In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔 Local Trivia - Deschutes River

🌄 Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🍔🎶🖼️🛍️ Bend Summer Fest

🎶Ozomatli with special guest The Rumpeppers

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📰 Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰Two Safeways in Bend, one in Redmond to be sold to C&S if challenged Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through

🌲🌲Heart of Oregon Youth Conservation Corps Returns for Summer Projects

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

📰Firefighters and local resources respond to Larch Creek Fire in Wasco County

📰Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update – July 9, 2024 | McCaffery Fire

Social Media Posts

🚧 Road Closures

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

💥Fatal Crash on Highway 26 in Jefferson County

🔥🔥Jefferson County Fire crews battle two house fires, along with three brush fires believed sparked by passing train

🚨 Crime News

📰Sunriver Police Department requesting public assistance in animal abuse case

📰 Community News

🦦Think Wild Rehabilitates Orphaned River Otter Pups

🫴💖 Local Cause Spotlight

🐶😺Changing Lives, One Paw at a Time: Humane Society of the Ochocos

🐶Pet of the Week - Meet Bowser 💖

😁 MEME of the Day

What is the total length of the Deschutes River? 

A) 156 miles
B) 208 miles
C) 252 miles
D) 323 miles

Answer: C) 252 miles
Expanded Answer: The Deschutes River is approximately 252 miles long. It flows from Little Lava Lake in the Cascade Mountains, through Central Oregon, and into the Columbia River.

BEND

SISTERS

Events Sponsored By Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon

July 12th, 13th & 14th

The Bend Summer Festival is Central Oregon's longest running arts and crafts festival, celebrating over 30 years of showcasing arts and crafts in Bend. This is a lively festival that enjoys a strong regional audience as well as tourist attendance throughout the weekend. It spans seven city blocks in Downtown Bend with the Fine Arts Promenade placed in the heart of the event. The annual festival also includes music stages, the Oregon Lifestyle Area, a Family Fun Zone, and the Bend Business Showcase area dedicated to resourceful living.

Munch & Music

Thursday July 11th

Ozomatli with special guest The Rumpeppers

Summit Health & PacificSource Munch & Music FREE concert series in Drake Park presented by The Source Weekly and Hayden Homes will be celebrating its 33rd season! The weekly series provides the community of Central Oregon with free live music, outstanding food vendors at Restaurant Row, family fun in the Kids Zone, local vendors down Artisan Row, and beer, wine, and spirits. Music starts at 5:30pm on the Boss Mortgage stage and ends around 9pm.

Two Safeways in Bend, one in Redmond to be sold to C&S if challenged Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two Bend Safeway stores and one in Redmond are among the 186 Oregon and Washington grocery stores that would be sold off if Kroger and Albertsons are allowed to merge, a 2022 proposal that the Federal Trade Commission and nine states, including Oregon, have filed suit to block.

Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC, released a document Tuesday (see in full below) that lists the more than 500 stores, distribution centers and plants Kroger would sell to C&S Wholesale Grocers in an effort to resolve antitrust concerns about a loss of competition if the $24.6 billion merger goes through.

It includes the Safeway (formerly Albertson’s ) at 61555 South Highway 97 in Bend, the East Bend location at 2650 NE Highway 20 and the Redmond Safeway at 1705 S. Highway 97.

The list shows Kroger and Albertsons plan to sell off 62 stores in Oregon, 124 in Washington and 10 in Idaho to C&S. It's not yet clear what branding they would have, though C&S currently operates Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly supermarkets.

A federal lawsuit is set for trial Aug. 26 in Portland after the FTC and nine states sued to block the merger, saying it would reduce competition and give the merged chain too much control over prices and wages, The Oregonian/Oregon Live reported .

Kroger-planned-store-divestitures Download

Heart of Oregon Youth Conservation Corps Returns for Summer Projects

The Heart of Oregon Youth Conservation Corps is back in action for the summer, bringing 16 enthusiastic crews to tackle a variety of important projects. These young conservationists are working across the U.S. Forest Service lands, including the Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland, and Deschutes National Forest.

Their projects range from restoration efforts to facility maintenance and recycling initiatives. The return of these dedicated crews marks a significant boost to the conservation and upkeep of these beautiful natural areas. The Heart of Oregon Youth Conservation Corps continues to play a crucial role in preserving the environment and promoting sustainability in Central Oregon.

Firefighters and local resources respond to Larch Creek Fire in Wasco County

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update – July 9, 2024 | McCaffery Fire

Central Oregon — Yesterday firefighters on the McCaffery Fire east of Redmond spent the day cooling hot spots and securing the perimeter of the incident. The McCaffery Fire remains 458 acres and is now 75% contained.

