Week of December 11, 2024
An annual tradition, the Ugly Sweater Run, sponsored by RunSistersRun, attracted more than 200 runners and walkers who "donned them now their gay apparel" and took on a five-kilometer course on the north side of Sisters Saturday, December 7. The run started and finished at Fir Street Park with the afterparty spilling over to The Barn. Holiday outfits ranged from outlandish sweaters to full-on Christmas trees. Participants of all ages navigated the course, including William... Full story
BASX Solutions, a leading national manufacturer of modular structures and cleanroom solutions, has leased 27,190 square feet of light industrial space in Three Peaks Industrial Park. The 15.59-acre park sits on the northern section of former Forest Service property, located on the north side of West Barclay Drive and bordered by North Pine Street on the east and the Ponderosa Best Western property on the west side. To the north is Forest Service land, and across Barclay to... Full story
Among the ponderosas at 222 N. Trinity W., there is a beehive of activity in the building owned by the Oregon Network Ministries and rented by Sisters Cold Weather Shelter. According to shelter coordinator Sharlene Weed, they have "successfully transitioned to operating the Wellhouse Market food pantry on Thursdays at 3 p.m." They have opened their "front room community space for anyone to use on Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m." The furniture for the community room was donated... Full story
A woman in Cannon Beach was caught by a massive sneaker wave a few weeks ago and nearly washed to sea. The drama was captured on a phone camera by a passerby who coaxed her back to shore as she appeared dazed and disoriented. The video has been viewed some 600,000 times. Such happenings do not stop thousands of Oregonians, many from Sisters Country, from flocking to the coast to witness powerful king tides. The first king tides of the season occurred November 15-17. The next... Full story
"Celebrate the rebirth of the Sun!" exhorts an invitation from Sisters Community Labyrinth. All are invited to join the group's Winter Solstice Gathering & Silent Meditation Walk on Saturday, December 21, at 6 p.m. Celebrants can expect a short, non-religious welcome ceremony followed by a silent walking meditation through the labyrinth. Halfway through the walk sits a large boulder at the labyrinth's center. Walkers are invited to meet there, at the fire, sharing words and... Full story
The holiday season officially kicked off in Sisters Country this past weekend with the annual town Christmas Parade and tree lighting. Although there was no snow to frame the picturesque parade through town on Saturday, November 30, spirits were high under a bright Central Oregon blue sky. The event is sponsored by Kizziar Properties and Sisters Woodlands, and organized by Sisters Parks & Recreation District (SPRD). The second "Holiday Palooza" combined iconic events,... Full story
Sisters' signature stallion sculpture will hopefully be back where it belongs in the coming days. The iconic metal art sculpture of a rearing wild stallion near the entrance to downtown on the corner of Cascade and Larch was damaged when a vehicle crashed into it on the night of October 30. It was the second collision involving the beloved art. An 18-year-old driver escaped injury when he fell asleep at the wheel early on the morning of July 7, 2017, and crashed his pickup... Full story
Eryn Ross of Sisters Depot welcomed 21 Community Builders to her restaurant for their November meeting. Ross purchased Sisters Depot in 2020, opening for business in December of that year. She admitted the first two years were “really hard” coming on the heels of COVID. But she has built a menu she is passionate about, honoring her dad by preparing some of his recipes. She has learned to run all aspects of the business and has come to realize that events are an integral... Full story
The 2024 fire season cost Oregon emergency response agencies nearly $350 million, and the state leaders are struggling to find a way to cover outstanding bills. Gov. Tina Kotek announced Tuesday, November 26, following reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting that she’ll call a special session of the Legislature on December 12 to appropriate at least $218 million from the state’s general fund to cover remaining fire costs. Lawmakers will already be at the Capitol for committee hearings during that time. More than half... Full story
Starting this summer, Oregonians across the state will begin to receive a standardized list of what can and cannot be recycled statewide, and owners and managers of apartment complexes and multi-unit housing will need to prepare to provide recycling for residents. These are among new rules around recycling finalized Friday by Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission following four years of negotiation and planning. The Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act will go into effect July 1, 2025, making it easier... Full story
