News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
The wild expanse of forests we enjoy in the foothills of the Cascade mountains are not there by chance. It took concerted thought for the future when in 1893, Congress established the precursor of National Forests, the Forest Reserves. Forest land was being developed fast as the Government encouraged settlement of the West. The Homestead Act of 1862 gave 160 acres of free land to any citizen over 21, with certain other requirements. The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 further...
Oregon farmers raising sheep, chicken, or cows will soon have to comply with new state rules. Environmental groups and some small farm advocates say the changes bring much-needed clarification on who qualifies for a permit usually reserved for large, commercial-scale livestock farms, while some agriculture trade groups say the changes put more undue burden on farmers. The Oregon Department of Agriculture is wrapping up a process that began after some farm and environmental groups lobbied state legislators for more regulatory... Full story
The SFF Presents Summer Concert series continues at Sisters Art Works with Elephant Revival performing on Thursday, August 1. Returning to touring after a four-year hiatus, Elephant Revival is a unique collection of multi-instrumentalists blending elements of Celtic, Americana, Folk, and Indie Art Rock. The Colorado-based group is performing just two west coast dates before heading to the midwest and beyond on a fall tour. The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, cello,... Full story
Health insurance agents who fraudulently enroll consumers in Affordable Care Act health plans could be subject to criminal charges — and civil penalties of $10,000 to $200,000 — under legislation introduced by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. Wyden, a Democrat, first promised the bill in May, when he called on federal regulators to do more to combat sketchy Obamacare enrollment schemes. Often, consumers who are targeted don’t know they’ve been enrolled or that their coverage has bee... Full story
Perhaps the most visually impactful constellation of summer is Scorpius. There are at least two reasons for this. First, the arrangement of its brightest stars actually does resemble a scorpion, complete with claws, heart, tail, and yes, even the stinger. Secondly, because the Milky Way runs through this part of the sky, many dazzling star fields are found here. While Scorpius can be seen on the southeastern horizon at about midnight as early as May, its full visual potential... Full story
Aesthetics and health and wellness are a life-long passion for Kimberly Canaday. With a deep medical background, including board certification as an Adult Nurse Practitioner, she brings science-based, safe, and effective practices to bear in her practice, Imagine Natural Beauty, helping people in Sisters look and feel their best. "Helping people - that's what drove me into medicine in the first place," she told The Nugget. "How people feel about themselves is so core to their... Full story
Writer and retired fisheries scientist Dennis Dauble will present his new memoir, "A Rustic Cabin: Finding A Sense Of Place" at Paulina Springs Books on Monday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m. Dauble is the author of several popular books including "Bury Me With My Flyrod: The Unvarnished Truth About Flyfishing" and "Fishes of the Columbia Basin." "A Rustic Cabin" is about carpenter ants, jaybirds, cornbread, wild trout, forest gnomes, Indian legends, racoons, secret creeks, organized... Full story
Sally Jo (Manning) Hancock was born in 1930 to Ben and Loretta (Kelley/McCrary) Manning in Port Angeles, Washington. Sally Jo was raised in Seattle, Washington, attending school at Queen Anne High School. Sally Jo struggled with health during her early years, missing significant portions of her grade school. But her mother, who was a teacher always made sure Sally Jo was academically where she should be, even graduating from high school early. Sally Jo recounted times when... Full story
Raymond Joseph (Joe) Gunterman, long time resident of Sisters, died July 18, following a years-long battle with ALS. He was a wonderful friend, father, and grandfather. Joe was born on December 11, 1947, to Oleita Lightfoot and Raymond Edward Gunterman in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended the University of Kentucky, graduating with a degree in sociology. On December 20, 1969, he married Connie Ann Neeley and soon after was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air... Full story
Leath Tonino has been officially selected as the winner of the 10th annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize by guest judge and acclaimed Law and Order actor Sam Waterston. Tonino’s winning submission, “Limbo Wilds: A Journey into the Wilderness Study Areas of the Desert,” captures a deep sense of introspection and urgency regarding wilderness conservation. Throughout the piece, the protagonist navigates conflicting desires between enjoying Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and advocating for its protect... Full story
U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer has agreed to participate in four televised debates ahead of the general election in Oregon’s closest congressional district. Chavez-DeRemer’s announcement continues more than a month of negotiations over debates since her Democratic opponent, state Rep. Janelle Bynum, challenged her to three debates – one hosted by a Portland TV station, one hosted by a Bend TV station, and one live-streamed debate hosted by an organization with a print or radio news outlet. Chavez-DeRemer accepted debate offers... Full story
Louis L'Amour is one of the most realistic authors ever published. His descriptions of the country traveled in each book make you feel like you're in the middle of the desert, or high on a mountain, or wherever the travels are. And the personalities of his characters cover all kinds of people, so you understand exactly what they're thinking and feeling in the moment. There are a couple of ways to read his series on the Sackett family. You can read them in chronological order,... Full story
