The Nugget
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Landowner works on creek restoration
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
Thirty years ago, the month of August would have found Whychus Creek — then known as Squaw Creek — running dry through town. Decades of work — piping irrigation ditches to mitigate water loss, riparian landscape improvement, and landowners returning water rights into the creek — restored the creek to a yearround flow.
A long-term goal once thought improbable — restoring steelhead runs to the creek — is within reach.
Chris Crever is trying to do his part.
Crever lives on Junipine Lane east of Sisters, on eight acres with about 1,500 feet of creek frontage. Recently, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) dropped thousands of steelhead smolts into the creek along his property.
“Basically, I reached out to talk about how private landowners along Whychus Creek can aid and assist with this restoration work that has been going on,” he told The
Nugget. “What can we do as private landowners to make this work with you guys?”
Substantial work has been done to restore the creek south of Crever and his neighbors’ properties, on land owned by Deschutes Land Trust. Substantial work has been done through town
Community rallies for 3.5-mile nature trail
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Some 60 students from Sisters Middle School last spring laid out a 3,500-foot section of what eventually will become a 3.5mile community trail circumnavigating the outer boundary of all three Sisters schools. Under the supervision of Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) the kids flagged a serpentine path on the Highway 242 side, having first designed its route in the classroom.
It’s an ambitious project, not just a trail, but an immersive learning experience that includes interpretive signage, a greenhouse, growing and planting of native plants, removal of invasive plants, and more.
And while the students in all three schools will have a
large say and lots of sweat labor in the project, it has turned into a communitywide effort as the cost and sheer scale of work requires an intense effort.
Once laid out, STA came in with a Bobcat trail conditioner and carved out the trail floor — an enormously dusty and arduous task.
Mark Thompson, an STA Board Member, and David Hiller, President of Kiwanis of Sisters, took turns on the beast, and the students followed with fine raking of debris.
This followed with the laying of the base trail bed, 500,000 pounds of crushed gravel. That’s a lot of rock, yet Thompson, Rob Cravens, a Sisters native and former fire captain and paramedic
and to the north. The land in between is all in private ownership — and Crever hopes to rally his neighbors to participate in what has become a remarkable tale of bringing a creek back to life.
“This has been a labor of love for me for about 20 years,” Crever said.
When he reached out to ODFW, they came out last fall and did a fish survey in the creek along his property — and found no fish, despite there being good riparian habitat and nice potential spawning beds.
UGB committee suggests parcels
By Matthew McClellan Correspondent
During their final meeting, the UGB Steering Committee voted in support of a map including only parcels to the east and northeast of current city limits, excluding the McKenzie Meadows parcels currently applying for a rezone.
The goal of this final meeting was for the Committee to make a recommendation for how the Planning Commission and City Council should proceed in the UGB amendment process. More specifically, the Committee should recommend specific parcels that should be included in the expanded UGB.
In previous meetings dating back to June 2024, the Committee discussed the
See UGB on page 13
Rescuers aid hikers at Chush Falls
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District was dispatched to the Chush Falls area south of Sisters on Wednesday, July 30, after receiving a report of two hikers experiencing medical issues. Due to limited access and terrain, assistance was requested from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Unit. Eleven SAR volunteers responded to the scene.
Both hikers were located and evaluated on the trail. One was able to hike out, while the second was transported to the trailhead using a wheeled litter — a specialized stretcher equipped with one large tire designed for navigating rugged terrain.
This rescue was a successful multi-agency effort, with support from SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SAR volunteers, and
the U.S. Forest Service.
“Both hikers are doing okay and refused transport to the hospital once rescue
crews reached the trailhead,” Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jason Carr reported.
Jerry George of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife conducts a fish count in Whychus Creek. PHOTO PROVIDED
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.
Intersection
To the Editor:
I understand that the goal of the Barclay/ Camp Polk/Locust intersection revision is to allow the free flow of traffic from Barclay on to Locust and allow those heading from Locust to Barclay to makes the turn without having to stop. However, there should be a stop sign for those coming down Barclay who wish to turn left onto Camp Polk. The current situation is confusing and an accident waiting to happen. Furthermore, the turn onto Camp Polk from Locust and from Barclay is way too narrow for safe passage. We need a revision of the revision to ensure driver safety!
Terry Hardin
s s s
Remembering Annie Marland
To the Editor:
It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that our dear friend, driver and STARS co-founder, Annie Marland, passed away Wednesday, July 30. She was with friends at a memorial service where a
dozen paramedics, three fire chiefs, and many Fire Corp. personnel were attending. All who provided comfort in her final moments. Annie was one of the visionaries who helped bring STARS to life. As a driver, she gave generously of her time and spirit. And even after her health made it difficult to continue behind the wheel, she remained a beloved part of the STARS team — as a passenger relations manager, a supporter, and always an inspiration. She was astonished that she needed the service she helped start and was so grateful to those of you who have given her rides and spent time helping her. Annie told me recently, “You just never know how fast your life can change.”
Annie believed deeply in the power of neighbors helping neighbors, and she lived that belief every day. Her warmth, her sense of humor, and her unwavering kindness have left a lasting imprint on STARS and on so many lives in Sisters.
Please join me in holding Annie’s memory close and keeping her family in our thoughts as they grieve this tremendous loss.
Rennie Morrell
Sisters Weather Forecast
See LETTERS on page 6
Keep it local, keep it strong
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
For the owner of Bedouin, one of Sisters’ linchpin retail establishments, this is more than a slogan to promote shopping at her boutique. Thomas is walking the walk. She has cancelled her Amazon Prime membership, and she strives to spend every dollar she can in the local community that supports her business. That means food, business services, cleaning supplies — all the things that go into keeping a business running.
What Thomas recognizes is that “shopping small” and keeping it local has an outsized impact. Data is variable, but analysts are pretty consistent in finding that for every $100 spent locally, more than $60 gets reinvested — spent — in the local economy. When you spend at big box stores or online outside the community, that reinvestment goes down to about $30 — or less. Each dollar spent in the local community circulates four to seven times through other local businesses. Dollars spent at Amazon don’t.
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A thriving small business community is vital to the overall health of a small town — every bit as important as good schools. In fact, the two go hand in hand. Local businesses sponsor school programs and youth sports teams; they form an important part of the tax base that funds schools and municipal services. They employ people who have important roles in the community. Businesses sponsor the events that give Sisters its character. It is good to see neighbors prosper.
Through the months of August and September, The Nugget is putting a spotlight on local business in a “Keep It Local” campaign. We’re expanding our coverage of the local business community (so if you’ve got a good story idea, let us know) and we’re offering advertising incentives for businesses to get their message out to the community.
For some of this work, we’re partnering with the Small Business Association here in town, which is working to help local businesses find resources, networking and educational opportunities to help them succeed and thrive.
Nugget readers can support their local business community in a variety of
ways. Get out and explore. There’s a lot happening at Sisters businesses, and it makes a pleasant day to go out to eat and visit local stores. You might be surprised at what you find. And it is a joy to develop relationships with business owners, some of whom helped make Sisters a community that draws people to visit and to move here, some of whom are just embarking on a long-held dream.
Just allocating a few more dollars to mindful, local shopping can make a big difference. You don’t necessarily have to follow Harmony Thomas’ program — just a little bit of effort can make an important difference, especially if we all pull together.
I like to use Amazon. com as a research tool — I research a product there, then try to find it through one of our local businesses. Most of the time, I can get what I’m hunting for locally, or they can find it for me.
Your support of The Nugget helps us support local businesses. While our costs continue to rise, we have held steady on our advertising rates because we know we can’t simply pass those cost burdens on to our advertisers, who are facing rising costs across the board. Direct support from readers in the form of Supporting Contributions is vital to continuing the work of the newspaper, which is, itself, a long-time part of Sisters’ small business community. The Nugget is free to read, but it costs money to produce. We pay our small, dedicated staff, we pay our contributing freelancers, we pay for our printing and distribution, and we have the same kind of overhead costs that any small business does. Readers who value the paper and make direct supporting contributions help us cover the cost of reporting the news and serving as an opinion platform for the community.
You can make supporting contributions at www.nuggetnews.com, send a check to P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR, 97759, or stop by the office at 442 E. Main Ave.
Connect with the Sisters Business Association and support their mission at www.sistersba.com.
Working together, we can build prosperity and vibrancy in our community. Keep it local, and keep it strong.
COMMUNITY
Butterfly count celebrates 40 years
By Ander Rhoads Correspondent
The Lane County Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), led by Sue Anderson, held the 40th annual Metolius Butterfly Count on July 12. This was one of many counts held across the country to study the populations and ranges of butterflies. These community scientist-led projects are used in important scientific research that helps us understand the effects of humans on our environment and shows us where we need to focus our conservation efforts.
Around 9 a.m, 23 community scientists met at the Indian Ford Campground in preparation for an important data collection project in the Metolius Basin. Four of the scientists were chasing each other around the parking area, while a fifth was asking his mom when lunch would be while she tried to apply his sunscreen. Most of these scientists lack any relevant degrees or qualifications, in fact, six of them haven’t even graduated high school. Yet, they were are all about to spend the day gathering critical data regarding the numbers and range of a threatened taxonomic order of insects — probably the most loved of all insects on
our planet. Now, before you get worried that this important data is being collected by completely unqualified individuals, note that every butterfly counted is verified by experts (such as Sue Anderson) before it is officially counted and put on the list.
This scene was the start of the 40th annual Metolius Butterfly Count. Anderson, known by many Oregonians for her extensive naturerelated research projects, teaching, and advocacy, led the group.
Anderson started the orientation with a smile on her face, as she delighted
Book festival answers fundamental question
What is a book festival, anyway?
This seems like a question with a pretty straightforward answer, right? When most people think of a book festival, they might picture some vendor booths, stacks of books, and authors reading from their work and giving lectures that lean more than a little bit towards the stuffy and academic. Or maybe they think of something a bit more akin to a book club where you’re left out of the fun if you’re not familiar with the author or haven’t read the book yet. That all sounds a little bit exclusionary or like a good invitation for an afternoon
snooze. Sisters Festival of Books, taking place September 12-14, offers something much richer and more dynamic. Yes, hopefully you’ll end the weekend with a few new books, but it’s not really about finding your next read. In a time when we’re often isolated behind screens and looking for connection, Sisters Festival of Books is, at its heart, about discovery — of ideas, voices, and community through storytelling. You don’t need to be a die-hard reader to get something out of it — or really a reader at all. You don’t
The evolving food scene in Sisters
the biggest new restaurant opening in Sisters for some time.
Diners are delighted to welcome the addition of two new eateries in town. The McArthur and Three Finger Jack Tavern opened in July, about a week apart and when visited by The Nugget they were full of happy customers. They join Famille who opened in March at the location formerly occupied by Chops, the last white-tablecloth restaurant in Sisters. Famille is owned and operated by the same folks who run Ski Inn, until this year
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.
Alcoholics A nonymou s
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration
Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild
For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail A lliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com for info.
Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.
Council on Aging of Cent ral O rego n Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43 East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’ Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061.
G o Fish Fishing G roup 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Siste rs C ommunity Church. 541-771-2211
Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s)
2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided. 541- 408 -8 505.
Hero Q uilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755
Living Well W ith Dementia Sisters Care Par tner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Library Communit y Room. 5 41-588 -0547.
Mili tary Parent s of Sisters Meetings are held quarter ly; please c all 5 41-388 -9 013.
Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:30 a.m., Takoda’s Restaurant. 5 41-5 49 -6 469.
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158
Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.
Sisters Area Woodworke rs First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.
