News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 206
The word “community” used to imply something fairly innocuous — a group of people who have something in common, like living in the same neighborhood. Then it became a touchstone for all that is warm and fuzzy, glowy and good. Creative types, Nosy Nellies, and compulsive do-gooders seem particularly susceptible to its charms. And yes, those descriptions apply to me. It’s an inspiring word for folks who genuinely want to make life better — and not just for their... Full story
The Things I Have To Do are small…but there are so many of them. They pile up madly, one on top of the other. Most are of the everyday variety. Food must be bought and cooked. Laundry must be washed. Work must be worked. Husbands must be laughed with, talked with, clung to. Children must be tickled, read to, bathed. The world around me is wonderful, though it’s hard to appreciate with so many Things going on at once. Small birds swoop through the ponderosas. On ground t... Full story
Spring springs fast in Sisters Country. One day we’re dodging dirty berms leftover from snowplows. Next day, sand lilies stretch out their tender petals. Manzanitas roll out tiny pink blooms. In my mailbox arrives another sign of spring: the voters pamphlet. I leaf through the local positions up for election. It’s mostly guys I don’t know, running for positions I’m clueless about, in parts of the county I rarely visit. Some provide only a few noncommittal words about themsel... Full story
What would happen if you turned off all your distracting screens for seven days? For years, teacher and artist Clay Warburton has challenged his fourth-grade students at Sisters Elementary School (SES) to give it a try. This year, the whole school is invited to take part. So is the whole town. Screen-Free Week is a national, annual effort. Organizers encourage people of all ages to “play, explore, and rediscover the joys of life beyond ad-supported screens,” this year Apr... Full story
When Oregon’s ninth Poet Laureate came to FivePine Conference Center, the evening felt like a classic variety show — performed by one man. Kim Stafford kicked things off by singing a cappella, his voice stretching warmly across the room. To sing without accompaniment is a vulnerable and personal act, well-suited to a campfire or, in this case, hearthside performance. The song instantly banished the hesitant feeling that sometimes haunts poetry readings. The crowd of a... Full story
“I yell at my daughter sometimes,” a woman recently mourned on her mommy blog. Then she proceeded to flagellate herself. Her inability to remain 100 percent cool and calm all the time, with a small child constantly pushing her sanity and stress levels, caused the mom great discomfort. She wondered about the emotional effects on her own small self when she’d been yelled at by her mom. I appreciated how she processed it all publicly, with thoughtful, engaging writing. What... Full story
The common intestinal parasite known as pinworm or threadworm is affecting some Sisters residents. A pharmacist at Bi-Mart said Friday that the store’s inventory of pinworm medicine had sold out. Symptoms include itching of the anal or vaginal area; insomnia, irritability, and restlessness; and intermittent abdominal pain and nausea, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some infected people have no symptoms at all. The culprit is a white or yellowish roundworm called Enterobius v... Full story
March artist residencies at Caldera were hampered by late-season snowfall. Still, seven artists made it to Central Oregon for their residencies. Working in film, literature, photography, and other media, they will share artwork, readings, and conversation during Open Studios this Saturday. Back home in Oakland, California, Alex Martinez fits her studio practice around her teaching schedule. At Caldera, she can work all day. “After breakfast in my cabin, I set out for C... Full story
As long-term snow melts, an intricate web creeps across Sisters and our surrounding forest. It looks like filaments of cobweb or tufts of dog hair, etched across lawns, leaves, and pine needles. For some, it’s a lawn maintenance nuisance. For others, it’s a source of misery: snow mold. “Often times people will think, ‘I get a cold every spring.’ It is actually more their allergies,” Dr. Stephanie Fox told CBS News. The Minnesota-based allergy and asthma clinician said it’s pos... Full story
March artist residencies at Caldera were hampered by late-season snowfall. Still, seven artists made it to Central Oregon for their residencies. Working in film, literature, photography, and other media, they will share artwork, readings, and conversation during Open Studios this Saturday. Back home in Oakland, California, Alex Martinez fits her studio practice around her teaching schedule. At Caldera, she can work all day. “After breakfast in my cabin, I set out for C... Full story
Sometimes it seems impossible to change things. I mean, it's hard enough to eat better or get more exercise. What about changing the world? It looks impossible. Governments, businesses, bureaucracies - they seem so huge and impenetrable. We call our senators, send petitions to CEOs, show up to council meetings - and nothing changes. At least, it doesn't change fast. Our gumption-impaired culture doesn't prepare us for long, complex efforts. There's a popular saying to express... Full story
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me/ Tell me where did you sleep last night/ In the pines, in the pines/ Where the sun don't ever shine/ I did shiver the whole night through When The Nugget asked me to start a new column, my husband suggested I call it "In the Pines." I laughed and agreed. I'd been involved with a couple events using the phrase, like Writing in the Pines. I've long loved the song. It's dark and sticky like molasses, like pitch. Maybe you know the classic... Full story
