The Nugget
Fiftieth quilt show lives up to billing
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
There was a lot of understandable hype surrounding the 50th anniversary edition of the Sister Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) that brings upwards of 10,000 visitors to Sisters the second Saturday of every July.
While the format has been consistent its entire existence, the expectations grow each year that the creativity and presentation will exceed the prior year’s exhibition. And so it was Saturday when the entirety of Sisters was transformed into a world class event drawing from nearly every state, and numerous foreign countries.
Dawn Boyd, SOQS executive director, summarized it with a note of glee.
Addressing homeless numbers in Sisters
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
In last week’s Nugget we reported on the perception of increased numbers of persons living in the forest around Sisters and an uptick in encounters between recreationalists and forest dwellers. As we reported, the Sisters Sheriff Station has seen no particular increase in either the numbers of houseless or criminal behavior, especially in the shopping center at the west end of town.
“What an unforgettable day at the 50th Annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show!” she said. “From the moment the sun rose over the Cascades, our town came alive with over 1,000 quilts dancing in the breeze and thousands of visitors filling the streets with joy, wonder, and connection. The energy was electric, from the powerful “Golden Memories” exhibits to the touching tributes to our founder, Jean Wells.
“Special exhibits by regional guilds and artists like Alex Anderson and Mari Wymore brought heart and
ODOT to close Sisters station
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Amid a statewide severe reduction in its 5,000 strong workforce, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) notified workers at the Sisters Maintenance Station that the yard will close July 31. Sisters roads will be maintained by the Bend Station which has a crew of only 11. The station at the Santiam Junction, crucial to winter driving, will not be extending its coverage into Sisters as it now stands.
The Nugget viewed an allstaff email, the Director of the ODOT Kris Strickler sent the morning of July 7.
“Today, 483 current ODOT employees will be notified that they will be laid off as of July 31,” Strickler wrote.
“Additionally, we are eliminating 449 vacant positions that we can’t afford to fill. In total, we are reducing our workforce by 932 positions. If the funding shortfall isn’t resolved, we will be forced to plan another round of layoffs early next year.”
The announcement, expected in some form by ODOT workers, arrived following the Legislature’s conclusion of work June 27 without passing a transportation funding package that was supposed to have been one of the session’s central achievements.
Supermajorities in both chambers would have allowed Democrats to pass a package of new taxes to augment agency funding without a single Republican vote, but
history to the celebration. Whether you were exploring the Golden Walk of Memories or simply soaking in the beauty all around, today was a stunning tribute to 50 years of creativity and community. Thank you to
everyone who made it possible; together, we honored our legacy and stitched the first threads of our next 50 years.” It began as always, just after daylight, when platoons
That is not to say such events do not occasionally happen, and when they do, they can be frightening to those who come up against an incident when hiking, biking, or riding their horse in local woods.
Over the last few months, the Forest Service has erected boulders and taken other
See HOMELESS on page 11
Three survive plane crash
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
The three occupants of a small Cessna airplane, that crashed shortly after takeoff northeast of Sisters Eagle Airport on Sunday morning, July 13, all survived the incident with relatively minor injuries.
The plane came to rest in a wooded area along Deer Ridge Road, where it caught fire. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reports that all three occupants managed to escape the aircraft before it became fully engulfed. Two men and one woman — all from out of the area — were transported to the hospital by Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District personnel. Deputy Chief Tim Craig reported that one male and one female were assessed to be in good condition; one male was assessed as being in fair condition.
The sheriff’s office noted that the incident showcased coordinated response from a variety of agencies. Deputies Jared Bearson and Tanor Steinbrecher were first on scene, quickly supported by Sergeant David Turkington and additional Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office personnel. Deputies secured the area and assisted the injured occupants until fire crews arrived.
Units from Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District and Cloverdale Fire District responded rapidly, along
A small plane crashed on Deer Ridge Road northeast of Sisters Eagle Airport on Sunday morning, July 13.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
The 50th Anniversary of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show drew thousands of fabric arts enthusiasts to Sisters from around the nation and the world.
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.
Reconsider restoration project
To the Editor:
Many of us living along Indian Ford Creek value the abundant flora and fauna that thrive in and along the riparian area during normal flows. The creek flows by our home off Deer Ridge Road. We hold a wildlife water right
allowing a small pond which supports many species. Reduced water flow in the creek, despite significantly higher snowpack than in recent years, may have been exacerbated by the upstream beaver dam project. The pond and stream are now completely dried up,
See LETTERS on page 6
Sisters Weather Forecast
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Don’t succumb to displacement delusion
By Bill Willitts Guest Columnist
Our homeless population is approaching 120 campsites and 200 citizens.
These campsites create a complex array of challenges impacting the individuals living within them and the surrounding community. Fire hazard, sanitation, and biohazards top the list. People living in campsites are vulnerable to violence, theft, and assault. Displacement is not a solution. Sweeping campsites without offering viable housing only shifts the burden to neighboring communities.
We have local governance that is effective, efficient, collaborative, and accountable. Our city has great management, an exceptional council and mayor. Our Forest Service has an excellent team, understands the challenges regarding homelessness on public lands, and has a full- time outreach ranger. Add to our credits a sheriff’s department and fire department that work in cooperation with the Forest Service. Our community is the beneficiary of a support network that effectively and efficiently serves its citizen.
The viable solutions to homelessness require a multi-faceted approach, that focuses on a housing first model, supportive services, and systemic changes around mental health and addiction. It won’t be easy, it won’t be quick, and much of what we try won’t work.
Approximately 60 percent of our homeless population work in our community, while more than 30% of the unemployed are experiencing mental health or substance abuse disorders. The stress and trauma of homelessness itself exacerbates declining mental health issues and substance use, creating an increasingly complex cycle.
Let’s assume local governance collectively supports a dislocation model and begins with those that
present the greatest risk. Because it’s highly challenging to force individuals to leave their camp without offering an alternative living space, we decide on a rotation system. On this day it will be the fire department backed by the sheriff’s department and Forest Service. A 65-year-old old mentally ill woman targeted to be relocated lives in the midst of an accumulation of trash and debris. She has no car and her trailer has a bad tire. A used tire is fitted; the fire department truck hooks her home to their pickup and the sheriff’s department places the woman in the back of the patrol car. The firefighter has instructions to pick a location somewhere more than 20 miles from Sisters. The sheriff and mentally ill woman will follow. To ease our shame she will be provided eight gallons of water, a week’s food supply, and a lawn chair. When relocations occur in winter the displaced person will receive a tank of propane.
The Forest Service waves farewell and begins to clean her site. The firefighter drives her past the food bank that provided her sustenance, the shower facility that provided hygiene, and the laundromat that provided complimentary weekly service. The sheriff’s officer follows, keeping an eye on the passenger. She is in anxiety and psychotic; she sees herself as being harmed by others and is losing control.
Once our firefighter selects the relocation site the trailer is backed into her new location. Water and food are delivered and the lawn chair is set in place. The sheriff removes the confused woman from the patrol car and assists her to her camp site. With a heavy heart the officer and the firefighter bid farewell. They experience firsthand that displacement is not a solution. They too experience anxiety and trauma.
Views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.
This month’s full moon setting over the Three Sisters.
PHOTO BY DALE GRIMSMAN
Buck Moon…
organization with a Silver Sparky Award last week.
Fire Corps earns Silver Sparky
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
While Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District firefighters and paramedics work to protect the community, a dedicated group of volunteers support them — and the community — through safety events, education programs, and more.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office last week recognized the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Corps with a Silver Sparky Award.
The Fire Corps, believed to be the largest outfit of its kind in the state, is a team of nearly 50 dedicated volunteers who have served the communities of Sisters and Camp Sherman with extraordinary energy and care since 2015.
In a news release, the State Fire Marshal stated
that, “The Fire Corps has set the standard for community risk reduction. Over the past year, they trained 171 people in lifesaving skills, completed 82 smoke alarm calls [installations], conducted 170 wildland home assessments, and supported firefighters during emergencies. They’ve reached hundreds through safety events, school programs, and holiday efforts, building a stronger, safer community every step of the way.”
“It means a lot,” said Beverly Halcon, who has led the Fire Corps almost from its inception. “It really means a lot. I didn’t know we were being nominated at all.”
Halcon feels a great passion for the work of the Fire Corps — and for the people who volunteer. In fact, her passion for the work is a
major aid in recruitment.
“People see the passion I have and they want to feel that, too,” she said. “It’s a fire family, and you just become part of it.”
Fire Chief Tony Prior expressed his appreciation to the State Fire Marshal’s Office for recognizing the exceptional work of the Fire Corps. The community outreach is important, and, he notes, with increasing call volumes, it would not be possible for the district’s firefighting and medical personnel to do that work.
“We are extremely excited for this,” he said, noting that it is remarkable to see so many volunteers “so passionate about giving back to the community. They want to do more, which is amazing. I don’t know
Stargazing in Sisters Country
Starshine, a local group of guides that put on summer camps, stargazing tours, and many more activities, held one of many stargazing events in the Sisters High School fields on Saturday, July 12. After a hot summer day at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, patrons were able to cool off while sitting and taking in the night sky in Sisters Country. Many attendees of the stargazing tour were here for the quilt show, including some from Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Germany.
Starshine was founded by naturalist Jennie Sharp
in 2019 to offer summer camp options for local kids. According to their website, “Jennie has had a variety of roles in education, from teaching outdoor field science to teaching core subjects like language arts and social studies in Oregon schools to guiding hikes for kids and adults in Yosemite National Park.” Starshine’s goal is to: ‘bring the magic of nature alive through outdoor adventures for kids & adults.” Liz Thaete, the guide for the Saturday gathering, is a testament to the passion and dedication of Starshine’s team. She moved to Sisters three years ago and has
Bringing true-life stories to the stage
What happens when you lose the very thing that defines you? This summer, a brand-new musical dares to explore that question with heart, humor, and harmony.
“Voiceless: A Musical” makes its world premiere in Bend July 24-August 3 (select dates) at Caldera High School Theatre. Audiences are invited on a moving, music-filled journey of resilience and rediscovery.
Inspired by true events, “Voiceless” follows Addy, a passionate entrepreneur and advocate for neurodiverse
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 541- 610-73 83
Alcoholics Anonymous
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meet ing, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 541- 54 8- 04 40 Saturday, 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transf iguration
Central Oregon Fly Tyer s Guild
For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@c otamtb.c om for info
Ci tizens4Communit y Communit y Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:3 0 a.m. Visit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for location
Council on Aging of Central Oregon
Senior Lunch In -person communit y dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs. 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters Communit y Church 541- 48 0-18 43
East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September-June), Stitchin’ Post All are welc ome. 541- 549- 60 61
Go Fi sh Fishing Group 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Sisters Communit y Church 541-771-2211
Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s)
2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Sisters Communit y Church Materials provided 541- 40 8- 8505
Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 541- 668 -1755
Living Well With Dementia Sister s
Care Partner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds 1-2:30 p.m. Sisters Librar y Communit y Room. 541- 58 8- 05 47
Mili tary Parent s of Sister s Meetings are held quarterly; please call 541-38 8- 9013
Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 549- 6469
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4t h Saturday, 10 a.m., meet ing by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158
Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church 541- 549- 6157
Sisters Area Woodworker s First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-18 97
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:3 0 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.
Sisters Caregi ver Support Group 3rd Wednesday., 10:3 0 a.m., Sisters Episcopal Church. 503- 616- 8712
Sisters Cribbage Club Meets 11 a.m. ever y Wed. at SPRD 50 9- 947- 5744
Sisters Garden Club For mont hly meetings visit: SistersGardenClu b.com.
Sisters Habitat for Humani ty Board of Director s 4t h Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Location information: 541- 549-1193
Sisters Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SPRD in Sisters. 541- 632- 3663
Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sister s Elementary School Commons. 917-219- 8298
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-76 0- 5645
Sisters Veterans no -host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welc ome, 541-241- 6563
Sisters Trails Alliance Board Meetings take place ever y other month, 5 p.m. In -person or zoom. Cont act: info@sisterstrails.org
Three Sister s Irrigation District Board of Director s Meets 2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSID Of fice 541- 903- 4050
Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday 6:30 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 541- 419-1279
VF W Post 8138 and American Legion Po st 86 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Pine Meadow Village Clubhouse, 59 6 W Jefferson Ave. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School
Board of Director s 2nd Tuesday, 9 a.m. Black Butte School. 541- 59 5- 6203
Sisters School District Board of Directors One Wednesday mont hly, Sisters School District Administration Building. See schedule at www.ssd 6. org. 541- 549- 8521 x5 002.
voices, who suddenly loses her own. As she grapples with the silence brought on by a rare vocal condition, her journey unfolds into one of unexpected healing, connection, and transformation.
