News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
Sisters Middle School was teeming with young readers of all ages on Saturday, March 12. An epic battle was joined, involving students from throughout the greater Central Oregon region. Book titles were tossed like grenades, arsenals of author's names flew like arrows, and highly detailed facts from some of today's best books became the weapons of choice in hand-to-hand combat between the teams. And one Sisters team did well enough to qualify to travel to state competition.... Full story
The investigation into complaints received from several Sisters City Hall employees regarding City Manager Andrew Gorayeb is complete, and the Sisters City Council is trying to determine how to review the report. According to Mayor Chris Frye, the investigator hoped to have the report completed by the end of this week, with perhaps an executive summary prepared by the time of an already-scheduled executive session on Wednesday, March 16. However, that executive session was... Full story
It may be a little late in the season for some folks' taste, but a heavy winter storm brought good news to irrigators and skiers, dumping well over two feet of snow across the Cascades. The heavy snowfall means that Hoodoo Ski Area west of Sisters will have prime conditions for skiing when Sisters schools let out for spring break next week. The ski area will host a demo day, "Preview the New," on March 19, providing free test runs of new ski and snowboard models. The... Full story
On February 24, representatives of the American Legion from all over the United States converged on Washington D.C. to present the Legion's Legislative Agenda to the 114th Congress, 2nd Session, subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs. The American Legion serves as a voice for over two million American veterans and service members. Representing Oregon was Sisters resident Eugene Hellickson, 2nd Vice Commander Department of Oregon. Leading the Legion's agenda in a packed chamber was... Full story
To the Editor: Until the semantics of cannabis replaces the stigma "marijuana" brings to people's minds, the curative benefits of this medicinal plant will not reach those who truly need relief from many ailments. Marjorie Carmen... Full story
Fascinating story by Jim Cornelius in the March 9 edition of The Nugget about Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico 100 years ago. It brought fond memories back to me about my grandfather, Col. Alexander W. Chilton, and his tales of chasing Pancho Villa across the U.S. border into Mexico in hot pursuit. So what persuaded Villa to stage his raid across the border into New Mexico? There had been shifting alliances between Villa and the American government, and during the... Full story
With a fairly lengthy agenda, the Sisters City Council meeting last Thursday stretched over three hours, due mainly to a process issue. In an effort to save staff time and City money, the community development director presented a single ordinance to the Council, bundling together five separate development code text amendments. The single ordinance saves preparation time for the staff and requires only one public notification in The Nugget rather than five. Each notification... Full story
Two Ford Family Foundation (FFF) representatives visited Sisters last week to as part of Ford's new initiative to "Listen and Learn" what's happening across Oregon in rural communities like ours. Rocque (pronounced "Rocky") Barros, director of FFF, and Carrie Thompson, a member of the foundation's board of directors, met dozens of people and talked over needs, obstacles, and opportunities for growth and development. "We call these visits Listen to Learn visits," Barros said. He explained the Ford Institute has adopted a... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) has a new head coach for its mountain biking program - Thomas Wilkinson. Coach Wilkinson has been working at Sisters Step & Spine this past year as a physical therapist and is taking on a program that was highly successful in its inception last season. Last season, the program had 10 riders riding trails around the Sisters area. Coach Wilkinson brings a plethora of experience with him to the biking program. Wilkinson says, "Mountain... Full story
Jamie Vohs, secretary of Sisters Little League, was named Volunteer of The Year for District 5 Little League last week. Oregon District 5 Little League consists of The Dalles, Hood River, John Day, Prineville, Warm Springs, Madras, Redmond, Bend, La Pine and Sisters. "For our secretary to win this award is a big deal, and it is a very well-deserved award," said Little League board chair Kyle Fischer. "Without a doubt she has been at the center of the growth the past few years... Full story
The 2016 Sisters Rodeo poster is now available at several locations in Sisters and Bend. This year, the rodeo chose to highlight JJ Harrison, the extremely popular barrelman and clown, whose antics have entertained rodeo fans since 2007. Dennis McGregor was commissioned for this painting. McGregor creatively added a bull charging toward Harrison, depicting the predicament of a rodeo barrelman when a bull wants more action after he has finished bucking. That is the serious... Full story
"I think the Three Sisters Irrigation District work represents a fascinating story," says Bjarne Holm, coordinator of the Sisters Trails Alliance's (STA) ongoing lecture series in Sisters. Next week, Marc Thalacker, manager of the Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) will give an overview of his organization's continuing modernization of their irrigation system and their role, with other partners, in the restoration of Whychus Creek. Over the years, the health of Whychus Creek has been a major concern in Sisters Country.... Full story
