In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

📰Bingo benefiting RylieMay Rescue Ranch @ Spider City Brewing

💖Valentine Affair Market

🍲2025 HDFFA SOUPer Bowl

📅Save The Date Section

❄️🏂Oregon WinterFest

🦀Powell Butte Community Center Crab Feed! Yum.

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰Bend Police Share Results Of Portland State University Community Survey

📰Bend Civil Air Patrol cadet earns Amelia Earhart award, promotion to cadet captain

😎Warby Parker moving into Old Mill District, replacing Pink

🌭Wienerschnitzel wants to expand to Bend

🍻Bend Brews and Beyond festival to replace Bend Brewfest this May

📰Prineville Police hire dedicated mental health officer for her expertise in psychology

💥Several ODOT snow plows struck by passing vehicles in past week

📰Regional News

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

📰Redmond Police Arrest Dump Truck Driver in Hit-and-Run on SW Rimrock Way

🚨Police Respond to Reported Threat at Redmond Fred Meyer, No Weapon Found

📰Community News

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

📲Sponsors & Partners

😁 MEME of the Day

Which town was established before La Pine but eventually declined as La Pine grew?

A) Gilchrist
B) Rosland
C) Crescent
D) Sunriver

👉Find The Answer in Friday’s Newsletter👉

Good Morning!

 BEND

SANTIAM PASS WEATHER

GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

WILLAMETTE PASS WEATHER

Events Sponsored By

Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

February 6th

We are having a bingo night from 6-8pm at SpiderCity Brewing! We will have several rounds of bingo, raffle prizes, and dogs to pet!! Cash preferred, 50/50 split with winner each round!

Valentine Affair Market

A market and bazaar featuring 65 tables of items from local vendors, including candles, jewelry, clothes, hats, glassware, custom made tumblers, fresh baked goods, jams and jellies, photo art, home decor, household decor, makeup companies, goat soap, and more. Free admission to the public.

February 8, 2025

Time 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM

@Crook County Fairgrounds 1280 Main Street Prineville, Oregon

Who will be the 2025 HDFFA SOUPer Bowl Champion? Be sure to attend our second annual soup-sampling event to find out. 2025 participating restaurants will be: 10 Barrel, Anthony’s, Brasada Ranch, Cheri’s Hazelnut Cream, Dear Mom Cafe, Deschutes Brewery, El Sancho Taco, Fix & Repeat, Jackson’s Corner, Mountain Burger, Schoolhouse Produce, Spork, and Terra Kitchen.

HDFFA’s SOUPer Bowl 2025 takes place Saturday, February 8, 2025! Admission times will be 12 pm or 1:30 pm. Ticket sales for the event begin Friday, January 3, 2025. We are offering two ticket prices: $25 for a single admission or $50 for a single admission with raffle tickets.

February 8, 2025

Time 12:00 PM - 01:30 PM

@Grace First Luthern Church 2265 NW Shevlin Park Road Oregon
 

Coming up - Save the Date

Oregon WinterFest

Join the annual Oregon WinterFest from February 14 to 16, 2025, in the Old Mill District. This family-friendly festival features live music, art installations, delicious cuisine, and a range of entertainment suitable for all ages. Enjoy the winter wonderland atmosphere and participate in various activities throughout the weekend.

 LOCAL EVENTS

HAVE an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Deschutes Public Library Events

Bend Police Share Results Of Portland State University Community Survey

Bend Police share results of Portland State University community survey 

The City of Bend Police Department is pleased to share the results of its biannual online community survey, conducted in October and November 2024.  

The Department, with its partners at Portland State University, sent out invitations to 20,000 households in the city, inviting them to fill out the survey, which was available in both English and Spanish. The survey sought to gauge our community's feeling of safety in Bend, and to learn more about community members' experience with police officers and their safety priorities for the Department.  

Of the 20,000 households, approximately 10 percent took the time to fill out the survey.  