The show is the brainchild of Bend-based composer and vocal coach Deena Kamm and award-winning comedy writer Anne Fenn, whose personal battle with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) inspired the storyline. Together, they’ve
CITY & PARKS
Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall 541- 549- 6022
Sisters Park & Recreation District
Board of Director s 2nd & 4t h Tues., 4 p.m., Coff ield Center 541- 549-20 91 Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall 541- 549- 6022
FIRE & POLICE
Black Bu tt e Ranch Po lice Dept Board of Director s Meets mont hly. 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date
Black Bu tt e Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BB R Fire Station. 541- 59 5-2288 Cloverdale RFPD
Board of Director s 3rd Wed. 5:30 p.m., 6743 3 Cloverdale Rd. 541- 54 8- 4815 cloverdalefire.c om
Sister s- Camp Sherman RFPD
Board of Director s 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541- 549- 0771
Sister s- Camp Sherman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 541- 549- 0771
PHOTO PROVIDED
Beverly Halcon, center, leads the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District’s Fire Corps, a group of volunteers who provide an extraordinary range of support services to the district and the Sisters community. The State Fire Marshal’s Office honored the
By Ceili Gatley Correspondent
Quilters’ love affair with Sisters
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
“You can’t just do this anywhere,” said Myra Paulson, from Wisconsin, an attendee at Quilter’s Affair, the weeklong education and creativity event held annually in Sisters and produced by Stitchin’ Post. “You’re not going to get 1,000-plus quilters to lay down this kind of money without all that you’ve got in a town like Sisters. Lots of places with classroom space. Lots of places with nice weather. But only a handful or two of places with this kind of quilting tradition and a town that’s compact, easy to get around and be adored by all its citizens.”
Loraine Iverson, from North Carolina agreed: “And absolutely nowhere in quilt world, no matter how great the teachers or location, is the week going to end with a thousand quilts on display!”
That was the resounding mood of the 1,300 plus quilters who signed up for a selection of some 86 workshops, many taught by the most admired, respected names in quilting and fabric art. Thirty instructors in all from as far away as Egypt.
Classes were limited to 20, giving students plenty of access to teachers. Enrollees came from around the globe including the UK and Portugal for five days of “serious fun.”
And a fine time they had at being seriously attentive to their instructors every word
to raucous conversation and merry making all over town to the delight of shopkeepers, eateries, and watering holes.
There wasn’t a room to be found any closer than Bend. Dining lines were long, and stores were full of shoppers and souvenir hunters.
Attendees each got a Shopper’s Passport created by Sisters Rotary Club Foundation and SBA (Sisters Business Association) to promote shopping with discounts or special offers by participating merchants. Shoppers who filled their passport were eligible for a drawing to win a quilt.
“Is there anybody in Sisters not part of this thing?” asked Madeline Quentin of Massachusetts who marveled at the long lineup of volunteers and support groups who help make the event run smoothly.
A number utilize the event to fundraise like PEO (Philanthropic Education Organization), who run the Marguerite Café at Sisters High School, where Affair is held.
Inside the classrooms, quilters from beginners to expert got hands on, from the basics to getting their hands dirty with offerings like Hand Painted Fabric with Natural Dyes to Barn Quilt Painting.
But it wasn’t all learning. It was a week packed with all things quilting. That included Wish Upon A Card Fabric Postcards silent auction and card sales. And the Sisters Garden Club Garden Party held Thursday, July
10, where 20 quilts were on display and accompanied by several artisans offering a range of handcrafted works.
Out at Black Butte Ranch a mini-quilt show was held on Friday, July 11, followed by Art at the Ranch with plein air painters. The Ranch is home to Peggy’s Pin Pals Quilting Group.
Makin’ It Local on West Cascade featured three artist receptions and a handful of events to coincide with Quilter’s Affair.
It was difficult to escape the goings and comings and economic impact of the event.
The entire week was accompanied by outstanding weather with bright sun, moderate temperatures, and light breezes.
“Oh, darling, you don’t know how grand this is. I’d like to bottle up this weather and take it back to Texas,” remarked Carol Alexander from Fort Worth as she strolled the garden grounds. “Can’t we just move here,” teased her companion Daria Wilcox. “Y’all are the nicest people, and we just love your little town to bits.”
The welcome mat was out across town. Suddenly every local was an instant goodwill ambassador and purveyor of insider information.
During breaks and into the evenings, quilters exchanged notes and impressions. New, fast friendships were formed with promises to stay in touch upon returning home. Along with pledges to return next year.
Ruth Palmer of Sisters Garden Club welcomes 300 plus visits to the Garden Party at Carol Zosel’s ranch.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Quilters at work in Quilter’s Affair classes. The week-long program produced by Stitchin’ Post precedes the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Poverty in the rearview mirror
By Jackleen de La Harpe Columnist
As a girl growing up in the 1960s, I was keenly aware of the princess life of Jacqueline Kennedy. It was the things she wore — empire-waist gowns with a bow just beneath her demure breasts, gloves above the elbow, dresses that were never dirty, no hint of rickrack to cover a hem that had been “let down.”
In my room, I would draw clothes for paper dolls, evening gowns shaded with color pencils, dresses I hoped I might wear when I grew up. I wished for other things, too. A washing machine instead of the laundromat, an indoor toilet, a car that didn’t break down on isolated country roads.
My family—four siblings, my stepfather and mother—lived in a rundown house in rural Washington State, 50 miles north and a world away from Seattle. The house was at the end of a rutted dirt road that cut through fields and a neglected orchard. The floors were covered with thin, grimy linoleum, worn in places to the subflooring. We survived with milk from our cow, a garden one summer, and, sometimes, food stamps. A free-standing oil stove barely heated the house. Our drinking water was pumped directly from a well without filtration. My mother was pregnant with her sixth child.
Living in the country was
cheap, but it also meant that my stepfather was at a disadvantage for finding work. As a result, there was a very real danger of sliding into homelessness. Poverty can mean going without basics, like food. It can also be a catalyst for other hardships. My mother’s pregnancy was difficult and she raged at us, her children, her husband. There were fistfights in the kitchen when my brother stepped in to protect my mother. There were men who were interested in my older sisters who eventually landed in foster care. My own lessons in sexuality began as a 10-year-old when a family friend came into my room at night to “tuck me in.”
How was it, then, that I was able to move “up” to a middle-class life? I sometimes tell myself that I did it with hard work and focus. But that’s only part of the story.
We moved to Seattle when I was 10, to a neighborhood that allowed me to attend Nathan Eckstein Junior High and Roosevelt High School, two of the best public schools in Seattle at the time. I paid attention to how middle-class and uppermiddle-class kids lived. My free education was paid for with taxes. We were still poor, but because we lived in a city, I could earn my own money. I started babysitting at 11 and from then until I left home, paid for my own school supplies, shoes, winter coats.
Throughout junior high
and high school, I babysat and cleaned houses to earn money. I got my first job at McDonalds when I was 16. The moment I graduated at 17, I left home, rented a room in an apartment with women I didn’t know, and earned my way. I enrolled in community college, supported by state funding, then a state school, Western Washington University, and worked my way through school. While I didn’t finish my degree until I was 26, I also graduated with a total of $5,000 debt. Not one cent came from my family. They didn’t have it to give.
As a college student, I was able to sign up for basic and low cost health care. I had access to inexpensive birth control and basic gynecological care. And, because I was healthy and could delay or avoid childbirth, my own life unfolded as I took risks, tried new things, made mistakes and continued my studies.
I crewed on a boat, sailing the Inside Passage for Juneau, worked as a cook in the Aleutian Islands, drove across the U.S three times, and learned how to camp and
hike and ski, the commonplace experiences of a middle-class kid—my own sons, for example. Truthfully, I had a lot of catching up to do in my 20s. I married in my 30s, had my first son at 32, and my second son at 35. My first professional job came with rights fought for and secured by the Providence Newspaper Guild. My next job, at a university, was protected by the AFSCME union and included maternity leave. I took unpaid leave and used all my vacation time to stay home for three months as a new mother. My job was held for me. I was able to retain health insurance for our family, including my husband, who was self-employed. Affordable education, living wage jobs, health care that didn’t bankrupt me— those safeguards for my life were put into place by people whom I had never met. People who advocated for workers’ rights, the humanity of basic health care, the vision and importance of making higher education affordable to all people who want it. That is what
saved me.
As a result, I have worked at jobs that engaged my mind and spirit and, I hope, made our country a better place. I raised two wonderful sons and have been a good neighbor. When I retired, I had enough: my union negotiated mandatory savings that were matched beginning when I was 32. I worked hard, but I couldn’t have done it on my own. For much of my life, I have been ashamed of growing up poor, as if it would always describe me. I was one of those kids, showing up to school with holes in my socks and shoes, no gloves, wet because I didn’t have a jacket. My fingernails were often lined with dirt. I was thin and shy.
I can see how people who succeed often start from a place of success. And I see, too, that poverty is treated as if it were something deserved. I have stumbled many times in my life. Yet there were so many ways that I was protected by social safeguards, given a hand. I would say, I was a good investment. I would say, who isn’t?
leaving dozens of dead redband trout, crawdads and other species around its shoreline. The great blue herons and other waterfowl have departed with the drop in water levels, as have the river otters that lived here during normal flows. Even the Red-winged blackbirds are abandoning the nests they built in the adjacent wetlands as those wetlands have dried up.
This latest Forest Service restoration proposal calls for filling in the two main existing stream channels in an attempt to create, or recreate, a fen, bringing in heavy equipment and 2,000 tons (150-200 dump truck loads) of gravel to complete the project. This damming of the creek will undoubtedly cause considerable impact on the environment. Just how much impact and at what cost can be expected is not information available to us, as the Forest Service has chosen not to do an EA (Environmental Assessment) or an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement). It has been challenging to get answers to our questions; even key staff acknowledge the fact that there are many unknowns about the project and expected outcomes. We recently met with USFS staff, and were impressed with their professionalism and openness. However, while they acknowledge that some questions about the project remain unanswered, they have confirmed that once the filling and damming are completed, the project will be irreversible.
Indian Ford Creek is a small creek with extremely limited cfs (cubic feet per second water flow). The project could add as many as 38 more acres that will be subject to evaporation and absorption. The purpose of damming existing deeper channels, we were told; is to encourage dispersal of available water in a shallow layer across the meadow. Even if some of that water eventually made its way back into Indian Ford Creek downstream of the project
area (staff were not able to say how long this might take) the water temperature would surely be increased with significant impact upon aquatic life. And the loss of even a fraction of a cfs from tiny Indian Ford Creek would have adverse effects downstream.
This project purports to “improve” the USFS property by turning a dried-up swamp into a fen. But at what cost? The USFS should reconsider this project, taking into account downstream impact. At a minimum the USFS should do an EA and an EIS on a project of this magnitude. In the meantime, the period for comments should be extended. This would allow more people to study the issues while staff continues to find answers to questions even they have regarding expected outcomes of the project.
Comments are officially due by Wednesday, July 16 and can be sent to comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-sisters@usda.gov.
We encourage you to contact Lauren DuRocher, environmental cordinator, by email at lauren.durocher@usda.gov or by phone at 541-316-9686 to request an extension to the comment period.
Suzanne Pepin and Bruce Mason s s s
To the Editor:
Roundabout
I’m writing today as a concerned and engaged citizen who believes strongly that the people of Sisters deserve a say in what piece of art is chosen for the roundabout.
This is not just a decorative decision — it’s a highly visible, permanent representation of our town’s identity. For something so prominent and meaningful, it simply doesn’t make sense that only a few council members have the final say. Especially when our community has gone to such great lengths in the past to encourage public input on important decisions.
If the funds are available and the desire for community involvement is already clear, why not
let the people vote? A public vote would not only honor the spirit of collaboration that makes Sisters special, but it would also ensure that whatever artwork is chosen truly reflects the values and character of our town.
Let’s not miss this opportunity to lead with transparency and community pride.
Cary Kiefer s s s
To the Editor:
I’m writing to you with an outsider/insider perspective. What I mean by this is that I do not live in the city of Sisters (much as I’d love to), I live and work in Portland (I m a nurse at OHSU), but I spend a great deal of time in your city and have for decades. I grew up in a large family on the west side of the Cascades in Hillsboro, and have been spending time in the Camp Sherman, Black Butte, Sisters, and Bend areas since my youth. Currently, half of my siblings live in Central Oregon, and I have family members who are business owners in Sisters. Every year my sisters and I gather and work in Sisters during rodeo weekend (yeah, it’s crazy!). We are nonstop the entire weekend between work, going to the rodeo, and gathering as family.
I’ve been watching the process, as you all try to decide on what type of installation should adorn the center of the newest roundabout on Highway 20 and Locust Street. And for what it is worth, I’d like to give my perspective: The three events that Sisters has become known for, and that generate millions of dollars of revenue for the city and businesses, are the Sisters Rodeo (The Biggest Little Show in the world since 1940), the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, and the Sisters Folk Festival (where All The Town’s A Stage). So many people have come to associate Sisters with these events. Family and friends gather at these events in tradition and the western/craft/folk themes are important to
Workshop focuses on local transit fares and fire hardening code
By Susan Cobb Correspondent
Cascade East Transit (CET) is finalizing the processes and rates of fares for regular bus routes that will be paid by riders using designated cards and/or phone applications. There used to be bus fares but they were halted starting the 2020 pandemic.
