News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 37
A 59-year-old Gilchrist woman died in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 20 between Sisters and Tumalo on Friday, September 16. According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reports, Roxie Harter of Gilchrist was westbound on Highway 20 at Dayton Road when her vehicle drifted off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Harter was dead at the scene. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle except for a yellow labrador retriever and a black and white cat. According to sheriff’s office reports, the pets survived and wer... Full story
Forest Service volunteers Scott Blau and Bronson Burdick, members of the Metolius River Forest Homeowners Association (MRFHA), and Jon Sheldahl, former Camp Sherman Postmaster, removed old barbed wire from Allingham Meadow in Camp Sherman this summer. The barbed wire has been lying around the meadow since the 1960s and had been largely covered over by brush and grass. It was originally used to keep cattle and sheep confined in the meadow. The project is part of the annual... Full story
Sisters’ school enrollment as of Monday was 1,385, an increase of 78, or 6 percent, from September a year ago. An increase in transfer students, primarily from Redmond, accounts for more than half the growth. There are 91 transfers this year, nearly double the 46 of last year. The elementary school counted 482 students (including kindergarten), up 31 from last year; the middle school 324, up 21; and the high school 579, up 26. While enrollment growth here is slightly higher than school officials anticipated, Superintendent T... Full story
To the Editor: Have you noticed the increase in traffic at Locust Street and Highway 20 since school started? I was there the other morning around 8 a.m. and inside most of the automobiles were parents taking their kids to grade school. They were creating a huge traffic problem. Don’t they know our tax dollars pay for school bus service to take their kids to school and back home again? My kids rode the bus to school and back from grade 1-12. I did the same when I was a kid. I thought it was great. You get to read a book. O... Full story
The Kiwanis Club of Sisters acted quickly to raise more than $5,200 to help families left homeless after Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast. The club didn’t start a committee and organize a fund-raising event. They simply passed the hat at their usual Thursday breakfast two weeks ago. That morning, they raised $4,630. Last week, they passed the hat again and members donated another $600. “One hundred percent of the money will be distributed to the Kiwanis clubs affected by the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The mon... Full story
“This is a special day!” said Deschutes Basin Land Trust (DBLT) Executive Director Brad Chalfant as he kicked off the organization’s 10th anniversary celebration. Supporters gathered at Sisters Indian Ford Meadow Preserve last Sunday to begin a weeklong celebration of the successes of the nonprofit organization. The Land Trust seeks to protect lands in the Deschutes Basin for current and future generations. The 63-acre Indian Ford Meadow Preserve was the organ... Full story
Sisters will celebrate the culture of American Roots Music and Art with “O Sisters, Where Art Thou?” In the event’s second year, organizers are expanding the format to three days of activities throughout Sisters. There will be two artist-in-attendance receptions, a full day of art-related demonstrations and a great mix of music and art. The event will kick off on Thursday evening with an artist reception at Black Butte Ranch from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The reception will feature all the artists associated with “O Sisters, Where A... Full story
Salvage logging on three timber sales on the B&B Complex Recovery Project will continue after a federal judge denied a request on September 9 for a temporary injunction to stop logging. U. S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones in Portland denied a request for the injunction filed August 23 by five environmental groups, according to a preliminary decision. Judge Jones’ decision stated that the group failed to show any irreparable harm if the sales were to continue while other legal action works its way through the legal s... Full story
Folks in Sisters aren’t taking the end of summer lying down. Many of them will be on their feet and walking briskly over 10k or 15k courses in “Sisters Stride Into Autumn.” The walking event staged at Sisters Athletic Club (SAC) and organized by Wonders of Walking LLC, is set for Sunday, September 25, at 9 a.m. The walks, both competitive and non-competitive, start and end at SAC. The event is open to all walkers — competitive, fitness-oriented or “social.” Awards will go to the first three finishers in both the 10k and 15k... Full story
Black Butte Ranch is taking registrations now for a golf tournament that will benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. The tournament is scheduled for Sunday, October 9, with a 10 a.m. shotgun start at Glaze Meadow Golf Course. The cost of the tournament is $200 per four-person team, which includes golf, carts and dinner. There will also be a raffle. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Red Cross. For more information or to register, call 595-1500.... Full story
Their service to SOAR earned Bill and Jan Reed a Voluntary Service Award from the Oregon Recreation & Park Association on September 13. SOAR officials accepted the posthumous award. The Reeds were killed in a plane crash on July 1 while enroute to the San Juan Islands. The award citation notes that “Bill and Jan were key players behind the creation of SOAR.” The citation notes Bill’s influence in helping the organization obtain a site for its community center and in fostering “a very unique cooperative relatio... Full story
Thanks to the generosity of Sisters area residents, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District is very close to qualifying for a maximum matching grant to improve fire safety for lower-income residents, according to Fire Marshal Dave Wheeler. Some $2,000 in contributions has been received to date toward a goal of $2,500 to get a maximum matching contribution of $2,500 from The TUMS Corporation, the antacid manufacturer. The corporation’s public safety grant will allow the fire district to buy smoke detectors, c... Full story
