The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVII No. 10 // 2024-03-06

The Nugget

Roundabout project gets under way at east intersection

Sisters Country rancher seeks compensation for wolf depredation

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

With a few ceremonial shovelfuls of dirt turned over, the US20/Locust Roundabout construction project is under way.

City and county elected officials, Oregon Department of Transportation representatives, along with construction personnel gathered on the south

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

The Ski Inn Taphouse was full of community members and fire staff who gathered last Sunday evening to meet the five semi-final candidates for Sisters fire chief, one of whom will replace Chief Roger Johnson as he retires this summer.

George Dunkel, who provides consulting services for Special Districts Association of Oregon, introduced each of the candidates who made brief statements. The assembled citizens and staff had almost two hours to meet, question, and listen to the candidates. They then had the opportunity to fill out a comment sheet with their assessments of the candidates.

“We wanted to provide an opportunity for the community to be engaged in the process and have the ability to provide feedback if they

Dignitaries from the City of Sisters and Deschutes County wielded golden shovels in the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highway 20/Locust Roundabout.

side of the Locust/Cascade intersection on Monday morning to officially inaugurate the project.

Mayor Michael Preedin noted that the effort was six years in the making, starting with initial impetus from Sisters Public Works Director Paul Bertagna. Partnerships between the

Community meets fire chief candidates

wanted to,” said SistersCamp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD) board member Kristie Miller.

On Monday, March 4, the board conducted individual interviews with the candidates and then reviewed all the comments from Sunday’s gathering. Once the field is narrowed, there will be background and reference checks done on the finalist(s). After all that is completed, a public announcement will be made revealing the new chief.

The district conducted a far-reaching search for Johnson’s replacement which began last summer. District Director Jack McGowan indicated the “hybrid” recruitment process included help from the Western Fire Chiefs Association, who made recommendations of possible candidates of which they were aware.

See FIRE CHIEF on page 16

City of Sisters, Deschutes County, and the State of Oregon brought the work to fruition.

Preedin noted that the project, in addition to smoothing out the eastern entrance into town, is designed

See ROUNDABOUT on page 12

Long Hollow Ranch sits on 12,000 acres across two counties. Its main entrance is on Holmes Road in the heart of Sisters Country. The most visible part of the operation is its wedding and event venue but behind the bucolic setting are cows. Hundreds of them. The ranch also sits on an AKWA (Area of Known Wolf Activity).

Long Hollow is claiming the loss of seven cows to wolves beginning in February of 2023 with the most recent loss last

See WOLVES on page 15

Rumble on the Runway in jeopardy

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

The annual July 4th flyin, car show, and drag-racing event at Sisters Eagle Airport, known as Rumble

On The Runway, is in danger of disappearing from the Sisters event scene, a victim of its own success.

Airport co-owner, Julie Benson, told The Nugget “that the cost to insure the one-day event has risen by 500 percent and there are simply not enough of us to staff the event. We need many more volunteers.”

In 2021 the event attracted about 1,500 people. That grew to around 2,000 to 2,500 in 2022, and last summer close to 4,000 (some say 5,000) packed the affair.

“It is no longer a localsonly event,” Benson said. “Hundreds come from the Valley and as far as Madras, Prineville, and La Pine.” Some of the fly-in planes come from Washington, Idaho, California, and Nevada.”

That sounds like good news to local merchants and town promoters, but the sheer number is overwhelming Benson and her husband, Benny. Parking is a major issue, and there has been no traffic-control support from the Sheriff’s Office or help from the City.

On Friday, when The Nugget told Mayor Michael Preedin of the possibility that the event cannot continue, he immediately reacted to the potential loss of the iconic

event, one particularly loved by families.

“The community needs to come together to make sure this continues. This is too important for Sisters. And besides, it’s a whole lot of fun,” he said. Preedin couldn’t commit to anything concrete the City could do beyond ”amplify the call for community support.” He thought the event would be eligible for a

Sisters Eagle Airport’s annual Fourth of July event has become extremely popular — which is pushing insurance costs and volunteer demands up.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

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.

What happened to integrity

To the Editor:

As I watch and listen to the collective failure of our nation’s congressional members, the question arises of what happened to integrity, truthfulness, and honesty. When fear of reprisal and political backlash overshadows one’s action to do what is right, that person needs to leave their political office. Those

members were sent to our capital to work for the betterment of our country, not to bow to an entity whose self-centered nature perpetuates falsehoods and attacks our democracy.

Think about both sides of the political spectrum and what you expect from your elected officials. We need people in office who tell the truth, maintain honesty and

See LETTERS on page 14

Urban and rural are interdependent

By Erin Borla Guest Columnist

On February 26, The New York Times published a column by Professor Paul Krugman titled “The Mystery of White Rural Rage.” While the professor’s opinion perpetuated stereotypes and tropes about many communities across America, I can imagine it may speak to people looking outside of their circle for someone to blame for policies they don’t care for, or the divides seen in our country.

decisions are made. If they don’t understand them, they can be treated as inferior or “less-than.” Yet, the expectations are not the same the other direction; neighbors in metropolitan areas generally are not required to understand rural spaces.

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With Prof. Krugman’s platform he has the opportunity; and as a professor, he has the obligation; to encourage others to think critically about the messages they receive about people and places they don’t know. His role should be to challenge readers and students to break down silos and ask questions beyond a book they have read. I would encourage others to read their news the same way — with a critical eye toward authenticity.

I urge people to think about the last time they had a substantive conversation with someone from a rural or remote community. A community beyond where they live, or the circle of people they spend time with. Not just stopping for gas and asking for directions; a real conversation about what life is like outside of the city –what issues communities are facing, what hopes they have for the future.

With my job I get the opportunity to work every day around challenges and inequities facing rural, remote, and Reservation communities. In a country where 97 percent of the land mass is considered rural –and 19% of the population – there are rich stories of the people who live there. There are complex histories that have led to challenges seen across America today.

Overall, rural people are expected to know and understand how to operate in urban settings; it’s where many larger services are located — things like hospitals and financial institutions. It’s where policy

It is imperative that those in urban power centers spend some time getting to know the people who grow the country’s food, provide its energy, and support the data systems that permeate American life. These services provided by rural spaces are critical to the daily lives and infrastructure of our urban and suburban neighbors, just like many of the things in urban spaces are critical to rural communities. The two are interdependent

Prof. Krugman, from behind his desk, blames ‘white rural America’ for all this country’s problems. He fails to see the irony that from New York, he points to this ‘other America’ as vengeful, resentful, and hopeless – looking for someone to blame for their problems. America’s problems are rural and urban. Elevating blame and pointing fingers has gotten us nowhere and continues to increase divides.

So, what is there to do? Prof. Krugman mentions there is no solution to rural rage, best just walk away. I beg to differ. I encourage others to go and visit, get to know people with lives that are different from their own — in communities or places that are farther away from where they live. Grab lunch at a hometown diner and chat with the locals. They will share stories of hope and resilience, challenge, and opportunity — stories of humanity. The thoughts and insights heard may echo stories that the listener has in their own life. Rural communities and urban centers have more in common with one another than we think. The recognition of a common humanity, one based on interdependence, may lead to compassion, compromise, and opportunity to move forward more united. The solution? It starts with a conversation.

Students let off STEAM in creative event

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Sister Middle School opened its doors to the community last Thursday, sparking creativity and fun in STEAM Expo 2024.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Instead of tackling each as a separate field, STEAM education integrates all of these elements to engage students in inquiry, discussion, and creative problem-solving. The goal is to help students

become good collaborators, thoughtful risk-takers, and problem solvers. Advocates of STEAM education note that the paradigm helps prepare students for jobs that don’t even exist yet.

And it makes learning more engaging and fun.

There was a lot of fun and engagement to be found at the middle school, with activity stations scattered around the commons and into classrooms. There were art activities, musical performances, and displays of work students have done in

Council on Aging of Cent ral O rego n

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.

G o 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.

science classes.

Eighth-grader JB Greenwood walked visitors through the details of his solar home display, explaining how the orientation of windows maximized natural light and warmth, complementing radiant heat in the floor and a planted roof to insulate the house.

“It took me about four days to make it,” he said of the detailed model.

Across the commons, visitors could take a crack at

Sisters woman embodies entrepreneurial spirit

By Matt Van Slake Correspondent

In honor of International Women’s Day (March 8), The Nugget recognizes the achievements of women who are making a significant impact on our community. Josette Johnson, founder and CEO of Josie’s Best Gluten Free Mixes, exemplifies the spirit of resilience, creativity, and determination that defines women entrepreneurs worldwide.

Josette Johnson is navigating entrepreneurship with the same remarkable ability and agility that made her a champion show jumper.

A professional in the

horse industry, Johnson turned pro at 19, rode at the Grand Prix level, coached the equestrian sport, owned a training center, and managed her family’s horse-breeding operation.

Now she is confidently and successfully maneuvering through the business world, a venture that began with a personal journey.

“I came home from my first year in college with a lot of gastrointestinal issues,” said Johnson. “I just felt bad. I remember my mom saying, ‘You look awful.’”

Miserable from months of dorm food, Johnson visited a

Youth will get creative in SFF summer camps

SFF Presents will host six summer creativity camps for middle and high schoolaged students at Sisters Art Works, 204 W. Adams Ave., set to take place in July and August. The nonprofit has partnered with regional teaching artists to create these fun-filled sessions of art, music, theater, and selfexpression. Registration opens on March 6 at 10 a.m. at https://www.sffpresents. org/summer-creativitycamps with pay-what-you can pricing starting at $25 to ensure that no child is

prevented from participating due to financial barriers.

On July 8-12, the half-day Seed to Sprout Music Camp will take place for players with minimal music experience on their chosen acoustic instrument. Teaching artist Joe Schulte, mandolin player and bandleader from Moon Mountain Ramblers, Cascade School of Music, and String Theory Music School in Bend, will teach the course. Schulte will provide songs that can be played

noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.

541- 54 8-0 440.

Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration

Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild

For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om 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.

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

Milita ry Parent s of Sisters M eetings are held quarter ly; please c all for details. 5 41-388 -9 013.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 549- 64 69

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

Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPR D. 5 41-5 49 -8 8 46

Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregi ver Suppor t G roup 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 5 41-719 -0 031.

Sisters Cribbage C lub M eets 11 a.m. ever y Wed. at S PR D. 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 Thursdays, 7 to 8:3 0 a.m., at Aspen Lakes Golf Cours e. 541- 410-2870

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298

Sisters Red Hat s 1st Friday. For location infor mation, please c all: 541- 8 48 -1970.

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.

Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 903-1123

Sisters Trails A lliance Board Meetings take plac e ever y other month, 5 p.m. In- person or zoom. Contact: info@sisterstrails.org

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of Direc tors M eets 1st Tuesday 10 a.m., TSI D Of fice. 5 41-5 49 -8 815

Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd

Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 5 41-419 -1279.

VF W Po st 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:3 0 p.m., M ain Church Building

Sisters Communit y Church 541- 549-14 62 (John).

SCHOOLS

Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.

CITY & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.

Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Dire ctor s 2nd & 4th Tues., 4 p.m., C of f ield Center. 5 41-5 49 -2091.

Sisters Pl anning Commission 3rd

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

JB Greenwood explained the features of a solar home model at last week’s STEM Expo.

See JOHNSON on page 17

Girls tennis seeks repeat as district champs

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The girls tennis squad returns several players and hopes to repeat as the Special District 4 champions again this year.

Leading the way will be senior Juhree Kizziar, who was undefeated in conference play last year, and was the No. 1 singles champion at district. Kizziar has been playing all winter at the Athletic Club of Bend, and, according to Coach Bruce Fenn, her game is even better in all areas — especially her serve and volleys.

