News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 23 of 23
Fear receded and cautious optimism emerged in the wake of a Wednesday workshop that sought to hammer out a way forward on the Cascade Avenue construction project slated for 2014. Cascade Avenue merchants, city officials and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) seemed to be in agreement on a modified construction schedule that was perceived as much less threatening to the livelihood of Cascade Avenue merchants than the original schedule. An asphalt roadbed built on a schedule of a rolling three-block closure for thre... Full story
With the onset of wintry weather, the Pole Creek Fire has been declared 100-percent contained. However, closures remain in place in a vast area south and west of Sisters, due to safety concerns related to the fire. Forest Service officials have indicated that closures may be modified this week. Many folks in Sisters Country use the area to cut firewood for commercial or personal use, and the closure has impacted their activities. Sisters District Ranger Kristie Miller told The Nugget on Friday that there will be firewood... Full story
Whatever else it aspires to be, Sisters is fundamentally a tourist town. Increasingly, there is interest in leveraging quality of life to attract businesses that pay family wages and can build a more diverse economy. Erin Borla, executive director of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, believes that effort is dependent on tourism to bring people to the region for the Sisters Country experience. "Tourism is how we sell Sisters," Borla says. "Unfortunately, we can't compete just drawing on a map and saying, 'Where am I going... Full story
It was very busy at Creekside Park in Sisters last Saturday morning. More than 140 volunteers from throughout Central Oregon were gathered to take part in the Sisters Ranger District's "Tale of Two Rivers" reclamation project, begun four years ago. The project - spearheaded by the Sisters Ranger District, in partnership with the National Forest Foundation, Sisters Trails Alliance, Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge and several hundred local volunteers - is vital to... Full story
The Sisters City Council has an opportunity with this election to move away from strife and discord into a more productive, collaborative mode. Catherine Childress, Brad Boyd and McKibben Womack are best equipped to make that change. Lon Kellstrom has served the City of Sisters with great dedication for more than a decade, and citizens appreciate his service. His leadership style as mayor, however, has proved polarizing. Those with dissenting views and perspectives - citizens and councilors alike - have been left feeling... Full story
I first ran for city council eight years ago because I worried that the Sisters we know and love was at risk. ODOT's "couplet" policy threatened to destroy our downtown. As mayor, I worked with a broad array of citizens to adopt an alternate transportation plan, preserving the integrity of our downtown. I also learned what it takes to be a successful city councilor. Things like listening respectfully to all views, creating true consensus, and providing clear leadership to city staff. After four years on the outside, I am agai... Full story
The Lady Outlaws volleyball team tallied two more wins last week to capture the Sky-Em league crown. Sisters has been a force to be reckoned with the entire season. The Lady Outlaws recorded seven consecutive sweeps and then faced a tough Elmira squad on Tuesday, October 16. The Lady Outlaws defeated the Falcons in four sets with scores of 25-19, 29-15, 25-15 and 25-19. Two days later Sisters earned an easy victory at La Pine and beat the Hawks in three with scores of 25-11, 25-13, and 25-11. In Tuesday's match, Sisters faced... Full story
Deschutes County fire chiefs agreed to open controlled burning within Deschutes County last weekend. Municipal and rural fire jurisdictions opened burning Saturday, October 20, for outdoor burning of debris and agricultural burns with the exceptions noted below. Black Butte Ranch Fire District entered a limited burning period that began October 20, and runs through Sunday, December 2. The City of Sisters has a year-round ban on outdoor burning within city limits. Residents are strongly encouraged to call the burn information... Full story
Beginning on the 8th of September, and running through the end of October, volunteers from the East Cascades Audubon Society (ECAS), based in Bend, travel the backroads of Sisters Country to a high point on Green Ridge to count migrating raptors: hawks, harriers, falcons, eagles and turkey vultures. There are usually six to 10 ECAS members and other volunteers watching the sky to the north for a variety of hawk and eagles migrating south, using the updrafts along the western... Full story
To the Editor: To help mitigate some of the negative business impact of the pending Cascade Avenue improvement project, I propose that the City of Sisters, the Sisters Chamber of Commerce and ODOT jointly explore the possibility of offering impacted businesses a chance to temporarily move their operations to some of the very plentiful vacant commercial space on Main Avenue and Hood Avenue. This idea may only be viable for some types of business, such as small retail operations not requiring specialized built-in equipment or... Full story
The City of Sisters conducted a survey of downtown commercial parking in July and August. The overall conclusion of the ad hoc parking committee and selected planning commission members is that the city needs to attract more people to the downtown core since the parking is not near capacity. The detailed results of this study were presented in a summary report to the city council Thursday by Community Development Director Pauline Hardie. The only problem area was around Sisters Coffee Co. on Hood Avenue and down Oak Street... Full story
