Week of November 6, 2024
Week of November 6, 2024
As has happened every year for decades, the historic McKenzie Highway (Highway 242) closed on the Sisters side last week. A week earlier, the western side closed. The November 1 close is about average, and just in time as a series of minor storms dropped as much as 10 inches of snow above 5,000 feet. The top of Highway 242, at the Dee Wright Observatory - the halfway point - sits at 5,187 feet. In making its annual announcement of the closures, Oregon Department of... Full story
Kent Vander Kamp has a significant lead over William Bailey in the race for Deschutes County Sheriff as initial election results are reported. Vander Kamp, who was endorsed by the Deschutes Sheriff’s Employees Association had almost 59 percent of the vote to Bailey’s 41 percent. Bailey was endorsed by retiring Sheriff Shane Nelson. Jennifer Letz (25.31%), Sarah McDougall (24.5%), and Cheryl Pellerin (18.63%) lead the race for the three open seats on Sisters City Council, with Eli Madrone (17.73%) trailing slightly...
The Sisters High School Hall of Fame inducted a total of six individuals and one group at an afternoon ceremony held Sunday, November 3 at Sisters High School (SHS). Don Pollard, co-chair of the Hall of Fame committee, helped welcome the attendees and thanked the numerous sponsors for supporting the Hall of Fame for the tenth year celebration. Dennis Dempsey emceed the evening. The ceremony included guest speaker Pat Tyson, currently the head cross-country coach at Gonzaga... Full story
Curious motorists and pedestrians observed heavy machinery in action as trees were cleared and earth moved in preparation for Phase One of the Sisters East Portal Transportation Master Plan. The hub is located on recently purchased City property between West Hood Avenue, Highway 20, and OR 242 (McKenzie Highway). The overall plan calls for a dedicated transit patron parking area and drop-off lane. The site layout allows for patrons to park or be dropped off to access transit... Full story
Growing up in Sisters has many benefits for youth. It's still a tight-knit community that looks out for its people; schools are strong and staff works hard to build beneficial relationships with students. Yet it's still challenging to be a 21st-century kid, no matter where you are. Lindsey Overstreet is a licensed clinical social worker working in pediatric behavioral health at Mosaic Community Health's school-based health clinic in Sisters. She works with youth who may be... Full story
Sisters residents have a unique opportunity to learn how to make a difference in Sisters Country. On Sunday, November 10, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Sisters Fire District community hall, “What Do You Do With an Idea?” is being sponsored by two local nonprofits, Citizens4Community (C4C) and Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC). Kellen Klein, C4C executive director, will facilitate the workshop which can be attended in person or livestreamed online. The event will also be recorded... Full story
Jennifer Holland has been developing and delivering programs for Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) for the past five years. She's been working in the field since she was 15 years old, and had previously worked as a program manager with Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Springfield. Last summer, she determined that she needed to enhance her education in the strategic aspects of her work. "I felt I needed more education around the bigger picture of local... Full story
City work crews are installing stop signs at the intersection of Hood Avenue and Pine Street. The installation was expected to be completed November 7. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, “The Public Works Advisory Board (PWAB) directed staff to take a look at the Hood/Pine intersection to see if it warranted a stop control change to an all-way stop. We then had our Traffic Engineer (Joe Bessman) analyze the intersection to see if it met the all-way stop criteria. Joe has looked at this intersection... Full story
Since the end of September, GFP Enterprises, LLC has been actively engaged in disaster relief recovery efforts following the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. At the height of the response efforts, GFP was providing needed resources and services at 40 separate locations throughout North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. The services and resources being provided include full-service base camps, shower trailers, laundry trailers, restroom trailers, potable water provision and wastewater removal, food... Full story
Youths in today’s society face challenges and have opportunities that were barely conceivable to even their parents’ generation. The pervasiveness of technology opens a world of connection, while simultaneously — and counter-intuitively — creating a sense of isolation. Sisters is widely considered a great community for kids — but youth here are subject to challenging national and international trends. The next in Citizens For Community’s (C4C) biannual series of community forums will focus on youth well-being in... Full story
