News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Voters in the City of Sisters should approve the annexation of the 30-acre McKenzie Meadows property. Ballot Measure 9-38 will authorize the city council to bring the property into the city limits. This land belongs in the city — it is already surrounded by city lands on three sides and is directly north of Sisters Middle School and just east of Sisters High School. The city has identified this property as meeting its needs for residential land. It is well-situated for the d... Full story
Escaped fires in recent days have local fire officials sounding the alarm about residential outdoor burns. Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Marshal David Wheeler is encouraging Sisters area residents to be careful with outdoor burning this spring as fuels dry out and afternoon winds pick up. Two outdoor burns escaped this past weekend without causing any damage and two others required attention late in the day, Wheeler said. “One had one outdoor burn spread at the east end of the city and another on Canyon Crest Drive north of t... Full story
Editor’s note: The Mark Yokum who wrote a letter to the editor in the May 3 issue of The Nugget is not the Mark Yoakum associated with the FivePine development. Jim Cornelius, Editor ••• To the Editor: Rural residents are being asked to approve two new permanent tax districts for law enforcement (Measures 9-35 and 9-36). The two proposed districts would increase the combined maximum levy on rural residents to $2.80 (per $1,000 valuation) an increase of $1.20 or 75 percent. In contrast, people who reside in the city of Sist... Full story
With more and more cars and trucks streaming through Sisters every year, traveling back and forth across the Cascades, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is planning to widen Highway 20 to accommodate more traffic. “The average daily traffic count is 8,100 vehicles a day, said Julianne Repman, ODOT public information officer. “That ranges from a low average of 4,550 vehicles daily during January to a high average of 11,900 in July.” ODOT is inviting public review and comments on a proposed passing lane const... Full story
With only six days to go in the campaign for stable tax funding for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement personnel are anxiously awaiting ballot returns in the mail-in election. “On Friday the returns were around 9 percent,” Undersheriff Larry Blanton told The Nugget. “We’ve got a lot of work to do this week.” Ballot Measures 9-35 and 9-36 must garner a turnout greater than 50 percent by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16, in order to pass. Measures 9-35 and 9-36 crea... Full story
More than two dozen educators have applied for the job being vacated by Sisters Middle School Principal Lora Nordquist. The search for a successor is zipping along and so far seems on track to meet Superintendent Ted Thonstad’s goal of selecting a new principal “before Memorial Day.” By the time the position formally closed on Friday, May 5, the district had received 29 applications. Nearly three-quarters — 21 — were from people working in Oregon, including three who are currently on the Sisters school staff. The three int... Full story
A powerhouse team of nine students from Sisters Middle School won this year’s Central Oregon Pentagames, a math competition held at Crook County Middle School on Friday, April 28. This was one of seven sites around the state in which simultaneous, identical games were conducted. Based on an accumulation of points, winners are declared for each site but not for the state as a whole. Sisters Middle School math teacher Tricia Biesmann, who took her team to Prineville and helped judged the competition, said this was the first t... Full story
Sisters High School produced another championship team, this time at the Oregon High School Equestrian Team (Central Oregon district) final meet on April 28-30. The meet was held at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center in Redmond and fielded teams from Central and Eastern Oregon, 18 in all. Sisters emerged as the District Champion in the large school teams, those consisting of 16 or more riders. Equestrian team is a club sport and covers the gamut of riding disciplines... Full story
Ten volunteers from Sisters traveled to Louisiana last month to help with the construction of Habitat for Humanity houses. The volunteers worked in two locations, both of which were about 40 miles north of New Orleans. “We stayed in a youth camp approximately five miles north of the town of Covington,” Habitat group leader Gale Larson reported. “The rural setting would have resembled a tropical jungle had it not been for all the cabins on the property.” According to Larson,... Full story
In the summer of 1977, Terri Jentz and her Yale roommate, Shayna Weiss, made a cross-country bike trip. On June 22 they pitched a tent at Cline Falls State Park. While they were sleeping, a man in a pickup truck deliberately ran over the tent and attacked them with an ax. No one was ever arrested. Both women survived, but Shayna suffered from amnesia leaving Terri alone with memories of the attack. Their friendship was shattered. Fifteen years later, Terri returned to Redmond “to solve the crime that would solve me.” She mad... Full story
Four bands from Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School made a strong impression at the 44th annual Reno Jazz Festival held the last weekend in April. The Reno festival is held in 10 performance venues on the campus of the University of Nevada, featuring over 350 bands and employing over 45 of some of the finest jazz instructors in the country. Three of the four bands placed in the top five of their respective divisions. The Sisters Middle School Quintet was ranked fifth out of nine bands in an open middle school... Full story
Sisters has a new “Welcome to Sisters” sign at the east portal of the downtown area. Sisters Kiwanis took on the project of creating a new sign after Kiwanian Jeff McDonald determined that the old sign was on the verge of collapse. “The old sign was starting to fall down,” he said. “The sign itself was rotting. I was worried about danger with all the ladies from the garden club working down there, planting under it and around it.” McDonald built the new sign with lumber dona... Full story
