The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVIII No. 21 // 2025-05-21
The Nugget
Outlaws
slugger sets record
By Matt Van Slyke Correspondent
When the ball comes off Kathryn Scholl’s bat, you’d better watch out.
Last week, the senior broke the Sisters High School home run record.
Then she nearly broke her coach’s hand.
Head Coach August Tripp was on the third base line Friday when Scholl drove a ball foul. Tripp ducked and threw up her hand to protect herself. One second after the crack of the bat, the ball smacked Tripp’s hand and wrist.
See SOFTBALL on page 14
Volunteers and activists cut the ribbon on a re-engineering of the
and cash and in-kind
more accessible for viewing by people in wheelchairs.
Alliance;
Barclay road work entering new phase
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Drivers have shown both patience and a degree of skill when navigating the improvements to East Barclay Drive between Locust and Larch streets, work that began April 7. Work has frequently detoured drivers at the
busy intersection where the Sisters Post Office is sited.
“To date there has been a substantial amount of underground utility infrastructure that has been installed that no one will ever see but we always start from the bottom and work up,” Public Works
See BARCLAY on page 24
Urban growth boundary work continues
By Susan Cobb Correspondent
Some members of the City Council and the Planning Commission hold onto hopes for the McKenzie Meadow Village (MMV) property being available for consideration in pending expansion of the City of Sisters Urban Growth
Boundary. Whether the MMV rezone requests are denied or approved by the Deschutes County Commissioners, appeals are highly likely to occur, based on statements made by those who intend to do so. Appeals would also likely cause a stay on further
See UGB on page 16
15-year-old
Service projects engage local students
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
In one day, Wednesday, May 14, Sisters seventh graders did a lot of work to support their community. And they had a great time doing it.
Three separate groups undertook service projects across Central Oregon.
One team went to Harmony Farms Sanctuary, where they built a goat play structure, cleaned the grounds, and planted trees.
“We used some treated wood, then made some boxes and we all helped and moved them over and put them on top of each other to make a structure,” said student Tabor Card.
The students enjoyed the work — and the interaction.
“I think it was just a cool experience,” said Echo Wilkie.
Another team went to Brightside Animal Clinic, where they used funds from a Roundhouse Foundation grant to make dog treat dispensers. The grant also covered the construction of picnic tables. Students
assembled picnic tables, cardboard animal carriers and washed dishes.
One student noted that they learned what to do if they find a stray animal.
A third team worked close to home laying out what one student called a “rough draft” of a trail on the middle school grounds. Then about 60 students flagged and raked out a nature trail that in future will include trail art and a learning center.
The students worked with the direction of Sisters Trails Alliance (STA).
During the undertaking, Citizens4 Community
See SERVICE on page 24
Sisters seventh graders engaged in multiple service projects last week, including work at Harmony Farms Animal Sanctuary.
PHOTO BY MATT MCCLELLAN
highly popular Whychus Creek Scenic Overlook Trail. A grant of $37,152 from Visit Central Oregon
donations of $16,104 from Sisters Trails Alliance made it possible to make the stone wall at the overlook
Left, cutting the ribbon, Stephanie Presley, executive director at Sisters Trail
right, Amber Alvarez Lara,
student at Sisters High School.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
OPINION
Letters to the Editor…
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.
Softball
To the Editor:
I love reading about our local high school athletes’ accomplishments, and The Nugget generally does a good job covering them. However, there’s one glaring exception. For the second time in three years, they did not write a single article about the Outlaws softball program during the season.
To put this in perspective, I counted the number of articles The Nugget wrote for spring sports. They wrote seven articles on track, five on girls tennis, seven on boys tennis, and six on baseball. That’s 25 articles on local sports over two months. Softball got zero. Their season ended last Friday.
Since this paper won’t cover them, allow
me to.
Although the team did not have a winning season, they had many great team accomplishments, like beating a much larger 5A school. They had a very young team, on most days they started five freshmen in the lineup. With such a young group, these talented ladies played a lot of really close games, losing five games this season by only one run. In four years of watching Outlaws softball, this was by far the best defensive team they’ve fielded.
They also had a number of incredible individual accomplishments that deserve recognition.
Kathryn Scholl, one of two seniors on
Sisters Weather Forecast
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MEMORIAL DAY Remember & Honor
Congratulations graduates
By Steve Woodson Guest Columnist
Congratulations college and high school graduates, you have made it to the next step in the game of life. Well done! Now is a good time to pause, breathe, and be thankful for the journey – so far. You’ve had the extraordinary privilege of growing up, studying, and graduating in the United States, a nation that, despite its flaws, offers unparalleled opportunities. This isn’t just rhetoric —it’s a reality forged by generations who sacrificed for your freedoms. What you do with this blessing is your choice, but know that the U.S. rewards courage, resilience, and ambition. It’s not a country for the faint of heart.
As Memorial Day nears, let’s honor those who paid the ultimate price for your opportunities. From the Civil War to World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the recent Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, the average age of American soldiers who died was 21 to 26—barely older than many of you. These young men and women, often leaving behind dreams like yours, laid down their lives so you could graduate in a nation at peace. Their sacrifice is a reminder that freedom isn’t free; it’s a debt you repay by living purposefully and contributing to your community.
Entering the workforce now is equal parts exhilarating and intimidating. The world is changing rapidly, with technologies like artificial intelligence reshaping industries. For those eyeing the trades — roles like automotive technician, electrician, HVAC specialist, or plumber — the outlook is bright. Aging workforces and the hands-on nature of these jobs mean AI won’t displace them soon. Plus, you can bypass the time and cost of a four-year degree, entering the workforce with skills in high demand.
If you’re drawn to the corporate world, the paths are diverse, from marketing to finance to tech. Each requires strategic planning and adaptability. As someone who attended state schools, tried my hand at professional sports, and climbed from an $18,000 entry-level job to a C-suite role, I offer five pieces of advice to guide you:
• Do the pre-work. Success starts with preparation. Research companies that excite you — check their websites, read their mission statements, and understand their culture. Use LinkedIn to connect with employees
for informational interviews. Ask about their experiences and the company’s challenges. When I applied to Nike in 1990, I leveraged these conversations during my interview, showing initiative despite my lack of experience. This preparation can set you apart in a competitive job market.
• Be present. Show up every day, on time or early. It sounds basic, but consistency builds trust. Look colleagues in the eye, offer a firm handshake, and engage fully.
• Master ‘Yes,’ ‘Maybe,’ ‘No.’ Early in your career, say “yes” to new projects, responsibilities, or even relocations. Each opportunity builds skills and networks. As you gain experience, shift to “maybe,” weighing how opportunities align with your goals. Later, don’t hesitate to say “no” to roles that don’t fit your vision.
• Navigate competition. Work is a team effort, but it’s also a stage to shine. Your colleagues are coworkers, allies, and sometimes competitors. Be mindful of what you share and with whom. I’ve seen talented people undermined by others angling for promotions. Stay professional, focus on your contributions, and build a reputation for integrity. Like an athlete, aim to win as a team while standing out individually.
• Everybody leaves. No one stays at a company forever. Whether it’s the CEO or the janitor, everyone leaves — on an ambulance gurney, or surrounded by Human Resources with a cardboard box in their hands, or with head held high. From day one, think like a free agent. Keep your resume updated, nurture your network, and explore plans B, C, and D. Companies prioritize their survival, filling vacancies swiftly. Your loyalty is to your career, not just your employer.
You’re stepping into an uncertain but exciting future. Sisters is a vibrant community filled with accomplished professionals. Tap into this local network. Reach out for coffee chats, attend community events, or join organizations to connect with mentors. These relationships can lead to informational interviews, job leads, or advice to navigate your path.
Your journey is just beginning, and the possibilities are vast. Carry gratitude for the sacrifices that made your freedoms possible, and approach your career with boldness and purpose. The world needs your energy, creativity, and determination.
Sisters woman is a lesson in courage & faith
May is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome month. Sisters resident, Tracy Lynn Hendrickson, 55, has lived her entire life with the condition, but didn’t know it until very recently. As far back as she can remember, Hendrickson was in debilitating pain throughout her body. Her pleas for help weren’t taken seriously by doctors and caregivers. For years, no one believed her, so she suffered in solitude. It felt like no one was advocating for her and trying to diagnose what was going on. As she aged her symptoms worsened, making it harder to work and care for her family.
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.
Alcoholics A nonymou s
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -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 Central Oregon Trail A lliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info. Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a collection of 13 conditions categorized by defective collagen. It can be hard to diagnose because each person’s EDS has its own set of features. Collagen is the glue that holds tissues together including tendons, skin, veins, nerves, organs, and muscles. EDS is a genetic disorder often missed by doctors. Symptoms can include joint hypermobility, skin elasticity, tissue fragility, and other system features. Joint hypermobility like Hendrickson’s causes acute and chronic pain.
“I’ve been suffering since grade school because of the way my thumbs bent backwards. After volleyball games, the pain made me
cry. My hands were bruised and painful. I asked the other players the next day why their hands weren’t feeling terrible, too. That’s when I realized there was something wrong with me,” said Hendrickson.
Hendrickson is finally working with a doctor who understands what’s wrong with her and has a plan to help her with the pain. Her shoulders, hips, knees, arms, and thumbs are dislocating. But that surgery is on hold for something more life threatening. Another EDS specialist, Dr. Fraser C. Henderson Sr., will be operating on Hendrickson this week in Maryland.
“My head was sliding all
See COURAGE on page 23
Sisters veterans to mark Memorial Day
The Sisters veterans community will mark Memorial Day with a gathering at Sisters Village Green Park at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 26.
The Memorial Day observances are a long-standing tradition in Sisters, sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8138, American Legion Post 86, and Band of Brothers — Sisters.
This year’s keynote speaker is Col. John Miller, U.S. Air Force (Ret.). Miller is a life member and has served as post commander for both the Sisters VFW and American Legion Post, and continues to be an officer in both.
Col. Miller served as Air Commander of the 434 Tactical Fighter Wing, was 442 Operations Group Commander, and 930 Fighter Group Commander, among other assignments. He served in Vietnam, Korea, Italy, and Abu Dhabi. After retiring from the Air Force, he and his wife moved to Sisters to be near family.
He founded the aviation program at Central Oregon Community College and assisted in establishing the aviation program at Sisters High School. Lunch will follow the observances, and everyone in the community is invited.
Caring Connections keeps seniors engaged
Nancy Williams and Marge Chapman were both looking for connection with someone fun, outdoorsy and a good match for their personalities. Sound like a dating app? Not exactly. Marge and Nancy are both involved with Council on Aging Central Oregon.
Williams is recovering from a stroke and lives alone in Sisters. She needed help with transportation and craved more social time. She reached out to the Council
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
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.
Hero Q uilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755
Living Well W ith Dementia Sisters Care Par tner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Library Communit y Room. 5 41-588 -0547.
Mili tary Parent s of Sisters Meetings are held quarter ly; please c all 5 41-388 -9 013.
Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 5 41-5 49 -6 469.
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 41-9 03 -405 0.
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., Pine Meadow V illage Clubhouse, 596 W Jef ferson Ave. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:30 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 at www.ssd 6. org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.
on Aging and was interviewed by Jamie Lacor, the caring connections manager. She was first matched with a woman who became a dear friend. But when her companion moved away, Williams wanted to find someone else to spend some time with.
Chapman, who has a background as a caregiver, was looking for a volunteer opportunity. She called Lacor and learned more about the Caring Connections, one of the Council on
CIT Y & PARKS
Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters Cit y Hall 541- 549- 6022
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 Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.
FIRE & POLICE
Black Bu tt e Ranch Polic e Dept. Board of Dire ctor s M eets monthly 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date
Black Bu tt e Ranch R FPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BB R Fire Station. 5 41-595 -2 28 8 Cloverdale R FPD
Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Wed., 5:3 0 p.m., 6743 3 Cloverdale Rd. 5 41-5 48 -4 815. c loverdalef ire.com.
Sister s- Camp She rman R FPD Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Tuesday, 5 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 5 41-5 49 -0771. Sister s- Camp She rman R FPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 5 41-5 49 -0771.
PHOTO BY KATY YODER See CONNECTION on page 27
By Katy Yoder Correspondent
By Katy Yoder Correspondent
Tracy Lynn Hendrickson got her hair cut at Metamorphosis Salon before undergoing surgery to stabilize her head on her spine.
Advanced art students display their portfolios
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
AP Art and Design is a class that aims to expand upon the preexisting creativity of high school students who are passionate about art. The class takes place during the first two trimesters of the school year and usually requires additional work outside of school.
“I took AP Art because I had already taken four jewelry classes and wanted to continue designing and creating pieces. Overall, I really liked how my portfolio turned out and I’m excited that I was able to experiment with new techniques and the functionality of my pieces but it would have been fun to try to incorporate more color within my work,” said senior Layla Hicks.
The pieces are currently available for public viewing until Friday, June 6, at the Sisters Art Works Building in the Cindy and Duncan Campbell Gallery, at 204 W. Adams Ave. Community members are invited to attend the 4th Friday Art Walk for the Opening and Celebration on May 23 at 4 p.m.
Each student creates an inquiry question to guide their pieces. The question is unique to the student, but works best when there’s room for interpretation and specificity for a general foundation.
“Whatever question students choose, they need to
be passionate about it. When they choose something that they want other people to like, it can be too concrete and sometimes cliché. Feeling confident about what you choose is essential,” said SHS Art teacher Bethany Gunnarson.
Students are able to choose between taking AP 3D Design, AP 2D Design, or AP Drawing. This year there were two students who chose 3D Design and four students who chose 2D Design.
“Overall I feel my portfolio turned out well,” said
senior Henry Kriser. “I covered a variety of ceramic techniques and skills that are well reflected throughout my portfolio. However, my sustained investigation question could have been more cohesive throughout my work. Currently my portfolio has many great individual pieces but if I were to make a change I would create a more clear investigation question while creating an overall portfolio that worked together better rather than individually interesting works.”
SAA’s Artwalk showcases new artists
By Helen Schmidling Correspondent
The Sisters Arts Association’s Fourth Friday Artwalk on May 23 covers a lot of ground, including brand new student artwork, magical creatures, mushrooms and a sidewalk chalk event, new work from repurposed items, big, bold, blazing colors, sculpture and mixed media, and the return of a beloved local artist’s landscapes. Walk through the galleries of Sisters between 4 and 7 p.m. for art, light refreshments, and great interaction with some of our finest local artists.
Hood Avenue Art welcomes sculptor and painter Gary Cooley and mixedmedia artist Anne Gibson. Cooley presents work from realistic to abstract, life-size to tabletop. Since “retiring,” from business and his own gallery, he’s been on a creative streak of new work. Gibson’s work evokes sensations: the heat of the sun, clarity of the light, or a riot of color.
Flying Horse Gallery’s new fantasy art exhibit, “Enchanted Beasts,” comprises magical creatures and wild things by regional and national guest artists, along with new paintings and prints by resident father and daughter artists Brad and Sloane Earl. Also, pastels by awardwinning artist John Sherry. Looking for a fun evening out in Sisters? On May 30 from 7 to 9 p.m., Sloane Earl will be the host at one of her most popular workshops, “Paint Your Partner,” for all skill levels, including total beginners. To sign up, go to www.flyinghorsegallery. com.
The Campbell Gallery hosts the Sisters High School AP Art and Design class showcase of portfolio work by six students: Violet Alloy, Faith Keeton, Violette Kennedy, Layla Hicks, Henry Kriser, and Olivia Nieto.
Sisters Gallery & Frame proudly welcomes awardwinning local artist Randall Tillery, showing local landscapes and florals in oils and
acrylics. Much of his work is done plein air (out of doors) and captures the beauty of the surrounding mountains.
“I never grow tired of painting them,” he says. Working both in oils and acrylics (and an occasional gouache or watercolor) provides Tillery the ability to be both spontaneous and prolific, studious and contemplative. Tillery
will be doing a demonstration painting that evening.
Makin’ it Local invites you to re-live your childhood by joining its “Chalk-It” event all day. Rain or shine, chalk to your heart’s content on the gallery’s covered and open patio area and enter your chalk art in a drawing to win one of three pocket hanging wildflower garden seed kits. Inside, browse a showcase of wild mushrooms captured in a botanical illustration style by Julie Hamilton, and enjoy music by the Sisters Outlaw Jazz Combo. A “Special Pour,” starting at 4 p.m. is a limited tasting of Bledsoe/ McDaniels Pinot Noir and Penny Ash Chardonnay from Mark Clemens of Friends and Vine in Sisters.
Toriizaka Art begins its third summer in Sisters by pairing fine art and wine. Featured artist Dao Hai Phong, one of Vietnam’s most successful painters, uses a bold palette to preserve the vanishing cultural geography of his youth. Though full of detail, his paintings are usually devoid of people but an ethereal glow emerges from within.
Winderlea Vineyard and Winery wines, including 2024 Winderlea Clos Vernier Rosé of Pinot noir, 2020 Winderlea Willamette Valley Chardonnay, and 2022 Winderlea Bounteous Pinot noir, will be poured.
Stitchin’ Post’s new exhibit is “Discarded – Mixed Media” by Judy Hoiness, inspired by the history of repairing and repurposing discarded objects and textiles. The work in this show includes selections from three series: “Collage on Paper,” “Collage on Canvas,” and “Mend and Make Do.” Wildflower Studio celebrates handmade wood products. Andy Pettit’s hand carved walking sticks, local wood worker Dick Tipton has dropped off a new supply of wooden fly boxes and dresser boxes. All handmade wood pieces use a variety of woods to enhance shape with grain and color.
