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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

📅Bingo Tonight @ Otto’s Landing benefiting COVR

🐶🎭MUTTS & MASQUERADE FUNDRAISER EVENT - Brightside Animal Shelter

🎞️21ST Annual Bend Film Festival

📅Save The Date Section

🚗Classic Car Fest - River’s Place

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

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

👮📝Bend Police issue community survey to 20,000 households citywide

❎Deschutes County to mail 2024 General Election ballots to voters next week

📰Ochoco Preserve restoration turns farmland to floodplain near Prineville

📰Bridging Housing Gaps in Redmond

📰Council on Aging of C. Oregon offers free counseling on key changes as Medicare open enrollment begins

Central Oregon Fire Info

Updates of Oregon Fires

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨 Crime News

📰 Community News

🎃Great pumpkins: Madras man grows two 1,000-pound pumpkins in his backyard

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

🐶😺Pet of the Week

🐶💖Meet Dane!

📲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!

When was the Pilot Butte Inn in Bend, Oregon, originally built?

A) 1897
B) 1917
C) 1927
D) 1947

Answer: B) 1917

Expanded Answer: The Pilot Butte Inn was constructed in 1917, during a period when Bend’s economy was booming due to the success of the lumber industry. Built to accommodate travelers, it quickly became a central part of Bend’s social and cultural life. Its construction reflected the growing demand for lodging as tourism and business activities increased in Central Oregon.

BEND

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

Join us for Bingo, Brews and a lot of fun at Otto's Landing in Redmond.  Proceeds benefit Central Oregon Veterans Ranch!  We play the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month....come see what the buzz is about!

October 9th & 23rd

6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

652 NW 7th St Redmond, OR

MUTTS & MASQUERADE FUNDRAISER EVENT

Join us for an unforgettable evening at our annual fundraiser Mutts & Masquerade on

Saturday, October, 12th, from 6-10pm, at the stunning Juniper Golf Course!

Dress in your masquerade best while indulging in delicious heavy appetizers, sip on cocktails, and celebrate our animals. This year’s event promises an array of activities including casino games, live and silent auction, a photo booth, champagne wall, and a thrilling paddle raise!

As an independent non-profit organization, our critical work is fueled by our events and supporters. All funds raised at this year’s Mutts & Masquerade benefit the animals at BrightSide and help our mission of providing sheltering, placement, and preventative services to reduce animal homelessness and unnecessary euthanasia.

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary evening in support of our cause. We can’t wait to see you there!

21ST Annual Bend Film Festival

Your Annual Big Screen Binge is Back! The 21st annual Bend Film Festival is back from October 10th to 13th, promising four days packed with unparalleled entertainment. Immerse yourself in the heart of Bend's vibrant arts scene as we bring you a stellar lineup of film screenings, panels, parties, and more! With over 100 films spanning genres from breathtaking nature documentaries to innovative shorts and gripping narrative features, there's truly something for everyone. Watch one or watch them all. Join us in celebrating independent movies and their makers!

Passes on sale now, individual tickets are live Sept 20th!

Date

October 10, 2024 - October 13, 2024

Time

12:00 PM - 07:00 PM

Coming up - Save the Date

Got an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Bend Police issue community survey to 20,000 households citywide

Bend Police issue community survey, urge the public to respond

The Bend Police Department on Monday, Oct. 7 mailed invitations to 20,000 households in the city, asking them to fill out our biannual online community survey. 

The survey, available in both English and Spanish, seeks to gauge our community’s feeling of safety in the City of Bend, learn more about community members’ trust in and willingness to engage with police officers, and what safety issues they believe should be priorities for the Department. 

The anonymous survey, which takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, is conducted by Portland State University to ensure it is statistically valid. 

The Bend Police Department and the City of Bend will use the survey results to help inform policy makers when making decisions about community safety initiatives. 

Results will be available to the public in the spring of 2025, and in the meantime, you can access prior survey results here: https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/police/community-info 

Deschutes County to mail 2024 General Election ballots to voters next week

With more than 160,000 General Election ballots scheduled to be mailed to Deschutes County voters next week, County Clerk Steve Dennison is sharing important dates and information as Election Day draws near.

Register or review your voter registration

There is still time to register to vote or update your voter registration before ballots go out in the mail. The voter registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Residents with a valid Oregon driver license, permit or ID card can register to vote online, or complete a voter registration card and return it to the County Clerk/Elections Office by the deadline. Voter registration cards are available at the Elections Office, post offices, city halls, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) throughout the county.

Already registered? Voters are encouraged to check their voter registration and make sure the information is up to date. You can review and update your information online, by emailing [email protected], or by calling the Elections Office at 541-388-6547.

Watch for Voters’ Pamphlets in the mail

Voters’ Pamphlets, which contain information about candidates and ballot measures, will be sent by mail to every household in early October. The Deschutes County's Voters’ Pamphlet is inserted in the center of the State's Voters' Pamphlet. The information is also available online at  deschutescounty.gov/elections.

Ballots mailed to voters

2024 General Election ballots will be mailed to all registered voters on Wednesday, Oct.16. Voters who have not received their ballot by Wednesday, Oct. 23, should contact the Elections Office at (541) 388-6547.

Returning voted and signed ballots

All ballot packets include a postage-paid return envelope. Once you vote your ballot and sign your ballot return envelope you can send it back in the mail. However, your ballot return envelope must be postmarked and mailed by 8 p.m. on Election Day and received by the Clerk’s Office within seven days after Election Day to be counted.

