News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
For the first time in several years, the Sisters School District will not be laying off teachers or cutting other personnel to make up a budget shortfall. "This is the first year (of his tenure) that we're not laying off anybody in our community, so I'm happy about that," outgoing superintendent Jim Golden told the budget committee Wednesday evening, May 6. The committee signed off on a $17,268,824 total budget, with $12,632,832 in the general fund. Thanks to more robust state funding, that's about $140,000 better than last... Full story
Thirty-five community members, teachers, and administrators on the Sisters schools superintendent search committee spent a very long weekend meticulously combing through 42 applications for the post that opened when current superintendent Jim Golden took the superintendent's position in the Greater Albany School District. "We never expected to get this many - from all over the country," said school board chair Don Hedrick. Each committee member reads each application then... Full story
With bells and chimes ringing and drums thundering, the Sisters Americana Project students kicked off the 14th annual community arts fundraiser My Own Two Hands (MOTH) on Friday, making their way down Main Avenue holding up the MOTH banner, followed by young artists from the SPRD Community School. This year's event theme was "Imagine." Students from the Grasshoppers and Dragonfly programs celebrated using their imaginations to create art. Directly following were students of... Full story
To the Editor: As the newest member of the Cloverdale Fire District board of directors and a 20-year veteran of the department, I must respond to the misinformation being published by the campaign to unseat the incumbent board members. I take personal affront to comments made pertaining to the ability of the current board. First, the constituents, who the board represents, approved our 20-year plan by voting overwhelmingly to provide the funding to make it happen. The specifications for the buildings as well as the engines... Full story
Chuck Ryan, Amy Burgstahler, and Bill Hall all threw their hat in the ring for the Sisters City Council seat vacated by McKibben Womack. City Council members interviewed the candidates in their Thursday-morning workshop last week. Each possesses an impressive résumé and wide-ranging experience that would serve the City well. When asked what motivated him to apply for the vacant seat, Ryan cited his love affair with Sisters. He moved here to retire and has "lots of... Full story
It's not often that you walk onto a construction site and come upon a bunch of women in pink T-shirts up on ladders, wielding hammers and wrangling two-by-fours. But for three days last week that's how it was on East Cascade Avenue, where two townhomes were under construction as part of National Habitat for Humanity's Women Build Week. Fifty female volunteers from around Sisters Country strapped on their tool belts and hard hats, picked up their hammers and power tools, and... Full story
The ninth annual SALI (Sisters Annual Lacrosse Invitational) tournament drew 66 teams from all over Oregon, the majority from the Portland-Metro and Corvallis areas, but also teams from as far away as Lake Tahoe and Idaho. Close to 4,000 visitors came to Sisters for the big event. Every available field space was in use as teams from first through 12th grade competed in the most looked-forward-to lacrosse event of the season. High school teams, JV teams, and five youth... Full story
On June 17, 1775, President John Adams called for widespread participation in prayer for wisdom in forming our new nation. He wrote, "We have appointed a Continental fast. Millions will be upon their knees at once before their great Creator, imploring his forgiveness and blessing; his smiles on American councils and arms." In the same spirit, over 200 people came together last Thursday for the third annual Sisters Community Prayer Breakfast. Held at Sisters Community Church,... Full story
Work is getting underway on the SaddleStone Development at the east end of Black Butte Avenue in Sisters. Olsen Design and Development, Inc. (www.olsencommunities.com) of Monmouth acquired the 85-lot property and is developing it in the manner of its "Olsen Communities" - traditional-style neighborhoods that emphasize front porches and common spaces. "We don't just build houses," developer Eric Olsen told The Nugget. "We build neighborhoods and communities." Olsen specializes... Full story
The most popular act in Sisters Rodeo history is coming back to celebrate the rodeo's 75th anniversary. The One Arm Bandit is bringing his black mouth cur hounds, horse or mule, and buffalo to town. John Payne, the One Arm Bandit, has won the national Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Specialty Act of the Year 12 times, including 2014. There is just nothing else like this performance, an unbelievable display of communication between a man and his animals. Wherever he... Full story
There were many magical moments at the My Own Two Hands art auction and party Saturday night. The event grossed $135,000 to support the programs of Sisters Folk Festival - which is magic enough on its own. Then there was the bidding war for a masterpiece by noted Northwest artist Rick Bartow, a $10,000 paddle-raise donation by Ken and Ginger Harrison and the vision of three generations of Sisters folks dancing the night away to the fiery bluegrass of Frank Solivan & Dirty... Full story
Sisters' Parks Advisory Board (PAB) has become an active and important body in their advisory capacity to the City Council on park-related issues. That was evident at their May 6 meeting. The board became more active with the controversy over plans for the Creekside Overnight Campground back in January 2014. Since then they have reviewed data gathered during last summer's camping season and made site visits to the campground and talked to the camp host. They have listened to p... Full story
