News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 20 of 20
After campaigning for the state Legislature as a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights six years ago, U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer has a mixed record in Congress on these issues. She introduced a bill to automatically reverse the dishonorable discharges given to gay members of the military because of their sexual orientation, and she voted against an amendment to an appropriation's bill that would have stopped the Department of Defense from acknowledging Pride Month. But she also co-sponsored and voted for a "Parents' Bill of Rights"... Full story
Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region. “We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” said Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest Assistant Fire Director for Operations. “Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests... Full story
Along with the rest of the state, Sisters will soon see the release of the Oregon Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map risk map (Click here to see related story.). A key takeaway is the change in name from “risk” to “hazard” map. The semantics are subtle, but significant. Risk implies impacts on insurance, whereas hazard suggests something more temporary that can be mitigated. Ben Duda heads up the Sisters Sub-Unit Office of ODF (Oregon Department of Forestry). He is also a volunteer... Full story
CORVALLIS — Forest scientists at Oregon State University studying tree regeneration have found that wildfire smoke comes with an unexpected benefit: It has a cooling capacity that can make life easier for vulnerable seedlings. An OSU College of Forestry collaboration led by faculty research assistant Amanda Brackett made the discovery while working to determine the effect of forest canopy cover on summer maximum temperatures near ground level. The study’s goal was to describe how heat waves and other future climate conditions... Full story
A statewide “wildfire risk map” that drew the ire of many Oregonians will return in several weeks with few changes but with a new name following a yearlong makeover. The new “wildfire hazard map,” set to debut in mid-to-late July, will not differ in substance too much from the previous map published in 2022, according to lead researcher Chris Dunn, an Oregon State University forestry professor and wildfire expert. That first map was quickly taken offline in August 2022, just months after it was released, due to public... Full story
There is no better place to beat the summer heat in Sisters than at one of our mountain lakes. Suttle Lake, 13 miles west of Sisters, has been a favorite for many years with a variety of campgrounds, boat docks, picnic shelters, and resorts. The lake's name is a bungled attempt to recognize a man with quite a story. Before European settlement the lake was frequented by Native Americans who camped along its shores as they fished for sockeye salmon and travelled into the high...
Many in Sisters will remember Phyllis Yankey, who lived in the community for a number of years. Phyllis Yankey’s husband, Mike, an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) employee, was killed in an accident at the ODOT yard at the Santiam Junction in 2009. In 2020 Phyllis left Sisters to be closer to her children. On July 8, Hurricane Beryl ripped through her current neighborhood in Conroe, Texas, a tree fell and destroyed her home. In a GoFundMe narrative, her son Chris reported that, “because of some now hea... Full story
A limited number of single-day tickets and the full performance schedule for the 2024 Sisters Folk Festival will be available at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 17. This year's lineup includes 33 acts set to perform at seven venues in Sisters, Friday, September 27–Sunday, September 29. Patrons can purchase tickets and view the schedule at www.sistersfolkfest.org. The diverse and talented lineup of artists represents multiple genres of roots music from all over the world. Each of t... Full story
Pine Meadow Ranch, School of Ranch, OSU Extension, and High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, is set to host the workshop, “Howdy Do: Practical Land Management,” on Thursday, July 18, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Howdy Do workshops turn the model on its head, tapping into community wisdom of farmers, ranchers, hay growers, and gardeners on what works and what doesn’t work in Central Oregon when it comes to making things grow here. Hosted at the picturesque Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters, this workshop offers participants a unique oppor... Full story
The Roundhouse Foundation has awarded grants to 106 organizations throughout rural and indigenous Oregon communities, with nearly $1.7 million in total support. These organizations were selected as part of the Spring 2024 Open Call grants cycle which closed in March with decisions shared in May and June. The recipients, or grant partners of the Roundhouse Foundation, are either nonprofits or government entities. They vary in missions, but fall into these core focus areas: arts and culture, education, social services, and... Full story
