News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The geese at Black Butte Ranch are beautiful, but they leave a mess. An experimental program may control their population -- and clean up the grass. photo by Tom Chace They're beautiful, soaring overhead in pairs or in a "V" formation, with their distinctive call. Or, floating on one of our many lakes and ponds. But to golfers and hikers trekking around those ponds, their droppings can be messy. Central Oregon's Canada Geese are no longer migratory as in years past. They inhabit the region in growing numbers creating major... Full story
The City of Sisters Planning Commission will review plans for the proposed new Sisters Library on Thursday, April 15. The meeting, open to the public, is at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. "We have worked very hard on this plan," said head librarian Peg Bermel. "We are of the opinion that everything we learned from our numerous meetings with people in our community is included in these preliminary drawings." Richard P. Turi, from North Bend, architect for this planned new building, will be at the meeting to make the presentation and... Full story
The proposed new Sisters Library will be more than three times the size of the present building, according to the schematic layout being presented to the City Planning Commission April 15. "We'll have room for over 25,000 volumes, up from the present 11-12,000 books we now hold," said Peg Bermel, Sisters Library branch manager. In addition to the greater number of book racks, the new building will have a "multi-purpose" or public meeting room for 65 or more persons for community meetings and other library-related events. "We... Full story
Neighborhood postal boxes are springing up all over town. photo by Tom Chace Cooperation between the City of Sisters and the U.S. Postal Service will mean a savings in both time and money for many area residents. The city gave the go-ahead a few weeks ago to place clustered centralized mail boxes in several subdivisions, eliminating the need for those neighborhood residents to pay for a post office box at the central post office. "So far, we have three new areas we'll be serving by contract carrier route," said Pat Green,... Full story
Brian Green, No. 30, and his brother, Mike, No. 10, of Sisters, played in a semi-pro league football game at Sisters Middle School football field. photo by Tom Chace Football was in action in Sisters last Saturday night, April 3, even though it is spring, not fall. The Central Oregon Stampede, a semi-pro team with a roster of 44 area residents, took on the Rogue Warriors from Medford at the Sisters varsity football field adjacent to the middle school, where Sisters High School plays home games. Played under the lights, the... Full story
(Clockwise from top) Blake Ehr, Andrew Wilson, Emery Meyer, Ashton Simms, Katherine Ruettgers, Rachael Tenneson. photo provided It started badly. The flight out of Redmond was canceled at the last minute, causing the anxious group to arrive late in Washington, D.C. But the rest of the educational trip "was superb" for the 14 participants from Sonrise Christian School here in Sisters. "My main objectives in leading this trip were to have the students learn a greater appreciation of our country's history and heritage and to... Full story
Left to right: Ran Zhu, Tony Powell, Nicki Post, Sarah Dodson and Maren Gauldin, students from the University of Colorado, work on Habitat house. photo by Tom Chace Two groups of college students spent most of their spring break working in Sisters as volunteers on several Habitat for Humanity houses. The first crew of 10 came from the University of Idaho, in Moscow, and spent their 10-day "vacation" doing foundation work at two of the houses on Cowboy Street. Many helped repaint the Habitat Thrift Store on Main Avenue and... Full story
The new Sisters Athletic Club is a large and versatile facility. Nugget News photo Sisters Athletic Club is ready to open its new18,000-square-foot facility on Highway 20 at the east end of Sisters on Monday, April 5. The expansive new club will be much more than a workout facility, according to Tate Metcalf, facilities general manager. "True, we're going to have a full athletic club with all the up-to-date workout equipment, but we'll also have meeting rooms for public events, a snack and juice bar open to the public,... Full story
Long-time Sisters resident and Black Butte Ranch waitress Carol Woosley learned this week that she will be coming home from her 100-day cancer treatment program in Portland -- possibly by the end of this month. Woosley underwent a bone marrow transplant in Portland after months of agonizing waiting for a donor. Within days of each other, two matches were found and the transplant was scheduled. She has been undergoing follow up treatment and heavy chemotherapy medication since. "We've been living in our fifth-wheel at a... Full story
The large pack of llamas, so familiar to all who drive west on the McKenzie Highway, has moved across the mountains. But two remaining females "may be pregnant and a new herd may be in the offing," according to Linda Patterson who, with Richard, her husband, owns and manages the large ranch just west of Sisters, on Highway 242. "A young man from Wilsonville, just south of Portland, called us and wanted to take the entire herd," Patterson said. They're all gone except for the two females. "One of the nice things about this... Full story
The large pack of llamas, so familiar to all who drive west on the McKenzie Highway, has moved across the mountains. But two remaining females "may be pregnant and a new herd may be in the offing," according to Linda Patterson who, with Richard, her husband, owns and manages the large ranch just west of Sisters, on Highway 242. "A young man from Wilsonville, just south of Portland, called us and wanted to take the entire herd," Patterson said. They're all gone except for the two females. "One of the nice things about this... Full story
The two main roads near the entrance to Black Butte Ranch have been torn up the past three weeks for the replacement of underground electrical conduit. "We have about another two weeks to go," said Travis Kinder, foreman with Robinson & Owen, Inc. of Sisters, contractors for the extensive trenching job. "And that is predicting fair weather." The project started at Curly Dock Road and runs along the recently renamed Bishop's Cap (formerly Hawks Beard) on the western side of the ranch. It extends almost two-thirds of a mile... Full story
