News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 11 of 11
Former fire captain Justin Waalkes knows just how important the Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplains are to the well-being of first responders. Executive Chaplain Joel Stutzman helped him out of a spiral following critical stress incidents throughout his career. Waalkes went into the fire service just out of high school, going straight into fire science at Central Oregon Community College in 1989. Waalkes had been brought up around military and fire-service members. Waalkes... Full story
Sisters youth donated a total of nearly $1,000, generated through sales of “Sisters Strong” apparel by Sisters Middle School students. Funds went to the Family Access Network (FAN) and the Kiwanis Food Bank. Led by Student Body President Holly Davis and Vice-President Jack Turpen the initiative provided $470 each to the two nonprofits. Turpen, an eighth-grader, created the Sisters Strong logo last year which has been used on T-shirts and stickers, sold by the students. Acc... Full story
Here is a snapshot of the Sisters School District Board Meeting held November 3 at Sisters Middle School. Board members in attendance included Chair Jay Wilkins, David Thorsett, Jeff Smith, Edie Jones and Don Hedrick. • Middle School Principal Alison Haney reported that the earliest date for fifth- and/or sixth-graders to potentially return to in-person school will be November 30, which is looking less likely in light of skyrocketing COVID-19 cases in Deschutes County. The middle school is doing final work on their “blue... Full story
This week, the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest will begin masticating brush on several sites across the district to reduce hazardous fuels and prepare areas for the introduction of prescribed fire in future years. Over 1,400 acres will be treated across several units in two project areas: Sisters Area Fuels Reduction (SAFR), and the Metolius Basin Vegetation Management Project. In the Metolius Basin, contractors will do approximately 870 acres of brush mastication to protect the community of Camp... Full story
Registration is now open for Sisters Folk Festival’s brand-new educational offerings planned for this fall, including an in-person Americana Fiddle Club for students in grades 9-12 at Sisters Art Works, as well as a virtual Americana Song Academy for Youth, November 20-21, for high school students. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has redesigned many of their traditional offerings. Two recent successful examples are the Sisters Songworks virtual songwriting retreat that took place in early October and th... Full story
For decades, Black Butte School families have been selling holiday wreaths to the Sisters Country community to support unique programs and opportunities for students in Camp Sherman. This year, wreath sales will continue with minor changes to ensure safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Wreaths are only available for online purchase in two sizes (27-inch and 36-inch outside diameter) at www.bbswreaths.com. Hollie Foster, a Camp Sherman resident said, “We buy several w... Full story
People like to say that dogs “live in the moment.” Anyone who says that has never lived with a rescued Scottie. My Scotties are always anticipating the next something; which includes worrying about what is coming next. If I begin grooming one, the other two hide. They also begin to worry as soon as it looks like I may leave them behind when I get in the car. One of our Scotties hated riding in a car on a winding road. As soon as we reached Tombstone Pass, heading to Corvallis, he would begin to get carsick. How do you tea... Full story
Winter weather snuck up on Sisters Country and much of the West this week. With the arrival of snow and freezing temperatures, Oregon State Police reminded drivers of the importance of some basic safety tips: • First thing first, check your route and the weather. Use www.tripcheck.com for updated road closures and chain requirements. • Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice. • Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain... Full story
Blue Stone Retirement recently moved their offices from Bend to Sisters. They are offering retirement-planning services and support. President and Founder Nick Stahl says his Central Oregon clients are enjoying the beautiful views along the highway when they come to the new Sisters office on Hood Avenue. Over the years, Stahl has noticed a common denominator for the people who come into his office or attend one of his seminars: “They don’t know what their retirement plan loo... Full story
My memories of Indian Ford Meadow live in many snapshots. In the early 1960s my father Harry Pajutee was awarded a contract to put in a water system at a new development in Indian Ford called “The Hill.” His lawyer Rockne Gill invited us to visit his sister Donna Gill’s Indian Ford Guest Ranch nearby. As an eight-year-old from the city and a first generation Estonian American I had never seen a place like this. There were cowboys, fiddle players, a pool, cabins, dining room di... Full story
In the 1980s, my dad — my Republican, Ronald Reagan-loving dad — took me to the University of Oregon campus to see a woman speak. Her name was Geraldine Ferraro, and she was the first-ever female vice-presidential nominee for a major party in United States history. Did I understand the significance of that? Uhhh, sorta. Maybe. Not really. I grew up in a culture of shoulder pads, big hair, and denial. “Anything you can do, I can do better,” as the girl sang in Free... Full story
