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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🐶🎭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?

📰Deschutes County has already set a record for drug overdose deaths this year, at 27 – but there’s also some signs of hope

🔥Little Lava Fire outflanks containment lines, grows nearly 2,000 acres in 24 hours

📰Sheriff's Candidate Attempts To Block Records Release

📰La Pine Park and Rec board resigns; parents meet to discuss moving forward

Central Oregon Fire Info

Updates of Oregon Fires

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨 Crime News

📰 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!

What eventually happened to the Pilot Butte Inn?

A) It was turned into a museum
B) It was relocated to another site
C) It was demolished in 1973
D) It was converted into a private residence

👉Find the Answer in Tomorrow’s Newsletter👉

BEND

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

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!

Deschutes County has already set a record for drug overdose deaths this year, at 27 – but there’s also some signs of hope

 BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Deschutes County isn’t just on track to set a record for drug overdose deaths this year – it’s already there, with 27 reported in 2024, primarily due to the deadly opioid fentanyl, often combined in even more fatal fashion with methamphetamine use.

That was one of the disturbing aspects of the stat, graph and map-filled update county commissioners received Wednesday morning on what the agenda billed as an “update on Oregon’s drug overdose mortality crisis.”

But county Public Health Epidemiologist Mathew Christensen also had some more positive (or less negative) news to share in his talk, the presentation of which you can review below.

There are signs both statewide and locally that since last summer, fewer people experiencing drug overdoses are showing up at hospital emergency departments, after a surge reflecting the West Coast arrival of fentanyl in recent years.

Every stat has a lot of caveats – for example, Christensen noted that every effort is made to count only unintentional (accidental) drug overdoses – not suicides. Another example: Commissioner Phil Chng asked if these deaths are counted in the county where they occur, or where the person lives (the latter – it’s resident data).

There’s also a focus on comparing rates per 100,000 residents, not raw numbers, since smaller counties would always fare better. And Oregon saw a surge in recent years to nearly 40 overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, “some of the highest rates in the nation,” Christensen said.

While other drugs, such as purloined prescription medicine, can play a role in many deaths, Christensen told the board that “fentanyl is the most lethal and the strongest force … and it does drive up overdose deaths,” since it hit the West Coast in 2019-2020.

Last year’s rate map shows the worst problems are west of the Cascades, from the Portland area to Lane County and southern Oregon. And even with Deschutes County’s record 27 drug overdose deaths so far this year – one more than in 2022, while last year dropped to 24 - the rate per 100,000 would remain comparatively low, at about 13.

Nearly half of Oregon’s fatal drug overdoses last year involved a combination of fentanyl and meth, he said.

But Christensen later shared more with us later about the “very positive news” that hospital ED visits for opioid overdoses – the people who survived – hit its high point for the last five years last August - and that from that point forward, “we have a pretty steep drop over the next 12 months.”

“It’s an undeniable fact that something has changed,” he told us – adding quickly that they don’t yet know why. He expects those data reports in the next year or so, and while he tries not to speculate too much, he has some ideas about why.

So if the summer of 2023 was indeed the peak in this tragic statistic, Christensen said, “what might happen in 2024 is that we might not see another large increase, that we have seen the past four years.”

He’s confident about the welcome decline, noting that it’s evidence not just the Oregon hospital ED admissions but the latest national overdose death data, which began dropping in the last four months of 2023.

Fewer overdoses could be related to a variety of factors, such as the more prevalent accessibility of Narcan, which can reverse ODs, but Christen seen he believes “something is happening to fentanyl” itself.

He noted that fentanyl’s source chemicals generally come from China, arriving in large quantities on container ships in Mexico, where they are turned into the deadly pills that come across the border.

Could it be that the drug is less potent – less deadly than before? Or that the more recent stepped-up efforts at addiction treatment is having the desired impact? Perhaps, but there could even be some political aspects that have begun to restrict the supply or nature of the chemicals that go into fentanyl.

Christensen doesn’t claim to know – not yet, anyway. But he pointed out that President Biden last year began to put pressure on Chinse Premier Xi Jinping, who “agreed to clamp down on (fentanyl) distributors in his country.”

“If they can slow that down, no one in the pipeline can do” much if anything to make up for it -- and that, he said, could be affecting the fentanyl pills hitting our streets.

