News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
While the City of Bend slashes budgets, lays off planning staff and searches for ways to cope with a budget shortfall growing into millions of dollars, the City of Sisters is looking pretty comfortable. No layoffs are planned, according to City Manager Eileen Stein, and rather than facing a shortfall, the city has a more-than-healthy contingency fund of approximately $1.5 million. Permit fees and systems development charges (SDCs) are down significantly in Sisters, as... Full story
Big city politics hit the small community of Sisters as the full slate of five candidates for the Sisters City Council lined up together to face an intent crowd of around 150 people - a few of whom were actually voting constituents - at FivePine Conference Center Monday night. Dwarfing the meager turnout for the recent Bend Candidates Forum, the interest level is of historic dimensions for Sisters. The well-run candidate forum was organized by Bill Mintiens and capably moderated by attorney and Sisters resident John... Full story
A flippant comment by a student at a soccer game turned into a minor incident in the Sisters School District. According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reports, on Saturday October 11, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. a juvenile male had contact with an off-duty teacher during soccer games at Sisters Elementary School. The student and the teacher knew each other from past school contacts. The teacher struck up a friendly conversation and asked the student how he was doing. The student replied, "I'm planning a mass murder." The teacher... Full story
The economy may be sliding into a recession, but you'd never know it from the hoard of shoppers who turned out on Saturday to visit the Sisters Harvest Faire. The weather cooperated; it was a crisp but clear fall day, perfect for wandering the booths and sampling the wares of crafters and artists from all around the Pacific Northwest. Sunday was a little slower, but still reflected a brisk trade up and down the closed-off Hood Avenue and into Barclay Park. Sisters Area... Full story
The Sisters City Council election has become a referendum on Brad Boyd's performance as mayor. The Nugget believes that performance merits another term of office. Boyd has demonstrated a strong work ethic, attention to detail and thorough understanding of the complete picture of increasingly complex city governance. He is always well-prepared and asks the important, incisive questions. Many problems that have plagued the city have improved markedly on his watch, most notably a dysfunctional planning department that is now... Full story
To the Editor: Re: Demaris Lake: a 'local secret' (The Nugget, October 8, page 30). What a wonderful article, but it's a little late now to consider keeping this off the general public's radar screen, as it was mailed to me from my niece in Prineville, who received it from her uncle in Bend! And his e-mail list was well over 30, so if you multiply that by every one that gets it, the whole state will soon know about it. I live in McMinnville, but the Demaris clan is huge and spread out all over the state. Happy hiking! Carol... Full story
Fire officials are tentatively set to open burning season on local fire districts on Saturday, October 18. That date is subject to change based on conditions. Contact your local fire district before burning. Local fire officials encourage all residents to check their burn piles and make sure there is no life left in them. Never leave a fire unattended and make sure it is dead out. You are responsible for your fire and could be held liable for damage or suppression if the fire escapes. If you choose to burn your yard debris, t... Full story
The Sisters Ranger District is offering a public tour of the Wizard Fire on Saturday, October 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A bus will pick up passengers at the Sisters Ranger Station in Sisters at 8:30 a.m. and at the Allingham Guard Station in Camp Sherman at 9 a.m. According to the Forest Service, the purpose of the tour is to share the story of the prescribed burn in the Metolius Research Natural Area that became the Wizard Fire in late September. District Ranger Bill Anthony will lead the tour with Forest Service staff.... Full story
Wild Wings Raptor Rehabilitation of Sisters is soaring on an updraft crested by artist Tom Murphy, bird-lover Sandy Hiatt and Soda Creek Gallery. Murphy created a wood sculpture of an owl, which Soda Creek raffled over the past month. Murphy has been a wood sculptor since 2001, specializing in wildlife carvings in burl woods. He is especially fond of carving birds. "Being a bird aficionado, of course I wanted to do something to help the raptors," he said. "Raptors are what I... Full story
The Outlaws lost 14-7 at La Pine on Thursday, October 9. The first snow storm of the year made play difficult for both teams. La Pine scored in the first quarter on a five-yard pass, their kick for the extra point was good and the Hawks went up 7-0. The Outlaws answered back with a three-yard run by Chase Klient. Marteen Jiminez was good on the PAT and Sisters tied it up 7-7. In the second quarter the Hawks scored on a quarterback sneak, got the PAT and pushed to a 14-7 advantage. Neither team was able to score in the second... Full story
The Lady Outlaws soccer team shut out La Pine 9-0 on Monday, October 6, and two days later lost 2-0 to Marist. Marin Allen scored a hat trick in the first half of Monday's game against La Pine and Mindy Marr scored twice to give the Outlaws a 5-0 advantage at the half. Marr scored on a penalty kick at the 62-minute mark early in the second half to push the Outlaws to a 6-0 lead. Michelle Young and Breezy Tewalt followed with goals and Allen sealed the win with a goal at the 83-minute mark. Allen finished the game with four... Full story
The boys soccer team defeated Junction City 3-0 at home on Tuesday, October 9. The win puts the Outlaws in third place as they head into the second half of the season. The Quinn brothers scored all three of Sisters' goals in the contest. Sam Quinn got the Outlaws started with a goal 20 minutes into the game thanks to an assist from Sam Orwig. Sam received the pass on the right side, broke off from his defender and took a powerful shot that went through the keeper's hands. Ten... Full story
