The Nugget
and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters seeks to pay it forward
As the fight against the Flat Fire winds down, the Sisters community has been looking for ways to thank the firefighters who protected homes and lives through a crisis more acute than any seen in Sisters decades-long history of serious wildfires.
A group of local activists, with support from Citizens4Community (C4C), has launched a campaign to help citizens offer substantive, high-value, long-term support to local fire districts — those who first responded to the threat of the Flat Fire.
The program encourages donations to local fire districts’ volunteer associations toward the purchase of vital — and very expensive — firefighting equipment. In this way, citizens can “pay forward” their appreciation for the Flat Fire response by helping local districts prepare for the next emergency.
“We’re trying to direct their support in ways that can be directly beneficial to our first responders,” said Kellen Klein, executive director of C4C. “We know that local fire districts are
Bull sculpture may be stuck in the chute
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
under-resourced and could benefit from more funding. We know that our community is feeling immense gratitude and trying to find ways to express that gratitude.”
School district explains device
In a note to parents as the school year begins, Sisters School District (SSD) Superintendent Curt Scholl explained how the District is responding to Governor Tina Kotek’s ban on personal electronic devices (PED) in public schools. A PED is defined as, “any portable, electrically powered device that is capable of making and receiving calls and text messages and accessing the internet independently from the school’s network infrastructure.”
“This new restriction is no different than our current practices at Sisters elementary and Sisters middle schools,” Scholl stated. “At Sisters High School, PED use was already restricted during class time.”
According to Scholl, beginning this school year, student use of personal PEDs
policy
will be restricted during the entire school day: this includes; class time, in hallways, and during lunch and recess periods (if applicable).
“While we understand that PEDs are an important tool for communication, we have increasingly seen how constant access to personal electronic devices during the school day can interfere with academic engagement, peer relationships, and students’ overall mental health,” Scholl wrote. “By limiting their use, we aim to foster a school environment that promotes connections, a sense of belonging, meaningful interaction, and reduced distraction.”
The SSD policy requires that:
• If a student needs to have
Sisters has been expressing its gratitude to firefighters in many ways since the Flat Fire broke out on August 21. A campaign is now underway to direct community support to critical equipment needs of local fire districts.
The program is part of a broad community effort, the concept of which was brought forward by a donor, to “spread the attitude of gratitude.”
Local fire districts see a need for support in outfitting firefighters with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
See PAY IT FORWARD on page 15
The mounting controversy surrounding city council’s reluctance to accept a citizen-led proposal to place a 1.5-times life-size statue of a legendary rodeo bull and his rider atop the new Locust Street/Highway 20 roundabout has grown in awareness beyond Sisters Country. Reporting has reached as far as the Daily Mail, a British daily middle-market tabloid conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. Proponents say they are not giving up their fight to erect the statute called The Match (see The Nugget, September 3) , even after a
See RED ROCK on page 17
Habitat celebrates housewarming
Sisters Habitat for Humanity celebrated the completion of its 82nd and 83rd affordable home in Sisters on Friday, September 5, with a housewarming event.
Angela Lawrence and Jonathan Amsberry each cut the ribbon on their new Habitat home located at 314 and 344 N. Desert Rose Loop in Sisters.
Sisters Habitat is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created in 1990 by local residents who recognized the shortage of affordable homes in Sisters and came together to provide housing opportunities that are safe, stable, and within the financial means of local households.
“The median home price of a home in Sisters
hit a record high last quarter of $739,000,” said Peter Hoover, executive director of Sisters Habitat. “People who are the fabric of Sisters — who work in our stores, restaurants, medical offices, galleries, and other businesses, as well as graduates of Sisters High who would like to stay in the community
— simply can’t afford those costs. We are working hard to provide homes to meet these needs and keep these talents in Sisters.”
Program Director Kristina Maxwell told The Nugget that the organization has changed its program to shorten the period of time an applicant has to wait before moving in to their home.
“We’ve changed our program so they’re not in the program two or three years,” she said. “They’ve been in the program for about eight months. We’re focusing more on education now. We want top build people up for success.”
Each Habitat homeowner is expected to contribute substantial
on page 19
OPINION
Letters to the Editor…
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.
How we joined the homeless
To the Editor:
Debby and I lost our house and shop in the Flat Fire. Our beautiful 40 acres with its multi colors is now dirt and black tree snags. Thirty-five years ago our family and friends built the structures — pounding every nail ourselves.
We are surviving, and lifted above what wants to crush our spirits. We’d like to mention some of the good things that we have experienced from our community that is so heartwarming. Help arrived within hours. Bill Willitts at FivePine welcomed us with reduced rates for our first lodging emergency stop; Sisters Dental called and said they had a package for us to pick up — electric tooth brushes and a gift card for a meal at Ski Inn; Sisters resident who owns/operates American Pizza
in Bend — free meals. Oh yeah — Sisters Vet miraculously found free pet meds I was using.
Dan and Jeri Fouts arranged for access to their account at Nike with funds to replace clothing and footwear — on them.
Columbia added extra coupons for apparel that nobody else ever gets.
We are eagerly waiting for Hoyt’s Lumber and Hardware to [help us] rebuild!
Another arrangement: While we were talking to some people about our loss — as the conversation ended, I got a tap on the back from a woman that had been eavesdropping. She expressed her sorrow for our loss — keep in mind, a total stranger — she said “You are welcome to our house — we will be taking our son to college back east and will be gone for a month.”
Sisters Weather Forecast
The Nugget Newspaper, LLC
www.nuggetnews.com | 541-549-9941
442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, PO Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. 3rd Class Postage Paid at Sisters, OR. The Nugget is available to pick up free at The Nugget office and at businesses throughout Sisters and Tumalo; mail subscriptions are available in the 97759, 97756, 97730, and 97703 zip codes for $55/year; subscriptions outside these zip codes: $70/year, $45/six months (or less).
Editor in Chief & Co-owner: Jim Cornelius, editor@nuggetnews.com
Community Marketing Partner: Kimberly Young, ads@nuggetnews.com
Classifieds, Circulation, Proofreading: Kema Clark, nugget@nuggetnews.com
Graphic Design, Billing: Leith Easterling, accounting@nuggetnews.com
Creative Director: Jess Draper, jess@nuggetnews.com
Co-owner: J. Louis Mullen
Job well done, Flat Fire team
By Mark Labhart, Retired Incident Commander, Oregon Fire Team 1
I’m a retired Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) firefighter, having spent 35 years in wildland fire management. Over those decades, I held many positions, eventually serving as an Incident Commander (IC) — the role responsible for overseeing every aspect of managing complex incidents. I had the honor of leading ODF Fire Team 1 for 11 years on some of the toughest fires across Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.
In short, I know what “right” looks like when it comes to fire management. And the Flat Fire? That was a textbook example of how to do it right.
Kudos go to every firefighter, to the Jefferson and Deschutes County Sheriffs’ officers, and especially to Incident Commander Tyler McCarty of ODF Team 3 and Incident Commander Ian Yokum of the State Fire Marshal’s Red Team. These leaders guided their teams through an incredibly tense and fast-moving fire, showing professionalism, focus, and determination while protecting more than a thousand homes—and potentially an entire town.
Make no mistake: this was not luck.
The Flat Fire exploded, burning nearly 14,000 acres in a single afternoon. To put that in perspective, an acre is roughly the size of a football field. Imagine 14,000 football fields engulfed in flames in just one day.
What made the difference was a full-force, coordinated response. Because this was the only major fire burning in Oregon at the time, every available resource was mobilized: very large air tankers (VLATs), standard air tankers out of Redmond, single-engine air tankers (SEATs), hotshot crews, contract engines, dozers, water tenders, and more. Governor Kotek’s Conflagration Declaration
brought additional city and rural fire engines from across the state to Sisters. Together, nearly 1,800 personnel worked at the peak of this fire, standing between advancing flames and people’s homes.
Their efforts meant that instead of losing an entire community — as we’ve seen with tragic fires in California — only five homes were lost. Given the conditions, that outcome was nothing short of extraordinary. As of Saturday, the cost of suppressing the fire approached $22 million. A steep price, yes — but it could have been far worse without such decisive action.
And we must not forget the role of law enforcement and local volunteer firefighters. They were on the ground, going door to door, helping families evacuate under terrifying conditions. I can tell you from experience that evacuations in the face of a raging fire are chaotic, frightening, and lifechanging. Their courage deserves equal recognition. So, what can we take away from this?
• Harden your home. If you haven’t already, please reach out to your local rural fire district, ODF, or the U.S. Forest Service. They can help you make your home more resistant to wildfire.
• Support those who protect us. Thank you to our elected officials and the Oregon Legislature for increasing funding for ODF and OSFM, ensuring these teams had the tools and staffing they needed.
• Be patient with investigations. The Flat Fire was human-caused, but let the professional investigators do their work. They are thorough and experienced, and the truth will come out. Please — don’t fuel rumors.
To everyone who battled the Flat Fire: well done. Truly, well done. If you see a firefighter — or any responder who stood in the path of danger for us — thank them. They earned it.
Views expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.
Troy’s Offroad pulled out a bullet-riddled, abandoned light pickup that had been pushed over the edge of a ravine at Four Mile Butte. Sisters Country Leadership Initiative paid for the removal as part of their ongoing effort to rid the forest of derelict
Sisters Folk Festival seeks volunteers
The Sisters Folk Festival will roll into town the last weekend of this month — and they’re looking for volunteers.
Tom and Norene Gonsiewski danced at a recent house concert at their home — to a song written for and about them by Dennis McGregor and Beth Wood.
Fostering community & connection in Sisters
By Lilli Worona Correspondent
Tom and Norene Gonsiewski had a busy summer. For many, a busy summer might mean a much-anticipated out-ofstate trip, a painstakingly planned family reunion, or a hectic work schedule. For the Gonsiewskis, their busy summer was spent in its entirety in Sisters.
“We were right here the whole time!” Norene
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al -Anon
Mon., noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 541- 610-73 83
Alcoholics Anonymous
exclaimed when asked what they had been up to the past few months.
Despite not leaving the area, the Gonsiewskis were far from idle. That is because both Tom and Norene are mainstays in the Sisters community, volunteering their time with the Sisters Folk Festival, STARS volunteer ride shares, and offering up their front lawn several times a month to host grassroots house concerts. All this, paired with making
time for their growing community of friends and family, makes for a summer that is filled to the brim.
Becoming enmeshed in the community was just what Tom and Norene set out to do when they moved to Sisters less than 10 years ago, from Portland.
“When it got to be time to retire, it was just getting too big, too much.” Norene explained.
See GONSIEWSKIS on page 21
SFF Presents notes that “volunteers are the heart of the annual event, and their support is essential to bringing the festival to life across seven venues.”
In exchange for working two four-hour shifts, volunteers receive a complimentary weekend wristband, granting full access to all festival performances. In addition, volunteers enjoy a variety of exclusive perks, including access to a private volunteer lounge with snacks and drinks and a special volunteer hat.
“Beyond the immediate benefits, volunteering offers the chance to support a great
cause,” said SFF Presents Events Manager Kaela Fox. “The time and effort contributed by volunteers directly help the nonprofit organization fund year-round music and arts programming for both children and adults in the community.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our festival,” said Fox. “Their dedication and hard work create the incredible atmosphere that makes Sisters Folk Festival so special. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Interested individuals can learn more and sign up to be a part of the team by visiting www.sistersfolkfest.org/ volunteer.
Sisters Folk Festival will run at venues across Sisters September 26-28.
Musician earns music academy scholarship
By Ceili Gatley Correspondent
Drummer and music enthusiast Frankie Borla, currently a sophomore, is wholeheartedly and passionately pursuing his music education by attending Interlochen Center for the Arts for this school year. This is a music-intensive education program for aspiring musicians and students interested in the arts.
Borla was born and raised
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
Council on Aging of Central Oregon Senior Lunch In -person communit y dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church 541- 549- 6157
Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meet ing, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
Thursday, 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church 541- 54 8- 04 40 Saturday, 8 a.m., Episcopal Church of the Transf iguration
Central Oregon Fly Tyer s Guild
For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter meets monthly for a meeting, group bike ride, or event. Contact sistersrep@c otamtb.c om for info
Ci tizens4Communit y Communit y Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:3 0 a.m. Visit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for location
Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs. 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters Communit y Church 541- 48 0-18 43 East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September-June), Stitchin’ Post All are welc ome. 541- 549- 60 61
Go Fi sh Fishing Group 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Sisters Communit y Church 541-771-2211
Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s)
2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Sisters Communit y Church Materials provided 541- 40 8- 8505
Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 541- 668 -1755
Living Well With Dementia Sister s Care Partner Suppor t Group. 2nd & 4th Weds 1-2:30 p.m. Sisters Librar y Communit y Room. 541- 58 8- 05 47
Mili tary Parent s of Sister s Meetings are held quarterly; please call 541-38 8- 9013
Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 549- 6469
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4t h Saturday, 10 a.m., meet ing by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158
Sisters Area Woodworker s First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-18 97
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:3 0 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.
Sisters Caregi ver Support Group 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:30 p.m. Sisters Librar y Communit y Room. 541- 58 8- 05 47 (M eets with Living Well With Dementia Sisters)
Sisters Garden Club For mont hly meetings visit: SistersGardenClu b.com.
