THE SPOKESMAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022 P5
Redmond looks for conference titles
on basketball and tennis courts
“They all grew up playing
basketball together. I would
do some (tennis) summer
camps for the parks and rec
and all of them would come
down for that.”
BY BRIAN RATHBONE
For the Spokesman
SISTERS — If the Redmond
boys tennis team looks like the
school’s basketball team, it’s be-
cause basically it is.
Eight of the 12 players that
made up the Redmond High
boys basketball team, including
four of the five starters of the
21-win Panther team, will be
spending the spring on the ten-
nis courts.
The number of Redmond
basketball T-shirts being worn
on the tennis court might be a
dead giveaway as well.
“They all grew up playing
basketball together,” said Red-
mond tennis coach Nathan
Saito, who is also the school’s
freshman basketball coach. “I
would do some (tennis) sum-
mer camps for the parks and
rec and all of them would come
down for that.”
The early season dual match
between Redmond and Sisters
Friday afternoon was light-
hearted. With the Redmond
team having far more play-
ers than Sisters, many of the
matches pitted Redmond dou-
bles teams against each other.
Which also could have made
for a very competitive two vs.
two basketball game.
On one side of the net was
— Redmond tennis coach
Nathan Saito, who is also the
school’s freshman basketball
coach
Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin
Redmond’s Yoshi Saito returns a serve while playing a doubles match in Sisters on Friday.
Yoshi Saito and Tanner Jones —
the starting backcourt for the
Panthers basketball team. Their
opponent was Garrett Osborne,
the boys basketball Intermoun-
tain Conference Player of the
Year playing alongside fellow
hooper Easton Croft. Saito and
Jones took the win.
“Yoshi and I whooped up on
them,” said Jones. “But it is just a
Watering Hole, 404 SW Forest Ave., Red-
mond; facebook.com/Generalduffys or 541-
527-4345.
Calendar
Continued from P1
Thursday 4/7
Arbor Week Tree Planting #3: To celebrate
Arbor Week, the city will be hosting three
tree plantings at three different park loca-
tions; 4-5:30 p.m.; free; Diamond Bar Ranch
Park, 575 NE Quince Ave., Redmond; redmon-
doregon.gov or 541-923-7710.
Jesse Meade — Range Music Series: The
local singer-songwriter will perform; 5:30-
8:30 p.m.; free; Brasada Ranch, 16986 SW
Brasada Ranch Road, Powell Butte; brasada.
com or 855-318-4960.
Bow Wow Bingo: Join for BowWow Bingo
every Thursday evening benefiting Bright-
Side Animal Center; 6:30-8 p.m.; $1 each card
for first two games, $2 each for second two
games; Cascade Lakes at Seventh St., 855 SW
Seventh St., Redmond; facebook.com/Cas-
cadeLakesBrewingCo or 541-388-4998.
Friday 4/8
Central Oregon Comedy Scene presents
Standup Comedy: Local comedians will
perform; 7-10 p.m.; $15-$20; General Duffy’s
Drought
Continued from P1
“There is no reason to waste
water. If you can conserve wa-
ter and make that your mis-
sion, everyone should do that,”
said Kyle Gorman, region
manager for the Oregon Wa-
ter Resources Department.
As of Wednesday, Wickiup
Reservoir was 55% full, a 5%
decline from a year ago and a
42% decline from average, ac-
cording to data from the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation web-
site. Prineville Reservoir was
26% full, a 49% decline from
a year ago and a 70% decline
from average.
Ochoco has been this area’s
worst-performing reservoir.
As of Sunday, it was just 11%
full, a 52% decline from a year
lot of fun play with your friends.”
This spring, it is about keep-
ing the good times — and victo-
ries — rolling right along.
“We have been playing these
sports together since we were
kids so it is a really cool experi-
ence,” Jones said. “We all just re-
ally work well together. We want
to bring another title back here
and keep the streak going.”
Disco Night: Featuring two local Redmond
DJ’s spinning vinyl records with your favorite
disco grooves; 8 p.m.; $5 or five cans of food;
High Desert Music Hall, 818 SW Forest Ave.,
Redmond; highdesertmusichall.com or 541-
527-1387.