Great tufts of snow wafted to the white ground outside Sisters High School last weekend as audiences made their way inside to "The Snow Queen." Produced by Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT), in partnership with Sisters Folk Festival and Sisters Schools, the show was borne of an interesting premise: that students can learn their lines, blocking, and several short songs in just five days' time, then perform for the public. Many kids arrived at auditions with no prior stage... Full story
Paul and Jillian Frankl had decisions to make. When should their son get a cell phone? Smartphone or flip? How could they help him use it wisely? After reading articles on the subject, they settled on a contract. When Chase was 13, he was offered the option of using a cell phone that his parents would pay for-if he agreed to their terms of use (see sidebar, page 23). The Frankls establish traditions and rules for the whole family. Mealtime is recommended by experts as a time... Full story
Nine artists and writers will share their work this Saturday at Open Studios for Caldera's AiR (Artists in Residence) program. Guests can hear new poetry, see works in progress, meet the residents, and tour studios on the shores of Blue Lake. "Amazing," says poet Aurora Masum-Javed of her residency at Caldera. "It's so magical." Residency programs nourish artists and other creatives by providing space and time specifically for creating their work. Yaddo, an East Coast... Full story
The new owner of a venerable Sisters retail establishment has joined a hot new trend. Is it a brilliant new technology, disrupting the bookselling business? On the contrary. Lane Jacobson, owner of Paulina Springs Books since November 1, used the good old-fashioned medium of the email newsletter to announce: "Given the recent and continuing revelations about Facebook's misuse of and seeming disregard for the privacy of its users and their data, I have elected to halt any... Full story
Family feasts. School concerts. Church services. Labyrinth walks. Spiritual and secular traditions light up the darkest month of winter. Making all this happen takes a lot of work: cooking, crafting, shopping, collaborating, organizing, and traveling. With the work comes stress - and the feeling that there's not enough time to get everything done right. Family conflicts erupt for some folks; others feel left out and lonely. One way to alleviate stress and reconnect with... Full story
It's easy to vote in Oregon. We just fill in the little bubbles on our ballots, which show up conveniently in our mailboxes, and send 'em back. But who should we be voting for? Ideally, I'm looking for a saint with excellent leadership qualities, one who'll cut through red tape and bureaucratic nonsense while standing up for the poor and middle class. A saint who can cure cancer with one hand while roping a steer with the other, then whip up 100,000 family-wage jobs-... Full story
"I think Sisters is the true essence of what a community should look like," Alison Baglien recently told The Nugget. The new principal of Sisters Middle School is originally from Salem and has spent significant time as a visitor to Central Oregon throughout her life. Most of her 17 years in education was spent in a very different environment: Chicago. Here in Sisters, Baglien has found "the investment by the community, the interest at all age levels, and the many ways that com... Full story
Alison Baglien journeyed from Oregon to Chicago, around the world, and back again. The new principal of Sisters Middle School is a music fan who loves to hike, travel, and learn. Baglien (pronounced BAG-lee-uhn) served as a resident principal in Chicago Public Schools, teacher and coordinator in Acero Charter Schools, and teacher and inclusion specialist in the schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago. As a child she lived in Oregon and Washington until high school. Then... Full story
This Saturday, Hike-N-Peaks hosts the first Sisters community Gear Swap, benefiting local schools. Used outdoor equipment and clothing in good shape will be for sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local folks have three ways to help kids connect with nature and learn in the great outdoors: Donate used outdoor equipment and clothing, sell it on consignment, or buy gear at the swap itself. All the public schools in Sisters and Camp Sherman attract enrollment with programs for outdoor,... Full story
Fine communities, stunning forests and popular festivals: Sisters Country is filled with great things. Workforce housing isn't one of them. As in ski towns around the country, business owners and civic leaders are sometimes stymied by the lack of reasonably priced housing. Finding and retaining employees becomes difficult. One local school district solved the problem by purchasing a house outright. Daniel Petke is board chair of the Black Butte School District. This tiny... Full story
Joan Warburg has old ties to Sisters Country. She visited with family here for years, eventually moving to be closer to them. Now she's forging a new bond with Sisters - as principal of the district's only public elementary school. Warburg is impressed by the relationship between local schools and the general community. "It's a very special quality," she told The Nugget. "We have retired scientists that are investing in the students. We have people in the community who are pas... Full story
The Norton family spends most of their free time playing or working in the great outdoors near Sisters. They watch a few TV shows and play some video games, but place limits on screen time. It sounds like good old-fashioned common sense: People need fresh air and healthy activity, right? Common sense has taken a hit in recent years, especially since online devices became handheld. Smartphones, tablets, and ubiquitous wi-fi hold children, parents, and everyone else in their... Full story
There's a special place in my heart for SPRD. Two years ago, my family set out from Portland in a tiny travel trailer, wandering beaches, deserts, and mountains. I'd fallen in love with Sisters during an artist residency at Caldera. Now we set up camp in the forest nearby, hoping this would become home. Our family had grown close on the road; we needed a little space. My husband went to work. My health improving, I started writing again. As for our 5-year-old: we signed him... Full story