City work crews are installing stop signs at the intersection of Hood Avenue and Pine Street next week. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, “The Public Works Advisory Board (PWAB) directed staff to take a look at the Hood/Pine intersection to see if it warranted a stop control change to an all-way stop. We then had our Traffic Engineer (Joe Bessman) analyze the intersection to see if it met the all-way stop criteria. Joe has looked at this intersection in the past and at that time it did not meet the... Full story
As the temperatures cool and with the potential for additional rainfall in the coming week, open burning within the Black Butte Ranch, Cloverdale, and Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Districts opened on Monday, October 28. The Sisters-Camp Sherman and Cloverdale Fire District burn permit system was updated over the summer. If you previously accessed the system via a phone app, the app has been rebranded as “Before You Burn,” offering the same functionality you’re familiar with, but with enhanced features and new tools. The... Full story
Steve Amsberry, a retired veterinarian living in Black Butte, asked The Nugget to remind readers of the danger of some candies to dogs. His brother, Mike, also a vet still practicing in Sisters, says that chocolate is the highest candy risk to canines. “Chocolate contains several active chemicals, including theobromine and caffeine. They are far more powerful in dogs. Signs of chocolate toxicity vary by size of dog and the amount of chocolate eaten. Symptoms may take... Full story
Bristows Barbershop in Sisters will be hosting a fund-raiser for longtime resident Adam Silva who is needing to have unexpected open heart surgery. Adam, who is a father to five children, is without medical insurance, and will be out of work for five or six months. On Saturday, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. the barbershop will be offering haircuts for $25, and $20 for veterans and senior citizens. All proceeds will be donated to the Silva family to help cover medical costs. There will also be a free barbecue and drinks... Full story
Assume. It’s what we do every time we climb behind the wheel of a car. We assume we are going to get to our destination safely. Odds are you will. Often that creates a complacency that will catch up with you sooner or later. On average there are six injury accidents, and dozens more “fender-benders” that police do not respond to in Deschutes County daily. Even a seemingly low-speed accident may cause serious and sometimes life-altering injuries. How to make sure you don’t eventually end up involved in one of those... Full story
Local nonprofits Age-Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) and Citizens4Community (C4C) are teaming up to offer a free workshop for residents interested in turning their community building ideas into reality. “What Do You Do With An Idea?” will take place Sunday, November 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Sisters Fire District Community Hall. The event will also be live-streamed and recorded, and light refreshments will be provided. Registration for both in-person and online attendance is requested, and is accessible at... Full story
Sisters Elementary School (SES) is becoming a Halloween haunt, not only for kids in costume, but for a cauldron of bats. The bats had called home the ponderosa pines that stood tall at McKenzie Highway and McKinney Butte Road, then the trees were cut down so the school building could go up. "They lost their part of the forest, their habitat. There must have been some big holes way up in the trees where the bats were living. Every year, they come back after they hibernate.... Full story
As the seasons change from fall harvest to winter cold, local farm and nonprofit Seed to Table (STT) is undergoing changes of its own. Its top leadership position has transitioned. Though 2024 has been a strong year for its three core programs - education, feeding local people, and Sisters Farmers Market - the organization is addressing gaps in fundraising revenue, unrelated to the leadership transition. Seed to Table recently announced that its Founder and Farm Director... Full story
Jennifer Spor Sturdivant, a 1993 graduate of Sisters High School, is back as the executive director of Sisters Senior Living. Sisters Senior Living, formerly known as The Lodge, has been purchased by Washington resident Chris Blackburn, who also has a home at Black Butte Ranch. Management of the facility is the responsibility of Artegan, with facilities in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Maryland. Sturdivant was formerly the marketing/sales specialist and executive director... Full story
Playing host to a record-breaking number of visitors, accepting a range of new vendors, and trying out expansions of its physical footprint, Sisters Farmers Market just closed out its biggest season yet. "We had a great season," market manager Willa Bauman enthused. The final market, October 27, marked the latest time of year Sisters Farmers Market has ever been open. "The last day was really great. We got blue skies right at 10 o'clock after a rainy morning. It was a nice... Full story
Sisters tourism is increasingly built around health and wellness and a culture of artisanship. Last week, a group of industry professionals gathered in Sisters to explore what that means for a tourism-based economy. Representing myriad stakeholders in Oregon tourism, a group of 45 convened at FivePine Conference Center last Wednesday. Another 15 who had registered were unable to attend due to last-minute scheduling conflicts. The day-long conference was titled “Heritage,... Full story
