News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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As the seasons change from fall harvest to winter cold, local farm and nonprofit Seed to Table (STT) is undergoing changes of its own. Its top leadership position has transitioned. Though 2024 has been a strong year for its three core programs - education, feeding local people, and Sisters Farmers Market - the organization is addressing gaps in fundraising revenue, unrelated to the leadership transition. Seed to Table recently announced that its Founder and Farm Director... Full story
Playing host to a record-breaking number of visitors, accepting a range of new vendors, and trying out expansions of its physical footprint, Sisters Farmers Market just closed out its biggest season yet. "We had a great season," market manager Willa Bauman enthused. The final market, October 27, marked the latest time of year Sisters Farmers Market has ever been open. "The last day was really great. We got blue skies right at 10 o'clock after a rainy morning. It was a nice cri... Full story
Jennifer Spor Sturdivant, a 1993 graduate of Sisters High School, is back as the executive director of Sisters Senior Living. Sisters Senior Living, formerly known as The Lodge, has been purchased by Washington resident Chris Blackburn, who also has a home at Black Butte Ranch. Management of the facility is the responsibility of Artegan, with facilities in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Maryland. Sturdivant was formerly the marketing/sales specialist and executive director... Full story
Sisters tourism is increasingly built around health and wellness and a culture of artisanship. Last week, a group of industry professionals gathered in Sisters to explore what that means for a tourism-based economy. Representing myriad stakeholders in Oregon tourism, a group of 45 convened at FivePine Conference Center last Wednesday. Another 15 who had registered were unable to attend due to last-minute scheduling conflicts. The day-long conference was titled “Heritage, A... Full story
Black Butte Ranch’s new Lodge was selected as a “2024 Building a Better Oregon (BBO) Award” winner by the Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR). The award recognizes projects that “have enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated buildings” and are judged on economic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design and/or use of materials, and environmental friendliness. Black Butte Ranch (BBR) unveiled its $20 million dining and meeting facility in 2023. The new 22,100-square-foot lodge includes the Lod... Full story
"Stepping Up" was the theme of the third annual Volunteer Appreciation Event held for Sisters Transportation and Ride Share last Thursday at Sisters Depot. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to STARS over the past year, the STAR Dispatcher of the Year is Debbie Hewett and the STAR Driver of the Year is Rita Weber. Many individuals, organizations, businesses, and donors were recognized for stepping up over the past five years to establish and grow STARS. Just last... Full story
Mike Musco has been through it. Family circumstances in his youth forced him to drop out of college. Just as he got his footing in finance, the Great Recession sent everything sliding. Like the market, he bounced back to reach new heights. He bought and sold a business and multiple investment properties, worked eight years at Microsoft in corporate finance and business management, and became a financial advisor. "I finished my accounting bachelor's while I was working at... Full story
Life was going well for David Kemp. After more than a dozen years as a chiropractor, his practice in Utah had expanded and was thriving. However, a dirt bike accident and an underlying desire to return to his roots conspired to bring David Kemp, a native of Sisters, back to town and open a chiropractic practice focused on wellness. Dr. Kemp spent much of his childhood in Sisters before moving to Utah, where he finished high school and attended college as an undergraduate at Ut... Full story
Rosie Horton remembers being "petrified" on her first day working at Common Threads back in 1988. She realized that working in the clothing store founded by Cathi Howells in 1985 was going to be a lot more than simply showing up and acting as a retail clerk. It was a professional job, with high expectations for product knowledge and customer service. But Horton rose to the occasion - so completely that she would become the manager of the store, then its owner, and guide it... Full story
The new Happy Trails Horse Rescue will be holding an open barn day from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 21. Happy Trails Horse Rescue is dedicated to the protection of horses and their quality of life. They help horses to become free from abuse, neglect, abandonment, slaughter, or early euthanasia without just cause. While they strive to rescue those horses in need, they also provide community outreach, education and resources such as their Surrender Prevention Program (food, physical and/or medical rehabilitation or... Full story
Every September, supporters of local nonprofit Seed to Table gather outdoors on its farm to eat, drink, and be visibly merry. For a few years now, the question preceding the Fall Harvest Dinner has been: Will there be smoke? This year was a little more complicated. Guests wondered: Will there be smoke? And rain? And lighting? About 200 attendees arrived on a hot evening to a festive scene. Long, communal tables were set with linens and sunflower bouquets. Somewhat smoky air... Full story
October 19, 1987, was the worst day of Greg Donaldson's professional life. On that day, known to history as Black Monday, the stock market suddenly cratered, in a one-day plunge that pulled down the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 22.6 percent, and wiped out $1.71 trillion in wealth. Donaldson was sure that it had wiped out his small investment firm, too. That's not what happened. In fact, the week following Black Monday marked a sea change in Donaldson's understanding of his... Full story
While some store owners are reporting record August and year-to-date sales, others may be struggling. "We think as many as five or six stores will not make it past January," said Shaunette White, owner of High Desert Chocolates on West Cascade Avenue. White is also president of the newly formed Sisters Business Association which have 39 members, about half of whom are retail shopkeepers. White thinks those in stress do not get enough local support. By contrast, Sisters Meat... Full story
Thirty-five years after its founding in a small wooden cabin on Hood Avenue, Sisters Coffee Company is celebrating its anniversary with a brand refresh and free bags of coffee for customers who buy drinks in its cafes Friday, September 6. The new branding comes as the company shifts to new recycled packaging for its coffee beans. "It's hard to believe that it's been 35 years since our parents launched Sisters Coffee Company and made their dream of starting their own coffee roa... Full story
Back in 1989, the town of Sisters was a tiny community with a population of about 600. It had a few restaurants, bars, and Eurosports, along with just a handful of other retail stores that have stood the test of time. Maintaining a retail business in this seasonal town for 35 years presents its own set of challenges-weather, forest fires, and economic fluctuations can all impact operations. Despite these hurdles, Brad Boyd, the owner of Eurosports, remains remarkably upbeat.... Full story
Jacob deSmet started painting houses and refinishing decks during college at George Fox University, where he was pursuing a degree in business management. He enjoyed the work, and when he had finished school, he decided to combine his educational background with the work he'd found a knack for, and he launched his own painting company. He joined his family in a move to Sisters, and brought Peak Performance Painting with him. "I do interior and exterior painting and I also do d...