But it's not better news about all drug overdoses: hospital Emergency Department visits for meth and stimulant-related overdoses have not declined recently, as opioid-related ODs have.

Asked about that whole question of "why" regarding fewer people suffering opioid overdoses showing up at hospitals, Lt. Mike Landolt of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team said he has no idea if what Christensen suggested about China's chemicals or other efforts is true or not.

"I can tell you fentanyl seizures locally continue to be on the rise," Landolt said.

Deschutes County fatal drug overdose presentation Download

Little Lava Fire outflanks containment lines, grows nearly 2,000 acres in 24 hours

The Little Lava Fire outflanked fire containment lines and grew nearly 2,000 acres within 24 hours, the Forest Service said Wednesday.

The fire was at 12,720 acres Tuesday morning. By Wednesday, it was estimated at 14,529 acres.

"Yesterday we saw significant growth on the Little Lava Fire due to really dry fuel conditions, and gusty winds," public affairs and partnerships staff officer Kaitlyn Webb said.

"The fire was growing to the north initially and it grew far enough north that it was able to then push east around previously established containment lines," Webb said.

The lightning-sparked fire started on Sept. 2 about three miles southeast of Mount Bachelor. In it's early phase, it prompted evacuation warnings for Sunriver and Three Rivers neighborhoods.

Webb said the terrain on the north flank of the fire is too rocky for equipment and too dangerous for firefighters to fight head-on.

"The focus today for firefighters out on the ground is to limit further growth to the east, so already crews have been able to establish dozer line roughly around a 100-acre spot fire to the east, around forest service road 4188," Webb said.

Webb urges the public to stay engaged, informed and to respect emergency fire area closures.

Sheriff's Candidate Attempts To Block Records Release

Posted by Heather Roberts KBND

BEND, OR -- A candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff is trying to block the public release of 30-year-old employment records. Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp filed for a temporary restraining order Wednesday, after OPB submitted a public records request for the documents pertaining to his time at the La Mesa Police Department.

In the court filing, his attorney says the California judge who released the records to Deschutes County ordered they only be used for the agency’s internal investigation.

Vander Kamp has said his work in La Mesa was part of a college program and not relevant work history. He issued a statement early Thursday calling the attorney employed by the Sheriff's Office "unethical;" a claim he also made during a live debate on KBND. He went on to say he was "never approached to provide an explanation or sign any release forms regarding the situation in La Mesa recently." Although, the California judge found the release from Vander Kamp signed when he applied for a job at DCSO sufficient to order the La Mesa documents turned over to Deschutes County. 

Sgt. Vander Kamp continues to say he was "unaware of any disciplinary action during my time in La Mesa." He went on to say in the Thursday statement, "This is confirmed by the absence of any records or notices indicating disciplinary action." He says the investigation into his work in California is politically motivated. 

La Pine Park and Rec board resigns; parents meet to discuss moving forward

One week after announcing it was shutting down all youth sports programs, the entire board for the La Pine Park and Recreation District (LPRD) resigned Wednesday and staff will be terminated. It comes after months of tensions between the board and parents and claims of threats and harassment as well as financial concerns.

Mark O'Brien resigned Tuesday. Deren Ash, Matt Richmond and Gary Gordon resigned Wednesday during an emergency board meeting. Board member Bryanne Berry resigned in September.

The board said all staff would be terminated effective Oct. 20.

The resigning board members, who said some staff members had previously resigned due to harassment, welcomed parents to take charge.

"Since they know better how things... all things should be run, they can have it," Gordon said. 

"These concerned parents seem to believe they can run the programs and this district better than the staff who’ve left, and I sincerely hope they are right," Ash said. "So I'll get out of the way and I will be cheering them from the sidelines." 

The board has a total of five members, according to the district’s website. Although Bryanne Berry is still listed on the site, she had alread…

La Pine Park and Rec board members Gary Gordon, Deren Ash and Matt Richmond announce their resignations during an emergency board meeting on O…

Download PDF

After the resignations were announced, a group of parents calling themselves the Champions of Community released a statement, sharing its experiences leading up to Wednesday. It said that over the summer, it had learned that community members shared “widespread” concerns about LPRD youth sports programs.

