News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Looking into the face of an additional budget cut of $2 million to $3 million over the next biennium, the Sisters School District has eliminated one more staff position for the next school year: the principal at Sisters Elementary School. One year ago there were six administrators in the district; now there are three. The district eliminated a special education administrator position and did not hire a vice-principal at the high school after Mark Stewart was tapped for the job as interim Sisters Middle School Principal.... Full story
Folks in Sisters Country may remember Blake Lowery as the project manager for Wolftree. Lowery left Sisters about a year ago and is off in the wilds of Montana doing research on one of North America's rare felines, the Canada lynx, Lynx candensis, which is officially classified as "threatened" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The research Blake is doing is for a long-term project under the supervision of Dr. John Squires' Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosystem Program, of... Full story
Divorce. Homelessness. Two Sisters women, Mary Maiden and Tricia Johnson, don't need to be told that life is hard and bad stuff happens. Each has been struck by personal tragedy; each has overcome hardships. And there's another thing these two share: a focus on possibilities rather than problems. When life handed them lemons, they made... well, you know. "Anyone can start over. Life is limitless," says Mary Maiden. That's coming from a single mother of four who found herself... Full story
To the Editor: I am so happy that Jeff Perin got his beloved dog Paloma back, and although your sidebar on dognapping mentioned the importance of dogs having collars with ID tags, I would like take a moment to rant about one of my biggest pet peeves regarding dog owners.... why don't people make their dogs wear a collar and I.D. tag? I cannot count the number of people who've told me over the years that they "don't need ID tags because the dog has a microchip." Last time I checked, most folks don't have microchip scanners in... Full story
The 10th Annual My Own Two Hands fundraiser is revving up to present an exciting, two-day celebration of music and art in the Sisters community. Produced by Sisters Folk Festival Inc., the fundraiser for the Americana Project will host a big community celebration next month. The two-day event begins on April 15 with the Community Parade, Art Stroll and Bronco Billy's Chili Feed fundraiser and Performing Arts Evening. Saturday, April 16 is the Art Auction and Party at... Full story
The Sisters Library will close Friday and Saturday as the Deschutes Public Library works to manage declining revenues. The library system reports that it has experienced record increases in use at the same time tax revenue is declining. The library has made shifts in its internal structure and will be cutting the slowest hours at each of the libraries beginning Saturday, April 2. "During the last 18 months, we have restructured the organization through eliminating positions and cross-training staff to maximize our skilled... Full story
Broadway veteran Linda Purl and baritone Lee Lessack will conduct a master class at Sisters High School on Tuesday evening, April 5, titled "How to Sell Your Song." The workshop, underwritten by The Roundhouse Foundation, is a unique opportunity for area singers to learn what's required to effectively communicate the emotions and stories of a song's lyrics. The class is open to teenagers through adults. Attendees - from church choir soloists to local actors - should memorize... Full story
The young Outlaws lacrosse squad wrapped up their weeklong Portland trip with two big wins over top Valley teams. Sisters beat Century 13-3 on Tuesday, March 22, and two days later took down Oregon City 13-6. Sophomore Isaiah Glatz scored Sisters' first goal on Tuesday. Glatz took the ball, maneuvered through defenders, and sprinted to the cage to score and get the Outlaws off to a great start. William Saunders, Jacob Akaka, and Beau Fitzke also scored in the first half to... Full story
A cold and damp weekend welcomed the participants of this years 4-H Sportsmen's Pentathlon, held on the grounds of Alder Creek. What was planned as a two-day event turned into a one-day affair due to less-than-favorable weather, and a lower-than-expected turn-out. A fundraiser for the 4-H Club of Deschutes County, the pentathlon is a series of competitions pitting teams of outdoorsmen in such events as archery, a chukar hunt, fishing, sporting clays, and GPS orienteering.... Full story
David Green put his blood and sweat into competition in the Western Qualifier of the 2011 STIHL Timbersports Series on March 25 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California. Green, 2009 and 2010 Western Collegiate champion, took ax and saw in hand for his first appearance as a professional, this time contending for one of four U.S. championship slots against nine other axmen from the woods of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Pros raced the clock and each other through six lumberjack disciplines: the hot saw, single buck, springboard... Full story
