News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 26
The race for governor is over for State Senator Ben Westlund, but the former candidate isn't giving up his fight. Westlund, who dropped out of the race he had entered as an independent last week, says he'll continue to push for fundamental tax reform, universal health care, renewable, sustainable energy and a reduction of partisan politics in Oregon. Ironically, it may have been the partisan politics he so decries that brought Westlund's campaign down. After an initial surge... Full story
A 23-year-old employee of Black Butte Ranch (BBR) was killed Saturday night, August 12, in a single-car accident on O.B. Riley Road in the Tumalo area. The accident occurred about 8:30 p.m. and claimed the life of Christopher Russell Anderson. Anderson worked in the golf division of BBR and was well respected by all who knew him. His father and sister also work at BBR in the golf division. Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene following a 9-1-1 call from a nearby resident who heard the... Full story
To the Editor: On behalf of the Southern Area Blue Team and all Black Crater firefighters, I want to thank the residents of Sisters for your warm hospitality. We greatly appreciate all the expressions of support. Every day children brought cookies to our Incident Command Post at the Sisters Middle School. The ice cream and pie social at Sisters Community Church was particularly touching. Those who attended know how well our firefighters appreciated your hospitality. Since the Blue Team took over, it seems that every day a... Full story
Beads have been an item of global trade for centuries. Fur traders brought African-made beads to the Northwest in the fur trade almost 200 years ago. Last Saturday, beads were once again the focus of a lively trade - in the middle of downtown Sisters. The third annual Sisters Bead Stampede featured 22 bead artists ensconced in tents in Sisters' downtown Barclay Park. The intimate setting helped create a lively atmosphere and also captured a lot of walk-by traffic. "It's been... Full story
Tuesday, August 15, 5:15 p.m. - The Lake George Fire continued to burn hot with some spotting in the southeast corner today, according to fire information officer Tom Kroll. "We actually had to back some people out of there and re-insert them," Kroll said. The fire still did not make any aggressive moves toward Black Butte Ranch some six miles away to the northeast. Kroll said firefighters wer able to tie lines in to the lava fields on the east side of Mt. Washington,... Full story
Sisters schools continue to generally outperform the rest of the state on Statewide Assessment Tests that track students' abilities in reading, writing, math and science. Scores for 2005-06 were released last week. The scores both for the state and for Sisters followed a consistent pattern: higher scores in lower grades, with scores falling as students get older and tests get tougher. Sisters had 95 percent of its fifth-grade students meeting or exceeding state benchmarks in... Full story
Smiles were brighter than the sunshine at the Country Fair held for the 11th year at Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration on Saturday, August 12. It was easy to forget the Lake George wildfire while walking through the crowds and sampling the wares. The Country Fair is an annual event that gives back to the Sisters community in a number of ways. Father Ted Rodrigues, Pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration explained that the fair has changed a great deal over... Full story
The second wildfire of the season to blanket the Sisters area with smoke is burning about six miles to the south/southwest of Black Butte Ranch (BBR) in the Mt. Washington Wilderness. As of the morning of August 15, the fire had spread to 4,250 acres and was about 10 percent contained. Field Ranger Ryan Peterson of the Deschutes National Forest reported said, "There is still a lot of available fuel on the ground and a large amount of beetle killed trees, which, when combined... Full story
The Seventh Annual Sisters Antique Faire is set for August 19-20 at Village Green Park. Antique dealers from throughout the Pacific Northwest will be selling genuine antiques including furniture, clothing, books, glass, toys, Western memorabilia and more. Hours on Saturday are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday's entertainment is folk duo Doug & Katie Cavanaugh and Sunday Tony Lompa will perform. The event features a food court, plenty of parking and free admission. The Sisters Antique Faire is sponsored... Full story
When students head back to Sisters Elementary School at the end of the month, they'll have a new roof over their heads. Actually, only the worn and outdated flat portions of the school and gymnasium roof are being replaced in a move the school district hopes will save the district in energy costs. McDonald and Wetle of Portland is doing the work, laying Malarkey Interply over the cafeteria and gym roofs. Approximately 10,000 square feet of roofing are being replaced at a... Full story
Square dancing with all its do-si-do and promenade is alive and well in Central Oregon. Around 180 people gathered in Sisters on August 11-13 to sashay their way through many sets of the called dances. The 24th Annual Central Oregon Round-Up, in its third year at Sisters High School, brought dancers to town from all over the state. The school parking lot was transformed into an RV park. Bright dresses, puffy petticoats on the women and bolo ties and cowboy boots for the men we... Full story
This past weekend was the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, which was, unfortunately, for the most part drowned out by the reflected light from our lovely old Moon. The Perseids are streaks of light across our night sky caused by burning debris left behind by the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which visits our region of the solar system about once every 130 years. Swift-Tuttle last came near the sun in December 1992 and because meteor showers are often richest when their parent comets a... Full story
Sisters area residents will pull on their boots and kick up their heels at the First Annual Sisters Movie House Barndance & Barbecue scheduled for August 26. Set for the last full weekend before the kids head back to school, it will be a true "last chance summer dance" with a performance by Bend's own Elisabeth Ames and the Countrypolitans. Residents and visitors are invited to bring the family for food, fun and games. Doors open at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, outside the Sisters Movie House, 720 Desperado Court in... Full story