The Lodge Restaurant has been an iconic part of Black Butte Ranch since the 1970s. Last week it reopened after an extensive remodel that brings it current with the needs and desires of a 2015 clientele. Built in split levels long before the Americans With Disabilities Act was in place, the Lodge has now been made much more accessible with a ramp into the main dining area. Bathrooms have also been brought into ADA compliance. The floor has been raised in the Brooks Room,... Full story
Sisters Outdoor Leadership Experience (S.O.L.E.) is a pilot wilderness program at Sisters Middle School (SMS) being developed by Brook Jackson, mental-health counselor at the school. S.O.L.E. is similar to the middle school outdoor science program, but with a pro-social/emotional emphasis. Jackson, whose position is funded by a mental-health grant to the Sisters School District, has a passion for working with young people, particularly for getting them out into nature as a way to help them explore who they are and to... Full story
The secret is out - Sisters is an arts town. The arts - from fine arts to music to the kind of art produced in a kitchen - not only form the backbone of local culture, they drive the local economy. The newly minted Sisters Arts Association is dedicated to bringing artists from all media and all levels of commercial engagement together "to provide its members with a unified voice for promotion of the arts, and to create a spirit of cooperation and fellowship among artists and... Full story
The Lodge Restaurant has been an iconic part of Black Butte Ranch since the 1970s. Last week it reopened after an extensive remodel that brings it current with the needs and desires of a 2015 clientele. Built in split levels long before the Americans With Disabilities Act was in place, the Lodge has now been made much more accessible with a ramp into the main dining area. Bathrooms have also been brought into ADA compliance. The floor has been raised in the Brooks Room,... Full story
Track meets tend to be won by the squads with big numbers and loads of depth, but focused talent can also pay off. That's especially true in large invitationals like the Wally Ciochetti, where the Sisters Outlaws girls team placed third on Friday, May 8, in Cottage Grove. Michaela Miller gave notice that she is a force to be reckoned with again this year in the Sky-Em League as she won two individuals events, placed fourth in another and ran a leg on the second-place... Full story
The boys tennis team had a week packed full, with three matches to help them prepare for the district championships. Sisters edged Klamath Union (KU) 10-8 in sets won on Tuesday, May 5, and at home three days later defeated Mt. View 5-3. On Saturday, the Outlaws had a very rough day, and were blanked 0-8 at Ridgeview. The home match against KU on Tuesday was very close, with both teams posting four wins, but the Outlaws prevailed with sets won. The key individual match of the day was at No. 1 singles, where Colin Reinert... Full story
Black Butte School has announced the hiring of Delaney Sharp to serve as the school's head teacher. Sharp will replace retiring head teacher, Carol Dixon. Sharp grew up in Hood River. After graduating from Oregon State he lived and taught outdoor education and skiing in many beautiful places around the West. Most recently he has been living in Astoria and teaching Social Studies at Astoria High School. In a letter to the community, Sharp summed up his excitement about the... Full story
The new face at Sisters City Hall is that of Darcy Reed, associate planner in the Community Development Department. The Bakersfield transplant moved north with her fiancé when he received a job offer in Central Oregon, where they also have family. They are living in Redmond with their dogs. Reed's dog, Deuce, a border collie, can occasionally be seen around City Hall when he comes to work with her. Reed graduated from California State University - Fullerton with a bachelo... Full story
Two Sisters martial artists earned new belt designations last month in a series of intense trials at Outlaw Martial Arts. On April 12, Kristina Trahern earned promotion 3rd Dan (an advanced black belt designation in taekwondo) and Tristan Kaczmarek was promoted to 2nd Dan. On April 19, Kaczmarek also earned a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). Marty Kaczmarek, Master K, of Outlaw Martial Arts, notes that a blue belt in BJJ has mastery requirements that are equivalent to... Full story
Many of those who want to be part of shaping the future and strengthening the economy of Sisters were at FivePine Conference Center last Friday as part of the Economic Vitality Summit - Shaping Sisters. The event was sponsored by the Ford Family Foundation and organized by Rural Development Initiatives (RDI) with assistance from Sisters Economic Development Manager Caprielle Foote-Lewis. RDI is a nonprofit formed by the Oregon legislature to help rural communities across the Pacific Northwest grapple with the economic downtur... Full story
My oldest grandson, who will turn 16 in a few weeks, drove me and his mother/my daughter to a DMV last week so he could take his driver's test (He passed!). I can't believe a grandchild of mine is turning 16! Pretty soon he'll be off to college, getting married, and I'll be cuddling my first great-grandchild. Great-grandchild! Wow! The seventh generation of people I've been with during parts of my life, having known three of my great-grandparents who lived into their 90s. Hopefully over my 70-plus years, I've gained some... Full story
Dennis Jakab was a linchpin of the Central Oregon roots music scene. For years, he and his wife, Ellen, opened their Powell Butte home for a monthly music jam that brought musicians out from across the region. Jakab Jams were more than just an enjoyable musical interlude - though the music was wonderful. They were an essential part of the building of a music community that reverberated out to Sisters Country. On Saturday, May 23, at HarmonyHouse (Doug/Katie Cavanaugh's place... Full story