Senior Katie Ryan also returns in singles. Ryan played doubles once a week this past winter as well, and Fenn noted that it shows in her confidence and consistency.

Other returning senior varsity players include Leah O’ Hern, Presley Adelt, Charlotte Seymore, and Molly Greaney.

“These returning senior players are the foundation of our team,” said Fenn. “Without their efforts and examples we would not be as good as we are.”

Junior Shae Wyland returns as a district doubles qualifier from last year, along with fellow junior Ava Riehle and Sophie Rush. Sophomore Rylie Bick is also back and will play singles.

“These girls are the stars of the future,” said Fenn. “They are focused on getting better, and love to compete.”

New to the team this year are junior Lilly Pomering and freshmen Caitlin Carter, Jessica Stahn, and Isabella Panozzo.

“The new freshmen will need to step up for some varsity matches,” said Fenn. “Our numbers are down from last year, and we really do need more players.”

Sadly for the Outlaws, it looks as if they will be without senior Brooke Harper this year, who had surgery on her hip and may be out for the year. She played at No. 2 singles last year, was a semi-finalist at district, and qualified for state.

Fenn stated that Kizziar, Ryan, and Bick will play singles for sure, but all other positions are yet undecided.

“Our match schedule is challenging, with several invitational tournaments in Bend and Roseburg,” said Fenn. “These experiences will prepare us for stiffer competition in the district and state and for seeding purposes. More exposure to different teams and players builds your argument

for better places on the district and state draws. We are excited for a great year and making friends for a lifetime.”

The Lady Outlaws are scheduled to play at Crook County on Monday, March 11, at Bend on the 12th, and at home against Mt. View on Thursday.

These returning senior players are the foundation of our team. Without their efforts and examples we would not be as good as we are.

— Coach Bruce Fenn

Boys tennis readies for the season

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The boys tennis team currently has nine players on their roster, but would love to add more so they can fill the slate. Players are fairly young and new to the sport, so it will be a building year for the Outlaws.

Junior Jude Parzybok and sophomore Dominic Pulver are top returning players. Pulver placed sixth at District last year and barely missed going to state. Both Pulver and Parzybok have very strong first serves, but their biggest weapons are their forehands at the baseline. They will play individually at No. 1 or No. 2 singles, and also team up together as a doubles duo at the No. 1 spot.

Coach Vince Grace said, “Both Dominic and Jude have strong fundamentals for the game of tennis, and watching them play will be fun. They will be combining their strengths as a strong No. 1 doubles team this year, which will be new for them. If they can dial in consistent strokes, both play smart, and support each other

to work hard as a team, then they will be a force at Districts and beyond.”

Senior Dylan Rundle is back for his final year and is the team captain. Grace stated that Rundle is very coachable, and provides leadership skills that will help grow the team. He will most likely play doubles, but a partner is yet to be determined.

Rundle said, “What makes this sport so compelling is the fact that it is equal parts of a physical game, a technical game, and a mind game. You win if you have the ability to critically think and analyze the game, and if you are persistent enough to think through the current situation quickly enough to know what to do, and be able to perform the necessary moves and counter moves.”

Grace was impressed with the improvement of Jack Murray, who returns as a sophomore player.

“Even in his time off visiting India, Jack didn’t stop playing tennis,” said Grace. “He took his racket with him, worked hard by playing as time allowed, and is noticeably a newly improved

player. He is a guy that has a love of the game and has new improved tennis skills under his belt to show for it.”

Toban Bionda (junior) returns as a doubles player. Joining the team this year are junior Miguele Zarza, sophomore Weston Dean, and freshmen Finn Stancliff and Liam Hubbell. All of them are expected to play doubles, but partners have yet to be decided.

Grace said, “Most of our players are new to the game, and we should have a great building season. We love having new players because they bring new energy of wanting to have fun while learning a game you can play all your life.

“Our worst enemy right now is the snow-covered courts and more inclement weather to come, with our first game just over a week away,” added Grace.

The Outlaws hope to kick off their season at home on Monday, March 11, against Crook County. A day later they are scheduled to host Bend High. On Thursday, they will play at Mountain View in their third match of the week.

Watching the meter spin

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

By now you will have received your first electric bill of the year, the one with the 5–7 percent rate increase announced by CEC (Central Electric Cooperative) at the end of last year. That was a hefty bump which CEC attributes to higher costs from its source — Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) — and “surging” inflation of equipment and supplies used to deliver power.

Since 2019, CEC has seen the cost of a power pole rise by 35 percent, overhead power cables by 45 percent, underground power cables by 79 percent, and a single-phase (residential) transformer by almost 100 percent. If ordering the equipment today, the price tag would likely be higher upon receipt of the materials due to the 15-month supply chain delays.

BPA markets wholesale electrical power from 31 federal dams in the Northwest that are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. Hydropower is one of the lowest-cost sources of electricity, and Oregon as a whole has some of the lowest energy prices in the nation. At 11.02 cents/kWh (kilowatt hour), it is a bargain compared to neighboring California at 19.90 cents/kWh.

Washington State at 9.79 cents/kWh is lowest in the U.S. except for Louisiana at 9.37 cents. Energy-rich Alaska comes in at 22.54 cents, which pales to Hawaii’s rate of 32.76 cents.

That our rates are comparatively low doesn’t take the sting out of your monthly bill increasing $10-$15 per month at the same time home and car insurance is up 15-20 percent and the price of a burger at Sisters eateries is $15 plus.

According to Marketplace Newsletter, since February of 2020, beef has become about 30 percent more expensive. That’s a major increase, but it’s not much different from other meats.

The price of chicken, which didn’t increase at all last year, is still 45 percent more expensive than it was pre-pandemic. Pork chops, whose price barely budged last year, are still 27 percent more expensive than they were in early 2020. And eggs, despite being the MVP of price drops in 2023 (prices

down more than 22 percent) saw the biggest jump of all. A dozen eggs are nearly 50 percent more expensive than they were pre-pandemic.

Eggs, of course, are an exceptional case: There was an avian flu that killed millions of birds, but major price jumps have hit every aisle in the grocery store. Food prices overall have risen about 25 percent since COVID hit.

The biggest item on your electric bill is heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. It’s half to twothirds for most families. And the easiest to reduce in cost. Lower the thermostat in the winter 2–3 degrees and reciprocally add 2–3 degrees in the summer and just like that the rate increase evaporates.

The second biggest item on your bill for most households is the “Always On” category. What’s that, you ask? The clock on the stove or microwave, the battery power tool or handy vac plugged into the charger, even your TV or computer. Your computer or monitor may be asleep, but not off, most of the time.

In the sleep mode it’s using power, just not as much. Experts say you should turn off your computer or restart it every day anyway. This will blow out what they call digital dust that affects its performance. And save electricity.

Don’t expect power rates to peak any time soon. Pacific Power, with 574,000 customers in Oregon, has asked the Oregon Public Utility Commission to approve a 16.9 percent residential rate hike, effective for 2025. The company projects that would raise the average bill of residential customers by about $30 per month.

The electric company says it’s trying to raise $304 million to pay for renewable power sources and invest in upgrades to the grid, and also to pay for costs associated with wildfires.

Wildfire expenses would include managing vegetation around power lines, as well as paying higher wildfireinsurance premiums and creating what the company calls a “catastrophic fire fund.”

Reading an electric bill in detail is boring but informative. There’s the customer charge, distribution energy charge, transmission charge, and more. You can’t do much, if anything, about the rate you pay, but you can be in control of how much you use.

THURS.,

Schools foundation reviews scholarships

By Matt Van Slake Correspondent

It’s scholarship season, and a local school-and-student support system is preparing high school seniors for their next academic steps toward promising professional careers.

March signals scholarship application review time for the Sisters Schools Foundation (SSF), which will distribute two $1,000 scholarships, an annual endeavor for the nonprofit established in response to financial challenges faced by public schools.

SSF is undergoing a transformation with the induction of three new board members.

“We really wanted to have some younger representation because we knew that there was a whole section of families who hadn’t really known about us,” said SSF Vice President Treasure Lewis.

Local volunteer parents Karissa Bilderback, Haley Ellison, and Kay Grady recently joined as board members.

“I’m so excited to be able to help select the recipients of our two foundation scholarships this year,” said Bilderback. “Knowing that these funds will help them in their future endeavors is so rewarding. I love that our community comes together to provide for these students each year.”

One of the nonprofit’s core functions is to give teachers and students what they need to succeed.

“We have a simple application process for funding. Teachers fill out a form; principals review and prioritize requests, then send them to us. The funding goes directly to teachers,” said Lewis.

SSF funds programs such as the fourth-grade Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) and Oregon Trail Field Trip. The foundation also helps teachers procure materials unfunded by the district.

Recipients underscore SSF’s invaluable role in enhancing educational opportunities. Katie Parsons, a fourth-grade teacher at Sisters Elementary, emphasized the significance of the foundation’s contribution to the field trip, an annual highlight for students.

“It’s amazing,” Parsons remarked. “The organization has helped us every year for the past 15 years. We receive significant funding from them because we’ve needed more money to pull off this trip, and they’ve been very gracious in funding it every year.”

Parsons requested and received $2,000 from SSF to help cover transportation, food, and other expenses for the overnighter to Laurel Hill on Mount Hood, Fort

Vancouver, and the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City, scheduled for May 23-24.

Sisters Middle School teacher and advisor Jeff Schiedler highlighted support for the Outlaw-run student store, part of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program encouraging life skills and social, emotional, and mental health among students.

”Teachers have Outlaw Bucks, which they hand out for various positive behaviors among students, and then students spend those bucks at the student store,” Schiedler explained. “The cool thing that the students do within the leadership program is make the Outlaw gear in the store. We have a vinyl-cutting machine and a heat press. The students design and make shirts and sweatshirts. We have pencils, notebooks, water bottles, and things like that.”

Schiedler said the foundation has never denied his requests for the PBIS program.

“Each year, I’ve asked for a little bit more. This year, they struggled in their overall fund, I think, so they weren’t able to give me all that I requested, but that was alright. They still gave plenty,” said Schiedler, who teaches the leadership group, math, STEM, and is the yearbook coordinator.

At Sisters High, teacher Bethany Gunnarson praised SSF support of the art department.

“Anytime we apply for funds that will enhance our program – buying materials and tools that are essential for our curriculum – they’ve always accepted,” said Gunnarson. “It’s really cool to know they’re not a long shot; we don’t have to jump through hoops to be able to get funding.”

Most recently, she received

$7,700 to order iPads for digital illustration, something the school budget did not cover.

“We had won a nationwide design contest, the Vans Custom Culture competition, and the students got within the Top 5,” Gunnarson said proudly. They brought home a $15,000 prize, and used it to purchase 12 art-programloaded iPads, however, “there is no class size that is 12.”

“Trying to teach something and share technology is really hard, so (SSF) was able to kind of supplement that and help us get six more iPads. That was a huge expense,” Gunnarson said.

The momentum empowered students to explore digital artistry and gave rise to the school’s first graphic design class.

“The need, in my view, was more access to current technologies and programs to help students pursue design as a career, or as part of their jobs,” said Gunnarson. “We appreciate that (SSF) takes the time to fundraise and support the classroom, because there are a lot of needs that otherwise wouldn’t be met.”

SSF has supported Sisters public schools and teachers for more than 27 years.

“A group of parents and people in the community wanted to see the schools continue to have the extracurricular and academic programs that make Sisters special,” said Lewis. “They started the Starry Nights concert series in 1997 to raise money that would go directly to teachers and schools, to be used as they wanted or needed.”

Beyond financial contributions, the organization fosters a sense of community. Starry Nights accomplished that goal for 20+ years, drumming up more than $1.3 million in donations. However, like many organizations, SSF faced struggles during and

after the Covid19 pandemic, prompting a need for revitalization.

