News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 28
Sisters High School equestrians brought home two state championship gold medals from the Oregon State High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET) State Meet. The meet was held at Central Point, in southern Oregon, on May 19-21. Jennifer Friend beat out 35 competitors to take the gold in dressage and the six-rider drill team came out ahead of 25 other teams to capture the gold in that event. Drill team members were Shayna Forbes, Jennifer Friend, Aubyn Geser, Christina Holler, Rachel... Full story
A whole slew of weekend warriors from Sisters took part in the 30th annual U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle in Bend on Saturday — and many of them brought home top prizes. The event, a fund-raiser for the Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation, draws hundreds of teams and individuals each year who cover a downhill ski run, an eight-kilometer (4.98 miles) nordic section, a 22-mile bike journey from Mount Bachelor to Bend, a five-mile run, a 1.5-mile canoe/kayak “paddle” on the Deschutes River, and a 500-yard dash to the finis... Full story
Construction has begun on the new Sisters City Hall at the corner of East Main Avenue and Locust Street. The south elevation of the building is proudly displayed at the old City Hall. It is a very nice design that should match the City of Sisters well. Unfortunately, the north side of the building, facing East Main Avenue, is not nearly as pleasant. It looks like what it is — the back of a building. The firm that designed the building, Scott Steele & Associates, has done this to Sisters before. The Village Apartments on A... Full story
Readers of The Nugget may be aware that the U.S. Forest Service is preparing to sell most of the land it currently owns and occupies on the west side of Sisters. If the city is looking for a place to exercise a “vision” for Sisters, this is it. Of the 80 acres that the Forest Serice currently owns, the latest plan involves selling 65 to 70 acres and retaining five to 10 acres as a home for a new Sisters Ranger District office. To get a sense of the area that 80 acres covers in the core of Sisters, imagine a rectangle bou... Full story
To the Editor: I am in total opposition to the proposed Oregon Department of Transportation project to widen the scenic Highway 20 northwest of Sisters between Cascade Meadow and the Indian Ford junction. My reason is very simple. On April 9, 1963, I came to Central Oregon and discovered the “gateway to the Cascades,” a seven-mile ponderosa pine-lined roadway from Sisters to what is now Black Butte Ranch. As I drove this road for the first time 43 years ago I felt I had magically returned to the land of fantasy from fil... Full story
Avian flu or bird flu as it is sometimes known has been in the national news lately. Now, facing the possibility that it could come to Sisters, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District is preparing for that likelihood. “We are in the preliminary planning stages on how our emergency services can serve the Sisters community if the flu does mutate from animals to humans and if it does reach this area,” said Fire Marshal David Wheeler. Wheeler is one of three committee members from the district responsible for dete... Full story
A group of community leaders and activists is set to move ahead with a project that is supposed to create a long-term strategic vision for Sisters and strategies to carry it out. The heads of a range of Sisters agencies met Monday, May 15, for an initial “community summit.” The consensus from that summit was that the project is worth pursuing. “We got a sense that there was support for the project,” said Bill Anthony, chair of the Community Action Team of Sisters Board o... Full story
What was supposed to be a hearing before the Sisters Urban Area Planning Commissioners on a new subdivision at the east end of Sisters turned into a long and impassioned discussion of a controversial bridge over Whychus Creek. The bridge discussion was sparked by two passionate speakers at the public hearing. Developer Steve Lillegard sought approval to build nine single-family homes in what he calls the Cottage Grove subdivision near Sisters Elementary School on East Cascade... Full story
Some of the nation’s top cowboys and cowgirls will be competing in the 66th annual PRCA Sisters Rodeo along with many local contestants, according to Glenn Miller, president of the Sisters Rodeo Association. Dustin Elliot, a PRCA champion bull rider from Nebraska and Billy Etbauer, a world champion saddle-bronc rider from Oklahoma, will be among the more than 400 contestants looking to win a part of the purse totaling more than $120,000. Local cowboy and bull rider Ross Coleman from Redmond will be a top contender as well, M... Full story
While his opponents were battling it out at the ballot box last Tuesday, May 16, Oregon Senator Ben Westlund was meeting with Black Butte Ranch (BBR) residents to discuss his effort to become Oregon’s next governor. The private group of homeowners, not affiliated directly with BBR, chose primary election day last week to hear Westlund’s positions. “Some people thought we’d have two vanilla flavor candidates in November’s election. Well, now we have a different flavor,” said Westlund. The flavors are a little different t... Full story
Diane Jacobsen was awarded the Everyday Hero award last Thursday, May 18, by the Kiwanis Club of Sisters. The award cited “the enormous positive impact she has had on fourth-grade students at Sisters Elementary School.” Rick Davidson, chair of the award committee, listed the number of activities that Diane originated in her work with children: She instituted an Oregon Field Trip program that allows all fourth-graders to spend two days on the Oregon Trail as part of their Ore... Full story
The Sisters High School English Department, in cooperation with The Americana Project, is producing its second annual literary magazine, Verbatim, to be available late this month. The magazine contains a diverse collection of literary and art work such as poetry, short stories, photography and drawings from students and staff at Sisters High School. In addition, it contains an Americana Project sampler CD produced by the Americana Project students and Brad Tisdel. The magazine was created by a board of students — Scott B... Full story
