News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 19 of 19
Growing up in Portland, our house was located on an acre-and-a-quarter lot outside the city on a two-lane road that received so little traffic I could safely ride my bike on the road. The road had giant fir trees on both sides with houses nestled into the trees. Behind our house was what I have always called “the hundred-acre woods.” The actual number of acres I don’t know, but the woods covered a huge hillside with a large field of blackberry bushes, trails, and a strea... Full story
The Aspen Lakes Estates Owners’ Association held their second annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving 2020” in conjunction with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District’s sponsorship, providing Christmas gifts and assistance to families in need in Sisters Country this holiday season. Like most events this year, the format of our charitable opportunity took on a new look. ALEOA’s Social Committee donned masks and worked socially distant from one another, decoratin... Full story
As you might know, on September 20, Week 2 of this National Football League (NFL) season, the NFL fined Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll $100,000 for violating the league’s new COVID-19 mask policy. His response is indicative of his intellect, enthusiasm, and professionalism. According to media, Carroll said he wasn’t upset at the fine. Rather, Pete was upset with himself — that he didn’t do better. “‘I know it’s important to wear masks. Sometimes you’ve just got to b... Full story
Fifth Grade 4.0: Anderson, Quinn; Berry, Maxwell; Bolam, Logan; Chase, Mckenzie; Cohen, William; Davis, Kennedy; Durham, Madison; Hayes, Bennitt; Irlam, Connor; Jarvis, Leila; Jensen, Jasper; Jordan, Addison; Kennedy, Teague; King Siena; Kirkpatrick, Makayla; Luhning, Camas; Magner, Lola; Maloney, Mcginnis; McCabe, Jackson; Moen, Stella; Nieto, Alexander; Riemer, Brecken; Stelle, Ryan; Sybesma, Corbin; Talus, Henri; Vanhandel, Mason; Willard, Christopher. 3.5 And Above: Chapen, Amelia; Clark, Sofia; Harry, Isabella; Harry,... Full story
Well, 2020 has been a crazy year for everybody. Definitely not what we expected. Despite the state-inflicted suffering among local businesses, the Central Oregon real-estate market continued its upward climb. Please allow me to share with you three conversations that are going to characterize 2021. The conversations are real, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Words are my side of the conversation only: No. 1 Material Shortages and Higher Prices Bruce! It’s me. Got a couple home builds going on and I n... Full story
Two decades ago, I moved to Central Oregon with the calling in my heart to have a farm. Coming from farmers on my mom’s side, I didn’t want to be a crop-and-livestock-raising farmer — that is some of the hardest work I know. I wanted something manageable, where I could rescue one of the other loves of my life, Newfoundland dogs, and help them find a forever home. I wanted to live in harmony with the land and its animals, leaving a place better than I found it. Jim And... Full story
Since the reimposition of business closures and restrictions due to a surge in COVID-19 cases in November, a groundswell of resistance has developed among business owners, local politicians and activists. A dozen mayors and mayors-elect across Oregon created a “Main Street Mayors” coalition that urged small businesses to reopen January 1, despite the state COVID-19 restrictions. In a press release, the coalition stated that, “Main Street Mayors is supporting members of the coa... Full story
Seed to Table (S2T) is searching for three new board members going into the new year. Seed to Table envisions a healthy and resilient community where all people, regardless of race, gender, geography, or socioeconomic status, have access to fresh produce that is nourishing, locally grown, and in keeping with their culture and preferences. From our two-acre farm plot we strive to model a sustainable food system while providing equitable access to fresh foods and opportunities for all to engage positively with nutritious... Full story
As we move into 2021 it’s hard not to approach it with fear and worry, considering the year we’re putting behind us. When this is the mindset we adults carry forth, it is sure to be picked up by the children in our lives, whether we verbalize it or not. An important question is how can we avoid passing on these negative vibes to our kids? Probably the most important thing we can do is to find a way to change our perspective. Even if it happens in small increments, it can make a difference. Finding a way to start each day reme... Full story
Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth (COPY), a program of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, is offering a virtual class to prepare volunteers to become mentors for children with an incarcerated parent. After initial training and comprehensive background checks, volunteers are matched with a child in Sisters, Bend, Redmond, or La Pine that share similar interests and activities and commit to spending a few hours a week together for a minimum of one year. This time is often spent on outside activities, exploring the c... Full story
Because the number of COVID-19 cases in the community continues to be high, St. Charles Health System will no longer allow hospitalized COVID-19-positive patients to receive visitors under most circumstances. To protect St. Charles’ patients and caregivers, door screeners and guest services teams will notify any visitors who intend to visit COVID-19-positive patients that they will not be allowed to visit. St. Charles will once again encourage COVID-19-positive patients to use iPads for communication with their family m... Full story
Some 45 percent of people in our jails and prisons struggle with mental health challenges, and as many as 75 percent have substance abuse and addiction problems. Lezlie Neusteter of Sisters, a licensed clinical social worker, sees a grim pattern: “Far too often, clients are released from jail homeless, depressed, anxious, feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. Lacking basic support, they return to the same toxic environments with little chance of engaging in treatment. Direct place... 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
Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) has announced a new session of winter programming to expand virtual education outreach programs for adults and youth during COVID-19. Registration is now open for educational offerings planned for this winter and spring, including multi-week songwriting and performance classes, instrumental music and engineering workshops, and three separate Sisters Songworks offerings taught by both regional and nationally-recognized instructors and musicians. In response to the global pandemic, SFF redesigned... Full story
Over the holidays, the House of Cornelius rode down a side trail into the Wars of the Roses. The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars that ripped England apart for 30 years from 1455 to 1485. The complexity of three-decades of instability, turmoil and extreme violence has been over-simplified into a dynastic struggle between the Houses of Lancaster and York, the Red Rose vs. the White. The struggle has been fodder for dramatists from Shakespeare to Philippa... Full story
To the Editor: My father served in both World War II and in the Korean War as a Japanese linguist/Naval intelligence officer. My father-in-law served as a soldier in combat in the Korean War. My brother served two tours as a Seabee in combat zones during the Vietnam War. My husband and I spent eight months in the former Soviet Union as Foreign Service Staff Officers countering Soviet anti-American propaganda on a U.S. Government exhibit. After the Soviet Union fell, and while I was working as corporate counsel at U.S. Bank,... Full story
Growth in Sisters is keeping up a steady pace in early 2021. Numerous commercial and residential projects are in various stages of approval and implementation. • Approved: Three Winds Apartments (West Hood Avenue behind Bi-Mart). Partition to divide the property into three parcels. Site Plan Review to allow for three, 10-unit multi-family residential buildings on new Parcel 2 and two 10-unit multi-family residential buildings on new Parcel 1, for a total of 50 units.... Full story
People are flocking to the mountains this winter, filling up sno-parks, ski areas, and other recreation sites on national forest lands. While winter is a great time to explore public lands, forest officials caution that there are additional precautions and steps to take before heading out. Recreation staff and emergency responders ask everyone to follow these tips and stay safe this winter: • Always check weather and road conditions before leaving home. • Prepare your vehicle for conditions at high elevations,... Full story
Adriene Steffen has added to her collection of rodeo trophies with a Reserve Champion finish in pole bending at the Junior World Championships Rodeo held December 7-12 in Fort Worth, Texas. The 15-year-old rodeo competitor from Sisters has racked up considerable success in the arena, competing nationally since 2017. Steffen turned in blazing-fast times of 20.7 seconds and 20.1 seconds on her 19-year-old horse named Bully, whom she started working with a year ago. “I was really... Full story
