In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏎️🚨Redmond Police Department Leverage Grants to Increase Traffic Enforcement as Part of Speed Awareness Month

🚨 Man experiencing mental health crisis prompts lockdown of several businesses in Forum Shopping Center

🛣️ NW Lower Bridge Way and NW 43rd Street proposals

🧑‍⚖️Bend businessman can proceed with lawsuit claiming ex-wife breached contract by ‘disparaging’ him

📰🎦Juniper Canyon Living investigation: Looking into ownership and residents' rights - KTVZ

✈️💥 Small plane hits wire atop BPA transmission line, crashes near Deer Ridge state prison SE of Madras

🔥⛑️ Fire & Rescue News

🔥Early Morning Fire Downtown Bend

⛑️💥Two students at Phagan’s Beauty College in Bend struck, injured in NE 27th Street crosswalk; driver cited

📰 Regional News

🧒💊 Oregon Research Shows Spike In Pediatric Fentanyl Exposure

📰 Community News

🍀💰 A LUCKY lottery player took home $100,000 while waiting for his wife to finish getting her nails done

😁 MEME of the Day

📅 Lots of Events

What is the origin of the name "Paulina Lake," a notable body of water in Central Oregon?

A) Named after a Spanish explorer who discovered it

B) Named after a Native American Chief

C) Named after an early settler in the region

D) Named after a famous environmentalist activist

👇Find the Answer at the end of the Newletter👇

BEND

Redmond Police Department Leverage Grants to Increase Traffic Enforcement as Part of Speed Awareness Month

REDMOND, OR - March is Speed Awareness Month in Oregon, and the Redmond Police Department has secured grant funding to boost patrols intended to discourage speeding, and reduce the likelihood of vehicular crashes, on Redmond’s roads.  

Speeding endangers everyone.  In 2021, speeding killed 12,330 people in the United States.  Speed limits are put in place to protect all road users. Other speed related factors to consider include:  

• A greater potential for loss of control of your car.  

• Reduced effectiveness of brakes, seat belts and air bags.  

• Increased stopping distance.  

• More severe crashes, which can lead to serious injury or death.  

• The economic impact of a crash and loss of your car or work time.  

• Increased fuel consumption.  

Speed Awareness Month aims to remind drivers that they risk more than a ticket when they speed. 

Man experiencing mental health crisis prompts lockdown of several businesses in Forum Shopping Center

At approximately 1:07 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, Bend Police responded to a man who reported that he was experiencing a mental health crisis and that he had a gun. He was an employee working in a business in the Forum Shopping Center in NE Bend. 

Bend Police negotiators were able to talk to the man by phone and convince him to step away from his firearm, exit his place of business and make contact with officers, who transported him to the Deschutes County Stabilization Center without incident or injury. The man committed no crimes during the incident.

Several area businesses were locked down during the incident out of an abundance of caution. Bend Fire medics staged in the area, and there was a large police presence throughout the incident. 

NW Lower Bridge Way and NW 43rd Street proposals

The Deschutes County Road Department wants to hear from the public on design concepts to improve traffic flow and safety at NW Lower Bridge Way and NW 43rd Street near Crooked River Ranch. One of the options under consideration is a roundabout.

In a release, the county said improvements at the intersection are designated as a high-priority project in its Transportation System Plan.

The proposed intersection improvement concepts focus on improving traffic flow into and out of Crooked River Ranch and improving safety for cyclists, the county said.

The three design concepts include a roundabout, a re-alignment of NW 43rd Street and a right-turn lane enhancement to support road users turning right onto NW 43rd Street.

There is a virtual open house through April 19 where people can learn more about the three proposals and provide comments. The open house can be found at this link.

Bend businessman can proceed with lawsuit claiming ex-wife breached contract by ‘disparaging’ him

The Oregon Court of Appeals overturned a Deschutes County judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit filed by businessman Peter Lowes against his ex-wife, Amy Thompson. Lowes sued Thompson for breach of contract, alleging she violated a non-disparagement clause by making derogatory statements about him, including accusations of assault. Despite Thompson's argument that Oregon's anti-Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation law protected her, the Appeals Court ruled in Lowes' favor, reopening the case. The lawsuit also involves Oregon Public Broadcasting, but Lowes dropped his claims against them. The Appeals Court's decision nullifies the attorney fees previously ordered to be paid by Lowes and Thompson. The case revolves around allegations made by Thompson in various public forums, including an email sent to Lowes' business associates, damaging his reputation.

Full story here

Small plane hits wire atop BPA transmission line, crashes near Deer Ridge state prison SE of Madras

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A small plane apparently struck a wire atop a 500-kilovolt Bonneville Power Administration transmission line and crashed south of the Deer Ridge state prison southeast of Madras on Sunday afternoon, Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock and BPA officials said.

Frontier Regional 911 dispatchers received the report of a plane crash around 7:40 p.m. and first responders including Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies, Fire & EMS and Madras Police were immediately dispatched. They were still working just before 9 p.m. to reach the reported crash site, dispatchers said, and there was no word regarding the number of occupants or their status.