“Our last Starry Nights concert was in 2019, right before Covid. Afterward, we couldn’t have those kinds of events. Last year, there was no Starry Nights concert. That’s not due to Covid; that’s dependent on the Starry Nights committee,” which leaned on personal connections and professional relationships in the music industry to bring in big-name acts at no charge.

We are being intentional with our time to host an event which makes a big impact. We are in deep discussion to bring back a fun and engaging community event which supports the growth and continuation of the foundation services...

— Haley Ellison

value to the community.

“Managers and production companies aren’t as willing to do that anymore,” Lewis lamented. “We can’t always have a Starry Nights concert. It’s been the main type of fundraising in the past, but mostly because of changes in the music industry, we are looking at other fundraising.”

The new board is working to establish a new event that will be meaningful and bring

“We are being intentional with our time to host an event which makes a big impact,” said new board member Ellison. “We are in deep discussion to bring back a fun and engaging community event which supports the growth and continuation of the foundation services and offerings!’”

In the meantime, SSF is encouraging direct donations. To donate to the SSF general fund, a specific program or specific school, visit www. district.ssd6.org/why-sisters/ our-partners/sisters-schoolfoundation or send a check to Sisters Schools Foundation, PO Box 2155, Sisters, OR 97759.

Three tips for successful surgery

By Maret Pajutee Columnist

It happens to the best of us as we age. Sometimes, after a long walk, you have a little hip or knee pain. Then it starts happening more often. You get together with older pals and the first half hour becomes what one friend calls the “Organ Recital”: “my hip, your eye, her shoulder, his pancreas.” Pain starts waking you up at night like a nagging toothache. You join Team Motrin and start gobbling anti-inflammatory pills that eventually hurt your stomach. You buy the economysize gel form called diclofenac to smear on the achy spot, thinking optimistically about the warning label precautions. You finally see a doctor, and there’s X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI’s, maybe a shot, and finally a diag nosis. Wear and tear, loss of cartilage, osteoarthritis, it’s “bone on bone.”

Maybe you are able to manage your symptoms with physical therapy, but maybe not. You become sadly flu ent in the language of joint replacements.

The clinic schedules you for surgery, and they are busy, and it’s three to

six months out. Is it time to get serious about bingeing on couch time, and taking stronger drugs — or are there other options? How can you prepare to increase the chances of a good outcome and a return to a more active life?

I’m looking forward to my second hip replacement in five months. Last April, I was a weepy mess with hip and back pain. My primary care doc sent me to rehab and we soon figured out that surgery on both hips was the needed next step. Surgery is scary. Besides picking a doctor you trust and following instructions, you have little control, and the outcomes are uncertain. I was lucky to find Dr. David Thorsett and the Total Joint Program he created at Santiam Hospital

describes a three-pronged approach: 1. physical readiness; 2. mental readiness; and 3. emotional readiness. He says, “all three are equally important.”

Most people are familiar with the idea of rehab or physical rehabilitation, working with a specialist to recover after an injury or surgery. But Dr. Thorsett sends many people to “prehab,” or prehabilitation, to get ready for surgery by working with a physical therapist who can assess weak spots that could slow your recovery and help you regain a sense of control. Some people can do this with an athletic trainer or on their own if they have a steady program.

As we age, we all face the inevitable loss of muscle mass and strength called

sedentary, we become even weaker as muscles atrophy and shrink. But with careful work, the right diet, and managing stress we can build some of that muscle back and feel better.

Physical therapist Seth Wilkie at Redbird Physio in Sisters sees lots of people before and after joint replacements. He has his tricks that eased my pain but it was his role as a supportive coach that really saved me. An evolving set of specific exercises became a routine and gave me a sense that I could help myself.

As my rehab/prehab ended a couple months before surgery he recommended that I keep working with a coach and suggested I talk to Ivy Castellana at Core Connection Pilates in Sisters about improving core and hip strength. Pilates

is a low-intensity muscle strengthening workout that targets the core, including lower back and hips, to improve flexibility, mobility, and stabilize the spine. Ivy is skilled at movement analysis and helped me notice and work on imbalances in my feet that were affecting my stride.

To help with mental readiness, Santiam Hospital requires a pre-surgery class that goes through how to prepare your home, what adaptive equipment you will need, what to expect on the day of surgery, and what happens after it’s over. Dr Thorsett calls the class “prehab for your brain”.

The emotional readiness piece is helped by meeting your support system in the hospital, including a surgery

See SURGERY on page 8

Home sales regaining life

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

A comparison of homes sold in Sisters Country the last two months compared to 2023, shows change in the direction of the market. In January median and average prices came into near parity at the same time the price per square foot demonstrated more affordability overall.

In January of 2022, 10 homes sold for a total value of $9.9 million. However that included a jumbo sale of $4 million, which if stripped out made for a monthly low not seen in over 10 years. In January, 2024 the market delivered $8.8 million spread over 13 sales, the highest being $925,000.

The average home price in January 2023 was $989,470 due to the jumbo sale. This January the average was $676,754. The median price, the more accurate gauge of the market, was $658,995 a year ago January and $679,390 last month. Realtors say homes under $700,000 are what’s needed for affordability.

The price per square foot dropped from $546 to $440, notwithstanding that 30 percent of this January’s sales were in Sisters Woodlands where prices per square foot ranged from $554 to $651.

The Woodlands sales also created a dramatic drop in the days on market as homes are selling there at a brisk pace, notwithstanding the higher per square foot price. On the other end was a home on West Clearpine Drive that went on the market for $899,900 on March 20, but didn’t sell until January 17, 10 months later, for $795,000.

Buyers in January, as in December, settled for smaller homes. Homes sold in January of 2023 averaged 1,811 square foot compared to 1,537 square foot last month.

February sales rocket back from 2023

Ten homes sold in February of 2023 three of which transacted for more than $1 million. The number grew by 40 percent last month when 14 homes sold, six over $1 million. A total of $13.7 million, nearly double the $7.65 million booked in February of 2023.

The average sale of $979,429 was more than $300,000 for the prior February and the median price was $794,750 recalling the big market years of 2021 and 2022.

Buyers in February returned to larger homes with an average number of square feet reaching 2,351 compared to 2,093 in

February of 2023.

The single home market in Sisters, while seeing an uptick in 2024 over 2023 is still far behind 2022’s opening two months when 45 sales busted the charts scoring over $31 million in sales.

Interest rates are again blamed for the decline, along with the number of cash buyers stuck not being able to sell their homes. The 30-year fixed rate on March 3 was 7.902 percent which translates to a monthly mortgage payment on the average Sisters home sold so far this year to $5,072 — after a $174,476 down payment.

In 2022 the rate was 3.22 percent which would place the same mortgage at $3,025/month. To qualify for a standard mortgage for the recent average home in Sisters, buyers would need a combined household income of $202,871. The median income in Oregon is $76,632.

There are 13 apartments listed for rent in Sisters, although 10 are actually homes. Only three are classic multi-family units ranging from $1,295 month for 600 square feet to $1,650/month for 890 square feet.

This is the most affordable and available rentals have been in five years according to Rental Source.

Continued from page 7

coordinator who answers questions and helps with problems, and the therapist that will teach you how to move safely. But your home support system is equally key, family and friends who will help take care of you, drive you to rehab, bring meals if needed, and ease the emotional ups and downs of healing. Mind/Body techniques such as restorative yoga and meditation can also help keep you on an even keel.

Dr. Thorsett explains that being kind to yourself is important, as well as being honest with yourself about your problems. Maybe we still think of ourselves as an athlete/skier/runner but in truth it has been several years since we moved that much, and instead, we have embraced the couch.

After months of preparation, I checked into Santiam Hospital in Stayton last Halloween and put myself in the hands of their surgical team. My surgery went well and I got a reality check to hear that despite all those squats, my hip muscles were still smaller and weaker after years of less activity. But I was climbing stairs the first day and within three days I was back at rehab. In a few weeks I was terrorizing shoppers at Oliver Lemon’s as I buzzed around with my walker. I’m now lifting weights and biking at Sisters Athletic Club, and back at Pilates with Ivy, preparing for the next round. My new hip feels great. I turn 70 soon and I still have many hikes and travels on my bucket list.

So friends, don’t despair. Your health is in your hands. Motion is the lotion. If it hurts, please see your doctor. Find out why and make a plan. Do the work to become as strong as you can in body, mind, and spirit — and get well soon.

Outlaws embrace traditional music at festival

By Charlotte Seymour Correspondent

The Outlaw Strings Club made an impression at the four-day Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue, Washington last month.

Outlaw Strings is run by Sisters Middle School teacher Melissa Stolasz, but would not be the same without the strong support from Sisters Folk Festival, who helps with introducing students to new artists, financial support, instrument availability, and a daytime summer camp where kids can continue to play without the club.

Stolasz explained that she “saw the lineup for the festival and made the decision to go based on three bands that were going to be there that I knew the students would love; Väsen, Hawktail, and Le Vent du Nord. Once we found out there was a kids strings program it seemed like an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”

The strings club that went was made up of 21 kids (18 fiddlers and three guitarists). They had 10 adult volunteers tag along with seven cars, and they stayed in two Airbnbs. The fiddlers participated in a full-day strings program called “Jamz 2” that went from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Then on Friday evening and all day Saturday, they got to tour the festival.

When The Nugget asked Stolasz what the most memorable part of the festival was she said, “Watching the Strings Club just absolutely embrace traditional music. It was so joyful, and watching them get excited about different bands and want to see them again was so cool. They also joined jams and had some great dance sessions!”

Stolasz also mentioned that another memorable aspect was, “The degree to which our eighth graders stepped up with so much enthusiasm and leadership. They encouraged younger kids, went to adult workshops, and just fully embraced the whole experience. They were asked to play a set for the festival patrons in the VIP lounge on Friday, and on Saturday when we had the morning off they asked if they could get up early and if someone could drive them back to the venue so they could go to a Quebecois workshop. All the kids were amazing but our 8th graders really set the tone for the weekend.”

Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington, July 1-8.

The Nugget asked eighth graders Odin Rea, Carter Anderson, and Gryffon Dyer about their experience, and what they took away from the festival. Anderson mentioned that “the workshops

were insane, and you got to play with whoever you wanted. I got to form strong connections with lots of people.”

There was a similar theme of excitement and joy from both Rea and Dyer’s experience as Rea stated, “I met lots of people and just fiddling all the time was my favorite part.”

Dyer also added “Watching the concerts, specifically Väsen, Le Vent du Nord, and Biribá Union was super amazing.” The three of them mentioned that they all had strong, adventurous spirits, the city was beautiful, and there were lots of great, inspiring musicians. They explained that the Outlaw Strings group was

the youngest group there, as it was led by adults but there was a good vibe, good rhythm, strong energy, and everyone was happy.

The Outlaw Strings Club went to four different summer camps last year, but this is the largest group they have taken to a single event. This summer Stolasz is hoping to get the group to the

Stolasz noted “a really rad admin team at Sisters School District that lets teachers have wild ideas and says yes to them. When we walked into Jamz 2 with 21 kids it was a huge deal and when we debriefed it later we realized that a traditional music strings club in a public school just does not happen Either your school values music and there is an orchestra program, in which case the orchestra teachers won’t let you anywhere near their violin players, or your school doesn’t prioritize music. People were blown away by our little program and are so excited about it. It’s really a testimony to the magic that happens in our little town. We feel so lucky to be here and experience that synergy!”

The middle school Outlaw Strings Club had an outstanding experience at the four-day Wintergrass Festival in Washington last month.

PHOTO BY KELLI CARTER

Sisters students brought enthusiasm to the Wintergrass Festival.

PHOTO BY KELLI CARTER

Sisters Schools

Music Events

e Sisters High School bands and choirs will per form in the high school auditorium on ursday, March 7, at 7. p.m. is concer t is f ree to the public.