In the City Council workshop of July 9, CET Director Bob Townsend shared the progress made to improve the public transit system overall. Townsend explained the new routes and times, remarked on the June 30 soft opening of the new bus stop at Sisters Gateway Park and Transportation Hub, discussed the proposed (not final) fare system and rates, exceptions to payment or for lower rates, public engagement and an educational roll out once the fares are determined. He added there will also be enhanced userfriendly access via a phone application to routes, fares, and times, and where a bus is on a route.
Townsend talked about the concerns over funding relative the recent legislation on transportation and added that currently, CET has an operating budget of $30 million. The estimated revenues from the proposed fares comes to $1.5 million. CET board will be voting on the fares in their August 7 meeting.
He engaged with councilors queries relative to adding
recreational or event transit to and from Sisters, and said he would look into those ideas, including discounting round trip fares. He will recommend the Pacific Crest Transit stop in Sisters rather than in Bend so that CET could provide the leg from Sisters to Bend. This would ensure the two transit systems are not getting into the others’ district. Video of the presentation may be found at https://www.ci.sisters.or.us/ meetings/recent.
The second topic of the workshop was a presentation and discussion relative to municipal code changes for building hardening. Principal Planner Matthew Martin noted that building hardening is basically products and construction methods which reduce the likelihood that a structure would ignite from a nearby fire. Martin shared Sisters’ municipal code currently includes roofing materials (prohibits wood shakes or shingles) and adopts Oregon’s building code.
Martin laid out the current legislative situation:
• The 2021 Senate Bill 762 helped Oregon modernize and improve wildfire preparedness. A request to Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) was directed to adopt fire hardening building code standards. These would be applicable to new residential dwellings and accessory structures
• These new standards were codified in Residential (R) 327 to incorporate certain materials and structural
methods for roofing, ventilation, exterior walls, decks, etc.
• SB762 included a requirement for Wildfire Hazard Maps and these were related to R327 standards. Senate Bill 83 was passed to repeal the maps and is on Governor Kotek’s desk for signature
• SB83 also requested the BCD to create a process for municipalities to adopt the new building hardening standards currently in R327 in the absence of the maps. This is pending signature of SB83
• The BCD estimates R327 will increase costs above current construction standards and practices by approximately two to 11 percent, depending on the duration, complexity, and size of the development project.
Deschutes Assistant Building Official Krista Appleby shared that by October 1, the BCD plans to have completed the draft language for the adoption process for municipalities with listed exceptions to new development. Then adopting cities will not be able to pick and choose standards. “It’s all or nothing on state code,” said Appleby. She added the intent by BCD is to create an easy process for cities to adopt R327 building harden ing codes.
applies to new residential development and not to com mercial buildings. Councilor Gary Ross wondered about new mixed-use construction
(residential above and commercial below) and how that would be addressed. Appleby replied that the R327 standards will not apply to the commercial portion of the structure and to have it apply to commercial structures would require the city to further update their development code.
Martin stated staff would make progress to place the new language from R327 into the municipal code, so that when the process to adopt is finalized by BCD, staff can move quickly to get it before council.
Councilor Cheryl Pellerin
wondered about home improvements in existing properties, like getting a new roof and replacing the vents with the safer 1/8-inch grids which is currently not the standard. Martin replied that it could be addressed in public education efforts, but would not be in the development code changes.
Mayor Letz added a timing consideration, “good to get it done before Urban Growth Boundary is complete and annexations begin.”
The City does not want development to begin without the new fire hardening standards.
ODOT:
Democratic leaders failed to find enough support to pass any of the three versions of the bill that lawmakers considered in the session’s final week.
ODOT employs nearly 5,000 employees. Those set to lose their jobs are mostly in the agency’s maintenance, operations and headquarters staffs. Governor Tina Kotek is distressed by the job losses. Republicans, who opposed the tax increases Democrats proposed, are saying that they are in no mood for the special session Kotek is floating.
Kotek, Strickler’s boss, followed the Monday morning email with a message of her own.
“Consequences to essential transportation services are imminent across the state. This is not business as usual,” Kotek said.
“These layoffs constitute an emergency in Oregon’s transportation system that will hurt every part of Oregon. While we sharpened our pencils to temper the pace of layoffs from one wave into two, there will not be enough workers to provide the level of response Oregonians rely on, whether it’s filling a pothole or clearing safe passage for evacuation when a fire strikes.
“This emergency was preventable, and we still have time to intervene. I have not and will not stop fighting for Oregonians who rely on us to keep our roads safe and people and products moving. Come winter, without a shared commitment to solve this crisis from partners and lawmakers, Oregonians will be left out in the cold — literally.”
Locally, affected workers tell The Nugget that they have met with their union representative. All line workers at ODOT are represented by SEIU (Service Employees International Union) even though few are actual members.
The issue, still not clear to workers, is the system and procedure for holding onto their job by transfer. It’s a complex set of rules, not entirely fully developed, which could see a worker in Sisters, depending on years of service, having to take a job in Klamath Falls or Lakeview if they want to maintain ODOT employment.
Beyond Sisters, stations closing are in Estacada, Sweet Home, Rose Lodge, Veneta, Detroit, Drawbridge Station, Canyonville, Port Orford, Silver Lake, Mitchell, and Condon.
Of greatest concern in Sisters Country is snow
and ice removal. As winter approaches, local motorists can expect slower and less frequent plowing and treatment, particularly in rural and mountainous areas and their passes where fewer staff will have to cover more miles of roadway.
Deicing treatments will be scaled back, increasing the risk of icy roads and dangerous driving conditions. With fewer crews and limited resources, ODOT will reduce or delay essential tasks like pothole repairs, pavement maintenance, and road striping.
Vegetation management, including brush clearing and fire prevention work, will also be scaled back, increasing wildfire risk and reducing visibility along roads. Roadside litter pickup, striping, and signage replacement will occur less frequently, as will graffiti and camp cleanups, leading to a visible decline along state highways across the state.
Workers at the Sisters yard knew cuts and reallocations were likely coming but were nonetheless stunned by the sudden turn of events. ODOT needs to cut $354 million from State Highway funded operations and maintenance in the 2025–27 budget. This gap can’t be filled by minor cuts or belt-tightening; federal or other dedicated state funds cannot be used to fill the shortfall.
The Nugget has reached out to ODOT officials and
state representative Emerson Levy and state senator Anthony Broadman.
Broadman represents District 27 which includes Sisters, Bend, Black Butte Ranch, Eagle Crest, Tumalo, and most of Deschutes County. When asked what it would take to reverse the decision, he replied: “The Governor needs to call us back into session and both Republicans and Democrats need to address this for what’s really at stake. This is not about transportation. This is about safety. This is about first responders being able to get to the scene, transporting victims, about kids getting to school safely. It’s about truckers delivering critical goods and medical supplies.”
By Monday, no progress had been reported either by the union nor the governor who is working on a plan for a special session before Labor Day that could include a six-cent gas tax hike combined with other unspecified vehicle registration or other fee increases.
Some Republicans proposed cuts to the ODOT budget during the regular session making it unlikely they will join a special session.
Any new tax increase proposed by Kotek takes a threefifths supermajority in both chambers to pass, exactly the number of Democratic members. It is not certain if Democrats would be willing to vote for a compromise deal.
SPARKY: Fire Corps is large and active in Sisters
where they get their energy.”
Chief Prior also saluted his predecessor, Chief Roger Johnson, “for getting this program started when he did.”
The Sparky Awards have
been given annually since 1977. The Golden Sparky recognizes a fire service member or fire agency and the Silver Sparky recognizes a civilian or a civilian agency. This is the highest state fire service honor given by the Oregon State Fire Marshal. To see past award recipients and their work, check out the State Fire Marshal’s Sparky Award webpage.
enjoyed taking in the Central Oregon night skies.
“I am from coastal towns along California, and it’s so nice to have these big, open, clear skies almost every night here in Central Oregon,” she said.
Thaete works with Starshine as a stargazing guide, hiking guide, and more. She has always had a passion for science and learning.
“My background is in environmental science, education, and research, specifically in animal diversity and ecosystems,” she said.
Per their website bio on Thaete, “When not teaching throughout Central Oregon school districts, you can find Liz climbing, reading, or obsessing over her beloved San Diego Padres. Throughout her fifteen-plus years of experience as an animal care specialist and educator, Liz’s original childhood zeal for our natural world has remained an energizing force in all she does. It is a passion she hopes to pass on to the participants of Starshine programs.”
When she moved to Sisters, she connected with Sharp and Starshine, and was trained in stargazing and astronomy. Thaete has learned all she can about the Central Oregon night sky and what is visible based on the time of year, and guides patrons on a stargazing journey.
This summer alone, Starshine is doing over 45 stargazing tours. They are doing it to celebrate Sisters being awarded the International Dark Sky designation by DarkSky International (you can read more about that designation at https://www.nuggetnews.
com/story/2025/01/22/news/ sisters-earns-dark-skiesdesignation/37326.html).
DarkSky International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating about and protecting nocturnal animals from light pollution. Having little light pollution also allows for prime night sky and star viewing in Sisters Country.
The guided tour is not a one-way lecture, but an interactive experience. It includes a sky map based on what is visible at the time of year you are viewing. They use sky maps from www. skymaps.com, which patrons can take home with them.
Thaete sets up a telescope to view a planet, which on Saturday was Mars. She began the tour with a folktale about how the stars were placed in the sky, called “Why Coyote Howls,” told by Lynn Moroney. It highlights the story of how the stars were placed into the sky and the pictures that animals made to create what we know
stars and the night sky, including the orientation of the stars over us, how the Earth turns on its axis affects what we see each night, celestial degrees, and what constellations are where in the sky. During the summer, what was visible on Saturday and highlighted was the summer triangle, which includes the stars Vega, Altair, and Deneb. She can highlight the stars we know well, such as the north star, or “Polaris,” which is a star that is always in our night sky because it’s connected to our celestial pole.
Thaete spoke about the makeup of stars, how they emit light, what material they’re made of, and their story. Each constellation is a picture of stars put together, and the light emitted by
the stars can be up to 2,000 years old.
“This stuff makes my brain hurt, but I love it,” said Thaete.
That sentiment was echoed throughout the group at the event, learning about the night sky that is so much bigger than us and light years away.
Starshine is putting on a Dark Sky Party on Friday,
July 25, a free public event to celebrate Sisters’ dark sky designation.
“We are working with the Sisters Astronomy Club, and they have been great. We have been trying to lift each other and work together,” said Thaete. Register for that event and other stargazing tours at www.starshine-theater.com/ sisters-stargazing.
Thaete then breaks into some of the science of the
Stargazers enjoyed a perfect evening for the activity last weekend.
PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY
SISTERS LIBRARY EVENTS
Summer with the Librar y: Professor Universe: A Comedic Science Show: Friday, Aug . 1, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Science concepts presented in fun and interactive performances . In “Found in the Stars” kids will learn how gravity, matter, and stars are connected; how stars are born and become black holes; and how light is made of photons , changes color with energy, and includes invisible “colors” that exist beyond the rainbow. Suggested ages 6+, and all children must be accompanied by a caregiver
Transitions: Knowing when it’s time for inhome health care & higher care. A free s ession for care par tners asking: “Is it time for more support?” pres ented by Living Well
With Dementia S isters on urs day, July 24, 2025, 10:30–11:30 a .m. at Sisters Library. Please R SVP at www.lwwds .com, debbi@ lw wds.com, or 541-5880547.
Camp Kinder! Camptheme d activities , crafts, and games to support learning . urs day, July 24, 1:30 p.m.
rive Central Oregon Drop-In Consultations: Drop-in s ocial ser vices assistance that connects you with resources. Fridays , 10 a .m. - 1 p.m
Online: Find dozens of stor y times and other fun programs for kids, available 24/7 on the librar y YouTube channel: dpl.pub/storytime. Watercolor Pet
Portraits: Celebrate your p et by creating fun watercolor por traits. C ats, dogs, chickens, or even a horse will work! Bring a headshot photo to work from (a close up of the animal’s head and shoulders only). If you don’t have a p et , find one on the internet that sparks your intere st! Beginners welcome! Tuesday, July 29, 1–2:30 p.m
Sisters Downtown Walking Tours
ree Sisters Historical Society ’s walking tour will be held Sunday, July 20, f rom 10 to 11 a .m. is event is f ree, family-friendly, and docent-led . Ticket s are required and available exclusively on the Eventbrite website. Go to Eventbrite.com, for location choose “Sisters,” for event choose “ ree Sisters Historical Societ y.” Donations are always welcome. Learn about the histor y of the buildings , and the businesses and people that inhabited them.
