The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLIX No. 21 // 2026-05-27

The Nugget

Vol. XLIX No. 21

Beloved teachers step into retirement

By Lilli Worona Correspondent

Three longtime educators at Sisters High School (SHS) are retiring at the end of this school year. Samra Spear, Jami Lyn Weber, and Gail Greaney are close friends and collaborators who have well over 50 years of teaching experience between them and a lifetime of deep relationships with students, colleagues, and the Sisters community at large.

Samra Spear, has spent her entire career – 34 years — in the Sisters School District teaching English and Language Arts, and was one of the first cohort of new teachers that started teaching at the new high school when it opened its doors in 1992.

“When I first started teaching at SHS, there was an incredible energy and excitement surrounding a brand new school,” said Spear. “Only a few teachers had moved up from the middle school, so most of us were new to the

See RETIRING on page 12

and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

Expansion of the Sisters Urban Growth Boundary took a step forward last week. By a 3-2 vote, the City of Sisters Planning Commission (SPC) approved the Urban Growth Boundary amendment application as submitted during the May 21 public hearing.

The City’s UGB expansion project is currently in the sixth phase — Findings and Approval. During this phase the City submitted to the State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development the UGB expansion amendment application (including City staff

Adventure on two wheels…

relaxation in town. Seestory,page4.

Planning Commission recommends approval of UGB

findings) for their acknowledgement. The UGB amendment application was also sent to the SPC and one to Deschutes County Planning Commission for public hearings by both entities.

The County planning commission hearing will occur May 28. Each planning commission provides their hearing results to their elected officials: City Council or Deschutes County Board of Commissioners (BOCC), then the Council and BOCC plan to have a joint public hearing for a final review and approval.

If approved, the maps in both entities’ comprehensive

See UGB on page 16

draws cyclists from all across the region, who enjoy camaraderie, “crazy

and

Fire levies garner overwhelming support

By Jim Cornelius

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Memorial Day is the traditional kickoff to the summer season, an opportunity to “grill and chill” over a three-day weekend. But that is not what Memorial Day is about.

Brigadier General Jim Cunningham stressed this point in his keynote speech at Sisters’ annual Memorial Day Observances on Monday, May 25, at the Village Green. Cunningham served as a special operations pilot in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, was commander of the Oregon Air National Guard when the attacks of September 11, 2001, changed the world, and he has served as a volunteer with a variety of community

Voters in Sisters and Cloverdale showed overwhelming support for local option levies to support fire district operations. SistersCamp Sherman Fire District’s Measure 9-182 garnered more than 75 percent of the vote, while Cloverdale Fire District’s Measure 9-183 passed by a 62 percent to 38 percent

Sisters honors the fallen

In a celebratory gathering at Sisters Fire Hall on Friday, May 22, Fire Chief Tony Prior expressed gratitude to the community for its support and to the fire district staff and volunteers. He noted that the success of the levy was due in large part to the connection the district has built with the

See ELECTION on page 15

VFW Post Commander Pat Bowe saluted the colors while serving as emcee for the Memorial Day service hosted by Sisters veterans groups own Monday.

and cultural organizations in Sisters.

“We have gathered here today to reflect on and

remember those who are responsible for providing us

See MEMORIAL DAY on page 16

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.

Zone change

To the Editor:

Entering Sisters from the east, we see a beautiful city entrance with open rangeland to the south side and a beautiful aspen grove on the North.

We might say thanks to Bruce and Marlene

Rognlien, owners of the aspen grove property, for planting and permanently watering the grove.

But to put a motel on the open spot across the highway would be questionable planning and zoning policy. Like splashing paint on your favorite painting?

Thomas Fish and Bonnie Asay

Sisters Weather Forecast

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Sisters seniors say:

‘We’re not done yet!’

By Jim Horsley Guest Columnist

On May 17, following both church services, something new and meaningful unfolded in the life of Sisters Community Church.

Pastor Steve Stratos and I had an opportunity to share our vision and heart for BY FAITH — a year-long monthly interactive gathering initiated for those of us in the “Fourth Quarter” of our lives. Our hope is that it would be a transformational experience for us seniors who are not done yet —not finishing but preparing, not retired but renewed.

It is intended for anyone in our community who desires to intentionally grow closer to Christ and to one another, and who have a desire to reflect His hope and help to others in the journey ahead. Statistically, approximately 40 percent of both the Sisters community and our church family are 65 years of age or older. In that context, the impulse for BY FAITH emerged through a growing awareness that many were only on the fringes of our family of faith. We came to better understand that they often felt overlooked — not intentionally excluded, yet not really feeling connected in established circles and routines.

In this season marked by post-career transitions — retirement, shifting identity, loss, and new rhythms — many encounter subtle but real barriers: sliding into comfort and isolation, hesitating to trust more deeply, or quietly wondering if their most significant contributions are behind them.

In reality, many of the relationships we’ve carried through life have been shaped by shared responsibilities, common interests, or a few close friends. They mattered, and still do, but they don’t always create the space where we are truly known — or where we take the time to truly know others.

As an example, over the

past number of months, we have experienced a glimpse of this in our visits to residents at Sisters Lodge. We don’t show up with a plan or a program. We simply show up with a willingness to sit, to listen, and to be present.

While their bodies may be slowing, there remains a bright light in their souls, along with a quiet strength and sparkling humor in those we’ve come to know. In our open and honest conversations, it becomes clear how much it matters to be seen, not in a passing way, but in a way that honors their stories and touches their hearts.

It is similar to that Genesis 16 moment when Hagar, destitute and banished to the wilderness with her child, encounters El Roi, “the God who sees me.” It is a story that challenges me to see others with His eyes, whether it is those we worship with, our neighbors, our seniors, or those living in the forest.

As our BY FAITH sessions begin, we have outlined 12 key life and faith themes, each reflecting real questions and real opportunities for renewed purpose and more meaningful spiritual depth. We’ll convene the first Wednesday each month in groups around discussion tables hosted by welcoming couples who are great question askers, not statement makers; encouraging an interactive, shared journey where participants feel at ease.

It may be that in doing so, we discover this season of life holds more purpose, more connection, and more quiet impact than we ever expected.

All in our community are invited! There is no cost for the gatherings or notebook. First Wednesday each month beginning June 3, 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. at Sisters Community Church Fireside Room, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy.

To register or get more information, contact Jim Horsley at 206-890-3008 or jimhorsley4@gmail.com.

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

Pianist will perform outdoors at BBR

as a soundtrack to their experience.

time outside and not in a practice room.”

Looking to the future of old school

Old Sisters High School began operations at the beginning of the 1939-40 school year. Its first principal was Harold Y. Smith.

The initial year’s operating cost was $3,321, including $2,970 in salaries, $111 for supplies, and $240 for books. Building plant operation cost $919. $489 was spent on maintenance.

The building served as the town’s high school for 29 consecutive school years (through 1968-69).

By 1967 the City of Sisters’ fortunes had changed. The local economy

was shrinking, and the school costs were rising. There were mill closures. A two-year debate about budget and schools ensued. There were proposals to merge Sisters schools (or at least the high school) with Bend and/or Redmond schools. The budget wars saw some school budget proposals voted down. Eventually the school board accepted a tuition plan to send Sisters High School students (about 65 kids) to Redmond High School.

In May 1969, Old Sisters High School was deleted from the SSD#6 budget. For the next 22 years, high

Classical pianist and naturalist Hunter Noack will bring his “In A Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” concert series to Black Butte Ranch June 15-17.

An extensive summer tour across the American West marks the 11th year that Noack has taken performances out of concert halls and into mountaintop, old-growth forest and sunny meadows settings across the American West. Noack will travel with a 1912 Steinway Model D piano for 50 concerts this year. Audiences listen through wireless headphones, wandering afield with the music

Noack, who grew up in Sunriver in Central Oregon, feels a special affinity for the Black Butte Ranch setting.

“You can’t get more epic of a backdrop than the meadow and the mountains at Black Butte Ranch,” he told The Nugget . “You can drive right up to the grass and lay out your blanket. It’s pretty ideal, and we’re really grateful for Black Butte continuing to host us.”

The outdoors is just as important in Noack’s life as music — and he longed to combine the two passions.

“I grew up hunting and fishing and spending a lot of time outside,” he recalled. “I wanted to spend more

He conceived of playing concerts in spectacular natural settings.

“We got a grant and tried it out — and it was a big hit,” he said. “It’s very different playing outside, compared to being in a concert hall. It’s a little like we’re all experiencing the landscape together. I actually change what I play sometimes, depending on what we are all feeling.”

For example, when the breeze stirs the aspens at Black Butte Ranch, Noack might adapt his tempo to theirs.

Playing outdoors can be challenging.

Musicians celebrate an era with reunion

The band is getting back together.

Dennis McGregor and The Spoilers are regrouping to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album, “Front Porch to the Moon.”

The celebration is not just for the music but for the era. For many longtime locals this album recalls a special time in the evolution of Sisters’ music scene. When the Sisters Folk Festival was new and wobbly, McGregor was one of those who was a bit skeptical of its potential.

“After all,” he said, “it

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.

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 Boa rd of D irectors 2nd Tuesday, 3:3 0 p.m. 5 41-595 -6203. See schedule www.blackbutte.k12.or.us/

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

started out as a chili cook off, then decided to be a music festival. It didn’t take long for me to become a believer though. When I saw Kelly Joe Phelps playing in Pine Meadow, with the setting sun lighting up the mountains behind him, I was mesmerized. It was a transformative experience.”

As the festival gained traction, drawing people from greater distances, many of the featured acts were singer-songwriters.

CITY & PARKS

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

Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall.

FIRE & POLICE

Sisters Stampede ups the adrenaline

By Bill Bartlet Correspondent

When the gun went off Sunday morning on Washington Avenue and Pine Street, some 500-plus mountain bikers rolled out in a parade start past cheering spectators before funneling onto the singletrack trails they came here to race. The Sisters Stampede, now in its 16th year, brings one of Oregon’s most beloved cross-country mountain bike races back to the Peterson Ridge Trail system, and in 2026, the stakes were higher than ever.

This year’s event served as the 2026 OBRA MTB XC Championships, meaning eligible Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) members weren’t just chasing podium points and bragging rights, they were racing for an official state title. First-place finishers in championship categories received custom OBRA Championship jerseys, presented alongside the standard Sisters Stampede awards.

The race offered two courses: a 14-mile short course starting at 9 a.m. and a 25-mile long course starting at 11:45 a.m., with 35 total categories spanning 70 years. Both courses used a mass wave start format, with riders rolling out under a neutral pace before racing officially begins, a format that keeps the festive, community feel of the event intact even as elite competitors battled for the front.

The terrain has earned a regional reputation. The Peterson Ridge Trails were originally built in 1989 as a mountain bike network and expanded significantly in 2008, growing to over 20 miles of singletrack with a ladder-system design connecting east and west legs.

The trail offers mostly flowing, smooth singletrack

through ponderosa pine forest, with occasional lava rock gardens and, higher up, sweeping views of the Three Sisters and the broader Cascade Range. For racers doing the long course, that’s 25 miles of what the trails are known for – fast, fun, and just technical enough to keep you honest.

The event sold out for 2026 with 550 entrants, as it did each of the last several years, a testament to its following. Staging is centered at Blazin Saddles Bike Shop with racers parking at Sisters High School and riding 1.5 miles to the start. A block party packet pickup at Blazin Saddles ran the day before.

The overall long course champions — top man and top woman — received a Romance Cabin stay at FivePine Lodge and Spa, along with a $1,500 cash purse distributed across the top five overall finishers. Custom pint glasses, Glass Forge trophies, and free entry to next year’s race rounded out the prizes for the day’s fastest riders.

Sisters Trails Alliance, which maintains the Peterson Ridge system year-round, is a key partner in making the event possible. They were on-hand and telling first-time riders in Sisters, “The trail system feels welcoming. Unlike some Central Oregon rides built around technical drops and intimidating rock gardens, Peterson Ridge is approachable. You still encounter lava rock, roots, and loose corners that keep you alert, but the terrain rewards momentum and confidence more than aggression.”

Riders were relaxed and talkative as race time neared in near perfect weather. It was nicely sunny with early morning cool temps for the short course pack of almost 400 riders. For many it was a ride made several times.

