News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 19 of 19
Loss is part of life. No one escapes it. Grief will come for us all at one time or another. Nobody gets to claim the trophy on having suffered the “most grief.” There is no such competition. Ultimately, the worst grief is your own — the loss you are personally experiencing. Grief is quite simply, the death of something or someone. Whether that is from the death of a loved one, a job, routine, a relationship, gatherings, friends, financial security, or safety, the origin(s) of your grief may remain relevant, per... Full story
The wilderness is where she belonged. Her soul weaved itself into the harshness and raw beauty of nature; an ebb and flow where her being and nature itself merged together. She was not a visitor, she was one with her surroundings.... Full story
Gary Ross believes that the concern about growth in Sisters is a legitimate one. He also acknowledges that, due to a lack of affordable housing, service workers in Sisters, of necessity, often have to drive from Bend, Redmond and beyond to work here. He suggests that as Sisters grows, there isn’t so much a need for more monolithic neighborhoods, but rather a diverse mix of housing, with a variety of price points, so workers can afford to live in Sisters. Ross reported he w... Full story
City Councilor Andrea Blum’s current term is expiring, and she is hoping to be re-elected. “We are in the middle of a huge transition here in Sisters. We have just scratched the surface of our Sisters Vision Plan and I want to be sure those goals and objectives are implemented. This is an exciting, energizing time for the city,” Blum said. Blum began her Council career in 2014 when she was tapped to fill an open seat left vacant due to a resignation. In 2015 she was elected to... Full story
A proponent for social justice, 22-year old Elizabeth Fisher was born and raised in Central Oregon, living first in Redmond and then moving with her family to Sisters, where she spent nine years in Sisters schools. Fisher received her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 2020 from Oregon State University. She followed the bioengineering track in college and is currently sending out job applications in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields. For enjoyment she likes... Full story
Jennifer Letz is no stranger to issues of importance to Central Oregon in general, and specifically to Sisters. Her work as a sustainability specialist with the U.S. Forest Service has heightened her interest in and knowledge of creatively managing growth while enhancing sustainability. Letz believes that running for public office is a good way to give back to the community where she lives. She said she would bring to City Council a wide variety of skill sets, including experi... Full story
Susan Cobb decided to run for Sisters City Council when she realized that, instead of encouraging others to run, she would walk her talk. She indicated that even if she doesn’t garner a Council seat, she will find other ways to be involved. If she is elected, Cobb has identified a number of issues she would like to address including working with the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce to amplify the businesses already in Sisters and what new ones could be brought in to sustain a... Full story
Get ready for the “Greatest Show on Earth” — Halloween weekend with the Venardos Circus when it returns to Redmond at the Deschutes Fairgrounds under the big top. The stage will have live socially distanced audiences from October 29 through November 1, for the first shows in front of a live audience since COVID-19. The circus has always been one of the most popular forms of public entertainment in the world. It’s hard to conceive of just how popular it was in its Ameri... Full story
After enduring one of the worst fire seasons in modern history, Oregonians earnestly hope the upcoming winter will deliver an ample supply of much-needed moisture to extinguish the fires still burning and to ease extreme drought conditions that grip our region. Every source of information begins by revealing current conditions in the central Pacific Ocean. Known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), it is the most important climate phenomenon on earth due to its ability to change the global atmospheric... Full story
The Sisters Outlaws hosted a three-way meet under blue autumn skies on Tuesday, October 6 to wrap up the spring sports mini season. Tuesday’s meet included a surprise school record in a seldom-run relay event as Will Thorsett (1,200), Brody Anderson (400), Sam May (800) and John Peckham teamed up in the distance medley relay in a time of 11:15.81. The previous record was set in 2009 at 11:22. Two events came down to the wire. The first, in a literal photo finish, took place i... Full story
• Martha Hindman, special programs administrator, gave an update at last week’s school board meeting on mental-health support still available through the Child Center with some changes. Students referred will now have access to therapists assigned to them based on student needs rather than having just one therapist for all types of cases. Two paraprofessionals have been hired as support staff. Hindman remarked how good it was to see the K-3 students back in school when she spent time at the elementary doing some o... Full story
The preschool conducted by Sisters Elementary School and funded through Oregon’s Preschool Promise Grant is still accepting applications from qualified families. The preschool has hired teachers and is ready for students, but the opening has been delayed for a few weeks due to a backlog in the Early Learning Hub’s ability to process applications for Sisters and other schools in the region, according to Mylee Card, lead teacher of the preschool. Card has been working with principal Joan Warburg to reach out to families kno... Full story
After a competitive public solicitation process, Steele Associates Architects of Bend has been selected to design the new Sisters Ranger District Compound in Sisters. The new facility will be located at the current Sisters Ranger District site. Phase 1 will include design and construction of a 12,000- to-14,000-square-foot district office, and Phase 2 will include the design and construction of a 4,980-square-foot district storage facility that includes eight individual storage units, four individual heated ADA... Full story
In a year marked by canceled events, separation, and loss, it can be difficult to focus on the positives. But one place that positive energy was palpable this summer was in Fir Street Park each Sunday. The success of Sisters Farmers Market can be attributed to a few factors — perhaps the most prominent being the community support. In March, the pandemic threatened the possibility of holding markets this summer. It was the community of vendors from past seasons of... Full story
If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that unexpected — even unthinkable — things can, do, and will happen. It’s a pretty safe assumption that none of us had a global pandemic, lockdowns, economic dislocation, and serious, widespread civil unrest on our dance card on New Year’s Day. Who among us predicted that people would be fighting in store aisles over packages of toilet paper? Folks in Sisters know from bitter experience that wildfire is always a threat, but t... Full story
Hey, it isn’t easy to come up with something everyone can agree on these days, but I think I have one: Inasmuch as Jim Anderson (The Sisters Naturalist) has probably had more to do with the edification of the entire population of this region than anybody ever has, the next time a name is needed for a new school here it should be the Jim Anderson Elementary, Middle School or whatever, right? Go golden eagles! Or horned owls! Or bats! Don Wilt To the Editor: Since I was awakened very early yet again (4:54 a.m.!) by tractor e... Full story
The Neal family of Sisters has come home. They celebrated that homecoming in a Sisters Habitat for Humanity dedication ceremony on October 6, in the Village Meadows neighborhood. The family of five expressed their thanks and appreciation for everyone who made their home a reality. John Neal said, “Thanks to everyone coming together and getting this done (during) this challenging year. It’s one positive thing coming out of 2020. Thanks everybody!” Ashley Neal echoed her husband... Full story
Ballots for the November 3 election went out Wednesday, October 14. Sisters voters will decide who will sit on the City Council. There are five candidates for three positions. The top two vote-getters will serve four-year terms; the third-highest vote-getter will serve for two years. Candidates are Gary Ross; Elizabeth Fisher; incumbent Andrea Blum; Susan Cobb; and Jennifer Letz. The Nugget profiles each of the candidates in this issue. Sheriff Shane Nelson is running for reelection, challenged by Bend Police Officer Scott Sc... Full story
Travel between Sisters and the Willamette Valley took a long step toward normalization as Highway 22 reopened to traffic in the Santiam Canyon on Tuesday, October 11. Oregon Department of Transportation officials estimate more than 30,000 hazard trees have been removed along a 40-mile stretch of Highway 22 that saw heavy roadside damage from high winds and wildfires in early September. Hazard trees include dead, dying or leaning trees that were damaged by the wildfires, and would likely fall down on and block the highway. As... Full story