“A small plane crashed into some power lines south of the prison. We haven’t reached the crash scene yet,” Pollock told NewsChannel 21 just before 8:30 p.m. There was no official confirmation by 10 p.m. regarding those aboard.

The transmission line outage began shortly after 3 p.m., BPA Media Relations Specialist Kevin Wingert said. A few minutes later, after the line “tested bad and would not reclose,” BPA scrambled a crew to patrol the line, find the source of the outage and repair it, if possible. Around 6 p.m., the crew located a downed “static wire” southeast of Madras and began assessing what material might be needed for repairs, Wingert said.

Wingert explained that static wires run from one the top of one transmission tower to another, to protect transmission lines from potential lightning strikes, but they don’t carry any power themselves.

“The static wire, when cut, fell into our transmission lines, resulting in the actual outage,” Wingert said. Once the problem was found, repair work was tentatively scheduled for Monday morning, since the power had been rerouted and the outage was not affecting customers directly.

Around 7:30 p.m., as the BPA crew left the area, “they discovered what appeared to be a downed aircraft that apparently had struck the static wire,” the BPA representative said. “Our crew immediately contacted emergency services and backed out of the area to allow emergency responders to do their work.”

The transmission line outage did not lead to any customer outages, Wingert said. The BPA line segment runs between the John Day Dam and the Grizzly Substation, south-southeast of Madras. “Our electric grid is pretty robust, and we’ve been able to reroute power without impacts on our utilities whom we provide service,” he explained.

Winds at the Madras Municipal Airport were gusting to 30-40 mph out of the south-southwest for much of the afternoon.

The post Small plane hits wire atop BPA transmission line, crashes near Deer Ridge state prison SE of Madras first appeared on KTVZ

Weekly Road and Traffic Report for the Week of March 11th - 17th Bend

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

Weekly Road Construction Update Week of March 10th to March 16th Deschutes County

Early Morning Fire Downtown Bend

Bend Fire Department responded to a report of a building on fire in downtown Bend early Sunday morning. Bend Police officers reported a fire at 221 NW Lafayette Ave at 03:30am. Fire crews arrived to find the fire in the attic of the nearly 90-year structure. The flames were fanned by 30+ mph winds but crews were able to stop the fire before spreading to a near by church.

The building is owned by Deschutes County. The house was originally built in 1935 and turned into law offices in the late 1990’s. The building is vacant currently. The damage is estimated at $100,000. The building was not equipped with fire sprinklers or alarms. 

Fire investigators have determined the fire started on the exterior of the building and spread to the attic. The winds sped up the spread of the flames. The fire is human caused and the investigation is ongoing. The fire originated from an area where someone was hanging out, most likely out of the wind and cold, on the exterior of the building. DCSO has jurisdiction for county owned buildings in downtown and continuing the investigation. If you have any information directly related to this incident, you are asked to contact Deschutes County Sheriff dispatch at 541-693-6911. 

Two students at Phagan’s Beauty College in Bend struck, injured in NE 27th Street crosswalk; driver cited

March 8th, 2024

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Two women attending Phagan’s Central Oregon Beauty College in northeast Bend were struck and injured in a 27 ^th Street crosswalk Friday morning and were taken by ambulance to St. Charles Bend, police and school officials said. The driver remained on scene and was cited.

The vehicle-pedestrian crash was reported shortly before 10 a.m. on 27 ^th Street at Medical Center Drive and closed the northbound lanes of 27 ^th Street for a time.

One of the women sustained minor injuries, while the other was still being treated at the hospital later Friday morning, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said. She did not have information on her condition.

The two pedestrians were in a crosswalk, Miller said. The driver, who stayed at the scene, was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Other students witnessed the collision Friday morning. Debbie Patrick, Phagan’s Bend Campus director, said staff were working to make sure to care for the students’ well-being.

“We did keep our school open,” she said. “If they wanted to stay and have school today, they were welcome to do that,” but were excused if they preferred to go home for the day.

Patrick could not comment further about the incident, citing privacy laws. But in general, she said, “People do need to just slow down and give everybody just a little of time” and space to safely cross the street.

The post Two students at Phagan’s Beauty College in Bend struck, injured in NE 27th Street crosswalk; driver cited appeared first on KTVZ .

Oregon Research Shows Spike In Pediatric Fentanyl Exposure

Posted Friday Afternoon by Heather Roberts, OR Radio News Network

PORTLAND, OR -- Oregon researchers say young children are getting treated for exposure to fentanyl at an alarming rate. OHSU’s Oregon Poison Center saw 16 cases of fentanyl exposure in kids under age six in 2023. In 2021, the number was just two and in 2020 there were zero.

Poison Center Director Dr. Robert Hendrickson studied the data going back to 2016 and says it mirrors a national trend, "I think this is related to fentanyl being available to the community. We didn’t see pediatric fentanyl cases until fentanyl was introduced in the illicit drug market." In Oregon, 93% of pediatric exposures to illicit fentanyl occurred in the child’s home. 

