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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia T&TH

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

💡Grand Illumination @ Sunriver

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📅Save The Date Section

🦃Who's Open for Dining on Thanksgiving? - By Eat Drink Bend

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰 Report: Teamsters, GOP leaders push Chavez-DeRemer for labor secretary

⭐ Actor Woody Harrelson makes surprise visit to Bend vegan restaurant

🏗️🏨Cambria Hotel to Break Ground Near Bend's Old Mill District, Opening Planned for 2026

🐕County extends agreement with BrightSide for kennel use

📰Regional News

🌪️‘Bomb cyclone’ kills 1 and knocks out power to over half a million homes across the northwest U.S.

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚆💥Fatal train-pedestrian collision in SE Bend - UPDATE

🚨Crime News

📰 Community News

💖Defensible Space Saves Madras Home from Wildfire, Thanks to Youth Crews

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

🐶Pet of the Week

🐕Meet Chad - Brightside Animal Shelter

📲Sponsors & Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

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

Why was Mount Bachelor originally known as "Bachelor Butte"?

• A) Because it was the last mountain climbed in the area

• B) Because it stands isolated from other major peaks

• C) Because it was named after a settler named John Bachelor

• D) Because its shape resembles a bachelor’s walking cane

Answer: B) Because it stands isolated from other major peaks

Expanded Answer: Mount Bachelor earned its name "Bachelor Butte" because it stands apart from other significant peaks in the Cascade Range, unlike the Three Sisters peaks located nearby. This isolated position led early settlers to nickname it the "bachelor" mountain. The name was officially changed to Mount Bachelor when it became a prominent ski destination, but the "bachelor" theme still reflects its distinct, solitary character among the surrounding mountains.

 BEND

SANTIAM PASS WEATHER

GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

GRAND ILLUMINATION

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2024

Holiday fun for the entire family at Grand Illumination - Sunriver Resort’s tree-lighting ceremony and fireworks show! This year’s celebration includes a visit from Santa, live music and entertainment, train rides, telescope viewings, hot cocoa, putt-putt, huggable characters, holiday shopping, and more. While here, enjoy food from local vendors or reserve a table in the Main Lodge at Lodge Kitchen or Owl's Nest. There will be live entertainment on the outdoor stage in the Backyard and holiday shopping in the Merchant Trader.

Event schedule*:

12 pm – 4:30 pm

Pony rides in front of The Lodge (weather permitting), train rides, bounce houses, putt-putt and petting zoo

12 pm – 5:15 pm

Raffle ticket sales benefiting local nonprofit Wonderland Express

12 pm – 7 pm

Food and beverage vendors available

2 pm – 7 pm

Oregon Observatory telescope viewing

2 pm

Santa arrives

2 pm – 5 pm

North Pole open for Santa visits

2:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Live music

5:30 pm

Raffle drawing

5:45 pm

Tree Lighting and Fireworks

6 pm – 7 pm

North Pole reopens for Santa visits

*Schedule subject to change. All activities are weather-dependent. 

Location

The Lodge

17600 Center Dr, Sunriver, OR 97707, USA

Coming up - Save the Date

Bend Food News

by Eat Drink Bend

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but not all of us are looking forward to a day full of cooking. We've got some of the best places you can eat out, get takeout, or grab a ready-to-heat meal kit this Thanksgiving Day!

Who's Open for Dining on Thanksgiving?

Newbie Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge is just one of many restaurants serving up a fantastic prix fixe menu on Thanksgiving.

Got an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Report: Teamsters, GOP leaders push Chavez-DeRemer for labor secretary

by Julia Shumway, Oregon Capital Chronicle

Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who narrowly lost her reelection bid earlier this month, may be in the running for labor secretary in a Trump administration. 

Politico reported Tuesday that Teamsters President Sean O’Brien and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are pushing for Chavez-DeRemer to head the agency. The Teamsters council in Oregon, Idaho and southwest Washington was one of about 20 unions to back Chavez-DeRemer in her unsuccessful run for reelection, and her father was a Teamster. 

