and three grandchildren and resides in Bend.

Editor’s note: Ellen Waterston was profiled in The Nugget’s Spirit of Central Oregon magazine: https://bit.ly/spirit-waterston.

Helping their Furry Friends…

Deanna Linker (left) and Arya Crossley spent part of their spring break fundraising for Furry Friends Foundation. Baker and cat-lover Arya spent two days baking goodies for their one-day bake sale at Tollgate. Arya teamed up with best friend Deanna to help sell the baked goods. The two together raised and donated $192 to Furry Friends.

PRODUCE: Shares become a part of members’ routines

Continued from page 3

fits their household. SNAP/ EBT is accepted, and Double Up Food Bucks allows those dollars to stretch even further.

“We hear from people all the time who didn’t think a produce share would work for them,” Tehan said. “But once they try it, it becomes part of their weekly routine.”

For many, the impact goes beyond the food.

“I love how the share brings our family together to cook and eat,” one participant shared. Others say it helps them eat more vegetables, try new foods, and feel more

connected to the farm and the community. Nearly everyone who joins says it increases the health and wellness of their household.

And while the weekly produce is the most immediate benefit, participation also supports Seed to Table’s broader work — from handson education for local students, to keeping the Sisters Farmers Market thriving, to fresh food access for neighbors across Central Oregon.

“This is about more than a weekly box of vegetables,” Tehan said. “It’s about creating a system where fresh, local food is something more people can consistently access.”

Learn more at https:// www.seedtotableoregon.org/ produce-share-sign-up.

Sisters schools face budget shortfall

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

The Sisters School District is going into budgeting season looking at a shortfall of roughly $2 million.

According to Superintendent Curt Scholl, when all employment costs are “rolled up,” the District would need $24.5 million in the general fund budget to cover its current obligations and maintain current staffing. Revenue puts the District at $22.5 million. A combination of increasing costs and lowerthan-expected enrollment have led to the shortfall.

In Oregon, schools are funded on a per-student basis. The Sisters School District currently enrolls 1,150 students, which is 30 below its forecast of 1,180.

In anticipation of the shortfall, the District has already imposed a freeze on spending. Scholl told The Nugget that the District will absorb some of the difference with contingency funds. However, the District’s largest cost is in personnel and that’s where the greater part of the shortfall will have to be made up.

Scholl said that the

District plans to absorb as much as possible through retirements, “to reduce any reduction in force.” He was unable to give any details on how that will look because the picture had not become clear by press time.

Sisters’ “staffing costs are higher than most,” Scholl acknowledged, noting that the staff has been stable for many years, and a large number of teachers have many years of teaching experience under their belts. That is, of course, a benefit to students, but it increases impact on the budget, both through salaries and pension costs.

“We’ve kind of flat-lined on enrollment,” Scholl said.

There are a number of factors that contribute to that, the superintendent noted. After COVID, there was a surge in enrollment as families were eager to return to in-person education.

“After COVID, everybody wanted to be live — and we grew,” Scholl said.

Some of those families have since stepped away, to homeschool or to enroll in one of a number of online programs that have become prominent across the state.

According to Scholl,

Sisters historically has about 60 to 80 kids who do not participate in the public school system. Currently, that number stands at about 150.

Scholl acknowledges and supports the right of choice for families, “but that’s a dramatic impact for revenue from the state,” he said.

The superintendent also believes that the state funding model is not keeping pace with changes in the market, that the state should somehow account for what he sees as an unfair competitive advantage some online programs are exercising by offering stipends to enrolling families, made possible by not having brick-and-mortar plant to consider.

Sisters has many unique or exceptional programs that attract families, and Scholl emphasized that “we’re not cutting programs.” The District is also pursuing blended models of online/inperson education and innovative programs to serve students who are not on a traditional path.

The District’s budget committee begins meetings this month.

Sisters’ bicycle friendly certification in limbo

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Driving into Sisters you are greeted with the ubiquitous state signs that tell you the name of the city and its most current population number. We’ve all seen them as we drive the highways and biways of U.S. roadways. Often attached to such signs are smaller plates of what the community wishes to convey in terms of its priorities such as “Tree City USA” or “Dark Skies Community” or “Pet Friendly” or “Bicycle Friendly Community.”

These are both a reflection of values and generally good “PR” for tourism. The Sisters sign lets drivers know that we are both A Purple Heart City and bicycle friendly. Except we aren’t — bike friendly, that is. Not officially, at least at the moment.

The League of American Bicyclist’s “Bicycle Friendly America” program provides advocates and changemakers with a roadmap and handson assistance to build places more welcoming to people who bike. The BFA program is a tool for states, communities, businesses, and universities to make bicycling a transportation and recreation option for people and it recognizes those doing it well.

There are currently 444 Bicycle Friendly Communities 1,117 Bicycle Friendly Businesses, of which local bike shop Blazin Saddles is one, and 204 Bicycle Friendly Universities.

To everybody’s surprise it seems, Sisters lost its certification years ago. Nobody is quite sure when or how, but it’s most likely a bureaucratic mishap.

“It looks like the designation expired in 2015 and was never renewed (or the sign removed). I’ve forwarded your enquiry on to our Community Development

to these extra projects as our staff is small and very busy.”

Casey Meudt over at Blazin Saddles thinks it’s important.

— Casey Meudt

Director Scott Woodford as their department would likely take the lead if Council wanted to pursue the designation again,” Assistant City Manager Kerry Prosser told The Nugget.

“This topic came up in the last six months because we’d like to display the Dark Sky sign at our city entrances, but ODOT limits the number of these types of signs,” Mayor Jennifer Letz said. “To add the Dark Skies sign, we’d have to remove a sign. As Kerry said, our designation expired 10 years ago.

“Personally, I would like to work on getting the designation again, but that is a decision for Council to make. The application process is thorough and would take a bit of staff time. We always have to be sensitive

“Losing the League of American Bicyclists designation matters, even if it appears to have simply lapsed since 2017,” he said. “While administrative turnover and competing priorities are understandable, this designation reflects a broader commitment to safe, accessible cycling.

“We consistently see real benefits in bike-friendly communities — improved public health, reduced traffic and parking strain, and meaningful economic activity from visiting cyclists. Reapplying would reinforce Sisters identity and values.”

Brad Boyd at Eurosports concurs.

“We did it once before. We know how to do it and we have all the parts to regain the designation. It’s a strong tourism badge,” he said.

Scott Humpert, executive director of Explore Sisters, agrees.

“It’s not a deal-breaker. We can still attract a lot of cyclists, but it does add value. It’s another important tool in our kit to draw tourists to Sisters,” he said. “We could probably pitch in if the city needs help.”

Communities are

evaluated across six categories — the “Six Es”: Engineering (bike lanes, trails, parking), Education (cycling safety programs), Encouragement, Enforcement/Equity, Evaluation & Planning (bike counts, crash data, community bike plans), and Equity & Accessibility.

Municipalities and other entities can submit an online application, which

are reviewed holistically, and can be ranked Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Honorable Mention. The BFC program runs on fouryear cycles. Applying communities will need to reapply every four years to renew their BFC award status. Oregon is ranked number three of all states by the League with 10 certified communities, 13 businesses, and four universities.

Girls tennis swings into league play

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws young tennis team lost both their matches this past past week, but are improving every day. They fell 0-8 in their league opener at Madras on Tuesday, March 31, and on Saturday lost 2-5 at Sherman.

On Tuesday at Madras the No. 1 doubles team of Jessica Stahn and Jayden Durtschi fell to Myah Pope and Hayley Burts in a hardfought, close battle that ended 0-6, 6-4, 8-10.

Coach Bruce Fenn said, “Stahn’s strong powerful serves and hard-hitting forehand won a lot of points, and Durtschi’s speed around the court and her hustle kept the ball in play. Her smart placement hitting the ball to the open court kept Madras guessing, and it was fun to watch.”

Despite the loss, Fenn noted that the team’s attitude was positive, and they look to have many wins in the coming weeks.

“This team has talent,” said Fenn. “They are excited about the future.”

Sisters posted two wins against Sherman on Saturday.

Lizzy Beaver at No. 4

singles defeated Joni Burkett in an eight-game pro set 8-2. Fenn noted that Beaver was very consistent and hit her forehand shots deep and out of Burkett’s reach.

“Lizzy moved her feet and stayed laser focused,” said Fenn.

Freshmen duo Brennan Johnson and Georgia Hubbell (No. 3 doubles) posted a win over Ireland Stockton and Skyler Arnell. Both teams tied at eight games each, which required a tiebreaker that Sisters won 9-7.