Sisters Bike Park 242 is located on the edge of the Sisters High School parking lot. It provides an outlet for kids, of all ages, to get a little dusty and 'send it' while riding their bikes. In October 2015, the bike park received donations to start building a small pump track. In April of 2016, the big pump track was created. Then, in September of 2016, SPRD received a parks and recreation development grant to keep expanding the park. Much like everything else, when COVID... Full story
Tattoos are done in a variety of styles, subjects and colors, and the motivations behind getting them, are as varied as the tattoos themselves. It's not unusual to see a heart, a boyfriend's face, or even an exotic animal - but tweezers? Approaching the counter at The Hen's Tooth I look toward the young woman behind the counter and notice a tattoo on her arm of a tweezer. The story behind this tattoo connects to a small box on the counter with the label Grandpa's Tweezers.... Full story
What do we say to our kids when the news brings events unconscionable to most of us adults? Of course, I’m referring to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. That’s just one example. Our kids hear and see much. This is what they are growing up with, what seems to be becoming the norm of our society. How do we explain it? How do we counter it in a way they will understand? Probably the easiest thing to keep in mind is to balance whatever you say with your own values, sharing thoughts about things tha... Full story
The music of Led Zeppelin will thunder and roar across downtown Sisters on Saturday night as Hardtails Bar & Grill hosts Valhalla, a tribute to one of the most influential bands in the history of rock music. Vocalist Larry Smith told The Nugget, "We have the privilege and honor to do probably the best band that ever existed." Recreating the potent sound of Led Zeppelin is no easy task. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham each brought unique elements to... Full story
John Grant and Jim Cunningham have walked in each others' tracks over 50 years of service. The two men were squadron mates in special air operations during the Vietnam War. Both went on to careers as pilots for United Airlines, and both continued to serve in the military - Cunningham in the Oregon Air National Guard, Grant with the U.S. Air Force Reserves. "He went into the Reserves, I went to the Guard - that's the only difference as far as our service went," Cunningham told... Full story
Many readers may be surprised to know that there is an Oregon State Park in Sisters. Sisters State Park was established in 1939. The park was named for the adjacent town of Sisters. The original 41 acres was purchased by Louis W. Hill for $1,532. After he purchased the land, Hill donated it to the State of Oregon for a park or some other public purpose. It was Hill's desire to preserve the old-growth pine forest on the property for use and enjoyment of future generations.... Full story
Last Thursday, I got a message from a man who had submitted a letter to the editor a couple of weeks ago. He was disappointed that we ran a letter in response to his that — in a negatively personal way — dismissed his substantive argument essentially as “drinking the Koolaide,” referring to the 1979 mass suicide of the Jonestown cult in Guyana. That kind of hyperbole has become so common that we get desensitized to it. It’s over the top — and not much of a contribution to an a... Full story
Food sovereignty To the Editor: In response to commentary on the Sisters Community Garden: Last week Bailey Diemer made an excellent point, one that seems to be forgotten in our current worldview: Food Sovereignty. When considering the best use of a space, how can we seriously be comparing growing our own food with cherishing a lawn? I agree with Bailey’s observation that no one uses that exceptionally large lawn. I have two young children, we play at Cliff Clemens playground. Sometimes, people walk across the lawn to get t... Full story
Despite the afternoon heat a few weeks ago, a demure elderly woman (older than I am but not by much) was knocking on doors in my neighborhood. She held a yellow, lined tablet she had repurposed into a petition to garner signatures. Her cause, she explained, was to stop the Sisters Community Garden from laying claim to a goodly portion of Cliff Clemens Park on Larch Street. I declined to sign it at the time because, well, this was the first I heard about it. Today I now agree with that petitioner. The garden needs to find... Full story
"I didn't think I was a creative person; my older sister was the artist in our family." It was a surprising statement to hear from successful artist and "possibilitarian" Kelly Rae Roberts onstage at Fir Street Park last week. Her story was part of a keynote panel on the business of art, featured at a PubTalk event in Sisters last week. EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) describes PubTalk as "a happy hour aimed at bringing together different facets of the business... Full story
With the addition of at least four pups, the Metolius wolves, a pair first identified in 2021, are now six in number, possibly more. Four sets of tracks have been observed by Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) wolf biologist Aaron Bott. The average litter size is five. Bott has thus far been unable to capture the new arrivals on trail cameras. The den is believed to be on private land in a mosaic of public and private property. The minimum known count of wolves in... Full story
Pickleball has been named America's fastest-growing sport for the third year in a row in the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report. The report shows participation grew 51.8 percent from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, the 65+ age group was tied for having the second highest number of participants. In 2023 alone there were over 35 million pickleball players and it was growing exponentially at a rate of 158 percent over the last three years. The r... Full story
The land of Deschutes County, like other counties, is divided up into interesting shapes. A school district here, a parks and recreation district there, a House of Representatives district that might change from District 2 to District 5. Maps for land use zoning determine whether folks can develop their properties, whether they must grow trees or agriculture, or whether it's suitable for industrial use. What about evacuation zones? This reporter made five web searches and... Full story
