News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 29
The Lady Outlaws dedication, hard work and a total team effort paid off in a big way for the young Sisters squad as they claimed first place at the 4A/3A/2A/1A State Golf Tournament held at the Ridge Course at Eagle Crest on Monday and Tuesday, May 14 and 15. Emotions were running high when the five players received the news they'd won. "At the end of the tournament, we were all sitting on each other's laps just waiting for the winner to be announced," said Claire Mutchler.... Full story
It's gotten so routine for Tom Landis to knock off masters swimming records that it takes a major performance to remind Sisters that it is home to one of the best in the world. The United States Masters Swimming National Championship meet held in Federal Way, Washington, May 17-20 was such an event. "It was a monster meet for me," Landis said. Landis won six events, breaking national records in four of them. The swimmer is defying age to retain his level of performance. "When... Full story
The Sisters community was treated to once-in-a-lifetime experiences - twice - Friday and Saturday nights as the Starry Nights Benefit Concert Series closed out its 10th anniversary season. Country music icon and multiple award-winner Vince Gill, with his friends, master singers-songwriters-guitarists Big Al Anderson and Bob DiPiero and keyboard great John Hobbs came together to share the intimacy of their long-term friendships with sold out audiences at the Sisters High School auditorium. The informal, songwriter-in-the-... Full story
The U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle (PPP) may be Bend's signature spring event, but Sisters always weighs in with some strong performances. Last weekend was no exception as the team "Brothers From Sisters," finished third overall out of 71 male teams and first in their group (45-49). The "Brothers" consist of John Rahm/downhill ski, Greg Zadow/skate ski, Rich Hummel/bike, Scott Buckles/run and Rob Corrigan/kayak. The overall first place team was comprised of five members of the... Full story
A little rain didn't discourage a large cadre of disc golfers from coming out last Sunday for the grand opening of the Hyser Pines Disc Golf Course near Sisters High School - though gusty winds played hob with long putts. The grand opening event marked the culmination of a one-woman campaign that grew into a community groundswell and created the premier disc golf course in Central Oregon. Kathy Kemper-Green recounted how she played on a small course in her hometown of Madras... Full story
To the Editor: Tom Bergeron's first letter to the editor made fun of Christians for their belief. His second letter ridiculed me for believing in an "utterly unbelievable, simplistic fairy tale about an invisible, all powerful super-being." At first I wrote this guy off then heard he is a professor at WOU, so this letter became a must. A college professor mocking people for their faith and values! The Bible says, "A fool says in his heart there is no God." There is absolutely no intellectual honesty in saying someone you... Full story
A broad coalition of Sisters area residents has bonded together to raise funds in a creative attempt to finance the construction of a Bible college in the African nation of Botswana. The project is well underway and, when completed, will be the only resident Bible college in the country. The Bible college is non-denominational and will offer a three-year accredited program under the oversight of the American Association of Bible Colleges. The project is supported whole-heartedly by the government of Botswana, which donated... Full story
The boys golf team ended its season with a seventh-place tie with Molalla at the 4A State Tournament held at the Stone Creek Golf Course in Oregon City, on Monday and Tuesday, May 14-15. Phoenix placed first (603), Marist second (613) and Brookings Harbor took third at 651. Sisters and Molalla finished with a score of 673. Marist's Robbie Pitts earned individual medalist honors with a two-day total of 143. At the end of day one, Sisters found themselves tied with Siuslaw for fifth place. Michael Reeve shot a two-over-par 74 a... Full story
Sisters High School equestrian team wound up a busy season of competition at the Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET) state meet, held May 17-20 in Redmond. The team placed second in the large school (16 or more members) category. Twenty riders from Sisters represented the school at the meet. Competition is tough at the state level. To get an idea of the scope of the OHSET competition, the state is divided into eight districts. Each district holds three meets prior to... Full story
Feeling the inspiration that nothing other than nature can bring, there was only one thing for Kathy Deggendorfer to paint for this year's Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show poster: flowers and mountains. Her work "Nature's Inspiration" perfectly depicts this year's quilt show theme "Inspired by Nature." Deggendorfer's poster was officially unveiled at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Poster Preview Party and Artist's Reception on Saturday afternoon, May 12, at High Desert Gallery.... Full story
Hakim Muhammad made an encore visit to Sisters Middle School for another drumming workshop last week. He worked with the school's teachers early on Wednesday morning starting at 7:30 a.m. Muhammad began his workshop by saying, "This is all about communication and cooperation." When he was at Sisters Middle School last October, his workshop with the teachers produced a performance that fell short of what the students were able to produce, much to the teachers' chagrin. The... Full story
Fifteen minutes after doors opened for the fourth annual Sisters Elementary School Garden Fair, only 50 of nearly 200 hanging flower baskets were left. Elementary school students who participate in the school's garden club nurtured the plants for weeks in preparation for this year's sale on May 12. This year's goal was to raise enough money to equip the school's new greenhouse with electricity, according to parent Vonda Solitz, the club's co-founder. Pam Bird, the wife of David Hewitt, who teaches fourth grade at the... Full story
Sisters is famous for its rodeo held the second weekend in June. As the community gears up for that big Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) extravaganza, a pair of local cowboys have put Sisters on the rodeo map for next fall. The Northwest Pro Rodeo Association (NPRA) has named Sisters as the venue for its 2007 finals. The NPRA offers a special treat to Sisters rodeo fans without the burden of traveling over long distances to take in high-level competition. The... Full story