A NNOUNCEMENT S
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHT
Thursday, July 17
Camp Polk Pioneer Cemeter y Tour
Saturday, July 19 Circle of Friends
Sunday, July 20 ree Sisters Historical Walking Tour Mondays Community Meditation
Camp Polk Pioneer Cemeter y Tour
One-hour tour begins with a brief histor y and focuses on key ancestors who helped bridge pioneer travel bet ween the Willamet te Valley and Prineville, settling in the Sisters area . Join a tour online at www.Eventbrite com , Camp Polk Cemeter y Tour, leave phone number in case of cancellation, ursdays , July 17, August 21, 10:30 a .m. Free.
Living Well With Dementia Sisters Suppor t Groups
Living Well now o ers t wo support groups . A support group for the care partners and f amily of those diagnosed with some form of dementia meet s on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Sisters Library Communit y Room. A support group for the person diagnosed with some form of dementia in the early stages meets the same days and times , also at Sisters Librar y. For more information call 541-588-0547.
Honey Bees & Brews
Plea se join us for our monthly social gathering at e Barn on ursday, July 24, at 5 p.m. All beekeepers and wanabees welcome. Contact Clyde for more information at 458-2068470
Family Fun Bingo Night
Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Family Fun Bingo Night on Friday, July 25. Support the local community and get to know your neighbors! Summer menu features pulled pork sandwiches and veggie wrap meal deal options beginning at 5 p.m. Games begin at 5:30 p.m. $20 packet includes three cards for each of 10 games and one additional card for the blackout game. Prizes of cash and local merchant gif t cards awarded at the end of each game. Win-Win Ra e option ticket s $2 each or 6 for $10 . Ra e proceeds will be split half for the winner and half for Youth Build! Fun for all ages!
Circle of Friends"Changing Futures" Sat, July 19, Circle of Friends will have its yearly "Changing Futures" fundraiser at the Sisters Art Work s Venue. Live/silent auctions , delicious food by Luckey's Woodsman, entertainment by the Kristi Kinsey band . More information and how to purchase tickets visit the website: www circleo riendsoregon.org.
10 0+ Women Who Care-Sisters
10 0+ Women Who CareSisters is delighte d to announce that it has added a “+” to its name! Having topped 100 memberships , the group is actively recruiting women to join and support that beautif ul “+ ” 100WWC pools donations to f und local nonprofits nominated by its members
More than $51, 00 0 has been donated since the group’s founding in March 2024. ere is no membership fee, but one must be a member to attend the quar terly meetings . For more information or a membership application, email 100wwc. Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912- 0750
Sisters Garden Journal
Sisters Garden Club has Garden Journals that are available for $15 at Paulina Springs Books , e Gallimauf ry, and Metamorphosis Day Spa here in Sisters. e multiyear journal includes pages for notes on weather, monthly garden activities , plant details , and more. Sale s support the Garden Club and other local nonprofits. Get your copy now. ey make great gif ts . Please c all 971-246040 4 to ask questions and find more information
High Deser t Garden Tour
On Saturday, July 19th, come to the 30th Annual High Deser t Garden Tour, presented by OSU E xtension Ser vice and OSU Master Gardeners . is is a self-guided tour of six beautiful gardens in the Bend area. is year’s tour features a wide variet y of garden styles, including a cut flower f arm, waterwise landscaping , and a communit y garden. Ticket s are $15 and children under 18 are free. Call 541-548-6088 for more information.
Community Grants
Prog ram Accepting Applications e Cit y of Sisters is seeking to award grants to nonprofit communit y groups and other entities that meet the grant criteria for the 2025/26 fiscal year. e cit y will award up to $30, 00 0 in grants for Sisters community project s. Interested organiz ations should submit a Communit y Grant application and letter of interest by July 31, 2025 , attention Rebecca Green, Cit y Recorder. Applications are available on our website: https://www ci.sisters .or.us/administration/ page/community-grants. For information contact Rebecca Green at 541-323-520 6 or recorder@ci.sisters.or.us.
Open Studio at PMRCA A Wednesday, July 30, 4 - 6 p.m.
Open Studio of the 2025 residenc y season at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture! Presenters for this event include Interdisciplinary Artist Jazmyn Crosby, Multidis ciplinar y Artist Barbara Holmes , Multidisciplinar y Artist Scott Kildall, and Multimedia Artist Ket zia Schoneberg. is event is free 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, 68467 ree Creek s Rd, Sisters , OR 97759 Weekly Community Meditation: Mondays 5:30 -6:30 p.m. – No charge. Ten minutes of stretching and breathwork will be followed by one 20-minute guided meditation session and one 25-minute silent session. I nspire Dance and Fitness Studio, 592 N . Sisters Park Court, Suite B . For questions , please contact Bonnie Rose 5 41-306 -3320.
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 . Located at 412 E . Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get
CALLIE
Callie came to HSCO with her litter of kittens . After spending time in one of our wonderf ul foster homes, her kittens were ready to find their own homes . Callie is now ready to find a home of her own. She will need time to settle in. Introductions should be taken slowly and patiently as she adjusts to her new home. If you are looking for a sweet cat to add to your family come by and ask to meet Callie!
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.
Mass Wellhouse Churc h 442 Trinit y Way • 541-549-4184 ht tps://wellhousechurch.churchcenter.com 10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters data analyst warns of Sisters wildfire
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Dan Neal who lives in Sisters earned a Master of Science in applied science and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Syracuse University. He is Director of Analytics Engineering at Abre, a K-12 modern data solution firm.
He has studied wildfire in Central Oregon from the years 2017 through 2022 and is updating his work to include 2023 and 2024. In a comprehensive report shared with the Sisters District Ranger Office Neal says: “Over the past five years there has been a significant increase in the number of homeless encampments on National Forest lands in Central Oregon. These encampments come with a significant number of consequences, including increased crime rates, environmental damage, and inevitable conflicts between individuals recreating in the forest and those who are living in it.
“Perhaps the greatest risk is the increased likelihood of human-caused wildfire that will cause millions of dollars in damage to public and private property, with a high potential for loss of life.”
To better understand existing risk levels and changes that have occurred over the past five years, the Concerned Citizens Coalition of Sisters, of which Neal is a member, used publicly available data from the U.S. government to analyze trends in fire risk over time. Included in his report is data for every reported fire in Deschutes County that occurred on NF lands between 2017 and 2022, the most recent year for which data was available. Analyses compared the three-year period of 20172018 and 2020-2022, consistent with the fact that the COVID pandemic of 2020 was when the recent increase in homelessness began.
“The three-year counts fires that occurred within five miles of Bend, La Pine, and Sisters from 2017-2019 to 2020-2022. Near Sisters the number of fires increased from 16 to 26 within each three-year period, an increase of 62.5 percent. Meanwhile, Bend and La Pine increased from 5 to 10 and from 3 to 8, for increases of 100 percent and 160 percent respectively.”
Although the percentage increases were larger for both Bend and La Pine, the
number of fires near Sisters increased by the total and represented 61.9 percent of all fires that occurred near the three cities, according to Neal’s findings.
During the same period, the number of fires that occurred outside of the fivemile radius of these cities went from 156 in 2017-2019 to 197 in 2020-2022, an increase of 26.3 percent.
“Another approach to expressing fire risk is by estimating the number of fires over a fixed area, e.g., fires per 10,000 acres per year. Although concrete data on actual acreage of National Forest Land within Deschutes County and within 5 miles of each city is not available, approximate values can be used. By using this standardization, we again see that fire risk near Sisters far exceeds that of both Bend and La Pine.
“In fact, fire risk for Sisters is 250 percent greater than the general forest, as well as both Bend and La Pine,” says Neal.
His conclusion? “The results of this analysis demonstrate two critical points that we cannot ignore. One, the fire risk for the area surrounding Sisters has increased significantly, corresponding to the rapid expansion of homeless encampments in the area.
“Two, this risk far exceeds that observed in both Bend and La Pine, as well as the National Forest as a whole. Although the federal data used in this analysis does not distinguish between human caused fires from homeless encampments vs other human causes, it is reasonable to conclude that recreational camping within five miles of Sisters has not increased at the same rate as homeless camping.
“Therefore, observed increases in fires are more likely the result of the increase in homeless. Furthermore, because the federal data does not include data from 2023 and 2024, when we have continued to see the homeless population grow, it is likely that the risk now far exceeds what it did even two years ago. It is critical that we immediately take as many steps as possible to mitigate this risk. Although the fire departments in this area have done a phenomenal job at putting these fires out before they grow exponentially, it is only a matter of time before a major disaster unfolds.”
HOMELESS: Nearly
80 percent are from Central
Oregon
Continued from page 1
action to mitigate illegal camping. As a result, many longer-term houseless campers have relocated. The pervasive concentration of campsites on Forest Service Road 100 — the paved spur road between North Pine Street and Highway 20 just west of Mainline Station — has been dispersed deeper into the woods.
Those campsites were a frequent source of complaints. Now, the forest immediately west of Railway Avenue, and West Williamson Avenue, has an increased number of campsites in place beyond the 14-day stay rule.
And residents of Tollgate and further west at Cascade Meadow Ranch report more sitings of illegal campsites in their view. Both communities, surrounded completely by the national forest, are particularly vulnerable to wildfire.
The forest along Highway 20/126 is less dense than around North Pine Street, so campsites are more visible to motorists.
But is there a big increase in the number of homeless, and are they prone to be the source of more wildfire? Or is it essentially the same population changing location with a few newcomers?
When we ask citizens on the street how many homeless live in Sisters they consistently err in two ways: One, they overestimate the total number by anywhere from 200 to 300. Two, they erroneously believe that Sisters has
become a haven for campsite removals in Bend and Redmond, most prominently the China Hat Road action near Bend.
The only effort to count the homeless in the tri-counties is undertaken every January by volunteers. It’s called the PIT — Point In Time Survey. The PIT shows a steady increase in the homeless population in Deschutes County. For the entire county the number on January 27, 2025, was 1,442 living outside or in a vehicle up 9 percent from 2024 when the number was 1,244.
The count showed a total of 124 homeless in Sisters. Nearly all of those are living in the woods near town.
Health officials, whose job it is to track and monitor the homeless, say that it is important not to compare Sisters to Bend or Redmond, where 54 percent of the homeless self-report mental illness. A much higher percentage of forest dwellers in Sisters are employed, some long term and we have profiled their stories.
Most Sno Cap employees live in our woods. Other wellknown employers in Sisters rely on houseless employees to pump gas, stock shelves,
and work in kitchens. Indeed, nine employees of the Forest Service are currently camped in the forest. They are seasonal workers and are there by choice, and are not considered “homeless,” but to a passerby who might see every camp as a homeless person, it would be easy to lump them into the total of all houseless persons living in the forest.
Another persistent myth is that many of those living in the woods in Sisters have been booted out of Portland, Salem, and Eugene because of camping enforcement efforts. Nearly 80 percent of the homeless in Sisters come from Central Oregon. Twothirds have lived in Sisters woods for more than five years.
A group of Sisters citizens met at the Sisters Park and Recreation District Community Center on June 24 for a second public meeting to address unhoused issues. There were 115 people in attendance, many of them “partners” comprised of representatives from 13 public entities. That’s nearly as many attendees as known homeless people in Sisters.
Sisters woman nurtures beautiful deck garden
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Dianne Mathisen sits amid a profusion of color and vibrant life. The deck of her home at Aspen Lakes is covered with large pots that contain vibrant roses, scarlet begonias, and an astonishing variety of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, and baby squash.
The deck garden has been a labor of love for Mathisen, though her acknowledged age and infirmity has led her to pass much of that labor to her assistant and friend Maricella Vargas. Vargas, who aids Mathisen in a variety of ways, spent several
E vents & Ent er tainment Events
days earlier this year planting the garden, and spends about half a day each day maintaining it. That requires watering, of course, and also moving plants around to optimize shade and sun conditions.
Mathisen, amid a successful business career, purchased a ranch in Eastern Oregon, where she attempted to plant a garden in inhospitable, unforgiving conditions. After she sold the ranch, she moved to Florida, but she didn’t find it congenial, so she moved back to Oregon, landing at a magnificent lodge-style log home in Aspen Lakes.
“When I bought here, I went totally crazy,” she said with a laugh.
A love for color and growing things was at the root of her deck garden obsession — but Dianne is also a woman who enjoys a challenge.
“I was told — and Maricella knows this, too — that you can’t grow tomatoes in Sisters, and you can’t grow roses,” she said. “And I said ‘what the hell, we’re going to do it.’”
And they have, raising thriving flowers and foodstuffs — which Maricella uses in her cooking — over the past four years. Maricella had no prior experience in gardening.
“I learned everything from her,” she said, with a fond glance at Mathisen.
Mathisen offered a few secrets to success.
“We’re pretty picky about the quality of our plants,” she said.
Other than that, success comes down to persistence and attentiveness. Dianne allows that maybe her deck has a particularly beneficial blend of sun and shade.
