News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Interest in serving as volunteer City board and commission members was high this year, with 11 people being selected for one-, two-, three-, or four-year terms. Eleven people applied for the three Planning Commission positions. Named to the Planning Commission for another four-year term are Cris Converse and Art Blumenkron. They are joined by Jeremy Dickman. Dave Moyer and Rachel Rupple will serve for three years on the Public Works Advisory Board, and Dane Zehrung for one... Full story
Rick Curlett wrote: This past Wednesday morning I was preparing to drive from Sisters to an appointment in Sunriver. As I got into my car and started to back out of my driveway I noticed one of the warning lights on my dashboard came on indicating that I had low tire pressure! I got out of the car and looked at all four tires and couldn’t see anything wrong, however the thought of having a flat tire going up Lava Butte in the freezing-cold weather was not something I wanted to take a chance with. I thought of Les Schwab since... Full story
The Lady Outlaws had a rough week, with several players out due to illness. The depleted roster was a big factor in their 39-30 loss to the Lions at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 13, and three days later their 20-45 loss at Yamhill-Carlton (YC). On Tuesday the Outlaws traveled with just eight of their 13 players, with four out sick and one that had to stay in Sisters for a choir event. With key players out, and a short bench, the teamput forth their best effort, but it just wasn’t enough to pull off a win. Players had t... Full story
Jeff Tryens grew up on the East Coast, and worked in Washington D.C. and Massachusetts as everything from a policy consultant to a deputy director of program activities for national public policy organization in the 1970s. He made the move to Oregon in the 1990s. Tyrens currently serves on the board of directors for Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). Tryens lived in Oregon off and on for 30 years before returning to school on the East Coast at 49 years old. He went to... Full story
Winter has arrived and that means dealing with slippery conditions around your home or business. For many property owners the quickest and cheapest solution is to grab a bag of “ice melt.” Ice melt on sidewalks and driveways might help melt some of that ice and snow this winter, but you’re apt to regret it down the road. It works quite well, especially when temperatures don’t dip too far below freezing. But unfortunately, using ice melt causes a tremendous amount of harm to... Full story
According to the National Safety Council (NSF), 25,000 slip, trip, and fall accidents occur daily in the United States. Nearly all injuries from slips and falls on snow and ice fall under the classification of “traumatic injuries.” These injuries range from minor bruises, cuts, and abrasions to serious bone fractures, spinal cord damage, and concussions, according to the NSF. Health care professionals warn that slipping and falling accounts for a large number of win... Full story
As a kid, I spent a lot of time watching people get their vehicles out of ditches. I learned the sticky value of mud, the slick potential of black ice, and the inevitable off-road sliding that would come with snow. Sometimes I was helping. More often I was huddling in my dad’s red truck while he got the job done. There were no cell phones; if you were stuck in a ditch out on Gimpl Hill Road, you were good and stuck. If you wanted help, you’d need to trudge up someone’s snowy... Full story
The boys basketball squad lost 73-58 on the road at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, December 13, and three days later lost to Yamhill-Carlton (YC) by three in a heartbreaker, 50-47. In Tuesday’s action the Outlaws faced their toughest competition of the season so far. Sisters held an 11-8 advantage with just a little over one minute left in the quarter, but then took some quick shots that didn’t fall, committed some turnovers, and couldn’t get a stop on the defensive end, which allowed the Lions to score and take the lead. At th... Full story
Oregonians along with the rest of the U.S. are seeing some relief from months of budget-killing fuel prices. As of December 19, the price per gallon of regular unleaded in Oregon hit $3.845, well below last month’s price of $4.693. Just last week, the price was still over $4. Sisters prices are right at that statewide average this week, while in Redmond the lowest price for regular is $3.57, according to Gas Buddy, a popular phone app that lets buyers find cheap gas by locatio... Full story
After a number of years without local coaches, the Sisters Outlaws Nordic ski team has been reignited under the leadership of Sisters Middle School teachers Jeff Husmann and Tiffany Tisdel. With 16 skiers on the roster, virtually all of them having no Nordic racing experience, Husmann has broad goals for the team. “Our goal for this year is to help skiers gain experience in a lifelong sport, grow the culture of Nordic skiing in our community, and have fun!” he said. “Th... Full story
Americans nurture a long-running obsession with criminals, from Jesse James to John Dillinger to Bernie Madoff, so it’s no surprise that FTX charlatan Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was able to enjoy a guilt-free series of softball interviews—and even a fawning ovation sponsored by the New York Times—in the days leading up to his arrest. It remains to be seen how well his“These aren’t my pants” defense (the same line used by street-level dope dealers everywhere) will ho... Full story
