News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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After campaigning for the state Legislature as a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights six years ago, U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer has a mixed record in Congress on these issues. She introduced a bill to automatically reverse the dishonorable discharges given to gay members of the military because of their sexual orientation, and she voted against an amendment to an appropriation's bill that would have stopped the Department of Defense from acknowledging Pride Month. But she also co-sponsored and voted for a "Parents' Bill of Rights"... Full story
Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region. “We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” said Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest Assistant Fire Director for Operations. “Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests... Full story
CORVALLIS — Forest scientists at Oregon State University studying tree regeneration have found that wildfire smoke comes with an unexpected benefit: It has a cooling capacity that can make life easier for vulnerable seedlings. An OSU College of Forestry collaboration led by faculty research assistant Amanda Brackett made the discovery while working to determine the effect of forest canopy cover on summer maximum temperatures near ground level. The study’s goal was to describe how heat waves and other future climate conditions... Full story
A statewide “wildfire risk map” that drew the ire of many Oregonians will return in several weeks with few changes but with a new name following a yearlong makeover. The new “wildfire hazard map,” set to debut in mid-to-late July, will not differ in substance too much from the previous map published in 2022, according to lead researcher Chris Dunn, an Oregon State University forestry professor and wildfire expert. That first map was quickly taken offline in August 2022, just months after it was released, due to public... Full story
Many in Sisters will remember Phyllis Yankey, who lived in the community for a number of years. Phyllis Yankey’s husband, Mike, an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) employee, was killed in an accident at the ODOT yard at the Santiam Junction in 2009. In 2020 Phyllis left Sisters to be closer to her children. On July 8, Hurricane Beryl ripped through her current neighborhood in Conroe, Texas, a tree fell and destroyed her home. In a GoFundMe narrative, her son Chris reported that, “because of some now hea... Full story
Pine Meadow Ranch, School of Ranch, OSU Extension, and High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, is set to host the workshop, “Howdy Do: Practical Land Management,” on Thursday, July 18, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Howdy Do workshops turn the model on its head, tapping into community wisdom of farmers, ranchers, hay growers, and gardeners on what works and what doesn’t work in Central Oregon when it comes to making things grow here. Hosted at the picturesque Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters, this workshop offers participants a unique oppor... Full story
Oregon and Washington leaders are using the start of the region's wildfire season to once again ask Congress for more money for prescribed burns. The practice of strategically starting low-intensity fires across forests to improve soil and ecosystem health and prevent catastrophic wildfires has been common among tribes in the West for millenia. In recent years, it has gained more traction among the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Oregon Department... Full story
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is warning the citizens of Deschutes County of a recurring warrant scam hitting the area. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has taken reports recently that community members have been contacted by subject(s) requesting money for not responding to a subpoena. The caller(s) demanded the money be sent in the form of bitcoin. The caller(s) also use numerous intimidation techniques to facilitate the payments, namely keeping the unsuspecting victim on the telephone while the payments are... Full story
The Lodge in Sisters was recently the scene of smiles, excitement, and good feelings as 15 residents received an interactive animatronic dog, cat, or bird from members of the Sisters Middle School fifth-grade Sunshine Club. Romeo's Joy, headed by Sisters resident Cheryl Pellerin, is an Action Team of Age Friendly Sisters Country, and provides Sisters-area residents who are at risk of social isolation, living with dementia, and/or unable to have the companionship of a live... Full story
When Lake Creek Lodge put a sign out that said "Restaurant Open," they didn't expect a large aquatic rodent to be one of the first to dine. But just days before a major restoration planting to benefit beaver habitat began behind the Lodge, a special guest came by to check out the neighborhood eats for one of the few times in a decade. That lone beaver must have felt the love. In April a partnership between Think Wild/Beaver Works Program and Lodge owner Gordon Jones invited th... Full story
In the late 1970s, when Sisters' new fire chief, Tony Prior, was a boy of 8, he came to Central Oregon from his home near Philomath to hunt mule deer. He also fished for rainbow trout in the Metolius River. And now, some 40 years later, he and his wife Dianna are calling Sisters home. Chief Prior assumed his new duties as of late June, with the retirement of Chief Roger Johnson. Chief Prior moved to Alaska in 1994, married Dianna, had two children, and became an... Full story
It appears Sisters has a new annual Independence Day tradition. Sisters 4th Fest attracted an estimated 1,000-plus people to Village Green Park, adding a ton of heart to the heart of town. "It was wonderful seeing the community come together to eat, celebrate, dance, pay tribute to our veterans, and just have a good time," said Kellen Klein, executive director of Citizens4Community (C4C), which put on the festivities with Rotary Club of Sisters. "The event wholly exceeded our... Full story