“Both Brennan and Georgia played with determination,” said Fenn. “Brennan ran down balls and made great plays and Georgia was consistent with her serve, and the combination got the win.”

After two matches under their belt Fenn said, “The team is coming together as friends, they are supporting each other, and they are enthusiastic and willing to learn.”

The Outlaws will travel to The Dalles on Thursday, April 9, and then participate in the Caldera Central Oregon Invite on Friday and Saturday, where 23 teams from around the state will be in attendance.

Boys tennis wins league opener

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The boys tennis team opened league play with a 5-3 victory at home against Madras on Tuesday, March 31, due in large part to their depth as they took all four points at the No. 3 and No. 4 flights in both singles and doubles.

Silas Green (No. 3 singles) was very disciplined in his play and won his match 6-2, 6-0. Coach Vince Grace noted that Green consistently hit heavy, topspin-loaded groundstrokes that pushed his opponent well behind the baseline.

“By forcing those high contact points, Silas’ hard work over the winter really paid off,” said Grace.

Parker Johnson’s (No. 4 singles) match proved to be the match of the day as he was the only singles match to go to a 10-point tiebreaker. After splitting sets (7-6, 4-6) , Johnson dug deep and came out on top in the 10-6 tiebreaker.

“Parker showed a lot of maturity by switching to a low backhand slice to take the pace off the ball,” said Grace.

“It completely disrupted his opponent’s timing and allowed Parker to out-grind him in the end.”

The No. 3 doubles duo of Toban Bionda and Lino Barberis and the No.4 doubles pair of Styopa Myagkov and Landon Kirkpatrick both set the tone early in their matches. They were active at the baseline, moved well together, and put away several long volleys. They prevented Madras from getting any rhythm, and Grace told The Nugget “that is exactly what you want to see from your doubles teams in a home environment.” Bionda and Barberis won their match 6-5, 6-1, and Myagkov and Kirkpatrick took their match with scores of 6-4, 6-0.

Dominic Pulver protected the No. 1 singles spot with a 6-4, 6-3 win.

“Dominic played a very professional match,” said Grace. “His first serve percentage was the key; he gave himself free points and then dictated rallies with a sharp inside-out forehand. He didn’t let the pressure of being the

It was great to finally get out on our own courts. There’s always some adrenaline in the home opener.

— Coach Vince Grace

top seed at home get to him. “It was great to finally get out on our own courts,” added Grace. “There’s always some adrenaline in the home opener, and the guys handled the environment well to secure a tough win over a scrappy Madras team. Starting the home season with a win is a testament to the guys’ mental toughness. We dominated where we needed to and stayed composed when the sets got tight.”

The Outlaws were scheduled to play at Umatilla on Tuesday, April 7. They will face The Dalles at home on Thursday, April 9, and then participate in The Roseburg Tennis Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 • 1011 AM

Guest Stor ytime! Wild owers and Birds of the Paci c Nor thwest with k ids eld guide authors Ashley Erdely and Tom Myers to talk Paci c Nor thwest wild owers and birds! Free craft provided.

MONDAY, APRIL 13 • 6:307:30 PM

Leah Altman in conversation with Pam Houston presenting CEKPA: A Memoir In Beaded Essays

Born Baby Girl Black Feather, Leah Altman was removed from her tribal community through placement by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), to be adopted and raised by a family in Por tland. At 21 she journeyed across the West twice to rediscover her roots

THURSDAY, APRIL 16 • 6:307:30 PM

Gary Lewis presents Fishing Central Oregon — the closest thing to shing with a professional guide!

MONDAY, APRIL 20 • 5:306:30 PM

PSB Fic tion Book Club will be discussing Isola by Allegra Goodman (meets every month on 3rd Monday).

SECOND SATURDAY AT 10 AM

MON, APRIL 20 & MAY 4 • 1011:30 AM

Writers in Community is a 90-minute unstructured quiet time around the big table for writing with others. Drop in for a ew minutes, or stay the whole time! No RSVP

MONDAY, APRIL 27 • 5:306:30 PM

O NDAY

Between the Realms: A SciFi Fantasy Book Club. Last Monday of every month.

MONDAY, MAY 4 • 5:306:30 PM

The Pause Button: A Monthly Poetr y Gathering around the big table to pause for poetr y exploration. Bring a poem or two to share. Listen, discuss and do a little writing. No experience necessary. First Monday of every month.

THURSDAY, MAY 7 • 6:307:30 PM

LeeAnn Kriegh presents “Hope & Resistance in the Natural World,” a presentation from local favorite LeeAnn Kriegh, author of

Obituary

Deputy Fire Chief to leave district

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

After 11 years serving Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District as Deputy Chief of Operations, Tim Craig is heading to Redmond to take on a new position. He will take on the Division Chief of Training role with Redmond Fire & Rescue. His last day in Sisters is April 10.

the SCSFD’s posture and capabilities in defending against wildfire as an important accomplishment for the District.

Nina Marie Pellini Ondina, mother to Michael Dario Ondina, Doris Ann Ondina (Lukoskie), David Lawrence Ondina, and Julie Ann Ondina (Posada), passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on Sunday, March 15. Her final moments were spent surrounded by her family.

Nina was born on June 22, 1935, in Sacramento, California, into an Italian family.

Nina is preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Antoinette Pellini, her sisters Lillian Pellini (Stevens), Margarita Pellini (Hanchett), and brother Henry Cowell Pellini. She is also preceded in death by her loving husband, Dario Ondina.

During their 50 years of marriage, they lived in and traveled to many states and countries, meeting lifelong friends along the way. Together they enjoyed their time with their nine grandchildren, Alex Ondina, Dominic Ondina, Matthew Lukoskie, Michael Lukoskie, Andrea Ondina, Eric Ondina, Juan Posada, Elias Posada, and Corina Posada.

Known for her healthy lifestyle. Nina was an avid walker and hiker as well as a longtime volun teer and officer for TOPS and KOPS organizations; she was also a long time member of Kiwanis International. Nina was passionate about help ing others improve their health and wellness and will be missed by everyone touched by her leadership and kindness.

Her family asks that she be remembered for the joy she brought to others in life, not the sadness of her passing.

The position is a new one for Redmond Fire & Rescue, and it offers Craig the opportunity to work in strategic leadership in an area where he has developed expertise and many collaborative relationships during his service in Sisters.

Craig’s title in Sisters was Deputy Chief of Operations, but he acknowledged that the needs of the District placed him in a training role for much of his tenure here.

“I didn’t realize that a bullet point buried deep in my job description was going to be about 80 percent of what I do,” he said.

Craig organized and supervised numerous multiagency burn-to-learn operations, and recently designed a multi-agency tabletop exercise to hone response coordination for major incidents. He cited enhancing

He cited a couple of major incidents during his service in Sisters as particularly impactful. The Flat Fire not only had a major disruptive impact on the community, it also posed significant challenges in deploying structure protection.

The Flat Fire was “certainly the hottest and fastestmoving fire I’ve seen in my career,” he said.

He also noted a structure fire in a massive, 24,000-square-foot home east of town several years ago. Fighting that fire required an immense amount of resources and innovative tactics. Craig said the demands of that incident pushed local Districts to increase and improve their coordination at a strategic level, which he considers an important advance in local fire protection.

The Redmond position offers new challenges.

“I really look forward to working in a more complex system,” he said. “The ability to build a program essentially from the ground up is very exciting to me.”

Craig and his family will continue to live in Sisters.

“That was one of the things that was most appealing to me about this opportunity — that I didn’t have to move,” he said. “The whole thing just lined up as a good thing for my family as well as my career.

“This community has

meant the world to me, and I am incredibly grateful for all the opportunities that have been presented to me.”

There is an open invitation for a going away event at the main station, 301 S. Elm St. at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 10, followed by an informal no-host gathering at Three Creeks Brew Pub at 5:30 p.m.

ODOT: Savings from mild winter offset by other impacts

Oregon experienced significant rain events and atmospheric rivers that caused landslides, flooding, and damage to transportation infrastructure. ODOT has used more than $35 million in emergency response funds to address those impacts, which offsets any localized savings from reduced snow and ice operations, such as deicer use or overtime,” Davey explained.

“Because of that, there aren’t clear “savings” to redirect. Instead, resources have been used in different ways across the state to respond to changing conditions,” she added.