She may not have any secrets to divulge about successful deck gardening in Sisters, but she has lived a long, varied, and interesting life, and she now has plenty of time to reflect. And she had a thought to offer during her interview with The
Events & Enter tainment
, expressed with conviction and no trace of wistfulness.
“You have to laugh every day, Jim. And I hope you do. Yep. And enjoy.”
WEDNESDAY • JULY 16
The Barn Live Music: Robot Mushroom 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Wolfhouse Jazz 6 to 8 p.m. Outside; free Info: thesuttlelodge.com.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • JULY 17
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Skillethead Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday 6 to 8 p .m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
The Barn Live Music: In the Rounds 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Kurt Silva 5 to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
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
Paulina Springs Books Author reading: Cindy Scharkey presents "Permission For Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual Garden," 6:30 p.m. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Sisters Depot Live Music: Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent, 6 to 8 p.m. Sign ups, 5 :30 Info: sistersdepot.com/our-events.
FRIDAY • JULY 18
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Mortal Soulstice 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
SATURDAY • JULY 19
Sisters Art Works "Changing Futures" Fundraiser Event for Circle of Friends with live music by Kristi Kensey Band, live and silent auction, and food by Luckey's Woodsman. 6:30 p.m. Tickets and info: info@circleoffriendsoregon.org.
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "New Traditions: Printmaking with Nature Workshop" A one-of-a kind printmaking workshop Discover old and new methods of nature printing and create a unique piece of art to ta ke home 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $75. Registration and info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: Pendleton Hwy 7 to 10 p .m. A country dance band providing music in the style of Little Big Town. No cover. Info: hardtailsoregon.com/events.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Spontaneous Car Show 5-7 p.m. Family- and dog-friendly Bring your cool car to display, or just come look — different every week. Free Info: 541-549-2471
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Precious Byrd 6 to 9 p.m. Adv. tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
The Barn Live Music: Harju Hootenanny 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
SUNDAY • JULY 20
Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors, music community booth, kids activities. Info: www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
Sisters Saloon Live Music: Bill Keale
6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Paulina Springs Books Stranger Drawings:
A Creativity Playshop with Krayna Castelbaum. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY • JULY 21
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Forest Ray "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free; all ages
WEDNESDAY • JULY 23
Friends & Vine Wine Tasting: Justin Vineyards 4 to 6 p.m. Five wines poured by Justin! $15. Reservations: 541-965-3284
The Barn Live Music: Spencer Marlyn Band 6 to 8 p.m. outside Info: thebarninsisters.com.
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
THURSDAY • JULY 24
Luckey's Woodsman Trivia: Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Info: luckeyswoodsman.com. Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Experiment with Yupo: Artist Talk and Materials Exploration with Ketzia Schoneberg" Attendees of this talk will be able to experiment with various materials and techniques on yupo paper 4 to 6 p.m. $30 Registration and info: roundhousefoundation.org/events.
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Skillethead Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday 6 to 8 p .m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Olivia Harms 5 to 8 p.m. Adv. tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
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 Info: call 541-549-2471
The Barn Live Music: Reb and the Good News 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
JULY 24 — AUGUST 3
Caldera Theater, Bend Musical: “Voiceless: A Musical" by Anne Fenn, music and lyrics by Deena Kamm. Production is a community collaboration. Tickets & info: www.voicelessamusical.com.
Nugget
Dianne Mathisen and Maricella Vargas have created a lovely deck garden at Mathisen’s home at Aspen Lakes.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Dianne Mathisen’s deck garden is something special.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
The deck garden grows an array of peppers.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Keeping your furry friends safe and cool in the heat
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
If it’s too hot for you, it’s probably too hot for your dog. Heat stroke among canines is common, vets say, and easily preventable. When temperatures reach the 90s it can be brutal for your pooch — even deadly.
It is important that you limit your pet’s activity. Do not expect that your pets will self-regulate at all. This can be especially true for young dogs who want to run and play — they will not just know when to stop!
Whatever you do, don’t hose down your overheated dog.
“Give pets plenty of fresh water. Never force your pet to drink water by pouring or squirting it into their mouth or throat. This can be dangerous. You can add ice to water to keep them cool. Some dogs like chewing on ice cubes or frozen treats but be cautious. Ice cubes and hard treats are a common cause for tooth fracture in dogs and cats, which can warrant expensive dental work,” warned Dr. Terra McSwain, the veterinarian owner of Broken Top Veterinary Clinic in Sisters.
“Know the symptoms of overheating in pets — excessive panting, difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate,
FRIDAY • JULY 25
drooling, weakness, collapse,” she added.
“While we humans have sweat glands all over our bodies, our dogs and cats have fewer sweat glands, which are concentrated largely on their paw pads. So, they rely heavily on breathing to cool their bodies. This is why dogs and cats may breathe rapidly or even pant when they become too warm. Never leave animals alone in a parked vehicle — temps can rise dangerously even on moderately warm days, and cracking windows is often not enough.”
Pets with flat faces — brachycephalic breeds — are more susceptible to heat stroke, as well as those with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Asphalt and dogs: There are many myths about a dog’s tolerance for hot pavement. On the one hand they have much tougher feet than humans and can in fact tolerate hotter temperatures. Dogs will generally tell you if the pavement is too hot by their foot action. They will instinctively move from asphalt to cooler concrete or to grass to save their pads.
“In my 39 years of practice I only saw three or four cases of a dog’s pads actually being burned from pavement,” said Steve Amsberry, a retired vet in Black Butte Ranch. “But don’t risk it. If
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Music: Smoke Drifters 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114. Sisters High School Soccer Field Dark Sky Party 9 to 11 p.m. Celebrate Sisters becoming an International Dark Sky Community! You'll hear an ancient star story locate notable stars, constellations, planets, the moon, and other astronomical objects. Stay after the tour to gaze through telescopes in deep space provided by Sisters Astronomy Club volunteers. Thankstoagrant fromCitizens4Community,thiseventisfree!Reserve free ticket here: starshine-theater.com/dark-sky-party.
SATURDAY • JULY 26
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: Roll On! Alabama tribute band, 8 p.m. Tickets, $20 at BendTicket.com.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Countr yfied 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
The Barn Live Music: Mason James 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com. Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Introduction to Natural Dyes: From Seed to Color" with Madelaine Corbin. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration: 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 • JULY 27
Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors, music, community booth, kids activities. Info: www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
you can’t walk barefoot on the pavement for more than 10 seconds, get your dog off it.”
And don’t put your dog in protective boots, Amsberry cautions, unless “it’s a dog too big to carry from the parking lot to grass.” Dogs sweat through their paw pads (not their skin or coats). Their paws need to breathe. Covering their paws with a dog bootie will not allow the pet’s paw to breathe properly.
McSwain addressed other summertime issues. Common dog emergencies in the summer in Central Oregon include blue-green algae toxicity. There is currently an advisory for Lake Billy Chinook and a precaution for Prineville Reservoir. Cheat grass and foxtail, foreign bodies commonly in the ears, feet, nose, and tonsils, snake bites, and mushroom ingestion.
“Water containing toxic algal blooms will often have the appearance of a peagreen paint or slime on the surface. If certain wind conditions are present the film will often concentrate along the shoreline in areas where animals may drink or swim. With very severe blooms, there may be a die-off of fish or waterfowl in the area. Washing the pet off in fresh water immediately so the pet doesn’t lick bacteria from the coat can be helpful,”
SUNDAY • JULY 27 (cont.)
Sisters Saloon Live Music: Use’ta Do 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY • JULY 28
said McSwain. Cheat grass is commonly seen daily in her clinic and can present as head shaking, coughing, sneezing, licking, and visible swelling or wounds. “If you are unable to remove the awns, or if your pet shows signs of infection such as pus, excessive redness, or swelling, contact your family veterinarian.
“Seeds can migrate quickly inside the body, and the sooner they are removed, the better. In some cases, surgery may be required to extract the seeds, especially if they have moved into the chest or abdomen.”
A dog’s reaction, signs or
symptoms from being bitten by a snake, can be varied and not appear clinically significant for up to 24 hours after the bite occurs. For this reason, McSwain says, it can be difficult to know if your dog has been the victim of a snake bite.
“Even the most experienced emergency vet may be unable to tell that your dog has been bitten by a snake based on these symptoms alone. If it is at all possible, apply a firm bandage above, below, and over the site of the bite. If the bite wound is on the face or neck, remove your dog’s collar as the area may swell,” she advised.
FRIDAY • AUGUST 1
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Dive Bar Theology part of the "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free; all ages Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
Paulina Springs Books House Concert: Aver y Hill & Jaspar Lepak Two unique insightful songwriters. 7 p.m. $20-25 suggested to the artists Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com. RSVP to reserve your seat at events@paulinaspringsbooks.com.
WEDNESDAY • JULY 30
Suttle Lake Lodge Play: "As You Like It" written by William Shakespeare, directed by Raechel Gilland, presented by Guerrilla Shakespeare Co 7 p.m. Tickets $20-25 at www our.show/guerrillashakes
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em, 21+, 5:30 p.m.–close upstairs. $50 buy-in, freezeout. The Barn Live Music: Leadbetter and Moore 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
THURSDAY • JULY 31
Sisters Librar y Live Music: Four Schillings Short presents a free family music education concert: “Around the World in 30 Instruments.” 1:30 to 3 p.m. Info: https://dpl.libnet.info/event/13339811. The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Use'ta Do Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday 6 to 8 p .m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.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 Info: call 541-549-2471
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: Cheyenne West Band 7–10 p.m. hardtailsoregon.com/events. Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Catherine Loyer 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets req.: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Cover Story 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
SATURDAY • AUGUST 2
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: Got Your 6 four-piece, high-energy classic rock hits cover band, 7 to 10 p .m. No cover. Info: hardtailsoregon.com/events.
The Barn Live Music: Joel Chadd Band 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Introduction to Mordants for Natural Dyeing" with Madelaine Corbin. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration: 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
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: John Hoover & The Mighty Quinns 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
SUNDAY • AUGUST 3
Sisters Saloon Live Music: T5 Jazz 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages
Fir Street Park Sisters Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors, music, community booth, kids activities. Info: www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.
Keeping dogs safe in the heat requires attentiveness.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Land Trust celebrates birthday at Indian Ford
By Maret Pajutee Correspondent
On a September evening, 170 years ago, a military engineer named Lieutenant Henry Abbot got off his horse and pitched his tent on Indian Ford Meadow. He was awed by the scene and wrote, “This little opening, amid forest-clad mountains and grand snow peaks, furnished a camping place, the wild beauty of which I have seldom seen equaled. This was enhanced, in the evening, by a magnificent lunar rainbow, and a beautifully tinted halo round the moon: both of which appeared at the same time in different quarters of the heavens.”
The expedition artist captured a scene of the camp with men on horseback, little white tents, and a backdrop of Black Butte and Mt. Jefferson. Thanks to a conservation-minded landowner, county employees with a dream, and a group of neighbors, today’s view is much the same as what Lt. Abbot saw in 1855. This was the birthplace of the Deschutes Land Trust in 1995.
The small channels of Indian Ford Creek may not impress with their size, but the creek is unique for its low gradient stream type and soils which sustain hundreds of acres of moist meadows, aspen groves, and thick stands of willows, wild roses, and spirea. It is a spring-fed
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tributary of Whychus Creek with headwaters, called Paulina Springs, on Black Butte Ranch. The snow melt waters emerge ice cold, south of Big Meadow, in a deep shady glade. Its confluence with Whychus Creek is near the base of McKinney Butte by the Sisters Airport.
The creek got its name from its long association with Native American trails and camps that are described in many accounts by early explorers and pioneers. Its Native American name was recorded as “Que-y-ee.” Peter Skene Ogden fed his horses on the meadows of Indian Ford in 1825, 30 years before the expedition of Lt. Abbot and the Pacific Railroad Survey engineers set up their camp. Soldiers on their way to setting up Camp Polk traveled through the meadows in 1865. The Santiam Wagon Road followed their path when Charles Hindman took over the old camp in 1868, providing Hindman station, a rare stop for travelers on their way to Prineville. In 1871 the first recorded water rights were from Indian Ford Creek, beginning a pattern of using most of its water to sustain farms and ranches.
Martin Oliver homesteaded Willows Ranch in 1910, and other meadow ranches and a sawmill were built along the creek. As the timber industry began to wane in the late 1950s, Donna Gill’s Indian Ford
Guest Ranch began a new phase of the tourist economy of Sisters, bringing families and the fun of being a weekend cowboy. Lei and Scott Durdan saw an ad for the guest ranch in Sunset Magazine in 1961 and brought their family from Hawaii for a vacation. Like many others they fell in love with the place and eventually created what would become Indian Ford Ranch Homes, a slow-paced development that eventually included The Hill, Sage Meadow, High Meadow, and other subdivisions. When they sold the Willows Ranch headquarters, they created a covenant that “set aside more than 300 acres of meadows for permanent enjoyment by would-be cowboy homeowners.” So how did 63 acres of Indian Ford Meadow, at the corner of Camp Polk and Indian Ford Road, become the first property acquired by the Deschutes Land Trust?
