In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ Trivia Fun

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏛️ City of Bend -   A Look Back at 2023

🚫🏘️ Over 500 Petition Against Proposed Parolee Housing in Southeast Bend

⛽Gas Prices fluctuate between $3.43 and $3.79

🍽️🚘 Share the Love with Meals on Wheels

💲6 Central Oregon non-profits sharing $30,000 in grants from Rosendin Foundation

📅 Lots of Events

  A Look Back at 2023

From the City of Bend.

We are excited to share the following highlights from the last year with our community.

As we close out the year, we want to thank everyone who sent us an email, attended a Council meeting and gave us input on how to reach our goals - your involvement and civic engagement makes us stronger.

All of us at the City we look forward to what we can all accomplish together as we head into 2024.

Take care and we’ll see you next year! To watch the year in review video, follow the link here. 

1. We launched the Bend Block Party Trailer, a neighborhood engagement trailer designed to build community connections. 

We heard from the community that there needs to be more opportunities to engage with each other and local government. This year, we purchased the Bend Block party trailer and used it at neighborhood gatherings across the city, including the State of the City in September. We want our local government to be welcoming and accessible for everyone. This program helps us get out of City Hall and meet people where they are – places like local parks and neighborhood streets. Read more about the Bend Block Party Trailer.

2. Police Data Dashboard.

This year, we launched a comprehensive data dashboard that details calls for service, crime trends, and other critical data mapped for your street, your neighborhood, and a citywide level. Learn more at policedata.bendoregon.gov.

3. Lighthouse Navigation Shelter.

In July, the Lighthouse Navigation Center celebrated one year of operations in Central Oregon. Over those twelve months, the Center provided 38,542 nights of shelter and 100,575 meals were served. And 235 individuals were connected with more permanent housing. The City of Bend purchased the property that houses the Navigation Center in 2021 and had funded a contract with Shepherd’s House Ministries for its operations through 2025. Read more about the Lighthouse Navigation Center.

4. We continue to preserve one of our most precious resources: water!

Our conservation efforts have helped us to lower the amount of water we are using over the past years, even though our population has grown. In 2022 we reached the lowest amount of water used per person in 10 years. Seven million gallons of water were saved over the past year just by the City’s sprinkler inspection program. Read more about Water Conservation.

5. Thank you, voters, for passing a new Fire Levy!

We’ve added fire stations and hired firefighters to keep up with the demands of a growing community. This is the fifth year in a row that Bend Fire and Rescue has received an American Heart Association award for our treatment of patients who experience heart attacks. Thank you for supporting us so we can be there for you when you need us, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Read more about Fire and Rescue.

6. The Newport Corridor is officially open!

We fully opened the Newport corridor in May of this year. We replaced old sewer and water lines that were deteriorating under the road, made the sidewalks continuous throughout the corridor, improved bicycle safety, and installed a new roundabout. The project let us put in a new stormwater system that catches bacteria and sediment before it gets into the Deschutes River. Read more about the Newport Corridor.

Over 500 Petition Against Proposed Parolee Housing in Southeast Bend

Residents in Southeast Bend are expressing concerns about a plan to transform a triplex on SE Wilson into transitional housing for individuals on parole or probation. The plan, which involves the use of state housing grant money awarded to the nonprofit Free on the Outside, has garnered opposition from local homeowners and residents.

Ryan Rudnick, a neighboring triplex owner, has been a vocal opponent, citing concerns about the potential risks to children, particularly from convicted sex offenders who might be housed at the facility. He highlighted that in just six days, over 500 petition signatures were gathered against the location of this project. Rudnick also raised issues regarding the lack of adequate outreach and notification to adjacent property owners and tenants before the plan's approval.

The controversy has also touched on the displacement of families currently residing in the triplex to accommodate the new housing program. Rudnick expressed his dissatisfaction with this, labeling it as an injustice to the existing neighborhood.

In response to these concerns, Commissioner Phil Chang offered a different perspective. He noted his experience working with the Kids Center, emphasizing that child abuse cases, including sexual abuse, are predominantly committed by close family relations rather than strangers or distant neighbors. He pointed out that the actual risk is more about relationships with potential offenders rather than physical proximity. Additionally, Chang clarified that decisions regarding suitable candidates for parole are made by the courts, not the county.

The project must proceed by January 10th to maintain the state funding allocated for the purchase and establishment of the transitional housing facility. This deadline adds urgency to the resolution of the ongoing community concerns and debates surrounding the project.

The gas price fluctuate between $3.43 and $3.79 in Redmond as of 2023-12-21. Find the cheapest station near you.

For most people, it is a constant necessity of life to manage gas prices.

The national average price for a gallon of regular-grade gas on Thursday is $3.120, a week ago the price is $3.104 , according to AAA.

In OR the average gallon of gas cost was around $3.829 Thursday, a week ago the price is $3.888, according to information from the American Automobile Association. The average price in Redmond was $3.61.

Here's a list of stations and their prices near you. In Redmond, the gas price ranges from $3.43 to $3.79 according to GasBuddy.

