News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 35
A heavy pall of smoke descended on Sisters Wednesday night, March 9, after the Sisters Ranger District burned 137 acres near Cold Springs Campground west of town. The smoke was so thick on Thursday morning that pilot cars had to guide traffic in both directions along Highway 20 between Sisters and Tollgate. Kirk Metzger, fire manager with the Sisters Ranger District, said the burn was ignited in anticipation of a front moving in with breezes stiff enough to scour the air... Full story
The heat from a kiln in the Sisters High School art room set off a fire sprinkler Wednesday night, flooding the art room, a corridor and soaking into the band and choir room. However, quick action by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and the school custodians appears to have kept damage to a minimum. In fact, other than clean-up and some modifications to prevent a repeat, the school district may have escaped any impact at all, according to district mainte... Full story
The Sisters Schools Foundation last week turned down a proposal to raise private money to hire teachers. The proposal came principally from Rob Corrigan, a member of the foundation board and a candidate for the school board in the May 17 election. Seven other school foundations around Oregon, including neighboring Bend-La Pine, have adopted policies permitting the type of fund-raising Corrigan proposed. Sisters Schools Foundation chairwoman Susan Arends explained: “It’s not that we’re not supportive of the concept, it’s just... Full story
Sisters High School band members Caitlin Partridge and Justin Veloso both took first place at the District Solo Competition held at Mountain View High School on Saturday, March 5. Partridge performed three movements from “Six Metamorphosis After Ovid,” written by modern classical composer Benjamin Britten. “It was an extremely difficult piece,” said banddirector Jody Henderson. “It was unaccompanied work where only melodic ideas are performed by the soloist on their own. Norm... Full story
Sophomore Sarah Douglass and senior Jake Seal both took first place honors at the District Solo Competition held at Redmond High School on Friday, March 4. Seal sings bass in the Sisters High School Concert Choir and for District performed “Alma del Core,” written by composer Antonio Caldera. “I was very nervous and just wanted to sing and be done,” Seal said. “I tried to stay calm and relaxed so I could have a good, round sound. “This was a serious song,” Seal said, “and I... Full story
Barring budget upsets or other calamities, the Sisters school calendars for the next two years have been set, the one for 2005-06 pretty firmly and the one for 2006-07 in “skeleton” form. The school board took some action on both at its last two meetings. The first thing most parents, students and teachers want to know is vacation dates. For next year, Christmas vacation, or winter break, will begin Monday, December 19 and run through Monday, January 2. The other main vacation during the year is spring break, which in Mar... Full story
The Sisters School Board did not discuss guns and butter at its last meeting. But it came close; it discussed — separately — guns and milk. Guns came up when the board adopted without much comment an updated policy dealing with weapons in the schools. The policy basically prohibits students from having guns or other “deadly” or “dangerous” weapons on school district property or at school activities. In connection with that, Superintendent Ted Thonstad gave the board a letter from Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, asking scho... Full story
Outlawnet, a local internet service provider working out of Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School, offers a window on the world. However, the window opens both ways. “When the Internet started it was wide-open,” said Outlawnet advisor Jon Renner. “Now we see constant daily attacks from the outside via e-mail messages and web pages. Over the last three to four years we have had to increase our anti-virus efforts enormously and it has quadrupled our expense for hardw... Full story
Construction of a bigger and more modern Ray’s Food Place has been delayed but is still on the drawing board. As The Nugget reported last October, C & K Market, Inc., which owns Ray’s, is planning to build a new store behind the current location on West Highway 20 in the Three Wind Shopping Center. The existing store will be demolished making room for additional parking. C & K Market Project Supervisor Kevin Crumley originally hoped to begin building the new store by now. However, Crumley is taking time to address the con... Full story
• Siesta Suntan has a new selection of summer ware from Flojo Sandals to board shorts. Stop by 142 E. Main Ave. • Sisters Carpet Cleaning celebrated 10 years in business in February. • Metabolic Maintenance is offering lobby sales for its high-quality vitamins at 68994 N. Pine Street. The company offers a 20 percent discount to local purchasers. • Sisters’ merchants and art galleries are gearing up for the My Own Two Hands Americana Art Project Art Stroll on April 2 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. To submit information for “Sisters... Full story
Five players from the Sisters High School boys basketball team earned Capital Conference All-League honors this year. Senior Jordan Weber earned top honors and was selected first team All- League. Guy Mount was selected second team All-League and both Ford Bauer and Carter Davenport were named third team All-League. Jeff Fitter was honorable mention. Weber was a consistent leader for the Outlaw team and according to Coach Rand Runco was one of the team’s few players who could create his own shots. “Jordan was a threat fro... Full story
Kevin Bigby has been named the Outlaws’ new baseball coach. Bigby originally hails from Klamath Falls, which has always had a strong tradition in baseball. He attended Mazama High School and was a three-sport athlete, lettering in football, basketball and baseball. He furthered his education and athletic endeavors while attending the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) and Southern Oregon University (SOU). Bigby played baseball at both OIT and SOU and while at SOU earned s... Full story
Second-year teacher Doug McDonald has been chosen to be the new head coach of the Sisters High School girls softball team. McDonald is excited about the upcoming season and is enjoying getting to know the girls on his team. McDonald originally hails from Danville, California. “Danville is a big baseball town that is very competitive,” he said. “Danville routinely sends teams to the Little League World Series.” McDonald’s first coaching experience came while living in Danvil... Full story
