The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLIX No. 9 // 2026-03-04

Fire District honors service to Sisters

By Ceili Gatley Correspondent

2025 was a big fire season year for the SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, with the Flat Fire consuming over 23,000 acres northeast of Sisters last summer. In Whychus Canyon, more than 887 homes were threatened; five structures were lost.

Many of the efforts by the Fire District, the Fire Marshal’s office, and more were recognized at the annual Awards and Recognition ceremony last Friday, February 27, held at FivePine Conference Center. The banquet is a chance for the staff, Fire Corps, district board, and families and spouses to gather together over a meal and reflect on the past year for the district.

Chief Tony Prior led the event, introducing

The

special guests and thanking the spouses and families of crew members who do the behind-the-scenes work while their family member

is out protecting and looking after their community.

“It is an important part of stress relief on this job to talk to people, and having

Outlaws make the final eight

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws defeated Yamhill-Carlton (YC) 38-29 at home in Sisters on Saturday, February 28, in round two of the state tournament. The win advances them to the final eight, which will be held in Coos Bay, Thursday through Saturday, March 5-7. This marked the first time in school history the Lady Outlaws have ever made it this far. They will match up against Creswell on Thursday, March 5, at Marshfield High School with a tipoff time scheduled for 3:15, in a quarterfinal game. Sisters struggled from

the opening tip in their game against the Tigers on Saturday. Emotions and energy were high and Coach Kevin Cotner told The Nugget he knew it would take the girls a bit to get into a rhythm offensively, as they were playing without a key offensive component in Verbena Brent. But he had no idea that struggle would last the entire first half.

At the close of the first quarter the Outlaws trailed 2-12. They did a better job in the second and outscored YC 8-7 to close the gap to 10-19 at the half.

The Outlaws headed to the locker room at the break and talked about how they’d

been in this same situation before, and had overcome a deficit on multiple occasions over the course of the season to win close games. Cotner encouraged them to take a deep breath, play one possession at a time, and never relent on the defensive end of the court. And with unbelievable fortitude they did just that!

The second half was all about execution and relentless defense. The Outlaws went to more of their set plays to Audrey Corcoran and Maddie Durham to get success early, and scratched and clawed their way back

Sisters man makes second run for governor

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

family is so important,” said Prior. District board president

Former Portland Trail Blazers center Chris Dudley officially announced his candidacy for the 2026 Oregon governor’s race on January 26. Running as a Republican, this marks Dudley’s second attempt at the office following a narrow defeat in 2010. In his 2026 campaign, Dudley talks about what he describes as “real change” for a state in a “state of

See DUDLEY on page 17

Council snapshot –trash, housing and crime

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

Republic Services is not popular in Central Oregon, Sisters Habitat for Humanity is out of development land soon, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s office reports the City is safe, and the City of Sisters will have “Crystal Clean” restrooms.

Those were assessments that came out of the February 25 meeting of the Sisters City Council.

City Manager Jordan Wheeler noted that the City has had solid waste franchise agreements since 2008.

Republic Services (RS) is a national waste removal company with 851 branches. The RS franchise agreements are, in the City’s estimation, outdated and have inadequate performance standards, service metrics, enforcement and remedies, financial reports, and service level expectations. The City believes that financial oversight is wanting, and the service is inconsistent.

Deschutes County, Redmond, and Bend worked with the two haulers in Central Oregon, RS and

See CITY on page 14 See BASKETBALL

Editorial…

Community voices

The Nugget has always sought to welcome a vigorous, open discourse on our opinion pages — letters to the editor and op-ed columns. Sisters folks feel strongly about many issues — local, regional, and national, and we feel strongly that there is value in knowing what your neighbors think, debating with them, airing differing and sometimes clashing worldviews and values.

My personal bias — which goes back into my academic life, well before we came to Sisters — is toward letting folks have their say in as full-throated a manner as possible, and letting the counter-arguments flourish in return. I tend to think that if something challenges your opinion, values, worldview, or even your sense of aesthetics, you should come back at it and let those who watch, read, and witness judge whose argument prevails. That’s not always the way it works out though.

Recently, several readers have raised concerns — some in letters, some in conversation

— that they and others feel less inclined to engage when they feel single voices are too present and too loud in the “town square.” They feel like a few people are “dominating the rap,” as the lyricist Robert Hunter would say. They feel like they are being chased out of the square, not because someone has prevailed in an argument, but because they’re simply tired of hearing the same voices.

I take their point. I prefer not to write a column every week in my own paper because I don’t want to dominate the rap myself.

So… The Nugget will return to an old protocol: one letter to the editor or op-ed column from any one person in any given month. Give it your best shot, then load up for next month. And those of you who feel chased off, you have the floor — jump on into the arena.

Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

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.

Urban renewal

To the Editor:

Last week the City of Sisters opened bids for the Adams Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project. This public works project will add new features to make the road safer for vehicles and pedestrians similar to what you see on Hood and Main avenues. It will add parking, multiuse pathways, street trees, and new pavement. The majority of the project is being funded through the use of urban renewal dollars. What is urban renewal? Like many other cities in Oregon, Sisters has a designated urban renewal area with an urban renewal plan that describes a set of projects that will be funded by debt financing that is paid back using tax dollars that are generated by the growth in property value in the area. In Sisters, our urban

renewal area encompasses the downtown commercial district, and the program has been widely successful. Over the last several years, urban renewal has funded the Cascade Avenue improvements, Hood Avenue improvements, façade and small business grants, Fir Street Park, bike and pedestrian paths, the Village Green Park improvements, and the Gateway Park and Mobility Hub acquisition.

The Sisters City Council also acts as the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) Board and makes decisions about the budget and what projects in the plan to pursue each fiscal year. For the current year, in addition to the Adams Avenue project, the budget includes funding for the Westside Sewer Pump Station, public art at the US 20 and Locust roundabout,

See LETTERS on page 13

Sisters Weather Forecast

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The greatest sentence

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Can you get a whole book out of a single sentence? You can when it is “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written,” which is the title of a slim volume by Walter Isaacson. A colleague gave me a copy last week.

The sentence in question has echoed for 250 years:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Isaacson, who has written highly regarded biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo DaVinci, and Elon Musk, describes how Franklin and John Adams edited Thomas Jefferson’s draft of that second sentence of the Declaration of Independence to hone the words into a final, majestic form, with a cadence that sings — and radical implications for the history of humankind.

It is easy at 250 years remove to forget that the notion that our most fundamental rights are inherent, that they belong to us naturally from birth, and were not granted to us by any earthly authority, was a radical one in the 18th Century. It was the most important fruit of the 17th/18th Century Enlightenment, and it lit a torch that changed people’s relationship with government across the globe, because the only legitimate government is one that recognizes and upholds that principle.

Isaacson parses out the sentence chapter-by-chapter, acknowledging that its meaning has expanded over time, as people have struggled painfully to realize its promise. In 1776, “all men” meant propertied white men. The greatest sentence did not include women, and it did not include the vast number of Black people held as slaves by many of the signors of the Declaration of Independence. The contradictions inherent in that exclusion were apparent — and often commented upon — in 1776, and over time they became inescapable. History, embodied in the struggle of individual people, has forced America to, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. “be true to

what [we] said on paper.”

We Americans seem to have a hard time grappling honestly and without personal rancor with the paradox that our world-shaking high ideals grew out of soil taken from the native peoples who lived upon it, and tilled in many cases by people brought to these shores in chains. Some Americans hyper-focus on slavery and the conquest of the continent as stains that render the whole project an exercise in hypocrisy and white supremacy. Others treat these difficult realities like a skeleton stuffed in a sea chest in the attic to be ignored and forgotten.

If you are inclined to grapple with the tragedies that run in harness with our triumphs, Clay Jenkinson and historian Joseph Ellis explore this territory in a “Listening To America” podcast that is well worth your time: “Was it Shakespearean Tragedy or Greek Tragedy?” (https:// ltamerica.org/listen-2/).

Our nation often demands that we hold paradox, that we recognize that contradictory things can be true at the same time.

I talked with a good friend early Saturday morning as the missiles and bombs began to fall on Iran. He said he felt conflicted, and I said that being conflicted is an honest response — one that I share.

We both are glad to see the theocratic death cult of the Iranian mullahs smashed. It’s long overdue. In my view, a reckoning should have happened in 1983, when Iran’s Hezbollah proxies killed 241 U.S. Marines and other military personnel in the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

But the way the United States has plunged into a regional war in 2026 is clearly unconstitutional, eliding the war powers that the Constitution reserves for Congress. Those powers have been eroded since World War II, under every executive — but the Trump Administration didn’t even seek a fig leaf of congressional authorization to take us into war. That’s not a trivial thing to be handwaved away. It takes a sledgehammer to fundamental American principles. Paradox: We’re doing a right and necessary thing, but in a dangerously wrong way. And that is as American as it gets.

Fourth-grade team, The Brain Stormz, will represent Sisters in regional Battle of the Books competition.

THE BRAIN STORMZ WIN BATTLE OF THE BOOKS

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

A team of Sisters fourth graders prevailed in a hardfought championship battle with fifth graders for the honor of representing Sisters in regional reading competition in Prineville next month.

The Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) is a statewide voluntary reading motivation and comprehension program sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Libraries in conjunction with a Library Services and Technology Act grant. Students in 3rd-12th grade, regardless of ability, are exposed to quality literature

representing a variety of literary styles and viewpoints.

OBOB’s mission is to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, to broaden reading interests, to increase reading comprehension, promote academic excellence, and to promote cooperative learning and teamwork among students.

At the elementary school level, students read a carefully selected list of 16 books — both new and classic titles spanning a wide range of genres — and form teams to compete in quiz-style “battles.” During a battle, teams answer detailed questions about the books, practicing close reading, teamwork,

and good sportsmanship along the way. The program encourages a love of reading while also building collaboration and academic confidence.

This year at Sisters Elementary School 21 teams across grades 3–5 participated, each team composed of up to five students. They were coached by Library Media Manager Laura Leis.

On Tuesday, February 24, the final two teams –The Brain Stormz (fourth grade) and The Book Boys (fifth grade) – faced off in an exciting championship battle assembly in front of the school. The energy was

Community forum to address senior needs

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

The Sisters community is invited to come to Sisters Elementary School Commons at 2155 McKinney Butte Road on Sunday, March 8, 4 to 5:30 p.m. to gather for an action-oriented community conversation exploring how Sisters can work together to better serve the older adults in the community.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The event will begin with a welcome from C4C Executive Director Kellen Klein followed by short remarks by Jane Paxson and Kris Bergstrom, board members of C4C and co-founders of the SOS Action Team,

Joann Herrigel, former deputy director Elders in Action, and Lauren Lebien, community engagement manager for ClearPath Healthcare.

Attendees will then participate in small action-oriented community conversations exploring how we can work together to better serve older adults in our community, at tables denoted as: a central location for senior information and activities; affordable and accessible senior housing; expansion of transportation options for seniors; senior resource coordinator; neighbors helping neighbors; framework for planning ahead; and two tables for

Seed to Table garden education workshops

Beginning in March, Seed to Table Field Manager Vivian Toll will teach six, twohour workshops designed to guide participants through a full growing season. Classes will include soil health, farm ecosystems, plant care, and the growing process.

“I get questions all the time about what kind of compost we use and how to plan for a Central Oregon garden,” said Toll. “We haven’t offered adult classes since 2020. Back then they were all online. We’re excited to teach

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon

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

Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills

Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Sunday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Central Oregon F ly Tyers Guild

For Saturday meeting dates and loc ation, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info. Ch eck- I n Circle: Come As You A re Chec k- ins that offer structure without pressure, honesty wit hout per formance 1st & 3rd Mondays, 4:3 0 p.m., at The Hub, 291 E. M ain Ave. RSV P: 503 -6 88 -4 881.

Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity

Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.

Council on Aging of Cen tral O regon

Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43 East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’ Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061.

Go Fish Fishing G roup 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Siste rs C ommunity Church. 541-771-2211

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s) 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided. 541- 408 -8 505.

Hero Q uilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755

Living Well W ith Dementia Sisters Care

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

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

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

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., m eeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.

Sisters Area Woodworkers First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97

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

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

Sisters Cribbage C lub Wednesdays, 11 a.m. at The Lodge, 411 E. Car penter Lane. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.

Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.

Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m.

Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.

Sisters Kiwanis 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SPR D in Sisters 541- 632- 3663

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

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon to 1 p.m., at SPR D. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.

Sisters Veterans no- host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welcome, 5 41-241-6 56 3.

Sisters Trail s Alliance Board M eetings take p lac e every other month, 5 p.m. In -person or zoom. Contact: info@ sisterstrails.org.

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

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

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

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

SCHOOLS

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

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

at the farm which is the best classroom. It’ll have a more hands-on experience and the opportunity to see what we’re doing in real time and on-site.”

Students will learn information that can be applied to container gardening on a small scale to farming practices like Seed to Table, that can produce thousands of pounds of produce grown in Central Oregon’s fickle climate.

CITY & PARKS

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

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Direc tors 2nd & 4th Tues. 4 p.m., C of field Center. 5 41-5 49

FIRE & POLICE

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

Black But t e Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BB R Fire Station. 5 41-595 -2 28 8 Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors 3rd Wed., 5:3

6743 3

Rd.

-4 815. c loverdalef ire.com. Sister s- Camp She rman RFPD Board of Direc tors 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 5 41-5 49 -0771. Sister s- Camp She rman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 5 41-5 49 -0771.

Creativity Camps return to Sisters Art Works this summer

SFF Presents has announced the return of summer creativity camps for middle and high school-aged students at Sisters Art Works, 204 W. Adams Ave., in July and August. The Sisters nonprofit has partnered with regional teaching artists to create seven intimate, funfilled sessions of art, music, and self-expression.

Camp registration is open at www.sffpresents.org/ summer-creativity-camps with scholarship opportunities available to ensure that no child is prevented from participating due to financial barriers.

First up is Campfire Classics: Strumming & Singing on July 13–17. Sisters Elementary School music teacher Ellie Vita will lead this camp for a week of singing and playing classic campfire songs. Think, “Country Roads,” “Home on the Range,” “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” and other famous tunes. Campers do not need to have any experience with string playing. The “Mini-Guitars” (baritone ukuleles) will be provided for camp use. This is a camp for starting strings with a good amount of singing. The week will end with a singalong around the campfire. Enrollment is open to students going into grades five and six and will run from 9 a.m. to noon daily.

The same week, art educator Amy Dart will teach Gnome Home Builders Camp , where students will design and construct

imaginative miniature homes for forest gnomes using natural materials, simple tools, and lots of creativity. This hands-on camp blends art, engineering, and storytelling as students plan, build, problem-solve, and collaborate. Emphasis is placed on creativity, craftsmanship, and working with what nature provides, no glitter or premade kits required. Enrollment is open to students going into grades five through nine and will run July 13–17 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

For students with experience on acoustic instruments, the advanced strings camp Build a Band is back on July 20-24. Taught by awardwinning songwriter, gigging musician, and recording artist Darrell (Doc) Cosden, this camp is for students comfortable on their chosen instruments and fluid in the common major and minor chords found in popular music. Campers should be playing their instrument(s) several times a week and be looking to take on new challenges, such as songwriting and ensemble work. Small groups will work on custom song arrangements, solos, harmonies, and improvisation. Campers must bring their own instrument and spare strings. Enrollment is open to students in grades

eight through 12 and will run from 9 a.m. to noon daily.

Next on the schedule is Painting & Mixed Media: Exploring Canvas , running July 20–24 in the afternoons. In this half-day camp, instructor and Sisters Middle School art teacher Judy Rosenthal invites students to experiment, take creative risks, and develop their own artistic voice. Working primarily on canvas, students will explore both acrylic and watercolor techniques while learning how different materials interact and layer together. Students will learn basic composition, color blending, and expressive techniques, with plenty of freedom to follow their own ideas. The week will end with a gallery-like experience showcasing student works. Enrollment is open to students entering grades five to nine and will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

The musically adventurous are invited to explore rhythm, creativity, and culture at the Didgeri-DOO It! Create & Play Camp on July 27-31. Open to all music lovers, this one-of-akind camp introduces students to the powerful sounds and ancient history of the didgeridoo through handson creation, learning, movement, and play. Throughout the program, campers will

learn basic didgeridoo techniques, explore rhythm and breath control, and discover how music can tell stories and bring people together. Activities are age-appropriate, engaging, and rooted in respect for the instrument’s cultural origins, while keeping the focus on fun, curiosity, and creative expression. No experience necessary. Enrollment is open to students in grades five through eight, and will run from 9 a.m. to noon each day.

More hands-on art opportunities await with Felt It! Fiber Art Fun, on July 27-31, also with Judy Rosenthal. In this camp, students will dive into the colorful world of fiber art using both wet felting and needle (dry) felting techniques. They’ll turn fluffy wool into art as they create fun, felted paintings and sculptures! This class is all about experimenting with a variety of techniques, working with armatures, and letting creativity lead the way. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to try something new. The week will end with a gallery-like experience showcasing student projects for friends and family. Enrollment is open

to students in grades five through nine, and will run from 1 to 4 p.m. daily.

The final camp of the season is another artistic exploration with Amy Dart, the Community Mural Camp . This backyard, outdoor camp will encourage students to work together to plan, design, and paint a mural that reflects the landscapes, values, and creative spirit of Sisters. Guided step by step, students will learn how murals are created, from brainstorming and sketching to scaling designs and painting collaboratively. This camp emphasizes teamwork, creative problem-solving, and pride in contributing to a shared community artwork. Enrollment is open to students entering grades five through nine and will run August 3–7 from 9 a.m. to noon each day.

Each camp has a maximum capacity of 15 students. The suggested tuition for each camp is $150 and includes daily snacks. All camps will offer scholarship assistance to qualifying families; the minimum registration fee is $30.

For more information and to register, visit www. sffpresents.org/summercreativity-camps .

City Council works on annexation process

By Susan Cobb Correspondent

The City of Sisters annexation process is under review for the next few months to improve the process flow, update applicable code, and align with or update the City’s comprehensive plan goals.

The City recently filed the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion application with the City and Deschutes County. The Planning Commissions are reviewing the respective applications. After review and presumed approval of the applications, the City Council and Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will have public hearings on the applications. Both entities may have a joint public hearing. The final approval is not expected until July.

Once the UGB applications are approved, and assuming no appeals within the 21-day period following approval, the comprehensive plans of both entities will be updated to reflect the expanded UGB map around the City. The City’s comprehensive plan may also include modifications to reflect new requirements for annexations.

For example, over the past three years, Council discussions have mentioned having a 30 percent affordable housing requirement for new residential developments within the UGB. Affordable percentage was discussed in the February 25 workshop, regarding where best to locate such a requirement. The open question remained whether the requirement is more effective in either the City’s development or municipal codes, rather than the comprehensive plan.

Community Planning Director Scott Woodford briefed City Council members about what annexations are, current City policy, and then he focused on the example of policies and procedures of Ashland, Oregon. Woodford expressed his deep appreciation to staff for the extensive research and development of the prepackaged materials, and the slide presentation prepared for Council. The prereading materials also included parts of the annexation policies and procedures from Redmond, Bend, and Medford.

Council concurred with Woodford that the Ashland annexation example was the most comparable to the City

of Sisters. It included policies assuring affordable and workforce housing, various ways to preserve open spaces, manage density of developments, required width of transportation accesses, a minimum square footage specified for each home type (studio, one, two, three, or four bedrooms), and incentives for developers to build affordable units for renters/buyers at 80 percent or below the area median income.

Councilor Michael Preedin was not too interested in aligning with the Bend example, adding that Bend, Redmond, and Medford were too different in surrounding geography or too slow growing to provide applicable examples.

Mayor Jennifer Letz suggested Council would benefit from a couple more annexation examples from

“similar-to-Sisters” cities. Letz noted that finding similar cities might be quite difficult, and thanked staff for the wealth of details thus far.

Generally, annexation policies allow a city council to initiate an annexation in the case of an emergency. For example, an owner or group of owners in an area of a UGB, may find that their well water sources are failing. A city may decide, in order to preserve human health and safety, the acreage will be annexed in order to be connected to city utilities.

No matter if an annexation is initiated by an owner, a group, or by a city council, the property will be subsequently connected with whatever services a city provides (water, sewer, electricity, garbage removal, street maintenance, fire and safety departments, etc.).

A property owner’s annual county tax bill will show what percentage of their taxes the City receives. Property taxes and value are not increased as part of an annexation. A property’s value changes when developed or sold.

City staff and Council will be having a few more annexation workshops to determine which policy and procedural changes to apply, which code to change (development or municipal), and if any such changes also apply to the City’s comprehensive plan.

Councilor Cheryl Pellerin raised the question of timing and Council gave a nod to have final approval by June. This would give interested property owners within an extended UGB time to review and prepare annexation applications about the same time the extended UGB becomes official.

Outlaws announce all-league selections

success next season.”

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

Five Outlaws were allleague selections for basketball this year, including junior Will McDonnell who was a first-team all-league pick. In addition, senior Teegan Schwartz, and juniors Kieren Labhart and Bauer Ellis were honorable mention, and senior Charlie Moen was selected to the All Defensive Team.

McDonnell was the Outlaws top scorer throughout league play. He averaged 25.2 points per game and was 40 percent from behind the arc. Will also averaged five rebounds and two steals per game, and was the team’s leader in deflections and steals.Will had the ability to score from anywhere on the court, whether it was a drive to the rim, a pull-up jump shot, or a long ball from anywhere behind the arc.

Coach Chad Rush said, “Will received the most firstplace votes from coaches so was well recognized for the player he was on the floor. Will was one of three players that played in the two games where we only had five available varsity players. I am very proud of Will for this accomplishment as he put in a lot of time during the offseason to prepare for this season. I am excited to see the progress Will makes this offseason as he prepares for his senior year.”

Labhart had the best average rebounds per game in league play at 7.1 rebounds per game. He shot 37 percent from the three-point line and was the second leading scorer for the Outlaws at 9.6 points per game. These averages came even with missing three league games because of illness this season.

Rush said, “I was glad to see Kieren get recognized by coaches despite not being able to play a full season. I am looking forward to seeing what Kieren is able to do this offseason to get ready for his final year.”

Ellis was close behind Labhart in scoring and averaged nine points per game. He tied for most assists on the team in league, five per game. He also missed three league games due to an injury which definitely affected his stats.

Rush said, “Despite missing games, Bauer established himself as the court general and did a nice job of getting us into the offensive, being vocal on defense and holding teammates accountable. I am excited to see the improvement and progress that Bauer makes this offseason as he will be a key piece to our

Schwartz scored an average of 7.9 points per game for the Outlaws. Teegan was the team’s leader in total rebounds at 53, and averaged 5.3 rebounds per game.

Rush said, “Teegan was a solid defender during the season. He was also one of three players to not miss time due to sickness or injury and played in both games where the team only had five available varsity players. I was very happy that Teegan was recognized for his work this season. He was definitely one of the guys that held the team together through his consistency and work ethic.”

Charlie Moen was selected to the All Defensive Team and according to Rush it is a well-deserved honor.