Sisters Habitat for Humani ty Board of Director s 4t h Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. Location information: 541- 549-1193
Sisters Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at SPRD in Sisters. 541- 632- 3663
Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sister s Elementary School Commons. 917-219- 8298
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-76 0- 5645
Sisters Veterans no -host lunch, Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. All veterans welc ome, 541-241- 6563
Sisters Trails Alliance Board Meetings take place ever y other month, 5 p.m. In -person or zoom. Cont act: info@sisterstrails.org
Three Sister s Irrigation District Board of Director s Meets 2nd Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSID Of fice 541- 903- 4050
Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 541- 419-1279
VF W Post 8138 and American Legion Po st 86 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Pine Meadow Village Clubhouse, 59 6 W Jefferson Ave. 541-241- 6563
SCHOOLS
Black Bu tt e School
Board of Director s 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m. Black Butte School. 541- 59 5- 6203
Sisters School District Board of Directors One Wednesday mont hly, Sisters School District Administration Building. See schedule at www.ssd 6. org. 541- 549- 8521 x5 002. CITY & PARKS
in Sisters, surrounded by a rich musical heritage. He has been playing drums since he was five years old.
“My grandma got me drumming lessons for Christmas, and that is how I started playing music in the first place, and I‘ve always been into music and listening to music,” he said.
Borla played the drums in band class in school,and in eighth grade joined the jazz
Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall 541- 549- 6022
Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Director s 2nd & 4t h Tues., 4 p.m., Coff ield Center 541- 549-20 91
Sisters Planning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall 541- 549- 6022
FIRE & POLICE
Black Bu tt e Ranch Po lice Dept Board of Director s Meets mont hly. 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date
Black Bu tt e Ranch RFPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m., BB R Fire Station. 541- 59 5-2288 Cloverdale RFPD
Board of Director s 3rd Wed., 5:30 p.m., 6743 3 Cloverdale Rd. 541- 54 8- 4815 cloverdalefire.c om
Sister s- Camp Sherman RFPD Board of Director s 3rd Tuesday, 9 a.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541- 549- 0771
Sister s- Camp Sherman RFPD Drills Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall 301 S. Elm St. 541- 549- 0771
See BORLA on page 20
PHOTO COURTESY KIRSTIN ANGLEA
Book festival is accessible for everyone
Sisters Festival of Books, taking place September 12-14, offers something for everyone in Sisters who has an interest in good storytelling.
Sisters Festival of Books is 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 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.
And you don’t even have to have tickets to participate in some of the festival’s offerings.
Sisters Festival of Books offers a series of accessible author events — designed to bring the community together around compelling storytelling, regional voices, and creative inspiration. Sisters Festival of Books Keynote Conversation is free and open to the public at Sisters Movie House on Saturday, September 13 – 3:30 to 4:30
p.m. (in partnership with Deschutes Public Library).
Join bestselling authors Daniel H. Wilson and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. for “Discussing Hole in the Sky and The El: A Conversation on Survival, Identity, and Storytelling.” Together, they’ll explore speculative futures, native identity, and the power of narrative to bridge cultures and lifetimes.
The Art of Fiction Author Panel is free on Sunday, September 14, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Paulina Springs Books. Authors Maxim Loskutoff (“Old King,” “Ruthie Fear”), Gigi Little (“Who Killed One the Gun?”), and Jon Raymond (“Denial,” “Rain Dragon”; screenwriter of “Mildred Pierce” and “Meek’s Cutoff”) delve into what makes fiction resonate, exploring craft, inspiration, and storytelling’s role in reflecting and resisting our world. Moderated by Festival Executive Director Lane Jacobson.
The Local Author Extravaganza is set for Sunday, September 14, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Paulina Springs Books. Eleven Central Oregon authors will pitch their latest works in quickfire five-minute presentations—followed by an opportunity to connect one-on-one as they answer questions and sign books at breakout tables. The $10 ticket includes a $10 voucher redeemable toward any book being featured. Featured authors include Jane Kirkpatrick, LeeAnn Kriegh, and Beth Wood.
The festival kicks off Friday night, September 12, with a StorySLAM, a community storytelling event where 10 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.
For tickets, event details, and a weekend schedule visit www.sistersfob.org.
Sisters to get a glimpse into artists’ studios
The Sisters Arts Association’s 2025 Artist Studio Tour is set for Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, in and around Sisters. This year, SAA is featuring 25 artists at 16 locations. Participating artists are well known local painters, potters, glass artists, photographers, mixed media artists, and sculptors. Studios and hosting galleries will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Hop on your bike, or into the car, or take a walk. The tour offers the opportunity to form deeper relationships with artists in the community by going into their workspaces and experiencing their process in a way that’s much different than seeing art in a gallery. You can also buy art directly from the artist.
The following is a rundown of what you can see in artists’ private studios, in and around Sisters. Next week there will be a look at what’s happening in local gallery spaces.
Unless otherwise stated, the following artist studios are in Sisters.
Painter Gary Anderson created the artwork that’s featured on the colorful banners hanging outside each of the art galleries in Sisters. His style is landscape abstraction, inspired by the waters of Puget Sound and the mountains of Central Oregon.
J. Chester “Skip” Armstrong is a worldrenowned wood sculptor whose Central Oregon roots run as deep as the trees from which he carves eagles, horses, wolves, herons, and human figures. Chainsaws, grinders and chisels are his tools. Find his studio on Edgington Road past the schools in Sisters.
Belinda and Terry
Batchelder each work to bring nature’s essence in very different media. Belinda, who has a background in apparel design and as a pattern maker, creates botanical prints on natural fibers that let the actual plant express itself as print on fabric. Her eco-botanical printing is a combination of art and science that is most delightful. Terry works with stained glass to make pieces inspired by nature. Their studio is on Highland Road in Tumalo.
Paul Alan Bennett is a longtime favorite among local artists. Always known for his “knit” style of opaque watercolor (gouache) painting, most recently he has been combining that media with printmaking. He is the artist/author of three books and hundreds of note cards that tell the story of his artistic journey throughout the years.
Karen Z. Ellis will greet you among her early and recent pieces celebrating rhythms and patterns of nature dancing through the seasons — a wide variety of drawings, water-media, and soft-pastel paintings, plus original hand-pulled prints, including relief, intaglio, and monotype.
Steve Mathews is a master illustrator and retired educator who turns the flat side of a smooth hardwood panel into a work of art filled with wildlife and real or imaginary creatures. After drawing his image, he colors it in with blends of Prismacolor pencils. His Tollgate studio is as colorful as his artwork.
Danae Bennett Miller will host painter Taylor Manoles in her studio space in Tumalo. Danae’s bronze sculptures are part of the cultural landscape of Central Oregon. She also makes monoprints using her
own press. Taylor’s artwork explores themes of faith and human experience through contemporary landscapes in oils.
Mary Moore creates ceramic sculpture that transports the viewer to imaginary worlds where human figures have animal heads, where wizards or jesters sport medieval headgear, and where little girls never have to grow up. Her studio is in Eagle Crest.
Caroline Stratton-Crow is known for her colorful “twisty-trees” that are an imaginary species somewhere in the realm between a juniper and a bristlecone pine. But she is also an avid horsewoman and depicts horses in soft shades of watercolors. She will host two artists, Kimry Jelen and Raina Verhey. Kimry’s horses, rabbits and
landscapes are a veritable carousel of vivid colors. Raina’s paintings depict high desert landscapes that emulate rock and sagebrush. The studio is on Sisemore Road. Randall Tillery paints in a conservative expressionist style, both oils and watercolors. As a plein air painter, he continues to be inspired and challenged by the beauty of his favorite spots, from Central Oregon to
the Sierras, and Hawaii to the Southwest.
Ken Merrill throws and fires fine pottery in the Canyon Creek Pottery studio, behind his gallery in Sisters. His favorite part is throwing the clay on a potter’s wheel. The result is pottery that’s both beautiful and durable.
Susie Zeitner is an art glass designer and fabricator, specializing in pieces used for or as a part of design elements for custom interiors or exteriors. Each piece is entirely handmade in her Z Glass Act studio.
Next week’s Nugget will feature the rest of the Studio Tour artists showing in galleries including Dan Rickards’ Gallery, Flying Horse Gallery (Brad Earl and Sloane Earl), Toriizaka Art (Henriette Heiny, Lim Khim Katy, and Don Zylius), and Sisters Gallery and Frame (Kathleen Branch, Lynn Brush, and Mike Stasko).
Look for blue and white road signs with red arrows that mark the way to all Artist Studio Tour locations. More information is available at www.sistersartsassociation. org/studio-tour-map. Studio Tour Guides will be available online, at gallery and artwall locations, Explore Sisters, Paulina Springs Books, Fika Sisters Coffeehouse, Sisters Coffee Co., and Sisters Movie
Randall Tillery will be one of 25 artists on the 2025 Artist Studio Tour.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Local vegetation and wildfire risk
By Ada Breit Columnist
Editor’s note: Ada Breit is an incoming freshman at Sisters High School. Her eighth-grade science club project is highly relevant to conditions in Sisters, and she submitted it for publication in The Nugget.
In 2020, Oregon experienced one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in state history, the 2020 Labor Day wildfires caused destruction and tragedy all over Oregon. There were roughly five mega-fires, each above 100,000 acres of burned land and many smaller fires all under 51,000 acres. All of these fires burned homes, towns, and even caused the deaths of some Oregonians. The five mega-fires were named Beachie Creek, Lionshead, Holiday Farm, Riverside, and Archie Creek fires. While some started in California and eventually spread to Oregon they were all devastating events, burning over 900,000 acres all together.
Every summer, Bend and its surrounding communities brace for wildfire season, but too few homeowners consider the fire risks already growing around their homes — particularly the threat posed by one of Central Oregon’s most common and flammable native plants, juniper trees. While climate and human activity contribute to wildfire risk, the types of plants in our landscapes, especially near homes, play a critical, often overlooked role in how fires spread.
For my eighth-grade science fair project I wanted to better understand the impact of local vegetation on wildfire risk: Flammability and how much energy is contained in plant-life in Central Oregon, plants that likely live in our environment and near our homes. As the project progressed, a story about
fire safety and the role different plants in our environment play in fire safety began to unfold.
Three types of plant life that are extremely common in the Central Oregon area were studied: sagebrush, a common shrub found all over Central Oregon; ponderosa pine, a very common tree in Central Oregon; and juniper tree, known for its berries and pungent smell, a hallmark of Central Oregon. All three of these plants are not only in our forests, but also live close to our homes. If you were to look out your house window you would likely see at least one of these three plants.
The data (see graphs) comparing the energy content and burn rate of common plant-based wild-fire fuel reveals a disturbing truth: juniper wood is among the most dangerous fuels to have near your home. It has both a high energy density and burns rapidly — meaning it sustains hot, intense flames that are very difficult for firefighters to control. But what makes juniper especially hazardous is its high resin content, which acts like nature’s gasoline. This resinrich wood resists extinguishing, making it a nightmare for firefighters trying to save homes during fast-moving wildfires.
Firefighters report juniper trees being some of the hardest to contain and put out when faced with a wildfire, the data proves just that, you can see why it is so hard for firefighters to put out juniper wood. Compared to other wildfire fuels commonly found in Central Oregon, juniper wood burns very hot for how little mass it has, burning hotter in some cases than materials like pine wood and charcoal.
Next on the graph on the
right you can see that juniper not only burns hot as well as burns quickly. If we compare juniper wood to sage brush we can see that juniper wood burns as quickly as sagebrush, and if we consider how much more mass a juniper tree has compared to sage, we quickly realize how much energy is released from a burning juniper tree.
Sagebrush is an important part of our Central Oregon environment and though it may not be as prevalent as it once was, due to local development, it is still a common fuel source for forest fires. As the data shows, sagebrush didn’t burn as hot as juniper, but it did burn fast, meaning that it not only burns hot but also burns fast, making it a highly flammable, though short-lived fuel for wildfires. Perhaps not surprisingly, and as compared to juniper trees and sagebrush, ponderosa pine burns more slowly and releases less energy as it burns.
There are a number of resources available to better understand how at risk your home might be to wildfires. According to Firewise Safety the first step in making your home fire safe is the removal of dead plant-life, mulch, and other flammable materials from immediately around your home. As well, trimming low hanging tree limbs so that they are no lower than six feet from the ground and maintain 10-15 feet between the tree branches. Thinning plants and trees such as Juniper and pine trees as well as sagebrush may be recommended and supported by the data above. Perhaps most importantly, remove dead juniper trees, dead tree limbs, and thin dense numbers of sagebrush from under juniper trees on your property as the low water content and high flammability of these fuels
can drive a wildfire. Juniper trees and other plants native to Central Oregon such as sagebrush can fuel wildfires and threaten our communities. I urge you to examine your yard and home, support community plans for fire safety, and advocate for your neighbors and friends to review their homes and stay on the lookout for ways to make your yard safer.
Number of August homes sold remains flat
By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
While the number of homes sold in Sisters Country measured only 20 in August, the same number as in August of 2024 (33 in August of 2023), prices exploded. Distorted by a sale of a $5.2 million, fourbedroom estate on 83 acres, the average of all homes last month was $1,175,722 compared to $806,898 the prior year.
The median price, a truer measure of the market, brought homes to $830,455 vs. $637,500 in August of 2024. The total value of all transactions in 2025 was $22.5 million, well above the $16.14 million total from 2024.
Eight of the 20 homes sold for over $1 million, 40 percent! In 2024 there were four such sales of $1+ million, 20 percent of the share.
The price per square foot also soared from $317 to $472 as buyers, many purchasing with cash, sought higher-end homes.
According to Realtor.com there are 197 active listings in Sisters Country and it is taking 70 days on average to sell a property. The median price of homes currently offered is $949,000 they say, well above the current price of $830,000.
In less than a year the market has moved from a seller’s to balanced (buyer and seller) to a buyer’s market. About one of every 10 listings is pulled after 90–120 days due to lack of activity.
