News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 256 - 276 of 276
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
Under strenuous lobbying last week from AAA Oregon, the Oregon Legislature's Emergency Board has approved spending a $292,600 grant to establish a statewide gasoline testing program. Oregon is currently the only western state that does not test its gasoline. Some local gas dealers feel the testing could benefit the consumer, while others feel it is a waste of money. Money for the testing comes from an $8 million settlement Oregon received from major oil companies which were sued for conspiracy, price fixing and creating an... Full story
The Coyote Creek Cafe & Lounge was snagged last week by relatively new, tougher state food handling procedures. The restaurant was closed for 24 hours on Monday, November 13 for not keeping hot food hot enough, according to owner Eric Metzel. "One item was not up to temperature," Metzel said. The item had been pulled from a cooler and put on the steam table to heat. However, a steam table is designed to keep already hot items hot, not bring them up to temperature, he explained. When tested in a visit by the county... Full story
More than 40 teachers wore T-shirts and three carried signs urging an immediate settlement to wage negotiations during the first part of the November 13 Sisters School Board meeting. Two of the signs read "Settle NOW!" The third said "Compensate EXCELLENCE." Before the meeting, teacher Chuck DeKay said the teacher's union and the board "were closer" to a contract agreement. He declined to give details. "When we met last time (on Wednesday, November 8) the board made an offer and we countered back. I think both sides felt it w... Full story
Voters turned down a $5.5 million bond request from the Sisters School District that would have added eight classrooms to the elementary school, remodeled the old intermediate school for seventh and eighth graders, funded fencing, field irrigation, school labs and maintenance projects. According to Deschutes County Clerk Susie Penhollow, the Sisters school bond was defeated by a vote of 1,087 in favor to 1200 opposed, or 48 percent yes against 52 percent no. School board chairman Bill Reed was disappointed by the close defeat... Full story
About 176 trees mistakenly marked for logging by the Forest Service have been cut and will go to the mill despite protests by the Sisters Forest Planning Committee, a local environmental group. The trees, including 121 with diameters of 21 inches or greater and regarded as "old growth," were sold to Crown Pacific which is currently harvesting the Walla Bear Timber Sale about 10 miles south of Sisters despite furious opposition from Paul Dewey, a Bend lawyer and environmentalist active with the SFPC. The Walla Bear sale was... Full story
A new piece of equipment at the recently rebuilt Tollgate substation cut power to portions of the Sisters area starting at about 10:15 Sunday morning. According to Don Lang, Chief Engineer with Central Electric Cooperative, a differential relay that is designed to detect problems within the substation itself "misoperated" and caused the failure. Crews came from Plainview and Prineville to discover there was no fault in the substation, "so they were able to reset (the relay) and restore power," Lang said. A majority of the... Full story
It was probably not the best decision, and Delmas Rodney Holsapple, 49, would probably do it differently if he had it to do over again. But he doesn't. On Wednesday, October 25, Holsapple was on his way through Sisters with a friend, but nearly out of gas. And out of money. A local gas station sent him over to city hall to pick up a gas voucher, sponsored by a local church. But the vouchers are issued by Sisters Police. They scrutinized the folks who ask for them. Holsapple told police he was on his way to Eugene, where he... Full story
The rumble of log trucks may be heard again in Sisters after a hiatus of nearly three years. The Forest Service hopes to put the 3.58 million board foot Big Bear Timber Sale on the block by the end of December. The Big Bear sale is located on 1,500 acres (with 578 acres actually scheduled for harvest) on Green Ridge just past Bear Spring. It will be the first timber sale of over 1 million board feet on the Sisters Ranger District since the 4.2 million board foot Twin Swamp sale in 1992, according to Alan Heath, Timber... Full story
A quiet game of tug-of-war is going on between teachers in Sisters schools and the Sisters School Board. The teachers have asked for a 6.7 percent pay increase. The school board says money for pay increases is not available without cutting staff and increasing class sizes. Both sides are trying to stay upbeat and calm. There are also some non-monetary issues. The teachers want complaint procedures modified, and what they call "fair share," where all of the teachers "would bear the cost of union representation" by the Oregon... Full story
Mandy (Nason) Mays was on the stand at the Nason trial last week. The defense probed changes in her testimony since May, 1992, when she denied she had ever been shocked with a cattle prod or hit with a bottle by Diane Nason. These are key accusations in the trial of Dennis and Diane Nason on charges of abuse, forgery, manslaughter and racketeering. Mandy (Nason) Mays, 18, was an armless baby girl from the slums of Calcutta when the Nason's brought her to Sisters in 1980. The Nasons argue the adoption of Mandy was an act of Ch... Full story
In 1988 the Metolius River was designated as one of America's wild and scenic rivers. A draft plan to guide use of the river is now at the printer and should be available by the middle of November. According to Tori Roberts, Information assistant with the U.S. Forest Service in Sisters, the draft Environmental Impact Statement contains alternatives for management, including the preferred alternative. The draft EIS also serves as the preliminary document for the Oregon State Scenic Waterway Rules, which apply to private land,... Full story
The U.S. Forest Service will begin trapping and poisoning gophers this month and continue for as long as weather conditions allow, the Sisters Ranger District announced on October 6. However, the project has provoked a local naturalist into vociferous opposition. The project will place traps or poison oats underground in order to reduce the number of gophers within about 2,000 acres of tree plantations located south of Sisters, in the Metolius Basin and on Green Ridge, according to project manager Dave Moyer. In these areas... Full story
The push is on by law enforcement professionals to build a 65-bed juvenile justice center in Deschutes County. The $14.4 million project would include two new courtrooms, a new sheriff's office, new community corrections facilities and additional court space. The bond issue will be on the November 7 vote-by-mail election. Ballots are to be sent out at the end of October. According to information provided by justice center backers, the proposed levy rate will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $15 per year (the actual amo... Full story
The following is not strictly a "news story." It includes impressions beyond words spoken in the courtroom. Sometimes, facts can obscure the truth. Reader beware. On Thursday last week Diane Nason sat on the stand in a Bend courtroom and answered questions from her own attorney. This was her chance to answer allegations the state has made against Diane's "Celebration Family." The state is alleging that the "Celebration Family" was a not a family at all but instead a criminal enterprise set up to bilk the good hearted out of... Full story
The following is not, in the strict sense, a news story. It includes impressions beyond words spoken in the courtroom. Sometimes, facts can obscure the truth. Reader be warned. The Nason trial is coming to an end. After more than 200 witnesses, with more than 89,000 pages of discovery and an exhibit list that runs into the thousands, Diane Nason is set to take the stand this week. It's about time. Central Oregon's suburb of "Simpsoncity," which is how one writer refers to the circus in Los Angeles, may actually be over... Full story
Sisters residents have flooded city hall with complaints over recent water bills. Meters now measure nearly every gallon and once-emerald lawns have withered to a parched brown. "Everybody is upset. The city council is upset," acknowledged City Administrator Barbara Warren on Friday, September 15. The new meters are the result of improvements to the Sisters water supply system over the last couple of years. The new reservoir and supply lines under city streets were partially paid for through state and federal grants and... Full story
