News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 25
This year more than 2,000 tree permits will be issued by the Forest Service's District Ranger office in Sisters. Add to that another 1,000-plus for permits purchased online at recreation.gov, and Sisters will benefit by more than 10,000 persons hunting trees in our nearby woods. Each permit generally has four persons attached to it; usually families with young children. The permits, only $5, are a drop in the bucket to the agency's annual revenue budget, which includes permits... Full story
In 2011 my husband and I helped Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue, an Oregon-based rescue group. One day we were sent to Eugene to pick up two Scottie puppies. They had lived in a small cage, never getting out. Scared and underweight, they came home with us. One pup quickly went to Washington. We kept the other, naming him Bernie. Initially he was terrified of stepping outside. But soon he discovered the wonders of the world. Bernie's fears created challenges. Below is his... Full story
Days are shorter, and the air is colder - winter is coming! Every Thursday in December, the High Desert Museum will host fun and festive Winter Nights events - offering participants a break from their busy work weeks with unique evenings out. For Winter Nights the Museum will remain open until 7:30 p.m., with seasonal themes as well as a chance to experience new exhibitions and activities for all ages. In addition, the Museum presently has two new exhibitions - "Wolves:... Full story
At Sisters Middle School we have an outstanding outdoor science program called ECoS (Earth, Community and Self). It is offered to eighth graders and consists of five overnight, unforgettable expeditions and a few other amazing day trips. Some of the opportunities provided in ECoS include backpacking, building a snow cave, surfing, rock climbing, tree climbing, repelling, and much more. Mike Geison is the founder of ECoS and this is now his ninth year running it with his... Full story
The topic of wolves is extremely controversial, and they are often seen as either good or bad. But no species is good or bad, as it's only we humans who classify their behavior as acceptable or not. Like any hotly debated issue, the more we understand and find similarities and commonalities, the more we can find acceptance - and in the case of the wolf, coexist. With wolves now taking up residence in Central Oregon and dispersing through Jefferson, and Deschutes counties,... Full story
For most of his life he found meaning within perfection, whether at the yoke of a fighter jet or the stroke of a brush. But now Jim Horsley is seeking that less and instead finding meaning through art in a different way. After a year of deliberation and hard work he is displaying his journey to meaning within a new book, "Reflections of Jesus." For most of his art career his work has largely centered around his military service and the Western way of life. He served 12 years... Full story
Thirty-three films were released in U.S. theaters December 1. The number may surprise you with all the talk of the Hollywood writer's strike that went on for months. But these films, like nearly all, had been in the works for years. It takes that long from concept to financing to production to release for a movie to make it to the screen. One of the 33 is "Eileen," which had its limited release in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles on December 1 and which will open "wide" Frida... Full story
John Henry Nagel III, better known as Jack, died peacefully on Tuesday, November 21, at age 74. Recent acquaintances of Jack would find him at his daily coffee post at Angeline's Bakery, taking tickets at The Belfry, or selling veggies at The Stand. But before arriving in Sisters at the tail-end of the 1970s, Jack had already lived a full and adventurous life. Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, Jack excelled in athletics, and helped with his father's heating oil... Full story
Four winter range closures are now in effect across the Deschutes National Forest to provide critical habitat for deer and elk. Closure areas include Cabin/Silver Lake, Metolius Winter Range, Opine Travel Management Area, and Tumalo Winter Range. Motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles and electric bicycles) are prohibited in the closure areas to protect deer and elk during the winter. The winter wildlife closures will last through March 31, 2024. Winter range is habitat deer and elk migrate to in order to find more... Full story
The Western Meadowlark [Sturnella negleckta] with its bright yellow breast is found in many varied habitats, from high desert sage, grasslands, and wetlands, to the shoulders of Mt. Jefferson. Its flute-like songs can be heard throughout the day. Nests are built on the ground and covered with a roof of grass and contain five to six white eggs with rust and lavender spots, which are incubated for 13-16 days. The chicks are in the nest for 10-12 days before fledging. A male... Full story
The Lady Outlaws played on the road against the Burns Highlanders in their first game of the season on Wednesday, November 30. It was a close battle, but in the end Sisters came up short in a final score of 49-44. Sisters started off a bit slow, but then Ila Reid had a couple of nice drives to the basket for points. Maggie Lutz also scored on a nice give-and-go on a Shae Wyland assist, and also hit a shot from behind the arc. At the close of the period the Outlaws were up by one, 9-8. The Outlaws were only able to put five... Full story
Sisters High School senior Ella Bartlett will continue her running career next year for the Nighthawks at Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) in Nampa, Idaho. Her choice became official on November 28 in a signing ceremony at Sisters High School, surrounded by her parents, coaches, and teammates. Bartlett, a multi-sport athlete throughout high school, is well decorated as a runner. She completed her fourth cross-country season recently after leading the team as a captain, and... Full story
The Outlaws traveled to Burns on Wednesday, November 30, and lost the contest 62-48. Sisters played a great first quarter, and forced the Highlanders to turn the ball over six times. The Outlaws got good looks at the basket out of their motion offense, shot 57 percent, and held a 17-11 lead at the end of the period. The Outlaws saw their biggest lead of the game at 22-13 halfway through the second quarter, but then the Highlanders went on a run and closed the gap. Sisters hit three three-pointers in the period, one from... Full story