The genesis involved after-work beers for a group
of county land-use planners and attorneys, and an occasional biologist. Founding Executive Director Brad Chalfant tells the story.
“We would get together after work and would go to either the Deschutes Brewery, known to us as Brew 1, or the Bend Brewery, otherwise known as Brew 2. It was a group of friends who really cared about the community,
had a distinct conservation bent, loved the concept of land-use planning, but were painfully aware of the limitations. We all felt like land use planning was a great thing, but it’s one size fits all, and sometimes it protected things we didn’t feel like necessarily needed protection, and in other cases, it didn’t protect
RARE
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Black Butte and Mt. Jefferson Pacific Railroad Survey, 1855.
COURTESY OF BOWMAN MUSEUM
LAND TRUST: Group of interested citizens created
places we felt very strongly needed protection.”
Chalfant gave credit to attorney Bruce White, who passed away in 2015.
“We informally gathered for several years to blow off steam, and one evening in late ‘94 or ’95 Bruce White suggested that we ought to start a land trust, and I had never even heard the phrase before.
“Bruce was familiar with land trusts back in New England. He was an assistant county attorney and was thinking about the big picture and the long term. He thought that doing something nonpolitical, non-adversarial, and nonregulatory might be an alternative way of conserving not everything, but conserving some of the places that we were seeing being lost or we feared would be lost.”
Chalfant termed this approach the “Middle Way.”
He jokingly named several accomplices, who like himself were “a bit of a rabble rouser;” Dave Leslie, Brian Harrington, Catherine Morrow, and Ted Wise. When a stubborn land-use conflict arose in Sisters, with neighbors citing the Indian Ford Meadow covenant, habitat, and watershed concerns in opposition to a development proposal, Chalfant and his compatriots realized they might have a solution.
Those involved were offered the opportunity for formal mediation. The landowners had been exploring conservation options, including a land trust, which simply stated, offers land owners tax benefits for voluntarily restricting or reducing development. With the mediators help, the parties discovered shared interests in love of community and the land. All agreed to stop the conflict and work toward a common goal.
However, the Deschutes Land Trust was still more a concept than reality, so the Oregon Community Foundation played a key role in accepting and holding the property until the new group was approved for nonprofit status. Chalfant commended other key players like Bob Chandler of the Bend Bulletin (cofounder of the Oregon Community Foundation) and Attorney Win Francis (cofounder of the High Desert Museum) who provided the effort with credibility and concluded, “While the Land Trust germinated in two different places, it clearly found fertile soil along Indian Ford Creek. Certainly, if you can’t grow a land trust here, I don’t know where you could do it. With so many people
believing in community and holding a deep love of the land it is truly a fertile place for that sort of thing.”
This year the Deschutes Land Trust celebrates 30 years of conservation, community, and caring for the land reflected in protecting over 18,700 acres, connecting over 12,500 people to the land, with over 125,800 hours of volunteer labor.
Today Rika Ayotte is the executive director and noted its growth. In 1995, the Land Trust had six board members, no staff, 10 volunteers, 493 hours volunteered, and 10 donors. By 2024, the Land Trust had 14 board members, 16 staff, 5,651 hours volunteered, 1,712 donors and was recently named one of 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon by Oregon Business. It has 26 properties under protection and has expanded its range beyond Sisters to projects in Klamath, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson,
and Wasco counties.
Ayotte said “We’re incredibly proud to be celebrating 30 years of conservation and stewardship in the Deschutes Basin. None of this would have been possible without the support of the communities where we work. We stand on the shoulders of
the forward-thinking folks who founded the Land Trust and everyone who has volunteered, donated, attended a tour or told a friend or neighbor about our work.
Our amazing staff and board are committed to stewarding our conserved lands and serving our communities in
perpetuity, and we look forward to celebrating many more of these anniversaries alongside those who help to make them possible.”
For more information see: https://www. deschuteslandtrust.org/ news/blog/2025-blog-posts/. celebrating-30-years.
Partners in Health & Well-being
Sisters Country residents believe in the importance of mental and physical health for all ages — and what better place to maintain a positive approach than getting outside to experience the beauty of Central Oregon. Having a healthy, active lifestyle is just the tip of the iceberg. Besides our individual physical health, overall well-being depends on other aspects of life as well like mental, oral, ocular, environmental, educational, financial, family, and pet health.
Nugget Newspaper’s PARTNERS IN HEALTH & WELL-BEING PUBLISHING 8-20-2025 is a pull-out, magazine-style section in The Nugget, which is readily available to all residents in the Sisters School District and free on newsstands throughout Sisters and surrounding areas, plus published online for year-round access. Partners in Health & Well-being is a publication of the The Nugget Newspaper
Advertisements are available in three sizes (half-page, quarter-page, or sixth-page), accompanied by a story written by The Nugget’s professional writers equal to the ad size selected. Call or email Kimberly Young to schedule your advertising
Indian Ford Preserve is a key part of Deschutes Land Trust’s habitat conservation work.
marked half-century in Sisters
Continued from page 1
of volunteers snatched bundled quilts and ladders and bins of accessories and fanned out around the downtown business core. In military like precision — not any random order — they quickly and carefully hung the 1,000 plus quilts.
Hung in parks, on storefronts, and display racks the task was completed by 8 a.m. And just as efficiently at 4 p.m., down they came, quickly to disappear. As the artistry was being pinned to invisible display wires, crowds quickly gathered, many arriving early for a good parking spot and/or to beat the hordes.
And thus began a day filled with “oohs” and “ahhs” and “OMG – did you see that?”
It was hard to tell which the most popular place was to view or judge quilts being exhibited. At or near the top would be the special exhibit favored by locals from the Mt. Bachelor Quilters’ Guild.
Hung on the west side wall of the Gallery Restaurant and Bar and viewed from Barclay Park, it was a collection of quilts each made to look like an historic poster depicting scenes of community events, local landscapes, and rural life in Sisters, celebrating the spirit and history of Sisters Country. At the bottom of each quilt was a uniform “Sisters, Oregon est. 1946.”
Visitors, some 1,300 alone who had just completed a weeklong Quilter’s Affair (see story page 4) were lavish in their praise. Nearly 100 occupying two luxury coaches on a Country Heritage Tour uniformly agreed that the stop in Sisters far exceeded their expectations.
“Gosh, I’ve been to more than a dozen quilt tours, to some pretty amazing places, like Mackinac Island and the Houston Quilt Festival, and QuiltCon in North Carolina. There’s just nothing like this, especially the setting,” said Tillie MacPherson from Iowa.
Her pal, Betsy Naismith, took it up a notch. “I’ve been to Festival of Quilts in England and the big show in Edinburgh (Scotland). I’ll take this one any old day.”
The sheer numbers of attendees making their 10th, 20th, or 30th show was impressive. Some came 45 or 48 years ago. One after the other they shook their heads in amazement at how the now classic show has grown “from a dozen quilts hung at Jean’s (Wells — SOQS founder) shop” to what it
is now — “one of the most culturally rich events in all of Oregon,” bragged Denise Josephson of Hood River, who first came 49 years ago.
“This is always the highlight of my year,” said Rose Liston of Yakima.
She and five of her friends from Western Washington make the annual pilgrimage, camping at Creekside Park. Her buddy, Lesley Doernbecher, from Goldendale, Washington, was even more nostalgic.
“It’s this show that keeps us as friends,” she said. “We have so many stories from the many years. On the way home we have almost driven off the road laughing so hard about the good times we’ve had in Sisters.”
There were nearly as many stories as spectators. And dozens of smaller happenings. Sisters’own Deputy Sheriff, Mike Hudson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was presented an honor quilt. A Quilt of Valor (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. The quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.”
The award was made by Salem Star Valor Quilters of Oregon based in Salem.
Thousands of photos and videos were uploaded to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok bring ing the special occasion to the entire world. Each post highlighted either the stun ning creativity of the quilts or the admiring spectators — or both.
“Marine Mama” Mary Williams of Will n’ Beez quilt shop in Salem presented military veteran Deputy Mike Hudson with a Quilt of Valor during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show on Saturday.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Quilters don’t just view quilts — they study them.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEALT
Quilt Show founder Jean Wells Keenan and SOQS Executive Director Dawn Boyd celebrated the milestone event.
PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT
Obituaries
January 14, 1954 – June 6, 2025
Richard Lee Gillaspie was born on January 14, 1954, to Jack and Betty (Walbrecht) Gillaspie. He passed away on June 6, 2025, at the age of 71, surrounded by his wife and daughter, after a courageous battle with glioblastoma.
Rick was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon, graduating Corvallis High School in 1972. He met the love of his life, Sheree while playing pool in Bend. The two married a year later on April 4, 1981, at the Chapel in the Pines in Camp Sherman.
After honeymooning in Alaska, Rick and Sheree decided to move there. They bought a one-bedroom log cabin with no running water and no electricity and both worked as school bus drivers for the local school district.
During their time in Alaska, they welcomed their daughter, Kelsey, in 1984.
Rick lived a life rich with adventure and passion. He loved traveling, diving, and especially fishing, which was his greatest joy. He traveled extensively to fish in remarkable places, including Belize, Argentina, Patagonia, Mexico, New
Dinah Rae Bond
December 26, 1943 – May 30, 2025
Dinah Rae Bond of Sisters, Oregon, passed away at home on May 30, 2025, in the company of her family, just weeks after learning she had cancer.
She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 26, 1943, to Marguerite and Ervin Groppenbecher and grew up in a loving family. Dinah attended Walnut Hills High School and graduated with a Masters Degree from Hanover College in Indiana. She went on to teach kids with disabilities in the local community.
In 1971, Dinah married David Bond of England, who worked in the aerospace industry. After a drive across the country in their VW camper, Dinah and David moved to Europe. They raised their son in England and retired in Sisters after living in Germany, Scotland, and the Netherlands.
Dinah was a loving, encouraging, and resourceful person. She’ll be remembered for her genuine interest
Zealand, California, and Montana. Some of his favorite memories were made on South Twin Lake in Oregon, where he fished as a boy with his family, later with his daughter Kelsey, and most recently with his grandchildren, Brita and Levi.
An avid supporter of Oregon State University athletics, Rick was a devoted season ticket holder for football games for many years and never missed a chance to attend the baseball World Series games in Omaha, Nebraska.
death by his parents and brother, Larry Gillaspie.
STORIES: Sisters thespians are featured in production
Continued from page 3
transformed a story of struggle into a powerful theatrical experience filled with memorable songs, emotional depth, and unexpected humor.
“This show is about more than losing a voice — it’s about reclaiming identity,” said Fenn. “Everyone has experienced a moment where they felt silenced. Voiceless is about how we rise from that.”
…it’s an honor to help bring this to life alongside a talented cast.
— David “Owl” Chen
said Chen. “I deeply connect with this story and the journey toward finding one’s authentic voice.”
Over their years together, Rick and Sheree made their home in Eugene, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; Oracle, Arizona; Gardiner, Montana, and many years in Sisters, Oregon, where they made a multitude of loving friends wherever they went. While they lived in Sisters, Rick served six years as a Fire Corps Volunteer for the Sisters Camp Sherman Fire Department. His work with the department meant a lot to him.
Rick was preceded in
in other people, and her ability to remember meaningful details about their lives.
Her personal interests included hiking, travel, and supporting her family. After David’s stroke in 2013, she drew on her background in speech therapy and committed herself to his recovery. Dinah and David lived in the Crossroads Development, were involved in a Sisters hiking group, and were loyal customers of the local coffee shops.
Dinah is survived by her husband, her son Andrew, grandson Julian, and sisters Sue and Amy. The family is planning a
Those left to share the memories are his wife of 44 years, Sheree; his daughter Kelsey (and Tim) Lawrence; his two grandchildren, Brita and Levi Lawrence; his sister Patty (and Russ) Hescock and their families; and the many beloved friends he made over his lifetime.
A celebration of life will be held at FivePine Lodge Conference Center on Wednesday, July 30, at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Rick’s name to the Yellowstone Native Fish Conservation Program at https://for ever.yellowstone.org/ campaign/664882/donate.
private memorial at a future date in Arizona. Condolence notes can be sent to David Bond at 3402 N. Camino de Piedras, Tucson, Arizona 85750.
“This is the most personal and meaningful project I’ve ever worked on,” said Kamm. “We’re creating something that not only entertains, but speaks to something more universal.”
The production features a large and diverse cast, blending seasoned performers with newcomers. David “Owl” Chen, manager of a historic lodge in Sisters, steps into his first stage role.
“I’ve always appreciated live theatre, and it’s an honor to help bring this to life alongside a talented cast,”
Produced in partnership with Ellipse Theatre Community and Sisters’ Silent Echo Theater Company, the premiere is surrounded by a vibrant lineup of community events including sound healing, yarn-bombing installations, and a powerful storytelling event that culminates in a special one-day workshop on Saturday, August 9, at Open Space Event Studios.
