Quilt connects U.S. and Uganda page 5 Pinedrops are an unusual forest plant page 15 The Nugget Vol. XXXVIII No. 27 Quilt show week kicks off with art stroll page 23 P OSTAL CUSTOMER News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon www.NuggetNews.com Wednesday, July 8, 2015 Sisters rings in 4th of July with planes By Jim Cornelius News Editor Chickens rained from the sky; skydivers soared with the stars and stripes, and planes and hot rods alike roared and rumbled down the Sisters Airport runway in a celebra- tion of the Fourth of July that has become another signature Sisters event. The Fourth of July Fly-in coordinated by employees and families of ENERGYneering Solutions, Inc. raised more than $2,000 for scholarships for the Sisters High School Flight Sciences program. A skydiver from Skydive Awesome jumped with the stars and stripes to kick things off — a moment that was stir- ring for airport co-owner Julie Benson. “My favorite part was watching the kids during the presentation of the flag by the sky divers, staring open- mouthed at the sky, while listening to the Star Spangled News Editor Visitors and residents at Black Butte Ranch have a brand-new pool facility and family activities center in which to play and a new Lakeside Bistro restaurant in which to enjoy a meal, a drink, and perhaps the most spectacular view in Sisters Country. BBR property owners voted to fund $11.5 million in improvements in October 2013, including a new Lodge swimming pool (80 percent larger than the previously existing pool), an outdoor hot tub, new bistro and retail area with outdoor dining and pool- side service, locker rooms, fit- ness facility, recreation center Inside... Sisters man turns injury into activism By Jim Cornelius News Editor cars in a car show that filled much of the airport area. He One bad moment changed Joshua Ward’s life forever. Ward was injured on December 19, 2012, in a woodshop table saw accident at Sisters High School. “The piece of wood lifted slightly off the table ... and pulled my hand into the blade and threw the board across the room and punched a hole in the wall,” Ward recalled. Several surgeries were required to fuse a joint in Ward’s left thumb and to reat- tach fingers that were hanging by shreds of skin. See Fly-IN on page 36 See WArd on page 38 photo by Jerry baldock A plane bombs the Sisters Airport runway with rubber chickens during the fourth annual Sisters Airport Fly-in. If a chicken landed in a raffled square, the winner got a prize. Funds raised went to student flight scholarships. Banner on the PA,” she said. “That was the moment I was thankful to live in a place where we can attend an event $11.5 million facilities open at BBR By Jim Cornelius PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15 and playground. Construction began last fall and the project was com- pleted on budget and on time, opening June 27. THA Architecture designed the buildings, and Kirby Nagelhout Construction handled the construction. “There’s always surprises in a construction project, but we had a good team,” said Scott Huntsman, BBR CEO. “We got a project that exceeded expectations.” Huntsman said that the Ranch was overdue for this kind of renovation in order to keep up with an evolving market. “We look for it to really revitalize the heart of the See BBr on page 33 like this celebrating our coun- try’s freedoms.” John Morris of Sisters was one of 87 exhibitors of classic SOQS honors Tonye Belinda Phillips By Jodi Schneider McNamee Correspondent Quilter Tonye Belinda Phillips has deep roots in Sisters, moving from Bend in 1972 to Camp Sherman. Phillips raised two sons with her husband, Doug, in the scenic wooded area surround- ing the pristine waters of the Metolius River. “When I was a young girl about 10, my family and I would visit Camp Sherman and I fell in love with the area,” Phillips said. “I grew up doing embroidery work by hand that I learned from my mom. I had always wanted to quilt but I had put it off because Doug and I lived in a tiny little cabin in Camp Sherman with our two young sons. I didn’t have enough space to leave my machine out for more than a one-day photo by Jodi Schneider McnaMee tonye Belinda Phillips is featured at this year’s quilt show. She’s an author and teacher as well as an accomplished artist. project. But then we moved to a bit of a bigger house and I had the room to really quilt, and I finally started quilting in 1992. I took a sampler class from Jean Wells. I have See quIlter on page 26 Letters/Weather ................ 2 Business at Glance............. 6 Announcements ............... 10 Sisters Salutes ................ 25 Classifieds ..................30-32 Meetings ........................... 3 Obituaries ......................... 7 Movies & Entertainment ....11 Crossword ....................... 25 Real Estate .................33-40