News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 28
Born April 9,1940 in Houston, Texas, Anne attended San Jacinto High School and graduated from Rice University with a bachelor's in history in 1961. She met her future husband, John, in a history class there. She and John were married on June 16, 1961 in Houston. John and Anne moved to San Antonio, Texas, where they were both school teachers. They were blessed with two children born in San Antonio: Jeff and Sarah. They elected to have Anne be a stay-at-home mom while Jeff and S... Full story
John was born in Eugene at Sacred Heart. He left Eugene around 9 or 10 years old with his parents, Darrell and June Leavitt, and sister, Jean, and moved to Lakeview, where they started cattle ranching. John went to and graduated from Lakeview High School. He participated in football, basketball, and track. He went to junior rodeos, and he was a Gold Card holder for the PRCA. When he was around 24 years old, he went to Europe with Buster Ivory via ship to be a part of "Rodeo... Full story
Dean was a man who lived by a dedication to his faith and values. He was highly adventurous and very responsible - a rare combination of traits. A lifelong learner, committed leader, always curious, an avid reader, humble, with a playful sense of humor. Dean was a beloved son and inspiring brother. Dean was born in 1955 to parents Dale and June Duvall. Raised in Portland, Dean had an adventurous childhood with his siblings Dirk and Dian. There was camping, hiking, fishing,... Full story
The Tollgate subdivision west of Sisters is nestled amid the towering ponderosa pines of the Deschutes National Forest. That's part of the charm of the 440-home development - but it also makes it vulnerable to wildfire. Residents of Tollgate are taking the threat of wildfire head-on, using Firewise principles to protect themselves and their neighbors by hardening homes and reducing fuels around homes. The Tollgate Firewise Committee, headed by Jane Killefer, held their second... Full story
The Sisters Elementary School paved playground was a beehive of activity last Friday morning, as four classes of first-graders - about 80 students - worked with their Sisters Middle School seventh grade mentors to construct-a bird house/nesting box. The project came about when middle school math and STEAM teacher Jeff Schiedler mentioned a bird house building project his seventh-graders were undertaking to Sisters Elementary School first-grade teacher Erika Valikonia. The... Full story
I am seen To the Editor: Regarding “Helping people grieve the loss of an infant,” The Nugget, May 3, page 3: I do not know the Cowans personally. However, I applaud Alissa and James Cowan for their efforts helping parents of children who die. When my son died at three months in January, 1986, his death was considered a SIDS death. A year or two later, it was determined that he had died from a reaction in his lungs from the pertussis part of the DPT shot he received that day. Not a day goes by that I do not think about wha... Full story
Headlines are full recently of the fentanyl epidemic in the U.S. that took 70,601 American lives in 2021, the last full year for which statistics are available. That number is expected to exceed 80,000 for last year. In Oregon the number in 2021 grew to 745 from 280 in 2019. At least 29 people in Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties died from drug overdoses in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, according to figures released by the Oregon Health Authori... Full story
The Venardos Circus is returning to Central Oregon yet again. The animal-free, Broadway-style circus presents their all-new "Let's Build a Dream" show at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center June 8-18. The 2023 Venardos Circus is traveling with a new, custom-crafted, Italian-made, red-and-white-striped tent that offers expanded seating around a central stage. It adds 100 seats including new elevated premium gallery seat at the back of the tent. With an increased demand for... Full story
Bitter cherry, bird cherry, chokecherry, or bitter berry are all common names for Prunus virginiana. My neighbors have several in their yard that are of the Canada red variety of chokecherry. Deep burgundy-red leaves, prolific whitish blossoms, and dark red berries grace the spreading branches. It was a prized food source for Native Americans as the berries contain many disease fighting antioxidants, anthocyanins, and flavonoids which possess properties that fight allergies,... Full story
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Judith Ann Dillewaard on April 24. Judith was a beloved wife, mother, stepmother, and grandmother who touched the lives of all who knew her. Judith is survived by her loving husband, Hendrik Dillewaard, with whom she shared 27 years of marriage. She was a devoted mother to her daughter, Donna Petersen, and a cherished stepmother to Marianne Hackney, Elsie Dillewaard, Angie Allsup, Francis Dillewaard, and Johnny... Full story
Jeremy Dickman is one of two brand-new Planning Commission members this year. Dickman and his family have lived in Sisters since September 2020, but have been based in Central Oregon for 23 years, with a three-year gap for law school. Dickman graduated from the University of Oregon in 2000 and worked for The Bulletin in Bend as a copy editor for two years. After that, he fell back on his high school dream of becoming an attorney. He had always imagined being a defense... Full story
Sister Folk Festival (SFF) announced the addition of seven new artists to the 2023 festival lineup. The 26th annual music festival will take place September 29 through October 1, with more than 30 artists representing multiple genres of roots music, from folk and bluegrass to jazz and country-blues, performing on seven stages throughout downtown Sisters. Donna the Buffalo, Alex Cuba, Gina Chavez, Daniel Rodriguez, Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs, Goodnight Moonshine, and Willi... Full story
The boys lacrosse squad matched up last week against Burns, a team similar in size compared to the 5A and 6A teams both squads havebeen playing against. The Hilanders' roster was small like the Outlaws, with 10 available players compared to Sisters' 11, so coaches agreed that an eight vs. eight game would be more appropriate than the usual 10 vs. 10. Each team removed one defender and one attack player from the field to give teams subs on the sideline that could be rotated... Full story