Others were entered for the first effort and were excited to be in a race against the clock with accomplished cyclists from eight states.

“I’ve dreamed of Peterson for a long time,” said Cassie Lincoln of Boise. She described what her brothers and fiancé told her about riding in Sisters:

“It’s as good as it gets for entry and mid-level riders wanting to take it to the next level. Something for everybody. Serious but not crazy. Maybe crazy fun,” she said with a laugh.

Beyond the riders who ranged from ages nine to 79, hundreds of friends and family made it to Sisters, many swelling campgrounds and RV parks to capacity. Eateries and watering holes lapped up the enthusiasm shown. Merchants were generally delighted with the added toll to their tills.

The long course riders, about 150 of them, found warmer temps, approaching 80.

“I’m racing the thermometer today,” said Patrick Mulcahey of Portland. Like the earlier pedalers they were gregarious, urging each other on, and but for a very few, not taking the day too seriously.

“This is supposed to be fun and fun it’s going to be,” Tate Burnett and his pals from Spokane promised each other.

And as racers clocked in for the finish it was all grins, save a few minor scrapes, and maybe a few ounces of dust.

Then for many it was off to Village Green or Creekside Park where the cool, shaded grass washed away the Peterson grit. A few hundred jammed outdoor beverage spots, recalling the day’s adventure.

Promises to return again next year were many and sincere.

Friends & family are gathering to celebrate Roy’s 100th birthday June 13, 2026, 2 to 4 p.m. Redmond VFW Hall, 491 SW Veterans Way

Roy was born in Alabama in 1926 and served in the Navy aboard the USS ORCA from 1943–1946. Following his service, he and Leona were married, and they later welcomed their children, Rita and Rocky They settled in Central Oregon, where Roy worked for Barclay Logging for his entire career. His hobbies include golfing and watching boxing. Join us to wish Roy a happy 100th birthday. No gifts please.

The true count of homeless in Sisters

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

The April 28 edition of The Nugget featured a story about increased homelessness based on interviews with persons on the ground, dealing day-in and day-out with the population. It was, as we reported, anecdotal as the Point-in-Time (PIT) survey had yet to be published.

Then in last week’s edition in a story covering a roundup of news from the City, The Nugget reported that the PIT numbers were in and showed a decline in homelessness from the prior year. So, which is it? Are there more or fewer?

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the annual PIT survey — the one-night census conducted each January by local Continuums of Care for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — is widely considered useful, but incomplete. Most researchers, advocates, and even HUD itself acknowledge that it undercounts the true number of people experiencing homelessness.

The PIT count is generally viewed as reasonably accurate for people staying in shelters because those individuals can be directly counted through shelter

records. The unsheltered population, people sleeping outdoors, in vehicles, camps, abandoned buildings, or temporarily with others, is far harder to measure.

As Sisters has no shelter, the undercount is more likely.

Several major weaknesses affect accuracy, the Alliance says. It measures only a single night in January, missing people who cycle in and out of homelessness during the year.

Many unhoused people intentionally avoid volunteers or stay in hidden locations.

Methodology varies between communities, meaning one city may conduct a far more thorough count than another.

People who are “doubled up” with friends or family are generally excluded under HUD’s definition, even though many housing advocates consider them homeless.

Weather, volunteer staffing, police activity, and local geography can significantly influence results.

By any count, the unhoused, especially those living in the forest are of major concern to many of our readers, particularly in view of a worrisome fire year exacerbated by drought.

DCSO sees good results from alert test

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Management and 9-1-1 is reporting strong engagement from the community following last week’s countywide Deschutes Alerts test, conducted on May 13. Participation in Deschutes Alerts has continued to grow, which is reflected in the most recent data as residents updated their emergency notification information or created new profiles:

• 2,010 new Deschutes Alerts profiles created

• 2,685 existing profiles updated through the member portal

• 72,205 people received the test message on May 13

• 18,482 confirmed receipt

The Sheriff’s Office strongly encourages everyone who lives or works in Deschutes County to sign up for Deschutes Alerts or review their existing information anytime at deschutes alerts.org. Ensuring your

information is accurate allows emergency notifications to reach you quickly during critical incidents such as wildfires, severe weather, or law enforcement activity.

For more information call 541-388-6501. Sheriff’s Office staff are available to assist residents in updating or confirming their Deschutes Alerts profile over the phone.

Frequently Asked Questions about Deschutes Alerts and additional emergency preparedness information are available on the Sheriff’s Office website.

C4C awards $15,000 for community projects

Citizens4Community (C4C) has awarded $15,000 to six community projects as part of its seventh annual Momentum Grants program. The awards are designed to support impactful grassroots initiatives aligned with the Sisters Country Vision — a collaborative framework guiding long-term well-being for our community.

Interest in the program remained exceptionally strong this year, with 29 applications submitted, tying last year’s record high. In recognition of this continued demand and innovative community spirit, C4C increased the total award amount by $5,000 for the 2026 grants program.

A Selection Committee made up of C4C board members and Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team representatives reviewed project proposals spanning youth development, arts and culture, food security, wildfire resilience, historic preservation, entrepreneurship, senior services, animal welfare, educational innovation, and more.

In addition to alignment with the Vision, Committee members considered each project’s potential for lasting impact, collaborative spirit, and inclusion of new community voices.

C4C’s 2026 Momentum Grant recipients are: Outlaw Strings: To

support the transition of the Outlaw Strings fiddling club into a sustainable, community-based music and lessons program. Grant funds will support startup costs including scholarships, instrument purchases, outreach, and program infrastructure.

Little Radical Film Shop: To partner with Sisters Elementary School on a library-based checkout program of screen-free digital cameras, providing students with an accessible and creative introduction to photography and visual storytelling.

Sisters School District (IGNITE Program): To help establish a sustainable model for the IGNITE program, supporting internships, mentorships, entrepreneurial projects, and community-based learning opportunities for students while ensuring alignment with Oregon academic standards.

High Desert Food and Farm Alliance: To sustain and expand the VeggieRx program in Sisters following the loss of federal funding, providing fresh locally sourced produce, nutrition education, and healthy recipe resources to residents experiencing food insecurity and diet-related health challenges.

Camp Polk Pioneer Cemetery Preservation Committee: To improve security and stewardship at the

Camp Polk Pioneer Cemetery through the installation of surveillance cameras and related infrastructure, aimed at reducing vandalism and preserving this local historic site.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District’s Community Risk Reduction Program: In partnership with Sisters Fire Corps, to improve defensible space around the Sisters and Camp Sherman Post Offices, reducing wildfire risk to critical infrastructure while educating patrons about community resilience best practices.

“This grant will make an immediate and lasting impact on the Sisters community,” said Steven Lord, community risk specialist with the Fire District. “Not only will we be protecting one of Sisters’ most

The selection committee really had their work cut out for them choosing amongst such a thoughtful and diverse range of proposals.

— Kellen Klein

frequented buildings, but also demonstrating how we can all work together to make our community more prepared for wildfire. We’re grateful to C4C for investing in this project!”

“This is such an inspiring program,” said Kellen Klein, executive director of C4C.

“The selection committee really had their work cut out for them choosing amongst such a thoughtful and diverse range of proposals. We’re grateful to every applicant for sharing their creativity and passion with us, and we’re

committed to finding additional ways to help residents of Sisters Country bring their community building ideas to life.”

C4C extended its congratulations to the 2026 Momentum Grantees, and its appreciation to all applicants, Selection Committee members, and community partners working to build a better Sisters Country for all. Learn more about the Momentum Grants at www.citizens4 community.com/grants, and about the Sisters Country Vision at sistersvision.org.

Student-prepared dinner yields over $16,000

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Last week offered a master class in dining excellence when Sisters High School (SHS) culinary arts students put on a four-course gourmet dinner for 120 guests, each of whom paid $49 for a meal that “matched anything in town,” as diners repeatedly proclaimed.

“That would have been at least twice the price anywhere else,” said guest Steve Auerbach.

Hors d’oeuvres served by roving student waiters consisted of caprese skewers with house-cured bacon, hatch chili cornbread with cilantro lime crème fraiche, red pepper gougère with smoked trout, and pickled cucumber with goat cheese boursin and grilled vegetable relish.

The first course was a stunningly prepared avocado and salmon tajin tostada with angel hair cabbage slaw, cilantro oil, and tapatio aioli. And if that wasn’t enough wow, the main course

followed with an exquisite beef bourguignon en croute with braised seasonal Seed to Table greens.

And to finish the fete: fresh berries pound cake and lemon curd yogurt parfait.

The evening was a fundraiser for the Sisters Rotary Club Foundation who have a long and deep history of supporting education in Sisters at all three schools. This includes multiple $2,000 scholarships annually, the Books For Kids project at the elementary school, and sponsoring the Middle School Arts Expo Awards night.

The evening had 11 sponsors led by St. Charles Health System. Beyond the demonstrated skills of the student chefs, others provided a dazzling evening of entertainment with performances by the SHS Jazz Band, SHS Jazz Choir, and the Americana Project.

It was a major success, according to Foundation President Mike Corwin.

“The Best of SHS Dinner and Showcase was a

Streetscape project…

tremendous success. The teamwork, effort and hours it required to pull off that show of Sisters High School talent can’t be appreciated enough. The students were amazing, from musicians, dancers, servers, workers, chefs, athletes and those from Outlaw Media,” Corwin said.

Presentations were made by SHS Outlaw Athletics, SHS Dance/Cheer Team, Outlaw Media, and SHS manufacturing programs. The audience was mesmerized by video presentations: “The Essence of An Outlaw” and an OPB feature on the guitar luthier program.

There was a short oral auction and paddle raise humorously gaveled by Eric Lindstrom.

“Eric Lindstrom was spot on with his emcee work adapting to the program and last-minute details flawlessly, while adding some of his own lighthearted videos to keep it light and entertaining,” Corwin said. “Media students Conlan Archer and Morgan Daniel were invaluable and

Construction continues for the subgrade, utility, and stormwater work on the south side of Adams Avenue, from Pine Street to Elm Street, and on Oak, Ash, and Elm streets. The contractor will be working with property owners to make sure they give access to everyone adjacent to the active construction area. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians are advised to use caution in the area and expect brief delays during working hours. The $4 million streetscape project is expected to be completed by the end of September.

ran the big screen production to add that much more to the show.”

Inspiration for the event, which will become an annual happening, came from Rotarian Sandy Reilly.

“It’s much more than a fundraiser. The bigger goal was to showcase the talents of the culinary art program in particular and vocational education in general,” Reilly said.

Culinary Arts falls under the high school’s CTE (Career & Technical Education) umbrella which also includes Flight Science, Health Science, and Manufacturing/ Design/Construction. Students in Culinary Arts have five course offerings including International Foods and Food Science.

“The Dinner and Showcase was a wonderful evening celebrating Sisters High School students,” said guests Melinda and Eric Schuur. “The dinner was both beautifully presented and delicious. It was great to connect with so many people involved in

The dinner was both beautifully presented and delicious. It was great to connect with so many people involved in supporting their community.

— Melinda & Eric Schuur

supporting their community.

“Rotary should be commended for their efforts in facilitating such an event. In doing so, they enabled the students to highlight their creative interests and skills, including culinary, music, and dance. From our perspective, the evening was a 10 out of 10!”

Sponsors included Advantage Mortgage, Black Butte Ranch, Central Oregon Daily, Crazy R/Running T Ranch, Fika Sisters Coffeehouse, Heirloom & Co., Madi Cakes, Mid Oregon Credit Union, Oliver Lemons’s, St. Charles Health Systems, and Seed To Table.

720 N. Hindeman St., Sisters

243

Don’t

Overdose deaths decline

By Mia Maldonado Correspondent

Overdose deaths in Oregon have dropped for a second year in a row, according to the state’s health agency.

There were 1,100 overdose deaths in 2025, preliminary estimates from the Oregon Health Authority show — a drop from more than 1,500 in 2024 and 1,800 in 2023. The decline marks the first year-over-year decline since 2016.

More than 90% of those overdose deaths involved fentanyl, methamphetamine, or some combination of both, according to John McIlveen, Oregon’s State Opioid Treatment Authority.

Historically underserved communities are bearing the brunt of the opioid crisis, McIlveen said, but the new data show Oregon’s investments in prevention, treatment, and harm reduction are helping save lives.

