News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 125
Tracy Leonhardy brought her donkeys out to play. photo by Tom Chace It was hard to tell who had the most fun: the people in the Sisters Christmas Parade on Saturday afternoon, November 29, or those lining the downtown streets watching it. Hundreds of spectators lined both sides of Hood Avenue and applauded and laughed and cheered as group after group came by in holiday regalia. It was a "warm for this time of year" sort of day, with rain threatening but never falling. Children of all ages from youngsters to oldsters smiled... Full story
Sisters children gave Santa their Christmas lists after Saturday's parade. photo by Tom Chace The kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Their parents lined up for hot chocolate or coffee. They all greeted one another and wished a happy holiday to friends and neighbors at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce "Open House" following the annual Sisters Christmas Parade on Saturday afternoon, November 29. The crowd at the Visitors Center numbered well over 200. They milled around the spacious lawn at the corner of Elm Street and Main... Full story
Well over 100 people gathered late Friday afternoon, November 28, to sing carols and enjoy the camaraderie of the beginning of the Christmas Season in Sisters. They came to Barclay Park to "ooh and ah" as a giant Christmas tree provided by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce was lighted. The tree is located in the heart of the city at the new Barclay Park at the southern end of Ash Street and its white lights are visible to all who drive though Sisters on Cascade Avenue. Chuck Fadeley, president of the local chamber,... Full story
Attorney Lauren Stoery. photo by Tom Chace. Lauren Stoery moved to Sisters a year ago after years of private, corporate and criminal law practice. She came here with her husband Scott, passed the Oregon bar and this November set up shop in Sisters as "Creative Solutions @ Law." She has already made her mark locally with membership on the board of CATS (Community Action Team of Sisters), the Library Advisory Council and as a co-leader of the Sisters Art Literacy Program at Sisters Elementary School. She also guides legal... Full story
Dave Talbot. photo by Tom Chace For 30 years Dave Talbot served his state as director of the Oregon State Parks system. Then he retired to Black Butte Ranch where he has found local fame as a playwright with three one-act comedies recently performed by the Black Butte Players. "I had the best job in the entire state," he said. "I could go anywhere in Oregon and be at work in one of our 200 parks." His was a political office -- appointed by the State Highway Commission, which was appointed by the governor. He served as head... Full story
The cougar that was scared away from a Black Butte Ranch resident's yard by a mini-doxie dog last week was not scared very far away. It was spotted several times in the upper portion of Black Butte Ranch as late as Saturday, November 22. Several phone calls went out from those who saw it to neighbors and friends warning that pets should be kept close and not allowed to roam free, as the big cat was still on the prowl. One observer, Bob Reed, reported that remnants of a goose dinner were found near his house on Candy Flower.... Full story
Ready to roll... photo by Tom Chace They are on standby 24 hours a day. They live at the peak where the highway out of Sisters merges with Highway 22 to Salem and Highway 126 to Eugene. It's called the "Junction" and it sits above the Santiam Pass. This is the staging station for the Oregon Department of Transportation's road maintenance crew. Thirteen men of ODOT's highway crew stay here, seven days a week, waiting for a storm, much as firefighters wait for an alarm. They work in two 10-hour shifts and, if it is rough... Full story
Kids, parents and teachers from Sisters Elementary School, with help from members of the Sisters Garden Club, squeeze into the school's greenhouse to plant strawberries. photo by Tom Chace The red-painted "Greenhouse" at Sisters Elementary School is a busy place these days with young students learning about plants and gardening from parents and members of the Sisters Garden Club. The program is entirely voluntary and when the word went out that the school would resume this innovative program, 80 youngsters signed up instead... Full story
Judy Osborne opened the door of her Black Butte Ranch home at about 6:30 a.m. on Monday, November 10, to let her mini-doxie dog out. It met up with a cougar. According to a note attached to the bulletin board at Black Butte Ranch, Osborne said that the cat was only about 20 feet from their front steps. Maxine, the dog, not much bigger than a shoebox, took off after the mountain lion. Osborne screamed, "so loudly that she knocked her husband, Owen, right out of bed." The dog stopped when she yelled and the cat ran off. Lucky... Full story
A City of Sisters utility truck sprays deicer at local intersections. photo by Tom Chace The pickup truck came to a downtown stop sign. It crossed the line on Cascade Avenue and swerved into the oncoming traffic lane for 50 feet. Then it pulled back into its own lane and proceeded to stop at the next intersection where it did the same thing all over again. It was 6:30 in the morning on Saturday, November 15. It would have been suspicious behavior, except that this truck was being operated safely, with great caution and care.... Full story
Bob Repine (left), Caroline Gabrielson and Bruce Peterson prepare to dedicate six new Habitat for Humanity houses in Sisters last Sunday afternoon. photo by Tom Chace Sisters Habitat for Humanity won praise from the organization's regional director as the local chapter dedicated six homes in Sisters on Sunday, November 9. The chapter has now provided 26 affordable homes in the Sisters area. "This is an incredible showing for any community, said Bruce Peterson, regional director representing 13 western states. "For the people... Full story
Sisters Elementary School students, faculty, veterans and guests join in a flag raising salute Monday morning marking Veterans Day. photo by Tom Chace Early Monday morning, November 10, the children at Sisters Elementary School joined with faculty members and many local veterans in a special Veterans Day tribute during an all-school Pledge of Allegiance ceremony. A special flag was raised over the school at the front entrance. The flag originally was draped over the coffin of Craig Benton's father, Ed. Craig teaches third... Full story
