News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 19 of 19
Lindsay A. Scott, a senior at Sisters High School, was awarded $400, a letter of recognition, two flag pins for her parents, and a Voice of Democracy essay contest medal for her entry in the annual contest. The winning essay on the theme “America, Where Do We Go from Here?” follows: Dear America, Where Do We Go from Here? To answer this question, I think we must first look at where we have been. In order to move forward, we must look at the past. We must take in the good and the bad, and then find passion for our country des... Full story
You wish you could be more present in your relationships, to achieve deeper connections, but a nagging worry about what others think of you keeps getting in the way. Evolutionary forces that shaped our ancestors’ brains, enabling them to survive a harsh environment, may be creating a barrier to greater intimacy. Key to our ancestors’ survival was the amygdala, the home of the brain’s threat-detection system, alerting our ancestors to potential physical dangers and mobilizing their bodies to fight, flee, or when all else... Full story
All over town you can spot cars and trucks with trees strapped to the roof or truck bed, fresh from being hunted and cut in the woods. This has been a Sisters tradition for as long as there has been a Sisters — even before. By now folks know you need a $5 permit to harvest a tree on public lands. You can save as much as $170 against the current Lowe’s or Home Depot price for a 12-foot fir. Trekking into the forest to find that perfect tree is a family affair with r... Full story
While reading the commentary in the October 13 issue of The Nugget entitled “Resilient Sisters must be ambidextrous,” it occurred to me that what was being talked about was flexibility. Mitchell Luftig, the author, was referring to a concept that Michele Gelfand of the University of Maryland referenced as knowing which circumstances in life require tightening restrictions and when it’s OK to loosen them. The article’s premise was in relation to the collective threat of the pandemic. I’d like us to think about it in relation... Full story
The Mountain Bluebird [Sialia currucoides] seeks out open areas with a mix of grasses, shrubs and trees, in mountainous areas up to 12,500 feet. Clearcuts, meadows, and sagebrush/juniper habitat provide large insect populations for the feeding of fledglings. They require tree cavities or nest boxes for brooding. The female chooses her mate by the quality of the nest cavity that the male offers. She builds the nest as the male Mountain Bluebird brings insects to her while she... Full story
I’ve been thinking a lot about misinformation. It seems everywhere you turn people have very different ideas about what is correct and what is not. How do we know what is right? My Scotties have been bitten or aggressively charged by three large black dogs in the neighborhood over the past 10 years. Now they consider any large black dog as a threat. Not all of the large black dogs in the neighborhood are threatening. But the Scotties are stuck with this misinformation that they believe to their core. Take the COVID s... Full story
Sisters trails are subject to wear and tear from heavy use and from the impacts of weather. Volunteers keep them in good shape, in work parties organized by Sisters Trails Alliance (STA). This fall, a cadre of 21 volunteers put in 240 hours working on winter trails to the south of Sisters (see related story, page 1). According to STA Volunteer Coordinator Greg Vandehey, the organization has no problem finding people to lend a hand. “I didn’t have to work very hard to find vol... Full story
One can become detached, hunkered down on a rock in the middle of nowhere, or in a boat out on the edge. It’s a lifestyle with consequences, even if not consciously embraced, it’s often pointed out. But there’s a perspective in that detachment, though it should not be called objective. There’s no such thing. Let’s get that out of the way. Yesterday I gave up my membership in the Democratic Party and became “unaffiliated.” Not Independent, and God knows, not Republican &m... Full story
The resurgence of Sisters High School’s wrestling team continues into 2021-22, with a total of 18 athletes turning out for the team thus far according to Gary Thorson, co-head coach and athletic director. Tre Jarboe has been hired as the other head coach. Key returnees for the team include three with state meet experience. Wyatt Maffey, a returning district champion who placed fifth at state will be wrestling in the 152-pound class this year. Carson Brown also competed at state last year and will wrestle at 138 or 145 p... Full story