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek wants the state to spend more than $2 billion on homelessness and housing and send a record $11.4 billion to public schools as part of a budget focused on maintaining existing programs with little cash to spare for new initiatives. Her total spending plan, including federal funding that the state doesn’t have much control over, is $137.7 billion for the two-year period from July 2025 to June 2027. Her proposed general fund and lottery funds budget, where Kotek and lawmakers have more discretion,... Full story
The Cascades Academy MUSE Club will host a Himalayan Dinner and Silent Auction to support Ten Friends ( www.tenfriends.org ), a Sisters-based non-profit that supports a number of projects in Nepal. The dinner will be held December 12, 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Cascades Academy, 19860 Tumalo Reservoir Rd, Bend. The evening will include speaker updates of Ten Friends Nepal projects, a raffle, a delicious dinner of Dal Bhat (Nepali dish of lentils and rice), a large silent auction, and... Full story
Music students at Sisters middle and high schools experienced a rare opportunity last week as the five member Celtic group Scottish Fish spent time with the Americana and Outlaw Strings students in a workshop and concert. After spending over three hours with students on Thursday, the group played a sold-out show at The Belfry Friday night, December 6, in which the middle school fiddle players performed as the opening act. The visit from the Boston-based quintet came about... Full story
Last week's Nugget profiled four children, ranging in age from eight to 15, all in attendance at Sisters schools. Each lives on farmland and raises livestock. Each talked about how they could benefit if the Sisters School District offered an agribusiness or agriscience curriculum, as every other district in central Oregon does. The Nugget talked at length about the possibilities of such a program with Sisters Schools Superintendent Curt Scholl. Scholl appreciated the longing... Full story
Sons of Liberty dumped tea into Boston Harbor; a mob of angry colonials pelted British Redcoats with rocks and snowballs; Thomas Jefferson and John Adams toiled over a draft of the Declaration of Independence - and it all occurred in a classroom at Sisters Middle School on December 4. Eighth grade students in Deb Riehle's U.S. History classes concluded weeks of study of colonial Boston and the American Revolution with a classroom presentation attended by family members. The... Full story
The Sisters School District will be appointing one community member to fill a vacancy on the School Board. David Thorsett, who has served on the Sisters School District Board of Directors for over five years, announced his resignation at the December 4 school board meeting. He will remain in his position until a new board member is appointed. The person appointed will serve on the School Board until the next elections and the end of the term on June 30, 2025. To be eligible, a candidate must live in the school district, not... Full story
Owen Christianson is an eighth grader at Sisters Middle School. He's also in business for himself. He breeds sheep - a dozen-plus - only two of which he will enter for show. The rest is agribusiness in microcosm. He comes by it naturally. Both of his parents are self-employed entrepreneurs. They reside on an 80-acre spread spanning both sides of Highway 126 about halfway to Redmond. Christianson wishes there was a vocational agriculture program at Sisters High School, as... Full story
BEND — The High Desert Museum will receive $500,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities from its exceedingly competitive Public Humanities Projects category. The funding will support the Museum’s revitalization of its permanent exhibition dedicated to the Indigenous cultures of the region. “By Hand Through Memory” opened in 1999, supported in part by NEH funding. Hand in hand with Native partners, the Museum has been working on a new version of the exhibition for several years. This award is the second... Full story
NeighborImpact, a cornerstone of support for individuals and families in Central Oregon, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Founded on December 5, 1984, the organization has grown into a vital community resource, providing nearly one million services annually to 75,000 Central Oregonians — equivalent to one in three residents. Founded as the Central Oregon Community Action Agency Network (COCAAN), NeighborImpact began with two staff members, an annual budget of $144,585, and a mission to offer energy assistance and... Full story
Paulina Springs Books will host its third annual Solstice Book Flood, a community gathering and paperback book exchange, on Wednesday, December 18, at 6 p.m. The gathering was inspired by the Icelandic tradition of “Jolabokaflod,” or “The Christmas Book Flood,” in which books are given as gifts in the days leading up to Christmas and friends and family sit around, read, and enjoy each other’s company. Solstice Book Flood Celebration is a community gathering, a paperback book exchange, an evening full of book talk,... Full story
Never Come Down, an internationally touring string band, will return to The Belfry on Saturday, December 21. Local bluegrassers Skillethead will open the show. Since winning the prestigious band competition at Colorado's Rocky Grass festival in 2019, and Fresh Grass in 2022, the ensemble has become a tour de force in the bluegrass and Americana scene. They've gone on to tour with such notable bands as Old Crow Medicine Show, The Travelin' McCourys, and The Infamous... Full story
