News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 20 of 20
Eighty-six "danger trees" have been identified between Pine Street in Sisters and the turnoff from Highway 20 to Jack Lake 16 miles to the west. They have been targeted for immediate removal. The trees are dead or dying and at risk of falling onto the highway. Removal operations are underway and are expected to be completed this week. There may be traffic delays. Wood will likely be left in place for the season. The remainder of the dead and dying trees - well over a thousand... Full story
Whychus Creek is one of the most important features of the landscape of Sisters. The stretch where it runs through town is slated for enhancement. The Sisters City Council reviewed concept designs for the Creekside Park and Campground Fish Passage and Restoration Project at their September 26 workshop. Mathias Perle, program manager for the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council (UDWC), made the presentation. The City and UDWC are collaborating to restore and enhance the section of... Full story
The Sisters City Council has announced two finalists for the position of city manager: Cory Misley and Tom Pessemier. Cory Misley is the current city manager of La Pine, where he has served since 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Psychology from Portland State University and a Masters of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Tom Pessemier most recently worked for the City of Sherwood. Since 2005 he has served in several positions including: assistant city... Full story
To the Editor: We need your help. Today we found a dead fawn on our back patio (see story, page 18). He had been shot with a small pellet gun or something similar. He died an agonizing death. I had gone outside to pick up some leaves and there he was. It was incredibly sad to see such a beautiful animal had come to such a senseless, violent end. Yes, I know deer can be pests sometimes, but they are God's creatures and deserve a chance at life. This was a young fawn, probably still with his mother. He had a tiny bullet hole bu... Full story
Our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves at the spectacle of the confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Right? Actually, probably not. The framers of the Constitution understood all too well what fate would befall the Republic if factionalism and the will to power gained sway. They were no better men than we. They were just as subject to the seduction of the deadly sins, just as capable both of great nobility and disappointing venality. Their genius lay... Full story
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (District) has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enhance volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program provides funding to public agencies to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards. The grant was awarded to the District after an exhaustive review and... Full story
The 2019 Sisters Rodeo Queen is Riann Cornett of Bend. She was selected on Sunday, September 23, from six highly qualified candidates to represent Sisters Rodeo in the Columbia River Circuit Rodeos and other rodeos. Riann is a Bend native, a 2016 graduate of Bend High School. She is the current Crooked River Roundup Queen and a 2016 Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo Princess. The active equestrian was dual enrolled at Mountain View High School to qualify for membership in Bend... Full story
This Saturday, Hike-N-Peaks hosts the first Sisters community Gear Swap, benefiting local schools. Used outdoor equipment and clothing in good shape will be for sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local folks have three ways to help kids connect with nature and learn in the great outdoors: Donate used outdoor equipment and clothing, sell it on consignment, or buy gear at the swap itself. All the public schools in Sisters and Camp Sherman attract enrollment with programs for outdoor,... Full story
In a small ghost town nestled at the edge of the vast landscape of Oregon's Alvord Desert near Steens Mountain, artist John Simpkins has turned a one-room schoolhouse into a working studio. For the past seven years, Simpkins, with only his dog for company, has lived and painted in the schoolhouse, one of the few buildings still standing in Andrews - a town that was home to a mere 150 people during its prime at the turn of the century. Simpkins moved there after living and... Full story
The ninth annual Sisters Fresh Hop Festival paved the way into fall season last Saturday with breweries from around Oregon sharing their freshest drinks. Hosted this year for the first time at the Three Creeks Brewing Co. facility off of Barclay Drive, the Festival welcomed locals and visitors from around the state. With more than 24 breweries participating in the event, the Fresh Hop Festival is a place for beer fans with a desire to taste only the freshest and best... Full story