To illustrate the scale of costs, during a severe sevenday storm in January 2024, ODOT crews worked more than 20,000 hours of additional staff time, used 6.5 million pounds of salt, and consumed 168,099 gallons of fuel in the central and southern valley alone, and plowed nearly 78,000 miles of road.

Davey expanded: “As of our latest budget report, ODOT is on track to spend about 96 percent of its maintenance budget by the end of the current two-year budget cycle. That is a snapshot of where we are today and

can change depending on future storms or emergency response needs. We also still have another winter ahead in this budget cycle, so conditions can shift significantly.”

ODOT is currently facing a budget shortfall of $242 million in the 2025–27 budget cycle so the mild winter savings, while meaningful, are a relatively modest cushion against a much larger structural funding problem, the agency says.

Highway 242 opening

Davey is not yet saying if the McKenzie Santiam Scenic Byway (OR 242) will open sooner than normal.

“It’s too early to tell whether McKenzie Pass will open earlier than usual,” she said. “While this has been a lower snow year in some areas, conditions can change quickly in the spring and there is always the potential for late-season storms.”

Indeed, a wintery system last week brought more snow in the Cascades.

“Any decision about opening earlier would require coordination with partner agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, and depends on a range of factors beyond snow levels,” Davey noted. “Crews also need time to clear debris, assess conditions and complete necessary work to safely reopen the highway.”

The typical opening timeframe is the third week of June.

Author to present memoir in Sisters

Author Leah Altman will present her memoir, “Cekpa: A Memoir in Beaded Essays” at Paulina Springs Books on Monday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. Altman will be in conversation with award-winning author Pam Houston for the special event. Both artists are in Sisters for a Pine Meadow Ranch artists’ residency.

Born Baby Girl Black Feather, Leah Altman was removed from her tribal community through placement by the Indian Child Welfare Act, to be adopted and raised by a family in Portland. At 21, she journeyed across the West twice to rediscover her roots — to her birth father’s Lakota family in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and to her mother’s Persian relatives in Denver, Colorado.

As an adoptee, Leah felt the hole in her heart where her cekpa was missing. Lacking this tradition so essential to Lakota culture manifested in a troubled youth of reckless decisions, substance abuse, and struggling to fit in at school after school. A child without a cekpa is left unanchored, and without hers, Leah was at a loss in life. In an intimate

portrayal of self-discovery, Leah’s memoir tells a painstaking construction of her search for identity, written to ensure her own children grow up with an understanding of their roots.

In this collection of personal essays dedicated to her two daughters, Altman weaves together her own literary cekpa in a coming-ofage story about transracial adoption, tribal enrollment, motherhood, and reconnecting to her family roots.

Altman has worked as a freelance journalist and editor for over 15 years, alongside her work in fundraising and grant writing for Native and BIPOC-led nonprofit organizations serving families and the environment. Leah lives in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of the Institute of American Indian Arts and Portland State University’s Book Publishing program. Her work has been featured in publications such as Oregon Humanities, The Oregonian, Underscore, and Indian Country Today. She is an avid pool player, bead worker, fickle hiker, fairweather kayaker, and mama bear of two young girls.

Pam Houston is the award-winning author of two novels, “Contents May Have Shifted” and “Sight Hound”; two short story collections, “Cowboys Are My Weakness” and “Waltzing the Cat”; and nonfiction works including “Without Exception,” “Deep Creek,” and “Air Mail.” Houston teaches at UC Davis and the Institute of American Indian Arts, and she co-founded Writing By Writers. She lives on a homestead in Colorado with her husband.

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

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

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

He will make a n a mazing Cent ral Oregon adventure dog! Yuk i will do well with a fenced yard to explore and expend his energ y. Come meet Yu ki today!

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

For i nfo, c al l A sh ley at 8 43 -87038 4 4 or to don ate, go to www mper fect ly.org

Sisters Rodeo Pa rade

Appl ic at ion s a re open . B e par t of a longtime t radition . L im ited entr ies; deadline i s M ay 15.

Vi sit www.sistersrodeo.com.

Cl ic k u nder G et I nvolved a nd

l l out t he ent r y online . Parade line up i nfor mation w il l go out by t he r st of June by ema il

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

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 ist s i n residence. D uring t hi s e vent , the c ur rent cohor t of Writers sh are some of t hei r work and how t hei r t ime at P ine Meadow R anc h h a s enr ic hed thei r w riting pract ice. i s event w il l a lso i nc lude s pecial guest Pa m Hou ston, aut hor of “Cow boy s A re My Wea kness.” Free a nd open to t he public. Regi st ration i s requi red at h ps://roundhou sefoundation org/events/. For more in form at ion c al l 5 41-9 04070 0 or ema i l i nquiries@ roundhou sefoundation .org

Neig hbors Need Me dica l Rides. You Ca n Help

Aging , d isabled , a nd u nderserved pas sengers depend on STAR S volunteer d river s to reac h med ic a l appoi nt ment s and t he demand i s g rowi ng.

GO FISH Group e Sisters y shing c lub w il l

meet Monday, A pr i l 2 0, at

Si sters Com mu nit y C hu rc h at 7

p. m . Spe aker M arc W illi am son

wi l l present “St il l or Nymph

Fi sh ing.” For more i nfor mation

ca l l 5 41-7 71-2 211

Ki nderga rten Roundup

Si sters E lement ar y School w il l hold t hei r a nnua l K indergar ten Roundup pre -reg istrat ion on

Fr id ay, A pr i l 2 4, i n t he school

gy mn asiu m at eit her 8 to 9

a.m . or 12 to 1 p.m . Student s wi l l participate i n a teacherled a ct iv it y w hile parents a re involved i n a parent orientation

Plea se s ig n up b y contacting the element ar y school at 5 41549- 8981 or c lick ing on t he

QR code r ig ht on t he website

Ch ildren w ho w il l be ve yea rs old on or before September 1, 2 026 , a re e ligible for t he 202 6-27 school yea r. Tou rs wi l l be o ered to prospec tive st udents a nd parents w ho

Livi ng Well With Dement ia Sisters Suppor t Groups

Suppor t g roups meet t he 2nd and 4 t h Wed ne sd ay of t he mont h f rom 1 to 2:3 0 p.m at Sisters P ark & R ec reat ion Dist ric t Com mu nit y Center. e E arly Stage Suppor t Group meet s i n t he W hychu s R oom. e Care Partner G roup meets i n t he Metol iu s R oom . For in form at ion c al l 5 41-588 -0547.

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 . Wee

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

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.

ARTi facts 2026

Si sters H ig h School i nv ites you to t hei r a nnua l i nter ac tive ar t e xper ienc e. e e veni ng showca ses t he c reat iv it y of S HS st udent a rt ist s a nd featu res l ive mu sic; h ands-on a r t act iv it ies; si lent auc tion; a rt work f rom t he class of 2 026 ; a nd a r t a nd merch sa le. Friday, A pr i l 17, 5 to 7 p. m . i n t he Sisters H ig h School common s . A dmi ssion: $7 per person; $25 per f ami ly

Hang s @ The Hangar

Wednesdays , 3:3 0 to 4 :3 0 p.m., Fr id ay s , 7 to 8:3 0 a .m . a nd 1:15 to 2:3 0 p.m . at e H anga r at

Si sters Com mu nit y C hu rc h, 13 0 9 W. McK in ne y Bu e R d.

A safe place to h ang for m iddle and h ig h school student s . Two certi ed adu lt volunteers a re present to help w it h homework, etc . Fol lowi ng t he school schedu le for c losu res . Contact jfol in @sisterschurch .com or 541-549-12 01 e xt .208

JOI N STA R S NOW to help. You c hoose w hen you d rive. It s e xible , mea ni ng ful, a nd di rectl y s upport s neig hbors who u rgently depend on STAR S to get to c are . Tra ining and m ileage rei mbur sement prov ided . L ea r n more a nd apply: h ps://www.sta rsride org/dr ive-for-us

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

eater R oom, 411 E

Ca r penter. B el ind a K ac hlei n, ow ner of F lou ri sh of Tum alo, wi l l g ive a pre sent at ion on ca ring for t ropica l a nd hou se pl ants . P ublic i s welcome

Cont ac t: 5 41-42 0- 62 39

Sisters Muse um is Open

Fr id ay s a nd Sat urdays , 10 a .m to 4 p.m . at 151 N. Spr uce S t., free ent r y for a l l age s . E xh ibit s on loc a l h istor y a nd c ultu ra l ex periences. e ree Sisters

Hi stor ic a l Soc iet y i s seeki ng volu nteers to be M useu m hosts , ma rket ing s upport , resea rc hers , and w riters . No prior museu m

ex perience i s requi red. Em ai l volunteer@t hree sistersh istorica lsoc iety.org

wi sh to se e t he school a nd classrooms . E nrol lment for ms may be pic ked up at t he Sisters

Elementa r y School o ce between 9 a .m . a nd 2 p.m

Form s need to be c ompleted and ret ur ned to t he school

o ce . e fol lowi ng doc uments are requi red to reg ister:

* E nrol lment Pac ket

* Copy of B irt h Cer ti cate

* I mmuniz at ion R ecords

* P roof of A dd ress

St udents w il l not be reg istered unti l a l l for m s a re ret ur ned.

