InRealEstate&Construction PULL-OUT RESOURCE SECTION
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
The Nugget
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
For the 16th straight year, the Sisters Stampede took to Peterson Ridge in a cycling test of skill and grit. Sponsored by Blazin Saddles bike shop, the event has become an annual pilgrimage for mountain bikers, and has gained a glowing reputation as a challenging and fun ride for families cycling together.
Alex Gordon from Salem rode with his three boys, ages 11, 13, and 16.
“This is the best, the absolute best,” said Alex. “The Stampede is the perfect combination of good times and skills building. And Sisters is about as good as it gets.”
There were 642 riders registered for the event held Sunday. The race is divided into two courses – long and short. The long course – 25.3 miles — drew 416 riders. The short course (14.5 miles) riders started at 9 a.m. from Blazin Saddles, and the long riders took off at noon. Both events were in a parade start format to get riders safely through town to Forest Road 16, when it went full speed.
The timed event is a big draw for serious competitors, while at the same time it has a low key, good-vibes feel enabling families and friends of different ages and ability to ride together, like the Gordons.
See STAMPEDE on page 19
Citizens frustrated with lagging enforcement
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
“Why don’t they just enforce the rules?” is an increasing refrain among a growing number of agitated homeowners, especially those whose properties are near the forest.
“They” is the Forest Service and “rules” is the 14-day dispersed camping rule. Or, as the Forest Service more typically says — guideline.
By rule, camping outside of developed campgrounds is limited to no more than 14 days during any 60 consecutive day period, and campers, if changing sites, must relocate their site at least five miles from the original location.
The “rule” has been in practice for decades and was designed to prevent recreational campers from hogging the best spots. Now it is mostly associated with controlling homeless campsites which have proliferated the last 10 years due to the nationwide crisis of homelessness.
The Nugget asked the Forest Service for an official answer as to why the 14-day rule is not enforced in the Sisters Ranger District, pointing out that dozens of campers on FS 100 alone have been in place for many months and several sites in the District have been steadily occupied for more than a year.
“The 14-day stay limit is enforced across the
Firefighters respond to hazmat incident in Tollgate
Sisters-Camp Sherman fire personnel handled a hazardous materials incident in the Tollgate subdivision west of Sisters on Tuesday afternoon, May 20.
According to shift commander Pat Burke, SistersCamp Sherman Fire District was notified at 4:19 p.m. on May 20 of a hazardous materials incident at the Tollgate subdivision pool facility. Maintenance personnel from the Tollgate Homeowners Association reported that muriatic acid was “fuming” from the vents of the facility’s chemical storage closet. Fire and EMS crews responded promptly and confirmed the presence of a hazardous materials spill. A safety perimeter was quickly established to contain the incident and protect nearby
Sisters marks Memorial Day
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Sisters is a major destination for those celebrating the Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial kickoff of summer. Thanks to an active veterans community, Sisters never forgets that Memorial Day exists to mark a more solemn moment of reflection: a remembrance of those who have fallen in the nation’s wars and conflicts over the past 250 years.
Each year, Band of Brothers — Sisters, American Legion Post 86, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8138 organize a meaningful ceremony at Sisters Village Green Park that draws hundreds from the community to pay their respects.
On Monday, May 26, Master of Ceremonies Lance
Trowbridge introduced the Mountain View High School Navy Junior ROTC squad, who posted the colors to get the proceedings underway.
Mayor Jennifer Letz welcomed the assemblage on behalf of the City of Sisters,
CEREMONY on page 12
Col. John Miller salutes the flag. He served as keynote speaker in Sisters’ Memorial Day observances.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Hundreds of mountain bikers took off in a rolling start on the Sisters Stampede on Sunday, May 25.
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.
Supporting Sisters new community park
To the Editor:
Over the next several months our community is going to witness the development of a new community park at the former Sisters Elementary School which now has become the Sisters Community Recreation Center operated by the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD).
Outlaw Basketball and Sisters Pickleball Club extend their heartfelt gratitude to SPRD for their unwavering tenacity and dedication in developing this park concept and turning it into a wonderful reality.
We are deeply thankful to many partners who will make this park possible: the SPRD Board, Executive Director Jennifer Holland, and the entire staff for their dedication to the project and for securing a $750,000 Oregon State Parks grant to support development of the park. We’re also deeply grateful to the
Pine View Tennis Club, whose generous sale of their court — with all proceeds donated to the SOAR Foundation and subsequently donated to SPRD — was key to bringing this vision to life. Thanks also to Kizziar Realty for the Pineview courts sale process and guidance, to the City of Sisters, for its vital funding of the park’s restroom facility; and to a generous private donor whose contribution created the delightful small tykes play area.
This achievement truly reflects a community coming together — a village effort filled with generosity and vision. The beauty of this park lies in its ability to serve a wide range of interests and activities, including walking paths, a playground, soccer fields, baseball, outdoor basketball, and pickleball. It stands as a vibrant city-center park that we can all take great pride in.
The two clubs were previously committees of SPRD and enjoyed over six years of
See LETTERS on page 14
Sisters Weather Forecast
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Social Security is not in trouble
By Susan Cobb Guest Columnist
Economic uncertainties are caused by unemployment, aging, illness, and/or a disability from birth, accident, or war. Historically, one’s family was responsible for care unless too poor.
“The English Poor Law of 1601 was the first systematic codification of English ideas about the responsibility of the state to provide for the welfare of its citizens...” (https://www.ssa.gov/history/ index.html).
Pilgrims brought this tradition to the New World.
Revolutionary War figure Thomas Paine shared an idea in his Agrarian Justice pamphlet of 1795:
“...a system whereby those inheriting property would pay a 10 percent inheritance tax to create a special fund out of which a one-time stipend of 15 pounds sterling [a 2025 equivalency of $75,000] would be paid to each citizen upon attaining age 21...and annual benefits of 10 pounds sterling [a 2025 equivalency of $50,000] to be paid to every person age 50 and older ...”
The first military pension, “...passed in early 1776, prior even to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.” Later, “...with the creation of Civil War pensions [1860s] ...a full-fledged pension system developed in America for the first time.”
The first company pension plan for industrial workers, “...was introduced in 1882 by the Alfred Dolge Company, a builder of pianos and organs...as his company had to provide for the depreciation of its machinery, he [felt he] should also ‘provide for the depreciation of his employees.’”
self-supporting... Only about 3 percent of the elderly were actually receiving benefits... the average benefit amount was about 65 cents a day.”
Following the crash of 1929, “Millions of people were unemployed...unemployment exceeded 25 percent; about 10,000 banks failed; the Gross National Product declined from $105 billion in 1929 to only $55 billion in 1932.”
The Social Security Act of 1935 collected a paycheck tax into a U.S. Treasury retirement fund, all workers were assigned unique Social Security numbers, and at retirement age began receiving their benefits. This national program was created and is regulated through time by legislatures. In April 20, 1983, amendments were passed to assure the baby boomers (WWII babies) would receive payments in 2010 when most are retiring. The bill included a payroll tax hike to generate a total of $2.7 trillion in surplus Social Security revenues over the next 30 years. The surplus was to be invested in U.S. Treasury bonds held in the Social Security trust fund. Instead, the surplus went into the U.S. General Fund (reference, https://www.fedsmith. com/2013/10/11/ronaldreagan-and-the-great-socialsecurity-heist/).
The Social Security fund ran a surplus until 2009. Because the surplus had been spent, it began to run at a deficit. To cover the 2010 deficit, the U.S. government borrowed $49 billion from China and other creditors. Had the trust fund not been looted, there would have been $2.7 trillion of marketable U.S. Treasury bonds to cover retirees into the future.
The joy of
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Pensions were rare, “... in 1900 there were a total of five companies in the United States (including Dolge) offering their industrial workers company-sponsored pensions. As late as 1932, only about 15% of the laborforce had...employmentrelated pensions.”
Two depressions occurred in the 1840s and 1890s before the Great Depression, in which “...Americans came to the realization that in an industrialized society the threat to economic security represented by unemployment could strike anyone — even those able and willing to work.”
Late into the 1920s, “... over half of the elderly in America lacked sufficient income to be
In recent years, various regulations passed to bring the fund back to a surplus. Currently, Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033. Without additional legislative action, “...all beneficiaries will face a 21 percent across-the-board benefit cut. Including the Disability Insurance (SSDI) trust fund, the theoretically combined trust funds will be insolvent by 2035...” (reference https://www.crfb.org/ papers/analysis-2024-socialsecurity-trustees-report). Today’s legislators and administration can avoid the need for future borrowing after 2033, by implementing bills currently awaiting passage.
Riders in the Sisters Stampede love the “vibe”of the event.
Diamonds shine in Sisters thanks to volunteer renovation
By Matt Van Slyke Correspondent
Some sparkle is returning to a couple of diamonds that lost their luster over the years.
Dozens of community members have put hundreds of hours of work into revamping Sisters Parks and Recreation District (SPRD) ballfields No. 1 and No. 2, located west of Sisters High School between Bike Park 242 and the varsity baseball stadium.
Travel baseball organization Bandits Sports Club spearheaded the effort, soliciting an estimated $100,000+ worth of monetary, mechanical, and manual donations to bring the fields closer to modern tournament standards and expectations.
“This field used to only be able to have 60-foot bases, and you could move them back to barely have
a 70-foot base line,” said Thys Kuitert. He coaches the Bandits 13U team which plays on SPRD Field #2.
“We cut the infield back so it would be a full baseball field that could have 60-foot, 70-foot, 80-foot, or 90-foot bases.”
Different softball and baseball teams play on different-sized fields, depending on their age group and organizational rules. Extending – and de-rocking – the infield accommodates more teams.
“It was not a fun field to play on. A lot of rocks. Nobody wanted to slide because of the rocks. We’d tell the kids to pick up rocks as they came off the field –five rocks every time,” said McKibben Womack, whose son Chandler plays for the 13U Bandits. “Now it’s awesome. It’s legit, and you don’t have the rocks. The kids aren’t afraid to slide.”
