News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
Sisters is getting set to embark on a project to envision its future. Steven Ames and Ruth Williamson of NXT Consulting Group of Bend made their initial presentation to City Council outlining a "visioning" process. Ames likened the visioning exercise to "fixing the roof while the sun is shining." It's better to look at where we currently are as a city and where we would like to go when things are going well, rather than waiting for problems to surface, he believes. The last... Full story
Three Sisters High School chemistry students - seniors Ethan Ferwalt, Ashonte Hull, and junior Amy Hills - have been selected, through a competitive process from world-wide applicants, to join a group of students in Brussels, Belgium, to send near-space experiments up in an atmospheric balloon. The three students designed their experiment during chemistry classes this last fall, and then chose the option to enter it in the Asgard Balloon Project. They were selected. The... Full story
A distressed family member takes her own life, leaving the survivors to grapple with tormenting what-ifs, horrible guilt, paralyzing helplessness and incomprehensible grief. Family and friends ask, "Could I have done more? Did I miss some warning signs? Did they try to tell me and I dismissed their comments? Did they tell anyone their plans and no one spoke up?" Suicide, long an almost taboo subject, is the cause of death for approximately 38,000 Americans in a given year and rates among minors continues to grow, according... Full story
To the Editor: I was confused when I read Jim Cornelius's article, "Sisters explores regulated marijuana commerce," in the January 17, 2018 edition. When I went into the Deschutes County Clerk's website and looked up the election archives, in fact, I didn't see any election related to marijuana in 2015 AT ALL, as was quoted, "In 2014, voters in Sisters rejected a measure that would have allowed medical marijuana in Sisters. However, in 2015, voters in the City precinct showed a 51 percent approval of the state measure... Full story
Sisters Farmers Market lost more than money in 2017. Following a smoke-choked year, all three of its co-managers have announced their resignations. Carys Wilkins and Benji Nagel plan to focus on their farm and their newborn baby, while Angelena Bosco expands her cooking classes and entrepreneur day camps. The market is looking for an energetic new manager willing to work as a volunteer, with the possibility of a cash stipend. Vendors experienced an unusually strong early... Full story
In an effort to further its support for the arts and artists in Sisters and Central Oregon, The Roundhouse Foundation invited a group of local artists to experience artist in residency programs around the country. The local artists variously attended Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts, Penland School of Crafts, Sedona Arts Center, Maine Media, and Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, and created new work in printmaking, photography, ceramic, painting, and mixed media. Work that... Full story
The Outlaws have been hammering their opponents on the hardwood, and this past week started out no different. Sisters defeated the Falcons 60-41 at Elmira on Tuesday, January 23. Three days later, though, the Outlaws fell hard in a 51-25 loss to the Bulldogs at Sutherlin. In Tuesday's action, the Outlaws started a bit slow, and the Falcons came out strong and took a 2-8 lead early in the first quarter. After a quick timeout, Sisters regrouped, picked up the pace, and closed... Full story
The nasal call coming from high in the pines as the flock moves though the forest are pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). The pinyon jay is a permanent resident of the pinyon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pines forest. With bills adapted to extract seeds from cones, they will cache thousands of seeds which will be used in the winter months. Their hairless nostrils allow them to grab the seeds without getting sticky sap on themselves. They also consume many insects,... Full story
Harry Allen Orr, III passed away on January 19. He was 87 years old. Born and raised in South Carolina, he early on distinguished himself for intelligence and motivation. He attended Fishburne Military Academy and graduated from Duke University NROTC in 1951. He married his life-long partner and best friend Ietje van Dobbenburgh later that year. Harry served as ensign and later lieutenant in the U.S. Navy 1951-1954 and again 1961-1962. In between naval stints, Harry worked in... Full story
The Lady Outlaws continued to struggle to keep up with league foes this past week, and lost both their games - a 55-23 loss to the Falcons at Elmira on Tuesday, January 23, and a 52-24 road loss to Sutherlin on Friday. Sisters created good opportunities to score in Tuesday's contest against Elmira, but just couldn't get their shots to fall. At the half the Outlaws were down 31-15. The Outlaws only put one point on the scoreboard in the third period, compared to the Falcons,... Full story
11 thus far has seen one nasty winter storm. It's not the snow and ice; it's the cold and flu. This bug has proven to be rampant and persistent throughout the community. Unless you decide to quarantine yourself, the risk of catching this bug is high. There are, however, ways to stay healthy, and to beat the bug. First, an examination of how the flu is spread: The virus exists in our respiratory and nasal tracts waiting for it's moment. A sneeze, a cough, or heavy breathing then expels the virus free to find a new host. It... Full story
Outdoor Science: That's the theme for this year's Sisters Science Fair - and it's an apt topic for considering countless outdoor recreation opportunities in Sisters Country. The Science Fair is scheduled for Saturday, March 17, at Sisters High School from noon to 4 p.m. This community-wide event appeals to people of all ages to stroll through the high school and observe, ask questions and participate in the many hands-on exhibits. Students and adult volunteers will be walking around wearing buttons that say "ASK ME! What?... Full story
