News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
“There are many excellent hiking and backpacking guides to the Three Sisters Wilderness, but this is not one of them,” confesses Les Joslin in the introduction to “Three Sisters Wilderness: A History,” just published by The History Press. “This book, instead, is a brief guide to a more profound wilderness experience. It is a guide to understanding the Three Sisters Wilderness as wilderness — to its natural and cultural history and to the philosophical, legal, and manag... Full story
Pizza is the ultimate take-out food, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that Cibelli’s Pizza has opened in Sisters — the newest of their six locations — no fewer than six establishments in town feature pizza on their menus. Three are primarily pizza, with little else: Cibelli’s Pizza; Martolli’s Authentic Hand-Tossed Pizza (under new owners Jennifer and Kelly Brock); and Boone Dog Pizza, the only wood-fired-oven pizza maker in Sisters — even more... Full story
The Bull Springs Fire which broke out west of Bend on Sunday, March 28, serves as a stark reminder that debris burning can create danger of local residents. The blaze was reported late Sunday afternoon burning in slash, ponderosa pine, juniper, and brush. The wind-driven fire grew quickly, burning 211 acres before fire fighters were able to stop the spread. Two outbuildings were destroyed by the fire, and nearly 200 residences were placed in a Level 3 (GO) evacuation that even... Full story
Wildfire is a grim fact of life in Sisters Country. Virtually every summer for the past two decades, we have seen our lives disrupted by encroaching conflagrations and dense smoke. We cannot control the lightning storms that so often spark these blazes, nor drought conditions and the winds that drive them — but we can control how we prepare for and respond to them. Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Chief Roger Johnson notes that there is a national strategy to cope... Full story
Folks in the Sisters community can learn about Sisters Ranger District activities in a virtual open house set for Tuesday, April 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Those interested can connect through Teams or Facebook: http://bit.ly/SistersRDOpenHouse2021 https://www.facebook.com/deschutesnationalforest District Ranger Ian Reid and Deschutes National Forest Supervisor Holly Jewkes will talk about the newly operational Central Cascades Wilderness Permit System, which launched on April 6. They’ll also discuss vegetation management and r... Full story
Spring is here! Well, sort of. Central Oregon always seems to unleash more cold and even snowy days on us this time of year. Yet, still, the trees are budding out, and the bright greens of waking plants are appearing. Our avian friends, both the residents and the snowbirds returning from their warmer winter haunts, are restless. This is the season birds begin the most important job they’ll have in their lives — making babies. Over the late winter and spring months, b... Full story
It’s not easy for any bar and grill to make it for a decade, especially when they go through a year as tough as 2020 was. Steve and Darcy Macey, owners of Hardtails Bar & Grill know this — and they’re grateful to the Sisters community for supporting them through the years. “We feel blessed to have found Sisters when we decided to open up our business 10 years ago,” Steve told The Nugget. “Bend would have been much closer to our home, but we could not find any spaces th... Full story
Sisters hosted La Pine on Friday, April 2, and the Hawks proved to be more than the Outlaws could handle. The Outlaws fell in a final score of 22-15. Teams started out slow and the game was scoreless at the close of the first quarter. La Pine fired on all cylinders in the second quarter. The Hawks’ first score came when their quarterback scored on a long run up the middle. They were good on their two-point attempt and took an 8-0 lead. The Hawks scored again, and got the t... Full story
The Outlaws football squad honored their seniors prior to their game against La Pine on Friday, April 2. Senior players include Hayden Sharp, Hunter Spor, Garrett Vohs, Nate Weber, Cameron Wessel, Nathaniel Alvarez, Hudson Jones, Adam Rollins, Dillon Tucker, Collin Fischer, Camden Froehlich, and Will Grace. Sharp is one of the Outlaws’ best athletes and a returning all-league player. Hayden excelled at running back and defensive back all season long. Hayden was also a big part of the Outlaws special teams. Spor started at b... Full story
The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District (DSWCD) was one of only 20 conservation districts in the nation this year awarded an Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant. It is also the first time that an Oregon conservation district received funding from the program. DSWCD will partner with The Environmental Center to implement soil-health improvement practices with Central Oregon Youth and Schools. The grant focuses on improved soil health through the creation of a school-gardens workshop for Central Oregon educators and... Full story
The Outlaws boys tennis squad graduated seven seniors last year, and this year are looking for more players to round out their roster. Only two varsity players return to the squad — seniors Nate Weber and KJ Sweet. Weber is back for his final year. He earned a trip to state as a sophomore singles player, and won a match in the consolation round. Coaches are hopeful that Nate will improve on that this year. Coach Carl Click said, “Nate is an accomplished tennis player, and could be the best singles player in our d... Full story
The Lady Outlaws soccer squad wrapped up league play with a 4-1 record and a second-place finish, with their only loss to league rival Philomath. Sisters blanked Cascade 3-0 at home on Tuesday, March 30, and two days later notched a 2-1 road win at Newport. On Tuesday, the Outlaws tallied their first goal 20 minutes into the contest. The play began in the middle with great passes between Anya Shockley and Marley Holden. After Shockley received the ball in open space up the... Full story
