News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 20 of 20
Sisters area veterans, their families and local residents gathered in the peaceful environs of Camp Polk Cemetery on Monday, May 26, for the annual Memorial Day ceremonies conducted by a local veterans' group. The services took on added significance with service men and women engaged in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Keynote speaker Drew Holmes of Sisters saluted them and the local veterans he has come to know in recent years for "the wonderful and total commitment they... Full story
There will be one new face on the Sisters School Board beginning in July: Tom Coffield will replace Steve Keeton. Keeton, a Sisters contractor, is completing one four-year term on the board. He chose not to seek re-election, citing time pressures. Coffield, executive director of SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities), easily won the open seat in the May 20 election, receiving 942 votes to 400 for his opponent, retired teacher Steve Mathews. In the only other board contest on the ballot, incumbent Jeff Smith defeated... Full story
Keeping water flowing in Squaw Creek requires constant diligence. Photo by Jim Cornelius About a mile-long stretch of Squaw Creek went dry last week when competing irrigation interests siphoned off the entire stream flow. Like the recent lunar eclipse, water officials say that a series of events had to line up just right -- or wrong -- to cause the incident. According to Assistant Watermaster Ed Lavelle, "miscommunication" between the Squaw Creek Irrigation District and the Sokol ranch led to the mishap, which killed some 200... Full story
BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Individual property owners who use water rights to irrigate their land would own those rights outright under a bitterly debated bill that's passed the Oregon House and is headed for the Senate. Currently, there are no existing state statutes that identify who owns water rights. Instead, attorneys and policy makers have relied on various case laws to establish who has authority over water rights. The text of House Bill 3298 states that the person who has the title to the property described by the water... Full story
State Champion David Green. Photo by Rongi Yost The Outlaws lived up to all expectations, claiming the Boys State Championship golf title last week. The two-day state tournament was held at The Ridge Golf Course at Eagle Crest on May 19 and 20. David Green took top honors as individual medalist and led the Outlaws to their first place finish. David shot a 71 (one under par) in the first round and an impressive 69 (three under par) for the second round. "Winning was a huge thing for me," said David. "I wanted to get the... Full story
Camp Sherman residents and visitors turned out for a big holiday barbecue. Photo by Conrad Weiler A trio of community events highlighted Memorial Day weekend in Camp Sherman. Saturday morning brought a large turnout to the Community Hall for updates on local programs. Sponsored by the Friends of the Metolius (FOM), the two-hour meeting featured Bill Anthony, Sisters District Ranger, describing this as "a most challenging weekend" because of the influx of young people partying throughout the vast area. He also assessed local... Full story
Kit Stafford. Photo provided Sisters resident Kit Stafford recently returned from Dallas, Texas, where she was the featured artist at the Seventh Annual Dance for the Planet Festival. The festival is the largest outdoor dance festival in the country and attracts more than 25,000 people annually. According to Stafford, who is coordinator for the arts program at Camp Caldera and performing arts teacher at Sisters High School, "every dance known to man was represented." Aztec, ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, break dancing, folk... Full story
Debris burning will be allowed to continue a bit longer, according to interim Fire Chief Ken Enoch. Enoch, who heads up the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District, said, "I've been watching the weather really close and the moisture content is still up in our area." That means that Sisters area residents who want to dispose of combustible yard material before fire season may continue to burn small yard debris piles for the time being. Burning of small piles is allowed by permit only, if the fires are attended and... Full story
John Sheldahl won re-election to the board of Black Butte School District last week. His 12-vote victory over challenger Doug Curtis wasn't exactly front-page news, even in Central Oregon. In fact, the district rarely makes headlines anywhere, and many residents like it that way. This preference stems partly from gratitude that the district continues to exist. By normal odds, it shouldn't. One of the smallest districts in Oregon, it defies conventional educational wisdom that the best schooling is provided by systems large... Full story
By Tom Chace Marion Tobias and his six, four-footed friends made their way over the Santiam Pass and into Sisters over the Memorial Day weekend, walking and pulling a wagon. Photo by Tom Chace He's making a circular trip from Salem to Salem. What's unusual is that he's walking all the way. What makes it even more unusual is he's pulling a wagon and has six dogs as hiking companions and passengers. "I'm just out seein' the country," said Marion Tobias as he neared Tollgate Road after spending the night at Indian Ford... Full story
