News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 69
Seed to Table To the Editor: As the new Executive Director at Seed to Table, I’d like to thank our community for welcoming me so warmly. Seed to Table truly is a community supported and community serving nonprofit. I look forward to continuing to meet and learn from all of our great partners, supporters, and community members. Recently, I had the honor of attending an awards ceremony with other nonprofit representatives to receive a grant from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. This is the second year in a row we have we... Full story
Forest Service Shuttle Proposal To the Editor: Our Deschutes National Forest does some very good things, such as prescribed burning to clear out historically dangerous fuel loads, and the wrongly maligned Green Ridge forest management project, designed to preserve — not harm —the older growth forests. But two recent USFS proposals are a direct threat to those who enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and traditional natural activities in our taxpayer-funded forest. The Forest Service proposes to introduce to numerous trails in the... Full story
Community garden To the Editor: I was dismayed to learn that the city is considering Clemens Park as one of the sites for the Community Garden. The park is one of the few expansive green spaces in the city and is used by many of us on a regular basis. Perhaps they don’t realize how much the park is used for our children to run and play, for walking our dogs, the occasional neighborhood event, and just sitting and enjoying the outdoors. Removing a large portion of the beautiful lawn and surrounding the resulting dirt patch w... Full story
Common sense immigration To the Editor: Mass deportation as a solution for illegal or unauthorized immigration is wedging itself into our politics. That’s an impossibility and a distraction. We need a functional immigration plan. The Migration Policy Institute reports data for 11,047,000 unauthorized immigrants. Most were born in Mexico, Central or South America, or the Caribbean, some in Africa, Asia, Canada, or Europe. Of that total, 63 percent (6,933,000) have resided in the U.S. ten years or more; 33 percent (... Full story
Destroying America To the Editor: I appreciated Steve Woodside’s letter to the editor on June 19, where he wrote “the voting public can sit on a fence complaining about their choices in this election cycle, or they can understand where we are as a country, that there are people who actively want to destroy us from inside and outside our country.” The fact that so much threat to our country is coming from the “inside” is what is so chilling, and it is time we woke up to why that is the case. My friends, take a good hard look... Full story
Local newspapers To the Editor: Imagine no local newspaper in Sisters. We all love The Nugget, but what if it disappeared? That’s the world our friends in La Grande, Hermiston, Baker City, Enterprise, and John Day are facing. Their local newspapers are disappearing before the start of July. And two dozen other Oregon-owned newspapers were sold on June 1 — to a company based out of Tennessee. If history is any guide, this ownership change will not be kind to the communities these papers serve. That means no real jou... Full story
Housing crisis is real To the Editor: I’m writing to comment on Gary Leiser’s letter to the editor in the May 22, Nugget. It took a bit to write this to you, Mr. Leiser, because I was so shocked at your opinion. There are other people in Sisters that are retired and many wealthy. What do you define as wealthy? You should have gone to the forum on housing as you may have learned something about living in Sisters. Yes, there is a “housing crisis” for those that serve you in all businesses here. Yes, Sisters is a very desirable... Full story
Best president To the Editor: Jan Pray’s letter to the editor was right on. Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan, and Trump have been the greatest presidents we ever had. There is a big drive toward socialism, away from God, country, and freedom. Senator Tim Scott said this is our last chance in November to turn the country back to liberty and freedom or we are done! Some members in churches across the U.S. are advocating for socialism and removing God from the church, which grieves me. Chet Davis First responders To the Editor: We a... Full story
Wolf response To the Editor: I’ll repeat: “I’m not anti-wolf nor a wolf hater.” I simply stated the wolves that were brought down out of Canada and transplanted into Yellowstone shouldn’t be introduced or brought here because we already have, or at least had, a remnant of our original Oregon wolves present in the Three Sisters Wilderness and adjacent areas that weren’t killed off in the ’40s. I found out another local saw a large dark wolf over 20 years ago too, so that’s another confirmed sighting. Why didn’t the ODFW... Full story
Crying wolf To the Editor: Two guest columnist articles printed in the May 15, 2024 edition were out of touch with science and facts. Steve Allely’s claim about “Oregon wolves” vs. “Canadian transplants” is based only on claims by untrained biased observers, not actual science. Science is based on surveys, studies, and facts based on evidence. ODFW is far more reliable about facts. A quick Internet search on wolf species verifies that the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves, 70 to 150 pounds, are the same all across the northern... Full story
Walk the talk To the Editor: I just read the guest editorial by Diane L. Hodgson in the May 1, edition of The Nugget. Ms. Hodgson was apparently triggered by a person she encountered while having a latte at Sisters Coffee whom she described as “quite intelligent” and “charming,” but made the apparent mistake of saying that he thought Trump was a “good president.” Based on her statements in her guest editorial, Ms. Hodgson did not ask the person why he thought Trump was a good president or why, in light of recent reports in... Full story
4th of July event To the Editor: I am not sure that having the 4th of July event at The Village Green Park is a good idea. There are limited areas to park. The homeowners most likely will have issues with people parking in front of their houses. Just too congested. For all the school tax money that is paid by the residents of the City of Sisters and those in the surrounding school district area why not work with the school district and use the high school grounds for this event? There is the large grass field behind the... Full story
