Hey there! Ever wished you could stay in the loop with all the exciting local events happening in Central Oregon without the hassle of constantly searching for them? Look no further! With Central Oregon Local Live, you can receive convenient event reminders straight to your phone. Signing up is easy – just visit centraloregonlocalbuzz.com and opt-in for Event Reminders with a simple YES reply. You'll receive a curated list of current events once a week, typically on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Plus, rest assured that your privacy is our priority – we will never share your information or bombard you with unwanted messages. Stay informed and connected with Central Oregon Local Live!

In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🤠 Hat Bar! December 12th 5pm - 7pm @Click Boutique

🛍️ 3rd Annual Central Oregon Bazaar December 15th 9am-3pm

🎶💃Silvertone Devils @ The Wildwood December 12th 6pm - 9pm

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📅Save The Date Section

❄️🚶‍♀️‍➡️Snowshoe with a ranger in the Ochoco National Forest - December 21st

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰Bend City Council Chooses Caldera Ranch Site for Urban Growth Boundary Expansion

📰Informational Online Open House for Midtown Crossings-Franklin Avenue Design

📚New Redmond Library set to open late next month; temporary location closing Dec. 21

📰Regional / National News

📰 2 Oregon Department of Corrections health officials on leave amid investigation

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

⛑️ Missing Bend Woman Found Alive in Remote Lane County Area

🚨Crime News

🚨Bend Police Arrest Man in Attempted Armed Carjacking

📰 Community News

🪀🧸Toys For Tots Drop off Locations

🚲24 bikes donated to Bear Creek Elementary to teach kids how to ride

 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 🚀

Good Morning!

 BEND

SANTIAM PASS WEATHER

GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

Hat Bar!

December 12th 5pm - 7pm

Click Boutique

341 N Main St Prineville, OR

Join us for a fun-filled evening of hat-making and holiday cheer! Limited spots available, so be sure to call or text 541-815-4379 to secure your spot. Feel free to call for details or inquiries.

December 15th

Join us for the 3rd Annual Central Oregon Bazaar held at Iconic Dance. Free admission, visits with Santa (between 11-2), fantastic local businesses and vendors, and some great last minute gift options.

*Enter off of Quimby  

December 12th 6pm - 9pm

Silvertone Devils @ The Wildwood

The Wildwood is in the space of the old Brown Owl in the box factory - great food and cocktails and a great spot for our last show of 2024 - music is free and the food is delicious and reasonably priced- we’ll be leaning acoustic w the full band - two sets between 6 and 9pm. It’s been a minute since our last band set and we’re excited to slip this show in- rally your pals and join us!

Coming up - Save the Date

Snowshoe with a ranger in the Ochoco National Forest

Embrace the beauty of winter and explore the Ochoco National Forest on snowshoes! Join us on Saturday, December 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Walton Lake Recreation Area for Snowshoe with a Ranger, a family-friendly event designed to connect you with nature and the expertise of our Forest specialists.

Participants will enjoy a guided snowshoe hike through the serene, snow-draped forest. Along the way, Forest specialists will share insights about winter wildlife, forest ecology, and more. It’s a chance to ask questions, learn, and take in the breathtaking scenery.

After the snowshoe adventure, warm up by a crackling fire with complimentary hot beverages. Whether you’re an experienced outdoor enthusiast or trying snowshoeing for the first time, this event is a great way to celebrate the season and the wonders of the Ochoco National Forest.

What to Bring:

• Snowshoes (A limited number of snowshoes will be available to borrow—please call ahead to reserve.)

• Warm clothing and sturdy winter boots.

• Water and snacks to stay comfortable during the hike.

Details:

• Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024

• Time: 11:00 a.m.

• Location: Walton Lake Recreation Area (directions can be found on the Forest website)

Celebrate Winter in the Ochocos

Bundle up, grab your snowshoes, and join us for an unforgettable day in the great outdoors. We can’t wait to see you on the trail!

For more information, contact the Ochoco National Forest at (541) 416-6500 or visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/ochoco.

Got an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Bend City Council Chooses Caldera Ranch Site for Urban Growth Boundary Expansion

BEND, Ore. – The Bend City Council has selected the Caldera Ranch site on the southeastern edge of the city for a future Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion, marking the first step in bringing new land into the city for affordable and market-rate housing under Senate Bill 1537.

