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  • 🏕️🚙 Bentz joins China Hat neighbors in calling for homeless camps in the woods south of Bend to be cleared out

🏕️🚙 Bentz joins China Hat neighbors in calling for homeless camps in the woods south of Bend to be cleared out

Issue #089

06 Mar

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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏕️🚙 Bentz joins China Hat neighbors in calling for homeless camps in the woods south of Bend to be cleared out

🎆🛻🏎️✈️Rumble on the Runway in jeopardy

🐺💲 Sisters Country rancher seeks compensation for wolf depredation

🌿🍺 What are terpenes you ask?

🐕🐕🐕 Pet of the Week - Fosters Needed Alert

😁 MEME of the Day

📅 Lots of Events

 

What is the name of this iconic Inn?

A) Cascade Crest Lodge

B) Pine Peak Inn

C) Deschutes Oasis Resort

D) Pilot Butte Inn

 

👇Find the Answer at the end of the Newletter👇

BEND

Bentz joins China Hat neighbors in calling for homeless camps in the woods south of Bend to be cleared out

By Kelsey McGee

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --  Some residents on the south end of Bend are criticizing the U.S. Forest Service for not removing homeless camps when they work on roads in the China Hat area, and they have a potentially powerful ally on their side: Rep., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore.

Ruth, who lives near China Hat, said Monday, "I don't think that the road construction is going to really affect what's going on out in the forest. There's deep concern regarding the offensive littering issues on China Hat Road."

The Deschutes National Forest is planning to reconstruct about 3 and a half miles of service road 18 this year. Recently, the Forest Service announced that homeless camps would not need to be removed for the work.

Bentz told NewsChannel 21 on Monday, "They don't think they have the authority to remove them, which I, which we disagree with. We think they have the authority, they're just not willing to utilize it. So we're disturbed with the fact that they're not doing something."

He wants the camps removed from Forest Service land - not only during construction, but for good.

"Adjacent to China Road -- that's not set up for people to live by that. I mean, it's not set up for garbage. It's not set up for human waste. It's not set up for fire danger."

Bentz has met with residents during two recent trips to Central Oregon.

On Monday, a neighbor shared her concern but didn't want to be identified.

"Summertime is coming, and fire is a huge concern for this community. Bend should be concerned about the fire."

For now, the plan for the road work, which will run from June to October, includes the closure of Forest Road 18, also known as China Hat Road.

The Forest Service and its partners plan to notify people in the camps, since it will impact access. Over the next several years, the U.S. Forest Service will relocate camps for prescribed burns in the Cabin Butte project area.

Bentz said, "I really appreciate the opportunity to ask people to weigh in at at our email address at Bentz.house.gov and share with us about what they think we should do to try to fix the situation."

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Rumble on the Runway in jeopardy

Sisters, OR - The annual July 4th fly-in, car show, and drag-racing event at Sisters Eagle Airport, known as Rumble On The Runway, is in danger of disappearing from the Sisters event scene, a victim of its own success.

Airport co-owner, Julie Benson, told The Nugget "that the cost to insure the one-day event has risen by 500 percent and there are simply not enough of us to staff the event. We need many more volunteers."

In 2021 the event attracted about 1,500 people. That grew to around 2,000 to 2,500 in 2022, and last summer close to 4,000 (some say 5,000) packed the affair.

"It is no longer a locals-only event," Benson said. "Hundreds come from the Valley and as far as Madras, Prineville, and La Pine." Some of the fly-in planes come from Washington, Idaho, California, and Nevada."

That sounds like good news to local merchants and town promoters, but the sheer number is overwhelming Benson and her husband, Benny. Parking is a major issue, and there has been no traffic-control support from the Sheriff's Office or help from the City.

On Friday, when The Nugget told Mayor Michael Preedin of the possibility that the event cannot continue, he immediately reacted to the potential loss of the iconic event, one particularly loved by families.

"The community needs to come together to make sure this continues. This is too important for Sisters. And besides, it's a whole lot of fun," he said.