Sisters youth are preparing for a strength competition in Bend on July 29. A lifting team is forming through Level 5 Barbell Club and raising funds so that all those interested in competing may do so. According to Ryan Hudson of Level 5, the club grew out of some of the most motivated youths in the strength conditioning program for Outlaws football, for which he is the coach. Funds raised will go toward assisting young athletes with lifting singlets, training, and USPA... Full story
Junior Devin Coverdale and freshman Trent Gordon tied for a fourth-place finish as individuals at the Quail Run Invitational held in La Pine on Monday, May 1. The boys are the only two players on the golf team, and both have improved their scores greatly over the course of the season. Coverdale and Gordon both finished their round with a score of 84. Ironically they scored the exact opposite scores on the front and back nine; Coverdale a 45 on the front and a 39 on the back, and Gordon a 39 on the front and a 45 on the back.... Full story
The boys tennis squad lost their match against The Dalles on Monday, May 2. Coach David Rowell switched up the lineup for the Outlaw players in their match against the Riverhawks. Dominic Pulver and Jude Parzybok paired up as the No. 1 doubles team and faced Paul Kelly and Paul Capek, the doubles team that took third at State last year and are in the running to place well again this year. Pulver and Parzybok fell 0-6, 1-6. Rowell said, “I was proud they were able to get a game against them and have a couple games be d... Full story
The Lady Outlaws tennis squad crushed The Dalles in a final score of 7-1, at home on Tuesday, May 2, under beautiful and sunny weather conditions. Sisters is 5-1 in conference play and 9-4 overall. Sisters' singles players were once again a force to be reckoned with. They were on fire - dominating play, sweeping the court with wins in all four matches. They dropped only five games. Kizziar (No. 1) dominated play and cruised to an easy 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Josie Hamm. Coach Bruc... Full story
The girls lacrosse squad matched up against Summit’s JV team on Wednesday, May 3. It was a hard-fought contest that was tied 5-5 at the half and finished knotted up at 10-10. Bailey Robertson had an outstanding game. She took three shots on goal and everyone hit the mark. Tatum Cramer scored three goals and dished out three assists, and Solei Planty, Ellie Bates, Marley Holden, and Hailey Asson added one goal each. Asson’s goal was fantastic. She scooped up a deflected shot off the ground and whipped it into the goal for the... Full story
Just like the spring weather, track-and-field athletes showed notable improvements as the Outlaws’ team entered the month of May with two local meets last week. Wednesday, May 3, the Outlaws competed against Caldera and Redmond on the Panthers track, which turned into a personal record fest for both the boys and girls teams. The triple jumpers led the way for the boys team in sweeping the top three places, led by sophomore Spencer Tisdel’s effort of 39 feet, 3 inches for the win. Freshman Reid Woodson (37 feet, 11 inc... Full story
Thursday, May 4, was Sharlene Weed’s last day as staff leader for Sisters Habitat for Humanity. Weed has been with the organization for 27 years and will be honored for her long service “not only to Habitat but for her time on City Council and her prominent role in Sisters Cold Weather Shelter,” said Joe Rambo, board president of the local affiliate of the nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. Rambo informed the staff of Weed... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) is celebrating 25 years of being a special district. The public is invited to their 25th birthday party on Friday, May 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in front of the Coffield Center. Activities will include music by DJ Chuck Boogie, kids’ crafts, fun games including cornhole, giant Connect Four and Jenga, a balloon artist, and, of course, cake! This free event is the perfect way to show your support for SPRD while also kicking off the weekend in style. “Celebrating our time as a special distr... Full story
Everyone who participates in the National Forest Cleanup Event scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m.-noon, is invited to return to Village Green Park for a complementary picnic lunch. The community cleanup event is hosted by Sisters Country Leadership Initiative (CLI). Registration for the event can be made by email to sisterscliteam@gmail.com. Be sure to provide the number of people in your group to ensure enough lunches are ordered. Participants will meet at Village Green... Full story
This week I’ve grieved the loss of two lives — one a dear friend here in Sisters, who died at the end of an exhausting few months dealing with ALS as it took away his faculties bit by bit. The second death is someone I hardly knew, yet his death has affected me deeply. This person — whom we won’t name for privacy, and to avoid confusion about his identity — lived out in the National Forest beyond Pine Street in a tent for over three years. He died on Saturday, April 29, at St. Charles Emergency Room. I know more about his... Full story
Facing double-digit premium increases or the inability to get renewed, many property owners in Sisters Country are scrambling to lower their costs or obtain new coverage. Some report being cancelled as the risk of wildfire is causing insurance carriers to reassess their exposure. Janet Swarts in Sage Woods said, “Our former Insurance company, Travelers Insurance, cancelled our policies — home and auto — about six months ago due to fire-risk location. We had been with them... Full story
During a review of their recent retreat, the Sisters Planning Commission explored the need for more time to conduct discussions regarding the many topics and projects they are expected to address and recommend to the City Council. Commissioner Tom Ries began the discussion. “Sooner or later we are going to have to make code changes to address the growth and design standards, so we don’t have just big-boxes built,” he said. “I’m even talking about fire mitigation. There are... Full story
