News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Since ancient times, people have gathered together when the day is darkest and the night is longest. They often light fires or candles to symbolize the return of the sun on winter solstice. Around these parts, solstice is marked by walking the Sisters Community Labyrinth. After skipping a year due to COVID-19, this year the walk takes place on Tuesday, December 21. Participants are invited to contemplate the theme “Honoring Our Losses,” as they gather together for a brief chat... Full story
Parents learn a lot from our children. They teach us about ourselves and the world around us. When a parent and a child are of different races, a whole new avenue of learning opens up. Cheryl Soleim is a local mom, a white woman. Her daughter Natalie is Black. Until recently, Cheryl considered herself “color-blind.” As I’ve reported in The Nugget, Natalie experienced bullying at Sisters Middle School, bullying that involved race and gender. “I had to go through this in order t... Full story
A last-minute anonymous donation sparked excitement at Music in the Garden, an event featuring traditional Irish music. About 150 people attended, according to Darlene McGrady, who coordinated the event. Sisters Community Garden is a nonprofit organization, but organizers weren’t raising money for their own group. Nonperishable edible goods were collected for Kiwanis Food Bank, and monetary gifts were gathered for Warfighter Outfitters. Pleasant weather, before the h... Full story
Call it “the Sisters area” or go for “Sisters Country,” a successful marketing tagline rolled out by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce a while back. I like calling it Sisters Country. Our home. Where we live and work and play. Where the heck is it, exactly? Bill Bartlett mentioned in last week’s issue of The Nugget that it might be defined by the borders of Sisters School District. I respectfully disagree. Wherever The Nugget covers news and community? That’s Sisters Cou... Full story
School is out for the summer. But social conditions that allow for bullying happen year-round. The longterm effects of bullying can include depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide attempts — effects that can last into adulthood and affect entire communities. Yet, bullying often goes unnoticed. Local mom Cheryl Soleim noted, “If you have a child that’s doing well in school and has friends, just has minor problems, you may never realize how much bullying and pre... Full story
While school is on its annual summer hiatus, folks in Sisters continue to discuss larger social issues relevant both inside and outside the schools. The Nugget previously spoke with Sisters School District superintendent Curt Scholl about issues specific to equity and racism. The conversation continues, discussing bullying and how community members can get involved (see related story). “We want to make sure that all of our kids have a voice and that we’re supporting them along... Full story
Sisters residents and visitors are invited to “move, smile, and drum in the new season” on summer solstice at Sisters Community Labyrinth. The gathering takes place Sunday, June 20 beginning at 7:30 p.m. It’s a chance to welcome a light new season during solstice, when the sun stays up much longer than usual. “The labyrinth has become a special place for many of us in Sisters,” said Sharlene Weed, who sits on the official committee that oversees the outdoor facility.... Full story
First of all, thanks are in order. Y’all out there in Sisters Country have been asking about this column for lo these many months. Thank you for caring. I’ve been dealing with a health problem and the brain-numbing medications that go with it. Figured I’d ease back into the conversation by taking on something easy. Let’s say accountability, bullying, and racism in our community. Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions. Failing that, it means being held to... Full story
A few years ago, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) investigated a case at Sisters Middle School, where Black student Natalie Soleim was bullied for months. Oregon Department of Education concluded that discrimination and sexual harassment were involved, with “sufficient evidence of a discriminatory environment.” Since then, Sisters School District (SSD) has been grappling with equity issues. Superintendent Curt Scholl said the district has started equity teams “to... Full story
When the Institute of Happiness in Copenhagen sent out a call for submissions last year, Sisters resident Katie Diez was intrigued. People around the world were invited to submit objects that made them feel happy. Winning objects would be displayed at the institute’s new Happiness Museum. Diez, an occupational therapist who works with children, had a unique object to send: a packet of seeds. Her “Comfort Seeds” project, a collaboration with visual artist Manda Bryn Sever... Full story
Living unsheltered in Sisters Country can be difficult, cold, and even deadly. On December 21, Mandee Seeley honored those who have died. Seeley was inspired by an event held in Bend. According to organizers of The Longest Night, twice as many people in Central Oregon are homeless today as there were in 2013. “Even though we haven’t lost anyone here in Sisters this year, we have in the past, so I wanted to honor them in their own community,” said Seeley. While walking Siste... Full story
In the 1980s, my dad — my Republican, Ronald Reagan-loving dad — took me to the University of Oregon campus to see a woman speak. Her name was Geraldine Ferraro, and she was the first-ever female vice-presidential nominee for a major party in United States history. Did I understand the significance of that? Uhhh, sorta. Maybe. Not really. I grew up in a culture of shoulder pads, big hair, and denial. “Anything you can do, I can do better,” as the girl sang in Free... Full story
