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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🎸🍴🛍️🍂Downtown Bend Fall Festival

🎃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?

🏛️Deschutes Courts Getting More Public-Defense Lawyers

🏛️Deschutes County Commissioners Continue Land-Use Debate

⚡👷‍♂️Bend Area Linemen Join ‘Convoy of Hope’ to Restore Power After Hurricane Helene

🏫COCC to host Fall JobFest in October at each of its four campuses

💲⛰️Local Group Reaches First Fundraising Goal In Quest To Buy Bachelor

❎Local Vote

🗣️Bend City Council Candidates Discuss Housing At Forum

Central Oregon Fire Info

Updates of Oregon Fires

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨 Crime News

⚖️❓Trial of Rafael Gomez Delayed Again After Mistrial Due to Juror Misconduct

📰 Community News

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

📲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!

This historic bridge in Bend, Oregon, has been a key crossing over the Deschutes River for decades. Which bridge is shown in this photo?

A) Old Mill Bridge
B) Newport Avenue Bridge
C) Reed Market Bridge
D) Drake Park Footbridge

👉Find the Answer in Tomorrow’s Newsletter👉

BEND

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What’s Up Central Oregon 

Downtown Bend Fall Festival

DD Ranch 2024 Pumpkin Patch

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Deschutes Courts Getting More Public-Defense Lawyers

BEND, OR -More public defense attorneys are coming to reduce the backlog of cases in Deschutes County.

Trial Court Administrator Angie Curtis told county officials Tuesday at the Public Safety committee meeting there are 152 unrepresented defendants awaiting court appearances right now. Only nine are in custody, "Part of the process when people are released at the moment, we're setting them out for hearings at 30, 90, 180 days to just sort of keep track of them and keep connected to them. Obviously, we're working all the time to see if we can't find an attorney who might be available to represent those cases."

The county partners with local law groups for their public defender pool. "All of them are currently or close to being fully staffed, which will make a huge difference, but it does take some time to on board. Those new attorneys, not all of the attorneys are ready yet to take some of the more serious cases and those kinds of things. But that is good news," Curtis said.

An ongoing shortage of court-appointed defenders worsened earlier this year when many lawyers transitioned out of the program for various reasons. "I want to be clear; this isn't going to be like, just a few weeks, it's going to be a long journey to try to absorb those cases that have accumulated over the past months," Curtis said, adding "While we're not going to get ahead of it, at least, hopefully we're getting back to our baseline capacity, which is a start."

Oregon and the rest of the country are also grappling with a public-defender shortage.

Deschutes County Commissioners Continue Land-Use Debate

Deschutes County commissioners revisited three land-use decisions, sparking renewed disagreements. The key issue was a zone change for 710 acres near Terrebonne, which had been sent back for review after an appeal. Commissioner Phil Chang opposed the change, citing concerns about land impacts, while Tony DeBone defended it, stating that land-use laws force tough decisions. Chair Patti Adair supported DeBone, saying the county did a thorough job.

The commissioners also passed a 2040 Comprehensive Plan update, though Chang criticized it, claiming it ignored key feedback. He pushed for more workforce housing, while DeBone argued for balance in development.

Lastly, the commissioners upheld the denial of a psilocybin service facility at Juniper Preserve, raising concerns about transporting illegal substances across federal land.

Bend Area Linemen Join ‘Convoy of Hope’ to Restore Power After Hurricane Helene

Among the many emergency workers who traveled far to help victims of  Hurricane Helene’s widespread destruction is electrical lineman Tim Steeck, part of a crew from the Bend area working to restore power to residents in the Greenville, South Carolina area.

Steeck’s proud mom, Debi Raney-Kelso, said Tuesday the 2000 Bend High graduate and father of two was among the locals who subcontracted with a Detroit, Michigan company, P&G, to head to the storm-hit region in the wake of major flooding and other damage that’s cut power to millions.

Also on the working trip is lineman Ross Miller, who lives in the Alfalfa area and was born in Redmond and raised in Culver and Terrebonne. Miller's wife, Mariah, said the two men had been been working with Central Electric Cooperative contractors for eight years and "only left for this extreme need."

Mariah Miller said her husband has worked in the aftermath of many snowstorms and other storms around the U.S. and told her "this is probably one of the worst" he's seen.

Repair needs following the destructive storm has brought thousands of line workers and other crews from across the country – what’s referred to in one Instagram post as a “Convoy of Hope.”

