BEND, OR -- The tri-county Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance launched a new public service announcement this week, encouraging gun owners to safely store their firearms. The rate of suicide by firearm in Central Oregon is higher than the statewide average. Deschutes County Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator Bethany Kuschel tells KBND News safely storing firearms is proven to reduce risk, "Creating temporary time and distance between someone and a lethal mean, when they are in a suicide crisis, can be really effective."

Kuschel hopes the PSAs will increase awareness, "For our community, for our families and that it should just be a normal conversation. When we’re talking about secure storage, it’s finding things that work for the firearm owner, often within the home, and it’s also temporary. So, we’re not talking about mandates, so law enforcement doesn’t have to be involved."

Caroline Suiter, with Deschutes County Public Health, says gun owners were heavily involved in the campaign, "There’s been a lot of input from our communities and firearm-owning communities to help with this project." She says the ads offer different ways to keep guns out of the hands of people in crisis, "One option is just having lockboxes at home, safes at home, there’s biometric combination key locks - always changing those, periodically, if there’s youth in the home or someone who might, ongoing, struggle with certain issues. Our law enforcement agencies, it’s a location where people can go to temporarily house their firearms."

Two Spanish versions of the PSA, as well as a second one in English are expected within the next month. Click HERE to learn more about local secure storage options. 

BEND, OR -- Pertussis cases are on the rise in Deschutes County. In the past two weeks, County Public Health has identified seven cases of Pertussis, also called Whooping Cough. In all of 2023, just six cases were reported.

The highly contagious respiratory disease is transmitted through droplets from a cough or sneeze. Newborns, who are too young to be vaccinated, are at highest risk for severe illness. Complications can be life-threatening for infants under six months old. 

Pertussis vaccines - the DTaP and TDaP - are available at local healthcare providers and most pharmacies. “Getting vaccinated does not only protect you, it also protects your loved ones and close contacts, some of whom are more susceptible to complications from pertussis,” Dr. Rita Bacho, Deschutes County Program Manager for Communicable Disease Prevention and Management, said in a statement.  

file photo

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Oregon Congressman Cliff Bentz supports a bill to remove the gray wolf from the federal Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states. Rep. Cliff Bentz represents much of Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon and says urban lawmakers don’t know what ranchers in his district have to do to keep their livestock safe from wolves. "I don’t think I’ve encountered such an amazing display of ignorance regarding the nature of a wolf, until this afternoon. A wolf is not a pet dog. It’s not some schnauzer or golden retriever, or dachshund. It is a natural born killer." He spoke on the House floor Tuesday, during debate over a bill dubbed the Trust the Science Act. 

Bentz told lawmakers, "It’s obvious to me that those who have suggested that ranchers are apparently not to be concerned about, haven’t grown up on a ranch, as did I. They don’t have a clue about what it’s like to have to get up in the middle of the night to try to go out and protect your livelihood from nocturnal killers like wolves." He added, "The people I represent do have to deal with wolves, back in Oregon. And in some of the most awkward situations." Under current law, the protection line in Oregon is Highway 395, which goes through Bentz’s district, "It is bisected by this highway. And on one side, the wolves are listed. On the other, they are not. In some places, this highway runs right through the middle of a single-ownership ranch." 

He also cited a recent report from U.S. Fish and Wildlife showing there is no risk of wolves going extinct in the next 100 years. "The Endangered Species Act doesn’t require an abundance of these natural born killers. It requires enough that we still have them around," said Bentz, "No one’s disputing that."

The bill passed the U.S. House Tuesday, on a 209-205 vote, and goes to the Senate.

WARM SPRINGS, OR -- Kah-Nee-Ta released a number of maps Tuesday, revealing the resort's new layout. The rebuilt facility plans to reopen this summer.

Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs first opened in 1962 and was Oregon’s first destination resort east of the Cascades. It closed in 2018, due to the economy.

When it reopens this summer, it’ll feature multiple pools surrounded by cabanas, a spa and athletic center, hotel and RV park. The resort spans both sides of the river, and provides space for launching kayaks and tubes. There’s also a tribal area reserved for Natives.

