News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 268
Library volunteers Dorthy Davis (L.) and Evelyn Brittingham (R.) study proposed library designs. photo by Conrad Weiler Planning for Sisters' new library building is marching forward after the Wednesday, November 12, "family" meeting at the current facility. About 30 Advisory Council, Friends of the Library, staff and volunteers heard Peg Bermel, Sisters Library manager, and Todd Dunkelberg, Assistant Director, Deschutes Public Library System (DPLS), describe the present course of library planning. Bermel told her audience th... Full story
Ryan Houston (L.) discusses Squaw Creek restoration with ornithologist Norma Funai. photo by Conrad Weiler Ryan Houston took his audience on a 38-mile virtual tour of Squaw Creek at last week's Central Oregon community College Lunch and Learn session. Running from the Three Sisters Wilderness through Sisters, out to Alder Springs and finally into the Deschutes River, the creek's course is both literally and figuratively difficult. Its name is no longer politically correct; its fish populations have dwindled and its flows are... Full story
Home building is moving at a rapid pace in the Camp Sherman area. photo by Conrad Weiler Following trends in Bend, Redmond and Sisters, Camp Sherman is also experiencing growth in housing starts and remodels. While attention has been focused on the expansion of Lake Creek Lodge, there has been plenty of building activity in the residential resort community. The residential area at Metolius Meadows has had six new homes in construction plus two major remodels over the last year. Seven-day workweeks are quite common for... Full story
Some of the existing cabins at Lake Creek Lodge. photo by Conrad Weiler Plans to expand Camp Sherman's Lake Creek Lodge cleared a major hurdle on Thursday, October 16, as Jefferson County Commissioners Mary Zemke, Bill Bellamy and Chairperson Walt Ponsford voted unanimous approval of the expansion plan and denial of an appeal brought by Friends of the Metolius (FOM). "We are very pleased with the decision," said Lake Creek Lodge owner Gordon Jones. He and his brother Jeff Jones hope to start Phase I of the $10-million... Full story
Despite anticipation by both proponents and foes, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners made no decision last week on the appeal brought by The Friends of the Metolius (FOM) against the proposed Lake Creek Lodge expansion proposal. Commissioners Mary Lemke, Bill Bellamy and Chairperson Walt Ponsford continued deliberations on Thursday afternoon, October 9, at their regular meeting in Madras. There had been two previous meetings for input by both sides. Brothers Gordon and Jeff Jones are proposing the addition of 23 new... Full story
Pancakes and camraderie were the order of the day at a Camp Sherman breakfast. photo by Conrad Weiler Camp Sherman's historic Community Hall overflowed with nearly 200 celebrants for a Saturday evening "Survivor Fest" potluck on October 11. One of the largest crowds in recent Camp Sherman history enjoyed a large variety of salads, pasta dishes, fish, meats and eye-catching desserts. Friends and neighbors shared many hugs and stories over the evening. After dinner Toni Foster, a member of the Camp Sherman Hasty Team Search... Full story
The Quinn sisters enjoy Sisters in Sisters. photo by Conrad Weiler The sixth annual Sisters in Sisters (SiS) Celebration brought together well over 200 women last weekend for camaraderie and entertainment. Moms, sisters, cousins and friends found a bevy of choices of activities awaiting them for their three-day gathering. The Sisters community tent was set up across the street from the library on Main Avenue and served as home base for participants. Inside, an inviting array of wicker chairs was available for conversations... Full story
Jennifer Bock, an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife fish biologist, helps students dissect a kokanee salmon. photo by Conrad Weiler Taking full advantage of last week's fine fall weather, groups of seventh grade students from Sisters Middle School trekked along the Metolius River to view ancient kokanee spawning activities. Every year, at this time, kokanee spawn in this area and then die. In a program sponsored by Oregon Trout's environmental education program, Salmon Watch, students visited Riverside Campground area... Full story