Fearing injury to hoards of costumed street-crossers, the annual Halloween parade in downtown Sisters changed the popular event, moving it to Village Green. Parents and organizers agreed the event was an unqualified success. The event is sponsored by Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). Jen Holland, its executive director, told The Nugget, "Trunk-or-Treat was a huge success! We saw over 1,000 people at this event and heard nothing but praise from eventgoers. One of the... Full story
After two months and seven well-received programs, Sisters Movie House & Café announced the final two shows of the weekly “Autumn Arts & Adventure 2024” series. A gallery documentary from the UK’s Seventh Arts Productions — “Exhibition on Screen: Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers” will show at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6. “This Van Gogh exhibition is out of this world,” said Drew Kaza, Managing Partner of quoin media & entertainment, which operates Sisters Movie House & Café. “This is currently the... Full story
SFF Presents will sponsor a holiday concert with the Boston-based quintet, Scottish Fish, at 7 p.m., on Friday, December 6, at The Belfry. The all-female group offers traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music. They came together as elementary school children, and have remained together for the last decade. Their youthful enthusiasm, original arrangements, and high-energy performances have entertained audiences across the United States and Europe, including... Full story
Bend-based author and poet Ellen Waterston will present essays from her forthcoming book, “We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback,” along with poetry from her award-winning books on Thursday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. “Inspired by the example of the Poets Laureate who have preceded me, I am eager to share my love of poetry, place, and the power of the written word with Oregon’s diverse audiences,” said Waterston, “and to kindling creativity and community as I go.” As a... Full story
Over nearly three decades, George R.R. Martin's tales of political intrigue, feuds and magic set in the quasi-medieval world of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros have thrilled millions of readers. The book series spawned the massive cultural phenomenon that was HBO's "Game of Thrones." Now Martin's magnum opus, with the overall title of "A Song of Ice and Fire," is presented in a new boxed set, designed in our own fantastical land known as Sisters Country. Martin announced the... Full story
Embroidery designer Krista West will present a tour of folk embroidery on Thursday, November 7, 6:30 p.m., at Paulina Springs Books. She will share her new book, "Everyday Folk" and will share embroideries she stitched for the book, plus describe her work with the textiles. "Everyday Folk" - which is subtitled, "over 175 folk embroidery designs for the home, inspired by traditional textiles," begins with a series of essential projects that feature a range of classic folk... Full story
In quilting vernacular, a "PHD" is a "Project Half Done." The East of the Cascades Quilters, based in Sisters, celebrated the completion of many "PHD's" on Wednesday, October 23. The guild began the process in May by having participating members submit a list of partially completed quilt or craft projects. The deadline for completing the projects was the October meeting. As each individual completed a project, they submitted a form showing its completion date. At the regular... Full story
The Lady Outlaws wrapped up league play with an 8-0 win on the road at Elmira on Monday, October 28, and finished league with an 8-4 record and second-place finish. Ranked 12th in the state, they earned a first round bye. They will play Banks on Wednesday, November 6, in round two of the 3A/2A/1A Soccer State Championships. The match will start at 5:00 p.m. and be played at Hillsboro Stadium. In Tuesday’s shutout against Elmira, Ella Davis scored all three of Sisters first half goals, the first at the 19-minute mark.... Full story
The special district may have changed, but the result was the same for the third consecutive year as the Outlaws boys' cross country team won the district title in solid fashion on Wednesday, October 30, at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon. The win in Special District 2 followed two years of winning in Special District 3 at meets held in Pendleton. "It was a great relief to not have to drive 500 miles round trip just to compete at District," said Coach Charlie Kanzig. Cool wet... Full story
The Lady Outlaws volleyball team travelled to Horizon Christian (HC) in Tualatin on Wednesday, October 30, and beat the Hawks in three straight sets with scores of 25-18, 25-17, and 25-15, in round one of the state playoffs. They advanced to the second round where they fell in three straight sets to league foe Pleasant Hill (PH) on Saturday. In the first set against the HC Hawks on Wednesday, the score stayed close until 9-10. From there Sisters went on a seven-point run behind great serves from Jordyn Monaghan, which... Full story