Poet Kim Stafford will celebrate the release of his new book "As The Sky Begins to Change" at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m. Stafford will be joined by local singer-songwriter/poet Beth Wood, who will share an original song inspired by Stafford's new work. "As the Sky Begins to Change" is a book of poems to wake the world, lyric anthems for earth and kin. In his third poetry collection from Red Hen Press, Kim Stafford gathers poems that sing with... Full story
The Forest Service is proposing to approve special use permits for two local businesses, Stagecoach Adventures and Cog Wild, to provide shuttle services to and from several trailheads within the Sisters Ranger District. Both companies have provided proposals for their operations and the District is currently completing the environmental effects (NEPA) and special-use permitting reviews. According to District Ranger Ian Reid, the two companies have proposed to operate shuttles that would serve hikers, bikers (mountain and/or... Full story
They came. 10,000 strong. And they came early, even before the 1,000-plus quilts had been completely hung across downtown Sisters. In part because it was 85 degrees by 8:30 a.m., and more to get a first-hand look at one of the premier quilt exhibits in the country. "We drove through on our way to McDonald's for breakfast around 7:15 and when we came back at 8:30 it was like, 'Whoa! How'd that happen?'" said an amazed Cory Archer from Redmond, playing in a golf foursome at Aspe... Full story
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, on Wednesday, June 12, unanimously approved funding for a new pilot program that encourages builders to construct and sell new homes at prices attainable to median-income earners. The program, called Workforce Home Ownership for Median-income Earners (Workforce HOME), was established in partnership with NeighborImpact, Housing Works, and the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA). It will provide developers a $30,000 builder credit for each home they build that is sold within a... Full story
It's easy to think of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) as an impressive display of quilt-making, all taking place on a single day - a tourism-driven event showcasing both artists and the town. Generally overlooked is what locals call quilt week - the multiple days preceding the famed outdoor show held on the second Saturday of every July. From Monday through Friday nearly a thousand quilters take part in Quilter's Affair, sponsored by the Stitchin' Post. This is the... Full story
Clarke Berryman is a man in his early 80s who jokes that he doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up. Hearing about his life so far, it's plain to see he hasn't been spending much time in a recliner watching other people lead adventurous lives. He's traveled around the world to African nations, India, and South America. His paintings and photographs are a stunning collection of beauty found in animals around the world. His life began in Montana where he was raised on... Full story
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America.” So said President Joe Biden in response to an attempt to assassinate former president Donald Trump on Saturday, in a shooting at a campaign rally that left an attendee dead and two others severely injured. The shooter was taken out by a Secret Service counter-sniper team. It was, of course, the right thing — the only thing — to say. But violence directed at political figures has all too often found its place in Americ... Full story
Forest Service Shuttle Proposal To the Editor: Our Deschutes National Forest does some very good things, such as prescribed burning to clear out historically dangerous fuel loads, and the wrongly maligned Green Ridge forest management project, designed to preserve — not harm —the older growth forests. But two recent USFS proposals are a direct threat to those who enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and traditional natural activities in our taxpayer-funded forest. The Forest Service proposes to introduce to numerous trails in the... Full story
A chip-sealing project on Locust Street/Camp Polk Road went badly awry this week, causing damage to numerous vehicles. The Deschutes County Road Department is making good on the damage. Road Department Director Chris Doty told The Nugget what happened on Wednesday, July 10. "Chip sealing can be very finicky," he said. "In this case, a little too much oil was applied and we released the road to traffic before the oil had time to settle." The result was "traffic driving on the... Full story
The process of shaping the future of Sisters — both figuratively and literally — is underway. According to projections used by the state, the population of Sisters will nearly double by 2043. To meet the needs of a growing population, the City has embarked on the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion process. Over the next year the City will effectively decide where the city limits will be in 20 years. To aid in this work, the City has assembled the UGB Steering Committee, whose first meeting was held on Thursday, June 27.... Full story
