In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔 Local Trivia ANSWER

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

🛣️ Bend North Corridor Update - New northbound lanes opening soon

🏛️ Redmond Mayoral Race

📰 42,000-square-foot athletic club with pool, food trucks planned for west Bend

💲🛣️ U.S. Highway 26 to get $15M in improvements through Warm Springs area

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

The Long Bend Fire - 60% Containment

Darlene 3 Fire Update

🚧 Road Closures

🔥⛑️ Fire & Rescue News

🚶 Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle in Sisters

🚨👮‍♂️ Crime News

🚨 Armed Suspect in Prineville Domestic Violence Case Leads to Manhunt and Highway Closure Before Surrendering

📰 Community News

📰 Redmond student earns $5,000 scholarship from OnPoint, OSAA

🫴 Camp Sunrise Brings Healing to Grieving Children

🐕 Pet of the Week - Meet Junior! from Silver Linings Rescue Ranch

🫴 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

🎆 Lots of July 4th Happenings

🧑‍🌾🤠🥕🥒🍅HOWDY DO: PRACTICAL LAND MANAGEMENT

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

What was the original name of Madras, Oregon before it was renamed in 1903?

A) The Valley

B) The Basin

C) Cottonwood

D) Creekside

Answer: B) The Basin

Expanded Answer:

Before it was renamed to Madras in 1903, the town was originally known as "The Basin." This name was inspired by the town's location in a circular valley, which resembled a basin. The name "Madras" was later adopted, inspired by the cotton fabric from the Madras region in India. The renaming marked a new chapter in the town's development, aligning it with the trend of naming towns after exotic and far-off places. The change helped to establish a unique identity for the town as it grew and developed into a key agricultural and trade center in Central Oregon.

BEND

LA PINE, OR

Bend North Corridor Update

New northbound lanes opening soon

On Friday June 28, northbound traffic on U.S. 97 will be permanently shifted to the newly built northbound U.S. 97 parkway. With this change, the new northbound Empire Avenue and Cooley Road on-ramps will open, and the southbound onramp at Robal Lane will temporarily close.

Travelers wanting to access the Cascade Village Shopping Center from Empire Avenue will do so from U.S. 20 at the Robal Lane Roundabout until the new southbound U.S. 97 lanes open.

Southbound U.S. 97 traffic will remain on the existing parkway until the new southbound lanes are completed in mid-August. 

Redmond Mayoral Race

The race for mayor of Redmond is heating up with three candidates: incumbent Ed Fitch, city council president Cat Zwicker, and Charles Baer. Fitch, 73, seeks re-election after returning to the mayor's seat in 2022. Zwicker, who joined the council in 2021, emphasizes transparency and affordability. The winner will serve a two-year term, as mayoral terms will extend to four years starting in 2027 due to recent charter changes. Councilor Clifford Evelyn seeks re-election, while two other council seats remain uncontested. The filing deadline is Aug. 27. Candidates must be 18, registered to vote, and reside in Redmond for at least one year.

42,000-square-foot athletic club with pool, food trucks planned for west Bend

A pair of local entrepreneurs have plans to build a two-story, 42,000-square-foot athletic facility with a swimming pool, gym, courts and commercial space on Skyliners Road in west Bend.

Developers plan to submit permit applications for the Skyliner Sports Club to the city by the end of the month, targeting an opening date in spring 2026.

Ideas for a new private athletic facility on Bend’s west side have been in the works for two years. The project is led by John Malfatto, a local entrepreneur and project manager, and Rob McDonald, co-owner of stand-up paddleboard business Stand on Liquid and snow sports consigner Latitude 44 Sports.

The partners envision a state-of-the-art facility combining sports and fitness with a social scene that includes a 3,000-square-foot deck, stylish cafe and bar and food truck lot.

Finding the right place

Developers still need more investors before moving forward, Malfatto said. But the project took a big step when his company, Skyliner Development LLC, closed on a 3-acre property on Skyliners Road, near Crosby Drive, in December. Developers presented the project to the Summit West Neighborhood Association on June 12, a requirement of the city’s pre-application process.

“It just started with seeing the need in Bend for a nice fitness facility, and particularly on the west side,” he said. “We’ve just been looking for the right piece of property.”

“There aren’t a lot of large commercial parcels in Bend, especially at the gateway to the forest. We were very lucky to get this piece of land,” he said.