Backed by support from the Oregon Cultural Trust, Oregon Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and Trust Management Services, creators say that “Voiceless” is more than a show — it’s a movement. Tickets are on sale now. Visit www.voicelessamusical.com to learn more.
Richard Lee Gillaspie
AI is the new serpent
By Steve Woodside Columnist
In the beginning, the serpent was more crafty than the other wild animals, and soon Eve, and then Adam, enthusiastically bit into the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and rather than being filled with the power of God, as they had been misled, they realized their nakedness and despair, and hid themselves from their Maker.
I think about this passage from the book of Genesis more and more as AI becomes prevalent in all forms of education, work, and life, and while our world is rapidly becoming more lonely and more fraught with uncertainty, AI, once again, presents itself as the entry point for the answer to all knowledge.
What is AI, or artificial intelligence, particularly when discussing the more common platforms? Well, here is the AI response from Grok, a free service on X/ Twitter:
AI like Grok or ChatGPT works by being trained on huge amounts of text data, kind of like reading millions of books. It uses complex math and algorithms, called neural networks, to spot patterns in how words and ideas fit together. When you ask it something, it predicts the best response by piecing together those patterns, like solving a giant word puzzle. It’s all powered by lots of computer processing to make the replies sound natural and helpful, even though it’s just crunching numbers behind the scenes!
Already AI services like Grok or ChatGPT are eroding the use of Google as a search engine, because unlike Google, AI does not prioritize your search questions by first presenting the paid responses, or responses that have been elevated
because of other manipulations – be it political algorithms or other paid services, although it is true that some AI chatbots have political leanings, typically to the left, depending on how they have been programmed.
While I have not been an early adopter to most technology, I have used AI at various times, and have watched as the responses have rapidly evolved from sterile, search engine-like answers, to now, where AI adopts a “personality” based on how it envisions the user who is asking the question.
For example, if the question is weighty, or biblical, as I have used AI when studying the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, a couple of heavy books in the Bible for first time readers, the answers are thoughtful, with plenty of resource materials to pursue from various scholars, should I wish to further explore any part of AI’s answer. If the question is light, or mundane, the responses will be — in AI’s best attempt — playful and provoking.
It is no wonder that unstable and lonely people have personalized AI, and developed “friendships” with these tools, with one man recently proposing to a chatbot, and then crying when it responded “yes” to the proposal. Even worse, he went on various media outlets to tell this story — although, these days it could all be a “bit” to try and gain followers online, or a little notoriety.
This is, of course, the other significant problem with technology: nothing can be trusted. AI has been known to completely
hallucinate parts or all of an answer, citing case studies, and law cases that do not exist, or referencing nonexistent books.
In the legal case of Mata v. Avianca, Inc. (Southern District of New York, 2023), the lawyers for Mata cited six cases against Avianca Airlines that simply did not exist. There are several other legal cases, as well, where nonexistent cases were cited, and cases thrown out.
Just like the serpent in Genesis, AI presents itself as having the answer to life’s difficult questions, but once the user takes a bite, finds themselves empty and alone.
I once thought that history was written by the victors, but then posited that history is written by the survivors, and then further pivoted to history is written by he who holds the pen, but now am fully convinced that history will be written by whomever or whatever builds the algorithms and controls the 1’s and 0’s of our computer programming. History and truth will be fluid.
As I age, I find myself aligning myself with the Canadian philosopher, Marshall McLuhan, who believed that all technology is simply an extension of human senses and capabilities, and should be carefully examined for what technology adds to our experience, but more importantly what it takes from us as well. For example, while AI may have the façade of increasing our knowledge and productivity, we lose our ability for critical thinking, for developing real, personal relationships, and our ability to create — all the things God intended for us back in Genesis 1-3.
Nugget headed for ugliest dog contest
A Sisters dog named Nugget (no relation) will compete in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest on August 8 at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California. Nugget’s guardian, Marcey Rhyne, entered him in the contest because, she says, “He has a way of filling people with curiosity and slight confusion. He looks like a piece of pepperoni with fangs.”
Nugget isn’t your average mutt, but rather a blend of 16 identifiable breeds. He is mostly hairless with wrinkles, some peach fuzz, and plenty of spots covering his body.
“His bald snout and lips are so strange, and take a look at that head — looks like a lizard,” Rhyne said. “He has five minutes of memory. Once you’re his friend, you get to befriend him again after five minutes because he won’t remember you. My daughters and I began fostering Nugget in 2022, but after three months still nobody
wanted to adopt him, so we officially claimed him.”
After all this time, Nugget may in fact become famous. The contest, which is a crowd-favorite amongst fair visitors is made up of several prizes:
• Grand Prize of $1,500, as well as second and thirdplace cash awards.
• A special “Spirit Award” which is based in part on the dog’s biography submitted with its entry.
• The “People’s Choice” award, selected by visitors to the sonomamarinfair.org website who vote for their favorite pooch.
The Grand Prize winner will also travel to New York for media coverage.
Rhyne suggests viewing all of the contestants on the website shortly after the contest.
“The competition is tough; some of these dogs are sure to be wild-looking,” she said. “And vote for Nugget if you want to. He’s beautiful on the inside.”
WELCOME TO SISTERS!
Be sure and pick up a complimentary copy of Sisters Oregon Guide located on stands throughout Sisters and Central Oregon or stop by The Nugget Newspaper at 442 E. Main Av e., Sisters
The guide chock full of Sisters Country information... The best hikes, where to eat, local hot spots, calendar of events, and much more! Read online or download to your device
Nugget is looking for his star turn in an ugly dog epic.
people in Sisters as well as visitors looking for an escape to a different place/time/feel. It’s events like these that melts away the lines that divide us and brings us together with some of the fundamentals the west was built on. Not to be left out are the rich community of artists that live and sell their works in Sisters.
With these things in mind I’d like to propose that you consider a piece for the roundabout that incorporates these important elements that keep the town of Sisters running and moving forward. A bronze (or some other material) sculpture depicting a bull rider or bronco rider and incorporating a quilt and musical elements. Commission local artists to come up with ideas and have it be a collaborative effort. Engage the local business owners, rodeo association, as well as the quilt and folk festival committees. Something really beautiful and bold could come of this. Have it be a centerpiece that depicts the character and the tradition of Sisters.
So, there you have it, an outsider/insider perspective from someone who cares very much about Sisters (and would love to call Sisters home some day) and stands a few steps back that may be able to see this project in a little bit different but relevant way.
Dana Peterson
s s s
To the Editor:
Please let the citizens vote.
And please let’s get that bronze in Sisters at the roundabout! Keeping the Western heritage and western way of life strong in America and in the beautiful Sisters community. Your rodeo is one of the best and will only get bigger and better! Would be amazing to have that legendary bull and a legendary bull rider in town!
Mitch and Millie Coleman
s s s
Propaganda
To the Editor,
W.H. Auden described propaganda as:“The use of magic by those who don’t believe in it, against those that do.” We’re supposed to believe that any darker skinned immigrants are gang members and hardened criminals, cleverly disguised as food servers and construction workers, we’re supposed to believe that all those shop keepers, housewives, and children in Gaza are all terrorists and deserve to be massacred, we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump never had any thing to do with Jeffery Epstein and now, miraculously, there never was a client list with important
Democrats named on it after hearing about it for the last 10 years, and that giving $3.4 trillion in tax cuts for the very rich won’t hurt the average American.
I guess I grew up with one of those public school educations that taught Critical Thinking Theory (CTT) because I just don’t buy all that. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry since high school and can’t believe the guys I had on my crews were worthy of being shoved into a van by unidentified men and flown at taxpayers expense to El Salvador or Sudan. SUDAN!? Did you know being in this country illegally is a misdemeanor. It’d be like your kid getting caught stealing a candy bar and being sent to a nonEnglish speaking country and thrown in prison. Another thought is, I seem to remember that MAGAs were so offended by having to wear a COVID masks, but don’t seem to be offended by ICE thugs wearing black masks and grabbing people from their workplace and throwing them in unmarked vans. Go figure.
In the Bible, they talk a bout an eye for an eye (although Jesus tried to change that way of thinking), right now, it’s about 45 Palestinian eyes for each Israeli eye.
In this paper, I’ve been accused of having Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) which, proudly, I do. One of the benefits of having “Tedious” is that it builds up your Trump anti-bodies which makes you much more immune to the propaganda. Maybe RFK, Jr. can come up with a vaccine.
Author Laurence Britt laid out 14 core tenets of fascism, here’s a few:
1. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as unifying cause. It looks like immigrants are first, nearly all from Mexico or South American countries, then trans people, then gays, democrats, and then pretty much anybody who disagrees with Donald Trump.
2. Disdain for recognition of human rights. Grabbing people off the streets, spiriting them out of the country or putting them in concentration swamps without a hearing, is a good example.
3. Powerful and continuing nationalism. Having old Soviet or North Korean-style military parades through our nations capital. Sending APC’s and armed U.S. troops into LA for what, again?
4. Controlled mass media. Trump trying to de-fund NPR, suing or threatening to sue ABC, CBS, etc. doesn’t bode well for a free press in this country.
There are 10 more tenets which I may write about in future letters if I’m not in Sudan or the Everglades.
Bruce Campbell
s s s
Bend poet offers creativity playshop
Bend poet Krayna Castelbaum will lead a creativity “playshop”called “Stranger Drawings” at Paulina Springs Books on Sunday, July 20, at 3 p.m. Castelbaum describes a playshop as a space for the convergence of free-play, uncensored self-expression, and imagination.
Krayna says, “We often go through life looking at but not really seeing each other. With pen, paper, and curiosity, “Stranger Drawings” seeks to remedy that.”
No drawing, art, or writing skills are required, and materials will be supplied. Ages 10 and up are welcome. Seating is limited, and walk-ins are welcome if space permits. Donations
will go toward The Sisters Festival of Books. Payment via Venmo (@KraynaCastelbaum) guarantees your seat. Cash on the day of will also be accepted.
Castelbaum is a poet, creativity instigator, and Transformational Coach who honors the creative impulse through writing, artmaking, and other creative acts. She’s known for co-creating spaces where spontaneity, creativity, and imagination converge. Krayna publishes Poem of the Month and facilitates monthly Playshops. Learn more at www.clear lenscoaching.com.
Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave. For more information call 541-549-0866.
Talk on Metolius Pack set in Sisters
A talk about the local wolf population will also serve as a fundraiser to help people with mobility issues access the outdoors.
“Central Oregon’s Wolves Their Past And Present, And Our Future, ” is set for Sisters High School on Sunday, July 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. A Q&A and follow-up open discussion will run 6 to 7 p.m.
The talk featuring Ander Rhoad’s will include an overview of the history, biology, and current status of Sisters Country’s local wolf population. The presentation includes rare images and videos of the Metolius Pack gathered by community science. The group will also engage in a discussion about increasing access to community science, and how it contributes to Sisters’ future.
Ander Rhoads is an incoming ninth grader at Sisters High School. He is an active community scientist contributing to many local projects including ones for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the North American Butterfly Association, and the High Desert Museum, and online projects like iNaturalist and eBird.
All proceeds go to The Onward Project to pay for a Sisters community AdvenChair which increases access to the outdoors and community science opportunities for people with mobility challenges.
Geoff Babb, the AdvenChair inventor who builds them in Bend, will offer a presentation on the benefits the device brings to the community.
“I’m presenting on my community science wolf data because I believe the Sisters AdvenChair will allow more
community members with mobility challenges to join outdoor science projects as well as just go out and enjoy nature,” he said.
He offered some thoughts to The Nugget: “I get so much from being in nature, like feeling wonder and awe, sharing adventures, and contributing to science by collecting wildlife data,” he said. “Nature is also a place to relax and have fun. If you look online, you find lots of research saying nature is really good for your mental and physical health. A big reason to live in Sisters is the incredible access to the natural world.
“Everyone in our community should be able to experience all the benefits of being outdoors in nature. So, I was excited to learn that two Sisters High School teachers, Mark Lamont and Josh Nordell, are fundraising for a community-use AdvenChair.”
Babb described the AdvenChair as being “like a three-wheeled mountain bike, but intentionally designed to deepen community with its power source being the team of people who push and pull it.”
He recalled, “ I’ve been part of AdvenChair teams going down rugged terrain on Paulina Creek, navigating dirt trails in lava flows, identifying bees in Shevlin Park, and doing multiday rides on the Olympic Peninsula Discovery Trail. Those outings were some of my favorite outdoor memories. I particularly remember picnicking on Paulina Creek in a small meadow full of butterflies and then cooling down by splashing across the Creek together.
“To help raise the last several thousand dollars needed for the community AdvenChair, I’m doing a talk about Central Oregon’s wolves on July 27 at 5 p.m. at Sisters High School. As part of the presentation, I’ll be sharing some of my images and videos of the local Metolius Pack.”
Program organizers are Sisters School District Life Skills teachers Josh Nordell and Mark Lamont.
