News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
Smoke that is visible from Sisters looking toward the mountains is from the Pete’s Lake Fire, which is on the far side of the Three Sisters and west of Elk Lake. Central Oregon Fire Information reports: Firefighters spent a busy day yesterday responding to several new starts caused by lightning storms that passed over the area in the last several days. Four of these new starts were on the Deschutes National Forest and were contained at less than 1/2 acre. One new incident on the Willamette National Forest continues to g... Full story
(Editor’s Note: Hearing time corrected). The Sisters City Council will hold a hearing on Tuesday, September 5, at 5 p.m. on a proposed emergency shelter for the homeless to be located at 192 W. Barclay Drive in Sisters. A local nonprofit organization, Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS) advocates for the houseless community. The organization was awarded funding from the State through the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to purchase and operate a shelter at a permanent location within Sisters. The SCWS board has... Full story
Emergency shelter To the Editor: I would like for those who have strong feelings about the proposed homeless shelter to consider the following: The town of Sisters has had an operational cold weather shelter for the past five years. This service has been conducted by local churches who are not equipped to provide the mental health services that a proper homeless shelter would. There is now a precedent set for many of the homeless among us to spend a good deal of time in those areas surrounding the churches and more... Full story
If someone were to ask me, “What is a wolf?” I’d pause, as there is no simple answer. They are a dynamically complex species, legendary in fiction and lore; historically persecuted, used when convenient as an image for sport teams, travel trailers, movie villains, and even insurance companies. Wolves are primarily misunderstood and all too often marginalized. I am an avid “wolf watcher” returning annually to watch the wolves in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Personally, I am fascinated by the wolf’s family social dyna... Full story
A few months ago the Sisters Library had a book signing with William "Bill" Sullivan. Since the library is undergoing a massive remodel, the signing was held at the Sisters Firehouse Community Hall on Elm Street. When I saw a few of the books that Bill has published, I decided I would get out of my comfy chair and go. I'm glad I did go. Bill was very down to earth, knew his subjects and made the entire event interesting. One of the books I saw in his list was "100 Hikes /... Full story
In your lifetime there are two odds of seeing a wolf in the wild: slim and none. Just ask Emily Weidner of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), a biologist based in Bend. She's made a career of tracking and monitoring wolf activity, and just saw her first live wolf three weeks ago. I had the pleasure of meeting Weidner and her Oregon state counterpart, Aaron Bott, last week. We sat down at Angeline's before Bott and I struck out to check trail cameras near Sisters (see... Full story
In the creatively inclined town of Sisters, music can usually be found just around the corner. From hosting musical venues throughout the area, to being the origin of the Sisters Folk Festival, music is a passion many Sisters citizens share. Robert Sposato, previous college professor and current father and arts activist, is a man who encourages this passion. "I love jazz," said Sposato. "Ever since I heard Coltrane play 'Round Midnight,' I was hooked. But now it's a lot about... Full story
According to ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer site, the Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS) officially became a registered nonprofit in January 2021. This fact is mirrored by Guidestar’s non-profit profile of the same organization. The only IRS tax filing to date listed by both ProPublica and Guidestar is for fiscal year 2022, when SCWS filed a 990EZ to include Schedule A. The SCWS offered its justification as a public charity is because it is “an organization that normally receives a substantial part of its support from... Full story
This month, Sisters Arts Association (SAA) welcomes Canyon Creek Pottery to Fourth Friday Artwalk. The event features some of Sisters' finest traditional artists plus a few new talents. Canyon Creek Pottery (310 N. Cedar St.) is home to an array of handmade pottery, all produced by potter Ken Merrill in the studio situated behind his gallery. The gallery's selection incudes lamps, mugs, dinnerware, and wall art, and custom creations are available. It's a few steps beyond the d... Full story
Firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry's (ODF) Central Oregon District, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Lake Chinook Fire & Rescue, contractors, and local partners have significantly slowed the Juniper Creek Fire through an aggressive initial attack. Firefighters were able to establish a control line completely around the fire and were continuing firefighting operations night and day. Control line is the term used to describe dozer and hand-line... Full story