Free Mont hly Commun it y Connec tions Event

Enjoy Food , Fun, & More!

Su nd ay, A pr i l 2 6 ,4:30 to 6 p.m Apri l’s eme: Joy. C hu rc h of the Tra ns gu ration, 121 N Brook s Camp R d., Sisters . A n intergenerat iona l e vent – a ll ages welcome! 5 41-5 49 -7087.

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 Ave

B e i n a c reat ive com mu nity and be i ns pi red w hile sha ri ng songs, bei ng a g reat l is tener, a nd prov id ing feedback . A l l age s a nd sk il l levels welcome . Fre e . I nfo: ca l l or tex t Jes s at 5 41-9 77-8494.

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

Nuclear energy lecture on tap in Sisters at The Belfry

Nuclear energy for electrical power generation has become a much more accepted technology globally after many years of being a maligned source of energy, particularly in response to three major nuclear power plant accidents — Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima. Public sentiment over potential climate change due to the use of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide generation, along with the lack thereof with nuclear power, have played major roles in this shift. Also at play is the realization of the increasingly larger current and future power demands with construction of massive data centers and the increasing use of AI.

In a Frontiers in Science presentation through the Sisters Science Club next week, Dr. Kevin Hodgson will first review some basic chemistry and atomic structure principles, and the significant differences between chemical reactions present in combustion processes versus

nuclear reactions. The concept of chemical isotopes is introduced along with the basics of atomic fission (i.e. “splitting” of atoms) and the resulting energy effects. The exclusive use of three major elemental isotopes (uranium, plutonium, and thorium) and why is brought up. In addition to electricity generation, the applications of nuclear energy in atomic weapons manufacture, medicine, and food sterilization are briefly discussed. Future developments underway utilizing nuclear energy such as small modular reactors for power and heat, and the opposite of nuclear fission called nuclear “fusion” are covered in some detail. The promise of nuclear fusion power, despite its spectacular advantages over fission, is most likely still many, many years away.

Hodgson was born and raised in Seattle and earned his BS and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, along with an MS degree in Chemical

Engineering and Colloids, Polymers, and Surfaces from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Hodgson’s career spans both the public and private sectors, having been Professor of Bioresources and Chemical Engineering at the UW for 22 years, Adjunct Professor in Energy Science and Engineering at Oregon State University (Cascades Campus) for five years, and working for the Weyerhaeuser Company and the North Pacific Paper Corporation for 15 years in pulp and paper R&D and manufacturing. He has also served as a technical consultant and short course educator for various companies and professional organizations in the Pulp and Paper Industry. Over his career Dr. Hodgson has published over 40 technical papers in the scientific literature and made over 25 presentations at various technical conferences in the U.S. and abroad. He was selected for a prestigious Fulbright Senior Scholar award for

research and teaching in New Zealand in 2004, developed and taught a UW Exploration Seminar course entitled “Energy Generation, Use, and Renewable Energy in New Zealand” in 2006, and was selected for the UW “Institute for Teaching Excellence” and UW Teaching Academy in 1999.

While having no formal training or work experience in nuclear physics or engineering, Dr. Hodgson has always had an intense personal interest in these subjects. His hobbies include skiing, golf, electronics, and sports cars. He serves as a student mentor in the Sisters High School ASPIRE program and volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. He and his wife Diane have lived in Sisters full time since April 2014.

The April 21 event is part of the Frontiers in Science lecture series sponsored by the Sisters Science Club. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. with light fare, beer and wine available for purchase. The lecture

begins at 7 p.m. A minimum suggested donation of $5 at the door supports continued programming. Teachers and students are admitted free. The Belfry is located at 302 E. Main Ave. in Sisters. For more information, visit www.sistersscienceclub.org.

MUSIC, COMMUNITY & SPIRITS

Thurs., April 23 • 7 p.m. BRAD P ARSONS — with Joel Chadd

Bradisamulti-instrumentalist,talented songwriter,anddynamiclive performer Joel writessongsforthequietspaces, built to be listened toclosely bendticket.com...$1759

Thurs., May 14 • 7 p.m. GLEN PHILLIPS

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

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: DoubleWide: Sue and Rick Moore 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

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

Paulina Springs Books Guest Storytime

"Wildflowers and Birds of the Pacific Northwest" with kids field guide authors Ashley Erdely and Tom Myers. Free craft provided. 10 a.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

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.

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.

Frankie's in Sisters Comedy: Rio Hillman with special guest Laura B Wright opening.6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

MONDAY • APRIL 13

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Leah Altman in conversation with Pam Houston presenting "CEKPA: A Memoir In Beaded Essays." Born Baby Girl Black Feather Leah Altman was removed from her tribal community through placement by the Indian Child Welfare Act, to be adopted and raised by a family in Portland. At 21 she journeyed across the West twice to rediscover her roots 6:30 p.m. Info: 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. Info: 541-719-0572 Frankie's in Sisters Pine Needle Basket Class with Tony Lompa 5:30 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

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

Leadsinger&mainsongwriter of Toad the WetSprocket for almost 40 years, Glenbringshonest, introspectivelyrics bendticket.com...$28.29

Pub opens 30 minutes prior to shows 302 E. Main | 541-815-9122

Rent The Belfry!Seewebsite for info: BelfryEvents.co m

SISTERS-AREA EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY • APRIL 17

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 18

Frankie's in Sisters Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent, 6 to 8 p.m. Sign ups, 5:30 No cover; upstairs. Info: frankiesinsisters.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • APRIL 19

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

Sisters Fire Hall Fireside Series: "Hollywood Comes to Sisters" The beautiful scenery around Sisters Country has been featured in numerous Hollywood productions. Three Sisters Historical Society has been researching and interviewing people connected with some of these shows Enjoy personal stories, behind-the-scenes photos memorabilia...and popcorn! 2 p.m., doors at 1. $10 at the door Info: 541-610-6323

MONDAY • APRIL 20

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.

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 21

The Belfr y Frontiers in Science Lecture Series: "Nuclear Energy: Fundamentals, Applications and Future Development" by Dr Kevin Hodgson presented by Sisters Science Club Social hour begins at 6 p.m., lecture at 7 p.m. Adults $5 at the door; teachers and students free

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

WEDNESDAY • APRIL 22

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

Local groups to lead clean-up day

Several organizations are teaming up to host a “spring cleaning” for Sisters. The City of Sisters, local nonprofit Citizens4Community (C4C), Sisters Park & Recreation District, and statewide organization SOLVE invite community members of all ages to participate in the Sisters Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon. Held just ahead of Earth Day — and with signature support from Hayden Homes and Republic Services — this community-wide event will bring residents together for a morning of public service, connection, and pride.

The Cleanup Day kicks off at 9 a.m. at Fir Street Park.

Volunteers will gather for registration, free coffee and donuts (provided by Sisters Coffee Company and Sisters Bakery, respectively), and a safety briefing.

At 9:30 a.m., participants will disperse to litter hot spots around town, with a goal to fill a 20-yard dumpster donated by Republic Services. Necessary supplies will be provided.

The event is free and family-friendly. All volunteers must register and sign a waiver, which can be completed either on-site or online; volunteers under 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian. To register in advance, visit tinyurl.com/ sisterscleanup.

Volunteers are encouraged to form teams with friends, family, coworkers, or neighbors. Participants are asked to wear sturdy shoes, long pants, and bring a water bottle.

Cleanup locations will all be within City limits. All collected trash should be returned to the Republic Services dumpster near Fir Street Park by noon. A prize will be awarded to the group that collects the most trash.

CONCERT: Benefit has raised $1.5 million for Sisters schools

Continued from page 1

Fouts and her husband, Dan, “for many years.”

“I get asked, and if I’ve got the time, I’ll come,” he said.

