News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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With so many of us newbies, me included, I'm always delighted when I learn a tidbit of Sisters history. Of course, The Nugget is chock full of much of what you might be curious about. You may not know how much of a historical library The Nugget is. Heck, many of you may not even know that The Nugget has an online edition - nuggetnews.com - where in addition to getting the latest news about Sisters Country you can go to that amazing little magnifying glass icon to the right,... Full story
The agency that keeps our highways operating is facing a structural revenue crisis. This is due to three main causes, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT): Oregonians are driving increasingly fuel-efficient vehicles, and switching to electric vehicles (EV) at a high rate. With increased fuel efficiency and more EVs, Oregon sees lower tax revenues and less money available to maintain the transportation system. Inflation has made maintaining the... 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
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
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 s... 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, A... Full story
He drove two- and one-half days to get to the 2024 Harvest Faire in Sisters, the 15th sponsored by Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. It was a 1,781-mile journey for Ryan Stanley, one of 172 vendors at the event which drew as many as 10,000. Some vendors estimated 12,000 and seemingly they could not be more pleased with the outcome. When asked why he would travel so far for a weekend show, Stanley said, "Well first of all it's a beautiful drive, so the time goes quickly. And I... Full story
A group of nine activists representing several groups asked The Nugget to accompany them last Friday to an area on Green Ridge to show trees marked by the Forest Service for removal under a proposed timber sale as part of the Service's Green Ridge Landscape Restoration Project, a 25,000-acre planning area. Green Ridge is in the Sisters District of the Deschutes National Forest in Jefferson County about nine air miles north of town and close to Camp Sherman and the Metolius... Full story
We wrote about this trail four years ago, but it bears repeating given its proximity and beauty. A near perfect trail for families or hikers simply looking for an easier outing full of scenery. It's mapped as a 2.6 mile out and back undertaking, longer if you take an extension. Plan on a bit more than an hour. It's well maintained and easy to navigate with new trail markers to guide you at the junctions. It's a great trail for dogs, especially those fond of water. Why go: The... Full story
With a median price of $825,000 and an average price of $889,010, September single family home transactions in Sisters Country show a continuing trend of lack of affordable housing stock. The inventory of available homes remains low as sellers are stuck in their homes sitting on mortgage rates of three to four percent. Were they to sell and finance a new home at current 30-year lending rates of 6.365 percent such sellers would be often doubling their monthly payment.... Full story
More than 100 Sisters Country folk joined 11 speakers at Sisters Elementary School on Sunday, October 6, for a community conversation about houselessness. The gathering convened at 4 p.m. for the first public meeting at the brand new facility. Instigated by the City of Sisters in partnership with 11 organizations, the 90-minute meeting was billed as a learning and input-gathering session. Its purpose was to learn about houselessness in Sisters Country and hear ideas,... Full story
For many a year, Sisters children have been treated to a downtown event whereby school-aged kids in costume would gather at Fir Street Park on Halloween (or the nearest school day to October 31) and then in small groups of roughly 25, they would be led by an adult guide, also in costume, up and down portions of Main, Cascade, and Hood avenues. The trick-or-treaters would be rewarded by participating merchants - some 40 plus - with an array of goodies many of which were... Full story
It's an ongoing blight, and it's a challenge to forest managers to remove abandoned vehicles in the national forest. There are no reliable numbers of discarded vehicles, but estimates continuously place the total in the many thousands. In the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest the number runs between 30 and 40 per year, mostly RVs, the kinds towed by a car or truck and ranging in size from 15 to 35 feet in length. However, cars and motorcycles also... Full story
Reporting on the success of Sisters Folk Festival is a familiar tune. There are barely enough superlatives to describe the sold-out three-day event just concluded. SFF Presents Board Chair Leanne Summers summarized it this way: "We've got something special in this community. The 2024 Sisters Folk Festival exemplifies that extraordinary, hard-to-define gift. In a time when it is easy to dwell on differences, Sisters Folk Festival artists, audiences, and volunteers reminded me o... Full story
From prehistoric times when the earliest archers hunted for meat, to Greek and medieval times when archers fought wars, to today when archery is a worldwide passion, the lure of archery is almost irresistible. Central Oregon is prime ground for 3D archery, a fast-growing sport. 3D archery targets are in the shape of animals, birds, or even dinosaurs. The targets are often quite whimsical. Like field archery, 3D archery is set out on a course of 24 targets in similar settings....
