News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The Oregon Department of Forestry needs more and consistent funding to fight wildfires. That much was clear following the 2020 Labor Day fires that burned nearly 850,000 acres of forests and became the state’s most expensive disaster in history. But lawmakers are split on how to pay for it. Two Democratic senators recently unveiled competing proposals to address long-term wildfire funding. Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, wants a tax on the value of industrial timber harvests to pay for protection that he says d... Full story
Sisters Country becomes a giant outdoor classroom when Sisters Middle School students venture in the ECoS program. The program is taught by Michael Geisen and Rob Jensen. ECoS started in 2014 when Geisen and Jensen were able to secure enough money to purchase outdoor gear such as tents, backpacks, harnesses, ropes, etc. ECoS stands for earth, community, and self, which reflects the three main levels of interaction in the program. "We wanted to give students a chance to learn i... Full story
One of the goals at Sisters High School is to have each and every graduate have a plan for what they will be doing after graduation. Students can turn to parents, school counselors and teachers for help along the way, but there is an additional place to find assistance: the ASPIRE program. ASPIRE, which is an acronym for Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone, has been available throughout Oregon for many years, including at Sisters High School. Recently,... Full story
The Red-winged Blackbird [Agelaius phoeniceus], is now arriving around Sisters and feeding until they head to mostly wetland areas to begin building nests. After two to six pale blue-green eggs are laid the young hatch in only 10 to 12 days. The young, being fed on insects and seeds, leave the nest in 11 to 14 days. Two to three clutches may be laid every year. The Red-wing can be very protective of their nesting areas and will attack hawks and crows from above, diving with... Full story
The Central Oregon Community College (COCC) Foundation is awarding $2 million in scholarships for the coming 2024-25 academic year — an all-time high for the college’s scholarship fund. The application window, one of two cycles taking place this year, opened February 1 and closes May 1. Visit cocc.edu/scholarship to learn more. Annual COCC Foundation scholarships are awarded based on financial needs and a demonstrated commitment to educational goals. A full $5,000 scholarship is enough to cover an enrolled student’s tuition a... Full story
The Outlaws basketball squad posted three wins last week, including a 57-49 win at Elmira on Tuesday, January 30, and three days later a 62-57 win at home over Siuslaw. In a road game on Saturday against Creswell the Outlaws walked off the court with a 48-35 victory for their third straight win of the week. On Tuesday against the Falcons the Outlaws got off to a slow start and immediately found themselves down 0-6 before Oliver Bernhardt made a layup to get them on the... Full story
Women still need to make up ground in a key area: retirement security. Women’s challenges in achieving a secure retirement are due to several factors, including: • Pay gap – It’s smaller than it once was, but a wage gap still exists between men and women. In fact, women earn, on average, about 82 cents for every dollar that men earn, according to the Census Bureau. And even though this gap narrows considerably at higher educational levels, it’s still a source of concern. Women who earn less than men will likely contribute... Full story
The Lady Outlaws squeaked out a 48-46 win on the road at Elmira on Tuesday, January 30, and at home three days later defeated Siuslaw 53-25. On Saturday the Lady Outlaws fell 35-40 in a hard-fought battle at Creswell, in a game that was rescheduled from earlier in the season due to the stormy weather. In Tuesday's action at Elmira the Outlaws played one of their best opening quarters of the year. They moved the ball quickly to attack the hoop. Jenna Lake hit a three-pointer... Full story
Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent in much of the Christian world, fall on the same day this year. Valentine’s Day is always February 14 regardless of the day and Ash Wednesday, the official start of the Lenten season, is always on a Wednesday but the date is cyclical and can vary by as much as a month. Ash Wednesday is always immediately preceded by Shrove Tuesday. The name Shrove comes from the old middle English word ‘Shriven’ meaning to go to confess... Full story
Do you have a favorite 2023 book? This year I curated my favorite books by themes, debut authors and favorite authors. My recommendations include creating a wife app, searching for a father, and books about books. I’ve been sharing piles and piles of favorites at Library Book Pairing events at Suttle Tea, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe, BrownBag Popcorn, and PCA Art Gallery by matching a scene, event, or place with a specific tea, dessert, popcorn, or art piece. Favorites include “The Mystery Guest” by Nita Prose in which the mur... Full story
Within weeks Tesla will have seven of its Superchargers operational at Three Wind Shopping Center on North Arrowleaf Trail at the north end of the parking lot. Incorporating its Magic Dock connectivity, drivers will be able to charge not only Teslas but any EV with a CCS plug (nearly all EVs made after 2019). Tesla already has two mapped chargers in Sisters, which are obscure from passing traffic. One is at FivePine Lodge, open for public use, and the second, according to its... Full story
The Outlaws ski team competed in a slalom race at Hoodoo on February 3, and for the first time this season raced under sunny conditions with a smooth racing surface. Sisters girls finished first, second, and third and won the race by a large margin. Presley Adelt took first with a combined time of 1:11.62, Tallis Grummer placed second with a time of 1:13.94, and Ella Eby took third with a time of 1:14.88. Remaining scores were: Pia Grummer, seventh (1:18.48); Ava Riehle, eighth (1:20.40); Kiara Martin, ninth (1:25.15);... Full story