The underlying purpose of the concert — to which he’s donating his time and talents — is important to Keb’ Mo’. The concerts support the Sisters Schools Foundation. Since its inception in 1997, Sisters Starry Nights has raised more than $1.5 million for the Sisters Schools Foundation and continues to support areas such as band, choir, art, science, Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition (IEE), technology, athletics, field trips, language arts and more. The funding is critical as Sisters schools face budget constraints (see related story, page 5).

“It was in school that I first became exposed to music,” he said. “Elementary school.”

He considers music education — and education in the arts in general — vital to young people’s growth.

A highlight of the performance will be a performance with student musicians — but the artist is mum on what that performance will be.

“I can’t tell you that!” he said, chuckling.

The event will showcase Keb’ Mo’s artistry as he takes the audience on a journey through his signature blend of folk, Americana, blues, and acoustic pop sensibilities. Throughout his 50-year career, Keb’ Mo’ has solidified his status as an icon in the music industry. His resume includes 14 Blues Foundation Awards, seven chart-topping albums on the Billboard Blues Chart, five Grammy Awards, and the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement in Performance award.

He has performed at the world’s most prestigious venues, ranging from Carnegie Hall to the White House — and the Sisters High School Auditorium stage.

Keb’ Mo’ said he will be playing solo for this performance. He often plays soloacoustic, as well as in other configurations, including a full band. He says he doesn’t have a preference when it comes to configuration — each offers a different artistic palette.

“Solo you can really massage the material,” he said, enjoying impromptu improvisation.

The evening kicks off with the Sisters Starry Nights PreParty in the lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. It will showcase music by the SHS Americana Project, Jazz Choir, Jazz Band, and the Outlaw Strings Fiddle Club. Guests can enjoy hearty appetizers prepared by Sisters High School Culinary Arts students and a Silent Auction featuring travel, art, music, and sports items, including signed jerseys from Super Bowl Champion Sam Darnold and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, and a football signed by Herbert and Hall of Famer Dan Fouts. These select sports items are also available for online bidding at www.sistersstarry nights.org.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m., with a short video produced by Outlaw alumnus Jack Turpen, then an opening set by Nashville singersongwriter and Keb’ Mo’ band member Casey Wasner, accompanied by renowned Nashville keyboardist Tim Lauer.

Outlaw students will join Keb’ Mo’ for a special number during the concert. This year’s student performers are Carter Anderson, Emmitt Buller, Caitlin Carter, and Serafina Smith on vocals and Dugan Draper on electric bass under the guidance of teachers Kayla Golka, Steven Livingston, and Julie Cash.

Students will also be participating as ushers, tech crew support, and performers in the lobby before the show. The Masters of Ceremonies for the evening will be SHS students Carter Anderson and Juliette Velikonia.

Keb’ Mo’ is shining through Sisters on a short tour run.

He said, “I’m just really looking forward to being there, doing the benefit, playing with the kids, hiding out, and being a beneficial presence in Sisters, Oregon.”

The Presenting Sponsor for Sisters Starry Nights is Sisters Fence & Deck. Other key supporters include Ray’s Food Place, Hawk’s Haven Reserve, Bi-Mart, Sisters Woodlands, Sisters Community Foundation, The Roundhouse Foundation, First

Interstate Bank, FivePine Lodge and Spa, Sisters Meat and Smokehouse, MidOregon Credit Union, XPress Printing, Arends Realty Group, St. Charles Health System, Studio Gearbox, Alaska Airlines, and Breedlove Guitars.

Hope amid the crisis

By Cody Rheault Columnist Commentary...

Pastora Violeta sits across from me in her small, quiet church in the town of Ceiba del Agua, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She wears a black blouse with white flowers on it and quietly leans in to share a national reality.

“Here in Cuba, we don’t have the luxury of happiness,” she says.

It’s a sad reality. Recent nation-wide power outages are plaguing the population. Bare essentials like food and gasoline are rare and pricey commodities, and with recent geopolitical events in Venezuela and the United States’ oil embargo, Cuba’s roughly eight million people are in an economic and morale free fall. Decades of government failure have brought the island nation to its knees, and today it appears to live on its face.

Cuba holds a certain mysticism. Perhaps it’s the fraught history of near-warfare with the United States — the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fidel Castro and the 1953 uprising — that dots our textbooks and define our perception of the island. While only 90 miles from the coast of Florida, Cuba is the western hemisphere’s only singleparty communist state, and one at increasing risk of total collapse.

In March of 2026, I traveled to Cuba with a small team from Mission Esperanza, a Californiabased ministry with the sole focus of aiding the Cuban people. We saw the roads noticeably absent of the iconic 1950s-era vehicles — replaced by fuel-efficient scooters, horse-drawn carts, and pedal bikes. But the absence of hope in the faces tells a more poignant story.

“The situation has worsened and become very critical,” Pastor David Moreno, president of Open Bible Churches in Cuba told us. “Families face very serious financial and food challenges. We hear of families eating only one meal a day, and some who are not eating at all because there are no resources to do so. The children and elderly are the most vulnerable populations right now.

“We are witnessing a phenomenon in our country that we have never seen before,” he said.

Cuba’s national crisis forms from a cascading system of failure. Fuel shortages — with prices hovering around $40/gallon on the black-market

— food scarcity and relentless blackouts affect every aspect of survival. Those effects are immediate: transportation halts, hospitals go dark, refrigerated food spoils without power. The third nation-wide total power outage happened while we were there. When we asked when or if power would come back, they shrugged unknowingly, and said, “welcome to Cuba.”

But in the gap of the Cuban government’s failures the Christian churches have stepped in. They act as community centers by offering the spiritual and physical help when the nights are long, minds grow dim, and a morsel of hope goes a long way. With soup mixes provided by and shipped to Cuba from California through Mission Esperanza, they are places of meeting physical needs too. Shipping containers with four million meals each are delivered to Cuba and dispersed to local churches. Often cooked over an open fire in a large soot-stained kettle due to the power outages, this soup has become a life-saving resource to local communities.

Life in Cuba has been stripped down to its simplest question: Where is my next meal coming from? Will I even eat today? By utilizing the local churches Mission Esperanza has a method to reach that average Cuban in ways the government can’t, even if they had the resources. Like little fingers throughout the communities the churches receive and disperse this food to their local communities and feed the most vulnerable. For children and the elderly, death by starvation is a common tragedy without this

resource. The Open Bible Churches of Cuba step into that gap on a daily basis.

“In Cuba we have a saying, ‘one more stripe for the tiger.’ In other words, one more problem hardly even stands out anymore,” Pastora Violeta said. “Happiness may not be a luxury, but we have the joy of Lord. The one thing we desire and strive to do is to carry a message of hope.”

The reports from Cuba are carefully monitored by their government, and what we see in the media is a curated glimpse into their

reality. There is no doubt that the Cuban people continue to struggle day-byday on a relentless hunt to meet their basic needs. But the love and compassion from the churches surpasses what anyone could achieve alone, defying the gravity of the national crisis. What’s clear is their trust in God to meet their daily needs and a joy above understanding. With that joy comes a resilient hope — one they pour back into their communities as hunger takes hold and the lights flicker out, yet again.

“S AC is an outstanding place . My # 1 enjoyment factor is the sta # 2 the cleanlines s and condition of the club is top notch. #3 is Tate . I have never met a more conscientious and kind owner/manager of a small business . I look for ward each day to be greeted with a smile from ever yone . My granddaughter calls S AC my happy place!”

— Jim Peterson, SAC Member since 2019

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

I’m 82 years old and wondering why I care how our government is or isn’t run? Not that I can do anything about it, I’m just curious how we got here. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you have a God-given conscience that tells you right from wrong. I believe common sense is a learned characteristic, developed from one’s conscience. The twoparty system of Republicans and Democrats was initially structured so that compromise was required to resolve most issues.

I’m not a writer, I’m a reader. I read The Nugget weekly, which features mostly political submissions covering the left and right sides of current issues. In all the Letters to the Editor, none seem to center on the middle, where compromise, conscience, and common sense are found. These are the tools needed to resolve an issue, not marching up and down the street carrying banners provided by Forward Blue while promoting No-Kings ideology and hate-filled rhetoric toward Republicans.

Terry Coultas

s s s

Roundabout art

To the Editor:

I have the perfect solution for the roundabout on the east side of town: Commission the artist that did the artwork on the roundabout at the west side of town and have them create a coordinating artwork for the east side roundabout! They could even be exactly the same. No one would object to that, cost would be reasonable, and the two roundabouts would have a similar feel!

