News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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In the words of the Garth Brooks song, "It's bulls and blood, it's dust and mud, it's the roar of a Sunday crowd... and they call the thing rodeo." Sisters had all that, except the mud, last weekend at the 68th annual Sisters Rodeo. A sterling lineup of contestants worked hard and entertained sellout crowds under perfect blue skies and calm evenings. The contestants weren't the only hard workers. The bucking horses, roping calves and steers, and bulls were in great shape and... Full story
Some 71 rookie firefighters with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Portland Water Bureau are taking classroom and field training this week at Sisters Middle School in Sisters. This course is required of all state and federal employees engaged in wildland firefighting. The week-long training session includes sessions on safety, fire readiness and organization, fire behavior, basic fire leadership, suppression methods and tool use, ignition devices, map and... Full story
In what is sure to be only the first salvo in a long fight, the Deschutes County Planning Commission voted 4-2 last Thursday to deny a change to county code that could turn Aspen Lakes into a destination resort. The Cyrus family of Sisters is seeking a simple avenue to convert the existing "cluster" subdivision into a destination resort. Destination resorts must include overnight lodging and amenities designed for visitors. A cluster development has more extensive open space... Full story
The City of Sisters is taking one more crack at creating a Transportation System Plan (TSP) that will improve safety, enhance traffic flow and help both residents and visitors navigate more easily around Sisters. It's been a long, complicated process with many fits and starts (see related story, page 31). A citizens' committee met on Tuesday, June 10, as part of a summer-long process to develop planning priorities. Their deliberations were given an increased sense of urgency by the memory of a recent accident at Highway 20... Full story
The Sisters Cubs claimed their second consecutive Sister Little League majors (10-12 years old) championship, winning 12 of 13 games and coming within one run of an undefeated season. The Cubs finished 7-1 in Sisters and also defeated teams from Bend South, Prineville and Redmond. Over the last two years, the Cubs compiled a 27-3 record. The Cubs final game was a fitting reflection of the season. The Sisters White Sox, the only team to beat the Cubs this year, jumped to an... Full story
In an article in the June 13 issue, The Bulletin in Bend implied the Sisters School District pulled a fast one in securing a 10-year payback of $1.2 million to the Oregon Department of Education when funds from the sale of land could have been available. Not true, according to Superintendent Elaine Drakulich. Not only was the information on the Lundgren Mill funds presented to the state, there has never been sufficient funds available from the sale to pay the ODE in full. ODE has told her since The Bulletin story came out... Full story
To the Editor: It is well past time to reduce the posted speed on Highway 20 at the west entrance to Sisters. The 20 mph sign needs to move to the west of the Ray's entrance. The 35 out to the McDonald's. Please slow down the traffic entering Sisters before we lose a school bus full of kids. Bruce Berryhill ••• To the Editor: Re: "Remembering sacrifice through scholarships" (The Nugget, June 11, page 1). In addition to being a man of integrity, Lynn Johnston is a strong family man, unabashed patriot, humble... Full story
Rodeo queens and kids, politicians and princesses, Corvettes and carriages all filled Cascade Avenue on Saturday, June 14, for the annual Sisters Rodeo Parade. Under a perfect summer blue sky, with just a hint of breeze, a large crowd gathered to enjoy the sight. "Here they come!" "The parade's beginning!" "Here come the horses!" Children's voices rang out all along the route as the first entries made their way down the street. Led as always by the Sisters Rodeo Association fl... Full story
Rodeo contestants have a nomadic outlook as they cover great distances in their quest for the prize money. It's not surprising that the rest of the rodeo team - the bull fighters, stock contractors and announcers - share that same gypsy spirit. Some of them make it a family affair, spending the summer season in an RV, traveling a circuit chosen months ahead of time. Wayne Brooks, horseback announcer for the Sisters Rodeo, does just that. The Brooks family, Wayne; wife Melanie;... Full story
Sisters High School 1994 grad Kara Condel recently joined the team at High Desert Hair as its Nail Technician and Esthetician. The full-service salon is located at 161 E. Cascade Ave. Suite #6. Condel said she began thinking about a career in the beauty industry while still in high school. She attended Phagans' Beauty College in Bend for seven months. She received 850 hours of training in such areas as facials, aesthetics and nail technology. Chemistry and anatomy were also... Full story
Father Jim Logan returned to St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church in Sisters earlier this month. He replaces father Richard Ley, who has moved to a parish in his home state of Virginia. The change brings to an end two years of turmoil in the local parish, brought on by the dissatisfaction of some parishioners with Father Ley's conservative approach. Financial contributions fell off and there may have been some decline in attendance at Mass, though Father Logan said he is not... Full story
There's a new doc in town. Joseph F. Bachtold, D.O., M.P.H., F.A.A.F.P., has joined Dr. May Fan at the Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC) office in Sisters. Despite all those letters after his name (we'll get to that), Dr. Bachtold laughs quickly and easily. He has spent the last seven years in John Day, arriving to practice medicine in Sisters at the beginning of May. He has a wife and two sons, ages 10 and seven (actually seven-and-a-half. That half is very important to his... Full story
