News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Articles from the January 16, 2001 edition


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  • Low snow means dry year

    Jim Cornelius|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    It's shaping up to be a dry year in Central Oregon. With precipitation at 56 percent of normal in the Deschutes River Basin and snowpack at 66 percent of normal, folks in the region are looking at shallower lakes and trickling streams come summertime. According to Deschutes County Watermaster Kyle Gorman, "the abundant water we've seen over the past four years, we won't be seeing. It hasn't been this dry since 1994." Squaw Creek's flows should be at their minimum by June this... Full story

  • Winter illnesses strike many in Sisters

    Jim Cornelius|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    Your joints feel like they're full of ground glass, your muscles ache, and you've got a nasty cough and a fever. You have what folks commonly call "the flu." It's miserable, but it may not be actual influenza -- which is a good thing, because influenza would really lay you low. "People call every virus influenza," said Dr. May Fan of Bend Memorial Clinic. "Actual influenza (Influenza A) is not prevalent right now. We're not in a flu epidemic." But the real deal may be... Full story

  • School board to hire architect

    Jayme Vasconcellos|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    The Sisters School Board this week was to interview representatives from the four architectural firms that are the finalists to become the district "Architect of Record." According to School Superintendent Steve Swisher, a contractual relationship with an architectural firm is necessary for several reasons. An architect of record will assess and supervise repairs at the three current schools. Moreover, according to Swisher, the selected firm would "in all likelihood" be the designer of a new Sisters high school, should the... Full story

  • Crime rate remains stable in Sisters area

    Updated Jan 16, 2001

    Crime rates have remained stable in the Sisters area over the past three years. According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office statistics, there were 73 felonies charged in the City of Sisters last year, up from 61 in 1998 and 54 in 1999. Charged felonies in the local unincorporated areas were down to 69 in 2000 after 81 in 1999 and a high of 104 in 1998. Misdemeanor charges were up in the city and down in county areas. "I think we're pretty stable," said Sergeant Rich Shawver of the Sisters substation. Shawver noted that... Full story

  • Sisters family starts anew after fire

    Shawn Strannigan|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    On the afternoon of December 28, Karen Relei received the news that would turn her world upside down: The house she'd been renting at 246 W. Jefferson in Sisters had just gone up in flames, destroying virtually all of her family's earthly possessions. "I'd spent most of that day at the Redmond airport, waiting for my two daughters to arrive," said Karen. "Fog had forced their plane to land in Portland and they were being shuttled to Redmond." Sixteen-year-old Amber and her seven-year-old sister, Dominique were returning from... Full story

  • Council pledges funds for Centennial

    Updated Jan 16, 2001

    The Sisters City Council will contribute $2,500 to a Centennial Celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the platting of the city. The council unanimously agreed to a proposal from the committee organizing the month-long July celebration at its Thursday, January 11 meeting. The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce will match the $2,500 funding. According to a letter from the Centennial Celebration Committee, "the combined funds of the city and the chamber will allow the committee to greatly expand the amount of advertising... Full story

  • Habitat to start building new home

    Jim Cornelius|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    Sisters Habitat for Humanity will break ground on its 15th and 16th homes on Sunday, February 4. Jennifer Knowles and her family will reside in one of the duplexes located at the intersection of Washington and Cedar streets (behind Sisters Pumphouse). A family has yet to be selected for the second unit in the duplex, according to Habitat manager Sharlene Weed. Weed said the Habitat chapter, founded in 1991, is poised to serve many more families in coming years. "We now have... Full story

  • Hearing will impact cell tower site

    Jim Cornelius|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    A hearing at Sisters City Hall on Thursday, January 25, could clear away a hurdle in the path of wireless telecommunication companies who want to put up towers in Sisters. The city council will decide whether to approve an amendment to an exception to statewide land use planning goals to allow structures other than a sewer treatment plant on Section 9 at the south end of town. The city wants the option of siting cell towers there instead of downtown and also hopes to move... Full story

  • School report cards draw sharp response in Sisters

    Jim Cornelius|Updated Jan 16, 2001

    School report cards from the Oregon Department of Education drew fire from Sisters educators last week. The school performance ratings listed Sisters Elementary School and Sisters High School as "satisfactory"; Sisters Middle School received a "strong" rating. "This is absurd," said Sisters Elementary School Principal Tim Comfort. "I don't even want to participate in this system anymore, it's so discouraging." Comfort noted that the school received a "strong" rating in student... Full story

  • Letters, letters, letters

    Updated Jan 16, 2001

    The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday. To the Editor: We were attracted... Full story

  • Sisters Sheriff's calls

    Updated Jan 16, 2001

    - A woman reported her car stolen from a motel parking lot. The keys were left in it and it had a full tank of gas. But whoever took it didn't go too far; it was recovered the same day. - Two pedestrians reported being chased by dogs. - A youth at a boys' home near Sisters was arrested after he allegedly assaulted a staff member and resisted arrest. - A Sisters man was arrested after he admitted that he violated a restraining order. - A Sisters resident reported that they heard a tap, tap, tapping on the bedroom window and a... Full story

  • Home damaged in Camp Sherman

    Updated Jan 16, 2001

    A fire most likely caused by a faulty electric heater severely damaged a Camp Sherman home on Thursday, January 11. According to Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Chief Don Rowe, the home in Metolius Meadows on Forest Road 1419 was unoccupied. It is a vacation home for a Eugene family. Rowe said the heater was likely kept active to prevent water pipes from freezing. The fire ran from the heater up the wall and into the ceiling, Chief Rowe said, and firefighters had to rip a considerable portion of the ceiling down to tackle the... Full story