News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 125
(L.-R.) Bill Archuleta from Brookings; Lester Hall, Grants Pass; Barbara Detzel, Redmond; Mark Kelso, Grants Pass; and Oliver Trussel from Bend. photo by Tom Chace They sleep on cots. They pay their own way. They drive from all over the state to help those in need. These volunteers are part of the Disaster Relief program of the American Red Cross. Many think of Red Cross workers rolling bandages or nursing the wounded during wartime. They still do that but now they do much more. Lester Hall drove to Sisters from Grants Pass... Full story
The Waybacks, from the San Francisco Bay Area, entertained Sisters Folk Festival audiences with stellar musicianship and an antic stage act. photo by Lynn Woodward No matter how you measure success in musical festivals, the Sisters Folk Festival last weekend (September 5-7) touched or surpassed all benchmarks. The "SRO" (Sold Out -- Standing Room Only) sign went up a half-hour before the first group even hit the stage. And that was for all shows for all days. Sometimes there wasn't much standing room, unless you were outside... Full story
Incident Commander Kim Martin. photo by Tom Chace Kim Martin of Utah has assumed duties as the Incident Commander on the Booth and Bear Butte wildfires. Martin replaces Bob Anderson, incident commander of the Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team #3. Anderson led more 2,000 firefighters in battle against the B & B Complex fires the past three weeks, since the fires first broke out on Tuesday, August 19. Anderson's team is rotating out under strict Forest Service guidelines for service stints on fires. It was Anderson... Full story
Dennis McGregor, artist and songwriter. photo by Lynn Woodward "Bittersweet" is a word often associated with folk music. So it was in real life for Dennis McGregor on Saturday, September 6, when he won the coveted top prize in the Sisters Folk Festival Song Writing Contest. The morning before, Dennis McGregor lost his 14-year-old companion and pal, his yellow lab/golden retriever dog, Oscar. The first of the four songs he wrote and played before an overflowing audience at Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill and Saloon was "My Dog's... Full story
Paul Alan Bennett, Sisters artist, holds a poster of his Oregon State Fair award-winning painting, "Winter Madonna." photo by Tom Chace Put Paul Alan Bennett and Paul Gauguin together and you get an award-winning painting. A Bennett painting earned first place honors in the fine arts Professional class at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, which ended September 1. Entitled "Winter Madonna," the painting depicts a female skier with darkened goggles and child, both dressed in colorful winter clothing and mitts surrounded by a... Full story
They'll arrive in 15 mini-vans. They will sleep on the new middle school gym floor. They are twenty 13-to-18-year-olds who will play in the Sisters Jazz Festival this weekend, September 13-15. This group of 20 teenagers are the top players out of a total contingent of 150-175 jazz musicians in the acclaimed Oregon Coast Lab Band. They will arrive here with their entourage of 20 parents, who will also sleep on the gym floor, and their founder and leader, Greg Young. "We just came back from the Sacramento Jazz Festival, the... Full story
Standing (l. - r.) are Scott Reekie, Beverly Gaskins, Doug Wood, Dave Barry, Pat Neufeldt, Jessica Judy, and Russ Fetrow. Kneeling are Sharyn Fetrow, Mimi Miller and Darla Neiss. photo provided by Sharon Fetrow Training and planning for three months paid off for 10 Sisters and Black Butte Ranch residents when they climbed to the summit of South Sister and back on September 2-3. "It was painful," said Mimi Miller. "It was like giving birth to a child. It hurt but it was worth it. It was a wonderful experience and I am so glad... Full story
A tanker moves in for a drop on the Booth Fire. photo by Lynn Woodward Air tankers have provided vital support to firefighters battling the Booth and Bear Butte Fires, hitting hot spots and laying protective retardant strikes in the vicinity of threatened structures. Within a matter of a few minutes from when the telephone order comes, the air tanker-bombers stationed in Redmond can be loaded and flying. "Even our Smoke Jumpers can be in the air from phone call to taxiing within a matter of minutes," said Scott Fisher,... Full story