Rickards Gallery will not be open for ArtWalk as The Open Door is hosting a private event.
Be sure to sign up for this month’s QuickDraw, as SAA awards two $50 gift certificates, good for purchase at each of these participating galleries. The QuickDraw is made possible thanks to a generous donation from Stellar Realty NW in Sisters.
“Explosive” by Randall Tillery at Sisters Gallery & Frame.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Fire Tender” by Gary Cooley at Hood Avenue Art.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Discarded Mixed Media” by Judy Hoiness at Stitchin’ Post.
PHOTO PROVIDED
“Moonlight Mischief“ by Mary Jean Ruhnke at Flying Horse Gallery.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Blazin Saddles marks a milestone
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
On Sunday, May 25, hundreds of mountain bikers will make a rolling start from Blazin Saddles Bike Shop in Sisters, heading out to run the Peterson Ridge Trail in the annual Sisters Stampede.
The big start also marks a milestone for the Sisters business; co-founders Jacquie Zanck and Casey Meudt are celebrating 15 years of business in Sisters with a weekend full of events.
Meudt recalled the impetus to open a bike shop in Sisters back in 2010.
“Both of us being cyclists, as well as me working in bike shops, the bike industry, we saw an opportunity to have a bike shop of our own in Sisters,” he said.
From the beginning, Meudt and Zanck were committed to community outreach and friendly, welcoming customer service.
“Being involved in the community and getting more kids on bikes — that was important to us,” Meudt said.
That commitment is illustrated by a long-standing Christmas season program matching kids and their families with donated bikes.
The customer service approach is geared toward creating a non-intimidating environment for those new to cycling, while at then same time serving the more sophisticated needs of seasoned riders.
“We want to treat people the way we want to be treated; that brings them back,” said Zanck. “Doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or a beginner, you’re getting that service.”
The cycling industry has changed radially in the decade-and-a-half of Blazin Saddles’ operations.
“E-bikes make for a very different playing field,” Meudt observed.
E-bikes require diagnostic
equipment and background for service, which is aided at Blazin Saddles by mechanic Ken Polachek, who came to the shop with a background in motor sports.
“E-bikes have been a game-changer for a lot of people,” Zanck said.
People can do things on an e-bike that they wouldn’t be able to do on a conventional bike. Couples of differing abilities, fitness levels, and commitment can now do rides together that they might not have been able to do before.
Cycling habits have evolved over the years. Gravel riding has come to the fore, while road riding has faded back.
Meudt noted that the shop’s inventory featured 40 to 60 percent road bikes in 2010. In 2025 “we have two road bikes in stock.”
Gravel bikes are the hot item. Sisters is surrounded by gravel riding, for one thing, and gravel bikes are versatile.
“You can buy a gravel bike with a road wheel-set,” Meudt said.
Both Zanck and Meudt say that the overall level of their bike sales surprises them.
“I don’t think either of us thought we would sell as many bikes as we do, ever,” Meudt said.
The majority of sales are made to part-time residents and visitors to Sisters. It turns out that visiting customers have more time and opportunity to test-ride bikes when they’re on vacation here — in the middle of a vast network of trails — than they do at home.
Any small business that makes it for 15 years has seen challenges. As it is for many in Sisters, staffing is not easy.
“Staffing is hard,” Meudt said. “It’s really hard to find good help…I would say that’s more challenging than I anticipated it would be. Would we take two more skilled bike mechanics if they walked through the door? Oh yeah.”
During the summer riding season, the shop carries a staff of about 14; it drops to a core of five or six during the off-season.
“We are very fortunate to have a great team… we have had very little turnover,” Meudt said.
Fifteenth anniversary events include:
• Parking Lot Sale, Free Shuttles, Demos and Festivities Saturday, May 24.
• Race Day, Raffle Drawing, and Parking Lot Sale Sunday, May 25.
• Final Sale, Monday, May 26.
The events will also
mark the grand opening of Meudt’s newest endeavor — Stagecoach Adventures, a shuttle company offering bike, ski, and custom transportation. Stagecoach Adventures offers lake outings, wedding transportation, and winery trips as well as shuttles to trailheads for cyclists. They’ll offer free Peterson Ridge Shuttles from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, on a firstcome/first served basis.
After 15 years in business,
Meudt and Zanck still enjoy working in a field that brings joy to so many people, as well as a healthy, family-oriented lifestyle.
“I still think it’s such a fun energy,” Zanck reflected. “Riding bikes is fun. They come back with a smile on their face. The vibe of the staff is positive.”
Blazin Saddles is located at 413 W. Hood Ave. in Sisters. For more information visit www.blazinsaddles hub.com.
Dr. Leif Karlstrom
Associate Professor at University of Oregon
The Oregon Cascade Range showcases interactions between magma and water, Earth’s two most important fluids. The region’s topography, geology, climate, water, and ecology all arise from these interactions over geologic time. Study of this near-surface environment where atmospheric and solid earth processes interact, collectively known as “Critical Zone science,” facilitates natural resource assessment and the building of resilient societies. Dr. Karlstrom will present recent work which seeks to understand both the patterns of volcanic processes and the legacy of volcanism generally on the Critical Zone
TUESDAY, May 27 • 7 PM
The Belfry, 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters Doors open at 6 p.m. for social hour, food & drink! Admission: $5 at the door;
AND
Blazin Saddles is marking 15 years in business as it kicks off Sisters’ major Memorial Day cycling event.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Dominic Pulver qualifies for tennis playoffs
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
Dominic Pulver earned a berth to the state tennis playoffs after an outstanding performance at the District Tournament held in both Madras and Prineville, Wednesday through Friday, May 14-16. Pulver finished in second place, which secured his qualification for state, May 22-24, in Corvallis.
Pulver (junior) began with an 8-2 win over Jesus Chavez from The Dalles. Dominic controlled the match, conserved his energy, and kept Chavez off balance. With continued consistency, coupled with smart shot selection, Pulver dominated his next match to earn a 6-1, 6-2, victory over Josiah Oelkers of Crook County.
In the fourth round Pulver defeated Ben Avila of Sherman in an easy 6-0, 6-1, win. Coach Vince Grace told The Nugget that Pulver imposed his aggressive style, and used deep baseline shots and frequent net play to dismantle his opponent.
The wins kept coming for Pulver and he tallied a 6-2, 7-5, win over Tristen Burns of Weston-McEwen in the semis. Dominic was smart with his court positioning throughout the match and varied his shots to kept Burns out of rhythm.
Pulver was able to manage his shoulder pain throughout the week (sat out last three matches due to injury), but made the decision to withdraw at the start of his second set against Victor Covarrubias of Crook County after a 6-3 first-set win in the championship round, to preserve his strength for state.
Of his performance Grace said, “Dominic showed resilience and skill, battling through four victories before his injury forced him to retire in his match against Covarrubias.”
Jack Murray (junior) had a strong performance, and secured two key wins before he fell to top-seeded Covarrubias. Murray’s powerful serves and sharp
net play resulted in an 8-0 win over Jonathan Coria from Stanfield in his first match of the tournament.
Murray defeated Jovani Hug of Madras 6-1, 6-3, to log another great win. He controlled the pace of play, and forced Hug to make errors. From there he faced a tough challenge against Covarrubias. Grace noted he played with grit, but the match ended in a 0-6, 0-6, loss.
Grace noted that Murray’s aggressive net play, wellplaced slices, and strong top-spin helped him succeed throughout the tournament.
“Jack gained valuable experience competing at a high level and learned what adjustments he’ll need to make to challenge top-ranked players in the future.”
Weston Dean (junior) had a tough time at the tournament. He faced tough competition, and narrowly missed a win in a tiebreaker match.
Grace told The Nugget that despite the losses, he’s made great strides this season, improved his footwork, shot placements, and his ability to move opponents around the court.
Dean fell 0-8 to Fernando Saldana of Madras and then lost 8-9 (5) to Jonathan Bates from Condon in a heartbreaking tiebreaker loss after leading for much of the match.
“Weston’s improvements throughout the season have been impressive, and his ability to battle through tough matches shows his dedication to growth,” said Grace.
The doubles pair of Levi Bridigo and Joseph Derksen defeated their first opponents, Josue Arredondo and Armando Munoz of Irrigon, 8-6. In the next round they fell 6-2, 3-6, 10-7, to Emmanuel Messina and Brody Leonard of Madras.
The duo worked well together, and complemented each other’s strengths. Grace noted that Derksen played aggressive at the net, and made it tough for opponents to get around him, while Bridigo controlled the baseline and executed smart lobs. Grace added that despite
their loss, their chemistry and determination make them a promising duo.
Grace said, “What a battle we had at district play! Every match, every rally, and every tiebreaker was proof of how much heart, dedication, and talent this team has. While we didn’t quite finish in the tiebreakers, we showed up, played our full potential, and
left everything on the court. That’s something to be proud of!”
As Grace looks to next year he has high hopes of making an even bigger mark in district play, of placing high, and sending players to state.
“With the lessons learned this season and the drive to keep improving, we now
We will stay hungry, stay focused, and make this next year unforgettable. The journey continues! — Coach Vince Grace
have a clearer vision of what it takes to get there,” said Grace. “We will stay hungry, stay focused, and make this next year unforgettable. The journey continues!”
Sisters graduate is finding a footing in performing arts
By Ceili Gatley Correspondent
Robert Merola (stage name, R.P. Merola) has always been passionate about acting and performing. During his schooling in Sisters, he was able to hone his skills and give that passion back to the community. Merola was a part of the Sisters High School jazz choir, the musical theater class, and multiple theater groups in Sisters.
“I had so many opportunities for the performing arts in Sisters, and that allowed me to continue my career in performing arts,” Merola told The Nugget
After graduating nine years ago, Merola got his associate degree in psychology at COCC and gave up performing arts for a bit. Not being surrounded by it in school and having the opportunity at his fingertips, it was hard to stick with it.
He then moved to the Portland area and found a performing arts community.
“The bug bit me again, to say the least, and I wanted to pursue my passion for acting,” he said.
Merola moved to San Francisco, and began to work on his craft, taking classes
and gaining experience from those in the industry.
By this time it was 2020, and the COVID shutdown had put everything on hold for performing arts.
“I was lucky enough to continue to practice even during that time with select people, and did a small film there,” he said. “There comes a time, however, where you outgrow the area you’re in to be able to pursue what you’re truly passionate about.”
Merola moved to the Los Angeles area in 2023.
“The LA stars truly lined up for me, and I started to get opportunities by reaching out and getting my name and face out there,” he said.
“At this time, getting many gigs was a challenge due to the union strikes in the entertainment industry. I got a few shows on the Oxygen network and the ‘Justice for All’ show,” he said.
Merola’s true passion for acting shines through in his talk about it. Many people move to LA to be famous, but Merola never wanted to be there just to get famous; he truly wanted to act.
“Many people who move here to be an actor, but have an ulterior motive, and you end up giving yourself away. I love acting. I love to do it,
and I have done a lot of great shows, even in Sisters, not for fame and riches. I did it because I wanted to,” he said.
Merola has used the network and community he’s built to get many of the acting gigs he’s gotten so far.
“Everything I’ve ever gotten, I didn’t audition for. Sometimes, when auditioning, it feels like you’re auditioning for nothing. It’s important to make your films and plays to get your name out there,” he said.
Merola now has an agent in LA and has seen the value of making his films. He made his short film “R.P. Merola’s The Actor,” which won the Vimeo Staff-Pick Award and has since starred on major TV networks.
“It accurately depicts how I felt as an actor and a person in that time,” he said.
Merola performed on the History Channel show,
“The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd.”
It was an open call for this new show, and Merola fit the part of one of the episodes’ reenactments. He played Mauro Prosperi, an Italian marathon runner who got lost in the Sahara desert, surviving in the desert for nine days.
“I looked a lot like him, and I thought it would be a brief role, but it ended up being a huge part of telling that story,” he said. You can watch a clip
from that episode https:// www.youtube.com/shorts/ xRt2VQeBm8w.
Merola created great connections with the History Channel crew and production companies. He is starring in two episodes of a new show, “Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid.” His episodes on that show are not out yet, but Merola is working on promoting it.
Merola is also producing one of his films. He writes
R.P. Merola has a deep passion for the craft of performance.
PHOTO PROVIDED
R.P. Merola as marathoner Mauro Prosperi in the History Channel show “The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd.”
PHOTO PROVIDED
See MEROLA on page 16
Sisters rallies to aid injured woman
By Sue Stafford Correspondent
Sisters is reaching out to support volunteer STARS driver and Sisters Trails Alliance volunteer Annie Marland, who was injured in a fall at her home.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been established to help her defray medical costs at https://www.gofundme. com/f/wzrgc5-supportannies-journey-to-recov ery. Her long-time friend Vicki Spandel organized the fundraiser.
“I’ve watched Annie’s courage keep her going through her own health crises in recent years, but 2024-25 has been a doozie,” Spandel stated. “Bruising falls broke several ribs, but never her spirit. The last fall injured her spine so badly that everyday activities like walking, cooking, shopping, or even getting up from a chair became excruciatingly painful. After countless doctor visits and hospital time, she still faces a long siege of therapy, infusions, injections—and possible surgery. Last month, Annie had to say goodbye to her little dog Fraser, who—though in failing health himself—had been her constant companion for years. Now, she’s juggling daunting expenses: medical bills, as well as much-needed assistance with housework and yard care.”
Freelance writer Sue Stafford profiled Marland in the January 25, 2023, edition of The Nugget , noting that, “A big heart in a little package might be just the right way to describe a Sisters resident who has contributed to the Sisters community for the 23 years she has called this place home.”
Marland was one of the first to purchase a home in 2000 in The Pines, the 55-plus community located off McKinney Butte Road. Her neighbors refer to her as “The Historian,” because she’s been there since the beginning of the neighborhood. Her dad lived with her for the first four years, until he passed away in 2004.
Marland is a native Oregonian, having been born and raised in Burns. She admits some refer to her as the “chick from the sticks.” She left Burns to begin her college education at the University of Oregon, but left college to join the workforce in the insurance industry, which took her to Portland, then to Hartford, Connecticut, where she and her husband lived for five years.
San Francisco was the next stop, where she worked for Great Source Education, a division of HoughtonMifflin that provided a program of professional development for teachers of creative writing. She moved to Portland for Great Source, where she worked with the Beaverton School District to
implement the professional development program in the schools. Upon her return to Portland in 1992, she completed her undergraduate work begun at the U of O years before by enrolling at Marylhurst University.
While working for Great Source, she became friends with Spandel, who has lived at Black Butte Ranch for over 20 years. Marland and Spandel were both eager to come to the east side of the mountains and asked headquarters if they could work from Sisters. They were surprised to receive a quick affirmative response. Apparently, the higher-ups thought Sisters was a suburb of Portland. After they moved here, HoughtonMifflin purchased Harcourt Brace and the Sisters office was closed. Spandel is now an author of children’s books, and she and Marland are still friends.
Marland has been an engaged member of the community for many years. She served on the board of the Sisters Trail Alliance for eight years and participated in work parties building and maintaining trails throughout
Sisters Country. She served as the Sisters representative on Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which promotes and encourages safe bicycling and walking as a significant means of transportation in Deschutes County. Despite her own mobility issues as the result of compromised balance, and needing reconstructive surgery on her foot, Marland has
served as a volunteer with the Sisters Transportation and Ride Share program.
For decades Marland’s favorite hobby was Scottish country dancing. Marland is a diehard lover of Sisters, citing its locale on the east side of the Cascades, its gorgeous natural environment, and the people who live here.
Now those people are being asked to give back to someone who has given much to her community.
Annie Marland is recovering from a bad fall that injured her spine.
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
A healing message?
By Katy Yoder Columnist
I sit, contemplate, wonder, and worry about today and tomorrow. There is little I can do about yesterday or last week, or last month. It’s done. Tracks were laid; the engine pulled the train farther down the track. As time whisks by, I hear the engine’s low churning growl needed to move a heavy object forward. Like the train, our nation is large and cumbersome. The challenges we face are complicated and hard to fully comprehend. What I do know is we’re in a state of unrest. But why?
There are reasons that go back to our nation’s beginning. It started with what and who we used to overcome obstacles, build, explore, and achieve success. What was the cost of ambition fueled by religious and political ideology engineered to make the unjust just? Make the immoral moral? Steal what we were told should be ours, from those living on land that Manifest Destiny gave us permission to take.
Our ancestors forced people from distant shores into slavery to satisfy a voracious appetite akin to a baby that knows only hunger, pain, temporary satisfaction, and sleep. When our nation was young, we behaved like toddlers, unaware or numbed to the ramifications of our actions. We took what we wanted, grabbing and stepping on anything smaller than us. We yearned for security and love but also a full belly and comfort. I’m sure for many, deep down they knew stealing and enslaving was wrong. But if they wanted to succeed, they believed it was the system
they had to accept.
For the colonizers who ventured across the ocean to a new land, for most there was little comfort or nourishment. That anxiety, survival instinct, and a stunted understanding of empathy cleared the way for atrocious, genocidal treatment of Native people.
Fast forward to the continuing challenges and peril of descendants of former slaves and rightful residents of the place called Turtle Island. The United States still denies much of its origin story. When those from marginalized and unjustly treated groups speak truth through stories passed down over generations, many of our current citizens and leaders touting justice and freedom for all, turn away, close their ears and hearts because it’s too painful to admit how we got where we are.