BEND, OR -- May Historic Preservation Month. Local events are planned throughout Central Oregon, including walking tours, theatrical performances and even a vintage motocross event. 

Kelly Cannon-Miller, with the Deschutes Historical Museum, says preserving old buildings benefits the planet, "Demolition and wasting of resources isn’t where we need to be moving into the future. And, so you can think of preservation on the one hand as adaptive reuse and recycling of spaces and materials." She tells KBND News, "Giving historic buildings new life, and allowing them to work for you rather than ending up in a landfill and burning up the resources that it takes to create new materials."

On Thursday, actors portraying members of Redmond's founding families offer a glimpse into the past, while on a walking tour of historic downtown buildings that have been repurposed for local businesses. 

Cannon-Miller says preservation can also be artistic, "One of the things that we have in this month’s programming is a theater piece based on a story that’s 100 years old this year: the Lava Lake murders; and trying to figure out who the second murderer was in that horrific incident."

National Historic Preservation Month is spearheaded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Each community celebrates in their own way, and you can find a variety of things happening around the country. A lot of effort goes into drawing attention to endangered places, which we very much still have that. For us, in Central Oregon, we’re always at risk of losing a resource," says Cannon-Miller. 

She notes archiving the past, "Can inform you about what your community needs to be working on - why are you the way you are? It can give you the materials to make art, it can give you a building a new building for a new purpose and keep your landfill clean. Historic preservation can be a lot of different things."

Click HERE for a schedule of events hosted by Historic Landmarks Commissions in various communities around the High Desert. 

MADRAS, OR -- Seven candidates are running for one open Jefferson County Commissioner seat, to replace the retiring Wayne Fording. They each addressed hot-button issues at a forum this week, hosted by the Madras Chamber of Commerce. You'll find videos of the event HERE. 

Contractor Ara Erdekian says he supports funding the animal shelter, which lost its county contract earlier this year, "They’re running a $50,000 a month sanctuary for $20,000 out of Jefferson County taxes. They have 13 part time employees, who all live in Jefferson County. These people are doing a thankless job." Small business owner Cindy Brockett says pet owners should take responsibility for their animals, "Yes, we do need to have better management. But we also need to ask for better spay and neuter instruction and demand that they follow those rules."

When asked about addressing the homeless crisis, special education teacher Seth Taylor says existing drug laws should be enforced, "This is a created problem by the failed policies of Salem. When we allow drugs to be used in our state legally, we attracted homeless or people who want to abuse drugs from around the nation."

CPA Brandie McNamee was asked about the Greater Idaho Movement and shifting Oregon’s border, and said, "I would support the concept, but it’s going to be incredibly difficult to move the border. Talk about state [legislature], your taxes, I mean there’s so much more to it than just drawing a new line."

Candidates also discussed economic development throughout the county. Truck driver George “Wes” Curtiss suggested the rural economy would benefit if the area stopped growing, "Do we really want to make Madras a Bend? Do we want to make Madras a Redmond? I kind of like it here. I kind of like my property taxes. The property values are cheaper here because there’s less population. If we get another four, five or 10,000, then it’s just going to cost more." While retiree Shawn Stanfill believes the key to rural economic development lies with Congress, "We need people to lobby, go back to Washington to lobby and speak on behalf of our farmers, who are the endangered species."

When asked about managing growth, former School Superintendent and business owner Rick Molitor says he supports affordable housing projects, "Those houses, those people, those new jobs will bring additional resources and taxes for us."

This is a non-partisan race, so if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote on May 21st, then the top two advance to the November election. 

BEND, OR -- Bend Fire and Rescue says a recent commercial fire highlights the need for defensible space around every building, not just homes. Exterior walls of two warehouses at NE First and Olney caught fire late Sunday. Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki says firefighters’ efforts were hampered by material stored outside by the buildings’ tenants, "That storage material was a bunch of wood, pallets and windows, that made it nearly impossible for our firefighters to get around and get to the back. They had to climb over all that material to get to it, and it just allowed the fire to burn a little bit longer."

It also camouflaged a small homeless camp, which is believed to have been the source of the fire. "It was very, very hard to see this encampment from the street, or even the parking lot, Derlacki tells KBND News, "That area, where this encampment was, is only 10-feet separation between it and buildings to the west and to the south."