To reduce overdose deaths, the state has invested in the Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse, which provides no-cost supplies such as naloxone, infection prevention and wound care kits to health clinics, law enforcement, tribes, and community-based organizations across Oregon. The state also provides grants to behavioral health providers to support people with substance use disorders regardless of their ability to pay, and it has expanded its opioid treatment programs, prevention programs and peer services.

Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 courtesy of https://oregon capitalchronicle.com.

Track athletes qualify for state championships

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

The Outlaws girls track team will be represented in 10 events and the boys in one at this week’s OSAA Track and Field Championships. That’s thanks to strong performances at the 3A Special District 1 meet held May 21–22 at Sutherlin High School.

The District meet serves as the qualifier for state as the top two finishers in each event, along with any athletes meeting state qualifying standards or earning wildcard berths, punch their ticket to Hayward Field.

The Outlaws started the second day of the meet in fashion as Selah Sanford, Nona Smith, Shanitah Few, and Caroline Dean won the 400-meter relay in a very quick 49.77 seconds.

Sanford claimed the only individual title at a district meet, which was loaded with state-level sprinters, winning the 200 meters in 26.07. She also placed a very fast second in the 100 meters, thanks to a friendly tailwind of 2.3 meters per second, in 12.13 seconds. The next three finishers, including Few, who placed fifth in 12.80 seconds, all qualified for state by time. Times are considered “windaided” if the measure is 2.0 meters per second or more.

The winner, Ryan Thomas of Pleasant Hill, clocked 11.96 seconds.

Nona Smith will return to the state meet in the 400 meters, where she placed third last year, after hitting the auto-qualifying time of 1:00.36 while placing third. Few also picked up a berth at state by placing third in the high jump, which earned her the wild-card entry in the event, which means her clearance of 4 feet 10.5 inches was the highest

third-place finish among all the 3A District meets.

After finishing second in the pole vault on Thursday, and earning her third consecutive trip to Hayward Field, Althea Crabtree picked up a spot at state in the 100 hurdles by beating the qualifying standard by nearly a halfsecond to place fourth in the event in a time of 16.21.

Like the 100 meters, five girls qualified for state in the 300 hurdles, including freshman Kaia Backouris, who finished fourth in 48.19 seconds to beat the auto standard of 48.81. Crabtree finished sixth in the race (50.84) and Brooke Duey seventh (51.61).

Wrapping up the meet, the Outlaws put all their speed into the 4x400-meter relay, demolishing the competition in 4:07.21, third best among 3A schools this year and getting closer to last year’s best of 4:02.54 at state.

Other Outlaws that contributed to the girls’ thirdplace team finish included Mary Roberts (800 meters, 2:37, sixth place) and Sofia Clark (1500, 5:39, sixth, and 3000, 12:27, seventh).

Siuslaw won the meet with 128 points, followed by Glide (112), Sisters (93), Creswell and La Pine (82), Pleasant Hill (50), Harrisburg (47), Elmira (35), and Sutherlin (18).

With no points coming in the throwing events nor the horizontal jumps, the Outlaws could not keep pace with the Vikings.

Sophomore Jasper Jensen provided the biggest highlight for the boys team, winning the high jump in a personal best of 6 feet 1.25 inches. Mason Schartz of Creswell cleared the same height but had more misses. Jensen also nearly made the final in the 800 meters in only his second attempt

at the distance, but finished ninth in 2:13.33.

Atom SturdevantFetterhof made the finals in the 100 (11.39) and 200 (23.37), placing fifth in both with lifetime bests. Freshman Caden Warner picked up points in the 3000 meters with a big personal best of 9:49.28 to place seventh. Joel Vogt completed a strong sophomore season by placing sixth in the 400 (53.95), while sophomore 300 hurdlers Camas Luhning (48.42) and Odin Rea (50.30) made the finals where they finished seventh and eighth respectively.

For the boys, a combination of youth and numbers — 11 boys total — made points tough to come by. In fact, other than junior Sturdevant-Fetterhof, the rest of the team was composed of seven sophomores and three freshmen.

Siuslaw overwhelmed the team race with 178 points, followed by Elmira (79), Sutherlin (78), Harrisburg (70), Pleasant Hill (65), Creswell (64), Glide (53), Sisters (37), and La Pine (36).

All Oregon classifications converge on Hayward Field for the state meet with 1A/2A/3A schools competing Thursday and Friday and 4A/5A/6A teams competing Friday and Saturday.

Outlaws play in state tennis tourney

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Dominic Pulver, Jack Murray, and Joseph Derksen all made it to the state tennis championships held in Corvallis this past weekend. The Sisters trio finished ahead of 10 other schools in the division and shared the 13th-place spot with Henley and Riverdale.

Pulver earned a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory in his opening match (round two) against Casen Rasmussen of Blanchet Catholic. Coach Vince Grace noted that Pulver showed exactly what “wanting it more” looks like.

Pulver relied on a heavy, aggressive serve that dictated the match. He used the pace to stay on the offensive, and kept the momentum firmly on his side of the net. When the ball was in play, he leaned on his massive, forceful forehand.

Grace said, “Dominic stayed aggressive and hit through the ball with total commitment, and used that pace to control the court and keep the pressure on Rasmussen. Winning that 7-6 (5) first set was a testament to his grit — he refused to blink in the big moments, and that 100 percent effort carried him through to a dominant second-set win.”

In the quarterfinals Pulver fell 0-6, 1-6 to the No. 4 singles seed, Ben Smith of St. Mary’s. Grace told The Nugget that the numbers don’t reflect the fight Pulver put up.

“Against one of the top-four seeds in the 4A/3A/2A/1A classification, Dom never stopped swinging,” said Grace. “He brought that same big serve and powerful forehand into every game, forcing his opponent to earn every point. His determination didn’t waver even when the games were going against him.”

Pulver leaves the

Outlaws program as a top eight finisher in the state championships.

Grace said, “Dominic proved that when you combine a power game with a refusal to be outworked, you can compete with anyone on the biggest stage in Corvallis. It was a memorable high school career for a senior leader.”

Derksen and Murray competed as a doubles duo. After receiving a first-round bye, the pair faced Pepera and Schwartz from Baker/ Powder Valley. They played an outstanding opening set, and won 6-4 due to their aggressive play. They left everything on the court, but ultimately fell 2-6, 3-6, in the second and third sets for the loss.

In their second match (consolation quarterfinals) they faced Rodriguez and Emmett from The Dalles. They were determined to reset after the morning heartbreaking loss, but were defeated 6-8.

Of the pair, Grace said, “Jack was stroking the ball beautifully throughout the tournament. His great serve remained a consistent weapon, and forced weak returns and allowed the team to dictate the tempo of the match. Joseph’s athleticism was on full display as he patrolled the net. He has a natural nose for the ball, and showed great anticipation to cut off angles and disrupt the opponent’s rhythm.”

Grace added, “The team truly shined when they closed in together. They utilized their reach and timing to finish points with sharp, decisive volleys, and effectively capitalized on the pressure Jack created from the back court.”

Grace told The Nugget that what he was most proud of was Derksen’s and Murray’s relentless hard work they put in every single day.

“The biggest thing I’ve seen from these two is their absolute commitment to the team and to each other as partners,” said Grace. “Committing to a team means showing up when things are tough, putting the needs of your partner above your own, and making the sacrifices necessary to compete at the highest level. They showed up, put in the hours, and lived out that commitment every time they stepped on the court.”

Grace also noted that the duo are the core of the Outlaws squad, as they led by example, and motivated the entire team through their work ethic and the way they consistently supported each other through the highs and lows.

“These are the types of leaders every really great team is made of — exactly the kind of leaders every program needs,” said Grace. “It has been a privilege to watch them compete as a cohesive doubles unit during their senior season.

“As seniors, Joseph and Jack have accomplished a great deal as a cohesive doubles team,” added Grace. “By taking a top-tier opponent to three sets at the state tournament, they proved they belong among the elite pairs. They leave the Sisters program having set the standard for what it means to be a teammate, defined by their absolute grit and an unwavering commitment to selflessness — the understanding that playing for the person beside you is always bigger than yourself.”

Obituaries

Sandra Lee Zielinski

Passed April 29, 2026

Sandra Lee Zielinski, née Dean, passed away on April 29, in Bend, just two days shy of her 83rd birthday.

Born in Portland, Sandra spent much of her childhood in the Olympia, WA, area where she was raised on a farm surrounded by thoroughbred horses bred and trained by her parents. Her love of animals, open spaces, and country life began there and stayed with her throughout her life. Horses always held a special place in her heart, and she often spoke fondly of those early years on the farm.

Sandra also spent many years working in the legal industry, supporting various attorneys in Seattle, Portland, and lastly, in Sisters. She was known for her professionalism, strong work ethic, and ability to connect with people wherever she went.

For more than 30 years, Sandra and her husband, Warren, made their home at Black Butte Ranch, where she built a life full of friendship, laughter, and community. Sandra was known for her warm smile, quick wit, and positive spirit. She loved being around people and had a gift for making others laugh with her quick wit. Her outgoing personality and genuine kindness made her a treasured friend to many.

Sandra was an avid and talented golfer with an impressive 13 handicap. Golf was one of her greatest passions, and she was deeply involved in the many tournaments and events held at the Ranch, often serving as

a chair or co-chair for committees. She was also fiercely competitive in the best way — whether on the golf course or at a bunco table — and she took great joy in winning while still making sure everyone around her was having fun.

She had a deep love for animals, especially cats, dogs, and owls. When her dog Mickey was alive, golfers would often see him on the course riding shotgun in the golf cart, displaying better manners than the golfers! She also found happiness in caring for the wildlife around her home. For many years, feeding the deer at Black Butte was one of her favorite daily traditions and brought her great joy.

Sandra is survived by her daughter, Jessica, her cherished grandchildren, Kiana and Kevin, and her husband, Warren.

More than anything, Sandra will be remembered for the joy she brought to others — her laughter, her sense of humor, her welcoming spirit, and the many friendships she cultivated over the years. She leaves behind countless memories and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

A small celebration of life will be held this summer.

COMM UN IT Y AN NOUNCE ME NTS

PET OF TH E WE EK

Humane Society

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— SPONSORED BY —

Kiwa nis Buck aroo

Brea kfast

Su nd ay, Ju ne 14, from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Si sters Rodeo Grou nd s. Adults $15, Kids ages 4-12 are $7, and ch ildren

3 year s & under are free. for in form at ion, ca ll 541- 632-3663

Widows’ Suppor t Group

Widows of al l ages are invited to join th is suppor tive group of loca l women to sh are ex periences, stories, and fr iend sh ip in a sa fe envi ronment. Sh are a potluc k of sa lads, connec t with ot hers who tr uly understa nd , and nd hope together. Mont hly gather ings are the rst Fr id ay of ever y mont h, beginning Ju ne 5, from 11:3 0 a.m.-1 p. m. in the Fi reside Room at Sisters Commun it y Church, 13 00 McKenz ie Hw y, Si sters. For question s, cont ac t Ci ndy Vice (513 -2 26 -1222) or Melody Ca rl son (5 41-81535 40).

