BEND, OR -- Bend Fire & Rescue is praising the apparent passage of a five-year local option levy the agency has said is needed to maintain response times amid growing call volumes. As of Wednesday morning, the measure is passing with 52.4% support inside the city and 51.6% support in the rural fire protection district. 

Voters in Sisters also appear to have given overwhelming support to a renewal of the district's local option levy. So far, nearly 75% voted yes.

Crook County's Bowman Museum also appears to have received strong support, with almost 78% voting yes. A previous attempt to increase the levy amount failed in the fall. This election's effort maintains the current tax rate for another five years. 

Hotly contested school board races in Crook County appear to have gone to a slate of newcomers deemed "The Mama Bears." Cheyenne Edgerly, Jessica Brumble and Jennifer Knight are defeating incumbents in their Zone One, Three and Four seats. The races are largely credited for Crook County's high voter turnout, which stands at 37% as of Wednesday morning. 

Bend-La Pine Schools' board will remain largely unchanged, with newcomer Cameron Fischer and incumbent Amy Tatom winning their Zone Three and Five seats, and incumbents Melissa Barnes Dholakia and Kina Chadwick holding on to their Zone Six and Seven positions. 

On the Redmond School Board, incumbents Eric Lea, Liz Goodrich and Keri Lopez maintain their seats, while newcomer Amanda Page beat her challenger for Position Three. 

Former Bend Police Chief Jim Porter appears to have won the five-way race for Zone Six on the Central Oregon Community College Board of Directors. Erin Merz is beating her opponent for Zone Five, and Erin Foote Morgan will take Zone Seven - she ran unopposed for that position.