Sisters authors Kit Tosello and Melody Carlson will celebrate the release of their new novels at Paulina Springs Books, on Thursday, December 12, at 6:30 p.m. Tosello will present her debut novel, "The Color of Home," set in a small Central Oregon mountain town inspired by Sisters. Carlson will present her latest novel, "The Christmas Tree Farm," a holiday story set in Oregon. "The Color of Home," is a heartwarming tale set in a small Central Oregon mountain town much like... Full story
Finding a new book series or TV series to enjoy can be difficult. But finding a new TV series, and discovering it’s based on a book series by Jeffery Deaver, is awesome. “Tracker” is a new TV series that’s on CBS Sunday nights. The first season started in February 2024 (“Klamath Falls” was the name of the first one!) and the second season started in October. The TV series is filmed in British Columbia, so the scenery is awesome (kind of like our scenery in Central Oregon). Colter Shaw is the “tracker.” His... Full story
The Lady Outlaws started their preseason with a 62-29 win at home over Santiam Christian (SC) on Thursday, December 5, but the following day fell 54-48 on the road at Cottage Grove (CG). In Thursday’s action, freshmen Maddie Durham and Verbena Brent scored Sisters first points of the contest. The team played well in transition and Audrey Corcoran led the squad with seven points in the period, despite a sore back. The SC Eagles had a 6-0 run to end the quarter and close the gap to 14-8. Corcoran stayed hot in the second... Full story
The Outlaws opened their preseason play with back-to-back wins; a 76-45 win over Santiam Christian (SC) at home on Thursday, December 5, and a day later a 68-65 win on the road at Cottage Grove (CG). Sisters jumped out quick with a 5-2 lead against SC on Thursday with Kieren Labhart starting the scoring with an offensive rebound putback. The Outlaws led the entire period with Landen Scott scoring six points and Labhart and Will McDonnel hitting big threes that helped the... Full story
In his third year as head coach, Dave Kemp has developed the largest team in recent history for the Sisters Outlaws - and the outlook is bright for both the boys and girls teams. The competitive season opened on a strong note at the two day Adrian Irwin Tournament hosted by Bend High School December 6-7. The tournament featured 12 schools, six from the 5A classification. "We went up against opponents from some large schools and many seasoned athletes across the board," said... Full story
The Lady Outlaws return eight players to the varsity basketball squad, including Shae Wyland, Audrey Corcoran, Jorja Christianson, Paityn Cotner, Norah Thorsett, Emma Sahlberg, Holly Madron, and Althea Crabtree. Two new players, freshmen Maddie Durham and Verbena Brent, will round out the roster. Wyland, a senior, was a first-team, all-league selection last year. She returns for her final season. “Shae is an outstanding all-around athlete,” said Coach Paul Patton. “She’s tall and fast and her role on the team is to... Full story
Seniors Shae Wyland and Ella Davis were named to all-state teams this year. The duo led the squad to a 8-4 league record and 9-5 overall. They also helped their team secure a bye in the first round of state playoffs. The Outlaws ultimately fell to Banks 1-0 in the second round. Wyland was named Second Team All-State Defender. She logged three assists over the season. Shae was a first team all-league player, and was voted one of the top three players in the entire league. “Shae was a key piece to the success of the Lady... Full story
Oregon is expected to surpass its record of 910 pertussis cases by the end of 2024, prompting health officials to sharpen their warnings about the disease’s serious risks—especially for young babies — and their emphasis on the importance of vaccination. As of November 13, Oregon has seen a total of 827 cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in 23 counties during 2024, according to Oregon Health Authority (OHA) data. At least one person, an older adult, has died. In 2012, 910 pertussis cases were reported,... Full story
Letters to the Editor should be 300 words or less. The deadline for submission is Monday at 10 a.m. for publication in that week's Nugget. Please submit your letter by emailing to Jim Cornelius at editor@nuggetnews.com with "letter to the editor" in the subject... Full story
The staff here at The Nugget want to thank our readers and advertisers for working with us as we implement our new subscription program. The response has been gratifying, with so many people signing up to make sure they continue to get their weekly Nugget in their mailbox. As this program becomes fully implemented, we want to make sure we are communicating clearly about the various ways to support local journalism. Subscriptions The Nugget Newspaper will continue to be a... Full story