St ud io Tours at Pi ne Meadow Ra nch

Prayer Boards, Boxes & Bi nders Satu rd ay, May 30, 2 to 4 p. m. at Sisters Commun it y Church, 13 00 McKenz ie Hw y. Create a personal iz ed prayer board, box or bi nder to help you remember to pray at th is fu n women’s event. Br ing your ow n decorati ng material s. To regi ster, go to sistersc hu rc h. org/events . For more in fo, ca ll 541-389- 6859

Livi ng Well With Dement ia Sisters Suppor t Groups Suppor t groups meet the 2nd and 4t h Wednesday of the mont h from 1 to 2:30 p. m. at Si sters Commun it y Recreation Center. e Ea rly St age Suppor t Group meet s in the Whyc hu s Room e Ca re Pa rt ner Group meet s in the Metolius Room For in form at ion ca ll 541-58805 47

“Joi n or Die” Fi lm

Citi zens4Com mu nity presents “Joi n or Die,” a lm about why you shou ld join a club and why the fate of Amer ic a depends on it! ur sd ay, Ju ne 4, at e Belf ry from 6 to 9 p. m. Vi rt ua l

Q& A with di rector s, civic speed dati ng with loca l clubs and nonpro ts . Free admi ssion but regi st ration is recommended at h ps://c it iz en s4 commun it y. com/events/joi n- or-d ie Spon sored by St Charles Health Sy stem

Honey Bees & Brews

Mont hly soci al gather ing at Lazy Z Ra nc h ever y 4t h ur sd ay at 5 p.m. Al l beekeepers and wa nna-bees welcome. For more in fo: Clyde, 458-20 6- 8470

541-549-1837

SIST ER S COMM UN IT Y FOOD RE SOURCE S

Free Lu nches for Seniors COACO o ers no -cost soci al lu nc h ever y Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p. m. at Sisters Commun it y Church, 13 00 W. McKenz ie Hw y. No reserv at ions needed No -cost Grab-N -G o lu nc hes week ly on Wednesday and ur sd ay, from 12:3 0 to 1 p. m. Ca ll 541-79 7-93 67

Week ly Food Pa nt ry CORE Ma rket , located at 222 N. Tr in it y Way in Si sters. Mond ay s, 1 to 2 p. m. In fo: 541-588-2332 Free Week ly Meal

Serv ice

Fami ly Kitc hen ho st s a week ly to -go hot me al on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 5:30 p. m., at Sisters Commun it y Church, 13 00 W. McKenz ie Hw y. In fo: www Fami lyKitc hen.org.

Free Pet Food

Need pet food for your dog or cat? Ca ll the Fu rr y Fr iend s pet food ba nk at 541-79 7- 40 23 to schedu le your pick up Located at 412 E. Main Ave., Ste. 4, behi nd e Nugget

Kiwa nis Food Ba nk Located at 382 W. Main Ave. Week ly di st ribution is ur sd ay s from 9 a.m. to 2 p. m. In fo: 541- 632-3663

May 28 , 5 to 6:30 p. m. at Pi ne Meadow Ra nc h Center for Ar ts & Agricu lt ure, 68 467 ree Creeks Rd . Guests wi ll be gu ided on a tour of the st ud ios, where resident arti st s are ex peri ment ing, conduc ti ng research, and de velopi ng new work duri ng thei r ti me at the Ra nc h. e arti st s’ pr ac tice s include wr it ing and a va riet y of vi su al ar t form s. e event begi ns prompt ly at 5 p. m. Regi st ration is requ ired at h ps:// roundhou sefoundation .org / events/. For more in fo ca ll 54190 4- 0700 or emai l inqu ir ies@ roundhou sefoundation .org

Fu rr y Fr iend s need s Volu nteers

Help process bo les and ca ns one day a week , Mond ay or Fr id ay Volu nteers re-bag bo les and ca ns into ou r blue fu nd ra iser bags, then ta ke those bags , along with the full blue bags dropped o on e Nugget porch, to the Bo le Drop at Rays e ti me commitment is usua lly about 30 mi nutes, someti mes less and someti mes a li le longer. For more in form at ion or to volunteer, ca ll 541-79 7- 40 23

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

Aging, di sabled , and underserved pa ssengers depend on STAR S volu nteer dr ivers to reac h medica l appointments and the dema nd is grow ing. JOI N STAR S NOW to help You choose when you dr ive. It ’s ex ible, me aningful , and di rect ly suppor ts neighbors who urgent ly depend on STAR S to get to ca re. Traini ng and mi leage reimbu rsement prov ided Lear n more and apply: h ps://www.sta rsride org/dr ive-for-us

Mont hly Song wr iters’

Sharing Ci rcle

Second Wednesday of the mont h, 6 to 8 p. m., at e Hub, 291 E. Main Ave. Be in creati ve commun it y and be in spired wh ile sh aring songs, being a great li stener, and prov id ing feedback

Al l ages and sk il l levels welcome.

Free In fo: ca ll or text Je ss at 54197 7- 84 94

Fi rst Fr id ay Fa mi ly Fun Bi ngo Night Fr id ay, Ju ne 5. Loca ls and vi sitors of al l ages welcome! is is a cash event. Di nner for pu rc hase begi ns at 5 p. m. Ga mes begi n at 5:30 p. m. $2 0 packet includes th ree ca rd s for each of 10 ga mes with a loca l merc ha nt gi ca rd aw arded as a pr ize, plus an additional ca rd for the 11th ga me feat uring $100 cash pr ize. 50/50 Ra e option: ticket s are $2 each or 6 for $10. Ha lf of ra e sa les wi ll bene t STAR S. e Episcopa l Church of the Tran s gu ration, 121 Brooks Ca mp Rd ., Sisters. In fo: 541-549-70 87

Sisters Ga rden Club

Mont hly member sh ip meet ing wi ll be held on Mond ay, Ju ne 15 , at 10 a.m. Am anda Eger tson of Desc hute s La nd Tr ust wi ll sh are in form at ion about the bu er y li fe cycle, loca l bu er y diversit y, and wh at folk s ca n do in thei r ya rd s and ga rden s to help suppor t bu er ies. Meet ing location is e Hub, 291 E Main Avenue. Cont ac t: 541- 42 0- 62 39

Cent ra l Oregon Federated Republ ican Women

ur sd ay, Ju ne 4, at As pen La kes, Sisters, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p. m. Lu nc heon is $27. RS VP to cofr wbend@gm ail.com. In fo: www.cof rw.org

Ca lling Al l Submariners e ne xt meet ing wi ll be held at the Amer ic an Le gion Ha ll in Redmond, 70 4 SW 8t h St ., at 3 p. m. on Sund ay, May 31 Al l are welcome. om wi ll report on hi s vi sit to the Bremer ton Ba se. A picn ic wi ll be held at Quince Pa rk in Redmond Satu rd ay, September 12 , at 11 a.m. For in form at ion, plea se contac t: Exec ut ive O cer om Keaney 917-716- 0137 or Master Ch ief

Yeom an Fran Davi s 541-527-5484 (tex t)

“Get Out the Vote” Postca rd Wr it ing Event

Wednesday, Ju ne 3, from 3:30 to 6:30 p. m. at the Si sters Fi re Commun it y Ha ll . It usua lly ta kes about an hour to wr ite 25 ca rd s, so br ing your fr iend s and pop in for an hour! If you don’t have ti me to sit down and wr ite postca rd s th at day, pick up a packet of 25 (w it h addresse s) to do at home RS VP to h ps:// ti ny url.com/5f nt zavp

Jour ney th rough Sisters

Histor y 2026 Hi stor ic al Wa lk ing Tour s of the Ca mp Polk Hi stor ic al Cemetery are av ai lable mont hly. e ne xt tour is Satu rd ay, Ju ne 20 . Gu ided wa lk s st ar t at 10 :3 0 a.m. at 6985 Cemetery Rd ., Sisters. e cemetery is not ha nd ic ap accessible and wa lk s include uneven grou nd Regi ster at h ps:// ca mppolk pioneercemeter y.org/ tour s

Amer ican Legion and VF W Wednesday, Ju ne 3, at 6:30 p. m., at e Hub, 291 E. Main St sister sveteran s@gm ail.com

Ba ha’i Fa it h For in format ion, devotion s, st udy groups , etc., cont ac t Shau na Roch a 541- 647-9826 • www.bah ai .org www.bah ai .u s • www.bah aiteac hi ng s.org Chapel in the Pi nes Ca mp Sher ma n • 541- 815-9153 10 a.m. Su nd ay Worship

e Church of Jesu s Chri st of La er-Day Saints 452 Tr in it y Way • Branch President, 541-97 7-5559; 10 a.m. Su nd ay Sacrament Meet ing e Episcopa l Church of the Trans gu ration 121 N Brooks Ca mp Rd . • 541-549-70 87 www.t ra ns gu ration-sisters.org 9: 00 a.m. Ecumen ic al Su nd ay Worship

10 :3 0 a.m. Episcopal Euchar ist Worship

e Rest ing Place meet ing at Sisters Commun it y Church, 13 00 W. McKenz ie Hw y. www.resti ng place.us • hello@rest ingplace.u s 5 p. m. Su nd ay Worship

Free Veteri na ry Clin ic CA MP (Compa nion An im al Medica l Projec t) is host ing a veteri na ry cl in ic in Sisters, the rst Wednesday of the mont h, 10 a.m. to 12 p. m. at CORE , 222 Tr in it y Way. O er ing no -cost pet vacc ines (i nc ludi ng rabies), br ief we ll ne ss exams, dog/cat food, and supplies CA MP o ers thei r serv ices to un/sheltered and low-income pet ow ners and the cl in ic is rst come - rst serve with no pr ior regi st ration necessar y. For more in form at ion cont ac t Outreach

Navigator Liam Boeh ni ng at li am @c ampc linics .org or 541633-39 79

An nounce Your Notices! Si sters commun it y notice s may ru n at no ch arge Em ai l nugget @nug getnews.com.

Qu iet Wr

Ti me ur sd ay, May 28 and Ju ne 4, 10 :3 0 a.m. to noon Meet ing Room Enjoy the foc us of a qu iet space with the bene t of ot hers’ company.

Thrive Cent ra l Oregon Drop -I n Consultations Fr id ay, May 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p. m. St udy Room Drop -i n soci al serv ices as sist ance th at connec ts you with resources.

Fa mily Stor y Ti me Wednesday, Ju ne 3, 10 :3 0 to 11 a.m. Commun it y Room Interact ive stor y ti me with books , songs, and rhymes! 0-5 yr s.

Stor y Ti me Cr af t Wednesday, Ju ne 3, 11 to 11:4 0 a.m. Commun it y Room Color, cut, glue, pa int, and more!

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (E LC A) 38 6 N. Fi r St . • 541-549-5831

www.shepherdo hehill slut hera nc hu rc h.com

Sisters bat incident raises rabies concern

Deschutes County Public Health urges residents to take precautions after a dog in Sisters came into contact with a bat that tested positive for rabies.

Rabies is a serious viral disease that can spread to people and pets through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. Post-exposure vaccination is effective, but prevention is the best way to protect your family and pets.

Public health officials urge taking steps to reduce the risk:

• Avoid contact with bats,

whether they are healthy, sick, alive, or dead.

• Keep children and pets away from bats.

• Do not feed or handle stray animals or wildlife.

• Make sure pets’ rabies vaccinations are up to date. Oregon law requires rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats:

• First vaccination: between 3 and 6 months old.

• First booster: one year later.

• Booster shots after that: every three years.

WEDNESDAY • MAY 27

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt "Handpicked Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Info: frankiesinsisters.com. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Handbuilding: Playful Farm Animals" a unique ceramic workshop, participants learn beginning handbuilding techniques while they form three or four legged playful farm animals with local artist Nancy Dasen. Session two will include surface design with underglazes 5:30-7:30 p.m. $150 Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

THURSDAY • MAY 28

Frankie's in Sisters 55th Birthday & 5.5-Year Milestone Celebration 5 to 10 p .m. Bob Baker & Mark Baringer on the patio 6 to 8; Jordan Wolfe upstairs 8 to 10! Music, food, community. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Bob Welch presents “Writer: How to Craft Nonfiction.” 6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Bees & Brews (and Mead!)

5 to 6 p.m. Gather with local beekeepers to discuss all things bees and the upcoming beekeeping season. More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Music Bingo! BINGO

6 to 8 p.m. Match song clips to your bingo card and win fun prizes! More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • MAY 29

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

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tony Lompa

6 to 8 p.m. No cover! Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Chris Beland

6 to 8 p.m. Accomplished Santa Maria singer/songwriter new to Central Oregon who makes music for the dreamers of the world. No cover. More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

Spoons Family Game Night Bring the whole crew! We’ve got all the classics ready to play ... or bring your own game 5 to 8 p.m. Info: 541-719-0572

SATURDAY • MAY 30

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Gather & Print: Exploring Nature and Lumen Printing" – a nature walk and lumen print workshop Explore the subtle interactions between flora and light within the PMR landscape During the workshop, participants will learn about historical and contemporary examples of lumen printing take a short nature walk to gather materials, and create their own ephemeral prints. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $80 Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Meet the Meadmaker: Facility Tour 4 to 5 p.m. Behind-the-scenes tour of the ranch winery barrel room, and farm, with ranch history and stories plus optional guided flight with a special barrel taste (if available). More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

SUNDAY • MAY 31

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

Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed must be euthanized or kept in strict quarantine for four months. Bats play an important role in the Central Oregon ecosystem. Not all bats carry rabies, but bats are the animal most often reported with rabies in the United States. To stay safe, people should avoid contact with them.

