News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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It’s happening – the day after Thanksgiving. Some call it Black Friday and if we get snow, it may be a White Friday, but Sisters Arts Association still calls it The 4th Friday Artwalk. This month’s Artwalk offers excitement and variety. Put away your leftover turkey and trimmings, and walk through the galleries of Sisters. Maps are available in all gallery locations. Toriizaka Art welcomes two soulful artists – both working equally with their head, hands, and hea... Full story
The Lady Outlaws will return 10 players to their varsity squad this season, including six experienced, veteran seniors. Seniors include Haleigh Froelich, Ellie Mayes, Delaney McAfee, Ashlynn Moffat, Josie Patton, and Hadley Schar. Froelich was a Second-Team, All-Conference pick last year, and will play at post again this year. She runs the court well, is a strong finisher around the basket, and a good rebounder, especially on the offensive boards. Mayes will play at both the guard and wing positions. Mayes is a fiery... Full story
Concerns about the pace and nature of growth in Sisters loom large as the City of Sisters works on its housing plan. At their November 17 meeting, the Planning Commission approved resolutions acknowledging the Sisters Housing Plan Update and the Efficiency Measures Report related to the updated Comprehensive Plan. Following those two approvals, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing addressing proposed text amendments to Sisters Development Code to support the reco... Full story
If it’s Sisters, and it’s Christmas, then the High Desert Chorale is taking the stage for its annual winter concert at Sisters Community Church. This year’s performances will be December 2 at 7 p.m. and December 4 at 2:30 p.m. The church is located at 1300 McKenzie Hwy. The theme for this year’s songfest is “The Glory of Christmas.” The group of some 50 community singers will perform 10 works. They will be preceded by a bell choir known as the Twelve Tones performing... Full story
Numerous complaints and accompanying photographs have arrived in The Nugget office, reporting on the dismaying condition of Sisters Recycle Center located on West Sisters Park Drive. People are using the location as an unofficial dump, leaving large quantities of discarded oil and other fluids, furniture, copious quantities of styrofoam packing materials, and just general junk that is not recyclable at the center. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, unfor... Full story
’Tis the season for shopping. There’s nothing wrong with that — humans have an instinct for trade as strong as our instinct to explore and to build. It can get out of hand, of course, but shopping for gifts can be a delightful and uplifting experience. It depends a lot on how you do it. There’s nothing uplifting about storming a Walmart on Black Friday, trampling anyone in the way of your big-screen TV purchase. That’s not how we roll in Sisters. Here we have a rich ec... Full story
The urbanization of Sisters To the Editor: Nugget reporter Bill Bartlett brought up many good issues in his recent article about not turning Sisters into Bend. As the developer of ClearPine, and the soon to be completed ClearPine Building, let me offer an alternative for Nugget readers to consider. When I was developing ClearPine, I wanted to bring a different look to a part of the city, away from the Western theme of downtown. As it turns out, ClearPine really flourished, and I have had many kind words from the 200 or so... Full story
A small storm of rumor has been brewing in town regarding the possibility of Creekside Campground becoming a location for houseless camping this winter. According to Mayor Michael Preedin, “No one has currently come forward with a proposal to use the campground in the winter. No one on the City Council or City staff has made such a request.” At a town hall on houselessness in October, when responding to a hypothetical question about using the campground for a houseless cam... Full story
Sisters Ranger District fire specialists are conducting brush removal work with Forest Service staff and contractors to mow approximately 3,300 acres of brush across several sites within three project areas. Forest Service operators have started some of this work, while contractors were to start as soon as Monday. The three areas slated for brush removal include the Metolius Basin Vegetation Management Project, Sisters Area Fuels Reduction (SAFR), and Highway 20 project area. Mowing reduces hazardous fuels loading and helps... Full story
Opponents have wasted no time in predicting a vigorous and lengthy court challenge to voters’ adoption of Measure 114. By a vote of 953,061 for and 925,252 against, the controversial ballot measure enacted a law outlining a procedure to apply for a permit-to-purchase for a firearm. The measure was designed to have permits be issued by law enforcement. Proponents of the measure, led by the faith-based organization Lift Every Voice, celebrated the passage of the measure, one o... Full story
After a month of advertising the city manager opening in Sisters, screening applicants, narrowing the field to three finalists, and a week of panels, receptions, tours, and a final interview in front of the City Council, the Council decided not to offer the position to any one of the three candidates – Ron Tinseth, Keith Witcosky, or Simon Kim. The City will begin the process over again. Following the Council’s executive session on Friday morning, November 18, Mayor M... Full story
Marie Ruby (Montoya) Conklin passed away Friday, October 21, in her beloved San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, at the age of 79. Marie was born on June 23, 1943, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Malaquais and Lucia (Lucy) Montoya, the youngest of nine children. She graduated from Fowler High School and attended Lynn Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon. Her life’s journey took her to northern California; Corvallis, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; Panama City, Panama; Sisters, O... Full story
