News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 1025
Matt Martin, formerly with Deschutes County, has been hired as the City’s new principal planner. He will begin his duties in Sisters as of February 7. •?Staff will be preparing some amendments to the Sisters Development Code regarding the placement of storage units within the city. They will go before the Planning Commission and the City Council next spring for approval. There has been concern that the City’s limited supply of industrial lands should be used by bus... Full story
Residents generally feel very safe in Sisters both during the day and at night and are not worried about being a victim of crime. Those sentiments were revealed in the results of a public safety survey conducted by the City at the end of 2021. The two most important issues for those responding to the survey were wildfire prevention (28.8 percent) and traffic safety (28 percent). The other issues ranked as follows: preserving livability — 19 percent; houseless/homeless... Full story
Note: When it comes to the discussion of water, or lack thereof, in Central Oregon there is a wide range of opinion, depending on who is talking. Not all those opinions are based on facts. Over the next several weeks, The Nugget will be presenting articles addressing the many factors related to the supply of water in the Deschutes River Basin, and particularly within Sisters Country. This week we’ll look at some basics of water (hydrology) to provide a basic understanding f... Full story
Citizens can learn more about Whychus Creek starting in February by attending five two-hour classes sponsored by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC). At the end of the classes, an all-day tour of the Whychus watershed will occur in May. Whychus Creek has its origins high up in the Three Sisters, runs down through Sisters, and continues northeast to join up with the Deschutes River on its way to the Columbia River and eventually the Pacific Ocean. The Whychus... Full story
The City of Sisters is offering the U.S. Forest Service $675,000 to purchase the 14.51-acre East Portal property. The property is located at the eastern terminus of Highway 242 at the northwest corner of west Highway 20 and Highway 242 and bordered on the west by West Hood Avenue. It is the final parcel of USFS land that was available for sale to help support redevelopment of the Sisters ranger station. Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid told The Nugget that the purchase of the... Full story
One of the appealing features of Sisters for residents and visitors alike is the ability to see the stars – a whole lot of stars – on any clear night. But that special feature is under attack as more outside lights appear in burgeoning developments and more LED lights are used in outdoor lighting. Voices of concerned citizens are getting louder, and the City is hearing them. At last week’s City Council workshop, Community Development Director Scott Woodford b... Full story
When snow comes in the night to blanket Sisters, and most of us are snug in our beds, the six-person Public Works crew is on the job, removing snow from the city streets. While many of us were relaxing after holiday celebrations, these trusty stalwarts were out in the cold and snow, starting at about 9 p.m. in the downtown core to plow the streets. They start in the downtown commercial area so that Tewalt & Sons Excavators can come in at about 1 a.m. and haul away the mounds... Full story
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners awarded $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in support of affordable housing in Sisters last week. Habitat for Humanity received $800,000 to purchase ten 2,800-square-foot lots in Sisters Woodlands, where they will construct single-family cottages. The City of Sisters received $500,000 in reserve for 12-18 months to give the City time to find land and a partner who builds affordable housing to build 40-50 units.... Full story
There truly are angels among us, and Kim and Hank Queen, who live in Panoramic Estates, have a touching story that proves it. Enzo, their 180-pound Great Dane, came to live with them when he was 2 years old, as his then family, who were friends of the Queens, were moving to a place that wasn’t suitable for a big dog. The Queens had lost their border collie/husky mix a year before to cancer. Kim had always wanted a great Dane. They had five fenced acres and even bought a van s... Full story
How do things work at City Hall? What’s the role of the Sisters City Council as compared to the full-time City employees? Every February, the City Council, made up of five citizens elected by Sisters residents, holds a goal-setting session in which they discuss their priorities for long-range goals as well as more immediate matters. Some are broad in their approach, dealing with big policy issues or planning for the future so when it arrives, the City is ready for what it b... Full story
•?Mayor Michael Preedin has appointed volunteer members to City boards and commissions. Preedin encouraged those not selected this time to apply for other positions as their talents are needed. City Recorder Kerry Prosser, who organized the interviews, said there were double the number of applicants needed for the positions, a great improvement from several years ago when not enough people were volunteering. Those named and their terms include: Eric Benton, one-year term... Full story
One of my favorite philosophers, Winnie the Pooh, said it best: “There is always more to discover.” He may have been referring to the inside of the honey pot, but it also applies to life. I am never too old to learn something new. That is why I have enjoyed my gig as a freelance writer for The Nugget for the past nine years, with plans to continue for as long as I can. I can’t just make up the information that goes into the articles I write. They require I do research, intervi... Full story
