News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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As of December 1, four winter range closures are in effect across Deschutes National Forest, to provide critical habitat for deer and elk. Areas including the Metolius Winter Range and Tumalo Winter Range in Sisters Country are now closed to motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles and electric bicycles). The winter wildlife closures will last through March 31, 2023. The public can visit the following links to view maps of the closure: • Metolius Winter Range Map... Full story
Noah Kirshner of Sisters has been arrested — yet again — in connection with a series of vehicle break-ins in the local area. Kirshner, 23, has been arrested repeatedly over a period of years in connection with similar thefts. The most current arrest occurred on Tuesday, November 29, after a concerned citizen made a report to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office regarding possible stolen property that might be connected to a string of thefts in the neighborhood of Squaw Creek Canyon Estates. The investigating d... Full story
Despite no proposal brought to the City for winter camping at Creekside Campground, and a number of barriers to using the campground for such purposes, emails and rumors have continued to circulate regarding use of the facility for a winter camp for homeless people. Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang thinks the spot would make a good location for “safe parking,” a program in place in other areas of the county. He acknowledged, however, that the park is a City of Sis... Full story
Ten Friends Silent Auction and Himalayan Dinner sponsored by the Cascades Academy MUSE Club will be held Wednesday, December 14, 6 to 8 p.m. at Cascades Academy. After two years of a virtual auction, this year’s event will be live. The evening will include speakers, a raffle, a dinner of Dal Bhat, and the silent auction. The auction will include an assortment of goods and experiences donated by local businesses and individuals. Items include a ski package donated by Crows Feet... Full story
There may be a bit of the white stuff in the forecast, and while it’s a welcome element of Sisters’ winter wonderland, it carries some work along with it. Business and property owners in the city have some responsibility for snow removal. The City of Sisters’ snow removal contract applies to the downtown commercial core from Hood Avenue to Adams Avenue and from Pine Street to Locust Street on all public sidewalks, parking areas, and non-private alleys. When snowfall reaches three inches and it’s still snowing, the City wi... Full story
Farms and ranches around the country and right here in Central Oregon are diversifying their operations to offer opportunities for the public to experience what goes on at a working ranch or farm while providing additional income for ranchers and farmers. Agritourism is a way to add value to a farm/ranch without adding acreage. In Deschutes County, the term agritourism refers to a commercial enterprise at a working farm or ranch that is incidental and subordinate to the... Full story
Sisters has a reputation for innovative education programs that enrich students’ school experience. It also has a reputation for exceptional community involvement in the life of the schools. Those elements come together in the annual giving campaign of the Sisters Schools Foundation (SSF), which is now underway. Local folks can support vital programs through donations made at http://ssd6.org. Donations go toward materials and equipment for programs — not for salaries. Current Foundation President Angela Buller noted tha... Full story
As the last brittle leaves of fall skitter across the frozen ground, I stare out the window, lost in contemplation of my own journey, which finds me in the winter of my life. As an adult, late fall and early winter have usually prompted some feelings of loss and sadness for me. No more long, leisurely warm summer evenings at twilight. Waking up to darkness that returns by late afternoon. The end of the year is stuffed with holiday hype, full of commercials featuring smiling fa... Full story
What is time? Maybe it’s a gift… or a curse? Or simply an hourglass turned over at birth? “It’s not your time” is a phrase I’ve heard in movies, from oncologists and employers. Hearing it could fill me with hope or deflate me with dread. Who’s in charge of loading the hourglass? God? Me? Maybe the guy in a bar reaching for keys after six bourbon-and-sevens? Contemplating time and how it works hurts my head. Sundials, pyramids, and Stonehenge are positioned to track the sun’s movement. Ancient ancestors used the sun,... Full story
The price of cut Christmas trees has been rising steadily, and this year shoppers in Sisters Country should expect to pay $80 for a six- to seven-foot tree. Or for only $5 a family can gather in the woods and harvest their own tree up to 12 feet in height. That same size tree at a big-box store would run close to $150 — if you could even find one. The biggest tree The Nugget found in Redmond was nine feet for $109. Overall, cut live trees this year are up about 20... Full story
More than 700 gathered at Fir Street Park the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate the annual tree lighting, a long-standing and growing Sisters Country tradition. Following a “three, two, one” countdown led by Mayor Michael Preedin, the 65-foot tree burst into luminance with 2,500 shimmering white bulbs at 5:50 p.m. During welcoming remarks — less than three minutes by design — Preedin acknowledged the crowd size, by all accounts the largest ever. “I perso... Full story
“Macy’s has got nothing on you guys.” So said Hank Young from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, taking in his first-ever Sisters Holiday Parade. He was serious. “I mean, that’s a commercial spectacle. This is a small community with big heart. Nobody’s showing off. Everybody’s plain havin’ fun, the old-fashioned way.” Well, Macy’s it’s not, but it appeared that spectators and participants alike were having just as much fun as those New Yorkers. “And a whole lot less stress,” said Youn... Full story