Terry Hardin

s s s

ODOT

To the Editor:

I applaud ODOT’s relocation of the gate to a lower elevation on the eastern approach to McKenzie Pass on highway 242. Easily seen from a greater distance, it improves safety for bicyclists especially on their downhill return at high speed when often distracted by the awesome beauty on display.

The lower elevation and resulting added road closure will preclude snow removal, road maintenance, and clearing expenses there. Eliminating the hairpin turns leading to the old gate location enhances safety for drivers as does the ample parking available at the new gate location.

Criticizing ODOT for wasteful spending while at the same time complaining that they have as yet not removed the old gate seems inconsistent. I’m of the opinion that they, like the rest of us, do what they can with what they have. I have no idea where the project fit as a priority. It could have been on the list for a long time. As for the old gate, was it adequate? With very limited parking and turn around space and comparatively less visibility, I believe that it was not.

In the big scheme of things none of this was strictly “necessary.” Three of us biked up almost to the top of the pass two weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (as usual). I hope they keep it vehicle-free for as long as they can.

An added benefit of the new gate location is increased winter access. According to the recent letter on the subject, more than a mile accessed by the road is now available to recreational users free of motorized vehicles!

The public was well justified to protest the closure last year. I am encouraged that ODOT reacted as they did and in relatively short order. Thank you. As for any relation to the Cascade Lakes Highway, I see no connection between the two. Perhaps it’s merely

Where Oregon Stands

common problems and we could resolve them without animosity.

“Today, the parties are separated by a chasm driven by the profit motive of news as entertainment,” he said. “Cable TV, talk radio, and now social media keep us in a bubble of different realities. There’s money to be made by demonizing each other. This is deeply damaging to democracy.”

He cited his bipartisanship efforts with Republican Senators Cruz, Murkowski, and Mullin, the latter only just confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Merkley described his vast field operations that covered every part of Oregon saying that engagement with voters is key to meeting their needs or concerns.

The Nugget presented the Senator with a list of metrics showing Oregon’s rankings which are very unfavorable to the state especially in education where Oregon was once the envy of educators.

“The stats are stark,” Merkley acknowledged.

Stipulating that he is not a legislator in Oregon or governor, The Nugget asked what influence and work the Senator is personally undertaking in his role to reverse the numbers.

“We should look at what other, higher-ranking states are doing to get better results,” he suggested. “We spend a lot in Oregon but are not getting better outcomes.”

Acknowledging that the state spends more each year, he wondered aloud if things would be better had there not been “$8 trillion spent in fighting the Iraq and Afghan wars which turned Iran into a power house in

directed at states.

Merkley is at ease with the media and exhibits a certain pragmatism. He is often described in reporting as a progressive Democrat, but coverage also highlights his pragmatic streak. Articles note that he frequently works with Republicans on focused, nonideological bills, especially on public health, veterans’ issues, and rural infrastructure to secure practical outcomes.

The Nugget was one of two news organizations meeting with Merkley Saturday. The other, television station KTVZ, was up next in the questioning which was framed in international and national scope — the Iran conflict and the DHS funding crisis in Washington.

Merkley, accustomed to broadcast media, shifted to party talking points blaming the White House and Republican leadership claiming that “Trump had no plan, no strategies….” for the military action against Iran.

Addressing both reporters, the conversation turned back to local concerns, primarily fire. He recalled his own personal experience last year when set to visit Sisters, he received an evacuation notice as the Flat Fire raged.

“We have been a drought four of the last five years,” he said. “I’m pushing to increase firefighter pay, and make fire protection yearround. And to boost money for more training.”

As we conversed about his approach to improving the lives of Oregonians, he said, “My priorities are always the same. Affordable housing, health care, education, and living-wage jobs. No matter what programs we’re wrestling with, I try to make sure the dynamics have a benefit to one of these areas.”

After the session ended, Merkley met with civic leaders. He presented Chief Tony Prior of Sisters-Camp

“Today was a good chance to meet with Senator Merkley and discuss local needs and priorities,” Prior said.

“We greatly appreciate the recognition for the efforts during the Flat Fire. However, the credit goes to all the agencies who came together and the homeowners who took the initiative to become wildfire resilient. Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire District looks forward to working with the Senator in the future on projects that will continue to make Sisters Country a place to be proud of.”

Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz who sat in on that gathering said, “I always appreciate it when senators and representatives take time to hold

town halls and connect with the people and places they represent. I think the Senator did a good job answering tough questions, and was touched that he honored the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District with the flag.”

POETRY: People are welcome to come and listen

Continued from page 3

There will also be invitational writing from a prompt at the end for some creative fun. Snacks will be provided, and beverages (wine, beer, cider, sparkling water, sodas) will be available for purchase.

A note for parents — though this gathering is open to all ages, please be aware it is possible that adult content might be shared.

According to the website poets.org, “Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.”

Paulina Springs Books is located 252 W. Hood Ave.

Tool helps to prevent escaped debris burns

Outdoor debris burning, also known as backyard debris burning, is the leading cause of human-caused wildland fires in Oregon. On average, the Oregon Department of Forestry responds to about 225 fires each year that result from escaped debris burns.

All Oregonians are encouraged to use the new statewide Before You Burn website or mobile application prior to lighting any debris, whether it be a small pile or in a burn barrel.

Before You Burn provides Oregonians simple, clear guidance on burning regulations and prevention measures for their specific location. The public can sign up for free by either downloading the Before You Burn app (available in both the Apple and Android stores) or visiting the website: www. beforeyouburn.net.

Once on the site, or application, residents are prompted to enter their address. They will be immediately informed on whether burning is allowed for their location. If burning is allowed, they will receive instructions or options on local regulations that must be followed, like registering a burn or filing for a permit.

“We’re hoping that a central resource for all Oregonians will take the guess work out of who regulates burns, and what the process might be for an

allowed burn, for residents in any location around the state,” said Levi Hopkins, ODF Protection Division Deputy Chief of Policy and Planning.

ODF and its fire protection and air quality partners have spent the last two years developing this multi-jurisdiction website and mobile application that aims to reduce the number of these preventable wildfires.

Before You Burn is only intended for backyard debris burning. It is not for campfires, agricultural burns, the burning of forest slash from harvest operations, or other types of burning. Residents should contact their local fire or air quality agency for regulations on these types of burning activities.

ODF reminds the public that engaging in prohibited burning may make you liable for wildfire suppression costs. Suppression costs can reach millions of dollars for a single wildfire.

“Checking this new resource is a quick, simple step to take before causing Oregon’s next wildfire,” said Hopkins.

ODF serves as the lead agency for Before You Burn, working in partnership with Western Fire Chiefs Association, structural fire departments across the state, Keep Oregon Green Association, and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

LETTERS

Continued from page 15

a reflection of our increased population and demand.

We are right to question the use of public funds. I don’t know to what “incident” the author refers in his letter of last week, but I think I have provided answers to some of the questions he poses. Answers quite obvious to me. I’m sure ODOT can provide more. There is a whole lot of considerations affecting all they do, things of which most of us have no inkling.

Ross Flavel

s s s

Explore Sisters

To the Editor:

Explore Sisters recently released our 2025 Annual Report and would like to share what it represents, not just for our organization, but for our entire community. I encourage those interested to look at the full report at www. exploresisters.com/industry. Along with our Annual Report you will find additional reports, resources, and information about us in this section of our website.

As Sisters’ Destination Management Organization, our role is to help ensure tourism continues to support the vitality of our town while protecting the qualities that make this place so special. The work outlined in this report reflects a year of steady progress, thoughtful collaboration, and a continued commitment to balancing economic opportunity with community livability.

In 2025, we strengthened partnerships with local organizations, supported community events that bring people together, and continued investing in responsible,

year-round visitation that benefits local businesses across all seasons. We also celebrated a milestone achievement as Sisters earned certification as an International Dark Sky Community, an accomplishment that reflects the shared stewardship values of residents, volunteers, and community partners. That certification is not just about tourism; it’s about preserving our night skies and the character of this place for future generations.

Just as importantly, the report highlights our commitment to transparency. As a taxfunded organization, we believe residents deserve to understand how tourism resources are being invested and how those investments support the community and the longterm health of Sisters.

Tourism in Sisters is still evolving, and our responsibility is to guide that growth carefully and intentionally. The 2025 Annual Report is one way we demonstrate that commitment, and we remain grateful for the trust and collaboration of this community.

Scott Humpert Explore Sisters Executive Director

Forest plan helped Tollgate get safer, healthier

A forest management plan was mandated and critical to Tollgate’s efforts to secure grant funding for wildfire mitigation work.

