News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 28
Many dogs exhibit separation anxiety. Our rescued twelve-year-old Scottie, Piper, having lost 75 percent of her hearing, is now very dependent upon her care-giver. In the past she stayed in the car for an hour without getting upset. Now she howls the minute the car door closes. Bernie, the other Scottie, is with her for company, but that isn’t enough. She wants me with her. Her first five years were spent in a happy home. Then her caregiver passed away. The next two years w... Full story
The boys lacrosse squad fell 10-5 to Bend's JV team on Wednesday, April 26, and two days later lost 23-7 on the road at Corvallis. Sisters played against Bend's JV team on Wednesday to make the contest a better match-up. The Lava Bears' squad is loaded with players who have not only played from a very young age, but play very physical, especially with their stick checking. The Outlaws did have 12 players, so for the first time in two games they had two subs available. The... Full story
The month of May is championship season for track-and-field, and Head Coach Jonathan Kelly feels good about his team's prospects after two meets last week. "The team is doing well," he said. "Many of the younger or more inexperienced athletes are making steady improvement, especially in the jumps and throws. We've also started to hone in on where we can be most competitive and score the most points at the district meet." On Wednesday, April 26 the Outlaws traveled to... Full story
The City and students celebrated Arbor Day last week with a tree-planting event at Cliff Clemens Park. Twelve Sisters Elementary School students planted six trees, including three autumn maple blaze and three scarlet oak trees, to commemorate the day. Friday, April 28 is a national holiday known as Arbor Day, which celebrates the power of trees. Many communities plant trees on Arbor Day. Sisters Mayor Michael Preedin declared an Arbor Day Proclamation for the City of Sisters.... Full story
With military-like precision, between 35 and 40 various and sundry trucks snaked their way up Pole Creek Road on Saturday. The convoy doglegged to FS 1513 in a cloud of dust on the rutted gravel road. Led by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the force included other agencies, like Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). They massed to set fire to 112 acres. The weather looked promising, with winds forecast to be mostly northerly at 8 mph that - if... Full story
Outlaws pitching and defense remained tough, and the bats came alive as the Outlaws took it to Elmira in a three-game test last week. The Sisters baseball team traveled to Elmira on Tuesday and came home with an 8-3 victory. Patrick Silva pitched five innings, not allowing a run, and Landen Scott pitched the final two innings. "Elmira made a late push in this game but we were able to hold on for the win with some key hits late in the game that helped extend our lead," said... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District's (SPRD) Bike Park 242 is getting a refresh this spring. The park features jump lines, pump tracks, and a drop zone and is great for riders of all abilities wanting to improve their skills. Snowy winters and dry summers mean the bike park needs consistent maintenance. Maintenance involves moving tons of dirt and is very difficult to do by hand. Visit Central Oregon and SPRD have both contributed funding to address the substantial maintenance... Full story
Deputy Chief Tim Craig, of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, has successfully completed the process that awards the professional designation of "Chief Training Officer" (CTO). The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) met on April 4 to confer the designation. Chief Craig becomes one of only 214 CTOs worldwide. The designation program is a voluntary program designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate their excellence in seven measured components, including... Full story
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Chief Roger Johnson was awarded the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (OFCA) President's Award during their annual awards ceremony at the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association Spring Conference held in Bend on April 27. Chief Bill Boos, president for the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, presented the award for Chief Johnson's outstanding work and unwavering dedication to bringing updated legislation to the State of Oregon Fire Service. Chief Boos... Full story
Hardtails Bar & Grill is launching its season of tribute shows - with some new highlights for hard-core rockers. "We have a few of the 'favorites' returning, Petty Fever, Gold Dust, and In the Pink," said owner Steve Macey. "New band is Valhalla, (a) Led Zep tribute." A special show set for July 29 is Jimi Hendrix Experience Tribute artist Randy Hansen. For nearly three decades, the world-renowned guitarist has acquired a reputation as being one of the best Hendrix impersonato... Full story
Though not to be feared, the head of a dragon does appear high in the northeast sky during the evening hours of May. Known as Draco, this celestial reptile is the eighth largest constellation by area. The tip of its tail lies between the cup of the Big Dipper and Polaris (the North Star) while its body passes between the two dippers and circles halfway around the Little Dipper. The beast's head then turns back on its body, positioned just north of the constellation of... Full story
Losing a baby is a heart-wrenching event that often leaves grieving parents feeling alone. That was Alissa and James Cowan's experience after having a miscarriage six years ago. Their sense of isolation left Alissa feeling numb and unsure about who could relate to or understand her pain. Last April, Alissa started a nonprofit called I Am Seen. With her husband James' constant support, she wanted to bring a voice to the silent grief of pregnancy and infant loss. "We offer Care... Full story
The Sisters City Council took another step toward construction of a roundabout at Highway 20 and Locust Street last week. In their Wednesday, April 26 meeting, the Council approved Amendment No. 2 of the intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for improvements on Highway 20 at Locust Street, allowing the project to move forward. They will begin moving dirt on the area most likely in February 2024, pending construction timelines and when... Full story
