Some good news today from the head of the Downtown Bend Business Association. Executive Director Chuck Arnold says they are starting to see some positive signs: "Mostly when you ask that question you're talking about 200 retailers and restaurants.  So you're going to hear a variety of different answers. General trend is year over year we're slightly up we have a fairly good bit of optimism going on; a lot of new businesses coming in and our occupancy is been holding so we're very pleased on that restaurant retail level to be holding at 95-96 percent occupancy." Chuck Arnold says that occupancy rate compares very well with other downtown core areas across the state and across the nation.  The Downtown Bend Business Association is made up of about 375 businesses; of those around 200 are retailers and restaurants. Arnold was a guest on KBND's “Your Town” yesterday.