News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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The Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District invites qualified voters of the fire district interested in serving on the Civil Service Commission to submit letters of interest and applications to the Board of Directors of the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District. Civil Service for Firefighters is covered by Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 242.702-242.824. The Civil Service Commission is made up of three citizens of the district who are not members of the board or employees of the district. They are... Full story
Folks in Sisters woke to a beautiful sunrise on Monday morning - and an inch or so of snow on the ground. A storm dropped far more than that along the Cascade crest, an earlier-than-usual arrival of winter conditions. While the snow is pretty, and inculcates a spirit of the winter holidays, it does complicate travel, and locals and visitors are reminded to adapt to winter driving conditions as a mix of rain and snow showers are forecast to persist for the next week and more.... Full story
The public can now purchase Christmas tree permits for the 2024 season at Forest Service offices, online, and from local vendors around Central Oregon for use on the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests. Purchase online at Recreation.gov — a $5 per permit with an additional $2.50 reservation fee. Permits purchased online must be printed to be valid. In-person permits are available at Forest Service offices and several local vendors ( www.bit.ly/3fsheXA ). Individual permits are $5 and households can purchase a maximum of f... Full story
Folks in Sisters turned out on a snowy evening on Sunday to take stock of the well-being of youth in the community. The broad conclusion of the Citizens4Community (C4C) forum “Are the Kids Alright?” held at Sisters Elementary School was that Sisters has a lot of assets that support youth well-being — but there are still challenges that the community should work to address. Panelists were Lindsey Overstreet of Mosaic Community Health’s school-based health clinic in Sisters... Full story
The City of Sisters will host an open house on its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Expansion process on Monday, December 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the new Sisters Elementary School. City staff is inviting the public to come learn more about the future of the community and make their voices heard. All are invited to the open house: Sisters residents, as well as those living in Sisters Country and beyond. Attendees will learn more about progress made so far on the UGB expansion project — including on how much land is needed to a... Full story
It was 6 a.m. last Saturday at Level 5 CrossFit when a group of 33 men formed a loose circle around Ryan Hudson, owner. It was an uncanny hour for such a workout, if not for the cause it represented. "Blood, sweat, and tears for those who have served our country, that's why we're here," he says. "Every rep represents a veteran fallen to suicide. Every minute stands for them." This particular workout was the first of its kind. Consisting of 22 movements, 22 reps each, over a 22... Full story
BURNS - Oregon State University researchers have received a $1 million grant to study the impact of adding seaweed to the diets of beef cattle as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research has found that feeding seaweed can reduce methane emissions from cattle, most of which originates from enteric fermentation that is characteristic of their digestive process. Oregon State will investigate a specific type of seaweed – Pacific dulse, a species grown c... Full story
CLACKAMAS — Surrounded by a hastily assembled group of campaign volunteers, Democrat Janelle Bynum declared victory in Oregon’s closest congressional race. The Democratic state representative is the first Black congresswoman from a state that banned Black people from living within its boundaries when it joined the union. That history was on Bynum’s mind as she gave brief remarks at her campaign headquarters Friday afternoon, November 8. “It’s not lost on me that I am one generation removed from segregation. It’s not lost on... Full story
With the approach of winter upon Sisters Country, preparations are underway at the City to prepare for allowing emergency shelter to those who are living unhoused. At the Wednesday, November 20, Sisters City Council meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, the Council will be asked to approve a resolution creating an emergency declaration for the period of November 21, 2024 to March 15, 2025, to allow for getting people out of the cold. The resolution will help avoid the... Full story
The agency that keeps our highways operating is facing a structural revenue crisis. This is due to three main causes, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT): Oregonians are driving increasingly fuel-efficient vehicles, and switching to electric vehicles (EV) at a high rate. With increased fuel efficiency and more EVs, Oregon sees lower tax revenues and less money available to maintain the transportation system. Inflation has made maintaining the... Full story
Jennifer Letz was re-elected to a seat on the Sisters City Council, to be joined by Sarah McDougall and Cheryl Pellerin. Letz and McDougall each won a four-year term, while Pellerin will serve a two-year term in the wake of the November 5 election. “It’s just an honor to serve this community in this important role,” Pellerin said. “I really appreciate the community support. My decision to run was driven by the desire to serve this special community.” Pellerin cited housing, livability, growth, and wildfire resilienc... Full story
After a bruising campaign, Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp decisively won election as Deschutes County Sheriff. Vander Kamp garnered 59.32 percent of the vote while his opponent Captain William Bailey recorded 40.06 percent. “It was a pretty loud message — enough is enough,” Vander Kamp told The Nugget. The Sheriff-elect told The Nugget that his immediate priorities revolve around community engagement, a comprehensive budget review, enhancing traffic safety initiatives, and build... Full story
