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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia T&TH

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

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

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📅Save The Date Section

🎅The 2024 Bend Christmas Parade - Dec. 7th

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🥸Bend Firefighters Host Annual Mustache Bash

📰New data hub page provides details on police calls at Bend parks and recreation facilities

💧City of Bend Tests Water-Saving Grass Mix in Lawn Experiment at Clinic of the Cascades

📰OSU Study Explores Farm Irrigation's Impact on Groundwater Reserves

🛫Alaska Airlines restores year-round flights between Redmond and Portland

📰Regional News

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

⚖️Two indicted in Crook County on murder charges

📰 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 Fun N Games in Central Oregon has LAUNCHED 🚀

Which airline was the first to operate passenger flights at Redmond Municipal Airport (Roberts Field) in 1940?

A) Delta Air Lines
B) Alaska Airlines
C) United Airlines
D) American Airlines

👉Find the Answer in Tomorrow’s Newsletter👉

Good Morning!

 BEND

SANTIAM PASS WEATHER

GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

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.

Coming up - Save the Date

The 2024 Bend Christmas Parade

Saturday Dec. 7, 2024 – 12pm Start Time

Bend's most beloved event is coming soon! After 40 years, the Parade keeps on going and growing, and the 2023 Parade  was the largest ever!
2024 is going to surpass 2023!

Our Grand Marshals this year truly deserve the honor. For 39 years of the Parade history Terry Rahmsdorff served as our Santa Claus, bringing up the rear of the Parade and bringing cheer to countless kids of all ages with his booming, "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!" Sadly, Terry passed away last year and he was greatly missed at the 2023 Parade. His wife Terri and his family have agreed to serve as Grand Marshals this year so that we can acknowledge and express our gratitude for Terry's years of love and care for our community. 

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Bend Firefighters Host Annual Mustache Bash

The Bend Firefighters are hosting the annual Mustache Bash on Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 5 to 9 p.m. at 10 Barrel Brewing – East (62950 NE 18^th Street). Families and friends are invited to don their western-wear and come out for a fun evening supporting a good cause. 

The event will feature several raffle prizes donated by local businesses, including a grand raffle for a 45-minute scenic helicopter ride over the Cascades donated by Airlink Critical Care. Raffle tickets for the helicopter ride can be purchased at the event or online at bendcommunityassistance.org and you do not need to be present to win. 

There will also be a hairy competition among local firefighters who have been working all year on growing the perfect crumb catchers!

Funds from this year’s bash will help the Bend Firefighter’s Community Assistance Program eliminate costs for local students to attend Camp Fire Axe, Bend Fire & Rescue’s annual four-day summer camp for highschoolers interested in exploring a career in the fire service. Bash-goers can sponsor students or donate in addition to partaking in raffles.

The Bend Fire Community Assistance Program is a nonprofit started by Bend Firefighters to help meet identified needs and respond to crises in the Bend community. Firefighters often encounter difficult situations where families require help beyond traditional fire department services. 

Learn more about the Bend Fire Community Assistance Program, purchase raffle tickets or donate today at bendcommunityassistance.org. 

New data hub page provides details on police calls at Bend parks and recreation facilities

The City of Bend Police Department and Bend Park & Recreation District are pleased to announce that community members can now access a crime map and data about calls for service specifically taking place in Bend’s parks and recreation facilities. 

The dashboard dedicated to incidents taking place in Bend’s parks allows the public to explore the types of calls for service Bend Police officers respond to at parks locations, as well as the number of times police have responded to those locations. 

For example, the most common calls for service on parks property are “suspicious circumstances” and “unwanted subject,” followed by “dog complaints,” and the most common location police respond to is Juniper Swim & Fitness Center and the adjacent Juniper Park. 

In a recent BPRD community survey, 86 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “I feel safe when I’m using district parks, trails and facilities.” While this is positive, maintaining and addressing safety opportunities is a priority for the park district and police. 

“We value the partnership between park stewards, law enforcement and security services to maintain safe parks and recreation facilities,” said Michelle Healy, executive director of BPRD. “In a growing community, incidents and challenges present opportunities for prevention, response and awareness that is easy to access with the online dashboard resource.”

