News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 502
Most folks in Sisters Country know that there's public bus service to Bend and Redmond. They're often surprised to learn that it's free, until further notice. Even at no charge, ridership remains flat. There are three buses a day, Monday through Friday, between Sisters and Redmond (Route 28) and three between Sisters and Bend (Route 29). Both routes are timed to coincide with common work schedules. The two morning buses from Redmond, where many Sisters workers live, arrive in... Full story
The BBC in London, often criticized for perceived pro-Hamas leanings, ran a story last week headlined: “Israel Gaza: Hamas raped and mutilated women on 7 October, BBC hears” The subhead ran as follows: “The BBC has seen and heard evidence of rape, sexual violence and mutilation of women during the 7 October Hamas attacks.” Meanwhile on college campuses across the U.S. and the world, thousands of students, many carrying Palestinian flags or wearing a keffiyeh (Arab headgea... Full story
Under new conductor Irene Liden's leadership, 48 singers took the stage last Friday and Sunday for the High Desert Chorale's annual choral concert held at Sisters Community Church. They were joined by the Octave, eight bellringers led by Lola Knox, who also was the percussionist for the songfest. They put up five pieces before intermission and seven after. The opening work, "Exultate Justi," an enthusiastic song by John Williams, showed that Liden and her ensemble were going... Full story
Does your dog really need a coat just because it's winter? Sisters routinely gets overnight lows in the single digits and commonly sees temps in the teens much of November through March. With the change in the seasons, out come the canine jackets, some quite stylish and color coordinated to match the dog's coat. But are they necessary? It depends, say the experts. It has little to do with the temperature and much to do with your dog's coat. The AKC (American Kennel Club) has... Full story
This year more than 2,000 tree permits will be issued by the Forest Service's District Ranger office in Sisters. Add to that another 1,000-plus for permits purchased online at recreation.gov, and Sisters will benefit by more than 10,000 persons hunting trees in our nearby woods. Each permit generally has four persons attached to it; usually families with young children. The permits, only $5, are a drop in the bucket to the agency's annual revenue budget, which includes permits... Full story
Thirty-three films were released in U.S. theaters December 1. The number may surprise you with all the talk of the Hollywood writer's strike that went on for months. But these films, like nearly all, had been in the works for years. It takes that long from concept to financing to production to release for a movie to make it to the screen. One of the 33 is "Eileen," which had its limited release in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles on December 1 and which will open "wide" Frida... Full story
Cutting trees in the forest turned out to be more of an adventure than four Sisters Country families imagined. A group of about 20 headed toward Round Lake last week in search of the perfect Christmas tree, an annual tradition. After completing the mission and bagging four handsome specimens, the families gathered around a bonfire. From out of the shadows, at first cowering, appeared a dog, not one of the five belonging to the tree hunters. The dog, a bit worse for wear, was... Full story
Mother Nature filled every wish Saturday for the first Holiday Palooza put on by Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). Under sun-drenched, crystal blue skies, around 3,000 turned out for the first half of the double-feature event - a parade with 29 entries. The long-held holiday parade, which in years past traveled eastbound on Hood Avenue, switched up and moved westbound on Main Avenue. The sun warmed paradegoers in their mittens, parkas, and knit caps, as temperatures h... Full story
If you have put off winterizing, you might be on borrowed time, experts say. With nearly 25 days of sub-freezing temperatures already under Sisters' belt, those pesky winterizing chores are calling, and you must go. And it's not just the yard and garden. There are the crawl space vents, screen removal, animal feeders, hose removal, chimney sweeping, and perhaps more. Of course not removing screens will have no bearing on your heating bills; it's mostly a cosmetic ritual. But... Full story
It's not yet December and there have already been more than a dozen nights of sub-freezing temperatures. A handful of nights dropped into the teens. Failing to obtain approval of its application to operate an emergency shelter, the Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS) is redirecting its resources and partnering with other community groups and volunteers to prevent those living in the forest or their vehicles from injury or death. They are at the center of a confederation of hom... Full story
As we hit the peak holiday travel season, and with more and more fliers taking their pets along whenever they travel, frustration mounts with navigating airline policies. Veterinarians are generally not enthusiastic about pets on airplanes. Nor are professional trainers. "Traveling with your pet seems like a dream come true," said Sabrina Kong, a veterinarian and contributor to the site WeLoveDoodles. "But often, it's more of a human dream - and a pet nightmare." She said,... Full story
The highly popular Whychus Creek Scenic Overlook Trail, just 5.5 miles from town, is getting a new look thanks to a grant of $37,152 from Visit Central Oregon. Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) is adding cash and in-kind donations of $16,104 for a project total of $53,256. The work, originally hoped for completion by fall, is now anticipated to be finished this winter in time for the busy spring and summer tourist season. The one-mile circular trek to the viewpoint is renowned for... Full story
