News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 14 of 14
High-altitude balloons lofted into night sky above Sisters Eagle Airport last month as the airport once again hosted the science team from the University of Washington’s Space and Earth Science department led by Associate Professor Michael McCarthy. For the June 2021 launch program, three balloons were sent aloft at night during the week of June 20. The first launch took place at 11 p.m. on June 22, followed by a launch on June 24-25 between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Launch o... Full story
The year-long process of crafting an updated Comprehensive Plan for the City is in the home stretch, according to Community Development Director Scott Woodford. Over the next month, City staff will take the final draft prepared by the consultants hired to conduct the update process, and will create the narratives, adding photos and resources that will put the goals and policies into a cohesive document. Woodford indicated he has been pleased with the process, which included... Full story
South Sister beckons to hikers — and sometimes it leads them into trouble. In three incidents on Tuesday, July 13, rescuers responded to help hikers in distress. At about 5:36 a.m., Deschutes County 911 received a phone call from Bob Sebulski who reported his 19-year-old daughter, Madison, was injured while hiking South Sister. Deschutes County dispatch was able to obtain accurate coordinates for the hiking party who were about 300 feet southwest of the peak of Lewis... Full story
After battling through a tough year of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, followed by staffing shortages, Cork Cellars is closing its doors. Jeannie Gilgenberg-Buck and Tom Buck made the announcement last week on social media. “It makes us very sad to announce that after six (mostly) wonderful years, we will be closing our doors. We’ve been honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of this community for the last six years, and will be forever grateful for all of the support that we’ve received. We’ve enjoyed the wonderf... Full story
There is a certain magic involved in truly beautiful portrait photography. Not every photographer has it — even some who are otherwise gifted in capturing landscapes or action. It has to do with connection, with an ineffable ability to allow the subject to be calm, open up and reveal their true nature. Loma Smith-Weber of Loma Smith Photography has the magic. She has built a thriving practice in portrait photography over decades — and now she is headquartered in... Full story
School is out for the summer. But social conditions that allow for bullying happen year-round. The longterm effects of bullying can include depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide attempts — effects that can last into adulthood and affect entire communities. Yet, bullying often goes unnoticed. Local mom Cheryl Soleim noted, “If you have a child that’s doing well in school and has friends, just has minor problems, you may never realize how much bullying and pre... Full story
Circle of Friends (COF) is helping to create a Connected Sisters. That earned the volunteer-based nonprofit here in Sisters “Community Champion” recognition from the City’s Vision Implementation Team. Since 2011, COF has been offering critical services to at-risk children and teens in Sisters Country through long-term mentorships with committed volunteers. These mentorships are designed to help end the cycle of poverty experienced by youth and families by providing oppor... Full story
The residents living up Wilt Road and in Squaw Creek Canyon Estates were particularly impacted by the Grandview Fire that broke out on Sunday, July 11 — and they witnessed the extraordinary work performed to safeguard the community. The residents of Squaw Creek Canyon Estates were so thankful for the efforts put forward by the firefighting personnel, that they ran an ad in this week’s Nugget thanking them. There was such an outpouring of support that, after the cost o... Full story
While school is on its annual summer hiatus, folks in Sisters continue to discuss larger social issues relevant both inside and outside the schools. The Nugget previously spoke with Sisters School District superintendent Curt Scholl about issues specific to equity and racism. The conversation continues, discussing bullying and how community members can get involved (see related story). “We want to make sure that all of our kids have a voice and that we’re supporting them along... Full story
For a week, the sky over Sisters has been crisscrossed by helicopters towing buckets of water and tanker planes carrying fire retardant to slow the Grandview Fire and keep it from spreading through Squaw Creek Canyon Estates and vicinity and into Sisters. All the efforts by 55 fire companies and seven agencies, amounting to 822 personnel at the peak of the fire, were successful in stopping the blaze at 6,032 acres, as of July 19. Not one structure or life was lost. The spirit... Full story
We all understand and appreciate the importance of the small-town feel that makes Sisters so special. Over the many decades and accompanying changes this essence has evolved but remained strong. One factor that has impacted so many pieces of our community is traffic, especially on Highway 20 right through the middle of town. As we have grown, so too has Central Oregon to our east and the Willamette Valley to our west. As one of the few gateways into Central Oregon, Highway 20 has seen increasing numbers of trip counts,... Full story
Off-leash dogs in forest To the Editor: It would be nice if The Nugget had Bill Bartlett expand on his statement that there are 1,200 acres in the Deschutes National Forest which are open to off-leash dogs. I am sure this is true — but not a complete picture/assessment of the off-leash rules. My experience and conversations with the sheriff’s office is that the dogs may be off-leash but must be under the control of their owners. This means I assume, they must “come” when called. Also, they cannot chase deer. I know... Full story
It does not take a hydrologist to know that Sisters is in the midst of a drought. By the numbers, 100 percent of Deschutes County is affected by the drought — all 157,733 persons. June was the 38th driest for that month in 127 years and the eighth-driest year to date since records began in 1894. On the Palmer Drought Severity index Sisters was at 93 — “severe.” It is expected to reach a level of between 95 and 98 within four weeks —identified as “ex... Full story
Melissa Stolasz and her daughter Sasha set out April 12 from the California/Mexico border with the intention to through-hike the entire 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) with an eye to finish by August 27 in order to get back in time for both to return to school. Melissa teaches science and math at Ridgeview High School and Sasha is a senior-to-be at Sisters High. At the end of June they passed the halfway mark and took a break in Shasta, California for a resupply. While on... Full story
