News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 29663
To better assist those in Sisters Country struggling with food insecurity, the food pantry, previously run by Wellhouse Church and since January 1 operated by Sisters Cold Weather Shelter (SCWS), will change its schedule from Thursdays to Mondays starting Monday, February 3. Both the pantry and the Kiwanis Food Bank operated on the same day for years. By switching to Monday, volunteers hope to offer needy users more nutrition balance, and convenience in scheduling food pick-up... Full story
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials announced a $10,000 cash reward for information regarding a wolf poaching incident on private property in Morrow County. The Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) has a standing reward of $10,000 for wolf poaching in that area, raising the reward total to $20,000. Wildlife officials discovered the carcass of a gray wolf, identified as OR 159, on November 8. The wolf was on private land, about 20 miles south of Heppner, and law... Full story
Connection Cafés, sponsored by The Peaceful Presence Project, are set to provide a welcoming and compassionate space for supportive conversations about illness, death, and grief. The weekly gatherings, held in Sisters on Wednesdays from January 29 through February 26, 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Sisters Library, will bring people together for supportive dialogue. “We all know how difficult it can be navigating care in the best of times, and we all know the challenges that are present in a rural and dispersed community like Sisters. We... Full story
Deschutes County is seeking citizens interested in serving on the County’s Facility Project Review Committee (FPRC). There are currently two unpaid, volunteer positions open. The FPRC makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners, at the Board’s request, about pending and future building and facility projects at the county. The projects are generally considered high profile, critical, and challenging. The county is looking for applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds, including those who have experience in c... Full story
Sisters was certified as an International DarkSky Community this month by DarkSky International, making the city the second community in Oregon to be so designated (Antelope announced their designation several weeks ago). Sisters is the sixth International DarkSky Place in Oregon, joining such places as the Oregon Outback to the east and Oregon Caves National Monument. The designation is the culmination of many years of dark sky advocacy by the Sisters community to help bring... Full story
Oregonians born today are likely to experience a future of more drought, more rain, and less snow under warming average global temperatures due to human-caused climate change. That’s one conclusion in the 314-page Seventh Oregon Climate Assessment, which was published Wednesday and authored by more than 65 scientists, experts, and engineers, including from Oregon State University, the Oregon Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Two engineers from Portland General Electric and Principle Power, a f... Full story
The City of Sisters City Council is inviting members of the public to participate in an upcoming Open House to provide input and feedback on the Council’s proposed goals for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which will begin on July 1. This is an opportunity for residents, business owners, and other stakeholders to have their voices heard as the City Council shapes its priorities for the coming year. City Council considers goals from the following categories: Environmental Sustainability; Essential Infrastructure; Economic D... Full story
The length of Highway 20 between Bend and Suttle Lake is the most dangerous highway in Oregon for deer and elk. According to studies conducted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the 35 miles of single and double laned highway experiences between 350 to 600 mule deer and elk vehicular kills annually. The assessed expense associated with one killed mule deer is $17,000, and for elk it is $57,000. This expense in Oregon accrues into the tens of millions of dollars... Full story
Raging fires in Los Angeles are set to be the most catastrophic natural disaster in the state's history surpassing the 2018 Camp Fire in the town of Paradise that scorched more than 150,000 acres and was the deadliest wildfire in California's history. Ninety-five percent of the town burned in that fire. The fire killed 85 people and destroyed almost 19,000 buildings in November 2018. The fire was active for 17 days. Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday predicted that the Los... Full story
Oregon fire experts have finalized their redo of state maps of wildfire hazard areas, showing that about 106,000 tax lots are in high-risk spots that could be subject to new building and landscape codes. Those property owners, who hold nearly six percent of the nearly two million tax lots in the state, could be subject to new building codes and landscape regulations designed to protect properties from fire. State officials said they would get a “hefty packet of information” in the mail explaining what happens next. The not... Full story
The threat of wildfire hitting Sisters is at the forefront of people’s minds as they watch the destruction underway in Southern California (See related story.). Coincidentally, Sisters City Council got a look at the latest iteration by staff of the changes to the Sisters Development Code (SDC) regarding defensible space at the January 8, regular council meeting. The proposed changes focus on enhancing and improving fire mitigation and safety codes for all new development in Sisters. This includes development to add new s... Full story
Fifteen Oregon strike teams mobilized to help with the wildfires in the Los Angeles area arrived Thursday, January 9. These 300 firefighters and 75 engines are assigned to the Palisades Fire burning north of the Los Angeles area. The firefighters will be deployed for up to 14 days and are protecting homes and other buildings. The teams will be patrolling for hotspots and working alongside CAL Fire and other state and federal agencies. Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District contributed one engine and three personnel to the... Full story
