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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🎸🎃Rocktoberfest

🎃DD Ranch 2024 Pumpkin Patch

📅Save The Date Section

💖🫴3rd Annual A Night to Remember - Bowties & Boots - Fundraiser

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏨Old Mill Apartments: Public-Private Partnership Brings 76 New Supportive Housing Units to Southeast Bend

🏞️💲State Park camping, parking, reservation fees increasing

🦌Deer entangled in Bend backyard hammock highlights common dangers for wildlife

🎦🐋OSU - Drone Footage Unveils New Gray Whale Foraging Behaviors and Adaptations

Central Oregon Fire Info

Updates of Oregon Fires

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨 Crime News

🚨Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Seizes 22 lbs. of Methamphetamine and 4 lbs. of Heroin in La Pine Traffic Stop

📰 Community News

🫡Honoring Prineville’s own ‘Pacific Lady’ (💖this)

 Got some news or know of news for our Community News Segment - share it with C.O. Local Buzz!

💖🐶Pet of the Week

💖Four Pups Beat Parvo and Are Ready for Their Forever Homes! SDH

📲Sponsors & Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

🌆 On going Events COMING SOON A NEW EVENTS CALENDAR JUST FOR “Fun N Games” in Central Oregon! Stay tuned!

What now occupies the site where The White Owl Motel on Division Street once stood?

A) A shopping mall
B) A public park
C) A freeway on-ramp
D) A historic monument

Answer C) A freeway on-ramp

Expanded Answer:
The White Owl Motel was once located on Division Street, but it no longer exists. Today, its former site is now part of an on-ramp for The Parkway.

BEND

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

NIBLICK & GREENE'S

@ Eagle Crest

Thursday October 3rd

4:00-7:00 PM

Get your groove on and your social butterfly wings ready for a night of music, dancing, snacks, sipping (no host bar) all while with friends and soon-to-be friends!

Live Music from 5:00 -7:00 PM

By: Heller Highwater Trio

$25 Person Cash Entry - Includes Appetizers

DD Ranch 2024 Pumpkin Patch

Coming up - Save the Date

Got an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Old Mill Apartments: Public-Private Partnership Brings 76 New Supportive Housing Units to Southeast Bend

Thanks to a unique community partnership with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC), the Multi-Agency Coordinating (MAC) group, City of Bend, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s office, Fortify Holdings, and R&H Construction, previously unhoused residents will soon move into a new supportive rehousing project in southeast Bend.

The Old Mill Apartments — as the project is now known — is a high-quality motel conversion with 76 units, each with its own private bathroom, kitchenette, and living space. The building also features shared laundry facilities, mailroom, and a leasing office. Each unit will be leased at a fair-market rate determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Central Oregon’s newest supportive rehousing project received original funding from Governor Kotek’s executive orders to address the state’s housing and homelessness crisis, as well as from HB 5019. Old Mill Apartments will target unsheltered homeless populations, with regionally determined priority placement for those who are medically vulnerable, LGBTQ+ youth, and the BIPOC community. As project participants, all tenants will be connected to and offered supportive services. There will be on-site security to ensure tenants’ and neighborhood safety, and background checks will be required of tenants prior to move-in.

“Old Mill Apartments offers much-needed housing for our most vulnerable populations,” says Tammy Baney, executive director of COIC. “The MAC and our Central Oregon regional partners are incredibly grateful for the funding provided by Governor Kotek’s office and the state legislature. We now have 76 more housing units in our community. More individuals can quickly exit homelessness, return to stable housing, and access case managers and social services.”

Fortify Holdings developed the project and R&H Construction served as the general contractor. Through a regional system of coordinated entry, approved tenants will begin to move into Old Mill Apartments the first week of October.

“Fortify is proud to collaborate in public-private partnerships like the one that has made the Old Mill Apartments possible,” says Ziad Elsahili, president of Fortify Holdings. “We specialize in rehabilitating properties like the Old Mill Inn and Suites. Across the state, we’ve successfully transformed existing community assets into accessible, safe, high-quality housing for those who need it most.”