First it was the Link Fire in early July that closed them down for two weeks and now the Booth Fire has closed Camp Tamarack for the balance of the summer season. Marc Prigohzy, executive director of camp operations and vice president of the holding company that owns the land and facilities, said that the 70-year-old camping operation has canceled all plans for the balance of the summer and is on hold as to what they will do this fall. "We got the word from Search and Rescue late the afternoon the Booth Fire broke out... Full story
Three fires in two years, plus one evacuation and the threat of two others, have plagued Black Butte Ranch (BBR), but it is still doing fine, although hit with some financial losses. Loy Helmly, the executive manager of the 1,800-acre Ranch complex, said that he estimates the Ranch lost between $50,000 and $75,000 during the Link fire. "And we'll probably exceed that during the Booth Fire scare," he said. "Part of the problem this time is that Highway 20 was closed for a number of days and that affected our day-use business,... Full story
Heavy equipment moves onto McKinney Butte Road. photo by Tom Chace The long-awaited McKinney Butte link from Highway 20 to the new Sisters High School will be surfaced next week (Monday-Wednesday, September 4-6) and is expected to be finished and ready for the opening of school on Monday, September 15. Hap Taylor and Sons, Inc. has the contract to do the finish grading upon the road, which includes laying a bed of rock and gravel and then putting down the asphalt. "We're just waiting for the contractors scheduled ahead of us... Full story
The end of Wagonwheel in Tollgate will be the head of a new trail. photo by Tom Chace A trail linking the Tollgate subdivision to the new Sisters High School tops the priority list of an ambitious master plan for a community trails system in Sisters. The final master plan for a series of hiking and biking trails in and around Sisters is nearing completion, according to an announcement this week from Jeff Sims, a volunteer with the project. Sims, who is a Lands and Special Use Forester with the Sisters Ranger District, said,... Full story
Black Butte Ranch women made this quilt for a raffle in conjunction with the Art at the Barn show. Shown here are (l.-r.) Lyn Jacobs, Ruth Ingham, Barbara Mowers, Ruth Peterson, Peggy Click-Taylor and Marti Kufchak. photo by Tom Chace One of the highlights of the summer season at Black Butte Ranch (BBR) is the annual Art at the Barn show and reception. The show is scheduled this year for Friday and Saturday, August 29-30. Several BBR women have worked for weeks on a hand-made "Strip Quilt" to be raffled off at the show.... Full story
Last year, in the Sisters area alone, drivers killed 77 deer on local stretches of highway. Already this year through May, automobiles have killed 49 more. And Sisters is now approaching the migration season when deer on roadways become more numerous. Shortened daylight hours mean we drive more at dusk and dawn -- the very time deer are likely to be moving -- and the approaching Labor Day holiday means heavy traffic. Collisions are a costly proposition, not to mention devastating for the deer. Insurance experts estimate that... Full story
Standing: Sharyn Fetrow, Darla Neiss, Beverly Gaskins, Janet Lawhun, Jessica Judy, Russ Fetrow, Eloise Barry, Scott Reekie, Dave Barry and Bill Miller. Kneeling: Keith (Neiss' grandson), Justin (Linda Goebel's step-son), Carolyn Gabrielson, Linda Goebel, Doug Wood, and Cathy Ellis. photo provided The hiking group that will attempt the summit of South Sister is in the final two weeks of training. They plan, depending upon weather, to start the assault a few days after Labor Day. Many of those who will attempt to scale South... Full story
GFP Enterprises firefighters (l.-r.) Tim Decamp, John Simpson, Josh Canaday and Jedediah Belcher await their next fire call. photo by Tom Chace It may be for only a few hours or a day or two at the most, but during the break between Central Oregon's rash of wildfires, a team of 20 firefighters rests in downtown Sisters. "We're ready to go when we get the call," said Tech-2 fireman Tim Decamp from Government Camp, near Mt. Hood. "We'll catch up on our sleep and get some good food and check out our equipment and be always at... Full story
Dusty Wilkerson flies his remote control helicopter on a Sunday outing with the Cascade Flyers. photo by Tom Chace More airplanes land and take off at Sisters' second "airport," on any given Sunday, than at the regular, full-time airport in a month of Sundays. This most active airport is the home of the Cascade Flyers Club, whose members fly miniature airplanes, models mostly made from kits. About a dozen "pilots" from all over Central Oregon gather there at the field about nine miles east of town on Highway 20. They meet... Full story
