News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 226 - 250 of 280
Gary Bowne has been through an experience that many people don't survive. Bowne was hit by a car while he was riding his bike on Highway 242 on October 19. The impact launched him into the windshield of the vehicle and then sent him tumbling 15 yards down the pavement. Luckily, Bowne was wearing a helmet as he traveled along the bike lane adjacent to Sisters Park & Recreation District buildings. The accident caused a traumatic brain injury. He spent weeks in the hospital before being allowed to go home. Now recovering at his... Full story
Last week, organizers from the Holiday Platters Project presented the Kiwanis Club of Sisters with a check for $1,000 for the community food bank. The Holiday Platters Project is still underway, with more unique platters for sale and on display at Sisters Art Works, located at 204 W. Adams Ave. "There are still some platters available from highly respected local artists like Pam Jersey Bird, Clay Warburton, Karen Piedmont, Susanne Redfield and Lorraine Albertson," said Kathy Deggendorfer. To maximize their gift to the food... Full story
Kathy and Frank Deggendorfer are known for their generous support of the arts and promoting economic vitality in Sisters. Recently, they expanded their efforts when they took a trip to Fiji with Dr. Devin Gattey to assist with eye surgeries for Fijians who are either completely blind or sight-impaired. Dr. Gattey is from the Casey Eye Institute of the Oregon Health Sciences University and has been donating his time and skills around the world for many years. Dr. Gattey is a... Full story
The Sisters Church of the Nazarene pulled out all the stops last Friday night to honor long-time congregant Pat Stephenson. The church was decorated in a Western theme and members wore Western hats, boots, silver buckles and bolo ties to pay tribute to a real woman of the West. The evening was part of the church's annual honoring of a woman in the congregation. This year's event was called "Interview with a Cowgirl Pat Stephenson: Born to Ride." Stephenson brought in three of... Full story
Linda Leigh Daniel and husband Larry Boyd have watched the sad decline of the economy and its effect on horse owners. With hay prices rising and incomes falling, horses can become an overwhelming financial burden to struggling owners. Desperate owners have turned horses loose on public lands, abandoned their horses by tying them to someone else's trailer, or simply sold them to the nearest slaughter house. Coupled with lameness issues and illnesses brought on by neglect or... Full story
From the first time that 9-year-old Anastacia picked up a beat-up guitar leaning against a dumpster, she's been using music as a means to channel her emotions and remove the layers that impede personal growth. Her haunting, heartfelt lyrics dive head first into topics often kept shuttered and unexplored. "Where the Road Meets the Sky" is the title track on the Sisters artist's new CD. Brimming with tales of hard-won truth, Anastacia's songs don't shy away from difficult issues. "My commitment to art is not always an easy... Full story
Back in June the future of the Outlaws Cheerleading Squad was looking shaky. Faced with the loss of their cheer coach and possibly their district funding; the cheerleading squad needed a new coach and a place to call home. With the very survival of the program in question, concerned parent Merrilee Stavem approached Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) to find out if they'd be willing to partner to start a new club. "It was unclear at the time if the Sisters School... Full story
An iconic image of the American West often includes a thundering herd of wild horses galloping with grace and power over country studded with rocks and sagebrush. In modern times that image often includes a helicopter's shadow as it buzzes and forces the wild horses toward the end of their freedom. The rounding up and redistribution of the West's wild horses caught the attention of husband-and-wife filmmakers Alexandra Dawson and Greg Gricus, of Fish Creek Films. The couple... Full story
Student athletes sometimes make the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The realities of normal life and consequences for bad decisions can be lost in the roar of an adoring crowd. The hard work and responsibility that comes with being a student athlete can be overwhelming - and sometimes intoxicating. Oregon State University (OSU) alumni Taylor Kavanaugh saw a way to bring together his love of travel, service and construction and harness it to broaden the horizons of OSU... Full story
Cathy Warner is best known in town for the business, Central Bark, she and her partner Sam run in Sisters. It's a common sight to see her and Sam doing a 14-dog walk with their clients. Now she has another canine-related passion: painting. On August 6, Dog Days of Sisters, sponsored by Sisters Art Works and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, will kick off an art show at Sisters Art Works, 204 W. Adams Ave. For Warner the art show is a premier of her new labor of love. "I'm... Full story
Bright and early last Saturday morning, over 30 artists gathered at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve to begin four hours of plein air painting in some of the most beautiful country Central Oregon has to offer. The Third Annual Plein Air Paint-Out was hosted by the National Forest Foundation (NFF) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The timed competition challenged artists to paint and then frame a piece on-site. Some of the artists were able to complete several pieces, all were judged... Full story
Sisters Country horse people tend to take their riding very seriously. Whether mastering the art of dressage, working cows or show jumping, there's a documentary in theaters now that can enlighten even the most advanced rider. The winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, "Buck" opened at Sisters Movie House on Friday night to an enthusiastic crowd. The movie shadowed renowned horse trainer Buck Brannaman as he traversed the country spreading his wisdom of horse and human psychology. Viewers left the theater in... Full story