Beyond the infield, new chainlink fences now run the perimeters of the two ballfields.
“It’s all enclosed, so balls won’t go out into the forest anymore. You can play the ball rather than it going out of bounds and hitters getting one extra base or two extra bases,” Kuitert said.
Pat Burke, owner of Sisters Fence and Deck, donated all the fencing materials and equipment.
“Baseball shaped who I am,” said Burke. “I played my entire life, and it started right here in this community thanks to local folks who believed in me. Giving back to rebuild these fields is my way of paying that forward. Every kid deserves the chance to play, to feel part of a team, and to build those lifelong memories.”
Bandits Baseball, Sisters
Voters make choices on fire district and school board
Voters made their selections in contested elections for seats on the Sisters School Board and the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Board in the May 20 election.
Craig Matthews and Jeff Tryens both won seats on the fire district board, securing over 60 percent of the vote. Kristie Miller and Jack McGowan ran unopposed for reelection.
Matthews currently serves the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District as President Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association. He retired from the high tech industry after managing large, dynamic organizations. He has experience with marketing, sales, finance, and service organizations in the tech industry. His final
leadership position was with a $100 million company. He believes his background and experience will help SCSFD navigate the challenges of a growing community with growing demand for service.
Matthews sees a need to intensify efforts to attract qualified volunteers. In a pre-election interview with The Nugget he said, “We don’t actually recruit [volunteers]. We don’t actively seek people, and we need to. I think that’s an area we need to focus more on, absolutely.”
Matthews praised the Sisters Fire Corps, which is the largest organization of its kind in the state. Rather than growing it further, he sees a potential to get more
Rideshare program awarded $15,000 grant
Sisters Transportation and Rideshare (STARS) has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Robert W. Chandler Discretionary Subfund and Anonymous Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) to support its mission of providing free, accessible, and communitydriven non-emergency medical transportation for Sisters Country residents.
This generous grant will help STARS to serve
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
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.
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.
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158
Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.
Sisters Area Woodworke rs First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.
Sisters Caregi ver Sup por t G roup 3rd Wednesday., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 503 -616 -8712.
Sisters Cribbage C lub M eets 11 a.m. ever y Wed. at S PR D. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.
Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.
Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m. Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.
Sisters Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at S PR D in Sisters 541- 632- 3663
Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.
Sisters Veterans no- host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welcome, 5 41-241-6 56 3.
Sisters Trails A lliance Board Meetings take plac e ever y other month, 5 p.m. In- person or zoom. Contact: info@sisterstrails.org
Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of Direc tors M eets 1st Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSI D Of fice. 5 41-9 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.
vulnerable populations— including seniors, individuals with disabilities, and the underserved — by supporting operational costs, volunteer coordination, and critical ride scheduling technology upgrades.
“We are deeply grateful to OCF for their investment in our vital community service. Our residents who rely on our amazing volunteers
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 MATT VAN SLYKE
Volunteers donated materials and labor for an extensive renovation of Sisters’ ball fields.
Tewalt & Sons marks 50 years of serving Sisters
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Wherever you stand in Sisters, there’s a good chance you’re standing on top of work done by Tewalt & Sons Excavation.
The father-son enterprise of Gerry and Daryl Tewalt is marking more than a halfcentury of work in Sisters Country, where they’ve dug trenches for sewer and septic systems, did the push-outs for much of the commercial
and residential construction that made Sisters what it is today — and kept the streets plowed free of snow.
The family has deep roots in Sisters. Like many of Sisters’ early families, family members worked for Barclay Logging. Gerry was in Seattle in 1974, doing irrigation work on a golf course, when his father asked him a fateful question:
“You know anything about those backhoes?”
The elder Tewalt saw
an opportunity developing in construction. Gerry was sick of Seattle gloom, and he packed up and headed home, with his toddler son Daryl in tow. The family borrowed $6,000 and, as Gerry recalls, “made a downpayment on a used backhoe, a five-year dump truck, and a piece of — trailer, and we were rolling.”
They’ve been rolling ever since. They’ve done extensive demolition work as Sisters grew and changed — “half the town” in Gerry’s estimation. Gerry did the upshot on the first homesite in Tollgate, and they laid in the subdivision’s water. They’ve worked everywhere in Sisters Country, from Black Butte Ranch to points east.
Daryl grew up in the business — literally. He hopped on a Bobcat at age seven and started moving gravel around at the Tewalt’s home — and soon he was hanging around “some places I shouldn’t have been, probably. Just a kid on a tractor.”
“I tried to leave, but it didn’t work,” he said, laughing.
“He’s been with me the whole way, mostly,” Gerry said. “He used to fall asleep on the backhoe fender.”
The family built a thriving business. Plowing snow proved to be a lucrative aspect of the work — though it can be arduous, especially in the early days in an open cab when Gerry would “go for hours and hours.”
“Daryl grew up hating it — but I think he likes it now — a little,” Gerry said.
On one occasion, the Tewalts were hired to help a driver who had managed to drive way up Three Creeks Road on a cold morning. When the snow softened later in the day, the driver was well-and-truly stuck. Tewalt got equipment up and got the car out of eight feet of snow.
The company now does
traditional excavation for construction and other purposes, material hauling, and septic installation and maintenance.
The maintenance work has developed into a significant aspect of the business. The State of Oregon mandates sewer maintenance contracts, so Tewalt & Sons moved into that line, servicing hundreds of clients across Central Oregon.
“That’s a huge deal now,” Daryl said.
Gerry is … mostly… retired. When he handed the reins over to Daryl, Gerry went to work in North Dakota for a while.
“I didn’t want him to look over his shoulder wondering what Dad’s thinking,” he said.
Nowadays, Daryl is running the show — but he still seeks Gerry’s vastly experienced counsel.
“Daryl gets me out once in a while to take a look at things,” Gerry said.
Gerry spends most of his days working on his place, and cutting firewood with his grandson. Most of the wood comes from sites Tewalt & Sons have excavated.
Daryl said that he and his father appreciate the endless list of people and businesses
they have worked with over half a century.
He recognizes that Sisters has changed vastly since the old days — but he loves the place.
“It’s changed a lot, but the people are still good,” he said. “I’ll go out and spend hours with people who have moved to Sisters, just talking.”
For more information about Tewalt & Sons Excavation, visit www. tewaltexcavation.com.
Gerry and Daryl Tewalt have done infrastructure work across Sisters Country for decades, helping to shape the community as it is today.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Gerry Tewalt once took heavy equipment up Three Creek Road to rescue a stranded driver in the snow. The company has done a lot each winter to keep Sisters running.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Outlaws baseball faces do-or-die game
By Matt Van Slyke Correspondent
There will be do-or-die baseball Wednesday in Sisters, as the varsity Outlaws host a playoff game.
The 3A Mountain Valley Champions will face rival La Pine in Round 2 of the Oregon School Activities Association/OnPoint Community Credit Union Baseball State Championships.
“We will play a tough La Pine team on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. We are hoping to play well and find ourselves on the right end of the scoreboard when we finish,” said Head Coach Matt Hilgers.
The two teams met three times during the season. The Outlaws (18-7 Overall, 13-2 in League) won each game, including last week’s shutout of the Hawks (16-10 Overall, 10-5 League).
“La Pine has played us tough in all three games this year. While our score was 8-0 last Thursday, it was a much closer game. We made some great plays on defense and put up five runs in the fifth inning that secured the win for us,” Hilgers said.
Senior Kale Mock hit a grand slam and junior Sebastian Storch drove in two runs on a double — his 12th of the year, tying a Sisters High School record.
On defense this season, Storch has thrown two nohitters, setting a new school record. He leads a rotation that has held teams scoreless eight times.
The winner of Wednesday’s single-elimination game will advance to the quarterfinals on Friday. The semifinals will be played Tuesday, June 3, and the finals are scheduled for Saturday, June 7.
Van der Kamp could lose his badge
Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp, who is under fire for multiple incidences of giving false testimony under oath about his educational background, may lose his badge. He remains in office.
Last week, the police policy committee for the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) unanimously recommended that van der Kamp be banned for life from serving as a law enforcement
officer in Oregon.
The recommendation does not have an immediate effect; the full DPSST board will review the case on July 24.
In the wake of the policy committee findings, the three Deschutes County Commissioners each released statements calling on van der Kamp to step aside, but he has given no indication that he intends to do so, at least in the immediate timeframe. As an
Sisters won league on the strength of stellar pitching and some timely offense.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Pulver represents Outlaws at state tennis
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
Dominic Pulver was the lone Outlaw to represent Sisters at the state tennis championships. He made his presence felt and he took the Sisters team to a ninthplace overall finish out of 19 teams in the 4A/3A/2A/1A division. Coach Vince Grace told The Nugget that Pulver displayed exceptional skill, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout the entire tournament.
Pulver placed sixth overall in singles, in matches that tested both his physical and mental strength.
On Thursday, May 22, Pulver faced Brandon Perlewitz of Caitlin Gabel in the first round of the tourney. He fought hard, made smart shot selections, but Perlewitz had near flawless games and Pulver fell 2-6, 3-6. The loss sent Pulver into the consolation bracket.
The following day in the first round of consolation Pulver posted an 8-3 win over Lucas Schmudde of McLoughlin. Dominic found his rhythm with solid approach shots and a powerful forehand. With the win he advanced to the quarterfinals later in the day.
In the quarterfinals he defeated Griffin Scoble of Marist Catholic 8-8, 7-5. Grace told The Nugget it was one of Pulver’s best matches.
Grace said, “Dominic
Coach Vince Grace
showed heart, determination, and smart tactical play. He varied the pace and depth of his shots, kept Scoble off balance, and controlled the momentum, despite playing through a sore shoulder and numb hand. He played with true grit and determination and it was a well-earned win.”
In the consolation finals on Saturday, Pulver won by default over Miller Johnson, who had to step down due to injury. Pulver automatically advanced to the consolation finals.
