News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 131
This year more than 2,000 tree permits will be issued by the Forest Service's District Ranger office in Sisters. Add to that another 1,000-plus for permits purchased online at recreation.gov, and Sisters will benefit by more than 10,000 persons hunting trees in our nearby woods. Each permit generally has four persons attached to it; usually families with young children. The permits, only $5, are a drop in the bucket to the agency's annual revenue budget, which includes permits... Full story
Kellen Klein was chosen as the new full-time executive director of Citizens4Community (C4C) as of mid-November. He has been serving as the interim director for the past five-and-a-half months, and recently signed a two-year contract with the board. Klein said he is honored and thrilled with his new position. "I've been telling folks that it feels like I'm getting paid to do the community building I'd want to do anyway," he said. "It perfectly aligns with my passion for... Full story
Becoming a new Seed to Table (S2T) donor will have its biggest impact ever with a new donor campaign backed by a matching gift of up to $20,000. Thanks to a generous donor, any donations from first-time donors will be matched. They have a goal to bring in 100 new donors with gifts of any size. Seed to Table's program supports many aspects of life in Sisters Country. If folks have enjoyed the Sisters Farmers Market, have had a student excited about where their food comes from a... Full story
As the seasons turn to fall and winter in Sisters Country, we head indoors. But that doesn't mean we have to leave beautiful greenery behind. The newly opened Inscape Plant Co. gives folks in Sisters myriad ways to bring natural beauty indoors with them. Filling your home space with indoor plants has many benefits. "I think it adds an element of beauty and design," says Danielle Durham, proprietress of Inscape Plant Co. "And there's a lot of health benefits in terms of air... Full story
Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS) has received a $30,000, three-year general operations grant from Roundhouse Foundation, supporting nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) for Sisters Country residents. Roundhouse said the multi-year grant was awarded to acknowledge the great work STARS does in the community, and to provide sustainable support in the coming years. Rennie Morrell, STARS Program Manager, said, "Roundhouse has always believed in STARS and has... Full story
The Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank helps hundreds of people each month to keep food on the table. Faced with rising costs and continuous demand, the Food Bank is short of the cash it needs to purchase the food that many people in Sisters rely upon. Doug Wills, who, along with Jeff Taylor, manages the Food Bank, told The Nugget last week that Kiwanis spends $130,000 on food, and has taken in $95,000 in donations. The shortfall is significant, because 80 percent of the food provided... Full story
Remy Klein, a kindergartner at Pine Siskin Waldorf school in Sisters, enjoyed Fika Fest last Saturday along with her younger sister. The event featured a raffle and crafts, together with artists and musicians including Jacob Everett Wallace, Aidan Moye, Amanda Marie, and Raina Verhey. The kindergartner said, "Going to the Fika Fest and coloring is fun." She elaborated, "I was coloring a cat and now I'm cutting out a bat." "Fika is a coffee shop," she explained. "I get to see m... Full story
Annie Cohen sat in her dorm room at Washington State University between classes. She wanted to share her high school experiences learning and growing through Seed to Table (S2T) farm and the Sisters High School greenhouse class. She transformed from a student without direction to a focused young woman with a plan to pursue a career in environmental science. Everyone has moments, months, or years when they're not sure how to move forward in life. That sense of stagnation and... Full story
As a Realtor for Avenir Realty, Stephen Saunders is committed to giving his clients outstanding concierge service in their real estate transactions. He's even more passionate about working with those clients to enhance the well-being of Sisters through an innovative community giveback program. The program came out of Saunders' brainstorming, "how can we work together to solve our problems (in a way) that doesn't depend on a tax base? I can start it with my business, one... Full story
Peter Hoover has been appointed permanent executive director for Habitat for Humanity, having served as its local interim director for the past several months. At the same time, the Sisters affiliate of the international organization, which works in all 50 states and more than 70 countries and has helped over 46 million persons with affordable shelter, is seeking to reshape its purpose. Habitat is best known for building homes with volunteer labor and donated supplies or... Full story
Working on vehicles has been a lifelong passion for Chad Van Handel of Van Handel Automotive in Sisters. "I grew up just working on engines - motorcycles, cars," he recalled. He says the satisfaction he gains from the work "really hasn't changed. When you fix something that's broken, there's a lot of satisfaction that you fixed it - you identified it; you fixed it." He's always strived for excellence in his work, beginning with completing the auto program at Chemeketa... Full story
Sisters Moto braved the damp, fall Central Oregon weather, hosting their third annual Sisters Moto Party. The event is an opportunity for the Sisters motorcycle shop to gather with the community, kids, and parents for the kids' races. Sisters Moto is a family endeavor for Austin and Elizabeth (Biz) Brent and their children, Verbena, Dixon, and Adelaide. Motocross became a way of life and a livelihood for Brent while he was working in the industry. He and Biz met at Portland... Full story
Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Seed to Table (S2T) has grown into an integral part of Sisters Country. Farming in the High Desert is no easy task, but founder and current Executive Director Audrey Tehan found a way. With the skilled hands of Tehan and the S2T farm team, locally grown produce is more readily accessible to community members. With all that's been achieved by developing S2T as a nonprofit organization, the board and staff agree it's time to broaden the staff... Full story