Mary Morton, one of the original founders of the Black Butte Computer Club, and Donna Hunter, on the right, co-hosted the10th anniversary meeting of the club, last week, with a reception at Black Butte Ranch. Photo by Tom Chace The Black Butte Computer Club had a party last week to celebrate it's 10th anniversary. "When we started this thing our only purpose was to get together to help each other learn more about those computers we were all having trouble with back then," said Jim Rimmer, one of the founding members. The... Full story
Sisters students plunge into the great outdoors to apply their knowledge in authentic wilderness experience each year. They wouldn't be there without the help and support of a cadre of non-school volunteers. Volunteers who give their time to the IEE (Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition) class are invaluable to the success of the program. These individuals mentor, guide and direct students in their spring "group projects." Teacher Samra Spear said, "It helps the students see the great partnerships they have with... Full story
Tom Landis has conquered swims in Oregon, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia. Photo courtesy The Photo Guy, Hawaii Camp Sherman's record-holding swimmer Tom Landis won the 200-yard freestyle event at the U.S. Masters National Championships, held at the Arizona State University aquatic center in Tempe earlier this month. Landis was timed in just over two minutes (2:01:49), winning in the age 60-64 category. Some 2,900 Master swimmers, from ages 19 to 92, competed in various events with desert temperatures reaching between 90... Full story
Jack Walker displays his dive computer. Photo by Conrad Weiler For the past 12 years Jack Walker has been scuba diving in the Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexican waters. "I enjoy warm water diving," said the Camp Sherman resident. "I became certified in Maui during 1991. "This teaches the basic skills of diving and later, on Kona, I got my advanced certification which covers more specialty dives such as night diving, navigation and deep dives." Scuba stands for self contained underwater breathing apparatus. Walker has explored the... Full story
Vincent Salomone, P.I. Photo provided Vincent Salomone, 48, is seeking clients for the first private investigations firm in Sisters, which he opened in January. His equipment: three cameras, including one with 35-300 mm zooming capabilities; binoculars; special Internet access to public records; a video camera; his trusty dog, Sheila; and his calm, analytical personality prone to solving puzzles. His expectations: a life that will not at all mirror "Magnum P.I." "It is a lot more tedious and not at all as glamorous,"... Full story
Chaya Johnston does ground work with a horse. By Kathryn Godsiff Claudia Lamphere, foun-der of EquusEmbrace, knows the spark that can ignite between girls and horses. A lifelong horsewoman, she has finally found her passion and calling in the unique program which brings teenage girls in contact with kind and gentle horses. The purpose of EquusEmbrace is to enable adolescent girls to "develop a sense of intuition and confidence, increase in self-esteem and foster a positive body image," all while forming a bond with a horse.... Full story
Sonrise Christian School entertained in old-fashioned style at its "Evening of the Arts" performance Thursday, May 22 at Sisters Community Church. The program was set in the 1800s and specifically focused on early America and Napoleonic Europe. And these K 8 students looked the part. Dressed in costume, these students showcased an assortment of acts. From renditions of "Home on the Range" sung by grades K-2, to demonstrations of fencing performed by the fifth and sixth graders, it truly was a variety show. Blake Ehr,... Full story
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday. To the Editor: Why we fight:... Full story
- Some travelers reported a purse and a backpack stolen from their touring motorcycle. - A man dined and dashed at a local restaurant after trying unsuccessfully to write a check for $100 over his bill -- on a non-existent checking account. - Deputies arrested three Willamette Valley runaways for a burglary on Holmes Road after they were caught in a stolen car. - Deputies assisted with a suicidal woman who was taken into custody on a Police Officer Hold. Black Butte Ranch Police - Officers stopped numerous speeders blasting... Full story
It's been said, the bigger the lie, the more likely the lie is to be believed. Sounds like something right out of Texas. Now we learn from the British Broadcasting Corporation that the made-for-TV rescue of Private Jessica Lynch really was ... made for TV. The night vision cameras showing special forces storming the hospital by helicopter? The firing of guns? Not necessary. Oh, Jessica was captured, no doubt about that. But her captors fled, and Iraqi hospital workers attempted to take Lynch to the Americans by ambulance two... Full story
