News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 22 of 22
Sisters planning commissioners are recommending that the Sisters City Council approve a zone change and comprehensive plan amendment on the McKenzie Meadows property at the west end of Sisters. Five planning commissioners were present at the continuation of a hearing on the matter on Thursday, August 19. Commissioner Doug Roberts, who has a business relationship with the applicants, recused himself and did not participate in the discussion or vote. The remaining four voted... Full story
As of the deadline on Friday, August 6, EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) received 12 applications/résumés from people interested in the position of part-time economic development manager for Sisters, according to Erin Chaiet, EDCO operations manager. The Sisters City Council budgeted and approved $30,000 for the 2010/2011 fiscal year for the position. It will likely be at least the middle of September before a person (or firm) will be chosen to fill the position, an independent contractor's role, which... Full story
Forests from Black Butte Ranch to the west side of Bend will be made healthier and safer from the destruction of extreme wildfire through the Deschutes Skyline Project, which just won $500,000 in federal funding. Foresters hope that that is just the beginning. "The potential is for 10 years of funding to implement this Deschutes Skyline Project," said Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony. The project covers 130,000 acres, including private forest lands currently owned by Fidelity National - land the Deschutes Land Trust hopes... Full story
To the Editor: I'd like to let everyone Sisters community know about a serious problem we are having here in our "not so small" little town. Unfortunately, Hoyt's has experienced several break-ins this past year, the latest being over the past weekend. Someone has severed our gate locks on three occasions to gain access to the lumber yard after hours. After the third time we purchased more substantial locks. The latest break-in was a result of ripping one of our gates apart. The culprit is driving into our yard in the dark... Full story
Accomplished singer/songwriter/guitarist Kenny Edwards, who gave his time over the years in support of the Sisters Schools Foundation, died on August 18 at his home in Santa Barbara, California, at the age of 64 after battling prostate cancer. Edwards and his long-time musical collaborator and dear friend Karla Bonoff performed at Starry Nights three times since the series began in 1997, donating their time to raise funds for local schools. "When Starry Nights was just an idea... Full story
Wolftree, a leader in environmental education and stream restoration projects in the Sisters area, has undergone a change in leadership. Blake Lowery and Ashley Burry-Trice have been running the show in Sisters for over two years, building up a field-oriented educational program with Rima Givot, science teacher with Sisters High School. Ashley also focused on in-depth stream studies with Becky Barrett in Redmond High School, and made it possible for high school juniors and... Full story
Central Electric Cooperative (CEC) board of directors authorized a 9.5 percent average increase in members' rates effective with the utility's October billings. The move came on Thursday, August 19. "We have been able to forgo any increase in our rates for nine years, but we began explaining to our members early in 2009 that this period would be drawing to a close, largely due to rising power costs," said Member Services Director Jeff Beaman. "Wholesale power rates have increased considerably since we last adjusted rates and... Full story
On any given day there are troops - active duty or reserve - in Sisters on leave. There is no completely accurate way to report which troops are deployed or are in town on leave. However, the Military Parents of Sisters strives to keep in touch with our troops and their families so that each soldier, sailor, Marine or airman receives care packages while deployed. More importantly, they know folks from Sisters remember and support them. According to Cindy Bell, spokesperson... Full story
The salmonella outbreak that led to the recall of 380 million eggs shouldn't affect folks shopping in Sisters. "We get all of our eggs from Willamette Egg Co. right here in Oregon, which is not involved in the recall," said Ray's Food Place Manager Jeff McDonald. "We have called them and verified that." McDonald said Ray's eggs are "as safe as can be." Charlie Bunker, owner of Sisters Market, says his eggs are not affected by the recall either. However, he notes that interruptions in the supply chain may cause the price of... Full story
With the splintering of fresh pine and a rain of wood chips, Sisters' David Green will storm the stage at the Oregon State Fair for the STIHL Timbersports Collegiate Series Championship, August 27-29. The signature event celebrates its 25th year of promoting the world's best lumberjack sports with a special silver anniversary edition, where college athletes join the top international pros competing the same weekend. The action pits five regional collegiate champions and a wild... Full story
Sisters' Brown Bag food program, which has been offering help for those in need in Sisters for eight years, is making a move from its current site at Sisters Christian Church to Three Sisters Fellowship, at 442 Trinity Way off McKinney Butte Road. The change is effective September 1, 2010. The move became necessary due to the closing of Sisters Christian Church in January. "We need a nonprofit to keep the program running," said Jacki Shepardson, program coordinator. "Three... Full story