The median price of homes has risen 50 percent over the last five years according to the National Association of Realtors. The number of sales however are at a 10-month low, seasonally adjusted down almost 3 percent for the year.
“Today’s housing market is really haves and have-nots,” says Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.
While countless would-be buyers remain stuck on the sidelines, some people do have a lot of money to spend. Wages keep rising, the stock market is hitting record highs — and people who have a home to sell can use profits from these high prices to buy their next one.
“Those who have housing equity can make housing trades right now. Many of them are doing so even with an all-cash purchase,” Lautz says. “They have the ability to interact with today’s housing market, where first-time homebuyers are being shut out.”
This appears to be the exact situation in Sisters.
Why shark infested waters are a good thing
Sharks are an iconic global species with a reputation often based on fiction.
Dr. Taylor Chapple from the Big Fish Lab (BFL) at Oregon State University, the leading shark research lab in the Pacific Northwest, has studied sharks around the world for over 20 years. He will share the BFL’s research on sharks in the Pacific Northwest and around the globe in a Frontiers in Science event at The Belfry on Tuesday, September 16, at 7 p.m.
Over the past 15 years, Taylor has been studying sharks and other large marine predators around the world focused on their movements, behaviors, and population dynamics. From South Africa to Australia to California, using state-of-theart technology, he electronically tags animals to gain insights into their lives when we aren’t there to observe them. At OSU, Taylor studies the sharks off our coasts and works with local communities to better understand sharks in Oregon. Relatively little is known about how White, Salmon, and Sevengill sharks affect our coastal
ecosystems, but Taylor and the BFL plan to change that.
Taylor grew up in Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie. He received his BA from Boston University in biology with a concentration in marine science in 2001. Taylor then worked designing experimental fishing nets to limit bycatch of New England and taught marine science aboard a sailboat in the Puget Sound. In 2002 he first began working with sharks off the coasts of Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Taylor received his Ph.D in 2009 from the University of California, Davis (UCD), developing ways to estimate and assess shark species with little data. At UCD his work focused on the Common Thresher shark and the White shark.
In 2010, Taylor began an appointment with the Max Planck Institute in Germany, studying the energetics and behavior of highly nomadic species. He also studied how sharks navigate by developing a magnetic tag, which can manipulate the ambient magnetic field around a shark. In 2012 Taylor began a second post-doctoral appointment
with Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. At Stanford Taylor worked on
FREE EVENTS
Saturday, September 13 • 3:30-4:30PM at Sisters Movie House, 720 S. Desperado Ct. Daniel H. Wilson & T heodor e C. Van Alst Jr. discussing “Hole in the Sky” and “T he El: A Conver sation on Sur vival, Identity, and Stor ytelling.”
Sunday, September 14 • 12:30-1:30PM. At Paulina Springs Books, 252 W. Hood Ave. The Ar t of Fiction panel with Maxim Loskutoff, Gigi Little, and Jon Raymond.
Monday, September 15 • 5:30PM PSB Fiction Book Club discussing “You Ar e Here” by David Nicholls. All ar e welcome – just dr op in!
Friday, October 3 • 6:30PM Thor Hanson pr esents “Close to Home: The Wonder s of Nature Just Outside Your Door.”
Av e Sister g .
Frontiers in Science lecture series sponsored by the Sisters Science Club. Doors
Dr. Taylor Chapple from the Big Fish Lab at Oregon State University will separate fact from fiction about sharks in a Frontiers in Science event sponsored by Sisters Science Club on Tuesday, September 16.
Outlaws shut out Madras on soccer pitch
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Outlaws logged a 4-0 shut out at home against Madras in their first home game of the season on Tuesday, September 2.
Sisters dictated play from the opening whistle. Coach Jeff Husmann told The Nugget that coaches have been trying to really coach up their holding midfielders, Ajax Erdekian and Alex Nieto, and stated they both are stepping into big roles.
“We were linking passes together and creating opportunities, and there was a real positivity about the game,” said Husmann. “This connectivity resulted in goals midway through the first half.”
Nick Palmer, who plays at attacking midfield, scored his first of three goals on the night with an assist from Jasper Jensen to make it 1-0. A short time later Palmer ran up through the center part of the defense, caught the White Buffs’ center back by surprise, stole the ball, and ricocheted a shot off the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
The Outlaws continued to apply pressure, and worked as a unit on both offense and defense. Just a couple of minutes before the half, Jesse Polachek made an unbelievable run that completely caught the Madras midfield by surprise. Polachek played the ball off to Mason Dahl, who took a touch, pulled the ball to his right foot and buried the shot into the upper right corner to put the Outlaws on top 3-0 just before the half.
It was a completely different second half. Sisters struggled to link their passes together and hold possession of the ball, but the Outlaws’ back line held strong.
With approximately 15 minutes left on the clock, Palmer scored his third goal for a hat trick. Palmer caused a turnover, took possession, went one-on-one with the White Buff center back, and was able to slot the ball with his left foot into the back of the net to make it 4-0.
Outlaws’ keeper Joseph Derksen earned his second shutout of the season.
Coach Husmann said, “For the last four years Madras has been getting the better of us. They’re a skilled and speedy team, but our boys were ready to step up for the challenge.
“This was a great confidence boost for the boys as they are really beginning to see the potential for this team,” added Husmann. “A standout performance came tonight from Alex, particularly in the first half. His work rate and physicality made play development from the midfield strong. Also, freshman Cormac Lichvarcik has really become a reliable right back. He has a sense of when to step to the ball and when to just contain. He has truly developed into a trusted part of the defense.”
The Outlaws will play at home against Salem Academy on Saturday, September 13.
Outlaws fall to Burns in opener
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Sisters Outlaws opened their football season Friday night, September 5, at home against the visiting Burns Highlanders. Despite battling hard and finding the end zone in the second half, the Outlaws fell 38-6.
Sisters’ lone touchdown came in the final quarter, sparked by a determined Outlaws drive. Ethan Eby ignited the series by a strong run up the left sideline.
Quarterback Hunter Bronson then hit Spencer Davis on the right sideline for a 15-yard gain down the sideline. Tyler Johnson followed with a long rush of his own, nearly scoring before he stepped out of bounds at the eight-yard line. Two plays later, Bronson rolled out and found Ace Chew in the end zone for an eight-yard strike.
The Outlaws totaled 160 yards of offense on the night — 94 on the ground and 66 in the air. Bronson finished 9-for-25 passing with 66 yards and the TD to Chew, while also adding 30 rushing yards on seven carries.
Of Bronson’s performance, Coach Hayden Hudson said, “Hunter was exciting, and he was able to keep his eyes down field with pressure around him, and was putting the ball in places for
our receivers to make plays.”
Eby carried the ball seven times for 32 yards, Davis hauled in four catches for 20 yards, and Johnson contributed 27 yards on three carries. Chew added two receptions for 24 yards and the TD, while Bennett Hayes recorded one catch for five yards.
Defensively, Kayden Morris led the Outlaws with six tackles and an assist. Eby chipped in four tackles and a quarterback sack, and Weston Davis added four tackles.
Hudson said, “I was proud of the way the team came together and came out of halftime and competed until the last whistle. Burns has a very good team and we could have hung it up early, but the boys played tough till the
end.
“I am excited about the things we saw and what can be built on from this game,” Hudson added. “The offensive and defensive line had a tough test against the Burns front and they grew as a unit from the experience. Being able to play a team like that early in the season gives us a good measuring stick as to where we are as a team and how we can grow to compete later on in the year.”
The Outlaws will play at Taft on Friday, September 12.
NuggetNews.com is your online source for BREAKING NEWS CLASSIFIEDS WEATHER
Lady Outlaws tie with White Buffs
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Sisters Outlaws girls soccer team had every reason to come out flat in their match against the Madras White Buffs on Tuesday, September 2. Their bus broke down four miles outside Madras so by the time they arrived they had little time to warm up. On top of that, the game-time temperatures were high, and there was smoke and humidity in the air.
Despite the difficult start, the Outlaws found their rhythm as the game went on, and the contest ended in a 2-2 tie.
Caroline Dean struck first for Sisters, finishing cleanly from about 10 yards out near the left post.
Madras responded and scored twice before halftime and at the break the Outlaws trailed 1-2.
Early in the second half, Nona Smith provided the spark the Outlaws needed.
She broke free on a solo run and slotted the equalizer past the White Buffs’ keeper. From there, the Outlaws continued to press hard, finding space behind the Madras defensive line time and again — though many of those chances were flagged off-sides.
Coach Ken Polachek praised the team’s determination and highlighted stand out performances.
“We had plenty more opportunities, but most were called off-sides against us,” Polachek said. “I’m superproud that the girls kept pushing to get in behind the high defensive line despite the heat, light smoke, and apparent humidity.”
Polachek credited defender Verbena Brent for her standout performance in the back.
“Verbena was always in the right place at the right time on defense and played a vital role in the attacking build up,” stated Polachek.
Polachek also noted the back four starters, which included Brent, Mia Rosas, Rylie Bick, and Olivia Lakota.
“Those girls really started to come together with great verbal communication and defensive support,” said Polachek.
“I was super excited to see the speed and tactics developed from the likes of Zoee Bafford, Nona Smith, Tanner Gibney, Caroline Dean, Maddy Kirkpatrick, and Devon Eastwood,” added Polachek.
The Outlaws will be back on the field Tuesday, September 9, at home against Santiam Christian. On Thursday they will face La Pine, again at home.
Runners open season at Wolfpack 5k
The Sisters Outlaws cross country team kicked off the competitive season with a local meet at Big Sky Park on Saturday, September 6, hosted by Caldera High School.
Senior Brooke Duey led the way for the girl’s varsity team with a 10th-place finish on the 5,000-meter course, finishing in 21:33.
“The course was a little slow, so the time doesn’t indicate the quality of her performance,” said coach Charlie Kanzig. “She raced against some top 5A runners from Caldera and Summit, and held her own.”
Maddie Carney, of Caldera, who placed third at the state meet last year at the 5A level, cruised to victory in 19:27.
TheWolfpack returns a number of girls from its third-place team finish at state.
Other finishers for the Outlaws included Naomi Bennette, Althea Crabtree, Sofia Clark, and Jayden Durtschi.
The Outlaws boys, facing a rebuilding year after graduating the heart of last year’s district championship team, raced in the junior varsity race in order to begin the process of gelling as a team,
according to Kanzig.
“Junior Ben Hayner and sophomore Zach Kemp are at work helping to bring along a crew of freshmen toward being competitive at the varsity level, so we put them all together in one race for that reason,” he said.
Caden Warner, one of the freshmen, had a strong debut for the Outlaws, finishing fourth overall among eightysix finishers, clocking 18:47. Hayner came through next in seventh place, followed by Kemp in twelfth.
Keagan McShane, Jaxson Saunders, Noah Adams, and Landon Kirkpatrick rounded out the squad.
“I admit it’s a challenge as a coach to sort of start from scratch after graduating a group of seniors who qualified for state four years in a row, finishing as high as second, but the coaching staff and I are committed to making this boys’ team the best it can be, despite our low numbers,” said Kanzig. With that said, he added, “It’s not too late for kids to still join now that school has started.”
The girls appear to be ready to improve on last year’s third-place district finish, that included an appearance at state.
“Brooke and Josie
Ryan represent a strong one/two for the team and Althea Crabtree and Naomi Bennette put in some good summer work and look stronger than ever,” said Kanzig. The Outlaws travel to
Silver Falls State Park on September 10 for the 55th annual Oktoberfest Invitational hosted by Kennedy and Silverton High Schools.
Brooke Duey led the girls varsity cross-country team with a strong 10th-place finish in the Wolfpack 5k.
PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG
SISTERS LIBRARY EVENTS
College & Career
Readiness: Researching Colleges Learn strategies to create a list of potential scho ols that meet your needs. Match scho ols to your acad emic go als and intere sts , understand acceptance r ates and admission requirements, plus much more. Wed. September 10, 6–7 p.m. rive Central Oregon Get help with housing list s, medical access, mental health resources, veterans services, so cial security applications, and more. rive Central Oregon sta help you navigate the complex forms, websites, and waitlist s needed to access resources.
Appointments are firstcome first-served and last 30 minutes. Friday, September 12, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. To setup a remote phone appointment call 541-782-1022 or email info@thrivecentraloregon org. Info: www thrivecentraloregon.org
Outdoor Movie Night Games and a screening of " e Sandlot" (1993, rated PG) organized by Citizens4Community Friday, September 12, 6:30 p.m. Sisters Community Church Little League Fields , 1300 McKenzie Hw y., Sisters. Sisters Festival of Book s: Daniel Wilson & eodore C. Van Alst, Jr Join the conv ersation ab out survival, identit y, & stor ytelling Saturday, September 13, 3:30 p.m., Sisters Movie House, 720 Desp erado Ct ., Sisters.
Sisters High Desert Chorale Welcomes
New Singers
Come sing with us this fall as we prepare for our holiday concer ts in December We are a funloving communit y mixe d chorus that meets at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters weekly on Mond ay evenings 6:30 –8:30 p.m. First rehearsal is September 8. No audition is required . For more information, cont act Carol Lisek at carolshdc@gmail.com.
