News Nuggets

•August home sales continue blistering pace. A total of 34 homes transacted last month in Sisters Country for a combined value of $27,914,989. The median sales price was $697,000 as compared to July when it was exactly $600,000. August saw eight homes sell for more than $1 million. A five-bedroom, three-bath home on Chicaree Lane posted at $2.2 million.

There’s no longer such a thing as dirt cheap to be found, as even a lot in Coyote Springs garnered $339,000.

•Builders lament permit delays. Home builders are distressed by the time to get a building permit from the County. A canvas of five contractors concludes that permitting times are now 16 weeks on average. Three weeks was typical just six months ago. Builders complain that they can’t even get through to the Community Development Department, who approve applications.

The Nugget had the same experience in trying to obtain comment from a Department spokesperson. Matt Douthit of MCD Homes, who have nine lots in varying degrees of development in Sisters, said, “We can build a home now faster than we can get it planned and permitted.”

•COVID-19 cases among vaccinated continue rise. The most recent update from OHA (Oregon Health Authority) reports that 2,592 vaccinated persons in Oregon have tested positive for COVID-19. That is 15.9 percent of all cases. Of those, 4.9 percent have been hospitalized and 0.9 percent have died at a median age of 81. As of September 3, the seven-day running average of vaccine doses is 8,795 per day.

•Running out of de-wormer. Sisters Feed and Supply on East Main Avenue is out of over-the-counter horse dewormers made with ivermectin, as customers who do not own horses are grabbing them up. Their supplier is out of stock with no indication of when they can resupply.

The paste formula for equines is available as a cream and in tablet form for humans to treat a range of skin and parasitic ailments — by prescription.

•New Sisters bus shelter nears completion. A weather-protected, handicap-accessible bus stop located at the west terminus (in front of Ray’s Food Place, across from McDonald’s) will be ready within a week. The new Cascade East Transit mini-station’s concrete ramps and pads have been laid. The glass enclosure will be set in place in a few days, affording protection from the elements for buses serving Route 28 (Redmond) and Route 29 (Bend).

•$90 million project lands at Sisters Eagle Airport. Evensol, LLC – Environmental Energy Solutions – headquartered at the Sisters Tech Center on the grounds of Sisters Eagle Airport has entered into a joint venture with Duke Energy (DUK NYSE) to develop two renewable natural gas projects in North Carolina, each valued at $45 million. Sisters Tech Center anchor tenant, ENERGYneering Solutions, will design, build, commission, and operate the state-of-the-art BioGas processing facilities, which are expected to come online mid next year.

•The ins and outs at the Post Office. Entering and exiting Sisters Post Office from Larch continues to baffle many patrons. It is counter intuitive with the entry on the left and the exit on the right. Many a motorist has caused a near miss going out the “in” or going in the “out.” Many a heads are shaken and tempers often flare.

It is designed this way so that motorists will be able to deposit mail at the drive-up drop box from the driver window. The signs are clear.

•Highway 20 to close for three days east of Sweet Home. September 8-10, there will be a three-day, full road closure east of Sweet Home to the Santiam Junction, 24 hours per day starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, September 8 through 12:59 p.m. Friday, September 10. There will be detour routes in place and signed. No through traffic will be allowed on Highway 20. Plan ahead as there may be additional delays on the alternate routes due to wildfire recovery efforts.