Over the last few decades, with perseverance and tenacity, voices long quieted and censored began to be heard. Fuller stories of the past were told. The story of our success and the wealth of families built on subjugation of others became fissuring cracks along ancient fault lines. The reaction to those stories and the acceptance of those who don’t fit the “normal” ideal further send shock waves through our stories of worthiness and deserved wealth. That is the earthquake shaking our nation.
The toddler-nation is now a teenager with all the heightened emotions, thoughtless risk-taking and behavior that puts body and unity in peril. Those in charge have created their own versions of reality, their own ways of explaining behavior that harms and
kills. The teenager is physically strong but lacks awareness of long-term ramifications of their actions. They feel immortal, entitled and misunderstood. They use magical thinking, confusion, and repeating lies to get what they want.
There are some adults among us. Those who aren’t afraid of curiosity, reflection, and self-evaluation understand what’s happening. Like a parent trying to reason with an angry, rebellious teenager, getting through to them is hard and often impossible. The question is, will the teenager survive this stage of growth? Will the nation, and importantly, democracy survive the rebellion and impetuous behavior, familiar to anyone who’s lived beyond their teenaged years? Can we admit what we’re doing? Can we admit how we got here? Can we admit we need help? Can we relinquish power and have faith there’s a better way to live? I don’t know. Some teenagers don’t make it through adolescence. For most it will take some kind of catastrophic experience to finally admit they are mortal and need help from a higher power and those who’ve gained authentic wisdom throughout their lives.
We are a nation at a crossroads. Other nations, older and hopefully wiser than us, recognize what’s happening and try to protect themselves from a hormone-fueled adult/child careening down a
windy road not caring which side of the road they drive on. I hear a spiritual call to wake up. Stop. Listen… dare to listen to those being damaged by the current ones with government power. I see the eyes and folded arms of those who refuse to hear what’s happening to others, even their family members. They want to be right. Don’t want to be schooled. They want what they want at any cost. They are rebellious teenagers unwilling to give up what they have, even if it was taken unjustly.
I pray for our nation and the people who have stored so much anger and desire for wealth and retribution in
their hearts. Looking at that teenager, I know, eventually their actions will hurt them along with the others they run over along the way. I want to be optimistic. I want to think of the long game and see our nation coming out alive and in one piece. If not for me, for the youngest among us, born into a world and a nation teeming with violence and potential. I don’t know how this teenager’s life will turn out. All I can do is pray, act where I can, and try to offer alternative ways forward. Maybe show that the need to dominate with clenched, harmful hands isn’t the way to a harmonious, peaceful future.
Western sculptor visits Sisters
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
If Sisters chooses to memorialize Lane Frost’s legendary 1988 Challenge of the Champions ride on the bull Red Rock in the new Locust Street roundabout, it will be Con Williams of Wyoming who casts the moment into bronze.
Williams, who lives in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains between Sheridan and Buffalo, Wyoming, was in town last week, visiting Sisters artist Dyrk Godby, who created the conceptual art for the sculpture. He delivered two table-topsize versions of the piece to Godby.
“It’s an edition of 25, so we’ll sell some of them,” Godby said.
The roundabout sculpture would be approximately 1-1/3 life-size (see “Roundabout art question evolves,” The Nugget, April 30, page 1; https:// www.nuggetnews.com/ story/2025/04/30/news/ roundabout-art-questionevolves/37651.html).
Both men are renowned Western artists, and they have crossed paths many times out on the art show trail. But that’s not where they first connected.
“We used to rodeo together when we were young,” Godby told The Nugget.
Intimate knowledge of horses, bulls, and what it takes to ride them inform both men’s art, giving it a sense of immediacy and authenticity that is apparent to any viewer.
“He knows rodeo, and he knows what bull riding looks like,” Godby said.
Art has always driven Williams.
“I grew up with a pencil in my hand,” he said.
He took up sculpture while in college at Montana State University.
“I ran into some other cowboys that were doing bronze sculpture,” he recalled.
His first piece depicted saddle bronc Hall-of-Famer Butch Knowles, who was a hero to Williams and his
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Williams has made his career as an artist (his work can be viewed at https:// www.conwilliams.com). He models his originals in clay, and the bronze casting is done through the lost-wax process. He’s also worked as a hunting guide.
Williams competed in rodeos in Sisters when the local show was a non-pro event, before getting his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) card. He wasn’t on hand for the Frost/Red Rock battle, but, he said, “I remember hearing about it.”
Red Rock was Sistersraised — an apparently unrideable rodeo legend from our own home town.
Lane Frost, who later died in a bull riding accident, rode him to the buzzer in a special exhibition challenge in Sisters on June 12, 1988. The
event was depicted by Sisters artist Dennis McGregor on the 1995 Sisters Rodeo Poster. For Godby, a roundabout sculpture of the event is an ideal representation of Sisters’ heritage.
“Just the whole story behind that bull,” he said. “It’s like having Secretariat grow up in your home town.”
The Dyrk Godby Art Gallery is located at 123 E. Hood Ave.
541-420-8448 dyerconstructionrenovation.com
Dyrk Godby and sculptor Con Williams met at the Dyrk Godby Art Gallery in Sisters last week. The two artists collaborated on a sculpture of Lane Frost riding Red Rock, which many hope will become the centerpiece of Sisters’ Locust Street Roundabout.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
CCB#148365
Memorial Day
Remembrance at
Village Green
On Monday, May 26, at 11
a.m. there will be a Memorial Day Ceremony hosted by local veteran groups at Village Green Park to honor those who died in ser vice to our country. Join us to obser ve this solemn day of remembrance for the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. e public is invited to attend.
Fly Fishing Day Camp for children ages 10 to 14 is being o ered by GO FISH GROUP on June 7 at Sisters Community Church. ere is no charge for the program and each child will be given a book, fly box full of flies, and a complete rod, reel, and accessories. For more information and reser vations call Gary at 541-771-2211
Volunteers Needed
Furr y Friends is looking for volunteers to help with its bottle and can f undraiser drive once a week (Monday or Friday)
It takes about 30 minutes to put donated bottles and cans in our blue f undraiser bags at our donation drop o spot on e Nugget porch. e bags are then delivered to the Bottledrop at Ray ’s . To volunteer please call 541-797-4023
Craf t Fair & Kids
Clothing Sale Fundraiser Kids (and adult s) will be selling homemade goods to learn entrepreneurship skills! Also a huge children’s clothing sale as a f undraiser for the Commonplace co-op — gently used kids’ clothes of all sizes Saturday, May 24, 10 a .m. to 2 p.m . 1307 W. McKinney Butte Rd ., Sisters . Questions: 541-3057200 , info@commonplacesisters com.
Weekly Food Pantr y Wellhouse Food Pantr y has a new name: CORE Market . It is still located at 222 N . Trinity Way in Sisters . Market hours are now Mondays , f rom 1 to 2 p.m. Info: 541-588-2332.
Housing Applications
Available Applications are available starting May 19, 2025 , for six habitat homes located in Sisters Download the application at www.sistershabitat.org/ apply-for-housing or pick up a paper copy at the Sisters Habitat Administrative O ce. Visit www.sistershabitat.org for complete details . Applications must be received no later than June 6 , 2025 , at 3 p.m.
STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transpor t Patients Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond, and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STARS dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included. More at www starsride.org
A NNOUNCEMENT S
Honey Bees & Brews
Plea se join us for our monthly social gathering at e Barn on ursday, May 22 at 5 pm. All beekeepers and wanabees welcome. Contact Clyde for more information at 458-2068470
Sisters Community Church VBS
VBS: True North is coming to Sisters Community Church , June 23-27, 2025 f rom 9 a .m. to Noon. VBS is a f ree and open to the communit y — whether you are a regular attender at SCC, go to another church . To register got to sisterschurch.com/event s . For questions , please contact Cindy, cvice@sisterschurch.com . Sisters Communit y Church is located at 130 0 W. McKenzie Highway in Sisters . Visit our website at sisterschurch.com or give us a call, 541-549-1201.
Mobile Employment Resource Van (MERV) coming to Sisters COIC - WorkSource Oregon is providing job and career ser vices in Sisters to any job-seeking individual (help with a résumé, interview skills, connecting with employers). e MERV will be stationed at Sisters Park s & Recreation District Community Center parking lot, 611 E Cascade Ave., May 27, June 24, and July 2. Info: contact Matt Olsen, Mobile Employment Counselor, molsen@coic.org.
Free Movie Night Episcopal Church of Transfiguration is hosting a movie night with the showing of “ e Two Popes ” is movie will give insight into the current selection of Pope Leo VIV Popcorn and drink is provided. Come join us for discussion af terwards . Friday, May 23 , 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Communit y Hall - Episcopal Church, 121 Brook s Camp Rd., Sisters Craf t Consignors Wanted Qualit y craf t-consignors wanted for the 49th Snowflake Boutique, Nov 7 & 8, 2025. e first jur y will be Saturday May 17, beginning at 9 a .m. at the Redmond Senior Center. Additional juries will be held through Oct. Information at http://www.snowflakeboutique org or call Brenda 541-350 -4120 or Pat 541-383-1821.
Sisters Downtown
Walking Tours are back! ree Sisters Historical Societ y is happy to announce the return of these f ree, family-friendly, and docent-led tours . Set for May 25, and June 8 & 22, ticket s are required and available exclusively on the Eventbrite website. Go to Eventbrite.com , for location choose “Sisters”, for event choose “ ree Sisters Historical Societ y.” Scroll down, and click on May 25, to view options for any of the other dates as well. Donations are always welcome. Learn about the histor y of the buildings , and the businesses and people that inhabited them
Family Fun Bingo Night
Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Family Fun Bingo Night at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30 . Participation supports the local community and is a fun way to get to know your neighbors or welcome Friday night tourists! $20 packet includes three cards for each of 10 games and one additional card for the blackout game. Food available for purchase.
50/50 Ra e ticket s available for $2 each or 6 for $10 . Cash and local vendor gif t cards awarded is month’s local nonprofit selected to share 50% of the ra e pot will be Family Access Network , ser ving the local communit y for 29 years
Free Weekly Meal Service
Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m., at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen .org
Camp Polk Cemetery Tours Resume e Camp Polk Cemeter y one-hour tour will be held on May 22 at 2 p.m. and on June 19 at 10:30 a .m. e tour begins with a brief overview of the cemetery’s histor y and focuses on key ancestors who helped bridge pioneer travel bet ween the Willamette Valley and Prineville. To sign up for a free tour, go to www.Eventbrite. com and write in “Camp Polk Cemeter y Tour ” for event and “Sisters , OR” for location, then scroll down.
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
Celebr ation o f Life
— Jim Harrison — Celebrate Jim Harrison’s life on May 31 at 1 p.m. at the First Presby terian Church of Bend. For those that can’t attend in person, go to ht tps://tinyurl.com/JCHCelebr ation to watch the live feed.
Celebr ation o f Life
for Evan Harmon in the af ternoon of Saturday, June 7 at his parents’ home in Prineville. All of Evan’s f riends are invited to join in his celebration. ere will be food and drink 6964 SE Night Hawk Dr., Prineville
Announce Celebrations! Sisters community birth, engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversar y notices from May run at no charge on this Announcements page.
DUCHESS
Meet Duchess! She is the epitome of grace, exuding a f riendly and gentle demeanor that is sure to charm anyone who crosses her path. Duchess is not just about charm though, she’s also a curious explorer. She loves to investigate every nook and cranny, turning the mundane into an exciting adventure Loyalt y is another trait that Duchess holds dear. She’s the t ype of cat who will stick by your side, o ering her comfor ting presence when you need it most.
— SPONSORED BY — PET OF THE WEEK Humane Societ y of Central Oregon 541-382-3537
SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES
Baha’i Faith
For information, devotions, study groups , etc., cont ac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteaching s.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, 541-977-5559; 10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting
e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087 www.transfiguration-sisters.org
8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship
10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship
e Resting Place
meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy www.restingplace.us • hello@restingplace.us
5 p.m. Sunday Worship
Seventh-Day Adventist Church 541-815-98 48
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 ring ton Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960 www.sistersna z.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
7:30 a .m. Daybreak Ser vice • 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
• If you’re a dog owner and if you’re anything like me, the last item on your doggie to-do list is brush teeth. Bingo, however, has figured out a way to brush her own teeth and got an A+ on her visit to Redmond Veterinary Clinic last week. Her solution: She completely masticates empty gallon milk jugs, thus “brushing” her teeth with every bite.
• Everyone who drives an older model car needs an Alan McClung in their corner. Alan is my go-to guy at Robberson Ford, aka Kendall. When both your rigs have a combined age of 64 years and over 425,000 miles, you need to know the man in charge at the fix-it shop.
• Whoever designed the silverware shelf in newer dishwashers must think people have way too much time on their hands. A ridiculous idea and design. This winter I found that I did, in fact, have way too much time on my hands. Being “outdoorsy,” as my mom described me, I do better in long days of warm sunshine.
• Back in the mid-1990s, I remember seeing the first elevator in Sisters. It was in the Pratt Building on the corner of Hood Avenue and Pine Street. I was on my way to share my heart with Lisa Woodworth on the second floor and seeing an elevator within Sisters city limits depressed me all the more.
• A familiar face is missing from Sisters: Brewer. Teagan and Wes Johnston’s cute, curly haired dog, Brewer, has been part of the Sisters scene for over 14 years. He and Wes could be seen daily going to and fro The Pony Express, the bank, the PO, Oliver Lemon’s, and any number of other stops in town. Rest in peace, sweet Brewer.
• The months I spent traveling all over Europe in my 1962 VW Bus, I played my music on an 8-track player. When I was ready to head home, and waiting to sell my bus in front of the American Express office in Amsterdam, I played Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” so often the tape actually fell apart.
• I know that when I die, nothing will change and yet nothing will ever be the same again. Walking Bingo every morning, all my 200-plus-year-old juniper trees remind me daily of this truism, which I find very comforting.
Oregon author presents fantasy novella
G.T. Marcyk will present his fantasy novella “Encounter” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, May 29, at 6:30 p.m.
“Encounter” is a fast-paced novella of legendary proportions. When four-year-old Eliot goes wandering alone into the Hoh Rainforest, a peaceful family camping trip becomes a daring searchand-rescue operation. Just when the situation seems hopeless, Eliot is saved by a protector with his own motivation. But the government is trying to cover up the existence of Eliot’s rescuer, and the FBI and park rangers will stop at nothing to keep their secrets safe. Eliot’s unlikely guardian must find
a way to return the boy to safety without exposing himself to danger.
G.T. Marcyk is a retired engineering manager who lives in Oregon. His first novel was “The Heretics,” a story of truth and disinformation set in 177 AD Rome. His second novel, “Silicon Barbarian,” was a tale of insult and revenge set in 1980 Japan.
He has led an eclectic life. He earned a doctorate in Electrical Engineering, holds two U.S. patents, and is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Illinois Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He also has been charged by a grizzly bear in Alaska,
WEDNESDAY • MAY 21
Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Rosanne Parr y presents The Leader of The Pack: A Wolf Story and conversation about "A Wolf Called Fire" and "A Wolf Called Wander." 6:30 p.m. More info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • MAY 22
Sisters Farm School Art Class: Live Horse Figure Drawing 4:30 to 6 p.m. Ages 8 to adult. Info and registration: www.sistersartstation.com. Located between Bend and Sisters Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 12th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 For information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
FRIDAY • MAY 23
Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Artwalk 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations. For additional information go to www.sistersarts.org.
Makin’ it Local “Chalk It” Art Walk & Live Music
Chalk to your heart's content on Makin’ it Local’s covered and open patio area Enter your chalk art in a drawing to win a GoWildSisters seed kit. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy Oregon wine and beer sampling 4 to 7 p.m., live music from the Outlaw Jazz Combo 4:30-6:30 p.m., and “Heavenly Morel” artist showcase by Julie Hamilton. Info: www.makinitlocal.
Sisters High School Soccer Field
Tour 9 to 10 p .m. Revel in our beautiful univ international dark sky city with a guide about the stars, locate constellations, moon, and other astronomical objects thr Tickets and info: starshine-theater.c
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.
SATURDAY • MAY 24
Blazin Saddles 15-year celebration + Sisters Stampede Race packet pick up, free Peterson Ridg (first come, first served), demos, parking lot sale Challenge with Aqua Clear Hot Tubs 15 years with us over a free beer (with sugg Info: www.blazinsaddleshub.com.
angry elephants on safari
rescued by his fiancé from drowning in Hawaii, made and lost a million dollars on separate days, earned college tuition by cleaning toilets, working in an onion processing plant, and as a dishwasher in a gourmet restaurant, witnessed two total solar eclipses, survived a heart attack, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, sank an outrigger canoe in Bora Bora, and has been surrounded by angry elephants on safari in South Africa. He is an avid cook, traveler, fly fisherman, and enjoys Italian food, wine, and culture. Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.
SISTERS-AREA Events & Enter tainment
TUESDAY • MAY 27
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture Writing Worshop Self-Portraits and Landscapes: Bringing the Personal into Nature. Join us for a one-day creative writing workshop focused on exploring our connections with the natural world. 4 to 6:30 p.m. $10. Registration and more information: www.roundhousefoundation.org/events.
Sisters Saloon Bingo Night in Sisters 6 to 8 p.m. BINGO upstairs on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.