Fifty years after two Sisters area residents gave up their high school and college band days, they are back at it, playing in the Cascade Horizon Band in Central Oregon. For Don Oliver and Tom Worcester, it has opened up a whole new world of enjoyment and satisfaction. Like Oliver and Worcester, most of the band of Central Oregon seniors hadn’t played for decades. For some, it was a struggle to even get a sound out of their instrument. A few even tried to play new instruments... Full story
Noted Camp Sherman Masters swimmer Tom Landis still holds first place for several events in his age group (60-64). World rankings have been tabulated for 2005 and Landis’s times head the list in eight events. “I’m taking it easy this year but will give an all-out effort next year (2007) when I hit 65 years old,” said Landis. “That’s the bottom age rung in the 65-to-69-year-old category and perhaps the best time to shoot for records.” Taking it “easy” includes backpack... Full story
The Outlaws’ softball season came to a close with a 10-0 loss at Stayton on Monday, May 15. At season’s end Becky Bremer led the team with a .384 batting average. “Beck put a ton of time in this off-season and it certainly paid off,” said Coach Doug McDonald. Camille Pedersen’s two home runs against Culver and Sam Stoneback’s record of six wins were a couple of the season’s highlights. McDonald noted the brilliant play of Katie Hughes at center field and the solid play of Courtney Overstreet at third base. McDonald said... Full story
Marigrace Marshall captured third place at the State Tennis Championships in Eugene on Friday and Saturday, May 19-20. Marshall defeated Rivfka Shenoy of Caitlin Gable 6-3, 6-3 in her first match on Friday and went on to defeat Divneet Kaur, the No. 3 seed from Marist 6-4, 6-3. Marshall said, “That first match is always hard to get through. Rivfka is a really good player and she hit everything back to me. After that, I was pretty nervous heading into the match with Divneet (... Full story
Sisters Harvest Basket has new owners. Gordon and Renee Wilson took over the reins on May 1, though they’d been learning the ropes prior to that from previous owners Melvin and Sandy Herburger. The Wilsons are recently married and had been dreaming of owning a small family business. Renee, who moved to Sisters six years ago with her three children, was a regular customer at Sisters Harvest Basket. When the opportunity arose to purchase it, all the doors opened and the f... Full story
A new storage building might not seem like something to get excited about. But at last Thursday’s Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission meeting, commissioners were impressed to see a design for a building that represents the wave of Sisters’ future. “I think this is the direction of building in the light industrial area,” said Brian Rankin, Planning Director for the City of Sisters. Rankin said the design stood out because it was more than “just a square building.” Rankin was talking about a 7,190-square-foot storage bui... Full story
Shoppers who like to wander off the beaten path will be well rewarded when they trek down to the west end of Hood Avenue. There, at the corner of Hood and Cottonwood, they’ll find a store called Fab Faux. Inside the store is a treasure trove of faux jewelry — necklaces, chokers, bracelets, rings and pendants inspired by designers such as David Yurman, John Hardy and Tiffany. The store is owned by Herb and Beverly Davidson. They brought the business with them when they moved fr... Full story
The Outlaws’ No. 1 tennis duo, Jeff Minke and Evan Sims, represented Sisters at the State Tennis Championships which were held at the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club on Friday and Saturday, May 19-20. Minke and Sims had an easy win in their first match of the tourney. They defeated Michael Shouee and Ryan Blankenbaker of Ontario 6-2, 6-0. Later in the day Minke and Sims were eliminated when they lost 6-3, 6-1 to Evan Katlan and Taylor Dutton of Caitlin Gable (CG). Coach Boyd Stuwe said, “The guys from CG were the No. 2 seeds in t... Full story
Sisters schools may receive 16 percent more money for general operations next year (2006-07) than they did in the fiscal year that will end June 30. That was the projection Superintendent Ted Thonstad offered the school district budget committee Monday night at its first regular meeting to review the ’07 budget. According to Thonstad’s figures, the district expects to receive some $10.6 million for its general fund next year, an increase of $1.47 million from the current year. In both calculations, projected revenues exc... Full story
Sonrise Christian School is entering its second decade with a new name: Sisters Christian Academy. “As we celebrate our 10th year as a school our mission and vision are still the same; to prepare and equip our students with the academic and spiritual foundation to become strong leaders,” said Principal Peggy Miller. “Our name change reflects our continued commitment to quality education and the strength of our school in the community.” Miller said the new name provides an accurate depiction of what the school is about.... Full story
The Rotary Club of Sisters will mark Memorial Day weekend with the dedication of a new Veterans Park at the west end of Sisters. The park, which hosts the stone “Welcome to Sisters” sign created by the club, will have a veterans memorial and a flag that will fly over Cascade Avenue. The dedication ceremony will be held on Friday, May 26, at 11 a.m. at the park, which is located nearly adjacent to Space Age Gas. The ceremony will feature keynote speaker Robert Maxwell, a Wor... Full story
If you didn’t get to the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration out on the Old Brooks Camp Road over the last weekend, you missed some mighty fine singing talent by members of the Sisters Community Choir. The choir is made up of 17 singers who made beautiful music under the guiding hands of Director George Larson and Accompanist Jane Moore. The pews of the church were filled with all ages of Sisters residents who enjoyed the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon performances. The first part of the performances was led off w... Full story
The track season will continue for another week for 14 Outlaw track team members following very strong performances by both the boys and girls teams that qualified them for the state meet. The boys finished second to a powerful Molalla squad in the team race and the girls were a close third behind seven-time champion Cascade and second place Molalla. But the Outlaws had their fair share of state qualifying individuals and relay teams. In Friday’s events, the Outlaws had t... Full story
