In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🦅High Desert Museum is Seeking Associate Curator of Living History: Local Job Opportunity

🏗️ Timeline revealed for new north Bend Costco opening

🛍️ Macy’s closing 150 stores over the next three years, but says its Bend River Promenade store will remain open

🚧🏕️Camps Will Remain During China Hat Reconstruction

🚨CRIME NEWS

🚨💵 UPDATE: Public Information Leads to Arrest in Redmond Counterfeit $100 Bills Distribution Investigation

🚨 Credit, debit card skimmer found at 2nd Bend 7-Eleven 🎦

🏛️ GOVERNMENT NEWS

🏛️ 💊Oregon House Passes M110 Reform Package

🚴‍♀️🏛️E-Bike Bill passes Oregon House

😁 MEME of the Day

📅 Lots of Events

What year was Highway 97 established as a state highway in Oregon?

A) 1902

B) 1930

C) 1945

D) 1960

👇Find the Answer at the end of the Newletter👇

BEND

High Desert Museum is Seeking Associate Curator of Living History: Local Job Opportunity

The High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, is hiring an Associate Curator of Living History. This nonprofit museum, established in 1982, focuses on promoting understanding of North America's High Desert region. It does this through indoor and outdoor exhibits, wildlife displays, living history demonstrations, and various programs on its 135-acre campus. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and won the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Services.

The Associate Curator will oversee the 1904 High Desert Ranch and Sawmill and its programs. Duties include supervising interpreters, explaining the site to visitors, demonstrating historical activities, and managing daily operations while dressed in period clothing. The museum provides health benefits, 10.5 paid holidays, a birthday off, three personal days, and two weeks of paid vacation in the first year.

The ideal candidate should be outgoing, enjoy interacting with diverse audiences, and have a passion for sharing history. They should be organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage both long-term planning and daily tasks. Leadership skills are essential, as is the ability to work well with the public, employees, and volunteers.

The museum welcomes applicants with a variety of professional and personal experiences. Anyone passionate about this work and confident in their ability to succeed in this role is encouraged to apply. The museum is an equal opportunity employer.

Candidates should email their resume and cover letter as PDFs to [email protected]. The salary for this full-time position starts at $52,000, depending on experience.

Visit here for more details

Timeline revealed for new north Bend Costco opening

Steele Haugen, Reporter Central Oregon Daily News

A Costco Wholesale representative confirmed with the Boyd Acres Neighborhood Association the new Costco on the north end of Bend is set to open in early August.

"Expect our building to start going vertical on May 4," John Ellingsen, the Director of International Development for Costco Wholesale, said. "So you'll start to see those kind of improvements going in early May. And we're currently on schedule for an end-of-August opening this year."

Ellingsen also confirmed that the 52-acre site, located off Highway 20 between Cooley Road and Robal Lane, is keeping plans for the gas station, car wash, housing and retail buildings, which will go up along with the new Costco building.

"We actually go up in about 110 days and then we have about 20 days of moving inventory into the building and getting ready to open for our membership," Ellingsen said.

In December 2022, the Bend City Council voted in favor of moving forward with what is called the Gateway North development. The key part of the project is Costco, which will include a gas station. The overall project will also include 400 housing units and commercial space for things like restaurants.

Costco says it has no plans to lay off any of its current employees and will put the old building up for sale soon after the opening of the new Costo.

Local Jeremiah Grass, who lives near the current Costco, is looking forward to the change.

"I personally think that it's good for me because I usually don't shop at Costco, so I'm looking for something else that's probably a little bit more fun or something that I can actually go to because that's a lot of space and a lot of traffic for that area," Grass said. "So it'd be nice to just have something a little bit more chill."

Nathaniel Schroeder, who also lives near the current location, is also looking forward to potentially less traffic but knows that surrounding businesses might be affected.

"It will impact businesses here such as Riversplace. Super easy to go on a Sunday after church. Stop by, get some food before you go shopping or if you go to Xcel, at the gym, you want to swing by Costco afterward," Schroeder said. "I mean, it's just convenient for where it's at right now, but it also benefits other businesses that are over on the North end of town."

Construction around the site, including the detours and road closures, should be expected until that opening date in August.

