News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 24 of 24
A nasty bug is sweeping through Sisters, sending kids home from school and keeping adults out of the workplace. Local health clinics are getting "scores" of calls about patients with high fevers, fatigue and often respiratory symptoms. "We're pretty sure it's the swine flu," said Jennifer Knowles, an RN at High Lakes Health Care in Sisters. Dr. Joseph Bachtold at Bend Memorial Clinic concurred. "We can't say with any certainly that this is the H1N1 virus, but it certainly... Full story
More people are seeking assistance from the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank this fall. Kiwanian Linda Walker reports that numbers spiked into the 80s and 90s per month last fall when the economy's slide turned into a plunge. "This month I've done 74 in three weeks, so we're seeing a jump again," she said. "We're seeing a lot of new people." Walker said there are 30-plus people who regularly use food bank services. More come in sporadically when they hit a rough patch - an... Full story
The future of the Sisters Charter Academy of Fine Arts is in question as the 3-year-old charter school has failed to meet minimum state enrollment requirements. Staff of the school, however, hope to maintain the program through this year and into the future. State law requires minimum enrollment of 25 "full-time equivalent" (FTE) students for a charter school. Sisters Charter Academy of Fine Arts (SCAFA) has never met that minimum, though it came close with 24 students last... Full story
To the Editor: I don't understand why the city would annex land into the city to build an assisted-living center but not require that the land be used for an assisted-living center (see related story, page 1). Come on Messrs. Kahlberg and Willitts, commit to building the assisted living center or drop the annexation request. And what happened to the senior center? It looks like McKenzie Meadows is now just more single-family housing. We have plenty of unbuilt land right next to your property and on the Tehan property. With... Full story
Don Mouser, who brought the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District from a tiny volunteer force to a modern fire department, has died after a long battle with chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. He was 68. Mouser grew up in Sisters and attended high school here. He started his working life with Barclay Logging before joining the local volunteer fire department, whose members elected him fire chief. Mouser presided over a 25-year period of transition in Sisters that, in the 1990s, turned into a... Full story
The music bug (Muusica infectus) bit Irene Liden early in her life, and she has never gotten over it. If you had a grandfather who played with Jimmy Durante in the vaudeville days, and a father who plunked the banjo, you'd probably be into music, too. She says that first music teacher, Ms. Dietrich, in the school she was attending in Rockford Center, Long Island, New York, also had a profound influence on her musical direction. When Liden was a teen-ager, her banjo-playing... Full story
The brats were sizzling, the beer was flowing, hands were clapping and toes were tapping at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church last Saturday. The parish hall was packed with Oktoberfest celebrants, and the overflow crowd found seating outside in St. Winifred's Garden as they enjoyed the traditional fare of the classic German fall festival - sausages, sauerkraut, potato salad, beer brewed in Sisters by Three Creeks Brewing Co., topped off with generous slices of German choco... Full story
Jean VanGeest, 54, is ready to fight poverty with passion, as an AmeriCorps-VISTA volunteer working with Sisters Habitat for Humanity. She works as the resource development manager; her main task is to deepen the well of resources available to the chapter. Those resources are defined as in-kind donations, cash and volunteers. Using the graphic design skills gained at the Art Institute of Seattle, VanGeest is set to redesign the Web site for Sisters Habitat and create printed... Full story
It's not too late to saddle up and join the Sisters High School equestrian team, according to advisor and head coach, Heather Wester. The team held its first meeting last week, but won't start mounted practices until December 1. Team members don't actually have to have a horse; Wester is making positions available for non-mounted members. They will have a support role, essential in any team sport. This year Wester is implementing more business-type meetings. "They'll include fundraising, planning, team bonding and goal... Full story
Chivalry isn't dead when 13-year-old Cooper Gould and his fencing opponents meet each other in competition. In fact, if one forgets to salute or offer a handshake, he is marked down and can even be expelled from the bout. Remembering his manners was the least of Gould's worries, however, when he ventured to his first fencing tournament a few weeks ago. "Everything is slowed way down in practice," Gould said. But during tournament competition the pace can be up to four times... Full story
• Sharyn Fetrow ran the Portland Marathon. She and her husband, Russ, live at Black Butte Ranch. In 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and, after going through radiation treatment, decided to do the Heaven Can Wait 3K run in Bend. This led to several other short runs and, ultimately, her decision to attempt the Portland Marathon. She started her training program in January of 2009 at Sisters Athletic Club, under the guidance of her trainer, Jesse McFarland.... Full story
Oregon poet and creative non-fiction writer Floyd Skloot will read from his poetry, including his most recent work, at Sisters Public Library on October 22 at noon. The program is free and open to the public, and books will be available for sale. Skloot has published 15 books and won three Pushcart Prizes, a PEN USA Literary Award, two Pacific NW Booksellers Association Book Awards, two Oregon Book Awards, The ForeWord Magazine Poetry Book of the Year Silver Award, the Emily C... Full story