A spokesman for Chavez-DeRemer did not respond to a call or email Tuesday afternoon. But the congresswoman took to X on Tuesday to praise Trump, complete with the president-elect’s distinctive use of capitalization.

“President Trump expanded on his Working Class coalition by speaking directly to hardworking Americans,” Chavez-DeRemer tweeted. “This is a true political realignment. We must continue to be the party of the American Worker, with President Trump leading the way!”

She also congratulated Trump on his win on Nov. 15 — only the second time this year Chavez-DeRemer mentioned Trump on her social media pages this year after endorsing him for president in March. She publicly endorsed him and praised his 2017 tax cuts in debates but otherwise did little else to align herself with Trump during her campaign. Democratic state Rep. Janelle Bynum, who repeatedly blasted Chavez-DeRemer for “standing by her man.”  The Republican also didn’t refer to Trump on X once in 2023 and stopped mentioning him on the platform after her primary victory in 2022. 

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., tweeted a link to Politico’s article, saying Chavez-DeRemer would make a fantastic labor secretary. 

“She understands the importance of having pro-growth, pro-labor and pro-business policies that support America’s workforce, respect organized labor and ensure shared prosperity,” Lawler wrote. 

Chavez-DeRemer is one of only three House Republicans to cosponsor the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, a Democratic priority which would weaken state “right-to-work” laws to allow unions to collect dues from all employees, increase penalties for employers who violate labor law and strengthen employees’ legal rights to join a union. 

Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oregon Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.

Actor Woody Harrelson makes surprise visit to Bend vegan restaurant

Salud Raw Food is a hole-in-the-wall vegan restaurant in downtown Bend. While the business is small, it caught the eye of one of Hollywood's biggest names in Woody Harrelson.

"They came in yesterday, and my employee who was here sent me a text letting me know," Salud owner Corrine Coxey said.

Harrelson, known for notable roles in "The People vs. Larry Flynt," "No Country for Old Men," "Natural Born Killers" and more, is also a longtime vegan. 

He came through Salud's doors on Monday, surprising Coxey's employee.

"They had a great conversation. He showed her a couple card tricks. He had a deck of cards with them," Coxey said.

Coxey posted a photo of Harrelson in her restaurant shortly after his visit.

Harrelson liked Salud so much he returned on Tuesday morning, where employee Aryn McDonald had the opportunity to serve him.

"I kind of was expecting to come him because he came in yesterday. I was half expecting it, but not getting my hopes up in case he didn't come in. It was really cool. He's really chill," McDonald said.

According McDonald, Salud at least doubled the amount of it's daily profit following his visit and attracted several first-time customers.

"He didn't really act like all uppity and what not that you might expect a celebrity to be. He was normal. Honestly, if I didn't hear about him yesterday I probably wouldn't have even recognized him," McDonald said.

Acoording to McDonald, Harrelson said he and his wife would likely return to Salud the next time they're in town

Cambria Hotel to Break Ground Near Bend's Old Mill District, Opening Planned for 2026

Ground will be broken soon for another new hotel near Bend's Old Mill District, one of several new Cambria Hotels recently opening or being built by Choice Hotels International around the country.

The location for the 131-room hotel is 213 SW Columbia Street, near The Pavilion and the Westside Safeway. The company touts the new hotel's location as being "within walking distance of the Old Mill District, the Deschutes River, and downtown Bend. Hotel demand in the area is driven by a year-round demand for hiking, fishing and skiing at the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, the official training center for many Winter Olympics athletes.  The hotel is expected to open in 2026.”

It's not the only development in that area on the Westside, as 33 luxury condos are being built and two other new hotels are on the way.

County extends agreement with BrightSide for kennel use

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners has extended their contract with BrightSide Animal shelter to provide care and space for dogs picked up by local police since the animal shelter in Jefferson County closed in June.

The original agreement was for six months but has now been extended until March 2025. The agreement largely follows the original agreement and stipulates that the county pay $13,500 before the contract extension begins for the services. The agreement may still be terminated with 30-day notice by either party.