Developers contributed $5 million to the two roundabouts at the new location at Cooley Road and Robal Lane.

Macy’s closing 150 stores over the next three years, but says its Bend River Promenade store will remain open

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Macy’s department store at the Bend River Promenade will remain open and is not one of the 150 “under-performing” stores they will close over the next three years as part of the company’s restructuring, a company representative said Thursday.

Macy’s announced Tuesday it will close 150 unproductive namesake stores over the next three years including 50 by year-end, after posting a fourth-quarter loss and declining sales. The list of planned store closures was not made public.

Here's the statement the company provided to NewsChannel 21:

"Our new strategy is designed to return Macy’s, Inc. to profitable growth and enhance the customer experience. We intend to close approximately 150 Macy’s stores over the next three years. This allows us to focus our investments and resources on Macy’s go-forward locations including full line, furniture and current off-mall locations and Bloomie’s, Bloomingdale’s The Outlet and Bluemercury stores. "

"We look forward to continuing to serve our customers at Macy’s Bend River," the statement concluded.

The post Macy’s closing 150 stores over the next three years, but says its Bend River Promenade store will remain open appeared first on KTVZ .

Camps Will Remain During China Hat Reconstruction

Posted by Heather Roberts KBND

BEND, OR -- Deschutes National Forest officials now say reconstructing three and a half miles of China

Hat Road will not require the relocation of area homeless encampments. Work is expected to stretch from June until October. While the road will close to vehicle traffic between the Forest boundary and Bessie Butte Road during that time, camps will be allowed to remain. Forest Service staff and its partners plan to work with campers in advance, to make sure they aren't cut off.

In the Cabin Butte Project area, ongoing hazardous fuels reduction efforts may force the relocation of camps in that section of forest over the next several years.

Congressman Cliff Bentz met recently with homeowners in the China Hat area and says he wants to evict those camps.

"How in the world do we prompt the Forest Service to do the right thing and have those people removed and moved into places that do exist for them to live in?

Without appropriate leverage, that’s not going to happen. Those people are going to stay there. They’re staying there because they want to stay there. It’s not legal, they shouldn’t be there and the question is: who are we going to get to enforce the law?"

The Oregon Republican says he’s looking for alternative solutions, "Working out some sort of management arrangement with the Forest Service. There’s different levels of co-management or just delegation of management." Bentz adds, "We’re already reaching out to folks in that Forest Service space because somehow, if they’re not going to manage that land appropriately, then we’re going to find someone who can. And we’re going to take care of it."

Bentz tells KBND News, "The Forest Service has not been able to deal with that situation in a way that’s satisfactory to anyone. And the challenge to the neighbors that I met with and tried to address the issue is: How in the world do we manage these two or three or 400 people that are living right across from China Hat Road from people that have houses and homes?"

Weekly Road and Traffic Report for the Week of February 26 - March 3 Bend

Weekly Road Construction Update Week of February 25 to March 2 Deschutes County

UPDATE: Public Information Leads to Arrest in Redmond Counterfeit $100 Bills Distribution Investigation

Redmond, Oregon – Following a public appeal for assistance, the Redmond Police Department (RPD) has made significant progress in their investigation into the distribution of counterfeit $100 bills within the community. The department announced on February 29, 2024, that 32-year-old Redmond resident Andrew Zulim has been arrested and charged in connection with the crimes.

Since January 25, 2024, when the RPD first sought the public's help, multiple tips poured in from vigilant community members. These leads, coupled with thorough investigative work by law enforcement, led to Zulim's apprehension. He has been lodged for the crimes of Theft by Deception, First-Degree Forgery, and Second-Degree Forgery.

The Redmond Police Department expressed gratitude to local media partners for disseminating the request for assistance and to community members for their prompt responses. However, authorities caution that counterfeit bills may still be in circulation. Business owners and operators are urged to remain vigilant when handling currency and to promptly report any incidents involving counterfeit money.

The investigation initially gained traction after reports surfaced of counterfeit $100 bills being passed at various businesses throughout Redmond. In some instances, the counterfeit bills successfully passed initial detection measures during cash transactions. The suspect, in several cases, requested smaller bills or change for the counterfeit $100 bill.