Sisters Caregi ver Sup por t G roup 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Siste rs Library Communit y Room. 5 41-588 -0547. (M eets with Living Well With Dementia Sisters)
Sisters Cribbage C lub M eets 11 a.m.
ever y Wed. at S PR D. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.
Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.
Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m.
Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.
Sisters Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at S PR D in Sisters 541- 632- 3663
Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.
Sisters Veterans no- host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant.
All veterans welcome, 5 41-241-6 56 3.
Sisters Trails A lliance Board Meetings take plac e ever y other month, 5 p.m. In- person or zoom. Contact: info@sisterstrails.org
Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of Direc tors M eets 2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSI D Of fice 541- 903- 4050
Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 5 41-419 -1279.
VF W Po st 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:3 0 p.m., Pine Meadow V illage Clubhouse, 596 W Jef ferson Ave. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School
Board of Direc tors 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203
Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule at www.ssd 6. org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002.
“It’s so nice to have such a choice now,” said Brian Carpenter of Sisters. His wife, Adrienne added: “We got pretty bored with so few choices and didn’t eat out that much, something we looked forward to since retiring and moving from Seattle.”
The restaurant business is fraught with turnover, especially since COVID, with staffing a major issue. The unrelenting price of beef now
CIT Y & PARKS
Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters Cit y Hall 541- 549- 6022
Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Dire ctor s 2nd & 4th Tues., 4 p.m., C of f ield Center. 5 41-5 49 -2091. Sisters Pl anning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City
FIRE & POLICE
Black Bu tt e Ranch Polic e Dept. Board of Dire ctor s M eets monthly 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date Black Bu tt e Ranch R FPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BB R Fire Station. 5 41-595 -2 28 8 Cloverdale R FPD
Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Wed., 5:3 0 p.m., 6743 3 Cloverdale Rd. 5 41-5 48 -4 815. c loverdalef ire.com.
Sister s- Camp She rman R FPD Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 5 41-5 49 -0771. Sister s- Camp She rman R FPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 5 41-5 49 -0771.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Ardent butterfly lovers fanned out to count butterflies, in an event conducted here for decades.
See BOOKS on page 8
See FOOD SCENE on page 7
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Small Biz
T. Lee Brown Columnist
What do you really want from your business
Here in The Nugget’s new Small Biz column we explore what works, what doesn’t, and various perspectives on business in general. Local businesses, solo artists, and nonprofit leaders give a glimpse of their successes here in Sisters Country. Experts weigh in, and I lend my experience as a branding, strategy, content, and communications consultant.
Let’s kick off with this: What do you really want from your business?
This question goes remarkably unexplored by experts of various stripes. The assumption is that you’re in it for visible success, loads of money, high metrics and the status that goes with ‘em.
We can only get there, we hear, if we’re confident and focused on numbers. If we have a dazzling smile and feel good about manipulating people. If we like to speak in acronyms like ROI, CTAs, and KPIs.
Self-help and marketing gurus proceed to dole out generic advice and blow smoke up their clients to increase their confidence (and take their money).
Clients, like those of weight-loss programs, may devote themselves to the program for a while. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it harms, leading the small business owner away from their core values and inspirations, deflating their confidence because they don’t get enough hearts on Instagram. They drift away.
What’s an alternative? Well, try getting in touch with your true self, your experiences and desires: sources of meaning, assets, lifestyle preferences, business experience, abilities, knowledge, and values. Compare all this with your proposed or existing business. Do they align?
If they don’t align, if the practicalities are impractical, if your values or sense of personal integrity are compromised, this may not be the right business for you. Alternately, you might approach your business from a different angle, with
new partners and collaborators, and achieve better alignment.
Approaches to branding and communications can be similar. Do you want to radiate professionalism and encourage trust in your customers? Do you have big ambitions for your business over the long term? Invest in branding from the get-go.
Are you running a funky mom-and-pop operation with few expenses? Are you an artist who likes to dress, look, and speak as you please? An enterprise that pushes you too far away from who you really are might not be worth it, and you might not need a solid strategic branding process at this point.
If you decide to go whole-hog on a financially viable business, it’s time to get strategic. Ideally, you can align your true desires with a sensible approach, and succeed according to your own definition of success.
Lane Jacobson, owner of Paulina Springs Books, provides a great example. “I’m extremely fortunate to make this into the kind of shop that I would want in the town,” he says. “So far, that has lined up with what the community wants.”
He arrived in Sisters already experienced, with a bootstrapped, dedicated career devoted to things he cares about deeply: books, games, and community. He bought the bookstore and proceeded to evolve it slowly, with plenty of community support and flexibility — enough to accommodate a pandemic early on.
Lane also credits being receptive to the community for the shop’s success, along with his intuitive business sense and “a lot of dumb luck.”
That said, sometimes “you make your own luck through best practices,” he notes, “and being prepared for when an opportunity does arise.”
But it’s also OK to have a passion project that doesn’t
pencil out. A personal example: I have a woo-woo side project I love. It mostly functions as a spiritual and artistic gift to a small online community. Sometimes people make purchases or donate.
The website is scrappy and out of date. There’s no marketing beyond a small newsletter. No Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook.
Am I going to become a bazillionaire doing this? Nope. Do I need to be a world-renowned purveyor of woo-woo? Nah.
Very importantly: Am I counting on it to pay my mortgage? No.
With my background in online content, branding, and strategy — and given that my husband is an award-winning designer and creative director — there’s a good chance I could take my woo to the next level. I’ve seen how others in the sector accomplish this.
Such a route would likely suck the fun, integrity, and spirit out of my project.
Accepting and delineating our true desires can make life as a small businessperson more enjoyable. Of course, sometimes we may sacrifice one or two of our big desires in order to establish a stable business.
If we consciously decide to do that? Fabulous! If we hold out for a more aligned business opportunity? Also fabulous! Either way, we can move forward knowing we’ve really thought it through
T. Lee Brown grew up in a family business environment with a dad who liked to start new ventures. Her clients have included NBCUniversal, Nike and the musician Sting, along with Sisters Farmers Market and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She is a consulting director for Plazm, a branding, design and communications firm. The views expressed are her own. Contact tiffanyleebrown@ berkeley.edu.
Fundraiser created for injured Sisters man
Sisters area resident Ryan Seeley suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident on Highway 242 near the entrance to Crossroads on Saturday, July 26. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been initiated to help him with medical bills and recovery. According to his former wife Mandee Myrick, who set up the GoFundMe fundraiser Seeley suffered seconddegree road rash, fractures in his foot and ankle, injuries to his knees and elbow, and damage to his hip—which had been previously hurt in a serious motorcycle accident two years ago while avoiding a deer in the national forest.
Seeley told The Nugget that the road rash is the worst of it.
Myrick reported that a vehicle “pulled out in front of Ryan while he was driving his motorcycle into the Crossroads neighborhood in Sisters… on his way to try and sell it.”
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office told The Nugget that there was no contact with a vehicle. No citations were issued in the incident
“Ryan is now out of the hospital and focusing on his recovery, but he’s facing unexpected challenges as he prepares for a major move to reunite with his family,” Myrick wrote in the GoFundMe narrative.
Seeley has been an
member of the Sisters community since moving there in 2016 with his now ex-wife, their two children, and dog Karma.
“Despite spending a total of nearly four years unhoused in Central Oregon, he has always found ways to give back—organizing and participating in community cleanups, supporting law enforcement with public safety efforts, and helping his unhoused neighbors, including evacuating them when the Milli Fire threatened the town in 2017,” Myrick wrote. “His commitment to making Sisters a better place has touched many lives, and he’s grateful for the connections he’s made over the past nine years.”
The sought-for goal of $4,000 will help Seeley as he recovers and prepares for a new chapter closer to his family. The funds raised will go directly toward repairing his motorcycle so he can sell it, assisting with gas for his cross-country trip back home, and handling any unexpected repairs to his vehicle along the way.
Seeley expressed his appreciation for Sisters.
“The day I see this place in my rearview mirror will definitely be one of the saddest days I’ve had for a long time,” he told The Nugget.
Donate to Ryan Seeley’s recovery at https://www. gofundme.com/f/help-ryanrecover-reunite-with-family.
Western music and storytelling featured in ‘bunkhouse’ event
Paulina Springs Books will be transformed into a bunkhouse on Sunday, August 17, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. as documentary filmmaker Craig Rullman and musicians Mike Biggers and Jim Cornelius host a music and storytelling session in support of Rullman’s second film, “The California Rose.”
“The California Rose” documents the crafting of an exquisite Visalia-style saddle by the elite craftsmen in the field — Cary Schwarz, Troy West, John Willemsma, and Pedro Pedrini. Rullman and Sisters photojournalist and cinematographer Jarod Gatley traveled to Schwarz’s saddle shop in Salmon, Idaho, April 2-5, 2024, to document the build. The saddle was named “The California Rose,” and it was auctioned for $105,000 at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City last September to fund the scholarship program of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA). Rullman and Cornelius attended the auction gala.
The TCAA describes their mission: “The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association is dedicated to preserving and promoting the skills of Saddlemaking, Bit and Spur Making, Silversmithing, and Rawhide Braiding and the role of these traditional crafts in the cowboy culture of the North American West. Each year, TCAA provides scholarships to support artists in developing their craft.”
Rullman’s film follows the saddle from the build through its landing in an extensive private collection of functional Western art, placing the art of the cowboy in the broader cultural
context as an element that shaped American culture — and still persists in authentic form in the day-to-day operation of ranches across the West, including here in Oregon.
Rullman’s first film, “The Outside Circle: A Movie of the Modern West,” documented buckaroo culture ranging from Paisley, Oregon, into northern Nevada. The film centered around buckaroo and Western artist Len Babb, who has frequently shown his work in Sisters. It is available for viewing through Amazon Prime.
The August 17 event is a fundraiser to support recording original music for “The California Rose.” Attendees will be asked to contribute a suggested donation of $20. Rullman will also offer framed prints of his Western photography for purchase.
“If you’re a songwriter and somebody hands you an image like a saddle named ‘The California Rose,’ you know what you need to do,” Cornelius said. “Mike Biggers and I sat down in The Bunkhouse on Mike’s ranch here in Sisters, and got to work. Three hours later, we had us a song — ‘The California Rose.’”
The duo will play the song at the August 17 event.
Paisley cowboy and musician Jody Cooper will be joining Biggers and Cornelius with contributions of his own.
Rullman will talk about the filmmaking process, his time spent working as a buckaroo, and why the cowboy culture continues to matter in the 21st Century.
“The culture of the American West has created a
— Craig Rullman
tradition of functional art that spans centuries and reaches as far back as the Moorish invasion of Spain,” Rullman said. “‘The California Rose’ is a testament to master craftsmanship in the arts of saddlemaking, silversmithing, rawhide braiding, and bit and spurmaking. As a work of art, it is both a direct link to an honored past, and a symbol of promise — that the West endures.”
The storytelling will frame the music — some original, some modern classics from the likes of Ian Tyson, Tom Russell, and Dave Stamey.
“We’ll talk about where the songs come from,” Cornelius said. “And, since we’ll be in a book store, we’ll talk about some of the great books that capture the cowboy way of life — and inspire songs.
“We’re calling the event Bunkhouse in the Book Store,” he continued. “We want it to feel more like a ‘gathering’ than a performance — just a bunch of folks getting together to swap stories and songs and share our love for the West.”
Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.
“The California Rose” was built by the finest craftsmen in the field and sold at auction to fund scholarships for the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA). Sisters filmmaker Craig Rullman documented the saddle’s journey for his forthcoming second film.