It’s not known how long the work will last, or when they’ll return home to their families, Raney-Kelso said, offering a shoutout to the dedicated workers who headed to the East Coast to help.

COCC to host Fall JobFest in October at each of its four campuses

Job seekers looking for new opportunities will find more than 40 local companies and agencies — representing health care, government, natural resources, technology, food service and other fields — at Central Oregon Community College's 2024 Fall JobFest, happening in October at each of the four campuses.

The event will occur in Redmond (Oct. 15), Bend (Oct. 17), Prineville (Oct. 24) and Madras (Oct. 30), from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on each date. These are free and open to the public.

JobFest is a chance to explore different career fields and learn more about individual organizations. Attendees can discover employment, internship and volunteer opportunities while finding out the types of skills and experiences needed for these positions. Visit cocc.edu/departments/cap to learn more.

“JobFest opens doors for attendees to speak directly to recruiters and ask questions about companies and even specific positions,” said Diane Pritchard, COCC’s director of career services, academic advising and personal counseling (CAP Services). “Job seekers may not leave JobFest with an offer in hand, but they’ll leave with a better understanding of where to apply for positions and who to get in touch with to learn more.”

To polish or craft resumes in advance, attendees can visit cocc.edu/departments/cap for guidance and samples. Or contact CAP Services at 541-383-7200 or [email protected].

In advance of college events, persons needing accommodation or transportation because of a physical or mobility disability should contact Caitlyn Gardner at 541-383-7237. For accommodation because of other disability, such as hearing impairment, contact disability services at 541-383-7583.

Local Group Reaches First Fundraising Goal In Quest To Buy Bachelor

Mount Bachelor Community Inc, the local group trying to buy the Mt. Bachelor ski resort, says it has surpassed its initial fundraising goal. About a week ago, they launched a GoFundMe page, hoping to bring in around $35,000. As of Monday, they now stand at over $39,000.

MBCI says the money will be used for legal fees, insurance, supplies and a kick-off community event at Drake Park. That party is scheduled for Saturday, October 12th, from 3 to 5 p.m. It’ll include live music, food and beverages and opportunities to meet the team who say they want to return the mountain to local ownership. 

Bend City Council Candidates Discuss Housing At Forum

Candidates running for Bend City Council discussed their positions on housing production and affordability at a forum Monday night. It was hosted by a new coalition called Partners for Affordable Housing, made up of labor unions, homebuilders, the Central Oregon Realtors Association and the Central Oregon Builders' Association (COBA), as well as others.

Candidates were asked about Bend’s urban growth boundary expansion, infrastructure funding, and how they would increase the availability of workforce rental housing. Click HERE to watch the complete forum. 

Updates of Oregon Fires

Link to: Air Quality Index map

Another AQI Map

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Trial of Rafael Gomez Delayed Again After Mistrial Due to Juror Misconduct

Jefferson County, OR - The trial of Rafael Gomez, 32, is on hold after three days of testimony due to a mistrial. The mistrial was called due to juror misconduct, and no further trial dates have been set.

Gomez, 32, is charged with nine counts of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree theft, felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of robbery in the and four counts of attempted murder in relation to the incident at the 2022 Jefferson County Fair. 

Shortly before 5 p.m. July 22, 2022, Gomez allegedly reached into an unlocked pickup and took an AR-15 rifle. A witness says they saw Gomez, and called out that they had a weapon, and pointed their own weapons at him. Witnesses say Gomez then slipped through a fence and ran to the Towne Pump gas station at the corner of Fairgrounds Road and U.S. Highway 97, where he allegedly pointed the rifle at the gas station employees.

Gomez then ran across U.S. 97, where he shot at law enforcement pursuing him. He eventually entered the KFC/A&W, where he was shot by officers. Gomez was treated at the scene and eventually charged and lodged in the Jefferson County Jail. Authorities had released Gomez from the same jail one day before the shooting took place.

The trial began Sept. 23, and held three days of testimony, including witnesses from the incident, police officers, and those that Gomez is charged with the attempted murder of, which include Ken Corbin and Dean Staton, Towne Pump attendants, as well as Sheriff Pollock, Deputy Witherow and Officer Roth.

The trial has now been continued or rescheduled six times, and the defendant has been assigned a new attorney twice. No further hearings or trials have been scheduled in the case as of Sept. 30.

Deschutes Public Library Events

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