WEDNESDAY • MAY 28
Paulina Springs Books Let's Read: A discussion of "Fire In Paradise: An American Tragedy" by Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano presented by Citizens4Community and Sisters Festival of Books. An opportunity to examine the parallels between Paradise and Sisters, reflect on our preparedness for wildfire, and discuss what else Sisters Country might do to avoid becoming the “next” Paradise. Free, but registration is required at citizens4community.com/events.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $50 buy-in, freezeout.
THURSDAY • MAY 29
Paulina Springs Books Author reading: G. T. Marcyk presents "Encounter," 6:30 p.m. More info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 12th annual family-friendly trivia. Free 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Sign up at 5:30 For information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Sho 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring y or just come look — different every w
SUNDAY • MAY 25
Blazin Saddles 15-year celebration + Sisters Stampede Sisters Stampede race day; raffle with all proceeds going to Sisters Trail Alliance. Info: www.blazinsaddleshub.com.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble
FRIDAY • MAY 30
Episcopal Church of Transfiguration Family Bingo Night BINGO Supporting Family Access Network. 5 p.m. 10 games/3 cards each for $20, prizes, food available for purchase, Win/Win Raffle, Located at 121 N. Brooks Camp Rd., Sisters
Flying Horse Gallery Art Workshop: Paint Your Partner 7 to 9 p.m. Sloane Earl helps even beginners create some magic and repeat participants see their skills grow Fun and relaxed, no prior art skills needed. Tickets: www.flyinghorsegallery.com/events.
11 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
SATURDAY • MAY 31
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture Art Workshop Botanical Painting with Egg Tempera Workshop Join us for this botanical painting workshop where participants will create their own egg tempera paints and draw inspiration from local flora. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $120 Registration and more information: www.roundhousefoundation.org/events.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471
SUNDAY • JUNE 1
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.
SOFTBALL: Young team will grow in coming years
Continued from page 1
The game was paused and players knelt while Coach Tripp, doubled over in pain, regained her feet, and left the field to seek medical attention for what became a nasty hematoma that will leave her in a splint for most of the rest of the month.
When the game resumed, Scholl sent the next pitch 200-plus yards over the fence in left-center field.
Scholl’s home run in game one of Friday’s seasonending doubleheader was her second of the day and 11th on the season. She also led the team in hits, RBIs, and batting average.
Senior Night was eventful. While the Outlaws did not win either game, they left the field having honored five graduating teammates and knowing the program is moving in the right direction.
“We didn’t do a lot of practice last year. We
practiced for like 45 minutes and then left,” said Tripp, who was hired for the position late last year. “We’ve done conditioning training, strength training, and classroom training this year.”
Sisters Varsity Softball won four games this season — four times as many as last season. Seniors Scholl and Ella Davis, who tallied two dozen hits and a .522 batting average, returned as team leaders. Now a younger star is stepping up.
“Mackenzie Frutos has hit so well this year. I recommended her for all-team for an outfielder because her batting has been amazing,” Tripp said of the freshman.
“I have five starting freshmen, which is nice because I can build them and I’m really looking forward to being able to do that.”
A lot of the players showed up every day, worked hard, and were willing to put in extra effort, Tripp said. Some of them have been staying after practice or practicing on the weekends.
“I think they see the
Girls tennis competes at District
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Lady Outlaws sent three singles and one doubles team into the third round of District on Thursday. Madras hosted the May 14-16 event.
Senior Sophie Rush easily defeated her first two opponents. She beat A. Chevez 8-1 on the first day of play, and on Thursday played another great match in her 6-2, 6-2, victory over Pacheco of Madras.
I have five starting freshmen, which is nice because I can build them... — Coach August Tripp
potential to play college ball. If that’s a goal they have for themselves, I will make that happen for them, especially if they’re willing to put in the work. I will match that energy,” said Tripp.
Of the seniors, Scholl is going on to attend Colorado State University Pueblo, Holly Davis is going to the Coast Guard Academy, Ella Davis and Samantha Liddell are enrolled at Utah State University, and Holly Madron is taking a gap year.
“Holly is like the life of our dugout, and I attest us winning 80 percent to dugout energy,” said Tripp. “They bring that every time.”
She came up short, 6-1, 6-2, to Callie Winebarger of Crook County in the quarter finals. Both players had long hard-hitting rallies, and Rush had her chances with several deuce games, but couldn’t finish.
Coach Bruce Fenn said, “Sophie was the best player on our team this year. She came to play tennis and get better at day one of practice. She was the first player to practice. Sophie worked hard every day and was the leading captain on the team. She was an inspiration, and the Sisters’ tennis team next year will miss seeing Rush hitting the ball.”
Kalie Sullivan, a junior, beat Carey Weston-McEwen 8-4 in her first match on Wednesday, but the following day fell 7-5, 6-1, to Torre of Ione. Sullivan kept the first set close with her consistency and deep shots, but Weston-McEwen never let
up in the second set and easily took the win.
Caitlin Carter (sophomore) defeated Campbell 8-1 on Wednesday. The following day she fell 0-6, 0-6, to Ramos, the No. 1 seed. Fenn told The Nugget that Carter had several chances to win games, but couldn’t quite make it happen as Ramos’ power and change of pace made things difficult.
Fenn stated that Carter improved tremendously from the start of the season with better forehand and backhand ground strokes.
The doubles team of Jessica Stahn (sophomore) and Molly Fredland (freshman) defeated Serrano and Doherty of Ione 8-4 in Wednesday’s match-up. The next day the duo fell 3-6, 3-6, to Pope and Burt of Madras.
Fenn noted that it was a learning experience for the pair, stated they hit some nice volleys and hustled for difficult shots, and said the experience will help them in the future.
Of the year Fenn said, “This year’s team came together pulling for each other in winning and defeat. They stayed positive and are excited about playing more tennis this summer. They will be playing on the junior tennis team and play against local teams in Central Oregon.”
Kathryn Scholl launches one of two homers in the Outlaws softball team’s season closer.
PHOTO BY MATT VAN SLYKE
Outlaws take league in baseball action
The Outlaws held on for a comeback win over Cresswell on Tuesday, May 13.
“We had an early 1-0 lead but gave up a few unearned runs in the middle of the game,” Coach Matt Hilgers told The Nugget . “We tied the game up at two in the sixth inning and won the game on a walk off in the eighth 3-2.”
Sebastian Storch pitched all eight innings throwing a no-hitter and earning the win on the mound.
“Ethan Eby was clutch for us coming through with both the game-tying hit and the game-winning hit two innings later,” Hilgers noted.
On Friday, Pleasant Hill came from behind in game one of a double-header to earn the victory 6-5.
“We hit the ball well, but couldn’t get the ball to find any holes,” Hilgers said.
Pleasant Hill set up their defensive player locations well, and made some good defensive plays.
The Outlaws were able to “steal” a win in the eighth inning of game two, thanks to aggressive base running.
Jace Owens drew a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and took home on an error for the walk-off win 7-6.
“It was a challenge to mentally come back for game two after giving away game one the way we did,” Hilgers said. “Pleasant Hill showed a lot of battle and fight on the day and to our credit we didn’t give in and fought back in game two to earn the victory!”
Tuesday’s win secured the Outlaws third straight league title.
Music programs score state trophies
By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent
The Sisters High School band and choir programs are ending the school year on a high note. Both the jazz band and concert choir programs earned state trophies in competitions this month.
The concert choir earned its first-ever OSAA trophy by tying for fourth place at the 3A state competition held May 9 at Oregon State University.
Westside Christian defended its state title with 339 points, followed by McLoughlin (316), Sutherlin (273), Sisters and Siuslaw (265). Three judges evaluate each choir’s performance and points are also scored for sight reading.
Steven Livingston, in his first full year as the director, said “This was an incredible experience. The students have worked really hard, and are very deserving. These festivals are not all about the competition, and more about seeing what is vocally possible for students their age. It was transformative for these students to see other groups perform really well, but also be bolstered as a group that is doing great things by inspiring others. Being a part of this was very validating for their efforts.
He attributed the choir’s success to what he describes as “an unshakable culture that has fostered a beautiful community of understanding and encouragement.”
He continued, “They are very dedicated to their own pursuit of excellence, as well as the excellence of the choir as a whole. I think the main contributor to their success is that no matter how challenging the music is, they always strive to find joy and meaning! They remind me often that choir is fun, and always should be.”
This year’s choir — 36-students strong — was
larger than any time in recent memory, according to Livingston, who is affectionately known as Livi by his students. He was not surprised to win a trophy despite the relative youth of the group.
“They performed so well at the qualifying COMEA festival (Central Oregon Music Education Association) and winning second place at this festival showed that the championship was well within their scope,” he said. “This has been a huge year for growth in our choir program at SHS, and this was some validation that they are heading in the right direction.”
The Jazz Band’s second place finish at the Oregon Music Education Association competition came in director Kayla Golka’s third year as director at Sisters High. The OSAA does not offer a competition for jazz bands like it does for concert band and concert choir.
Pleasant Hill won the state title with 228 points to 214 for Sisters from a total of 300.
In addition to the trophy Sisters won a full tuition scholarship for the Mt. Hood Community College Summer Jazz Camp which was
presented to Amber Alvarez Lara.
Golka explained that the group was invited to the state competition based on results from earlier competitions where they earned scores high enough to submit a tape to be considered for qualification.
“These kids get up early every morning and are so dedicated to doing well,” said Golka. “I am incredibly proud of them for what they have accomplished.”
There are two more chances to hear the choirs and bands perform this spring. Performances on Monday, June 2, at 7 p.m., will include the middle school choirs, the Americana Project Band Labs, along with the high school concert and jazz choirs. The next evening the high school bands along with the middle and high school fiddle groups will perform, also at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
The Sisters High School Jazz Band.
PHOTO PROVIDED
progress to include the MMV property in the current Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion process.
The UGB Steering Committee (UGB-SC) had their fifth meeting on April 24. UGB-SC recommended members of the May 15 Sisters City Council and Planning Commission joint workshop concentrate their efforts in consideration of Concept A of Option A (to make progress on Priority 1 lands for a Preferred UGB Alternative). At their joint meeting, they mostly focused on the pros and cons of Option B as relates to the MMV property.
They discussed consideration of land swaps (a possibility from Senate Bill 1537), so that the 58 acres of MMV property might replace any 58 acres in the finalized UGB expansion plan which may not be annexable.
They discussed Sisters’ eligibility to use the SB1537 law which would allow a section of under 50 acres of buildable land to be included in a swifter version of a UGB expansion. According to research City staff conducted, Sisters will not be eligible to utilize SB 1537, at least initially. There are two qualifying criteria. One requires that the landowner provides 30 percent affordable housing — MMV has stated they will do this. The other qualifier was that a city
would have to have 25 percent of renters experiencing extreme rent burden (renters spending over 50 percent of their income on monthly rent).
MIG, Inc. land use consultant Matt Hastie, who is assisting the city with the UGB Amendment process, reported they conducted a local study of Sisters using census data determining that only 16.5 percent of Sisters renters are rent burdened. Sisters did not meet the 25 percent threshold. The State was not doing such studies on cities with lower than 25,000 population, therefore, the local study by MIG in Sisters is now providing a sample for other small cities to use while the State will work to provide the statistical assessments for all Oregon cities in the future. There were 17 public testimonies — present and online. Five were advocates for Option B: two were MMV owners; two were associated with housing entities; and a person representing a local nonprofit (intending to provide housing for individuals with intellectual disabilities) said it will be gifted a half-acre parcel if MMV is included. Six locals advocated for Option A and/ or Concept A (see editor’s note below) . Three emphasized that the need is immediate for affordable housing. One requested a definition of “affordable,” (look in Sisters Development Code, section 1.3.300). Another wanted the City of Sisters to replicate housing efforts from Alaska by having the City acquire the lands from the U.S.
Department of Forestry and be the developer. Another local suggested we ask the Governor to create a sovereign state bank to reduce the expense of housing loans.
During public comment, participants pointed out that affordability is not site-dependent, that any UGB expansion plan could be appealed, and mentioned the sad state of affairs that individuals who work in Sisters and children who go to our schools live unhoused in our adjacent forests.
Sisters School District
Superintendent Curt Scholl noted that the school district last week lost yet another administrative candidate for employment due to unavailability of affordable housing options.
Although any UGB expansion can be appealed, records show from 2017 through 2023 there were 40 UGB expansions by Oregon cities, and of those, only six had objections and only one was remanded by Land Use Board of Appeals.
The UGB-SC will meet in early August and another joint workshop of the Planning Commission and City Council will follow.
Editor’s note: At the meeting, Susan Cobb presented her ideas for a modification to Concept A. Her presentation came from her point of view as a citizen, not as a freelance reporter for The Nugget and does not represent the views of The Nugget Newspaper, which takes no position on any particular concept for UGB expansion.
MEROLA: Actor got his start in local theater productions
Continued from page 8
the script and produces it himself, working with a small crew to keep it free and independent.
“These are passion projects, and I try to make these things available for people to watch. The films are done for minimal money,” he said.
Merola performs for the audience, and the feeling of telling a story through performance.
“I learned so much through putting something on and getting people to see it, with the radio theater group in Sisters, for example. I learned more about showbiz and production in Sisters than here,” he said.
Merola realizes there is a saturated market of people able to become famous on TikTok with 10-second reels
and developing influencer careers through social media. He strives to stay away from that scene.
“I try to keep myself away from that,” he said. “I will act until I die; it is my passion. You will cut yourself off if you come down to be part of the machine. You have to remain an individual, and your skill will get you through.”
Going to school in Sisters allowed Merola to learn a lot of his skills, and the accessibility of using them in Sisters means a lot to him.
“I never questioned how much I could do in Sisters even though it’s a small town, and I appreciate the value of the arts community in the schools. I can’t imagine not acting, and everybody knew that this was what I would be doing,” he said.
Merola looks forward to his next film and to reaching out to his Sisters’ people and keeping them updated on what he’s been up to.
Sisters graduate R.P. Merola is working as an actor in Los Angeles.
The Guide Is Here!
The Nugget Newspaper is pleased to present the 31st edition of Sisters Oregon Guide!
Pick up your complimentary copy at these merchants and on stands throughout Central Oregon, or scan the QR code to read Sisters Oregon Guide online, and visit these marketing partners.
4 Brothers Tree Service
Alpaca by Design
Alpaca Country Estates
Beacham’s Clock Co
Bend Heating & Sheet Metal, Inc.
Bend/Sisters Garden
RV Resort
Best Western
Ponderosa Lodge
Big Lake Youth Camp
Black Butte Ranch
Blazin Saddles
Cascade Hasson
Sotheby’s International
Realty Sisters
Cascade Village Mall
Central Woof & Groom
City of Sisters
Coldwell Banker Mayfield — Khiva Beckwith
Economic Development of Central Oregon
Explore Sisters
FivePine Lodge
Flying Horse Gallery
Gilmore Dental
GrandStay Hotel
Gypsy Wind Clothing
High Desert Museum
Host Supper Club
Inspire Dance & Fitness
Lake Creek Lodge
Les Schwab/ Taylor Tire Center
Luckey’s Woodsman
Makin’ It Local
Metolius River Lodges
Metolius River Resort
Next Phase Realty
Oliver Lemon’s Partners in Care
Paulina Springs Books
Ponderosa Properties
Pondeorsa PropertiesThe Arends Group
Radiant Day Spa
Ray’s Food Place
Richardson Log Homes
Sisters Apothecary
Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce
Sisters Bakery
Sisters Car Connection
Sisters Coffee Co
Sisters Dental
Sisters Farmers Market
Sisters Habitat for Humanity
Sisters Inn & Suites
Sisters Meat & Smokehouse
Sisters Movie House & Café
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
Sisters Park & Recreation District
Sisters Rodeo
Sisters Vacation Rentals
Sno Cap Drive In
SFF Presents
Stellar Realty NW —
Ross Kennedy
Stitchin’ Post
The Barn
The Jewel
Three Creeks Brew Pub
Three Sisters
Historical Society
Web Steel Buildings
Northwest LLC
Wildflower Studio
Obituaries
Margaret (Peg) Frances Bermel
May 1, 1949 – April 25, 2025
Margaret (Peg) Frances Bermel, aged 75, of Sisters, Oregon, passed away on April 25.
Born on May 1, 1949, in Queens, New York, she was the daughter of Vincent Rogers and Elizabeth Marzen Rogers.
Margaret spent her childhood growing up near the water in Huntington, New York, where she met and married Doug Bermel, also from Huntington. They were married for 54 years. In 1978, they relocated from Huntington to Oregon, settling in Sisters. They traveled to Oregon in a 27-foot Argosy Travel Trailer. Together, Margaret and Doug had one daughter, Melissa Bermel-Wolff (Charley Wolff), and two grandchildren, Kaden and Addison.
For more than 30 years, Margaret served as the Sisters Librarian. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in establishing two new libraries in the Sisters community, including the current library. Her favorite moments as a librarian involved reading to children during Library Story Time and overseeing the Summer Reading Program. Margaret loved books, reading, and the Sisters community,
August 27, 1930 – March 29, 2025
Phyllis Carol Meyers (née Briggs), born August 27, 1930, passed away on March 29, 2025, at age 94.
Phyllis was born in Portland, Oregon, where she lived all her life. She graduated from Ockley Green Grade School and Jefferson High School, then attended Oregon State College (now Oregon State University), where she joined the Delta Gamma sorority. As an undergraduate, she met the love of her life, Douglas Davisson Meyers, whom she wed in 1953. The marriage lasted more than 71 years.
