News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
“Sisters, are you ready to rodeo?” That will be the opening call at all four performances of the 66th annual Sisters PRCA Rodeo when it gets underway this week. Performances are scheduled for June 9-11. If history is any guide, Sisters is plenty ready. The rodeo begins Friday at 7 p.m. followed by performances on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. “More than 400 cowboys and cowgirls will perform this year, all hoping to take home some of our $120,000 purse,” said Glenn Miller, president of the Sisters... Full story
Vandals driving a large truck did major damage to a fragile wet meadow in the Metolius Basin over the Memorial Day weekend, according to Sisters Ranger District Forest Ecologist Maret Pajutee. Now the Sisters Ranger District is asking for the public’s help in identifying who committed the crime. The meadow is located in the Brush Creek Area off Road 12 and Road 550. “A very large truck bypassed road closure barriers at the end of Road 550, as well as violating a general off... Full story
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time; that’s the way it was last week for the black bear visiting the Sisters area. He was someplace he should not have been and his attitude did not help, either. The Oregon State Police shot the 130-pound, two-year-old male bear at the behest of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Why? According to Steven George, wildlife biologist with ODFW, it wasn’t behaving like the “normal” Ursus americanus, the well-known black bear. When George was asked who, literally,... Full story
To the Editor: Concerning Jim Cornelius’ May 31 editorial (“Scrap the double majority,” page 2): One cannot conclude, as he does, that the “voters spoke” in favor of both of the sheriff’s tax increase initiatives. Mr. Cornelius stated the same thing on the front page of last week’s Nugget in another editorial (disguised as a news article). In reality, the votes for and against the tax increase in District 2 were about statistically even. An underwhelming endorsement. Further, it is important to note that many voters purpos... Full story
Deschutes National Forest law enforcement officers want the public’s help in finding those responsible for vandalizing barriers intended to protect habitat on a stream flowing through Sisters. Deschutes National Forest Law Enforcement Officer Fred Perl said Forest Service employees last week found someone rammed a vehicle into two sets of barriers erected as part of the Whychus Creek Riparian Project. One incident occurred at a dispersed camping area where barriers kept vehicles from fording the creek. Another was on a r... Full story
The OutlawNet computer services company based at Sisters High School is under new ownership. “We’ve been purchased by Community Broadband,” OutlawNet executive Jon Renner told The Nugget last week. Renner declined to disclose the purchase price. Community Broadband is an Internet Service Provider based in Redmond, “delivering secure Internet connections, high-grade telephone-over-the-Internet, hosted Internet service and custom network solutions to the Central Oregon busines... Full story
After 34 years with the Forest Service — nearly a third of that time with the Sisters Ranger District — Assistant Fire Management Officer Kirk Metzger retired last Friday. The day before, he celebrated his birthday and his retirement by hiking up Black Butte to enjoy a birthday dinner with his wife, Glen Corbett, at the Black Butte lookout. “We had a great salmon dinner with ice cream for dessert,” Metzger said. “I did get a little wet hiking down the mountain the next morn... Full story
Sisters third graders are becoming better swimmers thanks to the efforts of Sisters Athletic Club and Sisters Rotary Club. Last Wednesday morning, about 100 kids graduated from the clubs’ Swim Academy. Boys and girls from Sisters Elementary School’s three third-grade classes cheered as they were given certificates, T-shirts and caps. During Swim Academy classes, the kids have fun playing games such as “Steal the Bacon” in which two teams swim to capture a foam float. But the... Full story
Firefighters with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) have been participating in a special five-week training session near the Sisters sewer treatment plant, according to Assistant Fire Chief Ken Enoch. The Wednesday evening sessions involve learning how to extract people from wrecked automobiles. “Our first session ends this week and we plan to schedule another six-week session later this year,” Enoch said. This special training is in addition to the weekly Monday evening drills for both ful... Full story
Three Sisters School District bus drivers tested themselves against other drivers from across the state last weekend at the State Safety Exercise held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Susan Waltosz, Julie Waltosz and Kari O’Brien entered the contest sponsored annually by the Oregon Pupil Transport Association. Susan Waltosz led the Sisters contingent with a fourth-place finish among all drivers. This is purely voluntary,” said Sisters Transportation Director Angi Gar... Full story
• Sean Meissner of Sisters won Central Oregon Community College’s 11th annual Storm the Stairs race in 12:58. Tate Metcalf was seventh in 14:10. Aimee Metcalf was 48th (time unavailable). The two-mile race included 360 stairs and had 120 participants. • Jan Morgan offered: “Many thanks to Sisters Community Church for allowing us to use their facility over the past few months to counsel and enroll seniors in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program. “Pastor David Yost made his personal computer and printer available... Full story
Sisters Elementary School students outdid themselves this year in a fund-raising effort that raises money for the American Heart Association. The elementary school collected $13,973.75, more than any of the 180 other Oregon elementary and middle schools that participated in what is called Jump Rope for Heart (some schools chose a basketball alternative, Hoops for Heart). “It was just wonderful,” Anna LaPointe, the AHA director of youth marketing for Southern and Central Oregon, told The Nugget last week. Jump Rope for Hea... Full story
