News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 460
Dear Property Guy: I am about to sell a rental home in So. Cal. It is worth about $1.2M and has appreciated about $600,000. It used to be my primary residence but has been a rental for a couple years now. I don’t want to take the huge tax hit by selling it, but I understand that I could sell it for another rental property and not owe taxes. I could use it to take out a couple hundred thousand to reduce the payment on our current house. What should I do? — Taxed out… Dear Taxed: You have a lot going on here. And many optio... Full story
It doesn’t matter if you like dogs. Or private detectives. Or murder mysteries. If you like laughter, sarcastic humor, and listening to a dog’s thoughts, you’ll like Spencer Quinn’s series of Chet & Bernie mysteries. The Little Detective Agency is owned by Bernie Little and run by Chet, Bernie’s dog sidekick. Well, Chet thinks he’s running the place, since he constantly worries about Bernie losing the check a client gave them, or agreeing to work for someone for free or at a discount. The books in the series are narrated by... Full story
History is capricious. Who we remember and who we forget often has more to do with who had the better press agent than who was most accomplished. Most folks in Oregon have at least heard of John C. Fremont, who traveled through this country in the 1840s, mapping out the expansion of the United States. Before Fremont was a Mountain Man named Jedediah Smith. Few other than fur trade buffs know that name today. I was gratified last week to hear that a new popular biography of... Full story
Merry Christmas to the people of our wonderful community here in Sisters Country. Just a few short weeks ago many of us gathered for the Christmas parade and the definitive marker that it is now officially Christmas in Sisters Country — the lighting of the tree at Fir Street Park. As our community ushered in the joy and excitement of the holiday season, I found myself asking some deeper questions that many wrestle through, especially those who aren’t necessarily feeling all that “Christmas cheer” due to the pressures of this... Full story
Sisters has lost two mighty ponderosa pines, one at Sisters Woodlands Development. And one by a tree poacher, in the Deschutes National Forest behind Crossroads. Click here to see related story. We know who is responsible for the first loss, at the corner of Pine Street and West Sisters Park Drive. Sisters Woodlands Development, which states it is committed to saving as many trees as it possibly can, mysteriously felled one of the largest ponderosa pines on its 35-acre site last month. This approximately 42-inch DBH... Full story
From the superintendent To the Editor: As 2023 comes to an end, I wanted to share with you a few highlights from the December Sisters School Board meeting. Before the start of the meeting, the Board and guests celebrated the Sisters High School volleyball team as the 2023 3A state champions. A group of middle school teachers presented on the continued support of transitions as the fifth grade will be in the new elementary school in the 2024-25 school year. Brad Tisdel, who shared that the Sisters Folk Festival has been... Full story
Sisters has been my home for 20 years. I love living here, surrounded by the beauty of Mother Nature and all her critters. I never tire of gazing up at Faith, Hope, and Charity, especially when they are cloaked in their white winter coats, set against a crystalline blue sky. Sisters and Camp Sherman are places holding fond memories from my childhood summers. The smell of sage and pine scenting the air after a brief summer rain carries me right back to my youth. For me,... Full story
What if kids could read and focus? Hey, it happens! Magazines for kids, youth, and children of all ages bring them inspiration and knowledge. Reading on paper helps people develop a level of sustained concentration-a skill that comes with fringe benefits for the brain. Undistracted readers develop the ability to think deeply and with focus, enlivening their imaginations. This process gets interrupted by digital news, social media, and video games. More info is available in... Full story
I was a youngster in 1975-76, when the American Bicentennial celebrations were underway, and I was obsessed. I dove into the American Revolution with all the passion you might expect a 10-year-old to bring to, say, “Star Wars,” or some such. I have always been a history nerd. I watched Disney’s “Johnny Tremain” in school, the kids cheering when the Minute Men ambushed and gunned down the Redcoats. Don’t imagine that happens anymore. I read the covers off of Esther Forbes’ nov... Full story
The BBC in London, often criticized for perceived pro-Hamas leanings, ran a story last week headlined: “Israel Gaza: Hamas raped and mutilated women on 7 October, BBC hears” The subhead ran as follows: “The BBC has seen and heard evidence of rape, sexual violence and mutilation of women during the 7 October Hamas attacks.” Meanwhile on college campuses across the U.S. and the world, thousands of students, many carrying Palestinian flags or wearing a keffiyeh (Arab headgea... Full story
A few months ago, I addressed the issue of the increase in traffic at the west end roundabout and the surrounding area. Today, I am addressing pedestrian safety in this area, specifically McKinney Butte from McKinney Meadows to the roundabout. Currently, as you travel east down McKinney Butte from McKinney Meadows to the roundabout there is: a 25 mph near Fremont westbound, a 25 mph near The Hanger eastbound, a 25 mph near Desert Rose/Wellhouse westbound, and a 25mph near Arrowleaf /Mckinney Butte westbound. There are no... Full story
Goodbye to a community icon To the Editor: One of our community icons is gone. He was the first to greet us when we came, often the last to catch the eye when leaving. He was the one we said goodbye to, in a way thanking him for a good time—the host of the party that is Sisters. He hung out at most public events, helped around town, especially if music was involved. I think he deserves a few words from one of us. The last time I connected with Jack Nagel was at The Belfry, a Halloween party. I never do that kind of thing, s... Full story
