News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 22 of 22
As Prineville gears up for likely expansion of the Facebook data center and the possibility of Apple locating a similar facility there, some in Sisters Country are asking whether Sisters should be in the running for such enterprises. According to Sisters Economic Development Director Mac Hay, a couple of factors keep Sisters off that playing field. The first is electric power. According to Hay, each facility will have up to four buildings using between 20 and 30 megawatts of power per building. "The demand for the entire Sist... Full story
Sisters school and club sports were a lively topic at Wednesday's school board meeting. Fundraising remains a major challenge for Sisters school sports programs. "I would feel remiss if I didn't say that the coaches of current active sports that I have spoken to are all struggling from a fundraising standpoint," Andrew Gorayeb reported to his Sisters School Board colleagues last Wednesday. Gorayeb reported that a recent coaches meeting called by Sisters High School Principal Joe Hosang was "very positive and extremely product... Full story
Bend Research's challenge to the K-12 Central Oregon student community was to "face one of your greatest fears, then work to solve it." Sisters second-grader Hollie Lewis faced down the fear of tsunamis to come up with her invention: a raft that could be folded up and stored under a house. In the event of a tsunami, the raft would automatically open up and float the house to safety. Hollie's brainstorm earned her a first-place prize in the annual Bend Research Inventerprise co... Full story
To the Editor: Bob and Honey have been cheerful fixtures outside Sisters Coffee and in our local parks ever since we moved to Sisters. David and I always enjoy our interactions with Bob and Honey (who never failed to wonder if we had dog treats in our pockets). We were so sad to learn of this unfortunate accident (see story, page 1) and for the young driver as well. We all know how hard it is to cross Cascade, and the markings and lighting are insufficient this time of year especially. I tried to visit Bob at St. Charles... Full story
Sisters celebrated the work of its library volunteers Friday night in the annual library volunteer appreciation party held in the community room of the Sisters Library. Friends of the Sisters Library (FOSL) - and many good old friends and patrons of the library - helped set up the tables and chairs, and supplied delicious finger-food and mouth-watering desserts for the party. Special entertainment was furnished by Lola Knox and her recorder group, "Renaissance Sisters." The... Full story
A limited number of tickets are still available for "A Starry Nights Christmas with Gary Morris," set for Saturday, December 17, at 7 p.m. at Sisters High School. Morris, who headlined Starry Nights in 1998 and 2007, will be performing Christmas songs along with other classics for an unforgettable evening with one of the music industry's most eminent vocalists. Six seventh- and eighth-grade singers from the Sisters Middle School Choir will be joining Gary onstage for a special Christmas selection. The students, who... Full story
Equestrian sport is a family affair for many Sisters Country families, and the Chandler sisters recently made it a winning one. Olivia, 15, and Ellie, 13, emerged as year-end champions in the United States Eventing Association Region VII (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska.) The girls, who work with Sisters trainer Karen O'Neal, compete in the junior divisions of their sport. Olivia, on her mother's horse, TGI Friday, rode Jr. Training Level, where the jumps are a... Full story
Sisters natives Benji Nagel, Raman Ellis, Travis Ehrenstrom and John Morton will perform in a songwriter's evening on Thursday, December 22, at The Barn (68467 Three Creek Rd., Sisters). The show begins at 7 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door. Each member of this performance is a graduate of Sisters High School and its Americana Project. Guitar virtuoso Benji Nagel has spent the last four years performing in and around the Ashland area with friend Raman... Full story
Camp Sherman is an idyllic place for just about anything, and for many residents dog ownership rates near the top. With ample space to run, play and lounge, Camp Sherman dogs live a sweet life. The Black Butte School Foundation celebrates that with a 2012 calendar, featuring photos of several canine residents. Water-loving dogs take center stage, not surprising with the Metolius River a stone's throw away. Sisters photographer Craig May worked with the dogs and owners setting... Full story
Mark and Robin Benson embrace the saying "A true testimony always begins with a 'test,' and a message often begins with a 'mess.'" Mark stepped into his new position this fall as the director of Sisters Young Life with the understanding that, in order to speak into the lives of area teens, he and his wife would need to draw from their most agonizing life experiences. Growing up in southern California and lacking positive guidance, Mark made some reckless choices, he says. At the age of 18, he fathered a son, Tylor. For... Full story
Sisters Country artist and equestrienne Kimry Jelen has collaborated with photographer Barb Riebold to produce an equestrian calendar for a cause. The proceeds will help renowned dressage trainer Karl Mikolka and his wife, who are struggling with medical problems. Mikolka was diagnosed in 2009 with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He has been getting treatments and attempting recovery since then. He has not been able to teach, and the medical bills continue to come in. Recently his... Full story
