News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
All the town's a stage in Sisters for one weekend every September, and for over two decades the Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) has celebrated the annual three-day event with Americana/folk music traditions and all the sensational variations - including bluegrass, blues, country, jazz, Celtic, and various styles of Latin American music. The tradition continued last Friday evening under clear skies as fans welcomed an eclectic mix of festival newcomers and a few returning artists... Full story
Sisters equestrienne Bailey Knirk, 14, sweats the small stuff when she's training her two horses. Spending quiet hours schooling and working on the basics paid off recently when Knirk came home from her first State 4-H Horse Fair, held during the State Fair in Salem, with the overall win in barrel racing in her age category. At the fair, the top qualifiers in each event from all Oregon counties gather to compete. Knirk qualified in Figure 8, another gaming event, as well as... Full story
A 29-year-old Redmond truck driver had a tough day on the job last Friday in Sisters. On September 7 at 5:30 p.m., a roof truss delivery boom truck owned and operated by Oregon Truss Company out of Dayton struck multiple power lines while travelling south on Pine Street. The driver of the boom truck had completed a delivery on North Pine Street near Barclay Drive and had failed to lower the boom crane onto the carrying cradle before leaving the job site. The boom caught a smal... Full story
After a number of years of declining interest in hunting and fishing by Oregonians, a multi-year effort by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to increase participation in those traditional outdoor activities seems to be paying off. The effort includes more opportunities - especially for young people - and here in the Sisters area as well. Like most largely rural Western states, Oregon residents have long been hunters and anglers, participating in those outdoor sports... Full story
Last week The New York Times published an anonymous op-ed by a "senior official in the Trump administration" entitled, "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration." The essay should not have been written anonymously, and The Times should not have published it anonymously. Had the senior official written the piece under his or her signature and willingly accepted the consequences of so doing, the piece might actually have been the bombshell it has been portrayed as being. If the writer is, in fact, an official... Full story
To the Editor: Early in this year's Sisters Folk Festival, I was searching online for what Lifetime Achievement or Artistic Director Hall of Fame for which to nominate Brad Tisdel for his curatorial work every year on SFF. While our hearts are full listening to acoustic folk, this year was out of this world as Brad introduced us to the many fusion directions current folk music is evolving such as The Dustbowl Revival, Kahulanui, Ron Artis II, GangstaGrass. On Sunday, artist Ron Artis II (Ron Artis II & the Truth) said it... Full story
Years ago Sisters Park & Recreation District employee Mandee Seeley was impressed by a community Earth Day cleanup in Jamestown, New York and hoped to do something similar one day. With Seeley's organizing and encouragement, Sisters will have its own Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 29, 8 a.m. to noon. The two main goals for the event are to bring the community together to care for their surroundings and to educate the public on "leave no trace." It is being held... Full story
If the energy and excitement that exists among the organizing committee carries over to the actual event, the Fiesta de Independencia on Sunday, September 16, 3 to 7 p.m., at Fir Street Park and the adjoining street, will be a joyous, exuberant afternoon. This is the first of what is hoped will be an annual community-wide, family-friendly free celebration of Mexican Independence Day. Entertainment will be provided by an eight-piece mariachi band from Hood River, Los Temerosos... Full story
Fine communities, stunning forests and popular festivals: Sisters Country is filled with great things. Workforce housing isn't one of them. As in ski towns around the country, business owners and civic leaders are sometimes stymied by the lack of reasonably priced housing. Finding and retaining employees becomes difficult. One local school district solved the problem by purchasing a house outright. Daniel Petke is board chair of the Black Butte School District. This tiny... Full story
Sisters Kiwanis awards grants to Sisters-area adults who are seeking a career change or wish to enhance career opportunities. This program, known as the Kiwanis Career Opportunity Fund (COF) assists adults (25 or older) who are financially unable to return to school or retrain for a career change. In the 10 years since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $66,000 in assistance to help residents reach their educational dreams. Audrey Tehan was recently awarded a COF... Full story