PHOTO BY CRAIG RULLMAN
Sisters Country birds
By Douglas Beall Correspondent
Often heard over meadows and farmland, the Red-tailed Hawk [Buteo jamaicensis] call is a “kee-eeee-arr” that is mimicked by several birds, especially the Stellar’s Jay.
There are 16 sub-species within their habitats which covers Canada, all of America, and south into Costa Rica and Cuba. Their diet consists almost entirely of small rodents and an occasional pheasant, jack rabbit, or reptile.
Some Red-tails will migrate, however most are year-round residents. They are seen perched on telephone poles or snags as they find their prey.
Red-tails nest atop trees or previous nest sites built with sticks and lined with bark strips and dry vegetation. Nests can range to 6.5 feet high and three feet across and take four to seven days to build. An aerial courtship display consists of soaring in circles at great heights and grasping talons while diving downward before releasing. One to five white-brown-blotchy eggs are laid and incubated for 28–35 days. The male will feed the female and the chicks. The young will fledge in 44–46 days and be fed by the parents for four to seven weeks.
I recently observed a “kettle” of Red-tails soaring so high that they disappeared from sight. A group of hawks are called a “boil,” a “lease,” a “kettle,” or a “cast.” To view more images of Red-tails visit https://abirdsings becauseithasasong.com/ recent-journeys/.
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
To the Editor:
s s s
Open carry
What a fascinating modern world we live in. The other day I went grocery shopping in Bend at a store I frequently shop, and rounding a corner in the store I saw the back of a young man dressed in dark clothes and wearing a tactical vest & belt, complete with at least one side-arm. Initially I thought to myself “what the hell happened here to bring out the SWAT guys?” When I got a look at his front all I saw were stick-on patches of some sort, no law-enforcement ID, and the face of a man-baby, maybe in his twenties or early thirties.
While I’m no Second-Amendment bible-thumper, I’m no stranger to firearms; I’ve owned them since before I learned to drive, and I’ve held a concealed-carry permit for nigh on forty years. I also don’t consider myself a Karen, I’m more of a live-and-let-live person. However. When I approached one of the cashiers to inquire why there’s a geared-up and apparently armed kid in her store she acted like she didn’t know what I was talking about, then a guy comes out of the store office and proclaims Oregon’s an open-carry state. Gee. I knew that before you were born. So I left the store and called the cops.
The young man on the phone didn’t seem overly concerned that there was a guy looking a lot like the video clips we see so often nowadays of an armed person walking into a building just before they commit a mass shooting. He asked me a few questions about the guy and then said he’d send someone over. There’s a law-enforcement facility literally across the highway from where I was, and during the time I called 911, walked to my car and circled the parking lot — maybe 10 minutes total — there was no discernible response. Not long ago a call like that would’ve flooded the parking lot in cop cars.
Then I get home and the news tells me there were not one but two mass shootings on the same day. Depending on what source one reads, there have been 205 mass shootings this year as of June 6, resulting in 198 deaths and 881 injuries.
I get that some knuckle-draggers feel like they need to show off their pew-pews just because they need to feel like big shots and the law says they can; but in today’s socio-political climate, with unidentified “law-enforcement” thugs dragging people off the street and random crazies flashing their weapons around it’s simply a recipe for a law-abiding citizen like me to get into a shootout with the “good guys.”
I’m all for the Second Amendment, but it needs to be brought into line with 21st-century reality.
Pete Rathbun
To the Editor:
Thanks for the smiles
This is a thank you for including some recent uplifting, positive articles in your selections, so badly needed in these harrowing times! I loved Candace Brey’s story of the community effort to save a baby Killdeer bird (July 9), and T. Brown’s heartwarming and frank reminder of all we have to be thankful for, due to our “privilege” as U.S. citizens (July 9).
Both reminded us of our humanity, despite struggles, and obligation to see beyond ourselves to do something besides attack, complain, and turn aside.
To top off these “uppers,” Jim Cornelius took me happily back to 1989, with his visit to the recent 4-H Extension Wagon Train trip near Sisters (July 23). We took both our sons, seven and 10, on the eight-day, 95-mile trip over a section of the Barlow Trail that summer. However, our wagons then were pulled by magnificent Percherons, with only one sweet mule along for kids to ride.
It remains one of our best ever family experiences for all the learning, shared duties and camaraderie among the participants. We quickly learned not to ride on the hard wooden seats, walking most of the miles, and slept on huge tarps, sprawled all together, after all chores were done. The wonderful older drivers who lovingly cared for the wagons and horses all year, just for this event, kept us entertained and encouraged as well.
We got to help right a wagon that tipped over, let one down with ropes over a steep section, suck lemon drops to stave off thirst while walking behind lots of dust, and above all, care for the horses first!
Prior participants were allowed to join us one night for stories and songs around a campfire. But what I am so happy to know is that now, these trips through history include Native American presence, too! We weren’t fighting the dominance of cell phones and computers like families are today, but it was unlike any other camping we’d ever done.
You needn’t belong to 4-H, so just do it! And thanks, Jim, for my smiles!
Wendie Vermillion s s s
Poverty
To the Editor:
For Jackleen de La Harpe:
A quick note to say bravo for your opinion in The Nugget Newspaper. Very good re: Poverty in the rearview mirror. Many of us have succeeded due to the social safeguards, given a hand up — not a handout — and a belief that we can all
See LETTERS on page 9
Red-Tailed Hawk.
PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BEALL
USFS office closed for a time
Beginning August 4, the Sisters Ranger District Station will be temporarily closed for public and employee safety while construction of the new ranger station nears completion and staff relocate.
The closure may remain in place through August 27, depending on construction and office relocation schedules. The Deschutes National Forest will resume visitor services at the new Sisters Ranger District Station as soon as possible.
Once the new building is ready for occupancy, employees will need time to move into the new office and ensure they can safely support visitor services again prior to re-opening. Phone lines, internet, and computer systems will need to be installed and tested and permits and merchandise items will need to be transitioned and organized.
Forest Service visitor services will be temporarily unavailable in Sisters while the office is closed. The public can obtain day use and annual Northwest Forest passes by visiting a local vendor or purchasing online at Recreation.gov.
While visitor services are temporarily disrupted, the public can call or visit other nearby Forest Service offices on the Deschutes or Willamette National Forests. Addresses and contact information for Deschutes National Forest offices can be found here: fs.usda.gov/ r06/deschutes/offices and information about neighboring Willamette National Forest offices can be found here: fs.usda.gov/r06/ willamette/offices.
For more information about the upcoming office closure and transition, reach out to the Sisters Ranger District at 541-549-7700.
FOOD SCENE: New restaurants have come on line
Continued from page 3
in its third year of record cost weighs on the industry as steak is a prime menu item when folks dine out.
The restaurant business, like any small business, can be a tough road. Only 51.4 percent make it five years. Just 34.6 percent survive 10 years or more. Employee turnover is a killer. Going back to 2013, the rate is 80.2 percent and since the pandemic it exploded to 132 percent.
Paul Mercer who owns The McArthur, located in the same building as Sisters Athletic Club on the FivePine campus, said he has had no problem finding staff. Mitch Eisenbeis, who with his brother Jason runs Three Finger Jack, said they are still hiring as they grow out their seating.
Hardtails, a longtime fixture in Sisters, changed hands (see The Nugget, July 22) and has a done a major revamp with a minor name change, a new menu, and for now, adding breakfast.
Around town, the scene, like most places, is constantly in flux. That’s particularly true with Sisters food trucks. Wonderland Chicken Co. pulled out of the Eurosport food court and went to Bend as did Pop’s Southern BBQ parked at The Barn Taphouse. The Barn continues to draw large crowds.
Bob’s Electric wedged into Pop’s spot, offering Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. Nearby at Eurosports, long favored by cyclists and skiers, Jamaican Jerk Culture opened this year at the same time as Nonna’s Cucina
closed shop.
Brunchie’s has settled on its own land on West Hood Avenue after leased stints at two other locations.
Over at Sun Ranch Business Park, the Kitchen Table, best known for its takeout menu, also ended its run, disappointing residents on that end of town.
A common frustration amongst diners is inconsistency of hours.
“You never know who’s open when,” said Robin Sayers from Black Butte Ranch.
Indeed, there are no universal days or times when Sisters eateries are open.
Throughout the industry, Monday is the most common day for closure, followed by Tuesday, generally the leastbusy day of the week.
Rancho Viejo generally closes Wednesdays. R Spot is closed on Sunday as is The Open Door. Sunday is normally a high-volume day for restaurants. High Camp shutters on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cottonwood Café and Spoons, both on East Hood Avenue, while open every day, only serve to 2 p.m. with many of their regulars wishing for longer hours.
East Hood is now known as restaurant row with six dining spots in a three-block stretch.
Three Finger Jack calls itself a tavern with a menu to match.
“We don’t do sophis-
ticated — we serve up wild, no-nonsense meals that let the flavors speak for themselves. From juicy steaks to wild-caught seafood, each dish brings bold Western flavors, served the way they were meant to be. Not fancy — just real, honest eats,” the brothers say.
They have partnered with Sisters Meat and Smokehouse for their meats.
Famille describes itself as refined dining with impeccable service and a chef-driven menu heavy on steaks.
The McArthur, named after historian and popular Sisters hiking trail — Tam McArthur Rim — bills itself as an elevated dining experience with 100 percent locally sourced and organic ingredients presented in a Pacific Northwest cuisine with dishes like halibut cheeks, elk rack, hazelnut trout, elk sliders, and salmon poke.
Mercer is a restaurant entrepreneur of 30 years’ experience.
“Nobody in Sisters wants white tablecloths anymore, but they want great food in a relaxed setting,” he said.
Mercer has gone to lengths to make the space as sound-absorbing as possible. A frequent complaint of Sisters diners is noise level.
Rumors persist that a Bend landmark eatery — RBC (Rancher – Butcher –Chef) — has eyes on Sisters waiting only for the right location.
The Sisters Ranger District headquarters will be closed to the public for most of August for a move.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
need to have read the books, or even know the names of the authors. The real appeal is hearing from people who’ve spent years thinking deeply about something — whether that’s the housing crisis in Bend, the history of Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels, the geology of rockhounding in the Pacific Northwest, or what it’s like to work as a wildland firefighter. It’s a chance to learn directly from someone who’s immersed themselves in a subject, often for deeply personal reasons. These events aren’t lectures — they’re conversations that unfold in real time, and the tone is more TED Talk than university lecture.
Friday night, September 12, kicks off with a StorySLAM, a community storytelling event where ten people take the stage, one by one, to tell a five-minute, unscripted, true story on the theme “Under the Surface.” Some stories are funny, some are painful, and many hit unexpected notes. What they all share is honesty. You never know who’s going to be on stage — maybe someone you see in line at the coffee shop or sit next to at school board meetings — but for a few minutes, you’re invited into their experience. It’s an intimate and powerful way to get to know our own community.
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, the schedule is
packed with author readings and discussions. Topics range widely, from memoir to historical fiction, poetry to science. You’ll get to hear from many authors who are visiting from around the Western U.S., but there’s also strong representation from Central Oregon itself. Sunday’s Local Author Extravaganza, for example, spotlights work coming directly from our own community — giving readers a chance to engage with the literary and artistic voices rooted right here. The real draw is the conversation, the exchange of ideas, and the chance to have your curiosity sparked.
For those looking for something more hands on, there’s a workshop series with topics ranging from Publishing 101 to Emotional Toolkits for Creatives. All workshops are designed to be welcoming, generative spaces, whether you’re an experienced writer or someone who’s just curious about starting a creative practice.
