News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 29
The Sisters School District local option levy has passed with 1,858 votes in favor (54.47 percent) to 1,553 votes against (45.53 percent) according to the latest report from the Deschutes County Clerk. The four-year levy of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation provides about $1.1 million per year to the Sisters School District. "The clear winners are the children of Sisters," said school board chair Christine Jones. "The coming year is a year when we'll really need local option and when it mattered the voters stepped... Full story
Jeremy and Angela Buller of Sisters were blessed with a beautiful baby boy on January 21. Emmitt Arthur Buller arrived weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs. 15oz. Like both parents, Emmitt will be tall, starting out at 21 inches. Big sister Katie Grace, three years old, is doing her best to smother him with love. Elated grandparents include John and Laurie Hayden of Portland, OR and Walt and Cindy Buller of International Falls, MN.... Full story
About a year ago Pat Molesworth, longtime Sisters resident and owner of Village Interiors, asked the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce why there wasn't a local merchant's group. Not getting a satisfactory answer, Molesworth, along with Jennifer Lake, owner of the Jennifer Lake Gallery, started discussing how to harness the collective skills of the downtown businesses. Lake served as the Prineville-Crook County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director from 1981-86 and is no stranger to downtown revitalization projects. During... Full story
The Sisters City Council, during their regular council session on March 12, approved a resolution to join Redmond in its application for re-designation as an enterprise zone. The council vote went four-to-one in favor of the resolution. Councilor Sharlene Weed was the sole opposing vote. During the council workshop prior to the regular meeting, Weed expressed frustration with the short timeframe and amount of public input received. "I really don't feel the taxing districts had enough time to ask questions and testify (about... Full story
For the past 35 years, Dougie MacLean has traveled the world in troubadour fashion, a singer with a bag of songs and stories and a guitar. In those three-and-a-half decades, he's amassed critical acclaim and achieved legendary status in the folk music world. But he's never been to Sisters. "I've been up to Oregon before, but never to Sisters, never to your part of the country," MacLean said from his home in Scotland last weekend. That will change on Saturday, as the Scottish... Full story
A group of doctors is exploring the possibility of establishing a community clinic in Sisters. There will be a brainstorming meeting on Thursday, March 19 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at SOJI Noodle & Rice. "There is a small group of us, very small, who are interested in establishing an outreach clinic, a community clinic," said Dr. Peter Magnus. "We want to reach especially those who are under-served." The group has received donated medical and dental equipment and is looking for a location. All types of practitioners are invited... Full story
The Sisters School District is still looking at possible budget cuts, even after voters approved giving Sisters schools $1.1 million per year in local option money over the next five years. The cuts may be required because of declining enrollment, reduced state funding, and higher rates of uncollected taxes. The district would have a shortfall of as much as $1.25 million in the 2009-2010 school year if revenues do not grow and expenses are not cut. "That is a worst-case scenario," said district business manager Sandy... Full story
The Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration Choir has returned from its European tour of Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The Sisters choir performed in some of the great cathedrals of Europe, as well as being the only U.S. representative at the International Handel Choral Festival in Halle, Germany. Much of the choir's time was spent in areas behind the former Iron Curtain. Their first overnight stop was in Berlin, where they visited the site of the Berlin... Full story
To the Editor: Alas and Forlorn... If the people really want to keep the Metolius Basin pristine then by all means keep the resorts out of there...hiking trails and perhaps some horseback riding in designated areas perhaps OK. When folks get into an wilderness area, no matter the original intent, the mess will soon follow. Let's face it, humans are a messy bunch. In the area where we have a part-time residence, the business manager is continually reminding dog walkers to pick up the droppings. So much for pristine... Full story
The Forest Service wants to replace the living quarters used by the lookout atop Black Butte - and it's getting an early start on the process. Due to the bureaucratic hoops the Forest Service is forced to jump through, it will probably be 2011 before the NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) process is completed and all public comments are reviewed and work will get underway. Just so you know, all construction activities will follow Recreation Opportunity Spectrum... Full story
The Sisters School Board strongly endorsed the performance of Superintendent Elaine Drakulich at their meeting on March 11. The formal written evaluation declared that "The board is pleased with the leadership that Superintendent Drakulich has shown in moving the district forward in implementing data-driven decision-making focused on improved student achievement at all levels." The board lauded Drakulich's leadership in establishing a "district-wide plan to improve student achievement..." The board showed appreciation of... Full story
In an effort to make Sisters a "suicide-safer" community, a number of staff members from the school district took part in an "Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training" (ASIST) March 10-11 at the Sisters School District office. Education and health professionals from Bend, Madras, and Redmond also took part. Statistics show that 32,657 Americans died of suicide in 2008, and it is estimated that for every reported suicide there are five percent to 25 percent more deaths by... Full story
