News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
Merchants in Sisters' downtown core see a threat looming on the horizon. The 2014 Cascade Avenue renovation project is now entering its final planning stages. Part of the plan is to close the thoroughfare from January to Memorial Day 2014 to allow a complete restoration of the roadbed, widen sidewalks and add a number of amenities. A number of merchants are afraid a five-month closure, even in the traditionally slow winter/spring months, will cripple their businesses. A... Full story
The lightning storm that roared through Sisters Country Sunday night sparked numerous small fires in the woods surrounding Sisters - and one right downtown. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District was dispatched to a lightning-caused structure fire at a residence on the 500 block of South Pine Street at 8:09 p.m. on Sunday, August 5. Automatic mutual-aid assistance from the Black Butte Ranch and Cloverdale Fire Districts was also dispatched to the fire. The two-story home had... Full story
"I'm really proud to grow up in Sisters," said Justin Durham, the newest member of the Sisters School Board, "Going through Sisters schools I always felt loved and honored, and I'm honored that I will have the opportunity to give back. Sisters schools are the town's biggest asset." Durham was appointed to school board Position No. 3, vacated for medical reasons by past board chair Chris Jones. Position No. 3 will come up for election in May 2013 as a two-year term. Justin... Full story
Firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures last night to make good progress on the Geneva 12 fire burning about 15 miles northeast of Sisters near Lake Billy Chinook. The fire was mapped late last night and the updated acreage is 1,341 acres. Containment is 30 percent this morning and full containment is expected by August 13. Fire crews will focus on holding the perimeter through the heat of the day and building and improving containment lines. Primary concerns... Full story
Sisters Elementary School is a model for similar schools in Oregon. On Thursday, August 2, Superintendent Jim Golden was officially notified by state deputy superintendent Rob Saxton that, based on student achievement data, Sisters Elementary School was selected as one of 27 schools in the state to be designated as a "model school." This puts Sisters Elementary in the top five percent of the 544 similar elementary schools in the state. Oregon recently received a waiver from the federally mandated No Child Left Behind (NCLB) a... Full story
To the Editor: I drove by this lot and saw what Jerry Hanford's letter to the editor addressed in the August 1 Nugget (Neighbors troubled by tree cutting," page 1). The trees that were removed were described as "beautiful old ponderosas" but were of somewhat moderate size, and certainly not what most would consider true old-growth timber. What wasn't mentioned in Jerry's letter is that the property owner left about 9 or 10 ponderosa trees still standing; they didn't cut them all down. Most people don't realize it but most... Full story
Ten Sisters High School students, their Mandarin language teacher David Perkins, his wife Paula, and four of their parents recently completed a journey that began more than a year ago. After many months of planning and fundraising, they spent two weeks in China, learning about Chinese history and culture, improving their Chinese language skills, and working in two orphanages for special-needs children. The trip began with a week at the Beijing Yucai School, a private school... Full story
People love their dogs, so it is no surprise that smiles abounded around the Sisters Art Works building Saturday, August 4, during the annual Dog Days of Sisters Art Show. The day began with the second annual Dog Days run, sponsored by Sisters Park & Recreation District, which featured about 20 runners, most of whom ran with their canine friends. The field included four 9-month-old Airedale-mix brothers, who added an extra dose of energy at the starting line. The owner of one... Full story
A longtime dream of skaters in the Sisters Country has come true. Skaters now have a new concrete bowl in which to work on their gravity-defying tricks and stunts. Phase I of a three-phase skate park project on the grounds of the Sisters Park & Recreation District headquarters is complete, and skaters from all around the Central Oregon region were here by Friday to put wheels down. The skate park - two-and-a-half years in the making - is a passion project for Sisters High... Full story
Cutting down trees is a big deal in Sisters. Property owners often need to cut down large ponderosa pines to develop their property, while neighbors and other citizens want to see trees preserved for their aesthetic and ecological value. The City of Sisters has a tree removal policy that tries to balance what can be competing values. After an incident last month where trees were cut without following city procedures, the planning department issued a statement to the... Full story
With shovels in hand, more than 20 friends and volunteers were on hand for the groundbreaking of the new Sisters Community Garden, soon to be located on a site at the Sisters Airport. After being located on Adams Avenue and Larch Street in town for the past several years, the organizers began to look for a new location after the owners of the land put the property up for sale. "The property has been up for sale for a long time," said Pamela Burry, Sisters Community Garden... Full story
"The Tempest" will break over Sisters on Friday, August 17. The Innovation Theatre Works production of William Shakespeare's play is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Village Green and admission is free. The public is welcome to bring blankets or lawn chairs and a picnic. No alcohol is allowed. Innovation Theatre Works is living up to its name with the setting of the play, which is believed to have been written in 1610-11. The Sisters production is set at the Woodstock music festiva... Full story
