News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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When I was a little girl, I watched my older brother trudge up our driveway in the black of night. My mom was making breakfast; my brother carried a flashlight. Peering up over the kitchen sink, through the orange and green drapes, I watched his glowing light bob through the trees, up the steep hill to the bus stop. I was excited that someday I, too, would get to go to real school. I, too, would get to carry a flashlight and wander off into the darkness! That must be what... Full story
People often ask me if winter is a slow season for the Forest Service. The days are often less urgent, without wildfire response, but there is always much to be done. Winter is when the bulk of our planning work typically gets accomplished: hiring employees, writing reports, preparing contracts and agreements, executing budgets, and developing and authorizing projects to implement in late season. This year has been different because the relatively mild winter has allowed some... Full story
The Three Sisters Historical Society packed the Sisters Fire Hall Community Room last Sunday for a presentation by Larry Len Peterson on the legendary photographer of Native Americans, Edward S. Curtis. Peterson, a Sisters resident, is the author of a magnificent study of Curtis, titled “Printing the Legends: Looking At Shadows In A West Lit Only By Fire.” Last week, we published Maret Pajutee’s wonderful account of the wild times and violent demise of Sisters pioneer Tillm... Full story
Thank God. I’m not too old to run for president. Even though yesterday I had trouble remembering which seven pills I needed to take. The day before, I couldn’t find my car keys. A week ago, it took a while to find that car in the Costco parking lot. But that could happen to anyone, and the Constitution does not prohibit me from running just because I forget how to spell “doddering.” I’m younger than either of the two men currently running for president, so I might be a viable... Full story
There has been a lot of controversy and litigation involving the possible breaching of the Snake River and its lower four dams to save salmon and steelhead. There are pros and cons on each side. Native Americans, environmentalists, fishermen, and scientists favor removing the dams. Utility companies, barge owners, and farmers along the Snake hold a different view. My view is that the four dams should be breached. The Nez Perce and other tribes have been fishing in the Pacific Northwest since time immemorial. In 1855 the Nez P... Full story
Oh, wow - what's that print? I'm sure you've had that same reaction numerous times when encountering animal tracks. "What is it?" is the most obvious question to ask upon seeing tracks in dirt, mud, or snow, but it's especially interesting to explore "why is that here?" and "what was the animal doing?" Tracking can take a lifetime to learn well, but the obvious first step is to get out there to try to find and identify tracks, follow some trails, and piece together the story... Full story
What do you do when you get a call from a mother who just lost her job and is facing the difficult decision to release her young daughters’ cats to the Humane Society? She knows she now won’t be able to afford to spay and neuter them and is running out of cat food. Furry Friends listens, then schedules and pays for their surgeries, and the mom picks up cat food at the Furry Friends pet food bank. The kitties are staying in their home, the family is staying together. What do you do when a senior man calls crying on the pho... Full story
“How do I get featured in the media?” It’s a question I hear a lot. Business owners, nonprofits, event producers, entrepreneurs, artists: they all ask. The answers reflect my experience as a freelance writer and editor for approximately four zillion years. I’ve been Senior Editor for a branding and interactive agency in New York; I’ve written restaurant reviews for alternative weeklies. Music and performance critic, horoscope columnist, early Internet content creator,... Full story
Stupidity on drugs To the Editor: I’m amazed that some state legislators are surprised at the massive increase in drug use and drug related deaths in our county and state. It does not take a genius to realize that when you legalize “small quantities” of virtually every drug that is illegal to possess in 49 other states, you are declaring Oregon as the new Disneyland for those addicted to drugs. It has also added to the homeless crisis. I know, drug addiction, once started, is an illness and the good intention is to treat... Full story
Unless you have been living in a cave for the past year, you cannot help being exposed to some degree to the political fighting going on between the current and immediate past administrations over the handling of “classified” information. The discussion and debate over the safeguarding of the nation’s secrets has been playing out in a very public forum from the news media to the courtroom. Is that good or bad? It certainly raises issues that the general public rarely pays attention to. Why do we need to guard state secre... Full story
The children of our community are in good hands, in their classrooms, and in relationships with their parents. This is obvious every time I have a chance to listen to or meet one of the young people in our district. Knowing that, I am also aware of how difficult the job of being a parent is. I believe it is the hardest and the most important job we will ever have. It can also be extremely satisfying and rewarding. There is no manual of how to do this job. We are on our own, and often the examples that have gone before us... Full story
My last couple of articles covered a bit of game theory and theory of knowledge. While I expect those will be recurrent topics, my main goal with the column is to report on the local scene, and so I’ll limit my technical forays to a fraction of my articles and let you know up front what you can expect. This will be the first of many covering the gaming events at Paulina Springs. If you’ve visited within the last few months, you’ve probably noticed the expanded offering in board games, Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and Dungeo... Full story