The Sisters High School volleyball team lost to Central and to top-ranked Burns last week. On Tuesday, September 13, Sisters lost to Central in a five-game, two-hour marathon. The Outlaws won the first game 25-19 and then lost the next two 17-25 and 28-30. Sisters battled back to win the fourth 25-21 but lost 11-15 in rally play. Coach Chris Crosby told The Nugget that the third game was a big one. “We were down 22-18 and could have packed up and let the game slip away,” said... Full story
The varsity boys soccer team lost 4-2 to Mountain View (MV) on Tuesday, September 13. MV is picked to be first in the IMC 4A district and is expected to go far in the state tournament this year. Coach Rich Hummel told The Nugget that his team came into the game hungry and eager to step up their game to the next level. “I think MV underestimated the boys, which was a bonus for us,” said Hummell. The pace of the game started quickly and Sisters was able to control the mid... Full story
Tears of pain and tears of joy were shed during performances by the Jesse Moore Band at the Sisters Jazz Festival last weekend. The musicians — all but one from New Orleans — were reunited for the first time after being scattered to the four winds by the Hurricane Katrina disaster that devastated their beloved city. In Sisters, they channeled their love for the city that gave birth to jazz and all the pain and uncertainty left in the wake of the hurricane into emotionally stir... Full story
After a successful pilot run last spring, the Sisters Parent, Teacher Committee (SPTC) at Sisters Elementary School is re-launching its fund-raising Scrip program. Scrip is essentially “substitute money” — a gift certificate from national and local retailers. Parents of Sisters Elementary School students or community members at large can order the discounted scrip for stores and restaurants where they regularly shop. The merchants sell the Scrip to the school at a disco... Full story
The Sisters Folk Festival marked its 10-year anniversary with a foot-stomping performance by The Subdudes. Two of The Subdudes performers, bass player Jimmy Messa and vocalist and guitarist Tom Malone, suffered lost or severely damaged homes due to Hurricane Katrina. Festival-goers, board members and artists opened their wallets to help the two musicians. Approximately $1,180 dollars was raised by the Festival crowd to be donated to The Subdudes relief fund. “It is such an honor to be a part of the Sisters and Central O... Full story
The City of Sisters is looking for state assistance to overhaul its Development Code. Ever since it was adopted some five years ago, the code has been a thorn in the side of planners, developers and city officials alike. All agree it is full of conflicts, unclear definitions and inconsistencies. The city is applying for the state Code Assistance Program. It is administered through the Department of Land Conservation and Development and Oregon Department of Transportation’s T... Full story
The Lady Outlaws soccer team dropped both of their matches last week by narrow margins. On Tuesday, September 13, the Lady Outlaws lost 2-0 at home to 4A Summit. Summit scored one goal in each half. Both Sisters and Summit had approximately 10 shots on goal but Summit was able to finish two of their opportunities. Coach Lee Bellahdid said, “We actually played better than Summit the first half of the game, but they had possession more during the second half. We really need t... Full story
Friends of the Sisters Library are offering two book sales, one on Friday, September 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the other Saturday, October 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Book lovers will have the opportunity of a lifetime to build up a personal library with books about everything from aardvarks to zoos. There will be thousands of new titles to pick from and at low prices: • Paperbacks 25 cents. • Hardbacks 50 cents. • $1 grab-bags. Everything must go before the move to the new library, scheduled for the end of October or fi... Full story
The SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation) Foundation will host its second annual Cow Pie Bingo event on Friday, October 21. Tickets are now on sale in Sisters at the SOAR office. The Bingo game will be held on Friday, October 21, at the Outlaws football field. At 3:30 p.m., Gomez the steer will be turned loose on a giant bingo board painted on the football field. The event will conclude when Gomez “creates” a cow pie in one of the bingo squares. The winner will receive 10 percent of ticket sale pro... Full story
Late September may seem a little early for a Christmas appeal, but the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) wants local residents to have two months’ notice that more donations of children’s toys and cash will be needed this coming holiday season. “After more than 20 years of receiving Christmas toys for needy children from the Portland Fire Bureau, we have just been notified that no toys will be available from them this year,” said Dave Wheeler, district fire marshal. “Apparently, their toy donations... Full story
The Sisters High School football team took on the La Pine Hawks for the second time this season and walked away with a big 56-28 victory. Sisters and La Pine traded scores throughout an explosive first half. Sisters got on the scoreboard first on a one-yard run by Andy Burke. La Pine answered with an eight-yard touchdown pass. At the end of the first quarter Sisters led 8-7. The Outlaw offense took over the second quarter behind the blocking of the offensive line: Trever... Full story
• A man called to report his wife missing. She had told him she was going to choir practice, but he discovered there was no choir practice... She turned up later and all appeared to be well. • A woman complained about a neighbor’s dog chasing her chickens. • Someone stole $130 from a wallet in the Sisters High School locker room. • A deputy found two men fishing in an irrigation ditch on private property and told them to cut bait. • A man called his landlord to complain that he could hear his neighbor having sex in the next... Full story
A public hearing on a proposed Deschutes County ordinance to reduce the risk of wildland fires on vacant forested lots may not have an immediate impact on lots in the Sisters area, but it may influence future local action on this issue. The proposed ordinance will be the subject of a public hearing on Wednesday, September 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the Deschutes Services Center in Bend. County Forester Joe Stutler has proposed to county commissioners an ordinance requiring owners of vacant lots of five acres or less in forested... Full story
