News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 23 of 23
The weight loss desire of our nation is insatiable, and despite our purest intentions, many health and fitness professionals are still getting it wrong, wondering “Why can’t these people see how simple it is?” Or “why can’t they give up the late-night binges of ice cream? Don’t they see all those extra calories?” What goes wrong? The Depletion-Binge- Depletion Cycle: This is most common with highly-motivated dieters. They stick to a diet, no carbs, no sugar, no this or that. Their body gets depleted, screaming for enough calo... Full story
Retired journalist, professor, and river rafter Stephen Ponder of Sisters died unexpectedly Saturday, August 8, 2020, following complications from a lung infection and subsequent heart failure. He was 78. Dr. Ponder was an active volunteer with the Deschutes Land Trust, Discover Your Forest and other environmental groups. An avid outdoorsman, he spent many years conquering mountain trails on foot and wilderness rivers behind the oars. Dr. Ponder was born in Bakersfield,... Full story
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.” — Psalm 143:8 Summer Jean Collins, 24, joined the angels in Heaven to dance eternally on August 5. Though it feels she left earth too soon, the years she lived here left a beautiful impact. Born in Medford, Oregon on September 16, 1995 to Cary and Shannon Collins, Summer was a radiant light in the lives of her family of four siblings from birth. In school, Summer thrived in edu... Full story
James William Morgan, 91, of Sisters passed away August 2, 2020. Jim was born to Walter and Floy (Souden) Morgan in Mill City, September 4, 1928. He attended elementary school in Silverton, graduating from high school in Corvallis in 1946. He enlisted in the Army following his graduation and served as a part of the Army Occupation Forces in Japan during WWII. After Jim’s discharge from the Army, he worked on a number of farms and dairies in the Corvallis area. He married Madge... Full story
Deborah Joan Donnelly Kollodge was born August 18, 1951 in Arlington, Massachusetts. She passed away July 25, 2020 at her home in Lincoln City at the age of 68 from cancer. Deb was fourth in line in an Irish family of seven children — she had many entertaining childhood stories from there, as one can imagine! In her teen years she got a job working as a switchboard operator for “Ma Bell” telephone company. After she met and married the love of her life, Jerry Kol... Full story
Gordon Douglas Halsten, better known as “Spud,” passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday morning, August 4. Gordon was born in Portland on October 4, 1922, to Mattie and Howard Halsten and was the youngest of five boys. Well known for his mischievous sense of humor, and friendly disposition, he frequently regaled his family and friends with stories of his daring childhood adventures. From rafting down the Columbia River to Astoria to hitching rides on trains going acr... Full story
The Whychus Creek Scenic Overlook Trail is an ideal destination for pandemic shut-ins yearning for a pleasant escape into an outdoor experience. The overlook and adjacent trail were completed four years ago as part of The Tale of Two Rivers Treasured Landscapes Conservation Campaign involving Whychus Creek and the Metolius River. The overlook was conceived as part of a series of projects and improvements to enhance the region’s watershed restoration, recreation, and c... Full story
A few rules for riding in an open-air vehicle during a safari in Africa are: 1. Stay in the vehicle until the guide says it’s okay to get out for a break. 2. When parked for photographs, never stand up in the presence of lions. 3. Never ever extend a hand beyond the side of the vehicle in the presence of any predator. Simple. But new rules can be forgotten in the excitement of the moment. For a few of us I guess, the more exciting the moment, the easier it becomes to f... Full story
As one walks around meadows and open backyards, you are likely to hear a blurry sound “pee-wee, pee-wee,” often followed by a “pip, pip”. This is the call of a Western Wood Pee-wee (contopus sordidulus). This gray nondescript flycatcher will perch on the end of a branch and quickly dart out and catch insects in the air and a small clap-clap sound is made when capturing the bugs or when protecting the nest area. In late spring a nest is built by the female in the fork of an a... Full story
Independently publishing a new book in the midst of pandemic and upheaval poses challenges. Sisters author Lisa May launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the printing of her book last spring — just as the coronavirus pandemic was shutting the country down. She persevered, and found an alternative means of funding the printing — and now has a beautifully crafted book in hand. “I never thought that this wasn’t going to happen,” May said. “I just always assumed... Full story
Michael Satcher, 42, of Sisters was arrested after an altercation during a Black Lives Matter rally at the Crook County Courthouse in downtown Prineville on Saturday. The demonstration was organized by the Central Oregon Diversity Project and Central Oregon Peacekeepers. Satcher, 42, was charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with a police officer and harassment. He was reportedly released on bail. In addition, Ronald Campbell, 57, of Prineville, was charged with disorderly conduct. Jasmine Barnett, 40, of Bend, was... Full story
Virus or no virus, a slow river of traffic wends its way through our small town every Saturday. Flanked by Wild West storefronts, drivers have something new to look at this year: Sisters residents demonstrating for justice and equality. Near the iconic bronze statue of a rearing horse, people line Cascade Avenue/Highway 20 on both sides. One day I joined a group of teenagers, retirees, children, and all ages in between. Most of them appeared white. Masks were worn; social... Full story