If you see a bat that is active during the day, inside a building, or on the ground and unable to fly, keep children and pets away and contact the

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 541-388-6363 or a local wildlife control operator.

If a person or pet has contact with a bat, or if someone is bitten by an animal, report it right away to Deschutes County Animal Control at 541-693-6911 or Deschutes County Environmental Health at 541-317-3114.

For information about rabies, visit the Oregon Health Authority website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

MONDAY • JUNE 1

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

Spoons Open Mic Bring your talent (or come cheer) and enjoy a night of local music hosted by Jordan Lewis Lee. 6 to 8 p.m., sign-ups open at 5:30 p.m. Info: 541-719-0572

TUESDAY • JUNE 2

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

WEDNESDAY • JUNE 3

The Belfr y Author conversation: Robert Macfarlane presents“The Book of Birds" and "Is a River Alive?" This is a rare chance to hear one of the most influential contemporary nature writers. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tickets and more information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

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

THURSDAY • JUNE 4

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Lilli Worona & John Shipe 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard Tickets $10 at frankiesinsisters.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Music Bingo! BINGO 6 to 8 p.m. Match song clips to your bingo card and win fun prizes! More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

FRIDAY • JUNE 5

Episcopal Church of Transfiguration Family BINGO Bingo Night 11 games/$20 prizes $2 raffle tickets to benefit STARS. Meal option at 5 p.m., games start at 5:30 All ages welcome All cash event. 121 Brooks Camp Rd

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

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Linda Quon, Kenny Hadden, and Tamra Jean "Singer Songwriter Series" 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard Tickets $10 at frankiesinsisters.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Use'ta Do 6 to 8 p.m. Old time country and bluegrass. No cover. More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114. Spoons Family Game Night Bring the whole crew! We’ve got all the classics ready to play ... or bring your own game 5 to 8 p.m. Info: 541-719-0572

SATURDAY • JUNE 6

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471

SATURDAY • JUNE 6 (cont.)

The Belfr y Live Music: Dennis McGregor & The Spoilers 20th anniversary concert. The original Spoilers are getting back together to perform the entire album and more! 7 p.m. Tickets: bendticket.com.

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Joyful Lane 2 to 4 p.m. Multi-instrumentalist Lane Weiss brings his joy-filled music No cover. More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events. Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Bob Baker & Mark Barringer 6 to 8 p.m. in the courtyard Tickets $10 at frankiesinsisters.com.

SAT/SUN • JUNE 6 & 7

Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "From Fiber to Form: Sculptural Paper Casting" In this two-day, foundational paper-making workshop students transform pulp into unique cast-paper sculptures Starting with dry abaca pulp we dive into the process of reconstituting, blending, dyeing, and casting sheets with a traditional mold and deckle This method of papermaking and casting demonstrates a DIY way of adapting the traditional craft to a personal studio setting 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $190 Registration and more info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.

SUNDAY • JUNE 7

Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.

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

MONDAY • JUNE 8

Spoons Open Mic Bring your talent (or come cheer) and enjoy a night of local music hosted by Jordan Lewis Lee. 6 to 8 p.m., sign-ups open at 5:30 p.m. Info: 541-719-0572

TUESDAY • JUNE 9

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Jane Kirkpatrick presents “With the Enduring Tides. 6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Trivia 6 to 8 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114.

Hardtails Rodeo Week — DJ Chris Ossig

8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Country dance music at its best Ride the mechanical bull! Info: hardtailsdivebarandgrill.com.

WEDNESDAY • JUNE 10

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

Hardtails Rodeo Week — DJ Chris Ossig

8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Country dance music at its best Ride the mechanical bull! Info: hardtailsdivebarandgrill.com.

THURSDAY • JUNE 11

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Music Bingo! BINGO 6 to 8 p.m. Match song clips to your bingo card and win fun prizes! More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events. 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; outside in the courtyard Info: frankiesinsisters.com.

Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 13th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 Info: call 541-549-2471

Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Bettie Denny presents “In the Wake of Madness: My Family’s Escape from the Nazis.”6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com. Hardtails Rodeo Week — DJ Chris Ossig

district and starting this journey together... we felt like a true team, and those early years shaped not only my teaching philosophy and skills, but also the deep loyalty and pride I’ve always felt as an Outlaw.”

Jami Lyn Weber, english and history teacher, has been teaching since 1994, first at Sisters Christian Academy and then substitute teaching in the district while raising her own children. Weber has been teaching full time at SHS since 2016.

Gail Greaney, longtime Sisters resident and 20-year teacher at Sisters High School, currently teaches language arts, social studies, and careers classes while concurrently running the library. Greaney is proud of the fact that all of her children attended SHS and were involved in extra curricular activities, which Greaney eagerly participated in alongside them.

All three women have shared a resolute dedication to service and genuine purpose during their careers, a fact that is evident when asked about their favorite parts of their teaching journey.

along the way,” Spear said.

Greaney has been cleaning out her classroom in preparation for retirement, and is reliving some of her favorite moments by reflecting on mementos she’s collected over the years and reading through countless letters from students.

“As I’ve been going through my classroom getting ready to retire it has been quite the trip down memory lane — putting graduation announcements and photos in an album, rereading thank-you notes,” Greaney said.

and families. I have always been proud of the unique culture at Sisters High School and throughout the entire district. It truly is a special place. I’m proud that I was able to raise my own two children in this district, and I’m equally proud that I chose to spend my entire career here,” said Spear.

Weber described the connection she has felt with students in her classroom over the years and the stories, tears and laughter that she has had the privilege of witnessing as her students have grown and learned. Outside of the classroom, Weber fostered this same connection as the staff coordinator for the SHS Pageant, a fundraising event for families in need.

“One of my best memories of being a coordinator was the year coming out of the pandemic when we couldn’t hold the Pasta Feed, so we did it Door Dash style. We served and delivered 400+ meals and raised $18,000 dollars. Talk about a community ready to rally generously!” Weber exclaimed.

Spear points to moments of school culture building as some of the highlights of her career.

“I look back with so much joy on events like the Wacko Decathlon, where teachers competed right alongside students, our outrageous lip sync performances in full costume, and the countless evenings spent supporting students at athletic events and extracurricular competitions. I remember the first Starry Nights, the first state competitions, and all the “firsts” that came with building a new high school and figuring things out together

While reminiscing about the past with these three inspiring educators, it is clear that their time at SHS was not limited to the walls of their classroom. In fact, in addition to teaching and participating in school events, all three women coached sports teams, chaperoned countless dances, and spearheaded service projects for the community. All three women taught a variety of elective and special-interest classes in addition to their core classes, a feat that takes hours of additional planning and dedication to their subject and craft. Some of these classes include Creative Writing, Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition (IEE), World Literature, AP Government, and Film as Literature. The wide span of these additional classes attests to all three women’s varied interests and skill sets in teaching a wide range of subject matter. These additional offerings inspired whole generations of high school students with budding curiosities about the world around them.

Weber points to the same sentiment as she reflected on what has kept her in the Sisters School District all these years.

Another theme from all three teachers’ careers is their insistence that the town of Sisters and its tightknit community was the backbone for their work in education.

“More than anything, the greatest gift of my career has been the relationships — with students, colleagues,

“The people are what kept us here in Sisters. We have family and close friends that are what make life LIFE for us... [the] ‘first name/ hug basis with the grocery store clerk’ kind of vibe that makes you feel at home with the people and the place,” Weber said.

Greaney agrees that Sisters is truly special.

“Sisters is simply different than most other schools. I’ve stayed because of the relationships. It’s not unusual

for graduates to come back to visit, to send a random email updating me on their lives. That doesn’t happen most places, but here it’s common... What could be better than living in a place like this?” said Greaney. As for what’s next, Weber, Greaney, and Spear are sure that they will continue to volunteer and participate in the Sisters community, albeit with a little more time for themselves. Time for grandkids, travel, home projects, and hobbies are all things that these hardworking teachers are looking

forward to.

Weber says that she is excited about retirement, although it is certainly bittersweet.

“It is hard to imagine a life that doesn’t include walking in the door of my classroom with kids I can’t wait to be with and colleagues next door I genuinely care about... but it is time for a new season and some new rhythms,” she said.

Greaney is looking forward to new rhythms as well.

“My big plan right now is to not set an alarm! I am seriously not a morning person.” RETIRING: Started when Sisters High School was young

Molly Tuttle adds tour stop in Sisters on July 29

SFF Presents announces a concert with highly decorated bluegrass artist Molly Tuttle on Wednesday, July 29, at Sisters Art Works. The awardwinning singer, songwriter, and virtuosic guitarist stops in Sisters as part her U.S. tour. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at https:// aftontickets.com/MollyTuttle.

Molly Tuttle’s innovative blend of bluegrass, Americana, pop, and rock has made her one of the most dynamic artists in modern music. In 2025, she released her boldest statement yet, the critically acclaimed “So Long Little Miss Sunshine,” nominated for two GRAMMY Awards — Best Americana Album and Best Americana Performance for the lead single “That’s Gonna Leave A Mark.” Recorded in Nashville, the album marks Tuttle’s fifth full-length release and her most ambitious reinvention to date: a vibrant, deeply personal body of work rooted in self-acceptance and transformation.

Tuttle’s career, which began at age 15, has charted a course between honoring bluegrass and stretching its boundaries. On this album – a hybrid of pop, country, rock, and flat-picking — she goes

to a whole new place. Her stunning guitar work is more up-front on this project than ever before and also features Tuttle playing banjo, something she’s never done on one of her albums.

“I like to be a bit of a chameleon with my music,” she says. “Keep people guessing and keep it full of surprises.”

Tuttle has been nominated for Five Grammy Awards (including in the Best New Artist category) and earned back-to-back Grammy wins for Best Bluegrass Album with her band Golden Highway, becoming the first artist in the category’s history to do so. She is also the first woman to receive the IBMA Guitar Player of the Year award, alongside multiple additional IBMA and Americana Music Awards.

The concert will be held on the lawn at Sisters Art Works at 204 W. Adams Ave. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the show will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39 for adults and $20 for youth ages 6-17 and are expected to sell out.

Additional artist information can be found at www.sff presents.org/concerts. This is a general admission, all ages show. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Acclaimed musician Molly Tuttle will perform in Sisters this summer. Tickets go on sale this week.

PIANIST: Event is returning to Black Butte Ranch

Continued from page 3

“One year at Fort Rock, the wind blew so hard it blew the lid right off the piano,” Noack recalled.

The sound quality in the headphones is very good, no matter what the conditions — and Noack appreciates working with the vicissitudes of weather, wildlife, and outdoor conditions.

“It kind of makes the

experience all the more special,” he said. “When we’re outside, there’s so many things that are stimulating. It just feels very cinematic.”

In keeping with its nonprofit mission, “In A Landscape” presents primarily in rural areas with approximately 25 percent of the audience attending for free through a combination of Good Neighbor Program tickets and other complimentary admissions.

Tickets may be purchased at https://www.blackbutte ranch.com/events/in-a-land scape-concert-2026/.

school kids from Sisters were sent to Redmond for their schooling.

After the high school students left in 1969, the Old Sisters High School (OSHS) building housed the middle school students. This situation appears to have endured until the high schoolers returned.

In fall of 1992 a new school opened in Sisters, and the high school program returned. The new school, built on the east side of town, housed both Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School. This situation continued until 2003. In that year a new high school building was completed and opened. It, too, was built on the east side of town, and near the 1992 building. The 2003 building became the newest Sisters High School, and it remains so today. The 1992 “shared school” became (and remains) Sisters Middle School.

Meanwhile, new uses were found for the OSHS building. An “alternative education program” was one such use. It appears this program operated out of the OSHS building between the years 1992-2003, serving high-school-aged kids who had not been successful in the regular school. Also, during some or all of this time period, two classrooms in the OSHS building were used by overflow elementary school students.

In about 2003 SSD No. 6 began utilizing OSHS as its administrative office. Sisters Family Access Network also occupied space in the building, starting about this time.