Pulver fell 3-8 to Tristen Burn of Weston McEwen/ Griswold. Dominic had previously beat Burns at Districts 6-2, 7-5, and stated he entered the match with a strong strategy, and aimed to target Burn’s backhand. Pulver fought hard, and took an early lead, but his shoulder pain, and numb hand finally reached their limits.
Grace said, “Despite the pain and numbness, Dominic gave it everything, and his effort is something to be proud of. He didn’t quit, didn’t offer excuses, and left everything on the court.”
Suspect arrested for hit and run
Sisters deputies arrested a 29-year-old Sisters man on multiple charges related to an alleged hit-and-run incident and a separate confrontation involving a weapon on Wednesday morning, May 21.
According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Chad Davis, deputies responded to a reported hitand-run involving a vehicle versus a pedestrian in the area of West Hood Avenue and Highway 20 west in the city of Sisters. 911 dispatch advised a gold-colored sedan had driven up onto the sidewalk at this location in the oncoming lane and struck a pedestrian. Several citizens witnessed the vehicle strike the pedestrian and later provided statements to deputies, Davis reported.
The sedan was seen leaving the area westbound on Highway 20. Deputies responded to the scene and evaluated the pedestrian and began to search for the suspect vehicle.
The pedestrian had minor injuries, and refused treatment from Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District medics. The pedestrian victim was identified as a 35-year-old male Sisters
resident. He received minor scrapes and abrasions from being struck by the driver’s side mirror of the suspect vehicle and was able to walk away from the scene.
At 10:56 a.m., a separate 911 call was received from the Mainline Station at the west end of town, where there was a reported dispute involving a male subject brandishing a knife. Prior to a nearby deputy arriving at Mainline Station, the subject with the knife was seen leaving in a gold-colored sedan.
Deputies were able to locate the gold sedan near the original hit-and-run scene, where they performed a highrisk vehicle stop. The suspect complied and was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was identified as Daniel Virgen-Chavez, age 29, of Sisters, and later lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on charges of Assault II, Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver involving injury, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing, Reckless Driving,
Reckless Endangering, and Disorderly Conduct II.
Lt. Davis reports that the investigation determined that after Virgen-Chavez had struck the man with his vehicle, he drove to Mainline Station, where he got into a separate argument with a 46-year-old male resident of Sisters. Virgen-Chavez brandished a folding knife at the second male while having a verbal confrontation with him. Staff at Mainline Station called 911 to report this dispute. Eventually, Virgen-Chavez left Mainline Station in his vehicle and drove eastbound on Highway 20, where he was located by deputies, and taken into custody. Neither of the victims had any prior affiliation with Virgen-Chavez.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by officers from the Black Butte Ranch Police Department and medics from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.
elected sheriff, Van der Kamp can remain in office indefinitely, as there is no mechanism to compel his resignation or remove him from office. He has indicated that he and his staff are working to develop a “retirement plan.”
Earlier, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) expelled Sheriff van der Kamp from the organization’s board of directors.
In a press statement, OSSA Executive Director Tim Svenson stated that, “A few weeks ago, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association learned that the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Steve Gunnels, had conducted a lengthy investigation into issues involving the truthfulness of Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp. The investigation found that Sheriff van der Kamp had been untruthful about his educational credentials in multiple criminal cases. As a result of this investigation, DA Gunnels determined that the DA’s office would no longer use Sheriff van der Kamp as a witness in any criminal trial — a status commonly referred to as being placed on the Brady list.” Upon learning of this information, the OSSA Executive Committee met and determined that, under the OSSA bylaws, the board of directors should decide whether to temporarily suspend or permanently revoke Sheriff van der Kamp’s position as a director on the OSSA Board. A motion passed unanimously, with 32 Oregon sheriffs voting on the issue. Sheriff van der Kamp was immediately expelled from the OSSA Board of Directors.
Sisters Farmers Market opens June 1
Sisters Farmers Market returns to Fir Street Park on Sunday, June 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year, the market is launching a new program for kids, welcoming more farms, and will stay open through the end of October.
Over 45 farmers, ranchers, makers, and food producers will bring their goods to Sisters Farmers Market this season, offering fresh veggies, mushrooms, fruits, nuts, locally raised meat, baked goods, artisan foods, as well as locally made arts and crafts. Shoppers can find produce from Rainshadow Organics, Abe and Oley Farms, Firefly Fields NW, and Seed to Table, flowers from Snow Creek Farm, honey and eggs from Broadus Bees, and fruit from Baird Orchards at the market this season.
Sisters Farmers Market’s Opening Day celebration includes plant sales hosted by Sisters Community Garden and Sisters High School Greenhouse Class. Sisters Community Garden will have hundreds of deerresistant and drought-tolerant plant starts to sell, and will share tips on how to care
for the plants. The sale is a fundraiser for the Garden’s move, as this is the final year the group will garden at the Sisters Eagle Airport. Funds will go towards purchasing moveable garden beds for use at a temporary location starting April 2026.
On June 1, the Market will also host live music all day: local fiddle and guitar duo High Strung will perform on the Songbird stage from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by Sisters band The Henkle Butte Ramblers from noon to 2 p.m.
Native Bird Care of Central Oregon will be joining the Market on opening day as the featured nonprofit for visitors to learn about wild bird rescue and rehabilitation at their booth indoors on June 1.
New this season, Sisters Farmers Market is launching Power of Produce (POP) Club with support from St. Charles Family Care. Originally developed by Oregon City Farmers Market and now adopted by farmers markets across the nation, POP Club helps connect kids with the local food system through educational
activities, demonstrations, and conversations directly with farmers. In addition, POP Club kids ages 14 and under receive $5 each week they attend the Market that they can spend on fresh fruits, veggies, and berries to make their own shopping decisions and try new farmfresh flavors. Sisters Farmers Market is the first farmers market in Central Oregon to offer POP Club. To learn more and sign up, visit the Info Booth at Sisters Farmers Market.
Sisters Farmers Market
accepts SNAP/EBT and offers a SNAP match up to $20 every Sunday with Double Up Food Bucks. Stop by the Info Booth to learn more about using SNAP at the Market or visit the Market’s website for more information.
Sisters Farmers Market is presented by local nonprofit Seed to Table. The Market runs every Sunday, June through October, except for September 28 and October 12. For more information or to get involved, visit www. sistersfarmersmarket.com.
PHOTO BY EMILY GREEN
Sisters is set to roll on another season of local gatherings.
In the PINES
By T. Lee Brown
“Affordable.”
Do words matter? As a writer, I’d like to imagine they do. But sometimes, in pursuit of various agendas, we warp our language and make communication less clear, direct, and honest.
In upcoming columns we’ll get into some words used around disability and gender. Today, let’s look at the term “affordable housing,” which appeared in The Nugget’s guest opinion column last week.
One source, the euphoniously named Advances in Geographic Information Science, posits that homes or rentals costing 50% or less of the median income in a given geographical area should be considered affordable.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses the benchmark of 30% of a person’s income. “Income” refers to adjusted income, the number you come up with on your tax forms, after deductions are taken out — it’s the dollar amount you actually pay taxes on.
So far, we have a 50% and a 30%. Now let’s branch out to the city down the road apiece. The City of Bend says affordable housing there is “typically restricted to 80% of Area Median Income for homeownership, and 60% of Area Median Income for rentals.”
Huh. That’s quite a spread: 30% to 80%.
Move up to Sisters and the numbers become even more surreal. Bill Willitts stated in his opinion piece: “We the owners of McKenzie Meadows are committed to partnering with a local homebuilder to ensure that a minimum of 30 percent of homes built on our property are affordable to households earning 130 percent area median income and below.”
What does that mean for the people of Sisters Country? Well, if we stick within the city limits, the median income is $79,951, according to the City of Sisters. Let’s call that $80,000.
Say you’re a service
employee working full time at $15/hour — a help wanted position recently posted online, for workers at an international fast-food chain operating locally in Sisters. You’re bringing in around $30,000/year.
Now, I haven’t taken a math class since I was 16, but to me that sounds like a solid candidate for affordable housing, at about 37% of median income.
How about if you’re making $58,000? That’s the average teacher salary in Sisters, according to a February article in The Nugget , written by Bill Bartlett. That’s about 72% of local median income.
To meet Willits’ criteria, you could make $104,000 and still qualify for affordable housing. That’s about what a civil engineer makes per year in this region, according to the City of Bend. It’s considerably more than what a typical forester, social worker, teacher, or paralegal makes.
All these positions usually require a college education. That $104,000 looms far above Central Oregon wages for nursing assistants, fitness trainers, salespeople, and restaurant servers — the people who keep our local and tourism economies humming.
Ummm, okay.
And here I thought affordable housing might
provide living quarters for the average everyday worker, some of whom currently live in trailers on the national forest near Sisters. Apparently not.
I understand that we live in a brutally capitalist society focused on private property ownership and profit. I live in it, too, paying my mortgage and HOA fees, keeping an eye on interest rates and the real estate market. When the revolution comes, my head may roll off the guillotine along with those of wealthy defense contractors, hedge fund managers, and real estate developers.
This is America, after all. Smart people, usually privileged ones, strategize and invest with the express intent of making more money. If you own property and want to make money off it, well, so it goes.
But please. Don’t insult our intelligence. Don’t abuse the English language. If the supposedly affordable housing you intend to develop is for relatively well-off people and the higher end of the middle class, just come on out and say so.
We’re Americans, after all. West Coast Americans. Oregonians. We’re accustomed to gentrification, homelessness, and a desperately scrambling middle class. We can take it.
Outlaws athletes qualify for state track meet
By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent
Sisters High School will be very well represented at the OSAA Track and Field Championships this week following stellar performances at the Special District 1 meet held May 23-24 at Siuslaw High School in Florence.
The two-day meet served to crown the district championship teams and as a qualifier for state. The top two finishers in each event qualify for state along with athletes who meet established qualifying standards. Wildcard qualifications also exist to honor one athlete in each event from the 3A classification who were “next best.”