The Outlaws wrestling squad took part in two competitions last week including its final big tournament in La Pine, prior to the district championships set for this coming week in Burns. Sisters’ boys team finished in eighth place overall with 92 points among 13 scoring teams. La Pine dominated its home tourney and captured the team title with 240.5 points to easily outdistance second place Lowell. The Outlaws had two individuals make it to the championships round in their respective weight classes at La Pine. Tyson Kemp t... Full story
Tom Nechville announced today that Nechville Musical Products (NMP) will wrap up manufacturing operations in Minnesota at the end of February, completing the last phase of Nechville's long-planned relocation to Sisters. The relocation of the manufacturing operation will enable Tom to consolidate all Nechville operations in his hometown of Sisters. In 2020, Nechville finalized the purchase of his new Nechville company headquarters in Sisters. While managing NMP, Tom remodeled... Full story
The Seed to Table Farm team is looking forward to the year ahead, especially after the farm was buried under deep snow and ice these past few weeks. Seed to Table’s 10th anniversary brought an abundance of firsts, including record-breaking harvests feeding hundreds of Central Oregonians weekly and the greatest community engagement yet across Sisters Farmers Market visitors, produce share members, and student field trips. With a strong foundation beneath them, they’re looking ahead to another fantastic year. On January 4, Hol... Full story
Despite a few dustings, the large snow piles are shrinking, revealing previously buried and iced-over lawns, sidewalks and driveways. The grating scrape of shovels will soon cede to the click-clack of cleats on pavement enroute to formerly frozen fields. Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers begin reporting to camp as early as Friday. From Sarasota to Scottsdale to Sisters, we're swinging into the spring sports season. Sisters Little League (SLL) is on deck, warming up... Full story
Hometown heros To the Editor: Here’s a much-needed piece of good news! Pat Burke and Cody Meredith, two of our Sisters-Camp Sherman paramedics, had an unexpected and special moment last weekend. On a call to help a woman in labor they found themselves in the ambulance assisting with the delivery of the baby when she was ready to give birth before they reached the hospital. The end of the story is the best possible outcome: mother and child are healthy, dad was there, and able to cut the cord, the paramedics were trained a... Full story
Sisters Folk Festival, Inc. has changed the name of the organization to SFF Presents to reflect the full scope of their work in the Sisters community. Sisters Folk Festival, Inc. was incorporated in 1995 as the nonprofit organization in charge of producing its signature event, the annual music festival of the same name that takes place each fall in Sisters. The name suited the organization in its early stages, but with the addition of programming over the years, including the implementation of the Americana Project at... Full story
Have you ever considered running for a local leadership position, but haven’t yet taken the plunge? Do you care deeply about your community, but aren’t sure how to give back? Are you interested in learning more about how your local government works? If so, a new initiative from the City of Sisters might be for you. This spring, the City is partnering with Citizens4Community to launch the Sisters Civic Leadership Academy. The academy is a civic leadership training model, designed to build a broader, stronger pool of tal... Full story
Years ago, while working as a reporter in Oregon, I was tasked with covering the county commissioners. At the time, I had very little understanding of who the county commissioners were or what their jobs entailed. Probably like a lot of voters, I trusted that these public servants were doing their best on the public’s behalf. As a reporter, I learned that is not always the case. Some used the position to enrich themselves or their friends. One commissioner I reported on was investigated by the state ethics board for such viol... Full story
It’s no secret that community newspapers are having a tough time in a changing media landscape, where costs of printing and delivery continue to rise and advertising revenue can’t keep up. Many communities have seen their local newspapers diminish and disappear. The Nugget is healthy — and that’s thanks to you, our loyal advertisers and committed readers. Our Supporting Subscriber program has become a vital and effective way for readers to directly support The Nugget as we d... Full story
It all began in 1911 as a schoolhouse followed by a stint as the Hitchcock family residence and later to be occupied by the Barclay family. The old white house just north of East Barclay Drive on the west side of Camp Polk Road has had a history of ups and downs. Its last life came to be in the 1980s when Frank and Marie Conklin turned it into a quaint bed-and-breakfast. It was described then in travel guides as "Country elegance in a serene pastoral setting. Perfect spot for... Full story
In testimony to Congress last week - described as chilling - FBI Director Christopher Wray said that China's hackers are targeting American critical infrastructure, including water treatment plants, pipelines and the power grid, to be able to "wreak havoc" in the U.S. if Beijing ever decides to do so. Testifying before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Wray also warned that there has been too little public attention on the threat that he says China's... Full story
On Saturday, January 27, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District paramedics assisted in delivering a baby during a transport to the hospital. Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District crews were dispatched with lights and sirens to a medical call for a woman in labor. Upon arrival, ambulance crews quickly confirmed the patient was in active labor with just a couple of minutes between contractions. The patient and her significant other were assisted to the ambulance and crews began to transport the couple to St. Charles Medical Center in... Full story
Paul David Weston, 47, of Sisters, pleaded guilty in Deschutes County Circuit Court to a single felony count of possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, but has already served 11, and so will not serve any additional time. A second larger and more serious case involving drugs and equipment theft is still pending. Judge Beth Bagley reset the trial date for that case to July 22, but both prosecutor and defense anticipate that the case will be... Full story