Share the Love with Meals on Wheels

The Council on Aging is dedicated to fighting hunger and isolation for homebound older adults in Central Oregon. That’s why we deliver Meals on Wheels to nourish our neighbors. Meals on Wheels is more than just a meal. It provides nutritious food and serves as a friendly visit and a wellness check to older adults across the tri-county.

To address hunger and isolation in Central Oregon, the Council on Aging is partnering with Subaru and its retailers for the Subaru Share the Love Event to support our Meals on Wheels program.

With every new Subaru purchased or leased, Subaru and its retailers are donating a minimum of $300 to nonprofits like Meals on Wheels through January 2, 2024.

Since the Subaru Share the Love Event began in 2008, Subaru and its participating retailers have donated 4.3 million meals and friendly visits to older adults being served by local Meals on Wheels programs across the country.

We’re grateful to Subaru and its local retailers like Subaru of Bend for helping to keep Central Oregon seniors safe, fed, and connected.

You might not be in the market to purchase a new car, but if you are, please look into the Subaru Share the Love Event to learn more. If you’re not shopping for a new vehicle, you can help fund Meals on Wheels for older adults in Central Oregon by donating directly to the Council on Aging at CouncilOnAging.org/Donate. 

councilonaging.org

6 Central Oregon non-profits sharing $30,000 in grants from Rosendin Foundation

 Five Central Oregon non-profits will split $30,000 in grant money from the Rosendin Foundation.

The Peaceful Presence Project is receiving $7,000. CASA of Central Oregon, Healing Reins Equine Assisted Services, Heart of Oregon Corps, MountainStar Family Relief Nursery will receive $5,000 each.

Humane Society of the Ochocos will receive $3,000.

Central Oregon Daily News recently profiled The Peaceful Presence Project in Genevieve Reaume’s In Focus story on end-of-life doulas — caregivers who help people find peace with the circle of life.

“We recognize the importance of the non-profits and are filling the gap that, you know, unfortunately, government and life just isn’t able to do for a lot of people,” said Jolsna Thomas, President of the Rosendin Foundation.

Here is the full announcement:

The Rosendin Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to make a positive impact on communities through financial grants and volunteer work, celebrated its partnership with The Peaceful Presence Project by presenting the community organization with a $7,000 grant. Alongside donations to nonprofits in Bend and Prineville, The Rosendin Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to community nonprofits in Oregon and around the country.

This grant will help the Bend nonprofit carry out its mission to reimagine and transform the way communities talk about, plan for, and experience the last stage of life.

What’s Up Central Oregon?

December 22nd (Friday)

•  4th Friday Artwalk in Sisters, OR

  By Sisters Arts Association   Downtown Sisters Oregon 222 West Hood Avenue Sisters 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM 

• The Grinch's Cave Adventure @ Juniper Preserve

  TICKETS $25

  3:00 PM - 04:00 PM 

• Grimes Christmas Scene Crook County Fairgrounds 1280 Main Street Prineville 5:00 PM - 08:00 PM 

•  Christmas In The Pines Crook County Fairgrounds 1280 Main St. Prineville 5:30 PM - 09:00 PM Christmas in the Pines has become a Prineville tradition.  Located at the Crook County Fairgrounds, this is a beautiful drive thru Winter Wonderland. Christmas in the Pines is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from 5:30-9:00 now through New Year’s. Live Nativity is on Saturday nights only, from 5:30-8:00. No entry fees but we welcome donations of non-perishable food or pet food.

• Never Come Down With Skillethead - Solstice Celebration 

  The Belfry 302 E. Main Avenue Sisters TICKETS $25

  6:30 PM - 10:00 PM

• Ursids Meteor Shower Snowshoe Tour

  By Wanderlust Tours 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

• Swingin' Tower Christmas! Tower Theatre 835 NW Wall Street Bend TICKETS

  $36 - $46 (plus $4 Historic Preservation fee) Friday, Saturday & Sunday

  

   

December 23rd (Saturday)

• Subaru Stoke Weekend #1 @ Mt Bachelor 7:00 AM Mt Bachelor is teaming up with Subaru to spread the stoke on Saturday, Dec.23 and Sunday, Dec. 24th.  Grab some buddies and head to the mountain in your Subaru for a day of shredding Subarus with 3 or more passengers will be given priority parking in the West Village Lot until all spots are filled. Once you pull in, you'll be redirected to one of our Stoke Patrollers who will hook you up with a preferred parking spot for the day and give you a Subaru swag bag. Hit the road early in your trusty Subaru and get rewarded! Coffee vouchers will be redeemed at Cocoa's Cafe which opens at 8:00 a.m.   

• Snowshoe With A Ranger-FREE Mt Bachelor Oregon

  10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

•  Adam Carlson Jazz Trio River's Place 787 Northeast Purcell Boulevard Bend 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM 

December 24th (Sunday)

Deschutes Public Library Calendar

Got an upcoming event you want us to share?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!