News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 30
Sisters put the spurs to its Western image and heritage last Saturday. A Ranch Life and Rodeo Celebration centered around Sisters Art Works, while the Sisters Village Association sponsored the Sisters Western Heritage Celebration with activities around Sisters. There were hardy-looking men and women and nostalgic scenes of the West captured on canvas and in photographs. Singers sang about cowboy life and love. Displays of leather art, handmade hats, vintage and modern Western clothing and jewelry filled the meeting room at th... Full story
Tara O'Keeffe, of Sisters, was honored among the top entrepreneurs from around the country last week during the National Small Business Week celebration, May 17-23, in Washington, D.C. O'Keeffe, founder and president of O'Keeffe's Company, the manufacturer of Working Hands, Healthy Feet and Life Out There creams, was selected as the 2009 Oregon State Small Business Person of the Year. The Sisters businesswoman met President Obama during the visit. "I shook his hand and left... Full story
The next time you're at a pizza parlor singing "Happy Birthday" to a sugar-stimulated gang of pre-schoolers, reveling in the whirl and the rush of afternoon festivities, don't be surprised to see (BMI Broadcast Music, Inc.) music agents spring from behind a Skee-Ball game to slap a hefty fine on the owner for copyright infringement. Sounds shocking, but following the strict letter of the law, the song "Happy Birthday" is a legal creative property and cannot be sung in a public place without permission or a license. The Depot... Full story
Fire season got off to an early start in the Sisters Country, with a lightning-sparked blaze 12 miles northeast of Sisters on the Crooked River National Grassland. The Geneva 6 fire was reported at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29. No structures were threatened by the blaze, which grew to 102 acres before fire crews were able to get line built around it. Crews held the line through the hot weekend and full containment was declared at 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Approximately 160... Full story
To the Editor: I wanted to thank you for your nice article about our goats. It is nice to have a write up persuading readers that there are other alternatives to weed control other than chemicals. We are now working with COI on a test plat out in Powell Butte; they are toying with the idea of doing non-chemical noxious weed removal along our canals! Hurray! It is amazing what they can do in a few days to weeds thigh high! Rachel and Doug Muck and the Lariat Ranch goats ••• To the Editor The "Not in My Back... Full story
Do you want a good job with benefits of great food, travel, new vistas and short working hours? Trade places with a bucking bull or horse in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Rodeo rough stock, as the bucking animals are called, live a life of relative luxury. They spend off-season on beautiful pasture land far from traffic, crowding and stress. This allows them lots of exercise to develop muscles and stamina in the company of their own kind. When they go to work, they are transported in large stock trailers with... Full story
You won't find Brooklyn Haken or Maggie Bidasolo hanging out after school playing computer games or watching TV. Instead they'll be at the Redmond Gymnastics Center for four hours at a time, perfecting the skills that have made each girl a champion. Haken, 12, is a Level 7 standout, taking three first-place medals in state competition in March. She took the all-around title for her age group, with her score coming in second for all ages of Level 7, from seven to 17. She also... Full story
Alumni of the Sisters Folk Festival's Americana Project will share the stage with major acts in the folk music world, in the inaugural L.A. Acoustic Music Festival over the weekend of June 6-7, on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. The two-day celebration of acoustic music - which takes place during the Pier's 100th Anniversary year -benefits the California Acoustic Music Project (CAMP). "The intent is for profits from the festival to start an Americana Project in some Los Angeles schools," said Sisters Folk... Full story
Like other schools, Sisters Christian Academy (SCA) is facing dwindling cash flow - but they are handling it in a unique way. Needing to slash the 2009-2010 school year budget by $200,000, Principal Peggy Miller and the SCA School Board, along with staff members rolled up their sleeves to find a workable solution for the preschool-eighth grade institution. In an effort to help those SCA serves, Miller proposed lowering tuition on top of cutting the budget expenses. "A... Full story
Sisters schools will have $1,688,500 less to work with next year, as the budget committee has settled on a budget figure based on a $5.9 billion biennial state education budget. By accepting the $5.9 billion figure, the budget committee essentially adopted a plan drafted by Superintendent Elaine Drakulich that eliminates more than 10 staff positions through attrition and calls for some combination of salary and benefit freezes or cuts to school days. After significant protest... Full story
Amy Cretsinger was raised in Sisters, attending local schools, heavily involved in community and sports programs. Cretsinger grew up in a sports-oriented family, where track and field was a frequent topic of conversation. "I started doing it because I found I was pretty good at it, and then I learned to love it," said Amy. "Pretty good," seems to be an inadequate description when looking at the list of this young athlete's accomplishments. She took two state titles in the... Full story
If slow-cooked, wood-smoked barbecue is your thing, Slick's Que Co. will tend to your hankering. Slick's has opened in downtown Sisters, at 240 E. Cascade Ave., sharing the parking lot with the Shell gas station. Slick's uses top-quality meats - Angus brisket, pork butts, turkey and sausages from Myers Sausage Company in Elgin, Texas. Pork baby back ribs are available on Friday nights. Sides of coleslaw, potato salad and baked beans are made fresh daily. Menu items, which... Full story