Coffee Clatter: Join for a morning of net-
working and hear what’s new with Consumer
Cellular; 8:30-9:30 p.m.; free; Consumer Cellu-
lar, 2999 SW Sixth St., Redmond; visitredmon-
doregon.com or 541-923-5191.
USA BMX Great NW Nationals: BMX racers
will compete; $10 a day; Deschutes County
Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Red-
mond; expo.deschutes.org or 541-548-2711.
Saturday 4/9
Spring Gardening Seminar: OSU Master
Gardeners will again offer their insight into
the world of gardening in Central Oregon;
10 a.m.; $5-$35 Choose 1 class ($5) or up to
7 ($35); OSU Extension Service, Online; go-
comga.com or 541-548-6088.
“I can Make This Promise” Book Discus-
sion: Read and discuss the book “I Can Make
ago and an 83% decline from
its average height at this point
in the year.
Municipal water use is just
a small fraction of the water
used by irrigation districts in
Central Oregon so there is
also water that can be saved
on larger properties in outly-
ing areas.
“If anybody in any of the
(irrigation) districts has
thought about not using their
water, this would be the year
to either not use it or to lease it
instream, if available, through
the district administration
process,” said Gorman.
The drought is causing fi-
nancial losses in agricultural
areas due to water allotment
cuts, which forces farmers to
leave large portions of their
farms fallow. Last year, farm-
After a banner basketball
season this winter that brought
an IMC title, a berth in the 5A
semifinals and a fifth-place fin-
ish at the state tournament, the
team is trying to replicate the
success it had on the hardwood
this spring on the tennis court.
The Panthers tennis program
won a state title in 2019, then last
spring had an undefeated season
This Promise” with other youth; 11-11:45 a.m.;
Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes
Ave., Redmond; deschuteslibrary.org or 541-
312-1050.
Central Oregon Chapter Rocky Mountain
Elk Foundation Banquet: It is the do-not-
miss social event of the year with a chance to
win top-notch gear, premium hunts and ex-
clusive art and merchandise.; 4:30-9:30 p.m.;
Deschutes County Expo Center, 3800 SW Air-
port Way, Redmond; events.rmef.org
Live in the Tasting Room — Gene Rog-
ers: Gene Rogers of the Hwy 97 Band will
be performing acoustic and solo; 5-8 p.m.;
$15 adults, children 12 and under free; Faith
Hope & Charity Vineyards, 70450 NW Lower
Valley Drive, Terrebonne; faithhopeandchari-
tyevents.com or 541-526-5075.
Toast & Jam: The local roots band will per-
form for a cause; 6 p.m.; $15; General Duffy’s
Watering Hole, 404 SW Forest Ave., Red-
mond; generalduffys.com or 541-527-4345.
Hardwood Heart & Blackflowers
Blacksun: The bluegrass, rock and jazz band
will perform with special guests; 8 p.m.; $10;
High Desert Music Hall, 818 SW Forest Ave.,
Redmond; highdesertmusichall.com or 541-
527-1387.
ers in the North Unit Irri-
gation District, which holds
junior water rights, were
routinely fallowing half their
acres in order to plant at least
a partial crop. The situation
this year looks just as bad as in
past years.
“We anticipate that irriga-
tion districts will run out of
water again this year. We also
anticipate extremely low flows
in the rivers,” said Gorman.
Historically, the picture is
equally bleak. The drought
conditions are the worst on
record, going back 127 years,
according to data compiled by
Oregon State University.
“The drought indicators
in Central Oregon uniformly
show the current drought is
by far the worst in recorded
history,” said Larry O’Neill,
that ended with an IMC title.
The plan in 2022 is to continue
the streak.
“Winning the league again
this year is the goal for myself
and the team,” said senior Yoshi
Saito, the team’s No. 1 singles
player, and son of the coach. “If
we do that, then a few will head
to state, which is also the goal.”
As much as winning is im-
portant, tennis brings a much
different vibe than basketball. A
lot of it is enjoying the weather
and final couple of months of the
school year with your buddies.
“It is light-hearted, it is easy-
going,” Jones said. “Once the
weather gets nice it is awesome.
It is a lot of fun going from a
tense basketball season to come
out here and having fun with
your friends.”