Karen Kassy of Sisters was presented with the individual Sustainability Award from The Environmental Center for her work on recycling in Sisters and other environmental efforts. The 2012 Sustainability Awards were announced by The Environmental Center Thursday night at a celebration at the Cascade Culinary Institute's Elevation Restaurant. The Environmental Center received 20 nominations, and the winners were selected by a community review committee. "Sustainability is a big, complex topic." said Mike Riley, executive directo... Full story
Folks in Sisters Country are getting set for Halloween, one of the most exciting times of the year for children. B.J.'s Ice Cream hosted a pumpkin-carving event last Saturday, and plans are in place for the annual Sisters Halloween Parade presented by Sisters Rotary and the Sisters Library. The bewitching hour is 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31. Ghosts and goblins ages 1-7 and parents are invited to join the parade through town; costumes are required. Participants are... Full story
The inaugural Sisters Turkey Trot is scheduled for Saturday, November 24. The event will benefit programs to feed the hungry in Sisters Country. The course will start and finish in downtown Sisters. The 5K, 10K Fun Run/Walk and 1-Mile Trotters Walk will begin at 11 a.m. in time to finish 90 minutes prior to the traditional Sisters Christmas Parade, where everyone can get into the spirit of Christmas. The inaugural 2012 event will be free and all participants are encouraged to bring a grocery bag filled with non-perishable... Full story
Coming off a big meet four days earlier and with district competition looming, the Outlaws' cross-country teams used the Country Fair Classic on Wednesday, October 17, as a tune-up that turned into a very strong performance. The girls team narrowly missed winning and the boys ended up fifth among 27 teams. The Outlaws girls used season-best times by Macadia Calavan (20:33), Maddi Boettner (20:34), Katie Stewart (20:44) and Natalie Marshall (21:19) to back up leader Zoe Falk... Full story
The boys soccer team clinched the league title when they defeated the Tigers 1-0 at Junction City (JC) on Tuesday, October 16. Two days later the Outlaws shut out Cottage Grove (CG) 5-0 at home to remain undefeated in league with a perfect 7-0 record. In Tuesday's game at Junction City, Keenan O'Hern scored Sisters' goal in the ninth minute of play. Evan Rickards assisted O'Hern on a solid low cross. Keenan took the pass in the air and with the top of his cleat kicked the ball into the left corner of the goal to give Sisters... Full story
The Outlaws football team suffered their third loss in league play, falling 41-20 to the Lions at Cottage Grove (CG) on Friday, October 19. The Lions are currently ranked No. 3 in state and were a formidable force. Cottage Grove scored early and held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Within the first minute of the second quarter the Lions scored again on a six-yard run, got the PAT and extended their lead to 14-0. Sisters scored a touchdown with 47 seconds left in the first half. Tristen Lewis threw a 41-yard pass... Full story
Bill Anttila wrote: The Pole Creek Fire will soon be one for the history books, thanks to the heroic efforts of the firefighters, Forest Service, police officers, volunteers, other public service workers and the rain. However, I would like folks to know that there were other "heroes" involved with the fire: Paul and Allison Weston of Weston Equine, and Phil and Patti Gresham on Cloverdale Road. As the fire spread in the first week, my daughter Chelsea had to evacuate her horses from the Crossroads area. During that... Full story
The girls soccer team defeated two more league foes last week to push to No. 1 in league. Sisters defeated Junction City (JC) 4-2 at home on Tuesday, October 16, and two days later defeated the Lions at Cottage Grove (CG) 2-1. Sisters lost to JC earlier in the season and came back to defeat them this week. The Outlaws defeated the Tigers by a wider margin to gain No. 1 recognition. If both teams win the remainder of their games there will be a playoff game. Emily Corrigan... Full story
NEWBERG - Totaling five points on two goals and an assist in her only game of the week, George Fox midfielder Michelle Young was been named the Bruin Women's Athlete of the Week for October 8-14, and also received honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week. Young, a freshman from Sisters, was instrumental in the Bruins' first conference win of the season, a 4-0 victory over the Pacific Boxers at home on Wednesday... Full story
On November 4, 1979, a horde of enraged Iranian protesters, led by a cadre of militant Islamist students, stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Fifty-two American foreign service workers and embassy personnel were taken hostage. Six slipped away into the streets of Tehran. One of them was Consular Officer Robert "Bob" Anders. Anders' sister, Ruth Peterson, now lives at Black Butte Ranch and she has watched her brother's story unfold in the movie "Argo." At age 54, Anders... Full story
This time of year, we never know exactly when snowfall will shut the door on the high country. It hasn't happened quite yet; and, at just over 5,000 feet, Mowich Lake isn't extremely high. So, last week, we headed out on an 8.8-mile round trip to Mowich Lake under the "possible threat of a few light showers." From the parking area, the trail to Mowich Lake plunges into a beautiful, dense, westside mixed-conifer forest. Huge trees with tall, clean, and straight trunks lend the... Full story
Beginning Tuesday, October 23, many portions of the Pole Creek closure area are open; however, some closures will continue within the interior portion of the fire. Portions of the closure that are opened include: Forest Service Road 16 and areas east of the road, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Black Crater Trail, and the north end of the Trout Creek Butte area, including portions of Forest Service Roads 15 and 1018. To ensure public safety, the following locations will remain within a closure: the junction of Forest Service... Full story