Derlacki urges property owners to consider defensible space around every type of building, whether it's a house, garage, barn or business, "So much of the wildfire safety that we talk about is about people’s homes and the vegetation. But, walk around all buildings you have. And look for that flammable vegetation, but also where are you stacking up wood? Do you have extra pallets there? Do you have stored extra fence posts, things like that that could catch on fire if an ember landed into it." He adds, "Looking at what’s right next to your building. If that caught on fire, how could it spread to your building? The lucky part about these buildings is most of them are all metal sided, versus a wood-sided, like most homes are. That helped prevent the fire from getting inside."

He says vegetation and combustible materials should be at least five feet away from buildings, "Keeping that material away not only protects the building from any sort of fire, whether it be wildland fire or a neighboring building’s fire, but it it also makes it where it’s harder for people to hide and set up encampments in those areas."

That Sunday evening fire caused about $50,000 in damage. While investigators believe it started in the encampment and was accidental, the exact cause was undetermined, due to the extensive damage to the camp. 

photo courtesy of Bend Fire & Rescue

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County 911 and the Sheriff’s Office will test the Deschutes Alerts system Wednesday, May first. A test message will go out at 1 p.m. to everyone signed up for the local emergency and evacuation alert system, to make sure profiles are current. Messages are sent by smart phone app, text, email or phone call.

Sign up for Deschutes Alerts and update your information HERE. Subscribers who receive the test don’t need to take further action. Those who don't get the message within a couple hours of the test and are signed up for Deschutes Alerts should contact the Sheriff's Office at 541-550-4888. That call center is open Wednesday, 1-5 p.m.

Outside of that time, questions can be asked by calling 541-388-6501. DCSO can help confirm or make changes to your profile over the phone. 

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office arrested 47-year-old Jeffrey Kingsbury Sunday, following an investigation into online sexual corruption of a child. Investigators say he engaged in overtly sexual conversations over social media, with a girl he believed to be under the age of 16. The person he was talking to was actually a DCSO deputy. He allegedly sent imntimate images of himself and described acts from the girl.

On Sunday, DCSO says Kingsbury offered to meet the "girl" near the Riverwood's Country Store. He also sent photos of his vehicle. Investigators spotted the vehicle at about 8:15 p.m. Kingsbury was taken into custody without incident. 

During his arrest, deputies found he had a criminal amount of methamphetamine. He's charged with Online Sexual Corruption of a Child, Luring a Minor, Attempted Sexual Abuse and Meth Possession. 

BEND, OR -- A country music legend is coming to the High Desert, to raise money for Stroke Awareness Oregon. "A stroke does not care about age, race, gender, economic standing," says SAO co-founder Carol Stiles, "Stroke can affect anybody, any time, anywhere." Even a country superstar like singer/songwriter Randy Travis, "He had a stroke in 2013 that was very serious. He nearly died. He is recovering," says Stiles, "His wife is absolutely steadfast as a caregiver and as a support person."

On May 13th, Travis and his wife Mary will take part in a fireside chat in Bend, "To share with our audience their life, their experiences with stroke, their challenges, their resilience and hope." She tells KBND News, "This evening will be uplifting and inspirational for anybody. Plus, how many times do you get the opportunity to be in a room with a superstar and his wife?"

The event is a fundraiser for SAO, to help educate people about the signs of stroke, the importance of quickly seeking medical attention and the resources available for families. Travis was 54 at the time of his stroke. But Stiles says a disturbing trend has emerged in recent years, "The issue of strokes in young adults, ages 15 to 50, is increasing in this country. In fact, it’s puzzling and they are doing research. But the supposition is it’s lifestyle choices."

An Evening with Randy and Mary Travis is May 13th at Westside Church in Bend. Visit StrokeAwarenessOregon.org for more information. 

To hear the full conversation with Stroke Awareness Oregon co-founder Carol Stiles, visit our Podcast Page. 