A NNOUNCEMENT S
Calling All Submariners
Fundraising yard sale Saturday, September 13 , 8 a.m.–2 p.m. at the home of Lo nnie Powers , 61551 Eastlake Dr in Bend
All usable items are welcome: book s, clothing , camping gear, kitchen items, tools, etc. For information and directions call: Commanding O cer Rick Neault at 530-434-1102, Financial O cer Lonnie Powers 541-4193545, or Mast er Chief Yeoman Fran Davis 541-527-5484
Historic al Walking Tours
Learn about Sisters’ fascinating histor y during an ea sy-going morning walking tour ree
Sisters Historical Societ y o ers docent-led walk s. Enjoy the Landmark Tour on ursday, September 25 . Learn about the histor y of some of our buildings and hear fun stories about the businesses and the interesting people who occupied them Tours are free, start at 10 a.m., distance is less than a mile and they la st approximately one hour. Pre-registration is required at least 24 hours prior at 541-549-14 03
Volunteer at Si sters Habitat for Humanity
Help build hope and homes in Sisters, connect with new people, make friends, and make a di erence in our communit y. Volunteer today! Learn more at www.sistershabitat.org/ volunteer or call 541-549-1193
Weekly Communit y Meditation: Mondays 5:306:30 p.m.; no charge.
Ten minutes of st retching and breathwork , followed by a 20 -minute guided meditation session and a 20 -minute silent meditation session. Inspire Dance and Fitness Studio, 592 N. Sisters Park Ct Ste. B. Info: Bonnie Rose, 541-30 6-3320
New Community
Work space
Citizens4Community (C4C) has opened a communit y 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 ar t displays , and more. Oper ating hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Info: https://citizens4community com/hub.
LIFE OF Loretta Jean Kriege Sat., Sept 20 • 2 to 5 pm Pleasant Ridge Community Hall 7067 SW Canal Blvd. Redmond
Please join us with your favorite appetizer.
Transfigure Yourself
New free chair fitness class for mature adults and individuals with limite d mobility. Increase balance flexibilit y and streng th all set to lively fun music.
Tuesdays - 9:45 am to 10 :15 am All are welcomed. Episcopal Church of Transfiguration, 121 N Books Camp Road 541-549-70 87
Free Weekly Meal Se rvice
Family Kitchen hosts a weekly to-go hot meal on Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church 1300 W. McKenzie Hw y. Visit www FamilyKitchen.org.
Sisters Communit y Garden Recycle your pl astic plant pots! Sisters Communit y Garden needs your empt y 2–20 gallon pots to begin moving their garden plants . Drop them o at 15860 Barclay before Sept 15
Craf t Consignors Wanted Qualit y craf t-consignors wanted for the 49th Snow flake Boutique, November 7 & 8, 2025 e next jury will be Saturday, September 20 , beginning at 9 a.m. at the Redmond Senior Center Additional juries will be held through October. Info on website http://www snow flakeboutique.org or call Brenda 541-350-4120 or Pat 541-383-1821
10 0+ Women Who Care–Sisters
Having topped 10 0 membership s, the group is actively recruiting women to join and suppor t that beautiful “+.” 10 0W WC pools donations to fund lo cal nonprofits nominated by its members. More than $51, 000 has been donated since the group’s founding in Ma rch 2024 ere is no me mbership fe e, but one must be a member to attend the quar terly meetings For more information or a membership applic ation, email 10 0w wc.Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912- 0750
Open Studio at PMRCAA
ursday, September 18 , 4– 6 p.m. It's the eighth Op en Studio of the 2025 residenc y season at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture. Presenters for this event include writer Beth Alvarado, multidis ciplinary artist Ebenezer Gall uz zo, and interdisciplinary artist Mychelle Moritz is event is free and open to the public . For ages 16 and older. ose under age 16 may attend accompanied by an adult. Registration is required at https://roundhousefoundation org/events/. For info call 541-9 04- 0700 or em ail inquiries@roundhouse foundation.org Address is: 684 67 ree Creeks Rd ., Sisters. Free Lunches for Seniors For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a fun, no-cost social lunch ever y Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Communit y Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hw y. No reservations needed . No-cost Grab-N-Go lunches take place weekly on Wednesday and ursday, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367
C4C launches online volunteer dashboard Citizens4Community (C4C) has developed a new online dashboard for local volunteer roles. Nonprofits can post Sisters Countr y-based volunteer needs for free, and communit y members can search for oppor tunities aligned with their interests and availability. Learn more at volunteerinsisters .org
Free Pet Food Budget tight this month, but you still ne ed pet food for your dog or cat? Call the Furr y Friends pet food bank at 541-797-4023 to schedule your pick up Pickups available ursdays, beginning at 12 p.m. (Must live within the Sisters School District to receive services.) Located at 412 E. Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get
Monthly Song writers’ Sharing Circle
Be in a creative communit y and be inspired while sharing songs, being a great listener, and providing feedback . Second Sunday of the mo nth, 6 to 8 p.m., in the Sisters Folk Festiv al “JAM Studio” upst airs (accessible by chair lift) in the Sisters Ar t Works building , 20 4 W. Adams Ave. Free. Info: 541-977-8494, jessaneene@msn.com
Emerald is an absolute gem! is curious kitten can be a little shy at first, but once she warms up, she is an ab solute lovebug. Emerald enjoys playing with toys , snacking on yummy treats and making "bis cuit s" with her blankets Emerald cannot wait to meet you!
SISTER S- AR EA C HURCH ES
Baha’i Faith
For information, devotion s, study groups , etc. , cont ac t Shauna Rocha 541- 647-9826 • www.bahai.org www.bahai.us • www.bahaiteaching s.org Chapel in the Pine s Camp Sher man • 541-815-9153
10 a.m. Sunday Worship
e Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
452 Trinit y Way • Branch President, 541-977-5559; 10 a.m. Sunday Sacrament Meeting
e Episcopal Church of the Tr ansfiguration 121 N Brooks Camp Rd . • 541-549-7087 www.transfiguration-sisters.org
8:30 a.m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship
10 :15 a.m. Episcopal Sund ay Worship
e Resting Place meeting at Sisters Communit y Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hw y. www.restingplace.us • hello@restingplace.us
5 p.m. Sunday Worship
Seventh-Day Adventist Church 541-241- 6086
11 a.m. Saturday Worship
Shepherd of the Hills Luther an Church (ELCA)
386 N. Fir St. • 541-549-5831
www.shepherdof thehillsluther anchurch.com
10 a.m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Church of the Nazarene 67130 Harrington Loop Rd . • 541-389-8960
www.sistersna z.org • info @sistersna z.org
10 a.m. Sunday Worship
Sisters Communit y Church (nondenominational)
1300 W. McKenzie Hw y. • 541-549-1201
www.sisterschurch.com • info@sisterschurch.com
8 a.m. Daybreak Service • 10 a.m. Sunday Worship
St . Edward the Mart yr Roman Catholic Church 123 Trinit y Way • 541-549-9391
5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass • 9 a.m. Sunday Mass
12 p.m. Monday Mass • 8 a.m.
Lady Outlaws open preseason with sweep
By Rongi Yost Correspondent
The Lady Outlaws defended their home court on Friday, August 29, in a thrilling three-set sweep over the visiting Amity Warriors, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-23.
The opening set was a roller coaster. Big swings from Haven Heuberger kept Sisters within striking distance at 10-14. With the score 12-15 Paityn Cotner stepped to the service line and delivered a clutch run that swung the momentum. Booming kills by lefty right side hitter Audrey Sybesma and an ace from Cotner fueled the rally pulling the Outlaws even at 15-15 before grabbing the lead. Sybesma pounded down three more big kills to give the Outlaws a 21-18 lead. With the momentum firmly on their side, freshman Maici Cotner closed the door, serving up the final two points, including an ace to seal the win.
The second set was evenly matched early, tied six times on the way to 9-9. The Outlaws began to separate, with back-to-back kills from Ally Gibney, and a strike from Heuberger to build a 14-10 lead. They never trailed again. Brooke Lindsay fired off consecutive kills to push the score to 20-15, and Ali Fogarty iced the set at the service line, scoring three
POLICY: State has mandated phone restrictions in school Continued from page 1
a PED, they must be turned off or on silent and stored in lockers or backpacks during the school day.
• PEDs may not be used in classrooms, hallways, or dur ing lunch/recess unless explicitly permitted by a teacher for educational purposes.
straight points to clinch it.
The third set proved to be the tightest battle of the night, featuring six ties by midway point, A back row kill from Malia Hernandez tied it at 12, and a block by Sybesma gave the Outlaws a 13-12 edge, Later, with Amity up 19-15, Heuberger unleashed two big kills from the outside, which ignited and sparked the Outlaws comeback. Her swings fueled a six-point service run from Maici Cotner, which also featured a pair of Lindsay kills, along with both a kill and an ace from Maici herself. Suddenly, the Outlaws had stormed in front 21-20.
After Gibney hammered home a kill to make it 23-21, Amity rallied to tie it up 23-23. The Warriors next serve sailed long and Maici Cotner hammered down the final kill to secure the sweep.
Sybesma led the way with eight kills and three blocks, while Lindsay added four kills. Emma Long anchored the defense with 16 digs and Hernandez was right there with 15 digs. Paityn Cotner dished out 26 assists.
Head Coach Mahryahna Callegan praised her teams’ grit, particularly Long’s consistency in the back row.
“Emma’s defense and serve receive tonight was stellar,” said Callegan. “Nobody was able to ace her, or get a
single kill on her in all three sets. She was picking up everything.”
Callegan added,“Paityn tonight was also offensively aggressive. She connected incredibly well with her hitters, moved the ball around perfectly, and was also killing it in defense.
“Serve receive and defense undeniably won us this game tonight,” stated Callegan. “There were few errors in our back row’s commitment in getting to the ball. Our passers allowed us to have every opportunity to attack the ball and force the opponent to make errors.”
The Lady Outlaws faced back-to-back tests on the road at Mazama on Tuesday, September 2, against St. Marys (25-19, 25-19, 25-27, 25-22) and Mazama (22-25, 25-11, 25-9, 25-11). Though injuries and lineup shifts could have derailed them, the squad showed determination, grit, and resilience.
The adversity hit early in the St. Mary’s match. Without starting middle blocker Gibney, the Outlaws pulled up JV middle Shanitah Few to fill the gap. Then, just points into the opening set, starting setter Paityn Cotner went down with an injury and was forced to the bench.
Cotner’s sister, Maici, stepped in as setter for the remainder of the set and
• If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during the school day, they may do so through the main office.
• Consequences for repeated violations will follow the school’s behavior policy and may include temporary confiscation of the PED.
“We ask for your partnership in reinforcing the importance of this policy,” Scholl told parents. “Please consider using the parental settings to restrict access and notifications during the school day to help your student follow the policies in each of our schools. Supporting students in setting healthy boundaries with technology will benefit their learning and social development both in and out of school.”
helped the Outlaws to the win. For the final three sets, libero Fogarty took on the setting duties and also did a great job distributing sets and helping the Outlaws claim the victory.
Sisters headed right into their match with Mazama, and fortunately Paityn Cotner was able to return to the match as setter. Callegan said, “Paityn helped the team to win with serving runs totaling in 16 attempts.”
Cotner wasn’t the only one who was poised at the service line. Hernandez had 19 service attempts across the two matches, while Long tallied 16 of her own, which gave the Outlaws consistency and momentum from the back row. Sybesma led the team with 12 kills in the two matches, and Heuberger was right behind her with 10 kills.
Few also had an
outstanding performance over the course of the two matches. She finished with three big blocks at the net and Callegan noted that she had zero hitting errors against Mazama. The Outlaws played in tournaments at Cascade and Medford. The Outlaws are currently 3-0 in preseason play. They will travel to Trinity Lutheran on Wednesday, September 10, and then host their home tournament on Saturday, September 13.
Wow — what compassion, empathy, and trust.
So many people when they find out our tragedy always ask how they can help. It just comes to their mind and they offer not knowing us at all. Our neighbors who didn’t lose their homes, but have small damages, felt sorry for us, so they took us to a free dinner outing — very upbeat with lots of laughter.
When you add up all the goodness that we have received, it changes our forecast from black clouds to multi-rainbows.
We know we are surrounded by wonderful people in our community and receiving, viewing, and acknowledging all the outpouring of humanity and goodness held in the bodies we see as we move about in Sisters is so uplifting to us.
Lately, our news feeds are wanting us to have the opposite feelings for our fellow man/woman, but let us tell you it ain’t so in Sisters.
Thank you!
Roy and Debby Miller
s s s
Roundabout art
To the Editor:
As much as I enjoyed Jim Cornelius’ editorial regarding artwork for the center of the new roundabout, I do not agree with the statement that we are a Western community. Yes, Sisters is in the West but this town lost that ranching, western image long ago. In the late 1960s/early ’70s I would drive into Sisters to pick up the mail for Camp Tamarack. And, yes, it was a western town with occasional horses tied up outside the bar.
In my opinion, Sisters has turned into a tourist/resort community and not a ranching, farming, timber Western town. Just saying, as an older person returning here after years in Alaska, I am saddened by the need to build everywhere. But, I digress. My point is that I feel the roundabout art work should be depicting some aspect of nature and not an image that passed by years ago. It looks as though our children have decided the artwork for the roundabout
E vents & Ent er tainment Events
with their thank-you signs for the fire crews.
Robin Holm
To the Editor:
s s s
I have a different opinion about the choice of art for our roundabout and it sure hurt to be labeled an invasive species because my preference wouldn’t be Red Rock. I’ve been an active part of the Sisters community for over 25 years, giving my time and talents (such as they are) to this place I love.
I admire the passion the Red Rock fans have for that amazing work of art. I hope they can understand that others’ passions may lie elsewhere.
BTW, if we’re interested in showcasing Western history, let’s honor the indigenous culture that was here long before all of us.