On the morning of Monday, February 29, 2016, after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, Geoff passed away due to complications resulting from the disease. He was 48 years old. He was born on July 22, 1967 in Bend. He was the middle child of Gary Wayne Pepperling, Sr. and Diana Carrie Pepperling. Geoff grew up in Sisters and enjoyed the carefree childhood of small-town life. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping in the woods with friends and family. He remained in... Full story
Shirley Beck, 85, died February 16 at her home in Sublimity. She was born in Swea City, Iowa, to Merle and Dorothy Robinson and lived in Minnesota as a child, graduating from Brookston High School as valedictorian. She married William "Bill" Beck on March 15, 1952, in Duluth, Minnesota. Shirley worked as an accounting clerk at an insurance company and at California State University, Northridge. Shirley was a very devoted mother and grandmother and enjoyed sending cards for birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries with... Full story
Karen passed away unexpectedly in a car accident on December 23, 2015, near Sisters. She was an amazing mother, a loving wife, a wonderful grandmother, and a special sister. Karen was born with her twin sister, Sharon, on June 15, 1941 to Fred Ryan and Irene Martin in Newberg, Oregon. She attended Sisters High School, where she met her husband Leonard. They were married on August 27, 1960, in a double wedding with her twin sister. Karen and Leonard spent 23 years in the... Full story
Mary Ann DeGaetano of Sisters passed away peacefully on March 4, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. She was 86. Mary was born March 7, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jack and Sara (Patero) DiSalvo. In 1951, she married her high school sweetheart, Benny DeGaetano. Immediately after getting married, she and Benny left Brooklyn and traveled across the country, landing at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert. Mary was a military wife, supporting her husband and his... Full story
Sky Gate, a seven-lot affordable-housing development slated for northeast Sisters, received approval from Sisters City Council for the waiving of water, sewer, and parks system development charges (SDCs). Shane Lundgren, the developer of the Sun Ranch residential project, sold the two-thirds of an acre for $10,000 to HousingWorks, to satisfy the City requirement to construct one affordable housing unit for every 10 market-priced houses in a development. Tom Kemper, executive d... Full story
Sisters High School (SHS) was in jeopardy of not fielding a softball team for the first time in nearly 20 years, but a final last-minute recruiting push will enable SHS to field a 2016 varsity team. The prospects for an Outlaw squad was looking very bleak late last week as numbers were at an all-time low and most practices consisted of a half-dozen players. However, a handful of players recruited five additional players, and Coach Dave Smith believes he'll have a roster of 13 when the Outlaws open the season on March 15. "(At... Full story
Though our intestines are sterile in the womb, through the birth process and interaction with environment our GI system is quickly colonized by many species of microbes. If the size of these entities is unimpressive, their numbers may make you think differently. The gut has 10 times as many bacterial cells as there are cells in the body. Recently, how these microbes can help or harm us has been the study of intense research. Healthy microflora synthesize vitamins, produce short-chain fatty acids which support healthy intestin... Full story
When someone collapses in cardiac arrest, every second counts. Quick action can literally bring a person back from the brink of death. Your knowing what to do, acting quickly and having access to an automatic external defibrillator can be the margin of survival for a victim of a sudden cardiac incident. Sisters Fire Chief Roger Johnson and Deputy Chief Tim Craig lined out the actions you should take in such an event: • If someone collapses in your presence, call... Full story
Wyatt Hernandez isn't sure exactly what happened to him at football practice on November 4, 2015. He doesn't remember that practice very well. He knows he took a shot to the head, maybe more than one. His friends said he "kind of passed out" as they helped him pull off his jersey in the locker room. That was just the beginning of what is now a four-and-a-half-month ordeal, dealing with the aftermath of concussion. A concussion is a brain injury - and it's serious business.... Full story
A pet is a constant loving friend, and facing his or her loss can be devastating. Pets bring so much love, support, and companionship into our lives, and many people have experienced the joy that comes with having a pet. Sadly there also comes a time when they have to face the heartbreak of losing their cherished furry friend. Whether you had to euthanize your pet or lost your dog in an unexpected manner, the grieving process will be different for everyone. Grieving is a personal, individual experience. Some people find the... Full story
Every day students at all three Sisters public schools have the opportunity for a nutritious breakfast and lunch served by smiling nutrition workers. For as low as $1.50 per student for breakfast and $2.50 to $3.25 per student for lunch, students receive well-balanced meals. The Healthy and Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, driven by the USDA, changed the guidelines for what the nutrition services staff can prepare at each of the school sites. Even with the new guidelines, the... Full story
The students at Sisters Elementary School (SES) were in for a special treat last Wednesday when Washington-based author Lois Brandt came to visit. Brandt's book "Maddi's Fridge" is a story about friendship, compassion and empty refrigerators. Students listened intently as Brandt spoke for 35 minutes about her experiences growing up - struggling to learn to read. "If you would have told me when I was in the third grade that I would grow up to be a writer I would have said... Full story