Sisters Christian Academy’s recent name change is a sign that the private Christian school is looking toward the future, according to Principal Peggy Miller. She said the name change, which was quickly embraced by board members, staff and parents, is designed to give a straightforward depiction of the school’s commitment to the Sisters community and to academic excellence. The school, previously known as Sonrise Christian School, went through a year of budget woes last year after losing funds from an arrangement under whi... Full story
The fifth annual Talent Show held by the Sisters Middle School (SMS) Sparrow Club late last month was an unqualified success, if attendance and financial contributions were the measure. Every year, the students at SMS have “adopted” a child in medical crisis, whose family is usually in financial crisis as a result. Skyler Laughlin is the club’s current beneficiary. This year, the Sparrow Club students went out to the community businesses, who gave them items for their silen... Full story
Outdoor debris burning within the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District will be suspended as of sundown, Wednesday, June 7, according to Fire Marshal David Wheeler. Even with recent rains, forest fuels are drying out and the extended weather forecast calls for a warming and drying trend, Wheeler explained. As of May 1, the district no longer issues burning permits. Residents must have the district’s burning regulations on site and then call the district’s special phone number to learn if outdoor debris burning is allowed. “Af... Full story
The McKenzie Pass Highway has been available for use by bicyclists and pedestrians since Friday, June 2. The highway is not open to motorized vehicles, including motorcycles. The Oregon Department of Transportation reminds motorists that it is illegal, and very dangerous, for unauthorized motor vehicles to enter the area beyond the gate. While pedestrians and bicycles can use the cleared section of the roadway for recreational activities, users are asked to be aware of... Full story
Family friends and church fellows are rallying help for the Gates family of Sisters, injured in a serious motor vehicle accident over Memorial Day Weekend. According to Three Sisters Fellowship church member Kim Barry, the Gates family — John, Jennifer, Rebecca and Kathryn — were traveling back from the Tillamook area when they were involved in a head- on car accident in their 1988 Chevy Nova. They collided with a 3/4-ton Dodge pickup truck. Barry reported that the cause of the accident has not yet been determined but hea... Full story
The new pastor at Christ’s Church of Sisters wants his congregation to feel comfortable. The non-denominational church is casual enough that people simply call him “Pastor Dwane.” “I even preach in blue jeans and cowboy boots,” said Dwane Miller. Miller said he is happy to be ministering to the church and looks forward to serving the needs of Sisters. “The goal of the church is to help reach the community. We want to reach people who are hurting,” said Miller. Miller said ... Full story
As the nation braces for the fallout from the alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians in Haditha, remember the words of the late Tom Gibson of Sisters: “I firmly believe that only a combat soldier has the right to judge another combat soldier. Only he knows how hard it is to retain his sanity, to do his duty and survive with some semblance of honor. You have to learn to forgive others and yourself for some of the things that are done.” (“Citizen Soldiers,” Stephen Ambrose... Full story
Burt Gustine Seaver of Bend died Thursday of natural causes. He was 78. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. today at Terrebonne Pioneer Cemetery. Seaver was born January 23, 1928, in West Swanzey, N.H., to Burt and Emma (Vigneau) Seaver. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was awarded a Bronze Star. He married Nancy Bouchie on August 1, 1951, in Keene, N.H. Seaver worked as a carpenter. He was a member of the carpenter’s union No. 125. He enjoyed woodworking, building horse trailers, making saddles, r... Full story
The 2006 graduating class of Sisters High School, 114 strong, made the ceremonial move toward adult life at the 58th commencement on Friday, June 2, in the high school gymnasium. The class motto, Reggie Leach’s “Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire,” indicated to all present that this group is not planning to wait for opportunity; it is going to make things happen. About a dozen members of the class got the ceremony start... Full story
When 10-year-old Spencer Smith heard from his gym teacher about the extreme poverty in Nepalese orphanages, he wanted to do something to help. “They have only one (sleeping) mat on the whole concrete floor for all the kids to share. The water comes out brown and yellow and lots of messed-up colors water should not be!” he explained. He told his mom he wanted to have a garage sale to donate some money to the cause. His mom, Lisa Smith, is the Webelos (10- to 11year-old yea... Full story
The Sisters School District Budget Committee Monday night, June 5, unanimously approved 2006-07 general fund expenditures nearly 14 percent higher than in the year that ends this month. The general spending figure is set at $10.92 million, $1.32 million above the current year. Those numbers are slightly misleading because actual spending for the current year is coming out higher than what was originally budgeted, thanks to unanticipated revenue received as the year progressed. Nonetheless, the increase is significant. The... Full story
Sisters schools exceed state standards in many areas, but there is one where the district runs with the pack: the delivery of foreign language instruction. Sisters doesn’t offer any formal foreign language instruction until high school. There, students may take two levels of Spanish taught by staff and an additional two levels taught through a contract with Central Oregon Community College. In addition, German is offered in rotating years and students can get language credit f... Full story
Hey, if you think things are getting exciting in Sisters with a black bear wandering around town, wait till you see the pale tigers! Similar to the black bear, pale tigers also slept all winter inside their freeze-proof shelter buried under deep snow. Even when the temperature plummeted to zero, they were snug as a bug in a rug. The pale tiger’s “blood” was fully protected with natural antifreeze that prevented them from freezing. While old br’er bear is already out wanderi... Full story