In the 3,000 meters, George Roberts met the qualifying standard with a gutsy performance on the first day of competition. With a deep field of quality runners, including the 3A state leader in the race, Roberts knew his ticket to state would be to run a qualifying time. He executed the pace perfectly and crossed the line in a huge personal best of 9:10.55, nearly four seconds under the qualifying standard in fourth place.
Mae Roth —named the Field Athlete of the Meet — and Althea Crabtree qualified in the pole vault later that afternoon with Roth breaking her own school record to win at 12 feet. Crabtree placed third, but cleared the qualifying standard of 9-feet-7-inches, a new personal best. Kiara Martin placed fifth in the event at 8-feet-4.75-inches.
Spencer Tisdel joined the fun with a third-place finish and a state stadard in the boys pole vault at 12 feet even. The winner set a new 3A season top mark of 14 feet 3 inches Siuslaw.
Most finals took place on the second day of competition where the Outlaws had a banner day on the track starting with the girls’ 4x100-meter relay team of Selah Sanford, Nona Smith, Shanitah Few, and Audrey Corcoran, that put together a season best mark to win the race in 50.50 seconds. The sprinters would continue to carry the day for the Outlaw girls.
Roberts toed the line next in the 1,500, hoping once again to meet the qualifying
standard, and he did so with a tremendous effort in the final lap to squeak under the mark by fractions of a second in 4:12.08 for third place.
“George set his sights on the automatic qualifying way back in winter training,” said coach Sarah Thorsett. “To see him work so hard and punch his ticket to state in not one, but two events, was a thrill. I believe his gritty performance in the 3k set a tone for the entire team to do their best.”
The Outlaws kept right on rolling through the next two events as freshman Sanford topped the field in 100 meters with a personal best of 12.64. Corcoran dipped under the qualifying standard in third place in a time of 12.88.
Fellow frosh Smith came through with a qualifying time in the 400, placing third in a stacked field of sprinters. She finished third in a personal best of 58.62. In all, five girls qualified by
time in the race, showing the extraordinary depth of the sprinting events in the district.
John Berg followed in Smith’s footsteps in the boys 400 where he finished third in 52.19 and had to wait until Sunday to learn he had made it to state as the lone wildcard entrant based on times among all 3A district meets.
Sophomore Bauer Ellis left no doubt about running at state with a clear win in the 800 meters, topping the field in 2:01.39.
In the 200 meters, Sanford earned another berth to state, finishing second in 26.20 seconds behind fellow freshman speedster Journey Meyer of Creswell who ran 25.76 seconds for the win. Two other girls also qualified for state by time in the race.
In the 300 hurdles Brooke Duey found herself with five of the other top 3A hurdlers in the state. She finished fourth (48.76) in a field that qualified five for state, proving further the sprinters in Special District 1.
The Outlaw sprint girls, Duey, Corcoran, Smith, and Sanford, capped the meet with a second-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay
behind state leader Creswell in 4:12.8.
The Outlaw boys team won the 4x400 in dramatic fashion as Berg overcame a 40-meter deficit to Siuslaw in the final leg to secure himself and his teammates, Charlie Moen, Spencer Davis, and Ellis a spot at the top of the podium.
Shae Wyland was the top thrower for the Outlaws, finishing a close third in the shot put at 31 feet 4.5 inches, 5.5 inches out of second. Similarly, freshman Jasper Jensen placed a close fourth in the high jump with a huge personal best of 5 feet 7.25 inches, two inches shy of meeting the qualifying mark.
With the majority of the points for both the boys’ and girls’ teams coming from the sprint races, assistant coach Mark Hodge felt elated about the sprint corp’s performance.
“Across the board, the sprinters ran their fastest times of the season, bringing in big points for the team. It’s especially fun to see the younger athletes be so successful at the district meet. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented group.”
Siuslaw dominated the boys team race, amassing 257 to defend its crown.
Elmira placed second (73), Sisters third (72.5), and Sutherlin fourth (63) among the nine teams. For perspective, Siuslaw scored more points than the next three teams combined and are the heavy favorites to win repeat as state champions.
In a much closer team race, the Outlaw girls came up short in defending the district title, but placed second to Siuslaw 131-112. Creswell finished third with 103.5.
“I am really proud of how our team competed and supported each other at
the meet,” said head coach Jonathan Kelly. Our boys especially battled for every point and nearly placed second when we were expected to finish fourth. It was great to see how excited they got when cheering for each other and how much fun they had together.”
All classifications 1A-6A converge at Hayward Field in Eugene for the state championships. The 1A, 2A, 3A schools compete Thursday and Friday May 29 and 30, while 4A, 5A, and 6A are scheduled for May 30 and 31.
John Berg coming to the finish for the victorious 4x400-meter relay team.
PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG
Nona Smith rounding the corner on her way to qualifying for state in the 400 meter.
PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG
e Peaceful Presence
Projec t Connection Cafes
Communit y members come together for supportive dialogue around personal experiences with serious illness , dying , and grief. ese gathering spaces provide compassionate human connection on di cult matters of the heart. e Sisters Connection Cafes meet at the Sisters Librar y the first and third Wednesdays of June ( June 4 and 18) f rom 3 to 4:30 . ere is no charge and all are welcome. Info call: 541-293-8636.
Weekly Food Pantry
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 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 nonemergenc y medical appointments in Sisters , Redmond , and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STAR S dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included . More at www starsride.org
Sisters Community Church VBS
“True North” is coming to Sisters Communit y Church , June 23–27, 2025 , 9 a .m. to Noon. VBS is f ree and open to the community. To register, go to sisterschurch.com/ events . For questions , contact Cindy, c vice@sisterschurch.com Sisters Community Church is located at 130 0 W. McKenzie HW Y. in Sisters , 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., June 24, and July 2. Info: contact Matt Olsen, Mobile Employment Counselor, molsen@coic.org.
A NNOUNCEMENT S
Craf t Consignors Wanted
Qualit y craf t-consignors wanted for the 49th Snowflake Boutique, Nov 7 & 8, 2025
Our next jur y will be Monday June 9th beginning at 6 p.m. at the Redmond Senior Center. Additional juries will be held through October. Info on our website http://www snow flakeboutique.org or call Brenda 541-350 -4120 or Pat 541-383-1821
Letting ing s Rot: A Composting Workshop
Plea se join us for a composting work shop at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture on Friday, June 13 from 11 a .m. to noon. Bring some of your own compostable food scr aps and learn how to turn your garbage into nutrientrich material for your garden. is event is f ree and open to the public . Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org e address for this event is:
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture 684 67 ree Creek s Rd., Sisters 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
RAKE-IT Call For Volunteers
Join a R AKE-IT team to provide free yard maintenance ser vices — like pine needle/pine cone clearance and flammable weed/ grass pulling — to Sisters area households that can neither per form the ser vices themselves nor a ord to hire them done. Help us start to make Sisters more fire resilient, and to help older adult s age in place at home. Email doug@ agef riendlysisters .com to volunteer or to recommend beneficiar y households in Sisters RAKE-IT is an Action Team of Age Friendly Sisters Country
Americ an Legion and VFW VF W Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Pine Meadow Village Clubhouse, 596 W. Je erson Ave. Email SistersVeterans@gmail.com for information
Sisters Trails Alliance Spring Kickof f Event
What is a Saw yer, Swamper Adopter, Trail Host, Crew Lead, Aid Stations , Signage, Nordic System, Tools of the Trade, Visitors Ser vices , Trail Support? Visit stations that highlight the many ways to get involved with Sisters Trails Alliance. Wednesday, June 4, 5:30 p.m., Sisters Community Recreation Center. Info: info@sisterstrails. org.
Sisters Community Garden Fundraiser
e Sisters Communit y Garden will join vendors at the Sisters Farmers Market on opening day, Sunday, June 1, as well as Sunday, June 8 , f rom 10 a .m. to 2 p.m. Garden members will have hundreds of deer-resistant and drought-tolerant plant starts to sell, and will share tips on how to care for the plants. e sale is a f undraiser for the Garden’s move, as this is the final year the group will garden at the Sisters E agle Airport. Funds will go towards purchasing moveable garden beds for use at a temporar y location starting April, 2026.
Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting
COFRW (Central Oregon Federated Republican Women) meet s the first ursday of ever y month f rom 10:45 a .m. (registration) to 1 p.m. at A spen Lakes Golf Club in Sisters . Come learn f rom guest speakers , and hear and question local and state candidates . Meetings include lunch for $27. R SVP required to attend . Learn more about upcoming meetings and speakers , and RSVP at COFRWBend@gmail .com
Open Studio at PMRCA A Plea se join us for the third Open Studio of the 2025 residency season ursday, May 29, f rom 4 to 6 p.m. at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture! Presenters for this event include Writer Liz a Birnbaum, and Visual Artist s Kaitlin Santoro and Krista Schoening is event is f ree and open to the public . Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org
Announce Celebrations! Sisters community birth, engagement, wedding , and milestone anniversar y notices from May run at no charge on this Announcements page.
Free Pet Food Budget tight this month, but you still need pet food for your dog or cat? Call the Furr y Friends pet food bank at 541-797-4 023 to schedule your pickup. Pickups available ursdays , beginning at 12:30 p.m., 412 E . Main Ave., Ste. 4
Meet Oliver ! is loving boy was part of a mass intake from Klamath Count y. Oliver is an older guy who would thrive in a home who will spoil him with lots of cuddles and walk s around the neighborhood . Here at the shelter, Oliver has absolutely enjoye d making friends with other dogs and romping through the play yard with them! If you’re looking for a dog with a lot of love to give, Oliver is your boy! Come meet him at HSCO! 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. , Prinevill e
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
Crews begin work to open McKenzie Highway
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews on both sides of Dee Wright Observatory atop Oregon Scenic Highway 242 have begun the arduous task of removing the remaining snow and downed trees, fallen rocks and other debris left by a snow-packed winter.
It will take at least another week or two of work to get the road open for the busy summer season. In the meantime, ODOT asks that cyclists and hikers heed their warnings to avoid the road as heavy equipment is on site.
