In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

❄️🏂Oregon WinterFest

📅Save The Date Section

🦀Powell Butte Community Center Crab Feed! Yum.

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰Bend Fire & Rescue Encourages Preparedness For Freezing Weather  

📰Bend Works to Ease Traffic Delays Amid Olney-Wall Closure and Winter Storm

📰Man Uses Knife to Fend Off Aggressive Dogs Near Sisters

📰Regional News

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

📰Barefoot Fugitive Caught After Three-Mile Snowy Escape in Deschutes County

🚨La Pine Homeowner’s Mailbox Camera Helps Expose Suspected Thieves

📰Community News

📰Ross stores partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend for annual fundraiser

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

😁 MEME of the Day

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 BEND

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GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

WILLAMETTE PASS WEATHER

Events Sponsored By

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What’s Up Central Oregon 

 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.
 

Coming up - Save the Date

 LOCAL EVENTS

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Deschutes Public Library Events

Bend Fire & Rescue Encourages Preparedness For Freezing Weather  

Below-freezing weather is predicted over the next several days and Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind community members that a few simple actions can help prevent disasters during and after the freezing temperatures.

Whether you are a property owner or renter, business manager or contractor - winterizing your home or place of business should be done in the fall, prior to the first freeze to best protect your property.

If you are just getting around to winterizing, here are some things you will want to do before the snow freezes this weekend:

Protect your pipes: These simple steps can prevent the costly damage from water line breaks and lessen the time to restore your property back to full operation following a break.

• Make sure outdoor faucets and water spigots have insulated covers.

• Cover foundation vents with insulated covers.

• Make sure heating and ventilation systems are in good working order.

• Maintain adequate heating (above 40 degrees Fahrenheit) indoors where pipes are present. This may mean heating normally vacant spaces and opening your cupboards below sinks during freezing weather to allow warm air to circulate and prevent freezing.

Create emergency access: By ensuring access to utilities and pathways, you will have a quicker exit in an emergency and help emergency services respond more efficiently.

• Locate and create access to your water meter box at the street, your natural gas or propane shut offs and other utilities around your home.

• Clear snow to create three feet of space around nearby fire hydrants.

• Clear snow from your sidewalks, driveways, pathways, access to pets and farm animals and vehicles.

Heat with caution: Home heating is the second leading cause of home fires in Oregon and was one of the top causes of structure fires last year in Bend.

• Check that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in working order. As the weather gets colder, we tend to shut the house up much more tightly. This can lead to a quicker buildup of smoke and carbon monoxide indoors.

• When using space heaters or other supplemental heating equipment, ensure you follow the instructions for intended use. Many gas-powered heaters are not designed for indoor use and the carbon monoxide they can release could kill you.

• Maintain at least three feet of space around heat sources.

• Ensure all electrical heating appliances are safely plugged into an outlet or approved surge protector.

Commercial Sprinkler Systems

Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind building owners, facility managers, and building maintenance personnel to act before the cold weather hits to prevent fire sprinkler systems from freezing. Our department responds to several fire sprinkler activations due to pipes breaking from freezing every year. These breaks can cause significant water damage and can easily be prevented. Even if they don't break, frozen fire sprinkler pipes render the sprinkler system inoperative, thus jeopardizing lives and property. Check your fire sprinkler system today:

• Ensure that all periodic maintenance has been completed.

• Contact your fire sprinkler service company to schedule service if it is overdue. Frequencies for maintenance vary depending on the type of system that is installed.

• Empty any drains for the sprinkler system to prevent water from building up and freezing on the exterior or exposed areas of these systems.

For more information about preparing for winter, please contact Bend Fire & Rescue Prevention Division at 541-322-6300. Stay safe and warm!

Bend Works to Ease Traffic Delays Amid Olney-Wall Closure and Winter Storm

The City of Bend said Wednesday it "recognizes that this week's closure of the Olney Avenue and Wall Street intersection, coupled with our first substantial winter storm of the season, has led to traffic delays around town."

"This has not gone unnoticed by the City, and we are actively working to lessen those impacts," a city statement sent to KTVZ news stated.

