News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
The Forest Service is planning to conduct a prescribed burn starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, three miles west of Sisters, two miles south of Black Butte Ranch, a half-mile north of Cold Springs Camp Ground.... Full story
Sisters schools superintendent Jim Golden has taken the superintendent's position at the Greater Albany School District, effective July 1. The decision of the Albany school board was announced Monday. "We had an excellent field of 24 candidates and a difficult decision between our two finalists. However, Jim Golden emerged as the right choice to be our next Superintendent," Albany board chair Jerry Boehme said. "He has the qualities, experience and leadership skills identified by our community, staff and students to follow... Full story
As part of an effort to deal with the fallout of a controversial planning staff decision allowing food carts at a downtown Sisters business, the Sisters Planning Commission on Thursday night approved changes in development code language requiring that the planning commission be directly informed of all "Type II" administrative decisions. As with every aspect of the recent food cart decision, the hearing on the code change carried its share of contention. The language change explicitly requires that staff email all final Type... Full story
After months of discussion and public input, Sisters planners have settled on a definition of "formula food" and restrictions on where formula food establishments can be sited in Sisters. A "formula food establishment" is now defined as one that features standardized menus, ingredients, food preparation, employee uniforms, interior decor, signage or exterior design; or adopts a name, appearance or food presentation format that causes it to be substantially identical to 20 or... Full story
To the Editor: Yet another letter from Greg Werts regarding the evils of asphalt (as long as you don't take those god-given roads of his away). I think I've seen just about the full gamut of straw-man arguments raised with respect to the Sisters-to-Black Butte Ranch trail, but gee, here comes yet another pile-on argument that the duly elected county commissioner shouldn't be in favor of improvements for this community either. I'll say one thing regarding these repetitive attacks on a multi-use trail for everyone but motor... Full story
Melvin Herburger is Sisters' Citizen of the Year, and ENERGYneering Solutions, Inc. is the local Business of the Year. The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce handed out its awards last Friday at the annual banquet held at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center. This year, the food was provided by five different Sisters restaurants at food stations located around the conference room. Judging from the number of times patrons walked back to their tables with full plates, the new... Full story
Young songwriters from across Central Oregon and as far away as California and Colorado gathered in Sisters to share in the joys of self-expression and hone the craft of songwriting. The event is presented annually by Sisters Folk Festival. This year, the setting for the Americana Songwriting Academy for Youth was The Belfry, where instructors with experience in and passion for a life in music taught breakout sessions and helped the young artists bring their ideas to life.... Full story
There's a new face at Sisters City Hall: that of Patrick Davenport, the recently hired community development director who is taking over from departing Pauline Hardie. Davenport brings with him an eclectic mix of planning experience, from being the community development director in a small West Virginia town to serving in war-torn Afghanistan as a senior installation management planner for the United States Department of Defense. Growing up on the Outer Banks of North... Full story
The patient was on the floor, discovered there by his daughter. It looked bad. He wasn't breathing and the daughter could not move him to begin CPR instructed over the phone by a 911 operator. Paramedics from the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire district arrived on the scene just three minutes after dispatch and immediately set to work to save the man's life. The situation could not have been more dire: the man was unconscious, wasn't breathing and he had no pulse. But the paramedic... Full story
The Outlaws traveled to Henley on Saturday, March 7, for a game against the Hornets in the first round of the state playoffs, and walked away after a 44-33 loss, which brought their season to an end. Henley jumped out with a three-pointer in the first quarter and kept hitting their shots from there. At the close of the period Sisters was down 16-6. "We had some playoff jitters," said Coach Julianne Horner. "I was pleased with the effort and execution, but we just needed to relax and clean up a couple of things." Sisters was... Full story
Sisters played against Scappoose in a tough first-round playoff battle on Friday, March 6, at Scappoose. The Outlaws fell in a close 38-32 contest. The Sisters coaching staff told The Nugget they were so proud of the boys' effort. Scappoose averages over 60 points per game, and the Outlaws defended them very well. The Outlaws held McNabb, the Indians best shooter, to two points and were able to contain their point guard, Wellelshafer. Chase Johnson, Scappoose's scoring post, got a few put-back buckets and scored 11 points in... Full story
The judicial system is supposed to make it possible for the common man to defend himself. Law sets out definite checks and balances that define what it is to be a U.S. citizen. However, law is somewhat of a jungle and can hurt more than it helps if someone doesn't understand it. Thanks to the mock trial class at Sisters High School, students don't have to fear such ignorance. Two teams from Sisters High School competed in the regional mock trial competition on Saturday,... Full story
Sisters music and art enthusiasts gathered for the official unveiling of the annual Sisters Folk Festival poster on Tuesday evening, March 3, at The Open Door wine bar and bistro. The unveiling featured original festival poster artwork by Dennis McGregor. Last year he wowed folks with his 2014 poster that spotlighted a hipster mule deer buck sporting a harmonica. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) and the 15th year that McGregor has been... Full story