During Wednesday night's meeting, the Council voted 4-2 in favor of the 91.4-acre Caldera Ranch site. Located adjacent to Knott Road, the proposed development includes plans for 716 housing units, a small commercial development, and a centralized four-and-a-half-acre neighborhood park. Approximately 35.5% of the planned units—254 homes—will be designated as affordable housing, surpassing the 30% minimum required by the state legislation.

“Bend, and all of Oregon, are still in a housing crisis,” said Mayor Melanie Kebler. “Too many people cannot afford housing in Bend, and we need to build more homes to meet the needs of our current and future residents. Thankfully, the Legislature and Governor worked together to provide cities like ours an opportunity with Senate Bill 1537, and our decision tonight is the first step in a process that will result in more affordable housing hitting the ground sooner in Bend.”

Passed in 2024, Senate Bill 1537 allows qualifying cities to add up to 100 acres of net residential land to their UGB through a streamlined process aimed at accelerating affordable housing development. Under the bill, affordable housing is defined as housing for households earning up to 80% of the area median income (AMI) for rentals—$83,750 for a household of four—or 130% of AMI for homebuyers, which is approximately $136,110 annually.

The Caldera Ranch site exceeds these requirements, with 192 homes planned for households earning 80% of the AMI, 38 units for lower-income residents earning 30% of the AMI, and an additional 24 units, including townhomes and detached homes, targeted at households earning 130% of the AMI.

The next steps for the project include applying for a UGB Amendment and Comprehensive Plan Text and Map Amendment within a year of the site selection, followed by a Master Plan and Annexation process. Public comment opportunities will be available during these stages.

If approved, construction on the first homes could begin as early as summer 2027, with a proposed ten-year timeline for full build-out.

For more information about Senate Bill 1537 and the UGB expansion process, visit the City of Bend’s website.

Informational Online Open House for Midtown Crossings-Franklin Avenue Design

The community is invited to an informational, online open house at bendoregon.gov/midtowncrossings available now through Jan. 7 to view the selected design for Franklin Avenue between Harriman and Fifth streets, including intersection, bike lane and undercrossing improvements.

This online open house provides the last public review before the City’s project team finalizes the designs and initiates construction next year.

In August, the City of Bend collected community input on how to make walking, biking and rolling safer and more comfortable along Franklin Avenue between Harriman and Fifth streets. Considering the community input and other factors such as maintenance, safety and emergency service needs, the City is moving forward with a preferred design. This design will add more separation between lanes of travel and includes new landscaping areas in the public right of way.

Improving the transportation system by focusing on safety is a City Council goal. Creating safer connections between neighborhoods, places of work, schools, parks and businesses, for people who ride bikes, walk or roll, is a City priority. The City is designing a variety of safer and more accessible bike and pedestrian routes throughout the community, including the Midtown Crossings project, aimed at linking the Central District to Downtown Bend.

Midtown Crossings Project includes improvements to four key connectors in the area for people who ride bikes, walk and roll:

• Greenwood Avenue: Corridor and undercrossing quick-build improvements and long-term planning.

• Franklin Avenue: Corridor and under-crossing improvements.

• Second Street: Streetscape improvements, stormwater, and water lines.

• Hawthorne Overcrossing: Preliminary design for a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge.

The December open house is focused on the final design of Franklin Avenue. Learn more at bendoregon.gov/midtowncrossings.

New Redmond Library set to open late next month; temporary location closing Dec. 21

Construction is nearly complete on the new, 40,000-square-foot Redmond Library, located at 827 SW Deschutes Avenue in Redmond’s civic core, officials said Friday.

In preparation for its late-January opening, the last day of operations in the temporary Redmond Library will be Saturday, Dec. 21 (location: 2127 S Highway 97, Redmond). A specific opening date for the Redmond Library is still to be announced, pending final move-in activities and staff training in the all-new building.

Redmond staff’s first few weeks in the new building will focus on training and education on new systems and processes, as well as putting the finishing touches on shelving, furniture and more.

“It’s an entirely new building,” says Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “Everything from the lighting to the new materials handling machine and drive-up window requires robust staff training. By giving time for staff education in every aspect of the building, we’re confident we can open our doors ready to serve the public to the highest standard.”

The library asks that Redmond customers hold their returns during the transition period between the temporary library’s closure and the opening of the new library; no late fees will be charged for materials. If customers choose, they can also return their materials to any of Deschutes Public Library’s other locations. Holds for Redmond customers will be available once the new Redmond Library opens.

Customers and those interested in the opening date for the new library can sign up for “Redmond Library Updates” at https://dpl.pub/newsletters to be notified as soon as a date is set. Find more information about the Library’s bond-funded projects on its website: www.deschuteslibrary.org/futurelibraries.

