News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 177
A series of local events is set this month to revive some lost appreciation for the Deschutes River watershed -- taken for granted by some of the people who should appreciate it the most: those of us who live right here in Central Oregon. Beginning with a host of events last weekend, Riverfest 2001 was launched with a Mirror Pond Gallery Walk art exhibit and reception; the Bend canoe and kayak Paddlefest; and the ninth annual "Salmon Run" at Drake Park -- a 5K or 10K run to benefit local rivers and native fish habitat.... Full story
Five years in the making, the long-awaited Suttle Lake Resort Master Plan Environmental Assessment (EA) has been completed. The plan calls for a new lodge, an expansion of the acreage of the resort, additional camping cabins and trails. Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony formally presented the detailed EA in a letter inviting one more round of public comment. This announcement marks the third time an EA on the Suttle Lake project has been presented to the public. Analysis of a plan for rehabilitation of the Suttle Lake reso... Full story
At least for now... Despite a much-disputed claim by the Forest Service that the public supports the unpopular forest user fees, the Oregon Legislature has come out firmly against the fee program. State Representative Ben Westlund and several others sponsored House Joint Memorial 15, which clearly declares Oregon's opposition to the forest fees. Westlund, who represents State Representative District 55 -- which includes the Sisters area -- said that the Legislature has made a commitment on this issue. In describing the... Full story
The Forest Service is pleased with the progress toward completion of its spring schedule of controlled burns. The program is designed to reduce wildfire danger in forest areas near Sisters. The work is being coordinated by Mark Rapp, Assistant Fire Management Officer for the Sisters Ranger District. "We have about three-fourths of the work done close to town," said Rapp. That amounts to nearly 700 acres of forest lands that have already been fire-treated. He was apologetic about the smoke produced by the project. "The... Full story
For the first time in recent memory, smoke from a Forest Service controlled burn became so dense on Thursday, April 5, that traffic was stopped along Highway 20. The Forest Service stopped traffic in both directions with emergency vehicles and flaggers three miles west of Sisters, and pilot cars were used for several hours to permit one-way traffic. According to Mark Rapp, Assistant Fire Management Officer for the Sisters Ranger District, the sort of smoke that developed was to be expected, given the conditions that were... Full story
State forester Wayne Rowe is spearheading a fire prevention drive in the Sisters area. A half dozen local fire officials met at the Sisters fire hall last week to discuss what promises to be a challenging fire season. Already, they said, a few small fires have broken out -- and they know that more are on the way. Planning is a key factor at this point in the fire season, but so is prevention. FireFree is a program new to the Sisters area and is one of the tools being promoted by officials this year Contingency plans,... Full story
The burbling waters of ??? Creek? Local activists are working on a plan to restore the health of Squaw Creek. However, if Senate Bill 488 were to become law, "Squaw Creek" would cease to exist altogether. In reality, the creek itself would continue to flow -- but the name would be gone. The change is part of a nationwide movement to end the use of place names bearing the word "squaw." According to some sources, the word "squaw" can be interpreted -- in a Native American language -- as a vulgar anatomical reference and... Full story
Local activists are working on a plan to restore the health of Squaw Creek. However, if Senate Bill 488 were to become law, "Squaw Creek" may cease to exist altogether. In reality, the creek itself would continue to flow -- but the name would be gone. The change is part of a nationwide movement to end the use of place names bearing the word "squaw." According to some sources, the word "squaw" can be interpreted -- in a Native American language -- as a vulgar anatomical reference and derogatory term for a native woman.... Full story
The Forest Service is inviting comment on an extensive vegetation management proposal to "treat" approximately one-third of a 15,000-acre project area west of Sisters. "Treatment" would include logging, thinning, mowing, under-burning, reforestation, road closures and other measures. The McCache Vegetation Management Project, as it is called, is located west and southwest of Black Butte Ranch. The project area comes to within about a mile of the southwest corner of Black Butte Ranch and to within a mile of Cold Springs on... Full story
The Sisters Rodeo, a centerpiece of Sisters life for more than 60 years, has been granted an elevated status by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. This year, the Sisters Rodeo will be an official part of the PRCA summer tour. Sisters Rodeo Association President, Glenn Miller, made the announcement this past week. The PRCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, sanctions a series of rodeos as part of formal summer and winter tours. The rodeo's new status will mean a number of changes. First, it makes it likely... Full story
An Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed expansion of Suttle Lake Resort is slated for completion by early March, according to Bill Anthony, Sisters District Ranger. Recent stories about Suttle Lake have examined the geology, recreational history, fisheries and water quality of the lake. Many people, however, have questions about the EA process itself and how an agency like the U.S. Forest Service goes about the process of making an environmental determination on an issue like this. Forest Service representative Jery... Full story
The preposterous-sounding plan to build an entire house as a school sports fund-raiser was a success -- a big success. As a result, Philip and Leslie Jackson, of Oregon City, will be living on Easy Street. That's the Easy Street located in the Tollgate subdivision just west of town. The Jacksons were the buyers of an Adair home that was constructed under the auspices of a parent group seeking creative new ways to prop up dwindling funds for the Outlaws sports programs at Sisters High School. Meeting for a celebratory dinner... Full story
Deanne Drake, a fisheries biologist, releases salmon fry into the Metolius River. Deanne Drake is a USGS Fisheries Biologist who hopes to reverse an aquatic obituary written before she was born. She and several others have spent the last few weeks carefully spreading the tiny salmon fry through promising habitat near the headwaters of the Metolius. "One third of these fish are from wild stock collected by the Warm Springs Tribe," Drake said. "Another third are from their hatchery stock, and the rest are hybrids."The hybrids... Full story