USA BMX Great NW Nationals: BMX racers
will compete; $10 a day; Deschutes County
Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way,
Redmond; expo.deschutes.org or 541-548-
2711.
Sunday 4/10
Sunday Brunch and Karaoke: Come for the
breakfast, stay for the singing; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.;
General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW For-
est Ave., Redmond; facebook.com/Gener-
alduffys or 541-527-4345.
USA BMX Great NW Nationals: BMX racers
will compete; $10 a day; Deschutes County
Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way,
Redmond; expo.deschutes.org or 541-548-
2711.
Monday 4/11
Downtown Urban Renewal Advisory
Committee (DURAC) Meeting: A regular
meeting will be held; 5-7 p.m.; Redmond City
Hall, Online; redmondoregon.gov or 541-
923-7710.
Planning Commission Meeting: A regu-
lar meeting will be held; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; free;
Redmond City Hall, 411 SW Ninth St., Red-
mond; redmondoregon.gov or 541-923-7710.
associate professor at OSU’s
College of Earth, Ocean and
Atmospheric Sciences. “It, un-
fortunately, looks to continue
throughout this summer.”
O’Neill said climate models
suggest cooler and drier than
normal weather for April, with
the weather in May to July
showing dry and warm con-
ditions.
On top of the record-low
reservoir levels, snowpack is
well-below average for the
year. Snowpack seeps into un-
derground aquifers in spring
and is a good indicator of how
high reservoirs will reach the
following year.
Below average snowpack
this year could result in even
lower reservoir levels in 2023.
As of Wednesday, snowpack
in the Central Oregon Cas-
cades was just 54% of normal
and precipitation for the year
stood at 81% of normal.
“Very disappointed and
discouraged,” said Gorman,
when asked about this year’s
snowpack. “I was hoping for a
much better winter this year, a
recovery. But we just didn’t get
it. Our snowpack is way below
average.”
█
Reporter: 541-617-7818,
mkohn@bendbulletin.com
Meetings
Continued from P1
• Awarded bid of
$460,039 to Murraysmith,
Inc. for design of a ninth
city well. The well and
pumphouse will be built
in Dry Canyon, north of
Black Butte Boulevard and
west of the dog park.
• Awarded funds not to
exceed $475,000 to Doolittle
Construction for city road
maintenance (slurry seal);
awarded funds not to exceed
$450,000 to Tri-County Pav-
ing for road maintenance
(overlay); awarded funds not
to exceed $110,000 to Cen-
tral Oregon Asphalt Sealing
for maintenance on light-
ly-used roads (liquid roads).
• Spent $292,971 to pur-
chase materials for pavilion
and restrooms for Quartz
Park. Roseburg-based Rom-
tec will provide the materials.
• Awarded $255,000 to
Dicky & Tremper for audit-
ing services through 2024.
• Spent $60,00 to pur-
chase equipment for Juniper
Golf Course, including bun-
ker maintenance machinery
and a utility vehicle.
• Proclaimed April 3-9
“Arbor Week” in the city of
Redmond.
• Closed roads for the
Redmond Run, scheduled
for June 18. The closure
will include SW 6th from
Black Butte to Evergreen
from 5-10 a.m. for a 5k,
10k and half marathon. All
races will start and finish
in Centennial Park. About
600 runners are expected.
• Approved a settlement
agreement to vacate right
of way between the Becky
Johnson Community Cen-
ter and Patrick Building,
the alley between of De-
schutes and Evergreen that
goes through Centennial
Park. The city also commit-
ted to rebuilding an exist-
ing play area for children.
• Granted nonexclusive
telecom franchise to Herm-
iston-based Blue Mountain
Networks, a fiber internet
provider for homes and
businesses.
• Authorized applying
for a $750,000 grant from
the Oregon Parks and Rec-
reation Department for
development of the Red-
monds Wetlands Complex.
BMX
Continued from P1
Russell works out in
the gym in the offseason,
strengthening his legs and
working on his cardio. He
competes twice a week at
the Smith Rock track, per-
fecting his form and work-
ing to get faster.
“Just anything I can do to
get my time down,” he said.
Races are held at the
track, located at the High
Desert Sports Complex,
on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Riders can practice from
6-7 p.m. and races start after.
All skill levels are welcome.