News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 27
Americans will forever remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the terrible news of the terrorist attacks of September 11. None of us can forget the horrific sight of a Boeing jet smashing into the World Trade Towers. And as the bad news unfolded and compounded -- four airliners hijacked, symbols of our military and economy attacked, the collapse of the Towers and the death of countless heroic rescue workers -- our feelings ran the gamut from disbelief and shock to fear, grief, depression and anger.... Full story
The Nashville Bluegrass Band headlined this year's Sisters Folk Festival. More than 1,000 roots music fans and musicians descended on Sisters last weekend for the three-day Sisters Folk Festival. The festival lived up to its "blues to bluegrass" motto, providing a diverse musical palette. "Every festival has a new discovery," said banjo player Peter Heithoff of the local trio The Haymakers. "Someone new we can learn from. Although it will take us several lifetimes to catch up to The Waybacks!" "And we get a chance to... Full story
Some 2,000 cyclists were to start rolling into Sisters at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11. The riders will stay the night Wednesday and enjoy a layover day and night in Sisters on Thursday, September 12. There will be live music, a gallery walk in Sisters and a variety of outdoor activities scheduled for the riders. The seven-day trek began in Nyssa in Eastern Oregon on September 7 and wraps up on the coast at Florence on September 14. A small army of Sisters... Full story
Sisters students eagerly headed off to class on Monday, September 9. Sisters students went back to the classroom on Monday, September 9 -- four days later than originally planned. The school board delayed the start of school by four days in order to gain some time to assess the impact of statewide budget cuts. At press time, the legislature still had not acted to restore a nearly $500 million shortfall, but a deal involving some cuts, some borrowing and a temporary tax... Full story
Sisters students gave local educators something to smile about amidst all the gloom associated with looming budget cuts. Just-released state test scores from last year indicate that Sisters students are outstripping their peers in Central Oregon and statewide in reading, math, writing and science (see scores below). Sisters schools have more students meeting or exceeding state standards in both reading and math. At the elementary school level, Sisters students performed... Full story
The Sisters Jazz Festival mixes some of the country's best touring jazz bands with outstanding local and regional musicians. The show kicks off Friday, September 13, at noon with a free outdoor performance at Sisters Market on Cascade Avenue (see schedule of events). The festival opener will showcase Sisters' own Blue D'Arts, Sin Sity Suitz, from Las Vegas, and Pat O'Neal's Riverboat Jazz Band, from Portland. Two of the Festival's favorite bands, Chicago 6 and Gator Beat, will be featured Thursday night, September 12, in a... Full story
Thursday, September 12 - 8 p.m Cycle Oregon Camp, Sisters High School, free public performance presenting Chicago 6 and Gator Beat Bands Friday, September 13 - 12 noon Festival kick-off, Sisters Market, free performance featuring The Blue D'Arts, Sin Sity Suitz and River Boat Jazz Band. 12:30 p.m. Venues Open Friday, September 13 Time Village Green Comfort Inn Bronco Billy's Elementary School 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. Chicago 6 Night Bloom Jazz Duffy Bishop 3 - 4:15 p.m. Titan Hot 7 Sin Sity Suitz Riverboat Jazz 4:30 - 5:45 p.m.... Full story
SistersGalleries.com will host the September edition of Sisters Gallery Walk 2002 on Friday, September 20 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event, featuring seven galleries, is free to the public. High Desert Gallery at Elm Street and West Main Avenue will feature music by Doug and Katie Cavanaugh and presentations by artists Paul Alan Bennett, Karen Joy Ritchie and Jeff Wester. Canyon Creek Pottery, 310 N. Cedar St., features paintings by Glen Corbett. Clearwater Gallery, 391 W. Cascade Ave., offers a demonstration of soft pastels... Full story
Volunteers sort clothing at the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. The Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store in Sisters has an urgent need for volunteers to run the cash register and sort donations. The store, which is the primary funding source for the very active Sisters Habitat for Humanity chapter, relies on volunteers year-round. "The store requires 250 volunteers to run efficiently," said Habitat volunteer Barbara Frattini. "We are very short-handed. At this point, approximately 50 more volunteers are needed." The... Full story
Pat Burke takes the snap. The Sisters football team survived its first test of the young season by upending highly regarded Burns on the Outlaws' home turf last Friday, September 6, by a score of 35-28. Sisters came out and took the opening drive 79 yards in seven plays to start the scoring 7-0. Pat Burke hit Ian McAlister with two completions to account for 54 yards. Burke scored on a quarterback draw from the six-yard line for the touchdown. "I was happy with the way we played, except for the turnovers," said Coach Bob Maca... Full story
Sisters Family Access Network (FAN) will host a parenting class series titled "Parenting with Love and Wisdom." The five-week series will begin on Tuesday, September 17 and continue September 24, October 1, 8, and 15. Classes will be held at Sisters Elementary School library from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Counselor and parent educator Beth Bellamy from Bend Parks and Recreation will be the instructor. Class content will include steps to raising co-operative, responsible children; sharing control without losing it; setting and... Full story
Mary Beth Pearl. Her territory runs from Brothers to Sisters and keeps Mary Beth Pearl quite busy serving on the Deschutes Public Library Board as one of five publicly elected members. Pearl retired last June from High Desert Middle School in Bend where she had been librarian. She has spent 25 years in education as teacher, librarian, network administrator and network supervisor. She was a member of the Sisters Library Advisory Council from October 1995 to July 1999, and first Board President when voters approved the new... Full story