The first Black Butte Ranch Bike Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 11 at the lodge area at Black Butte Ranch. A day of educational fun and activities for kids and adults will include bike safety checks, bike clinics, guided mountain and road bike rides, a kids bike rodeo and obstacle course, and more. "What we're always looking at is how to make the ranch as safe for bicyclists as possible," said Sgt. Frank Klejmont, of the Black Butte Ranch Police Department. "We find that the most serious accidents on... Full story
With a rainbow of ribbons to attest to her stellar performance at the High Desert Classic Horse Show last month, 15-year-old Brenna Weems returned from the annual contest of equestrian skill with happy memories of gracefully flying over fences and hedges. "I'm really happy because it's the end of the show year and I felt really good about it, not just this show but the whole season," she said. "It was a nice way to end on my older horse, Sammy, too, who is being sold." Weems... Full story
Educators from across Oregon and Washington worked together this summer to learn about invasive species and their impact on ecosystems and local economies. Sisters locals Bess Ballantine and Colleen Fox of Wolftree, and Rima Givot of Sisters High School participated in the five-day workshop. They learned how, by collaborative efforts, weeds such as Scotch Thistle (Onopurdum acanthium) can be controlled. A total of 10 teachers participated in the Plants on the Move workshop Jul... Full story
Angeline's Bakery & Café will host two nights of music this weekend. Local singer-songwriters Brad Tisdel and Willie Carmichael will team up for a concert on Saturday, August 11, at 7 p.m. "Willie Carmichael and I have always wanted to perform a show together," Tisdel said. "When the opportunity presented itself this summer at Angeline's, we felt it would be a great venue for our songs and stories. Each artist respectively has their own following, with Willie winning the... Full story
Like many other folks in Sisters Country, Karen Kassy is something of an accidental activist. "I moved to Sisters two years ago, and the interesting thing is that Sisters is so small that you can be aware of things, and one person can make a difference," she said. "I have never been a political person," said Kassy. But when her partner, former Sisters mayor Brad Boyd, showed her the recycle center, built during his tenure with the city, he noticed that it had been fenced. "I... Full story
You've probably passed by the anonymous brown house a hundred times on your way to and from Bend. Broken Top Animal Hospital has been treating and helping pets there since 2001. Veterinarian Dr. Dana Bailey has just joined veterinarian/owner Dr. Little Liedblad, providing experienced and compassionate care to Central Oregon animals both large and small. "A lot of people don't know we're here," Bailey joked. "If it were up to me, I'd paint the place bright white, put up flags... Full story
I've been to Marion Lake multiple times; but, for some reason, I had never taken the easy, and more traditional, route. This time, however, we opted for the more relaxing hike. Even with a little sightseeing, this hike is only a six-mile round-trip, with a little less than 800 feet in elevation gain; although we added on a couple of extra miles of exploration. The trail starts out in a dense and beautiful mixed-conifer forest. The trail here is excellent and so wide we were ab... Full story
Circle of Friends has an immediate need for adult volunteers with a heart to make a positive difference in the life of a child. Their program works to match kids in difficult circumstances with an adult mentor, someone willing to commit to come alongside them and "to be their big friend," says Beth Hanson, director of the program. Together with Sisters Elementary School principal and kindergarten teacher Barbara Kamrath, Hanson has identified a number of kindergartners and first graders whose lives would be enriched by... Full story
Superintendent Jim Golden has submitted a letter to Oregon Department of Education (ODE) requesting a three-year extension on payment on the $600,000 debt the district still owes ODE as a result of $1.2 million settlement in 2006. ODE has indicated that they are considering the extension. The district is scheduled to pay $100,000 per year for the next six years on the debt that resulted from inflated student numbers the Sisters schools reported when the district improperly included students enrolled in Sonrise Christian... Full story
Fire fighters are mopping up two small fires in Sisters Country this afternoon. There is a 4-acre blaze east of Black Butte and a 6-acre blaze near milepost 5 of Holmes Road east of Sisters. An incident management team is fighting the Geneva 12 fire 15 miles north of Sisters. According to Central Oregon Interagecny Dispatch, there were 18 fires started in Sisters Country by Sunday night's lighting storm.... Full story
Firefighters hold on Geneva 12 blaze, mop up others More than 200 firefighters and other fire personnel worked to hold the Geneva 12 Fire through the heat of the day today. The fire's acreage remains at 1,341 and the fire is still 30 percent contained. Full containment is still expected by August 13. Efforts today focused on establishing hose lays to bring water to the fire, and constructing and improving the containment line around the incident. Crews concentrated on mopping up hotspots on the north side of the fire near... Full story
More than 200 firefighters and other fire personnel worked to hold the Geneva 12 Fire through the heat of the day today. The fire's acreage remains at 1,341 and the fire is still 30 percent contained. Full containment is still expected by August 13. Efforts today focused on establishing hose lays to bring water to the fire, and constructing and improving the containment line around the incident. Crews concentrated on mopping up hotspots on the north side of the fire near the Three Rivers subdivision. Primary concerns... Full story
