In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔 Local Trivia ANSWER

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏫Bend-La Pine Schools hires Paul Dean as new chief operations officer

🏫Debate Ignites Over Tech Use in Bend-La Pine Schools

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

🚧 Road Closures

🧑‍🚒⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🏠🔥 Early Morning Blaze Destroys Historic NW Bend Home; Quick Response Saves Eight Lives

🚨Crime News

🚨💊 Redmond couple arrested on fentanyl trafficking charges in Highway 20 traffic stop

🐶 Pet of the Week

🐶 Meet Cinnabon 💖

😸 Meet Bentely 💖

🫴 Local Cause of the Month

🧒 "Building Brighter Futures: The Inspiring Work of Kids Inspired Non-Profit"

😁 MEME of the Day

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🐎🐂 Crooked River Roundup | Rodeo

🎸🎹🎶Bend’s 4 Peaks Music Festival Announces their 2024 Schedule

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

 What year was Prineville officially incorporated?

A) 1877

B) 1880

C) 1910

D) 1920

Answer: B) 1880

Expanded Answer: Prineville was officially incorporated in 1880, making it the oldest city in Central Oregon. The city was founded three years earlier by Barney Prine.

BEND

PRINEVILLE, OR

Bend-La Pine Schools hires Paul Dean as new chief operations officer

Bend-La Pine Schools has hired Paul Dean as its new Chief Operations Officer, effective July 1. Dean replaces Terry Cashman, who has retired, and will absorb additional executive duties.

The COO oversees Transportation, Facilities and Maintenance, Custodial and Sustainability, Information Technology, and School Safety to ensure the day-to-day operations of the district are efficient in serving the needs of students, staff and the community.

“Paul’s background as a former building leader, coupled with his experience in the operational processes of the district the past four years, provide him a unique perspective that will allow him to be successful in this role right away,” Superintendent Steve Cook said.

“Paul has a knack for developing deep relationships with people. He nurtures and sustains environments where students and staff thrive. He will bring expertise and systems thinking to this role and we look forward to him joining our executive team.”

Dean has worked for the school district for 19 years, most recently as the Human Resources Director of Workforce Relations, a position he has held for three years. Prior to that, he was the district’s Director of Safe and Healthy Schools, where he oversaw efforts to understand and implement the state’s guidance on the COVID pandemic mitigation and transition of students back to in-person learning.

Debate Ignites Over Tech Use in Bend-La Pine Schools

In a rapidly digitizing world, the Bend-La Pine School District finds itself at the center of a heated debate regarding the role of technology in education. The catalyst? A letter signed by 135 healthcare professionals expressing concerns about the overuse of "addictive tech" in classrooms, especially for younger students.

The district, already contemplating significant changes for the upcoming fall semester, faces tough decisions about how to strike the right balance between technological integration and educational effectiveness.

Proposed changes include limiting device use, primarily iPads, for students in kindergarten through second grade. This move aims to address worries about screen time and its impact on young learners' attention spans and cognitive development.

Another proposed change is the removal of access to YouTube content for elementary and middle schoolers. This decision comes amid growing awareness of the potentially harmful effects of unfiltered online content on students' social and emotional well-being.

Additionally, the district is considering implementing a device management system to allow teachers to control which apps students can access during class, a measure intended to focus students on specific learning objectives.

These proposed changes have sparked a broader conversation about the role of technology in modern education. Parents, teachers, and school board members are raising questions about the effectiveness of tech-based learning tools, particularly those with a gamified nature that might distract students from core learning objectives.

Child psychologist Wendy Laakmann, representing concerned healthcare professionals, emphasized the need to revisit the balance between screen-based learning and traditional methods like pen and paper. She highlighted the potentially addictive aspects of technology and urged the district to prioritize student well-being.

Parent and teacher voices have also joined the chorus of concerns. Megan Bowerman, a Bend High English teacher, shared her son's experience of becoming overly engrossed in a math game to the detriment of his learning progress. Others, like Brooke Mues from Well Wired, an advocacy group for healthy tech use, pointed out the challenges of managing device distractions and called for a stronger district-wide policy.

