News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Dear Madam Vice President, How could the election have turned out like this? Many people have expressed surprise and dismay at the results of the 2024 election, particularly in our county, Deschutes, where 53 percent of the population voted for you and in our state, Oregon, where over 55 percent of the population voted for you. I have been reflecting on my own personal view of this election and I would like to share it with you because I do not think the thoughts are mine... Full story
I grew up in a newspaper family. Both my parents worked for the San Jose Mercury News. My dad was the art director. My mom sold advertising. My family knew the publishers at the time. Politics and current events were an every night discussion at the dinner table. My mom was a stickler for dinner time – always at the dining room table with proper manners and each of us four girls were expected to participate in the adult conversation my parents were having. Politics was a frequent topic. We discussed the president, the c... Full story
Do you sense it? That all-pervasive fear that seems to be gripping too many. We wonder, ‘Is this the eye of the hurricane? Or has the storm passed?’ We hold our breath, wondering what’s next. It’s true, there are lots of things to fear and we want to protect our people, ourselves. But fear is sneaky and creative. And when we give it free rein, it multiplies: Republicans fear the Democrats; Democrats fear the Republicans. We fear a difference of opinion. Why? We fear running out of toilet paper. Just stop. Breathe. “In the... Full story
I did the math. It’s probably not the math you’re thinking of. Not how many BTU’s (British Thermal Units) from a certain species of wood you could get. Also not a comparison of the cost of a cord of wood versus the electricity you would use for heating on any given winter. The upside is a free wood cutting permit to harvest up to eight cords of wood for personal use. It didn’t used to be that way. My math doesn’t even consider the cost of a saw, trailer, vehicle to tow a couple tons of wood, or the fuel, oil, chains, s... Full story
The day after the election, an acquaintance, who voted differently than I did, patted me on the back and said, “Don’t worry, it’s going to be all right.” I know from talking with family members, the messages we are fed through algorithms, social media, and targeted marketing are not the same messages. Each of us lives in a feed-back-loop world based on past programing, programing that tells us to be afraid. I would like to think I can see a little outside my box, so… Dear America, I hope you chose right. I sincerely... Full story
One of the guiding principles that I try to live by is that I want to be an asset when things go sideways - not the guy who's standing around waiting for someone else to take action. In that spirit, I signed up for a recent, two-day Wilderness First Aid course through Sisters-based Northwest Precision Medical Training. I've taken CPR and basic first aid classes, and read up on wilderness first aid - but I have never buckled down to a full-on, multi-hour course. Founder and... Full story
This op-ed will be published the day after Election Day. Once the results are known — and regardless of who is elected to the White House — there’s a good chance that approximately half of you will be elated with the outcome, while the other half feel despondent. Such is the nature of our current political climate in America. And yet, despite our country’s growing polarization, there’s much that leaves me hopeful about the future – particularly when it comes to life in Sisters Country. So on a day when many are feeling anx... Full story
Those who are looking forward to a “return to normal” post-election may be in for disappointment. If it ends up as close as the pollsters and prognosticators think it is, the presidential election may not be called for a few days after November 5. And our national political culture will likely be roiled for a long time after that. Anxiety is running high as voters are continually confronted with the assertion that this election is the most consequential of our lifetime. In... Full story
We’ve all heard that “you don’t know what you have until you lose it,” which I know from experience to be true. But in recent years I’ve personally discovered another truth. You don’t know what you have until you really, really need it. We’ve lived in Sisters for almost 30 years now, but when we first came, I remember how “old-timers” (Sisters residents who’d lived here their whole lives) would offer sage advice (or maybe it was warnings). I frequently heard two things: 1. Most newcomers won’t remain here more than a coup... Full story
(Editor’s note: Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp is a candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff. Both Vander Kamp and candidate Captain William Bailey were offered an opportunity to submit an op-ed detailing their vision prior to the November 5 election. Captain Bailey’s op-ed ran in the October 2 edition). I began my career as a deputy in Sisters, witnessing its rapid growth firsthand. During those five years, I built strong relationships within the Sisters community and gained a deep understanding of their most pressing con... Full story
We will soon have another election. At my age I have seen a lot of them, some decidedly more important than others. But one common factor in most elections is concern about the economy. A growing economy is usually seen as good. We currently have a strong, growing economy, so it is a bit surprising many consider it to be poor. The reason is “inflation.” This is not the first time that inflation was heatedly argued in a past election. If you remember the economy in the 1980s, that was serious inflation. The surprising thi... Full story
On November 5, we will learn who the next elected Sheriff will be for the next four years. Our choices : Candidate Kent Vander Kamp – Endorsed by the Deschutes County Sheriff Employee’s Association — reduce violent crimes, property crimes, and traffic issues in Deschutes County; address the homelessness, mental health, and drugs crisis; restore public trust and accountability in the Sheriff’s Office; connect with the community and collaborate with other public safety partners, improve deputy and employee wellness. Candida... Full story