In Friday night’s contest against Harrisburg on November 1, fans watched teams warm up in a torrential downpour that turned the field into a wet, muddy mess. At the start of the game, the rains stopped for the duration of the contest, but field conditions were still very slick and muddy. The Outlaws dominated play throughout the contest and beat the young Eagles’ squad 52-0. At the start of the contest, Sisters stopped Harrisburg on their fourth down attempt, and took possession of the ball at midfield. On the third... Full story
The Outlaws fell 2-0 at Siuslaw in a league playoff game on Tuesday, October 29, which brought their season to an end. Sisters fell earlier in the season to Siuslaw in a final score of 1-2 and felt good about their chances coming into this contest. Coach Jeff Husmann said, “We’ve had some heart-breaking close losses this year, and our plan for this game was to be focused and have fun. There’s the potential for lots of tough emotions when we lose those close games, but there was a positivity and lightness about this... Full story
The Lady Outlaws started their week with a 6-0 shutout at home over Santiam Christian on Wednesday, October 23, but suffered a 3-0 defeat at Central Linn two days later. The Outlaws didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard in Wednesday's match-up against the Eagles. Ella Davis punched the ball in just 30 seconds into the contest, with a shot at the top of the 18 to start the scoring spree. In the 11th minute Davis scored again. Davis received the ball up top and found... Full story
The Outlaws dominated play in their convincing 46-8 victory over the White Buffaloes at Madras on Friday, October 25. Sisters scored on their opening drive in just three quick plays which was capped off by a Kayl Mock 28-yard run off the right side. Reid Woodson hit the point after touchdown (PAT) and the Outlaws took an early 7-0 lead. Madras went three-and-out and Sisters regained possession. A key play in the drive was a 60-yard sweep by Hudson Beckwith. Spencer Davis scored the touchdown (TD) on a nine-yard run around... Full story
Sisters earned a state playoff berth with a 25-29, 25-20, 25-14 win over Creswell on Saturday, October 26. The Outlaws finished league play tied with Creswell, and had to play against them to see who would advance to play No. 1-ranked Pleasant Hill (PH). With the win over the Bulldogs, the Outlaws secured a state playoff berth. The match against PH would decide who would be the No. 1 and No. 2 seed. In the first set against the Bulldogs, the game went back and forth and at 9-9 had been knotted up six times. With the score... Full story
If last week's results at the Bigfoot Classic at Alderbrook Golf Course are any indication, the Outlaws cross-country teams are ready for action at the Special District 2 Championships set for Wednesday, October 30, at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon. The girls team, behind Brooke Duey's runner-up finish, placed second in the meet among seven complete 3A/2A/1A teams with 57 points. Banks, considered one of the top teams in the state, won the meet with 32 points. Duey ran a... Full story
The Sisters Outlaws mountain bike team competed in the NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) Oregon state championships, held at Barnes Butte Recreation area in Prineville on October 20. The championship race brought together both the North and South league conferences, and with more than 400 student athletes the large fields created deep competition and tight racing. "The Outlaws all put in monster efforts in their respective categories and it paid off," Coach... Full story
Discover Your Forest, the non-profit partner of the Deschutes National Forest (DNF), is hosting the annual Winter Volunteer Information Night for volunteers who are interested in supporting the Forest Stewards in the DNF. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the DNF office, located at 63095 Deschutes Market Road, in Bend. The event is focused on recruiting volunteers to serve as Forest Stewards. The focus of the Forest Stewards program is to engage visitors while they are in the forest... Full story
The 10th annual Sisters Outlaws Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set for Sunday, November 3, at 3 p.m. at Sisters High School. The event will include a special guest speaker to help celebrate the induction of six individuals and one group to the 2024 HOF class. Pat Tyson, currently the director of men’s cross country and track at Gonzaga University, will be present as the guest speaker in a ceremony that includes the induction of one of his former runners, Brandon Pollard from the SHS class of 2014. Also being honored... Full story
The Outlaws fell 1-0 at Pleasant Hill on October 23, in their final league game of the season. On Thursday they lost 0-2 at home against Gervais in a non-league game. Sisters struggled to get used to Pleasant Hill’s fast and bouncy artificial grass field. The Billies won the 50/50 balls and had possessed the ball the majority of the first half. Coach Jeff Husmann said, “It often takes us a bit to get settled into the game, but it seemed we never really clicked as a unit. As a whole group, we were giving them too much... Full story