She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1952 and took a teaching position at The Dalles High School. Upon her marriage, she took time off to raise a family, but when her youngest child entered school, she returned
and this was evident in her work. Margaret was also an active member of the Sisters Rotary Club. In October, she could be seen walking through Sisters on Halloween with the Library Trick or Treaters, often dressed as a Bernstein Bear or Kermit the Frog.
Margaret had a deep love for her family and friends. She was known for her kindness and support to those around her, and she had a special affection for animals, never meeting a dog that didn’t like her.
Margaret participated in Biking Across Oregon and enjoyed traveling with her husband. In her later years, she took pleasure in walking, playing pickleball with friends, quilting, and strumming the ukulele with her music club.
A member of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters, Margaret often hosted Sunday coffee time and baked cookies for the congregation.
Margaret is survived by her husband, Doug Bermel; daughter, Melissa BermelWolff (Charley); grandchildren, Kaden and Addison; brother, Vincent Rogers; and nieces and nephews, Lynn Tandler, DJ Prisco, Vinny,
JJ, and Michael Rogers.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Vincent and Elizabeth Rogers, and her sister, Lorraine Prisco (Donny Prisco).
Memorial services will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 11 a.m. at The Episcopal Church in Sisters, officiated by Liliana Stahlberg.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Deschutes Public Library Foundation in memory of Peg Bermel. We hope to fund a mural in the Sisters Library that will honor her memory.
Donate online: www. dplfoundation.org. Donate via mail: Deschutes Public Library Foundation PO Box 963 Bend, Oregon 97709. Contact the Foundation directly: 541-312-1027 admin@dplfoundation.org.
to education as both faculty member and student: she worked days at Parkrose Senior High School and took evening classes at Portland State University. She received her Master’s Degree in Education in 1976. She then worked as a librarian and media specialist at Prescott and Shaver elementary schools, retiring in 1988.
Soon thereafter began her 20-year run as a volunteer at the Lake Oswego Public Library.
Phyllis established enduring friendships, meeting with childhood friends from Ockley Green and with Delta Gamma sorority sisters until well into her eighties. In person or during extended phone calls, she was an avid conversationalist.
She and her husband were enthusiastic travelers. In addition to road trips around western North America, they visited Hawaii, Bermuda, Europe, Australia, and Thailand, often multiple times. Her philosophy about travel was, “Do it while you can!”
Phyllis and Doug also spent a great deal of time at their cabin near Sisters, Oregon,
We are deeply saddened to share that Jack Blum passed away recently at the age of 92.
Jack had many interests throughout his life. In his younger days, he was passionate about Jeep racing. He rebuilt from the ground up a couple of 1940s military jeeps that he raced in Pacific Northwest 4-wheeldrive Association events throughout Oregon and Washington, mostly placing second.
Another of Jack’s great passions was woodworking. He began working with wood for his father, Charlie Blum, at home when he was a child. After serving in the military during the Korean War, he returned to Portland and worked in the furniture factory where his father and uncle had worked. He married and had three children, Joann, Don, and David. He eventually had an opportunity to use his woodworking skills by teaching carpentry to first-time felons at the Oregon Correctional Institution. From there he became an Apprenticeship Field Representative for the state Bureau of Labor, helping young men and women get into careers in the building trades (electricians, plumbers, carpenters).
where they enjoyed being in nature and entertaining family and friends.
At home, she loved working in the yard and vegetable garden; reading books and watching mysteries; visiting with family, friends, and neighbors; and hosting parties on birthdays and holidays.
Phyllis was predeceased in 2024 by her husband, Doug. She is survived by their children, Leslee (Mike) Ortega of McKinney, TX, Scott Meyers (Nancy Urbano) of Tualatin, OR, and Michael (Rochelle) Meyers of West Linn, OR. along with five grandchildren, Bryce Ortega, Kyle Ortega, Madilyn Ortega Bourdon, Aether Meyers and Elizabeth Meyers, along with nieces Linda Mallory, Penny Lopez, Chris Murphy, and many other relatives.
A celebration of Phyllis’ life will take place in the fall.
he spent many wonderful years and numerous vacations traveling with a camper, often with a Jeep in tow. He retired in 1988, and they moved to Central Oregon, where he helped build a home on 20 acres that had previously been undeveloped. He continued woodworking and traveling by rail whenever possible. They spent many wonderful vacations exploring beautiful landscapes and new communities in North America by train or tour bus.
In 1973, Jack married Andrea Dunn, with whom
In 2014 they moved into Sisters for a simpler life and made many new friends who expressed sadness at his passing. Jack greatly enjoyed telling stories which often brought laughter into any gathering. He requested that there be no services on his passing, but that whenever friends were gathered in celebration, they lift a glass in his memory. So, here’s to you, Jack. Love, Andrea.
Sat. & Sun. May 24 & 25 9 a.m. to Noon in front of Sisters High School 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd. Quality sporting good and recreation equipment donations will be accepted 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Email Jeff Husman at jeff.husmann@ssd6.org with questions.
Jack Blum 1933 – 2025
Phyllis Carol Meyers (née Briggs)
Lee Burke Book Covers
By Kema Clark
Have you ever been to rural southern Louisiana? Or to New Orleans, New Iberia, or Baton Rouge? If you have, James Lee Burke’s series of books about Dave Robicheaux and his friend Clete Purcel will probably bring back every memory you have of the visit. Fishing the bayous, or taking a smooth ride in a small boat down the bayou, is awesome — large trees hanging over the water, quiet and peaceful. But there’s another side that’s not so quiet and peaceful. It’s easy to tell that Burke knows the people, customs, good times and problems of southern Louisiana.
“The Neon Rain” was the first in the Robicheaux series and begins with New Orleans Police Lieutenant Robicheaux visiting a convict at
Angola Prison who only has a few hours until his execution happens. The prisoner had asked Dave to come, and after a lot of talk about redemption, he finally gets to the point of telling Dave that another prisoner told him a hit has been set up on Dave. Dave doesn’t really believe it, but doesn’t totally disregard it. Shortly before visiting the prison, Dave had been fishing and found a dead body in the bayou of another parish. He’s positive it was a homicide. After leaving the prison he goes to the parish handling the case and finds it’s been closed without an autopsy of any kind. The sheriff there is refusing to do any investigation, stating “it was a drowning.” As Dave is heading back to New Orleans
after this bad news, he gets pulled over by two deputies from the same parish. The deputies are threatening and demand that Dave get in their back seat. Unfortunately (for them) they end up handcuffed to the bumper of their own police cruiser and Dave leaves. Seems there’s a problem with the parish law enforcement team but that won’t stop Dave on his search for the truth. And it won’t stop Clete from being Dave’s right hand man.
“Clete” is Burke’s most recent book (No. 24) starring Clete and Dave, and is the first one with Clete as the main guy and Dave there to provide backup. Clete, a former New Orleans police officer, left the state for a while. He says, “Dave never dishonored his badge, and I did.” Clete is back in New Orleans now and a private investigator.
He doesn’t make a lot of money at it, but he was able to get a good deal on a 1959 Eldorado convertible, did all the repairs, added a new top and stereo, and keeps plenty of jazz, R&B, and rock&roll tapes in the glove box. One Sunday morning he wakes up to clanging noises and people arguing. He heads downstairs and finds his Caddy with the doors open and three guys ripping the insides out. They claim he left his car at the car wash too long and “their goods” were put in his Caddy instead of the right one. After a short scuffle (three to one is hard to overcome) Clete wakes up to his cat curled up on his chest. He heads to the car wash that his friend Eddy owns, and although Eddy takes off, Clete follows him until they finally come to a
owns and more. Eddy refuses to say where Andy is, but it’s not going to
stop to talk. Eddy has made a few mistakes in his life, but served his time and owns a successful car wash. His brother Andy chose to stay on the wrong side and is heavily involved in drugs and more. Eddy refuses to say where Andy is, but it’s not going to end there. After Clete gets stitches and files the insurance claim on his car, he calls his best friend Dave to tell him what happened. Dave is fishing (he’s on suspension from the police department for punching someone who needed punching), but in 90 minutes he’s standing at Clete’s door. After hearing the whole story, his smiling response is “Nobody puts the slide on the Bobbsey Twins from Homicide.” This starts their joint investigation into the drugs and more. It turns out the three guys who trashed the Caddy had no idea how bad the people were who hired them.
The series covers everything about Dave and Clete, from their time served in Vietnam to marriages and tragedies of life. Dave and Clete will always be best friends, even when they’re angry with each other or one of them has done something they deeply regret. You can read them in any order and it won’t matter. Just grab one and get going.
James Lee Burke
PHOTO PROVIDED
Our mission is ‘To help Sisters High School graduates achieve their educational anks to the generosity of local families, businesses, has helped to distribute more than $3,100,000 graduates, since 2009. Learn more at www.Sisters
igh School 2025 Scholarship Recipients!
out 140 scholarship awards to total, $353,550 in scholarships was awarded.
educational aspirations, inspiring them to give back by becoming more.’ businesses, and organizations, Sisters GRO to further the education of Sisters High School istersGRO.org or email info@SistersGRO.org
CONGRATULATIONS
Shae Wyland ’24-’25
Shae Wyland is always on the go The Sisters High School senior is taking challenging academic classes, is a threesport athlete, is devoted to art, and is mentoring middle school students through the school district’s outdoor education program.
Her motivation to keep so active is simple: She believes she has been handed many opportunities at Sisters High School, and she wants to make the best of them. “The programs at this school are so unique and awesome,” she said.
Wyland likes to challenge herself in the classroom, and, to that end, she is taking Advanced Placement literature and AP Calculus. She’s a captain on the girls’ soccer team, and also plays basketball and tennis. One of her favorite activities is working as a mentor through the Sisters Middle School ECoS (Earth, Community, Self ) program. She recalled that the program helped a shy Shae Wyland “come out of her shell.”
“I liked how much I learned from it in eighth grade, and I wanted to help kids learn as much from it as I did,” she said.
She’s taking advanced art classes because she finds art a “release,” an absorbing activity that takes her out of her busy schedule in the moment. How does Wyland keep up with all of her varied activities?
“I really try to use my time in school,” she said. “I feel like I’ve gotten really good at not procrastinating. When you don’t
SISTERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OF THE YEAR!
procrastinate, you have a lot of time. I want to make the most of my time.” Shae doesn’t have a set plan going forward. “I want to do it all,” she said with a smile.
She’s currently considering Central Oregon Community College’s outdoor program as a starting place to match her varied interests.
never gives up, even when she faces challenges. She is thoughtful, and isn’t afraid to share her opinions, even if they might be contrary to others, but she does this with grace. — Brittney Hilgers
“Everybody want s the other person to succeed, and I really appreciate that,” she said. “I l ove being at Sisters High School, and I’m glad I can commit my time to the communit y. I’m really excited for the r est of my senior year.”
Shae Wyland has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication to both academics and extracurricular activities, making her a standout choice for Student of the Month. Her positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to help others have earned her the respect of peers and teachers alike. Her passion for learning, combined with her ability to inspire others, reflects the values we cherish as a school community It is students like Shae who remind us of the importance of perseverance, kindness, and pride in oneself and one’s school.
— Matt Hilgers
Shae is one of the most caring and dedicated students I have ever taught. She’s consistently reliable and she shows deep appreciation for the lessons she receives. It has been such a pleasure being one of Shae’s teachers for the past three years. I can’t wait to see what she does with her incredible talents. — Dan O’Neill
Shae is an amazing example for our entire school community, students, and staff alike. She leads by humble example in what it means to be an engaged student that pursues excellence in all of the academic programming and extracurricular activities that she participates in. — Steve Stancliff
Shae is a kind, hardworking student who
Shae Wyland is such a great choice for Outlaw Student of the Month. She is consistently hardworking, conscientious, and kind. Shae is the kind of student every teacher hopes for. She is curious and engaged, and always shows up ready to learn and to help others. No matter the situation, Shae adds value. Not only is she incredibly gifted academically and athletically, but she has a generosity of spirit that embodies the true heart of an Outlaw. It has been a privilege to have Shae walk through our halls and be part of the SHS community. I can’t wait to see what Shae does next. Thanks, Shae, for making SHS better and for being a great example of what it means to be an Outlaw! — Gail Greaney
Shae is a most thoughtful and hardworking student! She is a wonderful mix of strength and tenderness. She has a depth of spirit that is difference-making in the classroom, the athletic arena, and everyday life. While she is fierce as a competitor and intellect, that passion is only surpassed by her gentle care for people. She is generous and intentional about living out her values. There is an authenticity and joy to Shae that makes those around her stronger. She is a delightful human being who is a gift to SHS and the world. — Jami Lyn Weber
Shae has elevated our Outlaw community as an engaged student, athlete, and all-around citizen! She shows up with kindness and an open heart to learn new perspectives and get to know others. She makes you feel welcomed and valued and puts in full effort regardless of the task. We are so fortunate Shae chose to be an Outlaw. Congratulations, Shae!
— Rima Givot
Shae is a stellar member of the Sisters High School community. She stands out as a dedicated student and athlete who enhances any group to which she belongs due to her spirit and level-headedness.
— Charlie Kanzig
T hank Y
... to these advertisers who have joined The Nugget Newspaper in supporting our youth and their accomplishments by co-sponsoring the Student of the Month program and helping make The Nugget Scholarship possible.
COURAGE:
Sisters woman has a debilitating condition
GRO awards over $350,000 to graduates
By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent
over my vertebrae because I had tethered spinal cord surgery, September 18 of 2023,” said Hendrickson about a surgery she needed for other aspects of her illness. “I’ve been walking around like this for years; when they released my spinal cord, it resulted in cranial instability.”
Hendrickson has been waiting for over a year to have surgery to stabilize her head. A world-renowned surgeon, Dr. Fraser C. Henderson Sr., only takes 12 Medicare patients each year. It’s finally Hendrickson’s turn to undergo a surgery and hopefully begin a process of healing. The surgery includes fusing her skull to the C2 and then harvesting bone marrow from one of her hips. The surgery on May 20th also includes taking two of her ribs and grinding them for a bone bank.
“They are screwing my head on by fusing one or two of my harvested ribs and marrow from my hip. Bone will grow around this device with a stimulator that will keep my head from sliding. The surgeon and I joked that he’s going to screw my head on straight!” Hendrickson chuckled as she tried to sit comfortably in her Sisters home.
Having insurance helps Hendrickson with the cost of requiring so many surgeries. In her case, co-pays alone are far beyond her reach financially. She has six more surgeries after this one that don’t involve her spine.
The epitome of courage and grit, Hendrickson has had to endure life-long challenges that took five decades to be diagnosed. With no treatment for so long, Hendrickson describes her body as more like a degenerated old lady of 85 or 90 than her age. But
3 See COURAGE on page 39
Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (Sisters GRO) awarded a record $353,550 in local scholarships at the annual senior celebration held at Sisters High School on the evening of May 14.
In all 68 separate scholarships accounted for a total of 140 awards distributed among the 68 seniors who completed the application process. The total amount awarded surpassed the previous record by over $70,000 according to SistersGro executive director Regan Roberts.
All the scholarship winners were announced via a slideshow in the auditorium and then students were released to meet with donors who were set up in the commons.
“We think it’s so important for the donors to have chance to meet the students in person,” said Roberts.
Recipients expressed universal gratitude for the generous support from the Sisters community.
Jordan Velikonia, who will attend Northwest Nazarene University said, “Having the community come together was amazing. I loved the chance to actually meet the donors face to face and get the sense that they really care about us. That was my favorite part of the evening.”
When asked what the financial impact on her situation was she said, “Oh my goodness, just having the opportunity of chipping away at that cost for college is such a relief.”
John Berg plans to study pre-med at either Grand Canyon or Montana State and said “It was such an honor to be chosen by people believing in our ability to go on successfully into the future. My parents
were so happy for me. They believe that hard work pays off and it has for me. Also, it was amazing to be with my classmates cheering and being happy for each other.”
Berg was the recipient of one of the seven brand new scholarships offered this year, the Bill and Judi Benson Medical Scholarship, designed to honor a student planning to focus on a career in health.
Vix Trask said, “Throughout high school I have been stressed about how I would pay for college and living expenses and now I feel I am going to achieve my dreams of going to COCC and eventually transferring to a four-year college.”
Trask continued, “Hearing my name called for my scholarships was really emotional. My family and friends are thrilled and grateful for the generosity of the donors.”
Scholarship amounts ranged from $500 to a renewable award totaling $16,000 over four years, according to Roberts.
“We sometimes get questions about how scholarship winners are chosen,” she said. “Scholarship donors are fully in control of the qualifications and requirements for their scholarships. They select a review committee and establish the review criteria and then make their selection and choose the dollar amount to award. Some donors choose to rank choices and allow the GRO board to facilitate the final selection process.”
Roberts said, “I feel so honored to be a part of this organization and to support the growing need for our students’ post-high school education funding and our donors’ growing desire to support it. After our selection deadline this year we had many scholarships donors increase either their
I loved the chance to actually meet the donors face to face and get the sense that they really care about us.
— Jordan Velikonia
quantity of awards or scholarship dollars, or both, after reading the student applications and being compelled to help. It was a great problem to have!”
Sisters GRO board chairman Tim Ross echoed the
incredible generosity of the donors and invited others to get involved.