Sen. Ben Westlund discusses legislative actions with Bob and Carol Illinik at COCOA luncheon. photo by Conrad Weiler The state of the State is not too good, according to State Senator Ben Westlund. The Republican Senator for the 27th District reviewed recent legislative activities with a large crowd at last week's COCOA (Central Oregon Council On Aging) luncheon held at Sisters Community Church on Tuesday, September 23. Among the problems highlighted were a state budget of $12.3 billion that lost $2.2 billion due to a... Full story
Bethanne Kronick. photo by Conrad Weiler Camp Sherman resident Bethanne Kronick is a championship rower. She and teammate Evelyn Hamann, from Portland, hold the world record (19:09.36) for the Head of the Charles three-mile race in their age category (40-47). They set this record in the Boston area's Charles River in 2000. They are training for this year's event to be held in October. "This is the biggest rowing event in the world," said Kronick from her Camp Sherman home. "We hope to better our record this year." Local... Full story
Becky Johnson (center) listens to question from the audience as Jean Nave and Dennis Tooley assist. photo by Conrad Weiler Ninety-year-old Becky Johnson kept her audience rapt for nearly two hours at last week's Historical Society/Friends of Black Butte Ranch meeting, reliving her experiences living on 160 acres located near the Head of the Metolius. Johnson covered political, environmental and family history for her audience with pictures, newspaper articles and a sharp memory. Commenting on the one-acre plus scenic... Full story
The latest phase in the continuing saga of Camp Sherman's Lake Creek Lodge expansion project played out at the Jefferson County Commissioners meeting last week. Friends of the Metolius (FOM) and Toni Foster, head of FOM, have appealed Gordon and Jeff Jones' expansion plan. That plan was presented to the Camp Sherman Local Area Council (LAC) and met the approval of the Jefferson County Planning Commission (voting 6-0). The applicants reviewed all aspects of their project for Commissioners Bill Bellamy, Mary Lempke and... Full story
Plans for a new Sisters Library got a boost last week. Meeting in the La Pine Library, the Deschutes Public Library System (DPLS) Board approved borrowing $1.4 million to supplement the $240,000 in its reserve fund to finance the new Sisters Library project. Michael Gaston, DPLS director, reminded the board that the budget is tight but DPLS will create a quality library in Sisters. The board selected architect Rich Turi for the project. Turi completed the La Pine branch library in 2000 for DPLS. Turi also designed libraries... Full story
The approval of an expansion plan for Camp Sherman's Lake Creek Lodge has been appealed to the Jeffer- son County Board of Commissioners. Eugene attorney Bill Kloos filed the appeal on behalf of Friends of the Metolius and Toni Foster. Lake Creek Lodge, established in 1935, currently has 17 cabins and a lodge in operation. Brothers Gordon and Jeff Jones have proposed an expansion project that would add 24 additional cabins, a new meeting hall and a new septic sewage system. They brought the project up for discussion at an... Full story
Bill Helm (left), Postmaster Karen Sheldahl, Jim Sternberg, Ellen Wood and Tinkerbell relax outside the Camp Sherman Post Office. photo by Conrad Weiler Camp Sherman may be kin to the rural hinterlands, but it's got its very own zip code (97730) -- and its own post office, run by Postmaster Karen Sheldahl. In fact, postal services go back over a century in this tiny, rural community. Early service was offered at the site of the present Allingham Guard Station from 1893 to 1896 and services in the area may have been offered... Full story
Thursday, August 21, 10 a.m. Large billowing smoke clouds rising high to the west can be seen from Camp Sherman this morning. Ash has coated much of the local area. Several residents have voluntarily evacuated, hanging white towels from their entry signposts to alert rescue workers and firefighters that their home is vacant. However, according to Christy Donham of Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch, while "trigger points" for evacuation are being established, Camp Sherman is not on a pre-evacuation notice. "I would say... Full story
Doug Gyllenskog. photo by Conrad Weiler Doug Gyllenskog, who works at Camp Sherman's garbage transfer station, was missing for a few weeks late last month while on vacation from his volunteer job. "I went back to Nyssa where I grew up as a young boy," said the former ODOT manager who has retired in Camp Sherman. "This was their 100-year birthday celebration and I got to see my mother who still lives there. Nyssa is on the Oregon-Idaho border just below Ontario. At age three, Doug and his family moved there from Utah when his... Full story