Needless to say, I’m very disappointed with the way the election turned out. I think America is about to go into one of the worst eras in its history. This is really going to put us to the test. Not just any test but a biblical Sodom and Gomorrah type test. I think, in the long run, we will be OK, but sometimes you got to go through hell to get to heaven. I think that Kamala Harris did an exceptional job in her campaign considering she had to parachute behind enemy lines, slog up a slippery, muddy hill against the wind... Full story
Tone it down To the Editor: Immigration & the law: Believing that one cannot be part of a solution unless he or she recognizes and identifies the problem, I offer this to my neighbors here in “Sisters Country.” There is no need for misleading or incendiary language in expressing one’s viewpoint. Many of us do it without thinking, almost reflexively. A letter appearing in last week’s Nugget provides an example typical of this: The author thanks “Sheriff (sic) Vander Kamp for his open and unwittingly timely response... Full story
The Santiam Wagon Road was originally built in 1866 to collect tolls, but the road’s owners also convinced Congress to give them a huge land grant if they extended the road to the Idaho border. This made them eligible for 861,512 acres of federal land. In 1871, they sold the wagon road (which, in the Cascade Mountains at least, was still producing toll revenue) and the land grant for $160,000 (about $4 million today) to two Californians, H.K.W. Clarke and Alexander Weill. Clarke paid $20,000 and Weill, acting as a... Full story
Winter solstice is an ancient celebration, evidenced by sacred sites such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland. Immense stones were aligned to illuminate the sun as it rose for solstice, and are still used as ceremonial sites on this special day. Candles and fires characterize winter solstice and related celebrations of light in darkness. Sisters Community Labyrinth organizers will light a contained fire at the large boulder in the labyrinth's center the evening... Full story
Jim and Sally Maxwell said: “Having lived in Sisters Country for 30 years we want to thank all our wonderful businesses and service providers and neighbors. We’ve got everything we could possibly need right here without the hassles of the big city! Merry Christmas and Happy New... Full story
Law enforcement and immigration To the Editor: I want to thank Sheriff Vander Kamp for his open and unwittingly timely response to “law enforcement and immigrants ” in the November 13 edition, stating “We won’t participate just based on state law,” he said. “We can’t.” Now two weeks later I’ve noticed a shift in the new administration’s game plan as to how to coerce, bargain, threaten, (pick one that fits) local law enforcement agencies into doing the scud work for Tom Homan (border Czar) and I.C.E.... Full story
Despite repeatedly assuring Americans that he would not pardon his son Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden issued a sweeping reprieve for the troubled Biden scion on Sunday. President Biden granted “a full and unconditional pardon for those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” As Politico reporter Betsy Woodruff Swan notes, a blanket pardon that... Full story
After bundling up against the cold, one of the best times to stargaze is on frosty December evenings when the sky is clear, and the stars are bright. Cassiopeia is a prominent wintertime constellation that is easy to recognize because five of its primary stars are arranged in the shape of a "W." Using Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) to locate the North Star (Polaris), extend an imaginary line from the dipper through Polaris to an area of about 30 degrees on the other side of the... Full story
Festive, cheerful, joyous, and celebratory — these are the emotions we often associate with the holiday season. Yet for those grieving the loss of a loved one, this time of year can evoke vastly different feelings. Words like dread, fear, anxiety, and loneliness emerged during a recent seminar here is Sisters that focused on helping people cope with grief during the holidays. Although grief is felt every day of the year, the empty chair at holiday gatherings can amplify the sense of loss, especially for those facing their... Full story
Most residents of Sisters Country have heard of the Santiam Wagon Road and many have hiked or driven on parts of the road. What many may not know is that the Santiam Road is only part of a much longer road, known as the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Wagon Road, which was supposed to stretch from Albany to Idaho. In reality, this road was mainly a way to scam the federal government out of more than 860,000 acres of land. This scam greatly enriched a few people, yet it isn’t even clear that the road was ever built.... Full story
Northern Goshawks are found throughout the mountains and forests of North America and Eurasia. In North America they range from western central Alaska and the Yukon territories in the north to the mountains of northwestern and western Mexico. They are typically not found in the southeastern United States. Northern Goshawks can be found in coniferous and deciduous forests. During their nesting period, they prefer mature forests consisting of a combination of old, tall trees... Full story
