News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 236 - 260 of 276
When dollars are short, it's important to have sensible priorities. In a public school district, where different parents want different things for their children of differing abilities, setting priorities is a complicated task. A parent walked into The Nugget a few weeks ago, wanting to know why his child had to share a Spanish book. Apparently there are Spanish books for only about half the seventh and eighth graders taking Spanish this year. "This means our child has to travel in order to share the book. It takes time out... Full story
You can't tell many people they don't look a day over 70 and mean it as a compliment. Clifton Clemens doesn't, and he turned 90 on March 6. What has he learned in 90 years? "You learn how short 90 years can be, for one thing," Clifton replied. He paused, and in a more serious vein added, "The friends that you make are certainly important. They become a part of you." Clifton, who owns the Sisters Airport, remembered the first time he saw an airplane, in Iowa. It was in 1912, four years after the Wright brothers flew. He was... Full story
There are kids in Sisters getting drunk. Others use other drugs: pot, crank and LSD. While most will survive, some will kill themselves or others, especially if they are driving. Can anything be done? Probably not. Teen-agers have been getting drunk for hundreds of years, and parents, many of whom got drunk themselves (and used drugs, and survived) as teens, have been worried about it. Not that much has changed through the generations. Adults often send children mixed messages about whether it is appropriate to use drugs,... Full story
The signs are up and the new speed limit of 40 miles-per-hour is in effect on the McKenzie Highway between the Sisters Middle/High School and downtown Sisters. Because a speed zone investigation conducted by the Oregon Department of Transportation determined that the McKenzie Highway is engineered for a 55 mph limit, the lower 40 mph limit will be in force for two years and reviewed every six months for effectiveness. Local law enforcement agencies will issue warnings for a "reasonable amount of time" until drivers can... Full story
A thorough search of follicle forest was conducted at the Sisters Middle/High School as school officials attempted to curtail an outbreak of head lice. Two students were discovered to have head lice on Wednesday, February 21. A couple more showed up with the critters the next day, and a couple more the day after that, according to school officials. Lice are caught either through direct contact or indirect contact such as the sharing of clothing, combs, brushes, ribbons or earphones. While lice do not jump or fly, they can cra... Full story
Last Saturday, March 2 was a beautiful day to go flying, so a group of men put skis on their planes and lifted off a field about eight miles east of Sisters for a short spin. Without their feet leaving the ground. These pilots fly radio-controlled model airplanes. And while one member said the group was made up of "a bunch of rascals playing with toys," these model aircraft represent a serious hobby for the 20 members of the Cascade Flyers. After all, it can take hundreds of hours to build one of these airplanes. Flyer Lynn O... Full story
Brent Steven Sherman Sr., 46, the subject of an Oregon State Police raid in Sisters in 1994, will return to central Oregon from federal prison in Lompoc, California to face charges for other crimes which allegedly occurred in 1995. Sherman had been paroled to Oregon after serving time for a Portland bank robbery, said his former parole officer. According to court records, Sherman will enter a plea on March 11 to charges of possession of methamphetamine, robbery, burglary, carrying and unlawful use of a dangerous weapon,... Full story
The two finalists in the Sisters School District's search for a new superintendent will be at the Sisters Middle/High School on Sunday, February 25, from 1 - 4 p.m. to meet with staff, parents and the community. "This will be an opportunity to come meet the two finalists in our superintendent search," said School Board Chairman Bill Reed. "We have two strong candidates." Steve Swisher was assistant superintendent at Eagle Point, enrollment 3,700, from 1988-90. In 1990 he was selected as the superintendent of the South Lane... Full story
After five years of battling the State of Oregon, Diane and Dennis Nason have no idea what the next five years will bring. A week after they each received a sentence of 60 days in jail and community service for convictions of racketeering and forgery (See story on page 1), Diane is still somewhat defiant. Dennis is stoic. Both are uncertain what they will do after their "debt to society," as Diane ironically puts it, is paid for forging medical certificates for children as the family imploded under the pressure of collapsing... Full story
Drenching rains and accelerated snow melt became a torrent that severed Highway 20 about 10 miles west of Sisters above Suttle Lake, starting about 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 7. A gaping wound was cut into the major artery linking Sisters to the western portion of Oregon. Cinders and sand beneath that section of road were quickly eroded by the same deluge that caused tremendous flooding throughout Oregon and Washington. "It was like somebody shooting a fire hose into a sand pile," said Pat Creedican, District Manager... Full story
The Sisters Ranger District has invited public comment on proposals to manage the Jack Creek and Canyon Creek drainage of the Metolius River. At least one environmentalist believes the plan invites ecological disaster. A 30-day comment period began February 12 and will run through Friday, March 12. The proposed action would cover approximately 4,000 acres including clear-cuts (some greater than 40 acres) and thinning in ponderosa and Douglas fir stands where "the number of trees per acre is too high to sustain the forest at... Full story
Drivers will need to slow down between the Sisters Middle/High School and the City of Sisters. The speed limit on that section of the McKenzie Highway will drop from 55 to 40 m.p.h. by the end of March. According to Laurie Gould, public affairs representative of the Highway Division of the State Department of Transportation, the speed limit change was approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission on August 16, 1995. The lower limit will be introduced in recognition of "increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic at a nearby... Full story