What ties the weekend together isn’t just literature or books. Whether you’re sitting in a room with an author who just cracked open a new part of the world for you, laughing (or crying) at a friend’s StorySLAM tale, or discovering a local writer whose voice sticks with you long after the weekend ends — what you’re really finding is a sense of community. It’s the experience of sharing space with your neighbors, exchanging ideas, and listening to someone share something they’ve made or lived through. The weekend is full of opportunities to learn something new, hear unexpected perspectives, and take part in something that feels both expansive and rooted in our community. That’s what a book festival is. For tickets, event details, and a weekend schedule visit sistersfob.org. The weekend is full of opportunities to learn something new, hear unexpected perspectives, and take part in something that feels both expansive and rooted in our community.
A themed dinner where patrons can visit with authors is a part of the Sisters Festival of Books.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Last year, Toriizaka Gallery hosted a showcase of local authors.
Shop offers coffee experience
By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief
You might not associate a cup of coffee with slowing down; a lot of folks use it as a kickstarter to get them going in the morning. But The Slow Down State is offering something different — the experience of a quality coffee drink, individually prepared, in an atmosphere that encourages lingering and… slowing down for a bit.
“It’s more of a state of mind — take the opportunity to be present,” said Josh Alex, owner and operator of The Slow Down State. “Our coffee is for everyone, but when you order it, it is made specifically for you.”
Syrups and mocha are made in house, and alternative milks are prepared in advance.
“We have to plan and prep a little bit more,” Alex acknowledged.
Alex has a background in specialty coffee and has too much respect for the sublime bean to treat it like an assembly line component.
“There is nothing that comes out of the ground that should be taken out and given to you that quickly,” he said.
Alex, his wife Rachel, and their two children lead a life built around mindfully contributing to their surroundings.
“I like to know that our money is going back into places that are taking the time to give back to the community,” he said. “We want our dollars — and our time — to have a positive impact on our community.”
Originally from Iowa, Alex lived in California and worked in the Bay Area before coming to Oregon. Alex interviewed for a position at Nike, and then headed back to California. Wildfires pushed them over the mountains to Bend trying to get south.
“We were in Bend for three days and Rachel decided she wanted to live here,” he recalled.
They soon found Sisters more congenial than Bend.
“Every Sunday we were coming out to get pizza at Boone Dog Pizza or to see a movie or just be in Sisters,” he said. “We kind of just fell in love with the town. We’re all connected here in this community.”
The family has lived in Sisters for seven years. Both Josh and Rachel have jobs in the tech industry that allow them to work remotely. Josh says they are “typical transplants” who love Sisters for hiking and biking.
“I ride my bike to work almost every day,” Josh said.
Josh is a big baseball fan, and also loves basketball. He is helping the Outlaws basketball program as a coach.
Rachel played volleyball collegiately.
Alex likes what the environment of a small town does for relationships and accountability.
“The checks and balances of a small town kind of force your hand to be neighborly,” he said. “You are the
face to the product you’re serving. You’re giving it to your neighbors.”
With jobs, family, and sporting activities, the Alex’s keep busy. Most of the time you’ll find Josh behind the counter at The Slow Down State, assisted by his “phenomenal team of two”
Asa Jansen and River Riehle.
The team focuses on serving coffee — they don’t offer a lot of food options and are happy to direct customers to other local spots that offer things they don’t. And they are uncompromising on their process.
“I think what sets us apart is attention to detail [and] unwillingness to expedite our process at the expense of quality,” he told The Nugget.
For example, he said, an iced drink is shaken over ice so that the last sip is as good as the first sip.
“We’re going to hold fast to what we believe is going to give you the best experience,” he said, “whether there’s 15 people in line or no people in line.”
The Slow Down State is located at 192 E. Main Ave., on the corner of Fir Street.
LETTERS
Continued from page 6
contribute to our community.
My story is similar to yours — the end was a 40-year career in nursing! Good for us all.
Vicki Williams
To the Editor:
s s s
Roundabout art
What I love about Sisters is the abundance of art. But the creative piece that puts the biggest smile on my face is the parade of colorful animals on the old elementary school (now SPRD) fence as you roll into town.
I would love to see this project continue into the new roundabout. A simple fence could circle the roundabout and every year these talented kids can create new fish, deer, bears...even bulls.
The fence could be simple and inexpensive enough that we can donate the rest of the money to the school art program so they can keep it up every year.
And maybe the crew that wants to fund the Red Rock bull sculpture can get together and put that up at the entrance of the rodeo grounds.
Then we get both.
Jonas Tarlen
To the Editor:
s s s
Reading the July 30 Letters to the Editor, we are again treated to the two diametrically opposed suggestions for public art at our new roundabout.
We either enshrine a famous bull, with storied history in our community, or acknowledge that Sisters is a destination for a vastly broader range of visitors, tourists and, yes, newly arrived residents, both young and old.
As we continue to grow as a community, attracting people from far beyond Oregon, we need to acknowledge that their interests might not be focused on a rodeo or our Westernthemed main street. They come to enjoy, and learn to love, the year-round sports, outdoor trails and lakes, mountains, music, and all the creative arts.
Brian Turner’s idea for “art” at the roundabout at least takes a stab at expressing that.
Brad Earl
Josh Alex takes the time to give customers the best possible coffee experience.
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
SISTERS LIBRARY EVENTS
How to Read a Painting
Have you ever l ooked at a painting and wished to understand it more?
Gain practice in visual and contextual analysis of the more common symbols and tropes s een in Western painting . Registration required. Friday, August 8, no on, online only. For more information visit www deschuteslibrary.org
Bookends:
Pizz a and Taco
Tuesday, August 5, 1–2 p.m.
A story-filled celebration with your favorite reading buddies . A laugh-out-loud goo d time inspired by "Piz z a and Taco" by Stephen Shaskan. Meet the hilarious foo d b esties , Piz z a and Taco, through a lively read-aloud of their first graphic novel adventure. en stick around for games , crafts, and silly activities . Create your own foo d characters and vote on fun deb ates — just like Piz z a and Taco do! is program is intended for children grades kindergarten through 3rd. Questions? Contact Sheila Grier sheilag@ deschuteslibrary.org (call or text) 541-617-7071
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.
Camp Kinder Camptheme d activities , crafts and games to support learning urs days, August 7, 21, 28, at 1:30 p.m.
Technology Troubleshooting
Troubleshoot your technology problems 1:1 with library sta . Friday, August 8, 10:30 a .m.-noon.
iPhone Essentials Learn to us e your iPhone with eas e in this beginner's class Registration required. Friday, August 8, 1 p.m.
e Nonfic tion Book Club at Suttle Tea yDis cuss " ere's Always is Year : On Basketball and A scension" by Hanif Ab durraqib. Tuesday, August 12, 1 p.m. 420 E Cascaaade Ave, Sisters
Living Well With Dementia Sisters Suppor t Group
Living Well o ers a support group for the care partners and f amily of those diagnosed with some form of dementia. ey meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation District Community Center in the Whychus Room. For more information call 541-588- 0547.
A NNOUNCEMENT S
Friends of the Metolius Interpretive Walks: Bird and Wildlife Walk
Along the Metolius
On Saturday, August 9, 8:30 to 10 :30 a .m., join Sisters Ranger District wildlife biologist Liz Day to look and listen for the rich bird and other wildlife species that call the Metolius home. Watch for woodpeckers , song birds , water birds and others while exploring the ways in which they live in this riverside habitat. Meet at 8:30 a .m. Bring a pair of binoculars if you have them . Leader: Liz Day. For information call 971-718-2505.
Craf t Consignors Wanted
Qualit y craf t-consignors wanted for the 49th Snowflake Boutique, November 7–8 , 2025. Next jur y will be Saturday, August 9 beginning at 9 a .m. at Redmond Senior Center. Additional juries will be held through October Info: www.snowflakeboutique org or call Brenda 541-350 -4120 or Pat 541-383-1821.
New community work space open
Citizens4Community (C4C) has opened a community work space at 291 E. Main Ave (next to Fir Street Park). " e Hub" o ers donation-based coworking , meeting space, a shared kitchen, nonprofit resources , rotating art displays, and more. Operating hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a .m.–4 p.m. Information: www.sistershub.org.
Sisters Historical Walking Tours
Learn about Sisters’ fascinating histor y during an easy-going morning walking tour. ree
Sisters Historical Societ y o ers two di erent docent-led w alks: the Downtown L andmarks Tour and the Heritage Home Tour. Admission is free, they cover less than a mile, and last approximately one hour. Start time is 10 a .m. Pre-registration is required at least 24 hours prior through Eventbrite.com , or call the museum at 541-549-1403. Landmark Tours will be on Wed 8/6 , Sundays 8/3 , 8/17, 9/7, and u. 9/25 . Heritage Home Tours will be on Saturdays 8/9 and 9/6
Learn more about the history of some of our buildings and fun stories about the businesses and the interesting people who occupied them.
Americ an Legion and VFW
VF W Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Pine Meadow Village Clubhouse, 596 W. Je erson Ave. Email sistersveterans@gmail.com for information
Volunteer at Sisters Habitat for Humanity
Help us build hope and homes in Sisters , connect with new people, make f riends, and make a di erence in our community Volunteer today! Learn more at www.sistershabitat.org/ volunteer or call 541-549-1193.
C4C launches online volunteer dashboard
Citizens4Community (C4C) has developed a new online dashboard for local volunteer roles . Nonprofits can post Sisters Country-based volunteer needs for f ree, and community members c an search for oppor tunities aligned with their interests and availabilit y. Learn more at volunteerinsisters.org.
Monthly Songwriters’ Sharing Circle
Be in a creative community and be inspired while sharing songs , being a great listener, and providing feedback.
Second Sunday of the month (August 10), 6 –8 p.m., in the Sisters Folk Festival “JA M Studio” upst airs in the Sisters Art Works building , 20 4 W. Adams Ave Free. Info: call/text 541-977-8494, or email jessaneene@msn.com.
Living Well With Dementia Sisters New Support Group
Living Well now o ers a new Early Stage Support Group
We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month f rom 10 –11 a .m. at Sisters Park s and Rec Communit y Center in the Whychus Room. For more information call 541-588-0547.
Weekly Food Pantry CORE Market , located at 222 N . Trinit y Way in Sisters Market hours are Mondays , 1 to 2 p.m. Info: 541-588-2332.
Free Lunches for Seniors
For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a f un, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. No reservations needed. No-cost Grab-N-Go lunche s take place weekly on Wed . and urs ., from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541797-9367
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 $51,0 00 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 quarterly meetings. For more information or a membership application, email 10 0wwc. Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912-0750
Annual Central Oregon
Submarine Base Picnic Held at Quince Park in Redmond on Saturday, August 16 , at noon. All submariners and their f amilies , and folks interested in the Silent Ser vice are welcome to join us . Bring a salad, dessert, or sandwiches (enough for yourself and two others). Ice chests available ere is a signal at 5th & Quince, the intersection by Home Depot. Go west on Quince, and the parking is on the right bet ween 10th & 11th. For information contact Commanding O cer Rick Neault , 530 -434 -1102 ; Financial O cer Lonnie Powers , 541-4193545; or Master Chief Yeoman Fran Davis , 541-527-5484.
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 541-797-4023 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
Furr y Friends Volunteers
Needed Furr y Friends Foundation is seeking volunteers to help at the pet food bank on ursdays f rom 12:30 to 3:30 p.m . It is helpf ul if you can lif t up to 4 0 pounds to assist clients loading their pet food order. FFF is located at 412 E . Main, behind e Nug get o ce. Call or text Kiki at 541-797-4023 for info.
is husky c ame to us as a stray so we don't know his past . He's ready for an active, dedicated adopter. Blue is energetic , vocal, and a bit mischievous . He'll thrive in a home that provides plent y of exercise, structure, and mental stimulation. A consistent routine and time devoted to training will help him adjust . He's lived with other dogs and playful with dogs at the shelter. Come meet him at HSCO!
