News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 17 of 17
The thousands of folks who flocked to Sisters to see a downtown wrapped in 1,400 quilts got plenty of colorful action. A bluebird day greeted visitors from all around the world, with quilts rustling in a gentle morning breeze. Then, as afternoon rolled around, ominous clouds built up to the south and a thunder-cracking downpour sent folks scurrying - some to find shelter and some to rescue quilts. All in all, it was a memorable 37th annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. (See... Full story
Mac Hay has elected not to renew his contract as Sisters' economic development manager. The council approved renewal last month on the $30,000-per-year contract, but Hay informed the City last week that he will not continue. Though there has been contention and controversy over the position - even before Hay took the job - he insists that that had nothing to do with his decision. "It's not the politics," he told The Nugget. "It's a full-time job... You can't do a job like... Full story
Justin Durham has been appointed to the school board to fill the position of Christine Jones, who has stepped down due to health reasons. Don Hedrick, elected to the board in 2009, took over the gavel as board chair at the board's organizational meeting last Wednesday night. Hedrick read a letter from Jones, who said, "As you know, I think board service requires dedication and a commitment of time and energy... due to health concerns, I cannot be the board member I would want to be and the district deserves." Hedrick saluted... Full story
Ashley Nordell was not even born when the first Western States 100 endurance run was first contested on the rugged trails around Squaw Valley, California, but in the 39th annual race, Nordell made her mark with a ninth-place finish in the granddaddy of all endurance races. Nordell, 32, finished in 19 hours, 26 minutes and 30 seconds over a course that includes nearly 20,000 feet of climbing between the start in Squaw Valley and the finish in Auburn. This was Nordell's eighth 1... Full story
To the Editor: A scary near-miss this week convinced me that back-in parking is the right choice for our busy streets. Parked head-in on Hood Avenue next to a pickup with a canopy that blocked my view, I craned my neck and slowly backed out. Driving on down the street I check my rear view mirror and see a good friend following on his bicycle. When he catches up at my next destination he says I almost took him out as I backed out. It was only due to his quick reflexes that a collision was avoided. It was impossible to have... Full story
Shawn Diez has found a good place to land. He's the new volunteer coordinator and administrative assistant for Sisters Folk Festival. Diez was a casualty of the recent layoffs in the Sisters School District. The district was forced to let the highly regarded counselor and Community Schools Initiative Coordinator go as part of an effort to make up a $1.3-million shortfall. "People have been really gracious about checking in, letting me know when there's openings," Diez said.... Full story
Dust off your poodle skirts and saddle shoes and head out to Main Avenue in downtown Sisters for the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce's fourth annual Sisters Glory Daze Car Show, scheduled for Saturday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. An awards ceremony is set around 3 p.m. Raffles include a 50/50 drawing that benefits a scholarship program for a Sisters High School 2013 graduating senior planning to attend college for the automotive industry and a raffle for automotive goodies. Registration is open to all makes and models... Full story
If you've lived in Sisters for the last six or so years, chances are you've met or seen Carlos Guzman-McFadden in one of his roles in the community. He has been a paraprofessional in the Sisters School District and earned his teacher certification in the English Language Learner program, along with a bachelor's and a master's degree in fine arts. He has been a volunteer and paid translator and perhaps best known for helping members of the local Hispanic community apply for... Full story
City Manager Eileen Stein and the Sisters City Council continue to work on improving a relationship strained by a falling-out at the beginning of the year between Stein and three councilors. In a private executive session, the council gave City Manager Eileen Stein an informal progress report on her performance on her current work plan. The work plan was developed by Stein as a result of the March executive session/facilitation conducted by Judge Paul Lipscomb to resolve the schism between Stein and several members of the... Full story
The Sisters City Council appointed three new planning commission members at their Thursday-evening meeting. Each will serve for four years. They are: Valerie Skelton, Robert Wright, and David Gentry (returning). They replace retiring Steve Auerbach and Sandy Affonso. The new City Parks Advisory Board roster was populated with "in-city" members Larry Nelson, Leanna Kirk (high school student), Ken Hashagen and Jana Novotny. Appointed to the "outside the city limits" positions were Phyllis Lewis, Kathryn Godsiff and Anne Heath.... Full story
Walk into any bookstore or browse online, and you'll likely run across the work of Chris Gilbert and David Carlson. The graphic artists operate Gearbox (also known as Studio Gearbox) out of an office on Pine Street in Sisters, producing book covers that adorn the shelves of shops across the nation. Closer to home, you'll find their work in the new branding and signage for Clearwater Gallery's new wine bar and art studio. The 8-year-old graphic design firm does complete... Full story
If the Men Behind the Quilts Calendar started off as a joke, the punch-line really paid off. "It was an idea that the board was joking around with for a couple of years," Quilt Show Executive Director Ann Richardson recalled. "Then somebody just said: 'Why don't we really do it?'" Photographer Valori Wells sought to capture the men of Sisters in their native habitat - on horseback, with their instrument, on the trail with a bike, at work. "They tried to capture the guys... Full story
Gary Bowne knows he's lucky to be alive. And he knows that his luck was given a big assist by the Sisters EMTs who first got to the scene of his 2011 accident. Bowne was hit by a car on the McKenzie Highway near Sisters High School. "I remember no details of the accident as I was knocked out when my head hit the top of the car while my back broke the windshield," Bowne noted in a letter to Sisters paramedics. The Sisters teacher recently visited the Sisters Fire Hall to person... Full story
As a native Oregonian, I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I'd never been to Silver Falls State Park before this visit. Literally hundreds of times, I've sped on by the highway exit signs for Silver Falls, each time thinking that I need to check it out one of these days. The problem is that whenever I was rocketing past the exit, I was always rushing to or from somewhere else. So, to put an end to this madness, I decided it was time to make Silver Falls the actual destinati... Full story
Aligning herself with a more harmonious and enlightened path, Jennifer Heiden Smith has taken an exotic direction in her life, one filled with the slow rhythms and hypnotic movements of the ancient art of bellydancing. Dancing under the stage name Nalia, Smith teaches at COCC and performs at various events, fairs and functions in Central Oregon, entertaining and educating anyone fascinated with the mysterious traditions of one of the oldest artistic expressions known to man.... Full story
Cathy Moen is a lot more comfortable quilting than she is talking about it. But when you're the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show's "queen for a day" - otherwise known as Featured Quilter - lots of folks want to talk technique and history with you. The longtime Sisters resident held court on the lawn at Ponderosa Properties on Saturday with a crowd of quilters who treated her like a star. "I'm so blown away by being honored to be the featured quilter this year," she told The Nugget,... Full story
Mother Nature operates each spring and summer with an insurance policy that guarantees survival of the millions of species with which we share this beautiful old Earth. All that's required for a species to keep on going is one female and one male of that species. Ducks take reproduction seriously: Mallards can lay up to 16 eggs and at least half will hatch. There are so many factors that lead to death and destruction of duck populations they have to lay lots of eggs to... Full story