In 2005, the OSHS was remodeled to better serve the school district as an administrative headquarters building. The most noticeable change to the building was the relocation of its main entrance

from the south side of the building (facing the highway) to the north side (facing Cascade). Other alterations, such as adding office spaces, and creating a school board meeting room, were made. The remodeling project was undertaken with great care for the character of the building and its architectural style. The alterations had an impact on the windows, brickwork, and knotty pine. But in all cases, materials that had to be removed were retained, and they were reused whenever possible in the construction of the new features.

Also in 2005, the district hired a consultant to prepare and submit an application to the National Park Service and the state Historic Preservation Office, for the listing of OSHS on

the National Register of Historic Places. That consultant, upon whose excellent work much of this series relies, was Michael Hall, of Madras. Hall submitted his application in November of that year. Old Sisters High School was entered into the National Register on March 2, 2006.

OSHS then became known as “Sisters Public Schools Administration.” It served as the offices of the superintendent and associated administrative staff. In this capacity, the building also hosted The Sisters School Board, which conducts its meetings in one of the original four classrooms — now dedicated for this purpose.

In 2024 a new elementary school opened up; it is located adjacent to the

current middle and high schools.

Currently, a shuffle is underway involving buildings of the school district and the Sisters Parks & Recreation District (SPRD). The latter now occupies the recently vacated elementary school. The school district intends to occupy SPRD’s vacant Coffield Center. This swap enables the colocation of all of the school district’s major operational assets. It leaves behind the OSHS building, however. This building will soon be both “off campus” and empty.

The future of the OSHS building is currently under discussion. The district and board are considering whether the building should be sold, whether the property should be subdivided and/or

rezoned first, what the potential value of the property and building might be, who might be interested in buying or occupying it, etc.

The final disposition of OSHS is, at the moment, unknown. But it is fitting to now reflect on the value of this landmark to our community, and consider keeping it in service of the public good.

community, not only through its response to emergencies, but also through volunteer outreach and programs that benefit the community.

Prior indicated that the immediate goal is to get three line personnel in place as quickly as possible. The process will take some time, though. It will probably be September before that staff is at work.

“We want to take our time to hire the right people who can integrate into the system and become part of the family,” he said.

Prior noted that the district did not receive a grant for seasonal staffing this summer.

“A lot more agencies applied this summer,” he said.

He said the district is exploring ways to staff up through the potentially dangerous wildfire months.

Cloverdale Fire Chief Thad Olsen expressed appreciation for the support of the community east of Sisters.

“The fact that people

listened to our message and are rising to meet the needs of our community … is pretty helpful and reassuring that they’ve got our backs,” he said. “Because we really need staff.”

With the help of grant funding, Olsen plans to onboard seasonal staff by June in the face of wildfire threat.

In the race for positions on an expanded Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, candidates had to garner more than 50 percent of the vote to win the position outright in the nonpartisan race. According to initial returns, Jamie Collins met that bar in Position 1, with 54.73 percent over incumbent Tony DeBone. Rick Russell also won outright, with almost 57 percent of the vote over opponent Chet Wamboldt.

The Position 2 race saw Lauren Connally sitting at 37.82 percent of the vote and Amy Sabbadini holding 30.57 percent, setting up a November runoff.

Morgan Schmidt held 44.58 percent with Rob Imhoff at 38.37 percent in Position 5, also setting up a runoff. Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz has garnered just under 15 percent of the vote for the position.

REUNION: Concert will feature classic album by Sisters songwriter

Continued from page 3

Audiences were transfixed by stories and lyrics and never even thought about dancing. That was about to change, but for a sweet while it was the song that mattered. There was a songwriting contest and a songwriting camp, both of which drew McGregor in. He began writing as a singer-songwriter. His writing attracted the attention of fellow musicians who learned his songs around the campfire. When he announced that he was going to California to record a new album, they said, “Count us in!” So they all took off in a couple of cars to a little studio south of Santa Cruz. It was kind of a miracle that they were all available and free at the same time. They worked hard and fast with so much passion

SUDOKU SOLUTION

and in one week the “Front Porch to the Moon” album was finished. When McGregor got home, he immediately illustrated the CD cover and sent it off for production. That was back in the day when people listened to CDs, and when the discs arrived, folks did just that. It was music for the time. The songs just seemed to strike a chord. Other musicians followed the path to that little studio with projects of their own. High school students were writing and recording. Angeline Rhett was bringing music to the backyard of her bakery. It was a movement!

Sisters had a music scene, and it was vibrant!

On June 6, that vibe will be revived at The Belfry when Brent Alan, Patrick Pearsall, Scott Hersh, Scott Harris, and Dylan Bernal take the stage. McGregor will open the show with a few solo songs, followed by the band’s performance of the album and finishing with a dance set.

Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available at https://www.bendticket.com/ events/dennis-mcgregor-andthe-spoilers-5-6-2026.

UGB: Hearing was part of lengthy process for expansion

Continued from page 1

plans will be updated — showing the new Urban Area Reserve (UAR) to the northeast of Sisters. For more on UAR see related story, page 17.

The May 21 public hearing was conducted by SPC Chair Art Blumenkron with options to approve, approve with changes, or refuse approval.

City Planning Director Scott Woodford gave a summary of CP26-01. Matt Hassie and Andrew Parish, from the City’s consulting firm Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. (MIG), helped present, and Bateman Seidel Representative Missy Ryan provided legal advice. Woodford noted that population and economic forecasts

MEMORIAL DAY: Veterans groups organize observances

Continued from page 1

another three-day weekend,” he told an expansive gathering of veterans and other Sisters citizens. “Today we pause and reflect on those who marched through mud — World War I — ran upon deadly beaches — World War II — trudged through boobytrapped rice paddies — my war, Vietnam — faced desert wasteland temperatures of 100-plus degrees… and, like me, navigated hostile skies in order to preserve someone’s, if not our own, freedom.”

He urged those present to thank living veterans for serving.

“Take time to reflect,” Cunningham said. “See in that person all those that went before.”

The observances are organized by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8138, American Legion Post 86, and Band of

are the basis for growth planning in acreage requirements for residential, open spaces, parks, commercial, industrial, and schools. The City uses population forecasts from the Population Research Center at Portland State University (PSU). The population forecasts also provide estimates for housing units required.

The current UGB expansion project is based on PSU’s population prediction of 7,108 by 2040.

Woodford mentioned that the City conducted two Housing Needs Analysis (2019 and 2021), an Economic Opportunities Analysis (2021), a Land Use Efficiencies Report (2022), and UGB Boundary Sufficiency Analysis (2023).

The City updated the Sisters Park Master Plan (2023) and recently produced a Buildable Lands Inventory Report (2025).

Transight Consulting has

Brothers — Sisters. The event follows a traditional program that carries significant symbolic weight — posting of the colors by Redmond High School Marine Junior ROTC, the singing of the national anthem (this year by Edna Parzybok), a recitation of the symbology of the POW/MIA Missing Man Table, the laying of a wreath, and an honor guard rifle salute.

The veterans groups recognize Sisters veterans who have passed in the previous year; their names are recited to the tolling of a bell. Those names will be installed in nameplates on rocks in permanent installation beside the Village Green gazebo.

City Councilor Cheryl Pellerin welcomed the participants on behalf of the City of Sisters. She noted that the event recognizes not only those who have fallen in combat, but those who perished from the mental and emotional toll of war, and the Gold Star families left to mourn.

She urged attendees

periodically conducted City traffic assessments, the most recent of which was completed in early 2026. MIG assisted the UGB steering committee throughout their efforts, provides technical support, and produced analysis of rights of way and other land uses within the City’s neighborhoods in April.

Based on the housing needs analysis and the efficiencies report on development within the City limits, the City updated its development code to allow for greater density:

• Increase multi-family residential (MFR) zone density minimum/maximums from 7–15 units per acre to 15–50. Within the latter range, 40–50 units per acre must include affordable housing.

• Reduce the minimum lot size for single-family detached dwelling, duplex, triplex, and four-plex in

residential (R) and MFR zones.

• Add ‘middle housing’ unit types (triple/four-plex) including design standards which increased variety of housing options.

• Removed the downtown mixed-use development requirement to allow for R zones.

Public comments during the hearing included support by Central Oregon Land Watch (COLW) representative Kristin Reidelberger, Bruce Rognlien, and Abhi Chaudhuri (former UGB steering committee member). Those commenting against were Borys Tkacz, Sisters Habitat for Humanity Director Peter Hoover, and Central Oregon Builders Association member Garrett Mosier.

Besides extensive public outreach and involvement in the UGB project, over the two years since the project

started in spring 2024 hundreds of written and in-person comments have been read, recorded, and addressed. Woodford, MIG representatives, and Ryan, all took turns to address concerns raised during the meeting. No new concerns were raised that had not been addressed in the past or within the documentation. Also, concerns raised about development are already addressed in Sisters Development Code. This includes the code to ensure no housing developments near airports or protected wetlands. Development concerns are not under consideration when determining where a City might be able to grow before their population grows. The concern over not including the McKenzie Meadows Village property — 58 acres near Sisters High School — was also addressed in the hearing (see related COLW appeal article page 17).

to honor them not only through the words spoken on Memorial Day, but in the manner in which we treat each other in creating a community in Sisters worthy of their sacrifice.

VFW Post Commander and U.S. Army combat veteran Pat Bowe closed the ceremonies noting that “we owe these brave souls more than we can ever repay.”

Oregon UGB expansions

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

The State of Oregon first established the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion law in 1973, under Governor Tom McCall’s leadership to prevent urban sprawl and restrict development on agricultural land and forests by cities or counties. Oregon led the nation in this groundbreaking legislation (Senate Bill 100) and since then two other states, Washington and Tennessee, followed suit.

Under UGB expansion regulations, a city or county must prepare for growth. To do that the entity must first conduct assessments and update master plans to ensure growth expansion is supported by factual data. This will be done over several years. When a city or county decides a UGB expansion is a goal and funding is secured, a maximum twoyear UGB process ensues to identify where expansion is possible based on legal limitations and criteria.

A city’s UGB map expansion impacts city and county comprehensive plans in which the maps are updated when approved to show a city’s urban area reserve (UAR). UARs do not change a city’s limits nor property values within or without the UAR. Owners of property within the UAR remain county residents rather than city residents. A UAR designation of the map does not take away county services or add new city services. Property owners within the UAR decide if interested to apply to be annexed into a city or county.

The UAR is where a city is legally allowed to grow and UARs can remain as such for many years. Sisters last UGB expansion was completed in 2005 with some of the last remnants of UAR acreage being developed since 2021 to today.

Because appeals to the State in general are exceedingly lengthy endeavors, the Land Use Board of Appeals was established in 1979 to specifically handle UGB appeals via a consistent, simpler, and faster means.

The legal requirements of the UGB process takes months of work and considerable expense to a city or county. Time is needed to protect what most Oregonians value: forests, riparian areas, wetlands, rivers/streams, endangered flora and fauna, and open spaces. The expense funds the effort.

Although the overall process includes multiple public engagements, meetings and hearings, due to long duration and how legally complicated the effort, the public will voice concerns to councils and commissioners in calls, emails, and public statements. However, without such regulation states (Texas, Arizona, etc.) frequently face intense public backlash for car-dependent urban sprawl, skyrocketing infrastructure maintenance costs, and severe traffic congestion.

Since 2016, when the Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted revised rules for UGB expansions, Oregon cities and counties have approved 46 expansions or adjustments to their UGBs.

Zone change under appeal

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

A county zone change that made some land eligible for consideration as part of Sisters urban growth boundary expansion is under appeal.

McKenzie Meadow Village (MMV) offered 58 acres west of Sisters near the Sisters High School for consideration during the City of Sisters Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion project which began Spring of 2024. MMV owners applied for a Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan (DCCP) amendment from Forest to Rural Residential Exception Area (RR10) which requires a DCCP Goal 4 exception (a goal to conserve forest lands), and a zone change from Forest Use 2 (F2) to MultipleUse Agricultural (MUA10).

The MMV LLC was offering to develop the property to provide a minimum of 30 percent affordable housing, acreage to Sisters Habitat for Humanity, and other benefits to local underserved groups. The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), at the behest of the City of Sisters, sped the land use decision process and approved the changes mid2025. But that decision was appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) within the two-week appeal period.

