In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🌲🌲Bend's Tree Preservation Efforts: What You Need to Know

🛣️ ODOT Drop-in Community Meeting - Sisters

📰 Local Government News

📰 City of Bend to Host Listening Sessions for Transportation Fee

🏘️ 2024 Affordable Housing Fund Recipients Selected

🏛️ City Of MADRAS Open House To Discuss Proposed Shopping Cart Regulations

📰 Crime

🚨Redmond Police Seek Public’s Assistance in Unsolved Murder Investigation from 2021

📰 Regional News

🕰️ Navigating the Time Debate: Oregon's Quest for Permanent Standard Time

🤝 Community News

👮 Bend Police announce Community Academy beginning April 2, 2024

😊Support our Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

📅 Lots of Events

What major impact did the Cove Power Plant have on the lower Crooked River?

A) Increased fish populations

B) Facilitated upstream migration of salmon

C) Blocked upriver migration of spring Chinook Salmon during low streamflow conditions

D) Created a sanctuary for migratory birds

👇Find the Answer at the end of the Newletter👇

BEND

Bend's Tree Preservation Efforts: What You Need to Know

In a bid to protect the city's beloved trees, Bend's City Council is considering new rules that would make it harder for property developers to remove them. The proposed regulations, developed by a special committee over six months, recommend protecting certain percentages of trees on private land.

Amid rapid growth in Bend, some developers have been clearing forested lots to make room for new construction. Environmentalists argue that clearer rules are needed to preserve Bend's tree canopy, not just for aesthetic reasons but also to help maintain the city's coolness in summer and snowpack in winter.

If adopted, the recommendations would require developers to inventory and retain a certain percentage of regulated trees on their properties, with options for tree preservation or planting replacements. While some feel the proposed regulations are not stringent enough, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler sees them as a step towards a clearer and more objective code for home builders.

Retaining trees could also benefit the real estate market in Bend, as mature trees are often a selling point for buyers looking for established neighborhoods. Ultimately, the goal is to strike a balance between development and tree preservation, ensuring that Bend remains a nature-filled oasis amidst growth and urbanization.

Committee recommends changes aimed to preserve more trees

Tree Regulation Update

City of Bend to Host Listening Sessions for Transportation Fee

The City of Bend is hosting two Listening Sessions on the Transportation Fee to give the public an opportunity to share its feedback with the City Council. The Listening Sessions will take place on Monday, Feb. 26 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 29 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Both meetings will be hybrid and will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall, 710 NW Wall Street. Meeting information is available on the meetings and events calendar at bendoregon.gov.

The draft code and associated fee schedule are available for public review at bendoregon.gov/transportation-fee.

The funds will be used for operations and maintenance of the City transportation system, including pavement restoration, street preservation, signs, striping, sidewalk and other concrete work, bicycle and multi-modal system enhancements, street sweeping and cleaning, winter operations such as snow removal and implementation of programs identified in the 2020 Transportation System Plan. Funds will be restricted to activities performed by the Transportation and Mobility Department and cannot be used for other City purposes.

The Council is expected to have a work session on March 6 to discuss feedback from the listening sessions and is expected to have a public hearing on March 20. The fee is expected to start appearing on utility bills after July 1.

Learn more about the transportation fee at bendoregon.gov/transportation-fee.

2024 Affordable Housing Fund Recipients Selected

The Bend City Council Wednesday night approved the 2024 Affordable Housing Fund recommendations from the council-appointed Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for three communities, totaling $1.3 million, to support the creation of 98 affordable housing units. 

The projects selected to receive funding this year are:

• Housing Works; for the development of 59 units of affordable multifamily housing in northwest Bend.

• Thistle and Nest; down payment assistance (or other mortgage buy-down assistance) to support 30 families in purchasing town-homes in southeast Bend.

• Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity; for down payment assistance (or other mortgage buy-down assistance) to support nine families in purchasing town-homes in southeast Bend.

The Affordable Housing Fund program started in 2006 as a solution to develop a wide variety of housing throughout Bend. Since its beginning, the Fund has contributed to obtaining or creating over 1,000 affordable housing units. Thanks in part to this fund, 10% of all housing created in Bend last year were affordable.

The Fund collects one-third of one percent of building permit fees submitted to the City of Bend and uses the proceeds to acquire land for deed-restricted affordable housing, develop land, build homes or rehabilitate homes. This Fund seeks to catalyze affordable housing development in Bend, and this year is supporting $31,863,445 in leverage funding from other sources that will directly benefit our economy. Each of the awarded communities have procedures in place to assure that units will remain available only to low-to-moderate income persons in perpetuity.