Magic happened in Sisters last week, in a tent under a warm evening sun. Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday, July 5, to witness the bond formed by six Americana Project students and the women from Gee's Bend, Alabama. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and Sisters Folk Festival hosted an evening musical performance bringing together generations and cultures through music and quilting. The women came from an isolated rural community near the Alabama River that was once the site... Full story
Suzi Sheward is doing what she loves, and it's paying off. A local artist and horse woman, she's found a way of combining her love for the ranching life with her passion for the creative process. Sheward makes one-of-a-kind home décor pieces including lamps, mirrors, tables, room screens and chair seats. One of her mirrors will be featured in the September issue of the prestigious magazine Cowboys & Indians. Sheward's work will be included in the "On the Horizon"... Full story
Taking a left off Varco Road to Norma Holmes' place outside of Sisters, visitors get a great example of why folks live here. Pulling into her driveway offers one of the most picturesque views of the Cascade Range. It's no wonder Holmes is one of the most prolific plein-air painters in Central Oregon. All she has to do is walk out her front door to find views people come from all over the world to see. Holmes will be sharing this wonderful place when she hosts an Open Studio an... Full story
It's been a long time coming, but Becky Morgan French is finally living her dream. A classically trained musician, French has been teaching private piano lessons since her student teaching days at the University of Oregon in the 1970s. But she's always wanted to open a music location where children and adults alike could come to learn and explore their love of music. Bald Eagle Music Education Station is the fulfillment of that dream. "I'm so excited I can hardly stand it,"... Full story
This Saturday and Sunday the Sisters Art Works building will be featuring four Sisters families who embody a lifestyle celebrating the arts. The families are coming together to offer folks a chance to acquire unique and original works of art from fine art paintings to jewelry, sculptures and pine needle baskets. While guests browse, they will be entertained by live music and even the art of storytelling. The Family Affair Art Show includes Cliff, Nancy and Sam Scharf; Paul,... Full story
The Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) has a lot to be proud of as they wrap up their first year under the watchful eye of Business Manager Anne Heath. "Last November we had cut back to operating three days per week with three staff members," said Heath. "We were in real financial difficulties." There's been a dramatic turnaround since then. One of the major factors in SPRD's success was the board of directors developing a new business plan that created stainability while continuing to offer quality community... Full story
Poppies, Sisters' newest café, began its Professional Cookie Decorating Class last week to rave reviews. For $25, students decorated and took home 24 cookies. Poppie's pastry chef, Meg Lubinski, taught the class and made sure all the students went home with recipes for all the cookies and icings she created. Budding bakers were also treated to a glass of wine and delectable snacks throughout the evening. Lubinski shared many of the baking techniques that have helped her... Full story
If you dine out in Sisters for breakfast, lunch or dinner, there's a good chance you've eaten some of Thomas and Meg Lubinski's culinary creations. The couple has carved out a place for themselves in Sisters, offering high-end, delicious food from crème brulée to pan-seared salmon. When the two got together, they combined skills and experience that made them a culinary force in Central Oregon. Their first meeting came about because of food. Thomas, who worked in... Full story
Sherry Steele is passionate about fly fishing and the art of fly tying. For the past three years she's taken her knowledge into the Americana Project and ARTS Discovery classrooms at Sisters Middle School. Kit Stafford's classes explore all kinds of artistic pursuits; Sherry's expertise was a perfect fit for expanding students' minds about what art can be. "The Americana Project and ARTS Discovery classes expose kids to all kinds of art," said Steele. "I represent the conserva... Full story
Students and guests celebrated the arts last Wednesday night at Sisters High School. The auditorium was transformed into art galleries, stages and art studios. Pots were thrown, jewelry designed, canvases painted and clay sculpted as eager onlookers stared in amazement at the talent tucked into every corner. Zoey Wavrin had more than 25 paintings on display as well as sketches of countless images. "I love doing faces," she said. "It all just seems to flow." Wavrin has... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District business manager, Anne Heath, has worked hard to make sure the needs of the community are being met. So when she received a call from desperate parents about a sudden loss of childcare for their children, Heath wanted to help. This wasn't the first time she was approached by parents looking for childcare for their kids. When Sisters Elementary School (SES) cut the all-day kindergarten option, there was a need for a quality program. "Parents... Full story
When imagining a painter working on a project, the vision most people have would include a plethora of paint blobs at the ready on a palette and an easel holding up the blank canvas. Until recently, such a scene in the Sisters High School art department wasn't possible. Instead, most students made do with their paper or canvas laying flat on a table. With only a few easels in the department, all in need of retirement, students were having a hard time letting their creative... Full story
John Gerke is no stranger to the trials and tragedies that emergency responders deal with every day. He joined the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District as a firefighter in October of 1999. A year later he trained as an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, and then five years after that he took on the added duty of being chaplain with the district and for local police agencies. Last year Gerke stepped down as a firefighter/EMT and focused on his role as... Full story