In response to these concerns, school board members and district officials are exploring ways to navigate this complex landscape. Discussions revolve around finding the right balance between leveraging technology for educational benefits while mitigating its potential downsides, such as reduced attention spans and increased risks of cyberbullying.

Ultimately, the debate underscores the need for ongoing dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders to ensure that technology serves as a valuable tool for learning without overshadowing fundamental educational goals. As the district moves forward, it faces the challenge of crafting policies that promote responsible and effective technology use in classrooms.

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Bear Creek and 27th Street Improvements Project

ONLINE INFORMATIONAL OPEN HOUSE
JUNE 14 - 28, 2024

Early Morning Blaze Destroys Historic NW Bend Home; Quick Response Saves Eight Lives

KTVZ

A stubborn, smoldering fire traced to cigarettes disposed of in a combustible container on the front deck destroyed a 104-year-old home in northwest Bend early Tuesday morning, but one resident awakened to the smell of smoke and all eight got out safely, officials said,

Several callers to Deschutes County 911 around 5:20 a.m. reported the structure fire just west of the Bend Parkway and north of the Revere Avenue exit, Bend Fire & Rescue Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said.

The first crews to arrive found the large house on fire in the 1900 block of Northwest Hill Street and began efforts to put it out, Kettering said.

The fire began on the home’s exterior, “burning up the siding and into the attic and void spaces of the structure, resulting in a fire that was both stubborn and challenging to extinguish,” the fire official said in a news release. Crews were on scene until about 9:30 a.m. to fully put out the blaze and will be checking on it periodically through the day, she said.

The 2,600-square-foot home, built in 1920, was formerly a care home, with multiple bedrooms, and had eight adult tenants at the time of the fire. All are now displaced and receiving disaster assistance from the American Red Cross.

Losses are estimated at $400,000 to the structure and $200,000 to contents.

An investigation found that cigarettes improperly discarded into a combustible container on the front deck of the home resulted in a fire that smoldered for several hours, Kettering said.

One tenant reported he thought he smelled smoke around 11:30 p.m., before going to bed, “but dismissed it as drift smoke from a wildfire,” Kettering wrote.

The fire smoldered undetected, consuming the deck area and traveling up the exterior siding into the attic space.

“While the home did have smoke alarms, it does not appear they operated,” Kettering said.

 One of the residents woke up smelling smoke and alerted the other occupants to the fire.  

"This could have been a far different outcome, had one of the tenants not awakened to the smell of smoke," Kettering said.

She noted that in 2022, there were 3,790 U.S. civilian fire deaths and 13,250 injuries due to home structure fires.  

"A smoke alarm can double your chances of surviving a fire, but only if it is working properly," she said. "Smoke alarms are designed to last about 10 years; after that they can start malfunctioning or may quit working altogether."

Bend Fire & Rescue has programs aimed at ensuring that every home has at least one working smoke alarm.  For more information, visit their website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/community-resources-programs/home-consultations

Redmond couple arrested on fentanyl trafficking charges in Highway 20 traffic stop

A Friday night traffic stop on Highway 20 near Black Butte Ranch led to the arrest of a Redmond couple charged with trafficking fentanyl and, with the help of a drug-sniffing K-9, the seizure of fentanyl pills, powder and other drugs, officials said Tuesday.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Redmond Police Department wrapped up a short-term investigation with the arrests of Tamar Dibben and Abigail Bates, both 24, CODE Team Lt. Mike Landolt said.

Drug agents conducted a surveillance operation on Friday that led to the traffic stop by deputies around 8:20 p.m., Landolt said.

Redmond Polie and K-9 Sadie were present for the stop, where Sadie was deployed and alerted to an order indicating the presence of drugs in the pair’s vehicle.

CODE Team detectives applied for and were granted a search warrant for the vehicle and its two occupants, which turned up a large quantity of suspected fentanyl in powder and pill form, along with cash and smaller amounts of methamphetamine and alprazolam, a sedative known by its trade name of Xanax.

