News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The SOAR Foundation has relaunched to support the programs of Sisters Park & Recreation District. The SOAR Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation based in Sisters, has relaunched with the appointment of three new board members and a revised mission statement. Its updated mission is to help secure funding for designated programs and projects benefitting the Sisters community, primarily through the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). New board members Tom Bracken, Rosemary Vasquez and Karinda Boone join... Full story
Need to make a legal exchange of goods with a stranger, or exchange child custody in a tense relationship? There’s now a safe place in Sisters to conduct that kind of business. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has established a Blue Line Safety Zone in Sisters. This clearly marked and well-lit location is for the Sisters community to use for the various kinds of exchanges that occur every day in Central Oregon. By providing a location in the parking lot of the she... Full story
I’ve been wanting to write a column for weeks. Folks around town have asked about Part Two of my musings on the book “In Defense of Elitism.” Well, some stuff came up. Health has a funny way of keenly focusing one’s priorities. Medical care and emotional well-being float to the top, right up there with family. Can’t drive, due to vertigo? Meetings and errands are limited. Can’t type, due to excruciating pain in the hand? Writing assignments lie fallow. (The dictation software I’m reluctantly attempting to use just offered... Full story
A few summers ago, while lounging around the Munich Airport waiting for a flight to Reykjavik, I bought a book: “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World,” by Peter Frankopan. Frankopan is a senior fellow at Oxford University, and has written a convincing reassessment of world history. It is also a poignant and extraordinarily well-considered forecast of our possible future as a broader, Western culture. It’s a good enough read that, while spending the weekend moving horse... Full story
The Sisters Habitat ReStore is alive and well in the same location, thanks to a two-year lease with the building’s new owner — Bend Soap Company. With Bend Soap Company’s blessing, the ReStore has just completed a “facelift” to the interior. The store entrance and checkout counter are now at the opposite end of the building (the west end) which separates it from the donations and pick-ups at the east end of the building. The front door is for shopping, the back door for... Full story
It may seem that our cousins in the big cities are over-reacting, but a time of crisis generally brings out the best in people who live in small communities. While some of our neighbors may be excessively worried, the level-headed will continue to do what they can do with the resources they have. This is a time for generosity and leadership, and almost everyone can help. Start by taking notes. Create a list of your neighbors, their telephone numbers and addresses. If they don’t want your help, that’s fine, there are plenty of... Full story
Of course, sports are not the end-all to human existence and happiness, but we can all relate to one degree or another to the loss of a dream. This pandemic is no one’s fault. It’s not based on a political decision or a declaration of war. It did, however, remind me of a similar heartbreak for athletes right here in Oregon back in 1980, the year of the Moscow Olympics. The University of Oregon has a long and colorful history of producing elite distance runners, and the late 1970s and early 80s were no exception. This was a t... Full story
Few things in life give us more joy than our furry friends. On top of the emotional benefits our pets give us, there are health benefits as well. The new year is well underway, but we can still resolve to make life healthier and happier for our furry companions. Make this year a fresh start for your pet — perhaps a new diet and exercise regimen or more play time with you. Whether you need to get back on track with his daily walks or make that vet appointment you’ve been... Full story
The Covid-19 virus is a public health scare that has many people flocking to their local bulk surplus stores and cancelling travel plans. It’s infecting people with fear and will be upsetting a lot of people in the next few weeks. A healthy body can fight, if not prevent, the virus from taking hold — but there’s little to no attention being paid to supporting a healthy immune system in the time of clickbait news and sensational media. Supporting a healthy immune system is one major reason why diet, exercise, and hea... Full story
Honor Flight of Central Oregon (HFCO) postponed their annual flight to Washington, D.C. amid concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Veterans from Central Oregon were slated to depart May 6 for the four-day trip. World War II and Korean War veterans, 22 in total, would tour the U.S. Capitol, memorials, and monuments on an all-expenses-paid trip. HFCO observed the growing pandemic two weeks prior to making the decision and carefully considered their options. Dane Prevatt, the trip organizer, stated his concerns over exposing the... Full story