In an effort to acquire an identifying image, the newly formed Sisters Astronomy Club (SAC), which operates under Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD), is announcing a contest to design a club logo. The image should depict natural features unique to the Sisters area; the name of the club - "Sisters Astronomy Club" - should appear on the logo; and the theme of the image should be consistent with the club's mission statement. SAC's mission statement reads as follows: "The purpose of this club is to foster enthusiasm for... Full story
Despite the recent spate of articles, letters to the editor, guest columns and editorials concerning the city staff and city council's handling of input from local activists, the Sisters City Council's workshop on water rates Thursday went smoothly and professionally. The water rate issue has been the most recent bone of contention in this ongoing dustup over citizen input to the city staff and the council, and the majority/minority tensions within the council. With councilors Pat Thompson and Sharlene Weed and City Manager... Full story
I have to admit - unfortunately - I once had the horrific habit of not watching where I was going while driving when a bird or some other form of wildlife came into view. It was almost as bad as texting. My poor wife Sue has shouted, "Jim! Watch were you're going!" more times than all my kids care to recall. My kids were on the lookout constantly, and would shout, "Dad!," or, "Daaaad!!!" depending on where I was headed. But Reuben had the best warning: "Here we go again!" And... Full story
The brilliant writing of national best-selling author Jonathan Evison was featured front and center at Paulina Springs Books on a blustery Friday evening. Evison is one of the most talked-about new voices in American fiction with his second novel, "West of Here," a substantial piece of literary work celebrating the gallant spirit of northwestern expansion in the fictional frontier outpost of Port Bonita, Washington, on the jagged Pacific Coast. Hailing from Bainbridge Island... Full story
"Hood to Coast," an inspiring sports saga directed by Christoph Baaden, screened last Wednesday night at Sisters Movie House, followed by a special live Skype-cast with Baaden at Thyme restaurant. Presented in cooperation with Sisters Athletic Club and Sisters Movie House, the feature-length HD documentary details the epic plight of bold athletes during the world's longest relay race, the grueling 197-mile Hood to Coast spectacle that draws over 12,000 runners from around the world each August. Starting on the slopes of majes... Full story
A team of high school students who are members of the newly formed Sisters Astronomy Club are beginning a monthly column to inform the Sisters community of what's going on in the night sky. This first installment describes what can be seen during the month of April. As the moon cycles through its phases this month, it will be new (dark) on April 3, then wax to full by April 17. First quarter falls on April 11 while the waning last quarter takes place on April 24. The... Full story
The Sisters City Council voted Thursday to approve an amended version of the code amendment recommended by the Sisters Urban Area Planning commission that will pave the way for allowing Gutenberg College to occupy the former Weitech building in the light industrial zoned lot just west of the new post office building. Councilor Wendy Holzman proposed an amendment to the motion that would restrict colleges/universities in the light industrial zone to lots that abut Larch Street... Full story
Black Butte Police busted an MIP party, taking one youth into custody and transporting him to Sisters to meet his dad. A man reported being assaulted by a female acquaintance after an argument. The woman fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. An employee was accused of stealing personal information from an employer. During a dispute over litter on a property, a landlord allegedly slammed a tenants finger in a door, causing injury. The landlord was cited for... Full story
There will be a Central Electric Cooperative planned power outage tonight, March 29 from 10 p.m. to Wednesday, March 30, 2 a.m. Those affected by de-energizing Sisters Substation are located in the areas roughly defined as: (1) City of Sisters, excepting portions of west of Pine Street and in the southeast near Locust Street (2) Areas north of the intersection of Highway 126 and Camp Polk Road and east out to Holmes and McKenzie Canyon roads, including the Indian Ford area (3) South of Highway 126 and southeast along Highway... Full story
Nine University of Minnesota students opted to spend their coveted spring break wielding shovels and paintbrushes for Sisters Habitat for Humanity last week. And, despite a 33-hour drive to get here, they counted themselves lucky for the opportunity. "Whatever they sent our way we were more than happy to do," said U of M's team leader Kelsey Blaze. Students gave the Habitat townhouses at Cedar and Washington streets a fresh coat of exterior paint and prepared the ground for a... Full story