Tom Landis won yet more races at Elk Lake last month. photo courtesy of Dean Potter. Camp Sherman's Tom Landis notched three wins at Elk Lake last month. Competing in the Masters 5,000-meter Open Water National Championships, held the last weekend in July, Landis took first place in the 60-64 age group with a winning time of 1:12:58. Thirteen states sent over 150 swimmers to the competition with Virginia being the furthest state competing in the championship weekend. Besides his 5,000-meter win, Landis also took first place... Full story
Gary Albertson works in a new computer lab. photo by Conrad Weiler Rising like a phoenix, the new Sisters COCC computer lab is ready to go for the fall quarter with new computers. Due to budgetary restraints, the COCC local office closed operations in Sisters this past June. Community Education classes will still be offered locally. A variety of 39 classes are scheduled in Sisters and lists may be obtained at the Sisters Library. The popular computer classes are still quartered in the same building at 160 S. Oak St., and shou... Full story
Kitty Warner, Jean Anderson, Mary Fraser, and Lou Reznicsek (L.- R.) share memories of school days at Black Butte School. photo by Conrad Weiler Four Black Butte School students held a reunion last week on the site of their former school in Camp Sherman. Jean (Zevely) Anderson, Mary (Zevely) Fraser, Lou (Henrichs) Reznicsek, and Kitty (Bruns) Warner toured the site, fondly remembering the 1940-41 year when they were classmates in the one-room Camp Sherman school. This was the site of the second of three Black Butte schools... Full story
Rick Gottdenker (right) and Marilyn Richter (left, behind table) describe fly rods. photo by Conrad Weiler Bring together fly-fishing enthusiasts, fine weather, a nearby wild and scenic river, good food, bamboo rods, a mellow crowd and you have the makings of a fine weekend. And that describes the second annual Bamboo Rod and Fly Fishing fair held at Camp Sherman's historic Community Hall on Saturday, July 26. During the all-day event, several hundred people visited the vendor booths and displays set up on the grassy area... Full story
Brad Smith (right) works with his son Austin. photo by Conrad Weiler Sisters' popular Paulina Springs Book Company has a new owner, Brad Smith. "We have a pre-selected offering of books," said Smith. "Avid readers find a great selection of books on various topics and brief reviews by our sales staff." No immediate changes are planned, according to the new owner. "I'd like to acquaint myself with the community and the store over the summer and decide what's best after that exposure," he said. "It's been a delight to meet... Full story
Sandra Chalk admires the plaque listing Camp Sherman Community Hall on National Historic Register. photo by Conrad Weiler Camp Sherman's Community Hall has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the Interior Department of the United States. Lorie Hancock and Tonye Philips, members of the Camp Sherman Community Association (CSCA), spearheaded the drive over the last year to bring about this national acknowledgment and listing of the venerable building, completed in 1949. Work started in the late 1940s to... Full story
Camp Sherman landowner Irwin Holzman won approval for an irrigation diversion project from the Jefferson County planning commissioners on a 6-0 vote at their meeting earlier this month. The project, located on the north fork of Lake Creek, had won unanimous approval at last month's Local Area Council meeting held in Camp Sherman (The Nugget, June 11, page 8). It also received approval from county planning staff. The project was vigorously opposed at the meeting by David and Mary Richenstein who own property adjacent to... Full story
Firefighters quickly doused a brush fireon Sunday near Lake Creek Lodge in Camp Sherman. photo by Conrad Weiler Local firefighters quickly subdued a small brush fire in Camp Sherman Sunday, July 13. The fire was located behind Cabin 17 on the northeast section of the 42-acre property located off Road 1419. Cause of the fire is still under investigation. Barbara Sufficool, cook at Lake Creek Lodge, was walking her dog when she spotted the fire shortly before 11 a.m. She alerted Velda Brust, who telephoned 9-1-1 and reported... Full story