Martin and Carolyn Winch of Bend have made a $25,000 pledge to help with the restoration of the original Sisters Library building. They asked that the building be named the Maida Bailey Old Library Building. On Thursday, August 10, the Sisters City Council held a workshop to discuss naming the original 1939 Sisters Library building. The consensus was to craft a motion to formally name the building as requested. Maida Bailey worked in the Stanford University Library (1905-12),... Full story
A family feeling has welcomed world travelers into the fold at Lake Creek Lodge this summer. "The girls," as the travelers are referred to at the lodge, are four young women whose treks and nationalities span six continents. Students Viktorija Sciukina, age 22, of Lithuania and Milce da Silva, age 21, of Guinea-Bissau are new to Central Oregon. Their co-workers, Amber Householder, age 24, and Rachel Jins, age 22, who have traveled extensively with mission work, are return-empl... Full story
The Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration kicked off its Eleventh Annual Art Show with an invitational preview sale and silent auction on Thursday evening, August 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. A minimum $10 donation was requested from each person who attended to help support the church's community outreach program. About 200 individuals came together to get to know the artists and one another. On Friday evening and Saturday, August 11-12, the Art Show itself took place in the... Full story
Black Butte Ranch hosted a picturesque fund-raising golf event last weekend. It is called the Wannabe Cup at the inspiration of the founders who were admiring the Ryder Cup and wishing that they could have participated. Since 1999, the Wannabe Cup has been held four times at golf courses in Central Oregon and, for the first time, was held at Black Butte Ranch on Friday and Saturday, August 11-12. The event uses a similar format to that of the Ryder Cup with two teams participa... Full story
Sisters Art Works and The Barclay Gallery will host the first annual Fall Instructor Showcase on Friday, August 18 between 4 and 7 p.m. Artists who will be teaching art classes at Sisters Art Works this fall will be in attendance doing demonstrations and giving folks a chance to meet them and get a feel for their style and approach. The porch will be filled with fresh cut zinnias and sunflowers compliments of Gina Bany from West Linn (just outside of Portland). Her garden is an inspiration to painters and photographers in... Full story
Kathleen G. Williams, a resident of Sequim, Washington and a former resident of Alfalfa died August 3, 2006. A memorial service was held August 12 at 11 a.m. at Niswonger-Reynolds Chapel in Bend. Kathleen was born July 16, 1926, in Bend to Geroge C. and Marie (Sosinsky) Carroll. She was raised in Sisters and attended school here. In May 1946, she met and later married her husband, Jim H., in Boise, Idaho. They lived in Alfalfa and were co-owners of J&K Grocery Store until 1962. Kathleen wrote news for the Redmond Spokesman... Full story
Donald Herman Deardorff was born May 11, 1917 in Clackamas to Earl and Gertrude (Ulrich) Deardorff of Happy Valley. Don passed away August 8, at the age of 89. Don was blessed to have had two families. He is survived by his wife, (November 28, 1969 in Vancouver, Washington) Darlene G.(Kufner) Deardorff of Sisters along with children Dan Hunker (Cheryl); Gloria Roth (Lou Niles); David Hunker, all of Portland; and Darrell Hunker of Toledo along with three grandchildren and one... Full story
Dr. Mark Francis, D.D.S, recently sold his Sisters dental practice to Dr. Kelley Mingus, D.M.D. Dr. Francis had operated his practice for the last seven years. Last year, Dr. Francis suffered a neck injury that never healed correctly and subsequently forced him to leave the profession. He was approached by Dr. Jeff Timm, D.M.D., who had wanted to purchase the practice for his son, Ryan, who was ready to graduate from dental school in a year. Dr. Timm found the practice to be quite busy and more than he could manage until his... Full story
Glen Lasken had embarked on building a successful workers compensation practice in Portland when he made a move that brought mixed reviews from his colleagues. Ten years ago, he moved his business to Sisters. His colleagues either thought he had embarked on a "crazy gamble" or were jealous that he was moving to a "vacation paradise." His gamble has paid off - in part because he is an attorney who gets results for his clients and partly because Central Oregon has grown more... Full story
The Boy Scouts of America are still trying to do what they started out doing when British Army officer Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell organized Scouting back in 1910: Help boys to become strong and honest to become tomorrow's strong and honest men. Last week, 11 young men from BSA Troop 188, Luke Glick, Marcus Gaboni, Thad Anderson, Cory Ozbun, Cody Swartz, Chris Epperson, Andy Stahn, Jerimiah Stahn, Ben Morse, Jeremy Archer and Justin Dean from the Sisters area went on... Full story
• A man was arrested for having an illegal short-barreled shotgun after deputies were called to a domestic disturbance at his home. • A resident reported vandalism to a new backyard playset. Investigation led to a quick discovery of a culprit: the wind. It picked up the playset, moved it 25 feet and put it on its side. Citing the wind was not an option. • A local business reported receiving a counterfeit $20 bill characterized by the sheriff's office as a "fairly good" counterfeit. It was passed by a family... Full story
• 5 Elements Healing Arts Center welcomes massage therapist Robbie Bianchi. Bianchi is skilled in relieving chronic pain and is available at 350-9251. • Paulina Springs Books is hosting three authors this coming weekend. Author Ellen Bishop will discuss her book, "Best Hikes with Dogs - Oregon," on Friday, August 18 at 6:30 p.m. Former Oregon defense attorney Phil Margolin will introduce his latest legal thriller, "Proof Positive," on Saturday, August 19 at 6:30 p.m. Jana McBurney will feature her first novel, "My... Full story