Preedin couldn't commit to anything concrete the City could do beyond "amplify the call for community support." He thought the event would be eligible for a Community Grant, a pool of money the City distributes every year to organizations vital in their mission of service benefiting Sisters.

"It's too late for this year, but I'd feel confident that they'd qualify and likely be awarded some support going forward," Preedin said.

Rotary Club of Sisters has long been a supporter of the event, manning the pancake and sausage breakfast that opens the day-long event. Rotary provides the labor and the Airport the ingredients and supplies. Profits from the breakfast go to the aviation and flight science program at Sisters High School.

Rotary President Bill Kelly said, "I have no doubt that we can solve the volunteer issue and we may even be able to help with the insurance cost. We'd probably be willing to become sole sponsors for the event and relieve the Bensons of the arduous job of putting it on."

Kelly, like Preedin, believes the community would step up in any number of ways. He's going to seek support from the new Downtown Sisters Business Association, who are keen on interactive promotions.

Word of the possible end of the event has spread on social media with residents somewhat stunned.

"This can't be true," lamented Phil Dalton, who brings no fewer than 15 extended family members every year.

"No way this happens," insisted Chloe Willis, whose grandkids come every year from Klamath Falls for the day.

The Bensons are taking a few days to examine all the options. Meanwhile Kelly is holding talks with community leaders to formulate an action plan.

Area of Known Wolf Activity

Sisters Country rancher seeks compensation for wolf depredation

Long Hollow Ranch sits on 12,000 acres across two counties. Its main entrance is on Holmes Road in the heart of Sisters Country. The most visible part of the operation is its wedding and event venue but behind the bucolic setting are cows. Hundreds of them. The ranch also sits on an AKWA (Area of Known Wolf Activity).

Long Hollow is claiming the loss of seven cows to wolves beginning in February of 2023 with the most recent loss last year between May and July when two calves went missing. One of the five (four in the Deschutes County claim) on February 28, 2023, was an 800-pound dairy heifer. All the others were in the range of 350 to 600 pounds.

Ashanti Samuels, Long Hollow owner, did not wish to speak on the record.

On July 19, 2022, a new AKWA was designated in the Upper Deschutes wildlife management unit. Since August of 2021, there have been public reports of wolf activity in this area and one wolf was counted in the 2021 annual count. Remote camera photographs of an adult wolf with pups taken in July 2022 established that wolves have become resident in this area, prompting the designation of this AKWA.

In April of last year, six wolves were counted in the Upper Deschutes pack during the winter count. The pack produced at least two pups that survived until the end of the year and was recorded as including a breeding pair. This pack is far south of Sisters Country.

This AKWA and these wolves are not to be confused with the Metolius AKWA or the Warm Springs AKWA, each with two documented wolves, both presumed, but not confirmed, to be breeding pairs. These packs are generally thought to remain within their boundaries but wolves can often cover 30 miles in a day.

Long Hollow has two confirmed kills, one on the Deschutes side of their land and the other on the Jefferson County side. Confirmed depredation means an ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) biologist has inspected the loss and certified it.

Aaron Bott, ODFW wolf biologist, explained to The Nugget how a claim can be made for more livestock lost than certified. "Under Oregon Department of Agriculture rules, if losses occur on a farm or ranch inside an AKWA, then other methods can be used to determine loss. If the loss is outside an AKWA then the state biologist has to certify the loss to receive compensation."

Compensation also requires a full-fledged, functioning county Wolf Compensation Committee, which Deschutes County established last June. Various stakeholders are required under Oregon law to comprise the committee.

Sisters Country is well represented on the committee. Owners or managers of livestock members are Ethan O'Brien, co-owner North 44 Farm LLC, and Johnny Leason, owner Pineridge Ranch Hay & Cattle LLC on Goodrich Road.

Supporters of Wolf Conservation and Coexistence with Wolves members are Sarahlee Lawrence, owner and operator of Rainshadow Organics, also on Holmes Road, and Donna Harris, Core Member of Sisters-based Wolf Welcome Committee. Phil Chang is the designated County Commissioner assigned to the committee.