Aesthetics and health and wellness are a life-long passion for Kimberly Canaday. With a deep medical background, including board certification as an Adult Nurse Practitioner, she brings science-based, safe, and effective practices to bear in her practice, Imagine Natural Beauty, helping people in Sisters look and feel their best. "Helping people - that's what drove me into medicine in the first place," she told The Nugget. "How people feel about themselves is so core to their... Full story
"I didn't think I was a creative person; my older sister was the artist in our family." It was a surprising statement to hear from successful artist and "possibilitarian" Kelly Rae Roberts onstage at Fir Street Park last week. Her story was part of a keynote panel on the business of art, featured at a PubTalk event in Sisters last week. EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) describes PubTalk as "a happy hour aimed at bringing together different facets of the business... Full story
The Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS) recently elected four new members to their Board of Directors. Rosemary Vazquez, Blake Blancett, Tyler Davis, and Frank Shirley will join continuing members, Diane Prichard, Jim Prichard and Lou Blanchard (president). Blanchard expressed his gratitude to departing members, Jill Eidsmoe, Molly Jones, and Sharon Thorkildson. "I am grateful for the time, talent and big hearts that each of you brought to our mission," he said. SCWS provides... Full story
Matt Van Slyke brings years of high-level journalism experience and a passion for storytelling to his role as a freelance reporter for The Nugget. His partner Amanda Kester initially reached out to The Nugget to inquire about freelancing opportunities. "She knew that I love writing and love being out meeting people," Van Slyke said. Nugget Editor in Chief Jim Cornelius recognized his professional background and skill-set immediately. "I didn't know his full background, but I... Full story
Matt Faldmo's journey into a career promoting wellness began with his efforts to improve his own well-being. "I started with nutritional therapy," he recalled. "I didn't realize how much the food I was putting in my body was affecting me. So it started with food and nutrition." He has added a variety of modalities to his practice, located at Daybreak Wellness in Sisters, in an effort to meet the varied requirements of people in need. "Everybody is so different and they need... Full story
The Sisters Fire Corps is a well-oiled community service machine. The Sisters Fire Corps was founded in 2004 and helps build capacity within a fire district by engaging volunteers to assist in non-emergency roles. These include first aid CPR/AED training, car seat programs, smoke alarm programs, address sign programs, and blood pressure clinics. "The Fire Corps is a great way to get to know the community and for the community to see us and understand us as a fire district and... Full story
Drinking trends, especially among younger consumers, have flattened more than 30 Oregon craft brewers in the last two years. The latest in the toll is Sisters' Three Creeks Brewing. The owners have sold the namesake restaurant located on the FivePine Campus and have closed the doors on the brewing operation on East Barclay Drive. In a portion of an announcement on its Facebook page, founder Wade Underwood told fans: "It is with great joy that after 16 years, Three Creeks... Full story
Canoe Club is a community-oriented co-working space for Sisters freelancers, entrepreneurs, remote workers, and businesses of all sizes. They offer a range of workspaces to suit most every need, including open-plan areas, dedicated desks, private offices, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, quiet zones for focused work, and communal spaces for relaxation and networking. Co-working happens when people assemble in a neutral space to work independently on different projects, or in... Full story
Joanne Eastwood has always been an artist, ever since the was a little girl drawing pictures of birds outside her window. She followed her talent and passion to the New England School of Art and Design and the California School of Arts and Crafts, and she has worked in graphic design and a wide range of media, and she still does commissioned portraits. There is something special about tattooing. "It's just a different medium," she told The Nugget. I think the greatest thing... Full story