The large crowd that gathered on the lawns at 130 and 150 Cowboy St. to celebrate with the Foteff and Henninger families on Sunday provided a testament to Habitat for Humanity's spirit of volunteerism. Most of the people who were there had helped build the homes in one way or another, including the new proud homeowners themselves. Not everyone had wielded a hammer, raised beams or landscaped the lawn. Some hauled trash, brought food to workers, or donated supplies. Others,... Full story
The Sisters Folk Festival is continuing the tradition of holding a drawing for a Breedlove guitar and Deering banjo at this year's festival. Breedlove has donated a Deluxe Revival Series guitar with an aged Adirondack top and Oregon walnut back and sides. It has many features including herringbone purfling, a bone nut & saddle and a custom Sisters Folk Festival inlay. A masterpiece, the guitar's estimated retail value is $5,229. The guitar is currently on display at Paulina... Full story
Four Sisters students set off on an adventure this summer that took them to the other side of the world. Now they're back and have some amazing stories to tell. Sisters teachers Rand Runco and Mark LaMont helped them get acclimated to their new environment and then set them on a path of discovery that led them through the crowded streets of Kathmandu and then into the jagged jungle that makes up most of Nepal. Hayden Wester, Claire Seibold, Amy Yoder and Drew Harrison from... Full story
Black Butte Ranch has had plenty of experience with wildfire. Residents and guests have had to evacuate multiple times due to wildfire looming close to the Ranch; in 2002 the Cache Mountain Fire actually stormed onto the ranch and burned two cabins. In recent years, the Ranch has worked hard to become "fire free." Dan Tucker, fire chief at the Ranch since 1986, has been involved since the beginning. "When I first came here, things were different," Tucker said. "People didn't do a lot. Since wildfires were in the area, people... Full story
Here is a great little hike just off Highway 20. Although I've frequently driven by this trailhead, I had never before stopped to check it out. In fact, on average, I pass it about 20 times a year on my way to the coast or OSU Beaver football games. This is the Echo Basin Trail between Santiam and Tombstone Passes. The Echo Basin Trail works its way up Echo Mountain to the headwaters of Echo Creek. A narrow, but good, gravel road trims two miles and several hundred vertical... Full story
"Clean Getaway," the title of Curtis Salgado's latest release, says more about the man and his life than one could possibly imagine. Salgado, who finishes the "Live at the Ranch" Summer Concert Series at Black Butte Ranch Sunday, September 5, at 6 p.m., should know. Three years ago Salgado was diagnosed with liver cancer and told he had eight months to live unless he got a liver transplant. With no health insurance, Salgado turned to and got a little help from his friends -... Full story
As one of the nation's foremost authorities on Old West collectibles, Len Gratteri can now add the title "author" to his list of accomplishments with the printing of "William Sherod Robinson - Alias Ben Wheeler." "I'm excited and relieved it's finished," said Gratteri. "The reaction of my peers has been very positive when I attended the Wild West History Association Convention in Ruidoso, New Mexico. They loved the detail and compelling story." Gratteri is the owner of Old... Full story
Earlier this month, Sisters' new superintendent of schools, Jim Golden, was told that the newly approved federal stimulus funding included approximately $118 million slated for Oregon schools. It looked like the Sisters School District would get $200,000 to $250,000 in pass-through funds - great way to start a year of budget challenges. Then, on August 17, Gov. Ted Kulongoski released a letter to school superintendents warning of them of an additional $200 million to $500 million shortfall in the state's general fund. With... Full story
Sisters swimmers Kris Calvin and Chris Tujo dived into a chilly challenge earlier this month, participating in the Sitka Sound 10K Adventure Swim. The 6.2-mile adventure swim took place on August 8 and was a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association. Calvin won the race, and Tujo came in second, close behind. There were six participants in the 10K portion and another swimmer swam in a 5K course that found him suffering from hypothermia. He had to be pulled from the... Full story
The Sisters Country is awfully hard on vehicles. It's all too easy to back into a tree or run into a deer on the highway. When that happens, Sisters Country drivers can turn to Russell's Body Shop to fix the damage. "We try to make it like it never happened," Jeremy Russell said of the shop's work. Russell's Body Shop is a family-owned business. Jeremy learned the trade from Mark Carrell, who built a successful auto body repair business in Sisters over the past decade. "I did... Full story
Thanks to my wife Sue's landscaping our home with bird- and butterfly-friendly plants, I don't have to travel far and wide to revel in the swallowtails of summer. It wasn't always that way. When we first moved into our single-wide shaky-shanty at Sun Mountain 20-some-odd years ago, all there was for landscaping were a few native grasses (way too much cheatgrass), juniper, sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and a whole lot of knapweed. Now we live in a double-wide shaky-shanty, the... Full story