How much of a person’s behavior is free will? Do people actually have a say in their health and wellness? It turns out, free will is second to what others around us are doing in regards to obesity and exercise habits. Behavioral psychology and health studies are revealing that a person’s body weight is tied to their social network. Not Facebook or Twitter, but real-life network. In the New England Journal of Medicine, 10,000 subjects were analyzed with lifestyle questionnaires. Results showed people have a 45 percent hig... Full story
The boys soccer squad had six players named to all-league teams this year, including senior Ricky Huffman and junior Tate Kaczmarek, who were first team picks. Huffman was a four-year starter for the Outlaws and a co-captain this year. He has been the team’s leading scorer the last three seasons and this year posted 14 goals, and tallied four assists. He was honored for his play at the forward position. “Ricky is relentless in energy and athleticism and makes life tough for defenders,” said Coach Jeff Husmann. “He often has t... Full story
This year’s Sisters High School ski team will field the largest number of racers in Outlaw history. Twenty-seven racers are out for the sport; 14 girls and 13 boys. Head Coach Gabe Chladek and Assistant Coach Rima Givot are excited about the upcoming season as they start their fifth year as the ski team coaches. Sisters ski teams will compete in the newly revitalized Emerald League of the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association this season. The league is made up of schools from Eugene, Albany, Corvallis, Philomath, Redm... Full story
Two local authors will visit the Camp Sherman Store on Saturday, December 4, from noon to 2 p.m. to sign their very different, but nonetheless Camp Sherman-connected books. Bethanne Kronick Blann will sign copies of her children’s book “Mr. & Mrs. Snowplow are Back!” created with her late husband, Camp Sherman’s beloved resident deputy Dave Blann. “The book is the light in my life right now,” Bethanne told The Nugget. One of Blann’s duties as resident deputy was to keep Camp... Full story
Small Farmer’s Journal on North Cedar Street is another of those surprising businesses tucked away off the beaten path in Sisters, and which has a large following well past our borders. The family-owned business publishes a quarterly, large format, color journal — and has since 1976. They have paid subscribers in 72 foreign countries and all 50 U.S. states and all Canadian provinces. Editor and Publisher Lynn R. Miller, who founded the operation, describes the Journal as... Full story
For most of us, last year’s Christmas season was a significantly subdued one due to the shadow cast by COVID-19. To our continuing dismay, the virus is still with us; but, thanks to vaccines and the resultant declining infections, there is some cautious optimism that the worst may be behind us. As a result, many of us are starting to look at ways to resume some sense of normalcy in our lives; and, for our family, the annual Christmas tree hunt was a step in that direction! A... Full story
Joel Chadd of Sisters is pursuing his lifelong passion for music by releasing his first debut album. Chadd grew up in a musical family with his father being a professional musician, and his grandma in her youth being a performer in Big Bands. Chadd played drums in middle school but put music on hold for many years, until at 23 years old he decided to pick up the guitar and learn. “I began teaching myself guitar and writing songs when I was 23 years old on my mom’s nylon str... Full story
A shockingly large number of my friends and family have opted for a “news blackout” in recent months. These are people who ordinarily pride themselves on being well-informed. They’re not being lazy or negligent: They have come to recognize that the constant drumbeat of doom and the cacophony of contention that they pick up from cable TV news and the internet is bad for their mental health. Every one of them reports feeling better for the detox. It’s hard these days to know wha... Full story
Thankful To the Editor: I am very, very thankful for the Community Dinner put on each Thanksgiving and held at the Sisters Community Church. Thankful for the funds that support it and thankful for the volunteers who cook and serve it. If it was not for that dinner, we would be alone eating dinner alone and cooking it alone. I (we) appreciate the opportunity to be among others who don't have family or are too elderly to cook that type of meal. Diana Raske and Al Lovgren... Full story
Some of Sisters’ beloved winter trails are ready for winter — whenever it arrives. Twenty-one volunteers put in 240 hours on Nordic and snowshoeing trails south of Sisters in what Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) Secretary Ann Richardson called “by far our biggest volunteer work effort of 2021.” Long-time STA volunteer Gary Guttormsen told The Nugget that work crews got started in late September getting trails in the area of the Three Creeks Snow Parks in shape. They did m... Full story
