News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
Lightning spiked from the black clouds over Black Crater west of Sisters on Wednesday, August 4, sparking a fire that covered about 1/4 acre just to the north of the mountain, according to Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch in Prineville. A pair of helicopters dropped water on the fire to hold it in check while a ground crew hiked into the fire area. The crew worked on the fire overnight. Black Crater lies to the north of the North Sister and is accessible from a trailhead just beyond the McKenzie Summit. "It was in heavy, d... Full story
Cutting a wider roadway... and holding up traffic. photo by Jim Mitchell Drivers on Camp Polk Road can expect delays for the next two months. Deschutes County road crews started a widening project, complete with flaggers, on Monday morning, August 9. The project began at Wilt Road and will extend to East Cascade Avenue in Sisters. According to county engineer George Kolb, county maintenance crews will widen the roadway to a full 32 feet -- an 11-foot automobile lane and a five-foot bike lane in each direction. Upon... Full story
Sisters students continued to beat statewide scores on Oregon State Assessment tests in reading and math this year. Test scores were released last week. Considerably more Sisters students in third, fifth, eighth and 10th grade meet or exceed state standards than the statewide average and fewer students fall short of the bar (see scores on below). Sisters School District curriculum director Lora Nordquist told the school board Monday night that more complete analysis of students' performance will be available in October. She... Full story
UK International Soccer Camp coaches congratulate Sisters students for completing a week of soccer training and give them each a handshake and an evaluation for improving their game. photo by Susan Springer "Back home it's a fever!" exclaimed an English soccer coach visiting Sisters. He was describing the popularity of his sport in Europe. Sisters youth caught a bit of that fever last week, learning soccer skills and enjoying a cultural exchange with coaches who call the sport "football." At a weeklong soccer camp at Sisters... Full story
The Sisters Country Fair and Art Show will offer fun for everyone on Saturday, August 14. The fair, held at Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, is in its ninth year. Festivities start at 10 a.m. and run till 4 p.m. Local vocalist Mark Kershner will headline the live entertainment, singing classic favorites. Thad and Paul Stark are also among the entertainers. Children's activities such as a cake walk, bouncy castle, animal rides, games and face painting will be waiting for the younger set. A drawing for a large s... Full story
More than 100 athletes from at least nine different states will challenge each other -- and Mother Nature -- at Suttle Lake in the Sisters High Cascades Off Road Triathlon on Saturday, August 21, at 10 a.m. The event consists of a 750-yard swim in Suttle Lake with a 12 to 14-mile mountain bike ride up and around surrounding hills and a six-mile trail run. The event can be undertaken individually or as a two- or three-person relay team. There are still slots available in both categories, according to race organizers. To... Full story
U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, will hold a field hearing in Sisters to discuss the importance of restoration and rehabilitation of forestlands damaged by wildfire Titled "In the Aftermath of Catastrophic Event: Restoring and Protecting Communities, Water, Wildlife and Forests," the hearing is open to the public and will be held on Wednesday, August 18, at 1:30 p.m. at Sisters High School. "I wanted to hold this hearing in Central Oregon using... Full story
Sisters Rotary Club would like to enhance this piece of ground. photo by Jim Mitchell The Sisters Rotary Club has requested permission from the Sisters City Council to construct and maintain a small park at the west end of town at the reconstructed Highway 20/242 intersection. A small triangle of non-highway was left at the intersection. In addition to the "Welcome to Sisters" sign, Rotary envisions including "lighting, landscaping with shrubbery and an automatic sprinkler system, a couple of benches with pavers and two... Full story
The Hearth Building at Caldera. photo by Jim Mitchell Last weekend was a busy one at Caldera, a 90-acre artist retreat on Blue Lake. Saturday marked the "graduation" of the first DISCOVERY class of the season. About 40 at-risk middle-school students from Portland and Central Oregon were exposed to experiences in the arts and the outdoors. A non-profit organization, Caldera was put together by Portland advertising executive Dan Wieden. There is no charge to the campers. All of the costs are paid through charitable donations. C... Full story
Tom Marshello holds his memory quilt. photo provided Not one eye was dry. The room was full and "all 14 people were crying," said Pam Kipper. Their tears were not purely out of sadness or mourning for a friend who is facing a terminal illness. They showed how moved his friends were by the heartfelt present that Tom Marshello had just received. He had just been given a quilt made from his memories: Sixty pictures on a quilt that held a piece of his heart. Kipper, a Sisters resident, started the quilt after meeting Marshello... Full story