Nearly every American can identify the Nike swoosh, the icon of one of the most successful sporting goods companies in the world. But they may have trouble imagining the company's humble beginnings by a small group of folks with ties to the University of Oregon track and field program. Geoff Hollister, one of the three original Nike employees, is coming to Sisters Athletic Club Thursday, October 22, to read from his autobiographical book "Out of Nowhere," which chronicles his days as a runner under Bill Bowerman, the start... Full story
Last week's benefit for impoverished Mexican children, hosted by Sisters Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, was a huge success. More than 200 people packed the church's community hall for a program showcasing John Muir, his writings, and his philosophy. With an overflow crowd spilling into the church hallways, Don Baldwin, a retired Methodist minister from California, entertained the assemblage with his portrayal of John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club and pioneer of... Full story
Did summer here in Central Oregon seem somewhat abbreviated to you? If so, you're not alone. Weather data collected at the Sisters Ranger District clearly shows that this was indeed the case. June was cool and wet until the last week of the month, when summer finally decided to make its appearance. Once on the scene, however, it turned out be of high quality. The warm, sunny and dry weather we are so accustomed to here held strong through July, August and almost all of... Full story
The race is not always to the swiftest. Apparently, a good poker hand can also bring a victory, at least for those who took part in the annual Poker Run, held as a fundraiser for the Sisters Trails Alliance. Sisters Poker Run race director Gene Trahern reported about $700 in funds were raised to be used for further development and maintenance of the ever-expanding trail system around Sisters. The Poker Run attracted about 40 runners, many from outside the state, who ventured... Full story
The Outlaws played their best game of the year in their 26-20 win over LaPine at home on Friday, October 16. Chase Kleint rushed 37 times for 391 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Outlaws to victory. In the last two games Kleint has rushed for a total of 693 yards and eight TDs. Kleint is humble in his accomplishments, giving credit for his success to his offensive line, which includes Nathan Uttley, John Green, Andrew VanDiver, Bryce Alderman, Randon Beech, Max Stovall,... Full story
The boys junior varsity soccer team is well into the season and have five wins under their belts. The Outlaws to date have defeated Bend JV2 (8-2), Madras (5-2), Elmira (4-1), Junction City (5-1) and Bend (6-0). Sisters played an outstanding game against Central on Friday, September 18, in their first game of the season, despite the fact they lost 0-1. Coach Thomas Draxler told The Nugget that with less than a minute left in the contest, forward Chad Cummings took a shot that... Full story
The girls soccer team suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Cottage Grove on Tuesday, October 6, but bounced back on Monday, October 12, with a 7-0 shutout over La Pine. Two days later the Lady Outlaws were defeated 4-0 at home by the Spartans of Marist. Jody Reoch led the Outlaws to their 7-0 victory over La Pine in Monday's match-up. Reoch scored three goals for a hat trick in the first half with two assists from Zoe McAllister and one from Riley Barrett. Goalie Sarah Small... Full story
The Lady Outlaws volleyball team lost their first league match of the season in a five-game marathon at Marist on October 15. Just a day earlier, Sisters defeated Junction City in three straight sets. It was a well-fought match at Marist on Thursday night. Sisters won the first two games and then lost the next three. Scores for the match were 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 20-25 and 13-15. Offensively, the Lady Outlaws were not able to defend against Marist's 6-foot-2-inch middle, Allie... Full story
This Saturday, October 24, Sisters Rotary Club will be honoring World Polio Day by displaying an iron lung at Ray's Food Place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harriett Schloer, Rotary District 5110 polio eradication chair said, "The iron lung in our district was given to us by Good Samaritan Hospital in Eugene about 10 years ago. We refurbished it and will use it to raise funds to eradicate polio," she said. The iron lung was invented around 1928 to help people breathe who were crippled with polio, a viral disease that affects the... Full story
Sisters is home to many walkers - strollers, hikers and not a few race walkers. Recently, a group of dedicated striders hoofed it in Canada, in a race that drew thousands. On October 11, 10 members of the Sisters, Oregon racewalking team The Bookin' Babes, completed the Royal Victoria half marathon in Victoria, B.C. This year was the 30th anniversary of the Royal Victoria marathon; the eighth for the half. There were 5,400 participants in the 2009 half marathon. The Bookin'... Full story
Don't give up on hiking season yet, there are still many places to explore. About five miles west of Sisters High School, there is a green road sign pointing toward Scott Pass Trailhead. In 1862, Felix Scott, Jr. assembled a crew of 40 men to drive over a thousand head of stock from the Willamette Valley into eastern Oregon, and this is the route they chose. Today we can drive our cars to within 3.5 miles of the place where Scott crossed the Cascade crest, lending his name to... Full story
The City of Sisters continued its efforts last week to hammer out an annexation agreement with the owners of the 30-acre McKenzie Meadows property at the west end of Sisters. The property is the proposed site of a "senior-housing community" including a "lodge" with independent and assisted-living accommodations associated and single-family dwellings. Last Thursday, the city council and developers worked through some sticking points in the agreement - but not all the... Full story