The appeal from Central

Oregon Land Watch (COLW) continues to be before the LUBA contesting the BOCC’s approval of the MMV property land-use change requests. Per legal advisor Missy Ryan of Bateman and Siedel, LUBA’s review period of this appeal ends June 17 and LUBA’s decision period ends mid-July. COLW expects the review to complete by end of May and a decision in early June. Whenever the LUBA decision is made, a two-week appeal period begins.

If there is no appeal to LUBA’s decision, it stands. If there is an appeal to the LUBA decision, the appeal would go the to the State Court of Appeals and the MMV property would continue to have the BOCC decision on hold until the counter appeal process completes sometime in 2027 or later.

If LUBA’s decision confirms COLW’s appeal then the MMV property reverts to its former land uses and is not a candidate for a UGB expansion. If LUBA’s decision refutes the COLW appeal, then the BOCC’s approval of the land-use changes to the MMV property is affirmed possibly as early as mid-June and available for consideration in a UGB expansion. However, if the City and County have completed approval of the City of Sisters UGB expanded map amendments, then only appeals to either entity or both (as the

entities may approve in a joint meeting) would put a hold on their decisions.

The UGB Steering Committee had assessed the MMV property, just in case the property became considered during the project phases to identify a preferred UGB expansion option.

In the finalized UGB amendment CP2026-01 before the City of Sisters Planning commission May 21, the last four pages summarizes their assessment of MMV property and comes to this conclusion, “... even if [the MMV property was] able to be acknowledged by the [Department of Land Conservation and Development] subsequent to resolution of all appeals, [the MMV property] would be challenging for the City from a factor 2, 3, and 4 perspectives.”

Factor 2 concerns included the need of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) approval for an emergency access to Highway 20 and traffic impacts to adjacent streets. Factor 3 concerns the preservation of an intermittent creek area that included rare flora, tree removal required, and the MMV property is not directly adjacent to downtown nor walkable to downtown. Factor 4 concerns the MMV property being adjacent to USFS forest lands and a conservation easement owned by Sisters School District.

Roundabout SISTERS

Bill Bartlett Columnist

Our guide was Lucas, 27, a proud Normand and lifelong inhabitant of the hallowed ground of Normandy where on June 6, 1944, allied forces landed in Operation Overlord commonly called D-Day — to liberate Europe from Hitler’s clutches.

His English was easily understood, yet maintained a distinctly French accent just perfect for the solemn

occasion. He spoke knowingly and with a dignified passion. He was keenly aware of his audience and the emotionally charged atmosphere.

Our first stop was Pointe du Hoc, a promontory with a 100-foot cliff overlooking the English Channel. U.S. Army Rangers from the 2nd Ranger Battalion were tasked with scaling the cliffs using grappling hooks and ladders. Their mission was to destroy a battery of German 155mm artillery guns believed capable of targeting both Omaha and Utah beaches.

After reaching the top under heavy fire, they discovered the guns had been moved inland, but Rangers located and destroyed them, preventing significant Allied casualties. By the time they were relieved two days later, after enduring the initial climb and sustained German counterattacks, only 90 Rangers were still able to fight.

Our next stop was Omaha Beach. Armed with an 18-by-24-inch clear plastic

flip book, Lucas, reverently explained the action that immortal day. The landing at Omaha Beach was the bloodiest of the five D-Day landing zones. American troops from the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions faced a nearly perfect storm of disaster.

Rough seas swamped many of the amphibious Sherman tanks, sinking them before they reached shore. Landing craft were pushed off course by strong currents, depositing soldiers in the wrong positions.

German defenders occupied well-fortified bluffs overlooking a wide, flat beach offering almost no cover. When the ramps dropped, soldiers walked into withering machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire. Many drowned under the weight of their equipment before even reaching the sand.

For hours the assault seemed on the verge of total failure. Senior commanders briefly considered abandoning the beach entirely. Small groups of soldiers, through

individual courage and initiative, eventually began scaling the bluffs and outflanking German positions, slowly cracking the defensive line. Lucas told several deeply personal accounts of that day including the story of Bedford, Virginia, a small town of about 3,500 people — the size of Sisters — that suffered the heaviest D-Day losses per capita of any American community. Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment was largely drawn from Bedford.

Of the 35 Bedford men who landed at Omaha, 19 were killed in the first minutes of the assault.

By day’s end, American forces had secured a narrow foothold, but at enormous cost. Approximately 2,000 Americans were killed, wounded, or missing at Omaha alone — by far the heaviest casualties of any Allied beach that day.

Our last stop was the Normandy American 9,389

D-Day by the numbers

June 6, 1944 — Operation Overlord

The Force

Allied troops landed on D-Day: ~160,000

American troops: 73,000

British and Canadian troops: 83,000

Airborne troops dropped behind enemy lines: ~23,400

German defenders along the five beaches: ~55,000

The Armada

Naval vessels: 7,000-plus (including 4,000 landing craft and 1,200 warships)

Allied aircraft supporting the invasion: ~12,000

The Beaches

Five code-named landing zones along 50 miles of Normandy coastline: Utah; Omaha; Gold; Juno; Sword Casualties — D-Day only

Total Allied casualties (killed, wounded, missing): ~10,300

Allied confirmed killed: 4,414

American killed: 2,501

British killed: ~1,760

Canadian killed: ~370

Omaha Beach casualties alone: ~2,400

German casualties: estimated 4,000–9,000

Normandy Campaign (June 6 – August 21)

Total Allied casualties: ~209,000

Total German casualties: ~200,000–300,000

Germans captured: ~200,000

Note: Precise casualty figures vary among historical sources. Battlefield conditions made exact accounting impossible.

9,389: Sisters writer visited Normandy beaches

Continued from page 18

Cemetery at Colleville-surMer standing on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach, a permanent reminder of the price paid for liberation. Covering 172.5 acres, it contains 9,389 white marble crosses and Stars of David arranged in perfect rows, and I do mean perfect, on immaculately maintained green lawns.

The cemetery was established on June 8, 1944, as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II, and was formally dedicated in 1956.

At its heart stands the bronze statue “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” A semicircular memorial garden contains the Wall of the Missing, inscribed with 1,557 names of those never recovered or identified.

Maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the cemetery receives over one million visitors annually and remains one of the most emotionally powerful sites in the world.

From the parking lot, you enter down a roughly 200yard contemplative colonnade of sculpted trees, almost like a cloister walk. And then suddenly you see it and you can never unsee it. The acres of graves, all 9,389 of them. Nothing truly prepares you for the moment the rows come into view. The sheer scale silences you instantly. Each white cross or Star of David represents a mother’s son, a wife’s husband, a child’s father – all frozen in

The Nugget Newspaper Crossword

youth. Walking among them, you feel the weight of individual sacrifice multiplied thousands of times over. Many visitors, me among them, weep openly. The perfectly ordered rows somehow make it more overwhelming, not less.

You leave permanently changed.

With my face buried in my palms I somehow recalled what Colin Powell said to the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey at the time. Powell was an American Army general, diplomat, and statesman who was the 65th United States secretary of state from 2001 to 2005, being the first Black American to hold the office.

The exchange took place at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2003.

Carey questioned whether U.S. plans for war in Iraq represented “empire building” by President George W. Bush. Powell responded “that the U.S. has sent many young men and women to fight in foreign lands but has never asked for any more land than is enough to bury those who did not return.

“The only thing America’s ever asked for, particularly after World War II, was no land, no empire, just give us enough land to bury our dead. That’s all we ask for.”

The 9,389 graves represent about 40 percent of the deceased in the 77-day Normandy battles that followed — those whose families chose to have the remains committed in France. Families of the other 60 percent elected to have the remains returned to the States.

JUNE AT FRANKIE’S

Private events The patio is open and great music and classes are on tap! See the line up and reserve your tickets in advance...

Wellness practice expands into new location

Mellness will be open in a new location at 282 S. Cedar Street on Monday, June 1.

The move marks a new chapter for Mellness, a wellness studio dedicated to helping people move better, feel stronger, and live with less pain, after the practice outgrew its original space. The new studio offers approximately 900 square feet of dedicated wellness space, allowing for expanded programming, educational workshops, movement classes, and hands-on services designed to support long-term health and well-being.

Founded by Mel Marth and Dan Raisner, Mellness combines movement education, stretch therapy, corrective exercise, personal training, and practical self-care strategies to help clients improve mobility, reduce discomfort and pain, and build confidence in their bodies.

“Our original space served us well, but demand

continued to grow,” said Marth. “This new location allows us to broaden what we offer and create more opportunities for people to learn practical techniques they can immediately apply in their everyday lives. Education is empowering, and we want our clients to leave not only feeling better, but understanding how to maintain those results long-term.”

To celebrate the grand opening, Mellness is offering a special “3/30/30 Promotion” throughout the month of June: Three Classes for $30 — Valid for 30 Days. The introductory offer is intended to encourage community members to discover which classes best fit their individual wellness goals, while exploring the studio’s educational and movementbased programs. Mellness welcomes individuals of all ages and stages of life.

For more information visit www.mellnessis wellness.com.

Nugget Poetry Corner

A Day of Remembrance

ByEdieJones

Memorial Day. A day of remembrance of sacrifice by way too many A day to r aise our flag in honor, And celebr ate abundance plenty

So many have given their lives so I could live mine, her e in my home, on this planet sublime. Most wer e young, in the prime of their life. What pr ompted their hear t to face the strife of battles, and war, and destr uction gr and that they endur ed in faraway lands?

What gave them the cour age to say, I Am Here, to stand up br avely, with hear ts filled with fear?

To sacrifice is to make something sacr ed,

To perfor m a deed with holy intent. We thank You, God, for these lives spent, so, I could live in this count ry gr and.

May I never fo rget to stand and give thanks, hoping they’ re able to hear, for their sacr ed lives, no longer he re

Her Strong Hands

ByPaulAlanBennett

Her str ong hands massage her c lient’s bac k pr essing firmly into the skin and musc les beneath, soft music plays in the lavender-scented r oom as the hour passes.

Her str ong hands r eac h under the nesting hen retrieving the warm, br own egg, placing it in her basket next to the other 9 eggs.

Her str ong hands – now wearing gloves –pull at the c lumps of weeds in the garden, dig holes in the dir t for the tulip bulbs, covering them with loose dirt

Her str ong hands mix the bits of fr ozen butter

Into the flour, lifting the ball of dough onto the marble surface, wor king it into a f lattened shape that fits inside a deep pie dish.

Her str ong hands pull the heavy, noisy garba ge cans out to the str eet for pickup

She pauses to w atc h the bright display of pink clouds above the setting sun.

Her str ong hands lift the limp body of her pet goose. Killed by… a coyote? Racoon? Fox?

Last week a calf was bor n.

Life and death on the farm can happen so suddenly

Her str ong hands attac h the r ope to her har ness

Up the basalt rockface she c limbs, feeling the contour s, the shapes and forms of eac h stone beneath her finger tips.

Her str ong, tir ed hands cur l beneath her feather ed pillow

When mor ning comes, they encircle her favorite coffee cup, lifting it gently and blissfully to her lips Today she will have a ne w c lient!

Send submissions of originalpoetrytojess@nuggetnews.comforpossibleinclusion ytojess@nuggetnews.comforpossibleinclusion in a future issue of TheNugget.Publicationissubjecttospaceavailabilityand discretion of TheNuggetNewspaper.Allpoemscopyrighttheauthor ant to gather with poetr y community? “T he Pause Button,” is an infor mal monthly gathering with poetry Pause Button,” an mal gathering at Paulina Springs Books for poets or poetr y enthusiasts! Bring a poem or two to shar e. Listen, discuss, and write. Fr ee. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mor e info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com. ee. 5:30 to 6:30 More www.paulinaspringsbook s.com.

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

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CATEGORIES:

102 Commercial Rentals For Rent

Small professional office space for lease, includes waiting room and bathrooms. 392 E Main Street, Sisters. 541-977-2819

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

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com

Cowboy Court Apartments

2 bedroom 2 bath. $1,695/month, RSD $1,650. Lease through 6/30/2027. Vacates 6/30/26. Some pets considered (dogs & cats OK with add'l $350 RSD per pet). This is 2nd floor unit in the back building. W/S/Garbage/ landscaping is paid. approx. 1,000 sq. ft. NO SMOKING.

