News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 301 - 325 of 29577
Pat Lamoureux lives with her husband, Roger, in a home on the edge of Sisters Country. They've created a beautiful place with trees turning brilliant red and yellow in the autumn and a garden full of flowers that bloom in a rainbow of colors throughout the summer months. She finds peace and satisfaction tending their property while Roger works on his latest woodworking project in his shop. Being able to see the outcome of their hard work was almost lost. When she began having... Full story
Explore Sisters Board Chair Greg Willitts shared a cautionary tale at last week’s public forum on Sisters’ Destination Management Organization (DMO), making the case for tourism management — not just marketing. Willitts is also the vice chair of the Oregon Tourism Commission, which directs the activities of the Travel Oregon staff. In about 2010, their advertising campaign centered around the Seven Wonders of Oregon, featuring the Columbia Gorge, Crater Lake, the Painted Hills... Full story
As Halloween approaches, neighborhoods across Central Oregon will soon be adorned with festive, spooky decorations. From the eerie glow of jack-o'-lanterns to cobweb-draped porches, this whimsical holiday is celebrated through creative displays. Our spirited designs don't stop on October 31; they transition into joyful fall and winter holiday décor. However, there is a frightening side to some of our fun adornments. From nimble chickadees to graceful deer, wildlife can be... Full story
In a scene resembling "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," members of the Gambler 500 roared into Sisters Sunday and weeded out no fewer than eight abandoned cars and two burnt-out RVs, the latter within sight of Ponderosa Lodge and residents on North Pine Street. It was a herculean effort that took dozens of volunteers with some heavy equipment and a twenty-yard dumpster thrown in. A convoy of eccentric and wild-looking cars cruised onto the Deschutes National Forest immediately wes... Full story
The Sisters Ranger District plans to implement approximately 3,600 acres of mowing operations across Sisters Country. Mowing operations are strategically located in areas critical to reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires to communities. Project areas slated for mowing include the Sisters Area Fuels Reduction (SAFR) Project Area, Highway 20 Project Area, and the Metolius Basin Project Area. Work is already completed or underway in some units and will continue during the fall and winter. Mowing work will be ongoing... Full story
The Great Oregon ShakeOut is set for 10:19 a.m. on October 19. The ShakeOut is a self-led earthquake drill taking place worldwide. Nearly 500,000 Ore-gonians have registered, pledging to Drop, Cover, and Hold On for at least 60 seconds as if a major earthquake was occurring at that moment. Oregon is vulnerable to a potentially massive subduction zone earthquake on the coast. That is the protocol emergency management experts say is the best response to an earthquake. When the ground starts to shake, or you receive an... Full story
Last Thursday, October 10, the bar at Three Creeks Brew Pub was full of good food, good friends, and good feelings as the Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS) organization gathered for their second annual volunteer appreciation event. STARS provides free rides to nonemergency medical appointments (physicians, dental, vision, physical therapy, hearing, lab work, and testing) in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond for residents of Sisters Country who can't drive themselves. Ride... Full story
After both Wyoming and Montana gave an emphatic no, Oregon has agreed to allow the capture and transport of 10 wolves to Colorado in December. A year-end date was set for Colorado's wolf reintroduction program created by Proposition 114, which Colorado voters passed in 2020 in a hotly contested vote - 50.91 percent to 49.09 percent. Colorado initially thought it could reestablish its wolf population with wolves from populous habitat in the Greater Yellowstone region, which is... Full story
Construction of a new roundabout at Locust Street and Highway 20 is still set to get underway in March 2024, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Central Oregon Region Manager Bob Townsend told the Sisters City Council in a workshop on Wednesday, October 11. ODOT's $5 million in state transportation improvement funds - which will combine with $1.425 million from the City of Sisters, and $1 million from Deschutes County - are secure, despite ODOT's current funding crisis... Full story
“The bottom line is, we’re out of money,” said Oregon Transportation Commissioner Julie Brown following a meeting this summer. The Commission reviewed an updated finance plan draft for the projects slated for funding by tolls. The current plan includes the possibility of dipping into funds set aside for projects scheduled for the next three years. The Locust Street roundabout will not be affected by the funding crisis as the monies have been allocated and secured by prior... Full story
When MJ and Evan Schulte were watching the local news last January, they were horrified to see a story about a two-month-old puppy whose owner caused a head-on collision near the Bend Factory Outlets on Highway 97. The puppy named Diligence (Dill) had a broken femur, lung contusions, a dislocated pelvis, and a small fracture in his nasal bone. His former owner was jailed on multiple charges including animal abuse. To have a chance at survival, Dill needed extensive veterinary... Full story
Across the nation, there is rising concern about the negative impacts of loneliness and social isolation. Loneliness and isolation affect older people whose connections to community have withered, and young people who struggle to find their place in the world. Studies have shown that working-age men in particular have a difficult time forming friendships. Some have observed that habits fallen into during COVID-19 lockdowns have persisted, making it harder for people to engage... Full story
The Sisters City Council affirmed a commitment to preserving Sisters’ dark skies during their workshop on Wednesday, October 11. City of Sisters planning staff is working on a revised dark skies ordinance, and sought input from the Council on some key courses of action. A draft ordinance is expected to come before the City Council for approval soon. Councilors agreed that public lighting — street lights and lights on public buildings — should not be exempt in the ordin... Full story
