News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 280
Last January, Sisters photographer Lynn Woodward found examples of nature's fleeting show of splendor on a dirt road near her home in Sisters. As Woodward took her two dogs for their morning walk, she saw crystallized ice gleaming in the morning sun. She turned around, went back to her house and grabbed her camera. The result is a breathtaking, close-up view of beauty found in the ruts of a country road. Woodward's photography exhibit, "Ice Gazing," is an innovative display... Full story
Last weekend several groups were working hard to make Sisters Country an even better place to live for both people and wildlife. September 25 was National Public Lands Day, the largest, annual hands-on nationwide volunteer effort to improve America's public lands. On the same day, the I Heart Central Oregon campaign brought together several Central Oregon area churches and their congregants to volunteer their time in the community. The annual National Public Lands Day,... Full story
Four Sisters students set off on an adventure this summer that took them to the other side of the world. Now they're back and have some amazing stories to tell. Sisters teachers Rand Runco and Mark LaMont helped them get acclimated to their new environment and then set them on a path of discovery that led them through the crowded streets of Kathmandu and then into the jagged jungle that makes up most of Nepal. Hayden Wester, Claire Seibold, Amy Yoder and Drew Harrison from... Full story
For the past 22 years, Black Butte Ranch has offered some of the best professionally led trail rides in Central Oregon. For most of those years, David Herman handled the rental string and all that went with it. In that time he was able to secure riding permits for the surrounding Forest Service land making the riding options both vast and breathtaking. During Herman's time at the reins of the riding stables at Black Butte Ranch, he had many dedicated and knowledgeable... Full story
Sisters Cascade of Gifts owner Barbara Turner and her husband John have watched the economy of Sisters ebb and flow for the past three decades. Through three recessions, she's learned a few things about survival in the tough world of retail in a tourist town: "It's knowing that you've got to go with the flow," she said. "I've been through several recessions, but this one is by far the worst." Turner has cultivated a loyal client base over the years. Her formula for success is... Full story
Bringing history alive within the walls of a classroom is a tall order for any teacher. Reading about history can never replace the sights, sounds and smells of the real thing. The Washington County 4-H Club came up with a unique way to bring history back to life. Their approach is simple; the best way to learn about the past is by living it. The 29-year-old group, with members from the Hillsboro and Astoria areas, is the only 4-H club that focuses all its efforts on planning... Full story
When folks strolled around Sisters last week during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, most of the men were there patiently accompanying their wives around town. There's no doubt that many of them can appreciate a good quilt as much as any woman, but very few have ever sat down at a sewing machine and created a quilt themselves. It would take a dose of courage and a real love of the art of quilting to enter this mainly female realm and join the ranks of so many skilled... Full story
There's a theme that runs through Jean Wells-Keenan's life that's much like a well-made quilt. The components are simple: a love for the creative process, a giving heart and a clear and intuitive vision in all she undertakes. The results of her clear focus are vast and varied; most are familiar to avid quilters around the world. What some are not aware of is the motivation for all of her accomplishments. This year, Keenan was chosen to be the 2010 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show... Full story
Right now, Tammy Ambrose and Joyce Boyd are two of the busiest women in Sisters. Along with Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Executive Director Ann Richardson, Ambrose and Boyd are laying the groundwork for a vision started 35 years ago by founder Jean Wells. Planning for this year's Quilt Show began the day after last year's event and really put on steam seven months before the show. Organizing 1,300 quilts that come in from across the country, then categorizing, bar-coding,... Full story
Rand Runco and Mark LaMont are leading a one-month trip to Nepal starting July 9, to continue the work they've been doing to improve the lives of people in Nepal. Their nonprofit organization Ten Friends began when Runco, LaMont and eight of their friends spent a summer in Nepal. Now hundreds of people have gotten involved in their work Every summer the teachers travel to Nepal, often taking volunteer students or friends. Their first project was delivering stretchers to... Full story
The FivePine campus's new restaurant Thyme has a lot more going for it than just a new name. With Jennifer and TR McCrystal's influence, there's a fresh approach to offering a more upscale dining experience. The new name on the building is just the beginning. "We are teaming up with FivePine to offer a casual bistro style dining experience," said Jennifer McCrystal. Thyme will offer a variety of price options, and is also a more casual dining experience than Jen's Garden. The... Full story
Living in Sisters Country can make it easy to forget what exists outside the protective bubble that is Sisters. For young people in the community, the cruel realities of life on the street may seem more like a scary movie; something seen from a distance and barely relevant. Youth pastor Daniel Keels works with students at Sisters Community Church. Three years ago he started a program called "Serve LA" to create a link between local students and those in need. Keels' idea came... Full story
