News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 34
In a surprise move, Tom Coffield last week publicly announced his resignation as Managing Director of Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation (SOAR). Although his decision was announced to the SOAR District Board of Directors in February, Coffield is staying on until June 30 in order to help get a new director on board. In his letter of resignation Coffield said, “It has been a privilege to work with all of you and I hope to continue working with SOAR as a v... Full story
Only about 10 percent of the area swept by the B&B and Link fires in 2003 will be logged under a proposal released last week by Deschutes National Forest officials. After months of planning, the Forest Service issued a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) presenting five alternatives for a recovery project of portions of fire areas within the Sisters Ranger District. The public now is invited to review the alternatives and submit their comments by April 18. In 2003, the... Full story
Sisters’ Chevron station will move this summer to become the fuel station partner with the McDonald’s restaurant going up at the west end of town. Steve Rodgers of Cache Mountain Development and Randy Moss of American Energy in Bend made the announcement Monday. According to Moss, the current Chevron station on the corner of Oak Street and Cascade Avenue will be shut down when the move iscomplete. “There will be no interruption of service,” he said. “Our goal is to have a sm... Full story
The fight over fast-food restaurants in Sisters has moved onto a new battlefield. John Rahm, former Sisters City Councilor and now a member of the Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission, has presented a draft ordinance would define “formula” restaurants, strictly limit formula restaurants, and restrict the location of drive-through facilities. The proposal would require the city council to amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Sisters Development Code. Commisioner Rahm’s draft ordinance recognizes that “entr... Full story
Few people in Sisters are likely to know her full name: Peggy Dorsett. Most know her simply as Peggy, as in “Peggy’s Pick.” She’s been a fixture in the Sisters video entertainment market for years. Now she owns her own video store — Sunbuster Video in the Three Wind Shopping Center. Peggy came to Sisters 17 years ago from Huntington Beach in Southern California, where she lived two blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Why did she leave the beach? “I always felt like a fish out of... Full story
• Dr. Jeff Silbernagel is opening a new eye clinic office in Sisters, located across from the Sisters Post Office in Town Square. For more information call 549-3937 (549-EYES). • Sisters Shell reminds Sisters residents that now is the time to change out your studded tires. (Change by April 1). They can do the work. • A Joyful Noise Preschool is growing and the groundbreaking for a new facility will occur soon. Enrollment for fall preschool begins April 1 and now is the time to sign up for the annual summer program avail... Full story
John Hiatt dug into a 30-year-deep catalog of classic songs in a solo acoustic set at Sisters Starry Nights on Saturday, March 5. Churning out chunky rhythm on a Gibson J-200 jumbo guitar, propelled by the steady thump of his left foot micced on the stage, Hiatt proved that he can rock plenty hard all by his lonesome on rave-ups like “Tennessee Plates” and “Memphis In the Meantime.” The singer-songwriter also seeded his second Starry Nights appearance with ballads, some pe... Full story
If the quality of performance at the Sisters Middle School Winter Concert last week was any indication, Tara MacSween and Jody Henderson can look forward to continued excellence in their high school music program. Last week, the Sisters Middle School choirs and concert bands drew several hundred spectators, who were also treated to a rare performance by the University of Oregon Tuba and Euphonium Band. The tuba is the “bass brass” of the band. Next in line is the eup... Full story
For Americana Project students, the opportunity to meet professional, touring musicians through Sisters Starry Nights and the Sisters Folk Festival has become commonplace. But the students seldom see a musician who is headed for the top of his profession yet is only a few years removed from being one of them. David Jacobs-Strain, 21, spent several hours with Americana Project students on Monday, March 7, following his opening performance at Sisters Starry Nights on Saturday.... Full story
Sisters Elementary School students went home last Friday with their heads full of dreams: Dreams of being a paramedic, or a veterinarian, or a dancer, or a... These dreams were stoked by a group of visitors at the school’s annual Career Day. Students rotated in and out of classrooms for lengthy sessions with local practitioners of a variety of trades. EMTs from Sisters’ fire department displayed their ambulance and equipment, while acupuncturist Greg Wielan shared the sec... Full story
Sisters’ ski team thrived in beautiful conditions at the Oregon State High School Alpine Ski Racing Championships, held last week at Mt. Bachelor. The girls team turned in a fourth-place finish that is the best State Championship team finish in school history. Hosted by the Central Oregon Ski League, which is comprised of the Bend High, Mtn. View High School, Summit High School, Redmond High School and Sisters High School, the race was attended by the top high school race t... Full story
The Sisters High School Equestrian Team turned in a successful first performance for the season during the last weekend of February at a regional competition at Deschutes County Fairgrounds. The scoring started with a second place in Dressage for Jennifer Friend. Amanda Wimer placed 10th and Danielle Elder was in 13th to add points to the team’s total Hunt Seat Equitation’s large field of riders gathered several points with an eighth-place finish by Jennifer Ashley and a 13th slot secured by Jennifer Friend. Amanda Wim... Full story
The Lady Outlaws lost 43-30 at Scappoose on Wednesday, March 2 in the first round of the 3A State Basketball Playoffs. Turnovers plagued both teams. Sisters finished the game with 39 turnovers and Scappoose ended the night with 35. “Both teams trapped each other all over the entire court for the entire game,” said Coach Bill Blevins. At the end of the first quarter Sisters held a slim 6-4 lead. In the second period the Lady Outlaws sent Scappoose to the line 12 times. Eig... Full story
