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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia

🌄Bend, OR Weather

🌨️🏔️Santiam Pass Forecast

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

❄️Snowflake Boutique -November 1st

🎶John Reischman and the Jaybirds @ The Belfry

📅Save The Date Section

🍲Think Wild Hosting a Wild Chili Cook-Off -November 16th

 💓🧘‍♀️Meditation & Educational Event -November 16th

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🛫Bend company's airplane wins 'Coolest Thing Made in Oregon' contest

📰New La Pine Park and Rec board holds first meeting, outlines path forward

🏫'Illness outbreak' shuts down all Gilchrist schools until Monday

🚂Prineville to Receive $1.6M in Federal Funds for Rail Improvements

📰Regional News

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🚧❄️As winter storm moves in, ODOT fully closing McKenzie Pass Highway for the season on Friday

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

📰 Community News

⛸️Pavilion Hosts Holiday Skate

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

🐶💖Pet of the Week

🐶Meet Twix! - From Street Dog Hero

📲Sponsors & Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

🌆 On going Events Fun N Games in Central Oregon has LAUNCHED 🚀

Which of the following is the only National Park in the state of Oregon?

A) Mount Hood
B) Crater Lake
C) Columbia River Gorge
D) Three Sisters

Answer: B) Crater Lake National Park

Expanded Answer: Crater Lake National Park is the only designated National Park in Oregon, established in 1902. Known for its stunningly clear, deep blue lake formed within a collapsed volcano, it is one of the most iconic natural landmarks in the state and is protected for its unique geological and ecological significance.

Good Morning from Mt Bachelor

BEND

Santiam Pass Forecast

Today

Snow before noon, then snow, possibly mixed with rain between noon and 4pm, then snow after 4pm. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature rising to near 41 by 11am, then falling to around 32 during the remainder of the day. Southwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tonight

Snow, mainly before 8pm. Low around 28. West southwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Thursday

Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 35. Southwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.

Thursday Night

Snow showers before 2am, then snow showers, possibly mixed with rain. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 31. Southwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

Snowflake Boutique

Friday, November 1st from 1 to 8 pm

Saturday, November 2nd from 9am to 5 pm

Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center
Redmond, OR 97756

Note:  We have moved to the

South Sister Building 
$4.00 Door Charge part of which goes to Charitable Organizations

John Reischman and the Jaybirds

@ The Belfry

November 1st

7:00 PM

Living legend of the mandolin, John Reischman, brings an intimate evening of acoustic music to The Belfry with his band, The Jaybirds. Local old-time group Danger Gently opens.

About John Reischman:

Grammy Award-winning musician John Reischman has been a foundational mandolinist, composer, bandleader, and musical educator in bluegrass and North American roots and folk music since emerging from the vibrant “new acoustic” bluegrass music scene of the Bay Area in the 1980s. A member of the groundbreaking Tony Rice Unit, Reischman’s mastery of bluegrass, old-time, swing, and multiple Latin American musical styles, coupled with an Old Master’s sense of tone, taste, and musicality, has brought him a global reputation as one of the finest mandolinists of his era.

Opener Danger Gently

Coming up - Save the Date

November 16th

Think Wild, Bend’s nonprofit wildlife center, is excited to announce the Get Wild Chili Cook-Off, a delicious, family-friendly fundraising event.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 16, 2024, and join us at Aspen Hall in Shevlin Park from 4-8pm for an evening of delicious chili, live music, raffles and more!

Event highlights will include the Chili Cook-Off Contest, in which attendees will sample and vote for their favorite chili, soups, and side dishes across five exciting categories:

1. Best All Around

2. Wildest Chili

3. Best Vegan/Vegetarian Chili

4. Soup-er Soups (best soup or stew)

5. Best Chili Side Dish (cornbread, tasty toppings, etc)

In addition to delicious chili, guests can enjoy wine, seltzer, cider, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. The event will feature live music, raffle prizes, and exclusive footage from Think Wild’s beaver monitoring trail cameras at Shevlin Park.

This event is made possible by the generous support of Bend Park and Recreation Department for sponsoring the venue, and by Van Henion Brewing, Sunriver Brewing Co., and Bend Cider Co. for providing beverages.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or to sign up as a contestant, please visit thinkwildco.org/chili-cookoff.

About Think Wild:
Think Wild is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Bend, Oregon. Our mission is to inspire the High Desert community to care for and protect native wildlife through education, conservation, rescue, and rehabilitation. We provide veterinary treatment and care at the wildlife hospital, staffed by expert wildlife rehabilitation staff, animal husbandry volunteers, and our staff veterinarian. Wildlife conflicts or injuries can be reported to our Wildlife Hotline at 541-241-8680, which is monitored seven days a week from 8am-4pm.

thinkwildco.org • Instagram • Facebook

November 16th

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Bend company's airplane wins 'Coolest Thing Made in Oregon' contest

The Epic Aircraft E1000 GX was named the “Coolest Thing Made in Oregon” during the annual Vision Oregon Event held at the Portland Art Museum.