Hot and dry conditions continue today as firefighters engage in mop-up operations and secure the fire’s edges. Two Type 1 helicopters remain available to assist firefighters on the ground in cooling hot spots. Resources assigned to the McCaffery Fire include 17 engines, 3 Type 2 initial attack crews, 1 Type 2 crew, 4 water tenders, 2 skidgeons, 1 dozer and overhead resources.

If conditions remain favorable and firefighters continue to make progress in securing containment lines today, management of the McCaffery Fire will transition from the Central Oregon Type 3 Incident Management Team to a local Type 4 incident commander tomorrow morning. Several resources will remain on the incident following the transition to ensure the fire stays within its current footprint.

The fire is burning on Prineville District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and on Sunday, July 7, the BLM put a temporary area closure in place for the safety of the public and the firefighters working to contain the McCaffery Fire. To read the closure order in its entirety, visit: Prineville District BLM Temporary Area Closure.

This morning at 8:30 a.m., Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office lowered the evacuation notice for the areas on Sunny Sage Road off of McCaffery Road to a Level 1 “Be Ready”. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office reduced the evacuation level for the area of west Powell Butte Estates and the area to the south of Powell Butte Highway in Crook County to a Level 1 “Be Ready”. Stay up to date on Crook County Emergency Alerts by visiting: alertcrookcounty.org/ To sign-up for Deschutes County Emergency Alerts visit: deschutes.org/911/page/sign-deschutes-alerts.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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

Social Media Posts:

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Fatal Crash on Highway 26 in Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Ore. – July 6, 2024 – A tragic two-vehicle collision on Highway 26 at the intersection with Northwest Columbia Drive resulted in the death of an elderly Madras resident on Saturday morning.

At approximately 9:11 a.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to the crash. Preliminary investigations revealed that Robert Carroll Towler, 88, of Madras, was driving a Ford Escape southbound on Northwest Columbia Drive. As he attempted to turn right onto westbound Highway 26, his vehicle entered the path of a westbound GMC Sierra driven by Donald Michael Stucky, 59, of West Linn.

The GMC Sierra struck the driver's side door of the Ford Escape, causing severe damage. Towler was declared deceased at the scene by emergency responders.

Donald Stucky, the driver of the GMC Sierra, was not injured in the crash. However, two passengers in the GMC, Nesja Geneva Stucky, 57, and Maia Cathlyne Stucky, 22, sustained reportedly minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Another passenger, Gavin Lee Pilant, 21, of Beaverton, was not injured.

The crash caused significant disruption to traffic on Highway 26, with the highway closed for approximately 3.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. Authorities believe that the cause of the crash was Towler's failure to yield the right of way when entering the highway.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Madras Fire, and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

The investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash is ongoing.

Jefferson County Fire crews battle two house fires, along with three brush fires believed sparked by passing train

Jefferson County Fire & EMS had a hot and very busy Tuesday afternoon with two house fires, the first that destroyed a Culver-area home and the last that damaged a Madras home's attic. In between, they and other agencies tackled three brush fires near Culver believed to have been sparked by a passing train.

Around 12:45 p.m., crews were dispatched to the reported structure fire on Irving Drive, east of Highway 97 in the Culver area, Deputy Chief of Prevention Jared Earnest said in a news release Tuesday. Crews arrived to find the home fully involved and flames spreading to vegetation, vehicles and other equipment.

Defensive fire operations were undertaken, as well as containing the wildland component of the fire, with assistance from BLM crews sent by the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center.

 During that firefighting effort, command staff spotted smoke to the northeast, near the Culver Highway (Highway 361) and Ford Lane, Frontier 911 dispatched firefighters to a brush fire in that area, the first of three to break out.

During that response, Earnest said, a second brush fire was observed to the south, on the north side of Juniper Butte – and dispatchers sent crews to the brush fire on SW Feather Drive near King Lane, also in the Culver area, and it too was contained.

During the second fire, command staff called in a Central Oregon task force to assist with the wildland blazes.

While responding to the third fire of the afternoon, a smoke column was spotted south of the first brush fire, on the south side of Juniper Butte, and the third brush fire was located near Green Drive and Monroe Lane.

All of those fires were staffed and being fully put out when another working structure fire was reported on SW Madison Street in Madras.

“Thankfully, resources were deployed in a manner that effective covered the district,” Earnest said, and crews were able to stop the house fire in the attic space.

No firefighters were injured in any of the blazes, he said, but two residents of the Culver-area home that burned down were taken to St. Charles Madras for treatment of smoke inhalation. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist residents of the two homes.