78 percent of respondents reported they trust Bend Police, and 76 percent agreed they have confidence in the Bend Police Department. 73 percent said Bend Police can be trusted to make decisions that are right for the community. This is consistent with past community surveys.  

More than four in five respondents said their trust in Bend Police was unchanged, though more people said their trust had increased than decreased.  

Of those surveyed, 97 percent said they would call Bend Police to report a crime as either a bystander or a victim. And 93 percent said they'd work with the police to address public safety concerns in their neighborhood.  

Nearly all of the survey respondents (96 percent) feel safe in their neighborhood during the day, and 77 percent feel safe in their neighborhood at night. A similar percentage feel safe walking in a city park or downtown Bend during the day, although those numbers do dip at night.  

Notably, 22 percent of respondents say they feel less safe than they did 12 months ago. Of the public safety problems facing Bend, 89 percent of respondents cited drug offenses, while 79 percent identified alcohol offenses. Others that topped the list were theft, Internet Crimes Against Children, fraud and property damage.  

One thing that has remained consistent over time is the public's concern about traffic safety, especially distracted driving and DUII.  

Bend Police appreciate the community members who took the time to fill out the survey. The data help to inform policy and to create the Police Department's goals for the coming biennium. The survey results also help our team make decisions about what community safety initiatives to prioritize. 

To access the complete report and past survey reports, go to https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/police/community-info 

Bend Civil Air Patrol cadet earns Amelia Earhart award, promotion to cadet captain

A Bend-based Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet was promoted Tuesday and received the Amelia Earhart Award.

“I really appreciate having all the support and just seeing all the people that are here to support the cadets as we're developing the future leaders for America,” Taylor Goodrich said at the promotion ceremony in Bend.

Goodrich's promotion to cadet captain is rare. It's the third of five milestones in the cadet program. Only 3% of cadets nationally ever reach this level.

“She has been working very hard to earn this really in civil air patrol," Col. Scott Maguire said. "The one before this, the Billy Mitchell, is about the equivalent to the Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouts, so it's fairly high up. This is beyond that.”

Now the high school junior is shooting even higher.

“There are five milestones. The Spots is the highest one and that's my end goal. So I am now 3/5 of the way there,” Goodrich said.

CAP leaders say Goodrich earned the award through hard work -- work she can recite well.

“There's lots of character development, leadership, all that sort of stuff. You also have stuff like P.T." she said. "Aerospace is a really big one. Lots of aerospace stuff.”

The honor was given by Col. Maguire, who believes the sky isn’t even close to the limit for her future.

“She's working on herself, she's helping others and the things that she's doing will benefit us all because that's tomorrow's leaders for our whole world," Maguire said.

Goodrich says she hopes to attend the Air Force Academy after graduating high school and one day become a fighter pilot.

VIDEO

Warby Parker moving into Old Mill District, replacing Pink

Eyewear retailer Warby Parker is moving into the Old Mill District in Bend. It will take over the space being vacated by Pink, across from J.Jill as early as this fall.

The Old Mill said it marks Warby Parker’s first expansion in Oregon outside of the Portland area.

“As just the third Warby Parker location in Oregon and the first in the Pacific Northwest outside of traditional metro areas like Portland and Seattle, this is an exciting opportunity for our community to enjoy affordable and sophisticated eyewear,” Beau Eastes, Old Mill District Marketing Director, said in a statement.

It was announced last month that Victoria’s Secret and Pink would be leaving the Old Mill at the end of February. The space is being split into two leasable spaces.

A new tenant for the Victoria’s Secret space has not been announced. Eastes said plans for that space will be announced soon.

Wienerschnitzel wants to expand to Bend

Another popular fast food chain wants to expand into Central Oregon.

Wienerschnitzel wants to open a new location in Bend. First, the hot dog chain first needs to find someone to open a franchise.

Wienerschnitzel currently has more than 360 locations across the country.