Cyclists with pent-up demand often ignore the closed gates and take risky rides, occasionally resulting in injury. Their presence impedes the work, ODOT warns.
The “242” (McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway) is a popular attraction with visitors to Sisters, especially cyclists and motorcycle enthusiasts. On the west side of the Cascades are lush Douglas fir and red cedar forests; on the drier Sisters side, lodgepole pines prevail. Lava fields adjoin snow fields, providing a stark black and white contrast between the forces of fire and ice.
According to ODOT, the Byway boasts the highest concentration of snowcapped volcanoes and associated glaciers in the lower 48 states. Broken Top Mountain, Mount Washington, and The Three Sisters, among other peaks, tower above the Byway.
The natural qualities of the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway are of national significance. There are outstanding examples of both ancient and recent volcanoes, cinder cones, lava flows, and deep, glaciated canyons.
Forests along the Byway contain rare old-growth fir and ponderosa pine and are home to a variety of fish and wildlife, including several endangered species, such as bald eagles, northern spotted owls, Chinook salmon, and bull trout.
Gallery features paintings from Taylor Manoles
Makin’ It Local will feature original paintings and fine art prints by Central Oregon artist Taylor Manoles, from June 1 through July 31. An artistin-attendance artist reception is scheduled for Friday, June 27, at Makin’ it Local, 281 W. Cascade Ave. in Sisters.
The artist reception will be part of the Fourth Friday Artwalk and Big Ponderoo Artwalk 4 to 7 p.m.
Manoles is an oil painter who lives in Bend. Born in Arizona and raised in Minnesota, she has inhabited many different types of landscapes.
Her love of the outdoors and desire to paint drove her to pursue an art education
degree at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. After teaching middle school art for one year, Manoles pursued her artwork full time. Her artwork explores themes of faith and the human experience through contemporary landscapes.
Painting is both a cathartic practice and how she celebrates and remembers the goodness in the world around her.
She enjoys showing her work locally, across the Pacific Northwest, and through online platforms. In 2023, her Painted Hills piece won the Curator’s Choice Award at the High Desert Museum’s show, Art in the West.
SISTERS-AREA Events & Enter tainment
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
Luckey's Woodsman Trivia: Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Info: luckeyswoodsman.com.
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
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.
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
Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble
11 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY • JUNE 2
Sisters High School MS/HS Choir Concert
7 p.m. Sisters middle and high school concert and jazz choirs and the Americana Project Band Labs will perform in the SHS auditorium. Free Info: kayla.golka@ssd6.org
MONDAY • JUNE 2 (cont.)
Paulina Springs Books Poetr y Gathering "The Pause Button," an informal monthly gathering for poets and poetry enthusiasts Bring a poem or two to share. Listen, discuss, and write. Free 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
TUESDAY • JUNE 3
Sisters High School MS/HS Instrumental Concert
7 p.m. Sisters middle and high school jazz and concert bands and high school fiddle groups perform in the SHS auditorium. Free Info: kayla.golka@ssd6.org
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 4
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • JUNE 5
Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Sarah Greenman presents "The Creative Alchemy Cycle: Activate Your Creativity to Wake Up and Get Free," 6:30 p.m. Info: 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
FRIDAY • JUNE 6
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
SATURDAY • JUNE 7
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 8
Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring live music community booth, vendors, kids activities, and more. For info visit www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
TUESDAY • JUNE 10
Sisters Saloon Bingo Night in Sisters 6 to 8 p.m. BINGO upstairs on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Ski Inn Taphouse Hotel Live Music: Bill Keale Hawaiian music, slack key guitar, pop, and folk. 6 to 8 p.m. Free admission. Info: www.sisterstaphousehotel.com.
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 11
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • JUNE 12
Luckey's Woodsman Trivia: Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Info: luckeyswoodsman.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
FRIDAY • JUNE 13
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Taylor Manoles will be featured at Makin’ it Local during June and July.
PHOTO PROVIDED
noting that she grew up in a household with two veterans — her mother an Air Force veteran and her father having served in the U.S. Army.
David Wentworth sang the National Anthem, Earl Schroeder led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Gordon Golden, an Air Force veteran, offered the opening invocation. Army veteran and VFW Post Commander Pat Bowe offered the traditional remembrance of POW/ MIA, describing the symbolism behind the Missing Man Table set up near the park gazebo.
The keynote speaker was 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 Posts, and continues to be an officer in both.
Col. Miller served as Air Commander of the 434 Tac Fighter Wing, was 442 Operations Group Commander and 930 Fighter Group Commander, among other assignments. He served in Vietnam, Korea, Italy, and Abu Dhabi. This was the second time he served as keynote speaker for the Sisters observances, the first time coming in 2006.
He noted that Memorial Day has always been a special and solemn occasion for his family. All six of his siblings or their husbands served in the U.S. Military.
“We traditionally gathered at our local cemeteries
to commemorate those who had given their lives for our freedom,” he said.
Service to country goes back deep into American history for the Miller family.
Col. Miller started his speech by recounting the story of a man called “Honest John,” who lost his wife Deborah to illness “while John, that staunch old patriot, was moving from one hiding place to another, for months scarcely ever sleeping the second night in the same location.”
Honest John was on the run from British troops during the American Revolution. His house had been destroyed, his mill burned, his livestock taken. His losses were tremendous, and his health was broken by his fugitive life, and he died in 1780.
“Honest John was John Hart,” Col. Miller explained, “my grandfather
eight generations back; and Deborah, my grandmother. John and 55 other brave men had signed the Declaration of Independence, knowing that they were considered traitors to the King of England, and in signing it recognized the danger they were in and mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.”
This anecdote was one of several that Col. Miller deployed to illustrate and humanize the sacrifice represented by the cold statistic of 1,351,429 deaths in America’s wars since the birth of the nation.
He cited the faith of the Founding Fathers, noting that they “gathered their inspiration from the Bible and other Judeo-Christian writings and traditions, and I heard on a program this weekend that 55 of the 56 were devout believers in Christ.”
In the face of ongoing threats, Miller urged “those who believe in prayer to beseech God on a daily basis to guide our leaders and continue to bless our nation.”
In a long-standing tradition, Hal Darcy, U.S. Navy veteran, and Mick McGrady, U.S. Marine Corps, acknowledged the local veterans who passed over the past year in Sisters, reciting each name with the tolling of a bell.
Piper Steve Allely played “Highland Cathedral” on the bagpipes and an Honor Guard composed of Ed Owens (USAF), David Seher (U.S. Army), Christie Martin (USAF), and Larry Barber (USN) offered a rifle salute.
Felix Montana, a Sisters High School student, played taps, then Trowbridge and Lyle Musel (USAF and Band of Brothers) raised the flag to full staff, bringing the ceremony to a close.
Lance Trowbridge narrated the symbolic meaning of the ceremonial folding of Old Glory by members of a Mountain View Navy Junior ROTC honor guard.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Tapping Job Corps for Wildlands firefighters
By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle
To combat chronic and growing shortages of wildland firefighters, Oregon’s Congressional Democrats propose leveraging an existing federal jobs program to boost the workforce needed.
The Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act would direct the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to offer specialized training in wildland firefighting for teens and young adults each year who are enrolled at the Job Corps’ Civilian Conservation Centers, and get them directly hired into firefighting jobs.
The Jobs Corps was established in the 1960s to offer education and apprenticeship opportunities to low-income 16- to 24-year-olds, and nine of the Corps’ 24 Civilian Conservation Centers train students in work on public lands, including fire prevention and response. Three of them are in Oregon — in Yachats, Glide, and Estacada.
The act is sponsored by Oregon’s U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas and Val Hoyle and U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, as well as Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana.
The bill would also create a pilot program within the Job Corps to pay students to help build housing for wildland firefighters in areas experiencing shortages of available housing, a barrier to recruiting more people into the profession. Corps members make less than $200 per month while enrolled at a Civilian Conservation Center, and can qualify for housing, food, health and dental care while in the program.
Bill sponsors said in a news release the goal would be for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to hire at least 300 graduates of the Civilian Conservation Centers’ wildfire training programs each year, and get them directly into permanent and seasonal wildland firefighting jobs across the U.S.
Salinas said in the news release the need for wildland firefighters is greater than it’s ever been.
“Wildfires are getting bigger, more dangerous, and more destructive every year due to climate change,” she said. “It’s a commonsense bill that will keep our communities safe from deadly blazes, and at the same time, create more job opportunities for Oregonians.”
The future of the Corps is uncertain, however. Trump’s
May 2 budget request to Congress proposes eliminating the program entirely, calling it “a failed experiment.”
Merkley has tried to push the act for years, according to the senator’s spokesperson, Molly Prescott.
“The idea originated after Trump tried to eliminate CCCs in his first term,” Prescott told the Capital Chronicle in an email. “But as the Trump Administration is jeopardizing how we can prepare for and respond to wildfires amid deep cuts to federal funding and our workforce in public lands, it’s never been more needed to boost Job Corps CCC programs and get more wildland firefighters in the pipeline.”
Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers students do millions of dollars worth of
SUDOKU SOLUTION
for puzzle on page 22
public works and land management projects, according to agency reports, and hundreds of thousands of hours of wildland fire prevention and response work, including firefighting, prescribed burns, and removing flammable materials. Students also construct and maintain buildings on public lands, build trails, and restore wildlife habitat and watersheds year round.
The National Job Corps Association, National Federation of Federal Employees, Wildland Firefighter Foundation and Western Fire Chiefs Association are also endorsing the bill. Republished under Cre
ative Commons license CC
...as the Trump Administration is jeopardizing how we can prepare for and respond to wildfires amid deep cuts to federal funding and our workforce in public lands, it’s never been more needed to boost Job Corps CCC programs and get more wildland firefighters in the pipeline.
— Molly Prescott
District leadership. Last Fall, both clubs created stand-alone nonprofit organizations on the advice of SPRD counsel for mission clarity and accountability. We still work closely with the District and work to promote the success of all as we reach the entire community.