Resources on scene/in the area:

Structure Engine: 3

Ladder Truck: 1

Light Brush Truck: 9

Heavy Brush Truck: 3

Water Tender: 3

Support Unit: 2

Chief Officers: 9

Agencies that Assisted:

-Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

- Madras Police Department

-Oregon State Police

-Warm Springs Fire and Safety

-Bureau of Land Management (local engines as well as Eastern Oregon Task Force)

-Oregon Department of Forestry

-Redmond Fire and Resue

-Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue

-Cloverdale Fire

-Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire

-Bend Fire and Rescue

-Pacific Power  

Safety Message: Jefferson County Fire and EMS would like to remind everyone that during the this very hot and extremely dry time of year to be aware of your defensible space around your structure and attempt to cut back flammable vegetation away from the residence. We recommend that the first 5 feet away from the house be free of any combustible material. The next 35 feet away from the structure should be “lean and green,” meaning that grasses are mowed and all vegetation is being cared for and watered.

Jefferson County Fire and EMS would also like to remind everyone to be prepared and educated on evacuation procedures for your area. Please visit your Sheriff's Office website to register yourself and the location you live for emergency alerts in your area.   

Investigation: At the time of this press release estimate of losses for the structures are still being obtained and the investigation into the structure fires is on-going. The brush fires are believed to be caused by the train that was traveling through the area at the time. All brush fires were located directly against the railroad tracks.

Central Oregon Fire Management Service said its resources responded to three incidents in mutual aid support with Jefferson County. "Forward progress has been stopped on the three incidents," which they said "range from an estimated .10 of an acre to 2.5 acres."

BNSF Railway spokeswoman Lena Kent said, "We are aware of the brush fires which have been extinguished. They are currently under investigation and cause has not been determined."

Due to the hot temperatures and increasingly dry conditions, officials raised the fire danger level to extreme for public lands across Central Oregon.

Sunriver Police Department requesting public assistance in animal abuse case

Release Date: July 9, 2024

Location: Sunriver Utilities Company - 18305 Cottonwood Road

On July 9th, at approximately 7:50 am, the Sunriver Police Department was notified by an employee of the Sunriver Utilities Company that they had found a cardboard box containing several deceased puppies near the gate at the Cottonwood Road entry. A patrol sergeant responded and located the box with four to six very young, deceased puppies of an unknown breed. Due to decomposition, it was difficult to discern the actual number of puppies. The deceased puppies were then transported to the Central Oregon Humane Society for proper disposal. 

This case is currently under investigation. There are no security cameras in the area and no known suspects at this time. 

The Sunriver Police Department would like to encourage anyone with information to please contact us. You can remain anonymous or leave your name, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Think Wild Rehabilitates Orphaned River Otter Pups

Exciting news from Think Wild! The team is rehabilitating two orphaned North American river otter pups rescued from Cove Palisades State Park. These pups are the first river otters to be cared for by the organization since its opening in 2020.

Discovered alone by a park ranger, the pups were brought to Think Wild for immediate care. The dedicated team is working diligently to ensure the otters do not become habituated to humans. Once stabilized, they will be transferred to the Wildlife Center of the North Coast for further rehabilitation.

Think Wild is also raising funds to build an aquatic mammal enclosure, aiming to provide long-term care for animals like river otters and beavers. Currently, there is no facility east of the Cascades in Oregon equipped for the rehabilitation of these keystone species. Community support through donations will be vital for the success of this new project and the continued care of wildlife in need. https://www.thinkwildco.org/support-us/donate/

Changing Lives, One Paw at a Time: The Heartwarming Work of The Humane Society of the Ochocos

Are you an animal lover looking to make a positive impact on the lives of our furry friends in need? If so, you're in luck! Let me introduce you to a wonderful non-profit organization that is doing incredible work for animals in our community - The Humane Society of the Ochocos (HSO).

Visit their website at https://www.thehso.org/ to learn more about their programs, upcoming events, and how you can get involved. Together, we can make the world a better place for animals in need.

Meet Bowser

Meet Bowser! Bowser is a pitbull mix around 2 years old. He came to us as a stray, shy, and reserved at first but now his personality has bloomed.
Bowser does not like cats, as well as small kids! He’s got a lot of energy and could use some more leash manners as well as basic obedience. We do know that he loves playing with squeaky toys in the yard and chasing a ball. Very food motivated and is the softest boy to love on!!

This guy is on the hunt for his perfect home.

Bowser is a special boy who requires a very specific home! Bowser is not dog friendly or cat friendly and he takes a long time to warm up to new people!

Bowser would require a lot of meet & greets before going home with the perfect person!

The perfect home for bowser would not have any other animals, very low traffic as he doesn’t do well with new people, no kiddos, and someone who is willing to work with a dog like Bowser!

This boy deserves a home just as much as everyone else, but we understand that things like this take time..Until then, Bowser will spend his days getting lots & lots of love from HSO Staff, going for walks, playtime in the yard, belly rubs & all the treats his belly can handle!

WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT, WE WOULD NOT EXIST TO SERVE YOU SINCE 1995

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