The second annual “Coolest Thing Made In Oregon” bracket-style contest, co-sponsored by Oregon Business Industry and Here is Oregon, took place over six weeks during which members of the general public had the opportunity to vote for their favorite products. To be eligible for the contest, products had to be manufactured in Oregon and legal to buy in all 50 states. Over 250 nominations were received and 16 products, selected by a panel of experts, were featured in the contest.

Launched with the goal of revolutionizing single-engine turboprop airplanes by introducing a new aerodynamic design and utilizing cutting-edge materials, the all- carbon fiber E1000 GX is the fastest and most fuel-efficient single-engine aircraft in its class. The six-seat airplane, manufactured by Epic Aircraft at its factory headquarters in Bend, Oregon, delivers jet-class performance without jet-class expenses.

“We’re honored to have landed the top spot,” said Epic Aircraft CEO Doug King. “We build a high-performance, single-engine turboprop, from start to finish. What comes in as a roll of carbon fiber fabric in one end of the factory, comes out of the other end as a beautiful, sleek airplane built by a talented team of over 475 employees. I am really proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

The company is actively expanding its team to address the rising demand for its aircraft. Currently, Epic Aircraft produces over 2.5 airplanes per month and will deliver its 80th certified airplane by the end of the year.

Added King, “We want to thank everyone who supported us. We think our airplane is cool, and we’re thrilled that the voters agree.”

About Epic Aircraft 

Epic Aircraft, LLC specializes in the design and manufacture of high-performance, all-composite, single-engine turboprop aircraft. Epic’s award-winning E1000 GX is the fastest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class. Privately held, the design-driven aviation company conducts all of its engineering, manufacturing, and administrative operations at its headquarters in Bend, Oregon. For more information about Epic Aircraft, please visit www.epicaircraft.com. 

New La Pine Park and Rec board holds first meeting, outlines path forward

The La Pine Park and Recreation District hosted its first meeting Tuesday with its brand-new board. The major monetary challenges were front and center.

“This was the first time we kind of just threw everything out there to the public. The public threw everything back at us," said Joel Brader, LPRD board chair. "It's just hit the ground running and move as fast as we can with this to get stuff back, to return to a normalcy for the community.”

The previous board resigned on Oct. 9, citing threats, harassment and financial issues. It also announced the staff would be laid off.

The new board told the community it wants to look forward, but the budgetary issues which led to cuts on youth programs weeks ago persist, as does the criticism.

"I know mistakes were made and I know some people that need to be held accountable," Brader said in the meeting. "I'm not worried about that right now. I'm moving forward.”

Brader says the new five-person board, appointed by Deschutes County commissioners last week, is in agreement about getting activities, afterschool programs and sports restarted as quickly as possible.

The new board does have the support of LPRD Foundation chairman Robert Ray, who will help raise money to offset budget deficits.

“We're starting at zero and now we can only go up," Ray said. "The biggest struggle now is that the people don't realize just how tight the budget is.”

Tuesday’s meeting also included an executive session to discuss bringing back some LPRD staff who were laid off last month.

“We're going to do our best within our means to bring back what we can,” Brader said.

'Illness outbreak' shuts down all Gilchrist schools until Monday

An illness is spreading rapidly through the Gilchrist School District K-12, causing the Klamath County School District to announce that all schools will be closed until Monday.

The K-12 school has around 200 students in total.

"My mom talked to me and she was like, 'Hey, school shut down because it says an illness,'" said Gilchrist 8th grader Riley Lawrence. "You know what I'm talking about. And I was quite a bit confused. Later, my friend Daniel came over. He said a bunch of teachers were sick."

The Gilchrist School District announced the closure Monday of the junior/senior high school. By Tuesday, the district announced that all schools, including the elementary school, are now closed.

Lawrence says illness isn't uncommon in his small school, but shutting down the school is.

"This has never really happened. It happened once," Lawrence said. "I think it was a little bit after Covid, everybody started getting the stomach flu."

The Klamath School District said it did not have enough staff to cover those needing sick time.

Physician Assistant Sarah Sperry at the La Pine Community Health Center says now is the time when illnesses start to spread quickly.

"If you do have a true fever, it's recommended that it be 24 hours fever-free without any medications that might reduce your fever," said Sperry, "So medicines that have Tylenol or ibuprofen and including any combination medicines. So, 24 full hours without those medications."