State Park camping, parking, reservation fees increasing

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is increasing its camping, parking and reservation fees to keep pace with the rising cost of utilities, operations and maintenance.

Most of the increases range from $2 to $5 depending on the fee.

The park system has experienced record visitation as well as the impacts of rising costs and inflation. Utility costs for example have increased by 28% over the last 4 years, but most fees have remained the same. Depending on the fee, the last increase was anywhere from seven to 15 years ago for base fees.

“We know that raising fees by any amount can be challenging for visitors, and we don’t make this decision lightly. We try to keep costs and fees as low as possible to minimize the impact while still fulfilling our commitment to stewardship and recreation,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption.

Oct. 15, 2024

OPRD will increase its base camping fees for the first time since 2017. The increase applies to all camping reservations for 2025. Starting on October 15, 2024, all reservations made for 2025 stays will include the fee increase.

Increases in base rate by site type:

$2 increase for misc. sites (includes teepees, meeting halls and other facilities)

$3 increase for tent sites (includes horse tent sites, horse group sites, group tent) and primitive sites (includes overflow, fly-in and walk-to-sites)

$4 increase for RV sites (includes full hookup, electrical, horse RV and group RV sites)

$5 increase for cabins and yurts (includes rustic, mini, totem, and deluxe sites)

(Seasonal rate increases were adopted in 2020. The seasonal adjustments will be added to the new base rates. As in previous years, summer rates are $2 more for tent sites, $3 more for RV sites and $5 more for cabins/yurts.)

Jan. 1, 2025

OPRD will increase its reservation fee from $8 to $10 per site starting Jan. 1, 2025. This fee has not been increased since 2010.

Daily parking permit fees will increase from $5 to $10 at the 25 parks that charge a fee for day-use parking. Parking permit fees were last increased in 2009. The annual parking permit and the two-year permit fees remain the same at $30 for the annual permit and $50 for the two-year permit.

July 1, 2025

OPRD will expand the 25% out-of-state surcharge for RV campsites (required by state law) to all site types for out-of-state campers.

New camping rate ranges replace the existing ones. These ranges set the lowest and highest fees that OPRD can charge over time. It gives OPRD’s director the ability to change fees in the future as needed. The last rate range update was adopted in 2018.

OPRD has three main sources of funding: a little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. OPRD is not funded by taxes.

OPRD does offer a few resources and programs to help increase access to Oregon State Parks.

Most Oregon State Parks offer free day-use parking. Current exceptions include this list of 25 parks online.

We also have special access passes for free camping and day-use parking permits for:

Oregon foster parents, guardians and parents who have adopted Oregon foster children.U.S. veterans with a service-connected disability.Active duty U.S. military on official leave.

This month, OPRD will open public comment on a proposal designed to give OPRD’s director more flexibility to decide which parks charge for day-use parking. The proposal would require day-use parking permits at all parks unless otherwise noted. The director would have the authority to waive the permit requirement as needed. There are no plans to charge at all parks, and OPRD would consider any changes carefully.

OPRD will continue to explore options in the future that reduce cost as a barrier while earning needed revenue to maintain our parks and manage congestion.

Deer entangled in Bend backyard hammock highlights common dangers for wildlife

OSU - Drone Footage Unveils New Gray Whale Foraging Behaviors and Adaptations

Oregon State University researchers used drone footage to study gray whales off Newport, revealing how their size impacts foraging behavior and the role of social learning. Over seven years, footage showed younger whales use forward swimming, while older whales perform "headstands" to feed on the ocean floor. These headstands, requiring strength and coordination, are likely learned as whales mature. The study also found that larger whales use “bubble blasts” to regulate buoyancy in shallow water, debunking the idea that blasts help capture prey. This research focuses on a subgroup of gray whales that stay off the Pacific Coast instead of migrating north, increasing their exposure to human activities. Findings may aid in future whale protection efforts.