Ryan Moffat, Outlaw Basketball
Bruce Carpenter, Sisters Pickleball Club
s s s
No brainer
To the Editor:
The bronze sculpture of Lane Frost riding Red Rock should be a “no brainer” choice for the roundabout on the east end of town, closest to the rodeo grounds.
This gorgeous sculpture is based on Dyrk Godby’s painting that was used for the 85th Sisters Rodeo Poster and captures the heart of this western town. Lane Frost rode this bull in the Sisters Rodeo in June of 1988 during the Challenge of Champions. What a piece of history is captured in this sculpture! It is my understanding that the price of the sculpture exceeds the city budget for art work in the roundabout but donors have stepped up to make up the difference.
Looks like a “no brainer” to me!
Terry Hardin
s s s
Wildfire action
To the Editor:
On behalf of Citizens4Community, I’d like to express gratitude to The Nugget , Rotary Club of Sisters, and Sisters Kiwanis for partnering on our two recent Community Forums exploring the topic of “Wildfire in Sisters Country.” I’m also grateful to the 300-plus people who turned up in person and online to participate in these important discussions about local wildfire preparedness and related insurance challenges.
Recordings of the Forums, along with a bunch of related resources, are now available at tinyurl.com/C4Cfire25.
For me, a key takeaway from these discussions was: “We’re only as strong as our weakest link.” My home hardening efforts will be worthless if the house next door goes up in flames; insurers are less likely to provide coverage for my house if it’s in a highrisk neighborhood; and who cares if my home survives a wildfire if the businesses, schools, and friends that I love and rely on are gone?
Making our community resilient to wildfire and attractive to insurers is going to require a team effort. We all need to do our part, and help out those around us who are struggling to do theirs. If we don’t, we shouldn’t be surprised to see insurers leaving town, or policy makers using fewer carrots and more sticks to encourage firewise behavior.
The good news – we don’t have to start from scratch or do it alone. Dozens of local organizations are working diligently to support homeowners, businesses, and neighborhoods in becoming more prepared and resilient. Visit tinyurl.com/C4Cfire25 to learn more about how they can help, and to:
• Watch recordings of our recent forums.
• Download our two-page Action Guide, which lists over a dozen ways you can take immediate action to be more prepared for wildfire.
• Peruse our full “take-home packet,” which includes additional resources, toolkits, and recommended reading for community members.
Still not motivated to take action? I highly recommend watching “Rebuilding Paradise” on Hulu, or joining our upcoming discussion of the book “Fire in Paradise” on May 28, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Paulina Springs Books. I hope our town never has to experience the
devastation wrought on Paradise, California – or Pacific Palisades, or the McKenzie River valley, or Detroit...
The bottom line – fire is coming. It’s a matter of “when,” not “if.” Collective action is necessary if we want to have a town left after the embers blow through. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work, “The Sisters Way.”
Kellen Klein, Executive Director, Citizens4Community (C4C) s s s
Heart of Oregon/AmeriCorps
To the Editor:
I want to send a shout out to the incredible Heart of Oregon/AmeriCorps workers who helped with the county’s recent FireFree Event. Our family hauled 13 loads of brush to the Northwest Transfer Station on Fryrear Road, and these smiling, strong guys showed up to help us unload every trip! From start to finish, they helped us pull about 15 tons of material off our flat-bed trailer.
The Heart of Oregon/AmeriCorps workers assisted everyone who needed help unloading their brush and they did it all day long for over a week! I can’t begin to calculate how many tons of brush they helped process over the course of that time but it’s clear that it was a very efficient and appreciated service. Our tax dollars helped fund this work through the federal AmeriCorp program; at least they did until the current administration froze the conservation-related funds. Defunding programs like AmeriCorp makes no economic sense. Recent research has shown that for every dollar spent on wildfire prevention we save seven dollars in return. That’s a return-on-investment of 600 percent which includes the safety of our homes, the cost of our home insurance, value of our properties, and the beauty and environmental health of our communities.
What’s not to love about AmeriCorp? By the end of the day, I was so relieved to see the folks in the yellow vests heading over with their rakes and pitchforks to help us unload yet again. I’m sure many of you experienced this too. Let’s all do what we can to keep AmeriCorp funded.
Lauren Davis
s s s
Open primaries
To the Editor:
Today in Oregon 45 percent of voters are not registered as either Democrats or Republicans (https://independentvoterproject. org/voter-stats/or). Yet, these independent and unaffiliated voters are not allowed to vote in primaries.
HB 3166, if enacted, would have implemented open primaries with the top two vote getters in any primary moving on to the general election. The House Rules Committee considered HB 3166 during this past legislative session, but the measure did not get to the full House for a vote.
It is not my purpose here to analyze HB 3166. It seems well thought out and drafted, but a better approach may be crafted. Rather, I am writing to urge voters to contact their elected state representatives and senators and tell them that they expect open primary legislation to be enacted in the next session of the legislature. A majority of registered voters have chosen not to register as Democrats or Republicans. Every registered voter should have the right to vote in a primary where all qualified candidates are considered. Candidates should not be selected in separate primaries open only to voters who have registered for the party running the primary. So, if you agree, take a moment to write or call your elected state representatives and senators and urge them to enact open primary legislation in the next legislative session.
David Ellis
4x4, 98k miles, one owner, unlimited sport package!
$ 21,900
sing your songs PLAY YOUR TUNES PIcK A LITTLE DITTY
JUNE 8, 6-8PM SISTERS ART WORKS 204 W. ADAMS AVE.
Sunday sharing Circle
Lyrical or instr umental, all styles, instr uments, skills, ages welcome! Second Sund ay, no char ge. QUESTIONS? CALL/TEXT JESS 541-977-8494
participation out of the group that is already involved.
“I think that’ll be a focus for a while,” he said.
Like others in the district, he supports the need for the District to acquire a ladder truck in order to be prepared to see the potential for fire in an increasingly complex built environment in Sisters, where getting water down onto a fire is important.
“That’s a thing in the future that we’re going to have to really address,” he said.
Tryens is already involved with the District, serving on its budget committee.
He wants to see stronger policies across the board regarding wildfire preparedness and resiliency measures and to mobilize the community to take the threat of catastrophic wildfire more seriously. He advocates for a “more rigorous inter-agency/ government public planning process with clear goals and measurable outcomes.” Tryens would like to advocate for an urgent care center in Sisters to take pressure off SCSFD as medical calls increase.
Emily Horton prevailed in the race for Position 5 on the Sisters School Board, securing 60 percent of the vote.
Horton believes the District has developed a good culture for learning.
“Students want to go to school, and the district is making sure they will continue to want to,” she told The Nugget in a pre-election interview.
She thinks all the opportunities for experiential
learning are good and that students are appropriately challenged.
She has some concerns about the lapses in literacy skills due to the COVID interruption.
Horton strongly believes that not all students who graduate from high school should or could go onto college, but their education is just as important as the AP students.
“They need to be challenged, feel seen, and learn resiliency. We need to recognize the whole student. Everyone needs minimum skill levels to navigate the world. Our job is to provide the pathways to success.”
Sarah Keeton took over 63 percent of the vote in winning Position 1 on the school board. She is concerned about the impact of high cost of living on teacher recruitment, and believes that the school district has to work on urban growth boundary issues with the City to seek housing affordability.
An orthopedic surgical nurse, Keeton is an advocate for prioritizing attention to students’ mental health and supports initiatives to reduce cell phone/screen usage to reduce distractions and improve students’ engagement.
Erik Benton was reelected to Position 2 without an opponent.
STARS: Program offers rides to medical services
Continued from page 3
to get to appointments in Bend, Redmond, and Sisters are especially thankful,” said Rennie Morrell, STARS executive director. “This funding helps us bridge critical gaps in benefits that do not include medical transportation, making health care more accessible in our rural community.”
The funding comes at a crucial time, as STARS continues to see rising demand for rideshare services across the Sisters school district service area. In 2024 alone, the organization provided 726 round-trip rides and drove over 32,000 miles showing a 33 percent increase over the previous year. In 2025, the demand is increasing again stretching STARS volunteer resources, but the organization is committed to helping ensure transportation is never a barrier to health, connection, and livability in Sisters Country. Interested volunteers can go to the STARS website https://www. starsride.org/drive-for-us and join the driving team.
OCF is known for supporting local community efforts that make a real impact, and STARS is an
example of how communitybased solutions can transform lives in rural Oregon. The grant is part of OCF’s commitment to strengthening community infrastructure and equity across the state.
STARS is a community-based nonprofit that serves people in Sisters who are unable to drive to their medical services. By offering free, flexible, and
reliable medical transportation, STARS empowers independence and mobility for all, helping keep Sisters healthy one ride at a time.
Oregon Community Foundation puts donated money to work in Oregon — more than $100 million annually — to improve lives in every corner of the state. For more information, visit www.oregoncf.org.
Obituary
McNulty Alfred “Al” Taylor
Al Taylor, age 94 of Sisters, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2025 in the company of his loving daughter.
Born on October 13, 1930, in Longview, Washington, he lived a life marked by strength, love, and resilience.
Al was a devoted father, grandfather, and friend. He was also a husband three times over having loved and lost three remarkable women: Mauretta Johnson, Peggy Click, and Meredith McKittrick, each of whom held a special place in his heart and their families. Through joy and sorrow, he remained steadfast in his commitment to family and the values he held dear.
He is survived by his daughter Jane Taylor Schell (husband Walt); Holly Taylor (daughter-in-law); grandchildren John Taylor, Paige Taylor Hayes (husband Anthony), Ross Taylor (wife Kelly); and five adorable great-grandchildren who will forever cherish his wisdom, humor, and largerthan-life presence which he carried throughout life’s many chapters.
Al graduated from LA Long High School and then attended University of Washington for college… go Huskies! He spent his entire working career in the tire business, starting in sales and then became the owner of several Tire Factory stores throughout the Portland area. He
finished his career by creating a unique co-op tire warehouse, which helped to support smaller independent tire stores throughout the Northwest.
