News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Green Ridge looms over Camp Sherman, its treed slopes and burn scars home to populations of wildlife and a destination for hikers and hunters. It's also the site of a Forest Service project - six years in the making - that is drawing intense scrutiny as a final decision approaches. According to the Forest Service, a draft decision on the Green Ridge Landscape Restoration Project envisions a project that "includes up to 19,437 acres of thinning, mowing, and prescribed fire... Full story
The City and students celebrated Arbor Day last week with a tree-planting event at Cliff Clemens Park. Twelve Sisters Elementary School students planted six trees, including three autumn maple blaze and three scarlet oak trees, to commemorate the day. Friday, April 28 is a national holiday known as Arbor Day, which celebrates the power of trees. Many communities plant trees on Arbor Day. Sisters Mayor Michael Preedin declared an Arbor Day Proclamation for the City of Sisters.... Full story
With military-like precision, between 35 and 40 various and sundry trucks snaked their way up Pole Creek Road on Saturday. The convoy doglegged to FS 1513 in a cloud of dust on the rutted gravel road. Led by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the force included other agencies, like Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). They massed to set fire to 112 acres. The weather looked promising, with winds forecast to be mostly northerly at 8 mph that - if... Full story
The Tollgate subdivision west of Sisters is nestled amid the towering ponderosa pines of the Deschutes National Forest. That's part of the charm of the 440-home development - but it also makes it vulnerable to wildfire. Residents of Tollgate are taking the threat of wildfire head-on, using Firewise principles to protect themselves and their neighbors by hardening homes and reducing fuels around homes. The Tollgate Firewise Committee, headed by Jane Killefer, held their second... Full story
Fire consumed the RV homes of a couple living in the forest just north of Highway 20 less than a quarter-mile from Sisters late Saturday night (see story, page 1). No one was injured in the fire, but the occupants lost everything they had to the flames. Embers from the blaze that consumed the RVs also sparked a small spot fire that caught in a dry, punky log about 100 yards from the main fire. A Forest Service firefighting crew was still patrolling the area on foot on Monday... Full story
Fire experts presented to the City Council during a workshop in recognition of May as Wildfire Awareness Month. Roger Johnson, fire chief at Sisters Camp-Sherman Fire District (SCSFD), Ian Reid, Sisters district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, and Heather Miller, rire risk reduction specialist for the Oregon office of State Fire Marshal offered a wildfire preparedness presentation to councilors, covering matters from building hardening to regional wildfire risk, cohesive... Full story
Headlines are full recently of the fentanyl epidemic in the U.S. that took 70,601 American lives in 2021, the last full year for which statistics are available. That number is expected to exceed 80,000 for last year. In Oregon the number in 2021 grew to 745 from 280 in 2019. At least 29 people in Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties died from drug overdoses in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, according to figures released by the Oregon Health Authori... Full story
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and other fire prevention experts urge the public to exercise caution when disposing of yard debris this spring. With fires already occurring in the state, particularly in the Southwest and Central Oregon District, Oregonians need to keep fire prevention at the top of their mind. Now is a great time to trim trees and bushes and tidy up plants around your home to create a “defensible space” around your property. Defensible space creates a buffer around your home that can help pro... Full story
Jeremy Dickman is one of two brand-new Planning Commission members this year. Dickman and his family have lived in Sisters since September 2020, but have been based in Central Oregon for 23 years, with a three-year gap for law school. Dickman graduated from the University of Oregon in 2000 and worked for The Bulletin in Bend as a copy editor for two years. After that, he fell back on his high school dream of becoming an attorney. He had always imagined being a defense... Full story
Thursday, May 4, was Sharlene Weed’s last day as staff leader for Sisters Habitat for Humanity. Weed has been with the organization for 27 years and will be honored for her long service “not only to Habitat but for her time on City Council and her prominent role in Sisters Cold Weather Shelter,” said Joe Rambo, board president of the local affiliate of the nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. Rambo informed the staff of Weed... Full story
Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) is celebrating 25 years of being a special district. The public is invited to their 25th birthday party on Friday, May 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in front of the Coffield Center. Activities will include music by DJ Chuck Boogie, kids’ crafts, fun games including cornhole, giant Connect Four and Jenga, a balloon artist, and, of course, cake! This free event is the perfect way to show your support for SPRD while also kicking off the weekend in style. “Celebrating our time as a special distr... Full story
Everyone who participates in the National Forest Cleanup Event scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m.-noon, is invited to return to Village Green Park for a complementary picnic lunch. The community cleanup event is hosted by Sisters Country Leadership Initiative (CLI). Registration for the event can be made by email to sisterscliteam@gmail.com. Be sure to provide the number of people in your group to ensure enough lunches are ordered. Participants will meet at Village Green... Full story
Facing double-digit premium increases or the inability to get renewed, many property owners in Sisters Country are scrambling to lower their costs or obtain new coverage. Some report being cancelled as the risk of wildfire is causing insurance carriers to reassess their exposure. Janet Swarts in Sage Woods said, “Our former Insurance company, Travelers Insurance, cancelled our policies — home and auto — about six months ago due to fire-risk location. We had been with them... Full story
