News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
A public meeting on Milli Fire conditions will be held today, September 5, at 5 p.m. at Sisters High School auditorium. A panel of fire managers and local agency leaders will be present to answer questions.... Full story
Many Sisters businesses approached the profitable month of August on schedule to see steady business and revenue increases. But the smoke from the Milli Fire - as well as other surrounding wildfires - has obscured what many predicted to be a good season. Of the many businesses affected by the smoke, the ones focused on outdoor recreation have suffered the most. Rob Malone, director of golf at the Aspen Lakes Golf Course, described how the smoke and air quality has hurt... Full story
Usually when people use the term "smoking" in connection with the Sisters Folk Festival, they're talking about a particularly hot flatpicker or a set from a lively band like this year's encore artist The East Pointers. This year, with something like 500 square miles of Oregon on fire, the term has taken on the unpleasant connotations of poor air quality that threaten the character of the 21st annual event. As of press time, festival board and staff were closely monitoring conditions and forecasts and making contingency... Full story
As the Milli Fire grew over the past couple weeks, so has the number of road closures. With an increase in closures comes the need to provide security, protection, and information for locals and visitors. And road guards play a key role in this process. A road closure is put in place when a wildfire poses a threat to residents. And it helps prevent them from accidentally stumbling into firefighting operations. To provide protection and safety, authorities will post people at... Full story
While Sisters Country continued to live under a pall of smoke over Labor Day Weekend, some residents got a welcome piece of fire-related news. Level 2 evacuation notices were lowered to Level 1 Sunday afternoon, affecting the subdivisions of Crossroads, Edgington/Remunda, Wildwing, Peterson Burn Road area, and along both sides of Three Creek Lake Road south of the Brooks Scanlon Logging Road (FS 4606). All areas between Highway 20 and Highway 242 west of the city of Sisters, which includes the subdivision of Tollgate and... Full story
It's been a rough August in Sisters. Smoke from wildfires as far away as Canada was already impacting the area when the Milli Fire broke out and turned into a 26,000-acre conflagration. The smoke has been terrible. The effects of the fire have kicked people out their homes for days and disrupted business during the height of the busy season. The health impacts range from irritating to downright dangerous. People's nerves have frayed. And yet we can all be grateful that we're not in Houston, which is enduring biblical... Full story
To the Editor: Craig Rullman, columnist for The Nugget Newspaper, thinks that America is not institutionally racist and that "America continues a historically remarkable record of self-correction in the matters of race." Using some twisted logic, he believes the real tragedy of Charlottesville will be used (if it's further exploited) to suggest otherwise. If you call yourself a Nazi, you're a racist. I think we can all agree on that. I believe Trump is racist. But what Trump did in his role as President of the United States,... Full story
Black Butte Ranch Art Guild has been supporting art in Sisters schools with scholarships from the proceeds of the annual Art at the Ranch show for over three decades. Last Friday evening, the guild held its annual artist reception and silent auction at the Black Butte Ranch Lodge Brooks Room, where guests mingled with artists and bid on their works in a fundraising silent auction. However, due to the unhealthy air quality forecasted for last weekend, the outdoor art fair sched... Full story
To stay healthy while we have an inversion of smoke in town, the best option is simply to leave. Find a place that is smoke-free, and stay away until the smoke clears. For many of us, though, that is not an option. There are ways to keep your immune system strong, your body healthy, and to combat depression and crankiness. Listed below are ways to keep you, your family, and your environment as healthy as possible, using items you may already have around your home. To offset the smell of smoke, and help keep your lungs clear,... Full story
Art quilting is a unique way to express creativity and explore new methods of quilting. Rather than crafting a quilt using traditional patterns, the art quilt comes in many forms and is often inspired by the experiences, imagery, and ideas of the artist. Two local quilters, Sharon Carvahlo and Torrie Gordon, have created a variety of art quilts reflecting their personal experiences and individual processes. The quilts are hanging in the computer room at the Sisters Library,... Full story
The smoky conditions on Saturday didn't stop folks from getting out to browse through the 10th annual Sisters Fall Street Festival that lined Oak Street and Main Avenue with a bright blend of eclectic merchandise from some 47 vendors. Each year the festival gives folks that last chance to savor the final days of summer. The festival featured unique showcases of handcrafted arts and crafts. From rake birdfeeders to hand-designed jewelry, there was something for everyone.... Full story
The Outlaws football team brings back 11 seasoned players who will all help lead and guide this year's squad. Nine seniors return for their final season, including Christopher Luz, Jaden Condel, Brady Wessel, Austin Lake, Tyler Friend, Jake Stevens, Casey Warburton, Zach Morgan and Ethan Morgan. Luz is an exceptional athlete, who will play at wide receiver, defensive back, and also see some time at quarterback. Condel is strong and tough, and will play on the offensive line... Full story
"Journey's Flight," a book about the record-setting migration of one of our tagged monarch butterflies, is now released and there will be a public celebration on Saturday, September 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce building on Main Avenue. There will be cake and punch, and many of the students who worked on the book will be on hand to sign copies of the book. Organizers also hope to have at least one butterfly to tag and release at the event.... Full story