Sliding scale donations will be taken at the door by check or card. There is a suggested donation of $10 (and up) per seat.
CRASH: Accident
occurred at about 11 a.m. on Sunday
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with personnel from the U.S. Forest Service.
“Their swift action prevented the fire from spreading to nearby trees or structures in the residential area,” said Jason Carr, Public Information Officer for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s
Office. “This was a textbook example of interagency partnership. Our deputies, local fire districts, and the U.S. Forest Service all worked together seamlessly to protect lives and keep the situation from escalating. We’re grateful everyone walked away safely.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation and the aircraft will remain in place pending an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Stirring up Americana...
Perennial favorites Appaloosa took to the Songbird Stage at Fir Street Park on Sunday for a great set of original Americana-style tunes. Their songs range from upbeat toe-tappers about falling in love with trucks to gold mining in Baker City.
Appaloosa took on more serious subjects, too. “Momma Oh” sounded cheery onstage, but the lyrics revealed a little-known story about formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. They were split up during slavery, war, and the dispersal from the Southern to Northern U.S. Many of their names had been changed while in slavery or after Emancipation Day; it was extremely difficult for people to find their families. They bought newspaper ads asking for information about their children, parents, and other relatives.
PHOTO BY T. BROWN
City has big projects in the offing
By Susan Cobb Correspondent
Sisters will move ahead with plans to improve the Adams Avenue streetscape. The City will also be building a new pump station to meet the growing community’s wastewater needs.
As of July 9, Urban Renewal Agency (URA) met and unanimously voted for progress to be made on improving the streetscape of Adams Avenue in Sisters. The work extends the length of the avenue from the intersection at its westerly end with Pine Street and easterly end at Cedar Street.
Back in 2021, Hickman, Williams & Associates Inc. (HWA), completed the Adams Avenue Streetscape design for the City of Sisters. This was to improve the street parking, signage, road surfaces, and pedestrian accesses. The work was revised and updated in 2020, however, a pandemic, other priorities and funding needs caused previous councils to decide to delay progress on the project.
The URA is comprised of Agency Chair, Mayor Jennifer Letz, and four agency members (Council President, Sarah McDougall, and the remaining three city councilors). The URA follows the Sisters Urban Renewal (URP) Plan which promotes the development of downtown. Sisters URP provides for improvements to streets, sidewalks, pedestrian pathways, public gathering places, parks, and public parking.
Project and Operations Manager Paul Bertagna presented the details to support a motion to approve the professional services agreement with HWA. Bertagna offered that, from his experience with HWA on previous projects, it is a “great firm to work with [who are located] out of Bend.” He added that HWA will need to update the design to include consideration of the Larch Street Commons (under construction by Sisters Habitat for Humanity), confirm content, and revise the schedule.
HWA will begin construction in late fall and hopes to complete by early spring. HWA will create a base map that will show what is currently there and what will be modified, removed, or added. This will be available on an application allowing all working on the project to examine details as needed while on site. HWA will
manage the effort through construction and inspections. City staff will have final say. All commercial and residential stakeholders have been engaged and will continue to be informed.
The same evening, during the City Council’s regular meeting, council unanimously approved Bertagna’s request to award the public improvement for the Westside Pump Station and Force Main Project to Rickabaugh Construction. Although there was an appeal on Rickabaugh’s bid, after review of the appeal and Rickabaugh satisfied the minor concerns, the City’s legal adviser and engineer reevaluated the bids and legal denied the protest.
Due to recent and projected growth in Sisters, a new regional pump station is needed. It will divert current westside flows away from the Rope Street pump station (preparing that pump station to handle possible growth north and east of Sisters) while assuring capacity for growth in the west half of Sisters. The project was conceptualized in the 2023 Wastewater Master Plan update and is expected to start end of July 2025 (on the Westside Pump Station) and complete the entire project by June 30, 2026.
The project design phase was conducted over the last 15 months and includes:
• A new triplex pump station and building with metal roof and privacy fencing
• Double redundancy with pumps — not two but three (as is the case at Rope Street pump station)
• Almost a mile long pressure main to be underground (will not start this part until after Labor Day) that will head South on Pine beneath Hwy. 20 (which will not get closed during the project but will use one lane at times), East on Jefferson, a bit on Elm, South Locust to eventually tie into the existing 12-inch force main.
Bertagna reported that it is a complicated project which will involve various experts and entities, and require public education on detours and block-by-block closures. The estimated cost of $2.6 to $2.9 million, is tariff protected and is a ‘hard’ bid, that means Rickabaugh will absorb additional expenses over their $2,857,093 bid. There is a percentage variance in the contract should the city ask for additional work.
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CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
484 W. Washington Street Two suites available Suite D, 1181 sq. ft. Suite C/F, 805 sq. ft. 503-522-6306
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7
EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.
103 Residential Rentals
Ideal renter seeks peaceful home. Employed FT, Christian editor, mature, nonsmoker, nondrinker. Moving to Oregon in Sept. Please contact hhalverson6@gmail.com
CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS
Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792
Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com
PONDEROSA PROPERTIES
–Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002
Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com
Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC
Studio Apartment 700 Sq. Ft
Rent month-to-month, very quiet, completely furnished, carpeted, Samsung TV, full refridgerator, Ninja Cooker, micro, hot plate, Sleepese queen bed, complete shower and toilet, min-split HVAC, no pets, references reqr, credit check, $1,100 first mth, plus $1,100 deposit required Jack Graham 541-420-0175
104 Vacation Rentals
Downtown Vacation Rentals
Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net Great pricing. 503-730-0150
201 For Sale
COUCH, LIKE NEW hardly used, $299 or best offer 541-410-2890
CHRISTIAN BOOKS inside "A Touch of Faith" 141 W Main Ave, Sisters Exercise bike - $20: back rest, folds to 22"X19". Marianne 541-904-4683
202 Firewood
LODGEPOLE FIREWOOD BEST DEAL IN YEARS SistersForestProducts.com 541-410-4509
Sisters Nights are Mighty CO-O-O-OLD! Running low on Firewood? Check out The Nugget's advertisers above.
• SUMMER 2025 • NEW DISCOUNT PRICES
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205
MOVING ESTATE SALE! Furniture, clothing, household items, outdoor equipment Fri.-Sat., July 18-19, 10 to 3
18380 Goldcoach Rd, Sisters
Fri. July 18 - Sat. July 19, 9 to 4
Tools, bikes, car racks/tops, BBQ, smoker, antiques, art, kitchen stuff, sheets, Christmas decor, etc. 69428 Lake Drive Panoramic Estates
GARAGE SALE • TOLLGATE
69226 Singletree, Sisters
Friday & Saturday • 7/18-7/19
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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
CLASSIC CAR STORAGE!
Oversized, lights/power, $275/m • 541-419-2502
401 Horses
ORCHARD GRASS HAY ALFALFA TRITICALE
New 2025 crop. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $240-$340/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
403 Pets
I’ve got your cats covered! Sisters-Tumalo-PetSitting.com
Home of Brando's Natural Dog Biscuits • 541-306-7551 • Julie SISTERS WHISKERS
Your purr-fect friend is waiting for you at our local nonprofit cat rescue! Apply to adopt at: sisterswhiskers.org
Caring, loving pet care in my home. Daily rates and in town. Cheryl 541-420-7875
500 Services
SMALL Engine REPAIR Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines
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.
I AM A CAREGIVER Looking for work in Sisters, Part-Time
Please call Lynn 503-274-0214. 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.
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
501 Computers & Communications
3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC
Audio/video, data networking, WIFI, security camera, alarms. CCB #191099 541-306-0729
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
M & J CARPET CLEANING
Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
GORDON’S LAST TOUCH
Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY
Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008
504 Handyman
3 Sisters Handyman Services 20+ years experience No job too large or small. Snow removal services available. Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Call Nate 907-748-4100 sistershandyman@gmail.com CCB# 253556
600 Tree Service & Forestry TimberStandImprovement.net Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825
LOLO TREE WORKS
Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638 Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912
– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
• Wildfire Fuels reduction • Debris Chipping/Mastication • Forest Health Thinning
• Land & Lot Clearing
• Tree Removal
Will Moore, 541-409-5404 ISA Certified Arborist We are the experts you’ve been looking for! LCB# 100129 & Oregon Professional Logger 71395048
4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! – TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal.
– FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects!
Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates **
Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342
4brostrees.com Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057
601 Construction
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
Uncompromising quality. Local and personal. You can trust me. All projects: From new construction to those little projects you don't seem to get to. My team of local subcontractors and I will get it done right, fair, and pain-free so you can make your spouse happy. Call Jared 503-949-9719
Custom Homes • Additions Residential Building Projects Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality
CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764
John Pierce
jpierce@bendbroadband.com
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects
All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
INSPIRED CUSTOM HOMES
www.teeharborconstruction.com
541-213-8736 • CCB#75388
Earthwood Timber
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com
LOCAL CONSTRUCTION
SERVICES & HOME MAINT.
Remodels • Landscaping
Firewise Maintenance
Decks & Much More!
Pease Co. Contracting Call Tanner at 541-588-0136. Big and small jobs!
CCB# 256258
Pat Burke
LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT
CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062
www.sistersfencecompany.com
CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians
Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
Lara’s Construction LLC.
CCB#223701
Offering masonry work, fireplaces, interior & exterior stone/brick-work, build barbecues, and all types of masonry. Give us a call for a free estimate 541-350-3218
Custom Homes
Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects
Becke William Pierce
CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com
— Serving Sisters Since 2010 —
602 Plumbing & Electric
SWEENEY PLUMBING, INC.
“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling
• New Construction
• Water Heaters
541-549-4349
Residential and Commercial
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB #87587
Ridgeline Electric, LLC
Serving all of Central Oregon
• Residential • Commercial
• Industrial • Service
541-588-3088 • CCB #234821
Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Remodels • Generators • Hot tubs/Saunas monteselectric@hotmail.com
CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860
— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE
541-419-3148
A 63-year tradition for Sisters www.georges-septic-service.com
603 Excavation & Trucking
BANR Enterprises, LLC
Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls
Residential & Commercial
CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977 www.BANR.net
Full Service Excavation
Free On-site Visit & Estimate Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com
541-549-1472 • CCB #76888
Drainfield
• Minor & Major Septic Repair
• All Septic Needs/Design & Install
General Excavation
• Site Preparation
• Rock & Stump Removal
• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation
• Building Demolition Trucking
• Deliver Top Soil, Sand, Gravel, Boulders, Water
• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly
• The Whole 9 Yards or 24
Whatever You Want!
ROBINSON & OWEN
Heavy Construction, Inc.
All your excavation needs
*General excavation
*Site Preparation
*Sub-Divisions
*Road Building
*Sewer and Water Systems
*Underground Utilities
*Grading
*Sand-Gravel-Rock Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB #124327 541-549-1848
&
ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit • New Const • Remodel
Consulting, Service & Installs
actionairheatingandcooling.com
CCB #195556
541-549-6464
605 Painting
~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620
www.frontier-painting.com
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
606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance
Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.
CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462
Alpine Landscape Maintenance 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
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
J&E Landscaping Maintenance
LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.com
STEVE'S HAULING
Yard and other debris, landscaping services, chain saw work, etc. 707-328-8370
All Landscaping Services
Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740
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
801 Classes & Training
BRUCE FENN
TENNIS CAMP
SISTERS MIDDLE SCHOOL COURTS
BOYS/GIRLS AGES 10-14
2 SESSIONS: AUG. 18-21 AND AUG. 25-28, 9 AM TO 3 PM. $10 HOURLY INSTRUCTION FREE T-SHIRT
LOANER RACQUETS
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
AUGUST 13 FOR DISCOUNT REGISTRATION
CONTACT HIGH SCHOOL COACH FENN brucew10@hotmail.com
802 Help Wanted Now Hiring
Housekeeping Team Member
Join the crew at our cozy camp-style retreat nestled in the forest!
We're looking for friendly, dependable individuals to join our housekeeping team at Lake Creek Lodge.
PT/FT. We offer flexible schedules & excellent compensation. www.lakecreeklodge.com 13375 SW FS Rd. 1419 Camp Sherman
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.
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 W. Cascade Ave. in Sisters or by email diane.j@stitchinpost.com. Questions? Contact diane.j@stitchinpost.com
– C L A S S I F I E D S –It pays to advertise in The Nugget, your local "Yellow Pages" for Sisters! Deadline to place your ad is Monday before noon... Call 541-549-9941
SUDOKU SOLUTION
for puzzle on page 8
PHOTO BY TRACY FOTEFF
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 • Habitat ReStore
•Hard Tails Outlaw Countr y Dive Bar & Grill
• High Camp Taphouse
• 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 • Pine Desert Dental
• 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 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 Lodge Retirement Community
• The Nugget Front Porch
• The Pony Express • The Slow Down State
• Three Creeks Brew Pub • Three Sisters Floral
• Western Title & Escrow Company • Your Store
Three Sisters Floral 243 N. Elm St., Sisters
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:
• 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.