Representative Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver) recently introduced legislation that would make explicit in law the argument that school districts and other entities cannot issue "Full Faith and Credit Obligations" without a vote of the people. "This was requested by the gentleman in Sisters, Mike Morgan," Whisnant told The Nugget. "This is in response to what happened in Sisters." Morgan filed suit against the Sisters School District in Deschutes County Circuit Court last May... Full story
Dave Berray decided he liked being an available handyman so much that he quit his long-time job at Eberhard's Dairy and became One Handy Man. That was 18 months ago and he hasn't regretted the decision. An all-around-fix-it guy doesn't really have a specialty, but Berray said that lately many of his jobs have been helping clients with the transition to digital TV. He'll set up converter boxes, install new antennae and has unpacked a few new television sets. Several clients... Full story
Anticipation turned to excitement on February 28, as the Sisters High School Mock Trial team was told they had beat the reigning champs Summit High School, to advance to the state Mock Trial Tournament. The Sisters High team then had just two weeks to prepare for the state tournament, to be held March 13-14 at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. District Courthouse in Portland. The team also knew that even though they were district champions, they had a long, hard journey ahead of... Full story
The Sisters High School boys golf team returns three junior players including Jonathan Standen, Cody Farr-Baenziger and Aaron Simundson. Standen is a taller and stronger player than he was last year and, according to Coach Jeff Barton, has made big improvements in his game. He worked hard in the off season and played in several Oregon Golf Association (OGA) and Central Oregon Junior Golf Association (COJGA) matches during the summer months. "Jonathan is a consistent player all-around," said Barton. Farr-Baenziger is the... Full story
The girls golf team returns only two players to their varsity squad but believes they will be competitive and look forward to a successful season ahead. Seniors Shelby Ross and Emily Rawls return to the team with varsity experience under their belts. Ross is a three-year varsity player and has played in three state tournaments. "Shelby returns with the most varsity experience on the team," said Coach Mary Flande. "Shelby worked hard during the off season. Her senior leadership will be very important this season as we have... Full story
Two different calendars have been proposed for the next school year. One starts school before Labor Day, the other reduces Spring Break to one week. Labor Day is on September 7 in 2009, which would have schools start on September 8 if the tradition of starting the Tuesday after Labor Day is maintained. This reduces the number of possible instructional days to unacceptable levels unless the year extends deeper into the following June, or vacation breaks are reduced. The feedback the district received from a survey was that... Full story
Seniors Thomas Schantz and Kody Johns both earned first-team all-league honors and Nick Head was a second-team all-league pick this season. Schantz had an outstanding year for the Outlaws and finished the season 26-6 and recorded 13 falls. The 26 wins is the best for Sisters High School in the past 15 years, as is the 13 falls. Schantz took top honors in two big tournaments over the course of the season; the Gilchrist Tournament and the Woodfin-Robinson Tournament in Burns. Schantz also wrestled three matches against... Full story
The boys baseball team returns seven seasoned players this year and will add five new players to their varsity roster. Seniors Aaron Fegenbush, Andrew Lessor, Sean Heagney and Thomas Arends will return for their final season as Outlaws. Juniors Brandon Morgan, Max Stovall and Chase Kleint also return to the squad. Fegenbush will play at first base and in the outfield. "I look for Aaron to improve at the plate this year," said Coach Steve Hodges. "We definitely need his bat in our offensive attack." Lessor played in the... Full story
Watching snow flakes float to snow-covered branches outside my window and in the knowledge of 40 fresh inches at Hoodoo, I find myself reflecting on glorious floating powder turns through powder-laden trees as I contemplate writing on a serious aspect of the sport of skiing. Skiing is a sport heavily steeped in tradition and camaraderie. While it can be very exhilarating and may not be totally risk-free, done properly - and within one's limits - it is a very fun and not at all dangerous sport. It is one that it is shared and... Full story
In May of 1923, in the midst of a ruthless drought, a devastating fire swept through Sisters, destroying many downtown businesses and homes. After the smoke and tears faded, a new Sisters was rebuilt. Going about their daily duties, townsfolk back then may have seen a peculiar sight: a one-story building being transported down the middle of Cascade Ave by a team of horses. The clapboard structure belonged to George and Grace Aitken, one of the town's founding families. It woul... Full story
Sandra Kay (Smith) Cork died in Kailua-Kona Community Hospital February 5 of complications of liver cancer. Sandy was born in Portland but grew up in Camp Sherman and graduated from Sisters High School in 1965 and Phagans' Beauty College in Bend. She worked in many beauty shops in Central Oregon before moving to Anchorage, Alaska. She took vacations on the big island in Hawaii, and finally moved there to raise her son Rick Cork and hanai (Hawaiian for unofficially adopted children) Jimmy and Kelly Lawrence. She is also... Full story
Leland I. Andersen died on March 13, 2009 in Bend, Oregon following a lengthy battle with heart disease. Leland was born on May 28, 1923 in Ruskin, Nebraska. He graduated from High School in Hardy, Nebraska. Following the Depression he moved from his family farm in Nebraska to Eugene. He served with the U.S. Army as Staff Sergeant, stationed in Hawaii during World War II. On June 25, 1949 he married Carmelita Young, to whom he was married for 59 years. He was a 40-year... Full story
So there we were, the entire Friends of the Sisters Library (FOSL) Board at our monthly meeting in the Community Room of the library, listening to Susan Schneider telling us about the financial health of the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF). She suddenly stopped, looked at me and said, "You'll never guess what was on my bird feeder this morning." That's the way it is when birders get together. Though a very important subject may be the focus of the moment - completely unrelated to birds - all it takes is one look at another... Full story