Long Hollow's claim to the Committee is $10,743. Being that all but one of the losses was not certified by ODFW, their application for relief included all the supporting mitigation measures the ranch had taken which included removal of attractants, installation of cameras, barriers, and range riders.

The County in turn has rolled that into a grant application to the state Agriculture Department for $77,000. The additional funding includes $45,000 for Long Hollow to cover one tower for invisible fencing, a one year lease on livestock collars, and a seasonal range rider for 200 days at four hours a day.

The grant also seeks $5,000 for education and outreach and $20,000 for preventative measures to be distributed to ranchers and livestock owners as requested in the upcoming calendar year.

Weekly Road & Traffic Report Week of March 2nd - March 8th Redmond

Weekly Road Construction Update Week of March 3 to March 9 Deschutes County

 

What are terpenes you ask?

Terpenes are naturally occurring compounds found in various plants, including hops and cannabis. They're responsible for the distinct aroma and flavor profiles of these plants, and extracted to increase the sensory attributes of the brew. The result is a wide spectrum of flavors and aromas bigger than anything you've seen before!

FOSTERS NEEDED

We may have overcommitted a bit (🫣🫣) as we currently don’t have enough space for 27 dogs at our facility but we couldn’t turn them away. This shelter in Tulare, CA reached out asking for help because they had over 120 dogs in their care and were MAXED out on space. The shelter overpopulation crisis in California is still out of control and even though we also don’t have the space, what we do have is a dog loving community that always steps up for the underdogs. And today, we’re asking again for your help 🙏

Here is a sneak peak at some of the dogs that will be arriving today. This bunch is full of sweet and loving pups of all ages and sizes who would love to crash with you while they wait for their forever homes.

PLEASE. We can’t exist as a rescue without our fosters and by opening your heart and home for a dog in need, you’re literally saving a life.

How many times in your life do you get to do something as rewarding as saving a life, without even leaving your home? It’s a win-win!

As always, we will provide you with all of the supplies you need - food, crate, toys, leash, support, etc.

If you are already an approved foster, please email us directly at [email protected]. Or if you haven’t fostered with us before, then just fill out the foster application on our website: https://rb.gy/44oszl

Let’s do this, you guys! If you’d like to adopt or foster-to-adopt any of the cuties shown here, please email us at [email protected]

Puppy Fosters Needed

 

 

Upcoming Events

What’s Up Central Oregon

Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show

MARCH 7 – 10, 2024

Thur – Fri: 12noon – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 8pm
Sunday: 10am – 4pm

Wednesday March 6th

Thursday March 7th

Friday March 8th

Saturday March 9th

Sunday March 10th

Monday March 11th

Martial Arts Mondays  Tin Pan Theater @ 869 Northwest Tin Pan Alley 6:00PM - 8:30PM

Tuesday March 12th

The Thing @ Volcanic Theatre Pub 7:00PM - 11:30PM

Trivia Night @  Mountain Burger 7:30PM - 9:30PM

Tequila & TacoTuesday @ Bar Rio 3:00PM - 10:00PM

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.

Got an upcoming event you want us to share?

Please visit this Week’s Sponsors & Partners ⬇️

 

What is the name of this Iconic Inn?

A) Cascade Crest Lodge

B) Pine Peak Inn

C) Deschutes Oasis Resort

D) Pilot Butte Inn

Answer: D) Pilot Butte Inn

Built in 1917, this Swiss chalet-style hotel was a symbol of community pride and a centerpiece of downtown Bend. Constructed with local materials and featuring sixty guest rooms, the inn quickly became a destination for travelers and a hub of social activity for locals.

However, by the 1960s, the hotel began to decline under changing ownership, eventually leading to its demolition in 1973, despite efforts to preserve it. Today, the site is occupied by a bank, burrito joint, and bakery.

Although the inn is gone, a piece of its legacy lives on in the form of its iconic stone fireplace, which was carefully preserved and now stands in the foyer of the Athletic Club of Bend. This serves as a reminder of the rich history and community spirit embodied by the Pilot Butte Inn.

 

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