Shawna Colleen Mitchell-Hoegh, 55, of Redmond Oregon, was ushered into the presence of her Savior on November 19, 2024. She was born in 1969 in Portland, Oregon, to Reverend Skip and Shay Mitchell. She is survived by husband Mark Hoegh, a daughter Tefna, two grandchildren, Ainsley and Jase, a brother Shane and her parents. Shawna's life was full and very active even though having many "autoimmune diseases." She did not let her illnesses define her life. Her magnetic... Full story
Dr. John Halisey "Spike" Kennedy of Portland and Camp Sherman, died peacefully in his sleep at age 94 on November 5, 2024. Born in Newark, Ohio on February 9, 1930, to Eve and William Kennedy, Spike was the youngest of three children and spent his youth in Newark where he developed a lifelong passion for trains. A pioneer in his field, Spike was Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO) at Good Samaritan Hospital, one of the... Full story
This is the season when we remind ourselves of all we have to be thankful for: the natural beauty that surrounds us; the bonds of a strong community; friends and family who bring us joy. We are also fortunate to live in a community of creative makers, who provide food, gifts, and experiences that offer real meaning and lasting value. Meet them in these... Full story
The Sisters High School music department invites the community to participate in the Holiday Showcase, Friday, December 13, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters High School. This fun and festive concert will feature bands and choirs from Sisters High School as well as several community performances to celebrate the holiday season. "The Holiday Showcase is one of my favorite concerts of the year," said Sisters Middle School and new Sisters High School Choir Director Steven Livingston. "We... Full story
As we approach another Christmas, the birth of the Christ Child, how should we celebrate? It is more than Santa and his reindeer, more than sugar fairies dancing in our heads, more than the estimated $1.1 trillion spent in 2023 and more than the annual pilgrimage to church. As we examine the story in the Bible, what are the implications and how shall we then respond to the child in the manger? Let me share with you four practical implications that the gift of Christmas can... Full story
There is possibly nowhere south of the North Pole that has more Christmas spirit than the home of Richard and Sherry Flaherty. Each year in this season, the house at 15686 Trapper Point Rd. blossoms into a spectacular Christmas display - inside and out. Hundreds of decorations, from a train set to an elaborate Italian nativity diorama, to Santas of every size and description fill virtually every room of the house. Sherry Flaherty told The Nugget that they started decorating... Full story
Readers continue to share their favorite celebrations and activities surrounding the holidays and a clear favorite has emerged - baking. Take Mayor Michael Preedin for example. "My favorite holiday tradition is making my grandma's clam dip that is best with wavy potato chips – perfect addition on either Thanksgiving or Christmas Day where grazing on food is encouraged and counting calories is discouraged," he said. City Manager Jordan Wheeler weighed in: "Christmas for me... Full story
Sociologists say that traditions are important to good mental and emotional health, especially related to holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. The Nugget asked around to get a flavor of those rituals important to various readers. Here's what some had to say. About one in three had the same sentiment as Bree Miller: "My favorite Christmas tradition is baking! From traditional sugar cookies to my mom's families' Sandbakkels. Now, with my own children it is something they also... Full story
Our new Scottie pack, including Piper from the former pack, are the most peaceful group of Scotties we have ever had. Perhaps it is Piper’s influence, or maybe it’s because I’m filled with more peace than I ever have had before as a Scottie mom and the dogs can sense that peace. Whatever the cause, these three Scotties never fight or snap at each other. The two pups snarl and growl during play, but they never get mad at each other. It is a joy to live with that love!... Full story
Always a favorite with Sisters Country holiday merrymakers, Sisters High Desert Chorale and Bell Choir will present their winter concert this month. The first of two will be performed Friday, December 13, at 7 p.m. The second will sound off at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 15. Both concerts take place at Sisters Community Church located at 1300 McKenzie Highway in Sisters, where there is plenty of free parking. The concerts themselves are free, but patrons are asked to make a... Full story
’Tis the season...the season for holiday wins and pitfalls, connection and loneliness, gratitude and grief, peace and overwhelm. The holidays are a time when we are often met with paradox. The feelings evoked can be vast and varied, sometimes seeming in opposition to one another. \When we ring in the cheer expecting a Hallmark movie special, we risk being disappointed. Amid the hopeful joy, expect it all to feel a bit messy and let’s do our best to disregard the filtered... Full story