Volunteers in the greater Sisters area are once again celebrating the holiday season with several activities during the month of December, including: the holiday lights display at the main fire station in downtown Sisters, Spirit of Christmas gift drive, and the community Christmas dinner. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association is sponsoring the annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving Tree” to provide Christmas gifts to families in need in Sisters Country this hol... Full story
Our beloved father, husband, and friend, Jack Gulick, passed away on November 16, after a courageous battle against several illnesses over the past several years. Jack passed peacefully at St. Charles Hospital in Bend, surrounded by his many loved ones. Jack was born in Portland on May 13, 1945, to parents Willora (Nelson) and Joseph Kassebaum. After his father’s death in the Pacific Theater in World War II, Jack’s mom remarried George Gulick and they started a new adventure t... Full story
George “Stan” McLean, age 87, of Sisters passed away November 17, 2022. He is survived by his loving wife, Sharon; children: Scott, Doug, Kevin, Susan, Donna, and David; grandchildren: Alec, Jesse, Zoe, Ashliegh, Zachary, Linda, and Travis; and sisters Sheila and Linda. He was preceded by his first wife, Arline Mae McLean; his parents, George and Olivia McLean; and sister Beatrice. Stan grew up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Winthrop High. He served in the... Full story
One of the hottest bands in the bluegrass world is coming to Sisters. Since winning the prestigious band competition at Colorado’s Rocky Grass festival in 2019, the ensemble Never Come Down has become a force in the bluegrass and Americana scene. They’ve gone on to tour internationally, including stints traveling with notable bands Old Crow Medicine Show and The Travelin’ McCourys, and opening for The Infamous Stringdusters. This year, Never Come Down was nominated for two I... Full story
The Outlaws return four senior players — Adam Maddox-Castle, Jessey Murillo, Taine Martin, and Mehkye Froehlich — to the boys varsity squad this season. Maddox-Castle and Jessey Murillo have played on the varsity squad since their sophomore year, and will bring leadership, poise, and experience to the team. Maddox-Castle primarily played at point guard in past seasons. This year he will also be able to play off the ball, where the team can use his strength and athletic skills to advantage on both the offensive... Full story
Perseus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere that is most visible in the late summer and autumn months. By mid-December, it lies overhead at 9 p.m. local time. In Greek mythology, Perseus the Hero was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Danaë. King Polydectes tasked Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa, whose gaze was so horrible it turned men into stone. He was able to defeat her by looking at her reflection on his shield and beheading her, causing the... Full story
About a month ago I was kibbitzing with our editor, Jim Cornelius, and telling him that I had just come off the trail – the Peterson, where I happily find myself four or five times a week. We were chatting about yet another person or persons being ticked off about one thing or another in town. There seems to be a lot of that going around these days. It had to do with growth as I recall, or the homeless issue, the two being the most current things on which to take... Full story
How can brightly colored pots and curated indoor and outdoor landscapes create community connections? Mose Lenowitz has figured out how. With an extensive background in garden pottery, home décor, and landscape design, Lenowitz braided together the three to enhance people’s lives. The answer is simple… when you feel good about your home, you feel better about yourself. A welcoming home inspires time together with family, friends, and your surroundings. Driving b... Full story
Bend writer Kimberly Bowker will present her new anthology called “Central Oregon Book Project” at Paulina Springs Books on Thursday, December 1. Several contributing writers, including Tiffany Lee Brown, Matthew Friday, Andrew Smiley, Catalina Frank, Kai Strand, Shawn Axten, and Beth Wood will read their pieces from the book. Created, compiled, and edited by Kimberly Bowker, “Central Oregon Book Project” features stories, essays, and poems from twenty Central Oregon writers... Full story
The joyful sound of the fiddle will ring in the holidays in a special Sisters Folk Festival presentation with Hanneke Cassel and friends at The Belfry on Thursday, December 15, at 7 p.m. Scottish-American fiddler and native Oregonian Hanneke Cassel will be accompanied by Ryan McKasson, Brooke McKasson, Liddy Hoover, Tim Downing, and Christopher Lewis for a performance of holiday favorites and new tunes from Cassel’s 2021 album, “O Come Emmanuel.” The night will be fille... Full story
When Bob Keefer and his wife moved to Sisters in 2015, after his long career in parks and recreation, he knew he wanted to get involved with our local parks and rec district. Keefer previously worked with the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District for over 16 years at various executive levels. “I spent my entire career in parks and recreation, managing districts, running the park district, and helping to manage programs,” he said. His career in parks and recreation sta... Full story
Sheriff Shane Nelson pulls no punches when discussing Measure 114. “My responsibility is to uphold the U.S. Constitution as well as Oregon’s state constitution. When I say our agency will not prioritize enforcement of Measure 114, I am saying you cannot enforce something that has no administrative rules in place.” Nelson goes further. “I believe law-abiding citizens in Oregon are important assets to public safety in our county. “After the terrible shooting at Safeway in Bend this year, our applications for concealed... Full story
Cruel poacher To the Editor: To the person shooting deer out of season and in the protected Winter Deer Range in the Plainview area: You shot at a young buck a day or two before Thanksgiving. I guess he ran after you shot at him and you probably thought that you missed him. But you didn’t miss him. You shot him in the face. He showed up here the day before Thanksgiving, and I saw him trying to drink water from our birdbath. He was pawing at the ice he thought was keeping him from drinking the water, but there was no ice. H... Full story