The parents claim they brought their concerns about "conflict of interest, intimidation and retaliation, player safety, communication and program organization" to the board. They also attended the Sept. 19 board meeting and requested copies of financial statements and bylaws.

The parents said the board was "receptive" at that meeting. But in his statement Wednesday, Gordon claimed the parents provided a document “filled with conspiracies, exaggerations and untruths.”

"That was the final straw for our sports director and he quit," Gordon said, who claimed the sports director had also been confronted by community members while out shopping. "He took his wife with him, who was our administrative assistant, leaving no one to run the office."

Ash claimed that there were examples of doxxing -- the publishing of addresses -- against former staff members on social media.

Coach Caleb Campbell told Central Oregon Daily News Wednesday night he was one target of those attacks.

“I feel like the board failed to act on some of the things that was brought to them, and it escalated to a point where I was getting defamed online," Campbell said. "I brought it back to the board and said, 'Hey, I need you guys to deal with this.' They didn't have much of a response, so I terminated my employment with Parks and Rec.”

The Champions for Community group claimed in its statement Wednesday that its group of parents was not behind the harassment.

Gordon also cited financial concerns. He said a tax approved in 2009 is not bringing in enough money today and that voters have rejected two subsequent tax measures. He also cited the costs from vandalism, cost overruns, lack of grants coming through and property taxes not being paid.

It was last Tuesday, Oct. 1, that the board voted to cancel youth sports community-wide, citing ongoing harassment. The next day, LPRD announced that operations would be overseen by a new business, the Southern Oregon Sports Alliance (SOSA). Gordon indicated Wednesday that when the board held its Oct. 1 meeting, it was unaware SOSA had been created by former staff members.

The owners of SOSA said they would release a statement about Wednesday’s board resignations in the coming days.

Because the majority of the board has resigned, it will be up to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners to fill the vacancies for the remainder of the members’ terms, according to County Clerk Steve Dennison.

Wednesday night, frustrated parents of youth athletes met outside the LPRD building. Parents discussed moving forward with programs under SOSA or LPSA (La Pine Sports Academy).

At the meeting, LPSA committed to organizing basketball this winter.

"We have people ready and excited about basketball. All we need now is community involvement. We need volunteers,” Vice President Sam Olson said.

Both SOSA and LPSA say they're willing to operate programs, but only if the community has their back.

“I do everything for my kids and for the community's kids because I know if I am unwilling to step up, how can I ask anybody else or expect anybody else to step up?” Olson said.

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Now that the entire La Pine Park & Recreation District Board has resigned and have terminated all staff effective October 20^th,  where does that leave parents who have invested time, money and energy into enrolling their kids into sports programs orchestrated by the district?

Before moving on, there are still unanswered questions over how we got here, and where do we go moving forward. A gathering took place Wednesday evening at Frontier Heritage Park to share their concerns and talk about how to move forward.

Briana Richter, concerned soccer parent: 

“I've been hearing a lack of confidence from the parents. I've been hearing a lot of parents concerned that their money is going to where it's supposed to. I'm hearing a lot of lack of transparency. That's turning into a lot of rumors. And I overheard another mom saying that she was waiting for a $600 refund for football and she hasn't gotten it, and other parents were telling her not to count on it.”

Amber Stilwell, concerned football parent: 

“Now, I was very disappointed to hear that they were going to just cut it completely midseason. My son was really disappointed. This is his first year playing, and he and the other kids have really rallied together. and they're such good examples of what we should be as a community.

Voice of Jeff:  

“I'm extremely angry. I mean, realistically, I mean, I think that's a valid, valid feeling at this point. We tried our best. I've spent hundreds of hours in these in various programs. I've committed my time to football at this point. now, especially now basketball, I ref, I did everything I could to make sure the program came back, and could be run. We ran a successful program, but we still have those dissenters that just wanted to try to tear it down.”

The majority of parents KTVZ spoke to say even though they are looking forward to new management, they need to see better communication between the La Pine Park and Rec District and parents. Also, transparency of how the funds are being distributed to each sports program - that needs to be top priority.

Updates of Oregon Fires

Link to: Air Quality Index map

Another AQI Map

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Just Sayin’ 😎

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