Janette Sinclair in her kitchen. photo by Tom Chace From Scottsdale, Arizona, where she taught culinary arts, to Sisters, Oregon is a "move up," according to Janette Sinclair. Sinclair is the new chef at Coyote Creek Cafe. "While I loved it there, this is a very special place and I am my own cook in a wonderful restaurant with marvelous people," Sinclair said. She has traveled extensively and "been trained in many countries in their local cuisine," she said. She lived with a family in Taiwan, "teaching their children English... Full story
The springs on the Metolius River are the highlight of a wonderful hike. photo by Tom Chace There are probably as many favorite hikes along the Metolius River as there are hikers. Possibly the most scenic and least used trail is along the west side, upstream two miles from Wizard Falls Hatchery. It is not too arduous from the hatchery end, walking up stream, but from the other direction, where the natural beauty is found, it takes a bit of doing. Along this stretch of class four and class five rapids the water roars within... Full story
Jinny Pitman is a fire education specialist -- and a firefighter. photo by Jim Cornelius Jinny Pitman is a wildland firefighter. She fights fires with everything at her command: education, prevention -- and on the line with fire engines. Her title is Fire Prevention and Education Specialist for the Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Ranger Station. Her job is to prevent fires first and then to help to put them out when prevention fails. "I work with all the schools in this area on education about prevention, especially with... Full story
The sewer line to the new Sisters High School is installed and hooked up, but it is not yet operable, according to Gary Frazee, public works director for the City of Sisters. "We have to wait for the completion of McKinney Butte Road from Highway 20 to the school property before we can certify the sewer line," he said. "We expect no problems." McKinney Butte opened last week from the highway to Brooks Camp Road connecting to McKenzie Highway from that juncture. Work on the remainder of the road, from the intersection of... Full story
Middle school jazz musicians wowed the crowd. photo by Jim Cornelius It has already become one of the most popular spots in Sisters and on Friday, August 1, the new Harold and Dorothy Barclay Park was packed with some 200 well-wishers for its dedication. The park lies on a decommissioned block of Ash Street between The Gallery Restaurant and The Jewel. A jazz combo from Sisters Middle School entertained and the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District served up barbecue. Mayor Dave Elliott offered a history of the... Full story
McKinney Butte Road off Hwy. 20, west of Sisters, is now open past The Pines subdivision. photo by Tom Chace The first phase of a through road from Highway 20 to the new high school opened last week without much flourish. The complete extension, including a sewer hookup to the City of Sisters system, is scheduled to be ready by the time school opens this fall. A major sewer line is already installed, serving the numerous churches in the area. The line will be hooked to the high school by late August, according to Rob Ring,... Full story
Word spread throughout Black Butte Ranch last week that a potential donor has been found to help Carol Woosley in her fight against cancer. "We won't know for a week or two," said Maxine Braune, head of the Black Butte Lodge Restaurant where Carol worked for 16 years. "But we're all optimistic and Carol is still very positive as we are trying to be." Woosley needs a bone marrow transplant and a matching donor is not easy to find. Her husband Michael indicated that their eldest daughter might make that match. "We've got our... Full story
Construction is well underway on the new Sisters Athletic Club. photo by Tom Chace Walk through the double "air-lock" entry doors and a huge boulder, from which water is cascading, will greet the eye. Behind that is a magnificent stone fireplace, with leather chairs for lounging while awaiting friends. This is a gym? By next spring it will be the new Sisters Athletic Club. The building, now under construction on Highway 20 east of town, will be "top-notch, smart, with the latest of everything in athletic and training... Full story