“Sisters is a community that wants to give back and pay it forward to help future generations,” he said. “We are always looking for new scholarships, so if someone wants to set up their own scholarship, we are here to walk them through the process. If setting up a new scholarship is not appealing, we have several options for donating to an existing scholarship and Sisters GRO.”
Information about how to get involved can be found on at www.sistersgro.org.
Jordan Velikonia smiles after meeting with the donor of one of her scholarships.
BARCLAY: Corridor will function as an alternate route
Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget
“Now that we are moving towards the road surface today there is a large curb pour where people will be able to start seeing how the road layout will look. As we progress into the next few weeks it really will start taking shape. We appreciate the public’s patience with the traffic detours, we know it is a pain for people that need to get into that area. We encourage that if you can avoid the construction zone please do.”
The contractor performing the work has told Bertagna they expect to be finished by mid-June, but Bertagna thinks it will extend to the end of June, putting it as much as two to three weeks behind initial projections.
This is the first phase of work for the entirety of the bypass project. Funding for the full project’s cost of $4.1 million has not been
procured. The $1.1 million for this phase is covered by the city’s street SDC fund.
From May 21 through Friday sidewalk work will begin and there will be intermittent closures on Barclay as needed. The north end of Larch Street will remain closed until Friday.
Drivers have had some difficulties when traveling eastbound on Barclay and trying to make the tight right turn onto Larch. Otherwise, coping with varying closures and temporary rerouting has been relatively smooth by observation.
Improvements to Barclay
Drive are being made to allow the corridor to function as an alternate route that circumvents downtown Sisters during peak periods of congestion providing relief to Highway 20. In addition, 10’ multi-use paths are planned along the route to support pedestrian and cyclist travel and improve multimodal safety overall.
These improvements would respect and preserve existing local traffic patterns while reducing congestion and maintain the integrity of the pedestrian-friendly quality of the City’s downtown core according to the city.
SERVICE: Students had fun while giving back
Continued from page 1
(C4C) presented Sisters Middle School with a $1,500 grant award for the continued development of the trail, and the students helped initiate a giving campaign for this project to raise more money and awareness of the trail.
Judy Fuentes is an art teacher at Sisters Middle School, and advisor for the Sources of Strength Program, which promotes student well-being. She was deeply gratified by the students’
engagement and the community connections that were burnished in their work.
“It is really powerful to look at what was accomplished in one day, and we are so appreciative of the opportunity to work with different community members to make it happen,” she told The Nugget.
Road work on Barclay Drive has posed some challenges for drivers in the area of Sisters Post Office.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Sisters students worked at Brightside Animal Shelter.
PHOTO PROVIDED
SUDOKU
Easy Peasy!
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down, and each small nine-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.
MATH
SQU ARE
Use the numbers 1 through 16 to complete the equations. Each number is used once. Each row is a math equation. Each column is a math equation. Remember that multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.
LET’S GO FISHING W ORDFIND
Find words forward, backward, horizontally, or diagonally.
Sisters urged to work on fire defense
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
A packed house at Sisters Elementary School on Sunday, May 18, took in clear messages from experts in the insurance field: the wildfire-related insurance crisis won’t end soon — but there are options; and local residents can do a lot to protect their homes and work toward improving the situation.
The forum sponsored by Citizens4Community (C4C), Sisters Kiwanis, Sisters Rotary, and The Nugget Newspaper was the second of a two-part in-person and online exploration of the threat of wildfire titled “Wildfire in Sisters Country, Part 2: Are We Covered?”
The expert panelists concurred that the spike Sisters Country is seeing in insurance rates — and the threat of not being able to obtain insurance at all — is driven by the industry’s response to the catastrophic losses experienced in recent years.
They noted that, prior to 2020, payouts were, by industry standards, negligible. Then came the devastating Labor Day Fires that destroyed several communities, followed by subsequent years of mega-fires across the state. The industry experienced $3 billion in losses in Oregon alone from 2020 to 2024. And other catastrophic losses across the West piled on, including the January fires in California that mark the biggest insurance loss in history.
By raising rates significantly or leaving high-risk markets, companies are simply responding to those losses.
“The bottom line is that this is how these companies operate,” said Luke Welbourn, area senior vice president for Risk Placement Services. “They’re for-profit;
they’re trying to protect their shareholders.”
He said, “We’re going to be here for a minute.”
Matt Ramage, consumer education and engagement coordinator in the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, told the audience that people should not panic.
“Take a breath, because there are options,” he said.
He acknowledged that “it seems like the non-renewals that are happening now are from carriers that are leaving the market.” However, he said, consumers should ask detailed questions about the reasons for non-renewal. It may be possible to mitigate things that make insurers shy away.
Mitigation of risk — on an individual and community level — was urged as the most direct way forward at the moment. Communitywide home hardening and defensible space improvements offer hope of improving Sisters Country’s picture for insurance companies. And, most importantly, it makes the community more secure from fire.
Steven Lord, community risk specialist for SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, urged everyone to watch the documentary “Rebuilding
Paradise” which is streaming on Hulu. The documentary focuses on the destruction and rebuilding of Paradise, California, after the devastating Camp Fire in 2018. The film drives home both the danger and the challenges of recovering from fire’s destruction.
Lord urges everyone to take advantage of the fire district’s assessment program to determine work that needs to be done — and then to act.
Lord urged local neighborhoods to look into wild fireprepared.org, a certification program described as “Firewise on steroids” as a program that offers resources for homeowners.
“The biggest thing is defensible space,” said Tammy Taylor, account executive with Risk Strategies.
Taylor, who lives in ClearPine, is presently working on making her own home better prepared.
“I’m currently in the process of taking out all my bark and replacing it with gravel or some kind of hardscaping,” she said.
For more information on C4C and their programs, visit https://citizens4 community.com.
City hosts park open house
The City of Sisters is inviting community members to an open house on Thursday, May 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Recreation Center (former elementary school, 611 E. Cascade Ave.).
This event is an opportunity to learn more about the planning process for a new Northwest Park and to share ideas for its design and features.
“Whether you’re a local resident, business owner, or simply passionate about
outdoor spaces, your voice matters,” the City stated in a news release.
Development of the Northwest Park located near the southeast corner of the Highway 20 and Barclay Drive roundabout will be guided by a comprehensive master plan developed in partnership with consultant NV5. This plan will reflect community needs and priorities, outline potential phases of development, and help identify funding opportunities to bring the vision to life.
Event inspires spontaneous art
Makin’ it Local invites Sisters folks to relive their childhood love of sidewalk art in their “Chalk It” event scheduled during the Sisters Fourth Friday Art Walk on Friday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Participants will chalk to their heart’s content on Makin’ it Local’s covered and open patio area. Enter chalk art in a drawing to win one of three
GoWildSisters pocket hanging wildflower garden seed kits. Chalk provided by Makin’ it Local.
Inside Makin’ it Local there will be a “Heavenly Morel” showcase of art by Julie Hamilton. Her wild mushrooms are vividly captured in a traditional botanical illustration style. The Sisters Outlaw Jazz Combo will perform from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Aging programs that serves Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, or North Klamath Counties.
“Jamie said she was having a hard time finding somebody who was willing to come to Sisters. Then Marge volunteered. She drives from Bend to see me. She arrives and asks me what I want to do that day. We shop, or go for a walk, sometimes into the woods by my home,” said Williams.
Chapman says she doesn’t mind the trip from Bend to Sisters because it’s such a beautiful drive. She’s been coming out once a week to be with Williams since September. Originally from Britain, Chapman has been in Central Oregon for the past five years and loves it.
Williams uses a walker to get around but is adamant that she stays in her own home. She gets help from STARS for medical appointment transportation and loves talking with the drivers. She also has a caregiver who comes in twice a week to help her with daily chores.
When asked if Chapman has had to decline any of William’s requests for
but she still likes to meet other people. Even a few hours a week make both of us happy. — Marge Chapman
— Nancy Williams
outings, she joked, “No bank robberies or anything so far.”
Williams and her late husband were avid outdoorspeople spending their time snowshoeing in the winter, sometimes right down the road from their home in Sage Meadow. Now she gets there with a sturdy walker and enjoys hearing the wind in the trees, birds calling, and people riding by on their bikes.
“I want to get back out there and find those beautiful yellow flowers that come up in the springtime. They remind me of golden stars. I must admit I overdid it last time. It was quite a walk!” she said laughing. “I’m looking forward to summer and getting out some more, as long as it’s not too smoky. It’s really about the change of scenery.”
Chapman is grateful for all the knowledge about Sisters that Williams has taught her. They’ve gone on walks and driven places
that Chapman didn’t know existed. She’s inspired by Williams.
“For Nancy to continue living on her own and taking care of her little Kitty. She cooks her own meals and eats properly. That makes me feel really inspired to think there are people out there that aren’t crying because they need help. She just wants a companion. She may be housebound, but she still likes to meet other people. Even a few hours a week make both of us happy.”
Around Williams’ fireplace are all kinds of interesting rocks. She laughs that she never went hiking without coming home with an arm full of rocks. Her husband used to put them in a backpack for her. When he got tired of carrying them for her, she kept collecting. Her favorite rocks to collect are heart shaped. She can’t bend over to pick them up now, but Chapman’s happy to oblige.
Caring Connections is a Council on Aging program that matches a volunteer with an older adult for weekly phone calls or in-person visits. This no-cost program is an opportunity to meet someone new, discover common interests, and feel more
connected to the community. If you are an older adult and are interested in joining the Caring Connections program, or know someone who would be a good fit for
connecting to a volunteer weekly, call 541-678-5483. Learn more about Caring Connections: Volunteer in Central Oregon - Council on Aging
Marge Chapman (left) and Nancy Williams met through Caring Connections.
PHOTO BY KATY YODER
TRAILGRAMS: Trail blazin’ around Sisters
By Bill Bartlett Columnist
When you’re tired of Ponderosa Pines, but don’t want to go over the pass for firs, feast on some gnarly and ancient Junipers nearby in the Tumalo Canal Historic Area, BLM land within sight of Cline Buttes. There are several good adjoining hiking options as well, such as the Maston or Juniper trails situated on 4,000 acres, all three within 20 minutes of Sisters.
Maston is a favorite of mountain bikers and equestrians. Juniper is popular with runners and dog lovers. The historic canal trail is more secluded and for hikers only.
Why go? The trees are the main draw, old-growth Juniper, many with pretzellike twists that swath you in wonder. Lava outcroppings leave you wishing you had taken Geology 101. It’s wonderland for shutterbugs. And there’s some cool history says Mike McKay, a Bend hydrologist.
“The history of the area dates to 1903 when it was planned as part of the Southern Irrigation Project. The project was advertised throughout the U.S. and abroad to promote settlement in the region. A 72-foot-tall earthen dam was constructed about 7 miles to the southwest of the area, creating Tumalo Reservoir, and an extensive network of canals was planned to deliver that water to over 27,000 acres of potential farmland. Everything went downhill in 1915 when Tumalo Reservoir suddenly began to drain. Witnesses described seeing a whirlpool in the reservoir as geologic fissures and cracks emptied the lake and the project died a waterless death.”
When to go? much anytime. During the rainy season expect some muddy sections.
Tumalo Canal Trail
What to expect? Apart from the wondrous trees and distinctive rock formations, the largely flat and shady dog-friendly trail is well marked with 12 posted junction markers. At the trailhead is ample parking and an information kiosk if you don’t have the trail map. Birds and birders are aplenty and it’s mosquito free. There are several natural spots perfect for picnicking. Yes, there are rattlers, rarely seen. They don’t want to meet you any more than you do them.
You can loop or crisscross and burn close to 6 miles or more, but the most common routing gives you about five miles of unduplicated terrain. The most popular path is clockwise from junction 1
to 2 to 12 to 11 to 10 to 9 to 8 to 7 to 5 to 4 to 6 and back to 2 and then 1.
The best photo ops are right before 11 and between 5 and 4.
Getting there
Drive east on Highway 20 about ten miles to Innes Market Road. Make a left and travel about five miles along Innes Market Road and Gerking Market Road until it intersects with Barr Road. Turn left and follow Barr about a mile to the trailhead. What you’ll need No permits are required. Even with the junctions marked so well a downloadable map or trail app will help you with the options. Of course, sunscreen and a hat in the summer and water any time of the year.
Sisters neighborhood gets Firewise
One of the goals of the city of Sisters is to mitigate wildfires and encourage the community to help implement their wildfire protection plans. There are many communities already working on implementing these plans within their Homeowners Association (HOA). One such community is McKenzie Meadows Village.
McKenzie Meadows Village created their own Firewise Committee which is chaired by Constance Chandlee-Dorst. They did a walk-through with the local Fire Department in December of last year. The Fire Department prepared a community assessment identifying the fire hazards. The Village has been modifying their homeowner rules to reflect the direction the city is heading regarding wildfire protection. The Village is also
applying for Firewise USA certification.
As part of this effort, the Village applied for the Spring 2025 Sweat Equity Bin Removal Program from the Deschutes County Fuel Reduction Grant Program, which they were granted.
The Village received a 40-cubic-foot bin to dump all fire hazard debris from the areas surrounding their homes and attached forest land. The Village has been working on clean-up for the past month and the area is really starting to look good.
One of the ways the Village is getting homeowners involved is holding cleanup parties. They held one Saturday, May 17, put on by one of the Committee members, Krista West. ChandleeDorst secured a donation from Ray’s Food Place for food and drinks for this event.
PHOTO PROVIDED
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
The Nugget Newpaper CommunityDonorJournalism Wall
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— Gayle Todd
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— Scott R Bowler
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SHS students launch science balloons
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
The Sisters High School (SHS) chemistry classes launched their annual RISE project balloons carrying their payloads full of experiments last Wednesday, May 14, at Sisters Eagle Airport.
The group launched two separate stratospheric balloons, each carrying a variety of student experiments to be tested against the conditions of the troposphere and stratosphere.
The first balloon reached 27,185 meters and the second 27,108 meters before bursting.
All of this was achieved with the aid of community volunteers.
Steven Peterzen had the initial vision for the project. His expertise, equipment, and professional knowledge has helped to build a strong foundation and continued inspiration and support for the project. Ron Thorkildson has been leading the weather and trajectory teams for years, helping students complete weather and flight trajectory predictions. They also compare the atmospheric data from weather balloons launched daily in Salem.
Rod Moorhead provided vital aid with the construction, logistics, helium, and the balloon recovery. Chris McDougall mentored students collecting UV and ozone data by investing valuable time programming computers and supporting their experiments. JeannePierre Dedieu is a research scientist and meteorologist from Grenoble, France, who provided a professional trajectory prediction for the weather team to compare with their own.
Battelle provided funding for the entire project. OXARC in Bend also gave a generous discount on the helium used to inflate the balloons.
“With support of community professionals, the project
is student driven,” said SHS chemistry teacher Rima Givot. “Student project managers lead their classes, and weather, experiment, payload construction, and documentation teams collaborate to pull the project together while students investigate novel questions. They work together as a team to do the whole project, applying the content they learn in class to deepen their understanding of what’s happening.”
“The fact that we did a student-led project made it a really cool experience to execute. I chose to act as project manager because I felt like it was a good opportunity to use leadership skills in a project that requires a lot of organization,” said sophomore Will McDonnel.
“If I had to give any advice to future chemistry students I’d tell them to really make sure you go through with the practice launches and to make sure you have everything down
Bingo fundraiser to replace country fair
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
The long-held and popular Country Fair, typically held in August each year and sponsored by Episcopal Church of The Transfiguration, has ended. It was an arduous task taking months in planning and hundreds of volunteer hours. Virtually every member of the congregation took part in some way.
The labor-intensive event was not sustainable, church members say.
But the desire to continue to put on an enjoyable, family-centered fundraiser was strong, and church leaders settled on Family Bingo Night.
Bingo has its roots dating all the way to 1530 in Italy, but the version enjoyed today, and a staple of church fundraisers, dates to 1929.
It’s easily played by kids and elder adults alike.
correctly. The recovery was definitely my favorite part, just taking a bus out to the forest to look for the balloon with my friends,” said sophomore Ben Hayner.
The launch was a success, the entire experience captured on GoPros and the recovery process made straight forward with redundant tracking equipment that worked smoothly. The class is currently working on analyzing their data and experiments to create their final presentations.
Transfiguration’s Bingo Nights are the last Friday of each month. The next Bingo Night will be on May 30, at 5 p.m. Eleven different games are played.
That night will feature a 50/50 raffle for FAN (Family Access Network) honoring 29 years of assistance to Sisters’ families in need.
“The first two Bingos were a big success where over $1,000 in combined gift cards and cash were issued to the lucky winners,” said Carol Ast-Milchen one of
This is not your grandma’s Bingo. — Carol Ast-Milchen
the church’s Bingo Buddies, the team running the event. “In addition, a 50/50 raffle, in memory of Jan Baldwin, was held to honor Jan’s 32 years of service volunteering and establishing the Thrift Store. Each time the number 32 was called, an additional $32 was added to the raffle jar which totaled $700.”
The Church’s large community room provides two large screens posting Bingo numbers as they are called. For the novice Bingo player, there is a TV screen illustrating winning patterns for each game. A packet of 30 cards (3 for each game) are sold for $20. The extra card for the final blackout game is included in the packet featuring a $100 cash prize.
Bingo card sales and dining on homemade chili and all-beef hot dogs start at 5 p.m. Bingo games start at 5:30 and run until 7:30 p.m.