Tightening budgets may force the Sisters School District to accommodate enrollment growth simply by putting more students in every classroom. Figures developed by school business manager Earl Armbruster indicate that even with no growth in student population, programs may be cut as soon as next year just to meet current financial obligations. The Sisters Middle/High School is out of room at 550 students. The elementary school will hit its 600 student capacity in the next couple of years. The school board and a long range... Full story
A wet, sloppy slush storm blew through Sisters and the rest of Central Oregon last week, snarling some roads, closing others and proving how capricious weather in Central Oregon can be. Sometimes it rained. Sometimes it snowed. Frequently it did both. The Santiam Pass went to a conditional closure on Saturday, with manned blockades preventing any vehicle without chains from traveling the dangerous highway which has taken five lives since Christmas. Despite the weather, or more probably because of it and drivers being much... Full story
Judge Michael Sullivan has denied motions for a new trail for Diane and Dennis Nason. The Nasons were convicted of forgery and racketeering last November after the longest and probably most expensive jury trial in Oregon's history. The trial followed the collapse of the Nason family of more than 70 adopted children, many with severe disabilities, from around the world. The Nasons were acquitted of charges related to the deaths of three of those children. The forgery and racketeering guilty verdicts were for falsification of... Full story
In a frankly honest press release delivered January 22, Barry Slaughter announced that he will not run for re-election to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. Slaughter cited continuing difficulties from a traffic accident that nearly killed him on January 14, 1993, when he was returning on icy roads from county business in La Pine and slid into the path of a log truck. "I have not been the same since that January day. There were some tough times with blackouts, loss of short-term memory and other problems. I've... Full story
The Oregon Secretary of State has cleared Deschutes County Commissioners of charges that public funds were spent to support the recent bond to construct a new juvenile detention facility. The "Final Determination of Possible Violation of Oregon Election Law," was mailed to the county commissioners and Charles L. Horlacher on December 14 by Brenda Bayes of the Secretary of State's office. Horlacher had alleged that the commissioners "may have spent public funds for a bond issue in the November 7, 1995 election." While the... Full story
In a story that could be a classic in its own right, the Keith Cyrus family of Sisters found an angel just before Christmas who loaned them money they needed to prevent final default and loss of the Aspen Lakes subdivision two miles east of Sisters. Escrow on the loan closed on December 22. The final default deadline was December 31. A sheriff's foreclosure sale was scheduled for January 2. The loan was made to the Cyruses by DGF Investment Company of Salem. Other than that, the principals of DGF Investment "prefer not to be... Full story
Finally, and just barely, Hoodoo Ski Area opened on Sunday. "We got some snow at the tail end of the windstorm and it snowed all day Thursday," said Hoodoo General Manager Mike Obymako. "We have up to 18 inches on the stake (used to measure snowfall)." While Hoodoo likes to have 24 inches on the slopes before they open all the ski runs, what they did have was enough to open the Manzanita and Red chair lifts. The trail from the top of Manzanita over to the Red chair was also open. "We are hoping by the end of next week to... Full story
The Sisters School Board has ratified a two-year agreement that gives teachers a net 2.5 percent salary increase for the current school year,'94-'95, and an additional three percent in '95-'96. Teachers also won "fair share," under which the district will collect union dues from all teachers whether or not they belong to the union, according to board chairman Bill Reed. The board gained some restrictions on when personal leave may be used. For example, personal leave will not be automatically granted for the first week after... Full story
The weather has given us some bad roads in the last couple of weeks, and proof that having four-wheel-drive does not suspend the laws of physics. Losing control of your vehicle on the ice can give you and whatever you hit a seriously unpleasant afternoon. This has been demonstrated over and over again in Central Oregon since the snow began on December 5, sometimes with tragic results. Some are new to winter conditions, others have perhaps forgotten the basics, so The Nugget reprints here some driving tips from the Oregon... Full story
Despite a sheriff's sale announced for January 2, 1996, there have been no significant changes for the Aspen Lakes golf course/home site development just east of Sisters. The Keith Cyrus family, doing business as KMB Enterprises, still has until December 31 to pay creditors about $1 million owed on the 1,000 acres on either side of Camp Polk Road along the Redmond Highway. As far as securing a loan, Keith Cyrus said there are "a lot of flaky people out there," and people "we thought were coming through have not." Cyrus said... Full story
Although acquitted of manslaughter and negligence charges after the longest and most expensive jury trial in the history of Oregon, Dennis and Diane Nason have filed for a new trial on the charges of forgery and racketeering of which they were found guilty on November 22. According to David Glenn, attorney for Diane Nason, the motions contend that there was insufficient evidence for a guilty verdict on the forgery charges, and if the forgery charges do not hold up the racketeering charge must be dismissed as well. Valerie... Full story
It's been a balmy November, without much snow in the mountains. While that may be good for travelers over the Santiam Pass, it is not good for the Hoodoo Ski Area or those who work there. No snow, no jobs, no money. On Monday, November 27, a recent storm had left about 12 to 14 inches of snow on the ground, according to Hoodoo General Manager Mike Obymako. It was still snowing, but a warm front was expected later this week that could further delay the opening of Sisters' neighborhood ski area until after this weekend. Hoodoo... Full story
In an overcrowded court room, Diane and Dennis Nason were acquitted on November 22, 1995, of charges that they contributed to the deaths of three of their children, physically abused and neglected others and stole from contributors to their nationally recognized "Celebration Family." All seats were filled by about 9:30 a.m. and it was standing room only when the verdict was read shortly after 10 a.m. Present were former Nason children who had accused their parents of misdeeds, supporters of those children, Nason children in... Full story