The No. 5 state-ranked Newport Cubs (4-0 record) waltzed into Sisters and found an unexpected dance partner in the Sisters Outlaws. The Outlaws battled the Cubs the entire game. In the end, Newport prevailed in a slim 21-20 victory. Sisters defense hit the field fired up, and was determined to shut down the high-powered Newport offense. The first play of the game set the tone, as the Outlaws made a tackle for loss. They continued to shut down the Cubs, and forced them to punt.... Full story
The Sisters Elementary School Parent-Teacher Community (SPTC) is trying something new to fundraise for activities at the school: an "Un-Fundraiser." An un-fundraiser is a new trend happening throughout the country - simply a donation campaign. While the un-fundraiser for SPTC officially kicks off this week, donations will be accepted all year. The group has a goal of raising $6,000 by October 17, 2018. "For years our school has relied on selling a product to raise funds for activities and support other needs," says SPTC... Full story
Sisters will be well-represented when the Capitol Christmas Tree lights up in Washington, DC this Christmas season. Fifth-grade students in Sisters participate in a unit of study to commemorate the Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as the People's Tree, coming from the nearby Willamette National Forest this year. The Sweet Home Ranger District is sending an 80-foot noble fir along with 70 companion trees and thousands of handmade ornaments to Washington D.C. The tree will be... Full story
Unless a fall trip to New England is on your agenda, your best bet for viewing the brilliant leaf colors of autumn is a visit to Clear Lake. This is always my favorite local fall hike. Heck, it's everyone's favorite fall hike around here, and long-range weather forecasts suggest that there are still more excellent fall hiking opportunities to be enjoyed in the days ahead. Just over Santiam Pass and only about a half-hour away, Clear Lake's fall leaves create a Cascade... Full story
Brittaney Niebergall practically grew up with a basketball in her hand. She has memories of herself at three years old playing basketball in the driveway with her brother Tommy. She played basketball from three years old all the way through college, has accrued numerous accolades - and she is excited to bring her knowledge of the game to the girls basketball program here in Sisters. Competitive play for Brittaney started when she was in kindergarten. Growing up playing in the... Full story
Melissa Stolasz loves the fiddle. She took the instrument up as an adult and has become a kind of Johnny Appleseed of fiddle-playing since, launching programs to teach fiddle to young people and older folks alike. Now she's getting set to launch a fiddle class through Sisters Park & Recreation District - and she's looking for fiddles to help the class get its start. Anyone who has an unused fiddle that they are willing to lend or donate to help a student get started is... Full story
I've been wondering what there is to say about the saga of Judge Kavanaugh, and the allegations made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. There really is no upside to joining the discussion in the present environment, largely because we seem to have regressed to the tactics of politically driven denunciation in place of evidence and fact. But I'm going to do it anyway. Because accusations of this sort must be accompanied by evidence. And in this case, there isn't any reliable evidence. Only a 36-year-old memory-based claim with... Full story
In the words of Head Coach Josh Nordell, running a quality 5,000-meter requires a certain complicated sophistication. "There are actually more factors to races than most people realize," he explained. "There's the course, the conditions, the competition, the unforeseen surprises that the kids need to deal with to produce the outcome they desire." His philosophical words came after being asked to reflect on the Outlaws' progress as the season enters October, when meets really... Full story
Last Saturday morning, the Sisters Airport was bustling with 25 high school students, numerous parents, and five community volunteer pilots giving Young Eagles flights. The flights in private planes are provided for each student enrolled in the Flight Science Program at Sisters High School (SHS) free of charge, and are intended to give them an inspiring and personal experience of actual flight. The Flight Science Program has expanded to two full classes in order to meet the... Full story
If conditions remain favorable, firefighters will begin fall prescribed burning on the Deschutes National Forest this week. Multiple burns are planned starting this Wednesday and Thursday on the Sisters Ranger District. The Sisters Ranger District is planning a burn unit on Wednesday about four miles north of Sisters. This 92-acre burn will include traffic flaggers on Forest Service Road 1102 (Indian Ford Road).On Thursday, there are planned ignitions on two units totaling 171 acres in the vicinity of Camp Sherman at the... Full story