Ann Richardson
s s s
No camping
We have a new season, the Fire Season. There is a risk that we all take by living in a forested area, but so many things can be done to prevent fires.
Most of the fires in Central Oregon are human caused, either running equipment, illegal burning (and sometimes legal at campgrounds), and chain sparks from trucks and trailers.
We have just experienced a super close devastating fire to the Sisters community, The Flat Fire. It burned 23,000+ acres, four homes, nine structures, and the Native Bird Care wildlife conservation burned. The firefighters from all over Oregon protected 4,400 homes, saved 800 homes, and livestock had to be rescued. Luckily no human lives have been lost, but I am sure the firefighters are feeling the effects of smoke and fatigue. They are heroes and so grateful to them and that Sisters came out to support.
(Presently they can’t even enforce the two-week limit rule of campers in our forest.) Bottom line, people who start fires should be fined, and held accountable.
The Flat Fire was started on private land.. but what are the details? We have a right to know.
I know there has been focus on homelessness camps in our forest and I think they should not be allowed to camp during fire season. The state, counties, and cities need to provide a safe place for them to camp during that time. That is something our tax dollars can be spent on because just think of the millions of dollars just spent on fighting this one fire? I hope that cost is also reported. And think of the home insurance of these homes affected. I’m sure there will be cancellations and increases because of this. So the economic impact is huge and could have been avoided.
How can we get this accomplished? Would love to hear your ideas.
Kathy Marshall s s s
Not a rant
To the Editor:
No more ranting from me. Never does any good. In these worst times in American history, I’m just trying to learn and state facts. Sadly, nothing is surprising anymore living in the current authoritarian regime.
Fact: on August 26, Trump (I will never refer to him as a president), on deploying the National Guard to Chicago, spewed another of his absurd comments: “I have the right to do anything I want to do. I’m the President of the United States.” Another example of his pathetic, little boy bully attitude. Fact: No, Donnie, most of what you do or say you are going to do is unconstitutional. At least in what’s left of our democracy.
I pity his cultish followers who ignorantly accept anything that comes out of his mouth, but I have no compassion for any of the so-called “Republican” politician minions who actually endorse and support the dictator want-to-be’s efforts to destroy life as we know it.
Events & Enter tainment
WEDNESDAY • SEPT. 10
The Barn Live Music: Larkspur Stand 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Venardos
This fire brings up the issue of protecting our community from fire danger and one thing we can do is expand the existing laws that no camping in the forest is allowed on forest land during fire season. And there should be consequences for those that do. Our law enforcement and forestry department need more support and power to do this.
FRIDAY • SEPT. 12 (cont.)
Paulina Springs Books, et al. Sisters Festival of Books A celebration of literature and storytelling — from workshops to poetry & story slams to author events and meet & greets. Tickets and information: www.sistersfob.org.
Not ranting, just stating facts.
Steven Blauvelt
SUNDAY • SEPT. 14
Circus 7 p.m. Broadway-style, animal-free circus under the big top. Tickets: www.venardoscircus.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 • SEPT. 11
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Jonathon Foster 5 to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/event-center
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
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Venardos Circus 7 p.m. Broadway-style, animal-free circus under the big top. Tickets: www.venardoscircus.com.
FRIDAY • SEPT. 12
Sisters Community Church baseball field
Outdoor Movie: "The Sandlot" Free Gates at 6:30 p.m. movie at 7:30 Bring low-back chair or blanket. Presented by C4C and Kendall Auto. Info: www citizens4community.com/events.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music:
Lilli Worona & John Shipe 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Venardos Circus 7 p.m. Broadway-style, animal-free circus under the big top. Tickets: www.venardoscircus.com.
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SATURDAY • SEPT. 13
Fir Street Park Glory Daze Car Show 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free Info: www.sistersrecreation.com.
Paulina Springs Books, et al. Sisters Festival of Books A celebration of literature and storytelling — from workshops to poetry & story slams to author events and meet & greets. Tickets and information: www.sistersfob.org.
The Barn Live Music: Double Jump 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Paulina Springs Books Knitting Circle Bring your own project and supplies. This is not a workshop, but there are experienced knitters in the group who are happy to help those just starting out. (Second Saturday.) Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Deschutes County Fair & Expo Venardos Circus 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. Broadway-style, animal-free circus. Tickets: www.venardoscircus.com.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Station Camp 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
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
Sisters Saloon Live Music: ABluestics 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free and open to all ages Deschutes County Fair & Expo Venardos Circus 2 p.m., 5 p.m. Broadway-style, animal-free circus in the big top. Tickets: www.venardoscircus.com. 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, et al. Sisters Festival of Books A celebration of literature and storytelling — from workshops to poetry & story slams to author events and meet & greets. Tickets and information: www.sistersfob.org. Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
TUESDAY • SEPT. 16
The Belfr y Frontiers in Science: "Shark Infested Water: Why That's a Good Thing" by Dr Taylor Chapple 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 Admission, $5; teachers and students, free Info: www.sistersscienceclub.org
WEDNESDAY • SEPT. 17
The Barn Live Music: Jeshua Marshall & the Flood 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 • SEPT. 18
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
In the PINES
By T. Lee Brown
Inevitably, roundabout art
What artwork should adorn our new-ish roundabout? I’ve tried to stay out of it, but as the discussion drags on, it seems an inevitable subject for In the Pines.
Compressed background: two rounds of art selection process already occurred, shepherded by the City of Sisters. Ultimately, none of the submitted sculpture designs was selected.
Rodeo fans began agitating for a sculpture of a famous bull named Red Rock, associated with Sisters and rodeo history. Local artist Dyrk Godby submitted a model of how the large, bronze sculpture would eventually look, with Lane Frost riding the bull.
The completed sculpture would cost $380,000, more than twice the City’s budget
for this project. A private donor offered to cover the extra $200,000.
The Red Rock story is a dramatic one, full of championships and awards and firstevers. It’s legit, and it sure stands out — to followers of rodeo history. To everyone else? Maybe it doesn’t represent Sisters well enough.
Like an official tourist website, roundabout sculptures on Highway 20 at the edges of Sisters welcome visitors to town. They don’t just brand the town, its businesses and its tourist experiences. They brand the people, too, suggesting who we are and what we care about.
Not just a few of us. All of us. If these representations are inaccurate, siloed or phony, people feel it in their bones.
Residents of Sisters Country who might not normally weigh in on art issues are speaking up and writing letters to the editor. (Like the rodeo itself, many don’t live within city limits.)
Some are quite vexed. Some offer feasible alternatives to the bull idea. Some suggest hilarious, tongue-incheek replacement concepts. Some propose interesting solutions, less predictable than a bronze sculpture.
Opinions in favor of Red Rock keep coming, too, and the sculpture is covered handsomely by The Nugget. What Red Rock proponents might not realize: their relentless campaign has turned off a lot of folks.
THURS. • SEPT. 18 (cont.)
The Lodge Retirement Community Western-style BBQ & "Seniors for Senior Dogs" Pet Adoption (Silver Linings Rescue Ranch) with live Americana mucic by Jim Cornelius 5 to 7 p.m. RSVP required at 541-549-5634 by Tuesday September 16 $12 check or cash. 411 E. Carpenter Ln., Sisters
FRIDAY • SEPT. 19
Sisters Depot Courtyard Live Music: Stevie V. Album release concert with special guests Jenner Fox Band, Benji Nagel, Beth Wood, Brent Alan, Dennis McGregor Steph & Co Sue & Rick Moore, Scott Crabtree 6 p.m. Tickets: sistersdepot.com/our-events. Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Heller Highwater Trio 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/eventcenter
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Mortal Soulstice 5-7 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471 Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SATURDAY • SEPT. 20
Sisters Eagle Airport Outdoor Movie: "Top Gun" Free Gates at 6:15 p.m., movie at 7:15 Bring low-back chair or blanket. Presented by C4C and Kendall Auto. Info: www citizens4community.com/events.
The Belfr y Live Music: Tommy Castro and the Painkillers with Ben Rice, 7 p.m. Internationally beloved soul-blues rocker Tommy Castro brings a dynamic mix of guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue-eyed soul, and East San Jose funk. Tickets, $30 BendTicket.com.
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Dr y Canyon Stampede 6 to 9 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/eventcenter
Pro-bull letters range from enthusiastic to entitled as fans pressure the populace into supporting their concept. Rodeo looms large in Sisters tradition. Nevertheless, its community forms a niche group, just like folk festival and quilt fans, mountain bikers and book nerds.
Last week, a letter writer implied that relatively new Sisters residents, who are presumably less keen on the bull than old-timers, are an invasive species.
The letter was off the mark. Most residents here are members of a relatively new, invasive species called settlers. For some 10,000 years or more, this land was lived, hunted, and gathered on by Native people of various tribes. Forty or 150 years of family residency in the area is a drop in that bucket.
The real stinker is that extra $200k. What’s the message there? Rich people can buy off the City to promote their pet project? This does not sit well with the average Joe, who can barely afford to eat out or splurge on a gift for his kids in the new Central Oregon economy.
Back to the bull naysayers. People worry that as a particular kind of icon, the statue might induce visitors to attempt taking selfies with the bull, regardless of the effect that would have on traffic or personal safety.
At first I thought that was silly. Then I recalled how many times my family has taken photos with the
SAT. • SEPT. 20 (cont.)
The Barn Live Music: Chiggi Momo 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
bronze horse at the corner of Cascade and Larch. It’s easy to do there, without disturbing traffic or having a packed circle of ugly cars in the photo.
Some argue that Red Rock could be sited at the rodeo grounds. There, too, it could be difficult to get those iconic photos. It’s not a super-fun spot in terms of getting back onto Highway 20.
Some suggest placing Red Rock elsewhere in town. The City is already planning to commission and place more public art.
To me that sounds like a slam-dunk. Get the statue of your dreams, find a great location for photographing it, have room for interpretive signage celebrating the story behind Red Rock... and don’t try to railroad some 10,000ish residents of Sisters Country into identifying with your sport of choice, however historic it may be.
Personally, I’m fine with the Red Rock sculpture. I appreciate the Western heritage of Sisters, and the artwork itself is striking.
But I recognize that it
represents one special interest, and there are many special interests in this town.
Would I want a mountain biker statue in the roundabout? No. A giant bronze quilt? No. One of those Dennis McGregor poster illustrations for Sisters Folk Festival, made large and 3D?
Well, ummm, that would be pretty cool! But once again, it would only represent a slice of Sisters. Doesn’t seem fair.
So what do we all have in common? Those mountains. Those trees. Abundant nature and wildlife.
Respect for the firefighters who save our town, farms, ranches, businesses, homes, and forests again and again.
A desire for community and service, well beyond the bounds of partisan bubbles, religious denominations, or Sisters event affiliations.
Let us hope the new roundabout art can represent all of us. And let’s make sure everyone, rich or poor, part of a big influential group or a small unnoticed one, has a voice in this decision.
WE’RE HIRING!
Weekends o • Small-shop camaraderie Non-toxic work environment •Picturesque outdoor work sites
THE G AR DEN A NGE L L ANDSCA PING LC B# 9583 APPLY TODAY • 541-549-2882 • thegardenangel@gmail.com
THURSDAY • SEPT. 25
The Barn Live Music: In the Rounds 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Frankie's (formerly Sisters Depot) Live Music: Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent, 6 to 8 p.m. Sign ups, 5 :30 Info: sistersdepot.com. The Open Door Live Music: Mark Barringer and Bob Baker 6 to 8 p.m. Dinner reservations at www opendoorwinebar.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
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SUNDAY • SEPT. 21
Sisters Saloon Live Music: Bobby Lindstrom Band 6 to 8 p.m. on the patio Free; 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.
WEDNESDAY • SEPT. 24
Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em, 21+, 5:30 p.m.–close upstairs. $50 buy-in, freezeout. The Barn Live Music: Silvertone Devils 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
THURSDAY • SEPT. 25
Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards Live Music: Eric Leadbetter Duo to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required: www.faithhopeandcharityevents.com/ event-center
FRIDAY • SEPT. 26
Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Artwalk 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Galleries and shops feature art and demonstrations. Information: www.sistersarts.org.
Makin’ it Local Art Walk & Live Music
Artist reception with Susan Luckey Higdon 4–7 p.m. Enjoy Oregon wine and beer sampling, gingersnaps, and live music by Erin Cole Baker. Info: www.makinitlocal.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: Toothpick Shaker 4-6 p.m. Free Family- and dog-friendly Info: 541-549-2471
Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.
SATURDAY • SEPT. 27
The Barn Live Music: Ky Burt — The Feel Goods 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Eurosports Food Cart Garden Live Music: NTT 4-6 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.
SUNDAY • SEPT. 28
Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Play Scrabble socialize, and drink coffee. Info: www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.
WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 1
The Barn Live Music: Mama's Boy 6 to 8 p.m. on the outdoor stage. Info: www thebarninsisters.com.
Obituaries
June
“Like the slow rising of the river after an early snowmelt in the mountains, he seeped into my life, unhurried, almost without notice, until the strength and breadth of him covered everything that had once been familiar, made it different, new over old.” Jerry Hilbert Kirkpatrick inspired those words from “A Sweetness to the Soul,” words that still capture the essence of a man of remarkable character, courage, kindness, and love.