SISTER S- ARE A C HURCH ES
Baha’i Faith
For information, devotions, study groups , etc., cont ac t Shauna Rocha 541-6 47-9826 • www.bahai org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteaching s.org
Chapel in the Pines
Camp Sherman • 541-815-9153
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
e Church of Jesus Christ of L at ter-Day Saint s 452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 541-977-5559; 10 a .m. Sunday Sac rament Meeting
e Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration 121 N Brook s Camp Rd. • 541-549-7087
www.transfiguration-sisters.org
8:30 a .m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship
10 :15 a .m. Episcopal Sunday Worship
e Resting Place
meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy www.restingplace.us • hello@restingplace.us
5 p.m. Sunday Worship
Seventh-Day Adventist Church 541-815-98 48
11 a .m. S aturday Worship
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N . Fir Street • 541-549-5831 www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com
10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Church of the N az arene 67130 Har ring ton Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960 www.sistersna z.org • info@sistersnaz .org 10 a .m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Communit y Church (Nondenominational)
130 0 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201
www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com
7:30 a .m. Daybreak Ser vice • 9:30 a .m. Sunday Worship
St . Edward the Mar tyr Roman Catholic Churc h 123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391
5:3 0 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a .m. Sunday Mass 12
with Bend Fire, and Kris Calvin, who runs Earthwood Homes, made short work of it.
Next up will be a half million pounds of fine, crushed rock trail topping as is used on the accessible Whychus Creek Overlook Trail. The entire project is intended to be barrier-free. That takes money, as will the continuation of the dream for a fully developed 3.5 mile nature trek around the school grounds sometime in 2027.
Meanwhile Kiwanis Club, with some added volunteer labor by Rotary Club of Sisters, is within days of finishing the assembly of the new middle school greenhouse. Purchased by the school district, the structure came in kit form.
“But not all the parts were drilled,” said Hiller.
He along with Jeff Taylor of Les Schwab and around 20 other club members have drilled 4,000 holes to bolt it all together.
Crews also mentored students in making wooden planting boxes that will be used to raise the various plants envisioned for this phase of the trail.
Once school starts students at all three schools will continue their collaboration.
We asked Judy Fuentes, a middle school teacher passionate about the concept, what has been her greatest satisfaction for the project:
“One of the greatest satisfactions of this project has been connecting students with meaningful, real-world work that not only impacts them directly but also engages
Luau to benefit nature trail
them with a broad network of community members.
“Through this experience, students worked alongside professionals from various fields who all share a passion for nature, community, and giving back,” she said.
She shared what she hopes the project engenders:
excitement. Students, staff, and volunteers have visions of what could be added or created, and that shared creativity is vibrant.
“I hope the trail becomes a place the whole community can enjoy—but I am very excited to have an outdoor learning area for our students.
lasting. And I hope that is a seed that grows their practice of giving.
“Right now, the trail represents possibilities—ideas are growing, and there’s
C4C (Citizens for Community) put money into the project with a $1,500 donation on May 14. Kiwanis and other community partners have donated or pledged thousands of hours of volunteer labor. Now, all of Sisters Country will have an opportunity to bring the dream to reality. It is after all not a school trail, but a community trail.
On August 23, Kiwanis will sponsor an authentic Hawaiian Luau Dinner at Village Green from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. complete with entertainment by Sisters Ukulele Players and Halau O’Hula Hawai’i. Tickets are $25 ($10 for kids 6-12). Children under six are free.
To ensure a ticket, go to sisterskiwanis.org/luau.
I also hope the students feel proud knowing they helped create something real and
“I hope the trail continues to inspire people to work together, give back, and care for the place we live. It’s not just about building a path— it’s about building a sense of community and showing what’s possible when people come together with a shared goal.”
BUNKHOUSE IN THE BOOK STORE
Western music and storytelling featuring: Sing er-songwriters Jim Cornelius & Mike Big ge rs with Special Guests
We s tern photogr apher & documentary filmmaker Cr aig Rullman
Sunday, August 17, 4-5:30 p.m. Paulina Springs Books 252 W. Hood Ave., Sisters
This event is a fundraiser fo r the forthcoming documentary film “The Calif ornia Rose.” Suggested donation is $20.
Students and community members have laid out a nature trail in the area of Sisters Middle School.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Events & Enter tainment
Sist ers Area Events & Ent er tainment
WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 6
The Barn Live Music: Matt Mitchell 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www 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 • AUGUST 7
Village Green Park Outdoor Movie: "Cars" Free Gates at 7:15 p.m., movie at 8:15. Bring low-back chair or blanket. Presented by C4C and Kendall Auto. Info: www citizens4community.com/events.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Rob Gregerson 5 to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets req.: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
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.
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
FRIDAY • AUGUST 8
Sisters Art Works Live Music: East Nash Grass + Community Dance with Outlaw Strings. Free Gates at 5:30 p.m., show at 6 p.m. Bring your low-back chair Info: www.sffpresents.org/concerts.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Major Dudes 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: 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: Mortal Soulstice 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
SATURDAY • AUGUST 9
Bend Cider Co Live Music: Outlaw Jazz Combo 5-7 p.m. Family friendly outdoor venue Info: instagram.com/outlawjazzcombo/ or bendcider.com/events. 64649 Wharton Ave., Bend. Sisters Depot Live Music: Bob Baker and Mark Barringer Creative arrangements of favorite artists from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Excellent guitar, vocal, and violin. 6 to 8 p.m. Reservations: 541-904-4660
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: One Way Out Allman Brothers Band tribute, 8 p.m. Tickets, $20 at BendTicket.com.
The Barn Live Music: Litch Brothers 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Bundle Dyeing and Ecoprinting with Flowers" with Madelaine Corbin. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration: roundhousefoundation.org/events.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: The Substitutes 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center 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 • AUGUST 10
Sisters Saloon Live Music: Big Treble 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.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
MONDAY • AUGUST 11
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Matt Mitchell "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free; all ages
WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 13
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em
5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Wolfhouse Jazz 6 to 8 p.m. Outside; free Info: thesuttlelodge.com.
The Barn Live Music: Pete Kar tsounes
6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
WED • AUGUST 13 (cont.)
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: Heller Highwater 6 to 9 p.m. Info: hardtailsoregon.com/events.
THURSDAY • AUGUST 14
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Skillethead Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday 6 to 8 p .m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.com.
Luckey's Woodsman Trivia: Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Info: luckeyswoodsman.com.
The Barn Live Music: In the Rounds 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.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
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Grits ‘N Gravy 5 to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
FRIDAY • AUGUST 15
Angeline's Baker y Live Music: Bon Bon Vivant 7 p.m. Tickets at bendticket.com.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Lilli Worona & Mike Biggers 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.
SATURDAY • AUGUST 16
The Yard at Hardtails Live Music: The Rolling Tones Rolling Stones tribute band, 8 p.m. Tickets, $20 at BendTicket.com.
Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture "Intermediate Natural Dyeing: Achieving the Spectrum with Overdyeing" with Madelaine Corbin. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration: roundhousefoundation.org/events.
The Barn Live Music: Funk Around and Find Out 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
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 • AUGUST 17
Paulina Springs Books Live Music and Storytelling: "Bunkhouse In The Book Store" featuring Western music and storytelling from singersongwriters Jim Cornelius, Mike Biggers, and special guests plus Western photographer and documentary filmmaker Craig Rullman. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Event is a fundraiser for the forthcoming documentary film “The California Rose.” Suggested donation, $20 Sisters Saloon Live Music: Double Wide 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.
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Sisters Community Church Live Music: Station Camp Summer Concert Series on the lawn. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 6. Free (donation to STARS, is appreciated). Bring chairs or blanket. Food is available Info: www.sisterschurch.com.
MONDAY • AUGUST 18
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Fog Holler "Big Lawn Series," 6 to 8 p.m. Free; all ages
WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 20
The Barn Live Music: TEB 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www 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 • AUGUST 21
The Suttle Lodge Live Music: Muddy Souls Benji Nagel showcases his talented friends every Thursday 6 to 8 p .m. Free Info: www thesuttlelodge.com. Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Eric Leadbetter 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 Info: call 541-549-2471 Pull out and save...
Sisters Park & Recreation District
2025 Recreation Guide
Continued from page 1
land needs analysis, eligible lands, and draft expansion areas. In April they discussed two preferred alternatives: Concept A, which includes only lands on the east and northeast of the current city limits; and Concept B, which trades some of those lands for forest-zoned parcels north of the McKenzie Meadows Village (MMV) subdivision.
During the Steering Committee’s previous meeting on April 24, a majority of the Steering Committee voiced support for moving forward in the process without considering Concept B, which includes parcels owned by McKenzie Meadows Village, LLC, which is in the midst of a rezoning process with the County.
In a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council on May 15, despite the Steering Committee’s recommendation to focus on Concept A, most discussion focused on Concept B and MMV.
At the start of the final meeting’s discussion, Committee Chair Therese Kollerer summarized the body’s consensus and invited a formal motion to shelve discussion of Concept B and MMV. Referring to the April discussion, Kollerer said, “We agreed at that time to leave McKenzie Meadows Village on the sideline and not consider it as part of our recommendation. Because it’s still in play with the County and because the City Council and Planning Commission have expressed some hope…to keep that door open, I thought it might be a good idea…to have an actual vote.”
In discussion that followed, several members of the steering Committee expressed concerns about the body’s level of influence in the process.
John Tehan, who owns property in each of the alternatives discussed, was concerned that the Steering Committee’s recommendations may not be followed.
“I have a little bit of a problem with the fact that we have recommended something and Planning Commission and City Council have gone a different direction,” he said “I wonder what we’re missing…and it’s not just once, it’s happened throughout the process.”
Rick Retzman said, “As a Planning Commissioner, what I recall is the City Council and Planning Commission were waiting for us to come up with
something. I think they’re putting a lot of value on what we tell them.”
After Scott Woodford, City of Sisters community development director, clarified that there was no formal vote in the joint meeting. Councilor Michael Preedin reasserted the independence of the Steering Committee:
“The most important thing about what we are doing today [in the Steering Committee] is not what Planning Commission wants or even what City Council wants…I think it’s important for the public to know you guys may want something that is different from the City Council or Planning Commission. I think that’s OK…we want to hear from the public.”
Abhi Chaudhuri moved to exclude MMV from discussion, limiting the final meeting to discussing variations on Concept A. The motion passed with Committee members Morgan Greenwood voting against and Bill Willitts abstaining. Willitts is one of the owners of the MMV property.
The next 50 minutes of the meeting was focused on discussion of individual parcels and refining the Concept A map. Much of the discussion focused on the merits of including land near Indian Ford Creek, Whychus Creek, Highway 126, and the airport.
Several Committee members supported including some land along Highway 126 to help meet the needs for employment lands (a combination of commercial and industrial uses). Mayor Jennifer Letz also suggested that parcels adjacent to the airport may make sense as employment lands.
Anna Rasmussen described her process evaluating the concepts, saying, “I considered all of the concepts with several criteria: our land needs, residential and employment lands, schools, parks, etc. Their connectivity to recreation areas as well as other parts of the city, as well as traffic, and then the character of the city of Sisters.” Rasmussen said that she favored concepts that have connections to Highway 126 for traffic flow into and within town. She also favored concepts that include parts of Whychus Creek and Indian Ford, especially where they meet, saying, “As [Sisters] expands, we want to be a city that includes conservation areas, recreation areas, and access to nature.”