The Sisters Outlaws competed well at the Adrian Irwin tournament held at Caldera High School December 1-2. Scott Henderson advanced to the fifth-place match with wins over Francisco De La Rosa of McLoughlin, Jose Martinez of Mountain View, and Jeremiah Ridenour of Ridgeview, but lost his final match to Felix Ramirez of Caldera by fall (1:31). After a bye in the first round in the 165-pound division, Jace Owens picked up a win over Ian Colquhoun of Caldera by fall (0:59). He then lost to Julian Lopez by fall (2:46) and then... Full story
More than 250 Sisters dancers will take an audience on a journey by train to the North Pole on Saturday, December 16, in the Sisters Dance Academy Winter Recital. The recital, held at Sisters High School, includes fun and festive numbers from the “Polar Express” to “Northern Lights,” to meeting Santa, the elves, the reindeer, and then experiencing all of the magic of Christmas. This show features dancers ages 3 to adult who will be dancing in the styles of hip hop, ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary. There is a 1 p.m. ma... Full story
Back in the day, the average person did not have access to the Internet. Back in the day, if you wanted to read about someone else's experience of life, observe beautiful photography-or groovy fashions, handy recipes, the latest developments in popular mechanics - you had to consult a magazine. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a magazine consists of pieces of paper printed with words, artwork, cartoons, and photography, bound together. Less imposing than a book, a... Full story
The second annual Big Ponderoo Music and Art Festival will be held June 29-30, with lively bluegrass and Americana music on the stage at the Three Creeks production facility. The event, under the umbrella of SFF Presents, celebrates the thriving music and arts community in Sisters. A limited number of discounted holiday tickets are now available for $175/adult (limit four per person) and $80/youth 17 and under at https://aftontickets.com/BigPonderoo, while supplies last or through January 3, 2024, whichever comes first. The... Full story
Volunteers from Sisters recently returned from one of many trips to Honduras with the nonprofit Heart for Hope. Dr. John Spomer, now a Central Oregon resident, helps orchestrate the trips in collaboration with Cadena de Amor in Honduras. Before Heart for Hope partnered with Cadena de Amor (Chain of Love), the Honduran non-profit worked with Medical Teams International of Portland, Oregon, to provide dental care for grade school children. Ten years ago, Medical Teams Internatio... Full story
Black Butte School students in Camp Sherman enjoyed activities with Buster the Fire Dog and fire service personnel last week as the winner of an event through the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Cooperative (Co-Op) and their 37th Annual Firebusters Fire & Life Safety program. The program includes five 30-second fire-and-life safety videos targeted for students kindergarten to fifth grade. Videos are available by watching the morning or evening news on KTVZ, on YouTube, or on... Full story
The weather in Sisters is doing what it always does to me at this time of year. My soul hears the ancient horn call of the mythic North. A couple of nights ago, I fired up the electronic campfire (YouTube) for a tale of “Beowulf.” And because my mind works the way it does, it led me to thinking about “settler colonialism,” a term we hear a lot these days. The working definition of settler colonialism is: “…a type of colonialism in which the indigenous peoples of a colonized re... Full story
Thank-you to letter writer To the Editor: This is a thank-you to Wendy Vermillion for your letters to the editor regarding cedar bow trimmings/permits, and forest uses. Your initial letter spoke to my heart, and all the ways that I see nature being destroyed around us, and so often feel hopeless. I thank you for having the courage and taking the time. I thank The Nugget for posting the letters; it gives me hope. Your name says it all, you are one and over 1 million and I wish you a very joyous winter season and new year.... Full story
Cutting trees in the forest turned out to be more of an adventure than four Sisters Country families imagined. A group of about 20 headed toward Round Lake last week in search of the perfect Christmas tree, an annual tradition. After completing the mission and bagging four handsome specimens, the families gathered around a bonfire. From out of the shadows, at first cowering, appeared a dog, not one of the five belonging to the tree hunters. The dog, a bit worse for wear, was... Full story
Michael Boyle of Sisters pleaded guilty via Alford plea to multiple criminal counts in Deschutes County Circuit Court on Monday, December 4. Boyle pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sex abuse in the first degree, two counts of third-degree sex abuse, and three counts of practicing massage without a license. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which the defendant acknowledges that there is sufficient evidence that they could convicted at trial, and agrees to accept all... Full story
Kellen Klein was chosen as the new full-time executive director of Citizens4Community (C4C) as of mid-November. He has been serving as the interim director for the past five-and-a-half months, and recently signed a two-year contract with the board. Klein said he is honored and thrilled with his new position. "I've been telling folks that it feels like I'm getting paid to do the community building I'd want to do anyway," he said. "It perfectly aligns with my passion for... Full story
Truly ugly weather didn't dampen the spirits of the 250 runners and walkers who took part in the third annual Ugly Sweater Run and Walk, organized by Kelly Bither of RunSistersRun. Strong wind gusts combined with nearly constant rain made for some cold conditions - and soaked sweaters - but smiles remained on the faces of the festive participants. A very short dash for children started things off at 9:45 a.m. as members of the cross-country team led some youngsters on an out... Full story