When the community asks “Are the Kids Alright?” at a Citizens4Community (C4C) forum next Sunday, we might want to ask also whether their parents are alright. Long-time school counselor Charlie Kanzig, who will be one of the panelists at the forum set for Sunday, November 17, 4 p.m., at the new Sisters Elementary School, reports that he’s seeing a different kind of stress in parents than he did 10 years ago: economic stress; political stress; and “the feeling that they’ve got t... Full story
Kent Vander Kamp has a significant lead over William Bailey in the race for Deschutes County Sheriff as initial election results are reported. Vander Kamp, who was endorsed by the Deschutes Sheriff’s Employees Association had almost 59 percent of the vote to Bailey’s 41 percent. Bailey was endorsed by retiring Sheriff Shane Nelson. Jennifer Letz (25.31%), Sarah McDougall (24.5%), and Cheryl Pellerin (18.63%) lead the race for the three open seats on Sisters City Council, with Eli Madrone (17.73%) trailing slightly behind Pel... Full story
Since the end of September, GFP Enterprises, LLC has been actively engaged in disaster relief recovery efforts following the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. At the height of the response efforts, GFP was providing needed resources and services at 40 separate locations throughout North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. The services and resources being provided include full-service base camps, shower trailers, laundry trailers, restroom trailers, potable water provision and wastewater removal, food... Full story
City work crews are installing stop signs at the intersection of Hood Avenue and Pine Street. The installation was expected to be completed November 7. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, “The Public Works Advisory Board (PWAB) directed staff to take a look at the Hood/Pine intersection to see if it warranted a stop control change to an all-way stop. We then had our Traffic Engineer (Joe Bessman) analyze the intersection to see if it met the all-way stop criteria. Joe has looked at this intersection i... Full story
Jennifer Holland has been developing and delivering programs for Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) for the past five years. She's been working in the field since she was 15 years old, and had previously worked as a program manager with Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Springfield. Last summer, she determined that she needed to enhance her education in the strategic aspects of her work. "I felt I needed more education around the bigger picture of local... Full story
Sisters residents have a unique opportunity to learn how to make a difference in Sisters Country. On Sunday, November 10, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Sisters Fire District community hall, “What Do You Do With an Idea?” is being sponsored by two local nonprofits, Citizens4Community (C4C) and Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC). Kellen Klein, C4C executive director, will facilitate the workshop which can be attended in person or livestreamed online. The event will also be recorded for... Full story
Growing up in Sisters has many benefits for youth. It's still a tight-knit community that looks out for its people; schools are strong and staff works hard to build beneficial relationships with students. Yet it's still challenging to be a 21st-century kid, no matter where you are. Lindsey Overstreet is a licensed clinical social worker working in pediatric behavioral health at Mosaic Community Health's school-based health clinic in Sisters. She works with youth who may be str... Full story
Curious motorists and pedestrians observed heavy machinery in action as trees were cleared and earth moved in preparation for Phase One of the Sisters East Portal Transportation Master Plan. The hub is located on recently purchased City property between West Hood Avenue, Highway 20, and OR 242 (McKenzie Highway). The overall plan calls for a dedicated transit patron parking area and drop-off lane. The site layout allows for patrons to park or be dropped off to access transit... Full story
The Sisters High School Hall of Fame inducted a total of six individuals and one group at an afternoon ceremony held Sunday, November 3 at Sisters High School (SHS). Don Pollard, co-chair of the Hall of Fame committee, helped welcome the attendees and thanked the numerous sponsors for supporting the Hall of Fame for the tenth year celebration. Dennis Dempsey emceed the evening. The ceremony included guest speaker Pat Tyson, currently the head cross-country coach at Gonzaga... Full story
As has happened every year for decades, the historic McKenzie Highway (Highway 242) closed on the Sisters side last week. A week earlier, the western side closed. The November 1 close is about average, and just in time as a series of minor storms dropped as much as 10 inches of snow above 5,000 feet. The top of Highway 242, at the Dee Wright Observatory - the halfway point - sits at 5,187 feet. In making its annual announcement of the closures, Oregon Department of... Full story
City work crews are installing stop signs at the intersection of Hood Avenue and Pine Street next week. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, “The Public Works Advisory Board (PWAB) directed staff to take a look at the Hood/Pine intersection to see if it warranted a stop control change to an all-way stop. We then had our Traffic Engineer (Joe Bessman) analyze the intersection to see if it met the all-way stop criteria. Joe has looked at this intersection in the past and at that time it did not meet the w... Full story
As the temperatures cool and with the potential for additional rainfall in the coming week, open burning within the Black Butte Ranch, Cloverdale, and Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Districts opened on Monday, October 28. The Sisters-Camp Sherman and Cloverdale Fire District burn permit system was updated over the summer. If you previously accessed the system via a phone app, the app has been rebranded as “Before You Burn,” offering the same functionality you’re familiar with, but with enhanced features and new tools. The new p... Full story
Youths in today’s society face challenges and have opportunities that were barely conceivable to even their parents’ generation. The pervasiveness of technology opens a world of connection, while simultaneously — and counter-intuitively — creating a sense of isolation. Sisters is widely considered a great community for kids — but youth here are subject to challenging national and international trends. The next in Citizens For Community’s (C4C) biannual series of community forums will focus on youth well-being in Sisters Count... Full story