While fentanyl is extremely dangerous for adults, he says it’s even more deadly for children, "A child who ingests 3,000 or 4,000 micrograms of fentanyl is 50 times the dose they should get, which is different from most other people." The effects of fentanyl exposure on kids include loss of consciousness, stopping breathing and brain injury. Dr. Hendrickson says anyone using fentanyl or other opioids should have a Naloxone kit, "I would not hesitate for a second to give the exact same dose to a child that you’re giving an adult or to use an adult Naloxone kit."

Dr. Hendrickson urges parents to lock up medicine, drugs and other poisonous substances.

A LUCKY lottery player took home $100,000 while waiting for his wife to finish getting her nails done

Bobby P. from Bend, Oregon told lottery officials that he decided to stop into his local Fred Meyer store and bought a few scratch-offs.

The Oregon Lottery said that Bobby chose the Triple Diamond Payout due to its “shining diamonds.”

Bobby purchased a few and scratched the tickets while waiting for his wife Noelle in the car.

It wasn’t until his last ticket that he scratched the top prize of $100,000.

However, that’s not the first time the couple won big playing the Oregon Lottery.

Back in September 2023, Bobby and Noelle won $50,000.

“You’re not going to believe it, we’ve won again,” Bobby told Noelle.

What’s Up Central Oregon

March Madness

March Madness is an annual fundraiser for Stroke Awareness Oregon. It's also great fun for college basketball fans and there are prizes. Proceeds support our work educating about the causes and prevention of stroke and supporting stroke survivors and their families in their best possible life. Stroke is a brain attack and affects anyone of any age, race or social standing. It is the 4th leading cause of death in Oregon. One in 5 people will suffer a stroke.

Welcome to Stroke Awareness Oregon's March Madness Fundraiser!

Register by March 17th!

$10 Suggested Donation

$30 Total For Second Entry

Once your donation is complete, you will receive an email with further directions and the bracket link. 

Monday March 11th

Bingo at Village Bar & Grill @ Village Bar & Grill 6:30PM

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

March Free Full Worm Moon Snowshoe @ Bend Social Co 6:30PM

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

Wednesday March 13th

Encounters with Modernity @ Central Oregon Community College 5:30PM - 7:00PM

Paint And Sip At Bevel Craft Brewing @ Bevel Craft Brewing 6:30PM - 8:30PM

Matt Walden  @ McMenamins Old St. Francis School Father Luke’s Room 6:00PM - 9:00PM

REEL ROCK 18 @ Tower Theatre 7:30PM

Family Night - Dinner & Ministry @ First Assembly of God 6:00PM - 9:00PM

Thursday March 14th

Agathe Christie's Go Back For Murder @ Cascades Theatrical Co 7:30PM

Live Solo Saxophone With Carson Hackbart  @The Lot 

Trio  @ Beach Hut Deli 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Brad Parsons @  Silver Moon Brewing 7:00PM

Live Music w/Shine - Mark Creech - @  Stoller Wine Bar 6:00PM - 8:00PM

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Dance Larkspur Community Center 6:00PM -9:00PM

Friday March 15th

Know Coast: Watercolor The Oregon Coast @SHARC - Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center 1:00PM - 2:30PM

Street Dog Hero’s 2nd Annual Founder’s Gala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 6:00PM - 9:00PM 

Live at the Vineyard: Mango Stew Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards 5:00PM - 8:00PM

An Irish Rambling House @  Tower Theatre 7:30PM - 10:00PM

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend @  Boneyard Pub Bend Fire Pipes & Drums & Yeates Academy of Irish Dance

Open Horse Show Crook County Fairgrounds Friday - Sunday 5:00PM

Saturday March 16th

Ski For All @  Mount Bachelor 8:00PM - 8:00PM

John Craig Memorial Ski Race and Tour By Oregon Nordic Club @  Sisters 9:00AM - 3:30PM

Leprechaun Trap Crafting Extravaganza @  Paper Place 12:00PM - 2:00PM

Billy and The Box Kid & Jack Rat @  Silver Moon Brewing 7:00PM

St. Patrick’s Day Dance Party w/Precious Byrd & Sisters Meat and Smokehouse @ Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards 6:00PM

 St Patrick’s Day Party @  Boss Rambler Beer Club 4:00PM - 9:00PM

Bend Fire Pipes & Drums St Paddy’s Day 2024 Pub Crawl @Downtown Bend Sat & Sun 4:00PM - 9:30PM

St Patty’s Day Dash & Post Dash Bash!  @ Old Mill District 12:00PM - 5:00PM

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.

Central Oregon Community College Community Education

Deschutes Public Library Events

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What is the origin of the name "Paulina Lake," a notable body of water in Central Oregon?

A) Named after a Spanish explorer who discovered it

B) Named after a Native American Cheif

C) Named after an early settler in the region

D) Named after a famous environmentalist activist

Correct Answer: B) Named after a Native American Chief

Paulina Lake is named after a Paiute Indian Chief, Chief Paulina (Pahninee), Chief of the Snake Indians. The lake is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Central Oregon.

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