News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 52
My children hardly remembered when their grandmother had hair. Her body was ravaged by five years of chemotherapy, and her spirit waned with each round of treatments. Her doctor finally uttered the words we had long dreaded: "There's nothing more we can do." So she contacted Compassion & Choices. My mother did not want to die in the manner of many ovarian-cancer victims, suffering from complications of bowel obstruction. She dreaded the indignities of an invalid: bedpans and dependence, and drugs that rendered her sharp mind... Full story
In the future when Sisters residents summon the law, a Deschutes County Sheriff's deputy may respond to the call, rather than a Sisters police officer. On September 25, Sheriff Greg Brown, a long-time Sisters-area resident, outlined key elements of a proposed contract between the city and county, while saying that he preferred to think of the proposal as a "partnership." Brown said, "The immediate question that comes to people's mind is: Will there be a loss of local control with a merger? The answer is: No. The proposed... Full story
In the year 2003, 108 cabin owners along the Metolius River may pay sharply higher fees for their special use permit land leases from the Forest Service. According to Jeff Sims of the Sisters Ranger District, the process of reappraising the value of the leased land will begin in 1999, and fee increases will be effective in 2003. "The fee for each lease is 5 percent of the appraised value of the lot," said Sims. "There are rumors about how high appraised values could go, but appraised value is based on the value of similar... Full story
Sisters students unable to cope with the academic or social pressures of high school have an alternative to dropping out. The district's "Flex School" is designed for students 16 years old and over. Flex School students are given individualized curriculum and instruction, enabling them to earn a high school diploma or high school equivalency degree. Its saved some students from falling completely out of the system "Over the last year there have probably been at least 10 - 12 students who went to the Flex School and continued... Full story
The Sisters Ranger District hopes to log 17 acres near the Pole Creek Trailhead about 10 miles southwest of Sisters. The agency plans to log only dead or dying trees, but at least one local environmental group is concerned. Last June 18, a wildfire swept through the 17 acre area. The Forest Service believes it can log 150,000 board feet of fire-damaged timber without harming the environment. After logging, the agency will plant seedlings in an attempt to re-forest the area. Paul Dewey, of the Sisters Forest Planning Committee... Full story
A "real world" math program, piloted last year at Sisters High School, received good enough marks to be moved up a grade. Students can now advance in the non-traditional math program to "Applied Math Two." Applied math is gives students job-related math skills, and focus on arithmetic operations, problem-solving, estimation of answers, measurement skills, algebra and geometry. "Applied math offers a hands-on, practical approach, and is often project-based," said Jim Harrison, director of the program at Sisters High School.... Full story
Two substantial donations to the community's elementary school room-raising project have supercharged the fund-raising drive. Hap Taylor & Sons donated one hundred tons of asphalt, and the Redmond-Sisters United Way gave $4,000 in cash. The retail value of Hap Taylor & Sons' donation is about $3,000. The company also sold an additional 300 tons of asphalt to the project at their cost. "We are part of Sisters and want to show that we are good neighbors," Hap Taylor said. "We enjoy Sisters, and Sisters has been good to us.... Full story
Sisters schools have received a financial shot in the arm that will help them upgrade computers, provide the elementary and middle schools with a tele-phone/intercom system and make necessary building repairs. The Sisters School District is the beneficiary of a one-time Classroom Needs Grant from the state Department of Education totaling between $101,000 and $102,000. According to Superintendent Steve Swisher, about $24 or $25,000 will be used to repair the elementary and middle school roofs. Swisher said that $5,000 to... Full story
School began on Tuesday, September 2, with something new and different for everyone. Both the elementary and middle schools will have a new calendar, with the last day of classes is June 30. High school classes end June 4. Kindergarten through eighth grade students have longer winter and spring breaks and a shorter summer break. And both schools will be connected to the high school via the internet. The elementary school loses the sixth grade, but will have four brand, new classrooms when they are completed in November.... Full story
Sisters teachers will get a pay raise starting this school year. Representatives for the Sisters teachers and the school board agreed in a Friday, August 22, bargaining session, to raise salaries 6 percent over two years. However, teachers will get the raise in small increments over two years, which administrators believe will make the increase affordable for the district. "It allows us, with a tight cash year, to get on our feet without cuts or reductions," said superintendent Steve Swisher. Kirk Albertson, spokesman for... Full story
Weitech Inc., a Sisters business that manufactures electronic pest-control devices, has contributed $10,000 to the Sisters School Foundation for new school classrooms. "We believe in Sisters and the value of a good education and good educational facilities," said Todd Weitzman, who owns the company with his father, Stewart Weitzman. "We wanted to do our part to help the community we live and work in." Several contributors have donated sums in the $3,000 to $15,000 range, including Lynn Johnston Building Contractor, project ma... Full story
The Sisters Ranger District is asking citizens how the Forest Service should manage the forest along Highway 20 between Black Butte Ranch and Sisters. The district has mailed surveys to 400 people. So far about 38 people have responded, most of whom acknowledge the danger of catastrophic fire and approve of thinning the dense understory. Rick Dustin, the district's landscape architect, created the survey. He said he intended "to get the public's opinion on what kind of landscape people desire. The hope is that through this... Full story