On May 1, the City Council will decide on recipients for the Community Development Block Grant program funding. The CDBG is a federal funding program that provides assistance for housing and community development activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The City expects approximately $415,000 will be available to distribute to organizations operating in Bend that support community members.

Both the Affordable Housing Fund and Community Development Block Grant programs are guided by the City of Bend Consolidated Plan, a comprehensive housing and community development strategy that was prepared with extensive public involvement. Learn more about the City’s Affordable Housing Program online at bendoregon.gov/affordablehousing.

City Of MADRAS Open House To Discuss Proposed Shopping Cart Regulations

Date: 2/20/2024

Contact: Nicholas Snead, Community Development Director 541-475-2344

The City of Madras is concerned about the impact of shopping carts being removed from premises and misused by individuals, leading to various challenges for our community including the well-being and safety of our community members. We understand that managing shopping carts can pose logistical challenges for local retailers, but it is crucial that we work together to minimize unintended impacts to the community. By keeping shopping carts on premises, we can minimize the risk of them being misused and mitigate the associated problems for our community. These regulations would also entail retailers being fined for non-compliance. Shopping cart management is an issue that affects not only individual businesses but also residents and the overall aesthetics and functionality of our community.

In November of 2023, the City has contacted each retailer and communicated the problem and requested changes to their operations to ensure shopping carts remain on premises. After several months of not seeing significant changes, the City is considering implementing regulations that would mandate businesses to retain their shopping carts on premises. City staff initially raised the issue to the Madras Homeless Advisory Committee at their December 2023 and January 2024 meetings. At the January 22, 2024, Homeless Advisory Committee Meeting the Committee took formal action to make a recommendation to the City Council to approve the proposed shopping cart regulations. The City believes it is crucial that the City provide an opportunity for stakeholders to have the chance to contribute to the conversation before the City Council considers establishing these regulations.

The City of Madras is hosting an Open House at City Hall in the City Council Chambers located at 125 SW “E” Street, Madras, OR 97741 on February 26, 2024, from 2:00-3:30 PM to discuss the proposed shopping cart regulations. The purpose of this gathering is to provide an opportunity for stakeholders, including local business owners, to learn, voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions regarding the proposed regulations. The Open House will include presentations by city staff, as well as opportunities for attendees to ask questions and share their perspectives.

Redmond Police Seek Public’s Assistance in Unsolved Murder Investigation from 2021

REDMOND, OR - On December 30, 2021, twenty-six-year-old Dustin Hilsendager was the victim of a homicide that occurred on SW Canal Blvd near SW Umatilla Ave.   Despite the on-going investigative efforts of both the Redmond Police Department and the Tri-County Major Incident Team (MIT), who were activated to assist in the homicide investigation, no suspects have been identified.  

It has been confirmed that detectives later learned Hilsendager was shot.

The Redmond Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance for any information that may lead to the resolution of this unsolved case, RPD case #2021-33016. If you have information about the case, please contact Sgt. Tyler Kirk at 541-504-3488 or [email protected].   

Navigating the Time Debate: Oregon's Quest for Permanent Standard Time

Efforts to make standard time permanent in Oregon faced a temporary setback in the state Senate recently. The bill, introduced by Sen. Kim Thatcher, fell short of the required 16 votes for approval, with only 15 senators supporting it initially.

In a last-minute effort to garner more support, Thatcher and Sen. Elizabeth Steiner proposed amending the bill to include a trigger clause. This clause specified that Oregon would only switch to standard time if Washington and California also made the change. This compromise aimed to align Oregon's decision with neighboring states.

Thatcher, who had previously advocated for permanent daylight time, emphasized the practicality of moving to standard time, as it does not require congressional approval like daylight time does. The debate in the Senate covered various concerns including religious freedom, public health, interstate commutes, and school start times.

Opposition to the bill came from both Democrats and Republicans, citing concerns about potential time differences with neighboring states and the impact on daily routines. Senators highlighted the importance of considering public health implications, economic development opportunities, and the well-being of students affected by school start times.

While supporters argued for the benefits of adopting year-round standard time, opponents raised valid points about the complexities and consequences of such a change. Ultimately, the decision on whether Oregon will transition to permanent standard time remains a topic of ongoing debate in the state legislature.

This is a synopsis. For the full story

Bend Police announce Community Academy beginning April 2, 2024

The Bend Police Department is pleased to announce it will host its 40^th Community Academy beginning in April. 