Drivers may soon head a 20 mph speed limit in all of Sisters’ neighborhoods. That’s one of the recommendations from a recently conducted traffic safety audit. At their December 8 meeting, City Council approved Ordinance 519, making amendments to the City’s Transportation System Plan (TSP). The primary focus of the 2021 amendments to the 2018 TSP includes extending the Sisters planning horizon from 2030 to 2040 to be consistent with the City’s newly adopted Compreh... Full story
As they unanimously approved the Sisters Woodlands project at their December 1 hearing, Sisters Planning Commissioners each voiced their concerns, questions, support, and suggestions regarding the significant impact of developing a majority of the former U.S. Forest Service property bounded by Highway 20, Barclay Drive, and North Pine Street. Besides the main concern of increased traffic from the development, it was obvious from their comments that each of the commissioners... Full story
Sisters has a new park — and some of the people behind it celebrated its opening last week. In lieu of their meeting on December 1, members of the City Parks Advisory Board (CPAB) gathered at the new McKenzie Meadow Village (MMV) park located in the latest Hayden Homes project in Sisters. In addition to CPAB members, representatives of Hayden Homes, Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC), Sisters Park and Recreation District (SPRD), and the City were present to celebrate co... Full story
With a unanimous vote of 6-0 in favor of approval with staff conditions, the Sisters Planning Commission gave a green light to the Sisters Woodlands Master Plan development, tentative subdivision, cottage development, and major variance request, at their continued public hearing on December 2. Public oral and written testimony had been closed at the conclusion of the previous hearing on November 10. The continuance was issued to provide additional time for the planning... Full story
As of now, there is no location for the Sisters Cold Weather Shelter next February. In the November 24 issue of The Nugget the “City snapshot” incorrectly reported that the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration would be hosting the Sisters Cold Weather Shelter during the month of February 2022. That information came from the shelter’s letter of November 4 to the City and the summary of Resolution No. 2021-20, which authorized temporary shelter facilities during severe cold... Full story
The two elements that provide a healing atmosphere for me are beautiful music and being in nature. Last Friday was one of those days when I needed a little of both. My attitude all day was negative, my mood foul, my outlook depressing, and my energy depleted. But I had promised a friend I would go with her to listen to Bill Keale play and sing at Sisters Depot that evening. Bill’s beautiful voice, his exquisite guitar skills, and his soul-filling songs were just the c... Full story
• Lt. Chad Davis reported to City Council that he and two deputies have recently completed a combined 200 hours of peer support and negotiator training. A speed trailer has been ordered to be used around town to alert drivers to their speed. There have been two vehicular crashes on McKinney Butte Road in the last several weeks. Traffic concerns are getting worse on Washington Avenue and Elm Street. • Councilors have been busy conducting interviews with applicants... Full story
Deputy Josh Westfall is the newest face in the Sisters office of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO). He started out as temporary about a year ago while one of the other officers was on leave, but when she resigned, Westfall was able to transition to the Sisters office as his new full-time position. “I’m happy to be out here,” Westfall said. “I’m thankful to be able to serve the people of Sisters and have the opportunity to establish local relationshi... Full story
With winter conditions right around the corner, the City’s Public Works Department asks all downtown property owners and businesses not to use chemical-based deicers or snow melt products on the sidewalks adjacent to their businesses. Keeping the sidewalks passible for pedestrians is the business owner’s responsibility. The City is asking everyone to use sand and/or birdseed as substitutes for the chemical products, which begin to break down the concrete after a couple of app... Full story
When he was hired three years ago, the Council knew Cory Misley was a young man on the way up, and that he wouldn’t be in Sisters forever. But for the present, he’s here, fully engaged, and happy. The city manager position for which he recently interviewed in Hood River was filled by another candidate. Misley, who recently received his annual review from the Sisters City Council, wants the residents to know he loves Sisters, has a great staff, an engaged City Council, and is... Full story
Sisters residents who signed in and commented during the Sisters Planning Commission meeting on the Sisters Woodlands project on Wednesday, November 10, were fairly evenly divided between those who supported the project and those who had objections. The proposed development would add some 359 residential units of varying kinds to Sisters. (See related story, at left.) Via Zoom, Dixie Eckford asked if there is going to be any type of fencing around or within the development.... Full story
A project that would add approximately 359 new housing units to Sisters got a hearing before the Sisters Planning Commission on Wednesday, November 10. No final decisions were made: Commissioners voted in favor of continuing the hearing on the Sisters Woodlands project to Thursday, December 2, at 5:30 p.m. The oral and written records pertaining to the Woodlands Master Plan are closed; the purpose of the special December 2 meeting will be to allow the Commissioners time to del... Full story
Sisters youth are helping to restore the creek that runs through their hometown. Sisters High School (SHS) juniors in the Interdisciplinary Experiential Education (IEE) program participated in the planting of streamside vegetation to rehabilitate the banks of Whychus Creek, where the 17th and final dam/irrigation diversion was removed to allow for safe fish migration in the creek. Two groups of about 20 students each spent the afternoon on two days October 26-27, planting 450... Full story