Born in Ashland, Oregon, Jerry Kirkpatrick passed away at his home in Redmond on July 29. An Oregonian, he spent early years in Bend, leaving at 17 to join the Navy. He was stationed in Washington D.C. as a naval photographer, photographing President Truman’s inaugural. After separating from the Navy, he and his first wife, Lelah Zeitler, made a life in Columbus, Ohio, where Jerry had a cabinet shop, raced sports cars, taught pistol shooting to police recruits, and where their three children were born: Kathleen Larsen, Kevin, and Joseph Matthew Kirkpatrick. The family moved to Lake Havasu City where Jerry built homes and light industrial buildings. Following a divorce, he returned to Bend in 1970, partnered in JedCo, a modular home business, married and divorced a second time, and in 1973 was injured in a scaffolding collapse that broke five vertebrae that eventually cascaded into 13 compression fractures. He lived with chronic pain and lost nine inches of height.
Jerry married Jane Rutschow (July 31, 1976) and in 1984 the couple began a grand adventure on the lower John Day River building a homestead that was the subject of a book by Jane published in 1991. Jerry participated in his wife’s publishing career by drawing maps, being a research guru, and acting as her primary cheerleader.
Jerry said the calendar began September 1 with dove season followed by chukar, deer, pheasant, and elk seasons. He celebrated the day he tagged his mule deer, shot a chukar, and caught a steelhead salmon on the couple’s ranch. In 2013, they sold the property to a private party. The Homestead is now a part of Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
Jerry had numerous health challenges including a stroke, heart attack, and two bouts of cancer. Still he received his pilot’s license at the age of 50 and in 2022, he received his high school diploma from Bend High. Jerry is
survived by his wife, Jane; his brother Ellis of Meridan, Idaho; his daughter Kathleen (Deland, Florida) and son Matt of Wasco, Oregon, and their spouses; as well as Minnesota brother and sisterin-law Craig Rutschow and their children.
His parents Wilford and Zelma Kirkpatrick, son Kevin, in-laws Chuck and Pearl Rutschow, sister-in-law Judy Hurtley, and nephew Chad Hurtley predeceased him.
He has numerous grandchildren and greats, nephews and nieces and greatnieces including Shawn and Michelle Hurtley now of Texas, but formerly of Sisters, and Arlene Haugen, Rylee Hurtley, Ogilvy and Dally Hurtley of Sisters as well as friends he gathered as family.
A Celebration of Remembrance will be held at Bend First Presbyterian Church, 230 NE 9th, Bend, Oregon, on September 27 at 1 p.m. Donations may be made to First Presbyterian, Redmond Partners In Care, or a charity of your choice.
Jerry loved the words of a Mary Oliver poem that at his death he hoped he could say “I was a bride married to amazement/ I was a groom who took the world into my arms.” And so he did.
Alvin (Al) Robert Neufeldt was born in Yarrow, British Columbia, to German Russian immigrants Henry and Margaret (Enns) Neufeldt and was the sixth of seven children. He passed away from complications of Lewy Body Dementia August 20 at the age of 83 with his family by his side.
The small Mennonite community where the Neufeldts lived was inhabited by immigrants, raising first-generation Canadians. As a young boy, he, along with his four brothers, planted, tended, hoed, and picked berries on the family’s five acres. During high school he picked hops and worked in the grocery store. After graduating in 1961, he followed his brothers and a sister to the United States for further education. Teaching was their goal.
Al attended Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, pursuing an English degree, playing soccer and working in a grocery store to pay his expenses. During the summers he worked for the Santa Fe railroad and was a desk clerk at Camp Curry in Yosemite National Park.
In 1963 Al started to question his career choice, quit college and moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where he started delivering pizzas to the University of Oklahoma students. It was the early days of the franchise food industry and Pizza Hut was only a small Midwest operation. In 1964, Al and a college friend took over a small fledging Pizza Hut in Shawnee, OK. Al was the operating partner, and thus began his career for the next thirty years. In 1968, he became the managing partner for the state of New Mexico franchisee, where the first Pizza Hut he opened in Albuquerque broke all Pizza Hut national sales
records for many weeks. In 1974, the family moved to Kailua, Hawaii, where Al again had the opportunity to become the working partner. Over the next 20 years the company opened 47 stores and delivery outlets on all the Hawaiian Islands and Guam. Many sales records were broken, many awards and honors were given, and Al always gave his employees the credit. He led with honesty, integrity, compassion, generosity, and a deep sense of commitment to both customers and employees. By 1992, the franchise food business was changing and the era of computers had begun. Al decided it was time to pass the torch to a younger generation and retire. Having missed times with their parents and siblings, Al and Pat decided it was time to move back to the Mainland to be closer to their family. Al also wanted to learn to fly-fish and ski; Central Oregon seemed the best place for those interests and thus began their retirement in Sisters.
In the early years of retirement he mentored small business owners through his involvement in SCORE and worked on some of the first Habitat houses built in Sisters. He loved and mastered fly-fishing, but never fly tying. Catching half pounders on the Rouge, winter steelhead on the Deschutes, and small mouth bass on the John Day were his favorite Oregon fishing times. Skiing Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo became an anticipated weekly winter
activity. He treasured the lifelong friends he made through fishing and skiing. Another source of joy and gratitude was the travel that he and Pat were able to do.
Since November 2024, Al resided at Pacific Living Centers of Bend where the care staff were the recipients of his kindness, politeness, and gratitude. Even though dementia took his memory, it did not destroy his essence. His parents and brother Wally preceded him in death. Mourning his kind and gentle spirit is Pat his wife of 60 years, daughter Heidi (Sebastian) Schepis, son Rob (Suzie), and three grandchildren; Collin (to whom he passed on his passion for fly-fishing), and Elizabeth Neufeldt and Sophia Schepis, brothers Vic, Len, Ron, sisters Lora and Carol, and 13 nieces and nephews.
At Al’s request there will be no service and his ashes will be scattered in the places he loved. Remembrances can be made to Living Well With Dementia Sisters, the Native Fish Society, or Deschutes Land Trust.
Jerry Hilbert Kirkpatrick
25, 1930 – July 29, 2025
Robert Neufeldt
Citizens can support first responders
Continued from page 1
Outfitting a single wildland firefighter with PPE costs
$1,508:
• Shirt: $220
• Pants: $330
• Boots: $300
• Helmet: $82
• Goggles: $41
• Web gear: $105
• Fire shelter: $400
• Gloves: $30
Structural firefighting PPE is more than twice as expensive at $3,986:
• Turnout coat: $1,859
• Turnout pants: $1,225
• Hood: $50
• Boots: $260
• Gloves: $97
• Helmet: $495
This does not include the various tools and sensor alarms with which they must also be equipped.
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District is also working on purchasing an Air Curtain Burner, which is used for clean burning of wood debris. The equipment can be used in post-fire rehab and in disposing of debris from defensible space work. The price tag on that unit is $180,000.
Donations should be made through volunteer associations. (QR codes to scan can be found on page 24.)
Sisters-Camp Sherman Volunteer Firefighters Association
Donate online: bit.ly/ sisters-fire-donate, or mail a check to: PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR 97759.
Cloverdale Volunteer Firefighters Association
Donate online: bit.ly/clover dale-fire-donate, or mail a check to: 67433 Cloverdale Rd. Sisters, OR 97759.
Black Butte Volunteer Firefighters Association
Mail a check to: PMB 8190, PO Box 8000, Sisters, OR 97759.
Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy
Donate online: bit.ly/ copsc-donate, or mail a check to: PO Box 1898, Redmond, OR 97756.
Wildland Firefighter Foundation
Donate online: give. wffoundation.org. PAY IT FORWARD:
Stars over Sisters
By Althea Crabtree and Madison Varner Columnists
This September we are featuring a collection of stars from the zodiac known as Capricornus. When translated through Latin, the constellation represents a sea goat. This mythical creature was associated with the god Enki in Babylonian mythology, and later with the Greek deity Pan. In Greek mythology, the constellation is sometimes seen as Amalthea, a goat with a broken horn, which was later transformed into the “horn of plenty,” cornucopia.
To find Capricornus in the sky requires exceptionally clear, dark skies because its constituent stars are faint. When conditions are in your favor, look towards the fourth quadrant of the southern sky.
To some observers, the constellation resembles a primitive boat. Bordering constellations include Aquarius, Aquila, Microscopium, Piscis Austrinus, and Sagittarius.
The constellation’s brightest star is known as Delta Capricorni, also called Deneb Algedi. It is a multiple star system with an apparent magnitude of 2.81, located at a distance of 39 lightyears from Earth. The primary member of the group is a blue-white subgiant star that has about twice the sun’s mass and radius and is 8.5 times more luminous.
While there are several deep sky objects in Capricornus, all but one of them are dim galaxies,
mostly beyond the range of most backyard telescopes. The lone exception is M30 (NGC 7099), a very fine globular cluster. It is a particularly dense collection of stars, perhaps caused by a core collapse, a common end-stage for globular clusters that dramatically increases the central star density. Positioned approximately 30,000 light-years away, this object is about 90 light-years across in size and believed to be 13 billion years old.
In addition to Capricornus, September also marks the beginning of “Milky Way Season,” the period of the year most ideal for seeing the Milky Way in the Northern Hemisphere. The galactic core, located in the constellation of Sagittarius, is the part that is most recognizable and bright due to the high concentration of stars near the center of our galaxy. To fully experience the grandeur of the Milky Way that arches overhead, observe from a dark location away from lights, whether they be artificial or otherwise.
An important event not to be overlooked this month is the arrival of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. This year it will occur on Monday, September 22, at 11:19 a.m., when the southward-trending sun crosses the celestial equator, which is just the astronomical extension of Earth’s equator.
After reaching opposition on September 21, Saturn will officially become an evening object and be visible
all night. The morning sky will be lit up by the brighter planets Jupiter, rising about 1 a.m. local time, and Venus making its appearance around 4:30 a.m. Early in the month it may be possible to glimpse Mercury low on the eastern horizon before glare from the sun becomes too great. Likewise, Mars is hidden from view by the encroaching sun. If you have been watching the beautiful moon orbit us throughout this summer, and wish to continue this in September, be sure to admire the Full Corn Moon on September 7, last quarter on September 14, new moon on September 21, and first
quarter on September 29. The full harvest moon will occur in October this year.
To ensure that faint constellations, such as Capricornus, continue to be visible, we need to minimize light at night. Sisters is now an international dark sky community, which means we have committed to do all we can to limit light pollution. You can help achieve this goal by turning off lights when you are not using them. This is especially important for outdoor lights, but indoor lights can cause light pollution too.
Remember to get out there and enjoy our dark skies!
SONGWRITERS
2ND SUNDAY SONG SHARING CIRCLE
Lyrical
M30 is a dense globular star cluster located 30,000 light-years away in the constellation of Capricornus.
PHOTO COURTESY NASA/ESA
Opinion: What to pack in case of fire
Luisa Gallagher Stevens Columnist
I had three bags packed. One suitcase for three nights at the Oregon Coast, another for an extended evacuation, and then a third in case we lost our house.
I’d driven home on a hot and windy August afternoon toward my house in Sisters, having just left Bend, a comparatively large metropolis boasting of congestion and traffic, and more importantly, a Costco. With a rare chance to shop alone, I stopped to pick up groceries and saw a cute firefighter outfit my 3-year-old son would love for Halloween. It was only August 21, but I figured Jesse would get more use out of it before he outgrew it.
A towering plume of smoke appeared like a gray mushroom cloud, growing bigger and bigger the closer I drove to home. I immediately redownloaded the fire app I’ve used on and off every year since moving to Sisters four years ago. I jumped out of my car and talked with a neighbor, thankful to discover that the fire was near Culver, an area ironically known for its water activities. I checked my phone diligently over the next few hours and days as the Flat Fire grew quickly in hot, windy conditions, from 30 acres to 300 acres that Thursday, to over 23,000 acres in just three days. The fire was much closer than I realized. I prayed. I googled “what to pack in case of fire.”
If given little time, I knew I’d only pack passports, laptops and phones, photos, a few cords, and clothes. I’d done this before. Actually, I didn’t have time to grab anything except myself as I fled the Tea Fire in Santa Barbara, CA, in 2008. I ended up in charge (with a handful of staff and faculty of over 800 people at my university—students, families, and visiting tour groups), so I just walked directly to set up our gymnasium as we stayed in place in order to free up the roadways. I later prepared students for evacuation in 2009 with the Jesusita Fire, finally able to put together some personal items in case of evacuation.
This was my third fire. I should know what to pack. I tore out a large sheet of sketch paper and began writing out my list. Packing for every eventuality is a rather anxious endeavor. There’s a certain level of frenzy that hits you when you have limited time to accomplish a task. It felt a little like supermarket sweep, as if I were running through the shopping aisles with a cart, throwing together piles of clothes, toiletries, and expensive cuts of meat. My adrenaline was pumping.
I packed too much, of course. My three bags, another for my son, another for my husband, and then food and jewelry, toiletries, medicine, old photos, art, and those new Pendleton blankets I just purchased. I couldn’t leave those to burn. Then there were the toys and my son’s favorite rabbits—four rabbits in total, little blankets with a head attached at the top, all four named Bubba. Each rabbit lovey purchase had been intended to replace the original security blanket if it got lost (as it was two prior times). However, upon my son finding each backup Bubba hidden away, they all became valuable and necessary. So all four Bubbas had to come.
My 3-year-old unpacked my suitcase. I began to get frazzled. My kind husband repacked it. I waited. Three
days blew the fire close to my doorstep. All surrounding areas readied for evacuation. I packed some more.
What else? Food, snacks, definitely all those new loose-leaf teas I specialordered from Murchies in Canada — all the items that would bring me comfort. I envisioned myself returning to my burned-out home, bringing in a chair that happened to survive and sitting for a nice cup of Earl Grey to deal with the grief of my loss. I’d watched this in a TV episode on the British bombings during WWII. It would be very heroic.
