News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 23 of 23
What started as a one-day summer exhibition of the art of quilting has grown over the years into a week-long celebration of the fiber arts in all their varied beauty and utility. The week's activities surrounding the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show kicked off on Sunday with the Around the Block Fiber Arts Stroll. More than 30 fiber artists shared their textile work including quilts, weaving, basketry, fabric-dyeing and more. At Desert Charm, Helen Goldsmith of Bend plied her craft... Full story
The Sisters School Board has selected Kay Grady to serve out the last year of Glen Lasken's term on the board. Lasken concluded his 13th year on the board on June 30. A Sisters resident since 2007, Kay said being a teacher was her destiny. "My first teaching experience was holding summer school in my Mom's living room basically making an IEP (individual instruction program) for every neighbor kid, and teaching them whatever it was they needed to learn. My grandmothers on both... Full story
The potential development of at least one property in Sisters rests in the hands of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). A discussion in Thursday's Sisters City Council workshop began with a review of Pacific Crest Affordable Housing's proposed acquisition of the nine-acre plot just south of the Sisters Post Office, formerly known as Black Butte Crossing. The larger issue of potential system development charges (SDCs) and the "failed" intersection at Locust Street and Highway 20 quickly became the focus of the disc... Full story
As Sisters enters its busiest retail weekend of the year with the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, the downtown shopping district of town is striving to maintain its vitality. Four new retailers joined the ranks of Sisters merchants this spring, giving a boost to a corridor that has struggled with empty storefronts. The health of Sisters' retail community is a mixed bag, according to Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Erin Borla. "I've got some businesses saying... Full story
To the Editor: How much does Sisters really care about its history? Once again the community of Sisters is facing the destruction of one of its historic buildings. The Oregon Department of Forestry building, across the street from the new fire hall, is in imminent peril. The state wants to sell the building and land and it is an almost-certainty the building will be torn down, once sold. Some have even talked about turning it into a parking lot! A private citizen rescued the old house on the fire department's land, but had... Full story
The creation of beautiful textiles is a phenomenon as old as human civilization itself. All over the world for thousands of years, people have made functional items that are also beautiful. Folk art. Quilting is just one example of textile folk art. Those who "Save It For Sunday" at this year's Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show will have an opportunity to explore a fabulous collection of folk art textiles compiled over a 30-year career by artist and teacher Gwen Marston of Beaver... Full story
Not all pets in need are homeless: some just need a helping paw. Furry Friends Foundation offers pet food assistance and spay/neuter sponsorships. "Sometimes a pet-owner only needs a few weeks of food to assure their pets can stay with the family," says Furry Friends founder Kiki Dolson. Best-known for its annual holiday pet-food drive, Furry Friends is currently building a pet-food bank to assist pets in need year-round. The food is distributed primarily in cooperation with... Full story
Byron Ray "Barney" Cotter, 82, of Spray died Tuesday, July 3, 2012 in Redmond, Oregon. A celebration of life with Military Honors was held Monday, July 9, 2012 at the Assembly of God Church in Spray. He was born May 23, 1930 at Priest River, Idaho, the son of Archie and Nina Arts Cotter. After graduating from high school he served with the United States Army in the Korean War for two years. Mr. Cotter worked in the logging industry for a majority of his life all throughout... Full story
Dean Ecker, executive chef at Black Butte Ranch, has always had an interest in cooking. From a very young age, Ecker observed his Danish mother in the kitchen of their Key Biscayne, Florida home. Ecker has now taken the skills he learned in the kitchen to the classroom - where he has taken on the task of learning how to be an apprentice master beekeeper. Looking for opportunities to enhance what the Ranch is doing from a food and beverage perspective - and possibly... Full story
If quilts sprinkled with fairy dust sound like your fantastical cup of tea, the Cover to Cover Book Club Quilters are ready to take you on a journey next weekend - to Never Never Land. The club has a tradition of creating quilts around a literary theme, from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to "The Girl With the Pearl Earring." This year the literary work is J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan." The "Peter & Wendy" quilts will be on display during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show on... Full story
Before long, motorists in Sisters will have the option to say "plug 'er in," instead of "fill 'er up," as the Mainline Station Chevron has installed the first electric charging station in the area. Sisters is the first city in Central Oregon to receive an electric charging station and is an extension of the West Coast Electric Highway system, an extensive tri-state network of electric vehicle (EV) DC fast-charging stations. A year ago, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) has been awarded grant funds from both the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation and The Roundhouse Foundation, helping to fund summer programs in Sisters. Both will fund the "Earthkeepers" summer adventure program for youth in grades 1-6. "Little Keepers" is a camp for ages 3-5, which follows the same themes as the adventure camp but toned down for the younger kids; the grant funds that camp as well. According to SPRD manager Anne Heath, funds are essential to helping to offset... Full story