Timing is always tricky with a weekly publication. Take Halloween this year, on a Tuesday, literally the day when The Nugget is rolling off the press on its way to Sisters. So, no way to capture freshly the excitement of the annual children's parade put on by Sisters Park & Recreation District and Rotary Club of Sisters. Reporting on it would be eight days later, by then old news. Veteran's Day is always November 11, but local observances fell during the week, so they would... Full story
Funding has fallen short for improvements to Barclay Drive where it runs through the Sisters Industrial Park. In its 156-page Transportation System Plan (TSP) adopted by City Council in December of 2021, the Public Works Department planned to improve Barclay Drive from Locust Street on the east to Pine Street on the west. The improvements between Pine and Locust streets were to include a three-lane cross section, curb and gutter, 10-foot concrete sidewalks, stormwater... Full story
A look at the price board at area firewood sellers is not for the faint of heart. Your basic cord of pine is going to cost you $260 to $295 plus a delivery and/or stacking fee depending on your location and quantity ordered. Fancy some juniper? That’ll run you upwards of $360. It’s no wonder then that many a log burner will head to the Deschutes National Forest to save a bundle. The vast majority in Sisters Country will stop by the Sisters Ranger District headquarters and obt... Full story
The market for single family homes in Sisters Country remains depressed as compared to the heady 2021 sales picture. Sales for September and October of this year are eerily similar to the same months for 2022 – a stagnation of sorts as buyers retreat in light of 30-year fixed mortgage rates that sat Friday at a breathtaking 8.09% having exceeded 8.5% two weeks earlier. These are the highest rates since November of 2000. The table to the right gives an overview of t... Full story
Several users of the Sisters Recycling Center are raising objection to the seeming lack of good housekeeping in recent weeks and months at the facility on Sisters Park Drive. "Recent?" scoffed Emmy Burnham, when The Nugget stopped to ask users their impressions. "It's almost always like this." The Recycling Center was a scene of overflowing bins, blowing debris, and rickety stacks of discarded petroleum products, mostly motor oil. The area of greatest concern is not in plain... Full story
Citing concerns related to patient care, access, and affordability, St. Charles Health System is evaluating its participation in all Medicare Advantage plans, including those from Humana, PacificSource, HealthNet, and WellCare, the regional health care provider said in a notice to its patients and caregivers in August. However, the news is now coming as a surprise to many. St. Charles continues to accept original (or traditional) Medicare, which is funded and operated by the... Full story
The long wait is over. Readers and library users of all ages gathered Saturday in brisk temperatures at the doors of the Sisters Library for its grand reopening celebration. By noon, when the dedication began, more than 100 were on hand. Throughout the afternoon hundreds more streamed in to see firsthand the significant upgrades to the 8,300-square-foot, 18-year-old structure. The renovated library was six years in planning and nine months under construction. Among the... Full story
Homeschooling is on the rise nationally and in Oregon, and thus one might assume that to be true for Sisters Country children. In fact, the numbers of homeschooled kids within the Sisters School District has been nearly impossible to determine, according to those with a vested interest in knowing the number. Curt Scholl, Sisters schools superintendent, is frustrated, as his team is currently trying to count the number. Homeschooling in Sisters is regulated by High Desert... Full story
Peter Hoover has been appointed permanent executive director for Habitat for Humanity, having served as its local interim director for the past several months. At the same time, the Sisters affiliate of the international organization, which works in all 50 states and more than 70 countries and has helped over 46 million persons with affordable shelter, is seeking to reshape its purpose. Habitat is best known for building homes with volunteer labor and donated supplies or... Full story
In a scene resembling "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," members of the Gambler 500 roared into Sisters Sunday and weeded out no fewer than eight abandoned cars and two burnt-out RVs, the latter within sight of Ponderosa Lodge and residents on North Pine Street. It was a herculean effort that took dozens of volunteers with some heavy equipment and a twenty-yard dumpster thrown in. A convoy of eccentric and wild-looking cars cruised onto the Deschutes National Forest immediately wes... Full story
After both Wyoming and Montana gave an emphatic no, Oregon has agreed to allow the capture and transport of 10 wolves to Colorado in December. A year-end date was set for Colorado's wolf reintroduction program created by Proposition 114, which Colorado voters passed in 2020 in a hotly contested vote - 50.91 percent to 49.09 percent. Colorado initially thought it could reestablish its wolf population with wolves from populous habitat in the Greater Yellowstone region, which is... Full story
“The bottom line is, we’re out of money,” said Oregon Transportation Commissioner Julie Brown following a meeting this summer. The Commission reviewed an updated finance plan draft for the projects slated for funding by tolls. The current plan includes the possibility of dipping into funds set aside for projects scheduled for the next three years. The Locust Street roundabout will not be affected by the funding crisis as the monies have been allocated and secured by prior... Full story
Julia Huni, also known to readers as Lia Huni, came to Sisters in 2008 with her husband, following retirement from the military. They drove 8,000 miles in their RV, exploring where they might put down roots - and then settled on Sisters. It was 10 years later that Huni published her first book following a lifelong love of reading and a lot of prodding from her sister. The Nugget met Huni at her home where she works. Her schedule, which she mostly keeps, has her writing... Full story