Sisters Museum is Open

Af ter a few weeks o for an exhibit changeover, the reopening was postponed, due to snow, f rom Februar y 16 to the 23rd . ere is a f ull timeline of Sisters’ histor y to share with you including many wonderf ul pictures and stories of our local pioneers . Regular hours are 10 -4 on Fridays and Saturdays e Museum is located at 151 N . Spruce St. Stop by to learn something new about Sisters’ histor y!

Sisters Rodeo Parade

Want to participate in the parade? ere are limited entries , so don’t wait. Deadline is May 15 . Visit sistersrodeo.com and fill out the registration.

Free Weekly Meal Service

Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org

SISTERS LIBRARY COMING EVENTS

Know Coast–Sailing to Valhalla: Ship Burials & Boat Graves

Discover how di erent cultures used ships to bur y their dead. is presentation, from noon to 1

on Friday, March 8, at Sisters Firehouse Community Hall, includes pictures of various ship and boat burials including those f rom the Vikings , Anglo Saxons, Chinese, Baltics , and the Chinook Indians

Know Coast–William Sullivan’s New Hikes on the Oregon Coast

Explore new coastal trails with Oregon’s hiking guru William Sullivan f rom noon to 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 10, at Sisters Firehouse Communit y Hall. Sullivan takes you on a slide-show tour of a dozen new trails he discovered while researching the latest edition of his book, “10 0 Hikes: Oregon Coast .” Sullivan spices his talk with notes on the geology, wildlife, and histor y of the land.

Family Story Time

Due to the temporar y closure of the Sisters Public Library this will be held at the Sisters Firehouse Communit y Hall. Interactive stor y time with books , songs , and rhymes for children ages 0-5 years ese stories and songs are designed to support early literac y skill development, social emotional awareness , and f amily engagement. is 25-minute program is on Wednesdays , March 6 and 20 at 10:30 a .m.

A NNOUNCEMENT S

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, March 7

Sisters High School Concert Sisters High School

Saturday, March 9

Lucky Leprechaun Run & Walk

Three Creeks Brewing Production Facility

Sisters Civic Leadership Academy

is spring , C4C is partnering with the Cit y of Sisters to launch the Sisters Civic Leadership Academy. e 6 -week program will o er participants a crash course in local government operations , leadership skills development, and a chance to tackle a real-world community challenge. If you’ve ever thought , “I wonder if community engagement is for me,” now is a per fect time to test the waters! e Academy is open to residents of Sisters Countr y age 16+. Dinner, childcare, and other accessibilit y ser vices will be provided . Applications are due March 8 . Learn more and apply at ci.sisters.or.us/administration

Circle of Friends Mentors

Circle of Friends will host a Mentor Open House on Wednesday, March 13 . Drop in any time 10-11 a .m. or 5- 6 p.m. at 16 4 N . Elm St. to learn more about volunteering with Circle of Friends

STAR S Seeks

Dispatch Volunteers

While working from home, help STAR S transport Sisters Country resident s to nonemergenc y medical appointments . Needed: A computer, the abilit y to use online apps, and a telephone. Call 541-9 04-5545 . STAR S is an AFSC Action Team.

STAR S Seek s Volunteers

to Transpor t Patients

Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergenc y medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond , and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STAR S dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included . Learn more at www starsride.org. STAR S is an AFSC Action Team.

Free Lunches for Seniors

For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a f un, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church , 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. No reser vations needed. No-cost Grab-N- Go lunches take place weekly on Wed . and urs ., f rom 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367.

Weekly Food Pantry e Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantr y ursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N . Trinit y Way Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Info: 541-549-4184.

Luck y Leprechaun

Run & Walk

e third annual Lucky Leprechaun Run and Walk is slated for Saturday, March 9, in Sisters . e event will once again feature 10k and 5k distances , as well as a kids’ mini run. Registration information can be found at https://www runsistersrun.com/

Furr y Friends Volunteers

Needed

Furr y Friends is looking for volunteers to help with the bottle and can f undraiser drive once a week ever y Friday. It takes about 45 minutes to put donated bottles and cans in the blue f undraiser bags.

e bags are processed at the donation drop-o spot on e Nug get porch, and then taken to the bottle drop at Ray ’s . To volunteer please call or text Kiki at 541-797-4 023.

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

COFRW (Central Oregon Federated Republican Women) meet s the first ursday of every month f rom 10:30 a.m. (registration) to 1 p.m. at Brand 33 at Aspen Lakes Golf Club in Sisters. Come learn f rom quality speakers, and hear and question local and state candidates. Meetings include lunch for $27 RSVP required. Learn more about upcoming meetings and RSVP at www.COFRW.net

Americ an Legion and VFW

American Legion Post 86 and VF W Post 8138 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Spoons Restaurant, 473 E . Hood Ave. Sisters . Call John at 541-549-1462 for info.

Sisters Habitat

Volunteers Needed

Are you looking for something fun to do with your free time?

Volunteer with Sisters Habit at for Humanity! Call 541-549-1193 to get connected

Sisters Garden

Club Meeting

Sisters Garden Club invites the public to their monthly meeting on Saturday, March 16 . ere will be a presentation by Sara Schwab, of Pollinator Pathway Bend . She will discuss gardening for pollinators using native and non-native plants . e meeting is at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. e meeting starts at 10 a .m., with doors opening at 9:30.

Sisters Garden

Club Journal

Sisters Garden Club has a Garden Journal that is available for $15 at Paulina Springs Books , e Gallimauf ry, ree Sisters Floral, Home Styled , & Metamorphosis, all in Sisters e multiyear journal includes pages for notes on weather, monthly garden activities , plant details , and more. Sales support the Club and other local nonprofits . Get your copy now ey make great gif ts . Please cal 971-24 6-040 4 for questions

Sunday School for Children

Church of the Transfiguration is now o ering Sunday School for children, ages 5 to 12, regardless of church a liation, during both Sunday worship ser vices. Protestant/ecumenical ser vice is at 8:30 a .m. and Episcopal service begins at 10:15 a .m. e church address is 121 Brook s Camp Rd . Sisters . For info call Margaret Doke at 541-588-2784.

Save the Rubberbands

Business owners: Are you the recipient of a bundle of Nug gets each week? ose f at rubberbands are highly valued by the Nug geteers that bundle your papers each week , not to mention the value of rec ycling rather than throwing them away. If you can save them from week to week, then drop them by e Nug get, we’d love to use them again. Questions? Call 541549-9941

Baha’i Faith

For information, devotions, study groups , etc., contac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai.org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteachings .org

Calvar y Church

484 W. Washington St. , Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288

10 a .m. Sunday Worship • www.ccsisters.org

Chapel in the Pines

Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s

452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 5 41-420 -5670;

10 a .m.

Sunday Sac rament Meeting

e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

121 N Brook s Camp Rd. •

Easter Sunday at Hoodoo

Celebrate spring on Sunday, March 31, at 9 a .m. at the Easter eg g hunt at Hoodoo Ski Area, 2740 0 Big L ake Road, Sisters Presented by Breaking Free Media.

PET OF TH E WEEK

Humane Societ y of Central Oregon 541-382-3537

LUCA

Two-year-old Luca is a ver y handsome, soft California rabbit who came in as a stray af ter being found wandering outside alone. Luca will need a large enclosure with plenty of greens and hay and good company to keep him happy and thriving. Come meet Luca today!

— SPONSORED BY —

BROKEN TOP Veterinar y Clinic 541-389-0391

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

386 N . Fir St. • 541-815-9848

11 a .m. S aturday Worship

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA)

386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831

www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Church of the N az arene

67130 Har rington Loop Rd. • 541-389-8960 www.sistersnaz .org • info@sistersnaz .org

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)

130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201

www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com

9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship

St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h

123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391

5:3 0 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a .m. Sunday Mass

12 p.m. Monday Mass • 8 a .m. Tuesday-Friday Mass

Wellhouse Churc h

442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com

10 a .m. Sunday Worship

Life is a GAME

Robert Kruger Columnist

Games are fun

In a previous article, I explained that games rely on both human and system factors, an observation I take from “Characteristics of Games,” an introduction to games by world-renowned designers Richard Garfield, Skaff Elias, and Robert Gutschera. However, I left out an important point about the human factor: games are fun.

Despite what I jokingly implied about my Rock, Paper, Scissors game with Wade, I do not have him figured out, and I can’t reliably beat him. While it’s true I have the longest winning streak, he might — might — have more overall streaks of four or more games on me. Also, coffee at the club is not expensive, and merely an excuse to play.

We play for fun.

When a game stops being fun, it stops being a game. But how do we get a working definition of fun? My strategy is to class human interaction into three modes. I call them objective (or logical, scientific), meaningful (or aesthetic), and political (or power-negotiating). These modes align with the writing categories expository, creative, and persuasive.

In any given human interaction, all three modes may be operating, but there’s one that dominates. When you’re playing a

game and it gets personal or otherwise serious, power and status dominate. When you’re playing a game to learn about game theory rather than to have fun, learning and objectivity dominate.

Only when you play a game primarily to have fun for its own sake do the activity and the mode align. A game is fun.

A given activity can be a game for some players and not for others. Consider the famous 1924 short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell, where a jaded aristocrat hunts people for sport on his island. He states, “Life is for the strong.” For him, the hunt is a game, but for the other players, it’s a fight for survival. He and his prey operate in different modes — that is, until the tables are turned.

An entire horror subgenre follows the setup of Connell’s story, which includes “The Hunger Games,” and “Squid Game,” and their precursor “Battle Royale,” in which a teacher tells his student combatants, “Life is a game. So fight for survival and find out if you’re worth it.”

Life is a game, but hopefully not like that!

As a kid, though, I got the message that it probably was. Several of my friends had dads who had been to Vietnam; our family friend Mike had been drafted to serve there after he went to college. My grandfather Kruger fought in World War II. The first group games I played with the neighborhood kids involved mock combat with toy guns, which often devolved into real fistfights to negotiate victory. In grade school and high school, I approached wrestling as a deadly fight, an attitude that made me a decent wrestler, though a miserable one. If I lost a wrestling match, it meant one of two things: I hadn’t tried hard enough; or I had

been proven unfit to live. When an opponent twisted the ball of my femur from my hip socket my junior year of high school, I felt I’d taken my million-dollar wound. No one could fault me for not giving it all I had, and then hanging it up.

I approached sports — and even academics — with the cognitive distortion called “fixed mindset,” as opposed to a growth mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you interpret failure as a hard boundary to your potential, whereas to grow, you must experience and overcome failure, not simply avoid it. With a fixed mindset, you also rely on others to affirm your selfworth, rather than steering primarily by your own selfknowledge. A fixed mindset rejects adventure, because adventure takes place on the edge of safety and challenges boundaries. A fixed mindset is situated in the political mode rather than the aesthetic one. It is less “Life as a game,” and more “Life as the most-dangerous game” even when the stakes are low.

I admire those who adopted a growth mindset from a young age. I did not, until I encountered

See GAMES on page 21

Sisters-Area Events & Enter tainment

WEDNESDAY • MARCH 6

Sisters Athletic Club Book Signing Lauren Fleshman presents NYTimes bestseller "Good For A Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World." 5 p.m. reception, 5:30 presentation. Free and open to the public Info: 541-549-6878.

Paulina Springs Books First Wednesday Open Mic Bring a poem, song, or short story to share — or come listen! 5 minutes per reader 6:30 p.m. Info: PaulinaSpringsBooks.com.

Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dirty Jazz with Wolfe House Records 6 to 8 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets, $15, at www.bendticket.com.

THURSDAY • MARCH 7

Frankie’s Upstairs Live Music: Dean Mueller with Pete Kar tsounes Nashville comes to Sisters! A Bend notable lights it up 7 to 9:30 p.m. Location is upstairs at Sisters Depot, 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets, $20 at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.