“Charlie consistently matched up with the opponents toughest perimeter player,” said Rush. “He always accepted the assignment and worked extremely hard to guard those players. I think Charlie enjoyed this role and this opportunity to get after it on the defensive end so I am very happy that Charlie was selected to this team.”

“Thoroughly enjoying your Sisters in 2031 columns. Solid work!” – Brent MacCluer, Tollgate reader. That sentiment is mostly what we read and heard from readers in response to our sixpart series, “Sisters 2031.”

Not everybody agreed. Steve Woodside, never short of opinions, wants the series to continue. Not because he was happy with it but because he found it lacking in authenticity and the right kinds of voices. Yours.

It seems he found the 20 contributors ranging from the mayor to a bookshop owner to have mimicked “the endless corporate business plans I have sat through.” He makes a valid point. To a

person, those who weighed in chose their words carefully, painting a unified, optimistic picture of Sisters five years from now. “Utopian” he called it.

None of the contributors took any risks by making any out-of-the-box predictions. They were measured, perhaps careful. But I found them to be sincere, genuine. Pragmatic. Not pollyannish.

I’ll offer some of my own unvarnished thoughts about what things could look like in 2031.

We will no longer be a quaint small town, but a gentrified small city. We will look more like Bend with flat or slanted roofs, few gables, lots of glass with not much grass and neighbors separated by a mere 20 feet. We still won’t have an electric stop light but will have light controlled crosswalks.

There will still be no truly affordable housing, the kind that a cashier at Ray’s or Bi-Mart or a gas station attendant or McDonald’s worker can afford. Actually, we won’t have any gas station attendants – it will all be self-serve.

The median price of homes in the city now in the $700,000s will grow to the

$900,000s, and from a cost of over $400 per square foot to almost $500. Only the affluent will be able to settle here. A continuation of retirees and empty nesters.

I think we still won’t have an urgent care, but maybe a larger drug store.

School enrollment will stagnate, possibly decline, with more families choosing to home school, and enroll online in classes taught miles from here.

Turnover in retail businesses will go higher, certain to lose around one store per year; many from aging out, just flat tired from the grind of trying to survive 12 months with six months of sales. The exception will be vintage and thrift stores for both trend-setting and practical reasons.

There will be a few more rooms added in lodging, all boutique, luxury units of the over $300-a-night kind. They’ll be needed to handle more tourists, the outdoor enthusiast types.

E-bikes (which I own) will put more pressure on the trail system, and the aging volunteers who keep them alive.

Lady Outlaws name five to all-league teams

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws had five basketball players earn all-league honors, including Maddie Durham, Audrey Corcoran, Verbena Brent, and sisters Paityn and Maici Cotner.

Durham, a sophomore and a two-year varsity player, had a tremendous season. She was a first-team all-league pick.

Coach Kevin Cotner said, “Maddie has been an offensive leader for us all season. She is a dynamic player who can score and defend both inside and on the perimeter. I was glad to see the coaches around the league recognize her for the work she has put in. Maddie’s love for the game is evident. She is just one of those rare gym rats who can’t get enough shots up and is willing to do whatever it takes in the offseason to continue to improve her game. She is one of those first-in-last-out type players that is becoming more and more rare. I look forward to continuing to see the growth and maturation in her game over the next two years.”

Corcoran, a junior, is a three-year varsity player, and was key to the Outlaws’ success this season. She was voted second-team allleague, and was only one vote away from being a firstteam pick.

“Clearly battling injuries from the start, Audrey’s will and determination shine through nearly every time she steps on the court,” said

Cotner. “I believe that this may have been one of the better success stories of the season, to have the coaches recognize her even though she was operating at probably 70 percent of her potential. The league and state are on watch. A healthy Audrey next year changes our team completely. I cannot wait to watch her reclaim her health and take the state by storm next year.”

Brent, a sophomore and a two-year varsity player, was also a second-team all-league selection, and like Corcoran, just one vote away from being a first-team all-leaguer.

“Verbena is our energizer,” said Cotner. “Her ability to change the game, both offensively and defensively, every time she steps on the court is her true strength and is easily recognized by those that watch. As one of only two sophomores to be recognized, Verbena had a slow start to the season as she battled her own medical setbacks, but down the stretch of the season there were many moments where she put the team on her back offensively by willing her way to the basket. She’s a true competitor, and the sky is the limit for her moving forward.”

Junior Paityn Cotner is a three-year varsity player.

“Paityn is the workhorse on our team,” said Cotner. “She does all the little

things that go unnoticed. Statistically she may be overlooked, but every team must have a player willing to grind in the paint, defend the bigs, and get on the floor for loose balls. Understanding and accepting her role has been vital to the success of our team. I do, however, look forward to her aiding in the offensive load moving

forward as she is more than capable and will make our team even more difficult to defend.”

Maici Cotner was the lone freshman in the entire league to earn all-league recognition, and was an All Defensive Team selection.

“Maici is a quiet competitor who feels like her only goal is to play defense and

rebound,” said Cotner. “She is the ultimate utility player, with the ability to play all five positions both offensively and defensively for us. She was integral in our team being able to switch between many defensive schemes on the season. Her strength and endurance allow us to put her on our opponents’ best players night-in and night-out.”

Obituaries

David Robert Culver May 4, 1949 – January 29, 2026

David was born in Eugene to his parents

Robert Dale and Mary Eva Culver.

During high school, he was involved in Civil Defense and Search and Rescue. He graduated from Sheldon High School in 1967. He went to Lane Community College and received a law enforcement degree. Then he signed up for the Army and served in Vietnam. When discharged from the military, he went back to Lane Community College to get a social science degree. There, he met his wife, Janet Flicker. They were married 52 years. David worked for ODOT in Eugene, then transferred to Sisters in 1979. He retired from ODOT in 2003, but came back and worked just the winters because he loved plowing snow.

David was a member of the Sisters Church of the Nazarene and helped build the church building. He was a volunteer at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District for 12 years. He also belonged to several ham radio groups. David was a member of the VFW and Sisters Band of Brothers. He had a side business at the house as a gunsmith for many years. He was very proud to serve and be an American. He loved fishing, hunting, and camping with his family.

David is survived by his wife, Janet; his daughter and son-in-law, Andrea and George Dolansky; his son and daughter-in-law, John and Jessica Culver; his grandchildren Daniel and Caleb Dolansky and Hosanna Culver; and his brothers Joe, Chris, Tim, and Paul, and sister Mary Ellen Stankey.

There will be a Celebration of Life service at Sisters Church of the Nazarene on Saturday, March 21, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to VFW Post 8138, PO Box 682, Sisters, OR 97759. Please visit www.autumnfunerals. com to sign the online guestbook.

Rev. Susan Jo Owen

July 13, 1945 – February. 17, 2026

The Rev. Susan Jo Owen was born in Vincennes, Indiana, on Friday, July 13, 1945. She died unexpectedly February 17, 2026.

Sue grew up in her beloved town of Cazenovia in upstate New York. She attended Indiana University, graduating in 1969. Go Hoosiers!

She arrived in Oregon in 1975, and her daughter Vanessa was born in 1976. Later Sue received an MSW from Portland State University and worked for Child Protection Services in Oregon.

Sue entered ministry in the early 1980s and attended San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, California, receiving her Master of Divinity in 1985. She was ordained in The United Methodist Church and served congregations in Medford, Astoria, Ashland, Bend, Salem, and Lebanon, Oregon. During her ministry she served as a District Superintendent in Central Oregon and Portland.

She and the Rev. Jim Monroe married in 2001. Best friends! They took their first team to Kenya in 2006. They moved to Maua, Kenya, in 2012, returning to the United States in 2015 — grandkids will do that! Sue and Jim continued taking teams to Kenya every year, most recently in July.

At the time of her death, Sue and Jim were serving Astoria United Methodist Church, which she saw as coming full circle in her lifelong service to Christ and the church.

Sue is survived by her husband, Jim Monroe; her

daughter, Vanessa; her daughters Trish and Nina; and sonsin-law Travis and Tim. As a blended family, Sue loved her circle of loved ones deeply. She is survived by six grandchildren — Ava, Carter, Micah, Cora, Ethan, and Finley — her brother Patrick; sisters-in-law Janet Owen, Mary Anne LeCompte, and Glenda Monroe; brothersin-law Bill Monroe and Tim LeCompte; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Sue loved dogs, birds, and any living creature, and had a wide, global circle of dear friends. She loved Cathlamet, having moved there in 2023.

Her life was a living witness to God’s grace and love, and she would ask only that we all use kind words with each other. Those who received cards and calls from her over the years felt that love.

Sue’s Celebration of Life will be held at Woodburn United Methodist Church in Woodburn, Oregon, on Saturday, April 11 at 11 a.m., with a gathering and lunch to follow. Memorial gifts may be sent to Astoria United Methodist Church, 1076 Franklin Ave., Astoria, OR 97103 to continue her work in Kenya.

Having once said that she was “born under a lucky star,” Tillie Pitullo Hollar was born on April 21, 1934, in Redlands, California. She always appreciated the good fortune she had throughout her life of 91 years, striving to share it with those around her.

One of Tillie’s most endearing qualities was that she felt gratitude for many things in her life. Growing up in a family of limited means, one of the key points in her life came when a benefactor gave her a full scholarship to go to college. Tillie graduated from Pomona College in Southern California where she met the love of her life, Don Hollar. Their college romance blossomed into a devoted marriage that spanned six decades. Together, Tillie and Don had five children and built a marriage grounded in love, laughter, and deep family connections.

A few years after Don’s passing in 2015, Tillie moved to Sisters to be closer to her daughters. She made her new home at The Lodge in 2019, where she became an active part of the community there, making many friends with her caring, gracious personality.

Tillie’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her five children: Donna (David) Godfrey; Dave (Colleen) Hollar; Karen (Bud) Decker; Dan (Lori) Hollar; and Kevin (Trisha) Hollar. She was

also the proud grandmother to 10 grandchildren and a delighted great-grandmother to five great-grandchildren. She nurtured all her family with unwavering love, a sly sense of humor, and steady guidance.

Showing the value that Tillie and Don put on family, one of their most treasured legacies is the annual “Hollarama” that they began 34 years ago. Each of those years, up to 30 family members gathered to play cards, golf, hike, and simply enjoy each other’s company. What began as a family vacation became a cherished family event – a living testament to Tillie and Don’s belief in the importance of their family staying connected to one another.

Tillie will be remembered for her warmth, her steady optimism, her devotion to her family, and her joyful spirit. Her legacy lives on in every laugh shared at a Hollarama, in every family story retold, and in the strong bonds she helped create.

We all miss her deeply and will love her forever.

Outlaws equestrians shine at meet

The Outlaws equestrian team recently had their first meet at Brasada Ranch in Bend, and the team turned in a strong performance, with the drill team taking first in Freestyle 4s.

The team, which is part of Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET) has six athletes and one groom working under the instruction of Coach Lisa Visconty and Drill Coach Brooklyn Lugo.

The season started in November as the equestrian athletes began training for competition.

“All the girls ride on their own time, and they come to practice one to two times a week,” said Coach Visconty. “They start learning their patterns and how to lay their patterns out.”

Reining requires riders to guide their horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and sliding stops.

Western Horsemanship demonstrates equitation, emphasizing position, seat, hands, and how effectively the rider guides the horse.

Pole Bending sends the rider through a line of poles, much like a skiing slalom course.

Keyhole is a timed event where a rider runs through a keyhole pattern, including

turning the course around, without breaking boundaries. Drill Team is a choreographed team maneuver.

All of the riders provide their own horse, owned or leased, and the Sisters team has a range of experience levels.

“I have been teaching horseback riding lessons for years, and that helps me balance the difference,” Visconty told The Nugget “And the girls help each other a lot. The high school sport is more of a team event… It’s a lot of fun to share something you’re passionate about with other people who are passionate about it.”

