News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 34
SOAR has a broad base of support in Sisters, but not everyone supports the organization’s bid for a local option tax of 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Among the opponents of the measure is board member and SOAR treasurer Ben Ehrenstrom. “I’m philosophically opposed to it,” Ehrenstrom said. Ehrenstrom said he believes SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation) is currently a highly successful program and that its programs should be sustain... Full story
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Wal-Mart released details last week about their new partnership in a national conservation program. Wal-Mart has committed $35 million for the next 10 years to conserve at least one acre of priority fish and wildlife habitat for every acre that the company has developed for stores and warehouses. Some $400,000 has been committed to the Deschutes Basin Land Trust as one of the program’s five initial projects. The Land Trust will rec... Full story
The “Welcome to Sisters” marker at the west end of town is a lot more welcoming now, thanks to the efforts of Eagle Scout Derrick Alderman and the Sisters Rotary Club. The Scout and the service club joined forces to put pavers around the marker as the first phase in the creation of a mini-park on Highway 20 across the road from the Sisters Ranger District office. Alderman mobilized a big crew of workers to smooth the area and cut and lay the pavers on Saturday, April 16. “We’v... Full story
Camp Sherman Master swimmer Tom Landis set a new Central Oregon Masters Aquatics (COMA) individual zone record of 5 minutes, 30.23 seconds in the 400-yard individual medley held in Federal Way, Washington. The medley race consists of four strokes: breaststroke, back, butterfly and freestyle. Some 350 swimmers from around the Northwest took part in the various swim events. Landis competes in the 60 to 64-year-old age category for Master swimmers. At the Federal Way 2005... Full story
The Lady Outlaws won both of their Capital Conference matches last week to stretch their winning streak to 4-0. On Monday, April 11 Sisters defeated Cascade at home 5-2. The doubles teams had a strong performance and swept all of their matches. Elyss Clasen and Claire Rerat (No. 1) won their match 6-4, 5-7, 7-6. The No. 2 doubles team Jill Zepeda and Amanda Sarles won in two sets 6-1,6-1. Assistant Coach Marti Dale said, “Jill and Amanda normally play the No. 3 doubles position but today they had to play at No. 2. They s... Full story
The Central Oregon Shootout will add another golf facility to the rotation for this year’s event held on April 29, 30, and May 1. Eagle Crest Resort will join Aspen Lakes and Black Butte Ranch as one of the host courses for this third annual golf tournament. “We had such a long waiting list for last year’s shootout that it was time to expand the field by adding another top-quality golf course into the mix”, said Aspen Lakes Head Golf Professional, Wayne Clark. The popularity of this event lies in the format of two-person team... Full story
The Outlaw baseball team’s error-free defense led to a 4-0 shutout over Sweet Home at home in Sisters on Thursday, April 14. Jeff Fitter pitched for the Outlaws and was just two outs away from pitching a no-hitter. Sisters turned three double plays and played tough defense throughout the entire game. “We really played solid, fundamental baseball” said Coach Kevin Bigby. “Both teams played well but we were able to take advantage of a couple of their mistakes and put a few mor... Full story
Fluid Images, headed by Sisters residents Rick Johnson and Mike Gough, recently won a first-place Drake Award for a video production done for TAPS of Sisters (Think AgainParentS). The Drake Award recognizes talent and achievement in the advertising/marketing industry in the preceding year. The award is sponsored by the Ad Federation of Central Oregon which is “a nonprofit organization of advertising, marketing and public relations professionals who are dedicated to u... Full story
• The results of the McDonald’s survey are in and the overwhelming favorite for and interior design theme was an 1880s Western theme. A survey conducted by Sisters High School Leadership students indicated 64 percent of respondents favored the Western theme; 18 percent favored a rodeo theme and 15 percent voted for a railroad/logging theme. Franchise owner Nanette Bittler launched the survey to design a restaurant that reflected the character and desires of the Sisters community. • New landscaping is in at Sisters Oil. • Dr.... Full story
Yet another Sisters area property owner has filed a Measure 37 claim for value lost because of land use classification changes. David Hurtley has filed a claim of nearly $600,000 for his property at 69090 Hurtley Ranch Road in the Cloverdale area east of Sisters. Hurtley is seeking either compensation for the lost value of his property or a waiver to subdivide his 29.86 acres into 15 lots of about two acres each. In his claim against Deschutes County, he showed the value of the land if subdivided as $27,619 an acre while in... Full story
Sisters Middle School will be bidding farewell to a beloved staff member with the June retirement of art teacher Nancy Scharf. “Nancy is one of the five finest teachers I’ve ever worked with,” said Middle School Principal Lora Nordquist. “She is a gifted artist and a gifted process teacher. She helps kids get from point A to point B and has created a warm and welcoming classroom.” Scharf’s journey to the art department at Sisters Middle School began with a second-place prize i... Full story
The eighth annual traveling Capital Conference art show is on display in the commons at Sisters High School through Friday, April 22. “We kicked off the art show in March with a reception at Stayton High School,” said art teacher Mike Baynes. “We all viewed the collection of artwork, had lunch and the kids talked about their art.” Art teachers from each school in the conference selected four pieces from their students’ art work that automatically were placed in the traveling... Full story
Two agencies of state government are trying to determine whether Sisters School District violated laws or regulations when it paid parts of the salaries of some teachers at Sonrise Christian School. The district and the private school mutually agreed to suspend the pay program at the beginning of the current school year, largely at the instigation of Sisters’ new superintendent, TedThonstad. Since then, the Audits Division of the Secretary of State’s office has launched a formal investigation with which the Department of Edu... Full story
