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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📅Save The Date Section

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🔥Oregon Unveils New Wildfire Hazard Maps with Updated Rules for High-Risk Areas

🌊Prineville and Ochoco reservoirs surge with recent rain, prompting swift water warning

🚫📪Most USPS delivery halted Thursday for Day of Mourning

🅿️Bend upgrades parking garage system for easier access and payment

📰Crook Co. School Board votes to begin mutual termination of superintendent's contract

📰Regional News

📰New rule bans medical bills on credit reports, impacting 15 million Americans

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

🚨Two Teens Sustain Minor Injuries in Downtown Bend Parking Garage Shooting

📰Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Investigates Suspicious Death in La Pine, Ruled a Homicide

📰Community News

💖Central Oregon Daily News - Teacher, mentor, friend: Redmond High honors Lance Hill's legacy after succumbing to cancer 🎦

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

🐶🐈Pet of the Week

🐶Meet Maple: Your Future Snuggle Buddy and Adventure Partner - SDH

📲Sponsors & Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

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

What makes the Oregon Observatory at Sunriver particularly unique compared to other observatories in the United States?

A) It has the largest meteorite collection in the country
B) It houses the largest collection of telescopes for public viewing
C) It is the highest-elevation observatory in Oregon
D) It offers 24-hour astronomical viewing programs

👉Find The Answer in Friday’s Newsletter👉

Good Morning!

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Deschutes Public Library Events

Oregon Unveils New Wildfire Hazard Maps with Updated Rules for High-Risk Areas

Oregon has unveiled updated wildfire hazard maps that require new building codes and vegetation reduction for homeowners in high-risk wildfire areas. These changes, impacting about 6% of the state's 1.9 million tax lots, aim to improve wildfire resilience without affecting insurance rates. The maps were revised after public feedback and focus on creating defensible spaces and using fire-resistant materials. Experts emphasize these measures can help protect homes but won’t stop wildfires from occurring. Oregon joins other states like California, Washington, and Colorado in addressing growing wildfire risks intensified by climate change.

Prineville and Ochoco reservoirs surge with recent rain, prompting swift water warning

Crook County reservoirs are starting to fill up fast with all the recent wet weather. The increase is due to more water flowing into the reservoirs than what is being released.

More than 2 million gallons of water are pouring into the Prineville Reservoir every minute, but one-third of that is being released -- 4,500 cfs coming in to 1,500 cfs going out as of Saturday. The high inflow still means elevated water levels downstream on the Crooked River.

A similar situation is occurring with Ochoco Reservoir, with 188 cfs coming into the reservoir and 150 cfs going out.

The Crook County Sheriff's Office is urging the public to exercise caution around swift-moving water.

Most USPS delivery halted Thursday for Day of Mourning

Thursday is a national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery, with only a limited number of packages being delivered. Retail services will also be closed Thursday in observance of the day.

Normal mail delivery will resume on Friday.

Bend upgrades parking garage system for easier access and payment

The City of Bend is upgrading the Centennial Parking Garage gate system to improve access and payment options. The new interface will feature easier-to-read prompts, license plate recognition, credit card ticketing, and smartphone app functionality for smoother entry and exit. Drivers can pre-pay for parking upon entering, streamlining the process. The Downtown Bend Business Association is also surveying public feedback on downtown parking experiences.

Crook Co. School Board votes to begin mutual termination of superintendent's contract

The Crook County School Board voted to negotiate a mutual termination of Superintendent Dr. Melissa Skinner's contract, just six months into her role. This follows community backlash over personnel decisions, including the potential removal of Athletic Director Rob Bonner and allegations of nepotism. Skinner has been placed on paid administrative leave, with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joel Hoff stepping in as acting superintendent. The controversy began with a December student walkout supporting Bonner and escalated with a formal complaint signed by parents, teachers, and staff unions. The board aims to focus on healing and student learning as it navigates these challenges.

New rule bans medical bills on credit reports, impacting 15 million Americans

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced Tuesday it has finalized a new rule that will eliminate an estimated $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports, affecting about 15 million Americans.

The rule bans the inclusion of medical bills on credit reports used by lenders and prohibits lenders from considering medical information in lending decisions.

The bureau said its research indicates that medical debt has minimal predictive value for lenders and has historically led to unjust denials of credit, such as mortgages.

Here is the full announcement from CFPB:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule that will remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of about 15 million Americans. The CFPB’s action will ban the inclusion of medical bills on credit reports used by lenders and prohibit lenders from using medical information in their lending decisions. The rule will increase privacy protections and prevent debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people to pay bills they don’t owe. The CFPB has found that medical debts provide little predictive value to lenders about borrowers’ ability to repay other debts, and consumers frequently report receiving inaccurate bills or being asked to pay bills that should have been covered by insurance or financial assistance programs.

“People who get sick shouldn’t have their financial future upended,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB’s final rule will close a special carveout that has allowed debt collectors to abuse the credit reporting system to coerce people into paying medical bills they may not even owe.”

