News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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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
The PCT hikers will soon be passing through Sisters for respite and refueling. They rely on the kindness of locals for rides from the trailhead to town and back. Occasionally, a generous friend of mine will go to the Santiam Pass and offer a hiker a ride. He’s the guy you see driving the Batmobile in town and has Superman in a phone booth on his driveway that is visible from Route 126. He recently installed a spaceship complete with aliens near Superman. I suggested that the next time he picks up a PCT hiker, he should ask t... Full story
In little over a week, we had an assassination attempt on a former president and the current president dropped out of the running. Immediately pundits and social media tycoons began talking conspiracy, victimization chatter., the need to control what feels out of control. Fear. As this political season ramps up, the wailing pontificators are at it again. So I want to throw out a simple question—a little personal but here it goes. Do you ever think about the breath of life, how it’s used? I once followed a friend to an obs... Full story
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America.” So said President Joe Biden in response to an attempt to assassinate former president Donald Trump on Saturday, in a shooting at a campaign rally that left an attendee dead and two others severely injured. The shooter was taken out by a Secret Service counter-sniper team. It was, of course, the right thing — the only thing — to say. But violence directed at political figures has all too often found its place in Americ... Full story
Eight-year-olds from cabin 3 practiced doing the splits while others banged on old pianos. Counselors rinsed blue finger paint from a little girl’s hair. There was glue everywhere. The kids danced and sang “the blessing song” before dinner, with hand motions to go with the ever-quickening pace of the guitar. Squeals, laughter, and ruckus filled the room. Dinner plates, full from the buffet, had heaps of black olives only (“I love olives”) or an excessive amount of sliced limes (“I squeeze one lime onto each tortilla ch... Full story
I was told many years ago that it takes just one consistent and caring person in a child’s life for them to develop resilience — resilience that will help them succeed in spite of circumstances like poverty, homelessness, and a challenging family life that deprive them of reliable care, support, and opportunities. If you don’t know about Circle of Friends, now is your chance to learn about its positive impact on the lives of underserved kids in our Sisters community. Circle of Friend’s annual fundraiser, “Changing Futures... Full story
Over four years ago, I ran for City Council and lost. I ran because at that time, the city was lucky to find any candidates at all to fill the three open seats. That was a rather sad state of affairs. As a member of Indivisible Sisters Steering Committee, we encouraged running for local offices. We were not having much luck at it, so I ran as an example. I filed early, there was one other candidate and me for three open seats. Soon after filing my candidacy, I submitted a letter to the editor of The Nugget explaining the step... Full story
Politics are a necessary way of organizing our society around the values we hold dear. We all have political decisions to make. But if we lose sight of what our values are, we allow political parties to determine them and often we vote for the lesser of two evils. Politics are to be lived out. We can make a political difference in our own neighborhoods and towns. Whether our neighbors are Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, we are called to organize our values around... Full story
Who's the person you can't get out of your mind? The one who broke your heart, haunted you day and night? That kind of heartache can feel like possession. Something that seems to stick around more adamantly the harder you try to make it go away. If that person's still in charge when you close your eyes; or when you see something that reminds you of them; or you hear music that clinches your gut, then I have a dream for you! For the past few years, I've been working on a memoir... Full story
I am on my third rewatch of HBO’s legendary series, Deadwood. I have found this perambulation along the muddy thoroughfare of that Dakota Black Hills mining camp more resonant than ever, given the tenor of our times. Strangely comforting, too. Deadwood is not for everybody. It is as raw as the lumber that built Al Swearengen’s Gem Variety Theater (a theater, yes, but also a saloon and brothel), notoriously violent and foul-mouthed. As was the historical town — although the r... Full story
Congratulations, graduates — the day is here. It’s been coming a long time. If you start counting with first grade it’s been 12 years. If you begin from their first year with a teacher, as in pre-school, it could be as many as 16 years. That’s a long time to stick with something. A celebration is well in order. How is it possible that so many of our young ones have reached this day, and done it well? The 2024 Sisters’ graduation rate will be above 90 percent. As well deserved as it is, they didn’t do it by themselves.... Full story
It is a truly sad state of affairs here in the Beaver State: Our salmon stocks are struggling mightily, biodiversity is crashing under the weight of human activities, climate change is accelerating, drought is greatly affecting regional agriculture and wildfires threaten our communities every summer. But there is a nature-based solution that could help. Protecting our state animal could greatly assist human and wildlife communities adapt to the many challenges we face. The wetlands and habitats that beavers create work all... Full story
In a recent magazine, an advertisement appeared with a young man wearing a sling across his chest, carrying an infant. The purpose of the ad was to send the message that it was “cool” to be a dad. Yes! To be a dad is cool. Where would we be without them (beyond replenishing our species)? Where are we when they are absent? It’s easy to think of the many practical things dads do — fixing things, earning an income, transporting to and from events, teaching a firm handshake, helping with chores, and giving strong, bear hugs to... Full story
The U.S. Forest Service plans to ramp up prescribed burns across the West on the presumption this will contribute to forest health as well as reduce landscape scale wildfires. However, the Forest Service exaggerates the presumed benefits of prescribed burning and ignores the problems. One of the most critical issues is that most wildfires never encounter a fuel reduction, whether from thinning or prescribed burns. So, even if prescribed burns were effective, fires seldom occur in treated areas. Second, the burn must be... Full story
Traditional inflation meant prices rise then retreat. Now consumers see it as high prices stay high. Presidential candidates, be honest about what you can and will do to lower them. Begin by admitting some factors are out of your control. The Ogallala Aquifer supplies groundwater to Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. It supports 20 percent of America’s corn, cotton, cattle, and wheat production. It provides 30 percent of all U.S. irrigation water. Since significant g... Full story
In 1968, the world was falling apart. The Vietnam War was at the height of its intensity; the Tet Offensive launched in January was a disaster for the Viet Cong, which was badly mauled in weeks of fighting — but it proved to be a political victory, because Americans were shocked that a nationwide uprising of that scale could even happen after General William Westmoreland assured the nation in November 1967 that the U.S. and South Vietnamese were making great progress and t... Full story
The world as we know it is becoming slowly less and less stable. A simple observation when we look at the condition of the world clearly demonstrates the fragile moment we are all living through. Anecdotally I hear more and more cynicism, doubt, and despair about the future. Birth rates are dropping, marriage and nuclear families continue to implode, the economy is hanging by a thread and it’s beginning to psychologically effect our corporate psyches. These are actual statements I’ve heard from people in our town the last few... Full story
Let me start off by stating I’m not anti-wolf, nor am I a “wolf hater.” There are issues that need addressing in regards to Ander Rhoades’ article “Recreating with wolves in Central Oregon’s forests,” from April 24, as the article was naive and unrealistic, especially with “what to do” if you see a wolf, and its author has probably had little if any real life experiences with close predator encounters. I also question the info he was given by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Here’s some little known wolf f... Full story
Fire and fire insurance are top of mind in Sisters. No wonder – because of devastating wildfires, Oregon homeowners face soaring premiums and few property insurance options. Some have had their policies canceled when they came up for renewal, and some insurers no longer write new policies. If the insurance companies tag your home with the label “high risk” you may be forced to get coverage from our state’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, insurance of last resort. But that will be a costly outcome – the plan... Full story