Farmers and founders, longtime friends and new acquaintances, all gathered together Saturday to celebrate Seed to Table's 10th Anniversary at the Fall Harvest Dinner. Clear skies and mellow weather created a welcoming atmosphere, along with the strings of lights above and flowers laid out on long tables. Live music hit a soothing note from the stage. "The farm tour was great!" said one participant. "It wasn't hot at all." Farm tours gave guests a glimpse into the nitty-gritty... Full story
Work began in 2022 on several large-scale commercial buildings in Sisters. Expectations were high that as Bend might be reaching saturation with fewer options for light manufacturers and service sector industries, businesses would be drawn to Sisters. Now as these projects have completed they stand mostly empty of tenants, with a few exceptions. Sisters does not mirror the national commercial real estate market where remote workers have decimated much of the office building se... Full story
Seed to Table will celebrate a decade of bounty and community at the organization's 10th Anniversary Fall Harvest Dinner. The event on September 9 will feature a farm-to-table meal prepared by Chris and Emma Leyden of Feast Food Co. Feast was recently selected for a Best of Central Oregon award by The Source Weekly. The chefs' culinary creations for the dinner will include veggies grown right on Seed to Table farm, along with grass-fed lamb and a vegan option. Served in the... Full story
Sisters company Happy Brain Science and Sisters nonprofit Citizens4Community (C4C) are partnering to help Sisters Country resolve disagreements more effectively. Have you ever regretted something you said in a heated discussion? Most of us have. Science suggests that the quality of our relationships is typically the most important factor in our happiness and well-being. That's why it's so crucial to handle disagreements skillfully. On Wednesday, September 6, from 9 to 11:30... Full story
High Camp Taphouse opened last summer. Since then, owners Nurbu and Pema Sherpa have steadily built a following of diners who love their Himalayan food and the welcoming atmosphere. Not only are their chairs, comfy couches, and bar stools often filled, High Camp also caught the attention of world-renowned chef and host of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Guy Fieri. When Pema Sherpa received the first email from the show, she thought it was spam and didn't respond. A few weeks... Full story
Two visitors met up with friends at Fir Street Park last Sunday, aiming for Sisters Farmers Market. "Our phones are down!" cried one young woman. "Oh my God!" responded another. A small crowd gathered, discussing the collective tragedy of having zero bars on their mobile phones. Kids shouted in the background, running through the fountains of the splash pad. "I find I'm getting anxious without my phone on," said one woman. "I keep wondering, what's going on?" Close by was... Full story
“It’s great to be doing this again in Sisters.” That was the widespread sentiment expressed as EDCO — Economic Development for Central Oregon — hosted one of its annual Pub Talk events in Sisters last week. The Pub Talks are open to the public and are an opportunity for community members, entrepreneurs, and business owners to connect, network, and hear from a select few speakers. The event was hosted at the Three Creeks Brewing Co. facility off Barclay Drive, providing... Full story
Sisters' agricultural education outreach program and the weekly Farmers Market just got a welcome infusion of nutrients to nurture its seeds. The Ford Family Foundation (TFFF) awarded a grant for $25,000 to Seed to Table's (S2T) educational programming, which serves close to 1,500 student visits per year through farm-based education both on the S2T farm and in the classroom. The K-6 Field Trip Series, Sisters High School Agriculture Program, Farm Education Teacher Training,... Full story
Circle of Friends will host a Chili Cook-Off at Sisters Rodeo Grounds as their second annual fundraiser. The event is set for Saturday, July 22, at 6 p.m., featuring the culinary work of Sisters Meat and Smokehouse, The Open Door, and Three Creeks Brewing Co. There will be a live auction, a paddle raise, a bucket auction, and a live country band with line dancing (with instructors). The master of ceremonies for the event is Jeff Johnson, owner of Sisters Meat and Smokehouse. Circle of Friends is a Sisters mentoring program... Full story
The Sisters Planning Commission’s public hearing on the controversial plan to renovate the Space Age Fuel station at the corner of Cascade Avenue and Pine Street will pick up again on Thursday, July 13, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The hearing is a continuation of a session held on June 15. City staff has recommended denial of the application for the owner of the Space Age Fuel station to rebuild the current facility. The recommendation is based on the development standard of compatibility. Based on the information in the r... Full story
Sisters City Councilor Gary Ross has always been interested in serving his community and being involved in key decisions. He brings his career skills and passion for public service to the city council. Ross started his career as a high school teacher in Maine at 20 years old, just out of school. He taught what is now known as the Professional Technical Classes, aka shop class. Ross moved west and received his master's degree in education in Utah, and worked from there in... Full story
Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) has adopted a new mission statement: "To protect and preserve the outdoor experience through the stewardship of multi-user, non- motorized trails and their adjacent wild places." It is a subtle change in wording but its intent is marked. The previous version read: "To connect a community of trail users and their natural surroundings through the stewardship of our multi-user, non-motorized trails." By the addition of "... adjacent wild places" the... Full story