Seattle-based artists Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons' performances were highlighted by storytelling that brought a unique experience to the audience. The music they play is inspired by early 20th century American folk and novelty songs. "I have met a lot of folks that share my love for stories - mainly stories that revolve around songs and music traditions," Seamons said. "Songs are made for singing, dancing, and playing. But I've found they can also create a lens through which... Full story
Great play from the service line resulted in sweeps for the Lady Outlaws this past week. Sisters kicked off league play at Newport on Tuesday, September 4, with a straight three-set win with scores of 25-13, 25-4, and 25-5. At home two days later, the Outlaws trounced the Cougars 25-16, 25-6, and 25-17. In Tuesday's road match, serving was the key to the Outlaws' success, with Sisters posting 20 aces on the night. The strong serves prevented Newport from finding a rhythm in th... Full story
Katydids are not a common sight here in Central Oregon. There aren't a lot of deciduous trees (maples, oaks, elms and such) for them to feed and hide on. But, saying that, I'll bet if you show your 8-year-old the close-up photo of Rebecca Anderson's specimen and then send that young person out the door and say, "Go go get 'em Frank Buck!" he or she will come back with a katydid. Looking at them through the eye of an entomologist (a person who studies insects) they are in the z... Full story
Russ Petersen from Deschutes County Search and Rescue (DSAR) will head up a presentation scheduled for next week as part of the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) speaker series on local outdoor recreation and natural resource issues. Four years ago, the series was launched by the late Bjarne Holm, for whom STA posthumously named the series in 2016. Since its inception, the purpose of STA's series has been to enhance outdoor public recreation opportunities in the Sisters area and... Full story
The boys soccer squad was shut out 2-0 at home in their game against Newport on Tuesday, September 4, but two days later bounced back and shut down the Cascade Cougars on their home field. In Tuesday's action, Sisters gave up two goals late in the first half, at the 34- and 38-minute mark. Both goals came due to miscommunication from the Outlaws midfield and defense. Coach Rob Jensen told The Nugget the Outlaws tightened things up, switched formation in the second half, and cr... Full story
• Roy Gannon, a Sisters High School senior, was named National American Miss Oregon Teen at the Oregon State Pageant held September 3. She will attend the National Pageant at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, during Thanksgiving week, where she will have an opportunity to win a share of over $500,000 in cash and prizes. Her mother, Sheila Gannon, noted that this was "her fifth year competing for the title and she is very honored that her hard work has finally paid... Full story
The Lady Outlaws played a very close game at Newport in the league opener, but lost the battle in a final score of 1-0. Two days later smoke was an issue, and the game was called at the half. In Tuesday's match-up, the game was close from the get-go, and went back and forth from start to finish. Newport scored on a deep throw-in and finished with a nice flick into the goal for the finish at the 20-minute mark. The Outlaws outplayed the Cubs for the first 15 minutes of the... Full story
You tapped them through the Sisters Folk Festival - or got out of your chair and danced on them. They carry you up and down the hiking trails of Sisters Country. They get you to work and to the grocery store. By the time we hit "a certain age," our feet have walked tens of thousands of miles, stood for hours on hard surfaces (and if you're a woman, probably in heels). All that takes a toll - and not just on our feet. Ankles, knees and backs all pay the price for what we put... Full story
For 67-year-old Linda Boyer Monday, September 10 was a very special day: It was the day that she first laid eyes on her brother. She'd known since she was 9 years old that she had a brother somewhere in the world, and in recent years she had wondered about him, but she didn't know a birth date or have any other leads to go on. "My mother got pregnant before she ever met and married my father and she had to give him up because she didn't have anyone to help her," Boyer... Full story
If you ask most seniors, including me, where they would like to live out their lives, the answer is usually "in my home." If that's your answer, there are some important considerations to take into account now to make staying in your home a viable option. Where do you live? In town, in a neighborhood, or out in a rural area with few or no close neighbors? Regardless of where you live, do you have an adequate support system? For 24/7 free emotional support, well-being check-in,... Full story
For many people, the Great American Kaepernick Conundrum looks more like a spoiled brat dishonoring genuine sacrifice than a meaningful protest. The other side views Kaepernick's crusade as a righteous moral and political fight against inveterate police violence and institutional racism. Probably no one who supports one side or the other in this mess can be persuaded to move off of their position, and that's largely because, in an era of extreme political partisanship, we... Full story
