The Nugget Vol. XLVII No. 31
POSTAL CUSTOMER
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
www.NuggetNews.com
PRE-SORTED STANDARD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sisters, OR Permit No. 15
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
SMOKE ON THE WATER
Exploring our local evacuation zones By T. Lee Brown Correspondent
Suttle Lake under a haze of wildfire smoke. As of press time, there had been no significant fires in Sisters Country — yet the area has been hit with heavy layers of smoke from fires elsewhere in Oregon, California, and perhaps even Canada. Smoke has periodically caused unhealthy air quality and forced cancellation of events. Air quality forecasts indicate a few potentially lighter days this week, but potential for diminished air quality over the coming weekend.
JAROD GATLEY
Creators celebrate the business of art By T. Lee Brown Correspondent
“I didn’t think I was a creative person; my older sister was the artist in our family.” It was a surprising statement to hear from successful artist and “possibilitarian” Kelly Rae Roberts onstage at Fir Street Park last week. Her story was part of a keynote panel on the business of art, featured at a
PubTalk event in Sisters last week. EDCO (Economic Development for Central Oregon) describes PubTalk as “a happy hour aimed at bringing together different facets of the business community in one place to network, share ideas, and further local businesses.” Also sharing insights onstage was panelist Katie See PUBTALK on page 19
Metolius wolf pack triples in size By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
With the addition of at least four pups, the Metolius wolves, a pair first identified in 2021, are now six in number, possibly more. Four sets of tracks have been observed by Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) wolf biologist Aaron Bott. The average litter size is five. Bott has thus far been
Inside...
unable to capture the new arrivals on trail cameras. The den is believed to be on private land in a mosaic of public and private property. The minimum known count of wolves in Oregon at the end of 2023 was 178 wolves, according to the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management annual report released April 24. This is the same number documented in 2022 and See WOLVES on page 20
The land of Deschutes County, like other counties, is divided up into interesting shapes. A school district here, a parks and recreation district there, a House of Representatives district that might change from District 2 to District 5. Maps for land use zoning determine whether folks can develop their properties, whether they must grow trees or See EVACUATION on page 15
Grant jumpstarts pickleball courts By Bill Bartlett Correspondent
Pickleball has been named America’s fastestgrowing sport for the third year in a row in the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report. The report shows participation grew 51.8 percent from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, the 65+ age group was tied for having the second highest number of participants. In 2023 alone there were over 35 million pickleball players and it was growing exponentially at a rate of 158 percent over the last three years. The raging popularity of pickleball is in evidence in Sisters where hundreds of devotees compete vigorously, not just in the sport, but for court time. There are no public courts in Sisters. All are in private subdivisions, one of which —Sage Meadow — is home to Pine Valley Tennis Club (PVTC). In a creative transaction designed to vastly increase the number of courts in Sisters, PVTC has donated the land on which the courts sit to a 501(c)(3) foundation thereby avoiding any tax liability. In turn the foundation — SOAR — sold the land for
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
Pickleball is a very popular sport in Sisters Country. $333,000 and will donate the proceeds to Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). At the same time, SPRD is awaiting approval of its $750,000 grant application to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The grant funds and additional funding from the City of Sisters will enable SPRD to build eight pickleball courts along with other amenities when SPRD takes over the property of the former Sisters Elementary School. The SOAR Foundation was originally founded in 1995 and was the predecessor to SPRD. In 2004, the SOAR Foundation raised more
than $1 million to build the Coffield Community Center that serves as the headquarters for SPRD programs. “Having access to an additional source of funding is critical to the growth and prosperity of SPRD,” said Jennifer Holland, executive director of SPRD. “While the funding from property taxes and the local option levy help subsidize a portion of our operating expenses, the ability to increase our capabilities to better serve the community through an outside funding organization will be important to meet the needs See PICKLEBALL on page 18
Letters.............................. 2 Weather ............................ 4 Stars over Sisters ............. 9 Entertainment ................. 11 Classifieds..................21-22 Meetings .......................... 3 Obituaries .........................7 Announcements...............10 Crossword ...................... 20 Poetry ............................ 23