Sisters man arrested in burglary cases

Blake Mogan of Sisters was arrested earlier this week as the result of an investigation of a series of stolen vehicle and burglary cases in Sisters, Redmond, and Bend.

Eloise Hecker and Genevieve MacIntosh serve as co-captains, leading teammates Samantha Williams, Cate O’Connor, Lydia Davis, and Lydia Crohn. Hayley Strasser is the team’s groom.

First meet results:

Reining — Genevieve MacIntosh, second; Eloise Hecker, fifth.

Western Horsemanship — Eloise Hecker, fifth.

Pole Bending — Eloise Hecker, fifth.

Keyhole — Samantha Williams, sixth.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Mogan, 36, was taken into custody in connection with multiple stolen vehicle investigations spanning December 2025 through February 2026. The cases involved heavy equipment and other vehicles taken from locations throughout Sisters, Redmond, and Bend.

Deputies reportedly first encountered Mogan on December 9, 2025, when he was arrested in Redmond after operating a stolen construction loader taken from a nearby job site. Following that incident, law enforcement agencies in the region began investigating additional thefts with similar methods and patterns.

On February 17, deputies located an abandoned and heavily damaged Sisters

School District Suburban on Buckhorn Road. DCSO reports that evidence recovered from the vehicle, along with onboard video footage, identified Mogan as the individual responsible for the unlawful entry into the school district’s transportation building and theft of the vehicle.

On February 23, the Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a stolen City of Sisters F450 crane truck. Deputies coordinated with partner agencies and located the vehicle on a forest road northwest of Sisters. Mogan was contacted and taken into custody without incident. During the investigation, deputies also recovered a stolen utility trailer associated with the case.

Throughout the interviews, Mogan allegedly admitted to involvement in multiple vehicle thefts, including prior incidents under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, the Bend Police Department, and the Black Butte Ranch Police Department.

DAVIS TIRE

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon

COMM UN IT Y AN NOUNCE ME NTS

Ca lling Al l Submariners and Fa milies

Help C entra l O re gon Subma ri ne

Ba se celebrate t he c hr is teni ng of t he s ubma rine S S R ed side, a oat for v ar iou s parades, Satu rd ay, M arc h 7, at 11 a .m . at Bend ’s R iverbend Park Pav il ion, 79 9 S W Columbi a St . A l ig ht

lu nc heon for m ember s a nd

f amilie s w il l be at t he L arks pu r Commun it y Center (Senior Center), 160 0 SE R eed M arket

Rd., B end . A l l a re i nv ited to a end . Contac t Com ma nd ing

O cer, R ic k Neault at 5 41-4 801903

SIST ER S COMM UN IT Y FOOD

RE SOURCE S

Free Lu nches for Seniors For t hose 6 0+, Cou nc i l on

Aging of C entra l O regon

o er s a f un, no-cost soc ia l lu nc h e ver y Tuesd ay, 11

a.m . to 1 p.m . at Sisters

Commun it y C hu rc h, 130 0

W. McK en zie Hwy

No reser vation s neede d. No -cost Grab-N-G o lunches

ta ke place weekly on

Wednesday a nd u rsday, from 12:3 0 to 1 p.m

Ca l l 5 41-797-9367.

Week ly Food Pa nt ry

COR E M arket , loc ated at 22 2 N. Trinit y Way i n Si sters . Mondays , 1 to 2 p.m

In fo: 5 41-588 -2 332.

Free Week ly Meal

Serv ice

Famil y K itchen hos t s a week ly to-go hot mea l on Tuesdays , 4:3 0 to 5:3 0

p. m., at Sisters Com mu nity

Church, 130 0 W. McK en zie

Hw y. I nfo: www

Fami lyKitc hen.org.

Free Pet Food

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

Fr iend s pet food b an k at 541-797-4 02 3 to s chedule

you r pic kup. L oc ated at 412

E . M ai n Ave., Ste. 4, beh ind e Nug get.

Kiwa nis Food Ba nk

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

Sisters Ga rden Club

Mont hly Membersh ip

Meet ing Satu rd ay, M arc h 14, at 10 a .m

Door s open for hos pit al it y at 9:3 0 a .m . K ri sten Poi nt s,

Exec ut ive D irec tor of H ig h

Deser t Food a nd Far m

Al li ance, w il l d iscuss t he role H DF FA play s i n Central

Oregon . Meeting loc at ion i s e Hub, 291 E . M ai n Ave.

Publ ic i s welcome. For i nfo c al l 541-420 -6239.

“Family Money Ta lk s”

Free Class

Wednesday, M arc h 18 , f rom

6 to 7 p.m . A rr ive at 5:45 p.m for f ree b u et d in ner at a loc al ar t gal lery, loc at ion sha red

once you R SV P to 5 41-5 491866 , E dw ard Jones o ce of Ka ren K assy. Topic: lea r n a n approac h to hold engag ing and product ive conversat ions about wea lt h a nd estat e pl anning – w it hout d iscu ssing as sets . P resented by H artford Mana ging D irec tor of A pplied

In sight s A ma nd a Sta h l a nd

Regiona l V ice P resident C asey

Miller

Fu rr y Fr iend s Volu nteers

Needed

Fu rr y Friends i s looki ng for volu nteers to g reet c lients a s the y a rr ive to pic k up t heir lled pet food order s . It i s helpfu l i f volunteers c a n l i up to 45 pou nd s to a ssist cl ient s i n loading order s . e commitment i s one u rsday a ernoon a mont h f rom 12:30 to 3:3 0 p.m . Sig n up w it h a fr iend or f ami ly member to h ave a tea m of t wo. To volunteer plea se c al l 5 41-797-4 023.

Fi rst Fr id ay Fa mi ly Fun

Bi ngo Night

Fr id ay, M arc h 6 . L oc al s a nd vi sitor s of a l l age s welcome!

i s i s a c ash e vent . D in ner for purchase beg in s at 5 p.m

Ga mes beg i n at 5:3 0 p.m . $20 packet i nc lude s t hree c ard s for each of 10 game s w it h a loc al merc ha nt g i ca rd awa rde d a s a pri ze, plu s a n add it iona l c ard for t he 11t h game featuri ng

$10 0 c ash pri ze. 5 0/5 0 R a e option: t ic ket s a re $ 2 eac h or 6 for $10 . H al f of r a e sales

wi l l bene t Circle of Friends

e Epi scopa l C hu rc h of t he

Tran s g urat ion, 121 Brook s

Ca mp R d., Sisters

In fo: 5 41-5 49 -7087.

“A sk for More” Free Class u rsday, M arc h 19, f rom 6 to 7 p.m . A rr ive at 5:45 p.m . for free bu et d in ner at a loc a l a rt ga ller y, loc at ion sha red once you R SV P to 5 41-5 49 -1866, Edward Jones o ce of K aren

Ka ss y. Topic s: u nloc ki ng t he power of eve ryday negot iation i n relat ionships a nd for pu rc hases; negot iation t ac tics to avoid ove rpay ing , u nw anted commitments , or lower pay Althoug h gea red tow ard women, e veryone i s welcome Presented by H artford Mana ging D irec tor of A pplied

In sight s A ma nd a Sta h l a nd

Regiona l V ice P resident C asey Miller

Free Veteri na ry Clin ic

CA M P (Compan ion A ni ma l

Medica l P roject) i s hosting a veteri na r y c linic i n Sisters, t he rst Wed ne sd ay of t he month, 10 a .m . to 12 p.m . at COR E, 22 2 Trinit y Way. O er ing no -cost pet v acci ne s (includ ing rabies), brief w el lnes s e xa ms , dog/cat food, a nd s uppl ies.

CA M P o ers t hei r ser vice s to un sheltered a nd low-i ncome pet owners a nd t he c linic i s r st

come - r st ser ve w it h no prior regi st ration necessa ry For more in form at ion c ontac t O ut reac h

Navigator L ia m B oehning at li am @c ampc linics .org or 541-633 -3979.

Amer ican Legion and VF W VF W Post 8138 a nd A merica n Le gion Post 8 6 meet t he rst Wed ne sd ay of e ac h mont h at 6 :3 0 p.m. , at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n Ave. I nfo: sister sveteran s@gm ail.com.

Honey Bees & Brews

Mont hly soc ia l gat hering at Laz y Z R anc h on u rsday, Ma rc h 2 6 , at 5 p.m . A ll beekeepers a nd w an na-bees welcome. F or more i nfo: C lyde, 458-20 6- 8470

Mont hly Song wr iters’ Sharing Ci rcle

Ne w day and location Second

Wednesday of t he month , 6 to 8 p. m., at e Hub, 291 E . M ai n Ave. B e i n a c reat ive com mu nity and be i ns pi red w hile sha ri ng songs, bei ng a g reat l is tener, a nd prov id ing feedback . A l l age s a nd sk il l levels welcome . Fre e . I nfo: ca l l or tex t Jes s at 5 41-9 77-8494.

Award-W inning

Photog rapher Adrian Klei n to present to SA PC

Wednesday, M arc h 11, 3:3 0 to 4 :3 0 p.m. , joi n Sisters A rea Photog raphy C lub (SA PC) for a f ree public e vent at S isters

Commun it y C hu rc h, 130 0 Mc Kenzie H ig hw ay. Awa rdwi nning photog rapher A dr ia n Klei n of t he Photo C ascadi a Photog raphy Tea m w il l be presenting “I n Sea rc h of t he Hidden,” l ive v i a z oom . He w il l use photos , stories , a nd t ips to s how how to d iscover a nd compose t he more abs trac t, hidden scenes f rom w it hi n a la rger v ie w. Contac t 530 -9 417638

Sisters Sno-Go -Fers club

Wednesday, M arc h 11, at 6 p. m . at t he Gal ler y i n Sisters Al l sno wmobilers a re welcome to a end even i f t hey a re not a c lub member. Come early to s ha re d in ner a nd v isit

For i nfor mation, contact: su mmer s0 62 8@gm ail.com

SIST ER S LI B RY

Cent ra l Oregon Federated Republ ican Meet ing COFRW (Cent ra l O regon Federated R epublica n Women) meet s t he r st u rsday of ever y mont h f rom 10:45 a .m (reg istrat ion) to 1 p.m . at

As pen L ake s G ol f C lub i n Si sters . Come lea r n f rom g uest spea kers, and hear a nd q uest ion loca l a nd state c andidate s. Meet ing s i nc lude lunc h for $27. R SV P requi red to a end Lear n more about upc om ing meet ing s a nd speakers, a nd RS V P at COFRWB end@ gm ail.com

Music Together Work shop Fr id ay, M arc h 6 , 10:3 0 to 11:15 a .m . Com mu nity Room . Grow you r c hild i nto a con dent music m aker!.

Teens Mont hly D& D Club

Fr id ay, M arc h 6 , 2 to 4 p.m Commun it y R oom . Joi n u s for t hi s monthl y teen-led D& D c lub i n Sisters! The Nonf ic tion Librar y Book Club Tuesday, M arc h 10, 1 to 2 p.m . Su le Tea , 450 E Cascad e Ave. # 2124, Sisters Disc us s D id ion a nd Babit z by L il i A nolik.

BASKETBALL: This is the farthest the Outlaws have ever gone

into the game.

On their first possession in the third quarter, the Outlaws got the backdoor lob to Corcoran on an assist from Paityn Cotner and from there continued to go at the Tigers. Durham drove to the rim for a score, and then hit another shot to close the gap to 17-19. Maici Cotner added another bucket when she dribbled through traffic and scored on a layup to knot the game up at 19-19. Durham hit two shots from the charity stripe, which gave Sisters their first lead of the contest at 21-19, and then she came right back with a long ball off a Maici Cotner assist to give the Outlaws a five-point lead. Sisters held the Tigers scoreless until the final five seconds of the period, where they were finally able to score on a layup and close the gap to three at the close of the third.