How can or can't species adapt to the effects of climate change? For decades, Thor Hanson, Ph.D. - respected biologist, author, Guggenheim Fellow and Switzer Environmental Fellow - has travelled the world, written several books, and won the renowned John Burroughs Medal in pursuit of answers to this pressing question. As the keynote speaker at this year's Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, Hanson will speak on this all-too-relevant topic and later participate in a book... Full story
A handful of returning players, including Dustin DeSmet, Scott Henderson, Triston Madron, Tony Gonzalez, Ethan Eby, Kalvin Parker, Hudson Beckwith, and Dolon Pool bring varsity experience on both sides of the ball, and will lead this year’s young and inexperienced Outlaws football squad. Although the team is young, Coach Gary Thorson told The Nugget that they will bring a lot of talent to the field. Several players are competing for the quarterback position, including junior Kale Gardner, and sophomores Hunter Bronson, T... Full story
Sandy Reilly of Sisters raised $1,800 for the Rotary's Ride for Alzheimer's earlier this month. According to Tate Metcalf of Sisters Athletic Club (SAC), Reilly organized approximately 14 donor/riders for a two-hour spin ride at SAC for the fundraiser. "He loves to ride and he's very passionate about (combatting) Alzheimer's," Metcalf said. Sisters Rotary has been engaged in raising awareness of Alzheimer's disease. They held a series of talks in July on the subject. The... Full story
This year’s volleyball squad will carry on a rich tradition of elite volleyball at Sisters High School. Players are ready for an exciting season. The Lady Outlaws return a bevy of seniors, and some experienced and impactful juniors. Nine of the 12 players on the roster are returnees from last year. Sisters’ front line boasts six players that all hover around six feet tall, which will impose a very strong defensive and offensive presence across the state. The six returning seniors include Gracie Vohs, Gracelyn Myhre, Mia Mon... Full story
A 39-year-old local woman was cited on a single infraction in relation to the July 30 crash at the junction of Highway 126 and Cloverdale Road east of Sisters. The crash took down power and Internet in the Sisters area for most of a day, disrupting life and having significant economic impact on local businesses. The woman allegedly ran through the stop sign in a passenger vehicle as she traveled northbound on Cloverdale Road about midnight, and ran into the back axle of a gasoline trailer truck headed west toward Sisters on... Full story
Maui, Hawaii, is as much home to Tristan and Gemma Marshall as Sisters is. When they saw the devastation wrought by a wildfire that destroyed the town of Lahaina, they wanted to help. But Tristan is 13, and Gemma is 11. They don't have an income from which to make a donation - so they decided to leverage their musical passion to raise funds for Maui Strong. The Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong fund is providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly for... Full story
The Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS) board has reapplied for the emergency shelter proposed by the board to the City of Sisters initially on June 27. The new application is effective starting August 15. A local nonprofit organization, SCWS advocates for the houseless community. The organization was awarded funding from the State through the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to purchase and operate a shelter at a permanent location within Sisters. The board... Full story
High Camp Taphouse opened last summer. Since then, owners Nurbu and Pema Sherpa have steadily built a following of diners who love their Himalayan food and the welcoming atmosphere. Not only are their chairs, comfy couches, and bar stools often filled, High Camp also caught the attention of world-renowned chef and host of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Guy Fieri. When Pema Sherpa received the first email from the show, she thought it was spam and didn't respond. A few weeks... Full story
In an abundance of caution, ODOT announced Friday that it was closing 15 miles of the 82-mile McKenzie-Santiam Scenic Byway (Highway 242) between mileposts 61 and 76 due to activity from the Lookout Fire, reported on August 5, which so far has consumed over 11,000 acres. The closure is 14 miles west of Sisters. The popular Dee Wright Observatory at mile post 77.5 remains open. ODOT’s decision was not based on the threat of actual fire reaching the iconic highway. Rather it w... Full story
The pair of wolves known as the Metolius pair are presumed - but not confirmed - to be a male and female. On April 19, 2022 a new AKWA (Area of Known Wolf Activity) was designated in the Metolius wildlife management unit. Since August of 2021, there have been public reports of two wolves. Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) documented that the wolf activity appeared to be resident, prompting the AKWA designation. These two wolves were counted for the 2021 annual... Full story
Friday night at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters was the scene of smooth jazz and over 300 silent auction items along with a wine and hot and cold appetizer spread that feted attendees. The night was filled with bargain hunters and curiosity seekers who sorted through a cornucopia of vintage and mercantile items in over 25 categories. There was something for everyone - campers, toy and art collectors, fly fishers, home furnishers, gourmands, and fashionis... Full story
