News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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There is a small number of businesses in Sisters that have operated continuously for 50 years. Hair Caché is one of them. On January 1 they will hit that milestone. When opened for business on January 1, 1975, by Mary Norseen, she set up in the back corner of a dentist's office on the southwest corner of North Elm Street and West Main Avenue. There was barely room for her one chair, and not by design but by space limitation, she named it Hair Caché (as in stash). Some 10 y... Full story
Wild turkeys are high on the list of things folks in Sisters Country would like to see less of. "They're a menace, and a safety issue," said Chester Wilcox, who is a regular driver on Camp Polk Road, a hotspot of consternation over the birds. "We get regular complaints about that flock," said Andrew Walch, district biologist for Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) in Bend. The flock in question numbers over 100, and is easily found when visiting the Camp Polk Cemetery... Full story
Sisters woke up to less than an inch of snow last Thursday, but it sat on top of ice for much of the day. The scene repeated itself throughout the weekend. Even seasoned drivers were surprised at how slick the roads were. For several days temperatures barely climbed to a point where the roads completely dried out. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) sanded and sprayed, yet drivers remained frustrated with numerous fender benders, and vehicles sliding into ditches.... Full story
Readers continue to share their favorite celebrations and activities surrounding the holidays and a clear favorite has emerged - baking. Take Mayor Michael Preedin for example. "My favorite holiday tradition is making my grandma's clam dip that is best with wavy potato chips – perfect addition on either Thanksgiving or Christmas Day where grazing on food is encouraged and counting calories is discouraged," he said. City Manager Jordan Wheeler weighed in: "Christmas for me i... Full story
A woman in Cannon Beach was caught by a massive sneaker wave a few weeks ago and nearly washed to sea. The drama was captured on a phone camera by a passerby who coaxed her back to shore as she appeared dazed and disoriented. The video has been viewed some 600,000 times. Such happenings do not stop thousands of Oregonians, many from Sisters Country, from flocking to the coast to witness powerful king tides. The first king tides of the season occurred November 15-17. The next... Full story
Last week's Nugget profiled four children, ranging in age from eight to 15, all in attendance at Sisters schools. Each lives on farmland and raises livestock. Each talked about how they could benefit if the Sisters School District offered an agribusiness or agriscience curriculum, as every other district in central Oregon does. The Nugget talked at length about the possibilities of such a program with Sisters Schools Superintendent Curt Scholl. Scholl appreciated the longing... Full story
BASX Solutions, a leading national manufacturer of modular structures and cleanroom solutions, has leased 27,190 square feet of light industrial space in Three Peaks Industrial Park. The 15.59-acre park sits on the northern section of former Forest Service property, located on the north side of West Barclay Drive and bordered by North Pine Street on the east and the Ponderosa Best Western property on the west side. To the north is Forest Service land, and across Barclay to... Full story
Always a favorite with Sisters Country holiday merrymakers, Sisters High Desert Chorale and Bell Choir will present their winter concert this month. The first of two will be performed Friday, December 13, at 7 p.m. The second will sound off at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 15. Both concerts take place at Sisters Community Church located at 1300 McKenzie Highway in Sisters, where there is plenty of free parking. The concerts themselves are free, but patrons are asked to make a... Full story
Sociologists say that traditions are important to good mental and emotional health, especially related to holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. The Nugget asked around to get a flavor of those rituals important to various readers. Here's what some had to say. About one in three had the same sentiment as Bree Miller: "My favorite Christmas tradition is baking! From traditional sugar cookies to my mom's families' Sandbakkels. Now, with my own children it is something they also... Full story
Owen Christianson is an eighth grader at Sisters Middle School. He's also in business for himself. He breeds sheep - a dozen-plus - only two of which he will enter for show. The rest is agribusiness in microcosm. He comes by it naturally. Both of his parents are self-employed entrepreneurs. They reside on an 80-acre spread spanning both sides of Highway 126 about halfway to Redmond. Christianson wishes there was a vocational agriculture program at Sisters High School, as... Full story
Sisters' signature stallion sculpture will hopefully be back where it belongs in the coming days. The iconic metal art sculpture of a rearing wild stallion near the entrance to downtown on the corner of Cascade and Larch was damaged when a vehicle crashed into it on the night of October 30. It was the second collision involving the beloved art. An 18-year-old driver escaped injury when he fell asleep at the wheel early on the morning of July 7, 2017, and crashed his pickup... Full story
Google "deer caught in Christmas lights" and you will get not hundreds, but thousands of articles, photos, and social media threads discussing the phenomenon. Elk are not immune to the problem either, although deer seem to be the most vulnerable. Given that we share Sisters Country so freely with thousands of mule deer, it has no doubt occurred here and readers will probably let us know. It sounds humorous upon first reading and images and memes can be highly entertaining -... Full story
Snow started piling up above 4,500 feet two weeks ago, to the point where Mt. Bachelor opened to pass holders 12 days ahead of its November 29 plan. There were about 200 skiers Saturday and Sunday at Ski Hoodoo even though the resort is not yet open. With a solid two feet of snow, skiers - primarily from the Valley - trekked the 30-40 minutes to the summit and skied down. Around the bend at Ray Benson Sno-Park, dozens of sledders blasted off in their snowmobiles careful to... Full story
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