HIGH DESERT FOOD & FARM ALLIANCE Support local food businesses and farmers! High Desert Food & Farm Alliance’s Local Food Gift Boxes are a great gift for any party or holiday gathering. Order online. All proceeds support HDFFA’s Food Access and Agricultural Support Programs. 541-390-3572 | www.hdffa.org/store HAZELNUT HILL At Hazelnut Hill, we go nuts for the holidays, and your friends and family will, too! We make small-batch Oregon hazelnut products and then box them up to make great gifts — roasted hazelnuts, cho... Full story
One of our smaller and most tenacious owls, the Northern Pygmy Owl [Glaucidium Gnoma], hunts during the day. Large insects, rodents, and songbirds make up the majority of their diet. Pygmies are found in habitat ranging from deciduous woods to high-elevation fir and spruce forests. Nesting in tree cavities, the Northern Pygmy Owl will lay two to seven white eggs and wait until all eggs are laid before beginning incubation. After fledging, the adults will continue feeding... Full story
Brennan Layne has deep roots in Sisters. Soon, he and his wife, Megan, will be welcoming the fourth generation to their family. Layne graduated from Sisters High School in 2012. He appreciated his childhood experience so much that he moved his growing family back to Central Oregon, where he has taken up a practice as a loan officer with Guild Mortgage. “I’m a third-generation Sisters person who really understands the community, and the market. My great-grandfather bought the... Full story
The Barn was honored with a Building a Better Central Oregon (BBCO) award for Outstanding Community Enhancement by the Central Oregon Association of Realtors. The BBCO award recognizes those who have enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. Projects are judged on economic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design or use of materials. Coldwell Banker Bain nominated the food cart court and tap house that... Full story
With prices rising for just about everything, when it comes to utility bills in homes and businesses, efficiency is more important than ever. Working in construction, GreenSavers owner and Sisters resident Robert Hamerly saw that need firsthand while installing cost-effective machinery and insulation in new builds. The benefits of construction standards and heat pump systems were undeniable and because of that, 15 years ago, Hamerly launched his company, GreenSavers, to... Full story
Debra Sue Van Cleave passed away after a long battle of dementia at the age of 71. Debra was born in Spokane, Washington to Gordon and Dorothy Holmdahl on September 26, 1951. The family moved to Flaxville, Montana then they moved to The Dalles, Oregon, and Portland, before settling in Salem-Keizer area. Debra graduated from McNary High School in 1969. Debra worked a few jobs before she started her career at ODOT; she worked 30 years, retiring in 2012. Debra met the love of... Full story
Robert “Bo” Neal passed away surrounded by family and close friends at St. Charles on Monday, November 7. Born May 8, 1951, in Silverton, Oregon, Bo was raised in the country around Stayton and Scio, part of a large extended family. He graduated from Regis High in Stayton and received a baseball scholarship to Treasure Valley Community College. Following that, he attended University of Oregon, again on a baseball scholarship, where he was a catcher. Graduating in 1973, he wen... Full story
The Outlaws soccer squad had four players who earned All-League honors, including Tate Kaczmarek, Gus Patton, and Vincent Christian, who were all First-Team picks. Kaczmarek, senior and co-captain, is a four-year starter and played at forward for the Outlaws. He was the leading goal scorer this year with 17 goals. He also tallied nine assists over the course of league play. “Tate has exceptional field vision, is a very versatile player, is attack-minded, and has an incredible work rate,” said Coach Jeff Husmann. Patton, sen... Full story
After being derailed by the pandemic, “Frontiers in Science,” the popular lecture series presented by the Sisters Science Club, will return to The Belfry next spring. Neuroscience and genetics will be the topics for the February and April events, featuring two accomplished researchers and teachers. On Tuesday, February 21, Dr. Mark Pitzer of the University of Portland will focus on how to help our brains learn and retain new knowledge. Dr. Pitzer’s lecture is the perfect preface to April’s presentation on the DNA mutatio... Full story
Peggy Tehan has lived in Sisters for over 38 years, and she raised her children here. Tehan is currently serving as the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) board president. She has been serving on the board for over 12 years, taking over the director position from John Bushnell. She worked as board treasurer before serving as president this year. “I help out with the financial statement and auditing process and being available for staff questions regarding the board o... Full story
The Outlaws JV football squad finished their season with a 3-4 overall record. Twenty-three players were on the roster, and three, including Kayle Mock, Ethan Eby, and Kelvin Parker, saw significant minutes on the varsity squad. Mock (sophomore), and Eby and Parker (freshmen) were all instrumental players, and according to Defensive Coordinator Jim Gurney will be foundational for the varsity team next year. Mock played as running back, wide receiver, and at safety. He was... Full story
Erin had just moved to Santa Barbara and was looking for a personal trainer position when she met Doug, a local gym owner. They went their separate ways, but two years later their paths crossed again, and Erin started as a trainer at Doug’s gym. A great working relationship led to spending more time together even outside the gym. It was during an outing to a soccer game, enveloped in the roar of the cheering crowd, that they realized there was something there. They couldn’t deny the attraction they felt for each other and... Full story
Senior Josie Patton was a First-Team All-League pick and earned top recognition as Goalkeeper of the Year in the All-League voting. Patton has been a four-year starting goalie for the Outlaws, and last year was also named Goalie of the Year in 4A. Coach Brian Holden noted that Patton is a tall player with strong hands and a broad wingspan. She is a dedicated athlete, a positive team leader, and vocal from the back. Patton recorded 11 shutouts, and only had three goals scored a... Full story