Last weekend at Allingham Guard Station on the Metolius River, Deschutes National Forest officials held a three-day training camp for forest trail volunteers. "We started this because when we have this many volunteers, we're concerned about safety," said volunteer coordinator Jean Nelson-Dean. According to Nelson-Dean, the Deschutes National Forest alone has over 1,300 volunteers who help out with various forest programs. Last year, this corps of unpaid workers put in... Full story
Kelley Mynatt has been driving for a living for decades. As a long-haul trucker, based out of Spokane, Washington, he says he's "been in transportation forever - my whole life." Moving to Sisters a while back to be near his mother, Eloise Mynatt, he saw an unmet need that he was eminently qualified to fill. He thought Sisters needed a taxi/shuttle service. "I had this Denali and I thought, heck, why not put it to work," he said. Sisters Taxi and Shuttle handles all kinds of... Full story
More that half a million veterans experience homelessness. One out of every three homeless males served in the armed forces. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reaches only 20 percent of those in need, leaving 400,000 veterans without supportive services. In 2002, AtHome America and the HelpAmerica Foundation launched its "Thanks a Million!" campaign. They raised $10,000 in the first year, growing to millions of dollars to date to aid homeless veterans and others in need. Currently two businesses in Sisters, Heritage... Full story
The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the beginning of the Sisters Country Charm Bracelet - Rodeo Style. Beginning this weekend, businesses located throughout the Sisters Country will be participating in this charm trail. Once upon a time, many years ago, Cowgirl sisters, Faith & Hope, and their sidekick, the Camp Sherman Kid, rode West to join in the Sisters Rodeo and Parade. While breaking camp one crisp spring morning near the Metolius River, the Kid neglected to tighten his saddlebag, and as he and the sister... Full story
Headed up by a strong group of seventh graders, the Sisters Middle School track and field team had one of its most successful seasons to date. Thirteen new records were set, and a record 95 kids turned out for the season. "It was a really fun, rewarding season. It was great to see how the kids came together and represented Sisters Middle School so well," Coach Sally Taylor-Pillar said. Seventh-grader Evan Rickards led the team with five new school records; one each in the... Full story
When ranch and rodeo life is depicted in art and poetry, it's the cowboys who are usually painted, photographed and written about. But alongside those rugged men were some pretty spunky cowgirls. "Those girls rode the broncs, twirled the ropes, did the tricks (on horseback) and never forgot they were ladies," said Sisters author Jill Charlotte Stanford. Stanford's first book, published last year and selling very well, is titled "The Cowgirls Cookbook; Recipes for Your Home on... Full story
The fifth annual Sisters Athletic Club "Try a Tri" mini-triathlon is set for Saturday, June 6, and organizer Tate Metcalf invites any last-minute entrants who are wishing to take part to sign up right away. "It's perfect for a first-time triathlete," said Metcalf. "The distances are manageable and can even be shared as a team." The swim portion includes 425 yards indoors at the athletic club, followed by a 12-mile out-and-back bike section that heads south on Elm Street toward Three Creeks Lake and back. The three-mile run... Full story
The boys JV lacrosse team wrapped up a successful season with eight wins and one loss in league and finished 11-4-1 overall. Coach Cailen McNair stated that the Outlaws game against Churchill, on April 7, was one of the biggest highlights of the year. Churchill is a very talented team and one the Outlaws could have easily been intimidated by early in the season. Sisters scored six goals in the third quarter of their match up with Churchill and exuded the confidence of a veteran team. Churchill went up by one in the fourth... Full story
Four lacrosse players earned all-league honors this season, including freshman Connor Morgan, who was selected first team all-league. Morgan, who played long stick midfield, was the Outlaws' only first team all-league selection, a high honor for a freshman. "Connor brought his A-game to practice every day and was a pleasure to coach," said Coach Bill Rexford. "He is our Tasmanian devil on groundballs...just a whirlwind of activity, a cloud of dust, and then Connor comes out of the pile with the groundball." Seniors Lucas... Full story
Willard "Bill" Okla Mitchell, 74, passed away on May 30, 2009, at St. Charles's Medical Center in Bend of natural causes. Born October 4, 1934 in Eugene to Brady and Flora Mitchell, he was the youngest of nine children. He married Patience "Pat" Poinsett, of Denver, Colorado, on September 25, 1954. Bill served in the United States Air Force for four years. After returning to the Northwest, Bill and Pat moved to Albany, where Bill opened Dollar Auto Sales and Wrecking, as well... Full story
• Sylvia Cara wrote: In reference to the article, "Volunteers get to work in Sisters," (The Nugget, May 27), I was one of the lucky people to receive help from "I Heart Sisters" on May 23. Two wonderful ladies came to my home and mowed all my lawn, and being in poor health at the time it was a true blessing. There are not enough words to say thank you to Deidre and Erin Kanzig from Three Sisters Fellowship. I feel so blessed, not only for the work they did for me, but because I got to know two delightful, wonderful... Full story
First-time grandparents Linda Kurtz (and the late Rob Kurtz) of Sisters, and Mike & Donna Beckham of Depoe Bay are overjoyed to announce the arrival of Sophia Renee Ann Kurtz. Born May 6, 2009 to Joshua & Mik'Ael (Beckham) Kurtz of Tygh Valley, Sophie was 7 lbs. 3 oz. & 19¼" long. Josh, a 2000 Sisters High graduate, chose to follow in his dad's footsteps and teaches 1st grade in Maupin. Sophie joins a large extended family. Welcome, sweet girl!... Full story
Sisters High School senior Jenny Kaiser received top post-season honors recently with the announcement of the all-Sky-Em League All-Star team and presentation of honors during the Sisters High School softball awards night. Kaiser, a center-fielder, was named the lone Outlaw honored first team all-league by Sky-Em League coaches. She was also honored as the team's Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Inspirational Player. Other All-League honorees were... Full story