Jim Hanson tunes a piano. photo by Jim Mitchell Taylor Del Guidice doesn't have to look far to find a place to practice on the piano. Last week the third piano of the Sisters Jazz Festival Keys for Kids program was delivered to the eighth grader's home. This was the first upright piano to become available through the program via Jim Hanson, who refurbishes, tunes and delivers them. The previous two pianos, both baby grands, went to Sisters High School and SOAR. Although the original intent of the Keys for Kids program was to... Full story
Kit Stafford with art camp student. photo by Jim Mitchell The Caldera Arts Discovery class is an arts program at Sisters Middle School with a focus on the arts, the environment, and creative problem solving. The class offers support to the Caldera Discovery program conducted during the summer at Blue Lake. Taught by Kit Stafford, the class has served up to 60 students each of the last three years. The program has been well received by students and the school administration with improvements in student attendance, academics an... Full story
Full Timers President Bud Dabney presents a food bank donation to Sisters Kiwanis President Glenn Keeran. photo by Jim Mitchell Last weekend, 47 full-time motorhome owners from around the country set up in Sisters' Mountain Shadow RV Park prior to visiting the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA ) International Convention in Redmond on August 16-19. The convention will draw more than 5,000 of the luxury travel coaches to the Deschutes Country Fair and Expo Center. This is down from 8,000 in the past. According to Bob Smith,... Full story
August 13, 2004 -- Firefighters scrambled to attack 15 fires that sprang up in the wake of a powerful thunderstorm that rolled across Sisters on Friday evening, August 13. "We've kind of got our hands full," said a dispatcher with the Prineville-based Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch. Crews from Sisters Ranger District and the Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the blazes, which ranged in size from tiny spot fires to about three-acres. The fires covered the Sisters area from the Black Pine Springs area along Three... Full story
"Bear" (driver's seat) and his GFP Enterprises contract firefighting crew set up on Saturday morning to roll on multiple lightningfires. photo by Jim Cornelius Saturday, August 14, 9 a.m. -- Firefighters from around Central Oregon staged in Sisters on Saturday morning to attack 28 wildfires that sprang up in the wake of a Friday evening thunderstorm. "We are working to contain them, and to identify them," said a dispatcher at the Prineville-based Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch center. "We're still picking them up." "We... Full story
Sunday, August 15, 10 a.m. -- Firefighters took advantage of high humidity and good firefighting conditions to take on the 31 fires started by lightning from thunderstorms that rumbled over Sisters on Friday and Saturday. Most of the fires in the Summit Springs Complex are in the mop-up stage, according to Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch in Prineville. Firefighters expect containment of two five-acre-plus fires northeast of Black Butte by 6 p.m. Monday. The Sisters country isn't out of the woods yet, however. "Today's... Full story
were mopping up 31 fires sparked by last week's thunderstorms, another powerful cell rolled over Sisters, bringing yet more thunder and lightning. Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch reported numerous fires scattered around the Sisters area. No definite information was available regarding location or size. "We're still doing some heavy initial attack," a dispatcher said. Two things are working in favor of firefighters. The storm brought with it drenching rain and a high level of humidity; and there are still numerous... Full story
Acres of burned forest land are awaiting restoration. photo by Jim Cornelius Local activists, foresters and citizens are taking a close look at the B&B Fire Recovery proposal recently released by Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony. In a letter mailed in late July to interested individuals and organizations, Anthony invited public involvement to identify issues and concerns with the proposed actions. The plan proposes salvage logging of fire-killed and fire-damaged timber on from 10,000 to 14,000 acres of the total project a... Full story
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday. To readers: As the election... Full story
- City Council Meeting 7 p.m., 2nd and 4th Thursday each month, Sisters City Hall. 549-6022. - School Board Meeting 7 p.m., 2nd Monday each month, middle school lecture/drama room. 549-8521. - Black Butte School District Board of Directors meets 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., Black Butte School. 595-6203. - Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD meets for drill every Monday, 7 p.m. Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 549-0771. - Sisters Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Sisters Fire Hall. 549-1223. - Sisters Habitat for... Full story
- A Sisters man inquired about his options regarding his daughter hosting a party with minors drinking while the parents were away. - There were several non-injury fender-benders around town. Lots of traffic, little patience and folks not paying attention. - Deputies looked into a report of dogs harrassing an ostrich. The ostrich didn't report it. He had his head in the sand. - Deputies are investigating an alleged assault at a Sisters residence. - A vehicle was broken into and ransacked while parked at a motel. Information... Full story