School may not look the same this fall, but one thing is certain: The needs of students and families will be greater than ever. Mid Oregon Credit Union has announced a change to its annual Supplies 4 Schools branch supply drive to benefit local schools. This year, Mid Oregon continues the tradition of collecting donated school supplies in all seven branch locations, but will add to its support by matching the first $1,000 in cash donations received from members and the community. “We understand that members are spending l... Full story
• Paul and Donna Lipscomb celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 7 with a parade at Village Green Park. The couple were entertained by friends who went by in cars, on bikes, and one on an electric unicycle, so they could safely distance during the pandemic. • Jeanette Pilak wrote: “There doesn’t seem to be a day of the week that goes by where I don’t see a public works department employee knocking down weeds, hand weeding, or pruning plantings throu... Full story
Sisters deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a burglary that occurred over the weekend in a neighborhood off East Cascade Avenue just east of Sisters Elementary School. Lt. William Bailey told The Nugget, “We are investigating a burglary on Cottage Lane that was believed to have occurred overnight on August 7.” Lt. Bailey said that the burglary was believed to have occurred while the residents were asleep in the residence. “They contacted us later that morning after they realized it had occ... Full story
The news that the Rimrock Ranch is going to remain what it is today and forever more, because it is now under the ownership of the Deschutes Land Trust, (DLT), is like hearing that apple pie is for breakfast and will help you live to 120. Ever since Bob and Gayle Baker came into my life, I was hoping they’d head down that preservation road. In times to come, that land — with Whychus Creek running through it, plus supporting active bald and golden eagle nests and other n... Full story
A new quilt exhibit at Beacham’s Clock Co. is celebrating a century of women’s rights. In the fall of 2019, East of the Cascades Quilt Guild (EOCQ), a Sisters-based quilt guild, was taking theme ideas and voting on which one they wanted to do for a special exhibit in the 2020 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS). The guild had a tie between celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage and My Kind of Town, the theme for the 2020 SOQS. (Five Central Oregon guilds had a special exhib... Full story
The slow strangulation of American life as we knew it continues, as the government imposes lockdowns/restrictions on businesses they deem “non-essential.” To a small business owner, the business they have poured their life into is essential. To the people they hire, and who depend on that business to support their family, that business is also essential. While our Governor has managed to avoid the disaster that Washington and California have imposed on their population (to her credit), there are many other states that are und... Full story
To the Editor: Central Oregonians deserve leaders who understand how to protect our communities from wildfires — and who will take decisive action. Commissioner Henderson is not such a leader. In The Nugget’s August 5 story, “Defending Sisters Against Wildfire,” he blames inadequate wildfire preparedness on one factor — too few days to implement prescribed burns — and suggests that additional funding will not make a difference. In these statements, Henderson has missed two other important ways that we can r... Full story
Dwarf mistletoe continues to pose a threat to Sisters Country forests. Dwarf mistletoe falls into the broad definition of a pathogen and is a parasite that infects coniferous trees such as the firs and pines in our local forests. Although mistletoe does have some chlorophyll capable of producing nutrients, that capability is a mere fraction of what typical plants produce. As a result, mistletoe gets the vast majority of its water and sustenance from a host tree; and it’s v... Full story
The OSAA (Oregon Scholastic Activities Association) announced a big change to the 2020-21 high school sports seasons in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision came following an executive session on Wednesday, August 5. In essence there will be three seven-week competitive seasons within a truncated 6-1/2-month time period between December and June. The OSAA actually defined four “seasons” under the plan: “Season One” from August 31-January 3 will be considered a time that high school students could be allowed... Full story
Sisters’ new deputies aren’t on the job yet — but the community is already seeing a greater law enforcement presence. The new law enforcement contract between the City and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) went into effect July 1, 2020. When fully in force, the contract calls for a permanent supervising lieutenant and three full-time deputies. The DCSO is currently training new replacement deputies to fill the current positions to be vacated by the three more-... Full story
On January 21, 2017, Andrew K. Myers’ life changed irrevocably. The airline pilot, who had flown for JetBlue Airways since 2002, was in a JetBlue Airways plane on the tarmac in Portland, conducting run-ups on a plane engine when the cockpit and cabin of the plane filled with fumes. Myers suffered multiple medical complications from his exposure to the toxic chemical fumes — complications that ended his flying career and left him with significant debility. After years o... Full story