The two main roads near the entrance to Black Butte Ranch have been torn up the past three weeks for the replacement of new underground electric conduit. "We have about another two weeks to go," said Travis Kinder, foreman with Robinson & Owen, Inc, of Sisters, contractors for the extensive trenching job. "And that is predicting fair weather." The project started at Curly Dock Road and runs along the recently renamed Bishop's Cap (formerly Hawkes Beard) on the western side of the Ranch. It extends almost two-thirds of a mile... Full story
One of the least known services in this area is Volunteers in Medicine (VIM), helping those who need medical care but are unable to pay for it. Until recently, those uninsured or underinsured who had need for medical care went to an emergency care facility or, more commonly, to the emergency room of a local hospital or clinic. Now, they have a place to go where they can receive professional care, follow-up treatment and medical record keeping, much as if they had a personal doctor -- all without charge. "Most of our patients... Full story
Sled dog racing will take over Sisters during part of the Atta Boy 300 Oregon World Cup next Tuesday and Wednesday, January 6-7. This is a "stage race" spread over eight days. Two of those stages take place in the Sisters backcountry, recently blanketed with heavy snow. In a stage race, each of the days features a complete race in itself, rather than one long race of many days, such as the Iditarod in Alaska. The Iditarod, where many of the Atta Boy race competitors have run, starts March 6, running from Anchorage to Nome. Th... Full story
Teresa and Saundra Mann Christmas shop at the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. photo by Tom Chace It was play money, but it bought some real holiday cheer. On Monday, December 15, Habitat for Humanity of Sisters opened the doors of its Thrift Store on Main Avenue to children of this area to shop for friends and family members. The only difference between this day and any other was that Habitat gave each child $25-$30 in play money and took it at the cash register as if it were real. This is the seventh year Habitat... Full story
After several weeks of concern about the future of the Sisters Jazz Festival, good news came last week when the sponsors reached the threshold of contributions to match a $10,000 grant. A donor who wished to remain anonymous put up the money three months ago to insure a continuation of the Sisters event. "We are very pleased at the support we received from individuals and business leaders in our community to complete our funding efforts so that we can go ahead for next year," said Kent Thie, who serves as festival... Full story
The Sisters Community Choir will perform two free Christmas concerts here on Saturday and Sunday, December 20-21, at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. The 14-member choir will do a program primarily of Christmas music with several popular sing-along carols at the end in which the audience will become part of the choir, according to George Larson, choir director. The program will include: "When Christ was Born of Mary Free," by Edwin Fissinger, and "The Wexford Carol," by Linda Spevacek. A highlight will be several... Full story
Electronic signs and a new information number keep motorists informed of road conditions. photo by Jim Cornelius The order for which traction devices are required to get over the Santiam Pass out of Sisters starts from on high. Literally. One of the dozen or so members of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) maintenance crew who work out of the Santiam Station on top of the pass can start the process. ODOT personnel will observe cars or trucks sliding or spinning on the snow or icy road surface and telephone... Full story
Lorna Wright, window painter, at work at the Sisters Post Office. photo by Tom Chace Lorna Wright is an unusual painter in an area known as a haven for artists. She paints windows. A long-time Sisters resident with a home on Cloverdale Road, Wright is responsible for the colorful art seen around town this holiday season on such places as The Pony Express, Sisters Auto Supply, the Ski Inn and Soba Noodles & Rice. Her most-often-viewed work is on the windows of the Sisters Post Office where she did a panel of twin snowmen,... Full story
Residents of Black Butte Ranch hosted a special guest at their monthly property owners dinner on Tuesday night, December 9. Carol Woosley, 16-year veteran waitress at the Lodge restaurant, has served dozens of these kinds of meals to the 150 homeowners. She was a guest that night. She received hugs and kisses and well wishes from virtually everyone there as she readied herself and her family to travel to Portland Friday, December 12, to begin the 100-day treatment program for a bone marrow transplant. Last month, after six... Full story
The crowd waiting for Sisters Starry Nights concert tickets all got their tickets. photo by Tom Chace Organizers of the Starry Nights benefit concert series were afraid that high demand could make for some disgruntled folks at a December 6 lottery for the sale of tickets for the Kenny Loggins concert last Saturday. However, all went smoothly at Leavitt's Western Wear, ticket sales headquarters. Sue Arends, one of the leaders of the fund-raising program to benefit the Sisters Schools Foundation, was very pleased with the patie... Full story
Sisters Elementary School students performed at Magical Voices of Christmas. photo by Jim Cornelius The Rotary Club of Sisters gave an advance Christmas present to local residents Friday evening, December 5, with a free concert at the new Sisters High School auditorium. A crowd of about 200 heard a variety of holiday tunes; saw two live reindeer penned outside the common room; got a chance to chat and have a picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus; and ended up the evening with a community carol sing-along around Santa's... Full story
Lynn Johnston and Principal Bob Macauley at the Sisters High School Library. photo by Tom Chace Sisters building contractor Lynn Johnston says that if he learned one thing from his father it was that hard work pays off. "I have been relatively successful here," he said, "not because I was very smart, because I wasn't --I had trouble keeping a 'C' average -- but because I was willing to work hard and that's what I learned from my dad and it's the root of my success." Johnston recently made a donation of $7,500 to the Sisters... Full story
Cathy Ehlers and Lorena Bliven of the Sisters Garden Club. photo by Tom Chace With funds raised during their annual Sisters Home and Garden Tour, the Garden Club of Sisters made a contribution of $2,000 for the landscaping at the downtown Barclay Park. Cathy Ehlers is the coordinator for the visitors who come here from "out of town, literally from all over the world for our Home and Garden Tour," she said. Ehlers said that proceeds from the annual event make it possible for the garden club to support projects such as the... Full story