Legendary writer Ursula K. Le Guin will appear at Paulina Springs Book Company on Sunday, September 15, at 5 p.m. Le Guin is the author of the acclaimed Earthsea fantasy series and the latest book in that series, "The Other Wind," will be featured at the reading.a The scope of her writing is very broad including realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy, young children's books, books for young adults, screenplays, poetry and essays. She has published five books of poetry, 19 novels, more than 100 short stories, two... Full story
Students at work in the Americana Project Songwriting Academy. The Americana Song Academy hosted a week-long songwriting retreat at Camp Caldera in the week leading up to the Sisters Folk Festival. Based on the response of the registrants, the newest Americana Project offering will likely become a regular feature of the festival. "It's hard to put into words," said songwriter/musician Emily Kurns, who came from Santa Rosa, CA, to attend the Academy. "It was very inspiring to just spend a couple of days devoted to... Full story
The Sisters girls volleyball team begins play this week looking to improve upon last year. The perennial front runners had a rough time last season, finishing fourth in the Capital Conference. They did have the satisfaction of making the state playoffs, but were given a hasty exit in the first round by The Dalles. Chris Crosby returns to coach his second year and emphasized, "That was last year." The Outlaws lost three seniors to graduation, including All-State honorable mention Elizabeth Mount. But they have a wealth of... Full story
The Outlaws soccer team in action. The Sisters boys varsity soccer team began the new fall season by hosting the Huskies of North Marion on Thursday, September 5. When the final whistle had sounded, the teams had battled to a 3-3 draw. The Outlaws drew first blood with an unassisted goal by Alan Dale. North Marion came right back to tie it at one apiece. Lucas Denzer answered with an assist by Jeff Boswell to take a 2-1 lead at the half. "We played phenomenal for the first fifteen minutes of the game," Coach Mark Keel said.... Full story
Up goes the big top. The Sisters Folk Festival last weekend marked the first use of Sisters' own events tent. The 60-foot-by-150-foot tent was secured this summer through $20,000 in grants from Nike and Cycle Oregon; a $2,500 grant from the City of Sisters; $3,600 from the Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS); and $3,600 from September in Sisters, a consortium of event organizations. The ownership of the tent relieves events such as the folk festival, the Sisters Jazz Festival, Sisters in Sisters and others from a heavy... Full story
Shawn Jewell and Tim Davis have launched a new security firm in Sisters. Sisters Taekwondo instructor Tim Davis has parlayed his years of experience in security and the martial arts into a new Sisters-based security company. Davis and his partner Shawn Jewell founded Best Protection Specialists this summer, after months of training and certification through the State of Oregon. The team has provided event security for the Sisters Folk Festival and several Sisters Area Chamber... Full story
It was the musicians who kept feet stomping and hands clapping at the Sisters Folk Festival, but there was a small army of folks working behind the scenes to bring it all together. "It's amazing that just seven people get the job done," said Renee Perin, one of the seven members of the Sisters Folk Festival Board. A devoted fan of folk music, Perin has been a loyal festival attendee. When she learned several years ago that help was needed behind the scenes, Perin volunteered her services. "I started out just coordinating... Full story
Dumping junk at Habitat costs the organization time and money. Sisters' Habitat For Humanity Thrift Store relies on donations for its stock of goods. That does not mean the organization is a dumping ground for the community's junk. Last week, someone left overnight a heap of junk by the Thrift Store's back door. "This is obviously trash," store manager Pam Edwards said. "It's just garbage. They pile it right under our sign that says it's illegal to dump." Dumping is a weekly... Full story
Dr. Little Liedblad and friends. Broken Top Veterinary Clinic is Sisters' newest animal care facility. Located on Highway 20 just east of town, the clinic is owned by Dr. Little Liedblad. A resident of Oregon for nearly 30 years, Liedblad graduated from Washington State University in 1985. "I wanted to be a vet since I was knee-high to a bullfrog," she said. For several years she worked at clinics in Bend and did relief work for other vets. Two years ago, her husband, Craig Rishel, suggested she start her own business.... Full story
City Hall, Thursday, September 12 6 p.m. executive session. 7 p.m. regular meeting: A. Staff reports: - Eileen Stein, City Administrator. - Lt. Marc Mills, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. B. Election of new mayor. C. Consideration of a motion to make a loan from the general fund to the park SDC fund for Ash Street Park. Sisters Urban Area Planning Commission Wednesday, September 18 Sisters City Hall, 7:30 p.m. A. Public hearing: William Willitts -- Subdivision approval of 15-plus acre Commercial District parcel into 11... Full story
BEND, Ore. -- A managed care company in Central Oregon has filed a suit against the state-run Oregon Health Plan, saying it routinely underpays its physicians and hospitals. Bend-based Central Oregon Independent Health Services, which provides care to 25,000 Central and Eastern Oregon residents, is seeking at least $10 million to reimburse losses it says it has accrued since 1997. The firm also hopes to compel the state to turn over information it uses in setting rates it pays the company. The breach of contract suit names... Full story
Jinny Pitman describes steps to protect homes from wildfire. The Sisters Ranger District hosted a discussion on August 31 in Camp Sherman about reducing wildfire risk to homes in Central Oregon. Jinny Pitman, Sisters Ranger District Fire Prevention specialist, provided a small audience of local homeowners several tips on how to make their properties and residences better able to survive a wildfire. Pittman emphasized that "we live in wildfire country, and wildfires are going to occur. If your home is adjacent to wildlands,... Full story
No on Measure 19 As badly as Oregon schools need an infusion of cash, this is the wrong way to get it. Measure 19's $150 million "rainy day fund" is another money-shifting ploy that helps the legislature avoid a stable, long-term program for funding education. Without stable funding, every day will be a rainy day for schools and this fund won't fix the problem. The fund is supposed to be replenished from lottery dollars -- but only by taking money from other programs. Incredibly, much of that money will be taken from the... Full story