Many voters prefer to return their ballots in an official ballot drop box. There are ten official drop boxes throughout Deschutes County. Visit the Deschutes County Clerk’s website to find a drop box location near you. Ballot drop boxes open at 7 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 18 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 5.

Don’t forget to sign your ballot return envelope

Election Results

Unofficial election results will be available on the  Deschutes County Clerk’s website shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Day. Results are unofficial until all ballot return deadlines have passed and every valid ballot has been counted. Certification of the official election results are published 27 days after Election Day.

You can find more information about the 2024 General Election, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the County Clerk/Elections website. 

Ochoco Preserve restoration turns farmland to floodplain near Prineville

The Deschutes Land Trust is rehabilitating the 185-acre Ochoco Preserve near Prineville, aiming to restore its natural habitat. The project involves planting native plants, reshaping the land, and rerouting streams to improve wildlife habitats. Invasive weeds are being tackled by increasing native plant densities. Volunteers, like retired archaeologist Bill Hildebrandt, are helping with planting and restoration efforts to improve Central Oregon’s ecology. Future plans include building trails, a bike path, and a bridge connecting the preserve to the Crooked River Wetlands Complex. The work is expected to be completed by 2026, creating a thriving habitat for fish, wildlife, and the community.

FULL STORY HERE

Bridging Housing Gaps in Redmond

Efforts to combat homelessness are expanding in Deschutes County, with new and ongoing projects aimed at housing vulnerable populations. In 2024, there were about 1,799 unhoused individuals, a nearly 9% increase from 2023. Mountain View Community Development, a Redmond nonprofit, plans to build a 60-unit permanent supportive housing village, prioritizing those with disabilities, chronic homelessness, or in retirement. Safe parking programs, which allow people to live safely in vehicles, are also expanding in Redmond and potentially Bend. Redmond City Councilor Cat Zwicker highlights the city’s success in working with service providers and plans to expand safe parking opportunities.

FULL STORY HERE

Council on Aging of C. Oregon offers free counseling on key changes as Medicare open enrollment begins

Medicare Open Enrollment is just one week away, and the Council on Aging of Central Oregon’s free Medicare counseling services are ready to assist.

The Open Enrollment period, running from October 15 to December 7 this year, is the critical time each year when Medicare beneficiaries can review and make changes to their health and prescription drug coverage for the upcoming year.

This year brings important changes for Medicare Advantage plan holders in Central Oregon. Starting January 1, 2025, Moda and Regence will no longer offer Medicare Advantage plans in the region. Beneficiaries impacted by this change should have already received direct communication from their carriers regarding the discontinuation of coverage.

If you’re affected by this change or simply want to reassess your Medicare options for the coming year, the Council on Aging’s State Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) volunteers are here to help. This program offers free, unbiased counseling to help you navigate your Medicare options and select the coverage that best meets your needs. The areas our counselors can provide guidance on include, but are not limited to:

• Medicare Part A and Part B

• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Medicare Part D)

• Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)

• Medicare Advantage Plans (HMOs and PPOs)

• Long-term care insurance

• Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB and QI)

• Prescription drug assistance programs or drug discount cards offered by your state and pharmaceutical companies

• Medicaid and other insurance programs (including free or reduced-fee health care programs)

• Medicare scams and fraud prevention

To schedule a phone or in-person appointment with a SHIBA volunteer, or to learn more, contact the Council on Aging at 541-678-5483 or visit our website at www.councilonaging.org. For SHIBA counseling in Spanish, please call 541-325-6837 to be connected with a Spanish-speaking Medicare counselor through the Latino Community Association.

Updates of Oregon Fires

Link to: Air Quality Index map

Another AQI Map

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Great pumpkins: Madras man grows two 1,000-pound pumpkins in his backyard

Ed Pugh has been growing giant gourds in his garden for the last three years. This year, he's grown two 1,000-pound pumpkins he has named Thor the 3rd and Kissimore 2 -- or Thor 3 and K2 for short.

"Growing a pumpkin is like... it gives you a good feeling on steroids. When that pumpkin really starts to grow it'll put between 20 to 30 pounds a day on," Pugh said.

It has become a months' long hobby for Pugh every year and he's determined to one day be crowned Oregon's pumpkin king.

"I think they're both going to be over a thousand pounds. Whereas last year I had one that was 1,273 [pounds], and one that was 1,381 [pounds]," Pugh said. "We were kind of hammered with a late frost in the middle of June and cold nights. Got hit with another frost in August, then we really got hammered with frost on October 1st."

While this year's orange October staples may not be the largest he's ever grown, Pugh still looks forward to showing them at this year Terminator Weigh-off in Tualatin.

"This year, I'm hoping I'm in the top 15. They have prize money down to the top 15 places. We'll see. Even if I'm not in the money, it's a hoot of a hobby. And I enjoy doing it," Pugh said.

Pugh's pumpkins will be picked up Oct. 18 ahead of their appearance at the Terminator Weigh-off the next day, in Tualatin. 

As the old saying goes, go big, or gourd home.

VIDEO

Meet Dane!

Hi there, I'm Dane! I'm a young pup with a heart full of love and a spirit full of play. I might be a bit shy at first, but give me a moment and you'll see my goofy side. I love to play with my dog friends, and find the squeaky part of every toy. My sweet and friendly nature makes me a great fit for any family. I promise to bring joy, laughter, and a whole lot of love to your home. So, why not consider adding a little Dane magic to your life?

Dane is a happy pup who loves everyone! He’s great with other dogs and kids too! At only 10 months old, he’s a very sweet and intelligent boy who can’t wait to please his new family.

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