News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 20 of 20
It's become a signature Sisters event, the unofficial kickoff to the summer season: 500 cyclists hit town to race the 25 miles on the Peterson Ridge Trail in the sold-out Sisters Stampede. "The course is in really good shape," one rider shouted to another as they headed for the start line for the elite men's start. And it was; firmed up by recent showers, but dried out by the sun. It was, however, dusty. Very dusty. "We're going to have a real stampede - in a cloud of dust,"... Full story
With a new designation as a Purple Heart City, the people of Sisters gathered at Village Green Park on Memorial Day to honor those who have fallen in America's wars. The solemn yet uplifting annual event is staged each year by Sisters VFW Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 and includes a set of familiar rituals that honor the sacrifice of military personnel who paid the ultimate price. The Redmond High School Marine Jr. ROTC posted the colors; Chelsea Anttila's voice... Full story
Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is an organization that has been around for over 20 years - and yet many do not really know what they do. EDCO, which opened their doors in 1981 in Bend, is an independent, 501(c)(6)nonprofit organization. They have the same IRS designation as most Chambers of Commerce and industry associations. Support comes from private and public members and stakeholders. "Overall, 45 percent of EDCO funding comes from private businesses a... Full story
Last week there was a glowing reference to the Australian gun confiscation which was portrayed as a buy-back. There was also the ongoing attempt to attach the evil of the Sandy Hook creature to millions of decent law-abiding gun-owners. Governments have massacred tens of millions of people and they have used bullets that can penetrate walls, car doors and human skulls. But Terry could have an ammunition buy-back. If the serfs could be totally disarmed, it would be such a wonderful thing for the government party. Larry Benson... Full story
As Americans marked Memorial Day last Monday, some paused to remember the many women who served both at home and overseas beginning in the 1940s. These women paved the way for women in military service today. There were just over 1,000 women in the military before World War II, serving either as Army or Navy nurses, all stationed in the United States. Beginning in October 1940, men between 21 and 35 were drafted for military service. When war came with the attack on Pearl... Full story
Have you ever wanted to run across the whole country? Students at Sisters Elementary School (SES) got the opportunity to do just that this spring. For three weeks, students from preschool through fourth grade can choose to forgo playing at recess and run all the way around the playground. Each lap represents approximately a third of a mile. Students receive a punch card; for every lap they get a hole punched in their card. Each card has 15 punches representing five miles.... Full story
For the past 21 years Debbie Hook has been an integral part of the Sisters School District (SSD). From driving a bus to serving as lead custodian at Sisters Elementary School, she has seen it all. She will be retiring on June 30. "This was a great job, I was blessed to get it," said Hook. Hook was working in Central Oregon at The Riverhouse before taking the job with the SSD driving school bus in the mid-'90s. She wanted to move her family to a smaller community. "I love... Full story
With praise for having one of the best rodeos in the PRCA, Sisters Rodeo gives a tip of the cowboy hat to the professional contractors who make the rodeo's fast pace attract fans from across the nation. The team includes the four-time Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Announcer of the Year, Wayne Brooks, a smooth announcer on horseback, who shares the stage with one of the best historians and statisticians in rodeo, Curt Robinson. The complementary duo keeps the crowd... Full story
Sisters area resident, Captain Craig Eisenbeis, U.S. Coast Guard, retired, was tapped to be keynote speaker at Depoe Bay's 71st annual Memorial Day Fleet of Flowers. The annual Fleet of Flowers features dozens of boats decked out with thousands of flowers and wreaths in parade-style fashion. After the ceremonial activities and speech, the boats paraded out through Depoe Bay's entrance channel and under the Highway 101 bridge, also decorated for the occasion and lined with... Full story
Sisters Middle School students had a chance to strut their stuff at their 7th- and 8th-grade semi-formal "The GIG" on Friday, May 20. GIG stands for girls ask guys, guys ask girls, girls ask girls, guys ask guys, groups invite groups... basically, students don't need to feel like they have to have a date. The middle school leadership class led by teacher Becky Aylor planned and executed the event held at the school. Students that didn't have the opportunity to go home before... Full story