We were finally ready. We’d packed our cars, cleaned our gutters, watered our lawn. I tidied things— perhaps optimistic. If we didn’t lose our house, it would make me sad to return
to a dirty home. So I emptied the dishwasher and wiped the counters. We sat and watched firefighters switch from night to day shift, red-and-white vehicles passing on their way either to rest or to the encroaching fire. My son wore his new firefighter outfit, blew his attached red whistle, yelled “Fire, fire.” I had more than three bags packed. I waited and waited and watched and waited. I
could do nothing more. We went to the coast for three nights, with a backup plan to extend our stay if required to officially evacuate (we never received that order). The ocean air cooled us, fog rolling in, enclosing the coastline as it stretched in front of our window. I was immediately at peace. I could live here. I thought of all the clothes I packed for warm weather and had a cup of Earl Grey.
meeting September 2, where no clear path forward was identified. Patty Cordoni, the ad hoc spokesman for the advocates, and an anonymous donor willing to put up $200,000 to fill a budget shortfall, met with City Manager Jordan Wheeler, Assistant City Manager Kerry Prosser, and Mayor Jennifer Letz, and Councilor Sarah McDougall.
Cordoni came away with the impression that getting The Match onto the roundabout would be a hard sell. Letz and fellow councilor Gary Ross have maintained that the statue poses a safety risk. Ross said in a workshop that he would never change his mind on the matter.
It appears that the Council could say no to the sculpture based on safety concerns even if ODOT (who owns the roundabout) approves the artwork and installation.
When queried on that assertion, Prosser told The Nugget , “One Councilor commented on this point; but it was not a statement inclusive of the entire Council.”
Cordoni says that Letz, speaking only for herself, didn’t see putting the matter on the November ballot as a good use of taxpayers’ money. McDougall reportedly said it
doesn’t set a good precedent to put it to a vote and accept a piece of artwork outside of the normal process.
The discussion included the continued availability of the originally allocated $175,000 from the Urban Renewal Agency (URA) budget for the art acquisition and installation. Cordoni’s impression was that the monies were going to be diverted for other projects.
Prosser disagreed with that characterization.
“No,” she said. “There was a conversation about how URA funds could potentially be used for building hardening in the downtown area.”
Council has directed staff to complete landscaping of the roundabout this fall. Their public stance has not changed. Council is set to approve creation of a Public Art Advisory Committee in the coming months. The public art procurement process will then restart with committee guidance in a timeline to be determined with alternate locations and funding options for the Red Rock/Lane Frost statue to be explored.
Next steps
On its website the City says: “The Locust Street roundabout debate has evolved from a sculpture decision into a broader community conversation about identity and history, safety, process, and pride. With landscaping now moving forward and a new advisory committee on the way, the City will
be charting a more deliberate course for public art.”
Next steps for the proponents include the possibility of a city-wide petition and continuation of their pressure campaign which includes letters to the editor, media placement, speaking at council meetings, and a vigorous social media blitz.
Councilor Cheryl Pellerin has expressed concern at the online vitriol surrounding the dispute, and Prosser confirmed that some comments have been regarded as out of line and potentially threatening.
“Mayor Letz has received inappropriate and threatening emails. DCSO is aware of the situation, but a formal report has not been filed,” Prosser said.
Lt. Chad Davis confirmed that there has been no report filed for criminal investigation.
In an interview with a Bend TV station, Letz said, “We just feel that if there’s something that’s too attractive, it’s going to, maybe attract the type of activity that we don’t want.”
That statement has been highlighted in the controversy, interpreted in some quarters as a cultural/political statement reflecting a bias against the sort of people
who would find the sculpture appealing — though it seems that Letz was actually referring to some councilors’ concerns about people climbing around the installation to take selfies.
Cordoni and Davis scoff at the safety argument.
“They are willing to put the art somewhere else in town, just not on the roundabout,” statue proponent Mike Davis mused. “It won’t be safe with a fence and landscaping separated by a highway but it will be OK downtown? How does that make sense?”
Cordoni wonders if Council isn’t just hopeful that this will all die down.
“The fact remains that this is a Western town. This is
our history. The roundabout art went through two public processes with the theme ‘Western Heritage,’ as indicated by a City-led poll open to the public and decided by the City Council,” she told The Nugget
“Although no specific artwork was recommended, one piece has stood out — The Match — with high public support, including a donation of $200,000 to complete the project. The fact that the current City Council — minus one, maybe two members — is now rejecting the art because it is too Western, unsafe, will decrease tourism, or is too distracting to be located at the entrance to Sisters, is unacceptable.”
Bidding open on Folk Festival guitar
Bidding is officially open for the 2025 JAM (Journey, Adventure, Music) Silent Auction & Raffle Fundraiser, held by SFF Presents in conjunction with the 28th annual Sisters Folk Festival. The event offers supporters an opportunity to bid on extraordinary packages and win a one-of-a-kind Breedlove guitar, all while helping raise funds to support music and arts education and programming in Central Oregon. View all of this year’s items and place bids at https://givebutter.com/c/ JAM2025/auction.
This year’s raffle guitar is something truly special. Handcrafted by longtime Bend-based sponsor Breedlove Guitars, it features a warm red cedar top, stunning East Indian rosewood back and sides, and elegant figured maple binding. Finishing touches like a spalted maple rosette, mosaic fingerboard inlay, and the classic Breedlove “B” logo showcase its artistry, while Gotoh 780 nickel tuners and an LR Baggs anthem pickup ensure professional sound. The guitar comes with a hardshell case and is valued at $4,989. Only 400 chances will be sold at $25 each, available online or at the JAM tent during the festival. The lucky winner will be drawn on Sunday, September 28 at 2:55 p.m. from the Village Green stage in Sisters; need not be present to win. Find more information at www.sistersfolkfest.org/ raffle.
Those who visit the online auction site or the JAM tent over the Sisters Folk Festival weekend will find more than 20 unique packages up for bid. Highlights include an exquisite case of twelve premium red wines from Napa Valley, Walla Walla, and Oregon’s Dundee Hills — an opportunity for collectors to secure a cellar-worthy treasure valued at over $800; the chance to own the original painting created as the 2025 Sisters Folk Festival poster image by acclaimed Central Oregon artist Sheila Dunn; and for those craving relaxation, an unforgettable two-night getaway awaits at FivePine Lodge & Spa, complete with your choice of a luxurious Romance Cabin or serene hideaway. Patrons can also bid on local shopping packages, staycations at Suttle Lodge and Lake Creek Lodge, custom instruments, handcrafted furniture and cornhole sets, festival packages and more.
The JAM tent at Village Green will be open throughout the festival weekend for bidding assistance,
raffle ticket sales, and package viewing — no festival wristband required. Bidding will close at 1 p.m. Sunday to allow winners time to collect their prizes before the final sets of the festival. Booth hours are Friday, September 26 from 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday, September 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (reopening from 2 to 4:30 p.m. for package pickup only).
The Sisters Folk Festival will take place September 26-28 at seven venues throughout downtown Sisters
including Sisters Art Works, The Belfry, Sisters Depot, The Open Door, Sisters Saloon, Oliver Lemon’s, Village Green Park, plus a free KidZone at Fir Street Park on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The SFF KidZone is open to the public and includes live musical performances, art activities, puppet theater, and a community dance with Outlaw Strings. No wristband is required for entry to the KidZone, but children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Saturday single-day
Nugget Poetry –Corner
Send poetr y submissions to jess@nuggetnews.com.
tickets to the festival are sold out. Threeday passes and Friday- and Sunday-only tickets are still available for purchase at https://www. sistersfolkfest. org/. Follow @SistersFolk Festival on Instagram and Facebook for updates and additional information.
The Storms of Life
ByEdieJones
The storms of life come passing through.
Often many, sometimes fe w, as we tr avel and pic k our way, changing direction throughout the day.
Str ong and turbulent they may be, or slow to gr ow, like a gentle br eeze. How we face them is the test, whether with fear or peace, we’r e blessed.
Mindfully, we have a choice, to gr eet with c heer s, loudly rejoice, or r unning aw ay our chosen cour se, followed soon with much remorse.
Contr ol and c hange may not be our s. Instead, pr ayer s sent beyond the stars, to the One w ho can lend a hand, calming stor ms w her e er e they land.
The Mapping Monkeys and the Jogging Jaguar A Judicious Merger of Assets
ByWendyBachmeier – For Marlee Jo, myjovialmonkeygrandchild
In a mar quee of mahogany above the Amazon mist
A multiplicity of masked mar moset monkeys exist,
Masticating minuscule mor sels of mango
And munc hing on a menu of maggots – what a fandango!
Now, mar mosets measur e in miniatur e size
And with manner s mater nal, they all mobilize.
Their melodious madrigal mimics a scream,
But eac h misc hievous miscr eant knows w hat they mean.
Eac h mor ning in minced a menace to their mor tality,
A mysterious monster right out of Mayan mythology,
A malevolent monar ch with malicious mandibles
Able to meticulously maul all the minuscule animals!
T his ja guar resembling a jumbo jack-o-lantern with spots
Justly judged this jurisdiction, a tr ue jug gernaut
With jaws like a jac kknife, all jagged and jaded,
He jeopar dized juicy juveniles ‘til his hunger a bated.
Meanw hile eac h mer ry little meddling monkey
Made it her mission to malign with malar key
The cat’s masquer ading manner and menacing mode
With a mayhem of missiles hur led fr om their abode.
T his miserable mistr ust amongst most of the critters
Made the mar mosets miser able and gave the jaguar the jitters
For all of the marauding and malcontented malaise
Made the jinn of the jungle mediocr e most days
Then it happened one Monday in the midsummer heat
That men’s menacing ma chetes made the jungle into mincemeat.
They maimed and they massacr ed millions of tr ees
‘Til the jungle w as jinxed with a jumble of br own leaves
Then, a malfunctioning mistake in the machinery boomed;
A maelstr om of fir e and smoke billowed up in a plume.
The magenta macaws magnified the bad ne ws
And motivated the multitude, “T here’s no time to muse!”
The majority mobilized and migr ated en mass,
But the miniatur e mar mosets got mired in the gr ass
They memorized a master plan to emer ge fr om the maze
But wer e unable to maneuver th rough tr eetops ablaze.
Like wise, the jaguar w as in gr ave jeopar dy
For the fire jangled his judgment and jettisoned his jour ney.
“By Jove, what a jam! I’ ll be junk in a jif fy
If I can’ t jog to the rive r, my futu re is if fy!”
Just then, a maverick monkey with a message magnetic Imagined a mutual mer ger to melio rate their misfor tune pathetic. She muster ed her mac hismo, expecting to be mar tyr ed, And, meekly asking for mercy, with the jaguar she barter ed
“Please, Mr. Ja guar, may I mediate a junctur e judicious
Between us juxtaposed, a joint ventur e auspicious?
For a map through the Amazon we’ve memorized
But the mar athon to make it we can’t materialize.”
Jolted, the jaguar did a jubilant jig ,
For a jaunt through the jungle didn’t feel quite so big.
“Most magnificent monkey, please modify my meandering !
My mind is all muddled and I need your maneuvering.”
In minutes, the Jaguar w as mobbed with mar mosets little
They mounted his massi ve and muscular middle.
Ten midget marmosets r ode his tail like a mast
And they moved his momentum towar d the river at last.
They held onto the ja guar’s jacket like joyriding jockeys
Just missing jutting ja bs and jumbled paths, smoking and rocky.
Just as the jungle melted into the da rk jaundiced ai r
The Jaguar jumped like a javelin into the muddy rivier e.
What jubilation, w hat a joyous jungle jambor ee
When the monkeys and Jaguar made it acr oss the river fir e fr ee!
They jostled and jounced, and danced a jingle bell jive,
But jetted their jokes and jeering, just jolly to be alive.
A magical thing manifested in those melancholy miles
When mistr ust w as mended and meanness tur ned into smiles
For this motley band of misfits joined and mobilized
And master ed the malady that their lives did jeopar dize.
The moral of this memorable jour ney is your s to consider
For when it was mandator y, they found a ja ckpot in each other.
So please make amends w hen your enemy you need,
Maybe a merger might give you the means to succeed.
A custom Breedlove guitar will be awarded to a lucky winner at Sisters Folk Festival Sept. 26-28.
PHOTO
Obituary
On August 19, 2025, Marsha Eileen Lewis passed from this life very much in keeping with the way she loved to live in it: Quietly, peacefully, in her own home and surrounded by the husband & family she loved so dearly. She was born Marsha Eileen Mullen on June 5, 1939, in Pampa, Texas, where she lived the first four years of her life. In 1943, she moved with her family to Oregon where she attended C.F. Tigard Elementary School and graduated from Tigard High School in 1957. In 1952, at the age of 12, she met the man that would become her best friend and the love of her life, David Lewis. After a long courtship, they married in September of 1958 and had three children together: Terri Lynn, Erin Eileen, and Sean Michael. They lived and raised their family in Tigard, then moved in 2006 to Central Oregon where they took up residence in the Lewis family home at Black Butte Ranch.
Marsha found joy in many things over the years, but her true passion was service to God and her fellow humans. As a devout Christian, she delighted in serving her community through volunteer work that provided food, shelter, and necessary support for those who struggled. While she held various appointments and positions in pursuit of this service there were two that were very near and dear to her heart. While
living in Tigard, she served as Chairperson for Interfaith Outreach Services for six years, a nonprofit organization in Tigard dedicated to the goal of providing food, shelter, and guidance through the maze of available social services. Under her leadership, they opened the first area shelter in Tigard in the Tigard United Methodist Church, then eventually built and moved the shelter into a new, larger building to serve families as well as singles in Washington County. After moving to Central Oregon, she directed her energy to volunteering for Sisters Habitat for Humanity, earning the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award working in the thrift store and serving as a family advocate assisting housing recipient families in their journey to build their homes.