A fundraiser organized by a group of locals will benefit Ukrainian children displaced by the Russian invasion of their country in February 2022. Funds raised will be distributed through the Sisters-based nonprofit World's Children, which has vetted contacts in Ukraine. The event is set for Saturday, October 21, at the Sisters Community Church Fireside Room at 1300 McKenzie Hwy. There will be Marionberry cobbler and entertainment featuring showtunes by Dick & Randy. There will... Full story
Sisters Country is rich in community spirit – full of citizens, business owners, civic representatives, volunteers, and organizational leaders committed to making Sisters a better place to live, work and play. But too often, the efforts of these inspiring individuals living among us go unrecognized. The Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) wants to change that. The VIT has announced the 2023 “Unsung Hero Awards.” This initiative aims to recognize and celebrate individuals who have made outstanding, yet under... Full story
The new season of the Three Sisters Historical Society's (TSHS) Fireside Evenings will open with a presentation by Steve Lent titled "Water for a Thirsty Land - The Development of Irrigation in Central Oregon." It will take place on Monday, October 16 at the Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St. The presentation will be at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and free to TSHS members. Seating is first-come, first-served. Lent has been the historian at... Full story
The new, wider pedestrian bridge at Smith Rock is now open, and visitors can once again access popular trails and climbing areas on the other side of the Crooked River. The new pedestrian bridge measures eight feet wide and better accommodates lifesaving equipment used during the frequent rescue operations at the park. The old bridge was built nearly 50 years ago and had significant wear and needed replacing. "Smith Rock State Park is thrilled to have a beautiful footbridge... Full story
"Mom, come look at this," said Tess Sidwell, age 9, from Bend. "No, mom, come over here," pleaded her brother Evan, 7. Moms and dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, along with best friends, daters, dancers, buskers, and curiosity seekers of all stripes packed East Main Avenue between Elm and Larch streets Saturday and Sunday. Tess and Evan were captivated by animal wood carvings at one of 150-plus tents that lined the avenue for the annual Harvest Faire, always the... Full story
Explore Sisters. Sisters’ new destination management organization (DMO) is introducing itself to the community in a public forum. The forum will take place on Thursday, October 19, at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Community Hall from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. No registration is required. Explore Sisters DMO embraces the goal of balancing the economic impacts of tourism with local livability. Explore Sisters hired its first executive director, Scott Humpert, in December 2022. Humpert brings with him over 10 years of d... Full story
An Idaho man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 20 west of Black Butte Ranch on Friday, September 29. At approximately 5:40 a.m. on that date, Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash on Highway 20 near milepost 92. The preliminary investigation indicated a Honda Accord, operated by Timothy Shannon Forgett, age 57, of Boise, Idaho was traveling eastbound when the operator lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway. The vehicle struck a tree on the eastbound shoulder.... Full story
Spencer McCullough is on a mission to visit every national park in the Lower 48 on one continuous bicycle trip. According to the stats he posts on his website (https://onelongtrip.bike) he's visited 19 out of 51 parks, traveling 7,856 miles - with seven flat tires along the way. McCullough stopped in Sisters on Tuesday, October 3, on his way to Crater Lake National Park. He has a couple or purposes in mind with his trip. One is personal: He wants to see the bounty of the... Full story
Signs of autumn are everywhere - cooler days, turning leaves, seasonal rain, and thankfully, snow returning to our mountains. And there are hunters, archery and rifle, taking to the woods in search of game. Central Oregon has a rich and deep hunting tradition, often running multiple generations. As more hunters are visible from late September into November, so too are those charged with keeping them safe and in compliance. That duty falls upon the Oregon State Police. Oregon... Full story
Open burning within the Black Butte Ranch, Cloverdale, and Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Districts is allowed as of Tuesday, October 3, at daylight. Residents are strongly encouraged to contact their local fire protection agencies for additional burning information and regulations. Some municipalities, such as the City of Sisters, do not allow yard debris burning at any time during the year within their jurisdictions, and certain homeowner’s associations may have further restrictions in place. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Distri... Full story
Veterans from American Legion Post 86 gathered at Spoons café in Sisters on Tuesday, September 26, to greet newly elected National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer, who is on a whirlwind tour of posts across the nation. Seehafer was elected national commander of The American Legion on August 31 in Charlotte, N.C., during the 104th national convention. Seehafer says, "It's personal," when it comes to The American Legion's mission of serving veterans and their families. That was... Full story
A substantial contingent of residents turned out on a drippy Friday afternoon, September 29, to mark the renaming of their neighborhood. The subdivision off of Wilt Road north of Sisters formerly known as Squaw Creek Canyon Estates is now officially Whychus Canyon Estates. The neighbors unveiled an updated and restored neighborhood sign in an informal observance on Friday. The change lines the neighborhood up with the name of the canyon and creek it overlooks. Squaw Creek was... Full story
