News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 31
It was hard to tell who was more thrilled to be at Saturday’s Sisters Starry Nights Benefit Concert Series — Lyle Lovett or the sold-out crowd. The crowd enthusiastically appreciated Lovett’s music from his intimate opening song, “Just the Morning,” to his last gospel song. Lovett was gracious throughout the evening telling the crowd several times how honored he and his musicians felt to give their time to the series, which benefits the Sisters Schools Foundation. “We are j... Full story
A 40-acre parcel of national forest land near the junction of Wilt Road and Buffalo Road northeast of Sisters is the only parcel near Sisters that might be sold as part of a massive proposed sale of public lands by the Bush administration. The property, covered with pine trees, is surrounded by forest subdivisions about 1/2-mile north of Hinkle Butte. It should be attractive to potential developers. The Sisters area parcel is part of what has been called the largest sale of public lands since the days of homesteading. The... Full story
It may have been only a fire training exercise, but for both new and experienced firefighters, it soon took on the feeling of a real house fire. Last Saturday, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department conducted another “burn-to-learn” training exercise at a house at 415 E. Washington St. in Sisters. After an orientation session at the fire hall, trainees moved on to the site of the fire. For volunteer fireman Joel Sheets, it was a new experience. Sheets was at the front of a f... Full story
After years of wrangling, the City of Sisters is still trying to figure out how to smoothly move heavy volumes of traffic through town without destroying the ambiance of the downtown area. The Sisters City Council took in an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) presentation on Thursday evening, February 23, of the agency’s analysis of a “couplet” configuration that would leave all of Sisters’ streets going two ways. A committee had earlier settled on a Hood Avenue-... Full story
Shane Hall, a former Sisters pastor charged with sexual abuse of a minor, remains in jail after a Thursday, February 23, arraignment on the revocation of his conditional release. Two Sisters residents told police Hall was drinking beer at Bronco Billy’s Ranch Grill & Saloon on February 11. Hall’s conditions of release on the sex abuse charges forbid him to drink alcohol or enter a bar. Hall was arrested February 13 for the alleged violation. A hearing on the revocation was set for March 9 at 8:45 a.m. before Judge Mic... Full story
The public charter school that a group of Sisters parents had hoped to open this fall will not open until the fall of 2007 at the earliest. The plan has been delayed by state rejection of the group’s application for a planning grant. The chief developer of the project, Michelle Williams of Sisters, confirmed these facts last week. But she also said that despite this setback the project is going ahead. “I was really sad” (about the rejection), she said. “But it’ll be better this way. We will have more time to plan. I’ve got... Full story
To the Editor: Mr. Dacus’ letter from last week needs a response in regard to his statement that the “intelligent design ... idea (is) bereft of merit, meaningful content or formal scientific investigation…,, that it is a “diabolical religious figment” and “fanaticism” along with the rioting muslims and others who mindlessly destroy. (Do you think religious fanatics are responsible for the many recent church burnings in the South?) There is a wealth of scientific research available that throws doubt on the theory of evo... Full story
Emily VanBlaricum scored 16 points to lead the Lady Outlaws basketball team to a 54-38 win over the Molalla Indians at home on Friday, February 24. Elyss Clasen hit a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first quarter to put the Outlaws up by 11. Jenny Boswell was good on four of her five field goal attempts in the first half. At the close of the second period Sisters held a 25-16 advantage over the Indians. The Outlaws went on an 11-2 run in the first five and a half... Full story
Sisters Elementary School turned into a dance hall on Friday night, February 24, as the SPTC (Sisters Parent, Teacher Community group) staged its annual Family Dance Night. The Commons was mobbed with excited children, dancing with each other and with parents to the music of The Anvil Blasters. “It was just awesome,” said SPTC organizer Lori Boyle. “It was the biggest crowd in Family Dance Night history. The excitement was just unbelievable.” The event was expanded this ye... Full story
Clifton Clemens, one of Sisters’ most influential and most-honored citizens, will celebrate his 100th birthday on Saturday, March 4. Friends and family will gather at 1 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters to mark the milestone. Clemens’ actual birthday is March 6. He will mark that date with a celebration at Bend Villa Court where he currently resides. Clemens moved to Sisters from California in 1973, where he purchased and operated the Sisters Airport. He was the charter president of the Kiw... Full story
Crews from three public agencies were hard at work last Friday, February 24, removing hazardous trees along Highway 20 near Black Butte Ranch. Large dead trees near the highway were cut down in a cooperative project involving the U. S. Forest Service (USFS), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). Traffic was delayed for a brief time as individual trees were being removed. “This cooperative project was put together in a v... Full story
Sisters’ own Stone Soup Band featuring Joe Leonardi, his daughter Anastacia, Brent Alan and Tom White will be performing a special semi-unplugged, multi-media show on Thursday March, 9 at Sisters Art Works. This special show will feature the band’s three singer-songwriters with solo acoustic performances and then will ramp it up as the evening progresses. Seating is limited. Advance tickets are available at Angeline’s Bakery. Part of the proceeds from this performance will be donated to the Sisters Folk Festival. Siste... Full story