“This is not your grandma’s Bingo,” Ast-Milchen said.
The spacious church with plenty of free parking is located at the corner of Highway 242 and Brooks Camp Road. For more information, call the church office at 541-549-7097.
Sisters High School students undertook their annual balloon launch containing payloads of science experiments.
PHOTO BY OLIVIA NIETO
Sisters High School chemistry students have benefited from the assistance of many volunteers in experimenting with balloon launches each spring.
PHOTO BY OLIVIA NIETO
for many years now. These students observed wildlife in the area back in 2010. Visitors to the area are asked to observe guidelines — particularly keeping dogs on a leash.
Conservation area requires adherence to guidelines
By Olivia Nieto Correspondent
Trout Creek Conservation Area (TCCA) is a valuable area for many Sisters inhabitants, providing space to walk, run, bike, and enjoy nature.
Adjacent to Sisters High School and Tollgate, TCCA encompasses 160 acres of ponderosa pine and juniper forest. Currently under ownership of the Sisters School District, the area has created a space for SHS freshman biology students to learn about the ecology of Central Oregon for years.
It is currently protected from development by a conservation easement established in 2003 by Deschutes Land Trust, and is home to three focal species. Peck’s Penstemon is a gorgeous purple plant that only grows in a 485-square-mile radius, including TCCA. The whiteheaded woodpecker is easy to hear in a quiet forest and listed as a sensitive species by the Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife. The flammulated owl is a small reddish bird that is susceptible to habitat changes and considered vulnerable in certain areas.
These focal species, in addition to the general common species that inhabit the TCCA, are what make it a prized area. To preserve and improve its value it’s important for any visitors to abide by TCCA’s guidelines, including staying on pre-existing trail systems, not using motorized vehicles, and keeping all dogs on leashes.
Off-leash dogs have recently put a large strain on TCCA animals and their young, according to SHS biology teacher Rima Givot.
Being aware of your personal impact on the environment as you spend time in Trout Creek Conservation Area is one of the best ways to ensure that it can stay open for generations to come, according to SHS biology teacher Rima Givot.
Music for little ones...
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
the team that have started every game since freshman year, smashed the season homerun record by belting nine homeruns. She also obliterated the season RBI (Runs Batted In) record. These two seasoned seniors combined for a record 14 homeruns while only striking out five times all season. Ask anyone familiar with the game how incredible that stat is, they basically hit three balls over the fence for every time they struck out. They also combined to hit nearly .600 on the season (batting average, meaning they hit safely 6 out of 10 plate appearances). It was an impressive show put on by this duo and yet it got zero coverage by your local paper. Oh yeah, one of these seniors also hit for the “cycle’ (that’s where you hit a single, double, triple, and homerun all in the same game).
With perhaps the strongest freshman class in the league, Mackenzie Frutos stood out by hitting just over .400, something that is very difficult to do.
I could go on and on about why this team deserved at least a few articles during the course of the season.
The last time The Nugget was called out for this dismissive attitude towards softball, the editor’s response was to “look for a wrapup on the season in the next edition.” If you write your first and only article after the season ended, you failed. These girls deserve better.
Jeremy Davis
s s s
Health care
To the Editor:
The U.S. healthcare system is in urgent
need of reform. We’ve built an industry that excels at managing emergencies, but struggles to prevent disease or support long-term health. What we have is a sick care system — one that treats symptoms rather than addressing root causes. It’s time to shift toward a more holistic, proactive, and patient-centered model of care.
As a doctorally trained functional medicine nurse practitioner, I’ve seen how effective this approach can be. Functional medicine is a science-based, systems-oriented discipline that investigates the root causes of chronic illness—such as metabolic dysfunction, nutrient deficiencies, environmental exposures, and lifestyle imbalances. It blends the best of modern diagnostics with nutrition, behavioral health, and prevention.
That’s why I’m both hopeful and concerned about recent health policy developments. While it’s encouraging to see more national attention on issues like food additives, toxic exposures, and environmental drivers of disease, the credibility of these efforts matters. Appointing controversial figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services, and Dr. Oz to oversee CMS, may do more harm than good. Their reputations often rest more on media spectacle than scientific grounding.
We can’t afford to let fringe voices undermine legitimate, evidence-informed health reform. Functional medicine—and the broader movement to rethink health care from the ground up—needs credible leadership, not polarization.
Western medicine saves lives every day with advanced emergency care, surgery, and pharmaceuticals. But for the chronic diseases that now dominate public health, we need a system that goes deeper. Reform is essential. Let’s insist that it be led with integrity.
Colette Whelan,
DNP, FNP-c, AFMCP
The Bedouin Man
ByPaulAlanBennett
Some friends and I c limbed up Mt. Moses
To watc h the sunset with our Bedouin guide
And that is the mountain that Moses did climb
Wher e he and God talked for quite a long time
Yes, they talked for quite a long time
The sunset was stunning, the darkness soon came
It w as time to w alk bac k down the tr ail
I listened to see if God might speak to me
But I guess God stopped talking a long time ago
I guess God stopped talking a long time ago
Descending the steps w as not easy
Their shapes sometimes just hard to find
I w as the oldest, the last ther e in line
So I car efully took my own time
Yes, I carefully took my own time
Then to my sur prise, our Bedouin guide
Was ther e by my side, took hold of my hand
He steadied my gait, with flashlight he shone
Ever y step I should take between shadow and stone
Ever y step between shadow and stone
Salom w as his name, a wor d that means peace
he spoke of his fam’ ly, his daughter and wife
And he wor ked as a guide to pr ovide for their life
He so loved the deser t, the mountains and sand
And he never let go of my hand
No, he never let go of my hand
No bur ning bush spoke to me up on Mt. Mose s
No tablets in stone with their written command s
But the voice that I hear d in my mind
Spoke the power of just being kind
God had w alked ther e beside me holding my hand
In the guise of this Bedouin man
Yes, in the guise of this Bedouin ma n
The Trout Creek Conservation Area has been a place for Sisters students to study flora and fauna
PHOTO PROVIDED
Dennis McGregor and Beth Wood played music and told stories for kids at Circle of Friends.
PHOTO PROVIDED
BBR & CAMP SHERMAN:
• Black Butte Ranch General Store
• Black Butte Ranch Post Off ice
• Black Butte Ranch Welcome Center
• Camp Sherman Post Off ice • Metolius River Lodges REDMOND &
• Bi-Mart • Oliver Lemon’s Terrebonne • M&W Market
• The Ranch Market • Sisters Meat and Smokehouse TUMALO:
• Pisano’s Pizza • Shell Station • T umalo Coffeehouse
• T umalo Farmstand • T umalo Feed Co.
SISTERS LOCATIONS:
• Angeline’s Baker y • Bedouin
•Best Western Ponderosa Lodge • Bi-Mart
• Black Butte Realty Group
• Cabin Creek Home & Style • Cascade Fitness
• Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s • Central Oregon Eyecare
•Chevron/McDonald’s • Countr y Coffee
• Dair y Queen • Dixie’s • Eurosports
• Fika Sisters Coffeehouse • First Interstate Bank
• FivePine Lodge • GrandStay Hotel & Suites
• Habitat Thrif t Store • Hardtails Bar & Grill
• High Camp Taphouse • High Desert Chocolates
• Hoyt’s Hardware & Building Supply
• Lef t Coast Lodge • Les Schwab Tire Center
• Luckey’s Woodsman • Makin’ it Local
• Martolli’s of Sisters • Mid Oregon Credit Union
• Oliver Lemon’s • Paulina Springs Books
• Philadelphia’s Steak & Hoagies
• Ponderosa Properties • Rancho Viejo
• Ray’s Food Place • Sinclair Gas Station
• Sisters Ace Hardware • Sisters Apothecar y
• Sisters Art Works • Sisters Athletic Club
• Sisters Baker y • Sisters Bunkhouse • Sisters City Hall
• Sisters Coffee Co.• Sisters Community Church
• Sisters Creekside Campg round
• Sisters Dino Market •Sisters Depot
• Sisters Elementar y School •Sisters Feed & Supply
• Sisters Galler y & Frame Shop • Sisters High School
• Sisters Inn & Suites • Sisters Librar y
• Sisters Liquor Store • Sisters Meat and Smokehouse
• Sisters Middle School • Sisters Moto
• Sisters Movie House & Café • Sisters Nails & Spa
• Sisters Post Off ice •Sisters Pumphouse & Countr y Store
• Sisters Ranger Station • Sisters Rental
• Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill
• Sisters School Administration Building
• Sisters Senior Living • Sisters Veterinar y Clinic
• Ski Inn Taphouse & Motel • Sno Cap Drive In
• Space Age F uel • Spoons Restaurant
• Sisters Park & Recreation District
• St. Charles Family Care • Stellar Realty Northwest
• Suttle Tea • Takoda’s Restaurant & Lounge
• The Barn in Sisters • The Galler y Restaurant
• The Gallimaufr y • The Nugget Front Porch
• The Pony Express • Three Creeks Brew Pub
• Three Sisters Floral
• Western Title & Escrow Company • Your Store
The ranching heritage of Sisters Country
By Maret Pajutee Correspondent
The meadow landscapes that circle Sisters are part of what defines our scenic mountain town. In years past, these were hospitable places for the first ranches to start and build the backbone of our pioneer settlement. The broad floodplains, wetlands, and meadows in the Indian Ford and Whychus Creek watersheds provided forage for grazing animals and moisture for growing crops.
In their new exhibit, the Three Sisters Historical Society takes a careful look at local ranch history and identifies “12 representative historic agricultural operations,” established by pioneer settlers between 1868 and 1910. The investigation was complicated by shifting land boundaries, multiple owners, and changing ranch names. It took almost seven months of effort by 11 volunteers.
Project lead Pat Leiser was helped by long time Sisters resident Jackie Herring who interpreted land records and maps of historic ownerships. They complied a master list of possible ranches to research. Volunteers could pick properties near where they lived to enrich their understanding of their neighborhood’s past.
Many of the ranch stories are rich tapestries woven with the history of the west: army outposts, way stations, sawmills, outlaws, and cowboy dreams.
The Hindman Ranch, set along a spring-fed meadow on Whychus Creek, began as a military outpost called Camp Polk in 1865. The soldiers met no hostility and after they left, Samuel Hindman was hired by the Santiam Wagon Road Company to run a travelers’ waystation there in 1868. He built a house, a barn, and had a store and an early post office. The Hindman Ranch went through more lifetimes managed by the forceful Martha Cobb who outlived
three husbands. It is now protected land owned and restored by the Deschutes Land Trust. The nearby Pioneer Cemetery tells the stories of those hard ranch lives in stone as the resting place of many of Sisters first residents.
The Willows Ranch, another early settlement, was found on large meadows southwest of Black Butte on Indian Ford Creek. Government Engineers camped along the creek in 1855 while exploring possible railroad routes. Their artist’s sketch of the meadow view with Black Butte and Mt. Jefferson remains almost unchanged today. Martin Oliver built a homestead in 1910, naming it Willows Ranch after the abundant vegetation and claimed water rights to Indian Ford Creek.
In 1915, an Irish American jockey named Ben Tone and his partner bought meadow land upstream, which was to become Sundown Ranch. Its claim to fame being the first Dude Ranch in Oregon for a short-lived but exuberant run from 1922-1925. They hosted polo matches, hound hunts, and horse races. In 1925, timberman Samuel Johnson bought Sundown Ranch, and Maurice Hitchcock later developed a sawmill and mill camp there.
The tourist economy of Sisters began to bloom after Donna Gill started Indian Ford Guest Ranch on 600 acres of meadows and pine forests around Indian Ford Creek in 1955. In 1957 she invited guests to be weekend cowboys at her lodge and cabins. The Durdan Family and partners bought portions of the ranch to develop the first Indian Ford Ranch Homes Subdivisions in the early 1960s. Residents could own a cow, ride a horse, and listen to cowboy bands at summer ranch BBQ’s. Current owners of the Willows Ranch donated part of the ranch to the Deschutes Land Trust as its first preserve in 1993.
The Museum’s exhibit also tells the stories of another 10 ranches: Black Butte Ranch, Pole Creek Ranch, Pine Meadow Ranch, Edgington Ranch, the Wiehl (Runco) Farm/ Ranch, the Lazy Z, the Black Diamond Ranch, the Fryrear Ranches, the Cyrus Ranches, and the Varco Ranch.
Looking at old records, researchers found themselves asking, “Were these technically ranches or farms?” The 1910 National Census lists dozens of farms in the area but no ranches. People managed their land at a higher intensity, had irrigation, and
grew food crops as well as animals. Few places had Federal grazing rights. Most adjacent Federal lands were dry forests and not quality grazing. But what’s in a name? We now call them all ranches.
There were surprises like learning a certain barn was used in a “Have Gun — Will Travel” TV show, or that places were growing llamas, peppermint, and foxes. But the exhibit concludes that although things have changed, many places retain the open spaces we love to see. “Although commercial production has ceased or declined on nearly
all of them, a large majority of the land has remained open space, providing scenic excellence, healthy watershed function, productive wildlife habitat, and, in some cases, beneficially located wildfire fuel breaks for Sisters Country. Portions of a few ranch properties have been developed into recreational or residential communities.”
The Three Sisters Historical Society Ranch Exhibit is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. When Farmers Market begins it will also be open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cattle walking past Sno Cap Hamburger sign.
PHOTO COURTESY THREE SISTERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Baling hay in 2016.
PHOTO COURTESY MATT CYRUS/THREE SISTERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Indian Ford Ranch Homes promotional photo from the 1960s.
PHOTO COURTESY GINGER SHAW
Cobb Barn circa 1890s on the Lazy Z.
PHOTO COURTESY THREE SISTERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Simulating a fire emergency in Sisters
By Susan Cobb Correspondent
The City Council and City Manager met with various fire and emergency service agencies on May 14 in their first fire incident simulation workshop. The panel included representatives from U. S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State Fire Marshall (OSFM), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Deschutes County Sheriff Office (DCSO), Deschutes County Emergency Management (DCEM), and Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD).
What follows is a summary of the simulation discussion:
The National Weather Service issues a Red Flag warning. All fire control services and agencies local to state are on alert. Smoke four miles south of Sisters in National Forest is reported (either via 911 calls or from the lookouts) to USFS firefighters, DCSO and/or fire departments. Reverse 911 emergency alerts to the public is activated. Air attack to get eyes in the skies is launched and usually from Redmond.
Within minutes, three engines are in route to the incident location, a water
City Manager Jordan Wheeler recognized Wildfire Preparedness Month, noted their monthly Wildfire Mitigation Group meetings, and noted progress in the City of Sisters’ emergency preparedness is due to increased partnering with the agencies. He acknowledged more needs to be accomplished.
Mayor Jennifer Letz welcomed all including representatives from the American Red Cross and Central Electric Cooperative, who were there to provide additional information.
A brief history on local fires was presented by SCSFD Deputy Chief Tim
tender (no fire hydrants in a forest), at least one fire chief and a hand crew would be deployed. At the ready would be two additional engines and fire-fighting volunteers. A U.S. Forest Service dozer in Bend would get rolling (heavy equipment to create fire breaks) including a 13-person hand crew.
An Incident Command Post is situated near the fire assessing the immediate situation. If the incident commander determines an evacuation may be eminent the Fire Chief informs DCEM who will confirm evacuation routes, notify the municipalities and will have advised where the local Red Cross is to station itself.
The public is informed to be ‘Level 1 — READY,’
Craig. Craig focused on the past 70 years and the greater Sisters area to 50 miles west and 40 miles north, east and south. From 1950 through 1960s only 224 acres burned in this greater area. Over the next two decades the number of acres burned increased mildly. The 1990s had significant increases in acres burned, and from 2000 onward fires increased both in frequency and size. In 2002, the Cache Mountain Fire burned two Black Butte Ranch homes, which had been evacuated the B & B Complex Fire in 2003 burned 90,000 acres, and in 2006 the Black Crater Fire required evacuation of
the first step of three — READY, SET, GO — for an evacuation. If determined more help will be needed the OSFM Regional Mobilization Coordinator will be notified to arrange additional resources from outside Central Oregon.
The incident commander evaluates and manages the fire situation and DCSO manages the populous. DCSO officers will have access to escape routes to direct an evacuation to a predesignated safe location identified through cooperation of the emergency agencies.
Each additional alarm is a call for six or more resources. The escalation may call for outside area resources and contractors from other states. If CEC
Crossroads. Starting in 2010, megafires (fires burning over 100,000 acres) which had not previously occurred in Oregon, began to devastate the state. The Pole Creek Fire of 2012 and Milli Fire of 2017 threatened Sisters — the latter fire had crested the Trout Creek Butte. In 2021, the Grandview Fire required evacuations near Sisters. An unprecedented 1.9 million acres burned in Oregon in 2024.
Craig noted the five local fire emergency agencies have depth of experience due to the numerous fires in Central Oregon and beyond. Additionally, local area proactive forest management
has to turn off electricity anywhere in Sisters due to additional fire risk, it notifies DCEM which spreads the news immediately.
The influx of resources and the fire column will raise fear in the public and managing that is of great concern. Getting information to visitors or to those less connected is challenging. Besides the 911 reverse calls, reliable and critical public information is on the Deschutes Dashboard, https://www. deschutes.org/sheriff/page/ fire-information.