Craig Letz of Tamarack Wildfire Consulting was the lead on the creation of that plan. He noted that wildfire mitigation might have been the primary driver of the effort, but the plan revolves around overall forest health.

“It’s really a balance of forest health and wildfire mitigation — and really those two things go handin-hand these days,” he told The Nugget

Opening up overstocked stands of ponderosa pines not only reduces fuels, it allows the remaining trees to access more sunlight and nutrients. Letz noted that Tollgate is seeing some signs of beetle infestation and they are taking steps to mitigate that. Beetles can kill trees.

Limbing trees and removing brush mimics historical conditions that were maintained by cycles of low-intensity fire — and it mitigates the potential for threatening fire activity by reducing ladder fuels that

allow fire to get into the tree crowns.

“From a fire mitigation standpoint, it’s really about trying to keep fire on the ground,” Letz said. “We’re really kind of returning to its more historical condition, which creates a healthier forest.”

Some Tollgate residents expressed concerns about wildlife habitat, and the management plan took that into account.

“We don’t advocate for removing all the tree snags and all of the logs on the ground, because they provide habitat,” Letz said.

Some clumps of trees were left for shelter for deer and other woodland creatures.

Letz emphasized that the work in the commons is only a portion of the work that is needed for overall safety.

“The work in the commons is only as good as work that is mirrored around the houses themselves,” he said.

And that work is up to the individual homeowners.

For more information, contact Letz at craig@ tamarackwildfire.com.

FIRE RISK: Work was based on forest management plan

Continued from page 1

The work was based on a mandated forest management plan, which was conducted by Tamarack Wildfire Consulting (see sidebar). Axe Contracting took on the job and completed the first phase, encompassing 39 acres, on April 3. Work is expected to resume in December.

The common areas extend 20 to 30 feet from Tollgate’s roads. Firewise volunteers had already been working in parties of four to 30 people to remove lighter brush and ground fuels in conjunction with Tollgate’s maintenance person. The larger work logged out trees up to 12 inches in diameter at breast height, limbed trees up six feet to reduce ladder fuels, and removed brush.

The ponderosa pine logs were donated to Highland Baptist Church’s firewood ministry, providing heating to families in need. Some 16-19 loads of two cords each went out from the project. Chipped slash was delivered to area ranches and farms, and for weed and dust abatement on properties affected by the Flat Fire, while six loads of junipers went to Deschutes Land Trust’s Willow Creek Preserve for the Upper

Deschutes Watershed Council stream restoration effort.

There were other knock-on effects. The Crossroads subdivision and the area around Edgington Road also applied for and received grant funding, advocating for a coordinate program to reduce risk.

“We all applied separately, but referenced each others applications,” Maier explained.

Maier spent hours on the project, undertaking what amounted to a degree-level self-guided course in natural

resource management.

“We had to build an office for me in my closet,” she said. “I needed to have some street cred, and that took me two years.”

What motivated her to volunteer so much time and effort?

“Sleeping at night,” she said. “Being able to live here. I think the more you know, the more concerned you are.”

For information see https:// tollgatepropertyowners.com/ forest-management-and-wildfire-mitigation/.

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Sisters Folk Festival adds new artists

SFF Presents announced seven additional artists joining the lineup for the 29th annual Sisters Folk Festival, taking place September 25-27. Newly added performers include Brandy Clark, Madeline Hawthorne, Gadan, Wolf Jett, Eli West, Mama’s Broke, and Pete Mroz.

Leading the announcement is acclaimed singersongwriter Brandy Clark, a Grammy, CMA, and Americana Award-winning artist widely regarded as one of her generation’s most respected voices in roots music. In 2024, Clark earned Best Americana Performance at the 66th Grammy Awards and Song of the Year at the Americana Honors & Awards for “Dear Insecurity,” her collaboration with Brandi Carlile. Her selftitled album (produced by Carlile) has been hailed as an “Americana masterpiece,”

showcasing Clark’s deeply personal songwriting and signature blend of wit, vulnerability, and craft.

These seven additions bring even more depth and range to a lineup that already reflects the global spirit and genre-spanning heart of the festival. From boundarypushing folk to high-energy roots and Americana, the 2026 roster continues to take shape as a vibrant celebration of music and community.

As previously announced, the initial lineup includes Tommy Emmanuel, Ozomatli, John Gorka, Margo Cilker, Mason Via, Thunderstorm Artis, Cristina Vane, Toubab Krewe, Dean Johnson, Maya De Vitry, The Paperboys, Scottish Fish, Bandits on the Run, Banshee Tree, Chris Eldridge & Kristin Andreassen, Joslyn & the Sweet Compression,

Lone Piñon, Jordan Smart, Rosine, and Spencer LaJoye. The final festival lineup will feature more than 30 acts representing a wide spectrum of roots music from around the world.

Three-day festival passes are currently available at the advance price of $245 for adults and $90 for youth ages 17 and under. Children under 5 attend for free. Single-day tickets will be released this summer alongside the full performance schedule. All ticket prices include fees for maximum transparency.

Tickets are expected to sell out in advance. Attendees are encouraged to purchase early at https:// aftontickets.com/SFF2026.

For more information and artist details, or to listen to the official 2026 Sisters Folk Festival Playlist, visit https://www.sistersfolkfest. org/lineup.

Grants promote trail stewardship

The Deschutes Trails Coalition announced their 2026 Small Project Grant for trail-focused projects within the Deschutes National Forest. For 2026, this program will award up to $30,000 for multiple small projects.

The application window is now open.

The Deschutes Trails Coalition is soliciting proposals for trails-focused small projects occurring on, or impacting, publicly accessible trails within Deschutes County and parts of the Deschutes National Forest extending into neighboring counties. Project proposals that maintain or restore existing trails are encouraged.

The purpose of the Deschutes Trails Coalition (DTC) is to ensure a future of sustainable trails in Central Oregon. The DTC includes representatives from the conservation, business, tourism, and trail-user communities who work together to make recommendations to envision and create a sustainable trail system throughout Central Oregon. Organizational goals include:

• Support and improve trails in Central Oregon in collaboration with our partners and land managers, driven by the Four Pillars of Sustainability.

• Instill a stewardship ethic within Central Oregonians and its visitors,

Sheriff’s program trains mentors

Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth (COPY), a program of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, is offering a class to prepare volunteers to become mentors for children with an incarcerated parent.

After initial training and background checks, volunteers are matched with a child that shares similar interests and commits to spending a few hours a week together for a minimum of one year. This time is often spent on outside activities, exploring the community, doing art or craft projects, or simply hanging out and

talking.

On Saturday, April 11, COPY will offer an orientation/training class. This three-and-a-half-hour class covers program policies, how to establish a mentor relationship, the impact incarceration has on families, and communication skills. There is no cost to attend, but advanced registration is required.

For details call 541-3886651 or email COPY@ deschutes.org. Additional program information is available at the Sheriff’s Office website: www.sheriff. deschutes.org/copy.

in sustaining trails.

• Promote equitable access for underrepresented communities to foster positive trail experiences for all.

• Encourage community and visitor investment that reflects the economic and social value of Central Oregon trails.

• For more information visit https://deschutestrails coalition.org.

Exhibit celebrates ‘hands that feed’

A new exhibit at the High Desert Museum features vibrant murals, hand-drawn animations, and freestanding, hand-painted art that offer a window into the daily lives of the people who harvest the fresh fruits and vegetables we bring to our tables. Opening Saturday, April 11, Miguel Almeida: Las Manos que dan de Comer (Miguel Almeida: The Hands That Feed) portrays everyday workers and community figures whose labor often goes unseen.

Almeida, 33, comes from a long line of farm workers, a primary source of his artistic inspiration. Growing up amid the fertile fields of the Owyhee and Snake River valleys of Idaho —where he worked alongside his mother during some summers— shaped his connection to the land and the people who work it, themes central to the murals he creates around Boise, Idaho, where he is based.

The art of this first-generation Mexican American prompts visitors to think not only about where our food comes from but also about the people who labor in the fields that sustain us.

“The Museum explores how people and the landscape shape one another, and Miguel Almeida’s work brings that relationship to life in a powerful way,” said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “His images center the farm workers, inviting visitors to consider the human stories behind what often feels like an invisible process. The exhibition aims to open important conversations about conservation, land use, and agricultural practices

through the perspectives of the people who are closely connected to the land.”