The CFPB’s research  reveals that a medical bill on a person’s credit report is a poor predictor of whether they will repay a loan, and contributes to thousands of denied applications on mortgages that consumers would be able to repay. The CFPB expects the rule will lead to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional, affordable mortgages every year and that Americans with medical debt on their credit reports could see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points.

The CFPB’s action follows changes made by the three nationwide credit reporting conglomerates – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – who announced that they would take certain types of medical debt off of credit reports, including collections under $500, after the CFPB raised concerns about medical debt credit reporting in early 2022. Additionally, FICO and VantageScore, the two major credit scoring companies, announced they have decreased the degree to which medical bills impact a consumer’s score.

The CFPB’s final rule brings regulations in line with Congress’s decision to safeguard consumers’ privacy by restricting lenders from obtaining or using medical information, including information about medical debts. Federal financial regulators later created an exception to this restriction, allowing creditors to consider medical debts. This carveout has enabled debt collectors to use the credit reporting system to coerce payments from patients for inaccurate or false medical bills.

The CFPB’s new rule amends Regulation V, which implements the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), to end this exception and establish guardrails for credit reporting companies, prohibiting them from including medical bills on credit reports sent to lenders, who are banned from considering them. The final rule:

• Prohibits lenders from considering medical information: The rule ends the special regulatory carveout that previously allowed creditors to use certain medical information in making lending decisions. This means lenders will also be barred from using information about medical devices, such as prosthetic limbs, that could be used to require that the devices serve as collateral for a loan for the purposes of repossession.

• Bans medical bills on credit reports: The rule bans consumer reporting agencies from including medical debt information on credit reports and credit scores sent to lenders. This will help end the practice of using the credit reporting system to coerce payment of bills regardless of their accuracy. Lenders will continue to be able to consider medical information to verify medical-based forbearances, verify medical expenses that a consumer needs a loan to pay, consider certain benefits as income when underwriting, and other legitimate uses.

Today’s rule advances the CFPB’s work to protect consumers from harms from medical debt and coercive debt collection practices. In October, the CFPB issued guidance clarifying that debt collectors violate federal law when they collect on inaccurate or legally invalid medical debts. Previously, the CFPB published in 2022 a report describing the extensive and debilitating effects of medical debt along with a bulletin on the No Surprises Act to remind credit reporting companies and debt collectors of their legal responsibilities under that legislation.

The rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Read the CFPB’s notice to the final rule, “Prohibition on Creditors and Consumer Reporting Agencies Concerning Medical Information (Regulation V).”

Read the Unofficial Redline of the Prohibition on Creditors and Consumer Reporting Agencies Concerning Medical Information (Regulation V). 

Learn more about Credit Reporting Requirements and the CFPB’s work on medical debt.

Consumers can submit complaints about financial products or services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

 City of Bend Events

Two Teens Sustain Minor Injuries in Downtown Bend Parking Garage Shooting

Bend, OR – Two Central Oregon teenagers sustained minor injuries in a shooting at the Centennial Parking Garage in downtown Bend early Sunday morning.

The incident occurred around 12:56 a.m. on January 5, when Bend Police were alerted to an 18-year-old with a gunshot wound being transported to St. Charles Bend. Officers responded to both the hospital and the parking garage, located at 750 NW Lava Road, to investigate.

According to witnesses, the shooting took place on the top level of the garage. The teens, aged 17 and 18, were standing near their vehicle when a red Dodge Challenger pulled up beside them. Shortly after, a passenger in the Challenger reportedly discharged a round from what is believed to be a shotgun. The projectiles struck the two teens, causing minor injuries.

Following an investigation, Bend Police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Genesis Zuniga Garcia of Terrebonne. On Monday morning, Garcia was arrested and charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He was taken to the Deschutes County Jail.

The firearm involved in the incident has not yet been recovered, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about the shooting to contact Bend Police.

Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Investigates Suspicious Death in La Pine, Ruled a Homicide

La Pine, OR – The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is investigating a suspicious death at a camp near Masten Road and Jackpine Loop in La Pine. The death, first reported on December 20, 2024, has now been ruled a homicide by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene at approximately 8:30 a.m. on December 20 after receiving a report of a deceased individual. Upon arrival, they began investigating what appeared to be suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

The DCSO Detective Division is working closely with the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, the Oregon State Police Crime Lab, and the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office to investigate the case.

While the investigation remains ongoing, authorities have not yet released the name or age of the victim. Investigators believe this is an isolated incident but encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or vehicles to Deschutes County 911 Dispatch.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact DCSO and reference case #24-72494. Further details will be shared as they become available.

Central Oregon Daily News:

Teacher, mentor, friend: Redmond High honors Lance Hill's legacy after succumbing to cancer

Steele Haugen, Reporter

Redmond High School is honoring a beloved teacher at Redmond High School who passed away from cancer on the day after Christmas.