Updates of Oregon Fires

Link to: Air Quality Index map

Another AQI Map

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Seizes 22 lbs. of Methamphetamine and 4 lbs. of Heroin in La Pine Traffic Stop

La Pine, OR - October 1, 2024

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office seized a significant quantity of methamphetamine and heroin following a traffic stop on Highway 97 near Rosland Road in La Pine. The stop, which occurred on September 14, 2024, resulted in the arrest of two individuals, Dawn Michelle Johnson, 57, of Canby, Oregon, and Colin Timothy Sawyer, 32, of Salem, Oregon.

The interdiction began as a routine traffic stop, but it escalated when deputies requested assistance from a City of Bend Police Department K-9 unit. The narcotics detection dog, Bonnie, alerted officers to the presence of drugs within the vehicle driven by Johnson.

Upon searching the vehicle, deputies discovered 22.42 pounds of methamphetamine and 4.74 pounds of heroin. Both Johnson and Sawyer were charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance—methamphetamine and heroin, under ORS 475.894 and ORS 475.854, respectively.

In a decision likely influenced by local policies regarding drug offenses, the suspects were issued citations in lieu of custody. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide further updates as more details become available.

Sergeant Jason Wall of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office released the details to the public, highlighting the critical role of K-9 Bonnie in the successful narcotics detection. This bust marks one of the larger drug seizures in the area in recent months, contributing to ongoing efforts to curtail drug trafficking through Central Oregon.

Honoring Prineville’s own ‘Pacific Lady’

Former Prineville woman Sharon Sites Adams recognized in a dedication ceremony of the Pacific Lady Memorial Gazebo at the Bowman Museum complex

A grand opening ceremony was held for the Pacific Lady Memorial Gazebo at the Bowman Museum in Prineville, honoring Sharon Sites Adams, the first woman to sail solo across the Pacific Ocean. The gazebo features a timeline of Adams’ journeys and will include additional artifacts. Adams, a 94-year-old Crook County High School alum, attended the event, where she shared stories from her 1969 Pacific crossing.

The ceremony featured speeches from local leaders and Adams' pastor, Jim Petz, who likened her bravery to that of President Kennedy. The event concluded with Adams "christening" the gazebo with champagne and sharing tales of her adventures.

Adams recounted her historic sailing journey, which covered 6,000 miles from Japan to California, and her exploration beyond the seas, including encounters with cannibal tribes and navigating the Indian Ocean. She emphasized how her love for sailing began unexpectedly at age 34 after a chance visit to Marina del Rey. The Pacific Lady Memorial Gazebo serves as a tribute to her groundbreaking achievements and adventurous spirit.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Four Pups Beat Parvo and Are Ready for Their Forever Homes!

In a heartwarming turn of events, Travis, Tim, Emma, and Karma have officially tested negative for the parvovirus and are now ready for foster or adoption! These resilient pups spent the last two weeks in isolation, battling the virus while receiving critical care, including feeding tubes and daily IVs. Thanks to their fighting spirits and the dedicated care of the medical team, they are now fully recovered and cleared for their next big step—finding loving homes.

While these four pups have made it through, the battle isn’t over for the rest of the litter. Sadly, some of their siblings have taken a turn for the worse, but everyone involved is holding onto hope that they too will pull through. Parvovirus is notorious for being an emotional roller coaster, but today, there’s a reason to celebrate!

Street Dog Hero expressed their gratitude to everyone who contributed to the medical expenses last week and gave special thanks to Medical Manager Jaymie for her extraordinary care.

If you’re interested in fostering or adopting Travis, Tim, Emma, or Karma, applications are now open on the Street Dog Hero website. Their bios will be available soon, so keep an eye out if you're considering adding a new furry friend to your family! Visit streetdoghero.org for more details.

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