RC piloting in Central Oregon is reaching new heights. RC airplanes in simplest terms are model planes that a pilot controls by radio signals. The RC stands for radio control. Alternatively, you might see the term remote control. Technically speaking, radio control is the correct term, but remote control is widely used, and it is not incorrect. Model planes have been around for nearly 100 years, and all forms of model planes and other aircraft fall under the hobby name of...
It was Saturday when The Nugget last visited Josh Smith, co-owner of The Paper Place on South Elm Street. Smith is one of five candidates for Sisters city council. He has never sought nor held public office. His store was crowded with shoppers. "This is the busiest day we've had all summer," Smith said, smiling broadly. "More than the Rodeo. More than the Quilt Show." Indeed, the town was packed with visitors taking in the Glory Daze Car Show Click here to see related story.... Full story
Conditions were all that could be hoped for when the annual Sisters Artist Studio Tour opened its doors Saturday for a two-day stint. Perfect weather, hundreds of leftover visitors on hand from the Glory Daze Car Show (Click here to see related story.), and an impressive lineup of ceramicists, painters, and sculptors - 18 in all, spread over 12 venues. And even as a steady mass wound its way from one studio or gallery to the next, several gallery operators and artists reported... Full story
If you found a parking spot in Sisters Saturday, consider yourself among the lucky. Between the 1,000-plus who marveled at a collection of 95 pristine cars and trucks - some nearly 100 years old - and The Artist Studio Tour, town was wall-to-wall with happy visitors. And if three blocks of automotive artistry weren't enough for car buffs and their tag-alongs, no fewer than 52 vintage Packards rolled into Sisters, an overnight stop on their 1,100-mile road trip through a dozen... Full story
The developer SWD, BUILD and Sisters Habitat for Humanity are collaborating on six future cottage homes in Sisters Woodlands, via a subdivision and cottage development extension on former Lot 175, becoming Lots 175-180. SWD, BUILD and Sisters Habitat have been working together for the last two years culminating in the current construction of four cottages for Habitat. SWD has provided Sisters Habitat with significantly discounted lots, as well as constructed foundations,... Full story
Pedestrians and close- by tenants say the intersection of South Pine Street and West Hood Avenue is regularly the scene of near misses. Though only two recorded accidents in five years have occurred, locals in the adjacent area, and nearly all businesses, have warned that it was only a matter of time until there would be serious injury. The present arrangement - a two-way stop - regulates east and westbound traffic on Hood Avenue. The issue has been brought to the attention... Full story
As summer turns to autumn a new set of risks arises for Sisters Country recreationalists. This is elk rutting time, for example, and the males - bulls - weighing up to 700 pounds can be dangerously aggressive. The elk rut, starting mid-September, is a wild time of year, both for the elk and for onlookers. From a safe vantage point, say 100 or more yards, you can watch the bull attracting, herding, and fighting for his harem. He uses a high-pitch bugle sound to attract cows... Full story
Tumalo Falls Loop Trail appears on just about everybody's top five list of trails within an hour of Sisters. If you've been, you'll likely agree. If you haven't then you should make it a priority. It truly is a gem and one of the most-photographed hikes in all of Oregon. At seven miles, it's not a walk in the park. Neither is it grinding despite its 1,200-foot elevation gain. The ascent is gradual and spaced over 3.5 miles. The sheer beauty of the thick forest and cascading... Full story
While some store owners are reporting record August and year-to-date sales, others may be struggling. "We think as many as five or six stores will not make it past January," said Shaunette White, owner of High Desert Chocolates on West Cascade Avenue. White is also president of the newly formed Sisters Business Association which have 39 members, about half of whom are retail shopkeepers. White thinks those in stress do not get enough local support. By contrast, Sisters Meat... Full story
With only the South Locust Street branch to go, motorists can now get a clear picture, both of what the finished roundabout will look like, and how to navigate it. Access from Cedar Street is also now clear in how it will work. None too soon for Sisters Pumphouse and Country Store, the Union 76 station, and High Camp Taphouse, two businesses who "have taken a beating" owners say. Drivers are confused with how to enter the businesses which have easy-to-miss temporary access. Ci... Full story