Bob Nieri may be relatively new to Sisters, but he’s not new to the carpet cleaning business. He has owned a Duracare business for 20 years and in that time, he’s figured out what it takes to make happy customers. “I show up on time, do a good job and give a fair price,” he said. Nieri and his family arrived in Sisters a little over a year ago. After building a house, he needed something to do and since he was well versed in the Duracare method, he decided to start the bus... Full story
The Lady Outlaws softball team lost 2-0 at Sweet Home on Tuesday, May 2. The Huskies scored their two runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning and Sisters held them the remainder of the contest. Cindy Harp was the only Outlaws player to get a hit in the game. Harp singled in the top of the seventh to break up the no-hitter. Mackenzie Marchbanks, all-league pitcher for the Huskies, had 12 strikeouts. Sam Stoneback pitched the entire game for the Outlaws. Stoneback allowed four hits and had seven strikeouts. “Sam p... Full story
The boys golf team finished second at the Capital Conference match held at Glaze Meadow at Black Butte Ranch on Tuesday, May 2. Stayton took first place with a final score of 344. Sisters was runner up at 349 and Cascade took third at 360. Remaining scores were: Molalla (366), Sweet Home (376) and North Marion (378). Scott Barton took medalist honors with a 75, three over par. Evan Mitchell and Miles Johnston both carded an 86 and Billy Jacobson rounded out the scoring at 102. “The course was fabulous and in really good s... Full story
Two cellular phone companies are looking for a new cell tower location in Sisters and the Sisters City Council is suggesting they get together in their search, according to City Manager Eileen Stein. “Last week, the city council reviewed this issue and suggested that the two companies consider working together to see if one tower might work for both,” Stein said. One of the companies, T-Mobile, has been notified by the city that their existing tower at the current city hall location must be removed when the city moves int... Full story
The girls golf team took first place for the first time this season at the nine-team tournament held at Aspen Lakes on Tuesday, May 2. Sisters finished with a final score of 433. Molalla was runner up at 434 and Madras took third with a score of 449. Remaining scores were: Blanchet (460), Stayton (489), Kennedy (507), Sweet Home (516), Wilson (546) and Cascade finished at 554. Freshman Shelby Ross led Sisters with a score of 97. Alexis Wainwright carded a 104 and Meghan Crowde... Full story
Hospice of Sisters recently opened an office within 5 Elements Healing Arts Center in the Sisters Art Works Building, at 204 W. Adams Ave. Hospice of Sisters helps those with a limited life expectancy and their families live as fully and completely as possible. In addition, Hospice of Sisters offers a Transitions program, bereavement support and volunteer opportunities. Hospice of Sisters seeks to enhance the quality of life for the terminally ill patient and the family. By providing comfort care and pain control methods... Full story
Five Oregonians including four Sisters area residents scored big in “one of the best salts flats trips we’ve ever hosted,” according to Jeff Perin, owner of The Fly Fisher’s Place. The Fly Fisher’s Place hosted a week-long guided fly fishing trip to Ascension Bay in the Mexican Caribbean earlier this month. Everyone in attendance caught numerous Bonefish, the elusive “Gray Ghost” of the shallow corral shoals. Bonefish, which range in size from three to eight pounds, are an eas... Full story
The Sisters Elementary School Garden Club has a new greenhouse that exceeds the club’s dreams. The greenhouse has gone from a cramped little building where students used to plant seeds elbow-to-elbow to a modern 24-by-36-foot structure. The greenhouse needs siding and other finishing touches and should be completed in time for next school year. Four years ago, a dedicated group of parents repaired an old greenhouse, built raised beds and began teaching gardening to kindergarten through fifth graders. Vonda Soliz and S... Full story
The return of an ace player sidelined by illness combined with strong individual performances to give the Outlaws tennis team a resounding victory over league rival Molalla. The Sisters boys tennis team finished up league play with a 7-1 victory over the Indians on Thursday, May 4. The brightest spot in the closing match was having Jeff Minke back on the team. “Jeff has been out all season due to illness and was back for the first time tonight,” said Coach Boyd Stuwe. Evan Sims and Minke played at the No. 1 doubles spot and... Full story
Students in the Americana Project, sponsored by the Sisters Folk Festival will release their new CD titled “Mosaic” at the Americana Project benefit concert set for Saturday, May 13, at the Sisters High School auditorium. The CD features original work by this year’s exceptional class of songwriters and players. Those songs will be showcased in a full band format at the concert, which is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students and are available through Sisters High School Americana Project students, Angel... Full story
Visitors to Sisters Coffee Co. on Sunday afternoon got more than a hot cup of coffee. They also got some hot music, performed by jazz ace Jay Thomas, who was visiting Central Oregon. Thomas, who plays saxophone, trumpet and flute, jammed with some of Sisters High School’s hottest jazz musicians — Benji Nagel on guitar, Jared Henderson on bass and Justin Veloso on drums. The quartet established themselves in a corner of the coffeehouse and proceeded to swing the joint with rel... Full story
Having a home meet after four weeks of arduous travel appeared to have a positive effect on the Outlaws boys and girls track teams. Both squads tamed the visiting Huskies of North Marion and Sweet Home on Tuesday, May 2. The girls totaled 99 points to easily outdistance Sweet Home (43) and North Marion (42). Running-event winners included Tiffany Martin in the 200 (27.53), Jenny Boswell in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles (15.4 and 46.3), McKenzie Williams in the 400... Full story
Ed Stebbins is a contemporary master of an old craft. The Sisters leatherworker specializes in making custom handgun holsters and knife sheaths for cowboy action shooters, collectors, hunters and law enforcement personnel. “It’s all custom, all one-at-a-time,” he said. Stebbins got into leatherworking as a hobby and pursued it part-time for a dozen years. “I’m a big single-action fan,” he said of his first forays into building holsters. “I couldn’t find anything to car... Full story