Rob Corrigan and Jeff Haken will face off in a debate on the issues facing Sisters schools on Thursday, April 28, at the Sisters High School Lecture Room at 7 p.m. Sisters Education Association (SEA), the Oregon School Employees Association and The Nugget are sponsoring the event. According to SEA representative Kelly Powell, the Sisters School Board Candidate Forum will include introductions of Mike Gould and Glen Lasken, candidates for uncontested seats, but the event will... Full story
Nearly four dozen Sisters High School students — almost all seniors — have been granted either a daily late start or early release for lack of appropriate classes they could take. Superintendent Ted Thonstad says this is one effect of a reduction in elective classes caused by inadequate budgets in recent years. Thonstad worked with Sisters High School Principal Bob Macauley to put this and related information together in response to questions from Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver (see “Whisnant raises school questions,” The Nug... Full story
Editor’s note: Due to a production error, the first four paragraphs of this story were repeated in last week’s story. Here is the story in its correct form. Peggy Miller did not expect to become the administrator (principal) of Sonrise Christian School in Sisters. For that matter, she never expected to teach there. She has learned that many good things “happen by accident.” Miller has been a fifth-grade teacher at Sonrise for the past four years. Early this year, the school... Full story
To the Editor: I’m writing you about your article on neighbors challenging the Measure 37 claim (The Nugget, April 13, page 7). Shame on Wayne Jack for making those comments about my wife and me. My wife and I only want back what the county has taken from us. We would like our A-1 designation back so we can pursue our love of animals. The Nugget showed irresponsibility by printing the comments in the article in the first place. They should show better judgment next time. Mark Hilgart Kristin Sorensen-Hilgart s s s To the E... Full story
The Sisters community lost one of its most committed activists last Saturday when Jim Mitchell died after a long and courageous battle with illness. The Nugget lost a dedicated and talented freelance reporter. Jim was deeply involved in the life of this community in a wide range of areas — Kiwanis, teen substance abuse prevention and more. He brought that breadth and depth of interest to bear in his reporting. Jim tackled a prodigious workload; he couldn’t let a good sto... Full story
Choir director Tara MacSween was thrilled with her choir’s third-place finish at the Capital Conference festival in Molalla on Wednesday, April 13. “We were awesome,” said Tara. “It went really well. We left at 5:30 a.m. It was a long trip but we made it worth it. In my opinion it was the best performance we’ve given all year and it happened at festival!” The adjudicator was also impressed with Sisters’ performance. MacSween said the adjudicator was complimentary, very encouraging and noted that the blend, balance and t... Full story
The Sisters High School band took second at the annual Capital Conference Band Festival at North Marion High on Wednesday, April 6. Sisters scored 262 out of 300, just two points shy of North Marion’s (NM) first place finish. Director Jody Henderson said, “We were excited to perform a well prepared program and particularly excited about one of the selections we’d worked up entitled ‘The Vengeance’ by Belgian composer Andre Wagnein. It is over 10 minutes long and is packed with musical content which the students really lo... Full story
Tia Berg, a Sisters Middle School student, will represent her country as a People To People Student Ambassador. Berg will explore Europe for 20 days this summer as a member of the Central Oregon delegation in a program founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Berg is raising funds to make the trip. She is seeking sponsors and donations of cans and plastic bottles. The bottles and cans may be dropped off at 392 W. Main Ave. opposite the car wash. Cash donations may be made to... Full story
Entry forms for the 2005 Sisters Rodeo Parade are now available. The parade will be held on Saturday, June 11 starting at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Sisters as part of the 65th Sisters PRCA Rodeo. Entry deadline is May 13 with parade position numbers to be sent out after that date, according to Parade Committee members Vicki Yost and Jeri Buckmann. Forms may be picked up at the Sisters Rodeo office at 220 W. Cascade Ave. in Sisters, or by calling the rodeo office at 549-0121 or (800) 827-7522. The entry form includes general... Full story
• Rita Gonzalez, a Sisters eighth-grader, earned honor roll status with a 3.5 grade point average, but was left off an earlier honor roll supplied by Sisters Middle School. • This past Sunday the Sisters High School Track Team held a golf fundraiser at Black Butte Ranch’s Glaze Meadow Course, which raised $2,100. There were 26 participants in the scramble event. Track athletes caddied. The track team salutes the Black Butte Ranch Homeowners and Jeff Fought for allowing them to hold the event at their facility. The team thanke... Full story
A standing-room-only audience of about 60 people was informed and entertained with the wit and wisdom of Oregon author and place names historian Lewis L. McArthur at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters Friday evening. McArthur is the author of “Oregon Geographic Names,” the recognized authority on place names in the state. The author began his hour-long comments with a brief, but detailed history of names along the Oregon coast and in the Willamette Valley. However, the audience had the greatest interest when he discussed centra... Full story
Three different Jazz Big Bands will perform in a free public concert at Bronco Billy’s Ranch Grill & Saloon on Wednesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. The Sisters Jazz Festival along with the Sisters High School Varsity Jazz Band are hosting two 18-member college jazz bands filled with great players: The Lane Jazz Ensemble, and the COCC Adult Jazz Big Band. The Lane Jazz Ensemble is an annual favorite in their appearances each Spring at the Reno Jazz Festival. The group has made Sisters School District a regular stop along their r... Full story