The much-reviled reverse-angle parking on Main Avenue should be gone by the time Sisters Rodeo rides into town - assuming everything goes according to schedule. Reversing the unpopular parking mode is not as simple as sanding off old stripping and painting new lines. It requires an amendment to the City's comprehensive plan and Transportation System Plan (TSP), which in turn requires notifying the State of Oregon and holding hearings before the planning commission. The decision process that resulted in back-in parking... Full story
The first official work party at Sisters Rodeo grounds found nine men replacing board walkways in the bleachers with permanent aluminum surfaces. Safety concerns along with physical demands required imagination and creative planning. "Some of us have been out here all week," said board member Frank Jacobsen. "This project had to be well organized before we started." The rodeo association has been replacing weathered bleacher boards every year after a dedicated crew examines th... Full story
Sisters Rodeo 75th Anniversary poster art was unveiled at the monthly meeting of the rodeo association. The Dennis McGregor poster depicts the era of the first of Sisters Rodeo in 1940. The saddlebronc cowboy is reminiscent of mustached characters of the Old West, dressed in a throwback loose-fitting shirt and baggy dungarees. "I talked to a lot of people about this painting," McGregor said. "I wanted to give a true historical representation of Sisters Rodeo in 1940." The... Full story
The girls lacrosse team returns nine veteran players and adds seven new players to their squad this year. First-year Coach Mikaela Trott-Rickards is excited about her team, their potential, and the season ahead. Emily Ford, Jenny O'Connor, Summer Roberson and Langley Vogt return as seniors and their final year with the team. Ford is a captain and will play at midfield. Emily is tall and has very good stick skills, which is a great combo according to Trott-Rickards. O'Connor is short and quick and will play attack. Jenny can... Full story
Lake Abert in south Central Oregon has no fish, is too shallow for boating, too harsh for swimming, and far from scenic with its barren shoreline, teeming with rattlesnakes. You wouldn't want to pitch a tent or build a cabin on the shore. But if you're a Wilson's phalarope or an eared grebe, or other migrating bird, it's prime dining on the north-south flyway, a buffet of brine shrimp and alkali flies. Lake Abert and nearby Summer Lake are the remains of the pluvial Lake Chewaucan, which once covered 500 square miles in the... Full story
UPDATE: This event has been cancelled. Black Butte Ranch and Blazin Saddles are set to bring the third and final race in their Cow Patty Crit Fatbike Race series. This "FUNale" will take place at noon on Saturday, March 14, at Hoodoo Ski Area. The course will be designed to inspire anyone to give it a whirl (so it won't be too tough), but stairs, ramps, logs, tight corners, and cyclocross-style barriers are all part of the fatbike fun. Awesome prizes will be up for grabs for each category from Blazin Saddles Bike Shop,... Full story
I got a call from a Sisters High School student asking if I would talk to a school assembly about my cancer experience. It was cancer-awareness week and the students were creating a presentation covering several of the main types of cancer, including childhood cancers. The young lady who called me said she'd read some of my columns and wondered if I'd be willing to do a 10-minute talk on my cancer story. At first I panicked. How could I distill my experience down to just 10 minutes; not to mention whether I could handle... Full story
It started one Friday afternoon while sitting at my computer... just a little tickle in the back of my throat. By 10 o'clock, I could no longer form a coherent thought. My head felt like it expanded to the size of a watermelon. My throat was raw. Couldn't stop coughing. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't eat. Just wanted to sleep. All weekend. By Monday I felt better. I actually got some writing done in the morning. I picked up my granddaughter after school, but this time she read to me instead of me reading to her because by the... Full story
Does this statement cause you joy and elation, or does it strike fear into your very soul? Don't let the thought of donning a bathing suit, shorts, or a tank top cause panic and anxiety. Take a deep breath. It's only March. You have time to gain control and some confidence before the warm weather hits. First of all, try on some of those warm-weather clothes now and get a real sense of where you are and how much you may have to go. Perhaps there is more hiding under those winter coats than you originally thought. Again, it's... Full story
If you suffer from chronic illness, you are not alone. Almost half the U.S. population suffers from at least one chronic condition such as hypertension or arthritis. Seventy-five percent of people over age 65 suffer from two or more chronic conditions. As a patient, it's important to find a doctor with whom you communicate well. Together, you can work to find the best medication to reduce symptoms with minimal side effects. Once this is done there are still likely to be frustrating symptoms or recurrences. Medication is only... Full story
Blaine Paul Carroll was born in Bend, at home, on January 6, 1924. He passed away on March 1, 2015. Blaine and family soon after moved to Burns, Oregon for three years where George, their father, had a car repair garage. After Burns, the family moved to Stockton, California, living there for three years. Blaine attended third and fourth grade there. From California, the family moved to Sisters in 1933. George Carroll, their father, worked for the highway department, and also... Full story
Beatrice Pilz Hess, 86, of Sisters, daughter of Leo and Cora Pilz, and loving wife of Richard Hess, passed away on January 4, from lung cancer. Bea was not in pain. With hospice support, she rallied for the usual, fun, and busy family Christmas. Dick and Bea spent her last eight days side by side at Ridgewater, a hospice home, in Bend. She cheered on the Ducks while watching the Rose Bowl with Dick, Dave, Janette and Rob. In a few days, she had passed. Family and friends are... Full story