Malfatto, a former college swimmer and swim instructor at The Athletic Club of Bend, said concepts for the Skyliner Sports Club blossomed around the need for a new swimming pool and more capacity to provide swimming lessons beyond current offerings at the Bend Park & Recreation District’s Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, the pool at Tetherow and The Athletic Club of Bend, where he was giving lessons.

“It just became very apparent that we needed another pool in Bend,” he said.

Other amenities

Along with a lap pool, the facility would include a hot tub and water play area for kids. Malfatto said use of the lap pool will prioritize members of the club, but he also wants to carve out time for youth swim groups or kids who can’t afford a membership.

U.S. Highway 26 to get $15M in improvements through Warm Springs area

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs will receive $15 million in federal funding for safety improvements to U.S. Highway 26, including a new roundabout, shared-use paths and projects to slow down drivers moving through Warm Springs.

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update – Darlene 3 Fire | June 25, 2024

Central Oregon — Central Oregon Fire Management Service firefighters responded to the Darlene 3 Fire (Incident #289) around 12:45 p.m. this afternoon. The fire started approximately one mile southeast of La Pine on the east side of Darlene Way.

The latest fire size estimate is 250 acres and growing with 0% containment. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Responding resources include engines, handcrews, dozers, water tenders, Large Air Tankers, Helicopters, and various overhead.

Firefighters are working in coordination with dozers to establish control lines around the fire. Air resources are assisting crews by dropping retardant to slow fire spread. Firefighters are also using tactical firing operations to remove fuels ahead of the fire to establish control lines in areas where it isn’t safe to engage the fire directly due to fire behavior.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 2 and Level 3 evacuations. A temporary evacuation point has been established at La Pine High School for evacuees needing support. A livestock and small animal shelter has been established at the La Pine Rodeo Grounds with support from the Pet Evacuation Team. For current, official Deschutes County evacuation information, visit: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6f8868c4477e462b8a653a89260268fc.

Prairie Campground, McKay Crossing Campground, Ogden Group Campground, and the Rosland OHV play area and associated trails are also closed. The Prineville District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has also issued an Emergency Public Land Closure. The closure includes all BLM-administered lands within National Forest Road 180 on the south, Highway 97 on the west, Paulina Lake Road on the north, and the Deschutes National Forest Boundary on the east. This closure is effective immediately and will remain in effect until such a time as conditions allow for safe use of the public lands.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Darlene 3 Fire. The governor’s declaration allows the state fire marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire. More information can be found here: https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/OSFM/Posts/Post/darlene-three-conflagration.

For current wildfire information, the public can visit centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on X (Twitter) @CentralORFire

 Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Bear Creek and 27th Street Improvements Project

ONLINE INFORMATIONAL OPEN HOUSE
JUNE 14 - 28, 2024

Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle in Sisters

Sisters, Oregon — A 72-year-old woman from Beaverton was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle while crossing East Cascade Avenue at North Spruce Street in Sisters. The incident occurred on June 24, 2024, at approximately 6:25 p.m.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the woman was crossing the street with her husband, who was carrying an orange pedestrian safety flag. These flags are provided at busy intersections to help pedestrians cross safely.

The pedestrian was hit by a westbound 2015 Dodge Ram Pro Master City van driven by Todd Beckwith, 56, of La Pine. Beckwith reportedly failed to yield to the pedestrian.

Medics from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District quickly responded to the scene and summoned an air ambulance. The injured woman was transported to St. Charles Medical Center with serious injuries.

Beckwith was cited for multiple offenses, including failing to stop or remain stopped for a pedestrian, careless driving, and driving uninsured.

The crash investigation led to a temporary closure of Cascade Avenue for about twenty minutes. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the Black Butte Ranch Police Department during the incident.

The community is reminded to exercise caution and be aware of pedestrian safety measures, especially in busy intersections.

Armed Suspect in Prineville Domestic Violence Case Leads to Manhunt and Highway Closure Before Surrendering

Prineville, OR - A reportedly armed suspect in a domestic violence case in Prineville ran before Crook County sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene Monday afternoon, leading to a manhunt, partial closure of Northwest Madras Highway and his eventual surrender at the Crook County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched around 1:20 p.m. Monday to the reported domestic altercation in the 1300 block of Madras Highway, Sergeant Javier Sanchez said.

Because it was reported that the man identified as Latham Martin, 23 of Prineville had a gun, several officers from Prineville Police, Crook County Parole and Probation and Oregon State Police troopers came to assist, but Martin wasn’t found.

With the help of ODOT and law enforcement, Madras Highway was partially closed for about 2 ½ hours between Gardner Road and Ninth Street “for safety reasons and apprehension efforts,” Sanchez said in a news release.