Equestrians in Central Oregon have no excuse for boredom. Activities vary from trail riding to classic and cowboy dressage. Carriage driving, show jumping, eventing, high school equestrian team, 4-H, Pony Club, cattle work and just enjoying a pasture pet are all enjoyed by local horse enthusiasts. One activity not on offer until now is the venerable discipline of vaulting. Long established in Europe and included as one of the 10 equestrian disciplines at the World Equestrian... Full story
Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz will be playing as a headliner at this year's Sisters Folk Festival, bringing with her a very eclectic music background and influence. "I come from a bluegrass background, but today, I more describe my music as folk and Americana. I tend to shy away from genre names because I feel influenced by so many different genres. They all find their way into my music," Jarosz told The Nugget. Jarosz has been involved in music pretty much her... Full story
The Outlaws cross-country teams have consistently sent teams to the state meet for most of the last two decades. They look to continue that trend during the 2017 campaign. For the boys team, that will mean a big turnaround from last year, while the girls appear to be the favorites to win the Sky-Em title once again. Returning from last year's trophy team is senior Anna Bartlett, who won the district race and went on to finish 10th at the state meet where the team finished... Full story
The Lady Outlaws volleyball team sailed right to the top to take championship honors at the Mt. View Tournament held on Friday, September 1. Sisters dominated pool play with victories over Willamette, South Albany, and Redmond. They earned the first-place seed and got a bye in the first round. The Outlaws faced Willamette again in the semi-finals and recorded the win in two sets with scores of 25-17 and 25-12. Sisters swept the Ridgeview Ravens in the championship game 25-17,... Full story
Justin Townes Earle is an American songwriter originally from South Nashville, Tennessee. He is the son of alternative country artist Steve Earle, and his middle name honors after his father's mentor, Townes Van Zandt. Earle describes his music as "country-soul with a lot of elements of old-style blues." He has been playing for over 20 years, after dropping out of school to tour and play music with other musicians in Tennessee. He played in two bands, The Distributors and... Full story
While once fitness in younger years may have be focused on looking good, and performing well, as the seasons of life pass more emphasis is put on function, muscle health, and enjoying leisure activity. Without minding proper nutrition and strength baselines, these functions will decline at a surprising rate. The incidence of people who suffer from loss of function is astounding. Muscle wasting, a condition medically known as sarcopenia, is the loss of muscle mass as one ages. It is prevalent in 53 percent of men and 43... Full story
If you've looked at watercolors, oil, or just plain black-and-white art and said to yourself, "I wish I - and my kids - could do that..." give Sisters Park & Recreation District a call and connect with Jodi Schneider McNamee; she can get you started. Teaching watercolor is number-one on Jodi's list of what she loves to do in life. So, last March she decided to really promote herself as an art teacher and began an art program at SPRD. She started teaching an adult class on... Full story
The persistent smoky haze blanketing Sisters along with most of the Pacific Northwest over recent weeks is a concrete, nagging reminder of the growing impact of climate change on human health. With 2016 recorded as the hottest year on record worldwide and 2017 on course to become the second hottest since modern record keeping began, doctors are increasingly recognizing that human health will suffer with the heat. One example of this is the exacerbation of respiratory and heart diseases by wildfire smoke made worse by... Full story
Ben Hendrickson passed away at the age of 33, due to drowning in Suttle Lake. Ben was born on August 4, 1984 and left us on August 13, 2017. Ben enjoyed life to the fullest extent. He was an avid outdoorsman. Ben loved to fish and be out on the water. He was also very musically inclined - anything from the drums, to piano, guitar, and even vocals; Ben loved it all and would create hours of entertainment for everyone. He was a very loving and fun person to be around. Ben also l... Full story
The magnificence of last month's total solar eclipse will likely stay with, perhaps for a lifetime, the many thousands of Central Oregon residents who witnessed it. Though the weather was mostly cloud-free, obscuring smoke from wildfires hung in the air in many areas. For those in the path of totality, the event delivered on all that was promised, and right on time. When the moon completely hid the face of the sun, Sol's corona popped into view, along with a few reddish-colore... Full story
I have a friend from the Marine Corps, John "Scoot" Davenport, who lives in Youngsville, Louisiana, and is an admiral in the Cajun Navy. That's a joke - there is no such thing as an admiral in the Cajun Navy. But recently I had the opportunity to talk with Scoot about his experiences as a volunteer during the onslaught of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Scoot, like all good sons of the bayou country, has a boat, an enormous affection for people, and a lot of neighbors who share... Full story
The Milli Fire that's been so hard on the breathing and vision for people living in Sisters Country has impacted the wildlife as well. While no one in the Crossroads subdivision lost their homes to the fire, wildlife in the Milli Fire area have lost everything they need to make a living, with some exceptions. The large animals have fled, of course; deer, elk, bear, coyote, cougar, bobcat and such are equipped to flee when fire destroys their homes. But for some species the... Full story