Four players from the Lady Outlaws basketball team earned Capital Conference All League honors this season. Junior Jenny Boswell was named first team all league and MacKinzie McClain third team. Both Kristi VanBlaricum and Katie Hughes received honorable mention. Coach Bill Blevins felt Boswell deserved the first team recognition. “It was very appropriate,” said Blevins. “Jenny was second in the league in steals and fifth in scoring. She worked hard and had a very good year. Obviously, it paid off.” Blevins was surpris... Full story
To the Editor: The post-Vietnam Era DNC are worthless and weak. A precious few “blue dog” Democrats — that is to say, conservative hawk Democrats-live and breathe in an environment not progressive or liberal but actually full-blown socialist. The train wreck that today’s DNC is, harbors those poor timid souls who dwell in deep denial unable to see the wolf at the door. Worse, inviting the predators in! Since the so-called “Vast right-wing conspiracy” hounded the Clintons to impeachment — or as some have called it, an attemp... Full story
Charles E. Warren died Friday at his home at Black Butte Ranch, surrounded by family. He was 78. Charles moved to Black Butte Ranch with his wife, Margaret Louise “Peggy” Warren, after his retirement from Oregon State University in 1987. Charles and Peggy raised their three children, Mark, Daniel and Catherine in Corvallis. Peggy died in 1993. In December 2000, Charles married Black Butte Ranch resident Agnes Rands and they made their home there, visiting frequ-ently with children and grandchildren. Charles spent his entire c... Full story
Several years ago — in June of 1998 to be exact — while my family and I were in Klamath County on a Great Gray Owl banding expedition with Tom and Casey Rodhouse, we discovered a beautiful specimen of a Rubber Road Snake, Flexilius robustus. As far as I can find, this snake has never been described in the scientific literature; even Al St. John, Bend author of “Reptiles of the Northwest,” missed it, as did Ed Park, a famous wildlife writer in Prineville. Fearing a lost opportunity, I took the liberty of giving it its scienti... Full story
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your kids and Colm Meaney. Meaney, a quintessential Irish actor, was born in Dublin. However, he is best known for playing a Scottish role, Chief Miles O’Brien on two American TV series: “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Today we find him back home on the Emerald Isle in two films and on the Isle of Man for a third. Two of these films, “War of the Buttons” (1994) and “Owd Bob” (1997), are sure winners for the grade school crowd as is one lacking Meaney, “The Se... Full story
• Dogs, dogs, dogs. Deputies dealt with dogs at large, dogs trying to get into goat pens, dogs that neighbors want to have destroyed. • A man tried to sell a local builder some tools, but was evasive about his name. The builder thought the whole thing suspicious. • Someone threw a rock through a resident’s bathroom window. • Some kids pushed out a window at the Sisters Elementary School greenhouse over the weekend. There was a minor accident at Jefferson Avenue and Locust Street. Black Butte Ranch Police • An officer sto... Full story
Glenda Leutwyler doesn’t look like a tough police officer who could hold off a motorcycle gang. But that’s just one of the dangers she faced as she helped pave the way for women in law enforcement. Leutwyler started her career in 1974 as the first female patrol deputy to join the Washington County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office. She recently retired to Sisters after receiving a Distinguished Service Medal from the Portland Police Bureau. Leutwyler is no stranger to chall... Full story
Come next September, many Sisters area residents in need will be wearing warm winter coats, thanks to the generosity of Columbia Sportswear of Portland and many hours of volunteer work by Crossroads residents Luann and Wayne Danforth and their neighbors. For the 16th year, the Portland-based clothing company has donated hundreds of quality winter coats, gloves, hats and boots that have been returned to them for a variety of reasons. The Danforths and their friends inspect... Full story
In order to clearly communicate with our community, the Sonrise Christian School Board desires to clarify the parameters of the compensation provided by the Sisters School District to some of the teachers who were or are employed by Sonrise. In 1999, the Sisters School District began employing on a part-time basis some of the teachers that were teaching at Sonrise. These teachers effectively became part-time employees of the Sisters School District and part-time employees of Sonrise Christian School. All of the instruction... Full story
Cliff Clemens didn’t make it to Sisters on his 99th birthday — but he made it the day before and the day after. On Saturday, March 5, the long-time Sisters resident and owner of Sisters Eagle Air left Bend Villa Court with friends to “go for a ride.” The ride took him to the Bend Airport where he was flown to Sisters Airport: a total surprise and one he enjoyed immensely. His birthday, March 6, was spent quietly with a few friends. The day after, he was joined by about 20 frie... Full story
A groundbreaking last Sunday at 525 E. Washington St. marked the site of the 32nd Habitat for Humanity home in Sisters. The future home of Robin Tawney and her daughter Mikaela will be part of a duplex. Marie Clasen opened the ceremonies asking for a moment of silence for Germaine Kaufman, who was to have occupied the other half of the duplex but died a few weeks ago. The ceremony included a ceremonial smudging by Keith Brandt to cleanse and purify the site. According to... Full story
The showroom at the Small Farmers Journal (SJF) building on Barclay Avenue is filling up with horsedrawn carts, carriages and coaches in preparation for the 27th Annual Horsedrawn Auction and Swap Meet, to be held at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds April 22-24. The crown jewel (so far) is an exquisitely detailed, brand new replica of an Abbot & Downing style Concord coach. Abbot & Downing was a premier builder of coaches in Concord, Massachusetts. The coach they named “Concord” was... Full story