Chaudhuri echoed the desire to expand access to Whychus Creek, but said, “it would be better to understand the odds of actually protecting the wetlands with being in the UGB or being
outside the UGB” because larger rural lots outside cannot be subdivided and further developed. Woodford and Andrew Parish, from the consulting firm retained by the City to support the UGB amendment process, briefly described a few mechanisms to protect lands or create recreation opportunities outside of urban lands.
Mayor Letz described a modification to the Concept A map that includes parcels south of the airport and the first four parcels along Highway 126.
At the close of discussion,
the Committee voted on their preferred map. Nine members voted for the variation proposed by Mayor Letz and one voted for a different variation on Concept A. Retzman made a motion to forward this map recommendation to the Planning Commission and City Council. The motion passed, with Willitts abstaining.
As Woodford said near the meeting’s close, though the Steering Committee’s work is done, there is “still a ways to go” in the UGB amendment process. The Planning Commission
will consider the Steering Committee’s recommendations in their August 21 meeting. The City Council will revisit the UGB at a fall meeting to be determined.
TRAILGRAMS: Trail blazin’ around Sisters
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
This may be a first for Trailgrams — telling you that a hike near Sisters on nearly every blogger’s top 10 list may best be skipped. Why? Safety, primarily. You’ll be enticed to go thinking that you will see (photo top) when 90 percent of you will only see an obscured view of the falls (photo to the right).
Getting the unobstructed view requires a scramble, and you should be cautious and realistic about whether that’s a good idea for you.
Why go? Despite its reputation as a must-hike, it’s generally uncrowded. It’s a pleasant, meandering trek frequently in sight or sound of Whychus Creek. Excellent views of the Three Sisters and Broken Top. By mid-summer there will be a good sampling of wildflowers, most noticeably fire weed, that sprung up after the Pole Creek fire that burned the area in 2012.
The trail is within the Three Sisters Wilderness, and it has a definite wilderness feel about it.
Depending on the time of the year you will have to log walk at least two creeks. Along the route are a couple of outcroppings from which to get better views of the Whychus Creek sections,
which are rung by nice canyon rims.
It’s a combination of open hiking in a tight alley of manzanita alternating with shady trees all in a tranquil setting with occasional spots for picnicking or snacking.
It’s a good hike for kids and dogs if you do not intend to go beyond the end of the trail marker.
Caution — and we do mean caution. The only way to see the 68-foot-high, 80-foot-wide falls unobstructed by trees is, upon reaching the end of the maintained trail, scrambling or butt-scooting 100 feet down a steep social trail to the right of the “viewpoint.” There are few natural handholds apart from sketchy tree limbs.
Once you get to the bottom of the makeshift trail, you’ll be in clear view of thundering (Lower) Chush Falls. You will feel the spray.
If you’re up for more of an adventure, hike another half mile upstream to see two more gorgeous waterfalls.
You’ll come to “The Cascades” — Middle Chush Falls — a 25-foot drop, in about 0.3 miles. Just after that, you’ll reach the one everybody talks about, the 225-foot Upper Chush Falls, a horsetail falls about 50 feet wide, one of the tallest in Oregon.
There’s no designated trail between lower Chush Falls and these two, but the path is traveled often enough that it’s visible to follow. Expect
a rougher trail, with many downed trees.
If you hike to all three waterfalls, your total distance should register about 6.5 miles round-trip.
When to go? After the snow melt and before the first snowfall of autumn.
What to expect?
Moderate in both length (it’s 2.5 miles each way, not the 2.0 the sign says) and a steady, not demanding, 850 ft. elevation gain. There may be mosquitoes in early to mid-June. There are no toilets.
Getting there
From Sisters go south on Forest Road 16/Three Creek Lake. In seven miles, take a right on FS Rd. 1514. Go five miles on a slow-going washboard gravel road, turn
left immediately before the Whychus Creek bridge. Follow the dirt road another .9 miles to the trailhead. What you’ll need
The hike is inside the Three Sisters Wilderness, so you will need a self-issued day permit obtainable at the trailhead kiosk. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for the parking lot. Of course, sunscreen and a hat and water. Insect repellent just in case. If you intend to take the potentially risky social trail, you best have good hiking shoes, otherwise sneakers are okay.
If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to editor@nuggetnews.com using the following format, including a photo.
What you expect to see...
PHOTO COURTESY TRAVEL OREGON
Falls
What you really see.
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
BUTTERFLY: Sue
Anderson led longstanding count
in the number of families enthusiastically participating in the count. Her expression changed to sadness as she read aloud from a post in “Chasing Nature” by Bryan Pfeiffer:
“Community science projects and crowd-sourced data portals like iNaturalist, e-Butterfly, and eBird are among our more promising tools for the future of nature. They basically amount to big data meets conservation biology. And to those of you who participate, the scientists are ever grateful. Still, in some ways, especially among butterflies and other invertebrates, we’re discovering and reporting what’s here even as we bear witness to its demise. We’re counting deck chairs on the Titanic. Yet count we must. Counting butterflies is an act of love and hope. We cannot protect what we do not know, especially on a big scale and in the face of some big problems.”
After reading, Anderson wiped away her tears, picked up the nets, and her smile returned as the sun broke through the clouds signaling hope for a productive count day. After survey maps and directions were handed out, the count began.
The day was filled with wonders — and not just from
the butterflies. Participants walked through beautiful parts of the Metolius Basin, with towering trees and the iconic scent of pine in the air. They saw birds, found bear scat, and experienced the wonders of being in Sisters Country.
One of the main highlights was the excitement of the young kids. They ran around, frantically chasing after any butterfly they saw. When they caught one, they would shout “Sue!” and be excited to learn what species it was. In
a world where many children are glued to their screens, seeing these kids so happy to be out learning in nature was gratifying to the reporter.
At the end of the day, tired children flopped back into the cars, trailing dusty nets, while the sun dipped low on the horizon. While they rested, Anderson and a small group of others met to tally the day’s findings. Thanks to hot temperatures and sunny skies, the team counted 713 individual butterflies representing 36 species. While
this may sound impressive, a number of species were noticeably missing or in smaller numbers than previous years. Also, a few of the normally wetter habitats, which attract butterflies, were now completely dry.
This trend isn’t just happening in the Metolius either. NABA runs around 450 counts every year all across the country, and its data has been used in an important publication (Science: Edwards et al., Science 387, 1090–1094 (2025))
The Nugget Newspaper
The Nugget is committed to partnering with the Sisters business community so we all can succeed. This campaign includes expanded Sisters business coverage in August and September issues of The Nugget, opportunities for print and online advertising packages at discounted rates, and an exciting new social media feed on NuggetNews.com.
For some of this work, we’re partnering with the Small Business Association here in town, which is working to help local businesses find resources, networking and educational opportunities to help them succeed and thrive. You can connect with Sisters Business Association and support their mission at www.sistersba.com.
Working together, we can build prosperity and vibrancy in our community Keep it local, and keep it strong.
that found over only the last 20 years, the butterfly population declined by 22 percent.
Our “Neighbors at Work” special section will land before Labor Day featuring local employees that keep Sisters commerce flowing. Want to nominate a local employee? Email editor@nuggetnews.com.
By Edie Jones Columnist
I’ve talked about the Summer Slide and how to keep it from affecting reading skills by using everyday situations that involve kids’ brains. This is equally important for math skills. But why is it important to avoid the slide beyond not wanting to sacrifice the time and effort our young scholars expended in the school year just completed? Isn’t the summer break intended to be relaxed and laid back, with no particular goal in mind?
True — they’ve worked hard and deserve a break. However, that doesn’t eliminate the opportunities that abound during the summer to develop an eternal curiosity that results in long-term academic success. Isn’t that something everyone wants for their kids?
Wanting that is one thing, but accomplishing it when time is strained, and lives are busy and hurried, is another. The solution, take it one day at a time!
Figure out before heading to work what special moment
will happen for you and your kids when you get home. Will you sit with them to read a short story that they then create a play from while you are getting dinner — for your after-dinner entertainment? What part of dinner can they help with? Cutting up carrots for a salad or finding a recipe on their phone? Computing fractions needed to divide up items being measured?
Perhaps a picnic at Suttle Lake or in the Village Green. If it’s still hot, heading over to the water park and playing in the spray. Or a walk around the block where you ask questions about all the things the two of you observe. Have them create ideas and put it on a calendar so they can count on it coming up.
Be creative. A little thought ahead of time goes a long way. Anticipation gets them excited — as well as you.
Even though you may have to be gone, leaving kids in the care of another, you can create projects and give suggestions for activities while you are away. Whose birthday is coming up for whom a gift or card can be created? What grandparent
or aunt or uncle would be thrilled to receive a letter or picture in the mail? Projects like this help teach young ones about the intricacies of public services.
Don’t forget the value of free play, undirected by anyone other than the kids. So much is learned when they imagine, create, organize, and negotiate their own activities. How well I remember when a parent hollowed out an area of bushes on a vacant lot, so all the kids had a fort to play in as they wished. Another time, a Weeping Willow Tree, whose branches reached the ground, was the exclusive hangout for me and my three friends who formed the Polly Pigtail Club. I currently live across the street from a park. What a joy it is to watch an impromptu baseball game where kids of all ages help each other enjoy the fun of hitting a ball.
Don’t overlook the many organized possibilities that exist. Day camps, sleepaway
camps, SPRD activities (Sisters Park and Recreation Department), 4-H events, or Vacation Bible School, all exist for enhancing curiosity and creativity.
Don’t forget about volunteering. Ask around, look for what is needed. Even very young ones can help deliver cookies to a neighbor or pick up litter on sidewalks.
Use the summer to teach skills overlooked during the school year, such as writing thank you notes for small gestures.
We all know how quickly young children learn to use our phones, while we are also aware of the problems from too much screen time. Consequently, we adults know boundaries are important. Teach how to use screens as tools that enhance learning instead of holding them back from thinking.
Summer is a great time to teach critical thinking skills. Avoid telling your kids what to do, instead ask them
what they need to do. Avoid answering their questions. Respond with a question of your own such as, “What do you think caused that?” or “What would be a better thing to do?” Chances are their answers will amaze you.
As the summer wears on watch for a sense of boredom settling in. If you anticipate it, you can be ready. When I worked on playgrounds during my summer college breaks it was inevitable that come August 1 sports, arts and crafts, and other activities that had held attentions would start to wane. I had to get creative. This is when I’d turn to string tricks, puzzles, games with strategies, word games—anything to get them to use their minds.
Yes, the summer break is a recess from strict assignments and schedules. However, the world (or your neighborhood) is their playground. Take advantage of all it has to offer. You will enrich their lives, and yours.
Mitchel Luftig Columnist
information (bananas, oranges, and avocados are not vegetables, they are types of fruit).
“Schemas enable us to quickly process new experiences by relating them to what we already know.
“Whether we’re navigating a familiar space, interacting in a social setting, or learning a new concept, schemas shape how we understand and respond to the world around us.”
A schema formulated by a child to help them navigate challenging life circumstances:
Parents going through an acrimonious divorce may try to gain the upper hand by complaining to their child about the other parent, blaming them for the family breaking up, and trying to turn the child into their ally.
Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see — John Lennon
We may believe that we are living rich and authentic lives, failing to appreciate all of the ways the belief systems — schemas — we adopted in childhood to help us navigate challenging life circumstances still dictate our adult behavior.
From infancy onwards, we create schemas that help us organize information, make sense of our experience, and store information for efficient retrieval.