Nearly 100 hiking, riding and cycling enthusiasts gathered at Sisters Village Green on Saturday morning, November 8, to celebrate the completion of the Sisters Community Trails plan. The extensive plan, which will take years to complete, envisions a total of 36 trails running 143 miles and covering the entire Sisters School District. It is proposed as a trail system for everyone from residents of Cloverdale and Tollgate to the citizens of Crossroads and Aspen Lakes. "We are also celebrating the announcement that our trails... Full story
Sisters will mark the Tuesday, November 11, Veterans Day observance with a ceremony at Sisters High School. Next Tuesday is a national holiday; government agencies and all local schools will be closed. "However, we will have a public ceremony that night," said Michelle Herron, activities director for Sisters High School. "The entire community is welcome to come to our school for the public observance. We want everyone there." It was the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour that the truce ending World War I was signed a... Full story
The public is invited to join with members of the Sisters Community Trails Committee to celebrate the completion of the final community trails plan on Saturday, November 8, at 10 a.m. They are calling it: "Discover a Trail Day" and it starts at the Village Green. "We'll begin with a half-hour program giving an overview of the Community Trails Plan and then break out in guided hikes and bike rides to see some of that which we propose," said James Yuskavitch in a news release sent out from the SOAR office (Sisters Organization... Full story
Three of the six homes that will be dedicated by Habitat for Humanity Sunday afternoon. photo by Tom Chace Sharlene Weed, executive director for Sisters Habitat for Humanity, called it "a miracle." "Actually multiple miracles when we dedicate six new homes here proving the worth of dozens and dozens of volunteers and new home-owners," she said. The organization will dedicate the new homes on Sunday afternoon, November 9. The public is invited to share in this multiple dedication, which will be a "progressive affair, similar... Full story
Daiya Dillman-Owen and John Leavitt prepare for the 25th annual fashion show this Saturday at Black Butte Ranch. photo by Tom Chace For the 25th consecutive year, Leavitt's Western Wear of Sisters will hold its annual fashion show for the benefit of the Central Oregon Cancer Treatment Center at St. Charles Medical Center. The event is set for Saturday, November 1. The noontime event will again be held at Black Butte Ranch. The fashion show is coordinated by Daiya Dillman-Owen, manager of the downtown Western wear store. "We... Full story
Lynn Johnston. photo by Tom Chace Many veterans of World War II and the Vietnam War believe that today's young people have no concept of what it was like for the millions of men and women who served their country in those difficult times. For the past three years, a Sisters man has been doing something tangible about that. He is Lynn Johnston, a local building contractor, himself a Vietnam veteran, who is awarding a substantial cash scholarship each year to a senior graduate of Sisters High School. The money for the scholarsh... Full story
Tracy Leonhardy with her six foundling fawns. photo by Tom Chace Deer hunting season ended October 12. Six baby deer will be set free to roam the woods this weekend, October 17. Tracy Leonhardy has mothered six fawns from infancy to independence during most of last summer and has now decided they are ready to try it on their own in the wilds of the nearby Sisters forests. This is the sixth year she has mothered a group of orphaned or abandoned babies and then set them free. "They come to me from all kinds of sources," said... Full story
Weed washing helps stop the spread of knapweed. photo by Sue Anderson A puzzling sign greets travelers at the junction to George McAllister Road and Highway 20: It says "Weed Washing," with an arrow pointing down the road. The Forest Service is not washing down the weeds -- it is washing down trucks, vans, buses and other heavy equipment that went into the fire zone and possibly came out contaminated with seeds and spors of noxious weeds or other undesirable vegetation. "We're here seven days a week, sunup to sundown, to... Full story
Chicago 6 set toes to tappin' at the Sisters Jazz Festival. photo by Elise Gourguechon The Sisters Jazz Festival held in Sisters last weekend continued to expand its artistic palette to include many other types of music than the traditional jazz for which it originally became known. During the course of 12 events over 13 years, the festival has slowly been modified to include swing, blues and zydeco as well as Dixieland. This year, Lily Wilde and her 14 piece "Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra" from Portland put on a special show Sat... Full story
Bob Mowers (center-left), Ron Gregg and Paul Janssen prepare to place sod at one of two new Habitat houses in Sisters. Dawn Roberts, owner, looks over the fence from her new house. photo by Tom Chace Members of the Lutheran Church from all over Central Oregon converged on Sisters on Saturday, September 13, to help finish two Habitat for Humanity houses. They landscaped the two houses on Tamarack Road near Sisters Elementary School and also went across town and put in a sod lawn at another Habitat house on St. Helens Avenue... Full story
The musicians put the Sisters Jazz Festival crowds on the dance floor, but it's local volunters who roll out that dance floor -- and more besides. "Without our corps of volunteers we could not put on this show," said Jim Smith, director of the 2003 festival held last weekend. One hundred percent of those involved in the Jazz Festival, including the director, are volunteers. They are site managers, door checkers, greeters, ticket and badge sellers, shuttle bus drivers, band services people and the 30 or so at the Musicians... Full story
As promised, McKinney Butte Road was ready for traffic on the first day of school, Monday, September 15, but the school buses probably won't drive on it until next Monday. "We will have to check out the new road before making a decision as to whether our school buses will use McKinney Butte or not," said Angie Gardinier, transportation supervisor for the Sisters School District. "For the first week of school we will not use that road. Later, I will personally take a bus and check it out for turns and signs and safety," she... Full story
Sisters Oil Company is remodeling the service station in downtown Sisters. photo by Tom Chace The corner of Fir Street and Cascade Avenue, downtown Sisters, is just about the center of town. The Sisters Oil Company has occupied a third of this prime downtown real estate, just up the block from Sisters City Hall. Now that corner is getting a facelift. For the past few weeks, the shed used as an office and cigarette sales store in the back of the gas station property has been taken apart and put back together again. It is, or... Full story