Calvin Nash of Sisters died on May 15. He was 82. He was born in Tillamook, on February 1, 1925, to Fred and Mary (Roland) Nash. He served as a gunner's mate in the U.S. Navy. He was married to Marguerite McMurry. He worked as a timber faller and enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, bowling and pitching horseshoes. He dearly loved his family. He is survived by his sons Calvin, Jr., of Redmond, Daniel of Springfield, David of Redmond, Robin of Veneta and Cory of Tacoma,... Full story
Georgie Vargo died May 17, at home in Sisters. She was born Georgiana Lorraine Vunck on July 25, 1923, in Springlake, New Jersey and raised in nearby Oceangrove. She served as a Navy Wave in Hawaii from 1943 to 1946 and was discharged in 1949. Following her service she married and raised three children in Hawaii. She attended the University of Hawaii in 1946, where she swam competitively and returned to the university in the 1960s to graduate with a Bachelors of Education... Full story
Gordon Beckwith Smith died Sunday, May 13, after a long illness. He was 56. He was born April 1, 1951, in Bethesda, Maryland, to Wilton and Mary Smith. His family later moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they lived for many years before moving to Central Oregon. Gordon owned Nature's General Store in Bend. His interests included antiques, gardening, bicycling, skiing, camping and the Metolius River. Survivors include his wife, Donna; his daughter, Andee Jessee of Redmond; his mother, Mary Beckwith Smith of Sisters; and his... Full story
Carl Warren Gridley, of Prineville, died Monday. He was 56. Mr. Gridley was born Sept. 4, 1950, in Bend to Elmer and Dorothy (Tindal) Gridley. He graduated from high school in Redmond in 1969. He married Jeannie Prince on June 13, 1987, in Virginia City, Nevada. Mr. Gridley worked for Prineville Loggers Supply for 19 years. He also worked as a mechanic. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and watching NASCAR and old Westerns. Survivors include his wife; a son, Eugene Thiel of... Full story
The treasures of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" will have nothing on Sisters this coming Thursday afternoon, May 24. Sisters Movie House is hiding a treasure chest for local pirates. Everyone is welcome to participate in the treasure hunt which will begin promptly at 3:30 p.m., when the first clue will be made available. The hunt will begin at Sisters Coffee Company with the release of a clue. Pirates will follow the clue to the next clue and the next and so on until the treasure is found. Whoever finds the treasure will get... Full story
Sisters School District's Certified employees have ratified a three-year contract with the Sisters School District. The new contract will be in effect from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2010. The district's new superintendent Elaine Drakulich will have two years to build a sound relationship with district teachers before entering into contract negotiations some time in 2009. According to current superintendent Ted Thonstad, soft negotiations were entered into on two issues with the district's certified leadership earlier... Full story
The boys tennis team's lone entry, doubles players Johannes Traut and Evan Sims, racked up enough points to give Sisters a fourth-place finish at the 2007 4A/3A/2A/1A State Tennis Championship which was held at the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club on Friday and Saturday, May 18-19. Traut and Sims won their first round with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Coleman and Watson from Umatilla. The duo's second round win (2-6, 7-6, 7-4, 6-2) against Felix Zinke and Dustin Abramson was an intense match. "It was the best doubles match of the... Full story
The boys baseball season came to an end on Monday, May 14, when they lost 6-7 to Elmira for the third-place spot in the Sky-Em and a berth to the 4A State Tournament. Sisters started the day with a 4-1 win over Pleasant Hill (PH) and went on to play Elmira for the third-place seed. The Outlaws needed a win against Elmira to advance to the state playoffs but were unable to hold onto their lead and lost in a heartbreaker in the bottom of the seventh inning. In Sisters' game against Pleasant Hill, the score remained 0-0 until... Full story
As a part of ongoing efforts to help those in need, a free, one-day dental clinic will be held in Sisters on Friday, May 25. Family Access Network (FAN), through a donation from Sisters' Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, is sponsoring the clinic. The services of the mobile dental unit are available to uninsured, low income adults who reside in the Sisters area. Dental services are free, although a $10 donation is requested of every patient who receives treatment. "It's... Full story
The Lady Outlaws lost their chance at a berth in the state playoffs when they fell 0-5 to Pleasant Hill on Monday, May 14. Although the loss was disappointing the softball team has a lot to be proud of, including the best season for a softball team in school history. In the match-up with the Billies, Sisters just couldn't get the ball in play. Becky Bremer and Ashley Huber were the only players to get a base hit. Pleasant Hill scored runs on a couple of unfortunate errors with two outs on the scoreboard and only had one... Full story
If you've ever visited the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce office on Main Avenue, you've very likely seen Jeanne Nolander, who's served as office manager for the chamber since 2002. But what you probably didn't see was her dog Yogi, a black, 71-pound standard poodle that abides with poise and patience next to Jean's desk as she goes through her workday. Nolander is deeply committed to her job, but Yogi represents her true calling: working with animals. Nolander arrived in... Full story
As Sisters has grown, the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District has tried to keep up. The district now has paid professional Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) - what most folks know as paramedics) on staff 24/7. But even with professional staff on board, there's still a need for volunteer EMTs and that's a role John Pagano and Rita Hodge have filled in Sisters for many years. "I've been a department member for 20 years, and I think I've been an EMT for about... Full story