Crime prevention, forest fuels reduction, road paving plans and cougars were topics that highlighted the semi-annual meeting of the Crossroads Property Owners Association last Saturday. More than 40 residents attended the meeting at Sisters Community Church, Corporal Wayne Morgan of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office recommended motion-sensing outdoor lighting and secure doors and window locks as major steps to prevent home burglaries. “You should also seriously consider reinstating the Neighborhood Watch program in Cro... Full story
Sisters Elementary School fourth graders aren’t likely to be tricked by the question, “Were all the Lewis and Clark expedition members human?” Teacher Diane Jacobsen has been reading a book to her class about the expedition as seen through the eyes of a Newfoundland dog who made the entire journey with the Corps of Discovery. As part of the lesson, the Oregon National Guard visited last Thursday, February 23, to give a talk about the explorers to all three fourth-grade class... Full story
Some of the best Sisters High School music students had a rare opportunity last weekend to learn from some of the best musicians in the business. Three members of Lyle Lovett’s band held an educational session Saturday afternoon before their performance in the Sisters Starry Nights Benefit Concert Series. “We’re here to answer your questions and help in any way we can — this is your hour,” drummer Russ Kunkle told students Benji Nagel, Sam Orwig, Jared Henderson and Justin Ve... Full story
In their most successful campaign in school history, the Sisters girls and boys Nordic ski teams placed fourth and fifth respectively at the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association State Championships held February 24-25 at Mt. Hood Meadows. Jena Rickards came prepared for battle and had the best two days of racing in her career to finish fifth overall in the cumulative standings. She finished seventh in Friday’s 4.6 kilometer classic race and moved up to an o... Full story
The Sisters School Board is looking for three local residents to serve on the school district’s budget committee. The committee is made up of the five school board members and five lay members. Two of the vacancies were anticipated, created by the June 30, 2005 expiration of the terms of Lon Kellstrom and Karen Friend. The third opening occurred when member Mike Gould was elected to the school board last spring. The committee’s two holdover members are Erik Hoagland and Darren Layne. The budget committee reviews each yea... Full story
Two members of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District management staff attended special training sessions during February. Fire Chief Tay Robertson spent two weeks attending a class on executive planning held at the National Fire Academy at Emmitsburg, Maryland south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler participated in a regional fire prevention conference at Lincoln City. Some 43 fire executives from throughout the country attended the Fire Academy session. The first week of the course was devoted to... Full story
• Sharlene Weed offered many thanks to: Bill Merrill, Jim Berry, Frank Zachery, Marie Clasen, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Sisters Habitat for Humanity for offering free tax assistance to low and middle income Sisters residents. The service was a great help and very appreciated. • The volunteers with Sisters Elementary School SPTC knocked themselves out to stage an outstanding Family Dance Night on Friday, February 24.... Full story
Guy Mount scored 22 points for the Outlaws in a thrilling 69-67 playoff victory over the Cascade Cougars at home on Friday night, February 24. Sisters took control of the game early, taking a 12-2 lead. At the half the Outlaws held a 12-point lead at 37-25. Sisters held an 11-point lead early in the third period but the Cougars battled hard to get back in the game and it was a true fight to the finish. Mount hit a huge three-pointer with a little over three minutes to go in... Full story
Lisa Clausen never wanted Sisters Movie House to be just another theater. She wanted to provide the Sisters community with films that would not simply entertain, but also challenge and even disturb people, make them think in new ways about the world around them. This week, Clausen is taking what some might consider a risky plunge with the movie “Paradise Now,” a film that humanizes an act that most Americans find inhuman, repellent and incomprehensible: suicide bombing. The... Full story
• Deputies are investigating an identity theft case that resulted in three or four charges that amounted to some $39,000. • A man complained to the sheriff’s office about ongoing problems with a neighbor: traffic at all hours tearing up the roads, claims of thefts, etc. He said if the sheriff’s office can’t or won’t do something the neighbors will have to. • A deputy tried to locate some lost horses. • A woman complained about vehicles “entering her subdivision illegally.” Deputies determined that some vehicles were appar... Full story
Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration is welcoming a new rector after an 18-month search. The Rev. Ted Rodrigues comes to the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration after serving 13 years as Rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Portland. During that time he has served on the Board of Trustees of the Diocese of Oregon, Diocesan Council, and was Dean of the Sunset Convocation. He was also a part of the National Church’s Clergy Leadership Project. Before c... Full story
• High Desert Gallery is hosting an exhibit for award-winning Oregon artist Trisha Hassler through the month of March. The exhibit features mixed-media fiber art from the “Landscape” series and one-of-a-kind metal and fiber three dimensional quilted wall hangings and tables. • Sisters Athletic Club hosted a Stitch & Flex class taught by Ross Kennedy. About 15 people participated as Kennedy led them through a series of about 18 different stretches and flexing moves designed for those who spend a lot of their time sitting... Full story
The Sisters area couple whose land-use problems sparked the Measure 37 drive are satisfied with last week’s outcome in the Oregon Supreme Court. Opponents of the measure, however, warn of the effects of poorly planned development on Oregon’s quality of life. “We are very happy with the decision of the Oregon Supreme Court,” said Eugene Prete, local property owner and the chief petitioner of the appeal to the Supreme Court. “That decision gives us faith in the system, particularly when it was a unanimous decision of the court... Full story