Community Academy will take place from April 2 through June 4, with 10 classroom dates and one optional range day on Saturday, May 4. 

The Bend Police Department Community Academy has been recognized as a national and regional model in allowing an inside look at how the Department operates. The goal of the program is to inform and educate participants about the Department and the various ways police officers carry out their mission. Instruction includes classes on narcotics, traffic, CERT, K9s, officer survival and more. The classes are taught by officers chosen according to their specific area of expertise in law enforcement.

The class will meet once a week for 10 consecutive weeks, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday evenings. The Community Academy can accommodate 40 students per session. There is no charge to participate in the Community Academy. Preference is given to those who live in Bend city limits. 

Learn more by visiting the Bend Police website: https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/police/community-resources/get-involved/community-academy. 

To participate, please complete and submit the Community Academy Application online. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on March 29. 

What’s Up Central Oregon

Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Festival, taking place Friday, February 23rd through Sunday February 25th, 2024

Tickets are now on sale for the fifth annual Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Festival, taking place Friday, February 23rd through Sunday February 25th, 2024, benefitting CASA of Central Oregon. Set under the snow dusted pines in the Deschutes National Forest, on the shore of Suttle Lake, The Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Festival is a one-of-a-kind Bavarian-inspired outdoor festival featuring 25+ craft breweries, cozy winter lodge vibes and more.

Each day of the festival from 12pm-5pm, the 6 cabins in Suttle Lodge’s Rustic Village will be transformed into Rifugio Huts in the tradition of backcountry ski culture that Central Oregon is known for, serving new seasonal and limited release craft beers from all around the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Lodge itself will be open for all festival attendees to enjoy as well, with comfy seating and a special food menu from Chef Ariel Dyer. The complete list of participating breweries will be announced in January, but beer fans can prepare to see their favorite local breweries represented, as well as a choice selection of destination-worthy out-of-state brews, like Jester King from Texas, Aslan Brewing from Bellingham, and Pure Project from San Diego. Those looking for a little extra can purchase the festival’s VIP ticket experience, which includes access to a VIP Cabin serving reserve beers and spirits, tasty snacks and more.

Single Day and Weekend Pass tickets are available with GA and VIP options, ranging from $55-$215 per person. Discounted event entry for designated drivers is $10 per day or $25 for the weekend, and kids have free entry, with plenty of hot cocoa and warm apple cider to enjoy. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are also welcome.

A portion of the proceeds from the 2024 Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Festival will be donated to CASA of Central Oregon, a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system. CASA volunteers work within the courts in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel and community resources to ensure that every child in foster care in Central Oregon can transition into a safe and permanent home.

Friday February 23rd

Red Chair Roundup @ Mt Bachelor 8:00AM-3:00PM

Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Festival  23rd,24th,25th 

Bit(e) of Robotics for @ Deschutes Public Library By Camp Fire Central Oregon 3:15-5:15PM

The Lip Sync Smackdown@Open Space Studios 7:00PM-9:00PM

DENM And Little Stranger Silver Moon Brewing 9:00PM

Saturday February 24th

Intro to Trackdays/OMRRA Meet & Greet @ Boneyard Pub 5:00PM

80’s Dance Party @ Bevel Craft Brewing 6:00PM-9:00PM 

Virginia Riggs Children’s Concert & Instrument Petting Zoo @ Bend Senior High School 9:00AM

Winter Formal @ River’s Place 5:00PM-8PM 

Sunday February 25th

Mimosa Fest - Live, Laugh, Mimosa Volcanic Theatre Pub 11AM-3PM

Barrel Brawl 2024 Whiskey Cocktail Competition @ 10 Barrel Brewing East Side 1PM  

Winter Concert by Central Oregon Symphony @ Bend High Auditorium 2:00PM

DC4W Pine Mountain Run By Deshcutes County 4 Wheelers Club 8:30AM-4:00PM

Central Oregon Community College Community Education

Deschutes Public Library Events

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What major impact did the Cove Power Plant have on the lower Crooked River?

A) Increased fish populations

B) Facilitated upstream migration of salmon

C) Blocked upriver migration of spring Chinook Salmon during low streamflow conditions

D) Created a sanctuary for migratory birds

Answer: C) Blocked upriver migration of spring Chinook Salmon during low streamflow conditions

The Cove Power Plant, built around 1910 on the lower Crooked River, had a significant impact by effectively blocking upriver migration of spring Chinook Salmon during low streamflow conditions. This obstruction disrupted the natural migration patterns of these fish species, contributing to the decline in their populations.

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