Editor’s note: Each candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff has been offered an opportunity to submit an op-ed detailing their vision prior to the November 5 election. Every day each summer, thousands of Central Oregonians in and around Sisters live under constant threat of catastrophic wildfire caused by illegal homeless camping. The threat became reality at least twice so far this summer elsewhere in Deschutes County. The Darlene III fire near La Pine and the Milepost 132 fire just north of Bend this summer led to mass eva... Full story
When Captain William Bailey and Sergeant Kent Vander Kamp squared off to run for Deschutes County Sheriff after Shane Nelson announced his retirement, my initial reaction was that voters would have a choice between two capable men with different but impressive backgrounds and skillsets, either of whom are well-positioned to lead their agency into a demanding future. Vander Kamp has done stellar work as the leader of field operations for the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement... Full story
We all problem-solve differently, but a healthy psyche is open to disclosure, the ability to self-correct. The frontal cortex solves issues, examines if choices work, then readjusts thinking. It’s not about right or wrong; it’s about what works. For some, problem solving becomes programed, a line drawn in the sand. For others it’s about pivoting, manipulating outcomes. A former president talked to our hopes — bring factories home, secure borders, leave timeless wars behind. Stop being an international police force. Stop at... Full story
As we mark the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, a new congressional report on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan strikes an especially ominous note. The 9/11 attacks by al Qaeda had their origin in the safe-haven of a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Twenty-plus years on, after a vast expenditure of blood and treasure, the Taliban controls Afghanistan again, and that troubled land once again offers safe haven to... Full story
History offers little comfort to those who approach it honestly, seeking to truly understand what happened and why. When history deeply informs the course of contemporary events, it is often weaponized to promote a moral case for one side or another in a conflict. But then it’s not really history — it’s mere fodder for propaganda. Such is the case in the war between Ukraine and Russia, and such is the case in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both conflicts have deep roots... Full story
As families begin to transition back to school a lot of hubbub starts to take over. After the comparatively schedule-free life of summer, there are many things to think about. What supplies to buy, which clothes still fit, which don’t (how did your child grow so fast in such a short time?), and how to adjust your work schedule for drop-off and pick-up times. What’s top on the minds of the kids? The younger they are, or if they are moving to a new school environment, it’s bound to be anxiety and worry (that includes middl... Full story
This November will not bring a rematch of two candidates vying for president, but rematches of candidates who previously ran against each other turn out to be a big theme in politics in the Northwest this year. And the dynamics of those rematched candidates could have a big effect on politics, both on the legislative level and nationally. In Oregon, one of the closest congressional races from two years ago is being rerun. Democrat Andrea Salinas prevailed in the 6th Congressional District 2022 by 2.4 percent over Republican... Full story
Today, while I was swimming, a dad and his three-year-old entered the pool. It took lots of concentration for this devoted father to keep his young one safe. Determined to jump in, climb out, jump in, and climb out again, laughing with joy at the fun, kept that dad on his toes. A toss in the air and a dunk underwater brought the desire for more. All of this had me remembering the years when we introduced our four kids to water. It started with our oldest, at 18 months. Living in Montana, a dryland state, where many babies had... Full story
I woke up alone; my hubby was already up feeding chickens and one remaining horse. I’m grateful for the simple routines my family shares. As I write this, Alison Krauss sings a soothing ballad from an adjacent room. Her music is part of a collection featuring Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean. He’s the catalyst for other artists that bring me comfort when I’m anxious… especially after what happened. Yesterday was almost my last. That evening the truth of how near I’d come resounded through tears and a pulsing heart. Re... Full story
When Marilyn and I pulled into Sisters in October of 1993, one of the first things I did was stop in at Paulina Springs Books. There, I picked up a book titled “Legends of the Fall” by Jim Harrison. It’s a collection of three novellas: the title story, about three brothers entwined in tragedy in Montana in the years around World War I; “Revenge,” a tale of love and betrayal in Mexico, and “The Man Who Gave Up His Name,” the story of a man who upends his life in search of his... Full story
Tattoos are done in a variety of styles, subjects and colors, and the motivations behind getting them, are as varied as the tattoos themselves. It's not unusual to see a heart, a boyfriend's face, or even an exotic animal - but tweezers? Approaching the counter at The Hen's Tooth I look toward the young woman behind the counter and notice a tattoo on her arm of a tweezer. The story behind this tattoo connects to a small box on the counter with the label Grandpa's Tweezers.... Full story
What do we say to our kids when the news brings events unconscionable to most of us adults? Of course, I’m referring to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. That’s just one example. Our kids hear and see much. This is what they are growing up with, what seems to be becoming the norm of our society. How do we explain it? How do we counter it in a way they will understand? Probably the easiest thing to keep in mind is to balance whatever you say with your own values, sharing thoughts about things tha... Full story
Despite the afternoon heat a few weeks ago, a demure elderly woman (older than I am but not by much) was knocking on doors in my neighborhood. She held a yellow, lined tablet she had repurposed into a petition to garner signatures. Her cause, she explained, was to stop the Sisters Community Garden from laying claim to a goodly portion of Cliff Clemens Park on Larch Street. I declined to sign it at the time because, well, this was the first I heard about it. Today I now agree with that petitioner. The garden needs to find... Full story