The Tigers hit a three to start the final quarter and

knotted the game back up at 24-24. From that point on, the Outlaws held the Tigers to five points and put up 14 of their own, which included a six-point run. Sisters went six-for-six from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the win.

When the final buzzer sounded the Outlaws bench stormed the court as the team celebrated the win with cheers, shouts, and hugs, and then raced to the other side to wave at their fans and thank them for their tremendous support.

Of the second half, Cotner said, “We were struggling offensively so we called specific sets that attacked them and put pressure on them defensively. The result was getting to the line 25 times verses their six free-throw attempts. Once we started to see a little success on the offensive end our defensive intensity naturally followed, essentially clamping down on them the entire second half.”

Sisters held the Tigers to 10 second-half points, and 17 points total in the final three periods. The Outlaws were 17/25 from the charity stripe.

Althea Crabtree was given a special shoutout from Coach Cotner.

“Althea stepped up and played out of her mind defensively and on the boards,” said Cotner. “Tonight she was the absolute epitome of understanding her role, and being the best that she can be.”

Cotner summed up the incredible performance.

“What an amazing and gritty performance by these girls tonight,” said Cotner. “What a special opportunity to

watch this group fight through adversity and setbacks to have one of the more memorable second-half performances I have been a part of a game with historic implications.”

He added, “Playing for the rights to do something that no other Sisters girls basketball team had done before puts a natural pressure on you. These girls felt it early, and had the emotional and mental stability to fight through the storm. What an absolutely inspiring game to be a part of.”

Serving Dinner Mondays 5:30-8! OPEN MIC music • poetry • comedy

Mondays 6-8 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 p.m. Bring your talent or just come cheer! Always a great time at SPOONS RESTAURANT

473 E. Hood Ave., Sisters

Sat., March 14 • 7 p.m. St. P atrick ’s Da y C elebr ation with Fiv e Pint Mar y and The Riv erst ones a festive Celebration with Central Oregon’spremierIrish-inspired bands belfr yevents.com...$25

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 4

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

Sisters Movie House Spring Adventure & Art Series: "Mountains of the Moon" World renowned artist and skier Chris Benchetler explores the unseen connections between sport, life, music, and the living earth — set to the timeless tunes of the Grateful Dead. 6:15 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

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

THURSDAY • MARCH 5

Sisters High School Festival Concert SHS students present their spring festival repertoire as they prepare for the OSAA competitive seasons for 3A HS jazz band, 3A HS concert band, and 3A HS concert choir HS Continuing Fiddle and the Americana Project will also perform. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., music starts at 7. Free Info: kayla.golka@ssd6.org

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Sip & Sketch: High Desert Wildflowers 6 to 8 p.m. Free BYO favorite medium and sketch with friends (no art skills required). Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Lilli Worona & Mike Biggers 6 to 8 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

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

FRIDAY • MARCH 6

Episcopal Church of Transfiguration Family BINGO Bingo Night 5 p.m. 11 games/$20 prizes $2 raffle ticket to benefit Circle of Friends in tribute to Kellie Scholl. 121 N. Brooks Camp Rd

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Live Music: Sidney Joseph 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Smokey-voiced multi-instrumentalist singersongwriter and composer. No cover. More info: www.lazyzranch. com/events.

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

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

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

SATURDAY • MARCH 7

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Brandon Campbell Trio 7 to 9 p.m. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

SUNDAY • MARCH 8

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Lazy Zunday: Books + Bubbles 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bring a book or just come have a lazy Sunday! Enjoy mead-mosas, ambient music firepits, and big views More info: www.lazyzranch.com/events. Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

MONDAY • MARCH 9

Spoons Open Mic: Music, Poetr y, Comedy Bring your talent (or come cheer) and enjoy a night of local music poetry and comedy hosted by Jordan Lewis Lee. 6 to 8 p.m., sign-ups open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner menu available 473 E. Hood Ave. Info: 541-719-0572

TUESDAY • MARCH 10

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Pool Tournament 5:30 p.m. Info: 541-549-6114. Sisters Saloon Bingo Night 5:30 p.m., upstairs, BINGO supporting Sisters GRO Foundation. Info: 541-549-7427

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 11

Sisters Movie House Spring Adventure & Art Series: "You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine" "A star-studded tribute to the legendary songwriter, filmed in October 2022 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. 6:15 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com. Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt "Handpicked Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets: 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).

THURSDAY • MARCH 12

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Kathy Marshall Firesides Music Series inside The Skip Bar & Restaurant, 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations required: www thesuttlelodge.com. Frankie's in Sisters Karaoke Night 6 to 8 p.m. No cover; upstairs. Info: frankiesinsisters.com. Lazy Z Ranch Wines Lazy Z Ladies Night Enjoy an evening of community at the ranch with friends old and new. 5 to 8 p.m. Free Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

FRIDAY • MARCH 13

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $20 Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com. Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill Karaoke 9 p.m. Information call 541-549-6114. Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tony Lompa 6 to 8 p.m. No cover! Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave.

Sat., Mar. 28 • 7 p.m. Joe and Hattie Cr av en bendticket.com...$22.94

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

Sat., Mar. 21 • 7 p.m. Anna Mos s with Laurie Shook and Sari Jordan Annahasavoicethatwillstop youdead inyour tracks—unique&deeplyhealing. bendticket.com...$22.94

SISTERS-AREA EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SATURDAY • MARCH 14

The Belfr y Live Music: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with Five Pint Mar y and The Riverstones. A festive celebration with Central Oregon’s premier Irish-inspired bands. 7 p.m. Tickets: belfryevents.com. Frankie's in Sisters New Friends & Neighbors 5 to 9 p.m. Meet new people for a relaxed evening of connection. Generous grazing table beer or wine and live music 5:30 to 7 p.m., then karaoke 7:30 to 9. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave.

Hardtails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill

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

Spoons Comedy: Music Teachers After Hours

A wildly funny, high-energy cabaret starring real-life music teachers Janelle Musson and Karen Sipes. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show at 6. Tickets: https://our.show/TeachersinSisters

SUNDAY • MARCH 15

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

Lazy Z Ranch Wines Lazy Zunday: Books + Bubbles 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bring a book or just come have a lazy Sunday! Enjoy mead-mosas, ambient music, firepits, and big views Info: www.lazyzranch.com/events.

TUESDAY • MARCH 17

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

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 18

Frankie's in Sisters Live Music: Tom Nechville & Linda Leavitt "Handpicked Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets: frankiesinsisters.com. Upstairs at 250 W. Cascade Ave. Sisters Movie House Spring Adventure & Art Series: "Women's Adventure Film Tour 2026" A celebration of the inspiring women around us who are doing extraordinary things in the name of adventure. 6:15 p.m. Tickets: www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

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

FRI –SUN • MARCH 27–29

The Belfry Workshop: Your Poem, Your Song, Your Voice with Joe and Hattie Craven. Includes workshops, Sunday concert, and five meals from Frankie's for $299 Space is limited; call 541-306-0797 to register by March 23 REGISTER EARLY!

LETTERS

Continued from page 2

a workforce housing grant, landscaping and irrigation at the new roundabout, and public art pedestals. Any changes to the budget or the project list need to be approved by the Board. No changes have been made to the funding plan for this year.

Once the urban renewal projects in the plan have been completed and the URA has issued and paid back the full maximum indebtedness that was set in the plan, the district is sunsetted. The increased value from private development that is spurred by the public investments in the area results in additional tax revenue for all the overlapping districts such as the Fire District and the Sisters Park & Recreation District. The URA Board is committed to completing the projects and beginning the process to pay off the debt and wind down the URA in 2030.

To read the plan or budget, or learn more about the Urban Renewal Agency, visit the city’s website, www.ci.sisters.or.us/urbanrenewal-agency. And to find out more about the Adams Avenue project, visit: https:// www.ci.sisters.or.us/publicworks/page/ adams-avenue-streetscape-project.

Jordan Wheeler, Sisters City Manager s s s

Limits on commentary

To the Editor: I’d like to offer a few thoughts from the peanut gallery on best practices for small-town journalism.

The job of a newspaper editor is a challenge. Even if you’re doing it right, half the people think you’re too conservative and the other half are firmly persuaded you’re WAY too liberal.

I lean into being appreciative of news outlets rather than critical, knowing how many long days, tough calls, and undeserved headaches are involved. So I have been delighted to financially support The Nugget, finding great value in its coverage of town issues and activities, as well as the wildlife and recreation we all treasure.

However, over the past couple years, I’ve gone from astonishment (the bizarre decision to publish a letter saying women don’t have the innate capacity to hold leadership roles), to puzzlement to frank dismay at The Nugget’s editorial judgment.

What does editorial judgment mean?

Well, a lot of it is old-fashioned common sense: Is this letter true? Does the writer have thoughts to share that are fresh and of value? Do we have a good and reasonably fair balance of viewpoints, including extremes, in the paper?

Will this letter to the editor (or “column” — which, in The Nugget, often describes a letter that’s outgrown its britches in length, originality, or quality) provide benefit and uplift — or at least not do any harm — to our broader community?

Or does it just make people feel more discouraged, suspicious, angry, and alienated in a time when people with good hearts are doing whatever they can to extend kindness, aid, and acceptance to each other, including those we disagree with.

Is this letter just another mean-spirited flex by someone with apparent ego issues? If the answer is yes, there is a little icon of a trash can you can click. Admittedly, this requires a bit of discernment and gumption.

Here’s the bottom line: When readers open The Nugget and have to roll their eyes at the sight of another long-winded, antagonistic and mind-numbingly predictable screed from the same source, we have a hard time not coming to the conclusion that these nonconstructive positions may align with those of the newspaper. Because why else would they be printed with such prominence and frequency?

And that’s the trouble with a loose-handon-the-reins approach to leadership: It’s risky

Cascade Disposal, to complete an updated franchise agreement to no avail. In 2023, Redmond gave their hauler a notice of termination, the County gave notice in December 2025, and Bend did so in February 2026. After a notice of termination with RS, a period of six years passes before actual termination.

The question Wheeler brought to Council was whether shall staff prepare a notice of termination of the RS franchise for council approval. The County’s Director of Solid Waste Tim Brownell was present to provide information as to what happens over the six-year period if the City does submit a notice of termination. Council later gave a nod to Wheeler’s question.

Director Brownell shared that the County would hire consultants, identify stakeholders, review flow controls, land fill processing and composting, and create a decision process. Overall, Brownell felt the County and its cities need a shared 30-year waste plan, should work to keep our waste here, manage construction waste down (it is 40 percent of all waste collected), and assure a franchise contract is a 10-year term with price controls. The current franchise renews for seven years annually.

Sisters Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Peter Hoover gave status on

the increases in affordable housing and units which will soon be complete. Hoover was deeply grateful for the support of the City, that of the many construction volunteers, and of the donors. Qualifying Habitat home buyers’ wait time has been reduced from four years to nine months. Habitat’s dilemma: It will not own any more land in the City on which to develop by September 2027.

Village Meadows has had a 10-year Habitat project to complete 21 affordable homes. Two completed this month and are owned, and the last two will complete and be owned in early April. Habitat created their first workforce unit in this project. Workforce units go to a buyer who is at or below 120 percent of area median income (AMI).

In Sisters Woodlands, as of April, Habitat will have constructed six units in six months, including transferring ownership to identified buyers who are at or below 80 percent AMI.