During a review of their recent retreat, the Sisters Planning Commission explored the need for more time to conduct discussions regarding the many topics and projects they are expected to address and recommend to the City Council. Commissioner Tom Ries began the discussion. “Sooner or later we are going to have to make code changes to address the growth and design standards, so we don’t have just big-boxes built,” he said. “I’m even talking about fire mitigation. There are... Full story
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Chief Roger Johnson was awarded the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (OFCA) President's Award during their annual awards ceremony at the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association Spring Conference held in Bend on April 27. Chief Bill Boos, president for the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, presented the award for Chief Johnson's outstanding work and unwavering dedication to bringing updated legislation to the State of Oregon Fire Service. Chief Boos... Full story
Fans of Sisters Rodeo have for years seen Gary Frazee doing what he does best - working hard to make the event come off smoothly. Sisters Rodeo is recognizing his contributions, naming Frazee Grand Marshal for the 2023 Sisters Rodeo Parade. Gary, his wife DeAnn, and their family have been attending the rodeo since 1969, and he became a member in 2005. Gary and DeAnn will celebrate their 41st anniversary on June 9 - at this year's Sister Rodeo. Frazee returned home in 1969... Full story
We know what we need to do but do we have the will to do it? That was the burning question that defined last Thursday's screening of the documentary "The West Is Burning." The hour-long documentary was hosted by Discover Your Forest at the Sisters Movie House, a free event encouraging community members to learn and join in the discussion of wildfire risk and management in the western states. The documentary tells poignant stories of personal loss with wildfire up and down the... Full story
The man described as the “heart and soul of Sisters Rodeo” has gone up the trail. Sisters Rodeo announced last weekend that John Leavitt, a longtime Sisters businessman and Rodeo Association board member, has died. Leavitt owned Leavitt’s Western Wear in Sisters (now Dixie’s) for many years, and, as Sue Stafford recently noted in a column, he was always ready to welcome new folks to town. Leavitt retired from 45 years of service with Sisters Rodeo last summer, and The Nugget sat down with him in July to recall his lifetim... Full story
Personal- and commercial-use firewood collection season is open on the Deschutes National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland. All areas will remain open through November 30. The public should note this is only for the national forest system lands. While personal-use firewood permits are free, a permit is still required. The public can obtain up to eight cords of wood per year, and permits are available at local vendors and Forest Service offices. This firewood cannot be sold and must be used for personal use only.... Full story
The work each of us does to prepare for emergencies can make a big difference in how well we weather a crisis — both personally and as a community. A cadre of experts in the field of emergency preparedness and response will gather on Thursday, May 11, at the Sisters Fire District’s Community Hall to talk about the range of potential emergencies that can affect Sisters Country, and practical steps we can all take to be prepared to navigate them. The forum, titled “Em... Full story
The Sisters City Council took another step toward construction of a roundabout at Highway 20 and Locust Street last week. In their Wednesday, April 26 meeting, the Council approved Amendment No. 2 of the intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for improvements on Highway 20 at Locust Street, allowing the project to move forward. They will begin moving dirt on the area most likely in February 2024, pending construction timelines and when... Full story
Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) has been awarded a $45,900 grant through Travel Oregon’s Oregon Trails Fund program to hire a Volunteer Events & Education Coordinator (VEEC) to recruit, train, and manage a robust cadre of volunteers who perform trail work and support activities on behalf of STA. In addition, the VEEC will establish and oversee a new Student Trail Ambassador program: six to 10 students trained and compensated to educate trail users about sustainable recreation, environmental trail stewardship and reducing u... Full story
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Fire Chief Roger Johnson will be one of seven presenters at the C4C Emergency Preparedness Forum at the Sisters Fire Station Community Hall on Thursday May 11. The preparedness forum is designed to inform Sisters Country residents of the inherent risks of living in Sisters as well as to provide solutions to mitigate the risk. “The forum is designed to provide practical and actionable solutions that everyone can benefit from,” Chief Johnson said. While many people believe their local fire dep... Full story
Sisters Habitat for Humanity will be hosting its annual Women Build volunteer event Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13. This event provides the opportunity for local women to take part in constructing a Habitat home. No experience is necessary. Volunteers work under the guidance of construction professionals, alongside other volunteers, and with future Habitat homeowners. This Habitat tradition occurs around Mother’s Day each year. Since 1991, Women Build volunteers have come together to build a stronger community. I... Full story
Sisters School District (SSD) and Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) have announced that they intend to develop a partnership that will repurpose the current elementary school site into a community recreation center once the new elementary school opens. In a prepared release, the districts noted that, "While hurdles remain, the two organizations are slated to sign a letter of intent outlining the scope of a long-term lease for the site by the end of April." Prior to... Full story