REDMOND, OR -- Candidates for Deschutes County Commissioner met up for their final candidate forum Friday. At the event, hosted by the Redmond Executive Association, Rotary Club of Redmond and Kiwanis, the four candidates were asked if the new non-partisan race changes how they campaign, and if it’ll make a difference in how the board functions in the future. Small business owner Rob Imhoff says he’s glad parties are no longer involved, "The issue that I have with non-affiliation, though, is that it allows someone to maybe attempt to deceive the electorate by claiming to be something that they’re not." Sisters Chamber Director Judy Trego has come to terms with the shift, saying, "I wasn’t real happy about it in the beginning. The reason I like it is because it creates more engagement." Incumbent Commissioner Phil Chang says he fought to make the position nonpartisan, so the 65,000 Deschutes County voters not registered as a Democrat or a Republican get to vote in the primary, "Now, everyone who’s a registered voter in Deschutes County has a say in who is going to be their county commissioner." And, retiree Brian Huntamer notes he is a registered Independent, "And it’s very important that we are able to work with everyone and serve the best interests of the community." 

When asked about the county's budget, Chang called a property tax reduction six years ago a "political stunt," adding, "The problem is that by last year, that reduction in assessed property tax rate meant that the county was receiving $2 million less per year." Trego, who sits on the Deschutes County Budget Committee, said, "The biggest priority is probably with our Health Department. They have an $80 million budget and they’re funding is pretty unstable." Brian Huntamer and Rob Imhoff both said their private sector experience is valuable. "I would look at what have they funded, what’s available, are there excesses in other departments," said Huntamer. Imhoff noted, "Live within your budget, where a tight belt, trim where you can, figure out if there’s redundancy and then let’s work from there, and see if we can give a little bit of money back to our constituents."

At the end of the forum, candidates were allowed to ask one question of one of the others. Chang asked Trego why, as a member of the county’s budget committee, she approved a pay raise for County Commissioners, which he believed was unnecessary amid budget cuts. She said their salary is not the big-ticket item, "PERS is the real problem. When you talk about compensation, PERS is a huge piece of that."

Huntamer then asked Chang why he opposes a pay raise, but wants to add two Commissioners to the board, which would incerease the overall budget, "I think five Commissioners would do a better job of managing our $400 million operating budget than the current three. That’s worth a little bit of extra salary. I would actually think that if we had five, we could be part time and we could sort of even it out." Imhoff asked Chang about his stance on getting rid of juniper trees and Trego asked Chang how he would work with his fellow Commissioners in a respectful way.

Learn more about the candidates in the online voter pamphlet HERE. If none of the candidates receive more than 50% of the vote no May 21, the top two will advance to the November General Election. 

BEND, OR -- A 38-year-old wanted man from Turner, Oregon was arrested Friday afternoon in Bend, during a multi-agency operation. Ryan Gossett has three outstanding warrants for Robbery from Marion County. At about 2:30 p.m., the U.S. Marshals Service notified the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Gossett was likely in Bend and possibly armed.

Through a surveillance operation, deputies, detectives and members of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team determined Gossett and a woman were together at the Cascade Village Shopping Center. 

Officials say they saw the woman in a vehicle associated with Gossett; she circled the shopping center several times, in what they believed to be "counter-surveillance." Just before 4:45 p.m., Gossett came out of a store, the woman moved into the passenger's seat and he took over as driver. DCSO used patrol cars to pin in the suspect vehicle and arrested Gossett.

According to DCSO, he was armed with a handgun and a "criminal quantity of suspected fentanyl" at the time of his arrest. He was booked into the Deschutes County Jail on the outstanding warrant and several new charges. The woman was released. 

file photo: Cascade Village Shopping Center

BEND, OR -- Bend Parks and Recreation is getting a $300,000 grant from the Oregon State Marine Board to build a non-motorized water craft launch at Miller’s Landing.

“What's really exciting about this project is the focus has been from the very beginning that we want to provide safe dedicated river access to folks, regardless of their age, regardless of their ability,” BPRD Landscape Architect Ian Isaacson says construction on the $695,734 ramp could begin at the end of this year, or the start of next year, “This project aims to improve the usability and the accessibility at both access point one, which is the existing boardwalk and access point two, which is just downstream. What the Oregon State Marine Board just helped fund specifically is focused primarily on watercraft launching. So, launching of kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards, things like that.”