Martin later agreed to meet with deputies at the sheriff’s office, where was arrested on several charges.

Redmond student earns $5,000 scholarship from OnPoint, OSAA

OnPoint Community Credit Union and the Oregon School Activities Association awarded six graduating seniors scholarships worth up to $10,000.

The awards are part of the 2024 OnPoint Community Credit Union Scholar Program. The program recognizes graduating Scholar Athletes and Activity Scholars from OSAA member schools with two $10,000 scholarships and four $5,000 scholarships.

Among the four winners of the $5,000 scholarship is Jillian Bremont of Redmond High School.

OnPoint received more than 450 applications from 164 OSAA member schools this year.

OnPoint’s Scholar Program honors graduating Oregon high school seniors who have earned a 3.50 or higher unweighted cumulative grade point average and have earned a varsity letter in an OSAA-sanctioned sport or competed in an OSAA-sanctioned activity.

Bremont participated in soccer, basketball, track and field and cheerleading during her time at Redmond High.

According to scholarship organizers, "Bremont uses her passion for sports to serve young members of the local community, coaching youth soccer and basketball teams and volunteering with the Redmond Swim programs and Unified Sports teams on campus."

During the pandemic, Bremont helped with the Redmond Cares program, gathering goods and household items for impacted families. She spendt every morning before school helping at an early childcare program at a local elementary school while also juggling two jobs.

Bremont earned a 4.346 weighted GPA and graduated with 56 college credits.

Camp Sunrise Brings Healing to Grieving Children

Camp Sunrise, hosted by Hospice of Redmond, took place from June 14–16, 2023, at Suttle Lake near Sisters, Oregon. This grief camp is designed for children aged 7-14 who are coping with the loss of parents, siblings, classmates, and even pets. Referred by school counselors, family, and local programs, these children participate in activities such as making "power sticks" and memory boats, group activities like fashion shows, and sharing sessions around the campfire. The symbolic gesture of launching memory boats into the lake helps them process their grief.

Led by counselors and social workers, Camp Sunrise provides a safe and supportive environment. In 2025, the camp will expand to include a 3-day program for children aged 7-12 and a day program for teens aged 13-17. Additionally, Hospice of Redmond offers a free bereavement group for adults twice a month. Donations and volunteer opportunities are available on the Hospice of Redmond website.

Hospice of Redmond, a community-based nonprofit, has been offering this unique camp for 26 years, emphasizing the importance of addressing grief early to prevent long-term emotional issues.

Today’s Pet of the Week comes from Silver Linings Rescue Ranch

Meet Junior!

Meet Junior, the 10-year-old male American Eskimo who is full of love and affection. Junior may have some vision issues, but that doesn't stop him from quickly learning and adapting to his surroundings. He thrives on attention and will greet you with jumps of excitement, although he's working on his "off" command. Junior is great with other dogs once properly introduced, becoming part of the pack in no time. His compatibility with cats is unknown, but he's a hit with kids and thrives in lively households. Give Junior a chance to be a part of your family, and you'll have a loyal companion who will shower you with love and cuddles every day.

All adoptions are $300.

Veterans and senior citizens (62+) receive a $50 discount.

Silver Linings Mission:

Senior dogs end up in shelters, rescues, and surrendered to vet clinics for many reasons. Sadly, because of their age they are often overlooked for a second chance.

But we believe
senior dogs are
pretty great!

Goal One

To rescue senior dogs and place them into temporary homes through our foster network, allowing us to get to know them better.

Goal Two

To adopt senior dogs into new loving forever homes where they can live out their golden years with new families.

Goal Three

To start conversations about planning for pets in case their guardianship needs to change. To help provide information and resources to execute long-term planning and care.

Get Involved

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 ⬇️

Today’s Meme from Wagbend

Events Sponsored By Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon

Lot’s of July 4th Happenings, check out Central Oregon Local Live Events Calendar for all the Details

HOWDY DO: PRACTICAL LAND MANAGEMENT

July 18th

Join your neighbors, School of Ranch and Pine Meadow Ranch and Nate Stacey, Small Farm Agent for OSU Extension, for our first Howdy Do! Share your best ideas, experiences, ask questions, and let the wisdom of the crowd guide you to a more productive future. There's nothing like kicking back with fellow farmers, ranchers and gardeners, swapping ideas, and meeting new friends. Come and share! Pot luck too!

Deschutes Public Library Events

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