Growing up, summer days are hot in the garden. Mom sends us out to pick pods. Early on come the peas, many of which never make it to the kitchen. My brother and I shell them on the spot and wolf them down raw. Later come the beans in their long, tough cocoons. In grade school, we learn that whales and dolphins are social mammals who live in hierarchical groups called pods. In middle school, “pod people” becomes a term for the super-popular kids—hierarchical mammals, sur... Full story
What to do this Halloween, without normal trick-or-treating, parades, or firehouse fun? The following are considered low- to moderate-risk in terms of Covid, except where noted: Socially Distanced Trick-or-Treat Public health experts say no to regular trick-or-treating. If you must indulge in the traditional sweets-fest, try “one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as a... Full story
When it comes to Halloween, Sisters Country doesn’t mess around. In addition to nighttime trick-or-treating, there are usually parades, parties, and the annual firehouse carnival. This year, many activities will be canceled or scaled back due to COVID safety concerns. At the town parade on Halloween, kids usually dress up in costumes and walk along Main and Hood avenues, hitting Cascade Avenue and side streets too. Local businesses admire costumes and hand out candy to the kid... Full story
It’s been a tough year for kids, including mine. Tough year for parents, including me. Tough year for educators. Guess who’s not having a tough year? Multi-zillion-dollar tech corporations, that’s who. The smoke-choked, politically divided, pandemic mess that is 2020 has brought riches of users and data to companies that make money from digital device use. If you’re Fortnite, Amazon, TikTok, or Google, this year is for you! For the rest of us? Dang, 2020 suuuuuucks. We don... Full story
A man was murdered. His name was Aaron Danielson, but he also went by the name Jay Bishop. From what we know as I write this, he was from Vancouver, Washington, and belonged to the group Patriot Prayer. He had a bright, warm smile, a smile his loved ones will never see again. I don’t know much else about Aaron-Jay, except that he was shot and killed in Portland this weekend. I learned about the incident from a Twitter post with cell phone video, posted by a controversial, cons... Full story
Over 21 million Americans have mood disorders. Bipolar disorder in particular, also known as manic-depressive illness, affects a whopping 2.8 percent of the U.S. population. With statistics like these, there’s a good chance you or someone you know is dealing with this condition—and some may be misdiagnosed with depression. Learn more in local author Willa Goodfellow’s “Prozac Monologues” (see related article) and from the following resources. BP Hope: Ever hear the one... Full story
Feeling blue? Ever feel like the blues won’t lift? You’re not alone. Millions of Americans live with depression. What might come as a surprise: about half of those diagnosed with depression are eventually re-diagnosed with bipolar disorder. That’s according to local author and Episcopal priest Willa Goodfellow. Her book “Prozac Monologues: A Voice from the Edge” launches on August 28 with a virtual Paulina Springs Books event also featuring Marean Jordan. “Half. A fifty perce... Full story
Virus or no virus, a slow river of traffic wends its way through our small town every Saturday. Flanked by Wild West storefronts, drivers have something new to look at this year: Sisters residents demonstrating for justice and equality. Near the iconic bronze statue of a rearing horse, people line Cascade Avenue/Highway 20 on both sides. One day I joined a group of teenagers, retirees, children, and all ages in between. Most of them appeared white. Masks were worn; social... Full story
Last week, I promised to come back with more word-nerdery about the roots of words like “cakewalk” and “taking the cake.” Instead my attention was diverted to Portland, Oregon, just over the pass and up I-5 apiece, where I lived for some 20 years. When the President of the United States of America wants the public’s attention diverted — from plagues and pandemics, mischief and mayhem — he sure knows how to do it. That’s what a reality TV guy brings to the Oval Offi... Full story
I loved cakewalks as a kid. Local people in our area of small farms and ranches in Lane County would bake cakes. It was a chance to show off decorating skills or get a favorite recipe out into the community. Cakes stood proudly in the church’s youth chapel or the elementary school’s gym during holidays and school carnivals. Tickets were sold. Each contestant walked around a circle of numbered chairs while music played. When the music stopped, you’d freeze and sit in the neare... Full story
Some weeks ago, a friend invited me to check out a statement his company had posted online. It began “Black Lives Matter” and went on to say earnest things about race. He and his business partner are White men with a successful enterprise near Portland. The statement looked out of place amid photos of agricultural items and posts about weather conditions. I felt curious and nonplussed. I’ve met friends and customers of the two owners, people of various races and ethni... Full story
Survival skills educator and television show contestant Joel van der Loon moved to Sisters Country with his family a couple years back. Access to the outdoors combined with a sense of community drew them here to raise their son, Talon, now three years old. Though Sisters School District offers little outdoor or nature-based education for younger children, the van der Loons found area schools “very attractive, especially with their outdoor programs,” such as the high sch... Full story
In last week’s episode, I shared the story of one Friday in May several years back. My husband headed off on his bicycle to work; our 19-month-old son and I embarked on our weekly routine of taking the city bus to a certain diner. Along the way, we encountered an aggressive, aggravated guy who willfully chucked a big ol’ plank of wood on the sidewalk as we walked by, nearly hitting us. Instead of confronting Plank Dude, I decided to mentally give him an “Aggro Pass.” Normall... Full story