The Sisters High School boys varsity baseball team has been on the field preparing for pre-season play that begins next week. The Outlaws will field 12 varsity players, including nine returning veterans. Returning seniors include Nic Morton, Ben Bushnell, Tyler Trask and Jesse Evans. Morton will pitch for the Outlaws and also spend some time in the outfield. Bushnell will remain at first base and Trask will divide his time between the mound and third base. Stevens will see time at both catcher and in theoutfield. Five... Full story
• A deputy cited a 17-year-old driver after a two-vehicle wreck in the Industrial Park. • Two males threw rocks through the window of Bright Spot Coffee kiosk in an attempted burglary. A sheriff’s K-9 tracked but lost the suspects. • A driver fell asleep at the wheel and drove off the road, getting stuck in cinders. • A resident called with concerns about a possible phone scam involving a medical plan asking for financial information. Black Butte Ranch • An officer had a chat with a man who was trying to locate his ex-girl... Full story
To the Editor: A recent Letter to the Editor decried the appearance of hypocrisy of those who devised and benefitted from the funding arrangement between Sisters School District and Sonrise Christian School. Regardless of where the Oregon Department of Education comes down on this arrangement, I believe that the letter writer leveled a charge that should be taken seriously by the Christian community. There is nothing that Jesus condemned more harshly than the hypocrisy of the religious class in His time. Although hypocrisy,... Full story
There’s a lot of real estate between Almont, Michigan and Sisters, Oregon. Frankly, I didn’t know Almont exsisted until my son Caleb came home from BYU/Idaho with Kendra Kortas over Thanksgiving. Caleb, as many of you may know, is my Number Four son. He graduated from Sisters High School and took on a two-year Mission in Puerto Rico for the LDS Church. As a member of the Church, I can tell you that a returned Missionary is fair game on a college campus. Like an Eagle Sco... Full story
During the Reformation, England took over Ireland and imposed Protestantism upon its Catholic population. Then British settlers moved over and grabbed Ireland’s best land. Later, in 1690, followers of King James II, a Catholic, fought against supporters of challenger William of Orange, a Protestant. William won. For the next 200 years, Ireland saw rebellions flare up and die. Irish battles were particularly fierce during the 20th Century. When British soldiers summarily executed leaders of the 1916 “Easter Uprising,” a membe... Full story
Barbara June McKnight died March 8, at her home in Sisters at the age of 79. Services will be held on Saturday, March 19 at 2 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 16791 Pine Tree Lane in Sisters, off Highway 126 about three miles east of Sisters. She is survived by her husband Robert McKnight, daughter Sylvia Hannemann and son Pat McKnight, all of Sisters, and one son, Randy McKnight of Yucca, California. Barbara has been a local Avon representative for Sisters; this will be continued by Carol Fullerton in her h... Full story
From Merry Ann Moore, Sisters: Kudos to John Rahm and those who support limiting formula food in Sisters. I agree that our local economy will stay healthiest if we foster non-corporate-dominated merchants. That’s an essential part of Sisters’ charm and why visitors come. And I hope city decision-makers will update codes to prohibit big box retailers from locating in Sisters. These giants have been proven to undercut smaller, high-quality merchants who cannot compete. Let’s keep our service providers diverse and local, and t... Full story
Coach Janis Quiros won’t have any trouble filling her tennis team’s roster this spring. Twenty-six girls came out for the tennis team this year. The team is ready for the season to begin. Marigrace Marshall, Brittany Wimer and Brianna Wellman are Nos. 1-3 in singles. Quiros told The Nugget that Wimer and Wellman will challenge each other frequently for the No. 2position. Adrienne Bryan will play No. 4 singles. Quiros said, “My singles numbers 1-4 are pretty strong. I didn’t lose any players from singles.” The Lady Outlaws w... Full story
Local musician Alan Byer will perform at Café Libri at the Sisters Public Library on March 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Limited library services are available during the event. This program is free and open to the public. Known as Central Oregon’s “Everyman singer/songwriter” for more than 20 years, Byer crafts his songs of love, wonder, pain and hope, with power and eloquence. As part of the Central Oregon Songwriters Association, Byer has won 14 Song of the Month awards, and two aw... Full story
A former Sisters resident was killed on March 8 in Grass Valley, Oregon, during a confrontation with police. According to a release from the Sherman County District Attorney’s Office, Cody Jack Childress, 23, was killed by a single .40 caliber gunshot wound to the head. The round was reportedly fired by Sherman County Sheriff Brad Lohrey. According to Oregon State Police reports, the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office responded at about 3:30 p.m. on March 8 to a reported 9-1-1 call regarding a domestic disturbance in the 200... Full story
The Sisters Schools Foundation last week turned down a proposal to raise private money to hire teachers. The proposal came principally from Rob Corrigan, a member of the foundation board and a candidate for the school board in the May 17 election. Seven other school foundations around Oregon, including neighboring Bend-La Pine, have adopted policies permitting the type of fund-raising Corrigan proposed. Sisters Schools Foundation chairwoman Susan Arends explained: “It’s not that we’re not supportive of the concept, it’s just... Full story
The end of a school term typically means students cramming for tests, completing big projects and stressing about making honor roll. Sisters Middle School students got a dose of that the week before the end of the term, but in the actual final days of the second trimester they got to spend time in a wide variety of elective classes during Interim Week. Interim Week is designed to give students exposure to course offerings beyond the electives available during the regular... Full story