Here's the rest of that statement, in full, along with a map of more detours to go around the trouble spot:

The City has coordinated with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to temporarily adjust signals on Greenwood Avenue to mitigate some of the traffic congestion going east and west. We continue to monitor the situation and will make small adjustments as needed as we continue to assess them over the next few weeks.

We have also developed a map to help identify alternate routes that can be utilized to move across town. Some potential alternate east-west connections:

1. Mt. Washington Drive and Butler Market Road on the north end of town

2. Newport Avenue and Greenwood Avenue through downtown

3. Franklin Avenue through Downtown

4. Reed Market Road on the south end of town

The Olney Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement project will address both water and sewer infrastructure that needs to be upgraded to keep up with the needs of our community and safety improvements will make it easier for all users to drive, walk, roll and bike through this stretch of road. Completing all this work at once saves time and money.

The work at the intersection was planned intentionally for the winter/spring, to complete the work before the summer months. This intersection is a vital intersection that needs to be completed before fire season and before more traffic is on the roadways in the summertime. The intersection work is also taking place as the water line utility upgrades have to take place before the peak water demand season begins in April.

For more information on the Olney Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Project head to bendoregon.gov/olneypedbike.

Man Uses Knife to Fend Off Aggressive Dogs Near Sisters

SISTERS, Ore. — A man and his dog were attacked by three aggressive dogs near a homeless encampment southwest of Sisters on Thursday, prompting him to defend himself with a knife, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to the reported dog attack at 11:40 a.m. on U.S. Forest Service Road 1505-430 Spur, about three miles from Sisters. Authorities say the victim, 44-year-old Ty Godfrey of Sisters, had just exited his vehicle when three dogs charged at him and his pet.

Fearing for his safety, Godfrey used a knife to fend off the animals, killing two of them at the scene. The third dog was later found at the encampment and was euthanized due to its injuries. Deputies determined that Godfrey acted in self-defense. Both he and his dog suffered minor puncture wounds and received medical treatment.

The dogs’ owner, identified as 56-year-old Denise Peiffer of Sisters, was cited for three counts of Animal at Large and Animal Nuisance—both classified as violations. Deputies noted that other aggressive dog incidents had been reported in the area.

The U.S. Forest Service assisted in the investigation. The deceased dogs were transported to Brightside Animal Shelter, while the third was taken to the Bend Humane Society.

Authorities continue to monitor the area, urging the public to report any similar incidents.

 City of Bend Events

Barefoot Fugitive Caught After Three-Mile Snowy Escape in Deschutes County

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said a man was taken into custody Saturday night after fleeing barefoot through the snow for miles, triggering alerts and a response from the SWAT team.

Police say the suspect, accused of assault, fled through the snow for about three miles before being found.

Authorities said the situation was resolved with the help of a local resident who received a Deschutes Alerts notification about the increased law enforcement presence near Highway 20 west at Tweed Road. The citizen contacted law enforcement and assisted in turning the suspect over to the DCSO SWAT Team.

The SWAT Team apprehended the suspect without incident. Authorities praised the citizen for their swift actions.

La Pine Homeowner’s Mailbox Camera Helps Expose Suspected Thieves

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is searching for two individuals suspected of stealing mail in La Pine.

The homeowner, who had been the victim of previous thefts, set up a camera inside their mailbox to catch the culprits in action. The footage clearly shows a woman taking mail and at least one package, followed by a man doing the same.

The Sheriff's Office did not specify the exact location or time of the incidents. Authorities are asking anyone who recognizes the individuals in the footage to contact the Sheriff's Office.

If you have any information, call the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 693-6911.

Ross stores partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend for annual fundraiser

Ross Stores, Inc. is kicking off its 11th annual “Help Local Kids Thrive” fundraiser, running from February 8th through March 2nd, to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend’s Power Hour program.

Customers at Ross Dress for Less stores in Bend can donate at checkout, with Ross matching up to $500,000 in contributions.

Funds raised will support local and national Boys & Girls Clubs, with 80% of the proceeds benefiting the Bend chapter.

The Power Hour program helps kids and teens complete homework in a safe, supportive environment, with assistance from Boys & Girls Club staff. 

Since the fundraiser’s inception, Ross has raised more than $50 million for Boys & Girls Clubs, supporting youth programs across the country.

 😎 Just sayin

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