News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Articles from the November 23, 2004 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 14 of 14

  • City council receives couplet plan

    Jim Mitchell, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Many locals don't want a couplet at all and there is still some disagreement as to how one should be implemented, but the Sisters City Council now has a couplet plan to review. The council got a review of a couplet at its Thursday, November 17, worskshop meeting. Matt Hastie of Cogan Owen Cogan, design consultants for the couplet plan, presented the results of eight meetings of the Couplet Advisory Committee, three ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) meetings, other ODOT input, two public meetings and innumerable... Full story

  • Sisters is second fastest growing city in Oregon

    Jim Mitchell, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Not anymore. Now it's 1,490. photo by Jim Mitchell Sisters appears to be the second fastest growing city in Oregon. Population surveys since the 2000 census indicate that Sisters has a whopping growth rate of 55 percent. On April 1, 2000, Sisters had a population of 959. The entry signs to the city now read Population 1,080. And the accepted figure, as of July 1, 2004, is 1,490. The census count is the door-to-door count of the population conducted every 10 years. Cities, counties and states need relatively accurate numbers... Full story

  • Still no ID on old skull

    Updated Nov 23, 2004

    BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A skull discovered in the wilderness 15 miles northwest of Sisters has been identified as that of a middle-aged-to-elderly black man, Jefferson County Sheriff Jack Jones said. The skull was discovered by a hiker on September 15. The Oregon Medical Examiner's Office could not obtain DNA from the skull, but was able to identify it as that of an older black male based on its structure, Jones said. Jones said bones found near the skull are believed to be those of animals. Jones said his agency is not aware of... Full story

  • Middle school adopts 'Sparrow'

    Kathryn Godsiff, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Sisters Middle School students display their "caring cards." The students have adopted a new "Sparrow" who needs lots of long-term help. photo by Barbara Haynes Sisters Middle School Sparrow Club members got a start on their year's activities during interim week earlier this month. The 19 members met their "Sparrow," Samuel Shepardson, age four, of Sisters, and made a start on their community service projects. Club advisor Barbara Haynes said the club members were very excited to have a local child become their Sparrow. Throu... Full story

  • Chamber hosts holiday events this weekend

    Updated Nov 23, 2004

    The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday season on Friday, November 26, at 5 p.m., with the lighting of the community tree at Barclay Park. The ceremony will feature Christmas caroling by the Sisters Episcopal Church Choir, directed by Si Simonson. Ed Beacham, Pastor at Chapel in the Pines at Camp Sherman and owner of Beacham's Clock Company, will be part of the ceremony. This year's tree was donated by Sisters residents Cathy and Harv Moen. The tree was cut down and delivered by Dude Aylor and his crew... Full story

  • Christmas tree permits now on sale to the public

    Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Retail outlets and Forest Service offices throughout Central Oregon have begun selling permits to harvest Christmas trees from the Ochoco and Deschutes National Forests. The permits can be purchased for $5 at Forest Service offices and $5.25 at retail outlets. A validated permit must be attached to each tree that is transported, with a maximum of five per household. Permits are available in the Sisters area at: Sisters Ranger Station; Sisters Oil; Lutton's Ace Hardware and the Camp Sherman Store (Friday-Sunday only). Permit h... Full story

  • Firefighters train on burning structure

    Jim Cornelius, News Editor|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Firefighters take live-fire training. photo provided At first glance, it seems a strange complaint coming from Sisters Assistant Fire Chief Ken Enoch: "We don't seem to get enough fires anymore." Improvements in safety and in home construction have reduced structure fires in Sisters -- obviously a good thing. But firefighters learn best by actually fighting fire and live fire training is hard to come by. That's why Sisters and Black Butte Ranch (BBR) firefighters jumped at the chance to "burn-to-learn" on a house off Camp... Full story

  • New paramedic comes to Sisters

    Jim Fisher, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Ben Bruegeman. photo by Jim Cornelius Ben Bruegeman is the new paramedic with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District. Bruegeman reported for work November 15 after completing both his fire science and paramedic studies at Chemeketa Community College in Salem. He is the 10th paramedic now working for the fire district. Paramedic service is the highest of three levels of emergency medical services provided by the district, starting with the fire responder level, the intermediate level and then the paramedic... Full story

  • School libraries face dwindling funding here as elsewhere

    Don Robinson, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    The funding and staffing of Oregon school libraries have deteriorated over the past two decades, according to a report issued last week by State Librarian Jim Scheppke. Sisters schools appear to offer no exception. Scheppke's report said: "...we know that in 1980 Oregon schools employed 818 certified library/media specialists, equivalent to one librarian for every 547 students. In 2003, there were only 461 certified library/ media specialists working in Oregon schools, equivalent to one librarian for every 1,196 students."... Full story

  • Anti-drinking program sparks interest across state of Oregon

    Jim Mitchell, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    A video shoot for a TAPS ad. photo by Jim Mitchell A Sisters-based activist group dedicated to reducing substance abuse among teens is getting attention from schools and cities across Oregon. Think Again ParentS (TAPS) was founded in 2002. Members developed a plan to increase parent and community awareness and to provide alternative youth activities. Now they're taking their message beyond Sisters. The Beaverton Mayor's Youth Advisory Council has asked Judy Trego (TAPS member, Director of the Community Action Team of Sisters... Full story

  • New rules affect access to cold medicines

    Jim Mitchell, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Cold sufferers will have to ask to get a little relief. New rules have restricted access to cold medications often used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. However, cold sufferers are only minimally inconvenienced -- so far. When Oregon Governor Kulongoski looked for a solution to the rapidly rising methamphetamine (meth) production and use problem in Oregon he asked for restrictions on the sale of products that contain pseudoephedrine -- including many over-the-counter cold remedies. Pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient... Full story

  • Letters, letters, letters

    Updated Nov 23, 2004

    The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday. To the Editor: It's amazing that... Full story

  • Meeting Calendar

    Updated Nov 23, 2004

    - City Council Meeting 7 p.m., 2nd and 4th Thursday each month, Sisters City Hall. 549-6022. - School Board Meeting 7 p.m., 2nd Monday each month, middle school lecture/drama room. 549-8521. - Black Butte School District Board of Directors meets 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., Black Butte School. 595-6203. - Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD meets for drill every Monday, 7 p.m. Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. 549-0771. - Sisters Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Sisters Fire Hall. 549-1223. - Sisters Habitat for... Full story

  • Sisters residents work on fire plan

    Jim Mitchell, Correspondent|Updated Nov 23, 2004

    Sisters area residents and officials from local fire agencies are developing a community fire plan to help head off catastrophic wildfires around local subdivisions. photo by Marcus Kauffman With snow dusting the peaks, the threat of wildfire seems far away. Yet more than 40 Sisters area residents attended the last of four community fire plan meetings on November 16 at the Sisters Fire Hall. They received a briefing on a proposed greater Sisters community fire plan and offered their suggestions in the drafting of the plan.... Full story