Visitors to Sisters Country Vision, www.sistersvision.org, will now find an independent, redesigned website showcasing the Vision, its history, reports, news, and more. The website was developed by Citizens4Community (C4C) with support from the Vision Implementation Team (VIT) - a group of local agency representatives, organizational leaders, and community volunteers. The website offers more details about the VIT, its membership, and opportunities for community members to share their ideas and feedback with local leaders.... Full story
One of Sisters' largest employers, founded in 1984 in San Diego and operating locally since 1993 under the ownership of Ed Fitzjarrell, has been acquired by WM Partners, LP, of Aventura, Florida, a suburb of Miami Beach. Metabolic Maintenance produces pure, preservative-free nutraceuticals without added excipients, fillers, or binders. Their products, created, formulated, and packaged in Sisters, are sold nationwide. The company with sales of around $10 million, according to i... Full story
As of January 8, Sisters has a new mayor, Jennifer Letz, who won re-election to the Council, and new president, Sarah McDougall, who is new on Council. The five-member body also includes newly elected Councilor Cheryl Pellerin and Councilors Michael Preedin and Gary Ross who continue the remaining two years of four-year terms. The three recently elected councilors were each sworn in by City Manager Jordan Wheeler. Every two years, the newly elected and returning councilors determine who amongst them will be appointed mayor... Full story
In an effort to get a snapshot of the number of people living in vehicles and tents in Sisters Country, the Homeless Leadership Coalition and Sisters Community Leadership Initiative will conduct their annual Point In Time (PIT) Count in Sisters Country January 28–February 3. Surveys will be conducted on where individuals resided on the night of January 27. The PIT Count collects data used for funding requests and to build awareness and engagement within the community. The count will seek data on those living in the woods o... Full story
Members of Sisters Veterans including American Legion Post 86, Band of Brothers - Sisters Chapter, and VFW Post 8138, along with members from the Camp Polk Pioneer Cemetery Preservation Committee, met on Friday, December 13, to decorate the gravesites of the 70 veterans buried at Camp Polk. Wreaths Across America has the simple mission of: Remember. Honor. Teach. The goal is to place a veteran's wreath on every veteran grave marker. Wreaths Across America is committed to... Full story
A very special Sisters resident left us on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, while at Partners in Care Hospice House, following an unexpected diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia one week earlier. John Griffith, known to many of us from his inexhaustible volunteer work throughout the region, as well as his stint as a freelance writer for The Nugget, was a man of intellect and heart. He was a great conversationalist with knowledge of and interest in a myriad of topics. He was generous... Full story
On Wednesday, December 18, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners approved the appointment of Kent Vander Kamp as Deschutes County Sheriff for the period of January 1, 2025, until his term of office begins on January 6, 2025. The appointment is required by state law because Sheriff Shane Nelson retires on December 31, leaving the position vacant until Vander Kamp can be officially sworn in on Monday, January 6. Vander Kamp won election to the office November 5. "I am... Full story
The City of Sisters has an ambitious menu of projects for 2025 with a price tag of around $8 million. The largest, at $2.2 million, is known as the Westside Pump Station and Force Main Improvements Project which will take until spring of 2026 to complete. While this project will be largely invisible to the public once finished, it will cause some traffic disruption on Pine Street and Jefferson Avenue during construction. The majority of spending surrounds sewer and water... Full story
Sisters Transportation and RideShare (STARS) announced that its year-end ride sponsorship drive has raised a total of $8,100. The STARS volunteer rideshare program provides Sisters Country residents with free non-emergency rides to medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond. STARS “riders” are unable to drive themselves or afford private ride companies, and many rely on the service regularly. Each STARS ride costs an average of $50 and the organization set a goal of raising $5,000 — the equivalent of 100 spons... Full story
Bells were ringing and carols were sung at the Aspen Lakes Estates Owner's Holiday Party on December 5 at Brand 33 Lodge. And neighbors had good reasons to celebrate and exchange warm Christmas greetings. Outshining their generous donation in 2023 by 33 percent, this special community delivered $5,690 toward the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District's sponsorship of "Spirit of Christmas Giving 2024." Providing Christmas gifts and much-needed financial assistance... Full story
The City of Sisters is well into its state-mandated, process of periodically evaluating its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to see if there will be enough land to meet population projections. In Sisters currently, the UGB essentially corresponds to the city limits. As Sisters' population steadily increases, with projections indicating that there will not be adequate housing inventory within the existing 1.88 square miles area, the City has invited its citizens to participate in... Full story
Picture this: A chickadee lands on your carefully crafted pinecone feeder, coated with peanut butter or suet and seeds. You're feeling good about helping local wildlife. But wait! There's a catch here. Feathers are more than beautiful-they're an essential survival tool. Their intricate structure includes thousands of tiny barbs that lock together to form a waterproof shield and provide insulation. They are an engineering masterpiece that makes NASA jealous! In winter, down... Full story
With a standing-room-only crowd of over 200 people filling the cafeteria of the new elementary school, the City and their consultants, MIG, presented an overview of the process involved when considering an expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), with time for small-group discussions concerning the five alternatives presented and providing feedback to the City. Based on his experience in numerous other communities, both large and small, MIG consultant Matt Hasty told the... Full story