Kokanee Café took top honors at the Bite of Bend on June 20-21. During a weekend of festivities celebrating Central Oregon's rich legacy of local foods and fine dining, executive chef, Roscoe Roberson, and sous-chef, Dan Debates, created artfully crafted dishes that showed their ability to create a memorable culinary experience in an hour's time. In the final round, the secret ingredient was foie gras. Roberson's appetizer could be summed up as foie gras meets... Full story
Each year the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show invites local artists to vie for the honor of creating the event's poster. With thousands of quilting enthusiasts descending on Sisters for the July 11 event, it's great exposure for the artist and an opportunity to add their tailor-made rendition of the popular event. This year's Quilt Show Poster concept was "Cascade of Color" and had to include the Three Sisters in the image. Sisters artist Dan Rickards was intrigued by the theme and... Full story
Jen's Garden has a reputation throughout Central Oregon for offering fine dining that can stand up against restaurants anywhere. Starting May 2, the restaurant began serving breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. "TR and I wanted to open our doors to the community in a different way and offer a more casual way to enjoy Jen's Garden," said restaurant owner Jennifer McCrystal as she served customers. With a dress rehearsal on Friday, wait staff had the opportunity to fine tune their skills as... Full story
Generosity and good will were flowing freely as the Daisy Girl Scouts hit the streets to help fill the Kiwanis Food Bank's shelves earlier this month. Armed with some creative ideas and plenty of positive attitude, the girls fanned out and left Ray's Food Place grocery bags at the doorsteps of homes near Sisters Elementary School. To add their own personal touch, the girls painted river rocks and attached the bags to them. On Wednesday April 15, the girls pulled two red... Full story
Sisters musician Anastacia took home top honors in the Source Weekly/Far From Earth Films Music Video contest. Anastacia's submission, "Grains of Sand" was up against 16 other bands vying for a shot at winning a music video shoot from Bend filmmaker Tim Cash. Far From Earth Films is based out of Bend and co-hosted the contest. A panel of judges evaluated 16 submissions on recording quality, song structure and the ability of the song to transfer to a music video. Seven... Full story
Marvin Benson hasn't wasted any time joining the art scene in Sisters. When the Sisters Library invited local artists to display their work in an exhibit, the new Sisters resident jumped at the chance. The show runs from January 16 to February 25, and includes over 100 works of art. Benson relocated from Colorado only six months ago and left behind quite a legacy when he and his wife decided to join their sons and grandchildren in Central Oregon. A member of the Colorado... Full story
Chuck Newport has worn his share of hats since he came to Central Oregon in the 1970s. He's been a contractor since 1974 and was a volunteer EMT and firefighter for the Camp Sherman Fire Department. He's led his string of pack horses to deliver equipment for high school classes and partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to build a fish ladder to Blue Lake. Recently, he became a board member for the Camp Sherman/Sisters Fire District. Through it all, he's... Full story
Sisters Art Works is known as a hub for the arts community in Sisters. That, combined with Sister's notoriety as a quilting mecca, makes the show to be hosted at Sisters Art Works one that will be sure to please art enthusiasts. The members of the quilt group "Journeys" will show their vast array of quilting techniques in a colorful collection beginning January 15. The show, entitled "Following the Thread - A Conversation in Fabric," will run through February 28. A reception... Full story
Jennifer McCrystal is a busy woman. She's a mother of two, pastry chef at her restaurant, Jen's Garden, and an avid outdoorswoman. She grew up outside of Roseburg in the small logging town of Glide; with thousands of acres of forest land to explore on her horse or hiking, her childhood was spent roaming the hills and finding all kinds of adventure. McCrystal never lost her love of the outdoors and makes sure she takes advantage of all the Sisters Country has to offer. "I'm out... Full story
The Sisters Folk Festival has been bursting at the seams trying to store all of the equipment needed to run a year-round cultural arts organization. With one 12-by-12-foot storage shed behind the Sisters Art Works building, it became a real challenge for staff to get to anything easily. The festival needed a second storage shed. With a little creative thought and the generosity of Mike Ilg, owner of Investors Lending Group of Salem, the new storage shed has become a reality.... Full story
John Rahm is passionate about mountain biking. Living near Forest Service land, he spent hours riding on a trail that began in his own backyard in Buck Run. "I must admit, I began taking care of the trails for purely selfish reasons," said Rahm. What began as one man's dream to improve a bike trail he loved has blossomed into a trail system everyone can enjoy. When Rahm moved to Sisters in 1995, the first purchase he made was a mountain bike. Years later; Rahm's interest in... Full story
Kathy Deggendorfer is no stranger to rubbing elbows with some of the most interesting people in this country. Through her family's business, Columbia Sportswear, and their many philanthropic endeavors, Deggendorfer has enjoyed the company of all kinds of people, including an evening at the Kennedy Center with Eunice and Sarge Shriver. Now, she can add another interesting story to her list: being invited to a White House party by Laura Bush. "We stayed in the Willard Hotel, whi... Full story
After weeks of intensive vet care, there's finally a happy ending for the horse found wounded and forgotten near Cache Mountain. Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to give him a warm welcome when he arrived at his new home at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch on Saturday. His new life includes a new name; no longer known as Trooper, the gelding will be called Hero. Crystal Peaks is a perfect fit; children who come to the ranch to heal their own emotional wounds will take turns showin... Full story