Sisters High School High School Festival Concert

7 p.m. SHS jazz and concert bands and choirs will perform in the high school auditorium. Free; donations to band/choir programs happily accepted. Info: kayla.golka@ssd6.org

FRIDAY • MARCH 8

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights 5 to 8 p.m. Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15

More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Hoodoo Ski Area Friday Night Lights 4 to 9 p.m. Night lights, live music and more. Info at www.skihoodoo.com.

SATURDAY • MARCH 9

Sisters Depot Open Mic Night 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monthly open mic gives local musicians a place to hear each other and build musical community. For music lovers it’s a chance to see a variety of local talent in a lively atmosphere. Info: https://sistersdepot.com/our-events.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • MARCH 10

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

TUESDAY • MARCH 12

Sisters Movie House & Café March Radness: "Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse" Part of Radical Art & Adventure series. 7:15 p.m. $16 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Gabrial Sweyn 6-8 p.m. Free entry Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.

THURSDAY • MARCH 14

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: Megan Alder 6 to 8 p.m. Doors at 5:30 Tickets, $10, at bendticket.com.

Frankie’s Upstairs Live Music: Mairead, Medici, and Goodwin Together again – Irish legend reconvenes her band for her first visit to Sisters Part of the Singer Songwriter Series. 7 to 9:30 p.m. Location is upstairs at Sisters Depot, 250 W. Cascade Ave. Tickets, $20 at www.sistersdepot.com/our-events.

FRIDAY • MARCH 15

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights 5 to 8 p.m. Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15 More information at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com. Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Hoodoo Ski Area Friday Night Lights 4 to 9 p.m. Night lights, live music, and more. Info at www.skihoodoo.com.

SATURDAY • MARCH 16

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby & Annie 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

SUNDAY • MARCH 17

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

TUESDAY • MARCH 19

Sisters Movie House & Café March Radness: "Women’s Adventure Film Tour 2024" Part of the Radical Art & Adventure series. 7:15 p.m. $16 at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

THURSDAY • MARCH 21

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Michelle Davis presents "The Retreat," the second of three books in The Awakening Series. 6:30 p.m. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Suttle Lodge Fireside Concert Series: Kar yn Ann

Tickets, $10, at bendticket.com.

ROUNDABOUT:

Project is underway as of this week

Continued from page 1

to divert through traffic to an alternate route along Barclay Drive. He said that if 20 percent of vehicles use the diversion, that’s 20 percent fewer vehicles congesting Cascade Avenue, which can be exceedingly traffic-clogged, particularly in the summer months.

Plans call for the highway to be deviated from its current track for a gentle curve into the roundabout, designed to slow traffic coming into town from the east. The construction will eat into a portion of property that is now the Sisters Elementary School tennis courts.

Much of the old highway will be removed, torn up, and seeded to make it look natural, according to ODOT officials. ODOT will retain the right-ofway, but they have indicated that they are open to a land swap if the City of Sisters has use for any of the land.

The project will require the closure of North Locust Street until Memorial Day weekend. Three legs of the roundabout are expected to be functional by that holiday weekend, with the project fully completed in September 2024.

Access to the Sisters Elementary School from East Cascade Avenue will remain open.

ODOT is contributing $5 million in state transportation improvement funds, which will combine with $1.425 million from the City of Sisters, and $1 million from Deschutes County to fund the project.

By Mike Zoormajian

Dear Property Guy:

I recently had a tenant move out and need to know how to handle their security deposit. We had brand new carpet when they moved in, and their dog absolutely trashed it. We tried to clean it, but the stink is impossible to get out. They need to buy us new carpet, right?

– Wall to Wall

Dear Wall to Wall:

This falls under the category of No-But…

No, they won’t be buying you all new carpet. But, they will be buying some of it.

Let’s agree that this falls outside the category of “normal wear and tear,” and that you will be replacing the carpet. The amount that the tenant is responsible for is not based on what you are paying to replace the carpet, but rather the amount you paid for the carpet initially. Follow me here.

At the risk of getting overly philosophical, everything has an expected lifespan. For “rental grade” carpet, this lifespan is more like five years. If your tenants were there two years and you assume a five year carpet lifespan, they owe you for 3

years of your carpet’s tragically shortened life.

So if you initially paid $1,000 for the carpet, with a five-year expected lifespan, each year is worth $200. They lived there two years, so they would owe you $600 for shortening its lifespan by three years.

Again, the amount they owe has zero to do with what it will cost you to replace the carpet.

One last thought: Laminate flooring. Never carpeting in a rental. Never.

— Mike

Dear Property Guy:

I’m new to this whole property owner/landlord thing. Do most rental properties include utilities in with the rent or not? What is usual and customary?

— New Rental Owner

Dear New:

This is an interesting one. In Redmond, this decision is made for you. The rules require utilities stay in the property owner’s name. Sisters is considering a similar rule for water, but hasn’t implemented it yet.

The reason is obvious. The utility companies have been burned too many times by renters peacing out on their bills when they depart. Leaving the utilities (you and I, actually) to foot the bill.

There’s a few ways to handle utilities:

1) Utilities in owner’s name, and include it in rent as a flat-fee;

2) Utilities are placed in renter’s name, and they are responsible;

3) Utilities in owner’s name, and they charge the tenants the actual amount monthly.

The implications of Options two and three are pretty obvious. But number one begs the obvious question, how does an owner know that renters won’t run the water all day? Or what if a renter is running massive grow lights?

If an owner includes utilities in the rent, there should be a lease addendum stating how much water and power is “normal” for that unit with a similar number of people. This addendum will also include how overages to bills are to be handled. We’ve moved to that model with several clients, who have found it simple to implement, especially for ADUs or units with more frequent turnover.

— Mike

Mike Zoormajian is principal at WetDog Properties in Sisters. Providing local real estate, property management and investor services. Questions and comments to: letters@wetdogpnw.com. Free legal advice is worth what you pay for it. Consult a real attorney before doing anything crazy.

Wildfire grants available

Deschutes County is offering a new grant opportunity to help local communities reduce the risk of wildfire. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has allocated $90,000 to support fuel reduction projects for projects that are adjacent to or within one mile of BLM land.

“This program is a great opportunity for local communities to reduce their wildfire risk,” said Deschutes County Forester Kevin Moriarty. “As we review applications, we’ll be looking to fund shortterm projects that reduce fuels and improve defensible space.”

Applications will be accepted until March 31. There are no established minimum or maximum amounts for grant requests, however awards are anticipated to range between $20,000 and $30,000 in contractual services. Actual award amounts will be dependent on demand.

More information about grant requirements and the grant application are available at: https://www.deschutes. org/2024BLMCFAP.

Stars over Sisters

By Althea Crabtree and Finn Stancliff Correspondents

Though currently on the wane, winter will hang around for another three weeks after March bursts on the scene before yielding to a brand-new season before month’s end. To highlight this event, we chose to feature the late winter-early spring constellation of Lynx.

Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius introduced this new constellation in the late seventeenth century to fill a large gap in the night sky that lies between Auriga and Ursa Major. He named it Lynx because even its brighter stars are faint and supposedly takes the eyesight of a lynx to see them. Finding Lynx won’t be easy, but if you’re up for the challenge, pick a moonless night away from nearby lights. The visually perceptive cat will lie nearly overhead by about 9 p.m. during March.

Begin by locating Castor in the constellation of Gemini. From here the brightest star in Lynx (Alpha Lyncis) should be about 25 degrees to the east. Now look for a zigzag arrangement of dim stars extending to the northwest. You’re there (probably).

While there seems to be no sky lore directly

associated with Lynx, there is a figure in mythology that might be linked to the constellation’s name. Lynceus, who sailed with Jason and the Argonauts, was said to have the keenest eyesight of any man and could even see things that were underground. He and his twin brother Idas were part of the expedition for the Golden Fleece.

Four deep sky objects that reside within the boundaries of Lynx are worthy of mention. Lying at a distance of 280,000 light-years, NGC 2419 is one of the most distant globular star clusters in our galaxy. Often referred to as the Bear’s Paw Galaxy because of its distinctive shape, NGC 2537 is a compact dwarf galaxy located about 30 million light-years from us.

IC 2233 is a flat and exceedingly thin spiral galaxy that displays a low rate of star formation. It may lie at a distance of 40 million light-years. But it’s spiral galaxy NGC 2770 that is really “far out”, to the tune of approximately 88 million light-years. This galaxy is remarkable for the number of supernovae that have been found there; four as of 2017.

The planetary configuration this month places Mercury and Jupiter in the evening sky, while Venus,

Mars, and Saturn occupy the morning realm. Mercury will make its best evening appearance of the year from about mid-month through March 24.

With regard to the morning trio of planets, Venus is simply too bright to be missed. Saturn and Mars will show up better later in the month when they’ve further distanced themselves from the sun.

For those who live in the Northern Hemisphere, spring begins at 8:06 p.m. PDT on March 19, 2024. On this date and time, the sun

will cross the equator on its journey northward, resulting in equal hours of night and day everywhere. Because the new moon falls on March 10 and the Full Worm Moon doesn’t arrive until March 25, get your evening dark sky observing done by early-tomid month.

On March 24/25, a penumbral lunar eclipse will occur that will be visible from Central Oregon. This type of eclipse happens when the moon passes through the fainter part of the Earth’s shadow (the

penumbra). This means the moon will appear only slightly dimmer than it normally does, so it can be difficult to detect. The eclipse begins at 9:53 p.m. on March 24 and ends at 2:32 a.m. March 25.

Dark sky tip: Shield your outdoor lights. One of the best ways to keep the night sky dark in Sisters is to make sure your lights don’t point towards the sky! Keep your light sources shielded, lighting up only what you need, without allowing unnecessary light to shine upward.

integrity. People that will put this country before political party or personal interest.

David Hiller

s s s

Case of the missing Snowblower

To the Editor:

The response to my letter about the stolen snowblower from Shepard Of The Hills Lutheran Church has been a testament to the kindness and generosity of the residents of Sisters.

Pastor Ron Gregg informed me that he received several phone calls immediately after Wednesday’s publication of residents wanting to buy the church a new snowblower, many of whom were not even members of the church.

Pastor has informed me that the church is in the process of getting another snowblower. I do want to thank the community for the concern and offers of help to the church. This is a great place to live.

Thank you very much, Sisters community.

Bill Anttila

To the Editor:

s s s

Safety project

Currently Sisters Public Works is finalizing the McKinney Safety Project. The project will make adjustments along McKinney Butte to make it safer for pedestrians. I think it is well thought out in the school area. The westside community will appreciate the additional crossing at Brooks Camp but especially the new crossings at Trinity and Arrowleaf.

Something more needs to be done at the east end by the roundabout. I suggest you do a site visit before the project is finalized. Go on a weekday afternoon between 3 and 3:40 p.m. (there is a lag time between 3:15 and 3:20 p.m.). At 3 p.m., most of the traffic is westbound and at 3:20 it’s heaviest eastbound. Walk the area and cross McKinney several times. Go along the hotel and cross at Wheeler Loop (just west of Dollar Tree). Think about cars

accelerating out of the curve as you cross. Really watch the traffic patterns. Count the number of cars that are using the DQ driveway as a side street and whether they continue straight onto Arrowleaf or make a left/right hand turn. Look at the traffic going into Bi-Mart and walk down the driveway.

While you are walking the area, please keep the following in mind:

• Next fall all the elementary school traffic will be using this area.

• We will be adding 1,500-plus people to this end of town.

• Brook Camps Village is a 55-and-older community, however 45 percent are between the ages of 70 and 80, and 30 percent are 80 and over. You have elderly people using this area daily.

• There are at least three people in our area that are mobility-assisted.

• School-age children, parents riding bikes with their children or pushing strollers use this area daily.

I believe that the crossing just west of Dollar Tree needs to be a raised crosswalk. The speed zone should be 20 mph and there needs to be a pedestrian crossing sign east bound on McKinney between the first crossing and the intersection of Brooks Camp and McKinney.

This project is not finalized. Please contact Paul Bertagna or members of the Public Works Advisory Board with concerns/suggestions to make this area safer for all users.

Cathy Russell

s s s Parenting

To the Editor:

One of the most satisfying things about being on the Sisters School Board is being introduced to the families and children of our district, hearing what is happening in our buildings, and knowing the children of our community are in good hands. Good hands in their classrooms, and in their relationship with their parents. It is obvious that much good work is taking place. Knowing that, I am also aware of how difficult the job of being a parent is. Not only am I the mother of four and the grandmother of seven, I have also been a parent educator

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for over 30 years, trained in several of the current research-based programs. Those who have been in my classes in Sisters and throughout Central Oregon have heard me say, “Parenting is the hardest job, and the most important job, you will ever take on.” I believe this completely and say it with no reservations. I also feel it can be the most satisfying and rewarding job you will ever have.

There is no manual for this job, you are on your own, and often the examples that have gone before you (the way you were raised) fail to teach the essentials of doing your job. My role as a parent educator gives me a wonderful opportunity to share ideas that could be part of a “manual.” Ideas I wish I had as I raised my four children.

Over the years, I’ve been introduced to many ways to parent. I have met many marvelous parents, from whom I have learned much; parents I have tried to emulate and examples that have informed my teaching. There have been a few who desperately needed help, but not many. I have had the joy of helping to raise thousands of Central Oregon children by passing on what I’ve learned and I’m eager to have that continue.

There is no one right way to parent. However, there are some tried and true conditions of living that make a difference. When relationships are built on trust, love, support, and understanding the results are usually positive. How to learn and pass these on have been offered in a variety of ways, some good, some not so good. In the next few weeks, I’d like to share some of my thoughts and perspectives on what I think are “good” ways. I hope they will be ideas many of you can relate to. I will try to keep these suggestions uncomplicated, non-cutie, not trendy, or religious based; principles that honor all people and respect individuality.

Edie Jones

s s s

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.

Congress to look at wolves’ impact on ranchers

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Representative Cliff Bentz, R-OR 2nd District, made an appearance at the Crook County Fairgrounds February 22. Joined by some 50 ranchers, Benz was on hand for a listening session regarding the impact of wolves on Oregon ranching.

In a prepared statement Benz said: “The growing population of wolves across Oregon is wreaking havoc for ranchers, farmers, and sportsmen. Ranchers are tired of seeing their cattle chased around and killed, and hunters are tired of seeing a decline in mule deer populations.

“I can begin to use my position as the Chair of the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee to educate others in Congress about this growing issue.”

Reporting by News Channel 21 says, “There are about 178 wolves in Oregon, according to the ODFW population count for 2022. Each wolf eats about 20 pounds in a single meal and targets large hoofed mammals. According to ODFW’s 2022 annual Wolf Report, 51 Oregon wolves were removed due to livestock conflicts and 458 livestock killed by wolves in 2022.”

The number 458 is erroneous. As of December 31, 2022, 386 livestock or domestic animals are confirmed to have been killed by wolves in Oregon since wolves began returning to the state in the late 1990s, according to ODFW.

WOLVES: Predation is an important issue for ranchers

Continued from page 1

year between May and July when two calves went missing. One of the five (four in the Deschutes County claim) on February 28, 2023, was an 800-pound dairy heifer. All the others were in the range of 350 to 600 pounds.

Ashanti Samuels, Long Hollow owner, did not wish to speak on the record.

On July 19, 2022, a new AKWA was designated in the Upper Deschutes wildlife management unit. Since August of 2021, there have been public reports of wolf activity in this area and one wolf was counted in the 2021 annual count. Remote camera photographs of an adult wolf with pups taken in July 2022 established that wolves have become resident in this area, prompting the designation of this AKWA.

In April of last year, six wolves were counted in the Upper Deschutes pack during the winter count. The pack produced at least two pups that survived until the end of the year and was recorded as including a breeding pair. This pack is far south of Sisters Country.

This AKWA and these wolves are not to be confused with the Metolius AKWA or the Warm Springs AKWA, each with two documented wolves, both presumed, but not confirmed, to be breeding pairs. These packs are generally thought to remain within their boundaries but

wolves can often cover 30 miles in a day.

Long Hollow has two confirmed kills, one on the Deschutes side of their land and the other on the Jefferson County side. Confirmed depredation means an ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) biologist has inspected the loss and certified it.

Aaron Bott, ODFW wolf biologist, explained to The Nugget how a claim can be made for more livestock lost than certified. “Under Oregon Department of Agriculture rules, if losses occur on a farm or ranch inside an AKWA, then other methods can be used to determine loss. If the loss is outside an AKWA then the state biologist has to certify the loss to receive compensation.”

Compensation also requires a full-fledged, functioning county Wolf Compensation Committee, which Deschutes County established last June. Various stakeholders are required

under Oregon law to comprise the committee.

Sisters Country is well represented on the committee. Owners or managers of livestock members are Ethan O’Brien, co-owner North 44 Farm LLC, and Johnny Leason, owner Pineridge Ranch Hay & Cattle LLC on Goodrich Road.

Supporters of Wolf Conservation and Coexistence with Wolves members are Sarahlee Lawrence, owner and operator of Rainshadow Organics, also on Holmes Road, and Donna Harris, Core Member of Sisters-based Wolf Welcome Committee. Phil Chang is the designated County Commissioner assigned to the committee.

Long Hollow’s claim to the Committee is $10,743. Being that all but one of the losses was not certified

by ODFW, their application for relief included all the supporting mitigation measures the ranch had taken which included removal of attractants, installation of cameras, barriers, and range riders.

The County in turn has rolled that into a grant application to the state Agriculture Department for $77,000. The additional funding includes $45,000 for Long Hollow to cover one tower for invisible fencing, a one year lease on livestock collars, and a seasonal range rider for 200 days at four hours a day.

The grant also seeks $5,000 for education and outreach and $20,000 for preventative measures to be distributed to ranchers and livestock owners as requested in the upcoming calendar year.

FIRE CHIEF: District is narrowing down candidate selections

Continued from page 1

The five semi-finalists who were interviewed on Monday were:

• Timothy Craig is currently the chief of operations and training for SCSFD. He has 21 years in career fire service with one year prior volunteer service. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program and has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration. He is also a licensed Oregon paramedic.

• Erik Holt is the former fire chief of the Florissant Fire District in Colorado. He was the station captain with the Fort Carson Colorado Fire Department

2013-2022. He served as a lieutenant with the Cascade Volunteer Fire Department in Colorado. He is a national registered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) B and Colorado EMT B-IV. Holt has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration.

• Kyle Nelson is the former fire chief of the Oregon Air National Guard in Portland. He is currently a training lieutenant for the Portland Fire Bureau. He has an associate degree in fire science and is an EMT B.

• Anthony Prior is the current fire chief of Kenai, Alaska. With an associate degree in fire and emergency service technology, he has 28 years of fire service with combination and career agencies. He is an adjunct instructor at the University of Alaska in Hazardous

Materials/Firefighter. He is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).

• Peter Teliha is the division chief of logistics for the City of Austin Fire Department in Texas, where he has served in fire service for 29 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental design from Texas A & M. He is certified as a Texas EMT B.

Timothy Craig — currently the chief of operations and training for SCSFD.

Peter Teliha — division chief of logistics for the City of Austin Fire Department in Texas.

Kyle Nelson — former fire chief of the Oregon Air National Guard in Portland.

Anthony Prior — current fire chief of Kenai, Alaska.

Erik Holt — former fire chief of the Florissant Fire District in Colorado.

homeopath and went on an elimination diet to pinpoint the culprits of her discomfort.

“I remember eating plain chicken and rice and drinking tea. Within two weeks, I felt 100-percent better. I started slowly adding things back in, like dairy and gluten, then I moved on with my life (without them),” Johnson said. “I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I felt better.”

With a background in baking from her father, Russ Wholers, founding partner/ chef of James Beard awardwinning Seattle restaurant Ray’s Boathouse, Johnson experimented with ingredients to perfect a baking mix that she could stomach, and that could stand up to her cravings.

“My dad is a chef. I grew up in a very foodie family, so it was natural for me to tinker with things. I had a bunch of different grains that I knew worked for me. I continued to mix and match different ratios until I found what is now our pancake mix.”

From there, she set out to create additional alternatives that catered to the dietary needs of millions of people facing similar struggles.

New Direction

Johnson’s business breakthrough came when she introduced her allergyfriendly pancake mix to family and friends. She received rave reviews, which sparked her entrepreneurial spirit.

When the owner of the Bend and Redmond franchises of Portland-based restaurant chain The Original Pancake House sampled Johnson’s recipe and expressed interest in using it, the validation motivated her to pursue food production, licensing, and distribution.

“We literally Googled how to make a nutritional label,” Josie recalls with a laugh, highlighting the DIY spirit of her early, family-funded and -staffed endeavors.

Johnson created Josie’s Best Gluten Free Mixes with the pancake and the waffle. All of her mixes are free of the “Big Nine” food allergens: milk, eggs, nuts, fish, crustaceans, shellfish, wheat, soy, and sesame.

She began selling her signature products at local farmers’ markets and in small shops. Soon, she was securing partnerships to expand Josie’s reach to larger stores and online platforms.

The Pan-demic Covid-19 proved to be incredibly disruptive, yet pivotal in a positive way, as the initial lockdowns of early 2020 gave rise to a trend in

home baking.

Self-taught, Johnson transformed her website, www.josiesbestgf.com, and leveraged social media to foster a sense of community among customers, while offering support and inspiration through recipes and tips during those tough times for cooped-up families.

High demand pointed her to the pinnacle of ecommerce, Amazon, which now accounts for a third of Johnson’s business. She ships bulk bags, consumerready mix packages, and assortments of syrups, jams, and vanilla to the online retail giant’s distribution centers.

“Amazon gets specific packs, which is what I’m working on here,” Johnson said. “We ship them to Amazon, you can buy them on Prime anywhere in the country, and they ship to you.”

Branching out

“So this is an FDAapproved warehouse,” Josie explained during a recent tour of her Sisters shipping facility. “We used to make everything here, then we just grew out of what we had. We were in between: ‘Do we build a factory at this point? How do we manage this?’”

The products are now produced in Central Washington and delivered to her warehouse.

“We were able to find a really good partner there and buy time on the production lines of another company that had the same allergen needs as we do,” she said.

“Everything gets packaged there and we get it here in boxes.”

Johnson has more than doubled her output for restaurants and bakeries, which make up another third of Josie’s Best.

“We have a food-service line that gets 25- and 50-pound bags that go to The Original Pancake House, McKay’s Cottage, the bakery in Fika Sisters Coffeehouse, one in Tumalo, and then we send them all over the country. We have another gigantic company called Batter Up Pancakes, which is in Northern California, where I do a lot of business,” she said.

Balancing business demands with family life posed challenges but Johnson’s resilience and adaptability shone through.

“We knew we needed to get into grocery stores. The way I did it, I was pregnant with our third, and I had a toddler and one kid in school, and I would literally show up with a pitcher of pancake batter and a little plug-in iron, and say, ‘Can I come make you pancakes?’

Johnson recalled. “I showed up to Whole Foods like that many, many times. I would cook pancakes in the back so people could try it. It took about a year of doing that before I could get on the shelf at that one store.”

Today, Johnson brings a lot more than a pitcher to Whole Foods across the Pacific Northwest and a number of other grocery and brick-and-mortar retail

stores, representing her third pillar.

“We deliver some to Local Acres Market, Market of Choice, Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s. Market of Choice is an Oregon company. They’re an incredible supporter of small local businesses, as is Local Acres Market.”

The Next Ingredients

Josie’s Best has grown to include the crepe and the muffin & more, and her website features more than 150 recipes for them. Johnson is planning new products for the fall, remaining steadfast in her commitment to quality and transparency.

“We never compromise on any of our allergen specifications. We test incoming and outgoing products rigorously to ensure safety for our customers,” she said. “We have our gluten-free certification. There are no allergens in any of the facilities, period. End of story.”

Her dedication has earned her trust among customers seeking allergen-free nonGMO options.

“We’re very, very careful with everything we do, so we can stay really committed to that. People that have really serious allergen concerns, we talk to them all the time about what’s going on, and make sure that they’re comfortable with our products,” Johnson added.

Looking ahead, she remains focused on sustainable growth by prioritizing ecommerce and local partnerships rather than national distribution. Her moves keep customer costs under $10 MSRP. With her husband as her ally and a small team supporting her, Johnson continues to innovate and expand her product line while staying true to her mission of delivering healthy servings of lasting family-baking memories — all from Sisters.

Josette Johnson is a model of entrepreneurial resilience. PHOTO

Obituaries

On February 17, at the age of 89, Gary Dean Grittman peacefully left us to be with his forever love and wife, Lucy.

Gary was born in Esbon, Kansas on October 31, 1934, in a one-room cabin on his grandmother Kincheloe’s property where his parents, John and Enid Grittman, were living. Gary was the oldest of three children, Larry the second child and Bonnie the third born. They moved from Kansas to Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1941 looking for a better life. There were four adults and three children all packed into a 1931 Pontiac for the journey west.

Gary had a paper route while living in Grants Pass, and would ride his bike for miles delivering newspapers to the community. Around 1950, they moved to Hillsboro where they finally put down permanent roots. Gary graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1953 and immediately joined the Marine Corps. He was discharged in 1955, then in 1956 married his sweetheart Lucy Starr. They moved to Renton, Washington, for his new job at Boeing. In 1960, they moved back to Oregon after Gary was hired on with the Portland Fire Bureau, which became his lifetime career. He retired in 1990 after 30 years of dedicated service.

The fire bureau was his second home. He spent many hours with those friends, hunting, fishing, playing handball, and a lot of card games. He was an avid bowler for more than 40 years with Lucy, locally, also participating in state and national bowling tournaments. They also made many trips to Reno over the years, meeting up with friends from around the country with whom they enjoyed Keno and Slot tournaments. There were many snowbirding trips to Arizona

with his brother Larry and sister-in-law Sharon, and albums of memories.

He spent family time camping, annual vacations, family reunions, horseback riding, playing board games. Annual camping trips with the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were the best.

Gary and Lucy divorced in 1979, and remarried each other in 1992, they were married all together for 53 years. He moved in with Lucy before they remarried, and had lived in Sisters ever since. It was their peaceful sanctuary amongst the pines trees and the sweet smell of bitterbrush.

Gary is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and wife Lucy. He is survived by daughter Virginia Nies and husband Jim, and son Kevin Grittman, eight grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Kim Tyner (House)

July 25, 1951 – February 17, 2024

On February 17, Kim Tyner (House) passed away unexpectedly. Her absence leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of the countless people she touched.

Born July 25, 1951, in Wrangell, Alaska to Donald and Margaret House, she was a restless spirit right from the get-go. To the horror of her father, she bought a Honda 90 motorcycle as soon as she was old enough. Later, sold it and acquired a 150 model. After taking her dad for a nerve-wracking ride, he remarked, “She gets it from her grandfather!” who also rode motorcycles.

After graduating from Wrangell High in 1969 Kim flew the coop. She took flying lessons, and acquired a private pilot’s license and later added multi-engine and float ratings. Kim attended Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington, achieving an AS degree in Air Traffic Control. She went on to receive an Air Traffic Control Certification from the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1975. Kim performed air traffic and flight service functions at Merrill Field in Anchorage, Juneau FSS, and Homer FSS. She received numerous commendations, awards and recognitions for exceptional work and devotion to the aviation profession.

Kim switched gears in 1982 and became the Executive Director of the

Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau and later the Director of the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau. She excelled at her newfound career, putting her endless creative talents to use marketing tourism.

She returned to air traffic controlling and retired from the FAA in 2003. Then Kim immersed herself in the study of residential building technology at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, achieving an associate degree in 2006.

She subsequently moved to the Bend/Sisters area.

In 1982, Kim married Bill Tyner, living in Juneau and Homer, Alaska, and divorcing after 10 years.

Throughout her life Kim had numerous dogs; both AKC registered and lovable mutts. She spent many years participating in dog shows, where she and her dogs won an abundance of ribbons and enjoyed the company of fellow dog enthusiasts.

Kim was a remarkably outgoing person with a great sense of humor, maintaining countless friendships with people far and wide. She volunteered for many good causes including her

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favorite, the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store.

Kim is preceded in death by her father and mother, Donald House and Margaret House.

She is survived by her stepmother, Shirley House, Great Falls, Montana; brother, John House, Bellingham, Washington; sister, Jennifer House, Fairbanks, Alaska; niece, Alexandra Jas House, Phoenix, Arizona; and her devoted companion, Jake (dog).

Donations in Kim’s memory can be made to the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store or the Humane Society of Central Oregon in Bend. A celebration of Kim’s life will be announced at a later date.

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Ila Reid loves to make connections — through spor ts, in the classroom, and in other co-curricular activities

She’s a multi-spor t athlete, serving as a team captain on the Outlaws basketball team, as well as playing volleyball and running track. She’s ASG treasurer and actively involved in building school spirit She’s also an IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition) intern

“It’s my favorite thing I do,” she says of that program. “You get to know people so well. People are so different when they’re in school than when you get them outside in the mountains or on the river. You get to see a different side of people.”

Academically, Reid thrives in a broad range of disciplines. She loves chemistr y and math, and she also loves writing.

She appreciates connections with teachers

“They create a really open, welcoming environment,” she says. “They have your best interests in mind. They want you to learn, but they also want you to be a good person. I think that really helps the culture.”

Reid has been accepted in the Oregon State University Honors College, where she plans to study environmental science. She does not yet have a career path marked out, but she is well-prepare d by a successful high school career

Ila is a deeply caring and dete mined person. She brought a sour of curiosity, humor, and willingness collaborate to every class she have absolutely loved being one teachers. I am so very proud —Dan O’Neill

Ila’s Outlaw spirit is contagious! He academic commitment helps set a high bar in her classes. Her commitment to our community is felt on so man levels from leading her teams on court to leading fellow students in mountains. Ila has helped shape our school and it’s been an honor her teacher! — Rima Givot

Congratulations, Ila! Your dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment have not gone unnoticed. You are a shining example of it means to be an outstanding individual in every sense of the wo especially commend your char one marked with kindness, empat and integrity. Not only do you stand out, but you are an inspiration many. I am proud of you and ex edly anticipate where life will you because you are truly a gift and one who will continue to make a positive impact. —Samra Spear

Ila is such an asset to SHS. She has a mature and perceptive presence in the classroom, and as an artist she is creative, forward-thinking, and a hard worker. Congrats, Ila! — Bethany Gunnarson

Ila Reid is an amazing OUTLAW! She has excelled for us as a three sport athlete on the field, and off the field she has been a leader in the halls and classrooms of our building. For her entire

time at SHS. Ila’s positive attitude and care for others and our school has helped to make everyone around her better Thanks for all you do, Ila! — Gary Thorson

Ila is a thoroughly deserving recipient of our senior Outlaw of the month! In every aspect of what she does at SHS, she brings a measure of positivity, hard work, and great energy, and the entire Outlaw school community benefits from her leadership! — Steve Stancliff

SFF CAMPS:

Camps appeal to a wide range of kids

Continued from page 3

with the most basic common chords and short, easy-tolearn melodies to memorize. Students will have opportunities to try other instruments as well, offering players reallife experience and showing them what each different “noise machine” can offer.

Enrollment is open to students in grades 5–8 and will run from 9 a.m. to noon daily. Maximum of 20 participants.

The Kaleidoscope Mixed Media Art Camp is another half-day camp where students will be encouraged to explore the creative process through multiple art mediums. The afternoon camp is scheduled for July 8-12. The week will include abstract art through the fun of paint pouring, color theory with portrait painting, and animal sculptures. Campers will learn layering techniques in paints, pens, and collages. Enrollment is open to students entering grades 5-8 and will run from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Maximum of 14 participants.

Teaching artist and SMS science teacher Melissa Stolasz will lead a half-day Outlaw Middle School String Camp July 15-19. This camp is open to players who have some experience on fiddle or guitar and can play a few tunes. Instruction will include two music sessions each day providing specific musical expertise. Students will learn new techniques on the fiddle, work on their bowing game, and learn some great new tunes. The camp will close with a short concert open to families on July 19. Enrollment is open to students going into grades 6-9 and will run from 9 a.m. to noon daily. Maximum of 25 participants.

A theater production camp will begin on July 22 and run through July 26. Taught collaboratively by teaching artists Steven Livingston, Judy Fuentes, and Jayana Hinkle, this camp will focus on building skills to help develop a deeper understanding of the creative theatrical process. Student thespians will explore the theme of one of the oldest stories known to humankind: the unexpected hero and their quest to greatness. Though this trope is largely known, student thespians will work within a cast to study archetypes, musical storytelling, and stagecraft to create a unique retelling of this classic. The culmination of their work will be presented to family, friends, and community members on the final day of camp. Enrollment is open to students grades 5-9 and will

run all day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Maximum of 30 students.

Another half-day camp focused on felt and fabric arts will take place August 5-9 with teaching artist and visual arts teacher Judy Fuentes. During the Fabric Arts Camp, students will work with unique materials to create wall hangings, landscapes, and creatures using wet felting and needle felting. Exploring a variety of techniques and applications, campers will develop their own personal style. Enrollment is open to students grades 5-9 and will run from 9 a.m. to noon each day in the upstairs JAM Studio at Sisters Art Works. Maximum of 14 participants.

From August 12 to 16, Joe Schulte will offer a fullday Branch to Fruit Music Camp for players who are comfortable on their instrument and relatively fluid in the common major and

minor chords found in popular music. In addition to playing together as a large group, this camp will break out into some small group ensemble sessions in which two to four players will work out tunes that may include custom song arrangement, individual solos, harmonies, and improvisation. The camp will close with a concert open to families on August 16. Enrollment is open to students grades 6-9, and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Maximum of 20 participants. The suggested tuition for each full-day camp is $275 and includes lunch and snacks each day. Halfday suggested tuition is $175 and includes snacks. The minimum full-day camp registration is $50, and the minimum half-day camp registration is $25. For more information, visit https://www.sffpresents.org/ summer-creativity-camps.

STEAM: Expo featured art, science, and music at middle school

Continued from page 3

kinetic art — drawing with both hands simultaneously. According to art teacher Judy Fuentes, the purpose of the exercise is to get comfortable with creating spontaneously without having to control the end product. The idea is to find a creative “flow state.”

Geneva Van Meter, a third-grader, visited the expo and jumped in on the

Impermanent Moving Part Collage, which offered up a table full of materials, from feathers to marble and cotton balls, with which artists could create a collage. Some collages might have symbolic meaning to the artist.

“Art is always telling a story,” Fuentes said.

Some classrooms hosted science experiments, while the sound of fiddle music from the middle school’s strings club filled the air (see related story, page 9).

The event had support from SFF Presents, The Roundhouse Foundation, and many parents and volunteers.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Third-grader Geneva Van Meter at work on an art project.

SFF Presents has opened registration for its summer camps.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Walter loves the snow!

RUMBLE: Airport owners are looking into options

Continued from page 1

Community Grant, a pool of money the City distributes every year to organizations vital in their mission of service benefiting Sisters.

“It’s too late for this year, but I’d feel confident that they’d qualify and likely be awarded some support going forward,” Preedin said.

Rotary Club of Sisters has long been a supporter of the event, manning the pancake and sausage breakfast that opens the day-long event. Rotary provides the labor and the Airport the ingredients and supplies. Profits from the breakfast go to the aviation and flight science program at Sisters High School.

Rotary President Bill Kelly said, “I have no doubt that we can solve the volunteer issue and we may even be able to help with the

GAMES: Losing and setbacks are part of experience

Continued from page 11

“Dungeons & Dragons,” a game of high adventure in a medieval fantasy setting. One player serves as storyteller and referee, and assumes the role of all the people and creatures the other players interact with. A lot of that interaction amounts to puzzle-solving and combat, which involves making decisions that weight dice rolls and therefore a kind of tactical puzzle-solving. Players cooperate to defeat monsters, loot treasure, and grow in power. There’s no ultimate win condition, just various objectives that occur to the players or are explicitly set out by the Dungeon Master, like to recover a stolen artifact, slay a dragon, or rescue a princess.

insurance cost. We’d probably be willing to become sole sponsors for the event and relieve the Bensons of the arduous job of putting it on.”

Kelly, like Preedin, believes the community would step up in any number of ways. He’s going to seek support from the new Downtown Sisters Business Association, who are keen on interactive promotions.

Word of the possible end of the event has spread on social media with residents somewhat stunned.

“This can’t be true,” lamented Phil Dalton, who brings no fewer than 15 extended family members every year.

“No way this happens,” insisted Chloe Willis, whose grandkids come every year from Klamath Falls for the day.

The Bensons are taking a few days to examine all the options. Meanwhile Kelly is holding talks with community leaders to formulate an action plan.

Monsters occasionally defeat characters, but that doesn’t make the characters, much less their players, losers or unfit. Monsters, after all, are tough, or they wouldn’t be worthy opponents. You give it your best shot, while supporting your party to do the same, and you build real-life enduring friendships and social skills through your fantasy adventures. I didn’t always succeed as a player or Dungeon Master, but my failures just inspired me to do better, because I loved the activity for its own sake. Come to think of it, this seems the attitude proper to sports, but by high school I’d abandoned team sports in favor of wrestling, cross country, and track. I should ask the local D&D players who also are on sports teams to compare the activities. Unfortunately, the person I’d planned to interview fell sick. Setbacks — they’re part of the game.

541-549-9631

Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor

parking. 7-day access.

security gate.

SPACE FOR RENT

Great

103 Residential Rentals

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property

PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002

Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com

Printed list at 221 S. Ash, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC

TENANT PLACEMENT

“nothing’s more expensive than bad tenants” call or text mike 541.588.2028 mikez@wetdogpnw.com

104 Vacation Rentals

~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~ Private Central OR vac. rentals, Property Management Services 541-977-9898

www.SistersVacation.com

Downtown Vacation Rentals

Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

107

Rentals Wanted

Looking for a 2+ BR for 3 adults, one dog. Need a place for May and June, possibly 2 weeks in July, anywhere in Central OR. 541-602-1963

Looking for a room to rent. Needed by mid-May Call or email Tim 541-306-7340 lynchpinstim@gmail.com

201 For Sale

Sisters Carports & Metal Buildings start at $1,295 for 12'x 21'x 6' (WxLxH) Free Installation. Contact Matt 541-728-3507 for price sheets.

202 Firewood

Dry, split, seasoned, old-growth pine. Call Brad 541-306-9963.

• SPRING SPECIAL • SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD

• SINCE 1976 • KINDLING

Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES

– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com

Order Online! 541-410-4509

205 Garage & Estate Sales

Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by...

Daiya 541-480-2806

Sharie 541-771-1150

HERITAGE USA

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters.

206 Lost & Found

FOUND: well-worn softball at gas station parking lot in Sisters. Handwriting on the ball suggests it is a memento from an Oregon regional fastpitch tournament. Stop by The Nugget office to claim.

301 Vehicles

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

CUSTOM CAR GARAGES HEATED, 110 POWER

$275 • 541-419-2502

401 Horses

ORCHARD GRASS HAY

New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $300-$360/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895

T H

online at NuggetNews.com

403 Pets

AKC Red Golden Retriever Puppies, available in April. Email Gingerthedog25@gmail.com

Bebe is a 3-year-old female that is looking for a quiet home to share her love. She is shy initially but enjoys chin scratches when you earn her trust. We would love for her to be adopted with her brother, Lucky. Apply to adopt her online at: sisterswhiskers.org

Rottweiler puppies, 8 weeks old. 4 males. Available now. From the Timit-Tor/Silver Fild KG bloodline. Mom is onsite in Crossroads. $2,500. 503-884-6105

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

Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475

• DERI’s HAIR SALON

• Call 541-419-1279

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871

501 Computers & Communications

Technology Problems? I can fix them for you. Solving for Business & Home Computers, Tablets, Networking Internet (Starlink), and more!

Jason Williams

Sisters local • 25 yrs. experience 541-719-8329

Oregontechpro.com

3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC Cable jobs, security cameras, WAPs. CCB #191099 541-318-7000 • 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

600 Tree Service & Forestry

4 Brothers Tree Service

Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! – TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –

Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency

Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.

– FOREST MANAGEMENT –

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

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

** Free Estimates **

Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342

4brostrees.com

Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057

LOLO TREE WORKS

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

ISA Certified Arborist

Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com

Call / Text: 503-367-5638

Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com

CCB #240912

TimberStandImprovement.net

Tree Removal & Pruning

TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825

S I C K L Y T R E E S ? Check the Nugget's classified advertisers for professionals to help you!

601 Construction

CASCADE GARAGE DOORS

Factory Trained Technicians

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

Construction & Renovation

Custom Residential Projects

All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448

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

SPURGE COCHRAN

BUILDER, INC.

General Contractor

504

Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74 A “Hands-On” Builder

Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016

To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com

541-390-1206

beavercreeklog@yahoo.com

Log repairs, log railing, log accent, log siding, etc.

CCB #235303 Insurance & Bond

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

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

HIGH DESERT WOOD CARE

Power wash/clean • Complete sanding • Stain & finish • Log home chinking • 10% military discount • Specializing in log home and deck refinishing 541-948-2303

$100 off decks • $500 off log homes until April 30

From Ground to Finish

Accurate and Efficient 541-604-5169

CCB#233074

Pat Burke

LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT

CCB: 288388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com

Custom Homes

Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

– Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941

602 Plumbing & Electric

SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling

• New Construction

• Water Heaters

541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

CCB #87587

Ridgeline Electric, LLC

Serving all of Central Oregon

• Residential • Commercial

• Industrial • Service

541-588-3088

• CCB #234821

603 Excavation & Trucking

Full Service Excavation

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

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition

Trucking

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

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24

Whatever You Want!

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial

CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977

www.BANR.net

ROBINSON & OWEN

Heavy Construction, Inc.

All your excavation needs

*General excavation

*Site Preparation

*Sub-Divisions

*Road Building

*Sewer and Water Systems

*Underground Utilities

*Grading

*Sand-Gravel-Rock

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

CCB #124327

541-549-1848

604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR

Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel

Consulting, Service & Installs

actionairheatingandcooling.com

CCB #195556

541-549-6464

605 Painting

EMPIRE PAINTING

Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining

CCB#180042

541-613-1530

• Geoff Houk

METOLIUS PAINTING LLC

Meticulous, Affordable

Interior & Exterior 541-280-7040

• CCB# 238067

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

CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620

www.frontier-painting.com

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

All Landscaping Services

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

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

Alpine Landscape Maintenance Walk & driveway snow removal, yard maintenance and cleanup. Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.com

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

– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing.

Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169

Austin • 541-419-5122

Need some earth moved?

Check out the Nugget's C L A S S I F I E D S for professionals to get the job done!

701 Domestic Services

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured.

541-977-1051

House Cleaning

Sisters & Black Butte Free Consult 503-750-3033

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING!

Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

802 Help Wanted

ShipMate, Inc., a hazardous materials training and consulting company is looking to hire 2 part-time employees to work in our shipping and warehouse department in Sisters. Each position would work 25-30 hours a week. There is some flexibility in hours/days. The job includes working in a small company environment, a positive team-oriented attitude, working with power tools and equipment, and you need to be able to lift 40 pounds. The wage range is $20$25 per hour depending on experience. Please send an email to laurie@shipmate.com with your resume.

Seeking experienced salesperson who absolutely loves hats and is willing to learn our brands!

Please inquire if you meet the following: Outgoing, retail experience, ability to multitask, and eye for detail. Part-time, must be willing to work some weekends. Starting pay is $18, raise will be considered after 30 days if selling performance shows.

stacey@sistershatsandco.com

Metolius Meadows in Camp Sherman is seeking a reliable self-motivated individual to assist in the care and maintenance of our common area grounds and facilities. A good candidate will have some mechanical knowledge, and carpentry skills. Be a self-starter and willing to work in a variety of daily duties. We offer a competitive starting wage with opportunities to develop a professional skill set. Contact our office at 541-595-2101.

THREE SISTERS

IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Financial Administration Manager

Full-time with benefits, to oversee District’s financials & manage office operations

www.tsidweb.org for info admin1@tsidweb.org to apply

803 Work Wanted

POSITION WANTED; for Companion Caregiver. Looking for part-time; must be close to Sisters downtown. References upon request. Please call 503-274-0214

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Sisters Planning Commission will conduct an in-person public hearing at Sisters City Hall, 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters, on March 21, 2024, at 5:30 PM regarding the applications listed below. The hearing will be held in accordance with Sisters Development Code (SDC) Chapter 4.1 and the rules of procedure adopted by the Council and available at City Hall. Prior to the public hearing, written comments may be provided to Sisters City Hall at 520 E. Cascade Avenue, Sisters (mailing address PO Box 39, Sisters, OR 97759) or emailed to mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us. Comments should be directed toward the criteria that apply to this request and must reference the file number. For additional information, please contact Matthew Martin, Principal Planner at (541) 323-5208 or mmartin@ci.sisters.or.us.

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

PUBLIC HEARING: March 21, 2024, at 5:30 pm

FILE #: TA 24-01

Breaking News / Road Reports

Weather / Letters

Editorials / Commentary

999 Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that the Black Butte Ranch Rural Fire Protection District will hold a joint public hearing of its Board of Directors and its Local Contract Review Board regarding adoption of Public Contracting Rules on the 28th day of March, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Black Butte Ranch RFPD Fire Station located at 13511 Hawks Beard, Black Butte Ranch, Oregon. To attend the hearing virtually or for questions, contact Jamie Vohs at (541) 595-2288 or jvohs@blackbutteranchfire.com.

The proposed Resolution will replace and update the District’s current Public Contracting Rules and exemptions.

The public hearing will be held for the purpose of taking comments on the District’s draft findings supporting the exemption of certain classes of special procurements and public improvement contracts from competitive bidding requirements.

APPLICANT: Ernie LarrabeeLake House Inn, LLC

REQUEST: Text Amendments to SDC Chapter 1.3 - Definitions and Chapters 2.12 - Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District. The purpose is to expand and clarify the types of uses allowed in the Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District and other edits for consistency with the Sisters Development Code.

APPLICABLE CRITERIA:

SDC Chapter 1.3 – Definitions, Chapter 2.12 – Sun Ranch Tourist Commercial District, Chapter 4.1 – Types of Applications and Review Procedures, Chapter 4.7 – Land Use District Map and Text Amendments; City of Sisters Urban Area Comprehensive Plan; and Oregon’s Statewide Land Use Goals

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