154 W Adams Ave. #222

Dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer, deck, garbage disposal, granite countertops, energyefficient 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

Have a Vacation Rental for SISTERS RODEO, QUILT SHOW, FOLK FESTIVAL or... ?

Use this Classifieds category! Places book months in advance and folks can't find a room. Use this affordable way to advertise – or find – a rental for Sisters' big tourist weekends! Call 541-549-9941

107 Rentals Wanted

Professional Female looking to rent a room in Sisters, preferably with a private bath. Or looking to rent an ADU, if a room in the main house is not available. Please call or text Ms. M at 805-794-1515.

201 For Sale

202 Firewood DRY SPLIT CORDS $250 CUT OFFS $100 • COMPOST 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

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

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

403 Pets SISTERS WHISKERS

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

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

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

500 Services

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 GORDON’S LAST TOUCH Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY

Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008

M & J CARPET CLEANING

Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090

504 Handyman AlpenGlow Handyman Services

Small & Large Jobs 20+ Years Experience CCB#180099 Call/Text: 541-728-8607

AlpenGlowHandymanServices. com • Credit Cards Accepted

505 Auto Repair BURLINGTON AUTOMOTIVE

Mobile Mechanic in Sisters Diagnostics, Inspections, Oil Change, Tune-up, and more! Wide variety of vehicles and skid steer loaders. (503) 509-9354

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

Tree Removal • Tree Pruning Good for Trees. Good to People. SparTreeArborist.com (916)619-6317

4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! –TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.

–FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects! Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342 4brostrees.com Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057

LOLO TREE WORKS Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638 Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912

2017 Wolf Creek 840 truck camper.  Four-seasons insulated, fully equipped and ready to go. Solar and TV ready.  Back awning, automatic jacks. $17,999.  Call 541-390-8899

It's All About Sisters! SISTERS OREGON GUIDE Published by The Nugget Visit us online at SistersOregonGuide.com

•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

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

Level: Moderate Answer: Page 15

CASCADE VALLEY CONTRACTING, LLC

General Contractor CCB#180099

Custom Remodels • Additions

•Decks • Firewise Upgrades 20+ Years Licensed, Bonded, Insured. Call/Text 541-728-8607

Pat Burke LOCALLY OWNED

CRAFTSMAN BUILT

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

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

Residential Building Projects

Serving Sisters area since 1976

Strictly Quality

CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764

John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com

Custom Homes Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com — 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

Landscape & Construction LLC

LCB#8874 CCB#224224

Serving Oregon since 1991 503-849-6090

Creating beautiful outdoor living spaces * custom patios & decks

*water & fire features * outdoor kitchens * pavilions * barns

everythingoutdoors@ymail.com

Rooted in family, Built with pride

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

Earthwood Timber

•Recycled fir and pine beams

•Mantels and accent timbers

•Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

602 Plumbing & Electric — GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE

541-419-3148

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

SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling

•New Construction

•Water Heaters

541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587

Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Remodels • Generators • Hot tubs/Saunas monteselectric@hotmail.com

CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860

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

Electrical Service & Repair

Est. 1947, CCB#54572

Local in Sisters 503-357-2146

603 Excavation & Trucking

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial

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

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!

BRANCHWATER EXCAVATION & SEPTIC, LLC

541-408-4204

sophia@branchwater excavation.com

Sisters owned and operated Josh & Sophia McCarthy Experience you can trust. All Septic Systems: New Install & Repairs * Driveway Refurb & New * Fire Breaks * Site Prep

*Land Clearing & Clean Up FREE ESTIMATES CCB# 256753

604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR

Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com CCB #195556 541-549-6464 Sisters, Oregon's Exclusive HVAC Service Residential & Commercial Heating • Ductless Air Conditioning • Maintenance Installation • Repair 541-588-5667 SistersHeatingAir.com

605 Painting Interior/Exterior Painting

AND CONES. OFFERING OTHER SERVICES CALL THE WORKIN' MAN 541-610-2926.

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

All Landscaping Services

Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345

J&E Landscaping Maintenance LLC

Clean-ups, irrigation, aerating, raking, mowing, thatching, hauling debris. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com

–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

Alpine Landscape Maintenance An All-Electric Landscape Company.

Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.com

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

LCB #9958 • CCB #222039

701 Domestic Services

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC

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 Y O U R S O U R C E for up-to-date Sisters news! Read online anytime at www.NuggetNews.com 606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance PROPERTY CLEANUP AND ITEM REMOVAL SPECIALIZING IN PINE

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 For all the lastest from Sisters, Oregon... go online to NuggetNews.com

Do you offer lessons or workshops for ... YOGA? DRAWING? VIOLIN? SWIMMING?

Let our readers know with an affordable classified ad! $3.50 per line the first week, $2.50 per line for repeats. $1.50 per line starting the 10th week . And your ad goes online at no extra charge! Call before 5 p.m. on Fridays to place, 541-549-9941

Looking for Experienced Payroll and HR Specialist with established company located in Sisters. If interested, please submit resume to Jan@gfpenterprises.com

NOW HIRING:

Program Manager

Sisters Trails Alliance | Half-Time | $28–$30/hr

Lead our Accessible Trails initiative and support the Sisters Trail Additions & Realignments (STAR) trail expansion project. Ideal candidates bring project management experience, strong communication skills, and a passion for outdoor recreation and inclusion. Primarily remote with occasional field and community work. Full job description: sisterstrails.org

Looking for full-time team leader. Apply at Sisters Feed. Call me with questions. Fred 541-549-4151

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

CLASSIFIEDS

999 Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters City Council will conduct an in-person public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on June 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. regarding the application listed below. The hearing will be held in accordance with Sisters Development Code (SDC) Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall.

Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address: PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to svowell@ci.sisters.or.us.

Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number For additional information, please contact Sarah Vowell, Associate Planner at (541) 323-5216 or svowell@ci.sisters.or.us.

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

PUBLIC HEARING:

June 10, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.

FILE #: TA 26-01

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

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

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

Taxpayers deserve transparency

By Dani Nichols Columnist

Several months ago my editor at The Nugget sent me a press release from The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, (DSWCD) tooting their own horn (as press releases are wont to do) about the effectiveness of their Flat Fire recovery efforts.

“I think this story would be perfect for The Nugget,” wrote the earnest email introduction from a gentleman at a Portland-based PR firm. As much I figured that “perfect” was PR hyperbole, why not see what I could discover?

Well, it was a hard story to write because there was almost no information available, and not for lack of trying to find it. And if it was a perfect story, I suspect it’s not for the reasons DSWCD hired a big-city media firm to trumpet their accomplishments. Nonetheless, I wrote it and stuck to the facts, reporting all the information I could mine out of a disdainful public agency (DSWCD), a clueless but likely expensive PR firm, a well-meaning nonprofit (Deschutes Land Trust) and several of our local private landowners. (You can read that story for yourself at “Funding recovery from the Flat Fire, The Nugget, January 20, 2026.)

However, now I am free to tell you all the impression I got while trying to research the scraps of facts I was thrown. I think that every property owner in Deschutes County should be curious about this, since you are being taxed for it, and, in my experience, held in snobbish contempt as DSWCD spends your money.

First, let’s start with what we know. As I reported before: the Flat Fire in summer 2025 burned more than 23,000 acres and impacted both public and private landowners. The DSWCD is a public entity meant to support victims of natural disasters, particularly private landowners with acreage. In 2023, voters in Deschutes County passed a permanent tax rate on all properties in Deschutes County, of any size or value. The tax rate is set at $.06 for every $1,000 of assessed value, and brings in a current operating budget of more than $2.1 million per year to DSWCD.

To understand better, I asked Erin Kilcullen, district manager for DSWCD for clarity on the budget and source of their resources. She sighed, as I admit I sometimes do when my toddler tests my patience.

“We used to get grants for funding, but this is a permanent tax rate on all properties in Deschutes County,” she said, not without bravado. “We won.”

As we all know, land in Deschutes County is not cheap. Even a small home in Bend or Sisters, or a modest acreage outside city limits, is paying hundreds of dollars a year in extra property taxes, thanks to the tax levy for this agency. My instinct was to believe that the property owners of Deschutes County are paying for yet another overfunded bureaucracy. But perhaps, I thought, I was being unfair. Maybe I have an overly dismal view of opaque bureaucracies. What did this agency do with the $2.1 million dollar annual budget, when met with a natural resource disaster of remarkable breadth?

Paid out $36,000. Yep. You read that right. Is “We won” ringing in anyone else’s ears?

As I reported in my news story; according to an email from Kilcullen, 23 landowners applied for assistance, and of those, 15 received financial assistance; 590 acres were treated, for a total of $36,000 paid out of DSWCD funds to those landowners.

The numbers are astonishing on their own. But my real hang-up here is the lack of transparency. If my taxpayer dollars are going to support an entity supposedly created for the express purpose of natural resource assistance for private landowners, well, I’d very much like to know how to access those funds, what they are used for, and who gets to decide where they go. But I couldn’t get answers about how decisions were made or what the process was, let alone a cordial interview with DSWCD. I asked about who applied, what was the guiding metric for who received funding and why, and I was met with brazen disdain. The tone was annoyed, dismissive, at times verging on aggressive. I kept wondering, why pay a PR firm to reach out

to journalists and then treat said journalists with such contempt? Does DSWCD assume that no one is paying attention, or are they just annoyed that someone dared to ask a follow-up question to their self-congratulatory puff piece?

Amanda Egertson, Stewardship Director for the Deschutes Land Trust, told me that the DLT was only included in the conversations with the many public entities involved because they are such a large private landowner. In fact, they were the largest landowner that DSWCD assisted in this recovery process. But as far as I could gather, no other private landowner was given an invitation to the veritable alphabet soup of taxpayerfunded agencies (DSWCD, ODF, ODFW, BLM, NRCS, FSA) all of which held regular meetings to discuss Flat Fire response.

The private landowners who did receive grants from DSWCD got tiny allowances in comparison to their needs, with many rules, stipulations, and deadlines on said grants. One landowner told me that she was led to believe the program didn’t have enough funding to help her, and another shared with me the heavy expectations placed on them with regards to using the grant once approved, along with multiple site visits and limited areas of support.

I also heard about absurdly short timelines for applications and high expectations put on private landowners (who, by the way, were still reeling and recovering from the impacts of a massive wildfire on their land).

Deschutes Land Trust seemed genuinely enthusiastic and grateful for DSWCD’s support. But as far as I can see, DSWCD is not answering the public’s questions or supporting rebuilding. DLT used their website and social media influence to share information. Egertson shared a truly neighborly vision when she told that Deschutes Land Trust shared everything they knew, as soon they knew it.

“After the fire there was a lot of talking, trying to figure everything out. We had a seat at the table and used our resources to share what we knew,” she told me. “We want to amplify and connect

people going forward, make a difference. Community is important.”

(A marked difference from the audible eye-rolling that accompanied my questions at DSWCD.)

When asked for numbers, locations and statistics, Egertson was happy to help and offered all the insight she could. By contrast, Kilcullen answered my request for more contacts with, “I could possibly call some other landowners, but would not have time until Friday for that.”

I guess the earnest PR guy from Portland finally shook the tree enough, and a few days later I got a curt email with the contact information of a few more landowners, most of which I already had.

Honestly, although I have set out here to give my opinion on the taxpayer-funded morass that is DSWCD, it’s tough to make a conclusion because this story seems intentionally vague. It’s very hard to sift through the bureaucracy, dismissiveness, and overall tone of annoyance and get to a point of hard facts, which is probably intentional. That said, my gut tells me that they hoped an enthusiastic big-city PR firm and an announcement of goodwill would be enough to make this small-town newspaper sing their praises, or at the very least, not ask hard questions. After all, who hates wildfire recovery? But without clarity, there’s no story. And no amount of fluffing or vague answers can shake my suspicion that the lack of clarity is the story in this case.

I hope that my hunch is wrong. I hope that DSWCD has big beautiful plans for that whopping $2.1 million budget, and that their intention is genuinely to serve the property owners of Deschutes County, by whose tax dollars they exist.

But an agency which is dismissive towards the press is an agency which would prefer not to have public oversight. With politicians, bureaucrats and stakeholders alike vying for your votes and your dollars, it’s an important observation to note, no matter what comes out of this particular situation and the Flat Fire recovery efforts.

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