Karen Keady is bringing her hard-won expertise in skin care to a Sisters clientele - and opening Essentials Skincare, Spa & Boutique in Sisters is the fulfillment of a decades-old dream. The former nurse and longtime esthetician could be in Mongolia right now - literally. After a career in nursing and owning her own skin care spa in Idaho, she had chased a Peace Corps assignment, looking for fulfilling work. But when it came, the reality of isolation and harsh... Full story
The boys basketball team started off the season in style with two wins in two close games. Sisters beat Summit 57-52 on Tuesday, December 6, and two days later defeated Cascade 56-52 in overtime. Sisters played well against a tough Summit squad on Tuesday. The Storm had just come off a weekend win at a 6A tournament in Portland and had a lot of momentum going into the contest. Coach Rand Runco said, "They were very focused and came at us very hard. We'd had a few poor... Full story
The Lady Outlaws basketball team suffered losses on the road in their first two pre-season games of the year. Sisters lost 74-61 to Summit on Tuesday, December 6, and two days later fell 82-41 to Cascade. The girls put forth a tremendous defensive effort in the first quarter of Tuesday's game against Summit and trailed by only three points, 20-17, at the close of the period. Early in the second quarter Sisters had only three fouls and Summit was already in double bonus. The Outlaws made a few errors at the end of the half and... Full story
• A hound dog keeps leaving its home property to chase after passersby. The owner has been cited in the past and was warned that she'll be cited again if it continues. • A contractor and a subcontractor got into a scuffle over house plans. There were no injuries and no charges - each just wanted the incident documented. The contractor fired the sub. • A 21-year-old was popped for DUII. • A deputy recovered a stolen GPS unit during a traffic stop. • A citizen... Full story
Fifth Grade 4.0: Abbenhuis, Orry; Asson, Alexa; Bianchi, Sophia; Blakelock, Cole; Bordonaro, Spencer; Duerden, True; Eagan, Bradley; Gannon, Roy; Green, Bruce; Green, Keaton; Hubbard, Alexandria; Lighthall, Parker-Jane; Lucas, Hunter; Montecinos, Nancy; Murphy, Ryleigh; Novotny, David; Rubbert, Sarah; Sadler, Mikayla; Schutte, Trever; Smeltzer, Kincaid; Song, Joan; Stadeli, Trey; Stewart, Willie; Warner, Wyatt. 3.5 and above: Bachtold, Asher; Berg, Jack; Cook, Loriel; Cook, Marion; Frack, Sofia; Greaney, Meghan; Hartford,... Full story
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has come under fire lately, with grandmas claiming they were strip-searched at the airport. TSA official Michael T. Irwin jumped on that allegation at the top of a talk with a Sisters audience last week: "TSA does not do strip searches. It is illegal for us to do that! If someone did that they should and would be fired." (TSA has apologized to one woman, while denying the allegations.) Irwin is a native Oregonian who was tapped to head the Oregon district of the TSA in 2005.... Full story
West Coast Equestrian Center on Cloverdale Road hosted the first of four open schooling shows on a cold but beautiful day in Sisters, on December 4. Riders showed in Halter, Showmanship,Western, English and Trail classes. High Point winners for the first series are: Halter: Andrea Turner showing Obviously A Good Clu; 10 and under: Sarah Lochenmeyer showing Peanut; 11-13: Emylia Breckel showing Lady Excalibur; 14-17: Jaime Kelly showing Dakota; 18 and over: Matt Fournier... Full story
Reports of snowy owl (SNOL) sightings have been coming in by the hundred from across the nation. My pal from the old OMSI days, Bart Butterfield - who is now in charge of the GIS Division of Idaho Fish and Game - sent me an email the other day with an attached map of all the SNOL sightings in the U.S. and Canada. If you want to see it, go to http://g.co/maps/r9ub2. But the first report I received of a snowy in Oregon came from Sisters photographer and kestrel volunteer Dick... Full story
4 and Above Grade 9: Anderson, Jesse J; Anderson, Levi G; Bachmeier, Brandon J; Blumm, Aria R; Boettner, Madison R; Boyle, Molly W; Bruguier, Margo J; Christen, Emily A; Craig, Chawndra F; Earhart, Laurel C; Georges, Tessa D; Gladden, Lane T; Gyorgyfalvy, Gustav E; Harrer, Justin T; Horton, Shawn H; Hudson, Haylie A; Hunt, Christian D; Johnson, Caleb H; Kemp, Kendra M; Krevi, Shea C; Lane, Casey J; Larson, Benjamin J; Lewis, Tristan J; Lukens, Nila L; Novotny, Adam G; Oconnor, Jennifer B; Rudinsky, Danielle K; Sproat,... Full story
On December 1, 2011, Nancy Obymako, beloved wife and friend to many, passed away at the age of 63. Nancy was loved by many in the Sisters community. She moved here from Yellowstone to work with her husband Michael, who became the general manager of Hoodoo Ski Area from 1981 to 1999. Nancy was the human resources manager for Hoodoo until 1999, when she started working for Jan Baker Facilitates. Nancy continued to provide Oregon businesses and nonprofits with her expertise in... Full story
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Jeb Daniel Partner, the son of Margaret and Daniel Partner of Coos Bay, born September 8, 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts, died in Montpelier, Vermont, on November 23, 2011. Jeb lived in Sisters and attended Sisters High School from 2000-2002. In addition to his parents, Jeb's three older sisters, Darby Partner of Eugene; Joanna Brook of Austin, Texas;... Full story