Al was an avid outdoorsman, he loved hiking, camping, and mountain climbing. He enjoyed living in Back Butte Ranch for over 37 years, woodworking in his workshop and had a passion for music and theater. He sang as a youth with his deep baritone voice and was an accomplished bridge player. He loved to cook Chinese food and of course we all loved to enjoy whatever he created.
There are no plans for formal memorial service. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to Sisters High School Band Program, as they often played and entertained for the residents at Sisters Senior Living where he resided part of the year when family was not at the Ranch.
He will be deeply missed but never forgotten.
BALLFIELDS:
A tourney inaugurated the new fields last weekend
Continued from page 3
High School, and Sisters Little League will all benefit from use of the fields.
“Baseball and softball teach more than just the game. They teach camaraderie and teamwork. That’s what this field stands for, and I’m proud Sisters Fence and Deck is a part of it,” said Burke.
His staff donated their time to install the fences, and Burke provided meals over the weekend of May 17 to Bandits dads, moms, siblings, and supporters who helped work on the fields.
“It was a perfect example of what makes Sisters special – community members, teammates, local professionals, and families all coming together to get it done for the kids,” Burke said.
People like the Schiedler family and the Bootes family; professionals like SiteOne Landscape Supply, which donated an irrigation system and set up sprinklers; and businesses including Kuitert’s T&M Junk Removal, Milann Farms Trucking, Lane Forest Products, and Sisters Rental.
Rob Lindsay with McKenzie Cascade Heavy Excavation donated significant equipment and labor to make the project happen.
Sisters Chamber of Commerce, Explore Sisters, and Sisters Little League donated money for new dirt for the infield. Donors from Northeast Woodworks LLC,
The Fort LLC, and Ponderosa Forge, to Zupancic Albin Law and the Law Offices of James D. Zupancic also contributed.
“It was a complete community-wide effort to do all of this. Now we have safe playing fields and surfaces. We can legitimately host tournaments out here and bring a ton of tourists and a ton of money back into the community,” Kuitert said.
Over Memorial Day Weekend, a travel baseball tournament brought more than 300 teams and thousands of families to Central Oregon. Sisters hosted approximately 40 of those teams.
“They’re all staying here, they’re all eating here, they’re all shopping here, and beforehand, everybody
would come and say, ‘We love Sisters, you guys are great, but the fields are terrible. There’s rocks everywhere. It’s not safe.’ So we just took it upon ourselves to fix it,” Kuitert said.
“Everybody wants to come to Sisters. Until now, there had been a lack of available fields. That was kind of holding us back,” said Greg Barkley, 11U Bandits coach. “There’s another tournament this coming weekend put on by the Sisters Chamber of Commerce called the Sisters Country Tournament. I believe it’s 40 to 50 teams, so this upcoming weekend will look about the same (as Memorial Day Weekend). In the coming years, we’d love to add more.”
Hundreds of players have improved fields to play on.
PHOTO BY MATT VAN SLYKE
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 & TERREBONNE:
• 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.
Business
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 • The Slow Down State
• Three Creeks Brew Pub • Three Sisters Floral
• Western Title & Escrow Company • Your Store
HAZMAT: Firefighters summoned team from Salem
Continued from page 1
residents and property.
No injuries were reported.
To support the cleanup efforts, Hazmat Team 13 from Salem Fire Department was dispatched to the scene. The spill was successfully neutralized, and fire crews were cleared from the scene at 10:18 p.m.
The cause of the incident was determined to be a faulty pump that malfunctioned while administering muriatic acid to the pool in preparation for Memorial Day weekend.
STAMPEDE: Event draws elite competitors and families alike
Continued from page 1
Registrants came from as far as Florida, Texas, Michigan, and Calgary, Canada. Several riders from British Columbia joined in.
The weather was a nearperfect complement, with clear skies punctuated by few clouds and a slight breeze that riders appreciated.
While the ride itself up Peterson Ridge and back was the main event, a slew of companion activities packed the town all weekend. Riders spent Saturday warming up and playing. A free shuttle offered by Stagecoach Adventures carried bikers to the upper Three Creeks SnoPark lot for the long downhill back to Sisters. Aqua Clear Hot Tubs provided a cold plunge and Luckey’s Woodsman served up meals from their food truck at the staging area behind Blazin Saddles. Three Creeks Brewing supplied the beer.
Saturday was the scene of a free bike rodeo for kids ages 4–12 sponsored by Mudslinger Events, the Stampede promoter, and Team Booger, a youth cycling organization. Families by the dozens stood by as their
Get outside and play
By Edie Jones Columnist
Many adults fondly remember evenings of kickthe-can and hide-and-goseek that continued until darkness sent them inside. I wonder if these are games kids still play, or are they a thing of the past?
to resist screen time. With guidance and boundaries from parents, they can navigate without the constant use of devices.
‘good risks’ are things that perplex most parents. Ask at the library, or Google books about teenager risks. There are many.
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District reminds all residents and visitors in Sisters Country to report spills immediately. If a spill occurs and you are unsure how to handle it, evacuate the area and call 911. First responders are trained to safely contain and clean up hazardous materials. For information about chemical safety or emergency preparedness, contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 541-549-0771.
Agencies assisting in the response included the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District, Black Butte Rural Fire Protection District, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office.
kiddos wrestled with new skills.
Riders as young as 9 and as old as 84 tackled the rugged course spaced in 10-second waves. The courses, not extreme, are nonetheless quite challenging with steep inclines, hairpin turns and tree and rock obstacles.
It was not uncommon for riders to dismount one or more times to transition.
Sisters’ reputation for cycling increases every year and is becoming a go-to destination for adventure seekers. Events like the Stampede fill the town not just with bikers but consumers. Hotels were full as were eateries and watering holes all weekend.
“It’s anybody’s guess how much beer was poured this weekend, but one thing’s for sure – beer and biking were born for each other,” said Mike Duffy from Portland who along with four buddies, “spent two hours on course and six hours in the pubs.”
Each rider on average has two to three accompanying friends or family members organizers say. With staff and hordes of volunteers, as many as 2,000 visitors added to the busy Memorial Day weekend that put smiles on merchants’ faces as they rang up sales.
Awards were given for the top-three finishers in each category. Results are available at https://my.raceresult. com/342071/.
Think of all those games taught. If you ended up as the leader of a team you had to divide your squad to best use the talent you were handed. If there were multiple ages, everyone learned to help the younger players compensate so they could join in, treating them with care and respect. If you were a teammate, you knew the importance of pulling your weight, and knowing what was expected of you.
It doesn’t take much to recognize that your kids will need all those skills as they enter the competitive culture in which we reside. Getting their attention away from the screens that confront them is difficult. The article, “Local Kids recommend phone and screen limits,” (The Nugget, April 23, page 6) was a refreshing reminder of how well kids can think and express themselves when given the opportunity. Many quotes from Ella Kaden and Riley Davis, elementary and middle school students, shared from a recent Screenager’s event brought home the fallacy that kids are unable
An accompanying article, “Families balance phones and screens with real life,” (The Nugget, April 23, page 7) gave practical suggestions and resources that parents can draw upon to aid in tackling the problem.
Bend-based advocacy group Well Wired is offering workshops to help: Healthy Tech Talk + ParentChild Workshop in Central Oregon. See www.well wired.org/events for dates.
Many kids will be eager and relish the opportunity to get outside. The older the kids, the more freedom they can experience. Many of us in the older age group can share stories of going far and wide on our own. I vividly remember walking with my brother across what is now Martin Luther King Boulevard in Portland, to Peninsula Park to swim, when I was 6. My brother would have been 8. No supervision, only directions to come straight home afterward. At 10 I rode the bus on my own to downtown Portland to the YWCA. That kind of freedom is no longer possible, so, how do we allow freedom to our budding teenagers? From about the age of 11, most kids will be eager to try something that’s risky. This is normal and desired. However, how to guide them and what are
All kids need some freedom, and the earlier we start to allow it the better. Just be sure you know your goal in allowing it, what your child is capable of handling, and that it’s age-appropriate. So, how do you get your couch potato kids out the door? Start with what they enjoy. Are they a sports enthusiast? Enroll them in programs offered by Sisters Parks & Recreation District (SPRD) and go watch and cheer. Make it a family event, not just something you sign them up for and drop them off.
Do they enjoy music? When one of my sons was 5, he announced, “I know what I want to do.” I discovered his interest in the violin. So, off we went to find a Suzuki program. Is he a musician today? No, but he thoroughly loves all kinds of music.
If your kids are of preschool-age, you know the value of planning playdates. Make those playdates at the park. If they are older, playdates are still important. Your help in organizing them may still be needed. Just keep in mind, arranging when and where does not require you to plan an event. Let them just get together and take it from there.
No matter the venue, just get outside and play!
Sisters firefighters contained a hazardous materials spill due to a faulty pump at the Tollgate pool facility.
PHOTO PROVIDED
CAMPING: Public’s tempers beginning to fray over issue
Deschutes National Forest. Law enforcement officers issue warning notices and violation citations when needed. A citation doesn’t necessarily result in removal,” was the response from Kaitlynn Webb, Public Affairs Officer for the Deschutes National Forest in Bend.
It is worth noting that Webb referred to the “rule” as a “stay limit.”
The Nugget pressed for more clarification, and Webb said, “A violation of the 14-day stay limit is an infraction and is not an arrestable offense. Our officers enforce rules and regulations within our authority across the forest.
“Addressing homelessness and houselessness in our communities is not within the purview or authority of the Forest Service, however we strive to be a good partner by coordinating with those who lead on these issues. The Deschutes National Forest has been collaborating with City and County partners to find community-driven solutions for unhoused individuals on public lands for several years. The Forest is focused on our priority work including forest restoration, fuels reduction, improving wildlife habitat, and providing recreation opportunities.”
In the Sisters Ranger District homeless campers have been kept “in sight,” close to where they can be observed and in the event of fire, response can be quick. Dispersing campers deeper into the woods could increase risk.