Sisters usually has winds in the afternoon, therefore, a fire may move slower in the morning than in the afternoon. The size and intensity of the smoke column and/ or numbers of, size, and
by agencies and numerous volunteers, “keep the fire on the ground.” Craig described how a brush fire can, “climb ladder fuels ... going from ground to crown,” and catch the winds to become a wildfire far more difficult to control than a ground fire would be.
In the fire emergency simulation, it is the end of June, morning of the Big Ponderoo Festival, 92 degrees, 11 percent humidity and 18-mile per-hour westerly winds — a Red Flag day (hot, dry, and windy). The simulation imagines a single fire incident – in reality, there would likely be multiple fires in the tri-county area.
distance of “spot fires” out in front of the fires’ path are assessed. The incident commander will have predetermined demarcation lines on the incident map in front of the fire. These are decision points at which the conditions may be improving or getting worse. If determined necessary, the public is advised to be “Level 2 — SET.” Should the southern part of Sisters need to be evacuated, the State and Federal Government are made fully aware in advance.
Because Sisters is in a wildfire risk area, the population should be “Level 1 — READY,” at all times. Watch the workshop from start to time-mark 1:30, here, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=JFpfDhWPNoc.
Artist Randall Tillery returns to displaying in Sisters
Popular local artist Randall Tillery is staging a homecoming, showing his awardwinning landscapes and other styles at Sisters Gallery & Frame Shop. The kickoff will be a major display during this Friday’s Fourth Friday Art Walk.
Tillery loves to paint all kinds of subjects, but gravitates to landscapes partly because of a love of nature he developed as a rockclimbing guide for Outdoor Adventures in California almost 30 years ago. About 23 years ago, he decided to dedicate himself to painting nature and the mountains he loves instead of climbing them. “I feel blessed to live here and be able to capture the beauty that I see every time I turn around,” he says. “It’s a rather spiritual feeling for me.”
Much of his work is done plein air (out of doors) and captures the beauty of the surrounding mountains. “I never grow tired of painting them,” he admits. He captures the stark contrasts of the winter cold and blue skies, the joy of colorful spring wildflowers, the gentle warmth of fall Aspens, and the splendor of still waters or a rushing river. “Being able to capture and interpret the beauty that I see in nature is a gift that I hold precious,” says the multi-faceted artist.
Working both in oils and acrylics (and an occasional gouache or watercolor) provides Tillery the ability to be both spontaneous and prolific, studious and contemplative. “I enjoy the change from outdoors work to studio work. I feel it’s critical that I paint from life as much as possible to maintain the freshness in my paintings. Plein air allows me to see the subtle value and temperature changes that are often hard to detect when not painting from life.” Studio work enables him to probe deeply into subject matter, along with the opportunity to change it up for an occasional abstract or still life that explodes with color.
Tillery’s studio is an amalgamation of brushes, boxes, and bins filled with a rainbow of paint tubes. Sun beams in from a wall of south-facing windows and an oversized easel is set up to accommodate one large or several small canvases. Walls and shelves display not only his own work but work he’s collected from fellow artists and while traveling, including a mask of Van Gogh and a bust of an imaginary jokester made by local clay artist Mary Moore.
A string of award-winning ribbons hangs all the way
down the hall. They are a testimonial to Tillery’s talent. “I have pretty much given up entering contests these days,” he laughingly admits, “but occasionally I still do.” Over the years, he has been juried into and participated in many prestigious shows including the Pacific Northwest Plein Air in Hood River, Estes Park (Colorado) Plein Air, Sherwood Forest Plein Air in Chico, Carmel Plein Air, and San Luis Obispo Festival, all in California.
He is a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society, Associate Member of the Oil Painters of America, Sisters Arts Association, and past president of the California Art League. Museums that have welcomed his work include Hagin Museum in Stockton, California, Maryhill Museum in Goldendale, Washington, the High Desert Museum in Bend, and Favell Museum in Klamath Falls.
Randall and his local quilter wife, Valerie FerchoTillery, love spending time with their four children and their families when not creating art or quilts.
“I am thrilled to represent Randall’s work,” says Sisters Gallery owner Helen Schmidling. “It really puts me in a happy place and adds to the ambience of the gallery.” Tillery was represented by Rimrock Gallery in Prineville for the past five years until it recently closed. Prior to that, he was represented at Soda Creek Gallery, Donterra Gallery, and Clearwater Gallery, all in Sisters. Other galleries currently representing his work are Brian Scott Gallery in Brookings, and Hawaiian Artisans Gallery in Kauai.
Fourth Friday Art Walk takes place May 23 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Tillery will be doing a demonstration painting that evening. His work will be featured through the next Fourth Friday, and regularly thereafter, as he joins “the Sisters Gallery family of artists.”
More information is at www. randalltillery.com and www. sistersgallery.com.
PHOTO PROVIDED
This Week’s Crossword Sponsors
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DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication. PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.
CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7
EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.
103 Residential Rentals
32 foot travel trailer with two slide outs
Electric, water & garbage included
$700 per month, located at Panaramic View Estates
Call Steve Rollins 541-549-6213
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES
–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002
Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to:
PonderosaProperties.com
Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792
Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Unique upstairs 3 bedroom, 2 bath with all appliances. Private entrance. Move-in special: 1st month free with 18-month lease. $2,600 monthly. — 541-549-0792 —
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
201 For Sale
Eddyline Skylark Kayak ($1200) and Perception Fishing Kayak($800). Thule Kayak Racks also available. All in great condition. Will consider separate/package deal offers. Contact Oregon.wren@gmail.com
Firewood • SPRING 2025 • NEW DISCOUNT PRICES
SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS
DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD
• SINCE 1976 • Fuel Reduction Forestry Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES
– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com
Order Online! 541-410-4509 541-699-7740
205 Garage & Estate Sales
— KIDS' CRAFT FAIR — Kids (and adults) will be selling homemade goods!
Fundraiser Kids' Clothing Sale
Huge children's clothing sale to benefit Commonplace co-op.
Saturday, May 24 • 10 to 2
1307 W. McKinney Butte Rd.
— Second Annual — SPORTING GOODS & RECREATION EQUIPMENT
YARD SALE
Benefitting Boys Soccer Program
Saturday & Sunday
May 24 & 25 • 9 a.m. to Noon in front of Sisters High School
1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd.
Join us in the multi family BIG TAN BARN SALE
Metolius Meadows
13300 Camp Sherman Rd.
9-4, Fri.- Sun., May 23-25
Lots of Furniture & Home Decor
Area Rugs, Baskets, Lamps
Punch Bowl & Irish Crystal Item
Vintage: Rail Cart Coffee Table, Seth Thomas Clock, Sewing & Jewelry Cabinets, Oak Secretarial
Use The Nugget's Help Wanted column to find a new job! NEED ASSISTANCE? Use The Nugget's Help Wanted column to find the help you need! Call 541-549-9941
301 Vehicles
We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397
Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com
Wanted! 2016 or 2017 or newer Subaru Outback Wagon. Well maintained with service records. Not black or red. Call Chris 541-420-4871. CLASSIC CAR STORAGE! Oversized, lights/power, $275/m • 541-419-2502
403 Pets
Want something adorable and cuddly? Check out these mid-length-haired guinea pigs. They are sweet and social and ready to be loved. We have seven available. There is a $5 rehoming fee. Text Casey at (541) 972-2973.
I’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com
Home of Brando's Natural Dog Biscuits • 541-306-7551 • Julie Caring, loving pet care in my home. Daily rates and in town. Cheryl 541-420-7875
SISTERS WHISKERS
Your purr-fect friend is waiting for you at our local nonprofit cat rescue! Apply to adopt at: sisterswhiskers.org
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 CAREGIVER 15 YEARS
Working in Sisters. Great references. 503-274-0214
I am Dan the Mobile Barber and I will come to you with 35 years experience barbering. I serve Sisters, Redmond, and Terrebonne. Give me a call at 541-233-6395.
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
CUSTOM WINDOW COVERINGS
Bend Window Works, LLC is offering a 10% discount on new window coverings. FREE in-home consultation. Same day in-home repair services available. New and repaired blinds make rentals look better! Contact us at 541-383-3455 or andy@bendblinds.com.
501 Computers & Communications
3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC
Extend internet to shop, security cameras, Starlink. CCB #191099 541-306-0729
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
M & J CARPET CLEANING
Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
GORDON’S LAST TOUCH
Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY
Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008
504 Handyman
3 Sisters Handyman Services 20+ years experience No job too large or small. Snow removal services available. Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Call Nate 907-748-4100 sistershandyman@gmail.com CCB# 253556 SUDOKU Level: Easy Answer: Page 38
600 Tree Service & Forestry
• Wildfire Fuels reduction
• Debris Chipping/Mastication
• Forest Health Thinning
• Land & Lot Clearing
• Tree Removal
Will Moore, 541-409-5404
ISA Certified Arborist
We are the experts you’ve been looking for!
LCB# 100129 & Oregon
Professional Logger 71395048
LOLO TREE WORKS
Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services.
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
New construction, addition, remodel. Large and small projects. Contact for estimate. Excavation: septic system, site prep, demolition, road and driveway construction. 541-325-3020 sales@gardnercontractingllc.com
Lara’s Construction LLC.
CCB#223701
Offering masonry work, fireplaces, interior & exterior stone/brick-work, build barbecues, and all types of masonry. Give us a call for a free estimate 541-350-3218
Custom Homes • Additions
Residential Building Projects
Serving Sisters area since 1976
Strictly Quality
CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764
John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
Earthwood Timber
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services
EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com
602 Plumbing & Electric
— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE
541-419-3148
A 63-year tradition for Sisters www.georges-septic-service.com
Landscaping & Construction www.easterncascadesolutions. com • 541-233-7195 LCB #9958 • CCB #222039
Respite Care Serving Camp Sherman, Black Butte and Sisters 20+ yrs. exp. 503-998-9201 Live-In Possible UPLOADED EVERY TUESDAY! The Nugget Newspaper C L
C L A S S I F I E D S
802 Help Wanted
We are Hiring!
DYNAMIC SALES PERSON
Join our summer camp culture at Lake Creek Lodge. We're recruiting for: Housekeeping, Barista & Maintenance/ Landscaping. PT/FT. We are proud to offer flexible schedules and excellent compensation.
www.lakecreeklodge.com
13375 SW Forest Service Rd. 1419, Camp Sherman STORE CLERK - Must be able to lift 45 lbs. 18 years old +. Starting at $17/hr.
999 Public Notice
NOTICE OF
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
for print & digital marketing in Sisters and Central Oregon. Work with our team in Sisters, Oregon, to partner with local businesses in marketing their products and services to local and regional audiences in printed publications, The Nugget Newspaper, Spirit of Central Oregon magazine, and Sisters Oregon Guide, and on multiple digital properties. Active engagement with the local community a must. Base pay plus commission in growing market, employer-matched 401k, health insurance stipend, and fuel allowance. Send résumé and cover letter to jess@nuggetnews.com, or stop by The Nugget, 442 E. Main Ave., to introduce yourself!
HEARING
Brand 33 at Aspen Lakes Golf Course
public hearing on a proposed supplemental budget for Sisters School District, for the current fiscal year, will be held at the Sisters School District Office, 525 E Cascade Ave and electronically via Zoom. The hearing will take place on June 4, 2025 at 5:00. To receive a link and instructions for the meeting, contact the School District at mailto:ssd@ssd6.org by 12:00 on June 4, 2025. The purpose the hearing is to discuss the supplemental budget with interested persons. A copy of the supplemental budget may be inspected or obtained on or after May 28th at the District Office, 525 E Cascade Ave, between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
We’re hiring for the following positions: Sous chef / lead cook, line cook, prep cook, servers, beverage cart, dishwasher, and day time bartender. Competitive wages DOE. Seasonal FT / PT. Email accounting@aspenlakes.com or call 541-549-1882
Part Time Sales Associate
SUMMARY OF 24-25
PROPOSED BUDGET
We are looking for a friendly, reliable, team player who enjoys working with the public in a retail environment. You must be willing to work some weekend days. Applications available at Stitchin' Post, 311 West Cascade in Sisters or by email diane.j@stitchinpost.com. Questions? Contact diane.j@stitchinpost.com
CHANGES
Amounts shown are revised appropriation totals in the fund being modified.
SEEKING AFFORDABLE ADVERTISING?
Capital Project Fund
Expenditures (proposed changes)
Capital Outlay $2,500,000
Total Revised Expenditures
$2,500,000
Resources (proposed changes)
Beginning Fund Balance
$2,425,000
Interest 75,000
Total Revised Resources
Do You Have A BUSINESS TO PROMOTE? PRODUCTS TO SELL? SERVICE TO PROVIDE? Place your ad in The Nugget! DEADLINE for classifieds is MONDAYS by NOON Call 541-549-9941 or submit online at NuggetNews.com
$2,500,000
adjust expenditures in capital outlay for the construction of the Sisters Elementary School. It was anticipated the school would closer to completion at the end of the 23-24 budget year and most of the costs would be paid that year. Actual completion was not until late summer of 2024, resulting in the final contract payments being paid from the 24-25 budget.
Work with Vacasa this summer in Sisters and Black Butte as a Piecework Housekeeper cleaning vacation homes. Employment dates 5/11-9/26. Piece rate pay ranging $40-$225 per unit with average $110 per unit. $22/hour for paid training, required meetings, and non-post reservation cleans. $1,000 sign-on bonus paid $500 after 30 days and $500 after 90 days of employment. Apply online at www.vacasa.com/careers.
C L A S S I F I E D S
We are Hiring! Join our summer camp culture at Lake Creek Lodge. We're recruiting for: Housekeeping, Barista & Maintenance/ Landscaping. PT/FT. We are proud to offer flexible schedules and excellent compensation. www.lakecreeklodge.com
13375 SW Forest Service Rd. 1419, Camp Sherman
STORE CLERK - Must be able to lift 45 lbs. 18 years old +. Starting at $17/hr.
999 Public Notice NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET HEARING
A public hearing on a proposed supplemental budget for Sisters School District, for the current fiscal year, will be held at the Sisters School District Office, 525 E Cascade Ave and electronically via Zoom. The hearing will take place on June 4, 2025 at 5:00. To receive a link and instructions for the meeting, contact the School District at mailto:ssd@ssd6.org by 12:00 pm on June 4, 2025. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the supplemental budget with interested persons. A copy of the supplemental budget may be inspected or obtained on or after May 28th at the District Office, 525 E Cascade Ave, between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
SUMMARY OF 24-25
PROPOSED BUDGET CHANGES
Amounts shown are revised appropriation totals in the fund being modified.
Capital Project Fund
Expenditures (proposed changes)
Capital Outlay $2,500,000
Total Revised Expenditures
$2,500,000
Resources (proposed changes)
Beginning Fund Balance
$2,425,000
Interest 75,000
Total Revised Resources
$2,500,000
To adjust expenditures in capital outlay for the construction of the new Sisters Elementary School. It was anticipated the school would be closer to completion at the end of the 23-24 budget year and most of the costs would be paid in that year. Actual completion was not until late summer of 2024, resulting in the final contract payments being paid from the 24-25 budget.
COURAGE: A fundraiser is underway to defray medical costs
Continued from page 23
even accepting her body’s limitations, Hendrickson chooses hope and gratitude. If anyone can overcome these immense obstacles, it’s her.
Friends have started a fundraiser to help Hendrickson with medical bills and expenses like flights and lodging while away from home. Donations can be made to https:// helphopelive.org/campaign/25259/. Click link or scan the QR code for direct access to her fundraising page: Donate to Northwest Catastrophic Illness Fund in honor of Tracy Lynn Hendrickson.
The fundraiser will hopefully help with her on-going burden to cover her co-pays for the upcoming surgeries. Navigating her illness is hard enough, worrying about how to pay for them adds more stress and anxiety that she can’t afford to handle. She chooses to remain positive and focus on how far she’s come in finally being diagnosed with EDS and being validated that the pain and challenges she faces were real and not just anxiety in her head.
“I’m excited and hoping I’ll be able to live the rest of my life with a little less pain. Just knowing there are doctors who believe what I tell them and understand what I’m going through is a relief. Both of my doctors cried with me,” she said before heading to the East Coast.
Just knowing there are doctors who believe what I tell them and understand what I’m going through is a relief. — Tracy Lynn Hendrickson
and over that I’m okay. It’s really hard to do. I’m hopeful that as each surgery helps with different aspects of my EDS, some things will come around and I’ll feel better. I’m trusting in God, because he’s got me this far.”
For her current surgery alone, she had to pay for her flights and other expenses not covered by insurance. She has to go where the specialists are which isn’t in Oregon. She says she’ll owe about $11,000 out of pocket for the surgery and then at least $4,000 for airfare to and from the East Coast.
Hendrickson says having EDS is not the life she would have chosen for herself, but she’s received many blessings because of the experience. Going through this has made her a lot more empathetic and sympathetic. She loves people more because of it. She knows everybody’s got a story. She wants to share hope and information about EDS.
“I didn’t get diagnosed early enough, so I want others to get the care they need. I’m working on keeping my mind calm by saying over
There will be other fundraisers held locally for Hendrickson through the Sisters Community Church, sales of soaps she makes, and garage sales. Hendrickson looks forward to getting home and recovering with her family, friends, and precious pup Lulu beside her.
She’s grateful for the home she’s been in for five years thanks to Debbie Dyer’s generosity and assistance. She can’t thank all the people enough for their love and support as she navigates a rough road she hopes will be smoothing out soon. Learn more about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at www.ehlers-danlos.com/ what-is-eds/.