Lance Hill taught Career and Technical Education for 30 years and was heavily involved in FFA and Agriculture classes at RHS. He had a significant impact on both the staff and students at RHS while teaching at the school.

The school is honoring Hill this week in several different ways including Christmas hearts, representing the light Lance brought to the school.

"I love that man," Dean of Students Kris Davis, a close friend of Hill, said, "He was he was he was the person that I always looked up to as far as just the individual he was and, and the character that he was."

RELATED: Sky View Middle Schoolers tackle homeless crisis through national STEM competition

For Kendyl Smith, Lance was a mentor during her first years teaching.

"Honestly, I wouldn't be able to do it without him," said Smith. "Having that guidance made it so much easier to just go in and ask him a question versus trying to figure it out all on my own."

Jayce Evans is one of many students who said Hill was their favorite teacher: A teacher who believed in you, even when you didn't believe in yourself. Hill taught him how to have manners and be courteous toward others. Evans said Hill helped him with public speaking, a topic he has no problem with anymore.

"He was one that was not just a teacher, but he was a mentor, almost like another father," Evans said.

Hill was known for dancing, singing and catchy sayings before retiring last school year. He died on Dec. 26.

"I thought we had more time with him," said Redmond High Principal Audrey Haugan. "He didn't let on how sick he really was. Every time you talked to him, he said he was getting better and that he was doing just fine. So it was. It was, it was a shock."

Monday was the first day back to school since the passing.

"I'm not going to lie. It was hard for me to walk through the doors today," Davis said.

How do you heal from heartache knowing the light of the school is gone? The school is honoring Hill with hearts and Christmas lights, calling it "The light that Lance brought to Redmond High School."

"We have decorated all of the outside windows to Redmond High School," Haugan said. "Most of the windows have hearts for Lance. As you walk around the school at night, we'll keep them on for the entire week through his celebration of life."

A memorial is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, First Interstate Center. Thousands are expected to attend. Hill's family asked Davis to speak at the ceremony.

"I'm one of those people that knows that he, I'll get to see him again," Davis said. "I'm really grateful for the relationship that he had with me, his friendship, the things he was able to talk about with me. I'll cherish those for the rest of my life."

Christmas lights will be in every window that faces out through next weekend, so for everyone who drives by the school all next week we'll see lights on for Hill.

Staff and students have designated areas to write letters to the Hill family, and a card will be placed at the front desk for staff to sign. You can also donate to the family at the front desk. 

Counselors will be available for any students and staff who might need support. There will be a moment of silence and photo tribute to Lance during the Academic Assembly Wednesday in the gym.

 Meet Maple: Your Future Snuggle Buddy and Adventure Partner

Maple is a stunning, sweet-natured adult Pit-mix with a story of resilience and love. Rescued from a heartbreaking situation in Christmas Valley, Oregon, Maple’s journey to recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite enduring abuse, neglect, and a severe neck injury, Maple’s affectionate spirit shines bright. Her sweet, friendly demeanor makes her a joy to everyone she meets—humans and dogs alike.

A Rescue Story Worth Telling

Maple was one of 95 animals helped during a recent spay and neuter clinic in the rural farming community of Christmas Valley, southeast of Bend. A compassionate local family rescued Maple after finding her malnourished, underweight, and suffering from significant fur loss due to neglect. They lovingly nursed her back to health, and during her recovery, Maple gave birth to three adorable puppies—Spruce, Cedar, and Birch. All have been adopted, and now it’s Maple’s turn to find her forever family.

Maple’s Personality and Needs

Maple is the perfect balance of a hiking companion and a couch potato. She loves spending time outdoors, walking around town, hitting the trails, or even lounging at a brewery. Her ideal day includes a 1-2 mile adventure followed by snuggles on the couch in her favorite PJs.

Her love language? Quality time and physical touch. Maple adores pets and cuddles, making her a perfect fit for anyone looking for a loyal, affectionate companion. While she can get the occasional case of the zoomies, her go-to mode is calm and relaxed, as evidenced by her endless collection of nap-time photos.

Foster Notes

• Great with dogs and people: Maple is a social butterfly who makes friends everywhere she goes.

• Medium energy: She loves short walks and hikes but is more than happy to snooze the day away afterward.

• Crate training: Maple does best when crated if left unattended and enjoys plenty of chew toys to keep her busy.

• Best suited for: A household without small children or senior dogs, given her size, strength, and enthusiasm for life. She would thrive with a playful dog sibling to learn from and bond with.

Why Maple is Special

Even after enduring unimaginable hardship, Maple’s gentle and loving nature remains unshaken. Her sweet personality and calm demeanor make her a fantastic companion for any family. She’s proof that with a little love and care, every dog can bounce back and be a source of endless joy.

Ready to Meet Maple?

Submit your online adoption application through the Street Dog Hero website today to give Maple the loving home she deserves. Not ready to commit? Maple is also available for a 3-day home trial to see if she’s the perfect fit for your family.

This beautiful girl is ready to start her next chapter. Will you be her hero?

 😎 Just sayin

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