I sat down this weekend to write a column about dysfunction; 700 words on the bipartisan cascade of incompetence, cynicism and decrepitude that we witnessed on the national stage last week. Nope. Just couldn’t do it. I’ve already said my piece in these pages about the proper consequences of the willful mishandling of classified documents, and calling out cynical, partisan hypocrisy isn’t even sport. It just leaves me full of dismay, disgust, and despair. Not exactly the mood... Full story
A sick society To the Editor: American society is sick in so many ways. No surprise really, given all the obvious symptoms. Before going further, I know many of you would dismiss my views as negative and offering no solutions. So be it. And I commend anyone who still has hope that this society will survive as we currently know it. The most glaring symptom of course, is that a large portion of U.S. citizens have been brainwashed by a misogynist, white supremacist, unhinged felon (all facts)— who may become the first d... Full story
Just what is a game? Before I fully launch into my article series covering local games, maybe we should get that straight. For the past six years or so, Wade and I have played Rock, Paper, Scissors at Sisters Athletic Club to see who buys coffee, and it’s often a spectator sport, with the staff and regulars looking on as we stage our showdown. For the benefit of whoever misses it, the winner loudly praises the superior taste of that day’s coffee. And might even sip it loudly. With savor. In the loser’s face. You’re probabl... Full story
Ancient skywatchers learned to recognize the night sky by associating certain arrangements of stars with objects familiar to them. These became the constellations. Cygnus the Swan, Orion the Hunter, and Taurus the Bull are three well-known examples. But there is a small subset of constellations that depict more fanciful beings, such as a sea goat, centaur (half human-half horse creature), and flying horse. Our featured constellation for February is a member of this group.... Full story
After concluding three months as managing editor of the The Leader newspaper in Port Townsend, Washington, I’m confronted with an uncomfortable realization: I did the best I could, but could have done better. Getting old offers many chances for denial. Or embarrassment, when denial doesn’t suffice. And frustration, when opportunities recede. Disappointment lurks at every staircase, doctor’s visit, encounter, and challenge. Getting old also teaches there is value in exper... Full story
This is part 2 of an ongoing series on the subject of short-term rentals. Part 1 ran in the January 17 edition of The Nugget. Click here to see Part 1. Last time we learned what a Short-Term Rental (STR) is and the local rules surrounding them. Now we’ll take a closer look at some of the concerns surrounding STRs and how they are or are not being addressed. Nationally, most controversy centers around how STRs do or don’t affect housing affordability or property values. The thought being that STRs reduce supply for res... Full story
November and December of 2023 felt like April, warm, lots of sun, and all the plants were turning green. But January 2024 quickly blew in like a lion charging a mule deer buck. It could have taken us all down but for one important thing. Difficult times usually bring out the best in people, and Sisters Country people are the best ever. My husband and I contracted a very nasty cold around the first of January. It still had us in its grip when this bitter cold and snow came to... Full story
The Red-winged Blackbird [Agelaius phoeniceus], is now arriving around Sisters and feeding until they head to mostly wetland areas to begin building nests. After two to six pale blue-green eggs are laid the young hatch in only 10 to 12 days. The young, being fed on insects and seeds, leave the nest in 11 to 14 days. Two to three clutches may be laid every year. The Red-wing can be very protective of their nesting areas and will attack hawks and crows from above, diving with... Full story
Women still need to make up ground in a key area: retirement security. Women’s challenges in achieving a secure retirement are due to several factors, including: • Pay gap – It’s smaller than it once was, but a wage gap still exists between men and women. In fact, women earn, on average, about 82 cents for every dollar that men earn, according to the Census Bureau. And even though this gap narrows considerably at higher educational levels, it’s still a source of concern. Women who earn less than men will likely contribute... Full story
Do you have a favorite 2023 book? This year I curated my favorite books by themes, debut authors and favorite authors. My recommendations include creating a wife app, searching for a father, and books about books. I’ve been sharing piles and piles of favorites at Library Book Pairing events at Suttle Tea, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe, BrownBag Popcorn, and PCA Art Gallery by matching a scene, event, or place with a specific tea, dessert, popcorn, or art piece. Favorites include “The Mystery Guest” by Nita Prose in which the mur... Full story
Hometown heros To the Editor: Here’s a much-needed piece of good news! Pat Burke and Cody Meredith, two of our Sisters-Camp Sherman paramedics, had an unexpected and special moment last weekend. On a call to help a woman in labor they found themselves in the ambulance assisting with the delivery of the baby when she was ready to give birth before they reached the hospital. The end of the story is the best possible outcome: mother and child are healthy, dad was there, and able to cut the cord, the paramedics were trained a... Full story
Years ago, while working as a reporter in Oregon, I was tasked with covering the county commissioners. At the time, I had very little understanding of who the county commissioners were or what their jobs entailed. Probably like a lot of voters, I trusted that these public servants were doing their best on the public’s behalf. As a reporter, I learned that is not always the case. Some used the position to enrich themselves or their friends. One commissioner I reported on was investigated by the state ethics board for such viol... Full story
It’s no secret that community newspapers are having a tough time in a changing media landscape, where costs of printing and delivery continue to rise and advertising revenue can’t keep up. Many communities have seen their local newspapers diminish and disappear. The Nugget is healthy — and that’s thanks to you, our loyal advertisers and committed readers. Our Supporting Subscriber program has become a vital and effective way for readers to directly support The Nugget as we d... Full story