The painful measures undertaken in Sisters and across the globe during the past week — school closures, event cancellations and “social distancing” measures — are part of an effort to “flatten the curve” in the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While cases of COVID-19 remain few in Deschutes County, the aim of active measures is to prevent an explosion of cases such as what occurred in Italy. As NPR reported last week, “The idea is to increase social distancing in order to slow the spread of the virus, so that you don... Full story
Taylor Fendall gathered with family, friends and fellow athletes last week for the official signing of his commitment to play football at Linfield College next year. Athletic Director Gary Thorson and his coach Neil Fendall, also his proud father, praised Taylor for his commitment to his craft, his work ethic — and most of all his leadership and commitment to putting team above self.... Full story
Let’s talk about sex. Let’s talk about spirituality. Let’s talk about shame. The interplay between the three are powerful, complex, and deserve honest discussion. When we talk about the need to feel known, the freedom to be vulnerable, the drive to connect with and understand, to give and to receive, are we talking about sexuality or are we talking about spirituality? When we lie naked with another, versus baring our soul to a greater power, is the implied vulnerability and trust really so different? Could it be that sexua... Full story
Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) canceled the March 18 concert with Kacy & Clayton and the SFF poster unveiling after closely monitoring information and advice coming from state and federal health officials in respect of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Although the SFF poster unveiling was postponed/cancelled, the 2020 SFF poster image, “Beargrass,” by local artist and musician Dennis McGregor has been released. This year marks the 24th anniversary of the Sisters Folk Festival and... Full story
It was a beautiful cool, crisp and sunny day; perfect Scottie-dog weather. We were just back from a long off-leash hike in a gorgeous section of giant old-growth ponderosa pines. I walked three miles. The Scotties ran six miles as they gave everything they had to exploring each rock, fallen tree, and old stump in the surrounding forest. Now they slept. Feeling safe and loved, they were the picture of peace and contentment. My post-cancer spiritual journey is largely about finding inner peace. I’ve met a few people who d... Full story
Evan Palmer and George and Bela Chladek got an experience of a lifetime last week: the opportunity to race in the Western States High School Regional Championships held at Mammoth Mountain, California, on Friday and Saturday, March 13-14. All three Outlaws did a great job racing in the giant slalom in the inaugural Western Regional Championships. Evan, George, and Bela were part of a team that included all the Central Oregon schools, and also Marist High from Eugene. The best... Full story
Dear Property Guy, I have a “no-pets“ policy in my rental. I have a new tenant who just announced that her emotional support dog would be joining her. She also showed me some paperwork that said I had to take it. What’s the deal here? — No. Just no. Dear No: Welcome to the glamorous world of being a rental owner. Because your property just became a dog-friendly zone. Before we get started, please know that it could be worse. In addition to dogs: cats, goats, horses, rabbits, snakes, pigs, and hedgehogs can all be emoti... Full story
Wayne was born in Hillsboro, Oregon to Alan and Yvonne (Kaufman) Christopherson. He was the oldest of four children. As a young child he was always very busy and curious. When he was a couple of years old, he would take his wrench and fix his little red wagon, laying on the ground, just like his dad did when working on cars. He always liked fixing stuff. He spent time on both his grandparents’ farms and loved riding horses, especially Blaze. He also enjoyed his time on his u... Full story
Parents who want their children to grow up to be strong independent adults must learn to parent for resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stressful events and hardship—a kind of emotional toughness that enables a child to handle their sadness and emotional pain in a healthy way so that a challenging situation does not overwhelm them. A child who practices the foundational skills for resilience improves the odds that as an adult they will be able to stand up to whatever challenges they face. Resilienc... Full story
Sisters City ManagerCory Misley has declared a state of emergency by administrative order, beginning March 16, 2020 and ending April 15, 2020. Having conferred with the Mayor, department heads, and City Council members, the City Manager finds that COVID-19 is a public health crisis that threatens the health, safety, and welfare of the City and the City’s citizens and constitutes an imminent threat of illness, human suffering, financial loss, and/or loss of life and the City Manager finds that COVID-19 necessitates a state o... Full story
Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank is making an operational change starting Thursday, March 19, based on the evolving response to COVID-19. “When our people come in tomorrow, which is our regular day to serve, we’re going to encourage them to shop for two weeks instead of one week, and then close the Food Bank every other week until we get our arms around this thing,” Hespe said. “That’s for the protection of our volunteers. It reduces their exposure by half if we close every other week.” The Food Bank opens at 9 a.m. on Thursday. H... Full story