As the weather turns in Central Oregon, it’s time to start thinking about supplementing with vitamin D. Vitamin D supports bone health and immune function by promoting magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus absorption. When our skin is exposed to the sun, our bodies naturally create vitamin D, also known as calciferol. As the temperatures drop and the days shorten, making enough calciferol naturally can be challenging and we risk becoming deficient in this important staple. So how do we know if we are getting enough vitamin D... Full story
Living Well with Dementia Sisters will host the Care and Connect Resource Fair on Thursday, November 14, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy. This free event is designed to connect all care partners with local organizations and resources to help them navigate the challenges of supporting loved ones living with dementia. The Care and Connect Resource Fair will feature more than 20 local service providers and community organizations, each offering valuable information and tools for... Full story
Letters to the Editor should be 300 words or less. The deadline for submission is Monday at 10 a.m. for publication in that week's Nugget. Please submit your letter by emailing to Jim Cornelius at editor@nuggetnews.com with "letter to the editor" in the subject... Full story
We the people To the Editor: I have read and heard much about Pat Farr’s letter, and lots of other letters about politics. And while I don’t agree with many of them, I do think we need to hear a variety of opinions. After all that is what Democracy is all about. I have been reading and working through a book called “Healing the Heart of Democracy,” by Parker Palmer with a book club at Paulina Springs Book Store. I’m learning what it means to live in a healthy democracy, a healthy community that can hold all our... Full story
This op-ed will be published the day after Election Day. Once the results are known — and regardless of who is elected to the White House — there’s a good chance that approximately half of you will be elated with the outcome, while the other half feel despondent. Such is the nature of our current political climate in America. And yet, despite our country’s growing polarization, there’s much that leaves me hopeful about the future – particularly when it comes to life in Sisters Country. So on a day when many are... Full story
One of the guiding principles that I try to live by is that I want to be an asset when things go sideways - not the guy who's standing around waiting for someone else to take action. In that spirit, I signed up for a recent, two-day Wilderness First Aid course through Sisters-based Northwest Precision Medical Training. I've taken CPR and basic first aid classes, and read up on wilderness first aid - but I have never buckled down to a full-on, multi-hour course. Founder and... Full story
While there are many different constellations that are visible in November, this month's is a challenge to locate because, 1) it skims about 15 degrees above the southern horizon, and 2) its brightest stars are still faint. Sculptor is interesting because it is home to several impressive galaxies, as well as the South Galactic Pole. The best way to find Sculptor is to start with Fomalhaut, a first magnitude star situated near the eastern border of the neighboring... Full story
Resolute leadership To the Editor: The recent outpouring of letters to the editor on the topic of the leadership capabilities of women was very encouraging if not down-right gratifying. One can appreciate editorial concerns to make sure our local paper (that we all love and support) does not print letters which could be considered uninformed at best or downright demeaning at worst. But look at what that short contentious letter brought forth. The responses were a great read, were they not? Heartwarming to read from so many... Full story
It is a delightful day indeed when an angry reader writes in — exercising the First Amendment — to attack a column or, more to the point given the nature of the language, the columnist, written in defense of the First Amendment. It’s delightful for several reasons — not least of which is that when you are taking flak from a sandbagged position on the ground it is a certain indication that you are flying over the target. Lawyers and judges, though they are often slow... Full story
Those who are looking forward to a “return to normal” post-election may be in for disappointment. If it ends up as close as the pollsters and prognosticators think it is, the presidential election may not be called for a few days after November 5. And our national political culture will likely be roiled for a long time after that. Anxiety is running high as voters are continually confronted with the assertion that this election is the most consequential of our lifetime.... Full story
In the lead-up to the election, Sisters area residents are even more vigorous in expressing their opinions than usual. This I believe to be a good thing. Publications such as newspapers balance a variety of agendas and necessities. The editor acts as a filter and gatekeeper, helping writers understand the larger context and audience for their work. The editor typically influences their community and is influenced heavily by it. In a geographically based publication, the... Full story