The process of learning takes place when a child assimilates new information into existing schemas (carrots, broccoli, and lettuce are also vegetables) or by expanding schemas to accommodate novel
Prior to their parents’ marital discord, the child’s schema may have been anchored to a belief that their parents were capable of taking the child’s needs into consideration. But more recent experience suggests that the child’s parents will be prone to ignoring their needs in favor of attacking their partner. The child is forced to construct a new schema to resolve this contradiction.
The new schema might posit that the child’s parents cannot be depended upon to take the child’s needs into account. And if the parents are unreliable, then other adults are also likely to be untrustworthy. The child may further conclude that if they were a more deserving person, their parents would have continued to treat them with kindness and
consideration, regardless of their nasty divorce.
Fortunately, over the ensuing years, the child will encounter, among their teachers, grandparents, coaches, and clergy, adults who can be counted upon to treat them with kindness and consideration, promoting a favorable self-concept.
But should the child believe that the schema, “Parents cannot be counted upon,” was the lifeline that got them through their parents’ contentious divorce, they may unconsciously ignore evidence that contradicted this belief. Instead of utilizing positive experiences to add to the number of reliable adults, the number remains at zero.
A child who developed a schema that adults are unreliable may become an adult who cannot rely upon others, preventing them from experiencing intimacy in their relationships, increasing social isolation, and the schema may ultimately contribute to episodes of depression.
But a lonely individual does not have to remain isolated. To experience intimacy, they must expand
their relationship schema, taking into account individuals who treat(ed) them with kindness and consideration.
As the number of individuals who can be counted upon to take their needs into consideration grows, new avenues to intimacy become available to them.
One way to decide whether the schemas we constructed in childhood continue to limit our ability to live rich and authentic lives is to consider our answers to the following questions,
• Do I retreat from challenges because I equate failed effort with being a failure?
• Do I withhold my feelings because they might be rejected?
• Do I pull back when presented with an opportunity to experience intimacy?
• When I think about asking others to consider my needs, do I experience guilt?
• Do I become angry, but I can’t say why?
• Do I base my self-worth upon feedback from my environment, causing me to feel shame when I think I’ve messed up?
Taking steps to revise the schemas we depended upon as children to help us navigate challenging life circumstances may make us uncomfortable. Half of us prefer the security of “knowing what we know” to considering evidence that contradicts our pre-existing beliefs.
But if we are willing to tolerate the discomfort associated with adjusting our schemas to account for new information, or evidence we previously ignored, we are rewarded with a 25% boost to our well-being.
In order to live rich and authentic lives, our schemas must foster an openness to experience, receptiveness to intimacy, help us tolerate disappointment and overcome setbacks, and promote the belief that we are worthy of love, respect, and kindness.
guide chock full of Sisters Country information. The best hikes, where to eat, local hot spots, calendar of events, and much more!
Writer examines justice system in new thriller
Critically acclaimed writer and criminal defense attorney Gabriel Urza will present his latest novel “The Silver State,” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m. “The Silver State” is a gripping and thought-provoking legal thriller that redefines the genre.
“The Silver State” follows Santi, a law school graduate whose idealism is soon worn away by the cases and clients he’s assigned. When a young mother, Anna Weston, is brutally murdered and her body is found near Reno’s infamous silver mines, Santi and his mentor in the public defender’s office, C.J., are tasked with defending Michael Atwood, a man convicted on scant physical evidence, and later sentenced to death.
Eight years later, a shocking letter from Atwood— now on death row—forces Santi to reexamine his role in the case. At the time, public obsession with Anna’s disappearance and intense pressure on the police to make an arrest led to a rushed trial. As they investigated the case, Santi and C.J. became increasingly convinced they were defending an innocent man. Now, a horrific discovery leads Santi to reconsider everything he once believed, and all that it has cost him — love, family, and friendship.
“The Silver State” brings to vivid life the deals that get cut in the name of justice, the murkiness between victim and perpetrator, and the cost of a life in the law. Turning the legal thriller on its head, Urza tells an electrifying,
emotionally charged tale of systemic failure and moral ambiguity that asks us: What if justice is a myth?
For readers of Scott Turow’s “Presumed Innocent” and Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy.”
Gabriel Urza is a writer, attorney, and university professor from Reno, Nevada. Urza is the author of the novel “All That Followed”— a New York Times Editor’s Choice, a Publishers Weekly “Best of Summer” selection, a Booklist Best Crime Fiction Debut, and garnered starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly. He is also the author of the novellas “The Last Supper” (2021) and “The White Death: An Illusion” (2019), which was an Oregon Book Award finalist. His creative nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, Salon, Slate, Politico, Travel + Leisure, and other publications. He teaches Fiction in the MFA program at Portland State University and lives in Hood River.
SPRD’s park begins to take shape
Sisters Park & Recreation District’s Sisters Community Park — the district’s first “traditional” community park — is taking shape on the site of the former Sisters Elementary School, now home to the Sisters Community Recreation Center.
The new park will feature a variety of amenities, which were identified from a community outreach process with direct input from community members, including a paved, ADA-accessible walking path, a covered pavilion with restrooms, eight pickleball courts, upgraded multiuse/basketball courts, and improvements to existing green spaces. Additionally, a dedicated preschool playground was already completed and will be open to the public outside of SPRD preschool program hours.
Following a competitive bid process, Deschutes Construction (Redmond) was selected as the general contractor. The project team also includes Dougherty Landscape Architects (Eugene), local project manager Brett Hudson, and SPRD staff.
SPRD officially kicked
off the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, June 14, attended by representatives from the Sisters School District, City of Sisters, Sisters Pickleball Club, SOAR Foundation, and members of the SPRD board, along with community members.
Since breaking ground, crews have made steady progress. Early efforts focused on site prep, including grading, drainage, hazardous tree removal, and layout for future park elements. More recent milestones have included sewer trenching, foundation work for the pavilion and restrooms, paving the walking path and pickleball court surfaces, and cutting of a new ADAaccessible entrance.
The project remains on schedule, and is expected to reach substantial completion by October. SPRD will continue to provide updates throughout construction and looks forward to opening the park for the community’s enjoyment.
The $1.3 million project is being funded with minimal use of general fund dollars, instead drawing from a mix of funding sources including, a grant from the
State of Oregon’s Local Government Grant Program, City of Sisters System Development Charges, a major donation from the Pine View Tennis Club and Sisters Pickleball Club, and additional contributions from the SOAR Foundation and private donors.
As one of the lowestfunded special park and recreation districts in the state, SPRD staff and the board of directors prioritized securing alternative funding sources for this project in order to minimize the use of taxpayer dollars. The district noted that they are especially grateful to the SOAR Foundation for their support in helping identify and secure additional funding through private donors, as well as district residents for their ongoing support, including the renewal of the district local option levy in 2023.
Those interested in supporting the project are encouraged to contact the SOAR Foundation at soar foundationsisters.org.
For more information and project updates, visit www. sistersrecreation.com, follow SPRD on social media, or call 541-549-2091.
The Nugget N EWS PA PE R WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ?
Jenny Denzer ’s son Lucas planned a surprise trip for her 70th birthday throughout Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, and Germany — and she took her Nugget along!
She went paragliding over the Swiss Alps in Zermatt, Switzerland, with the Matterhorn looming majestically behind her
Gabriel Urza.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Jim has been telling the stories of the Sisters community — and delivering them — for 31 years.
orking together, we can build prosperity and vibrancy in our community. Keep it local, and keep it strong.
Time at The Nugget : 31 years.
Current position: Editor in Chief. Started as a freelancer — still delivering papers every Tuesday night .
Favorite part of the job: Telling people’s stories. Sisters has a million of ’em.
Nugget stories written last year: 130
Most newspapers carried: 400
Outside interests: History;
Your suppor t of The Nugget helps us suppor t local businesses. While our costs continue to rise, we have held steady on our adver tising rates because we know we can’t simply pass those cost burdens on to our adver tisers, who are facing rising costs across the board. Direct suppor t from readers in the form of Suppor ting Contributions is vital to continuing the work of the newspaper, which is, itself, a long-time par t of Sisters’ small business community. eaders who value the paper and make direct suppor ting contributions help us cover the cost of repor ting the news and serving as an opinion platform for the community.
RESTORATION: Private landowner is working on creek
Continued from page 1
ODFW biologist Jerry George told Crever that Portland General Electric (PGE) had 16,000 smolts available and asked if he was interested in having them dumped into the creek. Crever jumped at the opportunity.
“We had two dumps — one in June and one the beginning of July,” he said. “Jerry got in the water and did another fish count. They’re there now.”
Crever said that a two percent return would be a good result.
“A season or two, we might have some healthy steelhead here,” he said. “That’s the goal.”
The project reflects a key aspect of work on the creek where the land is under private ownership: Landowners can invite agencies to participate in work; nothing can be imposed or directed upon those landowners.
Tom Bennett of the Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, who might participate on any projects on the creek emphasized that “all of our projects are voluntary.”
Crever is seeking buy-in from his neighbors to seek a grant to do a feasibility study on improving riparian habitat. The creek is volatile, and prone to erosion and undercutting of banks. That might be something a project could mitigate. A project might help control noxious weeds like knapweed.
“I think I have people on board to at least do a feasibility study,” Crever said.
Such a study is necessary before the scope of any work can be determined. Bennett said a feasibility study would “get experts to analyze what’s going on and the potential for solutions — if any. We don’t know exactly where this project would be going or what it would look like.”
What any project would not do is change the status or usage of the creek in the area.
“We’re not asking for public access,” Bennett said. “We don’t have the authority to ask for it.”
“We’re not going to create a rafting site for people to come through here,” Crever said.
The goal is to continue to improve Whychus Creek, which is good for the folks who live along it, good for everything upstream and downstream — and, hopefully, good for fish.
The Nugget Newspaper Crossword
16,000 steelhead smolts went into Whychus Creek.
PHOTO PROVIDED Smolts are tiny.
PHOTO PROVIDED
This Week’s Crossword Sponsors
Mike Hernandez
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CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7
EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies. 484 W. Washington Street Two suites available Suite D, 1181 sq. ft. Suite C/F, 805 sq. ft. 503-522-6306
103 Residential Rentals
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
Cowboy Court Apartments
2 bedroom 2 bath. Rent is $1,600 a month, RSD is $1,600, some pets considered (dogs & cats OK with add'l $350 RSD per pet).
This has a lease thru 8/31/2026.
Current tenants vacate 8/20/2025. Unit is 1st floor unit in the front building. W/S/Garbage is paid. #105, 154 W Adams Ave. Dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer, patio, garbage disposal, granite countertops, energy efficient windows, storage, plank flooring throughout, electric heat w/air conditioning, off-street parking - one reserved space (covered space $20/Month), owner pays landscaping, approx. 1,000 sq. ft., NO SMOKING.
104 Vacation Rentals
Downtown Vacation Rentals Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom SistersVacationRentals.net Great pricing. 503-730-0150
201 For Sale
Cuckoo clock $195. Tires 235 40R 19 Kinergy $325, Kona bike w/stand $225, ladies golf set new w/pink bag $115, Lqd Force wkbrd $50, Infinity 6030 spkrs & NexD amp 400/4 $97. 503-952-6280
202 Firewood
LODGEPOLE FIREWOOD BEST DEAL IN YEARS SistersForestProducts.com 541-410-4509
• SUMMER 2025 • NEW DISCOUNT PRICES
SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS
DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD
• SINCE 1976 • Fuel Reduction Forestry
Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES
– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –SistersForestProducts.com Order Online! 541-410-4509 541-699-7740
205 Garage & Estate Sales
ESTATE SALE! DON’T MISS IT! Life brings change… come treasure hunt!