Deanne Drake, a fisheries biologist, releases salmon fry into the Metolius River. Nearly 100,000 Chinook salmon were seen in the upper reaches of the Metolius River during the last few weeks. Of course, each fish was only about an inch and a half long. Between January 24 and February 7, the tiny fish were released by members of the U.S. Geological Survey, Portland General Electric, and the Warm Springs Tribe. The release is part of an ongoing cooperative study to help determine the potential viability for restoration of... Full story
Some 12,000 years ago, the depression now filled by Suttle Lake was buried under tons of glacial ice. According to Larry Chitwood, Forest Geologist for the Deschutes National Forest, the glacier was more than 300 feet thick at Santiam Pass. Suttle Lake Resort, he said, is built on the terminal moraine of that now-vanished glacier. A moraine is the pile of dirt and rock rubble pushed up at the snout of an advancing glacier. That debris, left behind by the retreating ice, formed a dam that created Suttle Lake. The Forest... Full story
An extremely dry fall is now being coupled with a dry winter, a situation that could lead to an early -- and dangerous -- fire season. In its present condition, the region's bare, frozen ground could pose a problem. Even if spring rains do arrive, the frozen crust could act like a seal on the surface and cause much of the water to be shed without soaking into the dry soil. Still, fire officials are not ready to sound the alarm. Instead, the U.S. Forest Service is taking advantage of a bad situation to accomplish some good,... Full story
Two dozen or more Sisters area residents were among the estimated 40,000 Beaver football fans who made the long trek to Tempe, Arizona, to watch Oregon State University trounce the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame 41-9 in the 30th Annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Assembling 40,000 Beaver fans in one place is no small accomplishment, especially considering that such a number surpasses the entire capacity of Reser Stadium, the Beavers' home field. "I've never been to a game like this in my life," said Sisters area resident Rod... Full story
After a false start earlier this month, Hoodoo ski area is operating with all lifts for the holiday vacation period. Having battled weeks of meager snowfall during the early season, the popular local ski area headed into the post-Christmas week with a snowpack of nearly four feet. Just before Christmas, Hoodoo celebrated by posting a "powder alert" at its website after a very successful first full week of operation. Skiing conditions were quite good all last week. More often than not, skiers were able to ski right up to a... Full story
Nearly 150 persons attended a reception at the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office last week to honor departing members of the staff. Playfully termed "The Last Buffalo Hunt," the guests included the county commissioners, various county and federal officials, the Sheriff's Citizens Advisory Council and many other county residents. Greg Brown, the outgoing sheriff who was defeated last month in his bid for reelection, was upbeat as he prepares to leave office next month. He thanked his staff and expressed pride in their work... Full story
The year was 1972, and a young man named Greg Cazemier was pumping gas in a Roseburg Standard Oil station. He didn't know it, but his life was about to change. Cazemier heard the familiar ding-ding as a car drove over the bell cord into the station; but this encounter turned out to be different from his usual customer interactions. At the wheel was an Oregon State Police trooper in his OSP vehicle. The officer had run into a swarm of bugs and was looking to get his windshield cleaned off. Cazemier obliged. The two men struck... Full story
Last week, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council presented its draft action plan for restoration of Squaw Creek. Two years in the making, the draft is 65 pages long but can be summarized as striving for a collaborative, watershed-wide approach to restore the productivity and character of the stream. Bob Bridgeford, President of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, opened the meeting to public comment and praised the work of the Squaw Creek Stewardship Committee in putting the project together. This was the first in a... Full story
When the Deschutes Basin Land Trust acquired the original site of historic Camp Polk, the primary purpose was to protect and enhance wildlife and fisheries habitat. However, thanks to history and a dedicated group of archaeology buffs, the trust got considerably more in the bargain. "This is a place that was the earliest settled spot in Central Oregon," said Brad Chalfant, Executive Director of the Trust. He went on to praise the contributions by the Archaeological Society of Central Oregon. ASCO is presently in the process... Full story
Nearly 150 persons attended a reception at the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office last week to honor departing members of the staff. Playfully termed "The Last Buffalo Hunt," the guests included the county commissioners, various county and federal officials, the Sheriff's Citizens Advisory Council, and many other county residents. Greg Brown, the outgoing sheriff who was defeated last month in his bid for reelection, was upbeat as he prepares to leave office next month. He thanked his staff and expressed pride in their work... Full story
After a false start earlier this month, Hoodoo ski area is operating with all lifts for the holiday vacation period. Having battled weeks of meager snowfall during the early season, the popular local ski area headed into the post-Christmas week with a snowpack of nearly four feet. Just before Christmas, Hoodoo celebrated by posting a "powder alert" on their website after a very successful first full week of operation. Skiing conditions were quite good all last week. More often than not, skiers were able to ski right up to a... Full story
Last week, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council presented its draft action plan for restoration of Squaw Creek. Two years in the making, the draft is 65 pages long but can be summarized as striving for a collaborative, watershed-wide approach to restore the productivity and character of the stream. Bob Bridgeford, President of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, opened the meeting to public comment and praised the work of the Squaw Creek Stewardship Committee in putting the project together. This was the first in a... Full story