Today’s Pets of the Week are from Humane Society of the Ochocos

Meet Cinnabon

CHARACTERISTICS

Friendly, Affectionate, Playful, Couch potato, Loves Kisses

COAT LENGTH

Short

HOUSE-TRAINED

Yes

HEALTH

Vaccinations up to date.

Meet Cinnabon! This sweet girl was brought into the shelter as a stray along with two other dogs and they were never reclaimed by an owner. Our best guess is that she is a Mastiff/Rottie mix of some sort around 4 years old. She has not completed all of her vet work yet, but is available to go into a Foster to Adopt home while she waits on her vet date! We are not sure if she is dog or cat friendly yet but will update once we know. Cinnabon is a very happy girl that absolutely loves snuggles and has a playful side to her as well! If you're interested in meeting Cinnabon, contact the Humane Society of the Ochocos today!

Meet Bentley

CHARACTERISTICS

Friendly, Affectionate, Gentle, Independent, Quiet, Couch Potato

COAT LENGTH

Long

HOUSE-TRAINED

Yes

HEALTH

Vaccinations up to date, spayed / neutered.

GOOD IN A HOME WITH

Dogs.

PREFERS A HOME WITHOUT

Other cats, children.

ADOPTION FEE

$50.00

Meet Bentley

Oh sweet Bentley!
This guy came to us as an owner surrender in pretty rough shape.
He was full of mats and had to be semi shaved down to get him feeling better.
He did so well for his grooming and is looking so good!
Bentley is around 9 years old and needs a nice quiet place to rest his paws.
He does not like other cats, but he doesn't seem to mind mellow dogs.
Come and meet this handsome hunk!

Building Brighter Futures: The Inspiring Work of Kids Inspired Non-Profit

Learn More

Do you have a Local Cause you’d like us to Spotlight? Click the link to submit your information ⬇️

Meme provided by WagBend

Events Sponsored By Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon

Crooked River Roundup | Rodeo

Crooked River Roundup is an innovator in rodeo, bringing something new to fans and contestants every year. CRR has become well known among the contestants competing in roping and steer wrestling events, as they will be running from a lane rather than a traditional roping chute, creating major excitement and high speeds. CRR was one of the first rodeos in the Columbia River Circuit to include women’s breakaway roping. The fun and fresh ideas don’t stop there! During the rodeo performance, hundreds of kids come down from their seats for a chance to win prizes by pulling a ribbon off calves’ tails in the famous calf scramble that has been a staple event since the inception of the Roundup. Along with world-class contestants, CRR welcomes back fan-favorite Young Guns, Unique to Oregon Pro Rodeo, Young Guns showcases the next generation of rodeo competitors from ages six to 18. These contestants will compete alongside world champions during CRR’s PRCA performances held nightly from Thursday through Saturday. CRR is also an NFR Playoff Series rodeo attracting the best of the best among rodeo competitors.  The fun doesn’t stop when the last bull bucks. Free concerts to follow the Friday and Saturday night rodeo performances.

Produced by a dedicated Board of Directors and over 500 volunteers, Prineville’s CRR brings together community members and visitors to witness the athleticism of the nation’s top rodeo stock, cowboys, and cowgirls. Started by local ranchers in 1945 to celebrate the cultural heritage of the “Cowboy Capital of Oregon,” the CRR has evolved into one of the oldest family-friendly events in Oregon and the largest in Crook County. CRR consists of a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo in June and four days of Oregon’s largest parimutuel horse racing in July.

For a full schedule of Roundup Week’s events and Buy Your Tickets visit: www.crookedriverroundup.com

Bend’s 4 Peaks Music Festival Announces their 2024 Schedule

4 Peaks Music Festival brings its musical summer solstice celebration back to Bend for their 16th family-friendly event June 20-23. 4 Peaks proudly announces their daily schedule on two stages from Thursday through Sunday. Each day includes having fun with your friends & family, shopping the vendors, access to reasonably-priced food and drinks. Full weekend passes and single day tickets are on sale now.

Deschutes Public Library Events

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