He tells KBND News the Miller’s Landing launch will be unique, “From what we've been able to gather from around the country. This is going to be first of its kind in terms of the breadth and the scope of accessibility that we're designing and going to be implementing at Miller's Landing.”

Isaacson says the district has received a lot of support and encouragement, “We've been awarded grants from Visit Bend, Oregon State Marine Board, Visit Central Oregon's Future Fund.”

The Miller’s Landing project should be complete by next summer.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Prineville is developing its next 20-year Transportation System Plan. Josh Smith, City Planning Director, says immense growth has caused significant issues with its five highways, "We have a lot of coordination with ODOT in those five highways that come through our community. And, to try to figure out what those solutions are to those issues, is the challenge." He tells KBND News, "Specifically with the O’Neil intersection. [It’s] Very dangerous. We’ve had some fatalities there that needed to be corrected, so we need to have a comprehensive plan on how that gets addressed." Smith says the last TSP was finalized in 2013, and was supposed to address the O'Neil intersection. But problems remain. 

Smith also hopes an update will consider changes to Third Street, which is the main arterial through downtown. A previous plan proposed a couplet, "Kind of like Madras, where they have the two one-way streets. It doesn’t really work very well in Prineville because of our topography, but we want to solve that problem. Is that a thing or is it not? We want to make that decision. Because, if it’s going to be a thing, we need to plan for that."
And, he wants to see work on the west "Y," at the bottom of the Prineville grade, "It’s all ODOT right-of-way; it’s the intersection of Highway 26 and 126. We need a solution to that. It’s essentially a roundabout that’s poorly designed and it’s just at capacity." There are also smaller projects in the proposed TSP aimed at improving connectivity and safety for all users. Smith says any work must maintain Prineville’s personality, "It still has a small-town feel. But we do have big-city issues."

The public is asked to weigh in on the draft plan next Thursday, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Golden Coffee Company on Fourth Street. For those unable to attend the open house, an online survey is also available through May 17.
 

PORTLAND, OR -- The Oregon Public Utility Commission wants to hear from Pacific Power customers about a proposed 18% rate increase. It would push the average residential power bill up by more than $30 a month. Households in multi-family units would see an average increase of over $18 a month. 

Pacific Power is asking for the large increase to cover power grid improvements, wind generation, customer service improvements and a proposed catastrophic fire fund. A similar fund was created in California. All utilities pay in and it compensates fire victims. Pacific Power is paying out nearly $400 million for the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.  

A virtual public hearing on the rate increase will be held Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. Access the Zoom link and phone-in details at: https://bit.ly/44bnMi6. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners are tightening policies around unsanctioned encampments. Assistant County Legal Counsel Kim Riley says new guidelines outline the procedure for removing homeless camps on county-owned property. "Previously, a policy was approved by the board, relating to the removal of unsafe encampments. But this is follow-up that is necessary based on the board’s prior action in August." The update mirrors the previous policy, but applies to any county-owned property declared closed to the public, not only those deemed "unsafe." It still requires campers be given notice and that the county store personal property taken from a site.

Commissioner Phil Chang worries it opens the county up to a lawsuit, "If people who are defending an unhoused person’s right to sleep in a public place, for example, might come forward and legally challenge us." But Riley explained Wednesday campers still must be offered another place to go, "We anticipate that you would have to identify an alternative location, just as we did with the code."

A sanctioned campsite for people displaced from encampments has not been developed, although a location is under consideration on the east side of Redmond, near Oasis Village. Commissioner Chang said Wednesday, "I’m really concerned that we have not made more progress for creating alternative places for people to go. I think we certainly could have in this timeframe." But added, "I will vote yes on this motion, because I hope adopting this policy will help us become even more focused and get more serious about really doing what’s necessary to establish alternative places for people to go."

Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone also approved the update. DeBone said, "I do support putting this on paper. This is what it would look like as we try to proceed and work together in the community to improve the situation, public safety, offering resources for people in need, and not having unsanctioned encampments where it’s very impactful."

file photo

POWELL BUTTE, OR -- The Oregon National Guard’s base in Powell Butte hosts night flight- training missions. The crews flew in Wednesday night.