The Sisters City Council adopted amendments to the City's master fees in order to recover the actual costs of providing services in the City. Some fees are increased, others decreased, and some eliminated. Fees for wastewater dumping at Creekside Campground will increase from $5 to $10 per dump. Some of the fee revisions are to reflect appropriate review costs associated with certain land-use applications. The fees become effective on July1, 2016, except for the dump fee,... Full story
Sisters Christian Academy welcomed more than 270 people to their annual educational event, "A Night at the Museum." This year's theme was Around the World. After a warm welcome from school Principal Cheryl Peterson, students from every class performed songs or skits from five different countries with gusto and joy while proud families beamed. Every child who attended was given a "passport" they could carry to five different centers. After their visit, where... Full story
Sisters High School softball Coach Dave Smith says the Outlaws softball program is alive and well, and that plans for the 2017 season are underway. In a season that almost wasn't due to a lack of players, the Outlaws got a late start and won just two of 18 games. But the energy level and growth of the youthful team led to steady improvement during the course of the season. "Looking back at the season, I noticed a lot of growth with the team, especially with the freshmen," said Smith. "I had girls in the first week who ha... Full story
Outlaws soccer Coach Rob Jensen was selected as the recipient of the OACA (Oregon Athletics Coaches Association) Coach of the Year (COY) Award for boys soccer at the 4A level. Jensen was recognized at an awards banquet and presented with a plaque in honor of his achievement on Saturday, May 21, in the Club Level at Autzen Stadium. Jensen is a five-time league Coach of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) winner. He was selected as the OACA Coach of the Year in 2013, and... Full story
First-graders in Sisters Country got a jump start on their summer reading last Friday. The annual Books for Kids literacy event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sisters, took place in the Sisters High School (SHS)auditorium. Students from Sisters Elementary School, Sisters Christian Academy and Tumalo School ended the day taking home a hard-bound book of their very own, along with some other goodies donated by the Forest Service, Sisters Library and the Rotary Club. The event... Full story
Sometimes we can measure success in tiny milestones. We had one the other night, on our little rancho in the pines. We made a meal entirely out of our own food. That is, we hunted the elk, we raised the vegetables, and we canned the fruit. I wouldn't call it homesteading, what we are trying to do, not in the truest sense of the notion; but I would call it a deliberate exercise in reducing dependency and increasing our ability to supply our own needs. It's an honest effort,... Full story
Much like human kids, your pet kids tend to put everything in their mouths. Dogs are surprisingly adept at opening cupboard doors and drawers. Once your pet gains access to these areas, he could consume a variety of food, medications or garden supplies that are poisonous to him. It's a dream of a lot of pet parents to have a place with a nice fenced-in yard where their furry friends can play and explore, but just because that yard is closed off doesn't mean that it can't be a... Full story
Gardening has always nourished my soul, as have hikes surrounded by the ever-changing landscapes of forest, river, mountain, and desert. Standing dwarfed by tall pine trees is my outdoor cathedral, where Spirit is all around. Perusal of colorful seed and plant catalogs during the cold winter months fans the flames of my gardener's spirit until I am once again out in the garden, nourishing the soil as well as my soul. And then spring arrives, with warmer days and the... Full story
Although the snowpack is rapidly dwindling, it is still a good idea to stick to lower- elevation trails for the early season. Keep in mind that, even after the snow disappears, trail damage can occur when using higher-elevation trails that are still soggy with meltwater. The upper McKenzie River waterfall trail is completely snow free. Plus, it's hardly more than a half an hour from Sisters. However, at just 2.6 miles, it makes for a pretty light-duty hike. To remedy that, we... Full story
The Realm of Galaxies is a huge highlight of the spring sky. Large numbers of galaxies can be found in the southern sky between the constellations Leo, Virgo and Coma Berenices. This large group of galaxies is known as the Coma/Virgo Supercluster. Galaxies, which are groups of particles of dust and gas, are where stars are born and where they will die. The force of gravity pulls dust and other particles together, forming galaxies. Gravity can also cause galaxies to group... Full story