Bend Police introduced its data hub, created in conjunction with the City’s Office of Performance Management, in August 2023. The goal of the data hub is to make it as easy as possible for our community to learn more about the types of calls for service and reported crimes taking place in the City of Bend through reports, maps and raw data tables. 

“Our Department is committed to transparency, and that means sharing as much information with the public as we can,” said Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz. “We were pleased to work with Bend Park & Recreation District to build this dashboard, and we look forward to creating additional dashboards that will give the public more insight into our community’s safety.” 

The data is updated on a daily basis. It is compiled from the Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System that is maintained by Deschutes County 911 Dispatch. 

You can access the data hub at https://policedata.bendoregon.gov. At the top of the page, click on “Parks Incidents.”

City of Bend Tests Water-Saving Grass Mix in Lawn Experiment at Clinic of the Cascades

There's an experiment happening on the lawn at the Clinic of the Cascades.  Bend's Water Conservation Manager Dan Denning tells KBND News the city wants to learn about a water-friendly grass-seed mix they've planted there.  He says there isn't a lot of information available on water-saving turf alternatives...this study will serve as a baseline.
The city partnered with local company Accent Landscaping and the High Desert Horticultural Center on the project.

OSU Study Explores Farm Irrigation's Impact on Groundwater Reserves

A new study by Oregon State University sheds light on how farm economies impact groundwater reserves.  Researchers at O-S-U say they've developed a 30-year model to predict when irrigating farmland could over-tax groundwater reserves. Professor Bill Jaeger says it's an unpredictable but important resource. He hopes the new study will lead to more flexible water rules at the state level. 

Alaska Airlines restores year-round flights between Redmond and Portland

Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air will extend its seasonal daily flight to and from Portland and the Redmond Airport to year-round daily flights.

The change reflects strong business demand and airline’s commitment to smaller communities like Redmond, ensuring air service for Central Oregon residents and businesses, according to the airline's statement. 

The new year-round schedule includes one daily flight, with a second flight added on peak travel days to meet increased passenger demand, according to the airline. Flights from Redmond to Portland primarily leave in the morning and midday, while flights from Portland are offered midday to the end of the day. 

The airline added these flights in the fall of 2023, when it resumed the route after suspending it except for during the winter months. 

“We are excited about Alaska Airlines' restoration of year-round service to Portland. Our business community has emphasized that this flight is crucial for connecting to key markets, supporting statewide operations, and strengthening links to destinations beyond the continental U.S. It is essential that we make full use of this route to ensure its long-term viability,” said Jon Stark, Economic Development for Central Oregon CEO, in a prepared statement.  

The Redmond Airport is serviced by five airlines offering 30 daily flights a day.  

Two indicted in Crook County on murder charges

Crook County, OR - Two murder suspects were indicted by a Crook County grand jury last week regarding the disappearance and death of a Madras man.

The grand jury indicted Victor Manuel Romero, Jr. in connection with the murder of Thomas Nielson, a Madras man who was reported missing in September 2022. On Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, Romero was extradited from California to Crook County where he will be arraigned on charges including murder and kidnapping.

According to Crook County District Attorney Kari Hathorn, Nielson’s house, located on Culver Highway in Madras, was damaged by fire on Sept. 14, 2022. Shortly thereafter, Nielson was listed as a missing and endangered person by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation determined that Audrey Hahn and Victor Romero, Jr. drove to Nielson’s residence on Sept. 8, 2022, where they assaulted him. Romero and Hahn then took Nielson from his residence and drove him to a location in Crook County off Lone Pine Road, where Romero and Hahn shot Nielson multiple times. Nielson’s body was found on the private property a year later, on Sept. 9, 2023.

Romero and Hahn were indicted by the grand jury on three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree kidnapping and unlawful use of a weapon, each of which outline different factors and legal theories of the crimes.

Romero was arrested in California on unrelated charges in September 2022. On Nov. 22, 2024, detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police transported Romero from the California Department of Corrections to Crook County. He was expected to be arraigned on Nov. 25. Hahn was arraigned on Sept. 11, 2023, and her charges remain pending.

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