“You may hear or see Black Hawk helicopters, about 3 to 4, that will be coming through from Washington into the Redmond area. Just the normal rotary aircraft that you, that you would hear,” Biak Training Area Manager Michael Paul says it’s a standard drill, “It’s an active-duty army aviation unit out of joint base, Lewis-McChord out of Tacoma Washington, its active-duty post. They've just asked to do some training in our training area down here to keep their pilots and their back seaters as well mission ready for any real-world missions that they might have.”

He tells KBND News night-training missions are important, “They do have to fly in blackout conditions because obviously real-world missions, combat environment sort of requires that. So that does get them ready for those type of events. That's why they're flying at night. It gets not only the pilots situated to that but also their soldiers in the back seat as well.”

Operations were scheduled all week but due to forecasted weather conditions, they expect to only go out again Monday night, April 29th.

People may hear or see the helicopters from sundown until Midnight in the Powell Butte Area and at the Redmond airport, where they re-fuel.

BEND, OR -- Teens can learn about careers in law enforcement this summer. Central Oregon Women in Law Enforcement hosts the first ever Junior Women's Law Enforcement Academy on July 10. It's open to young women ages 13-18. Register by calling Redmond Police Lt. April Huey at 541-504-3474, or email. Topics covered include defensive tactics, dispatching and the judicial process.

The following weekend, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office offers its Youth Academy for kids between 14 and 17 years old. "It’s a great time for young people to come in and get some hands-on experience and some classroom training," says Sheriff Shane Nelson. "We just want to make sure we have that connection with young people, and get them excited about the profession now." 

DCSO’s youth academy is July 16 and 17, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. "It’s not super intense. They’ll learn how to do some crime scene investigations, they’ll get some introductions to our Corrections Division and our jail, and some of the calls that patrol deputy sheriffs go on," says Nelson. There's also a K9 demonstration and a discussion with SWAT. 

"We’re very aware that we usually see people at the worst moment of their lives. So, we just want to provide more opportunity where there’s a positive connection," Nelson tells KBND News, "You get 15-20 young teens and young adults that come into your youth academy once a year, that’s 15-20 more folks that might be applying with your office in the future."

Applications for the Youth Academy are due by May 31. Click HERE for more information.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Several sheds and other outbuildings were destroyed in a Wednesday afternoon fire, in Prineville. Crook County firefighters were dispatched just after 2:15 p.m., and arrived on NE 5 1/2 Street to find fire spreading rapidly. They got it under control before flames reached to a nearby triplex.

VALE, OR -- A Redmond man was involved in a fatal crash in Eastern Oregon Tuesday afternoon. According to State Police, 22-year-old Hunter Brucker was eastbound on Highway 20 near Vale, and moved into the westbound lane to pass a commercial truck, just before 4:30 p.m. Brucker drove into the path of a westbound pickup, driven by a 17-year-old.

In an attempt to avoid the crash, both vehicles swerved onto the shoulder. However, the SUV and pickup collided head-on. The teen driver died at the scene. His 13-year-old passenger was flown to a local hospital. Brucker suffered only minor injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

EUGENE, OR -- A 48-year-old Central Oregon man was sentenced to four years in federal prison Wednesday, for his role in a conspiracy to produce animal crush videos. David Noble, of Prineville, was arrested last year after federal prosecutors say he was caught sending payments to overseas co-conspirators to fund the production of videos showing the mutilation and torture of monkeys. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Eugene last May and pleaded guilty in January.

Noble was charged in federal court because his actions crossed outside of Oregon. At the time he was arrested, Noble hadn't violated any state laws. The case prompted the legislature to pass a law in the 2024 session making it illegal in Oregon to create photos or videos of animal abuse.

LA PINE, OR -- A La Pine man faces 20 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse after the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says he was caught distributing child porn on the internet.

The Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team in Medford first discovered the material and the suspect’s location in January. Over the past few months, local detectives investigated 32-year-old Cody O’Neal after they determined the material came from his IP address.

O'Neil was arrested Wednesday during a search of his home. Detectives seized several digital devices and have applied for additional warrants to analize their contents. 