A Saturday room-raising work party brought together about 30 volunteers to put up walls, but, even with a dedicated community work force steaming away, the three new elementary school classrooms will not be ready on September 6 as project leaders had hoped. Project manager Bill Willitts estimates the rooms will be completed from mid-to-late-November, although he acknowledges that, "everyone has a different guess." Until the classrooms are ready, students will temporarily use other classrooms and space above the gym. "But... Full story
A technical disagreement about where employees fall on the salary schedule has stalled negotiations between Sisters teachers and the school board. According to board chair Bill Reed, the parties need to resolve this matter before proceeding with the next negotiating session, scheduled for Friday, August 22. "Before we go any further, we need to come to an agreement as to where each and every employee in the district is on the salary schedule so we know exactly how much money it (the teachers' proposal) will cost the... Full story
The final budget for the 1997-98 school year is shaking down to about $22,000 less than Sisters school administration proposed in its budget. Superintendent Steve Swisher is confident that the district can cover the shortfall without much ill effect. "While $22,000 is a lot of money, in comparison to a $5.9 million budget that amount is minimal," said Swisher. "Overall, the budget is very close to what we guessed in March. Although we are disappointed it isn't higher, it will give us an opportunity to get our feet on the... Full story
A part-time Camp Sherman resident has appealed the Forest Service's Wild and Scenic River Plan for the Metolius River. Irwin Holzman objects to plans to close Road 700, which runs by a particularly scenic stretch of river. The purpose of the proposed closure is to eliminate harm to the river caused mostly by erosion. Holzman's family has had a home in Camp Sherman since 1944. "What they are doing is impractical," he said. "They designate the Metolius a 'scenic river' and then prevent a large segment of the population from see... Full story
By October the Sisters Ranger District should have a new ranger at the helm. Until then, Mike Hernandez will continue to act as ranger. When Karen Shimamoto took a new assignment in the Forest Supervisor's office in January, Carolyn Wisdom replaced her in Sisters, but the assignment was only temporary. According to Jim Golden in the Deschutes National Forest Supervisor's Office, "Carolyn agreed to act as ranger for a limited period of time. The agreement up front was for a period of four months." Golden said that "Everyone... Full story
The Sisters school administration ordered 12 trees on the high school grounds--including a few large, old ponderosa pines--to be cut because four posed a safety risk, and eight others needed to make way for a set of visitors' bleachers for the football field. Although the district's original master plan called for bleachers and parking where the trees were located, the district has no immediate plans to move the bleachers or for parking. "We're just preparing," said District Maintenance Supervisor Karl Bittler. Bittler said... Full story
Opponents of a one-way couplet through Sisters - as well as the developers of Pine Meadow Ranch - can breathe a sigh of relief. The Deschutes County Commissioners and the Sisters City Council drove the final nail into the couplet's coffin and cleared the way for Pine Meadow Ranch's development at a joint meeting on June 25. The city council, with approval from the county, passed two ordinances and a transportation map amendment realigning Hood Avenue. Hood Avenue will now extend west across Pine Meadow Ranch, making a 90... Full story
Campers started a 30-acre fire within a mile of the Pole Creek Trailhead on Wednesday, June 18. About 130 firefighters battled the blaze for two days, and had the fire under control by midday Thursday. Lookouts stationed at the Black Butte tower reported the fire at 12:34 p.m. on Wednesday. According to Mike Carnahan of the Sisters Ranger District, preliminary investigations indicate that the fire escaped beyond a campf ire ring, where it was fanned by the breeze. The campfire ring was within about a mile from the wilderness... Full story
Campers started a 30 acre fire within a mile of the Pole Creek Trailhead on Wednesday, June 18. About 130 firefighters battled the blaze for two days, and had the fire under control by mid-day Thursday. Lookouts stationed at the Black Butte tower reported the fire at 12:34 p.m. on Wednesday. According to Mike Carnahan of the Sisters Ranger District, preliminary investigations indicate that the fire escaped beyond a camp fire ring, where it was fanned by the breeze. The camp fire ring was within about a mile from the... Full story
Jenny Crofoot, a junior at Sisters High School, won second place in a regional architectural contest that challenged high school students from Central Oregon to design a Habitat for Humanity low-income home. Brooke Morgan and Rae Anne Harrell of Sisters received an honorable mention for their joint project. Winners were announced on Sunday, June 8 at the Mountain View Mall. The home design could not exceed 900 square feet, and was to include a 250 square-foot design for a future expansion. Instructor Jim Reiss used the... Full story
A couple of roads and campgrounds will be closed in the Camp Sherman area, and homeowners will be required to maintain modern septic systems, according to a document signed by Sally Collins, the Deschutes National Forest Supervisor. On May 27, Collins signed a Record of Decision for the Metolius River Wild and Scenic River. The decision tells the Sisters Ranger District how to manage the area, by setting resource goals designed to protect the river's natural qualities. "I think we (also) expect that change will continue at a... Full story
Sisters residents braved a torrential morning downpour to participate in the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store dedication Saturday, May 31. Theresa Slavokovsky, who purchased the first Habitat home in Sisters, quipped, "Rain is great. The Lord is baptizing the Habitat project." Pastor Jim Gentry of the Baptist Church said the opening prayer. Referring to donations to the thrift shop, Pastor Ed Beacham of Chapel in the Pines noted that "there is such a unique quality about giving in God's name." Habitat President... Full story
The Sisters City Council grudgingly granted a reprieve to a 50-foot aspen tree at their meeting on May 29. The tree's execution was imminent, as it stands in the center of a new sidewalk ready to be poured in front of Northern Lights Bakery and Habitat for Humanity. Mayor Steve Wilson said, "As much as I love trees, it is the wrong place for a tree -- smack in the middle o f the sidewalk." City Administrator Barbara Warren said, "It's a scrubby little tree." Nonetheless, many in the community have banded together in an... Full story