Also set to come to Bend soon is Burgerville. It recently started hiring for a general manager and assistant manager. So far, there has been no official announcement on a grand opening date or location.

A new beer festival is coming to Bend this Memorial Day weekend.

Bend Brews and Beyond is replacing Bend Brewfest, which was suddenly canceled last year. The two-day festival will take place at Drake Park downtown instead of Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

Bend Brews and Beyond will feature beer, ciders and plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, all locally brewed.

"One of the reasons that I tweaked the name and changed the name is that it will be run a little bit differently. Instead of trying to attract 20,000 people, I want the people who are the most stoked to be here. Tickets are actually gonna be limited. That will reduce lines, that will reduce admission lines and everything else," Bend Brews and Beyond organizer Brian Yaeger.

Tickets are $40 for those drinking alcohol and $30 for non-alcoholic drinks. Early bird tickets are on sale through Feb. 14 at a discounted rate.

Prineville Police hire dedicated mental health officer for her expertise in psychology

Prineville Police Department has introduced a specialized role focused on mental health crisis response, filled by Officer Emilee Jerome. With a background in psychology and clinical social work, Jerome applies her expertise to police work, aiming to provide appropriate support rather than defaulting to arrests. The department sought a candidate with both law enforcement training and mental health education, making Jerome’s qualifications unique in Oregon. Officials hope this initiative can serve as a model for other agencies nationwide.

Several ODOT snow plows struck by passing vehicles in past week

The Oregon Department of Transportation is reminding drivers that passing snow plows is dangerous, reporting that several plows have been struck by vehicles in the past week.

ODOT reminds drivers that passing a snowplow on the right is illegal when there is no lane available and the driver lacks a clear view ahead.

ODOT said many plows have retractable wing blades that extend eight feet into the right lane. Dual wing plows used on some multi-lane highways also have plow blades that extend from the left side of the truck. 

"Please don’t pass us. Leave room and understand that we are here to keep people safe and traffic flowing," Warren Nelson, ODOT crew coordinator in Bend, said in a statement.

Damage to plows can also knock them out of service, ODOT said.

ODOT says the safe move is to stay several car lengths back. Plows will slow down periodically to let vehicles pass.

 City of Bend Events

Redmond Police Arrest Dump Truck Driver in Hit-and-Run on SW Rimrock Way

Redmond, OR -- On February 2, 2025, officers from the Redmond Police Department (RPD) arrested the driver of the dump truck that crashed into a building at 668 SW Rimrock Way earlier in the day.  The driver was not the registered owner of the dump truck but worked for the owner.  The driver, identified as Redmond resident Victor Manuel Figueroa Montana, was cited and released for the crimes of Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver (property damage), Reckless Driving and Criminal Mischief.   

RPD would like to remind the community if you are involved in a motor vehicle crash where you damage someone else's property, you must remain on scene and attempt to locate the owner of the property and provide them with your information.  If you are unable to locate an owner, you must leave a written notice with your contact information in a place easily seen.  

Police Respond to Reported Threat at Redmond Fred Meyer, No Weapon Found

Redmond, OR -- On February 4, 2025, at approximately 5:38 P.M., officers from the Redmond Police Department (RPD), responded to a 9-1-1 call of a male running through Fred Meyer stating he has a gun.  Quick response by Fred Meyer staff and customers detained the male until RPD arrived in less than a minute from the call being dispatched.  Officers quickly detained the male and determined he was suffering from a mental health crisis.  The subject is a Bend resident.  No weapon was found in the suspect's possession or at Fred Meyer. There will be significant police presence in the area of Fred Meyer while the incident is investigated.  The suspect was transported to St. Charles Redmond by ambulance. There were no reported injuries in the incident. 

RPD would like to thank the quick response by Fred Meyer staff and customers.  Thank you to Redmond Fire & Rescue (RF&R) for assisting on the incident.    

 😎 Just sayin

Follow us on facebook