Furthermore, a local bank reported discovering five counterfeit $100 bills within the past two days alone, underscoring the prevalence of the fraudulent currency within the community.

In light of these developments, the Redmond Police Department advises local businesses to utilize resources provided by the U.S. Secret Service, such as the "KnowYourMoney.pdf" guide, which offers valuable insights into identifying counterfeit currency.

Should a counterfeit bill be detected, businesses are instructed to promptly contact the authorities through dispatch at 541-693-6911. Additionally, businesses are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible, including any associated vehicles and physical descriptions of individuals attempting to pass counterfeit currency.

The successful arrest of Andrew Zulim serves as a testament to the effectiveness of community engagement and cooperation in combating criminal activity. The Redmond Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of residents and businesses alike, and will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in fraudulent activities within the community.

OR House Passes M110 Reform Package

Salem, OR - Oregon's House passed a package of bills to reform drug possession and treatment laws with bipartisan support.

HB 4002 creates a new Unclassified Misdemeanor for drug possession, aiming to prioritize treatment over jail time, though concerns remain about its impact on people of color.

A companion spending bill, HB 5204, was approved to fund programs including youth education, drug prevention, workforce training, and support for sobering facilities.

Another bill, HB 4001, advanced to bolster specialty treatment courts, aiming to establish a task force to improve existing programs statewide.

All bills await approval from the Senate and the Governor.

E-Bike Bill passes Oregon House

Salem, OR - Oregon's House passed a revised e-bike bill unanimously. Originally aimed at education and safety measures, it now simply updates e-bike definitions. Named "Trenton’s Law" after a teen's fatal e-bike accident, the bill sets new classifications: Class one requires pedaling, stops at 20 mph; Class two operates without pedaling, also stops at 20 mph; Class three stops at 28 mph. The bill aims to align state law with federal standards but does not address age restrictions for e-bike riders.

What’s Up Central Oregon

PUP CRAWL 2024 in March!

Enjoy local pubs around Bend and support HSCO's programs and services that serve people and animals in our community. Visit 14 local brew pubs with your friends and canine companion(s) and enjoy good vibes throughout March on the weekends.

HSCO’s Pup Crawl includes a logo pint glass and beverage of choice. 100% of the money raised each night benefits the animals thanks to our sponsors Bend Studio, Bend Pet Express and host brew pubs. Purchase during any Pup Crawl night.

• Logo Pint Glass & One Beverage $15

• Logo Glass & 1 Beverage at 3 different Pup Crawl Nights $30

• Logo Beanie hat $20

Enjoy the evening drinking and eating amongst friends, and meet HSCO staff to learn more about what we do and how you can help the animals in our community.

Join us at any or all of the nights. 4:30 to 7:00 pm each night!

Friday March 1st

Tommy Castro And The Painkillers The Belfry Sisters 7:00PM

First Friday At The Distillery - M Theme Oregon Spirit Distillers 5:00PM - 8:00PM

Redmond First Friday Art Walk Downtown Redmond 4:00PM - 7:00PM

Saturday March 2nd

Lightweight Nunofelt Scarf Workshop Pine Meadow Ranch Center 9:00AM - 4:00PM

Wetlands Walk Prineville 9:45AM - 12:00PM

Challenge of Champions Tour Bullriding Crook County Fairgrounds 7:30PM - 9:30PM

Tommy Emmanuel, CGP w/Special Guests Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley Tower Theater 7:30PM 

Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing Bend Brewing Co 11:00AM

Pint Night for Saving Grace by Bend Boarding Babes Spider City Brewing 6:00PM

Senior (HS) Saturday Cornhole Tournament and Vendor Market Blacksmith Public House 11:00PM - 3:00PM 

Sunday March 3rd

Trailblazing Women of Country Tower Theatre 7:30PM

Bill Powers River’s Place 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Central Oregon Community College Community Education

Deschutes Public Library Events

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What year was Highway 97 established as a state highway in Oregon?

A) 1902

B) 1930

C) 1945

D) 1960

Correct answer: B) 1930

Highway 97's origins can be traced back to the early 20th century when automobile travel began to gain prominence. Initially, it was established as a state highway in Oregon in the 1930s.

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