Two small fires serve as a warning to campers as the region heads into dangerous fire weather. Fire crews jumped quickly on a small brush fire southeast of town on July 4. According to Sisters District Ranger Ian Reid, the fire that broke out on Thursday afternoon off the 4606 road between Sisters and the Rodeo Grounds “sounds like it was caused by ashes that were disposed of that were still hot.” The area sees a mix of recreational campers and forest dwellers. Reid said that the person responsible for the hot ash disposal wa... Full story
1 Women Who Care-Sisters recently raised $8,400 for Age Friendly Sisters Country/Sisters Transportation and Ride Share, the ride share services staffed by volunteers in our community. The fundraising was conducted at the group's June 27 quarterly meeting; the checks were presented to STARS on Saturday, June 29. Members of 100 WWC-Sisters, which now numbers over 100 members, chose STARS after presentations by the three nominated nonprofits, all of which represent Sisters'... Full story
A hot and dry start to July has put us under Stage 1 fire restrictions: no campfires, wood stoves, charcoal grills, or fireworks on most Central Oregon public lands. Agencies and organizations are practicing for the inevitable. The Pet Evacuation Team (PET) held a mock deployment on Saturday to teach volunteers how to help animals during disasters. The nonprofit visited Harmony Farm Sanctuary, a 10-acre shelter off Fryrear Road outside Sisters. It's home to dozens of rescued f... Full story
Each month, Citizens4Community facilitates a Community Builders meeting. Each meeting is hosted by a different Sisters Country organization or business and is designed to help local leaders and community volunteers connect with fellow change makers in Sisters, share current individual or organizational priorities, needs, and opportunities, discuss timely local topics and community challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration and problem solving. All Community Builde... Full story
Sisters will celebrate the birth of the United States in classic hometown style on Thursday, July 4, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Village Green Park. Locals and visitors will celebrate the Fourth of July with a pancake breakfast, 5K fun run, classic car show, kids “mini-parade,” live music, and more. “In the wake of the cancellation of Rumble on the Runway at Sisters Eagle Airport, we wanted to ensure that our community still had an opportunity to come together and celebrate Independence Day,” said Kellen Klein, C4C executi... Full story
Imagine waking up in Sisters to no power. Not from a local failure in your home or business, or a transformer in the neighborhood failing, but from a decision made miles away to shut the power to an entire community. It could well happen, depending on the severity of weather conditions, especially in wildfire season. It was just last August when a loaded gasoline tanker truck struck a main pole on Highway 126 in Cloverdale, causing a widespread power outage in Sisters. Power... Full story
The wildland-urban interface firefighting capabilities of the Cloverdale Fire District took a big jump last week as the district took delivery of a new water tender as part of the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Engine Program. The Cloverdale engine was among the first three water tenders delivered in the program - others went to the Amity Fire District and the Winston-Dillard Fire District. These tenders are the first of 30 that will be distributed across the state, boosting the... Full story
A 72-year-old Beaverton woman was seriously hurt when she was hit by a vehicle while crossing Cascade Avenue on Monday evening, June 24. According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the intersection of East Cascade Avenue and North Spruce Street in Sisters for a report of a crash involving a pedestrian. Lt. Chad Davis reported that the crash occurred when a westbound 2015 Dodge Ram van, driven by Todd Beckwith, 56, of La Pine, failed to yield to the pedestrian, who was crossing East Cascade... Full story
(UPDATED June 30 to include statement from Black Butte Ranch). Nine people who worked at Robert’s Pub on Black Butte Ranch have filed a $13.5 million lawsuit alleging that they were sexually abused and harassed by long-time Ranch server Michael Woosley — and that the Ranch and its managers failed to act to correct and stop Woosley’s actions. Attorneys Christopher Larsen of Pickett Dummigan McCall LLP and Jason Kafoury of Kafoury & McDougal held a press conference in Bend on Thursday, June 27, shortly after the lawsuit was f... Full story
A 72-year-old Beaverton woman was seriously hurt when she was hit by a vehicle while crossing Cascade Avenue on Monday evening, June 24. According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the intersection of East Cascade Avenue and North Spruce Street in Sisters for a report of a crash involving a pedestrian. Lt. Chad Davis reported that the crash occurred when a westbound 2015 Dodge Ram van, driven by Todd Beckwith, 56, of La Pine, failed to yield to the pedestrian, who was crossing East Cascade... Full story
The first Friday of summer, on the surface, seemed standard for Sisters. Sun shined, shoppers strolled, tourists toured, and travelers traveled through, their trucks and trailers slowing to a crawl in the Cascade blockade. For hundreds of locals, though, time stood still. It had stopped two days prior, following a tragic crash on the first day of summer break for students. The sudden losses of two young lives - a boy and a girl, forever 14 - cast a pall over their families,... Full story
Already burdened by diminished habitat, the few remaining spotted owls around Sisters are faced with a new threat: their family relative, the barred owl. The barred owl (Strix varia) is the eastern cousin to our western spotted owl (Strix occidentalis). Like the spotted owl, the barred owl lives in forests, hunts at night, and feeds largely on small mammals. They differ in that the barred owl is more of a generalist, opportunistic predator (feeding also on crayfish, snakes,... Full story
A young family escaped a fire in a house on the western edge of Tollgate on Friday, June 21, that completely destroyed their home. Firefighters from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District (SCSFD) responded to a report of a house fire on Saddle Horn in the Tollgate subdivision near Sisters. Crews arrived to find a single-family home heavily involved in fire, with fire spreading to the grass and brush. The initial arriving engine crews from Sisters, supported by an engine from... Full story