The Adidas Classic lived up to its billing, attracting some of the most elite high school runners in the west. Being pushed by elite competition helped the Sisters Outlaws cross country team to achieve some season-best times at the race. The meet brought together most of the top-ranked teams from Oregon's 6A, 5A and 4A ranks, along with top-notch teams from California, Washington and Alaska. The boys' elite race featured the Alaskan State Champion, Trevor Dunbar, who shot... Full story
Learning is not confined to an indoor classroom in Sisters. Each year, Sisters High School students venture into the high country for learning experiences they can enjoy nowhere else. Great weather and trip planning made this year's IEE excursion a great success. IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Expeditions) is a program run through Sisters High School, designed to promote awareness and appreciation of the outdoors. The program integrates a curriculum of Science, English a... Full story
The Pacific Northwest Regional Forester has recalled a decision allowing a mix of hiking and off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on the Santiam Wagon Road in light of the chance that the historical trail may be placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Most people in the Sisters Country are unfamiliar with Oregon's unique history of the 1850s when families hauled all they had in wagons over the Santiam Wagon Road and drove livestock from the Willamette to Eastern and... Full story
The Spartans of Marist didn't have a chance in last Thursday's match against the Outlaws. Sisters dominated play and beat Marist in three games with scores of 25-13, 25-20 and 25-18. Intensity and determination were key in the Outlaws victory which placed them in a tie with Marist for first place in league standings. In the first half of game one, Sisters and Marist battled back and forth with no more than a two-point advantage either way and the game was tied four times.... Full story
People all over the world come to the Metolius River for the fly fishing. Thanks to the efforts of fishery biologists and land managers, it is a magnificent fishing stream. It is also a magnificent classroom. At Riverside Campground last week, a group of students from Pilot Butte Middle School were in the river taking part in "Salmon Watch." They were studying fish biology, water quality, aquatic invertebrates and riparian habitat as part of an educational project run by... Full story
In Alaska, we call it "Termination Dust," and it works pretty much the same way here. Now that snow is dusting the higher elevations, many of our summer activities are about to be "terminated." Still, don't think that the hiking season is over. We'll just focus on lower-elevation hikes to take advantage of our beautiful fall days. Central Oregon is a wonderful place; but, when it comes to fall colors, we come up a little short. Only a half-hour away, however, are some of the... Full story
Robin and Clem Ryan hung a new quilt in Sisters Library Monday. The quilt was commissioned by the Friends of the Sisters Library (FOSL) as part of a permanent art display. "The Sisters Library is trying to put together a permanent art collection," said FOSL member and artist Paul Bennett. We want to have art happening all the time in here." Ryan, who was the featured quilter at this year's Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, is doing her part. The quilt depicts the Central Oregon... Full story
• Sisters Coffee Company welcomes the community to "Free Soup Night" on Friday, October 17, at 6 p.m. Bring some bread and come have dinner with the locals at 273 W. Hood Ave. • Sisters Athletic Club has group swimming lessons for all levels beginning Tuesday, October 21. For more information, call 549-6878. • Join SOJI for "Local's Appreciation Night" on Friday, October 17, at 7 p.m. Enjoy free food and beverages with music provided by The Anvil Blasters at 8 p.m. Call 549-8499 for more information.... Full story
After 11 years at the helm of Black Butte Ranch, Loy Helmly is stepping down. "I gave my resignation on October 1," Helmly said. Though his contract calls for 60 days of transition, he thinks his work will be wrapped up by the end of this month. Helmly said that managing BBR requires someone with "a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm. My energy has subsided. I'm tired." He noted that he has "been through a half-dozen forest fires, five building projects, the kids are grown,... Full story
Sisters High School Mandarin Chinese instructor David Perkins took his class to Soji Restaurant in Sisters earlier this month for a lunchtime meeting with Mandarin-speaking cooks Hong Chi Zhang (known as "Chee") and his wife Hui Juan Tan (known as "Ken"). The students enjoyed the food at the recently re-named eatery and visited with the cooks, who are assisting Perkins in teaching the students the language. "The food was excellent!" said ninth grader KC Dolson. "Meeting the... Full story
Daniel Winfield Nordhill, Sr. of Black Butte Ranch passed away Monday in Sisters, with family at his side. He was born to Daniel and Genevieve Nordhill in Spokane, Washington, where he attended grade schools and Lewis and Clark High School. He received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Washington State University. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He spent 34 years with the Army Corps of Engineers, beginning his career in the Portland District in design and flood control and received his professional status in... Full story
The developer of a proposed three-story hotel located in the Pine Meadow Ranch development on Hood Avenue has met an early-October deadline to complete an application for the project. Meeting the deadline means the 98-room boutique hotel may be developed under less-restrictive Deschutes County codes, rather than city codes. The PMR development came into the city under a 1998 agreement that exempted it from Sisters' city codes and allowed development under Deschutes County... Full story
Theatre arts are alive and well at Sisters High School this season with the stage production of Neil Simon's comic fable, "Fools." This two-act comedy is directed by Gary Bowne, instructor of Theatre Arts and the Americana Project. The cast includes 11 actors from Bowne's Play Production Class. James Lewis, Grayson Gould and Chris Epperson lead the cast of wacky supporting characters while juniors Dallas Frederick and Julia Rahm are featured in the leading roles. Other cast members include Ally Wimer, Dawsen Helms, Patience... Full story