Marsha is survived in life by her dear husband, David Lewis, her children and their spouses, Terri Samuel and husband Chris, Erin Cahill
husband
and Sean
vived by six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren, all who adored her.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 20, at 11 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration located at 121 Brooks Camp Rd., Sisters.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Marsha’s name to Sisters Habitat for Humanity or Bend Partners In Care.
HOMES: Sisters
Habitat supports new homeowners
Continued from page 1
volunteer hours back to the organization, a process called “sweat equity.”
During the housewarming event, each homeowner received a quilt, building on a long-standing Sisters tradition.
“The quilts started with Susan Cobb,” Maxwell said. “She used to do all the quilts. Now we’ve got several ladies.”
Terry Hardin and Sue Broomhead each crafted a beautiful quilt for presentation at the event.
By using a land lease model that features shared appreciation and income qualifications, Sisters Habitat homes will forever be affordable to the workers and retirees whose talents and skills are critical to
the vitality of Sisters. Habitat homes are available to households with annual incomes that do not exceed 80 percent Area Median Income as determined by the Housing and Urban Development Department.
Sisters Habitat is currently accepting applications for six affordable homes under construction in the Woodlands subdivision in Sisters. More information is available at www.sistershabitat.org.
Jonathan Amsberry crossed the threshold into his new home on Friday.
PHOTO PROVIDED
and
Jeff,
Lewis. Marsha is also sur-
combo at the middle school.
“I have always liked the drums, and if I had gotten lessons for something different, it wouldn’t be the same,” he said. “Drums are my calling.”
Borla’s preference for drums over other musical instruments is rooted in their
unique role as the rhythm section, the backbone of many different sounds, whether in jazz, rock, or classical music.
“I like to think of everything as a rhythm, it is the percussion and the driving beat, kind of like your heartbeat,” he said.
Borla’s understanding of rhythm, gained from his percussion training, has made it easier for him to pick up other instruments.
“Sisters has a great jazz program and I felt really
supported, and I just wish more kids were as into it as I was at the time,” said Borla.
This summer, Borla’s life was transformed by his attendance at the Interlochen Center for the Arts Music Camp in Michigan. His family had heard about it from a family friend, and he decided to participate in the threeweek jazz intensive at the camp.
“I had a really fantastic time, and experiences, and met a lot of like-minded kids, and we would attend classes and do jam sessions and just have a camp-like experience, but with instruments. There is a ton of different musical personalities; we had people from the Caribbean and salsa music, and so a lot of musical diversity really surrounds you,” he said.
The Interlochen Center for the Arts serves students from grades three through 12, and is committed to an immersive arts education. According to their website, “Since 1928, Interlochen has offered an immersive arts experience that fosters a sense of closeness discovered only through a deep, shared appreciation. Generations of artists and arts enthusiasts have experienced the special and intangible magic that transpires on Interlochen’s beautiful campus, nestled between two pristine lakes and surrounded by quiet pines in northwest Michigan.”
During his time at camp, Borla was offered a
scholarship to return to the academy for the school year.
“My faculty said that they were impressed and could tell I really cared about playing and furthering my education, and so they offered a $5,000 scholarship that will go toward furthering my education at the academy,” he said.
Borla will attend the academy for the school year and test the waters, and if he wants to return, he will continue his education in Michigan until graduation.
“I’m looking for it to have a more musically intensive education program and continue playing even outside of that,” he said.
Borla says that he can’t imagine not playing music.
“I am so grateful to the Sisters community and all the opportunities I had here growing up in a tight-knit community, and a lot of kids at the camp from New York did not seem to have that same sense of community as those of us from smaller towns, so it’s a privilege coming from here,” he said.
print and online advertising packages at discounted rates, and an exciting new social media feed on NuggetNews.com.
r some of this work, we’re partnering with the Small Business Association here in town, which is orking 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.
orking
and
BORLA: Gifted drummer is headed for exclusive program
Frankie Borla is a talented drummer, and will hone his skills at a prestigious music academy.
PHOTO PROVIDED
GONSIEWSKIS: Couple hosts house concerts and volunteers Continued from page 3
“There was this invisibility when we were walking around our inner Southeast Portland neighborhood… you know [people] in the city are in a hurry and busy ... it got to be very hard not having connections with people.”
As anyone who has lived in Sisters for long enough knows, “invisibility” is near impossible.
“In a small town, nobody is just in their house … we are all roaming the streets all the time and catching up on things … that’s what we were looking for, being part of a community that would help each other and no one would be invisible,” Norene said.
The Gonsiewskis’ move to Sisters was a big change, given that they had made their home in Portland for almost 40 years; they met at a worker-owned vegetarian cafe that prided itself on equity and inclusion, affordable comfort food, and frequent live music.
“We were very nonprofit… a sandwich was about 25 cents…if you didn’t have 25 cents, you could still have a sandwich! This was in the ’70s… we made very little money doing it, but we had a lot of fun and we were living our values, and our values were inclusivity.” Norene said.
Now retired many decades later, the Gonsiewskis have recreated this environment, Sisters style, through the potluck house concerts they host on their front lawn every summer. Everyone is welcome and all profits go to the hard-working musicians who continue to come back year after year. Norene explained that the house concerts started shortly after they moved to Sisters when a musician friend asked if he could play on their front lawn the evening before a show he had booked in Bend.
“We said sure, but we don’t know enough people to come!” Norene said with a laugh.
Norene pointed at Tom, “He made pieces of paper and gave them to strangers on the street [saying] we live over there..come to our house! And 70 people came.”
In conversation with the Gonsiewskis it is clear that this type of light-hearted connection with others is an important part of their daily life. It is also clear, in learning about their other work in the community, that they value inclusion and service to others. In addition to their busy house concert schedule, they have prioritized helping elderly Sisters residents who need assistance getting to doctor’s appointments. Tom has spent countless hours over the past 10 years building STARS
STARS isn’t just a ride to the doctor. It’s creating community... Drivers say, ‘I’m going to take that person again because they didn’t finish the story [they were telling me] last time.’ I think that’s what Sisters is about…that’s why people live here.
— Tom Gonsiewski
(Sisters Transportation and Ride Share) along with other volunteers from the area who saw a need for reliable medical transportation to Bend. Last year alone, STARS provided 726 free round-trip rides to medical appointments, and volunteer drivers completed over 32,000 miles.
Tom, who worked for TriMet in Portland, was recruited by one of his neighbors to help set up logistics in 2019; he tested and implemented software that allowed volunteer dispatchers to easily connect patrons with drivers. Now, with the software up and running efficiently, Tom works to recruit drivers, and serves as a volunteer dispatcher and operations director.
“Our joke in STARS is we’re the people who are going to need these rides someday, we need to find drivers, right?” Tom said.
Tom explained that the rides not only provide essential services for Sisters residents who need medical transport, but it fosters community and connection as well.
“STARS isn’t just a ride to the doctor,” Tom explained. “It’s creating community, right? Drivers say, ‘I’m going to take that person again because they didn’t finish the story [they were telling me] last time.’ I think that’s what Sisters is about…that’s why people live here.”
All and all, it’s clear that Tom and Norene Gonsiewski have found what they were looking for in Sisters. Their commitment to the arts, community service, and intentional connection with their neighbors has seen them firmly enmeshed in and adored by the Sisters community. In fact, Norene admits that they often find it difficult to stay in, except for house concert nights when they are inviting others to their home.
“There’s just so much to do!” Norene exclaimed.
For the Gonsiewskis, the magic of community is in the “doing,” and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Want to volunteer for STARS? Visit www.starsride.
org.
Interested in attending a house concert at the Gonsiewskis? Email tom. norene@gmail.com and ask to get on the email list.
ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
CLASSIFIED RATES
COST:
$3.50 per line for first insertion, $2.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1.50 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $3.50 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.
DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 5 PM preceding Wednesday publication.
PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. Major credit cards accepted with a 3% processing fee. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four weeks.
CATEGORIES:
102 Commercial Rentals
473 W. Hood Ave., Suite 102 Office Suite, 512 Sf. High Traffic Exposure 503-730-0150
STORAGE WITH BENEFITS
8 x 20 dry box
Fenced yard, RV & trailers
In-town, gated, 24-7 EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Rental
331 W. Barclay Drive
541-549-9631
Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor RV parking. 7-day access. Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.
103 Residential Rentals
The Grove at Sunset Meadows
Apartments in Sisters, OR Lease today and claim your move-in-special!
1- and 2-bedroom homes, available for immediate move-in 210 North Woodson, Sisters 844-804-1684
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
50% off your first full month's rent. 2 bedroom 2 bath. Rent is $1,600 a month, RSD is $1,600, some pets considered (with add'l $350 RSD per pet). This has a lease thru 9/30/2026. Current tenants vacate 9/30/2025. Unit is 1st floor unit in the front building. W/S/Garbage is paid. #104, 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, 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
Laguna 16 HD upright bandsaw. Includes mobility kit. Excellent condition. $1,200. 541-505-0489.
202 Firewood
• 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
LODGEPOLE FIREWOOD BEST DEAL IN YEARS SistersForestProducts.com 541-410-4509
LODGEPOLE PINE Very Seasoned Firewood Logs
Delivery avail. • Call for quote 541-306-8675
205 Garage & Estate Sales
Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!
Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths? Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150
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
302 Recreational Vehicles
Travelers Rest RV Storage 30' and 23' RV spaces with low monthly rates available now! Secure your spot before winter. bekah@travelersrestrvstorage. com - 541-719-8644
401 Horses ORCHARD GRASS HAY ALFALFA TRITICALE
New 2025 crop. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $240-$340/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895
403 Pets
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
I AM A CAREGIVER Looking for work in Sisters, Part-Time Please call Lynn 503-274-0214. CUSTOM WINDOW COVERINGS
Bend Window Works, LLC is offering a 10% discount on new window coverings. FREE in-home consultation. Same day in-home repair services available. New and repaired blinds make rentals look better! Contact us at 541-383-2455 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
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
Tree Removal • Tree Pruning Good for Trees. Good to People. SparTreeArborist.com (916) 619-6317
LOLO TREE WORKS
Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638
Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912
TimberStandImprovement.net Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825
• Wildfire Fuels reduction
• Debris Chipping/Mastication
• Forest Health Thinning
• Wildfire Cleanup & Restoration • 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
Level: Difficult Answer: Page 23
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
– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding.
Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169
Austin • 541-419-5122
The Nugget is on FACEBOOK!
Construction & Renovation
Custom Residential Projects
All Phases • CCB #148365 541-420-8448
INSPIRED CUSTOM HOMES www.teeharborconstruction.com 541-213-8736 • CCB#75388
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
SPURGE COCHRAN BUILDER, INC.
Pat Burke LOCALLY OWNED CRAFTSMAN BUILT
CCB: 228388 • 541-588-2062 www.sistersfencecompany.com
Custom Homes Additions - Remodels
Residential Building Projects Becke William Pierce CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384
Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com — Serving Sisters Since 2010 — CASCADE GARAGE DOORS
Factory Trained Technicians Since 1983 • CCB #44054 541-548-2215 • 541-382-4553
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
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
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
Earthwood Timber
• Recycled fir and pine beams
• Mantels and accent timbers
• Sawmill/woodshop services EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com
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
SWEENEY
PLUMBING, INC.
“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling
• New Construction
• Water Heaters 541-549-4349
Residential and Commercial
Licensed
• Bonded • Insured CCB #87587
— GEORGE’S — SEPTIC SERVICE 541-419-3148
A 63-year tradition for Sisters www.georges-septic-service.com
603 Excavation & Trucking
Full Service Excavation
Free On-site Visit & Estimate
Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com
541-549-1472 • CCB #76888
Drainfield
• Minor & Major Septic Repair
• All Septic Needs/Design & Install
General Excavation
• Site Preparation
• Rock & Stump Removal
• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation
• Building Demolition Trucking
• Deliver Top Soil, Sand, Gravel, Boulders, Water
• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly
• The Whole 9 Yards or 24 Whatever You Want!
BANR Enterprises, LLC
Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls
Residential & Commercial
CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977 www.BANR.net
ROBINSON & OWEN
Heavy Construction, Inc.
All your excavation needs
*General excavation
*Site Preparation
*Sub-Divisions
*Road Building
*Sewer and Water Systems
*Underground Utilities
*Grading
*Sand-Gravel-Rock
Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #124327
541-549-1848
604 Heating & Cooling ACTION AIR
Heating & Cooling, LLC
Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs actionairheatingandcooling.com
CCB #195556 541-549-6464
Sisters, Oregon's Exclusive HVAC Service
Residential & Commercial Heating • Ductless Air Conditioning • Maintenance Installation • Repair 541-588-5667
SistersHeatingAir.com
605 Painting
~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks
CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com
Interior/Exterior Painting Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327
peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491 EMPIRE PAINTING
Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining CCB#180042 541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk
• 541-233-7195 LCB #9958 • CCB #222039
J&E Landscaping Maintenance
LLC Clean-ups, raking, hauling debris, thatching, aerating, irrigation, mowing. Edgar Cortez 541-610-8982 jandelspcing15@gmail.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
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
Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345
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
Alpine Landscape Maintenance An All-Electric Landscape Company. Text/Call Paul 541.485.2837 alpine.landscapes@icloud.com
Services I & I
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 NuggetNews.com Classifieds are uploaded to our website, too... Every Tuesday, no extra cost!