The Larch Commons infrastructure is complete and vertical work begins early summer to build 19 affordable and six workforce units for completion and transfer of ownership by June 2027. All 25 units will not change affordability (buyer’s qualifying AMI) through new owners into perpetuity. This is because under a land trust model, Habitat owns the land under the units, and thus controls the purchase price.

The City’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget for the policing services of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is $1,121,483. The City has contracted for these services

since 1998. As a comparison with Oregon cities having 4,300 to 3,600 in population; Reedsport’s budget is over $3 million this fiscal year for their police department, Aumsville has budgeted $,2,783,991, and North Plains has also budgeted $2.7 million.

Lieutenant Chad Davis shared the community services, public engagement and educational events, and policing services that he and three deputies provide to the City. Lt. Davis observed that as the weather warms and the daylight lasts longer, juvenile issues increase. Davis recommended installing cameras in the Village Green and Fir Street parks outside the restrooms, as they are problem areas.

Comparing DCSO annual statistics for the City from 2024 to 2025: Arrests rose from 110 to 124, Criminal Citations from 40 to 43; thefts from 39 to 64, and hit-andrun traffic incidents from one to 17. Compared to the neighboring cities, Lt. Davis said the City has, “similar crimes, less frequently.”

Council was asked by Public Works Operations Manager Jackson Dumanch to approve the janitorial services agreement with I & I Crystal Cleaning and the City. Crystal Cleaning had served the City in years past, but were not the most recent contract with the City to clean public restrooms and City Hall. A request for proposals had six responses. Crystal Cleaning requested $27.50 per hour for the initial term. That is 50 cents less per hour than the former contract. Council approved the agreement.

Volunteering matters — now more than ever

By Pat Nadon Guest Columnist

Volunteering is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat isolation and loneliness. When people volunteer, they feel connected, needed, and part of something bigger than themselves. That sense of purpose is especially important today, when so many people – of all ages –feel disconnected from their communities.

Volunteering also helps people develop new skills, build confidence, and stay mentally engaged. There’s strong scientific evidence behind this. Studies from institutions like Harvard and Stanford show that volunteering is linked to better physical health, improved mental well-being, and even increased longevity. People who volunteer regularly tend to live healthier, happier lives.

Intergenerational volunteering is especially important. When seniors mentor or tutor children, everyone benefits. Young people gain guidance, stability, and encouragement, and older adults experience renewed purpose and connection. We want our children to thrive

and succeed in this world, and seniors and community members have so much wisdom, patience, and lived experience to share. The impact can be life-changing on both sides.

And right now, volunteering matters more than ever. Many people in our communities are struggling, and nonprofits need help. Volunteering is a way for us to come together – no matter our difference – to support one another and move our communities forward. It reminds us that we’re all connected, and that positive change happens when people show up for each other.

At its core, volunteering isn’t just about helping others – it’s about strengthening the fabric of our community and creating a place everyone feels they belong.

Pat Nadon of Tumalo is a Community Resource Connector for Senior Advocates for Generational Equity (SAGE) who has experience working with seniors and volunteers and shared this piece she wrote about the importance of volunteering. To help Sisters seniors age in place it is going to take a concerted volunteer effort by citizens of all ages.

Minor Columnist

There is a particular kind of threshold that doesn’t arrive with drama. It doesn’t come because everything is falling apart. It comes because everything is working — at least from the outside. This is the threshold of

the established leader.

At this stage, the business is real. And so is the responsibility and the weight. There is a certain measure of success. You’ve built something, proven yourself, and become someone others rely on. And that’s exactly the point. Leadership here is no longer about becoming capable. It’s about carrying the increased weight and complexity.

Established leaders are often the ones holding the most. They’re holding the team, the culture, the vision, the financial pressure, the emotional complexity that no one else sees. And what’s striking is that many of them appear to be doing it well. They are respected, successful, and competent. But somewhere inside, something has begun to shift. A quiet question has started to form: How long can I keep doing this the way I’ve been doing it?

This threshold doesn’t always feel like crisis. More often it feels like fatigue — a kind of internal exhaustion

that isn’t solved by a weekend off. Because what’s exhausting isn’t the work itself. It’s the way you’ve been carrying it. At this level, the old strategies still function, but they begin to cost more. The control. The over-functioning. The pushing through. The being the strong one. These all begin to cost more, weigh more.

The deeper truth and resolution is this: The established leader is often facing a transition beyond performance into Presence. Presence is the shift from managing everything to meeting and embracing everything. It’s the shift from solving every situation to creating a more balanced and harmonious relationship with the situation. This is where leadership becomes less about doing more, and more about moving into a different way of being.

I’ve sat with leaders at this stage — business owners, entrepreneurs, senior executives, high level professionals — who are outwardly thriving but inwardly

carrying a growing, unnamed pressure. They’re navigating complexity, growth, people, high stakes decisions and compressed time. But beneath all of it is something more human: Loneliness, uncertainty, and the quiet sense that the next chapter is going to require something more than competence.

This is where Presence becomes essential. Not as a concept, but as a foundation. Because the deeper invitation at this threshold is not simply, “How do I maintain and scale this business or this profession?” It’s, “Who am I becoming as I carry this life?”

Established leadership is where success stops being the finish line and becomes the proving ground. The question is no longer whether you can lead, but whether you can lead without losing yourself. Perhaps that’s the threshold: The moment when the inner world is asking for something deeper

— a deeper way of holding, of seeing, and a deeper way of being.

The established leader is not failing. They are simply at an inflection point. They are being invited and called into a leadership that is not driven by strain, but anchored in Presence. And that shift — quiet, interior, profound — changes everything.

If you or someone you know is an established leader at a pivotal or critical moment, I’ll be hosting a small, curated, free afterhours gathering at The Hub in Sisters on Tuesday, March 12, 5:30 to 7 p.m. In this discussion, we’ll explore the dynamics and challenges of leadership thresholds, and I’ll share insights and lessons gained from my work with leaders over the years. If you’d like to be part of this conversation or if you’d like more information, visit www.thewayofleadership. com/invitation.

HIRING!

Wrestlers reach podium at State

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

The Sisters High School Outlaws wrestling team put on an impressive display at the OSAA State Wrestling Championships, sending six wrestlers and bringing home two hard-earned third-place medals with standout performances — especially from Tanner Gibney and the Kemp brothers.

Tyson Kemp stole the show with one of the 3A tournament’s most dominant comeback runs, according to Coach David Kemp.

In his opening match, Tyson, seeded second in the tournament, jumped out to a blazing 7-0 lead in just 30 seconds. The match ended controversially when his opponent, Christian Medina from Banks, couldn’t continue due to “concussion symptoms” following a call for unnecessary roughness, which resulted in a disqualification for Tyson.

However, against OSAA policy — which requires immediate removal from play for any athlete showing signs or symptoms of concussion

LETTERS

Continued from page 13

and prohibits same-day return — the opponent was immediately allowed to return to competition.

Dropping this first match knocked Tyson out of contention for the state title, but he got past the devastating call, and refocused on his matches ahead.

Coach Kemp said, “He channeled that energy into pure dominance in the consolation bracket, outscoring opponents 43-3 with a string of convincing wins to claim third place. His resilience, skill, and ability to bounce back turned a tough break into a highlight-reel performance that had everyone talking.”

He continued, “I have no doubt that Tyson is the best wrestler in the state at 150 pounds, and it is heartbreaking as a father and coach to see his dream taken away by a controversial first-round call.”

Coach Kemp has statistics to back up his claim.

Tyson Kemp ended his senior season with a 40-3 record, winning five tournament Championships and two outstanding wrestler awards during the course of the season.

Zack Kemp also delivered

big moments, showing he’s right in the mix with Oregon’s best at 132 pounds, according to Coach Kemp.

Zack, seeded seventh entering the tournament, opened against Adonijah Stanton from Willamina — the eventual champion — and fought hard in the loss.

Zack bounced back with a major decision win 10-2 over Memphis Morgan of Elmira, then faced a tough rematch against Hayden Cornell of Burns (who had tech-falled him 17-2 at districts). This time, Zack made it a battle, dropping a close 7-6 decision in a back-and-forth thriller. Cornell went on to third place, giving strong evidence that Zack proved he can compete with the best in the state.

“With two more years ahead, he’s one to watch,” said Coach Kemp. “He’s got the tools and the heart to go even further. He ended his season with 34 wins.”

Freshman David Jones got valuable experience in the tournament wrestling at 120 pounds. He lost by fall in the first round to Zander Cate at

the 1:35 mark sending him into the consolation round, where after a bye, he lost to Landon Kirkpatrick of Burns at 2:41 to conclude his state tournament experience.

On the girls’ side, Tanner Gibney showed serious grit and made program history in the 4A/3A/2A/1A tournament.

After dropping her first match against Annalee Candelaria of Sutherlin, Gibney, seeded fourth, roared back with four straight wins — all by pin — to grab third place, the highest state finish ever by a Sisters girls wrestler.

Said Coach Kemp, “The crown jewel for Tanner was a revenge pin over Carleigh Radke from La Grande, who had beaten her in the district finals the week before. Tanner took her down early and finished strong, flipping the script in style. As a sophomore, she’s already achieved something historic for the program and is clearly another one to watch for years to come.”

Senior Sierra Jaschke had a solid tournament, pushing to the semifinals before

finishing sixth in a stacked bracket, according to Kemp.

Jaschke pinned her first opponent, Emma Stalcup of Estacada, before dropping her semifinal match to Lizabeth Henderson of Mazama. Losses to Lexi Martin of Hidden Valley and Lillian Anderson of Sutherlin landed her in sixth place.

“Sierra’s leadership and passion will be missed, that’s for sure,” said Coach Kemp.

Sofia Clark, ranked seventh coming into the meet, opened with a loss in the 110pound class against Sarah Cobabe of St. Helen at the 2:49 mark and her loss in the consolation round against Adalia Chavez of RiversideBoardman knocked her out of the tournament.

“For both Sofia and David wins didn’t come this time, but the experience is sure to pay off down the road,” said Coach Kemp.

“It was a tough tournament with what took place for Tyson, but all of the kids showed tenacity and readiness to compete, which is all a coach can ask for.”

because it erodes our trust in the credibility of the whole outfit.

One result is that many of us may find a nice mustang rescue that’s being run with kindness and sound management to share our financial resources with instead of paying for toxic opinions to be shared out on our dime.

And given all the excellent work The Nugget does on our behalf, that would be a real shame.

It’s never a good practice to point out a problem without offering possible solutions. Here are three ways you can address this concern. 1. We don’t come to The Nugget for amateurhour commentary on national or world events (especially not barstool-level political axe-grinding) so consider maintaining a local or regional focus (meaning, do what you do best).

2. Simply introduce a word-count and publication limit on opinions from folks whose incessant chest-thumping is fast running the rest of us off.

3. Should you have empty columns to fill, do reprint Jim Anderson’s inspiring, illuminating, and exquisitely written pieces. Now there’s something we all admire and can agree on!

Sarah Smith

emergency.” Dudley has criticized Oregon’s low national education rankings, and advocates for the “science of reading” approach, and increased instructional time to improve fourth-grade reading scores.

He emphasized improving the business environment, reducing regulations and taxes, and addressing the rising cost of living.

Dudley presents himself as a “solutions-based” outsider from Salem who can foster nonpartisan collaboration to fix government agencies. His platform includes solutions for homelessness, public safety, and the state’s drug crisis.

Dudley’s 2010 run was the closest a Republican candidate has come to winning the Oregon governorship since 1982. He lost to Democrat John Kitzhaber by approximately 1.5 percent, or roughly 22,000 to 25,000 votes. Since then, Oregon has not elected a Republican governor.

The Oregon Republican primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026. Dudley is part of a crowded field of GOP contenders vying for the nomination to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek in November.