For years the area of choice for houseless campers was FS Road 100, also known as the spur road, that connects North Pine Street to Highway 20. This location was convenient for homeless to obtain food and services. But repeated complaints by nearby homeowners has seen a quiet effort by the Service and community support groups to close off the road by the installation
of massive boulders. (See The Nugget, April 16, 2025.)
An increased number of camps and RVs is more visible along Highway 20 and homeowners in Tollgate, Cascade Meadows Ranch, and Crossroads are finding more campers in view of their properties. It is unclear if this is seasonal in nature.
Following the devastating fires in California and the ensuing property insurance crisis in Sisters, town folk are becoming more outspoken about the 14-day “rule.”
Letters and calls to The Nugget are increasing and some are taking harsh tones. One, anonymous, was sufficiently threatening in nature that it was turned over to law enforcement.
Citizens have taken to social media to find ways of organizing their concerns, and a group is planning to meet with Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid to air concerns.
“This isn’t going to end well,” said Fred Joseph whose home abuts the forest. “There’s either going to be a catastrophic fire caused by one of these campers or somebody’s going to get into a shouting match and somebody’s going to get hurt.
“Look at that situation with the dogs, and we’ve had several near misses with burned out campers. But for our great fire department and the grace of God, the town could be gone already.”
Others have expressed worry that homeless leaving China Hat south of Bend will come to Sisters. China Hat Road on the edge of Bend has become synonymous with homelessness and conflict with surrounding neighborhoods in Deschutes County. In January, the Forest Service announced its plans to begin the Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project and the forced removal of unauthorized encampments that have been allowed to remain for years.
On the ground reports from the sheriff’s office, and those who work closely with the houseless population in Sisters show no evidence of displaced China Hat campers arriving in Sisters.
Long-term forest camping is frustrating locals.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
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102 Commercial Rentals
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
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103 Residential Rentals
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES
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CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
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104 Vacation Rentals
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205 Garage & Estate Sales
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203 Recreation Equipment
Inflatable, frameless pontoon boat. Search Dave Scadden's 2025 Raptor Lite Speed X5. Hardly used, length 9', width 54", diameter 16", easy to put together, take apart and put in the back of a car. $999. Bob 541-401-0723
Garage, yard, moving, and estate sales — Sisters loves ‘em all! Deadline is noon on Monday. Call 541-549-9941, email nugget@nuggetnes.com, or stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave.
— 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. Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions! Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806
Sharie 541-771-1150
301 Vehicles
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
MR FIXIT
Mobile mechanic Small engine, lawn equip., motorcycle/ATV, RV, boat. Veteran, reasonable rates, prompt service. Call 503-400-1369
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
Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist
Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638
Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912
4 Brothers Tree Service
Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! – TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.
– FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!
Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates ** Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342 4brostrees.com
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601 Construction
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SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC. General Contractor Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74 A “Hands-On” Builder Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016
To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523
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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
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Custom Homes • Additions
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CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
Earthwood Timber
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602 Plumbing & Electric
SWEENEY
PLUMBING, INC.
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• New Construction
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— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE
541-419-3148
A 63-year tradition for Sisters www.georges-septic-service.com
Ridgeline Electric, LLC
Serving all of Central Oregon
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603 Excavation & Trucking
ROBINSON & OWEN
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604 Heating & Cooling
ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
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605 Painting
EMPIRE PAINTING
Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining
CCB#180042 541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk
Interior/Exterior Painting Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327
peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491
~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks
CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com
606 Landscaping & Yard
Maintenance
– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.
CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462
All Landscaping Services
Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
Flow State Property Improvements LLC Spring landscape cleanups & debris removal, pine needle removal, bark and gravel refreshing.
Contact Steve at 541-316-9959 or email flowstatepi@gmail.com.
Alpine Landscape Maintenance
An All-Electric Landscape Company.
Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.com
Eastern Cascade Solutions
Landscaping & Construction
www.easterncascadesolutions. com • 541-233-7195
LCB #9958 • CCB #222039
STEVE'S HAULING Yard and other debris, landscaping services, chain saw work, etc. 707-328-8370
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
Mowing & Trimming, Fertilization, Yard Clean Up, Landscape Material Spreading www.meadowlarkviews.com 541-904-5506
J&E Landscaping Maintenance
LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com
607 Irrigation
Home/Commercial/Agriculture
New - Maintenance - Repair — licensed, bonded, insured — CCB#189719 • LCB#100529 LCP#16884 541-316-9259 rockspringsirr@gmail.com
701 Domestic Services
BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING!
Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897
I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC
Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051 PEACE
Professional Caregiving ADL's, PT, Post Surgery, Hospice, Respite Care
Serving Camp Sherman, Black Butte and Sisters 20+ yrs. exp. 503-998-9201 Live-In Possible The Nugget • 541-549-9941
704 Events & Event Services
Reservation for Quilt Show
Week. 7 night stay Hampton Inn, Bend. 2 Queen Beds, Breakfast, Microwave, Fridge. Free parking. In July 6. Out July 13. $1250. 818-624-7731/susanva@me.com
802 Help Wanted
Brand 33 at Aspen Lakes Golf Course
We’re hiring for the following positions: Sous chef/lead cook, line cook, prep cook, servers, beverage cart, dishwasher, day time bartender, golf course greenskeeper. Seasonal FT/PT. Competitive wages DOE. Email accounting@aspenlakes.com or call 541-549-1882
Part Time Sales Associate
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
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.
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.
SUDOKU Level: Difficult Answer: Page 13
Bill would speed renaming process for landmarks
By Mia Maldonado Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon lawmakers aim to speed up the process for renaming dozens of creeks, lakes, mountains, and other sites that still hold offensive names.
The Oregon Senate will soon take up House Bill 3532, which would have the Oregon Geographic Names Board — a group advised by the Oregon Historical Society — make a list of places with offensive geographic names within three years of the bill’s passage and determine new names in consultation with local governments and tribes.
Currently, anyone can send a suggestion to the board to rename a location. But it’s a lengthy process, Oregon Historical Society Kerry Tymchuk told the Oregon Capital Chronicle After receiving a renaming suggestion, the board must tour the area, study its history and connect with tribes, local elected officials, and landowners for their feedback, he said. Name changes ultimately require federal approval, too.
The Oregon Historical Society has already identified 107 locations across Oregon with offensive names that remain unchanged. Many of them include derogatory terms used to demean Black individuals, immigrants, and Native American women — such as Squaw Creek in Douglas County, Chinaman Hat in Josephine County, and Cannibal Mountain in Lincoln County.
The Oregon House already advanced the bill in a 45-3 vote. The Senate may approve the bill in the coming days or weeks before reaching the governor’s desk.
Oregon is no outlier for having locations with derogatory names. In recent years, lawmakers in Texas, Maine, and California have also tried passing legislation to rename places with offensive titles. These state-level efforts gained momentum after the Biden administration in 2021 created a commission to remove offensive names from federal lands and declared the word “squaw” derogatory. It replaced 650 locations with that term with names honoring Native American history and culture.
But under the Trump administration, some U.S. lawmakers have doubts as to whether the federal government would approve name changes. In February, a Democratic Maine lawmaker withdrew a bill similar to
Oregon’s, citing conflicting federal and local views, the Maine Morning Star reported.
The Maine lawmaker’s decision was based on President Donald Trump’s first day in office, when he issued an executive order overriding the U.S. Board of Geographic Names’ authority and called to rename the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” and revert the name of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, to Mount McKinley.
Denali means “the great one” in the Koyukon language, an Alaskan Native group that lives north of the peak. The federal government’s official name for it until 2015 was Mount McKinley — named after the country’s 25th President William McKinley who was from Ohio and had never visited or had ties to Alaska.
Oregon has taken steps to rename some of its geographic features with offensive titles. Most recently, the Oregon Geographic Names Board in September successfully led an effort to replace the names of two creeks that had racist terms used against Black individuals, The Oregonian reported.
Oregon’s House Bill 3532 builds on 2001 legislation led by then-Senator Kate Brown to remove the word “squaw” from location names. Despite that legislation, the term is still used for dozens of Oregon locations. Brown, Oregon’s governor from 2015 to 2023, testified in support of the bill, saying the state has a lot more work to do to remove offensive, racist, and derogatory names.
Indigenous women, like Rep. Tawna Sanchez, a Portland Democrat of Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo descent and the bill’s lead sponsor, said derogatory terms shouldn’t still exist on Oregon’s map.
“Renaming offensive locations in Oregon reflects our shared commitment to mutual respect, historical truth, and creating a welcoming environment for all Oregonians,” Sanchez said. “My hope is that no one has to drive in any wonderful part of the state of Oregon and feel like they don’t belong there.”
Sanchez told the Capital Chronicle that the federal government would still have to approve the renaming of places with offensive titles.
The bill includes an amendment to uplift local control, she said, but for a name change to be approved, it would have to go through the Oregon Geographic
Names Board. Then, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names makes the final call.
“Our hope is the federal government will act on the recommendation from the Oregon board that was made through a comprehensive process that reflects the will of Oregonians. Any result other than that would be pure politics,” Sanchez said.
The three Republicans who voted against the bill— Reps. Jami Cate of Lebanon, Virgle Osborne of Roseburg and Alek Skarlatos of Winston — did not explain their votes in the House and did not respond to the Capital Chronicle.
Rep. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, a cosponsor and member of the Snipe Clan of the Cayuga Nation, part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, told her House colleagues that from a young age she’s known about the derogatory terms used against her and her community.
“It was up to us to just ignore them and just ignore the pain and the suffering that those words had caused to my people and our family,” she said on the House floor. “To see those still plastered across maps, rivers, and street signs and now having my own children — I don’t want to continue that legacy of having them to just accept that that term is being used.”
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, courtesy https://oregoncapital chronicle.com/
Whychus Creek was renamed in 2006 because the name Squaw Creek was deemed a derogatory term. House Bill 3532 aims to speed the process of removing offensive titles from remaining sites.
PHOTO BY JULIA SHUMWAY/OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE
