News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 13 of 13
Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s November 17 temporary freeze proclamation placed many restrictive actions in place to “bend the COVID-19 curve.” With no easy answers, policies were enacted to dramatically reduce COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths — while reducing stress on our valiant medical system. Should she have done more? I answer, “Yes.” Purposeful short-term sacrifice for long-term solutions. Indeed, possibly implementing proven successful COVID-19... Full story
The Oregon Employment Department announced Friday that it is preparing for an increase in unemployment claims following Governor Kate Brown’s statewide two-week freeze. Oregonians whose employment is impacted by this effort to curb the exponential spread of COVID-19 will need to either file an initial claim or restart a stopped claim. “While the two-week freeze may not directly affect all businesses, we want Oregonians to know that we are in a much better place than we were at the start of the pandemic to respond to an upt... Full story
As we close in on Thanksgiving, one of the most celebrated holidays in our country, I’d like to share with you a quote I recently received from The Waterfront Depot in Florence: Generosity is a resistance to the fear that we won’t have enough, the illusion that we can control the future, and the walls we put up that separate us. Every small act of generosity has the ability to fight back by creating a counter culture of joy, freedom and unity. We all have something to give. Whether it’s a smile so big that it can be seen... Full story
The Sisters 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update team is out of the gate and running — conducting background studies, doing community engagement, and preparing for a December open house. Many community members have asked why the Comprehensive Plan Update is being undertaken before the Sisters Country Vision is fully implemented. How is the Comprehensive Plan different from the Vision? The Vision and Comp Plan Update have a lot of crossover but have different geographic focuses, breadth of scope, and implementation... Full story
• Abbas Well Drilling hit water last week in Creekside Campground for the City’s new Well #4 at a depth of 295 feet in hard rock, which is what they had hoped for. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna reported that the hole would then be viewed with a video camera and a 48-hour blow test of the pump would be conducted. • City Council approved the appointment of 14 people to the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Comprehensive Plan update. Two-thirds of the members l... Full story
The Marsh Hawk or Northern Harrier [circus hudsonius] is a member of a global group of raptors that are equipped with special tools for silent hunting. Its long, broad wings allow it to glide easily over grasslands, with minimal flapping, moving at a slower pace than other hawks. They use their acute hearing and have a circular arrangement of stiff feathers on their face that collects the sounds of rodents, insects and snakes rustling amongst the foliage. These facial discs... Full story
Shopping for holiday gifts and specialty foods will inevitably look different this year as we head into another time of closures and restricted shopping practices. Luckily our local producers and distributors are motivated more than ever to connect Central Oregonians to all our region has to offer during the holidays and throughout the winter season. Farms stands and outdoor markets may be closed for now, but there are many other options for sourcing goods locally, which is not only helpful to feeling more connected to the re... Full story
Talk about bravery. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, two Portland area entrepreneurs took a leap of faith and purchased The Depot Café, a Sisters fixture on Cascade Avenue, which shuttered last January with then owners placing the building for sale. A restaurateur would be the logical choice for a new occupant, given the existence of its kitchen, but with the food and beverage industry taking a massive hit from the pandemic it looked like the building would sit... Full story
Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship has certified the County’s Nov. 3 General Election results and forwarded final results to the State. Since Election Day on November 3, elections staff has been adjudicating ballots to determine voter intent, counting votes, documenting votes for one “no candidate filed” race, contacting voters with signature challenges and curing signature challenges so that all votes are counted. The election had a very high turnout; 85.28 percent of the 150,696 eligible Deschutes County voters retur... Full story
What began as a desire for Sisters residents Jared and Crystal Vogt to feed their family healthier food turned into a mission to help children overseas. Crystal noted, “We became more health-minded after moving to Sisters six years ago and were trying to feed our family, good, clean, healthy food, but it costs a lot. The only way we could know for sure what we were feeding our kids was to raise it ourselves. So, we went in together with another family and bought one cow t... Full story
After the success of the My Own Two Hands auction that went virtual this year, Sisters Folk Festival is putting on another virtual auction raising money for supporting the arts in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The auction will be running from December 1-5, on an online bidding website. The Festival notes that, “The Winter JAM (Journey/Adventure/Music) Auction and Fundraiser will raise money for critical mission support. Since the pandemic hit in March, SFF has continued t... Full story
Observations from a counselor: The stress your children are experiencing isn’t just coming from online learning or lack of contact with friends. Please remember that your kids hear everything. They hear your stress over finances. They hear your anger over schools opening — or not. They hear your frustration with your employers. They hear your anguish over the inconvenience of not going out to eat or living a “normal” life. They hear your fear — or disdain — over COVID. They love you and want you to be happy... Full story
Local citizens and business employees called in suspicious activity that led to the arrest of a California man on multiple theft charges. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) reports that on November 19, the DCSO received two reports of a suspicious male driving a white 2020 Dodge Challenger with a California plate of 8PZP129, in the 69800 block of Pine Ridge Road and in the 17800 block of Highway 126. In both of these calls, the driver of the vehicle entered two private properties and was taking photos with a cell p... Full story