Citizens4Community (C4C), in partnership with Happy Brain Science, is offering a free training called “Remember This! The Science of Learning and Memory” on January 12, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., at the Sisters Fire Hall Community Room. The session is open to the public; anyone living in, working in, or visiting Sisters Country is welcome to attend. While a Zoom link will be provided to those unable to attend in person—see registration information below—the session is designed for an in-person audience, and the exp... Full story
The Sisters Outlaws wrestling team hosted 13 teams at the annual GFP Tournament, held Saturday, December 17. The tournament marked the third competition of the season under new head coach David Kemp. The tournament included varsity boys and girls brackets, as well as a full slate of junior varsity matches. Despite injuries to three key wrestlers, the Outlaws held their own Saturday, according to Kemp. “We have had a strong start overall to the season, led by our senior c... Full story
Recruitment for a new city manager for Sisters will go public after the first of the year. Jensen Strategies of Portland, who oversaw the first recruitment effort, will lead the new one beginning in January 2023. The first search resulted in the city rejecting all candidates. During December 2022, work behind the scenes included a few adjustments to the profile, an interview with new City counselor Susan Cobb to bring her up to speed, and brochure edits. At their December 14... Full story
• City staff is currently negotiating a development agreement with Northwest Housing Alternatives (NHA) for a multi-family rental workforce housing project on Trinity Way. The development will be a multi-story building with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, and possibly some studios. The building design will feature a minimum of 40 affordable workforce units with an additional manager’s unit. Amenities will include a community space, outdoor play area, and easy a... Full story
The Holidays are here, and Sisters Arts Association (SAA) has one more Fourth Friday Artwalk in 2022. It’s fun to spend time walking through the galleries of Sisters this week. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in the galleries, whether you are doing last-minute shopping or just taking a relaxing walk through downtown. At Clearwater Gallery this month, you’ll find classic holiday offerings made by talented crafters and artisans. Hand-painted gourd ornaments by Chris Warren and Leslee Burtt, pottery by Molly Newbern, fused gl... Full story
The flu outbreak in Central Oregon is taxing health care facilities as cases skyrocket and more patients flood emergency departments and urgent care. We are in Week 48 of the flu year, and it’s disrupting the system, according to Dr. Cynthia Maree, St. Charles Health System infectious disease medical director. “Influenza numbers are rising rapidly,” she said. “Our hospitals are already strained. We’re seeing the number of visits going up to the emergency department and urgent... Full story
The Sisters School District (SSD) has been partnering with University of Oregon graduate students looking at possibilities for reconfiguration and reuse of the current elementary school property once the new elementary school construction is complete. The new elementary school location makes the SSD campus c off highway 242 a complete K-12 campus. However, the historic and memory-filled current elementary school building will still be owned by the School District when the... Full story
There will be no increased building heights in Sisters for the foreseeable future. City officials asserted that Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District doesn’t have the equipment necessary to fight a fire in a 50-foot building. Furthermore, they said, the current fire station may not be able to house a ladder truck equipped to reach 50 feet. In the interest of public safety, the increased height conditions were dropped from code changes approved by the Sisters City Council last w... Full story
At her final City Council meeting on December 14, after eight years of serving the people of Sisters, Council President Nancy Connolly was showered with gratitude and well wishes from the other councilors and City staff. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna provided a comprehensive list of all the projects, programs, personnel, and plans in which Connolly had a hand. It is an impressive list which, with a moist eye, led Bertagna to summarize by telling Connolly, “Everywhere y... Full story
Sometimes I do writing meditations. I ask my inner wisdom to speak and share what’s important. In this time of short days, cold nights, and hibernation, internal work is embraced. Using the prompt Here’s what I want you to know, I’ll share what came through in hopes these words might inspire you as well. This is it. The big one, the one chance, the N.O.W.… No Other Way. Speak truth. Your truth only helps if it’s said with respect for other ideas. How you say something makes all the difference. How much thought you put... Full story
Sisters Country Vision To the Editor: As 2022 winds down, the Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) is gaining momentum and making progress on new goals and projects for its fourth “vision year.” Each vision year, which runs from September through August, provides an opportunity for a collaborative team of local leaders and community members to advance the Vision Action Plan. The VIT is facilitated by local nonprofit organization Citizens4Community (C4C). Along with Josie Newport, C4C’s new executive direc... Full story