In the June 2024 agreement, the county agreed to pay BrightSide $30 per indoor kennel per day for each dog impounded from Jefferson County, not to exceed $27,600 total for the six-month contract. They also will pay the contractor $3 per dog license issued in the county.

The county is required by Oregon and local law to provide an “adequate and sanitary dog pound or contract for care of dogs impounded.” Within the agreement with BrightSide, law enforcement will deliver impounded animals to BrightSide’s Redmond location.

When the original agreement was signed, the county stated they would begin searching for a new kennel provider. In a Nov. 13 commissioner meeting, commissioners discussed meeting with operators of other shelters locally in their search for a new operator, but did not have any progress towards an agreement to reopen the shelter.

‘Bomb cyclone’ kills 1 and knocks out power to over half a million homes across the northwest U.S.

A major storm swept across the northwest U.S., battering the region with strong winds and rain, causing widespread power outages and downing trees that killed at least one person.

The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks through Friday and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect as the strongest atmospheric river — a large plume of moisture — that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season overwhelmed the region. The storm system that hit starting Tuesday is considered a “ bomb cyclone,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.

Rainfall of 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 centimeters) was expected over far northern California and far southwest Oregon into Friday, the center said. The intensity was expected to peak Thursday, with flash flooding, rock slides and debris flows likely.

Heavy, wet snow was expected to continue along the Cascades and in parts of far northern California. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and near impossible travel at pass level due to accumulation rates of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 centimeters) per hour and wind gusts of up to 65 mph (105 kph).

Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across northwest Washington. In Lynnwood, Washington, a woman died Tuesday night when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, South County Fire said in a statement on X. In Seattle, a tree fell onto a vehicle, temporarily trapping a person inside, the Seattle Fire Department reported. The agency later said the individual was in stable condition.

A 70-year-old tree fell on Wendy Harrington’s home in Issaquah, Washington, and she told KOMO-TV that she thought a whole wall was coming down.

“It felt explosive, like there was a bomb going off,” Harrington said. “Everything was just very loud.”

Early Wednesday, nearly 600,000 houses in Washington State were reported to be without power on poweroutage.us. The number of outage reports had fluctuated wildly Tuesday evening, but steadily declined Wednesday. More than 3,000 were reported to be without power in Oregon and more than 15,000 had no power in California as of Wednesday morning.

“Trees are coming down all over the city & falling onto homes,” the fire department in Bellevue, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of Seattle, posted on the social platform X. “If you can, go to the lowest floor and stay away from windows. Do not go outside if you can avoid it.”

As of 8 p.m., the peak wind speed was in Canadian waters, where gusts of 101 mph (163 kph) were reported off the coast of Vancouver Island, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Along the Oregon coast, there were wind gusts as high at 79 mph (127 kph) Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon, while wind speed of 77 mph (124 kph) was recorded at Mount Rainier in Washington.

The national Weather Service warned people on the West Coast about the danger of trees during high winds, posting on X, “Stay safe by avoiding exterior rooms and windows and by using caution when driving.”

In northern California, flood and high wind watches were in effect, with up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain predicted for parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, North Coast and Sacramento Valley. Dangerous flash flooding, rock slides and debris flows were expected, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center.

A winter storm watch was issued for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), where 15 inches (28 centimeters) of snow was possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (120 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for parts of southwestern Oregon through Friday evening, while rough winds and seas halted a ferry route in northwestern Washington between Port Townsend and Coupeville.

A blizzard warning was issued for the majority of the Cascades in Washington, including Mount Rainier National Park, starting Tuesday afternoon, with up to a foot of snow and wind gusts up to 60 mph (97 kph), according to the weather service in Seattle. Travel across passes could be difficult if not impossible.

Fatal train-pedestrian collision in SE Bend; Wilson Avenue reopens after nearly 4-hour closure

UPDATE:

At approximately 5:43 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, Bend Police were dispatched to a report of a collision between a southbound BNSF train and a person at the railroad tracks near SE Wilson Avenue. 

An investigation determined that the man, identified as 52-year-old Tony Ray Monen, was lying on the tracks when he was struck. Monen was dead at the scene, and no foul play is suspected. 