The exhibition entrance signals a shift into this world. The gallery façade is transformed with bold color— pinks, teals, yellows, and purples influenced by the artist’s visits to Mexico and fascination with the country on everything from architecture to pastries. Inside the roughly 1,000-square-foot space, large-scale murals anchor the gallery.

At the center of the gallery, a hand-painted cutout figure of a worker more than 10 feet tall is surrounded by soil. The scent of the earth and ambient audio of field sounds further immerse visitors in that landscape. On either side of the gallery, hand-painted animations play. One follows a farmworker through the rhythms of a workday — from family life to the fields in all kinds of weather. The other traces the path of harvested food into the modern supply chain, contrasting the experiences of agricultural labor with the everyday act of shopping at a grocery store.

“My hope, through this work, is that people make a connection to who is doing the hard work to feed us,” Almeida said. “I wanted to take it a step further and make sure we aren’t just reduced to a ‘labor force.’ We are also humans, with hopes and dreams who are here out of necessity to provide a better life for our children.”

The exhibition, translated into Spanish by Almeida, came about after Dustin Cockerham, senior curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Museum, discovered

Halo around the sun...

Almeida’s work while on a motorcycle trip in Idaho. Outside of Boise, he was struck by the smell of onions and produce from nearby fields when a mural caught his attention—its bold colors and stylized figures standing out against the working farmland. He began seeing more murals around the city, discovered it was the same artist, and contacted him.

“There’s almost a comicbook superhero element to it,” Cockerham said. “It’s a very contemporary style, influenced by skateboarding culture while also drawing from Mexican folk traditions. What’s compelling is how the artist uses this to illuminate bigger issues— our food systems, the land,

agriculture—through the lens of the people whose labor is at the center of it.”

Miguel Almeida: Las Manos que dan de Comer (Miguel Almeida: The Hands That Feed) is open

through Sunday, October 11. It is made possible by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, with support from Central Oregon Radiology Associates.

to enjoy

are present in good numbers too, though they require a bit more luck to spot. Your best chances come in the early morning, particularly in open meadows and along the forest-meadow edges near the Metolius River watershed, one of the region’s premier wildlife corridors.

“Elk and deer are currently on the move from winter range habitats to their summer range at higher elevations, stopping along the way to take advantage of spring green-up of vegetation. While mule deer populations continue to decline, elk herds in the Sisters area are doing very well, with record counts again this year in the Metolius and Upper Deschutes units,” Walch said.

“Rocky Mountain goats in the Central Cascades continue to do well, with an estimated population of 170 individuals last summer. The majority of goats live between Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson,” he added.

Black bears live in the forests here, and the Deschutes Land Trust has documented their presence in the hills around Sisters. Despite their numbers, most visitors never see one. Black bears are shy, tend to avoid humans, and are adept at melting into cover. That said, standard bear-aware camping practices are wise. Store food properly and don’t leave anything scented in your tent.

Mountain lions (cougars) are another thing altogether. They are present in the area, but a sighting would be unusual. These cats are among the most elusive animals in North America, and the vast majority of people who spend years hiking the Cascades foothills never lay eyes on one.

Coyotes, by contrast, are common. You are more likely to hear their distinctive yipping and howling at night than see them, but daylight sightings at forest edges are not rare.

Nugget readers are well informed about wolves, the Metolius pack being nearby.

“Gray wolves continue to expand their range in the east Cascades, and denning season is approaching. The annual ODFW wolf report will be released later this month and will show marked increases in the wolf population in Central Oregon,” Walch said.

Overhead, the skies around Sisters Country reward those who look up. Osprey and bald eagles

soar above the area’s rivers and lakes, while red-tailed hawks are a near-constant presence above open ground, often right in town. In the forest itself, Steller’s jays announce themselves loudly and often. Clark’s nutcrackers work the high-elevation pines, and several species of woodpecker drum away in the snags. At dusk, bats emerge over water, and great horned owls take over the night shift.

Reptile enthusiasts will find the Sisters area particularly rewarding, thanks again to that Cascades-to-desert transition. The Western fence lizard is the star of the show. Males are abundant on sunny rocks and logs, doing conspicuous push-up displays to show off the iridescent blue patches on their bellies. Sagebrush lizards occupy the drier, more open terrain toward the forest’s eastern edge.

Among snakes, the gopher snake deserves special mention. Not because it is dangerous, but because it is so frequently mistaken for one that is. When threatened, this large, harmless snake flattens its head into a triangular shape, vibrates its tail against dry leaves, and hisses aggressively, doing a convincing impression of a rattlesnake.

It is not one. The actual Western rattlesnake, specifically the Great Basin rattlesnake subspecies, does live in the area, but primarily in rocky, sunny, drier spots at the forest’s eastern margins rather than in dense timber. Bites are uncommon; rattlesnakes are not aggressive and strike defensively only when surprised or cornered. The sensible precaution is simply to watch where you place your hands and feet around rocky outcroppings.

One of the area’s more surprising residents is the rubber boa, one of only two boa species native to North America. Small, slow-moving, and often found coiled under logs and rocks, it is harmless and fascinating, a creature that looks exotic but is quietly at home in the Oregon Cascades.

The best strategy for wildlife watching around Sisters is simple. Go early, move quietly, and focus your attention on edges, the places where forest meets meadow, where dry ground meets water. That is where the transition zone delivers its rich est rewards, and where the wild things of Sisters make themselves known.

The Forest Service declined to comment for this story.

With thanks to Oregon Wildlife Coalition, The Wildlife Society, The Deschutes Land Trust and Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. WILD THINGS:

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CATEGORIES:

102

Commercial

Rentals

Office for Rent at Sisters Art Works

•211 sq. ft. - $425/month

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

•In-town, gated, 24-7

EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

MINI STORAGE

Sisters Rental

331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor

RV parking. 7-day access.

Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.

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 plus deposit. References required. Pet negotiable. No storage. Call 541-420-0175.

339 N Locust Lane

3 bedroom, 1 bath manufactured house with detached garage on oversized lot. Refrigerator, Stove/oven, Microwave, washer/dryer, A/C. Gazebo and storage room. Owner pays all utilities including internet. Small pets allowed. $2250 first/last rent plus $300 cleaning deposit ($500 with pets). No smoking. Call 541-639-2875.

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com

T H E N U G G E T N E W S P A P E R NuggetNews.com

5 4 1 . 5 4 9 . 9 9 4 1

Cowboy Court Apartments

2 bedroom 2 bath. $1,695/month, RSD $1,650. One year lease. Some pets considered (dogs & cats OK with add'l $350 RSD per pet). This is 1st floor unit in the back building. W/S/Garbage/ landscaping is paid. approx. 1,000 sq. ft. NO SMOKING.

154 W Adams Ave. #204 Dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer, patio, garbage disposal, granite countertops, energy efficient windows, storage, plank flooring throughout, electric heat w/air conditioning, off-street parking - one reserved space (covered space $20/Month).

104 Vacation Rentals

Downtown Vacation Rentals

Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom info@SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

107 Rentals Wanted THE NUGGET NEWSPAPER

201 For Sale

4x7 TRAILER FOR SALE

Removable rear gate. $950. Call 541-410-2870

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

Order Online! 541-410-4509

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

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

402 Livestock

C.A.R.E.’S Chicks! Raised by local kids. CARESCHICKS@gmail.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

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

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

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.

SMALL Engine REPAIR

Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers

Sisters Rental

331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines

501 Computers & Communications

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

Do You Provide a Service? Advertise in The Nugget!

JUNK REMOVAL & EXT. HOME SERVICES

Fire/Tree/Storm/Estate cleanup, manure removal, demo, pressure washing, concrete/paver sealing, excavation. 541-784-8522 brushmasterlandmanagementllc 600 Tree Service & Forestry

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

www.nuggetnews.com

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

• 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

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

Custom Homes

Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

— Serving Sisters Since 2010 —

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

CASCADE GARAGE DOORS

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

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 SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling • New Construction • Water Heaters 541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial

Electrical Service & Repair

Est. 1947, CCB#54572 Local in Sisters 503-357-2146

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

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

Walls Needing a Touchup?

Check the Classifieds!

CASCADE VALLEY CONTRACTING, LLC

General Contractor CCB#180099

Custom Remodels • Additions

• Decks • Firewise Upgrades

20+ Years Licensed, Bonded, Insured. Call/Text 541-728-8607

Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587 The Nugget • 541-549-9941

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

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

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

& Cooling, LLC

• New Const

Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs

S

605 Painting

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

peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491

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

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

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

SUDOKU SOLUTION

for puzzle on page 22

– 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

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

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