She further advises people to be cautious when returning to work or school.

"If things aren't getting better like you think they should, then make sure to go see your clinic or a provider so that you can get checked out," Sperry said.

All after-school activities are also closed during this time.

The Klamath Falls School District sent two official press releases to Central Oregon Daily News. The first was sent at 10:29 AM by School Improvement & Secondary Programs Director Jeff Bullock:

"Gilchrist Jr/Sr High School is a rural school with a small but committed faculty.  However, a significant number of staff are sick with typical fall illnesses, and substitute teachers are in short supply.  Working with building administration, the district determined to close the school for what we hope is only one day (Tuesday, October 29th).  Our custodial crew is doing a deep clean of touch surfaces and we hope to have a full staff back in place on Wednesday.  Parents will be notified by 2:00 PM today, October 29th, regarding the school's status for Wednesday.  This closure is for the Jr/Sr High School only; Gilchrist Elementary School is open with normal bus routes."

Public relations specialist Marcia Schlottmann's second statement sent an update at 2:09 PM.

"Due to an illness outbreak, both Gilchrist Junior/Senior High School and Gilchrist Elementary School will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 30 through Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Our district nurse has recommended the closure to allow time for students and staff to recover and deep cleanings to occur in both buildings. All after-school activities and events are canceled during this time. The schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024."

Prineville to Receive $1.6M in Federal Funds for Rail Improvements

Prineville is set to receive $1.6 million in federal funds to improve 18 miles of railroad tracks. This grant is part of a larger $2.4 billion package supporting rail projects across the U.S. Specifically, Prineville will use the funds to replace 9,700 rail ties and perform essential track rehabilitation.

Oregon will receive nearly $43 million in total, with additional funds allocated to projects like converting diesel locomotives to zero-emission electric engines and upgrading safety on rail lines in Lake County and Sweet Home.

These grants are largely funded by the 2021 infrastructure law, aimed at bolstering rail safety, reducing emissions, and enhancing rural rail infrastructure across the country.

As winter storm moves in, ODOT fully closing McKenzie Pass Highway for the season on Friday

Incoming winter weather has ODOT crews closing the east side of McKenzie Pass, Oregon Highway 242, this coming Friday, Nov. 1. The gates on the west side of the pass were closed last Friday. This will mark the beginning of the full seasonal closure.

McKenzie Pass is a secondary, scenic highway. Weather, costs and logistics make it impractical to maintain for travel year-round. In the winter, we focus our staff and resources on main highways to keep them plowed, open and safe. 

When the highway is closed, it is closed to all users and is not maintained. Travelers going past locked gates and closure signs are doing so at their own risk. There are no services or cell coverage in this area. 

Every year, McKenzie Pass opens and closes with the seasons. Dates vary depending on road and weather conditions. 

McKenzie Pass became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 with the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of Oregon 126. Even during its time as the main route between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation (5,325 feet) made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear during the winter months.

Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint to be closed for a day for staff training

 Cline Falls State Scenic Viewpoint will be closed for a park staff training event all day on Wednesday, Nov. 6. 

Safety barricades will be placed at the park entrance road from Highway 126. The public is asked to please respect the closure and not to go past the barricades. 

For questions, please contact Dani Padilla at 541-415-8130.

Pavilion Hosts Holiday Skate

BEND, OR -- The Pavilion ice rink opened several days ahead of last year's schedule. Julie Brown, with Bend Parks and Rec, says hockey and skate lessons are filling up fast, but more sessions will be offered during the second half of the season, which starts in January.

On Thursday, the Pavilion hosts a special Halloween Skate, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $7, which includes skate rental. Costumes are optional. Click HERE for more information, as well as a detailed schedule for The Pavilion.

Meet Twix

Meet Twix 31465! Twix is an adorable male Cattle Dog/Pit mix pup is part of a group of dogs that just arrived in Bend, Oregon from a shelter we partner with in Norman, Oklahoma thanks again to our non-profit transport partner Dog is My Copilot! As with all young pups, they can benefit from having someone who's home most of the day who can tend to all of their puppy needs, and so they can begin learning through things like socialization, basic obedience training and boundary-setting, as well as getting some good play time, exercise and enrichment/mental stimulation, which are all essential for the growth and development of a maturing young puppy. Before getting adopted officially, each dog will be seen by our veterinarian for their wellness exam to ensure they're spayed/neutered, are up to date on their shots, and are microchipped. Submit your online adoption application through our website today to not miss out on this opportunity to bring this pup home for a 3-day home trial towards their adoption. Will you be my hero?

Just Sayin’ 😎

Fun N Games in Central Oregon

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