SE Wilson Avenue between Ninth and Centennial streets was closed until approximately 9:30 p.m. as the Bend Police crash reconstruction team conducted its investigation. 

Defensible Space Saves Madras Home from Wildfire, Thanks to Youth Crews

When a fast-moving wildfire scorched 5,240 acres near Madras this past fire season, one property stood as a testament to the power of preparation. Thanks to newly cleared defensible space created by a Heart of Oregon Corps youth crew, the homeowners returned to find their home intact. The owners expressed their gratitude for the work that safeguarded their property, crediting the cleared brush and spaced trees for helping firefighters defend the structures.

“The fire rolled right under the trees, and it was really easy for firefighters to keep it away from all the structures,” the homeowners shared. “A real testament to the great work you do!”

This success story highlights the impact of the Oregon Conservation Corps, an innovative state grant program funded through the 2021 SB762 Wildfire legislation and renewed in 2023. The program supports proactive wildfire prevention while providing workforce training for youth ages 16-24.

Empowering Youth, Protecting Communities

In Central Oregon, the Heart of Oregon Corps and Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) collaborate on Oregon Conservation Corps-funded projects across Jefferson, Deschutes, and Crook counties. Crews of local youth and young adults reduce wildfire fuels by clearing brush, thinning trees, and creating defensible spaces around homes and neighborhoods.

The program goes beyond fuel reduction. Through training with the Oregon Department of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service, participants earn certifications in Entry-Level Wildland Firefighting and chainsaw operation, gaining skills essential for careers in wildfire management and natural resources. In its first year, the program awarded 86 technical certifications to local youth, offering a pathway to meaningful employment.

“This work is so much more than just clearing land,” said Laura Handy, executive director of Heart of Oregon Corps. “It’s about instilling purpose, protecting our communities, and preparing these young people with skills that they’ll carry into their future. This season, we’re seeing how powerfully that work has paid off.”

Nearly 600 Acres Treated Since 2022

The Elk Drive project near Madras, where the youth crew’s efforts saved a home, is just one example of the lasting difference these teams make. Since 2022, Heart of Oregon and COIC youth crews have treated nearly 600 acres of land, improving safety for property owners and firefighters alike. Their work includes removing ladder fuels that allow flames to reach tree canopies, a critical step in slowing wildfire spread.

Preparing for the Future

As winter approaches, Heart of Oregon Corps and COIC are encouraging property owners to take advantage of free fuels reduction services through the Central Oregon Wildfire Workforce Partnership (COWWP). These services are available to residents in high-risk wildfire zones, prioritizing underserved areas.

“Planning defensible space now helps protect homes, creates safer communities, and supports local youth in building critical skills,” Handy explained.

For more information on eligibility and to schedule fuels reduction services, visit coic.org/cowwp.

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About the Organizations

Heart of Oregon Corps is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through job training, education, and community service in Central Oregon. Annually, the organization trains over 200 youth in conservation, construction, and childcare.

Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) provides technical assistance, shared services, and resource development to address the needs of Central Oregon communities.

Central Oregon Wildfire Workforce Partnership (COWWP), established in 2022, focuses on wildfire prevention and workforce development in partnership with the Oregon Conservation Corps.

For more information about Heart of Oregon Corps or to apply, visit heartoforegon.org.

Meet Chad!

Meet Chad, a young, inquisitive soul who loves to entertain with his funny antics. His curiosity knows no bounds, and he's always up for an adventure. His favorite pastime? Chasing lizards! He could spend hours in pursuit of these elusive creatures, his tail wagging in delight. Chad's friendly demeanor makes him a joy to be around, his wagging tail and playful nature a testament to his jovial spirit. He's the perfect companion for anyone seeking a friend full of life and laughter. Adopt Chad, and fill your home with his unending cheer and companionship.

Breed - Rottweiler/Shepherd

Age - 4 years 11 months 30 days

Gender - Male

Size - Large

Color - Black/Tan

Spayed/Neutered   

 😎Just Sayin

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