It is estimated that one in four Americans suffers from some sort of mental illness. A good number of these individuals may lean on their faith and place of worship in times of distress. While a place of worship may provide needed refuge, in other instances our place of worship can also cause shame. There have been noteworthy efforts among some places of worship to recognize the prevalence and impact of mental illness; however, in too many others, there continues to be a stigma and/or discomfort that perpetuates silence and... Full story
There's nothing like a week away from home, especially in a large metropolitan area, to hone my appreciation for our little corner of the world. I used to love the adventure and novelty of travel - seeing new places and meeting new people. I fear I am becoming an old curmudgeon where travel is concerned. Gone are the days of running down the jetway at the last minute and knocking on the closed aircraft door to gain late entry to my flight. Lines and more lines have become the... Full story
"'Are you an antique, Mom?'" Chelsie Hoyt-Gloeckner said, laughing, during a conversation at Suttle Tea. "That is what my young girls, Lola and Hadley asked me recently. 'Were there cars when you were little?' Nothing like being an antique!" Raised in Sisters, Chelsie, the owner of Heritage USA, an antique store located at 253 Hood Ave., is among the town's creative business women who juggle being a wife, raising children, managing a store and watching over a ranch. She doesn'... Full story
The Alpine ski team participated in a slalom race on the I-5 run at Mt. Bachelor on Saturday, January 27. Conditions were more wintry than the skiers have seen this season; snow fell heavily at times, and skiers also had to deal with strong winds. Evan Palmer was the Outlaws' top performer. Palmer skied two very consistent runs, and finished 17th in the combined, and scored 25 points for the team. After strangling a gate on his first run, George Chladek recorded a 14th-place finish on his second run and scored 18 points for... Full story
"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially." - Ernest Hemingway Veteran cavalry sergeant Tommy Metz stands in the Montana mud, a drenching nighttime rain sluicing down on his bare head, beading in his thick, black beard. Captain Joe Blocker tells him gently to get into his tent, before he freezes. Sgt. Metz peers to the inky sky... Full story
As the year 2018 advances into its second month, celestial treasures await discovery by curious observers. Chief among them is the famous Pleiades star cluster, which is near the meridian at nightfall in February. Located in the constellation of Taurus, this group of stars marks the Bull's shoulder. The Pleiades cluster is known by many names, such as M45, the Seven Sisters and Subaru, Japanese for Pleiades. In fact, the Subaru car company uses the cluster as its logo, but... Full story
During my law-enforcement career I responded to a lot - and I really do mean a surprising number - of fights, stabbings, and at least one shooting, at quinceanera celebrations. You can imagine the scene: tables overturned, chairs flying, lots of shrieking and weeping and terrified children hiding behind the DJ table. The big question, after all of the major players were in bracelets and the ambulances had rolled away to the hospital, was always the same: What could possibly... Full story
A mild winter and repeated freeze-thaw cycles have left Sisters-area trails soft and muddy. Due to the conditions, Sisters Trails Alliance is asking trail users in Sisters to avoid using the pathways when conditions are muddy. STA notes that riding, running or hiking on muddy trails creates tread damage that requires many hours of volunteer time to repair. Deep ruts created by mountain bike tires and footprints are unsightly and create low spots for melting snow or rain to... Full story
• On February 1, the selection committee for the public art to be installed in the Highway 20/Barclay roundabout will hear presentations from the three artists selected as finalists for the project. Their scale models will be on display in the City Hall lobby during February for the public to view and provide feedback. The project selected for the installation will be presented to the Sisters City Council at their February 28 meeting for approval. • The... Full story
CEO Roger Lee of Economic Development of Oregon (EDCO) was upbeat in his report to the joint workshop of the Sisters City Council and Deschutes County Commissioners on January 24. The numbers he shared appeared to show mixed results. "Led by the Bend-Redmond MSA (Deschutes County), economic results and rankings posted over the past 18 months have prompted EDCO to use this tagline in our current business development efforts: Central Oregon - America's Top Performing Economy,"... Full story
Seniors who live in Sisters Country can make their voices heard through the Senior Alliance, newly formed advocacy and action group focused on making Sisters an Age-Friendly Community (AFC). The Alliance grew out of efforts by Sisters resident Joann Powers, who was recently faced with challenges familiar to seniors when unexpected health issues arise. At a meeting held January 18, planning got underway for an evening of Community Conversation scheduled for Wednesday, March... Full story
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats. That's why your feline friend doesn't understand why you get so bent out of shape when he claws that tempting couch arm or carpet. Cats do not scratch furniture with malicious contempt. Cats scratch for a variety of reasons: to remove the dead outer layer of their claws, to mark their territory by leaving both a visual mark and a scent (they have scent glands on their paws), to exercise, and to stretch their muscles. It's one of their primal, instinctual urges. And it's something... Full story
The Sisters Library Annual Art Exhibit presented its People's Choice Awards at a reception at the library on Friday evening. As the names of four award-winners were announced, from the far corner, by the shelved books on hold, came a sudden round of celebratory back-slapping and general excitement. Steve Mathews, a 75-year-old retired art teacher and counselor, and his young friend and part-time Tollgate neighbor 19-year-old Austin James Jackson, outdoor photographer and... Full story