The fast and furious action of professional polo returns to Central Oregon next weekend with the annual "Chukkers for Charity" game set for Sunday, July 15. Each game benefits a local nonprofit. This time it's Deschutes Land Trust (DLT). DLT is well-known in Sisters Country for its Camp Polk Preserve and it's work in preserving key lands from the Metolius Basin to Whychus Creek. The match will be held at Camp Fraley Ranch, 60580 Gosney Rd. in Bend. General admission tickets... Full story
Folks in Sisters Country can indulge their inner foodie while supporting scholarships for worthy students. The Sisters chapter of P.E.O. (a philanthropic educational organization that supports women's educational aspirations) has created "Savoring Sisters," a cookbook whose proceeds will support the Elizabeth Danforth Fund, which provides scholarships to Sisters High School seniors planning to attend college in Oregon. The cookbook, a couple of years in the making, is crammed... Full story
On August 23 of last year, a friend proposed that we hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from McKenzie Pass to Santiam Pass. As much time as I'd spent in both areas, I had never actually connected the dots between the two. It was a long, hard hike; but we successfully covered a lot of country I'd been anxious to explore. Five days later, the Shadow Lake Fire was ignited by a lightning strike, and that trail was closed for the rest of the hiking season. The fire was initially... Full story
Rock hounds and gem hunters united last week for a five-day show featuring rare and unique treasures dug straight from the heart of Mother Earth. A yearly tradition in Sisters for over 15 years, the Sisters Roundup of Gems rolled into town and set up camp at Sisters Elementary School from July 4-8 with its caravan of nearly two-dozen vendors and dealers. All weekend long, a scorching sun reflected off tables weighed down with gemstone jewelry, blocks of green jade, hot heaps... Full story
Sisters Country resident Tom Landis returned home to Camp Sherman this week with a fistful of championship medals. Competing in the U.S. Masters swimming summer nationals, Tom, swimming in the 70-74 age group, came in first in all six of his events. Landis' most noteworthy achievement was in the 400-meter individual medley, where he set a new national record. His time of 6:24.76 smashed the previous record of 6:32.11. All the rest of his first-place finishes were in freestyle, at 50 meters (30.38), 100 meters (1:07.17), 200... Full story
• Three Creeks Brewing Company and Ray's Food Place passed a significant milestone as sales surpassed 10,000 units of 22 oz. Three Creeks "bombers" sold at the Sisters grocery store. Ray's was the first retail account to sell Three Creeks Brewing Company's beer and continues to be one of the core supporters of the local company as they grow. "We are proud to be a supporter of Ray's in our own direct fashion by purchasing all of our burger and sandwich buns from Ray's bakery," said Wade Underwood, general manager... Full story
• The 7th-grade Sisters Outlaw Baseball Team took second place in this year's season in the 13-and-under division. They made it to the League championship game, but lost 15-10. Players: Ryan Funk; Gavin Jaqua; Ben Saba; Hayden Parsons; Alec Gannon; JW Bertagna; Jacob Gurney; Ryan Cook; Jake Larson; Will Werts; Zach Morgan (not pictured). Coaches: Jeff Parsons, Doug Gannon, Willie Funk. • Quay, Dawn and Jacob Richerson wrote: We would to say thank you for... Full story
Lightning storms have passed through much of Central and Eastern Oregon the last couple of days, delivering approximately 1,000 lightning strikes in the Central Oregon area. Precipitation varied from very little to just under half an inch. More storms are expected starting Thursday and continuing through the weekend. The majority of the recent lightning activity centered around Sisters on the Deschutes National Forest, throughout the Ochoco National Forest and Central Oregon District of Oregon Department of Forestry. A few... Full story
There's nothing like the simple thrill of a hometown holiday, especially on the Fourth of July when the Stars and Stripes are on vivid display. The third annual Sisters Picnic in the Park, hosted by Habitat for Humanity, drew a patriotic crowd to Creekside Park on Wednesday for a relaxed affair celebrating our nation's 236th birthday. The morning began with a spirited military sendoff presented by the Military Parents of Sisters, honoring the departure of Nolan Peck and... Full story
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show announces important changes in traffic flow and parking for the 37th annual show on Saturday, July 14. The Sisters Elementary School parking lot, located just east of Locust Street and accessed via East Cascade Avenue will be designated for handicap parking only this year. This more than doubles the amount of handicap parking available. The parking lot just to the west of Locust St., between the Sisters Schools Administration building and City Hall,... Full story
The highway west of Sisters has seen several vehicle vs. deer collisions in recent days. Heavier traffic, poor visibility during long twilight hours and deer on the move make a potentially deadly mix. Collisions with deer are no small matter; they can cause severe damage to a vehicle and can threaten life and limb. A motorcyclist was killed near Grants Pass last week when a deer jumped into the roadway. The Harley Davidson rider struck the deer and crashed fatally. To avoid collisions: • Be attentive at all times,... Full story