The Nugget questioned Dudley about his candidacy starting with why he makes Sisters home. What’s so special about Sisters Country/ Central Oregon?

“My wife, Chris, fell in love with Sisters and Central Oregon when I first visited as a Blazer. We bought a home here in 2004 and always knew that Sisters would be our family’s long-term home. Our children learned to ride their bikes here and continue to call it home to this day,” Dudley said.

“We love the sense of community and the attitude of people who are always ready to help their neighbors, much like they did during the Flat Fire. Between the people, the mountains, and the outdoor lifestyle, Sisters truly is an incredible place that we feel blessed to call home.”

In a state where Democrats have long dominated the legislature and the executive, The Nugget asked why Dudley thinks he can win this time.

Dudley responded: “I lost in the closest election in the past 70 years when I ran in 2010, and I feel an even stronger desire to change the path of Oregon now.

“As I travel the state, it’s clear that Oregonians are in dire need of change and remain passionate about their state. We need someone who can unify us in Salem and help make the necessary

adjustments to get our state back on track.”

In light of Oregon receiving recent national attention, The Nugget asked what he would have done differently with respect to immigration enforcement (National Guard, ICE, CBP) in Portland.

“We need to bring down the temperature so we can have an intellectually honest conversation about how to create channels to remove dangerous, convicted criminals while keeping Oregonians safe in the process,” he responded.“There must be a pathway for the federal government to remove both violent criminals and those who commit crimes such as drug trafficking and sex trafficking without disrupting our communities. There is no greater responsibility for our government than keeping Oregonians safe from harm, and that can only be accomplished through effective and clear communication.”

On a question high on voters’ radar, The Nugget asked how would act on homelessness in Oregon.

“Oregon’s response to the homelessness and addiction crisis has lacked both empathy and accountability,” Dudley said.“Oregon allocated over $1 billion in the last biennium to combat homelessness, yet the problem has demonstrably worsened. For example, Portland has a staggering increase of over 35 percent in the unhoused population.

“The current administration has not held itself accountable for delivering firm results. Instead, it continues to ask taxpayers for more money while our homeless and addicted communities fail

to receive the support they need due to broken systems.

“We cannot continue to pour vast sums of taxpayer money into programs without measurable results. As governor, my immediate action will be to commission a comprehensive, independent audit of all state-funded homeless programs to assess how every dollar is being spent, identify redundancies, and evaluate the actual effectiveness of the services being provided with maximum transparency.”

Dudley, former NBA player and businessman, reported $449,000 in contributions, recently receiving $25,000 from NBA star Kevin Love. Christine Drazan, state senator and 2022 GOP nominee, leads in fundraising with over $583,000 reported as of February 2026.

State Representative Ed Diehl reported nearly $136,000 in contributions.

Danielle Bethell, Marion County commissioner, reported approximately $15,000 in campaign funds.

Social media commentator David Medina entered the GOP primary in January.

AWARDS: Annual banquet was held at FivePine

Kristie Miller spoke to the local option levy coming up for a vote in May, and what it would allow for within the district. The levy would help fund additional personnel positions within the department and programs. Miller and the board this year looked at the budget, the rising number of calls and walk-ins, which are taking more resources, the importance of wildfire community protection, and the local option levy, which helps fund what the district plans to do and is already doing.

“It’s clear to the board that we depend on the team and the community; get out and vote in May,” said Miller.

Chief Prior also recognized the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association. The Association is a social group comprising paid personnel, volunteers, and Fire Corps members, and it supports educational programs, events, and more.

This year, they presented a new mission statement: “The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association proudly serves our community by dedicating our time, talents, and resources to support and protect those we care for.”

Chief Prior spoke to the importance of the community and volunteer programs, especially given the number of community members serving in a small area.

A special presentation was made to the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office and the 87 agencies that sent personnel and equipment to fight the Flat Fire in August 2025.

Chief Prior presented the

office agencies with a metal sculpture depicting a firefighter silhouette, all handcarved metal, recognizing their work with the district during the Flat Fire.

“They were a great support during the incident, and we were able to declare conflagration very quickly and were supportive of our needs during the effort. We wanted to give something that will stay around in remembrance,” said Chief Prior.

Several engine crews also received metal artwork commemorating their participation in the effort to defend Whychus Canyon and Sisters Country. The efforts of the Fire Marshal’s office and the quick response of the engines gave the teams a chance to succeed.

Throughout the evening, Deputy Chief Tim Craig and Chief Prior alternated in handing out service awards, as did Fire Corps Chair Beverly Halcon, recognizing the Fire Corps Volunteer of the Year.

The ceremony commemorated the year’s efforts and the people behind the successes, and celebrated the programs coming forward this next year.

“We really are stronger together,” Chief Prior concluded.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Awardees

Meritorious Service Award: Deputy Chief Tim Craig

Distinguished Service Cross: Derrick Snow

Life Saving Award: Damon Frutos, Brayden Klosterman, Keaton Davis

Partnership Awards: Davis Towing, Heather Miller

Significant Contributions Award: Tom Gilman - Team Lead for Wildfire Home Assessments (division of the fire corps)

Outstanding Fire Fitness: Jonathan Luz

Career Firefighter of the Year: Rachelle Otasu

Rookie of the Year: Jonathan Luz

Volunteer of the Year: Christi Davis

Volunteer Firefighter of the Year: Peter Renggli

Volunteer EMT of the Year: Ellie Russell

Fire Corps Volunteer of the Year: Monica Matthews

Resident Volunteer of the Year: Brayden Klosterman Thornton Brown - Recognized for 35 years as Captain.

Tax-saving moves for 2025

Tax season is upon us, and while April 15 may seem like it’s right around the corner, you still have time to make some strategic moves that could lower your 2025 tax bill. Whether you’re looking to reduce your taxable income or set yourself up for a more secure financial future, these options are worth considering.

Contribute to an IRA. One of the most popular taxsmart moves is contributing to an Individual Retirement Account. You have until the April 15 filing deadline to contribute to an IRA for the 2025 tax year. You can contribute up to $7,000, or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older.

If you choose a traditional IRA, your contributions may be tax-deductible depending on your income level and whether you participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Your earnings grow tax-deferred until you withdraw them in retirement. With a Roth IRA, you won’t get an immediate tax deduction, but your earnings can grow tax-free if you follow the withdrawal rules.

Max out your Health Savings Account (HSA). If you’re enrolled in a highdeductible health plan, a Health Savings Account offers triple tax advantages. You can still make HSA contributions for 2025 until April 15. The limits are $4,300 for individual coverage and $8,550 for family coverage. If you’re 55 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000.

HSA contributions reduce your taxable income, the money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are never taxed. Plus, HSAs have no “use it or lose it” rule. Your savings roll over year after year, making an HSA

a valuable tool for building resources to cover healthcare costs in retirement.

Self-employed?

Consider a SEP IRA. Business owners and selfemployed individuals have another powerful option: the SEP IRA. You can make contributions for 2025 up until your business tax return deadline, including extensions. For 2025, you can contribute up to 25% of your compensation, with a maximum of $70,000. This can significantly reduce your taxable income while building your retirement nest egg.

Don’t forget required minimum distributions. If you turned 73 in 2025, make sure you’ve taken your Required Minimum Distribution from your traditional IRA or 401(k) for 2025. Missing this deadline can result in a steep penalty, so it’s important to verify that if your 73rd birthday was in 2025, your RMD has been withdrawn before April 1, 2026.

Consult a professional. While these moves can help reduce your tax burden, everyone’s financial situation is unique. Before making any major financial decisions, it’s wise to consult with a tax advisor or financial advisor who can provide guidance tailored to your specific circumstances.

The April 15 deadline is fast approaching, but you still have opportunities to make smart choices that could benefit both your current tax return and your long-term financial health. Don’t let this window of opportunity close without considering your options.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by Sisters Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Karen Kassy, CRPC.

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

“I hope you keep going forever.”

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

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

That’s the bad news.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you,

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

The Nugget Newspaper Crossword

Bull by Bull

By Judy Bull Columnist

Long, long years ago when Sisters was a lot smaller and huntin’ season was on the horizon, hunters would site in their rifles off Whitney Sporting Goods’ porch on the corner of West Cascade Avenue and South Pine Street. The good old days.

This winter has been trying on so many levels. I found new ways to stave off feelings of depression and a couple of ways to stay “in shape.” I climbed my stairs a number of times each day to keep my lungs from collapsing, and I had an 80-pound bale of hay set aside to lift four times, twice a day.

Recently my sister, Jenny, sent me some old, old family letters, one from 1928 and one from 1942. Postage on both was a twocent stamp. Using an inflation app, two cents in 1942 translates to 41 cents in 2026.

One of the best things about waking up to the first snow of the season (about the only snow this season) is seeing the tracks of all kinds of critters who have passed through in the night. The nightlife is alive and well and the signs they leave behind remind me that while I sleep, coyotes, deer, badgers, rabbits, and

ROUNDABOUT: Personal thoughts on Sisters 2031

Continued from page 6

Horses will be fewer; too impractical and expensive. Possibly more cows, however, as part of a continuation of micro and regenerative farming interest along with the farm to table movement all of which will grow in Sisters albeit not dramatically.

We will not see any added national restaurant chains (sorry you Burger King and Starbuck’s hopefuls). However, expect at least two more high-end dining options with $40-plus average entrees.

The Adams Avenue streetscape project will be a stunner and recharacterize several blocks. The Barclay bypass will finally get straightened out and finished, and probably the goofy Locust/Barclay traffic pattern will be fixed, maybe by a roundabout.

Nonretail commercial activity will thrive led by innovative developers putting up architectural splendors.

any number of other critters which I cannot identify are busy going about their lives. And then, of course, there was the morning Riddle came in with a muzzle full of porcupine quills.

Relson Excavation’s D.I.R.T. ad on TV is second only to Gary Gruner’s “Made in America” ad. So simple. And Hoodoo’s “Who do you love?” TV jingle always puts a smile on my face every winter.

A little bit more about Carol Jacquet, who turns 95 this month: She has a lovely old rocker, padded by pillows galore, perfectly situated looking through floor-to-ceiling south-facing windows, binoculars at the ready, and dumbbells within reach. When I arrived for coffee one morning she was sitting on a beautiful, old, handcrafted bench, stoking the morning fire.

My mom wrote “incorrigible” in my baby book when I was 20 months old. Until I looked it up in my 40s, I was never really quite sure of the meaning. Turns out she chose the perfect word. But, of course she did, she was always good with words, and she knew me well.

Remembering Vernon: “You never wanted to go to work for a rancher who had electricity running out to his barn. Too many long nights.”

The Barclay corridor and the Sun Ranch Park will be a hive of economic cachet.

Growth — especially in an older demographic — will place increasing demands on our fire districts, particularly for medical calls. That will push them toward increased cooperation even over current mutual aid.

We’ll finally have decent way signage and welcome signage in town and an arts commission, hopefully with vision. Street art will start to pop up. Yet I worry about the ages of our gallery owners. These are not hugely lucrative businesses in general. And speaking of aging, in five years yours truly will probably need to be put out to pasture. And our beloved Nugget will have to endure continuing assaults on its business model.

In spite of all the new arrivals and compressed living, volunteerism and a sense of community will prevail.

Okay. You’ve heard from the poo-bah’s. You’ve heard from me. What say you?

Gaze into your crystal ball and in 600 words or less send your thoughts to editor@ nuggetnews.com.

MARCH AT FRANKIE’S Mediterranean-inspired, scratch-made food Craft cock tails. Live music. Private events OUR MAIN DINING ROOM IS REOPENING SUNDAY, MARCH 8. Join us for brunch from 11 a .m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy our full menu and to- go options (order online). Check out all our events at frankiesinsisters.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.