The man described as the “heart and soul of Sisters Rodeo” has gone up the trail. Sisters Rodeo announced last weekend that John Leavitt, a longtime Sisters businessman and Rodeo Association board member, has died. Leavitt owned Leavitt’s Western Wear in Sisters (now Dixie’s) for many years, and, as Sue Stafford recently noted in a column, he was always ready to welcome new folks to town. Leavitt retired from 45 years of service with Sisters Rodeo last summer, and The Nugget sat down with him in July to recall his lifetim... Full story
Personal- and commercial-use firewood collection season is open on the Deschutes National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland. All areas will remain open through November 30. The public should note this is only for the national forest system lands. While personal-use firewood permits are free, a permit is still required. The public can obtain up to eight cords of wood per year, and permits are available at local vendors and Forest Service offices. This firewood cannot be sold and must be used for personal use only.... Full story
Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) will raffle a Thompson “Big Ponderoo” guitar in a fundraiser to support SFF’s cultural education outreach and programming in Central Oregon. Sisters-based, nationally renowned Preston Thompson Guitars has donated a dreadnought guitar for the organization to raffle off. The raffle will be conducted in tandem with the inaugural Big Ponderoo music festival happening Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25 in Sisters. The handcrafted guitar features a mahogany back and sides, an Adirondack spruce top,... Full story
Oregon author, retreat leader, and storyteller Mark Yaconelli will present his new book “Between the Listening and the Telling: How Stories Can Save Us,” on Tuesday, May 9, at 6:30 p.m. at Paulina Springs Books. Yaconelli is the author of five previous books and founder and director of The Hearth, an Ashland-based nonprofit that builds community through the art of storytelling. Yaconelli leads readers into an enchanting meditation on the power of storytelling. Stories can be medicine, helping individuals and communities addre... Full story
Sister High School’s Wind Ensemble is made up of some extremely hardworking musicians. Their determination shines through in their qualification to compete at Oregon State University for the OSAA State Championship. This is the first time the band has attended the competition in 13 years. The band is made up of 20 participants, most of whom have been playing their instruments for over three years. The age of these students range from 14 to 18. Some of the upper classmen remember qualifying for State in 2020 but not attending... Full story
The girls lacrosse squad matched up against the Summit Storm twice this past week and suffered losses in both matchups. Sisters fell 4-17 at Summit on Monday, April 24, and four days later lost 4-17 at home. On Monday, the Lady Outlaws played without any subs, while Summit boasted a roster of 22 varsity and 26 JV players they could draw from. Tania Rebolledo played in the goal and managed 11 saves in the contest. Madi Taylor had a great goal for the Outlaws with 9:53 left in the first half. Taylor received a midfield pass fro... Full story
The Lady Outlaws took care of business on the tennis courts with a 5-3 win over the Eagles at Stayton on Tuesday, April 25, and two days later a 6-2 win at home against Madras. Juhree Kizziar (No. 1 singles) maintained her undefeated season with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Laina Atiyeh. It was Kizziar’s best performance of the year so far. She was very consistent and was powerful in all her shots. Katy Ryan moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 singles and handled windy conditions very well. She dominated her match with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep over... Full story
The work each of us does to prepare for emergencies can make a big difference in how well we weather a crisis — both personally and as a community. A cadre of experts in the field of emergency preparedness and response will gather on Thursday, May 11, at the Sisters Fire District’s Community Hall to talk about the range of potential emergencies that can affect Sisters Country, and practical steps we can all take to be prepared to navigate them. The forum, titled “Em... Full story
The boys tennis squad matched up against Stayton at home on Tuesday, April 25, and two days later they played at home against the Madras White Buffs. Jude Parzybok was the lone Outlaw to win both his matches this past week. On Tuesday against Stayton, Dominic Pulver and Jude Parzybok both tallied wins. Pulver defeated Spencer Dirkz 6-3, 7-5. Pulver’s serves were a bit shaky at the start and he went down early, but came back, found his groove, and posted the first-set win. He played a consistent match from that point on, a... Full story
The Sisters City Council took another step toward construction of a roundabout at Highway 20 and Locust Street last week. In their Wednesday, April 26 meeting, the Council approved Amendment No. 2 of the intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for improvements on Highway 20 at Locust Street, allowing the project to move forward. They will begin moving dirt on the area most likely in February 2024, pending construction timelines and when... Full story
There are so many aspects of the Sisters 2040 Comprehensive Plan that point to positive aspirations and goals for our community. As an experienced health care provider living in this community, I feel an onus to speak to the development of additional fast food or convenience stores here in our community of Sisters. Research and statistics are abundant and compelling. Fast food and convenience stores have been associated with a number of negative health effects, including: 1. Obesity: Fast food is often high in calories, f... Full story
Support local option for schools To the Editor: Please support the Sisters School District, the staff, and most important, the students. Vote yes for measure 9-161, the local option levy. Don Hedrick To the Editor: On behalf of the Seed to Table staff and board members, our organization heartily supports the local option for the Sisters School District. Having an integral role in the schools, we know firsthand how important the sixteen teaching positions are for students. Our education system woven in with programs like IEE,... Full story