As crowds of cowboys and cowgirls swarmed to the Sisters Rodeo last weekend, another event was humming along at Creekside City Park. Sisters' annual Art at the Park show was graced by balmy weather and good crowds as 80 vendors plied their wares ranging from jewelry to wood furniture, from paintings to music. The event ebbs and flows along with the rodeo. "We had a good crowd after the parade, then during rodeo it slows down a little bit, and then it picks up again,"... Full story
• A man was arrested for assault after he punched his girlfriend in the face during an argument as the couple was leaving the Sisters Rodeo. • In a separate incident, a man was arrested for assault after hitting a woman with a chair in a domestic argument. This is the latest of multiple incidents. Alcohol was a factor. • A woman reported that someone pulled her hair. No ID, no description. She later allowed as it might have been a former friend with whom she has been feuding. All involved are allegedly adults.... Full story
When Rowdy Barry the artist paints a picture of a rodeo bull about to fling a downed rider into the air, he's not imagining the action. That's because Rowdy Barry the bullfighter has stared into those glaring eyes and felt the spray of bull slobber across his face. Barry was in Sisters last weekend, welcomed as both bullfighter and artist. His art graced the 2008 Sisters Rodeo poster, and he took his place in the arena during the rodeo, protecting the bull riders and taking... Full story
For Aleta Sarno, taking care of people's skin is a kind of calling. Sarno offers a full range of services working from Three Sisters Salon & Spa - manicures, pedicures, waxing, facials - and she does the work with charm, style and enthusiasm. However, she says, "the big basis for the passion is skin care." Sarno's interest in skin care started early and close to home. Her sister has long battled with rosacea, a condition that causes severe reddening of the facial skin. The con... Full story
J. Chester "Skip" Armstrong unveiled the massive doors he created for a cathedral in Boise, Idaho, last week. Father Thomas Faucher, former pastor of St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church, commissioned the doors for his current church in Idaho. Father Faucher, accompanied by a team of architects, visited Craig Woodard Lumber Co. in Prineville for the unveiling. "What started as an idea in my mind as Father Faucher read a passage out of Revelations about the seven-headed... Full story
When Sisters resident Bob Bridgeford bought a sharp-looking 1966 Sunbeam Tiger for his car collection, he had no idea he had purchased the personal car of "Get Smart" television and movie star Don Adams. "I bought it as a restored car on eBay, not knowing its history," said Bridgeford. "In the process of restoration and trying to figure out what had been done to it over the years, I discovered who the original owner was." Bridgeford has a copy of Adams' original California... Full story
Most people wouldn't consider "Desert Death March #9" to be an inviting name for their vacation itinerary. But for two "desert rats" hellbent for adventure, this was a fun and fitting title for a daring cross-country backpacking trip in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, this past April. My companion on the trip was Ted Greenwald, senior editor of Wired magazine and a long-time friend. Ted and I had done eight previous "death marches" in years past-exploring hundreds of miles... Full story
Three Sisters Fellowship is once again offering organized hikes for people of all ages this summer. Due to heavy snowpack in the mountains some of the trails in the area will not be open until later this summer, but hike coordinator Kim Barry has planned the first three trips at lower elevations and will publish future outings as trails open up. Unless otherwise noted, all hikes will originate at Three Sisters Fellowship located on the corner of Trinity Way and McKinney Butte Road. Car-pooling is encouraged. The summer hiking... Full story
• Linda Brooksby of Coldwell Banker Reed Bros. Realty has been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representation (ABR) designation by the Real Estate Buyers Agent Council, Inc. of the National Association of Realtors. Brooksby specializes in properties at Black Butte Ranch, where she has been a homeowner since 1985. She is a member of the Diamond Society of Coldwell Banker, placing her in the top seven percent of all Coldwell Banker brokers across the country. • Erin Deggendorfer is the new head instructor at Emerald... Full story
• The Friends of the Sisters Library thanks the community for the generous donation of used books, videos and CDs for the FOSL Book Sale July 12. No more books are being accepted at this time. The program will resume on August 1. • Chris Small, SHS class of 2000, graduated from the University of Oregon on June 14 with a BA in Architecture. Small was a member of the 1997-98 Outlaws state champion football team and the 2000 track relay championship squad.... Full story
At last, our lowly turkey vultures are going to get the credit they deserve! For eons, these much maligned, "ugly things" have been cleaning up the dead and recycling offal without even a thank you. A film crew from OPB's "Oregon Field Guide" has been in the Sisters area these past few days putting a turkey vulture show together. Ed Jahn, producer of Oregon Field Guide, has collected footage of "TVs" for years, such as their night roost on the famous lookout tower at Malheur... Full story
Brad and Linda Bulloch of Sisters are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, Scott Bulloch, to Heather Thompson. Scott graduated from Sisters High School in 1999, received his Bachelors Degree from Oregon State University in 2003 and is currently working in International Sales at Columbia Sportswear in Portland. Heather is the daughter of Ken and Paula Thompson of Helix, OR. A graduate of Pendleton High School and 2002 alumni of Linfield College, Heather is a CPA... Full story