CLASSIFIED RATES

COST: $3.50 per line for first insertion, $2.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1.50 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $3.50 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.

DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 5 PM preceding Wednesday publication.

PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. Major credit cards accepted with a 3% processing fee. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four weeks.

CATEGORIES:

102 Commercial Rentals

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

104 Vacation Rentals

Downtown Vacation Rentals Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom

SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

201 For Sale

Almost new Celimo All Terrain Tires 37x13.50R22 PREVAIL M/T, 4 tires, $500, 541-420-1759

202 Firewood

NEW DISCOUNT PRICES

SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD •SINCE 1976 • Fuel Reduction Forestry Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir

DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES

–18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com

Order Online! 541-410-4509

205 Garage & Estate Sales

ANNUAL GARAGE SALE at River Run Event Center, in Eagle Crest Resort, 1730 Blue Heron, Redmond. Saturday, March 14, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 541-526-1876

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150

301 Vehicles

Mountain High RV & Boat

Storage – Large unit available. 541-410-0458.

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

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

500 Services

SMALL Engine REPAIR

Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers

Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

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

Bend Window Works, LLC is offering a 10% discount on new window coverings. FREE in-home consultation. Same day in-home repair services available. New and repaired blinds make rentals look better! Contact us at 541-383-2455 or andy@bendblinds.com.

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

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

501 Computers & Communications

3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC Audio/video, data networking, WIFI, security camera, alarms. CCB #191099 541-306-0729

502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 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 JUNK REMOVAL & EXT. HOME SERVICES

Fire/Tree/Storm/Estate cleanup, manure removal, pressure washing, demo/excavation/land clearing. 541-784-8522

brushmasterlandmanagementllc HAVE A SERVICE TO PROVIDE?

Let the public know what you have to offer in The Nugget’s C L A S S I F I E D S!

600 Tree Service & Forestry

LOLO TREE WORKS

Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services.

ISA Certified Arborist

Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com

Call / Text: 503-367-5638

Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912

4 Brothers Tree Service

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

–FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!

Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003

** Free Estimates **

Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342

4brostrees.com

Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057

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

601 Construction CASCADE GARAGE DOORS

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

Pat Burke

LOCALLY OWNED

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

Custom Homes Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

— Serving Sisters Since 2010 —

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

Check the Nugget's classified advertisers for professionals to help you!

SUDOKU

Construction & Renovation

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

Custom Homes • Additions

Residential Building Projects Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764

John Pierce

jpierce@bendbroadband.com

Walls Needing a Touchup? Check the Classifieds!

Level: Moderate Answer: Page 23

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

LOCAL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES & HOME MAINT.

Remodels • Landscaping Firewise Maintenance Decks & Much More!

Pease Co. Contracting Call Tanner at 541-588-0136. Big and small jobs! CCB# 256258

Earthwood Timber

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services

EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

CASCADE VALLEY CONTRACTING, LLC

General Contractor CCB#180099

Custom Remodels • Additions

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

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

602 Plumbing & Electric

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

SWEENEY

PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling

• New Construction

• Water Heaters 541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

CCB #87587

— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE 541-419-3148

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

Electrical Service & Repair

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

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

CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860

603 Excavation & Trucking Full Service Excavation

Free On-site Visit & Estimate Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition Trucking

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

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24

Whatever You Want! VIEW OUR Current Classifieds every Tuesday afternoon! Go to NuggetNews.com

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

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial

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

604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR

Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com

CCB #195556 541-549-6464

Sisters, Oregon's Exclusive HVAC Service

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

SistersHeatingAir.com

605 Painting

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

peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491

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

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

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

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

LCB #9958 • CCB #222039 All Landscaping Services Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

Alpine Landscape Maintenance

An All-Electric Landscape Company. Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.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

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

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

701 Domestic Services

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC

Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

704 Events & Event Services

CENTRAL OREGON'S GUN & KNIFE SHOW!

March 14 & 15

Saturday, 9-5 • Sunday, 9-3 Deschutes County Expo Center

ADMISSION: General $10; Military/Vets $8; 2-day pass $16; Children under 12 are free. New this Month: Concealed Carry Class; Onsite Coin Dealer For info call 541-699-1585. OregonGunsandMoreShow.com

802 Help Wanted

Local visual artist seeks part-time assistant to manage marketing, admin and studio logistics. Must be highly organized, reliable, and tech-savvy. Familiar with Meta, Canva and Etsy. Flex hours, room to grow. Send resume: kimry@kimryjelen.com

NOW HIRING

Housekeeping and Maintenance Team Members

Join the crew at our cozy camp style retreat nestled in the forest! We're looking for friendly, dependable individuals to join our team at Lake Creek Lodge. PT/FT. We offer flexible schedules & excellent compensation. www.lakecreeklodge.com 13375 SW FS Rd. 1419

Camp Sherman THE GARDEN ANGEL LANDSCAPING

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

"We advertised for a part-time employee in The Nugget and had over a dozen applicants within days! It was a great way to reach out to the community and find the right fit for our company."

Krista West

999 Public Notice Notice of District Measure Election

Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, a measure election will be held in Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District located in Deschutes County, Oregon. The following shall be the ballot title of the measure to be submitted to the district’s voters on this date:

CAPTION: Five-Year Local Option Levy for staffing and operations

QUESTION: Shall the district levy $1.23/$1000 of assessed value for five years beginning 2026/2027 to fund staffing and operations? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.

SUMMARY: This Levy would authorize the Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District to impose a $1.23/$1000 of assessed value operating levy to fund fire protection and emergency services. The district has seen a 43% increase in emergency responses since 2022. Recent wildfires have illustrated the need for additional staffing. This is a Five-year fixed rate of $1.23/$1000 of assessed property value. This would replace the current levy of $0.69/$1000. An increase of $0.54/$1000 The levy would fund:

- Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Specialist: This position will be focused on developing programs to engage homeowners in lowering their wildfire risk, working on grant-funded and cross-boundary fuels mitigation projects, create a wildland fire resiliency plan and secure funding opportunities to support resident efforts.

- Three shift Captains - Three student firefighters - Offset operational costs associated with emergency response activities, equipment and personnel expenses. The added positions strengthen daytime response capabilities when volunteer and student staffing is limited, providing added personnel for emergencies. This Levy is estimated to raise $3,689,497 over five-years. Estimated revenue for each year of the levy:

$692,440 in 2026/2027

$720,130 in 2027/2028

$748,943 in 2028/2029

$778,901 in 2029/2030

$810,057 in 2030/2031

Notice of Receipt of Ballot Title

Notice is hereby given that a ballot title for a measure referred by Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District has been filed with the Deschutes County Clerk on February 25, 2026. The ballot title caption is: Five-Year Local Option Levy for staffing and operations. An elector may file petition for review of this ballot title in the Deschutes County Circuit Court no later than 5:00 p.m., March 6, 2026. Steve Dennison Deschutes County Clerk

OBOB: Students will go to regional competition

Continued from page 3

GARDENING: Classes will help growers network

Continued from page 3 high, the competition was fierce, and the students demonstrated impressive knowledge of the books along with outstanding sportsmanship.

In a serendipitous local twist, the answer to the final, title-clinching question was “Sisters,” referencing the novel “Just Like Click” by local author Sandy Grubb. Grubb visited students in the fall to speak about her writing and the creative process, making that final moment feel especially meaningful for the school community.

The Brain Stormz earned the title of SES Champions. Team members Matthew Wods, Brayden Loeb, Silas Canty-McIver, and Owen Oki will go on to represent Sisters Elementary at the Regional OBOB Tournament in Prineville on Saturday, March 7.

The winner will then head to Chemeketa Community College in Salem on Saturday, April 11 for the 16th annual state finals.

The program is sponsored by the Sisters School Foundation and Paulina Springs Books.

Spring Workshop No. 1, called “Seeding for Success – Designing a Productive Garden from the Ground Up,” will take place in the spring on Saturday, March 28, and will focus on revealing Seed to Table’s crop planning, plant selection and crop rotation, and how crop rotation and companion planting support healthy soil and abundant harvests. The class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Seed to Table farm.

Spring Workshop No. 2, “From the Ground Up –Preparing Soil for Spring Growing,” will cover transforming an empty planting bed into a season-long harvest. Participants will learn how to assess soil needs and prepare planting areas for the season ahead. The workshop is designed to enhance the participants’ confidence in preparing garden beds that are balanced, fertile, and ready to grow vegetables. Each workshop is offered on an individual basis and on a sliding scale that ensures folks on a tight budget can still participate. This year Toll will focus on the

questions she’s asked the most from Central Oregon gardeners. She sees the classes as community conversations that will be guided by what participants want to learn to be more successful gardeners.

“We see these classes as an opportunity for local growers to network and chat about what issues they’re having in their gardens, as well as their successes,” said Toll. “We’ll also let participants know about other classes being offered in the area that include growing pollinator-friendly flowers that promote butterfly and bee health. I’ve learned so much working at Seed to Table and will offer my farm experiences that apply to small-scale market gardens.”

Toll invites folks with established gardens, as well as those who haven’t started growing their own food yet. She created classes that will be interesting for people wanting to expand their garden areas to grow more produce that they could sell or share with others.

For more information about the Seed to Table Adult Garden Education workshops visit Seed to Table’s website and their education page for Adult Gardening Workshops. Contact Vivian Toll at vivian@ seedtotablesisters.org.

FORUM:

Program will grapple with senior services in Sisters

Continued from page 3

miscellaneous topics. Each table will have a facilitator and notetaker, and will have approximately 45 minutes for discussion.

The goal of the forum is to have attendees leave inspired, having made connections and tactical plans needed to catalyze new initiatives supporting local seniors. On Monday, March 9, at noon, at the Hub located at 291 E. Main Ave. (across from First Interstate Bank), there will be a brown bag lunch gathering for those who have concepts or ideas they would be willing to work on to get them established. Many hands will bring to life viable programs and services for our seniors.

At the Sunday forum you will be able to indicate your intention to attend Monday’s lunch. There will be room for approximately 30 people.

Serving Our Seniors, a volunteer action team of Age Friendly Sisters Country, has been working since April 2025, meeting with older citizens to collect data and information regarding seniors in Sisters – how many, what

services are currently available, what’s missing, and what seniors and their families or caregivers need and want to facilitate aging in place in our community. They have also reached out to programs in other Oregon communities that have established programs for meeting senior needs.

The forum is free, open to the public, and accessible both in person and online via YouTube livestream. Light refreshments will be provided as well as free on-site childcare. Email C4C if you need a ride to the event. Please contact Kellen Klein, C4C’s executive director, with any questions at director@ citizens4community.com.

C4C is sponsoring the forum in partnership with The Nugget Newspaper, AFSC, and SOS.

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DO VISITORS KNOW WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS?

THE OFFICIAL RESOURCE GUIDE PUBLISHED BY THE NUGGET NEWSPAPER

• Thirty-one years strong! The effective, affordable way to promote your business, event, or organization.

• Comprehensive information and articles on recreation, the art and music scene, events, shopping, history, dining & lodging directories, local resources, and more.

• Extensive distribution locally in Sisters, Redmond, Bend, Tumalo, Sunriver, Prineville, Madras, and Redmond Airport…and statewide through chambers of commerce, welcome centers — including Portland International Airport, and visitors and tourism associations.

PUBLISHING MAY 20, 2026

35,000 printed guides

Distributed Statewide

Reaching out to the estimated 26,000 annual overnight visitors to Sisters and innumerable daytrippers from the 6.6+ million annual Central Oregon tourists! Plus thousands of digital guides downloaded and viewed at SistersOregonGuide.com.

Deadline for space reservations and ad content is Friday, April 3, 2026.