 2 Oregon Department of Corrections health officials on leave amid investigation

The Oregon Department of Corrections placed its chief of medicine, Dr. Warren Roberts, and assistant director for health services, Joe Bugher, on paid administrative leave pending a human resources investigation. Details about the investigation remain undisclosed, but the move follows ongoing concerns about inmate health care, especially at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, where a backlog of nearly 600 medical appointments was reported.

The department, responsible for medical care for about 12,000 inmates across Oregon, has hired an external expert to evaluate its health care management. Interim leadership will be handled by Deputy Director Heidi Steward.

Roberts, earning $381,000 annually, is a licensed neurosurgeon with a history of a corrective plan from the Oregon Medical Board for unspecified issues. Bugher, with a $241,000 salary, has been with the department since 2004, transitioning from a correctional officer to his current role.

The investigation highlights longstanding issues within the department, including a $1.5 million lawsuit settlement last year for inadequate medical care and a previous lawsuit involving Roberts for alleged surgical malpractice.

City of Bend Events

Missing Bend Woman Found Alive in Remote Lane County Area

A 76-year-old Bend woman reported missing earlier this week was found alive Saturday morning in a remote area of Lane County, following an extensive multi-agency search.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the disappearance of Cheryl Leigh Guajardo on Dec. 4. Guajardo was last believed to be driving in the Lowell area on Dec. 3. Poor cell service in the rugged area hampered search efforts, making it impossible to track her cell phone or vehicle. Concern for her safety prompted a statewide Silver Alert, with the possibility that she had traveled beyond the region.

On Dec. 7, at approximately 11 a.m., search teams located Guajardo’s vehicle on an overgrown spur road north of Lookout Point Lake. Shortly afterward, they found Guajardo alive and responsive. She was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for evaluation and care.

The search involved dozens of volunteers, deputies, and personnel from multiple agencies, who covered thousands of miles by vehicle and hundreds more on foot and by horseback. Drones and aircraft were also deployed to assist in locating Guajardo in the challenging terrain.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office extended its gratitude to the many agencies that contributed to the search effort, including the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Police Department, Oakridge Fire Department, Oregon State Police, and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, among others. Federal agencies like the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Forest Service also participated.

Officials also thanked community members who kept an eye out for Guajardo, as well as her friends and family who assisted with the investigation and search efforts.

Bend Police Arrest Man in Attempted Armed Carjacking

BEND, Ore. – A 24-year-old man was arrested Thursday evening after an attempted armed carjacking in Bend, police reported.

The incident occurred around 7:23 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the 300 block of SE Reed Market Road. According to police, a 48-year-old Bend woman called 911 to report that a man had approached her vehicle, pointed a firearm at her, and demanded she get out. The victim fled the vehicle with her keys, leaving her cell phone behind. Using a family member's phone, she contacted authorities and reported that the suspect was still inside her car.

When officers arrived, they found the victim's car in its original location, but her cell phone was missing. The victim provided a detailed description of the suspect, prompting a large-scale search involving police drones and K9 units, including K9 Billy.

Around an hour later, officers discovered the stolen phone in a nearby McDonald’s parking lot. Shortly afterward, at approximately 8:26 p.m., police located the suspect in the parking lot of AutoZone Auto Parts on South Highway 97. The man, identified as Matthew Carlton Drake, had recently traveled to Bend from Klamath Falls.

Drake was arrested and taken to the Deschutes County Jail on multiple charges, including first-degree robbery, first-degree theft, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, and pointing a firearm at another person.

Police have not yet recovered the firearm allegedly used in the incident.

Bend Police thanked the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police for their assistance in the case.

24 bikes donated to Bear Creek Elementary to teach kids how to ride

Elementary school students in Bend are getting a head start in learning how to ride a bike.

The HDR Foundation partnered with the nonprofit All Kids Bike to donate 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bicycles to Bear Creek Elementary.

The bikes are easy to balance on and will be used during kindergarten P.E. to help kids learn valuable skills early on.

“I think a kid having a bike really helps them with belonging within their age group and within their neighborhoods, and they can be part of the cool crowd. Teaching to bike gives them confidence as they learn and develop,” said HDR Oregon Manager Tracy Ellen

The donation also comes with helmets and a bike for teachers to demonstrate on.

 😎Just Sayin

Fun N Games in Central Oregon

Please feel free to add Events. Please let your favorite places know about us too to help us keep this calendar Updated!

Deschutes Public Library Events

Follow us on facebook