The Outlaws defeated Newport 3-2 at home on Thursday, April 1, in their last league game of the season, making for a nice finish for seniors Simon Rhett, Connor Martin, and Nathaniel Alvarez, who were honored that night. Rhett has been a workhorse for the Outlaws all season long, and Coach Jeff Husmann noted that he always puts in extra effort. “Simon is a leader and helps the younger players and ‘new’ kids feel part of the team,” said Husmann. “He’s very analytical... Full story
Sophomore Ella Thorsett claimed the individual title, and she and her teammates also took the top team honors at the Oregon West District meet Saturday April 3 in Sweet Home. The finish qualified the squad for next Saturday’s 4A state meet in Eugene. Thorsett described her 54-second victory over second place Ingrid Hellesto of Philomath as a “tempo run,” indicating that she is ready to defend the state title she won as a freshman. She clocked 20:14.5 over a very chall... Full story
Sisters couldn’t overcome league rival Sweet Home in their last match of the season on Wednesday, March 31. The Outlaws fell in three sets with scores of 13-25, 17-25, and 21-25. The loss means Sisters and Sweet Home were crowned co-champs. It was a quick first set and the Huskies easily posted the win. The Outlaws had seven missed serves, and only four kills and two blocks. In the second set, Sisters missed five of their serves and only put down six kills. Sisters battled back in the third set, and tried to find their rhythm... Full story
For the past 15 years, Jonie Peck has been helping individuals and families find the right kind of health coverage at the right price. Recently relocated to Sisters from Portland, Peck’s Sapphire Moon Health Insurance is a small, boutique agency dedicated to getting to know individuals’ particular needs and finding ways to navigate the complexities of health coverage to meet them. Peck says she offers “specialized customer service and care while choosing a health insur... Full story
It was a sapling when Cortez burned his ships and moved inland to take on the Aztec empire. It was a robust young tree when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. As it grew, it likely shaded the seasonal migrations and camp sites of native peoples. And it was a towering, majestic lord of the forest when the Graham Family homesteaded nearby in the 1880s. By 2021, the 180-foot tall, 64-inch-diameter ponderosa pine that looms over Graham Corral west of Sisters... Full story
The Sisters School Board Position 1 is a two-person contest between relative newcomers to Sisters, Rodney Cooper and Jenica Cogdill. Current Board Chair Jay Wilkins opted to not run for re-election to the four-year term. Terms for Positions 2 and 5 are also ending and elections to those seats will be covered over the next two weeks in The Nugget. Cooper, a graduate of the University of Oregon with an education degree in 1977, retired from teaching in 2009, after spending his e... Full story
Circle of Friends... Full story
Bill Bartlett and The Nugget chose to run a column last week spotlighting one of our local family’s winter housing situation, living in a trailer and tent just outside of the Sisters city limits. The most glaring element lacking in the column was the omission that the person or people being spotlighted, including the photo of their home, were not interviewed, or able share their side of the story in the column. This was a lopsided story, and a misleading subject. I question the author’s real intent or concern with the mis... Full story
Forest Service road-maintenance crews will be working through April in the Metolius Basin. From last Friday through April 23, large road equipment will be operating on several Forest Service Roads, and travelers may experience some delays. Traffic delays will occur April 5-9 on a section of FSR 1230 from FSR 12 to the end of the paved section of FSR 1230. Crews will be grinding the existing asphalt pavement and turning the roadway into a gravel surface. The change from asphalt... Full story
Campers and trash To the Editor: We live adjacent to Road 100, the paved connector edging USFS lands between Northwest Pine Street and Highway 20: a lovely little piece of woods to walk dogs, ride bikes, jog and hike — except that it’s not anymore. These woods, long known as a convenient place for “dispersed camping” are increasingly being used for long-term habitation, and in the process our (as in “We The People”) forest is being trashed, and occasionally used for criminal activity. The atmosphere is rapidly b... Full story
All Sisters School District students will be attending school four full days a week beginning Monday, April 12 according to a letter published by Superintendent Curt Scholl on April 1. The much-anticipated decision came as a result of the reduction in the allowable physical distancing within classrooms, adopted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) — down to three feet between students in classrooms. County metrics of infection rates for COVID-19 have continued to stay in the range that allow this change to take... Full story
Steven Stancliff has been named the new principal of Sisters High School, replacing Joe Hosang, who, after 10 years as principal, is moving to a new position at the district’s administrative office. Stancliff, a native of Alaska and resident of Central Oregon since 2005, comes from a background in teaching, as well a variety of administration positions. He is finishing up his fifth year as principal of Pilot Butte Middle School in Bend. Over his 16 years in the region, Stancli... Full story
Sisters is marking a significant anniversary in 2021 — the 75th anniversary of the 1946 incorporation of the City of Sisters. Of course, Sisters’ founding long predates incorporation. It was “discovered” long before Euro-American settlers found it — as a place where Paiute, Warm Springs, and Wasco peoples stopped during movement across the broad Central Oregon landscape. The name of Whychus Creek, which runs right through town, comes from a Sahaptin phrase, “The... Full story