AI is wrong To the Editor: Relative to a letter to the editor published in The Nugget, April 17, in which artificial intelligence (AI) is the trusted source: the misinformation perpetuated therein must not stand. Yes, when Jamie McLeod-Skinner was the city manager in Phoenix, Oregon, she was fired, but AI did not search to learn that Jamie was a whistle-blower who was attempting to hold the mayor, some city council members, and staff accountable for violations of laws and regulations both state and local. You, dear reader,... Full story
Better angels To the Editor: Tim Hockett’s guest column, “We Must Do Better” in the April 10 Nugget was beautifully written and so important. It’s a reminder of where we as a nation have been and a caution to where we’re going. Jim Cornelius, would you offer Mr. Hockett his own column? In these times, we could use someone who speaks to the “better angels of our nature.” Terry Weygandt Pets and pot To the Editor: A quick PSA for all the dog owners out there and a request for those partaking in cannabis products in public spa... Full story
Prescribed fire To the Editor: Spring is in the air and so is the smoke. Prescribed burning season is upon us and in an effort to get in front of a contentious subject I’d like to voice my support of the efforts of our local resources devoted to protecting our community from wildfire. Smoke in the air is never fun. It makes breathing difficult for many, it ruins our beautiful views, weekend plans, and is unwelcome by all. Mechanical thinning is an option but the budgets our government has left for the agencies charged with f... Full story
Dedicated volunteers To the Editor: This month, prior to the regular School Board Meeting on April 3, three candidates for the Budget Committee were interviewed. Each presented their various experiences and what they could bring to the committee during a three-year term. This session was followed by a presentation from the auditors from Pauly Rogers and Co. who have been working with Sherry Joseph, the Sisters School District business manager. The audit findings were positive, with no issues of non-compliance and no... Full story
Student safety To the Editor: In response to the recent allegations against SHS choir teacher Rick Johnson, who has represented Sisters Folk Festival’s Americana Project for nearly 20 years, a simple question needs to be addressed: Is the Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) creating a successful and safe atmosphere for both teachers and students involved in its Americana Project? Should the Americana Project and its leadership be supporting their leading educator instead of distancing itself from the problem? Note that The A... Full story
Don’t reuse eclipse glasses To the Editor: There is an important safety issue that people should be made aware of concerning the upcoming eclipse on April 8, 2024. People should NOT use old eclipse glasses, especially ones that they used during a prior eclipse, such as the one in 2017. The protective coatings on some eclipse glasses deteriorate over time and will not protect a person properly. It is entirely safe to use new glasses, and those who experience the period of totality do not need any glasses during those few m... Full story
Thank you to community To the Editor: To the amazing Sisters community... We are the family that lost our house to the fire on Valentine’s Day. Since then, the love and support shown by our whole community have truly blown us away. We’d especially like to thank the excellent first responders from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department and Black Butte Ranch Fire Department. Although our house was beyond saving by the time the fire department was called, firefighters were able to protect surrounding buildings, and contain the... Full story
What happened to integrity To the Editor: As I watch and listen to the collective failure of our nation’s congressional members, the question arises of what happened to integrity, truthfulness, and honesty. When fear of reprisal and political backlash overshadows one’s action to do what is right, that person needs to leave their political office. Those members were sent to our capital to work for the betterment of our country, not to bow to an entity whose self-centered nature perpetuates falsehoods and attacks our democracy.... Full story
Build it and they will come To the Editor: There are many topics I could address as February draws to a close, but I have selected the homeless and housing issues in Sisters and in Deschutes County. I begin with a question: Why so many homeless in our communities and families that can’t afford the price of a rental? When I moved to Sisters 30 years ago there was a smattering of small homes scattered throughout our town. The same was true for Bend and Redmond. Small dwellings were left over from the mill and logging days. I... Full story
Stupidity on drugs To the Editor: I’m amazed that some state legislators are surprised at the massive increase in drug use and drug related deaths in our county and state. It does not take a genius to realize that when you legalize “small quantities” of virtually every drug that is illegal to possess in 49 other states, you are declaring Oregon as the new Disneyland for those addicted to drugs. It has also added to the homeless crisis. I know, drug addiction, once started, is an illness and the good intention is to treat... Full story
A sick society To the Editor: American society is sick in so many ways. No surprise really, given all the obvious symptoms. Before going further, I know many of you would dismiss my views as negative and offering no solutions. So be it. And I commend anyone who still has hope that this society will survive as we currently know it. The most glaring symptom of course, is that a large portion of U.S. citizens have been brainwashed by a misogynist, white supremacist, unhinged felon (all facts)— who may become the first d... Full story
Hometown heros To the Editor: Here’s a much-needed piece of good news! Pat Burke and Cody Meredith, two of our Sisters-Camp Sherman paramedics, had an unexpected and special moment last weekend. On a call to help a woman in labor they found themselves in the ambulance assisting with the delivery of the baby when she was ready to give birth before they reached the hospital. The end of the story is the best possible outcome: mother and child are healthy, dad was there, and able to cut the cord, the paramedics were trained a... Full story
Wildlife corridor To the Editor: As members of the Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Passage Initiative (B2S), we appreciate the recent article highlighting our locally driven effort, published in The Nugget on January 16 (“Initiative seeks to mitigate wildlife collisions,” page 4). Highway 20 between Bend and Suttle Lake crosses several important wildlife movement corridors for mule deer, elk and other wildlife. This section of highway sees one of the highest rates of deer and elk wildlife-vehicle collisions in Oregon. The goa... Full story