Sage Meadow, Sisters, OR (Follow signs for address)
Thurs, Fri., Sat., Aug. 7–9 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily
What you’ll find: Antique & Stickley Furniture, Tools & Electronics, Jewelry, Vintage Kitchen Items, Waterford, Tea Sets, Bedding & More! Sewing Supplies, Fabric, Notions, Fishing Gear/Camping Supplies, Lamps, Art & Home Décor. Unique finds & quality pieces — priced to sell! Whether you’re a collector, DIYer, or bargain hunter, you’ll discover treasures you can’t leave behind. Come early for the best selection! 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
CLASSIC CAR STORAGE!
Oversized, lights/power, $275/m • 541-419-2502
We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397 Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com
Horses ORCHARD
New 2025 crop. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $240-$340/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
Pets
Caring, loving pet care in my home. Daily rates and in town. Cheryl 541-420-7875
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
500 Services CUSTOM WINDOW COVERINGS
Bend Window Works, LLC is offering a 10% discount on new window coverings. FREE in-home consultation. Same day in-home repair services available. New and repaired blinds make rentals look better! Contact us at 541-383-2455 or andy@bendblinds.com.
Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475
• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279
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
501 Computers & Communications
3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC
Audio/video, data networking, WIFI, security camera, alarms. CCB #191099 541-306-0729
502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning GORDON’S LAST TOUCH
Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY
Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008
M & J CARPET CLEANING Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090
504 Handyman
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
– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122
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
• 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
OWNED
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
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
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects
All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
Custom Homes • Additions
Residential Building Projects
Serving Sisters area since 1976
Strictly Quality
CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764
John Pierce jpierce@bendbroadband.com
Lara’s Construction LLC. CCB#223701
Offering masonry work, fireplaces, interior & exterior stone/brick-work, build barbecues, and all types of masonry. Give us a call for a free estimate 541-350-3218
602 Plumbing & Electric
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 SWEENEY
PLUMBING, INC.
“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling
• New Construction
• Water Heaters
541-549-4349
Residential and Commercial
Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587
603 Excavation & Trucking
BANR Enterprises, LLC
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
604 Heating & Cooling
ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit
• New Const • Remodel
Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com
CCB #195556
541-549-6464
INFORMATION on LICENSING for Construction Contractors
Sisters, Oregon's
Exclusive HVAC Service
Residential & Commercial Heating • Ductless
Air Conditioning • Maintenance
Installation • Repair 541-588-5667
SistersHeatingAir.com
605 Painting
EMPIRE PAINTING
Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining CCB#180042
541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk
Interior/Exterior Painting
Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327
peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491
~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks
CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com
606 Landscaping & Yard
Maintenance
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
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
Eastern Cascade Solutions
Landscaping & Construction www.easterncascadesolutions. com • 541-233-7195
LCB #9958 • CCB #222039
701 Domestic Services
I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051
BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897
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
Part Time Sales Associate
Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls
Residential & Commercial
CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977 www.BANR.net
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
Custom Homes
Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects
Becke William Pierce
CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com
— Serving Sisters Since 2010 —
An active license means your contractor is bonded and insured.
Additional details are online at the Oregon CCB site: www.oregon.gov/CCB
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
– 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
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
are online at www.nuggetnews.com
Uploaded every Tuesday afternoon at no extra charge! Call 541-549-9941
NEW DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIEDS IS FRIDAY AT 5 PM — Thank you!—
999 Public Notice
Premium Title Agency, Inc.
DBA PTS Foreclosure Services
7730 Market Center Ave Suite 100, El Paso, TX 79912
TS No.: 2025-00047-OR
ACCOUNT NO.: 250898 MAP NO.:181202CC05534
TRUSTEE'S NOTICE OF SALE
T.S. Number: 2025-00047-OR
Reference is made to that certain trust deed made by Lesley A. Casto and Anthony E. Casto as grantor, to AMERITITLE as trustee, in favor of HYPERION CAPITAL GROUP, LLC.,AS LENDER MORTGAGE
ELECTRONIC
REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., MERS is a separate corporation that is acting solely as a nominee for Lender and Lender`s successors and assigns, as beneficiary, dated 12/11/2006 recorded on 12/14/2006, in the Records of Deschutes County, Oregon, in book --- at page --- and/or as fee/file/instrument/microfilm/rec eption No. 2006-81638, covering the following described real property situated in the abovementioned county and state:
ACCOUNT NO.: 250898 MAP NO.:181202CC05534
Lot Thirty-two (32), WESTBROOK VILLAGE, PHASE II, Deschutes County, Oregon Commonly Known As: 61644 GEMINI WAY, BEND, OR 97702
Both the beneficiary Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee for Residential Accredit Loans, Inc., Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-QA3 and the trustee Premium Title Agency, Inc.
DBA PTS Foreclosure Services have elected to sell the said real property to satisfy the obligations secured by said trust deed and a Notice of Default has been recorded pursuant to ORS 86.752(3). The default for which the foreclosure is made is the grantor’s failure to pay when due the following sums:
TOTAL REQUIRED TO REINSTATE AS OF 05/24/2025: $34,856.04
TOTAL REQUIRED TO PAYOFF AS OF 05/24/2025: $313,602.34
Because of interest, late charges, and other charges that may vary from day-to-day, the amount due on the day you pay may be greater. It will be necessary for you to contact the Trustee before the time you tender reinstatement or the payoff amount so that you may be advised of the exact amount you will be required to pay.
By reason of the default, the beneficiary has declared all sums owing on the obligation secured by said trust deed immediately due and payable, said default being the following:
Installment of Principal and Interest plus impounds and/or advances which became due on
05/01/2024 plus late charges, and all subsequent installments of principal, interest, balloon payments, plus impounds and/or advances and late charges that become payable. Therefore, notice hereby is given that Premium Title Agency, Inc. DBA PTS Foreclosure Services the undersigned trustee will on 09/11/2025 at the hour of 01:00 PM, Standard of Time, Front Entrance, Deschutes Courthouse, 1100 N.W. Bond Street, Bend, OR 97703 as established by ORS187.110, in the County of Deschutes, State of Oregon, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the interest in the said described real property which the grantor had or had power to convey at the time of the execution by grantor of the said trust deed, together with any interest which the grantor or his successors in interest acquired after the execution of said trust deed, to satisfy the foregoing obligations thereby secured and the costs and expenses of sale, including a reasonable charge by the trustee.
Notice is further given that any person named in ORS 86.778 has the right, at any time prior to five (5) days before the date last set for sale, to have this foreclosure proceeding dismissed and the trust deed reinstated by payment to the beneficiary of the entire amount then due (other than such portion of the principal as would not then be due had no default occurred) and by curing any other default complained of herein that is capable of being cured by tendering the performance required under the obligation or trust deed, and in addition to paying the sums or tendering the performance necessary to cure the default, by paying all costs and expenses actually incurred in enforcing the obligation and trust deed, together with trustee’s and attorney fees not exceeding the amounts provided by ORS 86.778. In construing this notice the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter, the singular includes the plural, the word “grantor” includes any successor in interest to this grantor as well as any other person owing an obligation, the performance of which is secured by the trust deed, and the words “trustee” and “beneficiary” include their respective successors in interest, if any.
Pursuant to Oregon Law, this sale will not be deemed final until the Trustee’s Deed Upon Sale has been issued by the Trustee. If any irregularities are discovered within 10 days of the date of this sale, the Trustee will rescind the sale, return the buyer’s money and take further action as necessary.
If the sale is set aside for any reason, including if the Trustee is unable to convey title, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the monies paid to the Trustee. This shall be the Purchaser’s sole and
exclusive remedy. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Trustor, the Trustee, the Beneficiary, the Beneficiary’s Agent, or the Beneficiary’s Attorney.
If you have previously been discharged through bankruptcy, you may have been released of personal liability for this loan in which case this letter is intended to exercise the note holder’s rights against the real property only. As required by law, you are hereby notified that a negative credit report reflecting on your credit record may be submitted to a credit reporting agency if you fail to fulfill the terms of your credit obligation. Without limiting the Trustee’s disclaimer of representation or warranties, Oregon law requires the Trustee to state in this notice that some residential properties sold at a Trustee’s sale may have been used in manufacturing methamphetamines, the chemical components of which are known to be toxic. Prospective purchasers of residential properties should be aware of this potential danger before deciding to place a bid for this property at the Trustee’s sale.
NOTICE TO TENANTS: TENANTS OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY HAVE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO THEM UNDER ORS 86.782 AND POSSIBLY UNDER FEDERAL LAW. ATTACHED TO THS NOTICE OF SALE, AND INCORPORATED HEREIN, IS A NOTICE TO TENANTS OF THE SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY AND WHICH SETS FORTH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE COMPLIED WITH BY ANY TENANT IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE AFFORDED PROTECTION, AS REQUIRED UNDER ORS 86.771.
Premium Title Agency, Inc. DBA PTS Foreclosure Services
Dated:
Premium Title Agency, Inc. DBA PTS Foreclosure Services 7730 Market Center Ave Suite 100, El Paso, TX 79912
Trustee Phone number: (866) 960-8299
Dated: STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF EL PASO
On________________________ before me,
Personally appeared
who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the
instrument. WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Notary Name (Seal) FOR TRUSTEES SALE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL (866) 960-8299
PUBLICATION FOR: DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF PIERCE JUVENILE DEPARTMENT THE STATE OF WASHINGTON TO 1. JOSEPH VARGAS, father of ADILYNN VARGAS; DOB: 07/07/10; Cause No. 25-7-00479-5; A Dependency Petition was filed 04/18/25. AND TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
A Fact Finding Hearing will be held on this matter on: September 2nd at 2:00 p.m. at Pierce County Family and Juvenile Court, 5501 6th Avenue, Tacoma WA 98406. You are summoned to appear at the hearing on the date, time, and place set forth above. The court expects you to appear in person unless there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from being able to do so. If appearing by zoom please use the below information and expect the court to inquire about the reasons for your appearance by zoom. Participate in this hearing by video at https://zoom.us/join or telephone at 253-215-8782 using Zoom Meeting ID 983 8387 6659, Passcode 256739. YOU SHOULD BE PRESENT AT THIS HEARING. THE HEARING WILL DETERMINE IF YOUR CHILD IS DEPENDENT AS DEFINED IN RCW 13.34.030(6). THIS BEGINS A JUDICIAL PROCESS WHICH COULD RESULT IN PERMANENT LOSS OF YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS. IF YOU DO NOT APPEAR AT THE HEARING THE COURT MAY ENTER A DEPENDENCY ORDER IN YOUR ABSENCE.
To request a copy of the Notice, Summons, and Dependency Petition, calls DCYF at 1-800-423-6246. To view information about your rights in this proceeding, go to www.atg.wa.gov/DPY.aspx.
NOTICE OF NOISE PERMIT APPLICATION:
Citizens4Community (C4C) – a Sisters-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – has applied to the City of Sisters for a permit allowing noise in excess of typical levels for the evening of Thursday, August 7 at Village Green Park. C4C is requesting permission to screen an outdoor movie, with noise amplification reaching no more than 70 decibels as measured from adjacent residential properties. The event will begin at 7:15 p.m. and conclude by 10:30 p.m. Concerns and comments regarding this application should be directed to the City of Sisters.
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DATED this 17th day of July, 2025.
By:________________________ MELINDA DANIA Deputy County Clerk PUBLISH July 30th, August 6th and August 13th 2025.
Licensing for Construction Contractors –An active license means your contractor is bonded and insured. The state provides detail online at www.oregon.gov/CCB.