In 2011 my husband and I helped Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue, an Oregon-based rescue group. One day we were sent to Eugene to pick up two Scottie puppies. They had lived in a small cage, never getting out. Scared and underweight, they came home with us. One pup quickly went to Washington. We kept the other, naming him Bernie. Initially he was terrified of stepping outside. But soon he discovered the wonders of the world. Bernie's fears created challenges. Below is his... Full story
At Sisters Middle School we have an outstanding outdoor science program called ECoS (Earth, Community and Self). It is offered to eighth graders and consists of five overnight, unforgettable expeditions and a few other amazing day trips. Some of the opportunities provided in ECoS include backpacking, building a snow cave, surfing, rock climbing, tree climbing, repelling, and much more. Mike Geison is the founder of ECoS and this is now his ninth year running it with his... Full story
The topic of wolves is extremely controversial, and they are often seen as either good or bad. But no species is good or bad, as it's only we humans who classify their behavior as acceptable or not. Like any hotly debated issue, the more we understand and find similarities and commonalities, the more we can find acceptance - and in the case of the wolf, coexist. With wolves now taking up residence in Central Oregon and dispersing through Jefferson, and Deschutes counties,... Full story
Thirty-three films were released in U.S. theaters December 1. The number may surprise you with all the talk of the Hollywood writer's strike that went on for months. But these films, like nearly all, had been in the works for years. It takes that long from concept to financing to production to release for a movie to make it to the screen. One of the 33 is "Eileen," which had its limited release in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles on December 1 and which will open "wide" Frida... Full story
The Western Meadowlark [Sturnella negleckta] with its bright yellow breast is found in many varied habitats, from high desert sage, grasslands, and wetlands, to the shoulders of Mt. Jefferson. Its flute-like songs can be heard throughout the day. Nests are built on the ground and covered with a roof of grass and contain five to six white eggs with rust and lavender spots, which are incubated for 13-16 days. The chicks are in the nest for 10-12 days before fledging. A male... Full story
Back in the day, the average person did not have access to the Internet. Back in the day, if you wanted to read about someone else's experience of life, observe beautiful photography-or groovy fashions, handy recipes, the latest developments in popular mechanics - you had to consult a magazine. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a magazine consists of pieces of paper printed with words, artwork, cartoons, and photography, bound together. Less imposing than a book, a... Full story
The weather in Sisters is doing what it always does to me at this time of year. My soul hears the ancient horn call of the mythic North. A couple of nights ago, I fired up the electronic campfire (YouTube) for a tale of “Beowulf.” And because my mind works the way it does, it led me to thinking about “settler colonialism,” a term we hear a lot these days. The working definition of settler colonialism is: “…a type of colonialism in which the indigenous peoples of a colonized re... Full story
Thank-you to letter writer To the Editor: This is a thank-you to Wendy Vermillion for your letters to the editor regarding cedar bow trimmings/permits, and forest uses. Your initial letter spoke to my heart, and all the ways that I see nature being destroyed around us, and so often feel hopeless. I thank you for having the courage and taking the time. I thank The Nugget for posting the letters; it gives me hope. Your name says it all, you are one and over 1 million and I wish you a very joyous winter season and new year.... Full story
After some time off, we’re back with our usual Q&A about rental properties and housing. But first, let’s start with a look at some major market trends. 2024 is shaping up to be a different sort of real estate season in Sisters. After several years of bidding wars, new Covid-fueled residents, cheap money, and massive price increases, things are finally settling down. Let’s take a look at a few trends driving the local real estate market. 1. End of the ZoomTown BoomTown This cute phrase was coined to describe quaint, quiet... Full story
The featured constellation for December is Eridanus, the celestial river. It is the sixth largest, and second longest, constellation in the entire sky. Beginning with the star Cursa, near the left foot of Orion, the river flows westward to the eastern border of Cetus. From here the flow turns eastward before plunging deep into the celestial southern hemisphere, ending at Achemar, the constellation's brightest star. This month Eridanus lies in the southeastern sky at about 9... Full story
Life in Sisters Country brings us closer to the rhythms of our planet. For example, our seasons don't follow the calendar. I was reminded of this last weekend, when I drove the 50-odd miles from Sisters to the Crooked River just below Bowman Dam. Low clouds skidded across the sky as I entered the Crooked River Canyon, and little bursts of rain spattered on the truck windshield. It looked like a good day for a blue-wing olive mayfly hatch. These tiny mayflies hatch out all... Full story
During recent discussions about the potential expansion of Sisters’ urban growth boundary (UGB), Sisters City Councilor Andrea Blum noted that she hears from constituents who think Sisters has hit a “sweet spot” and should just stay the way it is. It’s an understandable sentiment. We probably all have an idea of Sisters’ “sweet spot,” a point at which our community is or was “just right” and didn’t need to change. I tend to think that Sisters’ “sweet spot” came right around... Full story
Whose land? Re: The letter “Whose Land?” (The Nugget, November 23): The writer of this letter is under certain misconceptions about the history of Palestine and the Palestinian people. She alleges that “the only people who have ancestral ties to Israel as their historic homeland and nation are the Jewish people.” Does she believe that ancient Israel and modern Israel are the same thing? If so, this is nonsense. Not even Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, believe this. Or does she believe that because there was some kind of Jewi... Full story