BEND, OR -- A local veteran will be inducted into the Oregon Military Hall of Fame Sunday. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Dick Tobiason joins six others to be honored at a ceremony in Clackamas. Tobiason is chairman of the Bend Heroes Foundation, and says he’s happy to be recognized for his efforts to support veterans, “The nine Veterans highways across Oregon and then the Medal of Honor highway across the United States. So, it's coincidental that those projects are finishing this year when I'm being inducted.”

He tells KBND News he’ll use his induction speech to talk about other projects, “If this old octogenarian can get a medal of honor highway across the United States. Surely the Gold Star mothers and Gold Star wives can extend the Oregon Gold Star family's memorial highway across the United States.”

“You go out and do something that’s never been done, and you find out how to do it, and you succeed. And you build on that for the next thing,” he says that next thing is an exhibit at a military museum in Washington state.

Tobiason will continue working to recognize and honor war veterans, “So those are things you do for people who are humble; who would never seek any honors for themselves. But that’s our job.”

The late Bob Maxwell was inducted in 2008, the last Oregon Military Hall of Fame ceremony was in 2009. 

Photo: KBND File November 2023-Dick Tobiason

REDMOND, OR -- Support for a plan to consolidate high schools in Redmond is wavering. Superintendent Dr. Charan Cline says a professional survey company found 69% in favor of the idea, "And it surveyed lots of folks. It’s sort of a representative sample. We have a large contingent of our community that doesn’t feel like that survey represented their point of view." He says many of those opposed to consolidation shared their thoughts at listening sessions. The first was last week at Redmond High. "I would say that people were decidedly not interested in a consolidation," Cline told KBND News Tuesday, prior to the second meeting held at Ridgeview High, "Groups of our high school teachers are not in favor of this idea, nor are very large groups of our parents."

Dr. Cline says the reasons for opposition are varied, "We’ve heard concerns about how it might impact traffic. We’ve heard concerns - people are not convinced that we’re not going to grow, in terms of demographics, despite our studies. And they’re worried that we’d need a second high school again in a few years." He adds, "They’re worried about how the two schools would come together, in terms of culture. And, playing time with athletics is a big deal to folks."

The consolidation proposal is one of a long list of projects under consideration for funding by a school bond expected to appear in the November election. "We’ll take that information back to our community bond committee that’s been really listening to the ideas and wrestling through the various problems," says Cline, "And hopefully we’ll get a bond proposal put together for June, to get it on the ballot." The school board is expected to vote on that bond list in July.

He still believes combining schools alleviates issues that may arise with major renovations planned at Redmond High, and would allow the district to get rid of two other buildings if administrative offices and other programs shift to RHS, "If we can do the consolidation, that would be one way to solve some of our problems, going forward, in terms of finances and facilities. But, you know, we can go with two smaller schools, as well, and find other ways to solve the problems." 

BEND, OR -- While the city of Bend tries to convince homeowners to trade in their lawns for low-water landscaping, Bend Parks and Rec is defending its turf. Julie Brown says the district waters a relatively small amount of grass, "We actually have about 3,000 acres of park land that we take care of; less than 200 acres of that - so, it’s about 6.5% - is actually irrigated turf area." She tells KBND News, "Even if you look at it on a per park basis - One of the parks we just recently built and opened was Alpenglow Community Park, over on 15th in southeast Bend. That park looks like that’s a really big turf area. It’s less than 7% of that park."

Where the district does water, Brown says crews take steps to mitigate the amount, "We have about 65 smart meters hooked up and are looking at automated irrigation systems, looking at the moisture content. So, we are watering less frequently, but doing it in a much more efficient way, even for those smaller pieces of grass that we have across the district."

She believes some grass is important, so kids and athletes have a place to play and practice. But says the district tries not to use it where it isn't necessary. And, they have other tools to help reduce water use for other landscaping, including strategic planting, "Really focusing on those natural areas, native plantings, grouping plants together that have similar needs for water. We’re generally going away from having those strips of grass in parking areas or right along the roadway."

City of Bend water customers can get a rebate for converting lawn to a low-water landscape; $3 for each square foot of turf removed, up to $3,000. Click HERE for more information.